(AP) — A 32-year-old man is charged in the fatal shooting of a Kansas government attorney on a Kansas City highway in July 2009.

The Jackson County prosecutor’s office announced Friday the indictment of Calah Johnson on charges of second-degree murder and unlawful use of a weapon.

Deanna Lieber was shot and killed on U.S. 71 while driving home with her 13-year-old daughter and her mother-in-law from Kansas City’s Starlight Theater. The 45-year-old Lawrence resident was the general counsel for the Kansas Department of Education.

Authorities said Friday that witnesses have told detectives Johnson was firing from one vehicle at a person in another vehicle, and Lieber was not the intended target.

Johnson is currently in a federal prison serving a 20-year sentence on a drug charge.

4:00 PM   The Kansas Department of Transportation has opened all lanes of traffic that were closed due to the heavy rainfalls.

KDOT is closing the eastbound lanes of I-70 from Exit 9 to Exit 12, due to the recent heavy rains in NW Kansas.
I-70 traffic is currently being diverted to Old U.S. 24 Highway at Exit 9, and will be allowed to re-enter the interstate at Exit 12 (going east). The westbound lanes have not been affected by this closure.

Heavy rains have compromised a drainage pipe under the roadway, causing the temporary closure.
The closure is currently within a project to reconstruct I-70 from the Colorado/Kansas state line, extending east 12 miles.
The maximum width is restricted to 16.75 feet; and the speed limit is reduced to 60 miles-per-hour throughout the twelve mile work zone. Please pay attention to the signs and workers within a construction zone, slow down and “Give ‘Em A Brake!”

(AP) — A Kansas agency says it was “reprehensible” for one of its former social workers to refuse to act on behalf of a toddler who was later beaten to death.

The Kansas Department for Children and Families commented Friday, one day after a federal judge ruled that Linda Gillen was entitled to immunity in a lawsuit by the girl’s grandparents.

Twenty-three-month-old Brooklyn Coons, of Coffeyville, died in 2008. Her father’s girlfriend is serving life in prison for her death.

Brooklyn’s grandparents contend Gillen refused to investigate their reports that the toddler was being abused.

The judge ruled for Gillen despite calling her actions unprofessional and “sadly, fairly consistent” with other cases in his court involving the Kansas agency. The agency contends the court has not advised it of any similar, recent cases.

U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) joined U.S. Senator John Cornyn (R-Texas) to introduce the Honoring the Fort Hood Heroes Act, legislation to honor and support the victims of the Nov. 5, 2009, Fort Hood shooting. The bill will make certain the victims of the Fort Hood attack receive the same benefits as their deployed counterparts who are wounded or killed either through enemy action abroad or a terrorist attack. Sens. Moran and Cornyn were joined in introducing the bill by U.S. Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas).

“For nearly four years, the victims of the tragic Fort Hood shooting have failed to receive the equal honor and respect they deserve because the attack took place on U.S. soil rather than in a designated combat zone such as Afghanistan,” Sen. Moran said. “I am proud to introduce legislation to correct this injustice and provide much-deserved recognition and benefits to the Fort Hood shooting victims.”

“The wheels of justice have turned too slowly for the victims of the terrorist attack at Fort Hood four years ago. We must direct our attention to the people who deserve it, and that is the victims and their families. As a nation, we have a sacred obligation to take care of them,” Sen. Cornyn said.

In addition to current benefits inequity the Fort Hood victims, the Federal Government set a historic precedent when it awarded military victims of the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks with the Purple Heart medal, and civilian victims with the Secretary of Defense Medal for the Defense of Freedom. Sen. Moran’s legislation states that the same precedent should be followed for the Fort Hood victims.

Under the Honoring the Fort Hood Heroes Act, victims and families of victims would be made eligible for certain benefits that have been withheld from them, including:
Combat-related special compensation;
Maximum coverage under Servicemembers’ Group Life Insurance;
Tax breaks after death in combat zone or terrorist attack;
Special pay for subjection to hostile fire or imminent danger;
Combat-related injury rehabilitation pay; and
Meals at military treatment facilities.

A companion version of the Honoring the Fort Hood Heroes Act has been introduced in the House of Representatives by U.S. Reps. John R. Carter (R-Texas 31) and Roger Williams (R-Texas 25). Please find a full bill summary below:

Bill Summary:
Declarations of Policy. The bill declares that: (1) the attack constituted an act of terrorism, not merely workplace violence; (2) the U.S. Government has a fundamental duty to our troops to safeguard them against avoidable harm, and the Fort Hood attack could and should have been prevented; (3) the perpetrator, Nidal Hasan, had become radicalized while serving in the U.S. Army and was principally motivated to attack by an ideology of violent Islamist extremism; and (4) Hasan proved himself to be not just a terrorist, but also a traitor and an enemy of the U.S.
Military Awards. The bill would require the Secretary of the Army to award Purple Hearts to those Soldiers who were killed/wounded in the attack, and require the Secretary of Defense to award the Secretary of Defense Medal for the Defense of Freedom (Purple Heart equivalent for civilians) to civilians who were killed/wounded.
Certain Benefits. The bill would provide certain benefits to the victims of the attack who were killed/wounded and their families (retroactively to the date of the attack), by deeming the killing/wounding to have occurred:
For Soldiers, in a combat zone and at the hands of an enemy of the United States.
For civilian DoD employees, by hostile action while serving alongside the Armed Forces during a contingency operation, and in a terrorist attack.