TOPEKA — Kansas is one of the few states without a law prohibiting legislators from becoming lobbyists immediately after they leave office. The Wichita Eagle reports 38 states have some form of a “cooling off” period for lawmakers who wish to become lobbyists after serving in office. Kansas’ lack of a waiting period came to attention recently when Rep. Lynn Jenkins began setting up a lobbying firm while still in Congress. Jenkins’ new lobbying firm plans to work at the state and federal levels. Federal rules require Jenkins to wait a year before lobbying at the federal level, but no…
Author: KMAN Staff
MANHATTAN — With the holidays just around the corner, T. Russell Reitz Animal Shelter Director Deb Watkins says gifting a pet can be a wonderful thing at Christmas time if it’s well thought through. Watkins says that you have to consider all the factors when looking for a pet during the holidays, sometimes it’s better to wait. Watkins says creating a routine is key during the holidays to help you furry friends adapt and keep calm whether they are new to the family or they’ve been around for years. If you’re already a pet owner, Watkins suggests some tips to taking care of…
President Donald Trump signed the 2018 farm bill on Thursday. When he did, standing not far behind him was Glenn Brunkow, director of the Kansas Farm Bureau’s first district which includes multiple counties including Pottawatomie County. The Agriculture Improvement Act of 2018, commonly referred to as the farm bill, passed with support from both sides of the aisle in congress — the U.S. House of Representatives passed it 386 to 47 and the U.S. Senate passed it 87 to 13. It allocates $867 billion in funding for subsidies for farmers, $600 million of that for grants and loans to small…
PARSONS — A 24-year-old man is jailed after a two-day police chase that ran through four Kansas counties on roads and through fields at speeds sometimes over 100 mph. Kansas Highway Patrol spokesman Chad Crittenden said the chase started Wednesday night when officers received a report of a stolen vehicle and potential kidnapping near Parsons. Troopers lost site of the truck but the chase resumed Thursday when Pratt County officials saw the truck. The Hutchinson News reports Crittenden said the chase went through fields, county roads and highways in Pratt, Kiowa, Edwards and Pawnee counties. The chase ended in an…
LEAVENWORTH — A former hospital worker at Fort Leavenworth who tried to kill his boss by setting her on fire has lost an appeal of his conviction. The Kansas City Star reports Clifford Currie was convicted of assault with intent to commit murder for the September 2016 attack on First Lt. Katie Blanchard. She was seriously burned during an attack at the Munson Army Health Center at Fort Leavenworth. Currie, now 56, was a civilian employee there. Currie was sentenced last year to 20 years in federal prison. Currie argued in his appeal that the prosecutor made several improper statements…
MANHATTAN — After opening presents on Christmas, be careful how you dispose of your boxes. What you have in your trash pile could be a potential advertisement to would-be burglars looking for an opportunity to take your new gifts. Riley County Police Department Officer Rachel Pate says it’s best to not leave that stuff in your front yard. Pate explains other ways people can protect themselves during the holidays. Pate says keeping all doors to your homes and vehicles locked will also eliminate that opportunity for theft. She also has tips for residents to avoid being a victim of porch pirates.…
Members of the military and their immediate families can take advantage of some discounted shopping just in time for last minute holiday purchases. The Manhattan Town Center is hosting their annual Military Appreciation Weekend this weekend. Multiple stores, even those who don’t typically offer military discounts, have exclusive discounts for military members and their families in thanks for their service. Just remember to bring your military I.D. as well as register at the booth in center court to pick up your discount flier. Other deals include discounted photos with Santa, raffles at JCPenney and a chance to win a $500…
TOPEKA — Incoming Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly and Wichita-based Koch Industries agree that the state’s prison system needs to be reformed. The Wichita Eagle reports Kelly’s call for criminal justice reform comes as the state’s prison system experienced its largest increasing inmates in a decade. Official estimates indicate the inmate population could exceed capacity in the next couple of years. Kelly says she wants to find a way to divert first-time drug offenders from the correctional system. Koch Industries was a proponent of federal legislation that expands rehabilitation programs, which could bring shorter sentences for non-violent offenders in the federal…
Geary County Public Works will be burning brush collected at the county landfill site starting Friday. As a result, the landfill will close around noon and will remain closed until Wednesday, Dec. 26. Rural Fire Chief Garry Berges made the announcement, saying the location has served as a dump site for trees and brush. “They’re going to go ahead and light that on fire and get it burned up,” Berges said. The current collection at the landfill has been built up after about six months, according to Berges. “With the holidays, they need about four to five days for it…
WICHITA — A Kansas State University student has been sentenced to life in prison plus 43 months for killing his ex-girlfriend who was studying psychology at Wichita State University. The Wichita Eagle reports that 29-year-old Dane Owens was sentenced Thursday for first-degree felony murder and aggravated burglary in the 2016 death of 22-year-old Rowena Irani. Prosecutors say Owens parked his truck several houses away from her Wichita home and shot her in the head when she walked around a corner. He then threw her cellphone in one pond and his gun in another Her mother found her several hours later,…