LARNED, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Department of Corrections says an autopsy shows that an inmate convicted of killing two children in 1986 died of unspecified natural causes.
The Topeka Capital-Journal says Nolan Prewett was 66 when he died Jan. 10 at the Larned Correctional Mental Health Facility.
Prewett was serving time for crimes linked to the July 1986 suffocation deaths in Topeka of 3-year-old Shavon Mahomes and her half-sister, 6-year-old Shannon Mahomes. Their bodies were found in a home’s basement.
Prewett was convicted of two counts each of first-degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated criminal sodomy, rape and enticement of a child.
He received two life sentences to be served simultaneously.
LOGAN COUNTY – A Gove County man was injured in an accident just after 2 a.m. on Friday in Logan County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Ford Mustang driven by Austin James, Beckman, 22, Grinnell, was eastbound on Interstate 70 just west of the U.S. 40 Junction.
The driver lost control of vehicle. It traveled into south ditch and rolled.
Beckman was transported to the Logan County Hospital. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.
In an effort to help some students get acclimated to college Fort Hays State University will host the Hispanic College Institute this June.
According to the university, the four-day, residential program is aimed at preparing high school Hispanic and Latino students in Kansas to enter and succeed in higher education.
Mirta Martin, FHSU president, recently told the Kansas Information Network that she first launched this program during her time in Virginia and it was a success.
“It is designed to allow our students, especially first-generation students to navigate the American educational system so they now how they can enroll in college,” Martin added “more importantly how they can succeed and graduate from college.”
During the program student will get an opportunity to meet with Hispanic leaders, mentors and role models, learn about the college admission process, meet with FHSU admissions and financial aid representatives and write a college application essay while staying on the FHSU campus.
With the growing Hispanic population in Kansas Martin said, “it was time for us to do it.”
The program is free for Hispanic and Latino high school sophomores (Class of 2018) or juniors (Class of 2017) from Kansas. It will be held June 22nd through the 25th.
For more information and to fill out an application go to https://www.fhsu.edu/hci/.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A 27-year-old woman has been arrested after police say she stole items from a west Wichita Wal-Mart and led officers on a chase.
Wichita police Lt. Randy Reynolds says an officer pulled over a car for driving erratically and not using headlights around 11:20 p.m. Wednesday. The officer learned that the vehicle matched the description of one used by a shoplifter at an area Wal-Mart.
When the officer asked the woman to step out, she drove away. Reynolds says a short chase ensued before the woman turned into a cul-de-sac and crashed.
The Wichita Eagle reports that the officer found her 2-year-old daughter unrestrained in the back seat, along with evidence linking her to the shoplifting incident and drug paraphernalia.
Jana’s Campaign Inc., a Hays, Kansas-based, national education and gender violence prevention organization is embarking on a national fundraising effort to raise $500,000 over the next eighteen months.
Representatives of Jana’s Campaign explained the fundraising effort is called “The IMPACT Project” because funds will be used to expand the impact of their violence prevention work.
Jana Mackey
Jana’s Campaign was created in honor of Jana Mackey who lost her life to domestic violence in 2008. Mackey, a Hays High School graduate, was a 25-year-old law student at the University of Kansas at the time of her death.
“It is our goal to move our work to the next level and to create greater impact,” said Kelley Parker, executive director of Jana’s Campaign.
“The IMPACT Project will allow us to improve and expand our prevention efforts in middle and high schools, colleges and universities, as well as with our community-wide programming activities,” Parker said.
“I am happy to announce that because of early contributions, we have collected $120,000 towards our goal.”
The fundraising effort is being led by two co-chairs, Hays residents Mia Lang and Curt Brungardt.
Curt Brungardt and Mia Lang, co-chairs
Lang is a ten-year-old fourth grader from Holy Family Elementary school. Over the last two years, Lang has been very active and successful in fundraising for Jana’s Campaign. Curt Brungardt is a faculty member at Fort Hays State University and co-founder of Jana’s Campaign. Over the past five years, Brungardt has served as president of the board of directors before stepping down in August 2015.
In the past three years, Jana’s Campaign has worked with more than 140 Kansas middle and high schools, as well as 148 colleges and universities from around the country to help prevent and respond to gender and relationship violence. Funds raised through The IMPACT Project will continue this critical work in Kansas and neighboring states.
What was once a bowling alley, then a thrift shop, the home of the Hays Community Theatre and now the Platinum Group – a new real estate agency – has found a home in the Chestnut Street District at 116 E. 11th. But getting the historic Hays building ready for modern use took vision and an almost unbelievable amount of work.
The building, along with the agency, are owned by real estate agent Adam Pray.
“We toured the building. There was plenty of space, and I just felt like it had a lot of potential,” Pray said.
After the tour, Pray knew this would be an ideal location for the agency.
“Downtown Hays, it is a very desirable place,” Pray said. “A lot of people enjoy being downtown. You’ve got just about anything you might want here in Hays.”
After touring the building, Pray began the process of trying to secure ownership of the building, a process completed just a few months later.
“We were fortunate enough to get it,” Pray said, noting there were several offers on the table for the building.
After the purchase, the HCT began working on the building, the first permanent home for the group. During the process HCT volunteer Stephen Brummer from SJB Designs came to Pray’s attention, a meeting that would shape the overall design of the building for both Pray and the Theatre.
“He introduced himself and said that he had the ability to do it,” Pray said, after talking to him more he found his ideas intriguing. “He had a lot of great ideas, that some of the other contractors didn’t have.”
“When it came down to it, he said, ‘Brummer, I think you’re the guy to do this,'” Brummer said.
And so the major work began.
The theatre group worked for months getting the larger open east side space ready — with a volunteer effort. During that process, a new wall was put in place to separate their space from the smaller offices that would be the home to the Platinum Group.
“They have a long-term contract with Adam to be able to be here,” Brummer said. “It will be a good start-up system for them.”
“Right away, we came in and started measuring out to depict how the theatre group could set up shop for them and, as I met Adam and we started talking about his possible uses for the building, right away I started conceptual plans for the whole building. And that’s when we started talking about the idea of creating seven offices,” he said.
The two sides are still somewhat joined as a sliding door opens up the office space to the theatre side, giving access to the only staircase leading downstairs. A separate stair system is planned to allow the HCT access.
The connection will allow Pray and his team to use the space, as well.
“Adam’s vision is to come in here and provide seminars or conferences. Now he’s got the space to incorporate that,” Brummer said.
The theatre side retained much of the same basic outline and openness from the ARC, but the transformation on the office side is much more significant.
“When they first bought it, it had the ugly vinyl floors and there was a glass atrium,” Brummer said, both of which were removed during construction.
One of the first major projects in the building was the replacing of the floors.
“Which helped the theatre side get their facility set up to where they could use it, but it made a little more work,” as the floor needed protected during construction, Brummer said.
To match the new floor, a much more dramatic ceiling was created.
“The original ceiling was about 10.5 feet tall. We came in and just started going by layer tearing out ceiling,” he said. The final ceiling is open to the top of the building, showing the original bracing from the building’s construction in the late 1930s.
Now that the major construction is complete, the building has a completely new feel, thanks to significant – but rewarding – effort.
“It’s a fun project, it’s neat to be able to see how it’s transformed from 1750 square feet of open space to 750 square feet of office space,” Brummer said.
Pray also shared the enthusiam after he has been able to relax in the new office space and reflect.
“It’s been one of the best construction experiences I’ve ever had.”
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Donald Trump’s absence from Thursday night’s debate put the spotlight on rivals Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio, who needs a strong showing in Iowa in order to stay in the top tier of candidates. The two senators were confronted with video clips suggesting they had changed their positions on immigration, one of the most contentious issues among Republicans. Each insisted the other had flip-flopped, and denied they had switched their own views allowing some people in the U.S. illegally to stay.
Today Sunny, with a high near 63. Southwest wind 6 to 11 mph becoming north northwest 13 to 18 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 28 mph. Tonight Mostly clear, with a low around 29. Northwest wind 5 to 7 mph becoming southwest after midnight.
SaturdayMostly sunny, with a high near 59. Light southwest wind becoming south 10 to 15 mph in the morning.
Saturday NightPartly cloudy, with a low around 31. Blustery, with a light and variable wind becoming north 15 to 20 mph after midnight.
SundayPartly sunny, with a high near 49. Northwest wind 7 to 17 mph.
Sunday NightA 30 percent chance of snow after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30.
MondayA 50 percent chance of snow. Cloudy, with a high near 37. Breezy.
Monday NightSnow likely. Cloudy, with a low around 25. Very windy. Chance of precipitation is 70%.
TuesdayA 50 percent chance of snow. Cloudy, with a high near 30. Very windy.
HUTCHINSON – Law enforcement authorities in Reno County are investigating an attack on a convenience store clerk and robbery.
Hutchinson Police are asking the public’s help in identifying those who may have robbed the Kwik Shop located at 43rd and Plum Wednesday morning, according to a media release.
Three white males at gunpoint robbed the convenience store.
The clerk was compliant, however she was still severely beaten.
The suspects took an undetermined amount of money and tobacco products then fled the store on foot.
Police are asking for your help capturing these extremely dangerous suspects.
If you have any information about this crime, please call Crime Stoppers of Reno County at 1-800-222-TIPS, the Hutchinson
Police Department at 620-694-2832 or Detective Loepp at 620-694-2829. Please associate any information about this crime with #2016-2127.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas lawmakers say that legislative sessions need to be curtailed to expedite decisions and save taxpayer money.
The House Committee on Appropriations held a hearing Thursday to discuss a bill that would shorten the session in odd numbered years to 60 days. Even-numbered years would remain at 90 days as required by the Kansas Constitution.
Republican Rep. Marvin Kleeb from Overland Park was one of many members who testified that the shorter session would allow them to spend more time with their families and return to their businesses. They also said it would push lawmakers to discuss bills in a more efficient manner.
Kleeb added that a shorter session could save taxpayers more than $1.9 million a year.
The history of Kansas is one replete with humble but aspirational men and women. Our state has raised many national leaders who, over the years, have helped Kansas and the nation overcome many obstacles. Yet, our state’s true legacy has been built by the farmers, factory workers, teachers and parents who work hard every day to improve our communities and state for the next generation. These unsung heroes have made Kansas such a special place to live. In them, the spirit of the pioneers who settled our state 155 years ago lives on.
At no point in the past century have Kansans had it easy – our state’s motto, “To the stars through difficulty,” reflects this truth. Our motto, though, captures a central feature of Kansans’ character: an innate drive to innovate, support one another, and leave behind a stronger, freer and more prosperous state and nation for the next generation. I witness these ideals time and again as I visit communities across our state.
Tradition of Innovation
Kansas has always been home to innovators – individuals who are willing to risk their livelihoods to pursue their dreams. From Amelia Earhart of Atchison to Nobel Prize winner Jack Kilby of Great Bend to Walter Chrysler of Ellis, Kansans are not afraid to break new ground in order to improve American lives. In Overland Park, lifelong Kansan and entrepreneur Chris Costello continues this legacy of innovation with his company Blooom, Inc. A rapidly-growing online financial service provider, Blooom helps people maximize their retirement investments. It was recognized as the winner of the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation’s “One in a Million” competition in November 2015 – a national event that awards grants to start-ups each year – and the company has received significant praise for its low-cost approach to both innovation in personal finance and for encouraging financial literacy. The Kauffman Foundation’s statistics confirm that entrepreneurial ventures like Blooom are a critical component of economic growth, creating an average of 3 million jobs each year. The creativity and tenacity entrepreneurs bring to their work are traits that have made Kansans successful throughout history.
Communities Coming Together
This past year, the Department of Defense was tasked with reducing troop totals at military bases across the country. Initial reports were that Fort Riley could be significantly impacted. Members of the Junction City, Manhattan and Fort Riley communities responded by organizing a listening session attended by the Army’s then-Director of Force Management, Major General Roger Cloutier, which would give the community an opportunity to demonstrate its support for the base. The turnout was unparalleled – more than 4,200 Kansans attended to show their love and support for our service members and their families – and it was the largest listening session audience for any session the Army held. The Big Red One at Fort Riley sacrifices for our nation to make certain that those who follow us, our kids and grandkids, are able to grow up with the same freedoms and liberties we enjoy today. The February 2015 listening session was, in my view, the perfect example of Kansans coming together for a greater cause.
Remembering the Past, Honoring the Future
It’s been eight years since the Greensburg community was destroyed by an F5 tornado. In the storm’s aftermath, we saw the very best in people all across the state as rescue crews, volunteers and donations from communities near and far flowed into the city in an outpouring of support. Greensburg residents refused to let this great tragedy define their community. The reopening of the Twilight Theater last spring is a testament to their courage to persevere in spite of enormous challenges. The theater originally opened in 1917 and has a long history as a gathering place for Greensburg residents, serving as both a movie theater and auditorium space over the years. Fortunately, what was old is new once again. The theater has entertained more than 1,000 Kansans each month since its opening and is now used as an auditorium for Kiowa County schools. I have visited Greensburg a number of times since the tornado, and each time I walk down Main Street and see the progress made I think of the modern-day pioneers who overcame difficulties in order to build a better future for their community.
Pioneers like the entrepreneurs at Blooom, those who came together to attend the Fort Riley Listening Session, and the resilient residents of Greensburg are who make our state such a special place to call home. Because of folks like them, bright days lie ahead for Kansas. I will continue to do all I can to make certain we leave behind a stronger, freer and more prosperous place to call home. May God continue to bless the great state of Kansas.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment is investigating an outbreak of norovirus, shown here, at the New Theatre Restaurant in Overland Park. CREATIVE COMMONS / PUBLIC DOMAIN IMAGES
By DAN MARGOILES
Kansas health authorities now say that more than 390 people have reported getting ill after attending the New Theatre Restaurant in Overland Park.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment says it’s expanding its investigation of norovirus infection after receiving the reports.
The new number is about quadruple the number the agency reported on Wednesday, when it said more than 100 people who attended performances at the popular dinner theater restaurant had become ill. Four people were confirmed to have come down with the virus, which is highly contagious.
KDHE is asking anyone who attended the theater since Friday, Jan. 15, irrespective of whether they became ill, to fill out a confidential online survey at https://tinyurl.com/newtheatre2016.
Norovirus is the most common cause of acute gastroenteritis in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It causes 19 million to 21 million illnesses annually and is the most common cause of foodborne-disease outbreaks.
Dan Margolies, editor of the Heartland Health Monitor team, is based at KCUR. You can reach him on Twitter @DanMargolies.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A 17-year-old who was shot and wounded by Wichita police has been charged with a misdemeanor weapons violation.
The Wichita Eagle reports that the charge was filed Thursday in juvenile court. It carries penalties ranging from probation to 28 days in juvenile detention.
Police said the black teen was armed and running toward the white police officer who fired at him. The shooting happened on the night of Dec. 4 outside a high school where a girls’ basketball game was underway.
Police say the teen began running with a handgun when officers stopped a pickup truck that police thought contained a suspect in a double homicide. The teen is accusing of ignoring multiple commands to drop the handgun.
Prosecutors haven’t yet ruled on whether the shooting was justified.
