KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Kansas man is accused in Missouri of being intoxicated when his vehicle crashed into another one, killing the other driver.
Jackson County prosecutors have charged 20-year-old Jason Evans of Leavenworth with felony driving while intoxicated.
Court filings allege that Evans’ vehicle was traveling at a high speed late July 13 when it hit a vehicle driven by Stephen Russell in an intersection. Russell died later at a hospital, and Evans was injured.
Online court records don’t show whether Evans has an attorney who can speak on his behalf.
Prosecutors have requested a $100,000 bond for Evans.
Over 150 soldiers from the 1st Infantry Division Headquarters returned to Fort Riley Friday evening.
The final welcome home ceremony for the Division Headquarters celebrated the return of the soldiers from a nine month deployment to Iraq where the 1st Infantry Division assumed the role of Combined Joint Forces Land Component Command (CJFLCC) – Operation Inherent Resolve. As part of that role, the Division served in an assist capacity to the Iraqi Security Forces as part of a 23 nation coalition.
Major General Joseph Martin, 1st Infantry Division and Fort Riley Commanding General, served as the Commanding General of CJFLCC.
The Division was successful in liberating nearly 2 million people in Mosul, Iraq – a city that has been under ISIS control since 2014. Additionally, more than 350,000 children returned to school in Mosul, 320 schools have reopened and nearly 200,000 internally displaced persons have returned to their homes in Mosul.
Brigadier General William “Bill” Turner, 1st ID and Fort Riley Acting Senior Commander, said that it’s a rewarding experience to serve in the First Infantry Division.
“In addition to this deployment, we’ve also had several of our brigades that have been deployed around the globe; we had our 1st Brigade that was deployed over in the Republic of Korea in the Korean peninsula deterring North Korean aggression, we had our Combat Aviation Brigade that was deployed to Afghanistan, and then really topping it off is having the Division Headquarters over in Iraq supporting the Iraqi Security Forces.”
Turner said that it’s “beyond words to express our gratitude” to the soldiers returning from deployment.
“This will be the first time in quite a long time that really most of the Division – all of its brigades, and Headquarters – are back together again on Fort Riley,” said Turner.
There is one aviation battalion that is currently deployed to Korea.
The 1st Infantry Division will continue to celebrate 100 years during Victory Week festivities in August.
JEFFERSON COUNTY – A Kansas man died in an accident just before 12:30 a.m. Saturday in Jefferson County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Harley Davidson driven by Lance D. Elliot, 49, Carbondale, and a 2010 Harley Davidson driven by Vicki M. Allen, 56, Oskaloosa, were westbound on U.S. 24 at Phillips Road.
The motorcycles collided, traveled into the south ditch and both drivers were ejected.
Elliott was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Barnett’s Funeral Home. Allen was not seriously injured. They were not wearing helmets, according to the KHP.
Kansas state Sen. Steve Fitzgerald, a Republican from Leavenworth, announced his bid for the 2nd Congressional District on Thursday in Topeka. JIM MCLEAN / KANSAS NEWS SERVICE
Kansas state Sen. Steve Fitzgerald says he’s running for Congress in the 2nd District to keep the seat in Republican hands.
A former Army officer and Green Beret from Leavenworth, Fitzgerald has earned a reputation at the Statehouse as an outspoken, often blunt conservative. He trumpeted that reputation Thursday in announcing his candidacy to a crowd of about 40 supporters in Topeka.
“We do not need politicians who tell us what they think we want to hear rather than what we need to know,” Fitzgerald said. “Politicians with big plans for themselves but have never been toe to toe with those who deny the right to life, who are eager to limit your 2nd Amendment and other rights, and who see your wallet as the answer to their government spending problems.”
Illustrating a tendency to defy political convention, Fitzgerald went out of his way to link himself to President Donald Trump despite the president’s free fall in national polls.
“My vision for the next Congress is the rapid accomplishment of that agenda that President Trump brought to us and we approved in the last election — a strong, free and prosperous America,” Fitzgerald said.
Noting reports that Democrats have circled the 2nd District seat as one they hope to pick up in their effort to regain control of the U.S. House, Fitzgerald said Republicans need a candidate capable of keeping it in GOP hands.
“Bernie and Hillary’s Democrats are desperate to retake Congress and resume their death march to socialism,” he said. “We cannot let that happen.”
At the moment, the race for the GOP nomination is between Fitzgerald and Basehor City Councilman Vernon Fields. But others, including state Sen. Caryn Tyson of Parker, are looking at joining the GOP field.
Former Kansas House Minority Leader Paul Davis has launched an exploratory campaign for the Democratic nomination but has not officially filed. Davis has been out of politics since losing a close race for governor to Sam Brownback in 2014.
Jim McLean is managing director of the Kansas News Service, a collaboration of kcur.org, Kansas Public Radio and KMUW covering health, education and politics. You can reach him on Twitter @jmcleanks. Kansas News Service stories and photos may be republished at no cost with proper attribution and a link back to kcur.org.
STAFFORD COUNTY – A Kansas woman was convicted Friday of murder.
A Stafford County jury found Misty R. Salem, 36, Stafford, guilty of one count of second-degree intentional murder, according to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.
Just after 11 p.m. on March 10, 2016, officers with Stafford police responded to a residence in the 300 Block of North Keystone. They found 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.
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.
At the time of the incident, two children of the home were placed with other family members.
TOPEKA – Kansas First Lady Mary Brownback has announced the 7th annual Kansas Book Festival will take place 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, September 9, at the Kansas State Capitol. The festival will feature current authors and books and is focused on enforcing the importance of reading.
“Our mission is to promote literacy and encourage a life-long love of reading. The festival is one of the key ways that we are able to live out our mission,” Brownback said. “We have a great lineup assembled of locally and nationally known authors and illustrators that everyone will enjoy. And as always, there is something for everyone.”
Last year’s event drew an estimated 2,000 people at last year’s event. Headlining this year’s event will be children’s author Andrea Davis Pinkney (A Poem for Peter). Pinkney is the New York Times bestselling and award-winning author of numerous books for children and young adults, including picture books, novels, works of historical fiction and nonfiction. Among her list of accolades are multiple Coretta Scott King awards and American Library Association Notable Book citations.
Thirty authors are set to speak, including Candice Millard (Hero of the Empire: The Boer War, A Daring Escape and the Making of Winston Churchill), Tom Clavin (Dodge City: Wyatt Earp, Bat Masterson and the Wickedest Town in the American West) andJoshilyn Jackson (Almost Sisters and The Opposite of Everyone). Along with author presentations, there will also be additional authors featured as vendors, book sales and signings, entertainment, live music, appearances by storybook characters Clifford and Curious George and activities for children of all ages. This event is free and open to the public.
SALINE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a convicted felon on new charges after a car chase and foot pursuit.
Just after 11:30 a.m. Thursday an officer attempted to stop a 1998 Chevy Lumina driven by Joel Ginther, 41, Salina, in the 1300 block of West Crawford for driving with an expired tag, according to Salina Police Capt. Mike Sweeney.
Ginther allegedly failed to pull over and led police through several residential neighborhoods at speeds of around 50-miles-per-hour.
The vehicle pursuit ended when Ginther crashed the vehicle into a fence in the 1000 block of Franklin Street, according to Sweeney. Ginther ditched the vehicle and a teenage female passenger.
Photo by Rocky Robinson
Officers apprehended Ginther as he was attempting to scale a fence. He was taken into custody for felony flee and elude, reckless driving, criminal damage to property, possession of marijuana and aggravated child endangerment.
Ginther has previous convictions in Saline County for drugs, criminal threat and stalking.
Damage to the fence was estimated at $1,300. There were no reported injuries.
First responders on the scene of the fatality accident Tuesday -image KCScout.com
BONNER SPRINGS, Kan. (AP) — Records show that a tractor-trailer driver who caused a multi-vehicle crash that killed five people in eastern Kansas was fined three years ago in Missouri for operating a commercial vehicle without proper brakes.
The Kansas City Star reports that Kansas Highway Patrol Lt. Dan Smith says the agency is preparing a report for prosecutors, who will determine whether to file charges. The fiery Tuesday pileup temporarily closed a stretch of Interstate 70 near Bonner Springs on the western edge of the Kansas City metropolitan area.
The crash happened when the driver crested a slight hill and failed to slow in time for stalled traffic. The man’s rig rammed a sport utility vehicle and then two cars before crashing into a stopped tractor-trailer, which then rear-ended a pickup truck.
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — The second trial of a man charged with fatally shooting a 22-year-old woman in Kansas City, Kansas, has ended in another hung jury.
Wyandotte County jurors deadlocked Thursday after hearing the case against 29-year-old Antoine Fielder. He is charged with murder in the June 2015 shooting death of Kelsey Ewonus.
The single mother of a 1-year-old son was found in a car parked a few blocks north of the University of Kansas Hospital.
Kansas Department of Corrections records show Fielder was paroled from prison in 2014 after serving time on drug sale charges. No decision has been made on whether to retry Fielder a third time.
Givens during graduations ceremonies in May-photo KCKCC
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — The president of Kansas City Kansas Community College has been placed on administrative leave.
The Kansas City Star reports that the college provided no information about led to the action being taken against Doris Givens in a closed executive board meeting Friday. The board of trustees named the Dean of Math, Sciences and Computer Technology as the acting president.
Givens didn’t attend the meeting, and the campus was informed of the action via email. Givens, the first woman and first African-American president of the college, was hired in 2011. She had been vice chancellor for educational services for the Kern Community College District in Bakersfield, California.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A Lawrence man has been charged with stealing $13,000 worth of items from a lab at the University of Kansas.
The Lawrence Journal-World reports that 37-year-old Matthew Reynard was charged Tuesday in Douglas County District Court with one count of burglary and two counts of theft, all felonies. He is jailed on $30,000 bond. It wasn’t immediately clear if he had an attorney.
Reynard is accused of taking a veterinary camera, a camera control unit, syringes and hypodermic needles from Malott Hall. Charges indicate he is also accused of stealing a checkbook and earbuds from a man listed in the university directory as a technician in the Animal Care Unit.
It’s not clear how the suspect accessed the lab or how he was caught. He has a number of previous convictions for drugs, theft, disorderly conduct and making false writing in Douglas County, according to the KDOC.
Moran at a town hall last week in Haskell County-photo courtesy Senator Moran
By JIM MCLEAN
U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran’s silence Thursday on the GOP’s revised bill to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act prompted one Capitol Hill reporter to refer to him as a “mystery man.”
Several Republican senators who either opposed or had concerns about an initial draft of the bill commented on changes unveiled Thursday by GOP leaders in an effort to gain votes.
But not Moran.
In response to repeated emails, a spokesperson in his office said only that the senator was analyzing the changes “to fully understand the impact on Kansas.”
Moran, a usually reliable GOP vote, surprised many in late June when he announced his opposition to the initial ACA repeal bill. Now, stakeholders on both sides of the health care debate are anxiously waiting for him to take a position on the revised bill.
Kansans opposed to the measure are urging him to stand firm.
“The bottom line is that the changes Senate leadership made to the BCRA (Better Care Reconciliation Act) do little to alleviate the harm the plan will wreak on Kansas,” said David Jordan, executive director of the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas, an advocacy group formed by several Kansas health foundations.
The changes make the bill worse for Kansans suffering from serious health problems, said Hilary Gee, a state lobbyist for the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network.
“Particularly alarming is the Cruz amendment, which could lead to the rollback of all kinds of patient protections, including essential health benefits and guaranteed issue to people with pre-existing conditions,” Gee said, referring to an amendment authored by Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas.
The Cruz amendment, added to make the bill more attractive to conservatives, would allow insurance companies to offer cheaper but less comprehensive coverage as long as at least one plan provides the essential health benefits now required by the ACA.
Sheldon Weisgrau, a health policy consultant for the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas, said it doesn’t appear that changes made to the bill address Moran’s concerns about coverage for pre-existing conditions and the impact of proposed Medicaid cuts on rural hospitals and clinics. Moran detailed those concerns last week at a jammed town hall meeting in western Kansas.
“So I’m hoping that when Senator Moran looks at this bill, he will see that it doesn’t address the issues that he said he was concerned with and hope that he would continue with his opposition,” Weisgrau said.
Kansas’ other member of the U.S. Senate, Republican Pat Roberts, reaffirmed his support of the bill Thursday.
“Kansans are losing choices in care, and their costs and premiums are still rising. If we are going to finally reverse the damage of Obamacare — we must act,” Roberts said in a statement posted to his website.
“Since the first draft was released, as a member of the Senate Finance Committee, I have continued working with Senate leadership to make further improvements to lower the cost of care, ensure Kansans have more coverage options, and to support providers in rural areas,” he said.
Among other things, Roberts said the bill contains money to help struggling hospitals in Kansas the other 18 states that haven’t expanded their Medicaid programs.
Kansas lawmakers passed legislation this session to expand Medicaid coverage to approximately 150,000 low-income adults earning up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level, but Republican Gov. Sam Brownback vetoed the bill.
Former Kansas governor and U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius also weighed in on the debate. In a Thursday appearance on a podcastproduced by the left-leaning Center for American Progress, Sebelius said allowing states to determine what Medicaid services to offer while providing them with less money would result in wholesale cuts in care for the nation’s poorest and most vulnerable citizens.
“I think it’s a moral outrage,” Sebelius said.
Jim McLean is managing director of the Kansas News Service, a collaboration of kcur.org, Kansas Public Radio and KMUW covering health, education and politics. You can reach him on Twitter @jmcleanks.
LYON COUNTY— A gymnastics coach accused of producing child pornography in Nebraska has been arrested in Kansas.
Omaha police say 27-year-old James Bryce Fogg was arrested Thursday in Emporia where he’d moved for another coaching job with Sunflower Gymnastics. Their social media page indicated that he’s since quit.
A Nebraska arrest warrant lists a felony charge of manufacturing child pornography. Lyon County Jail records show he remained in custody Friday. Nebraska court records don’t list the name of a lawyer who could comment for Fogg.
Police say a woman who’d had a relationship with Fogg reported that he’d photographed and videotaped females without their knowledge at Premier Gymnastics in Omaha. Police reports say he’d recorded images of a 14-year-old girl and 22-year-old woman in “private compromising positions” without their consent. Premier says Fogg hasn’t been employee since April.
