The German Christmas Market will be this Saturday, December 5 in Junction City.

The Junction City Arts Council said on Monday due to the recent ice storm, the original German Christmas Market was postponed until this Saturday from noon until 10 p.m.  The event had initially been scheduled last Saturday in Heritage Park, but had to be postponed due to the ice storm.

The Riley County Commission has approved the extension of the Native Stone Scenic Byway into Riley County on a 2-1 vote Monday morning.

The extension of the byway would begin in Wabaunsee Countygoing north of I-70 on K-99 and then west on K-18. The Riley County section would begin on K-18 Highway through Zeandale to K-177 where it would then go south on K-177 to I-70.

Commission Chairman, Ron Wells voted against the extension because he is opposed to the extension onto K-177.

“I have people that are landowners, same along McDowell Creek Road, that are opposed to it. The thing is, I’ve been here 70 years and even though I am in Government, it doesn’t mean I trust some Government anymore than I have before, because I’ve been involved in two condemnations, I’ve been involved in expansions of right of ways, I’ve been involved in things my entire life,” said Wells. “As Monty (Wedel, Planning/Special Projects Director) pointed out, you can add this and then delete it later. Well the city has done that in the past to, I’ve heard them say ‘Well we’ll go ahead and pass this and then we’ll work out the details later.’ I don’t mind or care for that.”

He went on to say that his is supportive of the scenic byway and he would support it going down McDowell Creek Road but he does not support the expansion down K-177.

It was asked why the Native Stone Scenic Byway Committee chose to expand down K-177 opposed to McDowell Creek Road.

Sally Stratton, Chairman of the NSSB Committee explained that they chose K-177 in part because they want to include the Konza Prairie scenic overlook along that stretch of road. She also explained that she had spoken to property owners along McDowell Creek Road.

“They are opposed to the byway being on McDowell Creek Road, they don’t want the traffic. However we’ve found in our area, that there’s no noticeable increase in traffic, there’s just travels that come and spend their dollars eating lunch or buying something in a small shop along the byway,” said Stratton.

Commissioner Ben Wilson was also hesitant about approving the extension along K-177 but was open to approving the extension on a short-term basis in order to see if there were any negative effects or benefits.

Commissioner Robert Boyd explained he was in favor of the entire extension, but was understanding of his fellow commissioners concerns and moved to approve it on a two-year basis with the idea that it would come back to the commission in two years to be considered again at that time. It was approved on the 2-1 vote with Wells opposed.

Boyd had added as a side note with his motion that he encouraged the NSSB Committee to look into possibly moving the byway to McDowell Creek Road opposed to K-177 in two years when the commission reconsiders it.

A one mile section of the route does fall in Geary County. The Geary County Commission has yet to approve the designation for that section of K-177.

Grandview Plaza personnel will pick up the downed tree branches and limbs in that city following the recent ice storm. City Superintendent Jerome Thomas noted that residents need to place the debris by the curb.

The plan is to begin the pick-up on Wednesday. There will be no charge for the service.

The debris will be taken to a temporary burn site in Grandview Plaza.

Junction City Public Works personnel are planning to begin picking up downed tree limbs and branches from the ice storm on Wednesday.

Ray Ibarra, Public Works Director, said residents need to take them to the curbside, and the City will pick them up. “We will start this program on Wednesday, and we will go from the south going to the north. ” Ibarra added the final day for these items to be picked up from the recent storm activities will be Wednesday, December 9.

The limbs and branches that are gathered will be taken to the Geary County landfill area where there is an area designated for tree limbs. Ibarra noted the City will not go on private property to pick up the limbs and branches. They must be left at the curbside.  The City will pick up that material from all local residents, regardless of who your sanitation service is with.

 

Fort Riley’s annual holiday tree lighting ceremony takes place Thursday (Dec. 3) at 5:30 p.m. at Ware Parade Field.

 

 

Festivities include holiday carols, warm beverages and a visit from Santa Claus.

 

The event is open to the public; however, those without a Department of Defense ID card need to stop at the Henry Gate visitor center to get a pass.  Details can be found online at https://www.riley.army.mil/.

The Geary County Sheriff’s Department Deputies responded to numerous accidents during the wet, icy weekend. There were no injuries involved.

Saturday:

–K-18 Bypass mile marker 179 for a two-vehicle non-injury accident. Benaiah Gorman, Riley County, was driving a Dodge Caravan westbound when he lost control of the vehicle on the icy roadway and struck Deondra Smith, who was westbound in a Nissan Frontier.

–K-18 Bypass mile marker 179 for a single vehicle accident. Leroy Snell, Riley County, was driving a Chevrolet Impala westbound when he lost control of the car on the icy roadway and struck a guardrail.

–2115 Brook Bend for a lapsed vehicle – animal accident. Nadine Casimir, Junction City, was southbound on U.S. 77 mile marker 156 when she struck a deer.

–I-70, mile marker 307, for a vehicle rollover accident. Christopher R. Beck, Fort Riley, was driving a Smart Car west on the interstate when he lost control on a bridge with black ice and rolled the vehicle.

–I-70, mile marker 313, for a rollover. Jacob S. Potter, Grandview Plaza, was driving a Kia Sportage westbound when he lost control due to ice and struck a guardrail, rolling his vehicle before coming to stop on the side of the highway.

–U.S. 77, mile marker 151, Cameron Cherry, Fort Riley, reported he had been driving his Mazda Mazda3 northbound when he drove over a patch of ice and lost control of his vehicle, striking the guardrail on the southbound side of the road.

Sunday:

–Deputies took a report of a lapsed non-injury accident in the 17000 block of Cutoff Road. jason Hinkson, Alta Vista,  driving a Dodge Ram 1500 when he ran off the road and struck a county concrete pillar. Hinkson was issued a citation for allegedly Duty of a Driver Upon Damaging an Unattended Vehicle or Property.

–Eastbound 303 exit ramp. Jon Wagner, Junction City, was driving a Kia Soul when Jack Clark, Leoti, driving a Chevrolet Cobalt, ran into the back of Wagner’s vehicle.

–U.S. mile marker 151 U.S. 77, Tyler McClelland, Herington, reported that he had been driving a Ford F350 southbound on U.S. 77 when a deer ran into the side of his truck.

Due to the icy weather this past weekend the Junction City Area Chamber of Commerce is extending their Shop Small program in the city and county. You can get your passports for this program stamped through Saturday, December 5.

Participants are encouraged to shop at Junction City businesses.

—

The groundbreaking for a new small animal veterinary clinic at 1822 South Spring Valley Road in Junction City has been postponed to Thursday, December 3 at 10 a.m.

It had originally been scheduled for Tuesday morning.

Dr. Theresa McCreath is planning to open the clinic.

 

( Photos courtesy of Rick Dykstra )

Today: Rain…possibly mixed with freezing rain…snow and sleet likely in the morning…then chance of snow…possibly mixed with rain…freezing rain and sleet in the afternoon. Snow and sleet accumulation up to 1 inch. Near steady temperature in the lower 30s. North winds up to 5 mph shifting to the west in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation near 100 percent.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy in the evening then clearing. Lows in the mid 20s. West winds around 10 mph.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 30s. West winds 10 to 15 mph.

Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy in the evening then becoming partly cloudy. Lows in the mid 20s. West winds around 10 mph.

Wednesday: Mostly sunny. Highs around 40. Northwest winds 5 to 10 mph.

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

Thursday: Sunny. Highs in the mid 40s.

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

Friday: Sunny. Highs in the upper 40s.

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

Saturday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the lower 50s.

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

Sunday: Partly sunny with slight chance of rain. Highs in the upper 40s.