TOPEKA — Some Kansas families will no longer qualify for an early childhood program when the state shifts to federal funding for the program. Beginning in July, Kansas will pay for Parents as Teachers with federal dollars instead of state resources. Federal rules require the program to focus on serving low-income families and those facing other hurdles, like very low birth weight, or if a parent has a mental illness. Nancy Keel, executive director of the Kansas Parents as Teachers Association, says families whose income exceeds the federal cutoff can benefit from the program, which provides home visits to support healthy development…
Author: KMAN Staff
Four former Kansas governors have come together urging Kansans to be informed about the upcoming November elections. They also called the polices of current Gov. Sam Brownback and his supporters in the House and Senate “destructive.” According to a press release from the former governors’ newly-created “Save Kansas Coalition” organization sent to KMAN Friday, this marks the first time in Kansas history that four former governors, representing the Democratic and Republican parties, have taken a united stance against a sitting governor. John Carlin of Manhattan, who was the governor from 1979-1987, joined fellow former governors Mike Hayden (1987-1991), Bill Graves (1995-2003),…
Riley County Police arrested an Ogden woman for probation violation Friday. Margarita Clark (43) was picked up in the 1300 block of Laramie Street shortly after 10:30 a.m. and was confined at the Riley County Jail on a $5,000 bond.
Every June, tens of thousands of fans flock to Manhattan for the annual Country Stampede festival. And while almost all of them come for the big name entertainment, there are other things for them to do at times when the main stage is quiet. On each side of the main festival grounds is an area called “vendor row”. At these booths, attendees can find food and beverages, do their banking, check out a new cellphone, and even shop for clothing, hats, boots, sunglasses. They can get temporary tattoos, a misting fan, and even a stun gun. But if you’re looking…
LAWRENCE — The city of Lawrence is ditching a plan to add security measures that must be installed in some public buildings under a new state law in order to restrict concealed firearms. The 2013 Personal and Family Protection Act allowed Lawrence and other cities to ban concealed weapons for four years before complying with a state law that says concealed firearms are allowed in public buildings unless the structures are equipped with security measures. The city attorney’s office prepared for the end of the exemption by proposing that the city use more than $114,000 of the 2017 budget to purchase security…
TOPEKA –The Latest on the Kansas Legislature’s debate on school funding (all times local): Friday, 8:15 p.m. Kansas legislators have passed an education funding plan from Republican leaders that boosts aid to poor school districts to satisfy a state Supreme Court mandate and end a threat that the state’s public schools might not reopen next month. The plan approved Friday night increases aid to poor school districts by $38 million for 2016-17 by diverting money from other parts of state government. The votes were 116-6 in the House and 38-1 in the Senate, sending the plan to Republican Gov. Sam Brownback.…
A Manhattan woman was arrested Thursday. Officers with the Riley County Police Department arrested Ashley Wright, 22, Thursday morning. Wright was arrested on a warrant for the offense of failure to appear which originated in Wabaunsee County. This warrant had “no bond” attached to it and she was not confined at the Riley County Jail. A Manhattan man was arrested Thursday for contraband. Police arrested Stuart Ostrom, 28, Thursday night while at the Riley County Police Department. Ostrom was arrested on the offense of traffic contraband into a correctional facility which originated in Leavenworth County. There was “no bond” associated with…
When most people think about the Country Stampede, they think of the big name artists who’ll perform all their biggest hits from the main stage. They think about seeing friends, catching some rays, and eating tasty food. But all songs start out in the same way; they were put to paper by the often-times unsung songwriters. All weekend long, fans looking to take a break from the Stampede in shade should check out the Songwriters’ Tent. Between acts on the main stage, several local songwriters will be performing songs they’ve written. It could be your first taste of what will…
The 2016 Kicker Country Stampede opened up Thursday for the first of the three day festival, and it appears that things went fairly smoothly. With the exception of a lineup change, festival goers were entertained by six high-energy concerts. They also benefitted from cooler temperatures and cloud cover, making conditions more comfortable for all involved. After triple-digit heat on Wednesday, the low nineties were welcome relief. “It was a great day”, said Riley County EMS Director Larry Couchman. “Today, Mother Nature brought us some clouds. That big ol’ storm that kind of blew off those cloud tops and so it…
State Representative Sydney Carlin of Manhattan contacted KMAN Thursday afternoon about the latest in Topeka. Legislators met for a special session Thursday in an effort to draft legislation that will satisfy the Kansas Supreme Court when it comes to equitable school funding. If nothing is accomplished by June 30, the court said it would hold school funding statewide starting July 1. Carlin, a Democrat, told KMAN lawmakers of both parties are focused on avoiding that. “We’re pretty focused on getting something done,” she said. “Most of us are pretty vocal about no constitutional amendment and no discussion outside of school finance.…