As the new year approaches, the Riley County Seniors Service Center is optimistic as it slowly and safely begins a return to some in person activities. Director Jami Ramsey was excited to announce recently that starting in January, the center will reopen its dining room to 20 guests at a time, requiring a reservation and signing in along with temperature checks. “Because our dining room is fairly large, we’re able to spread everybody. But it doesn’t feel cold. They can see other folks and there can at least be some feeling of engaging in some socialization,” she said. Many of…
Author: KMAN Staff
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 700 block of Humboldt St. in Manhattan on December 23, 2020, at approximately 10:21 a.m. Officers listed a 22-year-old male as the victim when it was…
Thursday’s guests were USD 378 Riley County Schools superintendent Cliff Williams, USD 384 Blue Valley superintendent John Cox and Kansas Department for Children and Families deputy director of youth services Stacy Tidwell. We also decided to celebrate Christmas a little early in our last segment.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) – Wichita police say a police officer fatally shot a bank robbery suspect after the man rammed a stolen pickup truck into the officer’s police cruiser. Paul Peraza was killed Monday after allegedly robbing a credit union and leading police on a chase that ended in a crash. Police say that after striking an SUV, Peraza put the truck in reverse and struck a police cruiser, prompting the officer to fire the fatal shots. The officer is on leave pending an investigation. Police say Peraza had previous bank robbery convictions in California and Oklahoma.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) – Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly says Kansas should stop giving local officials the final say over the state’s response to the coronavirus pandemic because experience has shown “a patchwork approach” does not work. Kelly made the comments Wednesday during an Associated Press interview a day after she and her top public health administrator argued that Kansas is now controlling the spread of COVID-19, despite high case numbers. The Republican-controlled Legislature already has committed to considering changes in emergency management laws after opening its annual 90-day session Jan. 11. Top Republican lawmakers earlier this year forced Kelly to…
EL DORADO, Kan. (AP) – Another Kansas prison worker has died from complications of the coronavirus. The El Dorado Correctional Facility described Gabe Morales as a “wonderful asset” in announcing his death on Wednesday. Morales began his career with the Kansas Department of Corrections at the Winfield Correctional Facility in May 2014 and moved to the El Dorado prison in July 2015. Part of Morales’s job was to prepare inmates for life after their sentences ended. He told KAKE-TV for a story last year that, “It’s not about the person they are when they came in, you really want to…
Riley County is saying goodbye to its long serving emergency management director and fire chief this month. Pat Collins has been working for Riley County since 1977, one of the longest serving county employees. He started off working in the public works department. He was then named emergency management director in 1991, and fire chief for the District 1 Fire Department in 1995. “When I first started, they had 16 stations out there and were old block buildings. We used old forestry equipment that had been given to us. We also had over 400 people on a list, but there…
Fort Riley first responders and medical staff received the first doses of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine Wednesday at the Irwin Army Community Hospital. “We have to continue our COVID-19 defenses—masking, hygiene and physical distancing—but as of today, we are taking the fight to the virus,” Major General D.A. Sims said. The first person on base to receive a vaccine was an emergency room doctor. In addition to medical staff, soldiers who volunteer will also be offered the vaccine so as to “protect the nation’s defense force, prevent further spread and preserve mission-essential personnel.” While the vaccine is currently being administered on a…
Riley County has reported its 20th COVID-19-related death. The victim was an 88-year-old man who died Wednesday morning at Ascension Via Christi Hospital after first testing positive on Dec. 14. Since Monday’s report, Riley County has reported 108 new positive COVID-19 cases and 37 recoveries. This brings the total number of active cases to 360 and recoveries to 4,293. Ascension Via Christi is currently caring for 11 positive patients and two persons under investigation. Last week’s percent positive rate came in at 17 percent. This is up from the week of Dec. 6, which had a rate of 12.4 percent.