With Halloween around the corner, Sunset Zoo is getting ready to put on their annual SPOOKtacular event. Running both Saturday, October 19 and Sunday, Oct 20, from noon until 4:30 pm, trick or treaters and their families can come in and explore the zoo, get candy, and partake in events. This year the zoo will be utilizing their Nature Exploration Center and holding a Pumpkin PlayZone. This will include a straw bale maze, pumpkin themed games, and live encounters with animals. Price for admission for this event is $5 per trick or treating child; two adults admitted free with each…
Author: KMAN Staff
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) A lawmaker is raising questions about plans to move several state agencies out of a municipal building in Wichita, even though city officials offered to remodel and reduce the rent. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that Rep. Jim Ward says he’s unsatisfied with the reasons state officials have given for planning to move out of the Finney State Office Building next year. The Wichita Democrat noted that the city of Wichita offered to drop their rent from $11 per square foot to about $6 per square foot if they renew their lease. He says the agencies won’t be…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas Securities Commissioner Josh Ney intends to ask legislators to increase penalties for those who prey on the financial assets of residents age 60 and older. Ney tells the Topeka Capital-Journal that he wants to enhance the penalties for criminals when the victims are older to close what he sees as a gap in current state law. He says Kansas has made improvements in securities enforcement in recent years but more could be done to protect residents and their investments. Ney was confirmed as securities commissioner in September by legislators, replacing former state Rep. Aaron Jack, who…
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) A Kansas death penalty case involving a drug user who fatally shot a sheriff goes before the U.S. Supreme Court this week, a year after the state high court overturned the man’s capital conviction. The Wichita Eagle reports Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt and Cheever’s attorney will have an hour Wednesday to make their cases before the justices. Scott Cheever has admitted killing Greenwood County Sheriff Matt Samuels in January 2005, but the 32-year-old says heavy meth use made him unable to understand what he was doing. At Cheever’s trial in 2007, the state called a witness…
LECOMPTON, Kan. (AP) The Lecompton Historical Society will receive a portrait of one of Kansas’ most notorious territorial figures this week. A Michigan couple will donate the oil painting of John Calhoun, president of the Lecompton Constitution Convention, on Friday afternoon at the Constitutional Hall State Historic Site, where the convention met in 1857. The portrait belongs to John and Mary Calhoun McCord, of L’Anse, Mich. John McCord in Calhoun’s great-great-grandson. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports Calhoun was a leader of moderate proslavery factions in Kansas Territory during the 1850s. In 1857, Calhoun became president of the Lecompton Constitutional Convention, which…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) A county and nine cities in Kansas will share $2.1 million in grants to help them building housing for moderate-income families and extend their streets, sewers and water systems. The Kansas Housing Resources Corporation is making the grants under its Moderate-Income Housing Program. It’s aimed at helping the development of single-family homes, rental properties and infrastructure in communities with fewer than 60,000 residents. Stafford County is receiving $168,000. The largest grant of $400,000 went to the city of Quinter. Hoxie received about $382,000 and Liberal, $350,000. The corporation awarded $250,000 to Hugoton, $200,000 to Lyons and $100,000…
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) Family history enthusiasts are urged to attend the Kansas Ancestor Fair in Topeka. The Wichita Eagle reports that the event is planned from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Saturday at the Kansas Historical Society. The event will include exhibits on heritage, historical and lineage groups. Guest speakers will talk about online ancestry search engines and how to research colonial and Kansas land records. The Ancestor Fair is free and open to the public. No preregistration is required.
WHITING, Kan. (AP) The Kansas Rural Center is hosting its 2013 Farm and Food Conference next month in Newton. The center says in a release that its conference, “Farming as if People Matter: How to Feed Ourselves, Build New Farms and Adapt to a Changing World” is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 2. The daylong event includes workshops on several topics, including farm management, local food marketing and community Food Solutions. Wes Jackson, founder and president of the Land Institute in Salina, is also scheduled to give the keynote address.
On today’s InFocus Cathy talks with Dr. Elizabeth Davis, Professor and Section Head, Equine Medicine & Surgery at Kansas State’s College of Veterinary Medicine, and Glenn Brunkow, local farmer and rancher, ag columnist and blogger.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Civilians who were furloughed at two Kansas National Guard maintenance sites by the federal shutdown are being called back to work. The Adjutant General’s Department said Monday that 126 of the 263 federally funded state employees who were furloughed Oct. 1 will go back to work at sites in Salina and Fort Riley. The employees perform maintenance on military equipment for active duty and reserve units. The department says they can be recalled because they are working under funding from the fiscal year that ended Sept. 30. Monday’s recalls leave 139 state employees who support the Kansas…