RILEY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged child sex crime and have made an arrest.
Just after 11a.m. Tuesday, police arrested Thomas Adams, 50, of Manhattan in the 1100 block of South Seth Child Road in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.
He was booked on requested charges of rape and aggravated criminal sodomy involving a victim under the age of 14. Adams remains in custody on a total bond of $500,000.00, according to the report.
Police released no additional details early Wednesday.
Geary Community Hospital officials have released a statement saying that the hospital is feeling notable pressures within the healthcare industry. Dwindling insurance reimbursements, shrinking revenues, increasing uncollectible debt from uninsured patient,s the significant buildup of local military medical services, and the recent no-vote in Topeka to Medicaid Expansion have all compounded the challenges at the hospital over the past three years. Not only is GCH experiencing those dynamics, but so are hospitals and clinics national as they are required to further cut costs and strive to improve quality outcomes.
GCH Administrator Joe Stratton said, “We have a viable health system for people in the Flint Hills region, Geary County and Junction City. Still we need to work with a clearer focus to better meet the numerous and ongoing challenges of healthcare to maintain and grow our local medical services.”
Stratton noted that an operational assessment under way provides more tools to make necessary modifications within their operations. He added, “GCH is a major economic anchor in Geary County and its’ stability is important to all area businesses and surrounding communities.”
Stratton went on to note a new strategy is soon to be put in place. This past February GCH engaged Community Hospital Corporation, a professional healthca5e firm working with rural hospitals across the country, to assist in a system wide operational assessment study. GCH will continue to work with Community Hospital Corporation this year by implementing ways to enhance revenue, better control costs, increase methods for tracking system wide productivity, and allow quicker and easier access for patients to all clinic providers.
K-57 Highway southeast of Junction City was closed Wednesday morning due to high water, but officials confirmed Wednesday afternoon it is now open again for motorists.
The site was near Clarks Creek where high water had surged across the highwday.
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Add South Lyons Creek Road to the list of road closures in Geary County due to high water.
Geary County Emergency Management said Lyons Creek Road is closed six miles southwest of U.S. 77.
Earlier the National Weather Service issued a flood warning for the Kansas River at Manhattan. The warning is in effect until Saturday morning. Minor flooding of low lands along the river is forecast.
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High water has cut across K-57 Highway at a site southeast of Junction City. KDOT has closed the highway at that location, which is just east of the Clarks Creek Road interchange.
Just before 8 a.m. former county commissioner Florence Whitebread notified JC Post that Clarks Creek had gone over the top of K-57. “It just casme up very rapidly. ” Whitebread resides near that area.
Geary County Emergency Management Director Garry Berges also notified JC Post to report that the main concern was K-57 just east of Clarks Creek Road where major water was going across the highway. KDOT was contacted to respond and law enforcement were on scene. “I’ve got water across areas along Lower McDowell Creek Road, Humboldt Creek Road where the creek is close to the roadway.” Berges also reported that there was water going across in the area of U.S. 77 and Old Milford Lake Road. He said it was runoff water from a nearby hill.
Motorists were urged to be careful, and if the water is completely covering a roadway avoid that area.
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — As the Mississippi River continues to surge, flash flooding along Kansas creeks and streams is forcing people from their homes, closing roads and prompting schools to call off classes.
Emergency management officials began evacuating an area about 5 miles west of Manhattan around 5 a.m. Wednesday. Evacuations also are underway in part of Marion County in the central part of the state.
Near the Oklahoma border, flooding closed a stretch of the Kansas Turnpike. And there were numerous water rescues in Augusta, which is about 25 miles east of Wichita.
Flash flood watches also are in effect in Missouri, Nebraska, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Texas, as well as flood warnings along the Mississippi River. The river was expected to crest Wednesday night in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, at a level that causes thousands of acres to flood.
The water level at Milford Lake is more than 13 feet above normal conservation pool level.
Geary County Extension Agent Chuck Otte released information via social media on Tuesday noting the Corps of Engineers has been precluded from releasing water from Milford lake for the past two months, so the lake level continues to rise.
As of Tuesday afternoon it had cleared 1157 feet and the conservation pool or normal level is 1144.4 feet.
As of Tuesday Milford Lake was approaching 21,750 acres or an increase of nearly 40 percent or approximately 34 square miles of lake surface water.
Currently this is the seventh highest level since Milford Lake was completed. The highest level was 1,182.02 feet in the flood year of 1993.
The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning for Wildcat Creek. They are also advising people in Keats that sustained flooding in 2018, to evacuate now.
The flood warning for Wildcat Creek at Manhattan Scenic Drive will run until late tonight. At 4;15 a.m. Wednesday the stage was 11.1 feet. The flood stage is 14 feet. Moderate flooding is forecast.
Manhattan Deputy Fire Chief Ryan Almes told Little Apple Post the emergency operations center has been ramped up and officials are monitoring the situation. In Manhattan residents at Highland Ridge that their parking lot is predicted to get wet, based on the National Weather Service predicted crest of 21 feet. “Which doesn’t get us into those buildings but does get the parking lot wet. We’ve also set off the flood advisory sirens to let people in the Wildcat Creek basin know that there is a flood warning for the area, and to get themselves ready. For sure move their cars out and then be on the watch to see what happens from here.”
Almes confirmed just before 6 a.m. Keats was not yet a problem at that time, but authorities were certainly watching to see how much water is coming down from the north.
The Corps of Engineers has to hold water in Milford Reservoir to avoid causing downstream flooding during the current wet spell.
The Project Manager for the Corps at the lake, Bill Whitworth, reported Wednesday, that the latest projection is that the reservoir will rise approximately four feet over the next nine days, given no significent change in precipitation. “The lake is nearly 14 feet higher than normal. Water won’t go over the emergency spillway until another 18 feet or so, which is not likely.”
Whitworth reported to a Milford Lake stakeholders meeting the Corps is maintaining increased surveillance of the Milford Lake Dam. He told JC Post, “The dam is holding up and doing everything it is supposed to do. It was designed to hold a lot more water than it is. We do check the relief wells and the other instrumentation to make sure that it’s functioning as it should. Whitworth added there have been no other major issues.
As the water level rises Whitworth confirmed a number of individual camp sites and campground loops have been closed. Boat ramps still available for use include the one at West Rolling Hills and Fort Riley Marina boat ramp. “Other boat ramps are open but they require shallow drafting boats. Some of the bigger V-bottoms won’t be able to use those.
A 20-year successful run for Coach’s Grill and Bar ended recently when the owners decided to close the establishment and move toward another business venture. The sale of items from that business held on Tuesday at the 720 Caroline Avenue location.
Items ranging from glasses and a walk-in cooler to a smoker and furniture were all put up for auction.
Adam Wilkey and Chris McCurdy owned and operated Coach’s. Wilkey told JC Post that Cole Auction of Topeka, a company specializing in restaurant auctions handled the auction on Tuesday. Explaining the decision to close the business, Wilkey said they been in operation 20 years. “It’s a lot of hard work, a lot of long days. Our kids are growing up, we ‘re looking to spend some more time with our families. It’s been a great run, real special here.”
So what’s next?
Wilkey said the plan is to open a real estate office and saloon at the 720 Caroline Avenue site. The former restaurant dining area will be renovated into an office area for Homefront Real Estate Group. The former kitchen area in the building will be turned into a saloon, called the “Bird Dog Saloon.”
Wilkey said the Homefront Real Estate Group ownership group includes Jodie Wilkey who is the broker. Others include Chris McCurdy, Adam Wilkey, Sally Tran and Carla Beavers.
Wilkey explained the main focus is getting the real estate office operating, and the saloon would follow soon.
MANHATTAN — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a case of possible road rage.
Just after 12:30p.m. Monday, police filed a report for aggravated assault near the intersection of Tuttle Creek Boulevard and Northfield Road in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department Activity Report.
A 42-year-old woman reported an unknown suspect pointed a gun at her while she was driving.
Police ask that anyone with information please contact RCPD or the Manhattan Riley County Crime Stoppers. Using the Crime Stoppers service can allow you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.00.
