WICHITA — The Kansas Humane Society says it set a record for the number of homes or placements it found for animals last year. The agency says it placed 11,204 animals and had a 94 percent save rate last year. KFDI reports the Humane Society said its save rate increased by 50 percent since it moved into its new facility in Wichita in 2009. The organization says 8,432 animals were adopted in 2018, and another 1,955 were transferred to rescue partners. Another 710 animals were reunited with their owners and 107 were transferred to partner shelters. The group also reported…
Author: KMAN Staff
LAWRENCE — Lawrence police officials say all officers in the department should be wearing body cameras sometime this summer. The Lawrence Journal-World reports 10 officers, with support from four staff members, have been testing the cameras since November. Police Capt. Trent McKinley said the department will evaluate the test results early next month and then select a camera vendor. The cameras are budgeted to cost $462,000. Half of the cost will be funded by a federal grant, and the city of Lawrence will match those funds. The city has also hired a technician to help with the body camera program.…
Multiple sources are reporting that U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo remains open to the possibility of a bid for current Sen. Pat Roberts’ seat. According to Politico and CNN, Pompeo — who previously served three terms in the U.S. House representing Kansas’ fourth district — met with a GOP consultant named Ward Baker to discuss a possible 2020 senatorial bid. The Washington Post writes that Senator Mitch McConnell has also courted Pompeo to run for the seat as well. Roberts’ seat is up for grabs after he announced his retirement effective at the end of his term earlier this…
MANHATTAN — Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce has announced Jason Smith will succeed Lyle Butler as the next President and Chief Executive Officer. Smith joins the Manhattan Area Chamber after an extensive national search conducted through executive consultant firm Waverly Partners and the chamber’s own 13-person search committee. Smith is expected to start in the position in March. Most recently, Smith worked at Norman (Okla.) Economic Development Coalition, as the president and CEO, a position he’s held since August 2015. His economic development and Chamber experience extends to Abilene, Texas, Lincoln, Neb., and McAlester, Okla. He spent nearly 10 years…
WICHITA — Wichita police say a 9-year-old boy died in a shooting at a mobile home park. Police spokesman Charley Davidson says three children who lived at the home and two of their friends were in the home when the boy was shot Monday morning. The boy was one of the friends visiting the family. No further information was immediately available. The investigation continues.
Riley County Historical Museum Director Cheryl Collins played some Famous Kansan trivia on In Focus Monday for the first three segments, ahead of Kansas Day coming up Jan. 29. We also spoke with Battle of the Bulge committee president Greg Penfield and local WWII veterans Jim Sharp and Wallace Jeffrey about their reunion event coming up Jan. 26 at the American Legion in Manhattan.
KANSAS CITY — A new study says Kansas goes farther than any other state in limiting state and local agencies from influencing policy about food nutrition labels and portion sizes. The Kansas News Service reports that New York University researcher Jennifer Pomeranz’s recent study found that Kansas does more to limit the authority of local governments on food policy than any of the 13 other states with similar legislation. The state’s 2016 pre-emption law prevents local authorities from restricting portion sizes, taxing soda and sugary drinks and banning “incentive items,” such as toys in a McDonald’s Happy Meal. Similar bills…
LAWRENCE — The acting president of Haskell Indian Nations University will continue in the job for two more months. The school in Lawrence said Friday that Daniel Wildcat, a longtime Haskell faculty member, will stay in that role until March 18. Wildcat took over temporary leadership Nov. 20, when the U.S. Bureau of Indian Education announced the current president, Venida Chenault, would be on special assignment for the BIE for up to 60 days. The Lawrence Journal-World reports Chenault’s 60 days would have ended Monday. Friday’s news release did not mention Chenault. Stephen Prue, executive assistant to the Haskell president,…
KANSAS CITY — A 49-year-old Overland Park man is facing federal charges in an alleged scheme that prosecutors say cost the government more than $12 million. Troy Bechtel was charged Friday with two counts of major program fraud and two counts of lying to investigators. The U.S. Attorney’s office said Bechtel and others falsely claimed that United Medical Design Builders, of Merriam, was controlled by Joseph Dial Jr., a disabled Army veteran. The company won a $12.7 million U.S. Defense Department contract to design and build four U.S. Air Force bases under a program for businesses owned or operated by…
TOPEKA — A key part of Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly’s budget plan appears doomed, creating potential trouble for her proposals to boost education funding and expand Medicaid. Opposition hardened swiftly Friday, a day after the Democratic governor proposed cutting the state’s annual payments to its pension system for teachers and government workers. The move would free up $145 million during the budget year that begins in July to allow Kelly to increase spending on public schools, expand Medicaid health coverage for the needy, finance other initiatives and maintain healthy cash reserves. The pension system’s board of trustees voted unanimously Friday…