The arrival of the aTa Bus public transportation service means more patients are arriving fortheir doctor’s appointments at Geary Community Hospital. The number of no-shows are down.
That information was revealed during the Hospital’s Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday.
County Commissioner Florence Whitebread, who has been active in helping bring aTa Bus to Junction City indicated she felt the service met a need in the community.
Surgery revenues are increasing for Geary Community Hospital.
That bit of good news came out of the Hospital Board of Trustees meeting on Tuesday.
CEO Dr. Joseph Stratton said the number are up in the surgical center with the operations and procedures that are done there. “158 cases in June, the month before in May we did 126, which is a little more typical. There’s certainly been months this last year when it’s less than that. I believe it’s a combination of the orthopedic surgeons, Drs. Hodges and Chase that work with us now that have helped that number, as well as the other surgeons that we have here on staff as well.”
The new orthopedic surgeons have helped fill the void created by the departure earlier of orthopedic surgeon Dr. Allan Holiday Jr.
The daily posting of the Geary County Booking Photos has become a staple for JC Post readers.
If you are one of our daily viewers you may have noticed a significant number of domestic related arrests in the county.
Tony Wolf, Geary County Sheriff, said that many of these cases have one unfortunate thing in common – the military.
“Well a lot of the stuff that we see, usually follows a deployment from the military out there; and I hate to blame it all on the military, but that is a very large portion of it,” said Wolf.
Wolf went on to explain the unfortunate types of scenarios that lead to these domestic related arrests.
“Lots of times we see that a lot of the soldiers that come back from deployments and things they will find out that their wives have been stepping out on them…I’m not saying all of them, but that is a common occurence…these guys come back and find that their wives have done things that they shouldn’t have done – and the fight starts, and it usually escalates in to a physical altercation,” said Wolf.
Notably, a significant number of domestic related arrests are females.
Wolf explains what constitutes a domestic dispute: “…any kind of battery that takes place – shoving, pushing – anything like that is an arrestable offense; and also, destroying property. If [we] arrive on the scene and the aggressor, whether it be the male or female, has destroyed (for example) a dresser…well they get arrested for domestic criminal damage to property; even though they own half of it – it’s a communal property – but they get arrested for destroying the victim’s half of it.”
Wolf added that signs of physical contact during the altercation can obviously land [you] in jail.
Per the state statutes, Wolf said that [they] law enforcement pursues charges when arriving on the scene of domestic incidents. 
“It is no longer a situation where the victim has to pursue the charges,” said Wolf adding that “it used to be like that and the reason for the change is that lots of time you have a victim that is scared of the aggressor and they would not want to pursue charges fearing retribution.”
Wolf said that when law enforcement arrives on the scene and has sufficient evidence to make the arrest it is “us making the decision to arrest, us being law enforcement.”
While there is no excuse to resort to physical violence, it is a reality for many. If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic violence or abuse there are resources available to assist you.
As a victim, do not try to retaliate and risk a permanent stain on your record, jail fines and court costs – ask for help before it’s too late.
Please visit The Crisis Center for contact information and access to a 24 hour crisis hotline.
In Junction City call 785-762-8835, Manhattan call 785-539-2785, and other areas can call toll free 1-800-727-2785.
DICKINSON COUNTY – The suspect who escaped from a jail in Abilene on Monday evening is back in custody, according to the Dickinson County Sheriff’s office.
Few details on the arrest were available late Tuesday morning.
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DICKINSON COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Dickinson and Marion County are investigating a report of an escaped inmate from the jail in Abilene.
Trent Hostetter, 27, escaped between 7:25 – 8p.m. on Monday, according to Dickinson County Sheriff Gareth Hoffman
He was able to escape through a portion of fence that had been compromised in an exercise yard, according to Hoffman.
There was a report of a stolen vehicle in Abilene, a couple of blocks from the courthouse.
A Herington police office saw the vehicle and pursued it into Lincolnville. The stolen vehicle crashed and Hostetter took off on foot, according to Hoffman.
K-9 units from the Kansas Highway Patrol and Marion County and an airplane from the KHP worked to track the inmate but didn’t find him.
Hostetter was being held for impersonating an officer and a parole violation.
Tim Huelskamp accompanied by three fellow conservative members of Congress made Junction City a stopping point as part of a series of Town Hall meetings in Kansas on Monday.
Huelskamp is being challenged in the Republican primary election by Roger Marshall of Great Bend in the race for the First District seat from Kansas in Congress.
Huelskamp told an audience at the American Legion that Washington D.C. is broken and the political system is corrupt. He said if you stand up to it they come after you. “And if you look at every one of these television ads, is that I don’t spend enough money, that I don’t get along with the people in Washington that want to spend a lot of money. ”
There has been much mention of Huelskamp being kicked off the House Agriculture Committee. “Yeah I was kicked off the Ag Committee, I really was. You know why? Because I wouldn’t vote the way John Boehner ( former House Speaker ) told me to vote. He told me to raise taxes, raise the debt ceiling, work together with Barack Obama more. I am not kidding, and I said at the end of the day I take an oath to the office. It’s not an oath to you Mr. Boehner, it’s not an oath to you Mr. President.” Huelskamp added it was his responsibility to work for his constituents.
Accompanying Huelskamp on the visit to Junction City were Congressmen Steve King of Iowa, Jim Jordan of Ohio and Jim Bridenstine of Oklahoma. All support of Huelskamp in Congress. Topics covered in the forum, which included a small number of statements and questions after the comments by the Congressmen, dealt with subjects ranging from sequestration and national security to the need to stand up to special interests.
Following a discussion Monday with Geary County Clerk Rebecca Bossemeyer, the chair of the County Commission, Florence Whitebread is urging the public to vote on August 2.
Whitebread explained Bossemeyer reported to the Commission that she was a little disappointed in the early ( advance ) voting. Whitebread stated, “It’s been very light and very slow. ”
Whitebread added that the county clerk has also not had the normal amount of requests for the mail-in ballots. “So I hope people will get out and vote.
The primary election is August 2.
Contested local races include the race for the Third District seat on the Geary County Commission where Republicans Keith Ascher and John Moyer are on the ballot, and the Republican primary in the 68th District Kansas House race where Dave Baker, Nicholas Allbritton, and Vance Donahue II are on the ballot on August 2.
Advanced voting is underway in Geary County, in anticipation of the August 2nd primary elections.
Rebecca Bossemeyer, Geary County Clerk, said that her office will have extended hours leading up to the August 2nd primary.
“We are having extended hours open until 6:00 pm every evening this week and then on Saturday from 9 am until 1:00 pm; and then of course next Monday, August 1st, it ends at noon,” said Bossemeyer.
On election day, August 2nd, 2016, the polls will be open from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm.
Bossemeyer says she is still looking for people to work at the various polls on election day.
“I still have about 3 people to hire for election board workers, and we have some calls out about that so I’m hoping people call me back and say yes,” said Bossemeyer adding that “we’re very nearly to the point that we’re fully staffed for that.”
Training began last week on a new poll book, which is now a tablet system; the regular training for election board workers will begin this week.
To find your polling place or any other information regarding election visit voteks.org or call the County Clerk’s office at 238-3912.
Many across the country responded to an emergency request for blood donations issued by the American Red Cross in early July, but a critical blood shortage remains.
The Red Cross is urging eligible donors to give now to help ensure blood is available throughout the rest of the summer to meet patient needs.
At times, blood is being distributed to hospitals faster than donations are coming in, which impacts the ability to rebuild the blood supply. Right now, the Red Cross has less than a five-day blood supply on hand. The Red Cross strives to have a five-day supply at all times to meet the needs of patients every day and be prepared for emergencies that may require significant volumes of donated blood products.
Donors of all blood types are urgently needed to help restock the shelves. The Red Cross is thanking those who come in and donate blood between July 25 and August 31 by emailing them a $5 Amazon.com gift card claim code.
To schedule an appointment to donate, use the free Blood Donor App, visit redcrossblood.org, or call 1-800-RED-CROSS ( 1-800-733-2767 ). Donation appointments adnd completion of a RapidPass online health history questionnaire are encouraged to help reduce wait times.
The next Red Cross blood drive in Geary County will be Aug. 15 from noon to 6 p.m. at the Junction City Municipal Building. There will be a Red Cross blood drive in Manhattan Tuesday ( July 26 ) from 7:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at St. Thomas More at 2900 Kimball Avenue. There will be another Red Cross blood drive in Manhattan Aug. 4 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 1115 Moro Street.
Fort Hays State University’s Docking Institute of Public Affairs on Sunday released the results of a political poll which measured Kansans’ candidate and policy preferences on key issues.
The poll — conducted from July 11 through July 21 — showed a race too close to call in the Republican primary in the Big First congressional district between challenger Roger Marshall and incumbent Tim Huelskamp. Marshall polled at 40.9 percent, and Huelskamp was at 40.3 percent.
In the presidential race, Republican nominee Donald Trump held a comfortable lead over Democrat Hillary Clinton, 44 percent to 27 percent, among likely voters.
In other poll results, 60 percent of respondents were at least “somewhat dissatisfied” with President Barack Obama, while 77 percent were at least “somewhat dissatisfied” with Gov. Sam Brownback. Sen. Jerry Moran had 42 percent of respondents at least “somewhat satisfied.”
Three-fifths (60 percent) of those polled were at least “somewhat dissatisfied” with the Kansas Legislature.
About two-thirds (67 percent) would not vote for President Obama again, and 79 percent of respondents would not vote for Gov. Brownback again. Forty-five percent of respondents would vote for Sen. Moran if he were running for re-election today.
As for the Kansas economy, 25 percent of respondents rated it as at least “good,” and 37 percent rated it as “poor” or “very poor.”
More than two-thirds of respondents (69 percent) were at least “somewhat dissatisfied” with the Kansas Legislature’s handling of the school finance issue.
Less than half of respondents (46 percent) were at least “somewhat dissatisfied” with the Kansas Supreme Court’s handling of the school finance issue.
Almost one-third of respondents (32 percent) said they at least “somewhat support” the recently passed school finance bill.
Banning the sale of firearms to persons on the no-fly list received at least “somewhat support” from 71 percent of respondents.
Over half of respondents (52 percent) at least “somewhat support” banning the sale of military style assault rifles to citizens, while 41 percent at least “somewhat oppose.”
Forty-five percent of respondents at least “somewhat support” banning the sale of high capacity (over 10 rounds) magazines to citizens, while 45 percent at least “somewhat oppose.”
Almost half of respondents (49 percent) feel that transgender students should be required to use only the bathroom that matches their biological sex. One-fourth (25 percent) would allow transgender students to use the bathroom of the gender with which they identify.
Two-thirds of respondents (67 percent) feel the federal government overstepped its authority when issuing a mandate to allow individuals to use the bathroom of the gender with which they self-identify with and should, instead, allow the states to make their own regulations.
Nine newspapers in the state sponsored the poll: Salina Journal, Hutchinson News, Garden City Telegram, Great Bend Tribune, Lawrence Journal-World, Topeka Capital-Journal, Wichita Eagle, Hays Daily News and Ottawa Herald.
Transient Guest Tax revenues collected from those who utilize lodging facilities in Geary County are up 34 percent this year.
That information was provided by Convention and Visitor’s Bureau Director Connie Hall. “Ity’s great news. I know one of the factors that helps us there is the one percent transient guest tax that was added. We’re now six percent. ”
The one percent was added to help raise funds for a possible sports complex project.
Hall also noted there are many things going on in the community. “We have the National Biplane Fly-In and a myriad of different type of events going on that do bring visitors from out of town.” Sundown Salute could be one of those events.