KANSAS CITY (AP) — The Latest on gun violence in Kansas City (all times local):

Kansas City leaders have approved two ordinances aimed at keeping firearms out of the hands of minors.

One ordinance approved Thursday draws on federal law to make it a local offense for minors to have handguns. The other, citing state law, prohibits adults from recklessly giving minors guns without parental permission.

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas says the idea behind the ordinances is to give police tools to seize firearms from minors. Lucas’ general counsel, Jane Pansing Brown, says there is a federal law barring minors from possessing handguns, but she said it’s rarely enforced by federal prosecutors.

Councilman Brandon Ellington abstained from the vote. He argued that the measures unnecessarily duplicated existing state and federal law and that most homicides don’t involve minors.

____

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — David Glass and his family on Friday announced the sale of the Kansas City Royals to an ownership group led by local entrepreneur John Sherman in a deal expected to be worth about $1 billion.

The Royals announced the sale just days after word began to leak that the Sherman group was closing in on an agreement. Sherman and his co-investors will become the third owners since another local businessman, Ewing Kauffman, founded the club in 1969.

The 83-year-old Glass and his family helped serve as caretakers of the club following Kauffman’s death in 1993, and they took ownership of the club for $96 million in April 2000.

“The decision to sell the Royals was difficult for our family,” said Glass, whose son Dan has served as the Royals’ president. “Our goal, which I firmly believe we’ve achieved, was to have someone local, who truly loved the game of baseball and who would be a great steward for this franchise going forward. In John Sherman we have found everything we were looking for in taking ownership.”

The 64-year-old Sherman has lived in Kansas City for more than four decades, even after he bought an interest in the Cleveland Indians. He founded, built and then sold a series of energy companies and has remained an influential local businessman, dabbling in agriculture in biosciences.

Sherman, who played quarterback at nearby Ottawa University, is also a well-respected civic leader, even though he keeps a low profile. He has given time and money to the Truman Presidential Library in nearby Independence, the Negro Leagues Museum in Kansas City, and several local schools. He and his wife, Marny, have also worked with Teach for America and other organizations.

“I am enormously grateful to David and the Glass family for this extraordinary opportunity,” Sherman said, “and am humbled by the chance to team up with a distinguished group of local investors to carry forward and build on this rich Kansas City Royals legacy.

“Our goal will be threefold: to compete for a championship on behalf of our fans; to honor their passion, their experience and their unwavering commitment; and to carry their hopes and dreams forward in this great Kansas City region we all love for decades to come.”

Sherman will need to divest his interest in the Cleveland Indians, believed to be about 30 percent of the franchise, and the deal is subject to the approval of Major League Baseball.

Those hurdles should be cleared before owners vote on the sale at their meeting Nov. 21.

“We’re very supportive of John and his group reaching an agreement to acquire ownership of his hometown Kansas City Royals,” Indians president Paul Dolan said. “His acquisition of the Royals is good for the game of baseball and I wish him nothing but the best.”

Sherman was introduced by Dolan by Steve Greenberg, the son of Hall of Famer Hank Greenberg. His financial involvement allowed the team to push its payroll over the years, including in 2016, when the Indians acquired All-Star reliever Andrew Miller from the Yankees before the trading deadline.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — David Glass and his family have agreed to sell the Royals to an ownership group led by Kansas City entrepreneur John Sherman in a deal that is expected to be worth about $1 billion.

The Royals announced the sale in a statement Friday, just days after word began to leak that the Sherman group was closing in on an agreement. Sherman and his co-investors will become the third owners since another local businessman, Ewing Kauffman, founded the club in 1969.

The 83-year-old Glass and his family served as caretakers of the franchise following Kauffman’s death, and they took ownership of the club for $96 million in April 2000.

Sherman will need to divest his interest in the Cleveland Indians, believed to be about 30 percent of the franchise, and the deal is subject to the approval of Major League Baseball.

None of those issues is expected to be stumbling blocks to a final sale.

The rain was bad enough…  From the US National Weather Service Wichita Kansas Facebook page:

 

 

 

SEWARD COUNTY — Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on drug charges after a lengthy investigation by sheriff’s deputies in Stanton and Seward County.

Just after 1:30 a.m. Friday, the Liberal Police Department Special Response Team served a search warrant at a residence in the 800 block S. Lincoln in Liberal, according to Captain Robert Rogers.

Deputies seized over a pound of suspected methamphetamine during the search. They also located a small amount of marijuana, scales, illegally obtained prescription pills, assorted drug paraphernalia and two handguns.

They arrested both residents, a 26-year-old man and a 26-year-old woman were arrested for possession of methamphetamine with intent to sell, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of marijuana. Rogers did not release their names.

The man also faces charges of possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and interference with law enforcement. An affidavit has been forwarded to the Seward County Attorney’s Office seeking formal charges, according to Rogers.

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an armed robbery and have released security camera images in an attempt to identify a suspect.

Just before 3:30 p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to the Panaderia Monterrey Bakery, 3154 SE 6th in Topeka in reference an aggravated robbery that had just occurred, according to Lt. Andrew Beightel.

Upon arrival officers met with employees and witnesses that said that an unknown suspect entered the business, brandished a firearm and demanded money. The suspect then fled on foot from the business.

No one was physically injured in this crime, according to Beightel.

Police are asking the public for help in identifying the suspect in this crime and released security camera images.

Anyone with information regarding the suspect’s identity or any other information in this crime is encouraged to contact the Topeka Police

In a story about a fatal shooting in Kansas City, the Associated Press reported erroneously that an off-duty Kansas City police officer fatally shot a man. Police said Thursday the officer shot and wounded a man who is suspected of fatally shooting another man.

—

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Police say an off-duty officer shot and wounded a man who is suspected of fatally shooting one man and wounding another in Kansas City.

Capt. Tim Hernandez says the officer was working as private security for a business Thursday when he was alerted to gunfire. Hernandez says the officer rushed over, saw a man shooting at two people and shot the gunman in the leg. The wounded 31-year-old was taken into custody.

Investigators say two victims who were found nearby apparently were shot by the armed man. One of the men, a 29-year-old, was dead. His name wasn’t immediately released. The other, who was 51, had injuries that were not thought to be life-threatening.

Police say the officer wasn’t hurt.

 

—————-

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Police say an off-duty officer shot and killed a man after a disturbance in downtown Kansas City.

Capt. Tim Hernandez said the officer was working as private security for a business when a citizen alerted him that two men were involved in a disturbance.

The officer confronted the two men during what police said was an aggravated assault.

Hernandez said the off-duty officer shot one of the men. The second man also was shot but investigators have not determined who fired those shots. The man is hospitalized in critical condition.

The officer was not injured.

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities have identified the victim in Thursday’s fatal motorcycle crash in Sedgwick County.

Just after 11a.m., police responded to report of an injury accident at the intersection of Lincoln and Woodland in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.

A 2007 Toyota Tundra pulling a trailer driven by a 45-year-old man was westbound on Lincoln and turned left into a private drive just east of Woodlawn.

An eastbound 2008 Suzuki GSX 1300 motorcycle driven by Dell Crosby, 25, Wichita, struck the trailer.  He was pronounced dead at the scene. Alcohol is not believed to be a factor in the accident, according to Davidson.

The accident remains under investigation and will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney.

Friends have established a GoFundMe page to assist the Crosby family.

SALINE COUNTY —A Kansas man is out $2,800 after falling victim to a telephone scam.

The 46-year-old rural Saline County man received a call Thursday from someone claiming to be with the Federal Bureau of Investigation, according Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.

The caller said that a car found at the Mexican border with blood all over it had been rented using the man’s credit card and that the FBI would be freezing the man’s bank account.

The caller told the man that if he still wanted access to his money while the account was frozen, he should immediately put the money from the account onto Target gift cards and then give the caller the gift card numbers so that the FBI could keep his money safe, according to Soldan.

The man agreed to purchase $2,800 on three Target gift cards.

He told deputies that he checked the balances on the cards after he had given the numbers to the alleged FBI agent and the money was gone.

RILEY COUNTY — Lightning is believed to be responsible for Friday morning fire at a home in Manhattan.

Just after 1 a.m. fire crews responded to the blaze at a home in the 2700 Block of Brookville Drive, according to a media release.

The residents heard loud thunder and and felt lightning strike house.

When firefighters arrived, they observed smoke coming from the home. Fire investigators found the blaze in the attic and were able to contain it within ten minutes.

Three people were inside were able to escape without any injuries.

At the time of the fire, a large thunderstorm was moving through Manhattan causing numerous lightning strikes and street flooding. The fire caused a total of $61,000 in damage, according to the fire department.

The Goddard Police Department reported that John Hughes was located by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and is now safe.
———-

SEDGWICK COUNTY – The Goddard Police Department requested that the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) issue a statewide Silver Alert for a missing Goddard, Kan. man.

The whereabouts of John Hughes, 88, are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate him.

Hughes has been missing since 1 p.m., Thursday, Aug. 29, when he left for a medical appointment in west Wichita but never arrived. John was driving a white 1999 Buick Century with the Kansas personalized tag of KSU5454.

Hughes is approximately 5-foot-7 inches tall, 140 pounds and has grey hair and blue eyes. He has memory loss and suffers from coronary heart disease.

 

Authorities believe he is disoriented, as he was last seen Friday morning at a convenience store in Northwest Oklahoma, and reported he was trying to get to Dodge City, Kan.
If you see Hughes, or have information about his whereabouts, please contact 911.

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Two people died in an accident just after 1:30p.m. Thursday in Sedgwick County.

A 1991 Volvo 740 driven by James D. Mortimer, 57, Harper, was southbound on Hydraulic and ran the stop sign at 119^th Street South according to the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Department.

A westbound 2009 Ford Edge driven by Vicki L. Kraft, 60, Peck, Kan. T-boned Volvo which split into two pieces and traveled into a field.

Mortimer and a passenger in Volvo Michael John Horn, 29, Wichita, were pronounced dead at the scene.

Sumner County EMS transported a passenger in the Volvo Selena M. Dennis, 49, Winfield to Wesley Medical Center.  Kraft was transported to St. Francis Medical Center, according to the sheriff’s department.

 

———-

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Two people died in an accident just after 1:30p.m. Thursday in Sedgwick County.

A vehicle driven by James D. Mortimer was southbound on Hydraulic and ran the stop sign at 119^th Street South, according to the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Department.

A westbound vehicle driven by Vicki L. Kraft t-boned Mortimer’s vehicle which split into two pieces and traveled into a field.

Mortimer and a passenger in his vehicle Michael John Horn were pronounced dead at the scene.

Sumner County EMS transported a passenger in Mortimer’s vehicle Selena M. Dennis to Wesley Medical Center.  Kraft was transported to St. Francis Medical Center, according to the sheriff’s department.

Authorities released no additional details early Friday.

————-

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Two people are dead and two others are injured after a crash near the Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane, approximately 17 miles south of Wichita.

The accident happened around 1:30 p.m. Thursday and involved two vehicles. Names of the victims and details about what caused the accident have not been released.

One of the injured people is in critical condition. The other person’s injuries are being called serious.

 

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – The former Linn County Attorney was sentenced Thursday to a year and a day in prison for stealing $75,000 worth of electronics and equipment that belonged to the county, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.

In addition, the defendant was ordered to pay $75,000 in restitution and a fine totaling $11,000.

John Sutherland, 69, Mound City, who served as county attorney for approximately 20 years before leaving the job in January 2017, pleaded guilty to one count of mail fraud and one count of lying to federal investigators. The crimes took place from sometime prior to January 2009 until Sutherland left office.

“The defendant abused the public trust,” McAllister said. “He used his elected position as county attorney to steal more than $75,000 from the Linn County taxpayers who had placed their trust in him as the county’s top law enforcement official. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, there were approximately 9,750 people in Linn County in 2018. The median household income was $46,576. That means the defendant stole property worth far more than most Linn County residents earn in a year.”

According to the government’s sentencing memo, the defendant had the county pay for seven cellular phones that were not used to conduct county business.

In his plea, Sutherland admitted that on Feb. 6, 2019, FBI agents found 13 items stolen from Linn County when they searched Sutherland’s office at the Wyandotte County District Attorney’s Office. At the time, Sutherland was working as an Assistant District Attorney. One of the items was a stolen Apple laptop computer.

When FBI agents interviewed him, Sutherland denied any wrongdoing and made other false statements. For instance, he claimed that an Apple TV 64 GB video-streaming device the county purchased for about $220 had been destroyed. FBI agents found the device intact at Sutherland’s residence.

In his plea agreement, Sutherland agreed to surrender his license to practice law.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Federal health officials issued a national warning Thursday against marijuana use by adolescents and pregnant women, as more states legalize the increasingly potent drug for medicinal and recreational use.

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar and Surgeon General Jerome Adams made the announcement, with Azar calling marijuana “a dangerous drug.” Officials said President Donald Trump has donated $100,000 — one-quarter of his annual government salary — toward a digital campaign to raise awareness of the risks. Trump has forgone his official salary since taking office.

The warning comes as legal marijuana has grown into a $10-billion industry in the U.S. with nearly two-thirds of states legalizing it, mainly for medical uses. An increasing number of states and localities are also allowing personal, recreational use.

Countering the opioid epidemic is a top issue for the White House, but marijuana had not gotten such high-level attention.

Adams said science shows that marijuana is harmful to the developing brains of teenagers and to the human fetus. The drug has also gotten stronger, with a three-fold increase in the concentration of the active ingredient THC in cultivated plants over the last 20 years.

“This ain’t your mother’s marijuana,” said Adams.

While many states have changed their marijuana laws, federal law still treats it as a controlled substance akin to opioids.

Federal officials say they fear the trend toward legalization may make it more enticing for teenagers to try marijuana. It’s a commonly used drug among youths, they said, along with alcohol and e-cigarettes. No states allow legal marijuana use by teens.

Adams said that for teens it carries a risk of affecting brain development, which continues in the 20s. Frequent marijuana use by teenagers is associated with changes in parts of the brain that are involved with attention, memory, decision-making and motivation.

Among pregnant women, marijuana is the most commonly used illicit drug, with about 7% reporting they had used it within the past month in a 2017 study. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the American Academy of Pediatrics advise women not to use marijuana during pregnancy, and to discontinue the drug if they find out they are pregnant.

HHS Assistant Secretary for Health Brett Giroir said pregnant women taking marijuana to relieve morning sickness should stop. “If you have morning sickness, talk to your physician,” he said.