Author: Brandon Peoples

Inspiring hope for a better tomorrow, Manhattan Christian Fellowship Church Associate Pastor JahVelle Rhone says the only way forward is to appreciate the path carved out by those who came before. “It is so imperative that we as leaders and teachers, educators move forward, yet still reach back to show of a hope and a future for those who come behind us,” he said. The words came during Monday’s Manhattan MLK Committee’s virtual prayer breakfast. Rhone reflected on the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and offered encouragement that even with the struggles of racism and inequality still ever…

The annual K-State rodeo, planned for February has been canceled. The university’s Department of Animal Sciences and Industry says K-State, Riley County and Manhattan restrictions won’t allow for the annual event to take place at Weber Arena this year. K-State Rodeo Club Coach Casy Winn says plans were initially to have the rodeo moved to Domer Arena in Topeka, but it became part of hospital overflow in December and the facility canceled all events. After exploring other venues in Kansas, Winn says they could not find the right fit, to host the more than 400 contestants. This year would have…

New details in a rape investigation revealed that a 12-year-old girl posed as an adult on a dating app, leading to the arrest of four Fort Riley Soldiers. According to the Manhattan Mercury, the girl, who is now 13, revealed during a court hearing Friday that she met one of the four men charged, through the app BLK, a dating service app for black men and women, where she posed as a 19-year-old. She claims she met 19-year-old Jamichael Strahan on three different occasions in August. He was arrested Aug. 25. Strahan, a Fort Riley soldier, had initially been charged…

Motor vehicle thefts and thefts from motor vehicles have spiked recently in the Manhattan area. The Riley County Police Department says it’s now arrested three offenders in connection to motor vehicle thefts and seven arrests involving four offenders in connection to stealing property from motor vehicles. The thefts were said to have occurred in November and December. In a post on the RCPD Facebook page Friday, police shared a map showing the locations of all motor vehicle thefts between Nov. 1 and Jan. 14. Thefts have taken place all across town, with the majority coming from the southern part of…

Riley County health officials confirmed Friday a 23rd death tied to the novel coronavirus. The 85-year-old patient tested positive for COVID-19 Dec. 28 and died Jan. 8. His death comes amid 130 new positive cases and 64 additional recoveries reported Friday. The health department says there are 545 active cases, including 23 positive patients and one person under investigation being cared for at Ascension Via Christi Hospital. Three of the positive patients are in the Intensive Care Unit. During KMAN’s In Focus Friday, Bob Copple, president of the Manhattan hospital noted that at least two of the patients in the…

Riley County Police say a man reported missing is recovering at Manhattan’s Ascension Via Christi Hospital for treatment of hypothermia. Officers filed the missing person report shortly before 3 p.m. Thursday in the 4200 block of Spook Rock Way. Less than six hours later, police found the 29-year-old man in the Rocky Ford Outdoor Recreation Area, with the help of the Manhattan Fire Department and Riley County EMS. According to RCPD, the man, whose name was not released is in stable condition at the hospital. No further details have been released.

Improvements to the Manhattan Regional Airport’s parking lot are now complete and the next step now is determining a user fee. For years the airport has had free parking, but Airport Director Jesse Romo says a proposal to the Manhattan City Commission on Tuesday, will request a daily $2.50 fee be implemented on Feb. 1 . “We needed to do these improvements and then we needed to find a way to pay for them. So we wanted to keep the fee nominal, but high enough that we could pay for the debt service of the project,” he said. The first…

The Manhattan Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Committee plans to move forward with its community celebration this Saturday, in a virtual setting. The Committee will host “The Dockum Drugstore Sit-in,” a presentation of Humanities Kansas. It’s hosted by keynote speaker Prisca Barnes, founder of Wichita nonprofit Storytime Village. The presentation brings to light the July 1958 staged peaceful protest at the Wichita Dockum Drugstore against the unequal practice of segregation. While not publicized in newspapers, participating students worked to gain access to public spaces, like movie theaters and restaurants. It will take place at 4 p.m. Saturday, via the Manhattan…

Local health departments have opened signup lists for those members of the public wanting the COVID-19 vaccine. The Riley County Health Department says it’s working to compile a list of names and contact information for those who would like to receive the vaccine once it becomes available. The distribution plan will be based upon a pre-determined phasing system created through guidance from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Anyone interested can sign up on the RCHD website, but signups can also be taken over the phone Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to noon or 1 p.m. to 5…

Following a pandemic shortened legislative session last year, state lawmakers returned to Topeka this week amid continued challenges, not the least of which is protocols While the process of getting vaccines distributed has been slow, 66th District Representative Sydney Carlin (D-Manhattan) remains hopeful more can get the vaccine soon. She says having the vaccine would make her more comfortable, especially since there are a more than a dozen representatives in the House refusing to wear masks. “I think that’s going to create a super-spreader event if we don’t get that stopped. The more of us that can get vaccinated and…