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Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Yahoo
Lenexa man pleads guilty in fatal shootings of wife, son at family home
A Lenexa man has pleaded guilty to killing his wife and son at their home in November. Todd Michael Donovan, pleaded guilty Monday in a Johnson County court to two counts of first-degree murder and one count of cruelty to animals. Donovan was accused of fatally shooting his wife Sheila Donovan, 52, and their son Tyler Donovan, 22, on Nov. 1, 2024. Todd Donovan also shot and killed a neighbor's dog. Lenexa police responded to the Donovan family home in the 7900 block of Hallet Street around 8:30 p.m., according to an LPD spokesperson. After hearing gunshots, responding officers connected over the phone with Todd Donovan, who barricaded himself in his house in an attempt to avoid arrest. Officers surrounded the home in an armed standoff for five hours before entering to take Donovan into custody, according to an LPD spokesperson. Donovan had stopped responding to the officers two hours into the negotiation after allegedly saying he was taking some pills, the spokesperson said, and was hospitalized around 2 a.m. on suspicion that he had overdosed. When they gained access to the home, officers found Sheila and Tyler Donovan dead on the floor with multiple gunshot wounds, according to the LPD spokesperson. Sheila Donovan's parents Karen and Jerry Kraft and Sheila's sister Darcy Sly filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Todd Donovan in March 2025. Born in Hoxie, Kansas, Sheila Donovan enjoyed crafting, exercising and gardening, according to an obituary shared online. Her family remembers her as a funny, resilient and spiritual woman who cherished her friendships and loved motherhood. 'Her greatest pride and joy was her son, Tyler, and she delighted in sharing every piece of news about him,' Sheila's obituary reads. Tyler Kenneth Donovan was born in Olathe and graduated from high school in the Shawnee Mission School District, according to an obituary shared online. Donovan studied electrical work at Metropolitan Community College and was a certified lineman, who most recently worked in Florida to assist victims of Hurricane Milton. Tyler enjoyed hunting with his relatives and playing video games with his friends, and particularly enjoyed spending time on his family's farm, his obituary reads. 'His generous heart and willingness to support friends and family exemplified his selfless spirit, which will be deeply missed by all who knew him,' Tyler's obituary reads. Todd Donovan is currently being held in the Johnson County Detention Center on a $2 million bond. He will next appear in court at 9 a.m. on July 21 for a sentencing hearing. Sheila and Tyler Donovan's deaths were the second and third homicides reported in Lenexa in 2024, according to data collected by The Star. Previous reporting by Kendrick Calfee and Noelle Alviz-Gransee committed to this coverage.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Walz targets Bacon in Omaha stop of national town hall tour
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz listens to State Sen. Ashlei Spivey of Omaha speak during his town hall event at Metropolitan Community College in North Omaha. (Aaron Sanderford/Nebraska Examiner) OMAHA — Should the Omaha area replace Republican U.S. Rep. Don Bacon with a Democrat and help curb the worst impulses of the Trump administration? You betcha, Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz said during the second stop of his national tour criticizing House Republicans for avoiding in-person town halls. Walz, a Nebraska native, made Bacon a focus of his mid-morning Saturday speech at Metropolitan Community College's Fort Omaha campus to more than 400 people. He said he was 'not here to personally attack the representative' or call him names. But he said Bacon needs to face his voters and their questions. 'Do the damn job and answer the questions,' Walz said. The former running mate of Vice President Kamala Harris slammed Bacon for following national GOP advice and skipping an in-person town hall this year. Bacon, who has hosted in-person and telephone town halls in the Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District, is hosting a tele-town hall on March 25. Bacon told the Examiner recently that he did not like the tone and tenor of recent town halls he had seen and that some people are afraid to attend. 'I've been at some of the in-person town halls,' Bacon said. 'When you got moms and dads saying we can't bring our kids to a town hall, there's a problem.' He also spent at least two nights this week responding to critics on Elon Musk's X by saying he would be able to reach more voters on his tele-town hall. Gov. Tim Walz says at Iowa town hall he is 'soul-searching' after 2024 Jane Kleeb, chair of the Nebraska Democratic Party, said Bacon is 'terrified,' one of the 'gutless Republicans who are afraid to see their voters.' She told the standing-room crowd that Nebraska Democrats would create a book of comments from Saturday attendees and deliver it to Bacon. 'All they care about is that government is cut down to the bone,' Kleeb said of Republicans. 'Democrats believe government is here to serve the people. Walz's tour is aimed at reviving Democratic voter engagement in competitive House districts served by Republicans not hosting in-person town halls. He spoke to more than 1,000 people in Des Moines on Friday, where he acknowledged how many Democrats and nonpartisans feel lost under President Donald Trump. Walz said he understood the feeling of wanting Democratic and independent and non-Trump Republican leaders to 'do something.' He asked the standing room-only crowd to take the time to tell their elected leaders what they need to see them doing. He said Democrats would respond. Several questioners asked Walz about how to fight feeling unsafe or threatened, from immigrants with legal status to workers worried about the ability to organize and to people with friends and relatives who are LGBTQ. Others expressed concerns about federal programs and grants becoming unpredictable. 'There's a tendency … to check out,' Walz said. 'You didn't do that … because you love the country, and you know you need to do something about it.' Maurice Jones, a Democratic candidate for Omaha City Council in North Omaha's District 2, said Americans are learning with Trump's 'mass firings' that the federal government isn't going to protect them. Both Democrats running for mayor, Jasmine Harris and John Ewing, also addressed the crowd, saying cities would need to lead the way back. State Sen. Ashlei Spivey of Omaha said during the Walz appearance that state leaders need help from people to tell state and federal leaders things are not OK. She said leaders need to know people are not happy with how things are going, including in Nebraska, where she said the governor does Trump's bidding. 'Our executive branch mirrors and does everything that the Trump administration says,' she said. Walz credited western Nebraskans for showing up to Gov. Jim Pillen's town hall in Scottsbluff for pushing back on his effort to end the 'blue dot.' Video of the appearance circulating online show that many in the crowd booed and said they don't want to switch to winner-take-all. 'Maybe don't ask a question if you don't know the answer,' Walz said. Nebraska Democrats go on offense with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz's townhall Walz said he was proud of Harris winning the 2nd District's 'blue dot.' Nebraska awards some of its Electoral College votes by congressional district. He said he pushes back on people who say he and Harris failed to win any swing states, because they won a stray electoral vote from Nebraska's 2nd District. 'We did not,' he said. 'We won Omaha. Not by luck. Not by chance. By organizing.' Walz said people are paying attention to the chaos in Washington. Veterans services workers being cut matter, he said. Federal grants for cancer research matter, he said. And access to reproductive care matters, too. He said he believes Bacon, a retired Air Force brigadier general, cares about veterans. But his voting record and fealty to Trump show something else. 'I believe Representative Bacon,' Walz said. 'I'm not questioning his character. I'm questioning his judgment and decisions on the job.' Bacon, in a statement during the Walz rally, called Walz the 'most liberal governor in America' and said he didn't watch or monitor his town hall. He said recent House GOP town halls where representatives faced vocal opposition reflected political manufactured anger, not real. And he criticized Walz for inaccurately describing his own service in the Nebraska and Minnesota National Guard. Bacon invited him to call the tele-town hall. Said Bacon: 'Whether it's high taxes, broken borders, abortion … or biological men playing in female sports, Governor Walz is wrong on every major issue.' Walz, during his speech, said GOP attacks on the handful of trans athletes participating nationally is an attack on every person's rights, and Democrats need to call out the people peddling it. Then, he said, they need to get away from social issues and pivot back to the assaults Republicans are making on core governing. Minnesota First Lady Gwen Walz, wrapping up the event, said the work did not stop because Harris and her husband lost. It got harder and needs more help, she said. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
29-01-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Clearing red tape: A smarter path to Nebraska growth
Panelists discuss the state's workforce problems and possible solutions at the annual legislative summit of the Platte Institute. Pictured, from left, are State Sen. Danielle Conrad, Diane Good-Collins of Metropolitan Community College, Heath Mello, head of the Greater Omaha Chamber of Commerce, and moderator Laura Ebke. (Paul Hammel/Nebraska Examiner) Imagine a Nebraska where innovation is not stifled by red tape, where businesses can thrive under a streamlined regulatory system and where government spending is scrutinized for maximum impact. Thanks to bipartisan leadership and forward-thinking legislation being considered this session, this vision is closer than ever to becoming reality. Recently, the Platte Institute hosted a press conference on regulatory modernization featuring Speaker John Arch, State Sen. Rita Sanders of Bellevue, Chair of the Government, Military, and Veterans Affairs Committee, and Sen. Danielle Conrad of Lincoln, a longtime champion of regulatory reform. This diverse coalition, representing both sides of the aisle, underscored the urgency of modernizing Nebraska's regulatory framework. Their united support demonstrates that reforming outdated regulations is not a partisan issue. It is a commonsense investment in our state's future. Several promising bills under consideration this session build upon Nebraska's reputation as a leader in regulatory reform. The REINS Act, introduced by Sen. Merv Riepe of Ralston, would require legislative approval for any regulation deemed to have a significant economic impact. This ensures that costly rules are rigorously scrutinized before being imposed on businesses and families. Recent polling commissioned by the Platte Institute reveals that an overwhelming 74% of Nebraskans support legislative oversight of new regulations, with 72% favoring periodic reviews of existing rules by the Legislature. Additionally, the act empowers lawmakers to reassess original authorizing legislation when the economic consequences of regulations prove significant, fostering greater accountability and transparency. Conrad's proposal to codify Governor Ricketts' 2017 executive order on reviewing existing regulations every three years is another critical step forward. By requiring state agencies to review the necessity of current rules and report their findings to the Legislature, this bill will help Nebraska stay ahead of regulatory inefficiencies and ensure our laws evolve with the times. Other proposals address specific challenges while enhancing Nebraska's competitive edge. Omaha Sen. Bob Andersen's Federal Fund Inventory would require a full audit of federal funds received by the state, providing a contingency plan in case of a federal funding reduction. Whitman Sen. Tanya Storer's Venue Freedom bill would allow businesses to resolve disputes with state agencies in local courts, cutting down on travel costs and legal fees for Nebraska entrepreneurs. Meanwhile, the proposed Office of Regulatory Management introduced by Amherst Sen. Dan McKeon draws inspiration from a successful model in Virginia, where a small office has saved millions through cost-benefit analyses and streamlined regulatory oversight. Similarly, the Regulatory Advisories bill sponsored by Grand Island Sen. Dan Quick ensures that businesses are not burdened by non-binding advisories unless federally mandated, promoting fairness and consistency in regulatory compliance. These initiatives are not just about cutting rules. They represent a smarter approach to governance — one that balances regulatory rigor with economic opportunity. As Platte Institute Senior Fellow Laura Ebke recently highlighted, Nebraska has already made great strides in occupational licensing reform, including universal license recognition and fair chance licensing for those with criminal records. But there is still more we can do to ensure that our regulatory system serves the public interest and not special interests. The Platte Institute's research on regulatory modernization highlights the significant economic benefits of reform. From 2020 to 2023, states that aggressively pursued regulatory reform experienced higher GDP growth than those that did not. Nebraska can be next in reaping these rewards by passing legislation that caps regulatory growth, ensures outdated rules are sunset and reduces compliance costs for businesses and workers. Modernizing Nebraska's regulatory framework is not just a policy debate. It is a pivotal step toward building a state where families and entrepreneurs can thrive. The bipartisan coalition advocating for these reforms, coupled with the low-cost investment they require, makes this a win-win for Nebraskans. With the support of lawmakers, businesses, and communities, we can unlock Nebraska's full economic potential and set an example for the rest of the nation. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
