Wichita Eagle: News Updates

Fashion at state track meet includes Kansas high school teams’ colorful T’s

Matt Riedl — Fri, 24 May 2013 20:19 CDT

The Kansas state track and field meet is, in itself, a fashion show.

Cowboy hats, pink athletic socks and striped sweatbands fill the stands at Wichita State University’s Cessna Stadium.

Teams from across Kansas nap and stretch under their own canopies or makeshift tents, which line the stands and surrounding fields like a miniature carnival.

Koch lawyer: Obama administration has tried to intimidate Koch Industries

ROY WENZL — Fri, 24 May 2013 20:15 CDT

The chief lawyer for Koch Industries said Friday that government targeting of conservative political groups is nothing new to the Wichita-based company.

Chief legal counsel Mark Holden said the White House, as early as August 2010, was deliberately trying to politically intimidate Koch Industries.

Holden said that although he had no direct evidence that the White House had any involvement in targeting Koch for IRS tax scrutiny, he pointed to what he described as a “disturbing” comment about taxes and Koch Industries made by one of President Obama’s political advisers, Austan Goolsbee, at a White House briefing in August 2010.

Drought dampens farmers markets, but growers are optimistic

Annie Calovich — Fri, 24 May 2013 19:53 CDT

The warm-up to summer sees more farmers markets opening this weekend in towns outside Wichita – Derby, Cheney and Newton all open Saturday.

While the drought has caused some markets to struggle, others are managing to stay stable, and some are even growing, thanks to the perseverance of veteran growers and extra perks that bring communities together around a core of fresh produce.

“We’ve been getting more and more vendors every year, really,” said Kelsey Blue, program coordinator for the city of Haysville. She expects 20 to 25 sellers this year when the market opens June 15.

Some lawmakers waive pay as Kansas session goes into overtime

Fri, 24 May 2013 19:51 CDT

Some Kansas legislators are waiving their salaries or donating the money to charity as the legislative session heads into extra days to solve the state’s tax policy.

Depending on whether or not it’s a weekend, it costs $35,000 or $45,000 daily right now to keep the session going.

By late afternoon Friday, 20 legislators had signed requests that they not receive their salary, expense allotment or both after the 90th day of the session, said Jeff Russell, director of Legislative Administrative Services.

Kansas tax negotiators agree on 6 percent sales tax

JOHN HANNA — Fri, 24 May 2013 10:04 CDT

The Kansas House overwhelmingly rejected a new tax plan drafted by top Senate Republicans on Friday, then went home for the holiday weekend, extending the Legislature’s session into next week.

When lawmakers return Tuesday, they will consider another plan drafted by House Republicans and agreed on by tax negotiators Friday afternoon. That plan would cut income taxes further and set the state’s sales tax at 6 percent. A Senate leader doubted it could pass both chambers.

An impasse among top GOP legislators means the session, normally scheduled to last 90 days, will be at least 95 days.

Kansas Firefighters Museum hosting free day camp for kids

Amy Renee Leiker — Fri, 24 May 2013 18:38 CDT

Kids in grades 6 through 9 can get a hands-on view of firefighting next weekend at a free, all-day camp, hosted by the Kansas Firefighters Museum.

Fire Camp 2013 runs from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. June 1 at Wichita South High School, 701 W. 33rd St. S. Participants will rotate among 10 activity stations – including ones for Hazmat, water rescue and repelling, a search maze and an old-fashioned bucket brigade – will be lead by firefighters from local departments.

Lunch, a T-shirt and a goodie bag will be provided.

Crews battling fire at Wichita’s shuttered Joyland amusement park

Amy Renee Leiker — Fri, 24 May 2013 20:30 CDT

Wichita fire crews on Friday were called to battle a blaze in a two-story office building at Joyland, the city’s defunct amusement park.

Sedgwick County Dispatch received the first reports of the fire at 5:56 p.m., a supervisor with the agency said. A caller reported seeing “lots of black smoke coming from the gate” while driving by the park, 2801 S. Hillside, according to a dispatcher.

“They could see it from the road,” he said, recounting the caller’s comments.

Butler Community College narrows presidential candidates to three

Amy Renee Leiker — Fri, 24 May 2013 17:53 CDT

Butler Community College has narrowed the pool of finalists for its presidency to three, the school announced Friday afternoon.

Candidates selected by the school’s board of trustees are Washington College president Charlotte Hatfield; Kimberly Krull, Cloud County Community College vice president for academic affairs; and Ann Valentine, chancellor of Ivy Tech-Wabash Valley, according to a news release from college. The finalists will return to Butler’s El Dorado campus the week of June 10 to speak to the public and answer questions. Two forums will be scheduled per candidate; dates and times are pending.

The board is expected to select a president the following week. The new president will replace Jackie Vietti, who retired in December after 17 years at Butler.

Kansas governor: Right tax policy worth lawmakers’ OT

Fri, 24 May 2013 14:25 CDT

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) – Gov. Sam Brownback says Kansas residents want their legislators to get tax policy right and are willing to accept the annual session going longer than anticipated.

The Republican governor said in a statement Friday that it’s challenging for lawmakers to enact policies for improving the economy while balancing the state budget.

Republicans in the GOP-controlled Legislature are deadlocked on proposals to cut personal income taxes while raising new sales tax revenues to keep the budget in balance.

Child in protective custody after officers find home uninhabitable

Stan Finger — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:20 CDT

An 8-year-old girl is in protective custody after police found the home she was living in to be unfit, authorities said.

Officers went to the house near Broadway and 31st Street North shortly before 9 p.m. Thursday after someone called 911 and expressed concern that the child was often locked out of the house and not properly fed, Lt. Doug Nolte said. Officers spoke to the child’s mother and learned that the house had only recently regained electricity.

“The living conditions were unsanitary as well as dangerous,” Nolte said.

Seven city swimming pools to open Monday

RICK PLUMLEE — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:18 CDT

Seven of the city’s swimming pools are scheduled to open Monday.

Two other pools, Harvest Swimming Pool and College Park, are set to open Friday, May 31.

The pools are opening at a time when the city is considering various methods of water conservation because of drought-plagued Cheney Reservoir, which provides Wichita with 64 percent of its water.

Maize High teacher charged with criminal threat

Tim Potter — Fri, 24 May 2013 14:10 CDT

Prosecutors on Friday charged a Maize High School teacher with a criminal threat involving an assistant principal, and a judge ordered that he not have any contact with school staff and not go on any Maize district property.

Now that school is out, the bond for the defendant, James R. Stiverson, is being reduced from $250,000 to $25,000, Judge Warren Wilbert said during Stiverson’s first court appearance Friday afternoon. Wilbert said Stiverson also will be under electronic monitoring if he is released on bond.

The charge, a felony, alleges that on Tuesday, Stiverson “did then and there unlawfully threaten to commit violence, communicated with intent to place another in fear, to-wit: Julie D. Cannizzo, or in reckless disregard of the risk of causing such fear.” Cannizzo is a Maize High assistant principal.

Man with knife robs McDonald’s in southeast Wichita

Stan Finger — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:21 CDT

A man armed with a knife robbed a busy McDonald’s in southeast Wichita Thursday night, police said.

The robbery occurred at 1645 S. Webb, or Harry and Webb, at 9:50 p.m., Lt. Doug Nolte said. The man came in, confronted an employee at a cash register and demanded money. The clerk pretended to open the cash drawer but didn’t actually open it, Nolte said.

The robber became frustrated at the stalling tactics and went around the counter to the back, Nolte said. There, he confronted a second employee next to an open safe.

Police: Arrested men may have committed numerous robberies

Stan Finger — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:08 CDT

With the arrest of two men on Thursday, detectives think they may have solved a series of recent robberies, police said.

Acting on a tip, detectives were staking out a residence in the 700 block of South Sylvan early Thursday afternoon, Lt. Doug Nolte said. Someone called 911 to report a robbery at the Kwik Shop at 2809 E. Douglas, and a short time later a car pulled up to the house being watched and dropped off a man.

The detectives followed the car and alerted officers to its activity, Nolte said. A patrol car pulled the suspect vehicle over in the 4800 block of East Harry and took the driver into custody.

North Broadway prostitution sting yields 12 arrests

Stan Finger — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:06 CDT

Twelve people were arrested during a prostitution sting on North Broadway on Thursday night, police said.

The sting began at about 8 p.m. and was conducted by officers from Patrol North, Lt. Doug Nolte said. At least one man was arrested, according to police documents, but most of the arrests were women.

They ranged in age from the mid-20s to the early 60s.

MacDonald Park Golf Course marks 100th anniversary

Fred Mann — Fri, 24 May 2013 12:29 CDT

Golfers have been playing the municipal MacDonald Park Golf Course at 840 N. Yale for 100 years. The park will celebrate its century anniversary with three days of activities May 29-31.

Green fees and cart rentals will be discounted at $19.13 for 18 holes May 29 and May 30. A three-person scramble tournament will be held May 31, followed by a reception from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The tournament entry fees are $60 a player, $180 a team. The tournament will include green fee, cart rental, team prizes, a hole-in-one prize, gift bags for each golfer and lunch.

Teen arrested in connection with duplex arson

Stan Finger — Fri, 24 May 2013 13:06 CDT

A 13-year-old girl has been arrested on suspicion of arson after the duplex in which she lives caught fire early Thursday morning, authorities said.

The teen was arrested Thursday afternoon by a Sedgwick County Sheriff’s deputy, Fire Capt. Stuart Bevis said. The fire was reported at 4:20 a.m. Thursday at 6233 E. Eilerts, a residential street just off Woodlawn south of Kellogg.

A 55-year-old woman told authorities she woke to the sound of an explosion in the duplex saw lots of smoke in the basement when she went to investigate, authorities have said.

Four Wichita museums to offer free military admission

Matt Riedl — Fri, 24 May 2013 10:52 CDT

From Memorial Day to Labor Day, four Wichita museums will offer free admission to military personnel and their families as part of the national Blue Star Museums program.

The museums are Botanica, 701 N. Amidon; Wichita State University’s Ulrich Museum of Art, 1845 Fairmount; Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum, 204 S. Main, and Old Cowtown Museum, 1865 W. Museum Blvd.

For active-duty military personnel and up to five family members, the program allows for free admission to more than 2,000 museums nationwide. In the area, Hutchinson’s Underground Salt Museum, and the Cosmosphere and Space Center are participating in the program.

Wichita State names interim dean of College of Education

ROY WENZL — Fri, 24 May 2013 09:40 CDT

Wichita State University announced a new interim dean of their College of Education on Friday.

The university named Shirley Lefever-Davis interim dean to replace Sharon Iorio, who will begin a phased retirement, it said in a statement. Iorio has been dean for six years, the university said.

Lefever-Davis, who has a doctorate from Kansas State University, is an associate dean and teaches in the College of Education, WSU said.

2nd child dies after crash in southern Kansas

Fri, 24 May 2013 08:23 CDT

The Kansas Highway Patrol says a second child has died from injuries suffered in a one-car accident in south-central Kansas.

The patrol says 5-year-old Navaeh Smallwood of Turon died Thursday after being hospitalized since Monday's accident on Kansas 61 about a mile north of Preston.

Another child, 2-year-old Craigjohn Vanzandt of Turon died at the accident scene.