The man accused of gunning down Anthony Nixon, 37, of Junction City has entered a plea deal in Geary County District Court.

Anthony Nichols of Kansas City, Missouri, was charged in the shooting death of Nixon at the intersection of 10th and Webster in the early morning hours of September 7th, 2013. He had faced charges of First Degree Murder and Felon in Possession.

Steve Opat, Geary County Attorney confirmed on Friday Nichols entered no contest pleas and was found guilty to amended charges of Voluntary Manslaughter and Armed Robbery. Opat went on to say that he entered the plea agreement with Nichols due to the certainty of conviction in the case.

“The certainty of a long and substantial prison sentence, and the disposition of the case without the involvement of an appeals process,” said Opat.

He added that Nichols could appeal the sentence, but if the sentence is within the lawful guidelines he can’t appeal. The sentencing date in Geary County District Court is June 1st.

Opat feels the amended charges could allow for a possible longer prison sentence for Nichols.

“One of the anomaly in this case is that the sentence on the grid, under the guidelines, is potentially more than it would have been had he been convicted of felony murder. Which I thought might be the probable outcome. In other words felony murder would carry a “life sentence” but parole eligibility at 20 years. If my calculations are correct Nichols faces a potential sentence of almost 25 years on the grid.”

Opat plans to argue for the longer 25 year sentence when Nichols is sentenced.

Nichols is also charged with 1st degree murder in a Riley County case stemming from the stabbing death of John Burroughs, 68, of Manhattan on September 8th, 2013. The trial for Nichols in Manhattan is scheduled for July 16th.

Little Apple Post

MANHATTAN – A Nebraska man remains in custody after leading law enforcement authorities on a wild chase Friday afternoon.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a trooper attempted to stop a 2006 Dodge Charger with Nebraska tags around 4 p.m.

The driver Brady A Renter, 21, did not stop. He continued driving at high speeds down McDowell Creek Road in Riley County.

Three other Kansas Highway Patrol troopers and officers with the Riley County Police Department responded to the call of the fleeing vehicle.

Following a 15-minute pursuit, Renter turned down a dead end road, where he yielded to police.

Two passengers in the vehicle were released according to the KHP.

Renter was charged with two counts of recklessly fleeing and eluding an officer of the law and was transferred to the Riley County Jail.

Geary County Public Works Administrator Dennis Cox said Monday that work will begin on a culvert replacement project on Moyer Ranch Road Tuesday ( April 14 ).

The culvert is located three-and-a-half miles east of Humboldt Creek Road on Moyer Ranch Road. The detour route around the project is Humboldt Creek Road, Tully Hill, and McDowell Creek Road.

The project consists of the complete removal and replacement of the existing culvert, and is scheduled for two working days.

The Geary County Sheriff’s Department reported a vehicle driven by Derrick Lee, Milford was northbound on U. 77 Highway Friday evening when he struck a deer in the highway. Lee was not injured.

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Tyler Barnes, Junction City, reported that he struck a deer while traveling westbound on Liberty Hall Road early Sunday morning in  his Dodge Dakota. Barnes was not injured.

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Deputies responded to the area of Old Highway 18 and Old Highway 13 for a single vehicle accident involving a deer. Mary Sutton, Junction City, was traveling eastbound in a GMC Yukon when she struck a deer in the roadway. Sutton was not injured.

 

 

 

MANHATTAN, Kan. (AP) – A Kansas State University laboratory says it is seeing an increase in rabies cases so far this year.

The university’s Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory says it had verified 28 positive cases of rabies from January through March, compared with only 10 cases during the same period last year.

Rolan Davis, a diagnostician at the lab, says all but five of the 28 cases were found in skunks. Three others were found in cats, one in a bovine and one in a fox.

Davis says pet owners should be aware of the increase but it is not a cause for alarm because rabies is always around. Lab officials say the best protection is to vaccinate animals against rabies.

After morning storms which may produce small hail and gusty winds, most of the Afternoon should be rain free with highs in the lower to mid 70s. Late this afternoon a cold front and upper level disturbance will move east acrossthe area. Thunderstorms will develop along the front across north central Kansas around 5 PM and then push east across the remainder of eastern Kansas. Some of the thunderstorms may be severe with large hail and damaging wind gust possible through the evening hours. The cold front will move southeast of the area during the early morning hours of Monday.

Today: Mostly cloudy. Showers likely…chance of thunderstorms early in the morning…then chance of thunderstorms in the late morning and afternoon. Highs around 73. South winds 10 to 15 mph with gusts to around 25 mph. Chance of rain 60 percent.

Tonight: Mostly cloudy with thunderstorms likely in the evening…then partly cloudy after midnight. Lows around 47. West winds 5 to 10 mph shifting to the north 10 to 15 mph after midnight. Chance of rain 70 percent.

Monday: Sunny. Highs around 69. Northeast winds 10 to 15 mph.

Monday Night: Partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 40s. East winds 5 to 10 mph.

Tuesday: Mostly sunny. Highs in the upper 60s. Southeast winds 5 to 15 mph.

Tuesday Night: Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of showers. Lows in the mid 40s.

Wednesday: Mostly cloudy with chance of showers and slight chance of thunderstorms. Highs in the mid 60s. Chance of rain 30 percent.

Wednesday Night And Thursday: Mostly cloudy with chance of showers and slight chance of thunderstorms. Lows in the upper 40s. Highs in the lower 60s. Chance of rain 50 percent.

Thursday Night And Friday: Mostly cloudy. Chance of showers and slight chance of thunderstorms. Lows in the mid 40s. Highs in the mid 60s. Chance of rain 30 percent.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy with a 30 percent chance of showers. Lows in the mid 40s.

Saturday: Partly sunny with chance of showers and slight chance of thunderstorms. Highs in the upper 60s. Chance of rain 30 percent.

The Junction City Police Department arrest reports for the weekend included:

–Anthony Jose Aponte, 20, Junction City, and Dion Trent Smith, 20, Fort Riley, were arrested on suspicion of Possession of Marijuana and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia. They were arrested in the 300 block of West Elm.

–Nathaniel Morris, 56, Junction City, suspicion of Criminal Threats, arrested 1435 North Calhoun.

–Carlton Richards, 64, Junction City, suspicion of Theft, arrested 521 East Chestnut.

–Devonte Lajon Joseph, 20, Fort Riley, on allegations including Unlawful Discharge of Firearm in City and Minor in Consumption. Joseph was arrested at 713 South Washington.

–Destiny Tresean Sutton, 20, Fort Riley, suspicion of Minor in Consumption, 713 South Washington.

–Jay D. Nelson, 56, Abilene, Criminal Threat, arrested at 1913 Lacy Drive.

–Ciara Cultrera, 22, Fort Riley, Driving Under the Influence, arrested in 100 block of West 7th Street.

 

The lightning and thunder that rumbled through Junction City early Sunday left one calling card.

Lightning slammed into the driveway of Traci Scott’s 131 West Pine Street residence.

There were no injuries, and no damage to the house itself, but the driveway, a nearby patio, and her Jeep vehicle sustained damage.

Scott noted she was laying in bed listening to the storm. “And then out of nowhere this huge orange flash came right outside my bedroom window, and a very loud BANG!”

Scott went to her basement and smelled smoke, but it wasn’t until morning that she discovered the damage. “And there’s this huge hole in my driveway where the lightning struck. And when I say it struck it was with precision. It blew out about a foot-wide hole, and maybe about 8-10 inches deep hole in my driveway.”

The lightning strike cracked a window in her nearby Jeep, left three black holes in the concrete patio, and the driveway. In one spot on the driveway you can see the rebar at the bottom of one of the holes.

Scott added “It was just incredibly close.”

 

 

The Junction City Little Theater production of the “Quilters” is scheduled Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, April 24, 25, and 26 at the C.L. Hoover Opera House.

Written by Molly Newman, the show is a musical theatre tribute to the women and men who made the dangerous trek across the prairie on their way to the promise of a new life. “Quilters” seams together the lives of our pioneer heritage into a legacy quilt of those who lived before us on the Great Plains.

The show is being directed by Carolyn Mayo and Mary Louise Stahl.

Tickets are $18 for adults, $16 military, and $11 for students 18-and-under.

You can purchase tickets by calling the Box Office at 785-238-3906.

The Geary County Commission sitting as the Board of Canvassers will canvass the results from last Tuesday’s city – school elections when they meet on Monday april 13.

The canvass of the election results is scheduled for 9 a.m. at the Geary County Office Building.

Later in the day at 2 p.m. the County Commission will receive the annual report from the Geary County Free Fair Board.