WICHITA, Kan. (AP) Wichita lost its first bid for a federal grant to help bring an Amtrak line to downtown but city officials say they’ll try again. The city had sought a $12.7 million grant to complete the planning for a possible extension of Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer line to Wichita and Newton. The Wichita Eagle reports the plan would connect the Heartland Flyer with the Southwest Chief line to close a rail line gap between Wichita and Oklahoma City. Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx on Thursday announced 52 grants in 37 states from the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery, or TIGER,…
Author: KMAN Staff
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) An agreement between Kansas and a federal agency will increase the capacity of the John Redmond Reservoir by nearly 30 percent. State officials say the agreement signed Thursday would alleviate a sediment problem at the reservoir near Emporia. The federally-owned reservoir provides water source the cooling lake at Wolf Creek Nuclear Power Plant. It currently is 40 percent silted in. The Wichita Eagle reports the agreement between the state and the U.S. Corps of Army Engineers will raise the reservation’s elevation from 1,039 feet to 1,041 feet. And it increases the number of gallons available in storage…
DERBY, Kan. (AP) A man suspected of killing a Derby woman and stabbing her son earlier this week is charged with first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder. Charles Alfred Beck Jr., 40, was charged Thursday in the death Sunday of Lonnie Staggs, 44, and attempting to strangle and then stabbing her 15-year-old son. The woman’s 11-year-old daughter was also in the home but was not injured. Beck was arrested Sunday night in Texas County, Mo., after he turned himself in. During a hearing Thursday, Beck requested a court-appointed attorney. His preliminary hearing was scheduled for Sept. 19. Beck was released…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Changes in the Kansas law allowing convicted murderers to be sentenced to at least 50 years in prison are likely to take effect by Sept. 19. A bill making the changes says they take effect upon being printed in the Kansas register, the state’s official digest for legal notices, which is published each Thursday. Lawmakers approved the measure during this week’s two-day special session. Under the bill, juries will determine whether a defendant convicted of premeditated, first-degree murder gets the “Hard 50” sentence. Judges have handled the task, but a U.S. Supreme Court decision in June said…
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) A federal judge has set a fall trial date for the former Hays wastewater manager charged with lying about nitrogen levels in the city’s discharges. Court records show the case against Charles L. Blair, 57, was scheduled Thursday to go before a federal jury on Nov. 5. A four-count indictment charges Blair with making false statements about nitrogen levels in effluent at the city’s wastewater treatment plant. Three counts relate to statements made in discharge monitoring reports. One count charges him with lying to agents of the Environmental Protection Agency when he said he had provided accurate…
On today’s InFocus, Cathy talks with Bob Sawyer, 4-H ambassador adviser, and Garrison Olds, ambassador and 4-H King, followed by Richard Pitts Director of Wonder Workshop Children’s Museum, along with Diane Washington and Nathan Thompson Weaver, both board members, and ending with Manhattan City Planner Chad Bunger on flood maps. [mp3-jplayer]
A proposal to rezone an area on Hudson Avenue was denied by Manhattan Urban Area Planning Board members Thursday night. Manhattan’s Assistant Director for Planning Eric Cattell tells KMAN there was considerable discussion on the matter. Cattell adds the owner of Body First Health and Fitness Club, Doug Sellers, was hoping to add a variety of office uses to the site, such as chiropractic, acupuncture, hairstylists, physical therapists and sports psychology However the board said no to the rezoning request, by a vote of 4-0. Cattell says eight or nine residents spoke against the request. While not speaking against the business itself, concerns…
Manhattan has a new Assistant City Manager. Adam Bentley, who currently serves as Administrative Assistant to the City Manger in Iowa City, Iowa, was selected after a nationwide search, with four finalists in town the end of August. Bentley will take over the new position October 14th. He will be responsible for directing legislative and intergovernmental activities to facilitate interaction between city officials, city management, and the state legislature, along with congressional offices and other county, city, and regional government officials. Bentley will also serve as the city manager’s designated representative to the Riley county law board, and staff liaison…
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Mike Moustakas homered to lead off the 13th inning, lifting the Kansas City Royals to a 7-6 victory over the Seattle Mariners on Thursday. Moustakas homered to right on an 0-2 pitch from Chance Ruffin, who had not pitched in the majors since 2011. Louis Coleman, the eighth Kansas City pitcher, retired the only batter he faced in the top of the 13th. Kansas City rallied from five runs down and led 6-5 in the ninth inning before Raul Ibanez homered off Greg Holland into the Mariners’ bullpen with two outs to tie the score. It…
LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) The Eisenhower VA Medical Center in northeastern Kansas is expanding to meet new needs and standards. The Leavenworth Times reports construction is underway on a $2.75 million women’s health clinic. Meanwhile, bidding on a construction contract for a stand-alone, 27,000-square-foot nursing home closed Thursday. Jim Gleisberg, a spokesman for the VA Eastern Kansas Health Care System, says the medical center already offers health services for women. But the number of female veterans has grown, Gleisberg says, and the new, 4,700-square-foot clinic will be able to serve more women. The Eisenhower VA Medical Center also has an existing…