TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The number of people working for Kansas state government increased last year but most of the growth was in temporary jobs with no benefits. The Kansas Department of Administration says the state employed 69,974 people in fiscal year 2013. That includes both regular and temporary employees. That’s an increase of 143 from the previous fiscal year. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports the state cut 937 regular positions but added 1,080 temporary positions last fiscal year. Of the temporary jobs, 103 included benefits and 977 didn’t. The report shows the state shifted toward unclassified employees, who are not protected…
Author: KMAN Staff
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) A former cheer coach from Wichita has been convicted of sex crimes involving four of his minor students. Timothy Wells-Lee, 29, was convicted Tuesday of 10 of 11 charges he faced. He’ll be sentenced June 14. Wells-Lee was accused of having sexual relationships with girls ranging from 12 to 14 years old while he was coaching them at Wichita cheer academies between 2006 and 2008. He was acquitted of one charge of fondling one of the girls. Wells-Lee denied having any sexual contact with three of the girls. He admitted having a sexual relationship with the fourth…
PRATT, Kan. (AP) Kansas officials will hold an online meeting on the possibility of the lesser prairie chicken being granted federal protection. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will decide by September whether to add the lesser prairie chicken to the nation’s list of threatened species. The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Park and Tourism and the Kansas State Research and Extension office will host the online information session for anyone interested in the listing process. The department says the online session is scheduled for April 30 at 7 p.m. Speakers from the department, the Farm Services Agency and the Natural…
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) The University of Kansas is celebrating the 100th anniversary of the start of its architecture program. The university says visitors will be able to take tours Friday and Saturday of Marvin Hall, which houses the School of Architecture, Design and Planning. Visitors also will be able to view recent student projects and look in on design studios. An architecture school at the university was the idea of St. Louis architect Montrose McArdle. McArdle had been hired to help design a new administration building, and he suggested it to then-Chancellor Frank Strong. Such programs were uncommon then, but…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Two Kansas employers are in the running for a national award for supporting employees who serve in the National Guard or military reserves. Olathe-based GPS maker Garmin and the Johnson County city of Shawnee are among 138 semifinalists for the 2013 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award. The award recognizes employers who assist military members before, during and after deployments, including job security and family support. Nearly 2,900 employers nationwide were nominated by their employees. The Virginia-based Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve will narrow the field next month to 30 finalists.
Cathy talks schools as Brady Burton, Superintendent at Blue Valley/Randolph’s USD 384, and Brad Starnes, Superintendent at USD 378, stop by. [mp3-jplayer]
As grilling season progresses, Manhattan is gaining a new store for outdoor cooking needs. The Backyard Kitchen opened last weekend on Fort Riley Boulevard next door to The Wiring Guy. The business is owned by Aaron Nickell, who also owns The Wiring Guy, and he says its a business that has been on his mind for quite some time. “Something I have many years experience with is on the cooking side, but we also have gone to several trade shows in the industry over the years,” Nickell says. “It’s not something I thought of yesterday, it is something that I…
Monday’s GROW GREEN Match Day saw a high number in donation totals. In a press release on Tuesday by the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation it was reported that over $140,000 were contributed to the GROW GREEN Match Day efforts.Twenty four endowed funds of the foundation benefitted from a $40,000 matching pool with a total of over $100,000 collected from 309 donors. The $40,000 in match money was provided by Phil and Margaret Howe with the intention to encourage others to support local causes. Overall, Foundation CEO Vern Henricks says the event was an “overwhelming success.”
By KSU Student Veronica Dexter Being a grandmother and a great-grandmother, Bonnie Winters loves children and being able to help them. After being a schoolteacher for over 25 years, starting out in a one-room schoolhouse, Bonnie wanted to be able to keep helping children after retirement. A perfect way to do this was through Manhattan’s RSVP’s signature program, Schools of Hope, where mentors are paired up with a student to help create a positive learning environment while becoming more proficient readers. Schools of Hope is currently in four schools in the Manhattan district where they work with kindergarten through 3rd…
Police in Louisville are banning items including backpacks and duffel bags from this year’s Kentucky Derby. Security for the May 4th horse race is being addressed, following the Boston bombing.