Local News

Carriage rides are continuing this weekend in Blue Earth Plaza, the final weekend they will be offered. Rides will resume from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Organizers canceled the event for Friday, due to wind damage at the Festival of Lights Wednesday, which also damaged some of the light features, including the [...]

The post Festival of Lights tree to be stored away for remainder of holiday season appeared first on News Radio KMAN.

Officials across Kansas were digging out and cleaning up Thursday, a day after hurricane-force winds ripped through the region, along with severe thunderstorms. Riley County officials say several grass fires were sparked, primarily the result of downed power lines. The largest fire was north of Randolph, on Hilltop Road. Those fires have all been extinguished. [...]

The post Storm damage estimates pending in Riley, Pottawatomie counties from Wednesday’s strong wind event, storms appeared first on News Radio KMAN.

Riley County health officials identified 139 new COVID-19 cases and 116 additional recoveries in its latest weekly report out Thursday. The health department says there are now 170 active cases in the county, with Ascension Via Christi caring for eight COVID-positive patients, five of whom are in the Intensive Care Unit. All but one of [...]

The post COVID cases remain steady in Riley County; flu cases increasing appeared first on News Radio KMAN.

A former Manhattan Parks & Recreation supervisor will be sentenced early next year after entering a no contest plea Thursday to two charges of sexual exploitation of a child. Both are level five felonies. Zach Bayless appeared in front of Pottawatomie County Judge Jeff Elder where he entered the plea alongside his attorney, waiving his [...]

The post Former Manhattan Parks & Rec employee convicted on sexual exploitation charges appeared first on News Radio KMAN.

Charges have been upgraded for the suspect in an early Sunday morning shooting at Tate’s Bar in Aggieville. Judge Kendra Lewison on Wednesday upgraded charges against 20-year-old Joshua Cummings to attempted first-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder and aggravated battery. Cummings had his first court appearance Wednesday via Zoom. At that hearing, the Manhattan Mercury reported [...]

The post Charges upgraded for suspect in Aggieville shooting; bond set at $1 million appeared first on News Radio KMAN.

Junction City officials are continuing to work to make repairs to its water treatment plant after electrical issues led to hundreds of thousands of gallons of water flooding the plant’s basement this week, following Wednesday’s weather event. In a joint press briefing Friday morning at the Geary County Emergency Operation Center, it was announced that [...]

The post Update: Junction City officials aiming to have water restored by Friday evening; boil advisory continues appeared first on News Radio KMAN.

There is no school Thursday at the Riley County Grade School after storm damage was reported late Wednesday evening. A damage estimate is pending from school officials. Superintendent Cliff Williams tells KMAN that an HVAC unit blew over on the roof. The high school will remain open as scheduled. Elsewhere, Manhattan Area Technical College is also closed [...]

The post Riley County Grade School cancels classes Thursday due to storm damage appeared first on News Radio KMAN.

The Flint Hills were dominated by strong winds and heavy rain Wednesday which knocked out power, trees and caused widespread damage across the region. In Manhattan, a number of traffic signals and intersections were down, due to storm and wind damage. Thousands across Riley, Geary and Pottawatomie County have experienced power outages. According to Evergy [...]

The post Strong winds, storms cause widespread damage, power outages through Flint Hills appeared first on News Radio KMAN.

K-State’s band hall at the Memorial Stadium field will be named in honor of its longtime bad director. The new facility will be called the Tracz Family Band Hall, after Band Director and Professor of Music Frank Tracz.  It will provide the university’s marching band  with designated rehearsal, storage and office space next to the [...]

The post K-State band hall to be named after longtime band director appeared first on News Radio KMAN.

Strong winds knocked down the 68 foot tall Festival of Lights Christmas tree in Blue Earth Plaza Wednesday. Organizers worked to secure the tree, tucking in the top of the tree into its base to keep it from being further damaged. They were working to get all of the electronics out of the elements before [...]

The post Strong winds knock over lighted tree in Blue Earth Plaza appeared first on News Radio KMAN.