TOPEKA — The Kansas House will have a new budget subcommittee on funding for public schools, and a western Kansas lawmaker will lead its Appropriations Committee. House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr. of Olathe announced Thursday that he’s splitting oversight over education spending between subcommittees on public schools and higher education. The new K-12 panel’s chairman is Republican Rep. Larry Campbell of Olathe. Ryckman served as Appropriations Committee chairman before fellow Republicans designated him as speaker for 2017-18. He named Republican Rep. Troy Waymaster of Bunker Hill as the next Appropriations Committee chairman. GOP moderates picked up some key committee posts after…
Author: KMAN Staff
Updated Friday afternoon: The Emergency Reporting Phase in Riley County expired at one p.m. All accidents can now be reported as normal. ### Slick roads caused multiple accidents in the Riley County area and, the Riley County Police Department has activated the emergency reporting phase which means if there are no injuries in an accident, motorists are asked to exchange information and remove vehicles from the road. RCPD asks that motorists not call in to report the accident unless there are injuries. Riley County Emergency Management Director Pat Collins tells KMAN there have been multiple accidents on I-70 with black ice on…
In a year where discussions about minimum wage have popped up across the country, a battle against wage disparity has gathered attention in the Little Apple. On a bitter-cold Thursday afternoon, nearly 30 peaceful demonstrators gathered in front of Edwards Hall on the K-State campus to show their support for wage increases for university custodial staff. For the last half of 2016, the local chapter of the American Federation of Teachers has been pushing the university to increase the wage for custodians to $12 per hour. Staff are currently paid around $10 hourly, which is less than the University of Kansas…
Today’s guest was Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce President Lyle Butler.
Starting next fall students at Kansas State University will be paying more for housing and dining services. The Kansas Board of Regents approved the 2.1-percent increase at their December meeting in Topeka on Wednesday. In comparison, the University of Kansas is facing an increase nearly double that of K-State, with a 4.9-percent hike in their housing and dining service fees. According to Cindy Bontrager, vice president for administration and finance at K-State, regents also approved several items on the university’s repair and rehabilitation list. Bontrager says the list includes items such as roof repairs and an electrical project. Bill Snyder Family…
Two local men were arrested late Wednesday night as the result of an ongoing investigation into the distribution of methamphetamine in Manhattan. Among those arrested include 31-year-old Wade Harper, of Ogden, and Eric Tucker, 30, of Manhattan. The two men face a long list of charges including possession of drugs, paraphernalia, and criminal possession of a fire arm. Harper’s bond was set at $25,000, and Tucker is facing a bond of $20,000. Carrie Jones, 47, of Grandview Plaza, was also arrested in this investigation for possession of methamphetamine. Her bond was set at $2,000. In a separate incident on Wednesday evening, police…
Carmike Cinemas Managing Director Martin Platz welcomed the many dignitaries present for the grand opening and ribbon cutting of the Town Center 13 at Manhattan’s Town Center Wednesday night. Platz tells KMAN the theater complex offers more than just the new floor to ceiling, wall to wall IMAX screen, mentioning the Ovation site which has full service seating and dining with runners/busers bringing food orders with just the touch of a button. Platz adds his hopes are to bring more people into the Manhattan area… Manhattan and state officials were present for the grand opening, treated to a sampling of…
The Riley County Police Department is asking for the public’s help in locating Narianna Williams, 19, who has several active warrants including disorderly conduct and making false information. Police indicate Williams is fully aware of her warrants.They add she is not a danger to the public, but if located, they urge members of the public not to attempt to apprehend her. If you have any information, you’re asked to contact the Riley County Police Department at 537-2112 and ask for Detective Dunn, or contact the Riley County Crime Stoppers at 539-7777 or toll free at 1-800-222-8477.
The G.Thomas Jewelers/Manhattan Running Company Jingle Bell Rock was found Wednesday afternoon in Manhattan’s CiCo Park. It was found by Erin Schwandt of Olsburg and Allie Hoehn of Manhattan. “Well, there was a clue about looking high, and we’d kind of figured out the boundary line,” Schwandt said. “So we went to CiCo Park and we saw the sledding hill and we thought, ‘Well maybe that’s high.’ “We started looking around there and we found it.” The Jingle Bell Rock was found near the swimming pool at CiCo Park by the walking trail. “It was real exciting,” Hoehn said. “I was…
TOPEKA — Ten more Kansas road projects are being postponed because of the state’s budget shortfall. Kansas Department of Transportation spokesman Steve Swartz told The Wichita Eagle on Wednesday that the department would be taking on more projects if “there wasn’t some uncertainty right now.” The state had planned to put 18 projects with estimated construction costs of around $24.7 million out to bid for work next month. That number has now been trimmed to eight projects that will cost $7.25 million. Last month, the department indefinitely postponed 24 road projects that would have cost $32 million. The state faces a…