On Thursday, June 21, Congressman Tim Huelskamp and his staff came to Manhattan to visit with community and regional leaders. Although Manhattan still remains with the second district and under Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins, beginning in January 2013 Manhattan will merge with the first district with Congressman Huelskamp as representative. “I appreciate the opportunity to begin an early dialogue with the leaders of what will become the largest city in my district,” said Huelskamp. During the meeting, the group discussed many exciting developments in Manhattan, including the work being done at the airport, the progress begin made toward beginning construction at…
Author: KMAN Staff
The Junction City Police Department is seeking the public’s assistance in identifying and arresting at least one man suspected in a recent series of aggravated burglaries that have been occurring over the last month. In several of the cases, the suspect has entered homes through unsecured doors or in one case through a “doggy door” and removed items from the home as the residents slept nearby. In other cases, an attempt was made to enter the home while the residents slept inside but the suspect was frightened off by alarm systems activated in the homes. Police are very concerned about…
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) The U.S. Justice Department says a Kansas hospice care provider and its Texas-based parent company have agreed to pay $6.1 million to settle allegations they submitted false claims to the Medicare program. The settlement with Wichita-based Hospice Care of Kansas LLC and Fort Worth-based Voyager HospiceCare Inc. was announced Thursday. The deal results from a whistleblower lawsuit first filed more than six years ago by Beverly Landis, a Hospice Care of Kansas nurse. Landis will receive $1.34 million under provisions of the federal False Claims Act. The government alleged the companies submitted false Medicare claims between 2004…
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) An attorney for a suburban Chicago mother accused in Kansas of abusing her five children says the woman was unaware of how the children were being treated. Deborah and Adolfo Gomez of Northlake, Ill., appeared separately Thursday in Douglas County District Court in Lawrence to set preliminary hearing dates. The couple were arrested last week after two of their children were found tied up and blindfolded outside their SUV in a Walmart parking lot in Lawrence. Three older children were found inside the vehicle unrestrained. Deborah Gomez’s attorney says the woman didn’t know what was happening to…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Shawnee County citizens continue to be frustrated by delays caused by a new computer system for Kansas vehicle and title registrations. Employees of the county treasurer’s office say they are just as frustrated by delays that began after the new $40 million motor vehicle system was installed. The office usually stops taking numbers at noon and is three weeks behind on mail-in renewals. A spokeswoman for the state revenue department says counties statewide have processed 36.5 percent more renewals and 24 percent more titles and registrations than by this time last year. She credits the new system…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Ten former employees of Topeka’s parks and recreation department are seeking a total of $745,000 from the city over severance packages. The employees lost their jobs with the city when the Topeka and Shawnee County parks and recreations departments were consolidated under county control Jan. 1. They all are now working for the county but they claim the new jobs offer substantially less pay and benefits. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports the employees contend they weren’t given severance benefits, which the city code requires if employees lose their jobs through no fault of their own. It also claims…
A Kansas State University biologist rounded out the prosecution’s witnesses on Thursday’s capital murder trial of Luis Aguirre. Aguirre is charged with the murders of his ex-girlfriend Tanya Maldonado and her 13-month old son Juan in September of 2009. Early morning testimony centered on finishing the readings of email correspondence between Aguirre and Tanya Maldonado during 2009. Judge Meryl Wilson then released the Jury until the afternoon while the prosecution and defense attorney’s made arguments on whether or not Kansas State University biologist Dr. Spencer Tomb’s testimony would be heard in court. Judge Wilson ruled in favor of allowing the testimony,…
PITTSBURG, Kan. (AP) Some Crawford County residents saw an unexpected fireworks show when six containers of rockets and other explosives caught fire. Federal, state and county officials are trying to determine what caused the fire Tuesday evening outside Jake’s Fireworks Warehouse about a mile west of Pittsburg. Baker Township fire chief Mike Ryan says firefighters had to dodge fireworks while fighting the blaze. They successfully kept it from spreading to the warehouse, which was about 30 feet away. No firefighters were injured. The Joplin Globe reports several employees at the business also escaped injury. Six fire departments fought the blaze…