Economic development, representation and the pending sales tax ballot question were among multiple topics discussed by Manhattan City Commission candidates at a Sunday Forum. Eight candidates vying for three seats on the commission took part in the forum, hosted by the nonpartisan League of Women Voters of Manhattan/Riley County with support from the American Association of University Women, Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce and News Radio KMAN. Two of the seats have four-year terms while the candidate receiving the third most votes will serve for two. The seats are currently held by Mike Dodson, Jerred McKee and Linda Morse –…
Author: KMAN Staff
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly has joined a legal battle to save a federal program that shields young immigrants from deportation. Kelly’s move Friday puts the Democratic governor and Republican Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt on opposite sides of a case before the U.S. Supreme Court. Kelly signed onto written legal arguments opposing President Donald Trump’s attempt to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. Kelly joined Democratic Montana Gov. Steve Bullock and the Democratic attorneys general of Michigan and Nevada. Schmidt has joined 11 other GOP state attorneys general and Mississippi’s Republican Gov. Phil Bryant…
A change order for the Riley County emergency services radio system upgrade was approved by the Riley County commissioners on Thursday. One of the items included in the change order was an expansion to the timeline for completion. Emergency Management Director Pat Collins explained why the project’s completion is being pushed from June 2020 to October 2020. “One was that initial six months that they didn’t do anything. The other was the time it took them once we found out the towers indicated in the bid weren’t going to work. We had to go find other towers and locations,” Collins…
On Friday’s edition of In Focus we spoke with Research and Extension Riley County 4H Agent John Jobe and Pott County 4H Agent Daniel Skucius. We also spoke with Manhattan CVB Director Karen Hibbard. We also previewed OZtoberfest 2019 with Wamego Area Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Daryn Soldan, Wizard of Oz historian John Fricke and actress Hannah Emery who plays Dorothy in the stage production at The Columbian Theatre this weekend.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Aircraft parts maker Spirit AeroSystems has seen its stock price decline by 20 percent since the Boeing 737 Max jet was grounded but continues to churn out fuselages in anticipation of a rebound when the plane flies again. Spirit’s president and CEO Tom Gentile says the Wichita-based company is building 52 fuselages a month, although Boeing reduced its production to 42 completed planes per month after two deadly crashes. The Wichita Eagle reports that he says it would take “a very long time to come back” if production was reduced. For now the extra fuselages are…
The Manhattan Fairy Godmothers Hand Up Grant Committee recently awarded $3,000 financial assistance grants to two Manhattan Area Technical College students from the area. Chelsea Smith, who is enrolled in the Associate Degree of Nursing program and Bethany Johnson, who is also working toward a career in the nursing field were each presented with the grants in early September. The hand-up grant (or HUG grant as it’s more commonly known) is a financial assistance award for a program that will lead to employment or job advancement. Candidates must be a woman 18 years or older enrolled or accepted in a…
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Sedgwick County District Attorney is investigating Wichita Mayor Jeff Longwell’s actions regarding a city contract for a new water plant. District Attorney Marc Bennett said Thursday in a news release that his office received several concerns from one individual after The Wichita Eagle reported Sunday that Longwell steered the contract to a partnership that included friends of his. Bennett’s spokeswoman, Georgia Webb, said the office would not release details about the concerns. The Eagle’s report said Longwell persuaded the City Council to give the nearly $524 million contract away from a nationally known design team…
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man has been arrested for allegedly assaulting a woman after telling her that the devil wanted her dead. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that 34-year-old Lawrence resident Donavan Ryan Hiller faces three felonies and a misdemeanor for the alleged Aug. 30 attack at his house, including aggravated sexual battery and aggravated battery. According to a police affidavit, the woman says Hiller asked her to go to his bedroom to see his cats. She says he then ripped off her pants and attacked her. She says he told her that the devil said she needed to…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — State auditors say millions of dollars intended for economic development in Kansas were spent on other projects. In a report released Wednesday, auditors said during fiscal year 2018, only 18% of the money in the Economic Development Initiatives Fund was directed to programs that met requirements for receiving the funds. The audit found nearly half of all spending from the fund $20.1 million didn’t go toward economic development. The Wichita Eagle reports auditors also found no tracking of how the money was spent or whether it was used effectively. Lawmakers who heard the audit said they…
Fort Riley will soon see the construction of new homes and major renovations for a total of 128 homes on post. The announcement came at a Tuesday groundbreaking ceremony with Fort Riley’s business partner Corvias. The improvements are part of Corvias’ $325 million investment into its Department of Defense portfolio to fund strategic modernization and resiliency improvements to U.S. Army base housing infrastructures. It means 96 new homes will be built in the Warner Peterson neighborhood of Fort Riley and 32 homes will be renovated in the Rim Rock neighborhood. Fort Riley Garrison Commander Col. Stephen Shrader says the modernization…