Manhattan Area Habitat for Humanity recently announced a new coalition partnership with other area agencies for workforce housing. The coalition includes K-State’s College of Architecture and Planning, Manhattan Area Technical College, Flint Hills Renewable Energy & Efficiency Cooperative, and Flint Hills Job Corps. Habitat Director Josh Brewer says workforce housing has been identified as a critical need for the Manhattan area. “One of the things we’re wanting to accomplish through this partnership is to increase inventory, specifically housing that’s accessible to part of the population that makes up between 60 and 80 percent of our area’s median income,” he said.…
Author: KMAN Staff
TOPEKA, Kan. — Public health officials in Kansas are trying to determine whether a coronavirus variant is fueling a new outbreak at a minimum-security state prison with inmates who regularly work in surrounding communities. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly said during a Zoom call Wednesday with top leaders of the Republican-controlled Legislature that there had been no COVID-19 cases at the Winfield Correctional Facility in the two weeks leading up to a recent outbreak that sickened dozens. She says the state is doing genomic testing to determine whether the outbreak has been caused by recent variants of the virus. Meanwhile, Kansas…
TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas gun rights supporters are pushing to lower the age for concealed carry of firearms from 21 to 18. Rep. Blake Carpenter and a Kansas State Rifle Association lobbyist on Wednesday told a state house committee that Kansans under 21 already are allowed to carry guns openly but are breaking the law if they put on a coat to cover a holster. Gun safety advocates criticized the bill, saying younger people have less developed decision making abilities. Permit holders would have to complete a background check and undergo gun safety training.
TOPEKA, Kan. — Thousands of fraudulent unemployment claims are prompting Kansas to shut down its processing system this weekend, meaning some jobless workers will have payments delayed as the state installs new anti-fraud protections. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly made the announcement Wednesday shortly after Republican lawmakers said they will push to protect employers from being on the hook for fraudulent claims. GOP lawmakers said a surge in claims is a signal that the state is potentially seeing thousands more fraudulent claims. Kelly said they might be right and that the unemployment system will go down from 2 p.m. Saturday until…
TOPEKA, Kan. — A Topeka hospital is defending a decision to give COVID-19 vaccinations to members of its hospital board and a fundraising board before people who were at greater risk for infection. A spokesman for Stormont Vail Health in Topeka said decisions made by the boards govern the daily operations of the hospital. Kansas News Service reports the spokesman said health care workers who directly see patients got the vaccine shots first. The board members received the shots during Phase 1 of the state rollout of vaccinations, which focused on nursing homes, health care workers and others critical to…
RUSSELL, Kan. — Authorities in north-central Kansas say an Oklahoma woman has died in a crash on a slushy and slick Kansas highway. The Kansas Highway Patrol says the crash happened Wednesday morning on westbound Interstate 70 east of Russell, when a Jeep SUV slid, entered the interstate median and rolled. Investigators say the driver, 24-year-old Miyotzi Jemenez, of Sperry, Oklahoma, died at the scene. Officials say another woman, a 24-year-old passenger in the SUV, was taken to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries. The crash came a day after a winter storm swept through the region, dumping nearly…
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 sexual exploitation of a child in Manhattan on January 27, 2021, at approximately 10:39 a.m. Officers listed a 17-year-old female as the victim when it was reported an unknown…
K-State Department of Communications Studies Associate Professor and Institute for Civic Discourse and Democracy Director Dr. Timothy Shaffer joined us to provide perspective on the violence in Washington, D.C. Jan. 6 and what it ultimately means for the future of civic discourse in an already polarized political climate. From Pawnee Mental Health Services, Community Services Program Director Shelli Schottler joined us to highlight the Crisis COVID program and a federal grant the agency received to assist clients during the pandemic. We also previewed the upcoming Pancakes for Pawnee event happening Feb. 16 at Early Edition’s west Manhattan location.
Riley County is reporting 59 new COVID cases since its last report. This brings the county’s total number of positive cases to 5,886 with 295 of those cases listed as active. Along with the new positives, the county is reporting 20 more recoveries since Monday, bringing the total to 5,561. Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan is caring for 11 positive patients at this time. Three of the positive patients are in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). All licensed healthcare professionals and individuals in Phase 1 in Riley County have had the opportunity to be vaccinated. Last week we began…