Author: Brandon Peoples

No injuries were reported after a semi trailer became fully engulfed in flames on Interstate 70 early Tuesday morning, in rural Geary County. Deputies responded to the area, east of Milford Lake Road just after 1:30 a.m., according to Rural Fire Chief Garry Berges. He says the driver, an Ohio man, reported his truck began to lock in the rear and realized his rear tires had caught on fire. The trailer, which was hauling approximately 30,000 pounds of french fries, was destroyed. Berges says the total loss is estimated at $80,000.

A Junction City man was hospitalized overnight following a motor vehicle accident in Geary County. The Sheriff’s Office reported that Shaun Felton was northbound on U.S. Highway 77 just after midnight Tuesday when he overcorrected his pickup and drifted off the roadway near mile marker 158. The vehicle traveled off an embankment until the truck collided with a row of trees. Felton was transported by the Junction City Fire Department to Stormont Vail Flint Hills. His condition wasn’t immediately available.

A hospital spokesperson with Ascension Via Christi says some progress has been made as it looks to overcome a major cybersecurity incident first reported one month ago. In an update Monday, it was noted that the company’s hospitals in Wichita and Pittsburg saw restoration of primary technology used for electronic patient documentation in care settings. Facilities in Manhattan and Wamego have seen no progress. The updates follow a national update from Ascension last Friday in which the healthcare provider reported continued progress toward system restoration across its network. On Friday, Ascension noted electronic health record access had been restored in…

Manhattan city officials say the major phase of its levee improvement project is nearing completion and the nearby trails will be allowed to reopen in a few weeks. The city announced on Monday that beginning June 28, the southern section of the Linear Trail from South Manhattan Ave. to the boat ramp at U.S. Highway 24 will reopen to the public for the first time in 2 and a half years of construction. The River Trails, along the west bank of the Kansas River, will also be reopening. Parks and Recreation Director Aaron Stewart says the reopening ties in with June…

Riley County has officially announced the appointment of Bryant Parker as the county’s new Deputy Counselor. His appointment follows months of shuffling within the County Counselor’s office, following the April departure of Shelly Woodard, who held the position for less than a year after replacing Craig Cox, who retired in September. He’ll assist County Counselor Clancy Holeman, who also will be retiring at the end of this year. Parker will assist in providing legal counsel to county commissioners, handling contractual agreements, benefit districts, human resource matters and the annual filing of tax foreclosure cases. He will also represent the county…

Authorities are investigating after an incident of forgery in Manhattan. According to the Riley County Police Department, Thermal Comfort Air reported a known subject cashed a check written to a vendor. totaling more than $15,000. As of Monday, police hadn’t made any arrests. The incident was reported Friday morning in the 700 block of Pecan Circle, in southwest Manhattan. The investigation is ongoing.

A Manhattan man is jailed in Riley County after police say he injured a woman by throwing a chair at her. The Riley County Police Department says 42-year-old William Webster has been charged on suspicion of aggravated battery. He also is charged with disorderly conduct and two counts of assault. A 61-year-old woman reported to police that Webster struck her with a metal patio chair. The incident was reported in the 800 block of Dondee Drive in southwest Manhattan. She was transported to Via Christi by EMS for non life-threatening injuries. Webster remains jailed on a $20,000 bond.

Former Fort Riley Fire Chief and Pottawatomie County Emergency Management Director John Boyd died Friday at the age of 70. Boyd retired as the Fort Riley Fire Chief in 2004, following a 31-year career with the federal government, according to his obituary. He was emergency manager in Pottawatomie County from 2003 to 2008 and was employed by the State of Kansas with the Firefighters Relief Act until his retirement in 2014. He also served in the U.S. Marine Corps until his discharge in 1976. Boyd will lie in state at 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Campanella & Stewart Funeral Home…

Flint Hills Breadbasket has secured the location of its new building in Manhattan. The organization said in a Facebook post Friday that it has completed the purchase of the Furniture Warehouse buildings at 2326 Skyvue Lane and 620 Rosencutter Road. The move will allow the Breadbasket to expand and continue to meet a growing need for food in the community. Steve Williams, the second generation owner of Furniture Warehouse, told The Mercury that he and his wife have been working on a 10-year-plan to move toward retirement. It began selling off its remaining inventory on June 6. The “quitting business…

Local officials are responding to Thursday’s announcement from Caterpillar that it plans to shutter its Wamego facility sometime next year. Wamego City Manager Stacie Eichem says they learned of the situation late in the day Thursday. Eichem says the announcement comes as a major blow to the community. Pottawatomie County Economic Development Corporation Executive Director Shanna Goodman provided the following statement Friday morning. “This news is a significant disappointment for our entire region, as Caterpillar has been an integral part of our community for decades. We are actively collaborating with regional partners to provide resources and support for displaced workers.…