SHAWNEE COUNTY,– Sheriff Brian C. Hill announces a 27-year-old male was arrested and facing multiple charges including, possession of stolen property and possession of methamphetamine, following a suspicious vehicle investigation Saturday evening.

Shortly after 9:30p.m. Dec. 23, a deputy with the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office investigated a suspicious vehicle in the 3600 block of South West 21st Street, according to Lt. Scott Wanamaker.

During the investigation the Deputy learned that the vehicle, a white 2013 Buick Enclave was reported stolen through the Topeka Police Department. Deputies also found illegal narcotics.

They arrested 27-year-old Dylan K. Dow of Topeka.&nbsp; He remains jailed without bond on requested charges of possession of stolen property, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and parking/standing/or stopping in a prohibited area.&nbsp; He has previous convictions for battery, theft,&nbsp; burglary, criminal possession of a weapon by a felon and flee or attempt to elude law enforcement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703713536487.png" alt="Dow-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Dow-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY,– Sheriff Brian C. Hill announces a 27-year-old male was arrested and facing multiple charges including, possession of stolen property and possession of methamphetamine, following a suspicious vehicle investigation Saturday evening.Shortly after 9:30p.m. Dec. 23, a deputy with the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office investigated a suspicious vehicle in the 3600 block of South West 21st Street, according to Lt. Scott Wanamaker.During the investigation the Deputy learned that the vehicle, a white 2013 Buick Enclave was reported stolen through the Topeka Police Department. Deputies also found illegal narcotics.They arrested 27-year-old Dylan K. Dow of Topeka.&nbsp; He remains jailed without bond on requested charges of possession of stolen property, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and parking/standing/or stopping in a prohibited area.&nbsp; He has previous convictions for battery, theft,&nbsp; burglary, criminal possession of a weapon by a felon and flee or attempt to elude law enforcement.

Kansas felon on parole caught with reported stolen SUV

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that injured two Kansas boys.

Just after 11:30p.m. Thursday, police responded to a "check shots" incident near Elm and Dellrose in Wichita, according to police spokesman Andrew Ford

First responders located a total of 15 cartridge casings.&nbsp; A short time later, two boys, ages 15 and 11, walked into Wesley Hospital. Both had a gunshot wound to their leg. The injuries appear to be non-life-threatening, according to Ford.

At this time, investigators believe; the two boys were operating a vehicle.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703880585132.png" alt="Police near the scene of the investigation-photo courtesy KWCh" />
 <figcaption>Police near the scene of the investigation-photo courtesy KWCh</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that injured two Kansas boys.Just after 11:30p.m. Thursday, police responded to a "check shots" incident near Elm and Dellrose in Wichita, according to police spokesman Andrew FordFirst responders located a total of 15 cartridge casings.&nbsp; A short time later, two boys, ages 15 and 11, walked into Wesley Hospital. Both had a gunshot wound to their leg. The injuries appear to be non-life-threatening, according to Ford.At this time, investigators believe; the two boys were operating a vehicle.

Police: 11 and 15-year-old, operating a vehicle, injured in gunfire

DENVER (AP) — Police were still searching Friday for a Colorado woman suspected of killing her two young children and wounding a third after police initially responded to a report of a burglary in their home.

Kimberlee Singler, 35, was cooperative at first with police investigating the Dec. 19 deaths but then went missing as the probe, which eventually determined the burglary report was unfounded, continued, according to Colorado Springs Police Department spokesperson Ira Cronin.

Police were able to present evidence to obtain a warrant for Singler's arrest on Tuesday but police believe she had already disappeared by then, Cronin said.

Singler, who was not under surveillance, was last seen on Saturday in Colorado Springs, he said.

“In the initial stages of the investigation, we were treating her as a victim of a burglary,” Cronin said.

The children's deaths came amid an ongoing legal battle between Singler and her ex-husband over parenting time and other issues, according to court filings. Court hearings had been scheduled for next month.

Rex Harris, a lawyer for the ex-husband, did not immediately return a telephone call or email.

Police said they answered a 911 call reporting a burglary at an apartment complex at around 12:30 a.m. on Dec. 19 and found the bodies of Singler's 9-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son.

Singler and her 11-year-old daughter were also injured and taken to hospitals for treatment.

Cronin said he could not release details about how the children or Singler were injured. The 11-year-old girl was hospitalized for a few days and then released. She is recovering well physically in Colorado Springs and is not with her mother, Cronin said. Singler's injuries were minor, he said.

He declined to say whether Singler herself had reported the burglary.

The FBI is assisting in the search for Singler at the request of police, Vikki Migoya, a spokesperson for the agency's Denver office, said Thursday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703882523257.png" alt="Singler photo Colorado Springs Police" />
 <figcaption>Singler photo Colorado Springs Police</figcaption>
 </figure>DENVER (AP) — Police were still searching Friday for a Colorado woman suspected of killing her two young children and wounding a third after police initially responded to a report of a burglary in their home.Kimberlee Singler, 35, was cooperative at first with police investigating the Dec. 19 deaths but then went missing as the probe, which eventually determined the burglary report was unfounded, continued, according to Colorado Springs Police Department spokesperson Ira Cronin.Police were able to present evidence to obtain a warrant for Singler's arrest on Tuesday but police believe she had already disappeared by then, Cronin said.Singler, who was not under surveillance, was last seen on Saturday in Colorado Springs, he said.“In the initial stages of the investigation, we were treating her as a victim of a burglary,” Cronin said.The children's deaths came amid an ongoing legal battle between Singler and her ex-husband over parenting time and other issues, according to court filings. Court hearings had been scheduled for next month.Rex Harris, a lawyer for the ex-husband, did not immediately return a telephone call or email.Police said they answered a 911 call reporting a burglary at an apartment complex at around 12:30 a.m. on Dec. 19 and found the bodies of Singler's 9-year-old daughter and 7-year-old son.Singler and her 11-year-old daughter were also injured and taken to hospitals for treatment.Cronin said he could not release details about how the children or Singler were injured. The 11-year-old girl was hospitalized for a few days and then released. She is recovering well physically in Colorado Springs and is not with her mother, Cronin said. Singler's injuries were minor, he said.He declined to say whether Singler herself had reported the burglary.The FBI is assisting in the search for Singler at the request of police, Vikki Migoya, a spokesperson for the agency's Denver office, said Thursday._____

Police search for Colorado mother suspected of killing her 2 children

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Authorities have identified Melinda Sue McCluskey, 57, whose last known address was rural Edgerton, as the person found deceased in the Kansas River on December 21, according to Douglas County sheriff's department spokesman George&nbsp;George Diepenbrock.

Detectives worked with the coroner’s office to confirm a positive identification and notified McCluskey’s family members on Friday. &nbsp;

Family members had reported her missing to law enforcement in Douglas County on Dec. 3. At this time, there is no indication of foul play. Results of a coroner’s report are pending.&nbsp;

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Authorities are investigating after a body was found in the Kansas River.

Just after 1p.m. Thursday a person reported seeing a possible body in the water about 300 yards east of Bowersock Dam at the Kansas River, according to the Douglas County Sheriff's office.

The Douglas County Underwater Search and Recovery team and sheriff's office investigators responded and recovered a body in shallow water in that area.

Deputies and Coroner Scene Investigators are working on making a positive identification of the person. The sheriff's office released no additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703204320774.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY —Authorities have identified Melinda Sue McCluskey, 57, whose last known address was rural Edgerton, as the person found deceased in the Kansas River on December 21, according to Douglas County sheriff's department spokesman George&nbsp;George Diepenbrock.Detectives worked with the coroner’s office to confirm a positive identification and notified McCluskey’s family members on Friday. &nbsp;Family members had reported her missing to law enforcement in Douglas County on Dec. 3. At this time, there is no indication of foul play. Results of a coroner’s report are pending.&nbsp;-------------DOUGLAS COUNTY —Authorities are investigating after a body was found in the Kansas River.Just after 1p.m. Thursday a person reported seeing a possible body in the water about 300 yards east of Bowersock Dam at the Kansas River, according to the Douglas County Sheriff's office.The Douglas County Underwater Search and Recovery team and sheriff's office investigators responded and recovered a body in shallow water in that area.Deputies and Coroner Scene Investigators are working on making a positive identification of the person. The sheriff's office released no additional details.

Sheriff IDs body of woman found in Kansas River

KANSAS CITY (AP) — At his suburban St. Louis home, Brett Koenig can pull out his smartphone and open a sports betting app. But he can't place a bet. He is blocked by a pop-up message noting he is not in a legal location.

Missouri is one of a dozen states where sports wagering remains illegal more than five years after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f3fa1f71b8f44378a7e2c51d321b13b4?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way</a>&nbsp;for states to adopt it.

“It just seems silly that everyone else can do it and we can’t,” said Koenig, who has launched a social media campaign called "Let MO Play" to rally support for legal sports betting in his home state.

Other states have reaped a total of over $4 billion of taxes from more than $280 billion wagered on sports since 2018. Vermont will become the latest to accept sports bets,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vermont-online-sports-betting-17c4132daa8c30858ecf6644de38bc1a?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">starting Jan. 11</a>, But the odds for expansion to additional states appear iffy in 2024 because of political resistance and the sometimes competing financial interests of existing gambling operators.

“The handful of states yet to legalize are last for a reason: They all have multiple obstacles," said Becca Giden, policy director at Eilers &amp; Krejcik Gaming, a California-based consulting firm.

After a “whirlwind” of expansion, the playing field for further sports betting has narrowed to a group of states where various stakeholders all “want to kind of maximize what they get out of the legalization framework," said Chris Cylke, senior vice president of government relations at the American Gaming Association, which represents the industry. "So that can create some friction.”

The states where sports betting remains illegal are Alabama, Alaska, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Minnesota, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Utah.

California and Texas, the nation's two most populous states, would be the biggest prizes for sports bettors. But neither appear particularly likely to adopt it in 2024.

Voters in California last year overwhelmingly defeated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-sports-california-f4f4f87d391d31a18c781256b42c8133?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">two rival sports betting initiatives</a>&nbsp;following a record $463 million raised by supporters and opponents. The advertising barrage was fueled by divisions among online gaming companies, tribal casinos and horse tracks. Those tensions have continued, with Native American tribes objecting to a new sports betting initiative that is seeking signatures to appear on the 2024 ballot.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dallas-mavericks-mark-cuban-adelson-family-sale-28b58fc35f5c4159b5a4b61c749186b3?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">proposed sale</a>&nbsp;of the Dallas Mavericks basketball team to a politically active family that runs the Las Vegas Sands casino company has raised speculation of a bigger push for legal sports betting in Texas. But the state Legislature is not in regular session in 2024, and Texas has no means of placing citizen initiatives on the ballot.

Neighboring Oklahoma already has scores of casinos run by tribes. Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt&nbsp;<a href="https://oklahoma.gov/governor/newsroom/newsroom/2023/november2023/governor-stitt-announces-plan-to-bring-sports-betting-to-oklahom.html">announced a plan</a>&nbsp;in November to allow in-person sports betting at tribal casinos and online sports wagering through platforms licensed by the state. But his plan doesn’t appear to have support from tribes, with whom Stitt has been feuding.

Minnesota is perhaps the next likeliest state to authorize sports betting, but that probably would require a bipartisan vote in the Senate, where Democrats hold a slim one-seat advantage over Republicans. Lawmakers this past year struggled to resolve differences between tribal casinos, which want exclusive rights over online and in-person sports betting, and horse racing tracks, which also want a greater share of the gambling market. But they will try again.

“From the perspective of the tribes, the moment is now, and they'd like to see it done this year,” said Democratic state Sen. Matt Klein, a sponsor of sports betting legislation.

Efforts to legalize sports betting in Missouri have repeatedly stalled in the state Senate, where Republican Sen. Denny Hoskins insists it must be paired with the regulation of legally questionable slot-machine-style video games that have popped up in convenience stores and truck stops. Casinos oppose that.

Online sports wagering companies, casinos, professional sports teams and video gaming terminal interests have combined to hire about 80 lobbyists in Missouri.

The St. Louis Cardinals also are leading a coalition of the state's professional sports teams proposing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-betting-missouri-cardinals-chiefs-royals-26b7c94ad2d96ad05c2f4a396ba4e795?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">an initiative petition</a>&nbsp;to put sports betting on the November ballot. But Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden doubts the prospects of both the initiative petition and legislation, bemoaning that Missouri may "lose out on probably some fairly significant economic activity.”

Data suggests Missourians are interested in sports betting. From mid-June to mid-December, the technology firm GeoComply Solutions processed over 13.5 million location checks from 280,000 devices located in Missouri attempting to access mobile sports betting sites. About 48% were trying to use sportsbooks in Kansas, and 40% in Illinois. They were blocked from doing so.

When Koenig wants to bet on sports, he drives 45 minutes from his Missouri home to Illinois. He is not alone.

GeoComply processed 42,000 location checks from 1,900 online sports betting accounts that traveled from Missouri to an Illinois border town in the past six months. When the Kansas City Chiefs hosted the Buffalo Bills on Dec. 10, GeoComply tallied 786 location checks from 570 sportsbook accounts traveling from Missouri border towns into Kansas.

“It’s very easy for people to cross over, place their bets and then return to their home and watch the game,” GeoComply spokesman John Pappas said. "We see this thousands of times a day, a week, in any given state where it’s not legal.”

In Georgia, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp has expressed an openness to legalizing sports betting. But the effort stalled this past year when the Senate rejected&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gambling-gaming-sports-betting-georgia-51ba7da58835cf3ae47bf3dc67eb9324?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">a proposed constitutional amendment</a>&nbsp;that would have let voters decide the issue. The debate is complex because proponents of casinos and horse racing want to leverage sports wagering to also legalize those forms of gambling.

Though still a toss-up, Georgia may be the most realistic candidate to authorize sports betting in 2024, Giden said. She expects a well-funded lobbying effort from the likes of online betting operators and sports teams.

To legally bet on sports in Alabama also would require a constitutional amendment approved by voters. In the Legislature, sports wagering proposals have become intertwined with broader efforts to expand gambling beyond the current tribal casinos, dog racing tracks and charitable bingo operators. None have been successful yet.

Republican state Sen. Greg Albritton said some lawmakers are working on new gambling legislation that would include casinos, a lottery and sports betting.

"Whatever happens, if I have my way, this issue will be debated this year,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662056609748.png" alt="Last summer, Governor Kelly signed bipartisan legislation to legalize sports betting in Kansas. A week before football season began, she&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAyMTMuNzE0NzE2MzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3YvZ292ZXJub3ItbGF1cmEta2VsbHktcGxhY2VzLWZpcnN0LWxlZ2FsLXNwb3J0cy1iZXQtaW4ta2Fuc2FzLyJ9.Vskklr-8vX_PHzEbTwW3Txd41JD2c25bz2i1xlD6S5M/s/1303160919/br/154412150731-l" target="_blank">made</a>&nbsp;the state’s first legal sports bet at Hollywood Casino in Kansas City, Kansas, wagering $15 dollars in honor of Patrick Mahomes on the Kansas City Chiefs to win the Super Bowl.&nbsp; She donated the winnings to&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAyMTMuNzE0NzE2MzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy4xNWFuZHRoZW1haG9taWVzLm9yZy8ifQ.QTFBEOnjdY6V63L1YCgcfXAULG--XYgXv9pnxGrMZqI/s/1303160919/br/154412150731-l" target="_blank">15 and&nbsp;Mahomies&nbsp;Foundation</a>-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Last summer, Governor Kelly signed bipartisan legislation to legalize sports betting in Kansas. A week before football season began, she&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAyMTMuNzE0NzE2MzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3YvZ292ZXJub3ItbGF1cmEta2VsbHktcGxhY2VzLWZpcnN0LWxlZ2FsLXNwb3J0cy1iZXQtaW4ta2Fuc2FzLyJ9.Vskklr-8vX_PHzEbTwW3Txd41JD2c25bz2i1xlD6S5M/s/1303160919/br/154412150731-l" target="_blank">made</a>&nbsp;the state’s first legal sports bet at Hollywood Casino in Kansas City, Kansas, wagering $15 dollars in honor of Patrick Mahomes on the Kansas City Chiefs to win the Super Bowl.&nbsp; She donated the winnings to&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMzAyMTMuNzE0NzE2MzEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy4xNWFuZHRoZW1haG9taWVzLm9yZy8ifQ.QTFBEOnjdY6V63L1YCgcfXAULG--XYgXv9pnxGrMZqI/s/1303160919/br/154412150731-l" target="_blank">15 and&nbsp;Mahomies&nbsp;Foundation</a>-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — At his suburban St. Louis home, Brett Koenig can pull out his smartphone and open a sports betting app. But he can't place a bet. He is blocked by a pop-up message noting he is not in a legal location.Missouri is one of a dozen states where sports wagering remains illegal more than five years after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/f3fa1f71b8f44378a7e2c51d321b13b4?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">the U.S. Supreme Court cleared the way</a>&nbsp;for states to adopt it.“It just seems silly that everyone else can do it and we can’t,” said Koenig, who has launched a social media campaign called "Let MO Play" to rally support for legal sports betting in his home state.Other states have reaped a total of over $4 billion of taxes from more than $280 billion wagered on sports since 2018. Vermont will become the latest to accept sports bets,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vermont-online-sports-betting-17c4132daa8c30858ecf6644de38bc1a?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">starting Jan. 11</a>, But the odds for expansion to additional states appear iffy in 2024 because of political resistance and the sometimes competing financial interests of existing gambling operators.“The handful of states yet to legalize are last for a reason: They all have multiple obstacles," said Becca Giden, policy director at Eilers &amp; Krejcik Gaming, a California-based consulting firm.After a “whirlwind” of expansion, the playing field for further sports betting has narrowed to a group of states where various stakeholders all “want to kind of maximize what they get out of the legalization framework," said Chris Cylke, senior vice president of government relations at the American Gaming Association, which represents the industry. "So that can create some friction.”The states where sports betting remains illegal are Alabama, Alaska, California, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Minnesota, Missouri, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Utah.California and Texas, the nation's two most populous states, would be the biggest prizes for sports bettors. But neither appear particularly likely to adopt it in 2024.Voters in California last year overwhelmingly defeated&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-sports-california-f4f4f87d391d31a18c781256b42c8133?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">two rival sports betting initiatives</a>&nbsp;following a record $463 million raised by supporters and opponents. The advertising barrage was fueled by divisions among online gaming companies, tribal casinos and horse tracks. Those tensions have continued, with Native American tribes objecting to a new sports betting initiative that is seeking signatures to appear on the 2024 ballot.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/dallas-mavericks-mark-cuban-adelson-family-sale-28b58fc35f5c4159b5a4b61c749186b3?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">proposed sale</a>&nbsp;of the Dallas Mavericks basketball team to a politically active family that runs the Las Vegas Sands casino company has raised speculation of a bigger push for legal sports betting in Texas. But the state Legislature is not in regular session in 2024, and Texas has no means of placing citizen initiatives on the ballot.Neighboring Oklahoma already has scores of casinos run by tribes. Republican Gov. Kevin Stitt&nbsp;<a href="https://oklahoma.gov/governor/newsroom/newsroom/2023/november2023/governor-stitt-announces-plan-to-bring-sports-betting-to-oklahom.html">announced a plan</a>&nbsp;in November to allow in-person sports betting at tribal casinos and online sports wagering through platforms licensed by the state. But his plan doesn’t appear to have support from tribes, with whom Stitt has been feuding.Minnesota is perhaps the next likeliest state to authorize sports betting, but that probably would require a bipartisan vote in the Senate, where Democrats hold a slim one-seat advantage over Republicans. Lawmakers this past year struggled to resolve differences between tribal casinos, which want exclusive rights over online and in-person sports betting, and horse racing tracks, which also want a greater share of the gambling market. But they will try again.“From the perspective of the tribes, the moment is now, and they'd like to see it done this year,” said Democratic state Sen. Matt Klein, a sponsor of sports betting legislation.Efforts to legalize sports betting in Missouri have repeatedly stalled in the state Senate, where Republican Sen. Denny Hoskins insists it must be paired with the regulation of legally questionable slot-machine-style video games that have popped up in convenience stores and truck stops. Casinos oppose that.Online sports wagering companies, casinos, professional sports teams and video gaming terminal interests have combined to hire about 80 lobbyists in Missouri.The St. Louis Cardinals also are leading a coalition of the state's professional sports teams proposing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-betting-missouri-cardinals-chiefs-royals-26b7c94ad2d96ad05c2f4a396ba4e795?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">an initiative petition</a>&nbsp;to put sports betting on the November ballot. But Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden doubts the prospects of both the initiative petition and legislation, bemoaning that Missouri may "lose out on probably some fairly significant economic activity.”Data suggests Missourians are interested in sports betting. From mid-June to mid-December, the technology firm GeoComply Solutions processed over 13.5 million location checks from 280,000 devices located in Missouri attempting to access mobile sports betting sites. About 48% were trying to use sportsbooks in Kansas, and 40% in Illinois. They were blocked from doing so.When Koenig wants to bet on sports, he drives 45 minutes from his Missouri home to Illinois. He is not alone.GeoComply processed 42,000 location checks from 1,900 online sports betting accounts that traveled from Missouri to an Illinois border town in the past six months. When the Kansas City Chiefs hosted the Buffalo Bills on Dec. 10, GeoComply tallied 786 location checks from 570 sportsbook accounts traveling from Missouri border towns into Kansas.“It’s very easy for people to cross over, place their bets and then return to their home and watch the game,” GeoComply spokesman John Pappas said. "We see this thousands of times a day, a week, in any given state where it’s not legal.”In Georgia, Republican Gov. Brian Kemp has expressed an openness to legalizing sports betting. But the effort stalled this past year when the Senate rejected&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gambling-gaming-sports-betting-georgia-51ba7da58835cf3ae47bf3dc67eb9324?utm_source=copy&amp;utm_medium=share">a proposed constitutional amendment</a>&nbsp;that would have let voters decide the issue. The debate is complex because proponents of casinos and horse racing want to leverage sports wagering to also legalize those forms of gambling.Though still a toss-up, Georgia may be the most realistic candidate to authorize sports betting in 2024, Giden said. She expects a well-funded lobbying effort from the likes of online betting operators and sports teams.To legally bet on sports in Alabama also would require a constitutional amendment approved by voters. In the Legislature, sports wagering proposals have become intertwined with broader efforts to expand gambling beyond the current tribal casinos, dog racing tracks and charitable bingo operators. None have been successful yet.Republican state Sen. Greg Albritton said some lawmakers are working on new gambling legislation that would include casinos, a lottery and sports betting."Whatever happens, if I have my way, this issue will be debated this year,” he said.

Odds for more sports betting expansion could fade after growth to 38 states

COFFEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a business burglary.

On Dec. 26, Waverly Lumber, 109 West 4th in Waverly reported two work trucks, a trailer, various tools, electric wiring and custom doors had been stolen from the business, according to a media release from&nbsp;Coffey County Sheriff.

Officials have not released suspect information or reported an arrest.

COFFEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a business burglary.On Dec. 26, Waverly Lumber, 109 West 4th in Waverly reported two work trucks, a trailer, various tools, electric wiring and custom doors had been stolen from the business, according to a media release from&nbsp;Coffey County Sheriff.Officials have not released suspect information or reported an arrest.

Sheriff: Trucks, trailer and more taken from Kansas lumber yard

KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a house fire in Kansas City.

Just after midnight Friday, crews responded to a fire at ahome in the 300 block of East 122nd Street in Kansas City, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

Crews faced heavy fire from the attic of a single-story home. The occupants of the home, three adults and three children were able to escape prior to KCFD arrival. 

No injuries were reported at this fire, according to Hopkins. The Red Cross is assisting the family.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703867284913.png" alt="photo KCFD" />
 <figcaption>photo KCFD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a house fire in Kansas City.Just after midnight Friday, crews responded to a fire at ahome in the 300 block of East 122nd Street in Kansas City, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.Crews faced heavy fire from the attic of a single-story home. The occupants of the home, three adults and three children were able to escape prior to KCFD arrival. No injuries were reported at this fire, according to Hopkins. The Red Cross is assisting the family.

3 adults, 3 children escape fire at Kansas City home

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicide and after asking the public for help have identified the victim and are still working to notify family, according to the Clay County Sheriff's Ofice

An employee at Rocky Hollow Park found the body at about 8:15 a.m. December 22, off a roadway at the park, located at 14812 Old Quarry Road, Excelsior Springs.

Charges have been filed against a suspect in the homicide of the man whose body was located at Rocky Hollow Park on Dec. 22. Investigators need help to locate 48-year-old Elena Delcarmen Flores. She has been charged with 1st-degree murder, armed criminal action and abandonment of a corpse, according to the Clay County Sheriff.

She lives in Gardner, Kansas but investigators believe she may no longer be in the KC metro area. She may also go by Elena Torres, Elena Flores Garcia or Elena Stores. She is 5-foot-5 and 200 pounds. If you know where she is, call&nbsp; 816-407-3723 or <a href="https://twitter.com/KCCrimeStop">@KCCrimeStop</a> at 816-474-TIPS (8477). 2/2

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703285918610.png" alt="Photo Clay Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Clay Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicide and after asking the public for help have identified the victim and are still working to notify family, according to the Clay County Sheriff's OficeAn employee at Rocky Hollow Park found the body at about 8:15 a.m. December 22, off a roadway at the park, located at 14812 Old Quarry Road, Excelsior Springs.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703802024415.png" alt="Flores-photo Clay Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Flores-photo Clay Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>Charges have been filed against a suspect in the homicide of the man whose body was located at Rocky Hollow Park on Dec. 22. Investigators need help to locate 48-year-old Elena Delcarmen Flores. She has been charged with 1st-degree murder, armed criminal action and abandonment of a corpse, according to the Clay County Sheriff.She lives in Gardner, Kansas but investigators believe she may no longer be in the KC metro area. She may also go by Elena Torres, Elena Flores Garcia or Elena Stores. She is 5-foot-5 and 200 pounds. If you know where she is, call&nbsp; 816-407-3723 or <a href="https://twitter.com/KCCrimeStop">@KCCrimeStop</a> at 816-474-TIPS (8477). 2/2

Homicide victim identified, search for Kan. suspect underway

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine’s Democratic secretary of state on Thursday removed former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;from the state’s presidential primary ballot under the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-14th-amendment-2024-colorado-79373b5043976588b599fc00ede049e8">Constitution’s insurrection clause</a>, becoming the first election official to take action unilaterally as the U.S. Supreme Court is poised to decide whether Trump remains eligible to continue his campaign.

On social media Kansas junior U.S. Senator Roger Marshall wrote, "Nothing says “protect Democracy” quite like barring the current leader in every nationwide poll. The irony is that every state that continues to try this only makes President Trump stronger."

The decision by Secretary of State Shenna Bellows follows a ruling earlier this month by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-14th-amendment-2024-colorado-d16dd8f354eeaf450558378c65fd79a2">Colorado Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;that booted Trump from the ballot there under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. That decision has been stayed until the U.S. Supreme Court decides whether Trump is barred by the Civil War-era provision, which prohibits those who “engaged in insurrection” from holding office.

The Trump campaign said it would appeal Bellows' decision to Maine's state courts, and Bellows suspended her ruling until that court system rules on the case. In the end, it is likely that the nation's highest court will have the final say on whether Trump appears on the ballot there and in the other states.

Bellows found that Trump could no longer run for his prior job because his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol violated Section 3, which bans from office those who “engaged in insurrection.” Bellows made the ruling after some state residents, including a bipartisan group of former lawmakers, challenged Trump’s position on the ballot.

“I do not reach this conclusion lightly,” Bellows wrote in her 34-page decision. “I am mindful that no Secretary of State has ever deprived a presidential candidate of ballot access based on Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment. I am also mindful, however, that no presidential candidate has ever before engaged in insurrection.”

The Trump campaign immediately slammed the ruling. “We are witnessing, in real-time, the attempted theft of an election and the disenfranchisement of the American voter,” campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement.

Thursday's ruling demonstrates the need for the nation's highest court, which has never ruled on Section 3, to clarify what states can do.

“It is clear that these decisions are going to keep popping up, and inconsistent decisions reached (like the many states keeping Trump on the ballot over challenges) until there is final and decisive guidance from the U.S. Supreme Court,” Rick Hasen, a law professor at the University of California-Los Angeles, wrote in response to the Maine decision. “It seems a certainty that SCOTUS will have to address the merits sooner or later.”

While Maine has just four electoral votes, it’s one of two states to split them. Trump won one of Maine’s electors in 2020, so having him off the ballot there, should he emerge as the Republican general election candidate, could have outsized implications in a race that is expected to be narrowly decided.

That's in contrast to Colorado, which Trump lost by 13 percentage points in 2020 and where he wasn't expected to compete in November if he wins the Republican presidential nomination.

In her decision, Bellows acknowledged that the U.S. Supreme Court will probably have the final word but said it was important she did her official duty.

That won her praise from the former state lawmakers who filed one of the petitions forcing her to consider the case.

“Secretary Bellows showed great courage in her ruling, and we look forward to helping her defend her judicious and correct decision in court. No elected official is above the law or our constitution, and today’s ruling reaffirms this most important of American principles,” Republican Kimberly Rosen, independent Thomas Saviello and Democrat Ethan Strimling said in a statement.

The Trump campaign on Tuesday requested that Bellows disqualify herself from the case because she'd previously tweeted that Jan. 6 was an "insurrection” and bemoaned that Trump was acquitted in his impeachment trial in the U.S. Senate after the capitol attack. She refused to step aside.

“My decision was based exclusively on the record presented to me at the hearing and was in no way influenced by my political affiliation or personal views about the events of Jan. 6, 2021,” Bellows told the Associated Press Thursday night.

Bellows is a former head of the Maine chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. All seven of the justices of the Colorado Supreme Court, which split 4-3 on whether to become the first court in history to declare a presidential candidate ineligible under Section 3, were appointed by Democrats. Two Washington, D.C.-based&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-14th-amendment-insurrection-2024-election-ballot-9c5f79203109ba221b35a48e708ad725">liberal groups</a>&nbsp;have launched the most serious prior challenges to Trump, in Colorado and a handful of other states.

That's led Trump to contend the dozens of lawsuits nationwide seeking to remove him from the ballot under Section 3 are a Democratic plot to end his campaign. But some of the most prominent advocates have been conservative legal theorists who argue that the text of the Constitution makes the former president ineligible to run again, just as if he failed to clear the document's age threshold — 35 years old — for the office.

Likewise, until Bellows' decision, every top state election official, whether Democrat or Republican, had rejected requests to bar Trump from the ballot, saying they didn't have the power to remove him unless ordered to do so by a court.

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine’s Democratic secretary of state on Thursday removed former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;from the state’s presidential primary ballot under the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-14th-amendment-2024-colorado-79373b5043976588b599fc00ede049e8">Constitution’s insurrection clause</a>, becoming the first election official to take action unilaterally as the U.S. Supreme Court is poised to decide whether Trump remains eligible to continue his campaign.On social media Kansas junior U.S. Senator Roger Marshall wrote, "Nothing says “protect Democracy” quite like barring the current leader in every nationwide poll. The irony is that every state that continues to try this only makes President Trump stronger."The decision by Secretary of State Shenna Bellows follows a ruling earlier this month by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-insurrection-14th-amendment-2024-colorado-d16dd8f354eeaf450558378c65fd79a2">Colorado Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;that booted Trump from the ballot there under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. That decision has been stayed until the U.S. Supreme Court decides whether Trump is barred by the Civil War-era provision, which prohibits those who “engaged in insurrection” from holding office.The Trump campaign said it would appeal Bellows' decision to Maine's state courts, and Bellows suspended her ruling until that court system rules on the case. In the end, it is likely that the nation's highest court will have the final say on whether Trump appears on the ballot there and in the other states.Bellows found that Trump could no longer run for his prior job because his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol violated Section 3, which bans from office those who “engaged in insurrection.” Bellows made the ruling after some state residents, including a bipartisan group of former lawmakers, challenged Trump’s position on the ballot.“I do not reach this conclusion lightly,” Bellows wrote in her 34-page decision. “I am mindful that no Secretary of State has ever deprived a presidential candidate of ballot access based on Section 3 of the Fourteenth Amendment. I am also mindful, however, that no presidential candidate has ever before engaged in insurrection.”The Trump campaign immediately slammed the ruling. “We are witnessing, in real-time, the attempted theft of an election and the disenfranchisement of the American voter,” campaign spokesman Steven Cheung said in a statement.Thursday's ruling demonstrates the need for the nation's highest court, which has never ruled on Section 3, to clarify what states can do.“It is clear that these decisions are going to keep popping up, and inconsistent decisions reached (like the many states keeping Trump on the ballot over challenges) until there is final and decisive guidance from the U.S. Supreme Court,” Rick Hasen, a law professor at the University of California-Los Angeles, wrote in response to the Maine decision. “It seems a certainty that SCOTUS will have to address the merits sooner or later.”While Maine has just four electoral votes, it’s one of two states to split them. Trump won one of Maine’s electors in 2020, so having him off the ballot there, should he emerge as the Republican general election candidate, could have outsized implications in a race that is expected to be narrowly decided.That's in contrast to Colorado, which Trump lost by 13 percentage points in 2020 and where he wasn't expected to compete in November if he wins the Republican presidential nomination.In her decision, Bellows acknowledged that the U.S. Supreme Court will probably have the final word but said it was important she did her official duty.That won her praise from the former state lawmakers who filed one of the petitions forcing her to consider the case.“Secretary Bellows showed great courage in her ruling, and we look forward to helping her defend her judicious and correct decision in court. No elected official is above the law or our constitution, and today’s ruling reaffirms this most important of American principles,” Republican Kimberly Rosen, independent Thomas Saviello and Democrat Ethan Strimling said in a statement.The Trump campaign on Tuesday requested that Bellows disqualify herself from the case because she'd previously tweeted that Jan. 6 was an "insurrection” and bemoaned that Trump was acquitted in his impeachment trial in the U.S. Senate after the capitol attack. She refused to step aside.“My decision was based exclusively on the record presented to me at the hearing and was in no way influenced by my political affiliation or personal views about the events of Jan. 6, 2021,” Bellows told the Associated Press Thursday night.Bellows is a former head of the Maine chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union. All seven of the justices of the Colorado Supreme Court, which split 4-3 on whether to become the first court in history to declare a presidential candidate ineligible under Section 3, were appointed by Democrats. Two Washington, D.C.-based&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-14th-amendment-insurrection-2024-election-ballot-9c5f79203109ba221b35a48e708ad725">liberal groups</a>&nbsp;have launched the most serious prior challenges to Trump, in Colorado and a handful of other states.That's led Trump to contend the dozens of lawsuits nationwide seeking to remove him from the ballot under Section 3 are a Democratic plot to end his campaign. But some of the most prominent advocates have been conservative legal theorists who argue that the text of the Constitution makes the former president ineligible to run again, just as if he failed to clear the document's age threshold — 35 years old — for the office.Likewise, until Bellows' decision, every top state election official, whether Democrat or Republican, had rejected requests to bar Trump from the ballot, saying they didn't have the power to remove him unless ordered to do so by a court.

Kansas U.S. Senator: Barring Trump from ballot makes him stronger

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — A hard-hit Israeli kibbutz on Thursday announced the death of Judith Weinstein — an American woman who had been thought to be held hostage in Gaza.

The news came six days after Weinstein's husband, Gad Haggai, was also pronounced dead.

Weinstein, 70, who also had -Canadian-Israeli citizenship, and Haggai, 73, were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hostages-portraits-hamas-captives-e7213e6262cdb9c51ab174326874538c">taking an early morning walk</a>&nbsp;near their home in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-hostages-0c14750240138853a70e38b0c09ef157">Kibbutz Nir Oz</a>&nbsp;on the morning of Oct. 7 when Hamas militants burst across the border into Israel, killing about 1,200 people and kidnapping 240 others.

In the early hours of the morning, Weinstein was able to call emergency services and let them know that both she and her husband had been shot and send a message to her family.

Weinstein and her husband had been thought to be among the hostages still held in captivity in Gaza. But six days ago, the kibbutz announced that Haggai was killed Oct. 7 and his body was taken to Gaza.

On Thursday, the kibbutz said it had learned that Weinstein was also killed on Oct. 7 and her body is also being held in Gaza.

It was not immediately clear how Israeli authorities determined their deaths.

The couple are survived by two sons and two daughters and seven grandchildren, the kibbutz said.

President Joe Biden said he was “devastated” to learn of Weinstein's death, especially after hearing about the couple during a meeting with their daughter.

The families "have been living through hell for weeks. No family should have to endure such an ordeal,” he said in a statement.

Weinstein was born in New York and was an active member of Kibbutz Nir Oz, a small community near the Gaza border where she taught English to children with special needs. The kibbutz said she also taught meditation techniques to children and teenagers who suffered from anxiety as a result of rocket fire from Gaza. Haggai was a retired chef and jazz musician.

“Judy dedicated her life to serving others, spending years teaching English and using her passions for poetry, puppeteering, and mindfulness to empower children of all backgrounds,” her family said in a statement.

Al Haggai, one of the couple's sons, told Israel's Channel 13 that the family had originally hoped their mother's multiple citizenships would allow her to be released during the week-long ceasefire in late November, when 105 hostages were let go. Almost all were women and children.

He said that when his mother's name was not on any of the daily lists, he started to suspect that something happened to her.

According to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, at least 23 of the approximately 129 hostages believed to be held in Gaza have either died or been killed in captivity.

Nir Oz was one of the hardest-hit Israeli communities on Oct. 7, with roughly one- quarter of its residents killed or kidnapped.

The families of missing hostages have drawn widespread support and sympathy in Israel as they press the government to reach a new cease-fire deal to bring home their loved-ones.

Netanyahu met Thursday in Tel Aviv with some of the families, where he told them there were behind-the-scene efforts to bring the hostages home, according to a statement from his office.

“I can’t elaborate on the details, we are working to return everyone,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703800478199.png" alt="Weinstein photo courtesy <a href="https://stories.bringthemhomenow.net/">Hostages and Missing Families Forum</a>" />
 <figcaption>Weinstein photo courtesy <a href="https://stories.bringthemhomenow.net/">Hostages and Missing Families Forum</a></figcaption>
 </figure>TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — A hard-hit Israeli kibbutz on Thursday announced the death of Judith Weinstein — an American woman who had been thought to be held hostage in Gaza.The news came six days after Weinstein's husband, Gad Haggai, was also pronounced dead.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703271147260.png" alt="Gag Haggai photo courtesy&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.bringthemhomenow.net/">Hostages and Missing Families Forum</a>" />
 <figcaption>Gag Haggai photo courtesy&nbsp;<a href="https://stories.bringthemhomenow.net/">Hostages and Missing Families Forum</a></figcaption>
 </figure>Weinstein, 70, who also had -Canadian-Israeli citizenship, and Haggai, 73, were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hostages-portraits-hamas-captives-e7213e6262cdb9c51ab174326874538c">taking an early morning walk</a>&nbsp;near their home in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-hostages-0c14750240138853a70e38b0c09ef157">Kibbutz Nir Oz</a>&nbsp;on the morning of Oct. 7 when Hamas militants burst across the border into Israel, killing about 1,200 people and kidnapping 240 others.In the early hours of the morning, Weinstein was able to call emergency services and let them know that both she and her husband had been shot and send a message to her family.Weinstein and her husband had been thought to be among the hostages still held in captivity in Gaza. But six days ago, the kibbutz announced that Haggai was killed Oct. 7 and his body was taken to Gaza.On Thursday, the kibbutz said it had learned that Weinstein was also killed on Oct. 7 and her body is also being held in Gaza.It was not immediately clear how Israeli authorities determined their deaths.The couple are survived by two sons and two daughters and seven grandchildren, the kibbutz said.President Joe Biden said he was “devastated” to learn of Weinstein's death, especially after hearing about the couple during a meeting with their daughter.The families "have been living through hell for weeks. No family should have to endure such an ordeal,” he said in a statement.Weinstein was born in New York and was an active member of Kibbutz Nir Oz, a small community near the Gaza border where she taught English to children with special needs. The kibbutz said she also taught meditation techniques to children and teenagers who suffered from anxiety as a result of rocket fire from Gaza. Haggai was a retired chef and jazz musician.“Judy dedicated her life to serving others, spending years teaching English and using her passions for poetry, puppeteering, and mindfulness to empower children of all backgrounds,” her family said in a statement.Al Haggai, one of the couple's sons, told Israel's Channel 13 that the family had originally hoped their mother's multiple citizenships would allow her to be released during the week-long ceasefire in late November, when 105 hostages were let go. Almost all were women and children.He said that when his mother's name was not on any of the daily lists, he started to suspect that something happened to her.According to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, at least 23 of the approximately 129 hostages believed to be held in Gaza have either died or been killed in captivity.Nir Oz was one of the hardest-hit Israeli communities on Oct. 7, with roughly one- quarter of its residents killed or kidnapped.The families of missing hostages have drawn widespread support and sympathy in Israel as they press the government to reach a new cease-fire deal to bring home their loved-ones.Netanyahu met Thursday in Tel Aviv with some of the families, where he told them there were behind-the-scene efforts to bring the hostages home, according to a statement from his office.“I can’t elaborate on the details, we are working to return everyone,” he said.

American woman believed held hostage in Gaza is dead

RENO COUNTY—A veterinary service in Reno County is reporting a case of rabies.

On Thursday afternoon,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/nvscares?__cft__[0]=AZW30lIKDqa6rfQCYG3NkIlWa441ZWleXtPybltiEf8z9ONna1ISzoEm5HcGJPMLdHfr8ru-6m662CoKS1IMe14G6eHOelYT67iGLjNVYOO-JpivlP1gvt_vbGMBZZJJZcmu1ZSvLzlbcTdacgqCQUYv&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Ninnescah Veterinary Service LLC</a>,&nbsp;13408 S. Mohawk Road, Hutchinson, shared on social media they. had just diagnosed a positive case of rabies in a farm cat.

"We treat every bite wound from a non vaccinated animal very serious as it may life or death situation."&nbsp; "We had a client pick up a farm cat and was severely bit on the arm."

"Under the advice of Dr Clay the farm cat was brought into the clinic and euthanized for testing. Dr Clay informed the client to go to the emergency room and start rabies vaccinations immediately and not to wait for the test to come back from the lab."

"The owner complied to this recommendation and received her rabies vaccine and immunoglobulins."

"Two days later we got the results that the cat was indeed positive for rabies.  This is the exact reason we push rabies vaccinations in pets so hard. We receive a lot of push back on rabies vaccine daily as if we are trying to up sale that vaccine to pet owners.  We are truly pushing rabies vaccine as a public safety service."

"Rabies is a deadly disease but fortunately the vaccine is very effective in preventing the disease. Please get you pets vaccinated for rabies. It could be a matter of life and death for not only your pet but also you."

RENO COUNTY—A veterinary service in Reno County is reporting a case of rabies.On Thursday afternoon,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/nvscares?__cft__[0]=AZW30lIKDqa6rfQCYG3NkIlWa441ZWleXtPybltiEf8z9ONna1ISzoEm5HcGJPMLdHfr8ru-6m662CoKS1IMe14G6eHOelYT67iGLjNVYOO-JpivlP1gvt_vbGMBZZJJZcmu1ZSvLzlbcTdacgqCQUYv&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Ninnescah Veterinary Service LLC</a>,&nbsp;13408 S. Mohawk Road, Hutchinson, shared on social media they. had just diagnosed a positive case of rabies in a farm cat. "We treat every bite wound from a non vaccinated animal very serious as it may life or death situation."&nbsp; "We had a client pick up a farm cat and was severely bit on the arm." "Under the advice of Dr Clay the farm cat was brought into the clinic and euthanized for testing. Dr Clay informed the client to go to the emergency room and start rabies vaccinations immediately and not to wait for the test to come back from the lab.""The owner complied to this recommendation and received her rabies vaccine and immunoglobulins.""Two days later we got the results that the cat was indeed positive for rabies. This is the exact reason we push rabies vaccinations in pets so hard. We receive a lot of push back on rabies vaccine daily as if we are trying to up sale that vaccine to pet owners. We are truly pushing rabies vaccine as a public safety service.""Rabies is a deadly disease but fortunately the vaccine is very effective in preventing the disease. Please get you pets vaccinated for rabies. It could be a matter of life and death for not only your pet but also you."

Kansas veterinarian reports a person bit by cat with rabies

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect after a high-speed chase and crash that injured a teen.

Just before 11:30a.m. Thursday, police investigators were monitoring a residence in Wichita for a felony shooting suspect, according to Police spokesman Andrew Ford.

Officers observed a man get into a vehicle and drive away. Officers followed and attempted to pull the vehicle over. The driver fled from the traffic stop that prompted a pursuit. During the chase, the suspect vehicle crashed and ran from the car.&nbsp;

Police took him into custody. However, the man was not the felony shooting suspect they hoped to arrest, according to Ford. Police are not sure why the driver fled. He had no warrants for arrest. Police continue to investigate and are holding him on a requested charge of flee and elude. The 13-year-old was treated for non-life threatening injuries.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the suspect in custody.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703786886226.png" alt="Police at the crash scene Thursday afternoon -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police at the crash scene Thursday afternoon -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect after a high-speed chase and crash that injured a teen.Just before 11:30a.m. Thursday, police investigators were monitoring a residence in Wichita for a felony shooting suspect, according to Police spokesman Andrew Ford.Officers observed a man get into a vehicle and drive away. Officers followed and attempted to pull the vehicle over. The driver fled from the traffic stop that prompted a pursuit. During the chase, the suspect vehicle crashed and ran from the car.&nbsp;Police took him into custody. However, the man was not the felony shooting suspect they hoped to arrest, according to Ford. Police are not sure why the driver fled. He had no warrants for arrest. Police continue to investigate and are holding him on a requested charge of flee and elude. The 13-year-old was treated for non-life threatening injuries.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the suspect in custody.

Driver in custody, 13-year-old injured after Kan. chase and crash

JERUSALEM —The USS MASON (DDG 87) shot down one drone and one anti-ship ballistic missile in the Southern Red Sea that were fired by the Houthis between 5:45 - 6: 10 p.m. (Sanaa time) on Thursday, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.

There was no damage to any of the 18 ships in the area or reported injuries. This is the 22nd attempted attack by Houthis on international shipping since Oct. 19.

Meanwhile, a Hamas official said Thursday that a “partial or temporary cessation of aggression” wouldn’t be enough to free the more than 100 hostages who Israel says remain in captivity in Gaza.

The Israeli-Hamas war has already driven around 85% of Gaza's 2.3 million people from their homes, leveling the northern part of the territory and heightening fears about a similar fate for the south as Israel's air and ground offensive widens.

Dozens were killed Thursday during Israel's bombardment of cities, towns and refugee camps across Gaza. More than 20,000 Palestinians, two-thirds of them women and children, have been killed since the start of the war, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza</a>, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants among the dead.

Hamas has put up steep resistance despite Israel's vow to dismantle the militant group.

About 1,200 people were killed after Hamas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-attack-military-war-a8f63b07641212f0de61861844e5e71e">raided southern Israel</a>&nbsp;on Oct. 7, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hostages-gaza-b6ffc286ca7d4b48caaada43e9c6e411">around 240 people taken hostage</a>.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant spoke Thursday with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin about the next steps in the war, with Austin stressing “the importance of protecting Gaza’s civilians and accelerating humanitarian assistance.”

The talks came as a hard-hit Israeli kibbutz announced the death of an American-Canadian-Israeli woman who was believed to have been held hostage and whose husband was recently declared dead.

JERUSALEM —The USS MASON (DDG 87) shot down one drone and one anti-ship ballistic missile in the Southern Red Sea that were fired by the Houthis between 5:45 - 6: 10 p.m. (Sanaa time) on Thursday, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.There was no damage to any of the 18 ships in the area or reported injuries. This is the 22nd attempted attack by Houthis on international shipping since Oct. 19.Meanwhile, a Hamas official said Thursday that a “partial or temporary cessation of aggression” wouldn’t be enough to free the more than 100 hostages who Israel says remain in captivity in Gaza.The Israeli-Hamas war has already driven around 85% of Gaza's 2.3 million people from their homes, leveling the northern part of the territory and heightening fears about a similar fate for the south as Israel's air and ground offensive widens.Dozens were killed Thursday during Israel's bombardment of cities, towns and refugee camps across Gaza. More than 20,000 Palestinians, two-thirds of them women and children, have been killed since the start of the war, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-health-ministry-health-death-toll-59470820308b31f1faf73c703400b033">Health Ministry in Hamas-run Gaza</a>, which doesn’t differentiate between civilians and combatants among the dead.Hamas has put up steep resistance despite Israel's vow to dismantle the militant group.About 1,200 people were killed after Hamas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-attack-military-war-a8f63b07641212f0de61861844e5e71e">raided southern Israel</a>&nbsp;on Oct. 7, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hostages-gaza-b6ffc286ca7d4b48caaada43e9c6e411">around 240 people taken hostage</a>.Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant spoke Thursday with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin about the next steps in the war, with Austin stressing “the importance of protecting Gaza’s civilians and accelerating humanitarian assistance.”The talks came as a hard-hit Israeli kibbutz announced the death of an American-Canadian-Israeli woman who was believed to have been held hostage and whose husband was recently declared dead.

U.S. warship shot down another ballistic missile in Red Sea

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City-area man faces felony charges for the fatal Christmas Day shooting of his father inside a residence in Grain Valley, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Franklin Ray Eason, 23, faces Murder 2nd Degree and Armed Criminal Action charges.

According to court records, Grain Valley police officers were dispatched on Christmas night to SW Woodland Circle regarding a shooting. Officers found a victim inside a residence. He had suffered a fatal gunshot wound. Witnesses told police detectives that the victim came into the room with a handgun but put the firearm down on a table. Eason picked it up and shot the victim, a witness told police.

Police reported the shooting involved a father and son.&nbsp;

The Missouri Highway Patrol processed the crime scene. Eason is in custody on a $100,000 bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703714420569.png" alt="Eason photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Eason photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City-area man faces felony charges for the fatal Christmas Day shooting of his father inside a residence in Grain Valley, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Franklin Ray Eason, 23, faces Murder 2nd Degree and Armed Criminal Action charges.According to court records, Grain Valley police officers were dispatched on Christmas night to SW Woodland Circle regarding a shooting. Officers found a victim inside a residence. He had suffered a fatal gunshot wound. Witnesses told police detectives that the victim came into the room with a handgun but put the firearm down on a table. Eason picked it up and shot the victim, a witness told police.Police reported the shooting involved a father and son.&nbsp;The Missouri Highway Patrol processed the crime scene. Eason is in custody on a $100,000 bond.

KC-area man charged with Christmas Day killing of his father

TUPELO, Miss. (AP) — Donald Wildmon, the founder of the American Family Association, a conservative Christian advocacy group, has died, the organization announced Thursday.

The 85-year-old Mississippi native died on Thursday from complications related to Lewy body dementia, an obituary published by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wtva.com/donald-wildmon-obituary/pdf_2ef075aa-a5bc-11ee-bb6c-b796ddf3dbe1.html">WTVA-TV</a>&nbsp;said. Wildmon died in Tupelo, Mississippi, the city where the American Family Association is based. The obituary referred to Wildmon as “one of the legendary leaders of American conservatism.”

“His impressive legacy of Christian ministry will live on for many years to come,” Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, a Republican, said on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Wildmon founded the AFA, first known as the National Federation for Decency, in 1977 after working as a pastor for the United Methodist Church.

Since its inception, the conservative advocacy group has launched campaigns and boycotts to pressure corporations to avoid supporting causes the group opposed, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-2bb49cfbc4c14c208269d24267b5b943">LGBT anti-discrimination measures</a>.

In 1991, Wildmon launched American Family Radio, which set up radio stations across the U.S. to spread the AFA's message. Wildmon led the AFA for 33 years, the obituary said. He stepped down in 2010, and his son, Tim Wildmon, now leads the organization.

TUPELO, Miss. (AP) — Donald Wildmon, the founder of the American Family Association, a conservative Christian advocacy group, has died, the organization announced Thursday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Brother Don Wildmon, founder of the American Family Association, has been called home. Today, we reflect on a life well-lived, a journey marked by unwavering faith, profound dedication, and an unyielding commitment to the values he held dear. <a href="https://t.co/k9ijMdT2sO">pic.twitter.com/k9ijMdT2sO</a>&mdash; American Family Assc (@AmericanFamAssc) <a href="https://twitter.com/AmericanFamAssc/status/1740467203797893260?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 28, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The 85-year-old Mississippi native died on Thursday from complications related to Lewy body dementia, an obituary published by&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wtva.com/donald-wildmon-obituary/pdf_2ef075aa-a5bc-11ee-bb6c-b796ddf3dbe1.html">WTVA-TV</a>&nbsp;said. Wildmon died in Tupelo, Mississippi, the city where the American Family Association is based. The obituary referred to Wildmon as “one of the legendary leaders of American conservatism.”“His impressive legacy of Christian ministry will live on for many years to come,” Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves, a Republican, said on X, formerly known as Twitter.Wildmon founded the AFA, first known as the National Federation for Decency, in 1977 after working as a pastor for the United Methodist Church.Since its inception, the conservative advocacy group has launched campaigns and boycotts to pressure corporations to avoid supporting causes the group opposed, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-2bb49cfbc4c14c208269d24267b5b943">LGBT anti-discrimination measures</a>.In 1991, Wildmon launched American Family Radio, which set up radio stations across the U.S. to spread the AFA's message. Wildmon led the AFA for 33 years, the obituary said. He stepped down in 2010, and his son, Tim Wildmon, now leads the organization.

Founder of the American Family Association has died

SPRINGFIELD (AP) —<a href="https://apnews.com/e795ae26127748f2802aa74f938d0536">Gypsy Rose Blanchard</a>, the Missouri woman who persuaded an online boyfriend to kill her mother after she had forced her to pretend for years that she was suffering from leukemia, muscular dystrophy and other serious illnesses, was released Thursday from prison on parole.

Blanchard was released early in the day from the Chillicothe Correctional Center, said Karen Pojmann, a spokesperson for the Missouri Department of Corrections. Blanchard was granted parole after serving 85% of her original sentence, Pojmann said.

Blanchard's case sparked national tabloid interest after reports emerged that her mother, Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard, who was slain in 2015, had essentially kept her daughter prisoner, forcing her to use a wheelchair and feeding tube.

It turned out that Gypsy Blanchard, now 32, was perfectly healthy, not developmentally delayed as her friends had always believed. Her mother had Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a psychological disorder in which parents or caregivers seek sympathy through the exaggerated or made-up illnesses of their children, said her trial attorney, Michael Stanfield.

“People were constantly telling Dee Dee what a wonderful mother she was, and Dee Dee was getting all of this attention,” he said.

Through the ruse, the mother and daughter met country star Miranda Lambert and received charitable donations, a trip to Disney World and even a home near Springfield from Habitat for Humanity.

Stanfield said Gypsy Blanchard's mother was able to dupe doctors by telling them her daughter's medical records had been lost in Hurricane Katrina. If they asked too many questions, she just found a new physician, shaving the girl's head to back up her story. Among the unnecessary procedures Gypsy Blanchard underwent was the removal of her salivary glands. Her mother convinced doctors it was necessary by using topical anesthetic to cause drooling.

Gypsy Blanchard, who had little schooling or contact with anyone but her mother, also was misled, especially when she was younger, Stanfield said.

“The doctors seem to confirm everything that you’re being told. The outside world is telling you that your mother is a wonderful, loving, caring person. What other idea can you have?” Stanfield said.

But then the abuse became more physical, Stanfield said. Gypsy testified that her mother beat her and chained her to a bed. Slowly, Gypsy also was beginning to understand that she wasn’t as sick as her mom said.

“I wanted to be free of her hold on me,” Gypsy testified at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-33d132f8495c4444aed3a4094444a06e">the 2018 trial of her former boyfriend,</a>&nbsp;Nicholas Godejohn of Big Bend, Wisconsin, who is serving a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-406c475f13654a588dc300afc3c43236">life sentence</a>&nbsp;in the killing. She went on to add: “I talked him into it.”

When she took the stand at his trial, prosecutors already had cut her a deal because of the abuse she had endured. In exchange for pleading guilty in 2016 to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/e795ae26127748f2802aa74f938d0536">second-degree murder</a>, she was sentenced to 10 years in prison. The first-degree murder charge she initially faced would have meant a life term.

“Nick was so in love with her and so obsessed with her that he would do anything,” Godejohn’s trial attorney Dewayne Perry argued in court, saying his client has autism and was manipulated.

Prosecutors, however,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-0ef7b4ba5c274c9490258c44f6fe4c02">argued that he was motivated by sex</a>&nbsp;and a desire to be with Gypsy Blanchard, whom he met on a Christian dating website.

According to the probable cause statement, Gypsy Blanchard supplied the knife and hid in a bathroom while Godejohn repeatedly stabbed her mother. The two ultimately made their way by bus to Wisconsin, where they were arrested.

“Things are not always as they appear,” said Greene County Sheriff Jim Arnott&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-0ef7b4ba5c274c9490258c44f6fe4c02">as the strange revelations began to emerge</a>.

Even Gypsy's age was a lie. Her mother had said she was younger to make it easier to perpetuate the fraud, and got away with it because Gypsy was so small: just 4 feet, 11 inches (150 centimeters) tall.

Law enforcement was initially so confused that the original court documents listed three different ages for her, with the youngest being 19. She was 23.

Greene County Prosecutor Dan Patterson described it as “one of the most extraordinary and unusual cases we have seen.”

Stanfield recalled that the first time he met Gypsy, she got out of breath walking the 75 yards (69 meters) from the elevator to the room where he talked to her. He described her as malnourished and physically frail.

“I can honestly say I’ve rarely had a client who looks exceedingly better after doing a fairly long prison sentence," Stanfield said. "Prison is generally not a place where you become happy and healthy. And I say that because, to me, that’s kind of the evidence to the rest of the world as to just how bad what Gypsy was going through really was.”

Gypsy Blanchard later said it wasn’t until her arrest that she realized how healthy she was. But it took time. Eventually, she got married while behind bars to Ryan Scott Anderson, now 37, of Saint Charles, Louisiana.

The bizarre case was the subject of the 2017 HBO documentary “Mommy Dead and Dearest,” the 2019 Hulu miniseries “The Act" and an upcoming Lifetime docuseries “The Prison Confession of Gypsy Rose Blanchard.” Daytime television psychologist “Dr. Phil” McGraw interviewed her from prison. The novel “Darling Rose Gold" draws upon the story for its premise and Blanchard's own account, “Released: Conversations on the Eve of Freedom” is set for publication next month.

Amid the media storm, Pojmann, of the corrections department, said no in-person coverage of her release was allowed “in the interest of protecting safety, security and privacy.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703793229204.png" alt="Blanchard -photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>Blanchard -photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>SPRINGFIELD (AP) —<a href="https://apnews.com/e795ae26127748f2802aa74f938d0536">Gypsy Rose Blanchard</a>, the Missouri woman who persuaded an online boyfriend to kill her mother after she had forced her to pretend for years that she was suffering from leukemia, muscular dystrophy and other serious illnesses, was released Thursday from prison on parole.Blanchard was released early in the day from the Chillicothe Correctional Center, said Karen Pojmann, a spokesperson for the Missouri Department of Corrections. Blanchard was granted parole after serving 85% of her original sentence, Pojmann said.Blanchard's case sparked national tabloid interest after reports emerged that her mother, Clauddine “Dee Dee” Blanchard, who was slain in 2015, had essentially kept her daughter prisoner, forcing her to use a wheelchair and feeding tube.It turned out that Gypsy Blanchard, now 32, was perfectly healthy, not developmentally delayed as her friends had always believed. Her mother had Munchausen syndrome by proxy, a psychological disorder in which parents or caregivers seek sympathy through the exaggerated or made-up illnesses of their children, said her trial attorney, Michael Stanfield.“People were constantly telling Dee Dee what a wonderful mother she was, and Dee Dee was getting all of this attention,” he said.Through the ruse, the mother and daughter met country star Miranda Lambert and received charitable donations, a trip to Disney World and even a home near Springfield from Habitat for Humanity.Stanfield said Gypsy Blanchard's mother was able to dupe doctors by telling them her daughter's medical records had been lost in Hurricane Katrina. If they asked too many questions, she just found a new physician, shaving the girl's head to back up her story. Among the unnecessary procedures Gypsy Blanchard underwent was the removal of her salivary glands. Her mother convinced doctors it was necessary by using topical anesthetic to cause drooling.Gypsy Blanchard, who had little schooling or contact with anyone but her mother, also was misled, especially when she was younger, Stanfield said.“The doctors seem to confirm everything that you’re being told. The outside world is telling you that your mother is a wonderful, loving, caring person. What other idea can you have?” Stanfield said.But then the abuse became more physical, Stanfield said. Gypsy testified that her mother beat her and chained her to a bed. Slowly, Gypsy also was beginning to understand that she wasn’t as sick as her mom said.“I wanted to be free of her hold on me,” Gypsy testified at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-33d132f8495c4444aed3a4094444a06e">the 2018 trial of her former boyfriend,</a>&nbsp;Nicholas Godejohn of Big Bend, Wisconsin, who is serving a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-406c475f13654a588dc300afc3c43236">life sentence</a>&nbsp;in the killing. She went on to add: “I talked him into it.”When she took the stand at his trial, prosecutors already had cut her a deal because of the abuse she had endured. In exchange for pleading guilty in 2016 to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/e795ae26127748f2802aa74f938d0536">second-degree murder</a>, she was sentenced to 10 years in prison. The first-degree murder charge she initially faced would have meant a life term.“Nick was so in love with her and so obsessed with her that he would do anything,” Godejohn’s trial attorney Dewayne Perry argued in court, saying his client has autism and was manipulated.Prosecutors, however,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-0ef7b4ba5c274c9490258c44f6fe4c02">argued that he was motivated by sex</a>&nbsp;and a desire to be with Gypsy Blanchard, whom he met on a Christian dating website.According to the probable cause statement, Gypsy Blanchard supplied the knife and hid in a bathroom while Godejohn repeatedly stabbed her mother. The two ultimately made their way by bus to Wisconsin, where they were arrested.“Things are not always as they appear,” said Greene County Sheriff Jim Arnott&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-0ef7b4ba5c274c9490258c44f6fe4c02">as the strange revelations began to emerge</a>.Even Gypsy's age was a lie. Her mother had said she was younger to make it easier to perpetuate the fraud, and got away with it because Gypsy was so small: just 4 feet, 11 inches (150 centimeters) tall.Law enforcement was initially so confused that the original court documents listed three different ages for her, with the youngest being 19. She was 23.Greene County Prosecutor Dan Patterson described it as “one of the most extraordinary and unusual cases we have seen.”Stanfield recalled that the first time he met Gypsy, she got out of breath walking the 75 yards (69 meters) from the elevator to the room where he talked to her. He described her as malnourished and physically frail.“I can honestly say I’ve rarely had a client who looks exceedingly better after doing a fairly long prison sentence," Stanfield said. "Prison is generally not a place where you become happy and healthy. And I say that because, to me, that’s kind of the evidence to the rest of the world as to just how bad what Gypsy was going through really was.”Gypsy Blanchard later said it wasn’t until her arrest that she realized how healthy she was. But it took time. Eventually, she got married while behind bars to Ryan Scott Anderson, now 37, of Saint Charles, Louisiana.The bizarre case was the subject of the 2017 HBO documentary “Mommy Dead and Dearest,” the 2019 Hulu miniseries “The Act" and an upcoming Lifetime docuseries “The Prison Confession of Gypsy Rose Blanchard.” Daytime television psychologist “Dr. Phil” McGraw interviewed her from prison. The novel “Darling Rose Gold" draws upon the story for its premise and Blanchard's own account, “Released: Conversations on the Eve of Freedom” is set for publication next month.Amid the media storm, Pojmann, of the corrections department, said no in-person coverage of her release was allowed “in the interest of protecting safety, security and privacy.”

Mo. woman out of prison after murder of abusive mother

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine’s Democratic secretary of state on Thursday removed former President Donald Trump from the state’s presidential primary ballot under the Constitution’s insurrection clause, becoming the first election official to take action unilaterally in a decision that has potential Electoral College consequences.

While Maine has just four electoral votes, it’s one of two states to split them. Trump won one of Maine’s electors in 2020, so having him off the ballot there should he emerge as the Republican general election candidate could have outsized implications in a race that is expected to be narrowly decided.

The decision by Secretary of State Shenna Bellows follows a December ruling by the Colorado Supreme Court that booted Trump from the ballot there under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. Colorado is a Democratic-leaning state that is not expected to be competitive for Republicans in November.

Her decision came one day after Trump’s lawyers asked her to disqualify herself over tweets that they said showed bias. She called the U.S. Capitol attack an “insurrection” and bemoaned that Trump wasn’t convicted by the U.S. Senate after being impeached by the U.S. House.

Bellows won’t have the final word on Trump’s political career. Her decision can be appealed to Maine’s courts. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to make a final decision on whether Trump can still run for president early next year.

Activists have asked state election officials across the country to remove Trump from their states’ primary ballots under Section 3. Until Bellows’ ruling, all of them rejected the request, often saying they were waiting for courts to give direction on how to interpret the clause, which has been used only a handful of times since the years following the Civil War.

Maine law mandated that Bellows hold a public hearing over the issue, which she did in December. A lawyer and former executive director of the Maine chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, Bellows allowed each side to submit additional arguments after the Colorado Supreme Court’s historic Dec. 19 decision that Section 3 barred Trump from the ballot.

Trump’s campaign has said it will appeal that court’s 4-3 ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court, which has never ruled on Section 3. Whatever the high court decides will apply to every state, including Maine.

The Maine decision shows the potential perils to Trump if the issue is decided on a state-by-state basis. He lost Colorado by 13 percentage points in 2020 and does not need it to win the presidency. But Maine divides its electoral votes by congressional districts, and Trump has twice won the state’s second congressional district.

If he’s not on the ballot there, he would start his 2024 campaign down one Electoral College vote.

The secretary of state’s office said it’s not aware of the office previously striking a presidential candidate from the ballot, but other candidates for lower offices have been removed that way.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703030684419.png" alt="Trump’s campaign has said it will appeal that court’s 4-3 ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court-photo courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Trump’s campaign has said it will appeal that court’s 4-3 ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court-photo courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Maine’s Democratic secretary of state on Thursday removed former President Donald Trump from the state’s presidential primary ballot under the Constitution’s insurrection clause, becoming the first election official to take action unilaterally in a decision that has potential Electoral College consequences.While Maine has just four electoral votes, it’s one of two states to split them. Trump won one of Maine’s electors in 2020, so having him off the ballot there should he emerge as the Republican general election candidate could have outsized implications in a race that is expected to be narrowly decided.The decision by Secretary of State Shenna Bellows follows a December ruling by the Colorado Supreme Court that booted Trump from the ballot there under Section 3 of the 14th Amendment. Colorado is a Democratic-leaning state that is not expected to be competitive for Republicans in November.Bellows found that Trump could no longer run for his prior job because his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol violated Section 3, which bans from office those who “engaged in insurrection.” Bellows made the ruling after some state residents, including a bipartisan group of former lawmakers, challenged Trump’s position on the ballot.Her decision came one day after Trump’s lawyers asked her to disqualify herself over tweets that they said showed bias. She called the U.S. Capitol attack an “insurrection” and bemoaned that Trump wasn’t convicted by the U.S. Senate after being impeached by the U.S. House.Bellows won’t have the final word on Trump’s political career. Her decision can be appealed to Maine’s courts. The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to make a final decision on whether Trump can still run for president early next year.Activists have asked state election officials across the country to remove Trump from their states’ primary ballots under Section 3. Until Bellows’ ruling, all of them rejected the request, often saying they were waiting for courts to give direction on how to interpret the clause, which has been used only a handful of times since the years following the Civil War.Maine law mandated that Bellows hold a public hearing over the issue, which she did in December. A lawyer and former executive director of the Maine chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, Bellows allowed each side to submit additional arguments after the Colorado Supreme Court’s historic Dec. 19 decision that Section 3 barred Trump from the ballot.Trump’s campaign has said it will appeal that court’s 4-3 ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court, which has never ruled on Section 3. Whatever the high court decides will apply to every state, including Maine.The Maine decision shows the potential perils to Trump if the issue is decided on a state-by-state basis. He lost Colorado by 13 percentage points in 2020 and does not need it to win the presidency. But Maine divides its electoral votes by congressional districts, and Trump has twice won the state’s second congressional district.If he’s not on the ballot there, he would start his 2024 campaign down one Electoral College vote.The secretary of state’s office said it’s not aware of the office previously striking a presidential candidate from the ballot, but other candidates for lower offices have been removed that way.