The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Peterbilt semi driven by Shane Edward Hale, 38, Lenexa, was eastbound on Interstate 70 three miles east of Salina.
The driver lost control due to a strong gust of wind. The semi jack-knifed into the westbound lanes and struck a 2011 Subaru Legacy driven by Harry A Taylor, 60, Salina.
Taylor was pronounced dead at the scene. Hale and a passenger Renita M. Hale, 37, Lenexa were not injured. She was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.
MANHATTAN —Riley County Police are trying to identify the man pictured in the security camera video in connection to the rape that is reported to have occurred in the 1100 block of Bluemont Avenue early Friday morning.
Image courtesy RCPD
If you were in Aggieville Thursday night, please check your pictures and videos to see if you may have captured additional pictures or videos of the suspect, so police can better identify him.
If you have any information on his identity, please contact the Riley County Police Department at (785) 537-2112 or Crime Stoppers at (785) 539-7777.
——–
MANHATTAN — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a reported rape and searching for an alleged suspect.
Google map
Just before 1a.m. on Friday, officers with the Riley County Police Department responded to the 1100 block of Bluemont Avenue for a report of a rape that had just occurred.
An investigation revealed that a 22-year-old woman was approached by a black male not known to her, while she was standing outside an apartment door.
The suspect forcibly pushed the woman inside the apartment and proceeded to sexually assault her.
The suspect then fled the area in an unknown direction.
Anyone with information is urged to contact the Riley County Police Department (785-537-2112) or the Manhattan/Riley County Crime Stoppers (785-539-7777).
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Security services company ADT received alarms at a burning Topeka home with a woman inside but didn’t alert authorities about the deadly fire, according to a lawsuit.
Scene of the fatal fire -photo courtesy WIBW TV
The wrongful death lawsuit was filed Wednesday on behalf of Elizabeth Frost’s child, who is a minor. Frost, 36, died of carbon monoxide poisoning from inhaling smoke and soot inside her burning home in August 2016.
ADT received two alarms regarding the fire, the lawsuit said. But the company didn’t alert officers and “inexplicably … fully cleared” the incident about an hour before first responders pulled Frost’s body from the home, according to the lawsuit.
The suit accuses ADT of negligence, fraud, deception and breaching the Kansas Consumer Protection Act and its agreement with Frost. It seeks damages for Frost’s pain prior to her death and subsequent medical expenses, as well as damages for the loss suffered by Frost’s child.
Firefighters didn’t respond to Frost’s home until city employees noticed the fire and called 911. ADT received the first alarm for a broken glass window about 90 minutes earlier. The second alarm was received two minutes later for a failure of the home system’s main keypad, according to the lawsuit.
An ADT employee attempted unsuccessfully to contact Frost three times and Frost’s mother twice, the lawsuit stated. The employee cleared the incident about 30 minutes after the first alarm and made no attempt to contact first responders, according to the suit.
ADT’s website said that the company will notify authorities if an employee couldn’t make contact with a resident under an alarm.
“These representations were known to be false or untrue by (ADT), or were recklessly made without knowledge concerning them,” the lawsuit stated.
ADT has declined to comment to The Associated Press citing pending litigation.
OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — The two leading Republican candidates for governor exchanged pointed criticisms during the last party-approved debate before the August primary.
Kansas GOP candidate debate Thursday night in Johnson County-courtesy KCTV
Supporters of Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach repeatedly tried to shout down Gov. Jeff Colyer Thursday night when he attacked Kobach during a debate at Johnson County Community College.
Colyer focused on Kobach’s heavily-criticized performance during a court hearing defending the state in a federal lawsuit over voter registration regulations. He pointed out that Kobach was fined $1,000 by a federal judge for lying and was required to take classes on legal procedure.
Kobach presented himself as a candidate who would fight hard for conservative social values, saying he wouldn’t be just a “steady hand on the tiller.”
Beginning Sunday, July 15, 2018, the remediation and painting of Hays’ 1 million gallon water tower next to Sternberg Museum, 3000 Sternberg Dr., will begin.
This project should take approximately 6 weeks to complete, weather pending. Crews may be working outside business hours and during the night if wind conditions are not favorable for this type of project to be working on during business hours.
Customers may notice changes in their water pressure system during the scope of the project.
The city of Hays regrets any inconvenience this may cause to the public. If you have any questions please do not hesitate to call the Department of Water Resources at 785-628-7380.
According to USD 445, Juan Manuel Donis-Francisco, a 2018 graduate of Field Kindley High School in Coffeyville was involved a drowning incident on July 4, at the community’s Aquatics Center. He was resuscitated after being pulled from pool and hospitalized.
On Thursday, the school district reported the teen’s death.
The Community State Bank in Coffeyville established an account to help the family with funeral expenses. There is also a GoFundMe account.
The school district also said “at this time please keep the family, Coffeyville Lifeguards, CRMC EMS, CPD, and CFD in your thoughts.” Funeral arrangements are pending.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic star Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez will bring the national spotlight to her first campaign event outside of New York when she and Sen. Bernie Sanders travel to Kansas to help Democrat James Thompson in a congressional race.
Wichita civil rights lawyer James Thompson is the Democratic candidate for the 4th Congressional District seat. CREDIT COURTESY OF THE THOMPSON CAMPAIGN
The rally for Thompson on July 20 at the Orpheum Theatre in Wichita is billed as the first joint event for Sanders and Ocasio-Cortez since her stunning primary victory in New York.
Thompson mounted a surprisingly close special election race last year that as emboldened Democrats eying a possible 2018 rematch in November in the heavily Republican district. Thompson faces Laura Lombard in the state’s Aug. 7 Democratic primary.
Republican U.S. Rep. Ron Estes won a tougher-than-expected special election against Thompson for the Wichita-area seat formerly held by U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
SEDGWICK COUNTY — The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office is no longer looking for the 1997 Dodge 1500 pickup in connection with the murder of John L. Gaffney.
Deputies have locate the pickup, according to Lt. Tim Myers.
Deputies continue to ask for the public’s assistance with any information regarding the homicide, or if anyone had contact with the victim between Thursday evening, July 5, through Saturday afternoon, July 7, 2018, please contact Sedgwick County Sheriff Investigations at (316) 660-5300 or Crime Stoppers at (316) 267-2111.
——–
SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are conducting a murder investigation and asking the public for help to locate a missing pickup.
Just after 3 p.m. Saturday, sheriff deputies were dispatched to an unknown call for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in a rural area, the 4500 block of West 57th Circle North, according to Lt. Tim Myers.
Deputies located a deceased man in the residence identified as 67-year-old John L. Gaffney.
Authorities are still looking for Gaffney’s 1997 Dodge 1500 pickup. On Thursday, deputies released images of the green pickup white bed. The license plate on the truck is Kansas 388KER. Anyone who sees the truck should call 911 immediately, according to Myers.
Mr. Gaffney -photo Sedgwick Co.
Anyone with information regarding the homicide or if anyone had contact with the victim between Thursday evening, July 5, through Saturday afternoon, July 7 should contact Sedgwick County Sheriff Investigations at (316) 660-5300 or Crime Stoppers at (316) 267-2111.
———–
SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a death and asking the public for help to locate a missing pickup.
The home involved in the murder investigation -photo courtesy KWCH
Just after 3 p.m. Saturday, sheriff deputies were dispatched to an unknown call for Emergency Medical Services (EMS) in a rural area, the 4500 block of West 57th Circle North, according to Lt. Tim Myers.
Deputies located a deceased man in the residence identified as 67-year-old John L. Gaffney. Due to the circumstances surrounding the death, this case is being investigated as a homicide, according to Myers.
During the initial investigation, it was discovered the victim’s vehicle was missing from his residence. The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office is looking for a 1997 Dodge 1500 pickup. The pickup is green with a light, possibly white, colored bed. The Kansas license plate on the truck is 388KER. We are asking anyone who sees the truck to contact 911 immediately.
We are also asking for the public’s assistance with this investigation. If anyone has any information regarding the homicide or if anyone had contact with the victim between Thursday evening, July 5, 2018 through Saturday afternoon, July 7, 2018, please contact Sedgwick County Sheriff Investigations at (316) 660-5300 or Crime Stoppers at (316) 267-2111.
The ARC of the Central Plains announced its goal of creating an accessible recreation complex in Hays during a Hays Area Chamber of Commerce event Friday.
The complex would include a playground, splash pad and baseball diamond.
The proposed $1.6 million project would be paid for through a fundraising campaign that will ramp up this fall, and the organizers hope to break ground on the first phase of the project by mid-2019. The first phase would be the playground, then the ball diamond and then the splash pad. Start and completion of the project is contingent on fundraising.
Brent Kaiser, ARC activities director, goes over features of a proposed accessible recreation complex in Hays during a Hays Area Chamber of Commerce Chamber Chat Friday morning.
The ARC is working with the city parks department on the project and will likely present to the city commission in the coming weeks. They are suggesting two locations for the park—one at Aubel Bickle Park and the other at Seven Hills-Optimist Park, which is in northwest Hays. Seven Hills is the ARC’s preferred location. It already has a shelter house and bathrooms. However, they do not know if parking would need to be added. The current park only has on-street parking.
No tax dollars will go toward this project. The ARC has set up a separate fund for its fundraising efforts for the project under its non-profit status. The group developing the park hopes to eventually gift the park to the city of Hays when it is completed.
The cost quoted for the park includes a turnkey facility. This includes landscaping, cost of equipment and labor.
Sarah Meitner of the Northwest Kansas Down Syndrome Society and mother of 4-year-old Abe who has Down syndrome, has been a champion of the project.
When Abe was a toddler, his physical abilities mirrored those of his peers. However, now Abe, who has hypotonia, has difficulty moving his muscles. His brain sends signals to his muscles about how and when to move, but sometimes those signals are delayed or he retains stiffness. He does not have the core strength to climb and swing like his peers.
Abe Meitner, 4, and his sister, Julia, 13, of Hays in a face-to-face Expression swing at an accessible park in Wichita. (Courtesy photo)
“What we would like to create is something that he could explore independently and feel that sense of empowerment while doing so and play collaboratively with his siblings or with other kids who are there,” Meitner said. “They won’t necessarily notice that he is a little bit slower and he is jumping a little bit lower.”
Abe is not alone. There are about 1,400 people with disabilities in the community who could also use this park.
“The impact of play is not just for fun,” Meitner said. “The impact for [Abe] when he plays, it is gross motor skill development, it’s cognition development, it’s fine motor [development] and therapy uses. There are really a host of benefits that can make this even more important.”
The recreation complex would be the only one of its kind in western Kansas and on the Interstate 70 corridor between Kansas City and Denver. Brent Kaiser, ARC director of activities, said he envisioned the park being a destination spot for people from all over the area who come to Hays to shop, do business and for recreation.
All the parks in Hays have wood or rubber chips, which are considered ADA compliant, but Meitner noted they can be difficult for people who use wheelchairs or walkers or who have limited mobility to maneuver in. The playground will have a rubber pad. The ball diamond will have turf with bases level with the ground to prevent tripping hazards for people with limited mobility.
Last year, the ARC started a co-ed softball team, but Kaiser said some ARC participants can’t play because of the uneven fields. The choice was made to use turf so all players in the community could use the space for games and practices.
“I would like to reach as many people as possible in this community, and an inclusive baseball field would be a big part of that,” Kaiser said.
The recreation complex would not only have accessible surfaces, it would have ramps, shaded areas, sensory elements and a shaded quieter area for children who have autism and may be easily over stimulated by sound and bright lights.
Example of an accessible splash pad in another community.
“We want to reiterate this complex is not just for children and adults with disabilities,” Meitner said. “This is for children and adults with all abilities, so they can play together. We don’t want anyone to feel excluded. We don’t want whoever in their house to say, ‘We don’t need a park for those people with disabilities.’ That is not it. This is bringing something new and exciting to our community for the whole community.”
The group is looking at using an ag and oil theme in the park to promote Hays. Kaiser talked about some of the features the group is seeking to install in the park. Some possibilities include slides with rollers and overhead hand holds to allow someone to slide without friction, a disabled accessible merry-go-round, monkey bars that are height accessible for people in wheelchairs and various types of swings for people with physical limitations.
Kaiser showed three types of swings: a harness swing, a disc swing in which someone can lie down, and a face-to-face swing. The group is shying away from wheelchair swings, because people can be injured if they are hit with the swing, and they can be pinching hazards.
Other features will generate light or music.
Examples of accessible sensory equipment.
Various features can be built side by side with features for able-bodied peers, such as monkey bars or swings. Side-by-side play has been found beneficial to children with disabilities, Kaiser said.
The splash pad will use recirculated water to preserve water resources.
Any amount will be taken as a donation for the recreation complex. However, sponsorship opportunities are available. They start at $500 and go up from there. The ARC will also be seeking letters of support for the rec complex to submit as they apply for grants and go before the Hays City Commission for approval.
If you have questions on the recreation complex or wish to donate, email [email protected]. You can also follow the Hays Accessible Recreation Complex on Facebook.
TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has issued an Emergency Order of Suspension to Mighty Mites and Little Tikes, a licensed day care home located 480 N. Riddle, in Colby.
State law allows the Secretary of KDHE to issue such an order when, in the opinion of the Secretary, the order is necessary to protect children in the home from any potential threat to health or safety. The order is subject to appeal.
The Emergency Order of Suspension can be read here. It cites two separate incidents occurring June 28 and July 12 at the home while children were in care.
Compliance history on this day care facility can be found by searching the Child Care and Early Education Portal for license No. 0048645 at https://www.kdheks.gov/bcclr/capp.htm.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Texas woman who killed a Wichita mother and kidnapped her newborn daughter has been sentenced to 55 years in prison.
Yesenia Sesmas-photo Dallas Police
Thirty-six-year-old Yesenia Sesmas was sentenced Friday in Sedgwick County to 50 years for the November 2016 death of 27-year-old Laura Abarca-Nogueda. She was also sentenced to five years for kidnapping and 13 months for aggravated interference of parental custody, which will run concurrently. Sesmas will not be eligible for parole for 50 years.
Sesmas was convicted last month of killing Abarca, a former co-worker, and taking the 6-day-old baby to Texas. The baby, Sophia Gonzales, was found safe a few days later with Sesmas in Dallas. She is being raised by her father and other relatives.
Sesmas claimed during trial that the shooting was accidental.
