WICHITA — A federal indictment charges Sedgwick County Commissioner Michael O’Donnell with financial crimes related to campaign funds. The indictment unsealed Friday includes five counts of wire fraud, five counts of bank fraud and two counts of money laundering. The 33-year-old Wichita man was issued a summons to appear May 9 in court. O’Donnell did not respond to phone and email messages, and court records do not indicate an attorney. Prosecutors allege O’Donnell put campaign money into his personal bank account and filed false reports with the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission. O’Donnell, a Republican, was elected to the Kansas State…
Author: KMAN Staff
TOPEKA — Kansas legislators have approved pay raises for state workers and extra funds to partially reverse past spending cuts on state university campuses. The House and Senate passed a bill Thursday that would add millions of dollars in new spending to budgets approved by lawmakers last year for the state’s current fiscal year and the next fiscal year beginning in July. The House vote was 98-23. The Senate vote was 26-14, and the bill goes to Republican Gov. Jeff Colyer. The bill provides an additional $15 million to state universities to undo most cuts made in their operating budgets…
Guests on today’s edition of In Focus included Manhattan Convention and Visitors Bureau Director Karen Hibbard, Riley County 4-H Extension Agent John Jobe, and Patrick Schnieders with the National Association of Letter Carriers’ Stamp Out Hunger Food Drive. Hibbard: Jobe: Schnieders:
TOPEKA — Kansas and Oklahoma lawmakers have passed legislation to grant legal protections to faith-based adoption agencies that won’t place children in LGBT homes. The Kansas Senate approved a bill early Friday that would prevent agencies from being barred from providing adoption services for the state if they refuse to place children in homes violating their religious beliefs. The vote was 24-15. The House approved it earlier on 63-58 vote. It goes next to Republican Gov. Jeff Colyer, who supports it. In Oklahoma, the state House approved similar legislation on a 56-21 vote Thursday and sent it to GOP Gov.…
The national anti-hunger nonprofit, Feeding America, announced new data this week through a press release that reveals food insecurity exists in every county in Harvesters’ service area including Riley County, where the food insecurity rate of 17.9 percent is higher than the national average (12.3 percent) and remains higher than pre-recession numbers. It said Pottawatomie County’s rate was 10.9 percent for 2016. Geary County’s was 17.2 percent. Harvesters provides food and household products to nearly 620 nonprofit partner agencies in 16 counties in northeast Kansas and 10 counties in northwest Missouri. Map the Meal Gap 2018 shows overall food insecurity…
Alex Herren, 23, of Hoisington was arrested while at the Riley County Police Department on May 1st, 2018 at approximately 8:45 AM. Herren was arrested on a Riley County District Court warrant for probation violation. Herren was issued a total bond of $5,000.00 causing him to remain confined at the time of this report.
Thursday’s guests were NBAF Director of Partnership Development Dr. Marty Vanier and Executive Director of the Governor’s Military Council and former 1st Infantry Division Commanding General Perry Wiggins.
WICHITA — Participants in this year’s Kansas winter wheat tour have now spread out along various routes between Colby and Wichita as they trod through the state’s drought-plagued fields. Wednesday’s swing through southwest and south central Kansas marks the second leg of the annual event. Tour scouts made 317 stops at wheat fields across north central and central and northwest Kansas on Tuesday. The industry group Kansas Wheat said in a news release that the calculated yield the first day from the 24 cars participating was 38.2 bushels per acre, but acknowledged that yield estimate may be too high. Plant…
Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Lyle Butler has announced his retirement from the position, effective Feb. 28, 2019, according to a press release from the chamber. Butler has directed the Manhattan area business organization for more than 18 years, extending to his overall 28-year chamber executive career. “Serving as President and CEO of the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce has been the capstone of my 28 years in the chamber profession,” Butler said in the release. “This has been a true honor to have served as the local, regional and national promoter of the Manhattan area. “The…
Updated Wednesday, 1:05 p.m. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has rescinded a boil water advisory for the City of Westmoreland located in Pottawatomie County. The advisory was issued because of a line break which caused a loss of pressure. Failure to maintain adequate pressure may result in a loss of chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination. Public water suppliers in Kansas take all measures necessary to notify customers quickly after a system failure or shutdown. Regardless of whether it’s the supplier or KDHE that announces a boil water advisory, KDHE will issue the rescind order following testing at a…