WICHITA, Kan. (AP) Top officials in Wichita have apologized for failing to prevent streets from icing up just before a morning rush-hour that saw dozens of accidents. The Wichita Eagle Mayor Carl Brewer and city manager Robert Layton issued the apologies Thursday and pledged to do a better job the next time freezing precipitation is in the forecast. With the forecast late Wednesday calling for a light dusting of snow, city crews were prepared overnight to treat and clear intersections, hills and curves. But the snow was preceded by rain, and the temperature stayed above freezing. Layton says crews were…
Author: KMAN Staff
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback says he wants to examine whether the state is providing adequate mental health services in the wake of last week’s mass killings at a Connecticut school. But in an interview Thursday with The Associated Press, Brownback also said he’s wary of having a debate about gun control. He says the issue is so politically polarized, and debating it would prevent discussion of other issues. Brownback has previously limited his comments about the killings at Sandy Hook Elementary School to expressing support for the victims’ families. A gunman killed 26 people, including 20 children,…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) A top aide says that Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback has no timetable for filling a key Cabinet post in his administration. Spokeswoman Sherriene Jones-Sontag said Brownback expects to name an acting secretary of administration to replace Dennis Taylor, who leaves the job next month. Jones-Sontag said the governor plans to conduct a thorough search for a permanent secretary. Taylor will become executive director of the Kansas Lottery on Jan. 13. He’ll replace Dennis Wilson, who resigned earlier this month for health reasons. The secretary of administration is typically a close adviser to the governor, running a department…
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) A federal appeals court has reinstated a lawsuit alleging that a Kansas social worker’s inaction led to the beating death of a 23-month-old girl. The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver Wednesday reversed a ruling by a Kansas court throwing out the lawsuit against Linda Gillen. She no longer works for the Kansas social services agency but the state is defending her in court. The maternal grandparents of Brooklyn Coons of Coffeyville allege in the lawsuit that Gillen intentionally ignored their complaints about their granddaughter’s care. The girl was beaten to death in January 2008. Her…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Someone in northeast Kansas is a new multimillionaire. Kansas lottery officials say a single ticket sold in northeast Kansas matched all six numbers in Wednesday night’s Powerball drawing. The jackpot was worth an estimated $50 million. The ticket matched the numbers of 5-8-20-23-30 with a Powerball of 3. State lottery officials say the cash option for the prize is an estimated $32.6 million. Details of where in the ticket was sold were not immediately released.
LOUISBURG, Kan. (AP) Students and staff at Louisburg High School are mourning the death of a longtime teacher. Miami County authorities say 67-year-old Glenda Beasley was killed Wednesday afternoon on Kansas 68 about one mile west of Louisburg. She had stopped for a school bus that was dropping off children when a pickup truck struck her from behind. Beasley was dead at the scene. The truck driver suffered minor injuries. KMBC-TV reports Beasley was a business and computer teacher at the high school. She had been a teacher for 29 years and was planning to retire at the end of…
On Monday sometime betwen 10:30 and 10:45pm, Grand Slam Sports located on Fort Riley Blvd was the victim of a burglary. The suspect broke the glass on the front door of the business, and stole and assortment of items including over 50 baseball bats before making a get away. Thanks to a tip after local media broadcasts the police now have identified the suspect, and made contact. Riley County Police say the suspect is now cooperating fully, and the majority of the stolen items are being returned. No arrests have been made.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Students at the state’s six universities will pay more for room and board next year. The Kansas Board of Regents on Wednesday approved rate increases for all six schools, ranging from a 3.7 percent increase at Emporia State University to 1.08 percent at Fort Hays State. The Lawrence Journal-World reports other rate increases will be 2.5 percent at the University of Kansas; 3.5 percent at Kansas State and Wichita State universities; and 3 percent at Pittsburg State.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Beginning in 2016, students wanting to study at the University of Kansas will have meet increased admission standards. The Kansas Board of Regents on Wednesday approved the new standards. Admission standards will remain the same at the other five regents universities in Kansas. The Lawrence Journal-World reports the new standards will require graduating high school students to complete a pre-college curriculum. For automatic admission, they also will be required to have either a minimum 3.0 GPA and an ACT score of at least 24 or SAT of at least 1090, or a minimum 3.25 GPA and an…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Topeka police say a man is in custody for questioning in the stabbing death of a woman. The woman was found dead Wednesday night at an apartment complex. The victim was in her 40s but her name has not been released. Lt. Ron Gish says a 23-year-old man is in custody. KAKE-TV reports Gish said the suspect told his mother he had stabbed a woman in an apartment. The woman’s death is the city’s 16th homicide this year.