Author: KMAN Staff
It was close to this time last year, Manhattan saw major flooding along the Wildcat Creek area. A year later, the area has become more prepared when it comes to flooding by installing river gauages to help monitor water levels, along with websites used to inform people on conditions. During an interview with KMAN, Rob Ott, Manhattan City Engineer, talked about three websites that may be helpful in keeping watch of the gauges. They include the NOAA website at http://water.weather.gov/ahps2/index.php?wfo=top , the USGS website at http://waterwatch.usgs.gov/new/index.php?m=real&r=ks&w=map and the one Ott advised people to connect to, the Iris website at https://www.irisdispatch.com/users/enroll/dsp_enroll.cfm?org_id=1000. Also during the interview, Ott also talked…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Three federal judges are allowing the Kansas attorney general to participate in a redistricting lawsuit, but only so he can weigh in on fees sought by attorneys after the case ends. Redistricting issues are before the federal court because Kansas lawmakers ended their session without drawing new maps for the state House and Senate, Board of Education and the four U.S. House districts. The judges on Thursday rejected an attempt by two Democrats to block any participation by Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt, who says he wants to prevent the state from paying unreasonable fees. The judges…
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) A Wichita research center created five years ago to create medical inventions and create hundreds of jobs is being reorganized. The Center of Innovation for Biomaterials in Orthopaedic Research had hoped to turn aircraft materials into medical advances but had little success. CIBOR was a partnership of Via Christi Health and Wichita State University. Officials with those groups announced Wednesday that Rich Sullivan is leaving as the first president and chief executive officer of CIBOR. It will also be relocated to the National Institute for Aviation Research at Wichita State. John Tomblin, NIAR’s director, will now run…
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) Koch Industries are considering expanding their headquarters in Wichita. The Wichita Eagle reports the talks are only preliminary, although the company has discussed the idea with Wichita city officials. Koch spokeswoman Melissa Cohlmia says the company is running out of room to fill 200 vacant positions at its north Wichita campus. She says Koch is trying to prepare for any potential growth in the future by reviewing options for building more office space on its Wichita campus. But she stressed that Koch has not made any commitments to expansion and it’s possible nothing will change in the…
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) Even Harry Truman had problems keeping up with his bills. The late president somehow didn’t pay a paperboy for six months of newspapers delivered to his Independence, Mo., home in 1947. On Wednesday, the paperboy finally got his money. Truman impersonator Niel Johnson presented a check for $56.63 to George Lund, now an 80-year-old resident of a retirement community in Overland Park. Lund says he delivered the papers to Truman’s house for about six months and then quit the route before Truman paid the $7.50 he owed. The bill paid Wednesday included interest accrued since 1947.…
HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) A vandal decided to take a ride while doing damage at the Hutchinson Municipal Airport. Airport officials say someone used a mower early Wednesday to drive over 19 taxiway lights, a runway threshold light and three signs that direct pilots to runways. Airport manager Pieter Miller says he’s never seen as much damage at the airport. He estimated the replacement cost for the lights is about $3,000. Miller says an airport employee left the keys in the mower, which sits outside near a shop. The Hutchinson News reports most of the lights and signs were replaced by…
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) The art museum at Wichita State University will use a $250,000 grant to repair a massive mosaic by Spanish artist Joan Miro. The money comes from the National Endowment for the Arts and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The mosaic, which measures 28 feet by 52 feet, was installed in 1978 across the south facade of the Ulrich Museum of Art. The outdoor mural, called Bird People, depicts several surrealist birds. The studio in France that created the mural based on a Miro painting affixed about 1 million pieces of Venetian glass and marble to…
GARNETT, Kan. (AP) Gov. Sam Brownback plans to speak at a Memorial Day service outside the small, eastern Kansas town of Garnett. Brownback’s office says the ceremony is scheduled for 10 a.m. Monday at the Garnett Cemetery. The event is sponsored by the local posts of the American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars. Garnett is located about 50 miles south of Lawrence in Anderson County.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Visitors to state parks and lakes in Kansas now have a mobile app to help them find their way around. The state Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism has launched a free app called the Kansas State Parks Pocket Ranger. The program has interactive GPS and mapping technology for trails, waypoints and landmarks at state parks. It also has features to assist with locating visitors in case of an emergency. The app is available at www.pocketranger.com and on iTunes.