Periods of rain and thunderstorms are expected across the area into the weekend according to the National Weather Service of Topeka. Rain and thunderstorms will become widespread this afternoon and tonight. A few of the storms may be strong with small hail this afternoon and evening. Occasional rain chances along with isolated thunderstorms continue for the rest of the week and into the weekend. Parts of north central Kansas will have the lowest chances for rain while east central Kansas will have the greatest potential for rainfall. Temperatures will be warmer than normal for early March with highs in the 60s.

Tonight: Cooler. Mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of rain showers and thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 40s. Northeast winds up to 5 mph.

Wednesday: Mostly cloudy with slight chance of rain showers. Highs in the lower 60s. Northeast winds 5 to 15 mph.

Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of rain showers. Lows in the lower 40s. North winds 5 to 10 mph.

Thursday: Partly sunny. Highs in the lower 60s. North winds 5 to 15 mph.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy with slight chance of rain showers. Lows around 40.

Friday: Partly sunny with slight chance of rain showers. Highs around 60.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy with a 40 percent chance of rain showers. Lows in the lower 40s.

Saturday: Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of rain showers. Highs in the lower 60s.

Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy with slight chance of rain showers. Lows in the mid 40s.

Sunday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 60s.

Sunday Night: Mostly clear. Lows in the mid 40s.

Monday: Sunny. Highs in the lower 70s.

Junction City police are investigating two damage to property cases. Both involved damaged construction equipment.

One occurred in the area of Spring Valley Road and K-18, and the other in the area of Spring Valley Road and Rucker Road.  Construction work is currently under way in that area.

There have been no arrests.

Strengths and weaknesses have been identified for USD 475 in a strategic planning committee report to the Board of Education.

Strengths that were noted ranged from diversity and military – Fort Riley partnerships to leadership – planning for the future, and professional development and support.

Weaknesses included areas ranging from teacher turnover and retention of staff to student transience and facilities.

Superintendent Dr. Corbin Witt said the district is still doing the long range planning process and gathering information. He said the strength – weakness analysis has been done with the community and administration. That still must be done with teachers and classified staff.

“We’ll pull all the information from all those different groups and we’ll start looking at the trends,  at what the needs are, and create a strategic plan as we move forward. We’ll have a steering team that goes through and starts putting together goals and procedures and practices.

On the facilities issue Witt thought that included ensuring that newer facilities remain in great shape, and that older facilities are upgraded to meet the needs of students for the type of education we’re providing now.”

The Geary County Rural Fire Department conducted training this past weekend at Camp Tomah Shinga.

County Commission Chair reported that 15 volunteers participated in the training. “We have four brand new volunteers – firefighters, and with the potential of two more. So that’s really good news, especially with the March winds coming up and a lot of prairie fires. ”

Whitebread added it’s good to have some younger volunteers.

The County Commission was updated on the process Monday by Rural Fire Chief Garry Berges.

MANHATTAN – A Kansas man was sentenced in Riley County Court on Monday in connection with a May 2015 shooting in Manhattan’s Aggieville.

A Jury found Mark Self Jr., 31, Manhattan, guilty of attempted voluntary manslaughter and an aggravated weapons violation.

He was sentenced to 52 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections for the charge of attempted voluntary manslaughter and six months for the aggravated weapons charge. The counts will be served consecutively, according to
Bethany Fields, Deputy Riley County Attorney

Riley County Police found an emptied Glock .40 handgun in Self’s boxer shorts. The weapon is believed to have been used during the shooting.

Both Kevin Green, of Manhattan, and Jeremy Caudill, of Ft. Riley, were wounded from ricochet’s, according to testimony.

The Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce has scheduled the grand opening and ribbon cutting for Sunrise on 7th on Wednesday.

It will begin at 11 a.m. at the new deli and bakery downtown at 105 West 7th Street.

Kansas State University is seeking applications from Kansas – based startups to participate in its third annual k-state launch a Business program, powered by KS State Bank.

Also known as LAB, the program, which provides entrepreneurs much-needed resources including faculty-led courses, hands-on student research teasms and access to the world-class Kansas State University alumni mentor network, is specifically intended for early-stage companies.  It is designed to promote the building blocks for turning a concept into a successful venture.

As many as 20 high-potential startup ventures or concepts will be selected to participate in the uLaunch a Business program, including up to 10 companies from global food systems industries.

Captain Josh Kyle of the Riley County Police Department and Larry Couchman, Director of EMS Services, met with the Riley County Commission on Monday morning to discuss this weekend’s Fake Patty’s Day emergency responses.

Though the RCPD is still getting all of the statistics in, the 36 hour period the police monitor Manhattan for Fake Patty’s day was as busy or busier than last year, according to Captain Kyle.

He noted several emergency responses, including a criminal trespassing at the site of NBAF, party goers passed out in lawns, reports of people banging on front doors of the wrong homes and a sexual assault investigation.

Captain Kyle said police responded to two separate reports of gunshots, one early Saturday evening and one around 5-6 a.m. on Sunday morning.

A shooting victim was taken to Via Christi, though it wasn’t clear this incident was related to Fake Patty’s Day and is under investigation.

Police also pursued a suspect believed to have been involved in a strong arm robbery, but the suspect ran into a house party and after police cleared the scene he was not apprehended.

Director Couchman broke down the EMS response for the Fake Patty’s Day holiday to the Commissioners, pointing out there was 48 related EMS calls throughout the day on Saturday. A total of 18 were outside the core Aggieville area and 30 inside the core Aggieville area. There were a total of 18 ambulance transports to the hospital resulting from the calls. Friday evening was less busy than previous years, and Director Couchman said there were fewer roof parties than last year which was a major concern.

Notable responses included a critical head injury and an amputated finger tip, the gunshot wound Captain Kyle reported and an increase in the number of injuries related to fights or falls.

Director Couchman ended his presentation to the Commission with a comparison of this year’s Fake Patty’s Day response to Country Stampede. During the 5 day Country Stampede last year there was 9 ambulance transports and 31 emergency calls, compared to 18 ambulance transports and 38 emergency calls in the 36 hour Fake Patty’s Day event.

Senator Jerry Moran, a member of the Senate Defense Appropriations subcommittee, has invited Army Chief of Staff, General Mark Milley to visit Fort Riley. “He has agreed to do that. We’re now trying to find a date that would work satisfactorily for him so that we could accomplish that.”

Moran said the goal is to ensure that all Army brass and officials at the Department of Defense understand the value of Fort Riley. “And clearly every time we have a military officials who is able to visit Kansas and see the Fort they come away with an impression perhaps different from what they thought.” The Senator added Milley has visited the post before but officials want to keep the importance of Fort Riley and how well it is supported by area communities in his mind as the Department of Defense and the Army make decisions.

Moran noted it’s part of the effort to make sure that Fort Riley is around for a long time.