AMERICUS, Kan. — A civil rights group is threatening to sue a Kansas school district if it doesn’t train employees about LGBTQ rights in response to an eighth-grade student being suspended from riding a school bus after saying, “I’m a lesbian.” The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas sent a letter Tuesday to the 350-student North Lyon County school district about 60 miles southwest of Topeka. The ACLU is representing student Izzy Dieker. She was suspended from her bus for two days in January but the ACLU’s legal director says the girl didn’t ride again for two weeks because she…
Author: KMAN Staff
The Department of the Army has announced the First Armored Brigade Combat Team, First Infantry Division from Fort Riley will be deployed to Europe this year. The 1st ABCT is headed to Europe to participate in Atlantic Resolve exercises tied to the United States’ commitment to NATO. The “Devil Brigade” will replace the First Armored Brigade Combat Team from the First Cavalry Division as part of the Army’s 2021 rotation.
The Manhattan City Commission Tuesday approved the issuance of industrial revenue bonds for the construction of a “home plus” facility planned for property near Colbert Hills. Foundation Park Homeplus, LLC, had requested up to eight million dollars in their IRB application for construction of what is expected to be a campus of three buildings at 4935 Colbert Hills Drive, each with 12 individual rooms. Commissioner Usha Reddi expressed concern over issuing the bonds. Foundation Properties owner Barry Warren replied that the IRB request was strictly for a sales tax exemption. Warren’s Wichita-based company also operates Valley View Senior Life in…
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 aggravated domestic battery and aggravated intimidation of a witness in Manhattan on July 6, 2021, around 6:13 p.m. Officers listed an 18-year-old male as the victim when it was…
On Wednesday’s edition of In Focus we spoke with USD 383 Director of Teaching and Learning Paula Hough and board member Curt Herrman. Manhattan Fire Department Fire Marshal Jake Powell also joined the program. In our final segment Flint Hills Discovery Center Event Supervisor Jonathan Mertz previews Christmas in July.
Another look into the revamp of the Manhattan City Code that’s underway was given the City Commission Tuesday night, including a view of how changes to the code have resulted in mismatching development in some areas. Assistant Director of Community Development Chad Bunger highlighted a home that had been built single-family in 1925 and turned into multiple units when zoning changed in 1969. Bunger says one change will be that a property where a non-conforming building suffers damage that totals more than 50-percent of its market value, the owner has to bring it into compliance, rescinding an adjustment made in…
The Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s office has responded to two reports of theft over the past two weeks. On June 22, a reported theft took place in the 3500 block of Dempsey Road in rural Manhattan. Sometime between 5pm the 22nd and early morning hours of June 23rd, a Honda generator was removed from a pickup truck. Total loss was in excess of two thousand dollars. Then on June 28, the Sheriff’s Office responded to the 4000 block of Jackies Way for a burglary and theft report, where an unknown person or persons entered into an enclosed trailer at a construction…
A number of Riley County asphalt overlay projects are beginning this week and will cause some traffic delays. The projects are impacting four primary locations, including Barnes Road from the Pottawatomie County line west to Tuttle Creek Blvd, Casement Road from Marlatt Avenue north to Barnes, Deep Creek Road from US 177 east to Pillsbury Crossing Road and Tuttle Cove Road from K-13 north to Tuttle Cove Park. Traffic will be reduced to one lane and delays of up to 15 minutes are expected. Chip sealing will begin next week on College Ave., Marlatt Ave., W. 59th Ave., Mill Cove…
TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas political icons Bob Dole and Pat Roberts have endorsed Attorney General Derek Schmidt for governor in 2022. The announcement Tuesday came as Schmidt worked to solidify support among fellow Republicans early enough to blunt a serious primary challenge from former Gov. Jeff Colyer. The 97-year-old Dole is a former U.S. Senate majority leader and the 1996 GOP presidential nominee. The 85-year-old Roberts served four terms in the U.S. Senate before retiring this year. Both Dole and Roberts said Schmidt can defeat Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly in the November election. Colyer’s campaign manager responded to the endorsements…
LENEXA, Kan. — Police in Lenexa say a 20-year-old man is dead following a shooting at a local apartment complex. Police say the shooting happened around 1 p.m. Monday at the Lenexa Crossing Apartments. Investigators say the suspected shooter called 911 to report it and stayed on the scene until police arrived. Police said the shooter and victim knew each other and that the shooter reported he accidentally fired the weapon, hitting the other man in the back. Neither the victim’s name nor the name of the suspected shooter had been released by early Tuesday morning.