The Junction City Commission has approved a five percent license fee for non-city trash haulers, effective July 1st.

City Manager Allen Dinkel said they will have to pay the fee based on five percent of gross revenues on a monthly basis to the city. It will be similar to franchise fees paid by telephone, cable t-v, electric and natural gas suppliers.  The City trash service also returns any profits that are realized back into the City general fund as well.

The Commission took the action to approve the license fee on a 5-0 vote Tuesday night.

The Milford Lake Watershed Regional Conservation Partnership Program was launched at the Governor’s Water Conference in November of 2018 to improve water quality conditions within the Milford Lake Watershed. More than 30 partners have joined together for that multi-million dollar effort.

According to the Kansas Water Office harmful algal blooms have been an issue at Milford every since 2011. To help address that problem, financial assistance is available to landowners with the goal of reducing runoff from precipitation events and nutrient loading in the watershed by 31,000 pounds of phosphorus annually. The Milford Lake Watershed includes portions of Geary, Dickinson, Riley, Clay, Cloud, Mitchell, Washington, Republic and Jewell counties.

Funding available through the Natural Resources Conservation Service Environmental Quality Incentives Program for producers in those counties to implement practices to address water quality concerns. Some of the water quality improvement best management practices that are available for funding are nutrient management, residue management, filter strips, grass plantings, cover crops and others.

Producers interested in participating can visit the local USDA or Conservation District office. Funding for those EQIP practices is set at 75 percent and through RCPP partner contributions, some of those practices will be funded up to 90 percent of the program payment rate. This is a continuous signup program:  however, the next application ranking signup deadline is March 15th. Funding of practices at this level may not always be available so producers can take advantage while the opportunity exists.

Visit www.kwo.ks.gov for more information.

The Geary County Sheriff’s Department daily report included a response by Deputies to U.S. Highway 77 mile marker 164 at 6:12 a.m. Wednesday for a car-deer non-injury accident.

Susan Tucker, Manhattan, was driving her 2016 Mazda CC5 south bound when a deer ran out in front of the vehicle,  causing damage.

CHESAPEAKE, Va. (AP) — Dollar Tree is closing up to 390 Family Dollar stores this year and rebranding about 200 others under the Dollar Tree name.

The company closed 84 Family Dollar stores in the fourth quarter, 37 more than originally planned. The company has said that it will renovate at least 1,000 stores this year.

The Family Dollar store in Junction City is at 505 W 6th Street.

Dollar Tree Inc., based in Chesapeake, Virginia, acquired Family Dollar in 2015 for almost $9 billion.
The company said Wednesday that it’s seeking rent concessions from landlords at the 84 stores closed late last year and if it doesn’t get them, it’ll speed up the pace of store closings to as many as 390 locations. Dollar Tree closes about 75 stores annually.

The company had 15,237 stores in 48 states and five Canadian provinces as of Feb. 2.

Geary County Commission Chairman Charles Stimatze reported this week that the county has made collections in delinquent property tax revenue. So far we’ve collected as of March 1st $664,828.99 from delinquent taxes.”

The county is in the process of preparing to hold a delinquent property tax sale later this spring.

Junction City Blue Jay head wrestling coach Bob Laster completed a 32-year stint in that capacity with the team’s postseason banquet Tuesday evening at the senior high school.

It was bittersweet for the longtime coach. “It’s a little sad, but I’m really happy about my legacy that I was able to leave for Junction City. So I’m not that disappointed. I’m looking forward to my new chapter in my life and I’m just hoping that Blue Jay wrestling continues in the direction that it has been going.”

There is one accomplishment mentioned by the coach. “I was the first black head coach at Junction City High School. I think that opened up our view as far as how they looked at diversity, and I think that helped out with a lot of other coaches that followed after me but that’s probably one of the proudest things besides some of the other things I’ve accomplished as far as awards, but I’m really proud about that.”

Laster guided I-70 and Centennial League championship teams, and squads that placed high in the Class 6A State tournament during his tenure.

During the team’s postseason banquet Tuesday evening numerous letters and certificates were presented to Blue Jay wrestlers. Terrance Adeleye was named the most valuable wrestler, James Hancock the most improved wrestler, and the Brandon Bramlage award that goes to a freshman was presented to Hayden Diestelkamp.

The 2019 Junction City Geary County Crime Stoppers Law Enforcement of the Year Banquet is Friday night at the convention center in Junction City. Doors open at 6 p.m., the meal is served at 6:30 and the program begins at 7 p.m.

The purpose of the banquet is to honor selected officers and employees who performed exemplary service beyond their normal duties in 2018.

Up to 14 honorees will be selected from area law enforcement 8th Judicial District Court Services and Community Corrections, the Army Corps of Engineers at Milford Lake, Milford State Park, county dispatchers and the North Central Kansas Regional Juvenile Detention Center. Two special awards will be made this year for civilian assistance to law enforcement agencies.

The purpose of the banquet is to demonstrate citizen support for the law enforcement and support agencies that serve Geary County, and to raise money for the Crime Stoppers reward fund. The first banquet was held in February of 2015.

The Chapman school district will have a Driver Education meeting for students parents on March 19th at 7 p.m. at the Chapman Middle School commons area.

Dr. Betty Ryan said students must either live in the district or be attending Chapman Schools USD 473. The meeting is for informational purposes, student sign-up, payment of fees ( $200 ) and for filling out an application for a Kansas Driver Education Permit. Students must have completed the 8th grade.

All parents of students and students who are interested in taking Driver Education in the summer of 2019 are encouraged to attend the meeting.

If you have questions call the instructors, Dr. Betty Ryan or Andy Fewin at Chapman Middle School, 1-785-922-6555.

Emergency warning sirens sounded in the Geary County region Tuesday morning. It was part of the statewide tornado drill.

107.9 FM and 1420 KJCK conducted an on-air test of their emergency warning procedures as well.

Geary County Emergency Management Director Garry Berges made one point. I just think that people need to know that when the sirens go off that they need to be in a place of shelter. They need to plan ahead of time as to where that’s going to be and not wait until the sirens do sound.”