SUMNER COUNTY — An earthquake shook Kansas Thursday morning. The quake just after 2:30 a.m. measured a magnitude 2.9 and was centered approximately 17 miles southeast of Caldwell, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

It is the first quake reported in Kansas since a 2.7 quake near Bell Plaine on October 19.

There are no reports of damage or injury from Thursday’s quake.

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating the cause of a fire that was intentionally set.

Just after 10a.m. Wednesday, fire crews responded to a fire at a home at 902 NE Winfield Avenue in Topeka, according to a media release.

Fire crews found the single-story wood framed residential structure with heavy smoke and flames. Firefighters began an offensive fire attack and protected the surrounding structures, keeping it confined to the structure of fire origin. Firefighters performed a search of the structure and found no occupants.
A Topeka Fire Department Investigation’s Unit responded to the scene and determined the fire was intentionally set. The fire caused $16,000 structural loss and $20,000 contents loss.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Topeka and Lawrence police have yet to create a standard public document on the shooting death of a Topeka man by police officers five weeks ago.

Two police officers shot Dominique White in Topeka on Sept. 28. The Lawrence police department is investigating the shooting.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports both departments have denied requests for incident and offense reports on the shooting. But the first page of the Kansas Standard Offense Report is considered a public record. When asked for that page, both departments said it didn’t exist.

Ron Keefover, president of the Kansas Sunshine Coalition for Open Government, said he had never heard of a police department not creating such a report.

Topeka police haven’t identified the officers who were involved in the shooting.

MANHATTAN —  In order to foster a more inclusive environment, Kansas State University announced they are encouraging  students, faculty and staff to join together for the K-State Unity Walk to Anderson Hall lawn from 1-1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 14, according to the University web site.

The walk is a symbolic introduction to KSUnite, a communitywide program for diversity, inclusion and equity from 1:30-2:30 p.m. on the Anderson Hall lawn.

The Kansas State University administration has approved a rare closure of all classes and offices from 1-3 p.m. Nov. 14. All members of the community are encouraged to attend.

“This is a great opportunity for the university and the community to come together as we move forward to create a more inclusive and equitable campus,” said Jack Ayres, student body president. “All students should plan to join their campus family and be a part of this historic event.”

Faculty Senate President Brian Lindshield and University Support Staff Senate President Carrie Fink encourage all faculty, unclassified staff and university support staff to walk and be present at the KSUnite program.

There will be coordinated starting points across campus so people can walk together in unity. K-Staters are encouraged to wear purple and are asked to start walking together at 1 p.m. or when the Anderson Hall bells chime.

Ayres and Darrell Reese, president of the Black Student Union, are hosting the program. The Rev. Troy Bowers will give the invocation and President Richard Myers will provide a message of unity and outline steps that all K-Staters can take as the community moves forward.

Following KSUnite, K-Staters may share their written and spoken messages at facilitated conversations about education, reflection and action in the K-State Student Union.

TOPEKA – A Kansas auto dealer has been sued for violating state consumer protection laws and is temporarily banned by court order from doing business in Kansas while the lawsuit proceeds, according to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.

Justin Bogina, of Tecumseh, and his business, Auto Acceptance Center Corp., of Topeka, have been temporarily ordered to refrain from conducting business related to the sale of property or services within the state of Kansas. Chief Judge Evelyn Wilson issued the temporary restraining order Monday in Shawnee County District Court.

Attorney General Schmidt last week filed a lawsuit against Bogina and his company alleging multiple and recurring violations of Kansas consumer protection law over the past several years and continuing to the present. Among the allegations is that in 2014 Bogina advertised he would donate $100 per vehicle sold during a specific time period to the memorial fund established for Topeka Police Corporal Jason E. Harwood, who was killed in the line of duty on September 7, 2014. However, the defendants did not track the sales for the purpose of making the donation, and no donation was made until April 2016, after the attorney general’s office launched its investigation.

The lawsuit also alleges the defendants represented the sale of vehicles to be “as-is,” took possession of a trade-in vehicle without paying the proper balance due and sold vehicles to customers without providing certificates of title, all in violation of the Kansas Consumer Protection Act.

The Court found sufficient evidence that if the defendants were allowed to continue doing business additional consumers would be harmed, resulting in the issuance of the temporary restraining order.

A copy of the petition and temporary restraining order are available here.

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an aggravated assault.

Just after 5p.m. Tuesday, police responded to 27th and Illinois Street in Topeka, according to Lt. Kelvin Johnson. A caller informed police another driver had nearly rammed his vehicle. The other driver also displayed and fired a handgun at the caller.  Police have identified his as 26-year-old Trey Patterson.

A short time later, police saw and followed a vehicle matching the description of the suspect vehicle. Officers saw the driver punch a female passenger and attempted to a traffic stop. The suspect driver refused to stop which started a brief pursuit. The driver did eventually stop in the 1900 Block of Colorado Street and fled northbound on foot.

Police took the passenger 22-year-old Hallie Nichole Clinton of Topeka, into custody and recovered the handgun.

Police continue to search for Patterson. He was wearing a grey hoodie.  He has previous convictions for theft and burglary, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. Anyone with information is asked to contact Topeka Police.

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SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an aggravated assault.

Just after 5p.m. Tuesday, police responded to 27th and Illinois Street in Topeka, according to Lt. Kelvin Johnson. A caller informed police another driver had nearly rammed his vehicle. The other driver also displayed and fired a handgun at the caller.

A short time later, police saw and followed a vehicle matching the description of the suspect vehicle. Officers saw the driver punch a female passenger and attempted to a traffic stop. The suspect driver refused to stop which started a brief pursuit. The driver did eventually stop in the 1900 Block of Colorado Street and fled northbound on foot.

Police took the passenger into custody and recovered the handgun. Police did not locate the driver described as an adult, white male wearing a grey hoodie. Anyone with information is asked to contact Topeka Police.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — President Donald Trump has approved a disaster declaration for Johnson and Wyandotte counties for heavy damage from storms in late July.

The declaration from the president orders federal assistance to supplement state and local recovery efforts for areas affected by severe storms, straight-line winds, and flooding from July 22 to July 27.

Federal funding is available for local and state governments and some private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repairs or replacements needed after the storm. Some federal funding also is available on a cost-sharing basis for hazard mitigation statewide.

 

Spring Valley and Bannister about 30 minutes ago pic.twitter.com/lUKT9rL5Yf

— Paul Berardi (@KCMOFireChief) July 27, 2017

Johnson County emergency management coordinator Dan Robeson says the storms did about $6 million uninsured damages in the county. Significant damage was reported to Leawood public facilities including a golf course and city park.

COWLEY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a stabbing and asking the public to help find a suspect.

Just before 11p.m. Tuesday, police were dispatched to a residence in the 900 Block of Stewart Street to speak with a 42-year-old stabbing victim.

The victim who was bleeding from a stab wound in his lower abdomen told officers he was stabbed by William Goldsberry, 27, during an altercation between the two men at 623 W. 9th Avenue in Winfield.

The suspect fled prior to arrival by officers and has not been located.  The victim was treated and later transferred to a Wichita hospital, according to police.

Anyone with information on Goldsberry is asked to call Winfield police.

By MADELINE FOX

The childhood poverty rate in Kansas has been decreasing since 2014. But a recently released report from the national KidsCount organization shows that decrease isn’t evenly distributed across the state.

In 2015, the latest year for which county-by-county numbers are available, the number of Kansas counties with the highest child poverty rates —where roughly 23 percent to 33 percent of children live in poverty — stayed relatively level, dropping to 14 counties from 15 the year before.

The big difference in Kansas child poverty rates showed up one category lower, in counties where about 18 percent to 22 percent of kids live in poverty. In 2014 that included 45 counties, but in 2015 it dropped to 35.

A spokeswoman for the Kansas Department for Children and Families did not say whether the agency had targeted those communities nor whether efforts to reduce childhood poverty vary by county.

Taylor Forrest of DCF cited the statewide 26 percent decline in the childhood poverty rate from 2011 to 2016, crediting it to reforms under Gov. Sam Brownback’s administration such as the HOPE Act and follow-up legislation.

“As an agency, we continue to encourage Kansans to achieve self-reliance and promote the well-being of families,” she said.

According to the new Kids Count information, childhood poverty statewide decreased from 18 percent in 2014 to 17 percent in 2015. In 2016, it dropped to 14 percent.

Childhood poverty also declined nationwide during that three-year period, from 22 percent in 2014 to 21 percent in 2015 to 19 percent last year.

The federal government determines poverty based on family size and annual income. For 2016, a family of two adults and two children fell in the 100 percent poverty category if their annual income fell below $24,339.

Johnson County, the county with the lowest percentage of its children below the poverty line in both 2014 and 2015, saw its rate decrease from about 8 percent in 2014 to 6.5 percent in 2015. The county with the highest percentage of its children below the poverty line, Wyandotte County, also saw a slight decrease, from 34.5 percent in 2014 to 32.1 percent in 2015.

Madeline Fox is a reporter for the Kansas News Service. You can reach her on Twitter @maddycfox. Kansas News Service stories and photos may be republished at no cost with proper attribution and a link back to kcur.org.

SALINE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an armed robbery and after asking the public for help to identify a suspect have made an arrest.

Just after 2a.m. Tuesday, an employee at the KWIK Shop 1600 South Ninth Street in Salina was taking out the trash when a white sport utility vehicle circled the parking lot and parked on the far north side of the business, according to Capt. Paul Forrester.

After a black male purchased several items, police say a Hispanic male suspect approached the counter with soda and chips. He informed the cashier that he didn’t have money to pay for the items. he then produced a small, silver, semi-automatic handgun, pointed it at the employee and demanded money, according to Forester.

The suspect then walked out of the store with an undisclosed amount of cash, leaving in a Suburban, Tahoe or Yukon SUV.

Police received their first tip shortly after distributing a surveillance photo of the suspect and arrested 24-year-old Manuel Medina-Castro Tuesday afternoon at a residence on the 2500 block of Ambassador in Salina.

Police did not find the firearm used in the robbery. However, Forrester said that they found other evidence related to the crime.

Medina-Castro was booked into the Saline County Jail for aggravated assault, aggravated robbery, two counts of criminal use of a weapon and theft.