HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Despite opposition from the state’s top health director, the Kansas State Fair will be held this year. The state fair board voted Tuesday to have the 10-day fair in September. Secretary of Health Lee Norman told the board before its vote that the fair should not be held because of public health concerns. Masks will be required only at indoor commercial and competitive display areas and crowd sizes will not be limited. Fair General Manager Robin Jennison said the staff has devised plans to respond to health concerns and those plans will be fine-tuned as needed.
Author: KMAN Staff
Officials will not attempt to capture an alligator that was seen in the Wildcat Creek and Linear Trail area Wednesday evening. According to a City of Manhattan release, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks has been contacted by animal control to determine how to approach the situation Officials do not believe the alligator poses a threat to the public, but anyone in the area is still advised to be cautious. “We really want people to remain on the trail,” Deb Watkins, the T. Russel Reitz Animal Shelter director, said. “There is no reason to go off the trail.” Linear…
OLATHE, Kan. — A Missouri man was sentenced Wednesday to life in prison for a 2018 shooting outside a Kansas elementary school that killed one man and left another paralyzed. WDAF-TV reports that 34-year-old Anthony Grable of Kansas City will not be eligible for parole for 50 years. He pleaded guilty last year to first-degree murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault, aggravated robbery and burglary. Grable was installing playground equipment at Sunrise Point Elementary in July 2018 when a fight over tools escalated to a crime spree. Grable shot and killed Todd Eugene Davis and critically injured Efren Joaquin Gomez.
TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas’ top public health official predicts the state will face steeper increases in new coronavirus cases. State health secretary Dr. Lee Norman also suggested Wednesday that Kansas blew its chance for a summer pandemic respite by reopening its economy too quickly. Norman blamed a recent surge in new reported cases on gatherings over the long Memorial Day weekend and the lifting of statewide restrictions on businesses and gatherings on May 26. He said Kansas is not “anywhere close” to leaving the first wave of the pandemic. Norman’s comments came after the Kansas State Fair’s board voted to…
WICHITA, Kan. — Authorities in Kansas say two former Sedgwick County Sheriff’s employees have been arrested and charged with theft and other counts after an audit uncovered nearly $150,000 missing from the department’s property and evidence holdings. . The Wichita Eagle reports that former property and evidence technician Marc Gordon was arrested Wednesday on a warrant charging him with felony official misconduct and three misdemeanor counts of theft. On Friday, officials arrested and charged former property and evidence supervisor Robert White with 13 counts, including official misconduct, theft and drug charges. Investigators say the property stolen included more than $7,700…
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Police have released the identity of a man was was fatally shot in Kansas City, Kansas, earlier this week. Police said Thursday in a news release that 41-year-old Marco Mcelwee, of Kansas City, Kansas, died in the Sunday night shooting. Police spokesman Officer Dustin Dierenfeldt had said earlier this week that officers responded around 9:20 p.m. Sunday to the scene on reports of a shooting. Mcelwee was declared dead at the scene. Police have not indicated they have any suspects in the shooting, and no arrest in the case was reported Thursday.
On Thursday’s edition of In Focus we spoke with officials from the National Bio and Agro Defense Facility. Guests included NBAF Coordinator for APHIS Dr. Ken Burton, Communications Director Katie Pawlosky and Attending Veterinarian Dr. Maggie Behnke. We also spoke with the Governor’s Military Council Executive Director Perry Wiggins.
Another alligator is reportedly on the loose in Manhattan. According to Manhattan Parks and Recreation, an alligator was seen Wednesday evening on Linear Trail along Wildcat Creek between South Manhattan Ave. and Pecan Circle. This alligator is not believed to be one of the two stolen from Manhattan Reptile World in June. Multiple media outlets are reporting that Colin Cudney, owner of Manhattan Reptile World, believes the alligator that was recently seen is smaller than Beauregard, an alligator stolen from Manhattan Reptile world that is still believed to be alive. Beauregard is believed to be about 5 feet long while…
As Manhattan officials look to make up a $2.7 million funding gap for fiscal year 2021, commissioners want to ensure Parks and Recreation doesn’t take the lion’s share of the burden. Click to read more on the make-up of that $2.7 million gap. City administration presented budget options highlighted by $1.2 million in fund transfers, $1.3 million in Parks and Rec cuts and other cost reductions. Those cuts would have closed CiCo and Northview pools in 2021, reduced hours at City Pool, cut nearly half of city mowing operations, and reduced park maintenance to the point some play equipment would…
Local health officials are watching COVID-19 numbers this week as an evaluation of a recent health order in response to rising case numbers of late. Riley County Health Department Director Julie Gibbs update the public on the latest pandemic information via Facebook Live Wednesday. Wednesday, she reported 9 new active COVID-19 cases and 16 new recoveries. Overall, 132 cases are active — 1 in the hospital — 107 have recovered, 3 deaths have been reported and a total of 242 positives have been confirmed. “Through our contact tracing, we are still seeing quite a few of our cases linking back to…