GEARY COUNTY — One person was injured in an accident just before 9a.m. Monday in Geary County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Pontiac Grand Am driven by Karen L. Kleckner, 33, Alta Vista, was southbound on Kansas 177 four miles south of Alta Vista.
The vehicle traveled off the paved roadway. The driver overcorrected and lost control of the vehicle. It rolled into the west ditch.
Kleckner was transported to the hospital in Topeka. She was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.
There will be a community conversation on May 2nd about the possibility of a future new public library in Junction City.
That’s the current focus of Dorothy Bramlage Public Library officials. Library Director Susan Moyer said over the last several months they have looked at different concepts. “Including being able to expand and add on to our building. As we continue being able to expand and add on to our building. As we continued to get more information about that we decided that really a better course would be to demolish our current building and rebuild on the same spot.”
The public can give their input during the event on May 2nd, which will be held at the upstairs Montgomery Rehearsal Hall meeting room at the C.L. Hoover Opera House.
A new building could possibly be built at the same location as the current library at 230 West 7th Street. Library officials have been working with a rough cost estimate in the $6 million to $7 million range, and fundraising would have to occur. Moyer is hopeful officials will be able to cut a ribbon on a new building in five years.
On the second the public will be able to learn the history of the discussions, where the conversation is at on the project now, and help officials move forward with it.
MANHATTAN — Kansas State University has selected the 2018-2019 Blue Key class. The 17 members will have the special opportunity to spend their senior year serving their university community through mentorship, leadership and service.
Membership eligibility in Blue Key is based on all-around leadership in student life, high scholastic achievement, service to others, citizenship and an adherence to principles of faith. Blue Key Honor Society recognizes upperclassmen at colleges and universities throughout the nation for an exemplary and balanced record of achievement inside and outside the classroom.
Throughout their year as members of Blue Key Honor Society, the students will have the opportunity to make an impact on campus through a variety of programs, including Quest, Catalyst and DiscoverU. Quest is a freshmen honorary run by members of Blue Key, who mentor Quest members throughout the year and provide a listening ear and helpful advice for the freshmen as they acclimate to college life. Catalyst is a semesterlong class taught by members of Blue Key for freshmen and sophomores that focuses on leadership, accountability through collaboration, and maintaining momentum. DiscoverU is an annual college exploration conference at Kansas State University for sophomores and juniors in high school.
The following students, all who will be seniors in the 2018-2019 school year, are new members of Blue Key; included are major and hometown:
Lane Coberly, political science and global food systems leadership, and Kyler Langvardt, agricultural communications and journalism, both from Chapman; Sarah Niederee, agricultural economics and global food systems leadership, Great Bend.
From Greater Kansas City: Jordan Kiehl, industrial engineering, Fairway; Cooper McGuire, vocal performance, Gardner; Victoria Thomas, biological systems engineering and Spanish, Lenexa; Jordan Eberhardy, kinesiology and pre-physical therapy, Olathe; Mykia Carrell, advertising, Meredith Clark, nutritional sciences and pre-dental, William Crawford, biology, and Nicholas Nordstrom, biology and pre-medicine, all from Overland Park; and Rachel Haskell, kinesiology,Prairie Village.
Amy Scott-Sanjur, accounting, Junction City; Zachery Galyon, political science and pre-law, Little River; Lindsey Hageman, industrial engineering, Manhattan; Claire Wingert, marketing, Ottawa; and Miranda Moore, communication studies, political science and pre-law, Pittsburg.
K-State News and Communications Services
Division of Communications and Marketing
Junction City fire trucks rolled to 1511 West Ash Street, apartment 5, at 1:38 p.m. Saturday.
Crews reported a 3-story wood frame building with light smoke coming from the eve of the roof. All occupants were out of the building and reports of people reentering the structure were received. Police and Fire personnel ensured all occupants were out of the structure.
Fire Chief Terry Johnson reported that Incident Command was advised the fire was possibly in the water heater area of apartment five. The crew found the fire in the closet of the furnace and water heater area and it was extinguished and under control by 3:30 p.m.
Two adjacent apartments, 1 and 3, received water damage from operations. The management of the apartments assisted with relocating two of the apartment occupants and the remainder made arrangements for a place to go.
The cause of the fire and the damage estimate are still under investigation.
Students from across Geary USD 475 put their work on display Friday night and Saturday at the
C.L. Hoover Opera House. The occasion was a USD 475 reception, art show and silent auction.
Junction City High School art teacher Jimmy Goheen noted there was a big turnout for a Friday evening and a good turnout again on Saturday. In the past typically several pieces of art, probably 20 to 35% sold during the auction. Goheen added he believes they will be around the same range this year.
The winnng entry from the high school was created by Kennedy Cox. “She does a lot of paintings with oil. It’s an orange and kind of blue mountain painting. Really captured a lot of light, lot of contrast going on in her piece. She does a lot of nice stuff and she did a really nice job on that one.”
Junction City firefighters responded to a pair of fires at a single story large duplex at 1204 Blue Stem Drive Friday night at 5:39 p.m. and again at 12:28 a.m. Saturday after a call for a rekindled fire.
The duplex, valued at $250,000, was destroyed and has been declared a total loss by the Fire Department. No injuries were reported.
When firefighters responded to the first call they found the large duplex with a substantial amount of smoke coming from the roof. The north side of the building was the side that was involved. Firefighters confirmed there were no occupants in the structure. Crews knocked down visible fire in the attic, fire was found in the chimney section of the north duplex and the southwest corner of the south duplex. Multiple hot spots were difficult to access due to restrictions in the attic space. Units departed the scene at 8:09 p.m.
Firefighters returned to the scene Saturday morning at 12:28 a.m. after the call for a rekindle. The building was fully engulfed when they returned. There were flames approximately 20 feet above the roof line. The flames were knocked down in approximately 15 minutes. The roof of the structure was mostly gone. Numerous hot spots were put out.
JUNCTION CITY, KAN. – Geary County Schools USD 475 announced this week that Principal Melanie Laster, currently of Jefferson Elementary, will become the new principal at Morris Hill Elementary School (beginning July 1, 2018). She will also continue serving as the Jefferson Elementary School principal. Laster is excited to join the Morris Hill Elementary team as she widens her experience in Geary County Schools.
Several other principals have also chosen to broaden their experience in the district by relocating to different buildings next year. This allows experience to spread through the district as well as provide employees the benefit of strengthening their organizational relationships and education.
Laster has been a principal 13 years serving at the Custer Hill Elementary before moving to Jefferson Elementary in 2015. She started her teaching career at Forsyth Elementary in 1981. Laster has taught at Ware and Washington Elementary Schools as well as Junction City Middle School where she taught 7th and 8th grades before becoming the Coordinator of School Improvement and then the Assistant to the Principal.
Melanie Laster is a Junction City High School graduate and received her Bachelors in Elementary Education at the University of Kansas. She earned her Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction and her Building Leader certification from Kansas State University.
RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a teen suspect for alleged sex crimes.
Just after 10:30 a.m. Friday, police arrested Tommie Baggett, 18, Manhattan, on requested charges of rape, aggravated robbery, attempted aggravated burglary involving a weapon, according to the Riley County Police Department booking report.
In January, police arrested Baggett for the alleged sale of depressants, contributing to a child’s misconduct and felony possession of paraphernalia with intent to manufacture a controlled substance.
Baggett remains jailed on a $100,000 Bond, according to the booking report.
Cottonwood Falls, Kan. – Symphony in the Flint Hills, Inc., Rock Springs 4-H Center and The Nature Conservancy are celebrating Earth Day by clearing a pasture overrun with eastern red cedar trees on April 21 and 22.
“One eastern red cedar tree consumes up to 30 gallons of water per day,” said Christy Davis, executive director for Symphony in the Flint Hills, Inc. “Rock Springs is focused on managing the cedars so we thought we’d create an Earth Day event – Flint Hills style. We’re looking forward to rolling up our sleeves and getting dirty to help clean up the pasture and we’re going to have a lot of fun in the process. We hope to get a good-sized group to join us.”
Volunteers are needed for the weekend event. The equipment, food and lodging will be provided for free. The first 100 registrants will also receive a water bottle, T-shirt and a general admission ticket to the Symphony in the Flint Hill’s Signature Event on June 9.
Youth can sign up now for the Geary County Kids Fishing Derby 2018, which is scheduled on Saturday, May 19th at the Geary County State Lake.
You can sign up until May 17th or until all 100 spots are filled.
Fishing poles, t-shirts, and some bait and tackle will be provided. And there will be barbecue for participants and their families. The hours for the event on May 19th are 8 a.m. until noon. This event is for children ages 8 to 17.
The fishing derby is being sponsored by the American Legion Post #45, the Eagles, Elks and Kiwanis Clubs of Junction City.
