ST. MARYS- Two men were injured in an accident just before 9a.m. on Thursday in Pottawatomie County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Dodge truck driven by Jeffrey Lee Freeman, 52, Topeka, was northbound on Maple Hill Road one mile south of St. Marys. The Dodge went left of center.

A 1987 Ford pickup driven by John C. Rookstool, 62, Wamego, was southbound on Maple Hill Road and went left of center to avoid the Dodge.

At the same time the Dodge corrected and reentered the northbound lane. The Dodge hit the Ford head-on.
Rookstool was transported to St. Marys Community Hospital.

Freeman was transported to St. Marys and transferred to Stormont Vail in Topeka.

Freeman was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

SALINA – Law enforcement authorities in Saline County are investigating a teenager for alleged theft and drug possession.

Police say Jennifer K. Sharp, 18, Salina, was arrested just after 3a.m. on Wednesday after officers noticed the license plate on the 2006 pickup she was driving in the 1200 block of North 9th Street had been reported stolen.

When the officer turned around to make the traffic stop, Sharp turned off of North 9th Street onto the 400 block of West Euclid, got out of the pickup, and hid, according to police.

She was quickly found and arrested on requested charges of possession of stolen property and possession of methamphetamines

The pickup had been reported stolen from the parking lot of Wilson Hall on the Kansas Wesleyan Campus Tuesday evening, according to police.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The state of Kansas will issue birth certificates to two same-sex couples but will continue to study similar requests on a case-by-case basis.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment says the birth certificates in the two cases will list both members of the same-sex couples as parents of their children.

The two couples were part of pending lawsuits in state and federal court. They argued the state’s refusal to issue the birth certificates violated a recent Supreme Court ruling that states must recognize same-sex marriages.

Department spokeswoman Sara Belfry told The Lawrence Journal-World the department decided to issue the birth certificates in the two cases after reviewing applicable law and existing court orders.

But she says the state’s general policy has not changed.

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a stunning move, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy has withdrawn his candidacy for House Speaker.

GOP lawmakers said McCarthy told colleagues at the start of the conference Thursday that he was not the right person for the job. He recommended that the election be postponed and Speaker John Boehner delayed it.

Today the establishment lost. #McCarthy

— Cong. Tim Huelskamp (@CongHuelskamp) October 8, 2015

FALL RIVER – A Kansas woman died in an accident just before 7a.m. on Thursday in Greenwood County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Chevy Blazer driven by Sharlene Ione Buckmaser, 49, Fall River, was eastbound on 15th street one mile north of Fall River.

The SUV traveled left of center and left the north side of the road.

The driver overcorrected, the SUV rolled and the driver was ejected.

Buckmaster was transported to Fredonia Regional Hospital where she died.

She was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas had more than 300 vacant teaching positions at the beginning of this school year.

Officials from the Kansas Department of Education said the numbers showing there were 317 vacant teaching positions in early September are from the first stage of a study the department is conducting to determine why some districts can’t fill certain positions.

The Wichita Eagle reports the state Department of Education previously administered a survey for the U.S. Department of Education on teacher demographics. But this year the state started conducting its own deeper survey.

School districts reported their vacant teaching positions as of Sept. 1, and in February will tell the district whether they filled those positions and if not, what factors were responsible.

The Wichita school district had the most vacancies with 64.

GEARY COUNTY- One person died in a 2-vehicle collision just after 3:30a.m. on Thursday in Geary County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2008 Ford F-150 driven by Thomas J. Packer, 26, Tama, IA, was south bound on U.S. 77 nine miles north of Junction City.

The pickup left the west edge of the road and entered the ditch. The driver overcorrected back onto U.S. 77.

A northbound semi collided with the pickup on the passenger side. Both vehicles came to rest in east ditch.

Packer, a soldier at Fort Riley, was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Penwell-Gabel Funeral Home

The semi driver Johnson, Robby R. Johnson, 49, Augusta, was transported to Geary Community Hospital.

Packer was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

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GEARY COUNTY –Law enforcement and emergency personnel remain on the scene of a two-vehicle  head- on collision, which claimed the life of the driver of a pickup truck.

Geary County Emergency Management Director Garry Berges reported the fire at the scene of the accident has been extinguished, and a Kansas Highway Patrol accident reconstruction team is on the scene working to determine what occurred just prior to the accident.

Southbound traffic is being detoured at the K-82 exit into Wakefield west, while northbound traffic will be detoured around Milford Lake from the U.S. 77 – K-57 intersection on the northwest side of Junction City.

The semi-tractor trailer involved in the accident was carrying frozen hot dogs. Those will have to be cleaned up and removed from the scene.

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GEARY COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities and first responders are investigating an accident that occurred just after 2:30a.m. on Thursday in Geary County.

The head-on collision involved a pickup and a semi on U.S. 77 just south of the Kansas 82 junction, according to Geary County Emergency Management Director Garry Berges.

“The driver of the pickup died in the crash. The semi driver suffered minor injuries,” he said.

U.S. 77 is closed in both directions until approximately 9 or 10 a.m. Thursday. .
Drivers coming from the north are being diverted through Wakefield.

Names of the victims have not been released

Check Hays Post for additional details as they become available.

GREAT BEND- Law enforcement authorities in Barton County are investigating a marijuana growing operation

Police reported in a media release that just after 10:30 on Wednesday officers executed a narcotic search warrant at 1308 Murphy in Great Bend.

They found items used in a marijuana growing operation although no active growth was in process. Marijuana was also located at the residence.

One arrest was made. Names will be released after the filing of formal charges.

The investigation continues. Anyone with information in reference to this narcotic case is asked to contact the Great Bend Police Department Detective Division or Crime Stoppers at 620-792-1300.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A federal judge is allowing Northern Natural Gas to delay paying property owners a $8.58 million judgment for condemning nearly 9,200 acres in southern Kansas.

U.S. District Judge J. Thomas Marten approved on Thursday the Omaha-based company’s request seeking a stay of the judgment while it appeals the judgment.

The judge who previously handled the case had already said the court would authorize such a stay during appeal if the company posted a $10.73 million bond, representing 125 percent of the judgment.

Northern says it has now secured that bond.

The condemnation involves storage rights underlying the land surrounding Northern’s underground storage facility. It affects landowners in Pratt, Kingman and Reno counties.

A court last month awarded property owners $7.31 million in compensation, plus $1.27 million in interest.

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WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Northern Natural Gas wants a federal court to allow it to delay paying property owners a $8.58 million judgment for condemning nearly 9,200 acres in southern Kansas.

The Omaha-based company filed Wednesday a motion in U.S. District Court in Kansas seeking a stay of the judgment while it appeals. The court had previously said it would authorize the stay during appeal if the company posted a $10.73 million bond, representing 125 percent of the judgment.

Northern says it has now secured that bond and seeks its approval.

The condemnation involves storage rights underlying the land surrounding Northern’s massive underground storage facility. It affects landowners in Pratt, Kingman and Reno counties.

U.S. District Judge Monti Belot last month awarded the property owners $7.31 million in compensation, plus $1.27 million in interest.