Manhattan, Kansas, Mayor Usha Reddi snapped pictures of packed campus bars and restaurants in Aggieville.
Now, she's calling on students at Kansas State University to follow guidelines as new cases on campus drive the county's positivity rate to more than 10%.
AS WE REPORTED LASTWEEK, AT LEAST 13MEMBERS OF A KANSASSTATE UNIVERSITYFRATERNITY TESTEDPOSITIVE FOR COVID-19.NOW, THE CITY'S MAYORWORRIES THOSENUMBERS WILL CONTINUETO CLIMB, AFTERWITNESSING WHAT SHEDEEMS UNACCEPTABLEBEHAVIOR OFF CAMPUS.ANCHOR CAITLIN KNUTEHAS MORE FROM THENEWSROOM.
CAITLIN?THE MAYOR OFMANHATTAN TOLD MESHE'S NOT ONLY WORRIEDABOUT RISING CASENUMBERS ON CAMPUS,SHE'S WORRIED IT WILLSPREAD LIKE WILDFIRETHROUGH THECOMMUNITY.AND, SHE SAYS THATCOULD FORCE ALL K-12SCHOOLS TO GO REMOTE,AND POSSIBLY EVENCLOSE AREA BUSINESSESAGAIN.LAST WEEK KANSAS STATEUNIVERSITY REPORTED 63CASES OF COVID-19 ONCAMPUS, WITH APOSITIVITY RATE OF 9.29%.STUDENTS HAVE BEINSTRUCTED TO WEARFACE MASKS, SOCIALDISTANCE, AND DO THEIRPART TO KEEP OTHERSSAFE.BUT, IT SEEMS NOT ALLSTUDENTS AREFOLLOWING THOSGUIDELINES.THESE ARE PICTURES THEMAYOR OF MANHATTANTOOK A COUPLE WEEKSAGO, SHOWING PACKEDBARS AND PATIOS,STUDENTS SHOULDERSHOULDER, MOST OFTHEM NOT WEARINGMASKS.MAYOR Usha Reddi, Manhattan, KS: "On the front you could seemost of the people were doingthe right thing, but on theback, where most bars havepatios, it was very packed,packed to the brim."AFTER ALERTING OTHERCITY AND COUNTYOFFICIALS, ONE OF THOSEBARS, O'MALLEY'S ALLEYWAS ORDERED TO CLOSEON SATURDAY,THE HEALTH DEPARTMENCITED THE BAR FOR NOTFOLLOWING GUIDELINESTHAT LIMIT RESTAURANTSAND BARS TO SEATEDAREAS ONLY, MEANING NOSTANDING ROOM ONLYAREAS AND FOR NOFOLLOWING THE CITY'SMASK MANDATE.HOWEVER, THE CLOSUREWAS BRIEF.
O'MALLEY'SALLEY POSTED ONTWITTER IT WAS BACKOPEN AS OF MONDAY.MAYOR REDDI SAYS SHEJUST HOPES THISWARNING PROMPTS BARSAND STUDENTS TO TAKENECESSARY SAFETYPRECAUTIONS.... NOT JUSTFOR THEMSELVES, BUTFOR THE SURROUNDINGK-12 SCHOOLS.MAYOR Usha Reddi, Manhattan, KS: "So, if it goes beyond 10%for a couple weeks, they'regoing to go to remoteinstruction, and that's a hugeinjustice to our young kids.""If you're in higher educationin college, you can probablyhandle an online class.
But asecond grader, third grader?They can'tRIGHT NOW, IT'S A REALCONCERN FOR RILEYCOUNTY WITH 674 ACTIVECASES OF CORONAVIRUS.THE COUNTY'S POSITIVITYRATE THIS WEEK IS11.7%.... AND THE AVERAGEAGE OF PATIENTS ISAROUND 30.Along with college andschool-aged kids, MayorREDDI IS also concernedabout the older members ofthe community.MAYOR Usha Reddi, Manhattan, KS"We have lots of teachersthat are much older.
Thereisn't a big substitute poolanymore for K-12, and ourfaculty, even at K StaUniversity are older.
So, weneed to take care of all ofthem, otherwise things aregoing to shut down really fast."THE MAYOR SAYS IT'S NOTJUST BARS ANDRESTAURANTS.SHE SAYS A BIG PART OFTHE PROBLEM IS HOUSEPARTIES AND BACKYARDGET-TOGETHERS.AND SHE WARNS EVENSMALLER GET-TOGETHERSCAN BE PROBLEMATIC...SHARING THAT 4 K-STATEFOOTBALL PLAYERSCONTRACTEDCORONAVIRUS SI