Kansas.com: News Updates

Jury awards $23.5 million in semis-collision case

RON SYLVESTER — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:27 CST

In one of the biggest traffic-accident verdicts in Kansas, a jury awarded $23.5 million last week in a suit stemming from injuries in a semitrailer accident in New Mexico.

U.S. District Judge Monti Belot reduced the actual award to nearly $15.3 million for Terry and Donna Frederick of Overland Park, because the jury decided the driver of the other truck was only 65 percent at fault.

Robyn Getchel tested positive for methamphetamine while driving a truck for Swift Transportation. She claimed she was rear-ended.

But subsequent tests by the Fredericks' lawyers showed Getchel was backing up from a rest stop onto the highway when she hit the truck Terry Frederick was riding in for Yellow Freight. The driver of the Yellow Freight truck, Dennis Bottorff, was killed.

The accident occurred just after 1:30 a.m. on March 16, 2006, on U.S. 54 near Tucumcari, N.M., nearly two hours west of Amarillo, Texas.

Down we go again: Fourth-worst drop ever for Dow

SARA LEPRO and TIM PARADIS — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:12 CST

The stock market suffered one of its worst days since the financial meltdown Monday, slicing 680 points off the Dow Jones industrial average as Wall Street snapped out of its daydream of a rally and once again faced the harsh reality of a recession.

Not only did stocks end their five-day winning streak, they erased more than half the gains. The Standard & Poor's 500 stock index, one of the broadest market gauges, lost nearly 9 percent.

Erasing any lingering doubts, there was also finally an officially declared recession - in progress in the United States since December 2007, according to the National Bureau of Economic Research, the nonprofit group of economists that classifies business cycles.

"This is just another episode in a long story and the story is all about recession and the question is how long and how deep," said Chuck Widger, chief executive and chairman of investment management firm Brinker Capital. "We're going to have continuing volatility until investors have better visibility."

"All the data is being filtered to answer the two questions of how deep and how long the recession will be," he added.

Layton accepts city manager job, enters contract negotiations

BRENT D. WISTROM — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 13:57 CST

Robert Layton has said he will accept the city manager job in Wichita, Mayor Carl Brewer said today, ending widespread speculation that Layton might reject the post after City Council members selected him on the slimmest of margins.

The vote, on Nov. 18, was 4-3 to hire Layton.

"I'm excited about the opportunity," Layton said in a statement released by the city. "I'm eager to move forward with the mayor and the council's agenda."

Layton will now enter contract negotiations with two people who voted against him, Brewer and Vice Mayor Sue Schlapp, and one person who advocated on his behalf, council member Paul Gray.

"We'd like to get this done as quickly as possible," Brewer said in a statement.

Baby's death a homicide, police say

JOE RODRIGUEZ — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 11:33 CST

Wichita police called the weekend death of a 10-month-old girl a homicide -- the city's 33rd overall and ninth involving a child this year.

A 28-year-old man who police said is the boyfriend of the baby's mother was arrested and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail in connection with the baby's death, police said.

According to police, the man was watching the baby, identified by police as Brooklyn Brown, at a home in the 2300 block of South Westgate while his girlfriend was at work Wednesday morning.

While in the man's care, the baby became unconscious -- something he said was the result of the baby falling, police said.

The man then took Brooklyn to the workplace of the mother. Police were called and the baby was taken to Via Christi Regional Medical Center-St. Joseph Campus, police said.

Wagle falls short in bid for Senate presidency; Neufeld ousted as House speaker

JEANNINE KORANDA — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 12:32 CST

Steve Morris held onto the presidency of the Kansas Senate today.

He defeated Susan Wagle of Wichita for the top leadership spot on an 18-13 vote by the Senate Republican Caucus.

In the House, Republicans ousted Speaker Melvin Neufeld of Ingalls, choosing Mike O'Neal on a 41-36 vote.

Some Republicans were dissatisfied with Neufeld because of high-profile policy defeats on gambling and energy during the past two years.

O'Neal has been chairman of the Judiciary Committee.

Obama taps Clinton, Gates for US 'new dawn' abroad

LIZ SIDOTI — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 18:27 CST

Barack Obama promised "a new dawn of American leadership" in a troubled world Monday, announcing a strong-willed national security team headed by Hillary Rodham Clinton, who fought him long and bitterly for the presidency, and Robert Gates, the man who has been running two wars for George W. Bush.

The president-elect said he hadn't changed his mind about bringing most U.S. combat troops home from Iraq within 16 months but added a cautionary note - he'll consult with his military commanders first.

While his new team may be a bit more centrist - some war opponents might even say hawkish - than many Obama supporters might prefer, he said the withdrawal timetable he emphasized in the presidential campaign is still "the right time frame."

Clinton, as secretary of state, and Gates, remaining as defense secretary, will be the most prominent faces - besides Obama's own - of the new administration's effort to revamp U.S. policy abroad.

At a Chicago news conference, Obama also tapped top advisers Eric Holder as attorney general and Susan Rice as ambassador to the United Nations. He named Arizona Gov. Janet Napolitano to be homeland security secretary and retired Marine Gen. James Jones as White House national security adviser.

Would-be robber in Topeka armed with hairspray

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 09:47 CST

Topeka police are looking for a woman who used what's believed to have been hairspray as a weapon in a botched purse-snatching in a Wal-Mart parking lot.

Police say the would-be thief on Saturday night first asked a 25-year-old shopper for directions, then sprayed the woman in the eyes as she tried to take her purse from her shoulder. But the shopper held on to the purse, and the woman fled empty-handed.

The victim suffered minor injuries to her face.

Police say they're looking for the suspect, who ran to a maroon minivan parked nearby.

Hot Lotto ticket worth $12.2 million sold in south-central Kansas

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 10:06 CST

A $12.2 million dollar Hot Lotto jackpot has been hit in Kansas.

One ticket in Saturday's multistate drawing matched all numbers to win a $12.2 million jackpot. The jackpot-winning ticket was sold in south central Kansas. The winning numbers were 7-14-22-24-38; Hot Ball 2.

The south central Kansas region includes Sedgwick, Butler, Sumner, Cowley, Harvey, Reno, Barton, Rice, McPherson, Marion, Stafford, Pratt and Kingman counties.

“We’re excited that the Hot Lotto jackpot has been hit in Kansas,” said Lottery Executive Director Ed Van Petten. “Now we’re just waiting for the lucky winner to come forward to claim the prize that will make him or her a multi-millionaire.”

This is the third Hot Lotto jackpot hit in Kansas and the second largest. Lori Boyle of Independence claimed a $12.9 million jackpot in July 2007, and $5.26 million in Hot Lotto cash was claimed by a Pittsburg resident in May.

Check lanes result in 24 DUI arrests

Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:22 CST

Two dozen people were arrested in several DUI and special traffic enforcement operations conducted by Wichita police last week.

Patrol North officers stopped 100 people, and 13 were arrested or received citations Friday and Saturday. They included six for driving under the influence and three for drug possession. In addition, officers issued 25 citations for traffic violations.

Patrol East ran three DUI saturation patrols Friday through Sunday. Officers issued 336 arrests and citations including four DUIs and 125 seat belt infractions.

Patrol West officers issued 258 arrests and citations at checkpoints Wednesday through Sunday, including eight DUIs and 164 speeding tickets.

At Patrol South, officers performed two traffic safety procedures Tuesday through Thursday, citing 106 violations, including six DUIs and 50 speeding violations. Others ranged from running red lights to improper use of turn signals.

Wichita City Council to hold hearing on TIF district near arena

DEB GRUVER — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 06:19 CST

The Wichita City Council will take public comment Tuesday about a plan to expand a tax increment financing (TIF) near Intrust Bank Arena.

The plan is the city's second attempt to expand the TIF district. In August, Sedgwick County Manager William Buchanan sent a letter to interim City Manager Scott Moore saying the county could not support the district for four major reasons, including that every taxable downtown property was having some part of its county property tax diverted to the city to pay for city projects.

The new proposed arena area TIF district is about half the size of the one county commissioners shot down.

Street projects included in the agreement are: Emporia from Waterman to William; Topeka from Kellogg to Waterman; the Washington and Waterman intersection; William from Emporia to Commerce; and St. Francis from the arena to Douglas.

Some of those streets would become two-way, some would get more parking, and most would get better lighting.

Police use Taser on man during disturbance

Sun, 30 Nov 2008 14:29 CST

A Wichita police officer used a Taser on a man during a disturbance in Old Town today.

Police said that officers were called to the 100 block of North Mosley at about 1:30 a.m. to respond to a disturbance.

At one point, a 49-year-old man pushed an officer in the chest, then resisted police, according to the Wichita Police Department. An officer then used a Taser to subdue him, police said.

The man was booked in the Sedgwick County Jail.

Gas station clerk stabbed in chest

LORI YOUNT — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 15:24 CST

A 21-year-old gas station clerk was stabbed by an angry customer this morning at a gas station near 21st and Woodlawn, police said.

The male victim's injuries are not life-threatening, police said.

The male suspect entered the Midway Oil gas station at about 9:15 a.m. and wanted to buy a drink, said Wichita police Sgt. Jeff Davis.

For an unknown reason, the suspect became upset with the attendant and spat on him, and the attendant asked him to leave, Davis said.

At that point, Davis said, the customer pulled a knife and stabbed the clerk once in the chest.

Teen driver killed in Lawrence crash

Sat, 29 Nov 2008 15:23 CST

A 19-year-old driver was killed after the car he was driving went off the road and slammed into a tree in front of a Lawrence home.

Police are withholding the victim's name until they notify his family. They only would say that he was a male believed to be from Lawrence.

Four passengers in the wrecked Chevrolet car were injured. A 16-year-old girl and 17-year-old girl were flown to a Kansas City hospital with serious injuries. Another 16-year-old girl and a 20-year-old man were taken to a Lawrence hospital with less severe injuries.

The single-vehicle crash occurred about 2:10 a.m. Saturday at an intersection in a residential area. The driver was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police say they are investigating whether speed, alcohol or wet road conditions contributed.