TOPEKA, KAN. – A Kansas man was charged Thursday with bank robbery, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.
Freeman photo Shawnee Co.
James E. Freeman, 55, Topeka, is charged with one count of bank robbery. A criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Topeka alleges he robbed U.S. Bank at 719 South Kansas Avenue in Topeka. An affidavit alleges Freeman entered the bank at about 2:30 p.m. on Sept. 4. He began striking the counter with his right hand and screaming, “Just give me money,” and “This is a robbery.” He left the bank with cash.
A Topeka police officer responding to the bank robbery call found Freeman walking on 6th Street about a block from the bank. Freeman was holding cash in his hands when he was arrested.
If convicted, Freeman faces up to 20 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000. The Topeka Police Department and the FBI investigated. Assistant U.S. Attorney Jared Maag is prosecuting.
SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a robbery and have a suspect in custody.
U.S. Bank in downtown Topeka google image
Just after 2:30p.m. Wednesday, police responded to the US Bank at 719 SW Kansas Avenue in Topeka on a report of a robbery that had just occurred to the business, according to Lt. Andrew Beightel.
Upon arrival Officers learned a subject entered the business demanded money and then fled the area on foot. A description of the subject was broadcast to other officers in the area.
A short time later a subject matching suspect’s description was located near 6th and Harrison Street and was taken into custody without incident, according to Beightel.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation responded and is the lead investigating agency on this robbery. Police have not released the suspect’s name and requested charges in the case.
Edward Cross is president of the Kansas Independent Oil & Gas Association.
By EDWARD CROSS Kansas Independent Oil & Gas Association
Energy matters – a lot. Throughout most of human history, global life expectancy was 30-35 years. In the last 200 years, global life expectancy has doubled. Extreme poverty has dropped from 90% of humanity to 10% and falling. The growth in human liberty and the dramatic increase in available energy are likely the two main catalysts for this tremendous progress.
Few doubt that energy has improved lives and enabled human progress. Yet one of the biggest challenges facing the world is the polarized debate over the future of energy. Facts and economics are too often replaced with assertions and emotions. Discussions about fossil fuels and alternative energy sources often degenerate into a battle to delegitimize the other side. This is a recipe for inaction. And it keeps billions of people trapped in energy poverty.
Energy at scale provides a critical foundation for economic development. A recent report from Wood Mackenzie, a reliable energy research and consultancy group, said fossil fuels will contribute about 85% of the world’s energy supply by 2040 and forecasts about 15% of global energy will come from carbon-free sources by then. In addition, nearly 100% of new energy demand is coming from emerging economies. Emerging economies need reliable affordable power, transportation fuels, and economic building blocks like industrial heat and fertilizers. All require oil and gas.
The oil and gas industry has done such a good job of creating abundant, affordable, always-available energy that the world takes it for granted. Energy is so woven into our daily lives that few question whether it will be there, or where it comes from.
Oil-based products are likely the first thing you touch at the beginning and end of each day, whether it is your alarm clock, television remote, cellphone, or even the toothpaste and toothbrush you use to brush your teeth. Those who wear makeup or synthetic fibers, such as polyester or nylon, are using or touching petroleum nearly 24 hours a day. As a key component in heart valves, seat belts, helmets, life vests, and even Kevlar, petroleum is saving tens of thousands of lives daily. Furthermore, oil and gas are key components in many medicines and antibiotics such as antiseptics, antihistamines, aspirin, and sulfa drugs.
We all expect our heat to run, gas stations to have fuel, and lights to never flicker – all at an affordable price. Around the world, billions of people are expecting a middle-class quality of life and its requisite available, affordable, reliable energy. None of this demand is going away soon. Because energy is so reliable and available, the public believes they no longer require it.
We all encounter this paradox anytime we engage in a conversation about energy and the environment. Some folks assume that we don’t need fossil fuels anymore. A stark example is anyone who wants to end oil and gas production while still benefitting from oil and gas based materials and fuels.
The oil and gas industry and general public have common ground. We both share a common desire to create prosperity globally.
There is a very real opportunity to create a stronger, more effective connection between oil and gas development and the public that allows us to work together on a common goal to create prosperity for people around the world.
Americans deserve the facts. And the fact is, history has disproved the false premise that economic growth and significant increases in energy production must, necessarily, come at the expense of environmental improvement.
While the oil and gas industry continues to address public concerns about important economic and environmental issues with accurate, fact-based, scientific information, we also recognize it is just as important to address big-issue visceral concerns with information that demonstrates how industry and companies care about people’s needs and concerns. Companies in the Kansas oil and gas industry understand responsibility comes through what we do and how we do it. For companies in the Kansas oil and gas industry, responsibility is an integral part of considerations and decisions.
The U.S. has a unique opportunity to show the world how energy abundance can be used as a positive force to lift people up. More than a billion people around the world face challenges for adequate food and education, clean water and protection from heat and cold due to a lack of access to energy. To rise out of poverty and enjoy health and safety, people need more energy, not less. We should all work together to ensure more people have access to safe, affordable, and reliable energy, no matter which state, nation, or continent they reside.
Edward Cross is president of the Kansas Independent Oil & Gas Association.
Drake Kee, left, and Wyatt Engel present a poster on a chemistry research project.
By DIANE GASPER O’BRIEN FHSU University Relations and Marketing
Two Fort Hays State University students are taking advantage of the philosophy, “To teach is to learn twice.”
Drake Kee and Wyatt Engel began the fall semester at FHSU with a different perspective on learning after mentoring other students assisting with their chemistry research project.
Kee and Engel spent part of their summer working at a camp on campus with visitors from the Daejeon Science High School for the Gifted in Daejeon, South Korea.
The Korean students, led by Kee and Engel, helped with a research project of designing and fabricating new organic materials to harness solar energy.
“The best way to learn is through teaching someone,” said Kee, a junior biology major from Beloit. “I taught the Daejeon students things they didn’t know, and I learned some things from them, too.”
Besides getting exposed to more research opportunities, working with the Daejeon students also served as a cultural education.
One particularly valuable lesson Kee said he learned was how to communicate in ways that the Daejeon students would understand him, taking into account their limited knowledge of the English language.
“This definitely pushed Drake and Wyatt to be better communicators,” said Dr. Arvin Cruz, associate professor of chemistry.
Cruz is in charge of the research project and recruited Kee and Engel to participate. They both were eager for the unique opportunity.
“It’s really hard to get to do this kind of research as an undergrad, so I feel really fortunate to be here at Fort Hays State,” said Engel, a sophomore chemistry major from Victoria.
The duo accompanied Cruz to the American Chemical Society Conference in Orlando, Fla., last spring, and presented Kee’s paper on the project.
Cruz said having undergrad students involved in research projects is not all that uncommon. What makes this situation unique is the supervisory roles Kee and Engel were charged with as well as taking on a level of research that is usually done at much larger research universities.
“This is a high quality research project, on something that’s really in demand. And this is being done by underclassmen who haven’t yet taken advanced courses in chemistry,” Cruz said. “What a great learning opportunity for them.”
MANHATTAN — Six Kansans have been appointed by Secretary of Agriculture Mike Beam to serve on the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s Marketing Advisory Board. Board service will begin on September 12.
The Marketing Advisory Board provides constituent observation and comment for a variety of industry sector strategies supporting agriculture business development, international agricultural development/trade, From the Land of Kansas trademark program, local foods and affiliated programs, agricultural workforce development, and agricultural education.
“Continuing to receive feedback from Kansans engaged in the agriculture sectors is a high priority as we work to remain relevant with today’s market dynamics. We welcome these advisory board members,” said Beam. “They will be great contributors to the agriculture marketing team which is charged with developing and conducting market development activities for Kansas agricultural commodities and food products.”
Newly appointed members include: Kyle Antenen, farmer/rancher, Ness City; Mike Bergmeier, ShieldAg Equipment, Hutchinson; Brice Elnicki, Producer’s Cooperative Association, Girard; Janice Nikkel, Mill Brae Ranch, Maple Hill; Mallory Shinliver, Helena Agri-Enterprises, Nashville; and Brian Zitlow, Great Western Bank, Shawnee.
The Kansas Department of Agriculture’s purpose is to serve, promote and grow the state’s largest industry. The Division of Agriculture Marketing advocates for and promotes agriculture across the state and works to provide an environment that enhances and encourages economic growth of the agriculture industry and the Kansas economy. For a full list of all advisory board members, go to agriculture.ks.gov/MarketingAdvisoryBoard.
BARTON COUNTY —Voters in USD 428 Great Bend voted against a $44.87 million bond to help with renovations to its entire district. The mail-in ballots were sent to registered voters August 20, and were due back to the Barton County Clerk’s Office Thursday, Sept. 5.
The first question of $41,750,000 failed with 2,538 voting against the bond, and 1,993 votes in favor of the bond.
The second question of $3,120,000 required the first question to pass, but there were 2,886 ‘no’ votes and 1,624 ‘yes’ votes.
The total number of ballots counted was 4,547, for a 43.4% voter turnout. There were 10,469 ballots mailed out to registered USD 428 voters. Barton County Election Officer Donna Zimmerman was hoping for closer to 80%, a number that previous mail-in ballots usually have.
Proposed renovations included new entrances to elementary schools, new sixth-grade classroom wing at the middle school, turf field at the middle school, storm shelters at the high school, remodeling the Washington Education Center, and building a new Transportation, Maintenance, and Grounds building at the District Education Center site.
SALINE COUNTY —A Salina man’s turtle escaped three years ago. On Thursday, a concerned citizen spotted it crossing Markley Road by the baseball fields and stopped to make sure it didn’t get hit, according to a social media report from the Kansas Highway Patrol.
KHP Master Trooper Davis and Lieutenant Riedel stopped to assist.
Lucky enough the owner placed an ID tag on the shell just for this occasion.
The owner was amazed and delighted to find out that his turtle had been found and was still alive. The missing turtle and owner now re-united.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) – Jordy Mercer put the Tigers ahead with their third home run of the fourth inning, and Detroit overcame a three-run deficit in a victory for the first time this year by beating the Kansas City Royals 6-4 Thursday.
Kansas City built a 3-0 lead in the second against Matthew Boyd (8-10) when Whit Merrifield hit a two-run single and scored on Adalberto Mondesi’s double. Merrifield had four hits, one shy of his career high.
Harold Castro started the comeback with an RBI single in the third, and Detroit took a 4-3 lead in the fourth off Glenn Sparkman (3-11) when Brandon Dixon and Dawel Lugo homered on consecutive pitches with one out and Mercer went deep with two outs for the Tigers’ first three-homer inning this year.
Detroit, which stopped a four-game losing streak, is a big league-worst 41-97. Kansas City at 51-90 also is on pace for more than 100 losses.
Pinch-hitter Willi Castro had a two-run single in the sixth off Josh Staumont. Castro replaced Mercer, who left because of a bruised right wrist.
Cheslor Cuthbert had a run-scoring grounder in the eighth against Bryan Garcia.
Boyd allowed three runs and 10 hits in 6 1/3 innings, and Joe Jimenez got three outs for his fifth save in six chances.
Sparkman gave up four runs and seven hits in four innings.
UP NEXT
Tigers: After completing a suspended game that resumes with Detroit trailing Oakland 5-3 in the seventh inning, RHP Spencer Turnbull (3-14, 4.45 ERA) starts for the Tigers on Friday and Homer Bailey (12-8, 4.96 ERA) for the Athletics. The game was suspended by rain in Detroit on May 19.
Royals: In Kansas City’s first game against the Marlins since 2016, RHP Jorge Lopez (2-7, 6.61 ERA) starts at Miami on Friday against RHP Pablo Lopez (5-7, 4.89 ERA).
COLUMBUS, Kan. (AP) — A 23-year-old man captured in Souther California was sentenced to nearly five years in prison for the death of an Oklahoma man in Kansas.
Ty Bohlander photo Cherokee Co.Diana Bohlander photo Cherokee Co.
Ty Bohlander was sentenced Tuesday to 59 months in prison in the death of 64-year-old James McFarland of Tulsa, whose body was found along a road in southeast Kansas in April 2017.
In March, the Santa Monica California Police Department located and arrested him in conjunction with the Cherokee County, Kansas Sheriff’s Department.
Bohlander and his 58-year-old mother, Diana Bohlander, pleaded guilty in July to voluntary manslaughter after initially being charged with first-degree murder. Diana Bohlander’s sentencing was rescheduled because her attorney couldn’t attend Tuesday’s hearing.
Cherokee County Sheriff David Groves says the Bohlanders and McFarland were living out in a van. McFarland died of blunt force trauma to the head during an argument with Ty Bohlander.
