RENO COUNTY — A former Kansas Department of Corrections employee facing a felony charge for sexual contact with an inmate at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility was back in court Monday. Amy Hapner entered a not guilty plea.

In January, Hapner waived her right to a preliminary hearing on a charge of unlawful sexual relations for the encounter where she’s accused of consensual lewd fondling or touching of inmate, Donell Williams. The alleged crime occurred on May 7, 2016.

Williams is serving time for two counts of murder in the first degree for crimes out of Wyandotte County.

Reno County District Judge Trish Rose set a tentative trial date on the case for April 17.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Wichita man pleaded guilty to not reporting hundreds of thousands of dollars from illegal bookmaking on his federal income taxes.

U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said 65-year-old Daniel Dreese, of Wichita, pleaded guilty Monday to two counts of making false statements on income tax returns. He admitted that he didn’t report about $89,000 from illegal bookmaking in 2011 and about $137,000 in 2012.

And he admitted he didn’t $383,684 in income in 2010.

As part of his plea agreement, Dreese agreed to pay $214,540 in restitution.

Sentencing is scheduled for April 23.

SALINE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities continue to investigate a fatal hit and run accident and are asking the public for help.

Just before 10:30 p.m. Friday, police were called to the truck stop at 2140 W. Crawford in Salina for a robbery in progress.

The suspect is Dalton Raulerson, 26, Salina, had been hanging out all day in the lounge, according to Police Captain Paul Forrester.

Raulerson had told some customers that he wanted to steal something. He got a large cup of coffee and did not pay for it. When he was confronted by an employee for not paying for the beverage, Raulerson approached the counter demanding cash and the employee’s car keys. When the employee stated that they were going to call the police, the suspect said, “Only if you are brave enough.”

Raulerson left the store and the police made contact with him. When he was taken into custody, he refused to comply with the officer’s verbal commands and ended up in a physical confrontation, according to Forrester.

One of the officers got backhanded and the suspect was tased, according to Forrester.

Police arrested Raulerson on requested charges of attempted robbery, misdemeanor theft, battery on LEO, physical contact with LEO, and criminal trespass.  He has previous convictions for drugs, obstruction of the legal process, and aggravated battery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A music major at Friends University in Wichita says a thief somehow walked off with his harp and a bassoon during the weekend.

Raul Rangel says his 6-foot tall harp, valued between $11,000 to $12,000, and his bassoon were stored at the university’s Riney Fine Arts Center during the weekend. The area they were in requires a code for access that is given only to specific students and faculty.

The harp is an Aoyama Model 42-B with the serial No. 1-0163.

He says the instruments were in the room on Friday and he discovered them missing Monday. Rangel says the harp is delicate and it will be ruined if the thief keeps it outside or in a garage.

Wichita and university police are investigating the theft.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A court notation says an agent with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement accused of sending a Wichita television news anchor sensitive law enforcement material has told a federal judge he intends to change his plea.

ICE Agent Andrew J. Pleviak had a hearing Monday during which he was judged competent to assist in his defense.

He was indicted in July on two counts of exceeding authorized access to a government computer and one count of destruction of records.

A probable cause affidavit released last month shows KAKE-TV anchor Deb Farris told police Pleviak was sending her sensitive law enforcement material and texting messages that were sexual in nature.

A change-of-plea hearing was set for Wednesday. The court will also consider at that time whether to revoke his bond.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Education Department will continue distributing millions in bus funding despite a recent audit that says the payments are barred under current state law.

The state Board of Education says it will keep paying for school districts’ bus operations under the same formula it’s been using for decades until instructed otherwise. A January independent audit of how transportation aid to districts had been distributed says the formula is based on a law repealed in 1973.

The board held a meeting Jan. 26 in response to a letter from Republican lawmakers urging board members to suspend the Education Department’s top school finance officer pending the audit. But the board voted almost unanimously to support the officer’s continued employment.

Lawmakers have introduced bills to clear up confusion on the transportation aid formula.

BARTON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities continue to investigate a fatal hit and run accident and are asking the public for help.

Just before 7p.m. Saturday police responded to the 4100 Block of Broadway in Great Bend. An eastbound vehicle hit a woman walking from the Parish Center and left the scene. First responders transported the woman identified on Monday as 90-year-old Rose Younger to a local hospital where she died.

Police had been looking for a pickup and driver who may have been a witness or been involved in the accident. Police reported Monday that they do not believe this woman and vehicle were involved.

Anyone who might have video surveillance in the area is encouraged to contact Great Bend Police.

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BARTON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities in Great Bend have located a witness and the vehicle allegedly involved in weekend hit and run accident that killed a 90-year-old woman.

A vehicle hit the woman as she walked in the 4100 Block of Broadway just before 7p.m. Saturday, according to a media release from Great Bend Police.

Authorities were attempting to locate a white female approximately 35-40 years old, medium build and was seen wearing pink scrubs. She was driving a white, early model Chevy or GMC single cab long bed pickup. The base model pickup had a gray or black grill. The woman may have witnessed the crime, according to the release.

Police have not released the name of the victim.

JACKSON COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for ID theft.

Late Friday,  a sheriff’s Deputy stopped a vehicle in the 100 block of Arizona Street in Holton, Kansas for a traffic infraction, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

The Deputy quickly determined while on scene that the passenger of the vehicle, William Randall Manrose, 47, of Topeka had just allegedly committed a forgery at Walmart in Holton.

The investigation determined Manrose allegedly made a purchase at Walmart using someone else’s identity and used a fake driver’s license to pass a forged check.

Manrose was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail for forgery, and identity theft.  Manrose posted bond and was released from the Jail on Sunday.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — All employees and interns working for Kansas executive branch agencies will be required to undergo annual sexual harassment training, new Gov. Jeff Colyer announced Monday.

Colyer outlined the new policy during a Cabinet meeting and then signed an executive order during a Statehouse news conference to put it into effect. He allowed The Associated Press into the Cabinet meeting.

It is the Republican governor’s first executive order since taking office last week after replacing former GOP Gov. Sam Brownback, who resigned to serve as U.S. ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom.

The executive branch has not had a single anti-harassment policy across all agencies.

“I just want us to make sure that the culture is respectful and very professional,” Colyer told his Cabinet. “I think that’s what all of us want.”

Colyer told reporters at the news conference that his administration will be “fierce” in enforcing the executive order but is still working on a policy for how employees are disciplined if they do not participate in the annual training.

Colyer’s order comes as the top state lawmakers are reviewing the Legislature’s anti-harassment policy, which has been in place since 1994 and hasn’t required annual training for lawmakers, their employees or interns. Legislative leaders held multiple, voluntary training sessions since December.

Top lawmakers initiated a review of the Legislature’s sexual harassment policy review after the ex-chief of staff for a former Democratic leader said publicly in October that a lawmaker once asked her for sex in 2015. She described harassment as “rampant” and said female college-student interns regularly served as after-hour designated drivers for intoxicated lawmakers in 2016.

Colyer said his executive order will require an outside, independent review when an elected official or Cabinet secretary is accused of harassment.

He said the order also will require agencies to review their anti-harassment policies at least once every three years.