WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man was sentenced to 20 years in prison for setting fire to a house last year while seven people were inside.
District Attorney Marc Bennett says Christopher Clark, 38, Wichita, was sentenced Wednesday after being convicted last month of aggravated arson and arson.
He says a security video showed Clark setting fire to a storage shed and window of a neighbor’s home in August 2016.
The people sleeping inside the house were able to escape.
Clark has over a dozen previous convictions for drugs and traffic violations, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A man accused of shooting a Kansas Department of Revenue agent has been charged with attempted first-degree murder.
Ricky Wirths made his first appearance in court Thursday. He’s charged in Tuesday’s shooting of tax agent Cortney Holloway at a Wichita office.
Revenue officials say Wirths owes almost $400,000 in taxes and the department was at Wirths’ home seizing his assets hours before the shooting.
Holloway was involved in the investigation of Wirths. Police say Wirths walked into the office Tuesday, asked to see Holloway and shot him several times before fleeing.
During Thursday’s hearing, Wirths’ bond was increased to $500,000. His next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 5.
KWCH-TV reports Holloway is in fair condition at a Wichita hospital.
Armed robbery suspect from Gordman’s security camera -photo Wichita Police
SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a series of armed robberies and have made an arrest.
Just after 8p.m. Monday officers were dispatched to an armed robbery call at Famous Footwear in the 6700 Block of West Kellogg, according to a media release.
Upon arrival, officers made contact with a 37- year-old female employee who stated an unknown male suspect entered the store, pointed a gun at her and demanded money. The suspect fled with cash on a green BMX style bicycle.
WPD robbery detectives investigated the case and the 16-year-old suspect was identified, arrested, and booked into the Juvenile Detention Facility.
Investigators also connected the juvenile suspect to several other reported crimes. The juvenile was charged with six additional robberies including two at Dollar Tree 6840 W. Kellogg, two at Gordman’s 7011 W. Central, and two at Famous Footwear 6720 W. Kellogg.
TOPEKA – The Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) is proud to announce that its integration into the Kansas Eligibility Enforcement System (KEES) is complete. On Aug.18, the agency’s eight antiquated eligibility systems were replaced by KEES. It was estimated that online processing of welfare benefits applications would halt until early September, when the new system launched. The improved system went live ahead of schedule, on Aug. 28. Medicaid processing was also temporarily delayed. It has also now resumed.
“Our staff members have worked hard preparing for this transition, and with the support from Accenture and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), we have ensured minimal disruption in application processing,” said DCF Secretary Phyllis Gilmore. “After several years of collaboration, preparation and anticipation, we can officially consider this project successfully completed.
At 9 a.m., on Friday, Sept. 22, KDHE Chief Information Officer Glen Yancey will present details of the successful completion of KEES to the Joint Committee on Information Technology, in room 159-S, at the State Capitol Building, Topeka.
KEES is a computer system that allows Kansans to apply online for medical and social services, including welfare benefits, Medicaid and more. This system upgrade involved DCF welfare benefits programs, such as cash, food and child care assistance, among others.
Accenture is the contracted partner to the State that created the KEES system. The KEES project was launched in several phases. The second phase, which launched in July 2015, incorporated the State’s Medicaid system.
The upgraded online eligibility system includes many features that benefit clients and allow State agencies to more effectively communicate information. This is expected to improve accuracy and efficiency in processing.
One of the features of the system is a new Self-Service Portal for low-income Kansans to monitor the progress of their welfare benefits applications. Clients can also view their case details, benefit amounts and history, view pending verifications needed for processing and upload documents directly to their case.
“An estimated 1,000 DCF staff members have been trained to use the KEES system, as the system covers a wide range of agency programs and services,” Secretary Gilmore said. “This was a major project, and we are excited that we have a new tool to better serve Kansans in need.”
Staff members are now able to perform data entry into a single system that covers multiple programs. This allows for better use of staff time and minimizes human errors that can delay benefits distribution.
Promoting efficiency and effective customer service is a priority for the agency. In 2013, DCF implemented new business processes that reduced eligibility determination from approximately 30 days to less than 10 days, with many clients now receiving same-day determinations.
DOUGLAS COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal September 2, shooting and have made another arrest.
On Wednesday, deputies booked Shawn Kariem Smith, Jr., 18, Kansas City, into the Douglas County Jail in connection with the 11:30p.m. shooting at a motel in the 1100 Block of North 3rd Street in Lawrence, according to a media release. Smith is being held on charges of First Degree Murder, Aggravated Battery and Aggravated Assault.
A 23-year-old Lenexa man died at the scene of the shooting. Two other victims were transported to a hospital for treatment of possible life-threatening injuries.
Carvin -photo Wyandotte Co.
Tyrone J. Carvin, 19, also suffered from a gunshot wound that night. He was treated and released from a Kansas City area hospital and remains in the Douglas County Jail on charges of First Degree Murder and Aggravated Battery x2.
EL DORADO — A Kansas community college is fighting a cyber attack that has disabled their internet connectivity.
According to a social media report, for more than a week, the IT Department at Butler Community College has worked with their provider to fix the connectivity and configuration problems outside of Butler’s infrastructure.
On Wednesday, the college experienced what they believe is the result of a DDoS cyber-attack that brings down the system by overloading it with information.
Butler and the school’s internet service provider have partnered with additional outside engineers and are working around-the-clock to address this issue.
School officials said they understood technology is core for students’ success and daily business operations. “Please know we remain diligent in bringing this situation to resolution.”
Members of Gov. Sam Brownback’s Cabinet are working to find a new home for a $300 million Tyson Foods chicken plant in Kansas. STEPHEN KORANDA / KPR
By STEPHEN KORANDA
State officials are hoping to keep a new Tyson Foods chicken plant in Kansas after the company put on hold plans to build the $300 million facility in Leavenworth County.
Tyson is looking at other locations in Kansas and other states after public outcry and a local decision to back away from promised incentives.
Agriculture Secretary Jackie McClaskey said 15 to 20 other Kansas communities have now expressed interest in the plant. She and others are working to determine whether those areas could meet the needs of the facility, which would produce trays of chicken for grocery stores. The demands include sufficient local workforce and infrastructure for the facility.
Right now, McClaskey is confident they can put together a new deal with Tyson.
“They have not backed out of their commitment that they want to do business in Kansas. They want to expand in Kansas,” she said. “I feel like right now they’re giving us a shot.”
Interim Commerce Secretary Nick Jordan said they’re making a sales pitch to keep Tyson looking at Kansas.
“To let them know the state wants them to be here,” Jordan said. “We’ve got plenty of other communities that fit their needs very, very well. We want to get off and running again working with them to find a spot that does fit for them.”
Jordan said if the plant goes to another state, Kansas would lose an investment of more than $300 million and 1,600 jobs.
We’re missing out on a significant economic impact on the state economy and growth to the agricultural base that we have in the state,” Jordan said.
McClaskey said the impact could go beyond just that investment. She’s concerned if this deal falls apart, other agriculture companies could think twice before considering investment in Kansas.
“That longer-term effect is pretty important to keep in mind,” McClaskey said.
Local residents voiced strong opposition to the Leavenworth County proposal, saying it could reduce the quality of life in the community.
A new, state-of-the-art facility could be built to minimize issues like odors, McClaskey said, adding that an area where similar industries already operate may be a better fit.
“Any community that has had value-added food processing of some sort and understands the benefit it brings, that’s going to be a positive,” McClaskey said.
At a large public meeting last week, people railed against building the facility outside Tonganoxie and brought up concerns about pollution and other impacts from the plant, which would be capable of processing 1.25 million birds per week.
“It means for at least 10 years and longer, our culture in this area will revolve around chicken farms and low-paying jobs. Is that the best you can do in our area?” one woman said during the meeting.
Jarret Pruitt is a member of a group opposing the plant, known as Citizens Against Project Sunset. After the announcement that the deal was put on hold, he said they’ll keep watch for any additional developments.
“Today we can smile briefly. Tomorrow we must wake up more committed and determined to continue this fight,” Pruitt said.
Critics of the project were also unhappy that the Leavenworth County deal was brokered behind closed doors and not made public until an announcement earlier this month.
The scene of Tuesday’s shooting-photo courtesy KWCH
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Department of Revenue is reviewing security at its offices after a shooting this week injured an employee in Wichita.
The agency moved out of the now-vacant Finney State Office Building in downtown Wichita three years ago as part of Gov. Sam Brownback’s push to privatize office space. That building had guards and other security for employees.
There was no protection Tuesday when tax compliance agent Cortney Holloway was shot at the office. The suspect, 51-year-old Ricky Todd Wirths, of Wichita, owed nearly $400,000 in outstanding tax warrants.
Sen. Oletha Faust-Goudeau, a Democrat from Wichita, and Robert Choromanski, head of the Kansas Organization of State Employees, both criticized the decision to provide no protection for state employees at offices the state rents from private owners.
SALINE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a threat at a Kansas middle school and arrested a student.
On Wednesday morning, an 11-year-old student told a staff member at Lakewood Middle School, 1135 Lakewood Circle in Salina, he was going to go home and retrieve a pistol to kill them and everyone else in the building, according to Salina police Sgt. James Feldman.
A school resource officer and a Salina Police Officer picked the boy up outside of the building.
NEW YORK (AP) —The Securities and Exchange Commission says its corporate filing system was hacked last year and the intruders may have used the nonpublic information they obtained to profit illegally.
The disclosure comes two months after a government watchdog said deficiencies in the agency’s computer systems put the information they contain at risk. It also follows a massive hack at the credit reporting agency Equifax.
The SEC issued a statement late Wednesday that said the breach was discovered last year but the possibility of illicit trading was only discovered last month. The statement did not explain why the hack itself was not revealed sooner.
The SEC files financial market disclosure documents through its EDGAR system, which processes over 1.7 million electronic filings in any given year.
SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an aggravated burglary and have a suspect in custody.
Just after 4a.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to a residence located in the 400 block of NE Sumner in Topeka for an aggravated burglary.
The woman reported awaking and noticing a man in her bedroom. Realizing the man was not her husband a confrontation ensued. The male suspect fled the residence and was not located at the time. Surveillance images were disseminated to identify the male suspect identified as Thomas R McNeil Jr, 30,
Officers located him in the 2000 Block N Topeka Blvd when he was reported as a suspicious person. He was transported to the Law Enforcement Center for questioning and then to the Department of Corrections for charges of aggravated burglary, theft and battery related to this incident.
McNeil has previous convictions for theft, burglary, drugs and criminal use of a financial card, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.
DOUGLAS COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have made an arrest.
Just before 10p.m. Tuesday, police responded to the 2000 block of W. 27th Terrace in Lawrence for reports of a shooting, according to a media release.
Responding officers located 26-year-old Lawrence resident Bryce Holladay with fatal injuries.
Police questioned Steven Austin Drake III, 20, in relation to this incident and took him into custody. He has been booked in to the Douglas County Jail on one count of Voluntary Manslaughter.
Anyone with more information on this incident is asked to contact the Lawrence Police Department at (785)832-7509, or Crime Stoppers of Lawrence and Douglas County at (785)843-TIPS. Tips to Crime Stoppers can be anonymous.
