Local briefs

Republicans to choose new senator Tuesday

Members of the Douglas County Republican Central Committee will gather next week to choose a replacement for State Sen. Sandy Praeger, R-Lawrence, who is resigning to become state insurance commissioner.

The selection is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in Building 21 at the Douglas County 4-H Fairgrounds, 2110 Harper St. The 94 precinct committeemen and committeewomen are instructed to show up by 7 p.m. to pick up ballots and other information.

Announced candidates for the post are Mark Buhler, an executive with Stephens Real Estate and a former Douglas County commissioner; State Rep. Tom Sloan, R-Lawrence; and Richard Rodewald, a retired engineer from Eudora.

The winner will be appointed to serve the remaining two years of Praeger’s four-year Senate term.

POLICE

Humane Society van taken, recovered

A van disappeared from the Lawrence Humane Society late Tuesday or early Wednesday, but it didn’t go far.

Officers responding to an alarm at Sunrise Garden Center, 1501 Learnard Ave., found the van abandoned in a ditch near the business just before 1 a.m. Wednesday.

Police said the van had been taken earlier from the Humane Society. It was running when officers found it.

Police searched the area and discovered an open door on the west side of the garden center. It was not known whether anything was taken from the business.

Humane Society employees said the suspects also tried to take a station wagon parked behind the animal shelter. The steering column of that vehicle was broken. Damage to both vehicles is estimated at $700.

Police have no suspects in either incident.

Traffic

Deer cause of crash that killed Topekan

Kansas Highway Patrol officials have released the identity of a woman who died early Wednesday morning after a car crash on Kansas Highway 10 near DeSoto.

Valorie A. DeHart, 48, Topeka, died after losing control of her 1992 Chevy Geo when it struck a downed deer in the eastbound lane of K-10.

According to the report, another car traveling east on the highway had struck the deer before DeHart, leaving it in the left lane.

The report indicated DeHart’s vehicle struck the deer, crossed the center median and westbound lanes before hitting a rock wall and overturning.

She was pronounced dead at KU Med, Kansas City, Kan.