WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Sedgwick County authorities say a 59-year-old Wichita man drowned while trying to save his dog.

Sheriff’s Lt. Tim Myers said the man drowned Wednesday at the Sedgwick County Park lake. His name was not released.

Myers says emergency responders were called when bystanders couldn’t find the man after seeing him go into the water. His body was found about a half-hour later.

Myers said the man apparently thought his pet was in trouble so he went into the water to help the animal. He says it’s unclear if the man had a medical problem.

Myers said the dog was found near the man’s vehicle.

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a knife attack and have made an arrest.

Just after 7a.m. Wednesday, deputies responded to the 6800 block of SW Glengate Lane on the report of a stabbing, according to Sgt. Todd Stallbaumer.  

Deputies arrived to find a woman with minor injuries who refused medical treatment.  The victim reported that she was cut on the arm with a knife by a male acquaintance who was not at the residence.  She reported that the battery actually occurred Tuesday between the hours of 11pm and midnight. 

 Late Wednesday morning, deputies were able to locate the suspect identified as Joe E. Fish at a residence in the 2200 block of SE Pennsylvania. 

He is being held on requested charges of Reckless Aggravated Battery, according to Stallbaumer.

 

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TOPEKA- Preliminary figures released Wednesday by the Kansas Board of Regents (KBOR) show a slight decrease at state universities and systemwide in full-time equivalency (FTE) enrollment of students at public higher education institutions in Kansas. The total headcount of students increased slightly at state universities and decreased slightly systemwide.

“We know that jobs with family sustaining wages increasingly require some level of education beyond high school,” said KBOR President and CEO Blake Flanders. “Last year, the Regents, in partnership with the Legislature and Governor, increased access for Kansans by holding state university tuition flat. To ensure continued accessibility the Board will remain focused on affordability. We look forward to working with the Governor and the Legislature in continuing this focus on adequate state investment in our postsecondary system.”

Across the six state universities, there was a decrease of 726 FTE students (-0.98 percent) compared to the preliminary census day count in 2018. Increased enrollment was seen at Fort Hays State University (89 FTE students; 0.94 percent) and Wichita State University (112 FTE students; 0.99 percent).

Emporia State University saw a decrease in the enrollments (77 FTE students; -1.71 percent), as did Kansas State Universityⁱ (564 FTE students; -3.00 percent), Pittsburg State University (144 FTE students; -2.40 percent), and the University of Kansasⁱⁱ (142 FTE students; -0.59 percent). Washburn Universityⁱⁱⁱ, the state’s municipal university, also had decreased enrollment (221 FTE students; -4.48 percent).

In the two-year sector, enrollment was down across the state’s 19 community colleges with a reported decrease of 1,164 FTE students (-2.79 percent). Enrollment increased across the state’s technical colleges, where an additional 165 FTE students (2.86 percent) are enrolled this fall compared to the preliminary census day count in 2018.

Click here to view preliminary fall enrollment summaries in both FTE and headcount for each public higher education institution in Kansas. Enrollment numbers may also be accessed at stats.kansasregents.org.

Full-time equivalency is calculated by dividing the total number of undergraduate credit hours taken in a semester by 15 and graduate credit hours by 12.

BARTON COUNTY —For the second day in a row Sheriff’s deputies made a meaningful methamphetamine arrest in Great Bend.

On Tuesday, sheriff’s deputies conducted a traffic stop near the intersection of 21st and Kansas Street in Great Bend, according to Sheriff Brian Bellendir.

Upon contact with the occupants of the vehicle, deputies became suspicious and conducted further investigation. The K-9 unit from the Pawnee County Sheriff’s office was used at the traffic stop. The dog indicated the presence of a controlled substance. Upon further investigation ¼ pound of methamphetamine and more than $8000 cash was discovered.

Deputies arrested Joshua Smith, 30, of Natoma, and booked him on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute and is being held in the Barton County Jail in lieu of a $300,000 bond.

Another occupant of the vehicle Santia Henderson age 31 of Great Bend, was found to have an outstanding warrant from Harvey County for parole violation.

The Sheriff’s office will begin forfeiture proceedings on the $8000 cash seized. Due to the amount of drugs and large amount of cash found authorities believe this was part of a distribution operation, according to Bellendir.

 

DODGE CITY— Retired Kansas District Judge Robert J. Schmisseur conducted a comprehensive review and audit of all files in the Diocesan Chancery office related to priests, deacons and seminarians, according to a release presented Wednesday by the Dodge City Catholic Diocese.

More than 600 files were reviewed during the four-month audit. The audit included the identification of substantiated allegations of sexual abuse of a minor by a member of the clergy or a seminarian. The findings of the auditor’s report have been shared with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Kansas Attorney General’s office.

The audit did not reveal any allegations of sexual misconduct that had not previously been made known to the Review Board. Following the audit and the Diocesan Review Board’s review, Bishop Brungardt offers this list of substantiated allegations:

PRIESTS WITH ALLEGATIONS ARISING IN THE DODGE CITY DIOCESE

Donald Fiedler (not permitted to function as a priest since 2007) Ordained for the Wichita Diocese May 1959; became a priest of Dodge City Diocese August 1964. Served in the Dodge City Diocese September 1961- January 1988: St. Rose, Great Bend; St. Joan of Arc, Elkhart; St. Helen, Hugoton; St. Alphonsus, Satanta; St. Dominic, Garden City; Mary, Queen of Peace, Ulysses. Allegations arising from incidents in the Diocese of Dodge City in the mid-1980s. Allegations determined substantiated.

John Haberthier (deceased) Ordained for the Wichita Diocese May 1948. He became a priest of the Dodge City Diocese when it became a diocese in 1951. Served in the Dodge City Diocese August 1950-December 1973: Sacred Heart Church/Cathedral, Dodge City; St. Rose Hospital, Great Bend; St. Theresa, Dighton; St. Michael, LaCrosse; St. Timothy, Satanta; Bob Wilson Hospital, Ulysses; Immaculate Heart of Mary, Windthorst; St. Patrick, Plains. Served in the Pueblo Diocese in Colorado November 1973-July 1977 and in the San Bernardino Diocese in California April 1979- 1987. Allegations arising in the Dodge City Diocese and the Pueblo Diocese for incidents in the late 1960’s thru the mid-1970s determined to be substantiated and public announcements were made in the Dodge City Diocese in December 2006.

Augustine Hanchak, CPPS (deceased) A member of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. Served in the Dodge City Diocese August 1963-August 1965 at St. Mary, Garden City. Recent allegations arising in the Dodge City Diocese for incidents in the 1960’s have been reported and determined substantiated.

Cletus (“Jerry”) Stein (no longer a priest) Ordained for the Dodge City Diocese December 1966. Served in the Dodge City Diocese August 1967-September 1972 and April 1975-June 1987: St. Joseph, Ellinwood; Sacred Heart, Pratt; St. John, Hoisington; Sacred Heart Cathedral, Dodge City; St. Rose, Great Bend; St. Joseph, Greensburg; St. George, Bucklin; St. Alphonsus, Satanta; St. Mary of the Plains College, Dodge City. Served in the Archdiocese of Denver Sept. 1972-July 1974. Served in the Diocese of Amarillo beginning July 1987 and became a priest of Amarillo in 1993. Allegations determined substantiated.

Edward Young (deceased) Ordained for the Dodge City Diocese May 1953. Served in the Dodge City Diocese June 1953-August 1970: Sacred Heart Cathedral, Dodge City; Sacred Heart, Pratt; St. John the Evangelist, Hoisington; Dominican Convent, Great Bend; St. Rose Hospital, Great Bend; St. Rose Parish, Great Bend; St. Helen, Hugoton; St. Timothy, Satanta. He became a priest of the Sioux City Diocese in 1974. Allegations arising in the Dodge City Diocese in the late 1950s-early 1960s. Allegations determined substantiated.

PRIESTS WHO SERVED IN THE DODGE CITY DIOCESE WITH ALLEGATIONS ARISING OUTSIDE THE DODGE CITY DIOCESE

Orestes Huerta (priest of the Diocese of Boac, Philippines) Served in the Dodge City Diocese from September 1997 to September 2000 at St. Mary, Garden City and Christ the King, Deerfield. A report was received of allegations of incidents that occurred in the Boac Diocese after Huerta returned to the Philippines from the Dodge City Diocese. Public announcements were made in the Dodge City Diocese in February 2010. No allegations received from his time in the Dodge City Diocese.

Mario Islas (no longer a priest) Ordained for the El Paso Diocese May 1970. Served in the Dodge City Diocese December 1988-February 1994: St. John the Baptist, Meade; St. Patrick, Plains; St. Anthony, Liberal; Christ the King, Deerfield; St. Mary, Garden City. He is on the “list of credible accusations” of the El Paso Diocese. Public announcements were made in the Dodge City Diocese in January 2019. No allegations received from his time in the Dodge City Diocese.

Richard Kolega, CPPS (deceased) A member of the Missionaries of the Precious Blood. Served in the Dodge City Diocese September 1973-August 1974 and January 1986-October 1991: St. Mary, Garden City; St. Anthony, Lakin; Christ the King, Deerfield; Our Lady of Guadalupe, Dodge City. He is on the “list of credible accusations” of the San Angelo Diocese. No allegations received from his time in the Dodge City.

Donald Straub (no longer a priest) Ordained for the St. Louis Archdiocese May 1975. He served in the Dodge City Diocese from September 1990-January 1991 at Sacred Heart Cathedral, Dodge City. He is on the “list of substantiated allegations” for the Archdiocese of St. Louis. When the Archdiocese determined allegations to be substantiated, public announcements were made in the Dodge City Diocese May 2004. No allegations received from his time in the Dodge City.

Joseph Thiesen (deceased) Ordained a priest for the New York Archdiocese May 1953. Served in the Dodge City Diocese October 1988-May 1989 at the Dominican Convent and Central Kansas Medical Center in Great Bend. He is on the “list of credible accusations” for the New York Archdiocese. No allegations received from his time in the Dodge City Diocese.

DODGE CITY DIOCESAN SEMINARIANS

Heleodoro (“Leo”) de Hoyos Allegation from Oklahoma in 1997 when he was a seminarian of the Dodge City Diocese. He was dismissed as a seminarian.

Joel McClure Due to law enforcement investigation and with the cooperation of the Diocese of Dodge City, he was dismissed as a seminarian in August 2015. He pleaded guilty in federal court to one count of transportation of child pornography in March 2016.

If you suspect abuse

If you suspect abuse or neglect of a child in Kansas and the child is in immediate danger, call 911 or local law enforcement. If you have suspicion a child is being abused or neglected, make a confidential report to Kansas Department for Children and Families Protection Report Center, 800-922-5330 or to the KBI Hotline, 800-KSCRIME (800-572-7463), or by emailing [email protected].

If you suspect sexual abuse by Church personnel, in addition to making a report to the proper civil authorities, please contact Mr. Charles Befort, the diocesan Review Board representative who receives and follows up on reports. His contact information is [email protected], 620-285-3219. In addition, Mr. Befort will offer the help of the Assistance Minister whose goal is to be a listening ear and to promote healing.

The Review Board is a consultative body of lay Catholics and one priest- representative who advises the Bishop in his assessment of allegations of sexual abuse, reviews diocesan policies for dealing with sexual abuse of minors and offers advice on all aspects of sexual abuse cases retrospectively and prospectively.

The Assistance Minister’s role is to aid in the pastoral care of persons who claim to have been sexually abused as minors by clergy or other church personnel, whether the abuse was recent or occurred many years in the past.

All allegations are deemed credible. A substantiated allegation is defined as an allegation that, based upon the facts of the claim, meets one or more of the following thresholds: Is not specifically denied or is acknowledged/admitted to by the accused; is corroborated with other evidence or by another source and/or; involves multiple accusations. The facts and circumstances that substantiate an allegation vary from case to case. A finding that an allegation is substantiated is not the equivalent of a finding of guilt in a criminal proceeding or liability in a civil proceeding.

The Dodge City Diocese and Bishop Brungardt regret and apologize for the hurt that has been inflicted and the pain caused especially to those who were most vulnerable. We ask forgiveness and seek to help those suffering from sexual abuse.

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal jury found a Kansas woman guilty of taking part in a scheme to swindle homeowners facing foreclosure with false promises to help them save their homes, according to U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister.

Sara Cordry, 69, Overland Park, Kan., was convicted on one count of conspiracy, one count of mail fraud and six counts of wire fraud.

During trial, prosecutors presented evidence that Cordry conspired with co-defendants to take money from victims by fraudulently promising to lower their interest rates, lower their monthly payments. and help them obtain loan modifications.

Investigators identified more than 500 victims in 24 states who suffered a total loss of more than $1 million due to the scheme.

Co-defendants include Tyler Korn, 30, St. Ann, Mo., who was sentenced to 51 months in federal prison, Ruby Price, 74, Bonner Springs, Kan., who is awaiting sentencing and Amjad Daud, 35, Lutz, Fla., who failed to appear at court hearings. A warrant for his arrest has been issued.

Cordry’s sentencing is set for Jan. 9, 2020. She could face up to 30 years in federal prison and a fine up to $1 million on each count.

Finance-based news website Kiplinger.com recently released its list of most and least tax-friendly state in the United States.

Kansas ranked among the 10 least tax-friendly in the nation, in a list topped by Illinois, Connecticut and New York.

Click HERE for the analysis from Kiplinger.

BONNER SPRINGS, Kan. (AP) — A fleeing driver has been charged with causing a crash in the Kansas  that killed a suburban Chicago teen.

29-year-old Anthony Dorsey was charged Tuesday with first-degree murder and fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement.

The pursuit started Monday after a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper attempted to stop a car with a registration issue near a Kansas City, Kansas, shopping area. The patrol says the man fled westbound on Interstate 70 before turning around near Bonner Springs, Kansas, and driving into oncoming traffic.

That’s when 19-year-old Nathan Pena, of Brookfield, Illinois, was killed in a head-on crash while headed to Colorado to see friends. Dorsey, who was wanted on an armed robbery charge, had minor injuries and was taken into custody at the scene.

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LEAVENWORTH COUNTY —One person died in an accident during a chase by law enforcement just after 2p.m. Monday in Leavenworth County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Chevy Tahoe driven by Anthony Dorsey, 29, Kansas City, was westbound on Interstate 70 attempted to flee law enforcement.

The driver made a U-turn prior to the eastern entrance toll plaza. While traveling eastbound in the westbound lanes, a 2017 Subaru driven by Nathan Pena, 19, Brookfield, IL., made an evasive maneuver to avoid the Tahoe. The Tahoe collided with the Subaru in the north ditch.

Pena was pronounced dead at the scene. Dorsey was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

Authorities have not released details on what prompted the chase and possible charges against Dorsey.

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug charges after an arrest near a day care facility.

On Monday, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office and the Rossville Police Department assisted Agents with the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) on a narcotic search warrant in the 3500 Block of SE California Avenue, according to Sgt. Todd Stallbaumer.

DEA agents arrested Dwayne A. Zinn, 57, of Topeka, and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections for Possession of Narcotics with Intent to Distribute. They seized approximately 5 oz of methamphetamine, with a street value of around $5000.

With a daycare facility nearby, neighbors spoke with Law Enforcement and expressed their appreciation of the drug enforcement efforts in reference this ongoing investigation.

LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — A 31-year-old Leavenworth woman has pleaded not guilty in the death of her 19-month-old son.

Catherine Smith is charged with second-degree murder after her son’s death in November 2018. She pleaded on Monday.

Smith allegedly left her son in a room where the temperature exceeded 90 degrees without checking on him for an extended time.

Smith is free on bond. Court records indicate she was released Sept. 16 on a $25,000 bond.

The trial is scheduled for Jan. 21.

SEDGWICK COUNTY — One person died in an accident just after 5:30a.m. Tuesday in Sedgwick County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1996 GMC Suburban driven by Bruce Lee Strawder, 61, Wichita, was northbound on Interstate 235 in the right lane when he lost control of vehicle. The SUV struck the guardrail and overturned.

Strawder was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to the Sedgwick County Coroners Office. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.