State Senator Roger Reitz of Manhattan tells KMAN it’s different than usual, and he wants to make that clear to constiuents….
Author: KMAN Staff
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas House members have rejected an attempt to narrow the scope of a bill designed to prevent the state from subsidizing abortions even indirectly through tax breaks. The House rejected an amendment on a voice vote during a debate Friday to eliminate any provisions in the bill dealing with tax laws. It was offered by Rep. Judy Loganbill, a Wichita Democrat and abortion rights supporter. The House is expected to vote on the bill Friday. The measure would prevent individual income tax filers from including abortion expenses when claiming a deduction for medical costs. It also would…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The Kansas House has ducked a debate on loosening the state’s restrictions on smoking in public places. The House voted 62-49 on Friday to send the smoking measure to its Health and Human Services Committee rather than debate it. The bill would create an exception to a statewide ban on smoking in bars, restaurants and other public places for businesses catering only to adults 21 or older. Rep. Bill Otto, a LeRoy Republican, said he returned the bill to committee even though he supports it partly because the Senate isn’t likely to approve it this year. Public…
LANSING, Kan. (AP) A child sex offender who escaped from Lansing Correctional Facility on April 18 is still eluding authorities. State prison officials said in a news release Friday that 59-year-old Gary Leslie Furthmyer is believed to be in the downtown Kansas City, Mo., area. Possible sightings have been reported at Kansas City homeless shelters. Furthmyer escaped from his minimum security assignment at a steam plant at the Lansing prison. He was serving a six- to 25-year sentence out of Sedgwick County for indecent liberties with a child and aggravated failure to appear. Furthmyer is 5-foot-9 and 185 lbs, with…
WINFIELD, Kan. (AP) Newell Rubbermaid’s decision to expand its plant in Winfield was a cause of celebration in southern Kansas town. State, local and federal officials were in Winfield Thursday for a groundbreaking of Rubbermaid’s new, 500,000-square-foot distribution center. Rubbermaid announced in December that it would build the new distribution center, as well as closing its Greenville, Texas, plant and moving those jobs to Winfield. The Winfield Daily Courier reports the distribution facility is scheduled to be completed by the end of October. About 30 new jobs are expected to be created when the center opens. Rubbermaid is increasing capacity…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) A Kansas House committee is expected to hold hearings on a new Senate redistricting plan similar to one that failed to get enough votes from senators. House Speaker Mike O’Neal said the House Redistricting Committee would hear testimony Friday with the goal of endorsing a plan early next week. The move breaks from legislative tradition where each chamber draws its own political boundaries. A new Senate map approved by that chamber Wednesday was defeated Thursday in the House over concerns that it diluted minority votes by collapsing two western Kansas districts. That map put Republican Sen. Garrett…
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) A Kansas military school embroiled in a lawsuit alleging abuse of cadets is denying it destroyed photos and videos on students’ cellphones related to the case. Families of former cadets who have sued St. John’s Military School in Salina have asked a federal judge to issue an order protecting any remaining photos and videos. The plaintiffs also want a computer forensics expert appointed as a “special master” at the school’s expense to attempt to recreate material they say was deleted from student cellphones. In its response Thursday, St. John’s called the request a fishing expedition and an…
Arrests Mahfuza Hao Lima, 28, 1541 International Ct., Apartment 9, for aggravated assault and domestic battery. Bond set at $3,000. Chad Anderson Smith, 35, 1027 Yuma St., Apartment 1, for sexual exploitation of a child. Bond set at $5,000. Jennifer Christine Burton, 25, Junction City, Kan., for failure to appear. Bond set at $1,500. Jesse Lee Hammond, 65, Junction City, Kan., for rape. Bond set at $250,000. Aaron Lewis Beck, 24, 717 Kearney St., for driving with a suspended license. Bond set at $500. Ashley Lenae Cieslak, 22, 2018 Shirley Ln., for domestic battery. Bond set at $500. Christopher T.…
IRVING, Texas (AP) The Big 12 Conference has scheduled a Friday news conference to introduce former Stanford University athletic director Bob Bowlsby as the new conference commissioner. The news conference is scheduled for the conference headquarters in the Dallas suburb of Irving. He’ll succeed interim commissioner Chuck Neinas, who succeeded the ousted Dan Beebe in September. Bowlsby is scheduled to take the Big 12 reins on June 15 after six years running the Stanford athletic programs. The 60-year-old Bowlsby had passed up several chances to leave Stanford over the years. He’s a nationally respected college administrator whom Stanford hired away…