Two officers from the Junction City Police Department were honored at the Kansas Juvenile Officers Association Awards Banquet.
Jay Wigton was awarded the DARE Officer of the Year for 2017; and Eddie Torres was named the School Resource Office (SRO) of the year for 2017.
The conference was held at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Lawrence on Thursday, July 20th.
TOPEKA, KS – Kansas Securities Interim Commissioner John Wine has announced the opening of the 2017 investor education grant cycle. The deadline for applications to be received by the Office of the Kansas Securities Commissioner (KSC) is August 15, 2017.
The Securities Commissioner’s Office develops and implements financial literacy and investor education initiatives to inform the public about investing in securities and the prevention of securities fraud. As part of this mission, the KSC regularly collaborates with organizations interested in expanding investor and financial education in the state. Applicants are encouraged to apply for grant funds for purposes relating to investor education or financial literacy.
“We appreciate and support the efforts of community and state-wide partners in providing education to Kansans on personal finance,” said John Wine, Interim Commissioner of the Securities Commissioner’s Office. “Grants will be awarded based on several factors, including project applicability to informing Kansans about investing and securities fraud, proposed outcome measures, and creativity and ingenuity of the proposals, among other measures.”
To learn more about the grant process, visit www.ksc.ks.gov/grants or contact Shannon Santschi, Director of Investor Education, at Shannon.Santschi@ks.gov or 785.296.1055.
GEARY COUNTY – A Manhattan man was injured in an accident just before 5p.m. Thursday in Geary County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 GMC passenger vehicle driven by Daniels, Damon S. Daniels, 24, Manhattan, was westbound on Interstate 70 two miles east of Kansas 177.
The vehicle rear-ended a semi. Daniels then lost control of the GMC. It traveled into the median and overturned.
An eastbound 2016 Mazda passenger vehicle driven by Kirk A. Luedeke, 45,Harker Heights, TX., swerved to avoid the GMC. Daniels’s vehicle struck the Mazda on the passenger’s side.
Daniels was transported to Via Christi. There were no other injuries reported. All drivers were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Military Construction, Veterans’ Affairs, and Related Agencies – today joined U.S. Senators Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.), chairman and ranking member of the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, in introducing broad, bipartisan legislation that seeks to improve veterans’ education benefits and enhances the post-9/11 G.I. Bill.
“The G.I. Bill, which was drafted by Kansan Harry W. Colmery in 1944, has made a significant difference in the lives of millions of American veterans who have earned this benefit through their service and sacrifice,” said Sen. Moran. “This bipartisan legislation will build upon the post-9/11 G.I. Bill, making certain that our nation’s heroes are able to utilize this benefit for years to come. As they transition from service, our veterans deserve to have the support and opportunities offered by the G.I. Bill so that they can continue their contributions to our country long after completing their service.”
The Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017 will further invest in the proven educational success of our veterans and help propel them toward becoming our nation’s civic, business and public leaders.
“We have worked closely with our partners in the veterans community and with our colleagues in the U.S. House to ensure this legislation makes the necessary changes to improve the G.I. Bill and helps veterans succeed in their desired career field,” said Sen. Isakson. “I am proud to introduce this important legislation with Senator Tester after the House introduced its companion legislation last week. We urge our Senate colleagues to join us in supporting these improvements to the G.I. Bill to help further our investment in the futures of our veterans.”
“The G.I. Bill has provided generations of veterans with access to higher education after they have bravely served our country,” said Sen. Tester. “It’s been a pleasure working with my colleagues in the House and Senate, as well as veterans and advocates, to craft bipartisan legislation that will break down barriers to and strengthen education benefits for servicemembers, Guardsmen and Reservists. I look forward to working with Senator Isakson and our colleagues on the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee to ensure veterans have every shot at success.”
The Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017 makes much-needed updates for reservists, Purple Heart recipients, veterans who face school closures while enrolled and surviving family members. The legislation also provides increased resources and authority for educational assistance to pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs, computer programming and career technical training.
Most significantly, this bill recognizes our country’s need for an agile and adaptable workforce and that American workers need to be lifelong learners. For that purpose, this bill eliminates the arbitrary 15-year period within which a veteran is required to use their G.I. Bill so they can use their benefits at any time in their professional career.
Additionally, the Harry W. Colmery Veterans Educational Assistance Act of 2017:
The legislation is named in honor of Harry Walter Colmery, a Kansan Army Air Service veteran and former national commander of the American Legion who drafted the original G.I. Bill in 1944 to improve the transition for World War II veterans back to civilian life.
There will be a childcare-provider hiring event on Tuesday, July 25th on Fort Riley.
The event will be from 9:00 am until 2:00 pm at the Fort Riley Child & Youth Services, CYS Parent Central at 6620 Normandy Drive.
During the event, applicants will be considered for various positions across all levels of child youth program assistants. The pay for the jobs ranges from $12.14 to $15.00 per hour, with employees having access to Fort Riley MWR programs and receiving child care discounts.
Those attending the hiring events should be ready for on the spot interviews. To expedite the hiring process, applicants should bring an updated resume, high school diploma/GED or college transcripts, social security card, and birth certificate/passport.
Applicants are also encouraged to apply early at www.usajobs.gov using the keywords “NAF” and “Fort Riley”.
For more information call 239-2325.
The next monthly Milford Lake bird walk will be Saturday, July 22nd.
Due to the anticipated excessive heat, the start time for the walk will be slightly earlier at 7:30 am. Participants will meet at the parking lot on the south end of Milford Lake Dam, just across the highway from the Corps of Engineers Office.
This month’s walk will focus on summering and nesting species. The walks usually last about two to three hours and involve moderate walking. If you have binoculars or a bird book please bring them.
The next bird walk is tentatively scheduled for August 26, 2017.
For more information contact Chuck Otte at 238-4161 or 238-8800.
Make plans to enter the “Wild Steer” CASI Chili Cook-Off in Abilene on Saturday, August 5th at the Eisenhower Presidential Library.
The Cook-Off is the Kansas State Championship and automatically qualifies the winner to participate in the Terlingua International Championship Chili Cook-Off.
This is the 2nd annual Kansas State Qualifier.
The chili event and chili sale will be at 9:00 am and will feature Eisenhower chili, cinnamon rolls, chili dogs, frito pies, Call Hall ice cream, rootbeer floats, beer floats and more.
The competition tasting begins at 11:30 am with the awards ceremony at 3:00 pm.
For more information visit www.wildsteercc.com.
The Corps of Engineers at Milford Lake have announced that the Kansas Department of Health & Environment (KDHE) results from lake samples taken on Monday, July 16th have been received.
Lake Zones A and C will remain in a warning status due to elevated blue green algae cell counts. Zone B will be in a watch status as the blue green algae cell count number is down.
A “Warning” indicates that blue green algae is present at a level considered unsafe for people and animals. Contact with lake water should be avoided.
The designated swim beaches located in Zone A at the Corps of Engineers and Milford State Park will remain closed until the warning status is lifted. This does not prohibit swimming in other parts of the lake; lake goers are reminded to use caution.
Lake users are reminded that blue green algae may appear or disappear suddenly and move as the wind shifts; boaters should use caution and move to a clear portion of the lake.
MANHATTAN — Using essential oils for healing is a centuries-old practice, but only a few essential oils have independent studies to back their claims, according to a Kansas State University nutritionist.
Essential oils are removed from plants and distilled into concentrated forms that distributors say support immunity, mood and other functions of the mind and body.
However, these oils should never be substituted for prescription medications and routine checkups, said Linda Yarrow, registered dietitian and instructor in the food, nutrition, dietetics and health department in the university’s College of Human Ecology. Yarrow recommends checking with your health care provider before trying any anecdotal treatment, including essential oils, to ensure the ailment you want to treat is not a more serious condition that needs medical intervention.
Yarrow said there is a sparsity of scientific studies on essential oils because there has been little financial incentive to research them. The essential oils industry does not have nearly as much product development mechanisms or patents to recoup costs as the pharmaceutical industry, she said.
“Peppermint oil and lavender oil are two that have some good research studies behind them to support their use,” Yarrow said. “Tea tree oil also has a couple of small studies that have shown its effectiveness.”
Studies have found peppermint oil rubbed on the forehead or chest reduced headaches, nausea and congestion. Peppermint oil capsules also have been shown to reduce colonic spasms, abdominal pain and bloating by relaxing the muscles of the digestive tract.
Still, peppermint oil is not the answer for everyone who has stomach problems. Yarrow said people whose stomach discomfort is caused by gastroesophageal reflux disease should not ingest peppermint oil because it can make the reflux worse.
Lavender’s usefulness has been studied in the labor and delivery room, where it reduces anxiety for women who are giving birth. The lessening of anxiety leads to better breathing, increased oxygenation, muscle relaxation and a reduction in pain, Yarrow said. The lavender is diluted and applied in body massages or diffused as aromatherapy. Yarrow said other studies have indicated that presurgical use of lavender decreased the pain associated with needle sticks and presurgical procedures.
Tea tree oil has been shown to be nearly as effective on acne as benzoyl peroxide, with fewer side effects than the peroxide. The oil also has been shown to work as well as standard medical treatment in removing antibiotic-resistant Staphylococcus aureus from skin, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Despite the benefits essential oils have in some cases, Yarrow cautions that excess amounts could have negative side effects, such as skin rashes when undiluted oil is applied directly to skin. Nausea or even ulcers can occur from drinking too much oil, and Yarrow said no oils should be consumed without diluting them first. To avoid side effects, she recommends starting with the smallest dosage possible — one drop — or using it through a diffuser.
“We sometimes think if a little bit did some good, then a lot of oil will do a lot of good, but unfortunately, that’s not the way it works,” Yarrow said. “If using one drop gives you the desired effect, then you don’t want to increase the amount.”
Yarrow also cautions against using essential oils on infants and children because they could cause skin irritations and allergic reactions, and increase sun sensitivity. She recommends storing essential oils out of children’s reach, just as with any substance that could put children at risk for poisoning.
Yarrow recommends researching essential oil manufacturers to find ones with the most stringent harvesting, processing and storage standards to ensure the user is receiving the purest oils possible.
“It’s important to emphasize that just because they’re a natural product doesn’t mean they’re always a safe product,” Yarrow said. “Do your research beforehand and be careful to follow the recommended guidelines if you’re going to use essential oils.”
UPDATE:
4:15 pm:
A check with officials in Emporia confirmed that water will not be restored until as late at 11:00 pm tonight or early tomorrow morning.
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The major water main break in Emporia is now fixed.
The major water main break left the town of about 25,000 residents Lyon County without water for much of the day today.
JC Post contacted State Senator Jeff Longbine, who is a resident of Emporia, for an update on the situation.
“I think the main is now fixed, as far as the actual break; and they hope to start restoring water late -afternoon, between five and six.”
Longbine confirmed that due to the loss of pressure and the risk of contamination a boil water advisory is in effect through Saturday evening.
“All of our food processing manufacturers are closed – such as Tyson, Hostess, Simmons Pet Food, Cargill, [and] Hill’s Pet Nutrition.” All of the companies use water in their manufacturing process.
Several other businesses in Emporia were closed today, and others were “scrambling to bring in emergency truck loads of bottled water”, according to Longbine.
The American Red Cross confirmed that no calls were made to dispatch for their assistance in Lyon County today.
Allen Dinkel, Junction City Manager, cautions residents to be practical with the use of water in the extreme heat. There have been smaller water line breaks in Junction city in the past, but not one involving a 20-inch water line like the one in Emporia.
