Author: Brandon Peoples

Just one new coronavirus case was reported over the weekend in Riley County as a downward trend continues in the county’s infection rate. Riley County Health Department Director Julie Gibbs shared details during Monday’s 7 a.m. COVID-19 update on KMAN. As of Monday, 107 active cases were being monitored by the health department with 338 recoveries and five total deaths among the 450 total cases reported since March. Four patients were hospitalized Monday with 2 persons under investigation showing symptoms and 140 test results are pending. Pottawatomie County remains at 5 active cases as of Friday, with 104 recovered. Gibbs…

A northern Riley County home is a total loss following a Sunday morning fire. Firefighters from the Riley County Fire District were paged out just after 10 a.m. for a fully engulfed home at 10919 Lakeside Drive (see map below) in the Lakeside Heights neighborhood near Tuttle Creek Lake. Fire Chief Pat Collins, speaking at Monday’s Riley County Commission meeting, said the University Park station was first to arrive on scene. The building was owned by RPM LLC. It sustained $150,000 in damages, with content loss exceeding $60,000. The extensive damage prohibited an exact cause, but appeared to have started…

A command change officially took place over the weekend at Fort Riley. On Saturday, 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley Commanding General Maj. Gen John Kolasheski relinquished control of the installation. Brigadier Gen. Thomas O’Connor Jr. will serve as senior commander until Aug. 14 when Maj. Gen Douglas Sims assumes command of the Big Red One and Fort Riley. The Army accelerated Kolasheski’s departure to enable his assumption of command of the U.S. Army’s 5th Corps based at Fort Knox, Kentucky. O’Connor most recently commanded the 1st Infantry Division Forward during Operation Atlantic Resolve.

Riley County Police say an autopsy has confirmed the body found last week on the Konza Prairie Nature Trail was that of 38-year-old Nicole Grothe. Grothe, a former warrant officer at Fort Riley went missing earlier in July. Authorities located a body after an exhaustive search July 22, presumed to be her. Information from the autopsy and dental analysis confirmed it. RCPD says there is no indication of suspicious circumstances, but says the investigation is still ongoing.

Recent heavy rainfalls caused a sharp rise in the levels at both Tuttle Creek Reservoir. After hovering around normal pool (1,075 feet) throughout much of July, Tuttle Creek rose 7 feet toward the last three days of the month to 1,085 feet. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ three-day forecast has the lake rising to 1,091 feet by Monday. If it gets that high, it would be the highest level the lake has risen to in 2020. The lake filled to capacity in 2019 following an unusually wet spring season. As of Friday, outflow was at 200 cubic feet per…

A Manhattan man was arrested Thursday after allegedly pointing a gun at two victims in the 1200 block of Bluemont Ave. Riley County Police say 23-year-old Austin Carter was charged in connection with two counts of aggravated assault. A 27-year-old man and 23-year-old woman were listed as victims when they reported Carter pointed the gun at them. Carter was issued a $5,000 total bond but was no longer confined at the time of the police report Friday.

Have you voted yet? If you’re like many local residents, chances are you probably have, but if not, more opportunities exist beyond 5 p.m. Friday including Saturday. Advance voting is open 8 a.m. to noon Saturday at the Riley County Office Building and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Pottawatomie County Clerk’s Office in Westmoreland. The final opportunity to advance vote will be 8 a.m. to noon statewide at county offices. In person voting at the polls will take place from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday. Riley County Clerk Rich Vargo tells KMAN that as of Thursday, 7,762…

Riley County’s rural school districts have approved reopening plans for the fall. USD 378 Riley County Schools will have no change to the start of its calendar. The board voted unanimously Wednesday to keep the start date of Aug. 20. Superintendent Cliff Williams tells KMAN the district was fortunate that school was already backed up one week with the ongoing bond construction. Several days of in-service were added to the front of the school year to allow for staff training. The USD 384 Blue Valley School Board voted Thursday morning to push its start date to Aug. 26. Board Clerk…

It wasn’t traditional by any means, but this year’s Riley County Fair had a more relaxed feel for 4-H participants. The theme of this year’s fair was ‘Fairadise’ and saw many changes Livestock were moved in and out the same day of their showing. Static projects were judged similarly and not on public display. County Extension Director Gary Fike says for those who missed out on their fair traditions, some of that information is being shared on the Extension’s Facebook page. “We’ve got all of the livestock shows, streamed on Facebook Live. We’ve got some highlights of style review and…

The Kansas Department of Health has been awarded a grant to support safer suicide care in state behavioral health and healthcare systems. The grant, from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, is for implementation of Zero Suicide in Health Systems, a model and framework for prevention. KDHE plans to work with partners including Veterans Affairs and the 26 licensed Community Mental Health Care Systems in every county, bringing in $700,000 per year for five years to those efforts. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, suicide is the second leading cause of death in people aged 10…