A fire at a Junction City apartment complex Friday evening was ruled as intentional after it was found to have been started by a juvenile playing with lighters. The individual stated that this was their first time playing with lighters and they did so because they were curious about fire. The fire took place at 2332 Wildcat Ln. and involved multiple apartments. Fire crews arrived at the scene to find smoke coming from the third floor of the complex. All building occupants made it out of the structure and those whose apartments were involved in the fire are being assisted…
Author: KMAN Staff
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities are investigating a spike in people impersonating law enforcement officers in Kansas. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation said in a news release Friday that it has identified about 10 reports of suspected law enforcement impersonations in the past several weeks in multiple counties. There have no reports of injuries or thefts. The KBI says that the impersonator often questions whether the driver’s travel is “essential,” or asks for workplace documentation. The Kansas stay-at-home order doesn’t require people to carry or a letter, identification card, or other paper proving they are allowed to leave their home.
Friday marked the first day since March that Riley County has not confirmed a new positive COVID-19 test. Health and safety officials spoke to the public via ZOOM and Facebook Live, confirming Riley County is still only recording 20 positive tests. Health Department Director Julie Gibbs says 15 of those cases are active, as 5 have recovered, and 6 pending tests came back negative as the number fell from 18 to 12. “We are in contact with all of our individuals and so far everyone is doing fine, no hospitalizations,” says Gibbs. “And we hope to report even more recoveries…
Riley County Health Department Director, Julie Gibbs, tells KMAN that there were no new positive Coronavirus cases posted in Riley County today. The count remains at 20, while Pottawatomie and Geary Counties remain at 5 positive cases. Currently, Ascension Via Christi Hospital has one patient in treatment for the virus. That patient resides in Geary County. In Kansas, the count was up 60 to 1,166, an increase of just over 5 percent. Kansas has reported 50 deaths as of 9am Friday.
Pottawatomie County HR Director and Public Information Officer Crystal Malchose gave us an update on COVID-19 related matters. Ascension Via Christi President & CEO Bob Copple provided information on some good news happening at the hospital from volunteers, donations and also spoke to the importance of organ donation during April, which is recognized as National Give Life Month. U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Operations Project Manager with Tuttle Creek Brian McNulty joined us for an update on lake levels, comparing stats to last year at this time and as well as how COVID-19 is impacting lake operations.
LANSING, Kan. — An official says dozens of inmates at the Lansing Correctional Facility in Kansas rampaged through offices, breaking windows and setting small fires for several hours. Prison spokesman Randy Bowman says the disturbance started about 3 p.m. Thursday in medium-security cell house C when several inmates refused to return to their cells. He says in an email cited by NBC News that by 1 a.m. Friday all inmates were secured. No injuries were reported. Staff members escaped the cell house safely after the disturbance began. Bowman says it’s unclear what started the riot, which initially appeared to involve…
Mission, Kan. — The Kansas Supreme Court is set to hear arguments Saturday on Gov. Laura Kelly’s lawsuit against legislative leaders who overturned her executive order banning religious services of more than 10 attendees during the coronavirus pandemic. The Democratic governor filed the lawsuit Thursday after a Republican-dominated legislative panel overturned her order. Kelly and the panel generally agree that worshipers should stay home and watch livestreamed religious services during the pandemic, but they disagree on whether the state has the constitutional authority to order it. Kelly pointed to three religious gatherings that led to outbreaks of COVID-19, the disease…
TOPEKA, Kan. — Police have announced several arrests in the shooting death last week of a 28-year-old man in central Topeka. Police say 22-year-old James Boatwright and 26-year-old Davontra Alston were arrested Wednesday after officers served search warrants in the case. They have been charged with first-degree murder in the Saturday night shooting death of D’Angelo Payne. A third man, 21-year-old Jeffrey Walters, was arrested on suspicion of weapon and drug counts in the case. Police have said officers were called Saturday night to the scene of a crash and found Payne dead of gunshot wounds at the scene.
WICHITA, Kan. — A civil rights group asked the Kansas Supreme Court to immediately release prisoners who have preexisting medical conditions that make them vulnerable to the COVID-19 virus. The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas filed on Thursday the class action petition on behalf of seven inmates housed at Lansing Correctional Facility, the Ellsworth Correctional Facility and the Topeka Correctional Facility. They are seeking an expedited hearing before the state’s highest court on the request by the named plaintiffs and other inmates in a similar situation. The Kansas Department of Corrections says it would comment later on the filing.
MISSION, Kan. — A coronavirus faceoff over church services in Kansas just days before Easter weekend is pitting the state’s Republican Legislature against its Democratic governor, and they both generally agree people should stay home to worship. At issue is whether the state has the constitutional authority to order it. A panel of legislative leaders on Wednesday overturned Gov. Laura Kelly’s executive order banning religious and funeral services with more than 10 people amid COVID-19 outbreak. Kelly said Wednesday that the backlash was about politics, calling the vote “shockingly irresponsible.” Kelly said three religious gatherings had led to COVID-19 outbreaks.