Jurors reached a verdict in a May 2017 murder case Thursday inside the Riley County District Courthouse, according to media reports. Steven Harris, a Manhattan man accused of fatally shooting 39-year-old German Gonzalez-Garcia in the 2800 block of Nelson’s Landing north of Manhattan, has been convicted of second degree murder, attempted second degree murder and felon in possession of a firearm. Harris is also charged in the shooting of another man, Adrian Ortega, critically wounding him. Ortega survived. A sentencing date has been set for Aug. 27. Harris could face up to 51.5 years for the second degree murder conviction and another 5…
Author: KMAN Staff
TOPEKA — The Kansas Senate’s top Republican has stripped a fellow GOP senator of a committee leadership post for publicly expressing support for two Democratic candidates. Sen. Barbara Bollier of Mission Hills on Wednesday lost her position as vice chairman of the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee after endorsing Democrat Tom Niermann in the 3rd Congressional District race in the Kansas City area. Niermann is one of six Democrats hoping to challenge Republican incumbent Kevin Yoder. Bollier previously said she would support Democratic state Sen. Laura Kelly of Topeka for governor if Kelly wins the Aug. 7 primary. Senate…
TOPEKA — Topeka authorities have arrested one juvenile and are looking for two others after firefighters fought eight intentionally set fires overnight. None of the fires caused serious damage, with many set in garbage, leaves, garages and one unoccupied home. Seven of the fires were reported between about 11:45 p.m. Tuesday and 12:24 a.m. Wednesday. Another fire was reported about 3:30 a.m. Wednesday. No injuries were reported. Police announced late Wednesday afternoon that one juvenile was in custody. Damage from the first seven fires ranged from minimal up to $500. The last fire at 3:30 a.m. at a detached garage…
GREAT BEND — Authorities say the bodies of a couple who recently disappeared from a Kansas fairground have been found in a shallow grave in northwest Arkansas. Van Buren, Arkansas, police spokesman Jonathan Ware says the bodies were found early Wednesday near Natural Dam in Crawford County. The victims’ names have not been released. Van Buren police took three people into custody after the bodies were found. Wichita police spokesman Charley Davidson says the victims were from Wichita. Barton County Attorney Amy Mellow said the victims disappeared from the county fairgrounds west of Great Bend in the last few days.…
TOPEKA — Drivers on the Kansas Turnpike will pay more beginning Oct. 1. The state announced Wednesday that tolls on the turnpike will increase about 5 percent for passenger vehicles with a K-TAG pass. Commercial vehicles with a K-TAG may see an increase because electronic fares will be rounded to the nearest nickel. Fees for passenger vehicles paying cash will increase about 12.5 percent, while commercial vehicles paying cash will see a 10 percent increase. All cash fares will be rounded to the nearest quarter. The turnpike authority says about 40 percent of customers pay cash, while 60 percent use…
Thursday’s guest was Trent Armbrust, the Director of Economic Development for the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce.
The 1993 Manhattan flood was 25 years ago Wednesday. The flood came after weeks of heavy rainfall filled the Tuttle Creek dam and forced officials to raise the spillway, releasing 68 thousand cubic feet of water per second which flowed into the city. Manhattan’s flooding was not an isolated incident — storms led to floods across the midwest, including more than 50 Kansas counties according to Riley County Emergency Management Director Pat Collins, who stopped by a recent edition of KMAN’s In Focus. “We had lots of rain that came in at different times and it kind of built up…
Wednesday’s guests were USD 383 Assistant Superintendent Eric Reid and school board member Curt Herman, Manhattan Christian College President Kevin Ingram, as well as Riley County Emergency Management Director and County Fire Chief Pat Collins.
The Riley County Police Department received a report of an attempted robbery at the Taco Bell on the 1100 block of Westport Drive early Wednesday morning. RCPD said in a media release that the victims said two men armed with a gun and wearing masks committed the crime just before 2 a.m. The suspects fled the scene before police could arrive. The suspects were around 6 feet tall and had medium builds. If you have any information on this crime, contact the Riley County Police Department at (785) 537-2112 or Crime Stoppers at (785) 539-7777. Using the Crime Stoppers service…
The Riley County Police Department and emergency personnel from the Manhattan Fire Department, Riley County EMS, KSU PD and other law enforcement partners will be participating in a joint active violence training exercise taking place over three consecutive days later this week, beginning Wednesday. According to a press release from the department, this training will focus on streamlining inter-agency cooperation during crisis situations. “This type of realistic training is designed to give our officers the knowledge, skills, and confidence necessary to resolve a terrible situation like this,” said Lt. Brad Jager, Training Coordinator at the RCPD. “We have to train…