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SEK ranchers weigh in on cattle deaths in Southwest Kansas

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ARMA, Kan. – Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has directed state agencies to do everything they can to help those who lost cattle due to the heat in southwest Kansas. Temperatures in our area have also been high, but cattle here aren’t dying. We spoke with some local ranchers about why things are different here.

We spoke with Kaylee Johnson with the Producers Co-Op in Girard. She told us that there’s some misinformation floating around regarding the death of the cows in southwest Kansas. Kaylee pointed us to local ranchers Jeff and Heather Cleland. They both say they’ve heard some of the stranger stories being passed around. Heather Cleland says “One of the ones I read on the internet was a, somebody dropped some clover out and poisoned the cattle, and another one was a plane chemtrail.”

The heat isn’t just limited to southwest Kansas, all you have to do is step outside in the four-states and know…it’s hot. So, why haven’t we had the same issues with cattle here? Jeff says feed yard operations are one factor. “Here in Crawford County and Labette County, this area, we don’t have that type of operations, most of our cattle are out on grass, they can get in ponds, under trees for shade, out there, their feed yards, they have 100,000 cattle under one location, typically they don’t need shade, they don’t need things like that because it’s a different environment.”

Jeff adds the heat is a key factor in what happened out west, but it goes beyond just the heat. “This was the first really big heat event out there, so the animals hadn’t got a chance to acclimate, the 15th of August when there’s no humidity and the wind’s blowing 20 mph, it’s been 100° for two weeks, the animals are adjusted to it, the 10th of June, when it just rained and it’s really the first hot, hot week because we had a fairly cool spring, that’s what was the perfect storm to do what happened.”

Jeff says despite the high number of cattle deaths, it should not have an impact on beef supply.

 

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Car overturns, coming to rest on its top near Seneca, Mo.

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NEWTON COUNTY, Mo. — Just before 10:30 p.m. Thursday night reports of an overturned car on Bethel Road, north of Seneca, Mo. alerted Newton County Central Dispatch.

Seneca Fire, Newton County Ambulance, and Newton County Sheriff’s Deputies responded. The Missouri State Highway Patrol were notified. Seneca Police Department responded to assist.

On the scene we learn from Tpr T.R. Morris it was a single vehicle crash, traveling northbound on Bethel, and two people were transported to area hospitals.

The driver of the 2020 Chevy Spark was Natasha Ford, 49, of Wyandotte, Okla. she suffered moderate injuries and was transported to Freeman West at Joplin.

The passenger Jennifer Langford, 44, also of Wyandotte, suffered minor injuries and was transported by private vehicle to Miami Integris Hospital at Miami, Okla.

“[Chevy] traveled off the right side of the roadway, collided with a culvert and, overturned.” — Tpr T.R. Morris of Troop D

Both occupants of the vehicle were wearing seatbelts.

Doug’s Wrecker removed the car and debris from the scene.

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Number of Americans who believe in God dips to new low: Gallup

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(The Hill) — Belief in God among U.S. adults has reached a new low, according to Gallup poll results released Friday.

A large majority (81 percent) of Americans say they believe in God, based on the poll conducted May 2-22, but that number has dipped 6 points from a consistent 87 percent from 2013 to 2017.

Over 90 percent of Americans said they believed in God from 1944 to 2011, the number stabilizing at a high of 98 percent from 1944 through the 1960s.

About 17 percent of American adults told Gallup that they do not believe in God, while the remaining 2 percent said they were unsure.

The Gallup Values and Beliefs poll found that the decrease in theism has been driven by young adults and those on the political left. Both groups’ belief in God has dropped by 10 percent or more compared to the 2013-2017 average for their demographics.

These groups are also those least likely to say they believe in God in comparison to other demographics.

Liberals (62 percent), young adults (68 percent) and Democrats (72 percent) gave significantly lower rates of belief in God, while conservatives (94 percent) and Republicans (92 percent) gave the highest.

The least change in belief has occurred among conservatives and married adults.

The Gallup poll marks a notable change in belief in God, although a sizable majority of Americans still say they have faith.

However, recent polls show that while high rates of theism remain with only a modest decline, traditional religious structures are declining faster, according to Gallup.

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Gallup has found that Americans are much less likely to attend church, become members of a church or rate themselves as confident in organized religion than to simply believe in God’s existence.

Dozens charged with $5M meth, heroin conspiracy in Kansas City

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Thirty-nine defendants are charged with a $4.7 million conspiracy to distribute meth and heroin in Kansas City.

“This operation took a significant amount of illegal drugs off the street, and disrupted a large Mexican drug-trafficking organization in the Kansas City metropolitan area,” U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore said.

On June 8, 140 officers from 14 law enforcement agencies joined the Homeland Security Investigations in a takedown that arrested dozens on felony charges.

Officers seized 84.4 kilograms of meth, 4.5 kilograms of heroin, 10.4 kilograms of fentanyl, 7.6 kilograms of cocaine, 10.5 kilograms of marijuana, 687 Xanax pills, 3.1 kilograms of unidentified pills, cash, firearms, a 3D printer used to manufacture ghost gun parts, and a liquid meth conversion lab.

Of the charged, 20 defendants are Mexican nationals with the remaining listed as Honduras, Guatemala, Venezuela, Colombia and United States nationals.

They face varying charges of distribution, possession with intent to distribute, possession of firearms in furtherance of drug-trafficking, possession of a firearm by an illegal alien, felony possession of a firearm, money laundering, reentry by an illegal alien and using cell phones for drug-trafficking crimes.

The indictment includes a forfeiture of $4,718,700 to the U.S. government.

“This indictment represents HSI and our law enforcement partners’ dedication to removing deadly narcotics from our community,” Special Agent in Charge of the Kansas City area Katherine Greer said. “We stand alongside our community leaders, stakeholders and the public, to continue our work toward a safer community without the significant dangers associated with these illegal substances.”

Five of the defendants remain as fugitives.

5 arrested in Weir drug raids, more expected says Sheriff

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WEIR, Kans. — A months-long drug investigation culminated into multiple raids and arrests in southeast Kansas Friday morning.

Search warrants were obtained for four residences in Weir as part of an investigation into the distribution and possession of methamphetamine within the area. This led to the arrest of five individuals now facing a multitude of charges.

The arrested were:

  • Kerry Young, age 52, – Multiple counts of Distribution of Methamphetamine
  • Mark Bunce, age 58 – Possessing Methamphetamine, Drug Paraphernalia and 3 counts of child endangerment
  • Courtney Murdock, age 52 – Possessing Methamphetamine, Drug Paraphernalia and 3 counts of child endangerment
  • Dutch Floyd, age 32 – Possessing Methamphetamine and Drug Paraphernalia
  • Robert Hall, age 36 – Possessing Methamphetamine and Drug Paraphernalia along with an outstanding felony warrant issued in the State of Georgia
  • Kerry Young
  • Mark Bunce
  • Courtney Murdock
  • Dutch Floyd
  • Robert Hall

The addresses in Weir were: 300 East Pine, 314 East Sycamore, 502 South Washington, and 300 East Pine.

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“This investigation remains ongoing and our office fully anticipates additional suspects to be arrested and charged with various drug related crimes,” stated Cherokee County Sheriff David Groves.

Missouri inmate cried for medical care for months before dying from brain tumor: report

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PIKE COUNTY, Mo. (KTVI) — An inmate in Missouri cried for medical help, was given Tylenol, and then put on suicide watch before dying from a brain tumor, according to a jail incident report.

The Pike County jail’s investigative report laid out a timeline that shows the 41-year-old woman, Hollie Grote, cried for medical help for months.

“You could tell something was wrong, and she was ignored,” her sister, Ashley Lovelace, told KTVI.

Grote’s daughter Shainey Harpole added, “She was losing her vision. She had headaches.”

Grote’s complaints were consistent and daily, according to her family. Their assertions are backed up by the jail’s records.

“I thought she had had a stroke from the things that she was saying,” Harpole said.

Grote was detained at the Pike County, Missouri, jail on a drug charge last June. When Grote told her family she couldn’t get a medical response from the jail, relatives said they personally visited the sheriff.

“I asked if there was any way if he would let her go to the hospital, and he told me no,” said Harpole. “He said that people do it for attention a lot.”

“(The sheriff) said he sent somebody to the hospital the night before,” Lovelace added. “I’m like, ‘What did they do? How did they get to go? You know, four months she’s been crying, begging you guys, and her physical appearance has changed.'”

Clayton lawyer Mark Pedroli is investigating the case for Grote’s family.

“A layperson would know this person needed medical care,” he said.

Pedroli uncovered jail documents showing Grote began complaining shortly after being arrested on a drug charge. Medical complaints were first documented on July 28, 2021. Another inmate said, “Grote’s eye was drooping.”

By Oct. 23, Grote said her head hurt so badly that she was going to kill herself, according to the incident report. An officer noted “scratch marks on the forearm/wrist area.”

“She still did not get the attention that she needed,” Lovelace said. “She still wasn’t sent to the hospital after she had done physical harm to herself.”

Another officer wrote that it “looks like she is in pain but overall normal; laying on the pod floor crying and seems like she can’t think.” Another entry said the detention doctor advised giving Grote 1,000 mg of Tylenol.

The record said Grote was then placed in what is referred to as a “pickle suit” (an anti-suicide smock).

Officers then documented observing her on a video while she was on suicide watch. An officer wrote that Grote was acting strangely and would only grunt in response to questions. She then slowly rolled off her bunk before she died on the floor.

Pedroli said it was remarkable “…how consistent her complaints were and how often she pleaded just to get to go to the hospital, just to have somebody drive her down the road to see a doctor and that would have saved her life.”

An autopsy by the Boone and Calloway County medical examiner found her “brain was swollen” from a “tumor located on the right side.”

Advanced Correctional Healthcare is the private medical contractor for the jail, and a representative told KTVI on Thursday evening that it was working on a response.

Sheriff Stephen Korte wrote in response, “Due to the pending possible litigation, I am declining to be interviewed at this time as my words may be misconstrued and my opinions misinterpreted as facts.”

He also said, “An investigation was completed for any wrongdoing by staff and has been forwarded to the Pike County Prosecutor who will be sending it to an outside prosecutor for review.”

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Grote’s sister and daughter said they asked the sheriff what it would take to get an inmate to the hospital. They said they were told someone would have to be bleeding out or vomiting in a way that it would be obvious something is wrong.

Veterinarian who worked to save Kansas livestock speaks out

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HASKELL COUNTY, Kan. (KSNW) — According to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), extreme weather is to blame for the deaths of thousands of cows in Southwest Kansas over the weekend.

Dr. Miles Theurer, a veterinarian, works with 16 feed lots in Kansas, 10 of which were impacted by those extreme conditions.

Dr. Theurer says that in his six-year career in the feed yard industry, he has never seen conditions like this that led to what he calls the perfect storm.

“I hope I never have to see anything like it again,” Dr. Theurer said. “Being out there with the crews, it’s very demoralizing.”

For several feed lots in Haskell County, crews worked nonstop to provide extra water tanks and bedding for livestock, prioritizing pens in need of the most care.

“The sad part was that most of these cattle were nearing the end point of near harvest,” Dr. Theurer said.

The KDHE says at least 2,000 head of cattle were lost across the region, an estimated $4 million loss.

“Our normal death losses, on a typical, you know, month basis, we would be in that one to one-and-a-half percent range … we’re well above those numbers,” Justin Waggoner, a beef cattle specialist with Kansas State University Extension, said.

According to the Kansas Livestock Association, the effects of this devastating blow to feed lots will not be felt by consumers.

“This will not create any kind of supply chain issues. They’re going to continue to see plenty of beef in their meat case. This should not create a pricing issue,” Scarlett Hagins with the Kansas Livestock Association (KLA) said.

Despite the rarity of events of this scale, Dr. Theurer says staying proactive is key.

“This was something from a weather event that, I mean, hasn’t happened in the, in this area, [that] I know of, [in] the last 60 years, and so, that’s how we have to think about that as well in the future,” Dr. Theurer said.

MSHP investigating deadly hit-and-run crash in Barry County

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BARRY COUNTY, Mo. — The Missouri State Highway Patrol is investigating a deadly hit-and-run crash in Aurora.

Motorcyclist Patrick Anderson, 38, died in the crash on June 15 around 10 a.m. According to the MSHP, the crash happened on Farm Road 1180 near Jenkins in Barry County. The driver of struck did not yield and hit Anderson’s motorcycle.

The driver of the truck, which was a 2001 Chevy Silverado, abandoned his vehicle and fled the scene.

If you have any information on the crash you are asked to call MSHP.

Possible second case of Monkeypox in Sooner state

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OKLAHOMA CITY – A second “probable case of monkeypox” has been identified in Oklahoma, according to a statement released by the Oklahoma State Department of Health.

Earlier this month the state agency confirmed a case of monkeypox but the two cases are not related the release states.

“We knew there was a possibility of more cases being identified in the state,” said Jolianne Stone, State Epidemiologist in a prepared statement. “Our response team remains activated and continues to coordinate various areas within the agency to respond as necessary when a case arises.”

Symptoms of monkeypox may include fever, rash and swollen lymph nodes. An infected person will also present with firm, deep-seated, and well-circumscribed lesions. The disease can be spread from symptom onset up until all lesions have healed and a fresh layer of skin has formed.

The individual is from central Oklahoma and traveled to a country with confirmed cases.  The individual is currently in isolation, the release states.

While this virus is not easily transmissible, monkeypox can be transmitted to humans through direct, physical contact with an infected person or animal. It can also be transmitted from person to person through large respiratory droplets or through direct contact with body fluids and lesions, as well as bedding and other contaminated materials.

Cherokee Nation's donations helps communities with water projects

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BLUEJACKET, Okla. — Clean water is running throughout two northeastern Oklahoma communities after Cherokee Nation’s $1.2 million donation.

The Water System Improvements Plan in Nowata called for a new water storage tank.  Cherokee Nation met the need with a $1 million donation, according to a Cherokee Nation release.

In Bluejacket, Cherokee Nation ponied up over $203,668.44 for water quality projects and to assist with wastewater improvements and the installation of a chlorination system, the release states.

“The Cherokee Nation has always been there when we needed something,” said Morris Bluejacket, town councilor and sewer project manager.  “We’re greatly appreciative of them now.”

The water improvements will better the lives of 1,000 people, he said.

“I’m very appreciative to the Cherokee Nation and to the Chief for his participation, it allowed us to partner and get this infrastructure,” said Nowata Mayor Dean Bridges said. “It’s another great project that we did and it helped the county and the Cherokee Nation Reservation.”

The project impacts around 4,000 residents, the release states.

“The Cherokee Nation has dedicated millions in funding for water projects across the Cherokee Nation Reservation and ensuring both Cherokee citizens and our non-Native neighbors alike have safe, quality water systems, including the latest project here in Nowata,” said Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Chuck Hoskin Jr.

Cherokee Nation is proud to partner with Nowata for safer and cleaner water access, which will make a lasting and generational impact, he said.

The Cherokee Nation is using American Rescue Plan Act dollars and anticipates the engineering and permitting to be completed by the end of 2022 with construction starting in 2023 and wrapping up in 2025. Additional tribal contributions will come from the Wilma P. Mankiller and Charlie Soap Water Act signed by Chief Hoskin in 2021 to address water quality concerns around the Cherokee Nation Reservation.