The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted businesses and organizations throughout Manhattan and hotels have been no exception. Manhattan Convention and Visitors Bureau director Karen Hibbard says Manhattan is currently in its 28th week of down hotel occupancy. She says the occupancy in the months leading up to September weren’t much better. Hibbard says this downward trend is also the product of virtual meetings, and believes this trend will eventually turn around. Manhattan hotels had an occupancy rate of about 48 percent in the last week of September, nearly 30 percent less than normal for this time of year.
Author: KMAN Staff
Kansas health officials report a new pandemic record for average daily hospitalizations. The state had an average of 26.29 new coronavirus hospitalizations per day for the seven days ending Monday. The previous high was 23.86 for the seven days ending Friday. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment also reported that the state saw 1,597 new confirmed and probable cases since Friday, an increase of 2.5%, bringing the total cases to 62,708. The state health department also reported eight new COVID-19-related deaths since Friday, bringing the total to 706.
The Biosecurity Research Institute at Kansas State continues to research the coronavirus. Dr. Stephen Higgs, BRI Director, tells KMAN that they have been working hard to contribute to the research of the virus. Dr. Higgs says recently they performed an experiment which shows mosquitos cannot be infected or spread the virus. Higgs says this was an important discovery and talks about its publishing worldwide. “The last time I heard it was in 450, we’re probably heading for 500, different newspapers and news outlets, radios like KMAN. And I think 80 different countries was the last count,” he says. Dr. Higgs…
Riley County voters will have two places to vote in person for advanced voting starting next week. Speaking to the Riley County commission Monday, County Clerk Rich Vargo says the county was fortunate to have enough volunteers to staff a polling a location at the K-State Student Union. Voters can go up to the Bluemont Room on the second floor to cast their vote starting on Oct 14. Advanced voting will also take place at the county office building as well. Advanced voting hours for both locations are as followed: County Office Building, second floor: Week of Oct 14-16: Wednesday-Friday…
The Riley County Health Department confirmed 76 new coronavirus cases since last Wednesday’s report. Numbers show that of those 76 cases, 40 of the patients are ages 18 to 24. The percent positive rate, released Monday shows that for the week of September 27, Riley county was at 9.4 percent, up slightly from the week before. Ascension Via Christi is currently caring for three positive patients, and one person with coronavirus symptoms waiting on test results. Results from last week’s free testing events in Riley County have began to come in. So far, 10 of the 215 residents tested were…
TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas state education commissioner Randy Watson said schools will need to rethink the way they deliver education amid the coronavirus pandemic because what is happening now is “not sustainable.” The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that Watson told members of the Kansas Association of School Boards on Friday that one of the best solutions is to return students for five-day-a-week learning, while keeping class sizes to fewer than 15 students while requiring masks and social distancing. Watson said schools may need to partner with other organizations in the community, like churches or businesses that are closed anyway because of…
TOPEKA, Kan. — Topeka police are investigating the death of a man who was found with a gunshot wound on Saturday. Police said officers found the man around 11:30 a.m. Saturday when they were checking on the welfare of someone at a Topeka home. He died at the scene. Detectives are investigating the circumstances around the man’s death. The man was identified as 38-year-old Christopher McMillon.
WICHITA, Kan. — The downturn in airline travel amid the coronavirus pandemic could lead to years of decreased flights to fewer destinations from Kansas airports. Kansas News Service reports the number of passengers who boarded flights at Dwight D. Eisenhower Airport in Wichita this year has dropped 57% compared to 2019. At its lowest point in April there was a day when only 63 people flew out of the airport. Normally, the airport sees about 2,300 passengers a day, and a lot more during peak travel seasons. Boardings from Manhattan Regional Airport are down 56%.
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Police arrested one person after a fatal stabbing in Kansas City, Kansas, Saturday. Kansas City, Kansas, police said officers found a person with stab wounds around 10:40 a.m. Saturday in central Kansas City, Kansas. The victim was taken to a hospital where they later died. Police said a suspect fled the scene of the stabbing and was arrested after a chase that involved the Kansas Highway Patrol.