WICHITA -Unofficially, 124 tornadoes moved across Kansas in 2015. This number is preliminary and subject to revision, according to the National Weather Service.
This ties with 2004 for the 4th most since 1990, and is 33 above the 1990-2014 annual normal of 91. Interestingly, last year (2014) only recorded 41 tornadoes across the state, which was the lowest annual total in the 27 year record since 1990.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The University of Kansas is extending its fast-track law degree program to undergraduates at Kansas State University.
The Lawrence Journal-Worldsays the Lawrence school will expand the program to other Kansas Board of Regents universities, first with Kansas State.
The University of Kansas launched its Legal Education Accelerated Degree program for its undergraduates in 2012. That so-called “3+3” program allows students to earn a bachelor’s and a law degree in just six years instead of the usual seven.
The University of Kansas is the only regents university with a law school.
Steven Freedman is assistant dean for admissions at the law school at Kansas. He says the first Kansas State freshmen are to begin the program next fall and would enter the law school at Kansas three years later.
James Bell
Hays Post
A large explosion was being reported by the Hays Police Department at around 10:30 p.m. Tuesday near Enersys, 1 Enersys Rd.
One officer reported over the radio, “It almost sounded like a gun shot over there.”
The sound was reported by several people on social media as well. The reports came in while a manhunt was underway in the area, but was unrelated to the search.
Later another officer said the power was off at the building.
Officers searched area, but found nothing suspicious.
“It was a re-closer operation,” said Mike Morley, Midwest Energy manager of corporate communications on Wednesday. “Whenever there is a fault on a line, it’s designed to open switches and if the fault clears it will re-close and that’s what happened.”
Enersys declined to comment.
Raw Video Courtesy Jessica Moore
ELLIS COUNTY– Law enforcement authorities in Ellis County arrested two suspects late Tuesday after an armed robbery at the Casey’s General Store, located near Interstate 70, in Ellis, according to a media release.
Witnesses provided law enforcement a description of the vehicle and police spotted the car near the U.S. 183 bypass west of Hays.
A chase started, and the suspect’s hit vehicle hit a guardrail.
Both men left the vehicle and fled on foot.
Thirty officers, four dogs and the Kansas Highway Patrol plane responded to search for the suspects.
Shannon Smith was found around 8:30 p.m. in a drainage ditch along I-70.
He is wanted on a warrant in Alabama.
Just after 11 p.m., the second suspect, Jessie Holland was located hiding in a KDOT vehicle near the scene.
They are being held on a $100,000 bond.
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ELLIS COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Ellis County arrested two suspects allegedly involved in an armed robbery at the Casey’s General Store in Ellis on Tuesday, according to police.
The robbery led to a chase. The suspects crashed their vehicle just off I-70 exit 157 near Hays and ran from the vehicle.
After a 3-hour search including officers from the Kansas Highway Patrol the suspects were arrested.
Additional details are expected to be released sometime Wednesday.
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By James Bell
Hays Post
Since at least 8 p.m. traffic has been stopped on the US 183 Hwy. Bypass from 27th St. North and the surrounding area as a search for a subject or subjects is underway as law enforcement is combing the area.
The circumstances leading to the search are unknown at this time, however, eyewitness reports indicate a green four door Honda civic was crashed in the area. The vehicle had struck a guardrail off the interstate near the US Hwy. 183 bypass.
Hays Police, Kansas Highway Patrol, Ellis County Sheriff’s and Fort Hays Police are on the scene, with the assistance of a KHP plane searching the area.
Scanner traffic indicates a weapon has been found in the area.
Unconfirmed reports suggest the search is related to an armed robbery that occurred in Ellis earlier this evening.
At 10:05 p.m. scanner traffic indicated one suspect had been apprehended and another was still being sought. Around the same time reports of a rifle and a shotgun from the crashed vehicle had been recovered.
At 11:13 p.m. officers were indicated over the scanner than the second suspect was in custody.
Hays Post will update the story as information becomes available.
KASEY JONES, Associated Press
BALTIMORE (AP) — The number of law enforcement officers killed by guns dropped 14 percent this year, but all line-of-duty police deaths rose slightly.
The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund said in a report Tuesday that 42 officers were killed this year by gunfire, compared with 49 last year.
The report says seven of those shooting deaths occurred during traffic stops.
A total of 124 federal, state, local, tribal and territorial officers were killed in 2015, a 4 percent increase over 2014. Fifty-two officers were killed in traffic incidents this year, compared with 49 in 2014.
The report comes amid a national debate about police conduct and law enforcement’s treatment of black men, including 25-year-old Freddie Gray. Gray died in Baltimore in April from injuries received in the back of a police transport van.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Democratic legislator in Kansas says safety problems at a state mental hospital should prompt employee firings, but a Republican lawmaker argues it’s too early to call for such actions.
Democratic Rep. Jim Ward of Wichita and GOP Sen. Mary Pilcher-Cook sparred during a legislative committee hearing Tuesday over safety issues at Osawatomie State Hospital.
Federal officials said earlier this month that the Medicare program would stop paying for patient care at the mental hospital in eastern Kansas.
Among multiple issues, federal officials cited a report that a patient raped an employee in October.
Ward said in the private sector, such problems would prompt firings. Pilcher-Cook said lawmakers should gather all the facts first.
Kansas Department for Aging and Disabilities Services Secretary Kari Bruffett declined to discuss personnel issues.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Wichita’s city attorney says the city’s police department didn’t violate any laws by keeping decades-old sensitive cases in a limited-access file separate from other investigations.
The Wichita Eagle reports the files include those dealing with police officers and city employees.
City Attorney Jennifer Magana’s three-month internal review came after City Manager Bob Layton said he became aware of the so-called “confidential” files dating to the 1980s.
Most police records are accessible by more than 800 Wichita police employees. But the limited-access files are available to 92 people across five agencies or departments.
PRATT COUNTY- Law enforcement authorities in Pratt County are investigating an accident that injured two men just after 1p.m. on Tuesday.
The Pratt County Sheriff’s office reported a 2005 International tanker truck driven by William Blomander, 65, Ulysses, was northbound at the intersection of NE 60th Street, and NE 70 Avenue.
The truck collided with an eastbound 2011 Ford F-250 Pickup driven by Donald Fisher, 65, Preston.
Fisher had to be extricated from the truck and was transported to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center.
Blomander had crawled out of the cab. He was transported to Pratt Regional Medical Center.
Life Team was called from Hutchinson to assist in the transports, according to the Pratt County Sheriff.
HUTCHINSON— After one of the five teens arrested and accused of making criminal threats against Hutchinson High reached a plea agreement, the other four did the same Tuesday afternoon in Reno County Juvenile Court.
Takota Bowman, Jacobsen Eells, Andre Smith and Tyler Cabral all entered pleas to one count of criminal threat, while the charge of conspiracy to commit murder was dismissed.
The pleas are similar to the one offered and accepted by Dominic Collins just before Christmas.
Like Collins, the four were sentenced to court services until May of 2016 and time already served.
According to Daniel Gilligan of the District Attorney’s office, all had made strides to improve their lives, including obtaining or trying to obtain their GEDs.
Bowman is also attending classes at Allen Community College in Iola, and will go through his court supervision there.
All must write a letter of apology to Hutchinson USD 308 for their actions.
SALINA – Law enforcement authorities in Saline County are investigating a suspect in connection with a series of robberies in Salina.
Travis R. Moreland, 23, Chapman, is being held in connection with the robberies of the Howard Johnson Motel on December 5th, Days Inn on December 12th, and Horseman’s Headquarters on December 21st., according to Salina Police Captain Chris Trocheck.
Moreland is also charged with a burglary at the Howard Johnson Motel on December 16.
Trocheck said Salina Police were able to develop Moreland as a suspect while Abilene Police and the Dickinson County Sheriff’s Office were investigating cases where Moreland was a possible suspect.
Moreland was booked into Dickinson County jail on December 26. Additional arrests are possible in the Salina robberies, according to Trocheck.
Moreland faces requested charges in Salina of three counts of aggravated robbery, aggravated burglary, assault, and criminal possession of a firearm.
RENO COUNTY – A Kansas woman was injured in an accident just after 1:30p.m. on Tuesday in Reno County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1999 Ford passenger car driven by Carissa S. Freeman, 36, Sterling, was southbound on Kansas 14 two miles south of Sterling.
The driver reached for her cell phone and overcorrected. The car traveled into the west ditch and rolled into a field.
Freeman was transported to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center.
She was wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.
LIBERAL – A heat lamp is blamed for a fire that scorched the side of a home, blew out a window and destroyed two doghouses in Liberal just after 1:30 on Monday, according to Fire Chief Kelly Kirk.
The residents of the home near 11th and Calvert Avenue were using the heat lamps to keep pets warm.
Two adult dogs survived the fire. A puppy died. No other injuries were reported.
HaysMed
The Center for Health Improvement will offer for the first time a seven week Saturday fitness bootcamp for kids. The program is for children ages 8-12; includes fun fitness activities that keep them active and moving during the winter months.
Participants will be guided through a weekly circuit workout and experience various group fitness classes at the end of each session. The Center will provide a positive environment and encourage kids to lead an active lifestyle. Weekly exercise/nutrition homework will be sent home encouraging families to lead healthy lives together.
Participants will be required to attend an initial fitness test and will be completed either Jan. 16th or Jan. 23rd at 10:30am. Children will report for “Active Duty” each Saturday beginning January 30th – March 12th from 10:30am-12pm. All activities will be held at The Center for Health Improvement Gymnasium.
The registration fee is $65 for all seven sessions plus the fitness testing. Drop in fees are also available for $12 for each session attended. Space is limited.
To register go to www.haysmed.com/the-center/kids-fit-club/bootcamp
