TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The University of Kansas will have tougher admissions standards than the state’s other public colleges beginning in 2016. The Kansas Board of Regents approved a proposal Wednesday to boost requirements for incoming freshmen. Admission will be automatic for applicants with at least a “B” average in high school; others would have their applications reviewed by a committee. The University of Kansas sought the change, saying it should improve graduation rates. Students can now enter any state college by scoring 21 on the ACT, having a 2.0 GPA in a college prep curriculum or graduating in the top…
Author: KMAN Staff
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) The Kansas attorney general’s office will hold five training sessions next month on the state’s Open Meetings and Open Records Act. Attorney General Derek Schmidt said Wednesday the sessions will give elected officials, the news media and the public a chance to learn about the requirements of open government laws. The three-hour seminars are scheduled July 16 in Hutchinson; July 17 in Dodge City; July 19 in Iola; and July 20 in Leavenworth and Topeka. Sponsors include the Kansas Sunshine Coalition for Open Government, Kansas Press Association and Kansas Newspaper Foundation. Admission is free, but space is…
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) Attorneys supporting a man convicted in the 1999 murder of an Oskaloosa teenager are asking for a new DNA test. The Project for Innocence filed a motion this week in Jefferson County seeking the DNA test for Floyd Bledsoe. He is serving a life sentence for the death of his 14-year-old sister-in-law, Zetta Arfmann. The 35-year-old Bledsoe has always maintained his innocence. Bledsoe’s attorneys argue that new technology could produce a DNA profile of the killer. The Lawrence Journal-World reports Bledsoe’s brother, Tom Bledsoe, was initially charged with killing Arfmann and confessed. But he later recanted and…
GARDEN CITY, Kan. (AP) For the first time in decades, Garden City residents will be able to legally enjoy aerial fireworks this Fourth of July. The Garden City Telegram reports that the city has banned the sale and use of fireworks that shoot more than 6 feet into the air since at least 1989. City commissioners Tuesday voted to lift the ban from July 3 to 5. Residents will be able to shoot off fireworks from 10:30 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. on those days. Finney County commissioners earlier this month voted to allow fireworks from June 27 to July 5.…
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) Wichita housing officials say they never received a complaint about a house where 31 cats were found dead. The owner of the home said the woman renting the home always found an excuse not to let him into the house but there were no obvious signs of trouble. Police found the cats and two flea-infested dogs Saturday after being asked to check on the tenant, who hadn’t been seen for more than a month. The Wichita Eagle reports the 69-year-old tenant was later found at a friend’s house, where she was staying after being hospitalized. The city…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The Kansas Department of Transportation is warning candidates and their supporters that the state doesn’t allow political signs to be posted alongside highways. The agency says the rule applies not only to Kansas routes and U.S. highways but to interstates in the state’s 9,500-mile system. KDOT is warning that if its crews find political signs in the right of way for a highway or interstate, they’ll confiscate them immediately, without notice. Crews will then take the signs to the nearest KDOT regional office and keep them until they are claimed. If signs are claimed, the owner will…
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) A former Kansas social worker convicted of enslaving mentally ill residents of the Newton group home he ran with his wife has lost an appeal of his 30-year sentence. The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday rejected claims by Arlan Kaufman that his trial attorney was ineffective. Arlan and Linda Kaufman were convicted in November 2006 of forcing residents to work naked at their farm and perform sexual acts over a 15-year period, while billing their families and the government for “nude therapy” sessions. A three-judge of the appeals court not only disagreed with Arlan…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) A trial over the way Kansas funds public schools continues Wednesday with testimony expected from current and former state officials about cuts in education spending. The lawsuit by 54 school districts claims Kansas has been spending too little to satisfy the state constitution’s requirement for providing a “suitable” education. The trial opened June 4 before a three-judge panel in Shawnee County District Court. Lawyers for the state contend the Legislature has done the best it could to fund schools as state revenue declined during the recession that began in December 2007.
During big concert events, the use of cell phones can be overwhelming. Whether people are just calling around to find each other, or are using mobile internet to upload pictures and videos, the use of cell phones is a given at any big event. When so many people use their cell phones at once, it can often slow down service and make it difficult to find reception. Spokesperson for Verizon Wireless in Kansas and Missouri, Brenda Hill, says there will be a special generator site at Country Stampede to avoid this problem. She describes it as a fully functional, generator-powered…
The Kansas House’s 61st District has a familiar candidate. Republican Richard Carlson of St. Mary’s has refiled. With a diverse background, Carlson believe he will be a good candidate for the people . Carlson has been part of the legislature for 8 years. Other than his role in the legislature, Carlson spent 12 years as a Pottawatomie County Commissioner. Carlson explains that he wants to continue working for the people .