Author: Brandon Peoples

The weather outside certainly hasn’t been frightful this holiday season. In fact, the Manhattan area has seen a pattern of unusual warmth and humidity. Meteorologist Chip Redmond with Kansas Mesonet says it could lead to some records being broken over the holiday week. “For the month, we’re averaging five degrees above normal for high and low temperatures. We’re sitting about 30th warmest (December). Temperatures over the next six days are going to struggle to get below 40,” he said. Those warmer temperatures mean the likelihood of a white Christmas for the Little Apple remains low, but it will certainly be…

AAA is projecting that more than 115 million Americans will travel more than 50 miles during the 10 day holiday travel period. That’s up 2.2% over last year and the second highest expected end-of-year travel forecast since 2000. AAA Kansas spokesman Shawn Steward gives a rundown on what is expected in the Sunflower State. Steward advises that travelers have their vehicle inspected and ensure it is roadworthy as they expect to assist many on the roads this week. Motorists are also getting the gift of lower gas prices, with the national average down to $3.12. In Kansas, gas prices are averaging…

The Junction City Commission unanimously agreed Tuesday to a counteroffer to Geary County regarding an ongoing dispute over EMS service payments. The city is asking Geary County to withdraw a resolution that accompanied their last EMS service payment in November, instead asking for all 2023 EMS bills be paid by Feb. 16. As part of the counteroffer, Junction City would charge Geary County a flat fee of $165,000 per month in January and February, according to the motion by Commissioner Jeff Underhill. The motion does not include any action to stop EMS service in rural areas of Geary County. Commissioner…

Details remain scarce into an ongoing federal investigation in Clay Center. An FBI spokesperson from the Kansas City office confirmed to KMAN Wednesday morning that FBI agents were in the small town Tuesday, but noted that no additional details could be provided, only saying the investigation is ongoing. Further information could be released at a later date.

Geary County officials are responding to an ongoing disagreement with Junction City over billing of EMS services. The county commission issued a statement Monday in reaction to Junction City’s recent decision to suspend EMS services outside of the city limits if a bill totaling over $800,000 isn’t paid by this month. Geary County says they received an invoice in April in the amount of $121,000 that the city described as “charges inadvertently omitted” dating back to February 2022. The county says it was by the city’s own admission that 10 of the 12 months were billed incorrectly. According to the…

Riley County Treasurer Shilo Heger has announced she’ll seek another term. Heger, a Republican, was appointed to the position in 2014, succeeding Eileen King. According to the Manhattan Mercury, the Riley County Republican Party precinct committee selected Heger as its nominee at the time. She had previously served as deputy treasurer for a decade. Heger has been re-elected twice, in 2016 and again in 2020. She is the first to file for the position of treasurer. The filing deadline is June 3.

Pawnee Mental Health is planning to move some of its operations into downtown Manhattan. CEO Robbin Cole informed the Riley County Commission Monday that adult services currently provided at the Hayes Drive facility will eventually move to a building at 4th and Houston Street, across from the organization’s administrative offices. That will allow more services to be offered at the Hayes drive location, where the Crisis Stabilization Center is located. As for a timetable, Cole says the transition of those services likely will occur by the end of the coming fiscal year. Pawnee also has leased space in on Anderson…

Geary County Sheriff Dan Jackson has announced his retirement. Jackson was sworn in as the Sheriff in May 2019, bringing stability to the position which had become vacant when former Sheriff Tony Wolf resigned amid legal troubles. Jackson then ran and was elected to a four year term as Sheriff in 2020. He leaves with just under a year remaining in his term. According to a release from Geary County, Jackson joined the Sheriff’s Office in June 2014 on road patrol and retired as a patrol lieutenant in 2018, returning about a year later to join the investigations unit. During…

The City of Manhattan’s Public works crews are taking advantage of the fact that students are away for the winter break to get started on the relocation of a 24-inch water main along Denison Ave, near the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility (NBAF). City officials say beginning Monday, Denison Ave. will be closed to vehicular and pedestrian traffic south of Kimball Ave. to begin the project. The temporary closure will allow for the removal and reconstruction of Denison as part of the ongoing North Campus Corridor project. Crews are planning a two-week closure of that area, depending on weather. The…

Kansas State University officials broke ground Friday on a new events center for the Animal Sciences Program. The project is part of the university’s larger multimillion dollar Agriculture Innovation Initiative, which includes a host of facilities updates within the College of Agriculture. It was the second such groundbreaking for the College of Agriculture this year, following a ceremony in May for the Agronomy Research and Innovation Center. Both coincidentally took place on rainy days. Friday’s ceremony was held inside the Stanley Stout Center, on the northern edge of the campus. Dean Ernie Minton says the new facility will improves upon…