UPDATE:

Since this statement was released by the school district Jaydon Allan Thompson, 6, Junction City  has died. That was confirmed by the Kansas Highway Patrol and a check with Wesley Hospital in Wichita. He was a passenger in a vehicle that was struck by a truck that crossed the interstate median near Grandview Plaza and entered the westbound lanes of I-70.

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The accident on I-70 Tuesday near Grandview Plaza claimed the lives of two members of a Junction City family with ties to Eisenhower Elementary School, Leah Michelle Thompson, 5 and her mother Jessica Michelle Thompson, 26. Another family member Jaydon Allan Thompson, 6, was hospitalized.

USD 475 Executive Director of Communications Hugh Davis released the following statement.

A family from USD 475 was involved in tragic accident Tuesday Two of our Eisenhower Eagles and their mother were involved in a car accident on I-70. It is with sadness that we share with you that Leah a Kindergartner and her Mother Jessica died. Jaydon is a first grader who was also in the accident and is in critical condition at a hospital in Wichita. Jaydon’s father and grandparents are currently with him in Wichita.

The Eisenhower Eagles have managed this tragic situation well and the District Crisis Team has been actively involved giving support to the students and staff.

If you or someone you know ask how they can help, please direct them to the Gofundme page which was started by a friend of the family in Texas.

https://www.gofundme.com/bring-jessica-leah-home

Please keep the family in your thoughts and prayers, as well as others in our district who may have lost a loved one.

The City Commission met Tuesday, November 15th and Commissioner Jim Sands is on a mission to create positive atmospheres for youth and adults alike.

Sands said that football is available at all levels to local youth, but basketball is not championed in the same way.”We have a strong football presence [in our community], but our basketball isn’t as strong and I think it starts with bringing the youth in.”

Sands mentioned several ideas that were similar to a fastbreaker organization for boys basketball that existed several years ago in Junction City.

That organization produced local basketball players and out of town teams were frequent in Junction City for tournaments.

Sands also wants to look at expanding the ATA bus public transportation service.

“If we make that ATA bus run on the weekends, the people that actually use the [services provided by] Live Well Geary County, it will help them get to the places where they can get food and feed their families…when you see folks carrying bags on Grant Avenue, you really gotta think how far have they walked carrying those groceries,” said Sands.

There is no Saturday service for the ATA bus; Sands wants to see the current services fit the needs of the community.

Sundown Salute will have to claw, scrape, high jump and hope to pole vault it’s way out of a red financial hole.

Jim Sands, City Commissioner, confirmed during the Tuesday, November 15th City Commission meeting that the major Fourth of July Celebration has come up approximately $30,000 short of funding this year.

Sands attributes that deficit to rain, problems with the fireworks display the past two years and fundraising issues. “We’ve got to do some fundraising, we’ve got to get our names out there – maybe do a poker run, maybe do some pancake feeds, some golf – but we’ve got to do more than at the last minute.”

Sands suggested allowing other people a chance at coordinating musical acts. “Ms. Nikki at the Devil’s tail, she’s on the Board, let her do some of the coordination for music – she’s got the contacts already.”

Sundown Salute 2017 isn’t in jeopardy of not occurring according to Sands.

“It may be less, fewer days, but it’s going to be bigger and better – so we’re going to do less better,” said Sands.

Saint Francis Xavier Parrish has been part of the Junction City community for 150 years.

In honor of their Patron Saint Francis Xavier has invited the community to join them on Saturday, December 3rd for the Feast Day Celebrations.

“It’s a good time and a nice opportunity for all of us to get together to celebrate Saint Francis Xavier, our Parrish and  the reality that our Parrish has now been a part of the community for 150 years,” said Father Gale Hammerschmidt.

The celebrations begin at 8:00 am Saturday with mass at the Church. At 9:00 am registration begins for the Two Mile Fun Run that begins at 10:00 am and is followed by the highly anticipated Frozen Plunge at 11:00 am.

“I would like to say I got roped in to it, but I’m foolish enough that it was actually my idea,” said Hammerschmidt. “I thought, ‘how could we have a great time on December 3rd and what do people do in the middle of December’ and I thought ‘well, they jump in the lake’; so we’re excited about it, but I’m trying not to think too much about it – I’m doing all the mental exercises I can to not think about [it].”

Hammerschmidt said he’s praying for a warm November and a warm December 3rd weekend.

After the Frozen Plunge, a catered lunch from Cox Brothers Barbecue will be served.

While this is a fundraising event, Hammerschmidt said he just wants the community to have fun. “We’re off to a really great start, I’d like to hope we can get to at least 10 or 12 thousand dollars, that would be a real boost to our school…it’s quite the good fundraiser, but again, it’s just a good time.”

Saint Francis Xavier Catholic School has raised $6500 so far.

The Saint Xavier’s Day Celebrations will be Saturday, December 3rd.

For more information visit https://saintxrams.org.

Property owners in Junction City will be taxed a combined total of $1.3 million dollars more in 2017.

City Manger Allen Dinkel said that the majority of that comes from the county.

“The property taxes inside the city limits proper have gone up about $1.3 million to $1.4 million…of that $1.3 million increase the City and the school [District] are receiving about 10 percent, our budget/our mil levy went up slightly, the school’s slightly too – we gained a little bit by the valuation which is the other side of the coin…people that own property inside Junction City, 90 percent of it is due to the County,” said Dinkel.

Dinkel reported that 7.1 percent of that increased total is due to the city and 2.9 percent to USD 475 – the rest, according to Dinkel, has been created by the County.

The man arrested in connection with the death of two Junction City residents in a two-vehicle on I-70 near Grandview Plaza on Tuesday had a first appearance in Geary County District Court on Wednesday.

Geary County Attorney Steve Opat said bond has been set at $250,000 cash or surety, with a waiver of extradition required adnd a no-drive order. “Steven Johnson was p-c ( probable cause ) arrested for two counts of Involuntary Manslaughter DUI Alcohol or Drugs. He will be charged with at least two counts. The third count may be DUI once we get the lab results back, but the probable cause affdavit filed by the Highway Patrol indicates that there is probable cause to believe he was driving under the influence. There is a third victim, who I understand is clinging to life, so there may be an additional count at some point in time.”

An eastbound  International truck driven by Johnson went across the interstate median into the westbound lanes of the interstate near Grandview Plaza, and hit a Ford 500 driven by Jessica Michelle Thompson, 26, Junction City. Both vehicles ended up in the north ditch. Jessica Michelle Thompson was killed along with her daughter, Leah Michelle Thompson, 5, Junction City. Her son, Jaydon Allan Thompson, 6, Junction City, was transported to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita.

RILEY COUNTY –Law enforcement authorities in Riley County are investigating a suspect on drug charges.

On Tuesday, after a three-month investigation, detectives with the Riley County Police Department Special Investigations Unit in conjunction with the Junction City/Geary County Drug Operations Group arrested Randall Joseph Simonds, 33, Manhattan, at a location in Junction City.

Simonds was arrested and booked into the Riley County Jail on two offenses of Distribution of Methamphetamine, one offense of Distribution of Methamphetamine within 1000 feet of a School, three offenses of the Unlawful use of a Telecommunication Device, and one offense of felony flee and elude.

Simonds is confided at the Riley County jail on a bond of $26,000.00.

He has a previous conviction in Shawnee County for Criminal Damage to Property in 2012, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.