Author: Brandon Peoples

VEHICLE PURCHASES APPROVED The Riley County Law Board on Thursday approved the purchase of eight new police vehicles in 2020. RCPD will purchase six 2020 Dodge Durangos, one 2020 Dodge Charger and a 2020 Ford Transit at a cost of $311,205.00. The purchases are made using state contracting prices, which Capt. Josh Kyle says are open for five years with specific vendors, for specific vehicles under specific conditions. “Frankly the prices you get through the state contract, you can’t compete with due to the volume and nature of the contract itself and the terms of those contracts,” he said. Only…

A lawsuit filed against an Aggieville bar alleges negligence and lacked adequate security when a former Kansas State University student claimed she was raped there nearly two years ago. The suit, filed in federal court Tuesday, says the woman was at O’Malley’s in February 2018 and was waiting for a friend to get off work. She had consumed a half a drink before stepping into the restroom, where two men reportedly stepped in behind her after the door failed to adequately lock. The suit says one man raped her while the other pinned her to the wall, covering her mouth…

The Manhattan Fire Department made quick work of a vehicle fire this morning near the K-State campus. According to Deputy Fire Chief Ryan Almes, firefighters responded just after 8 a.m. to 1517 McCain Lane where a passenger car was fully involved in flames. The fire originated in an engine compartment. A damage estimate is unclear at this time. The vehicle was running at the time. While the cause is undetermined, Almes says it’s presumed to be a mechanical or electrical issue. A nearby passenger car also sustained heat damage. No injuries were reported.

Manhattan city officials took part in the annual Flint Hills Leaders Retreat, held in Olathe last weekend. The event featured a variety of speakers touching on key economic issues facing Kansas, including migration to the state and employment growth. The state ranks near the bottom in both categories. Kansas Department of Commerce Deputy Secretary Patty Clark provided statistics on these categories during Friday’s meeting. On KMAN’s In Focus Tuesday, Mayor Usha Reddi said hearing Clark speak to these issues caused her to reflect, noting that in order to recruit and retain businesses, the state needs to build its workforce. Reddi…

Wamego will soon be home to a major agricultural chemical and seed company. The Greater Manhattan Economic Partnership (GMEP) is planning an official announcement Thursday to welcome Corteva Agriscience to the region. The company will occupy 22,000 square feet of space inside a recently constructed building inside the Wamego Industrial Park on the city’s eastern edge. The new facility will employ about 20 permanent workers, largely consisting of office workers and agronomists, plus a number of seasonal workers. Jack Allston, the executive director of the Pottawatomie County Economic Development Corporation, says many of the positions will be filled by employees…

As McCain Auditorium celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2020, some noticeable changes are on the horizon for the lobby and ticketing area. The building will undergo a $6 million renovation, of which $5.2 million has been raised by 75 donors, with the rest coming from another private source. McCain Executive Director Todd Holmberg spoke Monday on KMAN about some of the areas that will see significant changes. The outdoor plaza will also be improved. Groundbreaking is expected to begin in either March or April, with completion anticipated by February 2021. Shows will continue at McCain during construction. Since there won’t…

An investigation is underway following the burglary of the Manhattan Dairy Queen at 1015 North 3rd Street. Riley County Police say the incident was reported Sunday morning, but likely occurred after the store closed Saturday night. The suspect damaged a window to gain access to the building and left with an unknown amount of money. Police do not have any suspects at this time and no arrests have been made. Anyone with information is urged to contact RCPD. The incident comes almost a year to the date after an armed robbery at the same location. It was Jan. 30, 2019…

Riley County Police are investigating after an apparent robbery Thursday night at the Wendy’s restaurant on Anderson Ave. in west Manhattan. The department said in a Facebook post a suspect demanded money from the staff before leaving the scene. It happened around 10:40 p.m. Thursday night. RCPD is currently working on a suspect description and are seeking help from the public. Anyone with information should contact RCPD at 785-537-2112 or Crime Stoppers at 785-539-7777. Using the Crime Stoppers service allows you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a reward of up to $1,000.

Pottawatomie County school districts will host Kansas Teacher of the Year finalists over the next two weeks. Nominees are touring the state, observing classrooms and will speak with lawmakers in Topeka later this year to share their ideas to help further education policy and initiatives. USD 320 Superintendent Tim Winter says the group will visit Wamego schools on Jan. 22. Their tour will conclude at Wamego High School where they’ll hear more about the Honor Flight program and meet one-on-one with students. Two weeks later, the delegation of teachers will visit Rock Creek Schools, where they’ll be Feb. 6. USD…

For the second time, a mistrial has been declared in the case of 24-year-old D’Khari Lyons, the Manhattan man accused in the death of his former girlfriend’s infant son in late 2018. According to Riley County Attorney Barry Wilkerson, the mistrial was requested by Deputy Riley County Attorney Bethany Fields. The office said during the trial Thursday, the defense counsel sought to elicit answers and ask questions on matters the prosecution believed to be inadmissible and highly prejudicial. Fields objected to the line of questioning and the trial court sustained the objection. After all evidence was presented, Fields moved Judge…