LAWRENCE, Kan. — Residents of a historic area of Lawrence want to ditch their neighborhood’s name because it honors a slave owner. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that the Pinckney Neighborhood Association announced this week that it is now taking suggestions for a new name. The neighborhood was spurred to consider a name change as a response to civil unrest felt throughout the country this past summer after the death of a Black man, George Floyd, at the hands of Minneapolis police. The association said in its announcement that it felt uncomfortable with its name, “particularly since the neighborhood is a…
Author: KMAN Staff
WICHITA, Kan. — Authorities say two people have been arrested in a double homicide in Wichita. Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Lt. Benjamin Blick says deputies took 34-year-old Joshua Dean Halstead and 28-year-old Jacquellyn Michelle Arthur into custody Wednesday in Wichita. They have been booked into jail on suspicion of first-degree murder and aggravated robbery in the Dec. 29 shooting. Forty-three-year-old Bradley Michael Reece died at the scene. The other victim, 22-year-old Kayla Schmidt, was taken to a hospital, where she died on New Year’s Eve.
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 aggravated domestic battery in Manhattan on January 6, 2021, at approximately 7:00 p.m. Officers listed a 24-year-old female as the victim when she reported a male known to her…
Thursday’s program featured our monthly update from the National Bio and Agro Defense Facility. Guests included NBAF Coordinator for USDA Dr. Ken Burton and Communications Director Katie Pawlosky as well as special guest NBAF Program Manager Tim Barr with the Department of Homeland Security. Executive Director of the Governor’s Military Council, retired Lt. General Perry Wiggins joined us to discuss the military response to the COVID-19 pandemic and other military related affairs.
WICHITA, Kan. — A Wichita man has been sentenced to two years in prison for a 2018 traffic collision that killed a 24-year-old woman. Sedgwick County District Judge Stephen Ternes imposed the punishment Tuesday. The Wichita Eagle reports authorities have said that 25-year-old Dylan T. Lynn of Wichita was driving under the influence of drugs when he lost control of a 2000 Ford Contour and crashed into a tree. His front-seat passenger, Tiana T. Thomas, died of her injuries at a Wichita hospital. Another passenger had non-life-threatening injuries. Court records show Lynn pleaded guilty on Oct. 8 to involuntary manslaughter…
WICHITA, Kan. — The Wichita City Council is diverting COVID-19 grant funding intended for hiring a pandemic-control officer and is instead using it to lease software that ensures police officers don’t cheat on their training. The Wichita Eagle reports that in May the council earmarked about $250,000 to hire an emergency management coordinator to manage the police department’s response to the pandemic. Police told the council Tuesday that they were unable to fill the position and wanted to divert $165,000 of the funds to lease for three years software that will track officers’ training online. That is a capability the…
TOPEKA, Kan. — Fire officials in Topeka say a woman suffered life-threatening injuries in a Wednesday house fire that also injured another person. The Topeka Fire Department says in a news release that fire crews were called to the home just after 3 a.m. Wednesday. Arriving firefighters found heavy smoke and flames coming from the home and learned that someone was trapped inside. Firefighters found a woman unresponsive inside, carried her outside and started life-saving efforts. She was taken to an area hospital with critical injuries. A man who escaped the flames before firefighters arrived was taken to the hospital…
New Manhattan mayor City commissioner Wynn Butler has officially been named Manhattan’s mayor for 2021. The change was made Tuesday as part of an annual reorganization which involves a rotation among the city commission’s five members. Butler says he wants the commission to focus on taxes, infrastructure and responsible growth during his term. “I don’t want to see property taxes go up,” Butler said. “I don’t want to see sales taxes go up either. We’ve got to continue with infrastructure. Of course the airport – we’ve got a runway issue. We’ve got a maintenance shop we need to finish. We’ve…
The pandemic continues to force tough situations upon local school districts. The USD 383 school district started back in session on Tuesday. The district has now made the transition back to 5 days a week in-person classes with the option to learn remotely. Marvin Wade, USD 383 superintendent, says several aspects went into the decision to start back in-person. “One of the aspects of us opening up is that our students are, in some cases, safer at school than they are in other environments because we do have the sanitizers, the masking, the protocols in place,” Wade says. Kristin Brighton,…