Two agricultural scientists from China charged with stealing trade secrets

U.S. Department of Justice

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – Two agricultural scientists from China have been charged with trying to steal samples of a variety of seeds from a biopharmaceutical company’s research facility in Kansas, U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom said today.

Weiqiang Zhang, 47, Manhattan, Kan., and Wengui Yan, 63, Stuttgart, Ark., are charged with one count of conspiracy to steal trade secrets.

The victim in the case – identified in court records as Company A -- has invested approximately $75 million in patented technology used to create a variety of seeds containing recombinant proteins. The company has an extensive intellectual property portfolio of more than 100 issued and pending patents and exclusive licenses to issued patents.

Zhang and Yan are charged in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Kansas City, Kan. An affidavit in support of the complaint alleges that on Aug. 7, 2013, agents of U.S. Customs and Border Protection found stolen seeds in the luggage of a group of visitors from China preparing to board a plane to return home.

While in the United States, the group had visited various agricultural facilities and universities in the Midwest, as well as the Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center in Stuggart, Ark.

According to the complaint:

• Zhang and Yan, both natives of the People’s Republic of China living lawfully in the United States, arranged for the Chinese delegation to visit the United States in 2013. Previously, the two had traveled to China at the same time in 2012 to visit a Crops Research Institute. Some of the people they met in China were members of the Chinese delegation that visited the United States in 2013.

Zhang, worked as an agricultural seed breeder for Company A since 2008.

Stolen seeds were delivered to members of the Chinese delegation during the delegation’s visit to the United States July 16 through August 7, 2013.

Yan, who worked for the U.S. Department of Agriculture as a rice geneticist at the Dale Bumpers National Rice Research Center, picked up the Chinese delegation from a motel in Stuggart, Ark., on July 22, 2013, and took them to the center.

Seeds similar to what were found in the delegation’s possession as they left the United States in August 2013, were also found in Zhang’s residence on December 11, 2013.

If convicted, Zhang and Yan face a maximum penalty of 10 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Little Rock Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Kansas City Field Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation and U.S. Customs and Border Protection investigated. 

Assistant U.S. Attorney Scott Rask is prosecuting with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of Arkansas.

In all cases, defendants are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty. The indictments merely contain allegations of criminal conduct.

K-State student from KCK earns Commerce Bank Presidential award

MANHATTAN, KAN. -- Kansas State University and Commerce Bank are recognizing two individuals for their diversity enhancement efforts.

LaVerne Bitsie-Baldwin, director of the College of Engineering's multicultural engineering program, is receiving the Commerce Bank Presidential Faculty and Staff Award for Distinguished Services to Historically Underrepresented Students at Kansas State University.

Marcus Bragg, senior in management information systems, Kansas City, Kan., is receiving the Commerce Bank Presidential Student Award for Distinguished Services in Enhancing Multiculturalism at Kansas State University.

Both awardees will be recognized at a reception from 3:30-5 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2014, in the K-State Alumni Center. The program will mark the 36th year of the awards.

The faculty and staff award was established in 1978 to recognize outstanding individual contributions to the development of quality education for multicultural students at Kansas State University. Bitsie-Baldwin will receive a plaque and $2,500.

"I am honored to have received the Commerce Bank Award for Diversity," Bitsie-Baldwin said. "It's a prestigious university award and those who have received this award before me are the ones who I have looked to as collaborators and role models."

Bitsie-Baldwin is a member of National Association of Multicultural Engineering Program Advocates Region D, serving as chair-elect and chair from 2009 to 2011. She also is a member of the Mathematics Association of America, the American Indian Science & Engineering Society and American Society for Engineering Education.

She received the 2006-2008 university Women in Engineering and Science program Making a Difference Award, the National Association of Multicultural Engineering Program Advocates 2010 Outstanding Region Award and National Association of Multicultural Engineering Program Advocates 2010 Outstanding MEP Director Award. She has a bachelor's degree from Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colo., and a master's degree in mathematics from Kansas State University.

The student award was established in spring 1997 to recognize outstanding individual contributions to diversity enhancement within the student sector. Bragg will receive a plaque and $500.

"I am honored to have been nominated for the Commerce Bank Student Award, and extremely humbled to find out I'd won," Bragg said "To know that other students and faculty members thought enough of me and my work to nominate me is amazing. I'm glad to have had the opportunity to serve, and truly appreciate those who have supported me."

Bragg is president of Kansas State University's Black Student Union and treasurer of Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity. He was the 2012-2013 president of the National PanHellenic Council and 2012-2013 public relations chair of the Management Information Club.

He served on the Student Alumni Board and K-State Proud Advisory Board in 2010-2011. He was a member of Kansas State University's Developing Scholars Program during the 2009-2010 academic year.

He was named the 2013 Big XII Conference on Black Student Government Outstanding Senior of the Year, 2013 Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity District of Kansas Brother with the highest grade point average, a 2012 INROADS Outstanding Technical Scholar, a KOCH scholar and Cargill scholar.

A graduate of Sumner Academy of Arts and Sciences, Bragg is the son of Ricky and Gail Bragg, Kansas City, Kan.

Kansas state school funding falling short of legislators’ plan

By SCOTT ROTHSCHILD, The Lawrence Journal-World

TOPEKA, KAN. — Public schools will have less money per student than the Legislature intended when making the recent state budget, unless Gov. Sam Brownback and legislators provide more money when the 2014 legislative session starts next month.

That's because the statewide property tax has produced less than expected and there are more students enrolled than expected, especially at-risk students, who require more funding.

For those reasons, new fiscal estimates show, the state doesn't have enough money to fund schools at the level set in the state budget.

When legislators left earlier this year, the budget set the school finance formula at $3,838 in base state aid per pupil in the current fiscal year, and $3,852 per pupil in the next fiscal year, which starts July 1, 2014.

But a new estimate by the state shows funding will fall $17.8 million short in the current fiscal year, and $19.9 million short in the next.

If the additional funding isn't provided, the base state aid will fall to $3,812 per student in the current year, and $3,823 in the next.

Asked about the funding issue Wednesday, Brownback's spokeswoman Sara Belfry said, "The governor is looking at this closely going into the next legislative session."

In addition to the new funding issue, a lawsuit before the Kansas Supreme Court could force the Legislature to approve more than $500 million a year in school funding.

A lower court panel has ruled that the state has unconstitutionally cut public school funding while passing tax cuts.

The state appealed, saying the Legislature should be in charge of school funding, not the courts. A decision in the case is expected soon.

Person shot to death at 11th and Ann

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ----- The Kansas City, Kan., Police Department is investigating a homicide at 11th and Ann.

One person was shot and killed Wednesday evening. Police reported to the scene just after 9 p.m. and found the body shortly after arriving on the scene.

Information about the victim or any potential suspects is not available at this point.

More information when available.

KCKCC Debate ends semester as No. 1 Ranked Community College; 2nd Among all Colleges and Universities

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ----- The Kansas City Kansas Community College Debate Team recently wrapped up its competition semester with a tournament at the University of Northern Iowa Dec. 7 and 8. The tournament was a great success for the KCKCC Blue Devils.

In the Varsity Division, two KCKCC teams went undefeated (both 6-0) in preliminaries and went onto the elimination rounds of the Elite 8. Both advanced through the Elite 8 and defeated teams from the University of Michigan and the University of Minnesota, both from the Big 10 conference, in the Final Four.

The KCKCC teams of Brian Gonzaba and Matt Casas, both of Omaha, Neb. and Alex Glanzman, of Lawrence, Kan. and Katie Ford, of Fremont, Neb., finished first and second.

In addition to winning the tournament, the debaters all received top 10 speaker awards – Casas, Top Speaker of the tournament; Gonzaba, second place; Glanzman, fourth place and Ford, eighth place.

In preliminaries, Casas and Gonzaba had wins over Minnesota, Michigan as well as Augustana and Concordia colleges. Glanzman and Ford had wins over Minnesota, Concordia, Augustana, and Lindenwood.

In the Novice Division, the KCKCC team of Michael Smith, of Independence, Mo. and Ashley Shockley, of Kansas City, Kan., also compiled a perfect 6-0 record with wins over Johnson County Community College, Lindenwood, Northern Iowa, Capital University and Augustana.

They advanced through the Elite 8 before losing to Capital in the Final Four. Smith and Shockley ultimately place third in the tournament. In addition, Smith was named sixth best speaker and Shockley place eighth.

“As the head coach, I am extremely pleased with how these students have worked and performed this semester,” said Darren Elliott, KCKCC debate coach. “This is one of our most successful first semesters, and I could not be more pleased.”

This tournament concluded an amazing semester for the Blue Devils that included winning tournament divisions at Weber State, the University of Central Oklahoma, KCKCC and Georgia State University.  The team finishes the semester as the No. 1 ranked Community College in the country in both National Debate Tournament (NDT) and the Cross Examination Debate Association (CEDA) rankings.

The weekend performance at UNI also propelled the team to second place in the nation among all colleges and universities in CEDA points standings.

This puts KCKCC ranked above George Mason, the University of Oklahoma, Northwestern University, Wake Forest University, James Madison University, Harvard, Georgetown, the University of Kansas and the University of Michigan.

For more information on the KCKCC Debate program, contact Darren Elliott at 913-288-7295 or by email at delliott@kckcc.edu.

Sporting Park to host Division II championship games

KANSAS CITY, KAN. ----- Sporting Park will be hosting the 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017 Division II football championship games.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) awarded the following 14 men's and women's championships to the Kansas City area on Wednesday:

• 2014 Division III (M&W) Soccer: Dec. 5-6 at Swope Soccer Village

• 2014 Division II Football: Dec. 20 at Sporting Park

• 2015 Division II (M&W) Soccer: Dec. 4-5 at Swope Soccer Village

• 2015 Division I Men's Soccer: Dec. 11-13 at Sporting Park

• 2015 Division II Football: Dec. 19 at Sporting Park

• 2016 Division II (M&W) Soccer: Dec. 1-3 at Swope Soccer Village

• 2016 Division II Football: Dec. 17 at Sporting Park

• 2017 Division II (M&W) Soccer: Nov. 30-Dec. 2 at Swope Soccer Village

• 2017 Division I Women's Volleyball: Dec. 14-16 at Sprint Center

• 2017 Division II Football: Dec. 16 at Sporting Park

"We are pleased that the NCAA and the governing sports committees recognize Kansas City as a city that will provide a great experience for the student-athletes, coaches and fans that travel here in the next several years," said Cindy Smith, Vice President of Business & Partner Development for the Kansas City Sports Commission.  "Since 2000, Kansas City has served as host to 11 NCAA National Championships and we look forward to hosting many more in the future."

In 2013, Sporting Park became the first stadium to host the MLS All-Star Game, U.S. Men's National Team and MLS Cup in the same year. The state-of-the-art venue opened in 2011 and has hosted the U.S. Men's National Team in competitive matches each of the last three years.

Construction on Phase II of Swope Soccer Village's $13.44 million expansion began today to prepare for the development of five new synthetic soccer fields. Located at 63rd and Lewis Rd. in Kansas City's Swope Park, the Swope Soccer Village will be home to nine full-sized soccer fields and facilities upon the project's completion in 2014.

In May, a $13.44 million expansion to the Swope Soccer Village was formally approved by the City Council. Four months after breaking ground, the complex's natural grass championship field - the first of six new fields as part of the expansion - opened in November and hosted the 2013 Big 12 Soccer Championship.

The conference's postseason tournament will again be played at the Swope Soccer Village in 2014.

The five new synthetic fields will be built on the east side of Lewis Rd. and will each be furnished with lighting and fencing. Grand Construction serves as the general contractor and Sporting Club Network member Brookside Soccer Club will act as a primary tenant.

The development will also provide additional infrastructure updates, including new restroom, concession and storage amenities.

MLS Cup champions Sporting Kansas City opened the team's training center at the Swope Soccer Village in 2007 with over 7,800 square feet of facility space and three soccer fields. The Sporting KC Academy, Sporting Club Network members and numerous community outreach programs utilize the existing four fields at the complex.

State board rejects SmarterBalanced; chooses KU to develop Common Core tests

By PETER HANCOCK, The Lawrence Journal-World

TOPEKA, KAN. — The Kansas State Board of Education today effectively dropped out of a multistate consortium that is developing student assessments aligned to the controversial new Common Core standards for reading and math.

Instead, the board voted to to continue contracting with Kansas University's Center for Educational Testing and Evaluation to design and administer the tests that students take each year to measure how well the schools themselves are meeting state and federal performance standards.

That's the same group that has developed and administered state assessments for Kansas schools for the last several years.

The 8-2 vote came after a lengthy discussion among board members. And it came only after the board deadlocked in a 5-5 tie on the recommendation of an advisory committee to use the SmarterBalanced Assessment Consortium as the primary test to be given each year to students in grades 3 through 8, and once in high school.

Kansas had been a governing state in SmarterBalanced, one of two multistate groups that received federal grants from the Obama administration to develop new tests aligned to the Common Core standards.

"I will vote in favor of the motion, with extreme reservations," said board member Janet Waugh, D-Kansas City, one of three members who switched their vote after the motion to go with SmarterBalance failed. "I feel we need to adopt SmarterBalanced, however I also feel we need to get off dead center."

But board member Ken Willard, R-Hutchinson, said sticking with KU to develop and administer the tests would be safer politically, mainly because that option is expected to cost only about $5.1 million a year, once the test is fully developed.

That's about half a million dollars more than KU currently charges the state for testing services. But it's $1.3 million less than it would have cost to contract with SmarterBalanced.

"There is a political component to this decision," Willard said. "There will be people weighing in on this across the street (in the Kansas Statehouse) after our decision is made."

Carolyn Campbell, D-Topeka, whose district includes Lawrence, said she could not support dropping out of the SmarterBalanced project, saying the political concerns did not matter to her.

"I've always put the children first and what is best for them," Campbell said.

Although the CETE tests will be less expensive than SmarterBalanced, officials noted that they also won't have as many kinds of "technology-enhanced" items that require students to use higher-level problem solving and critical thinking skills.

They will also have fewer "adaptive" features, which require students to show competency at one set of knowledge or skills before they proceed to the next level.

In addition, though, deputy education commissioner Brad Neuenswander said the Kansas Board of Regents has not yet determined whether the CETE exams will meet their standards for gaining entrance into credit-bearing courses.

But CETE officials said they are hopeful of getting approval from the higher education community.

"CETE is pleased to continue to develop the next-generation assessments for Kansas," said Marianne Pearie, co-director of the center. "We intend to reach out to the Board of Regents and hope to involve them in developing a test in (English language arts) and math at the high school level that truly measures a student's academic readiness for post-secondary education."

Education Commissioner Diane DeBacker said after the vote that she would immediately call officials at SmarterBalanced and inform them that Kansas will no longer serve as a governing state in the consortium.