Missouri River Levels Continue to Rise Threatening Kansas, Missouri Communities
LEAVENWORTH, KS (AP) – A flood warning from the National Weather Service continues this (SUN) morning for Leavenworth and Wyandotte counties in Kansas as well as Clay, Jackson and Platte Counties in Missouri. The rising levels on the Missouri River are bringing the worst flooding in more than 25 years to the city Leavenworth, Kansas. Emergency managers say water levels on the river have reached 31 ½ feet, just a few feet short of the 35 feet topped during the historic floods of 1993. KCTV in Kansas City reports that sewer water is being pumped out of Leavenworth’s Riverfront Community Center as 1,000 pounds of sand bags block the building from floodwaters. Thousands of sandbags were filled Saturday by inmates from the Lansing Correctional Facility. Traffic was diverted on several flooded roadways and the Kansas Department of Transportation closed part of Kansas Highway 5 between Lansing and Leavenworth Saturday down due to flooding. Officials say they expect the river to recede Sunday afternoon.
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President Trump Grants Disaster Declaration for Iowa
ST. LOUIS (AP) - Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds says President Donald Trump has granted her request for an expedited disaster declaration for 56 counties with damage from recent flooding along the Missouri River and other parts of the state. The declaration makes assistance available to homeowners, renters, businesses, public entities and some nonprofit organizations. Reynolds said in a statement Saturday that the federal help with be instrumental in the state's recovery. She says "the road to recovery will be long, but it's clear that Iowans will have the resources we need to rebuild." She has estimated damage from flooding that began March 13 at $1.6 billion to homes, businesses, agriculture and levees. The presidential declaration makes available individual and public assistance program funding through the Federal Emergency Management Agency and money for hazard mitigation.
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Missouri River Reaches Record Flood Levels in Three Nebraska Towns
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) - This year's round of Midwestern flooding is the worst ever at three locations in Nebraska. National Weather Service hydrologist Kevin Low said during a conference call Friday that the Missouri River reached record levels at Plattsmouth, Nebraska City and Brownville. It crested just short of a record at several other places, including St. Joseph, Missouri, where the river reached 32.02 feet on Friday, inches short of the record of 32.07 feet set during the historic 1993 flood. Crests are still coming farther south and east on the Missouri River, but flooding in Kansas City and other points in Missouri isn't expected to be nearly as severe. Officials with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers say it is too early to begin assessing total damage from the flood. While the crests in Nebraska, southwestern Iowa and northwestern Missouri have largely passed, water will remain high for several days.
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Kansas Death Penalty Case Has Implications for Mentally Ill Nationwide
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to consider a Kansas death penalty case that could have implications for mentally ill defendants across the nation. The case involves James Kahler. He was convicted and sentenced to death for the 2009 fatal shootings of his estranged wife, her grandmother and his two teenage daughters. His attorneys argue that he was suffering from depression so severe that he experienced extreme emotional disturbance, dissociating him from reality. In Kansas, defendants can cite "mental disease or defect" as a partial defense but must prove that they didn't intend to commit the crime. Other states with similar laws are Alaska, Idaho, Montana and Utah. Under a traditional insanity defense in the U.S., people must understand the difference between right and wrong to be found guilty.
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Kansas City Plans to Add 12 More Officers in Next Fiscal Year
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - Faced with resident concerns about violent crime, the city council in Kansas City, Missouri, is adding more police officers. The council voted unanimously to approve a $1.7 billion budget recommended by city staff in February. The budget allocates another $300,000 to hire 12 additional officers for the fiscal year that starts May 1. It's the second straight year the city is adding more police. Last year's budget added 24 officers and 15 call-takers. A Survey USA poll commissioned by the Star and published Sunday shows crime is the biggest issue in the minds of voters in the upcoming mayoral election. The budget also includes $7.3 million to police for wage and benefit increases, pension and health insurance increases, and other priorities.
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Court: Judge Went Too Far in Dropping Kansas Man's Drug Case
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A federal appeals court says a judge went too far by dismissing a Kansas drug indictment after finding that a prosecutor violated the defendant's right to a fair trial. The 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that U.S. District Court Judge Julie Robinson should retry Gregory Orozco. Robinson dismissed Orozco's two drug charges in December 2017 after finding that federal prosecutor Terra Morehead intimidated a witness into not testifying and belatedly disclosed evidence. Morehead was also accused of misconduct in her handling of a case in the 1990's that caused a man to be imprisoned for nearly 23 years for a crime he didn't commit. The appeals court says Robinson never addressed why dismissing Orozco's case was necessary to deter misconduct.
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Bicyclist Dies After Being Hit by Vehicle in Overland Park
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) - A bicyclist has died after being struck by a vehicle in Overland Park. The bicyclist was taken to a hospital and died Friday afternoon. Overland Park police have not released any information about the bicyclist, pending notification of relatives. Police say the vehicle and bicyclist were heading in the same direction when the accident happened just after 9:30 am Friday. The bicyclist was not wearing a helmet.
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Kansas State University to Lower Tuition for Students in Five States
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State University is becoming cheaper for good students from five more states. The Manhattan Mercury reports that the Kansas Board of Regents agreed this week to allow new students from Arkansas, California, Colorado, Oklahoma and Texas to begin paying less in fall 2020. To qualify, they must have at least a 3.25 overall high school GPA and scores of either 22 on the ACT or 1100 on the SAT. President Richard Myers says it will help with recruitment. Under the reduced rate, they would have paid $6,562.50 this fall for 14 credit hours. Regular out-of-state students spent $11,610, and in-state students shelled out $4,375. Qualifying students from nine other states already can receive out-of-state tuition at the same reduced rate, which is 150 percent of the in-state tuition cost.
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Kansas Jayhawks Lose in NCAA Tournament Second Round, 89-to-75, to Auburn
SALT LAKE CITY, Ut.- (KPR) - The Kansas University Jayhawks lost to Auburn University 89-75 in Saturday’s second-round NCAA Midwest Regional contest. The No. 4 seed Kansas trailed by 26 points at halftime. The Tigers added another 63 points in the second half to send the Jayhawks back to Lawrence. The defeat gave the Jayhawks ten losses for the 2018-2019 season for just the second time in Bill Self’s 16-year tenure at KU. The No. 5 seed Auburn Tigers now advance to the Sweet 16 contest against either North Carolina or Washington at the Sprint Center in Kansas City on Friday.
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