Month: September 2016

Former mayor of Lawrence pleads guilty to transporting stolen funds

A former mayor of Lawrence admitted Wednesday that he embezzled thousands of dollars from a food bank in Douglas County, acting U.S. Attorney Tom Beall said.

Jeremy James Farmer, 33, Lawrence, Kan., pleaded guilty to one count of interstate transportation of stolen funds. Farmer admitted the crimes took place while he was executive director of Just Food, a food bank in Douglas County. Just Food serves more than 40 partner agencies with frozen meat and fresh produce as well as bread and food donated from community drives.

From 2013 until Farmer resigned from Just Food and from his position as mayor of Lawrence in August 2015 he used his access to Just Foods’ bank accounts and accounting systems to steal more than $5,000 from the organization, according to the U.S. attorney’s office.

Sentencing will be set at a later date. He faces a penalty of up to 10 years in federal prison, a fine up to $250,000 and restitution to be determined by the judge. Beall commended the FBI, the Internal Revenue Service – Criminal Investigation and Assistant U.S. Attorney Rich Hathaway for their work on the case.

KCKCC wins at Indy 3-0; in tough JCCC challenge Friday, Saturday

by Alan Hoskins, KCKCC

Kansas City Kansas Community College stayed in the thick of Jayhawk Conference volleyball race Monday with a 3-0 win at Independence.

The 25-18, 25-22, 25-22 win boosted the Lady Blue Devils’ conference record to 3-1 and overall record to 14-5 heading into yet another challenging weekend tournament – the Johnson County Volleyball Challenge in Overland Park Friday and Saturday.

The three-match sweep came despite the absence of the Blue Devils’ top two outside hitters, 5-10 freshman Katie Heeter and 6-0 sophomore Amanda Modesto. Both are injured and questionable for this weekend’s tournament called by KCKCC Coach Mary Bruno the toughest the Blue Devils have played in in recent years.

A seven-team tournament, six of the teams are either nationally ranked or have been ranked in the NJCAA’s polls of the Top 20 teams.

In KCKCC’s case, the Lady Blue Devils will square off against three teams ranked in the Top 6. KCKCC will open the tournament Friday at 2 p.m. against Kirkwood (Iowa), the No. 4 ranked team in Division II with a 17-4 record, and then go up against No. 6 ranked Central Nebraska (15-5) at 6 p.m.

On Saturday, the Blue Devils will play North Platte at 9 a.m. and then play the tournament’s final match at 1 p.m. against Iowa Western, the No. 2 team in Division I with a 14-2 record. Other ranked teams in the Challenge are No. 18 Des Moines Area and No. 19 Johnson County.

Five cars destroyed in KU Med Center parking garage fire

Five cars were destroyed in a fire at a parking garage at the University of Kansas Medical Center about 8:50 a.m. Wednesday.

The fire was quickly put out by the Kansas City, Kan., Fire Department, and there were no injuries, a spokesperson said. Three cars appeared to be able to be driven, she said.

Kay Hawes, a spokesperson for KU Medical Center, said the fire was in a staff parking garage on Olathe Boulevard at KU Medical Center. The medical center is at 39th and Rainbow Boulevard in Kansas City, Kan.

There was no effect on the hospital, she said. The staff parking garage is not physically connected to the hospital, nor to the public parking garage, she said. The staff parking garage is owned by the university and hospital, she added.

Inspectors will determine if the garage’s structural integrity has been damaged, she said.