At Tuesday night’s work session, Manhattan city commissioners discussed the possibility of selling a city-owned parking lot in Aggieville on Bluemont between 12th and Manhattan Avenues. Deputy City Manager Jason Hilgers said the city administration has been negotiating to sell the 15,000-square foot lot to the Kansas City-based Johnson Company, who currently owns the site of the former Willie’s Car Wash, with plans to build a 7,500-square foot retail space there. Johnson is willing to pay $800,000 for the lot, and is proposing to use the two lots to build a 116-room hotel and a 122-space private parking garage. Proceeds…
Author: KMAN Staff
The first G. Thomas Jewelers, Manhattan Running Company Jingle Bell Rock has been found. Brian and Rachel of Manhattan brought the Jingle Bell Rock to Manhattan Broadcasting Company late Tuesday afternoon and won cash and prizes provided by sponsors. Brian said he found it under railroad ties in Keats Park. “The first clue had to do with baseball,” Brain said. “So we just made a list of parks that had baseball fields and checked them off. “It was a little bit of disbelief,” he added. “I’d been there three days in a row. I don’t know how I missed it.” The…
The Riley County Police Department has released a composite sketch of a man possibly connected to one rape case and perhaps more. On July 27 the Riley County and Lawrence police departments held a joint press conference that announced a partnership in finding a man suspected of 14 different rapes in Manhattan and Lawrence since 2000. The RCPD re-released the image in a press release sent to KMAN Tuesday. RCPD Capt. Tim Hegarty, who leads investigations for the department, urged caution. “We simply don’t know if this person has any connection to the incident in question, and we’d rather not…
After some discussion as to whether to close a Riley County murder retrial motions hearing to the public and media, Judge Meryl Wilson allowed the Tuesday Luis Aguirre hearing to be open. Aguirre is facing a new trial after the Kansas Supreme Court reversed his earlier conviction more than two years ago in connection with the 2009 double-murder case involving a mother and son in Ogden-Tanya Maldonado, 18, and her son Juan,1. While Defense Attorney Chris Biggs expressed concern about the jury pool and pretrial publicity, Judge Wilson began his response by describing “free and open court” as a “cornerstone,”…
WICHITA — A new report shows that Kansas is experiencing a shortage of child care services. The report was released Monday by Child Care Aware of Kansas. The agency administers the state’s child care referral service. The Wichita Eagle reports the agency found that Kansas counties on average have capacity to meet only about half the potential demand for child care. Sedgwick County can meet 45 percent of potential demand. The lower the percentage, the less likely that parents will find the right child care provider. The report says nearly 164,000 children under age 6 potentially need child care in…
WICHITA — One of Wichita’s largest churches is planning to develop a major housing subdivision and special-events complex. The Wichita Eagle reports that Central Community Church filed plans with the city for developing 33 acres (13.35 hectares) of vacant land just west of the existing church buildings. City Council member Bryan Frye says he met with church leaders last week for a briefing on the development. Plans call for as many as 280 homes and senior-living apartments, an amphitheater, a special events center or nightclub, a chapel, shops, a soccer field and two ponds. The megachurch would also set aside…
Adrienne Hayes has been named general manager of Kicker Country Stampede, according to a press release from the festival’s headquarters Tuesday. Hayes has been a part of the festival since 2001 and has recently served as operations manager of the event. Hayes will be responsible for overseeing the festival and will act as co-leader of its marketing team. “Adrienne has been a huge asset and a valued partner to me as the Kicker Country Stampede has grown,” said festival president Wayne Rouse. “I’m excited to be able to focus my efforts on the sales and marketing side of the festival…
Today’s guests were Riley County Commissioner Ben Wilson, Riley County Emergency Management Director Pat Collins and Riley County Budget and Finance Officer Tami Robison. The topic Tuesday was the latest information concerning the county’s progress on a new emergency radio system.
A Topeka man faces a $100,000 bond in Riley County following his arrest late Monday morning. Enrique Munoz, 19, was taken into custody while at the Riley County Courthouse in the 100 block of Courthouse Plaza in Manhattan at about 11:30 a.m. Munoz was arrested on a Riley County District Court warrant for aggravated robbery and theft. And Jonathan Kirby, 46, of Manhattan, was taken into custody by Riley County Police in the 4500 block of Lamonte Drive in Manhattan Monday morning. Kirby was arrested on two charges of violation of protection order. His total bond was set at $10,000.
TOPEKA — The Kansas Supreme Court’s latest order to legislators to boost spending on public schools has Republicans talking again about amending the state constitution to curb the courts’ power. Moves to amend the constitution have become nearly automatic for conservative Republicans over the past dozen years as the state has lost school funding lawsuits. The proposals have failed to attract the two-thirds majorities in the GOP-controlled Legislature to get on the ballot for a statewide vote. Democrats are all but certain to vote together against any proposed amendment. Conservative Republicans need the votes of GOP moderates to get the…