Storms from this morning throughout Central KS are expected to now continue past noon.

According to the US National Weather Service (Wichita, KS) the scattered showers and thunderstorms throughout Central KS are expected to now continue past noon on Monday.

The National Weather Service also expects a 30% chance of showers and thunderstorms to occur tonight in Salina.

Please be aware of the roads as localized flooding is possible.

Monitor local weather updates frequently in multiple ways by listening to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/nwr/">NOAA Weather Radio</a>, checking local news and emergency notifications. You can also stay informed by following Saline County and the National Weather Service on social media.

For the latest forecast updates, visit the National Weather Service Wichita office at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/ict/">https://www.weather.gov/ict/</a>. To check forecasts frequently, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.weather.gov/">weather.gov</a>.

UPDATE: Central KS storms continue past noon

CLOUD COUNTY —Two juveniles are hospitalized in critical condition after they were burned at a bonfire in Concordia.

Just before 10p.m. Saturday, police heard a loud noice and screaming, according to a media release from Concordia Police. As officers were attempting to located the screaming, police dispatch received a 911 call from the 400 Block of West 5th Street reporting two juveniles who were severely burned.

First responders located the two juveniles consistent with the 911 report of burn injuries. Concordia Fire Department responded and transported the juveniles to North Central Kansas Medical Center for treatment of critical injuries. They were later transferred to a burn unit at a level one trauma hospital. Both were still reported in critical condition on Monday, according to police.

Investigators determined the juveniles were pouring accelerant on a bonfire. The fire traveled up the stream of the accelerant and caused the explosion. Police did not release the names of the victims.

2 juveniles critically burned at bonfire in north central Kansas

W. Old 40 Highway between S. Reese and S. Wyman roads in Saline County, are reportedly closed due to flooding.

According to the Saline County Sheriff's Office, the Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) has placed road-closed barricades on W. Old 40 Highway between S. Reese and S. Wyman due to flooding.

The Sheriff's Office will update Salina Post once the highway reopens.

Flooding causes Saline County highway to close

Salina Police are currently searching for male suspect who allegedly burglarized a church.

According to the Salina Police Department (SPD) on Saturday, September 6 at around 9:00 am, SPD received a call from Calvary Apostolic Church (1440 W. Republic) regarding an alleged burglary.

Reportedly, a man who lives at the church stated at around 5:20 am, he heard sounds, with a light turning on in his room while he was asleep. The man went to check the commotion, but did not see anyone inside the church.

Later on when the pastor of the church arrived, both the man and the pastor noticed an unlatched window. Furthermore, they discovered a damaged vending machine with several sodas that were possibly stolen. They also indicated four microphones, one electric guitar and an acoustic guitar was missing.

SPD obtained surveillance video from the church and identified a suspect. According to SPD, the suspect is a white male and is about 5'10, 150 pounds.

SPD is currently searching for the suspect.&nbsp;

Salina Police investigating church burglary 

A man was arrested after an alleged assault on a woman inside a West Salina home.

According to the Salina Police Department (SPD) on Saturday, September 6 in the evening, a man allegedly assaulted a woman inside a home on the 1600 block of Sycamore.

Reportedly, a 29-year old woman and a 23-year old man identified as, Jhobani Torres-Simental got into an argument at the home. Allegedly, Torres-Simental forcibly grabbed the victim's phone, took it outside the house and broke it. The victim then tried to leave the home, but Torres-Simental 'grabbed and put her in a chokehold.'

The victim was able to get away from the chokehold, but as she got away, Torres-Simental 'tripped her' which caused the woman to fall. The victim suffered a cut above her right eyebrow from the fall.

Afterwards, the victim was able leave to a neighbor's house where she called SPD. When officers arrived to the scene, they discovered&nbsp;Torres-Simental inside the home where the alleged assault happened. He was then taken into custody without incident and was booked into the Saline County Jail on the following requested charges:

Robbery, Criminal Damage to Property and Domestic Battery.

SPD stated Torres-Simental and the victim are acquainted.&nbsp;

Domestic violence call results in arrest at West Salina home

Salina Police arrest Texas man who allegedly assaulted a woman at a Casey's parking lot.

According to the Salina Police Department (SPD) on Sunday, September 7 at around 8:30 pm, a witness called police of seeing an alleged assault take place at Casey's on the 2400 block of S. 9th.

Reportedly, the witness stated a female was in the driver's seat of a parked car with a male passenger in the Casey's parking lot, when allegedly the man started 'strangling and punching' the woman.

When the man saw the witness, the vehicle drove away with the woman as the driver and went northbound onto I-135. Officers later located the vehicle from the description of the witness report, northbound on mile marker 91.

Officers conducted a traffic stop and found a 23-year old woman from Winnsboro, TX, and a 22-year old man identified as Milique Zirretta from Silver Springs, TX. Officers discovered the woman had blood, with a cut above her right eye and an abrasion on her arm.

Zirretta was then taken into custody without incident and was booked into the Saline County Jail for the following requested charges:

Aggravated Domestic Battery, Criminal Damage to Property, Battery and Possession of Marijuana and Drug Paraphernalia.

SPD stated Zirretta and the victim are acquainted.

Texas man arrested after alleged assault at Casey's parking lot

It was announced recently that, after numerous calculations, the local economic impact of June’s Great Plains Annual Conference was an outstanding $841,280.&nbsp;

“We’re pleased to see that this event was beneficial for our local economy,” said Dr. Matt Thompson, KWU president. “Whether we’re hosting major events, welcoming students back to&nbsp;campus or growing our workforce, our goal is always to&nbsp;make positive contributions to our community.&nbsp;We are proud that KWU is a hub for athletic, music, theatre, and community-based events.&nbsp;The annual conference was a great example of this, and we look forward to discussions regarding hosting it again soon.”

More than 800 hotel rooms were reserved as part of the event, in addition to food and other expenses.&nbsp;Further, local retailers and vendors were involved in making this event a success.&nbsp;It is believed the&nbsp;nearly million&nbsp;figure marks the largest single-event local economic impact figure in KWU history.&nbsp;

“Our university has a long association with the United Methodist Church,” said Thompson. “From the beginning, KWU and the&nbsp;Church have been intertwined. It’s only fitting that,&nbsp;after nearly 140 years,&nbsp;the largest economic impact event our university&nbsp;hosted&nbsp;this year&nbsp;was a UMC event.”

KWU projects several key events to have a notable economic impact for Salina this academic year, including the KCAC baseball and softball championships. In past conference championship events in those sports have approached 1,000 combined tickets sold, not including the 20-40 student-athletes involved, per team.&nbsp;

“All of us at KWU are excited to host numerous events on campus and throughout the region this year,” said Thompson. “We hope everyone in the community makes plans to be a part of an upcoming Coyote event.”

For more information on Kansas Wesleyan, please visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kwu.edu/news">www.kwu.edu/news</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Local economic impact nears $1 million after annual conference 

<a href="https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?CityName=Salina&amp;state=KS&amp;site=ICT&amp;lat=38.8158&amp;lon=-97.6178">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

Three day weather forecast Salina, September 8 - September 10

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://salinapost.com/category/obituaries">HERE</a>&nbsp;to view the most recent obituaries and service times from our funeral home partners.

Salina Post obituary policy (subject to change)

Salina Post understands the importance of honoring the deceased and welcomes all submissions of obituaries with a full summary of their life, survivors, services, website of the funeral home and a photo.

Salina Post accepts all obituaries&nbsp;free of charge&nbsp;and you can email all obituaries:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:admin@salinapost.com">admin@salinapost.com</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:nicolas.fierro@eaglemedia.com">nicolas.fierro@eaglemedia.com</a>&nbsp;and will be posted on the website within 24 business hours.

If you have an issue outside of business hours, if your obituary has not been published within 24 business hours, or if have any questions, please email:&nbsp;<a href="mailto:admin@salinapost.com">admin@salinapost.com</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="mailto:nicolas.fierro@eaglemedia.com">nicolas.fierro@eaglemedia.com</a>

Recent obituaries and service times

Following is recent booking activity for the Saline County Jail, as provided by law enforcement. Photos, if provided, are courtesy of Saline County Jail. All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Outside warrant/NCIC hit

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Driving While Suspended; Driving while habitual violator

NAME:&nbsp;Zirretta, Milique Fredrick

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Agg Domestic Battery: impede breathing/choke; Criminal Damage to Property; Misdemeanor; Domestic Battery: rude physical contact

Saline County Jail Bookings, September 8

REQUESTED CHARGE:&nbsp;Probation Violation

NAME:&nbsp;Hernandez-Gomez, Silviano

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Outside warrant/NCIC hit; Driving under influence of alcohol or drugs; Misdemeanor

NAME:&nbsp;Torres Simental, Jhobani Raul

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Criminal Damage to Property; Misdemeanor; Domestic Battery: rude physical contact; Robbery

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Contribute to a child misconduct; Shelter/conceal a runaway; Use/poss. drug paraphernalia/human body; Liquor; Purch./poss./consume 18-20 yrs; unkn. conv.; Poss. of marijuana; Poss of stolen property;Value $1,500 to $25,000; Transporting an open container

REQUESTED CHARGES:&nbsp;Driving under influence of alcohol or drugs; Misdemeanor; No Proof Of Insurance

Saline County Jail Bookings, September 7

Cold temperatures are expected during the evening hours this weekend, with lows in the 40s.

According to the US National Weather Service (Wichita, KS), after a cold front passed through Central Kansas on early Friday morning, evening lows for tonight and Saturday evening are expected to be from 48-56 degrees.

Temperatures tonight and Saturday evening drop 20-25 degrees below normal, with highs in the 60s for Friday.

Temperatures dropping to the 40s during the evening hours this weekend

Three day weather forecast Salina, September 5 - September 7

Possibilities of scattered to numerous showers and thunderstorms are expected to occur throughout Central Kansas this evening.

According to the US National Weather Service (Wichita, KS), these storms will gradually increase from the west later tonight and persist through early to mid-evening on Friday. Pockets of heavy rainfall are likely, with a few isolated storms capable of dime to nickel size hail.

Salina has a 68% chance of showers and thunderstorms for tonight.

Another round of thunderstorms anticipated throughout Central Kansas tonight

A round of severe storms are expected to occur later this evening on Wednesday, September 3 in Salina.

According to the US National Weather Service (Wichita, KS), widely scattered storms are anticipated to occur in Salina from the hours of 4:00 - 7:00 pm. These storms reportedly are expected to develop in Central Kansas, move south and east throughout the evening and nighttime hours.

Accordingly, +2 inch sized hail and 60-70 mph wind gusts are possible.&nbsp;

The US National Weather Service advises you to a plan ahead if you have outdoor activities late this afternoon or early this evening of Wednesday.

Severe storms expected Wednesday evening in Salina

Three day weather forecast Salina, September 3 - September 5

A series of showers and possible thunderstorms, along with mild temperatures are expected for this week.

According to the US National Weather Service (Wichita, KS) showers are expected to occur throughout the morning of Tuesday, September 2nd, Wednesday, Thursday evening and into the morning of Friday.

Mild temperatures are anticipated as well. The hottest day of the week being Wednesday with highs ranging from 83-90 degrees. 

Highs of 72-80 are expected for Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

Series of showers along with mild temperatures expected for this week

Three day weather forecast Salina, September 1 - September 3

Labor Day weekend weather forecast Salina, August 29 - September 1

NEW YORK (AP) — A federal appeals court has upheld a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-carroll-defamation-trial-e4ea8b93cdeb29857864ffd8d14be888">civil jury's finding</a>&nbsp;that President Donald Trump must pay $83.3 million to E. Jean Carroll for his repeated social media attacks against the longtime advice columnist after she accused him of sexual assault.

In a ruling issued Monday, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rejected Trump's appeal of the defamation award, finding that the “jury's damages awards are fair and reasonable.”

Trump had argued that he should not have to pay the sum as a result of a Supreme Court decision expanding presidential immunity. His lawyers had asked for a new trial.

A civil jury in Manhattan issued the $88.3 million award last year following a trial that centered on Trump’s repeated social media attacks against Carroll over her claims that he sexually assaulted her in a Manhattan department store in 1996.

That award followed a separate trial, in which Trump was found&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rape-carroll-trial-fe68259a4b98bb3947d42af9ec83d7db">liable for sexually abusing Carroll</a>&nbsp;and ordered to pay $5 million. That award was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-carroll-lawsuit-defamation-trial-78e4196024539653a6de492312770ff2">upheld</a>&nbsp;by an appeals court last December.

In a memoir, and again at a 2023 trial, Carroll described how a chance encounter with Trump at Bergdorf Goodman’s Fifth Avenue in 1996 started with the two flirting as they shopped, then ended with a violent struggle inside a dressing room.

Carroll said Trump slammed her against a dressing room wall, pulled down her tights and forced himself on her.

A jury found Trump liable for sexual assault, but concluded he hadn’t committed rape, as defined under New York law.

Trump repeatedly denied that the encounter took place and accused Carroll of making it up to help sell her book.

He also said that Carroll was “not my type.”

The 2023 jury awarded Carroll $5 million to compensate her for both the alleged attack and statements Trump made denying that it had happened.

After that first verdict, the court held a second trial with a new jury for the purpose of deciding damages for additional statements Trump made attacking Carroll’s character and truthfulness.

Trump had skipped the first civil trial but he attended the second, which took place as he was running for president in 2024. Speaking to reporters throughout the trial, Trump portrayed the lawsuit as part of a broader effort to smear him and prevent him from regaining the White House.

His lawyers complained that the judge, in setting rules for the second, damages trial, had barred Trump and his defense team from claiming in front of the jury that he was innocent of the attack. The judge ruled that that issue had been settled by the first jury and didn’t need to be revisited.

Court upholds $83.3 million defamation judgment against President Trump

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused in connection with an Amber Alert in September of 2024 is due in court for Monday.

 Trevawn Strong, 30 of Wichita will attend an arraignment hearing in Judge William Wooley's court room, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Strong has been charged with abuse of a child, two counts of aggravated battery, two counts of aggravated assault, three counts of aggravated endangering a child, three counts of criminal threat, and misdemeanor counts of domestic battery, criminal restraint, and criminal damage to property, according to the District Attorney's office.

Just before 5 p.m. September 11,&nbsp; 2024, Strong forcibly took his 5-year-old son Trevawn Strong Jr from his mother utilizing a knife and firearm during a domestic incident at their residence in Wichita, according to police.

&nbsp;Strong&nbsp; threatened to kill his son, stabbed the boy's mother, and took the child.&nbsp; The Kansas Bureau of Investigation reported the boy was in imminent danger. The suspect left in a vehicle, but that vehicle was recovered in the 1900 block of N. Woodlawn in Wichita.&nbsp;

Just before 9p.m. police located the child and took the father into custody.

Strong remains free on a $250,000 bond with conditions including electronic monitoring with pre-trial services, according to the district attorney's office.

Suspect in violent Kansas Amber Alert will return to court

Several states say pharmacists must continue providing shots.

By:<a href="https://stateline.org/author/schatlani/">Shalina Chatlani</a> <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>

Several states, including Colorado, Massachusetts, New Mexico, New York and Pennsylvania, announced last week that they would be breaking with restrictive eligibility policies unveiled last week by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on the newly approved COVID-19 vaccines for the fall season.

In New York, Democratic Gov. Kathy Hochul signed an executive order Friday morning to authorize pharmacists to provide the shot to anyone who desires it for the next 30 days, which can be renewed.

“When they said that they are not going to be requiring COVID shots and other vaccinations for our families, I said, ‘No, here in New York we will make parents have the option.’ If you want your child to have a COVID shot, it should be available to you and it should be covered by insurance,” Hochul&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PNiPowR3Kso" target="_blank">said</a>&nbsp;during a news conference Friday morning, where she signed the order.

“So what I’m doing now is signing an executive order, because extreme times call for extreme measures. And this is the power I have to use in the interim until we are able to have the legislature get back in January and pass legislation that mandates this.”

Previous FDA policy recommended that COVID-19 vaccine booster shots be made available to anyone 6 months or older regardless of their health status. But in August, the federal agency announced restrictions for the new shot.

The FDA limited access to the vaccines to people who are 65 and older and to younger people with at least one underlying health condition, such as asthma or obesity, that would put them at risk of developing a severe illness without a booster shot. Children are eligible only if a medical provider is consulted. Additionally, the Pfizer vaccine, one of the three that were approved, will no longer be available for any child under 5.

“The American people demanded science, safety, and common sense. This framework delivers all three,” U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wrote on social media platform&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/SecKennedy/status/1960742897201872969" target="_blank">X</a>&nbsp;on Aug. 27.

Other states are also taking measures to ensure more people can get access to the vaccines.

On Thursday, Massachusetts Democratic Gov. Maura Healey&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mass.gov/doc/coverage-for-vaccines-bulletin/download" target="_blank">ordered</a>&nbsp;health insurers in the state to continue covering the vaccine. The state also issued an order to allow pharmacies to continue providing shots to residents above the age of 5.

Massachusetts is “leading efforts to create a public health collaboration with states in New England and across the Northeast committed to safeguarding public health as the federal government backs away from its responsibilities,” the governor’s office said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mass.gov/news/governor-healey-announces-immediate-steps-to-ensure-vaccine-availability-in-massachusetts-amid-trump-rfk-rollbacks" target="_blank">release</a>.

This week, the State Board of Pharmacy in Pennsylvania held a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pa.gov/governor/newsroom/2025-press-releases/state-board-of-pharmacy-votes-to-protect-vaccine-access-across-p" target="_blank">special meeting</a>&nbsp;to vote to bypass federal vaccine recommendations and allow pharmacists to continue administering COVID-19 vaccines.

“Health care decisions should be up to individuals — not the federal government and certainly not RFK Jr. My Administration will continue to protect health care access for all Pennsylvanians,” Pennsylvania Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pa.gov/governor/newsroom/2025-press-releases/state-board-of-pharmacy-votes-to-protect-vaccine-access-across-p" target="_blank">said</a>.

<a href="https://coloradonewsline.com/briefs/colorado-access-covid-19-vaccines/" target="_blank">Colorado</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://sourcenm.com/briefs/nm-board-of-pharmacy-expected-to-release-new-protocol-for-covid-19-vaccines-this-week/" target="_blank">New Mexico</a>&nbsp;took similar steps this week, with state officials signing public health orders asking state agencies to take steps necessary to require insurers to cover the vaccines and instructing pharmacists to provide the shots without a doctor’s note.

Stateline reporter Shalina Chatlani can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:schatlani@stateline.org">schatlani@stateline.org</a>.

States break with FDA restrictions on COVID vaccines, ensuring broader access

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Wichita and asking hte public for help to locate suspects.

Just before 4p.m. Sunday, police were dispatched to report of a shooting in the 700 North Piatt in Wichita, according to Police Department spokesman Andrew Ford. First responders found a 50-year-old man with a gunshot wound to his upper body.&nbsp;

Witnesses were giving the victim CPR and then emergency crews transported him to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

Police are looking for three persons of interest in the case. They are described as a light-skinned man, approximately 5-foot-9 with curly hair, a dark-skinned man, approximately 5-foot-9 with a thin build and a woman believed to be in her 40s, approximately 5-foot-2 with red and black hair that may have be a wig.

Anyone with information is asked to call Wichita Police.&nbsp; The name of the victim has not been released.

Police ask for help to locate 3 suspects in Kansas man's murder

FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP) — A man charged with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shooting-gunshots-florida-f62f8378d3a8ce7b2e99d6a8fb40aba9">trying to assassinate</a>&nbsp;Donald Trump while he played golf last year in South Florida wanted to ask potential jurors Monday on the first day of jury selection about their views on the war in Gaza and the talk of the U.S. acquiring Greenland, but a judge said those questions were irrelevant.

U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon earlier had signed off on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-routh-assassination-attempt-ukraine-suspicions-florida-530098c668f283d8a38eb5dd5570f1b2">Ryan Routh’s</a>&nbsp;request to represent himself but said court-appointed attorneys needed to remain as standby counsel. Routh also wanted to ask jurors what they would do if they were driving and saw a turtle in the road.

The judge on Monday approved most of the other questions for jurors submitted by prosecutors.

Routh wore a gray sports coat, red tie with white stripes and khaki slacks, in accordance with Cannon's instructions that he be dressed in professional business attire, and he was partially shackled at the defense table. Three batches of 60 jurors arrived at the federal courtroom in Fort Pierce, Florida, on a staggered schedule Monday and spent the morning filling out questionnaires.

The court has blocked off four weeks for Routh's trial, but attorneys are expecting they’ll need less time.

Jury selection was expected to take three days in an effort to find 12 jurors and four alternates. Opening statements were scheduled to begin Thursday, and prosecutors will begin their case immediately after that.

At a hearing last week, Cannon explained to Routh that he would be allowed to use a podium while speaking to the jury or questioning witnesses, but he would not have free rein of the courtroom.

Cannon is a Trump-appointed judge who drew scrutiny for her handling of a criminal case accusing Trump of illegally storing classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach. The case became mired in delays as motions piled up over months, and was ultimately dismissed by Cannon last year after she concluded that the special counsel tapped by the Justice Department to investigate Trump was illegally appointed.

Routh's trial begins nearly a year after prosecutors say a U.S. Secret Service agent thwarted Routh's attempt to shoot the Republican presidential nominee. Routh, 59, has pleaded not guilty to charges of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fbi-assassination-attempt-indictment-b4c956e1a126e4acfb3c4eae0c06ddb1">attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate</a>, assaulting a federal officer and several firearm violations.

Just nine weeks earlier, Trump had survived&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-butler-assassination-attempt-anniversary-crooks-d18804b0e1382003bbb91449638c721c">another attempt</a>&nbsp;on his life while campaigning in Pennsylvania. That gunman had fired eight shots, with one bullet grazing Trump's ear, before being shot by a Secret Service counter sniper.

Prosecutors have said Routh methodically plotted to kill Trump for weeks before aiming a rifle through the shrubbery as Trump played golf on Sept. 15, 2024, at his West Palm Beach country club. A Secret Service agent spotted Routh before Trump came into view. Officials said Routh aimed his rifle at the agent, who opened fire, causing Routh to drop his weapon and flee without firing a shot.

Law enforcement obtained help from a witness who prosecutors said informed officers that he saw a person fleeing. The witness was then flown in a police helicopter to a nearby interstate where Routh was arrested, and the witnesses confirmed it was the person he had seen, prosecutors have said.

The judge last week unsealed the prosecutor's 33-page list of exhibits that could be introduced as evidence at the trial. It says prosecutors have photos of Routh holding the same model of semi-automatic rifle found at Trump's club.

Routh was a North Carolina construction worker who in recent years had moved to Hawaii. A self-styled mercenary leader, Routh spoke out to anyone who would listen about his dangerous, sometimes violent plans to insert himself into conflicts around the world, witnesses have told The Associated Press.

In the early days of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ukraine">war in Ukraine</a>, Routh tried to recruit soldiers from Afghanistan, Moldova and Taiwan to fight the Russians. In his native Greensboro, North Carolina, he was arrested in 2002 for eluding a traffic stop and barricading himself from officers with a fully automatic machine gun and a “weapon of mass destruction,” which turned out to be an explosive with a 10-inch fuse.

In 2010, police searched a warehouse Routh owned and found more than 100 stolen items, from power tools and building supplies to kayaks and spa tubs. In both felony cases, judges gave Routh either probation or a suspended sentence.

In addition to the federal charges, Routh also has pleaded not guilty to state charges of terrorism and attempted murder.

FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP) — A federal trial is scheduled to begin Monday for a man charged with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shooting-gunshots-florida-f62f8378d3a8ce7b2e99d6a8fb40aba9">trying to assassinate</a>&nbsp;Donald Trump as he played golf in Florida in September 2024.

Jury selection is expected to take three days, with attorneys questioning three sets of 60 prospective jurors. They’re trying to find 12 jurors and four alternates. Opening statements are scheduled to begin Thursday, and prosecutors will begin their case immediately after that. The court has blocked off four weeks for the trial, but attorneys are expecting they’ll need less time.

U.S. District&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-maralago-justice-department-2737f5645c7d6d1b83ca06810542df88">Judge Aileen Cannon</a>&nbsp;signed off in July on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-routh-assassination-attempt-ukraine-suspicions-florida-530098c668f283d8a38eb5dd5570f1b2">Ryan Routh’s</a>&nbsp;request to represent himself during his trial, but said court-appointed attorneys need to remain as standby counsel.

The judge told Routh she believes it’s a bad idea for Routh to represent himself, but he wouldn’t be dissuaded. Routh, who has described the extent of his education as two years of college after earning his GED certificate, told Cannon that he understood the potential challenges and would be ready.

Cannon confirmed during a hearing earlier this week that Routh would be dressed in professional business attire for the trial. She also explained to Routh that he would be allowed to use a podium while speaking to the jury or questioning witnesses, but he would not have free rein of the courtroom.

“If you make any sudden movements, marshals will take decisive and quick action to respond,” Cannon said.

The 59-year-old Routh was a North Carolina construction worker who in recent years had moved to Hawaii. A self-styled mercenary leader, Routh spoke out to anyone who would listen about his dangerous, sometimes violent plans to insert himself into conflicts around the world, witnesses have told The Associated Press.

In the early days of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ukraine">war in Ukraine</a>, Routh tried to recruit soldiers from Afghanistan, Moldova and Taiwan to fight the Russians. In his native Greensboro, North Carolina, he had a 2002 arrest for eluding a traffic stop and barricading himself from officers with a fully automatic machine gun and a “weapon of mass destruction,” which turned out to be an explosive with a 10-inch-long fuse.

Routh is charged with attempted assassination

Authorities said Routh tried to assassinate Trump, the Republican nominee for presidential, while he played golf at his golf club in West Palm Beach.

Routh is facing five felony counts in federal court in Fort Pierce. They include attempted assassination of a major presidential candidate; possessing a firearm to carry out a violent crime; assaulting a federal officer; felon in possession of a firearm and ammunition; and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.

Cannon is the same judge who presided over another high-profile case involving Trump —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-indictment-classified-documents-miami-8315a5b23c18f27083ed64eef21efff3">the classified documents case</a>.

Last year, Cannon sided with Trump’s lawyers who said the special counsel who filed the charges was illegally appointed by the U.S. Justice Department. Cannon’s ruling halted a criminal case that at the time it was filed was widely regarded as the most perilous of all the legal threats the president faced before he returned to office last January.

Cannon was a former federal prosecutor who was nominated to the bench by Trump in 2020.

Trump was uninjured, and there’s no evidence that Routh fired his weapon at the golf course. U.S. Secret Service agents stationed a few holes up from where Trump was playing golf noticed the muzzle of an AK-style rifle sticking through the shrubbery that lines the course, roughly 400 yards away. An agent fired, and the gunman dropped the rifle and fled in an SUV, leaving the firearm behind along with two backpacks, a scope used for aiming and a GoPro camera. He was later stopped by law enforcement in a neighboring county.

Last September’s alleged assassination attempt took place just nine weeks after Trump survived&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-butler-assassination-attempt-anniversary-crooks-d18804b0e1382003bbb91449638c721c">another attempt</a>&nbsp;on his life in Pennsylvania.

Trial begins for man accused of trying to assassinate Trump 

KANSAS CITY—A child died in an accident just before 2p.m. Sunday at a residence in the 8100 Block of E 96th Terrace near James A. Reed Road in Kansas City, Missouri.

According to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina, a&nbsp;Silver SUV ran over a toddler in the driveway of the home. The toddler was transported to an area hospital and was pronounced deceased shortly after by the medical staff. Police identiried the driver of the vehicle who remained at the scene.&nbsp;

The incident remains under investigation.

Police: Toddler dies after run over in driveway of KC home

BUTLER COUNTY —Three people avoided injury after an unusual accident that occurred just after 5p.m. Sunday in Butler County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1943 Boeing Aircraft piloted by Ryan Stewart, 68, Benton, was on a short approach to the south facing runway at Stearman Field in Benton.&nbsp;

 The aircraft's landing gear struck a 2020 Toyota Corolla driven by Rebeca Rodriguez, 71, Benton, who was eastbound on Southwest 30th Street. The impact caused the aircraft to strike the ground and flip over on to its top.

The pilot, a passenger on plane and Rodriguez were not injured. The accident remains under investigation.

Small plane clips car while landing at Kansas airport

SEDGWICK COUNTY, Kan. –&nbsp;The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office is actively investigating a fatal shooting that occurred early Sunday morning&nbsp; in the 7700 block of South Broadway near Haysville, according to Sheriff's Department spokesman Branden Stitt.

At 2:58 a.m., Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received an automated crash detection alert from a mobile device in the area. Haysville police officers, along with Sedgwick County EMS and Fire District 1, responded and found an SUV that had crashed into a tree.

When first responders entered the vehicle, they found a 43-year-old Haysville man with gunshot wounds. Sedgwick County EMS took him to a local hospital in critical condition, where he later died. A female passenger suffered minor injuries in the crash.

This remains an active investigation, and our detectives and deputies are actively following up on leads.&nbsp;

If you have information about this case, please call our Investigations Division at 316-660-5300. To remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

Sheriff: Man found in Kan. SUV crash died from gunshot wounds

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Leo XIV declared a 15-year-old computer whiz the Catholic Church’s first millennial saint Sunday, giving the next generation of Catholics a relatable role model who used technology to spread the faith and earn the nickname “God’s influencer.”

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Brzb_VN86Ng">Click here to view</a>&nbsp;the web camera on the Acutis Tomb

Leo canonized Carlo Acutis, who died in 2006, during an open-air Mass in St. Peter’s Square before an estimated 80,000 people, many of them millennials and couples with young children. During the first saint-making Mass of his pontificate, Leo also canonized another popular Italian figure who died young, Pier Giorgio Frassati.

Leo said both men created “masterpieces” out of their lives by dedicating them to God.

“The greatest risk in life is to waste it outside of God’s plan,” Leo said in his homily. The new saints “are an invitation to all of us, especially young people, not to squander our lives, but to direct them upwards and make them masterpieces.”

An ordinary life that became extraordinary

Acutis was born on May 3, 1991, in London to a wealthy but not particularly observant Catholic family. They moved back to Milan soon after he was born and he enjoyed a typical, happy childhood, albeit marked by increasingly intense religious devotion.

Acutis was particularly interested in computer science and devoured college-level books on programming even as a youngster. He earned the nickname “God’s Influencer,” thanks to his main tech legacy: a multilingual website documenting so-called Eucharistic miracles recognized by the church, a project he completed at a time when the development of such sites was the domain of professionals.

He was known to spend hours in prayer before the Eucharist each day. The Catholic hierarchy has been trying to promote the practice of Eucharistic adoration because, according to polls, most Catholics don’t believe Christ is physically present in the Eucharistic hosts.

But Acutis limited himself to an hour of video games a week, apparently deciding long before TikTok that human relationships were far more important than virtual ones. That discipline and restraint has proved appealing to the Catholic hierarchy, which has sounded the alarm about the dangers of today's tech-driven society.

In October 2006, at age 15, Acutis fell ill with what was quickly diagnosed as acute leukemia. Within days, he was dead. He was entombed in Assisi, which known for its association with another popular saint, St. Francis.

In the years since his death, young Catholics have flocked by the millions to Assisi, where they can see the young Acutis through a glass-sided tomb, dressed in jeans, Nike sneakers and a sweatshirt. He seems as if he's sleeping, and questions have swirled about how his body was so well preserved, especially since parts of his heart have even toured the world as relics.

Both saint-making ceremonies had been scheduled for earlier this year, but were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vatican-saint-acutis-posponed-9fdb99acaf0296974dc6216851c9167a">postponed following Pope Francis’ death</a>&nbsp;in April. Francis had fervently pushed the Acutis sainthood case forward, convinced that the church needed someone like him to attract young Catholics to the faith while addressing the promises and perils of the digital age.

“It’s like I can maybe not be as great as Carlo may be, but I can be looking after him and be like, ‘What would Carlo do?’” said Leo Kowalsky, an 8th grader at a Chicago school attached to the Blessed Carlo Acutis Parish.

Local

Region

Sports

Weather