Federal Prosecutor: "Satanist" Soldier Sought Government Overthrow
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A prosecutor says an Army soldier charged with distributing information about making explosives online is a Satanist who wanted to overthrow the U.S. government. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Mattivi said during a federal court hearing Thursday in Kansas that 24-year-old Jarrett William Smith had a specific plan to overthrow the government and told the FBI he was distributing information on explosives "for the glory of his Satanist religion." But an attorney for Smith said he is only an internet "troll" who was "spouting off online" and sharing widely available information. Smith pleaded not guilty to two federal charges of distributing explosives information and a third alleging he threatened to set fire to the home owned by a far-left-leaning "antifa" member. A federal magistrate ordered him detained until his trial.
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Man Pleads Guilty to Sexual Assault in Kansas Welfare Office
OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A man has pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a 13-year-old old while the two were staying overnight at a Kansas child welfare office. Twenty-year-old Michael Hamer accepted a plea deal Thursday to two counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child. The second charge of indecent liberties with a child was added in exchange for prosecutors dropping a rape charge. Prosecutors said Hamer assaulted the girl in May 2018 while they were both in the foster system and spending the night at a KVC Health Systems office in Olathe. The Kansas City Star reports the girl was sleeping in the conference room when Hamer assaulted her. The social worker who was supervising them is no longer working for KVC. Hamer's sentencing is scheduled for November 22.
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Kansas Man Pleads Guilty to Attempted Rape of 4-Year-Old Girl
LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (KAKE TV) - A 76-year-old northeast Kansas man has pleaded guilty to charges that he tried to rape a 4-year-old girl. KAKE TV reports thatGalen Hurt, of Linwood, entered the plea on charges of attempted rape and aggravated child endangerment in Leavenworth County court. Hurt was originally charged in 2018 with rape of a child after the victim told her mother that he had touched her inappropriately while she was at Hurt's house. Hurt entered the plea before the girl, who is now 6, would have to testify. Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson said that part of his decision to offer a plea deal was in consideration of the victim. Hurt will be sentenced at a later date.
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Former Kansas Day Care Owner Charged After Baby Found Severely Beaten, Vomiting
SHAWNEE, Kan. (WDAF TV) - The 53-year-old former owner of a Kansas home day care has been arrested and charged months after she allegedly beat a baby in her care. WDAF TV reports that Katherine Konon, of Shawnee, was arrested Wednesday and charged with aggravated battery causing great bodily harm. Sarah Braun picked up her 6-month-old son in late June and noticed the child was vomiting and had red marks all over hit head. Doctors at Children’s Mercy Hospital said the red marks were a hand print and that the baby was hit so hard it caused a brain bleed. Konon's home is no longer a day car, and the state has revoked her day car license, according to the Fox station in Kansas City. The now-9-month-old seems to have fully recovered, and doctors are tracking his progress. Konon is expected in court on October 4.
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Another School District Prepares to Sue E-Cigarette Maker
OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A suburban Kansas City school district plans to sue a leading e-cigarette maker as the number of deaths from a vaping-related lung disease continues to climb. The Kansas City Star reports that the Olathe school board voted Friday to sue Juul. Olathe Superintendent John Allison said the district believes middle and high school students are being targeted with misleading advertising by e-cigarette and vaping manufacturers. He says vaping is causing serious disruption in the district's schools. Goddard school officials announced earlier this month that they would file a similar lawsuit. On Friday, health officials reported 805 confirmed and probable cases of the vaping-related lung illness. Thirteen people have died. Juul has said it doesn't market to youth and its products are meant to be an alternative to smoking.
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U.S. Vaping Illness Count Jumps to 805, Deaths Rise to 13
NEW YORK (AP) — Hundreds more Americans have been reported to have a vaping-related breathing illness, and the death toll has risen to 13, health officials said Thursday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 805 confirmed and probable cases have been reported, up 52% from the 530 reported a week ago. At this point, illnesses have occurred in almost every state. The confirmed deaths include two in California, two in Kansas, two in Oregon and one each in Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Mississippi, and Missouri. The Mississippi death was announced by officials in that state Thursday and the second Oregon death was revealed by authorities later in the day. Over the summer, health officials in a few states began noticing reports of people developing severe breathing illnesses, with the lungs apparently reacting to a caustic substance. The only common factor in the illnesses was that the patients had all recently vaped.
As a national investigation started and broadened, reports have increased dramatically. It's not clear how many of the 275 added cases occurred in the last week, and how many are being logged long after they happened. The CDC has not released details on when symptoms began in each case. The agency's count includes only illnesses that have met certain criteria. Other illnesses are also being investigated. Most patients have said they vaped products containing THC, the ingredient that produces a high in marijuana. The investigation has been increasingly focused on products containing THC, with some attention on ingredients added to marijuana oil. But some patients have said they vaped only nicotine. Currently, health officials are advising people not to use any vaping product until the cause is better understood.
The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.
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Kansas Polling Place's Move to Catholic Church Questioned
ROELAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Some officials, candidates and LGBTQ rights advocates are questioning a decision by county election officials to move a suburban Kansas City polling place to a Catholic church. The Kansas City Star reports that critics worry relocating the Ward 2 polling place in Roeland Park to St. Agnes Catholic Parish will confuse voters in the November municipal election and decrease turnout. The ward's polling place has been at the Horizon Academy private school for students with learning disabilities. The new polling place is outside Ward 2. A City Council candidate from the ward is a St. Agnes parishioner and his opponent is gay. Johnson County election officials said the relocation was routine and that the former polling site had heating and electrical issues. Churches often serve as polling locations.
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New Use Found for Closed St. John Military School Campus in Salina
SALINA, Kan. (AP) — A Salina-based nonprofit that provides child welfare and adult services plans to merge with the former St. John's Military School, which closed in May after years of litigation over its supervision of cadets. Saint Francis Ministries, an Episcopalian organization, announced Thursday that it will lead a collaboration to establish future uses for the nearly 40-acre campus in north Salina. The Salina Journal reports the campus name has been changed to St. John's Ministries and School. The Rev. Bobby Smith, dean and CEO of Saint Francis Ministries, says initial plans include working with the business and educational leaders to possibly develop a career-technical program for young people. St. John's Military School cited the litigation, as well as declining enrollment, when it announced it would close the school after 131 years.
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Topeka Man Pleads Not Guilty in Shooting of Washburn Players
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A man charged in the shooting death of a former Washburn University football player and the wounding of current New York Giants cornerback Corey Ballentine has pleaded not guilty. The pleas were entered Thursday on behalf of 18-year-old Francisco Mendez, who faces 12 charges after the April 28 shooting that killed Dwane Simmons. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports Mendez is charged with first-degree murder, four counts of attempted murder and seven counts of aggravated robbery. Simmons, Ballentine and three other Washburn players were shot at as they celebrated after Ballentine was drafted by the Giants earlier in the day. The robbery charges stem from crimes prosecutors say were committed before and after the shooting. Investigators have said at least three guns were used in the shooting and the investigation is continuing.
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Unruly Passenger Forces Flight to Land in Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — An Alaska Airlines flight was forced to land at Kansas City International Airport after an unruly passenger threatened the safety of the aircraft. KSHB-TV report s a statement from Alaska Airlines said flight 411 landed safely in Kansas City Thursday afternoon and the passenger was taken into custody. The flight was bound from New York to Los Angeles with 177 passengers and six crew members aboard. The airline said the passenger threatened crew members and the aircraft's safety. Federal officials interviewed crew members and continue to investigate the incident. No further details were immediately available.
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Kansas Congresswoman Sharice Davids Backs "First Step" in Impeaching President Trump
WASHINGTON (AP) — Kansas Rep. Sharice Davids is supporting what she is calling a "first step" toward impeaching President Donald Trump. The freshman Democrat issued a statement Wednesday saying the House had "no other option" than to open an inquiry. She cited a rough transcript released by the White House of a call this summer between Trump and Ukraine's president showing that Trump prodded the Ukrainian leader to investigate Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son Hunter. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi launched the formal impeachment inquiry Tuesday and Davids initially expressed support for an inquiry without using the word impeachment. Davids represents a GOP-leaning Kansas City-area district. Davids said the transcript of the call "clearly" shows that Trump "abused his power" for political gain. Many Republicans are rejecting that assessment.
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Couple to Reopen Kansas Cafe Closed by Flash Flooding
DURHAM, Kan. (AP) — A couple has decided to reopen a tiny central Kansas cafe that closed after suffering extensive damage in Fourth of July flash flooding. The Wichita Eagle reports that the restaurant, called Main Street Cafe, was among one of many businesses and homes inundated in the Marion County town of Durham after a thunderstorm. The owners said at the time that they hoped someone younger will step in and reopen the cafe. Enter Mark and Kris Wiebe, who had been setting up a booth they called Homemade Anytime at farmers markets around the area for about 17 years. Mark Wiebe says a small town loses its "social meeting place when a cafe like that closes." Durham has around 110 residents and is located about 55 miles north of Wichita.
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Emporia Couple Gives $1 Million to School of Medicine in Wichita
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — An Emporia couple has committed $1 million to the internal medicine program at the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Wichita. The university on Wednesday announced the gift from Scott and Julie Smiley. The money will be divided into three funds. One will benefit the Department of Internal Medicine, another will support residents in the internal medicine program, and the third will fund student scholarships, with preference given to students interested in internal medicine. Scott Smiley, a native of Newton who graduated from the school of medicine in Wichita, is a physician in Emporia. Julie Smiley is a veterinarian who also practices in Emporia.
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New Commemorative Plaque Approved for Kansas Capitol
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A state committee has agreed to replace a plaque commemorating the completion of the Kansas Capitol renovation that named only former Governor Sam Brownback with a plaque bearing the names of four governors involved in the project. The original plaque was installed during a dedication ceremony in 2014 after the $325 million project was completed. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports the renovation project began in 1999 and ended in 2014, when Brownback was governor. The new privately-financed plaque approved by the Capitol Preservation Committee will include the names of Governors Bill Graves, Kathleen Sebelius, Mark Parkinson and Brownback. It also names the contractor, architects and the former director of legislative administrative services. Senate Majority Leader Anthony Hensley, a Topeka Democrat, said he pushed for the new plaque because the original was not inclusive.
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