Three people including the director have resigned from the Riley County Health Department after a months-long investigation.

Riley County Board of Health chairwoman Kathryn Focke said Thursday that the department director; Women, Infants and Children (WIC) supervisor; and maternal and child health clinic supervisor all resigned.

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ST. MARYS — A data center developer said Wednesday before a large crowd that a proposed facility will not use local aquifers as its main source of water.

Beltline Energy representative Ryan Sanders told the crowd of more than 200 people at Perry Memorial Armory that because of regulations the company would not use local aquifers for their main source of water. Beltline is a developer from Atlanta trying to secure land and gain local government approval in Pottawatomie County for a large-scale data center that Sanders has said would represent a $15 billion investment for the region.

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The Riley County Commission on Monday approved a request to fill two positions within the department of community corrections. Megan Lewis, director of Riley County community corrections, requested the commissioners permission to fill the vacant positions in her department.

One of the positions — a Clay County intensive supervisor — will become vacant after the current supervisor in Clay county transfers to Riley County to take over the same position, which is currently vacant. The Riley County Commission oversees corrections in the 21st judicial district (Riley County and Clay County)

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USDA undersecretary Luke Lindberg said Wednesday that Kansas farmers have an important role in democracy and fighting global hunger.

Lindberg, undersecretary for trade and foreign agricultural affairs, spoke during a press conference at the Kansas Wheat Innovation Center in Manhattan.

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A Kaw Valley Chamber of Commerce official on Thursday called data centers in Pottawatomie County “inevitable” and encouraged government officials to push harder.

At a joint city/county meeting on Thursday in Wamego, Manhattan and Pott County officials received an informational update from representatives of Evergy, the Pottawatomie County Economic Development Corporation, and the Kaw Valley Chamber of Commerce (St. Marys). Regional officials are considering a proposal for a data center to be built in Pott County. A company called Beltline Energy out of Atlanta is working on the deal for another company, which has not been named publicly. A Beltline rep said at a meeting earlier this month that a new data center would represent a $15 billion investment for the region.

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The weather in the plains is attracting storm chasers into the area and K-State meteorologist Chip Redmond says they are becoming a challenge when we get these severe weather events.

“It’s been a problem in Oklahoma for quite some time,” he said. “The biggest thing is, we can’t do anything about it, and a lot of them aren’t doing anything illegal.”

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City officials this week approved rezoning for the property including the former Champion Teamwear building, which owner Dave Dreiling intends to turn into a steakhouse and beef processing facility for his company Booth Creek Wagyu.

Booth Creek is currently at 530 McCall Road. The plan calls for moving it to the renovated building at 520 McCall Road, which had been Dreiling’s company, GTM Sportswear, before he sold it to Hanesbrands Inc. about 10 years ago.

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The Manhattan City Commission voted 5-0 Tuesday to execute a design-build contract to consolidate trash services in Aggieville.

The contract involves Olsson Inc. and BHS Construction Inc., and approves a pre-construction services agreement with Howie’s Trash and Recycling for the Aggieville Business District.

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Four hundred eighty Manhattan High School seniors received their diplomas Sunday at the school’s commencement ceremony.

This year marked the high school’s 112th graduation ceremony. The seniors, families, friends, faculty and staff heard speeches from principal Michael Dorst, and seniors Kelbey Larchick and Jibran Mahanan Kamus.

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A Fort Riley woman is writing a new chapter for herself by starting a mobile bookstore.

Kaitlynn Steen of Fort Riley, the owner of Backyard Bookshelf, said her business model is “not just books; it’s things that make me laugh and bring me joy.”

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