The Kansas Board of Regents met Wednesday to discuss several proposals from state universities. One major item approved was the student health insurance benefits for the 2021-22 school year. Doug Ball, Pittsburg State Chief Financial Officer, says United HealthCare presented two options. The first was commit to renew now at an increase of nine percent to lock in the premium rates for the next academic year. The second option was commit to a future renewal with a guarantee that the rates for next year will not exceed 12-percent. Both options also guaranteed no changes to the benefits. The KBOR approved…
Author: KMAN Staff
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is reporting a 10th COVID-19 related death in Riley County. The patient was a 96-year-old female resident of the Homestead Assisted Living facility in Manhattan. She tested positive on Aug. 31 and died about a week later on Sept. 7. Homestead Assisted Living has been the site of a COVID-19 outbreak that is set to expire Thursday if no more cases are identified. The outbreak has been associated with 22 positive cases and four deaths. Riley County is also reporting 36 new positive cases and 76 recoveries since Monday. This brings the county’s…
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A man who federal prosecutors say they suspect in a Missouri decapitation killing was sentenced Tuesday to 35 years in prison for stalking Kansas massage parlor workers in an unrelated case. Senior U.S. District Judge Gary Fenner told 69-year-old Robert Gross that his history of violence was “extremely disturbing” in sentencing him for the stalking and firearms charges, The Kansas City Star reported. Although he has not been charged with homicide, Assistant U.S. Attorney Jess Michaelsen said Gross had long been suspected in the August 2016 killing of Ying Li whose body was found inside…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly said Tuesday that she doesn’t plan to have the state health department use its power to manage disease outbreaks by shutting down businesses or imposing other restrictions in local coronavirus hot spots. The Democratic governor’s statement went further than a public promise she made last month to top Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature not to issue orders to close businesses statewide, as she did in the spring. She said that although the state will work with local officials in areas with big outbreaks to help them check the spread of the virus,…
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas growers have planted about 74% of next year’s winter wheat crop, according to a government report Tuesday. The National Agricultural Statistics Service reported in its weekly progress report that wheat planting is well ahead of the 56% that is average for this time of year. About half of the wheat crop has emerged. Kansas farmers have also been busy bringing in fall-harvested crops. The state’s corn harvest is 63% complete. About 40% of the soybeans and 30% of the sorghum crops have been cut. The agency also reported that 22% of sunflowers and 2% of…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Missouri man pleaded guilty Tuesday to an armed carjacking in Kansas, a crime investigators solved by testing DNA on a hat and wig he left behind, authorities said. Antonio Duane Simpson, 43, of Kansas City, Missouri, pleaded guilty to one count of carjacking and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of carjacking. The crime occurred on Dec. 3, 2018 in Topeka, Kansas. The U.S. attorney’s office said in a news release that Simpson admitted in his plea that he stopped a man and demanded his wallet. The victim refused and Simpson…
Wednesday’s program featured education updates from USD 320 Wamego Superintendent Tim Winter and USD 323 Rock Creek Superintendent Kevin Logan. Manhattan Area Technical College President Jim Genandt also joined us for an update on enrollment numbers and some new grant projects.
A few restaurants in downtown Manhattan will soon have new outdoor-seating options. The City of Manhattan has began installing seating platforms in front of seven downtown restaurants to combat a downturn in customers and foot traffic brought on by the ongoing pandemic. Platform installations have already occurred at a couple restaurants and will continue until Oct. 20. Here is a schedule of where and when installations are taking place: The Chef – Oct. 12 five – Oct. 13 Bourbon and Baker – Oct. 14 Tallgrass Tap House – Oct. 15 Manhattan Brewing Company – Oct. 16 El Patron – Oct.…
Dewatering is underway at the stilling basin below the dam at Tuttle Creek Lake. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers began work Friday in preparations of it’s 5-year periodic inspection. Outflows at the lake were dropped to zero along with the subsequent lowering of the River Pond. It will remain that way for three weeks. Until then, releases are expected to continue with a target lake elevation of 1,078 feet above sea level. The purpose of the periodic inspection is to ensure ongoing structural stability, safety and operational adequacy of the dam and related structures, assuring they are in compliance…
MANKATO, Kan. (AP) — A truck driver has died in a crash on a rural road near Mankato in northern Kansas, officials said. The crash happened Monday afternoon in Jewell County just outside Mankato, Wichita television station KAKE reported. Robert Newell, 59, of Mankato, was negotiating a curve when his tractor-trailer overturned, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol. Investigators said Newell had not been wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash and died at the scene.