At 9:38 a.m. July 29, the Hays Police Department received an anonymous phone call from a male informing the department that a Hays Sunflower Bank branch, 4720 Roth, was going to be robbed by two males.
Officers responded to the call to secure the bank and the area, according to HPD Chief Don Scheibler.
During the investigation, Bartholomew J. Daley, 34, Fort Worth, Texas, was arrested in the 4600 block of Roth at 10:16 a.m. July 29 for a warrant out of Greenwood County and later found to be the source of the call, according to Scheibler.
Daley was arrested on suspicion of interference with law enforcement, Scheibler said.
OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A judge has denied a request to move the trial of a 74-year-old Missouri man charged in the deaths of three people at Jewish sites in suburban Kansas City.
Frazier Glenn Miller Jr., of Aurora, Missouri, is charged with capital murder in the shooting deaths of three people last year at two Jewish sites in Overland Park, Kansas.
The Kansas City Star reports a Johnson County District Court judge on Wednesday denied Miller’s motion for the change of venue. The judge says without any evidence or testimony to back the request, he had no legal basis to consider the request.
Miller is representing himself at the trial, which is set to begin Aug. 17.
Miller, an anti-Semite, has admitted carrying out the shootings. None of his victims was Jewish.
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. government is offering a $5 million reward for information leading to the capture of escaped Mexican drug kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman.
The acting head of the Drug Enforcement Administration, Chuck Rosenberg, also says a tip-line for information about Guzman is being established.
Guzman escaped from one of Mexico’s most secure prisons last month via a sophisticated mile-long tunnel that opened up in his cell’s shower.
Mexican authorities have announced a $3.8 million reward for the drug kingpin, who’s believed to have a net worth of about $1 billion.
Guzman was arrested in February 2014 in a seaside resort town after about 13 years on the run since his last prison break, in 2001.
LAWRENCE, Kan. – Legendary Kansas track & field and cross country coach Bob Timmons, who led his Jayhawk teams to four NCAA titles and 31 conference championships, passed away Tuesday evening at the age of 91. He is survived by his wife, Pat; children, Tammie, Beckie, Perkie and Dan, as well as two grandchildren.
Timmons served as the head coach of the Kansas track & field and cross country squad for 22 seasons from 1966-88. “Timmie’s” teams captured 13 Big Eight indoor titles, 14 outdoor titles and four cross country league titles. He led the Jayhawks to three NCAA indoor championships in 1966, 1969 and 1970. Timmons’ 1970 outdoor team tied for the national championship with Oregon, Brigham Young and Drake to give him four titles in five years. To this day, Timmons’ four NCAA Championships are the most among any head coach in Kansas Athletics’ history.
“The Kansas Track & Field family has lost a legendary figure in our history,” said current KU track & field head coach Stanley Redwine. “Coach Timmons led KU to unprecedented success during his time here and should be remembered, not only as a great coach, but as a great mentor as well. He continuously strived to set a standard of excellence that we fully recognize to this day. His contributions of our home cross country course of Rim Rock Farm also shows what a truly dedicated Jayhawk he was. Our thoughts are with Pat, their children and the rest of the Timmons family during this difficult time.”
“KU has lost a true treasure,” said Kansas Athletics Director Sheahon Zenger. “Coach Timmons was one of the all-time greats. His legacy, though, does not end with championships and medals. His real legacy is how much he cared about his student-athletes and the University of Kansas.”
Born in Joplin, Missouri, Timmons grew up in Pittsburg, Kansas, where he attended Pittsburg High School. He joined the Marines in 1943 and spent a year deployed in the South Pacific during WWII. Upon returning to the states Timmons turned his attention to coaching.
He began his career in track & field with the Jayhawks as a student manager and assistant coach starting in 1946 until he graduated in 1950. He worked and learned under another Kansas track & field coaching legend, Bill Easton, during his time as an undergrad, which ignited his love for coaching and mentoring young athletes.
He spent eight years as a high school track, swimming and football coach, beginning his career at Caldwell High School in 1950 and also spending time at Emporia High School, Wichita West High School and Wichita East High School before returning to his alma mater in 1965. Timmons helped the Wichita East swimming program to prominence, enjoying eight-straight undefeated years in all competitions and boasting 52 individual state champions and seven state swimming titles. His high school teams also ran to four cross country crowns and six state track championships.
Timmons took over the Kansas program for the future Hall of Famer, Easton, in 1966 and continued to take the Jayhawk program to new heights over the next 22 years. In addition to all the team’s success, he oversaw the coaching and development of seven Olympians, 16 world record holders, 77 NCAA All-Americans and 24 NCAA Champions. Included on his highly impressive résumé, was being named the U.S. Track & Field Coach Association (USTFA) Coach of the Year in 1975 as well as being tabbed as the District V Coach of the Year in 11 of his 22 seasons at KU.
Timmons’ coaching career also included teaching one of the world’s best track athletes in Jim Ryun. Recruited to Kansas by Timmons, his former high school coach, Ryun emerged as one of the most iconic track athletes in American history. In 1964, at the age of 17, Ryun became the first high schooler to run a sub-four-minute mile. In fact, his high school mile mark of 3:55.3 stood for 31 years. With Timmons leading the way in Lawrence, Ryun put together a spectacular stint at KU from 1965 to 1969, he owned world records in the 880 yards, 1,500 meters and mile run and added an additional four American records during his time under Timmons. Ryun was a five-time NCAA champion and, to this day, still holds 13 Jayhawk school records.
He was also the main force behind the creation of one of the top cross country courses in the nation, the home of Kansas Cross Country, Rim Rock Farm. Timmons acquired the land to the north of Lawrence in the early 1970s and quickly turned it into the main home for his cross country squads by 1974. Even after his time at KU came to an end, Timmons remained the caretaker at Rim Rock Farm until he gifted it to the University in 2004. Rim Rock has been the host site for some of the top meets in the nation and the region as it hosted the 1998 NCAA DI and DII Cross Country Championships, 2006 and 2014 Big Championships, numerous Kansas State High School Championships, as well as the upcoming NCAA Midwest Regional Championships in November.
Timmons handed off the reins of the KU track program in 1988, but continued to maintain his close ties to the team. He remained a loyal supporter at Jayhawk home meets and continued to make appearances at the Kansas Relays for many years after his retirement.
In 2011, Timmons became the 11th Jayhawk to be inducted into the National Track & Field Hall of Fame. Along with the National Track & Field Hall of Fame, Timmons is also a member of the Kansas Athletics Hall of Fame, the Kansas Relays Hall of Fame, the Drake Relays Hall of Fame, the Kansas Sports Hall of Fame, the Kansas High School Activities Association Hall of Fame and the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches of America (USTFCCCA) Hall of Fame.
RICHMOND, Va. (AP) — A federal appeals court in Virginia has ruled that police must obtain a search warrant to obtain records about cellphone locations in criminal investigations.
The American Civil Liberties Union said Wednesday’s decision by the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals conflicts with two other federal appeals court rulings and increases the possibility that the U.S. Supreme Court will take up the issue.
The case in the Richmond-based appeals court involved two men who were convicted of a series of armed robberies in the Baltimore area. The court said authorities who obtained cellphone tower records tracking the suspects’ movements without a warrant violated the U.S. Constitution’s prohibition against unreasonable searches.
However, the court upheld the convictions because the government relied in good faith on court orders seeking the data.
Phillipsburg resident Andrew D. Russell passed away Tuesday, August 4, 2015 at Via Christi St. Francis Medical Center in Wichita, KS at the age of 72.
He was born in Phillips County, KS on March 18, 1943, the son of Charlie & Julia (Ragsdale) Russell. Andy was a farmer for most of his life.
He is survived by his son, Bob Russell, of Phillipsburg, KS; daughters, Beth Freeman of Phillipsburg and Lacie Sieck of Goodland, KS; stepson, Levi Dougherty of Phillipsburg and stepdaughter, Thea Ratliff of Goodland; brothers, Ralph Russell of Phillipsburg, George Russell of Agra, KS and Lloyd Russell of Tasco, KS; sisters, Alice Wing of Salina, KS and Ruth McElhaney of Quinter, KS; and 14 grandchildren.
Funeral services will be held Friday, August 7, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. in the United Methodist Church, Phillipsburg, with Pastor Lew Van Der Wege officiating. Burial will follow in the Fairview Cemetery, Phillipsburg.
Mr. Russell will lie in-state on Thursday from noon – 9 p.m. at the Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel in Phillipsburg.
Memorial contributions may be given to the Kidney Fund or the Phillips County Ministerial Alliance. Online condolences to www.olliffboeve.com.
Olliff-Boeve Memorial Chapel, Phillipsburg, is in charge of arrangements.
Downs Native Jon Trotter with U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (Courtesy Photo)
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) today thanked Jon Trotter of Downs, Kan., for serving as a U.S. Senate Intern in his Washington, D.C., office this summer.
“Jon has been doing important work for Kansans and gaining valuable experience that will help him in the future.” Sen. Moran said. “I was an intern myself – it’s what got me interested in public service. Our interns continue to prove to me that there are a lot of great, young people across our state who have an interest in making a difference in the lives of others. Young people like Jon give me confidence that good things are going to happen in this country, especially in Kansas, because our kids are growing up to become impressive, hardworking young adults.”
Trotter is a 2014 graduate of Washburn University, and is currently entering his second year at Liberty University School of Law. He is working toward a juris doctorate in international law and foreign affairs. After graduation, Jon plans to apply for the U.S. Air Force Judge Advocate General (JAG) program.
During his time working in the United States Senate, Trotter assisted Sen. Moran with legislative and administrative duties on behalf of the state of Kansas.
Kansans interested in applying for U.S. Senate Internships learn more by visiting Sen. Moran’s website: https://www.moran.senate.gov.
BRENHAM, Texas (AP) — Public health officials are allowing Blue Bell to resume the production and sale of ice cream manufactured at its Alabama plant.
Jim McVay, director of health promotion and chronic disease at the Alabama Department of Public Health, said Wednesday that Blue Bell can resume full production at its facility in Sylacauga.
McVay says product testing and trial runs have shown no indications of the listeria contamination that caused a crippling recall in April following illnesses in four states, including three deaths in Kansas.
Production facilities remain closed in Oklahoma and Texas.
Blue Bell, which is based in Brenham, Texas, underwent an extensive cleaning and decontamination process at its four plants following the recall.
A message left for a Blue Bell spokesman for comment was not immediately returned.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Topeka City Council is expected to make another attempt at banning public nudity.
City Councilman Jeff Coen on Tuesday discussed his proposed ban on nudity in public places, referring to a local man who reportedly walks nude along an area trail.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports Mayor Larry Wolgast said there appeared to be a consensus that the council should consider the nudity ban at a future meeting.
The council voted last year to send its public health and safety committee a proposal that would make public nudity a misdemeanor. But committee members later voted to send the proposal out of committee with no recommendation regarding whether it should be rejected or approved. The council also considered banning public nudity in 2005, but the proposal died.
NEW YORK (AP) — Hall of Fame wide receivers Jerry Rice and Michael Irvin will serve as NFL Legends captains for the Pro Bowl.
The NFL announced the captains Wednesday.
The Pro Bowl will be played Sunday, Jan. 31 in Aloha Stadium in Hawaii.
Last season, Irvin and Cris Carter were captains, with Team Irvin beating Team Carter 32-28 at University of Phoenix Stadium in Arizona. Rice and Deion Sanders served as captains the previous year, with Team Rice topping Team Sanders 22-21 in Honolulu.
A proposal for a new travel plaza off Interstate 70 in Hays was removed from the Hays City Commission work session agenda Wednesday.
According to Hays City Manager Toby Dougherty, the agenda item was pulled at the developers’ request due to potential changes in the application.
If the change in minor and easily explainable, Dougherty said the item could resurface at the Aug. 20 work session. If it is more substantial, the proposal would likely be pushed back to the Sept. 3 commission work session.
Click HERE for details of the project as they appeared on the initial agenda for Thursday evening’s work session and HERE for the revised agenda.
A Hays woman was hospitalized after an early Wednesday morning accident on the south edge of Hays.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Pontiac passenger car driven by Shelby N. Gottschalk, 23, Hays, was eastbound on the U.S. 183 Bypass. A 2006 Buick passenger car driven by Tamara D. Anglin, 41, Russell, was westbound. The KHP reported both cars met on or about the center line, although it was undetermined which driver was at fault.
The accident occurred at 8:45 a.m., and the bypass was closed temporarily while public safety officials cleared the scene.
Gottschalk was transported to Hays Medical Center. Anglin and a 19-year-old passenger in Gottschalk’s vehicle were uninjured. All three were wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.
