TOPEKA–Although nearly 900 hundred miles from Hurricane Harvey Kansas is playing a major role in helping respond to the needs after the storm in Texas.

Kansas is again the national coordinating state for the Emergency Management Assistance Compact, a multistate, mutual aid agreement that facilitates interstate assistance to support response and recovery actions during a disaster. As such, Kansas is assisting Louisiana and Texas to coordinate resources from other states to storm-stricken states when needed, according to a media release from the Kansas Division of Emergency Management.

Jonathan York, Response and Recovery Branch director and EMAC coordinator for the Kansas Division of Emergency Management, is the chairman of the Emergency Management Assistance Compact Executive Task Force. As the national coordinating state KDEM has the following responsibilities:

1. Ensure that operational procedures are followed
2. Identification and staffing of A- (Advance) Teams and liaison teams
3. Ensure timely status reports on EMAC deployments are issued
4. In coordination with the National Emergency Management Association, resolve any policy or procedural issues

“Kansas stands ready to offer support to those impacted by Hurricane Harvey,” said Governor Sam Brownback. “Having just experienced significant flooding in parts of our state just a few days ago, we certainly understand the devastating impact the forecasted rainfall amounts from Hurricane Harvey will bring to Texas. It is our hope Texans will heed the evacuation orders and remain safe during this terrible storm.”

Peak wind gusts from #HurricaneHarvey across the Middle TX Coast. Highest official wind gust was 132 mph in #AransasPass #Harvey #txwx pic.twitter.com/EofRtpB9K4

— NWS Corpus Christi (@NWSCorpus) August 26, 2017

Kansans who want to donate or provide assistance to those in Texas should go to to the FEMA website.

ST. JOHN – A Stafford woman was sentenced Friday to more than 21 years in prison for murder, according to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.

Misty R. Salem, 36, was sentenced in Stafford County District Court by Senior Judge John Sanders to 253 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections. Last month, a jury found Salem guilty of one count of second degree intentional murder.

The conviction stemmed from the shooting death of Samuel Salem. In March of 2016,  officers with Stafford police responded just after 11p.m. to a residence in the 300 Block of North Keystone.

They made contact with Misty Salem who was hysterical and shouting that she shot him, according to a media release.

Emergency medical crews found the victim Samuel B. Salem, 41, on the living room floor. He suffered one gunshot wound and was pronounced dead at the scene.

A second officer recovered a weapon from the yard.

Misty Salem was taken to the Barton County Jail, interviewed, and booked on a 2nd degree murder charge with a $1million dollar bond, according to police.

Two children of the home were placed with other family members.

The case was investigated by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Stafford Police Department. Assistant Attorneys General Will Manly and Adam Zentner of Schmidt’s office prosecuted the case.

DONIPHAN COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 12a.m. Saturday in Doniphan County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a Polaris UTV driven by Steven Greg Sims, 50, Trenton, MO., was northbound on Ash Point Road just south of 170 Road. The UTV rolled onto its right side. The driver and a passenger were ejected.

Sims was pronounced dead at the scene. A passenger Cody Ryan Brown, 25, Trenton, MO., was transported to the hospital in Hiawatha. Sims used no safety equipment, according to the KHP.

By BRYAN THOMPSON

Speaking Thursday at the Kansas Governor’s Summit on Agricultural Growth, Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer shared stories of his agricultural roots.

He talked about growing up as a fifth-generation Kansan. He told of the hard work he did as a young man in Hays, replacing the stone fence posts on his family’s farm.

What he didn’t talk about were the policies and priorities he would pursue when Gov. Sam Brownback leaves for an ambassador position in President Donald Trump’s administration, making Colyer the state’s chief executive.

Brownback and Colyer both spoke at the second annual summit in Manhattan. Brownback drew repeated ovations as he gave an address he referred to as his “swan song.” He is awaiting U.S. Senate confirmation as the State Department’s ambassador at large for international religious freedom.

Brownback told the audience that Colyer would continue the administration’s agricultural focus as governor.

“He’s going to be a great guy to work with,” Brownback said. “There won’t be any drop of effort or focus on this administration’s part. It will be a continuation. We’re gonna keep going on forward. The baton will be handed off fully and competently, and I think you’re going to continue to see this industry grow.”

Colyer spoke mainly in generalities during his remarks, describing Kansas as the heart of America and saluting the spirit of innovation.

“This is our opportunity to really say, ‘Where are we going to be in the next few years?’ and the ag community of Kansas is really leading that,” he said. “This is the key economic driver. It is the key thing that is our kids’ future.”

Colyer pledged to listen to Kansans, a theme he has repeated since he announced earlier this month his intention to run for a full term as governor.

“We have some tough, tough decisions to make together, but we’re going to do those together, and that’s what’s so exciting about Kansans,” he said. “Whether it’s sharing water, or it is an ag summit, or it is making sure that we have great schools across the state, we’re willing to do that.”

Speaking later with reporters, Colyer didn’t expand on his priorities for agriculture.

“We’ve got great things happening in the ag sector that we can really build over the next few years,” he said. “What is exciting today is having the ag growth summit gives us a place so we have a plan. Where are we going to be over the next four or five years? How do we have a real action plan that’s created by Kansans? I’m very excited about what we’re doing.”

When asked for specific policies and priorities, Colyer talked again about listening to Kansans.

“Where we’re going is what I’m focusing on,” he said.

The lack of specifics did not go unnoticed by farmers at the summit. It didn’t seem to bother them, though.

“It’s going to follow pretty well in the footsteps of Sam Brownback,” said Ron Suppes, who grows wheat and sorghum near Dighton in western Kansas. “I think he’s on the right course. He’s had a good mentor there.”

Roger Sewell, who grows cotton and is part-owner of a cotton gin near Pratt, said he hopes Colyer continues work on the 50-year water vision that Brownback launched during his first term.

“We’re highly involved in that water vision, and it’s a valuable part of our farm economy in the Pratt area,” he said.

Bryan Thompson is a reporter for the Kansas News Service, a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio and KMUW covering health, education and politics. Follow him on Twitter @KSNewsBryan. 

MADISON PARISH, LA — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal crash that claimed the life of a Kansas man on a Louisiana highway.

Just after 3:30p.m. Thursday, a Chevrolet passenger vehicle driven by Jon J. Held, 62, Manhattan, was eastbound on Interstate 20 near Tallulah, according to a media release from the Louisiana State Police.

The driver lost control of the vehicle exiting the highway and hit a tree. Held was pronounced dead at the scene.

A routine toxicology test is pending. Held was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the LSP.

SHAWNEE, Kan. (AP) — A man has pleaded guilty to an attempted robbery outside a Wal-Mart in Kansas that ended with a good Samaritan wounded and a second suspect dead.

The Kansas City Star reports that 28-year-old Arthur Fred Wyatt III, of Overland Park, pleaded guilty Thursday to charges that included second-degree attempted murder. He was originally charged with attempted first-degree murder.

Investigators say Wyatt and another man attacked a woman on Sept. 11, 2016, as she was putting her child in a safety seat in the parking lot of a Wal-Mart in Shawnee, a suburb of Kansas City.

A man in the lot intervened and was shot several times. Shawnee police say another Good Samaritan shot and killed one of the attackers, John Simmons of Kansas City. Sentencing is set for Nov. 2.

 

SALINE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary and asking the public to help identify a possible suspect.

Just before 4a.m. August 1, a white pickup pulled behind Great Clips, 1661 South Ohio in Salina, according to police. A suspect entered the business through the back door and left at around 4:35 a.m. after ransacking the office, taking cash and several other items.

Total loss is valued at $1218, according to police.

Anyone with information is asked to call Crimestoppers at 825-TIPS, text SATIPS to CRIMES (274637), or visit www.pd.salina.org and follow Crimestoppers link to submit a web tip. You may receive a cash reward of up to $1,000 and you are not required to give your name.

 

PITTSBURG, Kan. (AP) — A new, state-owned casino in southeast Kansas is trimming the hours it runs table games and cutting staff after failing to generate as much revenue as expected.

The Joplin Globe reports that Kansas Crossing in Pittsburg was expected to rake in about $3 million monthly. In its first four months of operation, the casino has generated between $2 million and $2.4 million monthly.

General Manager Doug Fisher says the casino has reduced hours to reflect customer interest and has laid off 10 employees out of about 400 staff members.

Keith Kocher is the director of gaming facilities with the Kansas Lottery. He says casinos typically see revenue drop in the summer because regular customers are on vacation.

Kocher says the state receives just over 20 percent of the casino’s revenue.

BUTLER COUNTY —  A Kansas police department showed off their new police department K9 officer Friday.

The Andover Police Department purchased a 17-month old Belgian Malinois, born in the Netherlands, from Vohne Liche Kennels in Denver, Indiana.

On September 18, the dog and Officer Joel McLaughlin will begin a 10-week Police K-9 training with the Wichita Police Department and the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office.

Before they go to school, the needs a name. The Police Department is asking for the public’s help to name the dog.

They asked the public to share name suggestions by submitting a comment to their department Facebook page.

PITTSBURG, Kan. (AP) — The last of five defendants in the death of a Pittsburg State University student has been sentenced.

Tyler Smith was sentenced Friday to two years and four months in prison for conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery as his role in the 2014 death of 20-year-old Taylor Thomas. Smith also was ordered to pay $20,000 in restitution with other defendants in the case.

The Pittsburg Morning-Sun reports Smith was accused of planning a robbery that led to Thomas’ death. Authorities say Smith did not participate in the actual robbery.

The other defendants broke into a home to steal money and drugs that belonged to Thomas’ roommate. The roommate escaped from the house but Thomas was shot and killed.

The other defendants have all pleaded guilty to various charges in the case.

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