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Category: Local

School Board Approves Acquisition of Land for New JCHS Site

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The Geary USD 475 Board of Education has voted to purchase the land where a new Junction City High School will be located just west of the city and north of K-18 Highway.

The site covers 150 acres.

Board of Education President Tom Brungardt said the purchase price was approximately $717,000. “It was a good buy. We think it was a good buy. The appraisals came in, we’ve written a check for that amount and we purchased the land.” The purchase also includes 95 acres of wheat on the property and a metal shed.

The district announced this week that the cost per acre was approximately $3,900.

USD 475 Board of Education President Resigns

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Dr. Ferrell Miller is shown at the center of the front row in a previous Board of Education photo.

Dr. Ferrell Miller has resigned from his position on the USD 475 Board of Education. He had been serving as Board President.

Miller talked with JCPost.com on Wednesday about his decision to step down. “Well, I told the Board previous to last night’s meeting that I am physically, emotionally and socially fine. My wife is well but I have resigned for personal reasons. That’s what I am saying.” Miller did not elaborate further.

He had served on the Board of Education for nearly seven years.

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The President of the Geary USD 475 Board of Education, Dr. Ferrell Miller, has resigned.

The announcement was made Tuesday evening at a board meeting by the new BOE President, Tom Brungardt. ” Dr. Miller has resigned from the Board of Education. I as vice president have become president and we just elected a new vice president, Dr. Anwar Khoury. ” Brungardt said Miller cited personal reasons as his reason for stepping down.

Miller was in his second stint as Board of Education president.

The Board will advertise the vacancy, interview applicants in June, and they hope to fill the position at their annual organizational meeting in early July.

Kollhoff Pharmacy Staff Donates to Delivering Change

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JUNCTION CITY, KAN – Dressing a little casual is leading to big change at Kollhoff Pharmacy, 407 S. Washington. Kollhoff Pharmacy team members were given the opportunity to dress casual on Fridays if they provided a little change to the collection jar. Within a short period of time employees raised $250 which was matched by the pharmacy, giving them $500 to donate to Delivering Change, the Geary County Perinatal Coalition.

The staff quickly decided Delivering Change would be the beneficiary for many reasons, Sue Kollhoff, owner and co-CEO of Kollhoff Pharmacy, said. “Delivering Change continues to do exciting things for family wellness in Junction City.  We are happy to support such a great organization that continues to do so much for Geary County.”

According to deliveringchange.org, the non-profit was created in response to a growing need for improved access to healthcare, improved health of women of childbearing age, and improved outcomes for the babies born in the Geary County community.  The funds will allow the Delivering Change Navigators to purchase items for distribution to parents over the pregnancy and postpartum periods, with the goal of increasing patient engagement in Delivering Change programs. “Junction City has given so much to us and we are excited to give back,” Kollhoff said. “We are eager to see our employees continue to show passion in giving to the community.”

Kollhoff Pharmacy was opened in 2014 by pharmacists Sue and John Kollhoff. As the only family-owned retail and compounding pharmacy in the area, they are able to offer exceptional customer care. They provide pharmacy services for people and pets and free delivery in Junction City and Chapman.  For more information visit www.kollhoffpharmacy.com.

Kollhoff Pharmacy staff, 407 South Washington, offers a $500 donation to Jill Nelson of Delivering Change. ( L-R ): Front row: Susan Cochran, Georgi Phillips, Sue Kollhoff, Jill Nelson, Elizabeth Hernandez, Kelly Dobbs. Back row: Sierra Wisby, Samantha Turner, Corey Srna, Kayla Curry. Kollhoff team members were given the opportunity to dress casual on Fridays if they provided a donation to a local charity of their choice.

Sue Kollhoff, PharmD

Kollhoff Pharmacy

USD 475 Board of Education Meeting will be Streamed Live

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The Devin Center, site of the Monday Board of Education meeting

The public will be able to view the Board of Education meeting Monday evening in Junction City. The meeting will be streamed live.

The school district’s Executive Vice President of Communication, Matt Droge, said it will be the first live-streamed meeting of the Board. ” It will be live-streamed through You Tube, just maybe a 15-second delay, but essentially live through You Tube, the district website, connectEd.usd475.org.

The school district has acquired to live stream the Board of Education meetings.

Tonight’s session begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Devin Center.

New Date for Library Community Conversation

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The date for the rescheduled Community Conversation on the Dorothy Bramlage Public Library building project has been set for Wednesday, May 16th. The time and location remain the same, 6 p.m. in the Montgomery Rehearsal Hall at the C.L. Hoover Opera House.

Library Director Susan Moyer said the meeting is open to the public and will feature a series of short presentations on the status of the project followed by roundtable discussions. Seating for the event will be limited and made available on a first come first served basis.

The program was originally scheduled for May 2nd but was cancelled due to severe weather warnings.

Sheriff’s Deputies Respond to Non-Injury Accidents

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The Geary County Sheriff’s Department has reported that Deputies responded to K-177 Highway mile marker 96 on Monday for a non-injury accident.

Aubrey Maggard, Manhattan was driving her 2015 Chevrolet Spark south bound attempting to merge when she side swiped a 2005 Chrysler Town and Country minivan driven by Tena Johnson, Council Grove. There was minor damage to both vehicles.

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Deputies responded to 1107 South Spring Valley Road on Monday for a non-injury accident. WIllie Perry, Junction City, was backing his 2010 Chevrolet Equinox out of a parking place when he struck a 2004 Chrysler Sebring owned by Allan Rothlisberg. There was minor damage to both vehicles.

 

More on Recent Visit by Secretary of the Army

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By Chad L. Simon
1st Inf. Div. Public Affairs

The Secretary of the U.S. Army, Dr. Mark T. Esper, visited and spoke with
Soldiers and spouses of the 1st Infantry Division as he toured Fort Riley,
Kansas, May 4. The visit was Esper’s first to the area since he was sworn in as the 23rd Secretary of the Army last November.

Esper started his busy day by joining Soldiers of the 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Inf. Div., for a functional fitness PT session. Esper also met with officers, noncommissioned officers and spouses of the 1st CAB for breakfast before joining the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Inf. Div., as the “Devil” brigade conducted live-fire training on one of the vast ranges offered at the post.

Esper fielded questions from Soldiers, spouses and civilians during a town hall meeting held at Barlow Theater. He also talked of how the Army is looking to gain approximately 15,000 Soldiers over the next three years. He expects more Soldiers will help improve the quality of life and dwell time for Soldiers between deployments.

Esper also spoke about the 1st Inf. Div. and U.S. Army’s continued emphasis to build readiness.

“We are now focused on strategic competitors such as Russia and China,” Esper said. “The 1st Infantry Division has a storied history. It is one of our great units and, if called upon in the future, I am confident that it will prevail once again. The 1st Inf. Div. needs to continue to build its readiness and enhance the lethality of the force as we move ahead.”

The secretary said training with international allies – something the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Inf. Div., is currently doing in Europe – is important.

“The fact that the ‘Big Red One’ can be over in Europe training with our allies not only builds that interoperability and partnership with our allies, but also provides reassurance to them that the United States will be there as a NATO treaty party should a conflict come,” he said.

In his day-long tour and visit of the historic 1st Inf. Div. and Fort Riley post, it was evident to Esper that the Soldiers here are willing and able to carry on with the fighting success of the Big Red One Soldiers that came before them.

“I saw professionalism, a commitment to service to our country and an interest in the direction of the Army,” Esper said of the Soldiers he met that day.

 

Fabia Delivers Keynote Address at Celebration of Teaching Banquet

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Teachers helped spur Roland Fabia on to major accomplishments in his future.

Speaking at the Celebration of Teaching banquet in Junction City Monday evening Fabia remembered some of the educators who helped him during his days in school. “In eighth grade it was Jim Pendarvis, my English teacher who spurred interest in literature for me. In high school it was Mr. Bennett who sparked my interest in government. Three words from another teacher impacted his life, “yet, proud and imagine.”

Fabia, a 1973 JCHS graduate, would go on to spend the majority of three decades as an Intelligence Officer with the Defense Intelligence Agency. He served in a variety of positions ranging from analyzing foreign military capabilities and counterterrorism  to support to senior policy makers and warfighters. He was selected by Vice President Cheney to serve as his briefer for the President’s Daily Brief in 2007. In 2009, Fabia was inducted to the Defense Intelligence Senior Level Service and was assigned as the DIA executive representative to the Department of Homeland Security. He completed his career in the DIA Information Technology Office where he worked to help ensure efficient, consistent and quality enterprise IT services, support and products were provided to more than 54,000 customers, including all of the Combatant Commands.

He told the Celebration of Teaching audience comprised of current and former USD 475 teachers that there was a qoute dealing with seeds and harvest. “When I hear it I think of teachers, to those who teach, because teachers plant the seeds but they don’t often get to see what blooms.”

Fabia also attended St. Xavier Elementary School and Junction City Junior High School. He holds a Master’s degree in National Security Studies from the National War College in Washington, D.C.

 

USD 475 Receives Additional Federal Funding

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Geary USD 475 has received an unexpected heavy impact aid payment of approximately one million dollars.

On their connectED web page the district reported that the funds are due to the Department of Defense redistributing money that was left over after the initial distribution.

The school district also expects to receive approximately $12 million more in payments

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