Author: Brandon Peoples

The Geary County School Board Monday voted to make masks optional for students, staff and visitors of its schools not on Fort Riley, effective Tuesday. The schools on post will continue to adhere to the federal mask policy. The district’s Test to Stay Program also is being suspended. The district will only test students and staff for COVID-19 upon request. Those who test positive will not be allowed to to return to school or work for a minimum of five days (longer if they do not have lessening symptoms) and are encouraged to wear a mask for five days or…

Firefighters were busy this weekend battling multiple wildfires across the region Saturday. Just north of Manhattan, Riley County Fire District No. 1 crews worked to contain a grass fire that scorched a little over 40 acres in the 6400 block of North 52nd Street near Tuttle Creek Blvd. According to Deputy Fire Chief John Martens the fire was started by someone using a homemade potato-launching gun. More than 20 volunteer firefighters helped contain the fire. No buildings were burned, but investigators said the siding on one outbuilding melted as a result of the flames. In Pottawatomie County, crews closed Hwy…

Kimball Avenue in Manhattan will have another major closure impacting traffic. Starting Monday, a section of Kimball Ave, almost directly in front of Bill Snyder Family Stadium, will be closed to thru traffic as crews widen the roadway, install sidewalks, and do a full reconstruct of the street and storm drainage system. City Manager Ron Fehr… City Manager Ron Fehr says the project is the latest step for Ebert Construction in the ongoing North Campus Corridor improvements. Fehr says by doing this, Ebert expects to streamline construction and have the roadway reopened in time for the football season. The closure…

The City of Manhattan has a new Assistant City Manager. Jared Wasinger, who previously served as Assistant to the City Manager was officially promoted recently, according to a release from the City. He fills the vacant position left by Dennis Marstall, who left for a position out of state in August. Wasinger, a Hays native, has been employed with Manhattan since 2015 working as an intern both for Human Resources and the City Manager’s office and was hired full time in 2016. He has a Master’s Degree from Kansas State University in Public Administration. Kristen Dolf has been promoted to…

History was made this week in the 1st Infantry Division as the US Army announced the promotion of the first female Deputy Commanding General (Support). The assignment of Brigadier General Niave Knell was announced Monday by the Chief of Staff of the Army. Brig. Gen. Knell currently serves at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri as Commandant of the U.S. Army Military Police School, U.S. Army Maneuver Support Center of Excellence. She previously served as Chief of Staff for the U.S. Army North, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas. Knell is a native of Milford, Massachusetts and has had a 30 year career…

A suspect has been arrested in connection to a February 2020 shooting near Aggieville. The Riley County Police Department said Thursday that 30-year-old Travell Hairston, of Sacramento, California has been charged with attempted first-degree murder. Hairston was already jailed on charges of domestic battery and failure to appear, stemming from a January 9th arrest. RCPD says investigators found an unoccupied car in the 1100 block of Laramie Street early on Feb. 8, 2020, that had been shot at. Further investigation led to information that Hairston allegedly fired several rounds at a 27-year-old male victim. Hairston also is tied to a…

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…