WILSON COUNTY – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Fredonia Police Department arrested a Fredonia man for his alleged involvement in a Thursday morning homicide, according to a media release.

At approximately 10 a.m. Thursday, June 8, the KBI was asked by the Fredonia Police Department to assist in investigating a suspected homicide.

The initial investigation indicates 50-year-old Eddie Cohee was murdered at his residence at 613 Jackson St. in Fredonia sometime Thursday morning. Officers from the Fredonia Police Department arrived at the residence at approximately 9:30 a.m. to perform a welfare check and found Cohee deceased. Authorities believe Cohee suffered from blunt force trauma. The autopsy is currently pending.

Sean Cohee, age 25, of Fredonia, was arrested and booked into the Wilson County Jail at approximately 11 a.m. today for first degree murder. He is the victim’s son.

The Wilson County Sheriff’s Office and the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office assisted in this investigation.

Cohee has a previous drug conviction in Wilson County.

By DEANGELA MCDOUGALD

GEARY COUNTY – A Mexican national accused of raping a 13-year-old girl on a Greyhound bus on I-70 in Kansas has entered a guilty plea in Geary County District Court.

In September, police arrested Tomas Martinez – Maldonado, 38, in Kansas City, Missouri, where authorities alerted U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). 

ICE has said previously that Maldonado is a priority for deportation when his case in Kansas is completed.

Martinez-Maldonado has been deported 10 times and voluntarily removed from the U.S. nine other times since 2003.

Three U.S. Republican senators had demanded in a letter that the Department of Homeland Security provide immigration records for Martinez-Maldonado.

He is scheduled for sentencing July 17.

 

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A fisherman in eastern Kansas has reeled in a 62-pound flathead catfish from the Kansas River.

Travis Fager of Lawrence caught the giant catfish after midnight on Tuesday.

Lawrence angler Josh Hackathorn says it’s not uncommon to find catfish nearing 70 or 80 lbs. near the Lawrence section of the river. He says the male fish are bulking up before they spawn later in June and that “right now is your pre-spawn sweet spot.”

Hackathorn says he’s been fishing in the area for nearly two decades and often sees fishermen come from other areas to fish in the specific portion of the river.

The Kansas Department of Wildlife, Parks and Tourism says the state record for a flathead catfish is 123 lbs.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas will now permit the consumption of alcohol outside of bars and restaurants in new designated districts.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that Gov. Sam Brownback signed legislation Wednesday which creates “common consumption” areas.

Topeka leaders have been working to create the districts since 2008, with the hopes that it will add entertainment possibilities to the area.

Vince Frye, who leads Downtown Topeka Inc., says the permanent districts will assist groups that currently apply for a permit every time they host an event.

Mike Morse, of KS Commercial, says he hopes to create districts in the downtown area and the arts district. The Topeka City Council will need to approve such plans.

SEDGWICK COUNTY- Law enforcement authorities Thursday officially identified the woman murdered Friday June 2, in her home as Reyona Caldwell, 36, Wichita, according to Sgt. Nikki Woodrow during the daily police briefing.

Caldwell was found dead inside her burning Ash Street home. An autopsy determined she was bludgeoned to death.

After fire crews found Caldwell’s body, the KBI issued an Amber Alert for her boyfriend Dane Wright and three children. The children were found in a south Wichita hotel. Wright was later arrested.

On Wednesday, prosecutors charged Dane Wright with first-degree murder, arson and three counts of child endangerment.

He is jailed in Sedgwick County Jail on $500,000 bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for June 21.

By SAM ZEFF

School districts across Kansas are breathing a bit easier after the Legislature passed a school funding plan and a tax law that provides the money for it.

Ideally, districts would want to have most of their budgets done by now so school boards could approve them and publish in August.

But not this year, as lawmakers have struggled to agree on a plan to adequately fund schools in the face of a June 30 deadline from the state Supreme Court.

Even though the Legislature approved a new school funding plan Monday night, it remains to be seen if Gov. Sam Brownback will sign it into law. So district officials watch and wait.

“Some are panicking now. Others will panic when they’re ready to do so,” said Mark Tallman, a lobbyist for the Kansas Association of School Boards.

While there is no distress yet in the Olathe school district, officials there are aware of the tight budget time frame.

The school board has a budget workshop Thursday where board members will hear about the Legislature’s school funding plan that adds $284 million to K-12 education across the state over two years. Should the plan move forward, Olathe stands to gain $9.7 million for the upcoming school year, according to the Kansas State Department of Education.

Two years ago the Olathe district laid off 80 employees to help close a $2 million budget hole. For the upcoming school year, it’s looking to hire. The district will add teaching positions to serve special education and English-language learning students.

The district also will be hiring staff for the new Olathe West High School that opens in August, spokesperson Maggie Kolb said in an email.

In addition to talking about how much to spend, the Olathe school board will discuss contingency plans in case the court finds the Legislature’s level of funding inadequate and closes schools.

While most summer school classes end by June 30, many districts use their buildings to provide meals to disadvantaged students. This year the state expects to serve 1.4 million meals during the summer, according to state Rep. Melissa Rooker, a Fairway Republican.

This is also the time of year districts want to settle contracts with teachers.

That’s the case in the Basehor-Linwood district in Leavenworth County, where Superintendent David Howard says he’s “really crammed for time” as he tries to get contracts to staff. Basehor-Linwood would see an additional $1.5 million for the 2017-2018 school year, according to KSDE figures.

Within 10 days of receiving the school funding bill, Brownback must sign it into law, veto it or allow it to become law without his signature.

Sam Zeff covers education for KCUR.org and the Kansas News Service. Follow him on Twitter @SamZeff. 

FINNEY COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on aggravated battery charges after a struggle with police.

Just before noon Wednesday, police conducted a traffic stop on Lonnie Farris, 53, Garden City, in the 100 block of North 10th Street in Garden City, according to a media release.

Police saw Farris driving a riding lawn mower on the street for personal conveyance in the 300 block of North 9th Street.

Officers had prior knowledge that Farris had a suspended driver’s license.

As officers attempted to arrest Farris, he resisted arrest and failed to comply with Officers directions.

During the arrest, Farris grabbed a screwdriver and lunged at officers in a stabbing motion striking one Officer in the lower back area.

He then grabbed a wrench from the mower and attempted to stab at officers with the wrench.

Farris was taken into custody after a brief struggle. He was lodged in the Finney County Jail and could face the possible charges of: Aggravated Battery of Law Enforcement Officer x2 Criminal Threats
Interference with a Law Enforcement Officer Driving while Suspended (13th)

No Officers were injured during the altercation.

RENO COUNTY – Two workers were injured, one of them critically after they were exposed to anhydrous ammonia at the Tyson Foods plant in South Hutchinson

Two workers were working on the refrigeration system in the plant when
the exposure occurred, according to South Hutchinson Police Chief Scott Jones.

There are no specifics on how the accident happened.

The two workers were not Tyson employees, and were working under contract.
One of the victims was treated at the scene and the other was transported by Reno County EMS in critical condition.

The plant was evacuated for about two hours while the area was secured. Jones says everyone at the plant was accounted for.

The plant has had similar incident before.

In 2006 one worker was killed and another injured after being exposed to anhydrous ammonia after a refrigerant line broke.

The names of the two injured workers were not released.

JOHN HANNA, AP Political Writer

LENEXA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach, who is helping lead President Donald Trump’s commission on election fraud, says he is running for governor.

The Republican was announcing his 2018 bid Thursday in Lenexa, Kansas.

Kobach has helped draft laws and ordinances in several states aimed at cracking down on illegal immigration, and he has a national reputation for championing tough voter identification laws. He has been advising Trump since before the election.

Kobach’s announcement comes just two days after Kansas legislators enacted a law rolling back income tax cuts championed by current Republican Gov. Sam Brownback. Lawmakers did so by overriding Brownback’s veto. Kobach strongly criticized the move.

Kobach is also a strong abortion opponent and gun-rights advocate.

The 51-year-old has been Kansas’ secretary of state since 2011.

SALINE COUNTY – Law enforcement authorities in Saline County are investigating a third suspect in connection a kidnapping a murder and have made another arrest.

Just after 11p.m. Wednesday evening, police arrested Brandon Lee St. Clair, 34, Salina, according to Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.

St. Clair was booked into the Saline County Jail for first-degree murder, aggravated robbery, aggravated kidnapping, possession of a hallucinogenic drug and possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to manufacture.

St Clair is the third Salina man taken into custody since a passing car found the body of Brandon Lee Shelby northeast of Salina Tuesday morning.

Deputies arrested James Pavey, 40, and Charles Rodgers, 30, on requested first-degree murder charges early Wednesday morning.

Law enforcement authorities have yet to release details on the incident that led to Shelby’s death, but Sheriff Roger Soldan said they believe the altercation started in Salina before it was taken out into the county where Shelby was killed.

According to Sheriff Soldan this will be the final arrest in connection with Shelby’s death.