Senate Passes Bill Blocking Study of Clean-Power Rules
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Senate has passed a bill blocking a state regulatory commission from spending money to study how to comply with new federal clean-power rules until a legal challenge is resolved.The chamber's 37-2 vote on Thursday night sends the measure to the House. The vote came just two days after a divided U.S. Supreme Court agreed to halt enforcement of President Barack Obama's sweeping plan to address climate change until a legal challenge by several states, including Kansas, is resolved. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that the Kansas Corporation Commission had been searching for a consulting firm to work on a study of what the state would be required to do to comply. Senator Rob Olson, a Republican from Olathe, says the state shouldn't move forward until the legal challenges are fully resolved.
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Voting Rights Groups Sue Federal Election Officials
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A coalition of voting rights groups have sued a federal elections official who required residents of Kansas, Alabama and Georgia to provide proof of U.S. citizenship in order to register to vote using a national form.The federal lawsuit, filed late yesterday (FRI), also names as defendant the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. It was brought by the League of Women Voters, Project Vote, the Georgia State Conference of the NAACP, among others. Their complaint contends the decision by executive director Brian Newby will hurt voter registration drives and deprive eligible voters of the right to vote in the presidential primary elections. It seeks a court order blocking the changes. EAC did not immediately respond to phone messages and an email.
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Man Robs Convenience Store, Turns Himself In
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A 28-year-old man is behind bars after having second thoughts about an early morning convenience store robbery and turning himself in. The Wichita Eagle reports a man walked into a Kwik Shop in northeast Wichita early yesterday (FRI), indicated he had a weapon and demanded money from the cash register. Wichita Police Captain Doug Nolte says the employee gave the robber a small amount of cash and the thief left in a black Honda CRV.Soon after that officers at Patrol North noticed a black Honda CRV drive up at the bureau offices. The man was interviewed and booked, and officers found evidence of the robbery in his car.
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KC Man Sentenced to 30 Years for Drug, Weapons
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Kansas City man convicted of federal drug and weapons charges faces considerable prison time after authorities said he also killed five people. Rashawn Long was sentenced Thursday to 30 years in federal prison without parole for illegally possessing a controlled substance and firearms. Sentencing guidelines would have called for about 10 years in prison. The Kansas City Star reports the judge cited Long's criminal history in tripling Long's sentence. Prosecutors say Long was a gang member who killed five people, including one person he was convicted of killing in 2001. He was released from prison in 2012. Prosecutors say in 2013 he killed four more people, including a woman and her 3-year-old daughter. Charges have only been filed in one of those cases. Long's lawyer says he's appealing.
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Kansas Rig Count Down by One This Week to 541
HOUSTON (AP) — Oilfield services company Baker Hughes Inc. says the number of rigs exploring for oil and natural gas in the U.S. declined by 30 this week to 541. The Houston company said yesterday (FRI) 439 rigs sought oil and 102 explored for natural gas amid depressed energy prices. A year ago, 1,358 rigs were active. Among major oil- and gas-producing states, Texas declined by 14 rigs, New Mexico and Oklahoma each dropped four and North Dakota was down three. Colorado, Pennsylvania and Wyoming lost two apiece and Kansas was off by one. California and Louisiana gained one rig each.The U.S. rig count peaked at 4,530 in 1981 and bottomed at 488 in 1999.
