SOUTH HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) A plan to provide housing and mentoring for ex-inmates from the Hutchinson Correctional Facility has been rejected. The South Hutchinson City Council voted Monday night to deny a permit for the proposal from a nonprofit group, Prairie Lighthouse Inc. The Hutchinson News reports many residents opposed the plan, saying they were concerned about crime and declining property values. Council members said before voting that it was important to respect the community’s wishes. Prairie Lighthouse had hoped to turn an abandoned nursing home into housing and provide mentoring and services to help inmates transition back to society.
Author: KMAN Staff
HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) Supporters and opponents of a new anti-discrimination ordinance in Hutchinson have presented dueling petitions to the county clerk. The Hutchinson City Council approved an ordinance June 5 that prohibits people from being fired or evicted because they are gay, lesbian or bisexual. The Hutchinson News reports opponents seeking to repeal the ordinance delivered petitions to the clerk last Thursday. Supporters who are seeking to expand the protections submitted their petitions on Friday. The county clerk office has three business days to determine whether the petitions have enough signatures to require action by the Hutchinson City Council. If…
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) A federal magistrate judge is allowing four more former cadets to join an abuse lawsuit against a Kansas military school. The decision Monday by U.S. Magistrate Judge Kenneth Gale brings to 11 the number of plaintiffs in the lawsuit against St. John’s Military School in Salina. Gale rejected a request to name the school’s principal as a defendant. He also refused to allow a separate damage claim for alleged destruction of evidence. Among the new plaintiffs are a Colorado boy who was allegedly branded on his arm and a Texas boy allegedly beaten for not cleaning his…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Top aides say a Kansas prosecutor is preparing to report on his investigation of Gov. Sam Brownback’s private meetings with state legislators at his official residence. Shawnee County District Attorney Chad Taylor has been studying whether the meetings at Cedar Crest violated the Kansas open meetings law. Aides to the Democratic prosecutor said they expect Taylor to report his findings Tuesday. Brownback, a Republican, held seven dinner meetings at Cedar Crest in January with members of 13 legislative committees. More than 90 lawmakers were invited, all but one a Republican. Many of the lawmakers have described the…
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) Kansas Agricultural Statistics Service says last week’s scattered rainfall did little to stem the deterioration of parched crops throughout the state. A weekly survey released Monday showed every major crop rated in poor to very poor condition: corn at 72 percent, soybeans at 75 percent, and sorghum at 70 percent. The agency said it’s the worst condition report for all three crops since data collections began in 1985. Farmers have cut 17 percent of their corn, well ahead of the 3 percent harvested at the same time last year. There was no good news for livestock producers,…
The Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office and the Riley County Police Department are investigating a reported strong armed robbery that occurred on Sunday. The alleged incident happened in the vicinity of 101 E Bluemont in Manhattan around sunset. Pottawatomie county Sheriff Greg Riat indicated Tuesday afternoon, the victim was a 64 year old man who reported being battered by a male suspect. The victim alleged the male suspect took his blue soft sided lunch bag, which ncontained a pocket knife, tobacco and some change. The victim was taken to a Manhattan hospital with non-lifethreatening injuries. The only description given of the suspect is he…
Work continues on a corridor study of K-18 by local governmental groups. The Manhattan Urban Area Planning Board held a work session Monday evening on the subject. Manhattan City Manager Ron Fehr indicates it was a good discussion, with a look at utility maps, open space plans, and what’s planned for future commercial and industrial development. Fehr tells KMAN the project has been an effort involving several groups and indicates there was some good give-and-take during the Monday work session. Fehr predicts a continuing dialouge, with the matter likely coming to a joint city/counties meeting, followed by individual meetings by the governmental groups. As…
USD 383 has 131 more students this year than last, according to a preliminary head count the first day of school (Tuesday). A total of 6,726 students showed up the first day, compared to 6,595 on the September 20th count date the year before and 6,341 in 2010. USD 383 Associate Superintendent Bob Seymour admits he did not expect the decrease at the elementary school level, although he stresses the head count numbers are just preliminary. Seymour adds things change and the numbers as students are going through tend to get larger, with larger kindergarten classes eventually moving up to the high…
An industrial accident occurred at Parker Hannifin Coporation in the 1500 of Hayes Drive shortly after noon Tuesday. Company spokesperson Jeremy Moro was reportedly in meetings much of Tuesday afternoon and was not available for official comment yet. Riley County Police Lt. Josh Kyle tells KMAN the Riley county consolidated dispatch center received a 911 call at 12:03 from an anonymous person at Parker Hannifin on Hayes Drive. The caller reported an employee had a severe laceration from some sort of industrial accident. Riley county EMS was dispatched, and the injured person was transported to the Mercy Regional Health Center by EMS.…
The 2012 Kansas Agribusiness Retailers Association annual meeting was held Tuesday morning at the Hilton Garden Inn in Manhattan. U.S. Senator Jerry Moran was the featured speaker for the morning. Moran spoke about his vision and role in agricultural policy in Washington. Besides national issues, he also addressed local issues such as the farm bill and the drought Kansas has experienced this summer. Moran says, “Kansas is strongly dependent upon a viable agricultural economy.” Also on the agenda was Executive Vice President of Food and Agriculture for the Biotechnology Industry Organization, Cathleen Enright, who spoke about the latest technology and…