Geary County 4-H Club Day will be held February 17 at the First Presbyterian Church in Junction City. Pre-entry forms and event descriptions are available at www.geary.kstate.edu/4-h/. Entry forms are due at the Extension Office by February 1 at 5 p.m.

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Applications for 4-H scholarships are due at the County Extension Office by January 25 at 5 p.m. You can apply for all of the available scholarships by filling out the Kansas 4-H Scholarship Application packet that can be picked up at the Extension Office.

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Reflective rural address signs are available at the Extension Office. Proceeds benefit the 4-H program.

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There will be a Pitch Party to raise funds for the Geary County 4-H Interstate Exchange Program. The party will be held Sunday, February 4, at the 4-H / Senior Citizens Center starting at 5 p.m.

The Director of the Geary County Health Department, Tammy Von Busch, has announced that the Health Department will be offering free flu shots on a first come first serve walk-in basis from January 29th to February 2nd.

The flu shots will be offered from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on those days, with the exception of the noon hour when the Department will be closed.

WABAUNSEE COUNTY—  Two people were injured in an accident just after 3p.m. Monday in Wabaunsee County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2012 Honda CRV driven by Natalie Rae Stanley, 39, St. George, was north bound on Kansas 99 just south of Hereford Road.

The driver lost control due to road conditions striking a 2008 Peterbilt semi driven by James M. Barry, Manhattan. The semi rolled into the west ditch.

Stanley and Barry were transported to the hospital in Wamego. Both drivers were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

Kansas Capital Area Chapter, January 22, 2018 – The American Red Cross has started its 2018 Volunteer Recruitment Drive. Volunteers are being recruited to help with emergency and disaster relief efforts for the upcoming severe storm season, and for local emergency response efforts throughout the year.

For over 130 years, the Red Cross has been helping neighbors down the street, across the country and around the world. As the nation’s premier emergency preparedness and response organization, the Red Cross is there through every imaginable crisis. The organization shelters, feeds and provides emotional support to victims of disasters; supplies about 40 percent of the nation’s blood; teaches skills that save lives; provides international humanitarian aid; and supports military members and their families. The Red Cross is a not-for-profit organization that depends on volunteers and the generosity of the American public to perform its mission.

The American Red Cross provides humanitarian and biomedical services through a workforce that is over 90-percent volunteer based. The organization responds to approximately 70,000 disasters in the United States every year. Even though the Red Cross is not a government agency, it is an essential part of the response when a disaster strikes, working in partnership with other agencies and organizations that provide services to disaster victims.

The Red Cross responds to small and large disasters, from home fires to tornadoes to floods and other disasters. Volunteers are needed for a variety of response roles including those who respond in-person, those who coordinate efforts behind-the-scenes, those who dispatch and coordinate responses, those who provide their medical expertise, those who provide their mental health expertise, those who provide their public affairs expertise, and those who meet with clients after-the-fact to assist with resources.

Most of these roles require on-call hours where volunteers sign up for shifts based on their availability. All Disaster Services volunteers must be at least 18 years of age, commit to at least 1 year of service, and attend approximately 20 hours of prerequisite training that is provided at no cost to the volunteer.

“There are so many ways to be involved in the Red Cross,” said Matthew Meyers-Thieschafer, Volunteer Services Senior Specialist for the American Red Cross Kansas, “We need volunteers with all kinds of skills.  We have great opportunities for people who have always wanted to help.”

RILEY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a kidnapping and burglary and asking the public for help with information in the alleged crime.

Just after 1a.m. Saturday, police filed a report for aggravated assault, aggravated burglary, kidnapping, and criminal restraint in the 400 block of N 6th Street in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department Activity report.

Officers listed two Junction City teens and two from Manhattan as the victims.

According to police two unknown suspects held two victims down and pointed a gun at one of the victims.

Police ask that anyone with information contact RCPD or the Manhattan Riley County Crime Stoppers. Using the Crime Stoppers service can allow you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.00.

Windy. Much colder. Cloudy. Rain and snow in the morning, then chance of rain, possibly mixed with snow in the afternoon. Snow accumulation up to 1 inch. Near steady temperature in the mid 30s. West winds 15 to 20 mph shifting to the northwest 20 to 30 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation 90 percent.

Junction City Commissioner Phyllis Fitzgerald felt the current method of training in the U.S. Army was a discussion topic that stood out to her during remarks by the commanding general of the 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley, Major General Joseph Martin at the Flint Hills Regional Leaders Retreat in Olathe.

Fitzgerald said they do live, virtual, constructive computer training. “How they tie that all in together, where they’re able to have active duty units out in the field and at the same time have units that are inside like this Mission Training Complex. And they’re able to tie all of that type of training in together, so that’s a pretty significant way of training these days. ”

Fitzgerald says that’s the future and where they’re at now, to be able to train in the field and tie it into simulation for Soldiers who are not in the field. Martin spoke to the audience at the Leaders Retreat on Friday.

The Retreat is hosted by the Chambers of Commerce in Manhattan, Junction City and Wamego.

 

Bonita Edwards, an Employment Readiness Program Manager, was honored as Employee of the Quarter at the monthly Fort Riley Garrison awards ceremony.

The announcement was made via the Fort Riley Facebook page.