SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an aggravated battery involving a firearm.
Location of the early Friday morning altercation -photo by Alyssa Willetts courtesy WIBW TV
Just after 2:00a.m. Friday, police were dispatched to the Brass Rail Bar, 401 NE Emmett in Topeka on a report of a fight in the parking lot, according to Lt. Manuel Munoz.
Officers were advised that there was also a report of a shooting. Police located a male victim suffering from non-life threatening injuries in the rear parking lot. The victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
The victim and witnesses are being uncooperative at this time. Detectives are following up on some leads and have not release the victim’s name.
FridaySunny, with a high near 33. Wind chill values as low as -7. Light and variable wind becoming south 11 to 16 mph in the morning.
Friday NightClear, with a low around 19. Wind chill values as low as 4. South southeast wind 15 to 18 mph.
SaturdayIncreasing clouds, with a high near 42. Wind chill values as low as 4. Breezy, with a south wind 16 to 22 mph, with gusts as high as 32 mph.
Saturday NightMostly cloudy, with a low around 26. South wind 10 to 17 mph.
SundayMostly sunny, with a high near 39.
Sunday NightA 20 percent chance of snow after midnight. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 22.
MondayA chance of snow before noon, then a chance of rain and snow between noon and 1pm, then a chance of rain after 1pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 39. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
RENO COUNTY — A Kansas woman arrested in Reno County on Jan. 30 for drug charges failed to get a bond reduction when she appeared in court Thursday.
Deborah Jones -photo Reno County
Deborah Jones, 26, Liberal, is charged with trying to arrange a drug transaction using a cell phone in what the state says is the unlawful distribution of methamphetamine. Jones is also charged with possession of methamphetamine, marijuana and interference with law enforcement.
Jones asked for a bond reduction for fear of losing her job in Liberal. However, she has prior crimes in both Seward and Meade counties. She also has a history of failing to appear in court, so Magistrate Judge Daniel Gilligan denied her request.
PITTSBURG, Kan. – Aaron Nicholson hit a layup with five seconds to play to give Fort Hays State the lead then Grant Lozoya missed a contested 3-pointer at the horn and the Tigers end their two-game losing streak with a 77-75 win over Pittsburg State Thursday at John Lance Arena.
Fort Hays State (14-7, 8-4 MIAA) trailed by six with just under six minutes to play but used an 11-2 run keyed by a couple of Trey O’Neil 3-pointers to take a 73-70 lead with 1:31 to play.
The Tigers led by eight with under four minutes to play in the first half but three straight turnovers keyed a 15-2 Pittsburg State run which gave the Gorillas (14-8, 7-6 MIAA) a 40-35 halftime lead.
Mark Johnson Postgame Interview
Game Highlights
Brady Werth led the FHSU with 25 points and 13 rebounds. O’Neil added 12 and Nicholson 11.
Lozoya, who leads the MIAA in scoring, led the Gorillas with 27 points.
The Tigers shot 48-percent in the game including 8-of-22 from three-point range but went 7-for-13 from the free throw line.
WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Jerry Moran (R-Kan.) and Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) today introduced legislation honoring those who have made the ultimate sacrifice while serving our nation in the Army’s First Infantry Division. This bill authorizes these fallen soldiers’ names to be added to the First Division Monument located on White House grounds in Washington, D.C. The First Infantry Division was established in 1917 and has been on continuous active duty for more than 100 years. U.S. Representative Roger Marshall (KS-01) today introduced companion legislation in the House of Representatives.
“For over 100 years, soldiers of the Big Red One have been tasked with the mission and carried the burden that comes with making certain our great nation remains free,” said Sen. Moran. “I am pleased to introduce this legislation with Sen. Roberts and Rep. Marshall that will formally recognize and honor all fallen Big Red One soldiers at the monument that memorializes their sacrifice. As President Calvin Coolidge stated during his speech at the memorial’s dedication ceremony in 1924, ‘We raise monuments to testify to the honor in which we hold men for the work they have done, and to be a constant reminder to ourselves and future generations of the lessons their actions have taught us.’ There is no group more worthy of being honored than those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in defense of our nation, and I am proud to represent Fort Riley and work with the Society of the First Division on this effort.”
“The Fighting First are the true guardians of America’s freedoms,” said Sen. Roberts. “We must honor and remember the brave men and women of the Big Red One who in placing duty first, have paid the ultimate sacrifice.”
“It is my great honor to introduce legislation with Sen. Moran and Sen. Roberts that will remember the more than 13,000 soldiers of the First Infantry Division that made the ultimate sacrifice while fighting for our country,” said Rep. Marshall. “Freedom isn’t free, and this legislation is a great reminder of that. I am both humbled and proud to recognize these service members on this historic monument at the White House.”
The First Division Monument was developed by the Society of the First Division to honor the heroic efforts of those who fought in World War I. Additions have since been made to commemorate soldiers from the First Infantry Division who lost their lives in World War II, the Vietnam War and Desert Storm. Future additions will honor members of the First Infantry Division killed in Operation Iraqi Freedom and New Dawn, Operation Enduring Freedom and future U.S. operations.
PITTSBURG, Kan. – Taylor Rolfs tied her career-high with 17 points and Fort Hays State shot 50-percent from the floor as they end an eight-game losing streak at John Lance Arena with a 78-53 win over Pittsburg State.
Rolfs also had seven rebounds and three assists as the fifth-ranked Tigers (20-1, 11-1 MIAA) win their first game without senior Carly Heim who was lost for the season with a knee injury suffered at Nebraska-Kearney.
Tony Hobson Postgame Interview
Game Highlights
The Tigers, who secured their eighth-straight 20-win season, took control with a 13-0 first quarter run which built their lead to 15. They would lead by as many as 16 in the second quarter then put the game away with a 21-3 run to close out the third quarter.
Lanie Page hit a couple of threes in the Tigers first quarter run then scored eight in the fourth quarter to finish with 14 points. Tatyana Legette added 12 points and 11 rebounds and Belle Barbiere scored 11.
The Tigers hit seven of their 10 three-pointers in the first half and finished 10-for-21 from beyond the arc and were 10-of-11 from the free throw line.
Maya Williams came off the bench to lead the Gorillas (17-5, 9-4 MIAA) with 18 points.
SEDGWICK COUNTY — For the second time this week, a sheriff’s department in Kansas is reporting a DNA collection scam.
On Tuesday, Ford County Sheriff Bill Carr reported the scam that included a man calling, claiming to be a deputy sheriff and telling residents in an around Dodge City they had missed their DNA swab meeting. To pay it off they must get a Google Play Card. The scammer called from (620) 801-3184.
On Thursday, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s office said they had been notified of a similar a scam involving someone identifying himself as an employee of the Sheriff’s Office and telling potential victims they had violated the Offender Registration Act by not having their DNA collected. The scammers told the victims they could pay fines to avoid being arrested.
Lt. Tim Myers said the sheriff’s office does not collect fines by phone and reminded the public not give personal information out to someone who calls you. Do not pay someone over the phone with a credit card, debit card, gift card or prepaid debit card unless you initiated the purchase. If you have been a victim of this scam call the local law enforcement agency in your jurisdiction.
Chauncey Elliott Lyles, 19, Topeka, Kan., and Mathdaniel Squirrel, 22, Topeka, Kan., were charged with one count of conspiracy and one count of carjacking. In addition, Lyles was charged with brandishing a .223 caliber American Tactical rifle during a carjacking.
The indictment alleges that on Jan. 30 the defendants threatened two drivers and stole their cars, a 2007 Cadillac DTS and a 2013 Dodge Dart. When police responded, the defendants fled in the Dodge Dart. They hit a tree in the 400 block of northeast Freeman and fled on foot before police took them into custody.
If convicted, they face the following penalties:
Conspiracy: Up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000 on the conspiracy count.
Carjacking: Up to 15 years and a fine up to $250,000.
Brandishing a firearm in a carjacking: Not less than five years and a fine up to $250,000.
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas guard Lagerald Vick is taking a leave of absence from the basketball program, leaving the No. 13 Jayhawks even more short-handed as they face an uphill climb to a 15th straight Big 12 title.
Jayhawks coach Bill Self said in a statement Thursday night that Vick has “some personal matters that require his immediate attention.” Self said there is no timetable for his return.
The Jayhawks are 17-6 and 6-4 in the Big 12, leaving them 1 1/2 games behind Kansas State.
“He has some things going on that (aren’t) public things,” Self said during his weekly radio show Thursday night, “so I think that he hasn’t been his best because of those things.”
Kansas, the nation’s preseason No. 1, is already playing without three players that Self expected to be key pieces of a march to a second consecutive Final Four. Star center Udoka Azubuike was lost for the season to wrist surgery, power forward Silvio De Sousa was declared ineligible by the NCAA and top defensive stopper Marcus Garrett is out with a sprained ankle.
The depth problems, even before Garrett’s injury and Vick’s departure, led Self to lift freshman guard Ochai Agbaji’s redshirt midway through the season. He’s been one of their best players since.
“Not being totally negative at all, he has some things going on that (aren’t) public things, so I think that he hasn’t been his best because of those things,” Self said on Hawk Talk, not revealing anything that possibly is wrong with Vick or his family members.
The mercurial Vick, who has appeared in 117 games for the Jayhawks, turned pro last season before returning to Kansas for his senior year. He’s started 20 of 23 games this season, averaging 14.1 points and four rebounds while providing a young backcourt with veteran leadership.
But he’s been at odds with Self throughout his career, his on-and-off performance often mirroring his leadership and teamwork. At his best, Vick is a high-energy 3-point threat who poured in 29 points in a win over Villanova this year. At his worst, he is a defensive liability.
That was the case Tuesday night at Kansas State.
Vick go the start but was caught up in issues with switching on defense that led to a pair of easy 3-pointers for the Wildcats. After one by Kamau Stokes, Vick and freshman guard Devon Dotson got into a pointing contest trying to assign blame, and it soon became clear who Self placed it upon.
Vick was benched for the rest of the first half. Dotson played nearly the entire game.
“You could tell right when the game started, there were two easy switches that we’ve practiced the whole time that they get wide-open shots, then guys want to blame other people,” Self said after their 74-67 defeat in Manhattan. “That’s not how you win.”
The Jayhawks return to the floor against Oklahoma State on Saturday at Allen Fieldhouse, while Vick is expected to be with family in Memphis. When he’ll return to the Jayhawks is unclear.
“I don’t think it’s anything you go into, some of the things he’s had going on,” Self said. “But it’d be nice to have our full complement. That’s not the case.”
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Police in Kansas City, Kansas, are investigating the killing of a man whose body was found near the key to stolen vehicle.
Investigators at the scene early Thursday photo courtesy KMBC TV
Police Chief Terry Zeigler says officers found the man dead of an apparent gunshot wound early Thursday after they were dispatched to the scene of a shooting. Investigators found a car key next to the victim that belonged to a vehicle that had been stolen from the Legends Honda dealership near the Kansas Speedway.
Officers found the vehicle in a nearby parking lot with multiple holes in it. The victim’s name wasn’t immediately released.
By DAVID GINSBURG and BEN WALKER AP Sports Writers
Crowding the plate, fearsome and fearless, Frank Robinson hammered his way into the Hall of Fame.
His legacy, however, was cemented the day he simply stood in the dugout at old Cleveland Stadium as the first black manager in Major League Baseball.
Robinson, the only player to earn the MVP award in both leagues, died Thursday at 83. He had been in failing health and in hospice care at his home in Bel Air. MLB said he was with family and friends at the time.
“Frank Robinson’s resume in our game is without parallel, a trailblazer in every sense, whose impact spanned generations,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement.
Robinson hit 586 home runs — he was fourth on the career list behind only Hank Aaron, Babe Ruth and Willie Mays when he retired and now ranks 10th. An MVP with Cincinnati and Baltimore, he won the Triple Crown while leading the Orioles to their first World Series championship in 1966.
An All-Star outfielder in 12 seasons and a first-ballot selection to Cooperstown, Robinson also was a Rookie of the Year and picked up a Gold Glove.
But his place in the sport’s history extended far beyond the batter’s box and basepaths.
In 1975, Robinson fulfilled his quest to become the first African-American manager in the big leagues when he was hired by the Cleveland Indians. His impact was immediate and memorable.
The Indians opened at home that year and Robinson, still active, batted himself second as the designated hitter. In the first inning, he homered off Doc Medich and the crowd went crazy, cheering the whole April afternoon as Cleveland beat the Yankees.
The Reds, Orioles and Indians have retired his No. 20 and honored him with statues at their stadiums.
Robinson later managed San Francisco, Baltimore and Montreal. He became the first manager of the Washington Nationals after the franchise moved from Montreal for the 2005 season — the Nationals put him in their Ring of Honor, too.
More than half the major league teams have had black managers since his debut with Cleveland.
Robinson later spent several years working as an executive for MLB and for a time oversaw the annual Civil Rights Game. He advocated for more minorities throughout baseball and worked with former Commissioner Bud Selig to develop the Selig Rule, directing teams to interview at least one minority candidate before hiring a new manager.
For all he did on and off the field, Robinson was presented the Presidential Medal of Freedom by George W. Bush in 2005.
Born Aug. 21, 1935, in Beaumont, Texas, Robinson attended McClymonds High School in Oakland, California, and was a basketball teammate of future NBA great Bill Russell. But it was on the diamond, rather than court, where fame awaited Robinson.
Former Orioles pitcher Jim Palmer, who also gained first-ballot entry into the Hall, once called Robinson, “the best player I ever saw.”
Starting out in an era when Mays, Aaron, Mickey Mantle and Ted Williams were the big hitters, Robinson more than held his own over 21 seasons. He finished with 1,812 RBIs and hit .294 — he played in the World Series five times, and homered in each of them.
Robinson was the only player to hit a ball completely out of old Memorial Stadium in Baltimore and once connected for grand slams in consecutive innings of a game. But he didn’t just slug away, as evidenced by a .389 on-base average boosted by 1,420 walks against 1,532 strikeouts. Extremely alert on the bases, he had 204 steals.
Robinson played the game with grace, yet was known as fierce competitor who combined hard work with natural talent. He crowded the plate, yielding to no pitcher, and didn’t seem to care about being brushed back or getting hit by a pitch 198 times.
“Pitchers did me a favor when they knocked me down,” Robinson said. “It made me more determined. I wouldn’t let that pitcher get me out.”
And opposing pitchers noticed.
“Frank Robinson might have been the best I ever saw at turning his anger into runs. He challenged you physically as soon as he stepped into the batter’s box, with half his body hanging over the plate,” Hall ace Bob Gibson once wrote.
“As a rule, I’m reluctant to express admiration for hitters, but I make an exception for Frank Robinson,” Gibson wrote.
Robinson carried a similar philosophy as a baserunner, unapologetically sliding spikes high whenever necessary.
“The baselines belong to the runner, and whenever I was running the bases, I always slid hard,” Robinson declared.
Robinson broke in with a bang as a 20-year-old big leaguer. He tied the first-year record with 38 home runs for Cincinnati in 1956, scored a league-high 122 times and was voted NL Rookie of the Year.
Robinson was the 1961 NL MVP after batting .323 with 37 homers and 124 RBIs for the pennant-winning Reds, and reached career highs in runs (134) and RBIs (136) in 1962. He was an All-Star, too, in 1965, but Reds owner Bill DeWitt decided Robinson was an old-ish 30 and time to make a move.
That December, Robinson was the centerpiece in what would ultimately be one of the most lopsided trades in baseball history, going to Baltimore for pitchers Milt Pappas and Jack Baldschun and outfielder Dick Simpson.
Robinson became an instant hit with the Orioles in 1966 as the unanimous AL MVP.
On May 8, he became the only player ever to hit a home run completely out of Baltimore’s home park, Memorial Stadium. The drive came against Cleveland ace Luis Tiant and the spot where the ball sailed over the left-field wall was marked by a flag that read “HERE” that remained in place until the Orioles left for Camden Yards in 1991.
Robinson batted .316 with 49 home runs and 122 RBIs during his first season in Birdland. He then homered in the first inning of the 1966 World Series opener at Dodger Stadium and capped off the four-game sweep of Los Angeles with another homer off Don Drysdale in a 1-0 win in Game 4.
Robinson hit two home runs against the Reds — of all clubs — in teaming with future Hall of Fame third baseman Brooks Robinson to win another crown for the Orioles in 1970.
All told, Robinson was an All-Star in five of his six seasons with Baltimore, reaching the World Series four times and batting .300 with 179 home runs. The cap on his Cooperstown plaque carries on O’s logo.
Pappas went 30-29 over two-plus seasons with the Reds, Baldschun won one game in 51 appearances over two years with Cincinnati and Simpson hit five home runs as a part-time outfielder for the Reds during two mediocre seasons.
Robinson was traded to the Dodgers before the 1972 season. He played for the California Angels in 1973 and was dealt to Cleveland late in the 1974 season.
Robinson had coached for the Orioles and worked in their front office when he became their manager in 1988 after the team opened at 0-6. Things didn’t get much better right away as Baltimore went on to lose its first 21 games and finished 54-107. The next season, the O’s went 87-75 and Robinson was voted AL Manager of the Year.
Tough and demanding, he went 1,065-1,176 overall as a big league manager.
A no-nonsense guy, Robinson also had a sharp wit. That served him well in Baltimore where, in addition to being a star right fielder, he was the judge for the team’s Kangaroo Court, assessing playful fines for missing signs, uniform mishaps and other things he deemed as infractions.
At the time, the Orioles had a batboy named Jay Mazzone, whose hands were amputated when he was 2 after a burning accident. Mazzone capably did his job for years with metal hooks and became good friends with Robinson.
Some players, though, initially weren’t sure how to treat the teen.
“Frank Robinson broke the ice,” Mazzone said. “He was running his Kangaroo Court and calling a vote among the players, whether to fine somebody or not.”
“It was either thumbs up or thumbs down,” he recalled. “After the vote, he said, ‘Jay, you’re fined for not voting.’ Everybody laughed. After that, I was treated just like everybody else.”
Survivors include his wife, Barbara, and daughter Nichelle.
There was no immediate word on funeral arrangements.
Alvena I. Dewey, age 72, of Syracuse, Kansas, passed away Tuesday, February 5, 2019, at her home in Syracuse. She was born April 18, 1946, in Lakin, Kansas, the daughter of Jim and Irene (Hanson) Zahnter.
Alvena grew up in Syracuse and had worked as a waitress, cook, and machinist. She enjoyed reading, watching old western movies, crocheting, sewing, baking, and making homemade noodles. She raised chickens, farm animals, and cared for any stray animals or people that need special attention. Alvena loved nothing more than spending time with her family.
She is survived by her significant other of 32 years, Thomas Simpson of Syracuse; children, Pamela LaCost and husband Duane of Kendall, Wade Dewey of Yazoo City, Mississippi, Kimberly Dewey of Garden City, and Daniel Dewey of Syracuse; brothers, Sonny Murphy of Florida, Chad Zahnter of Kansas, Gordon Zahnter of Great Bend, and Alvin Zahnter of Russell; sisters, Beverly Beer of Tulsa, Oklahoma, Louetta Edwards of Mesquite, Nevada, and Laura Beesley of Tulsa, Oklahoma; six grandchildren, Shawn, David, Brand, Colby, Daniel, and Erin; and one great-grandchild, Nicholas.
Alvena is preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Ron, Herman, and Jimmy; and sister, Wilma.
Memorial service will be at 2:00 PM (MT) on Monday, February 11, 2019, at New Life Fellowship Church in Syracuse, Kansas, with Pastor Bill Roberts officiating. Memorial contributions may be given to Alvena Dewey Memorial Fund in care of Garnand Funeral Home, PO Box 715, Johnson, Kansas 67855.
