The intersection at 14th St. and Laramie St. will be closed for a few weeks starting next Wednesday, April 7. Ken Hays, Public Works project coordinator, says the upcoming closure is due to utility work associated with the ongoing parking garage and street-work projects in Aggieville. “The closure will hopefully not be anymore than about three weeks,” Hays said. “At that point, we will start going into some work on 14th Street. At this time, at least, we will not be closing the street completely. We’ll be keeping one lane of traffic open during that portion of the project.” Hays…
Author: KMAN Staff
Gov. Laura Kelly reissued several executive orders Thursday aimed at mitigation of COVID-19 which expired March 31 and will remain in place until rescinded or until the statewide state of disaster expires, whichever happens first. One of the orders, 21-14, establishing a statewide mask ordinance was revoked later in the day by the Legislative Coordinating Council on a 5-2 vote. As a result, Pottawatomie County commissioners, who had planned to meet on Friday to opt out of the governor’s order, have now canceled their meeting. The next meeting will be on Monday in Westmoreland. The executive orders are as follows.…
Release from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. TOPEKA – Conditions will be ideal for burning in the Flint Hills and surrounding areas today, April 1, 2021. Today’s burning activity combined with remnant smoke from yesterday’s activity will lead to elevated air pollutant levels throughout parts of the Flint Hills and central Kansas. The Air Quality Index (AQI) will likely range from Moderate to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups, and even Unhealthy near burn activity. You can view the current air quality and AQI for your area on https://www.airnow.gov/. Burning within the Flint Hills occurs annually to help preserve the tallgrass prairie, control…
The National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan is preparing for a soft opening. Dr. Ken Burton, NBAF Coordinator, says the construction of the facility has been a long process- from an original plan in 2012 and a delay in 2020, to a soft opening of the facility in 2021. Dr. Burton says he is excited to see all of the planning finally come into effect. “On April 24th our USDA personnel will begin to operate the central utility plant, the wastewater pre-treatment plant. the security contract, and then our IT team is in getting everything ready for our personnel…
TOPEKA, Kan. — Republican lawmakers argue that a pandemic justifies special rules in Kansas for protecting the privacy of people exposed to COVID-19. They have advanced a proposal to preserve them over public health groups’ objections. The Senate voted 26-14 Wednesday to approve a bill that would make contact tracing rules for the novel coronavirus permanent. That sets COVID-19 apart from other infectious diseases, such as syphilis or hepatitis. The GOP-controlled Legislature enacted the special rules at Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt’s urging, but they are set to expire May 1. Critics say it makes little sense to have different…
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Police in Kansas City, Kansas, say a man inside his home was killed by a stray bullet from a gun battle that took place outside on the street. Police say the shooting happened shortly after 3 p.m., when an argument involving a group of people erupted in gunfire. Police have not given other details of the shooting, but witnesses along the stretch of Farrow Avenue told news outlets they heard at least a dozen gunshots. Police have not released the name of the man killed. The Kansas City Star reports that the death marked the city’s…
GARDNER, Kan. — Authorities say a man has died after the car he was driving was hit by a freight train in eastern Kansas. The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office says the crash happened Wednesday afternoon at Waverly Road near Gardner. Investigators say the train carried and dragged the car for nearly half a mile before it was able to stop. Officials have not released the name of the man killed or details about how the crash occurred. The sheriff’s office is leading the investigation.
OMAHA, Neb. — A new monthly survey of business leaders suggests that strong economic growth will continue over the next few months in nine Midwest and Plains states as businesses continue to recover from the coronavirus pandemic. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss, who oversees the survey, said businesses in the area have recovered about half of the roughly 120,000 jobs lost last year when states imposed restrictions related to the coronavirus. Goss said the growth might be even stronger if it weren’t for delays in receiving raw materials and supplies. The monthly survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska,…
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 4200 block of Spook Rock Way in Manhattan on March 31, 2021, at approximately 10:00 a.m. Officers listed a 38-year-old female as the victim when it…
Guests from the National Bio and Agro Defense Facility in Manhattan joined the show, including NBAF Coordinator Dr. Ken Burton, Communications Director Katie Pawlosky and NBAF Transition Coordinator Diana Whipple. Gen. Perry Wiggins, Executive Director of the Governor’s Military Council also highlighted military affairs including April being recognized as Month of the Military Child.