According to the National Weather Service of Topeka, another very windy day is in store with frequent 40 to 50 mph wind gusts, and a few stronger gusts possible. Also expect to see scattered snow showers, especially over eastern Kansas. These snow showers will be short lived, but may be heavy enough to combine with the winds to produce areas of sharply reduced visibility.

Today: Windy…colder. Partly sunny. Highs in the upper 30s. Northwest winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts to around 50 mph.

Tonight: Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 20s. Northwest winds 10 to 15 mph. Gusts up to 35 mph in the evening.

Tuesday: Partly sunny. Highs in the upper 30s. Northwest winds 10 to 15 mph with gusts to around 25 mph.

Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy. Lows around 18. North winds 5 to 10 mph.

Wednesday: Partly sunny. Highs in the upper 30s. Northeast winds around 5 mph shifting to the south in the afternoon.

Wednesday Night: Mostly clear. Lows in the lower 20s.

Thursday: Mostly sunny. Highs around 40.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 20s.

Friday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 40s.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows around 20.

Saturday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 30s.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy in the evening then becoming mostly cloudy. Lows in the mid 20s.

Sunday: Partly sunny with slight chance of rain and snow. Highs in the mid 40s.

Junction City police report that Allison Y. Blanco, 16, has been located.

The JCPD had put out a notice last week asking for the public’s help in locating Blanco, listed as a runaway juvenile.

RILEY COUNTY- Two people were injured in an accident just after 6p.m. on Sunday in Riley County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2009 Dodge Dakota driven by Robert Haas, 49, Manhattan, was west bound on U.S. 24 six miles west of Manhattan.

The Dakota went left of center and collided head-on with an eastbound Pontiac Grand Prix driven by Amanda Shepard, 34, Manhattan.

Haas was transported to Stormont Vail in Topeka.
Shepard was transported to KU Medical Center.

Haas was not wearing a seatbelt, according to the KHP.

The lessening of possession of marijuana penalties has passed in the Kansas Senate. State Senator Jeff Longbine told a Junction City audience on Saturday thata bill took the second possession of marijuana conviction and moved it to presumptive probation, instead of presumptive prison time.

Longbine stated, “Whether society is changing, our views are changing, or our bed space is full…numer of good reasons to consider that. Part of that bill in the Senate was that we did take some additional charges such as breaking into an occupied dwelling and made that presumptive prison instead of presumptive probation. ”

The bill has to be considered by the Kansas House.

Longbine spoke during a legislative coffee in Junction City.

The full allotment of improvements planned for US 77 Highway along the west side of Junction City may not occur immediately.

State Representative Lonnie Clark, Junction City, reported on Saturday that only half of the work will be completed now. He told a legislative coffee audience KDOT is concerned, and that would be a big blow to projects scheduled to occur in Geary County. ”

Clark is still gathering information on this subject. “Well, from what I’m hearing in budget committees is that they’ve cut back on half of US 77 Highway. There’s no long term plan on when they’re going to do the other half, but they are going to do the first half of it. I think they’re starting within the next 60 to 90 days on that. It was very discouraging to hear that when we listened to the Commerce budget”

Clark added he does  not have any real details on it, and has not talked with KDOT specifically, but he has it on his calender to do that this week to find out exactly what is occurring.

Improvements have been planned for multiple intersections along US 77 Highway.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — While two universities in Kansas provide online lists of registered sex offenders enrolled or employed on campus, most require that the basic information be provided directly by campus police.

Of the state’s six state universities, only Kansas State and the University of Kansas make the information readily accessible online, according to their websites. Only Kansas State includes the mugshots with the list.

The Wichita Eagle reports that at Wichita State, Emporia State, Fort Hays State and Pittsburg State universities, the schools’ websites direct people to the campus police stations to get the list. To see a mugshot of the offender, a person would have to go to the state’s online public offender registry kept by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

MANHATTAN -Dalton Trundle, 16, has been missing since January 26.

He has family in the Doniphan County and Hiawatha area and authorities believe he may be there.

He has multiple tattoos. The one pictured above is on this left arm. Click the flier for additional information.

By Joshua Robinson
KU Statehouse Wire Service

TOPEKA – The state’s six public universities will not likely see dramatic budget cuts this year.
Lawmakers plan to take money from the state’s general fund and allocate it to a special education fund, reducing the impact of state budget shortfalls on higher education.

Last week the House Education Budget Committee, chaired by Rep. Amanda Grosserode, R-Lenexa, discussed the financial welfare of the Board of Regents schools in fiscal year 2016.

Lawmakers plan to transfer money from the state’s General Fund and earmark it for the Education Building Fund. Usually, building funds are used for rehabilitation and repair costs, but Gov. Sam Brownback has recommended those funds be spent on information technology systems at universities.

This process of funding information technology systems will happen for all six Board of Regents’ schools. The funding also will be provided to the institutions’ satellite campuses, which include the University of Kansas Medical Center and Kansas State

University Extension Systems and Agricultural Research Programs.

The University of Kansas will receive the largest amount – $1.8 million.
The budget plans will go to Appropriations Committee on Wednesday.

Edited by Madeline Mikinski.

The Junction City Police Department has reported the arrest of Mandy C. Mitchell, 38, on suspicion of Transporting Drug Proceeds, Possession of Marijuana and Speeding, and Joetta A. Mitchell, 34, on suspicion of Transporting Drug Proceeds and Possession of Marijuana. Both are from Missouri.

The arrests occurred at mile marker 303 west bound on I-70 on Friday.

Geary County 4-H members were busy Saturday morning competing in the annual Geary County 4-H Day at the First Presbyterian Church.  Those 4-H members awarded top purple and 2^nd purple ribbons will be eligible to compete in Regional 4-H Club Day on March 19^th in Clay Center and are listed below.

Model Meetings

Humboldt 4-H Club – Top Purple

Project Talks

Macie Muto, Humboldt 4-H Club – Top Purple

Josie Strauss, Lyon Creek 4-H Club – 2^nd Purple

Demonstrations and Illustrated Talks – Senior Division

Lindsey Ascher, Brookside 4-H Club – Top Purple

Jaydon Zima, Brookside 4-H Club – 2^nd Purple

Demonstrations and Illustrated Talks – Junior Division

Kacey Butler, Humboldt 4-H Club – Top Purple

Elijah Schmidt, Humboldt 4-H Club – 2^nd Purple

Public Speaking – Senior Division

Kaitlyn Butler, Humboldt 4-H Club – Top Purple

Readings – Senior Division

Lauren Moon, Brookside 4-H Club – Top Purple

Readings – Junior Division

Ethan Goodyear, Humboldt 4-H Club –Top Purple

Choreographed Dance – Senior Division

Rebekah Thomas, Lyon Creek 4-H Club – Top Purple

Vocal Solo – Senior Division

Rebekah Thomas, Lyon Creek 4-H Club – Top Purple

Vocal Solo – Junior Division

Michaela Doyle, Brookside 4-H Club – Top Purple

Ginger D. Kopfer

Geary County Extension Agent