RILEY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an alleged sex crime.
Just after 12:30a.m. Wednesday, police filed a report for sexual battery in Manhattan involving a 29-year-old female victim, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.
Police listed an 81-year-old man known to her as the suspect.
Due to the nature of the crime reported, police released no additional details.
SALINA — The legendary Ronnie Milsap is coming to the Stiefel Theatre this summer!
Jane Gates, executive director of the Stiefel Theatre, announced Wednesday morning that Milsap is scheduled to perform at 8 p.m. August 10.
Tickets start at $38 and are scheduled to go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday. Tickets can be purchased in person at the box office of the Stiefel Theatre, 151 S. Santa Fe, by calling 785-827-1998, or at Ticketmaster.
Born blind (his family thought it was retribution for sin), Milsap’s grandparents gave the boy over to the North Carolina State School for the Blind hoping for a better chance. There, Milsap discovered music -– deviating from the school’s classical curriculum to explore the nascent realms of race music, rock & roll and jazz.
Being the brilliant kid he was, it wasn’t long until he’d found his way into the local clubs and the tiny indie labels.
Suddenly, he was sharing bills with Ray Charles (who took the Ashford & Simpson-penned B-side to Milsap’s Scepter single Never Had It So Good and scored his own hit with Let’s Go Get Stoned), and James Brown on a circuit that included the Howard Theater, the Royal Peacock, and more.
It was Charles who told the young pianist when he was offered a scholarship to Young Harris College’s law program, “Son, I can hear the music inside you…”
It settled Milsap’s fate.
Living in Atlanta, playing clubs and doing sessions the future Country Music Hall of Famer caught wind that JJ Cale was looking for a keyboard player. Cale hired him. Milsap went on to work at the Whiskey for a good while.
From Atlanta, Milsap moved to Memphis where he was doing sessions with Chips Moman, where Elvis famously commanded, “More thunder on the keys, Milsap,” during the recording of Kentucky Rain. It was there he was asked to play the Whiskey on the famed Sunset Strip in Los Angeles. While staying at the notorious Hyatt House, Charley Pride, a famous man in country music, saw the white kid playing rock and soul and suggested giving Nashville a try.
Forty No. 1s. Five decades of charted singles. Creating a new way of recording (being blind his hyper-attuned hearing led him to create/build what is now known as Ronnie’s Place, where the new album, the Duets, was captured), he broke genre rules and became one of the biggest pop/AC and even R&B artists of the late ’70s and early ’80s.
Six Grammys. CMA Entertainer of the Year and four Album of the Year Awards. The first country video played on MTV (the ironic She Loves My Car). An early champion of NFL star Mike Reid, who wrote many of Ronnie’s No. 1 hits and who’d go on to write Bonnie Raitt’s second most enduring classic I Can’t Make You Love Me.
Always chasing the music, always hungry for the songs, he is now an inspiration for a new generation of country stars from critical standard setters Kacey Musgraves and Little Big Town to CMA/ACM Entertainers of the Year Luke Bryan and Jason Aldean, as well as a standard-setter for friends like Dolly Parton, George Strait, Willie Nelson and even ground breakers Leon Russell and Billy Gibbons.
In a world of marketing match-ups, Milsap’s Duets is an homage to blurring lines, great songwriting and vocals that celebrate soul over product -– something rare in today’s flashcard jingle country.
But just as importantly, Milsap is a testament to going where you don’t belong with an open heart and a true sense of music as compass. A rebel blind boy often at odds at school for following the music in his heart, that music took him to places white people didn’t go… brought him a wife who would be not just a steadfast companion, but a fellow traveler in the songs (they’re still together!!)… give him stages from the chitlins circuit, soul clubs, rock rooms to the biggest arenas, Solid Gold, the White House, and beyond.
He saw racism inside out. He led with an open-mind, and a hunger to play. He created action in songs instead of words without tangible works. He’s the same guy today, but all these years later, he’s still a man who lives to play.
And man, can he tell a story.
BUTLER COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities continue their investigation of Monday’s fatal Butler County head-on crash.
The driver of a Toyota passenger vehicle and a cattle truck on Kansas 96 near Potwin died at the scene. He has not been positively identified, according to Butler County Undersheriff Tony Wilhite.
It’s also still unclear whether the tractor-trailer or the Toyota crossed the center line before the collision.
The 58 cattle on the truck were being transported from Joplin, Missouri to Dighton, Kansas, according to Wilhite.
Nineteen cattle died or were euthanized as a result of the crash and fire. Four cows are still missing. The 59-year-old semi driver was not injured.
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POTWIN, Kan. (AP) — Authorities say one person and around a dozen head of cattle have died in a head-on wreck in rural Kansas.
The crash happened late Monday on Kansas 196 near the Butler County town of Potwin, which is about 25 miles northeast of Wichita. The Butler County Sheriff’s Office says it’s unclear whether a tractor-trailer or passenger vehicle crossed the center line before the collision.
The driver of the passenger vehicle was killed; the cattle truck’s driver wasn’t hurt. More than 30 cattle survived the wreck. They were either stuck inside the rig or wandering around a nearby wooded area. Deputies warned drivers in the area to be on the lookout.
SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the forgery and attempted forgery at two bank branches in Salina and report the suspect is also wanted for other incidents.
On Sunday, someone broke into two vehicles at the Salina Soccer complex at 2100 E Magnolia, Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.
A 33-year old woman reported that someone broke the driver side window of her 2015 Hyundai Sonata and stole various items including her black Coach purse, diamond earrings, credit cards, ID, and checks. Total loss was estimated at $1,279.
A 34-year-old woman reported that someone broke the driver side window of her 2008 GMC SUV and stole various items including her purse, credit cards, ID, checks, and a couple of hundred dollars in cash. Total loss was just under $500.
One victim was notified that her Discover card was being used at Walgreens, 700 S. Broadway. According to Forrester, a white female with brown hair attempted to purchase three pre-paid VISA cards, but the amount was over Walgreen’s limit, so she only purchased two, resulting in a $512 charge to the Discover card.
The victim then went to Walgreens and located her purse in a dumpster along with another victim’s Coach purse, according to Forrester. Items from the purses were still missing.
This is the white Volvo S90 the suspect was seen driving while at the two First Bank Kansas branches. The license tag on the vehicle is stolen, according to Salina Police. This vehicle also was seen at the Manhattan Walmart on Sunday.
On Monday, the suspect was in the drive-through at First Bank Kansas, 235 S. Santa Fe, in a white Volvo S90 and used a stolen check to withdraw $1,100 from Krehbiel’s account, Forrester said.
The woman then used a stolen check belonging to Cornerstone Clinic to deposit $2,400 into Linn’s account and then got $1,700 in cash back at the First Bank Kansas facility at 2860 S. Ninth, at approximately 1 p.m. on Monday, Forrester. The female returned to the bank a short time later and tried to withdraw an additional amount of money, but an alert First Bank Kansas employee who remembered Linn working for the bank, recognized that the female attempting to withdraw money was not Linn, Forrester said. The employee tried to coax the female into the bank, but she drove off instead, he said.
The woman is believed to be a suspect in incidents in Manhattan, and was seen on surveillance video at the Manhattan Walmart on Sunday.
Anyone who recognizes the woman or has any information about the cases, are encouraged to contact the Salina Police Department
OGALLALA, Neb. (AP) — The Nebraska trial of a Kansas man charged with the traffic deaths of four Iowa motorcyclists has been delayed until August.
Keith County District Court records say the trial was scheduled to begin Tuesday for 23-year-old Jeser Cisneros-Hernandez, of Liberal, Kansas. He’s pleaded not guilty to four counts of vehicular homicide, one of reckless driving and one of failing to drive in his lane.
The records say the judge last week granted the delay because the attorneys have not completed the pretrial discovery process. The new starting date is Aug. 6.
Prosecutors say Cisneros-Hernandez’s vehicle hit two motorcycles carrying two people each on July 1, 2017, near Ogallala.
Authorities say 54-year-old Sheila Matheny and 61-year-old James Matheny, from Bedford, Iowa, were on one motorcycle. The other motorcyclists were 58-year-old Michal Weese and 59-year-old Jerolyn Weese, who lived in Council Bluffs, Iowa.
By GLENN BRUNKOW
Pottawatomie County farmer and rancher
The warm sunshine of spring has melted winter’s icy grip and that means one thing — field work is about to get underway. Given the weather, especially the precipitation of the past winter, that field work will be fast and furious when the ground finally dries out. We all know that means long hours and seven-day work weeks. It can be exhausting and dangerous.
I am also sure we all are aware that farming is one of the most dangerous occupations. It’s just a bit safer than coal mining, I believe. So far in 2019, Kansas has recorded two farm-related fatalities.
It makes sense. We work long, hard hours on large machinery and often in remote areas. Farm accidents are something we have all either experienced or know someone who’s had one.
Sure, accidents can and do occur because of mechanical failures and circumstances that may be out of our control, but I would hazard a guess, most often, that is not the case. If you have not had an accident on the farm, I would imagine you have had a close call or two. When that has happened, what was your reaction?
I am not immune from this, while I have never had a serious accident, I have had a couple of close calls. These close calls were all results of mistakes that could be chalked up to one of two causes. Either I was hurrying, or I cut a corner and ignored a safety procedure. Most of the accident victims I have known have told me the same thing. “I knew better.”
I have been there. Weather is approaching, time is limited, and work is backed up. This panic mode causes us to take chances, work longer and go faster than we would normally. I don’t know about you, but it seems as though the faster I try to go, the longer a task takes me. Couple that with the danger associated with going too fast and cutting corners and it is just not worth it.
Safety is a habit and we learn habits by adopting something and doing it until it is second nature to us. Farm safety is a learned habit just like wearing our seatbelt (which, by the way, is a good practice when they are provided). If we always put them into practice, we will do them every time, even when time and Mother Nature are against us.
As farmers we account for less than 2 percent of the population, we can’t afford to lose even one producer. Please promise me that as the dark clouds are gathering on the horizon and time is of the essence, you will take the extra moment to make sure you are safe. The time probably won’t make a big difference in how much you get done, but it could be the difference between just another day and a tragedy.
“Insight” is a weekly column published by Kansas Farm Bureau, the state’s largest farm organization whose mission is to strengthen agriculture and the lives of Kansans through advocacy, education and service.
KANSAS CITY (AP) — A citation has been issued against a man accused of flashing a laser at New England quarterback Tom Brady during the Patriots’ AFC championship game victory over the Kansas City Chiefs.
Prosecutors said Tuesday that 64-year-old Dwyan Morgan, of Lee’s Summit, Missouri, faces a single count of disturbing the peace, a municipal violation.
Television stations posted footage after the game that showed a green light flashing on Brady late in the Patriots’ 37-31 overtime victory on Jan. 20. Prosecutors say Brady was unaware of the laser.
Laser pointers are banned at most sporting events because of the potential for distraction and safety reasons. The light can damage the retina after even a short period of time.
Morgan doesn’t have a publicly listed phone number and couldn’t be reached by the Associated Press for comment.
By JOHN HANNA AP Political Writer
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz launched a heartland tour in reliably GOP Kansas on Tuesday, saying he can win the presidential race as an independent candidate by drawing much of his support from disaffected Republicans.
As we travel, I hear more and more that affordable healthcare and leadership outside of the two parties are what our country is yearning for. Thank you to the people of Overland Park, Kansas for your time and your honesty today. pic.twitter.com/Km7qvwD7qM
— Howard Schultz (@HowardSchultz) April 9, 2019
Schultz spent part of a town hall meeting on the University of Kansas campus pushing back against Democrats’ arguments that his running as an independent would help President Donald Trump win re-election in 2020 by splitting the anti-Trump vote. He said a campaign would have to get people who haven’t been voting to the polls and tap support from independents, but added that he’d likely take many of his votes from Trump.
The Brooklyn-born billionaire has not formally declared his candidacy and said after the town hall that he expects to decide in early summer. He said if he runs, he expects more than 40 states to be in play in the presidential race, including red bastions like Texas and Kansas, where the GOP nominee has carried the state every presidential election after 1964.
Just visited the Allen Fieldhouse at the University of Kansas. Getting the tour from Jack Rodgers, member of the 1952 National Championship team, was an amazing experience. #RockChalk pic.twitter.com/v7yBezJl4N
— Howard Schultz (@HowardSchultz) April 9, 2019
“I think my potential candidacy will resonate,” Schultz said after the town hall. “I’m very optimistic about and have great confidence in the American people’s understanding of both how bad the political system is and the need for renewal.”
Trump carried Kansas by nearly 21 percentage points in 2016, but during last year’s mid-terms, Democrats won the governor’s race and unseated Republican U.S. Rep. Kevin Yoder in a Kansas City-area district where Trump proved to be unpopular. Schultz sees Kansas as in play partly because of Trump’s trade policies, which he criticized strongly.
Schultz’s audience of about two dozen people included students, local business representatives and people interested in independent or third-party politics. Among the latter was Scott Morgan, an ex-local school board member and former moderate Republican who left the GOP to lead an unsuccessful attempt to form a new “Party of the Center” in Kansas ahead of the 2018 elections.
Morgan said Schultz would be a plausible candidate partly because “it’s such a bizarre time” and believes he would appeal to moderate Republicans who would not vote for a liberal Democratic candidate like Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
“If he really catches on and he’s got the resources to do it, the impossible can happen,” Morgan said. “But at a minimum, he’s got the resources to disrupt.”
Kansas Republicans remain confident that Trump will carry the state again no matter how the presidential race shapes up. In 1992, independent candidate Ross Perot received nearly 27 percent of the vote, among his best showings in the nation, but then-President George H.W. Bush still won Kansas.
“We will deliver to our nominee — I mean President Trump and in the future, the Republican nominee — for years to come,” said Kelly Arnold, a former Kansas Republican Party chairman.
TOPEKA —Due to a high threat index for wildland fires over the next several days, the Kansas Division of Emergency Management has asked the Kansas Army National Guard to deploy six UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters to several locations within the state to assist local fire departments, as needed.
The helicopters are equipped with collapsible 660-gallon buckets used to draw water from local sources to drop on areas that are difficult for ground crews to reach. These aircraft are being prepositioned in key locations to expedite assistance, should they be needed. The helicopter and crews left Tuesday and are currently tasked to remain operational through Thursday, April 11, according to a media release from the Adjutant General’s office.
Gov. Laura Kelly has issued a State of Disaster Emergency declaration to allow state resources to respond more quickly to local requests for assistance.
“Our past experiences have taught us that wildland fires can crop up suddenly and spread rapidly,” said Kelly. “This declaration allows us to position our state emergency response assets so they can act quickly when a request for assistance is made.”
KDEM will activate the State Emergency Operations Center in Topeka to monitor weather conditions and respond to requests for assistance from local authorities.
MANHATTAN — The deadline to register for the 2019 session of the American Legion Boys State of Kansas Leadership Academy is just around the corner — Monday, April 15. However, if those interested in the program miss the deadline, the program will continue to take registrations through Monday, May 26, as space allows. The event, which will be in its 82nd year, will be held Sunday, June 2, through Friday, June 7, at Kansas State University in Manhattan.
The ALBSKLA is for young men who will enter their senior year of high school in the fall of 2019. It provides a relevant, interactive, problem-solving experience in leadership and teamwork that develops self-identity, promotes mutual respect and instills civic responsibility. Boys State is a “learning by doing” political exercise that simulates elections, political parties and government at the state, county and local levels, providing opportunities to lead under pressure, showcasing character and working effectively within a team. It’s also an opportunity to gain pride and respect for government and the price paid by members of the military to preserve democracy.
The cost to attend the Boys State of Kansas program is $325; however, in most instances, sponsors pay for the majority of the fees, with the delegate or his family paying a $50 applicant fee. Those wishing to attend the program should visit https://kansasboysstate.com/ to register.
Potential sponsors, such as American Legion posts, civic organizations, businesses, clubs and interested individuals, or those with questions, should contact Troy Fowler, ALBSKLA director of operations, at [email protected].
The American Legion Boys State of Kansas Leadership Academy is an interactive simulation that teaches high school seniors-to-be the value of democracy and civic duty. Participants form mock governments and campaign for positions at the city, county and state levels. After the elections, participants find out firsthand the difficult decisions made daily by those in government through a series of challenging simulations. Delegates, nominated to attend by their high school counselors and other influential people in their lives, are sponsored by American Legion posts and various civic organizations from across the state. All delegates demonstrate outstanding leadership qualities in student government, athletics and/or other activities.
The Boys State program was founded by Legionnaires Hayes Kennedy and Harold Card in Illinois in 1935, and was first held in Kansas two years later in Wichita. The Kansas program moved to the University of Kansas in Lawrence in 1963 and remained there until 1991. The following year, it moved to its current location at Kansas State University in Manhattan. For more information about the American Legion Boys State of Kansas Leadership Academy, visit https://kansasboysstate.com/ or https://ksbstate.org/.
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SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — The attorney for a man convicted of abducting, raping and killing a 10-year-old Missouri girl says his death sentence should be overturned.
Jurors found 51-year-old Craig Wood guilty last year of first-degree murder for the February 2014 death of Hailey Owens in Springfield.
Police say he snatched the fourth-grade girl from a neighborhood street less than two blocks from her home as she walked back from her best friend’s house. Several neighbors unsuccessfully attempted to rescue the child, chasing the suspect on foot and by car. The abduction prompted an Amber Alert in Kansas.
His attorney told the Missouri Supreme Court on Tuesday that the process used to impose the death sentence wasn’t constitutional. The issue is that jurors couldn’t decide whether to sentence Wood to death or life in prison without parole. That left the decision in the hands of the judge who oversaw Wood’s trial.
Missouri and Indiana are the only states where a judge can impose a death sentence. Other states follow the federal procedure that a defendant is sentenced to life in prison if jurors are deadlocked.
HUTCHINSON, Kan. — A Kansas man is accused of breaking into a salvage yard in the 1600 block of East 1st in Hutchinson and playing demolition derby.
While in the salvage yard, Logan Bromwell, 19, found vehicles that could run and started crashing them into each other, according to police.
Bromwell is also accused of crashing through a gate to get another vehicle. He allegedly took one of the vehicles to a local Kwik Shop, bought gas and returned to the salvage yard.
Bromwell is charged with felony theft and criminal damage. The crimes occurred between March 31 and April 1.
During a court appearance Tuesday, Bromwell was denied a bond reduction.
JOPLIN, Mo. (AP) — A southwest Missouri man who was driving during a police chase that started in Joplin and ended in Kansas has been sentenced to four years in prison.
Twenty-year-old Marquis Sanders, of Carterville, was sentenced Monday for felony child endangerment and resisting arrest.
Joplin police pursued Sanders’ vehicle in June after a passenger pointed an unknown object at officers in a patrol car. During the pursuit, Sanders ran several red lights and stop signs and made reckless turns. Speeds reached over 100 mph before the vehicle became disabled in Oswego, Kansas.
Because his passengers included four juveniles, Saunders was charged with four counts of first-degree child endangerment and resisting arrest. Three of the endangerment charges were dropped as part of his plea agreement.
