Firefighters are redoing their living quarters as part of renovation improvements under way at the Junction City Municipal Building.
Fire Chief Terry Johnson stated there has been a continuing issue to get hot water at the Municipal building. He noted the water and sewer pipes in the building are patch worked. “The City came up with a plan, they found the funding and now they’re going through and replacing all the plumbing for Municipal bathrooms.”
Johnson said an idea was brought to him about renovating the firefighter living area on the second floor of the Municipal building if the funding could be found. “Well the living area probably has not been touched in 20 or 30 years. And I found we had capital improvement money, I got approval, and so the firefighters are doing the work.” That is helping save money on the project.
Also this week, a back or rear entrance to the firefighter quarters on the west side of the building has been completed.
Junction City police have reported the arrest of two Colorado men on drug related allegations at mile marker 305 east bound on Interstate 70 Thursday morning.
Police said Andrew Barrows, 37, and Michael Martin, 44, were arrested on suspicion of Possession of Marijuana With Intent, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and No Drug Tax Stamp. There was also one allegation of Registration Violation against Barrows.
The location of the arrests is about eight miles east of Junction City.
DICKINSON COUNTY — A Salina man was injured in an accident just before 6p.m. Thursday in Dickinson County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Dodge Neon driven by Duane Davis, 61, Salina, was eastbound on Interstate 70 three miles east of Mink Road at approximately 65-70 mph in the outside lane,
A 2010 Chrysler Town & Country driven by Homero Cardenas-Mendoza, 62, Salina, rear-ended the Neon pushing it into the median where it rolled three times and came to rest on its roof.
Davis was transported to the hospital in Abilene. Cardenas-Mendoza, an adult and two children in the Chrysler were not injured.
All five were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.
TOPEKA – The Kansas Water Office (KWO) was recently awarded $2.88 million through the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) Regional Conservation Partnership Program (RCPP) to improve water quality conditions within the Milford Lake Watershed. Runoff from precipitation events is a source of nutrient loading contributing to aquatic conditions which promote formation of harmful algal blooms (HAB) within Milford Lake. Runoff also erodes soil which ends up in waterways and is transported downstream, eventually contributing to the sedimentation of the lake.
“We are elated the Kansas Water Office Milford Lake project was selected for funding and appreciate the support of the 28 contributing partners,” said Governor Jeff Colyer, M.D. “As this lake serves as a water source to many Kansas communities, this project exemplifies the potential for a comprehensive watershed approach and presents a tremendous opportunity to impact nutrient loading within the lake.”
Milford Lake supplies water to several utilities and cities who service nearly one million Kansans, more than one-third of the state’s population. The frequency of HABs over the years within the lake have created a heightened concern among lake stakeholders that blooms will adversely impact public water supplies and their ability to provide safe, potable water.
This project serves as one of the largest efforts undertaken within the Milford Lake Watershed to bring together partners to work with NRCS on implementation of conservation practices. The KWO is the lead partner with 28 other entities contributing to the project.
“The Kansas Natural Resources Conservation Service is delighted to be working with the Kansas Water Office to improve water quality in the Milford Lake Watershed. NRCS has dedicated conservationists that are ready to provide technical assistance and conservation planning to help producers identify conservation practices to address resource concerns in the watershed,” said Sheldon Hightower, Kansas NRCS Acting State Conservationist. “We have a great relationship with the Kansas Water Office and I appreciate their leadership in this project.”
The project will implement livestock and cropland-related conservation practices within the Milford Lake Watershed to decrease nutrient runoff and sediment.
“HABs have been a growing issue for our state dating back to at least 2010. In 2011, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment first listed Milford Lake as having a significantly large confirmed harmful blue-green algae bloom,” said Tracy Streeter, KWO Director. “Unfortunately HABs have been detected within Milford Lake every year since 2011 and we are pleased to receive this grant to help address this priority in our state.”
The partnership team consists of state agencies, public water suppliers, farm organizations, local units of government, university and state researchers, county conservation districts, agricultural groups, private businesses, and non-profit organizations.
This is not only an issue in Kansas but a growing nationwide problem. The American Water Works Association (AWWA) is finding ways to help public water suppliers address this issue across the country.
“In recent years, Kansas has been a leader in bringing together all stakeholders to understand and find solutions for the unique challenges facing the state’s water supply,” said Mike Armstrong, Kansas Water Authority member and General Manager of WaterOne, an AWWA public water utility member serving 425,000 customers in the Johnson County area. “In eastern Kansas where we have an ample supply of source water, the challenge is protecting water quality. WaterOne is eager to work closely with agricultural interests as partners in addressing upstream factors that affect downstream quality.”
The project will also provide improvements such as improving fish and wildlife habitat, increasing soil health, testing of innovative phosphorus reduction technology, and helping ensure future agricultural productivity.
The following are the 28 partners contributing to the success of the project:
Acorns Resort; City of Lawrence; City of Olathe; City of Topeka; City of Wakefield; Clay County; Clay County Economic Development Group; EcoPractices (Sustainability Partners); Flagstop Resort & RV Park; Friends of the Kaw; WaterOne of Johnson County; Kansas Alliance for Wetlands and Streams; Kansas Biological Survey; Kansas Corn Growers Association; Kansas Department of Agriculture – Division of Conservation; Kansas Department of Health and Environment; Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism;Kansas Farm Bureau; Kansas Forest Service;Kansas Soybean Commission;Kansas Water Office; National Sorghum Producers; Riley County Conservation District; Sustainable Environmental Consultants; The Nature Conservancy; Thunderbird Marina & RV Resort; Westar Energy.
For more information about the project visit www.kwo.ks.gov
Here are the 2018 JCHS King and Queen of Courts Candidates. Coronation will take place between the Girls and Boys Varsity Basketball games Friday night February 16, 2018.
Pictured from Left to Right
Shamary Banks, Ty Clark, Kennedy Cox, Joshua Nieves, Laramie Diestelkamp, Davante King, Essence Carter, Ashton Wiegand, Abby Khoury
Junction City Firefighters responded to 30 Riley Manor Circle Wednesday evening for a report of a water heater on fire. Crews found a 4-plex, 2-story apartment building with a small amount of smoke in apartment number 30.
That apartment and a near by apartment had been evacuated by the occupants by the time fire crews arrived on the scene.
According to Junction City Fire Chief Terry Johnson the fire has been ruled accidental. The structural and property loss was estimated at $9,000.
MANHATTAN — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a robbery and have a suspect in custody.
Just after 5 a.m. Wednesday, police arrested Stephen Garner, 29, of Manhattan in the 500 block of Pierre Street in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department incident report.
Garner is being held on a bond of $25,000 bond for aggravated battery, aggravated robbery and aggravated burglary.
WASHINGTON — Yesterday, U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), along with U.S. Senators Chris Coons (D-Del.), Mike Rounds (R-S.D.), Joe Donnelly (D-Ind.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) introduced The Families of Fallen Servicemembers First Act to make certain fallen servicemembers’ families receive military death benefits, even during periods of government shutdowns.
When servicemembers perished during government shutdowns in 2013 and 2018, their families were initially denied military death benefits. This legislation would provide a permanent appropriation of funds to immediately pay military death benefits to survivors of servicemembers killed during any future government shutdown. The longstanding purpose of the military death gratuity payment is to assist families of deceased servicemembers in meeting their financial needs during the period immediately following a servicemember’s death and before other survivor benefits become available.
The benefits covered by this legislation include:
· Death gratuities for survivors of deceased military service members;
· Funeral and burial expenses;
· Authorized funeral travel, including to dignified transfer ceremonies;
· A temporary continuation of a basic allowance for housing (BAH) for dependents.
Representatives Gerry Connolly (D-VA) and Tom Rooney (R-FL) introduced the same bill in the House of Representatives.
“When our servicemembers make the ultimate sacrifice protecting our freedoms, we must make certain no grieving family is subjected to delayed benefits due to Congressional stalemate,” said Senator Moran. “No Congressional disagreements should prevent our heroes’ families from quickly receiving the benefits they are owed. I look forward to working with my colleagues to pass this bill and see it signed into law.”
The process to seek appraisers for the USD 475 eminent domain effort to obtain a 150-acre site for a new Junction City High School began Thursday in Geary County District Court.
Three appraisers will be picked to do an appraisal of the property, which is called the North Munson Property, just west of the city on the north side of K-18 Highway.
In court Thursday it was noted that retired banker Ken Mortenson was willing to do an appraisal once he is available in March. USD 475 was represented during the hearing by attorney Peter Rombold and the Richard Munson Trust by attorney David Troup.
Each party in the case will have seven days until February 22nd to select three appraisers and submit them to the court. Then they will have another seven days, or until March 1st, to register any comments they might on any appraiser selected by the other party. At some point the Court can then select two appraisers to joint Mortenson, and can issue an order appointing the three appraisers.
USD 475 Superintendent of Schools Dr. Corbin Witt noted this week that they will then agree on a value for the property, the judge can decide if what the appraisers recommend is the correct amount or could place another value on the property, “and hopefully says that the land is ours at that point.”
GEARY COUNTY – A Kansas man was injured in an accident just before 11:30a.m. Wednesday in Geary County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2001 Kenworth Dump truck driven by Jay A. Knitter, 56, Morganville, was northbound on U.S. 77 two miles west of Junction City.
As the vehicle was approaching Kansas 57, it lost air pressure as it traveled down a hill. That resulted in failed breaking.
The driver merged the truck into the right turn lane for K57 to avoid a dump truck making a left turn.
The driver could not negotiate the turn on to K57 due to speed and overturned.
Knitter was transported to Geary County Hospital. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.
Firefighters are redoing their living quarters as part of renovation improvements under way at the Junction City Municipal Building.
