Miller spent Tuesday night in Salina as a guest of the Salina Fire Department before heading out Wednesday to his next stop: Abilene.
According to a post on the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum Facebook page, Miller will be available to meet with the public from 9:30-10 a.m. Thursday at the Eisenhower Presidential Library and Museum, 200 SE Fourth Street.
Following the public meet and greet, Miller is scheduled to tour the new exhibits before continuing his walk toward Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Va.
COWLEY COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating four suspects on drug charges
Sedam has previous convictions for Indecent Solicitation Child;GE14 less than 16,sexual act, offender registration and two for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections
On Tuesday, police located a 15-year-old runaway from Ponca City, Oklahoma, in the 2800 block of North Summit Street in Arkansas City.
They determined that she was under the influence of methamphetamine. They interviewed the juvenile, who said she had been staying at 33-year-old Arron Dion Sedam’s residence in in the 1000 Block of First Street, according to police.
She said Sedam provided her with meth and had given her a tattoo while she was at his residence. A search warrant was obtained and executed at the residence resulting in the three arrests. Four juveniles were taken into police protective custody due to the conditions at the residence.
Police arrested Angela Renee Baxley, 51, and Timothy Scott Massey, 46, who is listed as homeless, on suspicion of felony possession of methamphetamine and misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia. Massey also was arrested on a Cowley County District Court warrant for bond violation.
Police arrested Sedam on suspicion of one felony count each of aggravated endangering a child, interference with parental custody and possession of methamphetamine, as well as one misdemeanor count each of possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of marijuana and tattooing a minor without consent. Sedam was transported to and booked into the county jail in lieu of $23,000 bond through Arkansas City district court. He remained in custody.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A federal judge has denied a request by Missouri to allow a ban on abortions after 20 weeks of pregnancy to go into effect while the state waits for further court action.
U.S. District Court Judge Howard Sachs had previously paused parts of Missouri’s new abortion law. It was set to go into effect Aug. 28 and criminalizes abortions after eight weeks of pregnancy.
It also triggered bans at 14, 18 and 20 weeks if the initial eight-week ban was found unconstitutional.
The judge issued a preliminary injunction Aug. 27 against the bans based on gestational age. The state immediately appealed the judge’s decision to the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals. It’s not clear when the appellate court will hear the case.
Missouri asked Sachs to reinstate just the 20-week abortion ban during the appeal.
ST. JOSEPH, Mo. — Flooding might well be returning to northwest Missouri, though the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is downplaying how severe this late summer, early fall flooding will be.
Torrential rain in the upper Missouri River Basin has filled the six reservoirs upstream on the Missouri River. The Corps has reduced water releases from Gavins Point Dam, but only for a while. Releases have dropped from 70,000 cubic feet per second to 60,000, but then will be raised to 80,000 well into October.
National Weather Service Hydrologist Kevin Low says the forecast for the final three months of the year is about twice the average rainfall.
“Our upper basin runoff forecast for 2019 is 58.8 million-acre feet, more than 30 million-acre feet more than the long-term average of 25.3,” Low tells a conference call hosted by the Corps of Engineers.
The Army Corps of Engineers Mike Dulin in the Kansas City office says the Corps doesn’t expect the renewed flooding to do the damage the mid-March and late May floods did.
“We continue to monitor the Missouri River after last week’s torrential rainfall in the Dakotas,” Dulin says. “Based on National Weather Service forecast information, we anticipate the crest to reach Rulo, Nebraska this Saturday into Sunday and could peak at a stage around 22 feet. While no levees are expected to overtop, levees that were previously breached during the March flood event could see some floodwaters move back into the bottoms as the crest passes.”
The National Weather Service reports the Missouri River at St. Joseph rose to 18.2 feet this morning and is expected to crest at 21.2 feet Monday and Tuesday. Upstream, at Rulo, Nebraska the Missouri River topped just over 20 feet and is expected to crest at 22.2 feet this weekend.
Missouri River Basin Water Management Director John Remus says water releases at Gavins Point will remain high for a while.
“We don’t have an exact date on that, but it will be well into October,” Remus says.
Remus says the Corps hopes to manage releases from the upstream dams in such a way as to return to normal on December the first.
“The plan is to cut down releases. Our plan is to get down to where we need to be for our winter evacuation by the first part of December,” Remus says. “If we do that, then we would not necessarily have to release higher flows coming out of Gavins Point.”
Corps officials say they are attempting to deal with rainfall in northern Nebraska and the Dakotas that has exceeded 400% of normal the past two weeks.
SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug charges after a traffic stop.
On Tuesday, Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Interdiction Unit conducted a traffic stop on I-70, eastbound just east of the West Union Road exit, according to Sgt. Todd Stallbaumer.
The traffic stop resulted in the seizure of approximately 145 pounds of marijuana that was destined for the Topeka area. The marijuana has an estimated street value of $500,000.
Deputies arrested Janae N. Williams, 30, of Topeka, on requested charges that include Possession of Marijuana with Intent to distribute and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.
COLUMBUS, Kan. (AP) — A woman who was a fugitive with her son for two years after an Oklahoma man was killed has been sentenced to nearly five years in prison.
Diana Bohlander was sentenced Tuesday to 59 months in prison for her role in the death of 64-year-old James McFarland, of Tulsa, whose body was found in April 2017 in southeast Kansas.
Bohlander’s 23-year-old son, Ty, was given the same sentence Sept. 3.
Bohlanders were living in a van with McFarland when he was killed. Investigators believe McFarland suffered blunt force trauma when he and Ty Bohlander fought. Diana Bohlander was accused of helping her son conceal the crime.
The Bohlanders were fugitives until Ty Bohlander was arrested in March in Santa Monica, California. His mother turned herself in the next month.
Wasson / KBIWICHITA – A registered sex offender living in western Kansas was convicted today on federal child pornography charges, U.S. Attorney Stephen McAllister said in a news release Wednesday.
A federal jury convicted Wayne Benjamin Wasson, 59, Great Bend, on four counts of uploading child pornography to the internet and one count of possessing child pornography.
During trial, a prosecutor presented evidence that Yahoo and Google detected child pornography originating from Wasson’s residence. The digital trail led investigators to Wasson, who admitted he had received child pornography via Skype and had operated a number of other accounts. Investigators found child pornography within the accounts and on Wasson’s devices.
Wasson registered as a sex offender in 2007 following a conviction for possession of child pornography.
Sentencing is set for Dec. 13. He faces a penalty of not less than 15 years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.
McAllister commended the FBI and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart for their work on the case.
BARTON COUNTY – A civilian employee of the Barton County Sheriff’s Office was arrested today by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, according to a news release Wednesday.
On Wednesday, at approximately 10:40 a.m., KBI agents arrested 64-year-old Jimmy L. Hapes, Great Bend, at 1408 Kansas, in Great Bend. He was arrested for one count of rape connected to an incident that occurred on June 7.
Hapes is a civil process server for the sheriff’s office, and was placed on administrative leave following the accusation.
The KBI initiated the investigation on June 24, when the Great Bend Police Department requested KBI assistance after the rape was reported to them.
The Barton County Attorney is expected to prosecute the case.
SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and have a third suspect in custody.
With assistance from the United States Marshals Service, law enforcement located and arrested 22-year-old Lavonte D. Johnson Wednesday in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, according to Topeka police spokesperson Gretchen Koenen.
Johnson photo Topeka Police
Johnson was arrested on a Shawnee County warrant for first-degree murder and criminal use of a weapon. He is awaiting extradition to Shawnee County.
On July 25, police were dispatched to the area of SE Fremont and SE Irvingham in reference to gunshots heard in the area. Officers responded to the area and at SE 37th & SE Pennsylvania in Topeka and located a white passenger car with one male victim later identified as 16-year-old Joaquin Aj McKinney of Topeka suffering from life threatening injuries.
He was quickly transported to an area hospital by ambulance, where he was later pronounced deceased.
Danny Kaye Williams and Zachary Jacob McFall have also been charged in relation to this investigation. Williams and McFall have been charged with one count each of first-degree murder and criminal discharge of a firearm at an occupied vehicle. Investigators are not seeking any additional suspects at this time.
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SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting and continue the search for one suspect.
Zachary Jacob McFall photo Topeka PoliceJohnson photo Topeka Police
Just after 3:30p.m. July 25, police were dispatched to SE 37th and SE Pennsylvania in Topeka located a white passenger car with 16- year-old Joaquin Aj McKinney suffering from life threatening injuries. He was transported to a local hospital where he died.
On July 27, 2019 a suspect in the case, 16-year-old Zachary Jacob McFall turned himself in to law enforcement. He is being held in the Juvenile Department of Corrections for 1st Degree Murder.
On July 28, 2019 officers located and arrested an additional 16-year-old suspect in the case. He was transported to the Juvenile Department of Corrections for 1st Degree Murder.
Police are attempting to locate 22-year-old Lavonte D. Johnson for questioning in the case.
Police said if you know his location, please do not attempt to apprehend him, call 911 to report his location
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A University of Kansas football player is charged with two misdemeanors after his arrest at a Lawrence bar.
Thomas Patrick Barrett photo KU Athletics
Sophomore linebacker Thomas Patrick Barrett was charged Tuesday with two counts of contributing to a child’s misconduct. An attorney entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.
Police Sgt. Amy Rhoads says Barrett, from Cleveland, Ohio, was arrested on Aug. 31 at the Jayhawk Cafe. Two 17-year-old girls inside the business were in possession of what was believed to be alcohol.
The girls were released to their guardians.
Barrett turned 21 the same week he was arrested. He’s scheduled for another court appearance Oct. 2.
The Kansas athletic department said it’s monitoring the situation while it goes through the legal process.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City International Airport officials are warning travelers to give themselves more time to get to their destinations.
photo courtesy Kansas City International Airport
The airport authority announced that construction on a new terminal will slow traffic, beginning Wednesday.
Vehicle traffic between terminals B and C will be reduced to one lane, and the road that allows motorists to return to a terminal will be closed.
The change to the loop road system will particularly affect motorists who circle the area while waiting to pick up passengers. People waiting for passengers may park for free in the Cell Phone lot near the FAA tower. Or they can park in the economy parking lot for up to one hour without being charged a fee.
The airport says ongoing construction means travelers should allow more time for up to a year.
A Johnson County resident has filed a class action lawsuit claiming the country’s leading electronic cigarette maker, Juul Labs, fraudulently concealed the addictive nature of its vaping products and misrepresented their safety.
Isaac Gant says he began vaping as a senior in high school four years ago and now is addicted to nicotine, suffers from respiratory problems, bouts of anxiety, coughing fits and the need to take frequent breaks at work to satisfy his nicotine cravings.
“Juul marketed its products to teenagers and did not tell them that it contains nicotine,” said Jerry Schlichter, a St. Louis lawyer who represents Gant. “Now we have many young people who have become addicted to this product when they never were informed about its content at all.”
The lawsuit seeks class action status on behalf of all Kansas residents who bought or used products made by Juul and seeks unspecified damages for violations of the Kansas Consumer Protection Act, negligence, fraud and other counts.
The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Kansas City, Kansas, accuses Juul of adopting the marketing strategies of tobacco companies by glamorizing vaping while downplaying its addictiveness and adverse health effects. It alleges that Juul specially formulated the liquids in its delivery systems to deliver more nicotine in higher concentrations in a way that would make it quicker and easier to consume.
In a statement, Juul said the lawsuit “largely copies and pastes unfounded allegations previously raised in other lawsuits which we have been actively contesting for over a year. This case is without merit and we will defend our mission throughout this process.”
The company said that it was “committed to eliminating combustible cigarettes” and that its product “has always been intended to be a viable alternative for the one billion current adult smokers in the world.”
“We have never marketed to youth and do not want any non-nicotine users to try our products,” Juul said. “We have launched an aggressive action plan to combat underage use as it is antithetical to our mission.”
Gant’s lawsuit, however, says that Juul intentionally targets minors and that individuals who use its products are more than four times as likely to start smoking cigarettes as those who don’t.
The Food and Drug Administration this month issued a warning letter to Juul, accusing it of illegally marketing its vaping device as safer than traditional cigarettes. The agency threatened the company with civil penalties and seizure of its products if it didn’t stop.
More than 400 people nationwide have developed lung illnesses after using vaping products and at least seven people, including one in Kansas, have died. California health officials announced this week that a 40-year-old man had died over the weekend from complications related to using e-cigarettes.
The specific cause or causes of the illnesses and deaths are unknown, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people concerned about the health risks of vaping refrain from using vaping products and particularly vaping ingredients bought on the street. It also urges people to stop modifying the devices.
With a greater than 70% market share, Juul dominates the e-cigarette market. Last year, just three years after introducing its vaping products, it boasted more than $1 billion in revenue. In December, tobacco giant Altria acquired a 35 percent stake in Juul in a deal valued at $12.8 billion.
Gant’s class action lawsuit is at least the second to be filed by a Kansas City area resident against the company. Last month, the mother of a Clay County teenager sued Juul in federal court in Kansas City, alleging it deliberately targets teenagers while knowing of “significant health risks posed by nicotine use.”
Gant’s lawsuit accuses Juul of taking a page from the tobacco industry’s playbook, going so far as to create advertisements bearing an uncanny resemblance in theme, appearance and language to those once used to market cigarettes. The lawsuit juxtaposes pictures of old cigarette ads with pictures of Juul ads to illustrate their similarity.
The suit says that Juul, like the tobacco industry, tracks teenage smoking patterns and attitudes because it views teenagers as future customers.
“Having learned from its predecessors,” the suit states, “Juul Labs has been doing exactly the same thing, reaching millions of teenagers and children – on purpose and for the same reason as ‘Big Tobacco’ did – in the process.”
Schlichter’s law firm has filed several other lawsuits on behalf of young people who have developed health conditions allegedly related to vaping.
“This is a serious problem,” he said.
E-cigarettes, also known as vapes, e-hookahs, vape pens and electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), are battery-powered devices that convert liquid nicotine into a vapor inhaled by the smoker. Because they don’t contain all of the harmful chemicals found in cigarettes, they’ve been marketed as a safer alternative to cigarettes and as a smoking cessation device.
“Their easy availability, alluring advertisements, various e-liquid flavors, and the belief that they’re safer than cigarettes have helped make them appealing to this age group,” the institute says on its website.
Photo courtesy KHPLINCOLN COUNTY — One person was injured in an accident just after 6 a.m. Wednesday in Lincoln County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Volvo semi driven by Lovepreet Singh, 23, Bakersfield, Calif., was westbound on interstate 70 near the Beverly exit.
The semi drifted into median and the driver over-corrected, flipping the semi onto its side and blocking all of westbound I-70.
EMS transported Singh to the hospital in Salina in serious condition, according to the KHP. He was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.
The westbound lanes reopened to traffic just before 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.
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LINCOLN COUNTY — Authorities are on the scene of an accident early Wednesday in Lincoln County.
Wednesday accident scene on I-70 in Lincoln County. photo KHP
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported the crash on Interstate 70 near the Beverly exit in Lincoln County has forced westbound traffic to exit at the Brookville-Tescott exit and travel north to Tescott and west to Lincoln and south on Kansas 14 as officials work to clear the accident scene.
East bound lanes are still open. The KHP reminded drivers to slow down as they approach the scene.
