Restaurant fined for health-code violations

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment this month fined EightOneFive Cafe & Night Club, a restaurant and bar at 815 N.H., $1,000 for health-code violations.

The fine stems from two health department visits to the establishment. On Aug. 18, health inspectors found food stored above a safe temperature and about 40 to 50 fresh rodent droppings in a dry-goods storeroom and “on the lid of the rice container and the pasta container.”

A second visit to EightOneFive on Sept. 8 again found foods stored above safe temperatures and more fresh rodent droppings in the storeroom.

Jeff Singer, owner of the cafe, said the rodent problem had been caused by trash receptacles placed behind the club by the city.

“Having rodents in an alley is pretty common,” he said. “The rodents were poking holes in our back wall and getting in that way. But those holes have been sealed.”

Singer also said that a faulty walk-in refrigerator had been replaced, so he did not foresee future problems with keeping foods at a safe temperature.

Courts

Multiple-murder trial begins in Kansas City

Kansas City, Kan. — Prosecutors began presenting their case Friday in the capital murder trial of Darrell Lamont Stallings, who is accused of killing five people.

Stallings, 34, is accused of attempted first-degree murder in the 2002 shooting of Anthony Jennings, who survived, and five counts of capital murder in the shooting deaths of Samantha Sigler, 24; Destiny Wiles, 23; Tameika Jackson, 24; Trina Jennings, 26; and Melvin Montague, 34.

He also faces charges of criminal discharge of a firearm into an occupied vehicle and criminal possession of a firearm.

Prosecutors allege that Stallings shot Trina and Anthony Jennings to avenge what he believed were their roles in the robbing and beating of his mother two months earlier. The others were killed because they allegedly witnessed the shootings.

Defense attorneys contend that Stallings suffered from post-traumatic stress syndrome at the time.

Testimony is scheduled to resume Monday in the Wyandotte County Courthouse.

Recognition

McConnell names complex after former Sen. Dole

Wichita — Former Sen. Bob Dole was in Wichita on Friday for the renaming of McConnell Air Force Base’s community center.

Formerly known as Emerald City, the base’s main complex is now the Robert J. Dole Community Center.

“I don’t deserve this,” Dole told the crowd of more than 250 people. “You live long enough and they’ll name something after you.”

It’s the second building in Wichita named after the 1996 Republican presidential nominee. The local Department of Veterans Affairs office and medical center was named for him in November 2002.

When a memorial stone with Dole’s likeness was unveiled in front of the complex, the 81-year-old Dole placed his left hand on the stone and paused momentarily before addressing the crowd.

“I can’t say enough about veterans — not everybody can serve,” he said.

Rep. Todd Tiahrt said Dole, when he was Senate majority leader, championed 1991 relief efforts for Wichita and McConnell when a tornado devastated the area. Dole’s efforts, Tiahrt said, ensured McConnell would have a long future.