WICHITA, Kan. (AP) Welding work is suspected of causing a fire at a Wichita pet treat plant where another fire burned for days two years ago. KWCH-TV reports employees escaped unhurt when the fire erupted Thursday afternoon in a building at the Treatco complex in north Wichita. Capt. Stuart Bevis, of the Wichita Fire Department, says a welding spark apparently ignited combustible plastic foam material. The burning foam sent thick, black smoke into the air, visible for miles away. Authorities said parts of the building remain unsafe because of damage from a fire that burned for more than five days…
Author: KMAN Staff
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) The U.S. Navy plans to name a combat ship after the City of Wichita. U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts said in a news release Thursday that the USS Wichita will be the third to bear the name and honors the largest city in Kansas. The ship is designed to be fast and agile with the flexibility to execute missions close to shore in mine, anti-submarine and surface warfare. The USS Wichita will be built by Lockheed Martin for delivery in February 2017. It will be 378 feet long and able to travel at more than 40 knots. U.S.…
GREAT BEND, Kan. (AP) A Great Bend woman who ran a group that flew World War II veterans to Washington, D.C., has been bound over for trial on two felony counts of theft by deception. The Wichita Eagle reports LaVeta Miller pleaded not guilty Wednesday after a lengthy preliminary hearing that began in March but had to be continued because of scheduling conflicts. Miller is former head of Great Bend-based Central Prairie Honor Flights, which raised nearly $1.2 million to take 1,100 veterans to Washington from 2008 through 2011. Miller canceled two Honor Flights last June because she said there…
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) A Wichita store owner has been charged with trafficking in counterfeit goods. A criminal complaint in federal court accuses Glenda Sue Morgan of trafficking in fraudulent merchandise at her business, The Fabulous Store. Prosecutors allege Morgan was selling handbags, wallets, sunglasses and jewelry bearing trademark designs and names but which were not manufactured by the company whose trademark the items bore. Morgan is in custody pending a court appearance Friday. A phone message left Thursday for her husband was not immediately returned. An affidavit shows Morgan met with federal agents in January 2011 after the seizure of…
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) Alcohol is no longer allowed at University of Kansas fraternity house where a 19-year-old freshman pledge died of alcohol poisoning four years ago. The Kansas City Star reports the Sigma Alpha Epsilon chapter went dry this semester, becoming only the second on campus to ban alcohol. The new policy has been in the works since Jason Wren died March 8, 2009, after a night of binging that resulted in him passing out in his bed at the fraternity house. Investigators determined SAE had done nothing criminal to lead to Wren’s death, but the fraternity was sued by…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) A 95-year-old man who works at a Dodge City car dealership is among several older workers honored this week by the Kansas Department of Commerce. Glenn Mauch, who was honored as the oldest worker, has worked for Dodge City’s Lopp Motors for more than 70 years. The Dodge City Globe reports that Mauch transports cars from dealership to dealership and prepares them for sale. The 16th annual Older Worker and Employers Awards were presented Tuesday by the Kansas Department of Commerce. Six people, a business and seven organizations were recognized at the event. Honorees were selected from…
SALINA, Kan. (AP) A Salina middle school student has been arrested after authorities say he stabbed another boy with an awl during a class. Lt. Scott Siemsen of the Salina Police Department says the 13-year-old boy is accused of causing a puncture wound when he stabbed the other boy’s shoulder with the awl during a technology class at South Middle School. The boy’s wound was bandaged by the school nurse. An awl is a pointed spike that can be used for such things as poking holes into leather. Siemsen told The Salina Journal that the incident was not preceded by…
LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) A Leavenworth woman accused of leaving her infant son in an alley made her first court appearance after she missed the start of her child endangerment trial earlier this week. Elizabeth A. Michaud was scheduled to go on trial Monday for child endangerment. She’s accused of leaving her son in the alley for at least three hours last May. But Michaud, who was out on bail, didn’t show up Monday. She was arrested Tuesday and made her first appearance Wednesday in Leavenworth County District Court. Michaud said in court that someone at the court told her that…
GARDEN CITY, Kan. (AP) A Garden City company has been acquired by an international diversified metals company. Worthington Industries announced Thursday that it had acquired Palmer Manufacturing, which employs about 200 people in Garden City. The financial details were not disclosed. The Garden City Telegram reports Palmer Manufacturing makes equipment for the oil and gas industry, as well as custom manufactured fiberglass tanks for agricultural, chemical and general industrial applications. Palmer Manufacturing owner Cecil O’Brate says the Garden City plant will continue to be used and none of its employees will lose their jobs. He says Worthington plans to double…
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) A new sentencing date has been set for a former Internal Revenue Service agent who admitted receiving payments for meetings with taxpayers that never occurred. Court records show a hearing for Becky L. Book of Pittsburg is now scheduled for May 21. She pleaded guilty in February to receiving more than $26,000 in salary and mileage payments she didn’t earn. Prosecutors say Book claimed she worked 744 hours between March 2010 and April 2011, but she actually used those hours as unauthorized personal time. U.S. District Judge Kathryn Vratil will decide whether to accept the government’s…