The Salina Drive-thru Recycling Center (SDRC) is excited to host “Go Green &amp; Give!” holiday donation drive on Saturday, December 13, supporting the Salina Emergency Aid Food Bank and Salina Animal Services.

From 8:30 am to 2:00 pm, community members are invited to drop off donations with their recyclables, making it easy to give back while staying in the comfort of their vehicle.

You can drop off your donations, along with your recyclables at the&nbsp;Salina Drive-thru Recycling Center, 125 W. North Street (corner of Santa Fe Ave. &amp; North St.)

Volunteers from both partner organizations will be on-site to accept contributions and share information about their services. 

This year’s most-needed donation items include:

· Salina Emergency Aid Food Bank: Non-perishable holiday foods such as instant potatoes, canned vegetables, stuffing, gravy, and other seasonal staples that help provide warm, comforting meals for local families.

· Salina Animal Services: Dog and cat food, Kong toys, pill pockets, treats, and paper towels, items that support daily care and enrichment for animals awaiting adoption.

For anyone who hasn’t visited the Salina Drive-thru Recycling Center before, this event is a great chance to see the drive-thru process in action and learn more about the City’s recycling program. 

The City of Salina appreciates the community’s continued commitment to sustainability and encourages residents to take advantage of the center’s convenient services year-round.

For more information contact Brent Curtis: (785) 309-5750 or by email: brent.curtis@salina.org

Give this holiday season to Salina organizations during the "Go Green & Give" initiative 

Following is recent booking activity for the Saline County Jail, as provided by law enforcement. Photos, if provided, are courtesy of Saline County Jail. All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Driving under influence of alcohol or drugs; Misdemeanor; Unsafe turning or stopping - Fail to Signal

REQUESTED CHARGE: Probation Violation

Saline County Jail Bookings, December 7

The Salina Tuba Christmas will be coming back to perform at the Central Mall for the upcoming Christmas season.

On Saturday, December 13 at 12:30 pm inside the Central Mall's food court, the band of the Salina Tuba Christmas will perform.

This is the 15th year that this band has performed annually at the mall.

Last year, the band has had over 35 tuba and euphonium players participate.

Salina’s Tuba Christmas is part of a long-standing national tradition founded more than 50 years ago by professional tuba player Harvey Phillips and his instructor, William J. Bell, from Indiana University.

The first TUBACHRISTMAS® was conducted by Paul Lavalle in New York City's Rockefeller Plaza Ice Rink on Sunday, December 22, 1974. Traditional Christmas music performed at the first TUBACHRISTMAS® was arranged by American composer Alec Wilder who ironically died on Christmas Eve, 1980.

What the band consists of and how to participate

The concert is free to the public and is under the direction of Steven Lueth and assisted by Ron McWilliams, Administrative Assistant.

This open band consists of players from across the area, region and even surrounding states that is a centered tuba/euphonium ensemble, in conjunction with the Harvey Phillips Foundation to bring in the holiday spirit.&nbsp;

Tuba and/or euphonium players wishing to participate in the band, can do so by attending the first rehearsal on December 13th at the&nbsp;Friendship Center (746 Commanche Ave) from 9-11 am. Registration starts at 8:30 am.

Participants are asked to bring a music stand and there is a registration fee of $15.00.

Music books are $20 and large print books can be purchased for $25.

Salina Tuba Christmas coming back to perform its beloved holiday jingle tradition at Central Mall

NAME:&nbsp;Calderon, Monique Renee&nbsp;&nbsp;

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Driving While Suspended; Ignition interlock device; Operate a car without a required device; DUI; 2nd conv; comp evidence of blood/breath .08+

NAME:&nbsp;Fetters, Gabrian Michael&nbsp;&nbsp;

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Theft of prop/serv;&lt;$1500 2 or more conv in 5yr

REQUESTED CHARGE: Contempt of Court; Direct

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Failure to appear; Failure to appear

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Aggravated assault; Contribute to a child misconduct; Encourage to remain/become a CINC; Disorderly conduct; Unknown circumstance

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Return for court testimony; Theft of prop/serv;&lt;$1500 3 business in 72 hrs

NAME:&nbsp;Linaweaver, Dustin Maynard

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Outside warrant/NCIC hit

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Driving under influence of alcohol or drugs Unknown severity; Transporting an open container

NAME:&nbsp;Schnell, Jaimie Lynne&nbsp;&nbsp;

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Probation Violation

NAME:&nbsp;Steinbruck, Hunter Fredrick&nbsp;&nbsp;

NAME:&nbsp;Whitaker, Juan ONeal&nbsp;&nbsp;

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Violation of protection order; Unknown circumstance

Saline County Jail Bookings, December 6

OTTAWA COUNTY —One person was injured in an accident just after 4p.m. Friday in Ottawa County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1997 International semi driven by Jeremy D. Adams, 40, Beloit, was eastbound on&nbsp;Navajo Road at 40th Road. The semi traveled off the road to the right, went airborne and landed on its driver's side.

EMS transported Adams to Salina Regional Health Center. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kan. man hospitalized after semi goes airborne, lands on its side

Kansas State University will see more than 1,500 candidates for graduation this fall at&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.k-state.edu/graduation/">commencement ceremonies</a>&nbsp;set for Friday, December 12, in Manhattan and Salina, plus&nbsp;Saturday, December 13, in Manhattan.

Candidates from both the summer 2025 and fall 2025 semesters will be recognized.

Ceremony information, including parking, accommodations and a livestream of the Manhattan campus ceremonies, will be available on the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.k-state.edu/graduation/">K-State graduation website.</a>

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.k-state.edu/graduation/"></a>The university will award approximately 1,050 bachelor's degrees, 350 master's degrees and 100 doctorates this fall. Seventy students will be earning multiple degrees and majors. The graduates-to-be also include more than 300 students who are earning their degrees through a K-State online program.

As part of an effort to deliver and maximize a unified, student-centered graduation experience, undergraduate ceremonies on the Manhattan campus have been strategically combined this fall in a pilot structure.

By hosting graduates from multiple academic colleges in three combined ceremonies on Saturday, in addition to an Army ROTC commissioning ceremony, the university aims to amplify the best of its commencement traditions.

Schedule and speakers for Friday, Dec. 12 ceremonies

1:00 pm,&nbsp;Bramlage Coliseum: Graduate School.

- Regent John Dicus will represent the Kansas Board of Regents at the ceremony. J. Ernest Minton, professor of animal sciences and industry, will be the speaker.

7:00 pm, Student Life Center, Salina: K-State Salina.

- Lt. Col. Matthew Shelly, U.S. Air Force, will be the speaker.

Schedule and speakers for Saturday, Dec. 13 ceremonies

8:30 am, Bramlage Coliseum: College of Architecture, Planning &amp; Design; College of Arts and Sciences; and College of Education.

- The student speakers will be Tinashe Sekabanja, bachelor's candidate in statistics,&nbsp;Kampala, Uganda, and Jordan White, bachelor's candidate in secondary education and chemistry,&nbsp;Shawnee.

10:00 am, Forum Hall, K-State Student Union: Army ROTC Wildcat Battalion commissioning ceremony.

- The commissioning officer and guest speaker is U.S. Army Col. Dallas McMullen, Brigade Commander of the 69th Troop Command, Kansas Army National Guard.

Noon, Bramlage Coliseum: College of Agriculture and College of Business Administration.

- Mike Leikam, '87, the president and chief executive officer of Centralized Supply Chain Services, LLC, will be the speaker. Weston Schrader, bachelor's candidate in animal sciences and industry,&nbsp;Minneapolis, Kansas, and Max Roberts, bachelor's candidate in finance,&nbsp;Olathe, will be the student speakers.

3:30 pm, Bramlage Coliseum: Carl R. Ice College of Engineering and College of Health and Human Sciences.

- The student speakers are Robert Holt, bachelor's candidate in mechanical engineering,&nbsp;Overland Park, and Cara Johnson, bachelor's candidate in communication sciences and disorders,&nbsp;Lenexa.

KSU to hold fall grad commencement ceremonies in Salina and Manhattan Dec. 12 & 13

The Saline County Sheriff's Office has released Salina's Most Wanted list for December 2025.&nbsp;

All photos provided are courtesy of the Saline County Sheriff's Office.&nbsp;All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.&nbsp;

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Felony PV / Poss. Opiate

NAME:&nbsp;Curtis, John Wendell III

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Felony / Criminal Threat / Stalking / Damage to Property

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Felony Bond Violation / Poss. Opiate / Poss. Para.

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Felony PV / Theft / Give False Information

NAME:&nbsp;Golde, Thomas Lee-Arthur III

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Felony PV / Poss. Opiate s x2 / Conspiracy Agg. Escape from Custody

NAME:&nbsp;Harwell, Richard Preston

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Felony Bond Viol. / Poss. Opiate / Poss. Para. / No Drug Tax Stamp / Recruit Gang Member / Crim. Threat / Int. w/ LEO x2

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Felony PV / FTA / Poss. Opiates x3

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Felony / Att Distribution of Methamphetamine / Paraphernalia / Possess Hydrocodone / Possess Marijuana / Use of cell phone in Felony / No drug tax stamp

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Felony / Forgery / Att. Forgery / Theft / Att. Theft

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Felony Bond Viol. / Flee &amp; Elude / Int. w/ LEO /Poss. MJ / Poss. Para. / Crim. DMG to Prop. / DWS / Duty to Report Acc.

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Felony PV / Poss. Opiate x2 / Poss. Marijuana / Interfere w/ LEO

NAME:&nbsp;Jenkins-Bolieu, Raesha Ann

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Felony FTA / PV / Poss. Opiates x2&nbsp;Poss. Para. / Interfere w/ LEO

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;&nbsp;Felony PV / Poss. Opiates x2 / Agg. Endanger Child / Poss. MJ / Poss. Para. / Agg. Escape / Crim. Deprivation of Prop.

NAME:&nbsp;Lynn, Katherine Elizabeth

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Felony PV / Poss. Opiates

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Felony FTA / Poss. Opiates / Poss. Para. / No Drug Tax Stamp

NAME:&nbsp;McDowell, Tristian Pacey

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Felony PV / Poss. Opiates x2

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Felony FTA / Agg. Burglary / Theft / Damage to Property / Interfere w/ LEO

NAME:&nbsp;Stebbins, Christopher Joel

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Felony PV / Burglary / Theft / Crim. Damage to Property

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Felony Bond Viol. / Dist. Heroin / Poss. Opiates / Poss. Controlled Substance / Poss. Para. / No Drug Tax Stamp

Saline County Sheriff's Office Most Wanted — December 2025

SALINE COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just before 12:30p.m. Friday in Saline County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Nissan Rogue driven by&nbsp; Barbara Jo&nbsp;Lundquist, 76, LIndsborg, was&nbsp;westbound at 1063 West State Street and left the roadway.&nbsp; The SUV&nbsp; entered the south ditch, struck a culvert, became airborne and came to rest in the ditch.

EMS transported Lundquist to Salina Regional Health Center. She was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kan. woman hospitalized in Salina after violent SUV crash

The Salina City Commission will hold its regular meeting on&nbsp;Monday December 8, 2025. The meeting will begin at&nbsp;4:00 pm&nbsp;inside&nbsp;Room 107&nbsp;of the&nbsp;City-County Building,&nbsp;300 West Ash Street.

For those who cannot attend the meeting, you can watch the livestream Monday, December 8 on YouTube at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/cityofSalinaKansas">https://www.youtube.com/cityofSalinaKansas</a>.

1.&nbsp;Consider approval of the November 24, 2025, regular meeting minutes.

2.&nbsp;Consider approval of Resolution No. 25-8319 accepting the 2025 Salina Land Bank Conveyance Report.

3.&nbsp;Consider awarding the bid for purchase and installation of 6 wastewater pumps to FTC Equipment, LLC in an amount not to exceed $76,923.

4.&nbsp;Consider authorizing the purchase and installation of wastewater treatment plant system hardware and software updates from Hydro Optimization and Automation solutions, Lincoln, Nebraska in an amount not to exceed $80,886.

1.&nbsp;Consider authorizing publication of the Notice of Budget Hearing for the 2025 Amended Budget.

2.&nbsp;Consider the recommended Traffic Control options for the 9th Street and Water Well Road Intersection by Kaw Valley Engineering.

3.&nbsp;Consider Approval of Resolution No. 25-8323 for Magnolia Hills Estates Addition No. 3, Phase 1 Special Improvement District

4.&nbsp;Consider authorizing the purchase of equipment to support the fiber infrastructure throughout the City of Salina from C&amp;C Group in the amount of $283,980.87, and from CDW in the amount of $4,207.87.

1.&nbsp;Consider approval of 8 ordinances needed to update the City's building codes.

Residents are invited to share their comments for 3 minutes with the commission.

1.&nbsp;Request for Executive Session - Legal

1 a. Move the City Commission recess into executive session for __ minutes to discuss with special legal counsel the subject of legal considerations relating to the Cozy Inn vs. City of Salina case based upon the need for consultation with an attorney for the public body which would be deemed privileged in the attorney-client relationship pursuant to K.S.A. 75-4319(b)(2).

For more information about each item, click <a href="https://agendasuite.org/iip/salina/meeting/Details/1184">here</a>.

UPDATE: City Commission to again discuss Cozy Inn ruling during executive session, revisit potential 9th & Water Well roundabout in Dec. 8 meeting 

All of our LIVE sports streams are FREE to watch for everybody!!!

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REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Criminal Damage to Property; Value Unknown; Liquor; Purch/poss/consume 18-20 yrs; 1st conv; Taxation; Possession of cigarettes, electronic cigarette/tobacco by minor &lt; 18; Criminal trespass; Remain in defiance of order by owner

NAME:&nbsp;Gaulden, Tierra-Simone Marie

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Theft of prop/serv;&lt;$1500 3 business in 72 hrs

NAME:&nbsp;Herrera Valdes, Francel

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Computer unlawful acts; Access w/o auth &lt; $100K; Crim damage to prop;w/o consent &lt;$1K; Unlawful to poss with intent to defraud; Scanning device; Theft of prop/services:Value less than $1,500

*No image available for&nbsp;Sampson, Michael James*

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Criminal trespass; Remain in defiance of order by owner

Saline County Jail Bookings, December 5

<a href="https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Salina&amp;state=KS&amp;site=ICT&amp;lat=38.8158&amp;lon=-97.6178">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

Monitor local weather updates frequently in multiple ways by listening to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/nwr/">NOAA Weather Radio</a>, checking local news and emergency notifications. You can also stay informed by following Saline County and the National Weather Service on social media.

Four day weather forecast Salina, December 5 - December 8

According to the US National Weather Service, there is a slight chance of snow flurries for Wednesday afternoon and into the evening in Salina.

A chance of sprinkles before 4:00 pm, then a chance of sprinkles and flurries.&nbsp;Mostly cloudy, with a high near 40. Breezy, with a north wind 18 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph.

A chance of flurries before 10pm. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 15. North northeast wind 7 to 17 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph.

Stay updated with local weather on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/NWSWichita">US National Weather Service Wichita Kansas</a>&nbsp;Facebook page.

For the latest forecast updates, visit the National Weather Service Wichita office at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/ict/">https://www.weather.gov/ict/</a>. To check forecasts frequently, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/">weather.gov</a>.

Slight chance of flurries in Salina Wednesday evening

Three day weather forecast Salina, December 3 - December 5

What a way to start December, as accumulated snow has touched down in Salina and several areas throughout central Kansas.

KDOT webcams (See above) showing accumulated snow on roadways at Russell and Great Bend in central Kansas early this morning. This will create hazardous travel conditions during the morning commute.

Salina is under a winter weather advisory until 6:00 pm on Monday. The high for today is 28, and the low is 14.

The US National Weather Service has provided winter travel safety tips for those who are will be traveling on the roads for the holidays.

- Share your travel plans with friends or family.

- Frequently check weather forecasts in your area.

Accumulated snowfall throughout Salina and central Kansas kicks off month of December

Three day weather forecast Salina, December 1 - December 3

Traces of snowfall have touched down in Central Kansas, with more snow expected for Monday, plus cold air throughout Saturday and Sunday.

Throughout Central Kansas, colder air will spread southward across the region for Saturday along with strong and gusty northwest winds. Wind gusts of 35 to 50 mph are likely.

Rain will change to snow briefly over parts of central Kansas through mid-morning on Saturday. Minor accumulations on elevated and grassy surfaces are possible.

Low of 7 degrees is expected for Sunday, with a high of 30 in Salina.

Salina is also under a wind advisory until 6:00 pm for Saturday.

According to the US National Weather Service, light to moderate snow is expected to move-in from the west on Monday and provide many locations with the first measurable snow of the season. 

 Snow will start around or shortly after sunrise and continue through the Monday afternoon hours with travel impacts likely, especially across central and northeast Kansas.

Highs are expected to be between 27-32 degrees, with the low expected to be around 14 degrees throughout the region.

Traces of snow have touched down in Central Kansas, more snow expected for Monday

Four day weather forecast Salina, November 28 - December 1

Salina and parts of Central Kansas will experience a cold front, along with below freezing temperatures and a possibility of snow this upcoming weekend.

According to the US National Weather Service, a cold front is expected to occur this upcoming weekend. Showers are possible Friday and Saturday, along with a light wintry mix on Saturday afternoon into Sunday morning.

Lows for Saturday night are in the teens, with wind chills expected to be near 0 degrees into Sunday morning.

Highs will struggle to even make it above freezing temperatures as well.

Salina has a 47% chance of traces of snow on Saturday afternoon. The low is expected to 17 degrees on Saturday night, with a high of 29 on Sunday.

Stay updated with local weather on the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/NWSWichita">US National Weather Service Wichita Kansas</a> Facebook page.

Cold front, below freezing temps, possibility of snow anticipated for Salina and Central Kansas

Three day weather forecast Salina, November 26 - November 28

Three day weather forecast Salina, November 24 - November 26

KANSAS CITY – A Kansas man pleaded guilty in federal court last week to illegally possessing a fully automatic pistol.

Verdell D. Mays, 30, of Overland Park, Kansas pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stephen R. Bough to one count of being a felon in possession of a firearm and possession of a machinegun, according to the United State's Attorney.

By pleading guilty, Mays admitted on June 28, 2025, he possessed a Glock, Model 22C, .40 caliber fully automatic pistol and that the Glock pistol had a rear slide plate that was modified to produce automatic fire.&nbsp;Mays is prohibited from possessing firearms because he has prior felony convictions, including a prior conviction in federal court for being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of a firearm.

Under federal statutes, Mays is subject to a sentence of up to 25 years in federal prison without parole.&nbsp; The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors.&nbsp; A sentencing hearing is scheduled for April 2, 2026, after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Jessica Jennings. It was investigated by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Cass County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office.

Kansas man admits illegally possessing a machine gun

Sioux City, Iowa —Two men with lengthy criminal histories were convicted by a jury last month after a 11-day trial in federal court in Sioux City. according to the United State's Attorney.

Floyd Clifford Coates, Jr., aka Cliff Coates, age 44, from St. Francis, Kansas, was convicted of Conspiracy to Distribute a Controlled Substance, Possession of a Firearm in Furtherance of a Drug Trafficking Crime, Possession of Ammunition by a Felon and Drug User, Conspiracy to Conceal Objects with the Intent to Impair Their Availability for an Official Proceeding, and Concealing Objects with the Intent to Impair their Availability for an Official Proceeding. Coates was acquitted of other charges related to threats, and obstruction of justice.&nbsp;

Dennis Lawson, age 65, from Whiting, Iowa, was convicted of Using Threat of Physical Force Against Another with the Intent to Hinder, Delay, or Prevent the Communication to a Law Enforcement Officer and Judge of the United States of Information Relating to the Commission and Possible Commission of a Federal Offense. Lawson was acquitted of other charges relating to drugs, threats and obstruction.&nbsp;

The verdict was returned following about 2 hours of jury deliberations.

The evidence at trial showed that in Spring 2019, Coates was a member of a drug trafficking organization that funneled pounds of methamphetamine from Colorado to Strubel, Iowa, among other places, for redistribution, and that Coates possessed firearms to protect his illegal drug operation. Evidence also showed that on Easter weekend 2019, Coates had arranged a drug run to Kansas City, Missouri.

To execute the Easter weekend drug run, Coates had convinced an Iowa woman to drive from Sioux City, Iowa; meet him in Blair, Nebraska; and drive him to Kansas City, Missouri, and back. Coates decided to travel to Blair from Trenton, Nebraska, with another woman, 18-year-old Sunny Sramek. Coates and Sramek left Trenton in his wife’s white Ford Explorer to go on the trip. There is no evidence Ms. Sramek knew Coates was going to Kansas City; in fact, she told friends and family that she was going to be on a day trip to Omaha.&nbsp;

The pair made it to Blair, where Coates went into a home, but Ms. Sramek did not. Coates’s driver arrived from Sioux City and Coates said nothing of Ms. Sramek to the driver. As the driver and Coates left the home, the driver saw Ms. Sramek’s motionless body. The driver testified it looked as if Ms. Sramek had overdosed, and Coates said he had provided her methamphetamine. Coates cancelled his drug run to Kansas City and told his driver to go to the home of his brother-in-law Dennis Lawson near Whiting, Iowa, on the banks of the Missouri River. The driver testified that after they arrived at Lawson’s residence Lawson and Coates disappeared for a time, when they returned, Ms. Sramek’s body was gone. The driver also testified that she and Coates cleaned out the car, and that Lawson threatened her saying if she told anyone, “it would be her funeral.”

Later, Coates told confidants that Ms. Sramek had overdosed. He told other friends a more violent story. In both versions, however, he told people he had thrown Ms. Sramek’s body into the Missouri River to conceal evidence of his crimes. Coates was confident his efforts at concealing Ms. Sramek’s body would insulate him from accountability. He told one person “no body, no case” and asked another “you can’t get charged with murder if there is no body, can you?”

Coates’s confidence was misplaced. Law enforcement gathered a significant amount of physical evidence tying Coates to Ms. Sramek’s disappearance. Forensic analysis indicated Ms. Sramek’s DNA and a significant amount of blood were found in the white Ford Explorer. The forensic findings combined with other evidence provided the proof the jury used to convict Coates and Lawson.&nbsp;

“Sunny Sramek went missing more than six years ago,” said United States Attorney Leif Olson. “But the investigators’ dedication kept her case from going cold. Thanks to them, these two criminals now face judgment for Sunny’s disappearance. Those who believe they can escape justice through threats, cover-ups, or the passage of time will discover they are mistaken.”

“The convictions of Coates and Lawson represent years of tireless, unwavering efforts by a dedicated team of FBI personnel who never stopped looking for Sunny Sramek,” said FBI Special Agent in Charge Eugene Kowel. “Despite the defendants’ best efforts to conceal involvement in her disappearance, the FBI persisted in our mission to hold these subjects accountable for their actions. We hope these convictions bring some measure of solace to Sunny’s family. The FBI will always use every tool and technique in our arsenal to seek justice for the missing and attempts to hinder those efforts will be aggressively investigated.”

Sentencing before United States District Court Chief Judge Leonard T. Strand will be set after a presentence report is prepared. Coates and Lawson remain in custody of the United States Marshal.

Coates faces a possible maximum sentence of life imprisonment and five years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

Lawson faces a possible maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment and three years of supervised release following any imprisonment.

Kan. man linked to disappearance of woman found guilty of drug, gun charges

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A suspect accused in a fatal gunfight at a liquor store in on Labor Day in Wichita was back in court last week for a preliminary hearing.

Judge Rodger Woods&nbsp; determined there is enough evidence for&nbsp;23-year-old Jaime Medina  to go to trial in early March, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

On September 5, he was charged with first degree murder and battery, according to online jail records.

Just after 2p.m. September 1, officers were called to a liquor store on North Broadway in Wichita, according to a media release. First responders found three men with gunshot wounds including&nbsp;19-year-old Mario Gustavo. He was pronounced dead at the scene. The suspect identified as 23-year-old Jaime Medina and another man were taken to a hospital for treatment of critical injuries.

Investigators learned that&nbsp;a disturbance in the parking lot led to gunfire.

A retired Wichita police lieutenant saw a vehicle flee the scene and followed it. Officers stopped the car, driven by a woman, near the 800 block of North Main Street. A male passenger, identified as an associate of Gustavo, had a gunshot wound to the hand and was taken to a hospital in critical but stable condition. Investigators believe he was shot at the exact location as the other three men.&nbsp; Medina remains jailed on a&nbsp;$1,000,000 bond.

Kansas liquor store gunfight suspect will face a trial

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a homicide in Manhattan. Just before 12:30a.m.&nbsp;December 6, police responded to the 800 block of Colorado Street in Manhattan, for a reported welfare check of an injured man, according to a media release from the Riley County Police Department.

First responders located a 36-year-old man, identified as Mark Rickenbaker of Manhattan who had serious injuries to his body. During the investigation, officers discovered that Rickenbaker had been involved in an altercation prior to their arrival.&nbsp; Rickenbaker was transported by ambulance to Via Christi Hospital and died as a result of his injuries. &nbsp;

This is an isolated incident, according to the RCPD. Police released no additional details.

Anyone with information can contact&nbsp;Crime Stoppers. Using Crime Stoppers allows you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.

Police investigating 36-year-old man's murder in Manhattan

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-layoffs-doge-musk-trump-93efbed33957af5ec8ac37744d0592de">Social Security Administration</a>&nbsp;is hoping to cut visits to its field offices in half next year, a move that advocates for the agency fear signals&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/social-security-offices-closures-doge-trump-b2b1a5b2ba4fb968abc3379bf90715ff">more closures</a>&nbsp;are coming.

Field offices have long been community-based branches that serve as the public face of the SSA, which provide in-person help for people applying for retirement and disability benefits, getting Social Security cards and other important services.

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