Music tends to be universal, and that’s exactly what musician Pavla Schedova from the Czech Republic of Dobrichovice has found in her travels. Schedova was in Manhattan to help celebrate the dedication of Manhattan’s Partner City Flag Plaza at City Park. Former Mayor of Manhattan’s Partner City, Vaclave Kracochvil says Manhattan’s changed a lot in the six years since he last visited. Kracochvil says partner cities are good because one is accepted and you can learn about the other city’s problems and how they live. Meanwhile, the Trehusk Band of Dobrichovice will fill the air with folk song selections from…
Author: KMAN Staff
Two Soldiers died due to injuries sustained from small-arms fire while on patrol in southern Afghanistan. Specialist Robert Dyas, 21, of Nampa, Idaho, and Specialist Jakob Roelli, 24, of Darlington, Wis., were on patrol in Afghanistan, when their unit came under attack. The Soldiers were assigned to 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment, 1st Heavy Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, currently deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Dyas joined the Army in January 2009 as a fire support specialist. Roelli joined as an infantryman in August 2007.
SALINA, Kan. (AP) Authorities have made another arrest in a central Kansas crackdown on distribution of an illegal drug nicknamed “potpourri.” KSAL-AM reports that Salina police arrested a 10th person Tuesday in an investigation that began earlier this month. Nine other people were arrested last week on suspicion of distributing the marijuana-like substance in the Salina area. Authorities say the so-called “potpourri” was manufactured in the Denver area and brought to Kansas. The case has been investigated by a regional drug task force, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and Salina police. Officers seized nearly two pounds of the drug, with…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) A Kansas doctor and a researcher accused of falsifying data in a clinical drug trial appear ready to change their pleas next month. Federal court notations show change-of-plea hearings are scheduled Oct. 19 for Wayne Spencer, a Topeka physician, and Lisa Sharp, a clinical research coordinator from Olathe. Both were indicted in June on charges of conspiracy, mail fraud and falsifying information required by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Spencer and Sharp worked for Lee Research Institute, which was paid $30,000 by pharmaceutical company Schering-Plough to conduct clinical trials of an allergy pill on human subjects.…
HUGOTON, Kan. (AP) A company that plans to convert switch grass into biofuels has received a state air quality permit to build a large cellulosic ethanol plant in southwest Kansas. The Garden City Telegram reports Abengoa Bioenergy received the permit Friday for a $550 million plant in Hugoton that will produce more than 23 million gallons of fuel a year. Sixty-five people are expected to work at the plant, which is billed as the nation’s first commercial-scale cellulosic ethanol operation. The company says construction is expected to take about two years and the facility will have an annual payroll of…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The state’s deputy education commissioner for finance will update Kansas lawmakers on the effects of funding cuts on public school districts. Dale Dennis is scheduled to appear Thursday morning at a hearing of the joint Legislative Education Planning Committee. He’s expected to address the use of reserve accounts by districts to offset this year’s $232 per-student cut in state aid to schools. Reserve funds are set aside for emergencies, but districts are tapping them for such routine expenses as salaries, utilities and supplies.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The U.S. Department of Education is recognizing five Kansas schools for academic excellence and closing achievement gaps between disadvantaged students and others. The state’s National Blue Ribbon Schools are Louisburg High School, MacArthur Elementary School in Liberal, Oswego High School, Sunflower Elementary School in Gardner and Union Valley Elementary School in Buhler. They were among 304 schools nationwide 255 public and 49 private to receive the honor for 2011. They will be honored at an awards ceremony Nov. 14-15 in Washington, D.C. Kansas Education Commissioner Diane DeBacker says the schools are to be commended for demonstrating “consistent…
LEAWOOD, Kan. (AP) A suspect in the 1981 shooting death of a Kansas postal worker during a botched robbery will go to trial. A Johnson County judge ruled Wednesday that enough evidence existed to try 50-year-old Gary Holcomb Sr. for felony murder in the death of 32-year-old Philip Whitehead. After that ruling, Holcomb pleaded not guilty to the charge. Whitehead was shot during a robbery at his home. Prosecutors say Holcomb was not the shooter but he was part of the robbery that led to the shooting. The Kansas City Star reports that there was not enough evidence to charge…
SUSANK, Kan. (AP) Two central Kansas towns are struggling with a lack of water after a lingering drought. The Barton County town of Susank says residents need to cut back on all watering and fix any leaking water sources. The Russell Water District No. 3 is based in Susank. District manager Ron Nuss says if residents don’t voluntarily conserve enough water, pasture and livestock watering might be limited. The request comes after the city of Otis was told by state officials it had to reduce water use. Nuss said his water district buys water from Otis, so the order involves…
HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) Kansas health officials are investigating whether eight reported cases of listeria including two deaths are related to contaminated cantaloupe from Colorado. State officials said Thursday that at least eight people in Kansas have become ill from the bacteria since Aug. 26. Two people have died. Health department spokeswoman Barbara Hersh says none of the cases have been definitely linked to cantaloupe from Colorado. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says as to Thursday, there are 55 confirmed cases in 14 states of people sickened by the cantaloupes. The first six Kansas cases were reported Aug. 26,…