Author: Brandon Peoples

Former Manhattan area dentist and Navy veteran Dr. Pat Dreiling has died. He was 82. Dreiling died Monday in Kansas City, Missouri. He is survived by his wife Mary and their children. Born and raised in Junction City, Dreiling was always said to have a passion for helping people. It eventually led him to a career in dentistry. He obtained a doctorate and master’s degree from St. Louis University and was stationed in Vietnam with the 3rd Dental Company where he provided dental care for Vietnamese civilians and wounded troops. Following his honorable discharge, Dreiling went to work at his…

Safety in schools is on the minds of parents everywhere, but getting kids to school safely is just as important. “We have missed our kids and we have been out of school since March and so our drivers and our monitors are just biting at the bit to get back in their seats,” said Andrea Adams, Director of USD 383 Transportation. Each year the district’s school bus fleet undergoes a safety inspection administered by the Kansas Highway Patrol. Adams says each of the buses checked out perfectly from that assessment earlier this month. In addition, Adams says each bus has…

Two days after it was ordered by the Riley County Health Department to close, O’Malley’s and O’Malley’s Alley officially reopened Monday. Riley County Health Officer Julie Gibbs said Monday the bar’s owner submitted a plan to reopen based on the criteria in Local Health Order No. 18. That plan was reviewed and approved. Gibbs says she hopes the incident serves as a learning opportunity for all bar and restaurant owners. “We’ve been getting complaints for a couple weeks and so we decided to really look at that area and determine if something did need to be done,” she said. Gibbs…

Riley County reported 41 new positive COVID-19 cases Monday and just one recovery since Friday’s report. There are now 225 active cases and 376 that are now listed as recovered. Ascension Via Christi Hospital is caring for one positive patient. The Riley County Health Department says more than 6,200 coronavirus tests have now been administered since March. Of the 478 tests administered last week at Vineyard Community Church, the health department says 18 people tested positive, though not all were Riley County residents. The percent positive rate for the past week was 11.67 percent, concluded from 99 positive tests from…

Kansas State University and the KSU Foundation have announced a name change for the developing area on the north side of campus where the National Bio and Agro Defense Facility is under construction. Formerly known as the North Campus Corridor, university officials Monday announced the area will now be called The Edge Collaboration District at K-State. The renaming relects a strategic move beyond a geographical name to encompass a growing community of diversified corporate, technical and research partners. More than a dozen industry partners and six academic colleges are housed within The Edge, with more anticipated. So far about $2 billion…

Kansas State University on Monday began conducting voluntary surveillance testing of students living in residence halls and Jardine Apartments for asymptomatic individuals. The university has expanded its COVID-19 testing capacity at Lafene Health Center to include asymptomatic testing of faculty and staff as needed. The university already has the capability to test those individuals with symptoms. Goals of the voluntary surveillance testing on campus will help provide a better sense of the virus’s prevalence on campus and help mitigate the spread of the virus among asymptomatic but COVID-19 positive individuals. Student participation is not mandatory and is provided at no…

Some national dignitaries were in Manhattan Thursday to discuss the current state of agriculture and the livestock industry in particular. Kansas 1st District Congressman and U.S. Senate candidate Roger Marshall joined USDA Under Secretary Greg Ibach for a round table discussion with livestock producers at Manhattan Commission Company (8424 U.S. Hwy 24). The beef industry, which has been under constant pressure as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic is only now beginning to recover. Marshall says a lot of the help recently has come in the way of federal relief. “I continue working very hard on increasing our export markets…

Manhattan-Ogden school board members reviewed last minute details of the district’s reopening plan before school begins next week. Superintendent Marvin Wade used this time Wednesday to clear up confusion with the plan. Wade says the percent positive rate  in the county for cases is not the end all factor in forcing the switch to all distance learning. “That is not good for families, that is not good for staff. When we do go from one approach to another, we want to give at least a week’s notice and that does take into consideration things like that the numbers are updated…

Orange barrels have become part of the landscape in Manhattan this summer as Public Works officials continue work on several road construction projects. “We have had some full closures, just because of construction sequencing, some projects we had to completely close things,” said Rob Ott, Manhattan Public Works Director. Summer is typically the peak of construction season. That’s been aided this year by the pandemic, which has created less traffic overall in the city. A relatively dry summer compared to what was experienced in 2019, has also benefited construction crews. Around K-State, one project is nearing completion along North Manhattan…

A 22-year-old Manhattan woman is jailed after leading a drunken pursuit Wednesday and allegedly striking a Riley County Police Department patrol car. Katheryne Hager is charged with two counts of aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, driving under the influence, drug possession, criminal damage to property and fleeing or attempting to elude. Police say just after 11 p.m. Hager failed to stop for officers in the 2100 block of Poyntz Ave, then drove at two officers and crashed into a patrol unit. Officers found marijuana and drug paraphernalia in her vehicle. Hager was issued a $30,000 bond and remains…