Author: Brandon Peoples

From Aug. 5 through Aug. 14, leading up to the first day of classes, News Radio KMAN presents “From the Principal’s Office,” a series of 15 interviews with each building leader in USD 383 Manhattan/Ogden Schools. Students at Frank V. Bergman Elementary School will be greeted by a new principal this fall leading the school. Stephen Koch was principal at Lincoln Elementary School in Lincoln, Kansas for the last seven years and has more than two decades of education experience. Koch says he wanted to find an opportunity for a more centrally located position and was won over by Bergman’s…

GEARY COUNTY, Kan. – Two people were rescued Sunday afternoon from Milford Lake after a boating accident. The Geary County Sheriff’s Office says it received a call around 1 p.m. in reference to a boat with two occupants who appeared to be in distress on the lake at the mouth of Madison Creek. The Sheriff’s Department’s Marine Unit was already on the water and responded from its location near Curtis Creek. Officers located Armando Matute Jr. of Fort Riley and his 14-year-old son floating in the water. Matute told Kansas Wildlife and Parks officials that he and his son were…

Garden City native Kali Barnett stopped by the Flint Hills Discovery Center in Manhattan Sunday, part of an eight-city, four-day tour of the First Congressional District, a day after announcing her 2020 campaign for U.S. Congress. For the past 12 years Barnett has been an elementary school music teacher and has made education a key part of her platform. Barnett says part of her education platform is to make college more affordable and drive down tuition. She mentions a proposal she heard in conversation with a former Garden City mayor about programs for students graduating high school to go to…

LAWRENCE, Kan. — A Junction City woman was hospitalized Thursday following a crash on the Kansas Turnpike in Douglas County. The Kansas Highway Patrol says 56-year-old Jacqueline Carter-King was eastbound on Interstate 70 just before 7:30 a.m. when her vehicle lost control and hit the wall in the median. The vehicle was struck from behind by a passenger car driven by 26-year-old Jonriley Hoffman of Topeka. The crash report says Hoffman tried to avoid a collision but ultimately could not. Carter-King was transported to Lawrence Memorial Hospital with a possible injury. Hoffman also sustained a possible injury but refused transport.…

Riley County Police are seeking the public’s help identifying two persons of interest in an ongoing financial crime investigation. Surveillance photos seen above and on the RCPD Facebook page show two young African-American men walking out of the Manhattan HyVee recently. Police say they’d like to speak to them about a financial crime that occurred in Manhattan July 18. Anyone with information that can help identify the two men can call RCPD at 785-537-2112. Anonymous tips can also be submitted through Crime Stoppers at 785-539-7777 or through the p3tips website.

No injuries were reported after a house fire northeast of Manhattan Wednesday morning. Riley County Fire Chief Pat Collins tells KMAN crews were dispatched to 4711 Harbour Hill Drive just before 7 a.m. after the homeowner reported smelling smoke. She was the only one in the building and was able to get out safely with no injuries. Crews fought fire in the home’s basement, bringing it under control within about 40 minutes. The fire reportedly did not spread to any other parts of the home. Collins says the fire was the result of a short circuit caused by too many…

Fire investigators have ruled a Tuesday morning apartment fire in southwest Manhattan to be accidental. The Manhattan Fire Department says it’s believed the fire at 711 Allison Avenue started due to improper disposal of smoking materials. The fire started on the third-floor balcony of the three-story 12-unit apartment building around 2:30 a.m. Tuesday. Damage occurred mostly to the exterior and attic areas. The loss is estimated at $30,000 to the structure and $2,000 to the contents. No one was injured as a result of the fire. The owner is listed as Francis Properties, with the resident agent being listed as…

ONAGA, Kan. — One person was killed Sunday as the result of a UTV wreck in rural Pottawatomie County. The Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office says it was notified of an injury accident reported in the area of Onaga Road and Crevecoeur Road, north of Onaga shortly before 5 a.m. Sunday. Emergency officials located the overturned vehicle in a ditch. The vehicle had been occupied by three people. An investigation determined the vehicle was northbound on Onaga Road when it entered the ditch and overturned. The driver, 55-year-old Brad Marten of Onaga died at the scene. Authorities say 49-year-old Tony Kuehl…

WESTMORELAND, Kan. — For the first time since Pottawatomie County Administrator Robert Reece announced his retirement, the county commission was tasked with discussing the next steps in filling the position during their Monday meeting. HR Director Crystal Malchosa presented commissioners with an estimate of hiring a third party search committee to recruit for the position. The county is currently a member of third-party firm ICMA which was presented as the most cost-efficient. “We’re already a member of ICMA and they range anywhere from $15,000 to $30,000 to do the recruitment for the administrator position,” Malchosa said. Commission Chair Travis Altenhofen…

In just a matter of one month, the water levels at Tuttle Creek Reservoir have dropped significantly. On June 26, the lake was sitting at 1,132.70 feet, with just 10 percent of flood capacity available. As of July 26, the level was at 1,117.56 and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers had  opened up 43 percent of flood pool capacity. By Sunday the level had dropped to 1,115.77 (20 feet below its 2019 peak of 1,135.88 set May 31). It’s the lowest level since April 15 when the lake was at 1,115.74. But the drop in the lake level is…