TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The Topeka Zoo director is recommending the zoo keep its two elephants and improve their habitat. Critics have been urging the zoo to send the elephants to a sanctuary in Tennessee. They contend the zoo does not provide enough space, causing the elephants physical and emotional harm. Director Brendan Wiley recommended to the city council Tuesday that the city spend an initial $60,000 to improve the elephants’ habitat, plus another $30,000 per year. The changes would include installing more outdoor places to encourage the elephants to explore and act more like wild elephants. Wiley says once the…
Author: KMAN Staff
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The state’s education commissioner says possible policy changes will make next year one of the busiest years in a decade for Kansas educators. Commissioner Diane DeBacker told the State Board of Education Tuesday that 2013 could be the busiest year since the No Child Left Behind law was enacted in 2001. DeBacker said the board will consider changes such as adopting new science standards, new history and government standards and deciding how to tie teacher evaluations to student achievement. Educators also will be implementing Common Core State Standards and deciding what type of assessments will be used.…
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) The nuclear reactor at Kansas State University has turned 50. To mark the anniversary, the reactor was powered up Tuesday at 8:27 p.m. the exact time it was brought online on Oct. 16, 1962. Students, administrators and current and past faculty were on hand for the occasion. The university says the reactor is one of only 25 operating university research reactors in the nation. Kansas State reactor manager Jeff Geuther says it gives the university an advantage in performing research and training nuclear engineers. The reactor is licensed to operate at up to 1250 kilowatts of thermal…
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) Police in Wichita say a pedestrian who was struck and killed by a freight train may have been unaware he was in danger. KSNW-TV reports police identified the man Wednesday as 41-year-old Wichita resident Cedale Lamont Brown. Family and friends told police Brown sometimes became oblivious to his surroundings because of a medical condition for which he took medication. They also said he often walked in the area where he was struck and killed Witnesses said Brown stepped into the path of the oncoming Union Pacific train shortly before noon Tuesday after walking pass activated cross arms.…
Though there were other issues to discuss at Wednesday’s Manhattan Ogden school board, the issue of open closed lunch at the high school was probably the most awaited. A few weeks ago, the board opened the issue to the public to get feedback on the issue to either keep the lunch period open or to move to a closed lunch. At the meeting, discussion sounded the pros and cons of the issue and what should be done. Superintended Bob Shannon took the opportunity to present a recommendation to the board that would seem a compromise to the all or nothing…
Manhattan is known for its bicycle-friendly community with bike lanes and even a “Bicycle Boulevard” on Moro Street, but within the last few months a rise in bicycle thefts has some people looking for an alternate mode of transportation. Locking up bicycles has surfaced as the issue in Manhattan with several thefts in the last three months. Riley County Police are saying that the location where the bicycle is locked has an impact on theft with some of the recent thefts of bicycles being out of sight in high traffic areas. “We’ve had about 60 bicycle thefts in the last three…
K-State announced a new multi-year third tier television contract with Fox Sports and Learfield on Wednesday. The new deal includes nearly 60 sporting events per year to be shown on Fox Sports Kansas City, Fox Sports Midwest, and FCS. Approximately eight K-State men’s basketball games will be shown this season, and up to 20 women’s basketball, baseball, and volleyball games. The new agreement also allows any K-State sporting event not picked up by Fox Sports to be streamed on K-State HDTV.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Duck, Kansas City, a nasty quarterback controversy may be headed your way. It’s just what the embattled, touchdown-starved Chiefs do not need. But if coach Romeo Crennel returns Brady Quinn to the bench and puts Matt Cassel back under center, a quarterback controversy seems assured. Crennel made it clear Tuesday that Quinn and Cassel are now in head-to-head competition. Cassel missed last week’s game at Tampa Bay with a concussion he sustained the week before. But Cassel was back on the wind-swept practice field Tuesday, cleared for noncontract drills, and Crennel expects him to be OK…
Bruce Weber’s first basketball team at K-State will have to work their way into the top 25, as the Cats are receiving votes in the preseason USA Today coaches’ poll. K-State is “ranked” #30 in the poll, and is one of five Big 12 teams mentioned. Kansas is #7, Baylor is #18, and Texas is tied with Florida State at #24. Oklahoma State is also receiving votes. The K-State men will open the season with an exhibition tilt against Washburn on October 30th.
Numerous missing construction items and containers add up to a hefty loss for a Manhattan construction company. Riley County Police received a report of missing construction equipment Tuesday morning around 10:30 a.m. The victim in this case is Cheney Construction, located on the 1100 block of Hayes Drive. Ronald Cheney (58) reported numerous items were removed from a job site on the 4400 of Anderson Avenue by an unknown suspect. He believes the items were taken sometime between April and May of this year. Five construction storage containers were taken, for a loss of $20,000, and $17,000 worth of other miscellaneous construction items were taken…