Contrary to other media reports in the last day, funding for the National Bio and Agri Defense facility to be located in Manhattan is alive and well. U-S Congressman Tim Huelskamp of Kansas tells KMAN a favorable vote came in Thursday morning, with the House passing an appropriations bill providing more than 400 milllion dollars for the facility. While not what the President had requested, Huelskamp still describes the amount as a “significant sum.” Huelskamp added during an interview with KMAN that means the project can continue. The Congressman says as far as he knows the Department of Homeland Security…
Author: KMAN Staff
Riley County’s public works and parks departments have been popular discussion on items on previous county commission agendas. Approvals for different projects and adding/eliminating staff are some of the issues the commission often discuss. During Thursday’s meeting, Human Resource Manager, Cindy Volanti came forward with a proposal to add a Parks Facility and Grounds Tech 1 position to the parks department. There are currently 13 seasonal nine month positions budgeted for the parks and public works department. These positions are difficult to fill, as many people want full time benefits for working a nine month period. For this reason, only…
On Monday, June 10, weather permitting, a local roadway improvement project will begin on a two-block portion of Bluemont Avenue from Manhattan Avenue east to 11th Street in Manhattan (Riley County). Project work includes grading and surfacing, storm sewer and traffic signal installation, and the addition of a raised median in the center of Bluemont Avenue. Work will take place during daylight hours, Monday through Friday, with some occasional Saturday work. The Bluemont Avenue improvement project will be constructed in phases to allow for traffic flow through the area. There will be lane restrictions or lane closures on Bluemont Avenue…
After setting three school records, K-State relief pitcher Jake Matthys has been named to the Louisville Slugger freshman all-American team. The Big 12 Freshman of the Year is the sixth Wildcat to be selected to the team since 2006, and the first pitcher since James Allen in 2009. Matthys set the K-State record for wins by a freshman with eight, and saves by a freshman with nine, including a pair in K-State’s first ever regional championship. He also now holds the school mark for appearances with 32. Matthys’ ERA stands at a miniscule 1.96. K-State will travel on Thursday to…
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Jeremy Guthrie lasted six shaky innings and the Kansas City bullpen held off the Minnesota Twins the rest of the way Wednesday night, wrapping up a 4-1 victory that ended the Royals’ franchise-record 11-game home losing streak. It had been exactly one month since Kansas City won a game at Kauffman Stadium, a period marked by offensive ineptitude that had resulted in a precipitous slide into last place in the AL Central. The Twins jumped out to a first-inning lead off Guthrie (6-3), but the right-hander escaped a bases-loaded jam. The Royals answered in the bottom…
GALENA, Kan. (AP) The Galena School District will begin improvement projects at some of its schools after voters easily approved a $7.5 million bond issue. The Cherokee County clerk’s office said the issue passed Tuesday by a 346-135 margin. The Joplin Globe reports the bond issue will pay for additional classroom space at Spring Grove Elementary and Galena High School and areas to be used as tornado shelters. The bonds also will pay for a new high school gymnasium with locker rooms, a concession area, a fitness room and a walking track. School officials say the projects should be completed…
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) The University of Kansas plans to offer 15 new online graduate programs through its School of Education. University officials say they have signed a contract with Illinois-based Everspring to offer the classes during the next five years. Currently, the university offers only two online programs. The university says Everspring will split the tuition revenue with the university. Kansas will be Everspring’s first major client. The Lawrence Journal-World reports Everspring will package content and intellectual property already used by the university’s education faculty for online classes. The company also will handle marketing and recruitment for the courses. The…
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) A Kansas City, Mo., man accused of mortgage fraud has been sentenced to about a year in federal prison. The U.S. attorney’s office for Kansas said in a release Wednesday that Michael D. Robinson,36, was sentenced to a year and a day after pleading guilty earlier to conspiracy to commit mail fraud. The prosecutor’s office says Robinson admitted that he bought houses that were being foreclosed, and provided false information to mortgage lenders. Robinson admitted putting money into a bank account in a buyer’s name to make it appear to the lender that the buyer qualified…
GARDEN CITY, Kan. (AP) Some hotel operators in Garden City say they’re losing business because of the local ban on smoking in most public places. The Garden City Telegram reports eight hotel operators presented a letter to the City Commission on Tuesday asking the city to consider changing the ordinance. The 2007 restrictions ban smoking in such places as hotels, restaurants and bars, private clubs and public seating areas at ball fields and grandstands. Barrett Patel, with the Magnuson Hotel, says he’s losing business from truckers and other travelers to hotels in Dodge City, Liberal and elsewhere that do allow…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) A longtime advocate for children and victims of domestic violence has been named director of victim services in the Kansas Department of Corrections. Department Secretary Ray Roberts announced the appointment of Audrey Cress on Wednesday. The Office of Victim Services provides information such as inmate status to the victims of offenders serving time in the Kansas prison system. Cress has worked since 2007 with SAFEHOME Inc., a nonprofit organization that works to reduce domestic violence through a variety of programs. Before that she worked for The Family Conservancy, which promotes healthy childhood development.