SALINA, Kan. (AP) Two central Kansas foundations have each received large gifts to help continue their charitable work. The Community Foundation for Cloud County says it received $1.7 million from the estate of Dale and Mary Jane Cool, lifelong residents of the county. The money doubles the size of the foundation. Foundation officials say the bequest will provide annual grants totaling $100,000 to support six charities that benefit Cloud County residents. And the Russell County Area Community Foundation says it received a $1 million gift from the Starr F. Schlobohm Trust. The money will go to the Joshua Scholarship Fund…
Author: KMAN Staff
RUSSELL, Kan. (AP) The city of Russell will ask the state to release water from the Cedar Bluff Reservoir to recharge its wells along the Smoky Hill River near Pfeifer. The council voted Tuesday to support the request from Russell public works director Arlyn Unrein. Russell owns the rights to 2,000 acre-feet of water in the lake. Unrein says he will ask for an initial release of 250 cubic feet per second and then slow the release as the water heads downstream. He anticipates the city will need 1,000 to 1,200 acre-feet of water. The Hays Daily News reports the…
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) The Justice Department has asked a judge to make public a Kansas anti-abortion activist’s communications with the killer of Wichita abortion provider George Tiller. The government’s request Thursday to unseal its filing comes a day after the court refused to shield Angel Dillard’s contacts with murderer Scott Roeder. Prosecutors argue it’s in the public interest for court proceedings to be conducted transparently whenever possible. U.S. Magistrate Judge Kenneth Gale initially ordered the filing under seal until he decided whether Dillard’s communications were protected by ministerial privilege. Gale later ruled they are not because the Valley Center woman…
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) Officials in Wichita say construction of a new terminal at Mid-Continent Airport is ahead of schedule. Members of the City Council and Mayor Carl Brewer toured the site Thursday. Construction of the $160 million terminal began in October and is expected to be complete in 2015. The terminal will replace one built in 1954. Wichita Airport Authority director Victor White says the existing terminal is among the oldest in the country and “functionally obsolete” KAKE-TV reports the new terminal will have 12 gates as well as exhibits showcasing Wichita’s aviation history. The project is being financed with…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) A Topeka business owner has admitted writing thousands of bad checks that prosecutors say inflated his bank balances by more than $600,000. The U.S. Attorney’s office says John Charles Humpage, 48, pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to one count of bank fraud. He faces up to 30 years in prison and a $1 million fine at his sentencing, scheduled for June 10. Humpage did business under various names, including Crescent Limousine and Yellow Cab of Topeka. Prosecutors say Humpage engaged in a check-kiting scheme over four months in 2008, depositing more than 5,000 bad checks in…
Though attendance was minimal, there was still a good discussion, according to David Stauffer, Manager for Rural Water 1, at Thursday’s informational meeting at the Green Valley Community Center. The Pottawatomie County Commission request to have the meeting to give people a chance to voice concerns as to the issue of not enough water. Dee McKee, a resident, questioned the Rural Water 1 board on a number of issues, but stated her reason for attending was to gain information. Though, the majority were residence, Pottawatomie County officials were also in attendance at the meeting. Pat Weixelman, Pottawatomie County Commission Chair,…
A Senate committee approved an assault weapons ban in a party-line vote, but the bill is not expected to pass the full Senate. Members sparred over whether Congress can make exemptions to protections outlined in the Bill of Rights.
Conflicting opinions arose during Thursday’s Riley County Commission meeting during the discussion of the sales tax asphalt overlay project. Public Works Director, Leon Hobson came before the commission to ask what options they would like to take with this project. In previous years, the commission contracted the sales tax projects out to other companies. Now that the public works department has an asphalt truck, Hobson recommended using the county staff to complete the project. Commissioner, Ron Wells indicated he spoke to constituents earlier in the day that believed this may not be the best option. Wells asked if the county…
Around 10:00 a.m. Thursday morning,the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office served a search warrant at a Wamego residence on the 300 block of Maple. Sheriff Investigators had conducted an investigation into illegal drug use and sales allegedly occurring at this residence. As a result of the search warrant, an unspecified quantity of marijuana was seized as well as illegal drug paraphernalia. Emilie Etienne (23), who lives at the residence, was taken into custody. She is being held at the Pottawatomie County Jail for Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Marijuana with the intent to distribute, Possession of drug paraphernalia and no drug…
Two people face drug-related charges after Wednesday arrests by Riley County Police. Daniel Mainville, 28, and Toni Reis, 28, both of Manhattan were taken into custody Wednesday morning, both in connection with the same unspecified incident. The counts against them involve methamphetamine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia. The two were arrested in the 1900 -hundred block of Montgomery Drive. Bond for each has been set at $10,000. ### A Manhattan man was arrested on a warrant by Riley County Police Wednesday involving a probation violation. No bond was set. Warrell Spiller, 19, was taken into custody Wednesday evening. No further details…