The Riley 69传媒 Community Corrections may be affected by a recent executive order freezing federal grants.
Brittany Phillips, county budget and finance officer, this week shared a list of state grants, federal grants and pending grant applications for the county government. Phillips highlighted 15 grants that facilitate programs like the Women, Infants and Children supplemental nutrition program (WIC) and recovery court. The local WIC receives $1.28 million in federal funds and the Bureau of Justice Assistance grant amounts to $549,999.
Last week, the White House issued an executive order putting a temporary pause on all federal financial assistance, including temporary grants and loans. Each agency needs to complete an analysis of all of their federal financial assistance programs and submit this to the Office of Management and Budget by Feb. 10. Each agency subject to this pause must halt the issuance of of new awards and the payments of money until it completes its review.
This pause is in effect so the Trump administration can review agency programs to ensure that federal funds are not going toward 69传媒渇inancial assistance for foreign aid, nongovernmental organizations, DEI, woke gender ideology, and the green new deal,69传媒 according to a memo.
69传媒淐ommunity Corrections was the only one that received the notice within Riley 69传媒, that they would have an impact,69传媒 Phillips said. 69传媒淣ow understand that the federal funds affect several divisions within Riley 69传媒, but Community Corrections was the only one that that actually received a notice that there would be a temporary pause.69传媒
Phillips said this could affect the Bureau of Justice Assistance grant. This four-year grant fully funds the full-time intensive supervision officer I position for the recovery court, a program that combats substance abuse and addiction. It also funds some activities within the Bureau of Justice Assistance and the recovery court.
69传媒淭he Health Department also has several programs and staff positions which are either fully or partially funded by federal and state grants,69传媒 Phillips said. 69传媒淏ecause the new administration has cited federal spending as a priority we wanted to get the following information in front of you as quickly as possible.69传媒
The WIC program is also fully covered by federal funds.
69传媒淲IC and BJA also fund the entire program,69传媒 said Megan Lewis, director of Community Corrections. 69传媒淚t69传媒檚 not just a staff concern but also every service that69传媒檚 provided through WIC and the recovery program.69传媒
Attorneys made opening statements Wednesday in a trial for a man charged with aggravated kidnapping and aggravated burglary.
The jury trial for Jose Miguel Fuentes-Trinidad, 29, began Tuesday in Riley 69传媒 District Court. He faces charges of aggravated kidnapping, kidnapping, aggravated residential burglary, two counts of criminal threat against different victims, criminal deprivation of property and two counts of domestic battery 69传媒 which Fuentes-Trinidad has been convicted of two or more times in the past five years.
Assistant Riley 69传媒 attorney Michael Blackburn told the jury that during an altercation on Jan. 23, 2024, Fuentes-Trinidad beat a woman known to him. He then took the victim69传媒檚 car keys and forced her and her son to ride around in his car until the woman admitted to alleged infidelity.
Blackburn said the victim69传媒檚 son stepped in to try and stop Fuentes-Trinidad from beating her in front of the other children in the home, after entering without permission and battering the victim repeatedly. Ultimately, said Blackburn, this case is about power and control.
Fuentes-Trinidad69传媒檚 defense, led by assistant public defender Phil Yau, said arguments did get physical between the victim and the defendant. Yau said the defendant and victims willingly took a drive, in order to have the argument in private.
The defense asked the jury to find there was no evidence for the counts of aggravated kidnapping and aggravated burglary.
The trial continues through the week in Riley 69传媒 District Court.
The Mercury is not publishing the victims69传媒 names because of the nature of the alleged crimes.
See dozens of area non-profits in one place at the Non-Profit Community Fair this Saturday at 69传媒 Town Center.
Starting at 10 a.m., non-profits will be spread around the mall, with information about how to support their causes, volunteer and more. There is no cost to enter the fair. Booths will pack up around 3 p.m.
Here69传媒檚 a look at some local events in the area this weekend.
THURSDAY
Mighty Fine Jam Night, 7 p.m.
Bring an instrument and jam. No drum kits. Beginner friendly acoustic jam session.
Auntie Mae69传媒檚 Parlor, 616 N. 12th St.
FRIDAY
K-State Track and Field at Steve Miller Invitational, 11 a.m.
Cliff Rovelto Indoor Track.
First Friday, 5-8 p.m.
Opening reception for Sweet Dreams.
SNW Gallery, 328 Poyntz Ave.
2025 69传媒 Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting, 5:30 p.m.
Register: .
Hilton Garden Inn and 69传媒 Conference Center, 410 S. Third St.
Paint and Sip: Ad Astra, 6 p.m.
Also Paint and Sip: Moonlight Falls at 6 p.m. Saturday.
Tickets: . Bring your own beverage.
Uncorked Inspiration, 1223 Moro St.
JCLT presents: Noises Off!, 7:30 p.m.
Junction City Little Theater presents a play-within-a-play show.
Also 7:30 p.m. Saturday and Feb. 14, and 15, and 2 p.m. Sunday and Feb. 16.
C.L. Hoover Opera House, 135 W. Seventh St., Junction City.
The Thundering Cats Big Band, 7:30 p.m.
Tickets: .
McCain Auditorium.
Boot Hill Jazz Night, 8 p.m.
Cover: $1. Ages 21 and older.
Auntie Mae69传媒檚 Parlor, 616 N. 12th St.
SATURDAY
69传媒 Farmers Market, 9 a.m.-1 p.m.
Third and Leavenworth streets.
Tallgrass Tour: Brews and Views of Council Grove, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Tour leaves the Flint Hills Discovery Center at 9 a.m. and returns around 5 p.m.
Tickets: $30+, . Ages 21+. Lunch and beverages costs not included.
Flint Hills Discovery Center, 315 S. Third St.
Non-profit Community Fair, 10 a.m.-3 p.m.
Free admission. Showcase of local non-profits.
69传媒 Town Center.
Starting Seeds Indoors, 10 a.m.
Blueville Nursery, 4539 Anderson Ave.
K-State Clarinet Day, noon-5 p.m.
Open to middle and high schoolers, and enthusiasts.
Mark A. Chapman Theatre, Nichols Hall.
K-State Men69传媒檚 Basketball vs Kansas, 1 p.m.
Watch, listen, live stats: ESPN, , .
Bramlage Coliseum.
K-State Women69传媒檚 Basketball vs Oklahoma State, 2 p.m.
Watch, listen, live stats: ESPN+, , .
Stillwater, Oklahoma.
Public Grand Reopening of Exhibits, 2-5 p.m.
Riley 69传媒 Historical Museum, 2309 Claflin Road.
BINGO, 6 p.m.
Tickets: .
Liquid Art Winery, 1745 Wildcat Creek Road.
FHDC Free Ice Skating Party, 7:30-9 p.m.
Flint Hills Discovery Center members can skate free.
Wefald Ice Skating Pavilion, City Park.
SUNDAY
K-State Women69传媒檚 Tennis vs Kentucky, 10 a.m.
Body First Tennis Center.
Book Swap, 2-5 p.m.
Bring old books, take new books.
Also Dan Valentine Charity Bake Sale, 2-5 p.m. Proceeds benefit the Center of Hope Ministry Warming Shelter Program.
Auntie Mae69传媒檚 Parlor, 616 N. 12th St.
Super Bowl LIX, 5:30 p.m.
Kansas City Chiefs vs Philadelphia Eagles.
Area restaurants and bars may be busier and more crowded than usual.
Broadcast on Fox.
Despite complaints from some residents that they were blindsided about the amount of their special taxes, 69传媒 city commissioners on Tuesday approved levying special assessments for 14 benefit districts in 69传媒.
These are areas in which work was done to improve a district, and now the city government is levying special assessments against the benefiting properties.
The sites are Candlewood Shopping Center turn lane street improvements; The Highlands at Grand Mere, Unit Two 69传媒 sanitary sewer, street, and water; Stagg Hill Golf Course waterline improvements; Elijah Addition 69传媒 sanitary sewer, street, and water; Henry Addition 69传媒 sanitary sewer, street, and water; Genesis Health Club sidewalk improvements; and Stagg Hill Business Community Addition sewer and water extension.
The total bonded amount for the improvements is $3.175 million.
During a public hearing, some residents of the Elijah Addition said they had been told by their real estate agents and developers that their share of the special assessments would be much less.
Alex Van Dyke said when he was buying his house, his realtor got an estimate from someone at the city and told him it would be around $4,000 when the total is $5,000. He said he doesn69传媒檛 understand how it could be more when no additional work has been done.
69传媒淚 just don69传媒檛 understand,69传媒 he said. 69传媒淚t feels a little predatory.69传媒
Rina Neal, director of finance, said her office has been getting quite a few calls like that about the Elijah Addition. She said the city government bases its amount on the petition, which is always higher than the construction cost. She said the city has always estimated the specials would be in the $5,000 range.
69传媒淗ere recently we were made aware that there is information out in the public that the costs are at $4,000,69传媒 she said 69传媒淭hat doesn69传媒檛 come from the city.69传媒
Jean Klassen said she and her husband, residents of the same addition, talked to every department in the city office trying to find out what their portion would be and got no answers until Monday when the notice came in the mail.
69传媒淲e were told it was going to be around $3,000,69传媒 she said. 69传媒淲e don69传媒檛 sleep at night, and we worry about it all the time, and we69传媒檙e not alone; our whole neighborhood is that way.69传媒
She said the neighborhood has been rezoned several times and now has apartments that look like Army barracks. Klassen and her husband said it wasn69传媒檛 necessarily fair that their single-family residential property is charged the same way the apartment properties are (by area) when the multi-unit properties require more infrastructure.
The commission approved the ordinance 5-0.
Handi-Corner plans
Commissioners voted to terminate an agreement to develop the Handi-Corner site on Laramie Street between 11th and 12th streets.
Developer Midtown Land Company had planned to build a hotel and parking garage on the site, where a portion of the Handi-Corner strip mall has been demolished. However, owner TJ Vilkanskas, who also owns Back 9 Development, recently asked commissioners to let him put the hotel/parking garage across the street to the west, where he had planned a multi-use building called Midtown after plans for that building fell through.
The commission agreed to a 105-room Hampton Inn and 100-stall parking garage on the site, formerly a parking lot south of Kite69传媒檚 Bar and Grill and currently an empty lot. Commissioners also authorized issuing $20 million in industrial revenue bonds for the project as well as project deadlines and potential penalties.
Vilkanskas said Friday he will honor the leases of the two remaining tenants, Green Tea Sushi and Catalyst Piercing.
69传媒淲e don69传媒檛 know what is going to go there,69传媒 he said. 69传媒淲e do own that parcel. We are not certain at this point in time what is going to go in that spot.69传媒