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Corrections Secretary Ray Roberts to retire after 40-year career

KDOC Secretary Ray Roberts
KDOC Secretary Ray Roberts

Office of the Governor

TOPEKA– Governor Sam Brownback announced Friday that Secretary of Corrections Ray Roberts will step down at the end of the year. Roberts has served as Corrections Secretary since 2011.

“I am grateful for the wealth of leadership and experience Ray has provided to the state,” Governor Brownback said. “In a corrections career spanning more than 40 years, he has worked with the utmost integrity, serving Kansans through his dedication to public safety, and by actively encouraging and assisting offenders through mentorship programs to become law-abiding citizens.”

Roberts was formerly the warden of El Dorado Correctional Facility. He has also served as a correctional counselor, director of faith-based ministry, warden of five correctional facilities, and deputy secretary of facility management. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice from the University of Southern Mississippi, and his masters of education in Counseling and Guidance from Delta State University.

“It has been an honor and privilege to serve Governor Brownback and the people of the Great State of Kansas,” Roberts said. “Governor Brownback has supported me through good and difficult times and taught me about leadership and humility. Serving as secretary has been the highlight of my career for which I am forever grateful. I have been honored to work alongside incredible staff that has devoted their time and talents to making Kansas a safer place and I know that the agency and its mission are in good hands.”

The mission of the Kansas Department of Corrections is to make a safer Kansas through effective correctional services.

Officials: 1 dead, 3 wounded in university shooting in Ariz. UPDATE

The Latest: Arizona shooting suspect faces court appearance
The Associated Press

FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — The latest on the shooting at Northern Arizona University (all times local):

12:30 p.m.

An 18-year-old Northern Arizona University student accused of fatally shooting another student and wounding three others faces an initial court appearance in Flagstaff Friday afternoon.

University officials said Steven Jones was arrested immediately after the shooting and faces one count of first-degree murder and three of aggravated assault.

Police said the shooting occurred early Friday morning in a parking lot near a dorm following a confrontation between two groups of students.

Delta Chi executive director Justin Sherman said that the four victims were members of the fraternity. Sherman also said the suspect was not a member.

___

11:50 a.m.

A Northern Arizona University student who was killed in an overnight campus shooting loved to play lacrosse and wanted to be successful so he could help others.

Ryan Jernegan, of Woodbury, New Jersey, says his cousin, Colin Brough, was “the happiest person that you probably would ever meet.”

Jernegan says he and Brough were close growing up and reunited during a chance meeting in Las Vegas in June.

Jernegan says now he keeps thinking how lucky he was to spend those days with him.

Brough was killed in a shooting that left three other students wounded.

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11:20 a.m.

The four victims in the overnight shooting at Northern Arizona University were all members of the same fraternity.

Delta Chi executive director Justin Sherman said in a letter in the aftermath of the shooting that Colin Brough, Nicholas Prato, Kyle Zientek and Nicholas Piring were members of the fraternity.

The alleged gunman was not a member of the fraternity.

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11:05 a.m.

Northern Arizona University says an error in its alert system kept some people on its distribution list from getting an initial message warning of an active shooter.

The university says its police department was notified at 1:20 a.m. of shots fired and responding police had the suspect detained two minutes later.

The initial alert sent at 1:30 a.m. warned of an active shooter and an “imminent threat” and advised people to avoid the area where the shooting took place and “take immediate cover.”

The university says an error resulted in only “partial distribution” of the initial alert. University spokesman Eric Dieterle declined to elaborate or to say how many people didn’t get the initial message.

A final all-clear message was sent to the entire campus at 2:52 a.m.

___

11 a.m.

Northern Arizona University officials say campus police had the suspect in an early morning fatal shooting in custody within two minutes of first word of the incident.

A statement released by the university said NAU police were notified at 1:20 a.m. of shots fired and that the suspect was detained and the situation secured at 1:22 a.m.

The statement didn’t say what was going on at the shooting scene in a campus parking lot when police arrived.

Emergency medical personnel were on the scene a 1:33 a.m.

The university said one student was killed and three others wounded and that the suspect is a fellow student.

___

10:20 a.m.

Officials say a student who was fatally shot at Northern Arizona University was from Colorado.

Douglas County Schools say that Colin Brough, who was killed in the shooting that wounded three others early Friday, graduated from Castle View High School in Castle Rock, Colorado, in 2013.

Spokesman Randy Barber says a crisis team has been sent to support students and staff at the high school about 30 miles south of downtown Denver.

Authorities say the shooting erupted in a confrontation between two student groups.

___

8:30 a.m.

Authorities have released the names of the victims in the overnight shooting at Northern Arizona University.

The student who died was identified by the school as Colin Brough. The victims being treated at Flagstaff Medical Center are Nicholas Prato, Kyle Zientek and Nicholas Piring.

Police say the shooting erupted in a confrontation between two student groups.

The parking lot where the shooting happened is just outside Mountain View Hall dormitory on the Flagstaff campus, which provides housing for many of the campus’ sororities and fraternities.

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7:30 a.m.

Arizona political leaders say the city of Flagstaff and Northern Arizona University are in their thoughts and prayers after a campus shooting left one person dead and three others wounded.

Gov. Doug Ducey said the incident, which officials say began as a fight between groups of students, was “heartbreaking” and that the state stands ready to help in the investigation and response.

Congresswoman Ann Kirkpatrick lives in Flagstaff. She said her heart and those of other Flagstaff residents are hurting. But she expressed confidence that the city “will only grow stronger in difficult moments like these. ”

Sens. John McCain and Jeff Flake also expressed sympathy for the victims, their families and the Flagstaff community.

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6:45 a.m.

A fraternity says some of its members were involved in an early morning shooting involving Northern Arizona University students in Flagstaff.

University officials said the shooting Friday in a parking lot left one person dead and three others wounded. The suspected shooter is in custody.

Iowa City, Iowa-based Delta Chi Fraternity said Delta Chi members were involved, but Executive Director Justin Sherman said in the statement that the organization doesn’t have detailed information about the identity of the victims.

Sherman said it was an isolated incident and not fraternity related.

The shooting occurred near a large residence hall that the university’s website says is home for most students in the Greek system on campus.

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6:30 a.m.

Police say the shooting at Northern Arizona University that killed one student and wounded three others began as a fight between two groups.

University police chief Greg Fowler identified the suspect as 18-year-old Steven Jones. He is believed to be a freshman at the Flagstaff school.

The shooting happened at 1:20 a.m. in a parking lot outside a dorm. The university called the shooting an “isolated and unprecedented” incident and said classes will go on as planned Friday.

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FLAGSTAFF, Ariz. (AP) — Officials say one person is dead and three others are wounded following an early morning shooting at Northern Arizona University

School public relations director Cindy Brown says the suspected shooting is in custody.

She says the first police calls of the gunfire came in at 1:20 a.m. PDT Friday.

The shooting occurred in a parking lot outside Mountainview Hall dormitory at the northeast side of the Flagstgaff campus.

Kansas ends volatile 2014 with 154 same-sex marriages

Gay marriage

HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH, Associated Press

 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Recently released reports show that 154 same-sex couples wed in Kansas during a volatile period in late 2014, months before the U.S. Supreme Court’s landmark ruling that legalized the unions nationwide.

Newly compiled data from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment show that those unions made up less than 1 percent of the 17,655 marriages statewide in 2014. The agency says marriage data so far for 2015 isn’t yet available.

Tom Witt of the gay rights group Equality Kansas says roadblocks to marriage in 2014 were “substantial,” but he expects far more same-sex unions this year.

Confusion reigned in Kansas after the U.S. Supreme Court in October turned away appeals from five states seeking to retain gay-marriage bans. One was in the same federal appeals court circuit as Kansas.

KSU to eliminate student fee allocation for athletic department

MANHATTAN -K-State Athletic Director John Currie announced Thursday night that the university is currently in the process of phasing out annual student fee allocation to intercollegiate athletics. john currie ten

In a letter to the University published Thursday night, Currie writes;

“As you may recall, when President Schulz and I arrived at K-State in June of 2009, approximately $2.6 million of our $44 million (6 percent) budget came from direct and indirect University funding (not counting the student fee allocation). Thanks to the generosity of our donors and fans, the growth of our Big 12 Conference revenues and careful fiscal management, we have been able to eliminate this funding source, enabling these dollars to be reinvested into critical academic needs across campus. This year, fiscal year 2016, we are the lone athletics program in the state of Kansas and one of only approximately 25 in the country to operate with no direct or indirect university funding or state support.

Our nationally-renowned students will continue to be a huge part of our ability to achieve the Vision of A Model Intercollegiate Athletics Program, and that’s why we continue to allocate the prime seating sections both court- and field-side in Bramlage Coliseum and Bill Snyder Family Stadium. But, we believe, given other critical student needs across campus, the time has come for us to phase out the annual student fee allocation to intercollegiate athletics. In this spirit, earlier tonight the SGA Privilege Fee committee proposed legislation to the Student Senate which, if passed, will reduce allocations to Athletics to $450,000 in fees in FY17 followed by $350,000 in FY18 and $200,000 for in FY19 with the anticipation that these allocations will then cease.”

You can read the letter in it’s entirety here!

Senate Democrats preparing legislative package to curb guns

gunALAN FRAM, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Democrats are preparing a legislative push to curb guns, a week after a mass shooting at an Oregon community college refocused attention on the nation’s toll of firearms deaths.

Republicans controlling Congress have shown scant interest in restricting guns and the Democratic effort has little chance of success. But their drive could keep the issue alive during next year’s elections and complicate GOP senators’ re-election campaigns in some closely divided states.

Democrats say their push would include broadening background check requirements to cover all sales at gun shows and online. Republicans blocked similar legislation in 2013 after the killing of 20 students and six staffers at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut.

A gunman killed nine people last week at Umpqua Community College in Roseburg, Oregon.  One person died and three others were wounded following an early morning shooting at Northern Arizona University early Friday.

Royals grounds crew member attacked by tarp during rain delay (VIDEO)

KANSAS CITY – A member of the Kansas City Royals grounds crew avoided a serious injury during the rain delay in game one of the American League Division Series.

Social media made the teenager a celebrity after he was run over by the huge tarp used to protect the infield. Officials reported he was checked out and not injured.

The rain delay lasted less than an hour.

KS Fire Marshal: Keep Halloween haunted houses safe

ks fire marshal logoOffice of the Kansas State Fire Marshal

TOPEKA–With Halloween coming upon us, families will soon start visiting haunted houses, ghost walks and other spooky amusements.

The Kansas State Fire Marshal, Doug Jorgensen, would like to remind everyone that even though these amusements are intended for family Halloween entertainment, these structures present an increased risk with regards to fire and life safety.

Kansas has adopted the 2006 International Fire Code which requires these types of facilities to comply with major components of fire and life safety. History has shown that complying with life safety requirements is vital. The tragic May 11, 1984 fire in the “Haunted Castle” at the Six Flags Great Adventure Park in New Jersey resulted in the deaths of eight visitors due to their inability to immediately exit the amusement struc­ture.

Those operating these types of amusements should give special attention to the following requirements:

· Automatic Sprinkler System in accordance with NFPA 13
· Automatic Fire Alarm System in accordance with NFPA 72
· Number of exits
· Exit signs, illumination and emergency lighting
· Travel distance to exits
· Use of flammable liquids
· Use of combustible interior finish
· Location of extinguishing equipment
· Adequate staff trained in evacuation and equipped with flashlights
· Established emergency procedures
· Readily available means to notify local fire, police and emergency medical services

For added safety, it may be necessary to limit occupant load, add additional emergency exits or establish other special precautions to minimize a potential risk due to some unique circumstance. In any event, every effort should be made to provide an enjoyable but safe environment as determined by the local fire inspec­tion authority.

*The specific requirements may be modified by the state fire marshal to allow alternative measures to obtain an equivalency to the code. K.S.A.31-136 provides procedures for exemptions of these requirements upon written request. The written request must demonstrate that the specific requirement causes unneces­sary hardship.”

Haunted House operators should download our handy checklist to help create a safe and enjoyable Haunt­ed House experience for their patrons.

1 killed in Kansas house fire

Screen Shot 2015-10-09 at 6.11.53 AMEMPORIA, Kan. (AP) — One person has been killed and three firefighters were injured in a house fire in Emporia.

The Emporia Gazette reports fire crews were called to the house fire late Thursday.

Rich Gould with the Emporia Fire Department says in a statement that crews encountered high heat and flames when they arrived at the home. Gould also says fire hydrants in the area were low in pressure, and that lack of water became an issue.

Fire crews found a person who had died in the second story of the home. The victim’s name hasn’t been released.

Three firefighters were treated for non-life threatening injuries.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by local police and fire officials as well as the state Fire Marshal’s office.

Police: Kan. man shot in leg during argument

policeWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Police say a 29-year-old man was injured after an argument in south Wichita led to a shooting.

Wichita police Lt. James Espinoza said Thursday that the victim was arguing with a 31-year-old acquaintance shortly after 11 p.m. Wednesday. Espinoza said the argument escalated and the victim ran from a group of men. Police say the group of men chased the victim and he was shot in the leg.

The victim was taken to a hospital for treatment. He is expected to survive.

An investigation is ongoing.

GOP in tumult, Huelskamp outspoken on speaker’s race

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy’s astonishing decision to abandon his campaign to become speaker has left Republicans staring at turmoil and uncertainty.

GOP lawmakers are meeting Friday to discuss their next move.  On Thursday night Kansas first district congressman Tim Huelskamp discussed the speakers’s race on the Fox New’s Megyn Kelly Show and  the nationally syndicated Mark Levin radio show.

On Thursday morning, Republicans at a closed-door meeting where they seemed ready to coronate the Californian as their candidate for speaker were aghast when McCarthy rose and told them he wouldn’t seek the job.

McCarthy’s announcement leaves the race to succeed departing Speaker John Boehner wide open. The Ohio Republican delivered his own shocker on Sept. 25 when he said he would retire from Congress at the end of October.

Boehner said he would remain in his job until a new speaker was installed. That election had been set for Oct. 29, but now the date is uncertain.

Fire breaks out at Kansas chemical plant

FIreWICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Officials say no one has been injured after a fire broke out at a chemical plant in southwest Wichita.

The fire at the Occidental Chemicals plant was reported just before 5 p.m. Thursday. Sedgwick County Fire Marshal Dan Wegner said the fire was contained to the storage facility of the plant and was extinguished shortly before 6 p.m.

According to Occidental’s plant manager Steve Hieger, the fire originated inside a sodium chlorite container. Hieger said the incident will have minimal impact on the plant’s operations and there is no environmental danger as a result of the fire.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Ethics Lawyer: Paul Davis can stay on voter rules lawsuit

Davis
Davis

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — An attorney for the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission says former Democratic lawmaker Paul Davis can continue to be part of a federal lawsuit challenging voter registration restrictions.

The Wichita Eagle reports attorney Brett Barry announced Thursday that Davis’ work on the case does not conflict with state law.

The State Republican Party demanded this week that Davis withdraw from the lawsuit. They said he was violating a state law that bars former or current lawmakers from arguing in court that a legislative action is unconstitutional unless he or she voted no. In 2011 while serving in the Kansas House, Davis voted in favor of a law requiring people to prove citizenship when they register to vote.

Berry says Davis’ brief in the case does not violate that state law.

New president named at Dodge City Community College

Nolte- photo DCCC
Nolte- photo DCCC

DODGE CITY -The Dodge City Community College Board of Trustees met in a special meeting this week and unanimously named Harold Nolte the school’s new president.

Nolte had been serving as the school’s Interim President.

“I by no means came to Dodge City expecting to be named the next president of Dodge City Community College, he said in a media release from the school.

“In this short time, I have grown very fond of the college, the faculty, staff and administration. We have a great Board here and so much potential for this college. I am very honored and excited to be named your new president.”

Dr. Nolte most recently served as Blinn College district president in Brenham, Texas. He announced his retirement there in January.

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