Leavenworth Girl Dies in ATV Accident
LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — A 10-year-old Leavenworth County girl has died after her rough terrain vehicle went into a farm pond. The Leavenworth County Sheriff's office says Shelbee Heim was driving the four-wheel vehicle on a dirt path next to a pond Thursday evening when the accident happened.
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Nearly 100 Take KU Early Retirement
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The University of Kansas has announced that 97 employees have accepted buyouts and will retire by the end of this year. University spokesman Gavin Young says 11 faculty members, 66 university support staff and 20 other staff members have accepted the buyouts. The program provides a lump-sum payment of one year's salary, up to $100,000.
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Oklahoma Couple Suspected in Church Burglaries
EMPORIA, Kan. (AP) — A man and woman arrested in Emporia are being investigated as suspects in church burglaries there, and police are looking into possible links to a rash of similar crimes elsewhere in Kansas and Oklahoma. KVOE-AM reports the 22-year-old man and 33-year-old woman are both from Ponca City, Oklahoma. They were arrested Thursday night in Emporia.
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Former Sheriff Pleads Guilty to Distributing Meth
STOCKTON, Kan. (AP) — A former northwest Kansas sheriff has pleaded guilty to four felony counts of distributing methamphetamine. Randy Axelson was the sheriff of Rooks County when he was arrested in December 2011 following an investigation by Kansas authorities. He was accused of distributing meth over a period of four months at the Rooks County Fairgrounds and within 1,000 feet of Stockton High School. Axelson had been free on bond and resigned as sheriff in June.