BELLE PLAINE — A former Army infantry soldier described by prosecutors as a Satanist who hoped to overthrow the U.S. government faces sentencing next week. His defense attorney argued in a court filing Thursday for a more lenient punishment of 15 months for Jarrett William Smith. He says Smith endured a lifetime of victimization, isolation and trauma that led him to become involved with online extremist groups. Smith was a private first class stationed at Fort Riley, Kansas. The 24-year-old soldier was discharged from the military after admitting earlier this year that he provided information about explosives to an FBI…
Author: KMAN Staff
SALINA — An agricultural equipment manufacturer plans to invest $43 million to put in a facility in Salina, Kansas, that will create 120 new jobs. Gov. Laura Kelly’s office said in a news release Thursday that Great Plains Manufacturing plans to acquire an existing building in Salina to renovate for the new facility. The Salina-based agricultural equipment manufacturer has been in Kansas since 1976 and has several plants in north-central Kansas. It was acquired by Kubota Corporation of Japan in 2016.
BELLE PLAINE — The prosecution of a Kansas researcher ensnared in a U.S. government crackdown on Chinese economic espionage and trade secret theft opens the door to criminalizing workplace disagreements, his attorneys argued Friday in a motion asking a court to throw out the charges. Feng “Franklin” Tao is charged with not disclosing on conflict-of-interest forms work he was allegedly doing for China while employed at the University of Kansas — something federal prosecutors have portrayed as a scheme to defraud the university, the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation. In their request to dismiss the case,…
WICHITA — Wichita musician Jenny Wood is suing the city over a police chase last year that killed two of her family members and left Wood with permanent injuries. The car being pursued by a Wichita police officer in May 2019 hit the Wood family’s car, killing her mother and niece. Wood has permanent disabilities because of the crash. The lawsuit contends the officer who started the chase was not properly trained. The chase ran through downtown Wichita at speeds up to 75 mph before the collision with the Woods’ car. City spokesman Jim Jonas declined to comment on the…
Officers filed a report for aggravated domestic assault in Manhattan on August 13, 2020, at approximately 2:56 PM. Officers listed a 23-year-old female as the victim when it was reported a 28-year-old male pointed a gun at her. Officers filed a report for criminal damage to property in the 800 block of Commons Pl in Manhattan on August 13, 2020, at approximately 6:03 PM. Officers listed a 19-year-old female as the victim when it was reported an unknown suspect damaged her vehicle. The estimated total loss associated with this case is approximately $1,000.00. Anyone with information can contact RCPD or…
Ascension Via Christi President and CEO Bob Copple joined us Friday to discuss COVID-19 related information, back to school conversations happening between local health officials and administrators as well as a prediction for the upcoming flu season. USD 323 Rock Creek Superintendent Kevin Logan joined us for an update on the district’s reopening plan ahead of the Aug. 20 start date for schools and other start of the year activities.
Riley County commissioners approved the CARES Act funding distribution plan during their meeting Thursday. Budget and Finance Officer Tami Robison presented the allocation recommendations made by the consulting firm Witt O’ Brien. One of the biggest portions of the $14.9 million is going back to the county services for an allocation of $4,573,990. The requests are for reimbursements for county departments from Mar 1 to Jul 31, and future costs until Dec 30. The majority of future costs are from the health and EMS departments. Three criteria were set up for how each entity could receive funds; expenditures due to…
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 theft in the 600 block of Pecan Cir in Manhattan on August 12, 2020, at approximately 6:45 AM. Officers listed Central Mechanical Construction as the victim when it was…
COLBY, Kan. — Sports teams are offering an early glimpse of the challenges of protecting students from the coronavirus as schools prepare to open. The Wichita Eagle reports that Colby Public Schools Superintendent Katina Brenn said in a statement that one or more people who attended mandatory meetings last week for fall sports have since tested positive for COVID-19. Classes start next week for Colby students. Masks are not required for students in the district after the Thomas County Commission rejected an executive order by Gov. Laura Kelly last month. An opt-in and opt-out form from the district gives parents…
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A Kansas prison has been locked down after dozens of inmates and staff were infected with the coronavirus. Kansas Department of Corrections Secretary Jeff Zmuda said Wednesday that 84 inmates and 10 staff members tested positive this week at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility. None of them are showing symptoms. Fifteen inmates and seven staff members previously tested positive at the prison, which houses about 1,880 men. Some inmates will remain locked in their cells because of the outbreak. Others will be relocated to the prison in Lansing, where a medical unit has been set up to handle…