News Flash

Congratulations to Joetta Glessner!

We are proud to introduce Joetta Glessner, who has worked in the Riley County Appraiser’s office for a total of 17 years. Joetta currently serves as an Appraiser III and is responsible for training new staff, reviewing sales, data collecting new...

Black History Month: Celebrating Charles Alfred Howell

The Flint Hills region is known for its beautiful limestone architecture. One of Manhattan’s most prolific early stone contractors was Charles Alfred Howell. 

Charles Howell was born in Knoxville, Tennessee on November 5, 1881. When he w...

Fire Department Honors Volunteers at Annual Banquet

We held our annual awards banquet at Pottorf Hall on Saturday, January 21st. Volunteers and retirees were invited to enjoy a meal together, share door prizes, play games, and celebrate accomplishments. 

In 2022, volunteers received a total of 710 ...

Legal Time Trend Publication

Published February 2, 2023

Results of the Market Analysis for Riley County, Kansas for the assessment year 2023 pursuant to K.S.A. 79-1460, 79-1460a.

A study of the residential real estate market indicates an overall inflationary trend of approximately 13.3...

RCHD Hires Community Health Educator for opioid prevention education

(Riley County, KS - January 18, 2023) Asia Sampson recently joined the Riley County Health Department as their new Community Health Educator. She will be responsible for sharing opioid prevention education in the tri-county region, focusing primarily on y...

January Employee of the Month: Derick Schroller

2023’s first Employee of the Month is one of the kindest IT Technicians you’ll ever meet. Like many of the employees here, Derick Schroller began his career with Riley County in the Treasurer’s Office. He started eight years ...

Making Good Use of Discarded Materials at Household Hazardous Waste

Riley County’s Household Hazardous Waste (HHW) Department serves a total of 11 counties as part of the Big Lakes Region, and they processed 628,000 pounds of hazardous material in 2022. That’s the fourth highest amount in the state, ri...

Change in Valuation Notices - Mailing in February

The Riley County Appraiser’s Office has completed analysis for 2023 property valuation. The annual Change of Value Notices (CVNs) should be completed and mailed to property owners by the end of February. The CVNs reflect changes in property valu...

2023 Swearing-In Ceremony

At this morning’s Riley County Board of County Commissioners meeting, Commissioner John Ford, Judge John Bosch, and Judge Grant Bannister were sworn in for their new terms of office. They were re-elected in the 2022 General Election. 

Th...

Don't throw old medications in the trash

Here’s a quick and easy way to help the environment in the New Year – dispose of medications properly to keep them out of our water. Did you know that water treatment does not remove medications if you flush them? Putting them in the t...

2022 Sanitarian of the Year: Perry Piper

Perry Piper has spent the past 22 years working in the field of Environmental Health; but it still surprised him to receive the Sanitarian of the Year Award from the Kansas Environmental Health Association (KEHA) this fall.

“I wasn’t ex...

Free Virus Testing for Flu, RSV, and COVID-19

(RILEY COUNTY, KS - December 9, 2022) Starting Monday, December 12th, Riley County Health Department will offer free testing for influenza (flu), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and COVID-19 viruses from their mobile response trailer. Appointments will...

December 2022 Employee of the Month - Michelle Adams

Have you ever met one of those exceptional people who is kind, friendly, and provides excellent customer service all while calculating multiple math equations and balancing countless spreadsheets? Now you have! Her name is Michelle Adams; she works in the...

Exploring Data-Rich Maps in Riley County

Last week, Governor Kelly proclaimed November 16 as GIS day in Kansas, recognizing that use and application of geospatial technology is crucial to operating our infrastructure, sustaining our natural resources, and stimulating economic growth. Although we...

November Proclaimed Native American Heritage Month

We are proud to announce the Riley County Board of County Commissioners proclaimed November 2022 Native American Heritage Month. Riley County EMS staff members Nathan Dixon and Abby Linderman received the proclamation, which stated:

WHEREAS, Native America...

RCHD Encourages Vaccinations as 2022 Flu/COVID Season Begins

(RILEY COUNTY, KS - November 9, 2022) The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) recorded 48 new COVID-19 cases for Riley County for the week of October 29 - November 4. The Incidence Rate is 64.7, placing Riley County in the SUBSTANTIAL incid...

Election Night Results

Find Election Night Results at https://www.rileycountyks.gov/1983/2022-Election-Results

Operation Green Light Display in Downtown MHK Signals Support of Veterans and Families

Starting Sunday, November 6th, green lights will be installed and displayed along Poyntz Avenue in Downtown Manhattan to show support for military veterans and their families. The Operation Green Light display will last one week and is part of a national ...

Riverfront MHK Project Moves Forward

(RILEY COUNTY, KS – November 2, 2022) The Riley County Board of County Commissioners unanimously approved a resolution of support for Riverfront MHK during their October 31st meeting. The resolution supports Riverfront MHK’s efforts to...

Structure fire in Ogden caused by heat lamp in chicken coop

(RILEY COUNTY, KS - October 18, 2022) At noon Tuesday, October 18, Firefighters from Riley County Fire District #1 (RCFD#1) and Manhattan Fire Department (MFD) were dispatched to reports of a structure fire located at 203 William Drive in Ogden.  ...

Keats barn total loss after early morning fire

(RILEY COUNTY, KS - October 5, 2022) Riley County Fire District #1 was dispatched to reports of a structure fire at 2748 W. 60th Avenue in the Keats area at 5:45 a.m. this morning. When crews arrived, they found a detached barn fully involved with fire. A...

9/28/2022 Tractor Fire in No. Riley County

(RILEY COUNTY, KS - September 27, 2022) At 1:30 p.m. September 27, Riley County Fire District #1 was dispatched to reports of a vehicle fire located near Fairview Church Road and Walnut Creek Road near Leonardville in northern Riley County. Upon arrival, ...

9/8/2022 RCFD#1 Extinguishes Brush Fire at Windy Hill Road Near Randolph

At noon on September 8, Riley County Fire District #1 were dispatched to a brush fire in the 9600 block of Windy Hill Road. A total of approximately 10 volunteer firefighters responded on 5 apparatus and were able to contain the fire. However, windy condi...

New Notification System Helps Combat Property Fraud

(RILEY COUNTY, KS – August 22, 2022) The Riley County Register of Deeds Office recently subscribed to a notification service called Property Fraud Alert as a proactive step to protect people from mortgage and property fraud. People and businesses can now ...

Monkeypox Information

KDHE and Johnson County Department of Health and Environment identified the first presumptive positive case of Monkeypox in Kansas over the weekend. The risk of Monkeypox spreading through Kansas is LOW.

Monkeypox is a rare but potentially serious viral il...

COVID-19 Vaccinations for Young Children Begin June 30

(RILEY COUNTY, KS - June 28, 2022) COVID-19 vaccine administration for young children will begin Thursday, June 30 at the Riley County Health Department Clinic, located at 2030 Tecumseh Road. All children older than 6 months of age are eligible for vaccin...

Public Works Buildings and Equipment Damaged in June 11 Storm

(RILEY COUNTY, KS - June 14, 2022) Several buildings at the Riley County Public Works Department sustained heavy damage during Saturday’s storm. The Public Works complex, located north of Manhattan at 6215 Tuttle Creek Boulevard, houses the Hous...

Storm Damage Estimated at $9.47 Million

The preliminary storm damage assessment for Riley County is estimated at $9.74 million. A team from the Riley County Appraiser’s Office and Manhattan Fire Department’s Risk Reduction Division performed assessments of 41 residential and business properties...

Severe Storms Cause Damage in Riley County

(RILEY COUNTY, KS - June 12, 2022) Teams from the Riley County Appraiser’s Office and Manhattan Fire Department’s Risk Reduction Division are visiting neighborhoods today to perform damage assessments after last night’s storms. Downed power lines and larg...

Danielle Kitt: June Employee of the Month

June’s Employee of the Month comes from a family dedicated to public service. Danielle Kitt, Medical Clerk at the Riley County Health Department Clinic, trained as an EMT and worked as an emergency dispatcher, her father was a paramedic and is c...

5/25/2022 Riley County COVID-19 Update

(RILEY COUNTY, KS – May 25, 2022) The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) recorded 43 new COVID-19 cases for Riley County between May 14-20. The Incidence Rate per 100,000 is 57.9, putting Riley County in the SUBSTANTIAL incidence...

RCHD Welcomes Jacob Clarke, MD as Clinic Supervisor

(Riley County, KS - May 23, 2022) Jacob Clarke, MD recently joined the Riley County Health Department as the new Clinic Supervisor. He started work Monday, May 16th. As Supervisor of the Public Health Clinic, Clarke will lead staff in addressing health ne...

Riley County Employees to Receive Mid-Year Pay Increase

(Riley County, KS - May 23, 2022) At their May 23rd public meeting, the Riley County Board of County Commissioners voted unanimously to approve a mid-year pay increase for county employees. The increase will take effect for the July 1 pay date and will in...

5/20/2022 COVID-19 Update

KDHE Identifies 26 New COVID-19 Cases in Riley County

(RILEY COUNTY, KS – May 20, 2022) The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) recorded 26 new COVID-19 cases for Riley County between May 7-13. The Incidence Rate per 100,000 is 35.0, putting...

Katharine Hensler Named Director/Curator of the Riley County Historical Museum

(Riley County, KS - May 18, 2022) Riley County Commissioners are pleased to announce Katharine Hensler has been selected as the Director/Curator of the Riley County Historical Museum. Hensler will begin work on May 31st.

As Director/Curator of the Riley Co...

5/13/2022 COVID-19 Update

(RILEY COUNTY, KS – May 13, 2022) The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) recorded 37 COVID-19 cases for Riley County between May 2-8. The Incidence Rate per 100,000 is 49.8, putting Riley County in the MODERATE incidence category...

Anna Burson Selected as Riley County Appraiser

(Riley County, KS - May 13, 2022) Riley County Commissioners are excited to announce Anna Burson has accepted the position of County Appraiser. Burson will start on May 16th. As County Appraiser, Burson will establish market values for real estate and per...

New Requirements for Short-Term Rental Properties in Rural Riley County Will Promote Safety

People operating short-term rental properties, such as Airbnb and Vrbo rentals, in the unincorporated areas of Riley County will now have to apply for a license, with yearly renewals, through the Planning and Development Department. To be granted a licens...

FDA Announces Limits to J&J COVID-19 Vaccine Use

On May 5, 2022 the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced it was limiting the authorized use of the Janssen COVID-19 (Johnson & Johnson - J&J) single dose vaccine to individuals 18 years of age and older for whom:

• Had a severe reaction a...

5/4/2022 Riley County COVID-19 Update

(RILEY COUNTY, KS – May 4, 2022) The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) recorded 40 COVID-19 cases for Riley County between April 18-24. The Incidence Rate per 100,000 is 53.9, putting Riley County in the substantial incidence ca...

4/28/2022 Wildfire Update

The two wildfires in Northern Riley County, one near Bjorling Road and the other near Hwy77 and Fancy Creek Road, are now fully contained. Smoke may continue to be visible in the areas for several days, however, as some cedar trees are still smoldering. R...

4/27/2022 Riley County COVID-19 Update

(RILEY COUNTY, KS – April 27, 2022) Riley County identified 4 new COVID-19 cases and 15 additional recoveries in Week 16 (April 17-23). There are currently two known active COVID-19 cases in the county. 

One additional COVID-19-related death has b...

4/26/2022 Bjorling Road Fire

4/20/2022 COVID-19 Update

(RILEY COUNTY, KS – April 20, 2022) Riley County identified 2 new COVID-19 cases and 19 additional recoveries in Week 15 (April 10-16). There are currently four known active COVID-19 cases in the county. 

No (0) COVID-19 patients are cur...

4/13/2022 COVID-19 Update

(RILEY COUNTY, KS – April 13, 2022) Riley County identified 15 new COVID-19 cases and 8 additional recoveries in Week 14 (April 3-9). There are currently 18 known active COVID-19 cases in the county. No (0) COVID-19 patients are current...

4/11/2022 Baldwin Creek Road Fire

4/11/2022 Carlson Road Fire Update

4/11/2022 CARLSON ROAD FIRE UPDATE

The Carlson Road fire is now completely contained. Our crews continued to monitor the burned area over the weekend, checking for hotspots, and we are grateful to be able to consider this fire 100% contained as of Monday m...

4/6/2022 Riley County COVID-19 Update

(RILEY COUNTY, KS – April 6, 2022) Riley County identified nine new COVID-19 cases and three additional recoveries in Week 13 (March 27 - April 2). There are currently 16 known active COVID-19 cases in the county. 

An additional death wa...

3/30/2022 Riley County COVID-19 Update

(RILEY COUNTY, KS – March 30, 2022) Riley County identified 8 new COVID-19 cases and 17 additional recoveries in Week 12 (March 20 - 26). There are currently eight active COVID-19 cases in the county. 

Zero COVID-19 patients are currentl...

3/23/2022 Riley County COVID-19 Update

(RILEY COUNTY, KS – March 23, 2022) Riley County identified 3 new COVID-19 cases and 11 additional recoveries in Week 11 (March 6 - 12). There are currently six active COVID-19 cases in the county. 

Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan is c...

3/16/2022 Riley County COVID-19 Update

(RILEY COUNTY, KS – March 16, 2022) Riley County identified 15 new COVID-19 cases in Week 10 (March 6 - 12) and 32 new cases in Week 9 (February 27 - March 5) along with a total of 64 additional recoveries. There are 26 active COVID-19 cases in the county...

RCFD#1 Contained Grass Fire During High Winds Saturday

(RILEY COUNTY, KS - March 7, 2022) At 3:30 p.m. Saturday, March 5, Riley County Fire District #1 (RCFD #1) was dispatched to the 6400 block of North 52nd Street, near Sedalia Community Church, for reports of an outside fire. A total of 15 firefighters and...

RCFD#1 Using New Technology for Emergency Response

(RILEY COUNTY, KS - March 7, 2022) Riley County Fire District #1 (RCFD#1) is exploring new technology for incident responses by serving as a pilot test group for the new OpsCentral team software. This software brings several sources of information togethe...

3/2/2022 Riley County COVID-19 Update

(RILEY COUNTY, KS – March 2, 2022) Riley County has identified 188 new positive COVID-19 cases and 386 additional recoveries since the last report on February 16. A total of 132 of those cases were reported in the last 2 weeks, the remainder represent del...

RCFD#1 Contains North County Wildfire

(RILEY COUNTY, KS - March 1, 2022) At 10:00 a.m. Sunday, February 27, 2022 Riley County Fire District #1 was dispatched to the area near Carlson and Rosehill Road near Tuttle Creek Lake for reports of a large outdoor fire. A total of 12 apparatus, 15 volu...

Riley County Mourns the Loss of Greg McHenry, County Appraiser

(RILEY COUNTY, KS – February 25, 2022) Riley County is grieving the loss of longtime community leader Greg McHenry.

McHenry suffered with a prolonged illness in recent years and passed away Thursday evening.

Greg worked for Riley County since 1988 and serve...

2/16/2022 COVID-19 Update

(RILEY COUNTY, KS – February 16, 2022) A 59 year-old, unvaccinated female Riley County resident passed away on January 11 after testing positive for COVID-19 on January 5. Her passing represents the 74th COVID-related death in the county. 

Riley C...

2/9/2022 Riley County COVID-19 Update

(RILEY COUNTY, KS – February 9, 2022) A 74 year-old, unvaccinated male tested positive for COVID-19 January 24 and passed away on February 9 at Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan. His passing represents the 73rd COVID-19-related death in Riley Co...

Board of County Commission Meetings

The Board of County Commissioners will not be in session on the following dates:

• Monday, December 26, 2022 (Christmas Day)

• Monday, January 2, 2023 (New Year's Day)
• Thursday, January 12, 2023 (Regional Leaders Retreat)
• Monday, January 16, 2023 (Martin...

North Central Regional Planning Commission

Resources that may be able to assist low-income households in need of services.

The U.S. Department of Energy Weatherization Assistance Program reduces energy costs for low-income households by increasing the energy efficiency of their homes, while ensurin...

Road Construction & Closures

Information about current Riley County Road Construction Projects...