Author: Brandon Peoples

An accidental fire at Meadowlark was quickly controlled by the Manhattan Fire Department over the weekend. Firefighters were dispatched Saturday afternoon to the retirement community for a report of a fire alarm with a smell of smoke. An investigation determined the smoke was coming from a dryer fire in the basement. The fire was controlled by the building’s sprinkler system and crews finished extinguishing the fire. Loss was estimated at approximately $12,000 in total to the structure and contents. No injuries were reported. The cause was listed as accidental due to overheating of material in the dryer.

A former College Hill preschool nurse accused of sex crimes involving an underage victim has been formally charged with 19 total counts, including rape, aggravated criminal sodomy and aggravated indecent liberties. Joshua Penabaz made his first court appearance Friday, a week after a police investigation led to his arrest. The 44-year-old appeared via Zoom as Riley County Judge James Kepple read each of the charges, which include 8 counts of rape, 7 counts of aggravated criminal sodomy and 4 counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child. Online court records show the alleged crimes occurred on multiple occasions between 2009…

The Manhattan Fire Department says overloaded electrical circuits led to a house fire Thursday night. Crews were dispatched just after 9 p.m. to 2087 College View Road. Upon arrival, visible smoke was showing from the building’s roof. The fire was contained within 20 minutes. According to the fire department, there were multiple space heaters plugged in which caused the overload on the electrical system. Both of the home’s occupants got out safely and were not injured. Total loss is estimated at roughly $50,000. The fire department reminds the public of the following safety tips regarding space heaters: Keep all combustible…

The long-time appraiser for Riley County has passed away. Greg McHenry, who spent more than three decades in the appraising industry, including the past 18 years in the Riley County office died Thursday. He was 60. According to his LinkedIn page, McHenry worked as Deputy Riley County Appraiser from 2003 to 2006 before being elevated to County Appraiser, which he held for the next 15 plus years. He also spent six years as the Clay County Appraiser and was a business specialist prior to that. Most recently, McHenry also served as president of the International Association of Assessing Officers (IAAO)…

Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, the two US Senators from Kansas have called on the Biden administration to provide additional aid to Ukrainian allies and punish Russia’s economy with severe, crippling sanctions. In a statement Thursday, Sen. Jerry Moran called the Russian invasion “an avoidable tragedy”, placing the blame squarely at Vladimir Putin: He goes on to say that “While this moment underscores the need for our allies to contribute more to NATO’s defense, the United States’ commitment to our NATO obligations cannot be in doubt.” Sen. Roger Marshall stated that “It’s time for the White House and our NATO partners to…

A bill that would expand scholarships to veterinary students in the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine who pledge to return to practice in the state has passed a final House vote 121-6. HB 2605 would change the loan amount appropriated from the state, from $20,000 per year to $25,000. It also expands the program to counties having populations of 40,000 or less instead of 35,000. 66th District State Rep. Sydney Carlin, of Manhattan, spoke in favor of the bill on the House Floor Wednesday. “I think we made some really good improvements to protect rural, veterinary practices and to…

The Riley County Health Department is announcing that some services will be offered on a walk-in basis beginning March 1. Appointments are still recommended, but not required for those needing routine immunizations or for COVID-19, TB skin tests, Plan B, blood pressure checks, vaccine titers to confirm immunity, B12 injections, head lice checks as well as testing, counseling and treatment of sexually transmitted infections. Administrative Director Julie Gibbs says the goal is to reduce barriers and increase access to healthcare, as many services have only been available by appointment since 2015. Most family planning services, including women’s exams and birth…

For the first time in 10 years the average daily inmate population in the Riley County Jail climbed to 100 in the month of January. It follows seven consecutive months of increases in the jail dating back to last June. Interim director Kurt Moldrup addressed some of the reasons behind the increases, primarily attributed to the pandemic and a backlog in the courts. “So the slowing down of trials has backlogged the number of inmates that we have. We also just have a larger number of violent inmates in there too, which is part of the slowing down of those…

Two Riley County Police Department officers were publicly recognized at Tuesday’s Law Board meeting for compassion they showed to a family in distress, after a mother of four died last summer of an accidental drug overdose. Interim RCPD Director Kurt Moldrup read a letter of appreciation to Officer Jesse Shane and Officer Jonathan Shepard and their families. The two officers learned from the father that he had been struggling to take care of his wife as she battled addiction, in addition to their four kids. They also learned that the children had no clothing or school supplies for the upcoming…

U.S. Senator Jerry Moran is calling on President Biden to impose punishing sanctions on Russia after troops invaded Eastern Ukraine Monday. Moran, in a statement Monday called on the White House to focus on vital Russian economic sectors with those sanctions and provide humanitarian support to Ukrainian victims of Moscow’s aggression. He also stated it remains imperative that all NATO allies remain unified against the Russian threat and ensure the security of the alliance’s eastern-most members. Those sanctions might include barring Russian major banks from dealing in the U.S. dollar, hampering efforts to import and export products. Russia could potentially…