Author: Brandon Peoples

Just days remain before voters head to the polls to determine two key local races. As candidates continue to try and sway voters, partisan politics have crept into the city commission and USD 383 school board races, which are traditionally seen as nonpartisan. Whether it’s in a radio spot, a Facebook ad, a comment at a forum or even during public comment at a meeting, there’s almost no escape from the talking points or rhetoric from both sides of the political discussion. Associate Communications professor and Director of the Institute for Civic Discourse and Democracy, Dr. Tim Shaffer says it’s…

Key dates were announced Thursday by Kansas State University, related to its Dec. 8 deadline for all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. In order to comply with the new federal executive order as an entity which receives federal funding, all K-State faculty and staff as well as graduate and undergraduate student employees must get vaccinated or face termination. The university says Nov. 15 is the deadline to submit a request for a religious or medical exemption. Those requests will be approved or denied by Nov. 19. Nov. 29 is the last date for employees to upload proof of…

The Manhattan Fire Department is investigating a Wednesday fire in the Colonial Gardens Mobile Home Park. Firefighters were dispatched at 1:30 p.m. to a single-wide mobile home with smoke showing from multiple openings on the home. One dog was rescued by maintenance before firefighters arrived on scene and a second dog was rescued by fire crews, who contained the fire within 10 minutes. According to the fire department, a responding Riley County police officer sustained a minor injury and was treated and released on scene by Riley County EMS. All four occupants were not home at the time, but were…

An alleged threat made against Junction City High School over social media Wednesday morning was determined to be a false alarm. According to a Facebook post by Junction City Police Wednesday, it was determined the threat was not directed at the high school but rather a different high school in another state. It’s unclear what school the threat was directed at, but JCPD says it is in contact with authorities in that jurisdiction. USD 475 Geary County Schools confirmed this in a statement late Wednesday afternoon and said school was not disrupted and activities continued as normal. Classes will resume…

Riley County health officials identified 38 new positive Coronavirus cases Wednesday and 54 additional recoveries since the last weekly report Oct. 21. Among the 92 active cases, four COVID-positive patients are being treated at Ascension Via Christi, including three who are in the Intensive Care Unit. Three are unvaccinated and one fully vaccinated patient is among those in the ICU. The percent positive rate for the past week was 3.2 percent, down a tenth of a percentage point from the week before. The health department is currently providing third dose boosters of the COVID-19 vaccine to those eligible to receive…

A jury trial began Tuesday in Riley County in the case of a man accused in a December 2017 alleged burglary and kidnapping. David Lee Gollahon is charged with three total counts. A third amended complaint filed Monday accuses Gollahon of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated burglary and attempted aggravated robbery. The online complaint alleges Gollahon kidnapped a woman and broke into the Scenic Valley Inn, where he’s alleged to have strangled the woman in an attempt to rob her. Gollahon, who was once listed on the Riley County Most Wanted list, was extrdited from Maryland in July to face charges. He’s…

Nearly a year out from the mid-term elections, one Kansas Senator is already receiving an endorsement from a former top Trump cabinet member. Former Secretary of State and potential 2024 Republican presidential candidate Mike Pompeo has thrown his support behind U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) for re-election. In a statement Tuesday, Pompeo praised Moran’s service and says Kansans need him in the Senate to “save the American Dream, as we know it, for future generations.” Moran thanked Pompeo in a statement saying he looks forward to continuing to work with him to “push back against the Democrats radical liberal agenda.”…

Manhattan city officials have announced funding available to assist income-qualified homeowners. Through a 2021 Community Development Block Grant, eligible applicants can use federal funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), to make necessary critical repairs and accessibility modifications to their homes. It’s open to low and moderate income homeowners that earn less than 80 percent or less than the Area Median Income. For a family of four that would be $61,900. Since 2010, the city has applied more than $1.8 million to assist over 100 homeowners with housing rehabilitation projects. The program provides funding for comprehensive…

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…