A Manhattan businessman, former Riley County assistant boys’ basketball coach and substitute teacher was sentenced to 32 months in prison for unlawful sexual relations with a student. Zachary Burton,38, entered a guilty plea to unlawful sexual relations with a female high school student in late September. Following emotional testimony from both the victim and Burton himself, Riley County District Court Judge Meryl Wilson took five minutes before beginning to explain his reasoning for the nearly three year sentence, with audible sighs at times. Judge Wilson told the packed courtroom about rehabilitation, deterrence, and punishment. And while he saw no evident…
Author: KMAN Staff
Today’s guests were Manhattan Mayor Usha Reddi and City Manager Ron Fehr.
WICHITA — A jury has found two Kansas men guilty of federal firearms violations in a case that repudiates a Kansas law that purports to prevent federal prosecution of anyone owning firearms made, sold and kept in the state. A jury Monday evening convicted Shane Cox in eight counts for illegally making and marketing firearms. They found Cox not guilty in two other counts involving possession of a destructive device. Jeremy Kettler was found guilty on one count for the purchase of a gun silencer from him. Cox is the owner of Tough Guys gun store in Chanute. U.S. District Judge J. Thomas…
TOPEKA — A federal judge has dismissed a former Kansas attorney general’s lawsuit against the state Supreme Court over its indefinite suspension of his state law license. The ruling was issued Monday by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays, of Kansas City, Missouri, against former Attorney General Phill Kline. The anti-abortion Republican was disciplined over allegations of misconduct arising from investigations of abortion providers as attorney general from 2003 through 2007 and Johnson County district attorney in 2007 and 2008. Kline has strongly denied wrongdoing. Kays ruled that issues in Kline’s case can’t be reviewed by lower federal courts because it challenges…
Wamego’s USD 320 Board of Education meeting addressed all the components associated with the approval of the bond election. At Monday’s meeting, Board President Rob Adams called on Dr. Mary Kaye Siebert, who thanked everyone on behalf of Superintendent Tim Winter, who was not present, for their assistance in the positive outcome of the bond election. Siebert said the outcome was a strong vote of confidence for the District and staff. Harold Mayes of Agler & Gaeddert went over the 2015 audit results. According to Mayes, the audit is performed under requirements of the Kansas Municipal Audit Guide and governed…
The Kansas Board of Regents has voted for a new K-State president Tuesday, and that president happened to already be on campus. In a meeting held inside Forum Hall at the K-State Student Union, the Kansas Board of Regents announced that retired Air Force Gen. Richard B. Myers will become the 14th president in the history of Kansas State University. “It is with great pleasure that we are here today to make this announcement,” stated Zoe Newton, Chair of the Kansas Board of Regents. “General Myers is perfectly positioned to bring K-State into the future, but understands as an alumnus the importance…
Riley County commissioners officially approved Tuesday’s general election results Monday morning. County Clerk Rich Vargo led the general election canvass and processed 530 provisional ballots. There were 613 provisional ballots that were not accepted for the canvass and 120 provisional ballots that were partially accepted. Vargo told KMAN 612 rejected ballots were flagged because those voters were not registered, while one provisional ballot was not accepted because the voter lacked a photo I.D. Vargo said the accepted provisional ballots are not enough to change any of the outcomes in any of the races or questions on Tuesday’s ballot. Commissioners also approved amendments to…
LAWRENCE — The University of Kansas campus plans to be tobacco-free beginning in the fall of 2018. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that an official university announcement about the new rule isn’t expected until fall of 2017, but the Tobacco Free KU initiative is continuing its efforts to get the word out. University spokeswoman Erinn Barcomb-Peterson says it’s hoped that a longer road to implementation will help ensure everyone is ready for the changes. Smoking currently isn’t allowed inside buildings, but people can smoke outdoors, at least 20-feet away. Residents of student housing also are allowed to use smokeless tobacco products inside…
WICHITA — Textron Aviation has announced more layoffs. The Wichita Eagle reports that the layoffs occurred Thursday. But the company isn’t providing details about how many people were let go from the company, which has three campuses in Wichita. Textron manufactures business jets as well as turboprop airplanes and also operates a plant in Independence. Company spokeswoman Rosa Lee Argotsinger said Textron’s streamlining with “workforce reductions in order to improve our overall operating efficiency.” Textron Aviation doesn’t routinely disclose how many Wichita employees it has, but said last December it had about 9,000 employees in Kansas. The company also announced an…
Today’s guests on In Focus were Dr. Neala Boyer, Clinical Assistant Professor at K-State College of Veterinary Medicine, Allyson Bowers with the Elizabeth Dole “Hidden Heroes” Foundation, and Greg Willems, President and CEO of the Kansas State University Foundation. Boyer: Bowers: Willems: