DETROIT (AP) — Ford is recalling about 1.3 million 2015-17 F-150 and 2017 Super Duty vehicles in North America because of potential door problems.

The company said Wednesday that in some vehicles a frozen door latch or bent or kinked actuation cable may cause a door to not open or close. If consumers are able to open and close such doors, the door may appear closed, but the latch may not fully engage, increasing the risk for a possible injury.

Ford said it’s not aware of any accidents or injuries related to the issue.

The company’s dealers will install water shields over door latches and inspect and repair door latch actuation cables if necessary free of charge to customers.

TOPEKA —Two years ago, the Kansas State Board of Education launched a new vision for Kansas education — Kansas leads the world in the success of each student. Board members on Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2017, received an update on the progress the state has made toward that goal.

Kansas Commissioner of Education Dr. Randy Watson presented the update and the 2016-2017 Annual Report, according to a media release from the Kansas State Department of Education.

The report is a look back at the past, as well as a look forward to the future, Watson told board members during his presentation.

US. Rep. Kevin Yoder, center, listens to @KsCommissioner Randy Watson talk about the vision for education in Kansas during the board meeting pic.twitter.com/YG7rXAfopr

— KS Dept of Education (@ksdehq) October 17, 2017

The work that has taken place during the past two years is moving the focus away from a single measure, such as assessment scores, to measuring items like postsecondary success and effective rates — what happens to Kansas students once they leave high school. Focusing solely on state assessment results isn’t going to move Kansas forward, Watson said. As a state, we need to ensure that we are preparing students with the skills needed to meet Kansas’ workforce education requirements.

“The board’s vision for Kansas education has set the state on a new, bold path, and we are grateful to our schools and educators who are working even harder to accommodate the changes needed to achieve this vision,” Watson said. “Student success data, as measured by postsecondary effective rates, are 25 to 30 percent below where we want to be by 2026. This ambitious goal sets the bar high and is what Kansans told us they wanted from their schools. Student success encompasses academic and nonacademic skills alike. By moving our focus toward the whole child, Kansas is moving in the right direction.”

Watson on Tuesday also discussed Kansas assessment data, which was released as part of the web-based 2016-2017 Kansas Report Card. The report card can be found on the Kansas State Department of Education’s website.

Watson cautioned that assessments in Kansas are a mixed bag that can’t be viewed in isolation. The 2017 Kansas state assessment results are relatively flat, and in some cases, decreased modestly. At the same time, data show an increase in the number of Kansas students taking Advanced Placement (AP) courses and an increase in the percent of those students earning a 3, 4 or 5 on AP exams. Additionally dual-credit enrollment has nearly doubled in the past year and the number of college course credits earned while in high school has increased by 20,000. Watson posed the question, “How can this be?”

“We can speculate all we want,” Watson said. “But if we stop here, we’re going to miss something.”

Focusing solely on state assessment results won’t move Kansas closer toward its vision goal, Watson said. It will simply ensure that educators focus solely on test-preparation. Instead, he said, we need to focus on the whole child — from kindergarten readiness to social-emotional growth and postsecondary success.

KSDE has put several initiatives into place and collaborated on others to help move the state closer to its vision goal.

KSDE and the State Board of Education are working with districts across the state to redesign schools and the way students are taught. The Kansans Can School Redesign Project kicked off in August when seven Kansas school districts — each representing one of the Mercury 7 astronauts — were named to take part in the project. KSDE received 29 applications for the project. Twenty-one of the schools that applied accepted the challenge of becoming a Gemini district.

Kansas school districts also are being accredited under the new Kansas Education Systems Accreditation (KESA) model. This new five-year model accredit systems, such as school districts, instead of individual schools. KESA replaces the old system, Quality Performance Accreditation (QPA).

In order to help improve graduation rates in the state and help students become successful after high school, KSDE has implemented several initiatives, such as kindergarten readiness, family engagement, civic engagement and social-emotional growth, to help improve graduation rates in the state.

KSDE also has placed a special focus on chronic absenteeism. The agency is encouraging districts to support students with attendance issues. KSDE also is putting an emphasis on personalized learning to help retain students so they will become successful graduates.

DOUGLAS COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating the October 1 fatal shooting on Massachusetts Street in Lawrence. The two suspects in custody made court appearances on Tuesday.

On October 1, 2017, at approximately 1:39 a.m., Lawrence Police Officers were near the intersection of 11th Street and Massachusetts Street when they heard multiple gunshots.

At the scene, officers encountered a large crowd and several victims suffering from gunshot wounds. In total five victims were identified from the shooting.

Three of the victims sustained fatal injuries: Leah Elizabeth Brown, a 22-year-old female Shawnee, Kansas resident; Colwin Lynn Henderson, a 20-year-old male Topeka resident; and Tremel Dupree Dean, a 24-year-old male Topeka resident. Two victims were treated at area hospitals for non-life threatening injuries and later released.

They are identified as Royelle Hunt, a 28 year old male Topeka resident, and Tahzay Rayton, a 19 year old male Topeka resident. We believe one or more individuals were specifically targeted in this incident while other individuals were bystanders in the area.

The initial response was followed by two weeks of intensive investigation. Detectives and Officers have worked over 200 leads to date, and this investigation is still ongoing.

On Monday, with the assistance of the Topeka Police Department, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and the Shawnee County Sherriff’s Office, multiple search and arrest warrants were served in Topeka, Kansas. At the end of the day two subjects, Ahmad Rayton and Dominique McMillon, were taken into custody and booked into the Douglas County Jail on multiple charges. We are still investigating this case with the same intensity that has brought us to this point today, and will do so until all of those responsible are brought to justice.

There are still subjects we are seeking to interview. We do anticipate further arrests on this case, but for investigative reasons we are unable to provide a number of anticipated arrests or a timeline for when they might occur. Again, this continues to be an ongoing, active investigation. If you have any information that could help with this investigation please contact the Lawrence Police Department or Crime Stoppers of Lawrence and Douglas County at (785)843-TIPS.

Justice for these victims and the safety of our community are our primary concerns. To that end, we will not be discussing any details that could jeopardize this ongoing investigation and future prosecution.

———–

 

DOUGLAS COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating the October 1 fatal shooting on Massachusetts Street in Lawrence and have two suspects in custody.

In a media release the police reported the suspects are identified as Ahmad Malik Rayton, 22, and Dominique Jaques Mcmillan, 19, both of Topeka.

Rayton is charged with Attempted Second Degree Murder and Criminal Possession of a Firearm by a Felon. McMillon is charged with Aggravated Assault and Battery, according to Officer Drew Fennelly.

Rayton has previous convictions for child endangerment and aggravated assault, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Three people died in the October 1, shooting including Leah Elizabeth Brown, 22, Shawnee, Colwin Lynn Henderson, 20, and Tremel Dupree Dean 24, both of Topeka. Two victims were treated at area hospitals for non-life threatening injuries.

A joint press conference with the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office will provide additional information in the case on Tuesday afternoon.

TOPEKA – An Abilene roofer has been banned from performing roofing services in Kansas after violating Kansas consumer protection laws, according to Attorney General Derek Schmidt.

Jesse Howard, doing business as Jesse Howard Roofing, has been banned from performing roofing services in the state and ordered to pay a $2,500 civil penalty for violating the KRRA. District Judge Ryan W. Rosauer approved the judgment last week in Dickinson County District Court. The defendant was accused of accepting payment from a consumer in September 2015 for roofing services that were never performed. He also was accused of failing to register as a roofing contractor as required by the KRRA. A separate, private lawsuit was brought against Howard by the homeowner, and a default judgment was granted after Howard failed to respond to the lawsuit. Howard has therefore already been ordered to pay restitution to the consumer.

Schmidt also announced he has entered into consent judgments with three other roofing contractors for violations of the KRRA. The settlements require the companies to pay civil penalties for KRRA violations and, in some cases, restitution to consumers. They also require the companies to comply with the KRRA when providing roofing services in the future. The three roofing contractors fined are:

• Entrepreneurs Enterprises, LLC, Johnson County District Court, Case No. 2017-CV-4431
• All the Above, LLC, Johnson County District Court, Case No. 2017-CV-4676
• Roof Missouri, LLC, Shawnee County District Court, Case No. 2017-CV-616

In each case, Schmidt alleged the defendants engaged in advertising, soliciting or performing roofing contractor services in Kansas without registering with the attorney general’s office as required by the KRRA. Copies of the consent judgments are available at www.ag.ks.gov/roofer-enforcement.

Schmidt reminded consumers to make sure roofing contractors are properly registered before signing any contract or having any work done. Consumers should request a copy of their roofer’s registration certificate and then should check the attorney general’s consumer protection website at www.InYourCornerKansas.org to confirm that the roofer’s registration is in good standing.

TONGANOXIE, Kan. (AP) – The Latest on three missing foster children in Kansas being found (all times local):

Police have released a man who was considered a person of interest after three sisters who disappeared in August from their Kansas foster home were found safe.

Authorities did not release details about where the 12-, 14- and 15-year old girls were found but police said they were safe.

The 48-year-old man was taken into custody in Kansas City, Missouri. Police had said the girls might be in danger if they were with him. Kansas City police released him Tuesday morning after Tonganoxie officials said they didn’t have enough evidence to charge him.

KCTV5 reports police said the man was trying to help the girls after they lied to him and said they were being abused at their foster home. Police say there is no evidence the man abused or hurt the girls.

Police have said the girls ran away from their foster home Aug. 26.

 

TONGANOXIE, Kan.  — Authorities have arrested a man and found three sisters whose disappearance in August from their Kansas foster home touched off a larger debate about runaway foster children.

Tonganoxie police chief Jeffery Brandau says police in Kansas City, Missouri, arrested 48-year-old  Rigoberto Reyes Rangel early Tuesday, hours after identifying him as a “person of interest” and saying the 12-, 14- and 15-year-old girls would be “in danger” if they were with him. Brandau says Rangel is being detained on a 24-hour investigative hold.

Rangel has previous convictions for drugs, DUI and various other driving violations, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

The case led to broader concerns among lawmakers who learned last week during a Statehouse meeting that more than 70 foster children are missing in Kansas. The number of missing represents about 1 percent of the state’s foster care population, which is in line with the national average.

-The Associated Press contributed to this report.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas landscaper has been ordered to spend 10 months in prison after he failed to make restitution to two customers he defrauded.

The Sedgwick County District Attorney’s office says 31-year-old Ricky Moyer was previously sentenced to five years of probation after pleading no contest to felony theft. At the time, he was ordered to pay $16,000 to two customers.

The district attorney’s office says Moyer, owner of Rick’s Tree and Landscape, didn’t make payments to his victims and committed other violations of his probation, including using cocaine. A judge on Monday ordered that Moyer be sent to prison.

Both victims had to hire other contractors to finish work they originally hired Moyer to do.

Moyer has previous convictions for Theft and Driving while Suspended.

RENO COUNTY — A Kansas woman well known by law enforcement was arrested and jailed with a $250,000 bond for distribution of methamphetamine.

Law enforcement had been doing surveillance on Amanda Swinney and followed her to Wichita where she allegedly bought methamphetamine from a dealer to distribute in Reno County.

They say she rented a car for the trip. When she came back, she was arrested for another matter. A search uncovered 113.5 grams of methamphetamine, a scale, marijuana and personal use drug paraphernalia.

Potential charges include possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia with intent to distribute, and possession of marijuana.

While discussing her bond in court, Deputy District Attorney Tom Stanton noted that she has a distribution case pending in Harvey County as well.

Swinney had a number of prior convictions including theft, violation of the Kansas Offender registration and numerous drug-related convictions.

She’ll be back in court next week to see if the state has filed formal charges.

SALINE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on weapons charges.

Police say that 25-year-old Kevin Rivers narrowly missed hitting several people when he discharged a firearm in Salina Friday afternoon.

Just after 4:30p.m., officers were called to the 400 block of Baker Street after a woman reported hearing three gunshots, according to Capt. Paul Forrester. She also told police that she saw an extended cab pickup and a man on foot, later identified as 25-year old Kevin Rivers, leave the area.

According to authorities, Rivers fired three shots from a semi-automatic handgun at two teens who passed by in the pickup.

The pickup was not hit but two of the bullets struck houses- one occupied by six people, including four children.

The other bullet hit an occupied car breaking out the rear window. Capt. Forrester said that a man doing yard work reported hearing a bullet pass overhead. Authorities found evidence of the bullet impact a few feet from where he reported hearing it pass.

Salina police located Rivers a few blocks away, near the corner of Ninth and Washington. They also recovered the handgun, which had been dumped in a yard. The investigation revealed that the handgun had been reported stolen in Ottawa County.

Police arrested Rivers and booked him into the Saline County Jail on three counts of aggravated assault, possession of a weapon by a felon, six counts of discharging a firearm into an occupied building, one count of discharging a firearm into an occupied vehicle, discharging a firearm into an unoccupied building, possession of stolen property and felony obstruction.

Rivers has previous convictions for theft, burglary, aggravated assault, criminal damage to property, criminal trespass and other charges, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Authorities are investigating the death of an inmate at a Kansas county jail.

Just before 7:15 a.m., an inmate who had chronic medical issues prior to incarceration was found unresponsive in his cell Tuesday in the Sedgwick County Jail, according to a media release.

After immediate medical attention from onsite staff and responding EMS personnel, the 54 year old man was pronounced dead shortly before 7:50 a.m. The preliminary cause of death is unknown pending an autopsy.

The Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Investigation Division were notified. The inmate’s family has been notified of his death and his identity is being withheld at their request. The inmate was being held in the Sedgwick County Detention Facility on felony charges and had been in custody since July 2017.

The Sedgwick County Detention Facility has booked over 19,000 people so far this year. This is the fourth in-custody death for 2017.

KANSAS CITY ‑Law enforcement authorities are investigating a murder and believe a suspect may be in south-central Kansas including the Wichita area, according to a media release.

On April 30, Isabell Addison, 18,  was driving in the area of Blue Parkway and Cleveland in Kansas City when her car was shot while stopped at the intersection.  She died at the scene.   Anton Hunter has been charged in her murder but is not in custody.

Jackson County courts have issued an arrest warrant for Hunter for Murder in the second degree, Armed Criminal Action, Unlawful Use of A Weapon (UUW), and leaving the scene of a shooting,  regarding Addison’s death.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of the suspect should call Crime Stoppers at 267-2111.