TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Secretary of State Kris Kobach is renewing a 14-year campaign to repeal a Kansas law granting in-state tuition rates to qualifying college students who aren’t U.S. citizens.
Kobach testified Thursday on behalf of a bill that would end the benefit offered to those who graduated from an accredited Kansas high school or earned a general equivalency degree and started the process of acquiring citizenship. Kansas’ in-state tuition is about a third of the out-of-state assessment.
Kobach tells the House Higher Education Budget Committee that state law perversely incentivizes immigrants living in Kansas illegally to attend college.
Bishops leading the Kansas Catholic Conference are asking the committee to have compassion for youth who would have tuition benefits taken from them.
NESS COUNTY— Authorities have scheduled a preliminary hearing in the misconduct case against a Kansas Sheriff.
Whipple-photo KBI
The hearing for Ness County Sheriff Bryan Whipple is scheduled for April 16 at 1p.m., according to the Trego County Attorney’s office.
Trego County Attorney Christopher Lyon has been appointed to act as special prosecutor in the case.
Authorities arrested Whipple December 21, for alleged perjury, making false information, criminal distribution of firearms to a felon, and official misconduct. The crimes are suspected to have occurred over the past four years.
On January 29, Whipple was jailed in Ford County for alleged violation of his bond agreement. Under the new conditions of his bond Whipple is prohibited from any contact with witnesses in the case, according to Lyon. This prevents Whipple from working at the Ness County Sheriff’s office.
Staff is only allowed to bring him mail so that he can do billing while the investigation continues. Lyon also reminded that the sheriff is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
SHAWNEE COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on an outstanding warrant following a five hour standoff.
Dodds- photo KDOC
Just before 9:30p.m.Thursday, police responded to a residence in the 1100 block of SE Lime in Topeka in reference attempting to serve an arrest warrant on a known fugitive, according to Lt. Andrew Beightel.
Upon arrival officers attempted to make contact with the resident. They then saw the fugitive Harley Dodds, 37, Topeka, through a window.
Dodds refused to comply and come outside. Negotiators and Response team were called to the scene to assist. After several hours of trying to persuade Dodds to come out, Response Team members entered the residence and Dodds was taken into custody without any further incident.
He was transported and booked into the Shawnee Co jail. Dodds has previous convictions for criminal threat, obstruction, drugs, his role in a burglary, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.
ROOKS COUNTY -A Kansas man died in an accident just after 6a.m. Thursday in Rooks County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2015 Ford F450 driven by Robert L. Bice, 59, Plainville, was eastbound on Kansas 18 Highway nine miles east of Plainville.
The truck traveled left of center to the north edge of K-18 and entered the north ditch. The vehicle struck a private driveway entrance causing it to vault. It impacted the ditch on the east side of the driveway and rolled onto its top.
Bice was pronounced dead at scene and transported to Brocks North Hill Chapel in Hays. He was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.
FORD COUNTY — Two people died in an accident just before 8:30a.m. Wednesday in Ford County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Chevy pickup driven by Phil S. Schilling, 77, Dodge City, was southbound on 125 Road directly east of Kinsdown.
The driver failed to yield at US 54 traffic and an eastbound 2012 Peterbilt semi driven by Tracy A. Price, 46, Protection.
Schilling was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Swaims Funeral Home.
Price was transported to Western Plains Medical Center where he died. Schilling was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.
WYANDOTTE COUNTY -A Kansas man died in an accident just after 6:30a.m. Monday in Wyandotte County.
First responders on the scene of Monday’s fatal crash-photo courtesy KCTV
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Chevy passenger car driven by Dennis W. Wager, Lansing, was turning left onto Marxen Road from Southbound Kansas 7.
The Chevy rear-ended a 2013 Freighlinter driven by Brendan R. Shepherd, 29, Cameron, Mo., that was in the turn.
Wagner was pronounced dead at the scene. Shepherd was not injured. Wagner was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ new governor has joined in increased calls to stop using state highway funding for other purposes.
photo KDOT
The state has spent more than $3.3 billion meant for highways on other areas of spending over the past 20 years. As a result, the state is currently delaying nearly two dozen projects to repair or expand highways.
Gov. Jeff Colyer told lawmakers last week that the state “must end the highway funding sweeps and build an effective plan that promotes economic development and strengthens our transportation network.”
Colyer didn’t offer a concrete proposal or timeline for ending the transfer of money from highways to other areas. But his spokeswoman said Friday that the governor is calling for a transportation task force to identify the best option.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita State says two men’s basketball players were involved in a nine-vehicle pileup and that the women’s team also crashed after freezing drizzle.
No players or coaches were injured in the Saturday night crashes in Wichita.
The Kansas Highway Patrol blamed the nine-vehicle pileup on slick conditions. University officials say 19-year-old Austin Reaves and 22-year-old Brett Barney continued on to dinner afterward. The crash happened after the Shockers beat Connecticut in Koch Arena. One person in another vehicle was taken to a hospital.
University officials say the bus carrying the Wichita State women’s basketball team also was involved in an accident on the way to Koch Arena from Eisenhower National Airport.
DERBY, Kan. (AP) — A Derby Middle School teacher and coach who was arrested last month following a child pornography investigation has been charged with 11 counts of sexual exploitation of a child.
Chitwood- photo courtesy Derby Middle School
Cody Chitwood, 37, made his first appearance in court Thursday morning. A preliminary hearing is set for later this month.
Chitwood was a special education teacher, football, track and girls’ basketball coach at the school. He’s been suspended without pay.
District spokeswoman Katie Carlson said the school is cooperating with police and that the charges against Chitwood do not involve any of the school’s students.
Derby was arrested Jan. 23 after a search warrant was served on his home.
Gov. Jeff Colyer talks with reporters in his office on his second day in office. He promises a change of tone in the Statehouse. photo by Jim McLean – KANSAS NEWS SERVICE
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Gov. Jeff Colyer called Wednesday for an amendment to the Kansas Constitution to protect the state’s abortion restrictions and told legislators he doesn’t support increasing taxes to provide more funding for public schools.
During his first major policy speech, the new Republican also said he plans to issue executive orders to lower the cost of obtaining state records and make more information about agency meetings and operations available online.
Colyer discussed public school funding, abortion, transparency and other issues during an address to a joint session of the Kansas House and Senate that was widely seen as a follow-up to the State of the State address last month by former GOP Gov. Sam Brownback. Colyer, formerly lieutenant governor, replaced Brownback when Brownback resigned last week to become U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.
“These are times that set history for the next century,” Colyer told legislators. “I believe our best days are ahead of us.”
Colyer and lawmakers must respond to a Kansas Supreme Court mandate to increase spending on public schools. The court ruled in October that the more than $4 billion a year the state provides in aid to its 286 school districts is insufficient under the state constitution, even with an increase approved last year.
Brownback proposed phasing in an additional $513 million increase in aid over five years, relying only on growth in state revenues to cover the cost. Many Republican legislators considered the plan financially reckless, arguing that the state won’t be able to sustain the extra spending without a tax increase or deep cuts elsewhere in the budget.
Many legislators went into Wednesday’s speech looking for Colyer to outline a detailed position on school funding. He said he will sign legislation that phases in an increase in spending on schools “that doesn’t increase the tax burden on Kansas families.”
His call for a state constitutional amendment on abortion is a response to another case before the Kansas Supreme Court. Two abortion providers are challenging a 2015 state law that enacted the nation’s first ban on a common second-trimester procedure that critics call “dismemberment abortion.” A trial court judge ruled that the state constitution protects abortion rights independently of the U.S. Constitution — creating the possibility that state courts could strike down restrictions that the federal courts permit.
“This is violence against basic facts,” Colyer said. “This cannot stand.”
Colyer told reporters last week that he would roll out proposals designed to make state government more open, without providing specifics. Lawmakers already are working on a raft of proposals to strengthen lobbying, ethics and open-government laws, including one bill reviewed by a committee Wednesday that would require all legislative committee meetings to televised, starting in 2020.
The governor scheduled a Thursday news conference to formally issue his executive orders on transparency.
He said one would allow Kansas residents and groups seeking government documents to obtain the first 100 pages free, while another would limit officials’ use of private email when doing state business. Colyer also plans to establish a website where information about government meetings and associated documents will be posted and to set performance goals for state agencies, with data their progress available to the public.
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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Gov. Jeff Colyer is expected to outline proposals for making state government more transparent during an address to the Legislature, and lawmakers are hoping he also spells out where he stands on public school funding.
The new Republican governor was scheduled to speak Wednesday afternoon to a joint session of the House and Senate. His first major policy speech is widely viewed as his follow-up to the State of the State address from former GOP Gov. Sam Brownback last month.
Colyer, formerly lieutenant governor, replaced Brownback last week when Brownback resigned to become U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom. Lawmakers are hoping for “more than just simple platitudes,” said state Rep. Melissa Rooker, a moderate Fairway Republican.
Senate President Susan Wagle, a conservative Wichita Republican, added: “Everyone is going to want to know exactly where he stands on school finance.”
Colyer told reporters last week that he would roll out proposals designed to make state government more open, without providing specifics. Lawmakers already are working on a raft of proposals to strengthen lobbying, ethics and open-government laws.
But Colyer and lawmakers also must respond to a Kansas Supreme Court mandate to increase spending on public schools. The court ruled in October that the more than $4 billion a year the state provides in aid to its 286 school districts is insufficient under the state constitution, even with an increase approved last year.
Brownback proposed phasing in an additional $513 million increase in aid over five years, relying only on growth in state revenues to cover the cost. Many Republican legislators considered the plan financially reckless, arguing that the state won’t be able to sustain the extra spending without a tax increase or deep cuts elsewhere in the budget.
“We have been delivered a budget that’s underwater in two years, and, so if he’d like to make corrections to that, we’d be very appreciative,” Wagle said.
Democratic state Rep. John Alcala, of Topeka, said he’s looking for signs that Colyer is willing to work with Democrats on issues such as school funding and expanding the state’s Medicaid program to provide health coverage to up to 180,000 more poor adults. Colyer has opposed Medicaid expansion.
“I have my doubts because he’s been a bystander, locked in step with Brownback for a long period of time,” Alcala said.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Secretary of State Kris Kobach is renewing a 14-year campaign to repeal a Kansas law granting in-state tuition rates to qualifying college students who aren’t U.S. citizens.
