Gov. Laura Kelly has slowed down the reopening of Kansas’ economy. Rather than allowing phase 2 to begin on Monday, Kelly on Thursday signed into executive order phase 1.5, which orders bars and bowling alleys to remain closed through the end of the month. It also extends restrictions in place until near the end of next month. The limit on public gatherings of 10 or fewer people will remain in place starting Monday, rather than increasing to 30 as initially planned. Nail salons, barber shops, hair salons, tattoo parlors and tanning salons are allowed to open, but only by appointment.…
Author: KMAN Staff
A federal judge has weighed in on a lawsuit involving a former Riley County employee who claimed he was wrongfully terminated. Olsburg resident Steven DeHart worked as an environmental health specialist and claimed he was fired in 2017 after trying to report alleged environmental violations by the county at Riverchase Reservoir and Rocky Ford Water District. He also continually spoke out about commissioner Ron Wells and a private sewer hookup on the Wells family property, claiming he blew the whistle on alleged misconduct because Wells wasn’t paying for the sewer services. The county contends DeHart was fired for insubordination. U.S.…
Manhattan Regional Airport Director Jesse Romo gave an update on parking lot construction during Thursday’s episode of In Focus. He says while there were some concerns about the parking lot project, the recent lack of travelers has made making progress on construction easier. According to Romo, this project should be completed by early November. Romo also gave an update on the installation of a new runway, saying this task isn’t as far along as the parking lot project. Airport officials plan to go to the Manhattan City Commission in June with proposals for grants that would help pay for runway-design costs.
TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas’ state Medicaid director, Dr. Adam Proffitt, has announced his resignation to take a new job in the private sector. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment announced Proffitt’s resignation in a news release Wednesday night. Proffitt’s resignation is effective June 5. Proffitt joined the department as the director of it healthcare finance division in December 2017. He was named the state’s Medicaid director in last May. The news release says the department will announce an interim director at a later date. Proffitt’s resignation comes as the state grapples with trying to contain the new coronavirus outbreak.
WICHITA, Kan. — Sedgwick County will pay $310,000 to a Wichita woman injured when a county employee crashed into her in December 2017. The Wichita Eagle reports the settlement comes in a lawsuit filed by Matilda Pruitt after she suffered head, neck, back and other injuries in the crash. Pruitt sued Metropolitan Area Building and Construction Department employee Jarrod Truman and the county for negligence. Her lawsuit says she was stopped at a Wichita intersection waiting to turn when Truman crashed into the back of her vehicle. The impact pushed Pruitt’s car into oncoming traffic, where she was hit by…
TOPEKA, Kan. — An eastern Kansas county is defending a policy that directs business owners to collect information about their customers. Attorneys for Linn County argued Thursday in a federal court filing that the rule is an effort to help trace the contacts of infected people during the the coronavirus pandemic. The county’s attorneys said a May 1 order by the health director does not violate constitutional rights against unreasonable searches. The county’s attorneys were responding to a federal lawsuit filed by a newspaper publisher and restaurant owner arguing that the requirement represents an improper warrantless search of their business…
BELLE PLAINE, Kan. — A civil rights group has launched “The Clemency Project” to try to secure the release of Kansas prisoners whose medical conditions make them vulnerable to the coronavirus. The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas on Thursday filed the first round of what it anticipates will be dozens of individualized clemency petitions seeking relief for their clients from the parole board and governor. The petitions will be filed on a rolling basis. The move comes days after a Leavenworth judge threw out the group’s class action lawsuit seeking the release of seven inmates due to the pandemic.
Thursday’s show featured Colonel Ted Brown, Commander of Fort Riley’s Irwin Army Community Hospital. Manhattan Regional Airport Director Jesse Romo also highlighted some of the CARES Act funding the airport is receiving from the federal government and about the ongoing parking lot construction project.
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate unanimously passed a bipartisan bill Thursday sponsored by Kansas Sen. Jerry Moran to designate 9-8-8 as the national suicide prevention and mental health crisis hotline. “Designating 9-8-8 as a nationwide suicide help and prevention number provides an easy-to-remember and easy-to-access service for people to dial when they need a helping hand,” Moran said. “As our nation faces a pandemic that limits our human interaction, Americans need this life-saving resource to help prevent suicide and provide a vital mental health service.” The line would include the Veterans Crisis Line for veteran-specific mental health support. Additionally, the…
Bank of the Flint Hills President and CEO Lance White offers a banking