Riley County jail nears capacity, drives up operating costs

Rise in juvenile detainees increases police transport costs

K-State extension office requests 3 percent budget increase

City and county coordinate parking solutions for Riley County Fair

Downtown Manhattan announces summer event lineup

Master Gardeners to host annual garden tour

Free summer horticulture classes announced for residents

Riley County jail nears capacity, drives up operating costs

RILEY COUNTY, Kan. — The Riley County Police Department reported significant strain on the Riley County Jail, which is currently nearing its maximum capacity. RCPD Major Mark French told the commission that 153 inmates are currently in custody, forcing the department to house eight inmates at off-site facilities. The 147-bed facility has only three open beds in its general population after closing a male pod to accommodate female inmates. The high inmate population is driving up operational costs, with the facility spending up to $1,000 monthly on laundry detergent and experiencing a 20 percent price increase in ground beef within a single week.

Rise in juvenile detainees increases police transport costs

RILEY COUNTY, Kan. — The Riley County Police Department is managing a spike in juvenile detainees, currently holding 10 juveniles who must be housed in facilities across the state, including at the North Central Kansas Regional Juvenile Detention Facility in Geary County and another regional juvenile facility. RCPD Major Mark French noted that transporting these juveniles to and from court appearances is causing a significant increase in overtime for officers. Because certain charges require two officers per transport, the department is facing scheduling and financial challenges to maintain coverage while fulfilling transport mandates.

K-State extension office requests 3 percent budget increase

RILEY COUNTY, Kan. — The Riley County K-State Research and Extension office formally presented its annual appropriations request, asking the commission for a 3 percent budget increase for the upcoming fiscal year. Extension Director Daniel Skucius reported that the office expects to use approximately $9,000 from unencumbered reserve funds to balance the proposed budget, a figure the 3 percent increase will help keep manageable. The county commission has 10 days to formally approve or deny the request following an upcoming extension board meeting. The local unit currently receives $282,115 in direct and indirect support from Kansas State University.

City and county coordinate parking solutions for Riley County Fair

RILEY COUNTY, Kan. — In preparation for the upcoming Riley County Fair, the K-State Extension office and the Manhattan Parks and Recreation Department have established a joint scheduling calendar to prevent parking conflicts at the fairgrounds. To alleviate congestion in the gravel parking lots, the city has agreed to block out major baseball and softball events at CiCo Park during fair week. Officials noted the open communication has been successful and both entities are looking into ways to improve the layout of the gravel parking lot for future large events.

Downtown Manhattan announces summer event lineup

MANHATTAN, Kan. — Downtown Manhattan is gearing up for a busy summer with a series of promotional events aimed at drawing residents to the city's center. Downtown Manhattan, Inc. recently kicked off its "Third Thursdays" event series, which saw record vendor attendance. Additionally, downtown businesses will host the four-day Crawl Around the World promotional event June 11–14 to coincide with the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Participants can purchase a $10 passport to sample internationally themed craft cocktails at 13 participating locations.

Master Gardeners to host annual garden tour

RILEY COUNTY, Kan. — The Riley County Extension's Master Gardeners program will host an annual garden tour June 20 from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The tour will feature five private local landscapes in addition to the K-State Gardens. Organizers are requesting a $10 donation for access to all locations, with proceeds benefiting the K-State Gardens and funding year-round Master Gardener educational activities.

Free summer horticulture classes announced for residents

RILEY COUNTY, Kan. — The K-State Extension office announced two upcoming free educational programs aimed at helping local gardeners. A class focused on maximizing vegetable production will be held at 10 a.m. June 6 at Blueville Nursery Inc. on Anderson Avenue. Additionally, the Master Gardeners' summer learning series will kick off with a presentation on growing native plants at noon June 10 inside Pottorf Hall.

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