FORT RILEY, KS – Army Emergency Relief (AER) is celebrating “75 Years of Soldiers Helping Soldiers” in 2017 and launched its annual awareness and fundraising campaign this week. The campaign runs from March 1st through May 15th with the goals of creating greater awareness of the benefits of AER and providing Soldiers the opportunity to help their fellow Soldiers.

Over the last several years AER has made significant changes to meet the needs of today’s Army, adding new categories of assistance, expediting the assistance process and increasing grants by 30%. In 2015 AER changed policy to allow all Soldiers, regardlessof rank, direct access to AER assistance.

“Never leaving a Soldier in need is in keeping with the Army’s core values,”said AER’s former director, retired Army Lt. Gen. Robert Foley. “Whether the need is money for a Soldier’s emergency leave, new brakesfor the family car or to cover the initial rent deposit on a new apartment, AER is there. To maintain this level of assistance today, donations from Soldiers, active and retired, are essential to ensure the legacy of Soldiers helping Soldiers.”

Army Emergency Relief is a private non-profit organization dedicated to providing financial assistance to Soldiers, active and retired, and their families. Since it was founded in 1942, AER has provided more than $1.8 billion to more than 3.6 million Soldiers and families. In 2015 AER provided more than $62 million in assistance to nearly 43,000 Soldiers and families. Over that same time period, Fort Riley provided over $1.1 million in assistance and processed nearly 1,000 separate cases.

Soldiers needing AER assistance can start directly at www.aerhq.org, contact their unit chain of command or go directly to one of the 78 AER sections at their nearest Army installation.

For more information follow AER on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/aerhq or the Fort Riley Financial Readiness Program at https://www.facebook.com/rileyfrp.

MANHATTAN, KAN. – On March 9 and March 10, 2017, officers responded to 2 separate calls from local gas stations reporting they had found “skimmers”, or devices that can be used to obtain credit or debit card information from customers paying at the pump. Both devices found were located inside the pump, and were undetectable without opening the pumps.

The gas stations in question are the Shop Quick at 529 Richards Dr. and the Shop Quick at 430 Fort Riley Blvd. If you used either gas station to purchase gas from the pump, please review your bank statements for any fraudulent activity. If fraudulent activity is located, please call dispatch at 785-537-2112 to report the crime.

It should be noted that internal skimmers are becoming more common across the country. These skimmers are not detectable by consumers, so the best way to protect yourself is to make it a habit to monitor your bank statements and credit reports on a regular basis.

Rumors have been swirling about skimmers at other gas stations in town. Please note that no additional skimmers have been located at this time.

The Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) will begin a Traffic Signalization project for the intersection of 6th and Franklin Street in Junction City on Monday, March 13th.

Traffic at the intersection of 6th Street east and west of Washington Street and Franklin Street between 7th and 5th Street will be inconvenienced during the road construction for the next two months. Motorists will need to follow the posted work zone signage and pay attention to the construction traffic.

Full access to all businesses within the affected area will be provided.

The construction work involves removing and replacing curbs and gutters, sidewalks, asphalt and installing new traffic signals.

For questions contact the City of Junction City, Public Works Department at 238-7142.

Abilene, March 2017 – Tri-County Telephone and Great Plains Theatre have partnered together to offer a chance to win VIP passes to the Symphony in the Flint Hills event on June 10th, 2017. The Symphony in the Flint Hills will be held at Deer Horn Ranch, owned by John and Mary McDonald of Abilene. The sunset concert will feature the Kansas City Symphony with country western singer-songwriter Michael Martin Murphey.

The raffle will be giving away 2 VIP Patron passes to the Symphony in the Flint Hills. The passes include 2 tickets for reserved seating, parking passes in the reserved section, pre-concert reception and dinner, patron tent gift certificate, and onsite hospitality tent access. Total value of the package is $1500.

All donations will go towards Great Plains Theatre.”I am very grateful that Angela Schwerdtfeger, the Director of Public Relations at Tri-County Telephone, contacted me and suggested this wonderful fundraiser. It not only benefits the theatre, but will greatly benefit the lucky winner of the raffle! We are fortunate to be able to offer such a wonderful prize as this,” stated Elizabeth Weese, executive director of Great Plains Theatre.

Raffle tickets prices are $10 for 1, or $40 for 5. (Regular tickets for the Symphony in the Flint Hills are $90 for an adult, $50 for children.) Tickets are available for purchase both at TCT Solutions Center at 120 NEW 14th Street and Great Plains Theatre at 401 Cottage Ave. All donations will go towards Great Plains Theatre.

The drawing will be June 8th, so stop by either TCT Solutions or Great Plains Theatre today to support a great cause, and enter to win passes to a great event!

Geary Community Hospital is hosting their third annual run/walk called “Chase for a Cause,” Saturday, April 22, 9:00 a.m. Participants get to choose which approved local cause their registration funds go toward.

“We are looking forward to growing this event even bigger this year,” said Nikki Davies, GCH Marketing and Public Relations Director. “Last year we had almost 200 participants and raised $5,000 for organizations that serve our community in several ways. It’s a positive way to get everyone together, go for a walk or jog all while giving back to the great causes in our community.”

With participants choosing which approved local cause their funds go toward, it provides an opportunity for other organizations to benefit and receive funds that may not have the resources to host such an event.

There will also be a kids fun run, cash prizes for top three male and female finishers, masters (above age 40), medals for 5k winners in each age group along with door prizes. The race will start and finish in front of the hospital’s Surgical Center.

Approved local organizations include:

· Big Brothers / Big Sisters
· Boys and Girls Club
· Delivering Change: Healthy Moms – Healthy Babies
· Friends of the Animals
· Food Pantry
· Friends of the Dorothy Bramlage Public Library
· Geary Community Healthcare Foundation
· Geary Community Schools Foundation
· Junction City Family YMCA
· Junction City Fire Department Honor Guard
· Junction City Fire Department Luke David Nelson Memorial Scholarship
· Junction City Junior Baseball Association
· Open Door Mission
· United Way of Junction City – Geary County
· Wheels of H.O.P.E. (Helping Other People Eat)

For more information visit www.gchks.org.

The monthly Milford Lake bird walk will be Saturday ( March 18th ) at 8 a.m.

Geary County Extension Agent Chuck Otte said 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 early migrants and lingering winter species.

The walks usually last about two to three hours and involved moderate walking. If you have binoculars or a bird book you can bring them. This is the first bird walk of the year, and they will be held monthly through November. The next bird walk is tentatively scheduled for April 22nd.

For more information contact Chuck Otte at 238-4161 or 238-8800.