By BRIAN GRIMMETT

Kansans can expect rising temperatures and more extreme flooding in the future, according to the latest National Climate Assessment.

Kansas has always experienced severe weather events. But as average temperatures rise, due in part to heat-trapping pollution released from fossil fuels, these severe weather events are predicted to become more extreme.

That means periods of drought will be more severe, while storms will be more intense and lead to greater flooding.

This cycle of long periods of drought followed by intense rainstorms will also create a greater risk of wildfire on Kansas rangeland.

So even though wildfire is a natural and regular occurence, the conditions in the future will mean it’s more likely these fires will burn faster and hotter and cover more territory.

While past droughts have been driven by climate variability, or natural changes that fall within observed ranges, climate change is likely to make the problem worse.

The report also predicts that by the end of the century, average temperatures in Kansas will rise as much as 4 degrees and the number of days above 100 degrees will increase by 20 to 30.

The impact of those changes will create winners and losers, both in ecosystems and among cities and states.

“Some plants will do great, some crops will do great in a warmer environment,” said Kevin Kloesel, lead author of the report’s chapter on Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas. “And then some won’t.

“So the question is, who will be the folks that will transition economically to those things that will do better first?”

The report predicts that if people do not adapt to or mitigate the risks associated with climate change, agricultural production will decrease, commodity prices will rise and human health, especially among the elderly, will suffer.

While Kansans are already adapting to some of the changes brought on by climate change, Kloesen said it’s mostly reactionary.

“It’s very hard to be proactive, sort of looking into the crystal ball, because there’s always that seed of doubt,” he said. “ ‘OK, is that really going to happen? And did I do that needlessly?’ ”

To have a greater impact, the report suggests individuals and communities need to make decisions based on possible future scenarios and do what they can now to limit greenhouse gas emissions.

Brian Grimmett is a reporter for the Kansas News Service. Follow him on Twitter @briangrimmett.

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say a 74-year-old Kansas woman shot and killed an intruder while on the phone with a 911 dispatcher and then had a heart attack.

Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson said Thursday that the woman is recovering and is expected to be OK. He says she “obviously” won’t face charges over the death of 41-year-old Ralph Byrd Jr., who broke into her Leavenworth home early Saturday.

Thompson said she had reported an attempted burglary of her home about a week before. After that, she obtained a .22-caliber handgun that she took with her to bed at night.

Leavenworth Police Major Dan Nicodemus says the case was “pretty cut and dried.” Court records show Byrd had been convicted in 2017 of an attempted home burglary.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — The economy continued to expand in nine Midwestern and Plains states last month but was hampered by shortages of skilled workers, according to monthly survey results released Monday.

The Mid-America Business Conditions Index dropped to 54.1 in November from 54.9 in October, the report said. The September reading was 57.5.

“The regional economy continues to expand at a healthy pace,” said Creighton University economist Ernie Goss, who oversees the survey of supply managers. “However, as in recent months, shortages of skilled workers remain an impediment to even stronger growth. Furthermore, supply managers are reporting mounting negative impacts from tariffs and trade skirmishes,” he said.

The November employment index climbed to 57.5, from 52.2 in October.

Overall manufacturing employment growth in the region over the past 12 months has been very healthy, at 2.5 percent compared with the national average of 2.3 percent, Goss said.

“I expect this gap to close in the months ahead as regional job growth slows faster than national manufacturing job growth,” he said.

The survey results are compiled into a collection of indexes ranging from zero to 100. Survey organizers say any score above 50 suggests growth. A score below that suggests decline. The survey covers Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma and South Dakota.

Economic optimism remained on the plus side last month, at 55.5, but was lower than the 59.6 in October.

“Almost one-third, or 30 percent, of supply managers expect business profits to improve in 2019,” Goss said.

The regional new export orders index rose slightly, to 51.8 from October’s 51.5, and the import index climbed to 54.3, from 48.7 in October. Healthy regional growth boosted imports for the month despite higher tariffs on imported goods, the report said.

More than 65 percent of the supply managers who responded to the survey indicated that rising tariffs had made it more difficult or expensive to purchase from abroad, Goss said.

The survey was completed before word came of an agreement reached Saturday between President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping for the U.S. to hold off for 90 days raising tariffs on $200 billion in Chinese goods. It buys the two countries more time for their talks aimed at settling their trade differences.

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a murder and have two suspects in custody.

Just after 8:15 p.m. on Thursday, police responded to a check-the-welfare call at a home in the 2200 block of West MacArthur in Wichita, according o Officer Charley Davidson.

Upon arrival, Officers located 88-year-old Floyd Gilbert inside the home with injuries to his body. Gilbert was pronounced dead on the scene, and his 1999 red Chevy Monte Carlo was also missing from the home.

As a result of the investigation, police arrested 36-year-old Austin Stewart and 54-year-old Landon Onek both of Wichita on charges of felony murder. Police also located the missing car.

The case will be presented to the District Attorney’s Office.

This is the 43rd homicide in Wichita for 2018, according to Davidson.

SHAWNEE COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects after a traffic stop in a stolen vehicle.

By DAN MARGOLIES

The killer of Kansas City, Kansas, police Capt. Robert David Melton was sentenced Friday to life in prison.

Jamaal R. Lewis, 22, had previously pleaded guilty to first-degree felony murder, which carries a mandatory life sentence, and charges of aggravated assault and shooting into an unoccupied dwelling.

Wyandotte County District Judge Wesley Griffin handed down the maximum sentences on the lesser charges, 13 months and nine months respectively, and ordered them to run consecutively after the life sentence.

Lewis will be eligible for parole after 25 years.

Melton, 46, was responding to a drive-by shooting on July 19, 2016, when he saw Lewis and pulled up in front of him in his unmarked patrol car. Lewis pulled out a handgun and fired multiple shots into the car, killing Melton.

Lewis had been charged with capital murder as well as first-degree felony murder. He pleaded guilty to the lesser charge, which did not require prosecutors’ assent.

That upset members of Melton’s family, according to The Kansas City Star. They have filed a complaint against Wyandotte County District Attorney Mark Dupree.

Dan Margolies is a senior reporter in conjunction with the Kansas News Service. You can reach him on Twitter at @DanMargolies.

MANHATTAN — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a hit and run accident and asking the public for help with information.

Just after 5p.m. Friday, the Riley County Police Department responded to a vehicle vs. pedestrian accident near the intersection of Hunting and Denison. according to a media release.

The pedestrian was seriously injured and the vehicle involved left the scene.

The vehicle is described as a small white 4-door car.

We need anyone with information to contact the Riley County Police Department at (785) 537-2112 or Crime Stoppers at (785) 539-7777. Using the Crime Stoppers service allows you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.00.

By CANDICE CHOI
AP Food & Health Writer

NEW YORK — After repeated food poisoning outbreaks linked to romaine lettuce, the produce industry is confronting the failure of its own safety measures in preventing contaminations.

The E. coli outbreak announced just before Thanksgiving follows one in the spring that sickened more than 200 people and killed five, and another last year that sickened 25 and killed one. No deaths have been reported in the latest outbreak, but the dozens of illnesses highlight the challenge of eliminating risk for vegetables grown in open fields and eaten raw, the role of nearby cattle operations that produce huge volumes of manure and the delay of stricter federal food safety regulations.

A contested aspect of the regulation, for example, would require testing irrigation water for E. coli. The Food and Drug Administration put the measure on hold when the produce industry said such tests wouldn’t necessarily help prevent outbreaks. Additional regulations on sanitation for workers and equipment — other potential sources of contamination — only recently started being implemented.

FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb said he thinks the combination of rules, once fully in place, will make vegetables safer to eat.

“I don’t think any one element of this is going to be the magic bullet,” Gottlieb said.

Health officials say improved detection may make outbreaks seem more frequent. Still, that is intensifying pressure on growers and regulators to prevent, catch and contain contamination.

PREVENTION
It’s not yet known how romaine got contaminated in the latest outbreak.

The spring outbreak was traced to romaine from Yuma, Arizona. Irrigation water tainted with manure was identified as a likely culprit, and investigators noted the presence of a large animal feeding operation nearby.

Subsequently, growers in Arizona and California adjusted an industry agreement to expand buffer zones between vegetable fields and livestock. The industry says the change was in place for lettuce now being grown in Yuma, which hasn’t been implicated in the latest outbreak. But Trevor Suslow of the Produce Marketing Association said there isn’t consensus about the exact distances that might effectively prevent contamination.

He noted specific buffer zones aren’t required by the new federal rules on produce safety.

“They look to the industry to determine what is the appropriate distance,” Suslow said.

Growers in Yuma also started treating irrigation water that would touch plant leaves with chlorine to kill potential contaminants, Suslow said. But he said such treatment raises concerns about soil and human health.

Meanwhile, the proximity of produce fields to cattle operations is likely to continue posing a problem. Travis Forgues of the milk producer Organic Valley noted consolidation in the dairy industry is leading to bigger livestock operations that produce massive volumes of manure.

TESTING
Already, the industry agreement in Arizona and California requires leafy green growers to test water for generic E. coli.

But James Rogers, director of food safety research at Consumer Reports, said it’s important to make water testing a federal requirement. Since romaine is often chopped up and bagged, a single contaminated batch from one farm that skips testing could make a lot of people sick, he said.

Teressa Lopez of the Arizona Leafy Greens Marketing Agreement also said federal regulation can ensure greater compliance, even though the industry agreement has stricter measures.
Despite industry measures implemented after a spinach outbreak more than a decade ago, health officials note d this month there have been 28 E. coli outbreaks linked to leafy greens since 2009.

The produce industry says the failure to prevent the Yuma outbreak could also reflect the limitations of testing water for generic E. coli.

Elizabeth Binh, a food science expert at Cornell University, said the tests look for the amount of fecal matter in water. The problem is, “some feces has pathogens in it, some feces doesn’t,” said Binh, who is part of a federal program helping farmers comply with the new produce regulations.

Testing for specific E. coli strains that are harmful is more difficult, and doesn’t rule out the possibility of other harmful bacteria, Binh said.

CONTAINING
Whole-genome sequencing is making it easier to detect outbreaks, which is pressuring the produce industry.

The FDA warned against all romaine last week because it said it was able to identify it as a likely source early enough. The agency narrowed its warning to romaine from California’s Central Coast after the produce industry agreed to label romaine with harvest dates and regions, so people know what’s OK to eat.

The labeling is voluntary, and the industry said it will evaluate whether to extend it to other leafy greens. Gottlieb said improving traceability would allow targeted health alerts that don’t hurt the entire industry. The FDA recently hired a former Walmart executive who used blockchain technology to improve traceability in the retailer’s supply chain.

Stephen Basore, director of food safety at a Florida romaine grower, said he expects more regulations and self-imposed industry guidelines.

“Anytime there is an issue, the immediate response is saying our protocols aren’t enough,” he said.
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AP reporter Josh Replogle contributed from Florida.

SALINE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have a suspect in custody.  Just after 3:30 a.m. Friday, officers were dispatched to 703 State Street in Salina in reference a call of shots fired, according to a media release.

Upon entering the residence, officers found 30-year-old Justin Willingham of Salina had been shot and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police located two persons of interest Valerie Ann Vogel  and Mika Lee Thille, 25, Downs, for questioning. Thille has been booked into the Saline County Jail on requested charges of Murder in 1st degree; In the commission of felony, Murder in the 2nd degree; Intentional, Aggravated robbery and Agg Burglary; Dwelling for felony, theft, sex, according to the Saline County jail booking report.

SALINE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have located two suspects.

Just after 3:30 a.m. Friday, officers were dispatched to 703 State Street in Salina in reference a call of shots fired, according to a media release.

Upon entering the residence, officers found that a 30-year-old white male had been shot and was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to the Salina Police Department Facebook page, police located suspect Valerie Ann Vogel at 2:05 p.m. and Mika Lee Thille at 2:45 p.m.

Police have not released the victim’s name.

———

SALINE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and asking the public for help to locate two suspects.

Just after 3:30 a.m. Friday, officers were dispatched to 703 State Street in Salina in reference a call of shots fired, according to a media release.

Upon entering the residence, officers found that a 30-year-old white male had been shot and was pronounced dead at the scene.

According to a media release, Salina Police have identified 26-year-old Mika Lee Thille and 25-year-old Valerie Ann Vogel as persons of interest.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police. This is the first homicide of 2018.

5-foot-9, 160-pounds with brown hair and blue eyes. Vogel is identified as a 5-foot-6-inch, 138-pounds with brown hair and green eyes.

————

SALINE COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting.

Just after 3:30 a.m. Friday, officers were dispatched to 703 State Street in Salina in reference a call of shots fired, according to a media release.

Upon entering the residence, officers found that a 30-year-old white male had been shot and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Detectives interviewed witnesses who were inside the residence at the time of the shooting. No suspects are in custody at this time and the investigation is ongoing. The police department is in the process of notifying the next-of-kin, so the victim’s name has not yet been released.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police. This is the first homicide of 2018.

HOUSTON—Former President George H.W. Bush died Friday at the age of 94.

Kansas political leaders and others around the world are praising the nation’s 41st President.

Rest In Peace, President George H.W. Bush. @GeorgeHWBush was a WWII hero who dedicated his life to public service. Franki and I are praying for the entire Bush family during this difficult time.

— Senator Pat Roberts (@SenPatRoberts) December 1, 2018

President Bush was a family man whose legacy of faith and service will live on. Robba and I offer our sincerest condolences to the Bush family and we pray that President Bush has been reunited with Barbara, his wife of 71 years, in Heaven.

— Senator Jerry Moran (@JerryMoran) December 1, 2018

Our nation is grateful for his leadership through periods of conflict and uncertainty around the world.

— Senator Jerry Moran (@JerryMoran) December 1, 2018

I am saddened to hear tonight of the passing of @GeorgeHWBush, whom I served under as a White House fellow. His hard work over decades of public service truly made our country & our world a better place. My prayers are with the Bush family during their time of grieving. #ksleg

— Governor Jeff Colyer (@GovJeffColyer) December 1, 2018

I am deeply saddened to hear of the passing of one of our nations finest patriots. His steadfast leadership and life-long devotion to our country has made a lasting impact on our nation. My thoughts and prayers are with the Bush's

— Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) December 1, 2018

Family spokesman Jim McGrath says Bush died shortly after 10 p.m. Friday, about eight months after the death of his wife, Barbara Bush.

The nation’s 41st president served from 1989 to 1993, and eight years later watched his son George W. became the 43rd president.

The elder Bush saw his popularity swell with the United States’ success in the Gulf War in 1991, only to watch it evaporate in a brief but deep recession. The Republican was defeated in his bid for a second term by Democrat Bill Clinton.

Bush had also been a World War II hero, Texas congressman, CIA director and Ronald Reagan’s vice president.
Only one other U.S. president, John Adams, had a son who also became president.

4:48 a.m.

Gulf Arab nations allied with the U.S. have offered their condolences over the death of President George H.W. Bush.

Bush’s death at the age of 94 takes on greater importance in the region over his actions in the 1991 Gulf War that saw Iraq expelled from Kuwait.

Leaders in the United Arab Emirates on Saturday offered condolences to both President Donald Trump and former President George W. Bush for the elder Bush’s death.

Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who also is the UAE’s prime minister and vice president, tweeted that Emiratis remember Bush as “a firm ally and friend.”

Oman’s Sultan Qaboos bin Said similarly offered condolences.

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4:18 a.m.

Germany’s foreign minister is remembering former U.S. President George H.W. Bush as one of the architects of his country’s reunification in 1990.

Heiko Maas said in a statement Saturday that “we are mourning a great statesman and a friend of Germany.”

Bush was president when the Berlin Wall fell in 1989 and supported German reunification less than a year later. Maas said that “he courageously seized the opportunity to end the Cold War.”

He added that “he is also an architect of German unity. He supported it from the beginning without reservations. We will never forget that.”

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4:13 a.m.

British leaders past and present are paying tribute to U.S. President George H.W. Bush as a committed public servant who helped the United States stand tall on the world stage.

Prime Minister Theresa May says Bush was “a great statesman and a true friend of our country” whose “ethos of public service was the guiding thread of his life and an example to us all.”

May said in a statement that “in navigating a peaceful end to the Cold War he made the world a safer place for generations to come.”

John Major, whose 1990-1997 term as British prime minister overlapped with Bush’s presidency, said the late president “saw America’s obligation to the world and honored it.”

Major told the BBC that “I feel privileged to have worked with him, and even more privileged that he became a lifelong friend. He was, quite simply, one of the most deep-down decent people I have ever known.”

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3:56 a.m.

The Dalai Lama, has offered condolences after the death former President George H.W. Bush.

The Tibetan spiritual leader said: “He was in fact the first American President that I was privileged to meet. I recall being deeply touched by your father’s concern for the Tibetan people and the situation in Tibet. It is truly admirable to have lived over 94 years. While nothing can replace the loss of a father, we can rejoice in the fact that his was a meaningful life, dedicated to public service. I commend your parents for encouraging their children, including you my dear friend, to devote yourselves to the service of others.”

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3:49 a.m.

Former Soviet premier Mikhail Gorbachev has expressed his “deep condolences” to the family of former U.S President George H.W. Bush and all Americans following his death.

Gorbachev worked closely with Bush to bring an end to the Cold War in the late 1980s and 1990s, and lauded the former president for his abilities as a politician and his personal character.

“It was a time of great change,” he told the Interfax news agency, “demanding great responsibility from everyone. The result was the end of the Cold War and nuclear arms race.”

Gorbachev said that he and his wife, Raisa, “deeply appreciated the attention, kindness and simplicity typical of George and Barbara Bush, as well as the rest of their large, friendly family.”

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3:18 a.m.

New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has expressed her country’s condolences following the death of former President George H.W. Bush.

Ardern acknowledge in a statement early Saturday “the contribution President Bush made to international affairs over decades of service to the United States of America.”

She said Bush’s “statesmanship played a key role in helping to end the Cold War, which bought democracy to millions of people in Europe and diminished the threat of nuclear war. George H.W. Bush was a strong supporter of the international rules-based system, the rule of law and democratic values.”

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2:07 a.m.

Iran has noted the death of President George H.W. Bush. A scrolling news bar on state television described Bush as being “like other U.S. presidents who wished to see the collapse of the Islamic Republic.”

State television on Saturday morning announced Bush’s death, citing international reports.

Iran remained suspicious of Bush despite his pledge of “good will begets good will.” Iran leaned on Lebanon’s Shiite militants to help win the release American hostages like Terry Anderson of The Associated Press, but relations went no further.

One of Bush’s last acts as president was pardoning former Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger and others for their role in the Iran-Contra scandal, an offshoot of those hostage crises.

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1:43 a.m.

The small, oil-rich nation of Kuwait is offering its condolences for the late President George H.W. Bush, who led the 1991 Gulf War that freed it from Iraq.

The state-run KUNA news agency flashed news of Bush’s death Saturday morning at the age of 94.

Kuwait’s ruling emir, Sheikh Sabah Al Ahmad Al Sabah, offered his condolences to Bush’s son, the former President George W. Bush. Sheikh Sabah also offered condolences to current President Donald Trump.

KUNA said Sheikh Sabah noted Bush’s efforts to “create a new international order based on justice and equality among nations.”

Sheikh Sabah also said Bush never “forgot the Kuwaiti people and will remain in their memory.”

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1:05 a.m.

Former President Bill Clinton is remembering George H.W. Bush for his “great long life of service, love and friendship.”

In a statement issued early Saturday, Clinton said he would be “forever grateful” for the friendship he formed with the man he turned out of the White House after one term.

Clinton, who defeated Bush in the 1992 presidential election, says he was always struck by Bush’s “innate and genuine decency” and by his devotion to his wife Barbara and his family.

Clinton says Bush’s extensive record of public service was rare, with his years in the military, in Congress, the United Nations, China, the CIA and as vice president and president.

Clinton adds that Bush never stopped serving even after leaving office, working on tsunami relief in Asia and within the U.S. after Hurricane Katrina.

The two former presidents worked together on those relief efforts.

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12:51 p.m.

Brent Scowcroft, the national security adviser during George H.W. Bush’s presidency, said “The world has lost a great leader” and “this country has lost one of its best.”

Scowcroft said in a statement that he was “heartbroken” at losing a man a man he called “one of my dearest friends.”

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12:34 a.m.

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott said the state joins the nation in mourning “the passing of one of our greatest Presidents.”

In a brief statement, the Republican said “George H.W. Bush was an American hero and icon. He was a friend to all he met. He embodied class and dignity.” Abbott added that “Texans are genuinely honored that he called the Lone Star State home and we collectively grieve this monumental loss.”

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12:23 p.m.

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump are mourning the passing of former President George H.W. Bush.

In a statement, the Trumps praise Bush for his “sound judgment, common sense and unflappable leadership.”

The Trumps say that Bush “inspired generations of his fellow Americans to public service.”

They also praise the former president for guiding the nation and the world to a “peaceful and victorious conclusion of the Cold War.”

The Trumps add that Bush remained humble despite his accomplishments, “following the quiet call to service that gave him a clear sense of direction.”

The statement was issued while the Trumps are in Buenos Aires, Argentine for the Group of 20 summit.

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12:10 a.m.

James A. Baker III, former President George H.W. Bush’s secretary of state and longtime confidant, said his friend’s legacy “will be forever etched in the history of America and the world.” He noted Bush’s “lifelong record of selfless patriotic service to our nation,” from being the youngest U.S. Navy aviator in World War II to serving as a Texas congressman, United Nations ambassador, the first U.S. ambassador to China, CIA director, vice president and president.

In a statement, Baker said that in each position, Bush “led with strength, integrity, compassion and humility — characteristics that define a truly great man and effective leader.” Baker added that, “with a singularly unique consistency, he always demonstrated these traits, whether on the global stage or interacting with people in his everyday life. His passion was a deep love of family and our country.”

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11:50 a.m.

Praise is coming in for former President George H.W. Bush from another former president.

The office of former President Barack Obama and Michelle Obama said Bush’s life was “a testament to the notion that public service is a noble, joyous calling. And he did tremendous good along the journey.”

The Obamas credited him with “expanding America’s promise to new immigrants and people with disabilities. Reducing the scourge of nuclear weapons and building a broad international coalition to expel a dictator from Kuwait. And when democratic revolutions bloomed across Eastern Europe, it was his steady, diplomatic hand that made possible an achievement once thought anything but – ending the Cold War without firing a shot.”

They said: “It’s a legacy of service that may never be matched, even though he’d want all of us to try.”

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