TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) A gay-rights group wants Kansas legislators to repeal an unenforced law that makes sex between consenting adults of the same gender a crime. The Kansas Equality Coalition is seeking the repeal from the Senate Judiciary Committee, which is considering a bill making other technical changes to state criminal statutes. A hearing on the bill scheduled for Tuesday was delayed until Wednesday because of committee discussion on unrelated matters. In 2003, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled state laws criminalizing gay sex between consenting adults are unconstitutional. The Kansas coalition has been trying since then to get legislators to…
Author: KMAN Staff
FAIRWAY, Kan. (AP) A new clinical research center in Fairway will provide a place for the earliest stage of new drug and treatment tests. The Clinical Research Center started taking patients last week but its official grand opening is Tuesday. The center is part of the University of Kansas Medical Center. The $19 million renovation project was funded by a one-eighth-cent sales tax approved by Johnson County residents. The center’s medical director, Raymond Perez, says the research building will give the Medical Center a place to conduct Phase 1 clinical trials on patients. The Kansas City Star reports the center…
A fire in Wamego this past Friday morning is being investigated as an arson. Wamego Police chief Mike Baker confirmed Tuesday the fire at 314 Maple is under investigation. There were no injuries, but four people were home at the time of the fire, reported shortly before 1:30 a.m. The four individuals were all able to get out of the structure safely. Damage from the fire was minimal, according to Wamego Fire chief Phil Stultz. Stultz indicates damage was confined to the porch and part of the siding on the house.
The past few years have seen a proposed change in access to the internet for rural communities . Steve Sackrider, President and General Manager of the Wamego Telecommunication Company, Inc., talked with KMAN’s Joyce Mermis about the FCC’s plan for broadband in the interview above.
A gas leak has forced the closure of a stretch of K-18 from Seth Child to Scenic Drive, impacting both east and westbound lanes. According to Riley County Police Captain Kurt Moldrup the leak occurred in an eight inch line located 200 yards north of Stagg Hill. In addition to vehicular traffic being impacted, Riley county Police dispatchers indicate flights at Manhattan Regional airport have been halted until the situation can be resolved.
The Flint Hills Area Transportation Agency will be operating on Fake Patty’s Day in an attempt to discourage drunk driving. Anne Smith, aTa bus director, says they plan to start with two vehicles during the day around noon, but adds that more vehicles will become available as night falls. “We’ll run two shifts of employees,” she said. “And we’ll run all day until three in the morning.” Smith estimated that aTa bus provided just under 1,000 rides on Fake Patty’s Day in 2011. Fake Patty’s Day this year falls on March 6.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) A Kansas Senate committee expects to vote Wednesday on a plan for redrawing the state’s four congressional districts. The Reapportionment Committee plans to start with a proposal to expand the 1st Congressional District of western and central Kansas into northeast Kansas to pull in the Manhattan area. Committee chairman Tim Owens, an Overland Park Republican, said Monday he’s willing to have the panel consider alternatives. But he doesn’t support one alternative that keeps the Manhattan area with other eastern Kansas communities in the 2nd District but splits the Kansas City area among two districts. Legislators must redraw…
A Topeka firm has been selected to perform work on the Pottawatomie County Justice center, after a long day of discussions and a vote by county commissioners of two to one. The decision to select KBS constructors came after the apparent low bidder of two weeks ago had a miscalculation involving a geothermal heating and cooling system as an alternate. Murray and Sons had a bid of $10.7 million. A total of 13 firms submitted bids for the project. KMAN News Director Cathy Dawes had an opportunity to speak with Pottawatomie County Commission Chair Gary Yenzer about the vote in the embedded…
KMAN’s Chris Swick looks at your health from KMAN’s Morning News.
The best January period for sales tax collections in Manhattan ever reported….that’s how Manhattan Finance Director Bernie Hayen describes the latest numbers, which actually reflect two months prior, or November of last year. However Hayen is quick to point out the distribution includes two months of Menard’s sales taxes so the total is somewhat inflated. Menard’s did not exist in Manhattan last year at this time. In the January reporting period, $969,391 was collected, with an adjusted rate of nearly $893,532. That compares to last year’s $795,299 for the same time frame and an increase of $126,041. The amount is…