TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A proposed bill would compensate wrongfully convicted people in Kansas $80,000 for each year served in prison and give them an additional $1 million if they were on death row.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports the bill, if signed into law, would make Kansas one of the most generous states for exonerated people. The state currently doesn’t have a law for wrongful conviction compensation.

If an exonerated person wants to qualify for compensation, a claim would need to be filed within two years of being released in order to prove wrongful conviction under state law. Defendants who pleaded guilty or no contest to the crime are exempt from qualification.

The nonprofit Innocence Project says that exemption should be removed.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is expected to discuss the bill Tuesday.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A federal judge has dismissed part of a lawsuit filed by a former University of Kansas rower who alleged she was raped by a football player.

The ruling Friday means that Daisy Tackett will no longer be able to argue that the university should have known there was a heightened risk of sexual assault at apartments where football players live. But the Lawrence Journal-World reports that she can continue to pursue other claims, including that that the university was “deliberately indifferent” to her rape report and that her coach retaliated.

The university had requested that the whole case be thrown out. Tackett’s attorney says Tackett and her parents are ready to proceed.

The AP generally doesn’t identify alleged sexual assault victims, but Tackett said she wanted her name used.

By JIM MCLEAN

Not only is Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach in the thick of the latest national debate over immigration policy, he remains under consideration for a high-level job in the Trump administration.

The state’s chief elections officer told Kansas Republicans gathered Saturday in Manhattan for their 2017 state convention that he was advising President Donald Trump and key members of his national security team on how to overcome a recent federal court ruling blocking the administration’s ban on travel from seven countries with predominantly Muslim populations.

He also confirmed in interviews that he was still talking with the president about a job and hinted that a decision was near.

“I don’t want to say for certain what’s happening, but people will know soon enough what I’ll be doing and where I’ll be,” he said.

On the travel ban, Kobach said Trump is considering several options. They include issuing a revised executive order that instead of blocking travel from select counties would suspend the nation’s refugee program “in its entirety” for three months.

The hiatus would give officials time to assess and strengthen the vetting process, Kobach said, ticking through a list of terrorists who he said had used the refugee program to enter the country over the last 20 years.

“That’s critically important, because if you are a terrorist attempting to enter the United States that’s the best mechanism you can use,” Kobach said. “You can come in illegally, claim asylum once you get here and then have that green card that allows you to go back and forth.”

Stephen Miller, another senior adviser to the Trump administration, sent similar signals during appearances on the Sunday network talk shows.

Over the weekend, both Miller and Kobach also repeated Trump’s claims of massive illegal voting in the 2016 election.

In addition to asserting that millions of illegal votes for Hillary Clinton denied him a victory in the popular vote, Trump has said that Massachusetts voters crossing the border into New Hampshire to cast illegal ballots cost him the state and former Republican Sen. Kelly Ayotte re-election in a tight race won by Democrat Maggie Hassan.

Kobach’s support of the president’s claims stems from an investigation that he conducted in Kansas, which he said uncovered 115 instances of people registering or attempting to register illegally over the last several election cycles. He said he believes that number is just “the tip of the iceberg.”

“There’s no doubt there’s more,” he said.

There is no hard evidence of large-scale voter fraud, according to Politifact, the Pulitzer Prize-winning publication that scrutinizes the claims and counterclaims of politicians.

Davis Hammet, president of Loud Light, a Kansas nonprofit formed to boost voter turnout, said he suspects that even Kobach’s initial findings overstate the problem.

“I have no reason to believe that list (of 115 cases) is legitimate,” Hammet said.

Jim McLean is managing director of  kcur.org‘s Kansas News Service, a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio and KMUW covering health, education and politics in Kansas. You can reach him on Twitter @jmcleanks. 

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas legislators are pushing a plan to close a projected budget shortfall without cutting aid to public schools.

The House Appropriations Committee endorsed a bill Monday that would liquidate a state investment portfolio. The move would raise $317 million in funds for a loan to the state’s main bank account that would be paid back over seven years.

The measure goes to the full House for debate.

Lawmakers in both parties do not like the internal borrowing but said it’s a better alternative than attempting to cut spending immediately. The state faces a projected shortfall of about $320 million for the fiscal year that ends June 30.

Senate GOP leaders advanced a plan last week to cut education funding by $128 million but canceled a debate when senators balked.

SALINE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Saline County are investigating a suspect for alleged kidnapping and battery.

Police arrested Richard Swartz, 31, after an alleged domestic situation early Saturday morning, according to Salina Police Capt. Paul Forrester.

A 21-year-old victim reportedly ran to a nearby house to call authorities she was allegedly hit in the face, choked and held against her will following an argument at couple’s residence in the 900 block of Roach Street.

The victim told police Swartz smashed her phone, struck her in the face, choked her and threatened her with a knife. The victim also told authorities she was forced into a car as the suspect went to a convenience store, according to police.

The woman was able to get out of the house, and ran to a residence on Morningside Drive, where she called authorities around 3:30 a.m.

She was transported to the hospital with bruises on her face and neck.

Swartz faces aggravated kidnapping, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, criminal threat and damage to property charges.

BARTON COUNTY- Fire crews were called to a pair of fires at the same time on Sunday afternoon in Barton County.

An electrical cord is blamed for starting a grass fire that also consumed a large hay bale near Kansas 96 and NW 70th Avenue, according to Great Bend Fire Chief Mike Napalitano.

A second fire in the river area near the Radium Bridge burned brush and grass. “We’d been out earlier the day after a campfire or something was left smoldering,” said Napalitano. “It rekindled and we had to go back and make sure it was out.”

There were no injuries.

SALINA – After conducting a death investigation in Salina, Kansas, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) announced that foul play was not suspected in the incident.

A 27-year-old female was found deceased at the Chapel Ridge Apartment complex at 2363 Chapel Ridge Place on Thursdsay morning, February 9th. The Salina Police Department requested assistance from the KBI when they learned the deceased female was connected to an employee of the Department.

The KBI sent special agents and a crime scene response team to investigate. After processing the scene, conducting interviews, and obtaining preliminary autopsy results, evidence of foul play was not found.

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SALINA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities are investigating a suspicious death at a Salina apartment complex.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation was called in to work the case because the police department had a conflict.

Salina Police Department Capt. Paul Forrester declined to explain the conflict.

KBI spokeswoman Melissa Underwood said agents were at the complex most of Thursday. She said she could not yet give any information about the deceased person, including that person’s gender, or the cause of death.

MANHATTAN – Kansas State head football coach Bill Snyder addressed on Monday reports of his current health, which will not affect his duties leading the Wildcat program.

In a media release from KSU Snyder said, “I feel bad having to release this information about my health in this manner prior to sharing it in person with so many personal friends, distant family, players and their families, past and present, and many of the Kansas State football family so close to our program.”

“But, with so much talk presently out there, I certainly owe it to everyone to make them aware of my condition.

I have been diagnosed with throat cancer and have been receiving outpatient treatment at the KU Medical Center for about three weeks and am getting along very well. The doctors and staffs at both KU Med and M.D. Anderson (in Houston, Texas) have been great; working so very well together to finalize the overall treatment plan which is being conducted in Kansas City. Both ‘teams’ have projected a positive outcome and have worked out a schedule that allows me to be in Kansas City for my regular treatments and still be back in the office on a regular basis through the first week of March.

Sean, along with our coaching and support staffs, remain highly productive in carrying out their responsibilities keeping us on track.

I greatly appreciate our President, Richard Myers, and Athletic Director, John Currie, for their continued support, and I’m very grateful to those who have responded over the past 24 hours via calls, texts, emails, etc., with such kind thoughts and words. And again, my apology to each of you whom I did not have the opportunity to reach personally before this release.”

“As I’ve said so often: we came to Kansas State University because of the people, we stayed because of the people and we came back because of you, the people. Nothing has changed.

“And most importantly, what an amazing personal family I have been blessed with: Sharon, our children: Sean, Shannon, Meredith, Ross and Whitney and their spouses, along with our eight grandchildren and one great grandchild, have been truly special and motivational for me and for each other during this brief setback. Sharon has made great sacrifices to help me through this and the kids are there every day with their love and encouragement. And today that same love and encouragement is coming from our Kansas State, Manhattan and community families.”

According to Snyder’s doctors, his prognosis is excellent. The hall of fame head coach fully expects to be on the field for the start of spring practice in March.

“Coach Snyder, his family, our football staff, student-athletes and athletics department administration have my full support,” said President Myers. “Coach is one of the most determined individuals I have ever met, and I know he will successfully complete this treatment program and be on the field with our student-athletes in no time.”

“Coach Snyder’s health is of the utmost importance, and he has our full support during this time,” Currie said. “We will provide all of the necessary accommodations he and his family need to ensure a smooth treatment process. He will remain our head coach during this treatment period, and we look forward to seeing him on the field this spring and in pursuit of career win No. 203 on September 2.”

K-State opens spring practice March 29 which will conclude with the Purple/White Spring Game on April 22.

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — A 20-year-old Lincoln man has been given probation for hiding under parked vehicles and touching women’s feet.

Online court records say Jesse Johnson was sentenced Friday to two years of probation on each of five convictions for disturbing the peace. He’d pleaded no contest after prosecutors dropped other charges. The sentences are to run at the same time.

Lincoln police say five women last year reported that, as they stepped into their vehicles in public lots, someone under their vehicles grabbed their feet or ankles.

CHASE COUNTY – A Kansas woman was injured in an accident just before 11p.m. on Sunday in Chase County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1996 Nissan Maxima driven by Darla T. Hogan-Cahoone, 57, Merriam, was traveling northeast on UP Road five miles southeast of Strong City.

The vehicle was fishtailing and the driver overcorrected to the right.

The vehicle entered the east ditch and overturned.

Hogan-Cahoone was transported to Newman Memorial Hospital. She was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

MCPHERSON COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in McPherson County are investigating a theft and asking for help to identify a suspect.

On Wednesday, January 25, a Chainsaw was stolen from the back of a pickup in the Dillon’s parking lot, according to a social media report from police.

Authorities need assistance in identifying the dark in color vehicle and driver who wore a dark jacket with large white stripes on the front and back of the jacket as well as on the sleeves.

If you can help, contact McPherson County Crime Stoppers.

HARPER COUNTY — An earthquake shook South Central Kansas just after 10:31 a.m. on Sunday.

The quake measured a magnitude 3.1, according to the U.S. Geological Survey and was centered approximately 16 miles northwest of Harper.

There were no reports of damage or injuries

PLYMOUTH, Wis. (AP) — Wisconsin-based cheesemaker Sargento Foods Inc. is recalling a specialty cheese because of possible bacterial contamination. See more on the recall here.

Deutsch Kase Haus, LLC of Middlebury, Indiana, notified Sargento that it supplied the company with a Longhorn Colby cheese that may be contaminated with Listeria monocyctogenes. No illnesses have been reported.

The recalled products are 6.84-ounce packages of Sargento Ultra Thin Sliced Longhorn Colby with sell-by dates of April 12 and May 10, 2017, and 8-ounce packages of Sargento Chef Blends Shredded Nacho & Taco Cheese with sell-by dates of June 14 and July 12, 2017.

The products were packaged at the Sargento plant in Plymouth, Wisconsin, and were distributed nationwide.

Sargento also recalled some products that were packaged on the same line as the affected cheese. No other Sargento products are affected.