The fireworks were banned, but Russell residents still enjoyed a flag dedication ceremony Tuesday night during the town’s two-day Freedom Fireworks July 4th celebration.
A new 20’x30′ American flag is flying at the crossroad of Highway 281 and old Highway 40. The intersection is the same location the Stars and Stripes used to hang years ago.
The flag honors military veterans, police, firefighters, EMTs and other First Responders.
See more tonight on Street Beat Eagle Community TV Channel 14.
Tuesday
The Hays Police Department conducted 9 traffic stops and responded to 10 animal calls. According the the Hays Police Department activity log, Hays Police investigated four cases of theft on Tuesday. Three of the incidents were shoplifting cases and two of them were reported at Wal-Mart.
There was also an incident of shoplifting reported at the Dillons on Vine Street. The final incident of theft was reported at Xibit Customs. The Hays Police Department also investigated three motor vehicle accidents on Tuesday.
One of the accidents was a hit and run in the Alley of the 500 block of East 7th Street. The other two accidents when in the Alley of the 200 block of West 4th Street and the Alley of the 3700 block of Vine Street.
Finally the Hays Police Department investigated four Credit Card Violations that happened on June 20th at Home Depot, Casey’s General Store, Wal-Mart and Qwest Fuel.
Wednesday
On the July 4th holiday, the Hays Police Department conducted 12 traffic stops. According to the Police Activity Log, there were three incidents of Criminal Damage to Property reported on Wednesday. The first happened sometime either Tuesday or Wednesday in the 600 block of Walnut Street. The other two happened in the 100 block of West 33rd Street and the 900 block of Walnut Street on Wednesday.
The Hays Police Department also responded to two motor vehicle accidents. The first one was reported at the South McDonalds on Vine Street and the other was on highway 183, the second one was also one of two driving under the influence investigations the Police Department investigated on Wednesday. The other DUI investigation occurred at 8th and Elm Street.
The Hays Police Department also investigated a theft at the Hampton Inn North on 4000 General Hays Rd.
Finally there was just one incident of Fireworks Violation reported on Wednesday and that was reported in the 200 block of West 5th Street.
An early morning fire destroyed a Hutchinson home.
Crews were called out to 212 Buckskin just before 2am and found the roof of the home fully involved. Hutchinson Battalion Chief Darin Gehring says that the home, which belongs to Dr. Jim Stout, is a total loss.
Gehring says the family’s dogs woke the Stouts, who were able to get out safely. The two dogs did not survive.
Fire crews had to battle the fire from the outside for fear of structural collapse.Gehring estimates the total loss in the fire at around $600,000, and although the exact cause of the fire may not be known, it is strongly believed fireworks may have been involved.
Investigators found a large amount of fireworks debris around the home, and lawns in the neighborhood were littered with spent fireworks this morning.
A volunteer that was assisting with clean up after a fireworks show in Kansas was killed Wednesday night after a firework exploded near him.
According to official reports, a few volunteers were cleaning up and disposing of fireworks that had not discharged in Lansing, KS and one exploded, killing the man.
His identity has not yet been released.
UPDATE: Shortly after 1p.m. Thursday, the Russell Police Department reports the stolen pickup has been recovered and a suspect is in custody.
The Russell Police Department is looking for a stolen pickup.
It was reported to the RPD Thursday morning. The vehicle was last seen at 10 p.m. Wednesday night, July 4.
It is a black 1990 GMC pickup truck with a white stripe and has KS license plate 000EBY.
If you see this vehicle, police ask that you call 911 immediately.
A Fort Riley soldier from Idaho has been killed in Afghanistan.
The Defense Department says 24-year-old Pfc. Cody Moosman died Tuesday of injuries he suffered when his unit was attacked with small-arms fire in Paktika province, near the border with Pakistan. Republican Sen. Jerry Moran, of Kansas, says Moosman was on guard duty at the time.
He was assigned to B Company, 1st Battalion, 28th Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division.
Moosman was from the southeastern Idaho town of Preston. His family issued a statement Wednesday saying he told them starting in the third grade that he had wanted to be in the Army. He enlisted in 2010.
An 18-year-old Kansas man who is the state’s top-rated junior chess player is awaiting word on whether he will be awarded the game’s highest honor for competitive players.
The Wichita-area native fulfilled requirements in March to become grandmaster-elect. Approval by the World Chest Federation in August would make him one of only a few U.S. chess players under 21 who have earned the title in the past decade.
The Wichita Eagle reports Conrad Holt is ranked No. 8 nationwide among junior chess players and will travel to Athens, Greece later this month to compete in his first World Junior Chess Championship. The federation ranks him 33rd among all active U.S. chess players.
The 2011 Andover High School graduate is studying physics at the University of Texas-Dallas.
Riley County police are using a recent incident involving a Fort Riley soldier to illustrate the potential dangers of using bath salts to get high.
Police received a call Monday morning about a man who was behaving strangely after apparently ingesting the substance, which drug agents say is being distributed in the area.
Police spokesman Lt. Josh Kyle told The Topeka Capital Journal officers arrived at the undisclosed Manhattan location and found the 22-year-old active military man “acting in a bizarre fashion.”
Kyle says the soldier initially acted as if he were drunk, but then became paranoid and started making strange religious statements.
Kyle says it doesn’t appear the man, who was taken to a hospital for treatment, would face any criminal charges.
TORONTO — When Luis Mendoza couldn’t keep his sinker down, the Toronto Blue Jays took advantage.
Carlos Villanueva pitched six shutout innings, Yunel Escobar drove in two runs and the Blue Jays beat the Kansas City Royals 4-1 Wednesday night.
Three of Toronto’s four runs came on sacrifice flies, leaving Royals manager Ned Yost frustrated that Mendoza was unable to get ground balls.
“The only thing was he couldn’t get the ball down in crucial situations,” Yost said. “All three runs came on sac flies on pitches that were up.”
Every Blue Jays starter had at least one hit as Toronto won for the fourth time in six games. The Blue Jays are 6-1 against Kansas City this season and have won nine of the past 12 meetings dating to 2011.
Jeff Francoeur’s RBI triple in the seventh provided the only run of the game for the Royals, who have lost five of six.
“You give (Villanueva) credit for doing what he did but our offense just didn’t do it today,” Kansas City’s Alex Gordon said.
Toronto opened the scoring in the second when Rajai Davis tripled and scored on Kelly Johnson’s sacrifice fly.
The Blue Jays added two more in the third. Edwin Encarnacion led off with a ground ball to second and was safe when Mendoza and Eric Hosmer got tangled up at first, with Mendoza catching the throw by failing to step on the base.
“I was kind of late getting over to the bag,” Hosmer said. “Me and Mendy kind of called it at the same time. I think I just broke too late and probably should have let Mendy take care of that right there.”
Yost saw it differently from the dugout.
“Mendoza has got to get out of the way,” Yost said. “I could hear (Hosmer) screaming `I got it, I got it,’ and if I can hear him, Mendy’s just got to put on the brakes as best he can and let Hos take the play.”
Adam Lind followed with a double, sending Encarnacion to third, before Escobar and Davis hit back-to-back sacrifice flies.
“We shortened up the infield to try to take advantage of his good two-seamer and keep the ball on the ground and see if we could cut off one or two of those runs,” Yost said. “All three of those pitches he got up.”
Escobar added an insurance run in the eighth with a two-out RBI single off Kelvin Herrera.
“I thought we did an excellent job of manufacturing some runs,” Blue Jays manager John Farrell said.
Starting for the second time this season after making 22 relief appearances, Villanueva (3-0) allowed just four hits, three of them singles. He walked none and matched a season-high with seven strikeouts.
“Carlos did an outstanding job,” Farrell said. “He was efficient. To give us the six innings was obviously a plus.”
Jason Frasor replaced Villanueva in the seventh but couldn’t keep the shutout bid alive. Moustakas hit a two-out single and scored when Francoeur tripled to left on a ball that skipped past Davis and rolled all the way to the wall.
Darren Oliver pitched the eighth and Casey Janssen finished in the ninth for his 11th save in 12 opportunities.
Coming off a win over Minnesota in his last start, Royals right-hander Luis Mendoza pitched well but was unable to earn consecutive victories for the first time this season. Mendoza (3-5) allowed three runs and nine hits in six innings. He walked one and struck out a career-high nine.
NOTES: Encarnacion extended his hitting streak to 10 games. … Kansas City recalled RHP Nate Adcock and RHP Louis Coleman from Triple-A Omaha and designated OF Mitch Maier for assignment. … Toronto optioned RHP Scott Richmond to Triple-A Las Vegas following the game and will promote another pitcher Thursday. … Jamie Moyer allowed seven runs and 10 hits in six innings in his second start at Las Vegas on Tuesday, taking the loss in a 7-3 defeat to Reno. Blue Jays manager John Farrell said no decision has been made on the 49-year-old left-hander’s future with Toronto. … Lind moved up to fifth in Toronto’s batting order, with Johnson dropping to the eighth spot. … Kansas City DH Billy Butler went 0 for 3 with a walk. Butler is 0 for 23 against Toronto pitching this season.
– Associated Press –
A large upper ridge will continue to dominate the Great Plains through Friday.
At the surface, breezy southerly winds will continue over the next several days, as afternoon highs increase to around the 100 degree mark. As early as Saturday, a cold front will approach the region, but the confidence is low on the frontal timing. By late Sunday and Sunday night, the boundary should be shifted to the south of the area, while easterly surface winds become established. Along with the surface front, will come chances for widespread thunderstorms, most likely Sunday night or Monday. Temperatures will cool closer to normal for early July.
Highs for Monday through Thursday are only forecast in the upper 80s, to around 90 degrees.
Today: Sunny and hot, with a high near 103. South wind 14 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 74. South wind 11 to 18 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.
Friday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 103. South wind 11 to 16 mph.
Saturday: Sunny and hot, with a high near 103. North wind 10 to 15 mph becoming light northeast in the afternoon.
Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 94.
Monday: A 40 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 86.
Tuesday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 88.
After searching for several hours, the Kansas Highway Patrol called off the search for a man wanted for a parole violation in Oregon.
Michael Jayne fled after a trooper stopped him for speeding on Highway 183 near Stockton Tuesday night.
The Highway Patrol was not able to locate Jayne and suspect he has left the area.
Original Story
July 4 – According to multiple reports, a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper stopped a man for speeding on U.S. 183 south of Stockton about 5:30 Tuesday night. Shortly after the stop, the man sped away before getting out of the car and running into fields north of Stockton.
The U.S. Marshal’s office has identified the man as Michael Jayne, wanted for a parole violation in Oregon. He was convicted in 2009 of attempting to run over an Oregon State police officer at speeds of more than 70 mph, after a traffic stop.
Troopers and U.S. Marshals have been searching for the man have yet to locate him.
No further information has been released from local officials.
Associated Press Story from 2009 in Klamath Falls, Oregon:
KLAMATH FALLS, Ore. (AP) — A driver whose body armor raised the suspicion of an Oregon state trooper led officers on a daylong chase and search in Southern Oregon.
Oregon State Police troopers say an officer stopped 27-year-old Michael Aaron Jayne of Redding, Calif., on Interstate 5 near Ashland early Thursday, noting the body armor.
But, they say, Jayne fled, driving east through the mountains toward Klamath Falls.
Later Thursday morning, troopers say, they spotted Jayne’s vehicle again and gave chase.
This time, they say, he twice tried to ram a cruiser at speeds of more than 70 mph before ditching the vehicle and taking off through the woods.
Dogs from Klamath County and a helicopter from Jackson County were enlisted in the search, to no avail.
Near nightfall, troopers say, they came upon Jayne walking along Oregon 66. Troopers described him as “bloody, muddy and wet” as he was taken into custody.
He was jailed on attempted murder and other charges, including wearing the body armor, which troopers say is unlawful for a felon.
Troopers say he’s wanted on a California warrant for intimidating a witness. Officers say they didn’t discover a weapon after the chase and haven’t determined why Jayne wore the protective equipment.
Joey Chestnut ate his way to a sixth straight win at the Fourth of July hot dog eating contest at Coney Island on Wednesday, downing 68 to tie his personal best in a sweaty, gag-inducing spectacle.
Last year, the 28-year-old San Jose, Calif., man nicknamed “Jaws” won with 62 hot dogs. He bested his main rival this year by 16 dogs, scarfing down all 68 in 10 minutes in the sweltering summer heat to take home $10,000 and the mustard yellow belt.
“I feel good, it was a great win,” Chestnut said after the contest, adding he wished he could have eaten a record number of hot dogs for the audience. “I tried my best. I’m looking forward to next year already.”
Second place went to Tim Janus of New York with 52 hot dogs, who received $5,000. Third place went to Patrick Bertoletti of Chicago with 51, who won $2,500.
Chestnut was neck-and-neck with competitors during the first half of the contest, but he pulled ahead in the remaining minutes, choking down dog after dog, while other competitors slowed as the clock wound down.
“I’m happy to come out with the win,” he said.
Sonya Thomas, of Alexandria, Va., downed 45 wieners to win the women’s competition. She reached her goal of eating 45 in the time limit — her age — and took home her own pink champion’s belt and $10,000.
Thomas, known as the “Black Widow” of competitive eating, won last year as well, the first time a separate contest was held for women. Juliet Lee, of Germantown, Md., took second place with 33 and won $5,000. Lee also won second place last year. Third place went to Michelle Lesco, of Tuscon, Ariz., who received $2,500 for downing 25½.
Thomas said she started to feel sick while eating but kept pushing so she could win the title.
“There is a limit so I have to fight,” she said.
Thomas said next year she’s going to beat her record again and eat 46.
“Because I’m going to be 46 next year,” she said.
The Nathan’s Famous Fourth of July International Hot Dog Eating Contest has been a city tradition for 97 years. Tens of thousands of spectators gather to gawk as contestants shimmy, slither and bounce as they dip hot dogs in water and cram them down their throats.
For some, it’s a painful reminder of excess — especially as the U.S. battles a growing obesity problem. The American Medical Association opposes competitive eating, saying it’s harmful to the human body. But the competitive eaters are quite trim. Chestnut is more than 6 feet tall and a muscly 210 pounds, and Thomas, who is 5-foot-5, weighed in at barely 100 pounds.
Hot dogs, though, aren’t the healthiest of choices. In addition to beef, they include salt and various food additives. Chestnut’s total dog count was equal to more than 20,000 calories. This year, the animal rights group Mercy For Animals staged a protest against eating meat, with signs that read “Choose Vegetarian.”
Chestnut is now tied with his former rival, Takeru Kobayashi, for consecutive wins. The slim Japanese champ held the record for hot dog eating from 2001 to 2007, when he was unseated by Chestnut.
But two years ago, after refusing to sign an exclusive contract with Major League Eating, the food equivalent of the NFL, he was banned from competition. He showed up anyway, wearing a T-shirt that said “Free Kobi,” rushed the stage and was arrested, but charges were later dropped.
Last year, the Japanese native nicknamed the “Tsunami” held an unofficial contest from a rooftop on ritzy Fifth Avenue, eating near a giant plasma TV airing the official competition live.
He was out of the public eye Wednesday.
