Author: Brandon Peoples

The National Weather Service in Topeka has confirmed two weak tornadoes from Tuesday night storms in Marshall and Republic Counties. A preliminary damage survey shows the Republic County tornado was an EF-1 and on the ground near the small community of Narka for about 3 and a quarter miles. It lasted about 10 minutes. Peak wind speeds were measured at 90 miles per hour. The Marshall County tornado, also an EF-1 had peak wind speeds of 93 miles per hour, with a path length of 2.8 miles. Both tornadoes had maximum widths of 75 yards. No deaths or injuries were…

Two new superintendents are taking over at Rock Creek and Wamego Public Schools this fall. Both made their debut appearance Wednesday on KMAN’s In Focus. Current Lansing High School Principal Rob McKim was hired Jan. 31 by the Wamego School Board. The Kansas native has spent most of his life involved in education. McKim will begin training with the district June 14 before his official start date of July 1. He says at first, his goal is to listen and learn about the district and the community. He says in order to help foster an effective learning environment he’ll work…

A Junction City man connected to an officer-involved shooting last month has been arrested following his Tuesday discharge from Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka. Carlton Solton is charged with two counts of aggravated assault, three counts of aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer and for criminal use of weapons. The 36-year-old is jailed in Geary County on a $50,000 bond. Solton was injured during a confrontation May 21st with officers responding to a report by a woman who said Solton had been threatening her and another woman outside her home, waving around a handgun. No officers were injured during…

A slight uptick in new COVID-19 cases is being reported in Riley County, according to data this week from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Between May 28th and June 3rd, there were 48 new cases of COVID-19 reported in the county. Last week, 32 new cases were reported, the week before there were 43 new cases and three weeks ago, t The incidence rate per 100,000 people is 64.7. That puts Riley County into the substantial incidence category. Riley County has bounced back and forth between the moderate and substantial categories based on average cases being above or…

A Manhattan woman was hospitalized after being struck by a car Tuesday night in downtown Manhattan. According to RCPD, 23-year-old Felicity Tepe was running through the parking lot behind Tallgrass Taphouse, in the 300 block of Poyntz Ave. just before midnight. As she was running, an SUV, driven by 21-year-old Alyssa Doolittle Beaman, struck her. Tepe was taken to Ascension Via Christi for treatment of hip and back injuries. The extent of her injuries wasn’t immediately available.

Pottawatomie County Commissioners heard an hour of public comment Monday regarding a proposed rock quarry near Wheaton by Topeka-based Mid-States Materials. The Planning Commission voted earlier this spring 4-3 to recommend denial of a conditional use permit for the quarry. Concerned landowners spoke about why they are opposed to the project. Travis Ross, a fourth generation farmer in the area, is worried about natural resources that could be impacted. Nearby landowner Natalie Krohn expressed frustration with the commission for drawing out the process for consideration, following the Planning Commission’s initial denial. Mid-States Materials representative Rich Eckert explained why the company…

Motorists can expect some traffic adjustments on Browning Ave. near Marlatt Elementary well into next month. The City of Manhattan has confirmed a Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) Safe Routes to Schools project began this week and will keep the intersection at Browning and Dickens Ave. closed for approximately six weeks. North and southbound travelers are being told to use the detour of Hobbs Drive and College Avenue. While east/west access remains open on Dickens Ave., southbound access to Browning from Dickens will be closed during the project. Once completed, the project will include new sidewalks and ramps and repair…

Two motorcyclists were injured Friday on Tuttle Creek Blvd. near the Riley turn off at Highway 24 and 77. According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, the two bikers were southbound, shortly before noon, when the trailing biker rear-ended the bike in front of him. Both bikes came to rest in the southbound lane. The trailing biker, 66-year-old Peter Ross, of Glenwood, Iowa, was transported to Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan. RCPD confirmed he was being treated for road rash. The lead biker had more serious injuries to his lower body, and was life-flighted to Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka.…

A vehicle carrying four teenage girls from Junction City crashed Thursday during a high speed pursuit in Geary County. The Kansas Highway Patrol says a 2000 Pontiac Grand Am was westbound on Interstate 70 around 1 p.m. and attempted to exit at Milford Lake Road, west of Junction City. Because of the high rate of speed, the vehicle was unable to maneuver the right turn and crashed into the east ditch. The driver, identified as 15-year-old Kius Sampson, sustained no apparent injury, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol crash log. A 15-year-old passenger, Lillith Morrison, was transported to a Junction…

Drought conditions have improved significantly across much of Kansas, though some portions of southwest Kansas continue to see ongoing concerns. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor’s latest data, released Thursday, widespread precipitation helped portions of the state see two-category improvements. Most of Riley County went from abnormally dry in last week’s report, to having no significant signs of drought in this week’s report, except for the extreme northwestern tip of the county. Much of the eastern third of Kansas has been removed from drought and the primary concern continues to be in western and specifically southwestern Kansas, where extreme to…