KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A man who police say shot at officers in Kansas City, Kansas, faces drug and gun charges.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that 27-year-old Ashawntus McCambry is charged with one count each of possession with intent to distribute crack cocaine, possession with intent to distribute marijuana, unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction.

McCambry was initially charged for crimes that allegedly took place on Dec. 22. Police say he fired shots in the direction of officers as they served a search warrant at his residence.

McCambry surrendered, saying he didn’t know they were police and that he thought he was being robbed.

It wasn’t immediately clear if McCambry has an attorney.

HARVEY COUNTY- A Kansas woman was injured in an accident just after 7:30 a.m. on Thursday in Harvey County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Pontiac passenger vehicle driven by Kaleb Ray Beaugh, 22, Salina, was southbound on Interstate135 just north of North Newton in the right lane.

The Pontiac was traveling at a higher rate of speed behind a 2011 Toyota passenger vehicle driven by Karen Sue Koehn, 55, Moundridge.

The Pontiac rear-ended the Toyota.

Koehn was transported to Newton Medical Center. She was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

Beaugh was not injured and it is not known if he was wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — The former owner of Ziggies restaurants in Kansas and Missouri  has pleaded guilty to failing to pay more than $1.3 million in payroll taxes.

During a plea hearing Wednesday in federal court, Agim Zendeli of Springfield admitted he didn’t forward payroll taxes collected from employees to the Internal Revenue Service from March 2004 to December 2014.

He operated Ziggies restaurants in Springfield, Joplin, Carthage, Nevada, Republic, Willard, Marshfield, West Plains, Rolla and Poplar Bluff in Missouri, and in Pittsburg and Fort Scott in Kansas from 1998 to 2014.

Prosecutors say Zendell used the money from the scheme to support a lavish lifestyle.

To avoid paying past due taxes, Zendell formed 18 different companies to take over his restaurant operations using the names of family members, partners or employees.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Drivers who pay tolls with cash on the Kansas Turnpike will have to pay more, beginning in May.

The Kansas Turnpike Authority announced Wednesday that cash tolls will increase 10 percent while costs for those who use the electronic K-Tag will get discounts.

The revenue from the tolls will help pay for a more than 40 projects on the turnpike in the next decade. The projects include spending $14 million annually on pavement, up to $20 million to improve service areas and $25 million on an interchange in Wichita.

The Turnpike Authority receives no tax funding and supports its operations through user fees.

KANSAS CITY -A Federal Grand Jury has indicted A Kansas man who also has three cases pending in Reno County District Court.

Brandon Matthew Mounce, 38, Hutchinson, is charged with failing to register as required by the Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act. The crime is alleged to have occurred in March of 2015.

In District Court, Mounce is charged in one case with two counts of failing to register as a sex offender because of a conviction for sexual assault in Dallas in 2007.

He failed to register according to the state on Dec. 17 and Dec. 31, 2014.

The second case involves him failing to appear before District Judge Trish Rose. It charges him with aggravated failure to appear in case where he’s charged with attempted aggravated arson.

He also allegedly failed to appear in court on Jan. 13, 2015. The state then managed to get his bond forfeited and he failed to turn himself in.

In the attempted arson case, he’s alleged to have set a pair of jeans on fire at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center on July 7, 2014.

If convicted, he faces a maximum penalty of 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.

JENNIFER C. KERR, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — The final run for the current version of the SAT college entrance exam comes this weekend, when hundreds of thousands of students nationwide will sit, squirm or stress through the nearly four-hour reading, writing and math test.

A revamped version of the SAT debuts in March.

The College Board says the new SAT will focus more on what students are learning in the classroom and analysis by students. There also is no longer a penalty for guessing on the redesigned exam, and the essay will be optional.

The board says there’s no reason for students to be anxious about the new look of the SAT. But some college counselors and test preparation companies say some students are focusing on Saturday’s exam because it’s more familiar.

NEW YORK (AP) — Christmas ornaments sold on home shopping network QVC are being recalled after customers said they cut themselves on the aluminum ornaments and needed stitches.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission said the ornaments have decorative cutouts that have sharp metal edges. The CPSC said 140 customers cut their fingers on the ornaments. Four said they needed stitches.

The ornaments, called Cheryl’s Jingle Bell ornaments, were sold during QVC TV programs and on the company’s website between November and December. They cost $55 for a box of eight ornaments. The ornaments came in red, green, gold and silver colors and were sold with 64 cookies.

About 25,000 box sets were sold. Customers should stop using the ornaments and return them to QVC for a full refund, the CPSC said.

ORCHARD PARK, N.Y. (AP) — Bills hire Kathryn Smith, making her first full-time female assistant coach in NFL history.

She had been working as an administrative assistant with the assistant coaches for years, according to a media release from the Bills.

 

BREAKING: Kathryn Smith is the Bills new special teams quality control coach, the first full-time female NFL coach! pic.twitter.com/r2MkWX4pR3

— Buffalo Bills (@buffalobills) January 21, 2016

 

Kathryn Smith’s official title with the @buffalobills will be Quality Control-Special Teams. — Buffalo Bills PR (@BuffaloBillsPR) January 21, 2016

OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A suburban Kansas City man has been charged in a woman’s death.

The Kansas City Star reports that the premeditated first-degree murder charge was filed Wednesday against 37-year-old Christopher Duane Wallace, of Overland Park. Bond is set at $1 million. Defense attorney Carl Cornwell didn’t immediately return a phone message from The Associated Press seeking comment.

He is accused of killing 35-year-old Jennifer Lopez, whose body was found late Monday inside a Mission apartment. Court documents do not say how Lopez was killed.

Wallace was detained at the scene and later arrested in connection with the homicide.

Overland Park police described Wallace and Lopez as acquaintances.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Senate Agriculture Committee Chairman Pat Roberts, R-Kan., and Ranking Member Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich., Wednesday held a business meeting where bipartisan legislation to reauthorize child nutrition programs was favorably reported out of the Agriculture Committee.

The legislation, “Improving Child Nutrition Integrity and Access Act of 2016,” reforms and reauthorizes child nutrition programs in the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966.

WATCH Senator Roberts Opening statement here

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas senators are considering a measure that would allow limited possession of marijuana.

The bill includes provisions that reduce penalties for first- and second-time offenders. It also allows some medical cannabis treatment for those suffering from seizures and encourages industrial hemp research. The House passed the bill last year.

In a Kansas Senate committee hearing Wednesday, parents of children with developmental disabilities discussed the advantages of using medical marijuana for seizures.

Scott Schulz, executive director of the Kansas Sentencing Commission, also supported reducing criminal penalties for the possession of marijuana. The bill would reduce the severity of a first-time offense, while a second conviction would be considered a misdemeanor instead of a low-level felony.

——————–

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas lawmakers are reviewing a bill that would lessen the state’s penalties for marijuana possession and allow the limited use of marijuana for medical purposes.

The Senate Corrections and Juvenile Justice Committee was meeting Wednesday for the first of two days of hearings on the marijuana legislation. The panel was taking testimony from supporters first and hearing from opponents Thursday.

The House approved the bill last year.

The measure would decrease the maximum penalties for first-time, misdemeanor marijuana possession to six months in jail and a $1,000 fine from a year in jail and a $2,500 fine. A second possession conviction would no longer be a felony.

The bill also would allow cannabis to be used in treating seizures and set up a program to research industrial hemp production.

GREAT BEND -Safety is the number one thing law enforcement officers provide and preach to citizens. Part of that safety also involves how they protect themselves from harmful situations.

While officers gear up with protective equipment including body armor, there typically is no gear for the four-legged officers.

The Great Bend Police Department has two police canines that serve as drug dogs and are able to apprehend criminals.

Sergeant Nikki Woodrow with the Wichita Police Department began the Four Legged Project. The project raises money to purchase ballistic vests for canines in Kansas.

“This canine vest costs over one-thousand dollars, so I created a non-profit to help police departments around the state of Kansas get ballistic vests for their departments,” she said.

All the money raised is from private donations and last year we provided over 30 vests.”

In 2012, Woodrow says they began keeping record of canine deaths in the line of duty. Since that time, over 20 police dogs have been killed by gunshot or stabbing.

Four Legged Project donated two body armor vests for Great Bend’s Kia and Lazer. Both dogs reluctantly tried their vests on for the first time this week.

The vests weigh approximately 6 pounds, according to Woodrow. “After a little bit of training the dogs are fine. They don’t wear it all the time because of the weight and officers can get it on and off the dog easily once they begin working with it.”

Four Legged Project began in early 2015 and still has money in its fund. Woodrow says there is no waiting list at the moment so they are just waiting to make more donations to law enforcement agencies across the state.

FINNEY COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Finney County are investigating a suspect who allegedly attempted an assault on officers, according to a media release.

Just after 4 a.m. on Wednesday, Officers of the Garden City Police Department were patrolling the area of First and Maple Street when they observed a Blue Oldsmobile stop at a stop sign, then pull out into the intersection nearly striking the Officer in the patrol vehicle.

As Officers attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the Oldsmobile it made a U turn and drove head on towards the Officers.

The suspect’s vehicle stopped directly in front of the patrol unit and the driver began to exit the vehicle. As Officers began exiting the patrol vehicle the driver reentered the Oldsmobile and fled.

A vehicle pursuit was initiated east on Maple Street.

Officers pursued the vehicle to the 700 Block of East Santa Fe where the suspect’s vehicle drove into a backyard and the driver fled on foot.

Officers located the suspect, Francisco Moreno, no known address, hiding inside a residence in the 700 block of East Santa Fe.

Moreno resisted arrest and was taken into custody after a brief struggle.
There were no injuries or property damage in this incident.
Moreno was arrested and is being held in the Finney County Jail and could face the possible charges of: Fleeing and Eluding
Interference with a Law Enforcement Officer Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer