Saturday
Rain showers are likely throughout the day, with a chance of thunderstorms in the morning. High temperatures around 50 degrees.
Saturday night
Rain showers likely in the evening, then rain showers and slight chance of thunderstorms after midnight. Lows in the upper 40s.
Sunday
Mostly cloudy with chance of rain showers and slight chance of thunderstorms. Highs around 60. Northwest winds up to 5 mph. Chance of precipitation 40 percent.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), co-chair of the Senate Hunger Caucus, this week met with the newly appointed World Food Programme Executive Director David Beasley.
“Governor Beasley and I discussed the critical role of the World Food Programme in providing humanitarian relief to those in need, including several countries currently on the brink of historic famines due to severe drought and conflict,” Sen. Moran said. “Providing international food assistance benefits the United States by promoting stability, while also reducing suffering and saving millions of lives around the world. Our country’s collective moral convictions make fighting hunger the right thing to do, but the benefits we receive as a nation from reducing global food insecurity also make it the smart thing to do.”
The Senate Hunger Caucus was formed in 2004 by Blanche Lincoln, an Arkansas Democrat, and Gordon Smith, an Oregon Republican. It exists to promote anti-hunger causes and provide a forum for briefings about hunger issues. In addition to raising awareness, the Senate Hunger Caucus facilitates communication between those working to combat hunger and lawmakers who support programs and policies assisting those in need.
MANHATTAN — Experience classic myths of ancient Greece and Rome set against compelling narratives of modern war when the Warrior Chorus presents “The Trojan War” at 7:30 p.m. Friday, April 7, in McCain Auditorium as part of Kansas State University’s McCain Performance Series.
The Aquila Theatre and American combat veterans/actors of the Warrior Chorus collaborate for this unique theatrical experience where classic myths are incorporated into modern war with a multimedia arrangement that uses live action, film, bold projections and gripping music.
The Warrior Chorus is a national program that brings together men and women who served in the U.S. military and trains them to the highest level in the performing arts and humanities.
“The Trojan War” uses epic moments from Homer’s “Iliad” and scenes from other classical Greek drama and poetry to create an enthralling account of men and women at war. The clash of gods and heroes, the rage of Achilles, the suicide of Ajax, the fall of Troy and the rise of Rome are among the many stories of war and homecoming told by the Aquila Theatre alongside members of the Warrior Chorus.
Tickets for the Warrior Chorus: “The Trojan War” are available at the McCain Auditorium box office, online at k-state.edu/mccain, or by calling 785-532-6428. All K-State students and kids 18 and under are half-price. Other discounts are available for seniors, military, K-State faculty and staff, and groups of 10 or more.
Today is the first day of April! Check out some of the events taking place in the community this weekend:
EASTON, Pa. (AP) — Dandelion yellow has reason to be blue.
Crayola announced Friday, National Crayon Day, that it’s replacing the color dandelion in its 24-pack with a crayon in “the blue family.”
The company says it will leave it to fans to come up with a name for the replacement color.
It’s only the third time in Crayola’s long history that it has retired one or more colors, and the first time it’s swapped out a color in its box of 24.
Other colors that previously got the boot include maize, raw umber and orange yellow.
Crayola crayons were first produced in 1903 by Binney & Smith Co.
Crayola is based in Easton, Pennsylvania, and is a subsidiary of Hallmark Cards Inc., headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri.
There will be a Fort Riley childcare-provider hiring event on Thursday, April 6th from noon to 4:00 pm at the Junction City Workforce Center.
During the event applicants will be considered for all levels of child and youth program assistant positions. The pay for these jobs ranges from $11.48 to $14.08 per hour.
The hiring event is a partnership between Fort Riley’s Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation, commonly known as “MWR”, and KansasWorks.
WHAT: Fort Riley Childcare-Provider Hiring Event
WHEN: Thursday, April 6 from noon to 4 p.m.
WHERE: Junction City Workforce Center, 1012 W. 6th Street, Suite A
WHO: Jobseekers with a high school diploma, GED or higher
WHY: Employees make $11.48 to $14.08 per hour, have access to Fort Riley MWR programs and receive childcare discounts
Those interested in applying should attend the event ready to be interviewed. To speed the hiring process, applicants should bring an updated resume; high school diploma, GED or college transcripts; social security card; and birth certificate or passport. Additionally, applicants are encouraged to apply early at www.usajobs.gov, using keywords “NAF” and “Fort Riley.”
For more information about the hiring event, call 785-239-2325.
The third and final legislative coffee hosted by the Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce will be Saturday, April 1st at 9:00 am.
The coffee will feature State Senators Jeff Longbine and Tom Hawk, as well as State Representatives Lonnie Clark and Dave Baker.
Fresh off the Medicaid expansion veto by Kansas Governor Sam Brownback, this will be an opportunity for community members to express their concerns to local legislators.
Representative Dave Baker, 68th District, said that discussion toward an override of the Governor’s veto has been tabled until Monday – a move prompted in part by the absence of two members of the House on the day the veto was announced.
“Everyone will go home this weekend, and I’m sure we’ll be getting lots of input from constituents on how they feel about Medicaid Expansion,” said Baker. “I’m for overriding the Governor’s veto.”
Baker, a member of the Children and Seniors Committee, said that he hasn’t had anyone contact him “that supports the Governor’s position.”
“It’s a sad situation,” said Baker. “[They] went from 124 people to process those applications on KanCare all the way down to 18, and that just created a tremendous backlog; and our forms that we use for helping people navigate the Medicaid system – we use to have a 7 page form like the other states around us, now it’s 17 pages – so we’ve made everything just about as difficult as we possibly can.”
Baker said that as a result of the issues with KanCare and budget cuts due to financial woes in the State it has created hardships across many sectors.
“We need to get a resolution, and Medicaid expansion is definitely part of the answer.”
The Kansas House 68th District includes the counties of Chase, Morris, Dickinson and part of Geary County that includes Junction City.
*feature image courtesy @davebaker4kansas Facebook
JUNCTION CITY, KAN. – On March 31, 2017, Geary County Schools USD 475 launched a new eFlyer service called Peachjar. This service improves school-to-home communication by distributing school flyers directly to parents digitally.
Geary County Schools USD 475 is committed to educational excellence and helping to ensure that parents stay informed of important activities and events in the district.
Executive Director of Communications for Geary County Schools, Matthew Droge said, “This service allows us to better communicate information about events and programs in the district in a way that makes it easy for parents to receive.”
Digital flyers will be sent directly to parents who will see them as visually engaging images right on their smartphone or computer screen. Additionally, all of these flyers will be posted to each school’s specific website (paper versions can be made available upon request if a reliable internet connection cannot be obtained).
By using this new system, USD 475 expects to eliminate the need to print a significant number of paper flyers. This “green” move will reduce paper, copy, and administrative costs associated with distributing paper flyers. It will also help community partners to reduce costs in the same way. Community partners who wish to distribute e-flyers in the district should contact the USD 475 Communications Department or visit Peachjar.com.
Law enforcement authorities in Riley County are investigating a burglary where an unknown suspect stole over $15,000 in Nike shoes from a storage unit.
On Wednesday, March 29th officers with the Riley County Police Department filed a report for burglary and criminal damage to property in the 200 block of Plymate Ln. at approximately 8:40 PM.
Shengming Wang, 26, Manhattan, is the owner of the storage unit who alleged in a police report that an unknown suspect cut the lock off of his unit and took 50 pairs of Nike shoes.
The total loss associated with this case is approximately $15,015.00.
Police ask that anyone with information contact the Riley County Police Department 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.
The Chief Executive Officer at Geary Community Hospital, Dr. Joseph Stratton, has responded on behalf of the hospital to the recent Medicaid expansion discussions in the legislature, and the governor’s veto of a medicaid expansion bill.
“This past week showed us what can happen when we decide to work together as Republicans and Democrats. It is clear that Kansans want to take care of their neighbors. Medicaid expansion is a critically important and very positive piece of legislation for uninsured Kansans and healthcare providers. Unfortunately, Gov. Brownback stated it did not meet the three criteria he was looking for, so he vetoed it. This was not a surprise to most people tuned-into the topic. We are sorely disappointed at Geary Community Hospital, yet we would like to commend our local legislators who voted for and continue to support this healthcare bill.
It’s important to note this isn’t just a healthcare issue, this is an economics issue. According to KHA, our state has lost $1.7 billion of our own tax dollars, because of the refusal of many to consider expansion. Thirty-one states have successfully expanded their Medicaid program. National, multi-state and single state studies show 31 states expanding Medicaid under the ACA have realized budget savings, revenue gains, and overall economic growth.
For Geary Community Hospital expanding Medicaid would bring approximately $1.2 million annually in needed revenue to help take care of the uninsured and underinsured population. These funds would not be a profit-windfall, but instead dollars to pay your local, county healthcare system for services rendered for those who do not or cannot pay, whether it be in the clinics, hospital, or emergency room. Let us not forget this past July the Governor’s office dealt yet another blow to hospitals statewide, with a sudden decision to decrease all Medicaid payments by 4% in an attempt to help address the state’s budget shortfalls. This unexpected decision by policymakers meant about a $200,000 take-away from GCH for the budget year.
Many people believe the state is ripe to expand Medicaid. Rep. Susan Concannon, R-Beloit, asked “if this isn’t the right time, when is the right time?” As well, many think that with the recent failure in the U.S. Congress to repeal and replace Obamacare it opens up new opportunities to expand Medicaid for thousands of Kansans and many citizens across the nation. Lawmakers will reconvene on Monday to discuss and see if they can muster enough votes to override the veto. In the meantime, we urge you to contact your local representatives and ask them to vote yes to override the Governor’s veto of HB 2044.”
