By BRYAN THOMPSON

Speaking Thursday at the Kansas Governor’s Summit on Agricultural Growth, Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer shared stories of his agricultural roots.

He talked about growing up as a fifth-generation Kansan. He told of the hard work he did as a young man in Hays, replacing the stone fence posts on his family’s farm.

What he didn’t talk about were the policies and priorities he would pursue when Gov. Sam Brownback leaves for an ambassador position in President Donald Trump’s administration, making Colyer the state’s chief executive.

Brownback and Colyer both spoke at the second annual summit in Manhattan. Brownback drew repeated ovations as he gave an address he referred to as his “swan song.” He is awaiting U.S. Senate confirmation as the State Department’s ambassador at large for international religious freedom.

Brownback told the audience that Colyer would continue the administration’s agricultural focus as governor.

“He’s going to be a great guy to work with,” Brownback said. “There won’t be any drop of effort or focus on this administration’s part. It will be a continuation. We’re gonna keep going on forward. The baton will be handed off fully and competently, and I think you’re going to continue to see this industry grow.”

Colyer spoke mainly in generalities during his remarks, describing Kansas as the heart of America and saluting the spirit of innovation.

“This is our opportunity to really say, ‘Where are we going to be in the next few years?’ and the ag community of Kansas is really leading that,” he said. “This is the key economic driver. It is the key thing that is our kids’ future.”

Colyer pledged to listen to Kansans, a theme he has repeated since he announced earlier this month his intention to run for a full term as governor.

“We have some tough, tough decisions to make together, but we’re going to do those together, and that’s what’s so exciting about Kansans,” he said. “Whether it’s sharing water, or it is an ag summit, or it is making sure that we have great schools across the state, we’re willing to do that.”

Speaking later with reporters, Colyer didn’t expand on his priorities for agriculture.

“We’ve got great things happening in the ag sector that we can really build over the next few years,” he said. “What is exciting today is having the ag growth summit gives us a place so we have a plan. Where are we going to be over the next four or five years? How do we have a real action plan that’s created by Kansans? I’m very excited about what we’re doing.”

When asked for specific policies and priorities, Colyer talked again about listening to Kansans.

“Where we’re going is what I’m focusing on,” he said.

The lack of specifics did not go unnoticed by farmers at the summit. It didn’t seem to bother them, though.

“It’s going to follow pretty well in the footsteps of Sam Brownback,” said Ron Suppes, who grows wheat and sorghum near Dighton in western Kansas. “I think he’s on the right course. He’s had a good mentor there.”

Roger Sewell, who grows cotton and is part-owner of a cotton gin near Pratt, said he hopes Colyer continues work on the 50-year water vision that Brownback launched during his first term.

“We’re highly involved in that water vision, and it’s a valuable part of our farm economy in the Pratt area,” he said.

Bryan Thompson is a reporter for the Kansas News Service, a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio and KMUW covering health, education and politics. Follow him on Twitter @KSNewsBryan. 

SHAWNEE, Kan. (AP) — A man has pleaded guilty to an attempted robbery outside a Wal-Mart in Kansas that ended with a good Samaritan wounded and a second suspect dead.

The Kansas City Star reports that 28-year-old Arthur Fred Wyatt III, of Overland Park, pleaded guilty Thursday to charges that included second-degree attempted murder. He was originally charged with attempted first-degree murder.

Investigators say Wyatt and another man attacked a woman on Sept. 11, 2016, as she was putting her child in a safety seat in the parking lot of a Wal-Mart in Shawnee, a suburb of Kansas City.

A man in the lot intervened and was shot several times. Shawnee police say another Good Samaritan shot and killed one of the attackers, John Simmons of Kansas City. Sentencing is set for Nov. 2.

 

PITTSBURG, Kan. (AP) — A new, state-owned casino in southeast Kansas is trimming the hours it runs table games and cutting staff after failing to generate as much revenue as expected.

The Joplin Globe reports that Kansas Crossing in Pittsburg was expected to rake in about $3 million monthly. In its first four months of operation, the casino has generated between $2 million and $2.4 million monthly.

General Manager Doug Fisher says the casino has reduced hours to reflect customer interest and has laid off 10 employees out of about 400 staff members.

Keith Kocher is the director of gaming facilities with the Kansas Lottery. He says casinos typically see revenue drop in the summer because regular customers are on vacation.

Kocher says the state receives just over 20 percent of the casino’s revenue.

BUTLER COUNTY —  A Kansas police department showed off their new police department K9 officer Friday.

The Andover Police Department purchased a 17-month old Belgian Malinois, born in the Netherlands, from Vohne Liche Kennels in Denver, Indiana.

On September 18, the dog and Officer Joel McLaughlin will begin a 10-week Police K-9 training with the Wichita Police Department and the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office.

Before they go to school, the needs a name. The Police Department is asking for the public’s help to name the dog.

They asked the public to share name suggestions by submitting a comment to their department Facebook page.

PITTSBURG, Kan. (AP) — The last of five defendants in the death of a Pittsburg State University student has been sentenced.

Tyler Smith was sentenced Friday to two years and four months in prison for conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery as his role in the 2014 death of 20-year-old Taylor Thomas. Smith also was ordered to pay $20,000 in restitution with other defendants in the case.

The Pittsburg Morning-Sun reports Smith was accused of planning a robbery that led to Thomas’ death. Authorities say Smith did not participate in the actual robbery.

The other defendants broke into a home to steal money and drugs that belonged to Thomas’ roommate. The roommate escaped from the house but Thomas was shot and killed.

The other defendants have all pleaded guilty to various charges in the case.

___

WICHITA – Law enforcement authorities continue investigating an armed robbery at a department store and need help identifying a suspect. According to Detective Wendy Hummell, Gordmans is offering an additional reward to help solve the case.

Just after 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, August 8,  officers were dispatched to an armed robbery with shots fired at the Gordmans in the 7000 block of west Central in Wichita.

Witnesses and employees told police an unknown suspect approached two employees working in the customer service area.

The suspect produced a black handgun, pointed it at the female clerk, demanded money and fired a shot. It did not hit her.

The suspect then pointed the handgun at the male clerk and demanded money. The suspect then fired a second shot grazing the shoulder of the male employee.

The suspect then fled the store on foot with cash and several rounds were fired in the parking lot.

Another suspect left the store with clothing, according to Hummell. Police are working to determine if the two were working together.

Police released security camera pictures of the suspect.  He is described a light-skinned black male, in his early 20s, 6-foot tall and was wearing a black hooded sweatshirt, tan shorts, white cap and was carrying a red backpack.  The second suspect is a black male who wore a yellow shirt, black shorts and had long hair pulled back in a pony-tail with a red streak.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Wichita Police Crimestoppers. Gordmans is offering an additional reward of $2500

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting and have identified a possible suspect.

Just before 3:30p.m. Thursday, police responded to report of a shooting in the 300 Block of North Topeka in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson.

First responders found a 41-year-old man who had been shot multiple times. He was transported to a local hospital for treatment.

Witnesses told investigators several suspects were assaulting a victim. An innocent bystander’s attempt to help led to an altercation and he was shot several times.

Four suspects left the scene in a gray 4-door sedan according to Davidson.  Investigators have identified a possible suspect in the case.

The victim, who police believe is homeless, remains hospitalized with wounds to both arms and a leg.

The incident occurred in an area where police typically get complaints about homelessness, according to Davidson.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Former Kansas Lt. Gov. Tom Docking’s law firm says the Wichita attorney and son and grandson of governors has died. He was 63.

Docking died Thursday night after battling cancer. His death was confirmed by A.J. Schwartz, the CEO of Docking’s law firm. Other details were not immediately available.

Docking served as lieutenant governor from 1983 to 1987 during Democratic Gov. John Carlin’s second term.

He was a member of the state’s most prominent Democratic family.

His father, Robert Docking, was governor from 1967 to 1975, and his grandfather, George Docking, held the office from 1957 to 1961. Tom Docking was the Democratic nominee for governor in 1986 but lost to Republican Mike Hayden.

His wife, Jill, ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate in 1996 and lieutenant governor in 2014.

TOPEKA —The Kansas Supreme Court Friday affirmed a Saline County District Court judge’s order that Rayburn Tappendick Jr. be required to register as a sex offender under the Kansas Offender Registration Act, according to a media release from the court.

Tappendick pleaded no contest in 2011 to two counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child for offenses committed in 2008. At the time of his plea, the Kansas Offender Registration Act required lifetime registration.

On appeal, Tappendick claimed the lifetime registration requirement violated the ex post facto clause of the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits legislatures from retroactively punishing previously committed crimes, because at the time he committed the crimes, the Kansas Offender Registration Act required only a 10-year registration period. A Court of Appeals panel declined to consider Tappendick’s claim based on the general rule that a new legal theory may not be asserted for the first time on appeal. The panel noted Tappendick failed to show his claim invoked any of the exceptions to the general rule.

In his petition for review, Tappendick asked the Supreme Court to review the Court of Appeals decision, asserting that the panel incorrectly ruled that he could not raise the ex post facto claim for the first time on appeal.

The Supreme Court opinion, written by Justice Dan Biles, noted Tappendick merely mentioned the exceptions to the general rule and argued without any explanation or authority that the new issue invoked the exceptions but made no effort to challenge the panel’s rationale for declining to address his claim. The court held Tappendick’s petition for review failed to challenge the panel’s decision not to consider his claim raised for the first time on appeal.