By STEPHEN KORANDA

The Kansas Democratic Party and the Democrat leader in the Kansas Senate, Anthony Hensley, called out top Republican officials Wednesday for not condemning the white nationalist march and violence in Charlottesville, Va.

The weekend events left one person dead and dozens injured. Two officers also died when a state police helicopter monitoring the rally crashed.

Hensley and the party aimed their messages at Gov. Sam Brownback, Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer and Secretary of State Kris Kobach.

“Racism and bigotry have no place in this state or country,” Hensley said. “It is shocking that leaders of the Republican Party in our state have not denounced the vile behavior of white nationalists.”

The statements from Hensley and the Democratic Party appeared to be part of a coordinated effort, as they were issued in quick succession.

Hensley and Kobach later traded especially sharp barbs, including references to a 2015 appearance Kobach made at a conference organized by The Social Contract Press.

“Kris Kobach, as a featured speaker for a white nationalist group, with connections to other hate groups, as a key architect of voter suppression laws, and a candidate for governor, the people of Kansas deserve to know whether your silence is indicative of your tolerance of such hate,” Hensley said.

In response to Hensley, Kobach said he hadn’t commented earlier because the issues weren’t directly related to Kansas.

“It goes without saying that white supremacist views and racism are reprehensible. I did not comment on the horrific attack in Charlottesville because I am running for governor of Kansas, not governor of Virginia,” Kobach said. “It is pathetic that a man with such poor logical thinking has been teaching public school kids in Kansas for so many years.”

 

Sen. Hensley put out a statement today making outrageous accusations in order to politicize the tragedy in Charlottesville. My response: pic.twitter.com/nbyVOnKzeK

— Kris W. Kobach (@KrisKobach1787) August 16, 2017

Kobach said Hensley’s comments were untrue. He called the statement “slander” that has “no place in civil discourse.” He also noted Hensley originally supported the state’s voter ID requirement.

Brownback and Colyer also responded after being challenged by Hensley and the state Democratic Party.

“Racism, hatred, and violence should have no place in American life,” Brownback said in his statement. “Our state was born of the idea that all people are created equal, and that all people should be treated with respect and dignity. I, along with the people of Kansas, condemn any sentiment or demonstration against this fundamental truth.”

Brownback is slated to join President Donald Trump’s administration later this year as an ambassador for religious freedom once his nomination is confirmed.

For his statement, Colyer drew from his work overseas.

“I have seen the evil extremes of racial and ethnic cleansing first hand in Rwanda and other places around the globe,” Colyer said. “We must stamp out these harmful ideologies and evil doers before they can take root here at home. Kansas has been and will continue to be a beacon of light and hope for those who fight for equality and justice for all.”

Stephen Koranda is Statehouse reporter for KPR, a partner in the Kansas News Service.

BELTON, Mo. (AP) — Authorities say human remains found in April in rural northwest Missouri are those of a 17-year-old girl who was last seen 10 years ago.

Belton police Lt. Brad Swanson said in a statement Wednesday that the FBI confirmed the remains were those of Kara Kopetsky. The Belton teen was last seen leaving Belton High School in May 2007.

Investigators found her skull in a wooded area south of Belton in April, a day after a mushroom hunter found a different set of remains.

A medical examiner identified the first set of remains as those of 21-year-old Jessica Runions, of Raymore, who disappeared in September 2016.

Runions was last seen at a gathering with 27-year-old Kylr Yust, who has been questioned in Kopetsky’s disappearance. He hasn’t been charged in either disappearance.

GREENWOOD COUNTY -Wednesday’s storm brought heavy rain and damaging winds to portions of Kansas.

The storm knocked out power in Eureka and surrounding portions of Greenwood County, according to a social media report.

As a result, USD 389 cancelled planned school activities Wednesday night and Thursday’s first day of school.

Eureka wind damage #KSwx pic.twitter.com/y6ng6D0q5q

— Greenwood County EM (@gwcountyem) August 16, 2017

Officials with the Westar Energy, the National Weather Service and others will assess the damage Thursday as the cleanup continues. There were no injuries reported.

SEDGWICK COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects jailed after a high speed chase and crash.

Just after 7:00 a.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to a man attempting to get into vehicles in the 800 block of Quail Street in Valley Center, according to a social media report.

Officers found a white truck leaving the area with a man matching the description of the suspect and a second man in the passenger seat.

Officers attempted to pull the vehicle over and a pursuit began south on Meridian and East on Ford to the interstate.

They exited the interstate at 61st street. The pursuit ended at 61st and Air Cap Drive where the suspects rammed a Valley Center patrol car.

Police quickly took the suspects into custody and booked them into the Sedgwick County Jail. There were no serious injuries.

Park City Police Department, Bel Aire Police Department, Kansas Highway Patrol and the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Department assisted in the chase.

KANSAS CITY – A federal grand jury returned an indictment today charging a Kansas City, Kan., man with producing child pornography, according to U.S. Attorney Tom Beall.

Ronny D. Peters, 39, Kansas City, Kan., is charged with two counts of producing child pornography. According to court records, the investigation began when Peters’ former employers called the FBI to report finding child pornography on a company cell phone Peters turned in after he was fired. The phone belonged to Pop-A-Lock, a locksmith company based in Lafayette, La. The company has franchise operations across the United States and Canada, including Kansas City.

The indictment alleges Peters sexually exploited a minor child to produce videos that investigators found on the phone.

If convicted, he faces not less than 15 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on each count. Peters has previous convictions for drugs, aggravated battery domestic battery, theft and burglary.

TOPEKA – A longtime, popular Kansas zoo gorilla had an important medical evaluation Wednesday.

Tiffany, 49, who came to the Topeka Zoo originally in 1968 was evaluated at the Morrison Veterinary Hospital at the Topeka Zoo and Conservation Center, according to a media release.

During the procedure, a medical team evaluated all of Tiffany’s organ systems in an effort to determine why the gorilla is reluctant to eat.

Early afternoon Wednesday, Tiffany returned to her home at the zoo to recover fully from anesthesia. She continues to be closely monitored.

Last Friday, zoo staff reported that Tiffany wasn’t acting like herself. Staff thought that a storm the previous night might have upset her. Over the following days, she has lost more and more of her appetite. While she is still drinking fluids, she needs the nutrients of her balanced diet to be able to live a healthy life. “We are at the point where a diagnostic exam under anesthesia is indicated,” said Staff Veterinarian Dr. Shirley Llizo.

Tiffany is one of the oldest female gorillas in a global database which shows age distribution of gorillas from many zoos around the world. Because of her geriatric status, staff at the zoo is taking a number of precautions to make sure that Tiffany’s procedure goes as smoothly as possible.

Tiffany has made a great impact on millions of zoo visitors over the years. Longtime residents still remember well the stories about Max and Tiffany. Tiffany’s fondness of children has continued her status as a zoo favorite through the years. Tiffany came to the Topeka Zoo in 1968. She spent some time at the Buffalo Zoo in the eighties before moving back to Topeka.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Police say a fiery crash of a semi-trailer truck will close one direction of Interstate 435 near Kansas City through mid-morning Thursday.

Overland Park police say the crash occurred about 11:30 a.m. Wednesday when the truck went into a median and erupted in fire.

The driver suffered only minor injuries but the crash damaged a safety device used to reduce damage in a crash. Repairs to that device aren’t expected to be complete until about 10 a.m. Thursday.

The crash is the latest of several wrecks along the same stretch of highway, where a major repair project is under way.

Willie “Darryl” Wilson died last weekend of burns he suffered in a fiery, chain-reaction crash July 17 in the eastbound lanes near Wednesday’s crash.