Author: Brandon Peoples

A former Junction City High School athletic trainer will spend two months in jail and three years on probation for sending obscene photos and text messages to an underage student. Brandon Martino was sentenced Monday in Geary County Court after entering a no contest plea last month to a single count of sexual exploitation of a child. The Kansas Board of Healing Arts also suspended his license last month after a patient under the age of 18 alleged they received explicit text messages from Martino, including a nude photo of himself. Martino was suspended from his position at Junction City…

A former Northview Elementary paraprofessional charged with multiple counts of sexual exploitation will appear in court Tuesday afternoon for a status hearing. Online court documents show that 31-year-old Aaron Zachry was charged with 15 new counts on Friday out of Geary County, all of which include sexual exploitation of a child. Zachry was arrested at Northview Pool in early June for suspicious activity. An investigation led to a total of seven charges of sexual exploitation of a child in Riley County. He’s now charged with 22 total counts overall. Zachry is scheduled for a 1 p.m. preliminary examination status hearing…

Riley County emergency personnel responded to two injury crashes north of Manhattan over the weekend, both of which resulted in driver citations. According to Monday’s RCPD activity report, the first one occurred around Friday evening at the intersection of Seth Child and Marlatt Ave. Police say a passenger car driven by 73-year-old Doris Henson, of Manhattan, drove through a stop sign at the intersection. Her car was struck nearly head on by a swerving oncoming pickup, driven by 36-year-old Brady Colp, of Manhattan. Henson was transported privately for treatment of injuries and cited for failure to yield right of way.…

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers reopened the road and stilling basin area at the base of the dam at Tuttle Creek Reservoir. The road reopened Thursday after the completion of a nearly 4-year construction project in the area commonly referred to as the “tubes.” This also means the east half of Outlet Park and the west entrance to the Riverpond Area of Tuttle Creek State Park is now open. The project started in early 2018, but then stalled in 2019 after high waters prevented work from taking place for several months. The lake filled to near capacity in June…

New COVID cases dropped somewhat in Riley County over the past week, but hospitalizations remain fairly steady. Nine positive patients were hospitalized in Manhattan Thursday with at least four being treated in the ICU. Health Department Director Julie Gibbs says most of the hospitalizations involve those who have not been vaccinated. The health department is planning vaccine clinics over the weekend, including one Saturday at Manhattan Town Center. The other will take place at Little Apple Brewing Company from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. Sunday where the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be administered. Those who get vaccinated will…

One person was killed Thursday in a fiery crash on I-70 in Dickinson County. The Kansas Highway Patrol says an eastbound Chevy Equinox crossed the center line and struck a westbound semi truck head on shortly before 12:30 p.m. According to Trooper Ben Gardner, the crash happened around mile marker 284, near Chapman. The driver of the Equinox, identified as 34-year-old Ryan Pack of Abilene, was pronounced dead on scene. The semi driver was not injured but his truck was destroyed. The crash caused a closure of the interstate for several hours while crews investigated.

Riley County Police are investigating an apparent carjacking Wednesday morning. Officers say a 54-year-old man reported he was sitting in his car shortly before 9 a.m. in the 1100 block of Fremont Street when three unknown suspects threatened him with a gun, took his wallet, keys and his silver 1998 Buick Regal. The total loss is estimated at approximately $600. Officers with the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office located the car shortly before 2 p.m. Thursday, abandoned at an intersection in Pottawatomie County. No further information was provided by RCPD. Anyone with information is asked to contact RCPD or the Manhattan…

The Kansas Department of Agriculture says it will proceed with its sixth annual Governor’s Summit on Agricultural Growth Aug. 26, but as a virtual event only. Organizers say they shifted from initial plans to have the summit in person in Manhattan because of the recent increase in COVID-19 cases. KDA says it’s prepared to pivot plans to an all online event, which may allow for a larger attendance than if it were held in person. Registration is available at agriculture.ks.gov/summit. An adjusted agenda will be made available on the website.

Governor Laura Kelly spoke with News Radio KMAN this week during an exclusive interview heard Wednesday on KMAN’s In Focus. COVID-19 Governor Kelly says she shares frustrations of Kansans upset with the return of COVID restrictions after it appeared the state had turned a corner on the pandemic just a few months ago. According to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, as of Wednesday, nearly 50 percent of all Kansans have received at least one dose of the vaccine and 43 percent have received both shots. Gov. Kelly says she hopes to see that threshold push higher in…

A Manhattan man accused in an October double homicide appeared in Riley County District Court this week. According to Deputy Riley County Attorney Trinity Muth, Monday’s hearing was a status conference for 21-year-old Montrell Vassar, the second one in less than a month. Muth tells KMAN, another hearing has been scheduled for Aug. 19 where it’s anticipated Vassar will attempt to fire his counsel. The state and the defense had previously been trying to work out potential trial dates following guidance from the Supreme Court back in May.  At this point, no trial date has been set. Vassar is charged…