HESSTON, Kansas (AP) — The man who killed three people before Hesston, Kansas, police fatally shot him in February is estimated to have had more than 135 times the standard dose of methamphetamine in his system.

The Wichita Eagle reports that Cedric L. Ford also had three times the legal limit of alcohol for driving in his system.

An autopsy shows Ford died from four gunshot wounds after the shooting spree that started along a highway and ended inside his workplace, Excel Industries.

Forensic expert Jonathan Lipman says methamphetamine tends to have a strong, psychotic impact on people who already suffer from mood disorders.

Ford had been served a protection order at work hours earlier. A woman he lived with said Ford grabbed her and put her in a chokehold earlier that month.

SHAWNEE COUNTY – A Kansas teen was injured in an accident just after 4p.m. on Wednesday in Shawnee County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Olds passenger car driven by Jaycee L. Moran, was westbound on Interstate 470 at 21st Street in Topeka.

A semi driven by Nathaniel S. Barton III, 58, Wichita, made an unsafe lane change and sideswiped the Oldsmobile.

Moran was transported to Stormont Vail. Barton was not injured.

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

WICHITA, Kan. (AP)  Spirit AeroSystems announced Wednesday that the aviation company’s CEO is retiring next month.

Larry Lawson, president and CEO of Wichita-based Spirit, plans to retire July 31. Lawson has been with Spirit since 2013.

The Wichita Eagle reports that Tom Gentile, Spirit’s chief operating officer, will replace Lawson. Spirit said in a release that Gentile joined Spirit earlier this year after holding leadership positions at GE.

A Securities and Exchange Commission filing Wednesday showed Lawson will be retained as a consultant to the company for two years at an annual salary of $150,000 and will receive separation payments totaling $1.3 million and a cash award of $1.1 million for 2016.

Spirit employs about 14,800 people worldwide and in 2015 recorded $789 million in net income on revenue of $6.6 billion.

MIKE STOBBE, AP Medical Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — The nation’s obesity epidemic continues to grow, led by an alarming increase among women. For the first time, more than 4 in 10 U.S. women are obese, according to new government health statistics.

Obesity rates for men and women in the U.S. had been roughly the same for about a decade. But in recent years, women have surged ahead and now just over 40 percent of women are obese, compared to 35 percent of men.

The percentages were reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in two articles published online Tuesday by the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Obesity is considered one of the nation’s leading public health problems because it can trigger diabetes and lead to heart disease and other serious health problems.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A state official says the Kansas Legislature’s special session on education funding will cost at least $43,000 a day.

Legislative Administrative Services Director Thomas Day said Wednesday that lawmakers’ salaries and expense payments will be most of the cost. He said the Legislature would operate with a skeleton staff.

Gov. Sam Brownback called a special session that will begin June 23 to respond to a state Supreme Court order last month.

The court rejected changes in school finance laws made earlier this year. It warned that schools will not be able to open after June 30 unless legislators make the education funding system fairer to poor districts.

When lawmakers are in session, they receive $88.66 in salary and $140 for expenses each day, for a total of $228.66.

FORT RILEY, Kan. (AP) — A war of words is being waged at a Kansas military base after a highly decorated retired officer was disinvited from a prayer breakfast because of complaints about his outspoken Christian conservative views.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports retired Lt. Gen. Jerry Boykin was scheduled to speak Monday at Fort Riley as part of the 1st Infantry Division’s “Victory Week.”

Boykin spent 36 years in the Army and led the elite Delta Force in attempts to recover hostages in Iran, apprehend Manuel Noriega and track drug kingpin Pablo Escobar.

But he also has drawn attention for claiming Islam doesn’t deserve First Amendment protection and that President Barack Obama subliminally supports al-Qaeda.

Boykin was disinvited from the breakfast after the Military Religious Freedom Foundation protested his appearance at the event.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say a body found in a Kansas creek has been identified as that of an 11-year-old boy swept away by high waters late last month.

Crews had been searching since May 27 when Devon Cooley went missing after he fell into fast-moving water from heavy rains. Authorities said the boy and some friends had been trying to cross a stretch of Gypsum Creek in Wichita when he fell.

Wichita police Sgt. Nikki Woodrow said Wednesday that the coroner identified the body from dental records. Police said earlier that his body was found Saturday by a kayaker about a mile downstream from the general search area.

The family has said plans for a memorial service are pending.

Friends and family have established a gofundme memorial page for Devon.

SALINE COUNTY – A Kansas man was injured in an accident just after 8:30 p.m. on Tuesday in Saline County.

First responders spent much of Tuesday night into Wednesday morning looking for Jeremy Fundenberger, 37, Lyons, after he lost control of a 2015 Chevy Colorado pickup near Bell Road and Camarena Road, according to Saline County Undersheriff Roger Soldan.

Just after 10p.m., deputies were sent to the crash site by a passerby who found a wrecked pickup, and talked to the driver, who when offered help walked away, according to Soldan.

Fundenberger was found early Wednesday morning at the Niles exit on Interstate 70 after he had gotten a ride from someone.

He told deputies that he thought he might have a broken arm and he also fell into a creek during the night.

The pickup is owned by Mid States Infrastructure Corp of Indianapolis.

Fundenberger was taken to Salina Regional Health Center for treatment of injures, and will be cited for driving at unsafe speeds and leaving the scene of an injury accident.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican Gov. Sam Brownback is embracing a $38 million increase in state aid for poor Kansas school districts ahead of a special session of the Legislature.

Brownback issued a proclamation Wednesday calling lawmakers back to the Statehouse on June 23 to respond to a state Supreme Court order last month on education funding.

 

I will consider any legislation that improves our education system or protects children from the endless cycle of litigation. #ksleg #ksed

— Sam Brownback (@govsambrownback) June 8, 2016

 

 

He said during the news conference that he’s looking for legislators to meet a single day to fashion a plan for providing the extra dollars to poor districts.

But he also said he’s willing to consider a variety of ways to raise the funds that include shifting it from other pots of aid for public schools. He said he’s willing to consider education policy proposals to help gain support for the additional aid for poor districts.

—————-

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Gov. Sam Brownback is having the Kansas Legislature’s special session on education funding start June 23.

The Republican governor signed a proclamation Wednesday formally summoning the GOP-dominated Legislature back to the Statehouse.

KS has great schools. We spend over $4 billion a year to operate them. It would be wrong for us to allow the courts to close them. #ksleg

— Sam Brownback (@govsambrownback) June 8, 2016

He wants lawmakers to respond to a state Supreme Court order last month declaring that public schools won’t be able to open after June 30 if legislators don’t rewrite school finance laws.

The court rejected some changes made earlier this year in how Kansas distributes more than $4 billion a year in aid to its 286 local school districts.

The justices said education funding remains unfair to poor districts. Many Republicans have strongly criticized the ruling, and some have wanted to defy the court.

Lawmakers adjourned their annual session June 1.

GARDEN CITY − A man accused of forcing himself at gunpoint into a state judge’s home last week and holding the judge hostage for several hours while making demands of the state has been charged with terrorism, according to Attorney General Derek Schmidt.

Schmidt yesterday filed criminal charges against Jason Linn Nichols, 33, in connection with the incident that occurred May 31 in Garden City. The charges are one count of terrorism by alternative means, one count of kidnapping, one count of aggravated burglary, two counts of aggravated assault, one count of criminal threat and one count of criminal restraint. Bond has been set at $1.3 million.

Kansas law defines terrorism to include the commission of a felony with the intent to influence government policy by intimidation or coercion or with the intent to affect the operation of any unit of government. Under Kansas law, a terrorism conviction carries a possible life prison sentence.

Criminal charges are merely accusations. Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Any public comments on the prosecution of Nichols are governed by the Kansas Rules of Professional Conduct Rule 3.6, Trial Publicity, and Rule 3.8, Special Responsibilities of a Prosecutor. All media requests or inquiries should be directed to the Office of the Attorney General, 120 S.W. 10th, 2nd Floor, Topeka, Kansas 66612, (785) 296-6115.

Nichols is scheduled for a first appearance June 15 at 1 p.m. in Finney County District Court.

MANHATTAN – A Manhattan real estate developer who is also an assistant coach with Riley County USD 378 was arrested Tuesday on a Riley County District Court warrant in connection with unlawful sexual relations with a student.

Zac Burton, 38, turned himself in shortly after 5 p.m. and faces possible charges involving unlawful sexual relations, allegedly involving a female student at Riley County’s USD 378, according to a media release.

Burton owns Fieldhouse Development, which has built homes and apartment buildings at Grand Mere on the west side of Manhattan.

Last fall, Burton announced plans for Hartford Hill, a 320-acre, 500-home development northwest of Grand Mere and Colbert Hills Golf Course.

Burton’s bond was set at $50,000 and was expected to be released Wednesday.

Burton was a former backup quarterback with the Kansas State University football program from 1996 to 2000.