TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt is gathering data from local law enforcement agencies in an effort to measure the impact of Colorado-purchased marijuana on the state.
The Lawrence Journal-World reports that Schmidt has sent more than 500 survey forms requesting information to county and district attorneys, as well as police departments. He said he would make the survey results public when they are compiled later this year.
According to Schmidt, there are numerous accounts of marijuana being illegally brought into the state from Colorado. He says his goal is to get a clear picture of what’s happening in the state so “policymakers can make informed decisions.”
Kansas law still prohibits the possession or distribution of marijuana.
Jonathan and Allison Schumm- photo Shawnee Co. Jail
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The wife of a Topeka councilman is seeking to enter into a diversion agreement on charges that she aided her husband in a child abuse case.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that 32-year-old Allison Schumm and her husband, 34-year-old Jonathan Schumm, face charges in Shawnee County District Court. She applied this week for diversion, which would keep a conviction off her record.
Defense attorney Carol J. Cline declined to comment.
The Schumms have 17 children, including one born in December, and four other biological children. The couple also has two children who are in foster care and 10 who are adopted.
Court records show that Jonathan Schumm is accused of choking a child and threatening to “kill him” the next time. Efforts are underway to remove him from office.
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Barack Obama says that contrary to the claims of some GOP presidential candidates, he’s not plotting to take away everyone’s guns.
Speaking in the East Room at the White House, Obama defended his executive actions to tighten criminal background checks. The president said his actions are consistent with the constitutional right to right to bear arms.
Obama says some constraints on freedom are necessary to protect innocent people.
SALINA- Law enforcement authorities in Saline County are investigating a suspect for an alleged weekend attack on a woman.
Anthony J. Ray, 43, Salina, was arrested on a requested charge of aggravated battery after he allegedly hit and kicked a 41-year-old woman over a two-day period at a mobile home in the 900 Block of North 13th Street in Salina.
The woman called police on Sunday. She was taken by private vehicle to Salina Regional Health Center for treatment of her injuries including two black eyes, bruises, and possible broken ribs, according to police.
WASHINGTON- Huisken Meat Company, a Sauk Rapids, Minn. establishment, is recalling approximately 89,568 pounds of beef products that may be contaminated with extraneous wood materials, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) in a media release on Tuesday.
The Sam’s Choice Black Angus Vidalia Onion items were produced on various dates between Nov. 19, 2015, and Dec. 9, 2015. The following products are subject to recall: [View Label (PDF Only)]
2-lb. boxes containing 6 pieces of “Sam’s Choice Black Angus Beef Patties with 19% Vidalia ® Onion.” with Use By dates 05/17/2016; 05/29/2016; and 06/06/2016.
The products subject to recall bear establishment number “EST. 394A” inside the USDA mark of inspection. These items were shipped to retail locations nationwide.
The foreign material originated with an incoming ingredient and was discovered during production.
There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.
TOPEKA, KAN. – A Topeka woman was sentenced Monday to 18 months for embezzling from her employer, according to U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom . She was ordered to pay $416,000 in restitution.
Lisa M. Davenport, 42, Topeka, pleaded guilty to one count of interstate transportation of embezzled funds.
In her plea, she admitted the crime occurred while she was an officer manager for Kansas Associates, Inc., which was the Prudential Real Estate franchise in Topeka. She embezzled money from KAI by taking proceeds from the company’s commissions and depositing them into her personal account.
A forensic audit determined she embezzled $416,000 from the company
Grissom commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rich Hathaway for their work on the case.
PARKER, Kan. (AP) — Crews are cleaning up after a freight train derailed in east-central Kansas.
Union Pacific Railroad said in a written statement that 11 of the train’s 166 cars jumped the tracks around 5 p.m. Monday near the Linn County town of Parker. The derailed cars were carrying lumber and soda ash, which is sometimes used to treat drinking water and not considered extremely hazardous. The statement says no one was injured.
The train was headed from Nebraska to Texas, powered by six locomotives.
Union Pacific says a team is working on cleaning up the site and reopening the line. Train traffic is being rerouted through the southeast Kansas town of Coffeyville.
The cause of the derailment is under investigation.
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LINN COUNTY – Law enforcement, fire and emergency management officials are investigating a train derailment in Linn County.
Ten cars of a 166 car Union Pacific train came off the tracks on Monday.
Due to the derailment County Road 1077 between 1700 and 1800 roads was closed and the road through Goodrich was also closed, according to the Sheriff’s Department.
There are no injuries reported. The train was on traveling to Texas from North Platte.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Five people have been charged in the stabbing death of a Wichita man whose body was found in a sport utility vehicle on Christmas Eve.
Authorities say 42-year-old Moises Arias-Aranda was stabbed and left on a roadside in north Wichita.
The Wichita Eagle reports that 20-year-old Gabriel R. Lara, 28-year-old Diego S. Olivas, 29-year-old Jose A. Rojas and 21-year-old Amelia Wilson-Ramos are charged with one count each of first-degree murder and aggravated kidnapping.
Twenty-five-year-old Aubrey D. Cole is charged with first-degree murder and a probation violation. Rojas also has a probation violation charge.
The suspects are being held at Sedgwick County jail on bonds up to more than $1.5 million. They have preliminary hearings Jan. 20. It wasn’t immediately clear if the suspects have lawyers.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City’s Country Club Plaza, the city’s premiere shopping and entertainment district, has been sold for only the second time since it opened in 1923.
The current owner, Highwoods Properties, announced Monday it had reached an agreement to sell the Plaza for $660 million to a joint venture between Taubman Centers and The Macerich Company. The sale is expected to close Feb. 1.
The Kansas City Star reports Taubman and Macerich will be 50/50 owners. The 55-acre shopping district includes 18 properties, both retail and office space.
The Taubman company, based in Broomfield Hills, Michigan, owns and manages 23 shopping centers in the United States and Asia. Macerich is a real estate investment trust with interests in 50 shopping centers and malls throughout the United States.
GEARY COUNTY- Law enforcement officials in Geary County are investigating the death of an inmate at the Geary County Detention Center
Kyle William Andrews, 27, Manhattan, died after being removed from life support on Monday.
He reportedly attempted suicide in his cell at approximately 10 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, according to a press release from Geary County Sheriff Tony Wolf
Andrews was being held on a Grandview Plaza Municipal Court warrant for Failure to Appear.
Corrections staff immediately entered the cell and began life saving measures.
Junction City Fire and EMS arrived and took over, they transported Andrews to Geary Community Hospital.
He was then transported to KU Medical Center.
The Kansas Bureau of Investigation and Geary County Sheriff’s Office are conducting a cooperative investigation into the death.
SALINE COUNTY – A Kansas man was injured in an accident just before 2p.m. on Monday in Saline County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Dodge Caravan driven by Jesus Antonio Cardona-Lopez, 31, Salina, was westbound on Crawford nine miles east of Salina.
The van left the road to the northbound lane, struck the ditch at Holmes Road, became airborne and overturned in the west ditch
Cardona-Lopez was transported to Salina Regional Medical Center. He was wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.
HUTCHINSON – A Kansas man jailed early New Year’s Day for a charge of voluntary manslaughter after he allegedly stabbed a man to death was before a judge Monday where he became agitated over the amount of his bond.
Kevin Wayne Ginn Jr., 34, Hutchinson, is alleged to have stabbed 24-year-old Deshamus Diron Lucky during a large disturbance just after 2 a.m. in the area of 8th & Madison in Hutchinson.
It started at the Grand Slam Sports Bar where the victim of the stabbing, according to testimony on Monday may have struck Ginn.
The victim then left that bar and went to another. Ginn then showed up at that bar upset, so the victim then left there and went to the party in the 300 block of West 8th Street.
That’s when the suspect showed up and got into an altercation with another man, Mark Morgan who was apparently cut with the knife as well.
Lucky was stabbed during that altercation in his upper chest and collapsed on a porch. He was transported by Reno County EMS to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center where he later died from his wound.
Police have not charged Ginn for the wounds to Morgan, but that could still happen.
Ginn was taken to Hutchinson Regional to be treated for injuries, then taken to jail.
He complained during Monday’s court appearance about the bond. He said he was told it was only going to be $10,500.00, but when taken to jail complained that it was set at $50,000. He requested a bond reduction, however Magistrate Judge Cheryl Allen denied the request, which made the defendant angry, so much so that jailers at the Reno County Correctional Facility cut him off, telling him, “You’re done.”
The next court appearance will be next Monday when the state is expected to have filed formal charges.
Ginn is no stranger to the law with convictions for aggravated false impersonation, aggravated assault, domestic battery, drugs, battery of a law enforcement officer, assault of a law enforcement officer, criminal damage and obstruction. Most of the convictions are in Sedgwick County, but also includes convictions in Johnson, Labette and Wyandotte counties.
Police are still asking that anyone with information in the New Year’s Day case, should call Hutchinson Police Detective Dean Harcrow at 694-2867 or you can call Crime Stoppers of Reno County at 1-800-222-TIPS.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt is gathering data from local law enforcement agencies in an effort to measure the impact of Colorado-purchased marijuana on the state.
