TOPEKA, KAN. – A Junction City man was sentenced Monday to 63 months in prison on a federal child pornography charge, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said.

Scott Deppish, 43, Junction City, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of accessing child pornography with intent to view. In his plea, he admitted that that on Feb. 12, 2013, investigators served a search warrant and seized his desktop computer and two lose hard drives. They found images depicting prepubescent children engaged in sexual conduct. They also found images of a known victim in what is referred to as the “Abby” series, which were taken in the state of Idaho. They depict a very young prepubescent female engaged in sexual conduct with an adult male.

Grissom commended the Junction City Police Department, Homeland Security Investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Christine Kenney for their work on the case.

The Office of Kansas Governor

Today, Governor Sam Brownback issued the following statement in response to a media release announcing the Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence will file a lawsuit challenging the Kansas “Second Amendment Protection Act” which the Governor signed into law in April 2013.

“As I have said previously, the right to keep and bear arms is a right that Kansans hold dear. It is a right enshrined not only in the Second Amendment to the United States Constitution, but also protected by the Kansas Bill of Rights. The people of Kansas have repeatedly and overwhelmingly reaffirmed their commitment to protecting this fundamental right.  The people of Kansas are likewise committed to defending the sovereignty of the State of Kansas as guaranteed in the Ninth and Tenth Amendments to the United States Constitution.

“The Obama administration attacked this legislation when I signed it more than one year ago. It now appears that they have found some Washington DC lawyers to do their bidding. We will vigorously defend the rights of Kansans in this litigation.”

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis is promising to hold bishops accountable for the protection of minors. The pledge came as the pope celebrated a Mass with six victims of clergy sex abuse, and begged for their forgiveness.

In his homily, the pope didn’t spell out just how he would hold bishops accountable — and whether that would include firing bishops and other church leaders who systematically moved pedophile priests from parish to parish to avoid bringing shame upon the Catholic Church.

One of the six people who met with Francis today — Marie Kane of Ireland — says she asked him to remove an Irish cardinal, Sean Brady, from his post because of how he handled allegations of abuse. The Irish Times quotes her as saying she told the pontiff a “cover-up is still happening, and you have the power to make these changes.” She says he replied that it’s difficult to make the changes.

Even as the pope spent his morning with the three men and three women who’d been abused by priests, other abuse survivors who weren’t at the meeting were critical, with one calling the meeting “a PR event.” They said the meeting would probably not advance their complaints that the Vatican has failed to punish church officials who covered up the abuse of minors.

JEFFERSON CITY (AP) – The former president of the Missouri AFL-CIO has joined the labor department in Gov. Jay Nixon’s administration.

A department spokesman says Hugh McVey has been hired as a liaison and coordinator for the Division of Employment Security. He is to work with local communities to address their workforce needs, lead “rapid response” meetings for workers who have been laid off and serve as a liaison to the U.S. Department of Labor.

McVey retired last week after 17 years as president of the Missouri AFL-CIO.

The labor organization chose Mike Louis as its new president. Jake Hummel, a St. Louis Democrat who is the minority leader of the Missouri House, was chosen as the secretary-treasurer for the union.

Missouri State Highway Patrol

Six people died in traffic crashes, three people died in boating crashes, and three people drowned during the 2014 July Fourth holiday counting period. The counting period began at 6 p.m., Thursday, July 3, 2014, and ended at 11:59 p.m., Sunday, July 6, 2014. The Missouri State Highway Patrol worked 263 traffic crashes in which six people died and 121 were injured. Troopers arrested 142 people for driving while intoxicated. Troopers investigated 26 boating crashes which included three fatalities and 17 injuries, and arrested 13 for boating while intoxicated.

Last year, troopers worked 358 traffic crashes in which 157 were injured. There were 19 traffic fatalities during the 2013 July Fourth holiday. Troopers arrested 199 people for driving while intoxicated in 2013. Boating statistics for the 2013 July Fourth holiday included 19 boating crashes,1 fatality, 13 injuries, three drownings, and 17 arrests for boating while intoxicated.

Of the six traffic crash fatalities investigated by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, three occurred in the Troop A, Lee’s Summit, area; two occurred in the Troop C, Weldon Spring, area; and one occurred in the Troop H, St. Joseph, area.

Two traffic fatalities occurred on Thursday, July 3, 2014. Larry L. Berry, 65, of Hume, MO, died when an oncoming vehicle crossed the center line and struck the vehicle he was driving. A passenger in Berry’s vehicle sustained minor injuries in the crash. Both Berry and the passenger were wearing a seat belt. The driver of the other vehicle sustained serious injuries; he was not wearing a seat belt. The crash occurred in Bates County, on Missouri Route A, south of SW County Road 14267. Dr. Mark Enyart pronounced Berry dead at Mercy Hospital in Fort Scott, KS. Bates County Sheriff’s Department, Bates County EMS, Rich Hill Fire Department, Hume First Responders, and Life Flight Eagle 2 responded to the scene.

Andrew J. Mathews, 39, of Plattsburg, MO, died when the ATV he was driving traveled off the east side of the roadway. Mathews was ejected in the crash. Both Mathews and the vehicle came to rest off the roadway. Mathews was not wearing a helmet at the time of the crash. The crash occurred in Clinton County on Missouri Route Y in the city limits of Plattsburg, MO. Clinton County Coroner Kathy Little pronounced Mathews dead at the scene. Plattsburg Police Department responded to the scene.

One traffic fatality occurred on July 4, 2014. Thomas S. Dmytryk, 62, of Wentzville, MO, died when he attempted to cross the westbound lanes of Wentzville Parkway and was struck by a vehicle. The crash occurred in St. Charles County on Wentzville Parkway east of Meyer Road in a section of roadway that was not marked as a pedestrian crossing. Dr. Kopp pronounced Dmytryk dead at St. Joseph Health Center. The driver of the vehicle was not injured.

One boating fatality occurred on July 4, 2014. Justin A. Byrd, 30, of Englewood, CO, died after falling off his vessel and into the water. His vessel was anchored with numerous other boats at the time of the incident, which occurred at the four mile-marker of the Grand Glaise Arm at Anderson Hollow Cove at the Lake Of The Ozarks. He was missing for approximately five minutes before others realized it. Byrd was not wearing a life jacket at the time of the incident.

Two drownings occurred on July 4, 2014. Joshua A. Washington, 18, of Republic, MO, attempted to assist other subjects in the water and did not resurface. Washington was not wearing a life jacket. The drowning occurred in Stone County at Point 12 of Table Rock Lake. Stone County Assistant Coroner John Cunningham pronounced Washington dead at the scene.

Gary K. Gilbert, 81, of Cape Girardeau, MO, drowned when he was wading across the Castor River and lost his balance. His body was located in a root wad. Gilbert was not wearing a life jacket. Wayne County Sheriff Dean Finch pronounced Gilbert dead at the scene. The drowning occurred in Wayne County on the Castor River five miles south of Missouri Highway 34 at a private residence.

Two traffic fatalities occurred on July 5, 2014. Mark F. Harken, 20, of Prairie Village, KS, and Clayton W. Miller, 18, of Kansas City, MO, died when Harken lost control of the vehicle he was driving. The vehicle traveled off the left side of the roadway, struck a group of trees, and overturned before coming to rest on its top. The crash occurred in Benton County on County Road SE 1301 south of Missouri Highway 7. In the vehicle with Harken and Miller were four additional passengers. All four sustained serious injuries; one of the four was ejected. It is unknown whether or not Harken or Miller were wearing a seat belt at the time of the crash. One of the passengers was wearing a seat belt; one passenger was not wearing a seat belt. It is unknown whether or not the remaining two passengers were wearing a seat belt.

Two boating fatalities occurred on July 5, 2014. Larry L. Hennier, 48, of Rich Fountain, MO, and Mary C. Talken, 25, of Jefferson City, MO, died when the boat in which they were passengers was traveling through a narrow passage on the Gasconade River and struck a second boat nearly head on. Dr. J. Blackburn pronounced Talken dead at Capital Region Hospital. Dr. P. Hu pronounced Hennier dead at University Hospital. Neither of the two drivers and none of the four passengers in one of the boats were wearing a life jacket at the time of the crash. One driver and one passenger sustained serious injuries; one driver and one passenger sustained minor injuries. The crash occurred in Osage County one mile downstream from The Paradise Lane on the Gasconade River.

One person drowned on July 5, 2014. Wayne E. Feeler, age unknown, of Rolla, MO, died when he attempted to retrieve a small boat that had drifted out of reach. Feeler disappeared beneath the surface and could not be located immediately. Feeler was not wearing a life jacket. The drowning occurred in Maries County on private property adjacent to Maries County Road 518. Maries County Coroner Leo Kloeppel pronounced Feeler dead at the scene.

One traffic fatality occurred on July 6, 2014. Franklin L. Whited, 73, of St. Clair, MO, died when the vehicle he was driving traveled off the right side of the roadway and struck a ditch. The vehicle overturned and came to rest upright. Whitehead was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected from the vehicle. The traffic crash occurred in Franklin County on Missouri Highway 47 north of College Road. Two passengers in the vehicle sustained serious injuries; both were wearing a seat belt. Emergency personnel pronounced Whited dead at the scene.

(AP) The Missouri Department of Transportation has released cost estimates for more than 800 projects that would be funded by a sales tax on the August ballot. Here’s a look at the 10 most costly projects:
1. Interstate 70. Reconstruct and widen I-70 to six lanes from Independence to Wentzville. Additional funding provided by future bonding capacity. $500 million.
2. Interstate 270. Improve I-270 between U.S. 67 (Lindbergh Boulevard) and Missouri 367 in the St. Louis area. $350 million.
3. Interstate 70. Improve I-70 between Natural Bridge and Hanley roads, including the Interstate 170 interchange, in the St. Louis area. $200 million.
4. U.S. 63. Construct a shared four-lane road on a new location from U.S. 50 to Maries County Road 209 south of Freeburg. $93 million.
5. U.S. 50. Add lanes to U.S. 50 from California to Tipton, add a new two-lane alternate route around Tipton, and add lanes to from Tipton to Morgan County. $91.5 million.
6. Missouri 100. Improve Manchester Road (Missouri 100) between Hanley Road and Lindbergh Boulevard in the St. Louis area. $85.5 million.
7. Interstate 435. Add lanes and improve bridges on I-435 from Kansas to Interstate 49 in the Kansas City area. $81.1 million.
8. Interstate 70. Add lanes to I-70 from Blue Ridge Cut Off to Interstate 470 in the Kansas City area. $75.1 million.
9. Interstate 44. Improve I-44 between I-270 and Missouri 141, including new bridges over the Meramec River and an added westbound lane in the St. Louis area. $74.8 million.
10. U.S. 169. Replace the U.S. 169 Broadway Bridge over the Missouri River in Kansas City. $73.8 million.

By JENNIFER TIDBALL
K-State News and Editorial Services

MANHATTAN — Want to be more productive and happier during the workday? Try taking a short break to text a friend, play “Angry Birds” or check Facebook on your smartphone, according to Kansas State University research.

In his latest research, Sooyeol Kim, doctoral student in psychological sciences, found that allowing employees to take smartphone microbreaks may be a benefit — rather than a disruption — for businesses. Microbreaks are nonworking-related behaviors during working hours

Through a study of 72 full-time workers from various industries, Kim discovered that employees only spend an average of 22 minutes out of an eight-hour workday playing on their smartphones. He also found that employees who take smartphone breaks throughout the day are happier at the end of the workday.

“A smartphone microbreak can be beneficial for both the employee and the organization,” Kim said. “For example, if I would play a game for an hour during my working hours, it would definitely hurt my work performance. But if I take short breaks of one or two minutes throughout the day, it could provide me with refreshment to do my job.”

To study smartphone usage, Kim and collaborators developed an application that the 72 study participants installed on their smartphones. The app privately and securely measured the employees’ smartphone usage during work hours. The app also divided the employees’ smartphone usage into categories such as entertainment, which included games such as “Angry Birds” or “Candy Crush,” or social media, which included Facebook and Twitter.

At the end of each workday, the participants recorded their perceived well-being.

“By interacting with friends or family members through a smartphone or by playing a short game, we found that employees can recover from some of their stress to refresh their minds and take a break,” Kim said.

Taking a break throughout the workday is important because it is difficult — and nearly impossible — for an employee to concentrate for eight straight hours a day without a break, Kim said. Smartphone microbreaks are similar to other microbreaks throughout the workday: chatting with coworkers, walking around the hallway or getting a cup of coffee. Such breaks are important because they can help employees cope with the demands of the workplace.

“These days, people struggle with a lot of different types of stressors, such as work demands, time scheduling, family issues or personal life issues,” Kim said. “We need to understand how we can help people recover and cope with stressors. Smartphones might help and that is really important not only for individuals, but for an organization, too.”

The smartphone research is part of Kim’s overall research that focuses on workplace microbreaks. His adviser is YoungAh Park, assistant professor of psychological sciences. Kim presented the research at the 29th annual Society for Industrial and Organizational Psychology Conference in May.

 

NEVADA, Mo. (AP) — The Vernon County sheriff says a mother and her two sons died in a double murder-suicide at a home near Nevada.

Sheriff Jason Mosher said Monday that 77-year-old Fay Besaw and her sons, Charles and Harold Besaw, died in the shootings about three miles south of Nevada. The brothers were in their 50s.

The Joplin Globe reports Charles Besaw, who lived at the home with his mother, apparently killed her and his brother, who was visiting from California, before killing himself. He says the shootings happened Thursday and the bodies weren’t found until Friday.

The sheriff says the family has asked his office not to release the likely motive for the shootings.

LANSING — Officials with the Lansing Correctional facility reported today an inmate is missing.

Ronald Emons, 52, Atchison, walked away from a work crew on Monday morning. He is described as 5 feet, 6 inches tall and weighs 110 pounds.

He was last seen wearing a light-colored T-shirt, jeans and black boots.

Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or (913) 727-3235.

A judge sentenced Emons in July 2011 to probation for attempted indecent liberties with a 14- to 16-year-old child. He has been sent to Lansing twice for violating the terms of his probation.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.