GREAT BEND — One person died in an accident Friday in Great Bend.

Just after 6 a.m. Friday, officers were called to the 1500 block of Second Street in Great Bend for report of an injury accident, according to a media release.

Eliesel Cartagena, 42, Great Bend, was riding a bicycle westbound on Second Street when he turned in front of a 2011 Dodge pickup driven by Ian Trimmer.

The pickup struck Cartagena  knocking him from the bicycle. He was transported to the hospital in Great Bend where he died as a result of his injuries.

Great Bend Police were assisted at the scene by the Great Bend Fire Department and the Barton County Sheriff’s Office.

TOPEKA — Discarded smoking materials are blamed for a fire at a home early Friday in Topeka.

Just before 9a.m.  fire crews responded to the report of a fire at a home at 1628 SW Clay Street, according to Fire Chief Michael Martin.

Upon arrival, crews reported fire coming from the 2nd floor; rear of the structure. The fire was extinguished, but not before the structure sustained significant fire damage throughout.

All occupants of the home including five children were able to escape from the dwelling unharmed. A preliminary investigation indicates the cause of the fire as Accidental; discarded smoking materials on the back porch, according to Martin.

Estimated structural dollar loss is $25,000, and $10,000 in contents loss. Working smoke detectors were found within the structure.

JACKSON, Wyo. (AP) — A 70-year-old Kansas man has died in an accidental drowning while fly-fishing in western Wyoming.

Lincoln County Sheriff Shane Johnson says Mark Osmondson, of Madison, Kansas, was fishing about 12:15 p.m. Tuesday in the Greys River about 16 miles (25.7 kilometers) upriver from Alpine when he slipped and his waders filled with water.

Osmondson’s body was recovered nearly 2 mile down the river.

Johnson says Osmondson’s fishing partner was unable to help him although at one point the partner was able to briefly grab his hand.

The Greys River is a popular destination for anglers.

Johnson says the river can be dangerous and people underestimate the strength of the water and its ability to pull them under.

COWLEY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a mother and her boyfriend on drug and child abuse charges in connection with two missing boys found after being missing for 20 hours.

On Tuesday, police took a report regarding the two missing boys, who were located Thursday about 15 miles west of their home by the Sumner County Sheriff’s Office, according to a media release.

Authorities contacted the Kansas Department for Children and Families (DCF) and information was gathered indicating that the children had escaped their home in the 1000 block of South Third Street in Arkansas City after having been locked in their room.

DCF employees and police officers continued to investigate the incident throughout the day Thursday, and a search warrant was executed at the residence on South Third Street.

Based on evidence gathered during the investigation, police arrested Stephanie Michelle Cloud, 32, and Anthony Christopher Ryals, 37, both of Arkansas City, on suspicion of one felony count each of aggravated child endangerment and child abuse, as well as one misdemeanor count each of possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of marijuana.

They remain in the Cowley County Jail in Winfield in lieu of $32,000 bond each, according to online jail records.

The children, a 13-year-old boy, his 12-year-old brother and their 14-year-old sister have been placed into protective custody with the Kansas Department for Children and Families, according to the release.

 

 

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say a Topeka man who crashed his motorcycle after a birthday celebration at a Topeka bar was found dead in a ditch about 42 hours later with the body of his passenger.

The Kansas Highway Patrol says 59-year-old Kenneth Barsch went off the side of U.S. 75 around 1:30 a.m. Wednesday. Patrol Lt. Bryce Whelpley described the ditch that Barsch and 49-year-old Kimberly Hollis crashed into as “very steep” and deep.

A search party made up of relatives and friends came across the scene around 7:30 p.m. Thursday. Barsch had last been seen about 1 a.m. Wednesday riding away from the bar in northern Topeka. His birthday had been Tuesday.

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. regulators are approving T-Mobile’s $26.5 billion takeover of rival Sprint, despite fears of higher prices and job cuts.

Friday’s approval by the Justice Department and five state attorneys general comes after Sprint and T-Mobile agreed to conditions that would set up satellite-TV provider Dish as a fourth wireless company, so the number of major U.S. providers remains at four.

Dish is buying prepaid cellphone brands such as Boost and Virgin Mobile and some spectrum, or airwaves for wireless service, from the two companies. It will also be able to rent T-Mobile’s network for seven years while it builds its own. The Justice Department’s antitrust chief, Makan Delrahim, said the settlement sets up Dish “as a disruptive force in wireless.”

Sprint and T-Mobile combined would now approach the size of Verizon and AT&T. The companies have argued that bulking up will mean a better next-generation “5G” wireless network than they could make on their own.

The two companies tried to combine during the Obama administration but regulators rebuffed them. They resumed talks on combining once President Donald Trump took office, hoping for more industry-friendly regulators. The companies appealed to Trump’s desire for the U.S. to “win” a global 5G race with China as this faster, more reliable wireless is rolled out and applications are built for it.

Meanwhile, the Republican-controlled Federal Communications Commission agreed in May to back the deal after T-Mobile promised to build out rural broadband and 5G, sell its Boost prepaid brand and keep prices on hold for three years

But public-interest advocates complained the FCC conditions did not address the problems of the merger — higher prices, less wireless competition — and would be difficult for regulators to enforce.

Attorneys general from 13 states and the District of Columbia then filed a lawsuit to block the deal. They say the promised benefits, such as better networks in rural areas and faster service overall, cannot be verified, while eliminating a major wireless company will immediately harm consumers by reducing g competition and driving up prices for cellphone service.

They may not be satisfied with the settlement and choose to press ahead.

A judge must also approve the Justice Department’s settlement.

Office of Judicial Administration

TOPEKA ― Chief Justice Lawton Nuss announced today that he will retire from the Supreme Court, effective Dec. 17.

Nuss has served as a justice on the Supreme Court since 2002 and as chief justice since 2010.

“I consider my service on the Supreme Court to be the greatest privilege of my 37-year legal career,” Nuss said. “It has given me the honor of working with the nearly two thousand dedicated people―judges and employees alike―of the judicial branch of government. I am extremely proud of what all these good folks have accomplished for their fellow Kansans.”

Nuss was appointed to the Supreme Court by former Governor Bill Graves. At the time of his appointment, Nuss had practiced law in Salina for 20 years. He graduated from the University of Kansas School of Law after serving in the United States Marine Corps.

Justice Marla Luckert, who is next in seniority on the court, said Nuss has been an outstanding leader of the judicial branch the last 10 years.

“During his tenure as chief justice, our state courts have undergone tremendous change. We have steadily worked on modernizing how we manage cases with an eye toward more efficient service to the people of Kansas,” Luckert said. “At the same time, Chief Justice Nuss has earnestly pursued funding levels that will allow us to bring employee pay to market rates and to offer competitive pay for judges, both of which are critical to the effective delivery of justice.”

Nuss’s retirement announcement comes just two weeks after his colleague, Justice Lee Johnson, announced he will retire September 8. That announcement was made July 10.

Supreme Court vacancies are filled using a merit-based nomination process that Kansans voted to add to the Kansas Constitution in 1958.

When there is a vacancy on the bench, the Supreme Court Nominating Commission reviews applications and conducts public interviews of nominees. The commission narrows the nominee pool to three names that it sends to the governor. The governor chooses one nominee to appoint.

To be eligible, a nominee must be:

• at least 30 years old;
• a lawyer admitted to practice in Kansas and engaged in the practice of law for at least 10 years, whether as a lawyer, judge, or full-time teacher at an accredited law school.

The Supreme Court Nominating Commission has nine members. There is one lawyer and one nonlawyer from each of the state’s four congressional districts, plus one lawyer who serves as chairperson. Nonlawyers are appointed by the governor. Lawyers are elected by other lawyers within their congressional districts. The chairperson is elected by lawyers statewide.

When the Supreme Court Nominating Commission reviews nominees for justice, they look at the person’s:

• legal and judicial experience
• educational background
• character and ethics
• temperament
• service to the community
• impartiality
• respect of colleagues

Justices must follow the law and not be influenced by politics, special interest groups, public opinion, or their own personal beliefs.

Justices demonstrate their accountability by following a Code of Judicial Conduct that establishes standards of ethical behavior. They also take an oath of office that includes swearing to support, protect, and defend the U.S. Constitution and Kansas Constitution.

After a new justice serves one year on the court, he or she must stand for a retention vote in the next general election to remain in the position. If retained, the justice serves a six-year term.