ROXANA HEGEMAN, Associated Press

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas anti-abortion activist is facing trial in federal court this week over a letter she sent to a Wichita physician saying someone might place an explosive under the doctor’s car.

Opening statements are expected Tuesday in the government’s civil lawsuit against anti-abortion activist Angel Dillard under a federal law aimed at protecting access to abortion services. Jurors must decide whether the letter constitutes a “true threat.”

The defense has argued the letter was constitutionally protected speech.

The Justice Department sued Dillard in 2011 for sending the letter to Dr. Mila Means, who had been training to offer abortions. At the time, no doctor was performing abortions in Wichita in the wake of the 2009 slaying of Dr. George Tiller by an anti-abortion zealot.

ROBERT BURNS, AP National Security Writer

STUTTGART, Germany (AP) — Defense Secretary Ash Carter says an American serviceman has been killed near Irbil in Iraq.

Carter revealed the death at the outset of a news conference Tuesday in Stuttgart, Germany, where he has been consulting with European allies.

Carter says “it is a combat death,” but he hasn’t offered any further details.

Vice President Joe Biden visited Baghdad last week to exhort leaders of the government in Iraq to resolve internal political strife and concentrate on the effort to defeat the Islamic State group.

Carter, likewise, visited Baghdad recently. The Obama administration has been pressing the effort against IS, which has been slowed down in its quest to overrun Iraq.

Carter presided earlier at a ceremony installing a new commander of U.S. European Command, Army Gen. Curtis Scaparrotti

SHAWNEE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Shawnee County continue to investigate the April 29 shooting near a child-care center.

A person of interest in the case, according to police is Colwin Lynn Henderson III, 18, Topeka.

He left the scene in a gold Chrysler Sebring convertible with extensive front-end damage. He is believed to be armed with a handgun.

Just after 5 p.m. on Friday, police responded to 33rd and Gage Street in Topeka after report that a man was wounded.

The victim was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

Several rounds from the weapon were fired, according to police. One bullet also hit a building used as a childcare center. There were no injuries in that facility.

Any information on this suspect please Email the TPD Criminal Intelligence Unit ([email protected]) or TPD DET Victor Riggin ([email protected]) or call #785 368 9503 or Crime Stoppers at #785 234-0007

ARKANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — An Arkansas City woman found guilty in the death of her 16-month-old daughter has been sentenced to 18 months of probation.

KAKE-TV reports that 30-year-old Lindsey Abegg was sentenced Thursday. She had pleaded guilty to aggravated endangerment of a child in the August death of Astra Abegg. She also pleaded guilty to possession of methamphetamine and marijuana.

Police say that Astra Abegg was found dead at an Arkansas City apartment when emergency crews responded to a report of a medical emergency involving a child.

The cause of the child’s death is unclear. Prosecutors argued that abuse led to the child’s death.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — National Weather Service branches in Wichita and Tulsa, Oklahoma, are re-enacting a deadly 1991 tornado outbreak on social media a week after the threat of nasty weather forced them to postpone a similar exercise.

#kswx Join us on May 3rd as we live tweet the #Andover25th tornado & how the NWS has since changed! #Outbreak1991 pic.twitter.com/CUfirF0fKA

— NWS Wichita (@NWSWichita) May 2, 2016

Join us and @NWSTulsa on Tuesday, May 3rd to reenact the events of the April 26th, 1991 Tornado Outbreak #kswx #nws pic.twitter.com/eZ8Tjhqt1e — NWS Wichita (@NWSWichita) May 1, 2016

The Wichita Eagle reports the Wichita office will focus on conditions leading to an F5 tornado that killed 17 people and injured more than 200 in Andover, south Wichita and McConnell Air Force Base on April 26, 1991.

The first tweets Tuesday will focus on the atmospheric environment on that day. The Wichita branch will then live-tweet the actual event starting with the first tornado warning at 4:36 p.m.

Meterologist Vanessa Pearce says there will be about 60 tweets issued by the Wichita branch.

ROXANA HEGEMAN, Associated Press

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A decades-long ordeal ruined a Texas man, but his life might start to get better now that the sex offender in Kansas who stole his identity has pleaded guilty to misusing a Social Security number.

Fernando Neave-Ceniceros’ plea Monday in federal court in Wichita will help prosecutors begin to repair the havoc left behind for Marcus Calvillo, the Grand Prairie, Texas, man whose identity he assumed.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Brent Anderson says he doesn’t know of a case where the theft of an identity had a more devastating impact than this one.

The 41-year-old convicted child sex offender and Mexican national admitted to using Calvillo’s Social Security number to hide his own identity and lack of legal status in the United States. Sentencing is July 25. His attorney declined comment.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Figures from a survey of supply managers in nine Midwest and Plains states have dropped slightly after rising for three months, but they still point to economic growth.

A report issued Monday says the Mid-American Business Conditions Index declined to 50.1 in April from 50.6 in March.

The survey results are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests economic growth. A score below that suggests decline.

Creighton University economist Ernie Goss oversees the survey, and he says “continuing weakness in the region’s agriculture and energy sectors remains an obstacle to improving overall growth.”

The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

HUTCHINSON – A Kansas man, well known for stealing vehicles, was arrested again over the weekend when he allegedly stole a truck in Haven.

Maurice Miles, 36, and Ashley Miles were spotted driving on U.S 50 on Saturday and a traffic stop was made, according to police. They were arrested.

.
Miles, who was just paroled for his other convictions in February and according to the Kansas Department of Corrections absconded from that parole.

Miles faces charges of theft or possession of stolen property, driving while suspended, failure to appear and violating his parole.

In court, his bond was increased to $7,500 after District Attorney Keith Schroeder noted that he may have the record for most stolen vehicles in Reno County saying it was more then 25.

Ashley Miles is charged with theft or possession of stolen property and asked for a bond reduction. However, she is facing a probation violation, so the judge decided against any change till she had time to visit with another judge over the probation violation. She told the judge she is supposed to start court ordered drug treatment on Wednesday.
She’ll also be back in court on May 9.