Author: Brandon Peoples

McFARLAND — There’s some good news for residents of the small Wabaunsee County community of McFarland. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has rescinded a boil water advisory that was initially issued Christmas Eve, due to a loss of pressure. Laboratory testing samples collected from the City of McFarland indicated no evidence of contamination and all other conditions that placed the system at risk of contamination have been deemed by KDHE officials to be resolved. For additional information, visit kdheks.gov or call 785-296-1317.

MANHATTAN — No injuries have been reported after a fire broke out Friday morning at Manhattan’s Short Go Boot Outlet, at 420 Tuttle Creek Blvd. Manhattan Fire crews were called to the scene sometime before 6 a.m. and the building was fully engulfed. As of 7 a.m. the fire was still an active scene but Public Information Officer Ryan Almes confirmed there were no injuries. It isn’t clear yet how the fire started. There was significant damage to the building, however an official damage estimate is pending. Riley County Police Department officials tell KMAN it hasn’t caused any traffic adjustments…

JUNCTION CITY — One person is behind bars in Geary County after eluding officers on a high speed pursuit Wednesday afternoon. The Geary County Sheriff’s Office says Scott Keady of Kansas City, Missouri was arrested on multiple charges including flee and elude, possession of a stolen vehicle, possession of heroin, drug paraphernalia and stolen property. Officers began the pursuit on I-70 in Geary County which continued into Dickinson County. No injuries were reported and the chase ended with no damages to the vehicles involved in the pursuit. Keady was taken into custody with a first appearance set for Thursday afternoon.

MANHATTAN — A public hearing is scheduled next month in Manhattan to consider the adoption of proposed regulations for the Industrial Hemp Research Program. Due to the passage of Senate Bill 263 by the 2018 Kansas Legislature, the Kansas Department of Agriculture is proposing the promotion of new rules and regulations relating to the research program as authorized by the Alternative Crop Research Act, which can be found at agriculture.ks.gov/ProposedRegs. Written comments can be submitted prior to the hearing through that web page. The hearing is open to anyone interested in attending and public comment will be accepted during that…

MANHATTAN — Kansas lawmakers will head to Topeka in less than three weeks and a major focus will again be on education. Following this year’s Kansas Supreme Court ruling that current funding laws passed by the state require adjustment for inflation, there is optimism that the funding issue gets resolved in 2019. 66th District Representative Sydney Carlin (D-Manhattan) says lawmakers will find the money to do what the court requires, noting that changes to the 2012 income tax law have been largely, but not totally reversed. The additional funding needed to satisfy the court is roughly $90 million over the next…

Update 4:15 p.m. 1/4/19 Following a forensic autopsy, signs point to 19-year-old Jacob Bouck’s death being the result of homicide. Pottawatomie County Sheriff Greg Riat revealed the information in a release Friday. The case is still being investigated by the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Department, the Wamego Police Department as well as the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. No further information was made available. Bouck, whose Facebook profile indicates he was a McDonald’s employee, was a 2017 graduate of Wamego High School. Update 2 p.m. 12/28/18 Officials have identified the man whose body was pulled from the Kansas River near Wamego on…

MANHATTAN — The Kansas State University Department of Animal Sciences and Industry Analytical Lab has been renamed. The lab, located in Weber Hall was renamed earlier this month in honor Dr. Ben E. Brent. Dr. Brent spent 36 years serving K-State and Animal Sciences and Industry stakeholders. He joined the K-State ASI faculty in 1966. D. Guy Kiracofe, KSU ASI professor, explained, “Ben was the faculty member who put ‘science’ in animal science and industry. He made a huge contribution to our department.” Dr. Kiracofe explains that Dr. Brent helped build ASI’s reputation as a research department, which helped recruit…

Residents in the small Wabaunsee County town of McFarland received an unwanted Christmas gift this week in the form of a boil water advisory. That advisory remains in place until further notice after a loss of pressure was noted late Christmas Eve by officials at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Failure to maintain adequate pressure may result in a loss of chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination. KDHE advises those in the boil water advisory to follow these tips: If your tap water appears dirty, flush the water lines by letting the water run until it clears. Boil water for…

JUNCTION CITY — Police say one person is dead and another is in custody following a Christmas Day shooting. Junction City Police Officers were sent to an apartment at 948 Grant Ave. where they found 31-year-old Jenna Schafer of Junction City dead from an apparent gunshot wound. Detectives and officers worked throughout the day developing a suspect. At around 6:30 p.m. 33-year-old Dion Green of Junction City was arrested on charges of first degree murder in connection with this incident. Police say this is an ongoing investigation and no further information will be released. Anyone with information related to this…

WAMEGO — With some restrictions on industrial hemp being lifted thanks to this year’s Farm Bill, Kansas legislators will begin to determine what impact that may have on the future of the agricultural economy. 51st District Representative Ron Highland (R-Wamego), a guest on KMAN’s In Focus recently, says after lawmakers passed a bill last year authorizing hemp research within federal regulations, the legislature may have to come back to the bill and potentially repeal it altogether. Highland says it could open up new income avenues for ag producers, but stopped short of saying that legal marijuana is a possibility in Kansas. Highland…