By NOMIN UJIYEDIIN

The Kansas Board of Regents voted Wednesday to change the benchmarks for in-state students to attend the state’s six public universities, and class-rank requirements are out.

The move is meant to increase the number of Kansas high schoolers who are eligible to attend Kansas State University, Emporia State University, Pittsburg State University, Fort Hays State University, Wichita State University and the University of Kansas.

It’s also expected to help more first-generation college students attend Kansas universities and simplify the required list of academic prerequisites. But critics say they’re concerned changing standards could reduce high schoolers’ readiness for college.

Currently, Kansas high school students who want to attend a public university must take a specific number of classes in English, math, science, social sciences and electives. To attend any university except KU, they must have at least a 2.0 GPA in those classes; KU requires applicants to have a GPA of 3.25 in all classes and an ACT score above 21, or a GPA of 3.0 and an ACT score above 24.

“This has resulted in a pretty complicated process that creates confusion among the applicants and the counselors and the parents,” said Daniel Archer, vice president of academic affairs for the Board of Regents, at the meeting in Topeka.

Archer said it was hard for universities to keep track of which high school classes met which admissions requirements. “It’s a pretty onerous process to review individual courses,” he said, “because it’s not something you can automate.”

Under the new admissions criteria, the classes will be recommended, but not required.

Plus, students will be admitted if they meet the same ACT minimum or if they meet a new overall GPA requirement. Emporia State, Pittsburg State, Fort Hays State and Wichita State will require either an ACT score of 21 to get in or a GPA of 2.25. K-State will require either an ACT score of 21 or a GPA of 3.25.

Class rankings, which are currently taken into account, will go away. That’s because, Archer said, it’s easier to compare GPA across different high schools, while class rank is a less useful marker of academic ability.

This story has been corrected to show that the 2.0 GPA requirement at five schools only matters for the currently required set of classes, not a student’s overall GPA.

Nomin Ujiyediin reports on criminal justice and social welfare for the Kansas News Service. Follow her on Twitter @NominUJ or email nomin (at) kcur (dot) org.

COWLEY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating four suspects on drug charges

On Tuesday, police located a 15-year-old runaway from Ponca City, Oklahoma, in the 2800 block of North Summit Street in Arkansas City.

They determined that she was under the influence of methamphetamine. They interviewed the juvenile, who said she had been staying at 33-year-old Arron Dion Sedam’s residence in in the 1000 Block of First Street, according to police.

She said Sedam provided her with meth and had given her a tattoo while she was at his residence. A search warrant was obtained and executed at the residence resulting in the three arrests. Four juveniles were taken into police protective custody due to the conditions at the residence.

Police arrested Angela Renee Baxley, 51, and Timothy Scott Massey, 46, who is listed as homeless,  on suspicion of felony possession of methamphetamine and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. Massey also was arrested on a Cowley County District Court warrant for bond violation.

Police arrested Sedam on suspicion of one felony count each of aggravated endangering a child, interference with parental custody and possession of methamphetamine, as well as one misdemeanor count each of possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana and tattooing a minor without consent. Sedam was transported to and booked into the county jail in lieu of $23,000 bond through Arkansas City district court. He remained in custody.

 

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A federal judge has denied a request by Missouri to allow a ban on abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy to go into effect while the state waits for further court action.

U.S. District Court Judge Howard Sachs had previously paused parts of Missouri’s new abortion law. It was set to go into effect Aug. 28 and criminalizes abortions after eight weeks of pregnancy.

It also triggered bans at 14, 18 and 20 weeks if the initial eight-week ban was found unconstitutional.

The judge issued a preliminary injunction Aug. 27 against the bans based on gestational age. The state immediately appealed the judge’s decision to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. It’s not clear when the appellate court will hear the case.

Missouri asked Sachs to reinstate just the 20-week abortion ban during the appeal.

COLUMBUS, Kan. (AP) — A woman who was a fugitive with her son for two years after an Oklahoma man was killed has been sentenced to nearly five years in prison.

Diana Bohlander was sentenced Tuesday to 59 months in prison for her role in the death of 64-year-old James McFarland, of Tulsa, whose body was found in April 2017 in southeast Kansas.

Bohlander’s 23-year-old son, Ty, was given the same sentence Sept. 3.

Bohlanders were living in a van with McFarland when he was killed. Investigators believe McFarland suffered blunt force trauma when he and Ty Bohlander fought. Diana Bohlander was accused of helping her son conceal the crime.

The Bohlanders were fugitives until Ty Bohlander was arrested in March in Santa Monica, California. His mother turned herself in the next month.

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SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug charges after a traffic stop.

On Tuesday,  Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Interdiction Unit conducted a traffic stop on I-70, eastbound just east of the West Union Road exit, according to Sgt. Todd Stallbaumer.

The traffic stop resulted in the seizure of approximately 145 pounds of marijuana that was destined for the Topeka area.  The marijuana has an estimated street value of $500,000.

Deputies arrested Janae N. Williams, 30, of Topeka, on requested charges that include Possession of Marijuana with Intent to distribute and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.  

 

 

WICHITA, KAN. – A registered sex offender living in western Kansas was convicted Wednesday on federal child pornography charges, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.

A federal jury convicted Wayne Benjamin Wasson, 59, Great Bend, Kan., on four counts of uploading child pornography to the internet and one count of possessing child pornography.

During trial, a prosecutor presented evidence that Yahoo and Google detected child pornography originating from Wasson’s residence. The digital trail led investigators to Wasson, who admitted he had received child pornography via Skype and had operated a number of other accounts. Investigators found child pornography within the accounts and on Wasson’s devices.

Wasson registered as a sex offender in 2007 following a conviction for possession of child pornography.

Sentencing is set for Dec. 13, 2019. He faces a penalty of not less than 15 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have a third suspect in custody.

With assistance from the United States Marshals Service, law enforcement located and arrested 22-year-old Lavonte D. Johnson Wednesday in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, according to Topeka police spokesperson Gretchen Koenen.

Johnson was arrested on a Shawnee County warrant for first-degree murder and criminal use of a weapon. He is awaiting extradition to Shawnee County.

On July 25, police were dispatched to the area of SE Fremont and SE Irvingham in reference to gunshots heard in the area.  Officers responded to the area and at SE 37th & SE Pennsylvania in Topeka and located a white passenger car with one male victim later identified as 16-year-old Joaquin Aj McKinney of Topeka suffering from life threatening injuries.

He was quickly transported to an area hospital by ambulance, where he was later pronounced deceased.

Danny Kaye Williams and Zachary Jacob McFall have also been charged in relation to this investigation. Williams and McFall have been charged with one count each of first-degree murder and criminal discharge of a firearm at an occupied vehicle. Investigators are not seeking any additional suspects at this time.

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SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and continue the search for one suspect.

Just after 3:30p.m. July 25, police were dispatched to SE 37th and SE Pennsylvania in Topeka located a white passenger car  with 16- year-old Joaquin Aj McKinney suffering from life threatening injuries. He was transported to a local hospital where he died.

On July 27, 2019 a suspect in the case, 16-year-old Zachary Jacob McFall turned himself in to law enforcement. He is being held in the Juvenile Department of Corrections for 1st Degree Murder.

On July 28, 2019 officers located and arrested an additional 16-year-old suspect in the case. He was transported to the Juvenile Department of Corrections for 1st Degree Murder.

Police are attempting to locate 22-year-old Lavonte D. Johnson for questioning in the case.

Police said if you know his location, please do not attempt to apprehend him, call 911 to report his location

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A University of Kansas football player is charged with two misdemeanors after his arrest at a Lawrence bar.

Sophomore linebacker Thomas Patrick Barrett was charged Tuesday with two counts of contributing to a child’s misconduct. An attorney entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.

Police Sgt. Amy Rhoads says Barrett, from Cleveland, Ohio, was arrested on Aug. 31 at the Jayhawk Cafe. Two 17-year-old girls inside the business were in possession of what was believed to be alcohol.

The girls were released to their guardians.

Barrett turned 21 the same week he was arrested. He’s scheduled for another court appearance Oct. 2.

The Kansas athletic department said it’s monitoring the situation while it goes through the legal process.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City International Airport officials are warning travelers to give themselves more time to get to their destinations.

The airport authority announced that construction on a new terminal will slow traffic, beginning Wednesday.

Vehicle traffic between terminals B and C will be reduced to one lane, and the road that allows motorists to return to a terminal will be closed.

The change to the loop road system will particularly affect motorists who circle the area while waiting to pick up passengers. People waiting for passengers may park for free in the Cell Phone lot near the FAA tower. Or they can park in the economy parking lot for up to one hour without being charged a fee.

The airport says ongoing construction means travelers should allow more time for up to a year.