Neodesha Cop Stops Vehicle with $3.7 Million Worth of Meth Inside
NEODESHA, Kan. (Montgomery County Chronicle) - A newspaper in southeast Kansas is reporting on a major drug bust. The Montgomery County Chronicle says $3.7 million worth of methamphetamine was discovered during a routine traffic stop in Neodesha Wednesday night. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation says a Neodesha police officer stopped a pickup truck on the town's Main Street just before midnight and found 82 pounds of meth inside. Police took two men from Texas into custody and booked them into the Wilson County Jail: the driver, 19-year-old Alejandro Salazar, of Dallas, and his 19-year-old passenger, Roger Mercado, of Garland, Texas. Both face drug charges.
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More than 1,000 Arrested in Wichita Area During Crackdown on Violent Crime
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - The U.S. Marshals Services says a 60-day effort to reduce violent crime in the Wichita area led to more than 1,000 arrests and the seizure of numerous drugs and weapons. The U.S. Marshals Service says Operation Triple Beam-Wichita involved numerous federal and local law enforcement agencies. The arrests in the Wichita area, which included 141 gang members, involved more than 800 felonies and hundreds of misdemeanors. Operation Triple Beam is a national effort developed by the Marshal's Service to reduce gang violence by arresting violent fugitives, gang members and those who have committed violent crimes.
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2 Ex-Leavenworth Prison Guards Indicted on Smuggling Counts
LEAVENWORTH, Kan. (AP) — Federal authorities say two former prison guards at Leavenworth Detention Center have been indicted by a federal grand jury on counts accusing them of smuggling drugs and other contraband into the prison. The U.S. Department of Justice says 25-year-old Jacqueline Sifuentes, of Laredo, Texas, and 29-year-old Cheyonte Harris, of Raytown, Missouri, were both indicted September 22. Sifuentes was arrested Tuesday and is charged with bribery, conspiring to commit bribery and provide contraband, and providing contraband to an inmate. She faces up to 40 years in prison if convicted. Harris was arrested Monday and is charged with conspiring to commit bribery and provide contraband and making false statements to federal agents. She faces up to 10 years in prison.
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Autopsy: No Fatal Injuries Found in Death of Kansas Teen While in Custody
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - Authorities say preliminary autopsy results show that a 17-year-old youth who died after being restrained at a Kansas juvenile facility didn't suffer any injuries that would have been life-threatening. Law enforcement officials said Thursday they are awaiting a toxicology report as they investigate the circumstances surrounding his in-custody death last weekend. Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter says the early results of the autopsy found only scratches and a bruise on Cedric "CJ" Lofton's body. Lofton's cause of death is undetermined. Sedgwick County District Attorney Marc Bennett said he expects to receive a report from investigators either next week or the following week once the toxicology results come back.
(Earlier AP report...)
Authorities: Staff Struggled with Wichita Teen Who Died in Custody
BELLE PLAINE, Kan. (AP) — Authorities in Kansas say multiple staff members at a juvenile facility engaged in a physical struggle with a 17-year-old youth who was restrained and died two days later at a hospital. Details of the events leading up to Sunday's in-custody death of Cedric “CJ’ Lofton emerged this week in a news release from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation that also identified the Wichita teen for the first time. The KBI says an autopsy has been conducted and a cause of death is pending further investigation and toxicology results.
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Federal Report Criticizes Missouri Foster Care System
LIBERTY, Mo. (AP) _ A federal report says Missouri's child welfare agency does not properly report children who are missing from foster care and does little to ensure that children who are found do not go missing again. The U.S. inspector general's office said in a report issued Thursday the state also does not comply with requirements that could reduce the risk of foster children going missing. The federal agency recommended that Missouri develop strategies for identifying foster children who are at risk of going missing, and better monitor case workers to ensure they follow reporting requirements involving foster children.
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5 Missouri Boarding School Employees Charged with Abuse
STOCKTON, Mo. (AP) — A southwest Missouri prosecutor is charging five employees of a private Christian boarding school with abusing students. Cedar County Prosecuting Attorney Ty Gaither announced Tuesday that the five Agape Boarding School employees will be charged with a total of 13 third-degree felony assault counts. The Missouri Attorney General's Office had recommended prosecuting 22 staffers of the school near Stockton with 65 counts on behalf of 36 victims. Attorney General Eric Schmitt asked Governor Mike Parson to take his office off the case last week, saying Gaither didn't plan to seek justice for all the students who say they were abused.
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Kansas Senator's Bid to Stop President Biden's Vaccine Mandate Fails
WASHINGTON, DC (KPR) - The U.S. Senate has rejected Kansas GOP Senator Roger Marshall’s effort to block Democratic President Joe Biden’s COVID-19 vaccine mandate. Marshall’s amendment to prohibit the use of federal funds to enforce the vaccine mandate failed on a straight party-line vote. The U.S. Department of Labor is currently working to implement the mandate announced earlier this month. It will cover most federal employees plus businesses that employ more than 100 people. Republican Kansas Congressman Jake LaTurner is also co-sponsoring a bill to block the mandate, but it stands little chance of passing in the Democratically-controlled U.S. House. Meanwhile, a new Associated Press poll shows that a narrow majority of Americans,51%, support Biden’s vaccine mandate while 34% oppose it.
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CORRECTED: KDHE Reports 2,481 New COVID-19 Cases, 27 New Virus-Related Deaths Since Monday
TOPEKA, Kan. (KPR) - The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) reported Wednesday that it had recorded 2,481 new COVID-19 cases and 27 new, virus-related deaths in the state since Monday. Kansas has now recorded 408,934 COVID-19 cases and 6,051 deaths since the pandemic began. Another update is expected Friday.
(A previous version of this story incorrectly reported that there had been zero new, virus-related deaths in Kansas since Monday. KDHE reviewed its data and has since corrected the reporting error.)
KPR's Coronavirus Resources Page.
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Missouri Hospital Issues Panic Buttons for Staff in wake of COVID-Related Attacks
UNDATED, (AP) - Nurses and hundreds of other staff members will soon begin wearing panic buttons at a Missouri hospital where assaults on workers tripled after the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Cox Medical Center Branson is using grant money to add buttons to identification badges worn by up to 400 employees who work in the emergency room and inpatient hospital rooms. Pushing the button will immediately alert hospital security, launching a tracking system that will send help to the endangered worker. The hospital hopes to have the system operational by the end of the year. Missouri isn't alone. A February report cited hundreds of COVID-related attacks worldwide.
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Kansas Priest and Korean War Hero Considered for Sainthood Laid to Rest in Wichita
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Thousands of people filled an arena in Wichita to honor a Kansas priest who died in 1951 as a prisoner of war during the Korean War. Services for Rev. Emil Kapaun were held Wednesday, decades after the priest from Pilsen, Kansas, died while ministering to fellow prisoners of war. After the service, hundreds more lined streets to watch a horse-drawn caisson take Kapaun's body from Veterans Memorial Park to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, where he was interred. Kapuan's remains were identified in March and returned to his Kansas family last week. The Roman Catholic Church is considering Kapaun for sainthood. ( Read more.)
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Kansas Man Sentenced for Attacking Federal Undercover Agent
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A 20-year-old Kansas City, Kansas, man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for attacking a federal undercover agent during a weapons transaction. The U.S. Attorney's Office said Wednesday that Nicholas Newman was sentenced this month after pleading guilty in May to one count of forcible assault on a federal officer and using a firearm in a violent crime. Court documents say two agents with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives met Newman in February 2020 after he contacted them to say he had a weapon for sale. Prosecutors say Newman attacked one of the agents, who suffered serious injuries, before he was subdued.
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Sex Offender Who Escaped from Kansas Mental Institution Arrested in Utah
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — Federal officials say a convicted sex offender who escaped from a state hospital in Kansas in June has been captured in Utah. The U.S. Marshal's office says 42-year-old John Freeman Colt was arrested in Wayne County, Utah, this week, after a citizen reported seeing him camping on federal land. In June, Colt escaped Larned State Hospital in central Kansas by creating a staff identification badge and pretending to be a doctor. Prosecutors say he walked through five secure doors on his way out of the hospital. The U.S. Marshal's Service said Colt apparently had help and had been able to buy a motorcycle while on the run.
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Police Recover Some Art Stolen from a Native American Exhibit at KU's Spencer Art Museum
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KNS) - A piece of public art, stolen from the Spencer Museum of Art at the University of Kansas, is now in the hands of law enforcement. The work called “Native Hosts” by artist Edgar Heap of Birds was vandalized earlier this month. Museum staffers were preparing to install four new replacement panels when the fifth panel was stolen. Director Saralyn Reece Hardy says they’re committed to re-installing the work with added security. "The resolve of the museum - and of the university, is the importance of displaying public art with power and intention," she said. The signs include names of Native tribes from the region now called Kansas. Colonial names are printed backwards, and the names of the original occupants are printed forwards. A public conversation will be scheduled to talk about the vandalism and theft of the artwork --- and its impact on the community.
(AP version...)
KU Native American Art Exhibit Targeted by Vandals Partially Recovered
LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) - Police have recovered a stolen panel from a Native American art exhibit at the University of Kansas, weeks after other panels in the exhibit were vandalized. One panel from the art installation outside the Spencer Museum of Art was reported stolen on Wednesday. University police say the panel was found on Thursday and police are speaking to a person of interest in the case. Four other panels were vandalized on September 4 and were taken down to be repaired. Museum and university officials said they are determined to reinstall the exhibit, called "Native Host."
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Racial Incidents Alleged at 2 Kansas City-Area Schools
RAYTOWN, Mo. (AP) - A suburban Kansas City school district says it is investigating reports that a teacher used a racial epithet in front of students. Raytown school Superintendent Allan Markley told parents and guardians in a letter that a high school teacher used an epithet directed at Black people during a class discussion on Wednesday. Markley said he could not disclose any potential disciplinary actions facing the teacher. Also Wednesday, a mother of a student of a Blue Springs middle school alleged in a column in the Kansas City Star that her son, who is Black, was taunted because of his race by another student. The district said it could not comment on specific student's cases.
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Sheriff IDs Teen Killed in 2-Vehicle Crash West of Wichita
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — The Sedgwick County Sheriff's office has identified a teenager killed in a two-vehicle crash that happened just west of Wichita. Officials say 17-year-old Stephanie Valentine, of Norwich, died at a hospital Tuesday, a day after the car she was riding in collided with a semitrailer. Investigators say the crash happened Monday afternoon when the car, driven by a 43-year-old man, apparently ran a stop sign at an intersection and collided with the semi, driven by a 38-year-old woman. Officials say the man was hospitalized in serious condition. The truck driver was not hurt.
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Wichita Policeman Sentenced in Arrest Avoidance Case
WICHITA, Kan. (AP) - A former Wichita police officer has been sentenced to a year of probation after he admitted helping a woman avoid arrest. A probable cause statement says that on May 3, 2019, Matthew Power told a woman who was wanted on a warrant that officers were coming to arrest her. The woman was taken into custody about two weeks later. KAKE-TV reports the woman told detectives that Powell had helped her avoid arrest for months. Powell would serve a year in jail if he violates probation. He also cannot be certified again to work as law enforcement officer.
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Missouri Abortion Law Leads to Court Battle over Referendums
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri law banning most abortions after eight weeks of pregnancy has led to a legal battle over the state's referendum process that has gone all the way to the state Supreme Court. Judges heard arguments Wednesday on whether the people's right to overturn laws passed by the Legislature has been illegally limited by procedural hurdles. Opponents of the abortion law said they ran out of time to turn in petition signatures to force a statewide vote in 2019 because of delays in certifying the ballot title. A Cole County judge ruled last year that those laws regulating the referendum process were unconstitutional. The state appealed.
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Conservative Koch Network Disavows Bans on Critical Race Theory in Schools
DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A prominent backer of Republican causes and candidates is notably absent from efforts by conservative political groups to ban in schools what they call critical race theory. Leaders in the network built by the billionaire Koch family say they oppose government bans on the discussion of any concepts. Koch's philanthropic decision-makers say government stifling of debate runs counter to principles of democracy and the network's own efforts to improve the nation's social climate. However, their record of support for policymaking organizations and candidates working to advance such bans has sparked new cries of hypocrisy from critics. The headquarters for Koch Industries is based in Wichita.
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Researchers at Pittsburg State Take a Swing at Developing New Golf Balls Made from... Soybeans?
PITTSBURG, Kan. (HPM) – University researchers in southeast Kansas are exploring a new use for soybeans. The result could benefit farmers, environmentalists, and... golfers. Researchers at Pittsburg State University are investigating the possibility of replacing the oil-based plastics used to manufacture golf balls with materials made from soybean oil. Dr. Ram Gupta is leading the effort. He says his team is searching for new ways to use the ubiquitous soybean plant and reduce the need for oil-based products. The research team has already developed a polymer for the outer shell of the golf ball and is now working on materials for the inside using soybean byproducts. The researchers will then test the balls with the hope that they will perform as well off the tee as the balls they are looking to replace. Gupta says the soybean golf balls will be less expensive to produce than plastic balls but to be marketable, the balls will have to fly as far and as straight as conventional golf balls.
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Blood Donations Urgently Needed; American Red Cross Reports Worst Blood Shortage Since 2015
LAWRENCE, Kan. (KPR) - The American Red Cross is experiencing an emergency blood shortage, the worst in six years. A sharp drop in blood donor turnout has contributed to the lowest post-summer blood inventory level since 2015. In some areas, the blood inventory is less than a day's supply. Officials say they must collect 10,000 additional blood products each week over the next month for the blood supply to recover and meet hospital and patient needs. Donors of all blood types are needed, but especially those with type O blood. The blood shortage is now so severe that the Red Cross is giving away prizes to those who donate. Those who give blood soon could get a limited-edition, football-inspired Red Cross T-shirt, free haircut coupons from Sport Clips and a coupon for a free Zaxby’s® chicken Sandwich or other freebies. More information is available at RedCrossBlood.org. ( Read more.)
To Make an appointment to give blood or platelets, use the Red Cross Blood Donor App, visit RedCrossBlood.org or call (800) RED CROSS (800-733-2767).
Find a list of area blood drives.
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Lawsuit: Northrop Grumman Knew Chemical Contaminated Homes in Southwest Missouri
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (AP) — A federal lawsuit alleges that defense company Northrop Grumman knew that chemicals from a site it owns near Springfield were contaminating groundwater and seeping into well water serving businesses and homes. A federal lawsuit was filed Wednesday by a law firm representing two Springfield families. It claims Northrop Grumman, which is based in Virginia, did not notify the residents for more than a decade about contamination from trichloroethylene, or TCE, which can cause cancer. The plaintiffs claim the contamination came to light only after TCE was found near the Fantastic Caverns tourist site near Springfield in 2018. Attorneys are seeking class action certification to represent others whose water might have been contaminated.
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Sporting KC Signs Captain Johnny Russell to Extension Through 2023 Season
KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Sporting Kansas City has signed high-scoring captain Johnny Russell to a two-year contract extension that includes an option for the 2024 season. Russell joined the MLS club in 2018 and has been among the league's most productive players. He has 35 goals with 37 assists while starting 100 of 120 games he has appeared in across all competitions. Russell already is seventh on the club's career list for goals. Sporting KC is 14-6-7 with 49 points, two behind Seattle for the lead in the Western Conference. Russell helped Sporting KC finish atop the Western Conference in 2018 and '20. The club is 14-6-7 with 49 points this season, two behind Seattle for the conference lead, heading into Sunday's game against Houston. The 31-year-old Russell began his professional career in his native Scotland. He also spent time playing for Derby County in England before arriving in the MLS.
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No. 6 Oklahoma Visits K-State for First Big 12 Road Game
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Oklahoma hasn't played a true road game in nearly two years thanks to the pandemic, which forced those schools that did allow fans last year to limit capacity, and four consecutive home games to start this season. The sixth-ranked Sooners figure to be in for a rude welcome on Saturday. Not only are they finally venturing out of Norman, they are playing their first Big 12 road game since they announced plans to bolt the conference along with Texas shortly before the season. The decision to head for the SEC was hardly appreciated by longtime cohorts such as Kansas State, who were left on shaky footing. "We really tried to prepare for that all the way through spring," Sooners coach Lincoln Riley said. "You can't knowing that just about half our roster — maybe close to half — hasn't played a full college road game. We've tried to prepare guys for it." Maybe it will help the Sooners (4-0, 1-0) focus knowing Kansas State (3-1, 0-1) will be on the opposite sideline. For all their dominance of the Big 12 the past few years, the Sooners have struggled to deal with the Wildcats, who are trying to win their third straight in the series for the first time since the early 1990s. Kansas State dealt Riley's bunch their only regular-season loss in 2019 before turning the trick again in the second week of the season a year ago. "I would say the kids probably know that we're playing somebody who's ranked but it's nothing that we would emphasize — that, 'This would be a great win because it's over a third-ranked or fourth-ranked team,,'" Wildcats coach Chris Klieman said. "I'll be honest with you: Every win is a great win," Klieman said. "It's hard to win football games."
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K-State Basketball Team Loses Forward Seryee Lewis for Season Due to ACL Surgery
MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) — Kansas State men's basketball forward Seryee Lewis will miss the upcoming season after surgery last week to repair a torn ACL that he sustained in preseason workouts, Wildcats coach Bruce Weber said Thursday. The 6-foot-9 sophomore came off the bench to appear in 18 games as a freshman. He was expected to compete for minutes alongside Davion Bradford, Kaosi Ezeagu and Ismael Massoud in a revamped front court for the Wildcats. Carlton Linguard and Logan Landers also will take on extra minute this season. Kansas State, which opens practice this week, is coming off back-to-back losing seasons that have Weber's future in limbo. But the Wildcats return four of their top five scorers and brought in Massoud from Wake Forest, Mark Smith from Missouri and Markquis Nowell from Arkansas-Little Rock to provide some immediate help.
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These area headlines are curated by KPR news staffers, including J. Schafer, Laura Lorson, Kaye McIntyre and Tom Parkinson. Our headlines are generally posted by 10 am weekdays. This news summary is made possible by KPR listener-members. Become one today!