SEDGWICK COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Sedgwick County are investigating an armed robbery that sent two men to a hospital with multiple gunshot wounds.

Just after 11p.m. Monday, police reported two 59-year-old men were approached by two men in the parking lot of a bar in the 1200 Block of East MacArthur in Wichita, according to Police Sgt. Nikki Woodrow during Tuesday’s online media briefing.

One of the suspects had a gun and demanded money from the victims. They victims attempted to run and were shot several times by the suspect.

The suspects fled the scene on foot. The victims were transported to a local hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries, according to police.

Witnesses told police the suspects were white males wearing dark hooded sweatshirts. Police are looking for witnesses who saw the shooting or were in the nearby mobile home park on Monday night.

LINDSBORG -The Bethany College Board of Directors approved the college’s fiscal year 2016 audit report as presented by Swindoll, Janzen, Hawk & Loyd Certified Public Accountants at its spring meeting.

The audit found that the total change in net operating assets improved from a negative of nearly $5.5 million in fiscal year 2015 to a positive of more than $77,000 in fiscal year 2016, according to a media release from the school.

“This is incredible news,” President Will Jones said. “Bethany was able to accomplish this goal thanks to the generous support of our alumni and friends, especially those in our local community.”

Additionally, the audit report confirmed that the college was able to fully fund depreciation expenses while correcting some financial issues from prior years.

“In the current environment facing smaller private colleges, especially those in Kansas, this audit report shows the wise stewardship that Bethany’s leadership team is providing the college,” said Matt Lindsey, president of the Kansas Independent College Association and Fund. “For any KICA college to fully fund depreciation is challenging and is a mark of strength that bodes well the present and future.”

In the auditors’ report to the board, they commended the college for its efforts in increasing contributions and in making a concerted effort to cut expenses.

“The bottom line is very encouraging,” Carol Summervill, senior manager of Swindoll, Janzen, Hawk & Loyd, said. “The hard work of the management team and decisions that were made last year have paid off impressively. It was a successful year and the results can be seen in black and white.”

Corey Peterson ‘84, chair of the Bethany College Board of Directors, added that along with a focused effort on finances, Bethany also committed to providing students a transformative experience.

“Student surveys indicate that it was a very positive year on campus,” he said. “Along with our efforts to reduce Bethany’s expenses, we remained focused on helping our students to be successful.”

Jean Hall, vice president of Finance and Operations, also reported to the board that the college continues to carefully monitor and manage the budget and is confident that the financial progress over the past year will continue.

“This was the first year in many years that the college operated within a balanced budget,” she said. “With board leadership and commitment of administration, faculty and staff, the college passed another balanced budget and is off to a better start in the first six months of this fiscal year than in previous years.”

President Jones added, “The financial turn-around that is happening at Bethany is not complete. We still need our alumni, friends, and churches to continue to provide strong financial support. With this support, I am confident we will be a celebrated college in the Midwest and in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.”

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Douglas County authorities are still trying to identify a body found in a burning car last week near Clinton Lake.

Authorities say deputies sent to the Rockhaven Equestrian Park Campground near the lake last Tuesday on a report of a fire. They discovered the body inside the car when the fire was extinguished.

The Lawrence Journal-World reports Douglas County Sheriff’s Sgt. Kristen Dymacek said Monday the office is waiting for lab results from evidence collected at the scene.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which oversees Rockhaven Park, says the park is currently closed and does not open until April 1.

SHAWNEE COUNTY -Law enforcement authorities in Shawnee County arrested five suspects in connection with Sunday’s triple-murder at a home in Topeka.

Richard Folsom, 26, Joseph Krahn, 34, Joseph Lowery, 30, Brian Flowers, 32, Shane Mays, 19, all from Topeka are being held in the Shawnee County Jail on charges in the case, according to a media release from police

Police identified the victims as Nicole Fisher, 38; Matthew Leavitt, 19 and Luke Davis, 20, all of Topeka.

Just after 11p.m. on Sunday police responded to a home in the 100 Block of NW Grant in Topeka for a welfare check and found the bodies of two men and one woman, according to a media release.

 

Police continue to look for a red, 2006 Pontiac G6 in connection with the case, according to a media release.

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SHAWNEE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Shawnee County are investigating a triple-murder and have persons of interest in custody.

Just after 11p.m. on Sunday police responded to a home in the 100 Block of NW Grant in Topeka for a welfare check and found the bodies of two men and one woman, according to a media release.

Police identified the victims as Nicole Fisher, 38; Matthew Leavitt, 19 and Luke Davis, 20, all of Topeka.
Police continue to look for a red, 2006 Pontiac G6 in connection with the case, according to a media release.

Names of the suspects were not released.

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SHAWNEE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Shawnee County are investigating a possible triple-murder.

Just after 11p.m. on Sunday police responded to a home in the 100 Block of NW Grant in Topeka for a welfare check and found the bodies of two men and one woman, according to a media release.

No additional details were released.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas legislator is standing by a comment he made in a letter comparing Planned Parenthood with a Nazi concentration camp.

Republican state Sen. Steve Fitzgerald of Leavenworth told The Kansas City Star on Monday that he considers Planned Parenthood worse than the Nazi regime in Germany.

Planned Parenthood Federation of America President Cecile Richards called Fitzgerald’s comments disturbing and said he should be ashamed.

Sen. Fitzgerald did NOT appreciate having a donation to @PPGreatPlains made in his honor. Just FYI. https://t.co/raCPC9b3nX #ksleg #heinous pic.twitter.com/D5AbOgRfLM

— PP Great Plains KS (@PPGreatPlainsKS) March 10, 2017

Fitzgerald is a strong abortion opponent. He sent a letter to Planned Parenthood Great Plains last week after learning a donation had been made in his name.

He said in his letter on official Senate stationery that such a donation in his name was worse than “having one’s name associated with Dachau.”

The Planned Parenthood chapter tweeted a photo of the letter.

 

TOPEKA, Kan. –The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has issued an Emergency Order of Suspension to Small Wonders Daycare, a licensed day care home located at 1125 Hill Street, Concordia, according to a media release from the state.

State law allows the Secretary of KDHE to issue such an order when, in the opinion of the Secretary, the order is necessary to protect children in the home from any potential threat to health or safety. The order is subject to appeal. Compliance history on this day care facility can be found here.

Among the findings in the report: During the initial survey process provider was not forthcoming with enrollment information which ultimately impacted the facility licensed capacity. Provider stated that an infant in care was a drop-in child when in fact per parent interview the child has been enrolled since the age of six weeks. Provider also claimed an additional child in care was a drop-in; this child was verified as a regularly enrolled child every Tuesday and Thursday. Provider also stated the child was 5 when the child is actually 4.

Facility is not maintained with strict regard to the health, comfort, safety and welfare of children in care

Facility was over capacity on 03/08/2017 with 9 children in care. There were 3 children in care, 2 weeks to 18 months; 5 children in care 18 months to 5 years and 1 child in care 5 years and older. Facility is over by 2 children 18 months to 5 years. Facility over capacity on 03/09/2017 with 10 children in care. There were 3 children in care, 2 weeks to 18 months; 6 children in care 18 months to 5 years and 1 child in care 5 years and older. Facility is over by 3 children 18 months to 5 years. Facility is over by 3 children 18 months to 5 years.

 

CLAY COUNTY  – Law enforcement authorities in central Kansas are investigating two suspect  following a high-speed chase and crash.

A high-speed chase that started in Salina, ended after the driver crashed in Clay County early this morning.

Just before 3 a.m. Monday, police received a call about a woman going through a trash bin behind Value Inn and Suites, located at 1640 W Crawford in Salina, according to Police Capt. Paul Forrester.

When officers arrived at the location, they found Joseph Majka, 36, and Lacy Rule, 20, both of Salina in a 2001 Honda Odyssey.

Rule had an outstanding warrant.

Police Majka sped away when the officer attempted to approach the vehicle.

The suspects traveled northbound on Interstate 135 reaching speeds of 105 miles-per-hour.

Saline County law enforcement pursued the suspects to the Ottawa County line where Kansas Highway Patrol and Ottawa law enforcement took over.

Majka attempted to discard drug paraphernalia during the pursuit, according to the police report. The chase ended in Clay County, where Majka crashed the van. Both suspects were transported to the hospital with minor injuries but have since been released.

Rule was booked into the Clay County Jail for the warrant. Majka was relocated to Salina, where he faces multiple drug charges, flee and elude, driving while revoked, speeding, littering and felony obstruction.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump (all times local):

5:30 p.m.

President Donald Trump has signed an order aimed at streamlining the executive branch.

Trump says the new executive order requires the examination of every federal department and agency “to see where money is being wasted, how services can be improved and whether programs are truly serving American citizens.”

He says the Office of Management and Budget will oversee the evaluation, working with experts inside and outside the government to develop a reorganizing and consolidation plan.

Trump says that, “today there’s duplication and redundancy everywhere” with billions of dollars wasted.

The president signed the order in the Oval Office flanked by Cabinet members.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A woman who admitted to driving a teenage girl to Wichita to have sex for money has been sentenced to more than four years in prison.

The Sedgwick County district attorney’s office says 21-year-old LaDeisha Brown of Wichita was sentenced Monday to four years and three months in prison. Brown pleaded guilty in January to attempted aggravated human trafficking and two counts of commercial sexual exploitation of a child.

The 15-year-old victim told authorities she rode with Brown and Jaquett Dunbar to Wichita after she ran away from a Lawrence group home in February.

Dunbar, Wichita, was sentenced in October to six years and 11 months in prison.

The man accused of paying to have sex with the victim is scheduled for trial this month.

TOPEKA -Gov. Sam Brownback signed the final State of Disaster Emergency declaration Monday for 20 Kansas counties affected by wildfires that burned more than 651,000 acres across the state, according to a media release from the State Adjutant General’s office.

The declaration covers the period beginning March 4 and continuing. The declaration amends the previous declaration he made for three counties on March 5.

Named in the declaration are Barber, Cheyenne, Clark, Comanche, Ellis, Ellsworth, Ford, Harvey, Hodgeman, Lane, Lincoln, McPherson, Meade, Ness, Pratt, Reno, Rice, Rooks, Russell, and Seward Counties.

One death was attributed to the fires due to smoke inhalation and 11 injuries were reported. According to initial damage reports, more than 40 homes were destroyed along with an unknown number of outbuildings. One bridge in Meade County and three bridges in Clark County were also destroyed in addition to miles of fencing, utility poles and other structures. An unknown number of livestock were also killed.

The declaration activates the response and recovery portions of the Kansas Response Plan. Joint Preliminary Damage Assessments are being conducted to seek a major presidential disaster declaration.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The U.S. attorney for the District of Kansas, Tom Beall, is not among federal prosecutors who were asked to resign.

The Lawrence Journal-World reports Beall will stay in office for the time being.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions last week asked 46 prosecutors who were holdovers from the Obama administration to resign.

Beall took over the job in April 2016 after Barry Grissom resigned. Grissom was appointed by President Barack Obama but Beall was not a political appointee.

Beall joined the office in April 2011 and was named first assistant U.S. attorney two years later. After becoming acting U.S. attorney when Grissom resigned, the Justice Department later promoted him to his current position.

GEARY COUNTY –A Nebraska man was sentenced Friday in connection with a September shooting by a Geary County Sheriff’s Deputy.

A judge sentenced Dylan Binnick, 19, Beatrice, to 59-months in prison after he pleaded no contest and was found guilty of attempted second degree murder, according to Geary County Attorney Krista Blaisdell,

Binnick was shot and wounded by a Geary County sheriff’s deputy in September in an incident on Skiddy Road.

Sheriff’s deputies responded to a rural Geary County in response to a report of a possible vehicle accident, with three suspicious subjects walking in the area of Skiddy Road and Skiddy West, according to Sheriff Toney Wolf.

When Deputies arrived in the area about one mile north of Skiddy Cemetery they made contact with two male subjects, and one female subject. “Deputies met the subjects in the roadway, got out, started to do some investigation on the accident that occurred and tried to find out who these individuals were,” said Wolf.

“Binnick was very apprehensive about giving up any identification or anything.

He finally gave up his identification, then drew a gun out of his waistband. The Deputy drew his weapon and shot Binnick,” said Wolf.

He was transported to a hospital in Topeka but required no surgery.

By SAM ZEFF

The president of the Kansas Senate says a new school funding formula needs to focus on the quarter of students who are at-risk and not meeting state standards. And simply adding money to a funding formula won’t solve the problem, she says.

Sen. Susan Wagle, a Republican from Wichita, says the federal Head Start program is a good model on how to help at-risk children.

“That at-risk student doesn’t have the advantage of going home and having mom and dad say, ‘It’s time to do homework. Turn off the television and let me help you with it,’” Wagle said on the KCUR political podcast Statehouse Blend Kansas.

Wagle’s comments come as the Legislature is facing a June 30 deadline to write a new school funding formula that meets the state Supreme Court’s test for adequacy and equity. In its ruling last week in the Gannon case, the court said schools will be closed if lawmakers fail to pass a formula that meets constitutional muster.

However, the justices didn’t specify an amount the Legislature must spend. “We have previously held that total spending is not the touchstone of adequacy,” according to the ruling. But the justices also focused much of their ruling on making sure that the 25 percent of children in Kansas whose work is below standards get much of the attention.

Wagle suggested that additional money could be spent beefing up other programs rather than just pouring it into a school funding formula.

“It’s almost an intervention in the home that helps you be successful in dealing with at-risk (students). You have to get the kids into the classroom. Some of them don’t come on a daily basis. Some of them are hungry,” Wagle says.

Wagle also says she has directed her staff to make sure Kansas is getting all the federal money it’s due for at-risk education from the federal government.

On Wednesday Wagle formed a new Senate committee to work on a new school funding formula as a response to the Gannon case.

Sen. Molly Baumgardner, a Republican from Louisburg and chairwoman of the Senate Education Committee, was one of those appointed. She says it would be “folly” for the Legislature to ignore Wagle’s worries about at-risk children as they discuss education funding.

“Our goal is that we have a formula that doesn’t put us in perpetual litigation,” Baumgardner says.

Attorney Alan Rupe, who represented the school districts in the case, says lawmakers don’t have to reinvent the wheel to help kids in poverty or those who are English language learners.

“There’s a mechanism to do it: the old formula,” he says.

Rupe also worries that Wagle might want to move money around so at-risk students get a bigger share of the pot. “The money has to come from somewhere, and if you take it from other kids you’re right back in court.”

Some estimates say an additional $800 million might be needed to solve adequacy, while other estimates are lower. But any additional money for education will be a burden as lawmakers scramble to fix a $1 billion deficit over the next two years.

Sam Zeff covers education and politics for kcur.org and the Kansas News Service. Follow him on Twitter @SamZeff.