TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Sentencing for a 30-year-old Kansas man convicted of killing a patron at a Topeka bar in 2008 has been pushed back a second time.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports James Arthur Qualls III was convicted June 30 of premeditated first-degree murder in the death of 30-year-old Joseph “Joe Bob” Beier in the early morning hours of July 16, 2008.
Beier was shot a dozen times and died about 90 minutes after the shooting at the Whiplash Bar. The shooting happened after a dispute over a pool game between Qualls and Beier’s girlfriend.
Qualls was scheduled to be sentenced July 23, but that was postponed when he sought a new attorney. At a sentencing hearing Thursday, Qualls told the judge he needed more time to discuss possible motions with his attorney.
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Gov. Sam Brownback has unveiled a new program intended to bring new economic development to financially struggling metropolitan areas in Kansas.
Brownback said Thursday his Urban Opportunity Zone initiative will offer tax breaks and other financial incentives to people who start small businesses or other economic activities. The program is similar to the governor’s Rural Opportunity Zone program.
The Kansas Department of Commerce, working with the Department of Revenue, will run the program. The pilot program will include the Kansas City ZIP codes 66101, 66102, 66104, 66106 and other high-poverty areas in Wichita and Topeka.
Brownback’s Democratic challenger in the governor’s race, Paul Davis, said the governor’s programs and policies have harmed urban and rural areas of Kansas and the state cannot afford four more years of his “experimenting.”
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Supreme Court is traveling to Kansas City, Kansas, next week for a special session to hear arguments from attorneys in five cases.
The court’s session is set for 9 a.m. Wednesday at the performing arts center of Kansas City, Kansas, Community College. Chief Justice Lawton Nuss will be available to speak to reporters for 15 minutes, starting at 8 a.m.
The court has periodically has had sessions outside Topeka so that people in other parts of the state can observe its proceedings.
In Kansas City, Kansas, the justices plan to hear arguments in appeals in two criminal cases and three civil cases.
DETROIT (AP) — Evenflo is recalling more than 202,000 rear-facing infant seats because the buckles can become difficult to unlatch.
The recall affects Embrace 35/9999 models with an AmSafe QT1 buckle. Documents posted by U.S. safety regulators say that if the buckles don’t release easily, it may be difficult to get a child out of the seat in an emergency.
The affected seats were made at various times from December 2011 through May of 2013.
Not all Embrace 35 models are covered by the recall. For others, the company will provide replacement buckles if requested by customers.
The recall comes after an investigation by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Owners with questions can call Evenflo at (800) 490-7591.
COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — The Columbia Fire Department says two 19-year-olds have been seriously injured after an 18-foot fall in a city park.
The men were transported to a Columbia hospital on Thursday after they fell near Hinkson Creek at Stephens Lake Park. They were found on rocks below a dam.
Authorities say it was hard to access the men because of their location. The rescue lasted about 90 minutes. They haven’t said what caused the fall or released the identities of the men.
TOPEKA, KAN. – Three defendants were convicted on drug charges Thursday during a federal jury trial in Topeka, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.
Convicted were:
Raymond Alcorta, 41, Downey, Calif., one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Adrienne Lopez, 27, Pico Rivera, Calif., one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine and one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
Angela Marie Lopez, 35, El Monte, Calif., one count of possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine, and one count of conspiracy to distribute methamphetamine.
During trial before U.S. District Court Judge Daniel D. Crabtree, prosecutors presented evidence that Adrienne and Angela Lopez were arrested June 21, 2013, in Seward County, Kan., when they were caught hauling approximately four pounds of methamphetamine from Los Angeles to Kansas City. Subsequent investigation tied them to Alcorta, who headed the drug trafficking organization.
Sentencing is set for Feb. 9, 2014. They face a penalty of not less than 10 years and not more than life and a fine up to $10 million. Grissom commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Mattivi for their work on the case.
St Joseph police believe they’ve caught a car burglar in the act.
A witness called 9-1-1 at 6:05am Friday from the parking lot at the Meadows Apartments, 2216 South Leonard Road, where he said he saw a man going from car to car.
By 6:20am an officer had taken the suspect into custody after a scuffle.
Captain Jeff Wilson of the St Joseph Police Department says multiple vehicles were entered illegally. A 23-year-old black male was taken into custody, but by late morning Friday, investigators were still preparing the case to submit to prosecutors.
Refresh this post for additional details as they become available.
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) – In the middle of a champagne-and-beer-soaked clubhouse after the San Francisco Giants won the NL Championship Series, Tim Hudson was given the chance to speak to his team.
The message was as simple as Hudson’s approach on the mound: “World Series, baby!”
After 16 years, 214 regular-season wins and seven failed trips to the postseason, Hudson has finally made it to baseball’s biggest stage at age 39.
Hudson is set to take the mound Friday night for the Giants when they return home to face Jeremy Guthrie and the Royals in Game 3 of the World Series after a two-game split in Kansas City.
“I think everybody thinks about it every year they play,” Hudson said. “Obviously when you go 16 years without having been able to experience something like this, you wonder if it’s going to happen. I’m no different than anybody.”
Hudson’s brilliant career began on the other side of San Francisco Bay as he helped Oakland make four straight trips to the postseason that ended with Game 5 losses in the division series.
Hudson got back to the playoffs with Atlanta, losing in the division series in 2005 to Houston and 2010 to San Francisco. The Braves made it again last year when Hudson was hurt but lost again in the division series.
After signing a $23 million, two-year contract this offseason with San Francisco, Hudson finally got to experience postseason success.
“Coming off my injury last year, I knew that I probably don’t have a lot of years left,” Hudson said. “That was a huge reason I came here to San Francisco. It’s unfolding just how I figured it would.”
Hudson got no-decisions in his first two postseason starts, allowing five runs in 13 2-3 innings against Washington and St. Louis.
The limited work of late has paid dividends. Hudson looks much fresher than he did in September when he went 0-4 with an 8.72 ERA in five starts to end the season while dealing with a bum hip.
“It’s hard enough to play this game when you’re healthy, but when you’re pitching and your hip’s bothering you a little bit — and he’s a warrior,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “He was never complaining. He was never making excuses, but it was a fact. I think it was affecting him a little bit.”
Despite being picked as an All-Star for the fourth time in his career, Hudson was not at his best in the regular season, and his 9-13 record was the first losing mark of his career. But he managed 31 starts over 189 1-3 innings in his comeback from a broken ankle and has been a key contributor in the postseason.
“He’s a veteran, been around a long time, seen a lot of stuff,” Giants ace Madison Bumgarner said. “He brings a lot to the table, and I feel like he’s still as good as he’s ever been.”
Hudson has a 214-124 career record with a 3.45 ERA. The only pitchers with more wins and a better winning percentage since World War II are Roger Clemens, Randy Johnson, Mike Mussina, Jim Palmer and Pedro Martinez.
Guthrie had a long wait just to get to the playoffs. He made his first postseason appearance at age 35 when he allowed one run in five innings of a no-decision against Baltimore in Game 3 of the ALCS.
That start is Guthrie’s only outing the past four weeks; he did not pitch in the division series sweep against the Angels. So Guthrie has done his best to stay sharp with side work instead of pitching in games.
He has also spent time serving as a translator for some of Kansas City’s Spanish-speaking players. Guthrie completed a Mormon mission to Spain when he was in college.
“He’s a tremendous clubhouse presence, too, and he’s a guy with a lot of experience,” manager Ned Yost said. “He’s got a very outgoing personality, and he helps all of our Latin guys. He has the unique ability to be able to enjoy all types of players that we have in our locker room.”
“He can converse with the Latin guys on their level. He can converse with the American guys. He hasn’t really mastered Japanese yet for him to be there with Nori (Aoki) much, but he’s just a really fun guy to be around.”
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Hunter Strickland says he is embarrassed by the way he handled himself in Game 2 of the World Series after allowing yet another postseason home run.
Strickland caused the benches to clear Wednesday night when he shouted at Kansas City’s Salvador after allowing a two-run homer in the sixth inning to Omar Infante in San Francisco’s 7-2 loss.
Strickland first shouted at himself, which caught the attention of Perez, who was going home from second base and shouted back. That led Strickland to yell back at Perez and the benches to clear.
The homer was the fifth given up this postseason by Strickland. That ties the record for the most allowed by a reliever in a single postseason, set by Milwaukee’s Chris Naverson in 2011
FERGUSON, Mo. (AP) — Missouri police have been buying new gear and getting trained on constitutional rights as they prepare for a grand jury decision on whether to charge a white policeman in the shooting death of a black 18-year-old.
A grand jury announcement could come within the next month, though no specific date is set.
Law enforcement officials are hoping to avoid violent clashes between protesters and police similar to those that occurred after Ferguson officer Darren Wilson shot Michael Brown on Aug. 9.
Police have adjusted tactics for interacting more peacefully with protesters while also honing procedures for quick, widespread arrests. They are planning to have a large contingent of officers ready, but also have been meeting with clergy, community leaders and students in hopes of building relationships that could ease tensions.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Sentencing for a 30-year-old Kansas man convicted of killing a patron at a Topeka bar in 2008 has been pushed back a second time.
