Author: Brandon Peoples

MANHATTAN — The Manhattan area got some reprieve from rainfall Wednesday, but not before several more chances heading into Memorial Day weekend. Meteorologist Audra Hennecke with the National Weather Service in Topeka says the area remains in an active pattern with not a whole lot of change in flow. Hennecke says as the rainy pattern continues we’ll likely see a mix between widespread rains and heavy downpours. The National Weather Service says it’s the second wettest May on record for Manhattan. Already 10.05 inches has fallen this month, just over two inches shy of the record 12.39 inches that fell…

WESTMORELAND — A Wamego woman has been convicted of mistreating a dependent adult, according to the Kansas Attorney General’s Office. A Pottawatomie County jury Monday found 54-year-old Jana L. Paczkowski guilty of one felony count of mistreatment of a dependent adult. The case stemmed from a 2017 investigation by the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office that discovered over a two-month period that while serving as the trustee of a special need trust for a dependent adult, Paczkowski used money from the trust for her own benefit rather than for the beneficiary. District Judge Jeffrey Elder has scheduled her sentencing for 1:30…

Severe weather pushed through the region Tuesday evening bringing tornadoes, hail and some brief heavy rains. Activity began around 4:30 p.m. when a cell developed in Geary County, then moved through Fort Riley, west of Manhattan and into northern parts of Riley and Pottawatomie counties. Tornado sirens were sounded in the City of Manhattan, but no reports of damage were reported in and around Riley County. The Geary County Sheriff’s Office reported a touch down of the tornado north of Old Hwy 40 at the county line. It traveled northwest, staying south of Milford Lake and west of Junction City…

Pottawatomie County Commissioner Dee McKee and Assistant Planner Stephan Metzger joined us for discussions on flooding, a potential housing study and other governmental issues.

JUNCTION CITY — Geary County authorities have captured the two men accused of attacking an individual Monday morning on U.S. Hwy 77. Sheriff Daniel Jackson says Michael Whitaker of Topeka and Jason Robert Snider of Chapman were both located overnight Monday in Shawnee County. They remain incarcerated in Geary County Detention Center awaiting their first appearances. An investigation determined the victim was on State Lake Road with one of the suspects when he was ordered out of the car at gun point by a second suspect. The victim was threatened by both men, one with a knife and one with…

MANHATTAN — The Riley County Law Board has signed off on its 2020 budget for publication, totaling just over $602,000 in adjustments. This brings the total budget to around $22.1 million The final proposal, approved Monday, subtracts $137,000 from the Riley County Police Department’s initial budget request for next year, along with a $91,713 carry over from 2018. The proposal is the same budget impact of a 1 percent cost of living adjustment (COLA), while still maintaining an actual 1.9 percent COLA for employees. To make this happen, RCPD officials had to reduce funds in other parts of the initial…

MANHATTAN — Heavy rains and strong to severe storms are expected tonight (Mon) into Tuesday and that will include the possibility for flooding. The National Weather Service says the Manhattan area alone will receive about 3 to 4 inches of rainfall through Tuesday. That’s prompted a Flash Flood Watch in effect from 1 p.m. today through 7 p.m. Tuesday. Several rivers are forecast to reach minor to moderate flood stage. Significant flooding and flash-flooding are possible. Overnight Saturday, approximately 3 inches of rain fell in the Wildcat Creek basin. This produced minor flooding along the banks and filled flood storage…

MANHATTAN — Congressman Roger Marshall was back in Manhattan Saturday, hosting a town hall discussion with about two dozen constituents at the Sunset Zoo’s Nature Exploration Place. Most in the audience were vocal opponents of the Republican Congressman. Marshall was asked about a number of topics including how Congress can lower the cost of prescription drugs. He says they’re now approving twice the number of generic medications per year as were previously approved under previous administrations. But he says the biggest challenge now is the pharmacy benefit managers, four of which control 90 percent of U.S. prescriptions. Marshall says along…

MANHATTAN — One year after fire damaged Kansas State University’s Hale Library, progress is coming along with the first floor scheduled to reopen in the fall. K-State officials gave tours of the building Friday which continues to undergo renovations, especially noticeable on the building’s first three floors. An estimated 85 percent of the building was gutted, including wiring, ceiling tiles and carpet due to damage. In some areas, only the bottom two feet of drywall was water damaged. In other areas, entire walls were stripped down to the metal studs. Dean of Libraries Lori Goetsch tells KMAN that the building…

MANHATTAN — Riley County Chief Judge Meryl Wilson announced recently his intention to retire after more than two decades on the bench in 21st District. After 45 years of law practice, including two decades serving Riley and Clay counties and the past seven as Chief Judge, Wilson said the time was right for him to call it quits. Wilson says the decision was one he made with the help of his family, in particular his wife who is going through some private medical issues. He said of his time on the bench he’s enjoyed the highs and the lows that…