WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Wichita man who was convicted of child abuse but acquitted of murder in the death of his live-in girlfriend’s toddler is scheduled to be sentenced next month.

The Wichita Eagle reports that 34-year-old Sly Maples faces up 11 years and four months in prison. Sedgwick County jurors returned their verdict Monday.

Two-year-old Avry Darnell died on Jan. 21, 2015, after she was removed from life support. One day earlier, Maples and Avry’s mother took the toddler to a hospital after she fell unconscious while playing with Maples at a park. Medical staff determined she had current and prior brain bleeds and bruising around her neck

Maples claimed the girl struck her head on a playground slide. But hospital staff determined her injuries weren’t consistent with the story.

By Minami Levonowich

KU Statehouse Wire Service

 

TOPEKA – A bill that would put the state in charge of refugee resettlements and possibly limit the number of people coming to Kansas has moved one step closer to reality.

The House Committee on Federal and State Affairs last week approved HB 2612. The bill, which now goes to the full House, would establish a state refugee coordinator and allow local governments to postpone refugee resettlements for up to a year if officials believe communities do not have services, such as housing, education and health, to accommodate new residents.

Proponents say the bill will allow local and state governments to coordinate with federal authorities to effectively place refugees in Kansas and will provide a measure of safety for current state residents. Opponents say the bill is unconstitutional and discriminatory.

Rep. Joseph Scapa, R-Wichita, said the bill does not ban refugees but implements a “common sense reporting requirement” in order to take the necessary steps to know who refugees are.

“Protecting our citizens is a primary function of government. It’s not an overreaction,” Scapa said.

The bill also would create a state office for refugees and would authorize Gov. Sam Brownback to appoint a state refugee coordinator. The number of refugees allowed in Kansas would be determined by Brownback in consultation with state agencies.

With Brownback’s authority over state refugees, Rep. Steven Becker, R-Buhler, fears other state officials won’t get a say in decisions.

“It is my understanding that (the bill) gives the governor unilateral authority by executive order to suspend all resettlement of refugees in the state,” Becker said. “If such an executive order is in place, then the state refugee coordinator and local refugee officers don’t have a role to play because there will be no refugees in Kansas.”

Rep. Dick Jones, R-Topeka, said he has serious doubts about the current vetting system and, even though he wants to help the refugees, he also wants to acknowledge the responsibility he has to the citizens of the state. He admits that the bill isn’t perfect, but it does some good in trying to protect Kansas.

Rep. Annie Tietze, D-Topeka, however, feels that the steps taken to admit refugees into the United States are extensive enough and thinks that helping families should be legislators’ main concern.

“It’s not like these people just say, ‘Hey, I want to go (to America), those people are rich and they can help me,’” Tietze said. “These are, as we know, predominantly families – women, children, people who want to come to our country to work.”

In response to the legislative committee’s action, Micah Kubic, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas (ACLU), said he was disappointed with the bill’s passage.

“The bill would deny public services to individuals residing in Kansas based simply on who they are and where they come from,” Kubic said. “Federal law and international treaties both assign sole power over refugee resettlement to the federal government, and this attempt by the state to assign itself some of that power is simply not permitted under the law.”

Rep. Brett Hildabrand, R-Shawnee, struggled with his vote but decided in favor of the bill because he said his faith called for compassion for both refugees and the citizens of Kansas. If government officials don’t find a way to improve the screening process, he said, then they’re being “dis-compassionate” to Kansas residents.

“If this bill banned refugees in the state of Kansas, I would be 100 percent against it. If it banned an entire religion, I would be 100 percent against it,” Hildabrand said. “But that is not what this bill does.”

Part of what the bill does do is evaluate necessary services such as medical care, educational facilities, and affordable housing that will be needed to meet the needs of the anticipated refugee population. The bill will also require quarterly meetings with the state refugee coordinator and representatives of the Kansas districts on any information regarding refugee settlement.

Rep. Jan Pauls, R-Hutchinson, who chairs the House Federal and State Affairs committee, supports the bill and says that it’s a good first step in making sure that communities welcoming refugees have adequate services available.

“This may not be a perfect effort but I would hate to see a tragedy in the future and have it based on the fact that we do not have a good idea on what type of resources we have in communities,” Pauls said.

Last year, Brownback signed an executive order prohibiting state agencies or any organizations receiving state funds from working to assist refugees relocating from Syria to Kansas.

The United States welcomed 1,682 Syrian refugees in 2015, and the federal government plans to admit at least 10,000 more in the 2016 fiscal year. Before entering the country, all refugees go through an intensive security screening that involves law enforcement agencies and the FBI Terrorist Screening Center. The U.S. government prioritizes admitting women, children, and wounded individuals first. The U.S. Department of State said in a news release that it will continue to enhance its screening process for additional security.

 

Edited by Maddy Mikinski

 

 

HESSTON, Kan. (AP) — The Excel lawn equipment factory is open for business for the first time since a gunman fatally shot three employees at the Hesston facility in February.

The first employees arrived back at work early Thursday morning.

Employees and their families were also invited for an open house to tour the facility Wednesday.

The company has been closed since the Feb. 25 shooting that left three dead and 14 injured. Police fatally shot the suspect, employee Cedric L. Ford.

The company set up a hotline offering to help employees after the incident.

Prior to Wednesday, the facility had only been reopened to allow employees to gather their belongings.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A California truck driver accused of traveling to Wichita with more than 15 pounds of methamphetamine in his truck has been indicted.

U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said in a news release Wednesday that that 33-year-old Arnoldo Perez-Ortega of Fontana, California, was charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine. Grissom said Wichita police stopped Perez-Ortega’s truck on Sunday and discovered 15.75 pounds of the drug.

If convicted, Perez-Ortega faces a penalty of not less than 10 years in prison and a fine up to $250,000. It was not immediately clear if he has an attorney.

HUTCHINSON -The Reno County District Attorney’s Office Wednesday afternoon filed charges against two teens who allegedly planned violence at Hutchinson High School.

A charge of conspiracy to commit capital murder was filed against 14-year-old Ayrton Marroquin and 15-year-old Carson Cabral.

The threat was made against officials at the school.

The two teens were scheduled for detention hearings Thursday morning, but according to District Attorney Keith Schroeder, their attorney’s waived the hearings, so no hearings will be held at this time.

According to USD 308 Spokesperson Ray Hemman several students came forward just after 8 a.m. Tuesday to express concerns about a threat to students. The school Resource Officer was notified and other officers were called into investigate.

According to Capt. Troy Hoover the two students were taken into custody and after using a search warrant, police recovered plans for making pipe bombs as well as sketches and plans of where certain teachers and staff would be so they could be targeted.

Police also recovered and confiscated items that could be used to build explosive devices.

BARBER COUNTY- A Kansas teen was injured in an accident just after 2p.m. on Wednesday in Barber County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Ford Explorer driven by Jared U. Smith, 18, Maize, was westbound on Kansas 254 just east of River Valley Road.

The vehicle failed to maintain a single lane of traffic and partially entered the median.

The driver overcorrected, veered across both lanes of the highway, entered the north ditch and flipped onto its top.

Smith was transported to Wesley Medical Center.

He was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas Senate committee is weighing a proposal to move up the effective date of a property tax lid from 2018 to later this year.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the lid passed by lawmakers last year bars counties and cities from increasing property taxes above the rate of inflation without a vote.

The legislation’s language makes holding an election during the current budget cycle difficult. Sedgwick County offered an amendment it says will ensure the ability to have election on property tax increases if needed.

Supporters of accelerating the implementation of a property tax lid have argued that a shortened timeline will fight current incentives counties and cities have to boost taxes.

A city of Topeka report urges lawmakers to allow local governments to retain control over taxes.