Riley County Extension Director Gary Fike this week reported on FAQ’s surrounding the Economic Impact payments and other tax related questions ahead of the new tax filing season. The extension report airs Saturday mornings at 7:50 a.m. on News Radio KMAN.
Author: Brandon Peoples
Brandon Peoples
KMAN News Director and host of In Focus. Contact Brandon at Brandon@1350KMAN.com
Starting next week, residents will have a chance to share their thoughts on potential future reuse of parts of the Manhattan High School East Campus building. Thanks to a grant from Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, the Institute for Civil Discourse and Democracy (ICDD) at Kansas State is facilitiating community conversations for the Manhattan-Ogden School District regarding future plans. The building, at 901 Poyntz Ave., is being considered for a possible central location for the nonprofit Common Table, which provides free meals to those in need in the Manhattan area. That’s ICDD Director Dr. Timothy Shaffer, who explains the format of…
A former City of Belvue treasurer arrested in June 2021 has been sent to jail for taking thousands of dollars in public funds over several years. Former city clerk and treasurer Kim Fitzgerald, was sentenced to 60 days in jail and given seven months of probation Thursday by Pottawatomie County Judge Jeff Elder. Fitzgerald was convicted for embezzling more than $88,000 from the city’s funds going back as far as 2010, according to a statement from County Attorney Sherri Schuck in court Thursday. Judge Elder said in court Thursday he was imposing the 60 day jail sentence to send a…
There will be no school Friday for students at USD 383 Manhattan-Ogden Schools. Superintendent Dr. Marvin Wade says the district will use the day as one of the weather days already built into the calendar. It is not a remote learning day. Scheduled activities and athletics can continue as planned. With no school Monday, due to the Martin Luther King Jr. federal holiday, the district is calling the move a “short-term sacrifice” as they provide a four-day weekend for everyone to hopefully get healthy. COVID numbers district wide are continuing to put added stress on maintaining an adequate number of…
The Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the past theft of a utility trailer. Sheriff Shane Jager noted the theft was reported Wednesday in the 8000 block of East Hwy 24 in Manhattan. The trailer is described as a silver 14′ single axle Aluma Utility Trailer with a standup ramp on the back. The estimated total loss is $3,200. A mid 2000’s white GM Crew Cab pickup was identified in the area early Wednesday morning near the time of the theft. Anyone with information is urged to call Detective Rob Gordon at 785-457-3353. Tips can also be left via the…
School districts in the area continue to struggle with COVID related absences. It’s prompted Rock Creek Schools to implement thresholds for mandatory masking, which three of the district’s four school buildings currently meet. Superintendent Kevin Logan tells KMAN about how the school board came to its decision this week. Day-to-day operations have been a challenge, according to Logan, with several teachers out either positive with COVID or as a close contact. It’s also put an added burden on the substitute teacher pool. Logan says on top of that is confusion among staff about how long a person must be out…
Damage from a water leak at St. George Elementary this week was minimal according to Rock Creek Superintendent Kevin Logan. The incident early Tuesday morning involved a urinal in the building that would not shut off and continued to leak. Classes were canceled Tuesday as a result but resumed on Wednesday. Logan credited maintenance staff with getting things cleaned up by the afternoon. Soft products, such as paper and a few books were damaged, but the dollar amount lost is expected to be minimal.
A 1:30 p.m. arraignment hearing is planned Thursday for a Wamego man facing multiple felony counts of sexual exploitation involving children. Scott Hertzig will be in front of Pottawatomie County Judge Jeff Elder, who will advise him of the charges against him and the penalties he could face. The matter will likely get set for a jury trial later this year. Pottawatomie County Attorney Sherri Schuck tells KMAN that because of COVID backlogs, a jury trial may not occur until sometime this summer. The 37-year-old Hertzig is a former taekwondo instructor in the Manhattan area and a former broadcaster. He’s…
The Kansas State Board of Education on Wednesday unanimously approved an emergency declaration that allows any individual meeting certain qualifications to apply to be a substitute teacher. The action is aimed at helping solve the substitute teacher shortage caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Individuals over the age of 18 can apply for Temporary Emergency Authorized License (or TEAL), good through June 1. After that date, more rigorous requirements will be necessary. District 2 board member Melanie Haas, of Overland Park, says she’s heard angry comments from some educators who say they felt devalued by this proposition. District 6 board member…
A Manhattan High School music teacher has been selected as an outstanding music educator by the National Federation of State High School Association. Dr. Joel Gittle, the MHS Director of Bands for the past 30 years, was selected as the 2021-22 recipient for the state of Kansas, but also for Section 5, which includes regional educators from Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota and South Dakota. The award is given annually to individuals whose contributions have impacted high school activities programs. Dr. Gittle began his career in Herrington in 1991, then moved to the Manhattan/Ogden School District the following year.…