A “hands off” poison ivy identification and control workshop is being held by the K-State Research and Extension, Geary County Extension Office on Tuesday, June 12th at 7 p.m. at Homer’s Pond in Junction City.  The location will be just west of Eisenhower along West Spruce Street.

Geary County Extension Agent, Chuck Otte will explain how to identify poison ivy, the common mis-identifications, and how to control poison ivy.  Poison Ivy is a very common native plant that, unfortunately, causes many Kansans a great deal of discomfort every year.  Identification is fairly simple, once you learn a few tricks, but control can often be challenging because of where the plant is growing.

Otte will show how to quickly identify poison ivy and the various options available for control of this woody plant.  Questions on this upcoming event can be directed to Chuck Otte at the Geary County Extension Office, cotte@ksu.edu or 785-238-4161.

The placement of secured Junction City Police Department weapons at three secondary school sites in the city has been approved by the USD 475 Board of Education.

The schools include Junction City Middle School, the Freshman Success Academy and the Career Academy Junction City High School.

David Wild, Chief Operations Officer for the school district, said the district’s insurance provider has approved the placement of weapons safes in those schools. “As long as it’s established that the school resource officers are in fact employees of the Junction City Police Department instead of the district so that clarification has been established.  The decision will allow police to put long rifles in the schools as opposed to out in the parking lot in their vehicles.”

Those weapons would be stored inside the schools for quicker access by officers should they be needed.

The Junction City Community Band entertained the public with their Sunday evening concert of the summer at the C.L. Hoover Opera House.

The band will perform a free concert on Sunday evenings through the month of June. ( Photos courtesy of Nita Miller )

WABAUNSEE COUNTY — One person was injured in an accident just after 1p.m. Saturday in Wabaunsee County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Yamaha motorcycle driven by John Elton Boggess, 42, Tribune, was southbound on Kansas 99.

The vehicle turned to go eastbound on K31 and attempted to come to a complete stop at a stop sign. The motorcycle was traveling too fast, crashed and ejected the passenger Patricia K. Ricketts, 51, Chapman.

Ricketts was transported to the hospital in Manhattan. Boggess was not injured. They were wearing safety glasses but not helmets, according to the KHP.

Radio Ink magazine is known for world-famous lists. In April, they published a list of Radio’s Top- 20 leaders. It includes Eagle Communications’ President Gary Shorman.

“These are the radio industry’s best. They know how to motivate their teams to success. They are winning at sales, programming, and management. They are relentless in what they do, and they do not fail. This list is made up of radio’s most positive. They are the people who take the time to mentor others and make a lasting impact on careers. They give time back to the radio industry to help it grow. They may not be promoting themselves or be among the powerful executives we always write about, but they are making the radio industry run like a well-oiled machine.”

Gary Shorman was very detailed in his response when we asked him about the characteristics of a successful leader. “Team builder,” he says. “No one can win with a dysfunctional team, so do the opposite. Find players who love their community and want to make it better. Find players who want to build their success year after year. Find players who want to be on a winning team. Once that is done, give them the opportunity to participate in decisions and goals, then give them the tools to succeed. At Eagle, I interview all our potential employee-owners before we bring them on board. I’m encouraged by what I see and how many of our newest have a strong desire to play on a winning team.

“Creativity. I get a chance to listen to a lot of radio stations. We win when our clients and advertisers win. That happens with creative marketing campaigns and continued brand-building. At Eagle, our businesses are the local businesses that compete with the big national companies. At one time it was the Sears & Roebuck catalog or the new Walmart store coming to town.

Today our customers battle for business with the brown delivery truck that brings products from around the world. To win, our local businesses need us to help tell their story on the radio and through our digital products. We win with creativity.”

Finally, he says, “Get results.

If something is not working, find another way. Ratings, no ratings. Good economy, bad economy. Stocks up, stocks down. Whatever is happening in the world, we all get paid for results. If you cannot find a way to get results, you will probably be working somewhere else.”

Shorman says leadership in any industry takes hard work and the ability to work with the people on your team.

“Radio is no exception. I have not met many leaders who made it to their position without learning the basics of the business and working harder than others around them to succeed. In any business, but especially radio, you must enjoy being a part of a team, loving those you work with and encouraging those who are facing challenges.”

Manhattan, KS –Cowboy poets will face a distinguished panel of judges as they compete for the coveted trophy buckle at the finals of the 2018 Kansas Cowboy Poetry Contest on June 8 at the Flint Hills Discovery Center. There is no charge for admission and the public is invited to attend.

“We invite folks to come out and enjoy the friendly competition,” said poetry contest chair Ron Wilson of the Lazy T Ranch near Manhattan. “We have an excellent field of cowboy poets who earned their way into the finals by performing well at the regional contests.”

The finals will be held on Friday, June 8, 2018 at 7 p.m. at the Discovery Center on the night before the Symphony in the Flint Hills. Celebrity judges include Chief Justice Lawton Nuss of the Kansas Supreme Court, Marie Martin from the Flint Hills Discovery Center Foundation, K-State Teaching & Learning Center Director Dr. Jana Fallin, Senator Tom Hawk, Manhattan Mayor Linda Morse, and Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.

“We appreciate the Flint Hills Discovery Center Foundation which is our lead sponsor,” Wilson said.

Contestants are as follows (towns in Kansas unless listed otherwise): Serious poem category: Betty Burlingham, Manhattan; John J. Cannon, Fredonia; Jerry Jones, Salina; Tim Keane, Manhattan; Danny McCurry, Ash Grove, Missouri; Scott Wiswell, Valley Center. Humorous poem category: Betty Burlingham, Manhattan; Jerry Jones, Salina; Tim Keane, Manhattan; Danny McCurry, Ash Grove, Missouri; Dana Moodie, Neodesha; and Scott Wiswell, Valley Center.

State champions at the finals will receive the Saddlejack Bradrick Award, the coveted Governor’s Buckle, discounts and gift certificates from leading western wear stores, and two tickets to the Symphony in the Flint Hills plus an opportunity to present their poems in the story circle after the symphony. In addition, the state winners will be invited to compete in the National Cowboy Poetry Rodeo. It is not necessary to go through the state contest to enter the national rodeo because anyone can enter the National Cowboy Poetry Rodeo directly, but the Kansas winners will have their entry fees paid by the Kansas contest.