Author: Brandon Peoples

Two cats died in a Sunday afternoon mobile home fire in Manhattan. The Manhattan Fire Department says firefighters were dispatched shortly before 5 p.m. to 422 Redwood Place for a structure fire and arrived to smoke showing from the home. Officials say no one was home at the time of the fire. The fire was contained within 10 minutes. Damage was estimated at $20,000 including both structural damage and loss of contents and was determined to be not safe for occupying. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

More snow fell in Manhattan Saturday over a period of 18 hours than what was recorded all of last winter. According to Kansas Mesonet, Manhattan recorded 6 inches of snow, doubling last year’s entire snowfall total of 3.2 inches. It also ended the city’s 7th longest streak of 6 inches or less at 1,396 days (Jan. 30, 2020). The official Manhattan snow total is 6″! Nearly DOUBLE last year’s entire winter! This also ends the 7th longest streak of 6″ or less at 1396 days, or since 1/30/20. Measured 0.59″ of liquid. #kswx pic.twitter.com/9Js5eMCSEJ — Kansas Mesonet (@ksmesonet) November 26,…

10 a.m. Saturday update It now appears the first snow storm of the season will impact the area Saturday. Overnight, the National Weather Service in Topeka upgraded the Manhattan area to be included in the Winter Storm Warning in place through early Sunday that now spans a wide swath of the Flint Hills down to the Wichita area. The Manhattan area is now forecast to see between 4 and 7 inches of snow accumulation. The heaviest snow is expected in the afternoon, and will likely persist through the evening hours. The snow is likely to create hazardous driving conditions with…

A 3-year old girl abducted from Fort Riley Friday afternoon was located safe in Butler County. The abduction prompted an Amber Alert about three hours after Paisley Grace Thompson was taken by gunpoint from her mother. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation identified two suspects, 24-year-old Jordan Thompson and 41-year-old Melanie Allison. According to the Fort Riley Criminal Investigation Division, the little girl was taken from her mother by gunpoint at around 2 p.m. at their residence on post. The child, who was said to be in danger, was located with the two suspects, though authorities have not yet announced charges.…

The Food and Drug Administration says glass jars of mislabeled Hy-Vee turkey gravy are being voluntarily recalled by Seneca Foods. The jars actually contain beef gravy and could potentially contain a soy allergen which is not declared on the label. People who have an allergy or severe sensitivity to soy run the risk of serious or life-threatening allergic reaction if consumed. The recall extends to only the 12 ounce glass jars of Hy-Vee turkey gravy, with a UPC code of 75450-03608. The individual lot code on the lid is A3CG162M A3CG192M.

At least one person was seriously injured Wednesday in a crash near St. George. According to the Kansas Highway Patrol, the wreck occurred around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday near the intersection of US 24 and Lake Elbo Road when a southbound vehicle on Lake Elbo Road was attempting to turn right onto the highway. The turning vehicle reportedly failed to yield to westbound traffic and struck a westbound passenger car. A third car attempting a turn onto the highway from the opposite direction was also struck by the other two vehicles. The crash report says that the driver who failed to…

Riley County Police are investigating after a 55-year-old woman had a firearm stolen from her vehicle this week. The incident was reported Tuesday morning in the 900 block of Garden Way. Police say the thief stole a 9 mm pistol and two magazines. The total loss is estimated at around $500. Anyone with information can contact Crime Stoppers. RCPD advises folks to lock up their valuables, especially during the holiday season, to lessen the likelihood of these types of crimes.

Runners will gather in Aggieville Thanksgiving morning for eighth annual MHK Turkey Trot. Manhattan Running Company organizes the event which taking runners on a 5K course that starts and ends in Triangle Park near Aggieville and looping through downtown Manhattan. The event also supports a charitable cause, as Ben Sigle  with Manhattan Running Company explains…. Sigle says Thanksgiving Day is the number one day for running races in the United States.  They’re expecting more than 1,200 racers to take part in Thursday’s event. Race time is at 9 a.m. For more information, visit MHKTurkeyTrot.com.

Manhattan city officials approved 15 funding recommendations for special alcohol funds and 20 for social services funds Tuesday, but for a second consecutive year have denied a funding request from True Colors, a local nonprofit organization providing education and support to queer and trans youth. The 2-1 decision was largely political, with Commissioner John Matta motioning to move the organization’s $8,500 request for special alcohol funds to Pawnee Mental Health Services, which also received $94,000 of its $120,000 request. The city is allocating over a half million dollars in taxes collected from alcohol sales that are distributed to organizations that…

More than 584,000 Kansans are expected to travel this Thanksgiving weekend, according to AAA. That’s a 2% increase from last year’s travel volume, as some 55 million Americans head to their holiday destinations. AAA spokesman Shawn Steward says 9 in 10 travelers will be traveling by car, with many taking advantage of significantly lower gas prices compared to a year ago. The average gas price in Kansas is $2.99, about 30 cents lower than a year ago. In addition, Steward says AAA is expecting its emergency roadside assistance crews will also stay busy through the weekend. Steward says if you…