In 2015 Riley county was able to proudly hold the title of “healthiest county in Kansas,” unfortunately, that is no longer the case. A March study by the Kansas Health Institute ranked the county 14th in overall health. Jenna Fiscus, Health Educator with the Riley County Health Department, shared the numbers at Monday’s Riley County Commission Meeting. Fiscus said the county may have not deteriorated in actual health, but other counties may have gotten better.

Riley county has some positive statistics to note, such as falling below the state average on obesity rates and infant mortality. Unfortunately, Riley county also climbs above the average on issues such as alcohol abuse and impoverished and overcrowded housing. Fiscus said these issues may be connected with the college population.

The commission also heard reports from RCPD Captain Josh Kyle, who reported positive numbers about decreasing crime rates, and Gina Scroggs with Downtown Manhattan.