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KINGSTON, Mo. (AP) — A judge has set a hearing to determine whether there is enough evidence to try a man for tampering with a vehicle used by two Wisconsin brothers who are missing and presumed dead in Missouri.

Court records show that during a court hearing Thursday, the preliminary hearing for 25-year-old Garland Nelson was set for Sept. 16. Brothers Nick and Justin Diemel, from Shawano County, Wisconsin, were on a trip related to their cattle business when they disappeared last month after visiting Nelson.

Human remains found on a Missouri farm owned by Nelson have not been identified. The tampering charge

stems from allegations that Nelson drove a truck the brothers rented from his farm to a commuter parking lot, where it was found abandoned.

Nelson remains jailed without bond.

GREAT BEND — A fund is set up for an unborn Great Bend baby after the unexpected death of the father, Scott Stein, on Aug. 7.

“I’ve set this fund up on my daughter’s behalf. Due to the outpour of messages about Scott’s unexpected death and with a baby on the way, people are wanting to donate to a baby fund for Baby Boy Cohen Scott Stein due in December. Thanks to each and every one of you in advance for all of your support.”

The Go Fund Me page can be reached by clicking the link below.

Cohen Scott Stein Baby Fund – CLICK HERE

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Scott Alan Stein, 32, passed away August 7, 2019, at the University of Kansas Health System – Great Bend Campus. He was born January 4, 1987, in Dodge City to Alan & Tracey (Ward) Stein. He married Tara Ruiz on December 1, 2018, in Great Bend. She survives.

Coming from Dodge City in 1995, Scott was a Great Bend resident. He worked for Blackhawk Sandblasting & Coating as a painter. He served in the Army for 12 years, and was honorably discharged in January 2019 at the rank of Staff Sergeant. He served 3 tours in Iraq, Cuba and Afghanistan. He was a member of St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, Knights of Columbus and Lake Barton Golf Club. He also was an Ahearn donor and a ticket holder at K-State. He loved golf, bowling, and softball and was also an avid Chiefs and Royals fan.

Survivors include, his wife, Tara of the home; his future son, due on Christmas Eve, Cohen Scott Stein; his yorkie, Calvin; his father, Alan Stein and stepmother Cindy; mother-in-law, Chris Goodpasture of Great Bend; father-in-law, John Ruiz and stepmother-in-law Valerie of Great Bend; brothers, Cody Smith and wife Heather of Dodge City; sisters, Lindsey Ferguson and Mariah Stein, both of Great Bend; brother-in-law, Eric Ruiz of Great Bend; sister-in-laws, Jordan Vsetecka and Shaylee Ruiz, both of Great Bend; grandmother, Norma Ward of Dodge City; nieces, Sierra Ferguson, Jordyn Rains and Kylee Rains; nephews, Bowen Smith, Davan Smith, Easton Smith, and Dylan Ferguson; many aunts, uncles and cousins. He was preceded in death by his mother, Tracey Ward.

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — A 19-year-old  man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for a shooting death at a shopping mall last year.

Tyler Gates, Independence, was sentenced Wednesday for second-degree murder and armed criminal action in death 17-year-old Matthew Haylock at the Independence Center.

Haylock’s body was found on the pavement near a vehicle in the mall’s parking lot in January 2018.

The Independence Examiner reports Gates’ co-defendant, 18-year-old Luis Ramirez, was sentenced to concurrent terms of eight years for attempted robbery and three years for armed criminal action in the same case.

The shooting occurred after Gates and Ramirez decided to rob Haylock of a gun. Prosecutors say Gates fired the shot that killed Haylock.

Hutch Post

HUTCHINSON — A southwest Kansas woman who announced earlier this month that she will seek the Democratic nomination for the 1st Congressional District seat in Kansas talked with HutchPost.com about her campaign. Kali Barnett is a political newcomer and is running for the seat currently held by U.S. Rep. Roger Marshall.

What made her decide to run? “I found myself saying we need more teachers at the federal level who know how hard it is for our teachers and build in support and incentives for them to continue their careers in that field,” Barnett said. “I also know, growing up as a third generation farmer’s daughter, there are real world problems that are happening to our farmers across the country with the tariffs and we have current electives who I feel are not voting for Kansas farmers.” Barnett says she wants to advocate for them and other Kansans.

She talked about her decision to run as a Democrat in a pretty conservative state. Barnett thinks of herself as someone outside the box and doesn’t want to be cast in any particular category.

“I know I can still be conservative with my values. I know I can be progressive if that’s what you want to call it,” Barnett said. “If we’re talking about getting green renewable energy to take care of our planet, if that means I’m progressive in that sense of the word, then absolutely you can put me there, but I don’t feel I fit into most of those categories.”

Barnett says she’s seen firsthand the struggles and heartbreak of trying to keep a farm afloat in southwest Kansas. She also noted that, in America, it shouldn’t be so hard to make an honest living, care for a family and get healthcare when you need it.

She will face Dr. Marshall in the election unless he decides to run for the Senate seat currently held by Sen. Pat Roberts, who announced he will retire at the end of his term.

For more information, visit Barnett’s website at www.kaliforkansas.com. She is also on social media.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A 20-year-old  Missouri, man has been sentenced to nearly three years in prison for his role in a motel shootout in Lawrence that killed one man and injured two others.

Shawn Smith was sentenced Wednesday to 32 months for robbery.

Smith was originally charged with first-degree felony murder and several other counts in the September 2017 shooting death of 23-year-old Cameron Hooks, of Lenexa, and the wounding of two other men. The shooting happened while two groups of friends were drinking and smoking marijuana at a Motel 6. Each group accused the other of trying to rob them, sparking the shooting.

Two other co-defendants from Kansas City, Kansas, previously were convicted of voluntary manslaughter and other charges in the case.

GARDEN CITY, Kan. (AP) — Tyson officials say a spark from welding during maintenance is the likely cause of a fire that damaged the company’s plant in Holcomb.

Tyson representatives met Wednesday with state and other government officials to discuss Friday night’s fire, which caused extensive damage. No one was injured.

The company reaffirmed its commitment to rebuild the plant and reopen it as quickly as possible. Company officials said the fire damaged a small area but affected critical operating systems.

The company’s president and CEO, Noel White, and Steve Stouffer, president of Tyson Fresh Meats, told officials work will begin immediately on structural damage. Other repairs, particularly electrical, will likely take more time. The company is currently completing a full assessment of the plant with electrical and structural engineers.

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities evacuated a Walmart store in Bonner Springs late Wednesday.

According to a social media report from Bonner Springs Police, someone left a suspicious  package in the store 12801 Kansas Avenue. Police placed the store on lockdown and asked the public to avoid the area.

Following an investigation, the package was deemed safe and the store was cleared, according o police. The Walmart will resume normal operations Thursday.

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting with conflicting information.

Just after 1 a.m. Thursday, police responded to an initial report of a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the leg to a male victim in the 1400 Block of SW Washburn in Topeka, according to Lt. Aaron Jones. Secondary information came in as officers were responding that this was not a self-inflicted gunshot wound, but it was a shooting with a white male suspect.

The victim is a white male in his 50s with an apparent shotgun wound to his lower abdomen, according to Jones. The injury is considered non-life-threatening. The gunshot wound victim is known to law
enforcement officers due to past encounters. At this point evidence and statements are
leading investigators to believe this is a self-inflicted gunshot wound; however they are keeping
an open mind when it comes to following any additional leads.

Jones did not release the victim’s name.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Raising the stakes in an ideologically charged standoff over women’s health, Planned Parenthood said Wednesday it will soon leave the federal family planning programunless a court puts a hold on Trump administration rules that bar clinics from referring patients for abortions.

The administration responded that it is ready to operate the Title X family planning program without the organization that has been the largest provider. About 4 million women are served nationwide under the program, which distributes $260 million in grants to clinics. It’s unclear how many patients would be affected.

Planned Parenthood spokeswoman Erica Sackin said that its affiliated clinics “will be formally out of the Title X program” by Monday, passing up federal funding, unless the full 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco halts the new rules. The appeals court is weighing a lawsuit by Planned Parenthood and others to overturn the rules; a panel of judges in effect had earlier allowed the administration to go ahead with enforcement.

Monday also is the deadline set by the federal Department of Health and Human Services for participants in the family planning program to submit plans on how they would comply with the rules, which are set to take effect Sept. 18.

In a notice to the court Wednesday, Planned Parenthood said it “will be forced to withdraw” by close of business on Monday unless the full court intervenes. Planned Parenthood says the administration’s new policy is “unethical and dangerous,” amounting to a “gag rule” on clinicians.

In response, HHS spokeswoman Mia Heck said Planned Parenthood represents fewer than 400 of 4,000 service sites around the country.

“To the extent that Planned Parenthood claims that it must make burdensome changes to comply with the final rule, it is actually choosing to place a higher priority on the ability to refer for abortion instead of continuing to receive federal funds to provide a broad range of acceptable and effective family planning methods,” Heck said in a statement.

The immediate impact for patients remained unclear. Planned Parenthood says it serves about 40% of patients, but it has also pledged to keep its doors open as it contests the administration’s policy change. Other program participants unaffiliated with Planned Parenthood have warned they’d leave the program as well.

It seemed likely that disruptions to the 50-year-old program would vary from state to state. Some states have said they would step in to take over from the federal government. In addition to birth control, clinics provide basic health services and cancer screenings for many low-income women.

Although federal family planning money cannot be used to pay for abortions, clinics had been able to refer women seeking abortions to another provider. In many cases, that would be a Planned Parenthood facility.

The administration’s family planning rule is part of a series of efforts to remake government policy on reproductive health to please conservatives who are a key part of President Donald Trump’s political base. Religious conservatives see the program as providing an indirect subsidy to Planned Parenthood, which runs family planning clinics and is also a major abortion provider.

Along with the ban on abortion referrals by clinics, the rule’s requirements include financial separation from facilities that provide abortion, designating abortion counseling as optional instead of standard practice and limiting which staff members can discuss abortion with patients. Clinics would have until next March to separate their office space and examination rooms from the physical facilities of providers that offer abortions.

HHS says it does not want to see a disruption of services, and officials are willing to accommodate clinics that are making a “good-faith” effort to comply.

Abortion is a legal medical procedure, but federal laws prohibit the use of taxpayer dollars to pay for abortions except in cases of rape or incest or to save the life of the woman.

Planned Parenthood and other opponents of the administration’s rule say it would interfere with a medical professional’s duty to provide complete information to their patients. Also seeking to overturn the rule are several states and professional groups, including the American Medical Association.

“For all intents and purposes, (the new policy) imposes a gag rule on what information physicians can provide to their patients,” the AMA said in a statement this year. “The patient-physician relationship relies on trust, open conversation and informed decision making and the government should not be telling physicians what they can and cannot say to their patients.”

Anti-abortion groups are essentially daring Planned Parenthood to exit.

“Women across America are going to find out for themselves that they don’t need Planned Parenthood after the nation’s largest abortion vendor pulls out of a program that they never should have been in at all,” said Students for Life president Kristan Hawkins in a statement.

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspect in connection with a shooting and related disturbance on Tuesday evening.

Just after 5:30p.m., police responded to a disturbance with shots fired at a home in the 500 Block of South Glen in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.

At the scene, police observed a 1992 BMW that had crashed into the garage of a vacant home. The vehicle was unoccupied. A short time later, police responded to another reported shooting in connection with the earlier call. When police arrived near the intersection of Harry and McClain Street, they found a 22-year-old man with a gunshot wound to his head, according to Davidson. EMS transported him to a local hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

Investigators determined19-year-old Arienna Harwood of Wichita, a 15-year-old girl, two children and the 22-year-old shooting victim arrived at the home on South Glen. A disturbance occurred between these individuals and two 18-year-old men and a 16-year-old at the residence, according to Davidson.

During the disturbance, 18-year-old John Murphy fired multiple shots at the BMW which wounded the victim. The vehicle left the residence and crashed into the garage of the abandoned home down the street. A family member of the victim picked up the occupants of the BMW.

Near the intersection of Harry and Mclain, the individuals from the residence and those involved in the crash encountered each other a second time and another disturbance occurred, according to Davidson.

When police arrived, they detained several individuals and arrested Murphy on requested charges of aggravated battery, aggravated assault, criminal discharge of a firearm at an occupied dwelling and theft, according to Davidson.

They also arrested Harwood,19, on requested charges of aggravated child endangerment, battery and theft.

Davidson did not release the victim’s name. This was not a random incident and both groups were acquainted with each other.

By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN

TOPEKA ― Aetna remains in hot water with the state of Kansas, which recently threatened to cancel the company’s Medicaid contract.

In late July, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment gave Aetna Better Health 10 days to resolve a laundry list of long-running problems.

Aetna gets another shot at fixing what health care providers describe as chronic issues with payment, among other concerns.

Aetna provides health insurance to around 100,000 Kansans under KanCare, the state’s privatized Medicaid system. It’s one of three companies with contracts to do so, and replaced one of the previous insurers in January.

The state health department did not provide a copy of Aetna’s compliance plan, explaining it is not yet a public document in its current unfinalized state. But in a cover letter that Aetna filed with the state on Aug. 7, says the company says it has fixed several issues and that many of the other problems “are well on their way to compliance.”

State health officials plan to meet with Aetna leaders, who asked in their letter for an in-person conversation in the event that Kansas remains unsatisfied. As for setting a new deadline for Aetna, officials intend to meet with company leaders first.

Read the original story on complaints against Aetna, and on the state’s demands

Complaints against Aetna include that the company doesn’t reimburse correctly or on time. Providers say they sometimes don’t get paid because Aetna demands advance permission for certain basic procedures. They also complain that the company hasn’t put together a complete directory of physicians and specialists that it covers.

The state’s written complaint to Aetna in July said that doctors and others struggle to secure provider credentials from the insurer, and that discrepancies in Aetna’s records mean Kansas can’t judge the adequacy of the company’s provider network for Medicaid recipients.

Aetna didn’t grant requests last week and this week for interviews, but said in an email that it will work with Kansas to “enhance” its corrective plan and “add a greater level of detail.”

Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @Celia_LJ or email her at celia (at) kcur (dot) org. 

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are longer seeking the public’s help in locating 29-year-old Deputy Derik A. Chandler or his vehicle, according to Lt. Tim Myers. 

He was reported missing Monday after being identified as a suspect in a case jointly investigated by the Wellington Police Department and the Summer County Sheriff’s Office,

Chandler’s location has been determined to be outside of the United States of America, according to Myers.

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SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are conducting a felony investigation and asking for the public’s help in locating 29-year-old Sedgwick County Deputy Derick A. Chandler.

He was reported missing Monday after being identified as a suspect in a case jointly investigated by the Wellington Police Department and the Summer County Sheriff’s Office, according to Lt. Tim Myers.

Chandler is listed as a missing person and is wanted for questioning in a felony investigation. We believe he may be a harm to himself or others, according to Myers.

Chandler was possible seen early Monday morning in Wichita driving a 2015 Dodge Charger, white in color with a black stripe. There is a 60-day temporary tag on the vehicle.

If anyone sees him, citizens should call 911 and report the location to their local law enforcement agency. Citizens should not take any action themselves, according to Myers.