AMES, Iowa — The Board of Regents at Iowa State University named Wendy Wintersteen the 16th president of Iowa State University. Wintersteen, a graduate of Hutchinson High School in 1974, was hired after a nearly six-month national search, according to a news release from the ISU. She’ll take office on Nov. 20.

Wintersteen, endowed dean of Iowa State’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences and director of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station, will succeed Benjamin Allen, who has served as interim president since May 8. Steven Leath, Iowa State’s 15th president, assumed the presidency at Auburn University last spring.

The 61-year-old Wintersteen earned a bachelor of science in crop protection in 1978 from Kansas State University and her doctorate in entomology in 1988 from Iowa State.

Her annual salary at Iowa State has been set at $525,000 in year one, $550,000 in year two, and $590,000 in year three. She also will receive a three-year deferred compensation plan with an annual contribution of $125,000 in year one, $150,000 in year two, and $200,000 in year three. Wintersteen’s contract is for five years.

By JIM MCLEAN

Kansas legislative leaders have directed their staff to work with the Kansas City-based Women’s Foundation to update the Legislature’s sexual harassment policy.

The move comes amid recent allegations by several former legislative staffers, lobbyists and campaign workers about the prevalence of harassment at the Statehouse.

Abbie Hodgson, a former staffer in the House Democratic leader’s office, said she was particularly troubled by the “common” practice of male lawmakers requiring female interns to chauffer them to after-hours events.

RELATED: Sexual harassment ‘rampant’ at Kansas Statehouse, according to former staffer

The Legislative Coordinating Council, a bipartisan committee that includes House and Senate leaders, authorized a review of the Legislature’s 23-year-old harassment policy so that it can act on recommendations for updating it at its meeting in December.

“Not only do we want to look at our policy, we want to work with the regents on policies for interns,” said Senate President Susan Wagle, the Wichita Republican who chairs the LCC, referring to the Kansas Board of Regents, the agency that oversees the state university system.

“I think that having the assistance of the Women’s Foundation will be very helpful,” she said.

Wendy Doyle, president and CEO of the foundation, which helped Missouri lawmakers address harassment issues in 2015, said it is likely that the review process will result in recommendations for changes.

“Kansas policymakers must take further steps to confront, educate and correct the work culture to ensure all interns and employees can thrive,” Doyle said in a statement distributed to LCC members.

Doyle said policymakers must confront harassment rather than accepting it as “part of our political culture.”

“Sexual harassment remains a widespread and urgent epidemic and we need to get serious about solving it,” she said.

Current House Minority Leader Jim Ward, a Wichita Democrat, has said all members of his caucus will receive sexual harassment training.

Also, Burdett Loomis, an emeritus professor of political science who leads the University of Kansas intern program at the Statehouse, has said the issue will addressed with students selected for the 2018 session.

Jim McLean is managing director of the Kansas News Service. You can reach him on Twitter @jmcleanks. 

JACKSON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon for alleged 2nd-degree murder.

Just after 9:30p.m. Sunday, deputies responded to a residence in the 500 block of Ohio Street in Holton after report of an aggravated domestic battery.

Deputies from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Officers from the Holton Police Department, Troopers from the Kansas Highway Patrol and a deputy from the Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office searched for the alleged suspect, Randall Eugene Hartman Jr., 30, Topeka.

The search consisted of the entire City of Holton and the immediate surrounding areas. The initial report indicated Hartman was allegedly carrying a rifle and had made threatening statements towards the victim. Hartman was taken into custody by the Holton Police Department and other agencies at approximately 2 a.m. Monday near the old Central School in the 400 block of New Jersey Street in Holton.

Hartman was booked into the Jackson County Jail on the following charges: Attempted murder in the 2nd degree, aggravated domestic battery, domestic battery, criminal damage to property and disorderly conduct. Bond was set on Hartman at $75,000.00.

Aggravated domestic battery is (1) Knowingly impeding the normal breathing or circulation of the blood by applying pressure on the throat, neck or chest of a person with whom the offender is involved or has been involved in a dating relationship or a family or household member, when done in a rude, insulting or angry manner; or (2) knowingly impeding the normal breathing or circulation of the blood by blocking the nose or mouth of a person with whom the offender is involved or has been involved in a dating relationship or a family or household member, when done in a rude, insulting or angry manner.

Hartman has 7 previous convictions for theft and burglary, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary, have a suspect in custody and are  no longer searching for a missing pet.

Early Monday two suspects broke into a home near Pawnee and Palisade in Wichita, according to police. They suspects took numerous items including a bulldog puppy.  Late Tuesday morning officers reported finding the dog and Gus is back with his family.

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SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary, have a suspect in custody and are searching for a missing pet.

Early Monday, two suspects broke into a residence near the intersection of Pawnee and Palisade in Wichita, according to a social media report. The suspects took numerous items form the home including a bulldog puppy.

Overnight, police arrested one of the suspects and have identified the second.  The victim’s puppy is still missing. Anyone who recognizes the suspects or vehicle are asked to call 911 or Patrol South (316)350-3400.

SALINA —Dayton Moore, Senior Vice President-Baseball Operations/General Manager of the Kansas City Royals, will be the featured speaker at the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Banquet and Membership Meeting, Tuesday, January 30, 2018. The banquet will be held in the Arena of the Tony’s Pizza Events Center beginning at 6:30 p.m. A membership networking reception will be held from 5-6:15 p.m. in Heritage Hall of the Events Center.

A silent auction featuring Kansas City Royals Memorabilia will be held during the Membership Reception. Also, autographed copies of Dayton’s recent book, “More than a Season,” will be sold in the Events Center lobby. All proceeds from Mr. Moore’s speaking engagement, book sales, and auction will go to his “C” You in the Major Leagues Foundation. The Foundation was created to support youth baseball, education, families in crisis and faith-based programs and organizations.

“We are extremely excited to have Dayton Moore as the featured speaker for our Annual Banquet,” stated Guy Walker, Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Chamber. He is a tremendous speaker with a great message. We are looking forward to fun and entertaining evening.”

The banquet will be held in the arena of the Events Center. (tables of eight which includes dinner). Tickets for Chamber members are $60 per person for the banquet. Tickets for non-members are $85 per person for the banquet. Reservations can be made by Chamber members now through November 30 by calling the Chamber office ticket hotline at 1-785-827-9310, ext. 123, stopping by the Chamber office, 120 W. Ash, or email Sandy Cole at  HYPERLINK “mailto:scole@salinakansas.org” scole@salinakansas.org. Tickets will go on sale to the general public beginning December 1. Tickets will be reserved on a first-come, first-serve basis.

A limited number of sponsorships are available. For details regarding the cost and amenities of the sponsorships, persons can contact the Chamber office.

The evening will consist of remarks by outgoing Chairman Guy Walker and incoming Chairman Mark Ritter, a brief review of the Chamber’s accomplishments in 2017, and the address by Dayton Moore.

For more information on the banquet and Dayton Moore visit the Salina Chamber web site.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Ground will be broken this week for a long-planned memorial in Washington for Dwight D. Eisenhower.

The Eisenhower Memorial Commission chairman, U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, announced in a news release that the event is planned for Thursday morning. Former TV news anchor Greta Van Susteren will be the event’s emcee, and Eisenhower’s granddaughter, Susan Eisenhower, will be among the attendees.

Roberts described Eisenhower as “Kansas’ favorite son” and said it’s “an honor to see this memorial become a reality.”

Congress approved the memorial in 1999 and allocated funding for planning, but the project became bogged down over objections to the design. Eisenhower’s relatives announced last year that they had dropped their objections after the design was modified, in part to place more emphasis on the 34th president’s home state.

FINNEY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a drive-by shooting.

Just after 11p.m. on Sunday, police  were dispatched to a home in the 500 block of Prospect Avenue in Garden City, according to a media release.

When Officers arrived on the scene, they located evidence that numerous shots were fired into the home. There was several children and an adult in the house when the incident occurred. Police reported to injuries.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas lawmakers have created a committee to study public education funding after the state Supreme Court order directed them to boost spending.

The interim committee created Monday could make recommendations on education funding as well as draft a Constitutional amendment to reduce the Supreme Court’s authority over school finance. The Legislative Coordinating Council passed the measure unanimously on a voice vote.

The Supreme Court ruled earlier this month that legislators did not increase spending on the state’s public schools enough this year. The court hinted that spending is hundreds of millions of dollars short a year of providing a suitable education for every child but did not set a spending target. The court said a new law must be enacted before July 2018.

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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas lawmakers are expected to form a committee to begin work on a response to a state Supreme Court order directing them to boost spending on public schools.

The Legislature’s top seven leaders were meeting Monday afternoon to discuss setting up such a committee.

The Supreme Court ruled earlier this month that legislators did not increase spending on the state’s public schools enough this year.

The court hinted that spending is hundreds of millions of dollars short a year of providing a suitable education for every child but did not set a spending target.

A law enacted in June phased in a $293 million increase in funding over two years to make it $4.3 billion annually. The court said a new law must be enacted before July 2018.

RENO COUNTY — A Kansas woman is jailed on a bond of $10,000 on several charges in a domestic violence case from Saturday. 

Donna Myers, 54, Hutchinson, faces charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, battery, battery-domestic violence, possession of hydrocodone, criminal possession of a firearm and criminal use of a firearm. 

According to police Myers apparently got into an altercation with two women at her home. She went to a shed and grabbed a handgun and some bullets, telling the two women, “we’re going to have some fun now.” She is accused of battering the two women with the gun and also putting them in fear of their safety and hers. 

In court on Monday, she managed to get the original $18,000 bond lowered, even though she has prior convictions for possession of drugs for a case in 2012. 

She is due back in court on Nov. 7 to see if the state has filed formal charges.

WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced Monday to 187 months in federal prison for trafficking a 17-year-old girl for sex, according to U.S. Attorney Tom Beall.

John H. Dickerson, 35, Wichita, Kan., pleaded guilty in August to one count of the sex trafficking of a minor and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction.

A criminal complaint filed last year in U.S. District Court in Wichita said the case grew out of a human-trafficking enforcement operation conducted by the FBI and the Wichita Police Department. A Wichita police detective answered an advertisement on an adult services Web site. He arranged to meet a sex worker at a hotel in Wichita and to pay $200 for an hour of sex.

Dickerson dropped off a 17-year-old girl at the detective’s room. The girl and Dickerson were taken into custody. Investigators learned that that Dickerson had been paid several times to take the girl to meet customers.