Kansas GOP Struggles for Votes to Override Tax Relief Veto
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Top Republican lawmakers in Kansas are struggling to find enough GOP votes to override Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's veto of a tax relief bill despite a strong push to save the measure from the state Republican Party. The measure Kelly vetoed was designed to prevent individuals and businesses from paying more in state income taxes because of changes in federal tax laws at the end of 2017. Republican leaders made it their top priority this year. Republicans hold the two-thirds majorities in both chambers necessary to override a veto, but they struggled Wednesday to keep too many GOP lawmakers from bolting and voting against a veto override. The Kansas Republican Party launched a text-based petition this week to show support for an override and a Facebook ad criticizing Kelly.
====================
Governors Demand More Control over Waterways
COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — The governors of three Midwest states ravaged by March flooding say they will pushing for more control over management of the Missouri River that borders their states. Management of the dams and levees along the river falls to officials of the U.S Army Corps of Engineers, who met with Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Nebraska Gov. Pete Ricketts and Missouri Gov. Mike Parson for much of Wednesday afternoon in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The three governors, all Republicans, questioned a shift by the Corps in 2004 to no longer prioritize flood control along the river over other goals, such as maintaining fish and wildlife habitat. Asked whether the Corps indicated it would or could cede some river management decisions to the states, Parson replied, "Well, they listened." The governors said they plan to work together for that change, even if it means petitioning Congress to give states more authority in river management. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly had been slated to attend Wednesday's meeting, but ran into travel problems that required her to back out.
====================
Topeka Teens Charged in Shooting of 2 Lawrence Brothers
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Two teenagers from Topeka are charged with attempted first-degree murder and robbery in the shootings of two brothers at a Lawrence park. The Lawrence Journal-World reports the two suspects, both 17, made their first appearances Tuesday in Douglas County District Court. Both pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors could decide to try both as adults. The charges allege that the defendants shot the two victims several times on Friday afternoon at Holcom Park during an attempted robbery. Police haven't released the names of the brothers, who are 18 and 16. On Tuesday, the older brother was in critical but stable condition and the younger was in stable condition. One of the suspects also is charged with criminal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon. The two suspects remain in juvenile custody.
====================
Kansas Medicaid Expansion Foes Signal Nervousness
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Top Republican lawmakers in Kansas appear skittish about being able to block Medicaid expansion. They offered political cover Tuesday to moderate GOP colleagues if they back off their push for an expansion this year. State Senate President Susan Wagle told reporters that GOP leaders plan to have a legislative committee study Medicaid expansion this summer and fall. She said the panel would review proposals that could generate broader support among Republicans. The ideas include a work requirement or drug testing for people receiving the expanded coverage. Democratic Governor Laura Kelly has made expanding Medicaid health coverage for as many as 150,000 additional Kansas residents a top priority after her Republican predecessors thwarted it. Expansion has bipartisan support, but its foes hold key positions in the GOP-controlled Legislature.
====================
Person of Interest in Killing Accused of Shooting at Police Officer
OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — An 18-year-old who was named as a person of interest in the killing of a suburban Kansas City teen has been charged with shooting at a police officer. Matthew Lee Bibee Jr. was charged Tuesday with attempted capital murder, attempted first degree murder, attempted aggravated robbery, battery against a law enforcement officer and battery. None of the charges appear related to the fatal shooting of 17-year-old Rowan Padgett on Friday in Olathe. Police say Bibee was wounded Sunday in an exchange of gunfire with officers who were responding to an armed robbery attempt in which shots were fired. Bibee was treated at a hospital before he was taken to jail. No one else was hurt. Bibee's bond is set at $1 million. No attorney is listed for him in online court records.
====================
2 Hurt in Crash on Smoky Kansas Road Amid Controlled Burns
EMPORIA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say two people were hurt in a crash on a smoke-obscured highway in the Flint Hills of Kansas. The Kansas Highway Patrol reports that the wreck happened Tuesday on the Kansas Turnpike about 5 miles southwest of Emporia. More than 100 controlled burns were conducted that day in Lyon County. Because of the smoke, 70-year-old Gary Craig of Culver, Indiana, had slowed to around 10 mph. His sport utility vehicle then was hit by a pickup truck. The patrol says Craig and a passenger were taken to a hospital with injuries that weren't believed to be serious. The truck's driver wasn't hurt. Controlled burns are used to control invasive species and encourage plant growth.
====================
Motion Questions Attorney's Effectiveness in Lawrence Case
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A Lawrence woman convicted of killing a 52-year-old man has filed a civil case claiming her attorney was ineffective during her trial, including not arguing for a battered woman defense. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports an attorney for 24-year-old Sarah Gonzales-McLinn says the post-conviction relief case is not about whether she is guilty but about her trial attorney's effectiveness. Gonzales-McLinn, a Topeka native, was convicted in January 2014 of drugging and nearly beheading Harold Sasko at a home they shared in Lawrence. She was sentenced to 50 years with no chance of parole. The motion alleges Gonzales-McLinn killed Sasko after he kept her in sexual and financial slavery for more than a year. The motion could result in a 25-year sentence, a new sentencing hearing, a new trial or dismissal.\
====================
16-Year-Old Kansas Girl Charged with Murder of Another Teen
OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say a 16-year-old girl has been charged with murder in the killing of another teenage boy in a suburban Kansas City community. The Kansas City Star reports Wednesday that the Olathe girl was charged in Johnson County Juvenile court with first-degree murder in the death of 17-year-old Rowan Padgett of Overland Park. The girl was also charged with felony obstruction of justice for allegedly giving false information to investigators. The charges allege Friday's killing in a suburban cul-de-sac occurred during a drug deal involving the anxiety drug Xanax. Prosecutors requested she be tried as an adult. Padgett, an Olathe East High School senior, was just weeks from celebrating his 18th birthday when he died. The suspect is a runaway who at one time also attended the same school.
====================
KCK Police: 1 Killed in Shooting Outside Apartment Complex
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say one person has been killed in a shooting outside a Kansas City, Kansas, apartment complex. Police Chief Terry Zeigler says the shooting was reported around 9:20 Monday night. The victim was in his 20s. Police say the shooter fled before officers arrived. No other details were immediately released, including the name of the victim or the motive.
====================
Ohio Gamer Pleads Guilty in Deadly Kansas Hoax
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) _ An Ohio gamer has pleaded guilty to asking a prankster to make a bogus emergency call that got an unarmed Kansas man killed by police. Nineteen-year-old Casey Viner of North College Hill, Ohio, changed his plea Wednesday to guilty on charges of conspiracy and obstruction of justice. He's accused of trying to hide his involvement. Sentencing for Viner has been scheduled for June 26. Viner became upset while playing Call of Duty: WWII online with 20-year-old Shane Gaskill of Wichita. Prosecutors say Viner then asked Tyler Barriss of Los Angeles to ``swat'' Gaskill. Police responding to the call shot the unarmed man, Andrew Finch, when he came to the door. Swatting is sometimes used by gamers to send first responders to an opponent's address. Barriss was sentenced last week to 20 years. Gaskill's trial is April 23.
(-earlier report-)
Ohio Gamer Heads to Court in Deadly Kansas Hoax Case
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — An Ohio gamer accused of recruiting a prankster to make a bogus emergency call is expected in federal court to answer for his alleged part in the hoax that got an unarmed Kansas man killed by police. A change-of-plea hearing is Wednesday for 19-year-old Casey Viner of North College Hill, Ohio. He initially pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to obstruct justice, wire fraud and other counts. Viner allegedly became upset over a $1.50 bet while playing Call of Duty: WWII online with 20-year-old Shane Gaskill of Wichita. Prosecutors say 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. Barriss was sentenced last week to 20 years. Gaskill's trial is April 23.
====================
Sedgwick County Sheriff: Woman Kills Husband, Then Herself
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities are investigating an apparent murder-suicide in northeast Sedgwick County. Sedgwick County Lt. Tim Myers said deputies responding to a residential alarm a home early Tuesday found a man and woman in bed suffering from gunshots. Both were pronounced dead at the scene. KWCH reports Myers said investigators determined 54-year-old Johnna Raymond shot her husband, 70-year-old Robert Raymond, and then shot herself.
====================
1 of 3 Suspects in Triple Murder in Lawrence Pleads
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — One of three Topeka men charged in a triple homicide in downtown Lawrence has pleaded guilty to attempted voluntary manslaughter. The Lawrence Journal-World reports 23-year-old Ahmad Rayton was scheduled to go to trial Monday but accepted the plea deal Wednesday. He had previously been charged with two counts of attempted second-degree murder and one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm. Sentencing is scheduled for May 8. The shootings in October 2017 involved two groups of Topeka men who had previous confrontations. They fired about 20 shots, killing three and injuring two others. Twenty-year-old Dominique McMillon pleaded guilty in March to misdemeanor battery and was released from jail. A third suspect, 22-year-old Anthony Roberts Jr. is scheduled for trial in June on three counts of murder.
====================
Bodies of 2 Kansas Men Found Separately in Oklahoma, Kansas
LIBERAL, Kan. (AP) — Authorities in Kansas and Oklahoma are investigating the deaths of two men from southwest Kansas. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation says a farmer reported on Tuesday that he found the body of 25-year-old Timothy Martin, of Liberal, Kansas, in a ditch on his property in Texas County, Oklahoma. Because the property is near the Kansas-Oklahoma state line, authorities from both states began investigating. The KBI says while investigators were working on that case Tuesday evening, the Seward County, Kansas, Sheriff's office received a report of a second body in a trailer west of Liberal. That man has been identified as 31-year-old Erick Salas, of Liberal. Authorities believe the deaths are connected because the two men were former roommates.
====================
Correction: Priest Trial Delayed Story
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — In a story April 2 about a delay in the trial of a Kansas priest accused of molesting a child, The Associated Press reported erroneously that he was on a list of 22 priests that the Catholic Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas identified as facing substantiated claims of abuse. He appeared on a separate list of priests facing public allegations that the diocese wasn't able to substantiate. A corrected version of the story is below: KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A criminal trial of a priest charged with molesting a child has been delayed until at least summer. The Kansas City Star reports the trial of Rev. Scott Kallal was set to begin April 15 in Wyandotte County District Court. But at a hearing last week, the court granted Kallal's request for more time. A status conference is set for June 7. Kallal was charged in 2017 with two felony counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child. He has pleaded not guilty. He was suspended from public priestly ministry in 2017 as associate pastor at Holy Spirit Church in Overland Park. In January, Kallal was identified by the Catholic Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas as having been publicly accused of abuse of a minor. But he wasn't among 22 priests that the diocese identified as facing substantiated claims of abuse.
The investigation is continuing.
====================
Heartland Park Owner Says He's Dropped Plans to Relocate
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The owner of the Heartland Motorsports Park says he's no longer considering leaving Topeka and instead plans to fight to lower the taxes he's paying. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that Chris Payne threatened earlier this year to relocate, saying the current tax situation made it nearly impossible to run a profitable business. Payne says the park considered offers but decided "we're not going to get pushed out of Topeka." Since buying the track in 2016, Payne says he's paid almost $300,000 in taxes. But he acknowledged that his taxes aren't up to date for 2017 and now 2018 as he fights the appraisal. Previous Heartland owners didn't pay property taxes because the track was tax exempt. Payne says he doesn't expect exempt status, but he does want a fair rate.
====================
Medical Marijuana Advocates Laying Plans for Next Session
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Advocates pushing for legalization of medical marijuana acknowledge that it's unlikely to happen this year in Kansas. Most legislative work is scheduled to wrap up next week, with a short session in May that will focus on the budget. So far, the only marijuana-related bill to get a vote in either chamber would provide a legal defense for those who use CBD oil with up to 5 percent THC, which provides the high from marijuana. The House approved the bill on Wednesday. The Wichita Eagle reports Lisa Sublett, founder of the advocacy group Bleeding Kansas, says advocates are laying the groundwork for next year. They want a legislative committee to study medical marijuana during the summer and make recommendations before the next session starts in January.
====================
Woman Buys Out Closing Shoe Store for Nebraska Flood Victims
HAYS, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas woman donated 204 pairs of shoes to Nebraska flood victims after buying everything that was left at a closing Payless store. The Hays Post reports the shoes were part of a flood relief shipment taken to farmers in Nebraska by Fort Hays State's agriculture sorority, Sigma Alpha, during the weekend. A graduate of Fort Hays State, Addy Tritt, said she wanted to help others because so many people have helped her in the past. When the price at a Hays store dropped to $1 per pair, Tritt negotiated with the business to buy the remaining shoes for $100.
They included 162 pairs of baby shoes and two pairs of men's shoes. The rest were women's shoes.
The retail price of the shoes would have been more than $6,000.
====================
Late 3-Pointer from Garrison Mathews Sends Lipscomb past Wichita State in NIT Semis
NEW YORK (AP) — Garrison Mathews is the kind of player only the most die-hard basketball fans would know, his prolific scoring seldom on any sports highlight clips. With the college basketball spotlight blasted on Madison Square Garden, Mathews put the sport on notice and buried a shot in the clutch that sparked madness for tiny Lipscomb. Mathews swished his ninth 3-pointer of the game in front of an exuberant Lipscomb bench for the lead with 1:10 left in the game to send the Bisons on their way to the NIT championship in a 71-64 win over Wichita State Tuesday night. "It was good to just do it for the team and kind of give us a lift," he said. He carried them to the NIT final. Lipscomb will face Texas, a 58-44 semifinal winner over TCU, Thursday for the NIT title.
Mathews had been buried in obscurity for the ASUN Conference Bisons (29-7), but put on a show on national television in crunch time at Madison Square Garden. He yelled as the shot fell from beyond NBA 3-point range and the Bisons rose from the bench in jubilation. Mathews sealed the win with free throws and finished with 34 points, setting the stage for Lipscomb to play for its first NIT championship. "People should know about us by now," forward Rob Marberry said. "I think people can finally see Lipscomb's a basketball school now."
Wichita State's Samajae Haynes-Jones stole the ball near the 3-point line and the 6-foot guard exploded for a fast break dunk that turned MSG yellow and gave the Shockers a late double-digit lead. But they faded down the stretch and one of the hottest second-half teams in basketball missed their final 10 shots and over the final 8-plus minutes to head home empty-handed.
Dexter Dennis scored 13 points and Markis McDuffie had 12 for the Shockers. The Shockers had a solid season under coach Gregg Marshall, six years after he led the program to the Final Four. Marshall led the Shockers to the 2011 NIT championship, a springboard for the most successful era in program history. The Shockers (22-15) made their own sensational run in the NIT, beating the No. 1, 2 and 3 seeds, all on the road, just to make it to New York.
====================
