Story by Nick McNamara/News Radio KMAN Manhattan is considering 5 to 10 percent cuts in city departments for the 2021 budget as officials look to fill a $2.7 million gap in revenues and expenditures. City Commissioners Tuesday heard from department heads in a session that was extended past the midnight stop time implemented in 2018 by 4 to 1 vote, with Mayor Pro Tem Wynn Butler opposing. Commissioners were also unanimous in authorizing sending the budget to publication in order to approve it by the state-required August deadline. It features no increase in the mill levy, though about half a…
Author: KMAN Staff
Health officials say that a recent increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations is not surprising, and follows the progression trends seen nationally. Riley County now reports 4 positive patients in treatment at Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan. At the beginning of last week, no confirmed patients had been admitted. The county also saw 6 new positive tests and 4 recoveries since Tuesday. Overall, 113 cases are active, 289 recoveries have been reported and 3 have died of 411 confirmed cases in Riley County. Additionally, 197 tests are still pending and 3,986 tests have come back negative. Overall, 4,594 tests have been…
A former U.S. Army general and defense contractor is hoping to use a platform on the Riley County Commission to bring medical-services accessibility, government transparency and economic sustainability to the county. Phil Mattox, a military veteran of over 30 years who is running against District-2 incumbent Marvin Rodriguez and Riley City Council Member Greg McKinley in this year’s Republican primary, says if elected, he will attempt to bring an ambulance station to Leonardville to support residents in northern Riley County. “Depending on where you start, it can take as much as 40 minutes to get to the northern part of…
This is a continuing series of related to local candidates ahead of the Aug. 4 primary. A former Manhattan mayor and city commissioner is hoping to win a seat on the Riley County Commission. Republican John Matta is challenging incumbent Republican Ron Wells in the primary for District 3. Matta previously served on the Manhattan City Commission from 2011 to 2015 and says he felt the desire once again to get into public service. “I did enjoy the public service and even back then I kind of thought, having been on the city commission, trying for the county commission, and…
K-State President Richard Myers joined us for the first two segments regarding the university’s planned reopening and return to in-person classes for the fall. USD 378 Riley County Superintendent Cliff Williams joined us for an update on enrollment, reopening and the bond construction.
The Riley County Police Department took the top prize in the 17th annual Battle of the Badges blood drive. The American Red Cross blood drive, which took place at St. Thomas More Catholic Church this year, gives people the opportunity to donate blood while also voting for a local emergency-services department. With 97 votes, RCPD beat out the Manhattan Fire Department, which came in second place with 67 votes, and Riley County Emergency Medical Services, which came in a close third place with 64 votes. The friendly competition was originally created to bring in donations during a time of year…
A convicted sex offender and former U.S. Marine from Manhattan was sentenced Tuesday to eight years in federal prison for possessing child pornography. According to a release from U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister, 35-year-old Bryan S. Duncan pleaded guilty to one count of possession of child pornography. In his plea, he admitted that undercover investigators downloaded child pornography from his account through a peer-to-peer file-sharing program. In a search of his Manhattan home, investigators uncovered electronic devices containing 450 video files. A sentencing memo states Duncan’s underlying offense was not isolated or impulsive. In 2005, he was convicted of possession and…
An accidental cooking fire that occurred at a 2-story apartment building in the Brookfield Residences in Manhattan Tuesday resulted about $3,000 in estimated losses. The Manhattan Fire Department responded to reports of a structure fire at 415 Walters Dr., apartment number 408, where they found light smoke coming from a fire that had already been mostly put out by a Riley County Police officer using a fire extinguisher. Fire crews would go on to ventilate the building and finish putting the fire out. The extent of kitchen damage caused the residents to be displaced. The fire resulted in an estimated…
The Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office is investigating multiple burglaries that took place between July 17 and July 21 in the Green Valley area of rural Manhattan at new-home construction sites. Three burglaries involving the theft of several DeWalt cordless handheld tools have resulted in an estimated loss of over $4,000. Those with information related to these incidents are encouraged to call the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office at 785-457-3353 or leave a Crime Stoppers tip at ptsheriff.com.