TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The number of mentally ill prisoners in Kansas has increased by 126 percent since 2006. The Topeka Capital-Journal (http://bit.ly/YxttTP ) reports that nearly two out of every five adult inmates in Kansas is classified as mentally ill. Republican Sen. Steve Fitzgerald blames the spike on what he describes as the state’s failure to develop an effective community-based system of treatment. His district includes Lansing Correctional Facility. Fitzgerald says Kansas Department of Corrections Secretary Ray Roberts is by default the provider of last resort for a growing cadre of people with mental illness. Kansas cut mental health spending…
Author: KMAN Staff
A fire in a crowded nightclub in Brazil has killed at least 245 people. Police and firefighters say at least 200 people were injured.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) A Topeka mayoral candidate who wants to rid the city of its code enforcement department has been fined $1,000 for failing to maintain a vacant home he owns. Under the sentence imposed Friday in Topeka Municipal Court, Randal Trackwell has 60 days to fix the home or he could face two months in jail. A judge will assess progress on the home during a hearing set for April 12, 10 days after the general election. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the Trackwell, 66, plans to appeal. He says Topeka code enforcement officers stole lumber he purchased to…
SOLOMON, Kan. (AP) A central Kansas company that rebuilds, repairs and recycles electrical distribution equipment has laid off 33 employees amid a business slowdown. The Salina Journal reports that 22 of the laid off workers come from Solomon Corp.’s operations in its namesake town. Solomon Corp. vice president Tom Hemmer says the layoff amounts to a 7 percent reduction in the company’s workforce. Economic conditions caused the reduction that trimmed employment to 467 companywide, 328 in Solomon. Solomon Corp. also has plants at Grand Junction, Colo., Georgetown, Texas, and Decatur, Tenn. Hemmer says the layoff affected every department and every…
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) A Sedgwick County sheriff’s deputy is being lauded as a hero after pulling a driver from a wrecked cement truck just a minute or two before a freight train smashed into it. The Wichita Eagle reports that the truck rolled over Friday morning in south Wichita. The driver was pinned inside the vehicle when deputies arrived and noticed a Burlington Northern Santa Fe train approaching at about 35 mph. Deputy John Scaglione is credited with pulling the driver through the front windshield. Sheriff’s Lt. Brad Hoch described the deputy’s actions as “very heroic” and said he “didn’t…
Riley County Police reported at 5:55 p.m. Saturday that a significant multi-vehicle accident occurred in front of the Best Western Hotel on East Poyntz Avenue which is also Eastbound Highway 24. As a result of the accident, the Eastbound lanes of Highway 24 were shut down and motorists were advised to seek alternate routes. RCPD told KMAN that the Eastbound lanes had re-opened as of 7:30 p.m. The Kansas Highway Patrol reports three people required treatment including Margarita Cooney, 45, of St. Mary’s. The other two were children, Gregory Cooney, 11 and Teresa Cooney, 5, also of St. Mary’s. All three were taken…
The K-State women built a nine-point first half lead, but Texas claimed their first Big 12 victory by rallying for a 59-40 victory on Saturday afternoon at the Frank Erwin Center in Austin. Senior guard Brittany Chambers drained a three-pointer with 8:39 left in the first half to give the Wildcats a 22-13 lead. The Longhorns though would outscore K-State 46-18 the rest of the way. Nneka Enemkpali scored six down the stretch to within 26-24 at halftime. Texas opened the second half on a 20-3 run to put the game away as K-State shot just 4-of-27 from the field…
A late 8-0 run allowed Iowa State to take control and hand #11 K-State its second loss of the week, 73-67 at Hilton Coliseum in Ames. Wildcat junior forward Shane Southwell hit a three-pointer at the top of the key to give K-State a 56-55 lead with 7:33 to go. But, the Cyclones got a layup from Chris Babb to take the lead, a pair of free throws from Korie Lucious, a Will Clyburn jumper, and then a dunk from Melvin Ejim with 5:27 remaining to grab a 63-56 lead. The Cats would pull within 65-62 with 3:28 left on…
U.S. Sen. Tom Harkin said Saturday he will not seek a sixth term in 2014.
Protesters and shop owners near Cairo’s Tahrir Square clashed for several minutes before riot police fired tear gas in an attempt of disburse the crowd on Saturday.