TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Two Kansas Democrats want the state’s Republican attorney general to stay out of a federal court case over political redistricting. The matter is in federal court because Kansas lawmakers ended their session Sunday without drawing new maps for the state House and Senate, Board of Education and the four U.S. House districts. Attorney General Derek Schmidt says he wants to weigh in on attempts by lawyers to collect legal fees from the state. But Kansas House Minority Leader Paul Davis said Wednesday the case should proceed under the same rules governing past lawsuits. The Lawrence Democrat notes…
Author: KMAN Staff
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Flags will fly at half-staff across Kansas Saturday to honor a soldier from Wichita who died in Afghanistan. Gov. Sam Brownback ordered the honor for Sgt. Zachary Hargrove, who died May 3 while serving with the 1st Infantry Division in Afghanistan. Hargrove was found unresponsive at a medical facility at Bagram Airfield. His death is being investigated. Hargrove was a wheeled vehicle mechanic assigned to the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 84th Explosive Ordnance Disposal Battalion, 1st Infantry Division. He served three tours in Iraq before his deployment to Afghanistan. Hargrove joined the Army in September 1998 and…
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) Wichita police say a bicyclist who died last weekend was hit by one vehicle and run over by a second and neither driver stopped. Police Lt. Joe Schroeder says surveillance videos and forensic evidence determined that two drivers hit 49-year-old John B. Fuqua Saturday. He says a white four-door sedan hit Fuqua from behind. Then a light-colored low-profile SUV ran over Fuqua about 20 seconds later as he lay in the curb lane of a city street. The Wichita Eagle reports that Schroeder says the SUV slowed almost to a stop but then drove away. The driver…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Plenty of Kansas legislators have fingerprints on the aggressive income tax cuts signed into law by Gov. Sam Brownback. But the conservative Republican governor now owns the legislation, even though he and his allies tried to find less aggressive alternatives in the legislative session’s final days. He not only signed the bill, but he pushed for the debate that made it possible and ultimately embraced what passed. He’s likely to get most of the blame if critics are right and the state must close budget shortfalls during the next six years. Conversely, he’ll deserve most of the…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Long lines and delays caused by an upgraded computer system are still being reported at Kansas offices that process vehicle registrations and driver’s licenses. Jeannine Koranda, spokeswoman for the Department of Revenue, says Division of Vehicles had issues Monday and Tuesday with its system, causing delays at locations statewide. The agency is working with its computer vendor to get the system working. The state spent $40 million to implement the new system, which eventually will combine vehicle registrations and driver’s license records into one system. The agency was closed for one week to move records to the…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) A Topeka pastor says he plans to challenge U.S. Rep. Lynn Jenkins for the 2nd Congressional District seat. Democrat Tobias Schlingensiepen announced Tuesday that he would run against Jenkins, a Republican from Topeka. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that Schlingensiepen has been pastor of Topeka’s First Congregational Church for six years and a police chaplain for 12 years. Jenkins will be seeking a third term in the House. The scope of the 2nd district might change after federal judges rule on new redistricting boundaries.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) Drivers around Hutchinson shouldn’t rely on their friends to alert them to sobriety checkpoints. For the first time in the city, the Hutchinson Police Department and Kansas Highway Patrol teamed up for a moving checkpoint. Police Sgt. Brian Hirt says the sobriety checkpoint was set up in five locations in Hutchinson Saturday evening. Hirt says the idea is to fool drivers who use cellphones and Facebook to warn others about the location of a checkpoint. Kansas Highway Patrol Lt. Jason Hoffman says the moving checkpoints are a good way for law enforcement to keep up with changing…
HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) Wild horses and burros will be up for adoption at an event in Hutchinson on June 1-2. The U.S. Bureau of Land Management and the Hutchinson Correctional Facility are co-sponsoring the event. The Wichita Eagle reports eight saddle-trained horses, a two-horse driving team and several untrained horses and burros will be up for adoption. The BLM occasionally removes animals from wild herds in the West to protect the herds’ health. Inmates will conduct training demonstrations throughout the day on June 1, with a competitive bid adoption June 2. To qualify for an adoption, a person must be…
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) Memorial Park Cemetery in Lawrence will not have its traditional “avenue of flags” on Memorial Day because thieves stole a trailer full of flagpoles. The Lawrence Veterans of Foreign Wars reported the theft of the trailer with 300 flagpoles to police last week. The trailer was stored on the post’s property. Post commander Fred Shockey says the VFW will still have its traditional Memorial Day ceremony and put flags on gravestones. The post will try to raise money in the next year to replace the flagpoles. Shockey says some of the poles included brass plaques honoring veterans.…
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) The University of Kansas says 149 employees have expressed interest in a buyout offer. The university offered buyouts last month to 655 of its nearly 4,800 employees in Lawrence and Overland Park. Spokesman Gavin Young says about a quarter of those who applied for buyouts were faculty. He says another quarter were unclassified staff and about half were university support staff. The Lawrence Journal-World reports those who are approved for the program will receive a lump-sum payment equal to one year’s salary, up to a maximum of $100,000. University deans and vice provosts will review the applications…