Author: Brandon Peoples

St. George officials are planning to submit an application to KDOT for a cost-share program to improve the deteriorating Chapman Road, which connects Military Trail to Vineyard Road and links the city to Hwy 24 on the east side. City council member Debby Werth and an engineer with BG Consultants approached Pottawatomie County commissioners this week for their support. The grant they are seeking could fund up to 85 percent of improvements along Chapman from Military Trail north to the entrance of an existing subdivision. “I think it’s really becoming a major thoroughfare out of St. George, because of the…

Three high school seniors, including two from the Manhattan area have been awarded Kansas State University’s Presidential Scholarship, the largest scholarship award in the state. Manhattan High senior Ibrahim Ciftci, Wamego High senior Margaret Benson and Madison Von Minden, of Chesterfield, Missouri earned the prestigious award, worth $20,000 per year and $80,000 over four years. Benson is also the recipient of the Vanier Family Business Administration Best of Kansas Presidential Scholarship. The latter is awarded to students choosing a major offered by the College of Business Administration. The award seeks to recognize students with outstanding academic and leadership skills. Winners…

Sentencing hearings for the last of four men convicted in the 2019 murder of Tanner Zamecnik will take place Thursday in Riley County District Court. Richard Goens and Shamar Sutton will appear at 1 p.m. in front of Judge Grant Bannister. Goens was convicted at January trial on the charge of first-degree murder and five other counts including attempted aggravated robbery, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, criminal discharge of a firearm and marijuana possession. Sutton entered into a plea agreement on charges of second-degree murder, attempted aggravated robbery and aggravated battery. Sutton’s plea agreement is similar to Jaylon Hitsman, who in…

While not an official end to the pandemic, Riley County’s top public health official says it appears by all indicators, the COVID-19 situation locally is no longer a public health emergency. The latest health department data provided Wednesday, showed a 6.85 percent positive rate for the current two-week period. It’s a significant drop from the 16.6 percent rate the previous two weeks. According to new CDC metrics for communities, announced last week, Riley County’s community risk level is medium. In a release from the health department Wednesday, Local Health Officer Julie Gibbs stated a lot has been learned in the…

Riley County fire officials say a wildfire scorched over 700 acres of land near Carlson and Rosehill Road by Tuttle Creek Lake this past week. Crews from Riley County Fire District No. 1 were called out Sunday for reports of a large outdoor fire and worked until Monday evening to fully contain it. No structures were lost and no injuries were reported. The burned area was located near Swede Creek and the abandoned town of Cleburne. The cause of the fire is undetermined and officials says the burned land included both public and private property. In a release from the…

For the fourth year in a row, Fat Tuesday was celebrated by Pawnee Mental Health with pancakes. The organization put on its annual Pancakes for Pawnee event in a drive thru fashion outside Early Edition’s west location in the Candlewood Shopping Center. Executive Director Robbin Cole… “This is one of the events that we host every year that helps to cover the costs of really necessary mental health services and substance abuse treatment services for members of our community who don’t have the ability to pay for them,” she said. Nearly 200 pre-orders were submitted ahead of Tuesday’s event. Volunteers…

Kansas State University will no longer require face coverings indoors at its three campuses, effective Wednesday. In a release Tuesday, university officials stated they will still strongly encourage masking but won’t require them based on the updated guidance released last week by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The mask requirements continue for university shuttles due to US Department of Transportation policy. The CDC is using COVID-19 community levels to help communities determine what prevention steps are needed. Riley County, Saline County and Johnson County are all at medium risk levels, where face masks are not required. The university…

Pottawatomie County commissioners have agreed to cover a nearly $26,000 gap in funding to the St. Marys Fire Department, caused by a change up at the state level for assessed utilities. The result, which county officials say the state plans to correct in fiscal year 2023, led to a $6 million drop in valuations for properties around the Jeffrey Energy Center, in what is now the former Fire District No. 1. The county has an annual agreement with the city fire department to provide service to the rural area surrounding St. Marys. County Clerk Dawn Henry says the county received…

Fort Riley troops deployed to Europe are likely to be there for an extended period of time amid the Russian forces moving through Ukraine. According to military newspaper Stars and Stripes, the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team and the 1st Infantry Division is deployed in Poland, Romania and Latvia on a mission to deter Russian aggression in the region. Their 9-month tour, which had been slated to end within weeks, has ultimately been extended. No timeline for the extension has been announced, with Army officials saying it will only be for as long as they are needed. The Pentagon has…

An accidental fire at Meadowlark was quickly controlled by the Manhattan Fire Department over the weekend. Firefighters were dispatched Saturday afternoon to the retirement community for a report of a fire alarm with a smell of smoke. An investigation determined the smoke was coming from a dryer fire in the basement. The fire was controlled by the building’s sprinkler system and crews finished extinguishing the fire. Loss was estimated at approximately $12,000 in total to the structure and contents. No injuries were reported. The cause was listed as accidental due to overheating of material in the dryer.