Author: Brandon Peoples

A September preliminary hearing is planned for a Fort Riley soldier accused of murdering another soldier in a February shooting in Aggieville. 19-year-old Tremelle Montgomery appeared in Riley County District Court Tuesday, via Zoom. Montgomery is charged with one count of first-degree murder in the death of 21-year-old Joshua Wardi. Online court documents list three counts of attempted first-degree murder against three other victims, including Donovan Bastien, Jared Musgrave and Tyrece White on Feb. 5. The shooting happened after a verbal altercation between Montgomery and Wardi, according to investigators. Montgomery reportedly fled the scene and was shot at by an…

Riley County remains in the high incidence rate category for COVID-19 cases for a third consecutive week. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment recorded 87 new cases county wide between June 25 and July 1 putting the incidence rate at 117.2. Any figure at or above 100 per 100,000 people constitutes as a high incidence rate, according to KDHE data. Totals do not include at-home test results. As of Wednesday, three COVID-19 positive patients were receiving medical care at Ascension Via Christi. No additional deaths have been reported. Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are now available for free to every…

An Emmett man was seriously injured Tuesday in a crash along Highway 16 in Pottawatomie County. The Kansas Highway Patrol says 67-year-old Jerry Wayne Tisdale was westbound on the highway near Wheaton Road shortly after 12:30 p.m., when his Harley-Davidson motorcycle crossed the center line for an unknown reason and struck a guardrail. The crash report says Tisdale, who was not wearing a helmet, was ejected. He was transported to Stormont Vail Hospital.

The Kansas Highway Patrol has released its Independence Day Holiday Activity Report. The weekend included 18 DUI arrests, over 1,000 speed citations and over 100 seat belt citations. DUI arrests were about on par with the previous two holidays, which saw 20 arrests in 2020 and 19 arrests last year. It included one fatal non-DUI related crash and one non DUI-related fatality. A total of 888 motorists were assisted during the three-day period. Full statistics are available below. Enforcement Data 2020 2021 2022 DUI Arrests 20 19 18 Speed Citations 824 822 1082 Speed Warnings 622 661 745 Safety Belt…

A Manhattan man’s storage unit was burglarized over the weekend, to the tune of nearly $3,000. The Riley County Police Department says a report for burglary was filed Friday afternoon in the 2700 block of Eureka Terrace. Police say a 35-year-old man reported the theft of two 60 inch televisions, two motorcycle helmets, a Craftsman lawn mower, a Shark vacuum, an air fryer and several Craftsman hand tools were stolen from his storage unit. Anyone with information can contact RCPD or Manhattan Riley County Crime Stoppers. —- Wamego Police are warning the public of an increase in burglaries in the…

The Junction City Police Department unveiled their new D.A.R.E car during Monday’s 4th of July parade. The vehicle was equipped with lights, a custom wrap and other modifications from local businesses. It was entirely paid for by asset forfeiture and was no cost to taxpayers. Officers also brought the new Camaro to Heritage Park for the annual 4th of July fireworks show, wrapping up a busy weekend for Freedom Fest.

Authorities responded over the weekend to three separate incidents of boats on Milford Lake that became disabled and were taking on water. Members of the Geary County Sheriff’s Office Marine Unit, Junction City Fire Department EMTs and Water Rescue Swimmers responded to three calls between Sunday evening and Monday afternoon. In each case no injuries were reported and those aboard each boat were escorted to safety. As a reminder, the Sheriff’s Office shared some helpful tips for boaters heading out on the waters in a Monday news release. They say boaters should make sure the boat plug is secure, ensure…

Dark store theory, an argument by big box retailers to value their properties as empty buildings rather than an operating business, was dealt a major blow Friday. The Kansas Supreme Court ruled Friday that 11 Walmart properties in Johnson County were overtaxed by nearly $60 million in 2016 and 2017. In a unanimous decision, the high court said the Kansas Board of Tax Appeals wrongly ruled in Walmart’s favor, disregarding evidence from Johnson County on how the properties should be valued. In an email to KMAN Friday, Riley County Appraiser Anna Burson said she was reviewing the Supreme Court’s decision…

The Geary County Commission held a special meeting Friday to approve a contract with Stormont Vail Hospital which will assume control of the struggling Geary Community Hospital on January 1. The hospital will become Stormont Vail – Flint Hills Campus. Under the contract, Stormont will manage the Geary Community Hospital and its rural health clinic through the end of this year. During that time period both sides will stabilize hospital and clinical operations, install an electronic medical record system and introduce and integrate the Stormont Vail culture and processes, according to a Friday news release. Stormont says the investments over…

An Onaga woman is recovering following a Wednesday car crash near the Pottawatomie and Nemaha County line. Officials with the Kansas Highway Patrol say 58-year-old Delores Sauvage was northbound on Kansas Highway 63 shortly before 12:30 p.m. when her Cadillac Deville left the roadway to the east and struck a field entrance. The car reportedly went airborne before coming to rest on it’s front. Sauvage, who was the only one in the car, was transported to Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka with a suspected serious injury. The crash report indicates she was wearing a seat belt at the time of…