Geary USD 475 has issued a statement from Superintendent of School Dr. Corbin Witt on this week’s school funding ruling by the Kansas Supreme Court.

“USD 475 is happy that the ruling on the Gannon case by the Kansas Supreme Court supported equity for educational opportunities for all students.  The ruling that Senate Bill seven commonly known as the block grant funding formula was unconstitutional reinforces that educators and Boards of Education had been right all along , the block grant funding formula was not equitable. USD 475 was one of many districts who felt that inequity and loss of funding. But at the same time this ruling puts districts in a more  uncertain and precarious position than before because now we have to wait and see what formula will be used for the upcoming school year.   We now have to wait and see what the legislature does before the June 30^th deadline or districts will not be able to operate for the next school year.  The court said in its unsigned opinion: “Without a constitutionally equitable school finance system, the schools in Kansas will be unable to operate beyond June 30, 2016.”

 

“The state has a constitutional duty to provide equitable and adequate funding for education and by enacting the over-reaching personal income tax cuts made in 2012 and 2013, at Gov. Sam Brownback’s urging, the state has placed the Kansas economy in extreme jeopardy.  The Governors tax cuts removed a vital components of the three revenue sources for our state (sales, income and property taxes).  You take one of those legs away and you have what we have today an unstable budget. Even with all of the data showing our Kansas economy is stagnating, he continues to stick to his “experiment”.  The old formula was not broken and now the court’s decision shows that it just wasn’t funded appropriately.

The Geary County Sheriff’s Department has reported that Deputies responded to US 77 Highway early Friday morning for a single vehicle accident.

Shannon Gettings, Milford, was traveling southbound in a Chevrolet Impala when her vehicle struck a deer. Minor injuries were reported as a result of the accident.

The accident was reported to authorities at 6:06 a.m.

—

Deputies responded to 3710 Farnum Creek Road for damage to property. It was later determined one travel trailer was burglarized and another was damaged. The case is under investigation.

 

 

 

According to the National Weather Service of Topeka, today will be cloudy becoming partly cloudy with highs 30-40. Saturday will be colder with highs 23-35. There is a slight chance for freezing drizzle Sunday morning across far eastern KS.

Today: Cloudy in the morning then becoming partly sunny. Highs in the mid 30s. North winds 10 to 15 mph with gusts to around 25 mph.

Tonight: Colder. Mostly cloudy. Lows around 12. Northeast winds 5 to 15 mph. Wind chill readings zero to 10 above zero.

Saturday: Mostly cloudy. Highs around 30. Southeast winds 5 to 15 mph. Gusts up to 25 mph in the afternoon. Lowest wind chill readings 2 below to 8 above zero in the morning.

Saturday Night: Not as cold. Mostly cloudy. Near steady temperature in the upper 20s. Southeast winds 5 to 15 mph.

Sunday: Not as cool. Partly sunny. Highs in the upper 40s. West winds 5 to 10 mph.

Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy. Lows in the lower 30s.

Washingtons Birthday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 50s.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 30s.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the mid 50s.

Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 30s.

Wednesday: Sunny. Highs in the mid 50s.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear. Lows in the upper 30s.

Thursday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 60s.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Senate has defeated a measure aimed at keeping concealed weapons off college campuses a few more years.

Senators on Thursday rejected an amendment on gun legislation that would have extended a prohibition on conceal-carry on Kansas campuses until 2021. The ban will expire in 2017 unless lawmakers act.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports Senators also voted down an amendment to move up the end of the gun ban to this summer.

In 2013, the Legislature blocked prohibitions against concealed weapons in government buildings, but exempted colleges and universities for four years.

Last month, the Kansas Board of Regents, which governs public universities, approved a policy that will allow concealed weapons once the current ban expires.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — A second case of mumps has been reported at Kansas State University.

The university said in a release Thursday that both students with confirmed cases of the mumps live off campus. The university says it’s working to contact people who may have had close contact with the infected students.

The university says it’s asking students to review their vaccination records to see if they have had two measles-mumps-rubella, or MMR, vaccinations.

Students are also being advised to contact a medical provider if they experience mumps symptoms, which include fever, headache and swollen salivary glands under the ears.

The Geary County Democrats will be meeting Wednesday, February 17th at 6:30 p.m. at the Dorothy Bramlage Public Library.

The purpose of the meeting will be to continue plans for participation in the Democratic Primary Caucuses on Saturday, March 5. Democrats from the 17th State Senate District will go to Emporia High School for the caucus. Democrats from the 22nd State Senate District will attend the caucus in Manhattan at Anthony Middle School.

Registration will be from 3:00-5:00 p.m. The caucus will begin at 3:30 p.m.

All registered Democrats and those who wish to register as Democrats or change party affiliation are invited to attend the caucus on March 5 and the February 17 meeting.

For more information contact Shelley Hoyle Kite at 785-238-6222 or tandskite@cox.net or at the Geary County Democratic Party Facebook page.

BOSTON (AP) — A federal judge in Massachusetts has delayed the sentencing of an 80-year-old man who admitted running a sprawling multistate marijuana-dealing operation.

Marshall Dion was scheduled to be sentenced Thursday, but U.S. District Judge Denise Casper in Boston put off the hearing until March 10 because she wanted prosecutors and Dion’s lawyer to submit sentencing briefs.

Dion’s lawyer, Hank Brennan, says the judge wants to know why the proposed sentence in Dion’s plea agreement is up to seven years in prison when federal sentencing guidelines call for 30 years.

A stop for speeding in 2013 in Junction City, Kansas, led authorities to Massachusetts and Arizona, where they found about $15 million in cash, nearly 400 pounds of marijuana and ledgers detailing drug deals going back to 1992.

——-

BOSTON (AP) — An 80-year-old man who admitted running a sprawling multistate marijuana-dealing operation faces sentencing in federal court in Massachusetts.

Marshall Dion faces up to seven years in prison under a plea agreement with prosecutors who say he has been selling marijuana for decades.

In 1985, Dion crashed a single-engine plane in Kenosha County, Wisconsin, and then crawled along a field with two broken ankles as cash floated in the air. He denied that the $112,000 recovered from the crash scene was his.

A stop for speeding in 2013 in Junction City led authorities to Massachusetts and Arizona, where they found about $15 million in cash, nearly 400 pounds of marijuana and ledgers detailing drug deals going back to 1992.

Sentencing is scheduled for Thursday afternoon in Boston.

The Geary County Sheriff’s Department has reported that Deputies responded to mile marker 300, eastbound I-70, for a two vehicle accident at 4:41 p.m. Wednesday.

Darryl Walker, Fort Riley, was traveling east in a BMW and Hannah Schmitz, Abilene, was eastbound in a Chevrolet Cobalt when the two vehicles sideswiped one another.

Walker was transported to Irwin Army Community Hospital by Junction City Fire / EMS with complaints of back pain.

—

Deputies responded to US 77 Highway, mile marker 151, for a single vehicle versus deer accident. Johnny Yarbrough, Junction City, was northbound in a Chevrolet Tahoe when a deer ran out in front of the vehicle. No injuries were reported to Yarbrough.

Fort Riley officials have announced that the commercial portion of the Estes access control point will be closed beginning March 7 due to an upgrade project. The closure will remain in place for the duration of the project, which may last up to several months.

During this time all commercial vehicles will need to enter the installation through 12th Street during duty hours and through Henry during non-duty hours. Estes Gate will remain open to DoD ID card holders in personally owned vehicles.