TOPEKA, Kan. — A Kansas House member who was arrested after videos began circulating online of him arguing with teenage students and pushing one of them while he was working as a substitute teacher has entered a not guilty plea to three counts of misdemeanor battery. Republican state Rep. Mark Samsel on Wednesday also was given three weeks to undergo a mental health evaluation. The next hearing was set for July 12. The charges against Samsel arose from a student reporting an April 28 incident involving Samsel in what videos showed to be a noisy classroom in his hometown of…
Author: KMAN Staff
WICHITA, Kan. — Police in suburban Wichita say another mountain lion sighting has been captured on a doorbell camera, and Kansas wildlife officials suspect it’s the same big cat caught on camera last week sauntering through a Wichita alley. Police say the most recent video was captured just before 11 p.m. Tuesday, showing the puma padding along a sidewalk in front of a house in Andover. That’s about 12 miles away from the site in Wichita’s Riverside neighborhood where a doorbell camera showed a cougar trotting through an alley around 4 a.m. May 10. Kansas Department of Wildlife Research Biologist…
WICHITA, Kan. — A Wichita tax preparer has been sentenced to 18 months in prison for defrauding the Internal Revenue Service out of more than $100,000. Sonia Hernandez-Smith, also known as Sonia Raquel Vazquez, was sentenced Tuesday. She had pleaded guilty to one count, after originally being charged with 20 counts. Hernandez-Smith admitted she knowingly prepared income tax returns that falsely claimed tax credits for children her that her clients should not have received. The federal public defender had sought probation for Hernandez-Smith, saying a prison sentence was harsher punishment than necessary for the crime.
The Manhattan-Ogden school board has approved a partnership with Manhattan Area Technical College and area businesses to explore the possibility of creating a college and career academy. Superintendent Marvin Wade says the goal is to help students become informed consumers and use real world applications. “We want to continue the discussions and that’s going to include and what are the programs of study what are the areas that are out there that we can expand. Right now we’re limited in space and what we’re able to do so we need to look at space, we need to look at the…
Manhattan-Ogden board members responded to comments received about their recent approval of culturally responsive teaching and learning training. The approval was given last month, but a recent email chain from the Riley County Republicans urged members of the public to voice their opinion and concerns. The email claimed that the school district “votes to teach students how to be racist.” The board received emails regarding the subject leading up to the meeting, as well as public comment during the meeting. Only nine people spoke, but well over 60 people were in attendance in support of those speaking. Board President Jurdene…
On Thursday’s edition of In Focus we spoke with Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce President Jason Smith.
A Manhattan man faces a number of federal charges, after being accused of defrauding a Wichita bank out of more than $127,000 in COVID-19 aid. Clifford Townsend has been charged with two counts of bank fraud, two counts of making a false statement and two counts of money laundering. Prosecutors allege Townsend claimed on an application for Paycheck Protection Program money that his business had 15 employees. In reality, Global Network Corporation had no employees. A grand jury indictment lists Townsend as the registered agent and CEO. Townsend allegedly used about $27,000 of the money to buy a BMW and…
Several Manhattan-Ogden USD 383 construction projects will continue through this summer, with some finishing up over the next few months. Assistant superintendent Eric Reid says Oliver Brown Elementary is still on schedule to be completed in time for the fall semester. “They were able to close in the north half of the building and work where some of those rooms are getting really close to finished,” Reid said. “They’ll be turning their attention to the south half of the building. I think they already have but they’ll start working on finishes there too. Toward the middle or end of June,…
New parking and digital-sign regulations The Manhattan Development Code will establish new maximum standards for parking. Assistant director of community development Chad Bunger says the goal is to limit the negative effects of large parking lots, such as inefficient land use and storm-water runoff issues. Mayor Wynn Butler says he is not in favor of the restrictions. “If I own the property and I want to put more parking there, I should be allowed to,” Butler said. Commissioner Usha Reddi supported the standards, saying many spaces go unused. Despite the new maximum standards for parking, the code will also create…
Wednesday’s guests included USD 383 Manhattan/Ogden Assistant Superintendent Eric Reid and board member Kristin Brighton to discuss the end of the school year, construction and plans for the summer. Manhattan Christian College President Kevin Ingram also joined us to discuss a recent neighborhood meeting regarding the college’s plans to acquire the Anderson Village shopping center property.