OFFICE OF SEN. MORAN

WASHINGTON — U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) – member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation – and House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-LA) introduced the Reducing Antiquated Permitting for Infrastructure Deployments (RAPID) Act, instructing the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to review outdated, overly-cumbersome regulations that inhibit timely approval for broadband deployment projects. This legislation directs the FCC, under its preexisting authority, to reexamine and revise deployments that are subject to review by the National Historic Preservation Act and the National Environmental Policy Act within a 180 day period with the goal of speeding up broadband project approval.

“The most responsible and effective way to close the growing digital gap is to grant broadband providers the opportunity to advance deployment projects without having to deal with unnecessarily complicated and duplicative federal mandates,” said Sen. Moran. “The RAPID Act would direct the FCC to swiftly review and modernize these burdensome regulations to promote innovation and encourage broadband deployment. By cutting excessive red tape, providers can more quickly get Kansans and Americans the access they need while improving American competitiveness in this innovative sector.”

“The United States is the global leader in wireless technology, and maintaining that position is more important than ever as new technologies promise to deliver innovative new services for families across America,” said Whip Scalise. “Federal regulations that deal with broadband deployment need to be streamlined to reflect modern technology while also protecting consumers, and doing so will ensure that America will remain the world’s leader in technology innovation and job creation.”

“The introduction of legislation by Senator Moran and Congressman Scalise has the potential to bring immediate regulatory relief to telecommunications providers, like Sprint, as we make significant investments in our wireless infrastructure and prepare for the deployment of next-generation 5G networks,” said Sprint Corporation Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Vonya B. McCann. “These balanced approach will pave the way towards reducing federal regulations that impose excessive costs and unnecessary delays to small cell deployment. We applaud these efforts and are committed to working with others in Congress to ensure this legislation’s success.”

“Senator Moran and Representative Scalise recognize that the United States is locked in a global race to deploy next generation 5G wireless networks and that modernizing outdated federal rules will spur new investment, innovation and job creation,” said CTIA Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Kelly Cole. “The RAPID Act is a common sense measure directing the FCC to update its rules to keep pace with new technology and we look forward to its swift approval by both chambers.”

“I applaud Senator Moran and Representative Scalise for their leadership on wireless broadband deployment and for their introduction of the RAPID Act,” said Federal Communications Commission Commissioner Brendan Carr. “Senator Moran and Representative Scalise recognize that we need to incentivize even greater broadband deployment, including in rural communities. Their RAPID Act would help do exactly that by ensuring that we modernize outdated regulatory approaches. This effort can help unleash next-generation innovation and increase broadband deployment for all Americans.”

View the bill text here.

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) – A Kansas City-area woman feels like she’s reliving her daughter’s death after discovering a lock of hair she kept of the 3-year-old has been stolen from her car.

Jaime Hampel told Independence Police she found her car had been ransacked Tuesday night. Among the items stolen was a wallet containing a lock of hair that belonged to Ryan Hampel, who died in a September car crash.

Hampel says the lock of hair was a little blonde curl with a pink bow that had white polka dots. It’s Hampel’s most tangible memento of her daughter.

The mother says the little bag with Ryan’s hair is the only thing she really cares about, and hopes the alleged thief will hear her story and return it.

RENO COUNTY – A Kansas man with a long criminal history is jailed on a half million dollar bond after his arrest Thursday on drug distribution charges.

Officers served a high risk “no-knock” search warrant at 106 S Paine in Nickerson which is the home of 56-year-old Michael Curran.

During the search, officers found nearly two pounds of methamphetamine, nearly two ounces of marijuana, 892 oxycodone pills, a large digital scale, packaging materials, pipes with residue for smoking meth, a 22-caliber handgun, a 22-caliber rifle and $4,000 in cash.

Curran faces potential charges of possession of marijuana with intent to sell, possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, possession with intent to sell opioids, possession of drug paraphernalia and criminal possession of a firearm.

Deputy District Attorney Tom Stanton was in the courtroom Friday  and Magistrate Judge Cheryl Allen agreed the bond would stay the same. Part of that is the alleged crimes in this new arrest added to his criminal history with convictions for drugs, flee and elude, aggravated assault and aggravated failure to appear.

He’ll be back in court for the reading of formal charges for the latest arrest next week.

ELLSWORTH COUNTY — One person died in an accident just before 1p.m. Friday in Ellsworth County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Subaru passenger vehicle driven by Annah Michaiah Dawn Rogers, 19, Monument, CO., was eastbound on Interstate 70 just east of the Ellsworth exit in the left lane.

The vehicle crossed the center line, traveled off the right side of the roadway and overturned in the south ditch.

Rogers was transported to the hospital in Salina where she died.  A passenger Eason Nathaniel Rogers, 14, Monument, CO., was transported to the hospital in Ellsworth.

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

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The FBI says one of its first responders to the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks has died of brain cancer linked to exposure to contaminants.

Special Agent Melissa S. Morrow died Thursday at the age of 48.

The agency said in a news release Friday that Morrow made the “ultimate sacrifice,” and her death has been classified as a line-of-duty death. She had been certified by the World Trade Center Health Program and the Sept. 11th Victim Compensation Fund.

Morrow joined the FBI in 1995 and worked at its Washington field office prior to transferring to the Kansas City field office.

She was a first responder to the Pentagon crash site and the Alexandria evidence warehouse. The FBI says she spent 10 weeks recovering and processing evidence at the site.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Latest on charges filed in the death of a 10-year-old boy on a waterslide at a Kansas waterpark (all times local):

3:30 p.m.

A grand jury has indicted a corporation for involuntary manslaughter after a 10-year-old boy died on a giant waterslide at one of the company’s water parks in Kansas.

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt announced Friday that Schlitterbahn Waterpark of Kansas City, Kansas, was indicted along with a former executive in the August 2016 death of Caleb Schwab, who was decapitated on the 17-story “Verruckt” waterslide.

Schmidt said the indictments also involve injuries suffered by 13 other people, including four children, who rode on the slide. The executive, Tyler Miles, and Schlitterbahn also face charges of interference with law enforcement.

A spokeswoman for Schlitterbahn didn’t immediately return a call for comment.

2:30 p.m.

A former executive for Schlitterbahn pleaded not guilty Friday to involuntary manslaughter in the death of a 10-year-old boy who was decapitated on a waterslide at the Kansas water park.

Twenty-nine-year-old Tyler Austin Milesa, former operations director for the company, was charged Friday in the August 2016 death of Caleb Schwab at the Schlitterbahn water park in Kansas City, Kansas.

Miles is the only person criminally charged so far in the boy’s death, which occurred when the raft he was on hit a pole and netting on the 17-story Verruckt waterslide. Miles also faces 19 other charges.

Schlitterbahn officials defended Miles after the charges were filed, saying they stood by him and were shocked by the allegations against him.

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KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — An executive with the Kansas water park where a 10-year-old boy died on a giant waterslide has been charged with involuntary manslaughter.

Tyler Austin Miles, an operations director for Schlitterbahn, was booked into the Wyandotte County jail Friday and is being held on $50,000 bond.

Caleb Schwab died in August 2016 on the 17-story Verruckt water slide at the park in western Kansas City, Kansas. An autopsy revealed the boy was decapitated when the raft that he and two women were on went airborne. It hit a pole that supported nets that were designed to keep riders from flying off the ride.

Winter Prospapio, a spokeswoman for Schlitterbahn, said the company was “deeply disappointed” that an individual was charged for the “terrible accident.”

SALINE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary and have released security camera images of the suspects.

According to police, a residential burglary was committed Thursday in the 3200 block of Marcella Drive in Salina. The suspects gained entry to the home by cutting the outdoor wires to the surveillance system and then breaking out the front door glass.

Once inside, a .45 ACP Caliber Hi-Point handgun and a DVR recorder for a surveillance system were taken.

In a related case March 15, an image was captured of two suspects wearing black clothing walking near the residence just prior to the surveillance system stopping.

Total loss and damage is valued at $400.

Anyone with information on the suspects is asked to call Crimestoppers at 825-TIPS, text SATIPS to CRIMES (274637), or visit www.pd.salina.org and follow the Crimestoppers link to submit a web tip. You may receive a cash reward of up to $1,000 and you are not required to give your name.