SEDGWICK COUNTY –Law enforcement authorities in Sedgwick County are investigating the case of missing 5-year-old.
Just after 3:20 p.m. Monday a woman called 911 to report she had found a 5-year-old boy in a parking lot in 1500 Block of South Oliver, according to Sgt. Nikki Woodrow during the online media briefing.
Police took the child into protective custody after they were unable to locate parents or an address for the child.
Just before 6:30 p.m., another woman called to report her 5-year-old son was missing. It was the same child found in the parking lot, according to Woodrow.
The mother told police she was cleaning the house and didn’t realize the boy was missing. Police also took a 13-month-old child at the residence into protective custody.
SALINE COUNTY -Following a public vote, the Rolling Hills Zoo announce Tuesday the name of their new baby giraffe is Jojo. The name was submitted by the Home Schoolers Association. More than 5,000 zoo guests voted.
According to Linda Henderson, development and marketing director, this is the first giraffe born at the Rolling Hills Zoo.
Jojo was born on November 27, 2016, weighing 117 pounds and standing six-feet-tall. Saline County elementary schools; public, private and the Home Schoolers Association submitted the 12 names. Zoo guests voted on them March 1-26.
The ballots were tabulated Monday and the zoo announced ‘Jojo’ as the winner Tuesday Jojo received 729 of the total 5,393 votes.
Results: Bubbles, submitted by Schilling Elementary. 679 votes Jojo, submitted by Home Schoolers Association. 729 votes Elliott, submitted by Heusner Elementary. 497 votes Gizmo, submitted by Stewart Elementary. 628 votes Curry, submitted by Ell-Saline Elementary. 298 votes Zeke, submitted by Meadowlark Elementary. 480 votes Louie, submitted by Southeast of Saline. 276 votes Zeus, submitted by Coronado Elementary. 449 votes Pikachu, submitted by Cottonwood Elementary. 638 votes Jordan, submitted by Oakdale Elementary. 229 votes Bambi, submitted by Sunset Elementary. 277 votes Bellus Stella (Latin for “beautiful one to the stars”), submitted by Cornerstone Classical School. 213 votes.
GEARY COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Geary County are investigating a paroled Kansas man on numerous charges after a brief chase.
Just before 1:30 Monday, police responding to an alleged criminal trespass complaint in the 1400 Block of North Calhoun in Junction City. After a 2-minute chase, officers took the suspect identified as Gary Cunningham, 40, Junction City, into custody at the Trooper Gate entrance at Fort Riley.
Three police officers suffered scrapes working to get the suspect into custody. One officer was treated at the scene and released, and no one required transport to a hospital.
The JCPD confirmed Cunningham was arrested on suspicion of Fleeing and Eluding, Reckless Driving, Interference with LEO, Violating Red Traffic Signal, Failure to Yield at Stop Sign, two counts of Improper Turn, No Driver’s License, Driving Under the Influence, Transporting an Open Container, Driving Through Private Property to Avoid Traffic Control Devices, Speeding, Failure to Stop at Accident, Criminal Threat, Criminal Trespass, three counts of Improper Driving on Laned roadway, and five counts of No Turn Signal.
Cunningham has previous drug and weapons convictions dating to 1994 according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.
By a vote of 25-14, the Kansas Senate Tuesday approved an expansion of the state’s Medicaid program under the federal Affordable Care Act.
The legislation would expand state health coverage to thousands of poor adults.
The House approved the plan in February.
The bill now goes to Republican Gov. Sam Brownback who could veto it.
————–
By JIM MCLEAN
The Kansas Senate gave tentative approval Monday to a bill expanding eligibility for Medicaid. But the bill may face a veto from Gov. Sam Brownback. STEPHEN KORANDA / KPR
Buoyed by the failure of Republicans in Congress to repeal the Affordable Care Act, the Kansas Senate on Monday gave tentative approval to a Medicaid expansion bill after debating it for nearly three hours.
A bipartisan group of 25 senators voted for the bill. All 13 “no” votes were cast by Republicans concerned about the cost of expansion and opposed to covering low-income, non-disabled adults.
If it survives a final-action vote Tuesday, the bill would go to Republican Gov. Sam Brownback, whose spokeswoman reaffirmed his opposition to expansion in tweets during the debate but did not say whether he would veto it.
In a statement released minutes after the vote, David Jordan, director of the Alliance for a Healthy Kansas, a coalition of health care providers and other organizations that support expansion, urged the governor to “join with the overwhelming bipartisan majorities” that approved the measure in the Kansas House and Senate by signing the bill.
The House passed the expansion bill 81-44 in late February.
If Brownback does veto the measure, supporters would need three more votes in the House and two in the Senate to override him.
House Minority Leader Jim Ward, a Wichita Democrat, is optimistic that supporters could round up the necessary votes.
“I absolutely think there are 84 votes in the Kansas House to override the governor if he should veto Medicaid expansion,” Ward said. “The vote count is closer in the Senate obviously, but I think we’ll get there.”
As long as the ACA remains in place, the federal government is obligated to cover no less than 90 percent of the cost of expansion.
To date, 31 states and the District of Columbia have expanded their Medicaid programs. Kansas and Missouri are among 19 states that have so far rejected expansion.
Though congressional leaders have shelved the ACA replacement bill, it’s not clear whether the Trump administration intends to allow any additional states to expand their programs.
Setting aside potential barriers to its implementation, expansion would greatly increase the number of Kansans eligible for KanCare, the state’s privatized Medicaid program.
Eligibility is now limited to children and pregnant women in low-income families, people with developmental and physical disabilities, and seniors who cannot afford nursing home care. Parents are eligible only if they earn less than a third of the federal poverty level, or about $9,200 annually for a four-person family.
Single adults without children aren’t eligible for coverage no matter their income.
Expansion would broaden eligibility to all Kansans earning up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level, annually $16,642 for individuals and $33,465 for a family of four.
An estimated 300,000 Kansans would qualify for coverage under expansion, though only about half that number would enroll in the first year, according to estimates.
Opponents argued expansion is unaffordable despite estimates compiled by the Kansas Hospital Association indicating it would generate enough revenue and savings to cover the state’s share of the cost. And, they said, it’s just a matter of time until the ACA is repealed.
“We’re standing at an amusement park ride that’s closed,” said Sen. Ty Masterson, a conservative Republican from Andover. “It’s broken and we’re saying we want to go ahead and get on the ride.”
But when pressed by expansion opponents, Sen. Vicki Schmidt, a moderate Republican from Topeka, said she has confidence in the KHA estimates, which predict expansion would benefit the state budget to the tune of approximately $70 million.
“I believe that there are assumptions made, but I believe that the assumptions are good,” Schmidt said.
Sen. Barbara Bollier said while cost is an important issue, the health care that expansion would provide to tens of thousands of uninsured Kansans was the most important consideration for her.
“It’s very easy for us to sit in these seats and look at a graph, or look at a statistical analysis, or look at the underlying budget and forget that we are talking about a brother, a father, a sister (or) a child,” said Bollier, a Mission Hills Republican. “We’re talking about real people who want and need access to care.”
A bipartisan group of senators fought off a series of amendments offered Monday by expansion opponents.
One from Sen. Dennis Pyle, a conservative Republican from Hiawatha, touched off a contentious debate. It would have denied coverage to otherwise eligible Kansans living in communities that shelter undocumented immigrants, so-called sanctuary cities.
“I’m not out to hurt or harm anyone,” Pyle said, explaining that his amendment was an attempt to pressure city and county officials across the state to comply with the letter of federal immigration law.
But referring to the amendment, which was defeated 25-13, as a “hate bill,” Sen. John Doll, a moderate Republican from Garden City, said: “I believe it does go after people.”
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 in Kansas. You can reach him on Twitter @jmcleanks.
KINGMAN COUNTY -A canvass on Monday finalized the results of the March 21 special mail election for a three-quarter cent countywide sales tax to help support Kingman Community Hospital, according to a media release.
The final totals did not change from the preliminary results: 1,689 votes in favor and 613 votes opposed. County Clerk and Election Officer Carol Noblit shared some other data about the election with Kingman County Commissioners, who doubled as the Board of County Canvassers.
Noblit said a total of 5,203 ballots were mailed, with 919 returned by the postal service as undeliverable. A total of 2,302 ballots were counted, for a voter turnout of 44 percent. Most of the ballots – 2,137 – came back by mail. Another 93 ballots were hand-delivered to the Clerk’s office.
Each voter had to sign the envelope containing the ballot. Initially, 174 ballots were received without the requisite signature. The Clerk’s office sent letters to those voters asking them to come in and sign the envelope. Seventy-two voters responded. That left 102 ballots uncounted for lack of a voter signature.
Kansas statute requires that the entity requesting a special election must pay for the cost of that election. The cost of the sales tax election was $14,343.90. Noblit said the county will send the hospital an invoice for that amount.
The sales tax will take effect on July 1 and continue for 20 years.
TOPEKA – The U.S. Supreme Court Monday declined to review the case of Gary Kleypas leaving his capital murder conviction and death sentence intact, according to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.
Kleypas-photo Kan. Dept. of Corrections
The high court’s denial means Kleypas’ conviction and death sentence, which previously were affirmed by the Kansas Supreme Court, will stand on direct appeal. The case will next be returned to the Kansas courts for further proceedings under the Kansas death penalty statute. Although the U.S. Supreme Court’s action marks the end of Kleypas’ direct appeals, under both Kansas and federal law Kleypas has remaining options to seek further judicial review through collateral proceedings.
Kleypas was convicted in 1997 in Crawford County District Court of capital murder in connection with the 1996 murder of a Pittsburg State University student. He was sentenced to death in 1998. The Kansas Supreme Court affirmed Kleypas’ conviction, but overturned his death sentence in 2001 and ordered a new sentencing hearing. In 2008, a second jury recommended a death sentence in the case. The Kansas Supreme Court upheld that death sentence in October 2016.
This is the second death penalty case to exhaust direct appeals since the Kansas Legislature reinstated the death penalty in 1994. The first was State v. John Robinson in October 2016. The Kansas Supreme Court also has affirmed the conviction and death sentence of Sidney Gleason after remand from the U.S. Supreme Court, although Gleason has an opportunity to ask the U.S. Supreme Court to review his case for a second time.
Jordan after the high-speed chase with a 19-month-old child in the SUV, and firing at police officers who were chasing them.-photo courtesy KCTV
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A second man who helped rob a Kansas bank before leading police on a chase with a toddler in the getaway car has been sentenced to federal prison.
A judge sentenced 19-year-old Jacob L. Smith on Monday in his hometown of Kansas City, Kansas. Smith pleaded guilty to bank robbery and brandishing a firearm. A co-defendant, 40-year-old Gary Jordan, is serving a related three-decade prison term.
Authorities say the men held up the First National Bank in Stilwell in March of last year, then fled into Missouri with law enforcers in pursuit. Smith was accused of firing shots during the chase and Jordan of trying to carjack another vehicle after the wreck.
The toddler of 27-year-old Danille Morris wasn’t hurt. Morris was sentenced to more than 16 years in prison.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — The Latest on lawsuits challenging President Donald Trump’s travel ban (all times local):
6:30 p.m.
A group of 12 state attorneys general and one governor is urging a federal appeals court to allow Donald Trump’s revised travel ban targeting six predominantly Muslim countries to take effect.
In a brief filed in the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday, the states say the president’s executive order is not a “pretext for religious discrimination.” They say the president acted lawfully in the interest of national security.
The states are Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas and West Virginia. Gov. Phil Bryant of Mississippi also joined.
The states are urging the Richmond-based appeals court to overturn a lower court ruling that blocked the ban from going into effect. A judge in Hawaii has issued a separate ruling blocking the executive order.
DENVER (AP) — United Airlines says regular-paying flyers are welcome to wear leggings aboard its flights, even though two teenage girls were barred by a gate agent from boarding a flight from Denver to Minneapolis on Sunday because of their attire.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A man wounded while trying to intervene in an apparently racially motivated shooting at a suburban Kansas City bar has received a $100,000 check.
The Kansas City Star reports that Ian Grillot was surprised with the check Saturday at a Houston gala. The India House, which hosted the gala, and three donors teamed to give Grillot the money, to be used toward buying a house. Friends also established a GoFundme page for him.
His mother, Debra Grillot described the evening as “impressive.”
Last month’s shooting in Olathe, Kansas, left Srinivas Kuchibhotla dead and his friend, Alok Madasani, wounded. Both Kuchibhotla and Madasani were natives of India working as engineers for GPS-maker Garmin in Olathe.
Fifty-one-year-old Adam Purinton was arrested hours later in Missouri. He’s charged with murder and attempted murder. Witnesses say Purinton shouted racial slurs.
OSAGE COUNTY – A Kansas woman was injured in an accident just before 5:30p.m. on Sunday in Osage County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Suzuki 450 Sport driven by Falicity A. Wishkeno, 26, Carbondale, was northbound on Kansas Avenue just north of Carbondale.
She lost control of the vehicle, hit a sign and the ATV rolled.
Wishkeno was transported to Stormont Vail.
The KHP did not have details on whether she wearing a helmet at the time of the accident.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Latest on the debate in Kansas over expanding its Medicaid program (all times local):
6 p.m.
Kansas lawmakers have voted to expand the state’s Medicaid health care program to more low-income individuals.
The bill passed 25-13 in a first-round Senate vote Monday. It will see a final vote Tuesday. If approved, it would then go to conservative Republican Gov. Sam Brownback.
The House passed the measure last month after expansion supporters tried unsuccessfully for four years to get a floor debate and vote.
Opponents in the Statehouse have largely relied on cost and uncertainty over what Congress will do to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act as reasons not to expand.
But supporters say congressional Republicans’ failure to vote on their health care bill last week is more reason to expand. They contend expansion would be an economic boon to the state.
Brownback has stopped short of saying that he would veto the bill.
4:45 p.m.
Republican Gov. Sam Brownback has stopped short of saying that he would veto a bill to expand the Medicaid program in Kansas.
But Brownback spokeswoman Melika Willoughby said Monday in an email that that it would be irresponsible to “expand ObamaCare when the program is in a death spiral.”
The 2010 overhaul of the U.S. health care system championed by former President Barack Obama encouraged states to expand their Medicaid programs by promising to pay most of the cost.
The Senate was debating a measure that would expand Medicaid to as many as 180,000 additional poor adults.
Brownback said in a letter with other GOP governors to congressional leaders last week that expanding Medicaid under Obama’s policies moved the program away from its “core mission” of helping the truly vulnerable.
___
3:50 p.m.
Legislators and advocates in Kansas pushing to expand the state’s health coverage for the poor and disabled to thousands of adults are buoyed by events in Washington.
They see it as a plus that Republicans in Congress have failed to repeal former President Barack Obama’s signature health care law.
The GOP-controlled Kansas Legislature already was more receptive this year to expanding the state’s Medicaid program under the Affordable Care Act. The state Senate was debating a bill Monday and could send it to Republican Gov. Sam Brownback later this week.
Critics of expanding Medicaid in Kansas have pointed to uncertainty about how Congress might overhaul the U.S. health care system.
Other states pursuing Medicaid expansions under the 2010 U.S. law include Maine, North Carolina and Virginia.
MCPHERSON COUNTY –Law enforcement authorities in McPherson County are investigating an armed robbery and asking the public for help to identify a suspect.
Just after 5a.m. Saturday, a man displayed a silver handgun and demanded money from an employee at a business in the 800 block of E. Kansas Avenue in McPherson, according to a social media report.
The man is of unknown race and approximately 5’10” tall and 180 pounds, according to police.
He was wearing a black and gray leather jacket with gray lines down the sleeves, and three large gray blocks decreasing in size on the back.
He wore a black or blue bandanna over his face and gray pullover/beanie hat with black stripes. His pants and shoes were dark, possibly black. When the employee opened the cash register, the man grabbed an undisclosed amount of cash, and ran away.
SEDGWICK COUNTY –Law enforcement authorities in Sedgwick County are investigating the case of missing 5-year-old.
