All County Offices, except the Transfer Station, will be closed on Monday, October 10th in observance of Columbus Day.
Regular hours will resume Tuesday, October 11th.
Category: Local
MAC Breakfast October 27
The Junction City and Geary County Military Affairs Council, a division of the Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce, will host the next monthly breakfast on Thursday, October 27th at 7:30 am at the Geary County Convention Center.
The guest speaker for this month is Dr. Corbin Witt, Superintendent USD 475.
The deadline to register for the breakfast is Friday, October 21st at 5:00 pm. The cost is $12 per person, payable by check or cash at the door or online here.
To make a reservation, contact the Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce at info@jcacc.org or call 762-2632.
Sponsoring the event is Animal Doctor, Advanced Call Center, and DEL Motors.
JC/Geary County United Way Biscuit and Gravy Feed
The Junction City – Geary County United Way is hosting a Biscuit & Gravy Feed at Central National Bank on Wednesday, October 12th from 7:30 am – 9:00 am.
The cost is $3 for one biscuit and $5 for two – juice and coffee will be provided.
All proceeds benefit the Junction City – Geary County United Way.
Live Well Geary County to Host a FEAST
Live Well Geary County, a local health and wellness coalition, is hosting a FEAST event open to the community on Saturday, October 15th 1:00 – 5:00 p.m. at the C.L. Hoover Opera House.
FEAST, Food Education Agriculture Solutions Together, is an event that brings together all voices in the community to talk about how to improve their food systems. At this event, attendees will brainstorm ideas and actions to create better access to healthy and local foods.
Space is limited and registration is preferred. For more information please visit LiveWellGearyCounty.org or contact Julie Hettinger at 785-762-5788.
Live Well Geary County is a community based coalition focused on improving the health of Geary County residents. The coalition mobilizes public support for policy, systems and environmental changes that support improved community health and wellness.
Better Together Tour Comes to Manhattan
Mark Ruelle, President and CEO Westar Energy and Terry Bassham, Chairman, President and CEO of KCP&L will host a community event next Friday, October 14th to discuss the ben
efits of the merger between Westar Energy and KCP&L.
The meeting will be at 9:00 am at the Manhattan Union Pacific Train Dep located at 120 Ft. Riley Blvd. in Manhattan.
To reserve a spot at the limited engagement, RSVP by October 10th to communityrelationsevents@kcpl.com.
Milford Lake Assisted Deer Hunt
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Milford State Park, and the Geary County Sportsman Club are planning the Nineteenth Annual Assisted Deer Hunt at Milford Lake. This year’s hunt is scheduled for the 9th, 10th, and 11th of December, which is the second weekend of the regular firearms deer season. This hunt is limited to mobility-impaired persons with permanent disabilities.
Individuals confined to wheelchairs will be given priority in the selection process.
The goal of this hunt is to provide physically challenged persons the opportunity to participate in the sport of deer hunting, and thereby, to help control the ever-increasing deer population in the park areas.
The hunt will be limited to ten hunters. We can accommodate all ten hunters for each day of the hunt. Should applicants exceed hunter capacity; a random selection process will be implemented.
Those interested in receiving an application form for the Assisted Deer Hunt should contact the Milford Lake Corps of Engineers Project office at 785-238-5714 and dial “0” for assistance. Applications should be completed and received by November 1st. This will allow time for the selection process and notification of successful applicants.
Blue Green Algae Status at Milford Lake
This week the following BG Algae status is in effect:
Zone A – Watch (use caution when contacting lake water)
Zone B – Watch
Zone C – Warning (avoid contact with the lake water)
Lake users are reminded that BG Algae may appear or disappear suddenly and move as the wind shifts, boaters should use caution and move to a clear portion of the lake.
Walmart Hosts Ribbon Cutting in Celebration of Grand Reopening
The old expression, “if you look good, you feel good” must have some truth to it – Walmart Store Manager Nick Brungardt was all smiles in a coat and tie at the Grand Reopening and Ribbon Cutting Ceremony for the store located at 521 E. Chestnut Street in Junction City.
“This has been a two and a half month process and our customers/our community has been very, very patient with us, they’ve been very understanding…so we wanted to thank them for sticking with us, continuing to [allow] this to be the Walmart of choice in Junction City,” said Brungardt.
The newly renovated Walmart now boasts wider aisles (from 5 to 7 feet), new ceiling tiles, newly remodeled restrooms, new signing, new paint, new lighting and a freshly painted exterior as well.
Brungardt said the brighter, cleaner store will make it much easier for customers to navigate and have a “quick shopping experience”. “It gives our customers the expectations that they’ve always had for us.”
In addition to all of the cosmetic fixes, Walmart is in the midst of a fundraising campaign for Children’s Miracle Network – an organization that Brungardt affectionately says is near and dear to the hearts of those at Walmart.
“In the last six weeks, we’ve raised $27,000 [and] all of that is from contributions from our customers and the hard work of our associates…we have until October 16th, our goal is to raise $35,000 and all of the money stays local and goes directly to St. Francis Hospital in Topeka,” said Brungardt.
Beginning at 10:00 am tomorrow, Walmart will host a bake sale and give away freebies to customers in an attempt to meet their fundraising goal for the Children’s Miracle Network.
“The company invested a tremendous amount of money to give our customers what they deserve,” said Brungardt – and now it’s time for the community to rally together and give back.
The Children’s Miracle Network fundraiser is Saturday, October 8th at the Walmart located at 521 E. Chestnut Street in Junction City.
For more information, contact Walmart at 238-8229.
In celebration of the Grand Reopening Walmart is giving free donuts/cupcakes to all customers at that location on Friday(today).
Game Warden, K-9 find 3 hunters hiding without license, permits
GEARY COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Geary County are investigating 3 suspects for hunting violations.
On the first weekend of October, the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks & Tourism K9 Meg and Game Warden, K-9 handler Lance Hockett discovered three suspects hiding and hiding their bows while hunting deer in one of the US Army Corp parks with out a license, deer permit/tag or written permission.
The hunters were local, military, according to Hockett. “Some of this was probably an honest mistake but a lot of it was not,” said Hockett.
The state confiscated their weapons and they will face a number of fines.
The US Army Corp of Engineers allows hunting in the parks only by special permit, drawing each year.
Storm Aftermath Coverage
Multiple tornadoes touched down in Dickinson and Clay Counties on Thursday.
In Dickinson County the Emergency Management Director Chancey Smith, noted there clusters of storm cells. He confirmed there were three tornadoes in that county. “At the same time we were changing all of these, I was listening to our 800 radio where we can listen statewide, they had three tornadoes up in Clay County they were chasing around at the same time, coming from Ottawa County into Clay County. So it was just a mess there for awhile.”
No injuries were reported.
In Dickinson County Smith noted electricity was knocked out in Solomon. There were other outages. “On 1900 Avenue which is just three miles south of Abilene we had a couple series of power lines that were snapped off at the ground and laying out across the road. Definitely can tell where the track went on it.”
In Geary County there was a severe thunderstorm warning for the southeastern part of the county, but no tornado warnings. Heavy rain was received.