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THURSDAY • JULY 24 • 2014
Federal jury convicts Lawrence brothers and their associate in seven-year, $17M drug conspiracy
Sudden, intense heat a health concern ———
Medical professionals caution residents to stay hydrated and avoid physical exertion outdoors By Giles Bruce Twitter: @GilesBruce
taining a drug premise. For conspiracy, however, Los Dahda and Pickel face a mandatory minimum sentence of 10 years in federal prison with life a possibility. Because of prior convictions, Roosevelt Dahda faces a minimum of 20 years. Judge Kathryn Vratil said Wednesday that sentencing would be scheduled soon. The government is also
Lawrence already had its first 100-degree day of the year on Tuesday and, if you believe the forecast, it could have at least one more by the end of the week. So Lawrencians need to focus on staying hydrated and keeping cool. “We’ve had a relatively mild summer until recently, and all of a sudden it turned very hot,” said Charles Yockey, a pulmonologist at LawWhen rence Memorial Hospi- temperatures tal. “When temperatures are above 90 and humid- are above 90 ity above 75 percent, it’s and humidity a disaster for people who above 75 aren’t acclimated to the percent, it’s heat.” When it’s this hot, a disaster Yockey said, if you’re not for people consuming enough fluids who aren’t to urinate every two to three hours you need to acclimated drink more. And people to the heat.” on dehydrating medications — for example, di- — Dr. Charles Yockey uretics or medications for conditions like hypertension — should be extra cautious. Despite the conditions this week, Lawrence Memorial Hospital’s emergency room hasn’t seen any patients recently for
Please see GUILTY, page 2A
Please see HEAT, page 2A
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Los Rovell Dahda
Roosevelt Rico Dahda
Drug ring moved tons of marijuana across U.S. By Stephen Montemayor Twitter: @smontemayor
KANSAS CITY, KAN. — A 12-person federal jury on Wednesday found Lawrence twins Los Rovell Dahda and Roosevelt Rico Dahda, 32, and associate Justin Cherif Pickel, of San Lorenzo, Calif., guilty of conspiracy after a monthslong $17 million drug trial. The jury handed in its verdict
just before 11 a.m. in its first day back since July 15. Deliberation in the case spanned two full days and most of Wednesday morning. Each defendant COURTS was also found guilty of numerous lesser drug charges ranging from drug possession and distribution to using a cellphone as part of the conspiracy and main-
Candidate says Board of Healing Arts probe is part of political smear campaign By Peter Hancock Twitter: @LJWpqhancock
TOPEKA — Republican U.S. Senate candidate Milton Wolf is the target of an investigation by the Kansas Board of Healing Arts, according to a story published Wednesday by the Topeka Capital-Journal. But Wolf says the probe
is part of a political smear campaign being orchestrated by Sen. Pat Roberts and by one particular member of the board. “This instance is a new low for Healing Arts Board Member Anne Hodgdon that rises to the level of official misconduct,” the Wolf cam-
ELECTION
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lenging Roberts in the Aug. 5 Republican primary. Hodgdon, who lives in Lenexa, was appointed to the board in 2011 by Gov. Sam Brownback. At that time, she served on the board of directors of KidsTLC, a psychiatric treatment center for children, Please see PROBE, page 2A
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Partly cloudy Business Classified Comics Deaths
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paign said in a statement released after the newspaper report was published. The Board of Healing Arts is the state agency that licenses and regulates health care professionals. Wolf, a Johnson County radiologist, is a Tea Partybacked candidate who is chal-
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Milton Wolf, left, is challenging Sen. Pat Roberts in the Aug. 5 primary.
Headquarters vote
Vol.156/No. 205 28 pages
A quarter-percent sales tax for nine years and a large site along I-70 are likely to be key parts of a police headquarters plan presented to voters. Page 3A
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