WYANDOTTE COUNTY —One person died in hit-and-run incident on Saturday afternoon in Wyandotte County.

According to Kansas City, Kansas police, a woman was walking northbound in the southbound lane crossing the 65th Street Bridge above Interstate 70. A southbound vehicle struck the woman and fled.

EMS transported the woman to an area hospital where she ws pronounced deceased.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —One person died in hit-and-run incident on Saturday afternoon in Wyandotte County.According to Kansas City, Kansas police, a woman was walking northbound in the southbound lane crossing the 65th Street Bridge above Interstate 70. A southbound vehicle struck the woman and fled.EMS transported the woman to an area hospital where she ws pronounced deceased.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

Kan. woman dies after hit-and-run while crossing bridge above I-70

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — After years of fraud, delayed claims and long waits, Kansas’ beleaguered unemployment program has rolled out a new, modernized system.

Gov. Laura Kelly and Kansas Department of Labor secretary Amber Shultz announced Friday the launch of the online claim system that has been three years in the making, and more than a decade overdue.&nbsp;

Kelly called it a “complete transformation.”

“Now we’ve unlocked access to a world of new possibilities,” Kelly said. “Modernizing an IT system is about more than just updating old software. It’s about rethinking the entire infrastructure.”

The old system was “slow, inefficient and, frankly, unresponsive, especially when Kansas needed it most,” Kelly told reporters and labor department staff.&nbsp;

Kansas’ aging unemployment system crumbled under the weight of a historic number of unemployment claims filed during the COVID-19 pandemic, of which an estimated hundreds of millions of dollars worth were deemed fraudulent.&nbsp;

Officials&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/09/08/kansas-legislators-clash-with-labor-secretary-over-report-on-unemployment-fraud-identity-theft/">admitted</a>&nbsp;the system should have been updated years ago.

In 2011, former Gov. Sam Brownback’s administration halted efforts to revamp the system. Kelly had planned to upgrade the 1970s-era mainframe system before the pandemic, but the process didn’t begin until June 2022.&nbsp;

Kelly referenced floppy disks, the Beatles and the Vietnam War when characterizing the time in which the system came to be. Roughly 50 years later, transforming the system was like turning a rotary phone into a smartphone, she said.&nbsp;

Kelly said the overhaul cost more than $40 million, but it would have cost about $27 million if done a decade ago. Continued investment in technology is important, Kelly said, “so we never fall behind the mark again.”

Shultz, who took over as department secretary in&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/04/16/shultz-formally-takes-reins-of-labor-department-plagued-by-challenges/">2021</a>, became emotional while thanking the labor department staff members. The “dark days” of the pandemic, as Kelly dubbed them, involved death threats and law enforcement protection for labor department staff.&nbsp;

“They came into a burning building during the pandemic,” she said.&nbsp;

A&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/09/27/kansas-labor-department-teams-with-new-federal-office-on-unemployment-modernization/">September 2021</a>&nbsp;state audit found that about 59% of the roughly 1 million unique claims filed during the pandemic were suspected to be fraudulent. That same audit showed the state processed $700 million in fraudulent benefit payments. Half came from federal funds and half from state funds.

A backlog of fraudulent claims still exists, Shultz told the Reflector. However, the department believes every case of fraud has been identified.&nbsp;

The new system, accessible at&nbsp;<a href="http://kansasui.gov/" target="_blank">KansasUI.gov</a>, was launched earlier this week. Some users encountered hiccups with the system’s multi-factor authentication, a process that is meant to add an extra layer of security, but Shultz said those affected have been contacted.

With the new system’s launch, claim filings are at normal levels, Shultz said. Typically, seasonal layoffs bring in about 1,200 initial claims this time of year, while continued claims are at about 7,500. As the new system’s first week comes to a close, volumes remain normal, Shultz said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732417306272.png" alt=" Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly and Kansas Department of Labor secretary Amber Shultz announce the launch of the state’s new online unemployment system Nov. 22, 2024, at the Statehouse. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly and Kansas Department of Labor secretary Amber Shultz announce the launch of the state’s new online unemployment system Nov. 22, 2024, at the Statehouse. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — After years of fraud, delayed claims and long waits, Kansas’ beleaguered unemployment program has rolled out a new, modernized system.Gov. Laura Kelly and Kansas Department of Labor secretary Amber Shultz announced Friday the launch of the online claim system that has been three years in the making, and more than a decade overdue.&nbsp;Kelly called it a “complete transformation.”“Now we’ve unlocked access to a world of new possibilities,” Kelly said. “Modernizing an IT system is about more than just updating old software. It’s about rethinking the entire infrastructure.”The old system was “slow, inefficient and, frankly, unresponsive, especially when Kansas needed it most,” Kelly told reporters and labor department staff.&nbsp;Kansas’ aging unemployment system crumbled under the weight of a historic number of unemployment claims filed during the COVID-19 pandemic, of which an estimated hundreds of millions of dollars worth were deemed fraudulent.&nbsp;Officials&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/09/08/kansas-legislators-clash-with-labor-secretary-over-report-on-unemployment-fraud-identity-theft/">admitted</a>&nbsp;the system should have been updated years ago.In 2011, former Gov. Sam Brownback’s administration halted efforts to revamp the system. Kelly had planned to upgrade the 1970s-era mainframe system before the pandemic, but the process didn’t begin until June 2022.&nbsp;Kelly referenced floppy disks, the Beatles and the Vietnam War when characterizing the time in which the system came to be. Roughly 50 years later, transforming the system was like turning a rotary phone into a smartphone, she said.&nbsp;Kelly said the overhaul cost more than $40 million, but it would have cost about $27 million if done a decade ago. Continued investment in technology is important, Kelly said, “so we never fall behind the mark again.”Shultz, who took over as department secretary in&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/04/16/shultz-formally-takes-reins-of-labor-department-plagued-by-challenges/">2021</a>, became emotional while thanking the labor department staff members. The “dark days” of the pandemic, as Kelly dubbed them, involved death threats and law enforcement protection for labor department staff.&nbsp;“They came into a burning building during the pandemic,” she said.&nbsp;A&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/09/27/kansas-labor-department-teams-with-new-federal-office-on-unemployment-modernization/">September 2021</a>&nbsp;state audit found that about 59% of the roughly 1 million unique claims filed during the pandemic were suspected to be fraudulent. That same audit showed the state processed $700 million in fraudulent benefit payments. Half came from federal funds and half from state funds.A backlog of fraudulent claims still exists, Shultz told the Reflector. However, the department believes every case of fraud has been identified.&nbsp;The new system, accessible at&nbsp;<a href="http://kansasui.gov/" target="_blank">KansasUI.gov</a>, was launched earlier this week. Some users encountered hiccups with the system’s multi-factor authentication, a process that is meant to add an extra layer of security, but Shultz said those affected have been contacted.With the new system’s launch, claim filings are at normal levels, Shultz said. Typically, seasonal layoffs bring in about 1,200 initial claims this time of year, while continued claims are at about 7,500. As the new system’s first week comes to a close, volumes remain normal, Shultz said.

Kansas rolls out new unemployment system, first in nearly 50 years

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Two weeks before Election Day, activists from across the country gathered for an online rally heralding the historic number of state ballot initiatives seeking to change the way people vote. Hopes were high that voters would ditch traditional partisan primaries and embrace ballots with more candidate choices.

Instead, the election reform movement lost almost everywhere it appeared on a statewide ballot.

“It turns out, in retrospect, we weren’t yet ready for prime time,” said John Opdycke, president of the advocacy group Open Primaries, which organized the rally.

In Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and South Dakota — a mixture of red, blue and purple states — voters rejected either&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ranked-choice-voting-maine-alaska-elections-3c671352c0a6aa3604502955e6df3097">ranked choice voting</a>, open primaries or a combination of both.

The open primary proposals sought to place candidates of all parties on the same ballot, with a certain number of top finishers advancing to the general election. Under ranked choice voting, people can vote for multiple candidates in order of preference. If no one receives a majority of first place votes, then candidates who receive the fewest votes are eliminated and their votes redistributed to people's next choices.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ranked-choice-voting-open-primaries-election-2024-881a2630d57e3596754c714c4d90dc5e">Election reform advocates</a>&nbsp;raised about $110 million for the statewide ballot measures, vastly outpacing their opponents, according to an Associated Press analysis of campaign finance figures that could grow even larger as post-election reports are filed. Still, their promotional push wasn't enough to persuade most voters.

“While Americans are frustrated with politics, I think most Americans are just fine with the traditional way of voting,” said Trent England, executive director of Save Our States, which opposes ranked choice voting.

Advocates for alternative election methods had thought momentum was on their side after Alaska voters narrowly approved a combination of open primaries and ranked choice voting in 2020. Then voters in Nevada — where initiatives proposing constitutional amendments require approval in two consecutive elections — gave first-round approval to a similar measure in 2022. But Nevada voters reversed course this year.

In Alaska, an attempt this year to repeal open primaries and ranked choice voting appears to have fallen just short of passing, garnering 49.9% support in results released Wednesday. Final results are expected to be certified Nov. 30.

In addition to Alaska, versions of ranked choice voting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maine-house-congress-golden-theriault-bb072ca55aaab2ebae3fb8b6339cb545">already exist in Maine</a>&nbsp;'s federal elections and about 50 counties or cities. Voters in Washington, D.C., and the Chicago suburb of Oak Park, Illinois, both approved ranked choice voting this November. And voters in the Minneapolis suburb of Bloomington, Minnesota, reaffirmed their use of it.

Data suggests that ranked choice voting rarely results in different outcomes than traditional elections won by candidates receiving a plurality, but not majority, of support. The AP analyzed nearly 150 races this fall in 16 jurisdictions where ranked choice voting is authorized, ranging from the Board of Assessors elections in the Village of Arden, Delaware, to the presidential elections in Alaska and Maine. The ranking system was needed in just 30% of those cases, because the rest were won by candidates receiving a majority of the initial votes.

Nationwide, just three candidates who initially trailed in first-place votes ended up winning after ranked vote tabulations — one for Portland City Council and two for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.

In San Francisco, two progressive candidates campaigned together, encouraging voters to rank them No. 1 and 2. Initially, they fell behind a moderate candidate who would have won a traditional election. But after six rounds of rankings, one of the progressive candidates emerged the victor when the other was eliminated and his supporters' votes were redistributed to her.

Supporters of ranked choice voting point to that as a success, because it avoided two similar candidates splitting the vote and both losing.

“It’s kind of like a pressure valve – you don’t always need it, but when you do, you really do,” said Deb Otis, director of research and policy at FairVote, which advocates for ranked choice voting.

In Portland, Oregon, voters used ranked choice voting for the first time this November in their mayoral and City Council elections, even as Oregon voters simultaneously rejected a measure to implement it for federal and statewide offices. Political outsider Keith Wilson, who led Portland's 19-person mayoral field with about one-third of the initial vote,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/portland-oregon-mayor-keith-wilson-homelessness-ba9c06e72d9de6d71bb9b5fa65ffa422">ultimately won election</a>&nbsp;after 19 rounds of ranked tabulations. One City Council seat took at least 30 rounds to decide.

But not everyone participated in the new voting method. About one-fifth of Portland voters skipped the council races, and about one-in-seven voters left the mayoral election blank.

Opponents of ranked choice voting contend that some people find it confusing and don't vote in ranked races.

Academic research also has cast doubt on the benefits of ranked choice voting, said Larry Jacobs, a professor of politics at the University of Minnesota. Fewer Black voters tend to rank candidates than white voters, he said, and there is little evidence that ranked choice voting reduces political polarization or negative campaigning.

“I think the tide for ranked choice voting is turning away from it,” Jacobs said.

Groups that heavily financed this year's election reform initiatives aren't giving up, but may retool their approach. Supporters are considering whether to separate the efforts to end partisan primaries from those to adopt ranked choice voting, and whether to focus more on incremental changes that state legislatures can make instead of on high-stakes initiatives to amend state constitutions.

Opdycke said some of this year's initiatives may have launched prematurely, counting on ads to persuade voters without first cultivating enough grassroots support.

“I think there’s a deeper appreciation for the kind of brick work, foundation-building, conversation creation that has to go on as a precursor of launching a formal campaign," he said.

Unite America, which spent around $70 million this year in its effort to end partisan primaries, is analyzing voter surveys and focus group results to help reshape its approach.

“The question is not if we should continue that effort," Unite America Executive Director Nick Troiano said, "but how are we ultimately going to succeed at it?”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732417787036.png" alt="“While Americans are frustrated with politics, I think most Americans are just fine with the traditional way of voting,” said Trent England, executive director of Save Our States, which opposes ranked choice voting." />
 <figcaption>“While Americans are frustrated with politics, I think most Americans are just fine with the traditional way of voting,” said Trent England, executive director of Save Our States, which opposes ranked choice voting.</figcaption>
 </figure>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Two weeks before Election Day, activists from across the country gathered for an online rally heralding the historic number of state ballot initiatives seeking to change the way people vote. Hopes were high that voters would ditch traditional partisan primaries and embrace ballots with more candidate choices.Instead, the election reform movement lost almost everywhere it appeared on a statewide ballot.“It turns out, in retrospect, we weren’t yet ready for prime time,” said John Opdycke, president of the advocacy group Open Primaries, which organized the rally.In Arizona, Colorado, Idaho, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, Oregon and South Dakota — a mixture of red, blue and purple states — voters rejected either&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ranked-choice-voting-maine-alaska-elections-3c671352c0a6aa3604502955e6df3097">ranked choice voting</a>, open primaries or a combination of both.The open primary proposals sought to place candidates of all parties on the same ballot, with a certain number of top finishers advancing to the general election. Under ranked choice voting, people can vote for multiple candidates in order of preference. If no one receives a majority of first place votes, then candidates who receive the fewest votes are eliminated and their votes redistributed to people's next choices.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ranked-choice-voting-open-primaries-election-2024-881a2630d57e3596754c714c4d90dc5e">Election reform advocates</a>&nbsp;raised about $110 million for the statewide ballot measures, vastly outpacing their opponents, according to an Associated Press analysis of campaign finance figures that could grow even larger as post-election reports are filed. Still, their promotional push wasn't enough to persuade most voters.“While Americans are frustrated with politics, I think most Americans are just fine with the traditional way of voting,” said Trent England, executive director of Save Our States, which opposes ranked choice voting.Advocates for alternative election methods had thought momentum was on their side after Alaska voters narrowly approved a combination of open primaries and ranked choice voting in 2020. Then voters in Nevada — where initiatives proposing constitutional amendments require approval in two consecutive elections — gave first-round approval to a similar measure in 2022. But Nevada voters reversed course this year.In Alaska, an attempt this year to repeal open primaries and ranked choice voting appears to have fallen just short of passing, garnering 49.9% support in results released Wednesday. Final results are expected to be certified Nov. 30.In addition to Alaska, versions of ranked choice voting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/maine-house-congress-golden-theriault-bb072ca55aaab2ebae3fb8b6339cb545">already exist in Maine</a>&nbsp;'s federal elections and about 50 counties or cities. Voters in Washington, D.C., and the Chicago suburb of Oak Park, Illinois, both approved ranked choice voting this November. And voters in the Minneapolis suburb of Bloomington, Minnesota, reaffirmed their use of it.Data suggests that ranked choice voting rarely results in different outcomes than traditional elections won by candidates receiving a plurality, but not majority, of support. The AP analyzed nearly 150 races this fall in 16 jurisdictions where ranked choice voting is authorized, ranging from the Board of Assessors elections in the Village of Arden, Delaware, to the presidential elections in Alaska and Maine. The ranking system was needed in just 30% of those cases, because the rest were won by candidates receiving a majority of the initial votes.Nationwide, just three candidates who initially trailed in first-place votes ended up winning after ranked vote tabulations — one for Portland City Council and two for the San Francisco Board of Supervisors.In San Francisco, two progressive candidates campaigned together, encouraging voters to rank them No. 1 and 2. Initially, they fell behind a moderate candidate who would have won a traditional election. But after six rounds of rankings, one of the progressive candidates emerged the victor when the other was eliminated and his supporters' votes were redistributed to her.Supporters of ranked choice voting point to that as a success, because it avoided two similar candidates splitting the vote and both losing.“It’s kind of like a pressure valve – you don’t always need it, but when you do, you really do,” said Deb Otis, director of research and policy at FairVote, which advocates for ranked choice voting.In Portland, Oregon, voters used ranked choice voting for the first time this November in their mayoral and City Council elections, even as Oregon voters simultaneously rejected a measure to implement it for federal and statewide offices. Political outsider Keith Wilson, who led Portland's 19-person mayoral field with about one-third of the initial vote,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/portland-oregon-mayor-keith-wilson-homelessness-ba9c06e72d9de6d71bb9b5fa65ffa422">ultimately won election</a>&nbsp;after 19 rounds of ranked tabulations. One City Council seat took at least 30 rounds to decide.But not everyone participated in the new voting method. About one-fifth of Portland voters skipped the council races, and about one-in-seven voters left the mayoral election blank.Opponents of ranked choice voting contend that some people find it confusing and don't vote in ranked races.Academic research also has cast doubt on the benefits of ranked choice voting, said Larry Jacobs, a professor of politics at the University of Minnesota. Fewer Black voters tend to rank candidates than white voters, he said, and there is little evidence that ranked choice voting reduces political polarization or negative campaigning.“I think the tide for ranked choice voting is turning away from it,” Jacobs said.Groups that heavily financed this year's election reform initiatives aren't giving up, but may retool their approach. Supporters are considering whether to separate the efforts to end partisan primaries from those to adopt ranked choice voting, and whether to focus more on incremental changes that state legislatures can make instead of on high-stakes initiatives to amend state constitutions.Opdycke said some of this year's initiatives may have launched prematurely, counting on ads to persuade voters without first cultivating enough grassroots support.“I think there’s a deeper appreciation for the kind of brick work, foundation-building, conversation creation that has to go on as a precursor of launching a formal campaign," he said.Unite America, which spent around $70 million this year in its effort to end partisan primaries, is analyzing voter surveys and focus group results to help reshape its approach.“The question is not if we should continue that effort," Unite America Executive Director Nick Troiano said, "but how are we ultimately going to succeed at it?”

Voters rejected historic election reforms across the US, despite more than $100M push

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just before 1:30p.m. Saturday in Kansas City.

A preliminary investigation revealed a&nbsp;Chevrolet Trailblazer was eastbound on 47th Street near Appleton in Kansas City at a very high rate of speed, according to KCPD&nbsp;Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

 The Chevrolet traveled off the roadway to the right through a drainage ditch and rolled.

 As the SUV rolled it vaulted up and over a large dirt mound and continued rolling eastbound across Appleton and struck an unoccupied red Ford F150 that was parked in the driveway and an unoccupied residence located at 4701 Appleton.

 The unrestrained driver and sole occupant of the Chevrolet was ejected from the vehicle and was pronounced deceased at the scene, according to DiMartino.&nbsp; The name of the driver has not been released.&nbsp; This is fatality #85 compared to #90 at this time last year in KCMO, according to DiMartino.&nbsp;

KANSAS CITY —One person died in an accident just before 1:30p.m. Saturday in Kansas City.A preliminary investigation revealed a&nbsp;Chevrolet Trailblazer was eastbound on 47th Street near Appleton in Kansas City at a very high rate of speed, according to KCPD&nbsp;Sergeant Phil DiMartino. The Chevrolet traveled off the roadway to the right through a drainage ditch and rolled. As the SUV rolled it vaulted up and over a large dirt mound and continued rolling eastbound across Appleton and struck an unoccupied red Ford F150 that was parked in the driveway and an unoccupied residence located at 4701 Appleton. The unrestrained driver and sole occupant of the Chevrolet was ejected from the vehicle and was pronounced deceased at the scene, according to DiMartino.&nbsp; The name of the driver has not been released.&nbsp; This is fatality #85 compared to #90 at this time last year in KCMO, according to DiMartino.&nbsp;

KCPD: Driver dies after violent rollover crash into driveway of home

NEW YORK (AP) — Chuck Woolery, the affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19, has died. He was 83.

Mark Young, Woolery's podcast co-host and friend, said in an email early Sunday that Woolery died at his home in Texas with his wife, Kristen, present. “Chuck was a dear friend and brother and a tremendous man of faith, life will not be the same without him,” Young wrote.

Woolery, with his matinee idol looks, coiffed hair and ease with witty banter, was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007 and earned a daytime Emmy nomination in 1978.

In 1983, Woolery began an 11-year run as host of TV’s “Love Connection,” for which he coined the phrase, “We’ll be back in two minutes and two seconds,” a two-fingered signature dubbed the “2 and 2.” In 1984, he hosted TV’s “Scrabble,” simultaneously hosting two game shows on TV until 1990.

“Love Connection,” which aired long before the dawn of dating apps, had a premise that featured either a single man or single woman who would watch audition tapes of three potential mates and then pick one for a date.

A couple of weeks after the date, the guest would sit with Woolery in front of a studio audience and tell everybody about the date. The audience would vote on the three contestants, and if the audience agreed with the guest’s choice, “Love Connection” would offer to pay for a second date.

Woolery told The Philadelphia Inquirer in 2003 that his favorite set of lovebirds was a man aged 91 and a woman aged 87. "She had so much eye makeup on, she looked like a stolen Corvette. He was so old he said, ‘I remember wagon trains.’ The poor guy. She took him on a balloon ride.”

Other career highlights included hosting the shows “Lingo," “Greed” and “The Chuck Woolery Show,” as well as hosting the short-lived syndicated revival of “The Dating Game” from 1998 to 2000 and an ill-fated 1991 talk show. In 1992, he played himself in two episodes of TV’s “Melrose Place.”

Woolery became the subject of the Game Show Network’s first attempt at a reality show, “Chuck Woolery: Naturally Stoned,” which premiered in 2003. It shared the title of the pop song in 1968 by Woolery and his rock group, the Avant-Garde. It lasted six episode and was panned by critics.

Woolery began his TV career at a show that has become a mainstay. Although most associated with Pat Sajak and Vanna White, “Wheel of Fortune” debuted Jan. 6, 1975, on NBC with Woolery welcoming contestants and the audience. Woolery, then 33, was trying to make it in Nashville as a singer.

“Wheel of Fortune” started life as “Shopper’s Bazaar,” incorporating Hangman-style puzzles and a roulette wheel. After Woolery appeared on “The Merv Griffin Show” singing “Delta Dawn,” Merv Griffin asked him to host the new show with Susan Stafford.

“I had an interview that stretched to 15, 20 minutes,” Woolery told The New York Times in 2003. “After the show, when Merv asked if I wanted to do a game show, I thought, ‘Great, a guy with a bad jacket and an equally bad mustache who doesn’t care what you have to say — that’s the guy I want to be.’”

NBC initially passed, but they retooled it as “Wheel of Fortune” and got the green light. After a few years, Woolery demanded a raise to $500,000 a year, or what host Peter Marshall was making on “Hollywood Squares.” Griffin balked and replaced Woolery with weather reporter Pat Sajak.

“Both Chuck and Susie did a fine job, and ‘Wheel’ did well enough on NBC, although it never approached the kind of ratings success that ‘Jeopardy!’ achieved in its heyday,” Griffin said in “Merv: Making the Good Life Last,” an autobiography from the 2000s co-written by David Bender. Woolery earned an Emmy nod as host.

Born in Ashland, Kentucky, Woolery served in the U.S. Navy before attending college. He played double bass in a folk trio, then formed the psychedelic rock duo The Avant-Garde in 1967 while working as a truck driver to support himself as a musician.

The Avant-Garde, which tourbed in a refitted Cadillac hearse, had the Top 40 hit “Naturally Stoned,” with Woolery singing, “When I put my mind on you alone/I can get a good sensation/Feel like I’m naturally stoned.”

After The Avant-Garde broke up, Woolery released his debut solo single “I’ve Been Wrong” in 1969 and several more singles with Columbia before transitioning to country music by the 1970s. He released two solo singles, “Forgive My Heart” and “Love Me, Love Me.”

Woolery wrote or co-wrote songs for himself and everyone from Pat Boone to Tammy Wynette. On Wynette’s 1971 album “We Sure Can Love Each Other,” Woolery wrote “The Joys of Being a Woman” with lyrics including “See our baby on the swing/Hear her laugh, hear her scream.”

After his TV career ended, Woolery went into podcasting. In an interview with The New York Times, he called himself a gun-rights activist and described himself as a conservative libertarian and constitutionalist. He said he hadn’t revealed his politics in liberal Hollywood for fear of retribution.

He teamed up with Mark Young in 2014 for the podcast “Blunt Force Truth” and soon became a full supporter of Donald Trump while arguing minorities don’t need civil rights and causing a firestorm by tweeting an antisemitic comment linking Soviet Communists to Judaism.

“President Obama’s popularity is a fantasy only held by him and his dwindling legion of juice-box-drinking, anxiety-dog-hugging, safe-space-hiding snowflakes,” he said.

Woolery also was active online, retweeting articles from Conservative Brief, insisting Democrats were trying to install a system of Marxism and spreading headlines such as “Impeach him! Devastating photo of Joe Biden leaks.”

During the early stages of the pandemic, Woolery initially accused medical professionals and Democrats of lying about the virus in an effort to hurt the economy and Trump’s chances for reelection to the presidency.

“The most outrageous lies are the ones about COVID-19. Everyone is lying. The CDC, media, Democrats, our doctors, not all but most, that we are told to trust. I think it’s all about the election and keeping the economy from coming back, which is about the election. I’m sick of it,” Woolery wrote in July 2020.

Trump retweeted that post to his 83 million followers. By the end of the month, nearly 4.5 million Americans had been infected with COVID-19 and more than 150,000 had died.

Just days later, Woolery changed his stance, announcing his son had contracted COVID-19. “To further clarify and add perspective, COVID-19 is real and it is here. My son tested positive for the virus, and I feel for of those suffering and especially for those who have lost loved ones,” Woolery posted before his account was deleted.

Woolery later explained on his podcast that he never called COVID-19 “a hoax” or said “it’s not real,” just that “we’ve been lied to.” Woolery also said it was “an honor to have your president retweet what your thoughts are and think it’s important enough to do that.”

In addition to his wife, Woolery is survived by his sons Michael and Sean and his daughter Melissa, Young said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732437807657.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Chuck Woolery, the affable, smooth-talking game show host of “Wheel of Fortune,” “Love Connection” and “Scrabble” who later became a right-wing podcaster, skewering liberals and accusing the government of lying about COVID-19, has died. He was 83.Mark Young, Woolery's podcast co-host and friend, said in an email early Sunday that Woolery died at his home in Texas with his wife, Kristen, present. “Chuck was a dear friend and brother and a tremendous man of faith, life will not be the same without him,” Young wrote.Woolery, with his matinee idol looks, coiffed hair and ease with witty banter, was inducted into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame in 2007 and earned a daytime Emmy nomination in 1978.In 1983, Woolery began an 11-year run as host of TV’s “Love Connection,” for which he coined the phrase, “We’ll be back in two minutes and two seconds,” a two-fingered signature dubbed the “2 and 2.” In 1984, he hosted TV’s “Scrabble,” simultaneously hosting two game shows on TV until 1990.“Love Connection,” which aired long before the dawn of dating apps, had a premise that featured either a single man or single woman who would watch audition tapes of three potential mates and then pick one for a date.A couple of weeks after the date, the guest would sit with Woolery in front of a studio audience and tell everybody about the date. The audience would vote on the three contestants, and if the audience agreed with the guest’s choice, “Love Connection” would offer to pay for a second date.Woolery told The Philadelphia Inquirer in 2003 that his favorite set of lovebirds was a man aged 91 and a woman aged 87. "She had so much eye makeup on, she looked like a stolen Corvette. He was so old he said, ‘I remember wagon trains.’ The poor guy. She took him on a balloon ride.”Other career highlights included hosting the shows “Lingo," “Greed” and “The Chuck Woolery Show,” as well as hosting the short-lived syndicated revival of “The Dating Game” from 1998 to 2000 and an ill-fated 1991 talk show. In 1992, he played himself in two episodes of TV’s “Melrose Place.”Woolery became the subject of the Game Show Network’s first attempt at a reality show, “Chuck Woolery: Naturally Stoned,” which premiered in 2003. It shared the title of the pop song in 1968 by Woolery and his rock group, the Avant-Garde. It lasted six episode and was panned by critics.Woolery began his TV career at a show that has become a mainstay. Although most associated with Pat Sajak and Vanna White, “Wheel of Fortune” debuted Jan. 6, 1975, on NBC with Woolery welcoming contestants and the audience. Woolery, then 33, was trying to make it in Nashville as a singer.“Wheel of Fortune” started life as “Shopper’s Bazaar,” incorporating Hangman-style puzzles and a roulette wheel. After Woolery appeared on “The Merv Griffin Show” singing “Delta Dawn,” Merv Griffin asked him to host the new show with Susan Stafford.“I had an interview that stretched to 15, 20 minutes,” Woolery told The New York Times in 2003. “After the show, when Merv asked if I wanted to do a game show, I thought, ‘Great, a guy with a bad jacket and an equally bad mustache who doesn’t care what you have to say — that’s the guy I want to be.’”NBC initially passed, but they retooled it as “Wheel of Fortune” and got the green light. After a few years, Woolery demanded a raise to $500,000 a year, or what host Peter Marshall was making on “Hollywood Squares.” Griffin balked and replaced Woolery with weather reporter Pat Sajak.“Both Chuck and Susie did a fine job, and ‘Wheel’ did well enough on NBC, although it never approached the kind of ratings success that ‘Jeopardy!’ achieved in its heyday,” Griffin said in “Merv: Making the Good Life Last,” an autobiography from the 2000s co-written by David Bender. Woolery earned an Emmy nod as host.Born in Ashland, Kentucky, Woolery served in the U.S. Navy before attending college. He played double bass in a folk trio, then formed the psychedelic rock duo The Avant-Garde in 1967 while working as a truck driver to support himself as a musician.The Avant-Garde, which tourbed in a refitted Cadillac hearse, had the Top 40 hit “Naturally Stoned,” with Woolery singing, “When I put my mind on you alone/I can get a good sensation/Feel like I’m naturally stoned.”After The Avant-Garde broke up, Woolery released his debut solo single “I’ve Been Wrong” in 1969 and several more singles with Columbia before transitioning to country music by the 1970s. He released two solo singles, “Forgive My Heart” and “Love Me, Love Me.”Woolery wrote or co-wrote songs for himself and everyone from Pat Boone to Tammy Wynette. On Wynette’s 1971 album “We Sure Can Love Each Other,” Woolery wrote “The Joys of Being a Woman” with lyrics including “See our baby on the swing/Hear her laugh, hear her scream.”After his TV career ended, Woolery went into podcasting. In an interview with The New York Times, he called himself a gun-rights activist and described himself as a conservative libertarian and constitutionalist. He said he hadn’t revealed his politics in liberal Hollywood for fear of retribution.He teamed up with Mark Young in 2014 for the podcast “Blunt Force Truth” and soon became a full supporter of Donald Trump while arguing minorities don’t need civil rights and causing a firestorm by tweeting an antisemitic comment linking Soviet Communists to Judaism.“President Obama’s popularity is a fantasy only held by him and his dwindling legion of juice-box-drinking, anxiety-dog-hugging, safe-space-hiding snowflakes,” he said.Woolery also was active online, retweeting articles from Conservative Brief, insisting Democrats were trying to install a system of Marxism and spreading headlines such as “Impeach him! Devastating photo of Joe Biden leaks.”During the early stages of the pandemic, Woolery initially accused medical professionals and Democrats of lying about the virus in an effort to hurt the economy and Trump’s chances for reelection to the presidency.“The most outrageous lies are the ones about COVID-19. Everyone is lying. The CDC, media, Democrats, our doctors, not all but most, that we are told to trust. I think it’s all about the election and keeping the economy from coming back, which is about the election. I’m sick of it,” Woolery wrote in July 2020.Trump retweeted that post to his 83 million followers. By the end of the month, nearly 4.5 million Americans had been infected with COVID-19 and more than 150,000 had died.Just days later, Woolery changed his stance, announcing his son had contracted COVID-19. “To further clarify and add perspective, COVID-19 is real and it is here. My son tested positive for the virus, and I feel for of those suffering and especially for those who have lost loved ones,” Woolery posted before his account was deleted.Woolery later explained on his podcast that he never called COVID-19 “a hoax” or said “it’s not real,” just that “we’ve been lied to.” Woolery also said it was “an honor to have your president retweet what your thoughts are and think it’s important enough to do that.”In addition to his wife, Woolery is survived by his sons Michael and Sean and his daughter Melissa, Young said.___

Chuck Woolery, game show host of 'Love Connection' and 'Scrabble,' dies at 83

JACKSON COUNTY– Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an arrest following a house fire.

Just after 6p.m. on November 21, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call of a house fire at 510 Washington Avenue in the the city of Delia, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

 Upon arrival, responders found the residence engulfed with fire.  Fire departments were able to extinguish the fire. The Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office responded later to the scene.

  The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office served a search warrant on the residence later in the night. All fire units were clear the scene by 10 p.m. Jackson County Deputies and Detectives arrested 44-year-old Denise Elaine Meltz, of Delia. 

Meltz was transported to and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of arson, possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

The Delia, Mayetta, Hoyt, PBPN Fire Departments, Jackson County EMS, and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office responded to assist at the scene of the fire.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732309635376.png" alt="Photo Jackson Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Jackson Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY– Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an arrest following a house fire.Just after 6p.m. on November 21, the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call of a house fire at 510 Washington Avenue in the the city of Delia, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732309599192.png" alt="Melz photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Melz photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure> Upon arrival, responders found the residence engulfed with fire. Fire departments were able to extinguish the fire. The Kansas State Fire Marshal’s Office responded later to the scene. The Jackson County Sheriff’s Office served a search warrant on the residence later in the night. All fire units were clear the scene by 10 p.m. Jackson County Deputies and Detectives arrested 44-year-old Denise Elaine Meltz, of Delia. Meltz was transported to and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of arson, possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.The Delia, Mayetta, Hoyt, PBPN Fire Departments, Jackson County EMS, and the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office responded to assist at the scene of the fire.

Kansas woman jailed for starting house fire and meth possession

PLATTE COUNTY, Mo. —Law enforcement in Kansas and Missouri investigating alleged sex crimes have made five arrests.

On November 21st and November 22nd, the Platte County Sheriff’s Office conducted a Counter Human Trafficking Operation composed of a predatory buyer interdiction operation and a survivor advocacy operation, according to Sheriff's Department Major Erik Holland.

 During the predatory buyer interdiction five men were arrested for attempting to engage in paid sex acts with females, they believed to be 14 and 15 years old.

 The survivor advocacy operation was hosted by Value Unconditional, a victim advocate group, who met with 12 commercial sex workers and provided 11 successful advocacy sessions.

"This type of crime often goes unseen by the public but victimizes some of the most vulnerable individuals in our communities, according to&nbsp;Sheriff Mark Owen. "Law enforcement in our area is committed to protecting children from sexual predators.” 

 The Platte County Sheriff’s Office thanked the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office, the Butler County Sheriff’s Office and the Greenwood County&nbsp; Sheriff’s Offices in Kansas., the Riverside, Missouri Police Department, the Clay County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office, the Ray County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office&nbsp;and the Washoe County (NV) Sheriff’s Office for their support during this operation.

PLATTE COUNTY, Mo. —Law enforcement in Kansas and Missouri investigating alleged sex crimes have made five arrests.On November 21st and November 22nd, the Platte County Sheriff’s Office conducted a Counter Human Trafficking Operation composed of a predatory buyer interdiction operation and a survivor advocacy operation, according to Sheriff's Department Major Erik Holland. During the predatory buyer interdiction five men were arrested for attempting to engage in paid sex acts with females, they believed to be 14 and 15 years old. The survivor advocacy operation was hosted by Value Unconditional, a victim advocate group, who met with 12 commercial sex workers and provided 11 successful advocacy sessions."This type of crime often goes unseen by the public but victimizes some of the most vulnerable individuals in our communities, according to&nbsp;Sheriff Mark Owen. "Law enforcement in our area is committed to protecting children from sexual predators.” The Platte County Sheriff’s Office thanked the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office, the Butler County Sheriff’s Office and the Greenwood County&nbsp; Sheriff’s Offices in Kansas., the Riverside, Missouri Police Department, the Clay County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office, the Ray County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office&nbsp;and the Washoe County (NV) Sheriff’s Office for their support during this operation.

5 arrested after anti-human trafficking operation in Kansas, Missouri

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY—The death of an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution in Leavenworth is under investigation.

Just after 9:30a.m. Tuesday, 33-year-old Terrace Shaw was found unresponsive at the prison, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.

Responding employees initiated life-saving measures. Emergency medical services (EMS) were requested while life-saving efforts continued. EMS transported Shaw to a local hospital and subsequently pronounced deceased by hospital personnel.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation was notified.

No employees or other incarcerated individuals were injured and at no time was the public in danger.&nbsp;&nbsp;Shaw was sentenced in the Middle District of Tennessee to an aggregate 168-month sentence for Conspiracy to Commit Hobbs Act Robbery, Hobbs Act Robbery, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. He had been in custody at FCI Leavenworth since July 11, 2024. FCI Leavenworth is a medium security facility.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732199736346.png" alt="Shaw photo Tennessee Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Shaw photo Tennessee Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>LEAVENWORTH COUNTY—The death of an inmate at the Federal Correctional Institution in Leavenworth is under investigation.Just after 9:30a.m. Tuesday, 33-year-old Terrace Shaw was found unresponsive at the prison, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons.Responding employees initiated life-saving measures. Emergency medical services (EMS) were requested while life-saving efforts continued. EMS transported Shaw to a local hospital and subsequently pronounced deceased by hospital personnel.The Federal Bureau of Investigation was notified.No employees or other incarcerated individuals were injured and at no time was the public in danger.&nbsp;&nbsp;Shaw was sentenced in the Middle District of Tennessee to an aggregate 168-month sentence for Conspiracy to Commit Hobbs Act Robbery, Hobbs Act Robbery, and Brandishing a Firearm During and in Relation to a Crime of Violence. He had been in custody at FCI Leavenworth since July 11, 2024. FCI Leavenworth is a medium security facility.

Man serving time for armed robbery dies while in custody in Kansas

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a>

WASHINGTON —&nbsp; The 2025-26 form to apply for federal student aid is now available to all students and families, the&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa" target="_blank">U.S. Department of Education</a>&nbsp;said Thursday.

The department&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-department-education-begins-testing-new-fafsa-form" target="_blank">used a staggered approach</a>&nbsp;to launch the 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid — better known as FAFSA — to address any issues before the form became available to everyone at a later date.

Though the department beat its Dec. 1 full launch deadline by 10 days, the form is fully available roughly two months later than the typical Oct. 1 date.

The department gradually ramped up the number of people able to complete the form since early October through four testing rounds that have featured more than 167,000 FAFSA submissions.

Meanwhile,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-passes-bill-move-annual-fafsa-release-deadline" target="_blank">a bill to ensure the federal student aid form</a>&nbsp;is available by Oct. 1 annually has passed both the House and Senate with sweeping bipartisan support. It’s now up to President Joe Biden to sign the measure into law.

The White House did not respond to a request for comment on the bill.

Senior department officials said they do not have a position on the legislation but reiterated that they are on track to launch the 2026-27 FAFSA by Oct. 1, 2025.

The decision for a phased rollout came after the 2024-25 form — which got a makeover after Congress passed the FAFSA Simplification Act in December 2020 — witnessed its fair share of glitches and errors, which prompted processing delays and left students and families feeling frustrated and confused.

The department worked to fix these errors as well as issues that prevented parents without Social Security numbers from completing the form.

“We recognize that the FAFSA challenge required an overhaul at the (Office of) Federal Student Aid, so we got to work,” U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said on a call with reporters Thursday.

“We made key changes at FSA, including better accountability and an increase in outside technical expertise — we held listening sessions, engaging 300 organizations, and we incorporated the feedback from our students, from parents, schools, software vendors, state agencies and other partners,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727807641728.png" alt=" A sign reminding people to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid — better known as FAFSA — appears on a bus near Union Station in Washington, D.C. (Shauneen Miranda/States Newsroom)" />
 <figcaption> A sign reminding people to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid — better known as FAFSA — appears on a bus near Union Station in Washington, D.C. (Shauneen Miranda/States Newsroom)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a>WASHINGTON —&nbsp; The 2025-26 form to apply for federal student aid is now available to all students and families, the&nbsp;<a href="https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa" target="_blank">U.S. Department of Education</a>&nbsp;said Thursday.The department&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-department-education-begins-testing-new-fafsa-form" target="_blank">used a staggered approach</a>&nbsp;to launch the 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid — better known as FAFSA — to address any issues before the form became available to everyone at a later date.Though the department beat its Dec. 1 full launch deadline by 10 days, the form is fully available roughly two months later than the typical Oct. 1 date.The department gradually ramped up the number of people able to complete the form since early October through four testing rounds that have featured more than 167,000 FAFSA submissions.Meanwhile,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-passes-bill-move-annual-fafsa-release-deadline" target="_blank">a bill to ensure the federal student aid form</a>&nbsp;is available by Oct. 1 annually has passed both the House and Senate with sweeping bipartisan support. It’s now up to President Joe Biden to sign the measure into law.The White House did not respond to a request for comment on the bill.Senior department officials said they do not have a position on the legislation but reiterated that they are on track to launch the 2026-27 FAFSA by Oct. 1, 2025.<h2>2024-25 FAFSA mishaps</h2>The decision for a phased rollout came after the 2024-25 form — which got a makeover after Congress passed the FAFSA Simplification Act in December 2020 — witnessed its fair share of glitches and errors, which prompted processing delays and left students and families feeling frustrated and confused.The department worked to fix these errors as well as issues that prevented parents without Social Security numbers from completing the form.“We recognize that the FAFSA challenge required an overhaul at the (Office of) Federal Student Aid, so we got to work,” U.S. Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said on a call with reporters Thursday.“We made key changes at FSA, including better accountability and an increase in outside technical expertise — we held listening sessions, engaging 300 organizations, and we incorporated the feedback from our students, from parents, schools, software vendors, state agencies and other partners,” he said.

Feds roll out 2025-26 college financial aid form ahead of planned date

&nbsp;WYANDOTTE COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 9p.m. Friday in Wyandotte County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported 2022 Yamaha motorcycle driven by Jessica Diana&nbsp;Adams, 34, Blue Springs, Missouri, was&nbsp;westbound on Interstate 70 near Washington Avenue to Eastbound Interstate 70 at a high rate of speed. 

The motorcycle struck and rode the bridge wall. The driver was ejected and struck the ground approximately 60 feet below Interstate 70.

Adams was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to First Call. She was wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.

&nbsp;WYANDOTTE COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 9p.m. Friday in Wyandotte County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported 2022 Yamaha motorcycle driven by Jessica Diana&nbsp;Adams, 34, Blue Springs, Missouri, was&nbsp;westbound on Interstate 70 near Washington Avenue to Eastbound Interstate 70 at a high rate of speed. The motorcycle struck and rode the bridge wall. The driver was ejected and struck the ground approximately 60 feet below Interstate 70.Adams was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to First Call. She was wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.

Motorcyclist dies after falling 60 feet off I-70 bridge 

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly announced Friday that she granted pardons to two individuals who show strong signs of rehabilitation. The decision to grant the pardons was made following independent reviews by the Prison Review Board, the Kansas Department of Administration, and the Governor’s legal team.&nbsp;

“The decision to grant these pardons comes after a meticulous and thorough review process,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“One of the largest factors taken into consideration is a person’s commitment to rehabilitation, making amends, and positively contributing to society. Granting these pardons will give a second chance to two individuals who have taken responsibility for their actions and are working to move on with their lives."&nbsp;&nbsp;

Governor Kelly took into consideration numerous factors to determine if the pardons were warranted, including but not limited to: the nature of the offense, impact of the crime on victims or survivors, demonstration of rehabilitation, criminal history, absence of disciplinary issues in prison, positive achievements and growth while incarcerated, and the ability to contribute to society.&nbsp;

Article 1, Section 7 of the Kansas Constitution and K.S.A. § 22-3701 grants the governor’s authority to grant clemency. 

The two individuals receiving pardons are&nbsp;Anthony Mitchell who was serving time for drug convictions and Richard McMichael, 29, who had two previous drug convictions and another for&nbsp;Aggravated Battery - Bodily Harm with a Deadly Weapon/Manner, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. He was released from prison on March 13.

Review of clemency applications by the Governor is ongoing, and there is no set timeline for review. By law, clemency applications in Kansas must be submitted to the Prisoner Review Board and notice of an individual’s application for clemency must be published in the county newspaper where the crime was committed. The Board reviews all applications before forwarding them for further review. Additional information about the process can be found at the Board’s website:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.doc.ks.gov%2Fprb/1/01010193558b34dd-3ec09504-e403-4522-b3d0-54d4757dc546-000000/wV4_KQF6jrnMKeoHFrlajkPyo8xFiteGYr7JxwYt31I=380">https://www.doc.ks.gov/prb</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Governor’s Office encourages victims and survivors to reach out to the Office of Victim Services, which provides confidential support and information to victims, survivors, or witnesses of a crime. Information can be found&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fgcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com%2F%3Furl=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.doc.ks.gov%252Fvictim-services%26data=05%257C02%257CAna.Nixon%2540ks.gov%257C54a18c945bc94c7cef9908dcccec3705%257Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%257C0%257C0%257C638610562106773667%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C0%257C%257C%257C%26sdata=U8P6Gp2OXirlUshsbmG9dMZipun41jt6bVsZ%252BBaNpWQ%253D%26reserved=0/1/010101930398843c-81bda5a1-97ce-4c26-8db0-0cab921a3c6a-000000/g7dMgAYoHSriIhKRASAhNHNkYXj0zlXgaBSh8_RcUts=378">here</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 866-404-6732.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1732311722319.png" alt="McMichael-photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>McMichael-photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly announced Friday that she granted pardons to two individuals who show strong signs of rehabilitation. The decision to grant the pardons was made following independent reviews by the Prison Review Board, the Kansas Department of Administration, and the Governor’s legal team.&nbsp;“The decision to grant these pardons comes after a meticulous and thorough review process,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“One of the largest factors taken into consideration is a person’s commitment to rehabilitation, making amends, and positively contributing to society. Granting these pardons will give a second chance to two individuals who have taken responsibility for their actions and are working to move on with their lives."&nbsp;&nbsp;Governor Kelly took into consideration numerous factors to determine if the pardons were warranted, including but not limited to: the nature of the offense, impact of the crime on victims or survivors, demonstration of rehabilitation, criminal history, absence of disciplinary issues in prison, positive achievements and growth while incarcerated, and the ability to contribute to society.&nbsp;Article 1, Section 7 of the Kansas Constitution and K.S.A. § 22-3701 grants the governor’s authority to grant clemency. The two individuals receiving pardons are&nbsp;Anthony Mitchell who was serving time for drug convictions and Richard McMichael, 29, who had two previous drug convictions and another for&nbsp;Aggravated Battery - Bodily Harm with a Deadly Weapon/Manner, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. He was released from prison on March 13.Review of clemency applications by the Governor is ongoing, and there is no set timeline for review. By law, clemency applications in Kansas must be submitted to the Prisoner Review Board and notice of an individual’s application for clemency must be published in the county newspaper where the crime was committed. The Board reviews all applications before forwarding them for further review. Additional information about the process can be found at the Board’s website:&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.doc.ks.gov%2Fprb/1/01010193558b34dd-3ec09504-e403-4522-b3d0-54d4757dc546-000000/wV4_KQF6jrnMKeoHFrlajkPyo8xFiteGYr7JxwYt31I=380">https://www.doc.ks.gov/prb</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;The Governor’s Office encourages victims and survivors to reach out to the Office of Victim Services, which provides confidential support and information to victims, survivors, or witnesses of a crime. Information can be found&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fgcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com%2F%3Furl=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.doc.ks.gov%252Fvictim-services%26data=05%257C02%257CAna.Nixon%2540ks.gov%257C54a18c945bc94c7cef9908dcccec3705%257Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%257C0%257C0%257C638610562106773667%257CUnknown%257CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%253D%257C0%257C%257C%257C%26sdata=U8P6Gp2OXirlUshsbmG9dMZipun41jt6bVsZ%252BBaNpWQ%253D%26reserved=0/1/010101930398843c-81bda5a1-97ce-4c26-8db0-0cab921a3c6a-000000/g7dMgAYoHSriIhKRASAhNHNkYXj0zlXgaBSh8_RcUts=378">here</a>&nbsp;or by phone at 866-404-6732.

Kansas governor pardons two just before the holidays

President-elect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is filling key posts in his second administration, and it's shaping up much differently than his first. He's prioritizing loyalists for top jobs.

Trump was bruised and hampered by internal squabbles during his initial term in office. Now he appears focused on remaking the federal government in his own image. Some of his choices could face difficult confirmation battles even with Republicans in control of the U.S. Senate. One candidate, former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, Trump's choice for attorney general, has withdrawn.

Here's a look at whom he has selected so far.

Bessent, 62, is a former&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/george-soros">George Soros</a>&nbsp;money manager and an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/budget-deficit-trump-harris-kamala-debt-1ee3ff65e22ccf19d19b792ee22c46da">advocate for deficit reduction</a>.

He's the founder of hedge fund Key Square Capital Management, after having worked on-and-off for Soros Fund Management since 1991. If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay treasury secretary.

He told Bloomberg in August that he decided to join Trump’s campaign in part to attack the mounting U.S. national debt. That would include slashing government programs and other spending.

“This election cycle is the last chance for the U.S. to grow our way out of this mountain of debt without becoming a sort of European-style socialist democracy,” he said then.

Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-marco-rubio-secretary-of-state-25664371f80dcf3332838352165e4d48">named Florida Sen. Marco Rubio</a>&nbsp;to be secretary of state, making the critic-turned-ally his choice for top diplomat.

Rubio, 53, is a noted hawk on China, Cuba and Iran, and was a finalist to be Trump's running mate on the Republican ticket last summer. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee and a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The announcement punctuates the hard pivot Rubio has made with Trump, whom the senator once called a “con man" during his unsuccessful campaign for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.

Their relationship improved dramatically while Trump was in the White House. And as Trump campaigned for the presidency a third time, Rubio cheered his proposals. For instance, Rubio, who more than a decade ago helped craft immigration legislation that included a path to citizenship for people in the U.S. illegally, now supports Trump's plan to use the U.S. military for mass deportations.

DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE: Tulsi Gabbard

Former Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-gabbard-director-national-intelligence-466dfdfe2f949ea20bc2f4ef13e21438">has been tapped by Trump</a>&nbsp;to be director of national intelligence, another example of Trump prizing loyalty over experience.

Gabbard, 43, was a Democratic House member who unsuccessfully sought the party's 2020 presidential nomination before leaving the party in 2022. She endorsed Trump in August and campaigned often with him this fall, and she's been accused of echoing Russian propaganda.

Gabbard, who has served in the Army National Guard for more than two decades, deploying to Iraq and Kuwait, would come to the role as an outsider compared to her predecessor. The current director, Avril Haines, was confirmed by the Senate in 2021 following several years in a number of top national security and intelligence positions.

Hegseth, 44, was a co-host of Fox News Channel’s “Fox and Friends Weekend” and has been a contributor with the network since 2014. He developed a friendship with Trump, who made regular appearances on the show.

Hegseth served in the Army National Guard from 2002 to 2021, deploying to Iraq in 2005 and Afghanistan in 2011. He has two Bronze Stars. However,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hegseth-defense-secretary-pentagon-2d8030921ecef933778cf92afd40ec72">Hegseth lacks</a>&nbsp;senior military and national security experience. If confirmed by the Senate, he would inherit the top job during a series of global crises — ranging from Russia’s war in Ukraine and the ongoing attacks in the Middle East by Iranian proxies to the push for a cease-fire between Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah and escalating worries about the growing alliance between Russia and North Korea.

Hegseth is also the author of “The War on Warriors: Behind the Betrayal of the Men Who Keep Us Free,” published earlier this year.

Bondi, 59, has been tapped by Trump to be Attorney General after U.S. Rep. Matt Gaetz withdrew his name from consideration.

She was Florida's first female attorney general serving between 2011 and 2019. She was on Trump’s legal team during his first impeachment trial in 2020.

Considered a loyalist, she has served as part of a Trump-allied outside group that has helped lay the groundwork for his future administration called the America First Policy Institute.

Bondi was among a group of Republicans who showed up to support Trump at his hush money criminal trial in New York that ended in May with a conviction on 34 felony counts. A fierce defender of Trump, she also frequently appears on Fox News and has been a critic of the criminal cases against him.

Oregon Republican U.S. Rep. Chavez-DeRemer narrowly lost her reelection bid earlier this month, but received strong backing from union members in her district.

As a potential labor secretary, Chavez-DeRemer would oversee the Labor Department’s workforce, its budget and put forth priorities that impact workers’ wages, health and safety, ability to unionize, and employer’s rights to fire employers, among other responsibilities.

Chavez-DeRemer is one of few House Republicans to endorse&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3c776a12a97468341bcfe8178638f127">the “Protecting the Right to Organize” or PRO Act</a>&nbsp;would allow more workers to conduct organizing campaigns and would add penalties for companies that violate workers’ rights. The act would also weaken “right-to-work” laws that allow employees in more than half the states to avoid participating in or paying dues to unions that represent workers at their places of employment.

Lutnick heads up the brokerage and investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald and is a cryptocurrency enthusiast. He is co-chair of Trump's transition operation, charged along with Linda McMahon, a former wrestling executive who previously led Trump’s Small Business Administration, with helping the president-elect build a Cabinet for his second administration.

As commerce secretary, Lutnick would play a key role in carrying out Trump's plans to raise and enforce tariffs. He would oversee a sprawling Cabinet department whose oversight ranges from funding new computer chip factories and imposing trade restrictions to releasing economic data and monitoring the weather.

Noem is a well-known conservative who used her two terms as South Dakota's governor to vault to a prominent position in Republican politics.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Noem did not order restrictions that other states had issued and instead declared her state “open for business.” Trump held a fireworks rally at Mount Rushmore in July 2020 in one of the first large gatherings of the pandemic.

More recently, Noem faced sharp criticism for telling a story in her memoir about shooting and killing her dog.

She is set to lead a department crucial to the president-elect’s hardline immigration agenda as well as other missions. Homeland Security oversees natural disaster response, the U.S. Secret Service and Transportation Security Administration agents who work at airports.

Ratcliffe, a former U.S. House member from Texas, was director of national intelligence during the final year and a half of Trump’s first term, leading the U.S. government’s spy agencies during the coronavirus pandemic.

If confirmed, Ratcliffe will have held the highest intelligence positions in the U.S.

HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES SECRETARY: Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Kennedy ran for president as a Democrat, then as an independent, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-jr-trump-speech-arizona-a2638f89ddcb5de03edbe4574ca17d45">then endorsed Trump</a>. He's the son of Democratic icon Robert Kennedy, who was assassinated during his own presidential campaign.

The nomination alarmed people who are concerned about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/robert-f-kennedy-vaccines-trump-rfkjr-7f8dcb25de76a5a70710d22bbc63f6fa">his record of spreading unfounded fears about vaccines</a>. For example, he has long advanced the debunked idea that vaccines cause autism.

Duffy is a former House member from Wisconsin who was one of Trump's most visible defenders on cable news. Duffy served in the House for nearly nine years, sitting on the Financial Services Committee and chairing the subcommittee on insurance and housing. He left Congress in 2019 for a TV career and has been the host of “The Bottom Line” on Fox Business.

Before entering politics, Duffy was a reality TV star on MTV, where he met his wife, “Fox and Friends Weekend” co-host Rachel Campos-Duffy. They have nine children.

Collins is a former Republican congressman from Georgia who gained recognition for defending Trump during his first impeachment trial, which centered on U.S. assistance for Ukraine. Trump was impeached for urging Ukraine to investigate Joe Biden in 2019 during the Democratic presidential nomination, but he was acquitted by the Senate.

Collins has also served in the armed forces himself and is currently a chaplain in the United States Air Force Reserve Command.

The governor of North Dakota, once little-known outside his state, is a former Republican presidential primary contender who endorsed Trump and then spent months traveling to drum up support for Trump after dropping out of the race.

Burgum was a serious contender to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-vice-president-rubio-vance-burgum-scott-8b6a3a22eecdfff668a5002ddfd3af18">be Trump’s vice presidential choice</a>&nbsp;this summer. The two-term governor was seen as a possible pick because of his executive experience and business savvy. Burgum also has close ties to deep-pocketed energy industry CEOs.

Trump initially announced his choice of Burgum while addressing a gala at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida. His formal announcement the following day said he wanted Burgum to be Interior secretary and chairman of a new National Energy Council. Burgum will also have a seat on the National Security Council, which would be a first for the Interior secretary.

A campaign donor and CEO of Denver-based Liberty Energy, Write is a vocal advocate of oil and gas development, including fracking — a key pillar of Trump’s quest to achieve U.S. “energy dominance” in the global market.

Wright also has been one of the industry’s loudest voices against efforts to fight climate change. He said the climate movement around the world is “collapsing under its own weight.” The Energy Department is responsible for advancing energy, environmental and nuclear security of the United States.

Wright also won support from influential conservatives, including oil and gas tycoon Harold Hamm. Hamm, executive chairman of Oklahoma-based Continental Resources, a major shale oil company, is a longtime Trump supporter and adviser who played a key role on energy issues in Trump’s first term.

McMahon, a billionaire professional wrestling mogul, would be making a return appearance in a second Trump administration. She led the Small Business Administration from 2017 to 2019 during Trump’s first term and twice ran unsuccessfully in Connecticut as a Republican candidate for the U.S. Senate. She served on the Connecticut Board of Education for a year starting in 2009 and has spent years on the board of trustees for Sacred Heart University. She has expressed support for charter schools and school choice.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY ADMINISTRATOR: Lee Zeldin

Zeldin does not appear to have any experience in environmental issues, but is a longtime supporter of the former president. The 44-year-old former U.S. House member from New York wrote on&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/LeeMZeldin/status/1856068555865026956">X</a>, “We will restore US energy dominance, revitalize our auto industry to bring back American jobs, and make the US the global leader of AI.”

“We will do so while protecting access to clean air and water,” he added.

During his campaign, Trump often attacked the Biden administration’s promotion of electric vehicles, and incorrectly referred to a tax credit for EV purchases as a government mandate. Trump also often told his audiences during the campaign that his administration would “drill, baby, drill,” referring to his support for expanded petroleum exploration.

HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT: Scott Turner

Turner is a former NFL player and White House aide. He ran the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump’s first term in office. Trump, in a statement, credited Turner, the highest-ranking Black person he’s yet selected for his administration, with “helping to lead an Unprecedented Effort that Transformed our Country’s most distressed communities.”

Wiles, 67,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-is-susie-wiles-32df8958bedde5f3f2d55fd071979692">was a senior adviser</a>&nbsp;to Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign and its de facto manager.

She has a background in Florida politics, helping Ron DeSantis win his first race for Florida governor. Six years later, she was key to Trump’s defeat of him in the 2024 Republican primary.

Wiles’ hire was Trump’s first major decision as president-elect and one that could be a defining test of his incoming administration considering her close relationship with him. Wiles is said to have earned Trump’s trust in part by guiding what was the most disciplined of Trump’s three presidential campaigns.

Wiles was able to help keep Trump on track as few others have, not by criticizing his impulses, but by winning his respect by demonstrating his success after taking her advice.

Waltz is a three-term Republican congressman from east-central Florida.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-national-security-adviser-mike-wlatz-0c81d044c9ffe18dfd745202e8351b9c">A former Army Green Beret</a>, he served multiple tours in Afghanistan and also worked in the Pentagon as a policy adviser when Donald Rumsfeld and Robert Gates were defense chiefs.

He is considered hawkish on China, and called for a U.S. boycott of the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing due to its involvement in the origin of COVID-19 and its mistreatment of the minority Muslim Uighur population.

Homan, 62,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-homan-ice-border-czar-7dea915b5ea43896390b8020d254f887">has been tasked</a>&nbsp;with Trump’s top priority of carrying out the largest deportation operation in the nation’s history.

He led the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in Trump's first administration and said at a conference over the summer that he would be willing to “run the biggest deportation operation this country’s ever seen.”