(AP) — State statistics show that four times as many prospective Kansas voters have their registrations on hold for failing to meet a proof-of-citizenship requirement than for all other reasons combined.

Kansans with registrations on hold can’t legally cast ballots. A law that took effect in January requires new Kansas voters to produce a birth certificate, passport or other papers documenting their U.S. citizenship.

Election officials also put registrations on hold for other reasons. It happens when people fill out registration forms improperly or register before turning 18.

Kansas has more than 21,000 voter registrations on hold. More than 17,000 — or 80 percent of the total — were for people who hadn’t yet met the proof-of-citizenship requirement. The secretary of state’s office provided the figures to The Associated Press.

 

(AP) — Gov. Sam Brownback is preparing to address members of a conservative legal organization about judicial selection following recent changes in how state Court of Appeals judges are picked.

The Federalist Society said Brownback was scheduled to speak at noon Thursday at an Overland Park hotel.

The appearance comes two weeks after the state Senate confirmed Brownback’s chief counsel, Caleb Stegall, to the Kansas Court of Appeals. Brownback advocated changing the state’s judicial selection system, and the law that took effect in July allows him to appoint judges to the Court of Appeals subject to Senate confirmation.

But Brownback and other conservative Republicans weren’t successful in changing the selection system for the Kansas Supreme Court. Questions persist about whether Brownback will keep pushing that issue.

 

U.S. Senator Pat Roberts today took to the floor of the U.S. Senate to join Senators Ted Cruz (R-Tex) and John Cornyn (R-Tex) in calling for a joint select committee to investigate the terrorist attacks on the American consulate in Benghazi that resulted in the deaths of four Americans. Audio and video of the speech can be found here.

Senator Roberts has cosponsored Senate Resolution 225, a resolution to express the sense of the Senate that Congress should establish a joint select committee to investigate and report on the attack on the United States diplomatic facility and American personnel in Benghazi, Libya, on September 11, 2012.

Roberts has been an outspoken critic of the Administration’s handling of the attack in Benghazi. Last year, Roberts, the most senior Marine in the Congress, wrote the President a letter urging him to set the record straight about his Administration’s failure to help Americans murdered in the terrorist attack in Benghazi on September 11, because it caused Americans serving in harm’s way, especially members of the armed forces, to question the sacred bond of never leaving a comrade in distress or danger. The full text of the Senator’s letter can be found here.

The following is text of Senator Roberts’ remarks as prepared:

“I thank the distinguished gentleman from Texas. I applaud your efforts to keep a focus on the Benghazi terrorist attack.

“I come to you today not only as a Senator from the great state of Kansas, but also as a Marine. Not a former Marine. A Marine.

“We cannot allow this situation to linger any longer.

“It is a great shame that a year after the heinous terrorist attacks on our Consulate in Benghazi, murdering four Americans and shaking the confidence of our men and women deployed in service to this nation that the United States would never leave a man behind, it is a great shame that we are still in the same place.

“Justice has yet to be seen or done.

“The families of those killed at the Consulate in Benghazi are waiting for answers about what happened that night.

“They simply want to know that this president and this administration are working to seek justice for what happened.

“Yet, it appears this administration is doing everything but seek justice.

“I am sick and tired of hearing excuses, delays, and even silence.

“The president and his administration have stonewalled us on this case.

“Today, the FBI continues to seek tips from Libyans. They have even posted an entire page on their website dedicated to finding suspects. There are photos of 29 suspects on that page. Twenty-nine.

“Yet, no arrests have been made.

“CNN and The New York Times have even had access to one of the chief suspects, Ahmed Abu Khattala.

“Access to interview him while he mocks the U.S. investigation.

“Unbelievable.

“Why is this individual freely walking around when we know he had a hand in the attacks?

“The administration refuses to answer simple questions, questions such as:

“Who told the US military to stand down?

“Who is responsible for misleading the American public and the victim’s families?

“What actionable intelligence did our government have? Why was it ignored?

“This is why we need a Joint Select Committee.

“At the very least, this deserves a vote.

“So, I urge my colleagues blocking this legislation to drop their holds.

“It is time the families of the fallen and the American people are given the answers and justice they deserve.

“Senator Cruz, I thank you for introducing this legislation. I believe this should be a top priority for our government.

“It is time we get off the dime and do something important, and give this legislation the consideration it deserves.

“It is time we demand this administration give the families and all the American people the answers they deserve about what happened that night in Benghazi.”

Senator Roberts is the most senior Marine in the congress, is a former member of the Senate Committee on Armed Services and is a former chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence.

AP) — Police in Wichita are investigating why a 3-month-old girl tested positive for illegal drugs.

The infant’s 32-year-old mother brought the baby to a hospital Tuesday afternoon for a possible seizure.

Doctors tested the baby and found cocaine and methamphetamine in her system.

The infant remained hospitalized Wednesday as the investigation continued. Three other children — ages 2, 10 and 14 — were found at the mother’s home but were not taken into protective custody

(AP) — A southeast Kansas school district has settled a lawsuit over the death of a motorist in a crash with a school bus last year.

The family of 34-year-old Andrew Simmons and Altamont-based USD 506 agreed to the $500,000 settlement on Tuesday. The Edna man was married and had five children.

Simmons was killed in February 2012 when a school bus collided with the SUV he was driving in an intersection about four miles south of Altamont.

The family sued the school district in Labette County District Court, alleging negligence.

A lawyer for USD 506 says the school district did not admit any wrongdoing in the settlement.

 

A Kansas man with a record of felony convictions has been indicted on federal gun and drug charges, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.

Dustin C. Lynch, 30, Topeka, Kan., is charged with one count of unlawful possession of a firearm after felony convictions, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine.  The crimes are alleged to have occurred Aug. 15, 2013, in Shawnee County, Kan.

The indictment alleges Lynch possessed a 9 mm pistol while he was prohibited under federal law from possessing a firearm because of prior felony convictions.  The indictment cites prior felony convictions in 2008, 2009 and 2010 on charges including burglary, aggravated burglary and possession of methamphetamine.

If convicted, he faces a penalty of not less than 15 years in federal prison on the charge of unlawful possession of a firearm after a felony conviction; not less than five years on the charge of possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking; and a maximum penalty of 30 years and a fine up to $2 million on the drug charge.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Anthony Mattivi is prosecuting.

Tailgating season is underway, and as football fans flock to games with their grills and favorite tailgating foods, they must keep in mind several food safety measures to keep from getting sick.

“For some people, tailgating may be more important than the game itself,” said Londa Vanderwal Nwadike, state extension food safety specialist for Kansas State University and the University of Missouri. “However, food safety can be more challenging when preparing and eating foods outdoors where refrigeration and running water are likely not available.”

Nwadike said the following tips help people reduce their risk of getting foodborne illness from what should be a fun event.

Proper planning is key

• Plan the menu with game time in mind.  In addition to pre-game grilling, plan post-game snacks such as cookies, fruits, vegetables or a snack mix that don’t need cooking and are not perishable.

• Plan party foods for the number of guests expected to minimize leftovers and food storage before, during and after the game.

• Bring along soap and water for cleaning and hand washing if none will be available on-site. Moist towelettes and bleach wipes also can be used for cleaning hands and surfaces.

• Make and bring along a “tailgating kit” with the most-used utensils, such as clean serving spoons, paper towels and trash bags, for every game.

• Ask out-of-town guests coming to your tailgate to bring less perishable items.

Think about appropriate storage and handling

• Be sure to chill perishable foods, such as meats for grilling, salads and sides, before transferring them to an insulated cooler.  Keep that cooler packed with several inches of ice or frozen gel packs.  Use a refrigerator thermometer in the cooler so you can check to be sure the food stays at 40 degrees Fahrenheit (40 F) or below.

• Shade coolers or cover them with a blanket if no shade is available to keep ice from melting quickly.

• Keep raw foods separate from cooked foods. If marinating meat for grilling at the stadium, do so in a disposable, re-sealable plastic bag. Be sure to use a different plate for holding cooked meat than the one used for raw meat.

• If bringing take-out food, make that the last stop before the stadium to keep hot foods hot and cold foods cold. Eat the food within 2 hours of purchase (1 hour if the outside temperature is above 90 F.)

• Wrap and stow leftovers in the cooler or discard them.  If perishable food is left out for 2 hours or more (1 hour or more if the temperature is above 90 F), it should be discarded.

• To keep foods such as soup, chili and stew hot, use an insulated container.  Fill the container with boiling water, let it stand for a few minutes, empty and put in the hot food.  If you keep the insulated container closed, the food should stay hot (above 140 F) for several hours.

Cook responsibly

• If grilling, use a food thermometer to ensure that the food has reached a safe minimum internal temperature.  Raw beef, pork and lamb steaks and roasts should be 145 F with a 3-minute post-grill rest time; raw ground beef, lamb, pork and veal should be 160 F; and all poultry should be 165 F.

• Make sure cooking appliances are shut down and cooling or otherwise stowed appropriately before going to the game to reduce the risk of fire hazards.

Serve responsibly

• Shade the serving table, if possible.

• Wait to remove salads and sides from coolers until ready to eat.

Information and picture courtesy of K-State Research and Extension