Author: KMAN Staff
TOPEKA, Kan. — Shelter-in-place orders are about to take effect for about a third of Kansas’ population to slow the spread of the coronavirus, and more could soon follow. Douglas County, where the college town of Lawrence is located, announced that an order will take effect Tuesday. The announcement came after a man in his 50s who had recently traveled on an international cruise ship tested positive, bringing the number of confirmed cases in the county to four. The order will match soon-to-take-effect orders that were issued in neighboring counties of the Kansas City area, including Johnson, Wyandotte and Leavenworth…
WICHITA, Kan. — The American Civil Liberties Union alleges in a lawsuit that a small community college in Kansas directed its coaches to to recruit more white athletes and targeted black prospective students with excessive scrutiny such as background checks before offering scholarships. The ACLU alleges in a federal lawsuit filed Thursday that Highland Community College instituted a plan six months ago to reduce the number of black students at its campus in northeast Kansas. It contends the college’s strategy included expelling black students for minor or bogus infractions and singling them out for dorm room and vehicle searches and…
Riley County commissioners extended the local disaster emergency declaration to the end of the year. The original declaration was issued on March 18 due to Gov. Laura Kelly’s state of emergency declaration. The declaration was in place for seven days, with the option to extend it. County Counselor Clancy Holeman made the suggestion based on the unknown factors related to the virus. Typically, the commission has extended these declarations by 30 days. In the event the commission cannot meet to extend it, this extension guarantees it stays in place. Holeman says the commission can end the declaration whenever they want…
A Manhattan activist organization is publicly demanding the resignation of the Riley County commission chairman over allegations of racism and misinformation. The group, Manhattan Alliance for Peace and Justice (MAPJ), has called Marvin Rodriguez’s comments at a special meeting of the Riley County commission on Wednesday, March 18 “derogatory,” “misinformed” and “racist” and are petitioning he step down via their social media presence. “A community leader in charge of ensuring the safety of local residents should not respond in such a misinformed and dangerously xenophobic fashion,” the MAPJ board wrote in an official statement to KMAN. MAPJ is a private…
Monday’s show featured a preview of the Manhattan blood drive Monday and Tuesday with Kristi Ingalls from the American Red Cross and Daryl Strouts, who is donating for the 100th time. Dr. Stephen Higgs, Director of the Biosecurity Research Institute at K-State spoke about coronavirus and what developing a vaccine might look like going forward. We also spoke with Sunset Zoo Curator of Education Jared Bixby and Marketing/Development Officer Melissa Kirkwood.
A revision was made Sunday to the Riley County Health Department’s ban on public gatherings of more than 10 people. All public gatherings of more than 10 people, whether indoors or outdoors, in Riley County remain prohibited unless otherwise exempted below. This second order prohibiting public gatherings shall remain in effect until at least April 4. Gyms, fitness centers, yoga studios, tattoo shops, massage therapy businesses, barber shops, nail and hair salons, and other business types that cannot be expected to maintain proper social distancing between their staff and customers. Such businesses that offer these services within a building shall…
The Greater Manhattan Community Foundation has teamed up with a number of Manhattan businesses and philanthropists to provide financial assistance to individuals whose employment has been affected by the coronavirus threat. It’s called MHK Together, an effort that GMCF President and CEO Vern Henricks says is supported by some generous donors. Blade Mages of the 502 Media Group approached Henricks with the concept, and has teamed up with a number of local businesses, as well as Shepherd’s Crossing and Konza United Way to get assistance into the hands of those that are needy The website is MHKTogether.org. Henricks will have…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas residents will be able to get medicine without an in-person visit to the doctor during the coronavirus crisis under a new executive order that Gov. Laura Kelly announced Sunday. Kelly, a Democrat, announced two new orders aimed at temporarily expanding health care access. She said in a statement that the orders “will make sure Kansas families can access needed care and supplies until we have weathered this storm.” Fifty-five cases of COVID-19, the disease caused by the virus, are now confirmed in Kansas. They include two deaths. One was announced in Johnson County on Saturday.…