MANHATTAN—Federal, state and local prosecutors are sponsoring a two-day conference on human trafficking next week in northeast Kansas.
According to a media release, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister for the district of Kansas will open the Conference at 8a.m. Tuesday at the Manhattan Conference Center, 410 S. 3rd Street in Manhattan, to begin the two-day event.
About 200 victim service providers, prosecutors, healthcare professionals, educators and law enforcement officers from across the state are registered to attend.
The U.S. Attorney’s office is co-sponsoring the event with the Kansas Attorney General’s Office, the Riley County Attorney’s Office, the Kansas Law Enforcement Training Center and the Wichita State Midwest Criminal Justice Institute.
“What we all have in common is our desire to prevent human trafficking, to prosecute traffickers and to help survivors reclaim their lives and their freedom,” McAllister said.
The keynote speaker on Tuesday morning will be Peter Qualliotine of King County, Washington, where he is director of Men’s Accountability, Organization for Prostitution Services. He will describe his work with men who buy sex in a 10-week sex-buyer intervention program called Stopping Sexual Exploitation: A Program for Men.
In a presentation on the federal response to human trafficking, speakers from the Human Trafficking Unit of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division will discuss working with trafficking victims.
Listen to Mike Cooper interviewing Dr. Timothy Wright, MD, from the Orthopedic Institute at HaysMed; by clicking the link above and then clicking the play button
PYONGYANG, North Korea (AP) — Secretary of State Mike Pompeo wrapped up two days of talks with senior North Korean officials on Saturday without meeting Kim Jong Un but with commitments for new discussions on denuclearization and the repatriation of the remains of American soldiers killed during the Korean War.
Before departing Pyongyang, Pompeo told reporters that his conversations with senior North Korean official Kim Yong Chol had been “productive,” conducted “in good faith” and that “a great deal of progress” had been made in some areas. But he stressed that “there’s still more work to be done” in other areas, much of which would be done by working groups that the two sides have set up to deal with specific issues.
Pompeo said that a Pentagon team would be meeting with North Korean officials on or about July 12 at the border between North and South Korea to discuss the repatriation of remains and that working level talks would be held soon on the destruction of North Korea’s missile engine testing facility.
In the days following his historic June 12 summit with Kim Jong Un in Singapore, President Donald Trump had announced that the return of the remains and the destruction of the missile facility had been completed or were in progress.
Pompeo, however, said that more talks were needed on both.
“We now have a meeting set up for July 12 — it could move by one day or two — where there will be discussions between the folks responsible for the repatriation of remains. (It) will take place at the border and that process will begin to develop over the days that follow,” he said as he boarded his plane for Tokyo.
On the destruction of the missile engine plant, Pompeo said, “We talked about what the modalities would look like for the destruction of that facility as well, and some progress there as well, and then we have laid out a path for further negotiation at the working level so the two teams can get together and continue these discussions.”
Earlier, Pompeo and Kim Yong Chol both said they needed clarity on the parameters of an agreement to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula that Trump and Kim Jong Un agreed to in Singapore. The trip was Pompeo’s third to Pyongyang since April and his first since the summit.
Unlike his previous visits, which have been one-day affairs during which he has met with Kim Jong Un, Pompeo spent the night at a government guesthouse in Pyongyang and did not see the North Korean leader, although U.S. officials had suggested such a meeting was expected. State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said no meeting with Kim Jong Un had been planned.
As they began their talks on Saturday, Kim Yong Chol alluded to the fact that Pompeo and his delegation had stayed overnight in Pyongyang.
“We did have very serious discussions on very important matters yesterday,” Kim said. “So, thinking about those discussions you might have not slept well last night.”
Pompeo, who spoke with Trump, national security adviser John Bolton and White House chief of staff John Kelly by secure phone before starting Saturday’s session, replied that he “slept just fine.” He added that the Trump administration was committed to reaching a deal under which North Korea would denuclearize and realize economic benefits in return.
Kim later said that “there are things that I have to clarify” to which Pompeo responded that “there are things that I have to clarify as well.”
There was no immediate explanation of what needed to be clarified, but the two sides have been struggling to specify what exactly “denuclearization” would entail and how it could be verified to the satisfaction of the United States.
Pompeo and Kim met for nearly three hours Friday and then had dinner amid growing skepticism over how serious Kim Jong Un is about giving up his nuclear arsenal and translating the upbeat rhetoric following his summit with Trump into concrete action.
On his flight to Pyongyang, Pompeo said both sides made commitments at the Singapore summit on the complete denuclearization of North Korea and on what a transformed relationship between their two countries might look like.
One hoped-for breakthrough on this trip would have been the return of the remains of U.S. troops killed during the 1950-53 Korean War. North Korea committed at last month’s summit to the “immediate repatriation” of remains already identified, but that hasn’t happened yet.
After finding the Veterans Health Administration liable earlier this year for the suicide of an Iraq war veteran, a federal judge has awarded more than $480,000 to his father and two children.
Cpl. William Draughon in his Marine Corps Blue Dress uniform. DONALD AND LAURIE DRAUGHON
In what was thought to be one of the few verdicts of its kind, U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson ruled in February that the negligence of the VA directly contributed to the death of Cpl. William Draughon of Kansas City.
Draughon was a squad leader and gunner in Iraq for seven months in 2004 before he was honorably discharged from the Marine Corps.
After he returned to the Kansas City area, he began drinking heavily and was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder. During one of several hospitalizations at the Kansas City VA, he’d been flagged as being at high risk for suicide. Although no risk assessment was done, a suicide prevention coordinator at the hospital removed the high-risk flag from his electronic medical records 90 days later.
On St. Patrick’s Day, 2010, after arguing with his girlfriend, Draughon shot and killed himself in front of his girlfriend and brother. He was 28 years old.
His family, believing the VA had been negligent in its care of Draughon, sued the agency. Robinson’s order finding it liable is thought to be one of the few instances anywhere in the country where the VA has been held directly responsible for a veteran’s suicide.
William Draughon and his parents at his North Kansas City High School graduation ceremony. CREDIT WILLIAM AND LAURIE DRAUGHON
In her ruling Monday, she awarded noneconomic damages – for pain and suffering and loss of companionship – of $125,000 to each of Draughon’s two young children, $75,000 to Draughon’s father and $1,000 to his biological mother. She also divided up another $154,608 in economic damages between the children and Draughon’s father.
“I think it’s notable that she didn’t decrease the award at all for what we call comparative fault or comparative negligence. The government had alleged that some of the fault should rest with Cpl. Draughon as well, and she didn’t decrease the award at all on that basis,” said Michael Raupp, an attorney at the Husch Blackwell firm who represented the Draughons.
Larry McMullen, another Husch Blackwell lawyer involved in the case, said they were hoping for a larger award, but the court was constrained by the cap Missouri imposes on noneconomic damages in medical malpractice cases. The cap used to be $350,000 but was increased by the Legislature several years ago to $700,000.
“We would have preferred she split the money three (equal) ways,” McMullen said. “But she said, no, these kids are going to live a whole lot longer than his dad and therefore will be deprived of his comfort and support for a lot longer than him and therefore I’m going to give them a little bit more.”
The VA has 60 days to appeal Robinson’s finding of liability and award of damages. A spokesman for the agency did not immediately return a call seeking comment.
Dan Margolies is a senior reporter and editor in conjunction with the Kansas News Service. You can reach him on Twitter @DanMargolies
Sometimes, telling a story can save a person’s life. That’s what motivates internationally known speaker and mental health advocate Kevin Hines to tour the nation, telling audiences of the bleak day in September of 2000 when he catapulted himself over the side of the Golden Gate Bridge in an attempted suicide.
He describes the “instant regret” he immediately felt, and how in the seconds as he was free-falling, all he wanted to do was live. Hines brings a message of healing and hope to his audiences, and soon will be sharing his story with northwest Kansas.
Hines will speak at 7 p.m. Aug. 1 at Hays Middle School, 201 W. 29th, in Hays. The event is free and open to the public; no need to obtain tickets or RSVP. A book signing of Hines’ personal memoir, “Cracked, Not Broken,” will follow the presentation. Books will be available to purchase on-site.
The event is sponsored by High Plains Mental Health Center and Heartland Community Foundation, with sup- port from Hays USD 489, Fort Hays State University’s Kelly Center, NAMI Hays, The Center for Life Experiences and Breathe Coffee House.
“Suicide prevention is a critically important topic, and these are the kinds of conversations our communities need to begin having. Kevin will address this difficult subject in a way that sheds light on the struggles of mental illness but also brings hope to those who need it,” said Walt Hill, executive director of High Plains Mental Health Center. “We are thrilled to bring Kevin to northwest Kansas. We believe his story will benefit people in all walks of life and encourage you all to join us for this exciting opportunity.”
This presentation is timely and relevant, given Kansas’ suicide rate is up 45 percent since 1999 — one of the high- est increases nationwide. Rural Kansas has been particularly affected, with the least populated counties having the highest rates of suicide deaths in 2016. Data indicates agricultural workers are particularly at risk for mental illness, perhaps partly due to high stress and economic difficulties.
One of only 34 people to survive a jump off the iconic bridge, Hines is the only one who regained full physical mo- bility. Hines, diagnosed with bipolar disorder as a teenager, will share his remarkable story of survival and recovery.
Today, Kevin dedicates his life to saving others by spreading his message of hope and sharing his journey toward mental wellness. Thousands of people have told him his story helped save their lives.
Hines is one of the most respected and admired voices of lived experience. His story is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and a reminder for us to love the life we have. His personal mantra is, “Life is a gift, that is why they call it the present. Cherish it always.”
Hines also is a filmmaker and is featured in a full-length documentary produced this year, “Suicide: The Ripple Effect.”
He was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Council of Behavioral Health. Kevin also has been awarded by SAMSHA as a Voice Awards Fellow and Award Winner, an Achievement Winner by the U.S. Veterans Affairs and is a recipient of several military medals.
The event is intended to help break the stigma surrounding mental illness and to provide hope for those who might currently be struggling. Hines’ presentation also can offer hope and help for family members and friends to help iden- tify and support loved ones experiencing mental illness.
High Plains Mental Health Center is a licensed community mental health center dedicated to the aggressive pursuit of providing a comprehensive mental health program to residents of northwest Kansas. Embodied in this pursuit are fundamental principles of establishing quality services as close to home as possible, at an affordable fee and delivered in the least disruptive manner available. High Plains offers 24/7 emergency services to all residents within 20 north- west Kansas counties. Call toll free anytime at (800) 432-0333 for crisis support or to schedule an appointment with a qualified mental health professional.
The main office is located at 208 E. Seventh in Hays, with branch offices in Colby, Goodland, Norton, Osborne and Phillipsburg. Community outreach services are available in Atwood, Hoxie, Oberlin, Quinter, Russell, Smith Center, WaKeeney, Hill City, Plainville, La Crosse, St. Francis, Sharon Springs and Oakley.
GEARY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a reported vehicle theft and have a suspect in custody.
Kimbrough -photo Geary Co.
Just after 3 p.m. Thursday, deputies had responded to the 1700 Block of West Ash Street in Junction City after a victim reported that a Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck was stolen from that area.
A Geary County Sheriff’s Deputy saw the vehicle within a few minutes and attempted a traffic stop. The driver later identified as Terrell Kimbrough, 28, Junction City, fled and led deputies onto the Interstate 70 eastbound.
The chase ended at McDowell Creek Road at the end of what Sheriff’s Department Captain Brian Hornaday termed a “low-speed pursuit.”
Authorities used stop sticks to deflate the tires of the vehicle.
A Geary County Sheriff’s Office K-9 was also used to assist in the apprehension and Interstate 70 was closed briefly during the arrest.
Kimbrough is being held for aggravated robbery and aggravated battery, according to the sheriff’s department.
MANHATTAN — The annual meeting of the Kansas–Oklahoma Arkansas River Compact Administration will be held at the Kansas Department of Transportation Conference Center, located at 1220 W 4th Ave. in Hutchinson, Kansas, on Wednesday, July 25, 2018, at 9:00 a.m. Anyone interested in water-related activities within the Arkansas River Basin in Kansas and Oklahoma is encouraged to attend.
Kansas and Oklahoma entered the Arkansas River Compact in 1965. The purpose of the compact is to promote interstate comity, to equitably divide and promote the orderly development of the waters of the Lower Arkansas River Basin, to provide an agency for administering the waters of the basin, and to encourage an active pollution abatement program in each state.
The Compact Administration is composed of three commissioners appointed by the governor of Kansas, three commissioners appointed by the governor of Oklahoma, and two commissioners appointed by the President of the United States.
Questions about the meeting can be addressed to Chris Beightel, program manager for water management services at KDA–DWR, at 785-564-6659 or [email protected]. Additional information about the Kansas–Oklahoma Arkansas River Compact and the annual meeting can be found on the KDA website at www.agriculture.ks.gov/KOARC.
ST. PAUL, MN —A missing person alert issued Friday for a Kansas teen has been canceled. She was located safe in South St. Paul, Minn, according to Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension. The 23-year-old male who was with her is in custody.
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Authorities have issued an Amber Alert a for missing Kansas teen.
Amber Lynn Rewerts-Schiavoni
Amber Lynn Rewerts-Schiavoni, 13, Lenexa, was last seenon July 4, at approximately 1 pm at the Greyhound bus station in Kansas City, Missouri.
According to authorities she may have left on a Greyhound to the greater Minneapolis area or may still be in the KC metro area.
She is believed to be with 23-year-old Deshon White.
She is 5-foot-5, approximately 140 pounds with dyed black hair, blue eyes and was last seen wearing black t-shirt with “Sons of Anarchy” logo, black jeans, carrying a shiny blue billfold.
Deshon Whte
White is described as described as 5-foot- 9, 200 pounds with black and blonde or red hair.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Protesters camping near an Immigration and Customs Enforcement processing center in Wichita are demanding that the agency allow it to be inspected by a group of elected officials.
ICTIndivisible is occupying ICE in Wichita. Come down to join us, retweet to support us! This is an act of civil disobedience. Let them know we will not be silent! #OccupyICE#OccupyICEICTpic.twitter.com/zlpdc9e8CB
Democratic state Sen Oletha Faust-Goudeau says inspection of the facility could help put people’s minds at ease. She says its part of the duties as an elected official to see what’s going on and answer questions they’ve been getting from constituents
ICE told them elected officials would need to formally request access through Homeland Security’s Office of Legislative Affairs.
Protests have stayed near the building since Sunday.
The building has been rented by ICE since 2013 and includes office space where undocumented immigrants are processed for detention and deportation.
During today’s flooding in Hays at 11:34 a.m., Hays police officers were dispatched to a report of a man stealing another person’s 1997 Ford Explorer in front of Southside Convenience Store at 703 Vine Street.
The man who stole the vehicle drove south on Vine Street and left the vehicle in a field south of Hays.
The Kansas Highway Patrol, the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office and the Hays Police Department established a perimeter and began searching for the man. The man was tracked down and apprehended by a Kansas Highway Patrol K9.
He was later identified as 24 year old Dru A. Stropes. Stropes was arrested for felony theft of a vehicle and is currently in the Ellis County Jail, according to a news release from the Hays Police Department.
Stropes is considered innocent until proven guilty by a court of law.
TOPEKA – While there have been some recent rains, drought conditions for many areas of Kansas continue to worsen. Today Governor Jeff Colyer updated the Drought Declaration for Kansas counties with Executive Order 18-16 (attached). The update includes all 105 counties either in an emergency, warning or watch status. This order places nearly half of Kansas counties in an emergency drought status.
“Kansans need to know no matter where you live in the state, the drought is not over,” said Governor Jeff Colyer. “I’ve heard many concerns from producers and have seen the conditions first hand. We appreciate our federal partners at the Natural Resources Conservation Service as well as the Kansas Association of Conservation Districts— when we asked them to identify additional sources of assistance they responded quickly to help producers address these extreme drought conditions.”
The updated drought declaration has 50 counties in emergency status, 27 in warning status while 28 counties are in watch status. This action was recommended by Tracy Streeter, Director of the Kansas Water Office (KWO) and Chair of the Governor’s Drought Response Team.
“With reported livestock water shortages, low flows at some of our reservoirs and monthly outlooks favoring persistent drought we know it’s imperative to monitor conditions closely,” said Tracy Streeter. “Some areas of Kansas are behind more than 15 inches in moisture for the year and outlooks favor above normal temperatures and below normal precipitation in July.”
Counties in emergency stage are eligible for emergency use of water from certain state fishing lakes due to the KWO Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Kansas Department of Wildlife (KDWPT). They also become eligible for water in some Federal reservoirs.
Individuals and communities need to contact KWO for a water supply request prior to any withdrawals from lakes. They will in turn be referred to the appropriate office to obtain the necessary permit to withdraw the water.
This Executive Order and any authorized upgrade shall remain in effect for those counties so identified until rescinded by Executive Order or superseded by a subsequent Executive Order revising the drought stage status of the affected counties. Effective immediately:
Declare a Drought Emergency, Warning or Drought Watch for the counties identified below;
Authorize and direct all agencies under the jurisdiction of the Governor to implement the appropriate watch or warning level-drought response actions assigned in the Operations Plan of the Governor’s Drought Response Team.
The Governor’s Drought Response Team will continue to watch the situation closely and work to minimize the effects the drought has on Kansans.
For more detailed information about current conditions, see the Kansas Climate Summary and Drought Report on the Kansas Water Office website at: www.kwo.ks.gov.
TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), in conjunction with the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism (KDWPT), has issued public health warnings for Carbondale West Lake, Clarion Woods Park Lake, Webster Lake. Atchison County Park Lake, Melvern Outlet Pond, Melvern Outlet Swim Pond and Topeka’s Central Park Lake (Pond) for the upcoming weekend and week.
If a lake is under a public health warning for blue-green algae, activities such as boating and fishing may be safe. However, direct contact with water (i.e., wading, skiing and swimming) is strongly discouraged for people, pets and livestock. The lakes currently under a public health advisory:
Warning: Carbondale West Lake, Osage County
Warning: Clarion Woods Park Lake, Shawnee County
Warning and Beach Closed: Webster Lake, Rooks County
Warning: Atchison County Park Lake, Atchison County
Warning: Melvern Outlet Pond, Osage County
Warning: Melvern Outlet Swim Pond, Osage County
Warning: Central Park Lake (Pond), Shawnee County
The U.S. Army Corp of Engineers has stated swimming is not allowed at the Melvern Outlet Swim Pond Beach and all wading and contact with algae is highly discouraged. Melvern Lake Visitors can utilize Coeur d’Alene Swim Beach which sets on the main body of the lake, located west of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Project Office. The present algae bloom is isolated to the Outlet Pond and Outlet Swim Pond, Melvern Lake is not affected.
Lakes under a warning are not closed. Marinas, lakeside businesses and park camping facilities are open for business. If swim beaches are closed, it will be specifically noted. Drinking water and showers at parks are safe and not affected by algae blooms. Boating and fishing are safe on lakes under a warning, but contact with the water should be avoided. Hands should also be washed with clean water after handling fish taken from an affected lake. Zoned lakes may have portions fully open for all recreation even if other portions are under a warning.
Kansans should be aware that blooms are unpredictable. They can develop rapidly and may float around the lake, requiring visitors to exercise their best judgment. If there is scum, a paint-like surface or the water is bright green, avoid contact and keep pets away. These are indications that a harmful
bloom may be present. Pet owners should be aware that animals that swim in or drink water affected by a harmful algal bloom or eat dried algae along the shore may become seriously ill or die.
When a warning is issued, KDHE recommends the following precautions be taken:
Lake water is not safe to drink for pets or livestock.
Lake water, regardless of blue-green algae status, should never be consumed by humans.
Water contact should be avoided.
Fish may be eaten if they are rinsed with clean water and only the fillet portion is consumed, while all other parts are discarded.
Do not allow pets to eat dried algae.
If lake water contacts skin, wash with clean water as soon as possible.
Avoid areas of visible algae accumulation.
KDHE samples publicly-accessible bodies of water for blue-green algae when the agency receives reports of potential algae blooms in Kansas lakes. Based on sampling results, KDHE reports on potentially harmful conditions.
For information on blue-green algae and reporting potential harmful algal blooms, please visit https://www.kdheks.gov/algae-illness/index.htm. Human and animal illnesses potentially related to harmful algal blooms can also be reported through this website or by calling the KDHE Epidemiology Hotline at 1-877-427-7317.
According to a media release, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister for the district of Kansas will open the Conference at 8a.m. Tuesday at the Manhattan Conference Center, 410 S. 3rd Street in Manhattan, to begin the two-day event.
Listen to Mike Cooper interviewing Dr. Timothy Wright, MD, from the Orthopedic Institute at HaysMed; by clicking the link above and then clicking the play button
