Kansas Supreme Court to Rule on Abortion Rights Protections
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court is preparing to rule on whether the state constitution protects abortion rights. If the Kansas Supreme Court agrees, state courts could invalidate abortion restrictions upheld by the federal courts. Such a decision also would likely spur an attempt from abortion opponents to amend the state constitution.The law's fate also is at issue. It was the first of its kind in the nation in 2015 but has yet to be enforced.
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Kansas Governor, GOP Leaders Can't Break Medicaid Stalemate
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and top Republican legislators have met to try to break a stalemate on expanding Medicaid in Kansas. Negotiations failed Wednesday because Kelly contends that lawmakers approve a plan this year and the GOP leaders insist on waiting until next year. Kelly set aside four hours for talks in her Statehouse office with the majority leaders and heads of the health committees in the House and Senate, who all oppose her expansion proposal. The meeting ended after about 90 minutes. Participants say it became clear that neither Kelly nor the Republicans would budge on whether a plan should pass this year. The House approved a modified version of Kelly's expansion plan last month, but the Senate has yet to take it up.
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Kansas DCF Finds Abuse and Neglect in Child's Death
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas child welfare authorities conducted two investigations of a Wichita couple before their 3-year-old son was found dead in his crib. The Kansas Department of Children and Families on Thursday completed its investigation into the April 12 death of Zaiden Javonovich. The agency found physical abuse and neglect in the case but provided no further details. In a report summary obtained by The Associated Press through an open records request, the agency said it investigated a report in November 2017 that Zaiden's mother, Brandi Marchant, made homicidal and suicidal statements in front of her children. Investigators couldn't substantiate the report. In November 2018, DCF investigated a report that Zaiden's younger brother tested positive for marijuana at birth. That report was reassigned for a Family in Need of Assessment, and the case was closed in January.
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Ex-Linn County Attorney Admits Stealing from County
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A former Linn County Attorney has admitted that he stole equipment worth an estimated $75,000 from the county. The Kansas City Star reports 68-year-old John Sutherland, of Mound City, pleaded guilty Wednesday to mail fraud and lying to investigators. Sutherland was Linn County Attorney for 20 years before becoming an assistant district attorney in Wyandotte County. FBI agents who searched Sutherland's office in Wyandotte County in February found 13 items stolen from Linn County. Prosecutors say Sutherland stole 350 to 500 items, including electronics and equipment, between 2009 and when he left Linn County in 2017. In Linn County, Sutherland bought goods and services for the office. Prosecutors say he instead bought items for himself and gave some items to his children. As part of his plea, Sutherland will pay restitution and surrendered his law license.
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Worlds of Fun Bans 9 Minors After Weekend Disturbance
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Worlds of Fun amusement park banned nine people after fights last weekend involving crowds of young people. More than five law enforcement agencies went to the park Saturday night after an off-duty Clay County sheriff's deputy called for help. The Kansas City Star reports police estimated up to 300 teenagers were involved but Worlds of Fun officials have said fewer people were involved in the fights, while many others were bystanders. Worlds of Fun spokesman Chris Foshee said the nine people banned from the park were minors. No one was arrested but a citation was issued to a 17-year-old who is believed to be the instigator of the fights. Foshee said the cause of the disturbance is unknown.
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Man Found Dead in Wichita Pond Apparently Fell in While Fishing
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say a man found dead in a Wichita pond apparently fell in while fishing. The Wichita Eagle reports that a Sedgwick County dispatch supervisor says emergency crews responded around 4:30 pm Wednesday to the pond. The man was pronounced dead at the scene. Police Sgt. James Bray says the victim was around 70 years old. His name wasn't immediately released.
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Homecoming Day Arrives for Fallen Korean War Soldier
LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — A Missouri soldier who was killed 68 years ago during the Korean War has been reburied close to home after his remains were identified through DNA. The St. Joseph News-Press reports that U.S. Army Cpl. Frederick Eugene Coon, of St. Joseph, was last seen manning a roadblock on July 29, 1950. The 22-year-old member of the 24th Infantry Division initially was buried by a South Korean villager and then was interred for 65 years in Hawaii as an unknown soldier. Among those who turned out Wednesday for a funeral in St. Joseph and burial at the National Cemetery in Leavenworth was his nephew, Jerry Coon. He said it "brought closure for the whole family" and added that he felt "a sense of peace just having Freddie back home."
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Data: Many Drop out of Kansas Domestic Violence Programs
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas attorney general's office found that roughly half of the participants in certified intervention programs to break cycles of domestic violence dropped out last year. KCUR-FM reports that the office's data shows 2,404 people participated in domestic violence intervention programs run by nonprofits or the Kansas Department of Corrections last year. Only 1,134 individuals completed the programs. The Corrections Department's program had 487 participants last year, and only 20 inmates completed the program, while 47 finished on parole. Steve Halley is director of Family Peace Initiative, which provides batterer intervention services in Shawnee County. Halley says many participants struggle to be vulnerable and confront their history of violence. Halley says the program's costs and time requirement can also be a burden for participants.
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Wichita Man Given Probation for Running Gambling Business
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A 68-year-old Wichita man was sentenced to two years of supervised probation and ordered to forfeit more than $1.6 million in cash for operating a gambling business. U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said in a news release that Danny Chapman was also ordered on Thursday to forfeit cars, jewelry and other items. Chapman pleaded guilty to tax evasion and operating an illegal gambling business. In his plea, Chapman admitted he was a sports bookmaker in the Wichita area, with at least five people working for him. Chapman and subordinates kept part of the money they collected from bettors. Prosecutors say the operation grossed as much as $2,000 in a single day. Chapman also admitted he didn't pay almost $345,000 in federal income taxes on money he made from the gambling operation.
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Suspect in Killing Threatened Man During Attempted Car Theft
OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — Court documents say one of three teens charged in suburban Kansas City killing later told someone who resisted his car theft attempt that "the last person who said that lost his life." The Kansas City Star reports that the affidavit released Tuesday in the case against 18-year-old Matthew Lee Bibee Jr. says he tried to steal the car on March 31 in Olathe. The documents say the victim initially said he wouldn't give Bibee has car. But when Bibee pulled out a gun, the man put up his hands and ran away. A responding officer shot and wounded Bibee in an exchange of gunfire. The theft attempt happened two days after 17-year-old Rowan Padgett was killed. Bibee is jailed on $1 million bond on charges that include first-degree murder.
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Woman Charged with Smuggling 60 Pounds of Meth into Kansas
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Los Angeles woman has been charged with smuggling more than 60 pounds (27 kilograms) of methamphetamine into Kansas. The U.S. attorney's office says 46-year-old Maria Alvarez-Buenrostro was indicted Tuesday on one count of possession with intent to distribute. The indictment says Kansas Highway Patrol troopers found 33 heat-sealed bags of meth hidden in a rear quarter panel and both rear doors of her Ford Explorer when she was stopped on Interstate 70 near Hays. If convicted, she faces a penalty of not less than 10 years in federal prison and a fine of up to $4 million.
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Taxi Driver Crossed Line in Deadly Crash on Kansas Highway
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say the driver of a taxi company's minivan veered into oncoming traffic on a Kansas highway and killed another motorist. The Wichita Eagle reports that the crash happened around 6:50 am Wednesday on U.S. 160 on the eastern edge of Winfield. The victim was identified as 39-year-old Joshua Mosqueda. He was behind the wheel of the car that was hit. Cowley County Sheriff David Falletti said in a news release that the minivan was owned by Best Cabs Inc. of Wichita. The release says the van's driver was taken to a hospital for unknown injuries. Company owner Timothy Armbrust said he couldn't immediately comment because he is still trying to determine what happened. Winfield is about 35 miles south of Wichita.
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Nurse, Aide Save Fourth-Grader from Choking at Kansas School
MAIZE, Kan. (AP) — A fourth-grade Kansas student has his school nurse and an aide to thank for saving him from choking on a chicken nugget. The Maize Board of Education recognized nurse Stephany McClellan and paraprofessional Glen Shafer at this month's meeting. The district says they took turns administering the Heimlich maneuver on Keegan Dalton in January until he was able to breathe. The district tweeted a picture Tuesday of them standing next to the smiling boy. His mother, Kristina Dalton, was among those who attended the meeting. She was working as a substitute teacher at Maize South Elementary School when her son started choking.
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University of Nebraska Gets $12 Million to Study Rural Drug Abuse
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — The University of Nebraska-Lincoln has received a nearly $12 million federal grant to research challenges connected with rural drug abuse in the Midwest. The five-year grant from the National Institutes of Health will fund a research initiative called the Rural Drug Addiction Center. Researchers will track 600 rural drug users in Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri. Nebraska has seen a drastic jump in its drug overdose rate in recent years. The issue is complicated by a trend among the state's drug users who are often addicted to a combination of substances. It's an understudied phenomenon that's been seen in other Midwestern states. The program's leader, Kirk Dombrowski, says current drug addiction treatment focuses on brain chemistry, but understanding social patterns of abuse can lead to new treatments.
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Planning Commission Votes Against Kansas Wind Farm Project
HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — A proposed central Kansas wind farm has gotten some bad news after weeks of hearings. KAKE-TV reports that the Reno County Planning Commission voted 4-3 Tuesday to recommend denying the Next Era proposal near Cheney Lake. The Reno County Commission will make the final decision. They could still say yes to the project. Members spent hours debating locations and distance recommendations for the proposal. The company also submitted a new plan, which eliminated a few of the proposed windmills and moved others. Critics have raised concerns that the wind farm could hurt property values, generate noise and kill birds that fly into turbines.
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Stop Along Underground Railroad Receives Special Designation
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A Civil War-era port of entry into Kansas and stop along the Underground Railroad has received a special designation from the National Park Service. The Kansas City Star reports that federal lawmakers joined local officials Tuesday to celebrate that the Quindaro ruins are now a National Commemorative Site. Democratic U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver says the designation is the beginning of what he believes will be the complete restoration of the site, which was once a flourishing abolitionist community. Before that, it was home to the native Wyandotte people. It was rediscovered during a 1980s archaeological dig. While the designation falls short of national historic landmark status, it enables the U.S. Department of the Interior and the National Park Service to enter into financial agreements to help fund the site's preservation.
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Jackie Stiles Leaving Missouri State to Coach at Oklahoma
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — Missouri State women's basketball icon Jackie Stiles is leaving the school to be an assistant coach at Oklahoma. Oklahoma announced Wednesday that it hired Stiles, who has been on the Lady Bears coaching staff for six seasons under former coach Kellie Harper. The Springfield News-Leader reports that Stiles is leaving as Amaka Agugua-Hamilton replaces Harper as Missouri State's head coach. Missouri State Athletics Director Kyle Moats declined to say if Stiles was considered for the head coaching job. Stiles held the Division I women's basketball leading scorer record between 2001 and 2017. She led the Lady Bears to the 2001 NCAA Final Four and was the school's first player to be drafted into the WNBA. Stiles, a native of Claflin, Knsas, is currently undergoing treatment for eye cancer, which was diagnosed in December 2017.
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KU Graduate Leaves $4.2 Million for Nursing Education
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) _ A University of Kansas graduate has donated $4.2 million to fund education for the school's nursing students. The KU Endowment on Thursday announced the gift from the estate of Margaret Ann Zimmerman, who received her nursing certificate from the university in 1947. The money will be used to create a scholarship in Zimmerman's name and to provide financial assistance to full-time doctoral and postdoctoral students. The Lawrence Journal-World reports the donation also will be used to recruit for the undergraduate nursing honors program and the school's Nursing Pathways program, which focuses on diversity. Zimmerman spent her career as a nurse and retired as a child health nursing supervisor at the Montgomery County Health Department in Maryland. She died in Silver Spring, Maryland, in 2017 at the age of 94.
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Chiefs' Hill Maintains Innocence in Domestic Violence Case
OLATHE, Kan. (AP) - Kansas City Chiefs star receiver Tyreek Hill is maintaining his innocence after prosecutors declined to charge him in a domestic incident that involved his fiancee and their 3-year-old. Hill said in a statement released Thursday that his "son's health and happiness" is his "number one priority." Police were called to the Kansas City-area home of Hill and his fiancee twice last month, and investigators determined their child had been injured the second time. On Wednesday, the Johnson County, Kansas, district attorney declined to press charges in the case because he could not determine whether Hill or his fiancee was responsible. The boy has been placed in protective care. The Chiefs issued a comment late Wednesday acknowledging the prosecutor's decision but declining further comment.
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OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas district attorney has declined to charge Chiefs wide receiver Tyreek Hill with a crime in a domestic incident that involved his fiance and their 3-year-old child. Johnson County DA Steve Howe says authorities believe a crime occurred, but evidence does not conclusively indicate who did it. Hill maintains his innocence. He said in a statement released Thursday that his "son's health and happiness" is his "number one priority." Police were called to the Kansas City-area home of Hill and his fiancee twice last month, and investigators determined their child had been injured the second time. The boy was placed in protective care. The Chiefs issued a comment late Wednesday acknowledging the prosecutor's decision but declining further comment.
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Kansas City Chiefs Acquire New Player Along with More Controversy
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Chiefs have made a habit of inciting controversy during the NFL draft in the Andy Reid era by acquiring players that have a history of off-the-field issues. This year, they didn't even wait until the draft, trading for Seattle pass rusher Frank Clark on Tuesday. Clark was kicked off his team at Michigan after a domestic violence case, though he has remained trouble-free during his four years in the NFL.
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KU Athletics Inks New Deal with Adidas, Despite FBI Probe
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The University of Kansas and Adidas have extended their contract through 2031, despite an FBI investigation centered on the footwear and apparel company that cast a negative light on the Jayhawks' athletic programs. The Jayhawks have worn Adidas gear since 2005.
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