Author: Brandon Peoples

KMAN News Director and host of In Focus. Contact Brandon at Brandon@1350KMAN.com

Four people were injured Friday in a head on collision northwest of Manhattan on Highway 24. The crash happened around 5:30 p.m. when a southbound Nissan Pathfinder left the roadway near the Riley County Public Works office. The driver lost control of the vehicle and re-entered the roadway, crossing the center line. The driver of a Subaru Forester attempted to avoid the other vehicle but couldn’t and the two collided head on. The Kansas Highway Patrol says the driver of the Pathfinder, 36-year-old Fausto Raucho-Rivera of Lynn, Kansas sustained serious injuries in the crash, along with two passengers, 37-year-old Ana…

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Riley County continues its flattening of the coronavirus curve reporting no new positive cases since Wednesday. In a release Friday, the health department reported six active cases and 57 recoveries among the 64 total cases since mid-March. One coronavirus-related death has also been recorded. A total of 1,213 Riley County residents have been tested, accounting for about 1.6 percent of the overall population. Just over 1,000 of those were negative and 144 tests are pending. Ascension Via Christi in Manhattan reported 0 positive patients and 0 persons under investigation as of Friday.

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The Manhattan Regional Airport was given the all clear Friday after receiving a voicemail from a man claiming a bomb was located in the building. The Riley County Police Department Bomb Team and Kansas Highway Patrol Hazardous Device Unit investigated the threat, which was called in shortly after 9:30 a.m. After sweeping the terminal and other parts of the building, authorities were able to clear the scene within three hours. Airport Director Jesse Romo says the airport was evacuated as a precaution and says the airport’s lone scheduled flight departed with no issues. Police have not identified any suspects, but…

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The Riley County Law Board will finalize its 2021 budget Friday during a special meeting ahead of its June 5 publication date. Up for consideration is the removal of a .63 percent cost of living adjustment and merits for RCPD employees. While the police department previously made other cuts within its operating budget to provide a slight increase in those, some on the Law Board have argued that doing so sets a bad precedent to other city and county departments unable to provide such increases to their employees. Manhattan and Riley County have to set the RCPD budget before they can finalize…

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A Wamego man is jailed on more than two dozen counts of burglary and a host of other charges. Riley County Police arrested Joshua Davies Wednesday in the 700 block of 3rd Place. He’s charged with 26 counts of burglary, three counts of violating a protection order, five counts of criminal damage to property and several drug-related offenses. The burglary and criminal damage to property offenses are in connection to several local storage unit thefts ranging from August 2019 to April 2020. Davies is jailed on a $25,000 total bond. He was also arrested Tuesday, but bonded out on a…

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Construction operations resumed Wednesday at the National Bio and Agro Defense Facility, just one day after a construction worker tested positive for COVID-19. NBAF Program Manager Tim Barr says following their prescribed plan, construction contractor McCarthy Mortenson Joint Venture temporarily halted work and shut down the project to conduct an investigation and thorough cleaning of the areas visited by the infected staff member. Barr says in addition to being required to have personal protection equipment, all employees are required to wear face coverings and practice social distancing. Workers are not being routinely tested for COVID-19, but are asked a series…

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The USD 383 school board has hired a new principal for Northview Elementary. Dr. Nick Goos was announced Wednesday as the new principal who will replace the retiring Dr. Cleion Morton. He currently serves as principal of Voy Spears Jr. Elementary School in Blue Springs, Missouri, where he’s been for the past two years. He also served as principal for another school in that district for 10 years. He expressed gratitude to the district in a statement Wednesday. “I am excited for the opportunity to join the Manhattan Ogden School District,” he said. “I would like to thank Dr. Wade…

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Riley County Police are investigating a string of thefts involving catalytic converters stolen from four different vehicles over a two-day period. Officers filed two reports Monday, listing Flint Hills Area Transportation Agency as one of the victims when an unknown suspect stole the engine part, valued at around $1,500. Earlier in the day a 21-year-old female victim reported her catalytic converter also was stolen from her vehicle in the 1400 block of Chase Place, also valued at around $1,500. A third incident was reported Tuesday, when two more catalytic converters were reported as stolen from two F-350 trucks, listing Prairie…

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With Gov. Kelly’s emergency declaration expiring Tuesday, counties now have the final say over health orders at the local level. As a result, beginning Wednesday, all businesses can reopen and social gatherings are now capped at 50. Health Officer Julie Gibbs announced the Local Health Order No. 10, which will remain in effect for 14 days, or until amended, superseded or rescinded. Large venues of more than 2,000 capacity are not allowed under this new order. Bars and restaurants can operate daily, no later than midnight, except for drive-thru, carry out or delivery. All businesses and locations are required to…

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Construction has been halted at the National Bio and Agro Defense Facility after a construction worker tested positive recently for COVID-19. It is not known at this time how the worker contracted the virus nor how many people at the site may have potentially been exposed. According to NBAF Program Manager Tim Barr, the Department of Homeland Security Science and Technology Directorate received notification Tuesday from its contractor, McCarthy Mortenson Joint Venture (McMjv), who in turn ceased operations for the rest of the day. The company says it’s investigating and assessing areas that may need additional cleaning and disinfection of…

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