JUNCTION CITY, KAN. –  Geary County Schools would like to thank the community for their patience and understanding while schools waited out inclement winter weather Tuesday. This allowed public works crews to begin treating the roads and avoided an early dismissal which would have put students and staff on the road at the height of  this afternoon’s ice storm.

Due to changes in the forecast, which will leave ice on the roads longer than expected, Geary County Schools USD 475 will be closed Wednesday, January 23, 2019. This cancellation also includes activities and programs within the district (unless otherwise stated) and the workday for staff. Staff with additional questions should contact their supervisor.

The decision regarding cancellation is made by the Superintendent of Schools and/or her designees. The Superintendent uses community partners, Fort Riley, the National Weather Service, and the best information available at the time to make these decisions. The main focus of USD 475 is using available information to make a decision that best suits the safety of students and staff.

When school is in session during inclement weather, the final decision whether or not a child should attend school or stay at home is the responsibility of the parent or guardian.

Geary County Schools apologizes for any inconvenience this cancellation may cause and will make any updates necessary in the event new information is available.

Mat Droge

Executive Director of Marketing and Media Relations – USD 475

RILEY COUNTY – One person was injured in an accident just after 12:30p.m. Tuesday in Riley County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Freightliner ambulance driven by Joshua Gene Hettenbach, 32 Chapman, was westbound on Kansas 18 one mile west of Manhattan responding to a crash.

The driver lost control of the vehicle on the icy roadway. It spun counterclockwise 180 degrees into the median, and rolled over onto the passenger side.

A passenger Kenneth Craig Compton, 26, Manhattan, was transported to Via Christi. Hettenbach was not injured. Both were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

GEARY COUNTY — One person died in an accident just after noon Tuesday in Geary County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Chevy Malibu driven by Ashlen Leigh Lemon 19, Hays,was westbound on Interstate 70 two miles west of Junction City.

The driver lost control due to icy road conditions. The vehicle entered the median and struck the guardrail.

Lemon was transported to the hospital in Junction City where she died. Lemon was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

KHP trooper ben Gardner made a plea Wednesday afternoon during the inclement weather as road conditions worsened in Kansas. “Slow down, be safe.”

Numerous slide offs and accidents have been reported.

Fort Riley is transitioning to vehicle injury accident response only.  Non-injury accidents exchange insurance information, come to the Fort Riley Police Department within next 24 hours to file an accident report.

Junction City native Kevin WIllmott has been nominated for an Oscar Award. He was nominated in the Best Adapted Screenplay category along with Spike Lee, Charlie Wachtel and David Rabinowitz for their work on BlacKkKlansman that was produced this past year in 2018.

Willmott has also written and directed the film C.S.A.: Confederate States of America. It was about America had the South won the Civil War. Among other projects, he also wrote, produced and co-directed Ninth Street, and he portrayed the role of “Huddle” one of the films main characters.

Willmott grew up in Junction CIty and graduated from St. Xavier High School. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Marymount College in Salina and a master’s degree from New York University.

Willmott is an Associate Professor in the Film Studies Department at the University of Kansas.

UPDATE:

As of 6 p.m. Tuesday Interstate 70 from K-177 south of Manhattan at mile marker 313 was closed to mile marker 321 in Wabaunsee County to the intersection of I-70 and K99. That information was provided by the KDOT KanDrive Roads service.

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One lane of I-70 has reopened in both eastbound and westbound directions but law enforcement authorities were discouraging all travel as of mid-afternoon Tuesday.

Geary County Acting Sheriff Brad Clark advised residents to not travel anywhere unless you absolutely have to travel. “Right now we’ve got partial blockage on the interstate from the 305 eastbound to about 311 ( mile markers ). It’s extremely icy out there, and we have several slide offs and a few accidents.” Fortunately, Clark was able to confirm he did not know of any fatalities in any of the accidents.

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Authorities have closed Interstate 70 in both east and westbound directions from the Geary-Dickinson County line east to exit 295 on the southwest side of Junction City.

According to Geary County Emergency Management Director Garry Berges law enforcement authorities are working a series of accidents including one that he described as serious on the interstate three miles west of Junction City. “They do have traffic shut down in both directions. They say it’s just a solid sheet of ice out there. ”

Berges said he has also been driving in Junction City. “We’ve got numerous roads, just a little bit of an incline and it’s just pure sheets of ice. So travel is very dangerous and treacherous right now ( about 12:30 p.m. Tuesday ).”

Berges also noted accidents have been reported on the K-18 bypass in Riley County. He discouraged travel and urged motorists to pull over and wait until KDOT can get the highways sanded. That process was under way.