(KNZA)--Brown County Treasurer Cheryl Lippold has announced her retirement.

Lippold told the County Commission Tuesday that she plans to retire at the end of her term in October 2021.

The position will be up for election this November.

Lippold has held the position since 2003.

In other business, bids were opened the repair of the Memorial Auditorium roof and the Courthouse roof. Bids were received from three companies. The Commission tabled a decision unitl their January 6th meeting.

Commissioner Dwight Kruse discussed the purchase of a truck. He requested to spend up to $40,000, which commissioners voted to allow.

And the Commission approved the re-appointment of Jim Scherer to the NEK-CAP Board of Directors.

(KAIR)--Local agencies will benefit from grant funds earmarked for domestic violence assistance.

According to a release from the office of Kansas Governor Laura Kelly, a total of more than $20.5 million has been allocated to 65 Kansas organizations by the Federal Victims of Crime Act Victim Assistance grant awards.

The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office has been awarded $79,134. Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse told MSC News such funds are used to annually fund a victim assistance coordinator.

Also receiving funds is the Leavenworth-based organization that provides domestic violence-related services to Atchison.

Alliance Against Family Violence was selected to receive more than $196,000. In August, the Atchison City Commission gave unanimous approval to designate the organization as the official domestic violence shelter to provide services to the City of Atchison. That followed the disbandment of the DoVES organization.

Leavenworth County-based First Judicial District CASA Association, which also provides services to Atchison County, will receive $177,243.

According to the release from Kelly, the funds are generated by federal fines, penalty assessments, forfeited appearances and bail bonds.

The VOCA grant program awards funds to eligible crime victim assistance programs, specifically programs that provide crisis intervention, legal support, criminal justice assistance, safety planning, mental health, helpline counseling, and transitional housing, among other services.

(KMZA)--Marshall County Commission Chairman David Baier has announced his resignation, effective February 1.

Baier, who represents District 2, said he has accepted a new position in Hoxie, Kansas and will be relocating at that time.

The Waterville Republican made the announcement at the Commission's December 23 meeting.

Republican precinct members from District 2 will meet the evening of January 9 at 7:00 in the basement of the Marshall County Courthouse to nominate an individual to fill Baier's unexpired term, which expires in January 2021.

The nomination will then be forwarded to Governor Laura Kelly, who will make the appointment.

Anyone who wants to be considered for the position must be a registered Republican and a resident of District 2. To be considered, you should contact Marshall County Republican Party Chairman Bill Phillipi at 785-562-8463 by January 6.

The position will be up for election in November 2020.

(KNZA)--A lengthy investigation by the Hiawatha Police Department has lead to the arrest of four individuals on drug charges.

According to a press release from Hiawatha Police Chief John Defore, officers served a search warrant Monday afternoon at 408 South 11th Street.

Zachariah Brown, of Hiawatha; Samantha Liming, of St. Joseph; Cherish Gomer, of Highland; and Avery Steward, of Hiawatha, were arrested on charges related to the possession of illegal drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia.

A fifth individual, Hiawatha resident Deron Steward, was arrested on an outstanding warrant.

A sixth individual in the home was not arrested.

Defore said along with illegal drugs and paraphernalia, officers also seized handgun ammunition and loaded magazines.

The case has been forwarded to Brown County Attorney Kevin Hill for prosecution.

Defore said the search warrant was ninth drug related search warrant served by the Hiawatha Police Department in 2019.

(KNZA)--The Hiawatha Community Hospital has implemented visitor restrictions due to an increase in influenza and RSV ( respiratory syncytial virus).

According to a release from the hospital, the restrictions went into place on Monday, Dec. 30 as the HCH Infection Prevention Team determined that community influenza and RSV cases were on the rise.

Visitor Restrictions:

* 1 or 2 close family members or caregivers. This could include: a spouse, adult child or others designated by the patient.

* No children under 16 years of age.

* No one ill or exhibiting active symptoms of cough, fever, head or body aches.

* No one who has been diagnosed with influenza within 7 days of the date you plan to visit those who are hospitalized.

What can you do?

Prior to coming into the hospital, all staff, necessary visitors and patients are asked to use the hand sanitizer stations that are located at each entrance.

If you are sick or exhibiting active symptoms of a cough, fever, head or body aches, we ask that you also put on a mask. Masks are also located at all entrances. Please talk to a nurse or provider if you feel an exception should be made or you would like assistance passing on a message of support.

"We thank you for your diligence in keeping the spread of infections and germs at bay."

(KLZA)-- The U.S. Postal Service has reached an agreement with the owner of the building housing the Sterling Post Office to assist with renovations of the building. 

The Tecumseh Chieftan reports the post office is to be moved into the existing building on the south side of Broadway Street.  

During a December 17 meeting with Sterling residents Dawn Bayer, Manager of Post Office Operations announced the owner of the building agreed to repair a leaking window and window sill, which was creating mold issues.  The owner  will also be responsible for repairing the back wall of the building. 

The U.S. Postal Service will repair or replace a portion of the lights and flooring in the building.  

There is no specific time table for the building to reopen.  

(KLZA)-- Johnson County, Nebraska, Commissioners have approved a Special Use Permit for NioCorp's Elk Creek Superalloy Material Project.

A company new release says Commissioners found the project was not incompatible with agriculture use, and was designed to minimize impacts on neighboring property, and would likey result in an appreciation of the value of surrounding structures and property. 

Mineral extraction is already a permitted special use in the agricultural zoning district where the project will be located near Elk Creek.  

Under the terms of the permit, NioCorp agrees to upgrade Road 721 from the Right-of-Way of State Highway 50 to the entrance to the project site.  The current gravel road will be upgraded to a paved road with NioCorp will engineer, construct and maintain for the county. 

In addition, NioCorp will reimburse Johnson County for the costs for additional law Enforcement required during the construction phase of the Elk Creek Mine project, including the costs of an additional Deputy Sheriff and equipment. 

Scott Honan, President of Elk Creek Resources Corporation and Vice President of Business Development for NioCorp says the company looks forward to being able to move to a construction start, once sufficient financing for the project is secured. 

(KAIR)--Design work is set to begin for water main replacements in the City of Atchison.

That follows a unanimous vote of the Atchison City Commission during the Commission’s December 16 meeting.

According to a release from the City of Atchison, that vote means the start of design work, followed by actual construction in the spring.

The City’s 2020 Capital Improvement Plan includes $500,000 budgeted for water main replacement work.

According to the release, the scope of work for this project is engineering design services for approximately 4,100 feet of water main replacement. Staff expects design work to last 60-90 days with construction to follow. Eight city blocks are included in the project.

Segments were selected because of the condition issues previously identified and how they interrelate to other improvements, specifically the 2020 mill and overlay program and Phase II of the Dam 6 Sewer Separation Project. All segments selected are undersized metallic pipes installed in post World War II developments that suffer frequent breaks.

Lawrence based BG Consultants was awarded the $31,000 design contract.

(KNZA)--A local auto dealership has made the holiday season a bit brighter for a Hiawatha woman.

During their 1st annual Hope for the Holidays event held on Saturday, Hiawatha Ford announced Cydney Buckner as the recipient of a 2015 Ford Edge Titanium.

Buckner was selected from among many essays submitted by individuals and on behalf of individuals expressing how they would benefit from the gift. The essays had to be submitted by December 15.

The dealership said Buckner had several letters written on her behalf.

She works at Brown County Developmental Services.

(KAIR)--No injuries are reported, but authorities are seeking the whereabouts of a tractor-trailer blamed for a weekend hit and run in rural Atchison County.

According to a release from Atchison County Sheriff Jack Laurie, 38-year-old Nortonville resident Michael Thompson was driving a northbound Dodge Ram pickup truck, on U.S. Highway 59, near Haskell Road, shortly after 2:30 Sunday morning, when the wreck occurred.

According to Laurie, a Mack tractor trailer side swiped Thompson’s truck and then continued south, into Jefferson County.

Anyone with information related to the wreck should contact the Atchison County Sheriff’s Office at 913-804-6080.

(KAIR)--A social media post led to an Atchison altercation that sent a woman to the hospital.

That allegation led to the late Friday morning arrest of 34-year-old Atchison resident Katie Thomas.

Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson told MSC News Thomas allegedly went to a residence in the 500 block of south 6th Street, where she allegedly struck a 54-year-old woman in the face with a heavy drinking glass.

The victim was taken by private vehicle for hospital treatment and then released.

Thomas was arrested when police were called to the residence, and was taken into custody for aggravated battery.

Following her arrest, Thomas was booked into the Atchison County Jail.

(KAIR)--A Hiawatha elementary student has died, and the school district is working to help her fellow students cope with the loss.

Lonnie Moser, the Superintendent of USD 415, addressed the death of 9-year-old Leighya Marie DeLong in a post to the school district's website.

In the release, Moser said DeLong died unexpectedly on December 23 in Lincoln, Nebraska.  

DeLong was a 4th grade student in the class of Andy Runer. Noting that DeLong had only been in the class since October, Moser said "her smile and positive attitude were impactful and she will be deeply missed."

Saying that the "tragic loss of life will undoubtedly impact [DeLong's] classmates and other members of the Hiawatha Elementary School family," Moser said the district and school officials "are working to ensure appropriate support and resources for our students and staff as they cope with the loss."

According to a GoFundMe account set up to raise funds for the family of DeLong, the child died of influenza.

According to information posted with the account, apparently established by the child’s paternal grandmother, DeLong was taken for hospital care on December 22 in Lincoln, Nebraska. Diagnosed with influenza, she was again taken for treatment the next day, when she died.

The post says DeLong and her mother, Odessa Kirkendoll, had only recently moved to Kansas.

Along with her mother and grandparents, survivors of DeLong include her three siblings.

(KAIR)--A man, missing since early this year, remains listed as a missing person by the Brown County Sheriff’s Office.

In a release issued Friday, Brown County Sheriff John Merchant said it’s hoped that raising attention to the case will help reconnect Matthew “Mattdog” Wayne Ferris with his family.

Merchant said that while the address and location of the 36-year-old Ferris is unknown, it’s possible he may be in Wyandotte County, Kansas or Saint Joseph, Missouri.

Ferris is described as a 5’10” white man, weighing 180 pounds and balding. He is known to have a shaved head or a goatee.

According to the release, the last time family members of Ferris heard from him was on the morning of January 1, 2019.

Anyone with information regarding the whereabouts of Ferris is asked to contact the Brown County Sheriff’s Office at (785) 742-7125.

(KNZA)--An investigation is underway regarding a stolen pickup truck belonging to the City of Hiawatha.

It was earlier this week that the discovery was made in the 1700 block of Iowa Street, in Hiawatha, where the truck was located.

Brown County Sheriff John Merchant told MSC News a deputy on routine patrol was the first to spot the vehicle around 3:30 Monday morning. “He noticed a Hiawatha City truck. The door was open, the engine was running, and noticed a broken passenger side window out. He checked the businesses around there, didn’t see anybody that was around there trying to break in, but evidently they had left. He did inform the City and they recovered their vehicle.”

According to a news release from Hiawatha Police Chief John Defore, officers responded to the scene where the 2001 Dodge pickup truck was located.

Officers processed the vehicle for evidence left behind, and the vehicle was then released back to the City of Hiawatha.

According to Defore, the investigation is continuing, with his department following leads to identify suspects involved in the case.

Anyone with related information is asked to call the Hiawatha Police Department at 785-742-2156.

(KAIR)--Lansing Correctional Facility's new minimum security building is now open.

According to a news release issued by the Kansas Department of Corrections, the new living unit was built for all of the minimum-security offenders housed at the facility. The building, called E Dorm, will house 512 offenders. The release notes that with the assistance of staff from throughout the Kansas Department of Corrections, the inmates were all moved over to the new housing unit over a period of three days, from December 16-20.

The E Dorm replaces LCF's former East Unit, which had been in use since 1917. LCF opened in 1867 as the Kansas State Penitentiary, making it the oldest and largest state correctional facility in Kansas.

E Dorm is the first phase of a process to rebuild the entire facility. New medium and maximum-security buildings are on schedule to be completed after the start of the new year.

(KAIR)--A Leavenworth County District Court judge, whose comments during a 2018 sentencing hearing sparked controversy, may retire.

The Leavenworth Times reports District Judge Michael Gibbens on Monday said, during a hearing, that he is thinking about retirement.

The newspaper reports Gibbens drew criticism last year when he said he considered an underage girl an aggressor in the case of a man who was being sentenced for a charge of electronic solicitation. The girl had been identified as a victim in the case.

Gibbens sentenced Raymond E. Soden to five years and 10 months in prison on December 4, 2018.

Soden had pleaded no contest to the electronic solicitation charge which involved communication Soden reportedly had with a 13-year-old girl through Facebook Messenger, according to a news release County Attorney Todd Thompson issued at the time of the sentencing.

Gibbens granted a departure from what was considered the standard sentence under the state’s sentencing guidelines.

The Kansas Legislature this year changed the law that allowed judges to reduce the length of prison sentences by finding that victims of certain crimes contributed to the criminal activity by being an aggressor.

(KLZA)--A 17-year-old boy is in custody following an early Thursday morning pursuit that happened while he was behind the wheel of a stolen vehicle.

Those allegations are outlined in a report from Rock Port, Missouri Police Chief Shannon Sherwood.

According to the report, Christopher Arita was arrested after the vehicle he was driving was stopped on I-29, in Holt County.

Rock Port Police were notified by Iowa authorities around 1:00 Thursday morning that the pursuit was in progress. That agency joined authorities from Fremont County, Iowa in the pursuit that ended with Arita in custody.

He is facing charges for tampering with a motor vehicle, resisting arrest/detention/stop by fleeing-creating substantial risk of serious injury or death, exceeding the posted speed limit, operating a motor vehicle in a careless and imprudent manner, and operating a motor vehicle without a valid license.

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

(KLZA)--The Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska has been awarded a $225-thousand grant from the Cedar Tree Foundation to use toward a Regenerative Agriculture project.

According to a release on Facebook, from the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska Council, the tribe has raised row crops, mainly corn and soybeans, utilizing traditional farming techniques for many years.  While easy to manage and predict harvest results, the method requires heavy use of herbicides and pesticides for crop health, resulting in large ecosystem collapse of soil function and water quality.

The Tribe plans to reestablish techniques to regenerate the health of the soil while using adaptive multi-paddock ( AMP) grazing on tribal grass lands.

Through the program there is potential to restore the health of tribal lands and provide the ability to better cope with weather extremes through the building of biological and ecosystem resilience. 

(KMZA)--A Seneca woman is facing charges related to the sale of methamphetamine.

That’s according to a report issued by the Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office.

According to the report, 22-year-old Mariah Leishing was booked into the Shawnee County Jail on December 19, taken into custody on a Nemaha County warrant for distribution of methamphetamine and use of a communication facility in commission of a drug felony.

Bond for Leishing is set at $75,000.

(KAIR)--An Atchison man, arrested for failure to appear in court, now faces drug charges.

Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson, in a release, said 30-year-old Blaine Walker was arrested Monday evening.

Walker was located at a residence in the 1400 block of Atchison Street, and taken into custody on District and Municipal Court warrants for failure to appear in court.

During the arrest methamphetamine, synthetic marijuana, and drug paraphernalia were allegedly found on his person.

Along with failure to appear, Walker now faces charges for possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and possession of synthetic marijuana.

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

His bond, for the drug charges, is set at $10,000.

(KAIR)--An Atchison woman is facing charges following the discovery of what authorities suspect to be methamphetamine.

The discovery was made Sunday as 31-year-old Whitney Hanson was being booked into the Atchison County Jail.

According to a release from Atchison County Undersheriff Toby Smith, the contraband was found within the intake area of the jail.

A short investigation followed, and that led to the arrest of Hanson on charges of trafficking contraband in a correctional facility, possession of a stimulant, and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Hanson was being booked into jail following her arrest by Atchison Police on an Atchison County District Court warrant for failure to appear.

She remains in custody at the Atchison County Jail.

(KAIR)--A door to door solicitor is raising concerns in Brown County.

That message comes in a release issued by Brown County Sheriff John Merchant, who says he has received concerns from several county residents, who report a man is going door to door telling them he has one last load of asphalt from a job, and is in need of a driveway to put it in. The man reportedly told residents he is willing to do the work at a reduced cost, but has, in two instances, required a cash down payment.

Merchant says that while he can’t be certain the sales attempts are a scam, the fact the man is not known locally, and is requiring a cash payment, raises suspicions.

Merchant requests that residents be aware of who they are conducting business with.

Merchant says a credible business person should have a business card, a company vehicle, references from satisfied customers, and other such documentation.

Anyone with questions should notify Merchant at (785) 742-7125.

(AP)--Christmas Eve is here, and that means millions around the globe are watching Santa's journey in real time.

NORAD Tracks Santa is back, this time with updated technology and mobile apps for real-time updates on Ol' Saint Nick's progress.

For the young and young-at-heart, you can still call 1-877-HI-NORAD to get Santa's whereabouts.

The operation has become its own holiday tradition. NORAD is the U.S.-Canadian air defense command. And NORAD and its predecessors have kept close watch for 64 years on Santa's journey, assuring those who believe that he’s on his way.

(KLZA)-- Pawnee County Commissioners have scheduled a public hearing to receive input on a proposal to close a portion of 620 Avenue during their December 17th meeting. 

The hearing is set for Tuesday, January 14 at 10 o'clock. 

Commissioners also approved the expenditure of $1,024 for the Pawnee County portion of the 2020 Community based Juvenile Services Aid Grant that is shared by Pawnee, Richardson, Johnson and Nemaha counties. 

The next meeting of the Pawnee County Commissioners will be Tuesday, December 31. 

(KLZA)-- A newly certified officer is now on duty with the Falls City Police Department. 

Braden Shiley graduated from the Nebraska Law Enforcement Center in Grand Island on Friday, having completed the 15 week, basic training program. 

Shiley is now a Nebraska certified officer and begins his career with the Falls City Police Department. 

Beginning in January, Nick Aitken is scheduled to begin a 15 week training program at the Nebraska Law Enforcement Center and will begin his career with the Falls City Police Department if he successfully completes the program.  

(KAIR)--Another arrest is made in connection with a November home invasion at an Atchison residence. “We do have a third suspect now in custody,” Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson told MSC News. “[The arrest] is related to the November 22 aggravated robbery that we worked at an occupied residence in the 1200 block of North 4th.”

Wilson said a Leavenworth man is now in custody for his alleged role in the crime. “Two 16-year-old males have previously been arrested, and now we have 19-year-old Jachauan Worley, of Leavenworth, in custody. He is in custody in Leavenworth on charges not related to our case. He will face charges in Atchison that include aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, criminal restraint, theft, and criminal damage to property. Part of this investigation has connected him to the two 16-year-olds who are from Atchison. We now know what led those three to have contact with each other, what led them to Atchison that night. There’s a number of details we now have answered.”

Wilson earlier this month told MSC News it was shortly after 10:00 on the night of November 22 when the three suspects forced their way into the occupied apartment when the 19-year-old female victim opened the door. “Once inside one of the suspects struck the victim in the face with a handgun and struck her in the stomach with his fist. The three demanded money from her. After getting a small amount of cash from her, as well as taking keys and a cell phone from the apartment, the three fled out a window of the second story apartment after hearing someone knocking on the victim’s door. They disappeared into the darkness.”

The two 16-year-olds were located in early December and taken into custody, while the search for Worley continued.

Wilson said the victim knew the alleged attackers, who had tried to conceal their identities by covering their faces with bandanas at the time of the alleged attack. The victim was not seriously hurt.

(KAIR)--Another arrest is made in connection with a November home invasion at an Atchison residence. “We do have a third suspect now in custody,” Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson told MSC News. “[The arrest] is related to the November 22 aggravated robbery that we worked at an occupied residence in the 1200 block of North 4th.”

Wilson said a Leavenworth man is now in custody for his alleged role in the crime. “Two 16-year-old males have previously been arrested, and now we have 19-year-old Jachauan Worley, of Leavenworth, in custody. He is in custody in Leavenworth on charges not related to our case. He will face charges in Atchison that include aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, criminal restraint, theft, and criminal damage to property. Part of this investigation has connected him to the two 16-year-olds who are from Atchison. We now know what led those three to have contact with each other, what led them to Atchison that night. There’s a number of details we now have answered.”

Wilson earlier this month told MSC News it was shortly after 10:00 on the night of November 22 when the three suspects forced their way into the occupied apartment when the 19-year-old female victim opened the door. “Once inside one of the suspects struck the victim in the face with a handgun and struck her in the stomach with his fist. The three demanded money from her. After getting a small amount of cash from her, as well as taking keys and a cell phone from the apartment, the three fled out a window of the second story apartment after hearing someone knocking on the victim’s door. They disappeared into the darkness.”

The two 16-year-olds were located in early December and taken into custody, while the search for Worley continued.

Wilson said the victim knew the alleged attackers, who had tried to conceal their identities by covering their faces with bandanas at the time of the alleged attack. The victim was not seriously hurt.

(KAIR)--A drug investigation, dating back to last year, sends a Kansas City, Kansas man to jail.

32-year-old Bryce Berry was arrested December 21 in the 200 block of Atchison’s Main Street by an Atchison County Sheriff’s Deputy.

According to Atchison County Undersheriff Toby Smith, Berry was taken into custody on two outstanding Atchison County District Court warrants for possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and failure to appear.

Smith, in a release, said Berry’s arrest follows an investigation conducted by the Sheriff’s Office in March, 2018.

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

His bond is set at $10,000.

(KLZA)-- During the Monday  night Falls City Council meeting, City Administrator Gary Jorn noted there have been several personnel changes in the city workforce recently.  

Robert McHenry has been promoted to Production Manager at the City power plant.  He will replace David Aitken who has transferred to serve as Water Plant Manager.  

Talia Zimmerman has been hired to work at the power plant as an assistant operator, bringing the staff back to full force. 

Brandt Kopf has been promoted to Line Foreman following the retirement of Rob Oliver.  The City will be looking to hire a new lineman.

It was also noted that a number of traffic signs have been ordered to be placed near the schools located on Fulton Street. 
 

(KLZA)-- The Falls City Street Department continued to tar streets this past fall as part of an ongoing project. 

City Administrator Gary Jorn informed the City Council last week the project should be completed in the Fall of 2020.  

All of the north – south streets have been completed. The Street Department started doing east-west streets this year working north to south and stopped at 19th Street.  Next Fall the tar project will resume moving south. 

Jorn says the City is planning asphalt overlay project on a number of streets in 2020.  

Included in the plans at the present time is Chase Street on the west side of North School and Chase Street from 14th to 21st Street.  

Jorn encouraged the Council members to contact him if they  have recommendations for other streets to be included in the overlay project. 

The size of the overlay project will be determined by the total cost of the bids submitted 
 

(KLZA)-- The November unemployment rates were down in most Southeast Nebraska counties.

The lone exception was Nemaha County where the jobless rate held steady from the previous  month at 3.5 percent. 

Rates dipped in the other five area counties:
Down 3-tenths to 2.7 percent in Richardson  County.
Down 8-tenths in Pawnee County to 2.5 percent.
Down 2-tenths to 2.7 percent in Otoe County.
Down 9-tenths to 3 percent in Johnson County. 
Down 2.5 percent in Gage  County to 2.9 percent. 

Statewide the November unemployment rate was 3.1 percent, unchanged from October and for the fifth consecutive month.  

The national unemployment rate was November was 3.5 percent.

Nebraska's nonfarm employment rose in November was 14,600 more than in November 2018 and more than 1,700 more than in October. 

(KNZA)--A letter being received through U.S. Mail is raising concerns for an area Sheriff.

Brown County Sheriff John Merchant, in a release, says “many people in Brown County have been receiving scam letters,” leaving residents concerned that scammers have their home addresses.

Merchant says the letter is trying to get the recipients to forward their information by fax or email, promising that millions of dollars will be received from the estate of a potential relative. Merchant calls that promise a scam.

Merchant says by returning the correspondence, the door is opened for scammers to gain access to personal identity as well as personal financial information.

He adds that if someone is an actual heir to such a fortune, a credible attorney would make contact, not a form letter.

(KMZA)--Two methamphetamine-related arrests are made in Nemaha County.

According to a news release issued by Nemaha County Attorney Brad Lippert, 37-year-old Daisy Osborne, of Seneca, is accused of distribution of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of school property and unlawful use of a communication facility.

It’s alleged that Osborne distributed between 1 and 3.5 grams of methamphetamine on October 28.

The investigation that led to Osborne’s December 12 arrest was conducted by the Seneca Police Department.

A preliminary hearing for Osborne was set for today.

She remains jailed in Nemaha County, held on a bond of $75,000.

Also facing the same charges in connection with the sale of methamphetamine is 40-year-old Matthew Ray Gifford, of Sabetha.

It’s alleged that Gifford distributed between 1 and 3.5 grams of methamphetamine on November 5, using a telephone to arrange the alleged crimes.

His preliminary hearing was set for today.

The investigation that led to Gifford’s December 12 arrest was conducted by the Sabetha Police Department.

Gifford remains in custody in the Nemaha County Jail, where bond is set at $50,000.

(KNZA)--Three arrests are made following the execution of a search warrant in Falls City.

According to a release, the Richardson County Sheriff’s Office, utilizing the assistance of the Brown County Sheriff’s Office’s K-9 Unit Friday afternoon served the warrant at 423 West 16th Street, where authorities say a stolen handgun, methamphetamine, marijuana, and the prescription anxiety drug alprazolam were located.

Arrested were Falls City residents 26-year-old Sarah Lunsford, 59-year-old Karen Martindale, and 28-year-old Jordan Lunsford.

Jordan Lunsford faces charges of delivery of methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a daycare, possession of a controlled substance, possession of money during a drug crime, possession with intent to deliver marijuana within 1,000 feet of a daycare, no drug tax stamp, possession of a firearm during the commission of a felony, possession of a stolen firearm, and child abuse.

Martindale and Sarah Lunsford both faces charges for possession with intent to deliver within 1,000 feet of a daycare, no drug tax stamp, and child abuse.

The search warrant was executed around 3:00 Friday afternoon, and was also assisted by the Falls City Police Department and the Sac and Fox Police Department.

(KAIR)--The Boil Water Advisory issued earlier this week for the City of Atchison has been lifted.

The all clear was given late Saturday morning after the Kansas Department of Health and Environment conducted testing that concluded that Atchison's water is safe for consumption. 

The advisory was issued Thursday afternoon, following a water main break under Atchison's 5th Street viaduct. 

(KNZA)--An arrest has been made in connection with a November wreck that claimed the life of a Hiawatha teenager.

According to a release from Brown County Sheriff John Merchant, 26-year-old Hiawatha resident Kyle White was arrested Friday. He was taken into custody on a Brown County warrant for unlawfully hosting minors and eight counts of furnishing alcoholic liquor to a minor.

The release says the investigation that led to White’s arrest began immediately after the fatal wreck that occurred around midnight November 17 at the intersection of U.S. 36 Highway and Horned Owl Road, west of Hiawatha.

Killed in the wreck was 16-year-old Ian Miller, who was a passenger in a Toyota Corolla driven by 17-year-old Andrew Kreek. The Patrol reports Kreek was traveling northbound at a high rate of speed on Horned Owl Road when he lost control of his car.

Along with Kreek, three other Hiawatha teens also suffered injuries in the crash.

The investigation that led to White’s arrest was conducted by the Sheriff’s Office and the Brown County Attorney’s office.

County Attorney Kevin Hill told MSC News the allegations in the complaint are that White played a role in illegally hosting minors involved in underaged drinking, including those involved in the wreck.

Following his arrest, White was booked into the Brown County Jail.

(KAIR)--The Boil Water Advisory, issued Thursday for the City of Atchison, is expected to be lifted Saturday.

That’s according to a Friday morning release posted to the City of Atchison’s social media.

According to the release, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment Friday morning confirmed they will rescind the advisory Saturday morning, pending the lab results of the samples collected Friday.

Until the all clear is given, City of Atchison water customers should continue to boil all water that will be consumed for one minute prior to use.

The Boil Water Advisory was issued due to a water main break Thursday under Atchison’s 5th Street viaduct.

According to the release, repairs were completed by Atchison crews around 1:30 Friday morning.

The Boil Water Advisory was issued because failure to maintain adequate pressure may result in a loss of chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination.

(KLZA)-- A majority of Falls City went several hours without electricity Thursday evening.

City utility crews eventually determined a squirrel got into a substation at the power plant on south Crook Street causing damage to several electrical circuits. 

Power was restored to most customers between 9 and 10:00 p.m., but later Thursday city crews had to cut electrical service to repair the last circuit.

(KLZA)-- Richardson County Commissioners met with representatives of the Richardson County Agricultural Society Tuesday to discuss the recent financial review of the Ag Society conducted by the Nebraska State Auditor. 

While there are no financial discrepancies, the audit raised concerns about the posting of agendas prior to the Ag Society Board meetings and about record keeping. 

Commissioners requested the Ag Society make an effort to comply with the recommendations of the auditor.  The Board indicated they would make continuous reports  back to the County Board on their progress to correct the findings as they are completed. 

In other business the Board approved entering into an agreement with Humboldt Shares Inc. a Nonprofit Corporation to provide funding from Richardson County in the amount of $5-thousand from August 1, 2019 through July 31, 2020.   

Commissioners also approved submitting the 2020 Community -Based Juvenile Services Aid grant application to the Nebraska Crime Commission for a total of $72,220 that is shared by Richardson, Nemaha, Pawnee and Johnson counties.  
 

(KLZA)-- Richardson County Commissioners met with representatives of the Richardson County Agricultural Society Tuesday to discuss the recent financial review of the Ag Society conducted by the Nebraska State Auditor. 

While there are no financial discrepancies, the audit raised concerns about the posting of agendas prior to the Ag Society Board meetings and about record keeping. 

Commissioners requested the Ag Society make an effort to comply with the recommendations of the auditor.  The Board indicated they would make continuous reports  back to the County Board on their progress to correct the findings as they are completed. 

In other business the Board approved entering into an agreement with Humboldt Shares Inc. a Nonprofit Corporation to provide funding from Richardson County in the amount of $5-thousand from August 1, 2019 through July 31, 2020.   

Commissioners also approved submitting the 2020 Community -Based Juvenile Services Aid grant application to the Nebraska Crime Commission for a total of $72,220 that is shared by Richardson, Nemaha, Pawnee and Johnson counties.  
 

(KAIR)--Modest increases for the City of Atchison’s utility rates have been approved for the coming year.

That’s according to a release from the City that says the rate increases were included in the City’s 2020 budget, which was approved in August.

Atchison’s City Commission, using the budget as a guide, formalized the increases during their December 16 meeting.

According to the release, residential customers of the City’s water service will see a 75-cent base charge increase per meter, bringing the cost to $32.37 a month for a 5/8 inch meter and $49.86 a month for a ¾ inch meter.

Commercial and industrial users will see a 3-percent increase in water rates for 2020.

The release notes that all city customers will experience a 1-percent increase in wasterwater rates and a 2.5-percent increase in CSO fees in the new year.

(KAIR)--The Horton Community Hospital has a new owner.

That follows an auction held Thursday in Charlotte, North Carolina where the Horton property, including the currently closed hospital, medical office building, a residential lot, and three vacant lots, were sold.

WIBW-TV reports the Atchison Hospital organization bid $270,000 for the property, and became the successful bidder.

The Hospital closed its doors in March, following a period where employees went unpaid.

Citing Horton City Administrator John Calhoon, the TV station reports the bid awaits approval by the bankruptcy court, and is expected to happen by January 2.

The auction comes as part of a bankruptcy action taken by CAH Acquisition Company, with seven of the company’s properties being sold.

The Kansas Attorney General's Office confirmed in March it was conducting an investigation into the hospitals, which were once run by EmpowerHMS. Jorge Perez and EmpowerHMS were named in a federal lawsuit alleging he and his company were part of an illegal billing scheme.

(KAIR)--A Boil Water Advisory has been issued for the City of Atchison.

According to a news release, the advisory took effect Thursday afternoon, following a water main break under the 5th Street viaduct in the immediate vicinity of the Blish Mize parking lot.

The advisory will remain in effect until the conditions that placed the system at risk of bacterial contamination are resolved. Failure to maintain adequate pressure may result in a loss of chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination.

The advisory will not be rescinded by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment until testing is conducted at a certified laboratory.

Water customers should boil all water intended to be consumed for one minute prior to use.

(KNZA)--Agricultural land values are expected to be significantly lower in the coming year for Doniphan County farmland affected by this spring's Missouri River flooding.

That's what Doniphan County Appraiser Danielle Kiefer told County Commissioner's this week.

Kiefer said the state Division of Property Valuation evaluated the land that is or was underwater. She said the land is not expected to be available for planting during the 2020 crop year.

Kiefer said land values will be changed from crop to grass, which could reduced valuations by as much as 75 percent.  That will mean a big loss of revenue for many taxing entities in the county, affecting their 2021 budgets.

Kiefer said once the affected ground comes back into producation, valuations will revert back to crop values.

She is working on making necessary changes and will have appraised values for the Commission's review on or before March 1, 2020.

(KLZA)-- Falls City is making an effort to deal with nuisance properties in the community.  However, it is a long process.

During Monday nights City Council meeting City Administrator Gary Jorn noted that a deadline is this week for a trailer house at 1613 Abbott Street that has been going on since March. The City is able to remove the trailer from the property as of December 20. 

Jorn said the City is also moving forward on other nuisance properties around town, including 1916 McLean Street;  the house at 1613 Abbott, the same property where the trailer  house is located and at 1701 Schoenheit Street.

While the City does not  have money budgeted for nuisance abatement,  there has been some money come back to the City from recent nuisance demolitions.  $9-thousand was recouped from the owners of the property at 2215 Lane Street and $28-thousand dollars from the demo's at 1102 Barada Street,  1203 Lane Street and 923 Fulton Street.

Jorn tells MSC News the city is able to recover money by placing a lien on the properties and either the owner pays for the demolition or the City collects when the properties are sold. 

(KLZA)-- Richardson County Commissioners met with Andrew Forney with D.A. Davidson Tuesday.  Forney presenting documents and information for the lease purchase program offered by the Nebraska Association of County Officials to purchase law enforcement equipment including in-car video equipment and body camera equipment. 

The Board adopted a resolution approving the lease-purchase agreement with NACO leading Corporation in an amount of $127,551.  

Sheriff Rick Hardesty presented a purchase order for new firearms approved last week.  The firearms currently being used by Richardson  County Law Enforcement will be advertised and offered for sale to Class 3 licensed gun dealers with the proceeds from the sale used of offset the costs of the new firearms. 
 
Forney also presented information to the Board regarding refunding of the 2015 Limited Tax Obligation bonds issued for the construction of the Richardson County Law Enforcement Center. Further review of the refunding for financial savings will be done at a meeting in January. 

Commissioners also conducted a public hearing Tuesday  morning concerning a proposal to close a portion of 709 Road, east of 661 Avenue which is located just north of Rulo.

No one from the public appeared for the hearing.  The proposal calls for the closing of 709 Road up to a bridge that was vacated in September. 
 

(KLZA)-- The Auburn  Board of Public Works has scheduled a power outage for Monday, December, 23 at 9:00 A.M., for all customers west of Auburn on the Johnson feeder line. 

During the outage maintenance will be performed on the Johnson voltage regulators. The outage should  only last for about five minutes. 

In their notice to customers the Auburn BPW says these types of outages are needed occasionally to improve the operating system.

Anyone with questions may call the Auburn  Board of Public Works at 402-274-4981. 
 

(KNZA)--Special recognition for a Hiawatha volunteer.

Hiawatha Parks and Recreation Director Stacy Jasper during Monday's City Commission meeting recognized Jeff Moore as HP&R's 2019 “Volunteer of the Year. ”

Through the course of this year, Jasper said her department has hosted 38 events and programs. That's eleven more activities than in 2018. Jasper said none of them would have been successful without the help of volunteers.

With the Commission's desire to have city crews handle more of the larger projects the city needs done instead of contracting the work out, the Commission Monday took steps to get the necessary equipment.

The Commission voted to award the bid for the lease of a Case excavator to Victor L. Phillips in the amount of $18,887, which is to be paid annually over seven years. It was among five bids opened December 11.

The Commission approved seeking bids for the purchase of a semi truck, a flat bed trailer, a low boy trailer and shoring boxes.

At the request of Water and Lights Superintendent Brad Scott, the Commission voted to seek bids for the replacement of the 1983 bucket truck and for a small pickup truck.

The Commission voted to accept an insurance payment of $105,500 for the city's street sweeper, which was a total loss following a recent fire. The Commission then voted solicit bids for a new machine.

(KNZA)--Brown County employees have been granted a pay raise for 2020.

The Brown County Commission Monday unanimously approved a 50 cent an hour raise for all employees.

The raise will go into effect the first payroll in January.

Following an executive session, the Commission voted to offer the District 3 crewman position to Caleb Clement.

In other business, Natural Resources Conservation Service District Conservationist Matt Sprick met with the Commission to discuss a streambank stablization project on 290th Road along the Laus Creek Tributary.

The Commission voted to accept and sign an agreement with the NRCS for the project. Federal funding through the NRCS's Emergency Watershed Protection Program will provide funding for 75 percent of the construction costs. The county will be required to provide a 25 percent match, which can be cash or in-kind services.

The Commission also voted to advertise for bids for the project from December 30 through January 10. Bid packets will be available at the Brown County Clerk's Office.

And County IT Director Sandy Carter updated the Commission on the new county website. The new website will go live on December 30.

(KNZA)--Additional warning signage is being sought at a Doniphan County intersection.

Doniphan County Attorney Charles Baskins asked the County Commission Monday to consider adding warning signage to 165th Road, at the intersection of K-238 Highway.

Baskins said the additional signage is needed to warn motorists of the approaching intersection due to the large number of wrecks, including several fatality crashes in recent history.

Road Office Manager Lindsay Norris will look into signage and warning devices for the Commission's consideration.

The Commission observed a moment of silence in honor of former Elwood Police Chief Larry Hunsaker. Hunsaker, who also previously served a stint as Doniphan Co Sheriff, died unexpectedly December 11. He was currently serving as a part-time investigator with the Doniphan County Sheriff's Department.

Sheriff Chad Clary updated the Commission on the increase in inmates being housed in the Doniphan County Jail. Inmates were relocated from the Atchison County Jail over the weekend after a small electrical fire. Clary said Doniphan County agreed to house 18 of Atchsion County's 57 inmates.

The Commission voted to solict bids for the replacement of four 2015 John Deere motor graders for the county's road and bridge department. A bid letting was set for December 30.

(KNZA)--The Hiawatha City Commission has approved a flow study of the city's sewer system.

The Commission Monday evening voted to enter into an agreement with the engineering firm Olsson Associates to conduct the study at a cost of $309,177, contingent upon funding.

The Commission voted to apply to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment for temporary funding through the State Revolving Loan Fund to pay for the cost of the study. The current interest rate is 1.66 percent.

Despite the completion of previous sewer projects, City Adminstrator Mike Nichols says there are still parts of the city's sewer collection system that experience high amounts of inflow and infiltration during wet weather events. Nichols said the study is the first step is figuring out where the problems are in the system.

Engineer Mark Bachamp with Olsson Associates said the study will be conducted in the spring of 2020. As part of the study, he said seven electronic flow meters will be installed and two rainfall recorders to collect data over a 60-day period.

In addition, Bachamp said they will evaluate the city's six major lift stations to determine their current pumping capacity, operational issues and improvement options.

A preliminary engineering report is to be submitted in July.

(KNZA)--Two Hiawatha women are facing possible drug charges.

According to a press release from Hiawatha Police John Defore, officers with the Hiawatha Police Department served a search warrant at 710 Kickapoo Street Friday afternoon after a lengthy investigation into illegal drug use at the home.

Upon entering the residence, officers made contact with 19-year-old Victoria McGinnis.

Through the investigation, Defore said officers also identified 56-year-old Crystal Sweet as an additional suspect in the investigation.

Criminal charges are pending against McGinnis and Sweet.

In addition, Defore said 37-year-old Brandon Sweet, of Hiawatha, was arrested in the area of the 700 block of Kickapoo Street on an outstanding warrant. He was booked into the Brown County Jail.

(KNZA)--A Hiawatha man convicted of using a concealed camcorder to secretly videotape a child has been placed on probation.

Brown County Attorney Kevin Hill said David Cattrell was sentenced Monday in Brown County District Court to a total of 15 months on a felony charge of breach of privacy and misdemeanor charge of possession of marijuana.

The sentence was suspended and Cattrell was placed on 18 months supervised probation.

He pleaded no contest to the breach of privacy charge in November.  In exchange for the plea, a charge of sexual exploitation of a child was dismissed.

Hill said the charge had to be dismissed as a result of a Court of Appeals decision that said the charge could not be applied to facts where a child was secretly filmed without their knowledge. “ In that instance, they said the defendant could only be charged with the felony breach of privacy, which is what happened here.” he said.

Cattrell was arrested in April following an investigation by the Hiawatha Police Department.

(KAIR)--The City of Atchison has authorized repairs in the 1000 block of Atchison Street.

That happened Monday during the regular meeting of the Atchison City Commission.

According to a news release from the City, the repair work is necessary because one-fourth of the brick street in the 1000 block of Atchison Street “has become severely uneven due to unstable subsurface conditions.”

According to the release, the proposed repair work will mean the installation of a 6-inch concrete base by Bottorff Construction, along with re-installation of the brick by Urban Lawncare.

The price tag of the work is estimated at more than $74,000, with the area of the repairs approximately 155 feet in length, and the full 30-feet width of the street.

The start date for the project is expected to be determined in coming weeks, depending on weather. The repairs are projected to take several weeks, meaning access to thru-traffic will be restricted, but the City intends to maintain as much access as possible to unaffected areas of the street for residents in the 1000 block of Atchison Street.

Once the timeline for the work is set, residents in the area of the project will be notified by the City.

Approval of the work was granted on a unanimous vote of the City Commission.

(KLZA)-- The Mound City Board of  Aldermen have scheduled an election for April  7, 2020. 

An ordinance to provide for the regular annual election for the City of Mound City was approved during the December 10, council  meeting.  On Tuesday, April 7, 2020 Mound City voters will elect a Mayor for a two-year term and  an Alderman from both the South and North Wards for a two-year term.

In other business during the meeting Aldermen voted to accept a bid for employee group health insurance form Blue Cross,  Blue  Shield.  

The City Office will close at noon on December 24 and be closed Christmas Day and also on January 1.  

(KLZA)-- The Falls City Council directed City Administrator Gary Jorn to seek bids to either repair or replace the boiler  at the Aquatic Park when them met Monday evening. 

City Administrator Gary Jorn updated the Council on the boiler issue. Jorn said issues with the boiler surfaced midway through last summer.  The City mechanic made repairs but the troubles continued.  An Omaha company was contacted and further repairs were made but there are still issues. 

Jorn says the options for the City is basically continue to repair the boiler and hope to squeeze a few more years out of it, or replace it which he says will cost twice at much as repairing it. 

Jorn said he has some estimates but did not want to disclose them until the bids are received. 

The boiler at the aquatic park is 13 years old and the normal life expectancy is 7 – 10 years. 

JEFFERSON CITY, MO. (AP) — A Missouri appeals court has approved the state's portion of a controversial wind power transmission line that would provide energy from the Midwest to a power grid for eastern states.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports the Missouri Court of Appeals Eastern District ruled Tuesday against landowners and the Missouri Farm Bureau, who claimed the Public Service Commission erred in March when it approved construction of the Grain Belt Express Transmission line.

The $2.3 billion high voltage line would be one of the nation's largest wind energy projects, carrying electricity generated by Kansas windmills 780 miles across rural Missouri and Illinois before hooking into a power grid in Indiana serving eastern states.

The project is expected to cross the property of 570 Missouri landowners across more than 200 miles and eight northern counties.

(KNZA)--An early Tuesday morning two-vehicle wreck on U.S. 75 Highway in southern Jackson County sent a Holton woman to the hospital.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reports 53-year-old Teresa Darveaux was southbound on Highway 75 when her car struck an abandoned vehicle in the southbound lane, which  had been involved in an earlier crash.

Darveaux, who was wearing a seatbelt, was transported to Topeka's Stormont Vail Hospital with suspected minor injuries.

The wreck was reported shortly after 6:30, south of 134th Road.

Dense fog was reported in the area at the time of the wreck.

(KLZA)-- The Mound City Board of Education discussed the school districts opening for a principal when they met Monday afternoon. 

Superintendent Ken Eaton reported there were 16 applications submitted for the position.  During a closed session the Board set up a schedule for tentative board interviews for Wednesday, January 8. 

In other business Superintendent Eaton discussed the Food Service program evaluation and presented the district transportation report.  He also reported the per pupil expenditure by building.  

The Board approved hiring Jeff Sturdivan as an ACES Social Worker. He will begin his duties January 6.  

(KLZA)-- The Auburn City Council declared three properties as nuisances when them met December 9. 

The properties are at 1220, 9th Street owned by Steven and Elaine Hickey;  2304 “N” Street owned by Domonic Taylor and Emily Ramey and 2500 “O” Street owned by Matt and Lisa Nichols. 

The city is going to work with the people residing at 2304 “N” Street to establish a plan to rehabilitate the house. 

A rehab plan has also been submitted to the city for the property at 2500 “O” Street. 

In other business, following a public hearing the council approved a change in zoning in the Sheridan Addition to allow John and Theresa Lindinger to construct at 40 x 40 foot building on the property at 504 “M” Street.

(KLZA)-- The Falls City Chamber of Commerce has announced there will be a Hot Air Balloon Festival in 2020.  

The dates for the event are June 13 and 14 and the event will be held again at Brenner Field. 

Following a 24-year absence the event was brought back in 2019 and was a huge success with an estimated 5-thousand people attending on the grounds.  

The schedule calls for a Saturday evening balloon flight and a Sunday morning lift off.  Weather will be the determining factor on the liftoffs.  

Saturday events will include musical entertainment,  food, drinks and activities for the kids to enjoy.  There will be a balloon glow, or “field of fire” at dark.

Sunday there will be a pancake breakfast. 

The Chamber is working to finalize the details, including an improved event layout and parking.  Vendors and balloon pilots wanting more information may contact Chamber Director Amber Holle. 

(KNZA)--A Brown County traffic stop leads to the arrest of a Horton man on drug charges.

Brown County Sheriff John Merchant said a deputy was on routine patrol near Hiawatha Monday when he encountered a vehicle with a tail light malfunction.

Upon initiating the traffic stop, he said the passenger, 35-year-old Nicholas Vanlaningham, was arrested on charges of possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Vanlaningham was booked into the Brown County Jail where he remained in custody Tuesday afternoon. .

The incident remains under investigation.

(KAIR)--Fire damaged a rural Atchison County home Monday evening.

According to a report from Atchison County Sheriff Jack Laurie, firefighters were called to a residence located at 5633 Sherman Road around 6:30.

Atchison County Emergency Management Director Wes Lanter says two adults and two children were living at the residence at the time of the fire. He says they are now staying with other family members, as the house is not livable at this time.

A damage estimate was not immediately available.

No injuries were reported.

Lanter says the fire started around a clothes dryer, but remains under investigation. The State Fire Marshal's Office will conduct the investigation.

Firefighters from the Shannon and Walnut Township Fire Department's responded.  Also responding were the Atchison County Sheriff's Office, Atchison County Rescue and Evergy.

(KNZA)--Royal Valley USD 337 in collaboration with the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation will host the 2nd Annual Cultural Heritage Night at the Royal Valley High School Gymnasium in Hoyt Tuesday evening, December 17.

The Royal Valley Panthers basketball teams will take on the Holton Wildcats and throughout the evening, activities of Potawatomi cultural significance will occur including a special dance performance by the Royal Valley Singers and Dancers.

According to a press release from the tribe, Royal Valley is one of very few school districts in Kansas that serve the membership of a tribal nation, with about 143 enrolled Prairie Band Potawatomi members being served by the district. More than one-third (35%) of the 868 students that attend Royal Valley school district identify as Native American.

The release says both Royal Valley USD 337 and the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation are excited to see the student body and the larger Jackson County community accepting and embracing the local community’s diversity.

 PBPN Chairman Joseph Rupnick said, “It is important for our children, and our community, to continue strengthening our ability to communicate and relate with one another, activities like this build social equity.”

 Several attendees at the inaugural event were stunned by the intricacy of the native students’ regalia and their physical stamina - many adults that had attended Royal Valley or are raising children in the school district voiced being unaware of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation’s cultural legacy.

 Activities for the evening include:

 4 p.m. - Indian Taco Fundraiser hosted by the Boys & Girls Club of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation located in the gym commons.

 4:30 p.m. - Royal Valley Lady Panthers Junior Varsity basketball game versus the Holton Wildcats.

*5:45 p.m. - Prior to the start of the Royal Valley Lady Panthers Varsity basketball game, the PBP Nation’s American Legion We-Ta-Se Post 410 will post flags and PBPN tribal members will perform a flag song, a vocal rendering with the same significance as the American national anthem. 

 Special guest announcer, Manny King from Haskell Indian Nations University, will announce each school’s lineup and scoring during both varsity games.

 *6:30 p.m. – Special Guest DJ “Supaman” will spin during halftime of the Varsity Girls basketball game.

 *7:15 p.m. – Prior to the start of the Royal Valley Boys Varsity basketball game, performance of the national anthem. 

*8 p.m. – The Royal Valley Singers and Dancers, the school’s Native American dance troupe will perform during half time of the Royal Valley Boys Varsity basketball game show casing their talent.

*All times listed after the start of the 4:30 p.m. game are approximate.

(KLZA)-- Pawnee  City Council members heard updates and approved payment for some work done to the Cornerstone Building on Main Street in Pawnee City when they met last week. 

The Council approved payment of more than $68,500 to AHRS Construction for general work done and nearly $55-thousand for demolition and masonry restoration to the building. The City matching portion for the work was just over $13,700.

Once the renovation work got underway, it was discovered the building was in worse condition than thought.

City Clerk Tammy Curtis said the three layers of brick have been removed and wood forms are being constructed.  Instead of three layers of bricks, the outside will have one-layer of bricks over the wood framing which will allow for better insulation of the building.
 

Photos courtesy of Randy Gottula.

(KLZA)-- A Falls City man suffered minor injuries in a wreck near Breckenridge, Missouri Sunday morning. 

The Missouri Highway Patrol reports 47-year-old Larry Burlingame was eastbound on U.S.-36 Highway Sunday morning about 9, when he lost control of his Jeep Renegade on the snow covered roadway and traveled off the north side of the roadway into the median. The vehicle overturned, coming to rest on its side.

Burlingame was transported to the Hedrick Medical Center by the Caldwell County, EMS. He was wearing a safety device at the time of the wreck.  

Burlingames vehicle was totaled in the crash. 
 

(KLZA)-- A two-vehicle wreck on Interstate 29, approximately eight miles north of  Watson, in Atchison,  County,  Missouri Sunday evening sent one man to the hospital. 

The Missouri Highway Patrol reported a vehicle driven by 46-year-old James Kelsay of Rose, Oklahoma and a car driven by 67-year-old Kenneth Van Ommen of Independence, Kansas were northbound on I-29. 

Van Ommen slowed down for a crash on the road and changed lanes in front of the Kelsay vehicle and contact between the vehicles was made.  Both drivers were able to come to a controlled stop.

Van Ommen was transported to the Grape Memorial Hospital in Hamburg, Iowa with what were described as minor injuries.

 Van Ommens car was totaled in the wreck.  Both men were wearing safety devices at the time of the wreck.  
 

(KNZA)--The Horton Community Hospital, whose doors were closed earlier this year, is set to be sold Thursday.

The Horton City Commission at their December 2nd meeting voted to authorize City Administrator John Calhoon to attend the bankruptcy sale in Charlotte, North Carolina and represent the city's best interest.

Calhoon told The Horton Headlight that the city applied to the bankruptcy court some weeks ago to be listed as a consultant party in the proceedings. That would allow the city to have some input regarding the eventual buyer of the property, but a representative must be present during the bidding.

Calhoon said all six properties in Horton owned by CAH Acquistion Company will be sold as a package. That includes the hospital itself, the medical office building, a residential lot and three vacant lots.

Calhoon previously told MSC News he was hopeful that the sale would mean a return of at least some healthcare services to the south Brown County community.

The Horton hospital closed its doors March 12, following a lengthy stretch when employees did not receive paychecks.

(KAIR)--A Sunday morning weather-related wreck in Atchison sent an Atchison woman to the hospital.

According to a report from Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson, the wreck happened at the intersection of 10th Street and Kansas Avenue around 10:45.

Wilson said a pickup truck driven by Nicole Honeywell, of Atchison, was eastbound on Kansas Avenue and due to the weather conditions was unable to stop at the stop sign. Her vehicle struck a southbound van on 10th Street driven by JoAnn Ernest.

Ernest was transported to the Atchison Hospital by ambulance for examination.

Wilson said it was only weather-related wreck reported Sunday in Atchison.

(KAIR)--There was a small fire in an electrical box at the Atchison Co Jail early Saturday morning.

Atchison County Sheriff Jack Laurie, in a news release, said the fire affected controls for the lighting and access control for all doors of the secured area of the jail.

The emergency fire response plan was set in motion. The Atchison Fire Department, Atchison Police Department and Atchison County EMS responded to the jail to assist. During the response, several inmates were treated on scene by EMS for complaints related to the smoke. No inmates or staff were transported out of the facility due to medical issues.

Laurie said damage to the electrical panel was severe enough to risk the security of most of the facility, requiring the majority of the current 57 inmates to be transported to other county jail facilities.

It's believed that the cause of the fire was from water penetrating an electrical panel, after an inmate had flooded a nearby cell. Laurie said the Atchison County Jail has encountered similar incidents over the years, however, this incident caused more issues than any in the past. He noted this is the first time that a total loss of power occurred in all secured areas of the jail.

Laurie said the Atchison County Sheriff’s Office has opened a criminal investigation into the incident.

A damage estimate wasn't immediately available.

(KLZA)--Richardson County Commissioners announced  Tuesday a monetary gift for landscaping on the courthouse lawn.

F & M Bank in Falls City has donated more than $3,400 for landscaping around the Veteran's Memorial on the Courthouse lawn.

The donation will cover the entire cost of the work that has been completed.  

(KLZA)--Pawnee  City is expected to be advertising for help in a couple of positions in the near future.

Following discussion during Monday nights Council meeting it was decided to advertise for applications for the position of City Foreman. 

Spencer Cumley is filling in as the interim Foreman.  Council members encouraged Cumley to submit an application for the position. It's expected to be January before the position is advertised.

The Council also voted to advertise in the near future for a person to serve on a contract basis in a Zoning Administrator / Floodplains Management position. 

(MSC News)--Former Elwood police chief Larry Hunsaker is being remembered.

Current Chief Neal Hontz told KQ2-TV that Hunsaker died Wednesday while visiting family in San Diego, California. The cause of death has not yet been determined.

Hunsaker's career in Doniphan County law enforcement spanned over two decades.

He came to the Elwood Police Department in 1999 as a patrol officer. He later joined the Doniphan County Sheriff's Office, where he eventually became Sheriff. He then went back to Elwood Police where he was made Chief until retiring this August in his early 60's.

Hunsaker continued to serve the Doniphan County area after his retirement as a part-time investigator with the Doniphan County Sheriff's Department.

Hontz told the TV station Hunsaker leaves behind a legacy of strength, friendship and years of service.  

Funeral arrangements are pending, but Hontz said the department along with surrounding law enforcement agencies will hold a send-off for their former chief and sheriff in the near future.

(KNZA)--A late Friday morning two-vehicle Doniphan County wreck sent two Missouri residents to the hospital.

The Kansas Highway Patrol says it happened at the intersection of Roseport Road and K-238, north of U.s. 36 Highway.

The Patrol says a U-haul truck driven by 44-year-old Peneueta Hadshall, of St.Joseph was westbound on Roseport Road when she failed to stop at a stop sign and struck a southbound van on K-238 driven by 47-year-old Jeremy Herman, of Blue Springs.

Hadshall and Herman were both transported to Mosaic Life Care, in St. Joseph, with suspected minor injuries.

The Patrol says both drivers were buckled up when the wreck happened around 11:45.  
 

(KAIR)--A threat Friday led to the lockdown of the Atchison High School.

According to an emergency alert issued by USD 409 Friday afternoon, that happened after the district “received information regarding a threat to an AHS student by an individual who does not attend AHS.”

Atchison Police were alerted, and later told the district that the person who allegedly made the threat had been located and secured.

According to Police Chief Mike Wilson, a 17-year-old boy was taken into custody shortly after 1:00 Friday afternoon at a location away from the high school.

Wilson said the continuing investigation began after the alleged threats were sent by text message, adding that no physical contact was made between the suspect and the victim.

The notification from the school district states that all students and staff within the district are reported safe.

(KAIR)--Don’t drink and drive during the holiday season.

That message was on display as Atchison County Sheriff Jack Laurie, local Atchison mechanic Anthony Ross, and Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper Don Hughes joined Hot Country 93.7 FM Friday morning for the ALPS Snowflake Showdown.

Laurie and Ross wore impairment goggles, courtesy of Laurie’s office, which emulate the effects of intoxicated driving. While wearing them, they played a game similar to cornhole, unsuccessfully attempting to toss a can of cranberry sauce, a squeaky dog toy, and a can of Treet meat product, into the holes of the playing board.

Once both players failed in their three attempts to score, the goggles were removed and Laurie went on for the sudden death win.

Laurie’s victory earned one lucky caller to Hot Country 93.7 FM’s Morning Show to win a Christmas ham, courtesy of ALPS.

The radio station plans to make the Snowflake Showdown an annual event for the holidays.

(KLZA)-- Richardson County Highway Superintendent Steve Darveau Jr. updated County  Commissioners on estimates for a couple of overlay projects on Tuesday. 

An engineers preliminary estimate for an overlay on the hard surfaced road south of Rulo, covering 3.71 miles $893-thousand and the estimate for the 1.9-mile stretch going to the west to the Nebraska / Kansas state line was $484,185. 

Darveau also presented a quote for a 2020 Ford F-250 Super Cab 4x4 pickup utilizing the Nebraska State Contract through Hullman's Ford for $30,976.  No action was taken on the road projects or the pickup.  

Commissioners also discussed the option of offering a cash in lieu of health insurance for county employees.  No action was taken, the proposal will be reviewed further.  

(KLZA)--The Auburn City Council members elected Jeff Jenneret to serve as Council President for the next year when they met Monday evening.

The Council re-appointed Sherry Heskett as City Clerk-Treasurer,  Angelo Ligouri as City Attorney and Louis Ligouri as Assistant  City Attorney.  Jake Armknecht was appointed as Building Inspector replacing Glen Hogue.  Evan Wickersham with JEO has been appointed the Auburn Street Superintendent for 2020. 

In other business the Council appointed Dan Duman to the  Board of Public Works and Bryon Adams was appointed to the Auburn Volunteer Fire Department. 

(KMZA)--Nemaha County Commissioners have eliminated a county position.

Following an executive session at their meeting Monday, the Commission voted unanimously to eliminate the position of assistant emergency preparedness director, effective immediately.

Steve Duryea had held the part-time position for the past 11 years.

Commission Chairman Gary Scoby signed a letter to be sent to Duryea informing him of the Commission's decision.

No reason was publicly stated for that decision.

The commission also held an executive session with windfarm attorney James Neeld, who called to speak to commissioners by phone. Also present during the closed-door session were county Road and Bridge Supervisor Dennis Ronnebaum, Bruce Rinkes with Cook, Flatt and Strobel and County Attorney Brad Lippert.

Following the executive session, Commission Chairman Gary Scoby stated they are still working on the haul route and road use agreement for the Soldier Creek Windfarm.

The road use agreement will set out which county roads will be used to transport construction materials and ultimately turbine components for the windfarm to be located in the southern portion of the county.

(KNZA)--Hiawatha kindergarten students will be getting new iPads.

The USD 415 Board of Education Monday evening approved seeking bids for 80 iPads and also voted to grant Superintendent Lonnie Moser permission to accept the low bid before the next school board meeting.

The iPads will replace the current LearnPad tablets, which are no longer working properly.

CPA Eric Keintz with Varney and Associates presented the financial audit for the 2018-19 fiscal year. The district received an unqualified opinion, which means the financial statements are presented fairly and no areas of concern were found. There were some recommendations regarding dual control and cross-training of staff in the business office. The Board voted to accept the financial audit as presented.

District Maintenance Supervisor Matt Cluck discussed the findings of the recent fire marshal's inspection of the district's schools. Items noted included emergency exit lighting and replacement of some sprinkler heads above the high school stage.

Cluck said the woodshop boiler delivery has been pushed back two weeks by the supplier, but he hopes to have the boiler installed during winter break. The new middle school bleachers will also be installed over winter break. Cluck also said the new wheelchair lift at the elementary school has been installed.

The board approved the addition of interior design I and II classes at the high school for the 2020-21 school year.

The Board accepted the retirement resignation of kindergarten teacher Brenda Schuetz, effective at the end of the current school year. She has taught in the district for 30 years. Also accepted was the resignations of driver's ed in-car instructor Melvin Baker and Michael Downard as Hiawatha Middle School baseball assistant coach.

The Board approved the hiring of Andy Runer as Hiawatha Middle School boys basketball practice coach.

And High School Principal Lori Fordyce and middle school librarian Nicki Mathewson each received a Board of Education Recognition Award. Both were nominated for the award.

(AP)--An inmate who stole a state-owned dump truck and drove away from the Lansing Correctional Facility in January has been sentenced to 10 more years in prison.

The Leavenworth Times reports 37-year-old Cal Henry Green was sentenced Wednesday in Leavenworth County District Court for aggravated escape from custody, theft and burglary of a motor vehicle.

Prosecutors said he was on a work assignment Jan. 7 when he took the truck and left the prison. He was captured Jan. 10 in Independence, Missouri.

Green currently is serving a prison sentence for aggravated battery charge from Wyandotte County. His earliest possible release on that charge was January 2023. The new sentence will begin after Green serves his current sentence. 

(KNZA)--The Sabetha City Commission has set a hearing to receive public input on the fate of the Midtown Building.

The Commission made that decision during their meeting this week.

The hearing will take place at the Commission's January 13 meeting.

The Commission had voted unanimously at their October 28 meeting to have the building torn down. But since that time have heard from several residents asking that they reconsider their decision.

The Commission said bids would still be collected for demolition of the building but no work would be done until the public hearing.

In other business, representatives of the Sabetha EMS presented bids for the purchase of a new ambulance.

The Commission voted to accept the low bid from Osage Ambulances, of Linn, Missouri, in the amount of $212,950.

It was noted it has been six years since the EMS last purchased a new ambulance.

(KNZA)--The Doniphan County Commission on Monday heard about the upcoming 2020 Census.

Allan Dawson with the U.S. Census Bureau met with the Commission to discuss the timetable for the Census and need to recruit census takers in Doniphan County.

Dawson said the U.S. Census Bureau pay $15 an hour plus 58 cents per mile with a flexible work schedule.

He said the Census Bureau will begin the hiring process in January, with the official Census to begin April 1, 2020.

Dawson said those interested in applying or obtaining additional information can call 1-855-562-2020.

Commissioners reminded residents of the importance of participating in the 2020 Census for fair political representation and federal assistance.

Commission Chairman Thad Geiger stated the county's willingness to make available facilities to assist with the Census.

Editor's note: the following was submitted by Brown Co Sheriff John Merchant:

NEW SCAM CIRCULATING:
Residents have been reporting to law enforcement and their local banks that
they have been receiving phone calls by someone who is stating that they
are from the "BANK FRAUD CENTER" and telling them that their bank card has
been compromised.

Callers have asked that residents confirm their bank number by reading it back to the caller. THIS IS A SCAM! Never give out personal information over the phone or computer. If you feel you have been a victim of this scam, notify your bank at once!!

ANOTHER SCAM THAT HAS BEEN REPORTED:

I have received concerns from county residents that people are representing
themselves as lightning rod repairmen from the ROBBINS LIGHTNING ROD
company.  

Several residents have had these people do work and they have been excessively charged.  I spoke with the ROBBINS company and they are manufacturers of lightning rods and accessories and DO NOT HAVE INSTALLERS WORKING FOR THEM.

Residents have told me that when a bill is presented, it is on a piece of paper. There are no business cards or paperwork  guaranteeing the work performed.  Please be aware if you are approached for this type of work.

 

(KAIR)--The future of Atchison’s LFM Park will be the focus of a meeting planned for Tuesday.

According to a news release from City of Atchison Public Works Director Clinton McNemee, the evening session of the Atchison Park and Forestry Board will allow Atchison residents to attend a draft review of the Master Plan for the park, and offer feedback.

According to the release, the master plan is a tool that helps envision how the park should look or function in the future, and generally describes the paths to realizing those visions. The plan aims to combine citizen input, board recommendations, industry standards and staff recommendations into a single, comprehensive document to assist city leaders in the prioritization of capital and operational spending.

The meeting will be held at 6:00 at the 2nd Christian Church, located at 700 M Street, adjacent to the park.

Those who can’t attend are told, in the release, that opportunities to provide feedback will also be made available on the City of Atchison’s social media, or by contacting McNemee at the City Shop 367-5561 or by email, clintonm@cityofatchison.com

(KMZA)--The Nemaha County Sheriff's Department is investigating the theft of a trailer from the Centralia area.

The Sheriff's Office, in a news release, said they took a report Wednesday of the theft of a 1955 Chevy step side trailer from 651 92nd Road.

The theft is believed to have occurred between 6:30 Tuesday evening and noon on Wednesday.

The loss was estimated at $800.

Anyone with information on the theft is urged to contact the Nemaha County Sheriff's Office in Seneca.

(KLZA)-- The Pawnee City School Board has approved a contract extension with Superintendent Brian Rottinghaus.

The contract will be from July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2022. For the first year of the contract the Superintendent salary will be $122-thousand which is a seven-thousand dollar increase from the current year salary. 

The Negotiations Committee proposed the new agreement. 

In other business the Board approved the proposed 2020-21 negotiated agreement with the Pawnee City Education  Association. 

Also approved during the Tuesday night  meeting was the auditors report and a change to the Board Policy on “petty cash.”

A co-op of Boys Golf between the Pawnee  City and Humboldt-Table Rock – Steinauer School Districts for the 2020 and 2021 seasons as also approved. 

(KLZA)-- Pawnee County Sheriff Jayme Reed introduced new Deputy Sheriff Josh Townsend to the Pawnee  City Council during their Monday night meeting. 

Sheriff Reed announced in November that she would be stepping down at the end of the year.  Braden Lang has been appointed as the new Pawnee County  Sheriff.

Reed informed the Council that she will be filling in as a Deputy Sheriff in the County while Deputy Townsend is attending the 16-week Nebraska State Patrol Training Center  law enforcement  certification school in Grand Island.

Pawnee City contracts with the Sheriff's Department for law enforcement services.  

(KLZA)-- Richardson County Commissioners approved the purchase of more than eight-thousand dollars  worth of firearms for the Richardson County Sheriff's Department when they met Tuesday. 

 Sheriff Rick Hardesty submitted a quote for the purchase of 10 guns including sidearms for deputies and some rifles from GT Distributors Inc.  The total price tag came in at $8,065. 

Commissioners also approved a purchase order for computer hardware updates for the County Assessor's office in an amount of $4,500. 

(KNZA)--A new Horton High School head football coach has been hired.

Following an executive session Monday evening, the USD 430 Board of Education approved the hiring of David Losey for the position.

Losey is currently a special education teacher at the Everest Middle School.

He previously worked in the Riverside school district where he served as head boys basketball coach and helped coach the Riverside football team.

Losey replaces Mark Friess who coached the Horton chargers the past two seasons. The Board accepted his resignation last month.

In other business, the Board approved a three-year lease agreement with Hillyard for the purchase of a new cleaning equipment at a cost not to exceed $30,000. District Maintenance Director Austin Lovelady said the new equipment will help with the time the custodians spend on specific areas.

Superintendent Jason Cline thanked outgoing board members Jason Smith and Richard Lovelady for their service. Both their terms will end next month. Smith has served on the board for 8 years and Lovelady for 4 years.

(KLZA)-- A clothes dryer has been ruled the cause of a house fire in Falls City Wednesday morning.

Members of the Falls City Volunteer Fire Department and the Falls City Rural Fire Department responded to the Michelle Bice house at 1108 Lane Street shortly after 9:00.

Bice and another person living at the house were inside the home when the fire started. They escaped with no injuries. There were also six dogs living in the house, with three of them perishing in the fire.

Falls City Volunteer Fire Department Information Officer Jon McQueen said the house suffered major damage and is likely a total loss.

McQueen said the house was fully engulfed in flames when firefighters arrived on the scene. He noted that due to the construction of the house it was difficult to reach the upper level of the home where the fire was burning.

Firefighters were on the scene until about 2:45 in the afternoon.

Traffic on Highway 73 was blocked off. McQueen said fire hoses were stretched across the highway to a high output fire hydrant.

(KLZA)-- The Johnson-Brock Board of Education heard an update from Principal Lucus Dalinghaus Monday night on the random drug testing policy.

Dalinghaus reported two items were omitted with the handbook update this summer and that a letter will be sent out to parents advising that these items will be approved at the January Board meeting and will take effect at the start of the second semester.  Later in the meeting the Board members unanimously approved the second reading of the Board policy regarding Random Drug Testing.

Sam Smith addressed the Board representing the Teammates program.  Smith said there are currently 90 matches with 35 young men still on a waiting list for a male mentor.  

The 2018-19 Financial Audit report indicated no issues for the school district and was approved by the Board.  

The Johnson-Brock Board met in executive session for about half-an-hour to discuss teacher negotiations.

(KLZA)-- The Falls City Board of Education Monday night accepted   with gratitude and appreciation the retirement resignation of longtime Transportation Supervisor Rob Baker.

Baker has worked for District 56 for 32 years and will retire July 31, 2020 and relocated closer to family. 

In other business the Board approved a number of board policy reviews on final reading concerning video surveillance,  photograph and video policy; and policies on exempt and part-time students as well as the Alternative School.
 

(KLZA)-- Falls City fire fighters responded to a fire call at 1108 Lane Street Wednesday morning.

A large amount of smoke was billowing from the house when the Falls City Volunteer Fire Department arrived on the scene.

Highway 73, a block west of the scene was shut down for a period of time.

No other details on the fire are available at this time.                             

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) - Eighty-two veterans who were sexually abused by a former physician assistant at the Veterans Affairs hospital in Leavenworth will divide nearly $7 million after settling their lawsuits against the government.

The physician assistant, Mark Wisner, was convicted in 2017 of aggravated sexual battery and aggravated criminal sodomy and sentenced to 15 years and seven months in prison.

He was accused of groping and molesting patients at the Dwight D. Eisenhower medical center in Leavenworth between 2012 and 2014, KCUR reported.

In dozens of lawsuits, victims contended the U.S. government should have known that Wisner was a danger because he had a history of sexually inappropriate behavior and providing improper medical care. One of the lawsuits cited Wisner's conviction in 1987 for a sex-related crime and complaints from VA patients in 2011, 2012 and 2014.

At his trial, jurors heard a recording of Wisner telling investigators in 2015, "I don't feel good about what happened to these patients."

Dan Curry, a Kansas City lawyer, said 82 plaintiffs will share the $6.97 million settlement. A former Jackson County judge, Jay Daugherty, determined how much each veteran received. The cases were settled months ago but Curry said the disbursements occurred recently.

Curry is asking the Joint Commission, the accrediting body for hospitals, to reopen its investigation into the Leavenworth hospital's handling of Wisner.

Several other veterans have sued the government over Wisner's actions. Unless those cases are also settled, they are scheduled to go to trial next year.

(KNZA)--The Kansas Department of Agriculture along with the U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed the presence of emerald ash borer in Jackson County.

According to a news release from the state Department of Agriculture,  emerald ash borer adults and larvae were recovered from a girdled tree trap near Denison by KDA staff on November 13.

Regulatory officials with USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service’s Plant Protection and Quarantine confirmed the presence of the pest on November 22.

Emerald ash borer, a pest of ash trees native to Asia, was first discovered in North America near Detroit, Michigan, in summer 2002. Since that time, the pest has killed millions of ash trees across the United States. It was first identified in Kansas in 2012, and has been identified in several northeast Kansas counties in the last seven years.

KDA encourages anyone in northeast Kansas to monitor their ash trees for signs of the pest, and to be vigilant in not transporting any wood or tree materials from ash trees out of your county.

(KAIR)--A retirement reception is set Friday afternoon for two longtime Atchison City employees.

According to a press release from the city of Atchison, the city will celebrating the retirement of Human Resources Director Lori Moore and City Clerk Deb Clem with a reception at the Atchison Event Center from 3 to 6.

Moore is retiring after 42 years with city, and Clem after 16 years. Moore is the longest-tenured employee on city staff.

City Manager Becky Berger said “ we’ve been fortunate to have these two longtime professionals helping to guide our organization for so many years. It's only fitting that we celebrate their careers in a way that everyone can participate.”

The reception is open to the public and will take place in the Oak Room on the second floor of the Event Center. There will be refreshments for guests and a cash bar available.

Friday is the last day of employment for Moore and Clem.

(KMZA)--Additional security cameras will be installed in Nemaha Central schools.

The USD 115 Board of Education Monday evening approved the purchase of 60 security cameras from Rhombus Systems for $39,471.

A grant the school district received from the state for security upgrades will cover $11,000 of the cost.

In other business, the Board received an update on the middle school wrestling program, which recently completed their first season. Coaches Mark and Skyler Mayberry reported they had a successful season. 12 students went out for the sport and they took third place in the league tournament.

The Board received three donations of $500 each to offset the cost to charter the buses that took the football team to the state playoffs. Donations were received from Hammes Trucking, J-Six Enterprises and Friday Nighters.

The board approved the hiring of two new drivers education teachers---Gary Smith and Mark Friesse. The board also approved the hiring of two student custodians—Christopher Dalinghaus and Roland Voracek.

Monday marked the first meeting for new board clerk Carol Kuckelman. She was hired to replace longtime board clerk Collette Hermesch, who recently retired.

(KNZA)--A Westmoreland man is jailed in Brown County following a pursuit Monday evening.

Brown County Sheriff John Merchant, in a news release, said a sheriff’s deputy was on routine patrol around 6:00 in the southern part of the county when he noticed a vehicle go by him without tail lights illuminated.

Merchant said when the deputy attempted to stop the vehicle, a short 4 to 5 mile chase ensued, ending up in Atchison County where the vehicle broke down.

Merchant said 25-year-old Cory Kuhlman was arrested without incident on charges of flee and attempt to elude,  possession of marijuana, possession  of drug paraphernalia,  driving while license cancelled, suspended or revoked and defective tail lamp.

Kuhlman was booked into the Brown County Jail.

(KLZA)-- The Pawnee City Council is back to full strength following the appointment of a new Council person Monday evening. 

Mayor Charlie Hatfield's recommendation of Susan Eisenhauer to fill the vacancy was confirmed by the Council and she was sworn in.  

Eisenhauer replaces Hatfield on the Council after he accepted the position of Mayor when Deb Klein resigned. 

In November, Vickie Zelenka was appointed to fill another open seat on the  Council.  

(KNZA)--Three Horton homes were destroyed by fire early Tuesday afternoon, leaving four families displaced.

Officials say the fire was reported around 12:30 in the 300 block of East 8th Street.

When firefighters arrived on the scene one of the houses was completely engulfed in flames, which caused the two neighboring houses to catch fire.

Area fire departments responded to assist the Horton Fire Department in battling the fires.

No one was home at the time of the fire and no injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

The American Red Cross was contacted to provide assistance to the families displayed by the fire, who lost all their belongings. 

They are in need of clothing and food.

They are in need of clothing and food. Monetary donations are also being accepted.  Donations can be dropped off at the Horton Police Department.

Clothing sizes are as follows:

Boys size 12 month

Girls size 4T

Boys size 5T

Women’s size medium and large shirts

Women’s size 4, 5 and 10 pants

Women’s size 7 1/2 or 8 shoes

Women’s size 5 underwear

Men’s size large and XL shirts

Men’s size 33×30, 36×32, and 36×34 pants

Men’s size large underwear

Men’s size 9 socks

Men’s size 10 and 11 shoes

(KNZA)--The Highland Community College Board of Trustees has awarded long-time instructor of agriculture, Clifford Hawk, the status of Faculty Emeritus. 

According to a release from the college, Hawk, a resident of Sabetha, was honored with a reception in Sabetha on December 4.   Hawk retired from Highland Community College in 2018 after nearly forty years of teaching.

He attended eight institutions of higher education, gathering over 230 credit hours, including graduating from Highland Community Junior College in 1975. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in animal science and agriculture from Missouri Western State College and a Masters in agricultural education from Kansas State University.  

Having published research extensively in areas such as ag consulting and diversified farm management, Hawk is well-known for his professional knowledge in agriculture, sheep livestock and the industry in Kansas. 

The release calls Hawk, “an influential person in his student lives” who “left a legacy on campus.”

(KNZA)--The Highland Community College Board of Trustees has awarded long-time instructor of agriculture, Clifford Hawk, the status of Faculty Emeritus. 

According to a release from the college, Hawk, a resident of Sabetha, was honored with a reception in Sabetha on December 4.   

Hawk retired from Highland Community College in 2018 after nearly forty years of teaching.

He attended eight institutions of higher education, gathering over 230 credit hours, including graduating from Highland Community Junior College in 1975. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in animal science and agriculture from Missouri Western State College and a Masters in agricultural education from Kansas State University.  

Having published research extensively in areas such as ag consulting and diversified farm management, Hawk is well-known for his professional knowledge in agriculture, sheep livestock and the industry in Kansas. 

The release calls Hawk, “an influential person in his student lives” who “left a legacy on campus.”

(KNZA)--The Highland Community College Board of Trustees has awarded long-time instructor of agriculture, Clifford Hawk, the status of Faculty Emeritus. 

According to a release from the college, Hawk, a resident of Sabetha, was honored with a reception in Sabetha on December 4.   

Hawk retired from Highland Community College in 2018 after nearly forty years of teaching.

He attended eight institutions of higher education, gathering over 230 credit hours, including graduating from Highland Community Junior College in 1975. He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in animal science and agriculture from Missouri Western State College and a Masters in agricultural education from Kansas State University.  

Having published research extensively in areas such as ag consulting and diversified farm management, Hawk is well-known for his professional knowledge in agriculture, sheep livestock and the industry in Kansas. 

The release calls Hawk, “an influential person in his student lives” who “left a legacy on campus.”

(KNZA)--A vacancy has been filled on the Hiawatha city commission.

During a special meeting Monday evening, the commission voted unanimously to appoint David Middendorf to fill the unexpired term of John Merchant, Jr. as finance commissioner.   Merchant resigned at last week's meeting, effective immediately.

Middendorf was among three candidates to express an interest in filling the position.  The other two candidates were Charles Brunner and Brian Shefferd.  

Prior to the appointment, the Commission heard from Brunner and Middendorf.  Mayor Bill Collins read a letter from Shefferd, who was unable to attend the meeting because he was traveling on business.

Middendorf served as interim finance commissioner for six months last year, and ran unsuccessfully as a write-in candidate for the position during the November 2018 election.

In making the motion to appoint Middendorf, Mayor Collins said “ he is ready to put his feet on the ground, day one.”

After being appointed, Middendorf was sworn-in by City Clerk Tish Sims and took his seat on the Commission. 

He will fill a term expiring in January 2023.

(KNZA)--A vehicle stolen out of Falls City, Nebraska was recovered in Jackson County, Kansas Monday afternoon.

Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse said sheriff's deputies located the 1999 Dodge Ram flatbed pickup truck on " S" Road, south of 270th Road in northern Jackson County.

The vehicle was stolen from Merz Farm Equipment Sunday night.

A trailer and Bobcat UTV also stolen from the business were not recovered.

Morse said an additional small utility trailer was found with the truck in Jackson County.  It's unknown where that trailer came from.

He said the suspects may be associated with a maroon colored passenger car that had been seen in the area.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Jackson County Sheriff's Office or the Falls City, Nebraska Police Department.
 
 

(KNZA)--A vacancy has been filled on the Hiawatha city commission.

During a special meeting Monday evening, the commission voted unanimously to appoint David Middendorf to fill the unexpired term of John Merchant, Jr. as finance commissioner.   Merchant resigned at last week's meeting, effective immediately.

Middendorf was among three candidates to express an interest in filling the position.  The other two candidates were Charles Brunner and Brian Shefferd.  

Prior to making their selection, the Commission heard from Brunner and Middendorf.  Mayor Bill Collins read a letter submitted by Shefferd, who was unable to attend the meeting because he was traveling on business.

Middendorf served as interim finance commissioner for six months last year, and ran unsuccessfully as a write-in candidate for the position during the November 2018 election.

In making the motion to appoint Middendorf, Mayor Collins said “ he is ready to put his feet on the ground, day one.”

After being appointed, Middendorf was sworn-in by City Clerk Tish Simms and took his seat on the Commission.  He will fill a term expiring in January 2023.

(KLZA)-- The Falls City Police Department is requesting assistance from the public in locating a vehicle stolen from Merz Farm Equipment in Falls City at approximately 10 o'clock Sunday evening.  

The truck is a 1999 Dodge Ram 3500 (license plate 19-930A) with dual rear wheels, a black flatbed, large towing mirrors, amber cab marker lights, and an amber rotating warning light mounted on the top of the flatbed. 

The vehicle also had the company info on the doors of the truck at the time of the theft. 

If you have any information regarding the theft of this vehicle, or if you spot this vehicle, please contact the Falls City Police Department at 402-245-4422, or your local law enforcement agency immediately. 

(A.P. / KLZA-- Authorities say a man drowned in northwest Missouri while attempting to retrieve a boat that was adrift on the Missouri River Friday.

The Missouri Highway Patrol identified the victim as 30-year-old Benjamin Hirner, of Mokane, Missouri.

The patrol said he went into the water just north of where the Nishnabotna River flows into the Missouri River in Atchison County around 6:30 A.M., his body was recovered at approximately 11:45 A.M.

A Nebraska Air National Guard helicopter flew Hirner to an Omaha hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The Iowa Department of Natural Resources, Atchison County Emergency Management, Nebraska Air National Guard along with multiple first response personnel from the area assisted.

(KAIR)--A traffic stop in Atchison Saturday night lead to the arrest of two people on drug charges.

According to a report from Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson, an officer stopped a vehicle in the 17-hundred block of South 6th Street shortly before 10:30.

Wilson said the stop led to an investigation at the scene that resulted in the arrest of the 40-year-old driver, Charles Barrand, of St. Joseph, Missouri, and his passenger, 32-year-old Kathryn Meugniot, of Sabetha.

Wilson said Meugniot was allegedly found to be possession of a quantity of methamphetamine. She was arrested on a charge of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Barrand was arrested for possession of marijuana and driving while suspended. He was also arrested on Jackson and Brown County warrants for theft, failure to appear and failure to register as a violent offender.

Meugniot and Barrand were both booked into the Atchison County Jail.

(KAIR)--A Leavenworth man is going to prison, sentenced Friday for two separate counts of aggravated battery involving a child.

According to a release from Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson, 23-year-old Robert Green was sentenced to more than 7-years in prison in Leavenworth County District Court.

Green had pleaded as charged to two separate counts of aggravated battery on October 25.

The charges were based on injuries sustained by a 3-month-old child, who had been left in his care while the child’s mother was working.  When the mother returned from work, she noticed a soft spot on her child’s head and took him to the emergency room. The head injury was determined to be a skull fracture, which resulted in hemorrhage underneath the skull fracture.  In addition to the skull fracture, medical professionals from Children’s Mercy hospital noted several bruises.  Additional x-rays revealed a total of 24 definite fractures, with an additional 7 that were likely fractures.  A doctor from Children’s Mercy Hospital testified that some of the fractures were in the healing stage, while others were new.  Two charges were able to be filed because doctors could determine some of the injuries happened in the past, and that the others happened recently. 

According to Thompson, the Court followed the sentencing guidelines, with the 7-year sentence being the maximum amount of time that could be ordered in the case. 

(KAIR)--The Leavenworth County Commission has been told the Kansas Department of Transportation will support only one Missouri River bridge in the county.

That's according to an email sent to County Commission Chairman Doug Smith. Smith provided copies to his fellow commissioners when they met December 4.

The Leavenworth Times reports the email comes as commissioners have been seeking support for a proposal to construct an additional bridge across the Missouri River that would link a road in the Lansing area with Missouri Highway 152 in Platte County, Missouri.

Currently, the Centennial Bridge spans across the Missouri River, linking north Leavenworth with Platte County.

In the email, Kelly Kutala, KDOT public affairs manager for northeast Kansas, wrote that " KDOT will support only one Missouri River crossing in the area, not two. If the community and elected officials decide that the new Missouri River crossing bridge is what is best for the community, KDOT would permanently remove Centennial Bridge."

In her email, Kutala indicated KDOT officials would be willing to meet with the Leavenworth County Commission or other stakeholders

(KAIR)--The death of an inmate at the Lansing Correctional Facility is under investigation.

The Kansas Department of Corrections, in a news release, said 44-year-old Joshua Kaiser died early Saturday morning.  

His cause of death is unknown pending the results of an investigation and autopsy. The release says the Kansas Bureau of Investigation will investigate his death, which is standard when an inmate dies in prison.  

Kaiser was paroled last year after serving time for a 1993 murder and carjacking in Topeka, but was still serving time for an aggravated battery conviction out of Reno County.  He was expected to be released in 2021.
 

(KNZA)--A Holton man accused of fatally shooting his father in September 2018 has waived his right to a preliminary hearing.

Jackson County Attorney Shawna Miller told MSC News 50-year-old Derrick Bohnenkemper waived his hearing Thursday and was bound over to Jackson County District Court for arraignment on January 24.

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

He is accused of fatally shooting his 73-year-old father, Gaylen Bohnenkemper, on September 18, 2018.

The elder Bohnenkemper was found inside a residence north of Holton after his son surrendered to authorities following a more than 5-hour armed standoff during which shots were allegedly fired at officers.

Bohnenkemper also faces two counts of assault on a law enforcement officer and one count of assault in a separate case stemming from a November 6, 2018 incident in the Jackson County Jail.

(KAIR)--The City of Atchison is touting it’s first success story through the REDO program.

The program, Rehabilitation, Enforcement, Demolition, Occupancy, is aimed in part at turning run-down and vacant houses into quality, livable homes.

According to a news release from the City, the initiative is a response to two issues facing the community – lack of quality housing options and declining neighborhood property values.

Through strategic property acquisition, typically through a Sheriff’s Tax Sale, the City hopes to facilitate property redevelopment before demolition becomes the best outcome for dilapidated structures.

1121 Hickory Street, which was acquired by the City at a tax sale a few years ago for less than $100, has now become a success story of the REDO program.

According to the release, Lucas Hunziger acquired the property from the City of Atchison for $500 following a public and competitive proposal process.

Since the acquisition, Hunziger has worked to rehab the property and it was just recently listed with a local realtor. As of December 2, the property list price stood at $77,600.

The City currently has two other properties in the REDO Atchison Rehabilitation program, one at 401 N. 9th Street, which was purchased at a recent Sheriff’s Tax Sale and 1412 Kansas Avenue, which was gifted to the City by a bank following foreclosure proceedings.

The City is actively seeking proposals from rehabbers for both properties.

(KLZA)--Two minors suffered non-life threatening injuries in a wreck east of Humboldt Thursday evening.  

The Richardson County Sheriff's Office reports a car hit a cow on Highway 4 approximately two miles east of Humboldt shortly before 6:00 P.M.  The car rolled after striking the cow and the highway was closed for about 90 minutes.

The occupants of the car were transported by Humboldt Rescue to the Nemaha County Hospital in  Auburn for treatment of their injuries.

The Humboldt Volunteer Fire Department also responded to the scene of the wreck. 

(KLZA)-- The Nemaha County Hospital in Auburn has  been named a Top Agency in the 2019 HomeCare Elite.

HomeCare Elite  recognizes the top-performing home health agencies in the United States. For the past 14 years the organization has annually identified the top 25 percent of agencies and highlighted the top 100 and top 500 agencies overall. 

 Christine Lang, senior director for ABILITY Network, a leading information technology company that helps providers and payers simplify the administrative and clinical complexities of healthcare, said the Nemaha County Hospitals home health professionals have demonstrated exceptional commitment to care quality and the patient experience.

Nemaha County Hospital Chief Executive Officer Marty Fattig said the hospital is honored to be acknowledged for  quality care and credited the home health professionals for their individual commitment to high standards of practice combined with an organizational culture of caring to achieve recognition as one of the HomeCare Elite.

HomeCare Elite agencies are determined by an analysis of performance measures in quality outcomes, best practices implementation, patient experience, quality improvement and consistency as well as financial health. 

To be considered a hospital must be Medicare certified and have data for at least three outcomes in Home Health Compare.

The Nemaha County Hospital is located in Auburn and is a county-owned critical access hospital serving the Southeast Nebraska, Iowa and Missouri regional area. 
 

(KAIR)--Releases from Gavins Point Dam, on the Nebraska/South Dakota border, have been decreased.

According to a news release from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the agency began reducing Gavins Point releases to the winter release rate on November 30.

The releases will be stepped down at a rate of 3,000 cubic feet per second per day until they reach 27,000 cubic feet per second, where they are expected to remain through December.

Releases will be reduced to 25,000 cubic feet per second in January and remain near that rate for the remainder of the winter.

Gavins Point Dam winter releases normally range between 12,000 and 17,000 cubic feet per second.

Higher-than-average winter releases from the Missouri River Mainstem System projects, including Gavins Point, continue emptying water from the 2019 runoff season still in storage.

The reductions will allow the river to fall below flood stage in Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri by the end of this month.

The reductions come after flooding ravaged much of the Missouri and Mississippi River basins earlier this year, reaching record levels in many places.

The Associated Press contributed to this story. 

(MSC News)--The U.S. Department of Justice should be allowed to carry out the scheduled executions of five federal death row inmates who have exhausted their appeals, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt told the U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday. According to a news release from Schmidt, one of the inmates faces a federal death sentence involving a rape and murder in Leavenworth County.

In a legal brief filed Tuesday, Schmidt and 13 other state attorneys general backed the Justice Department’s request to allow the executions to proceed. The scheduled executions have been blocked by a lower federal court, which found that a new Federal Bureau of Prisons protocol for lethal-injections, which replaced the former three-drug procedure with a single drug, likely exceeds BOP’s authority under federal law. The Justice Department has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to intervene, and the state attorneys general supporting the Department argue that the single-dose protocol has been successfully implemented by several states and has survived constitutional challenges. They also argue that both the government and crime victims have an interest in the finality and carrying out of just and lawful criminal sentences that have been upheld by appellate courts.

U.S. Attorney General William Barr announced in July that the Justice Department would schedule executions of federal inmates who have exhausted all appeals and whose convictions and death sentences have been affirmed. Before the lower-court injunction, the first execution was scheduled to occur December 9.

One of the five inmates scheduled for execution is 67-year-old Lansing resident Wesley Ira Purkey. Purkey was scheduled to be executed December 13 after being convicted in federal court in 2003 of the 1998 kidnapping, rape and murder of a 16-year-old Missouri girl in his Lansing home. He was found guilty of the federal crime by a jury in the Western District of Missouri after having previously pleaded guilty in Kansas state court to the murder of 80-year-old Mary Ruth Bales of Kansas City, Kansas.

(KAIR)--The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has rescinded a boil water advisory for Jefferson Co Rural Water District 10, located in Jefferson County.

The advisory was issued because of a flooded well. Flooding in wells may result in bacterial contamination.

Laboratory testing samples collected from the water district indicate no evidence of bacteriological contamination and all other conditions that placed the system at risk of contamination are deemed by KDHE officials to be resolved. 

(KAIR)--The Horton Police Department is investigating the theft of packages.

According to a social media post from the department, several packages have been stolen shortly after being delivered by the Post Office.

Horton Police are calling on the public to provide assistance for the investigation, with anyone noticing suspicious activity to call 785-486-2694.

Anyone who has been a victim of such theft is also asked to call.

Authorities say package thefts have increased in recent years as online sales have grown more popular, especially during the holiday gift giving season.

(KAIR)--A search warrant served on an Atchison residence led to one arrest, with an Atchison man now facing drug-related charges.

According to a release from Atchison County Sheriff Jack Laurie, the search warrant was served Wednesday in the 800 block of Kearney Street.

The search followed a Sheriff’s Office investigation that led to the allegation that methamphetamine was being sold from the residence.

When the search was conducted, Laurie said children were located inside the residence.

He said a distribution amount of methamphetamine was also located, along with a firearm and drug paraphernalia.

30-year-old Chris Studdard was taken into custody on charges for possession with intent to distribute methamphetamine within 1,000 feet of a school, aggravated child endangerment, criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, no drug tax stamp, and possession with intent to distribute drug paraphernalia.

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

According to the Kansas Department of Corrections, Studdard was convicted of drug charges in 2015 and convicted for criminal possession of a weapon by a felon in 2016.

(KLZA)-- Nearly 300 Richardson County customers of the Nebraska Public Power District lost service for around three hours Thursday morning. 

NPPD spokesman Mark Becker tells MSC News that a squirrel
got into an Omaha Public Power District substation near Verdon causing the outage.  NPPD and OPPD share some power coming from that substation.

Crews were able to make repairs and get the power back on to customers about 1:00 p.m.  

(KLZA)-- Nearly 300 Nebraska Public Power District customers in Richardson County have been affected by a power outage this morning.

NPPD spokesman Mark Becker said that a squirrel apparently got into an Omaha Public Power District  substation near Verdon and caused the outage.  NPPD and OPPD share some power out of that substation.

Crews are working to repair the damage.  NPPD is hoping the power is back on for all those affected before noon.  
 

(KLZA)-- Richardson County Highway Superintendent Steve Darveau informed Richardson County Commissioners Tuesday that engineers are preparing estimates for the overlay on the the hard surfaced road south of Rulo.

Darveau also noted that quite a few field terraces are being worked on in the county with some diverting water into the County Road right-of-way ditches.  

Future bridge replacement projects were also briefly reviewed.

Emergency Management Agency Director Brian Kirkendall met in executive session with the Commissioners to discuss personnel matters.  No action was taken following the closed session.

Kirkendall presented quotes for the replacement of radio equipment. He explained that Richardson County could join the statewide radio system in the near future so radio equipment purchases will be delayed.

Quotes for the purchase of a generator system for the entire Courthouse were presented.  Quotes received so far range from $34,300 to $47-thousand. The quotes include installation and wiring updates.  

Sheriff Rick Hardesty and Chief  Deputy Roland Merwin also discussed the statewide radio system and the Regional 911 Dispatch for Southeast Nebraska.

(KLZA)--A Hiawatha man was arrested Wednesday afternoon in Richardson County following an undercover drug investigation and pursuit.

According to a press release from the Richardson County Sheriff's Department, shortly before 2:00 the Sheriff’s Office, with assistance from the Falls City Police Department, conducted a controlled buy of methamphetamine and firearms in Falls City.

As deputies attempted to apprehend the suspect, he fled in a 2006 Cadillac. The pursuit ended south of Highways 8 and 105, when the suspect wrecked his vehicle.

The suspect then fled ¼ mile on foot through a cornfield and was apprehended.

The suspect, identified as 31-year-old Cody Rhyne, was booked into the Richardson County Jail on multiple drug and weapons charges, along with a felony count of operating a motor vehicle to avoid arrest.

During an inventory of his vehicle, the Sheriff's Office says a 9mm hand gun was located, a large amount of methamphetamine (about 11 oz) along with other controlled substances and paraphernalia with an estimated street value of $25,000.  Also seized was $2300 in cash.

(KAIR)--Although the calendar says December, thoughts of summer are evoked as the line-up for Atchison’s 2020 LakeFest country music concert is announced. Named as headliner for the July 17 concert at Atchison’s Warnock Lake is country music duo LOCASH.

According to a press release issued Wednesday by LakeFest Coordinator Jacque Pregont, LOCASH, creates a sound that fuses modern country music with classic heartland rock and an edgy vocal blend.

Prior to LOCASH hitting the stage, newly crowned CMA New Artist of the Year Ashley McBryde will perform.

Named to open LakeFest 2020 is Atchison County native Erik Dylan. Dylan, a songwriter whose songs have been recorded by a who’s who of country music stars, has served as the LakeFest opener in the past. According to the release, Dylan is a fifth generation Kansan who has shared stages with some of the biggest names in music, including Lynyrd Skynyrd.

LakeFest annually serves as the opening highlight of Atchison’s Amelia Earhart Festival, held each July to honor Atchison’s famous one-time resident. The famed aviator was born in Atchison where she lived for a portion of her younger years.

The festival, planned for July 17 and 18, will mark its 24th year.

Gift certificates for the concert are available for purchase at the Atchison Area Chamber of Commerce, located at 200 South 10th Street.

Beginning May 1, the $25 certificates can be exchanged for tickets to the concert. Advanced tickets will begin to be sold on that date at the same price, but will increase to $35 the day of the concert.

(KAIR)--Two teenagers are in custody, and police are searching for a third, following a November armed attack, and burglary, at an Atchison residence.

Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson told MSC News it happened in the 1200 block of North 4th Street. “Shortly after 10PM on November 22, three young men forced their way into an occupied apartment after the 19 year old female victim opened the door. Once inside one of the suspects struck the victim in the face with a handgun and struck her in the stomach with his fist. The three demanded money from her. After getting a small amount of cash from her, as well as taking keys and a cell phone from the apartment, the three fled out a window of the second story apartment after hearing someone knocking on the victim’s door. They disappeared into the darkness.”

After the teens escaped, the victim sought help, and that lead to a police investigation. “The victim a short time later, went to a neighbor’s residence [and] police officers were called, spoke to the victim, and began an investigation," Wilson said. 

Wilson said two 16-year-old boys that investigators believe were involved were located Tuesday and taken into custody.

They face charges for aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, and criminal restraint.

Following their arrests, they were transported to a juvenile detention facility.

Police are continuing to search for the whereabouts of the third teen.

Wilson said the victim knew the alleged attackers, who had tried to conceal their identities by covering their faces with bandanas at the time of the alleged attack.

The victim was not seriously hurt.

(KLZA)-- Following interviews with two applicants for the position of Pawnee County Sheriff  Tuesday,  Pawnee County Commissioners offered the position to Braden Lang.

Lang is currently the Chief Deputy Sheriff in Pawnee County and has been employed as a deputy in the county since June of 2009.  

Lang will begin his duties as Sheriff January 1, 2020 and will need to move to Pawnee  County. Currently he and his family live just outside the County line in Richardson County. 

Current Sheriff Jayme Reed submitted her resignation in November and it is effective at the end of the year. 

(KNZA)--Funeral services have been set for a longtime Hiawatha teacher.

Hiawatha Middle School teacher Dixie Pethoud died unexpectedly Monday in Omaha from a sudden illness at the age of 61.

A memorial service for Pethoud will be held Friday morning at 10:30 at St. Paul's Evangelical Lutheran Church, in Falls City.

The family will receive friends Thursday evening from 7 to 8 at the Dorr and Clark Funeral Home, in Falls City.

Pethoud taught in the Hiawatha school district for 26 years. This semester, she was teaching family and consumer science, 7th grade history and 5th and 6th grade technology.

Among survivors are a daughter, Vickie Bangert.

(KNZA)--The 20th annual Christmas Parade of Lights will take place Saturday evening around the Holton Town Square, beginning at 5:30.

Current Holton/Jackson County Chamber of Commerce board of directors president Laura Golden will serve as grand marshal for the parade, starting a new tradition of having the current Chamber board president serve as the parade's grand marshal.

Local businesses, clubs, organizations, churches and individuals are invited to participate in the parade, which features lighted floats and vehicles.

Chamber bucks prizes will be awarded for the best club or organization float, best religious float and best business float.

Santa Claus will participate in the parade. Following the parade, Santa will be available to visit with local kids and have photos taken with them at the Santa House, located on the Courtyard south lawn.

Also Saturday is the Holton/Jackson County Chamber of Commerce Christmas Homes Tour from 11 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon. This year's tour will feature five homes.

Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 the day of the tour. They can be purchased at all Jackson County main bank locations and the Chamber office in Holton.

Tickets on the day of the tour can be purchased at Heart to Home on the south side of the Holton Square and the Chamber's hospitality room, located in The Hearth Room on the north side of the Square.

For more information, you can call the Chamber at 364-3963.

(KNZA)--A rural Hiawatha teenager has pleaded no contest to an amended charge in a local child sex case.

Jason Porter entered the plea Monday in Brown County District Court to a felony count of unlawful voluntary sexual relations.

He had original been charged with aggravated indecent liberties with a child.

Porter was arrested in May following an investigation by the Hiawatha Police Department.

According to the criminal complaint, the alleged victim was 13.

Sentencing is scheduled for February 3rd.

Porter remains free on a $40,000 bond.

(MSC News)--Charges have been upgraded against a 14-year-old boy accused of shooting and killing another teenager in St. Joseph, Missouri in November.

KQ2-TV reports amended charges of involuntary manslaughter in the first degree and armed criminal action were filed Monday in juvenile court against the teen suspect.

The 14-year-old, who has not been identified because of his status as a juvenile, was originally charged with assault.

St. Joseph Police responded to a shooting on Nov. 9 near 29th and Penn Streets.

The victim, also 14, was life-flighted to Children’s Mercy Hospital in Kansas City where he later died from his injuries. The charges were upgraded after the teen’s death.

No decision has been made about whether the case will stay in juvenile court.

The next hearing is scheduled for Dec. 20.

(KAIR)--Atchison’s three new City Commissioners were sworn into office Monday, with Mayor Shawn Rizza calling on the three, Abby Bartlett, Lisa Moody, and J. David Faris to come forward at the start of the session. “We have no proclamations today, so we’re going to get right to the exciting part and do the oath of office,” Rizza said. “Would the incoming Commissioners please come forward, and our City Clerk, Deb Clem, is going to swear you in.”

After the three were sworn in, the Commission organized, with no changes, as Rizza was selected to remain as Mayor, or Chair of the Commission, while Dr. Allen Reavis was chosen to remain in the role as Vice-Mayor, or Vice-Chair.

Bartlett, Moody, and Faris were chosen by voters to fill the three open seats during November’s general election.

Also during Monday’s meeting, the Commission decided to make permanent the four-way stop at 2nd and Commercial Streets.

That follows a presentation made by Public Works Director Clinton McNemee and Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson. “In the last 90 days, we’ve had zero accidents at 2nd and Commercial,” Wilson told the Commission.

The four-way stop had been under a 90 day review, prior to Monday’s unanimous Commission approval.
It was put in place to replace the traffic calming device that had been in place at the location in an attempt to slow southbound traffic on 2nd Street.

(KMZA)--The Nemaha County Sheriff's Department is investigating multiple reports of burglary, criminal damage to property and arson in the city of Centralia.

According to a release from the Sheriff's Office, the incidents occurred early Saturday morning between 3:00 and 6:30.

During that time frame, the Sheriff's Office says the Nemaha County Recycling Trailer was set on fire, tires were slashed on a vehicle, 3 separate vehicles were stolen and abandoned, and a window was broken at a residence.

The Sheriff's Office is continuing the investigation of the incidents and have not yet established a total dollar amount for damages.

Anyone with informaton on the crimes is urged to contact the Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office at 785-336-2311.

(KLZA)-- The Pawnee City Council approved renewal of a lease for one section of property and awarded a bid for the city owned hay ground during their November 25th meeting.

The well farm pasture lease with Todd Albers was renewed with no changes.  The City will receive $93.25 per acre under the lease.

The bid for hay ground at the sewer plant and metal dump was awarded to Gary Droge Jr. at a price of $20 per bail. 

Council members also voted to formally accept a Community Development Block Grant for the new Fire Hall project. The new fire hall will be located along Highway 50 on the northern edge of Pawnee City. 

(KNZA)--A new chief of police has been appointed in the Doniphan County community of Wathena.

The Wathena City Council at their November 18 meeting unanimously approved Mayor John Cluck's appointment of Scott Hirtler to the position.

Hirtler had been serving as interim chief since the resignation of former Chief of Police Jared Ratzlaff in October.

Prior to joining the Wathena Police Department this fall, Hirtler worked as a deputy with the Doniphan County Sheriff's Department for 6 ½ years.

(KMZA)--A forum will be held Wednesday evening ( December 4) to discuss the proposed construction of a new Marshall County Jail.

The forum will take place at 7:00 at the Blue Rapids Community Center and the public is invited to attend.

On hand will be Sheriff Dan Hargrave, representatives from the project's architectural firm, TreanorHL, of Lawrence, and construction manager Loyd Builders, of Ottawa.

They will discuss the project, answer questions from the public and present drawings of the jail plans.

Loyd Builders put the project out for bid this summer and has presented a guaranteed price of $5.7 million, or $5.9 million with alternative add-ons. Soft costs for the project, which include architect and construction manager fees and furnishing the jail, are expected to be an additional $634,000.

The Marshall County Commission is considering options for financing the project.

(KLZA)-- Pawnee City is looking to fill a vacancy on the City Council once again.

Following the November resignation of Mayor Deb Klein,  Council President Charlie Hatfield will be sworn in as Mayor on December 10th.

With Hatfield taking over as Mayor, it will leave a vacancy on the Council.  

Those interested in filling the vacancy can pick up an application for the position at City Hall.

The Mayor will make a recommendation to the Council which will then confirm or deny the proposal.  

(KNZA)--Hiawatha City Commisioner John Merchant, Jr. resigned Monday evening following a failed attempt to reinstate recently terminated Fire Chief Ryan Shockley.

The resignation came after Assistant Chief Paul Shaefer addressed the Commission.  Shaefer said he felt the action taken by the Commission at their November 18 meeting to terminate Shockley  was “a huge slap in the face.” Shockley had served as fire chief since May 2018.

Shaefer said the firefighters back Shockley 100 percent and are comfortable with his leadership abilities.

Shaefer questioned what the fire department could do to get Shockley reinstated.

Mayor Bill Collins and commissioners said they could not discuss the reasons for his termination, saying it was a personnel matter.

A motion by Merchant to reinstate Shockley as fire chief died due to the lack of a second.

Merchant then tendered his resignation as finance commissioner. Reading from a letter of resignation, Merchant said he will be relocating outside the city limits later this month.  He cited concerns over the ease of access of community members to speak at commission meetings, an unanswered request to have credit card charges listed and discussed in open session, and a lack of accountability.

The Commission voted to accept Merchant's resignation, effective immediately.  He had served on the Commission since January.  The Commission set a special meeting for the evening of December 9 to appoint someone to fill the remainder of his term.

Commissioner Dustin Williams said he hates that emergency responders and the city are at odds and hopes to find ways to re-establish proper communication.  Williams said he feels its something that needs more discussion when tensions are not so high. Commissioner Becky Shamburg agreed with Williams.

A large audience was on hand for Monday's meeting, including both concerned community members and members of the fire department.

(KNZA)--The Hiawatha School District is mourning the unexpected death of a longtime teacher.

In a message posted on the district website and Facebook page, Superintendent Lonnie Moser announced that Hiawatha Middle School teacher Dixie Pethoud  
died Monday evening from a sudden illness.

Pethoud taught in the district for 26 years. This semester, Moser said she was teaching family and consumer science, 7th grade history, and 5th and 6th grade technology.

Moser wrote " Ms. Pethoud genuienely cared for students and colleagues.  She had a wonderfully positive outlook and will be deeply missed."

Moser said the district will have additional counselors, social workers, and other personnel available to students and staff in the days ahead.      

(KAIR)--Atchison is filled with the sights and sounds of Christmas, and as part of the annual tradition, a parade will be held Saturday evening in downtown Atchison.

According to the Atchison Area Chamber of Commerce, the lighted parade will roll through downtown Atchison beginning at 5:30 Saturday evening.

Cash prizes will be awarded to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners.

There are three parade entry categories, including family, business, and church/youth groups.

Free 3D light glasses will be available for children.

Registrations are still being taken, with those details available by calling the Chamber at 913-367-2427.

Registration forms can also be found online here. 

(KLZA)-- Falls City Fire Fighters were called out Saturday afternoon at approximately 2:30.

The call was to 1314 Lane Street.  The caller advised the house was full of smoke.

A report from the Falls City  Volunteer Fire Department said a belt on the furnace of the home broke and the house filled with smoke when the furnace continued to run. 

Falls City Volunteer Fire Department and Falls City Rural Fire Department personnel responded to the scene and were on site for approximately 90 minutes.

No structural damage was reported.  

(KNZA)--The Brown County Commission has approved financial relief for the City of Horton’s efforts to remove three unsafe structures in the downtown area. 

That came during a November 27 meeting of the Brown County Commission. 

According to Horton Mayor Bryan Stirton, the County has approved waiving the first $4,000 dollars in dumping fees at the Brown County landfill.  Dump trucks are also planned to be made available to assist the City of Horton with the hauling effort. 

Currently, the county charges $24 a ton for the disposal  of construction and demolition material at the county landfill. 

According to Stirton, the $4,000 waiver comes through funds originally earmarked by the County to help fund a grant to see Horton’s Civic Center buildings placed on the historical site registry. Stirton told MSC News the price of that grant has decreased, allowing the County to use those funds for the dumping relief. Additional fees will be at the regular rate.  Stirton said the City of Horton is “grateful that the County has once again stepped up and helped [the City] in the time of need.” The use of the landfill for the construction and demolition material comes as the City of Horton plans to demolish three unsafe structure’s in the city’s downtown. 

The City has accepted a bid of $81,000 from Magnet Demolition Inc.,  of St. Joseph, Missouri, to demolish the buildings.

(KNZA)--The fourth Give to Grow Day was held on November 29 in Sabetha. In 24 hours of giving, $81,852.27 was donated to area charitable organizations that are a part of the Greater Sabetha Community Foundation. A $15,000 match and $800 in hourly prizes bring the total to $97,652.27.

The online platform made it possible for donors from Texas, Arizona, Missouri and Arkansas to make donations during the 24-hour event. This year 32% of the donations were made using the online giving day platform, made possible through Evergreen Giving Solutions.

Donors had a choice of giving contributions to 46 different charities. The Main Event, Neighbor-2-Neighbor and the Apostolic Christian Home were the top three fund raisers, followed by Lakeside Terrace, Sabetha Health & Wellness and the Sabetha Community Hospital Health Foundation. Forty-six organizations received donations that will support their charitable cause.

The event was sponsored by the Greater Sabetha Community Foundation which is a vehicle for people of all means to make a lasting difference in their local community. All donations are tax deductible and help fund local projects or existing nonprofits. GSCF was established in 2015 and is operated by a 15-member board of directors. GSCF is an affiliate of Greater Manhattan Community Foundation. GSCF can assist other organizations or people with ideas for community projects as well as help individuals establish donor advised funds which allows a donor to make a charitable contribution, receive an immediate tax benefit and make personal planned giving decisions over time.

The major supporters of the Give to Grow Match Day were Community National Bank, Morrill State Bank, United Bank & Trust. Rainbow Communications donated to support the event as well.

GSCF will hold a Community Celebration Gala on January 11 at The Main Event to honor the charitable organizations in the area, celebrate the community and give recognition to three honorees who have “Served Sabetha Strong.”

Credit: Tanner Veach

(MSC News)--Firefighters from multiple agencies battled a structure fire in downtown Wathena Sunday afternoon.

The fire was reported around 12:30 at a vacant building located in the 300 block of Main Street.

KQ2-TV reports the building was destroyed while adjacent businesses  sustained significant smoke and water damage.

Multiple people were evacuated from apartments located on top of one of the structure's neighboring buildings.  The Red Cross was assisting the occupants displaced by the fire.

No injuries were reported.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation.

Firefighters from Elwood, Wathena, Troy, St. Joseph and Rosecrans battled the blaze for several hours.