The 97th Military Police Battalion will welcome a new Commanding Officer during a Change of Command ceremony on Thursday, October 6th at 10:00 am at the Calvary Parade Field on Fort Riley.
Lieutenant Colonel Ann Meredith will take the reins of the Battalion from Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Murray.
Murray will remain at Fort Riley as the Sanctuary Chief of Staff for the 1st Infantry Division. Meredith currently works as the Plans Officer for Fort Riley’s Directorate of Plans, Training, Mobilization and Security.
Colonel Carl Parsons, 89th Military Police Brigade from Fort Hood, Texas will officiate the ceremony.
Character, curiosity, friendship, leadership, responsibility…these are all things that grow through the 4-H program. 4-H members and leaders from around Geary County will be celebrating the program’s efforts in helping today’s kids grow into successful adults during National 4-H Week, October 2-8.
2016 Geary County 4-H King and Queen
The fundamental 4-H ideal of practical, “learn by doing” experiences encourage youth to experiment, innovate and think independently. 4-H is a program that helps youth learn more about the things in which they are interested. Some examples of things youth can get involved in include raising animals, making arts and crafts, cooking, building rockets, reading, taking photos, and almost anything else. 4-H has something for everyone!
To join 4-H, youth must be between the ages of seven and eighteen as of January 1, 2017. If you meet this requirement and want to find out what 4-H has for you, please contact the Extension Office at 238-4161. You can also check out our website at www.geary.ksu.edu.https://www.oznet.ksu.edu
4-H is well known for developing skills in youth that they carry with them throughout their lifetime. These skills include decision-making, public speaking, leadership, citizenship, responsibility, communication, teamwork, and many more. 4-H helps young people to accomplish their goals and reach their fullest potential.
Part of 4-H is being involved with a community club. Clubs meet on a monthly basis. At these meetings, members conduct business, learn about parliamentary procedure, have fun playing games, and eat snacks. Clubs also organize fun outings, as well as plan projects to help the community. 4-H is a family activity that parents and youth can get involved in together.
One 4-H member summed the program up well when she said, “Being a part of 4-H is amazing. I love being able to explore new projects, inspire young members, and help out my community. 4-H has shaped me into the person I am today, and I am pumped for this coming year. Words cannot describe how happy I am to be a part of this wonderful program.” If you want to grow with 4-H, come check out the Geary County 4-H program!
For more information contact Geary County Extension Agent Ginger Kopfer at 238-4161.
The Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors accepted three nominations from it’s nominating committee to fill at large director vacancies.
The board has accepted the nominations for Rich Jankovich of Sunflower Bank, Brand Johnson of Exchange Bank, and L.J. Baker, retired military.
Chamber members do have the right to make another nomination.
Per the Chamber by-laws, chamber members have ten days from the date of publication to nominate by petition any other individuals who are employed by, or a member of the Chamber in good standing. The petition must be signed by the person being nominated, and ten additional individuals who are employed by or members of the Chamber.
Petitions are due to the office of the Chamber at 222 W. 6th Street in Junction City, no later than 5:00 pm on Friday, October 14, 2016.
If petitions are timely received, the nominees will be added to the slate of candidates and a general election by the Chamber membership will be held. If no petitions are received, the three candidates (above) will be seated to three year terms at the Annual Dinner and Meeting on Thursday, January 26, 2017 at the Geary County Convention Center.
Questions? Contact the Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce at 762-2632 or email info@jcacc.org.
Geary County Commission Chair Florence Whitebread.
The Geary County Commission has approved the refinancing of the bond issue used to fund the $34 million dollar Geary Community Hospital west wing expansion.
Commissioner Florence Whitebread said there will be cost savings for the county over the period of the bond issue. “And that’s a savings of almost $400,000, which over the years could be a savings of over a million dollars when you take into account the interest earned.” Whitebread added the specific up front savings over the life of the bond issue will total $394, 481.
The County Commission took the action on the bond refinancing on Monday.
The 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley are seeking the public’s help in locating a Soldier who has been missing for several days.
Pvt. Solomon Yoseph Grice, a fire control repairer with 101st Brigade Support Battalion, of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Infantry Division, was last in contact with family members Oct. 2. The 22-year-old is 5 feet, 8 inches tall and drives a black 2013 Chevrolet Malibu, Kansas plate number 191 JMY.
Grice is being sought to ensure his welfare.
Those with information regarding Grice are asked to call his unit at 785-239-4272 or the Fort Riley Military Police Desk at 785-239-6767.
Brisket eating competition ( Tony Wolf on far left )
Geary County Sheriff Tony Wolf can eat beef brisket.
He won the brisket eating competition at Cox Brothers Barbecue on East Chestnut Street as that business celebrated five years of business in Junction City this past Saturday.
Wolf said he was asked to participate in the competition. “I went down there and I had it in my mind that you either go big or you go home, so went down and I won the darn thing.” Wolf put away a lot of brisket. “According to their weights and measurement I ate 1.55 pounds in five minutes.”
The sheriff was full after that experience. “I did not eat anything until late Sunday evening. I had a chicken salad sandwich and that was it. I was full, let me tell you.”
Wolf received a prize package for winning the contest, that included among other things two KSU football tickets. He gave the tickets to a pair of Fort Riley soldiers who had also entered the competition.
One of the topics surfacing in the discussion about a possible new Junction City High School building would revolve around whether a building to serve three classes…sophomore through senior classes…is needed or a facility to serve four classes freshmen through seniors.
That will be one of many issues and topics for a Steering Committee to consider as they offer community input and eventually a recommendation to the Board of Education. A future course of action could range from a new facility to renovation of the current building. The steering committee of about 50 people begins a series of meetings on October 13.
JC Post sampled Board of Education sentiment. Member Brian Field feels the three year vs. four year facility is something that will have to be looked at. Board member Dr. Ferrell Miller said originally district officials had talked about doing a tenth-eleventh-twelfth building. “Now we’re rethinking that, getting input from the staff, and might be better if we went nine through twelve.”
Bill Clark, the Director of Business Operations for USD 475, noted to build a facility to serve four grades would increase the size of the building, so different size options and cost would have to be reviewed. “The committee will do that. The committee will take a look at Option A will cost x amount to do that, you’ll need this type of funding, Option B and so forth, and then make a recommendation to the Board.”
Two architecture firms had estimated the cost of a new 300,000 square foot high school serving three grades at about $85 million. But the addition of the ninth grade students would require another 45,000 square feet with a rough cost estimate of about $10 million more.
A goal of Board and staff members has been to look at building a new high school without increasing property tax levy, by using a combination of heavily impacted military aid and state funding.
No final decisions have been made at this point. It is just the beginning of a discussion and planning process.
The Board of Education met last night and one agenda item was of some interest – a steering committee of approximately 50 people will be formed to help gather and provide input to the Geary USD 475 Board of Education on a the possibility of a new Junction City High School.
“That committee will work with the Board in deciding whether or not we want to forward that as a potential interest,” said Associate Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Beth Hudson.
The steering committee will meet on October 13th and 27th, November 17th, December 1st and 15th and January 5th – these meetings are not open to the public.
“We will also be conducting a phone survey/online survey with a market research company that will be giving us a wider swath of the community to understand what their interests are as well…we hope to get that survey started fairly soon as well, so that information can be provided to the steering committee as another way of finding out where the community is,” said the Hugh Davis, Executive Director of Communications USD 475.
Davis explained that during their first meeting, the Steering Committee will be informed about the foreseeable challenges in a new high school.
The 21st annual Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade theme is “Light Up the Christmas Spirit”.
Staying true to the theme, Exchange Bank will be collecting non-perishable food items during the parade to help those in need during the holiday season.
To participate, bring a non-perishable food item to Exchange Bank located at 702 N. Washington in Junction City, on Friday, November 25th during the annual Christmas parade.
