TOPEKA, Kan. — Republican legislators in Kansas have put a proposed anti-abortion amendment to the state constitution on the ballot for the state’s August 2022 primary election. The Senate approved the measure Thursday on a 28-11 vote that gave abortion opponents one more vote than the two-thirds majority they needed. The House approved the measure last week. Approval by a simple majority of voters would change the Kansas Constitution. The measure would overturn a 2019 Kansas Supreme Court decision that found that access to abortion is a “fundamental” right. The measure would not be an abortion ban but would allow…
Author: KMAN Staff
LAWRENCE, Kan. — Police in Lawrence have found the body of a woman in her home and are investigating her death as a homicide after police in Topeka contacted the Lawrence department with a tip in the case. Lawrence police say in a news release that Topeka police officials reported they had a man in custody for an unrelated investigation who may have been involved in the killing of a Lawrence woman. Lawrence officers who went to the woman’s home on Wednesday found the body of 41-year-old Jennifer Marie Mosby. Police are investigating her death as a homicide, but have…
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The operator of a Kansas drug treatment clinic has been indicted on federal charges of drug trafficking. Federal prosecutors for western Missouri said in a news release Thursday that 44-year-old Trevor Robinson has been indicted on one count each of possessing methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin, fentanyl and ecstasy, with the intent to distribute the drugs. Robinson is listed as the office manager of Nuvista, an an opioid addiction clinic in Olathe. Prosecutors say the case got its start in October when Kansas City police stopped a 2014 Maserati driven by Robinson and found methamphetamine, pills, cocaine, heroin,…
Manhattan Area Habitat for Humanity recently announced a new coalition partnership with other area agencies for workforce housing. The coalition includes K-State’s College of Architecture and Planning, Manhattan Area Technical College, Flint Hills Renewable Energy & Efficiency Cooperative, and Flint Hills Job Corps. Habitat Director Josh Brewer says workforce housing has been identified as a critical need for the Manhattan area. “One of the things we’re wanting to accomplish through this partnership is to increase inventory, specifically housing that’s accessible to part of the population that makes up between 60 and 80 percent of our area’s median income,” he said.…
TOPEKA, Kan. — Public health officials in Kansas are trying to determine whether a coronavirus variant is fueling a new outbreak at a minimum-security state prison with inmates who regularly work in surrounding communities. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly said during a Zoom call Wednesday with top leaders of the Republican-controlled Legislature that there had been no COVID-19 cases at the Winfield Correctional Facility in the two weeks leading up to a recent outbreak that sickened dozens. She says the state is doing genomic testing to determine whether the outbreak has been caused by recent variants of the virus. Meanwhile, Kansas…
TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas gun rights supporters are pushing to lower the age for concealed carry of firearms from 21 to 18. Rep. Blake Carpenter and a Kansas State Rifle Association lobbyist on Wednesday told a state house committee that Kansans under 21 already are allowed to carry guns openly but are breaking the law if they put on a coat to cover a holster. Gun safety advocates criticized the bill, saying younger people have less developed decision making abilities. Permit holders would have to complete a background check and undergo gun safety training.
TOPEKA, Kan. — Thousands of fraudulent unemployment claims are prompting Kansas to shut down its processing system this weekend, meaning some jobless workers will have payments delayed as the state installs new anti-fraud protections. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly made the announcement Wednesday shortly after Republican lawmakers said they will push to protect employers from being on the hook for fraudulent claims. GOP lawmakers said a surge in claims is a signal that the state is potentially seeing thousands more fraudulent claims. Kelly said they might be right and that the unemployment system will go down from 2 p.m. Saturday until…
TOPEKA, Kan. — A Topeka hospital is defending a decision to give COVID-19 vaccinations to members of its hospital board and a fundraising board before people who were at greater risk for infection. A spokesman for Stormont Vail Health in Topeka said decisions made by the boards govern the daily operations of the hospital. Kansas News Service reports the spokesman said health care workers who directly see patients got the vaccine shots first. The board members received the shots during Phase 1 of the state rollout of vaccinations, which focused on nursing homes, health care workers and others critical to…
RUSSELL, Kan. — Authorities in north-central Kansas say an Oklahoma woman has died in a crash on a slushy and slick Kansas highway. The Kansas Highway Patrol says the crash happened Wednesday morning on westbound Interstate 70 east of Russell, when a Jeep SUV slid, entered the interstate median and rolled. Investigators say the driver, 24-year-old Miyotzi Jemenez, of Sperry, Oklahoma, died at the scene. Officials say another woman, a 24-year-old passenger in the SUV, was taken to a hospital for treatment of minor injuries. The crash came a day after a winter storm swept through the region, dumping nearly…
The following summary of calls for service/reports filed by the Riley County Police Department is a portion of those received by police. Some names, addresses, and case details are withheld to follow local, state, and federal law as well as in an attempt to protect community members from being victimized further. Those arrested are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. MANHATTAN, KAN. – Officers filed a report for sexual exploitation of a child in Manhattan on January 27, 2021, at approximately 10:39 a.m. Officers listed a 17-year-old female as the victim when it was reported an unknown…