MIAMI COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 4a.m. Sunday in Miami County.
A 2016 Jeep Wrangler driven by Jacob Knapp, 29, was traveling south in the northbound lane of Highway 69 just north of 223rd Street, according to the Miami County Kansas Sheriff’s Department.
The Jeep struck a 2011 Chevy Malibu driven by Charlene Crabbe, 44. The Jeep then caught fire.
A passenger in the Malibu Joshua Alexander Kinsey, 25, Kansas City, Kansas, was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the sheriff’s department.
Crabbe suffered critical injuries. She and Knapp were transported to local hospitals. The accident remains under investigation.
OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — A former housekeeper has admitted stealing more than $500,000 in jewelry while working for a woman in Stillwell.
Garcia-Rivera -photo Johnson Co.
43-year-old Sabina Garcia-Rivera, of Olathe, pleaded guilty Thursday to one count of felony theft and three counts of making a false writing.
She was charged in January with stealing the jewelry over two years before the thefts were discovered in 2017.
The false writing charges involve false statements Garcia-Rivera made while pawning some pieces of the jewelry.
Prosecutors say she pawned several pieces for far less than they were worth.
Under terms of the plea agreement, prosecutors will seek a sentence of three years and two months. The defense will ask for a two-year sentence. She will also be required to make restitution.
TOPEKA —The United State Marshal’s Service and FBI are alerting the public of several nationwide imposter scams involving individuals claiming to be U.S. Marshals, court officers or other law enforcement officials.
Anyone receiving the calls is asked to contact their local FBI office and file a consumer complaint with the Federal Trade Commission which has the ability to detect patterns of fraud from the information collected and share the information with law enforcement, according to a media release from the U.S. Marshals’ office in Kansas City.
During the calls, scammers attempt to collect a fine in lieu of arrest by purchasing a pre-paid debit card, green card or similar gift card and read the numbers over the phone to satisfy the fine.
Scammers use many tactics to sound credible. They use badge numbers, names of actual law enforcement officials, federal judges and court addresses. They also spoof their phone numbers to appear on Caller ID as though calling from court or a government agency.
The U.S. Marshals Service will never ask for credit/debit card numbers, wire transfers or bank routing numbers for any purpose.
Don’t divulge your personal or financial information to unknown callers. Report these calls to the FBI and the FTC.
TOPEKA – Since 2013, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recognized a threat to antibiotic resistance and has begun working with many partners across the state and nation to safeguard the effectiveness of antibiotics. In an effort to promote awareness of this important initiative, Governor Jeff Colyer has designated Nov. 12-18 Use Antibiotics Wisely Week.
Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) Chief Health Officer, Dr. Greg Lakin, says health professionals, patients and their loved ones need to be informed and only prescribe or use antibiotics when appropriate.
“The general public, health care providers, health care facility administrators, veterinarians, food producers and policy makers can all play a part in ensuring that antibiotics are only used when truly needed and likely to be effective,” Dr. Lakin said.
In Kansas, a broad range of individuals, professionals and organizations are working together to adopt best practices to help stem the inappropriate use of antibiotics. A statewide advisory group is assisting KDHE in spearheading this effort.
According to data from the CDC, the total number of antibiotic prescriptions written in Kansas ranked among the highest nationally. In 2015, more than 900 antibiotic prescriptions were written per 1,000 individuals statewide.
Antibiotic awareness does not mean stopping the use of antibiotics; it means changing the way antibiotics are prescribed and used today—when necessary and appropriate.
Since the 1940s, antibiotics have been used to treat patients who have bacterial infections, greatly reducing the number of related illnesses and deaths. But now, more than 75 years later, antibiotics have been overused and misused to the point that the infectious organisms the antibiotics are designed to kill have adapted to them, making the drugs less effective, according to the CDC.
The CDC finds that more than one-third of all antibiotics prescribed or otherwise used in the United States are either unnecessary or the antibiotic does not match the germ. Antibiotics are not needed for viruses, such as colds, most sore throats and many sinus infections.
Especially during the cold and flu season when viruses are prevalent, the public can do its part by recognizing that antibiotics are likely not the right medicine. Antibiotics can fight infections and save lives when used to fight the right germ, at the right time and for the right duration.
More than two million people in the United States get infections that are resistant to antibiotics, and each year, at least 23,000 people die as a result. If drug-resistant germs keep growing, and if we lose the effectiveness of antibiotics, we may also lose our ability to treat patients who need them.
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Here are ways you can help:
Do not request that your doctor prescribe antibiotics.
Antibiotics may have side effects. When your doctor says that you do not need an antibiotic, taking one may do more harm than good.
Only take antibiotics that are prescribed for you and take the whole course as directed. Do not share or use leftover antibiotics. Antibiotics treat specific types of infections. Taking the wrong medicine may delay correct treatment and allow bacteria to multiply.
NEW YORK (AP) — Federal health officials have reported the first death in an ongoing salmonella outbreak linked to raw turkey.
People infected with the outbreak strain of Salmonella Reading, by state of residence, as of November 5, 2018 (n=164) CDC Image
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the death was in California but didn’t have any immediate details. Since last November, the agency said 164 people have fallen ill in 35 states, with the most recent case being reported on Oct. 20.
No products have been recalled, and the agency hasn’t recommended that people avoid turkey. But it said it believes the outbreak is widespread and ongoing, and it reminded people to properly cook and handle turkey with Thanksgiving approaching.
“We are still seeing new illnesses being reported on a weekly basis,” said Colin Basler, an epidemiologist with the CDC.
Basler noted there is a lag time between when a person gets sick and when the illness gets reported to health officials. The California Department of Public Health did not immediately respond to an email seeking additional details about the death.
A single supplier hasn’t been identified in connection with the outbreak. The rare salmonella strain was identified in live turkeys, as well as in ground turkey, turkey patties and raw turkey pet food.
The National Turkey Federation said in a statement that its members have reviewed their salmonella-control programs. The industry group said programs include vaccination and sanitation, such as wearing protective boots and clothing to reduce birds’ exposure to pathogens.
To limit risk, the CDC recommends cooking turkey to an internal temperature of at least 165 degrees, and washing hands and counters that have touched uncooked meat.
Salmonella can be found in a variety of foods, including packaged foods. This week, Conagra Brands recalled 2.4 million boxes of Duncan Hines cake mix because of a link to salmonella.
The CDC estimates salmonella causes about 1.2 million illnesses a year. Symptoms include diarrhea, fever and abdominal cramps and can last up to seven days. Illnesses are more likely to be severe in the elderly and infants, according to the CDC.
OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — Court records say a man accused in a suburban Kansas City hit-and-run crash that left two people dead had been speeding and “jockeying back and forth” with one of the victim’s vehicles beforehand.
Woodworth -photo Johnson Co.
Prosecutors released the affidavit Thursday in the case against 45-year-old Bradley Woodworth, of Olathe. He is charged with leaving the scene of the Oct. 6 wreck that killed 18-year-old Matthew Bloskey and 20-year-old Samuel Siebuhr.
Woodworth is accused of driving the minivan that was seen jockeying for position with Siebuhr’s car before the two vehicles made contact in Overland Park. Siebuhr’s car then spun out of control and went over the median, where it was struck and knocked sideways. It then was hit by the vehicle that Bloskey was driving.
SHAWNEE COUNTY— Authorities are working to determine the cause of an apartment complex fire.
Saturday evening apartment complex fire -photo courtesy WIBW TV
Just before 7:30p.m. Saturday, fire crews responded to a two alarm structure fire at 709 SW Tyler Street in Topeka, according to fire investigator Zach Bottenberg.
Upon arrival, fire crews reported heavy smoke and flames from the large three story apartment building. Fire suppression crews conducted an offensive fire attack and began searching the 18 apartments within the building. All occupants self-evacuated safely. The fire was contained to the building of fire origin.
Preliminary investigation indicates the cause of the fire to be Undetermined; pending further investigation. Origin of the fire was within apartment #10.
Estimated structural dollar loss is $40,000. (Four apartments sustained major damage) Estimated content dollar loss is $10,000. The American Red Cross provided assistance to 14 occupants of the apartment building.
Some smoke detectors were sounding within the structure.
A Kansas law prohibiting drug-induced abortions via telemedicine is being challenged by a women’s health clinic in Wichita that provides abortions.
The Kansas law banning the use of telemedicine to administer drug-induced abortions is set to take effect Jan. 1. BIG STOCK
Trust Women Wichita on Thursday filed a lawsuit seeking to block the law from taking effect on Jan. 1.
“Our mission as an organization is to provide reproductive health care to people in the state of Kansas and elsewhere, and to provide that care to underserved communities,” said Julie Burkhart, founder and CEO of Trust Women Wichita.
“So this (telemedicine) is a way for us to reach underserved communities and a way to expand access to abortion care.”
Kansas already requires a physician to be present for medication abortions. The procedure entails the administration of two pills – one in the clinic and the other outside the clinic. The complication rate is low.
“This ban has no medical basis; its sole purpose is to create more hurdles for Kansas women seeking an abortion,” Nancy Northrop, CEO of the Center for Reproductive Rights, which filed the suit on behalf of Trust Women, said in a statement. “In all medical contexts except abortion, Kansas authorizes physicians to use telemedicine to provide treatment and prescribe medication.”
The Kansas Telemedicine Act, which was signed into law by Gov. Jeff Colyer in May, is intended to encourage the use of telemedicine – the remote diagnosis and treatment of patients using telecommunications technology. The measure defines telemedicine and requires insurers to cover services provided via telemedicine in the same way they cover in-person office visits.
Anti-abortion language was thrown in at the last minute and was opposed by then-Sen. Laura Kelly, a Democrat who this week was elected governor of Kansas and will be sworn in Jan. 14.
“The bill has been hijacked and highly politicized by inserting an unnecessary and unprecedented non-severability clause,” Kelly told the Topeka Capital-Journal at the time.
Burkhart said the situation “illustrates how abortion care should not be segregated out from health care, because abortion care is health care.”
Kansans for Life, the state’s largest anti-abortion organization, fought to keep the non-severability clause in the bill in order to discourage court challenges.
In its lawsuit, Trust Women says there is no medical justification for prohibiting medication abortions administered through telemedicine.
“Studies have shown that telemedicine improves access to early medication abortion in underserved areas, enables women to be evaluated and treated sooner, and provides them with greater choice of abortion procedure,” it says.
The Wichita clinic says nearly half its abortion patients last year had medication abortions. Since introducing telemedicine, it’s been able to expand the provision of medication abortions from two days a week to additional weekdays and Saturdays, it says.
“Trust Women intends to further expand access to abortion care by offering medication abortion via telemedicine during evening hours and in more rural locations throughout Kansas, so that women are able to receive care closer to their homes,” the lawsuit states.
Trust Women Wichita is one of a handful of abortion facilities in Kansas. Others include Planned Parenthood facilities in Overland Park and Wichita, and the Center for Women’s Health in Overland Park.
The telemedicine ban is one of several abortion restrictions enacted by Kansas, as Trust Women Wichita’s lawsuit notes. Other restrictions include a ban on abortion after 22 weeks unless the mother’s life or health is imperiled; a ban on dilation and evacuation abortions; and a mandatory 24-hour wait period for women seeking abortions.
I urge all Kansans during National Diabetes Month in November to increase their knowledge of diabetes and the ways that it can be managed to reduce the negative impact on a person’s life. Watching for the signs, conferring with your medical provider and engaging in a healthy lifestyle could contribute to reduced risks and costs of this disease.
According to the American Diabetes Association, a total of 30.3 million American adults have diabetes, with 7.2 million of those undiagnosed. In 2015, the association said, 84.1 million Americans age 18 and older had prediabetes, which is a warning sign that their blood glucose level (blood sugar level) is higher than normal, but not high enough to be considered diabetes.
Other warning signals of potential diabetic problems include increased thirst, increased hunger, dry mouth, frequent urination or urinary infections, unexplained weight loss, fatigue, blurred vision and headaches. Left unchecked, diabetes can lead to increased risk of heart disease, stroke, eye problems and blindness, kidney disease and leg or foot amputations, medical experts say.
“With the onset of those warning signs, Kansans would be wise to seek counsel from their medical providers,” Commissioner Selzer said. “Medical experts say diabetes can be a manageable condition with proper medication, diet and exercise. However, ignoring the warning signs could put people at greater risk of deteriorating health and financial hardships down the road.”
Nine out of 10 people with diabetes have Type 2 diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. With Type 2 diabetes, a person’s body cannot use its own insulin well and cannot keep blood sugar at normal levels. With Type 1 diabetes, a person’s body does not make any insulin and has to receive injections every day.
For more diabetes information, go to www.diabetes.org, the website of the American Diabetes Association.
WICHITA– A Mexican citizen pleaded guilty this week to unlawfully driving himself and 10 other illegal aliens from Arizona to Kansas, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.
Maya-Dimas- is being held in Butler County
Alex They Maya-Dimas, 37, a citizen of Mexico, pleaded guilty to one count of transporting illegal aliens. In his plea, he admitted he was driving a 2002 GMC Yukon when a Ford County deputy stopped him.
Maya-Dimas and 10 other occupants of the vehicle were Mexican citizens who were in the United States illegally. The passengers told investigators Maya-Dimas drove them from Arizona to Kansas City through Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Sentencing is set for Jan. 24. He faces up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — A man caught trying to smuggle drugs into a Kansas prison has been placed on probation.
Leavenworth County prosecutors wanted 56-year-old Charles Anthony Newsome to be sentenced to two years in prison after he pleaded no contest to trafficking contraband in a correctional facility.
A judge granted Newsome’s request for probation. He would have to serve four years in prison if he violates his probation.
Newsome worked for a company that makes deliveries to the Lansing Correctional Facility.
Leavenworth County Attorney Todd Thompson said Newsome was caught in April 2016 with almost 200 grams of marijuana and synthetic marijuana during a random check by prison staff.
Norman, Okla. – The Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Oklahoma Field Office, in coordination with the Bureau of Indian Affairs Eastern Oklahoma Regional Office and Bureau of Indian Affairs Southern Plains Regional Office, has released for public comment a revised framework for how certain public lands will be used in parts of Oklahoma, Kansas and Texas.
The document, called the Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas Draft Environmental Impact Statement/Draft Resource Management Plan and Bureau of Indian Affairs Integrated Resource Management Plan, addresses resource management issues, resource data, laws, regulations, and policies applicable to the public lands under the jurisdiction of the BLM and BIA. The BLM invites the public to participate in the planning process by providing comments on the draft plan during a 90-day public comment and review period, which begins Nov. 9.
Taken together, the two draft plans enable the agencies to manage land in a planning area that comprises 15,100 acres of BLM-managed public land and 4,810,900 acres of federal sub-surface mineral estate; 394,200 surface acres and 2,033,500 sub-surface mineral estate acres within the BIA Eastern Oklahoma Region; and 457,500 surface acres and 632,000 sub-surface mineral estate acres within the BIA Southern Plains Region. The BIA trust lands include multiple tribal jurisdictional boundaries.
This planning effort will update management decisions in existing plans for vegetation, fish and wildlife, energy and minerals, lands and realty and other issues. In addition, the document will facilitate future BLM and BIA environmental analysis and permitting of Indian and tribal mineral development.
Copies of the Draft Joint EIS/BLM RMP and BIA IRMP are available for review at the following BLM offices: Oklahoma Field Office, 201 Stephenson Parkway, Suite 1200, Norman, Oklahoma, and the New Mexico State Office, 301 Dinosaur Trail, Santa Fe, New Mexico. The draft plan and supporting information is available online at:
https://www.blm.gov/programs/planning-and-nepa/plans-in-development/new-mexico/oklahoma-rmp
The BLM will host a series of public meetings to provide information and answer questions about the Draft Joint EIS/BLM RMP and BIA IRMP. These meetings will be announced at least 15 days in advance through public notices, media releases, and/or mailings.
Comments will be accepted through Feb 7, 2019. Comments can be submitted via the web address above, or by mail to: BLM Oklahoma Field Office, Attn.: Patrick Rich, RMP Team Lead, 201 Stephenson Parkway, Suite 1200, Norman, Okla., 73072.
For more information on the planning process, please contact Patrick Rich, Oklahoma Field Office RMP Team Lead, at 405-579-7154.
About the Bureau of Land Management
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land located primarily in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. The agency’s mission is to sustain the health, diversity, and productivity of America’s public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. Diverse activities authorized on these lands generated $96 billion in sales of goods and services throughout the American economy in fiscal year 2017. These activities supported more than 468,000 jobs.
