Author: Brandon Peoples

City officials will review and discuss results of a recent community survey at Tuesday’s Manhattan City Commission legislative meeting. Over 11,000 households took the survey which gauges resident satisfaction with city services, quality of life and potential support for future projects. Some of the highlights include a 90% satisfaction with quality of life, 84% satisfaction with the quality of parks. Around 78% support or strongly support development of an indoor aquatics center and 81% support or strongly support rehabilitation of existing homes for workforce housing. The survey also found residents divided on options for Moro Street in Aggieville, with 42%…

Officials say a multimillion dollar runway reconstruction project at the Manhattan Regional Airport is still behind schedule and may not reopen by the targeted Sept. 6 deadline. Engineer Diane Hofer, with design firm Olsson, provided a progress report at Monday’s Airport Advisory Board meeting. Airport officials noted that phase 3, which includes the crosswind runway construction, is about 25 days behind schedule but should wrap up by mid-week. Director Brandon Keazer says they had hoped to have phase 3 done by Monday. Keazer explains some of the reasons for the over three week delay. Hofer says for everyday the project…

City officials say the westbound right-turn lane onto 3rd Street from Fort Riley Blvd will be closed starting Thursday for a construction project. Westbound traffic will still be able to turn right onto South 3rd Street. Construction will not impact eastbound, northbound or southbound traffic. The work and closure are expected to last through Aug. 31.

Motorists are advised that the Manhattan Public Works Department’s Street Division will close the westbound lanes in the 300 block of Bluemont Avenue today for asphalt repairs. Westbound traffic on Bluemont will be detoured north on 3rd Street to Vattier, west to 4th Street and back south to Bluemont. City officials say in addition, the southbound lane of 3rd Street will be closed just north of Bluemont along with the northbound left-turn lane. No timetable has been announced for the project.

A Wakefield man is recovering after a weekend motorcycle crash in Geary County. The Kansas Highway Patrol says the crash occurred just before 8:30 p.m. Friday near the junction of Kansas Highway 82 and U.S. Highway 77, about five miles east of Wakefield. Authorities say the motorcyclist was eastbound on K-82 when the bike failed to negotiate a curve onto US-77 and crashed. David Coulson, 63, of Wakefield sustained a suspected serious injury and was transported to Geary Community Hospital in Junction City. The crash report indicated Coulson was not wearing a helmet.

Riley County Police say a Manhattan business is out about $1,100 after a text messaging scam this week. A report for theft by deception and unlawful computer acts was filed Wednesday listing Fox Home Innovations as the victim. Police say an unknown suspect posing as an employee instructed another employee through text messages to purchase 11 Apple gift cards. Anyone with information can contact Crime Stoppers.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs has extended the deadline for Veterans and survivors who applied for PACT Act benefits through Monday. The extension was made out of an abundance of caution after recent reports of technical issues with the VA website and high demand. Benefits will be backdated to Aug. 10, 2022, the date President Biden signed the PACT ACT, which expands VA health care and benefits to Veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange and other toxic substances. Sen. Jerry Moran, who serves on the Senate Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, said in a statement Thursday he will continue…

A community gathering was held outside Anderson Hall Tuesday evening as state, local and faith leaders came together in support of Kansas State University President Richard Linton, who earlier in the day announced his diagnosis of throat and tongue cancer. Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff Marshall Stewart began the program. Stewart will assume presidential duties in Linton’s absence, as the president receives daily cancer treatment over the next few months at the KU Cancer Center in Kansas City. Linton will continue to work remotely. Stewart says he’ll fill in where he’s needed. Among the many speakers Tuesday, U.S.…

The Wabaunsee County Sheriff’s Office has arrested a 58-year-old Alta Vista man accused of sex crimes. Kenneth Seidens was jailed Monday on charges of aggravated sexual battery, aggravated criminal sodomy and contributing to a child’s misconduct. He remains jailed on a $125,000 bond, awaiting a first court appearance. Seidens is one of five current members of the Alta Vista City Council. According to his LinkedIn page, Seidens has been a volunteer as a court appointed special advocate for the Sunflower CASA Project, Inc. However, Sunflower CASA confirmed to KMAN on Wednesday that Seidens has never been a volunteer with Sunflower…

One year after a fatal crash that claimed the life of a Wamego man and his son, a jury trial is scheduled to begin early next year. Mark Stanwix, 45, of Lecompton, was arraigned in July in Pottawatomie County District Court on two counts of involuntary manslaughter, three counts of aggravated battery and a single count of interference with law enforcement, for destruction of evidence. A motions hearing is scheduled for Dec. 21, with the case set to go to trial on Feb. 12. Stanwix was behind the wheel of a Midwest Concrete Materials truck that rear-ended a pickup on…