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Missing Missouri woman’s body found in Table Rock Lake

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CASSVILLE, Mo. (AP) — Authorities say a missing woman’s body has been found in Table Rock Lake.

Angelia Burns -photo Barry Co. Sheriff

Angelia Burns had been missing for almost a month when her body was found Sunday. The area where the discovery was made is less than a half mile from where her cell phone and some money were found on the shore on Feb. 10.

Authorities in Barry County say Burns was last seen leaving her house in the Golden area. The Missouri State Highway Patrol had been helping the Barry County Sheriff’s Office with the investigation of her disappearance. An autopsy was done on Monday, but preliminary results showed no signs of foul play.

Police in Manhattan issue public safety alert due to heroin, fentanyl overdoses

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RILEY COUNTY —In the past week the Riley County Police Department has responded to three reports of apparent drug overdoses.

fentanyl -photo DEA

According to a media release from the RCPD, the investigations suggest that some of these incidents may have been related to the use of heroin containing fentanyl, an extremely strong synthetic opioid. One of these incidents involved a fatality and two other persons were hospitalized.

The use of illegal narcotics regularly produces negative consequences, but in the case of heroin containing fentanyl, the consequences can be deadly. The Riley County Police Department believes that the aforementioned incidents represent a significant public health risk to some members of the community and requests the public’s assistance in responding to this risk. For these reasons the RCPD is issuing this public safety announcement.
If you have any information about the sale, possession, or use of these dangerous drugs please call the Riley County Police Department at 785-537-2112 or in an emergency 911. You can also anonymously provide information through the Manhattan-Riley County Crime Stoppers program at www.p3tips/353 or 785-539-7777.

Federal Agencies Release Framework for Advancing the Bioeconomy

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The federal government Tuesday unveiled a multi-agency strategy called the Bioeconomy Initiative: Implementation Framework. The strategy seeks to accelerate innovative technologies that harness the nation’s biomass resources for affordable biofuels, bioproducts, and biopower.

The Biomass Research and Development Board announced the plan that is co-chaired by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the U.S. Department of Energy. USDA Deputy Under Secretary Scott Hutchins says the bioeconomy “presents an opportunity to expand and enable new agriculture and forest markets while also improving sustainability.”

The framework outlines an approach for implementing the Initiative and lays out activities to address technology uncertainty, leverage government, academic, and industrial resources and capabilities, stimulate public-private partnerships, and generate technical information that can inform decision-makers and policymakers.

The board includes officials from USDA, the Transportation, Energy, Interior and Defense departments, along with the Environmental Protection Agency, the National Science Foundation, and the Office of Science and Technology Policy within the Executive Office of the President.

Judge orders Kansas to repay $48 million to businessman

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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A judge has ordered Kansas to pay $48 million to settle a long-running legal fight with former pizza magnate Gene Bicknell.

Bicknell once owned the most Pizza Hut franchises in the nation. His legal fight with Kansas centered on whether the Pittsburg native lived in Kansas or in Florida when he sold his company, NPC International, in 2006.

Kansas’ revenue department issued a $42.5 million income tax assessment against him, saying he lived in the state. Bicknell paid the assessment, but he argued his official home was in Florida and sued the state of Kansas.

On Tuesday, District Court Senior Judge Richard Smith ordered Kansas to return $48 million to Bicknell.

A spokeswoman for Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly says her administration is reviewing the decision.

1 dead after single-engine plane crash in Missouri

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SUMMERSVILLE, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri Highway Patrol says a fatal single-engine plane has crashed in southern Missouri.

Patrol Sgt. Jeff Kinder says the plane went down Wednesday morning north of Summersville in Texas County.

Kinder says the only person on board the plane has died.

No further information was immediately available.

Year-round E15 Rulemaking Moves Forward

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The Environmental Protection Agency this week sent a draft rule to allow for year-round sales of E15 to the White House Office of Management and Budget for review. This is the next step in the regulatory process and meeting expectations that the rulemaking can be completed when the summer driving season begins June first.

In a statement, National Corn Growers Association President Lynn Chrisp says the association is pleased to see the process move forward, adding “a timely rule is important for the summer driving season but it’s also important that the rule is done right.” Chrisp says NCGA will be providing OMB with input to help ensure a strong, clear rule for E15. Following the review and interagency approval, EPA will issue a proposed rule for public comment.

There was confusion last week on whether the rule could be completed on time. At Commodity Classic, Agriculture Secretary Sonny Perdue told reporters EPA has found a way to make it work, adding he would encourage EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler to “signal out to the industry that it will be done.”

Survey: Producers Less Optimistic Regarding Farm Economy

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The Purdue University/CME Group Ag Economy Barometer weakened in February as producers became less optimistic about current economic conditions and the commodity price outlook. The barometer, which is based on a survey of 400 U.S. agricultural producers, declined seven points to a reading of 136, down from 143 in January.

A rating below 100 is negative, while a rating above 100 still indicates overall positive sentiment regarding the agriculture industry. Weaker expectations for the future and, especially, a decline of producers’ perception of current conditions combined to drive the barometer lower. The Index of Current Conditions saw the biggest drop, down from 132 to 119, while the Index of Future Expectations weakened slightly, down from 148 to 145.

Additionally, when producers were asked whether they have plans to grow or increase the size of their current operation in 2019, 50 percent of respondents said that they either “have no plans to grow” or “plan to reduce in size,” compared to 39 percent in 2018.

ACLU: Deal reached in Kan. high school students free speech lawsuit

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OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — A civil rights group says it has struck a settlement deal with the Shawnee Mission School District in a federal lawsuit alleging violations of the free speech and press rights of students.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas announced Tuesday in a news release that the school district will adopt new policies to ensure future students will not have their free speech rights violated at school.

Shawnee Mission North junior Grace Altenhofen says she saw an associate principal take a camera from a student’s hand at their walkout. Altenhofen and others are at the center of an ACLU lawsuit against the district.
photo by ANDREA TUDHOPE

It says the parties have agreed not to release settlement details until after the court approves it.

The legal dispute stems from a nationwide walkout last year protesting gun violence. The lawsuit accuses the school district of suppressing students’ political speech.

It alleged administrators ended student anti-gun violence rallies, confiscated the cameras of student journalists covering it, and punished some participating students.

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By ANDREA TUDHOPE

The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas is suing the Shawnee Mission School District for allegedly violating students’ free speech rights.

Students complained in April after administrators in several schools allegedly censored students during the nationwide walkouts protesting gun violence. Among other incidents, students said a Hocker Grove principal  pushed a student for mentioning school shootings in a speech and an administrator at Shawnee Mission North confiscated a student journalist’s camera.

After the district vowed to address the issue, the ACLU of Kansas rescinded its threat to sue.

At a SMSD board meeting in May, interim Superintendent Kenny Southwick provided an update on his investigation into the matter. He said he’d been conducting one-on-one interviews with students and parents and promised to bring First Amendment training to the summer administrator retreat.

“Our understanding was that their investigation would lead to a corrective action plan, an acknowledgement that rights were violated, and, if appropriate, discipline for certain staff and employees,” said Lauren Bonds, legal director for the ACLU of Kansas.

Bonds said what happened instead is concerning. According to her clients, she said Southwick has used one-on-one meetings to “retroactively justify some of the actions and conduct at the walkout.”

Furthermore, Bonds said, Southwick has allegedly taken a position on behalf of the district that students’ rights under the First Amendment and the Kansas Student Publications Act were not violated.

“I don’t see a lot of value in administrator training if they’re going to say everything they did was in accord with the constitution,” Bonds said.

Bonds said she’s not surprised by how the matter has been handled.

“We have raised a number of First Amendment concerns — whether on behalf of employees, parents — with the district that have been largely ignored or dismissed,” Bonds told KCUR.

The lawsuit filed Thursday aims to ensure that in the future, students will be allowed their rights to free speech and free press without risk of retaliation or discipline. It also seeks money damages from the district.

In a written statement, district spokesperson Shawna Samuel said though the district cannot comment on pending legal matters, SMSD “has been and continues to be in communication with the ACLU, who is representing the three students, about its concerns regarding student speech.” And, that it has “successfully resolved most parent and student concerns.”

Andrea Tudhope is a reporter for KCUR in conjunction with the Kansas News Service. Follow her on Twitter @_tudhope.

 
 

1 suspect in NE Kansas triple murder pleads to misdemeanor

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LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — One of three Kansas men charged in a triple homicide in Lawrence is free after pleading to a misdemeanor.

Dominque McMillon from an earlier arrest in Shawnee Co.

Defense attorney J.C. Gilroy said 20-year-old Dominque McMillon pleaded no contest Tuesday to misdemeanor battery. He was freed from jail because he was sentenced to less time than he’s already served in the case. A felony charge of aggravated assault was dropped as part of the plea deal.

McMillon started a fistfight that escalated into gunfire in downtown Lawrence in October 2017, killing three and injuring two.

Douglas County District Attorney said in a news release that resolving Gilroy’s case allows the state to concentrate on the two remaining and more serious cases.

The two other suspects are jailed on $1 million bond each while awaiting trial.

New leader named for Missouri State Highway Patrol

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JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The acting leader of the Missouri State Highway Patrol is about to take over the job permanently.

The Jefferson City News-Tribune reports that Gov. Mike Parson announced Tuesday that he was naming Col. Eric Olson as the patrol’s next superintendent, subject to the Missouri Senate’s confirmation. He’s been acting superintendent since Sept. 1, when the previous patrol head — Sandra Karsten — was named director of the state’s Public Safety Department.

Olson grew up in Chillicothe and began serving with the patrol in 1990 after earning a bachelor’s degree in psychology from William Jewell College in Liberty. He has served as director of the Division of Drug & Crime Control and as commander of the Criminal Investigation Bureau at the patrol’s general headquarters in Jefferson City.

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