Author: Brandon Peoples

Kansas State University will require employees to get the COVID-19 vaccine or face termination. The move was announced during a Friday Town Hall with top university officials, per the Kansas Board of Regents who say doing so will bring K-State, KU and Wichita State into compliance with President Biden’s federal vaccine mandate. All three universities receive federal funding. The requirement applies to all K-State faculty and staff as well as graduate and undergraduate student employees. It does not apply to Alumni Association, Foundation, K-State Union or most athletics employees. Employees wishing to request an exemption for medical or religious reasons…

The Riley County Health Department identified 65 new positive Coronavirus cases and 68 additional recoveries in its latest weekly report, issued Thursday. Six COVID-positive patients were said to be under care at Ascension Via Christi Hospital, including one who is in the Intensive Care Unit. All six were said to be unvaccinated. The total amount of active cases was 108. As for testing, the health department says 50 positive cases were confirmed out of 1,507 total tests, for a 3.3 percent positive rate. That was down from 3.9 percent the week before. Earlier this week, Ascension Via Christi reported to…

The future of the Emmett Fire Station in eastern Pottawatomie County may be known before the end of the year. During a work session Monday, Pottawatomie County Fire Chief Jared Barnes informed commissioners he’s reached out to a company to do a feasibility study to determine whether it makes sense to renovate the existing station or build new. Staffing had been a concern at the station as little as six months ago, dropping to as many as two firefighters on the roster. Barnes says the community has shown more interest as they have two pending applications and a handful waiting…

A Manhattan man is jailed on charges of arson and using explosives. According to a Riley County Police Department investigation, two fires were intentionally set Monday, both involving a device commonly known as a Molotov cocktail. Police identified and captured 36-year-old Matthew Spooner on suspicion of two counts of aggravated arson and two counts of criminal use of explosives. The first incident, initially believed to be an electrical fire, was reported around 1:30 p.m. in the 1200 block of Moro Street (O’Malley’s Alley). The second was reported around 7:45 p.m. in the 1100 block of Laramie Street. Witnesses reported seeing…

Local leaders are remembering Colin Powell, former Joint Chiefs chairman and secretary of state, who died Monday at 84, from COVID-19 complications. In a statement, Kansas State University President and former Joint Chiefs chairman Richard Myers, issued the following statement Monday. “Today, we lost an American icon and an inspirational role model for millions of people of color.  He was a master of our national security apparatus, having served as the National Security Advisor to the president, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Secretary of State. He helped guide our country through many security crises.  It was…

The Riley County Health Department has reported 74 new COVID infections and 44 more recoveries in its weekly report Thursday. The health department says it’s monitoring 111 active cases. The percent positive rate for new infections ticked up slightly to 4 percent, up from 2.5 percent the week before. As of Thursday seven COVID-positive patients were under care at Ascension Via Christi. One of the patients is in the Intensive Care Unit. Vaccination status wasn’t provided for the hospitalized patients. Since reporting began in March 2020, Riley County has recorded nearly 8,000 positive cases. Vaccine Operations:  The health department says…

No injuries were reported after a train struck a truck on a railroad crossing east of Emmett in Pottawatomie County Wednesday night. The Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office says deputies and emergency personnel from St. Mary’s, Pottawatomie County EMS and the Emmett Fire Department, along with Union Pacific Railroad, responded to the scene shortly after 9 p.m. near Crystal Springs Road and Barnyard Road. The driver and lone occupant was identified as 20-year-old Simon Serafin, of Emmett. He reported no injuries. The Sheriff’s Office provided no further information as to why the vehicle was on the tracks. The accident is under…

The family of a late Manhattan man, who drowned last year at the Wamego Indoor Aquatics Center, has reached a settlement with the Wamego city government. A joint statement from the family of Thomas (Wyatt) Balman and the Wamego city government Tuesday, announced that John and Seana Balman received a $350,000 pre-litigation settlement for the wrongful death of their son. The 20-year-old Balman, was an Academic All-American swimmer at Soka University in southern California, who fainted while swimming laps at the pool and drowned on Oct. 13, 2020. Riemann Injury Litigation, the family’s legal counsel, says Balman had a pre-existing…

Charges have been upgraded for a Manhattan man who allegedly fired shots into another car Sunday on K-18 in a domestic incident. Formal charges were filed Tuesday showing 37-year-old Torrey Lindsay is now charged with attempted first-degree murder, aggravated assault and criminal discharge of a weapon into an occupied vehicle. The incident is alleged from Sunday morning on K-18, near the Riley/Geary County line. Lindsay had initially been charged with attempted second-degree murder. An online criminal complaint alleges Lindsay acted with premeditation when he shot at a 33-year-old woman from his vehicle into the vehicle she was driving. The woman…

For the first time in well over two years, Wamego High School is taking local veterans to Washington, D.C. as part of the Kansas Honor Flight program. The 2-day whirlwind trip allows veterans and their student guardians to visit some of the monuments and memorials and in some cases meet with dignitaries. The flight was scheduled to leave Wednesday morning and return late Thursday night. The homecoming will take place along Lincoln Street between 4th and 6th Streets at approximately 11 p.m. Thursday night. The public is invited to take part in welcoming back the veterans. According to Wamego High…