TOPEKA – For the month of October, the state saw an increase in its total tax collections at $552.9 million; 7.1% or $36.8 million ahead of estimates. These collections amount to $41.5 million more than October of Fiscal Year 2019, according to a media release from the Kansas Department of Revenue.

Individual and corporate income tax collections continued to be more than estimated. Individual income tax collections were $15.0 million ahead of the estimate at $260.0 million; $17.8 million ahead of the same month last fiscal year. Corporate income tax collections were at $26.2 million; $6.2 million more than the estimate and $6.7 million more than collected in October of FY2019.

Retail and compensating use tax collections were also ahead of the estimate. Retail sales tax collections were at $200.8 million; $8.8 million or 4.6% ahead of the estimate. These collections were $10.4 million more than the same month of Fiscal Year 2019. Compensating use tax collections came in $7.7 million or 22.6% ahead of estimates at $41.7 million; a $7.2 million increase from October of FY2019.

“The increase the state is seeing in compensating use tax collections could be, in part, due to the recent increase in the number of registrations by out-of-state retailers,” Secretary Mark Burghart said.

“As we saw in September, the latest report is a positive sign as we slowly recover from the failed Brownback-Colyer tax experiment,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “Still, we’re mindful of the need to remain cautious and show fiscal restraint as we continue to rebuild the state and strengthen the economy.” 

KIOWA COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with a high-speed chase and crash that sent a Kansas deputy to the hospital.

Just after 6:30 p.m. Thursday, law enforcement authorities informed officials in Greensburg of a chase  with a motorcycle was heading to Kiowa County from Pratt County, according to Sheriff Chris Tedder.

A Kiowa County Sheriff deputy located the red 2001 Honda motorcycle on U.S. 54 at about the 111 milepost and traveling at a high rate of speed.

As officers turned to stop the vehicle,  the motorcycle accelerated gaining about a half mile on the deputies and traveled into Greensburg. As deputies caught up with the motorcycle, the driver of lead patrol unit lost control and the vehicle crashed into a drainage ditch, according to Tedder.

The suspect on the motorcycle identified as 18-year-old Isaac Mason of Wisconsin was located at the Ford-Kiowa County line and taken into custody without further incident.

The deputy was transported to Kiowa County Memorial Hospital and he was later transported by ambulance to Wichita, in stable but critical condition. The sheriff did not release the name of the deputy.

Mason is being held in Pratt County on requested charges that include “flee or attempt to elude, five or more moving violations and vehicles; Unlawful Acts; e.g. registration: STAT,” according to online booking records.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A Republican candidate in a Kansas congressional race is making impeachment an issue against one of her GOP primary opponents.

Sara Hart Weir has accused GOP rival Amanda Adkins of remaining “eerily silent” on opposing the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump.

They are seeking the 3rd District seat in the Kansas City area held by freshman Rep. Sharice Davids. Republicans have criticized Davids for supporting the inquiry even though her 2018 victory was seen as a repudiation of Trump by suburban voters.

Weir opposes the impeachment inquiry and suggested Thursday that Adkins is “waiting to see where the wind blows.”

Adkins called the criticism “irrational.” She issued a statement praising Trump and criticizing the “DC circus since Trump’s election” without specifically mentioning impeachment.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — A man who caused panic at a Missouri Walmart when he walked inside wearing body armor and carrying loaded weapons in what he described as an effort to test his Second Amendment rights has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge.

20-year-old Dmitriy Andreychenko pleaded guilty Friday to an amended charge of making a false report. He will likely face two years of probation. He initially was charged with making a terrorist threat.

Police arrested Andreychenko on Aug. 8 after he filmed himself walking through the store with the weapons, prompting shoppers and employees to leave. The incident came just days after 22 people were killed during an attack at another Walmart in El Paso, Texas.

An off-duty firefighter held Andreychenko at gunpoint until officers arrived.

HARVEY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for alleged sex crimes.

Ted Mueller, 84, is accused of sexually assaulting a woman at his North Newton home on Aug. 1, 2018, according to Police Chief Randy Jordan.

She contacted the North Newton Police Department in January about the incident. Police investigated, submitting their information to the Harvey County Attorney’s Office in February.

“I understand how difficult and traumatizing these incidents are for the individual, but I urge any victim of abuse, please reach out to law enforcement. There are organizations and advocacy groups right here in Harvey County dedicated to helping you. You do not have to do this alone,” said  Jordan.

The Harvey County Attorney’s Office charged Mueller with two counts of sexual battery and one count of lewd and lascivious conduct. Mueller has no previous criminal record. Following his arrest, Mueller bonded out of jail, according to online jail records.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Prosecutors have dismissed charges against a Kansas City area woman accused of beating another woman to death with a baseball bat because of a technical issue.

Courtney Hackney, 35, Independence, Missouri was released from jail this week.

Jurors couldn’t reach a unanimous verdict during her second-degree murder trial in the May 2017 killing of 57-year-old Holly Barnett. Several issues then arose scheduling a retrial. Prosecutors ultimately dropped the charges, with the intention to refile them later, because a key witness wasn’t available.

The issue was that Hackney, who had already been subjected to trial, did not affirmatively consent to the refiling. Prosecutors determined that made the case subject to a legal doctrine that protects defendants from being tried twice for the same charge.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Every dog has his day, just not at the White House.

President Donald Trump tweets that the military working dog injured in the raid last weekend that killed the Islamic State leader will leave the Middle East for the White House sometime next week.

And the president appears to have declassified the dog’s name: Conan. That had remained a military secret because of the classified nature of the mission in which Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi died.

In announcing the impending visit, Trump again posted an altered image of him presenting a medal to the dog. The Daily Wire had created the image by taking an Associated Press photo of an actual medal presentation by Trump and replacing the human recipient with the canine hero.

“Thank you Daily Wire,” Trump tweeted after midnight Wednesday. “Very cute recreation, but the ‘live’ version of Conan will be leaving the Middle East for the White House sometime next week!”

Conan was hurt after being exposed to live electrical cables but has returned to active duty, the Pentagon said Wednesday.

Gen. Frank McKenzie, who leads U.S. Central Command, told reporters the dog was injured when it came in contact with the cables as it pursued al-Baghdadi in a tunnel underneath a compound in northwestern Syria.

McKenzie said the dog has worked with special operations forces for four years and taken part in about 50 missions. He said such working dogs are “critical members of our forces.”

When Trump first posted the altered image on Twitter of him presenting a medal to the dog, it came with an all-caps tweet of “AMERICAN HERO.”

The image was derived from a photo taken at a 2017 East Room ceremony to present retired Army medic James McCloughan with the Medal of Honor for saving the lives of 10 men during the Vietnam War. The Medal of Honor is the most prestigious military decoration awarded to U.S. service members.

FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating an alleged sexual assault and asking the public for help to locate a suspect.

Just after 9:30p.m. Wednesday, police were called to St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City for a reported rape, according to Sgt. Lana Urteaga.  The woman told police that she was at her vehicle parked near Garden City Community College and was approached from behind by an unknown male suspect who forced her into the vehicle and sexually assaulted her, according to Urteaga.

The suspect at the time of the attack was described as wearing black sweat pants, a grey hooded sweat shirt, a black t-shirt and a dark baseball cap. He was approximately 6-feet tall with an athletic build with black, messy, curly hair, according to Urteaga.

Anyone with information on the suspect is asked to contact police.

CASPER, Wyo. (AP) — A Roman Catholic diocese in Kansas City says three people who accuse a former Wyoming bishop of sexual abuse are credible.

The three have raised allegations against Bishop Joseph Hart over the past year.

Diocese of Kansas City-St. Joseph, Missouri, spokesman Jack Smith says two allege abuse in Wyoming but a review board considered only alleged abuse in Missouri.

Hart was a priest in Kansas City, Missouri, before moving to Wyoming in 1976 and eventually becoming bishop. Several people allege Hart sexually abused them as children.

Hart has denied the allegations and his attorney, Tom Jubin, did not return a message Wednesday seeking comment.

The Missouri diocese has reached legal settlements with at least 10 alleged victims. The Wyoming diocese says it has substantiated six allegations.

 

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Two people have been arrested in connection with the phony $100 bills that have been passed in Hutchinson, according to a media release.

Authorities took 50-year-old Brian Conrad into custody Tuesday on suspicion of distributing counterfeit money. He is currently free on bond.

They also arrested 31-year-old Cody Langley Wednesday. He is being held without bond suspicion of three counts of distributing counterfeit money and several drug possession charges.  He has previous convictions for forgery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Several of the $100 bills were passed at the two South Hutchinson liquor stores and others have been passed elsewhere in Hutchinson including Cox cable.

Authorities warn that more of these counterfeit bills could still be around and warn businesses to be aware of the currency they receive.