Icy Kansas Roads Cause Fatal Wrecks
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Icy and snow-covered roads are causing accidents across much of Kansas, including two fatal wrecks. Slick roads were common across central and western Kansas on Friday, causing dozens of accidents and several injuries. Troopers say many roads and highways in western Kansas are “completely snow-packed.” Ben Gardner of the Kansas Highway Patrol says two people died in central Kansas. A woman was killed on U.S. 183 in Rush County when she lost control of her car, which spun and struck a jeep. In Reno County, a Buhler teacher died in a crash. Gardner says bridges and overpasses are particularly treacherous. He urged motorists to avoid travel if possible. For those who must get out, he urged them to wear seatbelts, slow down on bridges and overpasses, and leave extra room between cars.
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Trump: Pompeo Might Run for Open Senate Seat in Kansas
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump appears to be opening the door for Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to run for an open Senate seat in his home state of Kansas. Trump told “Fox & Friends” on Friday that Pompeo “loves what he's doing” but if he thought “there was a chance of losing that seat, I think he would do that, and he would win in a landslide.” Many Republicans see Pompeo as their best candidate for preventing the race from becoming competitive in Kansas, where a Democrat hasn’t won a Senate seat since 1932. Pompeo has said he’ll remain secretary of state as long as Trump will have him. Ambassador Gordon Sondland testified in the House impeachment inquiry that Pompeo was kept informed of Trump’s effort to pressure Ukraine for investigations while military aid was withheld.
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Girls Accused of Attacking Store Worker in Wichita
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Four girls are accused of attacking a Kansas store worker who confronted them about shoplifting, an attack that left the woman unconscious. Wichita police say the incident happened Nov. 9 at a T.J. Maxx store. A 12-year-old girl and three 15-year-olds were arrested on suspicion of aggravated robbery and aggravated battery. The 12-year-old and two of the 15-year-olds also are accused of theft. Police say a loss prevention employee tried to stop the girls as they were leaving the store. Three of the girls allegedly punched and kicked the 40-year-old employee. Police say the fourth girl got out of a car, joined in the attack and took the woman’s phone. The woman briefly lost consciousness and suffered minor injuries. Prosecutors will decide whether to file charges.
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Report Shows Improvement in Kansas Athletics’ Finances
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The athletic department at the University of Kansas is reporting a profit after two straight years of financial losses. The Lawrence Journal-World obtained the auditor’s report for Kansas Athletics Inc., a nonprofit corporation wholly owned by the university. It shows operating income of $4.3 million for fiscal year 2019. Kansas Athletics had an operating loss of $82,000 in fiscal year 2017 and an operating loss of $1.6 million in fiscal year 2018. Operating revenue — everything from ticket sales to contributions — rose 11 percent, to $114.7 million. Operating expenditures also grew, but not as much as revenues. The newspaper says much of the new spending went to the football program. Athletic Director Jeff Long, who began his job in August 2018, started a fundraising drive to boost football spending.
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Sex Offender Charged in Wichita Abduction, Rape
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A 58-year-old registered sex offender is facing five charges after he allegedly kidnapped a 15-year-old girl who was walking home from a Wichita grocery store and raped her. The charges against Anthony Craig Seymour, of Wichita include aggravated kidnapping and rape. The Wichita Eagle reports Seymour is accused of using a knife to force the girl into his car and raping her on Tuesday. He made his first court appearance Thursday. A witness to the abduction called 911. The girl jumped out of Seymour’s car when she saw a police car in the neighborhood after the emergency call. Seymour is in the Sedgwick County Jail on $250,000 bond. His next court date is December 5th. He previously served just over 15 years for raping a 14-year-old girl in 2003.
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Oklahoma Earthquakes Felt in Kansas
ENID, Okla. (AP) — The U.S. Geological Survey reports five earthquakes, including three of magnitude 3.6, were recorded in Oklahoma and felt in Kansas and Texas. One of the 3.6 magnitude earthquakes took place late Thursday night while the other two occurred Friday afternoon. The stronger ones took place in northern Oklahoma, near the cities of Enid and Okeene. In Garfield County, where Enid is located, Emergency Management Director Mike Honigsberg said there are no reports of injury or damage. The 3.6 magnitude quake from Thursday night was reportedly felt in Newton, Kansas, 168 miles to the north, and in Mineral Wells, Texas, 247 miles to the south. Thousands of Oklahoma earthquakes in recent years have been linked to underground injection of wastewater from oil and gas production.
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Woman Charged with Child Sex Crimes Enters Plea Deal
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A Lawrence woman charged with sex crimes involving two young teenagers pleaded to lesser charges and was given two years of probation. 38-year-old Alisia Clark was originally charged with two felonies after she allegedly exposed herself, engaged in sexual conversation and groped a child who was 13 and another who was 14. The Lawrence Journal-World reports Cheek entered a plea deal that included dropping the two counts of aggravated battery. She was sentenced Wednesday. Court documents show both children told police the inappropriate actions happened when Cheek was drunk. Cheek’s attorney, Michael Clarke, told Judge Sally Pokorny Wednesday Cheek was now sober and he had no doubt she would successfully complete her probation. Cheek has an underlying one-year sentence if her probation is revoked.
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Tiger Dies at Wichita Zoo
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A tiger that had been in declining health has died at a Wichita zoo. Jennica King, of the Sedgwick County Zoo, said the 14-year-old Amur tiger named Talali had not been on exhibit for several months. The Wichita Eagle reports that zookeepers had discovered a mass on her body and had been monitoring it, but her health quickly worsened. King said that on Sunday, Talali began having trouble moving around in her stall and seemed confused. They decided to euthanize her that morning. She had been part of the zoo’s Slawson Family Tiger Trek exhibit since it opened in 2009.
