WICHITA, Kan. (AP) A former public works director who admitted stealing equipment from a Kansas county is pleading with a federal judge to spare him from prison. Steven Collier has pleaded guilty to two counts of theft from Barber County in 2010 and agreed to pay more than $116,310 in restitution. The sentencing is scheduled for May 30. Collier’s lawyer attorney filed a motion Monday seeking a shorter term than the 12 to 18 months prescribed by federal guidelines. Collier says he strayed from his marriage and stole because of a toxic relationship with his girlfriend. He says he used…
Author: KMAN Staff
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) Kansas Congressman Mike Pompeo won’t get involved in a federal lawsuit over the Legislature’s failure to redraw the boundaries of the state’s political districts. Pompeo said Monday he’s confident that three federal judges handling the lawsuit will do their best to draw workable maps of the state’s four U.S. House districts. He issued the statement after the judges had a hearing in the case and allowed fellow Kansas Congressman Kevin Yoder to intervene. Pompeo and Yoder are freshman Republicans. Pompeo represents the 4th Congressional District of south-central Kansas. Yoder represents the 3rd District, centered in the Kansas…
Rutgers student is sentenced
WESTMORELAND, Kan. – The Pottawatomie County Commission opened bidding for the Timber Creek Bank Stabilization project on Monday. Three companies bid on the project, which will address embankment issues along Elbo Creek. The low bid came from Rush Creek Construction in Beatrice, Neb., at $711,684.15; however, county engineers had only budgeted $560,000 for the project. “All three bids were higher than our (engineer’s) estimate,” Commission Chair Gary Yenzer said. “That’s a major increase in what we want and can’t afford.” The commission will have two weeks to hold the bids while it attempts to obtain more funding from the Kansas Department of Health and…
On Monday afternoon, the arraignment of Domingo “Diablo” Soto, 41-year-old Manhattan resident, in conjunction with the December murder of Steven Freele was held in Riley County District Court. In early December 2011, Freele was shot and killed with a firearm that was allegedly given to Michael Layne, 19-year-old Manhattan resident, by Soto. At his arraignment, Soto entered a plea of “Not Guilty ” to aiding and abetting 1st degree murder. Soto also pleaded “Not Guilty” to charges of intent to distribute marijuana , cocaine, possession of methamphetamines and drug paraphernalia and possession of stolen property. Soto also waived his right to a speedy trial. …
With very little comment, the Riley County Law Board approved the Riley County Police department 2013 budget, with board members Wynn Butler and John Matta dissenting. Board member Barry Wilkerson made the motion, with Dave Lewis’s second. No one from the public commented on the budget which had been published. Only board member Loren Pepperd asked a question, and that dealt with drug seizures and where that revenue shows up. Legal counsel Mike Gillespie explained those funds have to be handled in a very specific way… The budget calls for a 3.4 percent increase, adding two new police officers, a non-sworn…
OLATHE, Kan. (AP) Johnson County health officials are investigating 111 cases of whooping cough reported since January. The health department issued a warning last week about the outbreak, urging residents to get the vaccine. The Kansas City Star reports Johnson County and state health officials received the reports from laboratories, doctors, schools and elsewhere. It could turn out that some of the cases are not whooping cough. The Johnson County health department received reports of only 11 whooping cough cases all of last year. Most of the first cases came from southern Johnson County but it has become more widespread…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas courts will remain open through the rest of the 2012 fiscal year after legislators approved $1.1 million in supplemental funding to cover operating expenses. Chief Justice Lawton Nuss issued a statement Monday saying that the remaining four days of furloughs would be canceled after legislators approved the budget Sunday. The bill still must be signed by Gov. Sam Brownback. Nuss ordered five furlough days this spring after it was evident that the court system would be short funding because fewer fees were collected on civil court filings. The courts closed one day in April and were…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach opposes an attempt by a state senator and others to get involved in a federal lawsuit over the state Legislature’s failure to redraw political boundaries. Kobach filed written arguments Monday, ahead of a court hearing in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kan. He is the defendant in the lawsuit, filed earlier this month by Robyn Renee Essex, a Republican precinct committee member from Olathe. The hearing Monday deals with requests from at least nine people to intervene. They include Senate Reapportionment Committee Chairman Tim Owens, an Overland Park Republican, and…