WICHITA — A federal judge has ordered Kansas’ top elections official to turn over a proposed changes to federal voting rights laws that he took to a meeting with President Donald Trump. After privately examining the documents, U.S. Magistrate James O’Hara ruled Monday that parts of documents from Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach are “unquestionably relevant” to a lawsuit challenging a state law requiring voters provide proof of their U.S. citizenship when registering. The order also instructs Kobach to produce a related internal document about proposed changes to the National Voter Registration Act. The ruling allowed him to redact parts…
Author: KMAN Staff
WICHITA — Rainfall in central and eastern Kansas is greening pastures and helping winter wheat, but is delaying corn planting. Most western counties remain dry. That is the latest assessment Monday from The National Agricultural Statistics Service of crop progress in Kansas. The agency rated the state’s winter wheat crop as 6 percent excellent, 45 percent good and 33 percent fair. About 16 percent is in poor to very poor condition. About 9 percent of the wheat has now headed. Kansas farmers have planted just 9 percent of their corn crop. That is well behind the 32 percent that was in…
A former staffer for U.S. Rep. Todd Tiarht was sentenced for aggravated criminal sodomy in Riley County District Court on Monday afternoon. Jase Stanton, 30, will serve 592 months — roughly 49 years — for a June, 7, 2015 incident where he raped three unconscious Fort Riley men in his home after a night of drinking in Aggieville. Attorney John Thurston represented Stanton. Judge Meryl D. Wilson found Stanton guilty of one count of aggravated criminal sodomy at the conclusion of his February trial. He was also sentenced to 18 years for failing to provide complete information when he submitted to the Kansas Offender Registration…
While more tweaking is obviously needed, progress on the Riley County Police budget was made Monday, with praise from the four law board members still present at the end of the meeting. Board member Mike Dodson was just one who complimented RCPD administrators for their work on the complicated 2018 budget… Board Chair Craig Beardsley mentioned some decisions still need to be made, particularly regarding the cost of living increase, and while indicating support of the education benefit and shift differential allotments–the amount remains in question.. One option being considered is a 2.08 increase for a budget of about $20,753,879. The…
Riley County Police have put out another notice regarding last Friday’s hit and run accident at 12th and Bluemont. Amber Wilhelm, 21, was struck by a pickup truck as she was crossing Bluemont Avenue. Wilhelm was dragged or thrown approximately 120 feet from the impact. The truck and driver fled the scene. She is currently in Stormont Vail Hospital with very serious injuries. Police investigators are in the process of interviewing witnesses and collecting video surveillance of the area from several businesses as well as traffic control cameras from the related intersections. Wilhelm’s family and the Riley County Police Department…
A Manhattan man faces a $20,000 bond following his arrest early Monday morning. Chad Russell, 37, was taken into custody in the 4400 block of Tuttle Creek Boulevard at approximately 2:50 AM. Russell was arrested on a Riley County District Court warrant for probation violation.
Geary County Sheriffs Officers and other law enforcement agencies spent nearly two hours searching for a missing autistic child midday Saturday. At 11:08 a.m., the Geary county sheriff’s department and Kansas Highway Patrol responded in reference to a critically missing juvenile on I-70 at the eastbound rest area near mile marker 310. Upon arrival it was determined that an autistic juvenile from Abilene was traveling with his grandmother, Janet Miller, and great-grandmother, Laurine Atkinson. The juvenile took off running when Miller stopped at the eastbound rest area. Miller attempted to stop the juvenile with out success. Both Miller and the juvenile were located south…
Kansas State announced it has hired Gene Taylor to be the school’s new athletic director six weeks after John Currie left to accept the same position at Tennessee. Taylor has spent the last three years as deputy athletic director at the University of Iowa after a 13-year tenure as the AD at North Dakota State. In a press release Friday afternoon, K-State president Richard B. Myers said Taylor was chosen over a competitive list of candidates. “We are thrilled to have Gene, his wife Cathy and their two children join the K-State family,” Myers said. “Throughout the process, Gene’s experience as an…
Officers filed a report for rape in Manhattan yesterday afternoon. Officers listed an 18 year old female as the victim when she reported she was raped by a male known to her sometime between Dec. 20, 2016 and January 20, 2017. Due to the nature of the crimes alleged, no additional information was released. Cody Brown, 31, of Riley, was arrested in the 100 block of N. 4th St. Thursday at approximately 2:30 PM. Brown was arrested on a Riley County District Court warrant for probation violation. Brown’s bond was set at $5,000.00, causing him to remain confined at the time…
Updated: KMAN has confirmed the connection of a sex-related incident reported a few days ago with an arrest made Thursday night. 24 year old Manhattan man, Qavonjez Mason, was arrested on several sex-related charges, with a bond set of 500-thousand dollars. He was taken into custody at 11:35 Thursday night in the 12-hundred block of Fremont Street for rape, aggravated criminal sodomy, electronic solicitation, and aggravated endangering a child. The arrest stemmed from the child’s mother reporting to police that she discovered text messages and pictures that suggested her 13 year old daughter was in a sexual relationship with a…