OLATHE, Kan. — Construction of the 119th Street bridge in Olathe is on hold after drivers reported debris one described it as “baseball size” fell onto Interstate 35. The Kansas City Star reported Thursday that dozens of people took to social media to say they saw concrete and other debris falling onto the highway as they passed under bridge that closed June 1 for demolition. City spokesman Cody Kennedy says officials have learned of four reports of minor damage to vehicles, prompting a pause to bridge construction. The city says work over I-35 will not resume until measures are taken…
Author: KMAN Staff
MISSION, Kan. — Six people are recovering after a chemical spill inside a Johnson County veterinary clinic sent them to the hospital. The Kansas City Star reports that a gallon of formaldehyde spilled Wednesday inside the Mission Veterinary Emergency & Specialty clinic. Arriving firefighters learned that while the spill had been cleaned up, several people who had interacted with the chemicals were ill. The Overland Park Fire Department hazmat team was called in, and the building was evacuated. Six people were treated at hospitals and released. Firefighters used fans to ventilate the building, and employees were allowed back in hours…
WICHITA, Kan. — A former Wichita teacher and city council candidate has pleaded guilty to having a sexual relationship with a student. Rodney Wren pleaded guilty Wednesday to one of three counts of unlawful sexual relations. He admitted having sex with an underage girl in 2015 and 2016 while he worked at Wichita Collegiate School. He was fired from the school when he was arrested in February 2020. Wren was a longtime teacher and debate coach at Wichita Collegiate. He ran unsuccessfully for the District 2 Wichita City Council seat in 2019. His attorney said Wren’s actions were wrong, but…
TOPEKA, Kan. — Two Topeka men have been honored for rescuing a woman from a burning home. KSNT-TV reports that the Topeka Fire Department on Thursday gave “citizen heroism awards” to Robert Havens and Mark Elder. The fire broke out at the woman’s home in March. Fire Chief Craig Duke says that if the men hadn’t acted, the results would have been “disastrous.” The homeowner was treated at a hospital. Duke says she is doing much better.
Staffing shortages, noncompetitive salaries and unreliable revenue sources Staffing shortages and noncompetitive salaries were among the top issues discussed during the Manhattan City Commission’s 2022 budget work session Tuesday. Department heads spoke about the difficulty of competing with the private sector and other municipalities while attempting to retain employees and fill open positions. Public Works director Robert Ott provided an example of this happening with a water treatment plant operator. City attorney Katie Jackson claims her department has recently experienced similar issues. She also says the number of employees in her office has not increased since she began working there…
On Thursday’s edition of In Focus we spoke with Fort Riley Museum Director Dr. Bob Smith. We also spoke with 1st Infantry Division commanding general Major General Douglas A. Sims with Fort Riley. In our final segments we spoke with Aaron Estabrook Executive Director Manhattan Housing Authority, Glee Myers Commissioner on the Manhattan Housing Authority Board of Commissioners, Josh Brewer Director of the Manhattan Area Habitat for Humanity.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Authorities have identified the victims of a string of Kansas City area shootings and are asking the public for help. Three of the victims died in separate shootings in Kansas City, Missouri, within an hour Tuesday afternoon. They were identified as 52-year-old Jose Lugo, 31-year-old Lavance Jones and 15-year-old Terrell Bell. There are rewards of up to $25,000 for information leading to arrests in the three cases. Meanwhile, police in neighboring Kansas City, Kansas, also are investigating after 15-year-old Kaden Bauswell was killed Tuesday in a shooting near an elementary school. Police are urging anyone with…
SALINA, Kan. — Authorities say a Kansas Air National Guard airman was killed and two others were injured when their Humvee overturned during a training accident. The Adjutant General’s Department said in a news release Wednesday that members of the 284th Air Support Operations Squadron were training Tuesday afternoon near Salina. Two of the injured airmen were taken to a Salina hospital where they are being treated. One man who was unresponsive at the scene was evacuated by helicopter and died on the way to a Wichita hospital. The cause of the accident is not known and the name, age…
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Police in Kansas City, Kansas, say a 5-year-old boy who was hit by a car near a city park over the weekend has died. Police said in a news release that the crash happened Saturday evening, when the boy wandered away from adults while playing in Kensington Park. The child then ran into State Avenue, a busy thoroughfare, and crossed the westbound lanes before being hit by an eastbound car. The boy was rushed to a hospital in critical condition and died there on Wednesday. Police say the driver of the car was traveling within the…
The following summary of calls for service/reports filed by the Riley County Police Department is a portion of those received by police. Some names, addresses, and case details are withheld to follow local, state, and federal law as well as in an attempt to protect community members from being victimized further. Those arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. MANHATTAN, KAN. – Officers filed a report for theft in the 100 block of Bluemont Ave. in Manhattan on June 9, 2021, at approximately 12:14 p.m. Officers listed Walmart as the victim when it was reported an…