Gates at Tuttle Creek State Park near Manhattan open at 1 p.m. Thursday for Kicker Country Stampede.
As aways big name acts will be performing over the three-day period of the country music festival.
Stampede President Wayne Rouse said there are two headliners performing the first evening. “Sam Hunt and Dierks Bentley on Thursday, Tim McGraw on Friday, and then Chase Rice and Jake Owen on Saturday. I really believe every night is going to be a good night.”
Thousands of country music fans will attend the festival each day.
Set up for the festival has been challenging in the hot weather, explains Mick McCallister, who has worked for 20 years at Stampede. “I have set up and tear down. It takes about 36 to 40 people, and we have 10 days to set everything up and tear everything down.” McCallister added, “This year been a little bit brutal. It’s been hot, it is a very difficult job, it’s very labor intensive. It’s the heavy lifting of putting on a concert and taking it down.”
Temperatures have hovered around the 100 degree mark in recent days.
The Kansas Legislature meets in a special session Thursday morning where the major topic is school funding.
Lonnie Clark, the 65th District State Representative says there are two perspectives when looking at this issue.
“You can look at it as a school funding issue, whether or not it’s adequate funding for the schools; and you can look at it from the discriminatory side – are we being fair to all schools or are we discriminating against the poorer schools,” said Clark.
The special session begins with committee meetings today and could possibly continue in to next week.
There have been negotiations on an additional $38 million dollars to support poor school districts in the state.
More of our beloved Vietnam Veterans will be honored at a Welcome Home Ceremony on July 2nd at the Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in Junction City.
“Ten years ago [they] had a reunion here and the city welcomed them quite well and they reached out for us to do that again, and so we’ve been working hard to make that happen,” said City Commissioner and Vice-Mayor Phyllis Fitzgerald.
The veterans will be given a tour of Fort Riley and the Milford Lake Dam area before returning with a Sheriff’s Department and motorcycle association escort to the Courtyard by Marriott for the Welcome Home Ceremony.
The members of this unit, 137th Engineer Battalion, will also ride in the Sundown Salute Parade on July 4th in Junction City.
The effort has begun to establish a contract position to oversee the day to day development of a proposed sports complex in Junction City.
Dennis Beson, Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce CEO, said it would be a project manager position that will focus on developing a business plan, relationships, partnerships to try and create some networking and reach out to the community. That would determine if the project can be completed. “That particular job will be posted July 5, so we would ask anybody that might be interested to keep their eyes out for the job posting on July 5.”
Revenue generated from a transient guest tax ( lodging tax ) would help fund the project manager position.
Fort Riley Military Schools, Barton County Community College provide transitional Soldiers and veterans no-cost Hazardous Waste Worker training.
Barton County Community College in conjunction with the National Partnership for Environmental Technology Education, offers a 10-day Hazardous Waste Worker Training Program at military installations across the country. The course is geared toward transitioning soldiers, retirees and family members at no cost.
The program is being offered at no cost because PETE recently received a grant for $300,000 over a five-year period from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. PETE selected Barton County Community College as a contractor to provide the instruction.
The training consists of an Occupational Safety and Health Administration hazardous materials course, a 10-hour general industry safety course and Hazardous Waste Operations and Emergency Response training, and will consist of classroom instruction and hands-on application.
Geary Community Hospital will co-host with the Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce a breakfast and open house at the Martha K. Hoover Women’s Center Conference room on Thursday, June 23.
The event will include a look at recent upgrades to the GCH Medical Arts I Building.
Local track athletes from the youth club Track and Field United competed at the USATF (USA Track and Field) Association meet last weekend in Grandview, MO.
Skylar Mitchell
The association meet acts as a state meet, being the sole qualifier for athletes in the Missouri Valley area to advance to the Regional track meet.
Eleven year old Skyler Mitchell boasted an impressive meet in his first season of competitive track and field. Mitchell won 3 gold medals in the 3000 meter, 1500 meter, and 800 meter races.
When asked how it felt to win 3 gold medals at his first MO Valley Association meet, Mitchell said, “It feels good…I can’t explain it.
Also, having an impressive meet for the distance crew of Track and Field United was high school sophomore Aaron Modrow.
Aaron Modrow
Modrow had big personal bests in his three races and took home gold in the 3000 meter race, bronze in the 1500 meter run and an honorable 4th place finish in the 800 meter run.
Mitchell and Modrow advanced to the Regional Meet in all three races, but Modrow says he knows in order to meet his goals of earning a medal at Nationals he has to continue to work hard.
“There’s always people out there getting better, so you know you have to get out there and get better – otherwise, when you come back next season you’re going to be surprised when they’re a lot faster than you are if you don’t train,” said Modrow.
The best part about running summer track according to Modrow: “We’re a small, local team and I like that because you’re familiar with everyone and you’re friends with everyone and the memories you get to make with them throughout the season is something that you can’t get somewhere else.”
All of the athletes on Track and Field United’s roster advanced to the USATF Regional Meet in Joplin, MO July 9th and 10th.
Congratulations to:
Jasmyne Byrd, 8 and under, 100m – 7th, 200m – 2nd, Long Jump – 5th
Laniya Myers, 11-12, 100m – 8th, 200m – 13th, Long Jump – 7th
Morgan Little, 11-12, 100m – 2nd, 200m – 2nd, Long Jump -5th
Ninti Little, 15-16, 100m – 4th, 200m – 2nd, Long Jump – 1st
Tiara Smith, 15-16, 100m – 8th, 400m – 2nd
Keiana Neuman, 15-16, 100m Hurdles – 1st, 200m – 9th, 100m – 6th
Amaya Booker, 17-18, 100m – 2nd, 400m – 6th
Erik Aleman, 8 and under, Long Jump – 7th, Shot Put – 3rd, Javelin – Qualified
Draeson Gulley, 8 and under, 100m – 13th, Long Jump – 10th, Javelin – Qualified
George Byrd, 9-10, Long Jump – 7th, Shot Put – 3rd, Javelin – Qualified
The track club works with athletes of all levels and disciplines from ages 5 to adult personal training. For more information please email tracknfieldunited@gmail.com.
Check out Sports Saturday with Dewey Terrill at 8am on June 25th for a full interview.
The Corps of Engineers at Milford Lake tell JC Post there have been several reports received of blue green algae on Milford Lake over the past week. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has been contacted and plans to test the lake next Monday. Results are expected back on June 30.
The Corps said visual observations reveal high concentrations of blue green algae in Zone C…the north end of the lake along the causeway, Timber Creek Park and the Fort Riley Marina, plus other areas to the south.
KDHE has recommended posting a warning for Zone C, a watch for Zone B which is the middle part of the lake, and clear for Zone A on the south end of the reservoir.
The Corps of Engineers and Kansas Department of Wildlife Parks and Tourism employees will be placing signage at boat ramps and other lake access points Wednesday.
DICKINSON COUNTY – A Dickinson County woman was injured in an accident just before 4p.m. on Tuesday in Dickinson County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Cadillac Escalade driven by Cody Lynn Melcher, 39, Herington, was southbound on U.S. 77 one miles north of Herington.
The vehicle rear-ended a 2003 Lexus driven by Michelle M. McClendon, 44, Newton, that had slowed to turn into a private driveway.
Melcher was transported to the hospital in Herington.
McClendon was not injured.
Both drivers were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.
The President of the Junction City – Geary County United Way, Charles Volland, has announced the employment of a new Executive Director for the organization.
Nichole Mader began part-time executive director duties on Monday.
“We are excited and most fortunate to have Nichole move into the position, as she brings some previous experience and knowledge of our local United Way and our agencies.” According to Volland, Mader served as the KSU intern for United Way in the spring of 2015, assisting with the VITA Site coordination, office tasks, the agency allocations process and the Volunteer Appreciation Luncheon. She also updated the United Way’s website and social media.
Most recently she was the 2015 kettle coordinator for the Junction City Salvation Army, organizing volunteers and working with local businesses for support. She also assisted with the Salvation Army’s Angel Tree services. Since July of 2014, she has served as the Family Readiness Group leader for the 425th Transportation Company, U.s. Army Reserves in Salina.
Mader is a Kansas native who grew up in Wakefield and moved to Junction City in 2000. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Kansas State University in Family Studies and Human Services, and is nearing completion of her master’s degree. She is a military wife of 15 years and has two sons.
Mader’s appointment fills the vacancy created by the recent retirement of Ailleen Cray, due to health reasons.
DICKINSON COUNTY – A Dickinson County woman was injured in an accident just before 4p.m. on Tuesday in Dickinson County.