TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — An 87-year-old Kansas man who has donated 32 gallons of blood over more than six decades credits his father for his award-winning generosity.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports Harold Facklam Jr. of Topeka recently was recognized by the Kansas Health Care Association and the Kansas Center for Assisted Living for the 259 pints he has donated through the American Red Cross.
Facklam donated until April 2015, when health reasons caused him stop.
He tells the newspaper that he doesn’t think about how his donations have affected others or even saved lives.
But he gives a nod to his late father, who he says encouraged him to donate when the younger Facklam was almost 21 in 1951. Facklam’s father gave blood for about 11 years, stopping at age 60.
Student evacuation on Monday near Kansas City-photo courtesy KCTV
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Authorities have taken a student into custody while investigating threats that have forced the evacuation of a Kansas City-area high school.
The Kansas City Star reports that Clay County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Jon Bazzano says police tackled the student Monday when he bolted from Oak Park High School during the evacuation. Bazzano says the student injured his arm during the process.
Deputies and @kcpolice still working methodically through each classroom to check & evacuate students to Staley. Safety is our 1st priority.
No weapons have been found, but the North Kansas City, Missouri, school was cleared as a precaution. School official said in an email to families that students were being taken in buses to another school “to ensure law enforcement can most effectively assess the situation.” Authorities are going through classrooms.
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KANSAS CITY (AP) — Students at a Kansas City-area high school are being evacuated as authorities investigate a reported anonymous threat that put the school on lockdown.
Authorities say they found no weapons at Oak Park High School after the threat Monday morning but were clearing out the North Kansas City, Missouri, school as a precaution.
School official said in an email to families that students were being taken in buses to another school “to ensure law enforcement can most effectively assess the situation.”
Media outlets reported that Kansas City bomb-and-arson squad members were at the school.
There was no immediate word about any arrests or charges.
Police used this photo of a 2016 Toyota Scion and is for identification purposes only-
SALINE COUNTY – Police are crediting social media for helping them locate a suspect who struck two bicycle riders with his car.
Just before 11:30a.m. Thursday, three bicyclists were stopped along the north curb line in the 2000 block of Iron Avenue in Salina, according to police.
A vehicle which was west bound on Iron swerved right and struck two of the three riders and drove away.
Tyler Kirk, 18, suffered a broken left ankle and a cut on the back of his head. Joey Soulivong, 19, received minor cuts and scrapes.
This vehicle was reported to be a white two-door 2013-2016 Toyota Scion with damage to right (passenger) front end and right side.
Salina Police put out a vehicle description, given by the victims, on their Facebook page. They received a tip the same day, leading them to the arrest of 18-year-old Ryan Louthan of Salina.
Police cited Louthan for reckless driving, failure to maintain lane, accident involving an injury, duty to render aid, failure to remove debris and driving with a defective windshield.
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SALINE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Saline County are investigating a hit and run accident and looking for a suspect and vehicle.
Just before 11:30a.m. Thursday, three bicyclist were stopped along the north curb line in the 2000 block of Iron Avenue in Salina, according to a social media report.
A vehicle which was west bound on Iron swerved right and struck two of the three riders.
One bicyclist had a broken left ankle and lacerations to the back of his head. The second rider received minor cuts and scrapes.
This vehicle is reported to be a white two-door 2013-2016 Toyota Scion. There will be damage to right (passenger) front end and right side.
If you have any information concerning who committed this crime, call Crimestoppers at 825-TIPS, text SATIPS to CRIMES (274637), or visit www.pd.salina.org and follow Crimestoppers link to submit a web tip.
Fatal Sunday night fire in Wichita-photo courtesy KWCH
SEDGWICK COUNTY – A Kansas man died in a house fire on Sunday in Wichita.
Just after 10p.m. fire crews responded to report of the fire at a residence in the 2400 of North Poplar, according to Fire Captain Kelly Zane during the online Monday media briefing.
Upon arrival, fire crews saw smoke and flames coming from the front door of the residence.
They also located a man identified as Martin Ornelas, 58, inside the home. He was transported to Via Christi where he died.
Fire crews did rescue three pets from the home. They were given to other family members.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation, according to Zane.
TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Police in Topeka say they’ve arrested a woman suspected of fleeing a fiery weekend crash that killed a man.
Police say 35-year-old Jeremy Gerhardt of Topeka died at the scene of the crash late Saturday. Police arrested the 56-year-old suspect Theresa Hooper on Sunday, though it wasn’t immediately clear Monday if formal charges had been filed.
Police say officers responding to a reported crash shortly before 11 p.m. Saturday found Gerhardt’s pickup truck that had hit a bridge pillar and on fire.
Police say witnesses reported that the pickup truck had been involved in an accident with a car, which sped away.
WABAUNSEE COUNTY – A Kansas woman died and four other people were injured in an accident just after 7p.m. on Sunday in Wabaunsee County.
The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Toyota Prius driven by Madison C. Connally, 23, Ellsworth, was eastbound on Interstate 70 two miles east of Paxico.
The vehicle hit a 1999 Chevy Cavalier driven by Virgil L. Koppenheffer, 36, Moulton, AL., that had run out of fuel and was stopped partially in the left lane of the Interstate with one occupant outside attempting to push the vehicle out of the roadway.
A passenger in the Chevy Tammy J. Patterson, 41, Junction City, was pronounced dead at the scene.
Connally, Koppenheffer, a passenger in the Chevy Keturah P. Anderson, 32, Moulton, AL, and
Michael W. Smothers, 40, Junction City, a passenger in the Chevy but was outside attempting to push it out of the roadway were transported to Stormont Vail in Topeka.
The occupants of the Chevy were not wearing seat belts, according to the KHP.
COWLEY COUNTY – Sunday night’s storms brought hail, strong winds and heavy rain to portions of south central Kansas.
Residents in Kingman, Sedgwick, Harper and Cowley County reported wind and hail damage. Wind blew a large tree down on Millington Street between 4th and 5th Street in Winfield, according to Cowley County Emergency Management.
USD 471 cancelled classes on Monday in the Cowley County community of Dexter due to a power outage as a result of the storm.
JEFFERSON COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Jefferson County are investigating a suspect on attempted murder charges.
On February 23, deputies booked Brandon Cordell, 21, Kansas City, Kansas, into jail on requested charges of attempted First-Degree Intentional, Premeditated Murder, Aggravated Battery, Knowingly Causing Great Bodily Harm, Disfigurement and Theft, according to the Sheriff’s Department web site.
Cordell is being held on a $100,000 Bond.
He is scheduled for a court appearance Monday, according to the sheriff’s department.
PRATT – You don’t need a coupon, but you do need to hurry. Early bird rates on all spring turkey permit and game tag combos will be ending March 31, so if you’re a turkey hunter, now is the time to buy.
You can save this spring by buying your combination turkey permit/game tags before the start of the season. After Fri., March 31, permits can only be purchased separately and at the regular price. Early buy rates through March 31 are as follows:
Resident Youth Combo (2 birds): $12.50 – save $2.50
General Resident Combo (2 birds): $37.50 – save $7.50
Landowner/Tenant Combo (2 birds): $20.00 – save $12.50
Nonresident Youth Combo (2 birds): $22.50 – save $2.50
Nonresident Combo (2 birds): $87.50 – save $7.50
Nonresident Tenant Combo (2 birds): $45.00 – save $20.00
A turkey permit or game tag is valid for one bearded turkey. In addition to turkey permits, all hunters must have a valid hunting license, unless exempt by law.
Any individual who has purchased a spring turkey permit is also eligible for one spring turkey game tag. Spring game tags are valid for Units 1, 2, 3, 5 and 6. Youth permits are valid statewide, including Unit 4.
Hunters who drew a Unit 4 (southwest Kansas) spring turkey permit earlier this year may also use their Unit 4 permit in adjacent Units 1, 2 and 5.
The 2017 Kansas spring turkey season will kick off with the youth and disabled season April 1- 11, followed by the archery season April 3-11, and regular firearm season April 12-May 31.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Kansas City man who for more than a decade envisioned crisscrossing the United States by bicycle is about to try to make the trek a reality.
The Kansas City Star reports that 26-year-old Richie Wolfe of Kansas City expects to launch his 7,000-mile journey next Saturday 30 miles east of San Diego in Escondido, California.
Wolfe plans to cycle from California to Georgia, then north to Maine before visiting the Great Lakes states and heading west to Washington state and Oregon. He hopes to finish up by late September in San Francisco.
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Authorities are planning a memorial service for a police dog that was killed during an exchange of gunfire in which a suspect was killed.
Police say the memorial for the 6-year-old Belgian Malinois, named Rooster, is planned for Friday. Police dog handlers from across the state are coming. The shooting happened earlier this month at a mobile home park on the south side of the city.
Officers responding to a domestic disturbance surrounded a home before 25-year-old Kevin Perry walked out with a gun in his waistband. Rooster was sent after the suspect to stop him from re-entering the home. That’s when gunfire was exchanged, striking both the dog and the man.
Sgt. Nikki Woodrow says authorities believe the suspect shot the dog, but an investigation is being conducted.
HUTCHINSON— A Kansas inmate serving time murder and charged in Reno County with two counts of battery of a corrections officer was granted a new attorney during a hearing last week.
The latest crimes by Richard Powell agains prison officers are alleged to have occurred at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility in September of 2015.
Magistrate Judge Cheryl Allen granted his request and Hutchinson attorney Shannon Crane will take over the case.
Powell is serving time for intentional premeditated murder, criminal possession of a firearm, traffic in contraband, voluntary manslaughter and aggravated assault in Wyandotte County in 1992 and 1998.
DODGE CITY -The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas is asking Dodge City Community College about the school’s language policy.
According to the organization’s web site, they contacted the DCCC president and requested official documents related to an alleged requirement that the College’s cosmetology students speak only English and refrain from speaking Spanish at school. See the letter here.
The March 14, letter points out that 38.7% of the school’s students were Hispanic during the 2016 academic year and that 53.5% of Ford County residents were Hispanic according to 2015 census data.
The letter further pointed out that an English-only requirement would violate the constitutional rights of the school’s students.
