WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A recent late-spring blizzard could prove to be disastrous for farmers in far western Kansas.

Some western Kansas farmers are reporting that much of their wheat was damaged or killed by the weight of wet snow over the weekend.
A more exact answer will come as dozens of agricultural analysts and industry experts examine hundreds of fields in central and western Kansas. They’ll issue a forecast on the state’s wheat condition and yield Thursday.

The Kansas wheat harvest had a value of about $2 billion last year.

The National Weather Service in Dodge City reports that the weekend’s snow mostly affected a line of counties near the Colorado state line. The deepest accumulation was 16 to 18 inches.

REPUBLIC COUNTY – A Kansas man was injured in an accident just before 11 a.m. Tuesday in Republic County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2001 Jeep Wrangler driven by Mitchell D. McMillan,  21, Mankato, was northbound on U.S. 81 just south of Union Road.

The vehicle rear ended a Chevy Lumina driven by Rellen R. Goebel, 61, Mahaska, who was delivering mail.

The collision caused the Jeep to overturn in the median.

McMillan was transported to Republic County Hospital.

The KHP report indicated Goebel was injured but not where he was treated.  He was actively delivering mail and not wearing a seat belt.

GEARY COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Geary County are investigating two suspects on drug charges.

Just after 2p.m. Monday deputies stopped a vehicle on Interstate 70 just east of McDowell Creek Road, according to the Geary County Sheriff’s Department.

They arrested Ezekiel Cochrane and Nathaniel Norwood III, both of East Bend, North Carolina on suspicion of Possession of Narcotics and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

They are scheduled for a first court appearance later this week.

BY SAM ZEFF

The Kansas Legislature faces a crucial deadline as the wrap-up session is underway this week:

It must have a school funding formula in place by June 30 that passes muster with the state Supreme Court or the justices will shut down public schools.

The Kansas House has done a good amount of work on a school funding bill. A working bill is in place, although it has yet to pass out of committee and make it to the floor.

The situation is different for the Senate.

“We preferred to have the House send over a bill,” said Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning of Overland Park. “We’ll work it during the first week we’re back.”

So the Senate has a blank page right now when it comes to funding for education.

“I think the Senate is going to have a … different position on school funding,” said Sen. Barbara Bollier, a Republican from Mission Hills. “That could be from how we calculate at-risk students to do we have more in the base for funding.”

Denning, Bollier and Sen. Molly Baumgardner of Louisburg are members of a special Senate committee formed late in the session to come up with a school funding formula. Some on the Senate panel suggest they aren’t thrilled with the House bill.

“If you look at what’s come out so far from the House side, it looks remarkably similar to the old formula,” Baumgardner said.

That’s true. The House bill does resemble the school funding formula that was scrapped two years ago for block grants. It provides additional money to districts for at-risk students, English language learners and transportation aid for students who have a particularly long bus ride.

It also provides $150 million a year in new funding over the next five years for a total of $750 million. Some lawmakers have questioned whether that’s enough money to satisfy the state Supreme Court.

But some senators also have other questions about the amount of school funding. Denning suggested that lawmakers may need to find $100 million to $150 million in new money next year only.

Baumgardner said the Senate will have to put in place some “policy changes,” such as using Census data rather than free or reduced lunch information to decide whether a student is at-risk.

She also said there is money to be saved. For example, she said, there are 700 students from bordering states who attend public schools in Kansas.

“In some cases, the school districts actually bus them over, pick them up the neighboring state and bring them into Kansas,” Baumgardner said.

The Senate also may look into cutting funding for virtual schools, she said.

But those two things are pretty small in a budget that consumes more than half of the state’s spending.

During the wrap-up session, legislators also must approve a tax package and find $900 million to balance the budget over the next two fiscal years.

Sam Zeff covers education for KCUR.org and the Kansas News Service. Follow him on Twitter @SamZeff. 

SALINE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Saline County are investigating a suspect on embezzlement charges.

In July of 2016, the Masonic Temple Foundation hired Timothy Fowler, 38, Solomon, as treasurer. By late July Fowler was embezzling money, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.

On April 10, First Kansas Bank alerted a foundation board member following a call from the First Bank of Kansas that the foundation’s account was overdrawn. That prompting an investigation.
Police arrested Fowler Monday for allegedly embezzling over $150,000 from the Foundation.

Bank records indicate Fowler had used foundation funds to book airlines, hotels and for adult website subscriptions. He had also allegedly been writing checks to himself and his business, Solomon City Regalia.
He was booked into the Saline County Jail Monday and charges of unlawful acts on a computer and theft.

DOUGLAS COUNTY – A Kansas man died in an accident just after 9p.m. Monday in Douglas County.

A 2001 Kawasaki motorcycle driven by Seth Quick, 19, Lawrence, was southbound with a passenger at McDonald and Rockledge Road, according to a media release from police.

The motorcycle collided with a 2002 Mitsubishi Lancer driven by a 19-year-old woman.
Quick was pronounced dead at the scene.

The juvenile passenger was flown to a hospital in Kansas City with serious injuries according to police. The Mitsubishi driver was transported to a hospital in Lawrence for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.

Quick was not wearing, according to police. The passenger was wearing a helmet.

The accident remains under investigation.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Police say an 81-year-old Topeka man has been arrested in the deadly shooting of another man.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the suspect has been booked into jail on suspicion of aggravated assault and first-degree murder in the Monday night killing in the southwest part of the city.

Capt. Jana Harden says police already had been contacted about gunfire when the suspect called police to report that he was the one who had fired gunshots.

The victim was found on the sidewalk leading up to the suspect’s home. His name wasn’t immediately released.

Harden says the suspect and victim knew each other but she didn’t know the relationship between them.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas City-area chiropractor has agreed to pay more than $1 million to settle allegations that his offices submitted false claims to Medicare for treating certain patients.

Federal prosecutors in Kansas City, Kansas, on Monday announced the deal involving Brian Schnitta and his Natural Way Chiropractic Center clinic. Schnitta owns offices in Kansas’ Overland Park and Lenexa, and in Lee’s Summit, Missouri.

Authorities allege that from July 2011 through May 2013, Schnitta and the clinic claimed they provided treatments for peripheral neuropathy and charged Medicare for procedures not medically necessary or otherwise covered by the program. Peripheral neuropathy affects nerves in the hands and feet.

During the investigation, Medicare suspended payments to the clinic for the questioned services.

As part of the settlement, Schnitta and Natural Way deny wrongdoing.

TOPEKA -Hundreds of residents in Kansas are still without power from the weekend snow storm.

The Kansas Division of Emergency Management is working with counties to determine the extent of damage to public infrastructure and utilities.

As many as an estimated 42,000 customers lost power in Kansas due to heavy snow and high winds, according to a media release from the Kansas Division of Emergency Management.

Late Monday, Pioneer Electric reported some 700 power poles down and over 6000 meters without service.

Western Coop Electric had approximately 800 meters without power. Most of those are served from the Grinnell and Grainfield substations. The remainder are served from the Gove and Quinter substations. “At this time, we believe we have 300 poles damaged, spread across 60 miles. Assisting crews were expected to arrive Monday night and Tuesday morning. Full restoration expected late Thursday,” according to a social media report.

Prairieland Electric reported 3000 meters without power, according to their corporate office in Austin, MN. That included communities near Oberlin, Norcatur, Dresden, Morland were still without power.

“It is hard going in most areas. Crews have been able to get power restored just to have other issues drop it off. Crews are making headway and we have help from other cooperatives, according to the company’s social media account.

Wheatland Electric reported just over 2,000 members without service.

ATCHISON COUNTY –Law enforcement authorities in Atchison County are investigating two suspects on drug and child endangerment charges.

Just after midnight Saturday deputies executed a search warrant at a home in the 1100 block of Laramie Street in Atchison, according to a media release.

During the course of an investigation, deputies determined that methamphetamine was being distributed from the home.

They seized a large quantity of methamphetamine along with drug paraphernalia and cash were seized.

Deputies arrested Linda K. Ballard, 64 and Eric E. Ballard, 24, of Atchison for Distribution of Methamphetamine, Possession of Paraphernalia w/intent to Distribute a Controlled Substance, No Drug Tax Stamp, and Aggravated Endangering of a Child.

During the search, the sheriff’s office said a two-year-old child was located in the home and a family member was called to take the child from the residence.