Author: KMAN Staff

Once a Commissioner, now a mayor; Loren Pepperd officially took office as Mayor of Manhattan at last night’s Manhattan City Commission meeting. Outgoing Mayor Jim Sherow gave an emotional farewell to his position, saying “This City, it belongs to all of its citizens, young and old, rich and poor. I hope I have taken good care of it as your mayor, and I thank you for allowing me this privilege and honor.” Pepperd also gave a speech, pointing out the many goals he has for Manhattan during his term, and recognizing several mayors that preceded him. Also on the…

MANHATTAN, Kan. – The task force appointed by the Department of Homeland Security to assess the viability of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility is currently looking at three critical components to the $650 million project. Ron Trewyn, vice president of research at Kansas State University, provided the latest information regarding the committee and its findings to the Riley County Commission on Monday. “Committees that are formed in Washington don’t always hit that bar of being the search you wan’t to see in place, but this is a very, very good group,” Trewyn said. The committee held a public forum…

Karen Hibbert; Director of the Manhattan Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and Marcia Rosell with Tourism and sales with the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau sit down with Cathy and discusses the “Manhattan’s Get around To It” event.

HAYS, Kan. (AP) Western Kansans are enduring the annual migration of miller moths, which overtake homes and crops as they head toward Colorado. Known as millers, the creatures are actually army cutworm moths. They migrate across Kansas every spring. The Hays Daily News reports the insects can be found in every nook and cranny during the migration. Western Kansans know that they can swat them or catch them in soapy water. But mostly the residents have to wait out the migration, which takes a few weeks. Ellis County Extension Agent Stacy Campell says the moths like to feed on alfalfa…

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) The University of Kansas has received a $790,000 gift from the Hall Family Foundation. The KU Endowment said in a release Tuesday that $430,000 will go toward renovating the university’s Hall Center for the Humanities. Another $360,000 will go toward meeting a matching challenge grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Victor Bailey, Hall Center director, said renovations will include creating a new seminar room and two office spaces. The NEH challenge grant of $425,000 requires $1.275 million in matching gifts by July 31, 2015. The grant will underwrite two new programs at the Hall Center.…

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) The Small Business Administration is now taking applications for low-interest federal loans to Kansas residents and business owners affected by the recent storms SBA representatives will also be available Tuesday to answer questions about the program. The disaster declaration makes the loans available to homeowners, renters, businesses and nonprofit groups whose property was damaged or destroyed by the April 14 storms. The SBA loans are available in Sedgwick, Butler, Cowley, Harvey, Kingman, Reno and Sumner counties. Cleanup efforts have now entered their second week. The Wichita Eagle reports The American Red Cross, Midway-Kansas Chapter has closed its…

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Commissions are in the process of taking nominations for two court vacancies in northeast Kansas. One commission will take nominations for a seat on the state trial court that sits in Topeka. The new judge will replace Judge Charles Andrews, who retired from the Shawnee County District Court in March. A second commission will nominate candidates to fill a vacancy in the 21st Judicial District, which includes Clay and Riley counties. The eventual selection will replace Riley County District Judge Paul Miller, who plans to retire June 8. The commissions will each forward two or three names…

GARDEN CITY, Kan. (AP) Garden City officials say early response to a new air service makes them hopeful the service will prosper. The aviation director at the Garden City Regional Airport says American Eagle flights from Garden City to Dallas were at maximum capacity last weekend. The American Eagle regional jet service to and from Dallas began on April 3. It replaced daily flights to and from Denver, which were operated by Great Lakes Aviation. The Garden City Telegram  reports monthly passenger counts in April won’t be available until mid-May. Brett Hooyerink, a senior manager with American Airlines, says the…

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) Police say two female students have reported being attacked on the University of Kansas campus in the last week. One student said a man threw her to the ground last week as she walked outside Strong Hall. She was able to kick the man and get away. She described her attacker as a black man between 40 to 50 years old, average height and weight, black hair with graying tips and wearing a brown jacket. Early Saturday, another female student said she was briefly molested by a white man as she was walking outside Haworth Hall. She…