Suspect arrested in check forgery case

Charges are expected to be filed today against a Lawrence woman suspected of forging checks on an account that belonged to a woman who died last year in a Eudora fire.

The 22-year-old woman was arrested Monday by Lawrence Police and taken to the Douglas County Jail on suspicion of forging as many as 30 checks. She was held without bond.

The checks were on an account belonging to Naomi Kidd, 77. She died in February 2003 when her Eudora house burned. There was nothing suspicious about the fire, investigators said at the time.

The woman was expected to have an appearance today in Douglas County District Court, where charges will be read.

Appeals court rules in police critic’s suit

A federal appeals court this week issued a complex ruling related to a lawsuit filed by Dale E. McCormick, the Lawrence police critic and self-described constitutional activist who recently was sentenced to 17 years in prison.

In essence, the ruling by the 10th Circuit of the U.S. Court of Appeals found a lower court acted properly by finding that two public officials named as defendants in one of McCormick’s suits — Assistant Dist. Atty. Brad Burke and Assistant Atty. Gen. M.J. Willoughby — were not immune from being sued.

Both Burke and Willoughby were defendants in a lawsuit McCormick filed in 2002 alleging 25 claims against government officials. He claimed police, prosecutors and others conspired to retaliate against him for his protests, which included regularly heckling and videotaping police officers during traffic stops.

Earlier this month a judge sentenced McCormick to more than 17 years in prison for breaking into a woman’s home and holding her against her will.

Five people injured in bus-car wreck

Five people, including three students on a school bus, were taken to the hospital by ambulance after a wreck Wednesday morning in Osage County.

The accident happened about 7:44 a.m. when a 16-year-old driver backed out of a private residence and hit the front of a southbound Lyndon school district bus, occupied by 29 students and a driver.

Two passengers in the car were taken to Stormont-Vail Regional Health Center in Topeka; three students on the bus were taken to Ransom Memorial Hospital in Ottawa.

None of the injuries was believed to be life-threatening.

The Osage County Sheriff’s Department is still investigating the collision.

Tree-plantings to mark territorial anniversary

Lecompton — A tree will be planted today near Constitution Hall as part of a statewide commemoration of the 150th anniversary of Kansas Territory.

A planting ceremony will be staged at 10:30 a.m. between the hall and Lecompton City Hall. Taking part in the ceremony will be state Sen. Mark Buhler, R-Lawrence, and Douglas County Commissioner Jere McElhaney, Lecompton Mayor Roy Paslay and Lecompton elementary school students.

The tree will serve as a memorial to those who settled in Kansas before it was a state.

Trees, provided by the Kansas Sesquicentennial Commission, will be planted in each of the 105 Kansas counties.