Reports out of Spain say that one U.S. Citizen was among 80 people killed in the train derailment that occurred late Wednesday in Northwest Spain. More than 100 people were injured after the train appeared to be rounding a track much faster than the posted speed limit for trains. The accident remains under investigation by Spanish authorities.
Author: KMAN Staff
HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) The hailstorm that pounded south-central Kansas earlier this week has left automotive dealers with big headaches, but it’s also giving prospective buyers a chance at big bargains. The Hutchinson News reports dealerships in the city were scrambling to get insurance appraisals after the fast-moving storm hit the area Tuesday night. Large hailstones dinged hundreds of vehicles parked in dealers’ lots. The general manager of Midwest Superstore says all 400 cars on the lot were damaged, and signs announcing discounts of up to $6,000 went up immediately. But Nick Hill also says that some vehicles will be taken…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) A special session of the Kansas Legislature would cost from $35,000 to $40,000 a day, with lawmakers’ pay making up the bulk of the expense. Legislative Administrative Services Jeff Russell provided the estimate Thursday following a request from Attorney General Derek Schmidt to Gov. Sam Brownback to call a special session by mid-September. Schmidt wants lawmakers to quickly rewrite a state law that allows judges to sentence some convicted murderers to at least 50 years in prison before they seek parole. A recent U.S. Supreme Court decision raised questions about the law’s constitutionality. Lawmakers receive $89 in…
PRATT, Kan. (AP) Pratt police say a woman is dead and a man was critically injured after an overnight shooting. The shooting was reported shortly before midnight Wednesday. The man was taken to Wichita with critical injuries. Pratt police say a suspect is in custody and the investigation is continuing. No other details have been released.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The University of Kansas is asking the state for an additional $4.5 million for its medical school in Wichita. Kansas Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little told the Board of Regents Wednesday the university wants to double class sizes at the Wichita school and fund physicians for the faculty. Doug Girod, executive vice chancellor for the Kansas Medical Center, said the university is hopeful it will get the funding because it is for a specific purpose. Earlier this year, state lawmakers cut nearly $4 from the University of Kansas budget. The Lawrence Journal-World reports if the money is approved, it…
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) The man who developed a failed Western-themed amusement park near Wichita will be released from prison soon. State corrections officials say Thomas Etheredge, 59, who was sentenced to five years in prison for securities fraud, will get out of prison Monday. Etheredge has served just over three years of his sentence for seven counts of securities fraud for misleading investors in the Wild West World theme park in Park City. Wild West World opened on May 5, 2007. It closed on July 9 of that year and filed for bankruptcy the same day. Etheredge blamed a wet summer…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Topeka police are investigating a drive-by shooting that injured four people. Police say in a news release that officers found blood and shell casings but no victims when they went to the scene in southeast Topeka Wednesday night. Several apartments had been hit by gunfire. A short time later, four men arrived at a hospital with gunshot wounds that were not life-threatening. WIBW reports it’s the second time in a week that a drive-by was reported in the same block in Topeka. No one was injured last Wednesday when someone fired two shots at a building in…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt is preparing to discuss his push for a special session of the Legislature to revise the state’s “Hard 50” sentencing law. Schmidt scheduled a news conference Thursday, one day after he wrote to Gov. Sam Brownback asking him to call lawmakers back to Topeka. The Kansas law allows judges to sentence people convicted of first-degree murder to a minimum of 50 years in prison before they can seek parole. Schmidt said in his letter that a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision raised questions about the constitutionality of the Kansas law. The high…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) A recent graduate of Kansas State University has been appointed political director of the Kansas Democratic Party. The hiring of Wichita native Kerry Gooch was announced Wednesday by Jason Perkey, the party’s executive director. Gooch was an intern for the party during the past year and graduated from Kansas State in May with a bachelor’s degree in political science. Perkey says Gooch will provide infrastructure support to county Democratic parties, caucus groups and third-party organizations affiliated with the state party. The Kansas party is working to increase Democratic voter registration and participation in upcoming elections.
Although no action was taken, the Riley County Commission discussed two drafts during their Thursday meeting. Both were brought forward by the Public Works Department, as they involve existing policies they currently inforce. The first draft was introduced almost five years ago, according to Public Works Director, Leon Hobson, but was put on the back burner for awhile. It involves design standards for subdivisions. This alone raised concern, as the draft is somewhat unclear of who will be impacted. County Counselor, Clancy Holeman recommended Hobson add some kind of language to explain this would only impact subdivisons, not benefit districts…