SALINE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug charges after an Interstate 70 traffic stop.

Just before 11:30p.m. Tuesday, deputies stopped a 2012 Dodge Durango on Interstate 70 near the Hedville exit, according to Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.

The vehicle was pulled over for driving in the passing lane. The deputy reported smelling a strong odor and conducted a search of the vehicle.

He found 32.2 pounds of packaged marijuana in the back of the Durango. It has an estimated street value at over $140,000.

Deputies arrested 22-year-old Ryan Cullen, of Aurora, CO. and 43-year-old Maritza Ortega, of Centennial, CO.

Both are facing charges including possession with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia and no drug tax stamp.

Cullen was also cited for a left lane violation.

OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — The Latest on Donald Trump Jr.’s appearance at a fundraiser for Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach’s campaign for governor (all times local):

8:25 p.m.

Donald Trump Jr. says his father’s successful run for president has given conservatives the ability to feel free to speak up on issues.

Trump made the remark at a Tuesday evening fundraiser in suburban Kansas City for Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who is running for governor.

Kobach is seeking the Republican nomination next year in a crowded field.

The conversation came during a dinner for about 400 Kobach supporters, with Kobach and the younger Trump at a table.

Kobach opened the program with a short speech touching on his main campaign themes.

Later, the younger Trump called his father a “blue-collar billionaire” who is very much like the people of Kansas.

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7:30 p.m.

Donald Trump Jr.’s appearance at a fundraising event for Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach’s campaign has drawn dozens of protesters and a smaller crowd of counterprotesters.

The groups gathered Tuesday evening on opposite sides of the street leading to the Kansas City-area hotel where the fundraiser was being held.

More than 40 of them were protesting Trump Jr., President Donald Trump and Kobach. They held signs with such phrases as, “Liars Club Meeting Here Tonight.”

Retired teacher Al Frisby of Merriam was critical of Kobach’s push for tough voter ID laws and sees them as suppressing the vote.

Across the street, about a dozen pro-Trump and pro-Kobach counterprotesters gathered, holding a banner supporting the president.

Computer programmer Daniel Cossins said the group likes Kobach’s tough stance against illegal immigration.

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OVERLAND PARK, Kan. (AP) — Donald Trump Jr. is doing a fundraiser for Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach’s campaign for governor.

The event Tuesday evening at a Kansas City-area hotel highlights how Kobach has closer ties to the president than any fellow Republican in the crowded race.

Kobach has advised the White House and serves as vice chairman of a presidential commission on election fraud. His campaign for governor has sounded themes similar to those Trump senior emphasized in his presidential run last year.

The elder Trump carried Kansas by 20 percentage points, but Democrats hope to make inroads into the state’s all-GOP congressional delegation next year by attacking the president and appealing to disaffected Republican moderates.

Yet Kobach’s solid base on the right could be enough to win the August 2018 GOP primary.

NEW YORK (AP) — The Latest on NBC News’ firing of longtime “Today” show host Matt Lauer for “inappropriate sexual behavior” (all times local):

8:30 a.m.

Matt Lauer’s former “Today” show colleagues were emotional on-air while dealing with the aftermath of his firing by NBC for what it termed “inappropriate sexual behavior.”

Co-host Savannah Guthrie fought back tears while calling Lauer “my friend and my partner.” She added that she was “heartbroken” for her unnamed colleague who the network said reported Lauer’s behavior Monday night. Hoda Kotb, who replaced Lauer in the anchor chair for the morning, added that she loved Lauer “as a friend and as a colleague” and said it was “hard to reconcile what we are hearing with the man who we know.”

Weatherman Al Roker was also visibly upset on-air, saying he was “still trying to process the news” while giving his report.

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7:40 a.m.

President Donald Trump is responding to the termination of “Today” show host Matt Lauer, saying executives at NBC and Comcast should be “fired for putting out so much Fake News.”

 

Wow, Matt Lauer was just fired from NBC for “inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace.” But when will the top executives at NBC & Comcast be fired for putting out so much Fake News. Check out Andy Lack’s past!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 29, 2017

 

On Twitter Wednesday, Trump says “Wow, Matt Lauer was just fired from NBC for ‘inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace.’ But when will the top executives at NBC & Comcast be fired for putting out so much Fake News.”

Trump then cited the NBC News chairman adding: “Check out Andy Lack’s past!” It was not immediately clear what that comment referred to.

NBC announced Wednesday that it had terminated Lauer for inappropriate behavior at workplace. Lauer’s co-host Savannah Guthrie made the announcement at the top of Wednesday’s “Today” show.

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NEW YORK (AP) — NBC News says longtime “Today” show host Matt Lauer has been fired for “inappropriate sexual behavior.”

Lauer’s co-anchor Savannah Guthrie made the announcement at the top of Wednesday’s “Today” show.

Guthrie read a statement from NBC News chairman Andy Lack, stating that the company has received a detailed complaint from a colleague Monday night “about inappropriate sexual behavior in the workplace” by Lauer. Lack’s statement said the company found that after a serious review of the complaint it represented “a clear violation” of the company’s standards, and Lauer was terminated as a result.

Lack added in his statement that it was the first complaint about Lauer in more than 20 years at NBC, but “we were also presented with reason to believe this may not have been an isolated incident.”

The move comes a week after CBS News fired morning anchor Charlie Rose amid reports of sexual misconduct.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback is traveling to Washington to meet with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell.

McConnell’s spokesman, David Popp, confirmed the meeting is scheduled for Wednesday. The Kansas City Star reports Popp would not discuss the reason for the meeting but it comes as Brownback’s confirmation to be the next ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom has slowed, with no final vote scheduled.

Brownback said last week that he is hopes his appointment will be voted on before Christmas. He has already handed over some of his most important duties as governor to Lt. Gov. Jeff Colyer, including leadership over the state budget.

Brownback was nominated in July. A Senate committee narrowly approved the nomination in October, amid Democratic concerns about his record on LBGT issues.

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for Aggravated Battery.

Early Tuesday, Salina Police were sent to the Ambassador Hotel, 1616 West Crawford, after report of a physical domestic disturbance. The suspect 27-year-old Kristofer Dillon of McPherson left before police arrived, according to Capt. Paul Forrester.

Dillon returned around 1 a.m. Tuesday and the dispute turned violent. The female victim was able to escape after Dillon allegedly choked her twice and threatened her life. The hotel desk clerk helped hide the victim until police arrived.

Dillon again fled before police arrived. Capt. Forrester said that officers arrested him several hours later when he returned to the hotel.

Dillon was booked into the Saline County Jail for aggravated domestic battery, criminal threat, aggravated intimidation of a victim.  Dillon has two previous drug convictions, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

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SHAWNEE COUNTY  — Two people were found dead after a standoff at a home in Topeka.

The standoff began at the home Monday morning after officers responded to a call about a domestic violence situation, according to police. When officers arrived, they heard gunfire.

Officers removed one person from the home’s front porch.

Lt. Colleen Stuart said officers eventually sent a robot into the house. The robot found the two people dead.

Their names and the cause of death have not been released.

Police also didn’t say how the person on the front porch was involved.

HUTCHINSON  — Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects in connection with a weekend burglary following a chase and crash.

Just before 5p.m. Tuesday, police saw a flat bed truck that was thought to have been involved in a weekend burglary. As officers tried to stop the truck, it sped away and hit at RCAT bus at 10th and Main Street in Hutchinson.

The truck driver identified as 29-year-old Matthew Munoz fled on foot but was captured a few blocks away. A female passenger still in the truck was also detained. The two were taken to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center for observation, but were not believed to have been injured. Four passengers were being treated for minor injuries and EMS was aiding passengers in the United Way offices. No names have been released.

Police say the truck and a piece of welding equipment that had fallen off the vehicle several minutes before the accident were not related to the burglary. Munoz is being held for aggravated battery, felony flee and elude, felony interference and driving while suspended.  He has previous convictions for burglary, theft and aggravated battery, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

LENEXA, Kan. (AP) — Lenexa police say a man who was shot to death by an off-duty officer at a Costco in Kansas didn’t appear to have specific targets when he walked into the store screaming and waving a gun.

Investigators say 58-year-old Ronald Hunt was living in his truck in the Costco parking lot in Lenexa before he entered the store Sunday.

Lenexa Police spokesman Danny Chavez says investigators have not determined Hunt’s motive for terrorizing customers and employees before he was shot. He says Hunt apparently never fired his weapon.

The Kansas City Star reports Hunt was a long-haul trucker who lived in the cab of his truck.

Investigators have had a difficult time finding any relatives. The only address listed for Hunt was the Swift Transportation Kansas Terminal in Edwardsville, Kansas.

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LENEXA, Kan. (AP) — Investigators are trying to determine why a Kansas man entered a suburban Kansas City Costco with a handgun and began screaming, prompting an off-duty police officer to fatally shoot him.

Police identified the man shot to death Sunday at a Costco in Lenexa as 58-year-old Ronald Hunt, of Edwardsville. Witnesses and police said he was yelling and threatening customers when Kansas City, Kansas, police captain Michael Howell shot him while customers and employees fled.

Howell, who was shopping at the time, has 22 years of law enforcement experience. The police department said Monday Howell fired his weapon after being confronted with a deadly situation.

No one else was injured.

Hunt’s motive and why he was in the store are under investigation. A Johnson County police unit is leading the investigation.

 

ANTHONY, Kan. (AP) — A fire has been reported at a gin in southern Kansas where as many as 300 bales of cotton are burning.

The fire was discovered Monday at the Southern Kansas Cotton Growers Co-op Gin near Anthony. Manager Gary Feist says he received a call that one of the gin’s pods of cotton caught fire.

Feist suspects the fire came from the middle of one of the bales. He says they can smolder internally without anyone knowing.

Feist says the fire is under control because wind conditions have been ideal. He says the fire could take a few days to extinguish and that crews are monitoring the increasing wind speed.

Feist estimates the loss at about $300,000 due to the fire.

LYON COUNTY – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, and Lyon County Crime Stoppers are asking anyone with information related to the Sept. 6 murder of Emporia teenager, Jesus Avila-Galvin Jr., to come forward. Avila’s body was found in a vehicle near Road 160 and Road T in rural Lyon County.

The KBI, the Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, the Emporia Police Department, the Office of the State Fire Marshall, and the Emporia State University Police continue their efforts to resolve this case, and believe even the smallest detail could aid in bringing justice to Avila’s family.

Anyone with information about this crime or the person(s) who are responsible is asked to call the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME or Lyon County Crime Stoppers at 620-342-2273. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers online at www.P3tips.com or through the P3Tips mobile application. Information which assists law enforcement in this investigation is eligible for a Crime Stoppers cash reward of up to $2,000.