The Chief of Staff of the Army has announced officer assignments for the U. S. Army.
From Fort Riley Brigadier General Scott L. Efflandt, the Deputy Commanding General ( Maneuver ) of the 1st Infantry Division is being promoted to Deputy Commandant, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College / Deputy Commanding General – Education, U.S. Army Combined Arms Center at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas.
I-70 golf cards are available for purchase. You can obtain six rounds for $50.
Eagle Communications is teaming with six area golf courses to offer the inaugural I-70 golf Card.
The card allows one free round at each of six courses including Rolling Meadows Golf Course, Stagg Hill Golf Club, Indian Hill Golf Course and GreatLife Golf / Fitness locations in Junction City, Salina and Abilene.
Call 785-200-6030 or email eagletv@eaglecom.net to place an order for an I-70 Golf card.
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A 1992 graduate of Junction City High School, Shante Moore, will be the keynote speaker for the 13th annual 2017 Celebration of Teaching Banquet in USD 475.
Margie Pinaire, with the Geary Community Schools Foundation said this year’s event will be held on Monday evening at the Courtyard by Marriott convention center in Junction City. Doors will open at 5:30 p.m. and the Junction City High School Jazz Band will perform until the banquet begins at 6 p.m.
Shante Moore came to Junction City in the 6th grade, attending Westwood Elementary School. He attended Fort Riley Junior High and graduated from Junction City High School in 1992. He received his undergraduate degree in Political Science from Kansas State University in 1996 and his Master of Science degree from Georgetown University’s Foreign Service Program in 2000.
During the 1990’s Moore was named a Ronald E. McNair Scholar, a Truman Scholar, a Fulbright Scholar in Paraguay and a Thomas R. Pickering Foreign Affairs Fellow. Moore joined the Foreign Service in 2000, serving as a Foreign Service officer in five successive overseas tours beginning in Kuwait, followed by Qatar, Kosovo, Nicaragua and Afghanistan. He currently serves as Deputy Director of the Office of Aviation Negotiations where he is responsible for advancing the U.S. Open Skies policy and negotiating bilateral and multilateral Open Skies agreements.
Shante has received numerous awards and honors. Most recently he and his wife were co-recipients of the 2016 Michael C. Holen Leaders-in-Residence Award from Kansas State University’s Mary Lynn and Warren Staley School of Leadership for their work in support of human rights and visibility of people of African descent.
The Celebration of Teaching Banquet is hosted by the Geary Community Schools Foundation with the assistance of local and area sponsors and donors. It is endorsed by the USD 475 Board of Education.
The Geary County Rural Fire Department has been notified that the Fire Rating Classification for the rural area of the county protected by the Rural Fire Department will change effective August 1st. The result is that many rural residents will see a reduction in their homeowners insurance cost up to 15% to 20%.
According to Rural Fire Chief Garry Berges those residents who reside within five miles of the main county fire station at 236 East 8th street, Spring Valley Fire Station at 1019 South Spring Valley Road and the Milford Township Station at 3500 Pleasant View Drive are the main homeowners who see the reduction in insurance costs. Each of those fire stations houses a structure fire pumper. Businesses in the same areas will also a reduction in their rates.
This past December a representative from the Insurance Services Office visited Geary County and reviewed all aspects of the fire department including the type of fire fighting equipment, firefighter training, 911 call and dispatch area and water supply to rural hydrants. Each item is awarded points, which when totaled give a community their ISO rating.
Geary County was last rated in the late 1990’s. Since then three structural fire pumpers were added to the fleet, the 911 Center was updated and necessary equipment was installed. Training of the firefighters and record keeping was implemented.
Information about the insurance reclassification will be given to the insurance companies by ISO.
JUNCTION CITY, KAN. – Geary County Schools USD 475 is ending the week with good news regarding the expected Heavy Impact Aid payment which was delayed last month. District officials expected this payment to be made during the summer months, however, the anticipated initial payment of $11.8 million was transferred to USD 475 today.
“This is a huge step forward and will allow us to bring this bond issue to the community for a vote with the knowledge that the money we anticipated in March, for the proposed new Junction City High School, is now in the bank.” – Superintendent of Schools Dr. Corbin Witt.
This most recent Heavy Impact Aid payment will be combined with the over $28 million in Heavy Impact Aid funds that USD 475 has saved for use on large-scale projects such as the proposed new Junction City High School (pending a community vote, which is required in order to leverage State funds).
ABILENE, Kan. – Historian Ellie Carlson returns to Abilene May 13 and 15 to take her audiences back in time with three living history programs.
Ellie will present “Mamie: Hostess in Chief” during the annual Mother’s Day Tea in the Courtyard of the Eisenhower Presidential Library on May 13 at 11 a.m. Reservations are required by May 5. Tickets may be purchased online at https://bit.ly/2pPMAb7 or by $15 checks payable to the Eisenhower Foundation, mailed to: Eisenhower Presidential Library, Attn: Mother’s Day Tea, 200 SE 4th Street, Abilene KS 67410.
Mamie was America’s beloved First Lady from 1953 – 1961. She was also an Army wife, mother and grandmother. Celebrate Mother’s Day with “Mamie” as she relates her life as Ike’s wife, our first lady and “just a good friend,” which is how she most wanted to be remembered. Ellie delighted a large audience with her debut portrayal of Mamie Eisenhower in July 2016.
Ellie transforms at 7 p.m. that evening into Carry Nation at the Dickinson County Heritage Center, 412 S. Campbell Street, Abilene. Ellie presents All Nations Welcome Except Carry, a one-woman show re-enacting the passion, energy and fury that intimidated and emasculated law enforcement across the Kansas prairie. Tickets, ranging in price from $5-10, are available online at https://bit.ly/2oJlbKx. Also that evening, the Heritage Center will unveil their new exhibit on Carry Nation.
Ellie returns to the Eisenhower Presidential Library on Monday, May 15 at 7 p.m. for a free program in the Visitors Center Auditorium. Ellie will present “A Hundred Years Ago on the Homefront: How American Families Faced the War to End All Wars.” Even if you know nothing of World War I, come to learn. If you had relatives and friends who were there, come to be reminded. Learn the history, sing the songs, taste the food. Travel back in time to the Homefront.
This program is held in conjunction with the recently opened temporary exhibit in the Library building Eisenhower and the Great War. On display through March 2018, this exhibit tells the story of the Great War and its influence on Eisenhower’s budding leadership abilities. World War I, as it would become known later in the century, proved critical to the making of this American Icon.
Ellie (Carlson) of Ellie Presents, Chicago, Ill., is a museum curator with 30 years of experience in small to mid-sized museums and a first-person interpreter portraying several women from the 19th and 20th centuries. Carlson has a B.A. from Roosevelt University and a Masters of Historical Administration and Museum Studies from the University of Kansas. To learn more, visit elliepresents.com.
Phyllis Fitzgerald needs two more interviews with a Junction City area veteran on their service with the 1st Infantry Division.
Fitzgerald has been working on a series of 100 veteran’s stories in conjunction with the 100th anniversary of the Big Red One. “There is not really a deadline on it. I’ll put it in a final product by the end of this month of May. I’m actually in the process of getting a complete pack of all the stories put together.”
Fitzgerald is hopeful those stories will be be presented to the 100 veterans by the June 22nd MAC breakfast. Of course, those veterans are invited to be in attendance. If you have a veteran to nominate you can contact Phyllis Fitzgerald at 307-1472.
Tuesday, August 29th is the Business Expo in Heritage Park, sponsored by the Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce.
Registration for businesses and other organizations opens on Monday, May 1st for Chamber members. There is no cost for chamber members to register.
Non-members in the Junction City/Geary County area may begin registering on June 1st for $50; those interested in a booth that non-members outside Geary County are $200.
Participation is on a first come, first served basis – there are 100 registrations available. If the event is moved to the Municipal building due to weather, the first 50 are guaranteed a spot.
For more information or to register on Monday, May 1st visit: https://www.junctioncitychamber.org/business-expo
If you are interested in becoming a member of the Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce contact Kaitlin McGuire at 762-2632 or by email at kaitlin.mcguire@jcacc.org.
HAYS-Eagle Communications, Inc. announces the election of Travis Kohlrus to the company’s board of directors.
Kohlrus has been General Manager of Eagle’s Broadband division since January 2012 and has worked in the telecommunications and customer service industry for over 20 years.
“Travis’ considerable experience combined with his knowledge of the broadband industry will benefit the board greatly as we continue the growth and expansion of our employee-owned company,” said Eagle Communications president Gary Shorman.
“We are excited to have him further involved in our corporate governance.”
Prior to joining Eagle Communications in 2003, Kohlrus spent seven years working for Sykes Enterprises Inc. as a Senior Client Services Manager. He directed customer service and support for many Fortune 500 companies, managed over $10 million in annual revenue, and over 300 customer service agents.
Kohlrus is the current president of the Ellis Alliance and the Ellis Industrial Development Corporation boards. He is a graduate of both Leadership Hays and Leadership Kansas.
He has served as chair of the Hays Area Chamber of Commerce and is a founding advisory council member of the Hays Area Young Professionals.
Kohlrus volunteered time as a big brother for the local Big Brother and Big Sisters chapter for 11 years.
He previously served as former Campaign Chair and President of the United Way of Ellis County and is also active in Gideon’s International.
He currently serves on the board of the Nebraska Cable Communications Association.
Travis and his wife Susie have two children Tanner, 12 and MaKenzie, 9.
In addition to Kohlrus, the board elected Ken Braun elected as Director Emeritus and Eagle Communications President Gary Shorman was appointed Vice Chairman.
Eagle Communications, Inc. is a Kansas-based Broadband Services and Media Company with more than 285 Employee-Owners. The company operates 28 radio stations in Kansas, Nebraska and Missouri, as well as cable TV systems in 59 Kansas, Nebraska and Colorado communities. The company also offers e-business solutions, web hosting, telephone service, high-speed internet, and wireless internet in most service areas.
