KBI investigating two deaths in Labette County

LABETTE COUNTY, Kans. — The discovery of two bodies is prompting a death investigation in Labette County.

Around 8:30 a.m. this morning, the Labette County Sheriff’s Office was called about two bodies found at 693 16000 Road in Rural Mound Valley.

Map Courtesy: Bing

When deputies arrived they discovered the decomposing bodies of a male and a female.

The remains of the two have not been identified.

The deaths are being considered suspicious in nature and autopsies are scheduled.

The Labette County Sheriff’s Office and Kansas Bureau of Investigation are investigating.

If you have any information about this case, please call 1-800-KS-CRIME.

The Kansas Supreme Court comes to Parsons

PARSONS, Kans. — The Kansas Supreme Court took its show on the road.

Travel dockets have been part of the court since 2011, and it involved a stop in Pittsburg in 2013.

Tonight, a return trip to Southeast Kansas, Parsons.

As a part of an on-going outreach project to familiarize Kansans with the higher judiciary system, the Kansas Supreme Court is holding court in various small communities across the state.

Giving community members an opportunity to learn more about how it all works.

“I really want to learn. I want to learn about the judicial system and my real motivation is in my life I have never been so dissatisfied with politics. Politicians, the parties, the issues, a lot of things don’t make sense to me and I don’t feel like sometimes that the politicians are on our side,” said Claire Johnson, community member.

Supreme Court Justices are spending two days in Parsons, engaging with its community.

Justices say within the two days, they’ll reach nearly 3,000 students during visits to schools and universities in the area.

“Well, I think it’s just an honorable thing for the community. I think we’re very proud to have them here visiting us. I know they’re visiting other communities and we’re very happy they selected Parsons,” said Richard Tucker, Kansas Supreme Court Bailiff.

Following two court cases proceedings, there was even a meet and great session with the Kansas Supreme Court Justices and community members.

“Well, most of us are small town Kansans we understand that. I came from a small town as did several of the other justices, but we just want Kansans all other the state to see their court in action without having to come to Topeka and take time off work and do that. And we do it at night to make it easier for the people even in their own communities to learn more about the court and to see us in action,” said Chief Justice Marla Luckert, Kansas Supreme Court.

SEK attorney & municipal judge to serve as honorary bailiff for Supreme Court special session in Parsons

TOPEKA — Longtime attorney and municipal judge Rick Tucker has had his share of days in court, but he will take on a new role when the Supreme Court comes to Parsons.

Tucker was selected to be honorary bailiff at the Supreme Court’s special session, which starts at 6:30 p.m. Monday, October 3, at Parsons High School.

“I am excited to be able to ‘suit up’ and serve as bailiff for the Supreme Court in the presence of my community,” Tucker said.

Chief Judge Lori Bolton-Fleming nominated Tucker for the position, noting his nearly half-century of service to the southeast Kansas legal community.

“Rick represents everything good, noble, and just about the legal profession,” Fleming said. “He makes all of us here in southeast Kansas very proud.”

Tucker has served southeast Kansas as both an attorney and a municipal judge. Before his retirement in 2021, he worked in private practice for 49 years and as city attorney for St. Paul for 47 years, city attorney for Oswego for 16 years, and USD 506 attorney for 17 years. He continues to serve as a municipal judge in Parsons, a position he’s held since 1988.

Tucker also served on the 11th Judicial District Nominating Committee for 40 years.

When there is a judge vacancy in a merit-selection district, the nominating commission accepts nominations, interviews nominees, and recommends three to five people to the governor for consideration to fill the vacancy. The governor decides whom to appoint. If it’s a magistrate judge vacancy, the commission follows the same process and decides on its own who is appointed.

“His knowledge and wisdom were put to use as a member of the nominating commission for many years,” Fleming said. “Many of us currently sitting on the bench are here because Rick saw our potential to be good jurists.”

As honorary bailiff, Tucker will call to order the audience assembled at Parsons High School, and then the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in two cases.

“I hope those watching will gain a better understanding of the structure of our judicial system, how it functions, and the appellate process,” said Tucker.

Several dove hunting fields open in Southeast Kansas

KANSAS — The 2022 Kansas dove hunting season has officially begun and quality public hunting opportunity awaits at more than 90 locations managed specifically for dove hunting by the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks (KDWP).

Several of those locations are located in Southeast Kansas.

Bourbon County

Hollister Wildlife Area

Bourbon State Fishing Lake

Cherokee County

Shoal Creek Wildlife Area

Spring River Wildlife Area

Crawford County

Mined Land Wildlife Area

Labette County

Harmon Wildlife Area

Montgomery County

Big Hill Wildlife Area

Elk City Wildlife Area

Neosho County

Neosho Wildlife Area

You’ll find a complete list of publicly-accessible dove fields open this season in Kansas, HERE.

Though drought events earlier in the year have had a significant effect on spring plantings across the state, KDWP’s public land managers have worked hard to provide optimum wildlife habitat for public enjoyment, to include crops of sunflowers, milo and wheat stubble that attract good numbers of fast-flying quarry.

Hunters can increase their odds of successful hunts this year by:

  • Checking the latest reports for the specific wildlife area they are interested in, or by calling the wildlife area office for the most up-to-date information.
  • Ensuring only non-toxic shot is utilized on public lands, and making sure shotguns are plugged and incapable of holding more than three shells at a time.
  • Downloading the “Go Outdoors Kansas” mobile app, which gives hunters instant access to their license and permit purchases, current regulations, and public lands check-in/check-out system.

The 2022 Kansas dove hunting season runs September 1st through November 29th, during which time hunters may take mourning, white-winged, Eurasian collared and ringed turtle doves.

After the season closes, only Eurasian collared and ringed turtle doves may be harvested.

Hunters may keep a daily bag limit of up to 15 doves total, which can be mourning and white-winged doves in any combination; There is no limit on Eurasian collared or ringed turtle doves, but any taken in addition to the mourning and white-winged dove daily bag limit must have a fully-feathered wing attached for identification while in transport.

The possession limit for dove is 45.

Lastly, hunters should keep in mind that migratory doves may only be taken while in flight.

You can learn more about doves in Kansas, including the dove hunting season, HERE.

Explosive device found in Parsons; citizens asked to avoid area

PARSONS, Kans. — A homemade bomb was found in Parsons Thursday afternoon, forcing authorities to lockdown an area.

Around 2:00 PM Parsons Police got a call for a suspicious object found in the 2700 block of Dirr Ave.

At the scene it was found through testing that the object did in fact contain explosive material and classified as an IED (Improvised Explosive Device). The surrounding area was immediately blocked off and citizens are asked to avoid the area.

Parsons Fire and Labette County Emergency Services are staging in case of a detonation, the department said in a release.

“[A]s law enforcement are actively working this scene, please hold off on traffic in the area. The safety of our citizens is our top priority and situations such as this can turn in a matter of seconds. We thank you in advance for your support and cooperation,” said PPD Chief Robert Spinks.

This is a developing story and we will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.

Parsons PD awarded for performance 2nd year in a row

PARSONS, Kans. — A southeast Kansas law enforcement agency is recognized for going above and beyond. For the 2nd-straight year, the Parsons Police Department has earned the Lexipol Connect Gold Award.

The public safety policy and training company gives the award to departments across the country that meet a national benchmark. Each is required to have 80% of its staff complete daily training bulletins, testing, training, and stay up to date on policy content.

Parsons PD’s Gold Award status has landed it in the top 10% of Lexipol partner agencies.

Parsons housing effort includes 3D-printed houses

PARSONS, Kans. —3D Printing is becoming more common across the world, but instead of using it to print toys or machines, some people are using it in other ways.

“It was kind of serendipity and fell out of the sky, it’s exactly what we’ve been looking for,” said Leland Crooks, Mayor of Parsons.

Thanks to the construction company Alquist, the City of Parsons could potentially see a solution to its housing issue. The catch, instead of building it the old-fashioned way, these new homes will use a giant 3D printer.

“It’s a giant computer numeric controlled machine that extrudes concrete and builds houses, it’s truly a crazy piece of technology. If you want to attract industry, you got to have people to hire, and right now we don’t have anybody to hire. All of our industries are looking for help and one of the ways you can attract people to your city is having affordable moderate-income housing,” said Crooks.

The project is expected to cover a dozen locations that are part of the city’s free land program.

“We are just turning all of those over to Alquist for them to develop and build houses,” Crooks added.

“Now that could mean one single-family home or a quadplex which would be four homes,” said Jim Zaleski, Parsons Economic Development Director.

Currently, city officials are working on land transfer details to find the best way to approach the project.

“Staff is working with Alquist right now to see where those fit, where is best to start, and what succession we want to put these pieces of land available to Alquist,” said Zaleski.

And if successful, Crooks says the city may consider turning over land with abandoned and dilapidated housing.

“That will all tie together in with this, and if this program works out we would be able to transfer more properties over,” said Crooks.

Parsons PD welcomes their newest member to the force

PARSONS, Kans. — Officials from a national nonprofit were in Southeast Kansas today to witness their efforts in action.

The Parsons Police Department opened its doors to Canines for Cops.

Based out of Houston, Texas, this was the first chance its representatives got to see the newest member of the police department, K-9 officer Morgan. The organization played a role in getting her on the force.

It reached out following the December murder of a puppy belonging to a Parsons police officer.

It also provided more than $12,000 to help purchase and train K-9 officer Morgan.

“People always say when you get scared, you call an officer. When they feel that they need backup, they call a K9 unit, and it’s just relational, community policing, and we just want to say thank you for everything that they do,” said Kristi Schiller, K9S4COPS Founder.

“K9s are force multipliers. They make our limited staff much more effective in being able to figure out some of the worst folks in the community,” said Robert Spinks, Parsons Chief of Police.

Since being founded 11 years ago, Canines For Cops has provided 300 dogs for law enforcement agencies across the country.

KBI arrests man for threat, mistreatment of elderly

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) – Authorities have arrested a southeast Kansas man for a number of crimes, including mistreating an older person.

Stacy Oliver (Courtesy Kansas Bureau of Investigation)

Kansas Bureau of Investigation agents arrested Stacy T. Oliver, 55, Tuesday afternoon in Parsons.

A KBI spokesperson did not give details of the investigation but said Oliver was booked into the Labette County Jail on suspicion of:

  • Felony theft
  • Two counts of mistreatment of an elder person
  • Criminal threat
  • Two counts of possession with the intent to distribute a controlled substance
  • Possession of a controlled substance
  • Possession of stolen property
  • Felon in possession of a firearm
  • Possession of marijuana
  • Felony possession of drug paraphernalia
  • Misdemeanor possession of drug paraphernalia

The KBI said the investigation is still in progress. The Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, the Girard Police Department, the Labette County Sheriff’s Office, and the Parsons Police Department have helped with the case.

According to the KBI, the Labette County Attorney and the Crawford County Attorney are expected to file charges in the case.

First openly gay drag racer to unveil Pride car in Topeka

TOPEKA (KSNT) – Travis Shumake, the first openly gay professional drag racer, will make his racing debut in a pride-themed dragster at Heartland Motorsports Park at the NHRA Nationals Aug. 12-14.

The car features a bison and Pride Kansas on the side, with a geometric rainbow hood and matching parachutes.

“Just like the city of Topeka, the sport of NHRA drag racing is an unexpectedly welcoming and diverse place,” Shumake said. “Making my national event debut in Topeka sends a clear message that cities and sports with traditionally conservative reputations shouldn’t be overlooked as leaders in diversity. I couldn’t have picked a better debut sponsor. We are both trying to provide representations, resources, and hope to underrepresented groups.”

Shumake, a second-generation racer, follows in the footsteps of his father Tripp Shumake, a nationally renowned Funny Car racer who also competed in the NHRA.

“We are extremely excited to welcome Travis to Topeka in August for his national debut,” Topeka Mayor Mike Padilla said. “Topeka is committed to being an inclusive and welcoming community, which has been demonstrated in our recent Human Rights Commission Municipal Equality Index score, in which we received the highest score in the state, tying only with Overland Park. As a city, we continue to increase our efforts on the score, ensuring that everyone has a seat at the table in everything we do.”

An unveiling of the car will take place on Aug. 10, 2022, at the Rainbow Crosswalk in the North Topeka Arts and Entertainment District (NOTO).

The dragster is a 24-foot, 4,000-horsepower, nitromethane-burning rocket.

Visit Topeka and Pride Kansas have announced their sponsorship of the car.