TOPEKA — Authorities say a Topeka man has been arrested after his father was killed and another person was wounded in an exchange of gunfire. Police said in a news release that gunfire erupted Tuesday afternoon after the 45-year-old father and his 21-year-old son threatened and attempted to rob another man. The release said the father was struck by multiple rounds of gunfire and died at a hospital. The victim of the attempted robbery was in “stable and non-life threatening condition” at a Topeka hospital. The release said the father and son had a “history of past disputes” with the…
Author: KMAN Staff
OLATHE — A 45-year-old Olathe woman was placed on probation for stealing more than $34,000 from the parent teacher organization of an Overland Park middle school. Christine Glover was sentenced Monday for the theft from the organization at Pleasant Ridge Middle School in the Blue Valley School District. The thefts occurred while Glover was treasurer of the parent-teacher group between August 2014 and February 2016. She pleaded guilty in November to felony theft. The Kansas City Star reports Glover has made restitution of $34,660. She also was ordered to perform 100 hours of community service and write an apology letter. Glover…
City Commissioners first discussed a property that may be deemed to be unsafe and dangerous on El Paso Lane. The city has been trying for over a year to reach out to the owner of the property to discuss options for future use of the building to no avail. Now, commissioners may take matters into their own hands. To rectify the situation Commissioners may approve demolishing the building if it is determined to be an unsafe or dangerous structure while also charging the property owner the costs associated with doing so. There will be a public hearing on March 7th, where all facts…
WICHITA — More than 7,400 acres of Kansas grasslands have been included in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s program for grasslands conservation. The Wichita Eagle reports that in the voluntary Grasslands Conservation Reserve Program, grasslands threatened by either development or conversion to row crops are instead maintained as livestock grazing areas. About 200,000 of the more than 300,000 total acres accepted into the program were offered by what the USDA deems small-scale livestock operations. Those operations would have 100 or fewer head of cattle, and can offer up to 200 acres of grasslands per farm. According to a USDA statement, participants…
TOPEKA — The Kansas Board of Regents will ask the legislature to restore $30 million in funding that was cut last year. Regents CEO and President Blake Flanders says the board would like to see state funding at least stabilize. In 2012, tuition became a larger source of university revenue than state general fund support. Flanders noted the shift in a presentation Tuesday on the board’s long-term goals to the Senate Education Committee. Regents’ goals include increasing educational attainment, aligning the higher education system with the needs of the economy and ensuring university excellence. Flanders says increasing attainment is necessary because…
It’s unusual for a non-elected person to be selected to serve as the Riley County Law Board Chair, and perhaps a first that both the chair and vice-chair are non-elected, but that’s just what happened at Tuesday’s meeting. Craig Beardsley, who has served on the board for two years, is the new chair and new board member Be Etta Stoney will be the new vice chair once she’s sworn in later. While that was the decision of the majority of the board, board member Usha Reddi, who also serves as Manhattan Mayor, voted against the move, and voiced some of her concerns, indicating…
TOPEKA — The Kansas House’s new speaker is receiving bipartisan praise in his first weeks in the job for what fellow lawmakers say is a collaborative style. Ron Ryckman Jr. rose quickly when fellow conservative Republicans had firm control of the House. First elected in 2012, he became chairman of its powerful, budget-writing Appropriations Committee in 2015. He’s now the top Republican in a chamber that’s shifted to center after voters showed their discontent with Republican Gov. Sam Brownback’s fiscal policies by ousting 19 GOP incumbents, most of them Brownback allies. So far Ryckman’s colleagues see him as more than up…
Today’s guests on In Focus were Manhattan Mayor Usha Reddi and City Manager Ron Fehr.
Officers filed a report for aggravated burglary in the 2200 block of College Ave. on January 13, 2017 at approximately 2:35 PM. Officers listed Jared Marolf, 18, of Manhattan, Tristan Peterson, 19, of Manhattan, and Steven McKay, 19, of Manhattan, as victims when an unknown suspect entered their apartment and took approximately $850.00 in cash and miscellaneous items. Officers filed a report for criminal damage to property in the 1100 block of Thurston on January 14, 2017 at approximately 9:45 PM. Officers listed Larry Limbocker, 69, of Manhattan, as the victim when a suspect damaged his garage door. Benjamin McKenna,…
A couple of Kansas Department of Corrections inmates serving time on area convictions are up for public comment sessions and possible parole. A man convicted in Riley County nearly 35 years ago for second degree murder is one of those. Michael Long, 62, began serving his sentence in March of 1983, in connection with a case in August of 1982. Long has served most of his time at the Larned Correctional Mental Health Facility. His last parole hearing was five years ago. Also being considered for possible parole is Zachary Manor, 31, who was sentenced in Pottawatomie County in early…