TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach says he’ll ask legislators to modify his bill to require new voters to prove their U.S. citizenship ahead of this year’s presidential election. Kobach said Wednesday the changes will address concerns caused by a delay in a major state computer upgrade. A proof-of-citizenship rule is scheduled to take effect Jan. 1, 2013, but Kobach wants to move that forward to June 15. The rule applies to people registering for the first time in Kansas. But a Senate committee learned Wednesday that a key phase of a $40 million upgrade of state…
Author: KMAN Staff
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Ready for some football? How about if going to a semi-pro game would help families recovering from the Harveyville tornado? The Topeka Thunder will play the West Central Warriors of Belton, Mo., on Sunday afternoon in a benefit for Harveyville. The northeastern Kansas town sustained extensive damage and one death when it was hit Feb. 28 by an EF-2 tornado. The Thunder and the Warriors play in the Central Plains Football League. The semi-pro association has more than a dozen eight-man teams throughout Kansas and Missouri that play a high-scoring, arena-style of game outdoors. Sunday’s game will…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) A Kansas House committee is narrowly backing a congressional redistricting proposal that would split the Kansas City area between two U.S. House districts. The Redistricting Committee approved the proposal Wednesday on a 12-11 vote, with House Speaker Mike O’Neal breaking a tie. O’Neal, a Hutchinson Republican, drafted the plan and serves as the panel’s chairman. The vote indicates the proposal probably will go to the House for further debate. However, O’Neal said he’ll hold another committee meeting Thursday to see whether another plan garners more support. His plan divides Wyandotte County in the Kansas City area, keeping…
The U.S. Small Business Administration will make low-interest federal disaster loans available to residents and businesses affected by the tornadoes and severe storms that struck the Eastern half of Kansas Feb. 28. These low-interest loans are available in eight counties including Riley, Pottawatomie, Geary and Wabaunsee counties, for homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes and private, non-profit organizations whose property was damaged or destroyed by the storms. SBA assistance was made available in response to a request from Governor Sam Brownback. A Disaster Loan Outreach Center has been established in the Harveyville Public Library. Applicants may also apply online using…
Riley County Police say an aggravated battery case is being filed in connection with a car/pedestrian accident that sent a man to a Topeka hospital this past weekend during Fake Patty’s day. Blaine Oliver, 21, of Manhattan was released from Stormont Vail in Topeka Wednesday after treatment for injuries to his right leg and head. A suspect has not been named, but RCPD Captain Kurt Moldrup tells KMAN Oliver was crossing Moro at 10th Street, when he stopped in the middle of the street and motioned for a car to slow or stop. However the car reportedly accelerated forward and struck Oliver in the legs, causing…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback has appointed a 20-member council to advise his administration as it overhauls the state’s $2.9 billion-a-year Medicaid program, including one person from Wamego. Council members announced Wednesday included the chairwomen of the Senate and House public health committees, Sen. Vicki Schmidt, a Topeka Republican, and Rep. Brenda Landwehr, a Wichita Republican. Brownback also named Rep. Jerry Henry, of Cummings, the ranking Democrat on the House Social Services Budget Committee, and Sen. Alan Schmidt, a Hays Democrat. Other members of the council represent health care providers and Medicaid participants, with one representative from our…
A Junction City man has been sentenced to about a year and a half with the Kansas Department of corrections for aiding a felon in connection with a 2007 murder in Manhattan. Mekel McAlpine, 26, was sentenced to 19 months with the KDOC earlier this week in Riley County district court. That sentence is to be served concurrently with two Geary county cases. McAlpine entered a plea of no contest last month for his part in the January 27th, 2007 murder of Terrell Morris at Flint Hills place. McAlpine was found to be the driver of a vehicle that delivered two others…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The Kansas Senate is set to approve legislation giving Junction City more flexibility in managing its debt. The measure would give the city an additional three years to reduce the ratio of outstanding debt to its total property valuation. The limit would remain at 37 percent under the bill through June 2016. Junction City issued bonds in the past decade to make improvements related to the return of the Army’s 1st Infantry Division to Fort Riley. City officials and supporters of the debt extension said the expected level of growth didn’t occur, leaving the city in financial…
No first, second or third team selections for Manhattan, but three Tribe boys were honored as the Centennial League coaches announced year-end awards on Wednesday. Honorable mention honors went the way of MHS seniors Keaton Barrager, Brandon Payne, and Deante Burton. Burton, who is committed to play football at Kansas State next fall, was also named to the Centennial League’s All-Defensive Team. All-Centennial League Teams First Team Marcus Fillyaw, sr., Topeka High; DJ Johnson, sr., Topeka High; Jahmal McMurray, so., Highland Park; Jackson Perez, jr., Emporia; Collin Strobel, sr., Hayden. Second Team Shaffee Carr, so., Highland Park; Emeka Okoronkwo, sr.,…
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Kansas State used six pitchers to limit Minnesota to four runs and the Wildcats received a towering two-run homer from Jared King as the Wildcats topped the Gophers, 8-4, Wednesday afternoon at the Metrodome. Kansas State, which moved to 11-6 on the season, is now riding a season-long six game winning streak entering Big 12 play this weekend. The Wildcats also earned their first-ever sweep of Minnesota, while it is the second-straight sweep by K-State after winning all four games against Hartford. Minnesota fell to 7-10 on the season with the loss. On a staff day for the Wildcat pitchers,…