KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) A judge has temporarily stopped the closing of a Kansas City charter school. State education officials voted last week to pull the charter of Gordon Parks Elementary School because of the students’ poor performance. School officials say their children are making progress even though many live in poverty. Cole County Circuit Court Judge Daniel R. Green ruling on Tuesday will allow the school to stay open through the end of classes in late June. A court hearing on July 26 will consider the school’s request for a permanent injunction. The school had been scheduled to close…
Author: KMAN Staff
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) A Wichita man who stabbed another man to death at a party is convicted of involuntary manslaughter. Dat “Tommy” Nguyen was convicted Tuesday in the December death of Tan T. Nguyen, 27. The men were not related. The Wichita Eagle reports Dat Nguyen testified during his trial that he acted in self-defense. Defense lawyer Nika Cummings said her client reacted after hearing that someone had a gun. But prosecutors say the victim was being held down by several other men when Nguyen stabbed him in the back.
IOLA, Kan. (AP) Federal regulators are putting the site of an old zinc and lead smelting operation in southeast Kansas on a list of hazardous waste places with highest priority for cleanup. The Environmental Protection Agency said Tuesday it was placing the former United Zinc Associated Smelters Site on the federal Superfund National Priorities List. The land is located in and around Iola in Allen County, where several zinc and lead smelting businesses operated between 1902 and 1925. The area is contaminated with high levels of lead, arsenic, cadmium and zinc. The priority designation makes the site eligible for extensive,…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) A team of Kansas Department of Corrections workers are the biggest losers in Gov. Sam Brownback’s weight loss challenge. The corrections employees, who work at the women’s prison in Topeka, bested more than 1,000 five-member teams from around the state. The corrections workers shed nearly 265 pounds about 19 percent of their total weight over four months and received a cash prize Tuesday of $5,000. A group of state transportation workers from Fort Scott finished second for losing slightly less than 19 percent of their collective weight. The competition ended with participants shedding more than 44,000 pounds…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas legislators plan to resume negotiations on tax issues after the House and Senate moved closer to agreement on adjusting the state sales tax. Wednesday meeting of House and Senate negotiators comes after senators proposed trimming the 6.3 percent sales tax to 6.25 percent in July. The House had suggested lowering it to 6 percent. The tax is scheduled by law to drop to 5.7 percent on July 1. But Gov. Sam Brownback wants to keep it at 6.3 percent to produce revenue while Kansas pursues more cuts in personal income taxes after the massive reductions approved…
On today’s InFocus, Cathy talks with Brad Starnes, Riley County Schools USD 378 Superintendent, and Brady Burton, Blue Valley/Randolph USD 384 Superintendent. [mp3-jplayer]
As KMAN news told you earlier Wednesday morning, Wichita-based Via Christi Health says tough finances are forcing it to eliminate 350 to 400 jobs at its facilities throughout Kansas. The nonprofit health system announced the decision Tuesday, saying it will involve layoffs and the elimination of some vacant positions. The cuts amount to about 4 percent of Via Christi’s total employment. Specifically in the Manhattan market with Mercy Regional Health Center, the current budget shortfall is $1.6 million. John Broberg, Senior Administrator of Mercy Regional Health Center says they are currently working with their leadership team to develop a plan to address…
Bill Snyder has built his program at K-State on former walk-ons developing into one of the best at their position in the country. The latest example is junior offensive lineman B.J. Finney, who was announced as one of 44 players nationally and three from the Big 12 to be named to the Rimington Award watch list. The award is given to nation’s best center, and is named after the former Nebraska all-American, Dave Rimington. Finney is a two-time team captain, and has started all 26 career games at K-State, including the last 25 at center heading into his junior campaign. He was…
The Manhattan High girls soccer team punched their to the 6A state tournament on Tuesday night with a 2-1 win over Wichita Heights at Anneberg Park in the quarterfinal round. The Tribe were never truly threatened as they allowed only a late goal to the Falcons. MHS will play in the state semifinals on Friday night at Wichita Heights. Pairings are not set, but Maize, Blue Valley North and Blue Valley Northwest will be the other teams in the field.
HOUSTON (AP) Mike Moustakas tied it with an RBI single before George Kottaras walked with the bases-loaded to drive in the go-ahead run in a four-run eighth inning, and the Kansas City Royals rallied for a 7-3 win over the Houston Astros on Tuesday night to end a four-game skid. The Royals trailed 3-0 and couldn’t get much going offensively until the seventh when they cut the lead to one on RBI singles by Alcides Escobar and David Lough. Eric Hosmer chased Wesley Wright in the eighth when he singled to load the bases. He was replaced by Jose Cisnero,…