The Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce will celebrate a Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for Champions Detailing on Wednesday, November 9th.
Champions Detailing is located next to Champions Car Wash at 1720 Old Hwy 40.
The ceremony will be from 11:00 am until noon.
RILEY COUNTY – A Kansas school group was involved in an accident at 7a.m. on Tuesday in Riley County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Chevy Suburban from Pike Valley USD 246 and driven by Stephanie K. Jensen, 49, Courtland, was southbound on U.S. 77 two miles north of Randolph.
The SUV hit a deer.
Jensen and seven teen students were not injured and arrived for KAYS conference scheduled at Wabaunsee High on Tuesday, according to principal Jeremy Luedke.
USD 475 Board of Education members continued their discussion Monday evening on the possibility of a new Junction City High School.
During a review of concepts, drawings and cost estimates Board member Tom Brungardt noted the idea of a natatorium was something he had seen for the first time. That was a suggestion from a recent JCHS Steering Committee meeting.
Board member Carolyn Gaston said 11 years ago the academy format was implemented at the high school. She feels it may be time to review that in conjunction with a high school project. “The information we’ve been receiving and the building formats are all constructed in that view. I want them to look at a 9-12 building that would house the freshman academy as well, but not the academies….just specific 9-12 education and come back and give us a cost on that.”
The idea is to find out if it could be done less expensively than with an academy structure. “My concern is that with the academy structure that we have today is it sustainable. And are we getting our money’s worth for our students? Is the turnout, or the graduation academics, are they being met to our satisfaction.”
No final decisions have been made on the high school project. There will be many more meetings and discussions on the possibility of either a new or renovated facility.
UPDATE:
Water service has been restored on Crest Hill and Cypress.
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Junction City Public Works has announced that water will be shut off for the 900 and 1300 block of Crest Hill and the 900 block of Cypress for the next four to six hours due to water main repair. The city issued the release at 8:38 a.m.
In celebration of the 60th Anniversary of Pawnee Mental Health Services, there will be an Open House event on Thursday, November 17th.
Pawnee Mental Health Services is located at 814 Caroline Avenue in Junction City, the event will be from 4:00 to 6:00 pm on November 17th with a special program from 4:45 to 5:30 pm.
During the “birthday party” event, Pawnee will be accepting toys to be used in the children’s services.
For a list of suggested toys, please email deanna.hall@pawnee.org.
County Commissioner Larry Hicks held a press conference Monday afternoon where he announced an “opportunity for us to continue advancing Geary County and Junction City with the objective of preschool education.”
Hicks announced that Geary County had been awarded a $1.5 million grant to re-establish head-start/preschool services in the County.
LaFarris Risby and her team at Loving Arms were named the recipients of the $1.5 million grant and Risby the Executive Director of the re-established Loving Arms Learning Center Head Start.
Risby is a Certified Family Life Educator and Director of the Loving Arms Learning Center.
“It has been a wonderful journey so far..Commissioner Hicks has been awesome, he brought the opportunity to me, we stayed up late nights, weekends going over and over the information…I would like to say thank you to everyone – my friends, my family, my colleagues, my Board, my Chairperson…and I just want to let you guys know, the work has just begun,” said Risby.
Some of the Board members include: Tiffany Nakartoa, Joe Stratton (Geary Community Hospital CEO), Joesph Roberts, Brewer Curry, and Cathy Tucker, all of whom were in attendance at the Press Conference.
“This is a proud day for all of us here in Junction City/Geary County because this is going to represent an opportunity for us to continue the kind of efforts we’ve made over the years with regard to helping preschool children and families of the low, and low-moderate income category who can’t afford daycare services,” said Hicks.
Hicks said that when the program shut down in 2014, he began work immediately with the Regional Head Start Office to reestablish a program in Geary County.
There will be no trash/garbage puck-up by the City of Junction City on Friday, November 11th due to the Veterans Day Holiday.
Trash/garbage will be picked up the next day (i.e. Friday’s pickup will be Saturday, November 12th).
In order to ensure pick-up, your trash should be set out by 6:00 am Saturday morning. 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.
Question? Call the City of Junction City, Department of Public Works at 238-7142.
The City of Junction City is pleased to announce the City’s Annual Fall Leaf Collection/ Drop-off Program. Starting Monday, November 7 th and continuing as weather permits through the end of December 11th , Junction City residents may bring bags of leaves, grass clippings and bulk leaves to be dropped off at the following locations listed below.
Residents are asked to only drop off leafs or grass clippings—NO TRASH OR TREE LIMBS ALLOWED. The drop off centers will be on the honor system relying on the public to not place trash in the collection bin areas. The drop-off center bins will be constructed of concrete barriers and signed accordingly at the locations.
If trash and other non bio-degradable materials become an issue the drop off collection system will stop and the program will be restructured.
Leaf Drop-off Locations:
The intent of the program is to become Environmental Stewards of our community; Allow residents an opportunity to drop and remove leaves and other bio-degradable materials; Minimize the amount of materials going into our landfills and further help in maintaining affordable sanitation rates within “Our Community”.
Questions please contact the City of Junction City, Department of Public Works at 238-7142.
Delivering Change: Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies, in partnership with the Kansas Infant Death and SIDS ( KIDS ) Network, will host the 4th Luke’s Community Baby Shower on Saturday, November 12th, at Junction City High School, located at 900 N. Eisenhower.
The baby shower will begin at 10:00 am.
All Geary County expecting mothers are invited to attend this free event.
The baby shower — named for local SIDS baby Luke Nelson — is an opportunity to educate pregnant women and their support systems on safe sleep and other community resources available to them in Geary County. This community baby shower will provide based upon availability, a free Graco Pack ‘n’ Play portable playard, and other free items to pregnant women who complete the safe sleep training at the baby shower. There will also be a number of door prizes including car seats and breast pumps.
Free child care will be available.
Sponsors for the event include: The Junction City Daily Union, Eagle Communications, Kyrsten Ross with Remax Signature Properties, FroYo Junction and Kolhoff Pharmacy.
The local resources featured at the baby shower are: Geary County Breastfeeding Coalition, Geary County WIC, Parents as Teachers, Geary Community Hospital, Flint Hills OB/GYN, Fort Riley New Parent Support Program, Infant & Toddler Services, Kansas Children’s Service League, Geary County Health Department, Becoming a Mom, Geared Up Dads, United Health Care, Safe Sleep, Pawnee Mental Health Services and Konza Prairie Community Health Center.
Delivering Change is supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under grant number #H49MC27818 and title Healthy Start Initiative–Eliminating Racial/Ethnic Disparities for total proposed award amount of $3,532,933.
Delivering Change: Healthy Moms, Healthy Babies is a local collaborative established in 2011 to address health issues faced by infants and the women of child-bearing age in order to reduce infant mortality and morbidity in Geary County.
The Geary County Democrats will host an Election Watch Party on Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Hampton Inn. All area Democrats are welcome to attend.
Those attending are asked to bring a snack or beverage of your choice.
For information contact Shelly Hoyle Kite at tandskite@cox.net or 785-238-6822.
