TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) A spokesman for the Kansas Department of Corrections says it is discussing supplemental training for staff at county jails that house state inmates. Department spokesman Jeremy Barclay said Thursday that the informal discussions have been prompted by the escape of four inmates from the Ottawa County Jail in Minneapolis. Two were apprehended Wednesday. But two others, including a convicted murderer, remained at large Thursday. The four inmates were sent to the Ottawa County Jail because of overcrowding at the state prison in Ellsworth. Five counties, including Ottawa County, have passed a state inspection and are certified to…
Author: KMAN Staff
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) The Kansas Board of Education has revoked the license of a teacher who was accused of failing to promptly report suspected child abuse. The case is being called unusual and possibly the first of its kind. The Wichita Eagle reported that 51-year-old Donna L. Ford surrendered her teaching license to the state board. Members voted 6-2 on Tuesday to accept the surrender and revoke Ford’s license. She had been a teacher for 17 years, most recently working at Cleaveland Elementary School in Wichita. She said in a letter to the board that said she surrendered her license…
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) Spirit AeroSystems workers will return to work Monday after a tornado slammed the aircraft parts maker Saturday night in Wichita. The Wichita Eagle reported that employees will be paid for their normal work schedule this week. Workers aren’t required to be at work this week unless contacted by their manager and told otherwise. Spirit AeroSystems President and CEO Jeff Turner said in a statement that the company is committed to doing what needs to be done to have the factory up and running. Turner said the facility has made good progress with the recovery already. The tornado…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Two Kansas agencies have developed a program intended to make it easier for residents and long-term care facilities to safely throw out unwanted medications. The Kansas Medication Disposal Program was created by the state pharmacy board and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Details were being announced Thursday morning at a Statehouse news conference. Several state lawmakers were scheduled to attend along with officials of KDHE and the pharmacy board.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas has launched a new system for reserving cabins and camp sites as state parks, fishing lakes and wildlife areas. The state Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism says its online reservation service http://www.ksoutdoors.com makes it easier to find available cabins and camp sites. The agency temporarily stopped taking reservations online or by phone at the start of the month so that its new system could get up and running. A San Diego-based company, Active Network, is working with the Kansas agency to provide the system. Wildlife and Parks officials say only about half of all camp…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) A convicted murderer and another inmate remained at large after escaping from a Kansas jail where they’d been transferred because of overcrowding at a state prison. Two others were apprehended Wednesday. One turned himself in at a Wal-Mart in Nebraska. All four escaped early Wednesday from the Ottawa County Jail in Minneapolis, Kan., about 120 miles west of Topeka. The two inmates still at large are Santos Carrera-Morales and Eric James, both 22. Carrera-Morales was convicted of first-degree murder in connection with two killings in 2007. One inmate was apprehended quickly after the escape. Authorities said the…
A native Kansan who served as secretary of defense under two U.S. presidents will be the first individual to receive an honorary doctorate from Kansas State University. Robert M. Gates will be recognized with the honor at commencement for the university’s Graduate School at 1 p.m. Friday, May 11, in Bramlage Coliseum. He also will serve as the commencement speaker at the ceremony. “It is most fitting that the first person to receive an honorary doctorate from Kansas State University be a native son of the state who has risen to national prominence,” said Kirk Schulz, university…
The final numbers are in for this year’s Riley County extension Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program. Extension Director Jennifer Wilson presented the totals during Thursday’s Riley County Commission meeting. The volunteers collaborated to complete 442 federal returns and 482 state returns, which netted a total refund amount of $596,488. “If you went to have a paid professional complete your return that would have cost an average of $200,” Wilson said. “We figure the value of the service that we provided came to just under $90,000 this year.” The total number of returns completed was up 11 percent from last year according…
The new Frontier Farm Credit Administrative building is set to begin construction after about an eight year wait. President and CEO Doug Hofbauer explains they needed the facilities for the customers before the headquarters could be upgraded, and explained they have outgrown their current building . The new facility is located at the corner of Vanesta Drive and Kimball Avenue. 85 people participated in the ground-breaking event Wednesday. “We are pleased to be on this site today to begin the construction of our new administrative building,” said Doug Hofbauer, President/CEO, Frontier Farm Credit. “Since the formation of Frontier Farm Credit…
The 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, is set to host a colors casing ceremony on April 26 at Fort Riley, Kan. Officials will furl the brigade’s and its subordinate units’ colors — a symbolic last step in preparing for a deployment. The brigade’s mission is to enable Afghanistan’s government, security forces and economy to operate more independently. Approximately 3,000 “Dragon” Brigade Soldiers will join the division’s headquarters in Eastern Afghanistan. This is the brigade’s third combat deployment since its activation at Fort Riley in 2006. This marks its first deployment to Afghanistan. The ceremony is scheduled to…