RENO COUNTY— In a hearing Tuesday, Reno County District Court Judge Trish Rose denied a request from the defense attorney for 18-year-old Samuel Vonachen to delay his sentencing for two counts murder, attempted murder and aggravated arson.

A year ago, A Reno County jury convicted the teen for the murder of his mother and sister who died after he set fire to the family home in September 2013. His father was able to escape.

The defense asked for the delay because it wanted an expert witness to present a report on Vonachen. The report is from Dr. Kathleen Heidi, who testified during the trial. It was Heidi who testified that Vonachen had no idea what he was doing the night he set fire to the family home killing his mother and sister. Dr. Heidi stood by her diagnosis even though two psychologists found that Vonachen was able to form the intent to commit the murders and concluded that he may be a “psychopath.”

It was also noted to the jury at that time that Heidi is not a licensed psychologist in Florida where she lives, or in the state of Kansas.

What Heidi would have to present during the sentencing is unknown, but the motion for an extension was denied. The defense then stated that it would file a motion to split the sentencing with the prosecution presenting its side and allowing the defense time to rebut the prosecution’s case.

That motion will be addressed during sentencing on Friday afternoon.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on the effort by congressional Republicans to pass a health care bill (all times local):

The Senate has blocked a wide-ranging proposal by Republicans to repeal much of former President Barack Obama’s health care law and replace it with a more restrictive plan.

Senators voted 57-43 late Tuesday to reject the plan in the first vote on an amendment to the bill. Those voting “no” included nine defecting Republicans.

The vote underscored problems Republicans will have in winning enough votes to recast Obama’s statute.

The rejected proposal included language by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell erasing the Obama law’s tax penalties on people not buying insurance and cutting Medicaid.

 

I support a full repeal of Obamacare & will continue to oppose the BCRA. Here is my full statement: pic.twitter.com/96EnYVVf8m

— Jerry Moran (@JerryMoran) July 25, 2017

Language by Texas Republican Sen. Ted Cruz would let insurers sell cut-rate policies with skimpy coverage. And there was an additional $100 billion to help states ease costs for people losing Medicaid sought by Midwestern moderates.

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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Both Kansas Sens. Pat Roberts and Jerry Moran have voted in favor of having the Senate debate health care legislation.

The two Republicans were on the same side Tuesday even though they’ve taken different stances on a proposal from GOP leaders for overhauling health care.

Roberts has backed the measure, although he acknowledged in an interview last week that he is not entirely pleased with it.

Moran made national headlines for opposing the plan, costing it enough GOP votes to pass and stalling the health care debate.

Moran said in a statement that he’s still opposed to the GOP plan. But he said he will vote to repeal former President Barack Obama’s signature 2010 Affordable Care Act and work on a replacement over the next two years.

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3:10 p.m.

The Senate Tuesday voted to move ahead on health care legislation aimed at dismantling the Obama health law. Both Kansas Senators voted in favor of the measure.

The vote was 51-50 on Tuesday, a victory for Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and President Donald Trump. Last week, McConnell was forced to postpone the vote, lacking the support of conservatives and moderates.

Vice President Mike Pence cast the tie-breaking vote.

In a dramatic turn, Sen. John McCain returned from Arizona where he is battling brain cancer to cast a crucial vote on proceeding on health care.

The vote sets up days of debate and votes on repealing and replacing Barack Obama’s health care law. Whatever the Senate approves still requires a vote in the House.

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2:35 p.m.

Protesters temporarily disrupted the Senate proceedings on the health care bill.

Shouting “Kill the bill” and “shame,” the demonstrators stood in the visitors’ gallery and chanted. They were led out of the chamber by police but could still be heard.

The vote got underway on moving head on health care with the goal of erasing much of Barack Obama’s law. The Senate chamber was packed, with lawmakers standing to cast their votes.

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KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say a Catholic priest charged in Kansas with child sex crimes has been arrested in Maryland.

The Wyandotte County, Kansas, prosecutor’s office announced Tuesday that the Rev. Scott Kallal was charged Friday with two counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child. Online court records show the 35-year-old was arrested Monday in Rockville in Maryland’s Montgomery County.

Prosecutor’s office spokesman Jonathan Carter said he didn’t know whether Kallal had an attorney. No details were provided about the allegations.

The Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas announced last week that Kallal was pulled from public ministry duties after two sources accused him of “boundary violations.” The archdiocese said its preliminary investigation revealed violations of guidelines governing youth interactions.

The archdiocese said in a follow-up statement Tuesday that it would continue to cooperate with law enforcement.

SEWARD COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a robbery and have six suspects in custody.

Just before 4a.m. on Tuesday, July 4, officers responded to a robbery at Love’s Country Store located at 208 W. Pancake Blvd. in Liberal. Following an investigation, an arrest warrant was issued for 26-year-old Codies Antonio Montgomery, according to a media release.

Just after 5:30p.m. on Monday, the Liberal Police Department Special Response Team served a search warrant at a residence in the 400 block of North Pershing Avenue.

Officers found Montgomery hiding in the residence and was taken into custody without incident.

Police also arrested three other men and two women at the residence for outstanding warrants and charges of aiding a felon. No injuries were reported. All of the suspects are being held at the Seward County Jail.

Montgomery has a previous conviction for aggravated battery in Seward County, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A former Kansas Legislature candidate who was charged last year with sex crimes has pleaded to less severe charges.

The Lawrence Journal-World reports that 27-year-old Nicolas Vanwyhe of Lawrence pleaded no contest to two felony counts of aggravated battery Friday in Douglas County District Court.

Vanwyhe originally was charged with one count of aggravated criminal sodomy and one count of aggravated sexual battery. Court documents say both crimes occurred in November 2015 and involved the same alleged victim, who couldn’t consent because of mental deficiency, disease or the effect of alcohol or drugs.

Vanwyhe unsuccessfully ran for the Kansas House District 10 seat as a Republican in 2014.

His attorney, Casey Meek, declined to comment, citing the ongoing case.

Vanwyhe’s sentencing is scheduled for September.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A formula that Kansas lawmakers have used to determine which state workers would get raises this year has sparked confusion and resentment among employees.

The Lawrence Journal-World  reports that state lawmakers approved a budget in June that gives some employees their first pay raise in several years.

The method leaves out employees who have received raises under separate contracts and divides the rest into two categories.

Workers who’ve been employed over five years and haven’t had a raise since at least 2012 were to get a 5 percent raise. Those who’ve been on the job less than five years would get a 2.5 percent raise.

University of Kansas employee Sara Vancil is excluded from the raise. She says it’s “kind of a slap in the face to longer-serving workers.”

BARBER COUNTY – A Kansas man died in an accident just before 5:30 a.m. Tuesday in Barber County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Peterbilt semi driven by William L. Pelzl, 68, Medicine Lodge, was traveling northeast on Kansas 42 at First Avenue.

The semi was unable to avoid a collision with a 2004 Ford Crown Victoria driven by Allen B. Babb, 59, Hazelton, that was as traveling southwest and made a left turn toward 1st Ave North.

Babb was transported to the Kiowa Hospital where he died. Pelzl was not injured.

Both drivers were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.