SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an armed robbery and have made an arrest.
Wright photo Sedgwick Co.
Just before 1:30p.m. Tuesday, police responded to report of a robbery at an apartment complex in the 4200 Block of South Hydraulic in Wichita, according to officer Charley Davidson. At the scene, a 19-year-old man told police he went to the location and believed he was to meet a girl he had been texting.
When entering the apartment complex building, a suspect identified later as 20-year-old Ricky Wright and a 15-year-old boy pulled out a handgun and knife and demanded money.
The victim gave them cash and the suspects fled in a red Honda civic, according to Davidson. Police spotted the vehicle in the 1300 Block of South Ellis, made a traffic stop and took Wright and the 15-year-old into custody. Police also recovered a handgun, knife and the victim’s cash.
Wright and the juvenile are being held on requested charges that include aggravated robbery, according to Davidson. Police do not believe a girl was involved in the case.
LARAMIE, Wyo. (AP) — A truck driver from Kansas has been sentenced to between 10 and 20 years in prison for falling asleep at the wheel of her semitractor-trailer and causing a fatal crash in Wyoming.
Hightower photo Albany County
48-year-old Tonya Hightower was sentenced Tuesday for the March 2018 accident that killed 57-year-old Vidal Madera of Laramie.
The commercial truck driver from Kansas pleaded not guilty to aggravated homicide by vehicle.
A jury found her guilty in August after determining her decision to drive on Interstate 80 while knowingly fatigued constituted recklessness.
Hightower told a Wyoming Highway Patrol trooper at the scene that she had taken leftover pills from a 2017 surgery including hydrocodone, a prescription opioid pain medication.
Court records say she did not test positive for narcotics when blood was drawn later.
LAWRENCE — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting in a fast-food restaurant parking lot and have a suspect in custody.
Just before 6:30 p.m. October 27, police were called to the McDonalds at 1309 W. 6th Street in Lawrence in response to a shooting that had just occurred, according to officer Patrick Compton. Upon arriving, officers discovered a 50-year-old man who had been shot in his car.
On Wednesday, police reported they identified 27-year-old Howard Levite of Leavenworth County as a suspect. He was arrested November 1, in Jackson County, Missouri on unrelated charges.
He is being held in Jackson County pending an extradition hearing and faces charges of of attempted aggravated robbery and aggravated battery.
The victim has been released from the hospital and is recovering, according to Compton.
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LAWRENCE — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting and continue to search for a suspect.
Just before 6:30 p.m. Saturday, police were called to the McDonalds at 1309 W. 6th Street in Lawrence in response to a shooting that had just occurred, according to office Patrick Compton. Upon arriving, officers discovered a 50-year-old man who had been shot in his car.
This individual was treated at the scene and transported to an area hospital with significant injuries.
Police are currently looking for a suspect described as a black male wearing a red hoodie, red sweat pants and carrying a black bag or backpack in connection to this shooting.
They navigate Wichita streets with the distinctive rumble of their time-tested engines, belching the distinctive smell of diesel and a concoction of carbon monoxide, particulate matter and nitrogen oxides.
That exhaust clouds the air locally and adds to the greenhouse gases steadily transforming the climate globally.
The city’s new transit director, Mike Tann, imagines a cleaner, quieter fleet moving people at a lower price.
Wichita’s buses are going electric. The first new, battery-powered model wheels into town this month.
It will be the first operating electric bus in Kansas and one of 11 the city will get in the next year. The delivery offers a sign of transit agencies and city fleets leading a move away from internal combustion engines and the pollution they cough into the air.
Before coming to Wichita, Tann worked in Erie, Pennsylvania. About half of that city’s buses run on compressed natural gas, an alternative fuel that pollutes less than traditional diesel engines. When he arrived in Kansas, he was surprised that Wichita officials had never seriously looked at alternative fuels.
Transportation emissions make up the largest source of planet-warming greenhouse gases in the United States. As producers of emissions — and as a potential solution for reducing how much people drive in their cars — transit agencies could play a key role in any major reduction.
“The ultimate goal is to get people to use the (bus) system because they want to,” Tann said. “And electrifying it seems to get people thinking about it and it also gets us off the fossil fuels too.”
California-based ProTerra didn’t just put electric motors and batteries into existing diesel buses. It designed its buses around electric technology. The company has sold more than 700 since it’s founding in 2014.
Four new chargers had to be installed in the Wichita Transit bus barn to prepare for the all-electric buses. Credit Brian Grimmett / Kansas News Service
Then, using another grant, Tann bought seven smaller electric buses from a company called Custom Coach Works. They’ll replace aging buses that look like old trolleys and run downtown Wichita routes.
To prepare for the arrival of the new buses, the agency needed to remodel and upgrade its bus barn. It now has enough electrical infrastructure in place to charge as many as 14 buses.
Most of the upgrades were purchased with the grant money, but some came from the city’s electricity provider, Evergy.
The utility is also offering the city a special bus-charging rate — higher during the day when network-wide demand for electricity is at its highest, and lower during the night when most businesses are closed and using less electricity.
The buses will almost exclusively be charged overnight. The charging process works just like it would for an electric sedan, such as a Tesla. Transit workers will plug the busses in at the end of the day and by the time the buses need to head out the next morning they’ll be charged with enough power to go about 150 miles. While that’s less distance than some electric cars out on the road now can travel on a charge, it’s enough range for a bus to last a full day on Wichita’s streets.
And that electrical charge will cost less than the equivalent in diesel gas would. Power plants do add to local pollution and climate change, but they can power a vehicle with less damage to the environment than an internal combustion engine.
Electric buses also don’t need frequent oil changes and replace their brake pads less frequently. Wichita Transit estimates each electric bus will save the city $462 thousand over its lifetime — 12 years — compared to its diesel counterpart.
In a way, the transit agencies serve as guinea pigs for Evergy.
“It allows us to go back and understand our infrastructure issues, or if there would be any issues.” Kim Winslow, Evergy’s director of energy solutions said. “It allows us to take a look at what the charging impact will be on our system.”
Diesel-powered buses parked at Wichita’s downtown transit hub. Credit Brian Grimmett / Kansas News Service
Smaller transit agencies like Wichita are great for testing new technology. Without spending any of the city’s money (thanks to federal grants), they can gain valuable knowledge about infrastructure needs, maintenance costs and long-term reliability. If it works well for Wichita, other larger transit agencies might choose to follow.
As more electric buses hit the roads, they expose their technology to ordinary consumers. They, in turn, might become more likely to buy electric vehicles.
The Kansas City Area Transportation Agency serves seven counties in Missouri and Kansas. It’s not been able to get federal grants to purchase electric buses, but decided to buy two anyway.
While the new electric buses will only make up a small fraction of KCATA’s fleet of more than 250 buses, agency officials said it’s a step.
“We’re not going to jump into the deep end with all of the fleet,” KCATA CEO Robbie Makinen said. “But we are going to be stepping into that process and as the technology gets better — see where we’re at.”
Other government agencies are experimenting with a range of electric vehicles, too. In an effort to reduce the carbon footprint of its fleet of more than 1,300 vehicles, Olathe, Kansas, purchased compressed natural gas powered trash trucks, hybrids, and four electric Nissan Leafs.
“There’s going to be more and more of it coming that fit more of what we do here,” Olathe fleet manager Josh Wood said. “And the more of that that comes online, the more that we’ll adopt.”
The city is even starting to consider purchasing electric trash trucks.
It’s a trend that’s growing quickly around the world. Analysis from Bloomberg New Energy Finance finds that city fleets increasingly use electric-powered vehicles, especially buses.
“There are more than 30 major cities around the world that have promised to only procur zero-emission buses from 2025 onward,” Bloomberg NEF analyst Nick Albanese said. “And those are in places as diverse as Moscow, Cape Town, and Austin.”
Right now, the numbers are still small in the United States — there are only about 600 E-buses on the streets — but that’s double the number there were just last year.
By 2040, Bloomberg NEF estimates that electric buses will make up as much as 80% of the world’s fleet.
In Wichita, transit director Tann estimates every diesel bus in the fleet will be replaced by an electric- or hydrogen-powered bus as early as 2027.
“Our plan,” Tann said, “is to never buy another diesel-powered bus.”
Brian Grimmett reports on the environment, energy and natural resources for KMUW in Wichita and the Kansas News Service. You can follow him on Twitter @briangrimmett or email him at [email protected]. The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on the health and well-being of Kansans, their communities and civic life.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Republican Congress members are rejecting a request from the state’s lone congressional Democrat that they join her in opposing a federal policy that will allow faith-based adoption agencies to get taxpayer funding even if they turn away same-sex couples.
Rep. Sharice Davids sent a letter Tuesday asking GOP colleagues to use their relationships with President Donald Trump to help reverse the policy, which rolls back a regulation from former President Barak Obama’s term barring discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Davids is among nine LGBTQ members of Congress.
I’m calling on the entire Kansas delegation to stand up for children & families in our state – and across the country – and urge the President to prevent this rule from going into effect. 4/5
Reps. Roger Marshall, Steve Watkins and Ron Estes issued a joint response supporting the Trump administration’s decision after receiving Davids’ letter. Sens. Jerry Moran and Pat Roberts also say they support it.
Ellis County has been awarded a $6.5 million grant to help fund the proposed Northwest Business Corridor, according to the office of Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Hays.
The county submitted an application for the U.S. Department of Transportation grant in July. The project will reconstruct and improve approximately 4 miles of 230th and Feedlot Road and construct a new curved section where the roads meet. The project primarily is designed to give large-load vehicles an alternate route around Hays.
The project would also address the width and steepness of the hills in the road.
The total project cost is just less than $11 million. Ellis County has set aside $900,000 for the project from its Special Road and Bridge Fund. Hess Services, which sits on the route, has pledged $300,000 to the project, while the Kansas Department of Transportation has pledged $1 million in matching funds.
Midwest Energy’s Goodman Energy Center is also located on the route.
The city of Hays also received a $6 million-plus BUILD grant to fund its Vine Street reconstruction.
“I am pleased to announce that I have helped secure a BUILD grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation that will provide new resources to improve the Northwest Business Corridor,” Moran said. “Congratulations to county officials and those across Ellis County for their commitment and dedication to the project. The resources provided in this grant will allow for increased economic development in the region and help existing businesses expand through improved infrastructure that has the capacity for more freight. I look forward to continuing to work in close partnership with officials in Ellis County to see the corridor project through completion for the future of the community and all of northwest Kansas.”
Two people from Illinois were arrested after an alleged theft and subsequent police chase near Hays.
On Nov. 3 at 12:15 p.m. officers were dispatched to Walmart for a report of a robbery.
After police arrived, they found a purse had been stolen from a shopping cart by a woman who ran from the victim and entered into a nearby black Chevy Trailblazer, with possible Missouri license plates, according to Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler.
The vehicle pulled onto Interstate 70 when a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper near the area began pursuit as the vehicle traveled west. As the vehicle was moving, items were being thrown from the vehicle.
Those items were later recovered by the HPD and found to be stolen property, according to Scheibler.
After a short chase, including the unsuccessful deployment of stop sticks, the vehicle came to rest in a ditch.
Gullo / Ellis County photo
The KHP and the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office were on scene when the vehicle stopped and arrested Kristiana M. Delgado, 25, Illinois, on suspicion of theft.
The driver of the vehicle — Aaron D. Gullo, 31, Illinois — was also arrested on suspicion of felony flee and elude and theft.
“The Hays Police Department is grateful for the cooperation of the Kansas Highway Patrol and the Ellis County Sheriff’s Office in arresting the suspects,” Scheibler said, adding “the Hays Police Department would like to remind everyone that the suspects are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.”
BISMARCK, N.D. — Federal regulators have ordered the Keystone pipeline to remain shut down until its Canadian owner takes corrective action aimed at determining the cause of a breach that leaked an estimated 383,000 gallons of oil in northeastern North Dakota.
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration issued the order Tuesday to TC Energy. The action comes one week after the pipeline leak was discovered and affected about 22,500 square feet of land near Edinburg, N.D.
The order requires the company to send the affected portion of the pipe to an independent laboratory for testing.
TC Energy says it has about 200 people are at the site “focused on clean-up and remediation activities.”
The company says about 180,600 gallons of crude oil has been recovered.
A La Crosse man was arrested in Hays after reportedly threatening to cut the throat of a local resident and kill his dog after being asked to leave his property.
Just before 1 a.m. Nov. 3, officers were dispatched to the 400 block of East 12th for a report of a disturbance, according to Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler.
The resident reported two males were wrestling in the front yard of the home. When he asked them to leave, one of the men — later identified as Christian D. Suppes-Trimmer, 18, La Crosse, allegedly threatened cut the property owners throat and kill his dog.
When officers arrived, they searched the area and located Suppes-Trimmer, who then fled the scene.
After briefly losing sight of him, officers located him near the railroad tracks, but he refused to comply with police commands, Scheibler said.
After a brief foot chase, Suppes-Trimmer stopped running and turned toward the officers, but still refused to get on the ground.
Officers pulled tasers and informed Suppes-Trimmer they would be used if he continued to ignore commands.
He then allowed officers to approach, but as they attempted to secure him with handcuffs he once again began to struggle, Scheibler said.
He was then placed under arrest without further incident on suspicion of criminal threat, interference with a law enforcement officer, battery on a law enforcement officer, and possession of alcohol by a minor.
The other individual at the scene was cooperative with police and was not arrested.
“The Hays Police Department is thankful to the Ellis County Sheriff’s office for assistance during the investigation,” Scheibler said, noting suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
A strong cold front will push its way through the region Wednesday evening, according to the National Weather Service at Dodge City.
North winds of 25 to 35 mph will be accompanied by a possibility of precipitation in the form of drizzle or freezing drizzle, as the temperature is expected to fall to the low- to mid-20s overnight. Those conditions are more likely to occur in southwest Kansas. Extreme northwest Kansas including Goodland also could experience some ice, according to the NWS’s Goodland office.
The threat of freezing drizzle should end by daybreak Thursday, the NWS predicted.
The temperature will make a hard turn from winter back to fall by Saturday, with temperatures moving well into the 70s, the NWS said. Weekend winds of 10 to 15 mph, the NWS also is warning of an elevated fire risk.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The acting secretary of the Kansas Department of Corrections said a mass commutation of offenders was worth considering during his confirmation hearing.
Jeff Zmuda was asked to comment Tuesday on what happened one day earlier, when more than 450 inmates walked out of the doors of prisons across Oklahoma as part of a massive commutation. Zmuda said Kansas officials are looking at several ways to make reforms and ease overcrowding and “that’s certainly one that could be considered.”
Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning said releasing non-violent inmates “sounds like a fantastic idea,” but cautioned that if someone who has been released early commits a violent act “there’s hell to pay.”
The hearing ended with a Senate committee recommending that Zmuda be confirmed. The full Senate will vote early next year.
FINNEY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged sexual assault in Garden City and, after asking the public for help, have identified a person of interest.
The woman told police on Oct. 30 that at approximately 9:30 p.m. she was at her vehicle parked near Garden City Community College and was approached from behind by an unknown male suspect who forced her into the vehicle and sexually assaulted her, according to Police Sgt. Lana Urteaga.
The person of interest was known to the victim and did not occur as originally reported or near the college, according to Urteaga. It was not a random incident. Police have not reported an arrest.
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FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating an alleged sexual assault and asking the public for help to locate a suspect.
Just after 9:30p.m. Wednesday, police were called to St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City for a reported rape, according to Sgt. Lana Urteaga. The woman told police that she was at her vehicle parked near Garden City Community College and was approached from behind by an unknown male suspect who forced her into the vehicle and sexually assaulted her, according to Urteaga.
The suspect at the time of the attack was described as wearing black sweat pants, a grey hooded sweat shirt, a black t-shirt and a dark baseball cap. He was approximately 6-feet tall with an athletic build with black, messy, curly hair, according to Urteaga.
Anyone with information on the suspect is asked to contact police.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – With a fifth-place finish in the MIAA regular season standings, Fort Hays State will enter the 2019 MIAA Tournament as the No. 5 seed. The Tigers will go on the road to face the No. 4 seed Central Oklahoma in Edmond on Friday evening (Nov. 8) at 7 pm. FHSU enters the tournament with a record of 10-5-2 (6-3-2 MIAA), while Central Oklahoma enters at 12-4-2 (7-4 MIAA).
Fort Hays State defeated Central Oklahoma earlier this season in Edmond by a score of 2-1. It ended a 13-match unbeaten streak by the Bronchos at home. Since that loss, Central Oklahoma has won three straight at home.
This is the first time the Tigers have to go on the road in the first round of the MIAA Tournament since the 2012 season. That was the only other year FHSU went into the MIAA Tournament with a seed lower than No. 4. It turned out really well for the Tigers that year as the No. 6 seed as they blazed through the No. 3 (Truman), 2 (Central Oklahoma), and 1 (Central Missouri) seeds to win the MIAA Tournament Championship and claim an automatic qualifying spot in the NCAA Tournament. A berth into this year’s NCAA Championship Tournament field for the Tigers will likely need another tournament championship run as the Tigers sit outside of the top nine teams in the NCAA’s Central Region rankings.
If the Tigers claim a second win in Edmond this year, they will move on to face either No. 1 seed Central Missouri or No. 8 seed Washburn in the semifinals the following week on November 15. The highest remaining seed in the tournament following the first round will host the remainder of the MIAA Tournament next week.
