Tuesday’s In Focus guest was Riley County Commission Chair Ron Wells discussing a recap of Monday’s meeting, a preview of the Flint Hills Regional Leaders Retreat, transparency in state government, RCPD firing range updates and ambulance service numbers.
Author: KMAN Staff
WICHITA — An arbitrator has found that a Kansas military school failed to supervise its cadets and intentionally inflicted emotional distress in 2014 on a bullied 11-year-old student who had been tied together with his harasser in public as punishment. The boy was later allegedly raped and sodomized by his harasser in a dorm room. A $369,175 arbitration award last month against St. John’s Military School and its endowment fund was made public Monday when the family’s attorney filed a procedural motion in the case seeking a court order. The Salina school and its attorneys did not immediately respond to…
OVERLAND PARK — The mother of a suburban Kansas City teenager who was fatally shot by police as he backed a minivan out of his family’s garage has reached a $2.3 million settlement. The Kansas City Star reports that the city of Overland Park, Kansas, makes no admission of wrongdoing in the January 2017 death of 17-year-old John Albers. He was killed after officers responded to a report that he was making suicidal comments on social media. Police say the teenager backed toward an officer, who told the teen to stop before firing 13 times. The teenager’s mother, Sheila Albers,…
TOPEKA — Kansas’ new Democratic governor has reinstated a ban on anti-LGBT bias in hiring and employment decisions by state agencies and extended it to state government contractors. Gov. Laura Kelly’s executive order Tuesday fulfills a promise she made repeatedly in her successful campaign last year and restores a policy that had been rescinded by a conservative Republican predecessor. It was Kelly’s first official action since taking office Monday. In 2007, Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius issued an executive order against anti-LGBT bias in state government. In 2015, conservative Republican Gov. Sam Brownback rescinded Sebelius’ order and argued that state lawmakers…
DODGE CITY — Ford County says it plans to announce two new polling locations within Dodge City for this year’s elections amid mounting legal fees in a lawsuit over voting access. The Hutchinson News reports the county will mail notices to voters informing them of their new polling place after arrangements for them are finalized. The county does not plan to use the former Civic Center location, nor the single polling site outside town that sparked a lawsuit by the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas. The ACLU says if Ford County announces the two polling places it would discuss…
Officers filed a report for burglary in the 11000 block of Walnut Creek Rd. in Leonardville on January 14, 2019, at approximately 11:40 AM. Officers listed Richard Schurle II, 42, of Leonardville as the victim when an unknown suspect entered his farming shed and took a welder, torch, stereo, and chainsaws. The estimated total loss associated with this case is approximately $2,650.00. Police ask that anyone with information contact RCPD or the Manhattan Riley County Crime Stoppers. Using the Crime Stoppers service can allow you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.00. Officers…
Newly elected Riley County Commissioner John Ford was sworn in to his new position on Monday, along with four county judges. Ford will be taking over the District 1 seat previously held by Ben Wilson for the next four years. He said he is honored to be on the commission and is looking forward to working with the county and city, since most of his district is in Manhattan. The commission also changed roles for the positions of Chairman and Vice Chairman. Commissioner Marvin Rodriguez, who previously held the Chairman position, will be taking over as the Vice Chair position…
FORT RILEY — Career Skills Coordinator, Kelly Castiano and prior service member of the Army, talks about the Career Skills Program during KMAN’s In Focus Thursday to tell us how Soldiers can get plugged into the program. The Career Skills Program at Fort Riley is a growing program that is available Army-wide and helps Soldiers become trained and then gain employment before they finish their military service. To get the process going, Soldiers can meet with Castiano to get the required paperwork and she will help you answer any question you have. Soldiers can be involved in programs that link…
Manhattan City Commissioner Jerred McKee hosted a roundtable discussion on safe housing in the CivicPlus building Friday, Jan. 11. McKee invited a mix of safe housing and renters’ rights advocates as well as realtors, property owners and managers to discuss the topic in order to bring the issue forward at the next Manhattan City Commission briefing session. The group talked openly about their individual thoughts on the state of housing in the city in addition to related topics such as quality and affordable housing. McKee says he planned the meeting with the goal of building bridges, and that the talk…
TOPEKA — Democrat Laura Kelly has been sworn in as the new governor in Republican-leaning Kansas. Kelly took the oath of office Monday on the south steps of the Statehouse in front of banners that declared, “Equality,” “Education” and “Opportunity.” She ran her campaign promising a bipartisan administration. She was a veteran state senator from Topeka who pitched herself to voters as a no-nonsense problem-solver who could work with Republicans. The GOP has supermajorities in the Legislature. Her victory last year drew national attention partly because she defeated Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach. He’s a staunch conservative who touted an…