Thunderstorms, some heavy during the morning hours, then skies turning partly cloudy during the afternoon. High around 85F. Winds SSE at 10 to 20 mph. Chance of rain 100%. 1 to 2 inches of rain expected..
Tonight
A few clouds. A stray shower or thunderstorm is possible. Low 68F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.
Q: If I see a business violating the rules related to the coronavirus, who am I supposed to call?
A: The Riley County Health Department’s hotline. The number is 785-587-5426. You also can email rileycountycovid19@gmail.com.
The health department will pass along the complaint to the police if necessary, according to health department director Julie Gibbs. Police will “always accept calls” in the usual manner, through the RCPD’s main line, 785-537-2112, director Dennis Butler said. They’ll dispatch officers to investigate, he said.
The point of going through the health department first is so that they can compile a record of such complaints, Gibbs said.
So far, a few complaints have come in, but there have been no real problems, Gibbs said. The health department does have the power to close a business for repeated violations, she said. “If the business continues to be in violation of the order in place, we can order the business to close because this does pose a threat to public health,” she said.
That hasn’t happened.
“When RCPD has followed up, the owners have taken corrective measures when they’ve needed to but in most cases, they’ve found everything to be fine and up to standards,” Gibbs said.
Said Butler: “Our primary approach is education, if the activity continues unabated officers have the authority to issue citations (which is an arrest). We hope to avoid making physical arrests, but it could happen depending on the situation. I want to emphasize our desire to reach compliance through and educational approach.”
You can submit a question to this column by e-mail to questions@themercury.com, or by regular mail to Questions, P.O. Box 787, Manhattan, KS 66505.
