Derby

Fire investigators are in Derby, trying to determine what sparked an overnight fire. It happened at home near 63rd street and Buckner. When crews arrived, they found flames in the garage and attic. They were able to put out the fire quickly. Everyone got out of the home safely. A damage estimate was not available,

To explore North America, you need a really big map. And now students in Derby have just that. In fact, it's one of the world's largest maps of our favorite continent. It's on display right now at Swaney Elementary in Derby. National Geographic provides the map, designed for grades K through 8. At 35 by 26 feet, and weighing more than a hundred pounds, the smooth vinyl map rolls out big enough for students to actually walk on.  

 The city of Derby has a new front door tonight.  At least that's how the city is referring to its new welcome center which held its open house Thursday. The building was previously the public library which has been expanded across the street. The welcome center now houses public information, community marketing, economic development, the chamber of commerce, and community foundation. Cynthia Wentworth, the Director of Community Marketing tells us, "we just want to have people be able to see Derby.

Emergency crews respond to a fatal skydiving accident at an airfield near Derby. It happened Tuesday morning at Cook Airfield near 71st St. S. and 143rd St. E. Sixty-four year-old John "Skip" Gallagher is dead. The owner of the skydiving company, Martin Myrtle from Air Capital Drop Zone, said Gallagher had about 40 years of skydiving experience. Myrtle also said the parachute apparently became tangled at about the 3000 to 4000 foot mark and Gallagher was not able to untangle the shoot.

The suspect in a Derby kidnapping and sexual assault is in custody in Springfield, Missouri. Patrick Stewart was arrested there by U.S. Marshals, and is awaiting extradition to Kansas. He is accused of beating, tying up, and sexually assaulting two women in Derby after a Super Bowl party. The Derby Police Department says Stewart was also wanted for charges in Georgia, Idaho and Missouri.

A woman in her 20's was taken to the hospital after crashing her car into a parked car.  It happened around two o'clock Tuesday morning in the 500 blk. of S. Woodlawn in Derby. Police say it's not clear why the woman hit the parked car.  She was wearing her seat belt.

The Derby Police Department says it's something that every driver does once in their life - mistaking the break for the gas. When that happened Thursday evening in the parking lot of Fashion Bug, 1906 Johnson Dr., it resulted in a car crashing into the store. Police say they believe the driver panicked after the crash and continued to drive through the store in hopes of getting out. While no one was hit, several people had close calls. The building sustained significant structural damage.

By Kim Hynes (DERBY, Kan.) Four home burglaries in two days. Now, Derby police are warning residents to be watchful of suspicious activity. The burglaries happened last week, all early in the morning shortly after residents left their house. The first happened in the 1700 block of N. Woodlawn. Burglars got in through the garage and ransacked the house. They then left in the homeowners 2002 Blazer. Jerry Sander's who lives a few doors down says everyone in the neighborhood keeps an eye on things, but no one saw the break-in.

Jonathan Villarreal can't believe his wrist his broken, his eye is swollen and his face is bruised. His injuries landed him in the hospital and he says it's because a School Resource Officer in Derby beat him up. "I thought they were here to serve and protect me," Villarreal said. He says the incident started after school Wednesday as he walked to the bus.  He says one SRO told him to pull up his saggy pants. "I told her no because I'm already out of school and I'm going home," he said.

Authorities have released the identity of a teenager who died in a crash near Derby this weekend.  The crash happened around 12:15 early Saturday morning at 87th Street South and Webb Road.  The Sedgwick County Sheriff's office says 14-year-old Braxton Kooser was a passenger in an SUV when the driver lost control, left the roadway and rolled the vehicle.  Kooser died at the scene.  The 14-year-old driver and two fifteen-year-old passengers were...

Learning new music takes a lot of practice.  And the marching band at Derby High School is up to the challenge. Now, comes the challenge of raising money to perform all the new songs at football games and other events. "$5,000 seems like a lot of money, but it's just a drop in the bucket," says Derby band director Adam Devault.  The cost of music rental, choreography, equipment and travel adds up over the course of several football games and other events.  So instead of just running the usual cookie dough and car wash fundraisers, the band turned to a website called Kickstarter.  It's a popular new way reach people everywhere and collect cash.

Kansas military families will soon be impacted by federal furloughs. Chuck Hagel, Secretary of Defense, announced Tuesday his decision to proceed with federal furloughs to manage the budgetary shortfalls facing the military and the nation.   Maj. Gen. Lee Tafanelli, adjutant general, said the cuts will affect readiness and cause hardship for guardsmen and Kansans.  "The Department of Defense has directed that we institute furloughs of up to 11 days for some of our federally-funded work force," Tafanelli said.  Tina Sorensen's husband works fulltime as a Kansas National Guardsman.

Sedgwick County authorities are looking for whoever stole nearly $12,000 worth of property from a garage in Derby. It happened some time between 2:30 and 8:30 am last Saturday. The Sedgwick County Sheriff's Office says someone forced open an overhead garage door at a home near 5500 S. Northview Trail in Derby. The thieves got away with Craftsman tools, DeWalt power tools, a chainsaw, knives, pots & pans, a Canon Mark II camera, a Sony camcorder, a Taylor guitar worth $3,500, an iPod, an iPad and a computer.

Colby Liston said he wouldn't be in a wheelchair long.  He kept that promise. “I'm so much more independent now,” says Liston. Last fall Liston was getting into the back of an SUV with friends at KU when he was struck from behind by a suspected drunk driver. Liston's legs were pinned between the two vehicles.  Doctors were forced to amputate both legs above the knee. Less than a year later, Liston is not only up and walking on prosthetics, he's training for a track and field event in June.

Two Derby men have been arrested in connection to vandalizing a local Walmart. The police department said Harrison Schroeder, 22, and Skyler Williams, 23, were arrested Thursday. They are being held in the Sedgwick County jail on burglary, theft, and criminal damage to property. Police said the men broke into the Neighborhood Market store, 1106 S. Rock Rd., last month. The store was under construction. Survelliance video captured the suspects using construction equipment to vandalize the store.

Someone broke into a home near Derby and stole almost $42,000 in antique coins.  The break-in happened Monday between 12:15 and 1:30 in the afternoon.  The home is located in the 4400 block of east 83rd St. South. The Sedgwick County Sheriff's Department says someone entered through a back door.  They took five briefcases filled with antique coins, an antique shotgun and $1,200 worth of pennies.  That's 120,000 pennies.

Spark plugs from Chicago, tires from Tennessee, real gold leaf lettering all set one of Derby Fire Department's trucks apart from all the others. Of course, it's a lot older, too. Originally built in 1916, Hose No. 1 just underwent it's second restoration since coming to the Derby Volunteer Fire Department in 1966. Click to See Pictures of the Restored Truck Chuck Fields, a former volunteer firefighter who's made Hose No. 1 his personal project, calls driving the old truck a lot of fun. "You get a tired leg because the clutch is hard to push and the steering is arm strong steering.

Local toddler a basketball prodigy

Derby resident Steve Stelljes has been an N.F.L referee for 11 seasons.  In this one, his 11th year, Stelljes earned the highest honor by being selected to be the head linesman in Super Bowl XLVII. K.J.C.C.C. Supervisor of Officials Craig Helser knows Stelljes, and also knows the intense process referees go through in order to be picked to be on the field at the Super Bowl.  "All Steve's calls that he makes all year are graded, correct or incorrect.  And, he competes against other head linesmen.  He's at the top of his game as a head linesman this year," said Helser.

Authorities have released the identity of a teenager who died in a crash near Derby this weekend.  The crash happened around 12:15 early Saturday morning at 87th Street South and Webb Road.  The Sedgwick County Sheriff's office says 14-year-old Braxton Kooser was a passenger in an SUV when the driver lost control, left the roadway and rolled the vehicle.  Kooser died at the scene.  The 14-year-old driver and two fifteen-year-old passengers were...