LAWRENCE, Kan. — A teenager who brought a gun to Lawrence High School has been sentenced to nine months of probation. The boy was sentenced Wednesday after pleading no contest in June in juvenile court to misdemeanor criminal use of a weapon. The Lawrence Journal-World reports the charges stem from an incident on Feb. 6, when the boy was called to an assistant principal’s office when he threw his school-issued laptop at a door. Prosecutor Bryant Barton has said the assistant principal found a loaded handgun in the boy’s bag. The district says no students or staff were threatened with…
Author: KMAN Staff
TOPEKA, Kan. — Kansas regulators are investigating the cause of a cluster of 11 earthquakes that hit Reno County in the last five days. The Kansas Corporation Commission announced Wednesday that it is analyzing injection well activity in the county. It will work with other state agencies to examine such factors as well construction, depths, injection volumes and maintenance procedures. The study centers on Arbuckle Formation depth wells, which include oil and gas injection wells regulated by the commission and wastewater wells regulated by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. Spokeswoman Linda Barry said the commission will evaluate whether…
Thursday’s program featured a preview of the 11th annual Speedy PD race for Parkinson’s Disease put on by Meadowlark. Parkinson’s Program Leader Michelle Haub and Development Director Becky Fitzgerald were our guests. Riley County Seniors’ Service Center Director Jami Ramsey previewed activities coming up in late August and September. Pawnee Mental Health Executive Director spoke about some federal legislation that are priorities for the Association of Mental Health Centers. We also spoke about some state and local issues coming up over the next few weeks.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A federal indictment alleges an associate professor at the University of Kansas was secretly working full time for a Chinese university while doing research in Kansas on projects funded by the U.S. government. Feng “Franklin” Tao was charged Wednesday with one count of wire fraud and three counts of program fraud. The 47-year-old Lawrence man has been employed since August 2014 at the university’s Center for Environmentally Beneficial Catalysis. The center researches sustainable technology to conserve natural resources and energy. The indictment accuses Tao of falsely claiming to have no conflicts of interest. It alleges he…
Gov. Laura Kelly announced Wednesday more than $6.4 million in grants were being distributed to domestic violence and sexual assault programs statewide as well as children’s advocacy centers. The grants are part of the 2020 state general fund grant programs. Locally, the Crisis Center in Riley County is slated to receive more than $391,000. Sunflower CASA also will receive more than $35,000 in 2020. “These services are oftentimes life-saving,” Kelly said in a statement Wednesday. “From issues of domestic violence to children’s advocacy, it’s important that we provide the resources these important organizations and their staff members need to keep…
In its fourth year under the Manhattan Chamber of Commerce, the Women in Business Program is geared toward growing entrepreneurship and women’s leadership in the community. President and CEO Jason Smith says the program also provides great mentorship, which he says will go a long way toward encouraging entrepreneurial activity. The program hosts multiple events per month, with one coming up this Friday. Membership Director Sharla Meisenheimer says they are continuing a webinar series by University of California professor Joan Williams, which they then discuss among the group. This month’s topic is on the 4 kind of gender biases women…
An upcoming exhibition by the Manhattan Area Chamber of Commerce will provide residents with either a refresher or a first look at what area businesses provide. The 2019 Business Showcase will bring out 45 different Chamber members to what products and services they offer the community. Membership Director Sharla Meisenheimer says it’s open to Chamber members and non-members alike. Some participants include Big Lakes Development Center, MATC and FlyMHK. A full list can be found at Manahttan.org. Those who attend also have the possibility to walk away with multiple different prizes. It’ll be held Wednesday, August 28th from 4:30 to…
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Authorities say a man reported to be dragging a topless, unconscious woman through downtown Kansas City was actually lugging around a life-size doll. Police said in a tweet that callers reported Tuesday that the man looked like he wanted to throw the woman over a bridge, that he had dropped her and that he appeared to be trying to dress her. One caller said he was yelling “savior” while holding the woman. Police said that when officers learned that the woman actually was a doll that the man had found in a trash bin, he was…
LAWRENCE, Kan. — Federal authorities are conducting an investigation at a research facility on the University of Kansas campus in Lawrence. FBI spokeswoman Bridget Patton confirmed the FBI and Lawrence police were at the Life Sciences Research Laboratories complex Tuesday but said she could not provide any details. University spokesman Andy Hyland told the Lawrence Journal-World that law enforcement was investigating alleged criminal activity on the campus. The complex houses research offices associated with the university’s Center for Environmentally Beneficial Catalysis, as well as the Bioscience and Technology Business Center Expansion Facility. Kim Grunewald, deputy general counsel at the university,…
(Photo courtesy of Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office) WICHITA, Kan. — A 23-year-old Wichita woman has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of her 2-year-old son. Kimberly Compass was charged Tuesday in the death of Zayden JayNesahkluah, whose body was found May 31 at a Wichita motel. Authorities have not said how Zayden died. The Wichita Eagle reports a criminal complaint filed Tuesday in Sedgwick County says Compass killed her son while committing another felony, aggravated child endangerment. Compass, who was arrested last Thursday, remains jailed on $500,000 bond for the murder charge and $1 million bond for a…