JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – Missouri voters have approved medical marijuana, but it remains unclear whether thousands of welfare recipients will lose benefits if they opt for it.

The Missouri Department of Social Services told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that the question remains under review, and offered no timeline for a decision.

Voters this month overwhelmingly approved Amendment 2, legalizing marijuana and marijuana-infused products to help patients who suffer from several serious illnesses.

A 2011 law resulted in a program to screen Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program applicants for drug use. The program provides cash benefits to about 25,000 recipients monthly.

Recipients are asked about drug use and some take drug tests. Those who fail to show up for the test or do not complete it are ineligible for benefits for three years.

TOPEKA — Gov.-elect Laura Kelly says she will not follow former Gov. Sam Brownback’s method of selecting appellate court judges.

Kelly will need to appoint a new Kansas Court of Appeals judge soon after she takes office in January because Judge Patrick McAnany is retiring.

According to a media release from her transition team, Kelly will have a nonpartisan nominating committee filter the applications and send her a list of three candidates.

That is similar to the procedure used before Brownback changed it to allow him to make judicial appointments directly, subject to Senate confirmation.

Kelly said in a statement Wednesday that she will use the merit-based process similar to that used for Kansas Supreme Court appointments. She said she believes that makes the process more transparent for the public.

Firearms deer season is open in Kansas. On Thursday, Game Wardens with the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks used social media to alert hunters to the danger of placing a tree stand on a power poll.

 

 

BOSTON (AP) – The Transportation Security Administration says smoke pouring from a suitcase caused a temporary disruption at Boston’s Logan International Airport over the holiday weekend.

The agency in a statement Wednesday said the checked baggage screening area was evacuated for 49 minutes on Saturday morning to allow authorities, including the state police bomb squad, to investigate.

When @TSA comes across a smoking suitcase, it’s always suspicious. This checked bag resulted in the evacuation of the checked baggage screening room at ⁦@BostonLogan⁩ until officials could ensure that it was safe. What caused the scare? An e-cigarette’s lithium battery. pic.twitter.com/taptFJRqqS

— TSAmedia_LisaF (@TSAmedia_LisaF) November 28, 2018

The cause was determined to be a lithium battery in an e-cigarette that ignited.

The passenger, who was heading to Kansas City International Airport, was contacted by authorities and his flight was delayed until the situation was resolved. His name wasn’t released.

The TSA screened nearly 57,000 passengers plus their checked and carry-on bags that day.

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal officer involved shooting and aggravated battery to a law enforcement officer and continue to ask the public for help to locate one of two women wanted for questioning.

Master and Chelsee Ann Retana, 26, were last seen running southbound from a silver SUV from NE Grant and NE Madison following the fatal-shooting and aggravated battery of two law enforcement officers, according to Lt. Andrew Beightel.

Just after 10:45a.m. Tuesday, a police officer witnessed a maroon passenger vehicle stalled out in the intersection of NE Grant and NE Monroe in Topeka, according to Beightel. The Officer went to make contact with the occupants of the vehicle.

At that time, a Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper responded to the area, because a Trooper attempted to stop that vehicle earlier in the morning, but the driver of the vehicle later identified as Jarmane Dyane Logan, 35, Topeka,  fled and evaded the Trooper.

As the Trooper and Officer were speaking to the occupants of the vehicle, a silver SUV approached them at a high rate of speed, almost striking them.

The occupants of the maroon passenger car attempted to flee and get into the SUV.

As the Trooper and Officer tried to intervene, the Trooper and Officer were dragged by the SUV. The trooper shot and injured the Logan.  He was transported to a local hospital by ambulance and died, according to Beightel.

Retana is described as a white female 5-foot-8, 175 lbs., last seen wearing a brown heavy coat.

Masparo has seven previous convictions that include forgery, theft and burglary, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Retina has previous convictions for fleeing or attempt to elude a law enforcement officer, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Anyone with information on the women or regarding this crime is encouraged to contact police.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A Missouri man who was arrested following a street shootout in a residential neighborhood pleaded guilty in federal court Tuesday to illegally possessing a firearm, according to the United States Attorney.

Richard Sterling Jones, 25, pleaded guilty before U.S. Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr., to being a drug user in possession of a firearm.

According to today’s plea agreement, Columbia police officers were dispatched to the 4600 block of Rice Road at approximately 10:19 p.m. on June 24, 2018, in response to shots fired. When the officers arrived, they located numerous 9mm and .223-caliber spent shell casings along Rice Road. Officers spoke to numerous residents along Rice Road, who reported their residences and vehicles had been struck by gunfire.

Witnesses told police officers they saw a silver Pontiac Grand Prix, which they believed was involved in the shooting, quickly leave the area. Officers located Jones, who was sitting in a silver Grand Prix, shortly afterward, and he was detained. Officers searched his vehicle and found a bag of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

Jones admitted that he fired several rounds from his AR-15 style rifle into the air in front of a residence on Rice Road. Jones drove to another residence and hid the firearm under a mattress in one of the bedrooms. Jones also admitted to using and selling marijuana. Officers executed a search warrant at the residence and found a loaded SOTA Arms multi-caliber rifle where Jones had hidden it.

Under federal statutes, Jones is subject to a sentence of up to 10 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

WASHINGTON COUNTY— Authorities are looking for a deer poacher who illegally hunted a deer, taking the head and leaving the meat to waste on Thanksgiving morning.

According to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Game Wardens, the deer was poached in Washington County, between the towns of Hanover and Hollenberg. Thhe poacher likely showed the antlers to others and might take the taxidermist for a European mount.

Game wardens previously said two other deer were illegally killed by poachers on Thanksgiving morning.

WICHITA— Keller Williams Hometown Partners, LLC, Associate Broker in Wichita, Stephanie McCurdy, and her clients will be in a House Hunters episode that was filmed in Wichita.

The episode, “High Flying in Wichita,” premieres on HGTV Thursday night at 9 and again on Friday morning, according to the network’s website.

The episode features clients Alex Novotny and Christopher Roberson in their search for a Wichita home.

According to HGTV, Season 154 — Episode 3, features “Two acrobat enthusiasts [who] bring their high-flying antics to their house hunt in Kansas. While they both want a big yard to set up their circus ring, one wants a modern house with a media room and the other is more focused on proximity to Mexican restaurants.”

“Filming for HGTV’s House Hunters was such a unique experience. It was incredibly difficult to not reveal to colleagues, friends and family, the outcome of Alex and Christopher’s house purchase,” Stephanie McCurdy said. “We had a great time filming our episode while viewing houses together, it was sad when the filming wrapped.”

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A 39-year-old Lawrence man who molested a girl with mental disabilities was sentenced to just over 10 years in prison.

Steven Capps was sentenced Wednesday after previously pleading no contest to two counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child. The girl was 14 when the abuse occurred.

Capps must register as a sex offender and be supervised for the rest of his life after he’s released from prison.

Prosecutor Mark Simpson said the victim’s family supported the plea agreement, in part because it kept the girl from having to testify.

Capps was arrested in July after another adult caught him in a room with the girl and called police.

Capps did not make a statement in court.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – Republican Sen.-Elect Josh Hawley says he’ll reintroduce a duck boat safety bill that his campaign rival Sen. Claire McCaskill proposed after a duck boat sank in July, killing 17 people.

Hawley on Wednesday said he’ll bring the legislation up again after he assumes office in January.

McCaskill pushed to enshrine into federal law recommendations to improve safety of the amphibious vehicles after the duck boat capsized on Table Rock Lake in Missouri.

Her bill would require the vehicles to comply with U.S. Coast Guard regulations aimed at ensuring they stay afloat.

Hawley unseated the Democratic senator this month. He says McCaskill was right to try to codify federal safety recommendations.

As Missouri’s attorney general, Hawley is suing the duck boat company.