Author: Brandon Peoples

Riley and Pottawatomie County residents with last names beginning with E, F and G are reminded that Friday is the last day to renew vehicle registration tags. That’s because Monday, the last day of the month, is Memorial Day and all county offices, as well as financial and other government institutions are closed. The next Riley County Commission meeting is June 3. The next Pottawatomie County Commission meeting is June 7.

Formal charges are pending against a former Manhattan Parks & Recreation employee arrested last week in Pottawatomie County on charges of sexual exploitation of a child. Zachariah Bayless turned himself in to the Pottawatomie County Jail in Westmoreland May 21. Sheriff Shane Jager says the alleged crimes occurred between December 2020 and May 2021. Pottawatomie County Attorney Sherri Schuck tells KMAN she expects to file formal charges sometime next week. According to Schuck, there was no evidence presented to her that indicated Bayless solicited minors through his employer, nor through his wife’s employer, USD 383. Bayless is scheduled to make…

Details from Wednesday night’s domestic disturbance at The Links apartments in north Manhattan have been released. Riley County Police made two arrests, including one for criminal trespass after 22-year-old Mariah Garcia reportedly violated an October court order. She was also charged with domestic battery. Court documents show Garcia had a warrant out for her arrest. Police also arrested 28-year-old Dietrich Duncan for a single count of domestic battery. Garcia’s bond was set at $1,500. Duncan’s bond was $1,000. Neither were confined as of Thursday morning’s arrest report. No other details have been released. 6 a.m. Thursday Riley County Police made…

The Wamego school board has hired Greg Mann as its interim superintendent for the 2021-22 school year. The board approved the hire Tuesday during a special meeting in a 7-0 vote. Mann’s first day with the district will be June 14 with a salary of $115,000 and the district will pick up the KPERS penalty. The board also interviewed former El Dorado superintendent Thomas Biggs Tuesday, prior to making the hire. Mann will succeed Tim Winter, who resigned May 10. His contract is up at the end of July and he’ll remain with the district as a middle school teacher.…

In its weekly report Wednesday, Riley County health officials identified 27 new positive coronavirus cases and 17 additional recoveries. While the percent positive for the week of May 16 was 3.1 percent, that was due to 30 percent fewer COVID tests being performed. Ascension Via Christi is caring for one COVID positive patient. Fewer than 700 COVID tests were performed last week and free testing will commence at the former Holiday Inn on Tuttle Creek Blvd. this Friday. The health department says 20,738 Riley County residents are now fully vaccinated, while another 1,343 have received their first dose.

Manhattan city commissioner Wynn Butler has filed for re-election. Butler, who is currently serving as Mayor, was first elected to the commission in April 2011. He retired from the Army in 1997 and spent two decades as an administrator and faculty member at Barton County Community College Fort Riley Campus and serves as an Associate Dean of the campus and Executive Director of Distance Learning. Butler joins fellow commissioners Aaron Estabrook and Usha Reddi as candidates for the upcoming election. Challengers include Kaleb James and Monica Macfarlane. The filing deadline is June 1.

A Manhattan woman was arrested Tuesday on several charges after police say she damaged property and injured another woman. According to RCPD’s activity report, 31-year-old Makia Harris allegedly hit a 39-year-old female with a baseball bat causing minor injuries to the victim’s hand as well as her head. Harris also allegedly smashed the car windshield and rear window of a vehicle belonging to a 35-year-old male victim. Damage is estimated at $1,300. Harris was charged with aggravated battery, criminal damage to property, four separate counts of possession and two counts of possessing drug paraphernalia. Bond was set at $22,000. Harris…

Severe weather is a possibility this evening and overnight for much of north central and northeast Kansas. The Storm Prediction Center has placed the Manhattan area in an enhanced (level 3) risk for severe storms tonight, starting after dark. Brief tornadoes are possible, along with damaging winds, large hail and flash flooding. The National Weather Service has already issued a Flash Flood Watch for the Manhattan area with the forecast of 1 to 3 inches of rain possible with these storms. Portions of northwest Kansas are listed in a moderate (level 4) risk.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has issued a boil water advisory for a portion of southwest Manhattan’s public water supply until further notice. The area of town under the advisory includes a northern boundary from Wildcat Creek at Seth Child Road near the RCPD headquarters and Poyntz Avenue at Delaware, two blocks east of Manhattan High School — to a southern boundary at Stagg Hill Road and Rosencutter near the Asian Market. It also includes from east to west — South Delaware Road to EJ Frick Drive at Amherst Avenue (near Warner Park), as well as Tamarak and…

Wamego High School is in the market for a new principal. Kale Katt, who was hired by the district nearly two years ago announced his resignation. The board plans to consider his resignation at a special meeting Tuesday night, two weeks after the board voted 5-2 to extend Katt’s contract by one year. Board members Cory Meyer and Bruce Coleman opposed. Board President Claudia McAlister, in an email to KMAN said Katt has taken a principal job with USD 333 Concordia Public Schools. It’s the latest in a string of leadership changes in the district. USD 320 Superintendent Tim Winter…