Author: Brandon Peoples

We’re staying. Those words adorn a banner that drapes over the mezzanine inside The Dusty Bookshelf. Owners of the long-standing Aggieville bookstore will not close in the spring as previously thought, after their lease was recently renewed for another year. The company celebrated the announcement in a social media post Thursday. Owner Diane Meredith says she had spent a few hours that day packing books to potentially take to their Lawrence location when she received a phone call from her landlord. It’s a turn of events from July, when The Dusty Bookshelf announced the real possibility of closure after Meredith…

Authorities are investigating a past theft of five Black Angus cattle. In a social media post Saturday night, the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office says it was notified Nov. 17 and says the cattle were reportedly stolen from an 80-head pasture in the 17000 block of Onaga Road in Onaga. The cattle are branded on their left hip and also had white ear tags. All five of the stolen cows had calves, but the calves were not stolen. The Sheriff’s Office says the cows could have been taken anytime between May 15 and Nov. 2. Anyone with information can contact Detective…

Two Manhattan-Ogden teachers were announced last week as the district’s nominees for 2025 Kansas Teacher of the Year. Mac Phrommany teaches American Literature and is the debate and forensics coach at Manhattan High School. He’s also a recipient of the National Speech and Debate Association Honor Society Diamond Coaching Award and has taught at MHS since 2018. Phrommany says he believes in nurturing a low-pressure environment for learning, saying “when students feel like they can be goofy, and we can direct that energy constructively, we have created a healthy learning environment.” Shannon Downs has been teaching kindergarten at Theodore Roosevelt…

A Manhattan man is behind bars after an arrest last week on a warrant charging him with violating the Kansas Offender Registration Act. The Riley County Police Department arrested 35-year-old Travis Layne Thursday. The arrest report lists 11 counts of violating the offender registration act and one aggravated count thereof. He remains jailed on a $50,000 bond. According to the Kansas Offender Registry, Layne has two past felony convictions from Shawnee County from 2007 for attempted indecent solicitation of a child under the age of 16. Layne is required to register as a sex offender through February of 2032.

Authorities are searching for the person responsible for a drive-by killing of a trophy buck in southern Riley County. According to a social media post from the Kansas Game Wardens, it happened around 10:30 a.m. Nov. 24 a few miles south of Zeandale. The buck was shot with a rifle through the hind end and died. Officials say a local farmer was feeding their cattle nearby when the deer ran out and someone in a white Chevy truck fired one shot from the passenger side, striking the deer. The farmer was reportedly walking in the pasture near the cattle and…

RCPD reported two more thefts involving Manhattan retailers on Thursday. Police say Ulta Beauty was victimized for the second time in less than a week when two thieves stole multiple items from the store Thursday afternoon. The total loss is estimated at just under $2,500. Dick’s Sporting Goods was hit up a short time later by two suspects who took multiple items from the store, valued between $1,000 and $1,500. Anyone with information can contact Crime Stoppers.

The Riley County Police Department is investigating after suspects damaged city property and stole equipment belonging to the Parks and Recreation Department. A report for burglary and criminal damage to property was filed Thursday afternoon at the Sunrise Cemetery. Police say a suspect damaged a screen and glass on an exterior window and then stole a 2021 Polaris 4×4 Ranger, in addition to tools and a welder. The estimated total loss is over $21,000. Anyone with information can contact Crime Stoppers.

Riley County officials have greenlit a potential new water tower project to be constructed near the county shops. Representatives from Rural Water District Number 1 and local engineering firm Schwab Eaton presented on the need for an easement to build a future 300,000 gallon tank. Jared Brooks with Schwab Eaton says they’re targeting the Highway 24 corridor between the Public Works shops and Blue River Hills Road. The water district already has a 200,000 gallon tank in the area, but it’s undersized to serve the current population. Once the new tower is constructed the rural water district would have 500,000 gallons…

The Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office is seeking the public’s help identifying a suspect in reference to a forged check case from late October. Authorities say a forged check transaction occurred on Oct. 27 at the Manhattan Menard’s store, causing a total loss of over $1,000. The person of interest is wearing a surgical mask in surveillance images, making identification difficult. The Sheriff’s Office says the man left in a dark colored flatbed truck that was parked at the back of the parking lot near Panda Express and Bomgaars. The truck had a trailer attached with a silver sedan loaded on…

The City of Manhattan has named an interim director of Public Works. Lynden Lawson will assume duties starting Friday. He previously was the Public Works Deputy Director for the City of Joplin, Missouri for 10 years after retiring from the U.S. Marine Corps. He has been Interim Public Works Administrator for Manhattan since September 25. “It has been great having Lynden on board, assisting with our Public Works Department operations and administrative needs at a very busy time,” said Manhattan City Manager Ron Fehr. “His knowledge and experience in an Interim Director capacity will serve us well going forward.” Lawson…