TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Two people have been arrested in the weekend kidnapping of an 8-year-old Topeka girl.

The Topeka Capital-Journal  reports that the girl was missing for nearly six hours when she was found Saturday afternoon more than two miles away from her home. Maj. Jerry Stanley says the preliminary investigation showed she had been assaulted.

A man and woman were arrested Saturday night on charges that included aggravated kidnapping, aggravated child endangerment and aggravated burglary.

About 50 people had participated in the search for the missing girl. Some took 4-wheelers to nearby woods, while others printed off dozens of flyers.

 

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The Lawrence Public Library has unveiled its third edition of trading cards that feature artwork inspired by censured books.

The Lawrence Journal-World reports that 47 artists submitted works. The seven winners were chosen by a panel of judges and announced Thursday. All submissions will be available in the library during national Banned Books Week, which starts Sunday and ends Saturday.

During those days, the library will release one trading card a day to the public for free.

The books represented on the cards include Ernest Hemingway’s “The Old Man and the Sea,” Harper Lee’s “To Kill a Mockingbird,” and Ken Kesey’s “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest.”

Following Banned Books Week, the library will have the 2014 deck available for purchase online.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Shawnee County is feeding its juvenile inmates more after finding behavior improves when portion sizes increase.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that in July the corrections department tried out doubling the portion size of the meals it serves youth detained at the Shawnee County Juvenile Detention Center. As part of the experiment, the sugary snack provided each evening was replaced with fresh fruit.

County corrections department spokesman Maj. Tim Phelps says staff members saw a noticeable improvement in the behavior and educational program performance of the youths.

A state grant is covering the $3,000 cost of providing more food in August and September. Corrections officials say they’ll ask county commissioners next month to continue the arrangement for a full year, with a grant available to cover the $16,000 cost.

 

By Andy Marso
KHI News Service

TOPEKA — Fifteen medical-related political action committees registered with the Kansas Governmental Ethics Commission had a total of almost $600,000 cash on hand at the July 24 reporting deadline, and officials from the top PACs said they’re still forming the legislative agendas that may inform how they spend that money.
Representatives of several PACs said that their groups will mull their positions on Medicaid expansion under the federal Affordable Care Act.

The expansion, part of the health reform law commonly called Obamacare, has been opposed by Gov. Sam Brownback and Republican legislative leaders in Kansas. About half the states have accepted the expansion, which is paid 100 percent by federal tax dollars in the short-term and 90 percent thereafter.

In Kansas it is estimated that the expansion could extend health insurance coverage to up to 100,000 people.

The Kansas Hospital Association, which had about $94,000 cash on hand at the end of the last reporting period, has advocated for Medicaid expansion.

But the association did not make its campaign contributions contingent on support of that issue during the primary season, and Chad Austin, the group’s senior vice president for government relations, said it has no plans to do so in the general election.

“They’re looking at a variety of different factors that play into who they’re going to give a contribution for,” Austin said.

Austin said the hospital association does not coordinate spending with other medically related PACs, but it does “reach out to other associations as it pertains to policy issues.”

Thus far other associations have not waded too deep into the politically charged question of Medicaid expansion. But there are signs that some are considering it.

The online health insurance marketplace established as part of the ACA provides subsidies for people with certain income levels to purchase private insurance. But those who would have been covered under Medicaid expansion are not eligible for federal subsidies because they make too little money.

The federal law also proposes to reduce payments to hospitals for treating uninsured patients unable to pay, under the assumption that there would be fewer such patients after the expansion of Medicaid.

Pete Stern, chief executive of the Kansas Independent Pharmacy Service Corp., said that has left gaps in coverage and provider compensation that must be addressed. He said he’s not sure if his group’s PAC will take an official position on Medicaid expansion.

“It’s pretty obvious the hospital association has, and because of the way reimbursements are hanging with the ACA, I think it’s vital,” Stern said. “Even though we don’t have an official position, we do think it deserves a long, objective look for legislators, not only for the sake of hospitals but also for the sake of making sure we’re looking carefully at filling a gap of coverage.”

The independent pharmacy PAC had about $20,700 in cash on hand at the July 24 deadline.

Leaders of two medical associations with more funds said their groups still are forming their legislative agendas, but Medicaid expansion is on their radars.

With $166,700 in cash, the Kansas Medical Society PAC had the most financial clout of the group.

Jerry Slaughter, president of the medical society, said his group has, for more than 20 years, long supported the principle of all Kansans having access to health insurance.

“We believe that just makes sense,” he said.

Slaughter said the state has made strides in doing that for children and the elderly, but the demographic that still needs help is lower-income, working-age adults.

“For a long time we’ve supported the state finding a way to cover that population,” Slaughter said. “That’s been a long-standing policy predating the ACA. What we’ve also said is it needs to be done in a way that’s fiscally sustainable.”

Slaughter said the group is evaluating whether Medicaid expansion fits the bill.

The Kansas Optometric Association PAC ranked second among medical PACs in cash on hand as of July 24 with $124,800.

Gary Robbins, executive director of the optometric association, said the association’s board will discuss Medicaid expansion at an upcoming meeting.

“That’s an issue we’re looking at,” Robbins said. “We have not been opposed to it, we’re just wondering where we’ll get the money, like everyone else.”

In Kansas, Medicaid is now a managed care program known as KanCare that’s operated by three private insurance companies with state contracts. Though some health care providers have complained about reimbursement problems since the switch to managed care last year, Robbins said his group’s members have not had issues.

“With KanCare, we’ve been pleased that we haven’t had as many problems as we anticipated,” he said. “They’ve been willing to listen to our concerns.”

Whether or not the group decides to take a position on expanding Medicaid, Robbins said it won’t make campaign contributions this cycle contingent on a candidate’s position on that issue.

“We will not,” Robbins said, “because we haven’t made it an ongoing issue.”

INDEPENDENCE, Kan.- One person was killed and another was injured in an accident just after 9:30 a.m. on Sunday in Montgomery County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Mistubishi SUV driven by Lane Edward Marten, 47, Battle Creek, IA., was eastbound on the entrance ramp to U.S.169 at U.S. 400 and crossing over the highway.

The vehicle failed to stop at a stop sign and drove into the path of a 2012 Ford pickup driven by Michael Wolfe Matchette, 45, Spring Hill.

 

Marten was transported to Labette Health where he died. Matchette was transported to Mercy Hospital. The KHP reported both drivers were properly restrained at the time of the accident.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A new report estimates that the Wolf Creek nuclear power plant could cost as much $1 billion to shut down when it reaches the end of its useful life about 30 years from now.

The Wichita Eagle reports that the cost is recalculated every three years. That allows the Kansas Corporation Commission to ensure enough money is collected from customers to fund a trust to pay for the future expense.

The report offers two options. Dismantling the plant as soon as it’s shut down would cost around $765 million in current-value dollars, although the cost could grow if spent nuclear fuel disposal issues aren’t resolved. Mothballing the plant near Burlington for several decades before beginning to tear it down would be safer but cost more than $1 billion.

 

COLUMBIA (AP) – The University of Missouri’s flagship campus in Columbia is offering a buyout option for some of its tenured faculty members.

The school said in a news release Friday that qualifying faculty who retire by next fall can receive a one-time payment of 1 ½ times their base salary, not to exceed $200,000. To receive the buyout, faculty must be retirement eligible and turn 62 by August 31st, 2015.

MU Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin says the program will allow the university to “manage a challenging financial environment.”

The university says participation is voluntary and that it will offer information sessions. A second buyout will be offered later for tenured faculty who primarily serve as academic administrators.

PITTSBURG, Kan. (AP) — The pastor of Campus Christians at Pittsburg State University is scrambling to meet the demand for bicycles he fixes up and loans to students for the school year.

Don Smith has been offering the service for decades, getting bikes in working order and loaning them out for a refundable $35 fee.

The Morning Sun reports that this is the first fall semester that Smith didn’t have enough bicycles for every student who wanted one. He’s been working to whittle down a waiting list with 75 names.

Smith repairs the bicycles in a shop in the basement of the Campus Christians house. He says he tries not to make them too attractive, since good-looking bikes can be attractive to thieves.

MARCIA DUNN, AP Aerospace Writer

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — It’s showtime at Mars.