SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a series of armed robberies and have a suspect in custody.
Erwin -photo Sedgwick Co.
Just before 10p.m. Monday, a police officer on patrol near 21stand Maize Road in Wichita observed 36-year-old Christopher Erwin enter a Jimmy Johns restaurant, point a handgun at employees and demand money, according to officer Charley Davidson.
The officer approached the business and took Erwin into custody as he exited the rear of the business. The officer also recovered a handgun.
In addition to the Monday robbery, police have reason to suspect Erwin was involved in robberies at a NuWay and Pizza Hut in Wichita, according to Davidson.
Erwin is being held on three counts of armed robbery and kidnapping in connection with the robberies. Investigators will present the case to the Sedgwick County District Attorney.
MIAMI COUNTY — One person died in an accident just before 11a.m. Tuesday in Miami County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Chevy Silverado driven by Dennis J. Gentry, 64, Mound City, was southbound on U.S. 169 North of 355th Street.
The vehicle was traveling too fast for road conditions. The driver lost control of the pickup as it crossed the bridge. The pickup traveled off the roadway on the left, struck the bridge. reentered the roadway, slid sideways and overturned.
Gentry was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Frontier Forensics. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.
KANSAS CITY (AP) — A police chief is on administrative leave amid an investigation into allegations that he used excessive force against a father accused of trying to drown his 6-month-old in a pond.
Zicarelli -photo Jackson County
FBI investigators visited the baby’s father, Jonathon Stephen Zicarelli, on Friday in the Jackson County Jail, where the 28-year-old is being held on an assault charge.
His attorneys, Tom Porto, says they’re investigating Police Chief Greg Hallgrimson, who’s been on leave since Dec. 26.
Charging documents say Zicarelli’s daughter was rescued nine days earlier after he showed up at the Greenwood Police Department and said he had drowned her. Porto declined to describe what happened to Zicarelli after his arrest.
Hallgrimson said Monday that his attorney told him not to discuss the matter.
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KANSAS CITY (AP) — Police say an infant is recovering after a man walked into a northwest Missouri police station and said he had drowned his 6-month-old child.
Zicarelli -photo Jackson County Sheriff
The man identified as Stephen Zicarelli, 28, Greenwood made the report at the Greenwood police station Monday morning.
Greenwood police Cpl. Thomas Calhoun was able to determine where the child was and he and Police Chief Greg Hallgrimson rushed to the pond.
They found the child floating in the pond. Calhoun performed CPR and was able to revive the child.
Police say the child is reported to be in good health Monday afternoon.
Zicarelli was booked into jail and remains in custody Tuesday, according to the Jackson County Detention Facility.
Greenwood, with a population of about 5,220 people, is about 25 miles southeast of Kansas City.
SALINE COUNTY — One person was critically injured in a Monday night fire in Salina.
Just after 9:30p.m., crews responded to the fire at a home in the 300 Block of North 11thStreet in Salina, according to Fire Investigator Jeff Daily. One of two residents were home at the time. Denise Johnson was able to escape the fire through a window.
EMS transported her to Salina Regional Health Center with significant burns. She was later transferred to a Wichita hospital, according to Daily.
Daily said that although the house remains structurally sound, it was severely damaged.
The cause of the fire has yet to be determined and probably won’t be until investigators are able to speak with Johnson. The other resident of the home was at work at the time of the fire.
SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an other Kansas felon on new charges.
Grayson -photo KBI registered offenderGrayson -is in custody in Shawnee Co.
Just after 7:30 p.m. Monday, police conducted a suspicious vehicle stop in the 700 block of SW Fairlawn in Topeka, according to Lt. Manuel Munoz.
During the investigation, officers could smell a strong odor of marijuana coming from the interior of the vehicle.
A search of the vehicle yielded marijuana, methamphetamines, heroin and a stolen firearm.
Officers transported Kourtney Grayson, 37, to Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Heroin, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Stolen Property and Felon in Possession of a Firearm.
He has previous convictions for aggravated endangerment of a child, criminal discharge of a firearm and two violations of the Kansas registered offender act, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.
This is the 14th case in 2019 with a charge involving a felon in possession of a firearm reported by the Topeka Police Department.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas says it spent at least $414,000 repairing damage and replacing equipment after inmate riots at three of its prisons in 2017 and 2018.
Damage at the El Dorado Correctional Facility in 2018-photos courtesy Cheryl Cadue Kansas Department of Corrections
The figures represent the first attempt by the state Department of Corrections to calculate for legislators the cost of the damage caused by four major disturbances. Several lawmakers said Tuesday that they were surprised the figure was so large.
But corrections officials said their calculations are probably low because they don’t have complete estimates of what the prisons spent on overtime or what it cost to bring in teams from other facilities.
The riots occurred at the state prison in El Dorado in June 2017 and July 2018, at its prison in Norton in September 2017 and at its correctional mental health center in November 2018.
POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY — Four residents of a Kansas home were able to escape a Tuesday morning house fire in rural Pottawatomie County.
Tuesday morning fire in rural Pottawatomie County -photo by By Alyssa Willetts courtesy WIBW TV
Just after 3a.m., crews responded to the fire at a rural two-story home in the 23,100 Block of Spring Creek Road north of Westmoreland, according to Fire Supervisor Jared Barnes.
The home is considered a total loss. Due to the extensive damage, officials are unable to confirm the cause of the blaze, according to Barnes.
Crews from Westmoreland, Oldsburg, and Wheaton responded to the scene along with the Red Cross.
The home’s smoke alarms were working, according to Barnes. There were no injuries reported and the family’s pets also survived.
TOPEKA – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation has initiated an investigation into reports of sexual abuse perpetrated by clergy of the four Catholic dioceses of Kansas, and asks all victims to report clergy abuse to the agency.
On Nov. 15, 2018, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt requested that the KBI investigate allegations of sexual abuse by members of the Catholic clergy in Kansas. Since then, the KBI has convened an internal task force of six special agents who will conduct a thorough investigation into abuse reports received from the public, including accounts from anyone who has been victimized by members of the clergy, including church employees, church volunteers, or any others in positions of authority within the church, and complete a review of church documents.
If you, or someone you know, has been the victim of sexual abuse committed by a member of the clergy, please report this to the KBI by calling 1-800-KS-CRIME, or by sending an email to: [email protected]. The KBI asks victims to report all incidents of abuse, no matter how long ago they occurred, and even if they were previously reported to law enforcement, or the church.
The KBI task force will work with prosecutors and law enforcement partners to determine if any sexual abuse incidents should be considered for prosecution.
SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a murder and have a suspect in custody.
Fortiz -photo Sedgwick Co.
Just after 11:30 p.m. Saturday, police responded to a shooting call at Hydraulic and Mt. Vernon in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.
Upon arrival, officers located 22-year-old Anthony Slaughter of Wichita in the street with a gunshot wound to his body. EMS transported him to an area hospital where he died, according to Davidson.
The investigation revealed, a disturbance occurred between 26-year-old Jose Fortiz and Slaughter behind the Rumba Latina Club, 1953 S, Hydraulic. During the disturbance Fortiz fired multiple shots from a handgun, striking Slaughter.
Police have arrested Fortiz. He is being held on requested charges of 1st degree murder and an outstanding warrant, according to Davidson. There was no bond amount reported early Tuesday.
Investigators will present the case to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.
Last week, the Senate standing committees continued to hold hearings and bring forward legislation. The Senate will be returning to General Orders where we will see the first committee bills to have a vote from the entire Senate. There was no floor action on bills this week on the Senate floor.
SENATE BILL 22 – TAX
The Senate Select Committee on Federal Tax Code Implementation approved Senate Bill 22 last Thursday. The bill which would allow Kansans to deduct interest on their mortgage, property taxes, and health care expenses, was created in response to President Trump’s historical tax cuts of 2017. The bill is expected to deliver millions from the unexpected tax windfall back to individuals and businesses in Kansas. Numerous proponents of the legislation stressed the point that inaction or failure to pass the bill, would result in a tax increase for Kansans with the possibility of Kansas-based companies leaving the state to find more affordable options. The windfall directly linked to the Trump tax cuts belongs to Kansas taxpayers, not government and Senate Bill 22 would allow Kansans to fully benefit from the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017. The Kansas Senate is expected to debate SB 22 this week.
SENATE BILL #9 – KANSAS PUBLIC EMPLOYEE RETIREMENT SYSTEM REPAYMENT
The Senate Ways and Means committee sent SB9 to the full Senate for debate – this is the KPERS repayment bill for $115M which is the $97M payment plus interest (at the interest rate of 8%). The $115 million payment would be credited to the public-school unit within KPERS, which has an unfunded liability of more than $6 billion and retains the system’s lowest actuarial funded ratio of 61.6 percent. The bill aims at rectifying a 2016 decision to delay the payment until this session year. KPERS serves about 300,000 current and retired government workers and has $19B in assets with about $1B in contributions coming in each year. In 2018, $1.7B in total benefits were paid out in retirement, life insurance withdrawals and disability payments. It is managed by a nine board of trustees and has a 25-year rate of return of 8.1%.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Senate Transportation Committee
The Secretary of Transportation Commissioner, Julie Lorenz, presented a report to the committee with an update of the department. Kansas has the 4th largest system in the nation with 142,046 miles of public roads and 24,833 bridges across the state. $600 million of freight is transported daily; there are 2 million plus registered drivers in the state with 2.4 million plus registered vehicles. KDOT has six districts with 1,600 employees and employs 600 employees at the headquarters in Topeka. Senate District #36 spans four of these districts. Traffic fatalities decreased in 2018 with seatbelt usage up at 84% but not to the national average of 90%. The entire report can be found at www.ksdot.org along with 511 updates on road conditions and also includes a link www.safetravelusa.com with travel information for surrounding states.
Highway Patrol Colonel Mark Bruce spoke to the Kansas Senate Transportation committee about the challenges of recruiting and retaining troopers within the Kansas Highway Patrol. He broke down the current makeup of the agency and its attempts to employ a diverse organization that also reflects the population it serves. He detailed efforts to retain current troopers through a competitive compensation plan, training, as well as incentives to keep officers on the job longer through deferred retirement strategies. The KHP has had recent success in its last two graduating classes from the academy with records reached in class size, and the number of minority and female graduates. However, despite those successes a recent study in 2018, determined that agency staffing is over 150 troopers short of what is necessary for the KHP to meet its traffic safety mission. Colonel Bruce indicated he would continue to work with the legislature to increase trooper numbers in order to adequately protect the citizens of Kansas.
Ethics, Elections and Local Government
The new Secretary of State, Scott Schwab, gave his first annual report to the committee with information about the office. The website at www.sos.kansas.gov has a new look and highlights the different services the office provides such as the business section to search for Kansas businesses, applying for Notary stamps, filing annual corporation reports, obtaining Certificate of Good Standings and locating charitable organizations registered in the state. The office also oversees cemeteries in Kansas which must be registered and file a report. The site lists all lobbyist’s and legislator’s campaign reports under the campaign finance tab along with election statistics. The Secretary reported a record number of persons registered to vote for the 2018 general election and a record number of votes cast in gubernatorial year 2018. It was also the highest voter turnout for a gubernatorial year since the passage of the National Voter Registration Act in 1994. The election also included the highest percentage of ballots cast before Election Day (advance votes) for a gubernatorial election. There were 232 total candidates for state and national office with the Kansas House of Representatives electing 28 new members as a result of the primary and general elections.
SENATE BILL #32 – INSURANCE AND FINANCIAL INSURANCE COMMITTEE
Kansas Farm Bureau is seeking legislation that would allow them to offer member healthcare benefit overage. Committee testimony noted nationally nearly 65% of farmers polled say healthcare is one their largest threats to their operations. In the past 5 years new farm income has declined by nearly 50% while insurance costs have increased by more than 200%. KFB members agree and are seeking options to the Affordable Care Act coverage which has become unaffordable for many producers. The KFB member health benefit coverage would be available to any KFB member and anyone may join KFB by applying and paying membership dues. According to the bill, each individual will be rated, and they will select their plans based on their needs. Members may apply for the healthcare benefit coverage by completing an application and the program is voluntary. The plans will be fully insured and backed by the resources of Kansas Farm Bureau.
TOLL-FREE LEGISLATIVE HOTLINE
Kansas residents can access information on legislation, legislative procedure, state government, public policy issues and more by calling 1-800-432-3924. Calls are answered by experienced reference/research librarians at the State Library of Kansas and kept confidential. Lines are open weekdays 8AM-5PM. Callers can also leave brief messages to be delivered to legislators as well as request copies of bills, journals, and other legislative documents. In addition to calling the hotline, residents can also text questions to 785 256-0733, email or instant message at kslib.info/ask. The State Library is located on the 3rd floor, north wing of the Capitol.
NATIVE SONS AND DAUGHTERS OF KANSAS
Marysville business owner, Don Landoll, was recognized as the Business Leader of the Year for 2018 at the annual Native Sons and Daughters of Kansas Banquet. The Board of Directors of the organization selected Don for his many years of success and leadership in his industry and contributing to the betterment of the lives of Kansans through exceptional ingenuity, vision, intelligence and perseverance. Landoll Corporation was founded 55 years ago and continues to thrive in Marysville and Marshall County. Congratulations to Don!
2019 Keep it Clean Kansas Calendar – Kansas Department of Health and Environment
This yearly calendar features the winning artwork of Kansas students’ grades K through 12 who entered the calendar contest. The Bureau of Waste Management has sponsored this contest since 2000 to encourage students, their families and other Kansans to respect and take care of our Kansas land, water and air. Cooper Miller, a kindergartener from Phillipsburg Elementary School was a runner-up and is featured on a page of student artwork of all grades. Lexi Meitler, a kindergartener at Minneapolis Grade School drew the artwork for the January calendar page. Jordyn Wisinger at Phillipsburg High School was the 2019 Grand Prize Winner and is the front cover artist of the KDHE calendar. Calendars are available at no cost at KDHE by calling Julie Coleman at 785-296-1600.
VISITORS FROM SENATE DISTRICT #36
The first three weeks of the legislative session was a busy one with people visiting from home for meetings and to celebrate Kansas Day on Friday – 158 years of statehood. The Municipal Judges, Electric Cooperatives members and Title Company representatives from District #36 had their annual meetings and receptions this month. Members of the Joint Law Enforcement community, County Clerks & County Appraisers, American Legion & VFW, School Board officials, agriculture Retailers & Co-ops and officials from city and county government were in Topeka for their annual events. Doctors across the state attended the Kansas Academy of Family Physicians annual legislative day with Dr. Jen Brull and Dr. Fisher from Rooks County stopping in.
Elaine Bowers, R-Concordia, is the 36th Dist. state senator and serves as the Senate Majority Whip. The 36th Senate District includes Cloud, Jewell, Lincoln, Mitchell, Osborne, Ottawa, Republic, Rooks, Russell, Smith and Washington counties and portions of Marshall and Phillips counties.
Time was when, with a little parliamentary break dancing, 63 votes ran the 125-member Kansas House of Representatives. Something about a “majority of a quorum,” and more broadly majority rule.
Well, not sure that works anymore, this majority rule business that you explain to your kids.
The House this year passed a rule that requires 70 votes to pull a bill out of a committee to the House floor for possible debate. Oh, and it takes another70 votes to override leadership of the chamber to set the bill for debate and eventually a final action vote that either passes the bill to the Senate or kills it.
Used to take a simple majority of 63 to get a bill on the calendar for debate, and then 63 again to pass it. It now takes 70 votes to get to the point where 63 pass a bill.
Now, if it’s a bill that is popular, or politically advantageous, there’s generally no problem to have hearings in a committee which can consider, possibly amend, and then forward the measure to the full House. Majority rule isn’t a big deal when a bill is either popular or relatively inconsequential in the operation of the state.
Another distinctive license plate for members of a group or club that members pay a premium for? As long as it isn’t a flashy distinctive license plate for parolees, or maybe actuaries, there’s generally no real problem.
But say…that members of the House have a bill that would–let’s just use as an example–expand Medicaid in the state to about 150,000 relatively low-income Kansans. The governor likes it, the folks running the House generally don’t.
That bill is in a House committee, and its future isn’t very solid, and it just might take an extraordinary action to pull the bill out of committee and forward it to the calendar and to a floor debate and vote.
Of course, there are some reasons that just pulling a bill out of committee complicates the mechanics of the House, getting the debate calendar updated, giving members of the House a chance to familiarize themselves with the issue and maybe to draw up amendments to it that they might want. Getting ready for a debate even on a relatively simple bill can be time-consuming, and that’s why it might not look like it from the street, but legislating isn’t simple.
Now, we’re not going to hear much about that rule until it gets to an issue like debating Medicaid expansion. So far much of the discussion of the new House has been focused on making sure everyone with Internet access can scan through committee minutes to see who actually thought up a bill and who introduced it and how everyone on the committee voted on its amendments and passed the bill out of committee. It’s that transparency stuff that few folks have the time or maybe bandwidth to spend their time on.
Once a bill gets to the floor of either House or Senate, the votes are widely made public. But it’s that in-committee stuff that has drawn a lot of attention while the decision to hold or pass a bill out of committee is still largely that of the chair. The chairman can just not ask for a vote to pass a bill to the full House, or if things don’t look good from the chair’s viewpoint, can adjourn the meeting with just a rap of the gavel.
This might be a year that rules determine what happens to major legislation.
Syndicated by Hawver News Company LLC of Topeka; Martin Hawver is publisher of Hawver’s Capitol Report—to learn more about this nonpartisan statewide political news service, visit the website at www.hawvernews.com
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly worked Monday to rescue a key budget proposal that would reduce Kansas’ annual payments to its public pension system by trying to sell the plan to wary retired teachers and government workers.
Governor Kelly during Monday’s State retiree rally at the Kansas Statehouse -photo courtesy WIBW TV
Kelly’s plan faces widespread opposition among Republican lawmakers, who view it as her way of freeing up state funds for additional spending on public schools and government programs. Her plan would reduce planned payments to the still-underfunded pension system for 17 years, delaying the closing of a long-term funding gap by 15 years.
The GOP-dominated Legislature shorted annual pension payments in recent years to help close budget shortfalls but balked in 2017 when then-GOP Gov. Sam Brownback proposed giving the state an additional decade to close the pension system’s funding gap. Kelly, formerly a veteran state senator from Topeka, was a strong critic of Brownback’s policies.
But Kelly told about 80 retirees gathered for an annual Statehouse rally that her proposal would give the state manageable annual payments to the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System and make it more stable. She insisted she isn’t trying to free up money for new spending and said retirees have heard “a lot of misinformation.”
“Whatever else you’re hearing is not true,” Kelly told the retirees. “I’ve just told you the truth.”
Legislators have wrestled with public pension costs for decades, and KPERS remains less than 70 percent funded, with its long-term funding gap projected at $8.9 billion. A 2012 law committed Kansas to aggressive increases in annual payments to close the gap by 2034 or 2035.
The governor’s office released projections Monday showing that the total annual payment is set to jump from $542 million to $681 million during the budget year beginning in July, then rise steadily to $923 million after 15 years.
Kelly’s office said her plan would cut the payment during the next fiscal year by $160 million to $521 million. For the 2035 budget year, it would be $654 million, or $269 million less than now planned. The governor said the lower payments are “much more sustainable.”
Asked whether she’s working an alternative in the face of GOP opposition, she told reporters, “I don’t need a Plan B on this.”
“The budget is balanced without any of this happening,” Kelly said.
Kelly’s proposed $18.4 billion budget for the state’s next fiscal year would leave cash reserves of $686 million, so there would be no shortfall if her pension plan failed. But she also argued that cash reserves are a hedge against a future economic downturn and made a point of not proposing to have annual spending outpace annual revenues.
Senate Vice President Jeff Longbine, a moderate Emporia Republican, said Kelly needs the pension proposal “to make her budget work.” Told that the governor disputed that assessment, Longbine replied, “OK, then why are we doing it?”
“It’s like refinancing your house in year 25 of a 30-year mortgage and taking the five years and spreading it out over 30,” Longbine said. “Nobody in their right mind would do that.”
Under Kelly’s plan, the state would not close the pension system’s long-term funding gap until 2049 or 2050. The pension system’s officials estimate that over that longer period, the total spending on pensions would be $7.4 billion higher.
Ernie Claudel, a retired Olathe teacher and school administrator who serves on the KPERS Board of Trustees, called Kelly’s plan a “terrible idea” last month. He is co-chairman of the retirees’ group that sponsored Monday’s rally and said he stands by those comments.
But Chris Huntsman, a retired Topeka teacher who attended the rally, said financially stressed families do refinance homes to lower mortgage payments and keep up with other bills.
“It’s not desired, but it keeps the family solvent,” Huntsman said.
SHAWNEE COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities in Kansas are investigating a suspect wanted on a nationwide warrant from El Paso County, Colorado.
De La Vega-King- Shawnee Co.
Just after 4:00 a.m. Monday, police stopped a vehicle on I-70 near the Adams Street exit for a traffic infraction, according to a media release from Topeka Police.
Upon contact with the driver, officers smelled an odor of marijuana, which led to a search of the vehicle. Officers located two stolen firearms, marijuana and drug paraphernalia in the vehicle.
Police arrested 27-year-old Juan Sebastian De La Vega-King and charged with being a fugitive from justice, felon in possession of a firearm, possession of stolen property, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.
