Kansas Courts' Computer Systems Starting to Come Back Online, 2 Months After Cyberattack
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The court system in Kansas has started bringing its computer system for managing cases back online, two months after a foreign cyberattack forced officials to shut it down along with public access to documents and other systems, the judicial branch announced Thursday.
The case management systems for district courts in 28 of the state's 105 counties are expected to be back online by Monday, with others following by the end of the week. Online access to documents for the public will be restored after that, though counties that go back online will be able to offer access through terminals at their courthouses, the judicial branch said.
The courts also have restored systems that allow people to apply for marriage licenses online and file electronic requests for orders to protect them from abuse, stalking and human trafficking.
The Kansas Supreme Court's seven justices, who oversee administration of the state courts, said last month that the judicial branch was the victim of a “sophisticated foreign cyberattack.” Criminals stole data and threatened to post it on a dark website “if their demands were not met," the justices said.
However, judicial branch officials have not publicly disclosed the hackers' demands, whether a ransom was paid or how much the state has spent in restoring judicial branch systems. Asked about a ransom Thursday, judicial branch spokesperson Lisa Taylor referred to last month's statement.
“Restoring our district court case management system is a much-anticipated milestone in our recovery plan, but we still have a lot of work to do,” Supreme Court Chief Justice Marla Luckert said in a statement Thursday.
The outages affected the courts in 104 counties — all but the state’s most populous one, Johnson County in the Kansas City area. Johnson County has its own systems and isn't scheduled to join the state's systems until next year.
The judicial branch initially described the attack as a “security incident,” but cybersecurity experts said that it had the hallmarks of a ransomware attack — including in how court officials gave few details about what happened.
The long outage has forced courts in the affected counties to return to having documents filed on paper. Judicial branch officials acknowledged that it could take weeks for the courts to electronically log all of the filings since the October 12 shutdown.
The electronic filing and case management systems for the state Court of Appeals and Supreme Court will come back online after the district courts are done.
A risk assessment of the state’s court system, issued in February 2022, is kept “permanently confidential” under state law, as is one issued in June 2020.
Last month, state Rep. Kyle Hoffman, the chair of the Legislature's information technology committee, told reporters after a meeting that the results of the 2020 audit were terrible, but he provided no details. He said the 2022 audit showed a lot of improvement, again without disclosing any details.
Two recent audits of other state agencies identified cybersecurity weaknesses. The most recent one, released in July, said “agency leaders don’t know or sufficiently prioritize their IT security responsibilities.”
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Kansas House Speaker: Private School Vouchers Will Be Priority in 2024 Session
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) — Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins says private school vouchers will be a priority for Republican lawmakers in the upcoming session. Last session, both the House and Senate passed a measure to give qualifying families up to $5,000 dollars in tax money to use for private school or homeschooling … but Democratic Governor Laura Kelly vetoed it. Proponents of the so-called “school choice” bill say it gives families more alternatives to public schools. Critics say it’s an attempt to defund and undermine public schools. Hawkins, a Republican from Wichita, made the comments in Wichita on Wednesday. The session begins January 8th.
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Kansas Senate President Says He's Open to Medical Marijuana, Wants More Data
UNDATED (KCUR) — Kansas lawmakers return to Topeka next month and it’s expected medical marijuana will be back for debate. Senate President Ty Masterson, a Republican from Andover, almost single handedly prevented the bill from passing last year, saying it was too close to fully legalizing marijuana use in Kansas. He says he's open to having a discussion on the issue.
“I’m actually open to true medical marijuana or to palliative care. I am open to that. I am not saying no. I just saying we don’t have any real studies on dosing and distribution,” he said in an interview with KCUR's program "Up to Date."
In the latest Kansas Speaks poll, 67 percent of respondents said they support legalizing recreational marijuana. Missouri and Colorado have recreational weed. Oklahoma has medical marijuana and Nebraska has decriminalized it.
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Kansas Governor Announces Revenue-Neutral Legislation for Medicaid Expansion
UNDATED (KNS) — Kansas Democratic Governor Laura Kelly announced legislation Thursday that is aimed at expanding Medicaid at no additional cost to taxpayers. The Kansas News Service reports that after Kelly’s push for Medicaid expansion failed in the past, she is now taking a different approach with a plan she hopes Republicans would accept. A release from the Governor’s office says the legislation would be revenue-neutral, providing Medicaid health care coverage to 150,000 Kansans. The release says the federal government pays 90% of expenses to expand Medicaid while states pay 10%. The state’s portion would be paid by drug rebates, a hospital fee and other federal funding.
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Kobach Refiles Price-Gouging Lawsuit Against Natural Gas Company
TOPEKA, Kan. (TCJ) — Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach has refiled a $50 million natural gas price gouging lawsuit against Macquarie Energy, a company that serves as a middleman for Kansas gas utilities. The Topeka Capital Journal reports that the suit alleges Macquarie manipulated prices during a severe winter storm in February 2021, resulting in overcharges to Kansas consumers. Kobach calls it "disgraceful” that the company would artificially manipulate prices at a time when Kansans were suffering under the heavy winter storm. The company has maintained it did nothing wrong and has pledged to continue to defend any claims brought against it. The lawsuit, filed Wednesday in U.S. District Court in Topeka, comes after a previous suit was dismissed on a technicality.
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Three Leavenworth Prison Inmates Charged in Separate Indictments
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (KPR) – A federal grand jury in Kansas City has returned separate indictments charging federal prison inmates with crimes. Prosecutors say 45-year-old Thaddeus D. Daniel allegedly attacked a corrections officer at the federal prison in Leavenworth, where Daniel is an inmate. The attack took place on April 19. The FBI is investigating.
In a separate case, 44-year-old Jeremiah L. Harris has been indicted on one count of escape on June 23. Harris is serving a sentence in Leavenworth following a conviction in western Missouri. The U.S. Marshals Service is investigating that case.
And in yet another case, 50-year-old James Thompson has been indicted on one count of escape from custody on November 9. Thompson is serving a sentence in Leavenworth following a conviction in Georgia. The U.S. Marshals Service is investigating that case.
An indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
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Increasing Number of Kansas Students Now Qualifying for Special Education Services
WICHITA, Kan. (KNS) – More Kansas students are qualifying for special education services at school. The Kansas News Service reports that part of the increase is due to rising rates of autism. State education leaders say more than 91,000 students qualified for special education services last year. That’s about 18% of the total student population.
Bert Moore, who oversees special-ed services for the state Department of Education, notes that much of the increase is due to rising rates of autism across the country.
“We are seeing a trend line that shows that autism is being found more often than not, and more and more physicians are diagnosing students with autism at younger and younger ages,” he said.
A recent report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says one out of every 36 children has autism. In 2006, the rate was 1 in 110.
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Downtown Lawrence Restaurant Cielito Lindo Destroyed by Overnight Fire
LAWRENCE, Kan. (LJW) — A restaurant in downtown Lawrence has been destroyed by an overnight fire. The Lawrence Journal-World reports that flames erupted at Cielito Lindo late Wednesday night and burned well into the following morning. Police and firefighters arrived shortly after 11:40 pm Wednesday and found heavy smoke and fire at the back of the Mexican restaurant (at 815 New Hampshire Street). Dozens of firefighters fought to extinguish the blaze and prevent flames from spreading to other buildings. No one was injured and no damage estimate was available. The cause remains under investigation.
Crews from Johnson County fire departments came to Lawrence to staff other fire stations and to help respond to calls while most of Lawrence’s firefighting equipment was in use at the downtown scene.
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Group Suing City of Lawrence over Homeless Encampments
UNDATED (KNS) – A group of Lawrence business owners is suing the city and asking the court to disband two camp areas for people experiencing homelessness. The Kansas News Service reports that the lawsuit says the encampments endanger public health and safety. The city established the camps more than a year ago as a temporary measure to deal with homelessness. Rick Renfro owns Johnny’s Tavern near one of the camps, and says he joined the lawsuit because Lawrence needs to find a long-term solution.
“Everybody in town wants safe public spaces. We want everybody to be able to use the library — the homeless and the little kids. We want people to come to town without having to feel like they gotta give to panhandlers,” Renfro explained.
City leaders have shared plans for a long-term shelter with modular homes, but there is no firm timeline for when that will happen.
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Garden City Launches Investigation of School Resource Officer
LIBERAL, Kan. (KNS) – Garden City police say they are investigating a school resource officer’s actions after cell phone video showed him slamming a student to the ground last week. The Kansas News Service reports that the officer, Scott Ptacek, was breaking up a fight when he grabbed a student in a bear hug
and slammed the 13-year-old boy on the concrete. The student was then motionless.
A group that advocates for changes in the juvenile justice system, Progeny, said schools should change when and how resource officers are used.
Medical workers evaluated the student for injuries and released him. A spokesperson for the Garden City police department says the officer will remain on duty during the investigation.
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Snow Falls Along Kansas/Colorado Border
WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Snow is falling in the far western parts of Kansas, causing slick and snow-packed roads. The Kansas Department of Transportation shows roads in Sherman, Wallace, Greeley, Hamilton and Stanton counties covered with snow and ice. KSNW TV reported this (THUR) morning that 1.2 inches of snow had fallen in Goodland and 3.5 inches fell in Weskan.
See the latest road conditions by clicking here.
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Public Hearing Monday on $900 Million Industrial Project in Southeast Kansas
INDEPENDENCE, Kan. (Montgomery County Chronicle) — A public hearing is scheduled for Monday about a mammoth industrial prospect for Montgomery County, in southeast Kansas. The Montgomery County Chronicle reports that the item remains on the docket for the next meeting of the Montgomery County Commission. Commissioners will hold a public hearing Monday morning about the Azure 2023 Project. That's the name given to a $900 million industrial project to be built near the Bartlett Grain soybean processing plant. The Bartlett plant remains under construction east of the U.S. 160-169 highway junction, south of Cherryvale. The plant is expected to open in 2024.
Details about the Azure 2023 Project have been under wraps because of confidentiality agreements, but those restrictions will be lifted Monday. The Chronicle has learned of a partnership between a Canadian-based company known as Azure Sustainable Fuels, and Savage, the parent company of Bartlett Grain.
In the past two years, Azure has taken increased interest in the production of sustainable aviation fuel, or SAF, for jet airplanes. In October, Azure Sustainable Fuels signed a “strategic partnership” agreement with Savage to create a SAF production program utilizing Savage’s transportation and shipping networks and Bartlett Grain’s connection to the soybean industry.
Bartlett Grain’s new soybean processing plant in Montgomery County will be the largest of its kind in the Midwest, where it will process soy products. The Bartlett project itself represents a $450 million investment.
Monday's public hearing will be held to discuss the issuance of $900 million in industrial revenue bonds for the Azure 2023 Project. If county commissioners approve the issuance of those bonds, which is anticipated, it will represent the single-largest investment of private money into a local industrial project in the history of Montgomery County and will be among the top five largest industrial projects in Kansas.
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EPA Fines Lawrence Landfill over Methane Violations
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) — The owners of a landfill near Lawrence will have to pay more than $34,000 in upgrades and penalties for violating clean air regulations. The Environmental Protection Agency announced the fine this week for The Hamm landfill, which is just north of Lawrence. During an inspection in March 2022, the EPA found the landfill was emitting an illegal volume of methane gas and failed to correct it. Methane, like carbon dioxide, is a greenhouse gas that contributes to climate change by trapping heat. But it’s far more potent. Landfills can release huge amounts of methane, contributing to both climate change and air pollution that can harm the health of area residents. In a news release, the EPA said Hamm will pay a $4,206 penalty and spend about $30,000 to better monitor air pollution.
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Former Northland Coach Found Guilty of Raping 15-Year-Old
LIBERTY, Mo. (WDAF) — A former North Kansas City football coach has been found guilty of rape. A jury in Clay County, Missouri, found Joshua Hood guilty of second-degree statutory rape after a trial that lasted more than three days. The former Park Hill coach was indicted in 2021 for the rape of a 15-year-old, which happened in 2010. Hood worked in the North Kansas City School District from 2006-2013. While the jury recommended a five-year prison sentence, WDAF TV reports that a judge will hold a hearing in February to ultimately decide his punishment.
Just days after Clay County prosecutors announced Hood’s rape charge, he pleaded guilty to five counts of statutory sodomy, two counts of statutory rape and one count of child molestation in Jackson County, Missouri. When those charges were announced in 2020, Hood was football coach at Park Hill High School. In that case, prosecutors said Hood sexually assaulted a student multiple times in Lee’s Summit in 2003. Hood was around 26 years old at the time, coaching at Holden High School, and the victim was 16. For the Jackson County case, Hood received a suspended prison sentence and probation. He was also forced to surrender his teaching license.
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U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Meets with Midwestern Governors, Representatives
UNDATED (HPM) — Governors from Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri and representatives from Kansas met with the Army Corps of Engineers in Omaha on Thursday. Harvest Public Media reports that they discussed issues connected with the Missouri River. The meeting was one of a running series between the four states and the Corps of Engineers. The group kicked off the partnership in 2019 after that year’s floods caused billions of dollars in damages to the region. Four years later, the governors say levee improvements have made their states more prepared for future floods.
Missouri Governor Mike Parson spoke at the science museum in Omaha. He stressed that focusing on flood control is important even while the region is suffering from a years-long drought.
"But you cannot let up on what we’re doing. I don’t want to go back to the old days, just because we haven’t had a flood, so now it’s kind of ‘out of sight, out of mind,’" Parson said.
The group says their meetings on river management will continue indefinitely.
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Audit Shows Many Kansas 911 Services Understaffed
UNDATED (KNS) – A new audit says most of the offices responsible for answering 911 calls in Kansas are understaffed and underfunded. Local governments are responsible for 84% of funding for 911 systems, with the state covering the rest. The Kansas News Service reports that staffing is the biggest expense for the 117 offices. David Brevitz, who worked on the audit, told lawmakers that pay is sometimes around minimum wage, and that makes it hard to attract and retain staff.
“...you can’t get somebody who’s going to commit to mandatory overtime, and endure what in many cases are the worst day in somebody’s life,” Brevitz said.
Besides more funding, the audit suggests allowing staff to work from home and consolidating the 911 dispatch offices in rural counties.
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Lansing Inmate Death Ruled as a Homicide
LANSING, Kan. (KNS) — An inmate’s death at a prison in Lansing has been ruled a homicide. Preliminary autopsy results indicate 29 year old inmate Darionce Terrell Charles-Lott died by strangulation. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation was notified of his death on November 25 when he was found in his cell unresponsive and life saving measures failed. Charles-Lott had been at the Lansing prison since November of 2011. He was serving a 14-year sentence for aggravated battery with intent to harm. The KBI says that a male suspect at the Lansing prison has been identified but no charges have been filed.
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Missouri Launches Prescription Drug Database to Help Doctors Spot Opioid Addictions
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri now has a statewide database to help doctors track opioid prescriptions. The program launched Wednesday. It's aimed at helping health care providers identify possible prescription drug addiction. Doctors and pharmacists can check the database to see if patients have been receiving painkillers and other opioids from multiple providers. Prescription information in the database can only be used for patient care and cannot be shared with law enforcement. Missouri in 2021 became the last state to adopt a statewide prescription drug monitoring program. It's taken about two years to implement.
The Missouri Legislature in 2021 passed a law creating the program after years of resistance from a small number of skeptical lawmakers who raised concerns about sensitive patient data being misused. Most Missouri health care providers had already been sharing controlled substance information with a St. Louis County database following local buy-in from 75 cities and other municipalities. Advocates argued that a more expansive program would give lawmakers greater oversight and prevent people from loading up on painkillers in uncovered areas. The St. Louis County database now will be absorbed into the statewide system.
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Union Pacific Railroad Seeks Dismissal of Chemical Spill Lawsuit
WICHITA, Kan. (KMUW) – Union Pacific has filed a motion to dismiss a lawsuit filed on behalf of Wichita residents living above a chemical spill from the railroad company. KMUW Radio reports that the lawsuit, filed in October, alleges residents lost property values as a result of the chemical spill. But Union Pacific is asking the court to dismiss the case because the spill took place decades ago. State statutes limit the amount of time a lawsuit can be filed after an incident occurs. Christina Long, a communications partner with Union Pacific, told KMUW that the company will still work with the community on ongoing clean up efforts.
"The company's commitment to the community remains unchanged. Union Pacific will continue to cooperate with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment,” Long said.
The state oversees the clean up of the spill, which has contaminated about three miles of groundwater underneath neighborhoods in northeast Wichita.
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Kansas Public Radio Is Hiring
Morning News Host, Newscaster / Reporter
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) — Kansas Public Radio is seeking a new morning news host. The Morning Edition Host/Reporter delivers the local segments of “Morning Edition,” National Public Radio’s weekday news magazine on Kansas Public Radio (hereafter “KPR”), licensed by the University of Kansas in Lawrence. This person gathers, edits, writes, produces and delivers local newscasts and hosts the local segments of this national show on KPR. Following each day’s broadcast of Morning Edition, this position is also responsible for producing broadcast and online news content. The reporter must have a keen understanding of state, regional and national news. This position requires consistent availability weekdays from 4:00am to 1:00pm, including most holidays. Position is supervised by the News Director and/or Assistant News Director. Application review begins in December and continues until a pool of qualified applicants is identified. Candidates must apply online: https://employment.ku.edu/jobs/staff/morning-news-host-reporter/26740br KU is an EO/AAE. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), age, national origin, disability, genetic information or protected veteran status.
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Chiefs Head to New England with Hopes of Avoiding More Travel in the Playoffs
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Travis Kelce could be spending some more time on the road in 2024 — and not just to see Taylor Swift in concert.
The diva-dating tight end and the rest of the Kansas City Chiefs (8-5) are in an unexpected fight for the division title and might have to play their first AFC playoff road game of the Patrick Mahomes era. The Chiefs are the No. 3 seed in the conference heading into Sunday’s game against New England (3-10), which could force them to play twice on the road to defend their Super Bowl title.
“The division is tight. The AFC is tight,” Mahomes said this week as he prepared to try and snap a two-game losing streak. “We have to go out there and play our best football and try to get better this week and try to find a way to get a win.”
With the Denver Broncos winning six of their last seven games, Kansas City is down to a one-game lead in the division — closer than it's been in more than two months. Even if the Chiefs hold on to win the AFC West for the eighth straight year, the NFL’s 14-team playoff bracket could force them onto the road for the first time since 2015.
The good news: Their remaining schedule pits them against New England, Las Vegas (5-8), Cincinnati (7-6) and the Chargers (5-8).
“It’s week-to-week in the league. I think our players understand that,” Chiefs coach Andy Reid said. “They know what they need to do. We just have to get it done.”
SWIFT SIGHTING?
There's been no word on whether Swift, who has been watching Kelce's games when she isn't on tour, will attend. Swift is familiar with Gillette Stadium, having played three nights there on her current Eras Tour and in other concerts as far back as 2010.
The pop icon and Time magazine Person of the Year does not head back on tour until February.
OUT AND ABOUT
The Patriots have already been eliminated from the playoffs with four games remaining — the first time that’s happened for New England since 2000. In the ensuing 22 seasons — combined — they only took the field twice with no hope of reaching the postseason.
The poor showing led to Sunday’s game being flexed out of “Monday Night Football” — an NFL first. But that doesn’t mean the rest of the season is meaningless.
With the worst record in the AFC — and tied with Arizona for the second-worst in the league — New England is on track for the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 draft. The Patriots are two games better than Carolina (1-12), which has traded its first-rounder to the Bears.
Many Patriots fans have turned their attention to the draft, where the six-time Super Bowl champions could begin with a top pick like Southern California quarterback Caleb Williams, North Carolina QB Drake Maye or Ohio State receiver Marvin Harrison Jr.
But that’s not the mood in the locker room.
“We ain’t here to give games up,” defensive lineman Christian Barmore said. “We’re here to play football.”
CLOSE CALLS
One thing the Chiefs have lacked this season is the killer instinct they displayed during Mahomes’ first six seasons as the starting quarterback. They have had eight games decided by one possession, including four of the past five — and three of those were losses. In fact, four of the Chiefs’ five losses this season have been by a touchdown or less.
“We all want to win. We all believe in each other,” Chiefs safety Justin Reid said. “We just have to pull a little bit harder and find one or two plays to go out and get the win.”
GETTING DEFENSIVE
With so much anxiety surrounding the Kansas City offense these days, it is easy to overlook just how well its defense has played, especially in the secondary.
Defensive back L’Jarius Sneed held Buffalo star Stefon Diggs to four catches on 11 targets for 24 yards last week. Trent McDuffie has been one of the best cornerbacks in the league when he hasn’t been a terror on the blitz — he has three sacks — and as a whole, the secondary held the Bills’ Josh Allen to 233 yards on 42 attempts.
“We have everything we need to go be great out there,” McDuffie said. “I think it’s just a little details thing.”
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