Author: Brandon Peoples

A Manhattan man seriously hurt Wednesday after rolling his vehicle on Interstate 70 in Geary County. The crash occurred just after 6 p.m. about two miles east of K-177. According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, 61-year-old Benjamin Ayon was traveling west on I-70 when he attempted to exit on the off ramp at Deep Creek Road at a high rate of speed. Ayon failed to negotiate a curve causing the vehicle to roll twice before landing on all four tires in the east ditch. Ayon became trapped and had to be extricated from the vehicle. He was transported to Ascension…

Things will look much different at the Statehouse when the Kansas Legislature convenes for its 2021 session. “The floor, the House chambers will be off limits to outsiders. About half of the seats have been removed and so the galleries will be open for all legislators to spread out throughout the building so when we do have to vote, we will be at least six feet apart,” said 51st District Rep. Ron Highland (R-Wamego). Leadership in both the House and Senate are working to accommodate the 165 voting member legislature. While perhaps no measure will be 100 percent effective in…

The U.S. Treasury reportedly began distributing the $600 stimulus payments into bank accounts Tuesday night, according to a pair of tweets from U.S. Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin. This comes on the heels of President Trump signing the $900 billion Covid relief bill, the second such legislation passed this year due to economic fallout from the pandemic. How quickly it arrives in local bank accounts is uncertain. Some may have already received the payment. Others should see payments arrive by later this week and into next week. Paper checks will be mailed out Wednesday to those who do not have their…

Riley County Police are investigating a Monday burglary in Manhattan where nearly $10,000 worth of valuables including weapons were stolen. Police filed the burglary report in the 500 block of North Juliette Ave. listing a 42-year-old man as the victim. Police say an unknown suspect entered his home and stole a number of shotguns, a rifle, and handguns, as well as ammunition, a knife, an iPhone, a gold ring, multiple collectible watches and cash. Officers listed the total loss at approximately $9,720. Police urge anyone with information to contact RCPD or Manhattan Riley County Crime Stoppers. The complete list of…

At a special meeting Tuesday morning, Manhattan city commissioners approved the division of lots in the Plaza West Shopping Center where many buildings were flooded and eventually demolished following the 2018 Labor Day flood. No plans are in place for the site yet at the southeast corner of Anderson Avenue and Seth Child Road. ICON Investments owner Ward Morgan acquired the property from Mark Samarrai. Morgan also owns the nearby Midwest Dream Car Collection as well as CivicPlus. The former La Hacienda and Golden Wok buildings, which sustained heavy flood damage, were demolished earlier this year after sitting vacant for…

Pawnee Mental Health Services has received a $5,000 grant from Stormont Vail Health, to fund purchases for the Crisis Stabilization Unit. This request was made in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and addresses enhanced infection control measures to ensure the safety and security of clients and staff. Pawnee Executive Director Robbin Cole says the organization is committed to ensuring a safe environment and that this grant would help achieve that. The 11-bed Crisis Stabilization Unit opened in November 2019 to the 10 county service area. It provides voluntary treatment for those experiencing an acute mental health or substance use crisis.

After a record 17 clues, the hunt for the G. Thomas Jewelers- Godfrey’s Range and Tactical Supply Jingle Bell Rock, officially came to an end Wednesday morning. Joel Moldrup and Ashley Porter were among a group of six individuals who located the rock and will share in the prizes as a result. Moldrup explains where the clues led them. “So technically it was my sister-in-law Brianne Porter that found it, but it was on Linear Trail off Anderson Ave. in between two timbers, underneath some leaves. Moldrup says he and his pregnant wife hurried over to locate his sister-in-law, who…

The Kansas Department for Children and Families raised more than $23,000 during its annual Hope for the Holidays gift drive this year. According to a release from the state agency, it collected gift cards, monetary donations and greeting cards to provide to young adults who have gone through the foster care system and otherwise might not receive a gift. DCF collected gift cards instead of physical gifts this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The program, which was started 15 years ago in the Manhattan area, saw five gift cards totaling $2,400 from Seven Dolors Catholic Parish and over $4,000…

The Riley County Police Department anticipates about $1.2 million in unused personnel funds as it closes out the 2020 budget cycle. RCPD Capt. Josh Kyle presented end of year expenditures Monday to the Riley County Law Board. He says the department projects money will be available based primarily on the fact that a number of open positions remain unfilled. While the deficits in the communications center have stabilized, Kyle says corrections now has several vacancies. “As a result, we currently have 13 open positions and that’s fairly typical for RCPD on any given month and so an overwhelming majority of…

A Texas man, formerly from the Manhattan area, will not face any additional hearings in an alleged attempted rape and kidnapping incident. At a Dec. 4 hearing Riley County District Court Judge John Bosch approved a motion from prosecutors to dismiss the case against 42-year-old Sean Morgan without prejudice. As a result, all charges against him have been dropped. Morgan had previously been accused of attempted rape and aggravated kidnapping of a then 27-year-old victim in 2015. He also had previously been charged with rape and aggravated criminal sodomy in a 2018 alleged incident with a then 25-year-old victim. Morgan…