12 years ago
A Wichita defense attorney says he doesn't see the need for a special session of the Kansas Legislature to consider rewriting the state's "Hard 50" sentencing law. Richard Ney was skeptical Thursday of Attorney General Derek Schmidt's request that Gov. Sam Brownback call such a special session. The law allows judges to sentence convicted murderers to serve ...

12 years ago
A federal judge has refused to lift a criminal contempt finding against a Kansas doctor who repeatedly interrupted her during a recent appearance on charges related to a $7 million Army fraud and bribery indictment. U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson on Thursday rejected a defense request to reconsider the judgment against 50-year-old Heidi Lynn Webster, of ...

12 years ago
A special session of the Kansas Legislature would cost from $35,000 to $40,000 a day, with lawmakers' pay making up the bulk of the expense. Legislative Administrative Services Jeff Russell provided the estimate Thursday following a request from Attorney General Derek Schmidt to Gov. Sam Brownback to call a special session by mid-September. Schmidt wants lawmakers to ...

12 years ago
Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt acknowledges that a quick rewriting of the state's "Hard 50" law may not allow the tough sentence in pending cases but argues legislators still should have a special session. Schmidt said Thursday that Kansas will be in a better legal position in pending cases if lawmakers don't wait until their next ...

12 years ago
Discount retailer Alco Stores Inc. has entered into an agreement to merge with private investment firm Argonne Capital Group LLC. Alco said in a news release Thursday that Atlanta-based Argonne will acquire all the outstanding share of Alco Stores' common stock for $14 per share in cash. The proposed transaction would total about $47 million. Alco's Board ...

12 years ago
The University of Kansas is asking the state for an additional $4.5 million for its medical school in Wichita. Kansas Chancellor Bernadette Gray-Little told the Board of Regents Wednesday the university wants to double class sizes at the Wichita school and fund physicians for the faculty. Doug Girod, executive vice chancellor for the Kansas Medical Center, said ...

12 years ago
Pratt police say a woman is dead and a man was critically injured after an overnight shooting. The shooting was reported shortly before midnight Wednesday. The man was taken to Wichita with critical injuries. Pratt police say a suspect is in custody and the investigation is continuing. No other details have been released.

12 years ago
Law enforcement is still searching for a woman who led authorities on a high speed chase from Newton to Salina, in a stolen car early Wednesday morning. Saline County Sheriff Glen Kochanowski tells KSAL News that deputies are searching for 23-year-old Jennifer Renee Wagner. She is wanted for active warrants in Denver, Colorado and has a ...

12 years ago
Authorities in a northeast Kansas community are cracking down on illegal water consumption but say old and faulty meters are the biggest reason for the apparent overuse of water. State officials notified Junction City earlier this month that it was using as much as 30 percent more water than allotted. Interim City Manager Cheryl Beatty said Wednesday ...

12 years ago
A Kansas man has been ordered to stand trial for the shaking death earlier this year of his girlfriend's infant son. Nineteen-year-old Ogden resident Michael Dechant is charged in Riley County with first-degree murder and child abuse, accused of violently shaking 6-month-old Dominick Lubrano on March 15. The baby died three days later. WIBW-TV reports Dechant's girlfriend, ...

12 years ago
Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt is asking Governor Sam Brownback to call the Legislature into special session to rewrite the state's "Hard 50" sentencing law. The statute allows people convicted of first-degree murder to be sentenced to a minimum of 50 years in prison before they can seek parole. In a letter Wednesday to the governor, Schmidt ...