By ANDY MARSO

An official from Kansas State University outlined for legislators Thursday how a $1 billion federal facility to study animal disease also will work to preserve human health.

Ron Trewyn, K-State’s liaison to the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility, or NBAF, said the facility under construction in Manhattan also will focus on zoonotic diseases that can spread from animals to humans if left unchecked. “So it has an animal health perspective and a public health perspective,” Trewyn told members of the House Commerce, Labor and Economic Development Committee.

Trewyn provided several examples of zoonotic diseases that NBAF researchers will study: Rift Valley fever, Japanese encephalitis, Nipah virus and Hendra virus. Rift Valley fever and Japanese encephalitis are spread by mosquitoes. Nipah virus and Hendra virus can spread to humans who consume produce contaminated by fruit bats.

Trewyn said when construction is finished, NBAF will allow domestic research on zoonotic diseases that have no known treatment — research that requires airtight containment and full biohazard suits. “There’s no facility in the United States that can do that kind of work,” he said.

That includes the 60-year-old Plum Island Animal Disease Center of New York that NBAF will replace. Trewyn said the closest facility capable of supporting that level of research is in Winnipeg, Manitoba, in Canada. Rift Valley fever has spread from East Africa to the Middle East since it was first identified in 1931, and the World Health Organization has warned it could spread to other parts of Europe and Asia. Japanese encephalitis, which is fatal for about 25 percent of humans who contract it, has spread throughout Southeast Asia.

There is no treatment for it. Nipah virus has been found in India and Bangladesh. Hendra virus, first identified in Australia, also is spreading to Southeast Asia.

Though the United States has not seen the diseases, Trewyn said it could be something the nation has to face in the future. He said U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan uncovered plots by terrorist groups to bring them overseas. “Many of these diseases will get here just due to the movement of people and goods,” Trewyn said.

“Others could be brought here intentionally.” NBAF is scheduled to open in 2022.

Andy Marso is a reporter for KHI News Service in Topeka, a partner in the Heartland Health Monitor team. You can reach him on Twitter @andymarso

The Geary County Historical Society held their 2nd annual Antique Showcase Friday night at the Historical Society Museum.

This year they had 37 items submitted into the showcase providing a large variety of items from a pair of shoes from the late 1800’s to paintings and antique military items.

Museum staff researched and provided background on the history of the artifacts and Jay Brown of Brown Real Estate & Auction Service and Jan Gray of Garden Gate Antiques appraised the antiques during the showcase.

One item in particular stuck out to Jay Brown, a folk art painting of a rabbit hunter sleeping.

“We really couldn’t find anything on that. I’m convinced in my mind that it’s quite old, but we just couldn’t date it and we couldn’t find the artist,” said Brown. “I think that it probably was just painted by somebody that was trying to be an aspiring artist and these people got it, and we couldn’t really trace much down about it.”

Museum staff was pleased with this years turnout and the type of artifacts that were submitted. The event is expected to return again next year.

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif. (AP) — A Beverly Hills-based beauty school says it’s closing all 56 of its campuses in five states after losing federal funding over allegations of misconduct.

Marinello Schools of Beauty has been in business for over a century. It shut facilities this week in California, Nevada, Utah, Kansas and Connecticut.

School officials told the San Gabriel Valley Tribune that about 5,000 students and employees will receive transcripts and information about transfers next week.

The federal Department of Education announced this week that it’s stopping student financial aid programs at some two dozen campuses.

The agency alleges Marinello knowingly sought aid for students based on invalid high school diplomas, under-awarded some aid and charged students for excessive overtime.

Marinello spokesman Joe Hixon discounts the allegations and says they were based on flawed information.

The Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce annual banquet will be Thursday March 3 at the Courtyard by Marriott Convention Center.

The event will include a state of the chamber address by CEO Dennis Beson, and recognition of Chamber membership. The Business / Citizen of the Year, Volunteer of the Year, Tourism Advocate of the Year, and the annual Eldon L. Hoyle Economic Development Award will also be announced.

Tickets are available for the public to attend. Call the Chamber at 762-2632.

The Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce presents the 2016 Legislative Coffee Series at 9:00 a.m. on the first Saturday of February, March, & April.

This series is open to the public. Senator Jeff Longbine, Senator Tom Hawk, Representative Lonnie Clark, and Representative Tom Moxley will give an update and answer your questions regarding legislative issues.

 USD 475 is host to the first event on Saturday February 6, 2016 at 9:00 a.m. in the Junction City High Band room at 900 N. Eisenhower.

DICKINSON COUNTY -Law enforcement authorities in Dickinson County are investigating a teenager in connection with an armed robbery.

Just before midnight on Thursday, police officers were sent to Casey’s General Store, 201 S. Buckeye in Abilene on a report of an armed robbery, according to a media release from the Abilene Police Department

Officers arriving at the scene learned that an unknown male suspect had entered the store with a handgun and demanded cigarettes and cash.

A short time later, a deputy with the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office located the suspect, a 15-year-old boy walking in the area of Northwest 2nd and Cedar Streets in Abilene.

A foot pursuit ensued, during which the suspect suffered a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the leg.

He was taken into custody without further incident and transported to Salina Regional Health Center, where he was treated and released back to the custody of Abilene authorities.

The suspect, who has not been named, could face charges that include aggravated robbery and aggravated assault.

The Geary County Sheriff’s Department has reported that Deputies responded to the area of the 2600 block of Old Highway 40 for a single vehicle non-injury accident.

Michael Gross Jr. of Chapman was driving a Ford Thunderbird. The vehicle left the roadway, striking a tree. The accident was reported at 9:39 p.m.

Throughout the month of February the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art is proudly hosting “First Folio”, a national traveling exhibition organized by the Folger Shakespeare Library in partnership with the Cincinnati Museum Center and the American Library Association. The exhibit features a copy of the folio from 1623, and includes 36 Shakespeare plays. The folio was assembled by two of Shakespeare’s actors and is an original printing of the first collected edition of Shakespeare’s plays.