Author: Brandon Peoples

Sen. Bob Dole became just the second Kansan to lie in state at the U.S. Capitol Thursday, the other being former President Dwight Eisenhower in 1969. On Thursday, Sen. Jerry Moran spoke with KMAN about the life and legacy of the Russell native, who died Sunday at the age of 98. While Moran acknowledges Sen. Dole’s shoes are difficult to fill and won’t be filled, he says he continues try to replicate Dole’s love for Kansans and knowing them. Moran says even in a divided country in the age of social media, he hopes Dole’s example of leading with civility can…

Riley County identified 106 new COVID-19 cases and 59 additional recoveries in its latest weekly report Wednesday, bringing the active case count to 147. Ascension Via Christi is caring for 10 COVID-positive patients, four of whom are in the Intensive Care Unit, with three on ventilators. The health department says one ICU patient is fully vaccinated. Health Department Director Julie Gibbs says much of the spread they’re seeing is in young school-aged children. She highly encourages parents to get their kids vaccinated. Influenza, MMR and other immunizations are also available through the Riley County Health Department for children and adults.…

A U.S. Department of Agriculture collaboration with a top pharmaceutical company is opening up opportunities and mentorships for scholars interested in careers at the National Bio and Agro Defense Facility in Manhattan. The department’s Agricultural Research Service has partnered with German-based Boehringer Ingelheim to expand a longstanding veterinary school program up to 12 veterinary students. Each will be able to work with USDA scientists next summer to research emerging diseases with the potential to affect animals and public health. NBAF is one of three ARS specialized facilities in the country taking part in the five-year partnership. The others included the…

A Manhattan man is jailed after allegedly stealing another person’s bike at gunpoint. Riley County Police arrested 36-year-old James Norton Tuesday on a warrant listing several charges including aggravated armed robbery. The alleged incident took place around 4:30 p.m. Sunday in the 400 block of Leavenworth Street. Police listed a 51-year-old male victim. The total loss is estimated at $700. In addition, Northon is charged with possession of an opiate, interference with a law enforcement officer, probation and parole violation charges as well as a charge for failure to appear. Norton remains in the Riley County Jail on a bond…

A March preliminary hearing is scheduled in the case of a Manhattan man charged in the death of his ex-wife earlier this fall. Kamahl Bobian, who remains jailed on a $1 million bond, will appear in court March 4 at 1 p.m. Magistrate Judge William Malcolm has scheduled a four hour setting, at the request of Riley County Attorney Barry Wilkerson. Due to jury trial commitments for both the state and defense attorney Brenda Jordan, no earlier preliminary hearing dates were available. Bobian is charged with 1st degree murder in the Sept. 24 death of Shanell Bobian. He’s also charged…

Kansas State University is putting a halt to its vaccine mandate for employees after a federal judge in Georgia Tuesday struck down President Joe Biden’s executive order requiring the COVID-19 vaccine for federal employees, contractors and other employees. President Richard Myers issued a statement saying university employees do not need to take any further action related to the vaccine requirement. On KMAN’s In Focus Monday, Myers stated that at least 82% of faculty, students and staff were fully vaccinated. Myers, who in August stated he would mandate vaccines at K-State if he could, says he still backs that statement and…

The Pottawatomie County Commission has approved the 2022 wage plans that will see county employees receiving a 3 percent raise. It accounts for the 1.6 percent cost of living adjustment approved in the budget in August, plus an additional 1.4 percent increase approved recently by commissioners through American Rescue Plan Act funds. Director of Human Resources Whitney Phebus also gave commissioners an update on staffing. The county still has several vacancies and has been filling some of its existing vacancies in the treasurer’s office and appraisers office internally. Phebus says some of the more long-standing vacancies though are continuing. Vacancies…

A pair of funds have been set up to help cover funeral expenses for two Manhattan teenagers killed over the weekend in an early Sunday morning car crash. Eisenhower Middle School students , Gaysha Alfred and Kenni Cantu, both 14, died in the crash along K-18 at Scenic Drive. Three others were injured, including one who was flown to KU Medical Center with serious injuries. As of this morning over $12,000 had been raised for Cantu’s family and over $1,400 had been raised for the Alfred family.

The Riley County Law Board plans to hold a special meeting next week to discuss a plan to move forward on hiring the next director of the Riley County Police Department. Riley County Commissioner and Law Board member John Ford tells KMAN that’s partially due to a lack of planning. “We haven’t really had time as a board, some of that’s actually my fault for scheduling things that happened in November, to actually sit down and have a special law board meeting to lay out the foundation to get to that point,” he said. A two hour tentative meeting is…

Updated 12:20 p.m. Sunday Two teenagers were killed early Sunday in a fiery crash along K-18, southwest of Manhattan. Emergency crews called out shortly after 1 a.m. found a single-vehicle on fire under the Scenic Drive overpass.  The Kansas Highway Patrol says an eastbound SUV, carrying five people, left the roadway after the driver lost control for an unknown reason. The vehicle entered the south ditch and struck the concrete bridge pillar, which caused the vehicle to catch fire. According to the crash report, two passengers, 14-year-old Kenni Cantu and 14-year-old Gaysha Alfred, both of Manhattan, died at the scene.…