SALINE COUNTY –  A Kansas man was injured in a work place accident on Monday in Salina.

Just before 4 p.m., first responders were sent to cabinet factory Crestwood, Inc., 601 East Water Well Road.

A 41-year-old male employee was attempting to clean one of the machines. He shut down the machine, removed the guard and then stuck his hand in the machine but the blade had not come to a complete stop, according to Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.

The man was transported to Salina Regional Medical Center.

Mike Junk, Crestwood president, said that the blade on this particular machine can spin for 1.5 minutes after being shut down.

“We have safety protocol and training all the time,” Junk said. “It is a part of our culture here. And when you have any accident, you try to redesign it and make it even more bulletproof.”

According to Junk, this employee did have training on this piece of equipment.

Initial reports from deputies indicated the employee lost at least one finger.

Crestwood creates custom cabinetry and related wood products.

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Bill Snyder doesn’t spend as much time in the office these days, and it gnaws at him just as much as an overthrown pass, missed tackle or blown blocking assignment.

The longtime Kansas State coach with the infamous work ethic has been limited the past few weeks by treatments for throat cancer — or more specifically, the side effects from the treatment. The diagnosis came shortly before the Wildcats’ bowl game and the chemotherapy regimen began earlier this year. Snyder recently went through the final round of treatment.

Still, it hasn’t kept the 77-year-old away from the Wildcats as they begin preparing for the season. He’s been on the field the first four spring practices, meticulously dissecting each of them, just as he has been for nearly three decades.

JEWELL COUNTY -A second earthquake this week hit Kansas on Tuesday afternoon.

The quake at 12:54 p.m. measured 3.4 and was centered approximately 5 miles, southeast of Mankato, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

Just before 6:15p.m. Sunday a 2.8 quake was centered approximately 2 miles southeast of Medicine Lodge.
The agency recorded 7 earthquakes in March including a 2.9 quake Thursday near Belle Plaine.

The USGS also recorded 6 earthquakes in February. They measured from 2.5. to 3.3.

There are no reports of damage or injury from Tuesday’s quake, according to the Jewell County Sheriff’s Department.

BARTON COUNTY- Law enforcement authorities in Barton County are investigating a suspect on drug charges.

Just before 11a.m. Monday police and special agents with the Kansas Bureau of Investigation executed a search warrant at a home in the 400 Block of West Broadway Avenue in Hoisington, according to a media release.

During the search officers found several pounds of marijuana, determined to be brought in from Colorado.

They also located a substantial amount of cash and drug paraphernalia, including items used in the cultivation of marijuana.

Police also arrested a 22- year-old white female. She is being held in the Barton County jail with a bond of $100,000.

SEDGWICK COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Sedgwick County are investigating a murder of a teenager and have a suspect in custody.

Just after 1p.m. Monday, police responded to the 6200 Block of East Orme Street in Wichita after report of a shooting, according to Wichita Police Lt. Todd Ojile during Tuesday’s online media briefing.

Officers found a wounded 18-year-old identified as D’Shaun Smith in a vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators learned that Smith and a woman in the vehicle had gone to the location to meet an unknown suspect to purchase marijuana.

During the transaction, the suspect attempted to rob the victim, fired a gun, and fled on foot.

Police developed a suspect in the case, set up surveillance at a residence in the area and made an arrest. A suspect identified in the Sedgwick County arrest report as Mark Lewis Holley III, 18, was booked into jail on requested charges of first-degree murder and aggravated robbery, according to police.

Investigators expect to present the case against Holley to the district attorney on Wednesday, according to Ojile.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Opponents of Kansas’ concealed carry law failed on Tuesday to force a debate over guns at college campuses and hospitals.

The House voted 44 to 81 against a debate, leaving opponents and supporters to continue talks toward a compromise outside the formal legislative process.

At issue is a law passed in 2013 that requires public buildings to allow concealed carry. Colleges and hospitals got until July 1 of this year to comply. Opponents of the law have looked for ways to soften or repeal it.

Minority Leader Democrat Rep. Jim Ward favored the debate on Tuesday, but Republican Majority Leader Rep. Don Hineman says he wants to wait to debate until hospital and gun rights groups can come to a compromise.

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TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Opponents of concealed carry at Kansas hospitals and universities hope an eleventh-hour gun debate will give them a chance to change the law that is set kick in this summer.

On Tuesday, the House will decide whether to debate a bill requiring recognition of out-of-state concealed carry permits. But lawmakers on both sides of the debate would like to amend the bill to enable a broader gun policy discussion.

Lawmakers in 2013 passed a law allowing concealed guns in public buildings that do not have security such as metal detectors, but they gave colleges and several medical facilities until July 1 of this year to comply. Opponents on campuses and at hospitals have sought to change the law even as they prepare to implement it this summer.

DOUGLAS COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Douglas County are investigating an armed robbery and asking for help to identify a suspect.

Just before 9p.m. Monday, police were dispatched to report of a black male wearing a dark colored hoodie that entered a fast food business at 1601 West 23rd Street in Lawrence, according to a social media report.

The suspect displayed a handgun, demanded money and left with an undisclosed amount of cash.

A male witness, who was in the business at the time of the robbery, chased after the suspect, who fled the area on foot east then southbound behind the building. Shots were fired outside the business.

There were no injuries reported, according to police.
Investigators want to speak to a witness who was in the business at the time of the robbery.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call Lawrence Police Department.

By SAM ZEFF

The chairman of the K-12 Budget Committee in the Kansas House promised that a new funding formula would be approved Monday and sent to the floor so the measure would be considered before lawmakers leave for a three-week break.

Turns out, politics got in the way.

The state Supreme Court ruled in early March that the current system is constitutionally inadequate and said it will shut down public schools June 30 if the Legislature doesn’t develop a new funding plan.

Legislative leaders wanted to hire former Sen. Jeff King of Independence to help committee members with the constitutionality of the bill.

But King ran into some unexpected opposition in the Legislative Coordinating Council.

Majority Leader Rep. Don Hineman, a Republican from Dighton, called King “highly political.” Hineman says he’s looking for someone to advise the committee who is “above politics.”

It takes five of the seven council members to approve a hire.

The two Democrats on the council — House Minority Leader Jim Ward and Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley — were expected to oppose King. Without Hineman, a moderate GOP member, it appears King’s appointment is dead.

Rep. Larry Campbell of Olathe, chairman of the K-12 committee, says he doesn’t want to press forward without a “constitutional lawyer” on board to advise committee members.

“I don’t want to kick out a bill with constitutional problems,” Campbell says.

But Rep. Melissa Rooker, a moderate Republican from Fairway, suggested the committee could turn to other lawyers.

On Twitter, she said: “We stand ready to complete the job in committee. Chairman wants an attorney present. 3 staff attorneys & attorney on the committee.”

We stand ready to complete the job in committee. Chairman wants an attorney present. 3 staff attorneys & attorney on the committee #ksleg https://t.co/RkMyfV216d

— Melissa Rooker (@MelissaRooker) April 3, 2017

The funding bill as it currently stands would add $750 million to public educationover the next five years. Many educators and lawmakers don’t believe that’s enough money to satisfy the court.

Alan Rupe, the lawyer for the districts that sued the state, says $150 million a year over the next five years is inadequate and even the Kansas State Department of Education says it will probably take $800 million over two years to make Kansas schools adequate.

“If they dig a little deeper and reach a little higher with their goals, they can save a generation of Kansas kids,” Rupe says.

Despite the delay, Campbell says he expects to have a bill passed Friday by the full House. After that, lawmakers will take three weeks off before coming back to Topeka to finish their work on the budget, taxes and, perhaps, school funding.

Sam Zeff covers education for KCUR.org and Kansas News Service. Follow him on Twitter @SamZeff. Kansas News Service stories and photos may be republished at no cost with proper attribution and a link back to

SHAWNEE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Shawnee County are investigating a car-jacking and attempting to identify a suspect.

Just before 5 a.m. Monday, a suspect with a gun took a 2006 Chevy from a woman at a convenience store in the 2500 Block of SW 6th Avenue in Topeka, according to police.

The victim described the suspect as a white, 5 foot 10inches tall, approximately 160 pounds and he wore a gray hoodie and blue jeans.

Police released security camera images late Monday. Anyone with information is asked to call police.

CLOUD COUNTY -A Kansas man was injured in an accident just before 8:30p.m. on Monday in Cloud County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Ford F150 driven by  Derick P. Nordell, 23, Concordia, was eastbound on U. S. 24 twelve miles east of U.S. 81. The truck hit a deer in the roadway.

Nordell was transported to Cloud County Health Center.

He was properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

COWLEY COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Cowley County are investigating a suspect on battery charges after an altercation on Monday.

Just before 1:30 a.m. officers of the Arkansas City Police Department responded to a residence in the 600 block South C Street for a report of a male subject attacking people with a knife, according to a social media report.

Upon arrival, officers confronted the suspect whom was physically holding a family member against the wall in an upstairs hallway.
Officers attempted to get the suspect, identified as 38-year old Timothy Peters, to release the male victim, however he refused to do so.

After several commands the suspect was tased, which allowed the male victim to move to safety.
Offices also learned that the suspect had been involved in a physical and verbal altercation with the two victims prior to officer’s arrival.

Police took Peters into custody and he was transported to a hospital for treatment of a self-inflicted stab wound to the leg, and later taken to the county jail. He is currently being held for two counts each of

Criminal Threat, Criminal Restraint, Domestic Battery, Aggravated Assault, as well as one count each of Disorderly Conduct and Interference with Law Enforcement. His bond is set at $50,000,

OLATHE, Kan. (AP) — An Overland Park man who said he beat his roommate to death because he thought she was a zombie was sentenced to nearly 17 years in prison.

Christopher Duane Wallace was sentenced Monday for second-degree murder in the January 2016 death of 35-year-old Jennifer Lopez.

The Kansas City Star reports court documents indicate Wallace was under the influence of methamphetamine and told police he attacked Lopez because he thought she was a zombie. He called police to the apartment after Lopez was killed.

The 38-year-old Wallace pleaded no contest in February. He was sentenced Monday in Johnson County District Court to 16 years and 11 months in prison.

PAWNEE COUNTY- A Kansas man was charged with in alleged rape case on Monday in Pawnee County.

James Thomas, 58, Hutchinson, appeared in custody Monday afternoon before a Pawnee County Judge.
The US Marshall Service arrested him at his home on March 30, 2017, without incident.

He is being held in the Ford County Detention Center in lieu of $100,000 bond.

Judge Cowell advised the defendant that the alleged crime occurred in Pawnee County on or about November 27, 2013.

The Complaint was filed by the Pawnee County Attorney Office on March 27, 2017. The charge is a Severity Level 1 Person Felony and carries a presumptive prison sentence between 147 and 653 months with the Kansas Department of Correction depending on the defendant’s criminal history.

A Preliminary Hearing has been scheduled for May 1, 2017.