RILEY COUNTY -Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged Felony DUI again.

Just after 4:30 a.m. Wednesday, police arrested Benjamin Joseph Oleary, 36, Leonardville, according to a booking report from the Riley County Police Department.

Oleary has three previous Felony DUI convictions, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

He was operating a vehicle without the breath alcohol ignition interlock device, according to a police report. Oleary is being held on a $4,000 Bond.

MANHATTAN, Kan. – Thanks to the generosity and hard work of Wildcat fans, donors, coaches and staff, K-State Athletics, Inc., produced a balanced budget in FY 2017 and achieved a surplus for the eighth consecutive year while also setting a new record through the Ahearn Fund annual giving program.

The department’s budget surplus reflects the commitment of the K-State Nation through ticket sales and annual giving in addition to support from the Big 12 Conference and K-State’s strong partnerships with sponsors. Though the annual audit is not yet complete, operating revenue is expected to exceed operating expense. This positive result, required by bond covenants, along with those of prior years, has helped the department aggressively invest back into all 450-plus Wildcat student-athletes in a fiscally responsible manner.

Overall cash gifts to the department in FY 2017 totaled $28.2 million, of which a record $18.4 million was designated for the Ahearn Fund annual giving program which surpassed its budgeted goal.  K-State Athletics remains one of just a few dozen universities nationwide, and the only institution in Kansas, to operate without use of state tax or university tuition dollars. Direct and indirect university support of athletics was 6.1 percent of the KSA budget in FY10. In FY16 it became zero.

“In the short time I have been at K-State, it has become very clear that Wildcat Nation is one of the most dedicated and supportive fan bases in the country,” said Athletics Director Gene Taylor. “We are very appreciative of how K-Staters fill stadiums and arenas week in and week out in addition to continued record participation in the Ahearn Fund which is a reflection of not only our great fans but also the tremendous staff in place here at K-State. Providing our coaches and student-athletes with the necessary resources to compete for and win Big 12 Championships will remain a top priority for us as a department, and we look forward to an exciting 2017-18 season.”

In addition, Taylor also announced that the K-State Athletics, Inc., Board of Directors has approved the department’s FY18 budget of $73.4 million, a $700,000 increase over the previous year’s budget.

The department’s largest revenue sources will again be the combined ticket purchases and contributions from loyal fans and Ahearn Fund donors, targeted at $34 million, in addition to approximately $30 million in projected Big 12/NCAA revenue shares.  While Big 12 revenues have nearly tripled since 2009, the grass-roots participation and dedication of Wildcat fans and donors remains the largest source of support for K-State student-athletes.  And, direct and indirect university support of athletics was 6.1 percent of the department’s budget in FY10 and will be zero for the third straight year.

On the expense side, KSA will again increase its student-athlete support line (up $1.7 million from FY14), along with an increase of approximately $1.2 million in operating/recruiting costs and $100,000 in scholarship costs as the department enters into the third year of providing “full cost of attendance.”

K-State’s annual debt service payment will slightly decline this year both in dollar amount and percentage of budget, while the “Administration” line item for FY18 will be about $3.9 million.  K-State Athletics’ annual institutional support fee, which KSA pays to the University to help provide administrative support, will increase to $584,480 in FY18.

Kansas State Alliances will host a second community symposium at the State Capitol Building in Topeka on Wednesday, August 2nd from 8:30 am to 4:00 pm.

This is a unique opportunity for professionals that serve that military population to learn more from some of the state’s experts about the greatest needs of Kansas’s service members, families and Veterans. Specific focus areas addressed will be Behavioral Health, Faith, Finance-Employment, and Legal.

The event is free and open to the public.

This year’s agenda includes guest speakers such as Judge Timothy McCarthy of Johnson County District Court; Daniel Brazzell, Founder of Team Fidelis; Tony Monaco and Jack Le Roy of Patriot Outreach; and Salle Stewart, Owner of The 700 Score Company. Attendees will receive an overview of Military culture, gain awareness of readjustment challenges faced after a deployment and most importantly, obtain resources that may assist in working with and referring Service members and Veterans.

For more information or to register, contact Greg Marino, Army OneSource State Community Support Coordinator at 314-456-3978 or gmarino@afsc.com.

The Community Symposium is made possible by the Kansas State Alliances, including Army OneSource.

Junction City will be a stop on the Kansas African American History Trail.

The trail is a roadmap of African American history throughout the state that will include stopping points in Minneapolis, Dunlap, and Wichita – to name a few.

Jim Sands, City Commissioner, said that the team working on the project now has to decide which historical locations to include for Junction City.

“Next year in September is when this whole grant has got to be finished…we’ll probably go around the state and look at [the stops] with the people who helped put this together.”

Rathert Field and the Buffalo Soldier Monument are among the locations being touted for the trail.

The trail is meant to promote tourism across the state.

The Junction City Breakfast Optimist Club has presented a $200 donation to the Junction City Community Band Scholarship Fund.

The American Cowboy will be celebrated at the Flint Hills Discovery Center in Manhattan this Saturday ( July 22 ) from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Discovery Center will be transformed into Flint Valley, an old frontier town filled with cowboys and cowgirls making their way through the Wild West.

“The Flint Hills Discovery Center is poised in a fantastic position to create hands-on, interactive activities that allow the community to experience a bit of the ranching culture in fun and tangible ways, ” said Brieanna Schmitz, FHDC Guest Services Manager.

Children and adult alike can enjoy activities like pony express races, wagon rides and gold panning. After a bull ride, guests can stop inside a pop up saloon and sip on root beer while listening to live music, and sharp shooters can try their hand with sling shots.

“National Day of the Cowboy is a day set aside to celebrate the contribution of the cowboy and cowgirl to America’s culture and heritage,” said FHDC Director Susan Adams. “The work that these ranchers have done for years, and still do today, is one of the biggest reasons we’ve been able to preserve the last stand of the tallgrass prairie.”

Tickets can be purchased Saturday at the Flint Hills Discovery. Prices are $9 for adults, $4 for youth ages 2 to 17, and and $7 for military, college students, educators and seniors ( 65+ ). Children under 2, and Flint Hills Discovery Center members will be admitted free.