Author: Brandon Peoples

The Kansas Board of Healing Arts has indefinitely suspended the license of a former Junction City High School athletic trainer. Brandon Martino was arrested in February by Geary County authorities on two counts of sexual exploitation of a child. He was also charged with two counts of promoting obscenity to minors. According to the order, a student patient who was under 18, received a sexually explicit text message from Martino, including a nude image of himself. The full order is available to the public at ksbha.org.

Fireworks sales officially open up at noon Thursday in Manhattan continuing through Sunday, July 4. By city ordinance, residents can use fireworks 8 a.m. to midnight Thursday through Sunday. Because fireworks pose a risk for burns and injuries, local officials are urging safety this holiday weekend. Fire Marshal Jake Powell with the Manhattan Fire Department has some safety tips to keep in mind. Discharge is allowed from 8 a.m. to midnight July 1 through July 4 Sales are allowed from noon July 1 through midnight July 4 It is unlawful to discharge fireworks in streets, alleys, parks or on public…

Riley County health officials are seeing an uptick in COVID-19 variants of concern. In its latest weekly report, Riley County identified 24 new positive Coronavirus cases and 28 additional recoveries since June 23. That includes four COVID-positive patients under care at Ascension Via Christi. Two patients remain in the Intensive Care Unit. The health department notes that since February there have been 31 positive cases from variants of concern — 19 from Delta variant, 11 from the Alpha variant and one from the Epsilon variant. Since last week’s report, there have been seven additional confirmed vaccine breakthrough cases — that…

The Red Cross is putting a call out to donors to consider giving blood. The agency said this week it is in the midst of a severe blood shortage right now and has scheduled three opportunities in the region to donate in July. The first will take place July 13 and 14 at the K-State Student Union. The second will take place at the Junction City Municipal Building on July 15 and 16. Incentives include giveaways of a $10 Amazon e-gift card and the chance to win gas for a year valued at $5,000. The third opportunity to donate comes…

The suspect in a June 22 shooting in the 400 block of Yuma Street in Manhattan will appear for a preliminary hearing in late July on charges of attempted first degree murder. Jamie Smith made his first court appearance Friday via video conference. Since that appearance, Smith has applied for, and been appointed counsel. Online court records show Judge Grant Bannister has apponinted Brenda Jordan from the public defender’s office to defend Smith in his case. Smith is charged with two felonies, including attempted first-degree murder and aggravated battery as well as two misdemeanor probation violation charges. Smith also has…

The Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office may soon take over dispatch for the Wamego Police Department. During a Monday budget work session with the county commission, Sheriff Shane Jager said he was approached by Wamego City Manager Stacie Eichem about that possibility. Jager says Wamego has struggled in recent months to staff the dispatch center. “Also, with Wamego they have four full time dispatchers right now, one part time dispatcher. I would request that we have four additional dispatchers to help with the additional traffic,” Jager said. Jager told county commissioners that his office has already taken overnight shifts from WPD.…

Manhattan residents may notice steam coming from manhole covers throughout the city. That’s because the city today is beginning annual cured-in-place pipe sewer lining projects. The annual maintenance is done to help slow the deterioration of sanitary sewers as they age. The city uses the trenchless pipe rehab technology that installs a resin-infused tube into a deteriorated line. This process results in a seamless, jointless “pipe-within-a-pipe” with a smooth, continuous inner surface. Some temporary traffic disruptions should be expected. Notable project areas include Dickens Avenue, the intersections of Claflin and Denison, Denison and Hunting, Stewart Court, Grandview Terrace, Wildwood Lane,…

Uncertainty remains over how Pottawatomie County will go about finalizing its draft regulations governing solar energy farms. County Planner Stephan Metzger sought guidance from county commissioners Monday, over how to best proceed. Commissioner Pat Weixelman says he believes the draft as written currently takes away local control. Metzger says some of Weixelman’s concerns were actually addressed by planning and zoning. He spoke to a concern in the regulation regarding ground cover where the panels would be placed. Metzger mentioned a sticking point in his draft regulations that has planning commissioners split over the required foot length for setbacks for some…

No injuries were reported after a suspect fired a gun early Sunday in the Aggieville area. According to Riley County Police, officers filed a report for aggravated assault, criminal discharge of a firearm and criminal damage to property near 12th and Bluemont Ave. Police say an unknown suspect pointed a gun at a 26-year-old male victim shortly before 2:30 a.m. The suspect reportedly fired the gun, damaging a window at the Courtyard by Marriott hotel. The victim was not injured. The estimated total loss was approximately $300. Police have not identified a potential suspect. The case remains under further investigation.

A 12 person passenger bus, retired by the Flint Hills Area Transportation Agency, was officially donated to Morning Star CRO Friday. Morning Star Inc. CRO serves clients in substance abuse recovery or suffering from severe mental health matters. Elizabeth Stitt is the a driver and peer support specialist with Morning Star. She says having this bus will help the organization tremendously, since many of their clients can’t drive. The agency currently serves about 70 Manhattan residents. Stitt talks about how Morning Star helped her come over her struggles with isolation. Morning Star co-executive director Richard Stitt explains more about Morning…