HAYS, Kan. (AP) After four years of work, the city of Hays has new, state-of-the-art outdoor warning sirens. Nine sirens that varied in age and power levels have been replaced by six sirens. The new sirens have backup batteries and a system to alert the fire department in case of vandalism, power failure or other problems. Fire Chief Gary Brown says the sirens were needed because Hays is growing and areas of the city were not properly served by the older sirens. The Hays Daily News reportseach siren cost approximately $11,500, with another $4,700 for installation. Brown stressed the sirens…
Author: KMAN Staff
GARDEN CITY, Kan. (AP) A Garden City man who was injured by a hit-and-run driver while riding his motorcycle in late May has died. Officials at Via Christi hospital in Wichita say 37-year-old John Beckstrom died Wednesday. He had been in intensive care since his motorcycle was hit on a Garden City street. The Garden City Telegram reports police are still looking for the driver of a car that was seen near the accident. The vehicle is described as a light blue, almost turquoise, Honda four-door with tinted windows. The vehicle sits low to the ground, may have after-market wheels…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) A Democrat on the Kansas State Board of Education says she’s not seeking re-election this year. Board member Sue Storm, of Overland Park, said Wednesday she no longer finds serving on the 10-member board fun and wants more time with her grandchildren. Also, she said she believes her 16 years in public office is enough. Storm was elected to the board in 2008, after serving 12 years in the Kansas House. Board members serve four-year terms, and five seats are up for grabs in the November election. Board Chairman David Dennis, a Wichita Republican, also has announced…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Two Kansas House Republicans see a Democratic district attorney’s investigation as political after being subpoenaed over private dinner meetings lawmakers had with GOP Gov. Sam Brownback. Reps. Steve Brunk of Bel Aire and Virgil Peck of Tyro were among seven GOP legislators to receive subpoenas last month from Shawnee County District Attorney Chad Taylor. Taylor is investigating potential open meetings violations during seven dinners in January at Cedar Crest, the governor’s official residence. Brownback invited more than 90 lawmakers. Brunk and Peck came in for interviews last week. Sen. Bob Marshall of Fort Scott and Rep. Anthony…
FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) A top Army official will speak Friday to the latest graduating class of the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth. Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Lloyd Austin will address more than 1,000 officers, including 69 international officers and 16 students from other government agencies. The class began in August 2011 and is the intermediate level of officer education in the Army. Austin commanded U.S. forces in Iraq before his appointment as vice chief of staff in January. He also commanded U.S. troops in Afghanistan in 2003.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) The Kansas winter wheat harvest is nearing the Nebraska border. Industry groups including the Kansas Wheat Commission reported Wednesday that combines are rolling north of U.S. 36. As in other parts of the state, production in north-central Kansas is mixed. The Central Plains Co-op in Smith Center expects to take in only about half its average of 1 million bushels. Farmers in that area are reporting yields of 20 to 50 bushels an acre. Production looks much better in southern Dickinson County, where cutting is at the midway point. The North Central Kansas Co-op in Hope has…
A plane crash that occurred in Florida Thursday afternoon has claimed the lives of six people all of whom were from Junction City. According to reports from the Polk County Sheriff’s office, a single-engine Pilatus PC-12 crashed in a remote swamp near Lake Wales, Florida shortly after 12:30 p.m. Eastern time. Flight records indicate the aircraft which is registered to Roadside ventures in Junction City had taken off from the Bahamas on Thursday morning and had stopped in Florida for refueling before continuing on to Junction City. The deceased have been identified as 45-year old Ron Bramlage of Junction City…
Tim Huelskamp filed for re-election to Congress in the Big First District of Kansas. Huelskamp submitted the necessary paperwork with the Kansas Secretary of State in Topeka. “As I have traveled across the Big First conducting 126 town hall meetings, I have heard time and again from Kansans who are tired of out-of-control spending, borrowing and overregulation and Washington’s unwillingness to tackle these problems. The consequences for future generations of Americans could be catastrophic,” Huelskamp said. “Each week I return home to my wife and four young children in Kansas. I fear that Washington is mortgaging our future by spending…
A special “Breakfast of Champions” event took place in early May showcasing the country’s top afterschool educators. Elaine Johannes , Associate Professor in Family Studies and Human Services at Kansas State University was one of eight “Afterschool Champions” to be honored in Washington D.C. Johannes says meeting the other state champions was a memorable experience for her. “It was really wonderful that out of the eight champions, three of us were out of higher education institutions,” Johannes says. “You wouldn’t typically think that higher education faculty would have interest in what is going on in out-of-school time.” Along with the…
Roger Reitz filed Thursday for re-election to the Kansas Senate. A lifelong Republican, Reitz has represented the 22nd District, which includes Riley and Geary counties, since 2005. He is a doctor with Medical Associates of Manhattan and previously served as a physician with the U.S. Army both in Turkey and at Ft. Riley. “We’ve worked tirelessly as a community to build the 22nd district into one of the best places to live, work and raise a family,” said Reitz. “It’s been a privilege for me to be a part of those efforts on the local level, and to be our voice…