KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A northeast Kansas man has pleaded guilty to second-degree murder in the death of a woman whose car was hit by his vehicle during a police chase.

Christopher Stewart, of Kansas City, Kansas, was initially charged with first-degree murder for the Feb. 17 collision. The Wyandotte County district attorney’s office says he pleaded guilty to the reduced charge and to eluding a police officer on Friday.

Authorities said Stewart was fleeing from police when he ran a stop sign and collided with a car driven by 62-year-old Graciela Olivas, pushing it into a ditch. The Kansas City, Kansas, woman died later at a hospital.

Police had begun chasing Stewart’s vehicle after seeing him commit two traffic violations while leaving an area of the city known for drug activity.

 

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) – Springfield police say a 22-year-old man died when he was hit by a vehicle while riding his skateboard.

Police say Shane Clark-Tollefson of Springfield rode his skateboard into an intersection in front of a Lexus SUV Thursday evening and was hit by the car. He died a short time later at a Springfield hospital.

Police say the driver of the car, 41-year-old Michelle Grant of Morrisville, stopped at the scene and has been fully cooperating with the investigation.

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) – A Springfield police officer faces a misdemeanor assault charge after shooting a fleeing panhandler from behind.

Thirty-five-year-old Jason Shuck is charged with third-degree assault after the early May shooting near a Walmart Neighborhood Market. Greene County Prosecuting Attorney Dan Patterson announced the charge Thursday.

A probable cause statement shows that Springfield resident Eric Butts was standing outside the store with a cardboard sign saying he had lost his job and was “in need of help.” Police were called because Butts had an outstanding arrest warrant for failing to appear in court.

Shuck told investigators he instead meant to shoot Butts with a stun gun, but the probable cause statement notes that the officer had to reach across his body to draw a much lighter Taser attached to his left side.

 

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas farmers wrapping up this year’s wheat harvest probably don’t need another government report to tell them this isn’t a good year. But the latest forecast released by the Agriculture Department shows the toll from a widespread drought.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service on Friday reduced its estimate of the Kansas wheat crop to 235.2 million bushels.

That is down 26 percent from last year and would be the smallest crop since 1989. Average yields were 28 bushels an acre.

Growers are harvesting 8.4 million acres after abandoning about 900,000 planted acres.

Rains that plagued the state’s harvest came too late to help most of its drought-stricken wheat.

The agency estimated the natio

NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon is officially asking the Federal Aviation Administration for permission to use drones as part of its plan to deliver packages to customers in 30 minutes or less.

The online retailer created a media frenzy in December when it outlined a plan on CBS’ “60 Minutes” to deliver packages with self-guided aircrafts that seemed straight out of science fiction.

In a letter to the FAA dated Wednesday, Amazon said it is developing aerial vehicles as part of Amazon Prime Air. The aircraft can travel 50 miles per hour and carry loads of up to 5 pounds.

The FAA allows hobbyists and model aircraft makers to fly drones, but commercial use is banned. Amazon is asking for an exemption so it can test its drones in the U.S.

 

 

 

NORTH PLATTE, Neb. (AP) — Calls have gone out to glass and siding companies and insurance agents after a barrage of hail left a trail of broken windows, damaged houses and ravaged farm fields in parts of western and central Nebraska.

Hailstones as big as baseballs were reported in North Platte on Wednesday evening. The hail turned the ground around Lake Maloney into a sea of white.

Amy Sellers lives two miles northwest of Wellfleet, and she says her vehicles were damaged, a house window was broken and her siding took a beating.

But she told The North Platte Telegraph that she was “thankful it wasn’t any worse than it was.”

Heavy crop damage was reported in the Gibbon, Heartwell, North Loup and Ravenna areas.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The chairman of the House committee that controls spending says President Barack Obama’s $3.7 billion emergency request for the border crisis is too much money and the House won’t approve it.

Congressman Hal Rogers, chairman of the Appropriations Committee, says there are some immediate needs to be met with the crisis of tens of thousands of unaccompanied children arriving at the border from Central America.

But the Kentucky Republican says there’s not a need for the entire sum Obama is seeking, and that some of what the president is requesting is already being handled in Congress’ regular spending bills.

Rogers’ comments to reporters Friday underscore the challenges ahead as Obama pushes Congress to approve the money.

GRAIN VALLEY, Mo. (AP) — The checkered flag has been dropped on the Valley Speedway in the Kansas City suburb of Grain Valley.

After hearing more than four hours of testimony before a packed room, the Grain Valley Board of Aldermen voted early Friday to revoke the permit for the dirt track.

The board said track owner Dennis Shrout has violated terms of the permit, particularly by not addressing complaints about excessive noise. The board directed city staff to negotiate with Shrout for possible changes to reduce the noise level.

However, Shrout told KSHB-TV that he was unlikely to negotiate changes in the permit but he does plan to appeal the decision.

The dirt racing track will be allowed to continue operating until October, when its last race is scheduled.