Deibel Laboratories has announced the planned opening of their latest laboratory, Deibel Labs of Kansas, in Manhattan. This will be a full-service laboratory offering microbiological and chemistry testing to the food, beverage, personal care and pet care industries.

According to a statement from Deibel Laboratories with the large number of pet care companies in the area they are excited to show their testing capabilities to that industry. All of their labs offer a “one stop shop” philosophy to their clients. Whatever testing cannot be done in the Manhattan facility will be sent to their closest lab for a testing of their clients’ samples.

As a policy all microbiological samples are setup the same day they are received, and their labs are open 365 days a year, including weekends and holidays. The Manhattan laboratory will be fully operational later this year. ISA Accreditation is anticipated by the end of the year.

Deibel Labs of Kansas will be located at 1500 Hayes Drive.

The project to convert two Medical Arts Building One suites at Geary Community Hospital into an expanded area for the orthopedic surgery clinic is under way.

Hospital CEO Joe Stratton anticipated the work can be completed by the mid-January time frame, and he is hopeful the clinic can be relocated into the new space in the January to mid-February time frame.

The Geary Community Healthcare Foundation has been raising money this year to help fund a portion of the project.

Geary County Commissioner Ben Bennett reported Tuesday that the county has collected approximately $600,000 in late property tax payments. There are still 128 properties on the delinquent property tax list.

Bennett added the county is preparing for a delinquent property tax sale after the first of the year.

The Corps of Engineers has reported that the Milford Lake level is now just 0.19 feet above conservation pool, so they will be reducing the release from the reservoir from 5,000 cubic feet per second down to 1,500 cubic feet per second.

The minimum flow at Clay Center remains near 460 cfs. The Corps expects to hit their winter target elevation for the lake at 1141.4 by around mid-December.

The Geary County Health Department has applied for a grant dealing with opioid crisis response.

According to information revealed at the Health Board ( County Commission ) meeting on Monday if the grant is received the Department would be partnering with Geary Community Hospital, the schools, Fort Riley, the Geary Community Healthcare Foundation, and Central Kansas Foundation to develop and improve the local health system capacity for opioid crisis response.

The grant application is seeking $62,155 with no matching fund requirement. Officials should know if the grant has been awarded by the end of November.

The Health Department has also applied for the Syndromic Surveillance Regional Pilot Mini-Grant. That will involve Geary County taking the lead over five counties in disease surveillance and training.  There will be an effort to work with other counties to help improve everyone’s use and and understanding of the system.

Fundraising efforts at Geary Community Hospital for the annual Junction City – Geary County United Way will include the ongoing sale of candy grams from November to December 28th and a bake sale on December 20th.

According to the United Way. volunteer bakers are being sought for the bake sale. For information contact Johna Ward, extension 4122. With a candy gram you can send a treat to your friends and co-workers to say “Happy Holidays” or “Good Job.” The cost of a candy gram is $5 a bag. You can order by contacting Ward.

The fundraising goal for the 2018-19 United Way campaign is $140,000.So far, $22,050.95 has been pledged.