Kansas is about to make it through the end of April without a tornado for only the fourth time since record keeping began.
2016 Saline County tornado photo by Jerry Hinrikus
Storms have had a hard time forming this spring because several cold fronts have prevented moisture from the Gulf of Mexico from getting this far north.
“That’s an issue because you need moisture for thunderstorms,” said National Weather Service Meteorologist Robb Lawson.
And it’s not just about tornadoes: The lack of storms has also led to significant drought in much of the state.
“That’s how we get most of our moisture is through thunderstorms,” Lawson said.
Weather patterns can change abruptly, though, and Lawson said he expects to see storms back in the forecast as early as Wednesday.
“It only takes one event with 15, 20 tornadoes and the next thing you know you’re at or above average,” he said.
During this same time period last year — January through April — Kansas had already experienced 15 tornadoes.
The last time Kansas went this long into a year without a tornado was almost 40 years ago in 1980. Before that, it happened only twice: in 1962 and 1967.
Brian Grimmett reports on the environment and energy for the Kansas News Service. Follow him on Twitter @briangrimmett.
Warm spring weather has arrived, and as motorcyclists prepare for numerous road trips to come, the Missouri Coalition for Roadway Safety wants to remind motorists and motorcyclists to “Watch for Motorcycles” in order to help prevent motorcycle crashes, deaths and injuries on Missouri roadways.
“Preliminary data shows that approximately 12 percent of Missouri traffic fatalities in 2017 involved a motorcycle, with 115 motorcyclist lives lost,” said Bill Whitfield, executive committee chair of the coalition. “We want to see that number decrease this year by reminding all drivers to follow basic safety rules and never drive distracted or impaired.”
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration offers the following tips to drivers on how to prevent a fatal crash with a motorcycle:
Allow the motorcycle the full width of a lane at all times.
Always signal when changing lanes or merging with traffic.
Check all mirrors and blind spots for motorcycles before changing lanes or merging with traffic, especially at intersections.
Never drive distracted or impaired.
Motorcyclists must also take precautions to remain safe on the road. Motorcyclists can increase their safety by following these steps:
Wear a DOT-compliant helmet and other protective gear.
Obey all traffic laws and be properly licensed and trained.
Wear brightly colored clothes and reflective tape to increase visibility.
Ride in the middle of the lane where you will be more visible to drivers.
Never ride distracted or impaired.
Anticipate the moves of other drivers and be extra cautious of road conditions and debris.
Motorcycle experts recommend motorcyclists also complete some type of training before getting out on the road. There are 25 training locations in Missouri. You can find the one nearest you at mmsp.org.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – The Missouri Supreme Court says a woman who had an extramarital affair with Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens must turn over her cellphone for a forensic investigation.
The Kansas City Star reported Saturday that the high court’s decision follows the woman’s request Friday to block an order requiring her phone to be examined by a court-appointed expert.
The order came in a criminal case in which Greitens is accused of taking a photo of the woman in a compromising position without her consent. The Republican governor is charged with invasion of privacy.
The charge stems from a sexual encounter they had at Greitens’ home in 2015, before he was elected governor. He has denied criminal wrongdoing.
The woman’s attorney had argued that the order is burdensome and invades her privacy.
KANSAS CITY – A Kansas man was sentenced in federal court Thursday for his role in a conspiracy to ship $3 million worth of marijuana through the mail for distribution in Kansas City, according to the United States Attorney’s office.
Justin Polson, 29, Overland Park, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to five years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Polson to forfeit to the government $1.5 million, which represents the proceeds of his illegal drug trafficking.
Polson-photo Johnson Co.
On Sept. 19, 2017, Polson pleaded guilty to participating in a conspiracy to distribute marijuana and to participating in a money-laundering conspiracy. Co-defendant James Mack, 38, of Westminster, Colorado, was sentenced on March 6, 2018, to five years in federal prison without parole after pleading guilty to the same charges. The court also ordered Mack to forfeit to the government $1.5 million.
Mack sent multiple pounds of high grade marijuana in five-gallon plastic buckets through the mail to Polson. Mack was sending anywhere from two to six buckets a week from September 2012 through May 2014. The buckets usually contained three pounds of marijuana per bucket. Between June 2014 and May 2015, Mack would send 40 pounds of marijuana per month to Polson.
Over the course of this conspiracy, Polson deposited approximately $3 million into Mack’s bank account as payment, in structured amounts below $10,000 to avoid reporting requirements.
Polson has already forfeited to the government a 2007 Chevrolet Corvette and a 2011 Chevrolet Camaro LT in a related civil case.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Republican lawmakers in Kansas on Saturday blocked a plan from Democrats to nearly double the amount of new spending on public schools provided by a recently enacted education funding law, as GOP leaders juggled budget-boosting proposals with a desire to cut taxes.
FILE PHOTO / KANSAS NEWS SERVICE
The GOP-controlled state House reconsidered the education funding law enacted earlier this month because a flaw in it inadvertently shorted schools by $80 million. The new law was designed to phase in a $534 million increase in education funding in hopes of satisfying a Kansas Supreme Court mandate to boost it.
The House approved, 92-27, a bill that would fix the flaw. It goes next to the Senate, where a debate is expected next week.
Some Democrats have argued that the new education funding law won’t satisfy the high court. Democratic Rep. Jerry Stogsdill, of Prairie Village, proposed an amendment to instead phase in an increase of nearly $1 billion in education funding over five years.
“We’re here to fund education,” Stogsdill said. “This gets us where we need to be with the Supreme Court.”
Few Republicans joined Democrats in wanting to boost spending so much. The vote was 78-42 against Stogsdill’s amendment.
“I want to know how you plan to pay for this,” said Rep. Les Osterman, a Wichita Republican.
Lawmakers in both parties want to cover the new spending on schools with the annual growth in state revenues, and projections from legislative researchers this week showed that the state couldn’t sustain as much spending as the Democrats proposed.
Kansas is benefiting from a stronger economy and lawmakers raised state income taxes last year $600 million a year to stabilize the budget. The hike reversed past income tax cuts championed by former GOP Gov. Sam Brownback, which were followed by years of budget woes.
Top Republicans now want to pursue tax cuts to offset increases in state income taxes for some Kansans caused by changes in federal tax laws last year. Some lawmakers also want to reduce the state’s 6.5 percent sales tax on groceries, but attempts to raise the issue Saturday in a debate on a narrow bill designed to help the Kansas State Fair were declared out of order by the Rules Committee.
The Supreme Court ruled in October that the state’s current education funding of more than $4 billion a year isn’t sufficient under the Kansas Constitution. Republican Gov. Jeff Colyer and many lawmakers have worried that if the high court is not satisfied, it will block the distribution of funds — effectively shutting down schools.
But legislators have other spending priorities, too. The House also approved a bill Saturday, 92-24, that would add millions of dollars of new spending to $16 billion-plus state budgets approved last year for the state’s current fiscal year and the next one beginning in July.
The measure goes next to the Senate, which expects to debate its own budget legislation next week. It includes nearly $8 million to provide pay raises for employees in the state’s court system, including a 2.5 percent raise for judges, and restores $12 million in past cuts in the state’s higher education system.
CASS COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating human remains found near Harrisonville,
Google map
On Friday, deputies were contacted by mushroom hunters who found possible human remains.
Investigators responded to the area of S. Mopac Road between E. 235th and E. 239th where they discovered a set of human remains in a wooded area, according to a media release.
Late Friday night the Jackson County Medical Examiners Office confirmed that the remains were human. No information on sex, race, age, or when the victim died have been determined at this time.
At this time the Cass County Sheriff’s Office has closed S. Mopac Road between E. 235th and E. 239th while investigators conduct their search. The sheriff’s office has approximately 40 deputies and recruits conducting a ground search for evidence.
The roadway was expected to be closed most of the day. Anyone with information is asked to call the Cass County Sheriff’s Office at 816-380-5200.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – A legal battle over newly-enacted regulations in Missouri for medication-induced abortions is continuing in federal court.
JENNIFER MORROW / FLICKR–CC
A law passed during a special session this summer has effectively left Kansas City and St. Louis as the only two Missouri cities where the procedure is legally available. Several lawsuits have been filed by clinics seeking to overturn the law.
Planned Parenthood groups based in Kansas City and St. Louis are seeking a preliminary injunction to block the law. The Missouri Attorney General’s office is representing the state.
The Kansas City Star reports both sides presented testimony at hearings earlier this month and filed more briefs in the case this week.
Opponents say the law imposes a burden on women’s right to choose abortions. The state argues the law protects women and ensures they will get adequate care in medical emergencies.
Jesus Meza and Mayra Meraz filed the suit last month against Topeka’s city government. They allege the crash happened in April 2016 after the on-duty officer drove through a red light at an excessive speed. Meza’s car rolled several times and was destroyed.
The claims says Meza underwent surgeries after being diagnosed with a scraped cornea and several fractures. It said Meraz suffered from headaches as well as back and hip pain. The paper obtained the claim this week through a records request.
Topeka city officials say the officer still works for the police department. But officials declined to comment further, saying the city doesn’t discuss pending litigation.
MARYVILLE, Mo. – Northwest Missouri State University’s Board of Regents during its regular meeting Friday approved the University’s fees for the 2018-2019 academic year.
According to a news release, the fees consist of Student Senate-approved designated fees aimed at improving organizational viability and miscellaneous fees for revenue-generating services and internal services provided by University departments.
The designated fees approved Friday by the Board and approved April 3 by Northwest’s Student Senate consist of an increase of $1 per credit hour to support the operational needs of Safe Ride Home and expand its service times; an increase of $1.75 per credit hour to support Northwest’s student employment program, help cover minimum wage increases and increase the number of positions available on campus; and an increase of $2.50 per credit hour to enhance technology security and access needs.
Presenting the fee proposals to the Board, Northwest Vice President of Finance State Carrick said administrators offer multiple options for the Student Senate to consider. She said students requested the highest fee option for Safe Ride and a fee increase to student employment beyond the University’s proposal.
“Our students do a very good job of engaging and understanding what we’re bringing forward and push us in areas where they see value in programs,” Carrick said.
Northwest’s miscellaneous fees include items and services such as athletics tickets, facility rentals, parking, and caps and gowns for the University’s commencement ceremonies. Carrick explained the University’s finance department works with other departments throughout the year to evaluate revenues, expenses and fees for various programs and services.
The Board’s approval of the student-approved fees follows its vote last month to book a 2.1 percent tuition increase for undergraduate students in 2018-19, based on the allowable Consumer Price Index (CPI) and a Missouri statute that limits the state’s colleges and universities from raising tuition above CPI. The booked 2.1 amount is subject to the amount of state appropriations approved in the final budget and actual state appropriations awarded throughout the fiscal year.
Regents last month also approved discipline-specific program fees and an increase to room and board by an average of 2.5 percent, depending on the residence halls and meal plans students select.
In other business, the Board approved a multiyear contract with Jetz Service Company for new residential laundry equipment to be installed in residential buildings on campus prior to the start of the fall trimester. The contract also includes maintenance and repair services.
The Board also approved candidates due to receive bachelor’s, master’s and specialist degrees during the University’s spring commencement ceremonies April 27-28 and faculty appointments for the summer trimester.
The Board of Regents is responsible for sound resource management of the University and determining general, educational and financial policies.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Ford F150 was northbound on Willard Road crossing the railroad tracks just north of Bouchey Road when his trailer become detached on the tracks.
David W. Miller, 58, Maple Hill exited the vehicle to try to re-hitch the trailer.
A Union Pacific train came around a curve and struck the Ford and Miller while he was attempting to get back into his vehicle.
Miller was pronounced dead at the scene.
The train engineer Ryan L. Idleman, 41, Manhattan, and train conductor Jonathon B. Sheppard II, 32, Herington, were not injured.
