The Flint Hills Breadbasket just wrapped up distributing about 180 Christmas baskets to local families earlier this week. The Christmas baskets helped provide food items needed for a Christmas meal to area families. Director Maribeth Kieffer says the weather made work a little difficult, but overall the event was a success. Those interested in receiving a basket next year just need to go to the Flint Hills Bread Basket, pre-qualify and sign-up. Despite likely being done with donation events for the next couple months, the Flint Hills Breadbasket is in need of donations throughout the year. There is a particular…
Author: KMAN Staff
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A Lawrence man has been charged with killing a woman on a scooter while driving drunk. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that 43-year-old Eric Spaeth is free on $75,000 bond. He was charged this week with second-degree murder or, in the alternative, involuntary manslaughter, in the death of 24-year-old Elizabeth Allen. He also is charged with a misdemeanor count of driving under the influence, his second offense, and driving while suspended. The crash report said Allen and her scooter were dragged under Spaeth’s truck in August. Police said Spaeth’s blood alcohol content was more than 2 1/2…
The following summary of calls for service/reports filed by the Riley County Police Department is a portion of those received by police. Some names, addresses, and case details are withheld to follow local, state, and federal law as well as in an attempt to protect community members from being victimized further. Those arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. MANHATTAN, KAN. – Officers filed a report for theft and giving a worthless check in the 1000 block of Westloop Pl. in Manhattan on December 18, 2019, at approximately 10:50 AM. Officers listed Kansas State Bank as…
Thursday’s guest was Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Jason Smith.
The Manhattan Area Technical College Adult Learning Center brings several professional and educational certification opportunities to the Manhattan area. People using this facility have access to General Educational Development (GED) testing, Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) testing, Educational Testing Service (EST) certifications, College Level Examination Program (CLEP) certifications and many more technical and educational certifications and tests. Chris Boxberger, the Adult Learning Center Director, says the facility allows Manhattan-area residents to take many of the tests locally as opposed to having to leave town. Boxberger also says the testing center has been a great resource for businesses and organizations. For a…
The Manhattan City Commission on Tuesday committed to some big dollar improvements on both the north and south sides of the city. First, in a 4 to 1 vote, the commission approved a $4.3 million construction contract for a new Douglass Recreation Center. It includes a $400,000 contingency, which came in under expectations. The center will be another piece in a complex of recreation buildings, featuring a 3-lane elevated track and programmable to accommodate an 84-foot basketball court, two NCAA volleyball courts and two pickleball courts alongside community and fitness rooms. Mayor Mike Dodson says the walking and biking activity…
LAWRENCE, Kan. — A Douglas County judge is being asked to consider whether a woman convicted of killing a Lawrence man should receive a reduced sentence. An attorney for 25-year-old Sarah Gonzales-McLinn, of Topeka, is arguing that she was not properly advised of a plea deal that could have reduced her sentenced by half. Gonzales-McLinn is serving a “Hard 50” sentence for killing 52-year-old Harold Sasko in January 2014. Prosecutors say Gonzales-McLinn drugged and nearly beheaded Sasko, who was her supervisor at a pizza parlor. Two days of hearings on the motion began Monday in Douglas County Court.
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — A criminal affidavit that led to charges against two Wyandotte County Sheriff’s Office employees alleges a sergeant at the county jail beat up a handcuffed inmate whose arm was being held by a deputy. Sgt. David Toland and Deputy Marcus Johnson were charged last month, but details of the September jail incident were not made public until The Kansas City Star obtained the affidavit. Toland is accused of punching the prisoner in the face and slamming the inmate’s head against an elevator door.
LAWRENCE, Kan. — The University of Kansas plans to close its Confucius Institute in January. An email sent Monday to faculty and staff from interim Provost Carl Lejuez said the institute will close in part because of a 2018 law that restricts Department of Defense funds to universities that host Confucius Institutes. The institutes offer Chinese language, cultural enrichment and cultural events. In 2018, former FBI Director Christopher Wray and some U.S. lawmakers said the institutes are propaganda tools of China’s Communist Party. At one point, the Chinese government sponsored more than 100 institutes in the U.S. but several colleges…
WICHITA, Kan. — A 21-year-old Kansas man has admitted to offering marijuana and money to young girls in exchange for child pornography. Austin Ballew, of Cherryvale, pleaded guilty Tuesday to five counts of sexually exploiting a child and three counts of sex trafficking of a minor. In exchange for his plea, seven other charges were dismissed. Federal prosecutors say Ballew used Facebook to offer teenage girls in southeast and south-central Kansas marijuana and money to send him sexually explicit videos of themselves. He then threatened to make the videos public if the girls stopped cooperating. He will be sentenced March…