KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — The U.S. House of Representatives has boosted efforts to upgrade a historic archaeological site in Kansas City.

The House recently passed legislation that could make Quindaro Townsite a National Commemorative Site through the National Park Service. The designation would allow the area to get new assistance from the government, such as help with planning, exhibit design and archaeological surveys.

“The first mention of an effort to preserve this historic site is found in a local newspaper more than 90 years ago. Unfortunately, nine decades have passed without much significant investment in the site,” said Republican Rep. Kevin Yoder of Kansas, who proposed the House bill.

Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., introduced a similar Senate bill that will be considered by the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources.

The site was once a key spot on the Underground Railroad and a flourishing abolitionist community. The area began to languish after competition from other Missouri River ports following the Civil War and other economic pressures.

The area is struggling with poverty and more should be done to help improve Quindaro, said Jim Ogle, executive director of Freedom’s Frontier National Heritage Area, which is pushing for the designation.

“To look at it now all you would see is a lot of overgrowth but you would literally need to stand at the overlook and sort of imagine where all these various buildings would have been,” said Gordon Criswell, the deputy county administrator for the Unified Government of Kansas City, Kansas and Wyandotte County.

Federal assistance could help preserve the foundations of the town’s original buildings, which are deteriorating, Criswell said.

“It is a diamond in the rough. That’s how we see it here in Kansas,” he said. “And we want to try and add some glitter to that diamond.”

Advocates also hope to improve the area’s walking trails and build a visitor’s center.

TOPEKA — A Kansas woman injured in an accident Thursday in when an SUV crashed through the front window of a Topeka restaurant died over the weekend.

Joyce Kasson, 80, died Saturday according to her obituary listed by Dove Funeral Home in Topeka.

She was eating breakfast just after 6:30a.m. Thursday when a Subaru SUV driven by 82-year-old Peggy Turner, Topeka, was attempting to park in front of Banjo’s Café, 5824 SW Topeka Boulevard, according to Sgt. Eric Frey.

The vehicle accelerated over the parking curb and through the window of the restaurant.

The SUV struck Kasson, 80, as it entered the cafe. She was transported to a local hospital.

————

TOPEKA — One person was injured in an accident just after 6:30a.m. Thursday in Shawnee County.

A Subaru SUV driven by 82-year-old Peggy Turner, Topeka, was attempting to park in front of Banjo’s Café, 5824 SW Topeka Boulevard, according to Sgt. Eric Frey.

The vehicle accelerated over the parking curb and through the window of the restaurant.

Joyce Kasson, 80, was dining inside and was struck by the vehicle as it entered. She was transported to a local hospital with injuries that were later determined to be non-life threatening.

SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with a domestic violence abduction case.

Just after  1:30 p.m. Saturday,  a 40-year-old woman at the apartments in the 2500 block of south Oliver in Wichita contacted police and reported a domestic disturbance between her 30-year-old female neighbor and her neighbor’s 23-year-old boyfriend, according to officer Charlie Davidson.

The reporting woman also stated the boyfriend drove away with his girlfriend in a car, against her wishes.

Officers began investigating the situation when the suspect drove by officers and the female victim was motioning at officers for help. 

Officers caught up to the suspect and victim in the vehicle in the 2000 block of south Old Manor where the suspect stopped the car and fled on foot.  The suspect ran into an unoccupied home in the same block, forced open the door and then barricaded the door closed.

WPD Officers in foot pursuit were able to overcome the barricade and took the suspect into custody without further incident, according to Davidson.

The suspect was arrested and booked into jail for kidnapping, criminal threats, felony obstruct, burglary, criminal damage to property, and domestic violence battery. 

The victim sustained only minor injuries. Davidson did not release the suspect’s name.

WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Wichita artist says he’s elated that a sculpture of Mighty Mouse that was stolen from his home has been returned.

Christopher Gulick says the 200-pound wooden sculpture was taken from his front porch Wednesday. Another artist gave him the sculpture more than 20 years ago.

A Wichita resident called police after discovering the mouse in his yard Sunday.

Gulick says he’s glad to have Mighty Mouse back but he will have to do some work to repair parts that were damaged.

Gulick said someone made a poor choice in stealing the sculpture but he’s grateful to the man who called police when he found it.

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say the body of a Leavenworth woman who was missing since early Friday has been recovered from the Missouri River.

Leavenworth Police Chief Patrick Kitchens says searchers found the body of Brittany Janae Fields Saturday in the river near Leavenworth.

He says the investigation will continue. Kitchens provided no further information.

Fields’ personal belongings were found early Friday inside a car at a boat ramp parking lot and on the boat ramp dock.

Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Leavenworth police at 913-682-4411.

TOPEKA, Kan. — The conviction and sentence for a man serving 8 ½ years in prison was upheld Friday by the Kansas Court of Appeals.

Forty-six-year-old Bradley Verstraete was convicted by a Pratt County jury in September 2016 of the attempted second-degree murder of Pratt Police Officer Kenneth Wright.

He was also convicted of aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer concerning Pratt Police Sergeant James Ferbert, stemming from an altercation with law enforcement in January of 2015.

Verstraete has been in and out of trouble and had a case in Reno County where he also got into an altercation with law enforcement.

He was sentenced in the case to 21 months and was released on time served after the case meandered through the state’s court system while on appeal.

NEOSHO COUNTY – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating an officer involved shooting that occurred Saturday afternoon in Neosho County.

Just after 1:20 p.m. Saturday, officers from the Chanute Police Department responded to the report of a disturbance in the Walmart parking lot at 2700 S. Santa Fe Avenue in Chanute, according to a KBI media release.

They encountered a male subject behaving erratically, and requested EMS respond to evaluate him. At approximately, 2 p.m. EMS was communicating with the man when he jumped inside the ambulance, locked the doors, and stole it.

At that time, one officer fired several times toward the subject in the departing ambulance.

Then, officers proceeded to chase the ambulance for approximately 15 minutes until they were able to stop it in the area of 7^th St. and S. Allen Avenue.

Officers detained the subject. EMS treated him for injuries which included a non-life threatening gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital, and then to a Wichita hospital for further treatment. No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.

The man was later identified as 38-year-old Trevor L. Jones of the Chanute area.

The Chanute Police Department requested KBI assistance to investigate the shooting. The KBI will complete a thorough and independent investigation into this incident. Once completed, the findings will be turned over to the Neosho County Attorney for review.