KANSAS CITY, Kan. — A lawyer says a lawsuit against a Veterans Affairs hospital in Kansas where a former physician assistant molested countless patients involves “the largest sexual abuse scandal in the history of the VA.” Those comments came during opening statements in a lawsuit brought by one of Mark Wisner’s victims against the federal government. The government does not dispute that Wisner sexually molested veterans. But it says it should not be held liable because Wisner’s conduct was outside the scope of his employment and because the damages sought for a lifetime of medical treatment are excessive.
Author: KMAN Staff
Manhattan City Manager Ron Fehr and Mayor Usha Reddi joined us to preview the Tuesday City Commission meeting, in particular of note an ordinance that will be voted on that would require masks be worn in any public space where six feet social distancing is not possible.
Health officials plan to release a new local health order Tuesday to go into effect on Wednesday, July 8. During a Facebook live update, Riley County Health Department Director Julie Gibbs reported 36 new positive COVID-19 tests and 29 recoveries since Friday, July 3. That brings the county to 155 active cases, 151 reported recoveries and 3 deaths out of 309 total confirmed cases. One patient remains ventilated at Via Christi Hospital. Overall, nearly 60 percent of all confirmed positive individuals in the county have fallen into the 18 to 24 age range. That percentile has continued to rise in…
The Pottawatomie County Commission went over the proposed general-fund budget for fiscal year 2021 during their meeting Monday. As it stands right now, the county’s 2021 budget will be about $34.1 million, down from their 2020 budget of about $34.4 million. The mill levy will be about 27.7 mills, down from about 28.2 mills in 2020. Pottawatomie County financial officer Heather Gladbach explains why: The county is also looking to create a plan for future capital equipment expenditures, which consists of each department making a list current inventory and potential future equipment requests and estimating when certain equipment will need to…
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 responded to a the report of an injury crash in the 300 block of N Erpelding Ave in Leonardville on July 4, 2020, at approximately 1:26 AM. When officers arrived on scene they…
Riley County commissioners Monday voted to opt out of the governor’s mask mandate during an impromptu discussion. Initially, the commission had planned to wait until Thursday to gauge the City of Manhattan’s decision on a citywide mask mandate as well as the next local health order to be issued from the health department. It was not on the Monday morning agenda. Commissioner Marvin Rodriguez voiced his opposition to the order and voted to opt out. “Slowly, little by little people learn to accept whatever is sent out and before you know it we will have no control on liberty,” he…
On Monday’s edition of In Focus we spoke with Linda Teener with the UFM Community Learning Center. In our final segment Manhattan Parks & Recreation Director of Recreation Randi Clifford discussed the juried Outdoor Art Exhibition in downtown Manhattan.
nickkmcnamara · 100 protest racism on K-State campus.mp3 Around 100 people on July 4th marched from Aggieville’s Triangle Park to K-State President Richard Myers’ home on campus, protesting racism in the university community and calling for accountability. Myers was out of town and not present at the protest. The demonstration was put together quickly by Tori Swanson, Miranda Urban and Kirsten Novotny following a series of tweets by student Jaden McNeil about George Floyd deemed racist by numerous residents, student athletes, and President Richard Myers. Multiple student athletes held a week-long boycott calling for McNeil’s expulsion, returning to team activities…
Possible new health order The Riley County Health Department will consider issuing a new, more restrictive health order as soon as next week. “What we have in our order right now is just not working,” Julie Gibbs, RCHD administrator, said. “We are going to need to do something a little bit more restrictive.” RCHD will likely have something out to the public either Monday or Tuesday. County health officials give each order about 14 days to see if it has an effect on COVID-19 case numbers. Gibbs says the current health order, Health Order No. 13, has not had an…