More court action anticipated on school finance bill that was signed today

As Gov. Sam Brownback signed a school funding bill into law today, a lawyer for the school districts stated he anticipates more court action.

Gov. Brownback issued this statement today as he signed the bill: “The legislature missed an opportunity to substantially improve the K-12 funding system. They did, however, direct more dollars into the classroom by limiting bond and interest aid, encouraging responsible financial stewardship at the local level. Additionally, they included a sunset on the school funding system, allowing for a regular and robust discussion about the needs of Kansas students.”

The bill’s backers said during debate that they believed the amount was adequate.

Alan Rupe, attorney for school districts that filed suit in the Gannon case, including the Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools, stated he anticipates there will be a scheduling order from the Kansas Supreme Court that will tell the state to show why this legislative bill achieves adequacy and constitutionality for Kansas public school students.

The court previously had ordered that the Kansas Legislature needs to respond with adequate funding for public schools.

“Our position is $293 million is appreciated but the Kansas Legislature needs to dig deeper and reach higher with their goals and provide more resources to Kansas kids,” Rupe said. “It’s not just lawyers and plaintiffs saying that.”

He said the Kansas Supreme Court told the Legislature to increase funding, using cost studies, and he said that cost studies done by the Legislature show the number to be about $1.4 billion.

The Kansas Board of Education also has indicated that more is necessary – $893 million paid over two years, he said. The trial court heard evidence of a similar number, he added.

“You can see that $293 million is an amount that falls way short of what the funding the experts say is needed in order to adequately fund Kansas public schools,” Rupe said.

The Kansas Legislature needs to respond with adequate funding for public schools in order to be constitutional, he said.

T-Bones ride Carroll to a 7-5 win

Facing an early 11:05 a.m. start, a three-game losing streak and upon hearing the pre-game news that the Kansas City Royals had purchased the contract of four-hole hitter Zach Walters, the T-Bones had all the ingredients for a recipe for a slow start Wednesday at Wichita.

That was the furthest thing from the case as the T-Bones were more than up to the challenge. Kansas City took a 5-0 lead before the clock hit noon on the way to ending a three-game losing streak. Kansas City rode a solid effort from starter Scott Carroll (3-1) to beat the Wichita Wingnuts 7-5 Wednesday at Lawrence Dumont Stadium in Wichita.

In the top of the first inning for Kansas City, Marcus Lemon had an RBI double and Kevin Keyes followed with a two-run home run, off Wichita starter Alex Boshers (3-2), to make it 3-0 after one.

Kansas City picked up two more runs in the second. Eddie Newton singled to left and with one out Marcus Lemon doubled him home to up the score to 4-0. Kevin Keyes then followed with a tripled to left center to score Lemon and it was 5-0 T-Bones.

Wichita got two runs off Carroll in the second, but the T-Bones veteran was able to find his groove and toss a quality start with six strike outs. Zac Fisher hit a solo shot in the fifth for Wichita but the T-Bones would answer in the top of the next inning.

With the departure of Zach Walters, Kansas City activated Jordan Edgerton off the disabled list prior to the game. The former Atlanta Braves farm hand launched a two-run homer off Boshers to make the score 7-3 Kansas City in the sixth.

The Wingnuts got two runs in the home half of the eighth inning on a Matt Chavez two run home run off T-Bones reliever Grant Sides but that was as close as they would get. Cody Winiarski worked a scoreless ninth to pick up his third save. The Wingnuts got the lead off man aboard to bring the tying run to the plate in the bottom of ninth, but Winiarski shut the door, retiring Wichita in order 1-2-3, with a pair of strike outs the last one ending the game.

The series and trip will wrap up Thursday night at 7:05 p.m. in Wichita with right-handed pitcher Calvin Drummond (1-1, 5.32) for Kansas City facing right-handed pitcher Ryan Kussmal (2-2, 4.10) for Wichita. The game will be on the T-Bones Broadcast Network online at tbonesbaseball.com. The team returns home on Friday night, June 16, to begin a 10 game homestand.

Tickets to home games are available online, by calling 913-328-5618 or by visiting in person the Providence Medical Center Box Office.

– Story from T-Bones

Two Kansans sentenced for operating multimillion-dollar designer drug business

Two Kansans were sentenced Thursday for operating a synthetic drug business that generated $16 million in sales in less than two years, U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

Tracy Picanso, 61, Olathe, Kan., and Roy Ehrett, 59, Olathe, Kan., were sentenced in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kansas, to 4.5 years in federal prison. Picanso and Ehrett each pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy, one count of producing and selling misbranded drugs, one count of producing and selling counterfeit drugs and one count of conspiracy to launder money.

An indictment returned in 2014 alleged Picanso and Ehrett owned an Olathe-based business producing and selling dangerous controlled substances and controlled substance analogues of THC (the active ingredient in marijuana) and methcathinones (stimulants).

They sold products under exotic names including Pump It, Head Trip, Black Arts, Grave Digger, Voodoo Doll and Lights Out. Some of the drugs were manufactured in buckets with drill-powered immersion mixers and tried out on “testers” who helped tweak the recipes by reporting on the drugs’ effects.

The operation stretched from Kansas to Missouri, California, Texas, Georgia and Colorado, involving more than 15 companies with more than 40 financial accounts at more than 10 financial institutions. Businesses owned and operated by the defendants included Retailing Specialists, Innovative Products 4U, The Outer Edge, Lakeridge Holdings, Monster Warehouse, Monster Distribution, Monster, 3P Distribution and Life Source.

“Without FDA oversight, unapproved and counterfeit drugs that are produced and marketed outside the Federal system present the prospect of serious harm to the public’s health,” said Special Agent in Charge Spencer E. Morrison, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations, Kansas City Field Office. “FDA-OCI appreciates the coordinated efforts of DEA and other law enforcement agencies to bring to justice all those who evade federal drug laws.”

Beall commended the Drug Enforcement Administration, the Food and Drug Administration – Office of Criminal Investigations, the Department of Homeland Security, Homeland Security Investigations, Customs and Border Protection, the FBI, the Overland Park Police Department, the Johnson County Sheriff’s Office, the Olathe Police Department, the St. Joseph Police Department and the Buchanan County Drug Strike Force, Assistant U.S. Attorney Tanya Treadway, and Michael Varrone, associate chief counsel at the Food and Drug Administration for their work on the case.