2016 has been a tough year in combating crime for Geary County.
County Attorney Steve Opat said it was a difficult year. “It’s been horrible this year, I can’t tell you the reason why we go through cycles like that, it’s not from a lack of effort from the law enforcement side or prosecutorially.”
Opat said the Geary County Detention Center is full, and contrary to belief it’s not full of petty criminals. “The jail isn’t full of misdemeanor dopers, it’s full of people charged with serious crimes.”
The number of cases prosecuted this year as of earlier this week was 1085 according to Opat.
“Mr. Cruz (Assistant County Attorney) has prosecuted or filed, as of December 22nd, 325 drug cases most of a higher level drug offense, and I have filed 320 ranging anywhere from domestic batteries, assault and batteries, aggravated robberies, attempted homicides, rapes and murders,” said Opat.
Eagle Days at Milford Lake will be Saturday, January 14th, 2017.
Participants can take a guided bus tour and view Bald Eagles as they soar above Milford Lake or watch them as they sit in the tall Cottonwood trees along the lake’s shore. You will also learn about nesting eagles in Kansas and watch the “Live Eagle” program. Children can also visit the kids’ tent for activities and crafts.
There will be free popcorn and hot chocolate for all visitors. Eagle buses are free of charge.
The event will be from 9:00 am until 4:00 pm on Saturday, January 14th. For more information contact the Milford Nature Center at 238-5323.
The Custer Hill Bowling Center on Fort Riley will host a New Year’s Eve Masquerade from 8:00 pm until 1:00 am on Saturday, December 31st.
Tickets are $17 in advance and $20 the day of the event. Or you can purchase an entire lane for up to six bowlers for $102. The ticket includes unlimited bowling with shoes, appetizers, hot cocoa and a goodie bag.
Children under 3 are free.
Tickets can be purchased at the Custer Hill Bowling Center, Riley’s Conference Center, or at the Warrior Zone. Call 239-4366 for more information.
Aggieville (Manhattan)
Activities will take place all day on Saturday, December 31st in anticipation of the New Year.
1:00 to 7:00 pm enjoy the City Park Ice Rink in the GTM Sportswear Family Center.
6:00 pm to 10:30 pm enjoy holiday decorations and grab some dinner as you stroll through Aggieville.
10:30 pm live entertainment provided by the rock and blues band M31 begins.
Midnight: Watch the Little Apple Ball drop and enjoy a fireworks show as you ring in the New Year with 10,000 of your closest friends
Emporia, Kan. – December 22, 2016 –Supporting the conservation efforts of native quail species in Kansas, Quail Forever has announced it will be hosting the 1st annual Kansas Governor’s Quail Hunt for Habitat on January 13 & 14, 2017 in Emporia, Kansas. The event will showcase the recent population boom of quail throughout the state’s eastern region, as well as current efforts to maintain a thriving population of quail which supports the economic stimulus of upland hunting in the Sunflower State.
“Our goal for this event is to raise awareness and financial support for quail habitat conservation efforts in the state of Kansas,” commented Marc Glades, south region manager for Pheasants Forever & Quail Forever. “To that end, Quail Forever and its dedicated volunteers want to have an elevated role in this endeavor to ensure quail hunting remains a sustainable resource for future generations. Special thanks to Governor Brownback and his staff for working to make this a great event for conservation.”
Quail Forever has partnered with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT) to take part in theKansas Quail Initiative – a quail restoration program aimed at making a difference in declining bobwhite quail populations at a landscape level. The state initiative includes the designation of two large quail management focus areas and up to a half-million dollars of KDWPT funds – and additional contributions from Quail Forever and other partners – to achieve a 50 percent increase in bobwhite populations by 2017 in each focus area. The 2017 Governor’s Quail Hunt for Habitat will serve as a support mechanism for this endeavor, while highlighting various regions of the state that hold encouraging prospects for quail hunters.
For more information about the 2017 Kansas Governor’s Quail Hunt for Habitat or to participate in the event, please contact Marc Glades at (620) 218-0557 or MGlades@QuailForever.Org.
TOPEKA, KS – Reported in the news throughout Topeka yesterday was a story headlined as “Topeka VA Will Temporarily Drop Outpatient PTSD Care.” We at the VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System want to share that this story is not accurate. It was reported a provider took a position elsewhere,when in fact the provider is taking a position in another area within the medical center to increase our ability to provide care to our Veterans in crisis (inpatient provider).
While we understand that changing a provider can be stressful to any patient, our Behavioral Health Nursing Staff in the Psychiatric Care Team (PCT) Clinic are working to review the panel of patients to determine best care alternatives. The PCT team includes several psychologists, a nurse, and administrative staff who will continue to provide high quality care to their Veterans. VAEKHCS also has an excellent group of other psychiatrists and psychiatric nurse practitioners in the Mental Health Clinic who have extensive experience with treating PTSD and mental illnesses. Veterans are evaluated based on complexity of diagnosis and medications. Those with lesser complexities may be seen by a Primary Care Provider while a Psychiatrist may see Veterans with greater complexities. In order to receive timely care and be Veteran-centric, there may be some veterans given the option of referral to the community under the Choice Program.We do not anticipate a large amount of Behavioral Health (BH) referrals going to Choice and most, if not all, of the veterans will continue to receive BH services through the VA in Topeka.Active recruitment is occurring to fill the vacated position; however the current provider will continue to provide refills and address medication concerns until these patients are assigned anew provider.
We emphasize that PCT is not closing. Psychiatric medication management is only a small part of what PCT offers, and we are appropriately making plans to have those needs met while we recruit a new PCT psychiatrist. We will continue to provide comprehensive care to our Veterans, and we will continue to support the mission of PCT.
The two people arrested in Geary County in connection with a triple slaying and pawn shop burglaries in Mississippi could face extradition back to that state.
Jamison Townsend and Joshua Garcia were arrested following a chase in southeast Geary County early Wednesday morning. Both are charged in arrest warrants in Mississippi with three counts of capital murder.
Steve Opat, Geary County Attorney, confirmed if the proper paperwork arrives extradition of the suspects will be sought to send them back to Mississippi. He noted that will be the case if the authorities from Mississippi send up the proper documents. “We’ll charge them here with the offenses that they committed here. If they’re wanted for a triple homicide as is alleged then we’ll proceed accordingly and work out all the details with the demanding jurisdiction, which would be the state of Mississippi.”
Garcia and Townsend are incarcerated in the Geary County Detention Center.
Flint Hills aTa Bus has announced that they will observe the Christmas holiday on Monday, December 26th and January 2nd. No service will be provided on those days.
aTa Bus provides public bus transportation service in Junction City, Manhattan and Wamego.
L to R: Corliss formerly from Power Hits 97.5, Bret Michaels, Sharon Glessner former Sundown Salute Director
The new director(s) for Sundown Salute 2017 have an uphill battle.
This year’s Fourth of July celebration ended the year nearly $32,000 in the hole. Fundraising efforts are underway to pay that debt, but next year’s celebration will likely be in excess of $180,000.
Sharon Glessner, longtime former Director, said that the four to five day events are always much more expensive than if the celebration was limited to three days. “It usually takes about $180 to $200,000 to put on…it’s going to be hard, but it can be done definitely because people are behind this event.”
A committee has formed to help tackle the debt, and explore different fundraising efforts and options to keep the event a Junction City/Geary County tradition.
“I have asked for years that we get more help in different areas, it’s just that the people on our committee are so busy in their own acts of life that they really didn’t have the time or commitment they could give,” said Glessner who welcomes the committees or Boards that the new Director or group of Directors spearheading Sundown Salute will have in the future.
“When you’re dealing with the amount of money and the amount of people that we have attending the event, it does need to have some extra help [like that],” said Glessner.
Glessner has indicated a desire to still work with the new committee and Director for Sundown Salute, but more in an advisory capacity. “I think there will be some bumps in the beginning just because in my beginning there were bumps because I didn’t know I was going to take over; so I think that these people might need a little kind of direction and guidance – you know, they may not know who to order the bathrooms from – or things like that, but I think it will head in the right direction, it may take a year or so but I think it will be a great event once it all gets settled.”
1420 KJCK News Director Dewey Terrill counts down the top 10 news stories of 2016 in special reports airing at 8:45 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. this coming week December 26-30. Our Top 10 stories special series sponsored by Coryell Insurors and the Dorothy Bramlage Public Library on 1420 KJCK.
2016 has been a tough year in combating crime for Geary County.
