(KAIR)--An early Saturday evening Atchison County motorcycle crash sent two Atchison residents to the hospital.

According to a press release from Atchison County Sheriff Jack Laurie, the Sheriff's Office was dispatched to the crash on  U.S. 73 Highway in the area of 230th Road around 6:20.

Laurie says it appears 36-year-old Nicholas Goodpasture had been northbound when his Harley Davidson motorcycle left the roadway and crashed on the right shoulder.

Goodpasture and his passenger, 43-year-old Meredith Scherer, were both ejected.

Goodpasture was transported by LifeNet helicopter to the University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City and Scherer was transported by ambulance to the hospital.

The extent of their injuries is unknown at this time.  

Laurie says they are not ruling out alcohol consumption being a contributing factor in the crash.  

Editor's note: An earlier version of this story listed Nicholas Goodpasture as 31-years-old instead of 36. It has been updated for accuracy. 

(KNZA)--An investigation by the Jackson County Sheriff's Department leads to the arrest of  Mayetta father and son on drug and weapons charges.

Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse says deputies arrested 53-year-old Jonathan Seeley and 25-year-old Samuel Jacob Seeley Saturday after a search warrant was served at 15599 U.S. 75 Highway in rural Mayetta.

Morse says deputies seized methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia and weapons from the residence.

Jonathan Seeley was booked into the Jackson County Jail for possession of methamphetamine, marijuana, drug paraphernalia and criminal use of firearms. Samuel Seeley was booked into jail for possession of marijuana, drug paraphernalia and criminal use of firearms.

Bond has not yet been set for either man.

Troopers from the Kansas Highway Patrol assisted with the search warrant.

Editors note: the following was submitted by Brown County Sheriff John Merchant

I would like to take this opportunity to remind folks about social media and what should and should not be shared.  There have been recent events where people have put too much information on social media sites.

Most of these folks are very caring, helpful people and tend to give very graphic details or even pictures of certain events that happen in our county.  I commend people  who are always ready to help those in need, but please take a moment to reflect on whether to put out to the world what you have done or seen,  and why the need to do it.

Before posting information, please ask yourself a few simple questions.

#1.  If this were my family or group of friends, would they approve of what I am about to post.
#2.  Is this something that I would want my child or family member to see.
#3.  Would I appreciate this type of information being  posted about myself or my family.
#4. Am I posting this because I am mad, over-emotional or upset about a person or incident.  If so, wait until you calm down and see if it is still appropriate.
#5.  If I don't have the nerve to say something in person, why would I put it on social media.

Everyone needs to remember that anything you put on-line is there for anyone to see.  You might send to certain individuals, but are you sure they will in turn, be confidential with what you have given them.

Many jobs, marriages, friendships and relationships have been ruined because of gossip on  social media.  This has become a major source of controversy not only in our county, but across the nation.  So many times I hear people referring to something they have read on FACEBOOK or on line and they take it as 100% fact.  This is not always the case, be informed before you make a judgement about others.

There have many  been incidents where our children are being bullied on social media, text messages etc.  When complaints are investigated, many times we find that the parent or caregiver is just as bad or worse than their child.  Children live what they learn.  As parents or caregivers, it is our obligation to teach our kids the proper way to use this potentially harmful resource.

Our children are being targeted at an alarming rate by human traffickers and pedophiles because they are allowed to have free, unlimited and unsupervised access to computers and cell phones. This is an easy way for these  criminals to take advantage of our children as many sites do not verify identity.  Kids may think they are chatting with one of their peers but  in all reality, it is  most likely  a predator. As parents, we have the responsibility and the right to review and inspect our  children's devices at any time to make sure they are using them accordingly and safely.

I ask anyone who has any questions or concerns about social media use or abuse to contact my office.  Social media is a tool and it is only as good or bad as the person who is using it.

Sheriff John D Merchant
Brown County Sheriff's Office
709 Utah Street
Hiawatha KS 66434
(785) 742-7125

(KNZA)--A Leavenworth man already ordered to serve more than 3 years in prison on a pair of drug charges has been sentenced to an additional 4 years on charges in two separate cases.

According to a press release from Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson, 47-year-old Orville Sieg was sentenced Friday to 16 months in prison on charges of battery of a law enforcement officer, felony interference with a law enforcement officer, criminal damage to property, driving while suspended and reckless driving.

A jury found Sieg guilty on the charges in June.

He was convicted of dragging an officer with his vehicle in July 2017 who was attempting to arrest him on a felony warrant for a drug offense.  The officer was not seriously hurt.
 .  
In addition, Thompson says Sieg was sentenced Friday to 32 months in prison on a charge of aggravated assault.

A jury convicted him on the charge in June for pointing a handgun at a bondsman in in April 2017, attempting to arrest him on a warrant for failure to appear in court.

Thompson says the sentences in the two cases were ordered to be served consecutively and consecutive to a 40 month sentence previously handed down after Sieg was convicted of felony possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.     

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) - The Nebraska Supreme Court has rejected the latest appeals of death row inmate John Lotter, ruling he filed the appeals too late.
 
Lotter was sentenced to death for his role in the 1993 killings of Brandon Teena  and two witnesses, Lisa Lambert and Philip DeVine, at a farmhouse near Humboldt.

Friday's ruling combined and addressed several of Lotter's post-conviction appeals. The high court said it lacked jurisdiction in the first batch, because Lotter did not timely appeal. The high court affirmed the dismissal of others by a lower court, noting they, too, came too late.

(KAIR)--A Leavenworth County crash has claimed the life of a University of Kansas student.

The Kansas Highway Patrol says 20-year-old Charlie Gillis, of St. Louis, died Tuesday at a Kansas City hospital from injuries received in a Monday afternoon three-vehicle wreck at the intersection of U.S. 24 Highway and 166th Street near Bashor.

The Patrol says a semi tractor-trailer pulled out in front of Gillis’ sport utility vehicle. Gillis struck the middle axle of the truck, spun out and hit the front of another vehicle. 

The semi driver, 63-year-old Dale Fryman, of Leavenworth, and the driver of the third vehicle were not hurt.  

The crash remains under investigation.
 
The Kansas City Star reports the crash occurred as Gillis was returning to the Lawrence campus after spending homecoming weekend at his alma mater in St. Louis.

He was a member of the Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity.

(KMZA)--During a 5-minute special meeting Thursday morning, the Board of Education for the South Brown County Schools of USD 430 accepted the resignation of Travis George as high school activities director and head golf coach.

George had been hired for the positions in May.

The Board’s action comes after George was arrested last month on multiple charges following a domestic disturbance at his Atchison residence.

He faces charges of domestic battery, criminal damage to property, criminal restraint and child endangerment, along with possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

George remains free on bond.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) - Kansas utility regulators have approved a settlement agreement that will cut electric rates for most Westar Energy customers.
 
The settlement agreement approved Thursday by the Kansas Corporation Commission would lower monthly bills for residential customers by about $3.80 a month.
 
The Lawrence Journal-World reports the rate decrease will not apply to most people who have installed solar panels or other self-generating devices. Those customers will be charged additional fees that Westar says are necessary so those customers pay their fair share of maintaining the power grid.
 
Westar spokeswoman Gina Penzig said those customers could still potentially see about a 30 percent decrease when they install solar, meaning they still have potential for savings under these new rates.
 

(KNZA)-Hiawatha City Commissioner David Middendorf is running as a write-in candidate for election to the position he was appointed to in July.

The Brown County Clerk’s Office says Middendorf filed the required paperwork this week to run as a write-in candidate for commissioner of finance.

Also running for the position are John Merchant, Jr. and Matt Haws.

Middendorf was appointed to fill the unexpired term of Bill Collins after he was appointed interim mayor following the resignation of Dr. Steffen Shamburg.

Both the positions of commissioner of finance and mayor are up for election during the November 6 general election.  Collins is running unopposed for mayor.

(KNZA)--The city of Hiawatha will hold its citywide fall Clean Up Day Saturday, September 29.

The clean-up site will be located at the city public works property located at 912 Hiawatha Street.

Items will be accepted from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Bob Spicer Salvage will be at the location to accept air conditioners, appliances, tires with rims, iron, metal and batteries.

In addition, Hamilton Recycling will be at the location with a paper shredder and picking up recyclable items.

Each household will be allowed one pickup load, one carload or one single-axle trailer load.  No contractors are allowed and the city reserves the right to refuse any load.

Proof of residency will be required.

Unacceptable items include household trash, leaves, grass clippings, tires, paint, oil, gas, hazardous materials and any material containing Freon except appliances.      

(KNZA)--A Doniphan County bridge project has advanced.

The Doniphan County Commission this week received a letter from the Kansas Department of Transportation informing them of the awarding of bid for a bridge replacement project on Mineral Point Road over a branch of Peters Creek.

Reece Construction Company, of Scandia, was the successful bidder in the amount of nearly $359,000.

Federal funding through KDOT's Off-System Bridge Program will pay for 80 percent of the construction cost, with the county responsible for the remainder.

The Commission voted to commit $79,000 in funding for the county's portion of the project.  

In other business, County road office manager Lindsay Norris informed the Commission that she had contacted KDOT requesting installation of a flashing signal light on Ash Point Road, north of U.S. 36 Highway, warning motorists of the approaching highway.  However, KDOT denied the county's request.

As a result, the county Road Department will install a warning sign 14-hundred feet from the intersection.

(KNZA)--The Brown County Sheriff’s office is seeking the public’s assistance in locating a stolen all-terrain vehicle.

Sheriff John Merchant says the green 2010 Arctic CAT 700 ATV was stolen sometime Wednesday afternoon in the vicinity of U.S 75 Highway and 170th Road.

Merchant said the ATV had a black dump bed on the back containing a pair of hedge clippers.

An eyewitness said the ATV was following a teal colored Ford Ranger pickup and was last seen headed east on 170th.

Anyone with information on the theft is asked to contact the Brown County Sheriff’s Office.

(KNZA)--An early Wednesday evening two-vehicle wreck in Doniphan County sent four people to the hospital.

The Kansas Highway Patrol says it happened at the intersection of 150th Road and K-7 Highway, about five miles south of U.S. 36, shortly after 6:00.

The Patrol says 24-year-old Kyle Glasco, of Olathe, was driving a pickup truck westbound on 150th when he failed to stop at a stop sign at the K-7 intersection.  Glasco entered the intersection and was struck by a pickup on K-7 driven by 56-year-old Russell Weishaar, of Wathena, in the right side. 

Glasco was not hurt but three passengers in his vehicle, 22-year-old Shelby Longstaff, of Topeka; 19-year-old Chasyn Campion, of Topeka; and 19-year-old Devin Sutton, of Olathe, were transported to Mosiac Life Care in St. Joseph.

Weishaar, who received what was described as possible injury, was also transported to the hospital.

The Patrol says none of the occupants in the Glasco pickup were wearing seatbelts, but Weishaar was buckled up.

(KNZA)--Funeral services have been set for the Hiawatha man killed Monday in a rear-end collision on U.S. 36 Highway, west of Hiawatha.

Services for 47-year-old Ronnie Meyers will be Sunday afternoon at 3:00 at the First Baptist Church, in Hiawatha.

Burial will follow at the Horton City Cemetery.

Visitation will be Saturday afternoon from 3 to 6 at the Dishon-Maple-Chaney Mortuary, in Horton, which is in charge of the arrangements.

Meyers served the Hiawatha and Horton communities as a coach and youth mentor for many years.

Among survivors are his wife, Melissa, along with six children.    

(KAIR)--A Leavenworth man arrested in connection with a September 5 drive-by shooting in Atchison is also facing charges in a late August armed home invasion near Atchison.

Atchison County Sheriff Jack Laurie says 19-year-old Marcell Bailey was arrested Tuesday evening in Topeka by the U.S. Marshal’s Service.

Laurie says Bailey was arrested on an Atchison County District Court warrant for aggravated robbery, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, aggravated burglary, felony theft and possession of a firearm by a convicted felon for his alleged role in the home invasion.

Two other suspects in the home invasion, 24-year-old Devan Newson and 27-year-old Brandon Williams, both of Atchison, were arrested last week.

Laurie says the trio entered a home at 7232 Elm Drive on August 29,  armed with a pistol and knife, and demanded the victim’s safe.  They fled after they acquired it.

Laurie said the cash in the safe was believed to be more than $500.

Bailey remains in the Atchison County Jail, held on a $500,000 bond.

(KLZA)-- A flood warning will remain in effect through the early part of next week along the  Missouri River.

The crest is expected to occur Thursday in Southeast Nebraska, Northwest Missouri and Northeast Kansas. 

At Rulo, the crest is predicted for Thursday evening at 20 feet, which is 3-feet above flood stage. 

At Brownville, the crest is predicted at 37.6-feet Thursday morning which is 4.6 feet above flood stage. 

At Nebraska City, the National Weather Service believes the Missouri has crested at just over 21-feet with the flood stage being 18 feet.

At St. Joseph, Missouri, the crest is predicted for Thursday morning at 18.7-feet,  less than 2-feet above the flood stage of 17 feet. 

The Missouri River is expected to remain above flood stage through Monday and possibly later into next week due to heavy rains up stream last week.  

(KAIR)--A new company will locate in Atchison’s Shannon Industrial Park.

According to a press release from Atchison Assistant Manger Justin Pregont, the Atchison Area Economic Development Corporation recently reached an agreement to sell Lot 2-E at the park to Integrity Reinforcing Bar, Inc., a startup rebar manufacturing company owned by the Bottorff Family of Atchison County.

Integrity Reinforcing Bar is scheduled to construct a new facility in the park in the next six months. The project aims to hire 3-4 full-time employees at the onset, with the potential for eight to ten employees in the next few years.

The Bottorff’s also own Bottorff Construction, a concrete construction company that employs about 90 people and has been in business since 1982.

Bottorff Construction President Justin Bottorff says their goal is to have the new facility running by February so they can be ready for their first big push of the year in March.

Bottorff said the company will buy rebar in long lengths, cutting and bending it to suit projects for his construction company and any others who do jobs of similar sizes.

The project represents the fifth major development in the Shannon Industrial Park in the past few years.

(KNZA)--A new Doniphan County Aging Administrator has been appointed.

Following an executive session Monday, the Doniphan County Commission voted to appoint Peggy Wood, of Elwood, to the part-time position, effective December 1st.

Wood will be paid a starting salary of $15 an hour, with her salary to increase to $17.50 an hour beginning January 1.

She will replace Joi Davies who is resigning effective November 30.

Davies has held the position the past 4 years.

(KMZA)--The 2019 Nemaha County, Kansas budget has been adopted as published.

The Nemaha County Commission took the action Monday following a public hearing drawing a question one of several county residents in attendance.

Freda Dobbins asked about Parks and Recreation fund. Commissioners said its funded by an alcohol tax, with the proceeds primarily going to United 4 Youth in their effort to stop underage drinking.   

The $13.5 million budget contains a nearly 2.6 mill property tax levy decrease, with an estimated tax rate of 43.095 mills.

The budget calls for the county to collect nearly $7.9 million in local taxes.

Even though the mill levy will decrease, the county will collect nearly $367,000 in additional taxes over last year due to a more than $18 million increase in the county’s assessed valuation.   

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) – An area Kansas state senator who gained attention for comparing Planned Parenthood to a Nazi concentration camp plans to announce his retirement from the Legislature within a few days.

Leavenworth Republican Senator Steve Fitzgerald confirmed the pending announcement to the Kansas City Star .

But his announcement was pre-empted by the man who defeated him in the August GOP primary in the 2nd Congressional District. Fitzgerald said he was preparing to resign when he heard that Steve Watkins had sent a press release congratulating him on his retirement.

Fitzgerald, a senator since 2013, belongs to the conservative wing of the party that resisted the repeal of former Gov. Sam Brownback's tax cuts and expanding Medicaid.

Fitzgerald said he didn't know how Watkins knew his plans. Watkins didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

(KAIR)--A 19-year-old Leavenworth man, facing attempted murder charges in connection with an Atchison shooting, has been located. “The investigating continues, however, we're very pleased that we have this violent offender in custody,” Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson told MSC News Tuesday evening.

A warrant was issued for the arrest of Marcell Bailey following the September 5 shooting of a car in the 1000 block of Atchison's North 7th Street.

Although the vehicle was shot, none of the five occupants, three males and two females, ranging in age from 17 to 22, were injured.

Wilson told MSC News Bailey was taken into custody on the Atchison County District Court Warrant early Tuesday evening in Topeka. “In the last several weeks, we began working with the U.S. Marshal's Office,” Wilson said. “In recent days, it's been determined, or suspected, that he was in Topeka, and shortly after 5:00, the Marshall's Office did take him into custody in Topeka. We knew that it was getting close, we had detectives in Topeka with the Marshall's Office, and once he was taken into custody, he was released to our detectives.”

Bailey faces charges for attempted 2nd degree murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, criminal discharge of a firearm into an occupied vehicle, and criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.

Wilson said investigators believe a total of eight shots were fired by Bailey on the afternoon of September 5, with the vehicle struck at least 5 times.

(KLZA)-- A portion of Falls City, including the KTNC radio tower site, was without power for a brief period of time Tuesday afternoon.

According to a release from the City Office,  power was lost due to a power pole being  hit by an automobile near the west edge of Falls City near Highway 8 where a road construction project is currently underway.

No other details are available at this time. 

(KNZA)--The Brown County Sheriff’s Department will be getting a new patrol car.

At the request of Sheriff John Merchant, the Brown County Commission Monday approved the purchase of a 2019 Ford Taurus from Hiawatha Ford in the amount of $22,150 with the trade-in of a 2013 Ford sedan with 146,000 miles.

The Commission also give Merchant approval to seek sealed bids on two surplus vehicles.  They include a 2002 Dodge Durango with more than 154,000 miles and a 2011 Ford Crown Victoria with more than 138,000 miles.

Sealed bids will be accepted until noon, October 26 and will be opened at the Commission’s October 31 meeting.

In addition, at the request of Merchant, the Commission approved a  $1 an hour pay increase for sheriff’s office employee Brittany Pagnano from $18 to $19 an hour for taking on additional tasks. 

In other business, the Commission accepted the lone bid submitted Jacques Muller for the purchase of a county-owned 2001 Dodge Grand Caravan in the amount of $912.

(KLZA)--Southeast Nebraska unemployment matched a statewide trend of lower unemployment during the month of August.

That's according to latest figures released by the Nebraska Department of Labor.

Pawnee County's unemployment rate in August was 2.3 percent, a decline of 7-tenths of a percent from July.

Richardson and Gage counties mirrored each other with unemployment rates of 2.9 percent, down half-a-percentage point in each county.

Nemaha County, Nebraska had the biggest dip in unemployment, with rate dropping 8-tenths to 3.4 percent.

The unemployment rate in Johnson County dropped 3-tenths to 3.4 percent. The Otoe County jobless rate was down 6-tenths to 2.7 percent.

Statewide, the unemployment rate in August was 2.8 percent,which is down a tenth of a point from July.

The national unemployment rate for August was 3.9 percent.

(KNZA)--A late Monday afternoon two-vehicle Brown County crash claimed the life of a Hiawatha man.

The Kansas Highway Patrol says killed in the wreck on U.S. 36 Highway, about six miles west of Hiawatha, was 47-year-old Ronnie Meyers.

The Patrol says Meyers was eastbound when his Chevy Cavalier struck the rear of a semi that was attempting to turn into a private driveway shortly before 5:00.

Meyers, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The semi driver, 53-year-old Wetmore resident Martin Lawrence, received possible injury but the Patrol report does not indicate he was transported to a local hospital.  

(KNZA)--You might have noticed a recent increase in prices at the pump.

Despite a majority of states across the nation experiencing falling or flat gas prices, Kansas was part of a regional trend that saw prices at the pump rise over the past week.

According to Triple A Kansas, the average cost of a gallon of regular gas in the state rose four cents this past week to $2.70.

Triple-A says gas refinery issues in the region are to blame for the increase.

Triple-A spokesman Shawn Steward says generally this time of year, gas prices in Kansas trend downward, and that is the case in much of the country.  Steward says it goes to show that retail fuel prices are always evolving, sometimes impacted by unexpected factors and, overall, hard to predict.

Kansas does still fare very well, though, with gas prices 15 cents below the national average and 12th cheapest in the nation.
 

(MSC News)--Unemployment was down in area northeast Kansas counties in August.

According to figures released Friday by the Kansas Department of Labor, Atchison County continued to have the highest unemployment rate at 4.7 percent, while Nemaha County continued to have the lowest at 2.4 percent.

Elsewhere, Brown County’s jobless rate last month was 3.3 percent; Doniphan, 3.5 percent; Jackson, 2.9 percent; Jefferson, 3.1 percent; Leavenworth, 3.7 percent; Marshall, 2.6 percent and Pottawatomie, 2.9 percent.

All the figures are down from July and down from August 2017.

Statewide, the Department of Labor said the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in August was 3.3 percent.  That’s down from 3.4 percent in July and down from 3.6 percent in August 2017.    

(KNZA)--A Hiawatha baseball field will officially be named in honor of the memory of longtime coach and community volunteer the late Paul Rockey during a ceremony next month.

Hiawatha Parks and Recreation Director Stacy Jasper has announced that the ceremony will take place October 6 at 11:00 in the morning at Noble Park.

The Hiawatha City Commission will hold a special meeting that morning for an official proclamation to name the baseball field at Noble Park “ Paul Rockey Field."

Rockey died May 26 at the age of 63.

The Commission in July approved a request to name the ballfield in his honor.

Local resident John Weingart, who lead the efforts, said Rockey spent the last 38 years involved in Hiawatha baseball programs in someway.

Friends, family, players and the community are invited to attend the ceremony.

Lunch will be provided following the ceremony.

(KAIR)--Atchison firefighters recently learned that they will be receiving more than $100,000 from a federal grant, which will help the department buy new breathing equipment and a few sets of gear.

Self-contained breathing apparatus allow emergency responders to breathe during smoky or other hazardous conditions. Obviously key for firefighters, the grant, which is actually $111,585, will allow the department to replace all 18 currently operating air packs.

The Atchison Fire Department will also use the grant to purchase four new sets of turnout gear, the protective equipment they wear while fighting fires. “Obviously it’s a huge need for us,” Atchison Fire Chief Ted Graf said. “That money is not something that is easy for the city to come up with.”

Graf said the SCBA equipment usually costs about $6,000 each, with the gear about $2,200 apiece. The grant covers 95 percent of the costs for the equipment and comes from the federally funded Assistance to Firefighters Grant.

 “This is a tremendous award for us,” Captain Pat Weishaar said. “Without this funding it would be very difficult to budget for such costly equipment - equipment that is vital to firefighting.”

Graf said that the grant will allow his department to replace 21-year-old equipment. “In 20 years the technology has changed,” Graf said. “This has a better ergonomic fit, providing better comfort. The newer equipment is lighter. We can even track our firefighters while operating in an area. We know their locations and even their air levels.”

There were 670 grants awarded nationwide. Atchison firefighters were notified of the grant award on August 17.

Weishaar wrote the grant application, with help from City Finance Manager Cari Strieby and City Manager Becky Berger.

(KNZA)--Organizers behind one of St. Joseph's biggest festivals have announced its suspension after 26 years.

The Allied Arts Council, in a press release, cited declining attendance and rising costs in their decision to suspend the Trails West! Festival.

Allied Arts Council Executive Director Teresa Fankhauser said the council decided it was time to explore new opportunities due to the change in how people consume their art and the number of outdoor arts experiences that are now available.

The release stated that the three-day festival, held annually since 1993 at Civic Center Park, was the largest arts festival in northwest Missouri, with more than 45,000 attendees at its peak and with an annual economic impact of over $1 million a year.

During the past several years, the annual downtown arts festival has seen declining numbers, with 10,000 people attending this year's event. Fankhauser said that’s when discussions began about suspending the festival to stop and take stock of its value.

Fankhauser said the Council wants to take time to assess what the city would like to see before moving forward with any new ideas.

(KAIR)--The treasurer for the Kickapoo Tribal Council has been removed.

According to a news release issued by Kickapoo Tribal Chair Lester Randall, Russell Bradley was ousted following a vote Friday by the Tribal Council.

In the release, Randall clarifies that the grounds for removal were stated as "a breach of fiduciary duty as the Tribe's Chief Financial Officer in failing to preserve and report the financials of the Tribe when requested by the Tribal Council and sexual harassment."

Specific details pertaining to the council's claims against Bradley aren't immediately specified.

In the release, Randall states that "tribal members demand accountability from their elected leaders," adding that "circumstances demanded the Tribal Council take action to restore the financial stability of the Kickapoo Tribe and its operations."

Bradley had held the postion for about 4 years.

Randall says a special election will be held to find a new treasurer.

(KAIR)--Formal charges are now filed, and the bond increased, for a Holton man accused of shooting his father to death, and shooting at Jackson County law enforcement officials, during a standoff Tuesday.

The charges are outlined in a criminal complaint filed Thursday in Jackson County District Court by County Attorney Shawna Miller.

49-year-old Derrick Bohnenkemper is charged with one count of first-degree murder, five counts of attempted capital murder, and one count of aggravated assault.

He made his first court appearance Thursday by video.

A preliminary hearing is tentatively set for September 27.

Bohnenkemper remains in custody at the Jackson County Jail, with his bond now set at $1 million.

The body of his 73-year-old father, Gaylen Bohnenkemper, was found inside a residence, located north of Holton, after the younger Bohnenkemper ultimately surrendered to authorities following the more than 5-hour standoff, at the residence, Tuesday morning.

The elder Bohnenkemper, of Holton, will be laid to rest Monday following 11:00 services at the Trinity Lutheran Church, in Holton.

During the standoff, it's alleged that Derrick Bohnenkemper fired a shotgun in the direction of law enforcement, with the criminal complaint alleging that he was attempting to kill Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse, and four other law enforcement officers. That attempt, which caused no injuries, led to the five counts of attempted capital murder.

(KNZA)--The next court appearance for a former Elwood police officer accused of alleged sex-related offenses has been postponed to November.

A pre-trial conference hearing for 30-year-old Aaron Newberry, currently of Amazonia, Missouri, was continued Thursday to November 6.

Newberry was arrested July 21 on charges of aggravated sexual battery and mistreatment of a confined person.

According to the criminal complaint, the female victim was allegedly  “detained or confined” by Newberry at the time of the crime.

Newberry was fired following his arrest, just over four-months after being hired as an officer with the Elwood Police Department.

He remains free on bond.     

Nemaha County Attorney Brad Lippert is serving as special prosecutor in the case.
 

(KNZA)--The preliminary hearing for a Bendena man facing allegations of dog fighting following a raid on his Doniphan County property has been pushed back.

The hearing for 28-year-old Colton Albright was continued Thursday to  October 10.

During the hearing, a judge will determine if there is sufficient evidence for Albright to be bound over for trial.

He faces 20 counts—including 10 counts of dogfighting, three counts of possession of dog fighting paraphernalia and one count of cruelty to animals, along with drug and weapon related charges.

Albright was arrested August 16 after Kansas Bureau of Investigation agents, assisted by the Doniphan County Sheriff’s Office, served a search warrant at his residence.

Seized were 45 dogs believed to have been used for dogfighting, along with suspected dogfighting  paraphernalia.

Albright remains in the Doniphan County Jail, held without bond.
   
 

(KLZA)--Following a hearing drawing no public comment Tuesday morning, Richardson County Commissioners voted unanimously to approve the Fiscal Year 2018-19 budget as published.

The budget will have a property tax requirement of $4,469,317 which includes $300-thousand for cash reserves.

The jail bond is up nearly $8-thousand to $400,000 making the total tax requirement $4,869,397.

The levy will remain the same as last year at 34.01 cents per $100 of assessed valuation.

 Commissioners cut nearly three-quarters-of-a-million dollars from the budgets proposed by county officials.

The county’s valuation decreased by nearly $48-million which was a 3.35 percent
 

(KMZA)--Information about a second local wind energy project will be provided at two open houses next week.

Chicago, Illinois-based Invenergy is proposing a wind energy project in northwestern Brown County and northeastern Nemaha County.

The company is hosting open houses in Sabetha and Seneca to release information about the Pony Express Wind Project.

The Sabetha open house will be Monday afternoon from 4 to 6 at The Main Event located at 16 Main Street.  The Seneca open house will be Tuesday afternoon from 4 to 6 at the Nemaha County Community Building located at 15-hundred Community Drive.

According to the company, local residents interested in learning more about the project are welcome and encouraged to attend.  A current landowner at the Invenergy-developed Rush Creek Wind Project in Colorado will be present, as well as project staff.

Appetizers and refreshments will be provided by local restaurants.

According to their website, Invenergy is North America’s largest privately held renewable energy company.

Its portfolio includes wind, solar, and natural gas-fueled power generation and energy storage facilities.

Another company, Florida-based NextEra Energy Resources, is proposing a wind farm in southern Nemaha County.

The Soldier Creek wind farm would contain up to 120 wind turbines and  generate 300 megawatts of power.

(KLZA)--The Falls City Council Monday evening approved on a 7-0 vote a 2018-19 Fiscal Year Budget totaling more than $29.6-million in total disbursements and transfers.

The property tax levy will be just over 44-cents per $100 of assessed valuation which is anticipated to provide $690,769 in property taxes.

The City valuation increased  just over $1-million this year to nearly $153.8-million.

City Administrator Gary Jorn noted that while all departments asked for increases in the new budget, there were a number of cuts to the budget approved by the Council. Cuts, or requests not in the budget included an additional part-time employee at the Library as well as other cuts at the Library.  Capital improvement requests by the Falls City Volunteer Fire Department, Parks Department, Tree Board, and housing demolition.

In addition, a request from the Falls City Chamber of $10-thousand for promotions was not included.

The budget does include a number of capital improvements for the Police Department associated with E-citations and software and hardware to implement the programs that are mandated by the State of Nebraska.  Those costs are in the neighborhood of $53-thousand.

A late development during the budgeting process was  notice from Richardson County the Sheriff's Department will be taking over 911 dispatching the City had been doing and receiving funds from the County for providing.  Historically the City budgets approximately $120-thousand annually from Richardson County to help pay for dispatching 911 calls. Jorn said instead of using state funds to help pay for equipment,  $48-thousand will be used toward wages.

The property tax amount increased just over $9,400 from last year which is a 1.3-percent increase.  The levy amount increased approximately 3-one-thousandth of a cent.  

Council member Kirby Robidoux was absent from the meeting.  

(KLZA)--A nearly two-week investigation leads to the arrest of Falls City man on drug charges.

57-year-old Kenneth Kaster, Jr. was arrested September 14 after the Richardson County Sheriff's Office, with the assistance of the Nebraska State Patrol, executed a search warrant at 806 Harlan Street in Falls City.

Kaster  was arrested on charges of distribution of a controlled substance, possession of marijuana with intent to deliver and possession of a controlled substance, which is suspected to have been methamphetamine.  

Kaster was booked into the Richardson County Jail.  

(KAIR)--Funeral services are set for the lifelong Jackson County resident who authorities say was gunned down by his son Tuesday.

Gaylen Bohnenkemper, of Holton, will be laid to rest Monday following 11:00 services at the Trinity Lutheran Church, in Holton.

Holton's Mercer Funeral Home is handling the arrangements.

The 73-year-old Bohnenkemper was a 1963 graduate of Whiting High School, and served in the United States Army from 1966 to 1968.

Working in the grocery business for 45-years, Bohnenkemper is survived by his wife, Tina, along with two sons, Darrin and Derrick.

49-year-old Derrick Bohnenkemper is charged, in part, with first degree murder in connection with his fathers death.

The elder Bohnenkemper's body was found inside a residence, located north of Holton, following a standoff Tuesday morning.

Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse said Derrick Bohnenkemper refused to come out of the home, firing a shotgun once in the direction of deputies, who were not hurt.

Beginning Tuesday morning at 3:00, the standoff came to an end around 8:30 that morning when he surrendered.

The standoff began after Jackson County authorities received a report from a woman who said her son had shot his father in the head.

Derrick Bohnenkemper remains in the Jackson County Jail, held on a bond of $250,000.

(KNZA)--A Hiawatha woman, accused of impeding a  2013 Brown County child murder investigation, will stand trial.

34-year-old Janelle Hall ( also known as Janelle King) was bound over Wednesday to Brown County District Court on a felony count of interference with law enforcement after waiving her preliminary hearing.

Arraignment was scheduled for October 22. 

The charge stems from the investigation into the beating death of 4-year-old Mekhi Boone in March 2013.

According to the criminal complaint, Hall is alleged to have provided false information concerning the whereabouts of Janice Summerford.

Summerford was the live-in girlfriend of the child’s father, Lee Davis IV.

Davis was sentenced in June 2013 to nearly 20 years in prison on charges of second-degree murder and felony child abuse.

Summerford was sentenced in September 2014 to a total of 124 months in prison on charges of second-degree murder, felony child abuse and interference with a law enforcement officer.

(KNZA)--For the second week in a row, the Doniphan County Commission has approved a speed limit reduction for a Troy area road.

The Commission voted unanimously this week to reduce the speed limit on 195th Road from 55 to 35 miles an hour from the east city limits of Troy to Oxide Road.

Commission Chairman Thad Geiger said he believes the current speed limit is unsafe.

Commissioner Jerry McKernan said he believes 35 miles an hour is plenty on that road.

Last week, the Commission approved a speed limit reduction for a portion of Last Chance Road, southwest of Troy.  

Devan Newson and Brandon Williams

(KAIR)--Two Atchison men are in custody, held in connection with a late August Atchison home invasion.

According to Atchison County Sheriff Jack Laurie, 24-year-old Devan Newson and 27-year-old Brandon Williams were apprehended Wednesday.

Newson was located in the 700 block of S Street late Wednesday morning, not long after a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Williams was located in the afternoon in the 1000 block of North 2nd Street.

Newson faces charges for aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, aggravated battery, and aggravated assault.

Williams faces charges for aggravated robbery, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated burglary, aggravated battery, and aggravated assault.

Additional arrests are forthcoming, with Laurie saying search warrants are expected to be issued Thursday for two more suspects.

All of the suspects are accused of playing a role in the August 29 home invasion that happened at 7232 Elm Drive.

Laurie, in August, told MSC News that two men entered the home, armed with a pistol and a knife, and demanded the victim's safe. They fled after they acquired it.

Laurie said the cash in the safe was believed to be more than $500.

(KLZA)--The city of Falls City was without power for nearly 3 hours Tuesday morning.

The outage was reported around 6:15.

According to a statement on the Falls City Utilties Facebook page, the city is generating the city's power due to an OPPD substation outage.  The city was running one generator during the evening and early morning hours as the load was low.  However, as the morning started the load began to increase quickly and another generator was needed.

When the additional generator was being brought on-line both generators tripped off-line, putting the city without power.

The post says the plant then needed to be brought back from a " black start” condition, which Falls City Utilities says must be done very systematically and is a time consuming process.

Power was restored about 9:00 Tuesday morning.

(KAIR)--Formal charges are filed against the Holton man accused of shooting his father and then engaging Jackson County authorities in a several hour standoff Tuesday.

Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse, in a news release, said 49-year-old Derrick Bohnenkemper is charged with murder in the 1st degree, aggravated assault, and five counts of aggravated assault on law enforcement officers.

During the standoff, that happened a residence north of Holton, it's alleged that Bohnenkemper fired a shotgun at deputies after they launched tear gas into the residence.

No one was hurt by the gunfire.

The deputies made that move after Bohnenkemper refused to surrender, despite a several hour phone conversation with Morse.

He remains in custody at the Jackson County Jail, held on a bond of $250,000.

Sheriff's Deputies responded to 26985 Q. 4 Road around 3:00 Tuesday morning after a woman reported that her son had shot his father in the head.

Killed was 73-year-old Gaylen Bohnenkemper, of Holton.

His body was discovered inside the home by deputies after Derrick Bohnenkemper surrendered around 8:30 Tuesday morning.

(KLZA)--The report of an explosion at a Falls City business is under investigation.

The Nebraska State Fire Marshal's Office has confirmed to MSC News that it is investigating an incident at the Spirit Shoppe, located at 1123 Harlan Street.

The agency provided no additional details.

Falls City residents reported hearing they believed to be an explosion around 3:30 Tuesday morning.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Fire Marshal's Office at 888-992-7766 or the Falls City Police Department at 402-245-4422.

(KAIR)--The Atchison Public Schools have set a new date for a public forum focused on the future of the district's Native American-themed mascots.

It was originally set for September 17, but USD 409 postponed the forum due to a September 16 wreck that ultimately claimed the lives of two Maur Hill-Mount Academy students.

The two 16-year-old victims of the crash, Zachary Armontrout, of Rushville, Missouri, and Regan Moger, of Houston, Texas, did not attend the Atchison Public Schools, but were students at Atchison's Maur Hill-Mount Academy Catholic High School.

USD 409's decision to postpone the forum was to show solidarity, and to allow a time of community grieving.

Superintendent Dr. Susan Myers told MSC News the forum has been rescheduled for the evening of October 9, at 5:30, at the Atchison Elementary School gymnasium as a special meeting of the Board of Education.

Serving as moderator will be Brian Jordan, of the Kansas Association of School Boards. Jordan served as moderator in Manhattan, Kansas during a 2016 forum also focused on use of a Native American-themed mascot by the Manhattan public high school.

At issue is the use of Native American-themed mascots in the district, with the forum to allow public input while, according to the district, serving “as an opportunity to educate and inform the public about the topic of utilizing Native American mascots.

Atchison High School's mascot is the Redmen while the Atchison Middle School has the Braves mascot.

The forum follows the work of a committee formed by the district in 2016 after the school district received what Myers called “written communications pertaining to the use of the Redmen mascot.”

The committee’s work included compiling input from its members, including positive and negative affects of maintaining the status quo.

(KNZA)--The Hiawatha Chamber and Visitor’s Bureau will be searching for a new director.

Chamber and Visitor’s Bureau Board President Kate Miller informed the Hiawatha City Commission Monday evening that Director Elizabeth Lane has resigned due to a family illness. Her resignation is effective September 28.

Miller says Lane has been an asset to the Chamber and they are sorry to lose her.

She said the Chamber would be advertising to fill the position soon.

Miller also asked the Commission to re-consider its decision to only designate one night for Halloween trick-or-treating.  Due to an error, she said the Chamber had flyer’s printed up advertising two nights prior to the decision at their last meeting.

Miller, who grew up in Hiawatha, said she would like to see the tradition of having two nights continue.

The Commission said they didn’t have a problem with having two trick-or-treat nights, and approved holding those Monday, October 29 and Tuesday, October 30.

The Commission also approved a request from Miller to use city-owned property for a skeleton Scavenger Hunt on October 13 at 4:00 in the afternoon.

Miller invited Commissioners to the annual Maple Leaf Festival this Saturday around the courthouse square from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., which will feature vendors, music and entertainment.

The Commission approved a temporary cereal malt beverage license for a beer garden also planned at the event.

The Brown County Historical Society will also hold its Heritage Day celebration at its Ag Museum site on East Iowa Street in conjunction with the Festival.

Far south building at old Hiawatha Lodge, which the city has deemed as unsafe /Credit: Greg Bebermeyer/MSC News

(KNZA)--Hiawatha city officials are concerned about the safety of the old Hiawatha Lodge and want the owner to present a plan to address those concerns.

Mary Ananzeh, who owns the Sunflower Motel, recently acquired the old Lodge motel and adjacent Gateway Inn Motel on the south end of town.

She appeared before the Hiawatha City Commission Monday evening to request more time to come up with a plan.

The motel, which has been closed for some time, has fallen into a state of disrepair over the years.

Police Chief John Defore said of primary concern is the far south building, which has been deemed unsafe.

The Police Department sent a letter to Ananzeh late last month giving her 45 days to come up with plan for either demolition or renovation of the building.

Ananzeh said she had contacted 16 companies seeking estimates, but had only received 3 estimates so far and was waiting to hear back from others.

She said, if possible,she wants to save the structure and has been told by some   its worth saving.

The Commission directed Ananzeh to return in two weeks with a specific plan for bring the building into compliance with city code.

In the meantime, Defore asked that barricades be installed around the building for the public's safety.

(KAIR)--The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has rescinded a boil water advisory for Jefferson County Rural Water District No. 10, in Jefferson County.  The advisory was issued because of a line break resulting in a loss of pressure in the system.  Failure to maintain adequate pressure may result in a loss of chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination.

Public water suppliers in Kansas take all measures necessary to notify customers quickly after a system failure or shutdown. Regardless of whether it’s the supplier or KDHE that announces a boil water advisory, KDHE will issue the rescind order following testing at a certified laboratory.

Laboratory testing samples collected from Jefferson County Rural Water District No. 10 indicate no evidence of contamination and all other conditions that placed the system at risk of contamination are deemed by KDHE officials to be resolved. 

(KAIR)--The second of two teens trapped inside a car that landed upside down in an Atchison creek has died.

According to a Facebook post, 16-year-old Regan Moger, of Houston, Texas, died at the University of Kansas Hospital, where she was flown following the Sunday afternoon wreck.

The post, apparently made by her father, was posted to Facebook around 11:00 Tuesday morning.

Moger was a passenger in the car driven by 16-year-old Zachary Armontrout, of Rushville, Missouri, who died Monday morning at the University of Kansas Hospital.

Both were students at Maur Hill-Mount Academy Catholic High School, in Atchison.

Armontrout and Moger were trapped for a period of time in the car as it lay upside down in Independence Creek.

Three other teens, also students at Maur Hill-Mount Academy, escaped the Sunday afternoon crash with only minor, or possible, injuries.

The school Tuesday afternoon issued a press release confirming Moger's death, saying she died midday Tuesday while surrounded by family and loved ones.

The release notes that Armontrout's family and loved ones were also with him when he died.

Maur Hill-Mount Academy President Phil Baniewicz, in the release, said, “Our hearts ache and our prayers go out to the families and our students. We trust God is taking care of them.”

Atchison County Undersheriff Toby Smith told MSC News the vehicle was westbound on Atchison's River Road, at the Independence Bridge, when it crashed through the guardrail to the right, before landing in the water below.

The crash was reported around 2:30 Sunday afternoon.

It remains under investigation by the Kansas Highway Patrol.

Credit: Facebook

A rosary and prayer vigil for Moger and Armontrout will be held Wednesday evening at 7:00 at Maur Hill-Mount Academy, and will be open to the public. Funeral services for Armontrout will be Friday evening at 7:00 at Saint Benedict's Abbey, while a memorial mass for Moger will be Monday morning at 11:00 at Maur Hill-Mount Academy. Her funeral will be Tuesday in Houston.

Editor's note: The full release issued by Maur Hill Mount Academy is below: 

It is with heavy hearts that Maur Hill-Mount Academy shares the loss of two
students who passed away from injuries sustained in a car accident on Sunday,
September 16 th .
Junior Zachary Armontrout of Rushville, Mo. passed away early morning on Monday,
September 17 th at the University of Kansas Medical Center. Junior Regan Moger of
Houston, Tex. passed away midday Tuesday, September 18 th at the University of
Kansas Medical Center. Both were surrounded by family and loved ones.
“Our hearts ache and our prayers go out to the families and our students,” said Phil
Baniewicz, MH-MA president. “We trust God is taking care of them.”
The fatal accident took place Sunday, September 16 th along River Road and
Independence Creek. Three other MH-MA students were in the vehicle during the
accident but sustained little to no injuries.

(KMZA)--An Omaha, Nebraska man is scheduled to be sentenced in November after pleading no contest to a pair of child sex charges in Nemaha County District Court.

According to the Nemaha County Attorney's Office, 48-year-old Daniel Russo entered the plea last week to two counts of sexual exploitation of a child.

Russo was charged with enticing a child under the age of 18 to engage in sexually explicit conduct with the intent to promote the performance.  He was also charged with promoting a performance that included sexually explicit conduct by a child under the age of 18.

Russo was arrested May 7 following an investigation by the Nemaha County Sheriff's Department, Hiawatha Police Department and Omaha Police Department.

Sentencing is set for the morning of November 1.     

(KNZA)--An early Tuesday morning Jackson County shooting leaves one dead and one behind bars.

Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse, in a news release, said 49-year-old Derrick Bohnenkemper, of Holton, was arrested following a standoff at a residence, located at 26985 Q. 4 Road, north of Holton.

He's accused of fatally shooting his father, 73-year-old Gaylen Bohnenkemper of Holton.

The standoff began around 3:00 when deputies responded to that location after a woman reported that her son had shot her husband twice in the head.

When they arrived, deputies saw a man inside the home, armed with what Morse described as a long gun.

They made their way to the home and rescued the woman who had made the report of the crime.

The release says they got her to safety through her bedroom window as Bohnenkemper was attempting to break down the door into the room.

Morse was able to contact Bohnenkemper by phone.

Despite a conversation lasting several hours, Morse said Bohnenkemper refused to leave the home, with deputies launching tear gas into the residence. As they did, Morse said Bohnenkemper fired a shotgun in their direction, striking a vehicle used for cover, but causing no injuries.

Around 8:30, Morse said Bohnenkemper exited the home and surrendered.

Gaylen Bohnenkemper was found dead inside the home. 

Derrick Bohnenkemper was evaluated by Jackson County EMS and transported to the Jackson County Jail, where he faces murder charges.

Morse said his office was also assisted by the Holton Police and Fire Departments.

(KAIR)--One man is dead, and another behind bars, following what Jackson County authorities say was an early Tuesday morning shooting, north of Holton. 

Sheriff Tim Morse said, in a release, Derrick G. Bohnenkemper was taken into custody following a standoff. He's facing murder charges. 

The name of the man he allegedly shot has not been released. 

(KLZA)--Officials in Falls City are working to determine the cause of an early morning power outage.

The power outage was reported around 6:00 this ( Tuesday) morning.

City Administrator Gary Jorn said it not known when power will be restored.  

(KAIR)--The latest in a series of Facebook posts claiming that a suspicious vehicle is allegedly targeting young women leads to an alert from Atchison's Benedictine College.

On Monday, the college released a statement stating that a suspicious white 4-door sedan near the campus was being driven by a white man with dark hair and a beard, with the statement urging anyone who sees the vehicle to call 911.

The alert was issued after a Facebook post was made by a woman whose profile says she studied at the college.

The post claimed that she was chased around the block by a middle aged man in a white car, who circled around the block a few times and then stopped to ask her how her day was. The post says he continued following her, speeding up when she ran.

Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson told MSC News the woman made a report to campus security, who, in turn, notified police.

However, while the Atchison Police Department will be on the lookout for a white car, Wilson said that it's difficult to conduct an investigation because she did not directly contact police.

Reports of suspicious vehicles, primarily vans, are regularly posted to Facebook, not just in the local area, but across the nation.

One local claim last month led to an alert from the Doniphan County Sheriff's Office, which in turn led to an alert from Highland Community College.

However, that Facebook status was comprised of wording nearly mirroring similar, non-verified situations elsewhere in the nation.

The Doniphan County Sheriff's Office was contacted by MSC News at that time seeking verification of the potential threat, but the agency refused to provide the requested information.

(KAIR)--The forum, planned for Monday evening, September 17, to address the future of mascots used in Atchison's public schools, has been postponed.

Superintendent of Schools for USD 409, Dr. Susan Myers, told MSC News the decision was made following the death of 16-year-old Maur Hill-Mount Academy Student.

Myers said the district's heart goes out to those grieving from the death of Zachary Armontrout, with the school district planning to reschedule the forum.

The forum was being held to allow the public to voice their thoughts regarding the use of the district's Native American themed mascots.

Interested citizens listen as Jeremy Watkins outlines plans for Atchison's future skateboard park/Credit:Brian Hagen/MSC News

(KAIR)--No opposition was heard, but enthusiasm to bring new activity to Atchison's Reisner Park was voiced, during a community forum focused on the proposed construction of a skateboard park.

The meeting was held in the park, near the current green space proposed as the location of the skate park.

Only several residents who live near Reisner Park attended the session, which was overseen in part by Atchison Public Works Director Clinton McNemee, Police Chief Mike Wilson, and the Atchison couple working to make the park a reality.

Pamela Cline, and Jeremy Watkins have been working to fulfill the goal, with the project being pursued as a memorial to Cline's late son, Joshua Kinsman.

He died in January at the age of 17, with the Skate High with Hope – Joshua Kinsman Foundation founded in his memory.

With questions of enforcement, upkeep, and related issues addressed by McNemee and Wilson on Saturday, Watkins outlined the next steps in the process. "We will hire this company and then they start designing it. We would have then a design within two to three weeks of what we're getting. We'll have the 3D model and all that stuff."

The proposed park carries a price tag of $230,000. Grant monies and donations will be sought to help cover the cost, with the City of Atchison having pledged to match dollar-for-dollar funds raised up to $75,000.

Construction is projected to begin in the spring of 2019.

(KNZA)--A St. Joseph man charged in Doniphan County with the murder of another St. Joseph man has pleaded no contest to an amended charge.

41-year-old Christopher Colhour entered the plea last week in Doniphan County District Court to a charge of second-degree murder.

In exchange for the plea, charges of kidnapping and felony theft were dismissed.

Sentencing was set for the morning of October 3rd.

Colhour had originally been charged with first-degree murder in the death of 64-year-old Daniel Purvis in May of last year.

Purvis’ body was recovered from the Missouri River, south of St. Joseph, on May 27 of last year after a week long search.  The search was launched after his vehicle was located in Troy.

A judge found Colhour competent to stand trial in January, based on an evaluation report from the Larned State Hospital.

He remains in the Doniphan County Jail, held without bond.

(KNZA)--A new phone scam is circulating in Brown County.

Brown County Sheriff John Merchant says residents have advised him that they have been contacted by phone and are being told they’re eligible for a one time credit card offer.  The offer is only good for a short amount of time at a zero percent rate.  

Merchant says the caller is advising residents that if they act fact, they will be awarded a $500 credit.

The callers are requesting bank account information to verify the credit worthiness of residents.  

Merchant says when residents start asking questions, the caller becomes agitated and then hangs up.

The callers have been reported as having a very heavy foreign accent.  

So far, no one has fallen victim to the scam.

Merchant reminds residents to never give out personal information over the phone or computer.

If you feel you have been the victim of a scam, contact local law enforcement at once.   

(KMZA)--A bicyclist was seriously injured late Sunday night after he was struck by a semi-tractor trailer on U.S. 36 Highway in Marshall County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol says 55-year-old Richard Kempher, of Omaha, Nebraska, was westbound in the driving lane when a westbound semi struck his bicycle around 11:30 about 8 miles east of K-148 Highway.

Kempher was transported by helicopter to Bryan Medical Center West in Lincoln with what the patrol described as disabling injuries.

The semi driver from South Charleston, Ohio, was not hurt.

The Patrol says Kempher was wearing a helmet, reflective vest, and had lights on a backpack and reflective lights on his bike.

Atchison County investigators at Independence Creek examine the car that landed in the creek/Credit:MSC News/Brian Hagen

(KAIR)--The teenage driver of a car, submerged in Atchison's Independence Creek following a wreck, has died.

Atchison County Undersheriff Toby Smith, in a release, said 16-year-old Zachary Armontrout, of Rushville, Missouri, died Monday morning while hospitalized at the University of Kansas Hospital, in Kansas City, Kansas.

A second teen who was trapped inside the car, 16-year-year-old Regan Moger, of Houston, Texas, remains in critical condition at the hospital.

Smith, on the scene of the Sunday afternoon wreck, told MSC News three other teens traveling in the vehicle were able to avoid being trapped inside after the vehicle landed upside down in the water. "We responded to the report of an injury accident involving a vehicle submerged in Independence Creek. This vehicle was turned upside down when we got on scene. We learned that five people were involved in this accident, who were in the vehicle, three of which who were able escape from the vehicle once it was in the water. Two other occupants remained in the vehicle for a period of time but were later recovered from the submerged vehicle.”

All five teenagers are identified as students at Atchison's Maur Hill-Mount Academy Catholic High School.

The three who escaped the wreckage are identified by the Kansas Highway Patrol as 14-year-old Hamilton Snyder, of Capitola, California, 16-year-old Phillip Saragusa, of Atchison, and 14-year-old Aurora Dericotte, of Stillwell, Kansas.

All three were transported to the Atchison Hospital for treatment, with Snyder and Saragusa incurring only possible injuries in the wreck.

Smith told MSC News the vehicle was westbound on Atchison's River Road at the Independence Bridge when it crashed through the guardrail to the right, and landed upside down in the water below.

The crash was reported around 2:30 Sunday afternoon.

Assisting at the scene were the Atchison County Rescue Unit, the Atchison Fire Department, and Atchison County EMS.

(KNZA)--A boil water advisory has been issued for Jefferson County Rural Water District #10.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment issued the advisory Sunday due to a line break resulting in a loss of pressure in the system. 

KDHE says failure to maintain adequate pressure may result in a loss of chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination.

Customers are advised to boil the water they use for drinking or food preparation for one minute prior to use or use bottled water.

The advisory will remain in place until further notice.

(KAIR)--An Atchison child, struck by a vehicle on an Atchison street Saturday, is recovering.

Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson on Sunday told MSC News the boy's parents told police the 4-year-old is doing well despite requiring hospital treatment following the accident.

Wilson told MSC News the boy was injured shortly before 4:15 Saturday afternoon after getting out of a car that had parked in the 15-hundred block of Commercial Street.

Wilson said the boy stepped into the street and was struck by a westbound vehicle driven by Loren Tacy, of Atchison.

The boy, whose name is not released, was transported by helicopter to a Kansas City hospital for the treatment of his injuries.

(KNZA)--Plans for a new playground at the Everest Middle School advance.

Sarah Stirton and Jill Selland with the PTO group met with the USD 430 Board of Education at their September 10 meeting to discuss the proposed project.

They said the PTO would like to provide a playground at the school for  students, staff and the community.

The group has received a nearly $26,000 grant for the project, but still would need to raise around $33,000.

The playground would be located where the old tennis courts are currently located.

An anonymous donor has agreed to remove all the fencing and concrete, haul it away and level the ground.

The Board voted to allow the PTO to move forward with the project.

In other business, Superintendent Jason Cline reported the school year is off to a great start.

He said their current student headcount is 519.  The middle school and high school are about the same as last year, with 174 students at the Everest Middle School and 155 at Horton high school.

Enrollment at Horton Elementary School is down 37 students to 190.

The official enrollment count will be taken September 20.

(KMZA)--A Saturday afternoon Marshall County motorcycle crash claimed the life of a southeast Nebraska woman and left another person seriously injured.

The Kansas Highway Patrol says it happened shortly after 1:45 on K-9 Highway, about one mile west of K-99 in Frankfort.

The Patrol says 47-year-old Cameron Dodds, of Washington, Kansas, was eastbound when his Harley Davidson motorcycle went across the westbound lane and entered the north ditch.  The motorcycle overturned several times, coming to rest on its side.

A passenger, 50-year-old Sterling, Nebraska resident Diane Thompson, was pronounced dead at the scene.

Dodds was transported by helicopter to Bryan Medical Center West in Lincoln with what the Patrol described as disabling injuries.

The Patrol says neither Dodds or Thompson were wearing helmets.

Tammy Ellis and Mary Starling/Credit: Atchison Co Sheriff's Office

(KAIR)--A report of an intoxicated 72-year-old man walking the streets of Effingham led to two arrests and to the discovery that a young child tested positive for methamphetamine use. “Honestly it's pretty disgusting, and sad, for the child who has no clue of what's going on,” Atchison County Sheriff Jack Laurie told MSC News, adding that his office responded to 511 Howard Street, in Effingham, around 7:40 Thursday morning. "There was a complaint called in about a gentleman walking through Effingham, and was saying that he was drugged. When deputies responded they actually called for EMS and had EMS transport him to get him detoxed. During the investigation, and talking to the subject, we found where he had come from and were able to obtain a search warrant for the residence."

Laurie said the search warrant was executed around 2:30 Thursday afternoon at 708 George Street, in Effingham, leading to the arrests of 42-year-old Tammy Ellis and 64-year-old Mary Starling, who both reside in Effingham.

At that same time, Laurie said deputies located the 6-year-old child in the home. “We were familiar with that address as we had done a few welfare checks on the child over there in the last year and worked with DCF on that. We figured there was still the child living there and wanted to check on this situation anyway. Come to find out, that child was still there, and unfortunately the child had not been enrolled in school. An additional charge is coming for aggravated battery [because] the child tested positive for meth."

It's not immediately clear which of the two arrested serves as the legal guardian for the child. "It's not clear right now where the parents are, but she's been the guardian for sometime now."

Both Ellis and Starling were taken into custody on charges including possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and aggravated endangerment of a child.

Follow their arrests, the pair was booked into the Atchison County Jail.

Laurie said the child was taken into protective custody. "Hopefully, she can get to a better place and find more to life than just sitting inside of a house where drug activity is."

The child has been temporarily placed by Juvenile Intake and the Kansas Department for Children and Families.

(KMZA)--Marysville Police Chief Todd Ackerman is among four finalists for the position of director of the Riley County Police Department.

The four finalists were announced this week.

They also include Ottawa Police Chief Dennis Butler, Riley County Police Department Captain Jeffrey Hooper and Kansas City, Missouri Police Major Gregory Volker.

Ackerman has served as police chief at Marysville since April 1999 and been in law enforcement around 30 years.

The finalists will take part in a public forum Monday evening from 6:00 to 7:30 in the downstairs conference room at the Riley County Works Department in Manhattan.

Earlier this year, current Riley County Police Department Director Brad Schoen announced he will be retiring in December.

(KMZA)--Plans for a project to provide additional security at the Axtell school advance.

Prairie Hills USD 113 Superintendent Todd Evans says Emily Koenig with Ekoe Architecture, of Manhattan, presented concept drawings to the Board of Education this week for the relocation of the administration office at the school.

The office is currently centrally located in the school.

Evans says plans are to make the south doors at the street the main entrance.  That would require moving the office to the south end of the facility, and re-purposing the existing office space for learning needs.

Koenig told the Board the project should be ready for bid in November, with the goal to have the project completed by the end of January.

USD 113 has received a nearly $18,000 grant to help with the project.

In other business, the Board of Education examined two proposals for repair of the brick wall by the stage at the Wetmore Attendance Center.

The mortar on the wall appears to be decaying.

Evans says the Board requested additional information, which will be provided at the October Board meeting.

(KNZA)--An October 9 preliminary hearing has been set for a St. Joseph man charged in the August shooting death of a former Troy man.

35-year-old Jessie Lee Nelson is charged with second-degree murder in the death of 29-year-old Mack Jenkins.

Nelson also faces a charge of assault in the first-degree in the wounding of another man.

Police say Jenkins and a 23-year-old man were shot the evening of August 6 while in a vehicle that had crashed just north of downtown St. Joseph.

According to a probable cause statement, witnesses said the driver of a second car got out of his vehicle, walked to Jenkins vehicle and fired several gunshots.  The suspect, later identified as Nelson, then alleged got back in his vehicle and drove away.

Nelson remains in the Buchanan County Jail on a $250,000 bond after a motion for a bond reduction was denied last week.   

(KAIR)--If the goals of the former Executive Director of the now disbanded Atchison based Domestic Violence Services organization proceed as planned, a new organization will be formed to fill the void created by the decision to do away with DoVES.

Debbie Duncan tells MSC News the Board of Directors for the non-profit agency voted Tuesday to end the long-running program. “I think that they feel like the funds are not here, and we're not getting any government grants.”

DoVES Board President John Fresh has not yet offered comment on the board's decision, with a telephone message left by MSC News Thursday not immediately returned.

However, Duncan said she talked to Fresh early Thursday afternoon and he offered to support her plan of establishing a replacement to DoVES. “He thought that it would be a good idea. I told him that I want to change the whole entity, the name, everything. He said that that would be great, and that he is willing to file the proper paperwork.”

Duncan said her plans would also include retaining the Atchison shelter house used for those in need, with those details to be pursued as she moves forward with her goal. “I will put a board in place,” Duncan said. “I really already have some names of new board members that said they would be willing to come aboard.”

DoVES provided services to the counties of Atchison, Doniphan, Brown and Nemaha counties. “There are so many people out there that care about this program because they know that we need if for the battered women and children. Let's say, suppose, a woman comes to me she's ready to go [to a shelter], and if they don't have any openings in Topeka or Kansas City, where is she going to go? I can tell you where she's going to go. She's going to go right back home, and that may be her last time where she takes in a breath.”

After receiving word of the board's decision, Brown County Sheriff, and former board member John Merchant, voiced his concerns to MSC News, saying the assistance offered by DoVES was integral to the safety of domestic abuse victims.

Duncan has worked on behalf of the program for 13 years, serving as it's Executive Director for around five.

In March, 2017, MSC Radio News reported about the financial struggles of the organization, with Duncan at that time making a push for community support to keep it in operation.

(KLZA)--A Haysville, Kansas man is jailed in Richardson County on multiple charges, accused of threatening a sheriff's deputy and another man with a knife.

42-year-old Markus Wayne Totten was arrested by the Richardson County Sheriff's Department shortly after 8:30 Thursday morning.

He is being held on two counts of terroristic threats, two counts of use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony and resisting arrest.

Totten was in a vehicle that was pursued out of Nemaha County, Kansas into Richardson County by a sheriff's deputy for a traffic violation.

After the pursit ended, Totten allegedly made terroristic threats with a knife to the driver of the vehicle and the Nemaha County deputy.

The arrest report alleges Totten also resisted arrest.

No additional details were released.

(KLZA)--The Humboldt Falls Festival and Coronation Program served as the kickoff event for the 2018 Richardson County Fair in Humboldt Wednesday evening.  

Crowned as Queen of the Fair was Randee Witt, daughter of Rich and Susan Witt of rural Salem. Randee is a senior at Falls City Sacred Heart.

1st runner-up was Journey Vaughan and the second runner-up was Matalyn  Stalder.

Crowned King of the Fair was Mike Blecha.  Named as the Humboldt Woman of the Year was Janice Dahlke

(KAIR)--A Leavenworth man, accused of attempting to take lewd photographs of a child in the toy aisle of a store, is convicted on related charges.

According to a press release issued by Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson, 56-year-old Thomas Campbell was found guilty on one count of attempted breach of privacy-eavesdropping.

The jury in Campbell's trial returned its verdict Tuesday morning in Leavenworth County District Court.

According to Thompson, charges were filed in August of last year after the parents of a 7-year-old girl reported that a man, in the toy aisle of the Leavenworth Wal-Mart, was seen by a witness attempting to use his cell phone camera to take a picture under the child's dress.

Video surveillance was reviewed by store staff, but Campbell was not immediately identified. However, later that same month, he was caught in the gift card aisle of the same store video recording under the dress of a woman.

Video surveillance was again reviewed, and compared against the earlier footage involving the child.

The investigation determined that Campbell was responsible for both incidents. He was additionally identified in a lineup by the witness who had spotted Campbell's illicit photography attempt in the toy aisle, and that led to the filing of charges.

Sentencing for Campbell is set for October 9.

(KMZA)--Nemaha Central USD 115 will move forward with the construction of a four-classroom addition connecting the district’s two schools and a greenhouse for the FFA/Vo-Ag progam.

The Board of Education gave their approval Wednesday evening.

That came after Eric Stallbaumer with Bern-based AHRS Construction, which is providing construction management services, reviewed bids received for the classroom addition along with four alternate projects—including the greenhouse.

The total cost for the classroom addition will be $1.7 million.

The greenhouse will cost $238,202.

The Board plans to pay for the projects with existing funding through the district’s capital outlay and contingency reserve funds.

Superintendent Darrel Kohlman said just over $100,000 in donations and pledges has been raised so far for the greenhouse project.

Construction is to start immediately, with completion before the start of the 2019-20 school year.

(KAIR)--With the details ironed out, the public forum, focused on the future of the mascots used by the Atchison Public Schools, will be held Monday.

Finalization of the plan was put into place during the September 10 meeting of the Board of Education for USD 409.

The key components of the forum were decided during the August meeting of the school board, including the time and date, as announced by Board President Herb Gwaltney.

“September the 17th, at 5:30. That's when the forum is scheduled,” Gwaltney said during the board's August 13 session. “This is the meeting that the board has requested with the citizens of our school district, and interested individuals, to talk about the mascot.”

At issue is the use of Native American-themed mascots in the district, with the forum to allow public input while, according to the district, serving “as an opportunity to educate and inform the public about the topic of utilizing Native American mascots."

The forum will be held in the Atchison Elementary School gymnasium as a special meeting of the Board of Education. Serving as moderator will be Brian Jordan, of the Kansas Association of School Boards. Jordan served as moderator in Manhattan, Kansas during a 2016 forum also focused on use of a Native American-themed mascot by the Manhattan public high school.

Procedures for the forum have been put in place, with anyone wishing to speak at the public forum needing to fill out an index card with their name, address, and phone number as they enter the gymnasium Monday evening.

The cards will be collected and turned into the moderator, and then placed in a “lottery barrel” to be drawn from for ordering of speakers.

Comments will also be accepted from those not wishing to speak publicly, and details of the full process for the forum can be found below. 

A decision pertaining to the Atchison High School Redmen and Atchison Middle School Braves mascots will not be made Monday night. Instead, that will happen at a future, regular school board meeting.

The forum follows the work of a committee formed by the district in 2016 after the school district received what Myers called “written communications pertaining to the use of the Redmen mascot.”

The committee’s work included compiling input from its members, including positive and negative affects of maintaining the status quo.

Editor's note: Below is the document approved September 10 by the USD 409 Board of Education which outlines the procedures for Monday's forum. 

Purpose:
The public forum is a meeting of the USD 409 Atchison Public School District Board of
Education (BOE) where they will receive public comments, input and feedback on the
topic of the Atchison High School mascot (Redmen) and Atchison Middle School
mascot (Braves). Additionally, this meeting will serve as an opportunity to educate and
inform the public about the topic of utilizing Native American mascots.
Background:
In December 2016, the BOE formed a mascot study committee after receiving written
communications regarding the use of Native American mascots. The first committee
meeting was held January 30, 2017. This committee’s mission and charge was to
discuss the topic of our AHS/AMS mascots from a balanced prospective (looking at both
sides of the issue) and give advice and feedback to the BOE. The committee also
studied many articles and documents related to the use of Native American mascots.
The committee’s final report can be found on the district’s website along with the articles
and documents that were studied.
Public Forum General Information:
• This is a formal/public meeting of the BOE and all rules/procedures of the Board
will be enforced.
• The USD 409 BOE will be in attendance, but will not be making any comments
before, during or after the meeting regarding the mascot.
• Atchison Elementary School Gymnasium will open at 5:00 p.m. The public input
session will begin promptly at 5:30 p.m.
• Patrons are expected to park in the rear of the building and enter the building
through the southwest cafeteria doors (Door M).
• Signs will not be allowed in the gymnasium.
• This is a board meeting and it will be televised just as other meetings are
televised.
• Brian Jordan, from the Kansas Association of School Boards, will be the
moderator of the meeting.
Process for Patrons to Share Information with the Board:
• Anyone wishing to speak at the public forum will need to fill out an index card
with their name, address, and phone number as they enter the gymnasium. The
cards will be available at the entrance of the gymnasium
• These cards will be collected and turned into the moderator.
• The cards will be placed in a “lottery barrel” to be drawn from for ordering of
speakers.

• Individuals not wishing to publicly address the board can submit written
comments or documents in baskets near the entrance of the gym. These will
not be read at the public forum. They will be shared with the BOE for
consideration after the public forum meeting.
Ground Rules for Public Comments:
• All members of the audience who wish to address the BOE will have a maximum
of three (3) minutes to speak and will be timed by the BOE clerk. At the
conclusion of three (3) minutes, a buzzer will sound, and the microphone will be
muted.
• Speakers will not be allowed to give their unused time to other individuals
wishing to speak.
• Individuals will only be allowed to speak one time at the public forum.
• Individuals must speak for themselves and cannot speak on behalf of individuals
not in attendance.
• The moderator will determine the order of speakers by randomly drawing names.
• There will be a short break during public comments. Anyone arriving late can
add his or her name to speak at this time. The BOE will listen to all who want to
speak.
• If a speaker has a handout for the BOE, please put your handouts in the box by
the microphone. The Board will receive the handouts at the conclusion of the
public input session.
• Audience members will not react positively or negatively before, during or after
each person speaks.
• Any persons violating these ground rules will be removed from the public forum.
• After the final person speaks, the BOE will adjourn the meeting.
NO VOTE WILL BE TAKEN ON SEPTEMBER 17 – FORMAL ACTION WILL BE
TAKEN BY THE BOE ON A DATE OF A REGULAR BOARD MEETING

USD 409 Atchison Public Schools
Board of Education

Special Meeting – Public Input Session
Monday, September 17, 2018

5:30 p.m.

Atchison Elementary School Gymnasium

Agenda

5:30 p.m. Call to Order - Welcome
Ordering and Approval of Agenda

5:35 p.m. Overview of Procedures for Public Input Session
5:40 p.m. Citizen Comments
?? Adjournment

(KNZA)--A Hiawatha teenager convicted on a pair of child sex charges has been sentenced to nearly five years in prison.

19-year-old Nicholas Miller was sentenced this week in Brown County District Court to 59 months in prison on two counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child.

Miller pleaded no contest to the amended charges last month.

He had originally been charged with a felony count of rape involving a 13-year-old girl.

Miller was arrested in June of last year following an investigation by the Hiawatha Police Department.   

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) - A civil rights group says staff at a privately run Leavenworth prison repeatedly have disparaged a Muslim woman for wearing a headscarf and ordered her to take it off before allowing her to leave her cell.

The Kansas City Star reports that the Washington-based Muslim Advocates raised concerns about the treatment of 49-year-old Valeriece Ealom in a letter to CoreCivic, the Tennessee-based company that operates the prison. The letter, which was made public Wednesday, also was sent to the U.S. Marshals Service, which contracts with CoreCivic to house federal prisoners.

Ealom has been held at the facility since last November after federal prosecutors moved to revoke her parole in a drug case. She has sued over her treatment.

CoreCivic did not immediately respond to questions from The Star.

(KMZA)--An Ellsworth, Kansas engineering firm is offering to serve as a liaison between Nemaha County and a Florida-based company planning to construct a wind farm in the county.

Tanner Yost and John Riggins with Kirkham Michael Associates met with the Nemaha County Commission Monday to offer their services pertaining to a road use maintenance agreement.

Next Era Energy Resources is proposing to construct the Soldier Creek wind farm in the southern portion of the county, which would consist of up to 120 wind turbines.

The two engineering firm representatives told the Commission they would survey the county and township roads Next Era plans to use during construction and then survey them afterwards, informing Commissioners of any road and bridge deterioration caused by heavy traffic.

Commissioners took no action.  They plan to contact the wind farm representative to ask if the service would be paid for by the company.

In other business, the Commission approved the purchase of a new skid steer loader for the county Solid Waste Department.

The Commission accepted a bid from Bruna Implement, of Seneca for a 2019 Case skid steer for $14,600 with the trade-in of the county’s current loader.

Bids were received from three companies.  

County Public Transit Director Diane Yunghans informed Commissioners she hired Dick Kohake, of Seneca, for the part-time relief driver position.

Kohake began work Tuesday at a salary of $13.44 an hour.

(MSC News)--Westar Energy says scam phone calls are again being reported, with the energy supplier, in a press release, saying customers have reported receiving phone calls from someone claiming to work for Westar.

The release calls some of the impostors “very convincing,” adding that they may use websites that allow them to manipulate caller ID, making the call appear to come from Westar.

When the targeted customer calls the phone numbers provided, the person who answers sounds like they work for Westar, and speak with authority.

In some cases, callers may even provide information, like the amount due, adding credibility to the scam attempt.

The fake representative demands payment with a prepaid card, threatening that service will be terminated.

Westar says the calls are clearly a scam, and they should be reported to either 800-383-1183 or local law enforcement.

(KNZA)--A new tool for student safety is coming to the South Brown County Schools, with the Board of Education this week approving the purchase.

The device, which can help students shelter in place during an active-shooter incident, will be installed in the USD 430 schools.  

After hearing a presentation from Todd Milner with Overland Park-based Fire Door Solutions, the Board of Education Monday evening approved the purchase of about 75 door armor devices for the district’s three schools at a total cost of around $26,000, which includes installation and set-up. In addition, there would be an annual maintenance and inspection fee of about $5,600.

The device attaches to the bottom of a classroom door and can be deployed easily to secure the door. It includes a wireless emergency notification system that can sense activation of the barricade and send out instant mass notification about the location of the threat.

The device has been approved by the Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office. It comes with a special tool allowing it to be breached from the outside, which would prevent people from using it to lock out authorities.

The device was developed following the Parkland, Florida shooting that killed 17 students and was launched earlier this year.

In other business, the Board accepted a bid from Pierce Heating and Cooling, of Bendena, for a new air conditioning unit for the Everest Middle School in the amount of $38,500.

It was among five bids received.

(KLZA)--The Falls City Board of Education conducted hearings on the proposed  budget and property tax request during their Monday evening meeting.  

Following the hearing, board members approved the budget proposal calling for a property tax requirement of $9,642,738. That figure includes an increase of $141,506 in cash reserves to support cash flow during months of low receipts.  

The General Fund budget increased by $182,597 or 1.5 percent for the next Fiscal Year with a property tax asking of $8.8-million. 

The Special Building Fund Budget increased by $109,159 to just over $614,000 while the Bond Fund budget decreased by just over $486,000 due to the early payoff of District bonds and utilization of bond reserves. The Bond Fund will require $223,419 in property taxes.  

The total property tax requirement is three percent less than last year, amounting to $294,264. 

The assessed valuation of property that lies within School District 56 decreased by $27,952,896 which is a 3-percent reduction from the previous year.  

(KAIR)--Atchison's Benedictine College again scores high marks on an annual report analyzing colleges and universities across the nation.

According to a news release from the college, Benedictine is ranked 13th on the list of 91 colleges in the Midwest Division of the Best Regional Colleges category in the rankings released by U.S. News and World Report.

Benedictine College is the highest ranked Catholic college in the division, coming in among the top five for undergraduate teaching, while also being listed as a Best Value school in the Midwest.

According to Benedictine's Director of Marketing and Communications, Steve Johnson, the college's overall score, peer assessment score, graduation rate, and percent of freshmen in the top 25-percent of their class, all increased in this year's rankings, while the student/faculty ratio went down.

Benedictine College President Steve Minnis, in the release, says the college is “pleased to again be named as one of America's best colleges,” adding that the listing “is another indication of [Benedictine's] commitment to excellence in all things.”

According to the release, the annual rankings, based on categories created by the

Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, “provide a resource for parents and students considering higher education opportunities.”

The rankings, which use a proprietary methodology, “represent the most comprehensive look at how schools stack up based on a set of 15 widely-accepted indicators of excellence, and help consumers evaluate and compare data compiled from more than 1,400 accredited four-year schools.”

(KAIR)--A local couple continues forward with their plan to see the construction of a skateboard park in the City of Atchison.

Pamela Cline, and Jeremy Watkins have been working to see the goal become a reality, with the project being pursued as a memorial to Cline's late son, Joshua Kinsman.

He died in January at the age of 17, with the Skate High with Hope – Joshua Kinsman Foundation founded in his memory.

Originally targeting private property at 10th and Commercial Streets, Watkins tells MSC News that location is no longer available, meaning Atchison's Reisner Park is now planned as the future site of the skate park. “Pam and I did use Reisner Park for the backup, which the city was all for since it was already a preexisting park. We do still plan on getting a $230,000 skateboard park put in there, so we are going to need a lot of donations and a lot of funding to help support that.”

On Saturday at 12 noon, an informational meeting about the planned construction will be held at Reisner Park. “We just kind of want to make it more known, that way there's not any major hiccups along the process. We just want to make sure that everybody’s okay with it, they know it's coming, they're not going to be surprised.”

According to a press release issued by the City of Atchison, the main objective of the meeting is to gather comments from the surrounding neighborhood, although all citizens are welcome to attend and provide comments.

For more information on providing comments outside of the meeting, please contact the Public Works Department at 913-367-5561.

(KLZA)--The Richardson County Fair gets underway with the Humboldt Falls Festival and Coronation Program Wednesday evening at 7.

The theme for the fair this year is “Be Our Guest”

The coronation program will be held in the Humboldt City Square Park.  The Queen and King will be crowned and the “Woman Of The Year” will be honored.

Once again the D.C. Lynch Shows carnival will be set up around the Square and be operating Wednesday through Saturday.

Thursday through Saturday there will be free entertainment with shows at 2 and 8 p.m. on stage in the park.  

Thursday the act is the Matt's Family Jam, a modern-day family show band from Branson, Missouri featuring everything from classic hits to current favorites as well as some original songs.   

On Friday, Southern  Fryed will perform, featuring Rocky Mountain Country music with roots in southern rock.

On Saturday, Dylan Bloom will perform.  Bloom is a singer/songwriter from North Bend, Nebraska.  

The free entertainment is sponsored by the Richardson County Agricultural Society and the Humboldt Chamber of Commerce.

Prior to the free acts on Thursday evening, the 100 Year Pioneer Farm Family Award will be presented to the Whitfield Family and the 150 Year Pioneer Farm Family Award will be presented to the Arnold Family.  

On Thursday, Friday and Saturday mornings there will be parades around the Square beginning at 11.  

There will be exhibits in the Ag Building, a kiddy tractor pull Friday afternoon and an antique tractor show all day on Saturday.  

(KLZA)--Mosquitoes from two trapping locations in Richardson County have tested positive for West Nile Virus.

The Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services and  Southeast District Health Department continue to track the presence of West Nile Virus in the region.  

West Nile Virus can be transmitted to people through the bite of an infected mosquito.  Mosquitoes get the virus when they feed on infected birds. The disease does not spread from person to person.

Citizens are encouraged to report dead birds to the Department of Health and Human Services or Southeast District Health Department to help determine if West Nile Virus testing is needed.

If you are going to be outside you should:
Wear long-sleeved shirts, socks and long pants to prevent mosquito bites.  
Use repellents containing DEET, picardin, oil of lemon eucalyptus or IR3535.
Limit outdoor activity around dusk and dawn when mosquitoes are most active.
Drain standing water around your property and keep water in swimming pools, ponds, and water troughs circulating or treated with “Mosquito Dunks.”

While most people infected with the virus show no symptoms, some may have high fever, severe headaches, tiredness and or a stiff neck that can last several days to several weeks.

Last year, there were 8 human cases of West Nile Virus in Nebraska with two deaths attributed to the virus.  

For more information about West Nile Virus, go to: www.dhhs.ne.gov/wnv

For questions you may also contact the Southeast District Health Department toll free at 877-777-0424.

Postal Service Marketing Manager Darrin Gadson (left) holds the ribbon as Atchison Postmaster Christopher Rumbley and Amelia Eahart's great-nephew, Bram Kleppner (far right) cut the ribbon marking the renaming of the Atchison Post Office.

(KAIR)--The Amelia Earhart Post Office Building.

That's the formal new name of Atchison's downtown post office, renamed Tuesday during an afternoon ceremony, complete with a ribbon cutting.

Following a moment of silence at the start of the ceremony, marking the national remembrance of 9/11, featured guests addressed those gathered on the sidewalk in front of the post office's Kansas Avenue entrance.

Featured speakers included United States Senator Pat Roberts and Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins, with the two Kansas Republicans having spearheaded the renaming effort.

Roberts introduced legislation in the U.S. Senate last year to allow for the renaming as a way to honor the famed aviator and Atchison native. “Here we have Amelia Earhart, starting her life here [in Atchison]. She was such a pioneer. She dreamed big and then went far above that, and has become a symbol, I think, of courage.”

Jenkins introduced coordinating legislation in the U.S. House. “[Amelia was]such a phenomenal woman that people look up to still today. [Atchison is] such a phenomenal community and so it's just the perfect opportunity to honor Amelia and the Atchison community by rededicating this in her name.”

Joining the members of the Kansas delegation at Tuesday's ceremony was Bram Kleppner, the great nephew of Earhart. “On behalf of my mother, and the rest of Amelia Earhart's family, I bring our deep gratitude for today's honor. I want to express our gratitude to the people of Atchison, who, for generations, have made Atchison a warm, friendly, open, welcoming community. By all accounts, Amelia and my grandmother spent the happiest days of their childhood here in Atchison.”

Atchison's Postmaster Christopher Rumbley also offered comments focused on the meaning behind the ceremony. “It's a proud honor to be here today, to represent the Postal Service, in this prestigious event for Amelia Earhart.”

Once the comments concluded, local dignitaries, including Amelia Earhart Festival Chair Karen Seaberg, Travis Grossman, of the Amelia Earhart Birthplace Museum, and representatives of the Atchison Area Chamber of Commerce, looked on as Rumbley and Kleppner cut the ribbon, officially marking the name change.

(KNZA)--A Tuesday morning motorcycle crash on a Brown County road near Padonia  claimed the life of a Hiawatha man.

The Kansas Highway Patrol says 40-year-old Shawn Simpson was westbound on 290th Road when he failed to make the curve at Kill Deer Road.  His Harley Davidson motorcycle entered the west ditch and rolled.

Simpson, who was not wearing a helmet, was ejected.

He was transported by ambulance to the Hiawatha Community Hospital and then was transported by helicopter to the University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, where he later died.

The crash was reported shortly before 8:30.  

A celebration of life service for Simpson is planned for 2:30 Sunday afternoon at the First Baptist Church in Hiawatha.  Interment will follow at Iola Cemetery, south of Sparks.
 
The family will meet with friends from 6 until 8 Saturday evening at Chapel Oaks Funeral Home, in Hiawatha.

Friends may call at the funeral home after 12 noon Saturday.

(KNZA)--Enrollment is up again this school year in the Hiawatha school district.

Superintendent Lonnie Moser reviewed the preliminary enrollment numbers with the Board of Education Monday evening.

The figures show a total headcount of 982 students in pre-kindergarten through 12th grade, which is up 47 students over last school year.

The 4th grade class has the largest number of students, with 85, followed by the 5th grade class, with 82.

The district has seen an enrollment increase the past 4 years.

The official enrollment count will be taken on September 20.

Administrative Assistant Joni Sheldon gave a presentation on the district’s new website, which was unveiled prior to the start of the current school year.

Seldon said for the most part, the input from the community has been positive.   

She said they wanted a website that was more user friendly and engaging.

Based on patron input, she says they’ve added the breakfast and lunch menus to the site and more calendar information.

The new website will also feature a live feed, notifications from the district and articles written by the school journalism staff.

In other business, the Board approved the purchase of nearly $11,000 in  snow removal equipment from American Equipment of Kansas City—including a snow plow and salt spreader that can be attached to a district own pickup truck.  

The new equipment will allow the district to do most of its own snow removal.

The district paid about $31,000 last year for snow removal.

(KLZA)--Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts will hold a town hall meeting in Pawnee City Thursday morning.

Joining the Republican governor will be Nebraska Farm Bureau President Steve Nelson.

The town hall will be held from 9:30 to 10:30 in the Union Bank basement located at 514 G Street.

Ricketts and Nelson will make remarks before taking questions.

The public is invited to attend.

Taylor Gage, who serves as the governor’s director of strategic communications, says Ricketts looks forward to hearing the thoughts of area residents on how they can move the state forward together.

(KLZA)--A public hearing on the proposed Richardson County budget for fiscal year 2018-19 has been set for Tuesday morning, September 18.

The Richardson County Commission will conduct the hearing at 10:30 in the Commissioners room at the county courthouse.

The proposed budget calls for a property tax requirement of $4,469,31, which includes $300-thousand for cash reserves. The jail bond is up nearly $8-thousand to $400,000 making the total tax requirement just over $4,869,397.

This represents a 3.24 percent decrease in the property tax requirement, amounting to just over $163-thousand.

The budget of expenditures increased 5.8 percent to just over $14-million. The total increase is nearly $769-thousand.

The proposed levy would be 31.22 – cents per $100 of assessed valuation, a decrease of 4-tenths of a percent.

Commissioners cut nearly three-quarters-of-a-million dollars from the budgets proposed by County officials.

The county's assessed valuation decreased by nearly $48-million, which was a 3.35 percent decline.

(KAIR)--An Atchison teenager is facing charges in connection with the theft of keys and then using them to steal a truck owned by an area business twice.

The investigation began last week after Hawk Electric, at 10389 U.S. Highway 59, reported to the Atchison County Sheriff's Office Thursday that the Chevrolet Silverado was parked in that location.

Sheriff Jack Laurie told MSC News it was learned that the keys had been stolen earlier that morning from Bunge Milling, located at 16755 274th Road. “He forced his way into an office where the keys were at. It's not exactly clear how he would have known that's there they would have been, but he was able to gain entry and locate the keys.”

The truck was returned to Bunge, but was again taken over the weekend. “I believe it's a situation where the individual lived close to Bunge and was able to access it pretty easily.”

On Saturday morning, a Bunge employee reported that the truck was parked in the parking lot of a Main Street convenience store.

Deputies arrived and arrested 16-year-old Jesse Roper-Kelley as he approached the pickup.

He was taken into custody on charges including burglary, theft, and theft of a motor vehicle.

He's also accused of an Atchison County probation violation.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — A judge has ordered two men to stand trial in the shooting deaths of a former Atchison man and woman in Colorado Springs.

The Gazette reported Saturday that 20-year-old Nashid Rayon Rivers and 19-year-old Marquis Dantre Hazard are charged with murder in the deaths of Serena Lee Garcia and Marcus Howard Denton.

Garcia was 21 and lived in Parker, Colorado. Denton was 20 and was a native of Atchison. Their bodies were found in a car on April 21.

Investigators testified that Rivers' brother told police the defendants planned to steal marijuana from the victims.

In a hearing Friday, District Judge Larry Edward Schwartz noted Rivers and Hazard each blamed the other for the shootings. Schwartz said the evidence was sufficient for both to be tried.

Another hearing is scheduled for Nov. 13.

(KNZA)--A Sabetha man convicted on a pair of child sex charges involving a three-year-old has been sentenced to two consecutive life terms.

27-year-old Roy Tidwell III was sentenced Monday in Brown County District Court on charges of rape and aggravated internet trading in child pornography.

Brown County Attorney Kevin Hill says the sentence was handed down after the state presented a review of graphic text messages extracted from the defendant’s phone.

Tidwell pleaded no contest to the felony charges last month.  In exchange for the plea, a charge of sexual exploitation of a child was dismissed.

He was arrested in May following an investigation by federal, state and local authorities into alleged child sex offenses committed in Hiawatha between July and December 2017.  

Tidwell also faces two child sex-related charges in Nemaha County.   

(KLZA)--The Nebraska State Patrol is investigating an incident that occurred Friday at the Tecumseh State Correctional Institute, resulting in injuries to an inmate.

According to a release from the Nebraska Department of Corrections, shortly before 10 Friday morning the cell doors on a 16-cell single-person restrictive housing gallery opened in error. The doors are operated by a computerized system, with the cause of the errors under investigation.

The inmates were in their cells and were directed to remain inside, but came out into the gallery and refused to return to their cells. No staff members were on the gallery at the time.

One inmate was assaulted by one or more of the others and received serious injuries. The injured inmate was removed from the gallery and received medical treatment. Another inmate sustained non-serious injuries.

Staff members utilized chemical agents to clear the gallery but inmates again refused an resisted, starting a fire in a cell. The Tecumseh Volunteer Fire Department responded to the fire which was controlled in one cell.

No staff members were injured but one staff member sought medical attention for possible smoke exposure.

All inmates on the affected gallery were accounted for.

(KMZA)--The Nemaha County Commission is proposing a 2019 county budget of $13.5 million that contains a nearly 2.6 mill levy decrease.

The Commission approved the budget for publication last week.

The proposed budget contains an estimated tax rate of 43.095 mills.

The budget calls for the county to collect nearly $7.9 million in local taxes.

Even through the property tax levy will decrease, the county will collect nearly $367,000 in additional taxes over last year due to a more than $18 million increase in the county’s assessed valuation.

The Commission will consider adoption of the budget following a public hearing during their September 24 meeting.  The hearing will take place at 10:00 in the morning in the commissioner’s room at the county courthouse.

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(KNZA)--The Kansas Department of Transportation has approved a bid for a Jefferson County bridge replacement project, northwest of Oskaloosa.

According to KDOT, Ebert Construction Company of Wamego was awarded the contract for the replacement of a bridge on 98th Street over Big Slough Creek in the amount of $503,725.

Bid letting took place August 22 in Topeka.

The Jefferson County Commission at their August 27 meeting approved the awarding of the contract and commitment of county funds for the project.

Federal funding through KDOT will pay for 80 percent of the project cost, with the county responsible for the remainder along with engineering costs.

A construction date has not yet been announced.

(KMZA)--A two-vehicle wreck early Saturday morning in south central Kansas claimed the life of Marshall County woman and left her husband seriously injured.

The Kansas Highway Patrol says killed in the wreck on U.S. 50 in Harvey County, just north of Halstead, was 73-year-old Darlene Turnbull, of Vermillion.

The Patrol says she was the passenger in a westbound SUV driven by 77-year-old Max Turnbull Jr., which crossed the center line for an unknown reason and drove into the eastbound lane.

To avoid striking Turnbull, an eastbound semi tractor-trailer crossed the center line and drove into the westbound lane. Turnbull then drove back into the westbound lane and collided with the semi.

He was transported to Wesley Medical Center in Wichita with what the Patrol described as disabling injuries.  

The semi driver and his passenger, both from California, were not hurt.

Authorities say the Turnbull's were headed to the Kansas State Fair, in Hutchinson, when the wreck happened shortly before 6:45.

(KAIR)--A warrant is issued for the arrest of a Leavenworth man, accused of attempting to shoot the occupants of a vehicle in Atchison this week.

Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson identifies the alleged shooter as 19-year-old Marcell M. Bailey, who now faces charges including attempted murder. “We have located the suspect vehicle involved in the case, we've also recovered a handgun we believe to have been used in the shooting. The investigation has led to a warrant for Bailey, and he has been charged with a number of crimes associated with this case. He's not yet in custody, so we are asking if anyone should know his whereabouts, to call us at our 24-hour line at 913-367-4323.”

The warrant charges Bailey with attempted 2nd degree murder, aggravated battery, aggravated assault, criminal discharge of a firearm into an occupied vehicle, and criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon.

The shooting occurred around 3:40 Wednesday afternoon in the 1000 block of North 7th Street.

The vehicle that had been shot, and it's five occupants, was located by police a short time later in the area of U.S. Highway 73 and Raven Hill Road.

Wilson said the vehicle had been shot at least 6 times.

None of the occupants, three males and two females, suffered injuries from the shooting.

BEATRICE, Neb. (AP) – Health alerts have been issued for two area southeast Nebraska lakes because of toxic blue-green algae blooms.
 
According to the Nebraska Department of Environmental Quality, the lakes are Iron Horse Trail Lake in Pawnee County and Rockford Lake in Gage County.
 
The agency says testing showed the lakes have high levels of a toxin released by certain strains of blue-green algae. Skin exposed to the toxin can develop rashes and blisters, and drinking tainted water could cause headaches, nausea and muscle pain.
 
Signs are posted advising the public to use caution, and designated swimming beaches are closed. Recreational boating and fishing are permitted, but the public is warned to use caution and avoid exposure to the water.
 
Health alerts are lifted when toxin levels are below advisory concentration for two consecutive weeks.

(ELWOOD, Ks.)— The Elwood Police Department is searching for two men who ran from police after hitting a police car Friday morning.

KQ2-TV reports that officials say the chase started at 2 a.m. when a man driving a white truck refused to stop for police. 

"This morning, one of our police officers attempted to stop a white truck in the city of Elwood," Chief of Police Larry Hunsaker said. "The suspect's vehicle got on 36 Highway at that time the officer followed the vehicle on 36 Highway, the vehicle turned and started going in the wrong lane, the Elwood officer turned into the median strip. While the officer was in the median, the vehicle came back across and rammed the Elwood officer."

Hunsaker said the officer was not injured in the pursuit. 

Hunsaker added the chase continued into St. Joseph, where the suspects left the vehicle on foot.  

As of Friday morning police are still searching for the two men.

If anybody has information about the suspects' whereabouts, call the Elwood Police Department. 

(KAIR)-A special ceremony is planned for Atchison, with the city's post office to officially be named in honor of Atchison's famous daughter, Amelia Earhart.

The legislation to make the change was introduced last November, with United States Congresswoman Lynn Jenkins bringing the proposal before the U.S. House while her fellow Republican, United States Senator Pat Roberts, did the same in the U.S. Senate.

On Tuesday, both Jenkins and Roberts will be present at the post office, located at 621 Kansas Avenue. They will be joined by Earhart's great-nephew, Bram Kleppner, as well as Atchison Mayor Allen Reavis and representatives of the Atchison Area Chamber of Commerce.

The ceremony begins at 1:30.

When the legislation for the renaming was approved earlier this year, Jenkins, in a press release, said the “courageous actions” of Earhart inspired her, adding that the famed aviator also inspired many others “to dream big and accomplish lofty goals.”

Roberts, in the release issued by Jenkins' office, called Earhart “one of the great pioneers of our nation, whose story began at home in Atchison.” saying “she is an inspiration to all aviators and a role model to women around the world.” The Kansas Republican adds that renaming the post office “is one more way to honor [Earhart's] incredible legacy.”

(KLZA)--A proposed amendment to an ordinance that would increase the pay for the Falls City mayor and city council moved another step forward Wednesday evening.

On a 6-1 vote, the Council approved a proposal to increase the salary for the mayor from $3,600 annually to $5,400 per year and the council member salaries would increase from $2,400 per year to $4,200.

Currently, the mayor is paid $300 monthly and the council members $200. If given final approval during the September 17 Council meeting, the pay would increase $150 per month for each council member and the mayor..  

The total increase in pay would amount to an additional $16,200 annually.  

Council member Charlie Bentley cast a nay vote. Councilman Kirby Roubidoux was absent.  Councilman Mike Dougherty had cast a nay vote on the proposal on first reading but voted in favor of the proposal Wednesday night.  

If given final approval, the pay increases would go into effect when the new council is seated in  December.

(KNZA)--The Kansas Lottery is still waiting to see who will come forward to claim a prize of a lifetime.  

One Lucky for Life ticket sold in northeast Kansas for the August 27 drawing matched the first five numbers, but not the Lucky Ball, to win $25,000 a Year for Life!    

The winning numbers in the drawing were 6-8-12-19-32 Lucky Ball 17.

The northeast region of Kansas includes twenty-one counties—including locally Atchison, Brown, Doniphan, Jackson, Jefferson, Leavenworth, Marshall, Nemaha and Pottawatomie.

The ticket holder has 365 days from the date of the drawing to claim the prize.   

This marks the third $25,000 a Year for Life prize won in Kansas since the Kansas Lottery joined the game in November 2016.

(KMZA)--The Seneca City Council will consider renewal of the city’s Neighborhood Revitalization Plan next month.

The Council Wednesday evening approved a resolution setting a public hearing on the plan for their October 3 meeting.  The hearing will be held at 7:30 that evening in the City Council room.

No changes are planned to the plan, which was first approved in March 2009.

It provides tax rebates for a specified number of years on improvements to residential, retail and commercial properties.

The plan is available for review during regular business hours in the office of the City Clerk.

The current plan expires in November.

In other business, the Council gave city Parks and Recreation Director David Hutfles approval to form a flag football league for 3rd and 4th graders.

Hutfles said kids who sign up would have three weeks to practice and would play for 4 weeks starting the first weekend of October.

Kids can register to play by calling the Seneca city office.  

(KNZA)--New Christmas lights will be displayed this year in downtown Hiawatha.

The Hiawatha City Commission Tuesday evening accepted the low bid submitted by Mosca Design, Inc., of Raleigh, North Carolina, for the new pole mounted lights in the amount of $13,410.

The bid was among four received and was well under what had been budgeted for the project.

The Commission also accepted a bid from Voss Lighting, of Kansas City, Missouri, for 380 LED bulbs for the city's post lantern street lights in the amount of $14,299.

The bid was among four received, and came in well under what had been estimated.

The street lights currently have metal halide bulbs which use about 70 watts of power.  The LED bulbs will use about 25 watts.

City crews will install the new LED bulbs.

(KLZA)--In an effort to balance the Richardson County budget, and save county taxpayers money, County Commissioners  voted unanimously Tuesday to terminate an agreement with the City of Falls City for 911 service.

A written notice to terminate the agreement is required 30-days in advance. The agreement was first signed in February, 2012.

Since 2012, the Falls City Police Department has served as the Public Service Answering Point for 911 calls in  Richardson County.  

County Clerk Mary Eickhoff estimates the county has paid the city of Falls City nearly $860-thousand over seven years to provide the 911 service for Richardson  County.  The average cost to the county was in excess of $120-thousand annually.

 Eickhoff noted during the budget process that with a decrease in valuation, it would require cutting about three-quarters-of-a-million dollars from budget proposals submitted to keep the levy at the same level as last year.

The county will still owe the City for 911 dispatching for the months of July, August and September.  The payments are made quarterly.

Sheriff Don Pounds has expressed a desire to have the Richardson County Law Enforcement  Center serve as the PSAP since he was elected.  

(KMZA)--A Sabetha man goes to jail on drug charges, and a search of his Sabetha residence leads to a second arrest.

Sabetha Chief of Police Robert Wahwasuck, in a news release, says 55-year-old Paul Forney was taken into custody around noon Thursday, arrested for two counts of distribution of narcotics, possession of narcotics, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Following his arrest, Wahwasuck says Forney's home was searched, leading to the arrest of 53-year-old Kelley Barker. She was taken into custody on a charge of possession of narcotics.

Following their arrests, both were booked into the Nemaha County Jail.

According to Wahwasuck, Forney has two prior convictions for distributing narcotics.

The arrests follow a near month long investigation by the Sabetha Police Department with assistance from the Nemaha County and Jackson County Sheriff's Offices.

(KAIR)--No arrests yet as the investigation into the shooting of a vehicle, in Atchison, moves forward.

Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson told MSC News no one was hurt, despite the vehicle incurring gunshots, Wednesday afternoon. "It was around 3:40 on Wednesday afternoon when we responded to a shots fired call in the north-central area of the city. We learned that a number of shots had been fired from a vehicle at another vehicle in the 1000 block of North 7th. As were were responding and examining the scene in the 1000 block of North 7th, we received a call that one of the two vehicles involved in that incident was now in the area of U.S. 73 and Raven Hill Road, in a parking lot. We did locate the vehicle and five occupants in the vehicle. It had been struck by these bullets in the 1000 block of North 7th."

Wilson said the connection between the group that was shot at, and the alleged shooter, isn't immediately known, but it's believed the two sides knew each other. "We do believe that there had been previous confrontations between the individuals in both vehicles. We believe that both vehicles were in the area of the 1000 block of North 7th when one vehicle pulled up beside the other vehicle. The passenger in the suspect vehicle displayed a handgun, reached out of the vehicle and fired 6 to 8 shots at the other vehicle. We know that at least 6 shots hit the vehicle."

A rumor began circulating following the shooting that the motive might be a high school rivalry, but Wilson ruled that out.

"It is not a high school rivalry. There's five victims in the vehicle, they range in age, 17 through 22. There were three males. two females."

Wilson said the continuing investigation is focused not only on the Wednesday afternoon shooting, but on previous incidents involving the two sides.

(KNZA)--A September 13 preliminary hearing has been set for the Omaha, Nebraska woman charged in connection with a head-on crash last November in northern Jackson County that killed three members of a Sabetha family.

49-year-old Maria Perez-Marquez appeared by video last week in Jackson County District where an attorney was also appointed to represent her.

She was arrested August 23 in Omaha on a warrant for three felony counts of involuntary manslaughter, two felony counts of aggravated battery and a misdemeanor count of reckless driving.

Killed in the November 25 wreck on U.S. 75 Highway were 42-year-old Carmen Ukele, 11-year-old Marlee Uklee and 62-year-old Stephen Ukele.

Perez-Marquez is currently free on a $10,000 bond.

(KNZA)--Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse was one of forty-four sheriffs from 35 different states invited to the White House Wednesday to meet with top administrative personnel from the Executive Branch.   

According to a news release from Morse, the sheriffs briefed Department of Justice, Border Patrol, Immigration and Custom Enforcement leaders and policy advisors on immigration issues within their jurisdictions.  

The sheriffs also met with Vice President Pence and President Trump.  

Morse is a member of the National Sheriff’s Association Immigration and Border Security Committee.

He says public funds were not used for the trip.

(KNZA)--The city of Hiawatha has taken the first step toward removing five derelict structures.

The Hiawatha City Commission Tuesday evening approved a resolution setting a hearing for its November 5 meeting to provide an opportunity for the owners, owner's agents and any lien holders to show cause why the structures should not be condemned and ordered repaired or demolished.

The structures are located at 915 Miami Street, 709 Kickapoo Street, 508 South 7th Street, 112 Iowa Street and 800 Kickapoo Street.

The city has deemed the structures as unsafe and dangerous.

In other business, the Commission approved a zoning change for property located at 703 Utah Street from a residential to business district.

The city Planning Commission recommended approval.

King Realty owner Don Bryant requested the zoning change to allow them to relocate their office to the property.
 

(KNZA)--The Doniphan County Commission has approved the purchase of a dump truck for the 3rd District road department.

The Commission Tuesday approved the purchase of a 2006 International 7400 dump truck from Transport Truck Sales, of Kansas City, in the amount of $31,250.

The truck will replace a 1999 Sterling dump truck, which was totaled following an incident in April.

Proceeds from an insurance payment on the truck in the amount of $22,500 will be used to offset the cost.

In other business, Commissioner Tim Collins informed his fellow commissioners that Sean Price began work Tuesday as the new 1st District road foreman.

The Commission approved his hiring last week at a starting salary of $40,000.

(KNZA)--A Sabetha man is to be sentenced next month after pleading no contest to a pair of felony child sex charges.

The Nemaha County Attorney's Office says  27-year-old Eric Carlson pleaded no contest last week in Nemaha County District Court to aggravated indecent liberties with a child and sexual exploitation of a child.

In exchange for the plea, an additional count of sexual exploitation of a child was dismissed.

Carlson was arrested May 3rd following an investigation by federal, state and local authorities into alleged sex offenses occurring last year involving two children under the age of 14.

He remains in the Nemaha County Jail after his bond, which had been set at one million dollars, was revoked. 

Sentencing is scheduled for October 25.

(KAIR)--The use of tobacco products becomes off limits in areas of Atchison Parks, with the divided decision made by the Atchison City Commission in order to secure $30,000 in grant funding.

The decision to bar tobacco products, including non-tobacco related electronic smoking equipment, was approved on a 3-2 vote Tuesday.

The approval guarantees the receipt of the funds through the Pathways to a Healthy Kansas Grant, administered by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas.

Andrea Clements, Executive Director of the healthy living organization Live Well Live Atchison assured commissioners that approval was certain following concerns voiced by Commissioner Charlie Perdue. "I've spoken with the Pathways director over this initiative, and if this is passed, then the funding would be released to the city."

Nonetheless, Perdue voted against the measure, as did Commissioner David Butler.

Perdue questioned the City's role in keeping children free from tobacco, while Butler opposed the ordinance's lack of enforcement. "I don't think it's our job to, that should be the parents, the ones that take them there," Perdue stated. "To me, this is just kind of a bad ordinance, right at this particular point," Butler said. "I just don't think we need to pass bad ordinances. We can't enforce it, there's no way we can make people comply with this. It just doesen't make sense."

However, City Attorney Bob Campbell, during the meeting, said the policy could be handled as a class C misdemeanor, with a maximum fine of $500.

Mayor Allen Reavis, who opposed a similar measure in the past, voiced his support, saying the fact that the ordinance only prohibits tobacco use within 25 feet of playground equipment made him comfortable in voting yes.

"What I'd like to say is, the last time we talked about this it was going to be throughout all the parks. I like this proposal because it just says around those playground areas, no smoking. I think this ordinance is a lot more fair...I will support this."

The $30,000, when received, will be applied to the overall more than $151,000 price tag for an inclusive playground to be constructed at Jackson Park.

(KAIR)--A former Atchison resident has been extradited from Kentucky to face charges related to securities fraud.

According to a release from the Atchison County Sheriff's Office, 59-year-old Robert Beene is now in custody in the Atchison County Jail.

He was transported from the Boyle County Jail, in Kentucky, following his arrest on an Atchison County District Court Warrant.

According to a news release issued by the Kansas Attorney General's Office in October, 2013, Beene and his Atchison-based business, Sidelight Entertainment Group, were issued a cease and desist order “for multiple alleged violations of the Kansas Uniform Securities Act.”

The release stated that Beene and company were accused of selling unregistered securities in a pay-per-view scheme.

The unregistered securities included what the release identified as Pay-Per-View Buy-In “points” for the Global Warrior Challenge held at the Sprint Center in Kansas City on June 29, 2013. The Global Warrior Challenge was described as a group of mixed martial arts fights, which included matches between United States and United Kingdom fighters. Points were sold to the public for $5,000 per point, and at least one Kansas investor purchased points. The release said Beene's fraud stemmed from “omitting certain material facts.”

According to online court records, Beene was issued a final order to cease and desist in May, 2014 after failing to schedule a hearing on the allegations.

Beene's bond is set at $20,000.

(KNZA)--After 10 years of planning and fundraising, construction has begun for the new Sabetha Health and Wellness Center.

The facility is being constructed on the grounds of the Sabetha Community Hospital at 14th and Oregon Streets.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held August 22.

AHRS Construction, of Bern, has been contracted to build the more than $2 million facility.  

Construction is expected to take 10 to 12 months, with an anticipated opening date in the spring or summer of 2019

The facility will offer brand new cardio and weight equipment.  It will include therapy pools for rehabilitation, water aerobics and lap swimming.  The facility will also feature two rooms for group exercise classes, along with a gymnasium that houses a three-lane walking track around it.

The Center will be operated, managed and maintained by the Sabetha Community Hospital.

A new director has been hired to begin planning for the facility programs.  Greta Heiman, of Sabetha, began work August 1.

(KAIR)--A Missouri resident goes to jail in Atchison, accused of attacking a pregnant woman.

Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson told MSC News 26-year-old Kenyan Gleason's alleged attack Monday evening left the woman in need of hospital care. "It was at 7:30 when our officers responded to a domestic disturbance in the 1300 block of Locust Drive. There, we found an 18-year-old female laying on the ground, bleeding and injured. She had been tackled and knocked to the ground, and was 35-weeks pregnant. She was transported to the hospital by EMS."

Gleason, of Grandview, Missouri, was arrested a short time later, having fled the scene of the alleged crime in the victim's vehicle with her cell phone in hand. "We learned that the 26-year-old suspect had fled the scene. We did recover the vehicle several blocks away. The suspect was located, and taken into custody, several hours later."

Wilson, citing initial medical reports, said it appears the woman, and her unborn child, will recover. "We checked with the doctor later on that evening and learned that it appears like the baby's going to be okay. They were going to do some close monitoring."

Gleason faces charges for aggravated battery, domestic battery, theft, obstructing legal process, and driving while suspended.

Following his arrest, Gleason was booked into the Atchison County Jail.

He's held on a bond of $20,000.

(KNZA)--The Brown County Commission has approved the purchase of a new heating and air conditioning system for the American Legion building in downtown Hiawatha, which is primarily used as a senior citizens center.

The Commission voted Tuesday to accept a bid from Edelmans Home Center in Sabetha for a Trane system for $7,537, with the funding to come from the Commissioner’s fund.  

Legion Commander Steve Winter presented quotes from three companies ranging from $6,800 to $9,500.

The Commission agreed last week to pay for the entire cost of a new heating/AC system for the building since its primarily used by the county.

Winter said the current furnace is 40 years old and air conditioning unit is 25 years old.

In other business, County Treasurer Cheryl Lippold introduced new treasurer’s office employee Kayla Meisenheimer.

County Deputy Appraiser Teresa Clements presented the statistical compliance report from state Division of property Valuation to the Commission for their review.  Clements reported that Brown County is 100 percent in compliance.  

(KMZA)--A Seneca nursing home has been honored.

According to a news release from Life Care Centers of America, Life Care Center of Seneca was named as the company’s “Facility of the Year” for its Central Division.

The award was presented on August 27 during Life Care’s annual management meeting, held at its headquarters in Cleveland, Tennessee.

The release says the award recognizes the facility as the premier location in Life Care’s Central Division, which includes 35 skilled nursing and rehab centers in Indiana, Kansas, Missouri and Nebraska.

Criteria for the award includes excellent customer service, a strong activities department, an active volunteer program and involvement in the community.

Led by Executive Director Brian Olberding, Life Care Center of Seneca was praised for its five-star rating from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, as well as having the lowest turnover in the Central Division. The facility provides goodie bags for local children, which Santa gives out the day after Thanksgiving, and it also donates sugar cookies for children to decorate during the annual Halloween community party.

Often, prior resident families return to the facility as volunteers after their loved one has returned home. The facility has about 40 volunteers who help bring fun and build relationships with the residents.

The Seneca facility, located at 512 Community Drive, is one of seven skilled nursing and rehab centers in Kansas managed by Life Care Centers of America.

(KMZA)--Governor Jeff Colyer has issued a state of disaster emergency declaration for five Kansas counties affected by flooding over the weekend--including Marshall.

Also named in the declaration issued Tuesday were Jewell, Kingman, Pratt and Riley Counties.

Damages in the counties included washed out roads, bridges, culverts and flooding to some businesses and residential properties.

The declaration authorizes the use of state resources and personnel to assist with response and recovery operations.

(KNZA)--The Brown County Sheriff’s Office has been awarded a nearly $3,200 traffic safety grant from the Kansas Department of Transportation.

Sheriff John Merchant announced the grant award Tuesday.

Merchant says the grant was earned though deputies participating in the Click-It-Or-Ticket and the You Drink, You Drive, You Lose campaigns.  To be eligible for the grant, agencies had to participate in both enforcement actions.    

The grant can be used by the Sheriffs office to purchase traffic related  equipment which enhances the department’s ability to provide vehicle interdiction more effectively and safer.     

The two campaigns, sponsored by KDOT, provide overtime reimbursement for deputies choosing to work over and above their regularly scheduled shift which allows for more officers on the road without creating a financial burden to law enforcement entity budgets.  

Seventy-two law enforcement agencies across Kansas were eligible for an equipment award, which averaged nearly $2,800 per agency.

(KAIR)--A financial crimes investigation, launched in August, ends with the arrest of an Atchison woman.

Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson told MSC News Cristi Thompson was arrested August 28 following the near-week long investigation. "On August the 22, we had a case reported to us that initiated a financial crime investigation. What was determined was we had a 41-year-old female that had reported that in early August, a financial card was taken from her residence in the 400 block of Atchison Street, and we did make an arrest of a person now charged."

According to Wilson, the 39-year-old Thompson was acquainted with the victim.

Thompson is accused of using the financial card at an Atchison ATM where she allegedly withdrew $500.

Facing charges of theft and criminal use of a financial card, Thompson was booked into the Atchison County Jail following her arrest.

At last check, Thompson remained in custody, held on a bond of $10,000.

(KLZA)--A September 19 preliminary hearing is scheduled in Richardson County Court for a Falls City man facing multiple felony charges in connection with incidents that occurred in Salem in July.

44-year-old James Liming is charged with use of a deadly weapon to commit a felony, assault in the seconds degree, attempted  assault in the second degree and terroristic threats.

Court documents alleged Liming hit a man in the head with a pistol, pointed the gun at him and pulled the trigger. However, the gun misfired.

Liming allegedly admitted to a sheriff's deputy that he had fired several shots from a .22-caliber pistol into the radiator of a car occupied by two men.

Liming is free on a $7,500 cash bond.

(KLZA)-- Recent rains in the Missouri River basin coupled with higher than normal releases from upstream dams is causing flooding along the river in Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri and Iowa. 

A flood warning has been issued affecting Richardson, Nemaha and Otoe counties in Nebraska as well as Atchison and Holt counties in Missouri, Doniphan and Atchison counties in Kansas. 

At Nebraska City the Missouri River crest is forecast at 21.2 feet Thursday afternoon. That is 3.2 feet above flood stage.  The river reading was at 17.65 feet late  Tuesday morning.  

At Brownville the Tuesday morning river reading was 34.17 feet, nearly 1.2 feet above flood stage. The crest if forecast for Thursday evening at 37.7 feet which is more than 4.5 feet above flood stage. 

At Rulo the river reading Tuesday morning at 11 was 19.6 feet which had dropped from more than 21 feet Monday.  The Missouri is predicted to drop to 18.5 feet by Wednesday afternoon, but then begin to rise again with the new crest predicted at 20.6 feet Thursday afternoon. 

At St. Joseph, Missouri the river is forecast to crest at 21.2 feet Thursday afternoon which is just over 3 feet above flood stage. 

At Atchison, Kansas where flood stage is 22 feet, the crest is predicted for early Tuesday afternoon at 24 feet. The river is forecast to hover around the 22-foot reading at least until Saturday.

(KNZA)--A Sabetha man accused of child sex crimes will undergo a competency evaluation.

A judge last week granted a motion filed by the attorney for 20-year-old Gage Gresham for an evaluation by KANZA Mental Health.

A preliminary hearing, which had been scheduled in the case,  has been placed on hold.

Greshman has been charged in Nemaha County District Court with felony counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, criminal sodomy and indecent liberties with a child.

According to the criminal complaint, it’s alleged that Gresham engaged in sexual intercourse, sodomy and lewd fondling or touching with a 15-year-old child.

He was arrested in May following an investigation by the Sabetha Police Department.  

(KNZA)--An Auburn, Nebraska woman has been hired as the director of marketing for Highland Community College.

According to a news release from the College, Rebecca Johnson brings nearly 15 years of experience in higher education marketing.

After starting her career at Peru State College, Johnson most recently served as the Assistant Director of Communications, Marketing and External Relations at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln’s College of Business.

She holds a Master of Science in Organizational Management from Peru State College.

The release says Johnson will be working to promote Highland and its regional centers.

Johnson said she’s thrilled to join the staff at Highland, and is very excited to be able to help the College continue to grow.

She and her husband, Tony, have two sons.

(KNZA)--A Monday evening single-vehicle Brown County wreck sent a Hiawatha man to the hospital with disabling injuries.

The Kansas Highway Patrol says 31-year-old David Allen was northbound on U.S. 73 Highway, south of 190th Road, when his car left the east side of the roadway.  Allen overcorrected and his car crossed the center line where it left the west side of the roadway. The vehicle struck a concrete culvert and flipped end over end.

Allen, who was not wearing a seatbelt, was ejected.

He was transported by ambulance to a local hospital and was later transported by helicopter to the University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City.

The wreck was reported around 6:00 Monday evening.  

(KNZA)--A Saturday evening single-vehicle wreck on a Doniphan County road sent a Troy woman to the hospital with disabling injuries.

The Kansas Highway Patrol says 53-year-old Rhonda Boyle was northbound on Mineral Point Road, a 1/2 mile south of 150th Road, when she lost control of her pickup truck due to the gravel and speed. Her pickup left the road and went down an embankment.

Boyle was transported to the Atchison Hospital.

The Patrol says she was buckled up when the wreck happened around 8:00.

(KAIR)--14 persons have tested positive for Salmonella following the launch of an investigation after a suspected outbreak arose from a dinner held at a Doniphan County church.

The investigation, jointly worked by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the Doniphan County Health Department, began following an August 7 election day Indian Taco dinner at the Highland United Methodist Presbyterian Church.

Following the report of illness, the health agencies launched a survey to collect illness and exposure information from dinner attendees.

According to a news release issued Friday, 115 persons have completed the survey.

69 of the respondents reported gastrointestinal illnesses, and 14 tested positive for Salmonella Newport, a specific strain of the infection.

The release calls the numbers preliminary as the investigation continues.

The testing of food served at the dinner has been completed, with all testing negative of salmonella except for a sample of tomatoes. However, it's noted that tomatoes were provided by multiple people, with “an environmental assessment of the sources of tomatoes planned to potentially determine how this contamination occurred.”

The KDHE is also assessing whether other persons that did not attend the dinner could have been sickened by consuming the tomatoes.