TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Caleb Stegall is now a justice of the Kansas Supreme Court after serving as a lower-court judge and as a top aide to Gov. Sam Brownback.
The Supreme Court had a special session Friday for Stegall’s swearing in. Brownback and dozens of other people attended the ceremony.
Brownback elevated the 43-year-old Stegall to state’s highest court in August after naming him to the Kansas Court of Appeals last year.
Previously, Stegall served as Brownback’s chief counsel. Before joining the administration in January 2011, Stegall was Jefferson County’s elected prosecutor for two years.
It is the Republican governor’s first appointment to the seven-member Supreme Court.
Stegall replaced former Justice Nancy Moritz. She left to for a seat on the federal appeals court for Kansas and five other western and Plains states.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A man convicted of murder in a 2000 death in Atchison County will get a new trial.
A Kansas Court of Appeals panel said in an opinion issued Friday that it upheld a county court’s decision to order a new trial for Kirk Wilson in the March 2000 shotgun death of 38-year-old Kurt Boldridge.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports Wilson is serving a Hard 25 sentence after being convicted in 2001. The Atchison County court ordered a new trial last year, saying Wilson’s attorney was ineffective. The state appealed that ruling.
Boldridge was shot in the head as he slept at his rural Atchison home in March 2000. Wilson was one of four people, including the victim’s ex-wife, who were convicted in the homicide.
SALINA -Salina Police arrested a Cloud County man in connection with the armed robbery at a convenience store in July.
Police Captain Mike Sweeney said Jason Carlin, 20, Glasco, was arrested Thursday on a warrant for aggravated robbery.
He said Carlin walked into the Casey’s General Story Store just before12:30 a.m. on July 29 with a silver handgun at his side and demanded money from the store clerk.
The amount of money taken has not been released. No money was recovered.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) – A person with knowledge of the situation says Texas A&M assistant David Beaty is interviewing with Kansas and has become the leading candidate for the Jayhawks’ coaching job.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Friday because the interview process was not supposed to be made public. Beaty was expected to tour the school’s facilities and meet with university administrators.
It was unclear when a hiring could be announced. But the Jayhawks play Florida in a high-profile basketball game Friday night at Allen Fieldhouse, and that would an ideal opportunity to introduce a new football coach to fans.
Charlie Weis was fired four games into his third season. Defensive coordinator Clint Bowen, another candidate for the job, served as interim coach for the final eight games.
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) – New Zealand prosecutors are now giving details on who it was AC/DC drummer Phil Rudd allegedly wanted killed.
Prosecutors released a one-page “summary of facts” today that states in September Rudd called a man who had worked for him for three years and threatened to kill him and his daughter.
They say Rudd first called a business associate and talked about “what he wanted done to the man.”
Rudd had told police he didn’t make the alleged phone calls and had not threatened to kill anyone.
He’s also charged with possession of methamphetamine and marijuana.
Meanwhile, Rudd got in a fight with a witness in his case yesterday and appeared in court over that, but he won’t face charges.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A federal judge says Kansas and Planned Parenthood have settled a lawsuit filed by the group over a requirement enacted last year for abortion providers.
U.S. District Judge Kathryn Vratil’s one-page order Friday closing the case did not provide any details. The lawsuit concerned a requirement that website home pages for abortion providers link to state materials on abortion and fetal development.
An attorney representing Planned Parenthood of Kansas and Mid-Missouri declined comment. The organization didn’t provide details in a statement.
The Kansas attorney general’s office did not immediately return a telephone messages.
Planned Parenthood argued the requirement violated its free speech rights because providers must declare that the state’s material is objective and accurate. The state contends the rule falls within its power to ensure women have adequate information.
Artist’s rendering of the facility, which would be located at General Custer and 13th Street.
The Hays Area Board of Zoning Appeals will conduct a public hearing at 8:15 a.m. Wednesday to gather input on a proposed recycling facility within the city.
F&F Iron & Metal Co., which operates similar facilities in Norton and Garden City, is proposing building the facility at 1201 General Custer, construction that would require a special-use permit.
The facility would include recycling, collection and processing of scrap metal.
F&F representatives presented the idea at the appeal board’s Nov. 12 meeting, where members asked questions about noise and the appearance of the facility.
Click HERE for a complete agenda for Wednesday’s meeting and minutes of the Nov. 12 meeting, which will be held at City Hall, 1507 Main.
HUTCHINSON — A former Buhler teacher who was convicted of molesting a 15-year-old South Korean foreign exchange student entered a “no contest” plea Thursday after the case was sent back to District Court for a possible new trial.
However, even with that, his sentence has been completed and he will be released from custody.
In October of 2008, Richard Young was convicted of two counts of indecent liberties with a child, one count of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, and one count of indecent solicitation of a child.
The crimes occurred in August 2007. The victim was staying at Young’s home at the time of the sexual abuse.
Young appealed his convictions to the Kansas Court of Appeals. District Attorney Keith Schroeder explained the mistake made when they instructed the jury at the trial.
He says they instructed the jury that they could only consider the evidence of the abuse of his son’s years before for the limited purpose of determining intent.
Schroeder said they should have told the jury they could consider the evidence for whatever they wanted.
Young was sentenced to the original six years and eight months and has served the time.
He will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
He’s expected to be released from the Reno County Jail as early as Friday.
The victim is still in the U.S, attending Harvard University where he’s seeking his Ph.D. in Physics.
PITTSBURG, Kan. (AP) — After more than 30 years of waiting, Pittsburg State University plans to officially open its new performing arts center.
The Bicknell Family Center for the Arts will open Sunday with a ribbon-cutting ceremony and tours of the building.
The Joplin Globe reports the center will be the university’s first specific performance venue since 1978, when Carney Hall was closed and razed because of deterioration.
The $33 million performing arts center will include a 1,100-seat performance hall and a 2,000-square-foot art gallery. It also will offer a grand lobby, reception hall, multi-use rehearsal space and a 250-seat theater.
ABILENE – An Abilene man was found guilty Thursday of a child sex crime, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said in a media release.
John R. Harwood Jr., 46, of Abilene, was convicted by a jury of aggravated criminal sodomy. Judge David R. Platt presided over the trial in Dickinson County District Court. The charge involved a child under of the age of 14 and stemmed from an incident that occurred in May of 2012. Sentencing is scheduled for March 2, 2015, at 1:30 p.m. Harwood will be sentenced under provisions of Jessica’s Law, which carry a potential sentence of life in prison with no parole eligibility for 25 years.
The case was investigated by the Abilene Police Department and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. Assistant Attorney General Christine Ladner prosecuted the case.
Lucia Bain is Kansas Room librarian at Hays Public Library.
December is chock-full of holiday traditions. It seems every family has their own special way to celebrate. Some people drive around to look at Christmas lights, some people head to McDonald’s for a McRib or an eggnog shake, while others may light an advent wreath or Menorah. This is my third December at the library and I’ve begun a few annual traditions of my own.
No Christmas celebration is complete without cookies and I am offering not one, but two opportunities to get in on the fun. On Saturday, Dec. 13 at 1 p.m., I’ll be hosting the third annual HPL Cookie Swap! Participating is easy. Just prepare a dozen or so of your favorite Christmas cookies and bring a copy of your recipe. Those who attend will swap cookies and recipes and end up with a variety of treats to take home. If you’re really in the holiday spirit, you can stick around because at 2 PM on the 13th, Crafternoon will feature DIY gifts and gift-wrap.
The second cookie program I’m hosting is a cooking class on how to make Spitzbuben. This class is part of my German cooking series. Spitzbuben are sandwich cookies with jam. If you like trying new recipes or if your grandmother used to make these cookies and you’ve always wondered how she did it, then this program is for you! In the class we’ll prepare the dough, roll and cut the cookies and bake them with a variety of jams. You’ll have some to take home for yourself as well! Space for this class is limited and registration is required. Please call me at 785-625-9014 or email at [email protected] to register.
Everyone has a holiday movie that they have to watch every year or it just doesn’t seem like Christmas.
One of these movies for me is “Meet Me in St. Louis” starring Judy Garland. This film captures a year in the life of the Smith family of St. Louis, who are anxiously awaiting the 1904 World’s Fair. The song “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” was actually written for and debuted in this film. The bright colors and festive music, make this movie a must-see for all generations. I’ll be screening this film at the library on Monday, December 22 at 6 PM. If you need to get away from the house and you want something the whole family can do together, then join us the library for popcorn, hot chocolate and a Christmas classic the whole family will be sure to enjoy.
Food For Fines is here again! From December 7 through December 20th, you can bring in non-perishable food items to pay off your fines. One dollar of late fines will be forgiven for every food item you bring to the library. Please note that this does not apply toward lost or damaged items. We will not accept expired food items, so please check dates on cans and boxes before you bring them in! All food items will be donated to the Community Assistance Center.
Submissions for the third annual Kansas Day Photo Contest will be accepted beginning December 8th. No matter your age or your skill level, the KS Day Photo Contest is open to anyone who’s ever taken a photo in this great state. Please stop by the library for a copy of the contest rules and entrance forms or download the forms at www.hayspublib.org (look under the Kansas Room tab). Photo entries are due on January 21st.
My sincerest wishes for a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
The Kansas Room is located in the basement of the Hays Public Library and is open from 9 AM to 4 PM Tuesday through Saturday, and by request.
Defense Sec. nominee Carter at Friday’s announcement
JULIE PACE, AP White House Correspondent
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is calling Ashton Carter one of the nation’s foremost national security leaders as he nominates him as secretary of defense.
Carter was deputy defense secretary from 2011-2013 and previously was the Pentagon’s technology and weapons-buying chief.
Obama says Carter knows the Pentagon “inside and out,” which means “on day one, he’ll be ready to hit the ground running.”
Carter would replace Chuck Hagel, who resigned last month under pressure from the president. He is staying on until his successor is confirmed by the Senate.
Hagel did not attend the announcement. But Obama quoted Hagel’s praise for Carter when Carter left the Pentagon a year ago.
Mike Cooper visits with Greg Farley, Professor of Biological Sciences at Fort Hays State University, about some of the birds we can expect to find around the Hays area.
