TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer has picked Tracey Mann to serve as the state’s next lieutenant governor.

The new Republican governor announced his appointment of the 41-year-old Mann during a Kansas Livestock Association dinner in Topeka. A swearing-in ceremony is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon at the Statehouse.

Mann is a commercial real estate broker and farmer from Salina. He said in a statement he’s “extremely grateful for the opportunity.”

Colyer was the state’s longest-serving lieutenant governor but became governor Jan. 31 when former GOP Gov. Sam Brownback stepped down to take an ambassador’s post.

Mann will be on the gubernatorial ticket when Colyer seeks a full, four-year term this year.

MINNEAPOLIS –  A Salina woman was found guilty Tuesday of mistreatment of a dependent adult, according to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.

Meg Ellen Gravette-Holmgren, 43, pleaded guilty today in Ottawa County District Court to one felony count of mistreatment of a dependent adult.

The case stemmed from an investigation by the attorney general’s Fraud and Abuse Litigation Division which discovered that between July and November 2014, Gravette-Holmgren acted as durable power of attorney for her mother who was a dependent adult. The defendant spent her mother’s money for unauthorized purchases for herself. As part of the plea, Gravette-Holmgren agreed to pay $67,374.39 in restitution to her mother.

SALINE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on numerous charges in connection with unauthorized use of a financial card.

On February 6, a Salina woman contacted police after she noticed her bank card was used for purchases she did make or authorities, according to Police Captain Mike Sweeney.

An investigation revealed the woman hired a personal assistant through an online service.

The individual identified as Melissa Coleman actually had Jessica Hawk-Loughery, 37, Salina do the shopping. Hawk-Loughery also allegedly used the bank card to buy things for herself and Nicholas Beck, 27, Salina, on February 3 and 4.

Police arrested Hawk-Loughery and Beck on requested charges of criminal use of a financial card, theft of prop/services; Value $1,500 to $25,000, interfere w/ LEO; False report felony to obstruct.

Coleman is not facing charges, according to Sweeney.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Tests found a high level of alcohol in the blood of a Kansas man who fatally shot his brother and then himself last year.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports an autopsy found the blood alcohol level of 29-year-old Shawn Jacobs to be 0.34, more than four times the legal limit in Kansas. No other drugs were found in his system.

Shawnee County District Coroner Charles Glenn said Jacobs committed suicide by shooting himself in the head on Sept. 28.

Topeka police say Jacobs shot his brother, 36-year-old Robert Raymond Jacobs Jr., after they argued when both their vehicles got stuck in the mud while on a fishing trip near the Kansas River near Topeka.

PITTSBURG, Kan. (AP) — A woman in southeast Kansas is accusing a city, its police chief and a former police officer of failing to protect her from a sexual assault.

The lawsuit filed Monday accuses the city of Pittsburg of tolerating an atmosphere of sexual misconduct and undue familiarity within its police department.

The lawsuit says 22-year-old Jesse Edward Loren Davis arrested the woman in August after a domestic disturbance and asked her to flash him and allow him to inappropriately touch her. She alleges she agreed to his advances out of fear.

The lawsuit also alleges that Davis patrolled the city and transported detainees despite not being fully certified.

Davis has been arrested and charged with aggravated sexual battery and official misconduct.

City officials declined to comment on the lawsuit but say their priority is citizens’ safety.

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an armed robbery and asking the public to help identify a suspect.

Just after 7:30p.m. February 7, officers responded to an armed robbery at the C-Store in the 800 block of south Oliver in Wichita, according to officer Paul Cruz.

A 58-year-old employee told police an unknown suspect entered the business armed with a silver handgun.

The employee stated the suspect pointed the handgun at him and demanded money.  The suspect described as approximately 25-years-old, 5-foot-7, medium build, took the money and then fled the store on foot. She was last seen wearing a black jacket, black tights and carrying a black gym bag.

There were no injuries.

Anyone with additional information is asked to contact Wichita Police.

LIBERAL, Kan. (AP) — Liberal has reclaimed the title as winner of the annual International Pancake Day Race.

Pancake Chair Greg Bird, Tamsin Rawlings and race winner Gabby Covarrubias wait to chat with the @OlneyPancakeRac Pancake Committee pic.twitter.com/HWdg8oH9VB

— Intl Pancake Day (@IntlPancakeDay) February 13, 2018

A Liberal woman, Gaby Covarrubias, ran the Shrove Tuesday 415-yard race with a time of 1:08.85. That was about 2.5 seconds faster than Katie Godof, who ran a similar race in Olney, England with a time of 1:11.4. Contestants must carry a pancake in a frying pan and flip it at the beginning and end of the race.

The Shrove Tuesday pancake race began in Olney in the 15th century. In 1950, Liberal challenged Olney to an international competition.

It was the first win for Liberal since 2015. The Kansas town now leads the series 38-29. Last year, a winner couldn’t be determined because of a technical glitch in Olney.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas State Board of Education has approved an audit of how state funds are distributed to public schools following questions about the allocation of some dollars.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the board accepted a recommendation Tuesday from Education Commissioner Randy Watson. The review is expected to start within two months and will examine whether funds are distributed in keeping with the state’s school funding law.

A legislative audit said in December that a calculation used for decades to distribute transportation funds to school districts wasn’t authorized by state law. It said the state spent an additional $45 million over the past five years because of the calculation.

The board agreed to the broader audit after rejecting a push by some legislators to suspend Deputy Education Commissioner Dale Dennis.

By STEPHEN KORANDA
Kansas News Service

President Donald Trump unveiled a $1.5 trillion infrastructure proposal on Monday built on plans that would more heavily rely on state and local dollars being matched with money from Washington.

For Kansas, that poses both challenges and opportunities. The state is short on funding for new construction work, but it’s already begun looking at other options to pay for roads, bridges and the like.

Trump’s plan would include $200 billion in federal funds. That money would be used for matching funds, loans and incentives for state and local governments to raise money in other ways.

The limited federal dollars would mean states and local governments would have to provide more money for projects. The plan is aimed at driving new funding strategies such as tolling and public-private partnerships.

That requirement for states to provide more funding could be tough for Kansas. State lawmakers and the governor have repeatedly dipped into the highway fund in recent years, diverting billions of dollars to help balance the state budget.

Republican Sen. John Skubal said lawmakers are already looking for ways to make sure Kansas can meet current matching fund targets. That could get more difficult if the state has to provide more money.

“I don’t want to be on the outside looking in if there are federal dollars that are going to come potentially to the state of Kansas,” Skubal said. “I want to have whatever match we’re going to have to have.”

Skubal has been pushing a bill that would form a task force to study Kansas transportation and long-term funding issues.

Part of the goal would be to consider new options to help diversify road funding, such as charging drivers to access express lanes on busy highways. Lawmakers could also look for partnerships where projects are jointly funded by the state, local governments and private organizations that would benefit from the new roads.

“I want to leverage all of our resources as much as we possibly can so we can continue moving our state forward,” Skubal said.

Those types of proposals are likely in line with the goals of Trump’s policy outline.

Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer hailed the proposal for another provision, a promised $50 billion investment in rural areas.

“Investing in infrastructure is key to jump-starting economic development and job growth, and we are excited to see this much-needed investment in rural America,” Colyer said in a news release.

The rural spending would largely be sent to states in block grants. Colyer said that would give flexibility to local leaders.

“Kansans know what Kansas needs more than bureaucrats in Washington,” the governor said in the release.

Trump’s infrastructure plans now go to Congress, where lawmakers will consider the options and likely make changes.

Stephen Koranda is Statehouse reporter for KPR, a partner in the Kansas News Service. Follow him on Twitter @kprkoranda.