SHAWNEE, Kan. (AP) — School administrators across Kansas are trying to figure out how a recent state Supreme Court ruling will affect their ability to provide critical summer programs and prepare for the fall semester that begins in August.

Some districts are taking a wait-and-see approach to a stalemate between the Legislature and the court, which threatened last week to cease all school functions on July 1 if lawmakers don’t find a way to resolve shortcomings in the current funding formula.

Other districts are busy creating contingency plans for what they will do if the issue is not resolved and the court follows through with its threat.

Kansas Association of School Boards lobbyist Mark Tallman says the problem for most school districts is that they aren’t sure what the court’s ruling means

VA Eastern Kansas will host the ground breaking ceremony their new Rural Health Clinic in Junction City on Saturday ( June 4 ).

VA officials reported that Senator Jerry Moran will be in attendance to speak and participate in the ground breaking.

The the proposed name for the new facility when complete will be the Lieutenant General Richard J. Seitz Rural Health Clinic. When complete it will be nearly a 10,000 square foot clinic, nearly tripling the size of a current VA facility in Junction City.  A goal is to meet the expected veteran populaton growth of 34% in Geary and Riley Counties over the next several decades.

According to Public Affairs Officer, Joseph L. Burks they expect the new facility to improve the coordination of care and customer satisfactiion for veterans throughout this region of Kansas.

Lieutenant General Seitz passed away three years at the age of 95 after living in Junction City for many years. Seitz served 35 years as an Army officer beginning in 1940 with the 38th Infantry Regiment in Texas and culminating in 1975 as the Commanding General of the XVIII ( 18th ) Airborne Corps and Fort Bragg.

WASHINGTON (AP) – Army Secretary Eric Fanning calls his elevation to the job “remarkable.” Fanning is the first gay head of a military service branch.

Of his sexuality, Fanning tells NBC’s “Today” he initially preferred to have people talk about his qualifications. But he says, “Now, I embrace it.”

Asked if he’s had to any endure any harsh treatment at the Pentagon, Fanning says, “Careless comments, sure.”

But he says he hasn’t needed “to confront anyone.”

The 47-year-old Fanning tells NBC his sexuality “certainly has become more of a story as each rung in the career has taken place.”

He says he loves his job, but expects he’ll likely be leaving after the Obama administration ends. Fanning says that by next Jan. 21, “I imagine myself on a beach someplace.”

UPDATE:

Manhattan firefighters were dispatched to the intersection of 8th and Moro streets for a structure fire at 4:53 a.m.

The Manhattan Deputy Fire Chief Ryan Almes reported that upon arrival the crews found a three-story apartment building that had been under construction at 801 Moro Street with fire showing from multiple floors. The fire reached a second alarm before it was contained within approximately one hour. At the height of the blaze, six fire trucks and 19 firefighters were on site. The 800 block of Moro Street is still closed as of 9 a.m. Thursday.

There were no injuries.

The building consists of approximately 8,000 square feet. When finished it would contain six apartments with 17 bedrooms. The estimate value totals more than $1 million. The owner is listed as Fieldhouse Development Inc., and RF Benchmark Construction is the general contractor, both of Manhattan.

Investigators from the Manhattan Fire Department, Riley County Police Department, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Kansas Office of the State Fire Marshal will be conducting a joint fire investigation.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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The Manhattan Fire Department responded to an early morning fire in the 800 block of Moro Street at an apartment building that was still under construction.

Riley County Police have confirmed there were no injuries.

Firefighters responded to the scene just before 5 a.m.

 

RILEY COUNTY – A Manhattan man was injured in an accident just after 7:30p.m. on Wednesday in Riley County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Nissan 350Z driven by Jeffery Jepsen, 29,  was westbound on Zeandale one mile east of Kansas 177.

The vehicle crossed the centerline, left the roadway and over turned ejecting the driver.

Jepsen was transported to Stormont Vail.
He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

 

Tom Brungardt, Democrat,  has decided to withdraw from the 65th District House race. He had earlier filed to run for the seat currently held by Lonnie Clark, Republican.

A portion of Junction City is included in the 65th District.

Brungardt stated. “I looked at the race and determined that Lonnie was doing a fairly good job I thought, and would be very very difficult to win, defeat if not impossible so I decided to withdraw.”

Brungardt noted Clark was voting as a moderate which he appreciated, and he thought Clark had done a lot for the school system. Brungardt added that was important to him as a school board member so he decided to withdraw from the race.

Clark will be unopposed on the election ballot in the 65th District.