Author: Brandon Peoples

Long time Wamego Police Chief Mike Baker is out of a job. An emailed statement from City Manager Stacie Eichem Wednesday says Baker’s employment with the city ended Wednesday, more than a week after he was suspended, for reasons that are still unclear. Eichem wrote “The City of Wamego would like to thank Mike Baker for his service to Wamego and its Citizens. We wish him well in the future.” Deputy Police Chief Paul Schliffke has been named as interim Chief until a permanent replacement is named. The Wamego Times reported that Baker spoke during public comment at Tuesday’s commission…

The Riley County Law Board has approved a $1.9 million increase to the RCPD budget for 2023, an increase of about 8.5 percent. The increase, approved by a 6 to 1 measure Tuesday, more than doubles the 3.5 percent increase approved for 2022. It includes over $1 million in additional funds aimed at making RCPD more competitive in recruiting and retaining officers. The total overall budget now pushes to just slightly over $25 million. “It costs money to do it right. Frankly it can cost more to not do it right, whether it’s somebody getting hurt because we didn’t have…

Riley County offices will have no access to internet services Wednesday as Cox Communications performs some planned network maintenance. This will impact internet and email services for all Riley County offices and employees. Phone lines will still be available, but staff will not be able to respond to email messages or access online databases. The Riley County website will remain active. Non-emergency services, such as the Riley County Courts, will reschedule any Zoom hearings planned for today. The Riley County Treasurer’s Office will not offer motor vehicle services, such as registration and tag renewal and those with appointments have been…

Early Wednesday morning storms are being blamed for a pair of house fires in Manhattan’s Northview area. The Manhattan Fire Department was called out to 2300 Blueberry Drive around 1:30 a.m. and found smoke showing from the home’s attic. Crews were then alerted by the homeowner that smoke was coming from the house next door at 2304 Blueberry Drive, which also had an attic fire. The fires reached a combined second alarm and were contained in under an hour. The Riley County Fire Department provided an air trailer and personnel to fill air bottles, and also backfilled one of the…

One person was injured Thursday following another serious crash at the intersection of Highway 24 and Flush Road. The Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office says a van was southbound on Flush Road shortly after 1 p.m., attempting to cross the eastbound lanes of Highway 24. As it was doing so, the van was struck by an eastbound truck pulling a car trailer. The van driver was injured and transported by Lifestar to a Topeka hospital with serious injuries. The driver of the truck was not injured. Their names were not released. The Sheriff’s Office says neither driver was wearing their seat…

As storm damage assessments continue in Riley County, loss at the Public Works shops is now estimated at $2.7 million. A release from the county Tuesday stated an outbuilding that sheltered vehicles and equipment for the Noxious Weed Division sustained the most damage. Seven large garage doors on the Fleet Maintenance Shop were also significantly damaged, with losses totaling an estimated $451,000. Several downed power lines caused the main entrance driveway to be closed temporarily, but that has since been cleared and the public can now access offices from Tuttle Creek Blvd. Most operations were expected to be back to…

Pottawatomie County employees will get a slight mid-year pay increase following commission action Monday morning in Westmoreland. Commissioners unanimously settled on a 3.5 percent increase, effective July 1 to help assist employees struggling to stay afloat amid rising inflation. The increase was agreed upon after an initial proposal Monday from County Administrator Chad Kinsley, seeking a 10 percent pay increase for employees, rivaling a 10.5 percent increase Riley County approved last month. Kinsley was critical that commissioners have focused too much attention on having the state’s second-lowest mill levy at 28.647. Commission Chair Pat Weixelman took offense to Kinsley’s comments.…

Local officials will soon be considering annexation of a portion of the Green Valley area into Manhattan as part of the Scorpion Biological Systems development planned near Hwy 24 and Excel Road. Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce Economic Development Director Daryn Soldan presented a timeline that includes the City of Manhattan planning to consider a resolution at its June 21 meeting. Commission Chair Pat Weixelman asserted that Pottawatomie County won’t be railroaded into agreeing to any annexation decision without some information that spells out revenue projections. Assuming the City of Manhattan passes its resolution next week, Pottawatomie County will have…

Wamego Police Chief Michael Baker has been suspended, for reasons that are currently unclear. KMAN received an anonymous news tip Tuesday stating that Baker had been suspended with no reason given. We reached out via email to CIty Manager Stacie Eichem for comment. She responded saying “It is the policy of the City of Wamego not to comment on personnel matters.  The requested information involves an internal personnel matter and therefore, I am not at liberty to respond.” Pottawatomie County Attorney Sherri Schuck informed KMAN she too was inquiring about the matter and had no knowledge beyond that. It is…

The National Weather Service has confirmed that Saturday’s damage from the Spillway area was part of an EF-1 tornado that began 3 miles east of Olsburg on an 11 mile path toward the southeast side of Tuttle Creek Lake. The tornado was on the ground for about 13 minutes and had estimated peak winds at 99 mph with a 30 yard max width. The winds from that storm impacted the River Pond campground area and uprooted trees throughout Tuttle Creek State Park. The National Weather Service has also confirmed three additional EF-1 tornadoes occurred within Saturday’s severe storm system, all…