Author: Brandon Peoples

Area lawmakers are scheduled to take part in a mid-term legislative forum Saturday. The forum will take place at the Manhattan Public Library Auditorium. State Sen. Tom Hawk will take part in the event along with Manhattan State Representatives Sydney Carlin and Mike Dodson, Wamego State Representative Ron Highland and Clay Center State Representative Suzi Carlson. The event is being sponsored by the League of Women Voters of Manhattan-Riley County, the local chapter of the American Association of University Women and the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce. The event begins at 2 p.m. Saturday. Those who can’t attend can stream the…

A late Wichita businessman’s estate includes a $17 million scholarship and recognition fund that is being established at Kansas State University. According to a release from the university Thursday, Robert “Bob” Campbell, who owned and operated his oil and gas operation in Wichita for 56 years, left the gift as part of his estate following his March 2021 passing. The World War II Army veteran graduated from K-State in 1950 and launched his company in 1963. He was inducted into the K-State College of Business Administration Distinguished Business Leaders Hall of Fame in 2016. The Robert E. Campbell Opportunity Scholarship…

View this post on Instagram A post shared by ♡٨ﮩ٨ﮩﮩ٨ﮩﮩ٨ﮩ EᖇYKᗩᕼ?ﮩ٨ﮩﮩ٨ﮩﮩ٨ﮩ٨♡ (@weeluvv._erykah) A police investigation continues following a series of large fights which broke out at Junction City High School one week ago. The above video, shared publicly following the incident on a student’s Instagram page, shows how quickly the situation escalated. Since the March 24 incident in the building’s cafeteria, 14 students have been suspended. Geary County Schools Superintendent Dr. Reginald Eggleston weighed in on the situation Wednesday on KMAN’s In Focus, where he noted steps are being taken to discourage acts of violence. “We try to…

The City of Manhattan has announced a new spokesperson who will lead the city’s communications efforts. Andrew Lawson has been hired as the Communications Manager and Public Information Officer, and will be tasked with strategic development and implementation of citywide communications for external and internal stakeholders. He will also provide and coordinate communication activities on a broad range of programs, services, issues and policies, including day-to-day operations under a newly formed Communications Division, comprising of two additional marketing positions. Lawson comes to Manhattan after working as the PIO for the City of Arkansas City. He also served as president of…

A Manhattan man is now in custody after he reportedly failed to show for his trial last November and then disappeared for several months. 29-year-old John Galloway was brought into custody Friday on three counts of failure to appear and a single count of probation violation. Galloway has three pending cases in Riley County District Court. He’s charged with four counts of theft, two counts of attempted aggravated burglary, aggravated burglary, aggravated battery, motor vehicle burglary and other charges. Galloway was reportedly located in Kansas City, Missouri at the time of his arrest. He was jailed on a total bond…

A preliminary hearing is scheduled Thursday in the case of a former Northview Elementary paraprofessional charged with sex crimes involving minors. Aaron Zachry will appear in person at 9 a.m. for a scheduled all-day setting with Magistrate Judge William Malcolm. An amended complaint filed online in October, lists 35 total counts, including six counts of aggravated indecent liberties and 29 counts of sexual exploitation. The alleged charges occurred in 2020 and 2021 in Riley and Geary counties. RCPD arrested Zachry last June at the Northview Pool, in a response to a suspicious activity complaint. Further investigation led to the discovery…

A total of 14 Junction City High School students involved in altercations at the high school last week have been suspended, according to multiple media reports. The Junction City Police Department is continuing to investigate the case. The Junction City Union reports that after the fights, JCPD worked with high school staff and USD 475 administrators to determine who was involved and discussed next steps Monday to discourage fights in the future. The fights reportedly broke out in the cafeteria area around the same time last Thursday. Police have not had any students come forward with any motives. Students are…

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) called in Friday to the KMAN Morning Show Friday at 8:50 a.m. and provided an update on the situation in Ukraine following his recent trip to Eastern Europe and provided thoughts on the nominating process for Supreme Court Justice nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson. The full interview can be heard below.

State Sen. Tom Hawk (D-Manhattan) weighed in on this week’s action in Topeka, which included some controversial bills dealing with K-12 schools, including a transgender ban on girls and women’s sports which passed the Senate Tuesday as well as a bill to expand school transfers and establish a Parents Bill of Rights. He also spoke to election integrity and a ballot initiative that will see Kansans voting on a constitutional question requiring counties to elect sheriffs. Riley County would be exempt, but there are other issues that could create in the future, if Riley County ever went away from consolidation.…

Junction City High School’s principal is being reassigned and an associate principal will remain in place through the remainder of the school year. In a letter to parents Tuesday, Geary County School District Superintendent Reginald Eggleston announced that Merrier Tartt is being reassigned. James Neff, the school’s assistant principal has been named acting principal. Tartt, whose name was Merrier Jackson when she was named interim principal in late 2020, was officially named principal in April 2021. She succeeded Melissa Sharp, who was suspended after allegedly telling a student to remove a hijab, a garment worn by some Muslim women. Sharp…