SALINE COUNTY- Law enforcement authorities in Saline County are investigating another case of a skimmer on a bank ATM.

On Wednesday, a man contacted police after he discovered a skimmer on the Sunflower Bank ATM, 1201 West Crawford in Salina, according to Police Captain Paul Forrester.

The man’s card became stuck in the machine. When he attempted to pull out his card he partially detached the skimmer.

Police removed the device and are currently attempting to determine how long the device was on the machine.

The skimmer was placed over the card acceptance slot.

Skimmers are placed over the card reader of an ATM and records information that lets thieves drain bank accounts.

The suspect who attached the device must return to the ATM to collect the stolen card information stored on an SD card, according to Forrester.

Police in Salina investigated several reports of skimmers on ATMs in July of 2015

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback has signed into law a measure to increase the state’s funding on public schools in response to a court mandate.

Brownback acted Thursday on the bill, which would phase in a $293 million increase in aid to public schools over two years. The Kansas Supreme Court ruled in March that the state’s $4 billion a year in education funding was inadequate.

The court is expected to review the new law.

Attorneys for four school districts suing the state have said they’ll challenge the new law because they believe it still falls hundreds of millions of dollars short of adequately funding schools.

But the justices did not set a figure when they told lawmakers to pass a new school funding law by June 30.

SHAWNEE COUNTY- Law enforcement and school district officials are investigating after two suspects broke into a Kansas elementary school.
USD 345 reported the two suspects were seen on security video just after midnight Wednesday inside West Indianola Elementary School, 4201 NW Brickyard Road in Topeka.

Anyone who is able to identify the suspects is asked to call USD 345 School Police Chief Phil McKay at 785-286-8516.

There are no reports of vandalism by the suspects.

THOMAS COUNTY – A driver avoided injuries after an accident Wednesday in Thomas County.
A loaded fuel truck rolled on County Road 7 just north of County Road S, according to a social media report.

An investigation by Brewster Fire and Chief Bob McLemore determined there was no Hazmat spill.
Thomas County Road Department assisted with a front-end loader.

HARVEY COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating the death of a woman in Harvey County.

Just after 3p.m. Wednesday, authorities found a body inside a vehicle at the Northbound Interstate 135 rest area south of Newton, according to the Harvey County Sheriff’s Department.

Officials reported the body is of a female in her mid 30s.

The cause of death is currently unknown. Officials did not release the victim’s name.

WICHITA – A Kansas man pleaded guilty Wednesday to producing child pornography, according to U.S. Attorney Tom Beall.

Brett Nolan Cico, 31, St. Francis, Kan., pleaded guilty as charged to three counts of producing child pornography and three counts of sexual exploitation of a minor while registered as a sex offender. Two of the victims were 14 years old and the other victim was 15 years old.

Sentencing is set for Sept. 11. He faces a penalty of not less than 15 years and not more than 30 years on each production count and 10 years (consecutive) on the other counts. Beall commended the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, Homeland Security Investigations and Assistant U.S. Attorney Jason Hart for their work on the case.

SALINE COUNTY –Law enforcement authorities in Saline County are investigating a suspect for alleged fraud to obtain cell phones.

On June 4, a man posing as Cody Beard opened a business account with Nex-Tech Wireless at the Central Mall in Salina. The man was able to obtain five Apple iPhone 7 Plus phones valued at $4,200, according to Salina Police Captain Paul Forrester.

The identify theft was reported to authorities on June 9.

The suspect made contact with the store several days later and wanted to pick up an additional 19 phones.

After rescheduling several times the suspect agreed to a meeting. Capt. Forrester said a clerk identified the suspect when he pulled into the parking lot. Undercover officers met at the door.

Police arrested Adam Jacob Bible, 31, Derby on requested charges of forgery, theft by deception and possession of marijuana.

Law enforcement authorities in Wichita are also investigating the identity theft case. Capt. Forrester said they believe Bible obtained the identification in April by stealing it from a vehicle.

The five stolen iPhones were not recovered.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas is renewing a contract with the state’s student assessment provider despite technical problems that caused delays.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that members of the Kansas State Board of Education voted Tuesday to renew the contract with the University of Kansas’ Center for Educational Testing and Evaluation. The renewal decision was put on hold in April. The move came two weeks after technical issues began when 15,000 students were simultaneously taking the assessments.

Testing center official Neal Kingston vowed to “continue to do better and better.” He directs the university’s Achievement and Assessment Institute, which oversees the center that has administered tests for the state’s school districts since 1989.

Testing problems also have occurred in the past, mostly recently last year when a fiber cable was cut in Lawrence.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas man is accused in a criminal complaint of looking for a mother and child to enslave for sex.

The U.S. attorney’s office says 63-year-old Michael David Mitchell, of Ottawa, told an undercover investigator posing as a woman with a daughter that he would take care of her but that “it won’t be easy on either of you.” He described himself as “a sadist” who enjoys “inflicting pain.” Court documents say he also told them he was willing to pay them.

Mitchell was charged Monday with attempted sex trafficking of a child and several other counts after he was arrested at a Kansas City, Missouri, hotel where he had arranged to meet them. No attorney is listed for him in online court records.

SALINE COUNTY – Staff and patrons of Rolling Hills Zoo are mourning the loss of a Southern White Rhinoceros.

Milly was euthanized Wednesday morning due to declining health and her advanced age, according to a Rolling Hills Zoo media release.

In captivity, biologists estimate a rhino’s lifespan at about 40 years. Zoo officials say Milly was between 46 and 51-years-old.

“We have been caring for Milly in her advanced age, trying to make her as comfortable as possible, said Zoo Curator Brenda Gunder.

“She was finding it extremely difficult to stand up for long periods of time and it became apparent that her quality of life was deteriorating.”

Milly was born in South Africa. She arrived at the Rolling Hills Zoo in 1996 as part of the White Rhinoceros Species Survival Plan. Milly and Wagasa were among the first animals at the zoo, according to the press release.

“Milly seemed to always look out for her friend Wagasa by keeping the males in line,” said head keeper Vickie Musselman. “In turn, Wagasa would call to Milly if separated. Even though Milly is the smallest of all of our rhinos she has always been the little spit-fire when she felt that she needed to be and wasn’t shy about letting her keepers know.”

Approximately 20,000 white rhinos remain in the wild and they are considered a near-threatened species. “Unfortunately, over the years their population numbers have declined due to habitat loss and poaching. In the past four years over 1,000 annually have been killed, and within the next 20 years they could be extinct.”

Milly’s body was transported to Kansas State University for a necropsy.