TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Interstate 70 has reopened to westbound traffic but remained closed to eastbound vehicles near downtown Topeka, nearly 12 hours after the fatal, pre-dawn of a tractor-trailer. The crash happened just before 5 a.m. Tuesday, spilling hot asphalt oil from the rig’s tanker and pulling down an overhead sign. The Kansas Highway Patrol has identified the driver as 57-year-old Paul Cardwell, of Abilene. The Kansas Department of Transportation says westbound lanes reopened about 4:30 p.m. Eastbound I-70 was reopened at 9:30 p.m.
Author: KMAN Staff
EMPORIA, Kan. (AP) Emporia State University has scheduled a memorial service for two students killed last in week by a fire in their off-campus apartment. The service will take place at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in Albert Taylor Hall on the Emporia State campus. Authorities have said Yawai Fan, 23, and Zheng Lin, 22, died Oct. 20 when items lying on the grate of a floor furnace ignited in their duplex. Both came to Emporia State from China in the fall semester of 2009. Fan was a sophomore studying for his chemistry degree. Lin was studying for her master’s degree in…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) As Halloween approaches, vampires are getting some academic scrutiny at Washburn University in Topeka. Professor Thomas Prasch will discuss the social history of the blood-craving creatures at 7 p.m. Wednesday in the Henderson Learning Resources Center. The event is free and open to the public. But Washburn officials caution the program isn’t appropriate for younger listeners because of the graphic subject matter. The talk will focus on how the legends of vampires have evolved in response to society’s fears and concerns.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) One of the country’s best-known storm chasers brings his 16,000-pound armored tornado intercept vehicle to the Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Museum next month. Sean Casey, star of “Storm Chasers” on the Discovery Channel, will be at the Hutchinson attraction Nov. 4-5 for a series of weather-related activities and family events. Casey’s film “Tornado Alley” will be shown several times both days in the Cosmosphere’s IMAX dome. The two-day event follows one of the most destructive tornado seasons in the nation’s history. The American Red Cross, emergency medical service groups and others will offer weather-related services and demonstrations…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Kansas has received a $250,000 federal grant to help improve the chances of educational success for children in foster care. The Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services will use the grant to communicate more effectively with schools about educating foster children. SRS officials say the goal is to boost graduation rates among abused or neglected children in foster care, who often transfer among schools two or more times in a year. Transfers are an issue because schools often have different graduation requirements, preventing foster children from getting a diploma within four years. SRS plans to work with…
WASHINGTON (AP) Kansas Congressman Tim Huelskamp has received a “Bronze Mouse” award from a nonprofit group for his office website, making him the only member of the state’s delegation honored this year. The Congressional Management Foundation gave the Republican freshman’s website a grade of A-minus for usefulness, ease of access and the amount of information it offers. Huelskamp represents the 1st Congressional District of western and central Kansas. His site was among 93 websites of individual members, committees or leadership offices honored. The foundation’s top award is the “Platinum Mouse,” given to only one committee, leadership office and member each…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Gov. Sam Brownback has filled a vacancy on a panel studying possible alternatives to the state’s public pension system. Frederick Poccia III replaces Chris Long, who has been appointed to the Board of Trustees of the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System. Poccia, of Overland Park, has more than 30 years of experience in the banking and financial services industries. The KPERS Study Commission was created under changes made to the pension system during the 2011 legislative session. The commission will make recommendations to the 2012 Legislature, which will consider identical bills in the House and Senate. Identical…
WAKEENEY, Kan. (AP) Trego County authorities say a Scott City man who was found dead at Cedar Bluff Reservoir apparently drowned. The county sheriff’s department says two fishermen found the body of William L. Dryer on Monday on the reservoir’s northeast shoreline. The body was floating in about 4 feet of water at an old parking lot area. The Hutchinson News reports that the man’s identity and other information was not immediately released.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) Members of Occupy Lawrence are looking for a new site to camp after the city ordered them out of a downtown park. Lawrence police told the group members Tuesday that they might be arrested and have their gear confiscated if they didn’t move out of South Park. Police spokesman Sgt. Matt Sarna said police did not encounter any problems while the protesters moved out of the park. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that police cited a city ordinance that bars use of the park from 11:30 p.m. to 6 a.m. Tuesday evening several members of the group asked…
The budget for 2012 may be finished, but that didn’t stop Manhattan’s City Commission from looking even further ahead at their work session Tuesday night. Director of Finance Bernie Hayen provided the Commission with a presentation detailing budget projections for the next three years, and Commissioners responded with much discussion and many questions. Following Hayen’s presentation, the topic was changed to a slightly more present matter: the possible cuts to social service funding proposed to begin next year. Many members of the public and officials from agencies came forward to make their opinions known, many to speak out in…