Work begins on a two-inch street mill and overlay KLINK project Friday in Junction City.

The City’s Public Works Director Ray Ibarra said the work will begin at Chestnut and Washington and proceed north. “Two inches worth of milling all the way down from Chestnut down to Sixth Street and from Sixth Street to Franklin. They’re going to mill all that off, and once they do that then they’re going to replace with new asphalt.”

Traffic will be able to move through the work area but Ibarra urged the public to watch out for construction work zone signs and the construction equipment.  He estimated the project would take about three weeks.

The impacted streets are on connecting state highways. The state is providing the majority of the funding for the project, with the city paying 10% of the cost.

Geary County rural firefighters worked two fire calls on Thursday afternoon.

There were no injuries, and no structural property damage. Both involved grass fires.

According to Rural Fire Chief, Garry Berges, the first blaze about 12:30 p.m. occurred in the 6900 block of Rockwood in Milford Township. “A subject was burning, had water hose out and the winds did a little bit of a shift and started getting into some tall grass. He needed a little bit of help putting that out.” Berges estimated the blaze burned less than one-half of an acre.

The second fire call came in about 2:20 p.m. when firefighters were dispatched to the School Creek area in the northwest area near Milford Lake. The Corps of Engineers were doing a controlled burn in a camping area. “And then it jumped two different roadways due to the tall cedar trees in the area. We along with Fragrant Hills Fire Department out of Dickinson County responded and brought the fire under control in about 45 minutes.” Berges estimated about 15-20 acres was in the area that had not been planned for burning.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas lawmakers are considering a proposal that would prohibit local governments or city officials from regulating the work hours or wages of private employees.

The measure would outlaw local regulations that require employers to give benefits, paid vacation time or higher than minimum wages to private employees unless a state or federal law requires them to do so. The measure would exempt any local regulations related to business attraction, recruitment, or retention programs.

Kansas representatives gave the measure first round approval with an 81-34 vote Thursday.

Critics say the bill would strip local governments of the authority to decide what job regulations are best for their area. Supporters contend that the measure would prevent government interference in private businesses.

Tickets for the US Army Field Band show at the C.L. Hoover Opera House Saturday night have all been disbursed.

But officials report that any seats that are unoccuppied at 7:20 p.m. Saturday night will be released to anyone who might be present without a ticket. You will be welcome to wait in the lobby in case some seats open up.

The performance begins at 7:30 p.m.

ELLSWORTH COUNTY – A Kansas teen was injured in an accident just after 10a.m. on Thursday in Ellsworth County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a Ford F250 driven by Tanner G. Kanackstedt, 17, Inman, was southbound on Kansas 141 just north of Kansas 4 attempting to pass.

The rear passenger side of the Ford struck the front of a southbound Freightliner semi driven by Terry K. Fleming, 64, Junction City, that was attempting to turn east onto Langley Point Road.

A passenger in the Ford Greyson W. Wood, 19, Inman, was transported to Salina Regional Medical Center.

Knackstedt, Fleming and another passenger in the Ford were not injured.

All were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to KHP.

Planned improvements on US-77 and selected cross streets accessing US-77 continue to be under construction. Beginning this past Wednesday work began to relocate the striping on US-77, allowing for the transfer of northbound traffic to the west side of US-77.

This will allow for the placement of a concrete safety barrier to be placed from approximately 500 feet south of Rucker Rd north to a point approximately 2000 feet north of Rucker Rd. Work can then begin to reconstruct the northbound side of the intersection along with the northbound right turn lane.

The concrete barrier should be in place by Thursday. Traffic wanting to access Reece/Nichols Realty will need to come from the south end of Rucker Rd. This phase of construction is scheduled for completion on or about May 4, 2016 weather permitting.

The Junction City Police Department has reported the arrest Thursday morning of Dale Alan Holvorson, 49, Junction City on suspicion of 14 counts of Distribution of Child Pornography and 20 counts of Possession of Child Pornography.

According to Detective Lieutenant Jeff Childs, the JCPD, with the assistance of the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force and the Wichita Police Department, served a search warrant at 1412 West 11th Street in Junction City. The search warrant was served after an investigation into the alleged possession and distribution of child pornography.

Childs said the JCPD received a complaint from the Sedgewick County Sheriff’s office, who is a member of the Kansas Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, “on the images that they had captured during the process of an investigation involving child porn. ”

Childs stated,” During the police department investigation Mr. Holvorson was found to be in possession of child pornography and believed to have distributed child pornography in about 20 counts.” On the  alleged distribution of child pornography Childs added that it meant he was “sending it out over the internet.”

Childs said the JCPD had investigated the case for approximately two weeks, but how long the illegal acts had been occurring authorities are unsure of at this time. He noted that Holvorson does have a previous conviction on similar charges in Sedgwick County, and is currently on probation in that case.

No more arrests are expected in the Junction City case. Holvorson is expected to have a first appearance in Geary County District Court on Friday.

The annual severe weather / tornado safety drill is Thursday evening in northeast Kansas including Geary County.

It is scheduled to occur at approximately 6:30 p.m.

In Geary County the emergency warning sirens will sound in Junction City, Grandview Plaza, Milford and Milford Township. KJCK AM, the Talk of JC will participate in the drill.

A new foundation is being formed to support the Dorothy Bramlage Public Library in Junction City.

According to Library Director Susan Moyer, the president of the Foundation Board is Sally Jardine, and the vice president is Linda Hoeffner. Michelle Custer will serve as treasurer, and Vic Davis as secretary.

Other board members include Carolyn Cook, John Majerus, and Scott Stuckey.