The 25th annual Chapman EDC St. Patrick’s Day Parade will be on Monday at 1 p.m.

The parade is open to anyone who would like to enter. You line up at the Chapman Middle School parking lot. Three will be three prizes of $25 for best entry.

There will be free hot dogs and Pepsi hosted by the Lions Club and Pepsi after the parade.

Wildcat Creek in Riley County near the towns of Riley and Keats was rising on Wednesday afternoon, but according to information from the Northeast Kansas Regional Notification System there was no flooding yet.

Residents were urged to stay aware.

The area is also under a wind advisory until 7 p.m. Thursday.

There has been a change in the Medical Explorers schedule. The Director of Marketing and Public Relations at Geary Community Hospital, Nikki Davies announced the change, saying the Radiology session has been moved from March 13th to March 20th. The remainder of the schedule will remain the same.

Wednesday, March 20 – Radiology

Wednesday, March 27 – Optometry, Dr. Reynoldson

Location: 1208 W. 8^th Street, Junction City

Wednesday, April 10 – Laboratory

Wednesday, April 24 – Junction City Fire Department

Location: Station 1 – 700 N. Jefferson Street, Junction City

Wednesday, May 1 – Life Star

         Location: Freeman Field Airport – 540 W. 18^th Street, Junction City

The JC Breakfast Optimist Club has donated $200 to support the Geary County Girl Scouts.

Optimist Club members were informed on Wednesday that there are 211 Girl Scout members in the county in the different levels ranging from Daisies and Brownies to Juniors Cadets, Seniors and Ambassadors.

Girl Scout volunteer Ellen Westerhaus explained that the girls work on service projects to support the community. Some of them include support of the animal shelter, the Food Pantry and providing items for needy families at Thanksgiving. She said one of the goals of the Girl Scouts is to “learn to support and encourage each other to try new things and do things for others without recognition.”

Girl Scout Service Unit Manager reported that local Girl Scouts are concluding their cookie sales project.

The JC Breakfast Optimist Club supports 18 different groups.

Phase one improvements to the Fifth Street Park are near completion with installation of artificial turf one remaining priority when the weather allows. But there are multiple phases ahead.

In phase two Quality Play for All spokesman Kendall Schoenrock said officials will move into that part of the project this summer. “What we’re fundraising now for is phase two. Phase two is going to include a new basketball court which will be on the west side of the walking trail, a covered pavilion, potentially a sand volleyball court, just a long term strategy for Playground Park. ” It will be a five-phase plan.

Future phase improvements will range from upgraded parking to a stage on the east side of the walking trail. That stage would allow groups and other events to occur.

CYBERSPACE (AP) — Dick’s Sporting Goods says it will stop selling hunting rifles and ammunition at 125 of its stores — replacing those items with merchandise it believes will sell better at those locations.

CEO Edward Stack says the move comes after the retailer replaced hunting merchandise in 10 of its stores in last year’s third quarter.

Those stores posted strong sales and profit margin numbers in the fourth quarter. Dick’s made headlines last year after the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida — when it banned the sale of assault rifles and the sale of all guns to anyone under 21.

Authorities have not released whether the store in Manhattan, Salina, Garden City or Wichita are included in the decision.

The Geary County Animal Shelter will hold a pet adoption event at Dick Edwards Auto Plaza in Junction City on Saturday, March 30th. The hours will be 11 a.m. until 4 p.m.

Animal Shelter Director Vanessa Gray said there will be cats and dogs available for adoption. “Our dogs will be doing the regular routine, getting adoption applications, but we’ll still have to set up meet and greets if anybody has pets in their home, another dog. But cats can be adopted that day at the event. Still an application process but we’ll review them as we go.

Gray explained these will be half-price adoptions with Dick Edwards Auto Plaza covering the other portion of the cost.

There will also be a fill-a-Ford so those attending can donate an item for the shelter into the Ford, and they’ll be delivered to the shelter.