Author: Brandon Peoples

The City of Manhattan paid over $11,000 to Lenexa-based Hinkle Law Firm in its failed appeal of attorney fees stemming from a lawsuit involving a damaged residential mailbox. Electronic copies of the records, obtained by KMAN from an open records request earlier this month, show 10 transactions were made between April 5, 2022 and March 21, 2023 totaling $11,539 from the city to the firm. Those costs are in addition to the $31,680 the city must pay in damages and legal fees, bringing the total to $43,219. According to Board Clerk Brenda Wolf, the city’s insurance company paid all of…

Kansas legislators will make their way back to Topeka this week after a two week recess. News Radio KMAN caught up with two of the Manhattan area’s newest legislators this week on In Focus, State Sen. Usha Reddi (D-Manhattan), who assumed Sen. Tom Hawk’s seat in January, following his abrupt retirement and State Sen. Kenny Titus (R-Manhattan), who succeeded Ron Highland in the 51st district, after he retired at the end of his term. The pair weighed in on tax bills, childcare licensing requirements and some bipartisan legislation that moved forward this session. The full interview is available at the…

Friday marks the 11th annual Grow Green Match Day in Manhattan. It’s the day when donations made through the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation to participating nonprofit endowed funds receive a 50% match. Last year, about $1.7 million was raised for 78 area organizations. GMCF President Vern Henricks says this year there are 95 participating nonprofits. Henricks says once again the effort is being aided by charitable contributions through Phil Howe and the Howe Family Foundation. Donations can be made online at GrowGreenManhattan.com until midnight. You can also give in person between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. at the Colony Square…

The Manhattan-Ogden School Board on Wednesday approved the purchase of additional security cameras for elementary schools. The district will spend over $142,000 with American Digital Security, LLC, of Liberty, Missouri to purchase cameras both for indoor and outdoor spaces and for a new server capable of holding several days’ worth of information that can be reviewed by administrators or law enforcement. Assistant Superintendent Eric Reid says it will help the district add to its “fleet” of cameras. Board President Karla Hagemeister says she wants the public to know that security is constantly being evaluated. Another notable purchase was for a…

Registration opened Monday for the 8th annual Camp Kindergarten hosted by the Riley County Health Department and USD 383. It’s open to children eligible to start kindergarten this fall and will be held at Lee Elementary School in Manhattan. The camp is free and the deadline to register is April 30. Applications are available in English or Spanish at raisingriley.com. Class size is limited to 12 students per session, with four sessions available, for a total of 48 participants. Camp Kindergarten offers literacy activities, art, water play, sensory activities, recess, playtime and snack time and kids will learn how to…

Northview Elementary will host its second annual Color Trot April 27 and students will have a refurbished trail to utilize for the event. Just last week, concrete was poured on the trail, which curves around the greenspace east of the school. Principal Nick Goos says the idea came together at the right time, when money became available from the Manhattan-Ogden Public Schools Foundation for outdoor enhancements, coupled with the PTA starting the Color Trot fundraiser last year. Foundation President Heather Landsdowne tells KMAN that funding sources include funds raised by Northview students and families several years ago earmarked for improvements.…

Riley County Police are investigating after an apparent burglary at Vista Drive In. Investigators say a report for burglary and criminal damage to property was filed Wednesday afternoon when an unknown suspect reportedly broke into the company’s warehouse and attempted to break into the restaurant overnight. Nothing was reported stolen, however a door was damaged causing about $500 in loss to the restaurant. Elsewhere Wednesday, a 32-year-old Manhattan woman reported three of her car’s tires were slashed overnight in the 2000 block of Strong Ave., causing an estimated $500 in damage. Anyone with information on either case is urged to…

Severe weather moved through the area Wednesday night causing bouts of heavy rain and hail in the area. Ping pong ball to golf ball sized hail was reported near Olsburg and similar reports were seen near Milford where egg sized hail was reported. Elsewhere, quarter to half dollar sized hail was reported from Grandview Plaza to Frankfort. Heavy rain fell in Manhattan, dumping 0.82 inches of precipitation, according to the National Weather Service. Further south, tornadoes were reported near Emporia, with confirmed touchdowns by weather spotters in Chase and Lyon counties. Strong winds blew over a semi near Strong City…

A former preschool nurse in Manhattan has pleaded guilty to two counts of Aggravated Indecent Liberties with a Child and will be sentenced later this year. Joshua Penabaz, 45, entered the pleas in Riley County District Court Wednesday morning. The victim in both counts was under the age of 14. Deputy Riley County Attorney Trinity Muth says the convictions are both Jessica’s Law counts, which carry a life sentence, with a minimum 25 years without the possibility of parole. The incidents are unrelated to his employment with the USD 383 school district. Prior to his Feb. 2022 arrest, Penabaz was…

(Photos and video courtesy Riley County Fire District No. 1) Riley County officials say an estimated 300 acres burned in a Tuesday wildfire northeast of Randolph. That fire was 90% contained as of Wednesday morning, with crews performing “mop up” and monitoring conditions by midday, according to Public Information Officer Vivienne Leyva. Strong winds spread embers from a large fire burning on the Pottawatomie County side of the Big Blue River channel, igniting in Riley County. The fire resulted in a disaster declaration, due to the potential for it to cause wide-spread or severe damage, injury or loss of life.…