WELLINGTON, Kan. — A former Sedgwick County Sheriff’s deputy who fled to Turkey after being accused of child-sex crimes made his first court appearance after being returned to Kansas. Derick Chandler was charged after an investigation by Wellington police. Authorities say he fled to Turkey during the investigation. He was extradited from Budapest, Hungary, on Tuesday. During his court appearance Thursday, a judge ordered Chandler held on $1 million bond. Authorities have said the charges relate to abuse of one victim over several months.
Author: KMAN Staff
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. – There is nothing to report for March 26, 2021. Those with information about crimes in our area are encouraged to contact RCPD or the Manhattan Riley County Crime Stoppers.
The City of Manhattan hosted a ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday to celebrate the opening of the new Douglass Activity Center. Dozens gathered in the facility’s gymnasium to take part in the festivities, which included speeches from mayor Wynn Butler, Douglass Activity Center director David Baker, Douglass Center Advisory Board chair Debbie Nuss, city manager Ron Fehr and Parks and Recreation assistant director Wyatt Thompson. “Today is a historic moment,” Butler said. “We have the honor of participating in the opening of the new Douglass Activity Center – a facility that will encompass education, recreation, fellowship and kinship for all members of…
Wamego Health Center senior administrator Steve Land has announced that he will step down from the position he has held since 2016. He is leaving to take over as Director of Rehab at Community HealthCare System in Onaga. This won’t be Land’s first venture into the field of rehab. As a licensed physical therapist, he served as Wamego Health Center’s Heartland Rehabilitation director for four years before taking on his current role. While Land states that he is proud of what his team in Wamego has accomplished over the past five years, he says “this new opportunity to return to…
Riley County commissioners approved Local Health Order No. 21 to extend the county’s mask mandate. The order only extends the mandate and will be in place until May 16, in line with the City of Manhattan’s mask ordinance. It will take effect midnight April 1. The commission had to give Local Health Officer Julie Gibbs permission for the new health order since it involves a mask mandate. County Counselor Clancy Holeman says this is due to Senate Bill 40, signed into law by Gov. Laura Kelly this week, which rewrites Kansas laws for managing the coronavirus pandemic and future emergencies.…
Sunset Zoo in Manhattan, Kansas is now operating under their summer hours. Melissa Kirkwood, Sunset Zoo Marketing and Development Officer, says the zoo is now open from 9:30AM to 5PM daily and those hours will continue through the summer. She adds that while the hours have extended they are still enforcing COVID-19 safety protocols. “When you do enter Sunset Zoo, we do ask that you have a mask,” Kirkwood says. “If you can maintain six-foot of distance between you and other guests, you do not have to be wearing the mask, but when you can’t maintain that distance, we just…
Dr. Timothy Shaffer, Director of the Institute for Civic Discourse and Democracy at K-State spoke with us about a virtual conversation on race and reconciliation, sponsored by the office and Manhattan Nonviolence Initiative as well as the Manhattan MLK Memorial Committee. Pawnee Mental Health Services Executive Director Robbin Cole joined us for an update on the agency’s 65th anniversary, a new Ag Assistance Program and the unveiling of a new website April 1.
The Parent-Teacher Organization of Blue Valley Schools is bringing back their Boots and Bling fundraiser. The Parent-Teacher Organization is a partnership between families, faculty, and administration that works to improve the learning opportunities for all students of USD 384. Superintendent, John Cox, says the Boots and Bling event is an annual fundraiser for the group. “It’s an awesome way to support the kids because our PTO does a fantastic job of providing opportunities for our kids and providing equipment, supplies, and things like that,” Cox adds. Cox says this year’s fundraiser will be on April 1 beginning at 4PM at…
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 aggravated burglary in the 700 block of N. 9th St. in Manhattan on March 24, 2021, at approximately 11:28 a.m. Officers listed 20- and 22-year-old males a 21-year-old female…
Road-maintenance spending update The City of Manhattan used the Special Street and Highway Fund to pay for less than $500,000 in salaries and street maintenance in 2020, despite it seeing over $2.5 million in revenue. Public Works director Robert Ott says this is due to low revenue projections for the Special Street Maintenance Fund, which is funded by sales taxes and cannot be used to pay employee salaries. “We needed folks that could fix potholes and deal with flooding and plow streets,” Ott said. “We had to make sure we had cash to pay their salaries.” Special Street and Highway Fund revenue,…