Author: Brandon Peoples

The Manhattan Fire Department made quick work of a mobile home kitchen fire Thursday. Firefighters were called to the 2500 block of Farm Bureau Road Lot 15 shortly after 6:30 p.m. for a structure fire. Crews found a mobile home with smoke showing from the building. Upon entry, they found the fire in the kitchen, and contained it within five minutes. The cause of the fire is under investigation. Occupants were able to escape the building without injury. Loss is estimated at $500 to contents and $2,000 to the structure. The owner is listed as Robert Hughes of Manhattan.

A Junction City man has pleaded guilty to the Christmas 2018 murder of a woman and her unborn child. According to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt, 34-year-old Dion Jamel Green entered the pleas Thursday in Geary County District Court. Sentencing in front of Judge Steven Hornbaker will take place Oct. 28 at 1:30 p.m. Green was charged in connection to the killing of Jenna Schafer, who was pregnant, in a Junction City apartment. Investigating agencies included the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Geary County Sheriff’s Office, and the Junction City Police Department.

Building permits have picked up over the last couple months in Manhattan, but still lag behind from where they were last year. Valuations are significantly higher this year versus last year, driven largely by construction projects as a result of the USD 383 school bond. On KMAN’s In Focus Wednesday, Manhattan Fire Department Assistant Chief of Risk Reduction Ryan Courtright also discussed some projects that will greatly impact the Westloop Shopping Center, including a major renovation of the interior to the Dillon’s store. “The estimated cost of the improvements is about $1.6 million. It’s certainly a significant improvement at the…

One person was arrested Tuesday during the largely peaceful protest through Manhattan. Riley County Police charged 65-year-old Ralph Walters with making a criminal threat in the 1300 block of Fremont Street shortly after 8 p.m. Witnesses at the scene allege Walters shouted profanities at the group including using the N-word and threatening protestors with violence. Walters was confined as of Tuesday’s arrest report on a $3,000 bond. The protest was in response to the killing of George Floyd, the African American man killed by a Minneapolis Police officer last week. Protestors called for an end to police brutality and changes…

Geary County health officials have confirmed the county’s first death of COVID-19. The patient, a 65-year-old man had been a patient at Geary Community Hospital. He died Tuesday. No additional information about the patient is being released. The news comes as Geary County has now totaled 22 cases since March. Area wide it’s the fourth death in the KMAN listening area after one person died last month in Riley County and two people died in Clay County. Elsewhere, Wednesday, Riley County reported one new case to bring its overall total of cases to 67. Two positive patients are currently in…

A large portion of College Avenue will remain closed for the next eight weeks as construction continues on the city’s North Campus Corridor project. It will include full-depth lane removal and reconstruction between Kimball Ave. and Dickens, near Ascension Via Christi Hospital and Bill Snyder Family Stadium. No thru traffic will be allowed. Access to the hospital emergency room, the hospital and Manhattan Surgical Center will only be available from the north entrance along Kimball Ave. The College Ave. entrance for these buildings will be closed throughout the project. Work is scheduled to begin at noon Wednesday and is expected…

The Riley County Police Department lacks diversity in some of its highest ranking positions. According to information provided by RCPD spokesperson Hali Rowland, 40 RCPD patrol employees currently hold leadership titles of corporal, sergeant, lieutenant, captain, assistant director and director. Of those 40 employees, all of them are white, 38 are white males. The two white females on the patrol include one corporal and one captain. It’s something the department acknowledges and hopes to address. “We are trying to update our recruiting plan and have those cracked and measured where we can find a diverse pool of applicants and more…

As concerns about racial equality continue to be raised nationally, high ranking Manhattan City officials admit more work must be done. Manhattan Mayor Usha Reddi cited one specific problem in policing. She noted a viral incident in New York’s Central Park showing Amy Cooper, a white woman, seen calling police on Chris Cooper, an African American man who approached her about her dog being off leash. “She said (to police) an African American man is ready to assault me and my dog, but here was a very incidental thing where she used race and the police could’ve come and something…

The City of Manhattan has named Human Resources Director Tammy Galvan its interim finance director following the recent retirement of long-time Director Bernie Hayen. Galvan will hold both titles, with the city planning to reopen the finance director position as the post COVID-19 period stabilizes and supports the recruitment environment both financially and from an overall confidence perspective. The city says the decision to appoint an interim director was done to allow ample time for the city to fully examine the department structure to better meet the needs of the organization. “The City’s finance operations are critical for the entire…

Updated 10 p.m. Monday The Kansas Bureau of Investigation is looking into an alleged complaint against a Riley County Police officer. Preliminary information indicates that a 27-year-old man flagged down an RCPD officer shortly before 11 a.m. claiming that he saw a patrol car outside his residence near 15th and Humboldt around 3:30 a.m. The man described that after he approached, an unidentified officer committed battery against him outside the home and then at his apartment entrance. The man also reported an injury and was transported to a local hospital for treatment. He was treated and released. KBI has obtained…