TOPEKA, Kan. — Top Kansas legislators have revoked an order aimed at encouraging counties to keep mask mandates amid the coronavirus pandemic, just hours after Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly issued it. Kelly’s order Thursday required people to wear masks indoors at businesses and public spaces and outdoors when they can’t socially distance. State law gives counties the final say, but her order meant that elected county commissions had to vote to set less restrictive rules or opt out. The order was similar to a mask policy Kelly issued in November. She was required to reissue it under a new law…
Author: KMAN Staff
WICHITA, Kan. — Wichita police weren’t laughing after a woman told her daughter she had been shot as an April Fools’ Day joke. Police Lt. Ronald Hunt said the woman called her daughter early Thursday, said she had been shot and hung up. Hunt says between 15 and 20 officers, as well as fire officials and emergency responders went to the family’s home after the daughter called 911. When no one responded, officers wearing shields and with weapons drawn, broke down the door. They found no one at home. The woman, 58-year-old Arnthia Willis, was arrested Thursday on suspicion of…
WICHITA, Kan. — Wichita police say two teenagers who were street racing were arrested after a 9-year-old boy was seriously hurt during the race. Witnesses reported seeing two trucks racing Wednesday evening in south Wichita. Police say one of the trucks hit the 9-year-old, who was hospitalized with serious injuries that were not considered life threatening. The drivers fled but were apprehended. One of the drivers, a 16-year-old, was booked into juvenile detention. The other driver, a 17-year-old, was arrested. The incident came less than two weeks after an 18-year-old was killed while street racing in east Wichita.
WICHITA, Kan. — Authorities say a woman who is accused of pointing a handgun at two Wichita police officers before one of them shot her in the neck will be booked into jail when she is released from the hospital. Police released a video Thursday of the shooting in which 34-year-old Jennifer Miller was wounded. Capt. Jason Stephens said during a news conference that she will be booked on two counts of aggravated assault of an officer, possession of stolen property, auto theft and felon in possession of a firearm. The confrontation happened Wednesday while officers were investigating a report…
SALINA, Kan. — Authorities have rescued a man who fell into a grain storage facility near Salina and became trapped. Salina Fire Department Fire Marshal Troy Long said the man was apparently trying to remove a clog when he fell into a grain mover system at the Scoular grain elevator. The Salina Journal reports that the machinery was quickly shut down. Long said crews were able were able to remove part of that grain mover system and safely get the man out. He then was taken to a hospital with unknown injuries. Long said the department trains for situations like…
The intersection at 14th St. and Laramie St. will be closed for a few weeks starting next Wednesday, April 7. Ken Hays, Public Works project coordinator, says the upcoming closure is due to utility work associated with the ongoing parking garage and street-work projects in Aggieville. “The closure will hopefully not be anymore than about three weeks,” Hays said. “At that point, we will start going into some work on 14th Street. At this time, at least, we will not be closing the street completely. We’ll be keeping one lane of traffic open during that portion of the project.” Hays…
Gov. Laura Kelly reissued several executive orders Thursday aimed at mitigation of COVID-19 which expired March 31 and will remain in place until rescinded or until the statewide state of disaster expires, whichever happens first. One of the orders, 21-14, establishing a statewide mask ordinance was revoked later in the day by the Legislative Coordinating Council on a 5-2 vote. As a result, Pottawatomie County commissioners, who had planned to meet on Friday to opt out of the governor’s order, have now canceled their meeting. The next meeting will be on Monday in Westmoreland. The executive orders are as follows.…
Release from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. TOPEKA – Conditions will be ideal for burning in the Flint Hills and surrounding areas today, April 1, 2021. Today’s burning activity combined with remnant smoke from yesterday’s activity will lead to elevated air pollutant levels throughout parts of the Flint Hills and central Kansas. The Air Quality Index (AQI) will likely range from Moderate to Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups, and even Unhealthy near burn activity. You can view the current air quality and AQI for your area on https://www.airnow.gov/. Burning within the Flint Hills occurs annually to help preserve the tallgrass prairie, control…
The National Bio and Agro-Defense Facility in Manhattan is preparing for a soft opening. Dr. Ken Burton, NBAF Coordinator, says the construction of the facility has been a long process- from an original plan in 2012 and a delay in 2020, to a soft opening of the facility in 2021. Dr. Burton says he is excited to see all of the planning finally come into effect. “On April 24th our USDA personnel will begin to operate the central utility plant, the wastewater pre-treatment plant. the security contract, and then our IT team is in getting everything ready for our personnel…