Author: Brandon Peoples

The month of November saw Manhattan set three records for daily high temperatures, according to data from the National Weather Service. The first record was set on Nov. 15, when Manhattan saw a 73 degree high temperature. The second record was on Nov. 23, a temperature of 74 degrees. Another record was set on Monday, Nov. 29 when Manhattan hit 75 degrees. The warmest temperature of the month was recorded on Nov. 7 when Manhattan hit 79 degrees, falling 1 degree of the daily record of 80 set in 1999. More records may be set this week as we enter…

Fancy Creek Bridge has a new name, honoring a local Vietnam veteran who lost his life over 50 years ago during the war. The Riley Countian newspaper reports that a renaming ceremony for the bridge was held Nov. 20 at the VFW Hall in Randolph. It will be called the PFC Loren H. Larson Memorial Bridge, honoring the late Larson, who died in June 1969, less than two months into his first tour of duty. Rep. Susan Carlson sponsored the legislation for the renaming and spoke at the Nov. 20 ceremony. Signage for the bridge was expected to be installed…

One person was hospitalized Saturday following a motor vehicle accident near Riley on US Highway 77. The Kansas Highway Patrol says a Jeep Wrangler had slowed for an accident scene in the easbound lane when a Chevy Equinox struck the rear of her vehicle shortly after 6:30 p.m. The driver of the Equinox, 26-year-old Elizabeth Elsasser of Longford was transported to Clay County Medical Center for a complaint of pain. The driver of the Jeep, 33-year-old Danielle Blakeslee-Wilson, of Manhattan, was not hurt. An adult passenger and two infant children also sustained no injuries in the crash.

Local businesses are encouraging the public to think of them this holiday season. Saturday marks the annual Shop Small Saturday, a focus on the businesses and entrepreneurs viewed largely as the backbone of most communities. Downtown Manhattan, Inc. Executive Director Gina Snyder says for every $100 spent locally, $68 stays in Manhattan and re-circulates. A new service for those going back and forth between downtown and Aggieville is the free ATA bus shuttle, something that began as a pilot program last weekend. Manhattan Mayor Wynn Butler says the idea to ease up some of the parking concerns in the area.…

Expressing gratitude over the Thanksgiving holiday can actually benefit your mental health. An online search can help you find numerous articles tied to thankfulness and good mental health. Pawnee Mental Health Executive Director Robbin Cole says one article she found, breaks down in simple terms how having a positive attitude can benefit most people. Cole, who joined KMAN’s In Focus on Nov. 18, says it also has a positive impact on your sleep cycle and anxiety in addition to other benefits. The article is titled The Neuroscience of Gratitude and How it Affects Anxiety and Grief. It’s available to read…

A local district court judge is one of four new members appointed to the Advisory Council on Dispute Resolution. 21st Judicial District Judge Kendra Lewison, of Riley and Clay counties, will serve on the council through June 30, 2024. Lewison was appointed along with mediator Janell Murphey, with the Salina Initiative for Restorative Justice, Retired Chief Judge Kevin Moriarty, and court services officer Amanda Lovell from the 30th Judicial District. The Dispute Resolution Act established dispute resolution as a means to resolve issues by means other than litigation, using an impartial third party to help the two sides reach a…

State parks in Kansas are offering free admission this Friday to those wanting to get away from the hustle and bustle of holiday shopping. Those who visit any of Kansas’ 28 state parks on Friday, including Tuttle Creek State Park, will have a chance to win a free night’s stay in a Kansas state park cabin of their choice. The Department of Wildlife and Parks says to enter, visitors must take a “selfie” within any state park and share it on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram with the hashtags #OptOutside and #MyKsStatePark. To learn more about Kansas State Parks visit ksoutdoors.com.

A Wamego man arraigned last month on sexual exploitation charges is set for a preliminary hearing next week. A criminal complaint, obtained Wednesday by KMAN, charges 37-year-old Scott Hertzig with 13 felony counts of sexual exploitation of a child after investigators found him to be in possession of child pornography on April 9 and Jan. 12 of this year. Hertzig is a former a youth Tae-kwon-do instructor in the area. He was arraigned Oct. 26. A preliminary hearing is scheduled at 9 a.m. Dec. 3 in Pottawatomie County District Court in front of Magistrate Judge Erich Campbell.

More than 571,000 Kansans are expected to travel over the Thanksgiving holiday weekend. While still falling about 7 percent shy of the record number of pre-pandemic travelers in 2019, AAA Kansas spokesperson Shawn Steward tells KMAN it’s a sign that most travelers are hopping in their cars and putting COVID in their rear view mirror. The national average gas price for a gallon of regular, as of Tuesday, was $3.41, while the Kansas average was at $3.06. Gas prices historically haven’t hindered travel around the holiday, but Steward says a recent poll of Kansas drivers tell a different story this…

Pottawatomie County commissioners have signed off on a contract for preliminary design and acquisition of property for the proposed detention pond north of Junietta Road and west of Moody Road in Blue Township. County Engineer Nathan Bergman discussed with commissioners on Monday a potential timeline over the next several months that could see the design portion of the project get developed. A drainage study has deemed the pond or a dam will be necessary before future residential development in that area can proceed. It would be a dry pond, primarily used for flood mitigation in the area. Ideally, Bergman says…