TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) A 22-year-old man has pleaded guilty in the shooting deaths of a man and woman at a Topeka apartment. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that Nicholas Storm Phillips, of Topeka, admitted Tuesday to two counts of reckless second-degree murder. Prosecutors said he fired multiple shots through an apartment door in December, killing 20-year-old Daquhan S. Jackson and 29-year-old Mary E. Thomas, both of Topeka. Phillips told a detective he was upset because the victims were stealing his clothes, which had been thrown into a grassy area after he fought with a girlfriend. Phillips also pleaded guilty to one…
Author: KMAN Staff
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The Kansas Senate has declined to debate a proposed constitutional amendment that would phase out the state sales tax on food over the next three years. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that Democratic state Sen. Tom Holland proposed the amendment earlier this year. It didn’t receive a committee hearing and was in danger of dying as the 2016 session is coming to a close. Holland made a motion on the Senate floor Tuesday to force the bill to the top of the calendar for immediate debate and vote. His motion fell six votes short of the two-thirds majority…
PARIS (AP) Security officials have told The Associated Press that the Islamic State group has trained at least 400 attackers and sent them into Europe for terror attacks. The network of interlocking, agile and semiautonomous cells shows the reach of the extremist group in Europe even as it loses ground in Syria. The officials, including European and Iraqi intelligence officials and a French lawmaker who follows the jihadi networks, describe camps designed specifically to train for attacks against the West. The officials say the fighters have been given orders to find the right time, place and method to carry out…
WASHINGTON (AP) The United States says some government personnel in Brussels are unaccounted for since the deadly airport and subway attacks. State Department spokesman Mark Toner says the U.S. is still seeking to locate all its officials serving at the American missions to Belgium, the European Union and NATO, and their family members. Toner says some still haven’t been reached, without providing an exact number. He noted that Belgium hasn’t released the identities or nationalities of those killed or in Tuesday’s bombings, or injured and hospitalized. At least 34 people were killed and more than 200 wounded in the attacks.…
On Monday, March 28, weather permitting, an intersection improvement project will begin at the U.S. 24 and Excel Road junction just east of Manhattan in Pottawatomie County. Project work includes improvements on Excel Road and the addition of turning lanes on U.S. 24 to Excel Road (see intersection improvement plan above). Work will take place during daylight hours, Monday through Friday, with some occasional Saturday work. Beginning Monday, March 28, all access from Excel Road to U.S. 24 and vice versa will be closed through late Fall 2016. Also, eastbound and westbound U.S. 24 left lanes on either side of…
Manhattan residents encouraged city commissioners to consider the best interest of area neighborhoods Tuesday night, as they discussed rezoning 9.96 acres of land east of K-State. Areas impacted would include Thurston, Morro, Laramie, and Vattier Streets along with Bluemont avenue. From neighborhoods being viewed only as “student rental” zones, to property upkeep – a variety of concerns had the public and some commissioners questioning the proposal. Increased traffic near the school led commissioner Linda Morse to vote against a first reading of the rezoning ordinance. Morse was joined by mayor pro temp Usha Reddi who argued that heavier traffic may…
In this edition of In Focus, Cathy Dawes talks to Riley County Schools, Blue Valley/Randolph USD 384 Superintendent. Brady Burton; Riley County USD 378 Interim Superintendent. Nancy Meyer; and Director of the Center for Engagement and Community Development at Kansas State University, Dr. David Procter.
Petra D. Amaro (38) of Topeka, KS was arrested at the Riley County Police Department on March 22, 2016 at 5:36PM on two outstanding failure to appear warrants that had a total bond of $10,000. The failure to appear warrants were both issued by the Riley County District Court. The first warrant stems from a prior offense of violation of offender registration, while the second stems from prior offenses of unlawful possession of a controlled substance, interference with law enforcement, and driving while suspended. Wendy K. Montgomery (45) of Manhattan, KS was arrested for aggravated burglary at 510 Tuttle…
A Caterpillar Work Tools employee in Wamego has been arrested on a criminal threat charge. According to a news release from Wamego Police Chief Mike Baker Tuesday night police responded to Caterpillar on Balderson Boulevard last Thursday evening regarding possible threatening comments posted on a social media web page. Erik Billis was taken into custody last week after making a threat against co-workers on social media. Reports indicate Billis made a threatening post on Facebook, saying he had officially snapped and mentioned a shooting spree sounding fun to go on at a place where you hate eveneryone. Wamego Police and Pottawatomie county…
Fifteen acres of park land has been given to the City of Manhattan. Deputy City Manager, Jason Hilgers spoke to City Commissioners about the gift from Tim Schultz – of Schultz construction, during a Tuesday night meeting. Schultz expressed interest in building a north/south trail on the land and a potential transfer to the city, back in January. The commission unanimously approved the land transfer, authorizing City Administration to execute a Real Estate Transfer Agreement