Geary Community Hospital is trying to hire a new pediatrician.
Hospital CEO Dr. Joseph Stratton said an offer has been made. “We made an offer to a pediatrician to come full time. Her name is Dr. Ann Cadawalader. She is currently located in Minot, North Dakota.
RILEY COUNTY – A Wabaunsee County man was injured in an accident just after 6:30 a.m. on Wednesday in Riley County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2012 Ford F350 driven by Charles J. Schumacher, 54, Maple Hill, was northbound on Kansas 177 on the south edge of Manhattan.
The driver didn’t see a 2013 Freightliner semi backing up across the highway. The pickup struck the semi’s trailer.
Schumacher was transported to Via Christi in Manhattan.
The semi driver Troy W. Higgs, 24, Pleasant Hill, MO., was not injured.
Both drivers were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.
MANHATTAN — K-State News and Communication Services has reported that the Manhattan Fire Department responded at 5:31 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 25, for a chemical spill at the Biosecurity Research Institute, housed in Pat Roberts Hall on the Kansas State University Manhattan campus.
The spill was determined to be contained in the room where it occurred as designed, and no injuries were reported. Manhattan Fire Department personnel left the scene at 6:05 p.m. Kansas State University staff continue clean up and will investigate to determine cause of the spill.
The Junction City Food Policy, a council part of the Live Well Geary County coalition, is conducting a survey to gain input from the community on the local food system strengths and areas of opportunity.
Please take the survey if you Live in Geary County and help us spread the word by passing the flyer along to others in the community. https://tinyurl.com/gearycofood You will be entered to win a $50 farmers market gift card if you take the survey.
If you would like printed flyers to pass out please let us know and we will deliver copies to your organization.
The K-State cheer squad will host the 8th annual Fort Riley cheer camp for kids ages 4-12, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 pm, Thursday, November 3, in King Field House on post.
Campers will be instructed by K-State cheerleaders and cheer coaching staff on traditional cheers, chants and dances and will have the opportunity to perform at halftime of the men’s basketball game against Washburn on Friday, November 4. Campers will receive a free ticket to the game, while parents will have access to discounted tickets.
To register, contact head coach Dani Ruoff by emailing druoff@kstatesports.com or calling 785.532.7983 and include the name and age of the child attending. The camp is free to attend, and walk-ins are also welcome. Campers are asked to wear comfortable clothing and shoes, and parents and family members are welcome to stay for the entire camp.
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State University’s economics club says the cost of being a student at the university continues to rise faster than the rate of inflation.
The Manhattan Mercury reports that since 2002, the club has measured the Student Price Index, which is similar to the Bureau of Labor Statistic’s Consumer Price Index.
The student index takes into account the costs that the average student faces like housing, tuition, gas, groceries and textbooks.
The Student Price Index rose by 2 percent this year. The average increase since the club started tracking the index has been 7 percent.
The Geary County Republican Party will host a Meet & Greet for all local and state Republicans running for office.
The Vice Chairman of the Geary County Republican Central Committee Rick Roberts, said this will be held at Coach’s Grill & Bar from 5 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, November 2nd.
Geary Community Hospital employees are kicking off their United Way fundraising campaign Tuesday, November 1.
Hospital spokeswoman Nikki Davies said it will be a taco day event said they will open this up to the community and hospital employees, “to enjoy a taco feed, taco bar from 11:30 to 1 in our cafeteria at the hospital. For $5 you get an entire taco bar, a couple tacos, cookies and drink and all the toppings you want.”
Again, this event is November 1 at Geary Community Hospital.
TOPEKA, KAN. – A Geary County man pleaded guilty today to taking part in the kidnapping of a Junction City woman who was killed during the abduction, Acting U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.
Drexel A. Woody, 26, who lived on Fort Riley at the time of the crime, pleaded guilty to one count of kidnapping resulting in death. The body of Amanda Clemons, 24, of Junction City, was found in February 2014 in Geary County, Kan.
In Woody’s plea, he admitted that on Feb. 7, 2014, he and his co-defendants met the victim, who was a prostitute, at a hotel in Junction City and kidnapped her. The defendants beat the victim in retribution for comments she had made on social media. During the beating, the defendants demanded the victim pay $300. They took the victim to another hotel room in an unsuccessful attempt to get the money, after which they transported her to Woody’s residence on Fort Riley.
While at Woody’s residence, the defendants allowed the victim to call her young son and her mother. The victim’s mother realized the victim was in danger and called Junction City Police. When police called the victim’s number to check on her, and the defendants listened to the call on speaker phone. Fearing arrest, the defendants transported the victim to a bridge in a remote part of Geary County, where they resumed the beating and attacked her with a knife. The victim broke free and jumped off the bridge, falling 15 feet and breaking her ankle. The defendants found the victim in the snow and resumed the assault during which they cut her throat and killed her.
Woody is set for sentencing Jan. 30. He faces a penalty of up to life in federal prison.
Co-defendants who are awaiting trial include:
Larry L. Anderson, 27, Manhattan, Kan.
Marryssa M. Middleton, 25, Fort Riley, Kan.
Shantrell D. Woody, 27, Fort Riley, Kan., formerly an active duty service member.
Christopher Pugh, 32, Junction City, Kan.
Beall commended the Junction City Police Department, the Grandview Plaza Police Department, the Geary County Sheriff’s Office, the Riley County Police Department, the Fort Riley Criminal Investigation Division, the FBI, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Mattivi, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag and Geary County Attorney Steven Opat for their work on the case.
The Republican candidate for Geary County Attorney, Krista Blaisdell, says the county has a diverse, transient population and the prosecutor’s office can’t be one dimensional. She would create multidisciplinary teams to assist the prosecution effort if she is elected.
The Democratic candidate for Geary County Attorney, Chris Biggs, noted the Geary County community has a fairly high crime rate…per capital through the year. He noted the current prosecutor’s office where he serves as deputy county attorney is efficient. Biggs added he has a reputation as a prosecutor who is tough but firm, and who looks at the individual person.
Biggs cited one issue in the campaign, noting Blaisdell has her office at the Junction City Police Department and is friendly with many of the police officers. He said, “My job as prosecutor is not always to tell the police officers what they want to hear. My job as a prosecutor is to seek justice, and sometimes that means disagreeing with police officers. If you have too close a relationship with them it makes it much more difficult to be in a position where you can perform your role as a prosecutor, and looking at cases and doing your job to make sure you’re safeguarding justice in the community.” Biggs added the county attorney’s office wants to work with law enforcement but not for law enforcement. He said the county attorney serves the people, but not one particular sector. He questioned whether the public wants someone with limited experience and who is close to law enforcement.
Blaisdell addressed her side of that issue. “If you think I’m influenced by law enforcement go have a conversation with any JCPD officer and they will tell you that if they have done something wrong, if a case is not sufficient I will not prosecute it. I hold them to a high standard and I expect it. We have a mutual relationship where we work together. I’m not influenced by them in the cases that I file. I do not work for them, they do not work for me.”
Both candidates participated in a Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce sponsored forum at the C. L. Hoover Opera House. Candidates for 2nd District Geary County Commission, 17th District State Senate, 68th District House, U.S. Senate, and 1st District U.S. House all participated in the forum.
