TOPEKA, Kan. – More than 1,000 Kansas students will receive $2.1 million in student loan forgiveness under the terms of a settlement reached today with Career Education Corporation (CEC), according to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.

CEC, a for-profit education company based in Illinois, currently offers primarily online courses through American InterContinental University and Colorado Technical University. CEC has closed or phased out many of its schools over the past 10 years.

A total of 1,077 Kansans are eligible for student loan debt relief for a total amount of $2,142,116.

CEC agrees to forgo any and all efforts to collect amounts owed by former students living in the states participating in the agreement.

After receiving numerous complaints from students and a critical report on for-profit education by the U.S. Senate’s Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, a group of attorneys general, including AG Schmidt, launched an investigation into CEC in January 2014. The attorneys general alleged that CEC pressured its employees to enroll students and engaged in unfair and deceptive practices. These practices included making misleading statements or failing to disclose information to prospective students on total costs, transferability of credits, program offerings, job placement rates, and other topics.

As a result, some students could not obtain professional licensure and incurred debts that they could not repay nor discharge.

The agreement with attorneys general in 48 states plus the District of Columbia mandates added disclosures to students, including a new interactive online financial disclosure tool; bars misrepresentations to prospective students; prohibits enrollment in unaccredited programs; and institutes an extended period when new students can withdraw with no financial obligation.

Nationwide, the agreement requires the for-profit college company to forgive $493,687,220 in outstanding loan debt held by more than 66,000 former students.

“Our investigation revealed that CEC lured prospective students into its programs and that many students left the program with unfulfilled promises and sometimes tremendous debt,” Schmidt said. “This agreement addresses concerns about the company’s business practices and relieves many Kansas students of debt.”

As part of the agreement, CEC does not admit to the conduct alleged by attorneys general.

CEC has agreed to forgo collection of debts owed to it by students who either attended a CEC institution that closed before Jan. 1, 2019, or whose final day of attendance at AIU or CTU occurred on or before Dec. 31, 2013.

Eligible students will receive a letter from CEC within 60 days advising them that CEC will no longer attempt to collect student debt forgiven under the terms of this settlement.

A copy of the agreement is available here.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic Gov.-elect Laura Kelly announced Thursday that she will replace the top administrator at Kansas’ troubled child welfare agency and successfully pushed the departing leader to put new, major grants to private contractors on hold.

Kelly is a critic of the grants from the Department for Children and Families to five nonprofit organizations, committing to higher spending on services for troubled families and abused and neglected children in foster care. Kelly, a veteran state senator, has long been a key player in state budget debates; the department announced the four-year grants just days before Kelly’s election in November, and they were to take effect July 1.

Kelly takes office Jan. 14. Departing Republican Gov. Jeff Colyer and some GOP lawmakers credit Meier-Hummel with improving the department and the child foster care system.Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning, an Overland Park Republican, said he had hoped Kelly would keep Meier-Hummel on.

But Kelly announced Thursday that she would appoint Laura Howard as both interim DCF secretary and interim secretary for the Department for Aging and Disability Services. Howard is director of the Public Management Center at the University of Kansas but is a former administrator for state and federal social services agencies.

Kelly also issued a blistering statement calling the grants “essentially no-bid contracts,” questioning their legality and promising they would be reviewed. Kelly said she contacted the organizations to ask them to avoid spending state dollars until further notice.

“Despite our best efforts during the transition, accurate and forthright information from current DCF leadership was hard to come by,” Kelly said in a statement.

Department employees investigate allegations of abuse and neglect and recommend to judges whether children should be removed from their homes, but private contractors provide assistance to troubled families, manage foster children’s cases, provide them with services and get them placed in foster homes.

The department used a new process for awarding the new grants that removed oversight from the state Department of Administration and gave DCF more control. Kelly said it “has not been transparent.”

Meier-Hummel responded three hours later in her own, lengthy statement defending the department’s work during her yearlong tenure and confirming that the grants had been put on hold. Meier-Hummel said the department had been “fully transparent and forthcoming” with Kelly’s transition team, whose advisers include Howard.

Under the grants, the state would spend a total of $245 million on foster care services during the budget year beginning July 1. That would be an increase of $35 million, or 17 percent.

In recent years, the department has faced questions about several high-profile deaths of abused children after DCF was alerted to problems. Until September, some children in state custody slept overnight in foster care contractors’ offices, including a 13-year-old girl who in May was raped in an officeby an 18-year-old man also in state custody.

“These new grants are necessary to improve child welfare in Kansas and are in the absolute best interest for Kansas children and families,” Meier-Hummel said in her statement.

Kansas House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr., an Olathe Republican, said the department was making progress in addressing its problems under Meier-Hummel.

“That’s a hard agency, a very difficult agency, to manage,” said Denning, the Senate majority leader. “I was hoping she would be given a little more runway to prove herself.”

Denning also said Kelly is signaling that she could attempt to cancel the grants.

Kelly’s appointment of a single interim secretary for two departments also suggests that she might merge the agencies, said Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, a Topeka Democrat. Together, the departments have an annual budget of $2.6 billion and more than 5,000 employees.

Howard was the expert on social services programs on the Legislature’s nonpartisan research staff before working as a state social services administrator and regional official for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

“She has a vast knowledge and experience in the social service field,” Hensley said.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A man accused of kicking a 1-year-old black boy and yelling racial slurs in a Kansas grocery store was back in jail Thursday after being arrested in a drug possession case.

Trace Riff, 31, was booked into the Sedgwick County jail on suspicion of possession of a controlled substance and is being held on a $2,500 bond, according to jail records. Further details about the arrest were not immediately available.

Riff is facing municipal charges of battery and resisting arrest. The boy’s mother and other witnesses allege he kicked the child at a Dillon’s store on Dec. 23 and then yelled racial slurs. The boy was knocked to the ground but was not seriously injured.

The FBI participated in the investigation and black leaders in Wichita are asking that the case be considered a hate crime. The boy’s mother, Lashantai Whitaker, said her 11-year-old daughter, who was holding her brother’s hand when he was kicked, is now afraid to walk to school, The Wichita Eagle reported .

“It causes a lot of worrying and stress,” Whitaker said Wednesday.

The Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office, which could bring more serious charges, is reviewing the case.

Riff’s grandmother and brother told The Eagle that he was once an international model whose life spiraled out of control because of mental health and substance abuse problems. After spending a couple years walking runways in several countries, Riff returned to Oklahoma City and became homeless, sometimes living in dumpsters before moving to Wichita, his grandmother, Twila LaRue, said Wednesday.

LaRue acknowledged the seriousness of the allegations against her grandson but said her family has tried to help him for years without success.

“To incarcerate him is not helping. What I was hoping from this is Trace would be able to get help,” said LaRue, a 74-year-old Oklahoman who works in a group home for emotionally disturbed boys.

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SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that sent a woman to the hospital

Just after 9:30p.m. Wednesday, police responded to report of a shooting in the 3100 Block of South Davidson in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson. Officers found a 35-year-old woman with two gunshot wounds. EMS transported her to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries and she was released, according to Davidson.

During the investigation, police located numerous shell casings on Davidson Street. An unknown suspect fired multiple shots at a residence and the victim was hit while standing outside the home, according to Davidson.

The shooting was not a random incident and anyone with information is asked to call police.

BARTON COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating three suspects following a high-speed chase.

Just after 12:45 a.m. Thursday, a deputy attempted to stop a 2000 Chevy Silverado with an expired registration in the 400 Block of SE. 80^th Avenue in Barton County, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.

The driver later identified Tanner Guyton, 19, Great Bend, fled from the officer.  It was later determined the vehicle was stolen, according Belinder.  Speeds during the chase exceeded 100 mph and deputies pursued the vehicle for 23 miles in rural Barton County.  The truck then entered the City of Great Bend.

Officers attempted to deploy stop sticks but the suspects evaded them.

Near the intersection of 18^th and Kansas Street in Great Bend, the suspect then intentionally rammed deputy Lomas’s patrol car. The vehicle sustained heavy damage and was out of service, the deputy was not injured.

The suspect vehicle continued to flee, reaching speeds in excess of 80 mph in the city. Fortunately, traffic was light at that time of the morning and and there was little danger to the public.

Because of the complete disregard for public safety and striking the deputy’s patrol car, the sheriff authorized the use of lawful intervention by another patrol car to strike the suspect vehicle if possible, to bring it to stop.

The chase continued to the 1500 block of 11^th St. in Great Bend where Deputy Sheriff Richard Allen had the opportunity to strike the rear of the suspect vehicle with his patrol car putting it into a spin.

The truck went into the front yard and struck a tree. Several officers arrived seconds after the stop and arrested the three occupants including Guyton, who was charged with aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer for striking the deputy’s vehicle, felony flee and elude, felony obstruction, possession of stolen property and numerous other traffic violations.

The passengers were identified as Esteban Foster, 20, and Jericho Riddle, 18, both of Great Bend. Riddle and Foster were both charged with aggravated battery of a law enforcement officer, possession of stolen property, possession of drug paraphernalia and felony obstruction. Bond for all three suspects is set at $100,000 each. No law enforcement officers or suspects were injured during the chase or arrest.

 

 

 

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say a man was robbed after inviting a date whom he met online to his Lawrence apartment.

The robbery happened around 7:10 p.m. Friday. Police Sgt. Amy Rhoads says the victim told police he met the robber on a dating website. When the man arrived, he brandished a gun and demanded the victim’s bank card.

The suspect fled and used the bank card a short time later. No one was immediately arrested.

GEARY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a second suspect in connection with a fatal Christmas Day shooting.

Just after 2p.m. Wednesday police arrested Mashaun Jay Baker, 33, Junction City, was arrested on suspicion of Capitol Murder, in connection with the crime, according to Junction City Police.

At 9:30 a.m. Christmas Day officers were sent to 948 Grant Avenue number 154 in Junction City after report of deceased person. Upon arrival officers found the body of 31-year-old Jenna Schafer who died from an apparent gunshot wound, according to police.

Baker was transported to the Geary County Detention Center where he was held without bond pending a first appearance in Geary County District Court.

This is the second arrest reported in the case. On Christmas night the JCPD reported that Dion Green, 33, Junction City, had been arrested on suspicion of First Degree Murder in connection with the shooting.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Republican U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran says many rural hospitals are “hanging on by a thread” and could benefit from the additional revenue that Medicaid expansion would generate.

But Moran says he wants to leave the decision in Kansas to the Legislature.  Moran made the comments Wednesday after speaking to LMH Health president and CEO Russ Johnson during a visit to Lawrence.

Kansas has rejected accepting additional federal funding provided through the Affordable Care Act to expand the jointly state and federally funded Medicaid program for the poor and disabled. But the idea is being revisited now that incoming Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has expressed interest.

Moran says Kansas needs to weigh a funding increase against “how long those federal dollars will be in place.”

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating two Kansas felons on new charges after a police chase.

Just after 2:30 a.m. Wednesday, police attempted to stop a white 1997 Jeep Grand Cherokee near Interstate 235 and Kansas 42 in reference to suspicious activity reported at the Motel 6, 5736 W. Kellogg, according to officer Charley Davidson.

They duo face charges of felon in possession of a firearm, aggravated weapons violation, evade and elude, traffic charges and outstandingwarrants.

Jensen has previous convictions for burglary, arson, theft, failure to stop at an injury accident and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.  Detrich has previous convictions for drugs and for an attempt to fee or elude law enforcement, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say a 16-year-old boy who was fatally shot during a Wichita gas station robbery was armed.

A police report lists the teen’s death as a justifiable homicide. Police say a 42-year-old customer pulled out his gun and fired multiple shots Friday after he was robbed. Three others suspected of participating in the robbery then fled.

Police say the robbery is related to an earlier robbery at a Family Dollar Store in which three people held up an employee at gunpoint and took money and cigarettes. A 17-year-old has been arrested in the robberies and police continue searching for two other suspects.

In Kansas, killings are justifiable when a person reasonably believes deadly force is necessary to prevent death or extreme harm to themselves or others.

DICKINSON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects in connection with counterfeit cash.

On Wednesday, police began an investigation involving counterfeit u.s. currency at 1207 North C Street in Herington, according to Police Chief Brian Hornaday.

During the search of the residence, police arrested Nathan David Nuss, 41, Herington, on suspicion of Felony Interference with a Law Enforcement Officer. When the search warrant was executed investigators located methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia and county money.

Hornaday said as a result of the investigation Nuss was also arrested on suspicion of Possession of Methamphetamine with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, and Criminal Use of Weapons. He was transported to the Dickinson County jail where he remains jailed without bond pending a first appearance in District Court.

In connection with the investigation, police also conducted a search for Ashley Brook Loomis, 30, Herington.

Just after 12:30 a.m. Thursday she was located in Herington and taken into custody, according to Hornaday.

Nuss and Loomis have previous drug convictions, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Netflix has issued a warning to viewers against a challenge meme that has gone viral after the success of the horror film “Bird Box.”

The challenge involves fans blindfolding themselves and then trying to navigate surroundings.

Netflix offered this tweet Wednesday.

Can’t believe I have to say this, but: PLEASE DO NOT HURT YOURSELVES WITH THIS BIRD BOX CHALLENGE. We don’t know how this started, and we appreciate the love, but Boy and Girl have just one wish for 2019 and it is that you not end up in the hospital due to memes.

— Netflix US (@netflix) January 2, 2019