LAWRENCE, Kan. – Kansas men’s basketball coach Bill Self announced Thursday that Carlton Bragg Jr. has been suspended indefinitely from the team effective immediately.
“Carlton is suspended for a violation of team rules,” Self said. “This violation is not connected to the alleged incident in McCarthy Hall on December 17th.”
No charges have been filed, and police have not publicly identified any suspects. Five of Self’s players are listed as witnesses on the police report.
Self is deferring to police in declining to publicly discuss what any of the players have confided in him about the matter he says he learned about from the athletics department the day it was reported Dec. 18.
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas woman already facing sentencing for stealing thousands of dollars in merchandise has pleaded guilty to another shoplifting charge.
Kelli Jo Bauer’s plea Thursday to felony theft was the fourth time since 2008 she had pleaded guilty to shoplifting clothes from Kansas City-area stores.
The Kansas City Star reports the 47-year-old Bauer was arrested for stealing five bras from a Lenexa Kohl’s story in November, the day before she was to be sentenced for stealing more than $25,000 from stores. In that case, police recovered truckloads of clothing from her home in an exclusive Overland Park home.
Bauer pleaded guilty in May to felony theft and two misdemeanor theft counts.
HAYS, Kan. – Tatyana Legette scored 15 points and pulled down nine rebounds to lead the Fort Hays State women to an 81-68 win over Lincoln Thursday at Gross Coliseum. Emma Stroyan and Carly Heim added both scored 12 and Jill Faxon came off the bench to chip in 11 as the Tigers (15-4, 6-4 MIAA) end their second two-game losing streak of the season.
Tony Hobson Postgame Interview
Game Highlights
The Tigers held Lincoln (3-15, 2-9 MIAA) scoreless for over six minutes in the first quarter, scoring 15 unanswered. They led by 17 at halftime and by as many as 21 late in the third before the Blue Tigers rallied to close the gap to 11 with 30 seconds to play.
Freshman Erica Gibbons scored 17 to lead Lincoln who has now lost 22 straight games against teams from Kansas.
There are homeless people living in Hays and Ellis County.
“It’s not a big homeless problem,” according to Linda Mills, regional coordinator of the Hays Homeless Coalition. “It’s different–different than what exists in urban areas and more populous states.”
“You don’t really see people living under bridges in Hays. What we have is more hidden. People are doubling up in living spaces with other people or ‘couch surfing,'” Mills explained.
The annual “Point In Time” count began Thursday and continues Friday at the Hays Public Library and at several agencies, including First Care Clinic and First Call for Help. The federal Housing and Urban Development (HUD) department requires that Continuums of Care conduct an annual count of homeless persons who are sheltered in emergency shelter, transitional housing, and Safe Havens on a single night.
Volunteers are surveying the public and asking questions about where they spent the night Wed., Jan. 25. The survey is voluntary and individuals can opt out of answering any question. No personal information is collected.
When the random survey was conducted in 2015, out of the 50 people participating, “five were literally homeless,” Mills said. “Another 22 people were staying in motels where someone else had paid the bill.”
There is no homeless shelter in Hays or in the 18 counties of northwest Kansas. The nearest homeless shelter is 90 miles away in Salina and “sometimes we put people on the bus to Salina,” she said.
There are no services available locally for the homeless although there are some programs for homeless veterans. There is no local transitional housing.
Homeless people often have other problems, including mental illness, drug abuse or chronic unemployment which also need to be addressed, Mills said. “HUD, which focuses on veterans, works first to get them into housing, a roof over their heads.”
The collected information will be entered into the Kansas MAAClink database, the Mid America Assistance Coalition, compiled into a statewide report, shared with the Kansas Statewide Homeless Association and submitted to HUD.
The county-specific results will be used when applying for federal and state housing grants.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Kansas City man has been charged with abandoning his girlfriend’s body after she apparently was shot accidentally during a road-rage confrontation.
Jackson County prosecutors say the abandonment and unlawful firearm possession charges against 25-year-old Eric Marquez stems from the fatal shooting of Brenda Vera.
Court records say Marquez told his brother that the shooting happened when another driver brandished a gun after a collision. Marquez told his brother he was firing at the driver when he accidentally shot Vera.
The Kansas City Star reports that investigators don’t know when or where the shooting happened. Vera was found dead last week inside a truck that had been stolen from Kansas City, Kansas.
A standoff ensued, but Marquez was gone when officers entered the home and isn’t in custody.
Marquez has weapons and drug convictions from Allen County in 2014, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.
HARVEY COUNTY- With the cooperation of the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, both Jereme
Nelson, 35, and Myrta Rangel, 31, have been safely and successfully extradited back to Harvey County.
They arrived in Newton around 5:45 Thursday evening, according to a media release.
Harvey County prosecutors have charged Nelson and Rangel each with one count of capital murder and three counts of first-degree murder.
They were arrested earlier this month in Mexico and were returned to the U.S., where they remain jailed in California until their return to Kansas.
Authorities have said the bodies of 33-year-old Travis Street and 37-year-old Angela May Graevs, both of
Nelson in pre-booking photo Harvey Co.
Moundridge, and 52-year-old Richard Prouty of Newton, were found Oct. 30 outside a rural home near Moundridge.
An 18-month-old child was found unharmed.
Nelson and Rangel are currently being housed in the Harvey County Detention Center.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Leaders of groups representing Kansas counties and cities are arguing for the repeal or overhaul of a state-imposed property tax lid.
They made their case this week to lawmakers. The tax lid took effect in January and requires voters to approve property tax increases above the rate of inflation. The law contains exceptions for bond payments, spending on court judgments and other items.
It is meant to limit the growth of cities and counties. But Kansas Association of Counties executive director Randall Allen notes that the oil and gas downturn has affected a lot of counties.
Greg Wellbrock is the county appraiser for several southwest Kansas counties, and says he’s hoping they can just ride out the storm. He described the loss as “dramatic.”
RENO COUNTY – A Kansas man was arrested early Wednesday after leading Reno County Sheriff Deputies on a high-speed chase.
Richard Franklin Newkirk, 44, Great Bend, was jailed on suspicion of felony flee and elude with five or more moving violations associated with the chase.
A deputy testified he was west bound on 4th Street at Peace Road in Reno County at 1:30 a.m. and attempted a traffic stop for a suspended driver’s license.
The driver wouldn’t stop.
The chase ended at Jordan Springs and Longview Road when the driver attempted to go west, but stopped when the road came to a dead end at a cattle gate.
Deputies also learned Newkirk also has warrants in both Barton and Ellis County.
He is scheduled to be back before a judge next week to see what charges are filed.
Newkirk has previous convictions for drugs and forgery in Reno and Barton counties, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas lawmaker has introduced a bill to prevent transgender students in public schools from using facilities associated with their current gender identities.
Republican state Rep. John Whitmer of Wichita introduced the bill Thursday in the House. He argues the measure would protect students.
Under the bill, schools could not allow transgender students to use bathrooms or locker rooms associated with the gender opposite of theirs at birth. The policy also would apply to overnight accommodations when student groups travel.
Schools could provide “alternative facilities” for transgender students.
Those who think a school has violated the policy could file complaints with the attorney general’s office, which would be allowed to take the school to court.
LGBT advocate Tom Witt decried the bill as giving the attorney general unfettered prosecutorial power.
Hays High entered the Mid-America Classic in McPherson winners of their last two games to push their record to 6-3. Their opponent in the first round, Valley Center, also entered with the same 6-3 mark. The two met up as the five seed (Hays) and the four seed (Valley Center). The Indians and Hornets met four times previously in the tournament with Valley Center holding a 3-1 advantage.
In the first quarter Valley Center scored in all the ways they had not on the season. Hitting three of five three point attempts and making all three free throws. Hays held a brief 6-5 lead then Valley Center went on a 12-0 run to establish their first double digit lead of the game at 17-6. Hays trailed by as many as 13 several times in the second quarter. The Indians cut the lead down to nine but missed a three at 28-19 that would have made the game a two possession contest. Hays scored the final three points of the half to cut their half time deficit to ten at 32-22.
Highlights
Savannah Schneider scored five consecutive points with less than two minutes remaining in the third quarter to get Hays back within five at 38-33, but Valley Center scored the final basket of the quarter to lead 40-33. After trailing 38-28 Hays went on a 14-4 run to close the gap down to two points at 44-42 with 1:53 remaining. That would be the closest the Indians would get. Hays missed their next two shots down 45-42, including a three pointer that would have tied the game. Valley Center hit five of their final nine free throws to win 49-42.
Coach Kirk Maska
Hays falls to 6-4 on the season and will play in the consolation semi-finals at 3:00. Valley Center improves to 7-3. Savannah Schneider led the Indians with 11.
SALINE COUNTY – Philips Lighting announced the layoff of thirty-two employees on Thursday, according to a company news release.
Melissa Kanter, Philips public relations spokesperson, said the layoffs are specific to the Salina branch, located in the 3000 block of South Ninth Street.
“The lighting industry continues to transform and we have to look for ways to increase operational efficiency,” Kanter said.
“As a result, we had to make a small reduction in the workforce.”
The Salina Philips had 281 employees before the reduction that took place Thursday morning.
Training and placement programs will be made available for those laid off, according to Kanter.
“Reductions in workforce are always a difficult decision, and Philips Lighting is committed to managing all matters related to the employees affected in a respectful and professional manner,” she said.
Dear Kansans, it’s going to take continued effort and attention from you to complete the changes in school finance, taxation, and state budgeting you demanded last November.
A great place to begin the work is to read your newspaper. It might help to ignore the adjectives and adverbs in the headlines, but by all means do read the paper – regularly. And try to read some of the internet newsletters and blogs that the various interest groups put out during the legislative session. Clear and complete information is always key to knowing what’s underway in Topeka.
At the start of any legislative session there’s lots of “outrage,” “anger,” shock, condemnation and claims of surprise, but this year underneath the WAR DECLARED sized headlines there are tales of diligence, attention and commitment that should encourage believers in the will of the people. By March or April we’ll know much more as editors and reporters give serious attention to unglamorous but necessary changes in programs, spending and taxation. Voters have an obligation to pay attention.
On school finance, reality is dawning. The “suitable provision for finance of the educational interests of the state” is going to cost more than has been appropriated for the last several years. All sides of the debate anticipate the state Supreme Court finding that a funding deficiency continues. The participants to the “what comes next?” discussion know that the voters denied the governor’s desire to have a free hand in selecting judicial puppets to help him carry out “starve the beast” educational austerity. With no retention questions for the next four years the Supreme Court is beyond pressure from this governor.
Kansans need to see the Legislature demonstrate objectivity and willingness to consider the requirements created by the varied economic and demographic differences that exist among the state’s school districts. That can happen if voters continue to stay informed, and then remind legislators that they care about the outcome.
Editors, reporters, and analysts have demonstrated that the overall budget of the state and its revenue requirements are the other enormous elephants in the room.
The 2016 election results show the voters’ altered awareness. First, voters realized cutting out the top income tax bracket and giving Kansas enterprises a tax holiday provided little economic expansion and insignificant growth in new jobs and payroll. Second, voters clearly accept that there is a gaping hole in the available resources to support the myriad services that the state provides.
This new legislature appears ready to repair the tax system and end the governor’s “experiment.” A clear majority of the state’s populace and over half of the 330,000 exemption beneficiaries express the opinion that the income and business tax cuts are bad policy. But, the pressure has to be maintained.
The current fiscal year’s budget has to be fixed. This is the one spot in the process that can derail the effort to do the big job of re-establishing long-term solvency. If the search for cash, cuts or curtailments to address the immediate shortages becomes the central and loudest issue, opponents of the much needed “structural” repair can prevail through delay and distraction. This must not happen.
So Kansans, stay focused on the real objectives and keep doing what so many did this electoral season. Keep reminding the politicians that we voted for them to do a set of important and specific tasks. Tell them that they are expected to find the necessary fixes, make the necessary compromises, cut the ideological rhetoric and get about the business of putting our state back on the road to solvency and far away from the Laffer Curve.
Dr. Mark Peterson teaches political science at the college level in Topeka.
Police vehicle damage in Thursday chase -photo courtesy Newton Police
HARVEY COUNTY- Two people were injured during a high-speed chase and crash just before 1:30p.m. on Thursday in Harvey County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2009 Lexus RX driven by Gary Beall, 47, Sterling, CO., was being pursued by law enforcement in the left lane northbound on Interstate 135 just north of Arapaho Road.
The driver made an erratic lane change to right shoulder, continued at a high rate of speed and struck a 2013 Chrysler Town car driven by Baker, James C. Baker, 71, Hillsboro, that was yielding to law enforcement on the right shoulder.
The Lexus left the roadway to left, traveled across the median, crossed southbound lanes of traffic, entered the left ditch and struck a KDOT fence and came to rest.
Beall and Baker were transported to the hospital in Newton. In addition to a variety of charges, Beall was also not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.
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HARVEY COUNTY- Law enforcement authorities in Harvey County are investigating a suspect after a high-speed chase and crash.
Just after 1p.m. on Thursday, Newton police officers attempted to stop a vehicle that had reportedly stolen fuel from a gas station, according to a social media report.
The vehicle fled at speeds exceeding 100 mph. During the chase officers reported the driver swerved at and intentionally ran officers off the roadway.
The vehicle crashed on Interstate 135 just north of Arapaho and the driver fled on foot.
Officers captured him a short time later. The driver claims he is a parole absconder from another state and had stolen the vehicle, according to deputies.
The fleeing driver and the driver of the vehicle he collided with were transported for medical treatment.
A Hesston patrol car was lost due to a vehicle fire.
This driver will be booked for three counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, pending review of potential attempted murder of a law enforcement officer charges by the County Attorney’s Office.
