Author: Brandon Peoples

MANHATTAN — New Riley County Police Department Director Dennis Butler has been busy in his first two months getting familiarized with people in the community. The new director replaced Brad Schoen, who retired in December. Butler draws on close to 40 years of law enforcement experience including time in Alexandria, Virginia and Ottawa, Kansas. Speaking on KMAN’s In Focus for the first time Friday, Butler described his philosophy as a leader in the department. Butler says working for a consolidated police department wasn’t unfamiliar territory for him, having worked for a consolidated police department in Virginia. He says the roles were a…

JUNCTION CITY — Three people were hospitalized Friday evening after a train-vehicle collision in Junction City. The Kansas Highway Patrol says just after 5:30 p.m., a sport utility vehicle carrying  three men was eastbound on Ash Street. Tire tracks showed the vehicle went left of center and was struck by the oncoming Union Pacific train. All three occupants were taken to Geary County Community Hospital. The Highway Patrol has identified the driver as 21-year-old Ishmail Thomas of Junction City. The two passengers were identified as 40-year-old Travis Allen of Junction City and 31-year-old Marcus Solton of Bossier City, Louisiana. All…

MANHATTAN — Snow chances will continue to linger in the Manhattan area through the weekend according to the National Weather Service. Many areas in northeast Kansas saw anywhere from 3 to 5 inches or more of snow Friday. All modes of winter weather will be possible Saturday with snow, sleet and freezing rain expected in the Manhattan area in the early afternoon, pushing through the area completely after 3 p.m. Up to 1.5 inches of additional accumulation is possible along with a light glaze of ice. All precipitation is expected to come to an end late Saturday night and early…

MANHATTAN — An Ogden man is facing charges of child sexual abuse. Riley County Police arrested 32-year-old Michael Sears shortly before 1 p.m. Thursday on a warrant that includes six total charges. Sears is charged with four separate counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child. The report alleges Sears fondled a child victim under the age of 14. He also faces two rape charges involving a child under the age of 14. Sears was issued a $100,000 bond. He was not confined in the Riley County Jail as of Friday morning’s report.

MANHATTAN — Local instances of the flu have decreased in Riley County but cases of flu illness have reached the peak of the season. Those are the latest trends seen by the Riley County Health Department. Administrative Director and local health officer Jennifer Green tells News Radio KMAN what age groups have been hardest hit. Green says there have been cases of both Influenza A and B, but it’s not known which version of the flu has been more prevalent. Green says the health department isn’t able to pinpoint an exact reason for the decrease from the previous two flu…

WAMEGO — For the better part of the new year, area schools have dealt with closings and delays due to winter weather. So far this semester, USD 320 Wamego has plowed through close to a school week’s worth of snow days already. It’s caused a financial burden on some teachers and staff, since they aren’t paid for days missed due to the weather. Superintendent Tim Winter says he recently was approached by some hourly employees wanting to change district policy perhaps to allow them to collect some sort of compensation for lost time. A discussion also was held during this week’s school board meeting. Winter says…

WICHITA — The Morris County man arrested in Manhattan this week on a Sedgwick County warrant has been formally charged with one count of attempted first degree murder. According to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office, 25-year-old Jeffrey Porter was charged at a hearing Wednesday. He remains jailed there on a $250,000 warrant. His next scheduled court appearance is set for Feb. 21. Porter is accused of shooting at a man at a southeast Wichita apartment complex Feb. 6. That man remains hospitalized in serious condition.

MANHATTAN — With the upcoming retirement of its current president later this month and a new president taking the helm in March, the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce has announced that Karen Hibbard will lead the chamber on an interim basis. Hibbard, who is Executive Director for the Manhattan Convention and Visitors Bureau received the Executive Committee’s appointment as interim president and chief executive. The announcement was made by Board Chair Wayne Sloan Wednesday. Hibbard will serve in the interim role after current president Lyle Butler’s retirement Feb. 28 until the start date of the new president Jason Smith, who…

MANHATTAN — Time is running out to get your sweetheart a gift for Valentine’s Day. The Little Apple Barbershop Chorus in Manhattan is once again providing a unique gift idea, through the power of music, as heard on the KMAN Morning Show Tuesday. That is Charades, one of four Little Apple Chorus barbershop quartets this week delivering singing valentines. Charades consists of Steve McKinzie, Leonard Purvis, Ken Garwick and Tom Fish. Spokesman Mike Shepherd says the tradition of delivering singing valentines has become an annual tradition. Shepherd explains what the process is like as they visit each individual loved one.…

WICHITA — The Wichita Police Department says a Morris County man arrested in Manhattan Monday is accused of shooting at another man at a Wichita apartment complex. Riley County Police arrested 25-year-old Jeffrey Porter of Wilsey just before 9 a.m. in the 200 block of Tuttle Creek Blvd. The department reported Porter was wanted on a $250,000 warrant out of Sedgwick County for attempted homicide. In a release Tuesday, the Wichita Police Department said they responded Wednesday, Feb. 6 to an EMS call in the 2400 block of south Glendale, in southeast Wichita. There they found a 21-year-old man who…