TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A 54-year-old Kansas jewelry store owner has been sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison for knowingly buying jewelry that had been stolen in home invasions.
U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom says John O. Dasher of Silver Lake pleaded guilty in June to one count of transporting goods. Dasher admitted the crimes happened from 2010 to 2013 while he owned the Diamond House in Topeka.
Prosecutors say Dasher paid a fraction of the actual value of the jewelry, which he melted down to form scrap gold. He then mailed the gold scrap to gold wholesalers in Los Angeles.
Dasher agreed to forfeit $130,000 as a condition of the plea deal. He was sentenced on Wednesday.
BRENHAM, Texas (AP) — Blue Bell has resumed making ice cream in Texas but those treats are not for sale amid fallout from listeria contamination and cleanup.
Production resumed Wednesday in Brenham, where the creamery is based, with new procedures and employee training. No date was announced for sale of ice cream made in Brenham, 70 miles northwest of Houston.
Blue Bell voluntary recalled all products in April after the treats were linked to 10 listeria cases, including three deaths in Kansas. Listeria bacteria can cause serious illness, especially in older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems.
The company faced intense regulatory scrutiny during cleanup and decontamination.
Blue Bell in July resumed production in Sylacauga, Alabama, with limited retail sales in August. Production later resumed in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas agency that investigates child abuse plans to lower the standard of evidence needed to substantiate a claim of abuse or neglect.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports Department for Children and Families Secretary Phyllis Gilmore told state lawmakers Tuesday that the agency will decrease the standard of evidence from “clear and convincing” to “preponderance of the evidence.”
The change will not constrain judges, who decide whether to remove a child from a home, but will make it easier for the agency to get individuals accused of abusing or neglecting a child onto a state registry. People placed on the registry are prohibited from working or living in a child care home or facility.
State Sen. Laura Kelly said she would like clear-cut examples of what difference the change in standard of evidence would have made in certain cases.
TOPEKA -Spirit AeroSystems joined the Kansas Board of Regents today to announce the company’s plans to provide more than $570,000 of scholarship support for students enrolling in engineering and business programs at Wichita State University, the University of Kansas, and Kansas State University. In addition, one scholarship will be earmarked for a student coming out of the Upward Bound Math Science program at Wichita State University.
The Spirit Scholars Program is targeted at individuals interested in a career in engineering and business. Each scholarship will provide $8,000 annually to cover tuition, fees, books and supplies, and is renewable for up to four years. The scholarships will first be awarded this spring for students in the 2016-2017 freshman class.
“At Spirit AeroSystems, having a ready, reliable and trained workforce is a critical component of our long-term success. We are a high-tech company where high-tech skills are a requirement,” said Spirit AeroSystems President & CEO, Larry Lawson. “We are pleased to partner with these Kansas engineering and business schools to help build a pipeline of future aerospace employees for Spirit.”
Spirit Scholars will have ongoing engagement with Spirit throughout their university experience, including a guaranteed Spirit internship interview after the completion of their sophomore year.
“Today we’re excited to celebrate Spirit AeroSystems and their invaluable support for the next generation of Kansas engineers and business leaders,” stated Regent Shane Bangerter, Chair of the Kansas Board of Regents. “In 2012, the Kansas legislature began providing direct support to the Wichita State University, University of Kansas, and Kansas State University to ensure engineering industry partners find the new talent, designs and techniques needed to fuel economic growth and business success in Kansas – today we see Spirit’s contribution to that investment.”
In all, Spirit is funding 18 scholarships across three universities. There are 12 scholarships available at Wichita State University and three each at the University of Kansas and Kansas State University. Students interested in applying for the Spirit Scholars Program can find out more online through each university’s listings of available scholarships. The deadline for application is March 1 of 2016.
JUNCTION CITY – A preliminary hearing was held Wednesday for a Geary County physician accused on one charge of Aggravated Sexual Battery.
The hearing for Dr. Allan D. Holiday Jr. lasted just over one and a half hours in District Court.
Holiday is accused in connection with a July 26 case involving a then 16-year old and now 17-year old teenage boy from Herington.
During testimony, the boy’s father, Robert Clark, explained that he received a call in the early morning hours from his son asking him to come and get both his son and a friend, both of whom had been staying at Holiday’s house in Junction City.
He stated that when he asked what happened, he was informed that Holiday had put his hand on his son’s penis.
Clark drove to Junction City and picked up the two boys, who had been hiding in bushes behind the McDonald’s Restaurant on South Washington Street waiting for him.
They had left Holiday’s house, called Robert Clark, who then drove to Junction City from Herington to pick them up.
They then went to the Junction City Police Department and filed a report.
Robert Clark stated the next morning Holiday contacted him and asked if he could come to his home to speak to him.
Clark said Holiday told him he believed he had inappropriately touched his son, said he was sorry, and asked for forgiveness.
Clark noted he was sure Holiday was sorry, and had unknown to Holiday recorded him on a cell phone during the conversation.
“So everyone knew he came over to my house and admitted he touched my son inappropriately,” Clark testified.
Clark, who is a former Herington police officer, said he told Holiday that he didn’t believe the doctor needed to be around little boys any more, and the doctor agreed he had a problem and didn’t need to be around them anymore.
The teenage victim in the case, testified about the incident, describing in detail Holiday’s alleged actions.
The second teenage boy who had been staying at Holiday’s residence also testified, explaining how he had gone to turn down a thermostat and when he returned was informed by the victim what had occurred.
Defense attorney Bob Pottroff initially moved to have the proceeding closed but that motion was not granted.
During his examination of the two youth, there was a discrepancy on the length of time involved in the specific incident and the victim at one point said Holiday had touched him for ten minutes, but the second witness testified he had been informed of Holiday’s alleged action, but not that it had happened for 10 minutes.
In a second case authorities confirmed Holiday was arrested Wednesday night at his Junction City home on suspicion of a bond violation for allegedly contacting a juvenile witness two times.
Holiday has been bound over arraignment and trial on the Aggravated Sexual Battery charge and a hearing on the bond violation count on December 4, but that is expected to be moved to another date.
Holiday is a former orthopedic surgeon at Geary Community Hospital. In September Hospital officials confirmed that Holiday was no longer employed there.
SCOTT CITY – Wheatland Electric Cooperative Inc. would like the public to be aware of a scam that is targeting its members.
Scammers call or email Wheatland’s members, telling them that their electric bill is past due and unless they pay right away, their electricity will be disconnected. They often ask the member for a credit card number or instruct the member to immediately purchase a prepaid card, such as MoneyPak, and send the number to the caller.
These types of calls or emails are often difficult to detect prior to answering the call or opening the email because the scammers can make Wheatland’s name appear in the caller ID or in the email address
Recently, a Wheatland member in the Great Bend area was contacted by phone by a scammer claiming to be from Sunflower Electric Power Corporation, Wheatland’s wholesale provider. The member was asked the amount of her electric bill and was told that she needed to pay one third of the bill immediately to avoid being disconnected. The member was then instructed to go to a local convenience store and wire money to an account number.
Wheatland is issuing the following reminders to help keep its members from being a victim of a scam:
Wheatland never contacts a member by phone to demand immediate payment or threaten disconnection of service. In addition, Wheatland never dictates how a member’s bill is paid. Method of payment is up to the customer.
Disconnection procedures usually take place over several weeks and after two contacts with the member. When a meter is disconnected, it is done during business hours, and Wheatland employees always identify themselves.
Sunflower is a wholesale electric provider and does not have end-use members and, therefore, will never contact a member regarding an electric bill.
Never give out personal information, credit card number, or MoneyPak number during unsolicited phone calls or emails.
Those who get a suspicious email or phone call should contact their local Wheatland office at 1-800-762-0436 or 620-872-5885.
“While it’s difficult to anticipate all of the tactics that these scammers will use, our goal is to make the public aware that these scams are occurring,” said Bruce Mueller, Wheatland General Manager. “If they know Wheatland’s standard procedures, then anything that deviates from the standards should raise a red flag. If it feels amiss, it probably is, and we encourage our members to contact us.”
For more information, visit Wheatland’s website at www.weci.net or Facebook page.
HUTCHINSON – A Kansas man arrested on November 9, in McPherson for charges associated with a stabbing incident in Hutchinson has been formally charged.
Derrick Sciafe, 34, appeared before Magistrate Judge Cheryl Allen Tuesday where he was told the state has charged him with aggravated burglary and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.
The victim, Amado Martinez, 35, was allegedly stabbed by Sciafe after an altercation at a west side Hutchinson home.
Martinez is the boyfriend of Sciafe’s ex-wife, according to prosecutors.
Sciafe is free on a $38,000 bond and his case will now move to a future waiver-status docket.
The University of Kansas Hospital plans to build a 60-bed hospital in Overland Park near its current facility there, pictured above. CREDIT THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS HOSPITAL
By DAN MARGOLIES
The University of Kansas Hospital has filed plans to expand its presence in Overland Park and build a 60-bed hospital there.
The Overland Park Planning Commission last week unanimously approved the request for a special use permit by The Winbury Group, the developer of the project. The request now goes to the City Council.
The hospital would be located on the southwest corner of 107th Street and Nall Avenue, near an inpatient surgical center operated by KU Hospital that was formerly known as Heartland Surgical Specialty Hospital.
KU took over Heartland’s 42,000 square feet of space in 2012 and hired its non-physician staff of more than 130 people.
The proposed 60-bed hospital, first reported by the Kansas City Business Journal, would be three stories in height and have 118,000 square feet of space.
KU Hospital spokesman Dennis McCulloch said the hospital is negotiating with the property owner and won’t have any comment until an agreement is reached.
“The papers filed in Overland Park are to jump start the process if and when we reach agreement,” he said in an email.
Also last week, KU Hospital announced a joint venture with the Rehabilitation Hospital of Overland Park, which is owned by Enola, Pennsylvania-based Post Acute Medical. The hospital, at 5100 Indian Creek Parkway in Overland Park, has a 15-bed brain injury rehabilitation unit as well as other specialty services.
In 2014, KU Hospital opened its own inpatient rehab center just west of its main campus in Kansas City, Kansas. The center has 29 beds.
Dan Margolies, editor of the Heartland Health Monitor team, a news collaboration focusing on health issues and their impact in Missouri and Kansas. You can reach him on Twitter @DanMargolies.
BOSTON (AP) — A consumer watchdog group says dinosaur claws inspired by the movie “Jurassic World,” and a mushy substance that looks like poop are among the worst toys for Christmas this year.
The Massachusetts-based World Against Toys Causing Harm released its annual list of hazardous toys Wednesday.
The group says the velociraptor claws can cause eye and facial injuries, and the Play-Doh-like fake poop contains wheat that could cause allergies. The list also includes a quick-folding trampoline, which the group says can lead to injuries. WATCH says the items singled out represent common problems in toys.
The group also urges parents to be cautious when buying toys online, where nearly half of purchases are expected to be made this year.
MANILA, Philippines (AP) — President Barack Obama has harsh criticism for Republicans lining up in opposition to allowing Syrian refugees to enter the U.S. Speaking in the Philippines, Obama said the opponents are apparently “scared of widows and orphans coming.” Republican governors and lawmakers have cited security concerns.
The Obama administration plans to steadily increase the number of refugees accepted in the United States for the next two years. Those fleeing Syria and other war ravaged countries whose claims have been investigated and who have been invited to live in the United States are considered refugees.
The U.S. will accept 85,000 people in 2016 and 100,000 in 2017, mostly Syrian refugees. More than half of U.S. governors object to plans to resettle Syrian refugees in the U.S.
Backed up traffic from the Wednesday morning school bus accident -photo courtesy Atchisononline
HIAWATHA, Kan. (AP) — A school bus carrying more than 20 students has rolled over in northeast Kansas, injuring students onboard.
The Brown County Sheriff’s Department told MSCnews the accident involving the school bus from the Hiawatha school district occurred early Wednesday in Hiawatha.
Brown County Sheriff John Merchant says more than 20 students were on the bus, and all were taken to a hospital for assessment. Merchant says the students’ injuries don’t appear to be life-threatening. He says the students range in age from elementary school to high school.
Details of what caused the accident are still under investigation.
Merchant also says several people arrived at the scene to help the students.
ATCHISON, Kan. (AP) — Authorities have taken a person into custody in connection with an online threat to a northeast Kansas college.
The St. Joseph News-Press reports security was increased at Benedictine College late Tuesday after an anonymous threat posted on the social networking site YikYak.
Atchison police Chief Mike Wilson says authorities arrested one person associated with the comments, but formal charges hadn’t been filed early Wednesday.
Benedictine College ALL CLEAR – Police have the person who posted a threat on Yik Yak in custody. Classes are in session as scheduled.
Benedictine College became aware of a threat on Yik Yak tonight. Additional posts indicate it is a hoax, but campus remains on alert status. — Benedictine College (@BenedictineKS) November 18, 2015
Benedictine spokesman Steve Johnson says security had been stepped up on the campus after the comments were posted. He says classes are being held as scheduled Wednesday on the campus, which is located about 50 miles northwest of Kansas City.
Recent threats on YikYak also led to arrests of students at Northwest Missouri State University and the Missouri University of Science & Technology.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A 54-year-old Kansas jewelry store owner has been sentenced to a year and a day in federal prison for knowingly buying jewelry that had been stolen in home invasions.
