Today’s guests on In Focus were Flint Hills Volunteers Center with Lori Bishop and Janet Nichols and Flint Hills Veterans Coalition Parade entry coordinator Chuck Tannehill. We also had Geary County USD 475 Executive Dir. of Communications Matthew Droge and Riley County Police Captain Tim Hegarty and Manhattan City Commissioner Karen McCulloh on drug take back day.
Author: KMAN Staff
Manhattan citizen Johnathan Cole was one of many to address the Riley County Law Board inside Manhattan’s City Hall Monday afternoon. Marijuana and perceived racial bias in the policing of it dominated the meeting. “It’s not the fact that the crime is happening,” Cole, a young white male said. “It’s the fact that the stops and arrests are increasing significantly for people of color. And that’s the issue.” Law board member and Riley County commissioner, Marvin Rodriguez, answered Cole’s remarks. “Well sir, I have lots of black friends,” Rodriguez began. “They’ve never been stopped.” Laughter mixed with uncomfortable groans filled…
HUTCHINSON — After years of being considered a risk not worth taking, western Kansas farmers are planting more acres of dryland corn. The Kansas Agricultural Statistics Service says farmers in southwest Kansas planted 149,000 acres of dryland corn in 2016 up 133 percent from 2015. West-central Kansas was up 59 percent in that time period. The Hutchinson News reports figures aren’t available for this year’s acreage of the corn, which is not irrigated by water sources like the Ogallala aquifer. Timely rains and full underground moisture have contributed to the increase. The increase in corn and soybean acres across the…
TOPEKA — Kansas State University researchers say a dominant forage grass in the Great Plains could be diminished by climate change to less than half of its current stature during the next 75 years. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that studies involving K-State faculty indicated that changes would potentially shrink the plant size of big bluestem grass by 60 percent. The grass covers millions of acres in the region. That kind of transformation would disrupt the region’s livestock economy. Researchers say big bluestem would be a shorter kind that’s common in eastern Colorado. Loretta Johnson, biology professor, says climate change could…
Riley County Police are reporting a shooting in Manhattan this past weekend, with one person suffering from a non-life threatening gunshot wound. Riley County Police announced Monday morning that at approximately 1:30 a.m. Sunday RCPD received a 911 call from a citizen reporting shots fired near 519 North Manhattan Avenue. When officers arrived on scene they found the individual with a gunshot wound. Witnesses describe the suspect as a black male wearing dark clothing. At this time the incident is being investigated as an attempted murder. the name of the victim is not being released at this time. Those with information…
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is assisting the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office following the Saturday afternoon escape of two inmates from the Marshall County Jail in Marysville. On Saturday, Oct. 14 at approximately 4:55 p.m., the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office requested assistance from the KBI to investigate the events surrounding the escape of two Marshall County Jail inmates. KBI agents, the Crime Scene Response Team, and the Kansas Office of the State Fire Marshal responded to conduct the investigation. Preliminary information indicates that at approximately 3:50 p.m. on Saturday, inmates lit a fire in a cell, causing smoke to fill the Jail. Two inmates,…
A 1st Infantry Division soldier was found dead on Fort Riley Thursday, according to a press release from the Army post. Sgt. 1st Class Jamie Boone, a signal support systems specialist with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 82nd Brigade Engineer Battalion, 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Inf. Div., was found deceased in his on-post residence. Boone is the eighth Fort Riley solider to die in a non-combat role since August. “We are deeply saddened by the death of Sgt. 1st Class Boone,” said Col. Charles Masaracchia, 1st Inf. Div. chief of staff. “His loss is a tragedy, and we will…
Between four hours of weather delays, Kansas State and No. 6 TCU faced off in a defensive battle Saturday afternoon. The difference between the teams was evident from the very beginning. One side had a healthy and experienced starting quarterback. The other side did not. The result was a 26-6 victory for the Horned Frogs at Bill Snyder Family Stadium as K-State suffered its third loss in four games. “They wanted to win and they gave a great effort,” Snyder said. “There are just some things that aren’t taking place, and that falls in my lap.” The Wildcats’ Jesse Ertz…
SALINA — Authorities say a suspect has been arrested in the death of a man whose body was found last month inside a car in Salina. KSAL-AM reports that the 38-year-old man was arrested Thursday and booked into the Saline County Jail on suspicion of first-degree murder in the death of 52-year-old Raul Lopez-Vargas, of Solomon. Salina police says the body was found in a silver colored 2003 Lincoln Town Car that was parked in a home’s driveway. Authorities didn’t say what linked the suspect to the killing. Anyone with information is urged to call police. A reward of up…
The Kansas State University Police Department has concluded the investigation of damage to a Sukkah and vehicles on Oct. 6. The department determined that severe weather caused the damage, according to a press release from K-State police Friday morning. A Sukkah is a temporary Jewish gathering place. Sunday, the K-State Collegian reported the damage to the Sukkah and that foul play was suspected. Monday morning, K-State President Richard Myers published a letter condemning any anti-Semitic activity on campus, stating the Sukkah was ” shamefully vandalized.” K-State Police received a report of damage to a Sukkah and multiple vehicles between Marlatt and…