Kansas Supreme Court Upholds Conviction in Lawrence Triple Killing
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court has upheld a man's conviction in the shooting deaths of three people in Lawrence in 2017. Anthony Roberts Jr. was convicted in 2019. The shooting started after two groups from Topeka got into a fistfight in downtown Lawrence and ended with up to 20 shots being fired. Roberts was convicted of second-degree murder, two counts of first-degree murder and one count of attempted second-degree murder. The Supreme Court rejected Roberts' argument that the Douglas County District Court judge should have instructed jurors that they could consider a voluntary manslaughter conviction. The court also ruled the evidence was sufficient to uphold Roberts' convictions.
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Kansas Governor Vetoes Redistricting Plan
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic Governor Laura Kelly has vetoed a Republican redistricting plan that would make it harder for the lone Kansas Democrat in Congress to win reelection this year. GOP lawmakers are expected to try to override the veto Kelly issued Thursday. However, if they do, the new lines are likely to face court challenges. The measure would split the Kansas City area into two congressional districts and cost Democratic U.S. Representative Sharice Davids some of the territory in her 3rd District where she performs best. The map also would move the liberal northeast Kansas community of Lawrence into in the more conservative 1st District of central and western Kansas.
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Kansas Plan to Lure Big Project Snags on Corporate Tax Cuts
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas could phase out its corporate income tax under a measure that also would expand its incentives for attracting new businesses. The provision is a problem as lawmakers rush to help the state attract an undisclosed project said to be worth $4 billion. A House committee's leader called the measure “messed up” and delayed a vote until Monday. It would allow the Department of Commerce to authorize $1 billion or more in incentives to lure an unnamed company to Kansas and to make such deals in the future. Republicans also want to cut corporate income taxes but some are wary of being too aggressive. The Senate approved the measure last week.
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Kansas Provides $2 Million for Electric Vehicle Charging Stations
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas has awarded $2 million in grants to the operators of travel centers on Interstate 70 and the Kansas Turnpike to install charging stations for electric vehicles. The state Department of Transportation announced grants Friday for stations in seven locations. The grants are financed with funds from legal settlements with German automaker Volkswagen Corp. over a 2015 emissions-testing cheating scandal. The stations are to be installed along I-70 at Oakley, WaKeeney, Russell, Abilene and Maple Hill, west of Topeka. On the turnpike, the stations are to be installed at the Matfield Green service area in central Kansas and the Belle Plaine service area south of Wichita.
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Kansans Could Get Tax Rebate Up to $500
TOPEKA, Kan. (WDAF) — Kansans could be eligible for a tax rebate of up to $500 as soon as this summer. Governor Laura Kelly announced her plans for the rebate in her State of the State address last month. Zach Fletcher, a spokesman for the governor’s office, told WDAF TV Thursday that the promised tax relief will depend on whether lawmakers approve the governor’s budget plan this year. “So long as the Legislature approves Governor Kelly’s plan, the goal is to begin processing rebates by summer of 2022,” Fletcher stated. “This rebate would be available to Kansas residents who filed a 2020 tax return in the 2021 calendar year.” If the governor’s plan is approved, Kansas residents who filed as married filing jointly would receive $500, and Kansas residents who filed with any other filing status would receive $250. Fletcher said there is no need to apply for the rebate. The Department of Revenue will review data from all Kansas resident tax filers who filed a 2020 tax return during 2021, and will automatically process the rebate based on the filing status of the resident. ( Read more.)
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FBI Reviewing In-Custody Death of Restrained Kansas Teenager
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say the FBI is reviewing the death of a Black teenager who died after he was restrained at a Kansas juvenile detention center. Sedgwick County Commissioner David Dennis said Friday that the FBI has asked for all information regarding the death of 17-year-old Cedric Lofton. He died in September after he was restrained facedown for more than 30 minutes at the Wichita detention center. Dennis commented at a commission meeting called to discuss a recommendation from a community task force that the U.S. Department of Justice be asked to investigate Lofton's death. Dennis said the county provided all the information requested by the FBI, which is part of the Justice Department.
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Kansas Man Accused of Autopsy Fraud Expected to Plead Guilty
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man accused of duping hundreds of people into paying for autopsies that his company did not perform is expected to plead guilty to fraud charges next month. The Kansas City Star reports that Shawn Parcells has filed a notice of intent to change his plea to 10 federal charges of wire fraud. A change of plea hearing is scheduled for March 3. Prosecutors say he used his business, National Autopsy Services in Topeka, to charge clients $3,000 for autopsies on their loved ones but never performed the procedures. He reportedly made more than $1 million from the alleged scheme.
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Storm Leaves More than Foot of Snow in Parts of Missouri
ST. LOUIS (AP) — A massive winter storm that has moved across the country this week left more than a foot of snow in parts of northeastern Missouri, shutting downs schools and services and snarling traffic in both Kansas and Missouri. The National Weather Service reports that Hannibal, Missouri, saw 12.5 inches of snow over Wednesday and Thursday, while parts of St. Louis received a foot of snow. To the west, Weir in the southeastern corner of Kansas saw nearly 7 inches of snow. The storm had moved out of the region by Friday morning, but left a mess on roads and interstates in its wake. The Missouri State Patrol reported it responded to thousands of calls during the two-day storm of stranded motorists and crashes.
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Kansas City Man Charged with Amtrak Shooting Following Police Standoff
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Kansas City man has been charged with second-degree murder in the shooting death of another man on an Amtrak train near Lee's Summit last month. The Kansas City Star reports that 21-year-old Marquise Webb was arrested Monday following an armed standoff with police at a Kansas City apartment complex. Webb was charged Tuesday with the murder count, vehicle hijacking, two counts of armed criminal action and a weapons count. He's accused of fatally shooting 30-year-old Richie Aaron, of Independence, the night of January 14. Aaron was on an Amtrak train and was shot as it pulled into a station at Lee's Summit. The train continued on to Independence before Aaron was discovered injured. Medics pronounced him dead on the train.
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Several Cars on Union Pacific Train Derail Wednesday in Kansas City
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KMBC) — A Union Pacific train derailed Wednesday evening in Kansas City's West Bottoms. KMBC TV reports that the derailment happened around 5 pm at the Santa Fe Junction, which is on the west side of the American Royal complex. Union Pacific officials say six cars derailed. No one was hurt.
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Kansas Woman Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Fatal Hit-and-Run
LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas woman has been sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison for the hit-and-run death of a teenager in Leavenworth. Radio station KAIR reports that 28-year-old Amber Alexander was sentenced Wednesday in Leavenworth County District Court for the August 2021 death of 16-year-old Miranda Lynch. Alexander was convicted in December of second-degree murder, leaving the scene of a fatal accident and evidence tampering in the girl's death. Prosecutors presented evidence in her trial that Alexander had several drinks before leaving a bar in Lansing and driving to Leavenworth, where she ran over Lynch around 2 am on August 7, 2021. Prosecutors say Alexander fled the crash and crossed a bridge into Missouri.
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Wichita Police Officer Charged in Separate 2021 Incidents
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say a Wichita police officer has been charged with battery and disorderly conduct for separate incidents reported last year. Television station KAKE reports that prosecutors charged Officer Andrew Barnett with the misdemeanor counts. Officials say the first charge accuses Barnett of battering a prisoner in May. The second accuses him of disorderly conduct at the Eisenhower National Airport in December while he was off-duty. Barnett, a five-year veteran of the Wichita Police Department, has been placed on unpaid administrative leave pending the outcome of his case.
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Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Works to ID Human Remains Found Near Lawrence
LAWRENCE, Kan. (LJW) - The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is working to identify human remains found Monday southeast of Lawrence. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that the remains were discovered by people who were walking Monday afternoon in the 1700 block of North 1250 Road. Responding deputies and detectives confirmed the remains were human, and they searched the area and located additional bones. A forensic anthropologist is assisting in the investigation. No additional information was available Wednesday afternoon.
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Missouri Man Charged with Animal Abuse, Threatening Police
JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — A southwest Missouri man is charged with threatening police after more than 50 animals were taken from his property. Newton County authorities say the man was on a 96-hour hold for a mental health evaluation when he threatened to blow up the police department if any animals were taken from his property south of Joplin. Newton County deputies and workers with the Humane Society of Missouri took 57 dogs and some cats off the man's property on Tuesday. Prosecutors say many of the animals were malnourished and had little or no access to water or food. Several dead animals also were found on the property.
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Parents of Missouri Student Sue Fraternity over Hazing
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — The parents of a University of Missouri student from Minnesota are suing a fraternity after their son suffered serious brain injuries during a pledge party. Authorities say Daniel Santulli's blood alcohol content was more than six times the legal limit for driving on October 20 when he was found unresponsive in a car parked at University Hospital. The parents' lawsuit says Santulli, who is from Eden Prairie, Minnesota, remains unresponsive with a significant brain injury. The lawsuit alleges pledges at the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity were expected to drink an entire bottle of alcohol as part of a fraternity tradition. Ron Caudill, the fraternity’s national executive director, said in a statement that the fraternity is reviewing the lawsuit.
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Firm to Investigate Independence, Missouri, Police Employee's Pay
INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — Independence plans to hire an outside firm to investigate a whistleblower's allegation that a police officer was paid $160,000 in overtime last year for doing construction work. City Manager Zach Walker said no one has yet been disciplined. The officer reportedly was paid for 2,800 hours of overtime to remodel the police building. Walker says city workers spotted the unusually high pay last year but police department leaders said the overtime was authorized. Walker has ordered the police department to stop all remodeling work and any overtime not related to police work.
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Kansas Revenues Exceed Expectations for 18th Month in a Row
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Tax collections in Kansas exceeded the state’s expectations in January for the 18th month in a row and created a 14.5% surplus for the month. The state Department of Revenue reports this week that Kansas collected nearly $945 million in taxes last month when the official forecast had predicted $825 million. The difference was almost $120 million. Since the current 2022 budget year began July 1, the state’s tax collections have been 4% above expectations with a surplus of $203 million. The state has collected more than $5.2 billion over the past seven months when it anticipated taking in about $5 billion.
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Report: Loss of Midwest Manufacturing Jobs Leads to Index Drop
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A new monthly report shows that a loss of manufacturing jobs combined with other factors to slow growth in the regional economy of nine Midwest and Plains states. The overall index in January for Creighton University's Mid-America Business Conditions survey released Tuesday fell to 56.2 from December’s 64.6. Any score above 50 on the survey’s indexes suggests growth. Creighton economist Ernie Goss, who oversees the monthly survey of business leaders, pointed to a loss of manufacturing jobs. The survey’s business confidence index, which looks ahead six months, plummeted to 36.2 — the lowest reading since the beginning of the pandemic. The monthly survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.
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Raise Your Hand: Schools Nationwide Seek Volunteers in Staffing Crunch
UNDATED (AP) – Parents may be wondering who’s teaching the kids as teacher absences mount and substitutes remain in short supply. The answer around the U.S. could be nearly anyone willing to help keep school doors open through the omicron-driven staffing crunch. It could be a local police officer, National Guard soldier, state budget analyst, parent or even a recent high school graduate. States have been loosening teaching requirements to give schools more flexibility on hiring as virus exposures, illness and quarantines add to strains on schools. Institutions have also been tapping librarians, custodians and support staff to help cover classrooms.
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Amid Scrambles for Teachers, Some Fear Worse Shortages Ahead
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) — U.S. school administrators dealing with pandemic-driven teacher shortages are getting creative to keep their classrooms staffed. But some experts are warning there are longer-term problems with the teacher pipeline that cannot be solved with emergency substitutes, bonuses and loosened qualifications. Shortages are being felt much more widely due to absences during a pandemic that is testing educators like no other stretch of their careers, raising fears of many more leaving the profession. To address the problem, states are raising salaries, seeking more teachers outside formal training programs, and pursuing other strategies to develop more educators.
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Report: Missouri River Power Output Below Average in 2021
BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — Electric power generation from the Missouri River’s six upstream dams fell below average in 2021, forcing the federal agency that sells the power to buy electricity on the open market. The $18 million in additional costs ultimately may be passed on to ratepayers in a half-dozen states. Energy production from the dams in the Dakotas, Montana and Nebraska was below average because of drought. The Western Area Power Administration sells power to rural electric cooperatives and other customers in the Dakotas, Montana, Minnesota, Iowa and Nebraska. The agency says the added costs would likely be minimal for individual ratepayers.
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These area headlines are curated by KPR news staffers, including J. Schafer, Laura Lorson, Kaye McIntyre, and Tom Parkinson. Our headlines are generally posted by 10 am weekdays, 11 am weekends. This news summary is made possible by KPR listener-members. Become one today!