Author: Brandon Peoples

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…

A facilitated public forum is being held tonight to get feedback on the future of parks and recreation programming in Manhattan. Workforce challenges have hampered the department in recent months, causing uncertainty for the future of some programming. Manhattan City Manager Ron Fehr says city officials hope to get to a solution to one burning question. “How can we deliver these programs in a quality level that people want to participate in and can afford to participate in going forward, with the challenges that we have with the workforce and other issues today,” he said during an appearance Friday on…

Pottawatomie County commissioners this week approved a conditional use permit for a rock quarry to go in near Wheaton. The vote was 2-1 in favor of Mid-States Materials and came after months of discussion on the topic and a number of protests from residents who live near the planned quarry. It will be constructed about a half-mile west of Wheaton Road and Highway 16, via Reves Road. Commissioner Greg Riat, the lone commissioner to vote no on the quarry, took issue with condition number five, relating to 50 foot setbacks on each side of the property, arguing the setbacks should…

Advanced voting in Kansas began Wednesday ahead of the Aug. 2 primary election. Registered voters have until July 26 to obtain a ballot by mail. In-person voting is open at the county clerk’s office from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Riley County will also host an advanced voting opportunity July 30 inside the Riley County Office Building from 8 a.m. to noon. Advanced voting officially wraps up statewide at noon Aug. 1. After registration closed Tuesday, Riley County Clerk Rich Vargo confirmed to KMAN there were 38,382 registered voters in the county, a number likely to go…