State briefs

Wichita: College fund established for sextuplets, sister

Even as the state’s first sextuplets learn to sleep through the night, money is being raised to pay for their post-high school education.

Certified financial planner Shane Prill and his wife, Kianne, put in $2,000 to get the Headrick Children Education Trust started. It will pay for the education of the six babies and their older sister, 4-year-old Aubrianna.

The sextuplets, three boys and three girls, were carried for 31 weeks before being delivered by Caesarean section in April.

El Dorado: Suspect pleads innocent to slaying in Augusta

A Butler County man pleaded innocent Thursday in the murder of his girlfriend’s mother.

Joshua Robertson, 21, is charged with first-degree murder, aggravated arson and aggravated robbery in the March 19 death of Patricia Self, 46, of Augusta. His trial is set for Sept. 9.

According to prosecutors, Robertson and his girlfriend, Jennifer Self, beat and stabbed Self’s mother to death in her home using a pocketknife, box cutter and a serrated bread knife. Prosecutors allege that Robertson and Self then stole her mother’s credit card before igniting rubbing alcohol to burn the house down.

Testimony at Thursday’s preliminary hearing revealed that none of Patricia Self’s limbs were attached to her body when authorities discovered it in the home.

Butler County Dist. Atty. Jan Satterfield said she’ll seek a “Hard 50” sentence against Robertson, which means he would face a minimum of 50 years in prison before being eligible for parole.

Holton: Reservoir, park opening in Jackson County

A new reservoir and recreation area will open today in Jackson County.

Banner Creek Reservoir, a 535-surface-acre reservoir, and two recreation areas in the 1,568-acre park west of Holton on Kansas Highway 16 are now complete. Open-class fishing will begin at 6 a.m. today. A sand castle contest will be later in the morning. Awards for each contest will be announced at 3 p.m.

Admission to the park is free today.

Entertainment will include rides for children, live music and a 2 p.m. demonstration by the Kansas State University ski team. A Thunderhill Speedway race car and driver also will be on hand for viewing.

For more information or directions to the reservoir, call (785) 364-2101.