TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas legislators negotiating the final version of a proposed state budget have decided to include $700,000 for a new Creative Arts Industry Commission. The commission will be formed in July by the merger of the state’s Arts and Film Services commissions under legislation signed last week by Gov. Sam Brownback. The commission will part of the Department of Commerce, focusing on creating arts-related jobs. Brownback proposed the merger and the appropriation of $200,000 for the commission for the fiscal year that starts in July. In their versions of the budget, both chambers included $700,000 and authorized the…
Author: KMAN Staff
HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) Prosecutors have added another charge against a 32-year-old man accused of killing a Hutchinson woman in June 2011. A judge on Tuesday granted a request by the Reno County district attorney to file a new charge of aggravated intimidation against Charles Christopher Logsdon. Logsdon and 49-year-old Billy Joe Craig Jr. face first-degree murder and several other charges in the shooting death of Jennifer Heckel. Heckel’s 5-year-old son was home at the time and alerted neighbors. Prosecutors have said they believe the suspects planned to rob someone else and went to the wrong house. The Hutchinson News reports…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The Kansas Historical Society has added a variety of papers from 19th century explorer William Clark to its online collection. The papers date from 1807 through 1855. They were bound in leather volumes when a former Historical Society director found them at a used bookstore in Lawrence. Clark and Meriweather Lewis led an expedition from Missouri to the Pacific Ocean. Clark was later appointed superintendent of Indian Affairs for the Territory of Upper Louisiana. The papers include surveys of Indian reservations, account books, treaties, weather data and the records of the Missouri Fur Company.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) An illegal immigrant from Mexico who is accused for murder in his native country has been deported from Kansas. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement says 37-year-old Sergio Arturo Moreno-Perez was transferred Tuesday to Mexican law enforcement authorities. The Wichita resident was wanted on a 2006 warrant for a homicide in Chihuahua, Mexico. Moreno first entered the United States illegally in 1978, but later became a permanent resident. ICE says he was deported three times between 1995 and 2002 and convicted twice of illegally re-entering the U.S. Moreno has multiple felony convictions for crimes in the Wichita area,…
Two people have been arrested following a drug bust in Junction City. The Junction City-Geary County Drug Operations Group, assisted by the Junction City-Geary County S.W.A.T team executed a search warrant in the 600 block of West Fifth Street Wednesday. The search warrant was obtained after a 3 month long investigation by the Drug Operations Group into suspected drug activity at the residence. Arrested were Michael Artis, 53, and Angela Beamon, 50, both of Junction City. Artis’s eight charges include Possession of Marijuana with Intent to Distribute, felony possession of drug paraphernalia and Criminal Possession of a Firearm,. Beamon’s six charges include Possession of Marijuana with Intent…
Arrests Marcus Andrew Bragg, 20, 915 Colorado St., for failure to appear. Bond set at $129. Brian Mark Gillispie, 35, 3107 Heritage Ct., Apartment 60, for failure to appear. Bond set at $500. Jennifer Lee Mitchell, 41, 3000 Tuttle Creek Blvd., Lot 589, for probation violation. Bond set at $500. Ryan Allen Tummons, 20, Fort Riley, Kan., for criminal damage to property. Bond set at $500. Antonio Michael Sutton, 26, Alma, Kan., for aggravated robbery. Bond set at $25,000. Brian Mark Gillispie, 35, 3107 Heritage Ct., Apartment 60, for driving with a suspended license and driving in violation of restrictions.…
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) Mike Moustakas homered, Billy Butler and Brayan Pena each drove in a pair of runs and the Kansas City Royals kept Texas’ potent offense in check for a second straight game in a 7-4 win over the Rangers on Tuesday night. The Royals took advantage of two throwing errors by Rangers starter Colby Lewis (3-3) to score five unearned runs in the first two innings. Moustakas reached base for a 22nd consecutive game to help make a winner of Vin Mazzaro, who made his first start this season. Mazzaro allowed three runs on seven hits in…
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Kansas City Chiefs owner Clark Hunt says his team is celebrating its 50th anniversary in the city this year and plans to stick around for another five decades. Hunt joined Chiefs general manager Scott Pioli and head coach Romeo Crennel on Tuesday to announce several activities planned to mark the anniversary. Among them are charitable functions and a trip to Joplin to help the city rebuild from the deadly May 2011 tornado. The team also honored 10 Chiefs fans who have been season ticket holders since the team moved from Dallas 50 years ago. Hunt says…
Wamego’s Power Pool contract has been approved. At Tuesday’s City Commission meeting, City Manager Merl Page said he received confirmation Tuesday morning that the City’s Southwest Power Pool wholesale power supply contract with Westar has been approved. Page said the confirmation was for the rollover right for transmission for wholesale power from Westar, even though the City did not retain rollover rights from the previous contract. However, since the City did a comprehensive transmission study last year, the rollover right went into effect. He added that every member of the Pool is grandfathered one rollover right, and this contract is…
A Manhattan businessman and former community planner has announced his candidacy for the Riley County Commission. Rod Harms, president of Civitas Group, made the announcement at Monday night’s meeting of the Riley County Democratic Party. Harms is seeking to follow third district incumbent Commissioner Karen McCulloh, who has announced that she will not seek re-election. Harms has outlined four message points that he will focus on during the campaign: including Good preparation for future growth of infrastructure and tax base; Good procedures lead to good decisions; Efficient and effective county government; and Smart programs for economic development. Harms is president of Civitas…