WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A government report shows that the Kansas wheat crop is mostly weathering the winter well so far.

The National Agricultural Statistics Service reported Monday that 55 of the crop is in good to excellent shape, with 37 percent in fair condition. About 8 percent is in poor to very poor condition.

The agency noted that all of Kansas received some precipitation in January, with the heaviest amounts in the central portion of the state.

Topsoil moisture was adequate to surplus across 81 percent of the state.

TOPEKA -Law enforcement authorities in Shawnee County are investigating a suspect in connection with a car jacking.

Just after 8:30 on Sunday morning, police were contacted reference a car jacking in the 1100 Block of Southwest Lane in Topeka, according to a media release.

Police saw the vehicle, a white Chevy SUV, at Southeast 29th and California Street where it sped away from officers.

Kansas Highway Patrol aircraft saw the vehicle at 21st and Southwest Washburn where a trooper attempted to stop it and a chase was initiated. The suspect crashed the vehicle at Southwest Hampton and Southwest Buchanan.

Police arrested Paul Jeffery Gladney, Jr., 25, without incident and he was booked into the Shawnee County jail on requested charges of aggravated robbery and felony in possession of a firearm.

BROOKVILLE – Law enforcement authorities in Saline County are investigating a teenager for alleged vandalism.

Austin Sommerfeld, 18, Brookville, was has been charged with damage to property after he allegedly used spray paint to leave profane words on the sidewalks, doors, and windows at Ell-Saline High School late Saturday night, according to Sheriff’s Captain Roger Soldan.

A deputy discovered the vandalism about 10:40 p.m. on Saturday.

During an investigation Sunday, witnesses said they saw a person on a red four wheeler leave the area of the school at about 10:30 p.m. That led investigators to Sommerfeld.

Damage from the graffiti has been estimated at $950.

MANHATTAN -Janir Vega, 17, appeared in Riley County Court on Monday for sentencing under Judge Wilson after being arrested following a robbery spree near the K-State campus.

Vega was taken into custody on September 16, 2015 after an overnight search lasting several hours.

Vega was taken into custody for the offenses of aggravated robbery (X3) and conspiracy to commit aggravated robbery in relation to a string of robberies that shut down K-State and Manhattan Christian College campuses on Friday, September 4.

Attorney Blake Robinson, who motioned for a durational or dispositional departure so that Vega would get probation or a shorter sentence, represented Vega.

Robinson went into detail about Vega’s personal past, and argued that going into the Kansas Department of Corrections wouldn’t help Vega, who had been under pressure by adults that were also involved in the robberies.

Vega told Judge Wilson that he wanted to apologize to everyone involved, and that he was a victim of peer pressure.

Ransom Gardiner, one of the robbery victims, gave a statement to the court, saying he was approached from an alleyway after walking home from Aggieville in the early morning hours of September 4. Gardiner said a man ran up to him with what looked like a black semi-automatic handgun.

The man had him get on the ground where he took his phone and wallet at gunpoint. Gardiner admitted to being very shaken up for several weeks following the robbery.
Barry Disney, senior deputy county attorney in Riley County, argued against Robinson’s motion. He said Vega put the gun to Gardiner’s head, which made him a culprit, not a victim of peer pressure.

Disney read a transcript from Vega’s preliminary hearing where he didn’t contest any of Gardiner’s statements.
Judge Wilson sentenced Vega to 59 months with the Kansas Department of Corrections, with 89 days credit for time served.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas lawmakers are pledging support of legislation that seeks to make state government more transparent.

The Wichita Eagle reports that Republican state Rep. John Rubin and Democratic state Rep. John Wilson signed a pledge to support these efforts.

The pledge was drafted by Open Kansas, a nonprofit that supports government transparency. The organization says Kansas was among 11 states to receive a failing grade when the Center for Public Integrity rated state transparency last year.

One of the Senate bills would address a loophole in the state’s records law that allows officials to conduct public business on private email. Another would change the Open Meetings Act so public bodies have to disclose more information when they go into closed sessions.

A House bill would enable live audio streaming of committee hearings.

IRVING, Texas (AP) — Former Dallas Cowboy Joseph Randle has been arrested in Texas after it was determined he was wanted for speeding.

Irving police spokesman James McLellan says 24-year-old Randle was arrested early Monday. McLellan says police were called to a home after a woman said her daughter’s ex-boyfriend was ringing their doorbell at 3 a.m.

Upon arrival, police ran a standard warrant check and discovered Randle was wanted on a speeding ticket warrant in the nearby suburb of Coppell. He was taken into custody and released from jail after $359 bond was posted. McLellan didn’t know of an attorney for Randle.

Randle has had a string of run-ins with the law, beginning with a 2014 shoplifting arrest. The Cowboys released him last fall.

HUTCHINSON — A Reno County judge on Monday granted the state’s motion in the case against a 16-year-old Kansas boy charged with two counts of first-degree murder and aggravated arson.

Samuel Vonachen, 16, Hutchinson, is accused of setting fire to his family’s home, which killed his mother and sister. He was 14 at the time and the state has charged him as an adult for those crimes.

The court was informed Monday that the defense filed a writ of mandamus with the Kansas Court of Appeals to try to get them to overrule the judge’s order.

The issue is over the judge granting the state’s request for handing over writings or a journal and other items that the defendant has been working on or writing since his arrest.

Those items were sent to the doctors doing a mental evaluation to see if the defendant can use mental disease or defect at trial.

Judge Trish Rose had told the defense to provide the items to her first and then she would rule whether they can be released to the doctors.

She apparently decided they could, but has now stayed that order.
That mean the case will be on hold until the Kansas Court of Appeals rules on the defense filing.

The case centers on Vonachen allegedly spreading gas through the downstairs of his family’s home, then setting it on fire on Sept. 26, 2013.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas is reporting that it collected about $7 million less in taxes than anticipated in January, with corporate income and sales taxes falling short of expectations.

Monday’s report of a shortfall came as legislative budget committees prepared to discuss proposals for closing a projected shortfall approaching $200 million in the budget for the fiscal year beginning July 1.

The Department of Revenue says the state collected $535 million in taxes last month instead of the $542 million projected in a November fiscal forecast. The shortfall is 1.3 percent.

Since the current fiscal year began in July, the state has collected $3.38 billion in taxes. That’s $26 million less than anticipated.

The department noted that personal income tax collections exceeded expectations in January but

MANHATTAN -One of the masons currently working on Kansas State University’s East Memorial Stadium found a letter inside an old tobacco can after removing a stone on the stadium’s east side, according to a social media report from Kansas State Historical Society’s Preservation Office.

The letter, written in 1928 was turned over to the University.

The letter reads “Dear Folks, Will place a not[e] in wall as it may some day be found and perhaps the men that Built it will be dead and forgotten.

We are having nice weather was 18 above zero this morning. Hope when this is opened things will be better for the working man than [now?].

Mason got $10 per day and labor $3.20 there will have to be a change soon or the labor will be out of luck.

Please print this if found.”

The letter was signed CK Bell, Geo H Bell, W. Sowell, Jim Kelley, Ray [Disney?] Good luck.”

The Kansas State Historical society added, “Buildings are built by real people for real people; we love these little reminders.”

HUTCHINSON– The NJCAA, the national governing body of two-year college athletics, and the American Legion Lysle Rishel Post No. 68 are set to sign a 25-year contract that solidifies the NJCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Championship will stay at the Hutchinson Sports Arena until 2041, according to a media release.

Hutchinson has been the home to the NJCAA’s premier basketball championship since 1949 and the event is known locally as “The Tournament.”

Last April, the Hutchinson community sent a clear message to the NJCAA when they voiced their overwhelming support for The Tournament by voting to approve a 0.35 percent sales tax increase to fund a $29.5 million renovation to the Sports Arena. This helped set the stage for the contract extension.

“Without the support of the Hutchinson community, keeping The Tournament here for the next 25 years would not be possible”, said LeAnn Cox, Vice President of Operations and Tourism for the Greater Hutchinson Convention/Visitors Bureau. “The Tournament brings an estimated $1.3 million economic impact to our community which drives much-needed revenues to our hotels, restaurants and retail locations.”

The planned improvements include replacing the plumbing, electrical and heating systems and adding air conditioning and new locker rooms. Additional plans include a new main entrance, lobby and ticketing area, multi-purpose rooms, more restrooms, three full-sized practice gyms, a Hall of Fame and a new weight room. Additional seating compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act will be also be created on the upper level of the arena.

According to Jerry Ricksecker, American Legion representative and longtime tournament chairman, “The American Legion has partnered with the NJCAA for over 67 years. We rely on our 200 volunteers who are willing to give their time towards putting on The Tournament each year. For some volunteers, this amounts to a year-long commitment. We’re honored that we’ve been able to sign a contract for The Tournament through 2041 and that the NJCAA has confidence in our ability to host a successful championship.”

The NJCAA is the second-largest intercollegiate athletic association in the United States, with over 500 member colleges, and nearly 60,000 student-athletes competing in 48 national championships each year.

“Hutchinson holds a special place in the heart of the NJCAA and we are excited to continue returning to Hutchinson every March,” said Mary Ellen Leicht, Executive Director of the NJCAA. “The Sports Arena renovations will have a positive impact on the student-athletes who earn the right to compete in one of the best collegiate championships in the country.”

A formal signing of the contract will occur during a ceremony hosted by the Hutchinson/Reno County Chamber of Commerce and Convention/Visitors Bureau at the Sports Arena on Monday, February 15 at 10:00 a.m. The public is invited and encouraged to attend this historic event.