Kansas's June Tax Collections Nearly $33 Million More Than Expected
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas is reporting that it collected nearly $33 million more in taxes than anticipated in June and ended its 2019 budget year with solid revenue growth. The state Department of Revenue said Tuesday that Kansas collected nearly $782 million in taxes last month. The state's fiscal forecast had predicted a little more than $749 million in taxes, making the surplus about 4.4%. Tax collections have exceeded expectations in 24 of the past 25 months. The state collected nearly $7.5 billion in taxes during its 2019 budget year, or $191 million more than expected. That was a surplus of 2.6%. The budget year's tax collections grew nearly 6.3% from the 2018 budget year, or by $440 million. It's likely that Kansas ended its 2019 budget year with $1 billion in cash reserves.
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Ex-Prosecutor Running for U.S. Senate in Kansas as Democrat
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A former federal prosecutor who's been an executive in a company that invests in medical marijuana has launched his campaign as a Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate in Kansas. The Kansas City Star reports that Kansas City-area attorney Barry Grissom entered the race Monday after months of hinting that he would run. Four-term Republican Sen. Pat Roberts is not seeking re-election in 2020. Grissom served as U.S. attorney for Kansas from 2010 to 2016 as an appointee of Democratic President Barack Obama. He has since served as corporate counsel and a vice president for Nevada-based Electrum Partners. Grissom jumped into the race after state Sen. Barbara Bollier said she may seek the Democratic nomination. Bollier won her Kansas City-area district as a moderate Republican and switched parties last year.
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Kansas Senate Kicked Out Reporters, Reporters Filed Complaint, AG Tosses Part of Complaint
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A government transparency group says the Kansas attorney general's office has dismissed part of a formal complaint, while continuing to investigate whether the public was denied the right under the Open Meetings Act to observe Senate business after the visitor gallery was closed during a protest. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports the Kansas Sunshine Coalition for Open Government sought intervention by Attorney General Derek Schmidt after the May 29 Senate session was interrupted by supporters of Medicaid expansion. Reporters were removed from the chamber during the protest. Senators, legislative staff, employees of the governor and others were allowed to remain. Sunshine Coalition President Ron Keefover says the attorney general's office notified the organization that allegations the Senate violated its own rules and operated contrary to the First Amendment went beyond its authority.
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New Law Allows Kansas Drivers to Refuse Field Sobriety Tests
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas drivers can no longer be charged with a crime for refusing a field sobriety test under a new state law. The Wichita Eagle reports that a change in state law that took effect Monday means police can't ticket suspected drivers for not taking one. But refusal to comply comes with a year-long license suspension. That is as long as the longest suspension for failing a breathalyzer or blood test. Drivers who refuse to be tested can still be prosecuted for a DUI based on other evidence. The decision to strike the law making it a separate violation comes amid court rulings on whether motorists driving on streets and highways give implied consent to sobriety tests.
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State Senate Leader's Staffer Named as New Kansas GOP Executive Director
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Republican Party has hired a member of Senate President Susan Wagle's staff as its new executive director. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that Shannon Golden will handle the state GOP's day-to-day operations. She had served as Wagle's communications director after joining the Wichita Republican's office in January 2018. Golden is a New Jersey native and Boston University graduate who worked for Texas Sen. Ted Cruz's 2016 presidential campaign in Indiana. She replaces Jim Joice, who left after the 2018 election to become the spokesman for freshman U.S. Rep. Steve Watkins of northeast Kansas. The Kansas Democratic Party also is searching for a new executive director after Ethan Corson announced in May that he plans to step down when his replacement is named.
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Traffic Stop on I-70 in Kansas Yields $1 Million in Illegal Drugs
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities have confiscated an estimated $1 million in illegal drugs during a traffic stop on Interstate 70 just west of Topeka. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the Indianapolis driver was booked into jail after last week's traffic stop. The stop stemmed from a registration violation. Shawnee County sheriff's Sgt. Todd Stallbaumer says the drugs found inside the woman's vehicle included about 20 pounds of cocaine and about 2 pounds of black tar heroin.
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Authorities Find Body of Missing Boater in Kansas Reservoir
HILLSBORO, Kan. (AP) — Authorities have found the body of a missing boater in a central Kansas reservoir. The Marion County Sheriff's Office says in a news release that 49-year-old Steven Meyer, of Eudora, was found around 9:15 am Monday in the Marion Reservoir. He was reported missing around 1:20 am Sunday. The release says his truck and boat trailer were found at the Marion Cove boat ramp. And his unoccupied boat was recovered just after 3 am Sunday floating against trees along the north side of the Marion Reservoir. The release says an autopsy is pending.
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Body of Missing Teen Found in Back of Tractor-Trailer in KCK
OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — Authorities have found the body of a missing teen in the back of a tractor-trailer in Kansas City, Kansas. The Kansas City Star reports that 17-year-old Jasmine Mills, of Olathe, had been missing for two days when her remains were found Saturday morning in an industrial area near the Kansas River. Her mother, Deanna Peters, says her daughter was supposed to go do some odd jobs for an adult friend when she was last seen. Peters says the friend Jasmine was supposed to be working for told her Jasmine never arrived. Peters is waiting for police to determine what caused her daughter's death. Police in Kansas City, Kansas, and Olathe are investigating. Olathe police have released little information except to say the death is suspicious.
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2 Killed, 2 Hurt in Head-on Crash in Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Authorities say two people have been killed and two injured in a head-on crash in Kansas City. The Kansas City Star reports that the wreck was reported about 1:15 Sunday morning. Police say a Toyota Corolla spun out and veered into oncoming traffic, striking a Chevy Camaro. The driver and a passenger in the Toyota were pronounced dead at the scene. Police says the Chevy's driver was hospitalized in stable condition and a passenger suffered live-threatening injuries.
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Topeka DUI Case Against Kansas Lawmaker Referred to County
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The DUI case against Kansas Senator Vic Miller has been referred to Shawnee County District Court from Topeka Municipal Court, where Miller used to be chief judge. City spokeswoman Molly Hadfield says the case was referred to the county for charging consideration due to potential conflicts. Miller was the municipal court's administrative judge from 2011 to 2015. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports the court's website shows that the municipal charges for DUI and inattentive driving were dismissed on June 20. Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay says his office has received the charging affidavit from Topeka police and the case will go through the normal review process. Topeka police arrested Miller in May after finding him inside his crashed vehicle in the ditch. Police said he wasn't injured but appeared intoxicated.
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Kansas Man Pleads No Contest in Police Shooting Incident
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — A 38-year-old man accused of trying to kill a Manhattan police officer has pleaded no contest to attempted voluntary manslaughter. The Manhattan Mercury reports Mark Harrison of Manhattan entered the plea Thursday. The charges stem from a standoff with police on February 5, 2018 during which he fired more than 30 times . One of the bullets struck Riley County Police Sgt. Pat Tiede. A jury found Harrison guilty in February of criminal damage to property for gunshot damage to an armored vehicle sheltering officers. He was found not guilty of attempted capital murder related to two officers who were inside it. A retrial had been scheduled on the attempted capital murder charge involving Tiede after jurors could not reach a verdict on that count. Sentencing is July 22.
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Family of Kansas Murder Victims Settles Lawsuit with Killer
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A lawsuit brought by the family of a Kansas murder victim against his killer has been settled. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that Douglas County court records show the case against Danny W. Queen was dismissed after an undisclosed settlement was reached. The 38-year-old Eudora man is serving nearly 19 years for the murder of 32-year-old Bo Hopson in 2017. A jury convicted him of second-degree murder as well as attempted second-degree murder and attempted voluntary manslaughter for trying to shoot two other bar patrons. Queen was kicked out of the bar after making offensive comments to women. When Hopson offered to find Queen a ride home, Queen pulled a gun and shot Hopson, who was the bar's security guard. The victim's father, Scott Hopson, sued after Queen's arrest.
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Competing Rallies Planned in Dodge City
DODGE CITY, Kan. (AP) — Competing rallies are planned this weekend in southwest Kansas that will pit conservative Christians against LGBT and abortion rights supporters. The Wichita Eagle reports that a group called Kansas Revival will hold a church rally Saturday aimed at opposing abortion and "protecting faith, family and freedom," followed by an afternoon march through the city streets. The church event will feature Republican Congressman Roger Marshall, of Great Bend, State Treasurer Jake LaTurner and Kansans for Life President Mary Wilkinson. About the same time, members of a group called the Kansas Unity Coalition will gather at a city park for a counter-demonstration in support of "equality, justice and equal rights." Its speakers will include State Representative Susan Ruiz, a Democrat from Shawnee who is one of the state's two openly gay legislators.
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Missouri River to Remain High Because of Water from Dams
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The amount of water flowing into the lower Missouri River will remain high throughout the summer and fall, and that water will likely continue to exacerbate flooding downstream. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers says it plans to keep releases from Gavins Point Dam on the Nebraska-South Dakota border near current levels — which are more than double the average amount. The high releases will likely continue worsening flooding downstream — in Iowa, Nebraska, Missouri and Kansas — where many levees were damaged during severe March flooding. Officials say the releases of 70,000 cubic feet per second of water are needed because the upstream reservoirs remain quite full. The amount of water entering the dams in June was 159 percent of normal, and it has been a wet year.
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Kansas Man Gets 27 Months for Attack on Internet Provider
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Prosecutors say a 35-year-old man was sentenced to more than two years in prison for a series of attacks on a Kansas internet service provider. The U.S. attorney's office said in a news release Monday that Michael D. Golightley of Larned contacted an entity called DDosCity to arrange for a series of denial of service attacks on Nex-Tech's computer. Nex-Tech is an internet provider with multiple offices across Kansas. Its commercial customers include the Pawnee County Courthouse. The company was hit by three denial-of-service attacks that overloaded its servers on March 30 and 31, 2017. The government alleged at trial that Golightley threatened Next-Tech after it removed an ad he placed on its classifieds for a PlayStation 3 game that had been modified to bypass a system security check.
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1 Person Killed in Kansas Power Line Accident
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say one person has died after coming into contact with a power line in north Wichita. KAKE-TV reports emergency crews responded at around 11 a.m. Tuesday to an electrocution. A dispatch supervisor says the person was pronounced dead at the scene about 50 minutes later. Power was disconnected in the area while crews extricated the person from the bucket of a vehicle. Circumstances surrounding the death were not immediately released.
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Bethany College's President to Take Job with Kentucky School
LINDSBORG, Kan. (AP) — The president of Bethany College in Kansas has resigned to take a job leading Georgetown College in Kentucky. The Salina Journal reports that William Jones will be introduced Wednesday as the new president of the small liberal arts Baptist college in Kentucky. Jones arrived at Bethany in the summer of 2016. In a statement, Bethany College board of directors chairman Corey Peterson credited him with "back-to-back record freshman classes and strong enrollment growth." Peterson says he is "saddened" to have Jones leave but "thrilled for him and his family to have an opportunity to move back to his home state." Following the appointment of an interim president in the coming weeks, Bethany's board of directors will begin a national search for a permanent successor.
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Man, Wife Plead Guilty to Federal Fishing Crimes
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A man and wife who sold fish for food from their Lincoln home have pleaded guilty to federal charges. Prosecutors say 48-year-old Phong Duong pleaded guilty Friday to conspiring to traffic wildlife. His spouse, 46-year-old Oanh Pham, pleaded guilty to illegally taking, transporting and selling fish. Both are scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 20. Prosecutors say that between May 2013 and July 2016, Duong and Pham exceeded the limits on catching fish from the Kirwin National Wildlife Refuge in northern Kansas and other reservoirs. They'd take the fish back home to Nebraska, then clean and bag them at their home in Lincoln before selling the fish.
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Oklahoma Man Dies in Wyoming Motorcycle Crash
CASPER, Wyo. (AP) — A 37-year-old Oklahoma man was killed when he struck a large animal while riding his motorcycle on Interstate 80 in south-central Wyoming. Wyoming Highway Patrol investigators believe Daniel Godfrey collided with an elk or a moose at about 10:30 p.m. Saturday. KTWO-AM reports Godfrey's motorcycle went off the road and he was thrown from the bike. He was not wearing a helmet and died at the scene. Rindt-Erdman Funeral Home said Godfrey had been living in Collinsville, Oklahoma, but previously lived in Arkansas City, Kansas. The Wyoming Highway Patrol has reported 80 fatalities this year compared to 47 on this date a year ago.
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Survey Suggests Midwest Economic Growth will Continue
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A new report says a June survey of business supply managers suggests economic growth will continue over the next three to six months in nine Midwest and Plains states. The report issued Monday says the Mid-America Business Conditions Index rose to 55.4 last month from 54.3 in May. The April figure was 55.9. Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he says "weak farm income, produced partially by tariffs and flooding, pulled regional growth below that of the nation." The survey results are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth. A score below that suggests decline. The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.
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Keystone XL Pipeline Opponents Pursue New Legal Challenge
BILLINGS, Mont. (AP) — Environmentalists asked a federal judge on Monday to cancel approvals issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for the Keystone XL oil pipeline from Canada, opening another front in the legal fight over a long-delayed energy project that President Donald Trump has tried to push through to completion. Attorneys for the Northern Plains Resource Council, Sierra Club and other groups filed the latest lawsuit against the $8 billion tar sands pipeline in Montana, where they've previously won favorable rulings in related cases. First proposed in 2008, Keystone XL was rejected by President Barack Obama but revived under Trump. An appeals court last month lifted an injunction that had blocked construction. That came after Trump issued a new permit for the project, in a bid to nullify a legal challenge that had been based on a previous permit from his administration.
A separate lawsuit challenging the president's actions on the permit is pending in federal court. Monday's lawsuit gives pipeline opponents another avenue to delay or stop it should Trump's permit be upheld. Both cases are assigned to Judge Brian Morris in Great Falls — the same judge who issued the injunction recently overturned by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The environmentalists claim the Army Corps did not examine the potential for oil spills and other environmental damages when it approved plans submitted by pipeline developer TC Energy.
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