Author: Brandon Peoples

Authorities are searching for a Washington County man, missing since Saturday. According to the Sheriff’s Office, 44-year-old Ben Berger was last seen leaving the Marysville Walmart Saturday afternoon heading eastbound on US Highway 36 in a red Nissan Xterra. He has not been in contact with family or friends. Berger is a white male, about 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing about 230 pounds. He is bald and has hazel eyes. Anyone with information regarding Berger’s disappearance or his known whereabouts should contact the Washington County Sheriff’s Office at 785-325-2293 or the Kansas Bureau of Investigation at 785-296-4017.

With Fake Patty’s Day just around the corner, local leaders are pushing a message of safety and encouraging those who partake in the annual unofficial drinking holiday to be mindful of city code. Over the past week, RCPD has put out a series of messages via social media reminding the public of city codes related to minor in possession, hosting minors, unlawful assembly and criminal trespass. At Tuesday’s monthly Law Board meeting, Mayor Wynn Butler noted many online had been misinterpreting the social media posts as a way for local officials to squash Fake Patty’s Day. Aggieville Business Association Director Dennis…

Six weeks after the Riley County USD 378 school board suspended its superintendent, the board moved Tuesday to fire Cliff Williams on a 4-2 vote.  Board President Samantha Brown says a majority of the board felt Williams’ contract exceeded Kansas statute 72-1134 which states “a school board shall appoint a superintendent for a term of not more than three years.” Williams received an extension to his three year contract in December prior to the board turning over, on a 5-0 vote.  Two of the current board members, Brown and James Greer, did not attend the December meeting and two new…

Fort Riley officials say a soldier was shot in his home on post Monday. The incident was reported on the 1st Infantry Division Facebook page Tuesday evening. They say a suspect was apprehended shortly after the incident and there was no threat to the greater Fort Riley community. Names of those involved were not provided. Federal authorities are said to be actively investigating. This is a developing story. Further details are pending from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach has confirmed a Florida man was arrested last week for forging signatures on petitions to make “No Labels” an officially recognized political party in Kansas. The attorney general’s office said 30-year-old George Andrews, of Dade City, Florida, is charged with dozens of counts of election misconduct. Pending extradition, Andrews will appear in Johnson County District Court . In a statement, Kobach said “the arrested individual was part of a scheme to defraud Kansas voters by placing their forged signatures on petitions. In Kansas, we take election fraud seriously, and we will prosecute every case where…

Statues showcasing the rich history of the Douglass Community Center and the Douglass Center Annex in Manhattan were officially unveiled to the public Tuesday morning. “Today we celebrate black history on Yuma Street. That is monumental today in the city of Manhattan,” said Dave Baker, former Douglass Center Director. Four years ago, Baker approached city officials wanting to do something within the historic district to highlight the important role the two buildings played in shaping Manhattan’s black culture and community in the 20th century. “These statues will always tell that story. If you didn’t grow up here or live here,…

Lighting may become a challenge over the next few days in Downtown Manhattan as a road construction project gets underway there next week. City officials say Evergy on Monday began removing light poles in a section of Houston Street between 3rd and 4th Street. This is being done in conjunction with Houston Street infrastructure improvements to coincide with the new Museum of Art and Light, which is currently under construction. City Engineer Brian Johnson explains. Once completed, the 4th and Houston intersection will closely resemble the intersection of 4th and Poyntz. The project will begin Feb. 26 and will continue…

Another special school board meeting is scheduled Tuesday night for Riley County USD 378 schools. (See agenda below) Meetings have become a weekly norm lately in Riley County Schools, as the board, which has been tight lipped regarding the future of suspended Superintendent Cliff Williams, plans to enter an executive session to discuss contracts and personnel matters. The meeting comes just two weeks after a majority of the board moved to start negotiations between its hired counsel, the Hoover Law Firm of Junction City and Mr. Williams. Four of the board members have consistently voted to keep Williams suspended since…

The Manhattan City Commission will vote on a pair of amendments to contracts related to construction in Aggieville when they meet Tuesday. (See below agenda attachment) Two years ago the city entered into a design contract with Olsson and a Construction Manager at Risk contract with BHS for 12th Street infrastructure improvements between Moro and Laramie Street, and Laramie from 12th Street to North Manhattan Avenue. The project was paused when the Midtown construction project was stopped last spring. The city had paid close to $128,000 of its $567,000 owed to Olsson as of June, but with new agreements on…

One person is dead following a crash Monday morning on K-99, south of Wamego. A Kansas Highway Patrol dispatcher confirmed to KMAN that the single vehicle crash occurred shortly before 6 a.m., just south of the I-70 junction near Alma. According to the crash report, 51-year-old Jerry Anstey, of Alma, was northbound on K-99 when his Ford Focus left the roadway, re-entered the roadway and spun, striking an embankment on the passenger side, before overturning. Anstey, who was not restrained, was ejected from the vehicle and was pronounced dead at the scene.