Marquez Devoe Patterson photo Saline County

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for alleged felony theft after a convenience store reported money missing from their cash register.

On December 31,&nbsp; management at Casey's, 725 West Schilling Road in Salina contacted police to report that an employee was believed to have been stealing money from the register, according to Salina Police Detective Sergeant David Villanueva.

Police launched an investigation that included obtaining access to the store's accounting records and surveillance video. It was determined, based on video evidence, that during the period between 5 a.m. on Nov. 23 and 6 p.m. on Dec. 30 an employee took a total of $1,650 from the register.

Police arrested Marquez Devoe Patterson, 29, of Salina, on requested charges that include felony theft.&nbsp; The investigation is continuing to determine whether additional money was stolen, according to Villanueva.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580229440889.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Marquez Devoe Patterson photo Saline CountySALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for alleged felony theft after a convenience store reported money missing from their cash register.On December 31,&nbsp; management at Casey's, 725 West Schilling Road in Salina contacted police to report that an employee was believed to have been stealing money from the register, according to Salina Police Detective Sergeant David Villanueva.Police launched an investigation that included obtaining access to the store's accounting records and surveillance video. It was determined, based on video evidence, that during the period between 5 a.m. on Nov. 23 and 6 p.m. on Dec. 30 an employee took a total of $1,650 from the register.Police arrested Marquez Devoe Patterson, 29, of Salina, on requested charges that include felony theft.&nbsp; The investigation is continuing to determine whether additional money was stolen, according to Villanueva.

Kan. man accused of taking $1650 from employer's cash register

KANSAS CITY, KAN.&nbsp;– A Kansas man pleaded guilty Monday to importing and selling misbranded pharmaceutical-grade erectile dysfunction drugs from China and marketing them as herbal remedies for men, according to U.S.Attorney Stephen McAllister.

Rick Shepard, 60, Overland Park, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to import misbranded drugs. In his plea, he admitted he was doing business as Epic Products when he sold a product called Euphoric to adult novelty stores in multiple states. He marketed Euphoric as "all natural herbal supplements for male enhancement." In fact, the product contained prescription drugs Tadalafil and Sildenafil, the active ingredients in Viagra and Cialis. Shepard purchased the drugs from a supplier in China. He repackaged the capsules, applied his own labels and distributed them to stores in Kansas, Missouri and Colorado.

Sentencing is set for April 20. He could face a sentence of up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.&nbsp;

KANSAS CITY, KAN.&nbsp;– A Kansas man pleaded guilty Monday to importing and selling misbranded pharmaceutical-grade erectile dysfunction drugs from China and marketing them as herbal remedies for men, according to U.S.Attorney Stephen McAllister.Rick Shepard, 60, Overland Park, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to import misbranded drugs. In his plea, he admitted he was doing business as Epic Products when he sold a product called Euphoric to adult novelty stores in multiple states. He marketed Euphoric as "all natural herbal supplements for male enhancement." In fact, the product contained prescription drugs Tadalafil and Sildenafil, the active ingredients in Viagra and Cialis. Shepard purchased the drugs from a supplier in China. He repackaged the capsules, applied his own labels and distributed them to stores in Kansas, Missouri and Colorado.Sentencing is set for April 20. He could face a sentence of up to five years in federal prison and a fine up to $250,000.&nbsp;

Kan. man admits selling misbranded male enhancement pills  

BUTLER COUNTY —Rose Hill police asked fire crews in Butler County for assistance on Monday with an unusual call in Rose Hill, according to a social media report from Butler County Fire District 3.

A citizen called 911 and reported finding a six foot Boa Constrictor in their living room couch.

Fire crews responded and the snake was wrangled by "our resident snake charmer" Deputy Fire Chief Linot.

If anyone is missing a snake, give the BCFD#3 office a call at 316-776-0401.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580214745775.png" alt="Deputy Fire Chief Linot with the snake" />
 <figcaption>Deputy Fire Chief Linot with the snake</figcaption>
 </figure>BUTLER COUNTY —Rose Hill police asked fire crews in Butler County for assistance on Monday with an unusual call in Rose Hill, according to a social media report from Butler County Fire District 3.A citizen called 911 and reported finding a six foot Boa Constrictor in their living room couch.Fire crews responded and the snake was wrangled by "our resident snake charmer" Deputy Fire Chief Linot.If anyone is missing a snake, give the BCFD#3 office a call at 316-776-0401.

Fire crews assist police with unusual call at Kansas home

PRATT COUNTY — One person was injured in an accident just before 7p.m. Monday in Pratt County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2000 GMC Savana driven by Michael Kelley, 60, Wichita,&nbsp;was southbound on U.S. 281 just south of NW 120th Street.The vehicle&nbsp; struck a cow.

The cow then went into the northbound lane and a 1997 Toyota Corolla driven by Manuel Guillen, 37, Albuquerque, was unable to avoid striking the cow.

EMS transported Guillen to the hospital in Pratt. Kelley was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

PRATT COUNTY — One person was injured in an accident just before 7p.m. Monday in Pratt County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2000 GMC Savana driven by Michael Kelley, 60, Wichita,&nbsp;was southbound on U.S. 281 just south of NW 120th Street.The vehicle&nbsp; struck a cow.The cow then went into the northbound lane and a 1997 Toyota Corolla driven by Manuel Guillen, 37, Albuquerque, was unable to avoid striking the cow.EMS transported Guillen to the hospital in Pratt. Kelley was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained at the time of the accident, according to the KHP.

Driver hospitalized after vehicles hit cow on Kansas highway

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s legal team is raising a broad-based attack on the impeachment case against him even as it mostly brushes past allegations in a new book that could undercut a key defense argument at his Senate trial.

Former national security adviser John Bolton writes in a manuscript that Trump wanted to withhold military aid from Ukraine until it committed to helping with investigations into Democratic rival Joe Biden. That assertion matters because Trump and his lawyers have repeatedly insisted that he never tied the suspension of security aid to political investigations.

The revelation clouded White House hopes for a swift end to the impeachment trial, as Democrats demanded witnesses and some Republicans expressed openness to the idea. It also distracted from hours of arguments today from Trump’s lawyers, who declared anew that no witness has testified to direct knowledge that Trump’s delivery of aid was contingent on investigations into Democrats. Bolton appeared poised to say exactly that if summoned by the Senate.

“We deal with transcript evidence, we deal with publicly available information,” attorney Jay Sekulow said. “We do not deal with speculation.”

Trump is charged with abusing his presidential power by asking Ukraine’s leader to help investigate Biden at the same time his administration was withholding hundreds of millions of dollars in security aid. A second charge accuses Trump of obstructing Congress in its probe.

Republicans are to conclude their arguments Tuesday.

Today, Trump’s attorneys, including high-profile lawyers Ken Starr and Alan Dershowitz, launched a historical, legal and political attack on the entire impeachment process. They said there was no basis to remove Trump from office, defended his actions as appropriate and assailed Biden, who is campaigning for the Democratic nomination to oppose Trump in November.

Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi devoted her presentation to Biden and his son Hunter, who served on the board of a Ukraine gas company at the same time his father was leading the Obama administration’s diplomatic dealings with Kyiv. The legal team argued that Trump had legitimate reasons to be suspicious of the younger Biden’s business dealings and concerned about corruption in Ukraine and that, in any event, he ultimately released the aid without Ukraine committing to investigations the president wanted.

Trump has sought, without providing evidence, to implicate the Bidens in the kind of corruption that has long plagued Ukraine. Though anti-corruption advocates have raised concerns, there has been no evidence of wrongdoing by either the former vice president or his son.

Democrats say Trump released the money only after a whistleblower submitted a complaint about the situation.

Starr, whose independent counsel investigation into President Bill Clinton resulted in his impeachment — he was acquitted by the Senate — bemoaned what he said was an “age of impeachment.” Impeachment, he said, requires an actual crime and a “genuine national consensus” that the president must go. Neither exists here, Starr said.

“It’s filled with acrimony and it divides the country like nothing else,” Starr said of impeachment. “Those of us who lived through the Clinton impeachment understand that in a deep and personal way.”

Dershowitz, the final speaker of the evening, argued that impeachable offenses require criminal-like conduct — a view largely rejected by legal scholars. He said “nothing in the Bolton revelations, even if true, would rise to the level of an abuse of power or an impeachable offense.”

“Purely non-criminal conduct, including abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, are outside the range of impeachable offenses,” Dershowitz said.

Elizabeth Warren, a presidential campaigner like Biden but also a Senate juror, told reporters she found Dershowitz’s arguments “nonsensical.”

Even as defense lawyers laid out their case as planned, it was clear Bolton’s book had scrambled the debate over whether to seek witnesses. Trump’s legal team has rejected Bolton’s account, and Trump himself denied it.

“I NEVER told John Bolton that the aid to Ukraine was tied to investigations into Democrats, including the Bidens,” Trump tweeted. “If John Bolton said this, it was only to sell a book.”

Republican senators face a pivotal moment. Pressure is mounting for at least four to buck GOP leaders and form a bipartisan majority to force the issue. Republicans hold a 53-47 majority.

“John Bolton’s relevance to our decision has become increasingly clear,” GOP Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah told reporters. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said she has always wanted “the opportunity for witnesses” and the report about Bolton’s book “strengthens the case.”

At a private GOP lunch, Romney made the case for calling Bolton, according to a person unauthorized to discuss the meeting and granted anonymity.

Other Republicans, including Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, said if Bolton is called, they will demand reciprocity to hear from at least one of their witnesses. Some Republicans want to call the Bidens.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell didn’t know about Bolton’s book, his office said. But the GOP leader appeared unmoved by news of the Bolton book. His message at the lunch, said Indiana GOP Sen. Mike Braun, was, “Take a deep breath, and let’s take one step at a time.”

Once the president’s team wraps up its arguments, senators have 16 hours for written questions to both sides. By late in the week, they are expected to hold a vote on whether or not to hear from any witnesses.

While Democrats say Bolton’s revelations are reminiscent of the Watergate drip-drip-drip of new information, Republicans are counting on concerns subsiding by the time senators are asked to vote. They are being told that if there is agreement to summon Bolton, the White House will resist, claiming executive privilege.

That would launch a weekslong court battle that could drag out the impeachment trial, a scenario some GOP senators would rather avoid.

Trump and his lawyers have argued repeatedly that Democrats are using impeachment to try to undo the results of the last presidential election and drive Trump from office.

Democrats, meanwhile, say Trump’s refusal to allow administration officials to testify only reinforces that the White House is hiding evidence. The White House has had Bolton’s manuscript for about a month, according to a letter from Bolton’s attorney.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said: “We’re all staring a White House cover-up in the face.”

Rep. Adam Schiff, who leads the House prosecution team, called Bolton’s account a test for the senators.

“I don’t know how you can explain that you wanted a search for the truth in this trial and say you don’t want to hear from a witness who had a direct conversation about the central allegation in the articles of impeachment,” Schiff said on CNN.

Bolton’s account was first reported by The New York Times and was confirmed to The Associated Press by a person familiar with the manuscript. “The Room Where It Happened; A White House Memoir” is to be released March 17.

Joe Biden, campaigning in Iowa, said he sees no reason for testimony by him or his son.

“I have nothing to defend. This is all a game, even if they bring me up,” he told reporters. “What is there to defend? This is all — the reason he’s being impeached is because he tried to get a government to smear me and they wouldn’t. Come on.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580211001855.png" alt="Alan Dershowitz, an attorney for the President speaks during the impeachment trial against Trump in the Senate on Monday image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Alan Dershowitz, an attorney for the President speaks during the impeachment trial against Trump in the Senate on Monday image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump’s legal team is raising a broad-based attack on the impeachment case against him even as it mostly brushes past allegations in a new book that could undercut a key defense argument at his Senate trial.Former national security adviser John Bolton writes in a manuscript that Trump wanted to withhold military aid from Ukraine until it committed to helping with investigations into Democratic rival Joe Biden. That assertion matters because Trump and his lawyers have repeatedly insisted that he never tied the suspension of security aid to political investigations.The revelation clouded White House hopes for a swift end to the impeachment trial, as Democrats demanded witnesses and some Republicans expressed openness to the idea. It also distracted from hours of arguments today from Trump’s lawyers, who declared anew that no witness has testified to direct knowledge that Trump’s delivery of aid was contingent on investigations into Democrats. Bolton appeared poised to say exactly that if summoned by the Senate.“We deal with transcript evidence, we deal with publicly available information,” attorney Jay Sekulow said. “We do not deal with speculation.”Trump is charged with abusing his presidential power by asking Ukraine’s leader to help investigate Biden at the same time his administration was withholding hundreds of millions of dollars in security aid. A second charge accuses Trump of obstructing Congress in its probe.Republicans are to conclude their arguments Tuesday.Today, Trump’s attorneys, including high-profile lawyers Ken Starr and Alan Dershowitz, launched a historical, legal and political attack on the entire impeachment process. They said there was no basis to remove Trump from office, defended his actions as appropriate and assailed Biden, who is campaigning for the Democratic nomination to oppose Trump in November.Former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi devoted her presentation to Biden and his son Hunter, who served on the board of a Ukraine gas company at the same time his father was leading the Obama administration’s diplomatic dealings with Kyiv. The legal team argued that Trump had legitimate reasons to be suspicious of the younger Biden’s business dealings and concerned about corruption in Ukraine and that, in any event, he ultimately released the aid without Ukraine committing to investigations the president wanted.Trump has sought, without providing evidence, to implicate the Bidens in the kind of corruption that has long plagued Ukraine. Though anti-corruption advocates have raised concerns, there has been no evidence of wrongdoing by either the former vice president or his son.Democrats say Trump released the money only after a whistleblower submitted a complaint about the situation.Starr, whose independent counsel investigation into President Bill Clinton resulted in his impeachment — he was acquitted by the Senate — bemoaned what he said was an “age of impeachment.” Impeachment, he said, requires an actual crime and a “genuine national consensus” that the president must go. Neither exists here, Starr said.“It’s filled with acrimony and it divides the country like nothing else,” Starr said of impeachment. “Those of us who lived through the Clinton impeachment understand that in a deep and personal way.”Dershowitz, the final speaker of the evening, argued that impeachable offenses require criminal-like conduct — a view largely rejected by legal scholars. He said “nothing in the Bolton revelations, even if true, would rise to the level of an abuse of power or an impeachable offense.”“Purely non-criminal conduct, including abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, are outside the range of impeachable offenses,” Dershowitz said.Elizabeth Warren, a presidential campaigner like Biden but also a Senate juror, told reporters she found Dershowitz’s arguments “nonsensical.”Even as defense lawyers laid out their case as planned, it was clear Bolton’s book had scrambled the debate over whether to seek witnesses. Trump’s legal team has rejected Bolton’s account, and Trump himself denied it.“I NEVER told John Bolton that the aid to Ukraine was tied to investigations into Democrats, including the Bidens,” Trump tweeted. “If John Bolton said this, it was only to sell a book.”Republican senators face a pivotal moment. Pressure is mounting for at least four to buck GOP leaders and form a bipartisan majority to force the issue. Republicans hold a 53-47 majority.“John Bolton’s relevance to our decision has become increasingly clear,” GOP Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah told reporters. Sen. Susan Collins of Maine said she has always wanted “the opportunity for witnesses” and the report about Bolton’s book “strengthens the case.”At a private GOP lunch, Romney made the case for calling Bolton, according to a person unauthorized to discuss the meeting and granted anonymity.Other Republicans, including Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania, said if Bolton is called, they will demand reciprocity to hear from at least one of their witnesses. Some Republicans want to call the Bidens.Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell didn’t know about Bolton’s book, his office said. But the GOP leader appeared unmoved by news of the Bolton book. His message at the lunch, said Indiana GOP Sen. Mike Braun, was, “Take a deep breath, and let’s take one step at a time.”Once the president’s team wraps up its arguments, senators have 16 hours for written questions to both sides. By late in the week, they are expected to hold a vote on whether or not to hear from any witnesses.While Democrats say Bolton’s revelations are reminiscent of the Watergate drip-drip-drip of new information, Republicans are counting on concerns subsiding by the time senators are asked to vote. They are being told that if there is agreement to summon Bolton, the White House will resist, claiming executive privilege.That would launch a weekslong court battle that could drag out the impeachment trial, a scenario some GOP senators would rather avoid.Trump and his lawyers have argued repeatedly that Democrats are using impeachment to try to undo the results of the last presidential election and drive Trump from office.Democrats, meanwhile, say Trump’s refusal to allow administration officials to testify only reinforces that the White House is hiding evidence. The White House has had Bolton’s manuscript for about a month, according to a letter from Bolton’s attorney.Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer said: “We’re all staring a White House cover-up in the face.”Rep. Adam Schiff, who leads the House prosecution team, called Bolton’s account a test for the senators.“I don’t know how you can explain that you wanted a search for the truth in this trial and say you don’t want to hear from a witness who had a direct conversation about the central allegation in the articles of impeachment,” Schiff said on CNN.Bolton’s account was first reported by The New York Times and was confirmed to The Associated Press by a person familiar with the manuscript. “The Room Where It Happened; A White House Memoir” is to be released March 17.Joe Biden, campaigning in Iowa, said he sees no reason for testimony by him or his son.“I have nothing to defend. This is all a game, even if they bring me up,” he told reporters. “What is there to defend? This is all — the reason he’s being impeached is because he tried to get a government to smear me and they wouldn’t. Come on.”

Trump lawyers raise defenses as pressure grows for witnesses

CHEROKEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating suspects on drug charges after a traffic stop.

On Sunday morning, the Kansas Highway Patrol made a large seizure of Meth and other drugs near Baxter Springs, according to a social media report from Baxter Springs police.

Police and Baxter Springs Fire Department hosted the visit and assisted in cutting open the secret panels where the drugs were hidden. 

"A big thanks to the Highway Patrol for making the big busts. Ended up with 33 pounds of meth."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580067888514.png" alt="Photo courtesy Baxter Springs Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Baxter Springs Police</figcaption>
 </figure>CHEROKEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating suspects on drug charges after a traffic stop.On Sunday morning, the Kansas Highway Patrol made a large seizure of Meth and other drugs near Baxter Springs, according to a social media report from Baxter Springs police.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580152773934.png" alt="Crystal Marie Peters&nbsp;was arrested Sunday at approximately the same time as the meth bust, according to Cherokee County jail records. She is being held on drug charges but authorities have not confirmed her involvement." />
 <figcaption>Crystal Marie Peters&nbsp;was arrested Sunday at approximately the same time as the meth bust, according to Cherokee County jail records. She is being held on drug charges but authorities have not confirmed her involvement.</figcaption>
 </figure>Police and Baxter Springs Fire Department hosted the visit and assisted in cutting open the secret panels where the drugs were hidden. "A big thanks to the Highway Patrol for making the big busts. Ended up with 33 pounds of meth."

KHP troopers find 33 pounds of meth hidden in secret panels

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) --&nbsp;A Republican lawmaker is planning legislation that would force Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab to implement a 2019 law that allows residents to vote at polling places most convenient to them.

Across the aisle, a top Senate Democrat says he may sue to force Schwab to comply with the law that would replace traditional polling places with “voting centers.”

Sedgwick County officials have pushed Schwab to implement the law. He told lawmakers this month that it was unlikely the state would be able to implement the law in time for this year's election.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) --&nbsp;A Republican lawmaker is planning legislation that would force Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab to implement a 2019 law that allows residents to vote at polling places most convenient to them.Across the aisle, a top Senate Democrat says he may sue to force Schwab to comply with the law that would replace traditional polling places with “voting centers.”Sedgwick County officials have pushed Schwab to implement the law. He told lawmakers this month that it was unlikely the state would be able to implement the law in time for this year's election.

Bill would force Kansas to let residents choose polling place

TOPEKA —The former Marshall County Clerk was sentenced Monday to more than two years in prison for felony misuse of public funds, according to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.

Sonya L. Stohs, 44, of Marysville, pleaded guilty in November in Marshall County District Court to one count of felony misuse of public funds. District Judge John L. Weingart today sentenced Stohs to serve 32 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections with 24 months of post-release supervision. Additionally, Stohs was ordered to pay $372,003.12 in restitution to Marshall County and $438 in investigative and court costs.

The charges stemmed from an investigation by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Secret Service that showed between May 2013 and April 2019, Stohs used funds belonging to Marshall County to pay for various personal items, in excess of $100,000.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/7/1563486990218.png" alt="Stohs -photo Marshall Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Stohs -photo Marshall Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —The former Marshall County Clerk was sentenced Monday to more than two years in prison for felony misuse of public funds, according to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.Sonya L. Stohs, 44, of Marysville, pleaded guilty in November in Marshall County District Court to one count of felony misuse of public funds. District Judge John L. Weingart today sentenced Stohs to serve 32 months in the Kansas Department of Corrections with 24 months of post-release supervision. Additionally, Stohs was ordered to pay $372,003.12 in restitution to Marshall County and $438 in investigative and court costs.The charges stemmed from an investigation by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Secret Service that showed between May 2013 and April 2019, Stohs used funds belonging to Marshall County to pay for various personal items, in excess of $100,000.

Kan. county clerk sentenced for using public funds for personal items

TOPEKA, KAN. (AP) — A&nbsp;67-point whitetail deer shot by a Kansas bow hunter has won “King of Kansas” honors.

The nontypical whitetail deer was shot in October by Brian Butcher of Andover, earning the title Sunday during the final day of the Kansas Monster Buck Classic in Topeka.

The rack unofficially measured in at 321 3/8 inches on the Boone and Crockett scale. Official measurements will be taken in 2022 for world-record status, as it would be the fourth-largest nontypical deer ever recorded.

The title was previously held by Mark Watson for a 175-plus-inch nontypical whitetail deer in 2019.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580155923465.png" alt="Photo courtesy Kansas Monster Buck Classic" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Kansas Monster Buck Classic</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, KAN. (AP) — A&nbsp;67-point whitetail deer shot by a Kansas bow hunter has won “King of Kansas” honors.The nontypical whitetail deer was shot in October by Brian Butcher of Andover, earning the title Sunday during the final day of the Kansas Monster Buck Classic in Topeka.The rack unofficially measured in at 321 3/8 inches on the Boone and Crockett scale. Official measurements will be taken in 2022 for world-record status, as it would be the fourth-largest nontypical deer ever recorded.The title was previously held by Mark Watson for a 175-plus-inch nontypical whitetail deer in 2019.

Monster Buck Classic names 67-point buck 'King of Kansas'

JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on drug charges after a traffic stop.

Just after 9:30p.m.&nbsp; Saturday, Jackson County Sheriff’s deputies conducted a traffic stop on US Hwy 75 near 214th Road south of Holton, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

 During the traffic stop, deputies located illegal narcotics. As a result of the traffic stop, Craig Wayne Dodds, 46, of Rossville, KS was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail for possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while suspended, and no proof of liability insurance.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580071903112.png" alt="Dodds photo Jackson Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Dodds photo Jackson Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on drug charges after a traffic stop.Just after 9:30p.m.&nbsp; Saturday, Jackson County Sheriff’s deputies conducted a traffic stop on US Hwy 75 near 214th Road south of Holton, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. During the traffic stop, deputies located illegal narcotics. As a result of the traffic stop, Craig Wayne Dodds, 46, of Rossville, KS was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail for possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving while suspended, and no proof of liability insurance.&nbsp;

Deputies catch Kansas man with drugs during traffic stop

PRATT COUNTY —For those that were evacuated due to the gas leak east of Cullison, officials were maintaining the evacuation zone until after sunrise so they can get a good assessment of the situation, according to Pratt County Emergency Management.

Authorities will post updates throughout the day Monday. For those traveling west of Pratt towards Cullison, they will need to take SW 10th St to West River Road then south to 20th St.

Those traveling from the cullison should take the reverse route. 54 Highway and old 54 Highway remain closed at this time between Pratt and Cullison.

PRATT COUNTY —There has been a gas line leak approximately 2 1/4 miles east of Cullison, according to a social media report from Pratt County Emergency Management.

This leak will more than likely not be fixed until sometime Monday&nbsp; due to safety concerns.

Residents within 2 to 3 miles of the site should evacuate to the municipal building in Pratt.

"Crews are monitoring the area and if further evacuations are needed, authorities will let the public know."

U.S. Highway 54, old Highway 54 between Pratt and Cullison are closed as is the railroad. Pipeline crews are on scene and evaluating the line.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580125699541.png" alt="Google map" />
 <figcaption>Google map</figcaption>
 </figure>PRATT COUNTY —For those that were evacuated due to the gas leak east of Cullison, officials were maintaining the evacuation zone until after sunrise so they can get a good assessment of the situation, according to Pratt County Emergency Management.Authorities will post updates throughout the day Monday. For those traveling west of Pratt towards Cullison, they will need to take SW 10th St to West River Road then south to 20th St.Those traveling from the cullison should take the reverse route. 54 Highway and old 54 Highway remain closed at this time between Pratt and Cullison.-------------PRATT COUNTY —There has been a gas line leak approximately 2 1/4 miles east of Cullison, according to a social media report from Pratt County Emergency Management.This leak will more than likely not be fixed until sometime Monday&nbsp; due to safety concerns.Residents within 2 to 3 miles of the site should evacuate to the municipal building in Pratt."Crews are monitoring the area and if further evacuations are needed, authorities will let the public know."U.S. Highway 54, old Highway 54 between Pratt and Cullison are closed as is the railroad. Pipeline crews are on scene and evaluating the line.Schools in Pratt are open Monday.

Update: Evacuations over, U.S. 54 still closed due to Pratt Co. gas leak

SALINA, KAN. (AP) —&nbsp;Interest in growing industrial hemp as a commercial crop is up in Kansas where regulators are reporting a 30% rise in licensing applications for the second year of the state's research program.

The Kansas Department of Agriculture received 276 grower applications for the 2020 season, up from just over 200 in the first year of a period devoted to researching production options. There were also 23 applications from seed distributors, 35 from processors and seven by Kansas State University.

“This year, it’s certainly been a transitional year,” said Jeff Vogel, the agriculture department’s manager of plant protection and weed control program.

Opportunities to reintroduce industrial hemp in Kansas will be guided by U.S. Department of Agriculture mandates and Kansas agriculture department regulation, he said. USDA has yet to approve Kansas’ regulatory plan.

“We are working towards a commercial program,” Vogel said. “That program is not ready yet.”

Plants will be tested two weeks before harvested to guarantee farmers weren’t dabbling in controlled substances,

Of the 2019 crop, nine of 159 fields failed testing and had to be destroyed because of excessive levels of THC, psychoactive compound in marijuana that gives the high sensation.

SALINA, KAN. (AP) —&nbsp;Interest in growing industrial hemp as a commercial crop is up in Kansas where regulators are reporting a 30% rise in licensing applications for the second year of the state's research program.The Kansas Department of Agriculture received 276 grower applications for the 2020 season, up from just over 200 in the first year of a period devoted to researching production options. There were also 23 applications from seed distributors, 35 from processors and seven by Kansas State University.“This year, it’s certainly been a transitional year,” said Jeff Vogel, the agriculture department’s manager of plant protection and weed control program.Opportunities to reintroduce industrial hemp in Kansas will be guided by U.S. Department of Agriculture mandates and Kansas agriculture department regulation, he said. USDA has yet to approve Kansas’ regulatory plan.“We are working towards a commercial program,” Vogel said. “That program is not ready yet.”Plants will be tested two weeks before harvested to guarantee farmers weren’t dabbling in controlled substances,Of the 2019 crop, nine of 159 fields failed testing and had to be destroyed because of excessive levels of THC, psychoactive compound in marijuana that gives the high sensation.

Licensing applications to grow industrial hemp up in Kansas

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug charges. Just before 2:30p.m. Jan. 24,&nbsp; the Great Bend Police Department responded to The Reserves at Trail Ridge Apartments located at 811 Grant Street in Great Bend in reference an ongoing narcotics investigation.

Upon arrival, the Great Bend Police Department executed a narcotics search warrant inside apartment #221, where Elijah Cheney, age 22, resides. During a thorough search of the apartment, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and items of evidence for distribution were located inside of the apartment.

Steven Sexton II, age 31, and Cheney were located at the apartment and placed under arrest. A third individual identified as a 17-year-old was&nbsp; and arrested as well.&nbsp;

Great Bend Police Department K-9 Officer, along with K-9 Menta responded to the scene to assist. Menta indicated to an odor of illegal narcotics coming from Sexton's vehicle. The vehicle was secured and a second search warrant for the vehicle was executed for illegal narcotics.

During the execution of the vehicle search, Great Bend Police detectives located marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and a firearm.

Cheney and Sexton were transported to the Barton County Detention Center and booked in lieu of bond. The juvenile female was arrested and later released to Juvenile Intake.

The investigation is still ongoing. Anyone with any information in reference to this case is urged to contact the Great Bend Police Department at 620-793-4120 or Crime Stoppers at 620-792-1300.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580154439770.png" alt="Elijah Cheney -photo Barton County" />
 <figcaption>Elijah Cheney -photo Barton County</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on drug charges. Just before 2:30p.m. Jan. 24,&nbsp; the Great Bend Police Department responded to The Reserves at Trail Ridge Apartments located at 811 Grant Street in Great Bend in reference an ongoing narcotics investigation.Upon arrival, the Great Bend Police Department executed a narcotics search warrant inside apartment #221, where Elijah Cheney, age 22, resides. During a thorough search of the apartment, marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and items of evidence for distribution were located inside of the apartment.Steven Sexton II, age 31, and Cheney were located at the apartment and placed under arrest. A third individual identified as a 17-year-old was&nbsp; and arrested as well.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580154480098.png" alt="Steven Sexton II" />
 <figcaption>Steven Sexton II</figcaption>
 </figure>Great Bend Police Department K-9 Officer, along with K-9 Menta responded to the scene to assist. Menta indicated to an odor of illegal narcotics coming from Sexton's vehicle. The vehicle was secured and a second search warrant for the vehicle was executed for illegal narcotics.During the execution of the vehicle search, Great Bend Police detectives located marijuana, drug paraphernalia, and a firearm.Cheney and Sexton were transported to the Barton County Detention Center and booked in lieu of bond. The juvenile female was arrested and later released to Juvenile Intake.The investigation is still ongoing. Anyone with any information in reference to this case is urged to contact the Great Bend Police Department at 620-793-4120 or Crime Stoppers at 620-792-1300.

2 adults, teen arrested during drug bust at Great Bend apartment

RILEY COUNTY&nbsp; — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary and asking the public for help to identify suspects.

The burglary occurred at Kellstrom Pharmacy, 1860 Claflin Road in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department.

"The images are not the greatest, but the clothing may be identifiable. If you have any information on their identities, please contact RCPD at (785) 537-2112 or Crime Stoppers at (785) 539-7777. Using the Crime Stoppers service allows you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward up to $1,000.00."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580149127782.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Photos RCPDRILEY COUNTY&nbsp; — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary and asking the public for help to identify suspects.The burglary occurred at Kellstrom Pharmacy, 1860 Claflin Road in Manhattan, according to the Riley County Police Department.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580149083549.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>"The images are not the greatest, but the clothing may be identifiable. If you have any information on their identities, please contact RCPD at (785) 537-2112 or Crime Stoppers at (785) 539-7777. Using the Crime Stoppers service allows you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward up to $1,000.00."

Police ask for help to ID suspects in burglary of Kan. pharmacy 

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial enters a pivotal week as his defense team resumes its case and senators face a critical vote on whether to hear witnesses or proceed directly to a vote that is widely expected to end in his acquittal. The articles of impeachment charge Trump with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.

Click here <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?468552-1/senate-impeachment-trial-day-7">to watch day 7 of the trial</a>

Those decisions on witnesses may be complicated by reports that Trump said he wanted to maintain a freeze on military assistance to Ukraine until it aided political investigations into his Democratic rivals, That’s from former national security adviser John Bolton in a draft of his forthcoming book. The report by The New York Times was later confirmed by The Associated Press. The revelation challenges the defense offered up by Trump and his attorneys in his impeachment trial.

The Capitol Hill maneuvering will be complemented by high-stakes efforts on both sides of the aisle to claim political advantage from the proceedings as the presidential nominating season kicks off in Iowa on Feb. 3.

After a two-hour opening argument Saturday, Trump’s defense team will lay out its case in depth beginning Monday. White House counsel Pat Cipollone said Trump’s lawyers don’t expect to take the full 24 hours allotted to them, but there will be arguments from some familiar faces.

Harvard law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz, former independent counsel Ken Starr and former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi will speak on specific topics.

Dershowitz said Sunday he would argue that the charges against Trump are too minor to warrant the president’s removal from office under the Constitution. “Even if true, they did not allege impeachable offenses,” Dershowitz told “Fox News Sunday.”

The Trump team has also teased the notion that it would draw attention to Joe Biden and his son Hunter, who served on the board of a Ukraine gas company Burisma, while the elder Biden was vice president. An extended focus on Joe Biden, one of the leading Democratic presidential contenders, could mean blowback from even some of the GOP members of the Senate.

Once Trump’s team concludes, senators will have 16 hours to ask questions of both the House impeachment prosecutors and the president’s legal team. Their questions must be in writing.

Chief Justice John Roberts will read the questions aloud. He is expected to alternate between both sides of the aisle. Many senators have been talking copious notes throughout the trial in preparation for the question-and-answer time.

Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., told reporters Saturday that Republicans expected to get together on Monday to start formulating a list of questions. “We will meet as a conference and decide what questions we want to pose, what the order may be of those of those questions,” he said.

Under the Senate rules passed last week, senators will vote whether to consider new witnesses and evidence after the Q&amp;A time is elapsed. Four Republicans would have to break ranks to join Democrats in the GOP-controlled Senate to extend the trial for an undetermined amount of time.

If that happens, expect a bitter fight over which witnesses might be called and which documents might be subpoenaed. Democrats have called for testimony from Trump’s former national security adviser, John Bolton, and his acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney. An attempt to call either probably would lead to a showdown with the White House, which claims both men have “absolute immunity” from being called to testify before the Senate, even in an impeachment trial. Still, Bolton has said he would appear if issued a subpoena by the Senate.

While Republicans have hoped for a speedy trial, Trump has called for the testimony of the Bidens and the intelligence community whistleblower whose summer complaint about Trump’s July telephone call with Ukraine’s leader instigated the impeachment inquiry.

But some Republicans, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., have expressed resistance to calling those witnesses.

If the vote fails, the Senate could move swiftly to its vote on whether to remove or acquit Trump, giving the president the result he’s been looking for as soon as the end of the week.

Trump’s lawyers argued Saturday that no one knows what Trump’s motives were on holding up military assistance to Ukraine. A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/b8f3620a62c633658199f1fe85fe4647">recording</a>&nbsp;obtained by The Associated Press hours later suggests the president well understood that assistance was a point of leverage over Ukraine.

The recording is of 2018 meeting at the Trump Hotel in Washington that Trump had with donors. including two now-indicted associates of his personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani. The audio portion includes Trump inquiring about Ukraine, “How long would they last in a fight with Russia?” He later calls for the firing of the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch.

The recording contradicts the president’s statements that he didn’t know the Giuliani associations, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman. They are key figures in the investigation who were indicted last year on campaign finance charges.

If new evidence and witnesses are allowed, the recording could take center stage in the Senate proceedings.

The trial is resuming with one week to go until the Iowa caucuses, and is again keeping four Democratic contenders — Sens. Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Michael Bennet and Amy Klobuchar — in Washington instead of campaigning at a critical point in the race.

While they are trapped in Washington, Trump will venture outside the capital as he seeks both to exert political retribution on Democrats who impeached him and reward a party-switching lawmaker who backed him in the House.

Trump will hold a rally Tuesday in New Jersey to repay the favor to Rep. Jeff Van Drew, who became a Republican last month after voting against the articles of impeachment as a Democrat. And Trump is set to appear in Iowa on Thursday, days before the caucuses.

Meanwhile, Trump is already looking ahead to his likely acquittal, whenever it may come, promising that Democrats will face consequences for trying to remove him from office. “Shifty Adam Schiff is a CORRUPT POLITICIAN, and probably a very sick man,” Trump tweeted Sunday. “He has not paid the price, yet, for what he has done to our Country!”

Schiff, D-Calif., is chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and the lead impeachment manager. Asked on NBC’s ``Meet the Press″ whether he viewed the tweet as a threat, Schiff replied, “I think it’s intended to be.″

Rep. Jerrold Nadler, one of the House managers for the Senate trial, will miss Monday’s proceedings because of his wife’s illness.

In a statement, the New York Democrat said he would be in New York that day to discuss with doctors his wife’s ongoing treatment for pancreatic cancer. As chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Nadler has been a key member of the Democratic team investigating and prosecuting the case against the president.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580151753124.png" alt="Ken Starr who pushed for the impeachment of President Clinton is now an attorney defending President Trump during the impeachment trial Tuesday in the Senate image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Ken Starr who pushed for the impeachment of President Clinton is now an attorney defending President Trump during the impeachment trial Tuesday in the Senate image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial enters a pivotal week as his defense team resumes its case and senators face a critical vote on whether to hear witnesses or proceed directly to a vote that is widely expected to end in his acquittal. The articles of impeachment charge Trump with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress.Click here <a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?468552-1/senate-impeachment-trial-day-7">to watch day 7 of the trial</a>Those decisions on witnesses may be complicated by reports that Trump said he wanted to maintain a freeze on military assistance to Ukraine until it aided political investigations into his Democratic rivals, That’s from former national security adviser John Bolton in a draft of his forthcoming book. The report by The New York Times was later confirmed by The Associated Press. The revelation challenges the defense offered up by Trump and his attorneys in his impeachment trial.The Capitol Hill maneuvering will be complemented by high-stakes efforts on both sides of the aisle to claim political advantage from the proceedings as the presidential nominating season kicks off in Iowa on Feb. 3.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580129771255.png" alt="President Trump's personal attorney Jay Sekulow during the opening defense in the impeachment trial -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>President Trump's personal attorney Jay Sekulow during the opening defense in the impeachment trial -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>STAR TURN IN DEFENSEAfter a two-hour opening argument Saturday, Trump’s defense team will lay out its case in depth beginning Monday. White House counsel Pat Cipollone said Trump’s lawyers don’t expect to take the full 24 hours allotted to them, but there will be arguments from some familiar faces.Harvard law professor emeritus Alan Dershowitz, former independent counsel Ken Starr and former Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi will speak on specific topics.Dershowitz said Sunday he would argue that the charges against Trump are too minor to warrant the president’s removal from office under the Constitution. “Even if true, they did not allege impeachable offenses,” Dershowitz told “Fox News Sunday.”The Trump team has also teased the notion that it would draw attention to Joe Biden and his son Hunter, who served on the board of a Ukraine gas company Burisma, while the elder Biden was vice president. An extended focus on Joe Biden, one of the leading Democratic presidential contenders, could mean blowback from even some of the GOP members of the Senate.QUESTION TIMEOnce Trump’s team concludes, senators will have 16 hours to ask questions of both the House impeachment prosecutors and the president’s legal team. Their questions must be in writing.Chief Justice John Roberts will read the questions aloud. He is expected to alternate between both sides of the aisle. Many senators have been talking copious notes throughout the trial in preparation for the question-and-answer time.Sen. John Barrasso, R-Wyo., told reporters Saturday that Republicans expected to get together on Monday to start formulating a list of questions. “We will meet as a conference and decide what questions we want to pose, what the order may be of those of those questions,” he said.___WILL THEY OR WON’T THEYUnder the Senate rules passed last week, senators will vote whether to consider new witnesses and evidence after the Q&amp;A time is elapsed. Four Republicans would have to break ranks to join Democrats in the GOP-controlled Senate to extend the trial for an undetermined amount of time.If that happens, expect a bitter fight over which witnesses might be called and which documents might be subpoenaed. Democrats have called for testimony from Trump’s former national security adviser, John Bolton, and his acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney. An attempt to call either probably would lead to a showdown with the White House, which claims both men have “absolute immunity” from being called to testify before the Senate, even in an impeachment trial. Still, Bolton has said he would appear if issued a subpoena by the Senate.While Republicans have hoped for a speedy trial, Trump has called for the testimony of the Bidens and the intelligence community whistleblower whose summer complaint about Trump’s July telephone call with Ukraine’s leader instigated the impeachment inquiry.But some Republicans, including Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., have expressed resistance to calling those witnesses.If the vote fails, the Senate could move swiftly to its vote on whether to remove or acquit Trump, giving the president the result he’s been looking for as soon as the end of the week.___A NEW TAPETrump’s lawyers argued Saturday that no one knows what Trump’s motives were on holding up military assistance to Ukraine. A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/b8f3620a62c633658199f1fe85fe4647">recording</a>&nbsp;obtained by The Associated Press hours later suggests the president well understood that assistance was a point of leverage over Ukraine.The recording is of 2018 meeting at the Trump Hotel in Washington that Trump had with donors. including two now-indicted associates of his personal attorney, Rudy Giuliani. The audio portion includes Trump inquiring about Ukraine, “How long would they last in a fight with Russia?” He later calls for the firing of the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch.The recording contradicts the president’s statements that he didn’t know the Giuliani associations, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman. They are key figures in the investigation who were indicted last year on campaign finance charges.If new evidence and witnesses are allowed, the recording could take center stage in the Senate proceedings.___THE POLITICSThe trial is resuming with one week to go until the Iowa caucuses, and is again keeping four Democratic contenders — Sens. Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warren, Michael Bennet and Amy Klobuchar — in Washington instead of campaigning at a critical point in the race.While they are trapped in Washington, Trump will venture outside the capital as he seeks both to exert political retribution on Democrats who impeached him and reward a party-switching lawmaker who backed him in the House.Trump will hold a rally Tuesday in New Jersey to repay the favor to Rep. Jeff Van Drew, who became a Republican last month after voting against the articles of impeachment as a Democrat. And Trump is set to appear in Iowa on Thursday, days before the caucuses.Meanwhile, Trump is already looking ahead to his likely acquittal, whenever it may come, promising that Democrats will face consequences for trying to remove him from office. “Shifty Adam Schiff is a CORRUPT POLITICIAN, and probably a very sick man,” Trump tweeted Sunday. “He has not paid the price, yet, for what he has done to our Country!”Schiff, D-Calif., is chairman of the House Intelligence Committee and the lead impeachment manager. Asked on NBC’s ``Meet the Press″ whether he viewed the tweet as a threat, Schiff replied, “I think it’s intended to be.″___NADLER ABSENTRep. Jerrold Nadler, one of the House managers for the Senate trial, will miss Monday’s proceedings because of his wife’s illness.In a statement, the New York Democrat said he would be in New York that day to discuss with doctors his wife’s ongoing treatment for pancreatic cancer. As chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, Nadler has been a key member of the Democratic team investigating and prosecuting the case against the president.

🎥 Defense resumes its case in Trump impeachment trial

Salina Police are investigating an incident in which a 43-year-old man says he was kidnapped from a local park and held for several days.

Salina Police Detective Sergeant David Villanueva said this morning that at 12:49 a.m. Monday, officers were dispatched to the 400 block of Montrose Street for the report of someone possibly being in an unoccupied house. He said that a neighbor reported seeing lights flashing in an unoccupied house that was undergoing renovation.

Officers looked through the window of the residence and saw a man bound by duct tape inside, Villanueva said. The man also had tape over his mouth, he added. Officers entered the house to rescue the man, who told them that on Thursday at approximately 10 a.m., he was walking in Oakdale Park with his purple walker when a female and two males took him against his will, Villanueva said.

The female and one of the males wore black ski masks, while the other male wore a clown mask, he said.

The man told police that the three had put a hood over his head and moved him from location to location since Thursday.

Villanueva asked that anyone who was in Oakdale Park Thursday morning who saw someone being put into a dark-colored SUV to please contact the Salina Police Department.

Villanueva said the man was checked out and medically cleared after being rescued from the house this morning.

Salina PostSalina Police are investigating an incident in which a 43-year-old man says he was kidnapped from a local park and held for several days.Salina Police Detective Sergeant David Villanueva said this morning that at 12:49 a.m. Monday, officers were dispatched to the 400 block of Montrose Street for the report of someone possibly being in an unoccupied house. He said that a neighbor reported seeing lights flashing in an unoccupied house that was undergoing renovation.Officers looked through the window of the residence and saw a man bound by duct tape inside, Villanueva said. The man also had tape over his mouth, he added. Officers entered the house to rescue the man, who told them that on Thursday at approximately 10 a.m., he was walking in Oakdale Park with his purple walker when a female and two males took him against his will, Villanueva said.The female and one of the males wore black ski masks, while the other male wore a clown mask, he said.The man told police that the three had put a hood over his head and moved him from location to location since Thursday.Villanueva asked that anyone who was in Oakdale Park Thursday morning who saw someone being put into a dark-colored SUV to please contact the Salina Police Department.Villanueva said the man was checked out and medically cleared after being rescued from the house this morning.

Salina Police investigating alleged kidnapping

SALINE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after a weekend altercation in Salina.

Just after 2:30p.m. Saturday,&nbsp;police were sent to the 1200 block of Prospect in Salina after report of William Kelley, 36, of Salina, getting into a verbal altercation at a family member's residence involving domestic relations and children, according to&nbsp;Salina Police Detective Sergeant David Villanueva.

Kelley left the residence with a shotgun before police arrived.

They arrested him on&nbsp;requested charges of trespassing and criminal possession of a firearm by a felon. He has a previous drug conviction and has been out of prison since May of 2016.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580143876680.jpeg" alt="William Kelley photo Saline County" />
 <figcaption>William Kelley photo Saline County</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after a weekend altercation in Salina.Just after 2:30p.m. Saturday,&nbsp;police were sent to the 1200 block of Prospect in Salina after report of William Kelley, 36, of Salina, getting into a verbal altercation at a family member's residence involving domestic relations and children, according to&nbsp;Salina Police Detective Sergeant David Villanueva.Kelley left the residence with a shotgun before police arrived.They arrested him on&nbsp;requested charges of trespassing and criminal possession of a firearm by a felon. He has a previous drug conviction and has been out of prison since May of 2016.

Police: Kansas felon had shotgun during alleged family dispute

Crews on the scene of Monday morning fire -i<a href="https://www.kctv5.com/news/local_news/two-siblings-dead-after-northland-house-fire/article_3360f3d8-40fa-11ea-ba17-13561087b414.html">mage courtesy KCTV</a>

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Authorities say a woman who used oxygen to help her breath and a man who is believed to be her brother have been killed in a Kansas City house fire.

The blaze broke out around 4:45 a.m. Monday.

Kansas City Deputy Fire Chief Jimmy Walker says that when crews entered the home, they found a man dead. Crews then found a woman's body in the room with the bulk of the fire damage.

Walker said the victims are believed to be a brother and sister in their 60s. The woman was on oxygen at the time of the fire.

The cause of the fire hasn't been determined.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580134398688.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Crews on the scene of Monday morning fire -i<a href="https://www.kctv5.com/news/local_news/two-siblings-dead-after-northland-house-fire/article_3360f3d8-40fa-11ea-ba17-13561087b414.html">mage courtesy KCTV</a>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Authorities say a woman who used oxygen to help her breath and a man who is believed to be her brother have been killed in a Kansas City house fire.The blaze broke out around 4:45 a.m. Monday.Kansas City Deputy Fire Chief Jimmy Walker says that when crews entered the home, they found a man dead. Crews then found a woman's body in the room with the bulk of the fire damage.Walker said the victims are believed to be a brother and sister in their 60s. The woman was on oxygen at the time of the fire.The cause of the fire hasn't been determined.

2 killed in early-morning house fire in Kansas City

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The University of Kansas Medical Center is testing a male contraceptive gel that men apply to their shoulders. The school's research institution is conducting a clinical trial for the contraceptive and searching for participating couples. 

The gel is a mixture of Nestorone and testosterone. Nestorone blocks the male hormone production needed to generate sperm. Testosterone in the gel replaces testosterone usually produced in the male body. 

Dr. Ajay Nangia is the center's vice chair of urology. He says the study should not lessen a man’s sex drive and that sperm count should return to normal within nine months.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580132088970.png" alt="Dr. Ajay Nangia photo University of Kansas Health System" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Ajay Nangia photo University of Kansas Health System</figcaption>
 </figure>LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The University of Kansas Medical Center is testing a male contraceptive gel that men apply to their shoulders. The school's research institution is conducting a clinical trial for the contraceptive and searching for participating couples. The gel is a mixture of Nestorone and testosterone. Nestorone blocks the male hormone production needed to generate sperm. Testosterone in the gel replaces testosterone usually produced in the male body. Dr. Ajay Nangia is the center's vice chair of urology. He says the study should not lessen a man’s sex drive and that sperm count should return to normal within nine months.

University of Kansas researchers test male contraceptive gel

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa are joining forces for a study that will look for ways the states can limit flooding along the Missouri River and give them information about how wetter weather patterns could require changes in the way the U.S. government manages the basins reservoirs.

The states are pooling their money to pay for half of a $400,000 study with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to measure how much water flows down the Missouri River.

The states hope to present a united front to federal officials to gain more influence over how the river is managed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/68d1b969da944d7791b7f487630d09ee">after devastating floods</a>&nbsp;in 2011 and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/8cbaf4b9041e4081bad72619dcabd554">2019</a>.

“We’ve got to look at the data, but it’s certainly possible that we’re going to see more wet years,” Republican Nebraska Gov. Ricketts said at a recent media briefing. “We need to collect the data first, and then we can address with the Corps what they ought to be doing.”

Officials from the states plan to meet next month to decide how to proceed.

A lot of the data the Corps uses to manage the Missouri River is outdated and doesn’t account for the two historic floods over the last decade, said Jeff Fassett, director of the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources. The Corps did not respond to requests for an interview.

“We need to be factoring in new information as we look forward,” Fassett said. “Nobody knows whether this is the new normal. What if 2023 looks like 2019? If this happens again, we need to be better prepared.”

The effort comes as higher global temperatures are causing glaciers to melt into the oceans and producing extreme weather conditions that are more intense and destructive than ever before. The states are bracing for more frequent and severe floods, even as some of their top officials, including Ricketts, question mainstream climate science.

Fassett said the states also want to identify “pinch points” on the river that could cause a water buildup during a flood.

He pointed to a crossing at Nebraska Highway 2, where the river spilled over its levees and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/15812681c8c84ca9a7c0cacc8bbd5d0c">covered Interstate 29&nbsp;</a>last year. Crews responded by raising and lengthening the bridge to let more water flow underneath.

States that work together tend to carry more sway with the federal government because don’t make conflicting requests, said Tim Hall, the hydrology resources coordinator for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.

Hall said the partnership is similar to a group of upper Mississippi River states that joined forces in 1981 to mitigate flooding.

“It’s a lot easier than one state trying to negotiate with the Corps,” Hall said. “It can be done, but it’s more challenging.”

The partnership also encourages states to share data and not work against one another, Hall said.

“In the big picture, we all want to accomplish the same thing,” Hall said.

The Missouri is the longest river in North America, running from western Montana through the Dakotas and touching Nebraska, Iowa and Kansas before cutting across Missouri and entering the Mississippi River at St. Louis.

The states it touches once had a coalition known as Missouri River Association of States and Tribes, but it eventually disbanded after Iowa and Nebraska withdrew amid a dispute with Montana over how to manage the river. Nebraska and Iowa wanted more more water released from upstream reservoirs earlier in the year to prevent summer flooding, but Montana was concerned about effects on wildlife and recreation during drought years.

The new, four-state coalition would focus on flood mitigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580063534513.png" alt="Flood on the Missouri River photo courtesy Missouri Gov. Mike Parson" />
 <figcaption>Flood on the Missouri River photo courtesy Missouri Gov. Mike Parson</figcaption>
 </figure>LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa are joining forces for a study that will look for ways the states can limit flooding along the Missouri River and give them information about how wetter weather patterns could require changes in the way the U.S. government manages the basins reservoirs.The states are pooling their money to pay for half of a $400,000 study with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to measure how much water flows down the Missouri River.The states hope to present a united front to federal officials to gain more influence over how the river is managed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/68d1b969da944d7791b7f487630d09ee">after devastating floods</a>&nbsp;in 2011 and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/8cbaf4b9041e4081bad72619dcabd554">2019</a>.“We’ve got to look at the data, but it’s certainly possible that we’re going to see more wet years,” Republican Nebraska Gov. Ricketts said at a recent media briefing. “We need to collect the data first, and then we can address with the Corps what they ought to be doing.”Officials from the states plan to meet next month to decide how to proceed.A lot of the data the Corps uses to manage the Missouri River is outdated and doesn’t account for the two historic floods over the last decade, said Jeff Fassett, director of the Nebraska Department of Natural Resources. The Corps did not respond to requests for an interview.“We need to be factoring in new information as we look forward,” Fassett said. “Nobody knows whether this is the new normal. What if 2023 looks like 2019? If this happens again, we need to be better prepared.”The effort comes as higher global temperatures are causing glaciers to melt into the oceans and producing extreme weather conditions that are more intense and destructive than ever before. The states are bracing for more frequent and severe floods, even as some of their top officials, including Ricketts, question mainstream climate science.Fassett said the states also want to identify “pinch points” on the river that could cause a water buildup during a flood.He pointed to a crossing at Nebraska Highway 2, where the river spilled over its levees and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/15812681c8c84ca9a7c0cacc8bbd5d0c">covered Interstate 29&nbsp;</a>last year. Crews responded by raising and lengthening the bridge to let more water flow underneath.States that work together tend to carry more sway with the federal government because don’t make conflicting requests, said Tim Hall, the hydrology resources coordinator for the Iowa Department of Natural Resources.Hall said the partnership is similar to a group of upper Mississippi River states that joined forces in 1981 to mitigate flooding.“It’s a lot easier than one state trying to negotiate with the Corps,” Hall said. “It can be done, but it’s more challenging.”The partnership also encourages states to share data and not work against one another, Hall said.“In the big picture, we all want to accomplish the same thing,” Hall said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580063720353.png" alt="Missouri Governor Mike Parson meets with governors of the 4 state coalition- photo courtesy office of Iowa Governor" />
 <figcaption>Missouri Governor Mike Parson meets with governors of the 4 state coalition- photo courtesy office of Iowa Governor</figcaption>
 </figure>The Missouri is the longest river in North America, running from western Montana through the Dakotas and touching Nebraska, Iowa and Kansas before cutting across Missouri and entering the Mississippi River at St. Louis.The states it touches once had a coalition known as Missouri River Association of States and Tribes, but it eventually disbanded after Iowa and Nebraska withdrew amid a dispute with Montana over how to manage the river. Nebraska and Iowa wanted more more water released from upstream reservoirs earlier in the year to prevent summer flooding, but Montana was concerned about effects on wildlife and recreation during drought years.The new, four-state coalition would focus on flood mitigation.

Kansas, 3 other states unite to try to limit flooding

JACKSON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for alleged drug distribution.

Just after 6p.m. Saturday, sheriff's deputies conducted a drug investigation into the distribution of methamphetamine in Jackson County, according to sheriff Tim Morse.

As a result of the investigation, deputies conducted a traffic stop on a&nbsp; suspect in the 300 block of Vermont Street in Holton. The suspect, Jordan Thomas Monaghan, 24, of Holton, had been driving a 1986 Mazda pickup truck. A quantity of methamphetamine was found in his possession. 

Monaghan was arrested by Jackson County Sheriff deputies and transported to the Jackson County Jail. Monaghan was booked into the jail on requested charges that include possession of methamphetamine, distribution and attempting to distribute methamphetamine, use of communication facility; in the commission of a felony drug crime, attempted use of communication facility; in the commission of a felony drug crime and possession of drug paraphernalia.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580076319188.png" alt="Jordan Thomas Monaghan photo Jackson Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Jordan Thomas Monaghan photo Jackson Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for alleged drug distribution.Just after 6p.m. Saturday, sheriff's deputies conducted a drug investigation into the distribution of methamphetamine in Jackson County, according to sheriff Tim Morse.As a result of the investigation, deputies conducted a traffic stop on a&nbsp; suspect in the 300 block of Vermont Street in Holton. The suspect, Jordan Thomas Monaghan, 24, of Holton, had been driving a 1986 Mazda pickup truck. A quantity of methamphetamine was found in his possession. Monaghan was arrested by Jackson County Sheriff deputies and transported to the Jackson County Jail. Monaghan was booked into the jail on requested charges that include possession of methamphetamine, distribution and attempting to distribute methamphetamine, use of communication facility; in the commission of a felony drug crime, attempted use of communication facility; in the commission of a felony drug crime and possession of drug paraphernalia.&nbsp;