TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The most visible member of Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback’s staff is leaving next month to become the state Lottery’s deputy director. Brownback announced Friday that Communications Director Sherriene Jones-Sontag will be joining the lottery July 8. Jones-Sontag has overseen Brownback’s communications and served as his press secretary and chief spokeswoman since he took office in January 2011. She had the same role in his successful gubernatorial campaign in 2009 and 2010. The governor praised Jones-Sontag in a statement as a “trusted adviser.” She said she looks forward to “a new career challenge.” Jones-Sontag is a former broadcast…
Author: KMAN Staff
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) A 26-year-old man was sentenced to 120 days in prison for a wrong-way accident that killed a man in downtown Kansas City. Robert J.K. Domsch II, of Shawnee, pleaded guilty and was sentenced this week for involuntary manslaughter in the death last April of Marco G. Vendetti, 28, of Kansas City. Police say Domsch was drunk and driving the wrong way in downtown Kansas City when his car hit Vendetti’s vehicle. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that police say Domsch had a blood-alcohol content of .242 nearly four hours after the crash. Domsch, a recent graduate of…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Topeka police say a 36-year-old woman with severe physical disabilities drowned in a whirlpool bath at a group home. Police Sgt. Jay Juhghans says the accident happened Thursday evening at Sunflower Support, a small home for people with severe physical disabilities. Juhghans says a caregiver turned away momentarily while the woman was in the pool and she slipped into the water for only a short time. Staff at the home attempted to resuscitate the woman but they and first responders were unable to revive her before she was taken to a Topeka hospital.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) An 18-month-old boy Wichita boy died after he was accidentally run over a pickup truck while being dropped off at a home. Wichita police Lt. Dennis Wilson says the boy’s death appears to be a tragic accident. Wilson says the driver of the pickup was dropping off a co-worker and four young children, including the toddler. He says the driver didn’t notice the 18-month-old was in front of the truck and drove off, accidentally running over the boy. The child was the son of the man who had just been dropped off
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Three federal judges have reduced the attorney fees and expenses that Kansas must cover for parties in a lawsuit stemming from the Legislature’s failure last year to redraw the state’s political boundaries. The new total in an order Thursday was about $379,000, or almost $9,600 less than the $389,000 that Kansas was ordered to pay in April. The judges issued their new order after the Kansas attorney general’s office pointed out incorrect figures in the previous order spelling out the amount awarded to the parties who sought to have their expenses reimbursed. The federal judges ruled that…
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) History professors from Kansas and Missouri will be among panelists this month at the Dole Institute of Politics at a conference focused on the bloodiest battle of the Civil War. Military experts from Fort Leavenworth’s Command and General Staff College also will be part of the institute’s “Gettysburg 150” event June 20 at the University of Kansas. The Lawrence Journal-World reports the daylong conference will mark the 150th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg. Professors from KU and Park University in Parkville, Mo., will be among those speaking. The free event’s afternoon session will take an in-depth…
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Lorenzo Cain hit a two-run homer during a four-run eighth inning and the Kansas City Royals rallied for a 7-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Thursday night. The Royals won back-to-back games for the first time since May 4-5 thanks to an offense that produced as many runs in the eighth as it had in any of its last 14 games. Their seven runs total was their most since beating the Astros by the same score on May 21. Wade Davis allowed three unearned runs before the Royals bullpen took control. Luke Hochevar, Tim Collins…
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) The new faces in charge of the Kansas City Chiefs have been pleased with the progress made as the team wrapped up several weeks of offseason workouts on Thursday. General manager John Dorsey said during an interview with The Associated Press that while he’s never content, he believes the foundation is being poured for sustainable success. That would be welcomed news in Kansas City, where the Chiefs are coming off a 2-14 year that resulted in general manager Scott Pioli and coach Romeo Crennel being shown the door. They haven’t won a playoff game since 1993…
Update: 6-10-13 Details were released Monday regarding a fire at the Eastside Sonic Restaurant in Manhattan last Friday. As KMAN first reported early Friday morning, a structure fire was reported at the restaurant at about 7:45 in the morning, located at 800 North Third Street. The Monday morning response form from the Manhattan Fire Department indicates a total loss of $7,500, with $5,000 to the contents and $2,500 to the structure. The cause was determined to be accidental, with a small grease fire in the kitchen area. #### The Manhattan Fire Department responded to a fire at Sonic, located on…
Dueling measures in the Senate fail, raising concerns that interest rates on new student college loans will double come July 1. Americans already have more than $1 trillion in student loan debt.