Alumni, friends, parents, faculty, students and corporate partners of Kansas State University made philanthropic gifts, pledges and future commitments totaling $152 million in the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2013. This figure sets a new record in total gift activity in the 69-year history of the Kansas State University Foundation, surpassing the previous record of $111 million in fiscal year 2012. Of the $152 million total, $86 million was received in outright gifts, $33 million was pledged and $33 million was committed through deferred gifts, which will come to the university at a later date. Additionally during the 2013…
Author: KMAN Staff
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Attorneys for Kansas and Planned Parenthood are asking a judge to postpone a hearing in the organization’s federal lawsuit over parts of a new state abortion law. They filed a joint request Thursday in U.S. District Court with Chief Judge Kathryn Vratil. Planned Parenthood is challenging provisions in the law dealing with providers’ websites and what information they must provide to patients before terminating pregnancies. Vratil had scheduled a hearing in Planned Parenthood’s lawsuit for July 29 in Kansas City, Kan. She also ordered attorneys to begin filing their legal briefs next week, with the last one…
INDEPENDENCE, Kan. (AP) A southeast Kansas zoo remains closed while a search continues for an escaped monkey. The Independence Daily Reporter says the capuchin monkey was one of two that escaped Wednesday from a pen at the Ralph Mitchell Zoo at Riverside Park in Independence. One monkey was caught a short time later, but officials remained on the lookout Thursday for the second money. Park director Barbara Beurskens says a zookeeper failed to adequately secure the lock to the monkey’s pen while cleaning cages. Independence Director of Public Safety David Cowan says one monkey bit an Oklahoma man before jumping…
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) Federal prosecutors have accused a U.S. Postal Service employee in Kansas City, Kan., with stealing prescription pain medicine from the mail. Barry Grissom, U.S. attorney for Kansas, said in a release Thursday that Sherry Robertson, 40, of Kansas City, Kan., faces five counts of theft of mail by a postal employee and one count of possession with intent to distribute hydrocodone. She’s accused of removing pills from the mail on several separate occasions in 2012 and 2013. Robertson faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. Online…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Gov. Sam Brownback says he won’t disclose the applicants for the Kansas Court of Appeals because it would prevent some qualified candidates from coming forward. Brownback issued a statement Thursday amid ongoing criticism that a new selection process for the state’s second-highest court is less open than the one it replaced. His spokeswoman said Tuesday that he was considering releasing the names. Under law that took effect this month, the governor will appoint Court of Appeals judges, subject to state Senate confirmation. Under the previous system, a statewide nominating commission led by lawyers screened applicants and named…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Members of problem-gambling task forces in Kansas say the state is not adequately funding efforts to combat gambling and other addictions. The task forces work in zones around the three state-owned casinos. Members of those task forces were told Wednesday that each group would receive $10,000 in fiscal 2014, the same amount as last year. The Wichita Eagle reports members of the task forces said $10,000 a year is an insignificant amount and a “slap in the face” to volunteers who work with problem gamblers. The law that created the state-owned casinos in Mulvane, Dodge City and…
KINGMAN, Kan. (AP) The Kansas Attorney General’s office is no longer asking a judge to sentence a former law officer to 50 years without parole for killing his wife. Brett Seacat was convicted last month of killing his wife, Vashti Seacat, and setting their Kingman home on fire in April 2011. He and the couple’s two sons escaped the fire. Prosecuting attorney Amy Hanley said after the verdict the state would ask the judge to consider a “hard 50” sentence for Seacat. KWCH reports prosecutors withdrew that intent in court documents filed July 1. They cited a U.S. Supreme Court…
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) A standoff between authorities and a man suspected of firing shots at a Wichita Kmart is continuing at an apartment complex. Wichita police say the man barricaded himself alone inside an apartment Wednesday and had not surrendered by 6:30 a.m. Thursday. Authorities say the man has fired at law enforcement officers but no one was injured. Residents of three buildings at the complex have been evacuated. Police believe the man tried to rob a Kmart pharmacy Wednesday and fired shots before fleeing. No one was injured. He later holed up at the apartment. Derby police say the…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger has promoted three employees of her office’s Consumer Assistance Division to new supervisory jobs. Praeger announced the changes Wednesday. She says Steve O’Neil will be the division’s new director, replacing Jennifer Sourk, who left the Insurance Department recently for a job in private business. O’Neil had been the division’s health supervisor. Praeger named Elizabeth Fike to replace O’Neil has health supervisor. Fike had been working as an attorney and consumer health representative. Meanwhile, Praeger said LeAnn Crow will become the division’s new property and casualty supervisor after working as a market conduct…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Gov. Sam Brownback has announced his selections to participate in a statewide task force to address mental health issues in Kansas. The Republican governor is asking the group to recommend ways state agencies that provide mental health services can better coordinate their efforts while making good use of resources. Kansas has two state mental hospitals and 27 community mental health centers that work with private contractors, residential facilities and providers. The Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services will oversee the task force. The first meeting of the group will be July 18 in Topeka. Brownback will…