OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — A 25-year-old Kansas man pleaded guilty to kidnapping and killing a woman who he left to die in woods in suburban Kansas City.
Korrey Raine White Rinke-photo Lyon Co.
Korrey Raine White Rinke, of Ottawa, had been charged with capital murder and rape in the 2016 death of 46-year-old Julianna Pappas of Overland Park.
Under a plea deal announced Tuesday, Rinke pleaded guilty to first-degree murder and aggravated kidnapping. He faces life in prison with the possibility of parole after 25 years when he is sentenced Sept. 12.
In 2018 prosecutors planned to seek the death penalty against Rinke.
Court documents say Rinke told prosecutors he raped and beat Pappas after she refused to have sex with him. Her body was found about a week after she disappeared in August 2016.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Democratic-controlled House voted Thursday to send President Donald Trump a bipartisan, Senate-drafted, $4.6 billion measure to care for migrant refugees detained at the southern border, capping a Washington skirmish in which die-hard liberals came out on the losing end in a battle with the White House, the GOP-held Senate and Democratic moderates.
The emergency legislation, required to ease overcrowded, often harsh conditions at U.S. holding facilities for migrants seeking asylum, mostly from Central American nations like Honduras and El Salvador, passed by a bipartisan 305-102 vote. Trump has indicated he’ll sign it into law.
First District congressman Roger Marshall said “Today, we forced the obstructionist Democrats to actually govern and do what’s right instead of bickering over petty politics,” Congressman Marshall said. “After demanding nearly 100 times from the House floor for the Speaker to take up the bipartisan Senate bill to provide critical resources to secure the border and address the humanitarian crisis, she relented and it passed. Today, the dam broke and we got it done. I’m on my way to the border now with a small group of other physicians in the House. Glad to bring news of this progress along with us.”
Dozens of liberal Democrats opposed the bill, reluctantly brought to a vote by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., after her plan to further strengthen rules for treatment of migrant refugees ran into intractable opposition from Republicans and Vice President Mike Pence. Many moderate Democrats split with Pelosi as well, undercutting her efforts, which faded shortly after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said he would swiftly reject them.
The legislation contains more than $1 billion to shelter and feed migrants detained by the border patrol and almost $3 billion to care for unaccompanied migrant children who are turned over the Department of Health and Human Services. It rejects an administration request for additional Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention beds, however, and contains provisions designed to prevent federal immigration agents from going after immigrants living in the country illegally who seek to care for unaccompanied children.
The funding is urgently needed to prevent the humanitarian emergency on the U.S.-Mexico border from worsening. The government has warned that money would run out in a matter of days.
The Senate bill passed Wednesday by a 84-8 vote, with Democrats there pleased with the deal they cut with Republicans controlling the chamber. The measure was initially only reluctantly accepted by the White House — which complained about elimination of the request for detention bed for immigrants facing removal from the U.S. — but GOP support grew after the measure presented an opportunity to outmaneuver Pelosi.
“We could have done so much better,” Pelosi said in a floor speech. Earlier, Pelosi pushed a plan to ping-pong the Senate-passed bill right back across the Capitol with provisions requiring more stringent care requirements for detained migrant families and other steps. But confronted with splintering unity in the Democratic rank and file and intractable opposition from McConnell, Pelosi changed course.
Vice President Mike Pence and Pelosi had an hour-long conversation on the legislation Thursday as the White House and Republicans kept pounding the message that the only way forward on the long-sought legislation is to pass the Senate bill.
The leaders of the House Progressive Caucus, which includes almost half of House Democrats, immediately issued a statement calling the Senate bill — which had the backing of Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. — “entirely insufficient to protect vulnerable children in our care.”
“Standing up for human rights requires more than providing money,” said Rep. Ro Khanna, D-Calif.
Thursday’s outcome was a victory for McConnell, who vowed that the GOP-held Senate would kill any “partisan” House changes that the Democratic-controlled House passed, and he appeared to hold a strong hand. All sides agreed that Congress wouldn’t leave for its Independence Day recess until the measure was passed in some form.
“The United States Senate is not going to pass a border funding bill that cuts the money for ICE and the Department of Defense. It’s not going to happen. We already have our compromise,” McConnell said. He called the Senate bill, “the only game in town.”
McConnell said the White House might support making some changes administratively — which have less than the force of law — to address some Democratic concerns.
In fact, Pence agreed that lawmakers would be notified within 24 hours when a child died in custody, said people familiar with his call with Pelosi. The vice president also agreed to the 90-day time limit for migrant children to be housed in influx facilities.
Meanwhile, pressure built on lawmakers whose constituents are upset by accounts of brutal conditions for detained children. And, with lawmakers eager to break for a 10-day July 4 recess, internal pressure built on Democrats to wrap it all up quickly.
“The Administration sent its request for emergency funding eight weeks ago, but there was no action,” said Sarah Sanders, outgoing White House press secretary. “We have already negotiated a broadly supported bipartisan funding bill. It is time for House Democrats to pass the Senate bill and stop delaying funding to deal with this very real humanitarian crisis.”
Lawmakers’ sense of urgency to provide humanitarian aid was amplified by recent reports of conditions in a windowless Border Patrol station in Clint, Texas, where more than 300 infants and children were being housed. Many were kept there for weeks and were caring for each other in conditions that included inadequate food, water and sanitation.
The Border Patrol reported apprehending nearly 133,000 people last month — including many Central American families — as monthly totals have begun topping 100,000 for the first time since 2007.
At her weekly news conference, Pelosi choked back tears when asked about an Associated Press photo of a migrant father and daughter killed crossing the Rio Grande River as she pushed for stronger protections in a border crisis funding bill.
Pelosi told reporters Thursday she’s a “lioness” when it comes to children. She called it a “shame that this should be the face of America around the world.”
ST. LOUIS (AP) — The battle to keep open Missouri’s only abortion clinic has moved from the courts to a state administrative process, adding to the confusion about the future of the Planned Parenthood-operated clinic in St. Louis.
No state has been without a functioning abortion clinic since 1974, the year after the landmark U.S. Supreme Court’s Roe v. Wade ruling that legalized the procedure nationwide.
Here is a look at the uncertain situation involving abortions in Missouri.
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Q: What led to the abortion license battle in Missouri?
A: The issue comes amid a backdrop of anti-abortion efforts by lawmakers. Missouri is among several conservative states to pass new restrictions on abortions in the hope that the increasingly conservative U.S. Supreme Court will eventually overturn Roe v. Wade. Republican Gov. Mike Parson signed legislation in May banning abortions at or beyond eight weeks of pregnancy, with exceptions for medical emergencies but not for rape or incest.
During an annual inspection of the St. Louis clinic in March, Missouri health investigators cited numerous concerns, including reports of failed abortions.
Planned Parenthood said it has already addressed those concerns and defended its clinic. It claims the state is using the licensing process as an excuse to stop abortions.
The state initially let the clinic’s abortion license lapse at the end of May, then announced more definitively last week that it would not renew the license. A judge’s rulings have kept the clinic open, but only until 5 p.m. Friday. Judge Michael Stelzer’s ruling from last week also stated that the license issue should be resolved by the state Administrative Hearing Commission, not the courts.
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Q: What happens now that the issue is before the Administrative Hearing Commission?
A: The commission, or AHC, is the entity that addresses licensing disputes between state agencies and businesses. Each case is assigned to one of the AHC’s four commissioners. The abortion case was assigned to Sreenivasa Rao Dandamudi, an appointee of former Gov. Jay Nixon, a Democrat.
A hearing date was set for Aug. 1. The hearing could last anywhere from hours to several days, depending on how much evidence both sides choose to present.
The problem for Planned Parenthood is that the abortion license expires Friday, and Dandamudi’s ruling would be in August at the earliest.
The commission has the option of granting a stay, which would keep the clinic open pending a ruling. Planned Parenthood has requested a stay, but it’s unclear when Dandamudi will decide whether to grant it.
Jennifer Sandman, deputy director of Public Policy Litigation and Law for the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said in a statement to The Associated Press on Thursday that if the clinic is forced to close, “we will pursue every legal option to seek further relief from the court.”
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Q: What is a hearing before the Administrative Hearing Commission like?
A: According to the AHC’s website, the hearing process is similar to a trial, but less formal. Representatives for each side, probably lawyers, make opening statements and present evidence, which could include testimony, documents or both. Both sides also will have a period after the hearing to file additional written evidence. Dandamudi will then review all the evidence and issue a decision in writing, though it’s unclear when.
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Q: If the St. Louis clinic closes, what options are available for Missouri women seeking abortions?
A: Missourians already are increasingly traveling to clinics elsewhere, particularly in neighboring Illinois and Kansas. Missouri health department statistics show that abortions have declined every year over the past decade in the state, dropping to 2,910 last year.
But the Hope Clinic in Granite City, Illinois, just 10 miles (16 kilometers) from St. Louis, has seen a big increase in Missouri clients since 2017, said Alison Dreith, the clinic’s deputy director. That year, Missouri adopted a more restrictive abortion law, including giving the attorney general power to prosecutor violations.
Dreith said about 55% of patients at Hope Clinic are from Missouri, 40% from Illinois and 5% from elsewhere around the country. The clinic attracts clients from across the U.S. in part because Illinois allows the procedure for up to 24 weeks of pregnancy, longer than most states, she said.
The Granite City clinic saw about 3,000 patients in 2017, 3,800 last year (after Missouri adopted stricter abortion standards), and is on pace for well over 4,000 in 2019. Dreith attributes much of this year’s increase to a 30% rise in Missouri patients, many of whom cited uncertainty about the future of abortion in Missouri.
Kansas health department data indicates that 3,300 of the 7,000 abortions performed there last year involved Missouri residents. Kansas has an abortion clinic in Overland Park, a Kansas City suburb just 2 miles (3 kilometers) from the state line.
GARDNER, Kan. (AP) — A cat named Meow has been reunited with her suburban Kansas owners after she went missing nearly three years ago.
Meow photo courtesy Taylor Jezik
Meow escaped after Taylor Jezik moved to a new apartment complex in Gardner, Kansas. Jezik searched for Meow in her old neighborhood, posted pictures on Facebook, called animal shelters and looked along roadsides for dead cats. She says her young son, Charlie, was devastated.
Then Tuesday, she received a text message, saying her cat had been found. Gardner police said the cat was spotted outside after a rainstorm and taken to an animal hospital, where employees scanned Meow’s microchip.
Jezik recalled that she “instantly started crying” when an animal control officer sent her a picture of Meow. She says she’s “still in shock.”
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A former Kansas City Chiefs player and now businessman who has served on local and state government boards is running for the U.S. Senate in Kansas.
Dave Lindstrom courtesy photo
Dave Lindstrom, who lives in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, launched his bid for the Republican nomination with an event Thursday in Goodland in Kansas’ northwestern corner. He said he chose the site to show that agriculture is important and because he’s helped organize charity golf tournaments for the local medical center there.
Four-term GOP Sen. Pat Roberts is not seeking re-electionin 2020, and at least 15 potential candidates have expressed an interest in running, most of them Republicans. Lindstrom said supporters have encouraged him for months to consider running, pointing to his business experience. He said that and his professional football career give him a “unique background.”
“With Democrats hell-bent on unraveling President Trump’s agenda, it is critical that Republicans hold Sen. Roberts’ seat,” Lindstrom said in announcing his candidacy.
Some Republicans fear the possibility of Kobach winning the nomination because he lost the governor’s race last year to Democrat Laura Kelly. The GOP hasn’t lost a Senate race in Kansas since 1932.
Earlier this year, some top Republicans nudged U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a former Kansas congressman, to enter the race. He said he was focused on his job as the nation’s top diplomat.
Kelly Arnold, a former Kansas Republican Party chairman, said the GOP has multiple potential candidates who would make good nominees, but many of them need to jump into the race quickly.
“Some candidates are going to need to start fundraising soon,” Arnold said.
Lindstrom, 64, played professional football as a defensive end. He was with the Chiefs for eight years. He retired in 1986.
He worked in real estate and as a developer and owned and operated four Kansas City-area Burger King franchises.
Lindstrom also served on the Johnson County Commission and is an elected trustee for Johnson County Community College. He is chairman of the nonprofit Kansas Leadership Center’s board in Wichita and chairman of the Kansas Turnpike Authority, which oversees the state’s toll road.
He ran for lieutenant governor in 2002 with then-state Treasurer Tim Shallenburger, who lost the general election to Democrat Kathleen Sebelius.
Lindstrom said he’s entering the Senate race partly because he’s concerned about what he sees as a growing embrace of socialism and “I think our country’s under attack.”
“People are making promises with other people’s money and resources that they cannot keep, that they understand are not sustainable — that will create an environment in this country, of one of entitlement, as opposed to hard work,” he said during an Associated Press interview before launching his campaign. “That’s what I mean when I talk about socialism.”
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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A former Kansas City Chiefs player and now businessman who has served on local and state government boards is running for the U.S. Senate in Kansas.
Dave Lindstrom, who lives in the Kansas City suburb of Overland Park, planned to launch his bid for the Republican nomination with an event Thursday in Goodland in Kansas’ northwestern corner. He said he chose the site to show that agriculture is important and because he’s helped organize charity golf tournaments for the local medical center there.
Four-term GOP Sen. Pat Roberts is not seeking re-electionin 2020, and at least 15 potential candidates have expressed an interest in running, most of them Republicans. Lindstrom said supporters have encouraged him for months to consider running, pointing to his business background.
“I’ve signed both the front and back of checks,” he said during an Associated Press interview before launching his campaign. “I would be an outsider.”
Some Republicans fear Kobach winning the nomination because he lost the governor’s race last year to Democrat Laura Kelly. The GOP hasn’t lost a Senate race in Kansas since 1932.
Earlier this year, some top Republicans nudged U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, a former Kansas congressman, to enter the race. He said he was focused on his job as the nation’s top diplomat.
Kelly Arnold, a former Kansas Republican Party chairman, said the GOP has multiple potential candidates who would make good nominees, but many of them need to jump into the race quickly.
“Some candidates are going to need to start fundraising soon,” Arnold said.
Lindstrom, 64, played professional football as a defensive end. He was with the Chiefs for eight years. He retired in 1986.
He worked in real estate and as a developer and owned and operated four Kansas City-area Burger King franchises.
Lindstrom also served on the Johnson County Commission and is an elected trustee for Johnson County Community College. He is chairman of the nonprofit Kansas Leadership Center’s board in Wichita and chairman of the Kansas Turnpike Authority, which oversees the state’s toll road.
He ran for lieutenant governor in 2002 with then-state Treasurer Tim Shallenburger, who lost the general election to Democrat Kathleen Sebelius.
Lindstrom said he’s entering the Senate race partly because he’s concerned about what he sees as a growing embrace of socialism and “I think our country’s under attack.”
“People are making promises with other people’s money and resources that they cannot keep, that they understand are not sustainable — that will create an environment in this country, of one of entitlement, as opposed to hard work,” he said. “That’s what I mean when I talk about socialism.”
The Supreme Court is forbidding President Donald Trump’s administration from adding a citizenship question to the 2020 census for now. The court says the Trump administration’s explanation for wanting to add the question was “more of a distraction” than an explanation.
It’s unclear whether the administration would have time to provide a fuller account. Census forms are supposed to be printed beginning next week.
The court ruled 5-4 on Thursday, with Chief Justice John Roberts joining the four liberals in the relevant part of the outcome.
A lower court found the administration violated federal law in the way it tried to add a question broadly asking about citizenship for the first time since 1950.
The Census Bureau’s own experts have predicted that millions of Hispanics and immigrants would go uncounted if the census asked everyone if he or she is an American citizen.
CALIFORNIA, Mo. (AP) — Authorities say a 17-year-old has drowned after jumping into a central Missouri creek.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol says Bradley Hall, of Fulton, struggled in North Moreau Creek before going under water around 8 p.m. Wednesday. He didn’t resurface and was pronounced dead a short time later.
The area is near the town of California, which is located 25 miles southwest of Columbia.
GALENA, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri woman whose 13-month-old son weighed only 10 pounds when he died has been convicted of manslaughter and child neglect.
Bambi Jackson photo Stone Co.
A Stone County jury convicted Bambi Jackson, of Reeds Springs, on Wednesday for the January 2016 death of Justus Jackson, who emergency responders found not breathing when they went to the family’s home.
The boy’s official cause of death was low blood pressure and dehydration.
His father, Joshua Jackson, entered an Alford plea to involuntary manslaughter in 2018.
Prosecutors say Bambi Jackson did not provide adequate care for her son and did not immediately seek medical attention when she discovered he wasn’t breathing.
Defense attorneys argued she didn’t knowingly cause harm to her child.
The couple’s five other children have been removed from the home.
Summer. That’s the best description of the end of the work week and coming weekend as we get a bit of a break from the various rounds of rain that have been occurring across the Plains States recently. However, with that break from the rain will come some hot and humid conditions, with our first multi-day run of temperatures at, or above, 90 degrees thus far this year. Heat indices will range around 100 degrees through the weekend as a result; so anyone working or playing outside will want to keep themselves well hydrated. Here’s the 7-day forecast from the National Weather Service:
Today: Sunny, with a high near 92. Heat index values as high as 100. South wind 7 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 23 mph.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 74. South wind 9 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.
Friday: Sunny, with a high near 95. Heat index values as high as 106. South southwest wind 10 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph.
Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 75. South wind around 6 mph.
Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 95. South wind 3 to 6 mph.
Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 74.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 94.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 73.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 93.
Monday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 92.
Tuesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 73.
O’FALLON, Mo. (AP) — A man charged with the 1993 abduction, rape and killing of a 9-year-old Missouri girl has now been charged with molesting another child.
The two sodomy counts were filed Wednesday against 61-year-old Earl Cox.
St. Charles County Prosecutor Tim Lohmar says investigators digging into Cox’s past before he was charged with Angie Housman’s death discovered that he had been arrested in 1989 for molesting a 7-year-old girl at a park behind Angie’s elementary school. That led to the revocation of his parole in a child molestation case involving four girls he babysat while stationed at an Air Force base in Germany. He was released 11 months before Angie was killed.
Investigators also are looking into allegations that Cox had inappropriate contact with another 7-year-old girl.
