GARDNER, Kan. (AP) Two people died in an accident that shut down southbound Interstate 35 near Gardner for several hours. The Johnson County Sheriff’s office says in a news release that the accident occurred about 1:45 a.m. Tuesday. Two people were ejected from a car and died at the scene after the car rolled. No one else was in the car. Investigators are trying to determine what caused the car to roll. The interstate reopened about 6 a.m.
Author: KMAN Staff
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The president of the Kansas Senate says he questioned whether dinners of legislators invited to Gov. Sam Brownback’s official residence violate the state’s open meetings law. In the last month, Brownback has hosted members of 13 legislative committees at Cedar Crest for what he calls “legislative dinners.” The Kansas Press Association and The Topeka Capital-Journal are questioning whether the meetings violate the open meetings law. The law prohibits a majority of a legislative body from discussing government business without giving the public notice and access. Senate President Steve Morris, a Republican from Hugoton, says he raised that…
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) The Kansas Bioscience Authority spent about $122,000 in public funds on legal fees for two former executives. The Wichita Eagle reports the KBA had said previously the legal fees cost about $64,000. Attorney Tariq Abdullah said Monday several pages had been inadvertently excluded from an electronic copy of legal billing records sent to The Eagle last week. The money was spent during a forensic audit that questioned some practices of former KBA chief executive officer Tom Thornton and Janice Katterhenry, former chief financial and operating officer. A Senate Commerce Committee and the Johnson County District Attorney’s office…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Fire investigators say a Topeka house exploded after a contractor hit a gas line. The home of 73-year-old Lucinia Tolliver exploded Monday. Topeka Fire Department investigator Michael Martin says the contractor hit the gas line while excavating to install a sprinkler system at a neighboring home. Police Lt. Jana Harden said Tolliver was “alert, conscious and aware” when emergency responders arrived at her home but she was hospitalized for treatment. The Topeka Capital-Journal reported Tolliver was a retired typesetter at the newspaper who lived alone. Green said gas was shut off to 77 homes shortly after the…
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…
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.