WASHINGTON (AP) — Republicans must now shift their focus to enacting President Donald Trump’s sweeping tax plan, a far heavier lift than the $4 trillion budget plan they’ve muscled through the Senate to lay the groundwork.

The Senate on Thursday narrowly approved the budget plan, methodically working through a pack of amendments and rebuffing Democrats’ successive attempts to reshape the blueprint and derail the tax cuts. The final vote was 51-49 with deficit hawk Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky the lone opposing GOP vote.

 

Our tax code is burdensome, confusing & outdated. Pleased the Senate took this step to provide tax relief to hardworking Americans. pic.twitter.com/vFi3vrn7UK

— Pat Roberts (@SenPatRoberts) October 20, 2017

It won’t be nearly as easy with the complex plan to bring steep tax cuts, especially for corporations, and overhaul a tax system which has divided House Republicans on regional fault lines.

Tonight I voted for and the Senate passed the FY2018 budget as first step to accomplishing tax reform. My statement: https://t.co/pXdtUUFEtb

— Jerry Moran (@JerryMoran) October 20, 2017

 

FORD COUNTY — Authorities are asking for help to locate those responsible a dog found near Dodge City.

The individuals brought the German Shepherd to the Dodge City Animal Shelter, according to a social media report from Dodge City Police.

Authorities at the shelter need to be in contact with the owner to find out if the dog has any medical issues.

A veterinarian rated the dog as 1 or emaciated on the Body Condition Scale for animal cruelty.

Five is being in perfect condition.

The dog is under medical care and supervision and will not be available for adoption until her health improves.

Please feel free to contact the Dodge City Animal Shelter (620-225-8180) with any information that could help.

MERRIAM, Kan. (AP) — The owner of a Kansas City-area restaurant has pleaded guilty to impeding an investigation into the withholding of employees’ pay.

The U.S. Department of Labor says Yong Lin, president of China Garden Buffet in Merriam, Kansas, could face up to 20 years in prison and fines of $250,000.

The department said in a news release Thursday that Lin twice supplied false records to investigators, who later determined the company owed 56 employees a total of $709,539 in back wages.

Investigators say the employees earned the back wages but China Garden Buffet violated overtime, minimum wage and record-keeping provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

A 2011 investigation also found that China Garden Buffet owed back wages of $15,504 to 16 employees, citing similar violations of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

SALINE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a woman for alleged child endangerment.

On Wednesday, police received a report that a 31-year-old Michelle Soukup was smoking methamphetamine with her two-year-old son in the next room sometime between midnight and 7:30 a.m. on October 18 at a residence 1400 block of Pawnee, according to Salina Police Capt. Paul Forrester.

Police booked Soukup was booked into the Saline County Jail for possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and child endangerment.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A mother and daughter who were convicted of embezzling more than $200,000 from a weekly Kansas newspaper have been ordered to make monthly restitution payments.

The Sedgwick County prosecutor’s office said in a news release Wednesday that the thefts happened while 39-year-old Victoria Vinciguerra-Johnson and 60-year-old Diane Nieses worked as office managers for the Times-Sentinel newspaper in Cheney.

Vinciguerra-Johnson began the job in 2014, taking over for her mother. She was sentenced Monday to 60 days in jail and five years of probation for embezzling nearly $160,000. Nieses was convicted of embezzling nearly $50,000 and sentenced last month.

They face jail terms of two to three years if they violate the terms of their probation. The release says the newspaper’s insurance covered only about a quarter the stolen money.

SHAWNEE COUNTY — The National Transportation Safety Board is investigating a fatal accident that took the life a a Kansas woman.

Just after 6 a.m. Wednesday, the Topeka Police Department responded to a passenger train striking a pedestrian on the railroad tracks in the area of 37th and Kansas, according to a media release.

The victim identified as Sharon Carter, 32,Topeka, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police released no additional details Thursday.

 

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The boyfriend of a Wichita woman whose 3-year-old son was found encased in concrete has pleaded not guilty to charges involving the child’s father.

Forty-year-old Stephen Bodine is charged with aggravated assault and criminal damage to property. Bodine allegedly threatened Carlo Brewer with a hatchet and slashed his vehicle’s tires on Aug. 11.

Brewer is the father of Evan Brewer, whose body was found in concrete at the same home where the attack against his father allegedly occurred. Evan Brewer was looking for his son when the alleged attack occurred.

It is not clear how or when the child died. No one has been charged in his death.

His mother, Miranda Miller, waived a preliminary hearing Thursday on charges of aggravated interference with parental custody.

By DEBORAH SHAAR

Tyson Foods is considering Sedgwick County and two other locations in Kansas as possible sites for a new $320 million poultry processing complex.

The Greater Wichita Partnership confirmed Wednesday evening that Sedgwick County was selected as a finalist.

Cloud County in north-central Kansas and Montgomery County in southeastern Kansas are also among the finalists.

Heather Lansdowne with the Kansas Department of Agriculture says 16 communities submitted proposals, and Tyson picked three for further consideration.

“We expect it to take a couple of months at this point of the process to go through the evaluation of those communities and identify which one of them is the best fit for this project,” Lansdowne says.

Lansdowne says the department helped narrow the search after more than 30 communities expressed interest in the project during the past few weeks.

“Agriculture makes up 45 percent of economic contribution in the state, so to grow the economy in Kansas, we really need to grow agriculture,” Lansdowne says. “A project of this magnitude would be a big boost for Kansas and for that local community, and the region around that community.”

The project would bring 1600 jobs to the community where it’s eventually located.

Jaimie Garnett, executive vice president of strategic communications for Greater Wichita Partnership, says they’ll continue to work with other stakeholders throughout the region to offer a consolidated consortium to the company.

“We are excited to continue with this process and discuss this potential project with Tyson,” says Garnett.

Tyson originally proposed to build the facility in Leavenworth County, but local leaders withdrew support in late September following public opposition.

The company is looking at locations in Kansas and other states for a community that has the infrastructure, labor pool, farmer interest and land required for the investment.

Tyson has five food plants in Kansas.

Deborah Shaar writes for the Kansas News Service. Follow her on twitter @deborahshaar

SALINE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas teen for an alleged drug induced stabbing attack.

A 19-year-old Salina woman is facing first-degree murder charges after she walked into a neighbor’s house and stabbed him several times.

Just before 6a.m. Wednesday, a Salina man awoke to find an intruder at his home in the 500 block of Anderson in Salina, according to Salina Police Capt. Paul Forrester. The homeowner told police that a woman, later identified as Amy Ramirez, 19, walked into his bedroom and began yelling at him.

Ramirez then picked up bolt action rifle that was in the room.  The victim said he knew the gun wasn’t loaded so he attempted to wrestle it away from her, breaking a lamp in the process.

The confrontation then migrated to the living room. As the victim went for his cell phone to call the police, Ramirez allegedly grabbed several knives from the kitchen. She stabbed the man multiple times on his left side before police arrived.

Officers entered the residence to find victim holding down the suspect. When he released her, she continued to fight with police. She was tased and then taken into custody.

Capt. Forrester said that officers believed Ramirez was under the influence of narcotics and a search warrant was executed at her residence, also in the 500 block of Anderson. Police found marijuana and drug paraphernalia at the home.

Police booked Ramirez into the Saline County Jail for attempted first-degree murder, aggravated burglary, aggravated assault, two counts of aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer, criminal damage to property, trespassing, interference with law enforcement, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The homeowner was transported to the hospital for treatment and released, according to Forrester.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – A woman has been charged with fatally shooting a homeless man and wounding his brother in Kansas City.

The Kansas City Star reports that 30-year-old Stephanie Sandstrom was charged Wednesday with one count each of second-degree murder, first-degree assault, unlawful possession of a firearm and two counts of armed criminal action. A warrant for Sandstrom’s arrest was issued shortly after she was charged in Jackson County Circuit Court. Prosecutors requested a cash-only bond of $250,000.

The man killed early Sunday hasn’t been identified. Court records say a witness told investigators the homicide victim was homeless and he was visiting his brother, the brother’s wife, and the couple’s 1-year-old child before the shooting.