TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas House members are preparing to debate a proposed amendment to the state constitution aimed at blocking lawsuits over education funding. The measure on Tuesday’s agenda would declare that courts or the executive branch couldn’t direct the Legislature to appropriate money. The proposal is backed by Republican Gov. Sam Brownback and GOP leaders in both chambers. The Kansas Constitution currently says the state cannot spend any money unless the Legislature makes a specific appropriation. But in decisions in a school finance lawsuit in 2005 and 2006, the state Supreme Court told lawmakers they had to increase aid…
Author: KMAN Staff
PITTSBURG, Kan. (AP) Officials at Pittsburg High School are seeking more input from parents before advancing a proposed drug-testing policy for any student participating in extracurricular activities. The Joplin Globe reports that the policy would require students and parents at the southeast Kansas school to sign informed-consent agreements before the students can participate in activities. The agreement would make students eligible for random drug tests. Pittsburg High School activities director Doug Hitchcock says only about 20 people showed up for a session this month to discuss the proposal. Another meeting has been set for April 3. Hitchcock said administrators want…
EDWARDSVILLE, Kan. (AP) Police in a northeastern Kansas town are investigating the deaths of two men found inside a home. KCTV reports officers went to the house in Edwardsville after getting a 911 call shortly before 4:30 p.m. Monday. Police haven’t said who placed the call. Investigators were trying to determine if the deaths were a murder-suicide or a double homicide. Edwardsville is a community of about 4,500 people in Wyandotte County, just west of Kansas City, Kan.
1. Riley County Police responded to a call from Mercy Regional Health Center concerning a possible rape, occurring in Northern Riley County. RCPD reported to KMAN Tuesday, that the rape was said to occur around 1:00 p.m. on Friday (March 23rd). The subject is said to have known the victim prior to the incident. 2. Two charges land a Manhattan man in jail with a $10,000 bond. 48 year-old Lee Smith was arrested around 7:00 p.m. Monday on the 1300 block of Baehr Place. Smith was arrested for theft and possession of paraphernalia.
WESTMORELAND, Kan. – Ground was broken on Monday at the site of the new Pottawatomie County jail-courthouse. The county commission, representatives from KBS Constructors, Inc., and Treanor Architects, among others were on hand for the ceremony. “We incorporated everybody that’s been involved in this because it has been a long process,” commission chair Gary Yenzer said. “We invited some of our past commissioners that started this process many years ago. They deserved to see the groundbreaking.” KBS will be handling the construction of the $11.6 million facility, which will be located just north of the current jail. “It’s a limestone…
Kansas State University President Kirk Schulz and Athletic Director John Currie will address the media Tuesday morning at a press conference to be held in the Legends Room at Bramlage Coliseum. The press conference is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m. and is expected to deal with the situation surrounding the K-State Men’s Basketball program. Sportsradio 1350 KMAN will broadcast live from the press conference which can also be heard online at www.1350kman.com
Captain Kurt Moldrup says the consolidated dispatch system has improved dispatch operations for the local area emergency response teams. The new consolidated dispatch system allows dispatchers to handle emergency calls from start to finish, and facilitate information flows between emergency response units. The consolidated dispatch system also requires dispatchers to become certified as Emergency Medical Dispatchers. This means dispatchers are capable of using preset flow charts to help callers before responders arrive. Captain Moldrup says the new system has also had another benefit of “Opening up some new channels” of communication between departments, and improving department relations.
More budget discussion by Riley County law board members, and it looks like the matter will be going to another special meeting. During Monday’s meeting, questions were still asked about whether the budget for the Riley County Police department can afford two new police officers, two non-sworn officers, and a cost of living increase. Board member Loren Pepperd had an interesting analogy, when talking about cut-backs at upper governmental levels, saying “the big bear out there in the woods though is that the budgets of 2014, 2015 because right now both the federal government and the and state government going through…