TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Legislature’s top leaders say a state Supreme Court ruling on education funding won’t require lawmakers to change course on drafting a new school finance law.

Senate President Susan Wagle and House Speaker Ron Ryckman Jr. said their chambers of the Republican-controlled Legislature already were working on a new school funding law before the court’s decision.

The court said the state isn’t adequately funding its schools and lawmakers must enact a new education funding law by June 30.

Wagle and Ryckman put a positive spin on the court’s decision by saying it recognized the Legislature’s power to set school funding policy and appropriate money.

While the court said the state’s current funding is in adequate, the justices did not specifically say how much spending needs to increase.

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SHAWNEE COUNTY-Law enforcement authorities in Shawnee County continue investigating an armed robbery and asking for help to identify a suspect. On Thursday, they released new images of the suspect.

Just after 7 a.m. on Monday February 27, police responded to report of an armed robbery in the 900 Block of SW 37th in Topeka, according to a media release.

A suspect, described as a white male in his 20s had entered the business, fired a gun into the ceiling and demanded money.

He was last seen running north from the business and then west on Devon.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Investigators have determined that a fire in the Aggieville bar and shopping district near the Kansas State University campus was accidental.

The Manhattan Fire Department says in a news release that floor finishing materials sparked the blaze.

The fire was reported around 3:45 a.m. Thursday in a building that had housed a bookstore called the Dusty Bookshelf and was being renovated into another business. Thirty firefighters fought the blaze before it was extinguished about four hours later. No one was hurt.

The fire also caused smoke damage to adjoining businesses that sell doughnuts and T-shirts. A cat was rescued from one of the businesses.

Investigators estimated $673,000 in damages to the former Dusty Bookshelf building and its contents. Another $149,000 in damages occurred in the other two buildings.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — An Army veteran has been indicted for pretending to be blind to collect $63,000 in benefits.

A federal indictment unsealed Thursday charges 61-year-old Billy J. Alumbaugh and his ex-wife, Debra K. Alumbaugh, both of Turon, with conspiracy to defraud the government and theft of government funds.

Court records do not show they have attorneys.

Prosecutors allege he fraudulently obtained a supplemental monthly pension of $700 between June 2009 and January 2017 by claiming he was legally blind.

The indictment says that in October 2016 his wife drove him to the VA hospital in Wichita and drove away with him after his appointment. But after a few blocks, the couple stopped the car and switched seats so he could drive.

He held a driver’s license that did not require corrective lenses.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man who was sentenced to 60 days in jail for leaving the scene after hitting a pedestrian, who later died, has been released from jail after serving two days.

District Judge Terry Pullman released 55-year-old Cary Whitlock, of Clearwater, on Monday and sent him to work release for the rest of his 60-day sentence.

Whitlock pleaded no contest in January to leaving the scene of an accident. The September 2014 accident resulted in the death of 43-year-old Jeremy Napier, of Clearwater. Prosecutors say Napier was walking near Clearwater when he was hit by a vehicle, which drove away. He was run over by a second vehicle.

The Wichita Eagle reports coroners couldn’t determine which blow caused Napier’s death, so Whitlock wasn’t charged with a more serious crime.

COLWICH, Kan. (AP) — Ethanol producer ICM says it is planning a $175 million bio-refinery in Colwich.

The company said in a news release Thursday that the plant, ICM Element, will create 50 new permanent jobs, as well as construction jobs.

At full production, the plant will buy more than 22 million bushels of corn and sorghum. ICM says the planning is in its final stages.

The new plant would be on 80 acres just ICM’s main plant in Colwich.

Colwich Mayor Terry Spexarth says the city council is considering providing 10 years of tax abatements. He says after 10 years, the plant could provide about $1.8 million to the community.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A federal judge wants to hear oral arguments on a newspaper’s request to disclose the federal government’s reasons for putting wiretaps on the phone communications of a former state legislator, a Wichita businessman and others.

U.S. District Judge Eric Melgren set a hearing for Tuesday in federal court on the motion filed by The Wichita Eagle. Five of the paper’s current or former employees were notified their calls with Sedgwick County Commissioner Michael O’Donnell and businessman Brandon Steven had been intercepted.

The U.S. attorney’s office says disclosing the information would jeopardize its investigation. The government contends no one has been charged and no evidence has been introduced in any civil or criminal proceedings. It calls the request a “thinly veiled First Amendment argument” to obtain access to sealed documents.

MCPHERSON COUNTY -A small plane made a rough landing in McPherson County on Thursday afternoon.

The aircraft went down in a field in the 200 Block of Church Street near Gypsum, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol. The pilot was not seriously injured and intended to seek medical attention.

Cause of the incident or other details were not immediately available.

Check the Post for more information as it is released.

 

HILL CITY, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man has pleaded guilty midway through his trial to killing a man in a western Kansas park and shooting at pursuing law enforcement officers.

Bobby Tallent, 39, admitted Wednesday to reduced charges of second-degree murder, attempted second-degree murder and other related charges. Jurors heard four days of testimony, but Tallent entered the plea before they began their deliberations.

Tallent was previously charged with first-degree murder in the March 2016 shooting death of Joseph Sweet in a city park in Norton. He arrested near the Nebraska border after a chase.

Tallent’s trial was moved to Hill City after a mistrial was declared in October when a Nebraska television station aired footage of people in the jury pool.

Sentencing is set for May 1.

OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A 25-year-old Kansas woman has been accused of battery of an infant and running an unlicensed child care facility.

The Kansas City Star reports that Paige E. Hatfield of Olathe was charged Wednesday with one count each of aggravated battery and unlawfully running a child care facility without the proper license.

Hatfield is accused of critically injuring an infant who was less than 6 months old on Jan. 30. She allegedly unlawfully operated the child care facility from Jan. 1 through Feb. 3.

Hatfield was released from the Johnson County jail on a $25,000 bond Wednesday evening. She’s scheduled to appear in court March 10.