AP Top Kansas News at 5:45 a.m. CDT

Wednesday, April 22, 2009

Divided Senate committee approves HHS nominee

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Kathleen Sebelius won Senate committee approval as health secretary over Republican opposition Tuesday, putting her on track for a final Senate vote in coming days.

Her expected confirmation would complete President Barack Obama's Cabinet, which held its first formal meeting Monday without Sebelius there.

The Senate Finance Committee voted 15 to 8 in favor of sending the nomination of Kansas' two-term Democratic governor to the full Senate. Just two of 10 committee Republicans joined majority Democrats in voting "yes," signaling GOP concerns over Sebelius' ties to a Kansas abortion doctor, as well as some broader skepticism about Obama's health care plans.

Republican senators were under pressure from anti-abortion activists to oppose Sebelius.

But the partisan vote sparked an angry response and an apparent threat from one committee Democrat, Sen. Charles Schumer of New York.

"I was surprised by the fact that so few Republicans supported a moderate, qualified candidate like Gov. Sebelius," Schumer said. "It's an ominous signal of the level of cooperation we can expect from the Republicans on health care."

------ Plant opens in central Kansas town of McPherson

MCPHERSON, Kan. (AP) -- A German-based maker of plumbing and heating products has finished a 439,000-square-foot manufacturing and distribution plant in the central Kansas town of McPherson.

Viega co-owners Heinz Bernd Viegener and Walter Viegener were among those who attended the ribbon cutting ceremony Tuesday.

Heinz Viegener acknowleged that the housing market "is not good." But he said it was at a peak more than two years ago when construction started on the building.

He is optimistic about the economy, predicting that it will "recover soon."

Viega employs about 210 workers in McPherson. The company expects that 26 new jobs will be created because of the expansion in the first year and a total of 640 jobs over the next 10 years.

------ Kansas jury deadlocked in toddler death trial

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) -- The trial of a Wichita woman accused of killing her stepdaughter has ended with a hung jury.

The mistrial was declared Tuesday in Sedgwick County District Court after jurors were unable to reach a unanimous decision in the first-degree murder trial of Katie Cornejo.

Prosecutors alleged she killed 2-year-old Daytona Robertson. The child went into a coma in February 2008 after being taken to a hospital with severe injuries. She died several days later.

Cornejo said she loved Daytona and that she was not responsible for the girl's injuries.

Prosecutors said they will retry the case.

In an unrelated case, Cornejo's biological daughter, 13-month-old Kailee Hundley, died a month after Daytona when she strangled on a car seat strap at the home of her day care provider.

------ Kan. gov. still reviewing anti-abortion measure

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) -- Gov. Kathleen Sebelius is still reviewing a bill that anti-abortion legislators and groups describe as an attempt to strengthen enforcement of Kansas' existing restrictions on late-term abortions.

The bill, approved by legislators earlier this month, increases reporting requirements for doctors who perform late-term procedures. It also allows patients and family members to sue doctors if they come to believe a late-term abortion was illegal.

Sebelius must take action by Thursday. She has a long record of supporting abortion rights and vetoed a bill with similar provisions last year, though abortion opponents made significant changes.

"She is reviewing it thoroughly, as she does with all legislation," Sebelius spokeswoman Beth Martino said Tuesday.

Supporters contend the bill doesn't significantly change state policies on abortion so much as it clears obstacles to its enforcement. Critics say the real goal is to restrict access to abortion.

The bill is before Sebelius as she awaits U.S. Senate confirmation as federal health and human services secretary. Anti-abortion groups have been the most vocal critics of her appointment.

------ Some Kansas schools dropping to 4-day weeks

HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) -- Some Kansas schools are preparing for additional cuts in state spending by cutting to four-day weeks.

The Cunningham school board in south-central Kansas earlier this month decided to adopt the four-day week for the district's grade school and high school in an effort to save about $45,000 on busing, utility and labor costs.

It's one of at least 11 school districts in the state that have adopted four-day school weeks. Haviland USD 474 and Mullinville USD 424 in Mullinville approved the change for 2009-10 in March.

Cunningham's schedule for next year will include several five-day weeks for such events as homecoming, Superintendent Glenn Fortmayer said. The academic year will be from Aug. 24 to May 26.

Fortmayer said the change is due to less money from the state and declining enrollment, which currently is about 170 students for the district.

"We have been operating a little over budget due to trying to maintain staff at the current level," he said.

------ Garmin CEO received $580,215 in 2008 compensation

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Min Kao, the chairman and CEO of navigational device maker Garmin Ltd., received compensation valued at $580,215 in 2008, or a 37 percent raise over the previous year, according to a securities filing Tuesday.

Kao, 60, who co-founded the company and has served as sole CEO since 2002, received $500,011 in salary and a $203 bonus in 2008. He also received $80,001 in other compensation, which included contributions to his 401(k) plan, profit sharing and money to cover his personal guarantee of the company under Taiwan banking practices.

Garmin, which is based in the Cayman Islands and has its operational headquarters in Olathe, Kan., does the bulk of its manufacturing in Taiwan.

The company's board didn't give Kao any annual stock awards in 2008, given his already large stake in the company. He owns 44 million, or 22 percent, of the company's outstanding shares.

In 2007, Kao received compensation valued at $422,782, including $$320,201 in salary, a $25,000 bonus and $77,581 in other compensation.

Garmin makes satellite-powered navigational devices for drivers, boaters, airplane pilots and outdoors enthusiasts.