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Kan. students who made national news invited to D.C. correspondents’ dinner

Emily Smith-courtesy photo

PITTSBURG, Kan. (AP) — Six Kansas high school journalists who published a story that led to the resignation of their school’s new principal will be special guests at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

The Pittsburgh High School students and their teacher, Emily Smith, are receiving an all-expenses paid trip to the April 29 dinner in Washington D.C., courtesy of the Huffington Post.

The group made national news after a story published last month in the student newspaper questioned the credentials of Amy Robertson, who had been hired to become principal at the school. The questions eventually led Robertson to resign.

Pittsburg Superintendent Destry Brown told the Pittsburg Morning Sun he’s excited the students will get a “once in a lifetime” experience.

The students will be in Washington from April 28 to April 30.

Feds charge Kansas teen for buying explosive on dark web

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Federal prosecutors have charged a Kansas teenager who used bitcoin to buy a grenade on the dark web.

A criminal information filed Wednesday charges Carlos Francisco Martin of Coffeyville with receiving an explosive meant to destroy property.

Defense attorney Steven Gradert says his client is just “kind of a dumb 18-year-old kid” who wanted to blow up a truck as revenge because someone had damaged his mom’s car.

He says his client plans to plead guilty.

Gradert says the purchase initially drew the attention of the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s terrorism task force because of the method of purchase.

Bitcoins is a digital currency for use in peer-to-peer online transactions. The dark web is a collection of websites on an encrypted network that cannot be found using traditional search engines.

Kan. official seeks to stay order over voter plan given to Trump

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ top elections official has asked a magistrate judge to stay his order requiring him to turn over proposed changes to voting rights laws that he took to a meeting with President Donald Trump.

Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach filed the motion Wednesday. That was the deadline U.S. Magistrate James O’Hara had set to turn over two documents to plaintiffs in a lawsuit challenging a state law requiring voters provide proof of their U.S. citizenship when registering.

O’Hara gave the American Civil Liberties Union until Friday to respond to Kobach’s request.

Kobach wants time to appeal the magistrate’s decision to U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson.

After examining the documents, O’Hara ruled Monday that parts were relevant to the lawsuit and chastised Kobach for misrepresenting the contents

Preliminary hearing set for suspect in Kan. triple-murder

Nelsen-photo Harvey Co.

NEWTON — Harvey County officials have scheduled a preliminary hearing for a suspect in last fall’s triple murder.

The hearing for 35-year-old Jereme Nelsen’s capital murder case is September 6, according to the county attorney.

Nelsen faces three counts of capital murder and three counts of first degree murder in the Oct. 30 shooting deaths of 37-year-old Angela Graevs, 33-year-old Travis Street and 52-year-old Richard Prouty in rural Harvey County.

Charges against co-defendant 31-year-old Myrta Rangel were dismissed last month. She now faces charges related to the murder case in Sedgwick County.

Her preliminary hearing on charges of possession of a firearm, obstruction and providing a firearm to a felon was scheduled Tuesday but has been continued.

During the hearing, Judge Joe Dickinson ruled against the defense motion to prevent cameras in the courtroom.

Under the ruling one live camera and one still photographer will be allowed to provide for all media outlets.

Dickinson also said he would reconsider whether to keep the affidavit sealed from the public.

That hearing is May 18.

Dickinson had ruled earlier that releasing the affidavit could jeopardize the physical, mental or emotional safety or well-being of the victims and witnesses, and interfere with prospective law enforcement action, criminal investigation or prosecution.

The defense requested the affidavits be sealed with no objection from Harvey County Attorney David Yoder.

4 Kansas high-school students hospitalized after SUV rolls

MCPHERSON COUNTY- Four teens were injured in an accident just after 2:30p.m. on Tuesday in McPherson County.

A 1996 Ford Explorer driven by an 18-year-old was eastbound on Winchester Road that divides Saline and McPherson Counties when the driver lost control of the SUV in sand, according to McPherson Sheriff’s Captain Joe Hoffman.

First responders transported the driver and three passengers to Salina Regional Medical Center.

One passenger was ejected from the SUV.

All four were treated and released late Tuesday, according to Hoffman.

Names of those involved were not released.

Police: Kansas homeless man attacked with baseball bat

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Police in Wichita, Kansas, say they’re seeking three men suspected in a baseball bat attack on a homeless man.

KAKE-TV reports that the 53-year-old victim reported that he was under a bridge near the city’s downtown early Wednesday when three men approached. The homeless man said one of them hit him on the back of the head with a baseball bat.

Police say the victim was taken to a hospital with injuries not considered life-threatening. His medical status was not immediately clear later Wednesday.

Feds open 5th sexual assault investigation at K-State

image courtesy KSU

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — The federal government is opening another investigation on how Kansas State University handles reports of off-campus sexual assaults.

The Manhattan Mercury reports the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights opened the recent investigation in late March. The office hasn’t released any information pertaining to the new investigation.

The university’s policy for investigating sexual assault allegations off campus has been under scrutiny, with this being the fifth investigation launched.

Two former students from the university are suing the school for not investigating their reports of being raped at Kansas State fraternity houses, saying it’s the university’s responsibility to investigate the reports.

Kansas State declined to respond to the newspaper’s request for comment.

Kan. man dies after motorcycle rear-ends vehicle on interstate

WYANDOTTE COUNTY – A Kansas man died in an accident just before 1a.m. on Wednesday in Wyandotte County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Suzuki GSX-R600X Motorcycle driven by Joseph Thomas Pate Darnell, 32, Kansas City, was southbound on Interstate 635 just south of Interstate 70.

The motorcycle rear-ended a southbound 2010 Ford Escape at a high rate of speed. Darnell was ejected and pronounced dead at the scene.

He was not wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.

The driver of the Ford Jeanette Lynn Christ, 46, Kansas City, and a passenger we

Kan. officials table renewal of $6M student testing contract after problems

Kris Kaase is Director of CETE

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas education officials are holding off on renewing a contract with the state’s student assessment provider amid problems.

State Education Commissioner Randy Watson told state school board members Tuesday that there are “many other options” for delivering the test. The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that Watson says officials “want things to be reliable.”

Following Watson’s recommendation, board members pulled the renewal of the $6.2 million contract with the University of Kansas’ Center for Educational Testing and Evaluation (CETE) from the agenda. Technical issues began April 4 when 15,000 students were simultaneously taking the assessments. A testing center official says the problem was fixed the next day.

Results of the 2014 tests were tossed because of cyberattacks and other technical issues. Problems also arose last year after a fiber cable was cut.

Principal: Just an accident; car crashes into Kansas school

Monday crash into Lee Elementary School-photo courtesy USD 383

MANHATTAN –A driver lost control of a vehicle and crashed through the main entrance of a Kansas elementary school on Monday.

Just after 9p.m., first responders and USD 383 maintenance staff were dispatched to Lee Elementary School, according to a social media report from the school.

Officials indicated the vehicle’s brakes failed. There were no injuries.

“We are all very thankful that this accident happened at night and that no one was injured. This was truly an accident – the driver was not trying to harm the school,” wrote Principal Nancy Kole.

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