WICHITA, Kan. — Authorities say a parolee rummaging through trash fatally shot the owner of a south Wichita restaurant. Police Capt. Jason Stephens identified 42-year-old Oscar Acosta of Wichita as the person shot Thursday outside of Birrieria Tito restaurant. The Wichita Eagle reports that police arrested 26-year-old Adrian Nicholas Zongker a couple of blocks west of the restaurant. He was booked into Sedgwick County Jail on suspicion of first-degree murder and possession of a firearm by a felon as well as on a state warrant in a separate case. Kansas Department of Corrections records show that Zongker has five prior…
Author: KMAN Staff
LAWRENCE, Kan. — An Lawrence police officer who has been accused of fracturing a skateboarder’s elbow during an arrest has resigned. The Lawrence Journal World reports that Brad Williams’ resignation took effect Jan. 6. Police spokesperson Patrick Compton did not indicate a reason for the resignation. Williams arrested 45-year-old Duc Tran, of Lawrence, after encountering him skateboarding in the street in June 2019. The case against Tran’ later was thrown out, and his attorney alleges excessive force. A notice of claim sent to the city in September alleges that Tran suffered a fractured elbow, dislocated right shoulder, a chipped tooth,…
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — More than 100 residents of a Kansas’s largest housing project have been told they’ll have to move because the facility is closing, but officials say that won’t happen for roughly two more years. The Housing Authority of Kansas City, Kansas, is making plans to shut down Juniper Gardens partly because the complex that opened in 1962 is in need of major upgrades and officials favor a different approach to public housing. The more successful model today calls for public housing to be tucked into regular neighborhoods often with people receiving subsidies to help them pay rent.
TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas lawmakers have been moving quickly on legislation that would extend the state’s COVID-19 emergency declaration before it expires on Jan. 26. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports the two temporary bills moving in the state Senate and House deal with COVID-19-related provisions will impact on the coronavirus response. Both have had public hearings and passed out of committee in the first week of the session. The bills extend legislation passed last year outlining temporary changes in law in response to the coronavirus pandemic. Those include allowing establishments to offer to-go alcohol, expanding the use of telemedicine and adding…
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A former Kansas prison guard will stand trial on 10 counts related to a drug-smuggling case at a Hutchinson prison. The Hutchinson News reports that Zachary Wood was bound over for trial last week following a preliminary hearing on counts ranging from possession with intent to distribute to trafficking in a correctional facility. Prosecutors say Wood tried to smuggle drugs into the prison last summer after arranging sales with three women. The three women are charged with conspiracy to traffic in a penal institution and also appeared in court Thursday. Denisha Starnes, Esther Davis and Stephanie Thindiu…
Monday’s program featured guests from the Food and Farm Council of Manhattan and Riley County, including council coordinator Vickie James and council chair Sharolyn Jackson. Sunset Zoo Marketing and Development Officer Melissa Kirkwood joined us to highlight January and February events happening at the Manhattan zoo.
The hour long ceremony featured Religious figures, Musicians, and guest speakers from all walks of life to not just promote the sit-in, but impart all manner of life lessons from MLK and those who continue to cherish his memory by carrying the torch to light the way for change today. In July 1958, Black students congregated at downtown Wichita’s Dockum Drugstore to organize a non-violent protest against segregation, racial discrimination and practices. Tired of being denied admittance to the city’s cinemas and cafes, students made a move and directed their focus toward the highly frequented lunch counter at…
Health care professionals in the area are optimistic about the current rollout of COVID vaccinations. Riley County recently received 2,500 doses of the COVID vaccine. Ascension Via Christi President Bob Copple is excited to be getting these new doses. To him, this occasion makes the vaccine rollout more of a reality due to the large number of doses. “Huge impact with a lot of people, now we’re talking about big chunks of the county population,” says Copple. A large portion of healthcare workers in the community still need to be vaccinated as part of phase one. The Riley County Health…
LIEAP, or Low Income Energy Assistance Program is a federally funded program for those with low income, offering them support with their Evergy and/or Kansas Gas payments. https://www.benefits.gov/benefit/1557 Director of Client Services, Warren Holmes said this program has been underreported and many people didn’t even know about the program. For this reason, his organization began offering assistance with the process and filling out the application, as “it’s not hard, it’s just a little bit confusing for some people.” “As they come in, we’ll set up appointments for them, and then we will go through their preparation and then add to…
Riley County’s end of year revenues for 2020 came in slightly down from the previous year. Treasurer Shilo Heger told commissioners Thursday that compared to 2019, Riley County revenues were down about $40,000. At the end of December, the balance for the general fund was $10,585,588, which is up a little over $2 million dollars from December 2019. However, the total funds ended at $94,030,384, down from 2019. Heger estimates the 2020 general fund balance would have come in $2.8 million under if not for funding from the federal CARES Act. A major impact to that fund was the emergency…