WABAUNSEE COUNTY– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Wabaunsee County Sheriff’s Office are investigating a shooting death that occurred Thursday night in Alma, Kan.

Just after 11:30p.m. Thursday, the Wabaunsee County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call reporting a domestic incident at 117 W. 11^th St. in Alma.

The responding sheriff’s deputy discovered a man who appeared to be suffering from gunshot wounds. Also responding to the scene were the Alma City Marshal and the Kansas Highway Patrol.

EMS transported the injured man to the Wamego Community Hospital, where he died. He has since been identified as 36-year-old Chad Thomas-Buckbee. Thomas-Buckbee lived at the residence in Alma.

The Wabaunsee County Sheriff’s Office requested KBI assistance in the case Friday morning

Preliminary information indicates that subjects at the residence were involved in a confrontation that became violent. There is no indication of any threat to the public as a result of this incident. An autopsy will be conducted.

This investigation is ongoing. No further information will be released at this time.

Following the Jan. 22 deadline for states and territories to comply with the federal REAL ID Act of 2005, residents of American Samoa will be required to provide additional identification to access Fort Riley, as of Feb. 5.

All other states and U.S. territories are either in compliance with the regulations or have been granted extensions to meet the standards.

The Congressional REAL ID Act of 2005 establishes federal standards for state-issued driver’s licenses and non-driver identification cards. Licenses issued by states or territories not in compliance with these standards are not accepted by the federal government for official purposes, such as entering a federal installation or flying commercial airlines.

Visitors to Fort Riley from American Samoa will need to provide a second form of identification. Vistors can find a detailed list of acceptable forms of ID by going on line to www.riley.army.mil and clicking on the yellow Accessing Fort Riley” tab on the right-hand side of the page.

Additionally, individuals who hold driver’s licenses or identification cards labeled “Not for federal identification” will be authorized entry until October 2020. In Dec. 2017 the Department of Homeland Security, responsible for implementing REAL ID, announced that enforcement delay. All legal State-issued identification cards are accepted for entry to federal
installations.

Visitors with a valid Department of Defense-issued ID card are not affected by any of these changes.

Kirk Hutchinson
Public Affairs Specialist
Fort Riley Garrison Public Affairs Office

The annual Severe Weather Training session in Geary County is scheduled on Wednesday, March 7th at 7 p.m. at the 4-H / Senior Citizen Center on South Spring Valley Road.

Geary County Emergency Management Director Garry Berges said there is no cost to attend and the public is invited.

During this session, sponsored by Geary County Emergency Management, there will be information on the spring and summer severe weather season including tornado and severe thunderstorm safety.

Washington Elementary School students and staff were evacuated at the end of the school day on Thursday, but the building was given an all clear. The Executive Director of Communication for USD 475, Matt Droge, said there were no dangers and it was not a gas leak.

Droge said the odor was from a grease trap that was cleaned on Thursday. He said there are several classrooms with an odor so officials have relocated those students and staff within the building to avoid the smell. No dangers are present.

The High School Scholars Bowl Team at Saint Xavier High School has qualified for the State Tournament.

The team finished second out of 22 teams at Regionals. The State Tournament will be at Ransom – Western Plains High School on Saturday, February 10th.

Harold Wilson, Ligia Paquette and Ted Hayden are the recipients of the Seitz Family Military Community Award. This new award was presented during the Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce annual dinner. It goes to those who have contributed to the close relationship between Fort Riley and Junction City.

Wilson, a former city commissioner and mayor, and a longtime Economic Development Director, said he felt most honored to receive the new award. “I’ve been associated with the Seitz family for many years and many projects and I always respected them. And I was always glad to hear and see them come back to Junction City and retire. They were a part of our community, and they helped promote and sell this community.”

Colonel ( Retired ) John Seitz presented the award. He and his father, the late Brigadier General Andy Seitz, and his uncle, the late Lieutenant General Richard Seitz, all retired after their careers in Junction City.

Ligia Paquette said the award meant a lot, especially coming from the Seitz family. ” They are a legend in this community and in the Army. The Army brought me here to Junction City, and I am so honored to have received that award.” Paquette is a retired educator from USD 475.

Ted Hayden was unable to attend the annual dinner because of family commitments, but was saluted for his efforts in supporting families. He operates the Family YMCA and the Armed Services YMCA, which provides childcare for Soldiers’ families.

John Seitz was honored with an award for his service. He recently retired from the Military Affairs Council post with the Chamber of Commerce.

 

DICKINSON COUNTY — Two people were injured and another arrested after an accident during a chase in just before 10a.m. Thursday in Dickinson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Ford F150 driven by Mathdaniel Joe Louis Squirrel, 21, Wichita, was traveling on Jeep Road five miles south of Interstate 70 fleeing from law enforcement.

The pickup left the roadway, traveled into a field, became airborne after striking a terrace and rolled to a stop.

Squirrel and a passenger Najah Yasmeen Martin, 17, Topeka were transported to Geary Community Hospital.

Another passenger Bradlee Marshal Ross, 21, Topeka was not injured and taken into custody by Geary County Deputies.

Squirrel and Martin were not wearing seat belts and the chase involved a stolen pickup according to the KHP.

RILEY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating four juveniles in connection with sending inappropriate photos.

According to the Riley County Police Department report, officers filed a report for electronic solicitation, aggravated unlawful transmission of visual depiction of a child and promotion of obscenity to minors.

Due to the nature of the crime, police released no additional details Thursday.

It may not have felt like it, because we tend to remember the extreme cold

or hot, but January was slightly warmer than average. We remember those below zero mornings but not those balmy January afternoons with temperatures above 60. Unfortunately, we are continuing to have below average precipitation.

The average daily high during January was 39.3, two tenths of a degree
below normal. The average overnight low was 20.2, 1.9 degrees above normal. This gave us a monthly mean temperature of 29.7, 0.8 degrees above normal. The highest temperature for the month was 65 on the 25th. The coldest temperature for the month was -2 on January 1st and again on January 16th. The high of 65 on the 25th set a new record high for that
date. The old record was 63 set in 1968. Three new record high low temperatures were set during the month. The overnight low of 41 on the 8th broke the previous record of 35 set in 1949. The high of 40 on the 9th broke the old record of 36 set in 1950 and the low of 46 on the 24th broke the old record of 38 set in 1994. The warmest January on record was in 2006 when we had a monthly mean temperature of 43.9. The coldest January on record was in 1979 when we had a monthly mean temperature of 12.1

January is our driest month of the year with long term average precipitation of 0.65 inches. Milford Lake only recorded 0.28 inches of liquid precipitation while Junction City received 0.53 inches. Average snowfall for January is 4.7 inches. A series of light snowfall events during the month did manage to eke out 4.0 inches of somewhat dry snow. This is the third consecutive month with below average precipitation with seven out of the last nine months having below average precipitation.

With rapidly increasing hours of daylight in the short month of February, and the earth shifting the tilt of its axis back towards the sun, we see a pleasant increase in temperatures. Average daily high on the 1st is 39 and four weeks later we are up to 50. Overnight lows go from 17 on the first to 26 on the 28th. Average precipitation for February is almost double
that of January at 1.12 inches. Long term average snowfall for February is 4.7 inches tying it with January for the snowiest month. The chance of having temperatures below zero continues on through February but becomes less likely and not as far below zero. Likewise, temperatures well into the 60s and even 70s are not out of the question for the month, although the overzealous gardener needs to remember that we are still a couple
months ahead of our last average frost!

Chuck Otte
County Extension Agent, Ag & Natural Resources