Severe weather moved through the area Wednesday night causing bouts of heavy rain and hail in the area. Ping pong ball to golf ball sized hail was reported near Olsburg and similar reports were seen near Milford where egg sized hail was reported. Elsewhere, quarter to half dollar sized hail was reported from Grandview Plaza [...]
A former preschool nurse in Manhattan has pleaded guilty to two counts of Aggravated Indecent Liberties with a Child and will be sentenced later this year. Joshua Penabaz, 45, entered the pleas in Riley County District Court Wednesday morning. The victim in both counts was under the age of 14. Deputy Riley County Attorney Trinity [...]
Riley County officials say an estimated 300 acres burned in a Tuesday wildfire northeast of Randolph. That fire was 90% contained as of Wednesday morning, with crews performing “mop up” and monitoring conditions by midday, according to Public Information Officer Vivienne Leyva. Strong winds spread embers from a large fire burning on the Pottawatomie County [...]
A Wamego man remains jailed in Brown County without bond on charges of aggravated human trafficking. Authorities say 42-year-old Camden Hubbard was arrested Saturday west of Hiawatha, after a teenager was found driving his car with alcohol and drugs inside, including fentanyl. Hubbard was a passenger in the vehicle. The Sheriff’s Office credits its K-9 [...]
The Manhattan Fire Department says improperly discarded smoking materials were to blame for a structure fire in southwest Manhattan Tuesday night. Firefighters were dispatched to 156 North Dartmouth just before 9:30 p.m., with heavy fire showing from the back of the home, extending into the attic. The blaze was brought under control within 30 minutes. [...]
Pottawatomie County Commissioners approved an amendment to a planned unit development Monday on a 2-1 vote. Currently the permit allows for 48 units of multi-family housing on a defined lot, single family units and duplexes, for a total of 313 total residential units. The proposed amendment changes that to allow for development of triplexes and [...]
The City of Manhattan has announced that Wyatt Thompson will join the City Manager’s Office as an assistant city manager. Thompson joins fellow Assistant City Manager Jared Wasinger, who was named to the office in March 2022. Thompson has served as the interim Parks and Recreation Director for the past year, bridging the gap between [...]
Riley County Police are investigating an incident of vandalism at Anneberg Park. A criminal damage to property report was filed Saturday listing the City of Manhattan as the victim after an unknown suspect damaged and destroyed dispensers, trash cans, a mirror and a sink in a women’s bathroom. The total loss is about $630. Anyone [...]
A Topeka man has been arrested on a pair of Riley County District Court warrants stemming from 2020 incidents involving domestic violence against a 38-year-old woman known to him. According to RCPD, 32-year-old Luis Martinez was charged Friday with two counts each of kidnapping, aggravated domestic battery, aggravated assault, criminal damage to property and domestic [...]
The Riley County Police Department says an investigation is underway following the death of an inmate confined at the Riley County Jail this weekend. Corrections Officers located 38-year-old Laura Pearce unresponsive in her cell just before 8:30 a.m. Saturday. According to an RCPD news release, officers immediately began lifesaving measures. Riley County EMS was dispatched [...]
