Soldiers from the Division Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, 1st Infantry Division, worked Tuesday to disassemble the tent complex that housed the division’s main command post during the Warfighter exercise April 5-15.

The next two days will be focused on recovery operations, where all property used during the exercise is cleaned, inventoried and prepared for the next mission.

On Saturday, April 30, from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. the Junction City Police Department and the Drug Enforcement Administration will give the public their 11th opportunity in six years to prevent pill abuse and theft by ridding their homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused, and prescription drugs.

You can bring your pills for disposal to the Junction City Police Department at 210 East 9th Street. ( The DEA cannot accept liquids or needles or sharps, only pills or patches. ) The service is free and anonymous, and no questions will be asked.

The initiative addresses a public safety and public health issue. Medicines that languish in home cabinets are susceptive to diversion, misuse, and abuse. For more information go to the DEA Office of Diversion Control site or contact Capt. Chuck Leithoff at the Junction City Police Department at 785-762-5525 or chuck.leithoff@jcks.com

MANHATTAN — Kansas State University’s College of Architecture, Planning & Design, or APDesign, has announced an $8 million gift — the largest gift in the college’s history, according to a media release.

According to APDesign Dean Tim de Noble, the alumnus and spouse, longtime Kansans, were positively impacted by their higher education and desire to help others achieve. The funds, to arrive through their estate in the future, will be invested with an expected distribution of about $400,000 annually.

A majority of annual distributions will support full-ride scholarships for Kansas students with financial need and a minimum 3.5 grade point average in at least their third year of study in the College of Architecture, Planning & Design. The donors, who asked to remain anonymous, also designated a portion of the distributions to support the dean’s excellence fund, which provides flexibility to the college’s leader to address emerging opportunities and priorities.

“Our drive toward academic excellence is fueled by alumni and friends,” de Noble said. “Our margin of excellence in scholarship, teaching, and facilities will be dramatically advanced by such a transformational gift. We are truly grateful for this investment in the college and the impact it will have now and in the future.”

The gift is a part of Kansas State University’s $1 billion Innovation and Inspiration Campaign, which includes a $28 million goal for the College of Architecture, Planning & Design. Philanthropic priorities for the college include excellence funding, student success, faculty development and $13.5 million in private support for the Seaton Complex revitalization and expansion, currently underway. To date, the college has secured private commitments of over $8 million in funding for the project, which will renovate 80,000 square feet and add 114,000 square feet of adjoining new construction.

Philanthropic contributions to Kansas State University are coordinated by theKansas State University Foundation. The KSU Foundation was established in 1944 as the official fundraising arm of Kansas State University. It is a separate, independent entity chartered by the state of Kansas as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit education corporation. The foundation is leading the $1 billion Innovation and Inspiration Campaign, which has recorded gifts of more than $850 million thus far to advance Kansas State University.

Areas of widespread rain are quickly lifting to the north this morning, and should diminish by mid-morning. However, additional scattered showers and possibly even an isolated thunderstorm will be possible this afternoon, primarily across far northern and far northeast Kansas.

Today: Mostly cloudy. Chance of rain showers in the morning… Then slight chance of rain showers and isolated thunderstorms in the afternoon. Highs in the mid 60s. West winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation 50 percent.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy with slight chance of rain showers. Lows in the upper 40s. West winds up to 10 mph.

Thursday: Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of rain showers in the morning. Highs in the upper 60s. Northwest winds 5 to 15 mph.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 40s. North winds 5 to 10 mph.

Friday: Sunny. Highs in the lower 70s. Northeast winds 5 to 10 mph.

Friday Night: Clear. Lows around 50.

Saturday: Sunny. Highs in the upper 70s.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the upper 50s.

Sunday: Partly sunny with slight chance of rain showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 70s.

Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of rain showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the upper 50s.

Monday: Mostly sunny with slight chance of rain showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 70s.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy in the evening then becoming mostly cloudy. Slight chance of rain showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the lower 50s.

Tuesday: Mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of rain showers and thunderstorms. Highs in the lower 70s

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — A PepsiCo executive is scheduled to give a Landon Lecture at Kansas State University.

Mehmood Khan will speak April 25 at the Manhattan campus. He’s PepsiCo’s vice chairman and chief scientific officer of global research and development.

The lecture series is named for former Kansas Gov. Alf Landon, who was the 1936 Republican nominee for president. The series was established in 1966 to bring in speakers to discuss issues facing business, politics and international relations.

The Junction City Commission voted 5-0 Tuesday night to elect Mick McCallister to a second consecutive term as mayor.  He will serve a nine-month term until the City Commission’s first meeting in January.

Normally the mayor serves a one year term in that capacity, but the move to nine months became necessary to accomodate the future change of city elections in Kansas from April in the spring to November in the fall.

“We’ve started some things in the last year that we’ll be able to follow through on. I’ve really enjoyed my time as mayor. There’s a lot of things that a person gets to go to. I’ve been very pleased to represent the City for the past year, and this next nine months will be no different.”

Commissioner Phyllis Fitzgerald has been elected vice-mayor for the next nine months.

The groundbreaking for the new 12th Street Community Garden will be Thursday ( April 21 ) at 2 p.m.

The purpose of the garden will be to serve the Junction City community by providing a space for people to garden, allowing them to grow fresh food economically. The garden will also provide exercise, recreation and social interaction.

it is initially being planned and constructed by the Flint Hills Regional Leadership Program Class of 2015-166. To maintain the longevity of the garden, a fund has been created through the Kansas Rural Community Foundation to allow individuals or organization to support it through a tax deductible donation.

This is a project of the Flint Hills Regonal Leadership program and the 12th Street Community Center.

Donors making gifts of $50 and above will be recognized.

MANHATTAN – A Kansas middle school alerted parents and staff after report of a bacterial infection.

A member of the staff and student at Anthony Middle School in Manhattan have had confirmed cases of Clostridium Difficile (C.dif), according to school Principal Vickie Kline.

C.difficle is a bacteria that can cause symptoms such as watery diarrhea and mild abdominal cramping. Illness from C. dif most commonly affects older adults in hospitals or in long-term care facilities and typically occurs after use of antibiotic medications.

C. difficile bacteria are found throughout the environment — in soil, air, water, human and animal feces, and food products, such as processed meats. A small number of healthy people naturally carry the bacteria in their large intestine and don’t have ill effects from the infection.

C. difficile infection is most commonly associated with health care, occurring in hospitals and other health care facilities where a much higher percentage of people carry the bacteria.

However, studies show increasing rates of community-associated C. difficile infection, which occurs among populations traditionally not considered high risk, such as children and people without a history of antibiotic use or recent hospitalization.

The principal also included a link from the Riley County Health with information on C. dif from the Mayo Clinic where she acquired most the information listed in the first two paragraphs.

According to Kline, Anthony Middle School is following the prevention procedures recommended by hospitals and other health care facilities. Preventive measures include hand-washing and thorough cleaning of surfaces with bleach. We have also in been contact with the Riley County Health Department and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

DICKINSON COUNTY -Law enforcement and first responders are on the scene of an accident on Interstate 70 after a high-speed chase, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.

The chase involving a vehicle from Florida started just west of the Milford Lake Road in Dickinson County.

The chase ended just east of Solomon Road when the vehicle flipped, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.

Information on what prompted the chase and any injuries is not available.

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.