Author: Brandon Peoples

Two weeks after being sentenced on convictions of sexual exploitation of a toddler, a former Kansas State University maintenance worker was back in Riley County District Court Wednesday for a motions hearing. William Hynek, 63, of Manhattan, was sentenced to 32 months on all three counts at a May 28 hearing for possessing over 8,200 sexually explicit images of children and over 500 GIF videos on his laptop computer, flash drives and an SD card. A detective also examined CDs and floppy disks, finding countless additional images on those storage devices as well. In court Wednesday, Judge Grant Bannister denied…

Kansas U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall is weighing in on the Republican Farm Bill framework, noting it puts “farm” back in the Farm Bill. Marshall says the framework, released on Tuesday, prioritizes crop insurance, while not cutting funding for the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Marshall says the new bill would enhance crop insurance coverage through the Title One Agriculture Risk Coverage (ARC) and Price Loss Coverage (PLC) programs, increasing the reference prices, something Marshall says Republicans have been fighting to raise for at least five years. Marshall says the next steps will see Republicans and Democrats hammering out some of…

A spokesperson for healthcare provider Ascension says Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan and the Wamego Health Center have successfully restored primary technology used for electronic patient documentation in care settings. The announcement means all Via Christi hospitals in Kansas have now successfully restored EHR access. This will allow most hospital departments, physician offices and clinics to use electronic documentation and charting, meaning improved efficiencies and wait times. Ascension announced the cybersecurity incident in early May affecting hospitals and health care facilities in its nationwide network. It’s working to complete EHR restoration across its ministry by the end of this week.

No injuries were reported after a semi trailer became fully engulfed in flames on Interstate 70 early Tuesday morning, in rural Geary County. Deputies responded to the area, east of Milford Lake Road just after 1:30 a.m., according to Rural Fire Chief Garry Berges. He says the driver, an Ohio man, reported his truck began to lock in the rear and realized his rear tires had caught on fire. The trailer, which was hauling approximately 30,000 pounds of french fries, was destroyed. Berges says the total loss is estimated at $80,000.

A Junction City man was hospitalized overnight following a motor vehicle accident in Geary County. The Sheriff’s Office reported that Shaun Felton was northbound on U.S. Highway 77 just after midnight Tuesday when he overcorrected his pickup and drifted off the roadway near mile marker 158. The vehicle traveled off an embankment until the truck collided with a row of trees. Felton was transported by the Junction City Fire Department to Stormont Vail Flint Hills. His condition wasn’t immediately available.

A hospital spokesperson with Ascension Via Christi says some progress has been made as it looks to overcome a major cybersecurity incident first reported one month ago. In an update Monday, it was noted that the company’s hospitals in Wichita and Pittsburg saw restoration of primary technology used for electronic patient documentation in care settings. Facilities in Manhattan and Wamego have seen no progress. The updates follow a national update from Ascension last Friday in which the healthcare provider reported continued progress toward system restoration across its network. On Friday, Ascension noted electronic health record access had been restored in…

Manhattan city officials say the major phase of its levee improvement project is nearing completion and the nearby trails will be allowed to reopen in a few weeks. The city announced on Monday that beginning June 28, the southern section of the Linear Trail from South Manhattan Ave. to the boat ramp at U.S. Highway 24 will reopen to the public for the first time in 2 and a half years of construction. The River Trails, along the west bank of the Kansas River, will also be reopening. Parks and Recreation Director Aaron Stewart says the reopening ties in with June…

Riley County has officially announced the appointment of Bryant Parker as the county’s new Deputy Counselor. His appointment follows months of shuffling within the County Counselor’s office, following the April departure of Shelly Woodard, who held the position for less than a year after replacing Craig Cox, who retired in September. He’ll assist County Counselor Clancy Holeman, who also will be retiring at the end of this year. Parker will assist in providing legal counsel to county commissioners, handling contractual agreements, benefit districts, human resource matters and the annual filing of tax foreclosure cases. He will also represent the county…

Authorities are investigating after an incident of forgery in Manhattan. According to the Riley County Police Department, Thermal Comfort Air reported a known subject cashed a check written to a vendor. totaling more than $15,000. As of Monday, police hadn’t made any arrests. The incident was reported Friday morning in the 700 block of Pecan Circle, in southwest Manhattan. The investigation is ongoing.

A Manhattan man is jailed in Riley County after police say he injured a woman by throwing a chair at her. The Riley County Police Department says 42-year-old William Webster has been charged on suspicion of aggravated battery. He also is charged with disorderly conduct and two counts of assault. A 61-year-old woman reported to police that Webster struck her with a metal patio chair. The incident was reported in the 800 block of Dondee Drive in southwest Manhattan. She was transported to Via Christi by EMS for non life-threatening injuries. Webster remains jailed on a $20,000 bond.