Masons from 220 lodges across Kansas have collectively given $2.5 million through the Kansas Masonic Foundation to support Kansas State University programs. The gift will support the Kansas PRIDE program, the Center for the Advancement of Entrepreneurship and the Office of Military and Veterans Affairs. “This gift is on behalf of Kansas Masons to benefit programs that are good for Kansans and Kansas communities,” said Darren Kellerman, grand master of Kansas Masons. “Last year, we awarded 78 scholarships to Kansas State University students. Now we are excited to expand our partnership with K-State through three truly unique initiatives,” said Michael Tavares, president of the…
Author: KMAN Staff
A Manhattan man faces a rape charge following his arrest earlier this week. According to Friday morning’s Riley County Police activity report, Andrew Rieschick, 20, was taken into custody by the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office on an arrest warrant for the offense of rape Tuesday afternoon. Rieschick’s bond was set at $20,000. The arrest warrant stems from an incident that occurred on October 31st last year in Manhattan involving a 19-year-old female. ### Riley County Police Department executed a search warrant early Friday morning at an apartment in the 500 block of Humboldt Street in Manhattan in reference to the possession…
The rain is likely welcome after a grass fire Thursday evening caused quite a bit of damage in the 11,000 block of Anderson Avenue. Riley County Fire Chief Pat Collins tells KMAN the fire started when the hose on a pump quit while Brad White was conducting a planned burn at about 6 p.m. Collins adds about 70 acres and one garage building full of collectables were destroyed, with the blaze threatening 3 other buildings. 28 volunteer firefighters, 14 fire trucks and a backhoe were on the scene to get the fire extinguished. The fire chief indicates it was after midnight before the fire…
Wamego’s USD 320 Superintendent Denise O’Dea has resigned her position–and will be taking over as Superintendent of Washington County Schools’ USD 108. Day’s resignation is effective June 30th. She has served nearly five years in the Wamego position. O’Dea indicated she wanted the opportunity to seve in a district in which her rancher husband lives. O’Dea told KMAN Thursday “Wamego is a really, really hard district to leave.” But she said when the USD 108 position opened she knew she had to apply. She says the proximity to her husband is her only reason for leaving Wamego, which she describes…
A Silver Lake man was sentenced Thursday to eight months with the Department of Corrections but granted immediate probation for 18 months in connection with an aggravated battery while DUI case from October of 2014. Cameron Renfro was ordered to pay costs and restitution and to serve 30 days of house arrest/jail. Pottawatomie County Attorney Sherri Schuck indicates the victim and his family were supportive of the sentencing. Renfro entered a plea of guilty to the charge last month in Pottawatomie County Court. As KMAN reported at the time, Renfro and Jeffrey Fisher of Wamego were life-flighted following the accident on Highway…
A 19-year-old Junction City man who originally faced charges in connection with a residential burglary involving the theft of several guns now faces a new aggravated indecent liberties case involving a 14-year-old. Darian White had a status hearing Thursday in Geary County Court. White’s defense attorney withdrew and White is now set for a status March 22nd with his new attorney. The latest case resulted from the residential burglary investigation, according to Michelle Brown with the Geary County Attorney’s office. Brown indicates Junction City Police interviewed witnesses which led to the new case in which White is alleged to have had…
Riley County Police have released the results of a recent school zone enforcement operation. As previously announced, from February 29th to March 13th Law Enforcement agencies across Kansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma participated in a traffic safety operation to reduce teen driver related fatal collisions. In 2015, 13 teens lost their lives due to car crashes in Kansas; 40% of those teens were not properly restrained. In an effort to change this trend, the Riley County Police Department and Kansas Highway Patrol participated in the tristate safety operation by focusing their efforts on traffic violations within school zones. The traffic violations…
A partnership between Fort Riley and the Riley County Police Department could be on the horizon. RCPD Director, Brad Schoen discussed the potential partnership with Riley County Commissioners during a Thursday morning meeting. The partnership would see a police training facility added to an undeveloped range on the military base, pending further research Schoen says the partnership is the apparent result of federal legislation, that encourages military bases to use their assets in ways that help their communities.
TOPEKA– A measure designed to protect hunting, fishing and trapping in Kansas faces a final legislative vote that will determine whether it goes on the ballot in November. The Senate planned to take final action Thursday on a proposal to add a new provision to the state constitution’s Bill of Rights declaring that people have a right to hunt, fish and trap. It would also declare that public hunting and fishing are “a preferred means of managing and controlling wildlife.” The House overwhelmingly approved the proposed constitutional change last month. If senators also approve it by a two-thirds majority, voters…
OTTAWA– Expert witnesses in the capital murder trial of an eastern Kansan man are testifying about how three adults and a toddler died. A forensic pathologist who performed the autopsies and a forensic entomology expert who examined maggots were among the witnesses called this week to testify in the trial of Kyle Flack. The 30-year-old Ottawa man is charged with capital murder in the deaths of 21-year-old Kaylie Bailey and her 18-month-old daughter, Lana, in spring 2013. He also is charged with two counts of first-degree murder in the shotgun deaths of 30-year-old Andrew Stout and 31-year-old Steven White. The…