A Manhattan woman is behind bars after being arrested on several arson charges Wednesday morning. 29-year-old Nesa Marie Simms was arrested just after 9 a.m. in the 1100 block of Ratone St. on four counts of arson, including two counts of aggravated arson; substantial risk to great bodily harm. She is being held on a $75,000 bond, and was still confined within the Riley County Jail as of Thursday.
Author: Peter Rice
A local furry friend is retiring from active duty in the Junction City Police Department. JCPD announced this week that K-9 Barney is calling it quits after serving the citizens of Junction City for approximately 11 years. Barney has received multiple awards in his career from the Heart of America Police Dog Association which include numerous narcotics cases of the year awards, detector dog awards, and a patrol dog award. More information can be found at themercury.com.
Riley County Public Works announced Wednesday that the structure replacement project on Ober Road is scheduled to begin Monday, August 26, 2024. The project is located approximately 4/10ths mile West of the Ober Rd./Droll Rd. Intersection. Ober Rd. will be closed to through traffic during construction from the intersection of Ober Rd./Droll Rd. west to the intersection of Ober Rd. / North Fork Rd. The project is expected to be completed by Friday, August 30, weather permitting.
The Riley County Appraisers office is conducting a survey of multifamily, commercial, and industrial properties where they are studying trends in the local real estate market regarding rent prices, occupancy, and operating expenses. Income and expense questionnaires will be mailed this Thursday, August 15th to Riley County properties in those categories. The forms are also available on the Riley County website in the Appraiser section. All survey responses will remain confidential in accordance with Kansas Law and standards of professional appraisal practice. For more on this story visit themercury.com
The Sunset Zoo announced via a press release Wednesday that red pandas Loofah and Simone gave birth to a female cub on July 14th. “The first 30 days of a red panda cub’s life are critical, and our staff are tending to the cub’s needs around the clock to ensure the best care possible,” said Head Zookeeper Caitlin Kenney. “The good news is, this little girl is a fighter. She has already overcome several obstacles and she continues to grow and flourish.” Zoo staff reportedly chose the name Suni as an ode to Olympic gymnast Suni Lee. Red pandas are…
The Kansas Department of Revenue announced on Tuesday that the Flint Hills will be featured on the 2025 personalized state license plates. More than 30,000 Kansans voted for the design, which will be available for purchase for $45.50 at county the treasurer’s offices starting in 2025. View the full story at the Mercury
Manhattan city commissioners will meet today to discuss the 2025 budget. City staff provided an overview of 2023 actual revenues, and approaches to 2024 and 2025 operations. The city is facing a projected shortfall in the cash balance due to federal COVID funds running out, and much of Tuesday’s discussion centered around how departments may be able to slash costs. For more information visit themercury.com
A federal judge has sentenced a former Fort Riley soldier to 23 years in federal prison for the sexual exploitation and abuse of a child. While stationed at Fort Riley in 2020, Adrian Dale Tsinnijinnie, 37, used Facebook Messenger to groom and coerce a 13-year-old girl who lived in Shiprock, New Mexico, into producing sexually explicit images, according to court documents. In return, Tsinnijinnie sent the victim explicit photos and videos of himself. In June 2021, while on leave, Tsinnijinnie traveled to Shiprock, where he sexually abused the girl, who was not publicly identified, on multiple occasions. The abuse was…
August is national anti-terrorism month, and Ft. Riley officials are spreading awareness in order for citizens to be more prepared in spotting a possible attack. Anti-terrorism officer Shane Houle joined News Radio KMAN’s In-Focus on Thursday to discuss the Army’s “iWatch” awareness program. “I strongly encourage and empowers the army community and the local communities in the Flint Hills region to identify and report suspicious behavior potentially could be associated with terrorist activities,” said Houle. He added that “The model speaks for itself; If you see something, you say something.” Houle says that concerned citizens can visit the Ft. Riley…
The Manhattan Running Company hosted “Nike Spike Night” on Friday evening where Nike representatives and college athletes met with local youth ahead of cross county season. Kansas Wesleyan University seniors Julian Avila and Josie Koppes spoke to young runners about their own running journeys and experiences. Avila said his favorite part about being a student athlete is competing across the country. “You get to meet some really cool people, he said. “My freshman year I went to Cloud (Kansas), where I got to meet people from Egypt, Ethiopia, Great Britain, and just people from all around the world. And I think…