GEARY COUNTY — One person died in an accident just before 3p.m. Thursday in Geary County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2017 Ford Explorer driven by Nancy C. Barnaby, 72, Manhattan, was northbound on Kansas 177 highway.

The SUV crossed over the center line, traveled into the west ditch, hit a culvert and went air bound.

After striking the ground, the SUV rolled and caught fire.

Barnaby was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to Johnson Funeral home. Her seatbelt usage is unknown due to fire but suspected to be wearing it, according to the KHP.

FINNEY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man wanted on felony warrants after a standoff in Finney County.

On Wednesday afternoon, police were called to the area of 112 W. Kansas Avenue in Garden City for a disturbance involving a woman running into the store and a man, later identified as Javier Morales, chasing her, according to Sergeant Lana Urteaga.

Officers were able to track Morales to an apartment building at 1309 N Main Street in Garden City.

Officers were notified Morales held two outstanding Felony Warrants out of Ford County for Possession of Amphetamines, Possession of Methamphetamines, Aggravated Domestic Violence Battery, Aggravated Battery, and Possession of Paraphernalia, according to Urteaga.

The area was secured at 1:30 PM. The Garden City S.W.A.T. team made entry into the residence around 3p.m. and Morales came out of the residence just after 4p.m.. without incident.

The 1300 block of Main Street was not accessible to the public from 1:30 P.M. to 4:30 P.M. The Garden City Police Department notified the school district of the situation. The schools in the area were not locked down. Horace Good Middle School exited the school from alternate doors located away from the incident following the release of school, according to Urteaga.

Finney County EMS was on scene as a precaution. However; there were no injuries reported during this incident. An affidavit will be filed with the Finney County Attorney’s Office requesting the charge of Interference with a Law Enforcement Officer.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a stabbing and have made an arrest.

Just after 9:30p.m. Tuesday, police responded to a disturbance call at a motel in the 5700 Block of West Kellogg in Wichita, according to officer Paul Cruz.

Officers located a 25-year-old man with multiple stab wounds and a 26-year-old woman with a minor hand injury. EMS transported the man to a local hospital for treatment. He remains hospitalized in serious condition.

Investigators determined a suspect identified as 31-year-old Garrett Akers of Douglas arrived at the motel room occupied by his 26-year-old ex-girlfriend, a 25-year-old man, a 32-year-old woman and a 40-year-old man. A physical disturbance ensued and Akers pulled a knife, stabbed the man and fled on foot.

Police arrested Akers and he is being held on requested charges of aggravated battery.

BARTON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a bomb threat at the hospital in Great Bend.

Just after 3p.m. Thursday, the Great Bend Police Department was dispatched to University of Kansas Hospital Great Bend Campus, 514 Cleveland, in reference to a bomb threat.

Some areas of the hospital were evacuated and the rest of the building was placed on lock down. Emergency personnel from the GBPD, Barton County Sheriff’s office and Kansas Highway Patrol, along with hospital staff, conducted a search of the building and the property.

No suspicious items were located in the area.

Anyone with information about this crime, or any other crime, is asked to call the Great Bend Police Department at 620-793-4120 or Crime Stoppers at 620-792-1300.

 

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY
Salina Post

The St. John’s Military School (SJMS) campus now has a new, though somewhat similar mission.

SJMS closed at the end of the school year in May. On Thursday, leaders of Saint Francis Ministries and SJMS announced a collaboration that they say will create a positive, empowering future for the school’s Salina campus.

Saint Francis Ministries has agreed to take over the SJMS campus and will lead a collaborative effort to establish future plans for the property. The campus will become part of the long-time Salina-based nonprofit that provides child welfare and adult services in six states and internationally.

Additionally, SJMS’s history and mission will be honored on the campus with the establishment of a historical museum in Linger Hall.

The collaboration was announced Thursday afternoon on the SJMS campus. More than 50 community leaders and representatives were on hand in the campus’ Teardrop for the announcement.

William J. Clark, St. John’s president and CEO, welcomed the crowd and announced the merger.

“Today, St. John’s Military School and Saint Francis Ministries officially announce the merger of St. John’s with Saint Francis. Upon this merger, St. John’s will be officially renamed the St. John’s Ministries and School,” Clark said. “As a component of Saint Francis Ministries, the new St. John’s will strive to help, educate, and develop youth and families alike, providing a holistic approach to healing, hope, and education.”

Clark then invited Salina banker Larry Britegam, who has been associated with SJMS for more than 50 years, to speak on behalf of the SJMS Board of Trustees. Britegam is the vice-chair of the SJMS trustees.

Britegam said that 52 years ago this month, he was an eighth-grade student marching around the teardrop and going through a hard time in his life.

“In 1967, there was more dirt out here than there were beautiful bricks and beautiful buildings as there are today, but the mission of the school was the same and the core values of those who established this school never wavered over the years. Its impact on young men became life-changing and I personally experienced that,” Britegam said.

“I feel compelled to tell you that I stand here today representing thousands of alumni scattered throughout the world who also love this school and what it did for each and every one of us. But through hard times, as has been the situation over the last 10 years at St. John’s, comes change and through our hard times we learned it doesn’t mean the end, but simply different,” he said.

Britegam noted that both SJMS and Saint Francis Ministries were started by the Episcopal Church.

“How ironic is it that these two storied institutions are now together fulfilling the mission of helping children and families in need? This campus will once again become very vibrant. From a board of trustees standpoint, we could not be happier for Saint Francis Ministries, along with their board, for becoming the new tenant of this beautiful campus,” Britegam said. “We know we’re leaving this special place in the hands of a very special group of people.”

The Very Rev. Robert N. Smith, Saint Francis dean, president and CEO, then talked about the shared history of the two organizations.

“Our institutions have a shared history that goes back to the very founding of Saint Francis and goes back to the earliest days of St. John’s,” Smith explained. “Mize Hall that sits here on campus is named after former Bishop Robert Mize Sr. That Bishop Mize was the father of the future Bishop Mize, our Father Bob, who founded Saint Francis. Our Father Bob was a student here at St. John’s. His family was involved beyond his father in the life of St. John’s. Father Bob who had a vision for how it was that his ministry could serve children and families was supported by another priest of the Episcopal Church who was also educated here at St. John’s as a young man, Father Peter Francis.”

The focus for St. John’s campus will be creating a ministry that addresses important needs, while honoring the values of both organizations, Smith said in a news release from Saint Francis Ministries.

Salina Mayor Trent Davis also was among the dignitaries who spoke during the announcement event.

“When I think of Salina, I think of a city of great first impressions. You come here and you see a beautiful downtown, a nice airport, a beautiful campus,” Davis said as he gestured to the SJMS campus. “But in my 20 years here, I see Salina as a community of second chances. The mission here will definitely be that of a second chance.”

Clark said he was excited for the next steps that will occur in the 131-year history of St. John’s.

“The mission of St. John’s lives on in this new partnership, and we have been encouraged by Saint Francis’ commitment to continue our mission of serving youth and families,” he noted in the news release. “The devotion of Saint Francis to youth and families is undeniable. Saint Francis is the perfect partner to carry forward the St. John’s mission. I am excited about what the future will bring and am honored to be moving forward with such a fine organization.”

Saint Francis will partner with the Salina community, local businesses and other organizations to determine potential uses for the campus, located at 110 W. Otis Ave. Under consideration are plans to consolidate Saint Francis’ Salina offices on the campus.

“As we work on the future of St. John’s campus, all options will align with the Saint Francis mission to provide healing and hope to children and families,” Smith said. “One area of passion for us is to find innovative solutions, such as a residential workforce program, to help address the growing numbers of children aging out of foster care who need ongoing support and guidance.”

Such a program would provide training in soft skills needed to be successful in the job market, and also would provide skills training to meet the needs of area businesses, Smith said. Young people aging out of the foster care system face challenges that can make their entry into adulthood difficult, and Saint Francis has been considering for some time ways in which that transition can be better supported.

DONIPHAN COUNTY– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) made three arrests Wednesday evening related to a fight that occurred at a weekend party in Doniphan County.

The KBI was requested by the Doniphan County Sheriff’s Office to assist in investigating a confrontation that occurred at a party at 159 Monument Rd. in Doniphan County on Sunday, Sept. 22.

During the overnight party, a 42-year-old white male received serious head injuries during an altercation with other party attendees. He was transported by a family member to a residence in the 1600 block of Jayhawk Dr., in Atchison, where police and EMS were called around 4:20 a.m. Sunday morning. The injured man was transported by EMS to a local Atchison hospital. He was later transferred to a Kansas City area hospital where he remains hospitalized in critical condition.

Then, on Wednesday evening, Sept. 25, KBI agents served several search warrants and arrest warrants connected to the case. At 6 p.m., 44-year-old Scott A. Vandeloo, of Atchison, was arrested at 1712 Prairie View Rd. in Platte City, Mo. He was arrested for aggravated battery, and booked into the Platte County Jail.

At approximately 7 p.m., 22-year-old Brian A. Spillman Jr., of Atchison, was arrested for aggravated battery after surrendering at the intersection of Mineral Point Rd. and Monument Rd. in rural Doniphan County. Then, at around 8:30 p.m., Matthew C. Scherer, 30, of Atchison, was arrested for aggravated battery when he surrendered at the Doniphan County Sheriff’s Office at 219 S. Main St. in Troy, Kan. Both Spillman and Scherer were booked into the Leavenworth County Jail.

Assisting in these arrests were the Atchison Police Department, the Doniphan County Sheriff’s Office, the Kansas Highway Patrol, the Missouri State Highway Patrol, and the Platte County Sheriff’s Office. The Doniphan County Attorney is expected to prosecute the case.
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