Kansas Senator Jerry Moran: Partial Shutdown Will Soon Affect Farmers, Aircraft Plants
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Senator Jerry Moran says he wants the government shutdown to come to end, saying it will soon start to affect farmers and aircraft manufacturers. The Wichita Eagle reports that Moran said Friday after touring three Wichita businesses that he's "sorry" about what's happening. He added that people who are dissatisfied with the government sometimes say, "Shut her down, it doesn't matter." But Moran says "the things that government does are important to many people." He says one effect of a protracted shutdown will be that aircraft manufacturers will be unable to deliver planes because the Federal Aviation Administration office in Oklahoma City that issues aircraft titles is closed. He says farmers hurt by the trade battle with China also will have to wait for federal aid.
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Kansas Rep. Watkins Not Accepting Salary During Shutdown
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Rep. Steve Watkins is not accepting his congressional salary until the federal government fully reopens. Watkins spokesman Jim Joice said Monday that the freshman Republican congressman began refusing his salary when he was sworn into office last week. Watkins and most members of Congress are paid $174,000 a year. Parts of the federal government have been shut down since Dec. 22 because of a dispute over President Donald Trump's demand for funding for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Watkins tweeted a 16-second video Friday showing him in the U.S. Capitol, saying he's bothered by the shutdown because federal employees in Kansas aren't getting paid. Watkins represents the 2nd District of eastern Kansas. At the end of the video, Watkins declares, "If you don't get paid, I don't."
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Man Escapes from Lansing Correctional Facility
LANSING, Kan. (AP) — Law enforcement agencies are searching for an inmate who drove away from the Lansing Correctional Facility. Department of Corrections officials said Monday they are looking for 36-year-old Cal Henry Green III. Green is a minimum-security inmate currently imprisoned on an aggravated battery charge out of Wyandotte County. Departme of Corrections spokesman Brett Peterson said Green is believed to be in a camo-painted state vehicle. He is described as black, 5-foot-4-inches, about 196 pounds with brown hair. Green has a long criminal record in Wyandotte County, including convictions for theft, burglary, fleeing to avoid arrest, and forgery. No further information about the escape was immediately available. Schools in Lansing were placed on lockdown after the escape was reported.
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Coroner: Man Whose Body Was Found in River Was Killed
WAMEGO, Kan. (AP) — Authorities are investigating the death of a 19-year-old Wamego man, whose body was found in the Kansas River, as a homicide. The body of Jacob Bouck was found in the river December 24 one miles west of Wamego. He was last seen on December 21. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports the Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office said Friday a forensic autopsy indicated Bouck's death was a homicide. The Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office, the Kansas Bureau of Investigations and Wamego Police Department are investigating the case.
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Departing Kansas Governor Colyer Considering Senate Race in 2020
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Departing Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer has confirmed that he's considering running for the U.S. Senate in 2020 now that four-term incumbent Republican Pat Roberts won't seek re-election. Colyer said Monday during a news conference that he and his wife are "strongly looking at" the race. A spokesman said Attorney General Derek Schmidt would be speaking to family, friends and supporters. Schmidt told reporters Monday, "Why wouldn't you look at it?" American Conservative Union Chairman Matt Schlapp said Saturday on SiriusXM radio's "CPAC 365" program that he will seriously consider the race. Schlapp grew up in Wichita. Republican Rep. Roger Marshall also is considering the race. Another potential GOP candidate is departing Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach. He lost the governor's race in November after defeating Colyer in the primary.
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Kansas Congressman Roger Marshall, Others Consider Running for U.S. Senate
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — A spokesman says Kansas Congressman Roger Marshall is seriously considering running for the U.S. Senate in 2020 now that Senator Pat Roberts does not plan to seek re-election. Marshall spokesman Brent Robertson said Friday that the Republican congressman will not make a formal decision until Congress approves border security funding. The federal government is partially shut down since over President Donald Trump's demand for funding for a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Marshall represents the 1st Congressional District of western Kansas and won his second term in November. It is the same seat Roberts held for 16 years before being elected to the Senate in 1996. Other potential Republican candidates include departing Governor Jeff Colyer and outgoing Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who lost the governor's race last year. Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt and the American Conservative Union's chairman are also looking at running for the U.S. Senate in 2020. Schmidt spokesman Clint Blaes says that the Republican attorney general will be talking to family, friends and supporters about the issue. ACU Chairman Matt Schlapp said Saturday on SiriusXM radio's "CPAC 365" program that he would "be a fool" not to consider seeking the GOP nomination and will seriously consider it. Schlapp grew up in Wichita.
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2 Oklahoma Murder Suspects Captured in Kansas
MAIZE, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say two people wanted for a murder in Oklahoma have been arrested in Kansas. The U.S. Marshals Service says 33-year-old La'shae Terrell and 42-year-old Kenneth Williams were arrested Thursday in the Wichita suburb of Maize. They are charged with first-degree murder in the Dec. 29 death of Louis Poole in Tulsa. Tulsa officers say Poole was shot to death at a home on the city's west side. The Marshals Service said in a news release that marshals determined the suspects were staying with an associate in Maize. That person was also arrested on unrelated charges. KAKE-TV reports Sedgwick County jail records show Terrell and Williams remained in custody Friday afternoon on fugitive from justice and failure to comply charges.
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Man Accused of Kicking Black Child in Wichita Charged
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A 31-year-old man accused of kicking a 1-year-old black boy and shouting racial slurs in a Wichita grocery store has been charged with attempted aggravated battery. Trace Riff made his first court appearance Monday after he was charged in the Dec. 23 incident. The Wichita Eagle report s Riff is also charged with interference with law enforcement and disorderly conduct. Witnesses told police Riff kicked the child as he was holding the hand of his 11-year-old sister. The toddler was not injured. Riff was released from jail after the alleged kicking but was arrested again Thursday on drug charges. He was charged Monday in that case with possession of methamphetamine, criminal trespassing and abuse of toxic vapors. Riff's family says he has a history of mental health and substance abuse problems.
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Man Sentenced for Fatal Shooting of Guard Outside Kansas Bar
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A 37-year-old man who fatally shot one man and tried to kill two others outside a bar has been sentenced to nearly 19 years in prison. Danny Queen, of Eudora, was sentenced Friday for the June 2017 death of 32-year-old Bo Hopson outside D-Dubs Bar and Grill in Eudora. He also was sentenced for attempted second-degree murder and attempted voluntary manslaughter for trying to kill two other bar patrons. Prosecutors say his gun jammed when he tried to shoot the two other men. The Lawrence Journal-World reports Queen was kicked out of the bar after making offensive comments to women. When Hopson offered to find Queen a ride home, Hopson instead pulled a gun and shot Hopson, who was the bar's security guard. Queen claimed he shot Hopson in self-defense.
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LGBTQ Advocates See Hope for Non-Discrimination Ordinances
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Advocates for LGBTQ Kansans are pointing to recent successful efforts to pass anti-discrimination ordinances in Johnson County as evidence support of such laws is spreading in the state. Prairie Village and Mission in December approved ordinances barring discrimination in jobs, housing and public accommodations based on sexual orientation and gender identity. KCUR reports several other Johnson County cities are considering similar ordinances. Tom Witt, director of the advocacy group Equality Kansas, says he thinks support is growing for non-discrimination ordinances beyond the Kansas City area to other Kansas municipalities. There appears to be less potential for a statewide nondiscrimination ordinance. Lenexa Republican state Senator Mary Pilcher Cook expects steep opposition in the Republican-dominated Kansas Legislature if lawmakers take up the issue during the upcoming session.
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New Kansas Governor Keeping Predecessor's Budget Director
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' incoming Democratic governor is keeping her Republican predecessor's budget director, saying he's proven he can work with legislators of all political stripes. Governor-elect Laura Kelly announced Friday that former state Rep. Larry Campbell will remain a key adviser on fiscal policy. Departing GOP Governor Jeff Colyer appointed Campbell to the post in February 2018. Campbell is a 63-year-old former banker who served 13 years in the House as a Republican before becoming budget director. He is a former Olathe mayor and a current member of its City Council. Kelly called Campbell "a team player who wants to find solutions." The new governor served 14 years in the Senate and was a key player in budget debates for almost a decade. The new governor takes office January 14.
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Bill Would Crackdown on Robocalls, Fake Number Spoofing
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Shady telemarketers would face a tougher time operating in Kansas under a new bill. Incoming Republican Representative Bill Rhiley, of Wellington, says he pre-filed the bill after getting complaints about calls that appear to be from Kansas, but instead are automated sales pitches from telemarketers in other states or overseas. The Wichita Eagle reports that the bill would set limits on the use of robocalling equipment and crack down on "neighbor spoofing," the practice of making distant calls display as local numbers on caller ID. Rhiley says he's recently had telemarketers spoof his own phone number. One provision of the bill would prohibit anyone, including a phone company, from providing local phone numbers to an out-of-state entity unless the number is openly listed. Rhiley wants consumers to share their stories .
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Pregnant Professor Alleges Wichita State Retracted Job Offer
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — An Ohio professor is suing Wichita State University, accusing school officials of rescinding a job offer after she told them she was pregnant. Evangeline Heiliger, a 41-year-old visiting assistant professor of gender, sexuality and feminist studies at Oberlin College, said in her lawsuit that that she was offered a job as an assistant professor of women's studies at Wichita State during a March 15 phone call with Chineyer Okafor, director of the university's Center for Women's Studies. During that call, Heiliger told the university for the first time that she was pregnant and asked about on-site childcare available at Wichita State, according to the lawsuit. The next day, she wrote an email to the-department dean Ron Matson about her excitement over starting the new job, The Wichita Eagle reported . Instead, Maston emailed her back "indicating that he had become aware that she was no longer available for the position and that they were removing her from consideration," according to the lawsuit.
"At no point during Dr. Heiliger's conversation with Dr. Okafor did she ever indicate she was not available to accept the position," the suit contends.
Instead, Heiliger responded to Matson's email that she was available for job, but she never received a response, according to the lawsuit. Wichita State general counsel David Moses said in an email to the Eagle that an administrative agency investigated Heiliger's claim before the lawsuit was filed "and didn't conclude that the university violated the law." Matson, who was an associate professor and the dean of the university's Fairmount College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, retired in June. Heiliger is seeking more than $75,000 in damages.
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Kansas City's World War I Museum Opens New Exhibit
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A new exhibit at a Kansas City museum documents the destruction during World War I captured in a series of jarring and sometimes unidentifiable photographs and illustrations. The Kansas City Star reports that the "Devastated Lands" exhibit opened at the National World War I Museum and Memorial last month. Museum officials say the collection of photographs and illustrations shows battered landscapes along the Western Front akin to an uninhabited planet. One shows a bombed cathedral in Reims, France. An illustration depicts soldiers' graves. Some of the photos were taken by the U.S. Army Signal Corps, though the origin of many is unknown. Senior curator Doran Cart says oftentimes "photographers didn't even know where they were, from one village to the next." The exhibit runs through December.
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Philanthropist Again Funds Wichita Art Museum Admissions
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita philanthropist Colby Sandlian is ensuring that Saturday visits to the Wichita Art Museum will remain free. Sandlian has donated $1 million to the Wichita Community Foundation to establish an endowed fund for the museum to continue free admissions. Museum Director Patricia McConnell said in a news release that Saturday admissions account for nearly half of the museum's annual attendance. Sandlian has underwritten free-admission Saturdays at the art museum since 2003. In 2017, Sandlian also funded Sunday admissions to Wichita's Old Cowtown Museum but it is unclear if that will continue. The Wichita Art Museum is open on Saturdays from 10 am to 5 pm.
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Former Downtown Church Becomes a 'Hub' for Wichita Homeless
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A former church in downtown Wichita is being repurposed as a "hub" to treat homeless patients. The Wichita Eagle reports Robert Mitelhaus, owner of the former Central Christian Church building, signed leases for multiple organizations to use the space after realizing the church might be best utilized by certain groups and outreach ministries. JayDoc Community Clinic is one of the building's primary tenants. Jay Doc is a University of Kansas-sponsored collaboration with the Guadalupe Clinic that treats patients at the church on Thursday nights. It serves as an outreach effort by the Catholic Diocese of Wichita that provides health care to the uninsured and to those who can't otherwise afford it. The building was dedicated as the home of Central Christian Church in 1948. At the time, Central Christian was one of the largest churches in town.
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K-State Dismisses Basketball Player Maary Lakes for Violation of Team Rules
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State has dismissed sophomore center Maary Lakes from its women's basketball program for a violation of team rules and conduct detrimental to the team. Wildcats coach Jeff Mittie announced the decision in a statement Monday. According to the Riley County Police Department, the 6-foot-4 Lakes was arrested early Monday on suspicion of domestic battery and criminal damage to property. She was released on a $750 bond. Lakes was arrested on suspicion of domestic battery last summer, though charges against her were eventually dropped. Mittie said Lakes was "someone we thought deserved a second chance, but unfortunately, it is time for both of us to move on." The native of Peoria, Illinois, had played in all 13 games this season, averaging 1.6 points and 1.2 rebounds.
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Kansas Jayhawks Lose Udoka Azubuike for Season Due to Torn Hand Tendon
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Fifth-ranked Kansas will be without center Udoka Azubuike for the remainder of the season after an MRI exam Sunday revealed the 7-footer tore ligaments in his right hand during practice. Jayhawks coach Bill Self said in a statement that X-rays taken after Friday's practice did not show the severity of the injury. The MRI exam revealed the tendon tear, which is similar to a torn tendon Azubuike had in his opposite hand in December 2016 that sidelined him the remainder of his freshman season. "The surgery date will be set early this week," Self said. "The doctors expect a complete recovery and Udoka will be able to resume full basketball activities at some point this summer." The injury is a significant blow to the Jayhawks' interior depth, not to mention their national title aspirations. The nation's preseason No. 1 already has been playing without sophomore forward Silvio De Sousa, whose eligibility remains in question after his name surfaced in the FBI probe into apparel company adidas. Self said recently that there has been no change in De Sousa's status. The Jayhawks (12-2, 1-1) lost 77-60 to Iowa State on Saturday in their first game without their bruising center from Nigeria. But that was a byproduct of 24 turnovers and some patchy work on defense rather than any issues in the paint, where Kansas had a dominant plus-15 advantage on the boards. "We've been living on the razor's edge a lot," Self said.
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