Downtown Junction City streets near Heritage Park are blocked off for Sundown Salute this week.

Ray Ibarra, Junction City Public Works Director, said 6th Street is blocked off from Washington to Adams. “And then Jefferson is blocked from 7th to 5th Street, and the 200 block of 7th Street is blocked off from Jefferson to the library entrance.”

Food vendors were moving in on Wednesday. That will lead to 5th Street being blocked off from Washington to Jefferson.

Ibarra added late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning Washington Street between 5th and 6th Streets will be blocked off.

Sundown Salute begins early Thursday evening.

Coming to the C. L. Hoover Opera House The Petersen Family Saturday, July 16th @7:30pm $20 Adult $18 Military / Senior (65+) $12 Student (18 and Under)  The Petersens are an award-winning bluegrass band from Branson, MO. They are in their sixth season of shows and currently perform at the Little Opry Theatre in the Branson IMAX Entertainment Complex. In 2015 the band received international attention when banjo player Ellen Petersen competed in the singing reality TV show American Idol, and placed in the top 48. The family has played at hundreds of festivals and churches throughout the United States and in 2015 completed their first international tour in Ireland. Audiences will be entertained as the band performs bluegrass standards and gospel favorites, and are sure to laugh at the sibling humor on stage. The Petersens are sure to make you feel like a part of the family. Reserve tickets by calling 785-238-3906

Frank & Liza:Start Spreadin’ the News

Saturday August 13 @ 7:30 p.m.

$22 All Seats Two artists at the top of their craft join forces in a tribute to Frank Sinatra & Liza Minnelli! Dave Halston has enjoyed an impressive career recreating Frank Sinatra tunes, including command performances for Frank Sinatra’s wife Barbara and Dean Martin’s wife Jeanne. He’ll croon your favorite tunes by Old Blue Eyes including Nice ‘n’ Easy, That’s Life, I’ve Got You Under My Skin and of course My Way. Named ‘Best Personification of a Legend’ at the 2004 Sunburst Convention, Suzanne Goulet’s extensive background in singing and dance make her Liza the perfect companion to Frank as she performs show-stoppers like All That Jazz, I Love a Piano and Maybe This Time.

You can support First Book at Ike’s Place Bar & Grill of JC in Junction City from11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Thursday. The announcement was made by Ashli Brown.

The mission of First Book is to help improve children’s literacy in Geary County.

A portion of the proceeds from the sales of meals will be donated to First Book.

The Kansas National Education Association Political Action Committee is recommending candidates for primary election races across the state,

They have issued a recommendation for incumbent candidate Jeff Longbine of Emporia, a Republican, in the 17th Senate District that includes Junction City , Emporia, plus portions of Pottawatomie and Wabaunsee counties.

There are no challengers for Longbine in the Republican primary in August. There is a Democratic Party candidate in the 17th District, Susan Fowler of Emporia.

Geary Community Hospital has been one of 22 hospitals nationwide participating in a rural health demonstration project.

It’s meant a lot of funding for GCH but officials this week are watching Congress to see if legislation continuing the project will be approved.

Geary Community Hospital CEO Dr. Joseph Stratton said it’s a federal act. “We’re part of it, wherein funding is given to hospitals of our size, not the small ones, not the larger ones to continue to do positive things in terms of medical technology and taking care of your building and really trying to move ahead with quality healthcare.”

Stratton noted the Act expires Thursday night at midnight. “It’s been in the House and the Senate. We are hoping and praying that it’ll be voted on so it’ll continue for another five years. And it’s a significant program for us, because it’s about $1.2 million a year.”

Stratton added if the project does not stay intact Geary Community Hospital will have to deal with the fact that they’ll have more than one million dollars less to help improve services adnd move ahead in a more positive direction.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Milford Lake will be conducting a Periodic Inspection of the stilling basin.

A complete dewatering of the stilling basin will be required for the inspection. The Corps said that will require restricting access to the Milford Stilling Basin and river directly below the basin, to include all vehicles and pedestrian traffic from July 5 until July 15.

You can contact the Milford Lake Project Office at 785-238-5714 for more information.

This is an update on a previous story involving a youth track club’s fundraising efforts.

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After the 55 mph sustained winds in the early Tuesday morning storm, TNT Fireworks sales were halted at the Junction City Walmart.

The small, local club has less than 25 athletes from Fort Riley, Junction City and Chapman. Heading in to the regional meet on July 9th and 10th, almost all of those athletes are poised to advance to the USA Track and Field Junior Olympic National Championships in Sacramento, California.

The athletes range in age from five to eighteen.

Unlike some of the other Fireworks tents in the area, all of the proceeds are  going to7ward helping all of the qualifying athletes afford the week long trip to California. Expenses for the trip include plane tickets, hotels, mini-bus/van rental, and food for the athletes.

After assessing the damage this morning, TNT Area Manager for Kansas and Northwest Missouri, Tammy Werner, says that it’s devastating that this happened but they are eager to get them running again very soon.

“We cover them with a million dollar insurance policy because we can’t predict the weather; so, when something like this happens and they’re wiped out and they have no inventory left – it’s 100% covered.  We’ll get another truck out here with more product, if not the same product and we get them up and running,” said Werner.

Likely the type of tent is to blame in it’s collapse. Due to regulations in the contract TNT has with Walmart, not only is a framed tent nearly $2000 more than a staked tent, it also comes with a unique set of challenges if they tenting company doesn’t set it up correctly.

“I wouldn’t use this type of tent if I didn’t have to because it’s a framed tent and it’s weighted down. Walmart chooses not to let us stake in their parking lot and we have to follow our regulations because we have a contract with Walmart – but the only reason why this tent would collapse is because of the weights that are on [the tent],” said Werner.

A new shipment of merchandise will come tomorrow to help keep the track club on target for their fundraising goals. The sales at the TNT tent inside the Junction City Walmart parking lot will resume tomorrow after 4:00 pm and continue through June 5th.

There are freebies with larger purchases as well as a raffle for a supersized fireworks package.

If you don’t want to purchase any fireworks, they are accepting donations at the tent.

The Ottaway Amusements Carnival preparations are underway for Sundown Salute 2016.

The carnival begins at 6:00 pm Thursday, June 30.

Here are some images from the early staging progress taking place today:

The Junction City Community Blood Drive is July 21st and 22nd/

The event will be held in the Junction City Municipal building located at 700 N Jefferson St. 

On Thursday, July 21st the hours will be from 11:30 am to 6:00 pm and on Friday, July 22nd from 8:00 am to 1:00 pm.

To schedule an appointment call 1-800-REDCROSS or visit redcrossblood.org and enter JunctionCity to schedule an appointment.

Walk-ins are welcome.

Help them prevent a summer shortage and donate blood.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas regulators have reduced the amount Westar Energy can earn on transmission costs, which will save customers about $18 million over the next 12 months.

The Kansas Corporation Commission made the decision Tuesday. The commission said in a news release that the savings stem from a complaint it filed last year with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, alleging that Westar had over-earned on its transmission costs.

In March, FERC approved a settlement agreement between the KCC and Westar Energy. The reduction in transmission costs should save average households about $1.50 a month.