Author: KMAN Staff

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) A fire that burned for more than four hours at a Westar Energy plant apparently began when a large transformer malfunctioned. No injuries were reported after the fire Wednesday morning at the plant just east of Colwich. The Wichita Eagle reports more than 20 fire trucks were sent to the plant northwest of Wichita. The fire burned for more than four hours before fire crews were released from the scene. Foam trucks from McConnell Air Force Base were used to help put out the fire Westar spokesman Nick Bundy says mineral oil used to cool the transformer…

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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The mammoth jackpot in Wednesday night’s Powerball drawing is proving irresistible to thousands of hopeful Kansans. The Kansas Lottery reports that sales of Powerball tickets in the state topped $1.1 million on Tuesday alone, for a total of nearly $1.8 million since Sunday. And that was when the jackpot was estimated at a mere $500 million. On Wednesday morning, officials of the multistate game boosted the estimated payout to $550 million. Kansas Lottery officials were expecting another huge sales day Wednesday. Ticket sales in Kansas end at 8:59 p.m. Central, one hour before the drawing. A winner…

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WICHITA, Kan. (AP) A federal judge has set a hearing over a proposed class action settlement in a lawsuit by workers against the Creekstone Farms slaughterhouse in Arkansas City. U.S. District Judge Eric Melgren on Wednesday set a fairness hearing on the motion for approval for Dec. 17 at the federal courthouse in Topeka. The lawsuit alleged that Creekstone failed to pay employees for all of the time they worked. Creekstone Farms said it paid for all time worked, including overtime. Under the proposed $195,000 settlement, about $110,000 would be split among the 144 class members. The amount paid each…

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A trip down memory lane started Wednesday night’s Manhattan Ogden school board meeting as Universal Construction gave their final report.  As part of the finishing up of construction, Thursday will see the open house for Marlatt Elementary from 6 pm – 7:30 pm. During the old business item section of the meeting, the board brought back the issue of senior early release.  Again, there was no audience participation, but the board did have their own discussion.  Board member Pete Paukstelis brought up a couple of issues that had him concerned including the fact that at a previous board meeting many years ago,…

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The woman arrested in connection with the parental custody case that occurred earlier this month is officially confined. As KMAN previously reported, the RCPD and the Topeka Police Department, located the missing three-year-old, Benjamin Chavez-Birdwell with his mother, Sonja Birdwell, at a residence in Topeka. Riley County Police reported Wednesday that Sonja Birdwell is currently being held on a $10,000 bond for aggravated interference with parental custody. —- A Manhattan man is currently being held in Riley County jail and is waiting for possible extradition to Texas. Devoris Newson,26, was arrested around 9:30 a.m. Tuesday morning.  Riley County Police reported Wednesday that Newson…

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The five Riley County Law Board members present for Wednesday’s special meeting regarding health care insurance agreed unanimously for Riley County Police Director to have the authority to select a plan within parameters of a spread sheet he provided them. Most of the plans are well below the 1.63 million budgeted for 2013. The state plan was one option, which would be about 1.5 mllion dollars–but RCPD Director Brad Schoen cautioned that if approved, that would lock them into a three year plan. Both Law Board members Wynn Butler and Loren Pepperd expressed concern about that. Meanwhile Board Member Rich…

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