Author: Brandon Peoples

Riley County Police are investigating vandalism of the Riley County Health Department from over the weekend. According to RCPD’s activity report, a criminal damage report was filed Saturday night, in the 2000 block of Tecumseh Road, after an unknown suspect broke out multiple windows at the facility with a baseball bat. The estimated total loss is around $3,000. A motive is not clear at this time but Riley County Public Information Officer Alice Massimi tells KMAN it does not appear the incident was targeted directly at the health department or health officials. Police are asking anyone with information to contact…

K-State Athletics has announced the next phase of its Building Champions initiative to improve athletics facilities. The next phase, pending approval from the Kansas Board of Regents this week, will see the construction of a new volleyball arena, Olympic performance center and an indoor football training facility. It was announced during Saturday’s football home opener vs. Southern Illinois. The athletic department has raised $96.5 million of the roughly $126.5 million cost to begin construction on the new facilities, which includes the newly opened $50 million Shamrock Zone at Bill Snyder Family Stadium. The new indoor football center will also include…

Two people were injured Sunday in a crash on North Seth Child Road near Top of the World Drive. According to the Riley County Police Department, a northbound passenger car driven by 17-year-old Camden Iwanski, of Stockton, tried to turn left onto Top of the World Drive in front of a southbound pickup truck driven by 32-year-old Jonathan Losey, of Wamego. The vehicles collided and went into the west ditch, shortly before 2:30 p.m., causing a nearly two hour road closure on K-113. A passenger in the first vehicle, 19-year-old Beatrice Griebel, of Stockton, was transported by Life Star to…

A man and woman from Manhattan were arrested Friday in connection to multiple sex crimes. The Riley County Police Department says 31-year-old Vincent Meeks Jr. is charged with rape, three counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, three counts of solicitation, criminal threat, unlawfully hosting minors consuming alcohol and furnishing alcohol to minors. Police also arrested 55-year-old Sandra Meeks on two counts of unlawfully hosting minors consuming alcohol. Vincent is confined on a $250,000 bond. Sandra was no longer confined after posting a $2,000 bond. The incident is alleged from Aug. 8 and involved a 15-year-old victim. Due to…

It’s official, the Big 12 membership is going back to 12 members schools, like its name suggests. On Friday, the conference approved membership applications from BYU, UCF, Cincinnati and Houston. How quickly the teams begin competing in athletics is still to be determined. BYU, which has been an independent athletic institution, says all of its sports will begin Big 12 schedules in the 2023-24 athletic season. The other three schools compete in the American Athletic Conference, which requires a 27 month notice for schools wanting to leave the conference. It’s expected they’ll begin competing no later than July 1, 2024.…

A new kids’ bike park skills course is coming soon to Frank Anneberg Park. The plan is a partnership between the Manhattan Parks and Recreation Department, the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee BikeWalkMHK, private donors and volunteers. Work begins at 9 a.m. Saturday. In a release from the City of Manhattan Thursday, Parks and Rec Director Eddie Eastes said the goal is to help kids build skills . They’re hoping to have the park completed and open by next week. He says it’s designed for children aged 3 to 10 but older kids and adults will be able to use…

President Joe Biden on Thursday announced perhaps the most sweeping new federal vaccine requirements for as many as 100 million Americans to curb surging COVID-19 numbers. The president’s plan, requires businesses with 100 or more employees to have workers fully vaccinated or face weekly testing. The Occupational Safety and Health Administration would oversee the requirement and businesses that fail to comply could face fines up to $14,000. The rule also requires that large companies provide paid time off for vaccination. Biden’s plan faces an almost certain legal challenge. Top Republican Kansas lawmakers are already criticizing the president’s approach. Senator Roger…

The fate of three co-defendants, charged with the 2019 murder of a Manhattan man during an attempted robbery, won’t be resolved until after the first of the year. A trial for Richard Goens is scheduled for Jan. 6, with a pretrial hearing on Dec. 20. Goens, along with Jaylon Hitsman and Shamar Sutton are each charged in the shooting death of 23-year-old Tanner Zamecnik outside a west-Manhattan apartment complex on Nov. 1, 2019. Goens and Sutton are each charged with counts of first-degree murder, attempted aggravated robbery, aggravated battery, aggravated assault and criminal discharge of a firearm. Goens additionally faces…

An official ribbon cutting for the new Junction City High School will take place next month. School officials announced Thursday they’re planning to unveil the new $132 million, $437,000 square foot facility at 10 a.m. Oct. 9. Students will lead tours following the ribbon cutting. The new school, which broke ground in April 2019, opened to students and staff in late August and replaces the former high school, which was built nearly 70 years ago. The district initially had planned to host the public tours in August but was forced to reschedule due to construction delays.

10:30 a.m. Thursday update A 7 year-old boy is recovering at a Topeka hospital after being struck by a car while waiting at a bus stop Wednesday morning. The boy, identified in RCPD’s activity report as Tommy Hagadorn-Brecken, was crossing the roadway when he was hit by a 2017 Chevy Cruze driven by 78-year-old Andrew Spencer Tomb III, of Manhattan. The incident occurred just after 8 a.m. Wednesday near the intersection of Tuttle Cove Road and Terra Heights Drive. The child was airlifted to Stormont Vail Hospital for serious, but not life threatening injuries. Original Story – 10:50 a.m. Wednesday…