TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The Kansas Senate is preparing to vote on a bill designed to bolster the long-term financial health of the state pension system for teachers and government workers. The measure on the Senate’s agenda Thursday is a compromise drafted by negotiators who settled differences between the two chambers. If the House also approves it, the plan will go to Gov. Sam Brownback. The compromise includes a plan to use casino revenues to bolster the long-term financial health of the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System. The legislation also includes a new retirement plan for public employees hired after 2014.…
Author: KMAN Staff
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback is preparing to sign a proclamation apologizing to African-American citizens for the years of segregation sanctioned by state laws. Brownback scheduled the signing for Thursday, the 58th anniversary of the U.S. Supreme Court decision in the case of Brown v. Topeka Board of Education. The 1954 ruling declared separate schools for blacks and whites inherently unequal and struck down the doctrine of “separate but equal” as a justification for segregated educational facilities. Among those invited to the signing are Deborah Dandridge, chairwoman of the Kansas African American Affairs Commission, and Mildred Edwards, the…
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) A 50-year-old Missouri man with at least 14 prior drunken driving convictions is facing a new DUI charge after a traffic accident and altercation in Johnson County, Kan. The Kansas City Star reports that John Charles Howard, of Branson, was arrested this week by Overland Park police on a report that he wrecked his car and threatened another man with a knife. Besides DUI, the Johnson County charges include fleeing from a law enforcement officer and driving with a suspended license. Court records show Howard formerly lived in the Kansas City area and has DUI convictions…
U.S. 24 at McCall Road will be reduced to one lane traffic in each direction beginning next Monday, (May 21), , until approximately August 1st, for stormwater construction improvements. This project is the last phase of the McCall Road improvements. Significant delays should be expected throughout the construction process. Please drive slowly, obey all posted traffic control signs, and use caution around the work zones. Travelers are encouraged to avoid the area and seek alternative routes during construction. To view a map of this are click here
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) A U.S. House committee has approved funding for construction of the National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan. That announcement came from Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins’ office Wednesday evening. The House Appropriations Committee on Wednesday included $75 million for construction of the biosecurity lab in its budget for the next fiscal year. The appropriations bill now goes to the full House for consideration. The committee also recommended releasing a total of $90 million that had been previously appropriated for the 2011 and 2012 fiscal years. The Topeka Capital Journal reports (http://bit.ly/KhQ9vw ) $40 million of that money would…
After weeks of going through the processes to fill the vacant seat, Beth Tatarko was chosen at Wednesday night’s Manhattan Ogden school board meeting. Board Vice President Dave Colburn explains this process was a difficult one with so many great candidates …adding this is probably one of the least pleasant things the board has had to do. Tatarko will be sworn in at a later date. Tatarko had served on the school board in previous years. Meanwhile, a reminder Doug Messer left the position as the Manhattan Ogden School Board president recently which left that vacancy, but he hasn’t left…
Pvt. Thomas Lavrey, 21, was pronounced dead at Irwin Army Community Hospital, Fort Riley, Kan. after being found unresponsive in his living quarters May 14. The cause of death is under investigation. Lavrey was a utilities equipment repairer assigned to the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, Special Troops Battalion, 1st Sustainment Brigade, 1st Infantry Division. Lavrey, a West Seneca, N.Y. native, joined the Army in March 2010. He was assigned to Fort Riley in September 2010.
Riley County Treasurer Eileen King indicates the motor vehicle system is down, not only in this county, but statewide. The system went down completely a little after two Wednesday afternoon and King wasn’t sure how long it would be down. King adds driver’s license and property tax business can still be conducted. King had talked to Riley county commissioners earlier this week about problems with the new system, which was recently put into place across the state. Wait times last week varied from half an hour to about two hours. *Update 3:29 pm. The system is now up and fully operational.