Flooding Expected Along Kansas, Missouri Rivers
ST. LOUIS (AP) - Recent rains have caused rivers to rise across Missouri and Kansas, and with more rain in the forecast, the National Weather Service is predicting minor flooding in several locations. Hydrologists expect flooding along the Mississippi River starting in the next few days at Missouri towns that include Hannibal, Clarksville and Cape Girardeau. The Missouri River is rising in both Kansas and Missouri. Minor flooding is predicted by next weekend in several places.
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New Medicaid Expansion Plan in Kansas Dilutes "Poison Pill"
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - Supporters of expanding Medicaid in Kansas have tried to reassure wary Republican lawmakers with a "poison pill" that would end an expansion if the federal government backed off promises to cover most of the cost. But new Democratic Governor Laura Kelly's proposal this year dilutes the provision so that the state could continue expanded Medicaid health coverage with fewer federal dollars. It's a key difference from a bipartisan expansion plan approved by legislators in 2017 and vetoed by then-conservative GOP Gov. Sam Brownback. Kelly has said her proposal is based on the 2017 legislation. Documents obtained by The Associated Press through an open records request showed that an initial draft contained the 2017 poison pill. But Kelly's advisers on Medicaid expansion suggested a change, and it was altered.
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Conservatives Seek to Put Strings on New Kansas School Funds
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — If Kansas' highest court is going to force state lawmakers to boost public education funding again, some conservative Republicans want something in return. Their list includes a say in how new dollars are spent and a voucher program to allow bullied kids to switch to private schools. A state House committee expects to have hearings this week on an education bill drafted by its conservative chairwoman and introduced Tuesday. It's an alternative to Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's proposal for an increase of roughly $90 million in the state's more than $4 billion a year in education funding. The Kansas Supreme Court ruled last year that education funding remains inadequate despite increases in recent years. The state's attorneys must report in writing by April 15 on how lawmakers addressed the problem.
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Lawmakers Consider Kansas Organ Donor Choice Bill
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) - State lawmakers will consider a bill that could allow organ donors in Kansas to specify whether they want their organs to go to transplant patients in Kansas. The proposed legislation comes as the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is poised to nationalize the system used to distribute livers for transplant. The federal agency wants to scrap the system that distributes organs within regions following a lawsuit from six patients in California, New York and Massachusetts.
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Coffeyville Police Investigate Infant Kansas Boy's Death
COFFEYVILLE, Kan. (AP) - Police are investigating the death of a 3-month-old baby in southeast Kansas. Officers responded to a call early Sunday of an unresponsive infant at a Coffeyville apartment complex. Police say the baby boy was taken to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. Police and the Montgomery County medical examiner's office are investigating the cause of the boy's death. No names have been released.
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Kansas Man Dies After Car He Was Working on Fell on Him
BURDEN, Kan. (AP) _ Authorities say a 26-year-old man died after a car crushed him in Cowley County. Sheriff David Falletti says George Fletcher was working on the car Monday afternoon when it fell on him. First responders who were called to the home in Burden found Fletcher's body underneath the car. No further information was released. Burden is about 55 miles southeast of Wichita.
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Wichita State University President Dies After Illness
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita State University has announced the death of its president after an illness. The university said in a news release that 70-year-old John William Bardo died Tuesday at Wesley Medical Center. He was admitted to the hospital in late November suffering from a chronic lung condition. Bardo spent several weeks in rehabilitation and at home before returning to the hospital last weekend. Bardo became Wichita State's president in July 2012. He began his career at Wichita State as an assistant professor of sociology. After leaving Wichita State, he held leadership appointments at various universities. Those included Western Carolina University where he was chancellor from 1995 to 2011 before returning to Wichita State. He is survived by Deborah Bardo, his wife of 44 years, and their son, Christopher.
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Pilot, Passenger OK After Small Plane Crash Near Wichita
BENTON, Kan. (AP) - A pilot and passenger walked away with only minor injuries after a small plane crashed into a home in Kansas. The crash happened yesterday (MON) afternoon in Benton, about 20 miles northeast of Wichita. Officials say the plane crashed shortly after takeoff at nearby Lloyd Stearman Air Field. The plane struck the front porch of a home. The pilot and a passenger told emergency crews they had only minor injuries.
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"AK-47 Bandit" Pleads Guilty to Nebraska Bank Robbery
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A Montana man dubbed the AK-47 bandit and accused of holding up banks in several states has pleaded guilty to robbing a bank in Nebraska. Richard Gathercole could face up to 35 years in prison after admitting Monday in federal court that he used an AK-47 to rob a Nebraska City bank in 2014. The 40-year-old Gathercole also pleaded guilty to a 2017 carjacking that led to his arrest. Assistant U.S. Attorney Lesley Woods says the plea deal stipulates that Gathercole won't be prosecuted by other jurisdictions for other violent crimes, including the shooting of a Kansas state trooper in 2017 and bank robberies in California, Idaho, Iowa and Washington state. Some of the crimes had passed the five-year federal statute of limitations.
Gathercole is scheduled for sentencing in June.
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Man on Texas' Most Wanted Sex Offender List Caught in Kansas
AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A 27-year-old convicted felon on the Texas 10 Most Wanted sex offender list has been captured in Kansas. The Texas Department of Public Safety on Monday announced Billy Don Urango was caught February 26 in Wichita, Kansas. Investigators say Urango was wanted for parole violation and failure to register as a sex offender. Records show Urango has a 2010 conviction for aggravated sexual assault of a child and indecency with a child-sexual contact in a Grayson County incident with an 11-year-old boy. DPS says a tipster will be paid $5,000 as a result of the arrest of Urango, who was wanted since mid-2017 after fleeing from Dallas.
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Romanian National Sentenced for ATM Skimming
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) _ A Romanian national who used skimming devices on ATMs to steal debit card information has been sentenced to nearly four years in federal prison without parole. Federal prosecutors say 24-year-old David Velcu, also known as Luca Antoni, was in the U.S. illegally when he committed the crimes on ATMs in Kansas and Missouri in April 2018. He was sentenced Monday to three years and 10 months in prison and ordered to pay $5,904 in restitution. Velcu pleaded guilty in September to possessing counterfeit unauthorized access devices. He admitted using skimmers and pin cameras at ATMs to capture account numbers and personal identification numbers. He transferred the information to 78 re-encoded magnetic strips on gift cards, and used the information to withdraw money from stolen accounts.
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Trial Set for August in Shooting of Manhattan Officer
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — A 38-year-old man accused of trying to kill a Manhattan police officer is now scheduled for trial in August. Mark Harrison faces one count of attempted capital murder of a police officer. Prosecutors say he fired 33 shots during a three-hour standoff with police in January 2018. The Manhattan Mercury reports one shot hit Riley County Police Sgt. Pat Tiede in the leg. The defense has argued that shot hit Tiede after it ricocheted off a sidewalk. In February, Harrison was found not guilty on two counts of attempted capital murder, stemming from shots that hit an armored SWAT vehicle with two officers inside. The jury couldn't reach a verdict on the count involving Tiede. Harrison's new trial is scheduled for August 6.
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Olathe Man Dies in Bicycle Race at Cheney Reservoir
CHENEY, Kan. (AP) — Reno authorities say an Olathe man died during a cycling race at Cheney Reservoir during the weekend. The Reno County Sheriff's office says 48-year-old William "Craig" Henwood died during the Rage Against the Chainring gravel bicycle race Saturday. Henwood was injured when his bike started to drift left in front of several riders and left the road. Authorities say he fell over the handlebars and hit his head. The Hutch Post reports CPR was performed and Henwood responded for a short time but was eventually pronounced dead at the scene. He was taken to the Wichita Forensics Center for tests to determine if he suffered a medical condition before the accident. The Rage Against the Chainring is part of a race series sponsored by the Kansas Cycling Association.
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Planners in Kansas City Suburb Approve Islamic Center Plan
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — A proposed Islamic center in a Kansas City suburb that could serve as a centralized location for Muslims on both sides of the state line has gained approval from planning commissioners. The Overland Park Planning Commission on Monday granted preliminary approval to the Islamic Center of Kansas for its plan to build a roughly 111,000-square-foot (10,300-square-meter) multi-use religious facility, the Kansas City Star reported. The move came after hundreds of residents petitioned for the proposal to be delayed or dismissed. The center's plans include a mosque, a K-8 school, a day care center and a banquet hall. The school would accommodate 270 students, while the day care could take in 110 children. Neighbors are arguing that the size and scope of the Islamic center make it a bad fit for the area. Many expressed concerns about noise, traffic and the impact on wildlife and the area's green space. Residents have two weeks to file a protest petition. Overland Park approved the site in 2007 for a proposed church, which was never built. The Islamic Center's attorney, John Petersen, said the project, in collaboration with the Muslim American Society-Kansas City, follows the code requirements previously approved for the church, including being subject to noise ordinances. Attorney Doug Patterson, who spoke on behalf of about 50 residents Monday, questioned whether the proposed Islamic center is a "true place of worship" or a commercial endeavor. Patterson said that several residents wouldn't have an issue if the space "was just a mosque." Residents said they're worried about increased traffic diverting drivers to side streets or wearing out roadways, as well as noise on the weekends from the banquet hall.
"I wouldn't mind the mosque," said Wilderness resident Amy Korf. "I just believe as homeowners we deserve a good night's sleep."
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Settlement Reached in 1 Lawsuit Involving Duck Boat Accident
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) _ The company that owned a tourist boat that sank in a Missouri lake has reached a settlement with relatives of two brothers who were among 17 people who died in the accident. The Kansas City Star reports lawyers for Ervin and Horace Coleman last week filed a settlement notice with Ripley Entertainment. The terms of the settlement are confidential. The brothers were among nine members of the same family from Indiana who died when the duck boat sank in July on Table Rock Lake near Branson. Several lawsuits against Ripley and other entities are pending in federal and state court. A spokeswoman for Ripley Entertainment said the company is continuing mediation with victims of the accident. The lawsuits allege Ripley Entertainment launched the boat despite warnings of severe weather near the lake.
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Judge Delays Trial of Kansas Gamer Charged in Deadly Hoax
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) _ A federal judge has delayed the trial of a Kansas online gamer whose dispute allegedly sparked the hoax that resulted in police shooting a man who lived at his former Wichita home. The attorney for 20-year-old Shane Gaskill of Wichita asked for more time to talk with prosecutors, and on Monday the judge postponed the trial to April 23. Gaskill is charged with conspiracy, obstruction of justice, wire fraud, and making false statement during an investigation. Prosecutors say Gaskill was playing a Call of Duty WWII video game with Casey Viner of North College Hill, Ohio, when they argued over a $1.50 bet. Prosecutors contend Viner then asked Tyler Barriss of Los Angeles to ``swat'' Gaskill. Swatting is sometimes used by gamers to send first responders to an opponent's address.
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3 People Die in Southeastern Kansas Accident
CANEY, Kan. (AP) — Three people are dead after an accident on a highway in southeastern Kansas. The accident happened around 8:25 a.m. Tuesday near the junction of U.S. 75 and U.S. 166 in Montgomery County, about three miles north of the small town of Caney. Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Rick Wingate says in a posting on the agency's Facebook page that the wreck involved two vehicles. Three people were pronounced dead at the scene, and a fourth person was taken to a hospital in Oklahoma. Names of the victims have not been released, and the patrol offered no additional information about the cause of the crash. Caney is about 115 miles southeast of Wichita.
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Report: Kansas Wheat in Good Shape Amid Plentiful Moisture
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - The government has given the Kansas winter wheat crop a mostly upbeat report card amid plentiful soil moisture supplies. The National Agricultural Statistics Service reports that 8 percent of the state's wheat crop is in excellent condition and 32 percent is rated as good. It said 40 percent of the crop is in fair shape, while 9 percent is in poor to very poor condition. The agency also reported that 99 percent of the state had adequate to surplus topsoil and subsoil moisture.
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EPA Pledges $16 Million Annually for Tar Creek Superfund Cleanup
TULSA, Okla. (AP) — The Environmental Protection Agency has pledged more than $16 million annually for the continued cleanup of toxic mine waste at the heavily polluted Tar Creek Superfund Site in northeastern Oklahoma. Superfund is a law that gives the EPA funding and authority to clean up contaminated sites. Tar Creek, in Ottawa County, covers a 40-square-mile area and is one of the nation's oldest, most complex Superfund sites. The Tulsa World reports the EPA, in collaboration with Oklahoma and the Quapaw Nation, announced Monday that their plan is open for a 30-day public evaluation. The plan provides an update on cleanup progress and establishes framework for cleaning up mining waste in Ottawa County over the next five years. The EPA is expected to release a final Tar Creek Strategic Plan this summer.
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Texas Tech's Culver AP Big 12 Top Player, Beard Top Coach
FORT WORTH, Texas (AP) — Texas Tech sophomore guard Jarrett Culver is The Associated Press Big 12 player of the year after helping lead his hometown Red Raiders to a share of the regular season conference title. Chris Beard was named coach of the year after his third season with the Red Raiders, who are 26-5 after going to their first NCAA Elite Eight last year. Seventh-ranked Texas Tech won its first Big 12 regular-season title, sharing the crown with No. 15 Kansas State. Culver is averaging 18.3 points and 6.2 rebounds a game, and is one of three unanimous picks for the AP All-Big 12 first team released Tuesday. University of Kansas junior forward Dedric Lawson, the league's top scorer and rebounder (19.1 ppg, 10.6 rpg), and Kansas State senior guard Barry Brown Jr. (15.1 ppg, league-leading 2.0 steals a game) were the other players listed on all 18 ballots from a panel of journalists who regularly cover the Big 12 in the league's five states. Iowa State senior guard Marial Shayok and Kansas State senior forward Dean Wade were the other first-team picks. Culver got 14 votes for AP player of the year. The remaining four votes went to Lawson, the former transfer from Memphis who got 12 of 18 votes to be named Big 12 newcomer of the year.
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KU, Fired Football Coach David Beaty at Odds over $3 Million
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Former University of Kansas football coach David Beaty said Tuesday he was suing the school's athletic department in federal court, alleging breach of contract and seeking $3 million he contends he is owed after he was fired in November. The Jayhawks said they are withholding the money pending an NCAA investigation into possible rules violations by the former coach. Beaty was let go with three games left last season but finished out the year to end his tenure with a 6-42 record in four seasons. The woeful program did post a conference victory over TCU and end a 46-game road losing streak under Beaty, whose contract was extended two years through 2021 in late 2016. Beaty's attorney, Michael Lyons of Dallas, said the contract guaranteed payment if Beaty was terminated without cause and that the coach would be paid $3 million owed to him. Instead, the attorney said, Kansas officials discussed what it would take to avoid paying Beaty and contends he was told in December there were "allegations involving a member of the football staff and that Kansas athletics would not make the guaranteed payments" pending an investigation.
"Beaty has cooperated with the investigation and has been unequivocal that he is unaware of any violations of any NCAA rules while the head football coach at KU," according to an excerpt of the lawsuit.
Jim Marchiony, a Kansas associate athletic director, said the school learned "of possible NCAA violations allegedly committed by Beaty" after the season during exit interviews with football coaches and staff.
"KU contacted the NCAA and the Big 12 Conference and began an investigation into the matter. Beaty refused to cooperate with the KU review and, ultimately, the NCAA took the lead in the still-ongoing investigation," Marchiony said.
He also said the money owed to Beaty is being held in escrow "in a show of good faith" pending the outcome of the NCAA probe.
"While disappointed in the court filing, the university is committed to seeking the truth and upholding our high standards of ethical conduct," he said.
Beaty arrived at Kansas as a nondescript wide receivers coach from Texas A&M who had stints as the offensive coordinator of the Jayhawks and Rice but had never been a college head coach. The program he inherited was in shambles following the failed tenure of Turner Gill and the abject failure of Charlie Weis, but with an abundance of energy and positivity he began to slowly improve things. Beaty's success on the recruiting path didn't translate into enough wins. His team won two games in Year 2, one last season and went 3-9 last year. He watched as athletic director Sheahon Zenger — the man who had hired him — was fired largely because of the football program's struggles. New athletic director Jeff Long hired Les Miles, who led LSU to the 2007 national title. Miles signed a five-year contract that will pay him $2,775,000 annually with retention bonuses of $775,000 due in November 2020 and $500,000 in November 2022. The deal includes several other incentives in a sign Long plans to invest heavily in the program. Kansas has often been labeled a "basketball school," and rightly so given the Jayhawks' streak of 14 consecutive Big 12 titles. But while gridiron success has been fleeting, Mark Mangino proved as recently as the 2007 season that it is possible. Kansas went 12-1 and won the Orange Bowl that year. The current roster is better stocked than when Beaty came onboard, but a massive talent gap still exists for Miles to address. Fan apathy is at historically low levels and the school is little more than a year into a five-year, $350 million fundraising effort begun by Zenger that was supposed to earmark more than $300 million for much-needed renovations to Memorial Stadium.
