Equipment has been brought in for the carnival hosted by WEEE Entertainment at Freedom Fest in downtown Junction City. The activities begin Wednesday and continue through Sunday.

Freedom Fest officials provided information on the carnival. It will be open starting at the following times, weather permitting. Wednesday, July 2 at 6pm, Thursday, July 3 at 6pm, Friday, July 4 at noon, Saturday, July 5 at noon and Sunday, July 6 at 5pm The carnival will close between 10-11pm each night depending on the crowd. 

 There will be $33 per person unlimited ride wristbands available daily. The wristbands are only valid for the session purchased. Wednesday, July 2 at 6-10pm, Thursday, July 3 at 6-10pm, Friday, July 4 at noon-5pm or 5-10pm, Saturday, July 5 at noon-5pm or 5-10pm and Sunday, July 6 at 5-10pm. 

You can also purchase tickets. Single tickets are $4 each, 10 tickets for $35 or 30 tickets for $100. All rides are 1 ticket per person except the Freak Out, it is 2 tickets per person or a wristband plus 1 ticket.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Set up is underway for the WEEE Entertainment carnival

RILEY COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating an alleged violent crime in Manhattan.&nbsp;

Just before 3p.m. on Saturday, officers filed a report for criminal deprivation of property, domestic battery, kidnapping, harassment by telecom device, criminal threat and stalking, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report. The alleged crimes involved a 34-year-old woman as the victim.

Police arrested 36-year-old&nbsp;Ivan Krdzic, 36, of Manhattan was arrested on requested charges of criminal deprivation of property, domestic battery, kidnapping, harassment by telecom device, criminal threat and stalking. Krdzic is being held on a $350,000 bond, according to the RCPD.

RCPD: Alleged stalker held on $350,000 bond

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating an alleged motorcycle theft in Manhattan have recovered the stolen vehicle.

Just after 3:30p.m. Sunday, officers filed a report for theft and criminal damage to property in the 900 block of Laramie Street in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

A 32-year-old man reported an unknown suspect damaged then took his 2009 Kawasaki Motorcycle. 

The motorcycle was recovered later in the day, according to the RCPD. The estimated total loss associated with this case is approximately $6,000.

 Anyone with information can contact RCPD or the Manhattan Riley County Crime Stoppers. Using the Crime Stoppers service can allow you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.

Police recover damaged, stolen motorcycle

TOPEKA, Kan. – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) has released the&nbsp;<a href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.kansas.gov%2Fkbi%2Fstats%2Fdocs%2Fpdf%2F2024%2520Crime%2520Index.pdf%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/01000197c0d19b24-eac627a1-be45-4447-9ece-c76d9abf86c2-000000/_H887gkqQyDEahi8eiUvJ_HxHlQdjkUtSUZ3FJ8x7IM=411" target="_blank">2024 Kansas Crime Index Report</a>.&nbsp;The report compiles crime statistics reported to the KBI by state and local law enforcement agencies throughout Kansas.&nbsp;

The 2024 Kansas Crime Index Report indicated that violent crime in Kansas decreased by 6.7% from 2023. A total of 12,643 crimes were reported for the offenses of murder, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault and battery. With this decline, violent crime in the state was equal to the 10-year average.&nbsp;

In 2024, overall property crimes decreased 12.9% from 2023. In 2024, there were 43,636 theft offenses, which accounted for 75.0% of total property crimes reported. There were 14,525 burglary and motor vehicle thefts, representing the remaining 25% of property crimes. Property crimes nationwide are assumed to be underreported to law enforcement.&nbsp;

Find the full&nbsp;2024 Kansas Crime Index report, and previous year’s statistics at:&nbsp;<a href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.kansas.gov%2Fkbi%2Fstats%2Fstats_crime.shtml%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/01000197c0d19b24-eac627a1-be45-4447-9ece-c76d9abf86c2-000000/Eo23M-0_xDV6oE5oljUBIOJDX7u6iMHFrmx1w_nYW0E=411" target="_blank">KBI - Kansas Bureau of Investigation - Statistics - Crime Statistics</a>.&nbsp;

NOTE:&nbsp;Data from the Kansas Crime Index report is derived from standard offense and arrest reports submitted to the Kansas Incident Based Reporting System (KIBRS) by local law&nbsp;enforcement agencies across Kansas. It is dependent on victims reporting crimes. The report is compiled to provide a historical assessment and snapshot of crime trends. It is often not possible to draw further interpretations or conclusions from the data. The KBI cautions against using data to make direct comparisons between jurisdictions. Often these comparisons are not valid as the factors influencing crime vary widely between communities.&nbsp;

KBI releases 2024 crime stats 

Downtown JC Happenings | June 30 - July 6, 2025 

Freedom Fest 2025 is running from July 2nd-6th!This annual Independence Day tradition brings families, friends, and neighbors together for a full day of fun—featuring live music, food trucks, kids’ activities, carnival rides and games, and, of course, a spectacular fireworks display. <a href="https://freedomfestjc.com/">Click here to see the full list of activities.</a>

<a href="https://junctioncitymainstreet.org/event/freedom-fest/">Freedom on Wheels</a> is happening Saturday, July 5th from 9:30 to 11AM at the Junction City Main Street Market! Come on out to North Washington Street on July 5 (9:30am–11am) for a fun ride down Main Street! This event is open to all non-motorized wheeled vehicles, including bicycles, tricycles, scooters, strollers, skates, wheelchairs, and wagons.

Helmets are highly recommended for all participants, and thanks to the generous contribution of Heath Welch at State Farm Insurance, some new helmets will be provided for free! 

This year, don’t forget to wear clothes you don’t mind getting wet—we’re turning up the summer fun with sprinklers for kids to run through! Plus, stop by our vehicle decorating station to deck out your ride in red, white, and blue before you roll down the street in style. Heart Breakers Beauty Parlor will also have temporary tattoos for kids! 

DID SOMEONE SAY FREE FREEDOM FEST CARNIVAL BRACELETS?! Thanks to the heartfelt support of the Fraternal Orders of the Eagles in Junction City, Freedom Fest carnival wristbands will be given away through a drawing. Come to the info booth, fill out a free drawing entry ticket (one per child) and enter into a drawing to win a free carnival wristband! 

Bring the whole family and celebrate freedom with a splash of fun and creativity.

<a href="https://junctioncitymainstreet.org/flag-fundraiser/">Flags of Geary County</a>: “Proudly United, Community Ignited” Junction City Main Street invites you to take part in the Flag Project supporting multiple local organizations. For a small donation, Main Street will place and remove a leased 3x5 ft U.S. flag on a 10 ft pole in front of your home or business on six major holidays throughout the year. Flags will not be displayed in the event of rain.

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/16j2w8yJCX/">Kids Day at the Geary Community Farmers Market </a>

Make Thursday evenings a family tradition. 

● Free “Market Money” for kids to buy fruits and veggies 

● Weekly activities: seed planting, games, cooking demos, and scavenger hunts 

● No sign-up needed—stop by the info booth to join in 

● Meet local farmers and enjoy the freshest produce 

● <a href="https://www.gemstudiosjc.com/product/brandy-s-art-camp-2025/347?cs=true&amp;cst=custom">GEM Studios Summer Art Camp</a> launched June 9 with themed weekly sessions like All About Me, Bugs &amp; Animals, and Ocean Week. No classes this week for 4th of July, but will resume next week! Sign-up now!

● Activated Arts offers six dance classes and four theater workshops, from tap to clowning and creative drama. <a href="https://activatejc.com/summer#page-1">Click here for more info. </a>

The Junction City Arts Council is hosting two Mini Summer Camps: 

● <a href="https://junction-city-arts-council.checkoutpage.com/jcac-mini-art-camp-k-2?fbclid=IwY2xjawLGTRhleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF6UnVOZlp5SVZqM05LNzZMAR4aaIKxapwsPYyqK-u6r8n8-xfveKzGWxUt4KmDCGuGJGRoPffa3p-VjtKp4A_aem_7IqrJDn3KcrfqXRJT1ZJfA">July 14–15 for K–2nd grade </a>

● <a href="https://junction-city-arts-council.checkoutpage.com/jcac-mini-art-camp-3rd-5th?fbclid=IwY2xjawLKiRlleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF6UnVOZlp5SVZqM05LNzZMAR4MXWENJ8aTYEM7Cam6EwxbZxVnda-Iw02_P-Q9BO2hSAFqC-QcG6FWreEitA_aem_qRbadZPKss14TDsQhnR_ZA">July 16–17 for 3rd–5th grade</a>

Spots are limited, so sign your kids up now and get those creative juices flowing! 

● <a href="https://www.facebook.com/share/1Fpor9omU2/">Movies in the Park</a> – hosted by the Junction City Police Department, will feature Sonic 3 on Friday, July 18th at 8:45 PM at Heritage Park. Free popcorn and water will be provided.

GEM Studios is offering fun and creative paint classes this weekend: 

● Kids Hot Dog and Burger: Saturday, July 5th at 10AM 

While you're enjoying all the excitement of the carnival, don’t forget to take a stroll through our beautiful downtown! Many of our small businesses will be open and ready to welcome you with great finds, friendly faces, and a little extra charm. Your support- whether it’s grabbing a coffee, picking up a gift, or just stopping in to say hello—goes a long way in helping our local shops thrive during busy event weekends. Let’s keep the fun going by showing love to the heart of our community!

<a href="https://junctioncitymainstreet.org/">Follow Junction City Main Street</a> for event updates and more. Support local. Stay connected. Love where you live.

Main Street Monday | Downtown JC Happenings | June 30 - July 6, 2025

FORT RILEY, Kansas – The 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley celebrated 108 years of the Big Red One, and 250 years of the United States Army, during Victory Week 2025.

Victory Week is a tradition of sportsmanship, competition, and camaraderie to celebrate the First Division. Soldiers competed in a variety of sporting events, including flag football, volleyball, basketball, soccer, 3/5/10k walk/run, innovation challenge, archery and trap shoot, cycling, functional fitness, combatives, tug of war, spouse kickball tournament, and more throughout the week. The brigade with the most points from across these events takes home the coveted Victory Cup trophy.

More than 2,000 Soldiers and Family members participated in events, contributing to their units’ overall score and boosting morale. “Victory Week is a great opportunity for Soldiers to get out there and have some fun and compete against the other units,” said Command Sgt. Maj. Jason Joseph, Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion command sergeant major, 1st Infantry Division Artillery. He highlighted that HHBn took first place in three events throughout the week.

The 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team captured the Victory Cup for 2025, with the brigade command team, Col. Tom Smith and Command Sgt. Maj. Jake Huckleby accepting the trophy.

“Every day is a great day to be a Big Red One Soldier, but especially today,” said Huckleby, who praised his teams’ hard work, telling them before each event, “Stay savage; prepare for battle!”

One of the cornerstone events of Victory Week is the Commanders vs. Command Sergeants Major softball game. This year’s game was held at Rathert Stadium in Junction City, highlighting the close ties between Fort Riley and the surrounding community, with the Commanders winning 26-11.

Victory Week celebrates the 1st Infantry Division and the U.S. Army

POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 2p.m. Friday in Pottawatomie County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Toyota Corolla driven by Zachary Lynn&nbsp;Stinson, 43, Hutchinson, was southbound on Kansas 13 at Cedar Creek Road. The car entered into a curve, traveled left of center and encountered a northbound car. The driver corrected back into the southbound lane and lost control of the car. The car traveled onto the east shoulder, struck two guard rails and a tree.

EMS transported&nbsp;Stinson to Stormont Vail. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas man hospitalized after car strikes guard rails, tree

Beginning Sunday evening there will be street closures in downtown Junction City in time for the annual Freedom Fest celebration.

Ray Ibarra, City Public Works Director, said they include:

--Jefferson from near the middle of the block by Marcos Pizza to near the middle of the block by the Junction City Fire Department.

--7th Street from Jefferson for about half of the block to near the Dorothy Bramlage Public Library

--5th Street from Washington to Jefferson

The carnival for Freedom Fest arrives on Sunday with set up Monday and Tuesday. The concert stage arrives at 1 p.m. Monday.

Freedom Fest runs Wednesday July 2 to Sunday July 6.

Downtown Street closure plans for Freedom Fest

You can help United Way gather supplies now to send kids back to school equipped to learn.&nbsp; The effort covers Geary County USD 475, St. Xavier, and USD 473 Chapman schools.

Contact United Way at 785-238-2117 or director@unitedwayjcgc.org

School supplies will be gathered in July

Recent Booking Activity for the Geary County Detention Center. All persons included in this post are innocent of crimes until proven guilty in a court of law.

Bonds have been posted. Photos are unavailable.

Scott Shannon, Failure to appear, arrested 06/25

Dshonda Thomas, Aggravated endangering a child; Reckless situation to child &lt;18, arrested 06/25

Hope Hasty, Aggravated battery; Knowingly cause great bodily harm or disfigurement, arrested 06/25

Lynden Bryant, Failure to appear, arrested 06/26

Montez Ferguson, Outside warrant, arrested 06/26

Michael Ortego, Failure to appear, arrested 06/26

Geary County Booking Photos June 26-27

&nbsp; Saint Xavier School will be participating in the Junction City Freedom Parade on July 4th. All are welcome to come and represent the school in this community event.

 The parade staging will take place at 900 North Eisenhower at the old Junction City High School site. Please arrive at 9 am in your red white and blue attire. Parents are welcome to walk with their child. They will be handing out candy as well. If you can bring a bag of non-melting candy that would be greatly appreciated. Contact Mary Perez at maryecperez@gmail.com with questions&nbsp;&nbsp;

Saint Xavier School will enter the Freedom Parade

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kiké Hernández hit a two-run homer, Will Smith also went deep and the Los Angeles Dodgers got a dominant performance from Justin Wrobleski and the rest of their bullpen in a rain-delayed 5-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday.

Wrobleski (4-2) pitched six innings of three-hit ball in place of opener Lou Trivino, Kirby Yates worked a perfect eighth and Jack Dreyer handled the ninth, helping Los Angeles win for the sixth time in seven games.

Max Muncy and Miguel Rojas also drove in runs for the Dodgers, who have won six consecutive series.

Kris Bubic (6-6) allowed Hernández's two-run shot in the second inning among his three hits and two walks in five innings. The left-hander struck out five but still took his fourth loss in his last five starts, despite maintaining a 2.25 ERA.

Bobby Witt Jr. doubled in the first to score the only run for the Royals, who have lost seven of their last eight games.

Both of the teams paid homage to the Negro Leagues, whose museum is less than 10 miles from Kauffman Stadium. The Dodgers wore hats from their Brooklyn days out of respect for Jackie Robinson, who played for the Kansas City Monarchs before breaking the color barrier, and the Royals wore the interlocking “KC” hats of the 1945 Monarchs.

The Dodgers were leading 2-1 in the fifth when Freddy Fermin led off with a bunt single for Kansas City. Drew Waters worked a 3-0 count before failing to get down a sacrifice bunt, striking out instead. Wrobleski proceeded to get Jonathan India to pop out and struck out Witt to end the threat.

The Royals went 6 for 12 with runners in scoring position in their 9-5 win Saturday. They were 1 for 5 on Sunday.

⚾ Dodgers' Hernández and Smith homer in win over Royals

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22STEPHEN%20WHYNO%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By STEPHEN WHYNO AP Sports Writer</a>

D. Wayne Lukas, the Hall of Famer who became one of the most accomplished trainers in the history of horse racing and a face of the sport for decades, has died. He was 89.

His family said Sunday that Lukas died Saturday night at his Louisville, Kentucky, home.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/d-wayne-lukas-hosptialized-3696adc1800e69d3f7708374bd444d1c">Lukas had been hospitalized</a>&nbsp;with a severe MRSA blood infection that caused significant damage to his heart and digestive system and worsened pre-existing chronic conditions.

“Wayne devoted his life not only to horses but to the industry — developing generations of horsemen and horsewomen and growing the game by inviting unsuspecting fans into the winner’s circle,” his family said in a statement. “Whether he was boasting about a maiden 2-year-old as the next Kentucky Derby winner or offering quiet words of advice before a big race, Wayne brought heart, grace, and grit to every corner of the sport. His final days were spent at home in Kentucky, where he chose peace, family, and faith.”

Lukas won 15 Triple Crown races, including the Kentucky Derby four times. Only good friend Bob Baffert has more Triple Crown victories, and Lukas owns a record-tying 20 in the Breeders’ Cup World Championships.

“The whole secret of this game, I think, is being able to read the horse: Read what he needs, what he doesn’t need, what he can’t do, what he can do,” Lukas said in May before his 34th and final Preakness Stakes. “That’s the whole key. Everybody’s got the blacksmith, everybody’s got to the same bed available, the feed man. We all can hire a good jockey. We all can hire a pretty good exercise rider if we’ve got the means, so what the hell is the difference? The horse is the difference and what we do with him in reading him.”

Lukas was affectionately known around the barns and the racetrack as “Coach” because he coached high school basketball before his professional career with horses began. Even with months to go before his 90th birthday, he would get up on his pony in the early morning hours and go out to the track himself, rather than letting his assistants do the day-to-day work.

Born Darnell Wayne Lukas on Sept. 2, 1935, in Wisconsin as the second of three children, he rose to prominence in the sport with quarter horses in races that are effectively sprints. He moved into thoroughbreds in the late 1970s and won his first Preakness with Codex in 1980.

Lukas has 4,967 documented victories in thoroughbred racing, with his horses earning more than $310 million from more than 30,600 starts.

"Today we lost one of the great champions of Churchill Downs and one of the most significant figures in Thoroughbred racing over the last 50 years,” Churchill Downs Inc. CEO Bill Carstanjen said. “We will miss his humor, his wisdom and his unmatched capacity to thrill the fans with the performances of his horses on our sport’s biggest days.”

Achieving something of a career renaissance over the past decade, one he credits to finding the right owners willing to spend money on horses, Lukas won the Preakness last year with Seize the Grey. Asked what motivates him to keep doing his job well into his late 80s, he gave a pep talk fit for a locker room before a big game.

“If you have a passion, you eliminate all the excuses,” Lukas said. “That’s how it works. You get up early. You go without a meal. You drive. You go without sleep — as long as you got the passion. Don’t let that sofa pull you down. It’s a little easy when that alarm goes off to say, ‘Oh my God, I don’t know if I really want to do this today.’ Erase that. The most important decision you’ll ever make in your life is your attitude decision. Make it early, and make the right one.”

Hall of Fame horse trainer D. Wayne Lukas, a winner of 15 Triple Crown races, dies at 89

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Vinnie Pasquantino homered, doubled and drove in a career high-tying five runs, and the Kansas City Royals beat Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers 9-5 on Saturday to snap an 11-game home losing streak.

Ohtani made his third start of the season and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dodgers-shohei-ohtani-pitching-882646a3578e99e4c81b1c0e774df7d1">threw the fastest pitch</a>&nbsp;of his career, a 101.7 mph fastball that induced an inning-ending double-play grounder by Pasquantino in the first.

The Dodgers' two-way superstar threw 27 pitches in two scoreless innings. He is working as an opener as he eases back into pitching following Tommy John surgery in 2023. Ohtani went 0-for-4 with three strikeouts as LA's leadoff batter.

Pasquantino’s&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/MLB/status/1939074998011916473">430-foot, three-run blast</a>&nbsp;to right-center off Ben Casparius (6-2) capped a four-run fifth inning for the Royals, who won at Kaufmann Stadium for the first time since May 31. They ended a six-game skid overall.

Freddie Freeman went 3-for-3 with a homer for the Dodgers, whose five-game winning streak ended. Infielder Miguel Rojas pitched the eighth.

Seth Lugo (5-5) threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing four hits and five walks while striking out eight.

Casparius relieved Ohtani in the third and quickly allowed three hits and a pair of runs on Maikel Garcia’s two-out double off the left-field wall.

Bobby Witt Jr. hit an RBI single in the fifth before Pasquantino went deep. Pasquantino added a two-run double in the seventh.

Jonathan India and Witt each had four hits as the top four Royals batters finished with 11 hits and eight runs.

The Royals' four-run fifth was their biggest inning at home since they scored four in the eighth against the Chicago White Sox on May 8.

The Royals' 15 home-field home runs are the fewest in the majors.

The Dodgers plan to use an opener for Sunday’s series finale against Royals LHP Kris Bubic (6-5, 2.16 ERA).

⚾ Pasquantino's big day helps Royals beat Ohtani and the Dodgers 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Shohei Ohtani led off the game with his 29th home run and also hit an RBI triple, and Freddie Freeman stretched as he fell over to complete a game-ending double play as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Kansas City Royals 5-4 Friday night for their fifth straight win.

Ohtani hit his major league-leading eighth leadoff homer this season, a drive off off Noah Cameron (2-4), and Max Muncy hit a tiebreaking, two-run homer for a 3-1 lead in the second.

Bobby Witt Jr.'s two-run homer against Dustin May put Kansas City ahead 4-3 in the bottom half and gave the Royals their first lead since Sunday.

Ohtani tied the score in the fifth against Cameron (2-4) with his seventh triple of the season and scored on Mookie Betts' single off Steven Cruz.

Kansas City loaded the bases with one out in the ninth against Tanner Scott on singles by Mikael Garcia and Salvador Perez around Vinnie Pacquantino's walk.

Rookie Jac Caglianone grounded to second Tommy Edman, who made a backhand flip to Betts at second, and Betts bounced his throw to Freeman. The All-Star first baseman snagged the ball as he fell to the field, giving Scott his 18th save in 23 chances.

Kansas City has lost six straight overall and 11 home games in a row.

Lou Trivino (3-0) got five outs as five Dodgers relievers combined for shutout relief of Dustin May, who gave up four runs, six hits and three walks in four innings.

Cameron (2-4) allowed five runs, three hits and three walks in four-plus innings

Perez had a run-scoring single in the first. Kyle Isbel lined an RBI double just over the outstretched glove of right fielder Teoscar Hernandez in the three-run second for the Royals, who had scored on run during a three-game series against Tampa Bay.

Freeman, who won a Gold Glove in 2018, made the outstanding defensive play that ended the game.

Kansas City tied its record for consecutive home losses, set from Sept. 21, 2011, to April 23, 2012, and matched from May 6 to June 4, 2013.

Ohtani (0-0, 4.50 ERA) makes his third mound appearance since elbow surgery, facing RHP Seth Lugo (4-5, 2.93 ERA) on Saturday.

⚾ Ohtani hits 29th homer, adds RBI triple to lead Dodgers over Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Shane Baz allowed three hits over a career-best eight innings, Brandon Lowe and Junior Caminero hit back-to-back homers in the sixth, and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Kansas City Royals 4-0 on Thursday for a three-game sweep.

Baz (8-3) struck out nine and walked one. Jacob Lowe had three hits for the Rays, and Jake Mangum hit a run-scoring triple.

Tampa Bay has won five of six to move a season-high 11 games above .500 (46-35) and a half-game behind the AL East-leading New York Yankees, who were off Thursday.

Paul Gervase gave up singles to Jonathan India and Vinnie Pasquantino before Pete Fairbanks came on with one out in the ninth and got Maikel Garcia to ground into a 6-4-3 double play for his 15th save.

Tampa Bay starters have thrown 22 2/3 consecutive scoreless innings.

The Royals were also shut out on Wednesday and scored one run in their three losses to the Rays. Kansas City has gone 14-27 (.341) — third worst in the majors over that span — since starting the season 24-16 (.600).

Jonathan Aranda hit a two-out double and then scored on Mangum's triple off starter Michael Lorenzen (4-8) before Josh Lowe added an RBI single to cap Tampa Bay's two-run fourth.

The Rays are the first team in the majors to sweep three road series this season. Tampa Bay swept a three-game series at the New York Mets earlier this month and won three straight at San Diego in April.

⚾Baz goes 8 scoreless as Rays blank Royals for 3-game sweep



The Junction City High School boys basketball program is hosting its summer youth basketball camp July 7-10. The camp runs 9:30-11:00 a.m. at the Blue Jay Event Center.&nbsp; It is open to third through six grade boys.&nbsp;

There is a $20 registration fee to attend the camp. For more information, reach out to head coach Easton Burgardt at EastonBurgardt@usd475.org.

JCHS Boys Basketball program hosting a Youth Basketball Camp July 7-10

By DAVE SKRETTA AP Sports Writer

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DAVE%20SKRETTA%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest"></a>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Drew Rasmussen tossed five innings of two-hit ball, Tampa Bay scored three times in the second on an array of singles and bunts, and the Rays held on the rest of the way to beat the Kansas City Royals 3-0 on Wednesday night.

Rasmussen (7-5) struck out five and walked two before turning it over to the Tampa Bay bullpen on a hot, humid night. Three relievers combined to allow one hit and one walk before Pete Fairbanks handled the ninth for his 14th save.

The Rays (45-35) have won five straight on the road, nine of their last 12 overall and are a season-best 10 games over .500.

José Caballero had an RBI bunt single and Danny Jansen laid down a sacrifice bunt against Michael Wacha during the decisive second for Tampa Bay. Christopher Morel, Josh Lowe and Chandler Simpson had singles in the inning.

Other than that, Wacha (4-7) was tough on the Rays. He went six innings and struck out nine while walking just one.

His biggest problem has been the Royals' biggest problem: They aren't scoring. Not only have they managed four runs total amid a four-game losing streak, they have given Wacha two runs of support or fewer in 13 of his 16 starts this season.

Kansas City has lost nine straight at Kauffman Stadium since beating Detroit on May 31, its longest home skid since dropping 10 in a row in April and May 2023. The Royals also have lost 10 of their last 14 games overall.

The Royals put runners on the corners in the fourth, but Salvador Perez popped out on his first pitch to end the threat.

Kansas City has not hit a home run in its last 54 innings at Kauffman Stadium.

Rays RHP Shane Baz (7-3, 4.79 ERA) starts the series finale Thursday. RHP Michael Lorenzen (4-7, 4.81) starts for the Royals.

⚾ Rasmussen and the Rays bullpen shine in win over Royals

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Danny Jansen hit a two-run home run and finished with three RBIs, Taj Bradley pitched two-hit ball for 6 2/3 scoreless innings and the Tampa Bay Rays beat the Kansas City Royals 5-1 on Tuesday night.

Yandy Díaz and Jonathan Aranda had three hits apiece for the Rays.

José Caballero hit a two-out single in the second inning, and two pitches later Jansen followed with a homer that gave Tampa Bay a 2-0 lead.

Aranda led off the fourth with a single, advanced to third on throwing error when Jake Mangum reached on a fielder's choice, and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jansen to make it 3-0.

Díaz and Curtis Mead hit back-to-back singles and Díaz scored when Aranda, with two out in the fifth, reached on a throwing error by starter Kris Bubic (6-5).

Junior Camerino doubled and later scored on a ground ball by Mangum in the seventh.

Kansas City's Maikel Garcia hit a two-out double and scored on a single by Vinnie Pasquantino to cap the scoring in the ninth.

Tampa Bay, in second place in the AL East behind the New York Yankees, has won three in a row and eight of 10.

Bradley (5-5) didn’t allow a base runner until John Rave drew a one-out walk in the sixth. After Kyle Isbel flied out, Jonathan India hit a ground rule double to break up the no-hit bid before Bradley got Bobby Witt Jr. to line out and end the threat.

The Royals have lost eight straight and 12 of their last 15 at Kauffman Stadium after starting the season 16-5 at home.

The series continues Wednesday when Tampa Bay's Drew Rasmussen (6-5, 2.61 ERA) takes on Michael Wacha (4-6, 3.24).

⚾ Jansen has HR and 3 RBIs as the Rays beat Royals 

The Junction City Brigade played games at Rathert Field this past Friday and Saturday.&nbsp;

Friday - The Brigade beat the Hutchinson Monarchs 14-10

Saturday - The Brigade beat the KC Knights 9-8.

Junction City has won six of their last seven games and improve to 10-7 on the season.&nbsp;

Next up is a road game on Tuesday, June 24 at the Wichita Wildcats. Then the Wednesday the 25th, the Brigade will host the Wildcats at Rathert Field in Junction City.&nbsp;

Brigade win both weekend games at Rathert Field

The 52nd Kansas Shrine Bowl was played on Saturday night at Memorial Stadium in Dodge City. Junction City’s Petren Bartolome played offensive line (left tackle) for the West team. Bartolome wore number 55 in green for the West team.

Junction City head football coach Randall Zimmerman along with a few assistant coaches were in attendance for the game.

The West team won the game 26-8.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Bartolome will play college football this upcoming season at Dodge City Community College.&nbsp;

Junction City’s Petren Bartolome played in Kansas Shrine Bowl

The Justice Department on Monday announced the results of its 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, which resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants, including 96 doctors, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and other licensed medical professionals, in 50 federal districts and 12 State Attorneys General’s Offices across the United States, for their alleged participation in various health care fraud schemes involving over $14.6 billion in intended loss, according to the a statement from the DOJ.

The Takedown involved federal and state law enforcement agencies across the country and represents an unprecedented effort to combat health care fraud schemes that exploit patients and taxpayers.

Demonstrating the significant return on investment that results from health care fraud enforcement efforts, the government seized over $245 million in cash, luxury vehicles, cryptocurrency, and other assets as part of the coordinated enforcement efforts. As part of the whole-of-government approach to combating health care fraud announced today, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) also announced that it successfully prevented over $4 billion from being paid in response to false and fraudulent claims and that it suspended or revoked the billing privileges of 205 providers in the months leading up to the Takedown. Civil charges against 20 defendants for $14.2 million in alleged fraud, as well as civil settlements with 106 defendants totaling $34.3 million, were also announced as part of the Takedown.

Today’s Takedown was led and coordinated by the Health Care Fraud Unit of the Department of Justice Criminal Division’s Fraud Section and its core partners from U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, the Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), and the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). The cases were investigated by agents from HHS-OIG, FBI, DEA, and other federal and state law enforcement agencies. The cases are being prosecuted by Health Care Fraud Strike Force teams from the Criminal Division’s Fraud Section, 50 U.S. Attorneys’ Offices nationwide, and 12 State Attorneys General Offices.

“This record-setting Health&nbsp;Care Fraud Takedown delivers justice to criminal actors who prey upon our most vulnerable citizens and steal from hardworking American taxpayers,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “Make no mistake – this administration will not tolerate criminals who line their pockets with taxpayer dollars while endangering the health and safety of our communities.”

“As part of making healthcare accessible and affordable to all Americans, HHS will aggressively work with our law enforcement partners to eliminate the pervasive health care fraud that bedeviled this agency under the former administration and drove up costs,” said Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of the Department of Health and Human Services.

“The Criminal Division is intensely committed to rooting out health care fraud schemes and prosecuting the criminals who perpetrate them because these schemes: (1) often result in physical patient harm through medically unnecessary treatments or failure to provide the correct treatments; (2) contribute to our nationwide opioid epidemic and exacerbate controlled substance addiction; and (3) do all of that while stealing money hardworking Americans contribute to pay for the care of their elders and other vulnerable citizens,” said Matthew R. Galeotti, Head of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division. “The Division’s Health Care Fraud Unit and U.S. Attorneys’ Offices stand united with our law enforcement partners in this fight, and we will continue to use every tool at our disposal to protect the integrity of our health care programs for the American people.”

“The scale of today’s Takedown is unprecedented, and so is the harm we’re confronting. Individuals who attempt to steal from the federal health care system and put vulnerable patients at risk will be held accountable,”&nbsp;said Acting Inspector General Juliet T. Hodgkins of HHS-OIG. “Our agents at HHS-OIG work relentlessly to detect, investigate, and dismantle these fraud schemes. We are proud to stand with our law enforcement partners in protecting taxpayer dollars and safeguarding patient care.”

“Health care fraud drains critical resources from programs intended to help people who truly need medical care,” said FBI Director Kash Patel. “Today’s announcement demonstrates our commitment to pursuing those who exploit the system for personal gain. With more than $13 billion in fraud uncovered, this is the largest takedown for this initiative to date. Together, the FBI and our law enforcement partners will continue to hold those accountable who steal from the American people and undermine our health care systems.”

29 defendants were charged for their roles in transnational criminal organizations alleged to have submitted over $12 billion in fraudulent claims to America’s health insurance programs.

For instance, a nationwide investigation known as Operation Gold Rush resulted in the largest loss amount ever charged in a health care fraud case brought by the Department. These charges were announced in the Eastern District of New York, the Northern District of Illinois, the Central District of California, the Middle District of Florida, and the District of New Jersey against 19 defendants. Twelve of these defendants have been arrested, including four defendants who were apprehended in Estonia as a result of international cooperation with Estonian law enforcement and seven defendants who were arrested at U.S. airports and the U.S. border with Mexico, cutting off their intended escape routes as they attempted to avoid capture.

The organization allegedly used a network of foreign straw owners, including individuals sent into the United States from abroad, who, acting at the direction of others using encrypted messaging and assumed identities from overseas, strategically bought dozens of medical supply companies located across the United States. They then rapidly submitted $10.6 billion in fraudulent health care claims to Medicare for urinary catheters and other durable medical equipment by exploiting the stolen identities of over one million Americans spanning all 50 states and using their confidential medical information to submit the fraudulent claims. As alleged, the organization exploited the U.S. financial system by laundering the fraudulent proceeds and deploying a range of tactics to circumvent anti-money laundering controls to transfer funds into cryptocurrency and shell companies located abroad. The arrests announced today also include a banker who facilitated the money laundering of fraud proceeds on behalf of the organization through a U.S.-based bank.

The Health Care Fraud Unit’s Data Analytics Team and its partners detected the anomalous billing through proactive data analytics, and HHS-OIG and CMS successfully prevented the organization from receiving all but approximately $41 million of the approximately $4.45 billion that was scheduled to be paid by Medicare. HHS and CMS intend to seek to return the $4.41 billion in escrow to the Medicare trust fund for needed medical care.&nbsp;The scheme nonetheless resulted in payments of approximately $900 million from Medicare supplemental insurers. To date, law enforcement has seized approximately $27.7 million in fraud proceeds as part of Operation Gold Rush.

In another action involving foreign influence, charges were filed in the Northern District of Illinois against five defendants, including two owners and executives of Pakistani marketing organizations, in connection with a $703 million scheme in which Medicare beneficiaries’ identification numbers and other confidential health information were allegedly obtained through theft and deceptive marketing. The defendants allegedly used artificial intelligence to create fake recordings of Medicare beneficiaries purportedly consenting to receive certain products. According to court documents, the beneficiaries’ confidential information was then illegally sold to laboratories and durable medical equipment companies, which used this unlawfully obtained and fraudulently generated data to submit false claims to Medicare. Certain defendants controlled dozens of nominee-owned durable medical equipment companies and laboratories that allegedly submitted fraudulent claims for products and services the beneficiaries did not request, need, or receive. Certain defendants also allegedly conspired to conceal and launder the fraud proceeds from bank accounts they controlled in the United States to bank accounts overseas. In total, the defendants caused approximately $703 million in alleged fraudulent claims to Medicare and Medicare Advantage plans, which paid approximately $418 million on those claims. The government seized approximately $44.7 million from various bank accounts related to this case.

Finally, a defendant based in Pakistan and the United Arab Emirates who owned a billing company allegedly orchestrated a scheme to prey upon vulnerable individuals in need of addiction treatment by conspiring with treatment center owners to fraudulently bill Arizona Medicaid approximately $650 million for substance abuse treatment services. According to court documents, some of the services billed were never provided, while other services were provided at a level that was so substandard that it failed to serve any treatment purpose. As part of the conspiracy, treatment center owners allegedly paid illegal kickbacks in exchange for the referral of patients recruited from the homeless population and Native American reservations. The defendant received at least $25 million of ill-gotten Arizona Medicaid funds as a result of the conspiracy and is charged with a money laundering offense for his alleged use of those funds to purchase a $2.9 million home located on a golf estate in Dubai.

Charges were filed in the District of Arizona and the District of Nevada against seven defendants, including five medical professionals, in connection with approximately $1.1 billion in fraudulent claims to Medicare and other health care benefit programs for amniotic wound allografts. As alleged, certain defendants targeted vulnerable elderly patients, many of whom were receiving hospice care, and applied medically unnecessary amniotic allografts to these patients’ wounds. Many of the allografts allegedly were applied without coordination with the patients’ treating physicians, without proper treatment for infection, to superficial wounds that did not need this treatment, and to areas that far exceeded the size of the wound. Certain defendants allegedly received millions in illegal kickbacks from the fraudulent billing scheme.

“Today's unprecedented enforcement action demonstrates that CMS and our federal partners are united in our mission to protect the integrity of Medicare and Medicaid by crushing waste, fraud, and abuse," said CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz. "Every dollar we prevent from going to fraudsters is a dollar that stays in the system to serve legitimate beneficiaries. Through advanced data analytics, real-time monitoring, and swift administrative action, CMS is leading the fight to protect Medicare, Medicaid, and the trust Americans place in these vital programs. We're not waiting for fraud to happen—we're stopping it before it starts."

74 defendants, including 44 licensed medical professionals, were charged across 58 cases in connection with the alleged illegal diversion of over 15 million pills of prescription opioids and other controlled substances. For example, five defendants associated with one Texas pharmacy were charged with the unlawful distribution of over 3 million opioid pills. As alleged, the defendants conspired to distribute massive quantities of oxycodone, hydrocodone, and carisoprodol, which were subsequently trafficked by street-level drug dealers, generating large profits for the defendants. This coordinated action is a continuation of the Health Care Fraud Unit’s systematic approach to stopping drug trafficking organizations and their pharmaceutical wholesale suppliers, which together have fueled an epidemic of prescription opioid abuse for nearly a decade.

DEA also announced today that in the last six months, DEA charged 93 administrative cases seeking the revocation of pharmacies, medical practitioners, and companies authority to handle and/or prescribe controlled substances.

“Health care fraud isn’t just theft — it’s trafficking in trust. Today’s announcement shows that when doctors become drug dealers and treatment centers become profit-driven fraud rings, DEA will act,” said Acting Administrator Robert Murphy of the DEA. “We’re targeting the entire ecosystem of fraud — from pill mills in Texas to kickback clinics exploiting Native communities. If you abuse your medical license to push poison or pad your pockets, we will hold you accountable.”

In today’s Takedown, 49 defendants were charged in connection with the submission of over $1.17 billion in allegedly fraudulent claims to Medicare resulting from telemedicine and genetic testing fraud schemes. For example, in the Southern District of Florida, prosecutors charged an owner of telemedicine and durable medical equipment companies with a $46 million scheme in which Medicare beneficiaries were allegedly targeted through deceptive telemarketing campaigns and then fraudulent claims were submitted to Medicare for durable medical equipment and genetic tests for these beneficiaries. The Department continues to focus on eliminating health care fraud schemes that depend on telemedicine, including schemes involving fraudulent claims for genetic testing, durable medical equipment, and COVID-19 tests.

The other cases announced today charge an additional 170 defendants with various other health care fraud schemes involving over $1.84 billion in allegedly false and fraudulent claims to Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurance companies for diagnostic testing, medical visits, and treatments that were medically unnecessary, provided in connection with kickbacks and bribes, or never provided at all. For example, in the Western District of Tennessee, prosecutors charged three defendants, including business owners and a pharmacist, with a $28.7 million scheme to defraud the Federal Employees’ Compensation Fund by allegedly billing for medications for injured United States Postal Service employees that were never prescribed by a licensed practitioner and largely were not dispensed as claimed. And in the Western District of Washington and the Northern District of California, prosecutors charged medical providers with allegedly stealing fentanyl and hydrocodone, respectively, that was meant for the providers’ patients, including child patients in need of anesthesia.

“VA’s Integrated Veteran Care Programs provide critical community-based health care to our nation’s disabled veterans and their dependents,” said Acting Inspector General David Case of the Department of Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General (VA-OIG). “Robust oversight of VA’s health care system is one of VA-OIG’s highest priorities. VA-OIG is committed to holding accountable those who defraud government benefits programs intended to care for our nation’s heroes.”

Breaking Down Silos in the Fight Against Health Care Fraud

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