RENO COUNTY – In October, the Kansas Supreme Court denied the state’s request that 17-year-old Sam Vanochen, convicted of murder in the arson fire death that killed his mother and sister, be moved to an adult jail from the Reno County Juvenile Detention Facility.

The state also asked the court to block another mental evaluation and sentence the teen for his conviction.

The teen is still waiting to have a new mental evaluation completed.

Attorneys say they will wait until after March 17, when Vanochen turns 18 and transfer him to the adult side of the Larned State Hospital for new mental evaluation.

Under Kansas law, he has to be moved out of the juvenile facility in Hutchinson when he turns 18.

A Reno County jury convicted the teen of the two counts of murder for the killing of his mother and sister who died after he set fire to the family home on Sept. 26, 2013.

He was also convicted for attempted first-degree murder for trying to kill his father and aggravated arson for setting of the fire.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A state official says Kansas should no longer be considered a “low-debt” state.

Kansas Development Finance Authority Senior Vice President Jim MacMurray made the comment Thursday in presenting a report on state debt to the Senate Ways and Means Committee.

The report from the bond-issuing agency showed that since July 2010, the amount of debt to be paid off with state tax dollars has increased 40 percent to nearly $4.5 billion.

A May 2016 report by the credit rating agency Moody’s Investors Service said Kansas has tax-supported debt of $1,534 per person and ranks 17th in the nation.

Kansas issued $1 billion in bonds in 2015 to bolster its public pension system and has issued nearly $1.2 billion in bonds for highway projects since July 2010.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A former principal of the year from northern Kansas City has been charged with having sex with a high school cheerleader nearly two decades ago.

The Kansas City Star reports that 48-year-old Matthew Lindsey, of Oak Grove, was charged Wednesday with two statutory rape counts. No attorney is listed for him in online court records.

A North Kansas City School District spokeswoman says Lindsey has been placed on administrative leave from his job as principal of Winnetonka High School.

Authorities allege the sexual encounters began in October 1997 when the cheerleader was 16. At the time, Lindsey was coaching basketball at Richmond High School, located about 35 miles east of Kansas City.

Lindsey won the top principal honor in 2015 from the Greater Kansas City Missouri Principals Association.

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KANSAS CITY -A Kansas City area High school principal was arrested Wednesday after officials in Ray County, Missouri charged him with alleged sex crimes involving a teen from almost 20 years ago, according to the North Kansas City School District.

The Winnetonka school district reported via social medial “We were made aware of charges filed against Mr. Matt Lindsey relating to actions that allegedly occurred in 1997 or 1998, prior to his employment with North Kansas City Schools. He has been placed on administrative leave and will not be returning to campus at this time.

Lindsey was jailed on $50,000 cash only bond with special conditions.

In 2015, Lindsey was voted the High School Principal of the Year by the Greater Kansas City Missouri Principals Association, according the school district.

The Richmond R-XVI School District, where Lindsey worked when the alleged crime occurred issued a statement.

“Matt Lindsey was employed in the Richmond R-XVI School District from 1995-1996 to 1999-2000. He was a physical education teacher and head boys basketball coach during the 1995-1996 and 1996-1997 school years and was Assistant Principal / Athletic Director at Richmond High School during the 1997-1998, 1998-1999, and 1999-2000 school years.

The district has and will continue to cooperate with the investigation into this matter.”

No court dates were released on Wednesday.

STAFFORD COUNTY – Two people were injured in an accident just before 9:30p.m. on Thursday in Stafford County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Freightliner semi driven by Heert P. Dewindt, Pehlan, CA., 2 was eastbound on SW 30th Avenue at U.S. 50 four miles west of U.S. 281.

The truck collided with a 2017 Freightliner semi driven by Kevin John Peters, 42, Covington, GA., as it was making u-turn at SW 30th Avenue.

Dewindt and Peters were transported to the hospital in Stafford.

Peters was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas public pension system’s top administrator says budget-balancing proposals from Republican Gov. Sam Brownback would raise its long-term costs by $6.5 billion.

Executive Director Alan Conroy testified Thursday before the Senate Ways and Means Committee about how Brownback’s proposals would affect the Kansas Public Employees Retirement System and efforts to close a long-term funding gap for the system.

Brownback is proposing to freeze the state’s annual contributions to public pensions for three years instead of increasing them as planned. The savings would help the state close projected budget shortfalls totaling $1.1 billion through June 2019.

Conroy said Kansas would take 10 years longer to close its pension funding gap with higher costs in future years.

Brownback said if lawmakers don’t like the pension measures, they should offer budget-balancing alternatives.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — A Reno County family is suing their neighbors, contending that a March 2015 wildfire contributed to a family member’s death.

Cynthia Stohr and her children filed the wrongful death lawsuit against Peter and Shawnee Scharer and a caretaker on their property, David Farris.

The Stohrs claim 60-year-old Ernest Stohr, who was confined to a wheelchair, died from complications of smoke inhalation he suffered in the March 16 fire.

The lawsuit contends Farris started a fire on the Scharer property even though the county was under a warning for extreme fire danger.

The family contends Farris didn’t follow county rules on rural fires and the Scharers were negligent in hiring and supervising Farris.

Peter Scharer declined comment on the lawsuit.

RENO COUNTY- Law enforcement authorities in Reno County are investigating a suspect after a chase through three counties.

On Thursday morning a Hutchinson resident reported the theft of his 1998 Chevy Suburban from the residence.

Just after 11:14 a.m., Reno Co Sheriff’s Deputy Kevin Sipp was patrolling in the area of Kansas 61 and Kansas 11 when he spotted the stolen vehicle.

After activating his emergency lights to make a felony stop on the vehicle it took off and refused to stop.

A chase ensued through SW Reno County into Kingman and then the vehicle ran off the road and stopped in a field near SE 70th Street in Pratt County.

Deputies arrested Brittan Calfee, 27, Liberal, for Felony Flee and Elude, Possession of Stolen Property and No Drivers License.

He was also wanted on a warrant for Possession of Meth with intent to sell out of Seward County.

 

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A former bank teller has been convicted of embezzling about $700,000 from a Burlington bank.

U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said in a news release Thursday that 48-year-old Denise Christy was convicted of embezzlement and six counts each of making false bank entries, filing false tax returns and money laundering.

Prosecutors say one of Christy’s duties at the Burlington branch of Central National Bank was to sell cash in the bank’s vault to the Federal Reserve Bank. In May 2014, auditors found $700,000 was missing from the vault. Christy falsely said the money had been shipped to the Federal Reserve.

Christy falsified bank records to cover up the embezzlement and spent more than $77,000 in embezzled funds to pay off loans from the Farmers State Bank in Aliceville.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Two men have admitted to robbing an 82-year-old Catholic priest, a pastor and another person in Kansas City, Kansas.

The Wyandotte County prosecutor’s office says 19-year-old Ladarious Racquez Barkers and 20-year-old Marvin Antonio Moore pleaded guilty Tuesday to three aggravated robbery counts. The charges stem from robberies that occurred in August and October.

The victims included the Rev. Thomas Kearns, who was struck in the face and knocked unconscious during the assault outside the Blessed Sacrament Church. His car and wallet were stolen. Kearns underwent surgery to repair broken facial bones.

The two men also robbed the Rev. Louis Sipple, of Timothy Baptist Church, before they were arrested after an hours-long standoff. Sipple told WDAF-TV earlier that “with God’s help, you can forgive.”

Sentencing is set for Feb. 24.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Governor Sam Brownback says a new mural will be added to the third floor of the Kansas Capitol celebrating the historic 1954 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that overturned segregated education.

Brownback unveiled a mockup of the mural Thursday at the state’s Martin Luther King Jr. Day celebration. Artist Michael Young will paint the mural. It has a group of students of different races with their teacher in the foreground and the building in the background.

I’m proud that this beautiful mural, recognizing the Brown v. Board of Education decision, will soon be a part of our State Capitol. #ksleg pic.twitter.com/sicvqdjJvJ

— Sam Brownback (@govsambrownback) January 12, 2017

Raytown School District Assistant Superintendent Anthony Moore spoke on the importance of unity at the MLK Jr. Day celebration and invoked the words of leaders, including President Barack Obama, Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Moore says Americans have to continue striving for King’s dream.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — A 19-year-old man was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for involuntary manslaughter in the shooting death of a teenager at Fort Riley.

Federal prosecutors say Juwaun Jackson was sentenced Thursday in the September 2015 death of 16-year-old Kenyon Givens Jr.

Jackson and Givens both lived at Fort Riley at the time of the shooting.

When military police arrived, Jackson reported an unknown, masked intruder forced his way into the home and shot Givens, delaying paramedics from treating Givens until police searched for an intruder.

Investigators eventually learned Jackson was playing with a loaded .22 caliber handgun and spun the chamber while holding the trigger. A bullet struck Givens in the chest.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — An 84-year-old woman has died after she was hit by a vehicle while trying to cross a Wichita street.

Wichita police Sgt. Nikki Woodrow announced Thursday that Frances Vermillion died from injuries she suffered Tuesday in west Wichita.

Vermillion was hit by an SUV driven by an 80-year-old woman. Police says she was not using a crosswalk when she was hit.

The driver left the scene but Wichita police contacted her at her house.

Woodrow says the investigation is continuing. No charges have been filed.

By ANDY MARSO

Gov. Sam Brownback’s office released a budget proposal Wednesday that is likely to put him at odds with large swaths of the Legislature.

Legislators in both parties won re-election last year on platforms that included repealing a state income tax exemption for business owners and providing a state general fund that balances annual spending with tax revenue and doesn’t rely on one-time sweeps of other money.

The proposal outlined Wednesday by State Budget Director Shawn Sullivan barely alters the tax exemption and does not balance the general fund until 2019.

Download Gov. Sam Brownback’s Budget Proposal for Fiscal Year 2018

Sullivan told legislators the tax exemption is a valuable economic development tool and cutting spending to match tax revenues remains unrealistic while the state’s farm and oil industries languish.

Brownback’s budget continues to rely on one-time fixes like sweeps of the highway fund, further deferments of payments to the state employee pension plan and the sale of the Kansas Bioscience Authority.

He also proposes selling the state’s annual payments from a legal settlement against tobacco companies for a lump sum payment. Several legislators have called that a non-starter.

To solve the immediate budget deficit — about $350 million before July 1 — Brownback proposed tapping a long-term investment fund and paying it back over the next seven years.

“(That’s) to get through this year, in order to protect us from major cuts halfway through our fiscal year or other options which we don’t believe are feasible,” Sullivan said.

Legislators want to consider other options.

Key Republicans like Rep. Steven Johnson, chairman of the House Tax Committee, and Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning told the Associated Press they favor a quick repeal of the 2012 income tax exemption, which would net an estimated $260 million in annual tax revenue.

Brownback’s proposal would restore the state income tax only on “passive revenue” like rents and royalties, bringing in an estimated $40 million.

The governor’s budget also would continue cuts to higher education support, and Sullivan reminded the committee that cuts of 8 percent to 10 percent have been “plugged in to pretty much every agency’s budget already.”

One cut Brownback proposed reversing was a 4 percent reduction imposed on most Medicaid providers last year.

Sullivan outlined a package deal to raise fees on hospitals and on the three managed care organizations that administer Kansas Medicaid, or KanCare.

In exchange the state would reverse the 4 percent cuts as well as invest in more medical residency slots, a new osteopathic medicine school and a dental school.

Rep. Dan Hawkins, a Republican from Wichita who chairs the House Health and Human Services Committee, said the extra investments might “sweeten the pot” enough to get legislative approval for the hospital fee increase.

“There is going to be some resistance to the hospital assessment fee, but with some of the things they are proposing I want to hear them out,” Hawkins said.

Andy Marso is a reporter for 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 @andymarso.