The filing deadline for the upcoming county and state elections is at noon Wednesday.
If you plan to run for a county office file at the county clerk’s office, and for state office at the Secretary of State’s office in Topeka.
Right now contested races in the local Geary County elections include John Moyer and Keith Ascher seeking election to the Third District seat on the county commission, and Krista Blaisdell and Chris Biggs running for Geary County Attorney.
The Geary County Commission has reviewed the proposed 2016 – 17 budget for a sports complex project in Junction City.
It includes the hiring of a project manager on a contract basis to oversee development of the facility.
Florence Whitebread, County Commission Chair, sees the economic benefits of having a sports complex. “Normally when these sports events happen these families come in, and normally it’s a lot of younger people and they bring their whole family, and they reside in motels. They buy restaurant meals, they get gas. There’s a lot of money spent on these kind of things.”
The proposed budget for this year totals $64,000 and for 2017 $98,000. The project manager contract services has been calculated at $26,000 for this year and $52,000 in 2017.
Kansas State University researchers have found a three-year absence of fire is the tipping point for the tallgrass prairie ecosystem and advise an increase in burning.
A collaborative study suggests many land managers in the Flint Hills need to increase burning frequency to more than once every three years to keep the tallgrass prairie system from transitioning to woodland. The study applied 40 years of data collected at Konza Prairie Biological Station to satellite fire maps of the Flint Hills from 2000 to 2010.
Researchers on the study are advising an increase in burning in many areas even though they realize this might stimulate discussion locally and for communities downwind. The director of Konza Prairie and one of the authors of the study, John Briggs, said, “This comes at a time where people are really concerned about smoke and our suggestion to increase burning comes with a trade-off. We are going to have more fire and more smoke, which can affect the air quality in the region and other parts of North America.”
To find solutions Briggs said to find solutions for this problem, land managers are working with fire cooperatives and the Kansas Flint Hills Smoke management to find best practices and compromise.
CLAY COUNTY – A Kansas man was injured in an accident just before 9 a.m. on Tuesday in Clay County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 International Semi driven by Gary C. Leister, 63, Abilene, was southbound on Kansas 15 six miles south of Clay Center
The vehicle traveled onto the right shoulder. The driver over corrected and the truck overturned in the east ditch.
Leister was transported to the hospital in Clay Center.
He was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.
The Geary County Sheriff’s Department has reported that Deputies responed to 2000 West Lyons Creek Road for a single vehicle accident.
Taylor Svitak, Herington, was westbound on West Lyons Creek Road when he struck the Lyons Creek Bridge with his 2004 Chevrolet Venture while attempting to avoid an animal in the roadway.
Update:
Repairs were completed about 10 p.m. Tuesday.
—–
UPDATE: The periods of low water pressure to no water from the break at W. Pine and Sheridan has been extended until 10:00 pm.
——
Junction City Public Works crews have announced that utility crews are currently repairing a water main break in the 700 block of West Pine and South Sheridan.
Residents can expect periods of low water pressure or no water for the next 6-8 hours for repairs.
The Geary County Sheriff’s Department has released a report on an accident this past Saturday where one person was transported to a hospital.
They reported that Deputies responded to I-70 eastbound at the 303 off ramp five miles east of Junction City. Harlan SHogren, Lindsborg, was driving a GMC Yukon southbound on K-18 Highway. He failed to stop at a stop sign and struck a Chevrolet Malibu driven by Janice Hutchinson, Junction City.
Hutchinson was transported by Junction City Fire EMS to the hospital. No other injuries were reported.
ABILENE, Kan. (AP) – The only professional theater between Kansas City and Denver is ready for a summer season in its new home.
The Great Plains Theatre in Abilene has put on shows at various sites since a fire destroyed its building in July 2014. The Salina Journal reports (https://bit.ly/22vuuZP ) the theater is a member of the Actors’ Equity Association, as are most of the actors, who are paid to perform.
The new theater is in the former headquarters of ALCO Stores. It seats 150 and provides much more space for the former theater.
Besides finding a new home, Great Plains Theatre’s finances also are improving, thanks to a $25,000 donation from Astra Bank. And a new artistic director, Randy West, was hired.
The summer season starts June 10 with “Annie Get Your Gun.”
Tuesday Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 77. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Tuesday Night A 50 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 3am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 57. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Wednesday Mostly sunny, with a high near 78. North wind around 5 mph.
Wednesday Night Mostly clear, with a low around 53. North wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Thursday Sunny, with a high near 79.
The Fort Riley Post Cemetery was the site of the Memorial Day observance on the military installation.
Major General Wayne Grigsby Jr. served as the keynote speaker.
