LUBBOCK, Texas (AP) The Texas Supreme Court has denied Mike Leach’s appeal in his wrongful termination lawsuit against Texas Tech. The ruling from the state’s highest civil court in Austin came Friday, more than two years after the university fired Leach amid claims that the coach mistreated player Adam James when the son of U.S. Senate candidate Craig James had a concussion. Leach, who denies the allegations, has said an $800,000 bonus due the day after his firing was behind his dismissal. Attorneys for Leach, now coaching at Washington State, wanted to argue against an appellate ruling that threw…
Author: KMAN Staff
Fire destroyed a house that was under construction in the 2700 block of Browning Avenue Friday morning. “We arrived on scene and found heavy smoke coming from a two-story house that was under construction,” Ryan Almes, Deputy Manhattan Fire Chief, says. “It was nearing completion, but our crews ran into some spots where the fire had damaged the home structurally.” Almes says fire fighters were unable to extinguish the fire from the inside because of those structural issues. It will also hamper an investigation into the cause of the blaze. The house was unoccupied. There were no injuries to any…
A 15 year old from Manhattan will be tried as an adult in connection with a Riley county first degree murder case, relating to the April 2011 shooting death of fellow Manhattan high school student Tyler Dowling. That was the ruling issued Thursday afternoon by Riley county district Judge David Stutzman. The ruling follows a two day hearing earlier this month. Judge Stutzman’s 14 page order says the state’s motion to proceed with adult prosecution should be granted, adding the seriousness and nature of the alleged crimes and the manner oif commission are the dominant factors in the case. The judge goes on…
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) The union representing engineers and technical workers at Spirit AeroSystems has filed a grievance with the National Labor Relations Board over changes to the company’s employee evaluation process. The Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace said Thursday that it filed the complaint because the company did not negotiate before starting a performance improvement process for employees whose evaluations drop. SPEEA Midwest director Bob Brewer says nearly 1,000 employees dropped in performance ratings without justification. The union contends management concocted a scheme to blame employees for management’s poor decisions. Spirit AeroSystems did not immediately return a message…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Several hundred people rallied outside the Kansas Statehouse against various Republican legislative proposals and some of Secretary of State Kris Kobach’s initiatives. Wednesday’s event was organized by Kansans United in Voice and Spirit. Standing in a cold drizzle, the protesters spoke out against proposals from Republican Gov. Sam Brownback to change the state’s school finance formula, income tax structure and social service programs. The group is also concerned about Kobach’s initiatives on voter registration and immigration. Kobach is a former law professor who helped draft tough immigration laws in Alabama and Arizona. Last fall the group brought…
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) Gov. Sam Brownback and several wind energy officials are touting efforts in Kansas to develop the power source and asking that a federal tax credit for the industry not be allowed to expire. At a news conference Wednesday, the Republican governor said Kansas is among the national leaders in wind energy production, with several new wind farms scheduled for completion this year. But there’s concern that Congress won’t extend a tax credit that makes it worthwhile for wind developers to invest in new turbines. One industry official said Wednesday that without the tax credit, construction of wind…
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) Kansas Congressman Mike Pompeo is planning to hold one-on-one meetings with constituents next week in Wichita. The Republican lawmaker represents the 4th Congressional District of Kansas in the U.S. House. His office says Pompeo will hold individual meetings with constituents Feb. 22 from 4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at his office in Wichita. The individual meetings are being scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis. People requesting meetings with Pompeo can call his Wichita office at 316-262-8992.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) The Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services has created a new task force on problem gambling in the northeastern part of the state. The state-owned Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway opened earlier this month near the NASCAR track in Wyandotte County. The task force is looking for community leaders to participate, including law enforcement officials, treatment providers, veterans and minority advocates. SRS has already established task forces on problem gambling near the Kansas Star casino in Mulvane and the Boot Hill Casino in Dodge City. The groups meet monthly. The problem-gambling programs are funded with 2…