KANSAS CITY – A former guard at the U.S. Penitentiary in Leavenworth was sentenced to two years on probation Monday for taking bribes, according to acting U.S. Attorney Tom Beall.

In addition, he was ordered to serve six months home confinement and pay $4,800 in fines.

Michael Harston, 53, Kansas City, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to accept bribes and one count of accepting bribes. In his plea, he admitted accepting bribes to provide inmates with tobacco, which is contraband. Inmates coordinated with their families and friends outside prison to pay Harston. They paid Harston as much as $1,000 for one six-ounce can of Bugler loose tobacco.

Beall commended the FBI, the Justice Department’s Office of Inspector General Special, USP Leavenworth SIS and Assistant U.S. Attorney Leena Ramana for their work on the case.

DODGE CITY- At 2:39 p.m. on Monday it was100 degrees in Dodge City. It was the first ever recorded 100-degree temperature in October since 1874, according to the National Weather Service.

100 degrees at 239pm recorded at Dodge City, first ever recorded 100 degree temperature in October since 1874 #kswx pic.twitter.com/gYTfbtaTSJ

— NWS Dodge City (@NWSDodgeCity) October 17, 2016

At 3 p.m. on Monday the temperature in Salina was 91 degrees. It was 93 in Russell. Both are new record high temperatures for October 17, according to the National Weather Service. The high temperature of 91 at Wichita on Monday tied for the 2nd warmest reading on October 17. The record warmest is 92F on October 20, 1979.

SW Kansas wasn’t far from today’s national high of 102 degrees! Don’t worry, we’ll cool down starting tomorrow w/ highs in the 70s. #kswx pic.twitter.com/rjnYxWXbY2

— NWS Dodge City (@NWSDodgeCity) October 18, 2016

RENO COUNTY –Law enforcement authorities in Reno County are investigating a robbery and asking the public for help to find the suspect.

At 9:43 a.m. on Monday, the Dillon’s store located at 1321 North Main Street in Hutchinson was robbed.

The suspect wore dark clothing and a devil’s Halloween mask when he entered the store and demanded money.

The suspect fled the store on a bicycle but abandoned it in the alley directly behind the store.

Police need help in identifying the owner of the pictured bicycle.

If you know who owns this bicycle or have any other information in regards to this crime please call Crime Stoppers of Reno

County at 1-800-222-TIPS or Detective Loepp at 620-694-2829. Please associate your tip with case #2016-26254.

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HUTCHINSON— Law enforcement authorities in Reno County are investigating a robbery at the Dillon’s Store, 1321 North Mail in Hutchinson on Monday morning.

Just after 10a.m. on Monday a man walked into the store and confronted the clerk at the service counter, according to police.

The suspect was wearing a mask, a hoodie and sweats according to initial reports.

Police believe the suspect tried to escape on a bicycle, which was located in the alleyway behind the store.

It is the second time the store has been robbed this year.

A Goddard man Austan Kinnaird, 25, is accused in that case. He faces a federal trial scheduled to begin in December.

SALINA, Kan. (AP) — The last of five young men involved in the shooting death of a 17-year-old Salina girl has been sentenced to prison.

Twenty-year-old Jerome Forbes was sentenced Friday to five years and eight months in prison for his role in the May 2015 death of Allie Saum.

Prosecutors say the men were seeking revenge after an earlier confrontation. Saum was shot as she rode in her boyfriend’s pickup, which was similar to one the men were seeking. Saum and her boyfriend had nothing to do with the earlier confrontation.

Forbes expressed regret for his role in the shooting and hopes to do something in the future to make amends.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A former bank president has admitted he failed to report suspicious activity at a small southwest Kansas bank prosecutors say a Mexican cartel was using to launder drug money.

Court documents show former Plains State Bank President James Kirk Friend entered a guilty plea Monday under a deal with prosecutors that would spare him from prison. The binding plea agreement calling for 12 months of probation is contingent on the judge’s approval.

Prosecutors contend Friend helped bank customers George and Agatha Enns of Meade launder more than $6.8 million between 2011 and 2014.

The Mexican cartel is suspected of laundering drug proceeds in Kansas to avoid tighter restrictions on U.S. currency in its home country.

His sentencing is set for Jan. 9.

JULIE BYKOWICZ, Associated Press

FAIRLESS HILLS, Pa. (AP) — One of the largest conservative groups in the country isn’t promoting the presidential candidacy of Donald Trump as its activists go door to door interacting with voters.

Americans for Prosperity — the best-known group financed by conservative billionaires Charles and David Koch — has more than 1,200 employees spread across the country.

Four years ago, that group spent heavily in an effort to prevent President Barack Obama’s second term.

This time they’re spending about $250 million on policy and politics in the two years leading to Election Day. But they’re focusing on saving the Republican-led Senate.

The brothers and many of their wealthy donor friends who fund the political and policy groups known as “the Koch network” have no interest in backing Trump.

KEVIN FREKING, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama says changes made to demand more from teachers and students are paying off as high school graduation rates have reached a record high of 83.2 percent.

On Monday, Obama spoke at Benjamin Banneker Academic High School in Washington, D.C., where graduation rates jumped the highest in the country for the 2014-2015 school year.

Obama told students they can accomplish whatever they want in their lives, but he’s also emphasizing that a high school education isn’t enough. He says the students are going to have to find jobs in a global economy and that they will be competing against students from China and India for jobs.

The increasing graduation rates, however, come against a backdrop of decreasing test scores for students on national math and reading tests.