Great Bend Post

GREAT BEND — The burn ban that has been in place since March 24th will remain in place after no action was taken to lift the ban at Monday’s Barton County Commission meeting.  The board heard from Emergency Risk Manager Amy Miller along with three fire chiefs in Barton County.

Since rainfall amounts in the county varied so widely, the board decided to keep the burn ban in place for at least another week. Barton County spotters reported anywhere from a half-inch to 1.75 inches of rainfall from Sunday’s string of thunderstorms that moved across the region.

Even though the burn ban remains in effect, individuals can request a permit to burn by contacting their local fire chief who will look at each case on an individual basis, and make a decision on whether or not to allow the control burn.

Barton County remains listed as having severe drought conditions by the U.S. Drought Monitor.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas State Board of Education will hold part of its monthly meeting at the Brown v. Board of Education National Historic Site in Topeka to mark the 60th anniversary of the landmark desegregation ruling.

Board Chairwoman Jana Shaver will read a statement Wednesday on the steps of the former Monroe School before the start of the board’s meeting. Shaver will discuss the importance of the ruling on education and the nation. Saturday is the anniversary of the ruling, which outlawed segregation in public schools.

The Brown site is housed in a former all-black school where the lead plaintiff’s daughter and another plaintiff’s child in the desegregation case were students. Exhibits tell the story of the 1954 Supreme Court decision.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A Missouri man has been sentenced to slightly more than eight years in prison for a robbery at a McDonald’s restaurant in Kansas where the manager was shot and wounded.

The U.S. Attorney’s office says 26-year-old Nicholas Martell McGinnie, of Kansas City, Missouri, was sentenced Monday in federal court in Kansas City, Kansas.

McGinnie pleaded guilty to robbing a McDonald’s in Leawood, Kansas, in December 2012. After hiding in a restroom while waiting for the restaurant to close, McGinnie confronted the manager at gunpoint and demanded money.

The manager was shot in the legs while trying to push McGinnie out the door.

McGinnie will serve the 100-month Kansas term after completing a five-year sentence from federal court in Missouri for illegal possession of a firearm.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A state elections board has rejected a claim that U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts is not truly a Kansas resident, allowing him to seek re-election this year.

The State Objections Board’s decision Monday means the three-term senator will be on the ballot in the Aug. 5 Republican primary.

Four northeast Kansas residents had objected to the ballot listing, arguing that Roberts lives in Alexandria, Virginia, and not Dodge City, Kansas. GOP tea party challenger Milton Wolf has raised the issue repeatedly.

Roberts owns a home in Alexandria, Virginia, but is registered to vote at the Dodge City address of a couple who supports him and rents him a room and bathroom. He and his wife also own a duplex unit in Dodge City but rent it out.

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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas board is preparing to consider claims that U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts should be barred from seeking re-election this year because he is not truly a resident of the state.

The State Objections Board meeting Monday was prompted by objections from four northeast Kansas residents to listing the three-term senator on the Aug. 5 Republican primary ballot.

GOP tea party challenger Milton Wolf contends that Roberts lives in Alexandria, Virginia, where the senator owns a home. Roberts and his wife own a duplex unit in Dodge City but rent it out.

Roberts says he lives and pays taxes in Kansas.

The Objections Board is made up of Secretary of State Kris Kobach, Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer and Attorney General Derek Schmidt. All three have endorsed Roberts.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A former Sedgwick County detention officer has pleaded no contest to trying to have sex with inmates at the county jail.

Former deputy David Kendall had faced more than a dozen counts of sexually assaulting or attempting to assault six inmates over a three-month period in 2012.

He pleaded no contest Monday to six counts of attempted unlawful sexual relations and one count of making a false information.

The plea came the same week that Kendall was to go on trial. Sentencing is set for June 27 before Judge Joseph Bribiesca.

Little Apple Post

MANHATTAN — A 37-year-old Kansas man is in custody after police allege he rolled a stolen SUV Sunday afternoon, then attempted to steal another to flee the scene.

Nathan Woodyard, Westmoreland, reportedly was involved in a motor vehicle accident in which his 2003 Ford Excursion rolled. Police said he then attempted to steal another vehicle in order to leave the scene, allegedly committing battery against two people — a 19-year-old male and a 17-year-old female — in the process.

Woodyard eventually ran from the scene, where he was eventually arrested in the 2800 block of Pillsbury Road. Several victims were listed in police reports, but none were seriously injured.

During the investigation, the Excursion was determined to be stolen and was recovered, along with cash reportedly taken from a St. George home.

Woodyard was arrested on allegations including driving under the influence, interference with a law enforcement official, attempted aggravated robbery, attempted vehicle theft and possession of stolen property.

Woodyard was jailed on a $19,500 bond.