KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating a fatal house explosion in rural Excelsior Springs, Missouri.

Just after 4:30 a.m. Friday, the Clay County Sheriff's office reported they were contacted about a house that exploded in the 14400 block of Kimberly Drive.

Deputies found the house was completely destroyed, and a fire was burning. The blast could be felt and seen for many miles and blew open the doors of neighbors’ houses.

Two people lived at the home, and initially investigators did not know whether they were home at the time of the blast.

Just after noon Friday the sheriff's office reported deputies and firefighters located two bodies in the rubble of the home, believed to be the residents. 

 Deputies also located a dog that appears to have been killed by the explosion. The Missouri Search and Rescue Canines and the Excelsior Springs Fire Department, assisted in the search for victims.

Investigators have found no evidence of foul play at this point. The Missouri State Fire Marshall’s Office is on scene working to determine the cause. Representatives from the Missouri Propane Safety Commission also are on scene. The house used propane, according to the sheriff's office.&nbsp;Excelsior Springs is located approximately 25 miles northeast of Kansas City.

The Medical Examiner responded to the scene officials will release names of the deceased once their identities have been confirmed and next-of-kin notification is complete.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724431776251.jpeg" alt="Image Clay Couinty Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Image Clay Couinty Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating a fatal house explosion in rural Excelsior Springs, Missouri.Just after 4:30 a.m. Friday, the Clay County Sheriff's office reported they were contacted about a house that exploded in the 14400 block of Kimberly Drive.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FSheriffClayCo%2Fvideos%2F862240312124026%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=1" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Deputies found the house was completely destroyed, and a fire was burning. The blast could be felt and seen for many miles and blew open the doors of neighbors’ houses.Two people lived at the home, and initially investigators did not know whether they were home at the time of the blast.Just after noon Friday the sheriff's office reported deputies and firefighters located two bodies in the rubble of the home, believed to be the residents. Deputies also located a dog that appears to have been killed by the explosion. The Missouri Search and Rescue Canines and the Excelsior Springs Fire Department, assisted in the search for victims.Investigators have found no evidence of foul play at this point. The Missouri State Fire Marshall’s Office is on scene working to determine the cause. Representatives from the Missouri Propane Safety Commission also are on scene. The house used propane, according to the sheriff's office.&nbsp;Excelsior Springs is located approximately 25 miles northeast of Kansas City.The Medical Examiner responded to the scene officials will release names of the deceased once their identities have been confirmed and next-of-kin notification is complete.

🎥Sheriff: KC area house explosion felt for miles; 2 bodies found

JACKSON, Wyoming (AP) — With inflation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-f8de2672173407d3a126cc13493fed85">nearly defeated</a>&nbsp;and the job market cooling, the Federal Reserve is prepared to start cutting its key interest rate from its current 23-year high, Chair Jerome Powell said Friday.

Powell did not say when rate cuts would begin or how large they might be, but the Fed is widely expected to announce a modest quarter-point cut in its benchmark rate when it meets in mid-September.

“The time has come for policy to adjust," Powell said in his keynote speech at the Fed's annual economic conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. “The direction of travel is clear, and the timing and pace of rate cuts will depend on incoming data, the evolving outlook, and the balance of risks.”

His reference to multiple rate cuts was the only hint that a series of reductions is likely, as economists have forecast. Powell emphasized that inflation, after the worst price spike in four decades inflicted pain on millions of households, appears&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-election-federal-reserve-rates-economy-d8d44ca753aace952831a8f0cb42b97c">largely under control</a>:

“My confidence has grown," he said, “that inflation is on a sustainable path back to 2%.”

According to the Fed’s preferred measure, inflation fell to 2.5% last month, far below its peak of 7.1% two years ago and only slightly above the central bank's 2% target level.

The Fed chair's assurance that rate cuts are coming helped fuel a rally on Wall Street. Bond yields fell and stock indexes were broadly higher, with the S&amp;P 500 index surging more than 1% in late-morning trading.

“The only question remaining for the Sept. 18 meeting is: By how much will the Fed be cutting?” said Joseph LaVorgna, chief economist at SMBC Nikko Securities.

“The outcome of the August employment report," which will be reported Sept. 6, LaVorgna said, "is obviously critical.” If that report shows a second straight month of weak hiring, the Fed may cut its key rate by a more aggressive half-point.

Most economists expect the Fed to cut its benchmark rate by a quarter-point at each of its final three meetings this year. Wall Street traders, though, foresee a one-in-three likelihood that the Fed will cut by a half-point at one of those meetings, according to futures prices. A lower Fed benchmark rate will lead eventually to lower rates for auto loans, mortgages and other forms of consumer borrowing and could also boost stock prices.

In his remarks Friday, the Fed chair suggested that rate cuts should maintain the economy's growth and sustain hiring, which slowed last month. Continued growth could boost Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign, even as most Americans say they're dissatisfied with the Biden-Harris administration's economic record, largely because average prices remain far above where they were before the pandemic.

“We will do everything we can," Powell said, “to support a strong labor market as we make further progress toward price stability.”

By cutting rates, he said, “there is good reason to think that the economy will get back to 2% inflation while maintaining a strong labor market.”

A rate cut in mid-September, coming less than two months before the presidential election, could bring some unwelcome political heat on the Fed, which seeks to avoid becoming entangled in election-year politics. Former President Donald Trump has argued that the Fed shouldn’t cut rates so close to an election. But Powell has repeatedly underscored that the central bank would make its rate decisions based purely on economic data, without regard to the political calendar.

In his remarks, Powell said the Fed has grown concerned about slower hiring and a rising unemployment rate, even while it still wants to see inflation fall further. That dual focus is replacing the Fed's previous singular focus on inflation.

“The cooling in labor market conditions is unmistakable,” the Fed chair said. “Job gains remain solid but have slowed this year. ... We do not seek or welcome further cooling in labor market conditions."

In what amounted to something of a victory lap, Powell noted in his speech that the Fed had succeeded in conquering high inflation without causing a recession or a sharp rise in unemployment, which many economists had long predicted. He attributed that outcome to the unraveling of the pandemic's disruptions to supply chains and labor markets and a reduction in job vacancies, which allowed wage growth to cool.

Powell also noted that, according to surveys and financial market gauges, Americans never really expected high inflation to stick. Such expectations can become self-fulfilling: If people expect inflation to stay high, they typically demand ever-higher pay or they accelerate their purchases before prices rise still further. Those steps can perpetuate higher inflation.

But “inflation expectations” rose only modestly and have since largely fallen back to pre-pandemic levels.

“The healing from pandemic distortions,” the Fed’s rate hikes and the fact that Americans did not expect higher inflation, “have worked together to put inflation on what increasingly appears to be a sustainable path to our 2% objective,” the Fed chair said.

Powell also addressed criticism that the Fed was too slow to raise rates even after inflation had begun surging once the pandemic recession ended. Fed officials had initially argued that the price spikes coming out of the pandemic in early 2021 were merely “transitory” and would soon fade as the supply chain disruptions that left some grocery shelves bare and auto lots empty had healed.

Powell acknowledged that the healing of supply disruptions took much longer than the Fed had expected — and so did the persistence of high inflation.

“The good ship transitory was a crowded one, with most mainstream analysts and advanced-economy central bankers on board,” Powell said. “I think I see some ship-mates out there today,” he said, in an ad-libbed remark addressed to the economists and central banks assembled for the conference.

After the government reported this month that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-jobs-unemployment-federal-reserve-inflation-22095766804d9c1532b4fcc29565be49">hiring in July was much less than expected and that the jobless rate reached 4.3%</a>, the highest in three years, stock prices plunged for two days on fears that the U.S. might fall into a recession. Some economists began speculating about a half-point Fed rate cut in September and perhaps another identical cut in November.

But healthier economic reports last week, including another&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-f8de2672173407d3a126cc13493fed85">decline in inflation</a>&nbsp;and a robust gain in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/retailers-spending-consumers-inflation-stores-shoppers-economy-7032cf170e9fe2400715097dbffb74ab">retail sales</a>, partly dispelled those concerns.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724424078216.png" alt="“The time has come for policy to adjust," Powell said in his keynote speech at the Fed's annual economic conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>“The time has come for policy to adjust," Powell said in his keynote speech at the Fed's annual economic conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON, Wyoming (AP) — With inflation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-f8de2672173407d3a126cc13493fed85">nearly defeated</a>&nbsp;and the job market cooling, the Federal Reserve is prepared to start cutting its key interest rate from its current 23-year high, Chair Jerome Powell said Friday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/federalreserve?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@federalreserve</a> Chair Jerome Powell: &quot;The time has come for policy to adjust...with an appropriate dialing back of policy restraint there is good reason to think that the economy will get back to 2% inflation while maintaining a strong labor market.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/1QaWmsQbRe">pic.twitter.com/1QaWmsQbRe</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1826997847364919537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 23, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Powell did not say when rate cuts would begin or how large they might be, but the Fed is widely expected to announce a modest quarter-point cut in its benchmark rate when it meets in mid-September.“The time has come for policy to adjust," Powell said in his keynote speech at the Fed's annual economic conference in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. “The direction of travel is clear, and the timing and pace of rate cuts will depend on incoming data, the evolving outlook, and the balance of risks.”His reference to multiple rate cuts was the only hint that a series of reductions is likely, as economists have forecast. Powell emphasized that inflation, after the worst price spike in four decades inflicted pain on millions of households, appears&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-election-federal-reserve-rates-economy-d8d44ca753aace952831a8f0cb42b97c">largely under control</a>:“My confidence has grown," he said, “that inflation is on a sustainable path back to 2%.”According to the Fed’s preferred measure, inflation fell to 2.5% last month, far below its peak of 7.1% two years ago and only slightly above the central bank's 2% target level.The Fed chair's assurance that rate cuts are coming helped fuel a rally on Wall Street. Bond yields fell and stock indexes were broadly higher, with the S&amp;P 500 index surging more than 1% in late-morning trading.“The only question remaining for the Sept. 18 meeting is: By how much will the Fed be cutting?” said Joseph LaVorgna, chief economist at SMBC Nikko Securities.“The outcome of the August employment report," which will be reported Sept. 6, LaVorgna said, "is obviously critical.” If that report shows a second straight month of weak hiring, the Fed may cut its key rate by a more aggressive half-point.Most economists expect the Fed to cut its benchmark rate by a quarter-point at each of its final three meetings this year. Wall Street traders, though, foresee a one-in-three likelihood that the Fed will cut by a half-point at one of those meetings, according to futures prices. A lower Fed benchmark rate will lead eventually to lower rates for auto loans, mortgages and other forms of consumer borrowing and could also boost stock prices.In his remarks Friday, the Fed chair suggested that rate cuts should maintain the economy's growth and sustain hiring, which slowed last month. Continued growth could boost Vice President Kamala Harris' presidential campaign, even as most Americans say they're dissatisfied with the Biden-Harris administration's economic record, largely because average prices remain far above where they were before the pandemic.“We will do everything we can," Powell said, “to support a strong labor market as we make further progress toward price stability.”By cutting rates, he said, “there is good reason to think that the economy will get back to 2% inflation while maintaining a strong labor market.”A rate cut in mid-September, coming less than two months before the presidential election, could bring some unwelcome political heat on the Fed, which seeks to avoid becoming entangled in election-year politics. Former President Donald Trump has argued that the Fed shouldn’t cut rates so close to an election. But Powell has repeatedly underscored that the central bank would make its rate decisions based purely on economic data, without regard to the political calendar.In his remarks, Powell said the Fed has grown concerned about slower hiring and a rising unemployment rate, even while it still wants to see inflation fall further. That dual focus is replacing the Fed's previous singular focus on inflation.“The cooling in labor market conditions is unmistakable,” the Fed chair said. “Job gains remain solid but have slowed this year. ... We do not seek or welcome further cooling in labor market conditions."In what amounted to something of a victory lap, Powell noted in his speech that the Fed had succeeded in conquering high inflation without causing a recession or a sharp rise in unemployment, which many economists had long predicted. He attributed that outcome to the unraveling of the pandemic's disruptions to supply chains and labor markets and a reduction in job vacancies, which allowed wage growth to cool.Powell also noted that, according to surveys and financial market gauges, Americans never really expected high inflation to stick. Such expectations can become self-fulfilling: If people expect inflation to stay high, they typically demand ever-higher pay or they accelerate their purchases before prices rise still further. Those steps can perpetuate higher inflation.But “inflation expectations” rose only modestly and have since largely fallen back to pre-pandemic levels.“The healing from pandemic distortions,” the Fed’s rate hikes and the fact that Americans did not expect higher inflation, “have worked together to put inflation on what increasingly appears to be a sustainable path to our 2% objective,” the Fed chair said.Powell also addressed criticism that the Fed was too slow to raise rates even after inflation had begun surging once the pandemic recession ended. Fed officials had initially argued that the price spikes coming out of the pandemic in early 2021 were merely “transitory” and would soon fade as the supply chain disruptions that left some grocery shelves bare and auto lots empty had healed.Powell acknowledged that the healing of supply disruptions took much longer than the Fed had expected — and so did the persistence of high inflation.“The good ship transitory was a crowded one, with most mainstream analysts and advanced-economy central bankers on board,” Powell said. “I think I see some ship-mates out there today,” he said, in an ad-libbed remark addressed to the economists and central banks assembled for the conference.After the government reported this month that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/economy-jobs-unemployment-federal-reserve-inflation-22095766804d9c1532b4fcc29565be49">hiring in July was much less than expected and that the jobless rate reached 4.3%</a>, the highest in three years, stock prices plunged for two days on fears that the U.S. might fall into a recession. Some economists began speculating about a half-point Fed rate cut in September and perhaps another identical cut in November.But healthier economic reports last week, including another&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-prices-interest-rates-economy-federal-reserve-f8de2672173407d3a126cc13493fed85">decline in inflation</a>&nbsp;and a robust gain in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/retailers-spending-consumers-inflation-stores-shoppers-economy-7032cf170e9fe2400715097dbffb74ab">retail sales</a>, partly dispelled those concerns.

🎥Good news for borrowers: Fed Chair says interest rate cuts ahead

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man who cut off his ankle monitor and skipped an August 16, sentencing hearing for his role in a homicide is back in jail.&nbsp;

Just after 9p.m. Thursday, 64-year-old Kevin Harris was arrested in Topeka and booked into the Shawnee County Jail where he awaits transfer back to Sedgwick County, according to Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses.

In August of 2023, police arrested Harris of Lawrence after a 16-hour standoff in Lawrence for the death of&nbsp;51-year-old Jose Lumbreras of Wichita.

Just after 11 p.m. August 22, police learned Harris had fled Wichita and was believed to be inside an apartment in the 1400 block of Bristol Terrace in Lawrence, according to Police Sgt. Drew Fennelly

While working to gather more information from Wichita, officers in Lawrence set up a perimeter on the apartment building, and gathered information that led investigators to believe Harris was there.

The Lawrence Police Crisis Response Team was activated and responded to the area, as well our Crisis Response Negotiators and&nbsp; the Unoccupied Aerial Vehicle team.

Crisis Negotiators were able to establish contact with people in the apartment and verified Harris was there. The Lawrence Police tactical team then began methodically evacuating the apartment building when it was clear the suspect was not going to come out, and was allegedly armed.

After multiple hours of discussion, negotiators were able to convince Harris to allow a woman in the apartment to leave.&nbsp; Following multiple additional hours of discussion, negotiators convinced Harris to also leave the apartment and he peacefully surrendered at&nbsp;3:30 p.m., according to Fennelly.&nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724420271248.png" alt="Harris is being held in Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Harris is being held in Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man who cut off his ankle monitor and skipped an August 16, sentencing hearing for his role in a homicide is back in jail.&nbsp;Just after 9p.m. Thursday, 64-year-old Kevin Harris was arrested in Topeka and booked into the Shawnee County Jail where he awaits transfer back to Sedgwick County, according to Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses.In August of 2023, police arrested Harris of Lawrence after a 16-hour standoff in Lawrence for the death of&nbsp;51-year-old Jose Lumbreras of Wichita.Just after 11 p.m. August 22, police learned Harris had fled Wichita and was believed to be inside an apartment in the 1400 block of Bristol Terrace in Lawrence, according to Police Sgt. Drew FennellyWhile working to gather more information from Wichita, officers in Lawrence set up a perimeter on the apartment building, and gathered information that led investigators to believe Harris was there.The Lawrence Police Crisis Response Team was activated and responded to the area, as well our Crisis Response Negotiators and&nbsp; the Unoccupied Aerial Vehicle team.Crisis Negotiators were able to establish contact with people in the apartment and verified Harris was there. The Lawrence Police tactical team then began methodically evacuating the apartment building when it was clear the suspect was not going to come out, and was allegedly armed.After multiple hours of discussion, negotiators were able to convince Harris to allow a woman in the apartment to leave.&nbsp; Following multiple additional hours of discussion, negotiators convinced Harris to also leave the apartment and he peacefully surrendered at&nbsp;3:30 p.m., according to Fennelly.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Police capture Kan. man who cut off ankle monitor, skipped sentencing 

This story has been updated with a statement from the Hutchinson Clinic.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Clinic and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas are still at an impasse when it comes to 2025 rates for customers that have BCBS coverage through an employer.&nbsp;

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/f9db6853-fae1-46d6-95c8-d7c3a92fb811">In a letter sent to local companies obtained by Hutch Post earlier this summer</a>, the Hutchinson Clinic announced then it will not be doing business with Blue Cross Blue Shield in-network next year. This decision, if it stands, will effect a little over 26,000 Hutch Clinic patients.

Spokesperson Kristi Zears for Blue Cross Blue Shield emailed Hutch Post Thursday with an update. That statement is below.

"As a long-standing partner with Hutchinson Clinic, we are disappointed with their decision to terminate the contract. This decision, which was shared prior to the release of the 2025 reimbursement rates, limits provider choice for members in the Hutchinson area. We have had continued conversations with Hutchinson Clinic and have provided them an opportunity to reconsider their decision until September 3. We hope they will do what is in the best interest of the community.

"As always, with nearly 100 percent of providers and hospitals in our network, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas is committed to serving our members and helping them through their health journeys."

Hutch Clinic was also contacted and sent this response on Friday.

"The Hutchinson Clinic has been working diligently to analyze the complex Fee Schedule received from BCBSKS on July 31. The Clinic has requested a meeting with BCBSKS for the week of Aug. 26 to clarify some outstanding questions. Regardless of the outcome of this meeting, the Hutchinson Clinic will always prioritize patient care. Should we ultimately end up out of network with BCBSKS, the Hutchinson Clinic will provide affordable out-of-network options so our patients can continue seeking treatment with their physicians at our Clinic."

BCBS is still in network for employer-provided coverage through the remainder of 2024. This decision is not connected with Medicare Advantage coverage, as that is under a separate arrangement.

Hutch Clinic was also contacted and had not responded as of the publication of this piece on Friday morning.

This story has been updated with a statement from the Hutchinson Clinic.NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Clinic and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas are still at an impasse when it comes to 2025 rates for customers that have BCBS coverage through an employer.&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/f9db6853-fae1-46d6-95c8-d7c3a92fb811">In a letter sent to local companies obtained by Hutch Post earlier this summer</a>, the Hutchinson Clinic announced then it will not be doing business with Blue Cross Blue Shield in-network next year. This decision, if it stands, will effect a little over 26,000 Hutch Clinic patients.Spokesperson Kristi Zears for Blue Cross Blue Shield emailed Hutch Post Thursday with an update. That statement is below."As a long-standing partner with Hutchinson Clinic, we are disappointed with their decision to terminate the contract. This decision, which was shared prior to the release of the 2025 reimbursement rates, limits provider choice for members in the Hutchinson area. We have had continued conversations with Hutchinson Clinic and have provided them an opportunity to reconsider their decision until September 3. We hope they will do what is in the best interest of the community."As always, with nearly 100 percent of providers and hospitals in our network, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas is committed to serving our members and helping them through their health journeys."Hutch Clinic was also contacted and sent this response on Friday."The Hutchinson Clinic has been working diligently to analyze the complex Fee Schedule received from BCBSKS on July 31. The Clinic has requested a meeting with BCBSKS for the week of Aug. 26 to clarify some outstanding questions. Regardless of the outcome of this meeting, the Hutchinson Clinic will always prioritize patient care. Should we ultimately end up out of network with BCBSKS, the Hutchinson Clinic will provide affordable out-of-network options so our patients can continue seeking treatment with their physicians at our Clinic."BCBS is still in network for employer-provided coverage through the remainder of 2024. This decision is not connected with Medicare Advantage coverage, as that is under a separate arrangement.-----HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Hutchinson Clinic and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Kansas are still at an impasse when it comes to 2025 rates for customers that have BCBS coverage through an employer.&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/f9db6853-fae1-46d6-95c8-d7c3a92fb811">In a letter sent to local companies obtained by Hutch Post earlier this summer</a>, the Hutchinson Clinic announced then it will not be doing business with Blue Cross Blue Shield in-network next year. This decision, if it stands, will effect a little over 26,000 Hutch Clinic patients.Spokesperson Kristi Zears for Blue Cross Blue Shield emailed Hutch Post Thursday with an update. That statement is below."As a long-standing partner with Hutchinson Clinic, we are disappointed with their decision to terminate the contract. This decision, which was shared prior to the release of the 2025 reimbursement rates, limits provider choice for members in the Hutchinson area. We have had continued conversations with Hutchinson Clinic and have provided them an opportunity to reconsider their decision until September 3. We hope they will do what is in the best interest of the community."As always, with nearly 100 percent of providers and hospitals in our network, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas is committed to serving our members and helping them through their health journeys."Hutch Clinic was also contacted and had not responded as of the publication of this piece on Friday morning.BCBS is still in network for employer-provided coverage through the remainder of 2024. This decision is not connected with Medicare Advantage coverage, as that is under a separate arrangement.

BCBS Kansas and Hutchinson Clinic still at an impasse 

KANSAS CITY — A Former Kansas City Police officer has been charged in a deadly shooting that occurred Wednesday afternoon in the parking lot of a Walmart in Kansas City.

Taquiza Johnson, 47,&nbsp; is charged with second-degree murder and Armed Criminal Action, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.

Just after 4p.m. Wednesday, police responded to a shooting in the 8600 block of North Boardwalk Avenue, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

First responders found a man later identified as 71-year-old Ronald Barnett suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.The initial investigation indicates that the shooting followed a verbal dispute in the parking lot of Walmart, according to DiMartino.

Online jail records do not list a bond amount for Johnson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724374780429.png" alt="Johnson-photo Platte&nbsp; Co." />
 <figcaption>Johnson-photo Platte&nbsp; Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY — A Former Kansas City Police officer has been charged in a deadly shooting that occurred Wednesday afternoon in the parking lot of a Walmart in Kansas City.Taquiza Johnson, 47,&nbsp; is charged with second-degree murder and Armed Criminal Action, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.Just after 4p.m. Wednesday, police responded to a shooting in the 8600 block of North Boardwalk Avenue, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.First responders found a man later identified as 71-year-old Ronald Barnett suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene.The initial investigation indicates that the shooting followed a verbal dispute in the parking lot of Walmart, according to DiMartino.Online jail records do not list a bond amount for Johnson.

Former KCPD officer jailed for deadly shopping center shooting

COCHISE COUNTY, Arizona —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for a a threat to kill Donald Trump and after a manhunt took him into custody. The former President visited the border Thursday and will hold a rally there Friday.

Early Wednesday, the Cochise County, Arizona Sheriff's office issued an alert&nbsp; and asked for help searching for a 66-year-old Ronald Lee Syvud of Benson, Arizona for threats to kill a presidential candidate, according to a media release.

Late Thursday afternoon the sheriff's office reported Syvrud had been taken into custody without incident in Cochise County.&nbsp;

Syvrud also has outstanding warrants from the state of Wisconsin for DUI / Failure to Appear for DUI and from Graham County Arizona for Hit/Run and Felony Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.

The Cochise County Sheriff’s Office also has an absconder hold for him for failing to register as a sex offender.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724366666958.png" alt="Ronald Lee Syvrud photo Cochise County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Ronald Lee Syvrud photo Cochise County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>COCHISE COUNTY, Arizona —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for a a threat to kill Donald Trump and after a manhunt took him into custody. The former President visited the border Thursday and will hold a rally there Friday.Early Wednesday, the Cochise County, Arizona Sheriff's office issued an alert&nbsp; and asked for help searching for a 66-year-old Ronald Lee Syvud of Benson, Arizona for threats to kill a presidential candidate, according to a media release.Late Thursday afternoon the sheriff's office reported Syvrud had been taken into custody without incident in Cochise County.&nbsp;Syvrud also has outstanding warrants from the state of Wisconsin for DUI / Failure to Appear for DUI and from Graham County Arizona for Hit/Run and Felony Failure to Register as a Sex Offender.The Cochise County Sheriff’s Office also has an absconder hold for him for failing to register as a sex offender.

Sex offender accused of threatening to kill Trump captured after manhunt 

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Police investigating a fatal Kansas hit and run have arrested a 23-year-old Christopher Johnson Wichita man on felony allegations, according to <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=751504">Sedgwick County booking records.</a>&nbsp;He remains in custody.

Just after 2a.m. Sunday, police responded to a traffic collision involving a vehicle and a motorcycle at 2400 N. Hoover in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

First responders found 43-year-old Thomas Doyle of Wichita who was riding the bike unresponsive. Thomas was later pronounced deceased at the scene by Sedgwick County EMS. 

Investigators determined Doyle was northbound on Hoover when he was struck by a vehicle driven by Johnsaon that then continued driving north.

The case facts will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney for formal charging consideration.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724409391079.png" alt="Johnson photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Johnson photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Police investigating a fatal Kansas hit and run have arrested a 23-year-old Christopher Johnson Wichita man on felony allegations, according to <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=751504">Sedgwick County booking records.</a>&nbsp;He remains in custody.Just after 2a.m. Sunday, police responded to a traffic collision involving a vehicle and a motorcycle at 2400 N. Hoover in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.First responders found 43-year-old Thomas Doyle of Wichita who was riding the bike unresponsive. Thomas was later pronounced deceased at the scene by Sedgwick County EMS. Investigators determined Doyle was northbound on Hoover when he was struck by a vehicle driven by Johnsaon that then continued driving north.The case facts will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney for formal charging consideration.

Kansas man arrested for fatal hit-and-run that killed bicyclist

CHICAGO (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;summoned Americans on Thursday to reject political division and instead chart what she called a “new way forward,” as she accepted her party’s nomination while blending biography with warnings about electing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;again to the White House.

Taking the stage to a thunderous standing ovation as she closed out the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, the vice president argued that her personal story and background as a prosecutor made her uniquely qualified to protect Americans' interests against a former president she cast as only having his own interests in mind.

“Our nation with this election has a precious, fleeting opportunity to move past the bitterness, cynicism, and divisive battles of the past,” Harris said. “A chance to chart a new way forward. Not as members of any one party or faction, but as Americans.”

The daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants, Harris became the first Black woman and person of South Asian descent to accept a major party’s presidential nomination and she would become the first female president if elected. Harris did not explicitly reference the historic firsts she would set in her 40-minute speech, and she only mentioned the words “Democrat” or “Republican” in the context of discussing a bipartisan border bill that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-aid-border-security-386dcc54b29a5491f8bd87b727a284f8">Trump helped scuttle</a>&nbsp;earlier this year, which she promised to sign into law if elected.

Her address — and the Democratic convention at large — was intended to appeal to a broad swath of Americans, not just partisans already energized by Harris' ascension after President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-drops-out-2024-election-ddffde72838370032bdcff946cfc2ce6">ended his reelection bid</a>. She made several implicit appeals to the large swath of voters who just weeks ago were disaffected with both of their options for the White House, particularly those disaffected with Trump, underscored by the appearances of several people who have broken with the 45th president, while embracing the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-political-legacy-presidential-election-5aee4f47ecb317d4f6ef2a2148eba1d8">policies and approach</a>&nbsp;of Biden, the 46th.

She was joined for the traditional balloon drop by a large blended and mixed-race family. Earlier, two of her grandnieces had led the packed United Center in teaching people how to pronounce her name, which means lotus in Sanskrit.

“America, the path that led me here in recent weeks was no doubt unexpected," Harris said. "But I’m no stranger to unlikely journeys."

Raised primarily by her mother in a small apartment in San Francisco’s East Bay after her parents’ divorce, Harris described being reared as well by friends and caregivers who were “family by love.” She also detailed a key part of her political origin story, when Wanda, her best friend from high school, confided in her that she was being abused by her stepfather and came to live with Harris' family.

“That is one of the reasons I became a prosecutor. To protect people like Wanda,” Harris said.

Outlining her work as a prosecutor, state attorney general, senator and now vice president, Harris declared, “My entire career I’ve only had one client: the people." Meanwhile, she said Trump has only ever acted in the interests of "the only client he has ever had: himself.”

As she took the stage, she saw a sea of female delegates and Democratic supporters wearing white — the color of women’s suffrage, the movement that culminated with American women securing the right to vote in 1920.

Harris' address came on her 10th wedding anniversary to her husband, Doug Emhoff, whom she called “Dougie” on stage and who blew her a kiss from the stands at the start of her remarks.

She and other speakers directly appealed to Republicans

Harris made a direct call to Republicans who don't support Trump to put aside party labels and to support her over Trump, who denied his loss to Biden in the 2020 election, which inspired the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection.

“I know there are people of various political views watching tonight, and I want you to know I promise to be a president for all Americans,” Harris said. “I promise to be a president for all Americans to hold sacred America’s constitutional principles, fundamental principles, from the rule of law and fair elections to the peaceful transfer of power.”

The convention granted a prime speaking slot to former Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, a Republican critic of Trump’s who said: “Whatever policies we disagree on pale in comparison with those fundamental matters of principle. Of decency. Of fidelity to this nation. To my fellow Republicans: If you still pledge allegiance to those principles, I suspect you belong here, too.”

Harris invoked her prosecutor's background when she referred several times to Trump's "explicit intent” to free those who assaulted law enforcement officers at the Capitol, jail political opponents and use the military against American citizens.

“Consider what he intends to do if we give him power again,” she added.

Trump, calling into Fox News after Harris’ speech, responded to the speech by asking, “Why didn’t she do the things that she’s complaining about?”

“It was a lot of complaining. She didn’t talk about China. She didn’t talk about fracking. She didn’t talk about crime,” Trump went on, adding, “Other than that it was a nice-looking room.”

Harris promises to defend alliances, abortion access

Delivering her most in-depth remarks on national security since becoming a presidential candidate, Harris promised to strengthen U.S. relationships with NATO allies and said the country must continue to support Ukraine in its war with Russia. Trump and running mate JD Vance have repeatedly questioned U.S. backing for Ukraine.

“I will never waver in defense of America’s security and ideals, because in the enduring struggle between democracy and tyranny, I know where I stand and I know where the United States belongs," she said.

The vice president also vowed to work toward an end to Israel’s war against Hamas that can stabilize the rest of the region, while not hesitating to protect U.S. forces from aggression by Iran and other adversaries.

While she pledged to “always stand up for Israel’s right to defend itself" after Hamas' Oct. 7 attack and pushed for the release of the hostages and the implementation of a cease-fire deal, she highlighted the plight of Palestinian civilians as well. Pro-Palestinian protesters and members of the “uncommitted” movement in the arena sharply criticized convention organizers for not inviting a Palestinian American onstage.

“What has happened in Gaza in the last 10 months is devastating, so many innocent lives lost,” Harris said. “Desperate, hungry people fleeing to safety over and over again. The scale of suffering is heartbreaking.”

Pledging to restore nationwide access to abortion after the Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/roe-wade-dobbs-anniversary-abortion-states-cadff0d905d1c4d7b9825c8406aadffb">overturned</a>&nbsp;Roe v. Wade, Harris lambasted Trump and Republicans who have enabled abortion bans across two dozen states and have sought to move further.

“They are out of their minds,” Harris proclaimed.

Harris has faced scrutiny in the month since she replaced Biden atop the Democratic ticket for avoiding policy specifics. She offered broad promises in a string of key policy areas, from expanding voting rights to lowering housing costs, passing middle-class tax cuts and bolstering border security.

Harris also emphasized her law enforcement background, including her time as San Francisco district attorney and California attorney general. She was later elected to the U.S. Senate and sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020.

Her campaign imploded that year before a single primary vote was cast, but Biden chose her as his running mate, catapulting her to the national stage.

Although Harris initially struggled to find her footing as vice president, her reputation grew when she became the administration's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-vice-president-2024-39248af7a1da76a3f679b1c1c973254e">leading advocate for abortion</a>&nbsp;rights after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Democrats harnessed anger over the decision to stem their losses in the last midterm elections.

When&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bidentrumppresidentialdebate-0e7577e9a354a69f50675494fea54ca9">Biden stumbled</a>&nbsp;in his debate with Trump in June,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-joe-biden-debate-election-2024-3b9e6d404fcfd0938c0b576c366ce6aa">Harris defended him</a>&nbsp;until he decided to drop out of the race. With the help of his endorsement, she swiftly unified the Democratic Party behind her candidacy,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-joe-biden-donald-trump-election-90b9d5c6dc5553703af88dfa442a6bac">resetting a presidential race</a>&nbsp;that Trump had appeared on track to win.

Speaking to supporters after her remarks, Harris struck a confident note, but encouraged them to keep campaigning like they were behind.

“Tonight get your party on, for the next 75 days we have a lot of work to do,” she said. “We’re going to win this.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724407153962.png" alt="Photos courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Photos courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>CHICAGO (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;summoned Americans on Thursday to reject political division and instead chart what she called a “new way forward,” as she accepted her party’s nomination while blending biography with warnings about electing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;again to the White House.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Kamala Harris: &quot;So, let get out there, let&#39;s fight for it. Let&#39;s get out there, let&#39;s vote for it. And together let us write the next great chapter in the most extraordinary story ever told.&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DNC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DNC</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ti1hOmcIQs">pic.twitter.com/Ti1hOmcIQs</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1826823909674520978?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 23, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Taking the stage to a thunderous standing ovation as she closed out the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, the vice president argued that her personal story and background as a prosecutor made her uniquely qualified to protect Americans' interests against a former president she cast as only having his own interests in mind.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/KamalaHarris?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KamalaHarris</a>: &quot;On behalf of the people, On behalf of every American regardless of party, race, gender or the language your grandmother speaks, On behalf of my mother and everyone who has ever set out on their own unlikely journey On behalf of Americans like the people I… <a href="https://t.co/FA69bXuNpG">pic.twitter.com/FA69bXuNpG</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1826815185111101696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 23, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Our nation with this election has a precious, fleeting opportunity to move past the bitterness, cynicism, and divisive battles of the past,” Harris said. “A chance to chart a new way forward. Not as members of any one party or faction, but as Americans.”The daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants, Harris became the first Black woman and person of South Asian descent to accept a major party’s presidential nomination and she would become the first female president if elected. Harris did not explicitly reference the historic firsts she would set in her 40-minute speech, and she only mentioned the words “Democrat” or “Republican” in the context of discussing a bipartisan border bill that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-aid-border-security-386dcc54b29a5491f8bd87b727a284f8">Trump helped scuttle</a>&nbsp;earlier this year, which she promised to sign into law if elected.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Watch full <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DNC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DNC</a> acceptance speech from Kamala Harris here: <a href="https://t.co/nVTjnKUwh0">https://t.co/nVTjnKUwh0</a> <a href="https://t.co/itZ2l0XuUO">pic.twitter.com/itZ2l0XuUO</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1826932646183870806?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 23, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Her address — and the Democratic convention at large — was intended to appeal to a broad swath of Americans, not just partisans already energized by Harris' ascension after President Joe Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-drops-out-2024-election-ddffde72838370032bdcff946cfc2ce6">ended his reelection bid</a>. She made several implicit appeals to the large swath of voters who just weeks ago were disaffected with both of their options for the White House, particularly those disaffected with Trump, underscored by the appearances of several people who have broken with the 45th president, while embracing the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-political-legacy-presidential-election-5aee4f47ecb317d4f6ef2a2148eba1d8">policies and approach</a>&nbsp;of Biden, the 46th.She was joined for the traditional balloon drop by a large blended and mixed-race family. Earlier, two of her grandnieces had led the packed United Center in teaching people how to pronounce her name, which means lotus in Sanskrit.“America, the path that led me here in recent weeks was no doubt unexpected," Harris said. "But I’m no stranger to unlikely journeys."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724407562890.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Harris reintroduces herself</h2>Raised primarily by her mother in a small apartment in San Francisco’s East Bay after her parents’ divorce, Harris described being reared as well by friends and caregivers who were “family by love.” She also detailed a key part of her political origin story, when Wanda, her best friend from high school, confided in her that she was being abused by her stepfather and came to live with Harris' family.“That is one of the reasons I became a prosecutor. To protect people like Wanda,” Harris said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724407330969.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Outlining her work as a prosecutor, state attorney general, senator and now vice president, Harris declared, “My entire career I’ve only had one client: the people." Meanwhile, she said Trump has only ever acted in the interests of "the only client he has ever had: himself.”As she took the stage, she saw a sea of female delegates and Democratic supporters wearing white — the color of women’s suffrage, the movement that culminated with American women securing the right to vote in 1920.Harris' address came on her 10th wedding anniversary to her husband, Doug Emhoff, whom she called “Dougie” on stage and who blew her a kiss from the stands at the start of her remarks.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">P!NK (<a href="https://twitter.com/Pink?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@pink</a>) preforms at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DNC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DNC</a>. <a href="https://t.co/BG8mCW18MU">pic.twitter.com/BG8mCW18MU</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1826800282719658314?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 23, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2>She and other speakers directly appealed to Republicans</h2>Harris made a direct call to Republicans who don't support Trump to put aside party labels and to support her over Trump, who denied his loss to Biden in the 2020 election, which inspired the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection.“I know there are people of various political views watching tonight, and I want you to know I promise to be a president for all Americans,” Harris said. “I promise to be a president for all Americans to hold sacred America’s constitutional principles, fundamental principles, from the rule of law and fair elections to the peaceful transfer of power.”The convention granted a prime speaking slot to former Rep. Adam Kinzinger of Illinois, a Republican critic of Trump’s who said: “Whatever policies we disagree on pale in comparison with those fundamental matters of principle. Of decency. Of fidelity to this nation. To my fellow Republicans: If you still pledge allegiance to those principles, I suspect you belong here, too.”Harris invoked her prosecutor's background when she referred several times to Trump's "explicit intent” to free those who assaulted law enforcement officers at the Capitol, jail political opponents and use the military against American citizens.“Consider what he intends to do if we give him power again,” she added.Trump, calling into Fox News after Harris’ speech, responded to the speech by asking, “Why didn’t she do the things that she’s complaining about?”“It was a lot of complaining. She didn’t talk about China. She didn’t talk about fracking. She didn’t talk about crime,” Trump went on, adding, “Other than that it was a nice-looking room.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Balloon drop at the Democratic National Convention. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DNC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DNC</a> <a href="https://t.co/cRDurOqsGr">pic.twitter.com/cRDurOqsGr</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1826823968579563550?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 23, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><h2>Harris promises to defend alliances, abortion access</h2>Delivering her most in-depth remarks on national security since becoming a presidential candidate, Harris promised to strengthen U.S. relationships with NATO allies and said the country must continue to support Ukraine in its war with Russia. Trump and running mate JD Vance have repeatedly questioned U.S. backing for Ukraine.“I will never waver in defense of America’s security and ideals, because in the enduring struggle between democracy and tyranny, I know where I stand and I know where the United States belongs," she said.The vice president also vowed to work toward an end to Israel’s war against Hamas that can stabilize the rest of the region, while not hesitating to protect U.S. forces from aggression by Iran and other adversaries.While she pledged to “always stand up for Israel’s right to defend itself" after Hamas' Oct. 7 attack and pushed for the release of the hostages and the implementation of a cease-fire deal, she highlighted the plight of Palestinian civilians as well. Pro-Palestinian protesters and members of the “uncommitted” movement in the arena sharply criticized convention organizers for not inviting a Palestinian American onstage.“What has happened in Gaza in the last 10 months is devastating, so many innocent lives lost,” Harris said. “Desperate, hungry people fleeing to safety over and over again. The scale of suffering is heartbreaking.”Pledging to restore nationwide access to abortion after the Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/roe-wade-dobbs-anniversary-abortion-states-cadff0d905d1c4d7b9825c8406aadffb">overturned</a>&nbsp;Roe v. Wade, Harris lambasted Trump and Republicans who have enabled abortion bans across two dozen states and have sought to move further.“They are out of their minds,” Harris proclaimed.Harris has faced scrutiny in the month since she replaced Biden atop the Democratic ticket for avoiding policy specifics. She offered broad promises in a string of key policy areas, from expanding voting rights to lowering housing costs, passing middle-class tax cuts and bolstering border security.Harris also emphasized her law enforcement background, including her time as San Francisco district attorney and California attorney general. She was later elected to the U.S. Senate and sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 2020.Her campaign imploded that year before a single primary vote was cast, but Biden chose her as his running mate, catapulting her to the national stage.Although Harris initially struggled to find her footing as vice president, her reputation grew when she became the administration's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-vice-president-2024-39248af7a1da76a3f679b1c1c973254e">leading advocate for abortion</a>&nbsp;rights after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. Democrats harnessed anger over the decision to stem their losses in the last midterm elections.When&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bidentrumppresidentialdebate-0e7577e9a354a69f50675494fea54ca9">Biden stumbled</a>&nbsp;in his debate with Trump in June,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-joe-biden-debate-election-2024-3b9e6d404fcfd0938c0b576c366ce6aa">Harris defended him</a>&nbsp;until he decided to drop out of the race. With the help of his endorsement, she swiftly unified the Democratic Party behind her candidacy,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-joe-biden-donald-trump-election-90b9d5c6dc5553703af88dfa442a6bac">resetting a presidential race</a>&nbsp;that Trump had appeared on track to win.Speaking to supporters after her remarks, Harris struck a confident note, but encouraged them to keep campaigning like they were behind.“Tonight get your party on, for the next 75 days we have a lot of work to do,” she said. “We’re going to win this.”___

🎥Highlights from Kamala Harris night at Democratic National Convention

KANSAS CITY—A battery and charger are blamed for a fire at a Kansas City home.

Just before 3:30a.m. Thursday, crews responded to a reported house fire in the 8500 block of Conran Court, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

First responders reported smoke from the garage of a one and a half story single family home. 

Searches of the structure came back all clear. The occupants were able to escape due to the operation of working smoke detectors that alerted them to the fire. 

No injuries were reported at this incident. 

After investigation by KCFD,&nbsp; it has been determined that a faulty lithium-ION battery and charger were the cause.

KCFD stressed to never leave a lithium-ION battery or any battery on a charger unattended. If not equipped with a shut off or battery heat detection the batteries can overcharge and cause a fire.

KANSAS CITY—A battery and charger are blamed for a fire at a Kansas City home.Just before 3:30a.m. Thursday, crews responded to a reported house fire in the 8500 block of Conran Court, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.First responders reported smoke from the garage of a one and a half story single family home. Searches of the structure came back all clear. The occupants were able to escape due to the operation of working smoke detectors that alerted them to the fire. No injuries were reported at this incident. After investigation by KCFD,&nbsp; it has been determined that a faulty lithium-ION battery and charger were the cause.KCFD stressed to never leave a lithium-ION battery or any battery on a charger unattended. If not equipped with a shut off or battery heat detection the batteries can overcharge and cause a fire.

Lithium-ion battery on a charger blamed for Kansas City house fire

RAWLINS COUNTY —A northwest Kansas man died in an accident just after 8:30p.m. Thursday in Rawlins County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1997 Ford passenger car driven by Mitchell C. Howard, 20, Atwood, was eastbound on Atwood Cemetery Road just west of Kansas 25 highway.

The car left the roadway to the right and struck a concrete bridge pillar. After impact the car spun 90 degrees counter clockwise and came to rest in the ditch facing north.

Howard was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp; Baalmann Mortuary. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

RAWLINS COUNTY —A northwest Kansas man died in an accident just after 8:30p.m. Thursday in Rawlins County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1997 Ford passenger car driven by Mitchell C. Howard, 20, Atwood, was eastbound on Atwood Cemetery Road just west of Kansas 25 highway.The car left the roadway to the right and struck a concrete bridge pillar. After impact the car spun 90 degrees counter clockwise and came to rest in the ditch facing north.Howard was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp; Baalmann Mortuary. He was properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dead after car strikes concrete bridge pillar

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused of using online obituary postings to plan residential burglaries was convicted of all counts by a jury on Monday.

Gary Garrett, 50 of Wichita, was charged in three separate cases totaling 27 counts, including three residential burglaries, one attempted residential burglary, one business burglary and multiple counts of theft, forgery and identity theft,&nbsp;according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Victims reported losing financial documents, guns and electronics in the residential burglaries, some of which occurred while the families were at the funeral services for their deceased family members. 

Investigators from the Wichita Police Department and Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office worked together on the case, and more than 40 witnesses testified during the trial. At the time of Garrett’s arrest in November of last year in the parking lot of an East Wichita Walmart store, Garrett was found to be in possession of a driver’s license belonging to one of the deceased victims. A Wichita Police burglary detective testified at trial that a download of Garrett’s phone showed online searches of obituaries that corresponded to the burglary locations across the city from July to November of 2023.

Garrett also was convicted of using fake IDs to rent and purchase several vehicles during the same timeframe. One of the vehicles rented by Garrett had a GPS location device that placed the vehicle at the scene of several of the burglaries, according to testimony in the trial.

&nbsp;Sentencing is set for October 24, before Judge Bruce Brown, according to the district attorney's office

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724257794246.png" alt="Garrett photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Garrett photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man accused of using online obituary postings to plan residential burglaries was convicted of all counts by a jury on Monday.Gary Garrett, 50 of Wichita, was charged in three separate cases totaling 27 counts, including three residential burglaries, one attempted residential burglary, one business burglary and multiple counts of theft, forgery and identity theft,&nbsp;according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.Victims reported losing financial documents, guns and electronics in the residential burglaries, some of which occurred while the families were at the funeral services for their deceased family members. Investigators from the Wichita Police Department and Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office worked together on the case, and more than 40 witnesses testified during the trial. At the time of Garrett’s arrest in November of last year in the parking lot of an East Wichita Walmart store, Garrett was found to be in possession of a driver’s license belonging to one of the deceased victims. A Wichita Police burglary detective testified at trial that a download of Garrett’s phone showed online searches of obituaries that corresponded to the burglary locations across the city from July to November of 2023.Garrett also was convicted of using fake IDs to rent and purchase several vehicles during the same timeframe. One of the vehicles rented by Garrett had a GPS location device that placed the vehicle at the scene of several of the burglaries, according to testimony in the trial.&nbsp;Sentencing is set for October 24, before Judge Bruce Brown, according to the district attorney's office

Kan. man planned residential burglaries after reading obituaries

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a knife attack and have a teen in custody.

Just before 8p.m. Wednesday, responded to a home in the 300 block of East P Street in Atchison to investigate a reported stabbing, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

 It was determined that a disturbance had occurred between a 31-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy who both live at the residence. 

During the disturbance the boy allegedly stabbed the man in the hand and arm with a knife. EMS transported the victim to Mosaic in St. Joseph for treatment. Police took the teen into custody and transported him to a juvenile detention facility on a requested charge of aggravated battery.

The teen’s  mother and the victim are in a relationship, according to Wilson.

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a knife attack and have a teen in custody.Just before 8p.m. Wednesday, responded to a home in the 300 block of East P Street in Atchison to investigate a reported stabbing, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. It was determined that a disturbance had occurred between a 31-year-old man and a 16-year-old boy who both live at the residence. During the disturbance the boy allegedly stabbed the man in the hand and arm with a knife. EMS transported the victim to Mosaic in St. Joseph for treatment. Police took the teen into custody and transported him to a juvenile detention facility on a requested charge of aggravated battery.The teen’s mother and the victim are in a relationship, according to Wilson.

Kan. teen accused of knife attack on mother's boyfriend

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Authorities in Sedgwick County are investigating after a man's body was found in a pond in Wichita.&nbsp;

Just after 9a.m. Thursday, EMS, fire crews and police were dispatched to a report of a body in the pond at Stoney Point and Taft in Wichita, according to Wichita Police Department spokesman Andrew Ford.

First responders pulled the man the pond and he was pronounced deceased on scene. The identity of the victim is not known at this time and will be determined by the Medical Examiner's Office.&nbsp;

Police released no additional details Thursday afternoon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724343455794.png" alt="First responders on the scene Thursday morning -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene Thursday morning -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Authorities in Sedgwick County are investigating after a man's body was found in a pond in Wichita.&nbsp;Just after 9a.m. Thursday, EMS, fire crews and police were dispatched to a report of a body in the pond at Stoney Point and Taft in Wichita, according to Wichita Police Department spokesman Andrew Ford.First responders pulled the man the pond and he was pronounced deceased on scene. The identity of the victim is not known at this time and will be determined by the Medical Examiner's Office.&nbsp;Police released no additional details Thursday afternoon.

Police: Body of man found in Kansas pond

RILEY COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 1:30p.m. Thursday in Riley County.

According to the Riley County Police Department, a Honda Civic was eastbound on Anderson when it struck a green Chevy Equinox that was attempting to make a left turn onto Seth Child Road causing it to rollover. 

The passenger in the Equinox was pronounced dead at Ascension &nbsp;Via Christi in Manhattan. The driver of the Equinox was air-lifted to Stormont Vail Medical Center in Topeka and the driver of the Civic was taken via ambulance to Ascension Via Christi.&nbsp;

Anderson Ave. at Seth Child Road remains closed while officers process the accident.&nbsp; Police have not released the names of those involved or additional details.

RILEY COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 1:30p.m. Thursday in Riley County.According to the Riley County Police Department, a Honda Civic was eastbound on Anderson when it struck a green Chevy Equinox that was attempting to make a left turn onto Seth Child Road causing it to rollover. The passenger in the Equinox was pronounced dead at Ascension &nbsp;Via Christi in Manhattan. The driver of the Equinox was air-lifted to Stormont Vail Medical Center in Topeka and the driver of the Civic was taken via ambulance to Ascension Via Christi.&nbsp;Anderson Ave. at Seth Child Road remains closed while officers process the accident.&nbsp; Police have not released the names of those involved or additional details.

One dead, 2 hospitalized after 2-vehicle Kansas crash

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating three homicides on Wednesday in Kansas City.

Just after 9a.m., police responded to&nbsp;19th and Troost after a dead body was reported, according Sheriff Daryl Forte. First responders foud a man suffering from bodily trauma. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Just after 4p.m. Wednesday, police responded to a shooting&nbsp;in the 8600 block of North Boardwalk Avenue, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

The initial investigation indicates that the shooting followed a verbal dispute in the parking lot of Walmart. The victim is an adult male and a suspect was detained near the scene.

Just before 9 p.m. Wednesday, police responded to a shooting in the area of the 3300 block of E. Linwood Boulevard, according to DiMartino.

First responders found 33-year-old Michael Dehaan suffering from gunshot wounds. EMS transported him to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced deceased.

Preliminary investigation revealed a disturbance occurred between Dehaan and other individuals at the location which led to the shooting. Police have not reported an arrest in this case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724267247754.png" alt="Police at the scene of the investigation near 19th and Troost-photo Sheriff Daryl Forte." />
 <figcaption>Police at the scene of the investigation near 19th and Troost-photo Sheriff Daryl Forte.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating three homicides on Wednesday in Kansas City.Just after 9a.m., police responded to&nbsp;19th and Troost after a dead body was reported, according Sheriff Daryl Forte. First responders foud a man suffering from bodily trauma. He was pronounced deceased at the scene.Just after 4p.m. Wednesday, police responded to a shooting&nbsp;in the 8600 block of North Boardwalk Avenue, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724292793851.png" alt="Photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>The initial investigation indicates that the shooting followed a verbal dispute in the parking lot of Walmart. The victim is an adult male and a suspect was detained near the scene.Just before 9 p.m. Wednesday, police responded to a shooting in the area of the 3300 block of E. Linwood Boulevard, according to DiMartino.First responders found 33-year-old Michael Dehaan suffering from gunshot wounds. EMS transported him to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced deceased.Preliminary investigation revealed a disturbance occurred between Dehaan and other individuals at the location which led to the shooting. Police have not reported an arrest in this case.

Three homicides reported in Kansas City on Wednesday

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ghills/">GRACE HILLS</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Eleven Kansas young Democrats are at the Democratic National Convention filled with “energy and joy,” ready to officially nominate Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz for the party’s presidential ticket, Kansas delegate Jae Moyer said.&nbsp;

The 11 are excited about “the history we’re going to make by electing Kamala Harris for president,” said Moyer, who has also written opinion columns for Kansas Reflector. Moyer said they’re seeing energy similar to that of August 2022 — when an anti-abortion amendment was on the ballot. Kansans showed up in record numbers to defeat the amendment&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/08/02/kansas-voters-defeat-abortion-amendment-in-unexpected-landslide-1/">in a landslide</a>.&nbsp;

Reed Krewson, a Kansas delegate at the DNC, notes that more young people in Kansas voted on the August 2022 anti-abortion amendment than in the 2020 general election. Harris has made reproductive freedom a key talking point in her campaign, and Krewson hopes the young people who voted for reproductive rights in 2022 but not in the 2020 general election recognize Harris’ dedication to codifying Roe v. Wade.&nbsp;

Gov. Laura Kelly, who spoke to the Kansas delegates Wednesday, has also supported abortion rights. Kelly gave her full endorsement to Harris — which Krewson sees as a contrast to the governor’s 2022 campaign running as a more independent Democrat — encouraging local-level politicians to “run with her, not against her.” Krewson believes that local Kansas Democrats can ride the coattails of the presidential election.&nbsp;

“There has been a lot of energy and joy. People have been volunteering not just for Kamala but also for state and local elections,” Moyer said. “It’s been important for us to break the Republican supermajority.”&nbsp;

Breaking the Kansas Republican supermajority in the state Legislature has been a goal of young Kansas Democrats since President Biden was the probable 2024 democratic nominee. The delegates began their candidacy to represent the state in January. Krewson said the DNC had a goal of making the delegates look like America.&nbsp;

“We wanted to make sure we met those goals, which was 1/3rd of our delegation to be young people,” Krewson said.&nbsp; “And we do have 11 young Dems in our delegation, which is historic.”

Harris advocates for policies that Krewson believes are important to young Kansans. One of those is her housing plan, which was released three days before the DNC. It would lower the costs of renting or owning a home, with the standout feature being the construction of 3 million new housing units in the next four years.&nbsp;

“It’s really refreshing to see a candidate talk about it, especially something so transformative on the 3 million housing units she’s proposing,” Krewson said. “Housing is a really difficult and hard thing for young people, and that’s a major way to generate wealth.”&nbsp;

Krewson grew up in Johnson County, home of the new&nbsp;<a href="https://na.panasonic.com/news/panasonic-energy-breaks-ground-on-ev-battery-factory-in-kansas" target="_blank">Panasonic plant</a>. Krewson said he was excited to nominate Biden because of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/08/09/fact-sheet-chips-and-science-act-will-lower-costs-create-jobs-strengthen-supply-chains-and-counter-china/" target="_blank">CHIPS and Science Act,</a>&nbsp;which will directly impact Johnson County with economic growth from the Panasonic plant. He hopes that Harris will continue the president’s work on the act. Krewson sees the intersection of the two as something that “will transform Johnson County for the duration of my lifetime.”&nbsp;

Krewson believes there was an incumbency bias towards Biden. He saw subjects like inflation and war in the Middle East were “unfairly tied” to Biden and “the optics were not great.”&nbsp;

He believes that younger people can relate to Harris as a candidate, seeing her as a fresh alternative to the legacy of Biden’s presidency.&nbsp;

“I’m really excited that Kamla is changing the narrative, changing the optics,” Krewson said.&nbsp;

Both sides agree that the Gen Z turnout in Kansas will be higher than it was in 2022.&nbsp;

Alex Dwyer, president of Kansas Young Republicans,&nbsp; points to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/elections/2022/midterm-results/voter-analysis?year=2022&amp;state=KS&amp;race=G" target="_blank">Fox News poll</a>&nbsp;that indicated Gen Z leaned Republican in 2022. He believes that trend will continue, and that Gen Z will vote for former President Donald Trump in Kansas.&nbsp;

Moyer wants to challenge the norm that Kansas is a red state. They believe that with the grassroots, door-to-door work the Kansas Young Democrats are doing, there’s a chance Kansas goes blue.&nbsp;

In “2020, young voters turned out at historic levels, and that tipped the scale for the election,” Moyer said. “And we’re going to see the same thing in supporting Kamala Harris and Tim Wallz this year.”&nbsp;

In her Wednesday speech to the delegates, Kelly said “there’s not a 0% chance” Kansas goes blue. Krewson points to Johnson County, where 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney won by a large margin, Trump won by a smaller margin in 2016, and Biden won by a large margin in 2021.&nbsp;

“I think that would be such a deafening win,” Krewson said. “Which I think we might need, with Donald Trump’s record of trying to steal elections, trying to create misinformation and distort election results, I think that would be the nail in the coffin for the MAGA movement.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724347560221.png" alt=" Reed Krewson, a Democratic National Convention delegate is one of 11 young Kansas delegates at the 2024 DNC. (Submitted by Reed Krewson)" />
 <figcaption> Reed Krewson, a Democratic National Convention delegate is one of 11 young Kansas delegates at the 2024 DNC. (Submitted by Reed Krewson)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ghills/">GRACE HILLS</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Eleven Kansas young Democrats are at the Democratic National Convention filled with “energy and joy,” ready to officially nominate Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz for the party’s presidential ticket, Kansas delegate Jae Moyer said.&nbsp;The 11 are excited about “the history we’re going to make by electing Kamala Harris for president,” said Moyer, who has also written opinion columns for Kansas Reflector. Moyer said they’re seeing energy similar to that of August 2022 — when an anti-abortion amendment was on the ballot. Kansans showed up in record numbers to defeat the amendment&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/08/02/kansas-voters-defeat-abortion-amendment-in-unexpected-landslide-1/">in a landslide</a>.&nbsp;Reed Krewson, a Kansas delegate at the DNC, notes that more young people in Kansas voted on the August 2022 anti-abortion amendment than in the 2020 general election. Harris has made reproductive freedom a key talking point in her campaign, and Krewson hopes the young people who voted for reproductive rights in 2022 but not in the 2020 general election recognize Harris’ dedication to codifying Roe v. Wade.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724347511920.png" alt=" Allie Utley and Jae Moyer celebrate at the Kansans for Constitutional Freedom watch party after Kansans vote to keep abortion a constitutional right on Tuesday. (Lily O’Shea Becker/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Allie Utley and Jae Moyer celebrate at the Kansans for Constitutional Freedom watch party after Kansans vote to keep abortion a constitutional right on Tuesday. (Lily O’Shea Becker/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Gov. Laura Kelly, who spoke to the Kansas delegates Wednesday, has also supported abortion rights. Kelly gave her full endorsement to Harris — which Krewson sees as a contrast to the governor’s 2022 campaign running as a more independent Democrat — encouraging local-level politicians to “run with her, not against her.” Krewson believes that local Kansas Democrats can ride the coattails of the presidential election.&nbsp;“There has been a lot of energy and joy. People have been volunteering not just for Kamala but also for state and local elections,” Moyer said. “It’s been important for us to break the Republican supermajority.”&nbsp;Breaking the Kansas Republican supermajority in the state Legislature has been a goal of young Kansas Democrats since President Biden was the probable 2024 democratic nominee. The delegates began their candidacy to represent the state in January. Krewson said the DNC had a goal of making the delegates look like America.&nbsp;“We wanted to make sure we met those goals, which was 1/3rd of our delegation to be young people,” Krewson said.&nbsp; “And we do have 11 young Dems in our delegation, which is historic.”Harris advocates for policies that Krewson believes are important to young Kansans. One of those is her housing plan, which was released three days before the DNC. It would lower the costs of renting or owning a home, with the standout feature being the construction of 3 million new housing units in the next four years.&nbsp;“It’s really refreshing to see a candidate talk about it, especially something so transformative on the 3 million housing units she’s proposing,” Krewson said. “Housing is a really difficult and hard thing for young people, and that’s a major way to generate wealth.”&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724347474544.png" alt=" Kansas won a competition for a $4 billion Panasonic Corp. vehicle battery manufacturing facility to be built at the old Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant at De Soto. The battery plant is expected to create 4,000 jobs and have an annual economic impact on the state of $2.5 billion. (Lily O’Shea Becker/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Kansas won a competition for a $4 billion Panasonic Corp. vehicle battery manufacturing facility to be built at the old Sunflower Army Ammunition Plant at De Soto. The battery plant is expected to create 4,000 jobs and have an annual economic impact on the state of $2.5 billion. (Lily O’Shea Becker/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Krewson grew up in Johnson County, home of the new&nbsp;<a href="https://na.panasonic.com/news/panasonic-energy-breaks-ground-on-ev-battery-factory-in-kansas" target="_blank">Panasonic plant</a>. Krewson said he was excited to nominate Biden because of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/08/09/fact-sheet-chips-and-science-act-will-lower-costs-create-jobs-strengthen-supply-chains-and-counter-china/" target="_blank">CHIPS and Science Act,</a>&nbsp;which will directly impact Johnson County with economic growth from the Panasonic plant. He hopes that Harris will continue the president’s work on the act. Krewson sees the intersection of the two as something that “will transform Johnson County for the duration of my lifetime.”&nbsp;Krewson believes there was an incumbency bias towards Biden. He saw subjects like inflation and war in the Middle East were “unfairly tied” to Biden and “the optics were not great.”&nbsp;He believes that younger people can relate to Harris as a candidate, seeing her as a fresh alternative to the legacy of Biden’s presidency.&nbsp;“I’m really excited that Kamla is changing the narrative, changing the optics,” Krewson said.&nbsp;Both sides agree that the Gen Z turnout in Kansas will be higher than it was in 2022.&nbsp;Alex Dwyer, president of Kansas Young Republicans,&nbsp; points to a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.foxnews.com/elections/2022/midterm-results/voter-analysis?year=2022&amp;state=KS&amp;race=G" target="_blank">Fox News poll</a>&nbsp;that indicated Gen Z leaned Republican in 2022. He believes that trend will continue, and that Gen Z will vote for former President Donald Trump in Kansas.&nbsp;Moyer wants to challenge the norm that Kansas is a red state. They believe that with the grassroots, door-to-door work the Kansas Young Democrats are doing, there’s a chance Kansas goes blue.&nbsp;In “2020, young voters turned out at historic levels, and that tipped the scale for the election,” Moyer said. “And we’re going to see the same thing in supporting Kamala Harris and Tim Wallz this year.”&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724328694166.png" alt=" Kansas Gov. and DGA chairwoman Laura Kelly during a Democratic Women Governors panel with Julia Louis-Dreyfus on Aug. 21, 2024, at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago (Ariana Figueroa/States Newsroom)." />
 <figcaption> Kansas Gov. and DGA chairwoman Laura Kelly during a Democratic Women Governors panel with Julia Louis-Dreyfus on Aug. 21, 2024, at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago (Ariana Figueroa/States Newsroom).</figcaption>
 </figure>In her Wednesday speech to the delegates, Kelly said “there’s not a 0% chance” Kansas goes blue. Krewson points to Johnson County, where 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney won by a large margin, Trump won by a smaller margin in 2016, and Biden won by a large margin in 2021.&nbsp;“I think that would be such a deafening win,” Krewson said. “Which I think we might need, with Donald Trump’s record of trying to steal elections, trying to create misinformation and distort election results, I think that would be the nail in the coffin for the MAGA movement.”

Kansas young Democrats rally for Harris at DNC

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

TOPEKA — A Kansas school district investigated an incident in which an elementary school principal invited a missionary to pass out Bibles at recess, the superintendent said in a statement Wednesday.

The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/08/20/kansas-school-principal-who-helped-hand-out-bibles-to-students-violated-constitution-aclu-says/">sent a letter Monday</a>&nbsp;to Katie Struebing, principal of East Elementary School in the roughly 2,000-person city of Belleville, asserting that the school violated the First Amendment.

Struebing recruited a member of the evangelical Christian organization Gideons International, Ben Dreesen, to hand out Bibles to students during their recess on May 7, according to the letter, which was penned by Monica Bennett, ACLU of Kansas legal director.

The Republic County school district conducted a “thorough investigation” this summer, the district’s superintendent, Tami Knedler, said in an emailed statement Wednesday. Knedler declined to comment on the employees involved or the details of the investigation.

“I can assure you that our district is committed to welcoming all religious viewpoints, not promoting any specific one,” Knedler said. “We continue to review our practices and policies to ensure they reflect this commitment.”

Struebing allowed Dreesen on school grounds and helped him hand out Bibles to students, which lent “credibility and authority” to Dreesen, “in effect placing a stamp of approval on his message and subjecting students to a religiously coercive atmosphere,” Bennett wrote in the letter.

Ahead of Dreesen’s visit, Struebing also informed teachers and students of the “nice man” who would be handing out Bibles. A student’s parents reported the visit to the Kansas ACLU.

In the letter, Bennett said that the school violated the First Amendment in addition to the district’s own policies against promoting religious viewpoints.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724347898235.png" alt="Photo courtesy Gideons International " />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Gideons International </figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a> TOPEKA — A Kansas school district investigated an incident in which an elementary school principal invited a missionary to pass out Bibles at recess, the superintendent said in a statement Wednesday.The American Civil Liberties Union of Kansas&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/08/20/kansas-school-principal-who-helped-hand-out-bibles-to-students-violated-constitution-aclu-says/">sent a letter Monday</a>&nbsp;to Katie Struebing, principal of East Elementary School in the roughly 2,000-person city of Belleville, asserting that the school violated the First Amendment.Struebing recruited a member of the evangelical Christian organization Gideons International, Ben Dreesen, to hand out Bibles to students during their recess on May 7, according to the letter, which was penned by Monica Bennett, ACLU of Kansas legal director.The Republic County school district conducted a “thorough investigation” this summer, the district’s superintendent, Tami Knedler, said in an emailed statement Wednesday. Knedler declined to comment on the employees involved or the details of the investigation.“I can assure you that our district is committed to welcoming all religious viewpoints, not promoting any specific one,” Knedler said. “We continue to review our practices and policies to ensure they reflect this commitment.”Struebing allowed Dreesen on school grounds and helped him hand out Bibles to students, which lent “credibility and authority” to Dreesen, “in effect placing a stamp of approval on his message and subjecting students to a religiously coercive atmosphere,” Bennett wrote in the letter.Ahead of Dreesen’s visit, Struebing also informed teachers and students of the “nice man” who would be handing out Bibles. A student’s parents reported the visit to the Kansas ACLU.In the letter, Bennett said that the school violated the First Amendment in addition to the district’s own policies against promoting religious viewpoints.