By Amelia Arvesen
KU Statehouse Wire Service

TOPEKA — Wind farm supporters urged lawmakers Tuesday to retain current laws that require utility companies to generate or purchase renewable energy by the year 2020.

Wind farm supporters opposed Senate Bill 253, which would discontinue the Renewable Energy Standards Act by the end of the year. The act requires major electricity companies like Westar Energy to generate at least 10 percent of energy from renewable sources.

The second part of the legislation would cancel the scheduled Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) increases to 15 percent by 2016 and 20 percent by 2020.

Kimberly Svaty of The Wind Coalition said passing the bill would remove an effective policy. She said the standards attract global investors and new business to Kansas. Svaty also said it would be a missed opportunity to create more jobs.

“The states with favorable environments win capital investment,” Svaty said.

Bruce Graham, Wind Energy Department chair at Cloud Community College in Concordia, said the student employment rate at the college for wind energy technician positions is 100 percent.

Proponents of the bill said the standard creates higher utility rates. Roger Woods with Americans for Prosperity, a conservative political advocacy group, said the current policy restricts flexibility in the market. He said states with RPS mandates average 27 percent higher electricity prices than states without.

“There is sufficient wind energy production in Kansas for any business to meet their renewable goals without RPS mandates,” Woods said.

Mike O’Neal, chief executive officer of the Kansas Chamber of Commerce, is a proponent for the bill. He said he supports the development of market-driven energy technologies, including wind but also urged the committee to consider the costs to counties of investing in renewable energy.

“We don’t need a mandate in Kansas for the wind to blow,” O’Neal said.

In 2009, Kansas became the last of 31 states to adopt the Renewable Energy Standards Act. In 2013, Kansas was the ninth ranked state for installed wind capacity with 1,700 turbines, according to the American Wind Energy Association.

The committee decided to extend the hearing until Wednesday to hear the remaining testimonies.

Amelia Arvesen is a University of Kansas senior from San Ramon, Calif., majoring in journalism.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A federal judge has scheduled a summer jury trial for the man accused of plotting a suicide bomb attack at a Wichita airport.

U.S. District Judge Monti Belot set a July 8 trial date following a telephone conference Wednesday with attorneys in the case against Terry Loewen.

The former avionics technician was arrested in December 2013 during a sting operation in which undercover FBI agents acted as co-conspirators. Prosecutors allege he tried to bring a van filled with inert explosives onto Wichita’s Mid-Continent Airport, now called the Dwight D. Eisenhower National Airport.

Loewen has pleaded not guilty to attempting to use a weapon of mass destruction, attempting to use an explosive device to damage property and attempting to give material support to al-Qaida.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Research spending at the University of Kansas has seen its strongest four-year span ever, but the overall outlook is not good.

The Lawrence Journal-World reports that the school’s externally sponsored research expenditures at all of its campuses totaled more than $1 billion. The university’s expenditures from all sources, however, fell during fiscal year 2014 due to the federal budget sequester and declining purchasing power for federally funded research

According to the university, externally sponsored expenditures totaled $238.8 million last year, compared with $260.5 million in 2013 and $275.2 million in 2012. The school said that was a high point under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act.

The university says that it receives about 85 percent of its research support from the federal government. The university says that it is looking to other sources for funding.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A bill approved by a Kansas Senate committee would prevent public colleges from acting against student religious groups for allowing only believers to be leaders or requiring members to follow a code of conduct.

The Judiciary Committee’s endorsement Wednesday sends the measure to the full Senate for debate.

Committee Chairman and Independence Republican Jeff King said the bill is a response to a U.S. Supreme Court decision in 2010. The ruling allowed universities to adopt anti-bias policies requiring such groups to accept anyone who wants to join, regardless of whether they follow a group’s beliefs.

The bill would prevent state universities and colleges from denying recognition or benefits to groups that don’t have such policies.

The measure is opposed by the American Civil Liberties Union.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Negotiations on wages and benefits with Kansas public employees would be drastically narrowed under a bill considered by a state Senate panel.

Several public employee union representatives spoke in opposition to the bill Wednesday in the Senate Commerce Committee. It would narrow negotiations to only salary and wages and would allow the government to impose conditions on public employees in the case of an impasse.

Public employee unions also would be barred from endorsing or contributing to political candidates under the bill.

Robert Wing of the Kansas State Council of Firefighters said that the current system works well and overhauling it would lead to costly labor disputes in the courts.

Republican Sen. Jeff Melcher of Leawood sponsored the bill and said it would make negotiations more flexible.

ARMA – Three people were injured in an accident just after 8 a.m. on Wednesday in Crawford County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2012 Dodge Charger driven by Brandy Lakey, 37, Girard, was southbound on 230th Road at County Road 630 one mile south of the Arma High School.

The vehicle crossed the centerline and struck a 2011 Dodge Nitro driven by Gloria Rethorst, 42, Pittsburg.

Rethorst, Lakey and an 11-year-old passenger in the Charger were transported to Via Christi in Pittsburg.

The KHP reported Lakey was not wearing a seat belt.

TOPEKA, KAN. – Three people were indicted Wednesday on federal charges of kidnapping and killing a Junction City woman, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said. Grissom said his office is prosecuting the case jointly with the Geary County Attorney in federal court.

The body of Amanda Clemons, 24, of Junction City, was found in February 2014 in Geary County, Kan.

Charged with one count of kidnapping resulting in death are:

Larry L. Anderson, 26, who is being held in the Geary County Jail.

Marryssa M. Middleton, 23, who is being held in the Geary County Jail.

Drexel A. Woody, 24, who is being held in the Geary County Jail.

The indictment alleges that on Feb. 7, 2014, the defendants kidnapped the victim and held her on the Fort Riley military installation. While they were holding her they killed her.

If convicted, they face a maximum penalty of life in federal prison without parole. The Junction City Police Department, the Grandview Plaza Police Department, the Geary County Sheriff’s Office, the Riley County Police Department, the Fort Riley Criminal Investigation Division and the FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tony Mattivi and Geary County Attorney Steven Opat are prosecuting.

MANHATTAN – On Tuesday at approximately 2:10 AM officers with the Riley County Police Department reported in a media release they were dispatched to a shooting outside of Ogden, Kansas. This incident claimed the life of 27-year-old Casey Lindley, of Ogden.

Detectives began an early search for a person of interest and after further investigation announced this person to be a suspect in the death investigation. The Riley County Police Department obtained an arrest warrant listing the offense of voluntary manslaughter early afternoon on Wednesday. Police officials continue to believe the shooting to be an isolated event, however, the suspect is to be considered armed and potentially dangerous.

The Riley County Police Department is looking for information on the whereabouts of Tierre Wall, 26, of Fort Riley, Kansas. Wall stands approximately 5 feet 3 inches and weighs approximately 130 pounds. He has black hair and brown eyes and could be driving a 2002 GMC truck with Kansas license plates.

Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Tierre Wall are encouraged to contact RCPD or the Manhattan Riley County Crime Stoppers. Do not approach or attempt to apprehend this subject.

By using the Crime Stoppers service tipsters can remain anonymous and could qualify for a cash reward of up to $1,000.00. The Manhattan Riley County Crime Stoppers can be reached by phone at 785-539-7777 or online at www.ManhattanRileyCountyCrimeStoppers.com. Android and iPhone users can also download the free “TipSubmit Mobile” app and send crime tips directly from their phone.

MICHAEL LIEDTKE, AP Technology Writer

 

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NEW YORK (AP) — Apple’s iTunes and app stores are suffering outages for all users on Wednesday.

A system status notification page showed the iTunes store, iBooks Store Mac App store and App store services were offline as of 11 a.m. E.T. The problems appear to have begun early Wednesday morning.

The cause of the problems is unclear. Apple did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

They come after Apple announced Monday new details about its Apple Watch and MacBook products.

DETROIT (AP) — Toyota is recalling 112,500 cars and SUVs to fix problems with electric power steering controls and electric vehicle software.

The largest of two recalls announced Wednesday covers about 110,000 2015 Camry midsize sedans and Highlander SUVs, as well as 2014 and 2015 RAV4 SUVs.

Toyota says a circuit board in the electric power steering may have been damaged at the factory. Power-assisted steering could fail, increasing the effort needed to steer and raising the risk of a crash.

Dealers will inspect and replace power steering controls if needed.

The other recall covers 2,500 RAV4 electric vehicles from 2012 through 2014. Software in a motor assembly can make the vehicles shift into neutral on their own. Dealers will fix the motor assembly.

Toyota says it knows of no crashes or injuries in either case.