JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Some Republican lawmakers are calling for the resignation of University of Missouri-Kansas City Chancellor C. Mauli Agrawal over what they say was his inadequate response to the disruption of a conservative speaker’s appearance last week.

Lawmakers also threatened to reduce the university’s budget to “make a statement” about what they consider an increase in liberal intolerance on college campuses.

University students on Thursday interrupted an anti-transgender speech by conservative Michael Knowles, a contributor to the Daily Wire website. As other students booed and began to walk out, one student rushed the stage and used a water gun to shoot a mix of lavender oil and other nontoxic substances toward Knowles, who wasn’t injured.

I can’t believe this is what the Left has devolved into. It’s dispicable. pic.twitter.com/Ryh0VCLXEp

— Collin Tuso (@collin_tuso) April 12, 2019

The student, Gerard Dabu, was tackled by campus police and later charged with disturbing the peace, assault on law enforcement, property damage and resisting arrest. He was also suspended and banned from campus during the investigation.

Agrawal issued a statement the next day saying the students’ treatment of Knowles “crossed a line.” He said the school was committed to free speech and maintaining a safe environment for all points of view, “even extreme ones.”

The chancellor also called Knowles “a speaker whose professed opinions do not align with our commitment to diversity and inclusion and our goal of providing a welcoming environment to all people, particularly to our LGBT community.” Knowles denounced the chancellor’s statement during an appearance later on Fox News.

Agrawal issued a second statement as lawmakers discussed the issue Monday night.

“My original statement may have given an indication that UMKC does not support freedom of expression for all. I apologize if I’ve given that impression, for that was not my intention,” Agrawal wrote. “It is not the university’s role to take sides, but to rise to the higher principle of promoting a respectful exchange of ideas for our students to form their own views and engage in critical thinking.”

University of Missouri System President Mun Choi told House lawmakers during a Wednesday hearing on the incident that he still has faith in Agrawal and is confident that he’s committed to free speech.

Choi later told reporters that he doesn’t feel pressured to fire the chancellor, although Republican Rep. Robert Ross during the hearing had asked him “at what point would a staff member not be worth that trade off in a reduced amount of your budget?”

“Am I willing to sacrifice a person for the sake of getting more money from the state?” Choi said. “The answer is, in my case I’m going to be fair to the individual.”

On Monday night, Sen. David Sater, a Cassville Republican and a member of the Appropriations Committee, was among those calling for Agrawal’s resignation during a discussion on the floor of the Missouri Senate. Sen. Gary Romine, a Farmington Republican, said the Senate needed to make a statement, adding: “Intolerance has taken on a different swing of the pendulum at this time.”

Democratic Sen. Jason Holsman, who district includes the university, urged lawmakers to give Agrawal time to clarify.

“The rest of the students do not deserve to be in the cross-hairs of an appropriations battle over words you find distasteful from the chancellor,” Holsman said.

St. Louis Democratic Rep. Peter Merideth told Agrawal during the House hearing that he’s “much more concerned with our reaction to your reaction.”

“That I find much more troubling than anything you said,” Merideth said.

Police said the liquid shot at Knowles was a mixture of lavender oil and nontoxic household liquids. The color and scent of lavender have been adopted by the LGBTQ community as a symbol for transgender solidarity.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court has ruled that Gov. Laura Kelly cannot file a brief in support of a law that would add about $90 million annually to public school funding.

The governor on Monday asked the court for permission to file the brief in support of a bill she signed April 5.

The court said on Wednesday that such motions, called amicus briefs, must be filed 30 days before oral arguments in a case. The arguments on the latest effort to address school finance litigation are scheduled for May 9.

Four school districts sued the state over education funding in 2010.

Attorneys representing the schools argued that late request to file the brief didn’t leave them enough time to respond to her argument.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The families of victims of a mass shooting at a central Kansas business in 2016 have won a $2 million legal settlement from a pawn shop that sold the firearms to the shooter’s girlfriend.

The settlement of three lawsuits in Harvey County District Court was announced Wednesday by Brady, a national center against gun violence.

Brady attorneys represented the wife and young son of one of three people shot to death at the Excel Industries factory in Hesston. Fourteen people also were wounded.

The victims’ families argued that the now-defunct A Pawn Shop should have known that shooter Cedric Ford’s girlfriend was a straw buyer. He was a convicted felon barred from possessing the firearms.

An attorney for the pawn shop did not immediately return a telephone message seeking comment.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Authorities have arrested a man suspected of driving away after crashing into the rear of a stalled car as people tried to push it off a Lawrence road.

Andrew Walden, 25, Iola, faces one count of leaving the scene of the May 2017 crash that sent four people to a hospital, two of them in critical condition. Although that count and two felony aggravated battery charges were filed in January, Walden wasn’t arrested until this week. Jail records show he has been released on $7,500 bond.

A civil lawsuit filed against Walden says he was under the influence of alcohol when he crashed into the car. Walden acknowledged hitting the car in his written response to the suit but denied that he’d been drinking.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Law enforcement and school district officials continue to investigate vandalism to a music room at Pretty Prairie High School and have identified four students involved. It is still up in the air whether at least one student can even be prosecuted.

Reno County District Attorney Keith Schroeder says he has only received a brief narrative of what happened at this point and says he has only been told about three suspects: an 8-year-old, a 10-year-old and an 11-year-old.

Under Kansas law, Schroeder says he cannot prosecute the 8-year-old. He says that would fall under a child-in-need-of-care case.

“I can’t comment too much on the case because it involves juveniles,” Schroeder said.

The paperwork will eventually be sent to the District Attorney’s Office for possible legal action, however, how that will be handled is unknown.

USD 311 is also taking appropriate action against the students involved. The damage is estimated to be between $50,000 and $75,000, according to the sheriff’s department.

A GoFundMe pagehas raised over $5000 to help the students and school.

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RENO COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities and school officials are investigating vandalism at Pretty Prairie High School.

 Just after 9:00a.m. Saturday, deputies were dispatched to Pretty Prairie High School for a criminal damage to property case, according to a media release.

Deputies met with Principal Kevin Hedrick who said he was giving a tour of the school to the up-coming freshman class when he noticed the band room had been vandalized. It appears that the school was entered between the hours of 1:00am – 3:00a.m. Saturday.

The entire band room received severe damage. Several different colors of paint were thrown across the floor, walls and over equipment. The majority of the drums, if not all, had holes punched in them. Some of the drum heads had painted hand prints left on them. Several different musical instruments were completely destroyed.

Fire extinguishers were discharged on the building and inside of a recently purchased Van that belonged to the school. Both in the band room and in the van, items within had been thrown around. Although it is going to take a bit to see what if anything has been stolen, we believe items have been taken.

The school gave a rough estimate of damage to be between $50,000 and $75,000 and could be more.

If anyone has information regarding this case please contact the Reno County Sheriff’s Office at 620-694-2735 or Crime Stoppers of Reno County at 1-800-222-TIPS.
Detectives are continuing to investigate this case.

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RENO COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities and school officials are investigating vandalism at Pretty Prairie High School.

Many instruments were damaged or destroyed in the school’s music room over the weekend, according to the school’s social media page.

Vandals threw paint on pianos and destroyed music instruments along with causing extensive damage to that area of the building.

“We just got permission from the sheriff’s department and from our insurance agency to start the cleanup process and then start the inventory of what’s broken, what’s not, what can be repaired, what can’t,” USD 311 Superintendent Randy Hendrickson said. “Hopefully our goal by the end of the day is to have a list of what we need to get back into the kids hands so we can get back to normal as quickly as possible.”

While the music room was off limits, music classes were moved to the school’s auditorium. Area schools have sent emails and calls of support in an effort to help including Burrton USD 369 who was working to provide students in Pretty Prairie with replacement instruments. They have also volunteered to help restore the school’s music room.

If you would like to help the Pretty Prairie music department you can do so by calling Pretty Prairie High School at 620-459-6313 or the USD 311 offices at 620-459-6241.

LENEXA — After a request for assistance, the Lenexa Police Department reported they have identified a man suspected of taking photos or videos of women in a department store changing room.

Can you help us ID this man? He is suspected of taking pics/vids of women in a department store changing room in Lenexa. He left the scene in a black SUV, possibly an Audi. If you know who he is, please contact us at 913-825-8097 or send us a DM. pic.twitter.com/GrcADLjfxA

— Lenexa Police (@LenexaPolice) April 17, 2019

Anyone with additional details about the man in the video below is asked to call (913) 825-8097

GLENWOOD, Iowa (AP) — The federal agency that manages dams along the Missouri River received stern criticism from several U.S. senators Wednesday during a hearing held in Iowa to examine the massive spring flooding this year that caused more than $3 billion in damage in the Midwest.

Watch the hearing here.

The flooding and actions taken by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which has been bitterly criticized in the wake of the flooding, are the focus of the U.S. Senate hearing. Critics have demanded that the agency make flood control its top priority, though Congress would have to act to change the Corps’ priorities.

Iowa Republican Sen. Joni Ernst said flooding shouldn’t be such a regular occurrence along the Missouri River, saying: “The trend of flood and rebuild, flood and rebuild must end.” Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand added that the Corps should be more aggressive in preventing flood damage and consider the effects of climate change.

“They are too slow, too bureaucratic and they don’t have enough money,” said Gillibrand, who is running for president and was in Iowa touring flood damage. She took part in the hearing because she serves on the committee that oversees the Corps.

The sentiments may be appealing in Midwestern states that have endured flooding along rivers that the Corps is charged with managing, but they may not be as popular with supporters of other approved uses of the river, such as protecting endangered species and navigation.

The Corps’ John Remus said the agency works to balance all the uses of the river and maximize the benefit to several when possible. But flood control is the main concern anytime flooding is imminent along the Missouri River.

“The number one priority of the Corps in its operations is life and public safety,” Remus said.

The Corps has also said that much of the water that caused the Midwest flooding in March came from rain and melting snow that flowed into the Missouri River downstream of all the dams it controls. At the same time massive amounts of water was filling the reservoirs and some had to be released.

Farmer Leo Ettleman said the Corps should have made significant changes to its operating manual after the historic 2011 floods, but neither the Corps nor Congress took action. Ettlemen said the kind of flooding the area saw this spring will continue unless changes are made.

“In the past eight years, Congress has done little or nothing except to offer prayers and thoughts, which are appreciated, but won’t fix the problem,” said Ettleman, who farms near Percival, Iowa, and joined a lawsuit against the Corps after the 2011 flood.

Missouri Farm Bureau President Blake Hurst farms near the Missouri River. He said the lessons from this year’s flooding should lead to changes about where levees are built and how the river is managed.

“When flood recovery is complete, we will have failed if every structure is the same as it was and if the management of the river has not changed,” Hurst said. “To do the same things and expect better results is the triumph of hope over experience.”

Mike Peluso, a longtime professional fisherman who runs an outdoors and guide service in North Dakota, said he doesn’t want to see management of the river “swayed one way or the other” for political reasons.

“They are more populated down south, I get that,” he said. “But it’s the same river regardless of whether or not you’ve got a million people or 100,000 people. It needs to be managed from the top down.”

He added, “I have a hard time believing with all the technology and brainpower we have we can’t find a balance there” between flood protection and other interests like recreation.

Greg Power, fisheries division chief for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, said he believes the Corps does “a pretty good job” of managing the Missouri River system.

“Flood control is still a high priority within the Corps, I know that,” Power said. “Some of these water years are pretty incredible themselves and I would hate to be a Corps person, to be honest.”

Rep. Sam Graves, whose district includes the northwestern Missouri area ravaged by flooding in March, introduced a bill this month that would remove fish and wildlife as an authorized management priority on the Missouri River and make flood control the highest priority. The bill would require revision of the Missouri River Master Manuel within 90 days of enactment.

“Time and again, we continue to see fish and birds take precedence over people and property when it comes to managing the Missouri River,” Graves, a Republican, said in a statement. “This latest round of flooding has devastated communities up and down the river. We already know that the management practices are contributing to it.”

Area politicians have said repeatedly since the flood that flood control should be the Corps’ top priority.

Robert Criss, a professor at Washington University in St. Louis who has been studying flooding for more than two decades, said there may be a more important factor than how the Corps’ priorities are ranked.

The Missouri River has been made narrower over the years, Criss said, and the Corps has worked to maintain a defined channel for barge traffic even though few barges ever cross the river near Iowa and Nebraska.

“We’re having this problem because we messed with the rivers too much,” Criss said.

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