Author: Brandon Peoples

The director of the Pottawatomie County Health Department says 64 new positive cases of coronavirus were confirmed between August 22 and August 28. Leslie Campbell provided an update to commissioners Monday. In that, she mentioned some local districts are now actively utilizing quarantine classrooms, for students who were close contacts of COVID-19 positive individuals at school. Rock Creek USD 323 Superintendent Kevin Logan tells KMAN they are not planning on using quarantine rooms this fall, despite looking into it as a possibility last week. “We instead will give our parents/students the option of “quarantine” (at home) or “test to stay…

Former Kansas governor Jeff Colyer has ended his gubernatorial campaign to focus on his health after being diagnosed with prostate cancer. The 61-year-old, who held the office for less than a year following the 2018 resignation of Sam Brownback, made the announcement in a statement Monday. “While I have always focused on helping others, for the next few weeks I am going to focus on my health. I was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer like my father and grandfather. After treatment, I am confident for a full recovery. Given these challenges, Ruth and I have decided to withdraw from the…

A new directory is being launched this fall, to bring more visibility and support to underrepresented businesses in the Flint Hills. The Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce says the directory, created by the Greater Manhattan Economic Partnership will highlight minority-owned businesses in Riley, Geary, Pottawatomie and Wabaunsee counties. Entrepreneurs meeting these demographics will be able to fill out an online form on the GMEP website at no cost. The site will also be a resource to small businesses in the area providing support and mentorship opportunities through the Washburn Small Business Development Center, Manhattan Economic Development, SPARK and The Office…

The Director of the A.Q. Miller School of Journalism and Mass Communications is getting not just one, but two honors this year from the Kansas Association of Broadcasters. Dr. Steve Smethers is this year’s recipient of the Distinguished Services Award, the Association’s highest honor, given annually for exemplary service to the community, state and broadcast industry. In addition, Smethers will be inducted into the Association’s Hall of Fame, alongside Dan Israel, the Executive Producer of the Kansas City Chiefs Radio Network and Danny Thomas, President and General Manager of KOAM TV in Pittsburg. Smethers began his radio career in 1968…

The Flint Hills Regional Leadership Program recently announced its newest class for the 2021-22 program year. The class includes 20 individuals from Riley, Geary and Pottawatomie counties who will complete the seven session course over the next six months. This year’s participants are listed below: Christine Benne — Regional Volunteer interim chair, Manhattan Military Relations Committee Casey Biesenthal — Commercial Lending, Central National Bank Christian Bishop — Protocol Specialist, First Infantry Division Headquarters, Fort Riley Andrew Darrow — IT Director, City of Manhattan Cade Dover — District Operations Manager, Evergy Inc. David Easterling — Army Substance Abuse Program/DHR @ USAG…

The Kansas delegation of lawmakers in Washington, D.C. are urging President Biden to outline safety plans for Americans and others attempting to flee Afghanistan amid the possibility of more terror attacks. Following two apparently coordinated attacks by ISIS suicide bombers Thursday, which killed 11 Marines and a Navy medic and wounded at least 15 American service members, Sen. Jerry Moran, Sen. Roger Marshall and Rep. Tracey Mann called out the Biden administration for a lack of leadership. In a statement Thursday, Sen. Moran says the U.S. must use every resource available to evacuate all Americans, allies and partners and protect service…

Time is running out for the many thousands of Americans and Afghan civilians fleeing Afghanistan ahead of President Joe Biden’s Aug. 31 deadline to withdraw troops. Fatima Jaghoori is a Kansas State University student, who served in Iraq with the U.S. Army. Her husband, also was a combat veteran, died serving in Afghanistan during Operation Enduring Freedom. She shared her story this week with News Radio KMAN. (The entire interview is shared at the bottom of this page.) Her family knows the Taliban violence all too well. They fled the region, emigrating to the U.S. in 1999 following her father’s…

Some residents in southern Riley County and a portion of Wabaunsee County were without power for as long as 4 hours Wednesday evening. Bluestem Electric Cooperative says the cause for the outage was burnt power lines across US Hwy 177 south of Manhattan. It impacted the Hunter Island substation as well as areas south of Manhattan. Bluestem General Manager Mike Morton tells KMAN there was actually a burnt line laying across the road for some time. Fortunately there were no injuries. Morton says it appears it may have been the result of a lightning strike, perhaps within the past month…

The first day of classes at USD 378 Riley County Schools is Thursday. Superintendent Cliff Williams says preliminary enrollment figures for the new school year have been promising. According to Williams, part of the reason for that increase is based on the district hosting preschool, through the Twin Lakes Educational Cooperative (TLEC), which includes five rural school districts in the region. Neighboring USD 384 Blue Valley Schools hosted the preschool last year. USD 384 Superintendent John Cox says he too is projecting a modest increase in enrollment this fall. The official count date for Kansas school districts is Sept. 20.

The superintendent at USD 378 Riley County Schools says an investigation into a scam earlier this month continues. On KMAN’s In Focus Wednesday, Cliff Williams clarified the nature of the scam, which cost the district more than $115,000. Williams says other than that, there’s very little he can comment on. The incident was reported to Riley County Police on Aug. 4.