TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr.’s father is now serving in the Kansas Senate. Republican Sen. Ron Ryckman Sr. of Meade took his oath of office during the Senate’s brief Senate session as family members watched, including the House speaker. The elder Ryckman also served in the House from 2011 through 2016, when he decided not to seek reelection. He and his son served together in the House for four years, starting in 2013. The younger Ryckman grew up in western Kansas but lives in Olathe. The elder Ryckman replaces the late Republican Sen. Bud Estes of…
Author: KMAN Staff
TOPEKA, Kan. — A Republican lawmaker in Kansas outlined a measure Wednesday that would overturn Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s policy of withholding doses of COVID-19 vaccines from counties wanting to move to a new phase of inoculations before the rest of the state. Senate health committee Chair Richard Hilderbrand called the policy “blackmail or extortion.” The state Department of Health and Environment has described withholding vaccine doses as an “enforcement mechanism” and Kelly says the goal is to “keep the train running as smoothly as we possibly can.”
CEDAR POINT, Kan. — A fire fueled by dry grasses and strong winds burned some 7,000 acres of grassland and two homes in east-central Kansas on Wednesday. Several fire departments were called to the area in Marion and Chase counties for what was dubbed the Clover Fire. Marion County Emergency Management Director Randy Frank told station KWCH that two homes were destroyed by the fire, but fire crews were able to save several other homes. The two homes destroyed were described as abandoned, and no injuries from the fire were reported. The fire was first reported around 2:30 p.m. Wednesday…
On Thursday’s edition of In Focus we spoke with Fort Riley Col. Edgar Arroyo, Commander of the Irwin Army Community Hospital. We also spoke with Fort Riley Education Services Supervisory Education Specialist Monica Smith and Guidance Counselor Jennifer Shafer. And in our final 2 segments we spoke with St. Patrick’s Day parade and race are previewed with Aggieville Business Association’s Dennis Cook and race organizer Becky Ballard.
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 criminal damage to property in the 900 block of Stadel Rd. in Manhattan on March 10, 2021, at approximately 8:47 a.m. Officers listed Elite Maintenance and Construction as the…
Not long ago, a blowout win over anybody for the Kansas State men’s basketball team seemed utterly improbable. The Wildcats had just one victory by double-digits the entire season entering Wednesday night’s game against TCU, and it had been 369 days since such a win over Big 12 competition. K-State smashed that notion – and smashed the Horned Frogs in the process – with a 71-50 win to advance to the quarterfinals of the Big 12 tournament at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City. After losing 13 straight games, the Wildcats have now won four of their last five. “We had…
Paid parking in Aggieville Paid parking may soon be coming to Aggieville. The city is exploring a parking management plan that would include an initial free 30-minute parking period, followed by $1-per-hour on-street parking for up to two hours, or 50-cents-per-hour off-street parking, up to $2 per day. Monthly fees would also be available at $30 per month, or $20 per month for those who qualify. City commissioner Usha Reddi says while the monthly fee may come out to only a few cents per hour for workers and business owners, it adds up to a high annual cost. “I understand…
KANSAS CITY, Kan. — Kansas’ top health official says the state could finish vaccinating seniors and essential workers and move on to the next phase of coronavirus vaccinations in the next month. Dr. Lee Norman said Tuesday that the state could reach the third phase in four weeks or sooner. The next phase includes people aged 16 to 64 with medical conditions that put them at severe risk if they are infected with COVID-19, including cancer and Type 2 diabetes, as well as workers in critical industries such as information technology and government. He says some rural communities already have…
DERBY, Kan. — Sheriff’s investigators in suburban Wichita say a man has died in a two-vehicle crash in the city of Derby. The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office says the crash happened late Tuesday morning, when a southbound minivan ran a red light and crashed into a Jeep that was turning left. Deputies say a 61-year-old man driving the van died at the scene of the crash. His name was not immediately released. Authorities say the 29-year-old woman driving the Jeep was not seriously injured.
MINNEOLA, Kan. — State police in Kansas say a person has died after being shot by police in the southwestern town of Minneola. Television station KWCH reports that the shooting happened just before 10 p.m. Tuesday. The Kansas Bureau of Investigations confirmed it was called to investigate the shooting. Authorities had not released the name of the person killed or any details of how the shooting occurred by midmorning Wednesday, but said no officers were injured in the deadly confrontation. KWCH reported that Minneola Public Schools canceled Wednesday classes following the shooting. Authorities said they expected to release more information…