Story by Mikayla Gentine FORT RILEY — The Department of Defense, along with companies Corvias and Onyx, have completed the first phase of Fort Riley’s Solar Program in an effort to reduce the army installation’s dependency on conventional energy. This is the largest solar program in the state of Kansas, with 177 of the 1,260 home solar panels already installed, according to Fort Riley officials Wednesday morning. In its first year of full operation, these solar panels will produce 14,000 megawatts to replace conventional energy production. This is equivalent to 2,736 cars taken off the road annually, and 14,510 acres…
Author: KMAN Staff
HUTCHINSON — Kansas State Fair officials are warning about websites selling fraudulent tickets for this year’s fair. The Hutchinson News report s several customers learned after buying tickets that the websites they used weren’t authorized to sell tickets. Marketing Director Joy Whitman said in a statement that the sites use the words Kansas State Fair in their web addresses. Customers receive email confirmations that are incomplete or contain the wrong customer information. The fair is working to have the fraudulent sites removed from Google’s search engine. The only legitimate online ticket seller for the Kansas State Fair is Etix, which…
TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of Revenue plans to lay off nearly 60 employees as the agency moves its information technology services to a private company. The Wichita Eagle reports the state awarded no-bid contracts worth nearly $60 million dollars to CGI Technologies, which was severely criticized after the botched rollout of the federal health care website in 2013. Agency spokeswoman Rachel Whitten says the 56 IT employees affected by the changes will be able to apply for CGI jobs in Topeka, or could find other jobs within the department or state government. The department signed at least two contracts…
Host Brady Bauman shared his thoughts on K-State baseball coach Brad Hill, who announced Tuesday he’d be stepping down at the end of the season. Bauman covered K-State baseball during his time at the Manhattan Mercury. Guests Wednesday morning included Wamego USD 320 Superintendent Tim Winter, Rock Creek USD 323 Superintendent Kevin Logan, and Big Lakes Developmental Center President and CEO Lori Feldkamp.
The Secretary of the U.S. Army, Dr. Mark T. Esper, visited and spoke with soldiers and spouses of the 1st Infantry Division as he toured Fort Riley Friday. The visit was Esper’s first to the area since he was sworn in as the 23rd Secretary of the Army last November. Esper started his busy day by joining Soldiers of the 1st Combat Aviation Brigade, 1st Inf. Div., for a functional fitness PT session. Esper also met with officers, noncommissioned officers and spouses of the 1st CAB for breakfast before joining the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Inf. Div., as…
WICHITA — The American Civil Liberties Union has asked a federal judge to order Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach to pay $51,646.16 in attorney fees and other damages as punishment for violating a court order. The ACLU detailed its costs in a court filing Monday. U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson found Kobach in contempt of court last month for violating her order in a lawsuit challenging a Kansas law requiring proof of U.S. citizenship to register to vote. Robinson didn’t impose a fine at the time but ordered Kobach to pay for damages, including attorney fees. The ACLU sought…
Tuesday’s guests were Riley County Commission Chairman Marvin Rodriguez and Riley County Counselor Clancy Holeman.
TOPEKA — Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer has signed legislation fixing a flaw in a new public school funding law as the state Supreme Court prepares to consider whether it increases spending enough. Colyer’s office tweeted photos Monday from a signing ceremony at the Olathe public schools’ headquarters. The bill ensures that the state phases in a $534 million increase in spending over five years as intended. At @OlatheSchools this morning to sign the school funding bill fix. This bill gets more money in the classroom and adds accountability without raising taxes on hardworking Kansas families. #ksleg pic.twitter.com/kcjnqccWnF — Governor Jeff…
Monday’s guests were Cathy Dawes and Pamela Kempton, who discussed the Manhattan Arts Center production of “Timeless Music” on May 15. Kempton is the director and Dawes is one of its performers. Also on Monday’s show were Mike and Lisa Irvin of Flint Hills Foster Teen Camp.
Pottawatomie County Attorney Sherri Schuck told the Manhattan Mercury Friday there was “no criminal action” in an officer-involved shooting in Wamego two months ago that left one man dead. Ethan Straub, 25, of Wamego, was shot and killed during an altercation with law enforcement on Feb. 26. Five officers from four agencies — including Wamego and St. George police departments, sheriff’s deputies and Kansas Highway Patrol — fired at Straub. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation handled the case and sent the results to Schuck, according to the Mercury. Straub allegedly attempted to carjack a vehicle at Kreem Kup Drive In…