SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with a domestic violence abduction case.
Just after 1:30 p.m. Saturday, a 40-year-old woman at the apartments in the 2500 block of south Oliver in Wichita contacted police and reported a domestic disturbance between her 30-year-old female neighbor and her neighbor’s 23-year-old boyfriend, according to officer Charlie Davidson.
The reporting woman also stated the boyfriend drove away with his girlfriend in a car, against her wishes.
Officers began investigating the situation when the suspect drove by officers and the female victim was motioning at officers for help.
Officers caught up to the suspect and victim in the vehicle in the 2000 block of south Old Manor where the suspect stopped the car and fled on foot. The suspect ran into an unoccupied home in the same block, forced open the door and then barricaded the door closed.
WPD Officers in foot pursuit were able to overcome the barricade and took the suspect into custody without further incident, according to Davidson.
The suspect was arrested and booked into jail for kidnapping, criminal threats, felony obstruct, burglary, criminal damage to property, and domestic violence battery.
The victim sustained only minor injuries. Davidson did not release the suspect’s name.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A Wichita artist says he’s elated that a sculpture of Mighty Mouse that was stolen from his home has been returned.
Photo by Bob Burnett courtesy Christopher Gulick
Christopher Gulick says the 200-pound wooden sculpture was taken from his front porch Wednesday. Another artist gave him the sculpture more than 20 years ago.
A Wichita resident called police after discovering the mouse in his yard Sunday.
Gulick says he’s glad to have Mighty Mouse back but he will have to do some work to repair parts that were damaged.
Gulick said someone made a poor choice in stealing the sculpture but he’s grateful to the man who called police when he found it.
LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say the body of a Leavenworth woman who was missing since early Friday has been recovered from the Missouri River.
LOGAN – Within each of our communities and counties there is an endless list of wants and needs. We strategize, set priorities and start work on having our projects come to life. But along the way we get slowed down by the need to raise funds.
To learn more about raising funds, in particular crowd funding and capital campaigns, plan to participate in a free one-hour webinar hosted by the Dane G. Hansen Foundation and K-State Research and Extension on Tuesday, August 14, at 6:30 p.m.
Josie Hammer with JenRuss Freelance will be sharing information on crowd funding and Betty Johnson, of Betty Johnson & Associates and Nancy Wolff, of the Harvey Nonprofit Development, will share on capital campaigns.
To register for “Crown Funding and Capital Campaigns” email Nadine Sigle at [email protected]. Upon registration a link will be sent. The webinar will be recorded and stored on the Dane G. Hansen website under the Northwest Initiatives tab.
TOPEKA, Kan. — The conviction and sentence for a man serving 8 ½ years in prison was upheld Friday by the Kansas Court of Appeals.
Bradley Grant Verstraete- photo Pratt Co.
Forty-six-year-old Bradley Verstraete was convicted by a Pratt County jury in September 2016 of the attempted second-degree murder of Pratt Police Officer Kenneth Wright.
He was also convicted of aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer concerning Pratt Police Sergeant James Ferbert, stemming from an altercation with law enforcement in January of 2015.
Verstraete has been in and out of trouble and had a case in Reno County where he also got into an altercation with law enforcement.
He was sentenced in the case to 21 months and was released on time served after the case meandered through the state’s court system while on appeal.
NEOSHO COUNTY –The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating an officer involved shooting that occurred Saturday afternoon in Neosho County.
Trevor Jones -photo KDOC
Just after 1:20 p.m. Saturday, officers from the Chanute Police Department responded to the report of a disturbance in the Walmart parking lot at 2700 S. Santa Fe Avenue in Chanute, according to a KBI media release.
They encountered a male subject behaving erratically, and requested EMS respond to evaluate him. At approximately, 2 p.m. EMS was communicating with the man when he jumped inside the ambulance, locked the doors, and stole it.
At that time, one officer fired several times toward the subject in the departing ambulance.
Then, officers proceeded to chase the ambulance for approximately 15 minutes until they were able to stop it in the area of 7th St. and S. Allen Avenue.
Officers detained the subject. EMS treated him for injuries which included a non-life threatening gunshot wound. He was transported to a local hospital, and then to a Wichita hospital for further treatment. No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.
The man was later identified as 38-year-old Trevor L. Jones of the Chanute area.
The Chanute Police Department requested KBI assistance to investigate the shooting. The KBI will complete a thorough and independent investigation into this incident. Once completed, the findings will be turned over to the Neosho County Attorney for review.
SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for aggravated robbery.
Just before 9:30 p.m. Friday, police were sent to the 1900 block of NW Topeka Boulevard in Topeka after report of an individual being robbed at gunpoint of an undisclosed amount of cash, according to Lt. Ron Ekis.
Rall -photo Shawnee Co.
The victim was able to give a description of the female suspect.
A woman matching the description given was located in the immediate vicinity and taken into custody. Officers identified the suspect as Samantha Rall, 34, of Topeka.
The suspect and victim were not acquainted.
Police booked Rall into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections for aggravated robbery and kidnapping.
Anyone with information regarding this crime is encouraged to contact the Topeka Police Criminal Investigation Bureau at 785-368-9400 or Crime Stoppers at 785-234-0007.
Sometimes, telling a story can save a person’s life. That’s what motivates internationally known speaker and mental health advocate Kevin Hines to tour the nation, telling audiences of the bleak day in September of 2000 when he catapulted himself over the side of the Golden Gate Bridge in an attempted suicide.
He describes the “instant regret” he immediately felt, and how in the seconds as he was free-falling, all he wanted to do was live. Hines brings a message of healing and hope to his audiences, and soon will be sharing his story with northwest Kansas.
Hines will speak at 7 p.m. Aug. 1 at Hays Middle School, 201 W. 29th, in Hays. The event is free and open to the public; no need to obtain tickets or RSVP. A book signing of Hines’ personal memoir, “Cracked, Not Broken,” will follow the presentation. Books will be available to purchase on-site.
The event is sponsored by High Plains Mental Health Center and Heartland Community Foundation, with sup- port from Hays USD 489, Fort Hays State University’s Kelly Center, NAMI Hays, The Center for Life Experiences and Breathe Coffee House.
“Suicide prevention is a critically important topic, and these are the kinds of conversations our communities need to begin having. Kevin will address this difficult subject in a way that sheds light on the struggles of mental illness but also brings hope to those who need it,” said Walt Hill, executive director of High Plains Mental Health Center. “We are thrilled to bring Kevin to northwest Kansas. We believe his story will benefit people in all walks of life and encourage you all to join us for this exciting opportunity.”
This presentation is timely and relevant, given Kansas’ suicide rate is up 45 percent since 1999 — one of the high- est increases nationwide. Rural Kansas has been particularly affected, with the least populated counties having the highest rates of suicide deaths in 2016. Data indicates agricultural workers are particularly at risk for mental illness, perhaps partly due to high stress and economic difficulties.
One of only 34 people to survive a jump off the iconic bridge, Hines is the only one who regained full physical mo- bility. Hines, diagnosed with bipolar disorder as a teenager, will share his remarkable story of survival and recovery.
Today, Kevin dedicates his life to saving others by spreading his message of hope and sharing his journey toward mental wellness. Thousands of people have told him his story helped save their lives.
Hines is one of the most respected and admired voices of lived experience. His story is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and a reminder for us to love the life we have. His personal mantra is, “Life is a gift, that is why they call it the present. Cherish it always.”
Hines also is a filmmaker and is featured in a full-length documentary produced this year, “Suicide: The Ripple Effect.”
He was awarded a Lifetime Achievement Award by the National Council of Behavioral Health. Kevin also has been awarded by SAMSHA as a Voice Awards Fellow and Award Winner, an Achievement Winner by the U.S. Veterans Affairs and is a recipient of several military medals.
The event is intended to help break the stigma surrounding mental illness and to provide hope for those who might currently be struggling. Hines’ presentation also can offer hope and help for family members and friends to help iden- tify and support loved ones experiencing mental illness.
High Plains Mental Health Center is a licensed community mental health center dedicated to the aggressive pursuit of providing a comprehensive mental health program to residents of northwest Kansas. Embodied in this pursuit are fundamental principles of establishing quality services as close to home as possible, at an affordable fee and delivered in the least disruptive manner available. High Plains offers 24/7 emergency services to all residents within 20 north- west Kansas counties. Call toll free anytime at (800) 432-0333 for crisis support or to schedule an appointment with a qualified mental health professional.
The main office is located at 208 E. Seventh in Hays, with branch offices in Colby, Goodland, Norton, Osborne and Phillipsburg. Community outreach services are available in Atwood, Hoxie, Oberlin, Quinter, Russell, Smith Center, WaKeeney, Hill City, Plainville, La Crosse, St. Francis, Sharon Springs and Oakley.
At approximately 1:20 a.m. Sunday, Russell County 911 received calls reporting a swimmer who was missing at Lake Wilson.
Callers reported the man attempted to swim out to a boat that had came loose and was floating away. At approximately 7:20 a.m. searchers recovered the body of a 35-year-old male, who was identified as the missing swimmer.
Terry BarberTerry Barber, the founder of Lighthouse Catholic Media – the well-known distributor of evangelical CDs – will be the featured speaker at Divine Mercy Radio’s eighth annual banquet, beginning at 6 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 8 in the Little Theater of Holy Family Elementary.
Barber will speak on the “Ten Commandments of Sharing Your Faith,” where he will tie personal, humorous stories into realistic ways all Catholics can be evangelists.
In addition to speaking at Divine Mercy Radio’s banquet, Barber will speak on “The Eucharist, the Summit of our Faith” on Friday, Sept. 7 at Hays’ Catholic schools, gearing the talk to the appropriate age groups. The presentation to Thomas More Prep-Marian Junior and Senior High Schools will be at 8 a.m. in the school’s theatre. In the afternoon, Barber will speak to kindergarten through second grades from 1:45 to 2:15 p.m. and to third through sixth grades from 2:30 to 3 p.m. at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church.
Barber is not only the founder of Lighthouse Catholic Media, but he also established St. Joseph Communications and The Catholic Resource Center. Barber is the co-host of the Terry and Jesse Radio Show, which airs on Divine Mercy Radio at 10 a.m. Wednesdays and 11 a.m. Saturdays. He is the author of “How to Share Your Faith with Anyone,” which has received endorsements from the Archbishop of Los Angeles, Most Rev. Jose H. Gomez, author and speaker Stephen Ray and Catholic Answers President Karl Keating. Currently, Barber is working on another book, which is due to be published this year.
Tickets for the banquet are $45 if purchased before Aug. 15. After Aug. 15, the ticket price goes up to $50. The banquet includes hors d’oeuvres with wine and beer as well as a full meal, including salad, choice of steak with wild mushroom demi glaze or Mediterranean chicken, chive mashed potatoes, autumn vegetable medley, dinner rolls and French silk pie or lemon berry mascarpone cake for dessert. Tickets are available online at dvmercy.com, by calling the studio at 785.621.4110 or coming to Divine Mercy Radio at 108 E. 12th St. in Hays during office hours, which are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Divine Mercy Radio, KVDM, Hays and KRTT, Great Bend, can be heard on the radio dial at 88.1, on the internet at dvmercy.com, on the free smart-phone app by typing in “Divine Mercy Radio” in the app or play store, and is on Amazon echo by saying, “Alexa, enable the Divine Mercy Radio skill.”
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Rip WinkelWith vast geographic distribution and a plethora of vulnerable host plants, the irregular looking field dodder (Cuscuta campestris) is one of the most widespread and most harmful pests among the flowering parasitic plants. Field dodder can easily become a problem in flower gardens, vegetable gardens (e.g. tomato, sweet pepper, potatoes and cabbage), or possibly even show up in greenhouse crops. The most devastating damage, however, comes from field dodder outbreaks in newly-established perennial legume crops (alfalfa, clover, etc.), which are generally the preferred hosts of this plant species.
Field dodder may be known by common names such as strangleweed, witch’s hair, or devils’ hair. It is composed of golden yellow, leafless “threads” that twine all throughout and over its victim plant as well as those plants around it. These threads attach themselves with short, suction-cup-like suckers that originate from the base of the dodder stems. The suckers will then penetrate the stems of host plants where it will access all of its needed nourishment.
Because this plant is an annual it must replicate from seed, ergo flowering is crucial to its survival. The flowers of the field dodder are small, whitish, and 1/4 inch in diameter. They appear on the plant anywhere from April to October and will produce a seedpod that is two-celled and four-seeded.
Plants growing in the current season will be killed by the first frost of the fall. The seeds might sprout the following spring, or they may lie dormant for a number of years. Germination for this plant takes place in the soil, but interestingly the field dodder’s roots die as soon as the plant finds and penetrates an acceptable host. After attachment, the field dodder leeches its nourishment totally from the host plant. A single dodder plant can spread by branching and attacking additional host plants.
The field dodder cannot be destroyed by pulling it off the host plants. This is because remaining stem pieces will continue to grow, re-establishing itself once again. Destroying the host plants can control dodder. This method, however, usually is not too favorable a solution for many a gardener nor farmer. Chemical control can be had by using Trifluralin (Preen, Miracle-Gro Garden Weed Preventer, Treflan, Hi-Yield Herbicide Granules Weed and Grass Stopper). It is a pre-emergent herbicide that can be used for control if applied before the dodder seed germinates. This may be your best option. There is always glyphosate (Round-up, Kleen-up, Killzall, etc.), which is quite effective on dodder. However, glyphosate is a nonselective herbicide and will kill whatever it hits, including the host plants.
Rip Winkel is the Horticulture agent in the Cottonwood District (Barton and Ellis Counties) for K-State Research and Extension. You can contact him by e-mail at [email protected] or calling either 785-682-9430, or 620-793-1910.
The Hays Police Department will be conducting training on July 31 between the hours of 3 and 7 p.m. at 317 East Fifth.
Police officers will be training with special tactical equipment. This training is being done with great care and safety.
As a homeowner, you may see law enforcement officers move through your area. There is no need to be alarmed. The officers are merely conducting a realistic training exercise and there is no danger to the community.
If you have any questions or concerns, you may contact the on-site supervisor (Team Commander Tim Greenwood or Team Leader Aaron Larson), or Chief Scheibler at 785-625-1030.
