Author: Brandon Peoples

A status hearing for a Manhattan man accused in the death of a 2-year-old boy has been continued to next month. Gage Anderson appeared via Zoom Tuesday in front of Judge Kendra Lewison. Anderson is charged with first degree murder and child abuse stemming from the December 2020 incident. According to Deputy Riley County Attorney Bethany Fields, the lab is still in the process of gathering evidence for the defense expert to review. As a result, a pretrial conference has been reset for 4:30 p.m. on April 5. Prior to Tuesday’s hearing, online court records showed a jury trial was…

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Warning for areas along and north of Interstate 70 from 6 p.m. Wednesday through 6 p.m. Thursday. That includes Riley, Geary, Pottawatomie and Wabaunsee counties. An estimated 4 to 8 inches of snow is possible in the Manhattan area, with heavier amounts expected further to the north. Areas to the south of I-70 have been issued a Winter Weather Advisory for 2-5 inches. Traveling is likely to be impacted. Timing is uncertain, but most of the heaviest accumulation is expected overnight and into Thursday morning. Stay tuned to KMAN for any…

No injuries were reported after a house fire early Wednesday morning in northwest Manhattan. The Manhattan Fire Department was called out to 2112 Farming Dale Court just after 4 a.m. to the report of a two-story house fully involved with fire. The fire reached a second alarm before being contained within an hour and 20 minutes. The fire department says the building was not occupied at the time of the fire. Structural damage is estimated at $230,000. The value of the contents has not been determined. The homeowner is listed as Lori Mitchell. The cause of the fire is under…

(Above video courtesy CBS News) Following Tuesday’s news of a ban on the U.S. purchase of Russian oil by President Joe Biden, Kansas’ Republican Senators are weighing in. Biden’s move comes a week after Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall teamed up on a letter calling for an embargo on Russian energy and introduced legislation that would ban the import of Russian oil. In a statement Tuesday, Sen. Marshall applauded the President but said the move was late, drawing similarities to Russian sanctions and aid to Ukraine. Sen. Marshall on Fox News Monday suggested the administration could go even further,…

Pottawatomie and Wabaunsee County commissioners came together Monday to negotiate matching funds for possible federal grants as they continue moving forward on repairs to the Belvue Bridge. Wabaunsee County Attorney Tim Liesmann told both counties Monday that after a debriefing last week with the U.S. Department of Transportation, they received both some good and bad news. “So the good news is that the career staffers at USDOT gave us the highest rating, put us in the top 30 percent and put us before that final senior review team. Obviously the bad news is we didn’t make it through that cut,”…

The Geary County School Board Monday voted to make masks optional for students, staff and visitors of its schools not on Fort Riley, effective Tuesday. The schools on post will continue to adhere to the federal mask policy. The district’s Test to Stay Program also is being suspended. The district will only test students and staff for COVID-19 upon request. Those who test positive will not be allowed to to return to school or work for a minimum of five days (longer if they do not have lessening symptoms) and are encouraged to wear a mask for five days or…

Firefighters were busy this weekend battling multiple wildfires across the region Saturday. Just north of Manhattan, Riley County Fire District No. 1 crews worked to contain a grass fire that scorched a little over 40 acres in the 6400 block of North 52nd Street near Tuttle Creek Blvd. According to Deputy Fire Chief John Martens the fire was started by someone using a homemade potato-launching gun. More than 20 volunteer firefighters helped contain the fire. No buildings were burned, but investigators said the siding on one outbuilding melted as a result of the flames. In Pottawatomie County, crews closed Hwy…

Kimball Avenue in Manhattan will have another major closure impacting traffic. Starting Monday, a section of Kimball Ave, almost directly in front of Bill Snyder Family Stadium, will be closed to thru traffic as crews widen the roadway, install sidewalks, and do a full reconstruct of the street and storm drainage system. City Manager Ron Fehr… City Manager Ron Fehr says the project is the latest step for Ebert Construction in the ongoing North Campus Corridor improvements. Fehr says by doing this, Ebert expects to streamline construction and have the roadway reopened in time for the football season. The closure…

The City of Manhattan has a new Assistant City Manager. Jared Wasinger, who previously served as Assistant to the City Manager was officially promoted recently, according to a release from the City. He fills the vacant position left by Dennis Marstall, who left for a position out of state in August. Wasinger, a Hays native, has been employed with Manhattan since 2015 working as an intern both for Human Resources and the City Manager’s office and was hired full time in 2016. He has a Master’s Degree from Kansas State University in Public Administration. Kristen Dolf has been promoted to…

History was made this week in the 1st Infantry Division as the US Army announced the promotion of the first female Deputy Commanding General (Support). The assignment of Brigadier General Niave Knell was announced Monday by the Chief of Staff of the Army. Brig. Gen. Knell currently serves at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri as Commandant of the U.S. Army Military Police School, U.S. Army Maneuver Support Center of Excellence. She previously served as Chief of Staff for the U.S. Army North, Joint Base San Antonio, Texas. Knell is a native of Milford, Massachusetts and has had a 30 year career…