Author: Brandon Peoples

Conditions have been much more favorable for controlled outdoor burning this week. Improved humidity levels at night and calmer winds during the day created longer windows for landowners to get in some prescribed burns this week, despite a lack of moisture to start the month. Deputy Chief Doug Russell, with Riley County Fire District No. 1, says they’re continuing to take a day-by-day approach to hopefully allow more windows for burning. “There’s potential for some pretty decent gusts on Sunday up to 25 miles per hour, but then next week, the potential for some breezy conditions Monday but then it mellows again with…

The Manhattan Parks and Recreation Advisory Board was presented Monday with a first look at where a new proposed indoor aquatics facility could be constructed. Representatives from the city’s consultant firm Vireo as well as some local architect groups, presented three design concepts for a reimagined City Park — all showing a proposed indoor aquatics center and adjacent outdoor pool on the north side of City Park along Fremont Street, near North Manhattan Avenue. The indoor facility would include a competition aquatics pool with spectator seating, a fitness center and a gymnasium, as well as community rooms and an indoor…

A Manhattan man is behind bars on a probation violation stemming from a past fraud incident. The Riley County Police Department says 26-year-old Auston Korszeniewski was arrested Wednesday on a warrant that included three total probation violations. The original charges are for two counts each of identity theft, unlawful possession of a controlled substance, flee and elude and single counts of possessing drug paraphernalia and theft. He remains jailed on a $150,000 bond.

Rewriting the rural narrative was the theme of the Focus on Building Rural Communities event, hosted by the Riley County Extension Office at the Sikes Venue in Leonardville Monday. University of Minnesota Extension Educator Benjamin Winchester says rural America isn’t dying, but rather going through a slow transformation. He says rural areas remain durable, noting a 2009 Pew Research Study that found 51% of Americans would prefer to live in rural areas. Winchester says while the population has decreased in many rural communities, the number of households has actually increased, even though the size of those households have gone down.…

Riley County Police are investigating a stabbing incident from last Friday that resulted in one arrest. Officers were dispatched to an apartment complex near 9th and Humboldt Street shortly after 6:30 p.m. finding a 34-year-old male victim was suffering from a stab wound. Police later arrested 45-year-old Henry Lee Morgan, of Manhattan. He faces a single charge of aggravated battery and remains jailed on a $100,000 bond. The victim was transported Ascension Via Christi, and later to a larger hospital for more acute care. Police say the investigation remains ongoing.

Deputy Manhattan City Manager Jason Hilgers will assume the role of interim city manager next month, upon the retirement of long-time City Manager Ron Fehr. City commissioners approved a contract agreement at Tuesday’s legislative meeting that will pay Hilgers his base salary plus 13%, while he maintains his current position and the interim role, which will begin on April 19 until a successor is selected. “Once the interim role is complete, I’ll return back to my role as deputy city manager,” Hilgers said following Tuesday’s meeting. Hilgers, who has worked with the City of Manhattan for 24 years says he…

Authorities are investigating a report of criminal damage to property in the northern edge of Riley County. According to the Riley County Police Department, a 39-year-old man reported Monday that someone damaged his 2003 John Deere tractor by plugging a coolant line to the air cooler with a rifle shell casing. The incident occurred in the 1200 block of Green-Randolph Road in Randolph. Police say damage associated with this incident is around $32,000. Anyone with information can contact Crime Stoppers.

A federal grand jury has indicted a Junction City couple of fraudulently obtaining disability benefits from the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Department of Justice announced Monday that 47-year-old James Bradford and 45-year-old Equanda Bradford, are each charged with single counts of conspiracy and theft of public money, property or records. James is a U.S. Army veteran. He and his wife are accused of providing false and fraudulent information to the VA about his caregiver needs and her care giving functions. All told, the pair received over $172,000 in disability compensation they were not entitled to, according to a news…

Two more board members have resigned from the Riley County USD 378 school board. Nathan Mead and Justin Ricketts announced their decisions to step down Monday. It’s the latest in a series of events that have transpired since early January when the new board suspended and later removed Superintendent Cliff Williams. Mead says in eight years on the board, only the last two months had he experienced the board commitments like hiring a law firm and a private investigator without board action first to contract those services. “This new board majority has made removing Mr. Williams their primary focus. In…

The Riley County Police Department updated information on an incident that occurred Sunday afternoon in the 1400 block of Flint Hills Place.