Author: Brandon Peoples

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.…

Kansas leaders, political rivals and the current and former U.S. Presidents are paying tribute to former Senate Majority Leader and presidential candidate Bob Dole. The Kansas native died Sunday at the age of 98. Arrangements are being organized and more information on that can be found here. President Joe Biden via Twitter Bob Dole was a man to be admired by Americans. He had an unerring sense of integrity and honor. May God bless him, and may our nation draw upon his legacy of decency, dignity, good humor, and patriotism for all time. — President Biden (@POTUS) December 5, 2021…

Christmas cookies are a holiday tradition for many. For St. Thomas More Church, the 31st annual Cookie Carousel was a return to its more traditional format, or at least a version of it, while adhering to COVID protocols. After adjusting the format last year to a drive thru distribution with free cookies for participants, this year the in-person aspect returned with the event serving as a fundraiser for Be Able, Catholic Charities, Konza Table and Shepherd’s Crossing. Therese Adams is the President of the St. Thomas More Ladies, who help to put on the event. The featured cookie this year…

Eight months after fire damaged the Manhattan Taco John’s store, a building official with the Manhattan Fire Department says he believes plans are coming together to eventually renovate and reopen the store. “There’s some fire repair that’s going to have to happen and a rebuild of the interior, but I get the feeling we’re really close on that happening,” said Darren Emery, with the fire department’s Risk Reduction Division. Emery says he spoke recently with Commercial Plans Examiner Justin Befort, who mentioned he’s been looking at plans which are starting to come together. Emery says there could be a number…

Riley County officials say a kitchen fire caused an estimated $25,000 in damage to a structure just north of the Manhattan city limits. Firefighters from Riley County Fire District No. 1 were dispatched shortly after noon Friday for the structure fire at 2830 Nelson’s Landing. The fire was extinguished within a few minutes and crews isolated the fire to the kitchen area, keeping it from spreading to the roof or other areas of the home. No injuries were reported and the cause is undetermined. Manhattan Fire Department also responded during the early stages of the fire. A damage estimate for…