Body Found in Kansas River Ruled Homicide
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 24th one mile west of Wamego. He was last seen on December 21st. 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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Former Wichita Church Becomes Homeless Hub
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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New Kansas Governor Keeps 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 Larry Campbell will remain a key adviser on fiscal policy. Departing GOP Gov. 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 14th.
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Kansas Congressman Considering Senate Race
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — A spokesman says U.S. Congressman Roger Marshall is seriously considering running for the U.S. Senate in 2020 now that Sen. 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 Gov. Jeff Colyer and outgoing Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who lost the governor's race last year.
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Two 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 December 29th 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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Eudora Man Sentenced for Fatal Shooting of Bar Bouncer
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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Waste Service Employee Dies at Landfill near Lawrence
OSKALOOSA, Kan. (AP) — Jefferson County authorities say a waste services employee has died at a landfill north of Lawrence. Sheriff Jeff Herrig says the man, who died Friday morning, was an employee of Hamm Waste Services in Jefferson County. The Kansas Highway Patrol identified him as 59-year-old Mark Wilson of Lawrence. The patrol says the Wilson was operating a "tipper" machine that empties out large amounts of waste when he was pinned between a semi-trailer and a dock, causing fatal injuries.
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Shutdown Delays Crop Reports; Farmers, Investors Face Uncertainty
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The U.S. Department of Agriculture says it must delay the release of key crop reports due to the partial government shutdown. The announcement Friday left investors and farmers without vital information during an already tumultuous time for agricultural markets. The USDA planned to release the reports January 11th but said that even if the shutdown ended immediately, the agency wouldn't have time to release the reports as scheduled. Grain market analyst Todd Hultman says the situation will worsen if the shutdown continues. The lack of information comes amid the uncertainty of trade with China, where tariffs led to an abrupt drop in U.S. exports to the country. There were indications that China was beginning to resume purchases of U.S. crops, but because of the government shutdown it's unclear what's happening.
