(AP) — Kansas Senator Pat Roberts says the food assistance program is the “redline’ for Democrats in the passage of the farm bill. He says his is crop insurance.

The Republican senator told farm leaders Saturday at the the State Fair in Hutchinson that the Senate will not pass a farm bill without what it sees as an “appropriate” food assistance program, commonly known as food stamps.

The House version stripped food assistance from the farm bill. The House has not yet passed the food assistance program. That needs to be done before lawmakers can hammer out a conference compromise. Both farm bill versions safeguard the nation’s crop insurance program.

Senator Jerry Moran says the country’s focus on Syria is delaying the farm bill debate. The current extension expires at the end of this month.

 

Two people were killed in a crash in a central Kansas highway construction zone.

The Kansas Highway Patrol says a Ford pickup driving eastbound on US-54 highway failed to yield for a construction sign. The pickup hit a parked Caterpillar water truck operated by KOSS Construction.

The accident happened shortly after 8pm Friday seven miles east of Pratt.

The KHP identifies the victims as Jose Luis Cerda Salazar, 28, and Jesus Julian Salicido Jr, 39. Both were from Amarillo, Texas.

Both victims were passengers in the pickup. Two other occupants of the truck, and the operator of the water truck, were injured. All three were transported to area hospitals.

 

AP) — Olathe police suspect an attempted homicide-suicide after a man was found dead and a woman critically injured in a wrecked vehicle.

Police said in a news release that officers responded early Saturday to a single-car accident in the Johnson County city. The man found inside the vehicle was pronounced dead at the scene, and the woman was taken to an area hospital. Police said their injuries appeared to be unrelated to the accident. Officers also found a handgun inside the vehicle.

The names of the man and woman weren’t immediately released.

Olathe police continue investigating the accident and are asking the public to call with tips.

 

(AP) — Authorities are investigating a Junction City shooting death.

The Junction City Police Department said in a news release that officers and deputies with Geary County Sheriff’s Office responded around 2:45 a.m. Saturday after receiving a report of gunfire. They found 37-year-old Anthony Darnell Nixon of Junction City suffering from a gunshot wound. Nixon was dead when emergency workers arrived.

Police were told that there had been an altercation in the area before the shooting but that police hadn’t been called.

Authorities plan to conduct an autopsy and are asking the public to call with tips.

 

A 36-year-old Hutchinson man with a lengthy criminal history and with two cases pending in Reno County District Court is in trouble once again on drug and other charges.

Joshua Rund was arrested around 8:15 p-m, Friday on charges of criminal possession of a firearm, possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Also arrested was 32-year-old Ellen Rund on charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

The two apparently in a room at 2600 Block of east 4th in Hutchinson were arrested in the 1100 block of East 11th.

Rund has a fairly substantial criminal history with convictions for manufacture of methamphetamine, possession of ephedrine, drug paraphernalia, two previous convictions for criminal possession of a firearm in cases from 2002 and 2003. .

He was apparently able to post bond, while Ellen Rund remains jailed on a bond of 8-thousand dollars.

Both should be back in court next week once the state files formal charges.

General Mills announced today a voluntary Class II recall of a limited quantity of refrigerated Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls with Icing.

No other flavors or varieties of Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls or Pillsbury dough products are being recalled.   Pillsbury Flaky Cinnamon Rolls and Pillsbury Grands Cinnamon Rolls are not included in this recall.

This action is being taken as a precaution because the dough may contain fragments from a broken piece of plastic on the production line.  These products are sold in grocery stores nationally.  No other Pillsbury dough products are being recalled.

Only specific 8-count single and double packages with certain date codes of Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls with Icing are being recalled: