(AP) – Three Kansas City area men have been convicted of charges stemming from a conspiracy to steal about $1 million worth of trucks and their cargo.
The office of the U.S. Attorney for western Missouri says in a release that 43-year-old Kenneth Ray Borders, 56-year-old Jon Dirk Dickerson, and his son, 31-year-old Kyle Wayne Dickerson were found guilty Friday of several charges, including aiding and abetting the possession of stolen goods.
They were accused of stealing commercial trucks and trailers and their cargo in Missouri, Kansas, Florida, Arkansas, Oklahoma and Nebraska. Prosecutors said they used the stolen trucks and trailers to make money by hauling loads for customers, and by selling some of the stolen trucks and their loads.
Prosecutors say the conspiracy involved thefts from 2005 to 2011.
– U.S. Senator Roy Blunt (Mo.) praised the U.S. House of Representatives passage of the “Stop Targeting of Political Beliefs by the IRS Act” (H.R. 3865), which was introduced by U.S. Representative Dave Camp (Mich.). Blunt co-sponsored the Senate companion bill, which was introduced by U.S. Senators Jeff Flake (Ariz.) and Pat Roberts (Kan.) and is co-sponsored by 39 additional Senators.
The bill would protect the free-speech rights of 501(c)(4) organizations by prohibiting for one year the finalization of a proposed Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regulation that would significantly limit the advocacy and educational activities of these groups. The bill would also prevent additional targeting of 501(c)(4) organizations by restoring the IRS 501(c)(4) standards and definitions that were in place before the start of the agency’s targeting of conservative groups in 2010.
“People in Missouri and across the country are rightly concerned about government overreach and political targeting that we’ve witnessed under this administration,” Blunt said. “I’m pleased the House has passed this common-sense bill, and I will continue fighting for more transparency and accountability in Washington.”
(AP) — A 46-year-old western Missouri man faces several charges after authorities found a hidden camera in his neighbor’s home.
Gerald L. Campos was charged Friday in Cass County with burglary, invasion of privacy, operating a meth lab, child endangerment, unlawful possession of a firearm and possession of child pornography.
A neighbor told authorities they found a camera in their attic that was connected to a cord leading to the duplex unit next door. When police searched the area they also found a rifle, child pornography and a meth lab.
An arraignment for Campos, who’s being held on $100,000 bond, is set for March 6.
Online court documents don’t list a lawyer for Campos.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama is warning Russia there will be costs if Russia intervenes militarily in Ukraine.
Obama says the U.S. is deeply concerned by reports of military movements by Russia inside Ukraine.
He says any violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity would be destabilizing. He says it would violate Russia’s commitment to respect Ukraine’s borders and would invite global condemnation.
Obama says the U.S. stands with the world community to affirm there will be costs for an intervention.
Nixon presents the Legion of Honor to John Sullivan, a MO WWII Veteran
Jefferson City, MO -In a ceremony Friday in his Capitol office, Gov. Jay Nixon presented a mid-Missouri veteran of World War II with the Legion of Honor medal, the highest award bestowed by the French government for service to that country. John Sullivan, of Jefferson City, received the award for distinguishing himself during the liberation of France.
“The soldiers and airmen who fought in France and in the skies above saw many of their comrades fall, and they knew each day could be their last,” Gov. Nixon said. “But they pushed on, liberating millions of people across Western Europe from the yoke of Nazi tyranny. The memories of World War II are now 70 years distant. But we need to continue to pay honor to those who wore our nation’s uniform in that war, and in every war. All Missouri takes pride in the accomplishments of Mr. Sullivan and his fellow veterans, and I commend him on receiving this great honor from the people of France.”
Sullivan enlisted in the Army Air Corps in May 1942, less than a year after graduating from Jefferson City High School. Trained at the bombardier and navigation school, he was commissioned as a second lieutenant and assigned to the crew of a B-24 Liberator. Sullivan and the other members of his crew flew 35 missions over Nazi-occupied Europe without losing a single man, despite enduring flak and small arms fire from the enemy. Many of the comrades were shot down.
After returning to the United States, Sullivan continued to serve his country as an office in the Air Force Reserve before retiring as a major in 1965. For his heroism during the war, Sullivan had already been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
GOLDEN CITY, Mo. (AP) — The suspect in the kidnapping and killing of a 12-year-old southwest Missouri girl is seeking a change of venue or a jury imported from another county for his trial.
An attorney for 34-year-old Bobby Bourne Jr., of Lockwood, filed an application for a change of venue Wednesday in Barton County. If the case is not moved, Bourne is asking that a jury be brought in from a different county.
Bourne has pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder, statutory rape and child kidnapping in the August death of Adriaunna Horton, of Golden City. Prosecutors say she was kidnapped from a park and raped and killed on a farm near Golden City.
The Carthage Press reports that the motion cites extensive publicity about the case.
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas City, Kan., woman was sentenced to nearly 10 years in prison for trying to drown her two daughters in a bathtub.
Twenty-four-year-old Johnna Green was sentenced Friday for two counts of attempted second-degree murder. She was given 59 months on each charge, with the sentences to run consecutively.
She initially was charged with two counts of attempted first-degree murder after she tried to drown her 1- and 4-year-old girls last April. She pleaded guilty to lesser charges in a plea agreement.
The Kansas City Star reports Green called police to the house, saying “I just killed my kids.” She told investigators she had “perceived” that the girls were “having difficulty with concentrating” and she wanted to prevent that problem.
Manhattan—Kansas State University President Kirk Schulz announced today that the Jack Vanier family has made a gift of $60 million — the largest private donation in the history of K-State. The gift provides $40 million to benefit students, faculty, programs and facilities on both the Manhattan and Salina campuses, and $20 million for Phase III of the Bill Snyder Family Stadium master plan.
“The entire K-State family joins me in thanking Jack and Donna, and their children — Marty, John and Mary — for this transformational gift that will benefit the students of Kansas State for generations to come,” Schulz said. “This is a historic day in our progress toward our K-State 2025 vision of moving Kansas State University into the ranks of the Top 50 public research universities in the U.S.”
“Kansas State has always been a very important part of our lives,” the Vanier family said. “We feel very fortunate and are honored to be able to make this gift to the university. More importantly, we are thrilled to see so many other K-Staters from across the country investing in the lives of young people in Manhattan and Salina. The confidence we have in President Schulz and his leadership team, and the transparency with which they guide the university made the decision to make this gift an easy one. Our hope is that this will inspire others to make their investments in this great university.”
On K-State’s Manhattan and Salina campuses, the gift provides $40 million for students, faculty, programs and facilities.
(AP) – A federal judge has ruled that the city of Moberly and its industrial development authority are not responsible for bonds involved in a failed artificial sweetener plant project.
Moberly and the agency issued $39 million in bonds in July 2010 to finance construction of a Mamtek plant, which was expected to create 600 jobs. The project never materialized.
U.S. District Judge Nanette Laughrey ruled Monday that the city legally issued the bonds. She said that governments can’t be sued for legal official acts, which prevents investment banker Morgan Keegan from arguing that the city was liable for the losses. Keegan sold the bonds issued by Moberly.
The Columbia Daily Tribune reports Keegan’s attorney, Chuck Hatfield, says his clients haven’t decided whether to appeal the ruling.
Approximate location of Friday morning crash near Hamilton, Mo
A Missouri man was injured in a Friday morning rollover crash in Caldwell County.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol reports a 2005 Ford F 150 driven by Matthew D. Brackin, 27, of Kingston, was westbound on NE Independence Drive 1 mile southeast of Hamilton at 5:28 a.m. The truck traveled off the south side of the road, overturned, and came to rest on the passenger side facing south.
Brackin was taken by Lifeflight to the hospital in Liberty with serious injuries.
(AP) – Three Kansas City area men have been convicted of charges stemming from a conspiracy to steal about $1 million worth of trucks and their cargo.
