WICHITA (AP) — A Kansas man accused of plotting a suicide bomb attack at a Wichita airport is a former Marine who was awarded the National Defense Service Medal.

The Associated Press obtained the military records of avionics technician Terry L. Loewen through a Freedom of Information Act request.

Loewen was arrested Dec. 13, accused of trying to drive a van carrying what he thought was a bomb onto the tarmac at Wichita Mid-Continent Airport. Charges include attempted material support to al-Qaida.

The National Defense Service Medal is awarded for honorable military service during a designated combat time. Loewen’s military service briefly spanned the Vietnam War period.

Loewen was on active duty for training in 1974. He served in the Marine Corps Reserves from 1973 to 1982, reaching the rank of sergeant.

Hutch Post

HUTCHINSON — A 31-year-old Arkansas man jailed in Reno County for inappropriate involvement with a 10-year-old waived his right to a preliminary hearing and entered a “guilty” plea to aggravated criminal sodomy, while the state dropped an alternate count of aggravated indecent liberties with a child.

Dustin Kennedy was living with his girlfriend and was alone with her child when the crime occurred. The child reportedly told her mother, and she then confronted Kennedy. She told him he needed help, so he went to the hospital — that’s when police got involved. The alleged crime occurred in November 2011.

Although the charge falls under Jessica’s Law, which could mean a life sentence with no chance of parole for 25 years, both sides will recommend a downward departure to a level 2 person felony and then sentence him at that level based on any past criminal history.

Judge Joe McCarville set a sentencing date in the case for March 7.

Salina Post

SALINA — Each year, the National Weather Service conducts weather and safety presentations across Kansas.

Saline County Emergency Management will host the 2014 ‘Storm Fury on the Plains’ at 6:30 p.m. Feb. 26 at Salina South High School. The presentation typically lasts approximately 2 hours.

Attendees are taught the basics of thunderstorm development, storm structure and basic severe weather safety tips. This presentation is an interactive multimedia presentation and is open to the public.

No prior experience is required, and there is no registration necessary to attend. Please join us!

For more information, contact Saline County Emergency Management at (785) 826-6511.

Other presentations are scheduled for:

• Feb. 18 – Lincoln at the Lincoln Park Manor
• March 12 – Minneapolis at the Ottawa County Courthouse
• March 17 – McPherson at the McPherson Community Building
• March 24 – Ellsworth at the JH Robbins Library
• April 10 – Abilene at the Abilene Community Center

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — An off-duty Lincoln fire captain revived a 6-year-old after a woman jumped into a motel pool and rescued the little girl.

Lincoln television station KLKN reported the incident happened during a birthday party at the AmericInn in north Lincoln on Saturday afternoon.

One of the partygoers’ moms saw the girl on the pool bottom and jumped in. LeAnn Holexa says she began yelling for Lincoln Fire Capt. Guy Pinkman when she and the girl surfaced. Pinkman’s son was at the party.

Pinkman says the girl didn’t have a pulse, but he soon revived her with CPR. The girl was taken to a hospital but was expected to recover from her ordeal.

ATCHISON (AP) — A body found in a pickup truck pulled from the Missouri River has been identified as that of an Atchison man missing since late December.

Sixty-nine-year-old Garry Clyde Sandy had last been seen Dec. 28 at an Atchison convenience store. A statewide Silver Alert was issued for him Jan. 10, a day after co-workers at Walmart reported him missing.

Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson told the St. Joseph News-Press someone walking near the downtown of the northeast Kansas community spotted the pickup truck in the river Sunday. Sandy’s identity was confirmed Monday.

Wilson says there are no indications of foul play, but authorities are awaiting results of an autopsy. It’s also not clear how long the truck had been in the water.

Salina Post

SALINA — Strong north winds Sunday evening brought much colder air to central Kansas, along with power outages, grass fires and traffic problems.

The wind began gusting to near 60 mph approximately 5 p.m. in Salina. The wind brought down power lines, that touched off a grass fire along Interstate 135 in the west part of Salina.

Downed power lines also shut down the interstate for approximately five hours between Schilling Road and Waterwell Road. The Schilling Road interchange on I-135 was closed down until early Monday morning.

During the height of the power outage, more than 1700 Westar Energy customers were without power. Just a few customers were still without power early Monday.

The cold front that brought the wind also dropped the temperature in Salina 50 degrees in about 12 hours. The high on Sunday was 63 degrees.

WICHITA (AP) — Wichita State University’s symphony orchestra is invited to represent Kansas at a musical festival in Europe but may have to skip the trip because of low funds.

The university’s musicians are invited to play at the 2014 American Celebration of Music in Austria. But the trip for about 60 members would cost about $3,500 per student.

Mark Laycock, WSU director of orchestras, says some members have committed $1,000 of their own money but they still need about $120,000 by the end of January.

Rodney Miller, dean of the school’s College of Fine Arts, says no state money is available for the trip, and the college has limited funds.

Orchestra members have formed a fundraising committee and are waiting to hear if they’ll get more help from student fees.

LAWRENCE (AP) — Lawrence police say they have located a 19-year-old woman whose disappearance led to the discovery of a 52-year-old man’s body at the Lawrence home they shared.

Sarah Brooke Gonzales McLinn’s family reported her missing earlier this month. When police went to the home where McLinn had been living they found the body of Harold M. Sasko. McLinn and Sasko’s vehicle were missing.

Lawrence police Sgt. Trent McKinley said in a release late Sunday that a Florida law enforcement agency contacted Lawrence police Saturday saying they believe they had found McLinn.

McKinley says Lawrence detectives flew to Florida on Sunday and confirmed that McLinn had been located. He says McLinn appears uninjured and Sasko’s vehicle has also been located. The investigation into Sasko’s death remains ongoing.

SALINA (AP) — Saline County commissioners are expected consider a policy that would allow county employees who have concealed carry permits to carry their weapons while at work.

The Salina Journal reported the policy would prohibit those employees from from storing or leaving firearms in bags, coats, purses or briefcases.

The commission is scheduled to consider the policy during a meeting Tuesday. All meetings except executive sessions are open to the public.

TOPEKA (AP) — A key Senate leader is pushing passage of a measure that would restrict the amount of time judges in the Kansas court system could take before issuing opinions.

Senate Vice President Jeff King said the bill would set a deadline for district courts, the Kansas Court of Appeals and the Kansas Supreme Court to issue an opinion once a case has been heard. The measure has been introduced in the Senate Judiciary Committee, chaired by the Independence Republican.

While King says no one case prompted the bill, legislators have been waiting on the Supreme Court to issue its ruling on a school finance lawsuit that was heard on appeal by the justices in October. No date was mentioned when the court pronounced that it would “take the matter under advisement.”

TOPEKA (AP) — In an uncertain legal climate for states banning gay marriage, Kansas lawmakers are considering a proposal designed to protect individuals, groups and businesses refusing for religious reasons to recognize same-sex unions or to provide benefits to gay couples.

State Rep. and Shawnee Republican Charles Macheers says the bill is designed to protect religious freedom. Republican Gov. Sam Brownback is receptive to the idea, though he hasn’t yet studied the proposal enough to offer a formal endorsement.

But critics say the measure promotes discrimination against gays and lesbians but is so broadly written that it could affect any gay or straight couple with a less-than-traditional union.

The Kansas House’s Federal and State Affairs Committee scheduled a Tuesday morning hearing on the measure.

JC Post

JUNCTION CITY — An estimated 300 to 400 volunteers searched public and private lands in the Tuttle Cove area at Tuttle Creek Reservoir and further south and east toward Manhattan Saturday.

They were searching for Jane Peterson, St. George, who has been missing since Jan.19 . Her truck had been found at Tuttle Cove Monday evening.

Riley County Emergency Management Director Pat Collins confirmed Peterson was not found.

He said it was a volunteer search. “There were hundreds of people that showed up today to try to help them ( Peterson’s family ) find their missing family member.”

Peterson is employed as a Senior Administrative Assistant in the K-State Physics Department.

Collins said the search originated at the Tuttle Cove boat ramp. “It basically searched public and private grounds back toward Manhattan.”

Earlier in the week law enforcement authorities, Fort Riley soldiers, Corps of Engineers, Manhattan Fire Department, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks, and Riley County CERT had searched the Cove area but were unsuccessful in locating Peterson.

Peterson is 5 ft. 6 in. tall and weighs 140 pounds. She has red hair.

WICHITA — A 26-year-old Wichita man was killed in a single-vehicle accident on an interstate ramp at 2:14 a.m. Sunday.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Mercury Mountaineer was eastbound on U.S. 54 when the driver, Luis Beltran Lopez III, attempted to exit onto Interstate 235.

The KHP said the SUV was going too fast, left the roadway and rolled several times, crossing both lanes of I-235. Lopez was ejected through the windshield.

The report said he was not wearing a safety belt.