Former President George H.W. Bush has died at the age of 94. Family spokesman Jim McGrath says Bush died shortly after 10 p.m. Friday, about eight months after the death of his wife, Barbara Bush. The nation’s 41st president served from 1989 to 1993, and eight years later watched his son George W. became the 43rd president. The elder Bush saw his popularity swell with the United States’ success in the Gulf War in 1991, only to watch it evaporate in a brief but deep recession. The Republican was defeated in his bid for a second term by Democrat Bill…
Author: KMAN Staff
MANHATTAN — Mental health in the Manhattan area is getting a major boost thanks to a state of Kansas grant awarded to Pawnee Mental Health Services recently. The $725,000 grant will help toward construction soon of the new Community Crisis Stabilization Center. Executive Director Robbin Cole, a guest on KMAN’s In Focus Thursday, says this is a specific level of care that provides a next step for patients before being admitted to a hospital. Cole says Pawnee is working with an architect to remodel one of their existing buildings to create the crisis stabilization center. Every few weeks, Pawnee Mental…
SALINA — Salina police are investigating the death of a 30-year-old man as a homicide. Police Capt. Paul Forrester says police went to a house early Friday after receiving a call about shots fired. Officers found the man dead inside the home. The Salina Journal reports it is the city’s first homicide of the year. Forrester said detectives are interviewing witnesses who were inside the house during the shooting. No suspect has been taken into custody. The victim’s name has not been released.
TOPEKA — The Kansas Attorney General has asked a judge to dismiss two criminal charges against a former employee at a Kansas water park where a 10-year-old boy died. The Kansas City Star reports a motion filed Thursday asks a Wyandotte County judge to dismiss charges against Tyler Miles. He was director of operations at Schlitterbahn water park in Kansas City, Kansas, when Caleb Schwab was decapitated on a water slide in August 2016. The charges accused Miles of lying to authorities and concealing evidence from investigators. Miles is still charged with involuntary manslaughter, aggravated child endangerment and aggravated battery.…
TOPEKA — Kansas lawmakers are discussing raising the state’s gas tax and implementing new fees as a way to help fund future highway improvements. The Wichita Eagle reports that a state task force finalized recommendations Thursday for a long-term transportation plan as Kansas prepares to transition out T-WORKS, the 10-year, $8 billion transportation program that began in 2010. The recommendations call for transportation funding through sales taxes, a fee on electric vehicles and raising the gas tax. State lawmakers and the Kansas Department of Transportation will consider the recommendations as they develop a new transportation program in the coming year.…
OLATHE — A 45-year-old man who was allegedly racing with another driver before a traffic crash that killed two people is facing murder charges. The Kansas City Star reports Bradley Woodworth, of Olathe, was charged Friday with two counts of reckless second-degree murder. Woodworth was previously charged with leaving the scene of an accident. The Oct. 6 crash in Overland Park killed 18-year-old Matthew Bloskey, of Overland Park, and 20-year-old Samuel Siebuhr, of Kansas City, Kansas. Woodworth is accused of driving a minivan that was jockeying for position with Siebuhr’s car before the two vehicles made contact. Siebuhr’s car spun…
Riley County government officials met with state legislators representing the area on Thursday to discuss the county’s policy priorities for the upcoming legislative session set to start on January 14. 51st House district Representative Ron Highland (R), 64th House district Representative Susie Swanson (R), 66th House district Representative Sydney Carlin (D) and 67th House district Representative Tom Phillips (R) attended the meeting with county commissioners and other county department heads. One of their priorities this session was an amendment to the constitution protecting counties’ rights to home rule. The amendment would allow counties to enact resolutions exempting themselves from state…
Friday’s guests were RCPD Director Brad Schoen and Capt. Erin Freidline.
WICHITA — A Kansas man accused of threatening to “blow up” the White House has notified a federal court that he plans to change his plea. Thirty-two-year-old Brandon Koss of Wichita had pleaded not guilty to making a threat against the president. A court filing Thursday shows a change-of-plea hearing is now scheduled for Dec. 14. A Secret Service agent wrote in an affidavit that Koss called the White House in January and used a profanity when addressing the woman who answered the phone. He then said: “I’m going to blow up the White House.” The affidavit says Koss admitted…
WICHITA — A plan to allow Wichita residents to keep colonies of feral cats in their yards has been delayed. The Wichita Animal Control Advisory Board voted Wednesday evening to delay the proposal until December or January pending some changes. The Wichita Eagle reports supporters of the plan say it will reduce the stray cat population by trapping, neutering and releasing them to colonies in backyards. Opponents say the cats are a threat to wildlife, particularly bird populations. The board made some decisions on the proposal, including limiting people to eight cats per property, including feral and pet cats. Also…