DERBY, Kan. (AP) — A Derby man who killed his girlfriend and stabbed her teenage son has been sentenced to life in prison for murder, with eligibility for parole after 25 years.

KAKE-TV reports 40-year-old Charles A. Beck Jr. also was sentenced Wednesday to nearly 14 years in prison for attempted murder. The sentences will run consecutively.

Beck is charged in the September 2013 strangulation of 44-year-old Lonnie Staggs at her Derby home. Prosecutors say Beck also tried to strangle Staggs’ 15-year-old son but he escaped after being cut with a knife and was able to lock himself and an 11-year-old sister in another room.

Beck turned himself in shortly after the deaths in Texas County, Mo.

He pleaded guilty last month to charges of first-degree murder and attempted first-degree murder.

Hutch Post

HUTCHINSON — He was a well-known chef around the Hutchinson area for many years. Herbert Lewis died Monday from injuries suffered in a Sunday afternoon car accident. He was 79.

He was born February 27, 1935 in Tulsa, Okla., the son of William and Agnes White Lewis. He was a graduate of Booker T. Washington High School, Tulsa. A resident of Hutchinson since 1963, he had been a chef and general manager for Prairie Dunes Country Club and General Manager for the Hutchinson Town Club. He had owned Le Lewis Restaurant, McPherson, for six years. He was a member of Holy Cross Catholic Church, the American Culinary Federation, American Academy of Chefs, and Heartland Kidney Network.

Mass of Christian burial for Herbert Lewis will be 11:00 AM Tuesday, May 27, 2014 at Holy Cross Catholic Church, Hutchinson. A Parish rosary will be recited at 10:30 AM Tuesday, also at the church. Burial will be at Fairlawn Burial Park.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — There has been a fifth delay in the jury trial for a Hutchinson bondsman accused of seeking sex from women in exchange for bonding them out of jail.

Dwight Jurgens is accused of coercing woman he bailed out of Reno County Jail to have sexual contact with him between February 2010 and September 2012. He posted a $100,000 bond after he was arrested.

Charges against him include aggravated human trafficking and rape.

The Hutchinson News reports the trial was scheduled to begin in late September 2013. Defense lawyers asked for the first three continuances. Deputy District Attorney Tom Stanton asked for the latest two continuances, the latest on May 20.

Jurgens’ trial has been rescheduled for June 3.

LINDSBORG, Kan. (AP) — While bringing a squirt gun to school can lead to suspension or worse in many parts of the U.S., an entire Kansas community plans to mark the end of this academic year with a massive water gun fight.

Those who don’t want to shoot it out at Lindsborg’s Swensson Park on May 30 are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and sit in designated safe areas, or dry zones, where they can watch without getting wet.

The Wichita Eagle reports no water balloons will be allowed at the “School’s Out” party.

Six weeks ago, a Maine 10th-grader was suspended from school after a bright yellow squirt gun fell out of his backpack. In other places, students have been suspended for merely pointing their fingers in the shape of a gun.

Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism

TOPEKA — The tragic death of a man at Tuttle Creek Reservoir on May 18 is a sad reminder that fun on the water can quickly turn catastrophic. National Safe Boating Week is May 18-24, and the Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and Safe Kids Kansas strongly encourage outdoor enthusiasts to be prepared and follow these tips for a safe and enjoyable boating experience.

• Wear a life jacket. Boating accidents can happen without warning, leaving no time to locate and put on a life jacket. Always have children wear a life jacket while on boats, around open bodies of water or when participating in water sports. Kansas law requires that all boats have one U.S. Coast Guard-approved, readily accessible personal flotation device for each person on board. Children age 12 or younger are required to wear a life jacket at all times when on board a boat, and KDWPT strongly recommends that adults do the same.

• Designate a “Water Watcher.” Regardless of a swimmer’s age or skill level, it’s smart for a responsible adult to keep watch when anyone is in the water. If there are several swimmers, designate a Water Watcher for a certain amount of time (such as 15-minute periods) to prevent lapses in supervision. Download a Water Watcher card here.

• Learn adult, infant and child CPR. Many local hospitals, fire departments, Red Cross offices, and recreation departments offer training at little to no cost. It will give you tremendous peace of mind, not only around the water, but also in everyday life.
Learn how to safely help someone in distress. All too often, the victim of a drowning has succumbed while trying to rescue someone else. Hurriedly jumping into the water without wearing a life jacket is a recipe for disaster. Instead, try to follow these steps in succession: a) reach out to the victim with a long pole, b) throw a rope or preferably a life ring, or c) row out to the victim. As a last resort – and after donning a life jacket – you could try to enter the water while carrying a spare life jacket or ring with you. Never jump into the water to rescue someone if you’re not wearing a life jacket yourself.

• Adhere to a “no drinking” policy while boating. Boating under the influence is just as deadly as drinking and driving. Penalties can include large fines, suspension or revocation of boat operator privileges, and jail terms. To be safe, only consume alcohol when on land, and never before operating your boat.

• Allow only those who have completed boater education to operate the vessel. In Kansas, anyone age 12-20 must have completed an approved boater education course before operating a vessel without the direct supervision of an adult. Approved adults include anyone age 18 or older who has completed the course or any adult age 21 or older. No one younger than 12 years of age may operate a vessel without supervision, regardless of a boater education certification.

• Know the rules of the water. Many people are unaware that there are operating rules for boats on the water, which include being able to recognize buoy markers and the proper use of navigation lights. Knowledge of these rules can prevent dangerous, and even deadly, situations.

• Educate yourself and your children about swimming safely. Teach children how to tread water, float and stay by the shore. Make sure kids swim only in areas designated for swimming. Swimming in open bodies of water is not the same as swimming in a pool. Be aware of uneven surfaces, underwater trees and rocks, currents (yes, there are currents in Kansas reservoirs) and changing weather.

• Keep warm. A dip in the lake may be tempting on a hot day, but remember that the water temperature may be too cold for prolonged swims – particularly in the spring and fall. Children are at a higher risk for hypothermia, so keep them out of the water or only allow short swims when the water is cold. If a swimmer seems cold or is shivering, get them out of the water immediately, and wrap them tightly in a dry blanket or towel.

• Make sure your boat has all the required equipment and is thoroughly tested before hitting the water. Safely operating a boat – like safely operating a motor vehicle – requires attention to the vessel’s worthiness to be on the water.

In the last five years prior to 2014, there have been 28 boating-related fatalities in Kansas. Twenty-six of the fatalities were from drowning. Only four of those victims were wearing life jackets, and other medical conditions contributed to their deaths. Two other victims were wearing life jackets but suffered traumatic injuries. Ten of the 28 victims were fishing, four were hunting and four were kayaking. Twenty-seven were males, of whom 24 were 18 years of age and older.

For more safe boating information, including a list of current boating regulations, visit www.ksoutdoors.com and click “Boating.”

For more information about child safety topics, including boating and water safety, visit the Safe Kids Kansas website at www.safekidskansas.org.