SALINA – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with an alleged attack on a woman just after 11 p.m. on Wednesday at a home in Salina.
Michael Sims, 31, Salina, is accused of grabbing a woman in her 30’s by the throat and strangling her until she became unconscious, according to Police Captain Mike Sweeney.
Sims then allegedly dragged the woman down a hallway and slammed her face into the carpet.
She was able to escape to a neighbor’s home and they called police.
Sims also allegedly had to be wrestled by three officers before he was taken into custody.
He was booked into the Saline County Jail on requested charges of aggravated battery, three counts of battery of law enforcement officers, obstruction and criminal damage to property.
Emergency Medical Staff treated the woman at the scene.
KANSAS CITY – The owner of a tax preparation business in Kansas City, Kan., pleaded guilty Wednesday to preparing false income tax returns, according to U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom and Acting Assistant Attorney General Caroline D. Ciraolo of the Justice Department’s Tax Division.
Antoine Dorsey, 38, Kansas City, owner of Day-1 Tax Service, pleaded guilty to one count of preparing false tax returns. In general, Dorsey falsely inflated taxpayers’ incomes by falsifying gross receipts listed on Schedule C.
As a result, taxpayers appeared to qualify for the Earned Income Credit that increased their tax refunds. In other instances Dorsey falsified Schedule A deductions to fraudulently increase taxpayers’ refunds.
Dorsey caused fraudulent refund claims of approximately $74,487 to be made to the Internal Revenue Service and approximately $13,980 in fraudulent claims to be made to the Kansas Department of Revenue.
Sentencing is set for June 27, 2016. He faces a maximum penalty of three years in federal prison and an order of restitution. Grissom commended special agents of IRS-Criminal Investigation, who investigated the case, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask and John Mulcahy from the Justice Department Tax Division, who prosecuted the case.
HUTCHINSON – A Reno County judge on Thursday ruled that hearings in the cases of two students accused in a plot to attack Hutchinson High School would remain open to the public.
Ayrton “Alex” Marroquin, 14, and Carson Cabral, 15, are accused of conspiracy to commit capital murder.
Investigators recovered plans the teens had to make pipe bombs as well as sketches and plans of where certain teachers and staff would be so they could be targeted during an attack against the school.
Attorneys for the teens filed motions attempting to have documents in the case filed under seal and proceedings closed to the public.
Gene Policinski is senior vice president of the First Amendment Center.
The rising global furor over the trove of financial records and other documents contained in the Panama Papers also speaks to any number of Digital Age canards about journalism and a free press.
Granted, none of the following have yet reached the status of “Aesop’s Fables” in common knowledge. But they go something like this: “News is dead.” Another: “Journalists don’t matter.” And a third: “Who needs the press — old mainstream or new online — when there’s the web and algorithms to edit it for us.”
Even as the resignations, recriminations and outcry gather worldwide over the leak of some 11.5 million documents from a Panamanian law firm — first to a German newspaper and then to the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) and more than 100 news operations — it’s news professionals making sense of the massive data dump.
And news it is, the intricate details of how some of the world’s most powerful people use tax avoidance loopholes in various nations’ laws, coupled with so-called “offshore” shelters, or outright skullduggery, to hide ill-gotten gains or remove legally earned income to low-or-no tax havens.
News with nary a trace of “click bait” fluff here, discounting the vicarious thrill of seeing Iceland’s prime minister walk out of a TV interview when asked even the simplest question about his peculiar personal finances.
And journalists do matter when it comes to sorting through — and making sense of — a stupefying assembly of raw information and documents totaling 2.6 terabytes of data.
The total amount of leaked data from an as-yet unidentified source is the biggest in history, say several news operations. WikiLeaks’ 2010 release of classified diplomatic cables came to just 1.7 gigabytes. Edward Snowden’s leaked data totaled just 60 gigabytes, the online Global Post says. (OK, I had to look it up: A terabyte is 1000 gigabytes).
The leaked material includes 4.8 million email messages, 1 million images, and covers 40 years of the operations of the Panama-based law firm Mossack Fonseca, starting in 1977 — with 14,000 clients and 214,000 companies named in the files.
The stories just beginning to emerge from the maze of data already involve nearly 400 journalists in several dozen countries, who thus far have identified “140 heads of state, officials, politicians and associates” in the schemes, which are linked to people and institutions in 200 nations and territories, Global Post reported.
And yes, all of this does matter — even in this new millennium of 140-character self-expression and endless streams of electrons devoted to “news” of celebrity burps and bumps.
In addition to the on-again off-again resignation in Iceland, Chinese government censors moved quickly to remove any mention of the scandal from the nation’s already heavily circumscribed online resources. Relatives of top Chinese leaders are linked to hidden financial operations, according to ICIJ.
And what of ICIJ, a 19-year-old nonprofit group of reporters, editors and news outlets? Created as a project of the Washington, D.C.-based Center for Public Integrity, its aim is to counter the increasingly global nature of major stories with — according to its website — “computer-assisted reporting specialists, public records experts, fact-checkers and lawyers.”
In sum, just the kind of vigorous and effective watchdog role envisioned by this nation’s founders for a robust and free press. From challenging the nature of million-dollar contracts to private companies during U.S. military operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, to reporting that as long ago as the year 2000, Pentagon leaders recognized the risks of having private contractors like Snowden with access to great amounts of classified materials, the consortium has been a new era global thorn in the side of those who once were considered too big or too distant to be held accountable.
There’s no question that the Digital Age has turned upside down the economics of journalism, realigned the audience, and likely changed forever even the manner of how we take in news. But the Panama Papers illustrates that having journalists in place to gather, make sense of and then report what they have found is a required, resilient and valuable asset.
And it’s not just this single example that’s bringing new faces and new methods to news reporting. Sometimes alone, and sometimes in partnership with venerable news operations like The New York Times, names like ProPublica, Politifact and online powerhouse Bloomberg News now populate the annual lists of Pulitzer Prize winners. On local and regional levels, news partnerships reaching across media and linking one-time competitors are becoming more common.
To be sure, the disclosures contained in the Panama Papers are the news. But the manner in which it is happening also signals what may just be — in today’s terms of art — how journalism and a free press “reboot” for the 21st century.
Gene Policinski is chief operating officer of the Newseum Institute and senior vice president of the Institute’s First Amendment Center. [email protected]
Topeka –Gov. Sam Brownback has signed an education funding bill designed to prevent the state Supreme Court from shutting down the state’s public schools.
The bill is a response to a Supreme Court ruling in February that the state isn’t providing enough aid to its poor districts. The justices threatened to shut down schools if lawmakers didn’t act by June 30.
The bill redistributes $83 million of the state’s $4 billion-plus in annual aid.
Critics contend that the bill doesn’t solve the problems identified by the court.
The Governor issued the following statement:
“The legislature has acted to keep Kansas schools open and I agree with its choice. I have signed Senate Substitute for House Bill 2655 because I want to keep our schools open and ensure our students continue to have access to a quality education. I would remind those who criticized this bill as a ‘product of politics,’ that it is indeed the job of the legislature to address these issues. The legislature consists of 165 elected representatives of the people. I do not take their judgment lightly. This bill is the result of a delicate legislative compromise – one that I respectfully endorse and that the Court should review with appropriate deference.”
This bill adopts the capital outlay equalization formula previously approved by the Court itself. It includes a “hold harmless” provision so that no school district will see a reduction from its current funding level.
A copy of the Governor’s signing statement for Senate Substitute for House Bill 2655 may be found here.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — An 81-year-old woman has been convicted of firing a handgun while two animal control officers were trying to capture a dog from her Kansas property.
The Hutchinson News reports that Cora Jeanette Jackson was found guilty Wednesday in Reno County of criminal threat but acquitted of aggravated assault charges.
Jackson says she fired a shot “out of frustration” in July after officers couldn’t capture the stray with catch poles and retrieved a tranquilizer gun.
Reno County District Attorney Keith Schroeder says the state is satisfied because the verdict prevents Jackson from owning a gun for at least a few years. He says she refused an offer to plead to a misdemeanor because she wanted her gun back and prosecutors wouldn’t agree to that.
Federal officials have determined that Newman Regional Health has addressed their concerns about policies for patients with mental health issues and will continue making Medicare payments to the hospital. NEWMAN REGIONAL HEALTH
Newman Regional Health will continue to receive Medicare payments after federal officials determined staff at the Emporia hospital had addressed their concerns about policies for patients with mental health issues.
A news release from the hospital Tuesday announced the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services determined Newman had complied with its requirements. In March, CMS had raised the possibility of stopping Medicare payments after a psychiatric patient was discharged too soon in September 2015.
Newman CEO Robert Wright said in the release that he was proud of how the hospital’s employees had worked to address the CMS concerns.
“The issues surrounding the assessment, discharge and transfer of patients with mental health conditions have been successfully resolved and the great care we provide made even better as a result,” he said.
The September 2015 case involved a patient who sought care in Newman’s emergency department for chest pain and thoughts of suicide. The hospital held the patient overnight and then discharged the patient, with the understanding that a staff member from the Mental Health Center of East Central Kansas would take the patient to a psychiatric hospital. The unidentified psychiatric hospital didn’t have room for the patient, however.
The report didn’t specify any harm to the patient, but the discharge still ran afoul of federal rules because the patient wasn’t stabilized before being discharged. Patients can be transferred before they are stable if another facility could better care for them but can’t be discharged.
Megan Hart is a reporter for KHI News Service in Topeka, a partner in the Heartland Health Monitor team. You can reach her on Twitter @meganhartMC
ALMA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas residents are cleaning up from another round of rural wildfires that have burned at least 18 square miles.
KSNT-TV reports that Alma City Councilmen Dan Deiter spent Wednesday sorting through debris at the Catholic school where he taught in northern Kansas. He says there was “no hope” for saving the building, which burned Tuesday.
In nearby Riley County, authorities say workers from a Kansas State University agriculture program started a fire that burned about 300 acres and destroyed a mobile home.
Riley County emergency management director Pat Collins said that the workers had been building a fence with a torch or welder. About 100 mobile home residents were evacuated.
Fires also burned Tuesday in Morton County in southwest Kansas and Geary County in the north.
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Authorities are investigating a suspicious death in Kansas City, Kansas.
Police said in a news release that the victim was suffering from blunt trauma to his legs and head when he was found along a road. He was transported to an area hospital, where he died from his injuries.
The identity of the victim wasn’t immediately released. Authorities are urging anyone with information to come forward.
SHAWNEE COUNTY- A Kansas man was injured in an accident just after 6p.m. on Wednesday in Shawnee County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Chevy Silverado driven by Craig Kelley 41, Clearwater, was southbound on Kansas 4 at the intersection of U.S. 24.
The pickup crossed the centerline and hit a 1999 Dodge Durango driven by Judy M. Cunningham, 56, Valley Falls, head-on.
A 2003 Pontiac Grand Prix driven by Lindsey N. Wells, 29, Osage City, rear-ended the Durango and a 1997 Honda Civic driven by Joe T. Large, 26, Topeka, hit the rear end of the Grand Prix.
Kelley was transported to Stormont Vail.
Cunningham, Wells and Large were not injured.
Kelley was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.
PRATT – Kansas Wildlife and Parks magazine staff invite you to enter your favorite outdoor photographs in the 4th annual Wild About Kansas photo contest beginning Monday, April 11. Participants can submit up to three photos in select categories including wildlife, other species, hunting and fishing, outdoor recreation, or landscapes. There is no fee to enter, and the contest is open to both residents and nonresidents.
CATEGORY DESCRIPTIONS
Wildlife: game and nongame animals, primarily mammals, migratory birds, furbearers, etc.
Other Species: insects, reptiles, and amphibians.
Hunting and Fishing: hunters and anglers; set-up shots following a hunt or fishing trip will be accepted. However, “action” shots, or photos taken during the activity will be given preference.
Outdoor Recreation: people participating in recreational activities outdoors, not hunting or fishing.
Landscapes: scenery; wildlife may be present, but should not be the sole focus of the image.
Photographers can submit up to three photos. Photos must be taken within the state of Kansas and must be the entrant’s original work.
Each photo will be judged on creativity, composition, subject matter, lighting, and the overall sharpness. Winners will be featured in the 2017 Special Photo Issue of Kansas Wildlife and Parks magazine.
Only electronic images will be accepted and must be e-mailed to Kansas Wildlife and Parks magazine managing editor, Nadia Marji, at nadia.marji@ksoutdoors no later than 5 p.m. on Nov. 4, 2016. Photos must be in JPEG or TIFF format and file size should be not less than 1mb and not more than 5mb.
Additional information and entry forms will be available on the April 11 contest start date at
IOWA CITY, Iowa (AP) — Investigators say they’ve uncovered how a lottery employee allegedly rigged jackpots and have charged his brother in connection with prizes in Oklahoma and Colorado.
Tommy Tipton, a former justice of the peace in Texas, surrendered to Iowa authorities on Wednesday. He’s the brother of Eddie Tipton, who was convicted of fixing a $16.5 million jackpot and faces charges related to other jackpots.
Prosecutors allege that he used his access to random number generators to fix jackpots in Kansas, Colorado, Wisconsin and Oklahoma and worked with associates to play winning numbers and collect prizes.
Authorities said Wednesday they’ve recovered the generator used for a $2 million jackpot claimed by Eddie Tipton’s friend. An examination found that code allowed numbers to be picked by a different program three days of the year.
All six jackpots linked to Tipton were drawn on either Nov. 23 or Dec. 29.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A 36-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of child abuse after Wichita police say doctors found a small octopus stuck in the throat of his girlfriend’s 2-year-old son.
Wichita police Lt. James Espinoza said that a 21-year-old woman returned home from work Tuesday night and found her boyfriend performing CPR on her son. Espinoza said the couple took the boy to the hospital, where doctors found and removed the dead octopus, which had a head about 2 inches in diameter, from the boy’s throat. Police said the octopus was likely to be used for sushi.
Authorities also said that doctors also noticed injuries on the boy’s face.
According to Espinoza, the boy was not breathing when he arrived at the hospital and he is in serious condition.
KDWPT
