The Homecoming parade and pep rally took center stage for Junction City High School Thursday evening.
The parade rolled from the H.D. Karns Building to the senior high school, and was followed by a pep rally at Al Simpler Stadium. The Blue Jays host Highland Park in the homecoming football game at Al Simpler Stadium Friday night. You can hear the game on 107.9 FM and 1420 KJCK.
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The Utilities Department at the Junction City Municipal Building will be closed from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m Friday.
The City’s Finance Director, Lindsay Miller, said payments can still be made via the City website: www.junction.ks.gov, the payment box outside the City Hall entrance or you can pay by phone by calling 888-730-7163.
Customer Service will resume normal business hours after 9 a.m.
The Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual meeting at 5 p.m. on Oct. 17 at the Junction City Municipal Building. The session is open to the public.
The annual meeting entitled “The State of the Chamber” is an opportunity for member businesses and non-members to learn about what the Chamber has been doing and it’s plans moving forward. “Last year’s restructure provided us with a framework to move forward to impact and grow the Junction City in new and exciting ways,” said Mickey Dean., President of Operations and Economic Development Director. “We wanted to take this opportunity to give the community a better understanding of what we are doing to support the business community and grow the area.”
The program will begin at 5:30 p.m. and will include brief updates from all three divisions: Economic Development, Military Affairs and Membership as well as a time for questions and answers of the board and leadership and staff. The City of Junction City will be hosting the event and will provide refreshments and door prizes. There will also be an opportunity to purchase 50/50 drawing raffle tickets.
“We ( the Chamber ) exist to support the community,” said Amy Garner, Director of Member Relations. “We can do that best when communication flows freely between us and the business owners and leaders in town. That’s what this meeting is all about.”
To RSVP ( requested but not required ) go to www.jcacc.org or call 785-762-2632.
There will be a one cent sales tax question on the ballot in Junction City on Nov. 5. If approved by voters it would renew a current one cent sales tax that is due to expire on Dec. 31, 2020. The funds derived from the tax are being used to help reduce city debt.
Mayor Pat Landes said the sales tax has been a life preserver. ” It goes right toward debt.” The current sales tax raises about $3.5 million per year to pay off debt that occurred with earlier development. “That has allowed us to continue to function as a city, and not go into bankruptcy, and still fix streets and still do great things here in town.”
If voters give their approval in November it would renew the one cent sales tax for 10 years. City Manager Allen Dinkel has noted failure to approve it could mean a reduction in services or an increase in the property tax by up to 21 or 22 mills.
Commissioner Jeff Underhill also reminded voters on the importance of renewing the sales tax. He urged the public to become educated on the topic. “It’s not adding anything additional, it’s just continuing the correct path we’re on now.”
Another round of BRAC, Base Realignment and Closure, is not occurring now, but whenever it does there will be some new criteria used in the evaluation.
Flint Hills Regional Council member Tim Brown highlighted a briefing recently received by the Council. One of the new criteria will deal with licensing and whether a state where a base is located accepts licenses of military family members such as nurses. “They’re going to be looking at schools, and the test grades from four and eight will be the ones they’re looking at. ” Medical, intergovernmental support agreements with local entities and housing will be other criteria areas.
BRAC can impact the number of troops stationed at installations, whether it’s a decrease or increase in troops. It is a topic followed by military related communities.
In past BRAC rounds Fort Riley experienced both a decrease and an increase in Soldiers.
The grand opening for Riley’s Community Center was held on Post this week. The building that was formerly Riley’s Conference Center, has undergone renovation.
Junction City Commissioner Phyllis Fitzgerald attended the grand opening. “It still can be used for a lot of the same things, meetings and events. They’ve got a nice computer room, they’ve got a family room, got a fitness room with child activity space and a recreation room.”
The hours of operation for the center will be 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, 11 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Thursday and Friday, and noon to 7 p.m. on Saturday.
The annual Junction City High School homecoming parade will begin at 6 p.m. this ( Thursday ) evening. A check with the school revealed it will travel a route from the H.D. Karns Building to the main parking lot at JCHS.
There will be a pep rally at Al Simpler Stadium following the parade.
The Blue Jays host Highland Park in the homecoming football game Friday night at Al Simpler Stadium.
The annual football homecoming game at Junction City High School is Friday night when the Blue Jays host Highland Park. Homecoming royalty candidates have been named.
According to an online site “Junction City Athletics” the candidates for the Senior class include Darius Sparks, Albert Coba de Mota, JoJo Nieves, Miranda Wigton-Torres, Emma Dustin and Laynee Chase.
In the Junior class they are Key’Ahn Taylor, Donovan Bryant, Dylan Hayden, Sierra Garner, Taylor Strickland and Ashlynn Shea.
For the Sophomores they are Bennie Palmer, Jayden Reutzel, Davario Torres, Akasha Schlict, Jashala Iteekekia-Dixon and Kylie Brown.
In the the Freshman class they include Zane Khoury, Collin McQueen, Tate Miller, Rose West, Adalynn Hatcher and Rachel Cho.
The senior class king and queen and the prince and princesses for the other classes are announced Friday evening,
Soldiers return to Fort Riley this month from overseas deployments.
During the weekly Junction City Commission meeting, Commissioner Tim Brown, provided an update. He noted that there was a Fort Riley representative at the recent Flint Hills Regional Council meeting, “who indicated, it’s good to know, that most units from Fort Riley will be back after October and then will be here through February. Almost all troops will be on the base from October to February. That’s a really good thing.”
Brown represents Junction City on the Flint Hills Regional Council.
