Author: Brandon Peoples

MANHATTAN — Riley County Police are investigating after a man reportedly took items and started a fire in his southwest Manhattan apartment. Officers arrested 30-year-old Gerardo Rosaly Martinez Friday in the 700 block of Dondee Drive, on charges of aggravated arson, aggravated burglary, criminal damage to property, marijuana possession and two charges of use of drug paraphernalia. At least 13 different victims were listed in Monday’s RCPD incident report including the building’s tenants and the State of Kansas. The total loss from the incident was estimated at $1,740.00. Police say the incident took place Friday morning and that Martinez remains…

One person died Sunday while another was hospitalized following a crash in Geary County. The Kansas Highway Patrol says it happened just after 3 p.m. when a pickup northbound on Kansas 177, went left of center and struck an SUV head on. It happened two miles south of Interstate 70. The crash killed the SUV driver, identified as 31-year-old Kayla Marie Jacobson of Alta Vista, who was pronounced dead on scene. The pickup driver, 66-year-old Dwight Sharp of Council Grove was taken by Life Flight to Stormont Vail Hospital in Topeka with a suspected serious injury. The Kansas Highway Patrol…

MANHATTAN — A Manhattan lawmaker is praising a legislative bill that would expand Medicaid coverage to some of the most vulnerable Kansas citizens. The House advanced legislation Thursday by a 69-54 margin. Speaking with News Radio KMAN on Friday, 67th District Rep. Tom Phillips noted the bill is similar to a 2017 bill that passed both chambers, but was ultimately vetoed by then-Governor Sam Brownback. That includes a key provision involving federal government funding of KanCare, the state’s privatized Medicaid program. Phillips adds that the gut and go process, which was used in this case to advance the Medicaid expansion…

MANHATTAN — Riley County Police are investigating a string of burglaries reported at a north Manhattan storage facility. Officers filed a report for burglary and criminal damage to property at B & T Self Storage, located at 5261 Tuttle Creek Blvd. The incident was reported around 5 p.m. Thursday. Police listed the storage unit and seven other victims from Manhattan, Wamego and Arkansas after it was reported an unknown suspect damaged padlocks and stole miscellaneous clothing, holiday decorations, outdoor recreational items, tools, electronics, and other household items. The estimated total loss is approximately $2,551.00. According to B & T’s website,…

TOPEKA — Medicaid expansion cleared another hurdle in the Kansas Legislature Thursday passing on a final vote in the House and now moves to the Senate for debate. After a gut and go process on the House floor Wednesday forced through debate on a modified version of Gov. Laura Kelly’s proposal, the House gave it a final approval 69-54. One of those voting against expansion was Wamego Republican 51st District Representative Ron Highland who tells KMAN that no lawmaker has answered a key question about how much expansion will cost the state. The proposal, which has bipartisan support aims to…

TOPEKA — Supporters of Medicaid expansion in Kansas got a big win Wednesday as the Kansas House passed an amended version of Gov. Laura Kelly’s proposal to extend services to approximately 130,000 low-income residents. The House voted 70-54 to give House Bill 2066 first-round approval, setting up a final vote Thursday that will decide if the measure moves on to the Senate. Manhattan Democrat Rep. Sydney Carlin and Republican Rep. Tom Phillips both voted in favor of the measure. Rep. Ron Highland of Wamego, a strong opponent of Medicaid expansion voted against it. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that Kansas City…

WAMEGO — The City of Wamego appears to be moving forward toward construction of its proposed truck bypass route and annexation of a county road. The city is under contract with the Kansas Department of Transportation to construct the truck bypass route around the southeast part of the city with both Wamego and Pottawatomie County contributing a local match of $1 million each. A stipulation in the contract is that the city must annex roads leading up to where the bypass will be constructed. County Commissioner Pat Weixelman says this will affect a handful of roads. Weixelman explains why Sixth…

MANHATTAN — New details have been released surrounding the events leading up to last month’s burglary of the Manhattan Goodwill store. According to Pottawatomie County Sheriff Greg Riat, a Deputy Sheriff spotted a vehicle behind Academy Sports at 401 E. Poyntz shortly after 3 a.m. Feb. 19. Two individuals were spotted walking toward the vehicle and one appeared to be carrying something. The two entered the vehicle, an SUV, and drove off at a high rate of speed. After attempting to stop the vehicle, a chase ensued with the SUV wrecked in the area of Leavenworth and North Delaware Streets…

Updated 7:20 a.m. A woman was injured Tuesday after being struck by a vehicle on the K-State campus. The Kansas State University Police Department responded to the accident in the crosswalk at Denison Ave. and Todd Road, across the street from Throckmorton Hall at around 2:30 p.m. The woman, identified as 20-year-old Alyssa Ogden was transported to Via Christi Hospital and later flown to a Topeka hospital. A family member on Twitter says Ogden was listed as stable but sedated as of late Tuesday night. The investigation is ongoing and the name of the driver has not been released. …

Kansas Farm Bureau’s Foundation for Agriculture has donated $10,000 to assist Nebraska farmers and ranchers recover from record flooding across the state. The funds will be delivered directly to the Nebraska Farm Bureau’s Disaster Relief Fund, with 100 percent of its proceeds going to Nebraska farmers, ranchers and rural communities. A two-day “bomb cyclone” dropped snow and rain across frozen ground across the plains last week with some Nebraska communities receiving nearly 18 inches of snow while others recorded nearly four inches of rainfall. This led to runoff that swelled rivers and streams to record levels. Kansas Farm Bureau President…