Author: Brandon Peoples

Members of the Geary County USD 475 school board appear to have two sites in mind for a proposed early childhood development center. The idea is being proposed to help make the district more appealing to service members at Fort Riley and help grow the district’s reach. Having narrowed its options from 11 potential sites, board members on Monday debated the idea of constructing a facility on the former Junction City High School property versus building a new facility north of the new Junction City High School, on the city’s western edge.  USD 475 Construction Program Manager David Wild… Building…

For a second straight week, new COVID-19 infections in Riley County totaled 18, keeping the county in the moderate incidence category, with a score of 24.2 per 100,000 people. The figures don’t factor in at-home test results. Hospitalizations continue to be very low, with Ascension Via Christi reporting just one hospitalization on its medical floor, a week after having no patients in its care. Health officials have noted one additional COVID-related death, involving a 57-year-old unvaccinated woman who tested positive on Sept. 23 and died the same day. Her death is the 97th COVID-related death in Riley County since the…

A Junction City man was arrested Tuesday after reportedly leaving the scene of a crash on Skyway Drive. Riley County Police say 38-year-old David Lingle II was located in the 2600 block of Eureka Terrace following the Tuesday crash. Officers located Lingle’s 2015 sport utility vehicle had ramped off the road and flipped into the ditch. A witness reported seeing him run away from the scene. He’s charged with interference with law enforcement, driving while suspended and leaving the scene of an accident. Lingle was no longer jailed as of Wednesday, having posted his $1,000 bond.

Riley County Police responded to several incidents, including a pair of crashes over the weekend that required trips to the hospital for some. Among them was a rollover crash Saturday afternoon, near Tuttle Creek Blvd and Stockdale Park Road. Officers located 27-year-old Charlotte Velazquez, of Milford, inside her passenger car, which had struck a sign and rolled. She was transported to Via Christi for treatment of neck pain. Elsewhere on Friday, officers noted a motorcycle crash near 10th and Bluemont, involving 30-year-old Adam Rieger, of Manhattan, who was transported for a dislocated shoulder and broken arm. Other notable incidents from the…

A Fort Riley soldier accused of shooting and killing a fellow soldier in Aggieville appeared in court Friday for a preliminary hearing. Morning testimony included members of RCPD who were on scene Feb. 5, the night 19-year-old Tremelle Montgomery is accused of murdering 21-year-old Joshua Wardi. Montgomery is charged with one count of first-degree murder and three counts of attempted first-degree murder. Officers testified working in the Aggieville police substation when they heard approximately five gunshots and immediately responded, locating Wardi’s body and witnessing an armed-Montgomery running from the scene. Officer Wesley Olmer testified that he shot at Montgomery, striking…

Authorities say one person is in custody following a weekend homicide in Junction City. Police were dispatched around 2 a.m. Sunday to the 900 block of North Washington Street for reports of shots fired. Upon arrival, a shooting victim, identified as 38-year-old Justin Rose, of Junction City, was found suffering from a gunshot wound. He was transported to Geary Community Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Later in the day, police developed a suspect, 34-year-old Joshua Sturgis, of Junction City, who was arrested over 350 miles away in St. Charles County, Missouri. Sturgis is charged with 2nd degree murder and two counts…

Fire officials say a Manhattan mobile home was destroyed by fire Friday night. The Manhattan Fire Department was dispatched to Redbud Estates Mobile Home Park, at 2500 Farm Bureau Road, shortly after 8:30 p.m. Friday for the report of a structure fire at Lot 45. Crews noted there was heavy fire showing from the single-wide home and within 10 minutes, officials had searched the home and extinguished the fire. The mobile home was unoccupied and under renovation at the time of the fire. Loss is estimated at around $35,000, including content and structural damage. The cause of the fire remains…

A pair from Manhattan are jailed on a host of drug-related charges, following an arrest Thursday afternoon near 14th and Pierre Street. The Riley County Police Department says 38-year-old Benigno Aquino Jr. and 18-year-old Neassa Thomas were arrested after a traffic infraction. Police found meth and drug paraphernalia in their car. Both were charged with possession of meth, possession of meth with intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Aquino additionally was charged with criminal possession of a weapon. Bond for Aquino was listed at $41,000. Thomas remains jailed on a $25,000 bond.

Preliminary enrollment numbers released by the Kansas Board of Regents Thursday showed a 2.5 percent overall decrease at Kansas State University. Total enrollment is 19,722 for the fall semester, down 507 students from the previous year’s mark of 20,229. It marks the first time since 1988 that enrollment has dipped below 20,000. It’s the eighth year of declines at K-State since enrollment peaked at 24,766 in 2014, representing an over 20 percent decrease over that period. (Historical K-State enrollment data from 1863 to 2021 are shared below.) Earlier this week, at the Intergovernmental Luncheon, K-State President Richard Linton noted the…

Riley County COVID numbers continue to improve, with state health officials lowering the weekly incidence rate to a moderate level Wednesday. According to data provided by the Riley County Health Department Wednesday, 18 new COVID-19 cases were recorded the week of Sept. 17 through Sept. 23. That lowered the incidence rate per 100,000 people to 24.2. For the second straight week, Ascension Via Christi reported no COVID-19 patients in the hospital. Health officials say an 86-year-old fully–vaccinated woman, who died Sept. 2, became the 96th COVID-related death in Riley County. COVID-19 vaccines continue to be administered along with boosters at…