2022 outside agency budgets Seven agencies presented their 2022 budgets to the city commission Tuesday. The Manhattan Public Library budget will be about $3.29 million , about $30,000 more than in 2021. The Social Services Advisory Board and Special Alcohol Fund Advisory Committee will allocate about $450,000 and $466,000, respectively, in contracts. These amounts are down slightly from the previous budget. The remaining agency budgets, which belong to the Flint Hills Area Transportation Agency, Manhattan Arts Center, Aggieville Business Association and Downtown Manhattan Incorporated, amount to about $312,000. The Wolf House Museum, which has a budget of $5,000, was not…
Author: KMAN Staff
Wednesday’s program featured updates from USD 378 Riley County Superintendent Cliff Williams and USD 384 Blue Valley Superintendent John Cox. We also received a mid-summer update from USD 475 Geary County Schools Superintendent Dr. Reginald Eggleston.
The following summary of calls for service/reports filed by the Riley County Police Department is a portion of those received by police. Some names, addresses, and case details are withheld to follow local, state, and federal law as well as in an attempt to protect community members from being victimized further. Those arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. MANHATTAN, KAN. – Officers filed a report for attempted first-degree murder in the 400 block of S. Juliette Ave. in Manhattan on June 22, 2021, at approximately 2:58 p.m. Officers listed a 38-year-old female as the victim…
Raising Riley held a pop-up literacy event, Seuss-isms, at City Park on Tuesday. The event, funded through the USD 383 K-LINK grant, is aimed at increasing literacy for children during the summer months. Activities included art, games and Dr. Seuss books. Beth Mills, Raising Riley Family Engagement Specialist, spoke about the importance of summer reading on children’s development. Denae Jones, Early Literacy Facilitator for Raising Riley, explained the positive impact of her job, and how the job changed over the last year. Jones added that the most critical time to be reading to children is when they are very young.…
The following summary of calls for service/reports filed by the Riley County Police Department is a portion of those received by police. Some names, addresses, and case details are withheld to follow local, state, and federal law as well as in an attempt to protect community members from being victimized further. Those arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. MANHATTAN, KAN. – Officers filed a report for criminal damage to property in the 2000 block of Hillview Dr. in Manhattan on June 21, 2021, at approximately 5:43 p.m. Officers listed a 42-year-old male as the victim…
Pottawatomie County officials, including Commission Chair Greg Riat, Assistant County Administrator Heather Gladbach and Assistant Public Works Director Lance Forgy discussed some of the county’s hiring challenges, road and bridge projects, an open house for the Fleet Maintenance Facility in Westmoreland and 2022 budget planning. The Little Apple Pride Picnic is taking place Saturday from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. at Blue Earth Plaza. Organization Chair Jonathan Mertz joined us to preview the event, which will be the organization’s first pride event since 2019.
Riley County offices closed on Friday in observance for the Juneteenth holiday, causing some confusion with the public. Commission Chair John Ford took time during Monday’s commission meeting to clarify any confusion. He says past commissions have decided it is plausible to observe all federal holidays. President Joe Biden established the 19th as a federal holiday Thursday afternoon, following a bill passed by the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives. It caused the county to have to make a quick decision. Since the holiday was on a Saturday this year, the county decided to close offices Friday. County Clerk Rich…
The Riley County Law Board heard Monday from two members of a working group that is discussing recommendations and ideas for what’s termed “fair and impartial policing”. Four members of the police department, four from the Manhattan – Riley County Coalition for Equal Justice and Law Board member Dr. Be Stoney comprise the working group. RCPD Captain Josh Kyle said the group’s formation can be traced back to community discussions that began in 2015. CEJ member Dr. Lorenza Lockett noted the group’s recommendations include calls for leadership. Butler said he was pleased that the batch of recommendations were similar to…
Emergency declaration The Pottawatomie County Commission voted Monday to end an emergency declaration that has been in place since March 2020. The county health officer and all three commissioners were in favor of the move, including commissioner Greg Riat. Emergency Management director Jennifer Merrow says the county has not had to order any personal protective equipment (PPE) for a while. However, she says it is still in line to get a shipment of PPE this week from the North East Kansas Healthcare Coalition. A panel of mostly Republican state senators allowed the statewide order to expire on June 15. This…
Riley County commission approved to authorize the bond issuance for Meadowlark Hills. The Manhattan City Commission approved the issuance of up to $50 million in Industrial Revenue Bonds for Meadowlark last week. County Counselor Clancy Holeman says there is no fiscal impact on the county. Holeman says the statute for the bond states this bond applies to the county as well in certain circumstances. County Clerk Rich Vargo says this bond could also be a potential tax burden to the taxpayers, which is why it was brought to the county as well. Meadowlark is expecting to close on the bonds…