Author: KMAN Staff

The noon deadline on June 11 has passed for those wishing to file for state positions. According to the Secretary of State’s website, there are four candidates for 22nd district State Senator, including democrat Tom Hawk of Manhattan, and republicans Joe Knopp, Bob Reader, and Roger Reitz all from Manhattan. Candidates for area house seats include Democrat Sydney Carlin and republican Lee Modesitt for the 66th District and Democrat Aaron Estabrook and republican Tom Phillips for the 67th district, all from Manhattan. Another seat of local interest is the 51st, showing Dee McKee of Manhattan as a republican, along with republicans Ron Highland…

As reported earlier, USD 378 Superintend Brad Starnes and his family had significant damage to their home due to a fire Sunday evening. At about 5:45 pm, the call came in and it took firefighters about two hours to get the blaze under control due to high winds. According to Eric Swanson, the Riley County High School principal, the family was able to salvage most of the items in their basement, but only a few pieces of furniture and dishes upstairs were saved For anyone looking to help the family, the district is making arrangements. “Right now we are taking names and…

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) A former executive of a Kansas high-tech company has been charged with defrauding the United States by creating false invoices on government contracts to help the struggling firm. Aaron Madison was executive vice president and chief operating officer of Manhattan-based NanoScale, a small company that makes advanced chemistry products. Prosecutors filed a criminal information Monday in federal court in Wichita charging Madison with wire fraud. Prosecutors say 90 percent of the firm’s business came from government contracts, most with the Defense Department. The government alleges that between 2009 and 2011 Madison manipulated contract costs. Prosecutors also contend…

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Big changes appear in store for the Kansas Legislature now that the state’s candidate filing deadline has passed. Dozens of newcomers filed for legislative seats before Monday’s noon deadline, and several legislators opted not to run again. Also, several Kansas House members launched campaigns for the state Senate. The flurry of activity meant six of the 40 Senate seats have no incumbent running, and 43 of 125 House seats are open. But new political boundaries that reflect population changes over the past decade also mean that in two Senate districts and at least 10 House districts, incumbents…

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) Federal prosecutors say personalized license plates on a getaway car helped lead to two Wichita men accused of robbing a fast-food restaurant. The U.S. Attorney’s office said Monday that 49-year-old James Adamson and 55-year-old Paul Sifuentez are both charged with one count each of robbery and using a firearm in a violent crime. Prosecutors say Sifuentez demanded money at gunpoint Thursday from a Kentucky Fried Chicken, then fled in a car with the personalized tag “SAVOY” registered to Adamson. Wichita police said two officers stopped the vehicle and were met with gunfire that shattered a window on…

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Three more Kansas Democrats have filed for seats in the U.S. House, including two hoping to run against Republican Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins. Bob Eye, an attorney from Lawrence, and the Rev. Tobias Schlingensiepen, who’s on leave as senior pastor of Topeka’s First Congregational Church, secured spots on the primary ballot Monday in the 2nd Congressional District. Jenkins has represented the district since 2009. Filing Monday for the Democratic primary in the 4th Congressional District of south-central Kansas was Esau Freeman, a house painter and artist from Wichita. Freeman hopes to run in November against freshman Republican Congressman…

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The Kansas attorney general’s office paid outside lawyers more than $644,000 to defend anti-abortion laws enacted last year. The office says it paid more than $328,000 as of Friday to Foulston Siefken, a Wichita firm helping defend a budget provision denying federal dollars for non-abortion services to Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood has filed a federal lawsuit against the measure. The attorney general’s office paid more than $200,000 to Thompson, Ramsdell Qualseth, of Lawrence, to help defend health and safety regulations for abortion providers. Kansas City-area physicians challenged the rules in federal court and then in state court.…

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) A Lawrence teenager is among five candidates for National Youth of the Year, an honor administered by the Boys and Girls Club of America. The Lawrence Journal World reports that 18-year-old Trei Dudley could earn a $50,000 scholarship with the award. She’s the first Kansas resident to be a finalist for the national award. The National Youth award honors youth who have overcome odds and demonstrated exceptional character and accomplishments. Dudley was named Southwest Region Youth of the Year in Dallas on Tuesday after winning local and state competitions. She’s also a staff member for the Boys…

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas officials will hold two public hearings this month on Gov. Sam Brownback’s plan to overhaul the state’s $2.9 billion-a-year Medicaid program. The hearings are scheduled June 18 in Wichita and June 20 in Topeka, ahead of the submission of a revised request for a federal go-ahead of the overhaul. Medicaid is funded jointly by states and the federal government to provide health coverage for the poor, disabled and elderly. Kansas plans to turn the management of its Medicaid program over to three private health insurers but needs the federal government to waive some rules. The state…