Author: Brandon Peoples

Riley County Police say they do not believe there is any public threat after someone reported finding what appeared to be a homemade explosive device this week at a Manhattan apartment complex. Officers were called out to the 1300 block of Flint Hills Place Wednesday evening after a resident found a toilet paper roll with a fuse sticking out of it a few days earlier on her back porch. The resident brought it inside and then reported it to police. RCPD says its Bomb Team was activated to investigate and cleared the scene with no threat to residents in the…

A Junction City man was seriously injured Wednesday after intentionally driving his vehicle across the I-70 median into oncoming traffic. The Kansas Highway Patrol says 24-year-old Aaron Smith was eastbound on I-70 in Geary County, near mile marker 298, shortly before 1 p.m. when authorities say he intentionally drove across the median and into westbound traffic. His vehicle then vaulted from the north shoulder into a tree line on the north side of the interstate. The vehicle rolled, coming to rest on its wheels. Smith was transported to Geary Community Hospital with a suspected serious injury. The crash report says…

The City of Wamego has named a new Chief of the city’s police department. Paul Schliffke, who has served as Deputy Chief of Police for the past nine years, has been promoted to the position permanently. He had served in the role on an interim basis following the termination of former Chief Mike Baker on June 22. The City of Wamego has never said why Baker was fired, though Baker has alluded to friction with the City Manager’s office. Schliffke’s resume includes prior employment with the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office, where he served as a deputy, as well as employment…

The Manhattan Fire Department has defended its title, collecting the most votes during the Manhattan Battle of the Badges Blood Drive, to support the American Red Cross. The two-day event wrapped up at St. Thomas More Church Tuesday, collecting 202 pints of blood, which was a little short of its 243 pint goal this year. Officials still tout the event as a huge success, despite being the lowest amount collected in recent years. The event has collected on average, 278 pints of blood each of the past three years. MFD brought in 63 votes, outpacing Riley County EMS (58 votes)…

Bids turned in last week for a new traffic signal at Highway 24 and Columbian Road, came in 18 percent over the engineer’s estimate. Pottawatomie County Counselor John Watt informed commissioners Monday that bids over 10 percent on road projects can’t be approved, though says an exception could be made in this case, based upon a majority of the project being signal work. Any extra costs incurred would fall on the shoulders of the county, a result of a 2020 agreement between the county and the City of Wamego. Public Works Project Coordinator Steve Roggenkamp explains. Roggenkamp says Public Works…

The USD 383 FIT Closet continues efforts to stockpile school supplies for students ahead of the upcoming school year. FIT Closet Coordinator Tracy Emery provided totals Tuesday from this past weekend’s Stuff the Bus event held outside the Manhattan Walmart. The annual effort is a partnership between Konza United Way, K-State Credit Union and Manhattan Broadcasting. A variety of other local efforts have helped make a dent to the FIT Closet’s needs list including help from Grace Baptist, Crestview Christian and First Presbyterian Churches Tuesday. Emery says it’s a huge benefit to those families in the Manhattan-Ogden School District who…

A Yates Center woman was killed and two from Manhattan were involved Monday afternoon in a three-vehicle crash in Woodson County. According to the Kansas Highway Patrol crash log, 54-year-old Sandra Campbell, was driving a Ford Ranger pickup at the time of the crash. Her vehicle collided with a northbound semi hauling a trailer with an over-sized load. Her vehicle was sent into a counter-clockwise rotation and overturned. The pickup also struck another northbound Dodge Ram pickup after crossing the center line. Campbell, who was wearing a seat belt, died at the scene. The semi driver, 56-year-old William Allen, of…

A suspect has been arrested in connection to the death of a woman last October at Milford State Park. Detective John Lytle, with the Geary County Sheriff’s Office, says 23-year-old Cameron Lawson, of Fort Riley was taken into custody Monday. He’s being held on charges of 1st degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder. Lawson had been a person of interest since the Oct. 3 death of his wife, Enfinnity Hayes Lawson. At the time, authorities were told the pair were approached by a man dressed in all black who fired a shot in an attempted robbery. She was taken…

Pottawatomie County commissioners have set an Aug. 22 hearing for the 2023 budget and notice of the revenue neutral rate, which county staff say will be exceeded. The budget, which will be published sometime early next month, totals over $39.3 million, an increase of over $3 million from 2022. Much of the increase comes from a planned 6.5 percent cost of living adjustment for county employees as well as fuel and equipment costs. Assistant County Administrator Heather Gladbach says staff were able to shave the proposed 2023 mill levy down slightly from 29.965 to 29.885 in the past week. Overall,…

Three people were arrested over the weekend following a fight at an Aggieville establishment. The Riley County Police Department says officers were called out shortly before 12:30 a.m. Sunday to Tubby’s Sports Bar for reports of a fight in progress. When they arrived, officers witnessed 23-year-old Charles Ware, of Manhattan and 31-year-old Dennis Robinson, of St. Marys, engaged in a physical fight. Police say 22-year-old Anthony Kee, of Fort Riley also was involved. Robinson reportedly did not comply with orders and attempted to punch one of the officers, according to a statement from RCPD Public Information Officer Aaron Wintermote. Ware…