ABILENE, Kan. – The Eisenhower Presidential Library is collaborating with the Kansas Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association (CVMA) Chapter 21-1 to raise awareness around the staggering number of veterans who commit suicide everyday. The allies are joining forces on “Operation Veterans Suicide Outreach” as part of their War on Suicide. Outreach events are scheduled on Jan. 22, April 22, July 22, Sept. 22, Oct. 22, and Dec. 22 at varying locations.

The first event will kick off at the Eisenhower Presidential Library at 1 p.m. on Sunday, January 22, in the Library building courtyard. Each event will feature guest speakers, and the CVMA will lead the group of participants in conducting 23 pushups. The 23 pushups are done to signify the number of veterans lost each day to suicide plus one for America. The event is free and open to the public. Everyone is welcome, but not required, to participate in the pushups.

Local CVMA Chapter 21-1 Commander Patrick Lynch will announce the adopting of Eisenhower as the local chapter name in honor of General and President Dwight Eisenhower. “It seems only fitting we name our chapter after the most influential leader from this great state of Kansas. We could not be more honored,” states Lynch.

“The well-being of his troops was always of the utmost concern for General Eisenhower. He would be proud of this effort in trying to improve the welfare of our nation’s veterans,” states Tim Rives, Eisenhower Presidential Library Acting Director.

Additional allies supporting this outreach include the Chapman American Legion Riders Post 240 and Abilene Ike’s Place Bar and Grill. The event details for the remainder of the year can be found on the Operation Veterans Suicide Outreach Facebook page @23pushups.

Topeka, KS, January 12, 2017– With the possibility of severe ice and snow moving into Eastern Kansas, the American Red Cross is stressing winter driving and home safety. Now would be a good time to make sure you are ready should conditions deteriorate.

“People should stay off the roads if at all possible,” says Jane Blocher, Executive Director for the American Red Cross Kansas Capital Area Chapter. “Residents in our area should also make sure they are prepared at home for power outages that often result from heavy icing conditions.”

If you have to drive in freezing rain or snow, the Red Cross offers 10 tips for motorists:

•  Keep your vehicle’s gas tank at least half full at all times and clean lights and windows to help you see,
  especially at night.
• Let friends and family members know where you are going and when you expect to arrive at your destination.
•  Make sure you have extra clothing, coats, and blankets.
•  Carry nutritious snacks and water if heading out on a trip
• Make sure everyone in the vehicle is wearing a seat belt.
• Don’t follow other vehicles too closely. Sudden stops are difficult on snowy or icy roadways.
• Do not pass snow plows
• Do not use cruise control when driving on ice or snow
• If you do run off the road, stay with your vehicle. If you have to get out of your vehicle, use the side away from
  traffic.
• Do not run your engine and heater constantly, but run for about 10 minutes every hour.

In a severe storm the Red Cross recommends that residents shelter in place until conditions are safe to leave their homes. Should a power outage occur, make sure that your family and home get through the storm safely:

• Never us a gas stove or oven to heat your home. If you are using a fireplace, use a glass or metal fire screen large enough to catch sparks and rolling logs. Make sure fireplace embers are out before leaving the room or going to bed.
• Use flashlights for light, not candles
• Keep refrigerator and freezer doors closed as much as possible. Your refrigerator will keep food cold for about
  4 hours. If the freezer is full, it will keep its temperature for about 48 hours.
• Turn off and unplug all unnecessary electrical equipment and any appliances, equipment or electronics to
  avoid damaging them when the power is restored.
• Use generators correctly – never operate a generator inside the home, including the basement or garage.
• Portable generators should not be hooked to the home’s wiring. The safest thing to do is to connect the equipment you want to power directly to the outlets on the generator.
• Don’t forget your pets – bring them indoors. If they can’t come inside, make sure they have enough shelter to keep them warm and that they can get to unfrozen water.

Additionally, make sure all cell phones and laptops are fully charged in advance of the storm.

Should the need arise for shelter locations, the Red Cross will advise through local and social media.

Download the Red Cross Emergency App for instant access to winter storm tips and weather alerts for your area and where loved-ones live. Expert medical guidance and a hospital locator are included in the First Aid App in case travelers encounter any mishaps. Both apps are available to download for free in app stores or at redcross.org/apps.

There will be no trash/garbage pick-up by the City of Junction City on Monday, January 16th due to the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday.

However, trash/garbage pick-up will be picked up the next work day as follows:

• Monday’s pickup day will be Tuesday, January 17th
• Tuesday’s pickup day will be Wednesday, January 18th
• Wednesday’s pickup day will be Thursday, January 19th
• Thursday’s pickup day will be Friday, January 20th
• Friday’s pickup day will be Saturday, January 21st

In order to ensure pick-up, trash should be set out by 6:00 am on your pick-up day. Carts should be removed from the curb-alley by the following day of their scheduled pick up.

Additional items that are set out may require making arrangements for a special pick up.

Customers with questions should call the City of Junction City, Department of Public Works at 785-238-7142

Geary County Extension Agent Chuck Otte said with the issuance of an ice storm  warning for our area the threat of heavy ice accumulation on trees, electrical wires and everything outside, becomes very real and a very real threat to resident´s safety. Even moderate accumulations of ice can weigh down tree limbs. With up to one half to one inch of ice
forecast for some areas, serious tree damage will occur. You should never try to knock ice accumulations off of plants as you can cause worse damage to the tree or cause limbs to break and fall on you. Never go out and start trying to clean up limb damage until after the storm is over and the ice has melted off the trees. You never know when a heavily ice coated tree limb may break and fall.

Great care must also be taken to look out for downed power lines that may still be live. Downed power lines can kill. If you have lines in trees, do not try to do anything with the tree until the lines have been removed from the tree. It can sometimes be difficult for homeowners to differentiate between electrical power lines, phone lines or cable television
lines. Wait until the lines have been removed from the tree. If you have tree limbs near power lines, you should never try to prune those yourself as they pose an electrocution risk. Specially trained line clearance crews are all that should be doing this work. Ultimately there is no need to be in a big hurry to clean up tree damage after a storm. The damage is already done and there is plenty of time to clean it up after the ice is gone.

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Chuck Otte                      cotte@ksu.edu
County Extension Agent, Ag & Natural Resources

An apparent suicide occurred in the parking lot at BJ’s 66 Convenience Store near the US 77 – K-57 intersection on Thursday.

Geary County Sheriff Tony Wolf said authorities received a 9-1-1 call just after 11 a.m. “They found a semi-truck that was sitting there and they noticed the individual on the side of the truck . They made contact and quickly found that the subject was deceased there on the side of the truck.” Wolf confirmed this was a suicide case. “They noticed very quickly that the individual that was there, he had hung himself from the side of the trailer.”

Wolf confirmed the victim was a 65-year old semi-truck driver from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Day one of a Red Cross blood drive on Thursday in Junction City saw the collection of 53 units, just four shy of their day one goal.

The blood drive continues Friday at the Municipal Building.

The outline for the presentation on a possible new or renovated Junction City High School was presented to the JCHS Steering Committee Thursday evening. That presentation will go before town hall audiences at the senior high on January 17th and January 28th.

It will include information on the options for renovating the current facility to building a new facility at the existing 31-acre site or at a new 100-120 acre location on the west side of the city. Information on challenges in the current building such as problems with the plumbing system or crumbling brick walls to the cost of renovating or building new will be outlined to the public. Members of the public will be able to pose questions and get those answered by district officials, steering committee members and architects.

The goal for a new facility, if one is built, is to pay for it without increasing the local property tax levy. Federal heavily impacted military aid and state aid would be used along with interest earned on the heavily impacted military aid that is invested. In response to concern about whether the state aid might not total as much as expected the superintendent of schools Dr. Corbin Witt noted the state has never in history defaulted on a bond and interest payment because it is a demand transfer payment. The Legislature does not get to vote on it. Similar comments were made by the Deputy Commissioner of Education in Kansas, Dale Dennis, during a Junction City visit last week.

One member of the JCHS Steering Committee, Robert Munson, noted Geary USD 475 is one of the unique school districts in the nation. Because of 57% military student enrollment the district has received funding for several years ( heavily impacted military aid ). Is very significant and makes this a very viable project, in that it will provide a large amount of the funding for the project. ”

Fellow committee member Buzz Bruzina explained the town hall ( forums ) are intended to let people know all the options before the steering committee makes a recommendation to the school board ( in February ).  “Convincing the community of no mill levy increases and the best chance this can be of accomplishing a new school is key and most important to this community.” When asked for his opinion on whether this project could be done with no tax levy increase Bruzina responded, “Absolutely!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

USD 475 has issued a statement that activities and sporting events scheduled this weekend will be cancelled or postponed because of inclement winter weather. That affects schools in USD 475, teams that would have normally traveled to activity during that time frame, and USD 475 buildings that are used on weekends by outside entities.

At Junction City High School the Athletics Director Matt Westerhaus confirmed the cancellations include the Junction City Blue Jay junior varsity wrestling at Hays, state debate, and dance team.  Westerhaus indicated the Blue Jay wrestling team was scheduled to compete in a two-day tournament in Newton, but now may try to attend that tournament on Friday only and then return home.

As of now the Junction City Lady Jay and Blue Jay basketball teams are still scheduled to play Emporia at JCHS Friday night. If that changes we will let you know on JCPost.com.