TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) An investigation into Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback’s private dinners with lawmakers has exposed a problem that could prevent future open meetings complaints against the Legislature. A report from Shawnee County District Attorney Chad Taylor notes the Kansas Open Meetings Act requires government bodies to give notice of their meetings only to people or organizations requesting it in advance. If people don’t ask, they can’t complain about not being notified. The Topeka Capital-Journal reported Thursday that the Legislature does not have a way to file requests to be notified of meetings that occur during its annual 90-day session.…
Author: KMAN Staff
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) A federal jury has convicted a Jamaican woman of entering into a “sham marriage” with a Kansas soldier so she could get legal immigration status. Twenty-eight-year-old Shannakay Hunter could get up to five years imprisonment on each count of conspiracy to commit marriage fraud, marriage fraud and lying to the government. The current New York resident is likely to get far less under sentencing guidelines. The government contends her 2010 marriage to former Fort Riley soldier Joshua Priest was a fake arrangement to give her a green card and him $1,500 in extra monthly benefits for married…
DODGE CITY, Kan. (AP) A 51-year-old man has been arrested after comments he made led to the evacuation of Dodge City’s public library. Authorities emptied the library Thursday morning after staff members heard the man making alarming statements. A bomb squad was called in to inspect a suspicious package he left behind. KWCH-TV reports officers determined the package did not contain anything hazardous. The man was questioned and later arrested on suspicion of making an aggravated criminal threat. Authorities said library employees called police after hearing the man talking on a pay phone and making a reference to an explosive…
OST, Kan. (AP) While many rural schools struggle to survive, a Catholic school in an unincorporated Reno County town is attracting so many students that an addition is being planned. St. Joseph’s Catholic School in Ost needs the extra room for students who are enrolling from surrounding communities. The growth comes eight years after the Renwick School District closed the school and returned the property to the Catholic Diocese of Wichita. It reopened as a Catholic school in 2004 with 83 students. On Wednesday, the first day of this school year, 103 students were enrolled in kindergarten to eighth grade,…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Crews have recovered the body of a woman who drowned at Lake Shawnee. Shawnee County authorities say the body of 28-year-old Latonya Merriweather of Topeka was found late Wednesday near the marina on the west side of the lake. Merriweather was swimming with friends when she went underwater and never resurfaced. Her body was found near the area where she was last seen. Shawnee County Sheriff’s Lt. Jay Simecka said a preliminary investigation indicates Merriweather died from accidental drowning.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) Fire investigators are trying to determine what caused a fire at the Sigma Chi Fraternity at the University of Kansas. All 82 members of the fraternity were able to get out of the building safely after the fire was reported Wednesday afternoon. No injuries were reported. The fire was confined to the fraternity’s roof. Firefighters had it under control within two hours. Fraternity members were able to move back into the building Wednesday night. No damage estimate was immediately available.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) An event focused on telling the stories of the black Buffalo Soldiers and American Indians is planned for this weekend in the south-central Kansas town of Haysville. The Wichita Eagle reports that the 8th annual Mid-Kansas Indian Wars Rendezvous takes place from 8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 10 a.m. to noon Sunday. Events include mounted military maneuvers and drills by Buffalo Soldiers. There also will be quick draw shoot-outs, blacksmithing, tomahawk throwing and other late 19th century-era demonstrations and activities. Nicodemus Buffalo Soldier Foundation is sponsoring the events. Frontier-era Indians bestowed the name “Buffalo…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The rotunda of the Kansas Statehouse will reopen next month, four years after workers sealed it off as part of the massive, ongoing renovation of the Capitol. It’s a sign that the renovation of the building’s interior from the first to its top, fifth floor is nearing completion. Statehouse Architect Barry Greis says construction workers will start the first week of September to remove temporary walls that have closed off the rotunda and north wing since 2008. They plan to start on the fifth floor and work their way down. Greis says the last of the temporary…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Gov. Sam Brownback has appointed an Overland Park attorney to serve on a state court in northeastern Kansas. Kevin M.P. O’Grady will fill the vacancy on the 10th Judicial District court in Johnson County created by the retirement of Judge Peter V. Ruddick. Brownback announced the appointment Wednesday, selecting O’Grady from a list of three nominees. O’Grady earned his law degree from the University of Kansas and was admitted to the bar in 1987. He is a shareholder in the Overland Park firm of Ferree, Bunn, O’Grady and Rundberg.
Riley County Commissioners heard from a variety of local individuals during their Thursday meeting. Riley County Attorney, Barry Wilkerson, started off the meeting by giving his regular staff update. Wilkerson addressed various issues such as the major cases that took place this summer, and the rumor of having a four day work week. Although there has been no serious discussion involving the new work week rumor, Wilkerson says it has been brought up before. Wilkerson does not believe it is a good idea, saying “There’s no way if we went to four day work weeks the court’s could get done…