Woman Killed in Home Near 29Th, Rock

TALK TO US: Call Jean Hays, 1B 316-268-6557, or e-mail [email protected] SUNDAY WWW.KANSAS.COM/NEWS LOCAL&STATE JUNE 3, 2012 Now you know. Woman killed in home near 29th, Rock BY TIM POTTER worry about her neighbor and neighborhood of 1980s hous- house. A crime-scene investi- The Wichita Eagle her neighbor’s children. Even- es. A past real estate listing gator’s van blocked the drive- tually, she learned what had said the house offers a “pan- way. A homicide detective Authorities booked a occurred. She began to sob as oramic view of the #6 hole at carried out a laundry basket 47-year-old man into jail she spoke about it Saturday Tallgrass Country Club.” full of personal items and Saturday afternoon on suspi- afternoon. Another neighbor, who also handed it to a man just be- cion of second-degree murder Around the same time, did not want to be identified yond the crime scene tape. in the shooting of a police Lt. Randy Reynolds was because of privacy concerns, Earlier in the day, a coro- 41-year-old woman at her next door, behind crime scene said the woman at the house ner’s vehicle arrived, and a home near 29th and Rock tape. He wore blue plastic where the shooting occurred crime scene investigator took Road, records show. gloves and paced back and had three children and that photographs, looking past the He was being held without forth in the driveway with a she had a boyfriend who has open garage door. A gray SUV bond, according to jail re- Travis Heying/The Wichita Eagle cellphone to his ear. one child. The woman and sat inside. A rack of tennis cords. Motor vehicle records Wichita police gather outside of a house in the 8400 block of The shooting was reported her children have lived there balls hung from the wall. In show that the man was owner Greenbriar Court where a woman was fatally shot Saturday. at about 5:30 a.m. by a minor for about four years. front of the tennis ball rack of a pickup truck parked in in the home, a 911 system “Our kids are best friends sat a child’s red wagon, filled front of the house where the the victim as a mother of morning and asked whether supervisor said. EMS person- with their kids,” the neighbor with kickballs and a basket- shooting occurred early Satur- three children, were strug- she knew anything about the nel determined at 5:37 a.m. said. Tears began to form in ball. day in the 8400 block of East gling with the loss. One “situation” next door. The that the woman had died at his eyes. Greenbriar Court. neighbor recalled how police police didn’t tell her what the scene. Into the afternoon, outside Reach Tim Potter at 316-268-6684 Neighbors, who described knocked on her door Saturday happened, but it made her The home is in a cul-de-sac lights remained on at the or [email protected]. Council split on automatic Watercross racing on river BY HURST LAVIANA The Wichita Eagle n the river, they’re fierce com- pay increases petitors. When the races are over, Aaron Dellinger of Salina and BY BILL WILSON timers who work full-time jobs. OJohn Hecox of Gothenburg, Neb., are The Wichita Eagle “These people work hard. I good friends who share the same can tell you I see most of them passion: Jet Skis. Wichita City Council members early in the morning, throughout They also share the same philoso- will get an automatic 2.3 percent the day, and I see most of them phy of racing the watercraft. pay raise without a vote on late at night,” Brewer said. “It’s about half-ride and half-boat,” Thursday, courtesy of an obscure “The economy is coming back Dellinger said. 11-year-old charter ordinance. and we’ve said we won’t take a “Half-man, half-machine,” Hecox It’s a raise that has split the raise until we were able to give said. council, with two turning it our employees a raise,” Longwell “If you’ve got a good machine and down and at least three leaning said. “I don’t want to let people you can’t ride, it ain’t going to mat- toward taking it. The entire think we’re not in recovery ter,” Dellinger said. council has declined raises the mode. We need to start proj- “If you’re good and you’ve got a past three years because the city ecting, as ourselves and an orga- slow boat, you can usually win,” couldn’t afford employee raises. nization, that we’re going to Hecox said. Council members make heal. We’ve lived within our Dellinger and Hecox were among $34,866. Council members Janet budget and we haven’t had to the 40 watercraft racers from across Miller and Michael O’Donnell raise taxes or balance without the Midwest who are in Wichita this have declined the raise. dipping into reserves. … If you weekend to compete in the Interna- Miller said the pay increase is want to set an example, take the tional Jet Sports Boating Association reasonable. “However, I have raise and donate it. There are a Mid-America Watercross Champi- decided to decline the increase lot of charities in town that need onships. The racing continues today given the recent motion I made help.” on the Arkansas River north of the to reduce funding to neigh- Council member Pete Meitzner Lewis Street Bridge. borhood services, specifically said Friday he’s debating how to Terry Hiebert of Valley Center, who cleanups, as a way of sustaining handle the raise. Council mem- is one of the event promoters, said transit routes that would have ber Lavonta Williams didn’t racers in nine classes are competing otherwise been cut,” she said. return calls seeking comment. for gift certificates and trophies. Fernando Salazar/The Wichita Eagle “It’s not right for me to take a “It’s insignificant in terms of For many of the racers, he said, the raise with the budget issues we what we make,” Meitzner said. event is a tune-up for the World Kelly Kontola wins the Open Ski ON KANSAS.COM have,” O’Donnell said. “With the gas I run through Finals, which will be held in Lake Class during the IJSBA Mayor Carl Brewer, who going to meetings that aren’t Havasu City, Ariz., in October. Mid-America Watercross A full guide to the Wichita River makes $82,654, and council required, I’d rather have an Hecox said he’s been racing the Championships at the Wichita River Festival is available at Kansas.com/ member Jeff Longwell said extra tank of gas a month, to be watercraft since 1995 and is a factory Festival on Saturday. riverfest. they’re leaning toward accept- perfectly honest.” support rider for Yamaha, a major The guide includes a daily sched- ing the raise, although Brewer In 2001, the council and maker of the speedy watercraft. of to make your boat go faster.” ule, a daily food court review, a River said he understands the refusals then-mayor Bob Knight passed “To me it’s a stress pill,” he said of Dellinger finished first in the 3 Festival Twitter feed, stories about in a tight economy. “Personally, two charter ordinances to rap- his weekend hobby. p.m. heat, and Hecox finished third. some of the main attractions and I haven’t had a raise since I’ve idly increase the salaries of the He and Dellinger, who rides a Ka- Dellinger said it’s hard to predict more. been mayor,” Brewer said. mayor and council. At that wasaki, were both racing in the open what will happen when the riders get Check it daily through the festival The mayor, the only full-time time, the mayor received competition on Saturday afternoon. back on the river. for updates. council member, defended any $31,282 annually and council Dellinger said a rider in that cate- “No two laps are ever the same,” The festival runs through June 9. council members who accept gory can “do whatever you can think he said. the raise, saying they’re part- Please see COUNCIL, Page 4B Wichita native Gentry Miller competes for Miss USA BY SARAH TUCKER Gentry competed in pag- give the commencement Miss USA; that’s not the Gentry, who lived in the The Wichita Eagle eants until she was 6 years speech for KU’s School of point. It’s the experience,” Reflection Ridge area, consid- old and didn’t compete again Business, “one of the biggest Cheryl said. The two are very ers Wichita a “great town to Growing up, Gentry Linn until her senior year at Wich- honors she’s ever had,” close and even share a duplex grow up in” and remembers Miller used to watch the Miss ita’s Northwest High School. Cheryl said. in Overland Park. “All my going to River Festival con- USA pageants on TV and That year, she entered a pag- A dedicated student, Gentry friends are like, ‘Really, you certs and movies at the War- daydream about competing. eant because she wanted “one attributes much of her drive live with your grandma?’ ” ren Theatres. She has no Tonight, Miller, a Wichita last experience” to give her and studious nature to her Gentry said. plans to move back to Wichita native, will represent Kansas some public speaking experi- grandmother. “I always talked Tonight, more than 20 anytime soon but doesn’t rule in the Miss USA pageant in ence before college.

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