Kansas Klips
Kansas school district investigate missionary’s visit to hand out bibles to students
TOPEKA—The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas sent a letter on Monday, August 19th, to East Elementary School Principal Katie Struebing in the roughly 2,000-person city of Belleville, asserting that the school violated the First Amendment. Struebing recruited a member of the Evangelical Christian organization Gideons International, Ben Dreesen, to hand out bibles to students during their recess on May 7th, according to the letter, which was penned by Monica Bennett, ACLU of Kansas legal director. The Republic County School District conducted a “thorough investigation” this summer, the district’s superintendent, Tami Knedler, said in an emailed statement on Wednesday, August 21st. Knedler declined to comment on the employees involved or the details of the investigation. “I can assure you that our district is committed to welcoming all religious viewpoints, not promoting any specific one,” Knedler said. “We continue to review our practices and policies to ensure they reflect this commitment.” Struebing allowed Dreesen on school grounds and helped him hand out bibles to students, which lent “credibility and authority” to Dreesden, “in effect placing a stamp of approval on his message and subjecting students to a religiously coercive atmosphere,” Bennett wrote in the letter. Ahead of Dreesen’s visit, Struebing also informed teachers and students of the “nice man” who would be handing out bibles. A student’s parents reported the visit to the Kansas ACLU. In the letter, Bennett said that the school violated the First Amendment in addition to the District’s own policies against promoting religious viewpoints. (Hays Post)
College student drowns swimming in Kansas River
NEOSHO COUNTY—Just after 6:00 p.m. on Saturday, August 24th, Sheriff’s Deputies, along with the Chanute Fire Department and Kansas Game Wardens, were dispatched to Detners Dam at 207th Road and Grady, after a report of a drowning, according to Neosho County Sheriff Greg Taylor, The victim was a 21-year-old male international student from Fiji, who was attending the Neosho County Community College. He had been swimming with friends in the Neosho River. Witnesses stated the man jumped off of the dam, became caught in the current, and drowned. The victim’s body has been recovered and sent for an autopsy. The man’s name was withheld until his family was notified. (Hays Post)
Kansas town records hottest temperature in U.S. on Saturday, August 24th
BARBER COUNTY—On Saturday, August 24th, at 7:00 p.m., the National Weather Service reported that Medicine Lodge, Kansas, had reached a high of 115 degrees. The temperature reading made the Barber County community the hottest city in the contiguous United States. The excessive heat continued on Sunday, with the temperature approaching 110 degrees. (Hays Post)
Sheriff working to identify body found on rural Kansas railroad tracks
COWLEY COUNTY—Just after 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, August 25th, Cowley County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to the railroad tracks west of the Kansas 15 and U.S. 77 Highway junction, for the remains of a human body on the tracks, according to Sheriff Dave Faletti. A Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad employee found the body. Deputies notified the Coroner. The Coroner has requested an autopsy at the Kansas Forensic Science Center to identify the remains. (Hays Post)
Fatal crash involves vehicle registered to missing interim Peabody city clerk
HARVEY COUNTY—The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Harvey County Sheriff’s Office, and the Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP) are conducting a death investigation after a fatal crash site was discovered in Harvey County, Kansas, on Sunday, August 25th, just before 3:00 p.m. The Harvey County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a property owner who had located a red 2011 Chevy Silverado crashed on his property. Deputies responded to the area, which was a field near mile marker 32 at the U. S. Highway 50 and Interstate 135 Interchange. A deceased male body was located inside the vehicle. The Harvey County Sheriff’s Office requested KBI assistance at approximately 3:10 p.m. KHP’s Critical Highway Accident Response Team also responded to investigate. Investigators suspect the vehicle was driven off the road and crashed into a tree. Positive identification remains pending. The vehicle's registered owner is Jonathan Clayton, 42, of Peabody. Clayton is a former Kansas Department of Commerce office employee and the interim Peabody city clerk who has been missing since he was last seen on August 3rd in Marion County. (Hays Post)
