Author: KMAN Staff
There were no dry eyes at the Robinson Education Center Wednesday night as USD 383 Board of Education President Doug Messer announced his resignation, effective immediately. Messer had to pause several times as he read a prepared statement, citing personal, professional and family concerns for the decision to step away from the Manhattan-Ogden board. “In my professional career, whenever we take on a new volunteer firefighter, we always tell them, that in the order of priorities, it should be themselves and their family first,” Messer, who also serves as Assistant Riley County Fire Chief, said. “Their career, or school, is…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) A New York environmental services company will pay 13 Kansas cities for falsely billing them for services that weren’t provided. Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt announced Wednesday that he had entered into a consent agreement with Nationwide Environmental Services. Schmidt’s office accused the company of billing the cities for products that were not ordered or services that weren’t provided. The company will refund about $10,600 to the 13 communities and will also pay the cost of the investigation. The cities that will receive refunds are Clay Center, Concordia, Hardtner, Hays, Hoisington, Kanopolis, Leoti, Linwood, Lucas, Minneapolis, Mound…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The Kansas House has rejected a proposed amendment to the state constitution that sought to clarify that only the Legislature can decide how to appropriate state money. The House voted 79-44 on Wednesday, failing to reach the required 84 votes to change the constitution. Senators had not yet considered the proposal and no further action will be taken this session. The change would have modified the Kansas Constitution to state clearly that only the Legislature not the judicial or executive branches can appropriate money. Supporters say the change is necessary to prevent the Kansas Supreme Court from…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Proposals for cracking down on illegal immigration in Kansas are foundering because of a split among majority Republicans in the state House. But House GOP leaders were under pressure Wednesday to get legislation moving. House Speaker Mike O’Neal, of Hutchinson, told fellow Republicans during a caucus meeting that he’d prefer to avoid a debate on immigration because it would be divisive. Some conservatives want the House to debate proposals favored by Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who helped draft tough immigration laws in Alabama and Arizona. Some rural Republicans back a proposal from influential business groups to…
PITTSBURG, Kan. (AP) Pittsburg State University officials are working to repair the Veterans’ Memorial Amphitheater after it was damaged by strong winds about a month ago. The Pittsburg Morning Sun reports winds destroyed some red bud trees, knocked down a flagpole holding the U.S. flag and damaged all of the 50 flagpoles that hold state flags. Tom Amershek, the university’s director of building trades and landscape maintenance, says all the flags were also damaged. He says private donations are being sought to help pay for replacements. Amershek said he hopes to have all work completed before the university’s Memorial Day…
CARBONDALE, Kan. (AP) Authorities will test remains found on property in northeast Kansas to determine whether they are human. The Lawrence Journal-World reports the bones and fragments have been sent to a morgue in Kansas City, Kan., for further examination. Investigators found the additional remains on property near Carbondale after a woman hunting for mushrooms discovered a human skull on Saturday. Carbondale is about 15 miles south of Topeka. The Osage County sheriff’s office says DNA testing could take several months.
RUSSELL, Kan. (AP) A Russell native who died when part of a grain elevator collapsed will have a permanent memorial in his hometown. Russell High School has named a memorial patio and shelter house for Sean Banks, who graduated from the school. The 19-year-old Banks died June 24, 2010, when part of the Russell grain elevator collapsed. The Hays Daily News reports the memorial was introduced between the school’s baseball games Monday. The Sean Banks Memorial Patio and Shelterhouse is between the football field and baseball field. It was built using funds from Banks’ memorial, with some funds coming from…
SEDGWICK, Kan. (AP) The city of Sedgwick wants out of Sedgwick County. Sedgwick Mayor Donald DeHaven says he hopes to have the proposal on the November ballot this year. Most of Sedgwick is in Harvey County but about 10 percent is in Sedgwick County. Sedgwick County Commissioner Richard Ranzau said Tuesday that the request is driven by economic considerations. He says Sedgwick leaders believe Harvey County would do a better job of promoting an industrial park on the Sedgwick County side of the city. Changing the county’s boundary lines would require an election or action by the Kansas Legislature. KFDI…