WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Federal prosecutors are seeking to revoke the bond of a Kansas doctor accused of over-prescribing pain medication, insisting he illegally continued to write prescriptions with a suspended state medical license.
Steven Henson’s attorney counters that the Wichita doctor’s use of his Oklahoma medical license to write prescriptions to his wife and a longstanding patient for non-controlled substances was appropriate. Kurt Kerns adds that prosecutors filed for the bond revocation a day after a deadline for Henson to accept their plea offer.
A 31-count indictment against Henson in January 2016 accuses him of writing prescriptions for cash, when there wasn’t a medical need and for people other than the ones who came to see him. Prosecutors say the scheme resulted in a patient’s 2015 death.
KHP on the scene of the April high-speed chase and search-photo courtesy WIBW-TV
POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in northeast Kansas continue to search for a suspect who jumped into the Kansas River on April 5th during a high-speed chase, according to a media release.
The Wabaunsee County Sheriff’s Office, Kansas Highway Patrol, Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office, and Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks continue efforts to locate a male who had been in a high-speed chase, crashed into a Pottawatomie County Sheriff Patrol vehicle, then jumped into the Kansas River off of the Belvue River bridge.
The suspect is likely in the Kansas River; however, his location is still considered unknown.
Search efforts have included flights by the Kansas Highway Patrol Aircraft and watercraft by Sheriff Office and Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks as well as initial ground searches with Law Enforcement and K-9.
A name for the missing person has been provided to the Detectives working this case.
The identity of the suspect will not be released until positive identification has been made.
Anyone with information on this case is asked to contact the Wabaunsee County Sheriff’s Office 785-765-3323, or the Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office at 785-457-3353 or the Kansas Highway Patrol at 785-296-3102.
MANHATTAN – Law enforcement authorities in Riley County are investigating an alleged sexual assault of a 13-year-old.
On Tuesday, police filed a report against a 24-year-old man for rape, electronic solicitation, and contributing to a child’s misconduct, according to the Riley County Police incident report.
A mother reported finding text messages and pictures that suggested her daughter was in a sexual relationship with a 24-year-old man, and that the man provided her 13-year-old daughter with marijuana.
Due to the nature of the crimes alleged, police released no additional information.
Those with information about this crime were encouraged to contact the Manhattan/Riley County Crime Stoppers.
Estes is the state treasurer. He held off a stronger than expected challenge from Wichita civil rights attorney James Thompson to claim the south-central Kansas seat formerly held by CIA Director Mike Pompeo.
It was the first special congressional election since Donald Trump’s election as president.
Huge Chemical plume over Aitchison Kansas on Friday October 21-courtesy Corie Dunn
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Federal investigators say mistakes by a delivery driver and an employee of a northeast Kansas distilling plant led to the mixing of incompatible chemicals, causing a noxious cloud to spread over Atchison last year.
The U.S. Chemical Safety Board said in a preliminary report issued Wednesday that design and labeling deficiencies at the loading station at MGP Ingredients also contributed to the toxic chemical release of a huge cloud of chlorine gas in October 2016.
The release sent about 140 people to hospitals and caused residents in the area to stay indoors or evacuate for several hours.
The agency said the release occurred when a delivery driver mistakenly unloaded sulfuric acid into a tank that contained sodium hypochlorite, releasing thousands of gallons of the gas across the region.
MANHATTAN – A large crowd showed up at Tuesday’s casting call for the popular CBS reality show Big Brother at Kite’s Bar & Grill in Manhattan.
Dozens from all over the state and beyond arrived to register on Tuesday-courtesy photo
“The restaurant started to get busy by noon and some contestants actually arrived Monday night,” according to Kite’s Marketing Manager Josie Murray,
“One drove from Denver and another from Connecticut, but we were ready. There’s only 16 casting locations in the country and we’re one of them,” she said.
Contestants who wanted to apply were asked to enter the dance floor side of Kite’s for registration, fill out application for a number, and then wait to be called for audition. Those auditions were held on the back patio.
“Apparently, the Manhattan area has done really well casting for reality shows,” she said. “There’s something about the area that they really like about casting from here. We’re just excited because this event is bringing people from all over the state and different states to Manhattan.
So, we’re proud to show them what this wonderful town has to offer.”
Another casting call will be held in Pittsburg on Saturday, April 22nd from 2PM-5PM at Pittsburg State University Plaster Center.
BARTON COUNTY -Law enforcement authorities in Barton County are investigating the case of a missing convicted drug dealer on parole violation charges.
Chet Whetham, 29, also missed a court appearance, according to a media release from the Barton County Sheriff’s Department.
Whetham is described as a white male 29 years of age, 5 foot 10 inches tall and weighs approximately 135 pounds. He also has numerous tattoos.
If you have information about this person or any other crime, please call crime stoppers at 620-792-1300 or 888-305-1300.
Whetham has numerous drug and alcohol convictions dating back to 2007 in Rice and Barton County. In 2014, he was convicted of identity theft, fraud in Jackson County.
EMPORIA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say no one was hurt when a small plane made an emergency landing in a pasture near Emporia because of engine problems.
The Emporia Gazette reports that the plane landed Tuesday night about three miles west and one mile north of the Emporia Municipal Airport.
The Lyon County Sheriff’s Office says the pilot was unharmed, and there were no injuries to people on the ground.
The sheriff’s office didn’t say if that is where the plane was headed or from where it had taken off.
TOPEKA -The move of school superintendents in Kansas continues. Two of the state’s largest school districts are currently looking for new leaders.
On Tuesday, William D. Hall, Superintendent of Schools of U.S.D. 305 in Salina since 2011, informed the school board he would resign effective June 30, 2017.
In March, the school board voted they would not renew his contract that expired in 2019.
On April 6, Superintendent Dr. Shelly Kiblinger informed the USD 308 Hutchinson Public Schools Board of Education she was resigning her position, effective June 30.
Kiblinger said she is resigning to take advantage of another opportunity in Kansas closer to her family. The job offer was conditioned on her being released from her current contract on June. 30.
More than 20 percent, over 60 Kansas’ school districts, including some of the larger districts had new superintendents at the start of the current school year, according to Dale Dennis, deputy education commissioner of Kansas.
The current departures follow at least three straight years of record-breaking turnover, which Dennis and others said has taken a toll on districts and the state.
The average tenure for a superintendent in Kansas is about five years.
RENO COUNTY – A Hutchinson teen was injured in an accident just after 3:45p.m. Tuesday in Reno County.
A motorcycle driven by Tyler Carl Day, 18, Hutchinson, was traveling in the 9000 Block of east 4th Avenue. He swerved to avoid a USD 313 Buhler school bus stopped to let a student off, according to the Reno County Sheriff’s Department.
Emergency responders transported Day to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center with undetermined injuries.
He was not wearing a helmet, according to the sheriff’s department.
State Treasurer Ron Estes won the election to become the next Republican Congressman to represent the 4th District in Kansas. Estes defeated Democrat James Thompson by less than ten points. Libertarian Chris Rockhold was also on the ballot and drew two percent of the vote.
US HOUSE 4 MAP
Click on the county to view unofficial election results.
No Results
Thompson Winning
Thompson Won
Rockhold Winning
Rockhold Won
Estes Winning
Estes Won
United States House of Representatives 004 Precincts Reporting: 620 of 620
Candidate
Votes
%
D-James A. Thompson
55,310
46%
L-Chris Rockhold
2,082
2%
R-Ron Estes
63,505
53%
Republican candidate Ron Estes gives his victory speech. NADYA FAULX / KMUW
In what was supposed to be a give-away for the Republicans in the red state of Kansas, an almost neck-and-neck race emerged in the early returns, which leaned toward Thompson. Estes gained ground through the evening and ended up with 53 percent of the vote over Thompson’s 46 percent. Rockhold received 2 percent of the total vote.
Following his victory, Estes, who has served as state treasurer for the past six years, told supporters that he’s ready to put his fiscally conservative experience to work in Congress.
“There’s several moving things in Congress right now,” Estes said. “Obviously, there’s still some discussion about Obamacare and repealing and replacing that. The other things that I know that is really up front in terms of engagement is tax reform.”
Thompson called his campaign “people-powered” because much of his fundraising came from individual donors. Just days before the election, his campaign spokesman said they received financial support from more than 8,500 people.
The civil rights attorney said he was inspired by Sen. Bernie Sanders’ campaign for the presidency last year and decided to run for the 4th District. A group that formed following Sanders candidacy, Our Revolution, supported Thompson during the campaign through social media and phone banking.
Democratic candidate James Thompson gives his concession speech. CREDIT HUGO PHAN / KMUW
Thompson won the Kansas Democratic Party’s nomination in February by defeating a well-known politician, former State Treasurer Dennis McKinney.
In the last three congressional elections, Democratic challengers attracted only about 30 percent of the vote against Mike Pompeo.
Thompson’s only win Tuesday came in Sedgwick County, the most populous of the 17 counties in the Congressional District. There he had 50 percent of the vote to Estes’ 48 percent.
Thompson said he plans to run for Congress again in 2018.
“I wanted to run in 2018 one way or the other,” he said. “Seeing everybody here, and I know where we need to go to fix what w weren’t able to do in 60 days. We’ll come back in 2018 stronger and be able to win it.”
Analysts say Libertarian candidate Chris Rockhold’s bid for public office was a long-shot. Rockhold said one reason why he decided to enter the race was to get name recognition for the Libertarian Party.
Libertarian Gary Johnson received more than 55,000 votes in Kansas (4.7 percent) when he ran for president last fall.
Libertarian candidate Gordon Bakken received just 2.8 percent of the vote in last fall’s election for the 4th District seat. Mike Pompeo was re-elected with 60 percent of the vote and served until President Trump tapped Pompeo to become CIA Director.
Republicans have held the 4th District seat for more than two decades. In last year’s presidential race, Trump easily won with 60 percent of the votes cast in the 17-county congressional district of south-central Kansas.
Neal Allen, a professor of political science at Wichita State University, said Tuesday’s election was “much closer than it should have been.”
“The key question is whether the weakness of Estes tonight was due to his shortcomings as a candidate, the weakness of the state party under Brownback, or a sign of Trump’s national unpopularity,” he said. “It probably took all three to get Thompson this close.”
Allen said Thompson’s strong showing could help recruit Democratic candidates in future races.
The 4th District special election is the first of five House elections that are taking place through the end of June. Republicans are defending three other GOP-leaning seats, and Democrats are protecting territory in California. The open seats are in Georgia’s 6th District, Montana’s at-large district, South Carolina’s 5th District and California’s 34th District.
Hugo Phan, Aileen LeBlanc and Nadya Faulx contributed to this report.
Authorities blocked off parts of Brookville Road during the incident.
SALINE COUNTY – Three people were injured in an accident just before 4 p.m. on Tuesday in Saline County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Chevy passenger vehicle driven by Lawson Constable, 18, Minneapolis, was southbound on Brookville Road two miles north of Brookville.
The vehicle crossed the center line and struck an ATV driven by Jed Burr, 39, Salina.
The Chevy then traveled back into the right lane and struck a utility vehicle driven by Jordan Lindquist, 19, Brookville.
The Chevy continued off the road, traveled through the ditch into a pasture, up a hill and then rolled back into the ditch.
Constable, Burr and Lindquist were transported to the hospital in Salina.
Burr and Lindquist were not wearing helmets, according to the KHP.
