Westar Energy is expanding its Reliabilitree program in Manhattan, and will be initiating more tree services in the near future. The program is aimed at a proactive response to trim fouling foliage in the Manhattan area, and provide more engagement with property owners. Westar Energy director of support services Elsie Eisenbarth says “Tree pruning prevents power outages and improves safety by reducing the risk of accidental contact with power lines. Our top priority is to provide our customers with the highest quality, safest electric service.” Westar says trees set to be pruned will be tagged with orange paint, and a…
Author: KMAN Staff
ESPN’s Chris Mortensen and Adam Schefter are reporting that the Kansas City Chiefs and Andy Reid are on the verge of agreement to make him the team’s next head coach. A source says “the major issues have been discussed and agreed upon.” Reid coached the Philadelphia Eagles for the past 14 years, leading them to 130 wins, five NFC Championship games, and one Super Bowl. The Chiefs and Reid’s representatives reportedly met at a private airport in Philly on Wednesday, and the source says “no hangups are expected.” Former Chiefs head coach Romeo Crennel was fired after a 2-14 season, and…
A 17-3 run to close the first half gave the K-State women a 36-34 lead at halftime against Kansas, but the Wildcats went cold in the final 20 minutes, and Kansas prevailed 72-63 at Allen Fieldhouse on Wednesday night in Lawrence. K-State trailed 31-19 with 4:46 left in the first half when their surge began including the final 11 points of the half. Haley Texada scored 11 of her 21 points during that run. However, KU would jump quickly out to a 46-40 lead with 14:36 remaining, and pushed their edge to as many as 10 points. The Cats pulled…
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) A second Sedgwick County detention deputy has been charged with sexual misconduct involving inmates. The Wichita Eagle reports Sheriff Jeff Easter announced Wednesday that two male inmates complained in October of being subject to “lewd fondling” at a work-release center. Two counts of unlawful sexual relations were filed in November but didn’t become public until Friday when James Conklin of Wichita made a first court appearance. Conklin’s lawyer, Sal Intagliata, says Conklin has 19 years of “honorable service” as a detention deputy. The attorney also says he intends to challenge the credibility of the accusers. Conklin is…
Wamego’s first meeting of the New Year was one of the shortest. At Wednesday’s City Commission meeting, City Manager Merl Page announced the City tries to do a three-year rotation of Police vehicles, and sent out a request for proposal in December. With only one proposal being received, the recommendation to purchase a 2012 Dodge Charger with the patrol package, for the net cost after trade-in of over $22,000. Page said they will trade a 2005 Crown Victoria currently used for Code Enforcement and rotate in a 2009 Crown Victoria. The Commission approved the purchase. In other business,…
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) A float trip on the Arkansas River isn’t much fun when your kayak scrapes the riverbed. A group called the Arkansas River Coalition has made a tradition of paddling the river in Wichita each New Year’s Day. But months of drought created special challenges Tuesday. The Wichita Eagle reports this year’s trip had been scheduled for the nearby Little Arkansas, where the water is deep enough for kayaks and canoes. But the Little Arkansas was frozen over, so the paddlers launched in the main Arkansas River instead only to hit sandbars or get stuck in mud. Several…
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) A northeast Kansas police department says one of its officers has died in a one-car crash. The Lawrence Journal-World reports 29-year-old Officer Matthew Klock was off-duty when his car hit a traffic signal pole around 2 a.m. Wednesday. The crash happened near an intersection in the western part of Lawrence. Klock was alone in the car. The Kansas Highway Patrol’s report on the accident says he was not wearing a seat belt. Klock had been a member of the Lawrence Police Department since 2007.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) University of Kansas administrators say the school is preparing to implement a new curriculum in the fall. All freshmen will be required to take the new Core Curriculum, and some upperclassmen could opt into the new requirements. The new curriculum is the first to apply to all undergraduates, regardless of their school. The university says it will provide more flexibility and focus on skills the students will develop. The Lawrence Journal-World reports the current Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of General Studies degrees include requirements that can be met by only one or a handful of courses.…
LECOMPTON, Kan. (AP) Residents of a northeast Kansas town are upset that the hours at their post office will be reduced five weeks earlier than expected. The U.S. Postal Service recently told residents of Lecompton that it will reduce the post office hours beginning Jan. 26. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports residents said they were told the cuts would happen March 3. Postal service spokesman Pete Nowacki says Lecompton residents were told at a November meeting that March was a likely date for implementation. He says the change was made so savings could begin immediately. The Postal Service announced in May…
NEOSHO RAPIDS, Kan. (AP) Lyon County authorities say a homeowner shot and injured one person breaking into an eastern Kansas home and held another suspect at gunpoint until police arrived. The incident happened Wednesday morning at a home about three miles north of Neosho Rapids. Lyon County Sheriff Jeff Cope says the homeowner fired one shot at the suspect, who was treated at Newman Regional Health for non-life threatening injuries. KVOE reports the second suspect was held at gunpoint until deputies arrived. The residents of the home were not hurt. Further details of the shooting were not immediately released.