TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Secretary of State Kris Kobach says he’s planning to remain in Kansas rather than take a job in President Donald Trump’s administration.

Kobach made the remark Tuesday morning during an interview on the Fox News program “Fox & Friends” about Trump’s plans to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexican border. Kobach advised Trump’s campaign last year.

Asked why he wasn’t a part of the administration, Kobach said he has decided “the best thing for me to do right now is to stay in my home state of Kansas.”

He didn’t mention plans to run for the Republican nomination for governor in 2018, but he’s long been seen as a potential candidate. GOP Gov. Sam Brownback is term-limited.

Kobach’s spokeswoman did not immediately return a telephone message from The Associated Press.

WICHITA – A Kansas woman was indicted Tuesday on federal charges of providing a gun to a man who is charged with shooting and killing three people near Moundridge, according to U.S. Attorney Tom Beall.

Myrta M. Rangel, 31, Wichita, is charged with:

One count of aiding and abetting possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking (count one).
One count of possessing a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking (count two).
One count of conspiracy to carry a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking (count three).
One count of transferring a firearm to be used in drug trafficking (count four).
One count of unlawful possession of a firearm following a felony conviction (count five).
One count of giving a firearm to a convicted felon (count six).

It is alleged that on Oct. 29, 2016, Rangel gave a .40 caliber handgun to Jereme Nelson. Nelson is charged in Harvey County District Court with killing three people: Travis Street, Angela May Graevs and Richard Prouty.

If convicted, she faces the following penalties:
Count one: Not less than 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.
Count two: Not less than five years and a fine up to $250,000.
Count three: Up to 20 years and a fine up to $250,000.
Counts four, five and six: Up to 10 years and a fine up to $250,000.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — A woman whose baby was due mid-May went into labor early and gave birth at a Nebraska zoo.

Drea Hubbard was born Sunday at the Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium, weighing 5 pounds, 5 ounces.

Her mother, 24-year-old Kymica Hubbard, says the birth took about two minutes from when her water broke.

Hubbard was so taken by surprise that she was still standing when Drea’s head appeared. Her husband, Justin Hubbard, caught the child and wrapped her in a sweater as other zoo visitors gathered around.

The zoo’s nurse, Krystal Hartmann, says Drea is the first human baby she’s seen delivered at the facility.

While Kymica Hubbard says she never thought she would have a baby in public, her husband said he “wouldn’t trade the experience for the world.”

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say a woman was killed and a firefighter injured during a blaze at a house in Lawrence, Kansas.

The city’s fire department said in a news release that firefighters managed to pull the woman from the burning, one-story home about 5:45 a.m. Tuesday, but she died at the scene. Her name was not immediately released.

The city said a firefighter sustained a minor injury.

There was no immediate word on what may have sparked the fire.

 

BY JIM MCLEAN

A third of the way to an end-of-year deadline, Kansas officials still do not have federal approval to extend KanCare.

In January, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services denied the state’s request for a one-year extension of the waiver that allowed it to privatize its Medicaid program. The denial letter said neither the Kansas Department of Health and Environment nor the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services was doing enough to hold the three private companies that run the program responsible for providing services accountable to Medicaid rules.

Mike Randol, director of health care finance at KDHE, recently told Kansas lawmakers that he is confident the state will get the requested extension ahead of the deadline.

“I just think with the process they’ve asked us to go through, it is going to take more time than expected,” Randol told members of the KanCare oversight committee last week.

At the time of the denial, Republican Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer called it “an ugly parting shot” from the outgoing administration of Democratic President Barack Obama.

“We expect this situation to be resolved quickly once the new administration in Washington comes into office,” Colyer said, referring to then President-elect Donald Trump, who was inaugurated days later.

Read the KanCare extension denial letter from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

During the oversight committee meeting, Randol declined to predict when the extension would be granted but noted that his meetings with CMS officials have been “much more friendly” since the change in administrations.

Technically, KanCare is a demonstration project. The federal government gave the state permission to suspend regular Medicaid rules to demonstrate that contracting with three private insurance companies could improve care and slow the growth rate of Medicaid costs.

Since the inception of KanCare in 2013, the state has spent approximately $1.4 billion less than it would have under the old fee-for-service program, Randol said.

State officials plan to seek another waiver for what they are calling KanCare 2.0 but say they need a year to finalize their proposal.

Meanwhile, health care providers — nursing homes in particular — continue to complain about significant payment and administrative problems under KanCare.

“As we have reported every month for the last 14 months, there continues to be a Medicaid eligibility backlog in the thousands,” said Rachel Monger, director of government affairs for LeadingAge Kansas, which represents nonprofit nursing homes.

“Our members continue to report delayed cases, lost paperwork and communications frustrations,” she told members of the oversight committee.

A pilot project appears to have resolved the backlog problems at a dozen test nursing homes, Randol said. He said KDHE is in the process of implementing changes based on that project.

Still, several members of the committee said the assurances they are getting from agency officials do not square with the complaints they continue to hear from constituents.

“We hear things are improving, but when I go back home I’m not hearing the same thing,” said Rep. Susan Concannon, a Republican from Beloit, noting that it took more than a year to process the eligibility of one nursing home resident in her district.

Providers also are urging legislators to reverse a cut in KanCare reimbursement rates ordered last year by Republican Gov. Sam Brownback to help avert a budget deficit. They say the cut is hindering their ability to serve KanCare patients and maintain provider networks.

Restoring the KanCare cut is one of the issues that lawmakers are expected to consider when they return May 1 to finalize the state budget.

Jim McLean is managing director of the Kansas News Service, a collaboration of kcur.org, Kansas Public Radio and KMUW covering health, education and politics in Kansas. 

ATCHISON – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Atchison Police Department are conducting an investigation into a death which occurred in Atchison Monday evening, according to a media release.

Just after 7 p.m., authorities found a man identified as 49-year-old Michael Moeck, deceased at his residence at 1145 Parallel Street in Atchison.

The investigation continues into the circumstances surrounding his death.

Moeck had a previous drug conviction in Atchinson County in 2004, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. His sentence expired in 2006.

Anyone with information related to this investigation is asked to call 1-800-KS-CRIME.

BUTLER COUNTY -Kansas Department of Corrections officials are investigating two separate incidents of fighting that occurred Monday night at the Eldorado Correctional Facility.

Inmates suffered minor injuries, according to KDOC spokesperson Tod Fertig and both incidents were quickly resolved.

No prison staff were injured.

No additional details were available early Tuesday.

OVERLAND PARK -Officials with a Kansas school district are alerting parents about an online entertainment series that may not be appropriate for all students.

The Shawnee Mission school district sent parents a letter indicating the Netflix program “13 Reasons Why,” depicts strong, graphic themes of suicide, sexual assault, bullying and drug use.

The school district’s counseling office offered parents some suggestions and additional resources including contact information for the National Suicide Prevention Hotline.

RENO COUNTY –A Kansas woman died in an accident just before 2a.m. on Tuesday in Reno County.

The Reno County Sheriff’s Department reported a 2010 Jeep driven by Benjamin Buzzini, Colorado, was northbound in the 2100 Block of south Kansas 14 Highway south of Hutchinson.

The vehicle left the road and rolled. A woman passenger died in the accident. Her names will be released pending notification of family, according to the sheriff’s department.

Buzzini was ejected in the crash and transported to Wesley Medical Center with serious injuries.

Speed appears to be a factor in the accident and the occupants were not wearing seat belts, according to the sheriff’s department.

The accident remains under investigation.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Authorities have identified a Kansas City, Kansas, homicide victim as a 24-year-old woman.

Police said in a news release Monday that the woman was Tabitha Newbill, of Kansas City, Kansas. She was found dead Saturday inside a home. Police said it appeared she had been shot.

An investigation is ongoing. Police are urging anyone with information to call a tips hotline.