Author: AJ Shaw

Junction City said goodbye to its longtime city manager Allen Dinkel on Wednesday in a retirement reception at the Municipal Building in Junction City. Dinkel, who has served 35 years in local government and the last 10 in Junction City said he doesn’t have any concrete plans at this time during retirement, but he hopes to spend most of it with family. “I’m an auctioneer off to the side, so I’m planning on doing more of that off to the side,” he said. “I wouldn’t be surprised though if I step into an interim position in the county government down…

A Manhattan man was arrested on Wednesday night for trying to traffic contraband into a correction or care facility. Latorris Franklin, 45, was arrested just after 9:45 p.m. in the 2400 block of Hobbs Drive on probable cause charges. Franklin is charged with one count of trafficking contraband into a corrections or care facility, one count of domestic battery and one count of a possession of stimulant. Franklin was booked into Riley County Jail and remains confined on a bond of $12,000.

The list of the four finalists for the position of Manhattan City Manager have been released to the public and they’re coming to Manhattan to meet with the public and commissioners next week. “We’re very excited to introduce the candidates to the public,” said Manhattan mayor Susan Adamchak. “We had nearly 50 candidates apply from around 21 to 23 states and we had around 9 candidates from Kansas and it turns out around 3 to 4 of our finalists have ties to Kansas.” The finalists are Jacob J. Wood of Salina, Jaime Miller of Paris, Kentucky, Jason Gage of Springield,…

A Manhattan man remains jailed following his arrest for making criminal threats over the phone. 29-year-old Larry Wilms Jr. was arrested just after 10 p.m. in the 4700 block of Observation Point Drive on 13 counts of making a criminal threat by causing either terror, evacuation or disruption. Wilms is also charged with two counts of harassing by a telecom device by transmitting a comment, image or text to abuse, threaten or harass and two counts of stalking. He remains jailed in Riley County after his arrest on custody probable cause charges on a bond of $45,000.

All eyes will be on Junction City this afternoon as officials and residents will say goodbye to city manager Allen Dinkel. Dinkel, who has spent over 35 years in city government and most of the last 10 in Junction City, announced his retirement back in April. He spoke more about his career in an interview with KMAN earlier this year. “I’m very proud of my career,” he said. “It has always been a interesting role to be as city manager. I always joke that I got into local government by accident 35 years ago and I’m still here. But it’s…

Geary County Sheriff’s Deputies responded to a motorcycle accident on Monday morning on K-57. Deputies responded just after 8:45 a.m. to find Drake Guillory of Junction City injured after crashes his 1999 Yamaha motorcycle. Guillory reportedly was traveling south near K-57 mile marker 4 when he attempted to negotiate a curve. Guillory then lost control of the motorcycle and crashed. Guillory was transported to Stormont Vail for his injuries. His status is unknown at this time.

A Manhattan man is out on bond following his arrest on Monday night for aggravated burglary. 49-year-old Brian Dowling was arrested in the 1400 block of Meadow Lane by Riley County Police just before 8 p.m. He is charged with one count of aggravated burglary by dwelling for felony, theft, domestic violence or sex, two counts of possession of a stimulant and one count of violating a protection order which was a condition of pre-trial orders. Dowling was booked into Riley County Jail and was later released after posting a $30,000 bond.

An architect presented plans Monday for a proposed $24-million expansion of the Riley County Law Enforcement Center. The proposal includes new administration and corrections wings, as well as renovations to the existing building and added security. The Riley County Law Enforcement Agency Board heard from Derrick Baker of Baker McMillan Architects. The firm was hired to address crowding in the jail and to provide more program space for inmates, including a library and chapel. The plans also call for a shaded break area to help officers’ mental health. “Speaking back to that aspect of wellbeing,” Baker said, “giving our officers…

A familiar face is running once more for the Pottawatomie County Commission. Nancy McCarter, the former county clerk, is running in the 2nd district on the commission. McCarter previously ran in the district back in 2020 against current commissioner Pat Weixelman. “I’ve been in the county for 50 years,” she said. “I want to keep it as a great place to live and with the expansion of the commission to now five county commissioners, I felt like I was a good candidate because of my experience and knowledge of local government.” McCarter also addressed what she will focus on if…

RCPD conducted an arrest of individual who remain confined in the Riley County Jail as of Monday morning. Officers arrested 29-year-old John Short of Manhattan just before 2 a.m. on probable cause offenses for two counts of criminal damage to property and one count of attempted criminal damage to property. The arrest stemmed from a criminal report filed by officers just after midnight for felony criminal destruction to property of Radina’s Coffeehouse in the 600 block of Manhattan Avenue. Short remains jailed on a $5,000.