MISSION, Kan. — The commission that enforces Kansas’ nondiscrimination laws will begin hearing claims from people who allege they are being mistreated because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. The Kansas Human Rights Commission said Friday that the decision is in response to a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that a landmark civil rights law protects gay, lesbian and transgender people from discrimination in employment. But the commission expanded the ruling beyond employment cases, offering protections for people alleging discrimination in housing and public accommodations, such as retail stores and educational institutions.
Author: KMAN Staff
WICHITA, Kan. — The Wichita school district has only received two-thirds of the computers and tablets it has ordered to equip students for distance learning because of worldwide supply chain problems caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Until the supply and demand problem clears up, the district is prioritizing its distribution of the 8,000 devices it has received out of an order of 24,000. Children learning at home who don’t have computers or internet access are getting first call on the machines that are in hand, said Superintendent Alicia Thompson. She said there will be enough equipment on hand for all…
WICHITA, Kan. — The number of inmates who have tested positive for COVID-19 at a jail in Wichita has grown to more than 500. The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office has conducted mass testing its inmates at the urging of state health officials. KAKE-TV reports that as of Friday, 523 inmates have tested positive and 747 negative. None have required hospitalization. Inmates with no symptoms are considered recovered 10 days post-test. Myers estimated that around 400 inmates will be considered recovered by the end of the weekend.
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Emergency crews from Kansas City, Kansas, continue to search the Kansas River for an 11-year-old girl who went missing in the river this weekend and is presumed to have drowned. The Kansas City Star reports that several boats and at least 10 firefighters searched the river Sunday, a day after witnesses say the girl was pulled under the water while trying to retrieve a beach ball. Officials say a family had been playing with the ball near a sand bar when the incident happened. Officials say an adult and two other minors tried to save the…
On Monday’s edition of In Focus, Flint Hills Veterans Coalition President Chuck Sexton and wife Melody Sexton, Military Relations Coordinator for the Manhattan Chamber Janet Nichols previewed Veterans Day activities happening Nov. 11. We also spoke with Sunset Zoo Marketing and Development Officer Melissa Kirkwood.
KVC Kansas and Remnant Church partnered up to put on a food drive in City Park Friday. A line of cars stretched from the middle of City Park, where volunteers were loading boxes of produce and dairy products into car trunks, out to 14th St. and around to Poyntz Ave. from about 9 a.m. til just passed noon as local residents waited their turn. The event was part of the Farms to Families program, which is a multibillion-dollar effort announced by the the United States Department of Agriculture in April. “The Farms to Families program provides grants through the USDA…
A national survey has ranked Kansas State University students as the happiest college students in the nation. The Princeton Review, which puts out an annual ranking called “The 386 Best Colleges,” gave K-State students the number-one ranking in the Happiest Students category while also placing K-State students as second in the nation for the Their Students Love These Colleges category. K-State was also ranked third for Best Quality of Life and Best Health Services, fourth for Great Town-Gown Relations, seventh for Best Counseling Services, ninth for Best Athletic Facilities and tenth for Best Career Services. The list is based on…
Riley County Friday reports 33 new positive COVID-19 tests and 1 recovery since Wednesday’s report. Despite the increased numbers of newly identified positive cases, that has not translated to increased hospitalizations at this point. Manhattan’s Ascension Via Christi Hospital as of 1 p.m. reported no positive or suspected positive patients in their care. Overall, the county reports 185 active cases as of Friday — a net increase of 65 cases since the prior Friday. Additionally, 375 patients have recovered since the pandemic began in March. Since last Friday, 5 people have been reported as recovered. No local patients have died…
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 attempted aggravated domestic battery and duty of driver to report accident in Manhattan on August 19, 2020, at approximately 10:28 AM. Officers listed a 32-year-old male as the victim…
LAWRENCE, Kan. — University of Kansas Chancellor Douglas Girod is seeking permission to obtain a $20 million, short-term line of credit in case the coronavirus pandemic significantly modifies the 2020 football and basketball seasons. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that Girod said in an email calling an emergency meeting of the governing board that oversees Kansas Athletics that the line of credit is just to provide “emergency liquidity.” Girod said the credit would also allow Kansas Athletics to continue its operations in such a scenario without having to ask the university for financial assistance. The university is facing a budgeting shortfall…