TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A judge has found sufficient evidence for two men to stand trial in the shooting death of a Topeka motorist.
The Topeka Capital-Journalreports that 35-year-old Use David Laeli Jr., of Topeka, and 20-year-old Joseph G. Cooney, 20, of Rock Port, Texas, will be tried on charges of felony first-degree murder.
A judge also bound Laeli over for trial Tuesday on an interference with law enforcement charge. He is accused of ordering the disposal of the pistol used to shoot 28-year-old Xavier Patrick McCollough.
Cooney-photo Topeka police
Prosecutors say the shooting happened after McCollough was lured in July to a parking lot, where Laeli, Cooney and a third suspect waited.
Prosecutors say McCollough then drove out of the lot before crashing into an apartment building. He was pronounced dead at a hospital.
As previously announced, due to a clerical error, taxes for townships in Ellis County were incorrectly calculated. A corrected tax statement will be mailed today. This statement will have “Amended” in the right top corner. Because the tax error was small, in many cases it didn’t change the tax amount.
In an effort to save county resources, tax statements will only be mailed to taxpayers whose tax amounts changed. If you don’t receive a corrected tax statement by Monday, December 12, your original tax bill should be correct.
Since tax amounts decreased, the deadline has not been extended. If you have already mailed your tax payment, we are working on processing mail as quickly as we are able. We are processing mail on a first in first out basis. Due to the error, processing the payments is taking longer than normal. If you receive an amended statement and have paid your first half taxes, you will receive a credit towards the amount due for your second half taxes. If you have already paid your taxes in full, you will be receiving a refund.
If you receive mail from the Treasurer’s office, please examine it to see if you have an included check. We apologize for the small amounts of the checks, but for accounting purposes we ask that you cash the check as quickly as possible.
Thank you for your patience while we process the tax payments.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court will hear arguments this month in the appeal of a death row inmate convicted of killing members of his family.
The state Office of Judicial Administration said Wednesday in a release the state Supreme Court will hear arguments for James Kraig Kahler’s case on Dec. 16. Attorneys for Kahler and the state will each have an hour to argue their sides, and the proceedings will also be broadcast online.
The Wichita Eagle reports that Kahler was sentenced to death for the November 2009 shooting deaths of his estranged wife, Karen Kahler; her grandmother, 89-year-old Dorothy Wight; and his daughters, 18-year-old Emily and 16-year-old Lauren.
Kahler raised several issues in his appeal, claiming trial error and issues with his death sentence.
ANDOVER, Kan. (AP) — A middle school in southern Kansas is stepping up security after authorities found a written bomb threat in a bathroom.
Andover Middle School will have extra security Thursday after a threat was discovered written on a toilet paper dispenser in a school bathroom.
Andover public schools spokeswoman Nicole Gibbs says the threat found Wednesday referenced a potential incident Thursday. She says the school takes such threats seriously.
She said in an email that students and staff can expect increased security Thursday, with police officers joining district and school security officers “to provide additional safety measures” at the school.
Craig Kiefer, GCCC wide receiver, is a 2015 graduate of Russell High School. (Courtesy photo)
By SHERYL KRUG Russell High School Alumna
RUSSELL–Scoring the game-winning touchdown with 30 seconds left in Saturday’s NJCAA Football Championship Game, No. 1 Garden City (Kan.) defeated No. 2 Arizona Western 25-22 to clinch its first national title. On Monday, the polls confirmed what everyone already knew.
The Broncbusters garnered nine first-place votes en route to a runaway No. 1 ranking in the final regular season poll release by the NJCAA on Monday.
Garden City’s journey to the championship began with a victory over Ellsworth (Iowa) which resulted in a 14th place national ranking for the Broncbusters. Over the next several weeks, they climbed through the ranks and grabbed the No. 1 spot on October 17. They never relinquished the top spot, closing as the top team for the final six weeks of the season.
With the victory in Yuma, Garden City snapped Arizona Western’s 13-game winning streak and completed their first ever perfect season. The Broncbusters are the lone NJCAA team to finish the 2016 season undefeated.
Kiefer Craig, a 2015 Russell High School graduate, has been on the GCCC team for two seasons as a wide receiver and on special teams. In an interview with KRSL Russell Radio before the championship game, Craig reviewed Coach Jeff Sims’ philosophy of ‘Graduate, Championship, Scholarship.’ “He wants us to graduate, he wants us to be the best college football player we can be and he wants us to get a scholarship out of here. That’s his main goal. He doesn’t care if we win or lose, he just wants us to move on to a Division I, Division II or NAIA school.”
Craig has not made any final decisions regarding his plans after GCCC. He has embraced another of Coach Sims’ mottos, ‘Right Now.’ “We want to focus on the present moment, not worry about the past or future.”
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A 9-year-old Kansas girl whose battle with brain cancer sparked an outpouring of support from fellow archers has died.
Downing & Lahey Mortuary says Addison Kye Adams died Monday. The Wichita Eagle reports that she was at her parents’ home in Goddard when she died.
In a show of support, archers from around the world put the letter “A” on arrows for Addison and kept them in their quivers to take her, in spirit, hunting and target shooting. They also sent photos and arrows to Kansas.
A vase in her parents’ home holds a bouquet of about 75 arrows. Addison’s mother, Kindra Adams, says the arrows will “be an heirloom.”
Christina Jones, Addison’s archery coach, says the tribute was perfect for the girl who deeply loved target shooting.
Terrence J. Campbell-photo Barber Emerson, LC by permission
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Lawrence attorney nominated to the federal bench in Kansas nearly a year ago is withdrawing his name from consideration.
Terrence J. Campbell made public on Wednesday letters he sent to President Barack Obama and to Sens. Pat Roberts and Jerry Moran.
He cites the short time remaining for Congress to complete its business and the results of the recent election, saying it is apparent he will not be able to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate.
He asked Obama to withdraw his nomination.
Obama nominated him in January to the vacancy created in 2014 when U.S. District Judge Kathryn Vratil took senior status, a form of semi-retirement.
Campbell practices civil and criminal litigation at the law firm of Barber Emerson, L.C., a Lawrence firm he joined in 1999.
Bruce Rupp, Hays, will be honored at tonight’s Fort Hays State University game against Washburn as the Covenant Builders Hometown Hero.
From his nomination submission:
Bruce has been a teacher at USD 489 for the last 26 years. He has been the AD at Hays Middle school for 20 years, head Hays High softball coach for 13 years, Hays Middle School football coach for 20 years, USD 489 drivers education coordinator for 23 years, officiated high school basketball for 23 years, umpired high school and college baseball, and is currently in his 8th year of officiating MIAA softball. He has also coordinated groups in the FHSU Athletics ticket fundraiser for 10 years, raising thousands of dollars for Hays Middle School and FHSU. He has been married to his wife Terri for 23 years, has 6 grand-children, and 1 great grand-daughter. Bruce is also an FHSU alum, earning his Master’s in Education Administration in 2002. Bruce’s dedication to USD 489 and his family make him a Hometown Hero.
To nominate a Hometown Hero, go to www.fhsuathletics.com, hover over Fanzone, and click on Hometown Hero to fill out the nomination form.
Photo by Andy Marso/KHI News Service Mary Blubaugh, executive administrator of the Kansas Board of Nursing, spoke Tuesday to a special legislative committee considering a proposal to combine the state’s 141 professional licensing boards and commissions into three “umbrella” boards. Blubaugh said each licensing board has unique rules and processes, which would make consolidation a challenge.
BY ANDY MARSO
Representatives of health licensing boards in Kansas made their case against consolidation to a special legislative committee Tuesday.
The committee was formed in response to a government efficiency study’s recommendation that the Legislature combine the state’s 141 professional licensing boards and commissions into three “umbrella” boards: general industry, public health and financial industry.
Rep. Dan Hawkins, a Republican from Wichita who chairs the House Health and Human Services Committee, led the special committee formed to study the possibility of combining the health licensing boards.
Its first meeting Tuesday, the special legislative committee heard presentations from 11 groups representing Kansas nurses, doctors and psychiatrists, as well as professional licensing organizations with less obvious health connections, like the Kansas Board of Cosmetology and Kansas Board of Barbering.
Some of the health licensing boards were neutral on the efficiency proposal, while others expressed opposition to consolidation.
Mary Blubaugh, executive administrator of the Kansas Board of Nursing, said her staff of 26 regulates 72,000 active licensees at an average annual cost of $32.28 each and she doesn’t see how consolidation could improve efficiency.
“Each board has its own process,” Blubaugh said. “We all have our own rules, and that would be hard to pull together.”
The health licensing boards are established to ensure that those who practice medicine in the state have educational qualifications and adhere to standards of care. Those who want to practice medicine must pay a licensing fee to the board and are subject to licensing sanctions if they don’t meet the standards of care.
The efficiency study, performed by the corporate consulting group Alvarez and Marsal, was commissioned last year at a cost of $2.6 million to help the Legislature identify savings to close a budget gap that formed following income tax cuts in 2012 and 2013.
Kevin Robertson, former president of the Kansas Dental Association, said the Alvarez and Marsal consolidation recommendation would do little to address that, because the professional licensing boards are generally funded through their licensing fees, not the state general fund.
In the case of the Kansas Dental Board, Robertson said he could not think of a single expense that comes from the general fund.
The special committee on health licensing boards is scheduled to meet again Dec. 14.
The boards it is considering for consolidation are: Board of Examiners in Optometry, Board of Emergency Medical Services, Board of Nursing, Board of Healing Arts, Board of Pharmacy, Behavioral Sciences Regulatory Board, Board of Mortuary Arts, Dental Board, Board of Cosmetology, Board of Barbering and Board of Examiners in Fitting and Dispensing of Hearing Instruments.
The nonprofit KHI News Service is an editorially independent initiative of the Kansas Health Institute and a partner in the Heartland Health Monitor reporting collaboration. All stories and photos may be republished at no cost with proper attribution and a link back to KHI.org when a story is reposted online.
Andy Marso is a reporter for KHI News Service in Topeka, a partner in the Heartland Health Monitor team. You can reach him on Twitter @andymarso
OXON HILL, Md. (AP) – The World Series champion Chicago Cubs have acquired star closer Wade Davis from the Kansas City Royals for outfielder Jorge Soler.
The trade was announced Wednesday at the winter meetings.
Davis will take over the ninth-inning role held by Aroldis Chapman, who became a free agent after the Cubs won their first championship since 1908.
The 31-year-old Davis went 2-1 with 27 saves in 30 tries and a 1.87 ERA last season. He spent time on the disabled with a forearm injury and was limited to 43 1/3 innings, but returned to pitch in September.
Davis has done especially well in the postseason and helped the Royals win the 2015 crown. In 27 1/3 postseason innings as a reliever, he has a 0.33 ERA with 39 strikeouts.
The 24-year-old Soler hit .238 with 12 home runs and 31 RBIs in 86 games last season. He missed almost two months because of a strained left hamstring.
A short agenda for tomorrow’s meeting of the Hays City Commission.
Items for approval include a lengthy list of cereal malt beverage 2017 license renewal applications and the appointment of Hays resident Brandon Nimz for a three year term to the Sister Cities Advisory Board.
The Public Works Department will present a minor amendment to city code changing the Emergency Snow Routes map to reflect the relocation of Ellis County Emergency Medical Services to 1105 E. 22nd.
A presentation by City Manager Toby Dougherty is also scheduled.
The complete Dec. 8, 2016, agenda may be seen here. The meeting starts at 6:30 p.m. Thursday in Hays City Hall, 1507 Main.
TOPEKA – Following a Wichita Amber Alert Tuesday during which cellphone alerts failed, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt ordered a top-to-bottom review of Kansas Amber Alert operations, according to a media release.
Schmidt asked KBI Director Kirk Thompson to conduct a complete review of the program and report not later than January 31, 2017, on steps that will be taken to ensure the reliability of future Amber Alerts.
“The Amber Alert program is a vital public safety tool,” Schmidt said. “During the critical time of need when a child has been abducted, there is no room for error. Any mistake or procedural failure, regardless of its cause, that results in an Amber Alert being less than fully implemented and effective in a timely manner is unacceptable and must be addressed.”
As part of the review, Schmidt asked Thompson to convene a meeting of the full Amber Alert Advisory Board to ensure all Amber Alert partners have the opportunity for input.
The Amber Alert program, begun in 1996, provides immediate, multi-media notice to the public when a child has been abducted and certain criteria are met in order to obtain timely information from the public that can help safely recover the child.
In the Wichita situation yesterday, three children and a mother were reported abducted from their home. Soon after the abduction was reported, in the middle of the night, an Amber Alert was issued. But one method of broadcasting the Amber Alert – by special signal that activates individuals’ cellphones – failed to activate.
Phillipsburg resident Mickey P. Siglinger passed away Monday, Dec. 5 at the Phillips County Hospital in Phillipsburg at the age of 91. She was born March 22, 1925 in Byers, CO, the daughter of Pryor & Pauline (Rather) Jackson.
She was preceded in death by her son Marlin & granddaughter Stacy.
Survivors include her husband Jack of Phillipsburg, 2 sons; Stanley of Wakeeney & Paul of Fort Worth, TX; 6 grandchildren & 8 great grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Sat. Dec. 10 at 10:00 a.m. in the First Christian Church, Phillipsburg with Pastor LeRoy Herder officiating. Burial will follow in the Fairview Cemetery, Phillipsburg.
Visitation will be from 9:00 to 9:00 Thursday and Friday at the Olliff-Boeve Chapel with the family receiving friends from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. on Friday.
Memorial contributions may be made to the First Christian Church or to Donor’s Choice.
Online condolences: www.olliffboeve.com.
Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
By BECKY KISER
