BUTLER COUNTY— One person was injured in an accident just before 1:30p.m. Monday in Butler County.
Monday plane crash into a home in Butler County -photo courtesy KWCH
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a Cessna L19 Bird dog airplane piloted by Victor Riffel, 65, Benton, was attempting to land at the Lloyd Stearman Airfield in in the14000 Block SW 30th Street in Benton.
There are two runways at the airport paved and unpaved. Upon landing on the unpaved runway, the pilot lost control of the aircraft and the plane veered off to the southwest striking an unoccupied residence.
A passenger Joseph R. Bertapelle, 35, Derby, was transported to Wesley Medical Center for treatment of minor injuries. Riffel was not injured.
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BUTLER COUNTY— The Kansas Highway Patrol in investigating the crash of a small plane into a house in Butler County.
Just before 1:30p.m., the plane attempting to take off from Stearman Field in the14000 Block SW 30th Street in Benton and hit the house, according to KHP dispatch.
The pilot and passenger walked away with only minor injuries, according to the Associated Press.The KHP is expected to released additional details as they become available.
SEDGWICK COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating an early morning shooting that left a 25–year–old woman with non-life threatening injuries.
Just before 3a.m. Monday, police responded to a shooting call in the 500 block of South Courtleigh. in Wichita, according to a media release. Multiple 911 callers reported hearing numerous gunshots from the area.
Officers located a residence that received gunshot damage. A resident of the home reported that a woman who was inside, had been struck and was being transported to a local hospital by private vehicle. Officers contacted the victim at the hospital, and found that she suffered a single non-life threatening gunshot wound to her left leg. No other injuries were reported.
Witnesses reported seeing a silver or gray silver two door vehicle leaving the scene. There are no suspects at this time. It is unknown what led to the shooting.
SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas man died during a cycling race at Cheney Reservoir over the weekend.
Riders during Saturday’s race -image courtesy Rage Against the Chainring
William “Craig” Henwood, 48, Olathe was racing in the Rage Against the Chainring gravel bicycle race on Saturday, according to the Reno County sheriff’s department.
Henwood started to drift left in front of a pack of riders when his bike left the road. He tumbled over the front of the handlebars and hit his head, according to the Sheriff’s department.
CPR was performed and Henwood responded to it for a short time, but was eventually pronounced dead at the scene. He was taken to the Wichita Forensics Center for more tests. It is not known at this time whether Henwood had a medical condition at the time of the accident.
The Rage Against the Chainring is a popular event that is part of a race series put on by the Kansas Cycling Association.
SHAWNEE COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities are investigating an aggravated battery and have a suspect in custody.
Thompson -photo Shawnee Co.
Just before 11:30 p.m., Sunday, police responded to a stabbing in the 3300 block of SE Girard in Topeka, according to Lt. John Trimble.
As officers arrived, they found 2 victims, one man and one woman who sustained non-life threatening injuries. The victims gave a description of their assailant and officers were able to locate the suspect approximately 10 minutes later in the 800 block of SE 33rd Street.
Police took 37-year old Randella Thompson into custody without incident. She, as well as several witnesses, were brought to the Shawnee County Law Enforcement Center to speak with detectives. Thompson was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on 2 counts of Aggravated Battery, according to Trimble.
RILEY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a reported aggravated battery in Manhattan.
Just after 11p.m. Saturday, police reported 24-year-0ld Drew McDowell of Manhattan was airlifted to a hospital for treatment of injuries, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report. A known male suspect injured him during an incident in the 400 block of Laramie in Manhattan, according to police.
Police have not reported an update on McDowell’s condition and, on Monday, had no details on an arrest as the investigation continues, according RCPD spokesperson Rachel Pate.
— Senator Pat Roberts (@SenPatRoberts) March 6, 2019
Sen. Pat Roberts and Sen. Jerry Moran and Rep. Roger Marshall are promoting the honor in Congress.
Dole said he was humbled that the Kansas delegation is trying to honor him. He says the legislation is an honor he shares with many others who fought in the Army, especially those who died in World War II.
Dole was an infantry lieutenant in 1945 when he was wounded by German machine gun fire, which left him with limited mobility in his right arm.
Ten years ago, Chelsea Clanton had everything going for her. After numerous athletic accomplishments at Great Bend High School including WAC Championships for cross country and track events, she was running for the Varsity team in college and pursuing her dreams. After graduating from Wichita State University, she grew a successful career in Human Resources and continued to run and train in her spare time.
But that all came to a crashing halt last fall when Chelsea was in a tragic car accident that eventually resulted in the amputation of her left leg above the knee.
“After the accident, Chelsea fought for weeks in and out of surgeries with both knees dislocated, a broken right ankle, and so much pain. It was so hard to watch,” says Kayla Benedick, Chelsea’s mother.
“She couldn’t walk at all. It was so hard watching my baby girl go through this, but we are all so happy and thankful she is still here with us. She is a strong and determined person, and she is going to do big things. This won’t keep her down.”
Since getting out of the hospital in mid-December, she has been working with a physical therapist and has been fitted for a new prosthetic device. But all of that comes at a cost. To help offset the mounting expenses, some of Chelsea’s high school classmates have organized a fundraiser known as the “Still Standing 5K” to generate funds and emotional support for Chelsea and her family.
“Our friend Chelsea is one of the best runners we know, and her fighting spirit is an inspiration to a lot of people. What better way to raise money and show our support for an all-star track and cross country athlete than to organize a 5K event?” says high school classmate Valerie McAtee, organizer of the Still Standing 5K.
“But this 5K is a little different. It’s a virtual event, meaning there isn’t an actual race in a specific town on a specific day. Anyone from anywhere can give online and get signed up for the virtual race before March 30th, and their race t-shirt will ship directly to their house. Then they can put in their 3.1 miles any time after that (or not) and post a photo with our hashtag so Chelsea can see their support from around the country.”
McAtee and the other volunteers hope to see an outpouring of registrations for the virtual 5K event from all over the state, since Chelsea and her family have connections in Great Bend, Emporia where Chelsea ran in college, and in Wichita where she now lives and built her career.
“We’ve already seen a huge response, but are hoping to keep the traction going until the cut-off date for online registrations and donations closes on March 30,” McAtee says. “Chelsea has a lot of medical bills piling up, plus
modifications that need to be made to her home and an expensive prosthetic leg to pay for. Our goal is to help cover a significant portion of that to take the burden off of her shoulders.”
Chelsea’s family reports that she is hopeful about getting back to her passion of running at some point in the future.
“Chelsea’s starting all over, learning to stand and walk and balance. Just taking a shower and getting ready for a doctor’s appointment is a lot of work at this point,” says Benedick. “But down the road she hopes to learn how to run with a prosthesis and inspire others who have gone through traumatic events to keep pursuing their passions. It’s one step at a time right now, but all of this support has meant the world to her and to our family.”
With traction building around the region, volunteers for the fundraiser are asking for the public’s support leading up to the donation deadline at the end of this month. Anyone interested in registering for the virtual 5K event, or in donating through the event webpage, can visit the Facebook page listed under Still Standing 5K for Chelsea Clanton, or search for the virtual 5K event on RunSignUp.com.
JACKSON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating three suspects after a traffic traffic stop in Jackson County.
Martin -photo Jackson Co.Fortune -photo Jackson Co.
Just after midnight Friday, deputies stopped a passenger car on U.S. 75 near 94th Road, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.
Deputies arrested the driver, Arron Dale Martin, 29, Topeka on a Jackson County District Court warrant for failure to appear on drug charges.
Deputies also arrested two of Martin’s passengers including Austin Healey Tonniges, 36, and Gretchen Merissa Fortune, 40, both of Topeka for possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.
Tonniges photo Jackson Co
Martin and Fortune were held without bond, according to Morse.
On Monday, Martin was still being held in the Jackson County without bond. Fortune had been released, according to online jail records.
Dr. Roger Marshall, R-Great Bend, is the First District Kansas Congressman.
Friends,
March 1 is my mother’s birthday, and very fitting for her special day, it is also International Women’s Day. I admire my mom, and the many life lessons she has taught me and still teaches me to this very today. From an early age, she showed me the value of hard work, she worked a full-time job while also raising a family and caring for us around the clock.
From teaching me the importance of having the entire family sit down for dinner, to her endless advice and support, she will always amaze me! Happy birthday, mom!
Discussing Trade and Health Care with President Trump
Last past week leaders of the Republican Study Committee had the opportunity to sit down with President Trump and talk about conservative agenda for this Congress.
As the Chairman of the Health Care Task Force, I talked to the president about our plans to drive down health care costs and other market-based reforms that would give patients choice, access, and protect those with preexisting conditions. Fixing our broken health care system has been a top priority for my office since day one- As a physician for nearly 30 years, I saw many of the problems with our current system firsthand!
But before the President and I discussed health care, he singled me out to deliver one clear message to Kansas farmers- he told me to tell the folks back home that he would not sign a bad trade deal for Kansas producers. The president confidently said that they are making significant progress with China and will prioritize the approval of USMCA by Congress.
It was great to sit down and discuss both the need of our farmers and ranchers, as well as our common vision to fix our broken health care system.
International Women’s Day
March is Women’s History Month, and March 1 is International Women’s Day, so please, I challenge you to thank those women that have positively influenced your life, improved your community and contributed to the success of our great nation.
Supporting our Veterans- Addressing Suicide and Addiction
At our legislative coffee in Junction City many of you talked with me about your time serving our nation and resources available to veterans. Supporting our men and women in uniform and our nation’s veterans is a top priority for me. Last week I wrote an op-ed discussing the common issues that many veterans are facing and what we must do to help.
One of my top concerns today is veteran suicide rates. Last week the president signed the PREVENTS (President’s Roadmap to Empower Veterans and End A National Tragedy of Suicide) executive order to help put a stop to the 20 veterans who commit suicide each day in the United States. This new task force will be tasked with encouraging private-public partnerships to make mental healthcare more readily accessible to each and every veteran in the U.S.
In Kansas, we just opened a brand-new state of the art medical center, the Robert J. Dole Veterans Medical Center, that focuses on Substance Abuse Residential Rehabilitation and Treatment. This center honors the 220,000 veterans across Kansas and the 20 million veterans across the United States. It’s dedicated to helping veterans who have contemplated, or attempted suicide, veterans struggling with addiction, and those in recovery.
Substance abuse and addiction is a terrible problem in our nation and often for our veterans. I fully support the work being done by this administration and in our clinics around Kansas. For as long as I am in office I will continue to fight for the men and women who have fought for us.
Read my latest op-ed on the new veterans treatment facility in Wichita HERE.
Raising Awareness for PCOS- Polycystic Ovary Syndrome
During my time as an OB-GYN, I helped numerous women that struggled with PCOS through their pregnancies and their deliveries. Now on the Hill, I serve as the Co-Chair of the PCOS Caucus, where I am able to be the voice for millions of women across the country suffering from PCOS.
I am working with my fellow Co-Chair, Rep. David Scott, this Congress in introducing H.Res 146. H. Res 146 will designate September 2019 as PCOS Awareness Month. Furthermore, I am actively working with Scott on a letter that would have HHS do an inter-agency study on their work on PCOS and increase much-needed research. By advocating for both more awareness and research, I am hopeful we can help gather more information on this disease that impacts so many families. We want them to improve inter-agency collaboration, develop an awareness campaign, improve research output that will someday lead to better patient outcomes.
Last week I had the pleasure to speak with people who traveled from all over the country to D.C. for Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Advocacy Day. It is so great to see so many people getting involved and advocating to their lawmakers for more awareness of this disease.
Women, Infants, and Children Nutrition is so important
I had the honor of speaking at the annual WIC Leadership Conference lst week. I’ve always supported WIC and am again working on a letter to my colleagues urging them to keep the WIC program fully funded in 2019.
As an OB-GYN, I know firsthand the importance of nutrition, and I want to assure the people of Kansas that I will always work to support mothers and children. As a physician I could not stress enough to my patients the importance of their Infants and children receiving proper nutrition at an early age. I look forward to continuing my work with WIC!
Rep. Omar- Hate has no home here
Last week I voted to stand against hatred and Anti-Semitism. This Congress must make it clear to Rep. Omar that we will not tolerate her continuous anti-Semitic rhetoric and beliefs. During this time it is important to ask ourselves why an anti-Semite is still on the Foreign Affairs Committee. We can only hope that Nancy Pelosi will see how wrong it is to allow it. It’s mind-boggling to me that Democrat Leadership keeps turning a blind eye and not taking action to remove this type of hatred from this important committee.
Dr. Roger Marshall, R-Great Bend, is the Kansas First District Congressman.
RILEY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with her brother’s Kansas murder trial.
Samantha Bland photo Webb Co. Sheriff
On February 19, authorities in Laredo, Texas arrested 29-year-old Samantha Bland on a Riley County District warrant for aggravated intimidation of a witness who testified against Bland’s brother Steven Meredith during the January preliminary hearing for murder, according to Riley County Attorney Barry Wilkerson.
The judge found sufficient evidence for Meredith of Junction City to stand trial in the killing of a confidential drug informant 48-year-old Carrie Jones. Her body was found by deer hunters in rural Riley County.
During the preliminary hearing, witnesses testified that Meredith believed Jones might reveal information about him and others in a 2013 drug case.
One witness testified that Meredith told her that he and another man drove Jones to a field, forced her to get out of the vehicle and then shot her. Meredith was arrested almost a year after Jones’ body was found in October 2017.
On Sunday, Bland was jailed in Riley County, according to the Riley County Police Department arrest report.
She is being held on a bond of $125,000 on requested charges of aggravated intimidation of a witness/victim; Furtherance of conspiracy, Intimidation of a witness or victim; Prevent testimony, according to the RCPD
SHAWNEE COUNTY — Authorities are investigating the cause of a Sunday fire that destroyed a Kansas home. Just after 5a.m. Sunday, fire crews responded to a report of smoke in the area of the 3100 block of SW Randolph in Topeka, Fire Marshal Michael Martin.
Sunday fire caused $130K damage to a Kansas home-photo courtesy WIBW TV
After receiving additional calls reporting a fire, firefighters located the fire in a home at 3210 SW 30th Street.
Upon arrival, firefighters found the split level home fully involved with fire. During the course of the investigation, it was discovered that the occupants were out of town at the time of the fire. Firefighters did locate a deceased dog.
The estimated dollar loss – $130,000.00; of which $87,000.00 is associated with structural loss and $43,000.00 associated with contents loss.
Working smoke detectors were not located within the home, according to Martin.
Any individuals with information about the circumstances of this fire are being asked to please contact Crime Stoppers at (785)234-0007 or Toll Free at 1-800-222 TIPS (8477).
RENO COUNTY — An earthquake shook portions of Reno County early Monday.
Image courtesy Kansas Geological Survey
The quake just after 12:30a.m. measured a magnitude 2.8 and was centered approximately 2 miles southwest of South Hutchinson, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Monday’s quake follows a 2.8 magnitude quake in Harper County on March 7. There are no reports of damage or injuries from the Monday quake.
