Sex in jail = 30 year sentence; groom bites bride; kiss Valentine's Day goodbye

DETROIT (AP) — A new initiative in downtown Detroit uses repurposed parking meters to collect donations for nonprofits that serve the homeless.

The first phase of the "Detroit Donates" campaign launched Tuesday with 17 meters in both public and private spaces. The initial pilot phase will be concentrated in the city's central business district, with plans to expand next into Campus Martius Park.

"Homelessness is a real issue," City Councilwoman Mary Sheffield said during a news conference Tuesday. "It's something that we must address. It cannot be ignored."

Donations for the program will be collected by depositing coins into the meters, by corporate sponsorship and through the Detroit Donates website. Organizers expect much of the profit to be driven by corporate sponsorships with levels of commitment ranging from $1,500 to $7,000 per year.

The City Council's Homelessness Task Force will select the certified nonprofits or churches that will receive the donations to be directed toward programming, including transportation, housing and job training services for the homeless.

The meters were painted by Detroit graffiti artist Antonio "Shades" Agee. As someone who spent most of his 20s living on the streets, the project really hits home, he told The Detroit News (http://detne.ws/1QG2xJe ).

The program will ensure the money goes where it needs to because "some people don't know how to give," he said.

Sheffield agrees that the program will have a big impact on the city's homeless population.

"Some believe that the homeless are less than human. But homeless people are part of our community," Sheffield said. "We have to embrace them and help them and encourage them."

Similar efforts have been successful in other major U.S. cities, including Washington, D.C., Denver and Indianapolis.

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Online:

http://www.detroitdonates.org

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Information from: The Detroit News, http://detnews.com/

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A state audit has revealed that Iowa Workforce Development paid more than $97,000 in unemployment benefits to people claiming to work for companies that didn't exist in 2013 and 2014s and paid more than $66,000 to people not eligible for unemployment payments in other states.

Those improper payments are part of more than $909,000 the state lost over a three-year period for which the state auditor reviewed records.

Iowa Auditor Mary Mosiman says her office was notified in May 2013 that irregularities in unemployment payments were discovered. She was asked by the U.S. Department of Labor to audit workforce development's books to determine the extent of lost funds.

Mosiman says the audit found 20 fictitious company accounts. It's unclear who set them up and no one has been charged.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa (AP) — A 27-year-old woman has been given two years of probation after taking a plea deal in an Iowa sex-with-a-teen case.

Court records say Jessica Pritchard was sentenced Monday in Pottawattamie County District Court. She'd pleaded guilty to enticement of a minor and dissemination of obscene material to a minor. Prosecutors had lowered the charges in return for her pleas.

The Daily Nonpareil also reports (http://bit.ly/1S0g5T7 ) that Pritchard was given a deferred judgment, which means her two convictions will be removed from her record if she successfully completes probation.

She must register for 10 years as a sex offender.

Authorities say Pritchard now lives across the Missouri River in suburban Omaha, Nebraska. She was arrested in July in Alliance, Nebraska.

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Information from: The Daily Nonpareil, http://www.nonpareilonline.com

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas lawmakers are considering a bill that would allow teachers and school administrators to be prosecuted for presenting material perceived as harmful to minors.

The bill passed the Senate last year and was considered in a House committee Tuesday, the Wichita Eagle (http://bit.ly/1UJBBts ) reported. It stems from a 2014 controversy in the Shawnee Mission school district over a poster in a sex education classroom that listed oral sex and other acts as ways people express their sexual feelings.

Children could have been irreparably harmed by viewing the poster "because it affects their brains," according to the bill's sponsor, Republican state Sen. Mary Pilcher-Cook of Shawnee.

"State laws should protect parents' rights to safeguard our children against harmful materials, especially in schools," she said.

Currently, state law protects school officials against the misdemeanor charge of presenting harmful material to minors if it's part of a lesson. The proposed legislation would remove that protection for teachers at public, private and parochial schools.

Teachers would face a fine or up to six months in jail if convicted of the charge.

Opponents are concerned that educators would be vulnerable to prosecution for presenting controversial works of art and literature.

Democratic state Rep. John Carmichael of Wichita asked whether a teacher could be prosecuted for showing an image of Michelangelo's sculpture David, which depicts male genitalia, or for teaching Shakespeare's play "Romeo and Juliet," which features sexual puns.

Pilcher-Cook pointed to a section of the bill that defines harmful material as material "a reasonable person would find ... lacks serious literary, scientific, educational, artistic or political value."

When Carmichael continued to press the issue, Pilcher-Cook said individual prosecutors and juries will be responsible for determining whether something is considered harmful material.

The bill also would deter teachers from using inappropriate material in the classroom, according to Pilcher-Cook, who said the fact that the poster was "posted without fear is a problem in and of itself."

Tom Witt, a gay-rights activist who testified against the bill on behalf of his husband who's a public school teacher, believes the bill is meant "to strike fear into the hearts of teachers."

"Here's what my husband wants to know: Which of the books on the list are going to send him to jail?" Witt said. "That's all we need to know."

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Information from: The Wichita (Kan.) Eagle, http://www.kansas.com

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — More than three-quarters of Indiana's school districts are receiving A or B grades under the state's rating system.

The State Board of Education voted Wednesday to approve the ratings that are little changed from a year earlier. That's because of a one-year reprieve from lower grades following discord over big drops in student scores on the ISTEP standardized exam.

The new ratings give A grades to 46 percent of the state's 289 school districts and B grades to 33 percent of districts. Nineteen percent of districts received C grades and 3 percent got D grades.

The Gary Community Schools in northwestern Indiana received the only F grade.

Legislators last month approved a change to state law under which districts could receive higher grades than last year, but not lower ratings.

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Department of Education district ratings: http://bit.ly/1Kqwq15

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — A judge has sentenced a Polk County jailor to 30 years in prison for having sex with multiple inmates.

Prosecutors charged Darryl Christensen in April with five felony counts of second-degree sexual assault by corrections staff. According to a criminal complaint, Christensen sexually assaulted five female jail inmates on multiple occasions between 2011 and 2014.

Christensen, who turned 49 in May, pleaded guilty to all five counts in November. Washburn County Circuit Judge Eugene Harrington, who presided over the case, sentenced Christensen on Monday to 30 years in prison and 30 years on extended supervision.

Christensen's attorney, Aaron Nelson, asked the judge to give Christensen eight-and-a-half years, calling that a fair punishment given Christensen's age.

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Ohio's top law enforcer is in close contact with the anti-abortion group Ohio Right to Life, whose president sent a text message complimenting the press coverage after investigative findings were released against Planned Parenthood, state records show.

The nature of the close relationship between Republican Attorney General Mike DeWine and lobbyist Mike Gonidakis, which concerns good-government activists, emerged from emails and text messages that The Associated Press obtained through a public records request.

"The media saturation is incredible," Gonidakis said in a text to DeWine's communications chief, Lisa Hackley, about an hour after DeWine announced that Planned Parenthood had disposed of fetal remains in landfills on Feb. 11. After an exchange about various news articles and media interviews he and DeWine were giving, Gonidakis asked Hackley to get him copies of DeWine's national interviews "so we can send them to our people."

DeWine is not the only statewide officeholder with whom Gonidakis is in close touch. An AP review last year found he communicates regularly with top advisers to Republican Gov. John Kasich, a 2016 presidential candidate. His group played a role in crafting language added to Ohio's 2013 budget that placed new restrictions on Ohio abortion providers, the investigation found.

Gonidakis said it's his job to be in touch with statewide officeholders and lawmakers who share his cause — and "I'm not going to apologize for who my friends are."

"Being pro-life and working to help support them along the way is my responsibility, I would argue, as president of Ohio Right to Life," he said. "When I'm fortunate enough to be able to communicate with these men and women, I take advantage of it."

Records show DeWine and Gonidakis at times sharing direct emails. DeWine on two occasions congratulated Gonidakis — with a "Good job!" and a "Great job!" — after the anti-abortion leader sent him a link to a media spot in which he was mentioned. After three people were killed in a shooting at a Planned Parenthood clinic in Colorado Springs, Gonidakis shared his talking points with a local newspaper and welcomed DeWine to borrow them.

Catherine Turcer of Common Cause, a progressive government watchdog group, said it's particularly important in "a time period of high volatility" for DeWine to maintain a distance — even from groups whose causes he openly supports — to prevent the appearance that he's using the government to go after his political enemies.

"A government official has to draw some pretty clear lines between those who are trying to influence the process and the money that's spent by the public and decisions that are in the public benefit," she said.

DeWine announced an investigation in mid-July after anti-abortion activists began releasing undercover videos they said showed Planned Parenthood personnel negotiating the sale of fetal organs.

Spokesman Dan Tierney said Right to Life was among many groups concerned by the videos, but they didn't prompt the probe. Planned Parenthood has since been cleared of the fetal organ allegations by several states, including Ohio, and two activists have been indicted and are fighting the charges.

"Obviously, the attorney general and Mike (Gonidakis) have known each other for many years, and obviously they do care about a lot of the same issues," Tierney said. "As is evidenced by the records request, it's certainly not an uncommon occurrence (for the two to communicate)."

The records request turned up no evidence that DeWine's office had shared its Planned Parenthood report with Gonidakis in advance.

That makes it difficult to explain how Ohio Right to Life issued such a detailed response to the findings just five minutes after they were announced. Right to Life's news release contained reaction quotes, a citation for the section of Ohio law that Planned Parenthood allegedly may have violated and an update on legislation already in the works to address a fetal remains issue that to most of the state was brand new. It would be about two hours before Planned Parenthood issued its response.

Gonidakis said there is no coordination between his group and the attorney general — which he said would be both improper and illegal.

"As a lawyer and as a former deputy attorney general, you would never, ever get involved with an investigation regardless of what the issue is because you could damage the investigation," he said. "So I had zero desire whatsoever to be involved with any of that."

DeWine's office shared its findings with two members of the Kasich administration — his health director and chief legal counsel — a few minutes in advance. Gonidakis couldn't recall whether either of those offices copied him, but his recollection was he got news of the findings "when everyone else did."

MUNCIE, Ind. (AP) — Police in central Indiana say they arrested a groom after he allegedly sunk his teeth into his bride's arm during a fight hours after their marriage.

The Star Press in Muncie (http://goo.gl/mShL1S) reports that officers arrested 22-year-old Dillon Jess Lane after entering the couple's apartment just before midnight Saturday on a domestic-disturbance call.

Police say the intoxicated Lane was biting his wife's arms as they entered. He also was allegedly holding his sister-in-law. Police say both women were trying to get away from Lane.

The officer said the women's clothes were covered in blood and broken furniture was strewn around the room. The newspaper reports the women suffered abrasions and bruises.

Lane was arrested on preliminary charges, including domestic battery. A name of a lawyer for Lane wasn't immediately available.

ABERDEEN, S.D. (AP) — Officials in Aberdeen say about 40 cattle are loose and milling about town.

Brown County Emergency Management director Scott Meints (http://bit.ly/1PSE5RT ) tells the American News that the cows got away from a livestock auction.

City officials issued an alert Wednesday warning people to use caution if they see the cows. The livestock are primarily on the west side of town.

Meints says multiple agencies are working to keep both the cattle and the public safe, and keep the animals off roadways.

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Information from: Aberdeen American News, http://www.aberdeennews.com

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Passenger cars without front-end license plate brackets could drive legally with only a rear plate under a bill advanced by Nebraska lawmakers.

Senators gave first-round approval to the measure on Wednesday with a 25-3 vote.

The bill by Sen. Jim Scheer of Norfolk would allow motorists to request a decal instead that would have to be placed on the driver's side front windshield. The Department of Motor Vehicles would charge a $100 fee when the vehicle is registered.

Nebraska requires vehicles to display front and rear license plates but has carved out numerous exemptions over the years. Vehicles that are allowed to show only one plate include motorcycles, truck-tractors, buses, dealer vehicles and registered "special interest" vehicles.

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The bill is LB53

URBANA, Ill. (AP) — The lack of a state budget is continuing to affect state universities in Illinois, with some schools planning additional cuts to staff or classes.

Eastern Illinois University President David Glassman told the Faculty Senate on Tuesday that 30-day layoff notices would be sent to an estimated 200 non-instructional employees late this week or early next week. The university also plans to furlough all administrative and professional staff in March.

If the state budget is passed or appropriations are released to Eastern before the March layoff date, at least some of the layoffs could be rescinded and the employees recalled.

"That's what's so difficult emotionally for all of us as we think about these things because we are dealing with real people's lives," Glassman said.

The layoffs, along with cash flow reserves and budget cuts and freezes enacted last week, will be used to ensure Eastern can make it through the spring semester.

But it's still unclear what will happen over the summer and in the fall.

Meanwhile, the University of Illinois has asked academic departments to draw up plans for more cuts of up to 7 percent in 2016-2017. The cuts, which won't be made uniformly throughout campus, could result in fewer courses and larger class sizes in some departments, according to school officials.

Departments also were asked to outline potential areas of revenue growth, such as enrollment expansion or new online programs.

The University of Illinois already has absorbed budget cuts of at least $20 million this year.

Last fall, the Urbana campus asked department to slash academic budgets by an average of 4 to 5 percent, and administrative units by 4 to 6.8 percent, in anticipation of state funding reductions.

Although the state has yet to appropriate money for the current fiscal year, earlier budget proposals called for cuts of anywhere from 8.1 to 31.5 percent for the University of Illinois and other state universities.

Illinois has gone about eight months without a state budget in place.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The number of Kansas residents older than 65 is expected to double in the next 50 years, outnumbering children for the first time in state history as the population ages and more working-age families leave the state in search of better opportunities, a forecast released Wednesday said.

The study by Wichita State University's Center for Economic Development and Business Research also projects a 21.8 percent increase in the state's overall population between 2014 and 2064 as the number of Kansas residents reaches more than 3.5 million people. That is slower than the growth rate for the nation.

But the biggest social and economic impact may come from projections that the state's working-age population, ages 18 to 64, is expected to increase only 10.3 percent during that period.

Jeremy Hill, the center's director, said that is one of the most concerning items in the forecast because it is that body of labor that produces goods, pays income and sales taxes and generally drives the state's economy.

"I did not anticipate that group to not be a self-sustaining as it had been in the past," Hill said. "The aging workers are not surprising, but the conversion of youth and older population I thought was pretty surprising."

The number of Kansas residents under age 18 is projected to increase in the next 50 years by only 1.5 percent — far slower than both the working age and retired population.

"Historically, I have heard people talk about how in the Midwest generally they grow their own people. They educate their own workforce. They take pride in their own community," Hill said. "Well, when you have these factors of migration that are influencing the working population it is a little different scenario than it was a couple of decades ago."

Not only is Kansas not attracting a lot of a lot of workers, but the state is seeing a departure of its working population for new opportunities and better wages, he said. And since these working-age parents are taking their children with them, the state is losing its potential future growth.

Already the state's 0.4 percent growth rate is slower than the 0.6 growth rate nationwide, Hill said, and the study anticipates the state's growth rate will decline more in the future because Kansas does not have significant growth in its younger population.

The forecast also predicted a continuation of the flight from rural to metropolitan areas within the state.

Only 20 of the state's 105 counties are expected to grow in population, with the Kansas City metropolitan area showing the greatest population growth. The state's remaining 85 counties will see declines. By 2064, more than 80 percent of Kansas residents are projected to be living in metropolitan areas.

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Online:

Kansas Population Forecast: www.population.cedbr.org

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Republicans are reviving an effort to weed out waste from Minnesota's subsidized health care programs.

It's not a new issue. House Republicans put forth a plan last year to cut out millions of dollars in spending by cutting individuals who shouldn't have qualified for programs like Medical Assistance and MinnesotaCare.

The effort got a new boost from a recent audit suggesting the state spent up to $271 million last year on people whose incomes were too high. Rep. Matt Dean said Wednesday it calls for a fresh check to remove ineligible customers.

Some Democrats and state officials have criticized the Office of the Legislative Auditor's report as misleading. It looked at just a small sample of 157 enrollees and multiplied the error rate across the 1 million-plus pool.