Junction City firefighters responded to the Exchange Bank at 702 North Washington about 7:30 a.m. Wednesday.

There were no injuries.

Fire Chief Terry Johnson confirmed there was a report of light smoke. It appeared to be related to a heater issue.

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Emergency personnel and law enforcement responded to a two-vehicle accident at 14th and Eisenhower Wednesday morning.  Police confirmed no one was transported to the hospital. There was damage totaling over $1,000.

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The Geary County Sheriff’s Department reported that Deputies responded at 6:35 a.m. Wednesday to K-57 mile marker 18 in reference to a single vehicle rollover accident. Lucinda Mullen, Junction City, was traveling southbound in a 2004 Pontiac Sunfire when she swerved to miss a deer. Mullen overcorrected causing her vehicle to roll into a ditch. No injuries were reported.

Delivering Change: Healthy Moms – Healthy Babies and the Geary County Perinatal Coalition have announced a decrease in the infant mortality rate for the county for a fifth consecutive year. According to the 2016 Annual Summary of Vital Statistics from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Geary County’s IMR for 2012-2016 has fallen to 5.4 infant deaths per live 1,000 live births, and sets Geary County below state and national averages.

Infant mortality has long been used to measure the health and well-being of a community, nation or state. In 2011 Geary County had one of the state’s worst infant mortality rates, with 10.4 infant deaths per 1,000 births in the period between 2006 and 2010. In response a group of individuals, healthcare professionals, educational and social service agencies created the Perinatal Coalition to address health issues faced by infants and women of child-bearing age. From that coalition came the Delivering Change: healthy Moms-Healthy Babies initiative.

Delivering Change: Healthy Moms-Healthy Babies is a three-pronged approach to improving birth outcomes and improving the health of infants, focusing on women of childbearing age. It includes preconception and later conception health; prenatal and postpartum care and supporting breastfeeding; and parent, provider and community education to increase infant-health and development knowledge and to prevent injuries and death. Delivering Change also promotes and supports fatherhood and healthy families through the Geared Up Dads advisory council and activities such as Conscious Fathering Classes.

The Kansas Infant Mortality rate reached its lowest level in 2015, at 5.9 infant deaths per 1,000 live births. According to the 2017 Annual Summary of Vital Statistics from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the state rate remained the same for 2016. the U.S. rate is 5.6 infant deaths per 1,000 births.

“The continuous decline in our county’s infant mortality rate over the last five years is proof that working collaboratively, across disciplines creates success,” said Jill Nelson, Program Coordinator for Delivering Change. “the reduction in our county’s infant mortality rate is an accomplishment that belongs to the community as a whole. The investments of time, energy and funding are working. And we’re thrilled to provide a model for other communities as they begin to address their own challenges in maternal, child and family health.”

Advancing from its grassroots beginnings, when funding came from the March of Dimes and the Geary Community Healthcare Foundation, Delivering Change is backed by a five-year, $3.5 million federal Healthy Start Initiative award, secured in 2014 with assistance from the Center for Public Partnerships & Research at the University of Kansas and administered by KDHE. The project continues Geary County’s collaborative approach, with KDHE as project manager for the grant and CPPR providing evaluation services.

The Junction City Public Works Department announced at 12:42 p.m. that customers may experience periods of low water pressure or no water for the next 4 – 6 hours due to water main repairs on the 900 block of N. Jefferson St.

The Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce and the Pottawatomie County Economic Development Corporation have announced the formation of a regional economic development alliance to be called the Greater Manhattan Economic Partnership.

The partnership is being funded entirely through private dollars raised in both Manhattan and Pottawatomie County. Matt Crocker, chair of the MACC board said regional leaders have been asking for a combined organization to market the area ever since the federal government announced in 2008 that NBAF ( National Bio and Agro defense Facility currently under construction ) would be built in Manhattan.

“This is a new beginning for the Greater Manhattan area’s economic future, ” Crocker said. “The best way to achieve a successful national brand is to pool our resources as a region.

Jim Gordon, who will serve as the first advisory board chair for GMEP, pointed out that there are natural ties between the two groups because part of Manhattan is located in Pottawatomie County. The economic development professionals of both organizations have already been working closely together for several years, including collaborating to secure locations in the region for Vets First Choice, Live Watch and N Zone Sportswear.

“Collectively, over the past three years, the professional staffs have built a level of trust that didn’t exist before,” Gordon said.

GMEP Vice-Chair Nancy Burton said GMEP’s structure was adapted from several other Midwest regional economic development organizations, including the Northwest Arkansas Council, the Cedar Valley ( Iowa ) Regional Partnership, and the Greater Omaha Economic Development Partnership.

PCEDC President Doug Springer said the possibility exists for GMEP to grow over time to include additional counties in the Greater Manhattan area. Future members will have to apply to join the partnership, be able to contribute financially, and be willing to collaborate openly with other economic development professionals.

“The philosophy of GMEP will be that a win for any of the communities is a win for the whole region,” Springer said. “Any organization that joins GMEP in the future must also share that belief.”

In 2018, the partnership’s budget will be nearly $100,000, privately funded by the region to benefit the entire region. Both partnering organizations will make an annual financial contribution to the budget, which will be used to fund a joint marketing campaign, a forthcoming website to serve as a single source of information about facilities and land available in the region, and software to help staff members collaborate and share information about prospects.

A longtime member of the Junction City Community, Delilah Hamilton, received the Coretta Scott-King Humanitarian Award during the Martin Luther King Jr. observance in Junction City on Monday.

The award credits the recipient with courage through adversity and for being a catalyst for change. Hamilton has been a member of the community since the late 1950’s.

Junction City Police report that they are conducting a death investigation.

The JCPD responded to The Bluffs apartment complex Building E at 1810 Caroline Avenue early Monday evening. No other information was released.