TOPEKA, Kan. — Surging pandemic numbers are straining hospitals across Kansas just days before Thanksgiving gatherings that public health officials fear could worsen the outbreak. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported on Monday 95 new hospitalizations. The state’s COVID-19 dashboard showed that 240 coronavirus patients were in ICU units, with 36% of ICU capacity remaining in Kansas. State health officials added 7,526 cases to the state’s pandemic tally since Friday, bringing the total to more than 142,000. The data showed that Kansas averaged 2,760 new confirmed and probable coronavirus a day for the seven days ending Monday. The…
Author: KMAN Staff
LAWRENCE, Kan. — A new report commissioned by the city of Lawrence cites a need for the community to diversify its economy or risk becoming too expensive for many people. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that the city in June hired Ernst & Young to create an economic development strategic plan. The first phase of the process included a report with a community survey. The executive summary of the report says Lawrence’s economy is not working for everyone and that there are reasons to be concerned about the city’s economic sustainability. Despite the growing population, the report says Lawrence is becoming…
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 burglary in the 2400 block of Greenbriar Dr. in Manhattan on November 23, 2020, at approximately 10:06 a.m. Officers listed Prism Real Estate as the victim when it was…
The Pottawatomie County Commission, while convened as the Board of Health on Monday, unanimously decided to opt out of Gov. Laura Kelly’s latest statewide mask mandate. In adopting Health Order No. 9, the commission will continue a stance that it first took when it opted out of the original statewide mask mandate in July. County health administrators encouraged the commission to maintain the mandate, saying that increasing case numbers are leading to hospital staffing issues and an inability to transfer patients to other facilities. “There are no beds to be found,” Todd Willert, chief executive officer of Community HealthCare System,…
Riley County is reporting 271 new positive COVID-19 cases and 234 recoveries since Friday. This puts the county’s total number of active cases at 510 and recoveries at 2,904 222 of the new positive cases came from the two free testing events that took place in CiCo Park last week. 1,492 people took part in these free testing events, with 509 being tested on Monday and 983 on Thursday. About 130 test results from these events are pending. Ascension Via Christi Hospital is currently caring for 12 COVID-19 positive patients and one person under investigation. Riley County currently has 11…
ARKANSAS CITY, Kan. — Authorities have arrested a suspect in a deadly shooting in south-central Kansas. Arkansas City police said in a Facebook post that officers rushed to a stretch of road around 9:30 p.m. Friday in response to the shooting. They found a vehicle there, and passenger Samuel Hutton was wounded. The 38-year-old was taken to a hospital, where he later died. Police said officers later learned that Hutton had been shot in the suspect’s home in Arkansas City. Officers searched throughout the night before arresting the suspect around 5:30 a.m. Saturday east of Arkansas City. The suspect has…
TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas is preparing to launch a media campaign aimed at getting more of its residents to wear masks so that the coronavirus doesn’t keep spreading rapidly. Some officials are skeptical that it will move the needle much. A mask mandate from Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly is set to take effect Wednesday, but Kansas law allows the state’s 105 counties to opt out. The state has set aside $1.5 million for television, radio, print and social media ads promoting masks that are set to start before Thanksgiving. But some officials worry that politics are driving resistance to masks…
WICHITA, Kan. — A 19-year-old deputy who worked at the Sedgwick County jail has been arrested on suspicion of bringing contraband into the jail. The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s office said the deputy, who was suspended without pay, has been working at the jail since September 2019. Officials said a tip about contraband led to the deputy’s arrest. Spokesman Lt. Benjamin Blick said the items the deputy allegedly brought into the jail wouldn’t be illegal to possess outside of the jail.
WICHITA, Kan. — It will be a little less expensive to fish in Kansas starting Jan. 1. The Wichita Eagle reports that on Thursday, the Kansas Wildlife Parks and Tourism Commission announced several change related to outdoor recreation. Among them: The cost of a one-day fishing license was reduced to $6 from $8.50. For non-residents, the price dropped to $10 from $14.50. Fisheries Programs Specialist David Breth says the number of fishing permits being sold had dropped dramatically since 2016. That year, the state sold around 60,000 one-day license. Now, the state is selling about 35,000 annually.