WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The 2017 winter wheat harvest has been a mixed bag for Kansas so far as farmers race to bring in the crop amid damaging spring storms that have pounded some crops with hail.

Justin Gilpin, chief executive officer for the industry group Kansas Wheat, says fields around Norton and Goodland in northwest Kansas were hit by hail earlier this week. That comes on the heels of a lot of hail last week around Garden City and Deerfield in southwest Kansas.

A common theme with this year’s wheat crop has been variability.

Yields have ranged from 10 to 70 bushels per acre. Protein levels have gone up in heat-stressed crops in western Kansas. But hail has also destroyed some crops and some fields had so much disease they were not harvested.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A former lottery computer programmer has pleaded guilty in Iowa to running a criminal scheme that allowed him to collect millions of dollars in lottery winnings in four other states.

Former Multi-State Lottery Association security director Eddie Tipton on Thursday admitted that he manipulated the computer software he designed, allowing him to provide winning numbers to his brother and others.

Tipton, his brother Tommy Tipton and Texas businessman Robert Rhodes will repay $2.2 million in prizes they improperly claimed in Kansas, Colorado, Oklahoma and Wisconsin.

Iowa prosecutors will ask for a 25-year prison sentence for Eddie Tipton.

Tommy Tipton also pleaded guilty Thursday in Iowa and was sentenced to 75 days in jail.

RAWLINS COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating an accident just after 8p.m. Wednesday that sent a teenager to the hospital.

An ATV driven by a 13-year-old was traveling on Road V northwest of Atwood, according to Atwood Police Chief Brian Withington. The ATV and a Dodge pickup driven by a 16-year-old collided.

First responders transported the 13-year-old to a local hospital.

The teen was then transported to another hospital. The Rawlins County Hospital could not confirm where the teen was transferred for treatment. The pickup driver was not injured, according to Withington.  He did not release the names of the teens involved.

This is the fourth recent ATV accident reported in Kansas

On June 24, a Pottawatomie County man Alex D. Blow, 49, Havensville, died when the ATV he was riding hit a power pole.

On June 21, a 16-year-old died in an ATV crash north of Liberal. On May 30, Jeffrey C. Hahn, 55, Hanston, died when the ATV he was operating rolled down an embankment in Hodgeman County.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Latest on President Donald Trump’s tweet about cable TV host Mika Brzezinski (all times local):

A Republican woman in the House is assailing President Donald Trump for his crude tweet ridiculing a cable news anchor.

Five-term congresswoman Lynn Jenkins of Kansas says on Twitter: “This is not okay. As a female in politics I am often criticized for my looks. We should be working to empower women.”

This is not okay. As a female in politics I am often criticized for my looks. We should be working to empower women. https://t.co/sV6WDE0EUD

— Lynn Jenkins (@RepLynnJenkins) June 29, 2017

In a series of tweets Thursday morning, the president went after Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough, who have criticized Trump on their MSNBC show “Morning Joe.” Trump called Brzezinski “crazy” and said he had seen her “bleeding badly from a face-lift.”    

I heard poorly rated @Morning_Joe speaks badly of me (don’t watch anymore). Then how come low I.Q. Crazy Mika, along with Psycho Joe, came..

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 29, 2017

…to Mar-a-Lago 3 nights in a row around New Year’s Eve, and insisted on joining me. She was bleeding badly from a face-lift. I said no!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 29, 2017

 

The White House hasn’t responded to a request for comment.
—
Two Republican senators say the president’s crude tweet about a female cable TV host is beneath the dignity of the office.

In a series of tweets Thursday morning, President Donald Trump went after Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough, who have criticized Trump on their MSNBC show “Morning Joe.” Trump called Brzezinski “crazy” and said he had seen her “bleeding badly from a face-lift.”

Nebraska Sen. Ben Sasse said on Twitter: “Please just stop. This isn’t normal and it’s beneath the dignity of your office.”

South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham tweeted: “Mr. President, your tweet was beneath the office and represents what is wrong with American politics, not the greatness of America.”

Sasse did not support Trump in the presidential race, and Graham ran against Trump for the GOP nomination.

————–

President Donald Trump has ridiculed the looks and temperament of a female cable television host whose show he says he’s stopped watching.

Trump has used a series of tweets to go after Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough, who’ve criticized Trump on their MSNBC show “Morning Joe.”

Here’s what Trump says: “I heard poorly rated @Morning Joe speaks badly of me (don’t watch anymore). Then how come low I.Q. Crazy Mika, along with Psycho Joe, came … to Mar-a-Lago 3 nights in a row around New Year’s Eve, and insisted on joining me. She was bleeding badly from a face-lift. I said no!”

They spent time at Trump’s Florida resort — a visit Scarborough said was to arrange a Trump interview.

The White House hasn’t responded to a request for comment.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State University has closed its display of a rare stench-emitting “corpse flower” now that the plant has closed out its first-ever bloom.

An estimated 1,000 people turned out to see the Titan Arum from the time it began blooming Tuesday afternoon until it began withering Wednesday, when the display was halted.

Former Kansas State faculty members Ken and Janet Schroeder started the plant about 15 years ago.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Trump administration has set new criteria for visa applicants from six mainly Muslim nations and all refugees that require a “close” family or business tie to the United States. The move came after the Supreme Court partially restored President Donald Trump’s executive order that was widely criticized as a ban on Muslims.

Visas that have already been approved will not be revoked, but instructions issued by the State Department Wednesday say new applicants from Syria, Sudan, Somalia, Libya, Iran and Yemen must prove a relationship with a parent, spouse, child, adult son or daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law or sibling already in the United States to be eligible. The same requirement, with some exceptions, holds for would-be refugees from all nations that are still awaiting approval for admission to the U.S.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Kansas City, Missouri, man is jailed on $150,000 bond after being accused of a drug-related shooting death of a man he thought was a demon.

Jackson County prosecutors charged 30-year-old Prince Conrad with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in Monday’s death of 45-year-old Willie Reaws III.

Authorities allege in court records that Conrad shot Reaws in the head after they snorted methamphetamine in a home’s basement.

Investigators say Conrad told police he thought Reaws was a demon, took took a handgun out of Reaws’ pocket and tried to shoot him, but Conrad shot himself in the leg instead. Authorities allege Conrad said he then shot Reaws at the victim’s request.

Online court records don’t show whether Conrad has an attorney who can speak on his behalf.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The baby sitter of a Wichita toddler whose body was found in a field has been ordered to serve 18 months of probation.

Tyerria Miles was sentenced Wednesday for one count of interfering with the investigation of Jhornee Bland’s death. The 2-year-old died in May 2016 during an overnight stay at a local hotel, where she had attended a pool party.

Miles had been caring for Jhornee in the days before her death and initially told the police she had left the child with a friend. She later admitted that she moved Jhornee’s body to a field instead of reporting her death.

The coroner wasn’t able to determine the cause of death. Miles declined to speak on her own behalf in court.

SHAWNEE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on theft and drug charges.

Just after 3a.m. Wednesday, a Shawnee County Sheriff’s deputy witnessed a white 2002 Buick Century being driven on the wrong side of the road in the 2800 block of SW Bingham Road, according to a media release.

The driver, later identified as Candi S. Croney, 28, of Topeka, left the area at a high rate of speed.

Deputies apprehended her a short time later.

Several items of suspected stolen mail were located in the vehicle along with other stolen property.

Croney was transported to the Law Enforcement Center for further questioning and then booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections with the following charges: Interference with LEO, Possession of Methamphetamine, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of Stolen Property, Habitual Violator Driving with Revoked License and Misdemeanor Theft.

TOPEKA – A Salina man was indicted Wednesday on gun and drug charges, According toTom Beall, U.S. Attorney for the District of Kansas

Michael Allen Carter, 29, is charged with one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, one count of unlawful possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking, and one count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction.

The crimes are alleged to have occurred May 30, 2017, in Salina.  He has four previous convictions in Saline County on drug and and interference with law enforcement officer charges.