SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on numerous drug charges following a traffic stop and search of his home.

Just before 4 p.m., Tuesday, police conducted a car stop in the area of SE 21st and SE Rice Road in Topeka, according to Lt. Manuel Munoz. During the investigation, officers located narcotics in the vehicle and applied for a search warrant for the driver’s residence located at 2530 SE Virginia in Topeka.

Officers transported Daniel Torres-Rocha, 46, of Topeka to Shawnee County Department of Corrections and booked him on requested charges of Possession of Cocaine w/Intent to Distribute within 1000’ of a School, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia,&nbsp; Aggravated Child Endangerment and Traffic related charges, according to Munoz.

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on numerous drug charges following a traffic stop and search of his home.Just before 4 p.m., Tuesday, police conducted a car stop in the area of SE 21st and SE Rice Road in Topeka, according to Lt. Manuel Munoz. During the investigation, officers located narcotics in the vehicle and applied for a search warrant for the driver’s residence located at 2530 SE Virginia in Topeka.Officers transported Daniel Torres-Rocha, 46, of Topeka to Shawnee County Department of Corrections and booked him on requested charges of Possession of Cocaine w/Intent to Distribute within 1000’ of a School, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia,&nbsp; Aggravated Child Endangerment and Traffic related charges, according to Munoz.

Kan. man accused of child endangerment after cocaine found in home

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an accidental shooting and have made an arrest.

Just after 4p.m. Tuesday, police responded to a reported shooting at a home in the 700 block of South Sycamore in Wichita, according to Captain Jason Stephens.

At the scene, first responders found 18-year-old Jeremy Retana dead from a gunshot wound to his head.

Investigators learned that a 21-year-old man identified as Christian Concha had shown his gun to a 10-year-old and a 9-year-old who were visiting the home. Concha let each child handle the gun and then he left it loaded and unattended as he left to go to a convenience store along with a woman who was supposed to be baby sitting the boys.

While Concha and the woman were away, the 9-year-old picked up the gun and accidentally discharged it, fatally injuring Retana, according to Stephens.

Police arrested Concha and <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20053404">booked him into jail</a> on requested charges of felony murder and aggravated child endangerment.

"The shooter was a 9-year-old child who cannot be held culpable for a criminal offense," said Stephens.&nbsp;&nbsp;"There is a statute known as felony murder, which can be charged when an individual commits an underlying, inherently dangerous offense and in this case, that offense is aggravated child endangerment by allowing the children to have access to this firearm intentionally," he said.

The case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599601969333.png" alt="Police on the scene of the accidental shooting investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the accidental shooting investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an accidental shooting and have made an arrest.Just after 4p.m. Tuesday, police responded to a reported shooting at a home in the 700 block of South Sycamore in Wichita, according to Captain Jason Stephens.At the scene, first responders found 18-year-old Jeremy Retana dead from a gunshot wound to his head.Investigators learned that a 21-year-old man identified as Christian Concha had shown his gun to a 10-year-old and a 9-year-old who were visiting the home. Concha let each child handle the gun and then he left it loaded and unattended as he left to go to a convenience store along with a woman who was supposed to be baby sitting the boys.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599666241069.png" alt="Concha-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Concha-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>While Concha and the woman were away, the 9-year-old picked up the gun and accidentally discharged it, fatally injuring Retana, according to Stephens.Police arrested Concha and <a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20053404">booked him into jail</a> on requested charges of felony murder and aggravated child endangerment."The shooter was a 9-year-old child who cannot be held culpable for a criminal offense," said Stephens.&nbsp;&nbsp;"There is a statute known as felony murder, which can be charged when an individual commits an underlying, inherently dangerous offense and in this case, that offense is aggravated child endangerment by allowing the children to have access to this firearm intentionally," he said.The case will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney.

Gun owner jailed after Kan. boy accidentally kills teen

Today is Wednesday, Sept. 9, the 253rd day of 2020. There are 113 days left in the year. 

On Sept. 9, 1776, the second Continental Congress made the term "United States" official, replacing "United Colonies." 

In 1543, Mary Stuart was crowned Queen of Scots at Stirling Castle, nine months after she was born.

In 1850, California became the 31st state of the union. 

In 1942, during World War II, a Japanese plane launched from a submarine off the Oregon coast dropped a pair of incendiary bombs in a failed attempt at igniting a massive forest fire; it was the first aerial bombing of the U.S. mainland by a foreign power. 

In 1948, the People's Democratic Republic of Korea (North Korea) was declared. 

In 1956, Elvis Presley made the first of three appearances on "The Ed Sullivan Show." 

In 1971, prisoners seized control of the maximum-security Attica Correctional Facility near Buffalo, New York, beginning a siege that ended up claiming 43 lives.

In 1986, Frank Reed, director of a private school in Lebanon, was taken hostage; he was released 44 months later. 

In 1991, boxer Mike Tyson was indicted in Indianapolis on a charge of raping Desiree Washington, a beauty pageant contestant. (Tyson was convicted and ended up serving three years of a six-year prison sentence.) 

In 2005, Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael Brown, the principal target of harsh criticism of the Bush administration's response to Hurricane Katrina, was relieved of his onsite command. 

In 2013, four days of vehicular gridlock began near the George Washington Bridge when two of three approach lanes from Fort Lee, New Jersey, were blocked off; the traffic jam was later blamed on loyalists to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie over the refusal of Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich to endorse Christie for re-election. (Two political insiders were convicted for their roles in the closure; a unanimous Supreme Court later threw out the convictions. Christie denied any prior knowledge of the lane closures, but the episode helped derail his 2016 presidential bid.) 

In 2014, Apple unveiled its long-anticipated smartwatch as well as the next generation of its iPhone.

In 2016, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, speaking at an LGBT fundraiser in New York City, described half of Republican Donald Trump's supporters as "a basket of deplorables," a characterization for which she would end up expressing regret.

Ten years ago: A natural gas pipeline explosion killed eight people and destroyed dozens of homes in the San Francisco suburb of San Bruno, California. Iran said it would free Sarah Shourd, one of three American hikers held for more than 13 months on spying accusations, as an act of clemency to mark the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. (Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal were sentenced in August 2011 to eight years in prison, but were released the following month.)

Five years ago: Queen Elizabeth II became the longest reigning monarch in British history, serving as sovereign for 23,226 days (about 63 years and 7 months), according to Buckingham Palace, surpassing Queen Victoria, her great-great-grandmother. New York became the first U.S. city to require salt warnings on chain-restaurant menus.

One year ago: Coast Guard rescuers pulled four trapped South Korean crew members alive from a cargo ship, more than a day after the ship overturned as it left a port in Brunswick, Georgia. President Donald Trump said peace talks with the Taliban were now "dead," two days after he abruptly canceled a secret meeting he had arranged with Taliban and Afghan leaders. The acting chief scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the agency had likely violated its scientific integrity rules by publicly chastising a weather office that had contradicted Trump concerning a hurricane threat to Alabama.

Today's Birthdays: Actor Topol is 85. Singer Inez Foxx is 78. Singer Dee Dee Sharp is 75. College Football Hall of Famer and former NFL player Joe Theismann is 71. Rock musician John McFee (The Doobie Brothers) is 70. Actor Tom Wopat is 69. Actor Angela Cartwright is 68. Musician-producer Dave Stewart is 68. Actor Hugh Grant is 60. Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., is 57. Actor-comedian Charles Esten (formerly Chip) is 55. Actor Constance Marie is 55. Actor David Bennent is 54. Actor Adam Sandler is 54. Rock singer Paul Durham (Black Lab) is 52. Actor Julia Sawalha is 52. Model Rachel Hunter is 51. Actor Eric Stonestreet is 49. Actor Henry Thomas is 49. Actor Goran Visnjic is 48. Pop-jazz singer Michael Buble' is 45. Latin singer Maria Rita is 43. Actor Michelle Williams is 40. Actor Julie Gonzalo is 39. Neo-soul singer Paul Janeway (St. Paul &amp; the Broken Bones) is 37. Actor Zoe Kazan is 37. Author-motivational speaker-businessman Farrah Gray is 36. Actor Kelsey Asbille is 29. Contemporary Christian singer Lauren Daigle is 29. Country singer-songwriter Hunter Hayes is 29.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSToday is Wednesday, Sept. 9, the 253rd day of 2020. There are 113 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Sept. 9, 1776, the second Continental Congress made the term "United States" official, replacing "United Colonies." On this date: In 1543, Mary Stuart was crowned Queen of Scots at Stirling Castle, nine months after she was born.In 1850, California became the 31st state of the union. In 1942, during World War II, a Japanese plane launched from a submarine off the Oregon coast dropped a pair of incendiary bombs in a failed attempt at igniting a massive forest fire; it was the first aerial bombing of the U.S. mainland by a foreign power. In 1948, the People's Democratic Republic of Korea (North Korea) was declared. In 1956, Elvis Presley made the first of three appearances on "The Ed Sullivan Show." In 1971, prisoners seized control of the maximum-security Attica Correctional Facility near Buffalo, New York, beginning a siege that ended up claiming 43 lives.In 1986, Frank Reed, director of a private school in Lebanon, was taken hostage; he was released 44 months later. In 1991, boxer Mike Tyson was indicted in Indianapolis on a charge of raping Desiree Washington, a beauty pageant contestant. (Tyson was convicted and ended up serving three years of a six-year prison sentence.) In 2005, Federal Emergency Management Agency Director Michael Brown, the principal target of harsh criticism of the Bush administration's response to Hurricane Katrina, was relieved of his onsite command. In 2013, four days of vehicular gridlock began near the George Washington Bridge when two of three approach lanes from Fort Lee, New Jersey, were blocked off; the traffic jam was later blamed on loyalists to New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie over the refusal of Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich to endorse Christie for re-election. (Two political insiders were convicted for their roles in the closure; a unanimous Supreme Court later threw out the convictions. Christie denied any prior knowledge of the lane closures, but the episode helped derail his 2016 presidential bid.) In 2014, Apple unveiled its long-anticipated smartwatch as well as the next generation of its iPhone.In 2016, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton, speaking at an LGBT fundraiser in New York City, described half of Republican Donald Trump's supporters as "a basket of deplorables," a characterization for which she would end up expressing regret.Ten years ago: A natural gas pipeline explosion killed eight people and destroyed dozens of homes in the San Francisco suburb of San Bruno, California. Iran said it would free Sarah Shourd, one of three American hikers held for more than 13 months on spying accusations, as an act of clemency to mark the end of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. (Shane Bauer and Josh Fattal were sentenced in August 2011 to eight years in prison, but were released the following month.)Five years ago: Queen Elizabeth II became the longest reigning monarch in British history, serving as sovereign for 23,226 days (about 63 years and 7 months), according to Buckingham Palace, surpassing Queen Victoria, her great-great-grandmother. New York became the first U.S. city to require salt warnings on chain-restaurant menus.One year ago: Coast Guard rescuers pulled four trapped South Korean crew members alive from a cargo ship, more than a day after the ship overturned as it left a port in Brunswick, Georgia. President Donald Trump said peace talks with the Taliban were now "dead," two days after he abruptly canceled a secret meeting he had arranged with Taliban and Afghan leaders. The acting chief scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the agency had likely violated its scientific integrity rules by publicly chastising a weather office that had contradicted Trump concerning a hurricane threat to Alabama. Today's Birthdays: Actor Topol is 85. Singer Inez Foxx is 78. Singer Dee Dee Sharp is 75. College Football Hall of Famer and former NFL player Joe Theismann is 71. Rock musician John McFee (The Doobie Brothers) is 70. Actor Tom Wopat is 69. Actor Angela Cartwright is 68. Musician-producer Dave Stewart is 68. Actor Hugh Grant is 60. Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., is 57. Actor-comedian Charles Esten (formerly Chip) is 55. Actor Constance Marie is 55. Actor David Bennent is 54. Actor Adam Sandler is 54. Rock singer Paul Durham (Black Lab) is 52. Actor Julia Sawalha is 52. Model Rachel Hunter is 51. Actor Eric Stonestreet is 49. Actor Henry Thomas is 49. Actor Goran Visnjic is 48. Pop-jazz singer Michael Buble' is 45. Latin singer Maria Rita is 43. Actor Michelle Williams is 40. Actor Julie Gonzalo is 39. Neo-soul singer Paul Janeway (St. Paul &amp; the Broken Bones) is 37. Actor Zoe Kazan is 37. Author-motivational speaker-businessman Farrah Gray is 36. Actor Kelsey Asbille is 29. Contemporary Christian singer Lauren Daigle is 29. Country singer-songwriter Hunter Hayes is 29.

Today in History -- Sept. 9

Beginning Monday, Salina Public Library patrons will notice some visible differences. 

The library is implementing changes to its catalog that will improve patrons’ ability to find what they need and a new brand identity that better reflects the modern library.

The library’s role in the community has evolved over the 120 years since its founding. It has added computer and internet access, meeting rooms, programming for all ages, digital materials and outreach services.

“Our new logo represents how the library can provide a different service for each of our patrons,” library director Melanie Hedgespeth explained. “For some people, access to free reading and research materials is still the most important service we offer. For others, it is having space for meetings or work, and for still others, it’s our programs that provide, not only cultural and educational opportunities but a chance to build community. Similarly, each person may see something slightly different in our new logo.”

To celebrate the new look, the library will be giving out tote bags featuring the new logo while supplies last. Beginning Monday, use the library’s Pickup Service or stop by the circulation desk to receive a bag.

The launch of the new catalog will allow patrons to more easily access both the library’s physical collection and all of its digital content in one place. The site will also feature reading recommendation lists that draw on popular resources such as the New York Times Bestseller List and award winners.

Library staff will begin the process of moving data to the new catalog system on Friday. The catalog will be temporarily unavailable until Monday. Patrons will still be able to check out items at the library but must have their library card with them. Pickup Service and the ability to place holds will be unavailable.&nbsp;

“For the past year, we’ve been looking closely at the patron experience at the library,” Hedgespeth said. “We recognize that technology and the ways the public wants to access services are always changing. Our redesigned website and transitioning all youth books to be fines-free earlier this year were a part of that effort. Now, with an updated library catalog system, we will have a tool that prioritizes the patron's needs in finding physical and digital materials.”

●The ability to pay fines using credit cards via PayPal.

●Limiting access to the digital content service Hoopla to Saline County residents.. Limiting account balances to $5 before checkout privileges are suspended.

●The use of Unique Management Services to recover fees on accounts with balances over $25.

●Use of a new text message service provider. Patrons who used the previous system will need to verify their contact information is correct before messages can be sent after Sept. 14.

●Checked out library items, except for hotspots, will be automatically renewed the first time they become due if no other patron has a hold on the item. This will prevent the patron from accruing overdue fines.

Library staff will be available to answer patron questions about navigating the new system. Call (785) 825-4624, email <a href="mailto:help@salpublib.org" target="_blank">help@salpublib.org</a> or use the chat tool on the library’s website — <a href="http://salinapubliclibrary.org/" target="_blank">salinapubliclibrary.org</a>.&nbsp;

Salina Public Library has been serving Saline County since 1900 by providing access to information, learning and culture. The library is a community space that provides free internet access, computer, gaming, meeting rooms, events and programs. It features a diverse and expansive collection of materials for patrons to borrow. To learn more about the library, visit the library at 301 West Elm Street, go online to <a href="http://www.salinapubliclibray.org/" target="_blank">www.salinapubliclibray.org</a> or call (785) 825-4624.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599589614708.jpeg" alt="To celebrate the new look, the library will be giving out tote bags featuring the new logo while supplies last. Photo courtesy SPL" />
 <figcaption>To celebrate the new look, the library will be giving out tote bags featuring the new logo while supplies last. Photo courtesy SPL</figcaption>
 </figure>Beginning Monday, Salina Public Library patrons will notice some visible differences. The library is implementing changes to its catalog that will improve patrons’ ability to find what they need and a new brand identity that better reflects the modern library.The library’s role in the community has evolved over the 120 years since its founding. It has added computer and internet access, meeting rooms, programming for all ages, digital materials and outreach services.“Our new logo represents how the library can provide a different service for each of our patrons,” library director Melanie Hedgespeth explained. “For some people, access to free reading and research materials is still the most important service we offer. For others, it is having space for meetings or work, and for still others, it’s our programs that provide, not only cultural and educational opportunities but a chance to build community. Similarly, each person may see something slightly different in our new logo.”To celebrate the new look, the library will be giving out tote bags featuring the new logo while supplies last. Beginning Monday, use the library’s Pickup Service or stop by the circulation desk to receive a bag.The launch of the new catalog will allow patrons to more easily access both the library’s physical collection and all of its digital content in one place. The site will also feature reading recommendation lists that draw on popular resources such as the New York Times Bestseller List and award winners.Library staff will begin the process of moving data to the new catalog system on Friday. The catalog will be temporarily unavailable until Monday. Patrons will still be able to check out items at the library but must have their library card with them. Pickup Service and the ability to place holds will be unavailable.&nbsp;“For the past year, we’ve been looking closely at the patron experience at the library,” Hedgespeth said. “We recognize that technology and the ways the public wants to access services are always changing. Our redesigned website and transitioning all youth books to be fines-free earlier this year were a part of that effort. Now, with an updated library catalog system, we will have a tool that prioritizes the patron's needs in finding physical and digital materials.”Additional changes include:●The ability to pay fines using credit cards via PayPal.●Limiting access to the digital content service Hoopla to Saline County residents.. Limiting account balances to $5 before checkout privileges are suspended.●The use of Unique Management Services to recover fees on accounts with balances over $25.●Use of a new text message service provider. Patrons who used the previous system will need to verify their contact information is correct before messages can be sent after Sept. 14.●Checked out library items, except for hotspots, will be automatically renewed the first time they become due if no other patron has a hold on the item. This will prevent the patron from accruing overdue fines.Library staff will be available to answer patron questions about navigating the new system. Call (785) 825-4624, email <a href="mailto:help@salpublib.org" target="_blank">help@salpublib.org</a> or use the chat tool on the library’s website — <a href="http://salinapubliclibrary.org/" target="_blank">salinapubliclibrary.org</a>.&nbsp;About Salina Public LibrarySalina Public Library has been serving Saline County since 1900 by providing access to information, learning and culture. The library is a community space that provides free internet access, computer, gaming, meeting rooms, events and programs. It features a diverse and expansive collection of materials for patrons to borrow. To learn more about the library, visit the library at 301 West Elm Street, go online to <a href="http://www.salinapubliclibray.org/" target="_blank">www.salinapubliclibray.org</a> or call (785) 825-4624.

Salina Public Library launches updated look and experience

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect wanted in connection with an Illinois robbery case.

Just after 4:30p.m. Monday, a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Chevy Impala in the 5600 block of SW Topeka Boulevard, according to deputy Shayna Anderson.

&nbsp;During the investigation, a K9 unit was deployed and narcotics were located inside the vehicle. The passenger identified as Trejon R. Raimey-Kirtdoll, 25, of Topeka was placed into custody and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges including possession of methamphetamine. He also had a misdemeanor warrant out of the City of Topeka and a felony warrant for robbery out of St. Clair County, Illinois, according to Anderson.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599596134999.png" alt="Raimey-Kirtdoll photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Raimey-Kirtdoll photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect wanted in connection with an Illinois robbery case.Just after 4:30p.m. Monday, a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Chevy Impala in the 5600 block of SW Topeka Boulevard, according to deputy Shayna Anderson.&nbsp;During the investigation, a K9 unit was deployed and narcotics were located inside the vehicle. The passenger identified as Trejon R. Raimey-Kirtdoll, 25, of Topeka was placed into custody and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges including possession of methamphetamine. He also had a misdemeanor warrant out of the City of Topeka and a felony warrant for robbery out of St. Clair County, Illinois, according to Anderson.

Illinois robbery suspect captured after Kan. traffic stop

Cathy J. Miller, age 72, formerly of Concordia, passed away on Thursday, September 3, 2020 at her daughter’s home in Salina, KS.&nbsp;&nbsp;She was born on Dec. 27, 1947 in Concordia KS to James “Red” and Alta M. (Lathrop) Worley.

She married Arthur “Art” Miller on May 23, 1970 in Concordia, KS.&nbsp;&nbsp;He preceded her on August 24, 2014. Cathy was award clerk for many years at St. Joseph Hospital working on the psychiatric ward and the medical floor. She also was medical transcriptionist for St. Joseph Hospital in Concordia; she later worked for SRS as a child advocate, Youthville and Arbor Hope. She was currently working for St. Francis Ministries.&nbsp;&nbsp;She was an active member of the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, Concordia, and a member of the Episcopal Church of the Incarnation, Salina and recently the Christ Cathedral in Salina Kansas. Cathy held a lot of positions within the church and loved her church family dearly.

She is survived by a son, Tony Miller (Kathleen), Aurora; daughter, Ticia Miller-Brandenburg (Brady), Salina; grandchildren, Angel (Dustin) Binger, Michael Malcuit, Azalia (Jordan) Cunningham, Christopher, &amp; Alizabeth (Bug) Malcuit &amp; Kahlie, Katlynn &amp; Keyan Miller; great grandchildren Aidric Malcuit, Londynn &amp; Kisynn Cunningham, John Giesler, Dustin &amp; Lyndzy Binger and numerous others who called her grandma along with brothers in-law, Robert (Terry) Miller of Connecticut, Mark (Tammy) Miller of GlenElder Kansas, Marianna(Bob)Richard Beloit Kansas,&nbsp; numerous nieces &amp; nephews and others who she was ‘mom’ to.&nbsp;

She was preceded in death by her husband, Art; her parents, in-laws and a bunch of aunts, uncles and dear friends.

It was Cathy’s wishes to be cremated and a graveside memorial service will be held at 10 am on Saturday, September 12th&nbsp;at Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Concordia with Fr. David Hodges officiating. Friends may sign the register book from 10 am to 8 pm with the family greeting friends from 7-8 pm, Friday, September 11th&nbsp;at Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home, Concordia.&nbsp;&nbsp;In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Daughters of the King and Christ Cathedral in care of the funeral home.&nbsp;&nbsp;For online condolences, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://eur05.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chaputbuoy.com%2F&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Cd618152a9fa64e42b23508d85055fe45%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637347677552304341&amp;sdata=CujUXm6IUX0QeB8i9uFdZ75Yh2EE478oY%2FDW9Zm9g%2B8%3D&amp;reserved=0">www.chaputbuoy.com</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599607113861.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Cathy J. Miller, age 72, formerly of Concordia, passed away on Thursday, September 3, 2020 at her daughter’s home in Salina, KS.&nbsp;&nbsp;She was born on Dec. 27, 1947 in Concordia KS to James “Red” and Alta M. (Lathrop) Worley.She married Arthur “Art” Miller on May 23, 1970 in Concordia, KS.&nbsp;&nbsp;He preceded her on August 24, 2014. Cathy was award clerk for many years at St. Joseph Hospital working on the psychiatric ward and the medical floor. She also was medical transcriptionist for St. Joseph Hospital in Concordia; she later worked for SRS as a child advocate, Youthville and Arbor Hope. She was currently working for St. Francis Ministries.&nbsp;&nbsp;She was an active member of the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, Concordia, and a member of the Episcopal Church of the Incarnation, Salina and recently the Christ Cathedral in Salina Kansas. Cathy held a lot of positions within the church and loved her church family dearly.She is survived by a son, Tony Miller (Kathleen), Aurora; daughter, Ticia Miller-Brandenburg (Brady), Salina; grandchildren, Angel (Dustin) Binger, Michael Malcuit, Azalia (Jordan) Cunningham, Christopher, &amp; Alizabeth (Bug) Malcuit &amp; Kahlie, Katlynn &amp; Keyan Miller; great grandchildren Aidric Malcuit, Londynn &amp; Kisynn Cunningham, John Giesler, Dustin &amp; Lyndzy Binger and numerous others who called her grandma along with brothers in-law, Robert (Terry) Miller of Connecticut, Mark (Tammy) Miller of GlenElder Kansas, Marianna(Bob)Richard Beloit Kansas,&nbsp; numerous nieces &amp; nephews and others who she was ‘mom’ to.&nbsp;She was preceded in death by her husband, Art; her parents, in-laws and a bunch of aunts, uncles and dear friends.It was Cathy’s wishes to be cremated and a graveside memorial service will be held at 10 am on Saturday, September 12th&nbsp;at Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Concordia with Fr. David Hodges officiating. Friends may sign the register book from 10 am to 8 pm with the family greeting friends from 7-8 pm, Friday, September 11th&nbsp;at Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home, Concordia.&nbsp;&nbsp;In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorials to Daughters of the King and Christ Cathedral in care of the funeral home.&nbsp;&nbsp;For online condolences, please visit&nbsp;<a href="https://eur05.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.chaputbuoy.com%2F&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Cd618152a9fa64e42b23508d85055fe45%7C84df9e7fe9f640afb435aaaaaaaaaaaa%7C1%7C0%7C637347677552304341&amp;sdata=CujUXm6IUX0QeB8i9uFdZ75Yh2EE478oY%2FDW9Zm9g%2B8%3D&amp;reserved=0">www.chaputbuoy.com</a>.

Cathy J. Miller

The NFL returns this week and it’s time to get back to football!

 Kickoff Weekend signals the start of a 256-game journey, one that promises hope for each of the league’s 32 teams as they set their sights on Super Bowl LV, which will be played on Feb. 7, 2021, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. 

The 101st season of NFL play kicks off on Thursday night (NBC, 7:20 p.m. CT) as the Super Bowl Champion&nbsp;KANSAS CITY CHIEFS&nbsp;host the&nbsp;HOUSTON TEXANS&nbsp;at Arrowhead Stadium in a rematch of the 2019 AFC Divisional Playoffs.

High scoring and close games are a hallmark of the NFL. In 2020, the league is building off one of the most prolific and competitive seasons in league history.​

Last year, teams combined to score 1,244 offensive touchdowns (rushing and passing touchdowns combined), the second-most in a single season in NFL history, and 1,332 total touchdowns, the third-highest total in a single season in league annals. Additionally, 68 percent of games (174 of 256) were within one score (eight points) in the fourth quarter last season, tied for the fifth-most such games in a single season in NFL history, while 52.3 percent of games (134 of 256) were decided by eight-or-fewer points, the fifth-most such games in a single season.

Last season, a wave of young stars burst onto the scene, especially at the quarterback position. The 2019 season saw 208 games feature at least one starting quarterback under the age of 27, the most in a single season in NFL history. In total, quarterbacks under the age of 27 started 287 games and recorded 144 wins in those starts last season, both the highest single-season totals since 1970.

Three quarterbacks under the age of 25 – Baltimore’s&nbsp;LAMAR JACKSON&nbsp;(2018 NFL Draft), Kansas City’s&nbsp;PATRICK MAHOMES&nbsp;(2017 NFL Draft) and Houston’s&nbsp;DESHAUN WATSON&nbsp;(2017 NFL Draft) – have led their respective teams to division titles in each of the past two seasons.

The 2020 season will be filled with memorable moments, as young players emerge, familiar faces continue their climb up the record books and teams vie to make their mark in the postseason. Every team enters the season with hope and a trip to Tampa Bay for Super Bowl LV in mind. Below are a few reasons why.​

THE FIELD IS OPEN New in 2020, the NFL adopted a 14-team playoff format, with two additional Wild Card teams – one each in the American and National Football Conferences – qualifying for the postseason. Since 1990, when the NFL adopted the 12-team playoff format,&nbsp;at least four teams every season have qualified for the playoffs after failing to make the postseason the year before. Last season, five teams that missed the postseason in 2018 – Buffalo (10-6), Green Bay (13-3), Minnesota (10-6), San Francisco (13-3) and Tennessee (9-7) – qualified for the playoffs.

Both Green Bay (NFC North) and San Francisco (NFC West) won their divisions last year after missing the postseason in 2018 and&nbsp;at least two teams have won their divisions the season after missing the playoffs in 16 of the past 17 years.&nbsp;

In 15 of the past 17 seasons, at least one team finished in first place in its division the season after finishing in last or tied for last place. In fact, of the 48 teams in league history to go from “worst-to-first,” 25 of them have done so in the past 17 years (2003-19), including an NFL-record three such teams in 2005 and 2006. Two teams during that span, the 2009 New Orleans Saints and the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles, won the Super Bowl after finishing in last place in their divisions the season before.

WILL THE CHIEFS REPEAT AS SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS? Fresh off their first Super Bowl in 50 years, the Chiefs begin their quest to repeat as champions. Only eight teams have repeated as champions since the first Super Bowl in 1967, with the 2004 Patriots (Super Bowls XXXVIII and XXXIX) being the last team to accomplish the feat.

RECORDS WITHIN REACH New Orleans quarterback&nbsp;DREW BREES&nbsp;(77,416 passing yards and 547 touchdown passes) enters the 2020 season as the league’s all-time leader in both categories, while Tampa Bay’s&nbsp;TOM BRADY&nbsp;(74,571 passing yards and 541 touchdown passes) ranks second … Brady (283 regular-season starts) can surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer&nbsp;BRETT FAVRE&nbsp;(298) for the most starts by a quarterback in NFL history … Indianapolis quarterback&nbsp;PHILIP RIVERS&nbsp;(59,271 passing yards and 397 touchdown passes) can surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer&nbsp;DAN MARINO&nbsp;(61,361 passing yards and 420 touchdown passes) for fifth in each all-time category … Green Bay quarterback&nbsp;AARON RODGERS&nbsp;(46,946 passing yards) can become the 11th player in league annals with 50,000 career passing yards … New York Jets running back&nbsp;FRANK GORE&nbsp;(15,347 rushing yards and 19,243 scrimmage yards) can become the third player in NFL history with 16,000 career rushing yards and fourth player with 20,000 career scrimmage yards … Detroit running back&nbsp;ADRIAN PETERSON&nbsp;(14,216 rushing yards) can surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer&nbsp;BARRY SANDERS&nbsp;(15,269 rushing yards) for fourth-most in league annals … Peterson (111 rushing touchdowns) can become the fourth player in NFL history with 120 career rushing touchdowns … Arizona wide receiver&nbsp;LARRY FITZGERALD&nbsp;enters 2020 ranked second all-time in receptions (1,378) and receiving yards (17,083) … Fitzgerald (120 touchdown receptions) can surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer&nbsp;MARVIN HARRISON&nbsp;(128) for the fifth-most touchdown receptions in NFL history … Las Vegas tight end&nbsp;JASON WITTEN&nbsp;(1,215 receptions) can become the fourth player in league annals with 1,300 career receptions.

FAMILIAR FACES IN NEW PLACES Five teams enter the 2020 season with a new head coach –&nbsp;JOE JUDGE&nbsp;with the New York Giants,&nbsp;MIKE MCCARTHY&nbsp;with Dallas,&nbsp;MATT RHULE&nbsp;with Carolina,&nbsp;RON RIVERA&nbsp;with Washington and&nbsp;KEVIN STEFANKSI&nbsp;with Cleveland.

Five rookie head coaches have led their teams to the playoffs over the past three seasons:&nbsp;MATT LAFLEUR&nbsp;(Green Bay) in 2019,&nbsp;MATT NAGY&nbsp;(Chicago) and&nbsp;FRANK REICH&nbsp;(Indianapolis) in 2018, and&nbsp;SEAN MCVAY&nbsp;(L.A. Rams) and&nbsp;SEAN MCDERMOTT&nbsp;(Buffalo) in 2017.

Several notable players were on the move during the offseason, including quarterbacks&nbsp;TOM BRADY&nbsp;(Tampa Bay) and&nbsp;PHILIP RIVERS&nbsp;(Indianapolis); running backs&nbsp;MELVIN GORDON&nbsp;(Denver) and&nbsp;TODD GURLEY&nbsp;(Atlanta); wide receivers&nbsp;STEFON DIGGS&nbsp;(Buffalo) and&nbsp;DEANDRE HOPKINS&nbsp;(Arizona); tight ends&nbsp;AUSTIN HOOPER&nbsp;(Cleveland) and&nbsp;JASON WITTEN&nbsp;(Las Vegas); offensive linemen&nbsp;BRIAN BULAGA&nbsp;(L.A. Chargers),&nbsp;JACK CONKLIN&nbsp;(Cleveland) and&nbsp;RUSSELL OKUNG&nbsp;(Carolina); defensive end&nbsp;CALAIS CAMPBELL&nbsp;(Baltimore); defensive tackles&nbsp;DEFOREST BUCKNER&nbsp;(Indianapolis) and&nbsp;JURRELL CASEY&nbsp;(Denver); linebackers&nbsp;CORY LITTLETON&nbsp;(Las Vegas) and&nbsp;KYLE VAN NOY&nbsp;(Miami); cornerbacks&nbsp;BYRON JONES&nbsp;(Miami) and&nbsp;DARIUS SLAY&nbsp;(Philadelphia); and safeties&nbsp;JAMAL ADAMS&nbsp;(Seattle) and&nbsp;MALCOLM JENKINS&nbsp;(New Orleans).

YOUNG STARS TAKE THE STAGE Last season, four rookies – San Francisco’s&nbsp;NICK BOSA, Jacksonville’s&nbsp;JOSH ALLEN, Kansas City’s&nbsp;MECOLE HARDMAN&nbsp;and New Orleans’&nbsp;DEONTE HARRIS&nbsp;– earned Pro Bowl honors in their first season. Who could accomplish the feat in 2020?

Four quarterbacks – LSU’s&nbsp;JOE BURROW&nbsp;(No. 1 overall, Cincinnati), Alabama’s&nbsp;TUA TAGOVAILOA&nbsp;(No. 5, Miami), Oregon’s&nbsp;JUSTIN HERBERT&nbsp;(No. 6, L.A. Chargers) and Utah State’s&nbsp;JORDAN LOVE&nbsp;(No. 26, Green Bay) – were selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. At least one rookie quarterback has started in Week 1 in 12 consecutive seasons, the longest streak in the NFL since at least 1950.

The NFL returns this week and it’s time to get back to football! Kickoff Weekend signals the start of a 256-game journey, one that promises hope for each of the league’s 32 teams as they set their sights on Super Bowl LV, which will be played on Feb. 7, 2021, at Raymond James Stadium in Tampa, Fla. The 101st season of NFL play kicks off on Thursday night (NBC, 7:20 p.m. CT) as the Super Bowl Champion&nbsp;KANSAS CITY CHIEFS&nbsp;host the&nbsp;HOUSTON TEXANS&nbsp;at Arrowhead Stadium in a rematch of the 2019 AFC Divisional Playoffs.High scoring and close games are a hallmark of the NFL. In 2020, the league is building off one of the most prolific and competitive seasons in league history.​Last year, teams combined to score 1,244 offensive touchdowns (rushing and passing touchdowns combined), the second-most in a single season in NFL history, and 1,332 total touchdowns, the third-highest total in a single season in league annals. Additionally, 68 percent of games (174 of 256) were within one score (eight points) in the fourth quarter last season, tied for the fifth-most such games in a single season in NFL history, while 52.3 percent of games (134 of 256) were decided by eight-or-fewer points, the fifth-most such games in a single season.Last season, a wave of young stars burst onto the scene, especially at the quarterback position. The 2019 season saw 208 games feature at least one starting quarterback under the age of 27, the most in a single season in NFL history. In total, quarterbacks under the age of 27 started 287 games and recorded 144 wins in those starts last season, both the highest single-season totals since 1970.Three quarterbacks under the age of 25 – Baltimore’s&nbsp;LAMAR JACKSON&nbsp;(2018 NFL Draft), Kansas City’s&nbsp;PATRICK MAHOMES&nbsp;(2017 NFL Draft) and Houston’s&nbsp;DESHAUN WATSON&nbsp;(2017 NFL Draft) – have led their respective teams to division titles in each of the past two seasons.The 2020 season will be filled with memorable moments, as young players emerge, familiar faces continue their climb up the record books and teams vie to make their mark in the postseason. Every team enters the season with hope and a trip to Tampa Bay for Super Bowl LV in mind. Below are a few reasons why.​THE FIELD IS OPEN New in 2020, the NFL adopted a 14-team playoff format, with two additional Wild Card teams – one each in the American and National Football Conferences – qualifying for the postseason. Since 1990, when the NFL adopted the 12-team playoff format,&nbsp;at least four teams every season have qualified for the playoffs after failing to make the postseason the year before. Last season, five teams that missed the postseason in 2018 – Buffalo (10-6), Green Bay (13-3), Minnesota (10-6), San Francisco (13-3) and Tennessee (9-7) – qualified for the playoffs.Both Green Bay (NFC North) and San Francisco (NFC West) won their divisions last year after missing the postseason in 2018 and&nbsp;at least two teams have won their divisions the season after missing the playoffs in 16 of the past 17 years.&nbsp;In 15 of the past 17 seasons, at least one team finished in first place in its division the season after finishing in last or tied for last place. In fact, of the 48 teams in league history to go from “worst-to-first,” 25 of them have done so in the past 17 years (2003-19), including an NFL-record three such teams in 2005 and 2006. Two teams during that span, the 2009 New Orleans Saints and the 2017 Philadelphia Eagles, won the Super Bowl after finishing in last place in their divisions the season before.WILL THE CHIEFS REPEAT AS SUPER BOWL CHAMPIONS? Fresh off their first Super Bowl in 50 years, the Chiefs begin their quest to repeat as champions. Only eight teams have repeated as champions since the first Super Bowl in 1967, with the 2004 Patriots (Super Bowls XXXVIII and XXXIX) being the last team to accomplish the feat.RECORDS WITHIN REACH New Orleans quarterback&nbsp;DREW BREES&nbsp;(77,416 passing yards and 547 touchdown passes) enters the 2020 season as the league’s all-time leader in both categories, while Tampa Bay’s&nbsp;TOM BRADY&nbsp;(74,571 passing yards and 541 touchdown passes) ranks second … Brady (283 regular-season starts) can surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer&nbsp;BRETT FAVRE&nbsp;(298) for the most starts by a quarterback in NFL history … Indianapolis quarterback&nbsp;PHILIP RIVERS&nbsp;(59,271 passing yards and 397 touchdown passes) can surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer&nbsp;DAN MARINO&nbsp;(61,361 passing yards and 420 touchdown passes) for fifth in each all-time category … Green Bay quarterback&nbsp;AARON RODGERS&nbsp;(46,946 passing yards) can become the 11th player in league annals with 50,000 career passing yards … New York Jets running back&nbsp;FRANK GORE&nbsp;(15,347 rushing yards and 19,243 scrimmage yards) can become the third player in NFL history with 16,000 career rushing yards and fourth player with 20,000 career scrimmage yards … Detroit running back&nbsp;ADRIAN PETERSON&nbsp;(14,216 rushing yards) can surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer&nbsp;BARRY SANDERS&nbsp;(15,269 rushing yards) for fourth-most in league annals … Peterson (111 rushing touchdowns) can become the fourth player in NFL history with 120 career rushing touchdowns … Arizona wide receiver&nbsp;LARRY FITZGERALD&nbsp;enters 2020 ranked second all-time in receptions (1,378) and receiving yards (17,083) … Fitzgerald (120 touchdown receptions) can surpass Pro Football Hall of Famer&nbsp;MARVIN HARRISON&nbsp;(128) for the fifth-most touchdown receptions in NFL history … Las Vegas tight end&nbsp;JASON WITTEN&nbsp;(1,215 receptions) can become the fourth player in league annals with 1,300 career receptions.FAMILIAR FACES IN NEW PLACES Five teams enter the 2020 season with a new head coach –&nbsp;JOE JUDGE&nbsp;with the New York Giants,&nbsp;MIKE MCCARTHY&nbsp;with Dallas,&nbsp;MATT RHULE&nbsp;with Carolina,&nbsp;RON RIVERA&nbsp;with Washington and&nbsp;KEVIN STEFANKSI&nbsp;with Cleveland.Five rookie head coaches have led their teams to the playoffs over the past three seasons:&nbsp;MATT LAFLEUR&nbsp;(Green Bay) in 2019,&nbsp;MATT NAGY&nbsp;(Chicago) and&nbsp;FRANK REICH&nbsp;(Indianapolis) in 2018, and&nbsp;SEAN MCVAY&nbsp;(L.A. Rams) and&nbsp;SEAN MCDERMOTT&nbsp;(Buffalo) in 2017.Several notable players were on the move during the offseason, including quarterbacks&nbsp;TOM BRADY&nbsp;(Tampa Bay) and&nbsp;PHILIP RIVERS&nbsp;(Indianapolis); running backs&nbsp;MELVIN GORDON&nbsp;(Denver) and&nbsp;TODD GURLEY&nbsp;(Atlanta); wide receivers&nbsp;STEFON DIGGS&nbsp;(Buffalo) and&nbsp;DEANDRE HOPKINS&nbsp;(Arizona); tight ends&nbsp;AUSTIN HOOPER&nbsp;(Cleveland) and&nbsp;JASON WITTEN&nbsp;(Las Vegas); offensive linemen&nbsp;BRIAN BULAGA&nbsp;(L.A. Chargers),&nbsp;JACK CONKLIN&nbsp;(Cleveland) and&nbsp;RUSSELL OKUNG&nbsp;(Carolina); defensive end&nbsp;CALAIS CAMPBELL&nbsp;(Baltimore); defensive tackles&nbsp;DEFOREST BUCKNER&nbsp;(Indianapolis) and&nbsp;JURRELL CASEY&nbsp;(Denver); linebackers&nbsp;CORY LITTLETON&nbsp;(Las Vegas) and&nbsp;KYLE VAN NOY&nbsp;(Miami); cornerbacks&nbsp;BYRON JONES&nbsp;(Miami) and&nbsp;DARIUS SLAY&nbsp;(Philadelphia); and safeties&nbsp;JAMAL ADAMS&nbsp;(Seattle) and&nbsp;MALCOLM JENKINS&nbsp;(New Orleans).YOUNG STARS TAKE THE STAGE Last season, four rookies – San Francisco’s&nbsp;NICK BOSA, Jacksonville’s&nbsp;JOSH ALLEN, Kansas City’s&nbsp;MECOLE HARDMAN&nbsp;and New Orleans’&nbsp;DEONTE HARRIS&nbsp;– earned Pro Bowl honors in their first season. Who could accomplish the feat in 2020?Four quarterbacks – LSU’s&nbsp;JOE BURROW&nbsp;(No. 1 overall, Cincinnati), Alabama’s&nbsp;TUA TAGOVAILOA&nbsp;(No. 5, Miami), Oregon’s&nbsp;JUSTIN HERBERT&nbsp;(No. 6, L.A. Chargers) and Utah State’s&nbsp;JORDAN LOVE&nbsp;(No. 26, Green Bay) – were selected in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft. At least one rookie quarterback has started in Week 1 in 12 consecutive seasons, the longest streak in the NFL since at least 1950.<figure>
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2020 NFL season set to kickoff Thursday night

By&nbsp;TIM CARPENTER <a href="http://kansasreflector.com">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas City Chiefs fan Rob Olson raised his voice during a Kansas Senate debate to let colleagues know how frustrated he was with inability of politicians, lobbyists and gambling executives to hammer out deal that would have allowed him to legally place a bet on the 2020 Super Bowl.

Absent such reform, Olson could have driven 170 miles from his home in Olathe to Lakeside Hotel and Casino in Iowa, which is among the few Midwest states to legitimize sports gambling since the U.S. Supreme Court cast aside a federal statute forbidding sports books in most places. That would have enabled him to join the estimated nine million Americans who legally put down money on Super Bowl LIV pitting the Chiefs against the San Francisco 49ers.

Olson’s favorite team won that game, but the Republican senator’s sense of jubilation soon faded as the 2020 Legislature proved itself unable to nail down a compromise bill to bring sports-book action to Kansas. Political and financial issues — not coronavirus — derailed attempts to deliver regulated and taxed sports gambling to Kansas.

Each Statehouse failure is cause for celebration among black-market bookies.

“I’m tired of people going to Iowa to gamble, to wager on the Super Bowl,” said Olson, who has urged political foes and allies to end bickering and make a deal. “We’re going to mess around here until we mess this bill up and then we won’t have another year’s opportunity of revenue.”

Indeed, the Legislature’s attempts to infiltrate the cash-saturated world of betting on professional and college sports have been a bust.

The Kansas Senate approved a bill granting new authority to operate sports books at the four state-owned casinos managed by private companies through contracts with the Kansas Lottery. That bill also would enable the Kansas Lottery to market lottery tickets online.

The Senate’s strategy was ignored by the contrarian House, which envisioned up to 1,200 lottery retailers dominating sports wagering in the state. The House’s alternative didn’t get out of committee before COVID-19 interrupted the legislative session. The threat of infection kept lawmakers away from Topeka and left no time to forge a deal among the state’s lottery and casino brass, the Legislature and Gov. Laura Kelly.

Unlike a Super Bowl that cannot by rule end in a tie, competition between elected officials and special interests frequently ends without a clear victor.

The gap between the House and Senate was significant enough for Senate Vice President Jeff Longbine, an Emporia Republican, to conclude a deal would have been unlikely even if the pandemic hadn’t slammed brakes on the session in March. There was a core disagreement on who would be the dominant force in the legal sports&nbsp;betting industry in Kansas. It was sort of&nbsp;an in-house feud between the four state-owned and privately operated casinos and the state-owned and state-operated Kansas Lottery.

“There were significant policy differences in the two bills,” Longbine said. “My guess is we were too far apart on major sticking points.”

There wasn’t consensus on how popular sports wagering could be in Kansas or on what the state’s cut of revenue should be. The Senate settled on a tax of 5.5% of revenue from in-person wagers and 8% for online bets, plus an extra 2% dedicated to a fund to care for gambling addicts. The House wanted the state to claim 14% of in-person and 20% of online revenue.

The Senate bill would ban sports betting at greyhound and horse racetracks, which would spike an economic development opportunity sought by the House. The Senate didn’t want to pay professional leagues for access to “official” statistics, but the House remained in favor of that giveaway.

Of philosophical significance was the Senate’s preference for a firewall between the state government and the kind of financial risk accepted by&nbsp;sports&nbsp;bookies. The House plan would place state taxpayers on the hook for losses.

The Senate was loathe to place the Kansas Lottery in the role of regulator and operator in competition with state-authorized casinos in Dodge City, Pittsburg, Mulvane and Kansas City, Kansas.

House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins, a Republican from Wichita, said despite obvious challenges the tenor of Statehouse discussions on sports betting would have borne fruit.

“I think it would have gotten done if there hadn’t been a truncated session. Next year, I hope it does,” Hawkins said.

A Senate bill authorizing sports betting that surfaced in January followed extensive confidential negotiations that emphasized the economic interests of operators at the four state casinos — Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane, Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Boot Hill Casino and Resort in Dodge City and Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel in Pittsburg.

Under the blueprint, each casino would be able to run two sports books each. Folks could place in-person or online bets through the casino apps. An authorized business could play host to customers placing bets by cellular telephone through the casinos. Their idea was to forbid the Kansas Lottery from moving ahead with a sports betting platform accessible 24/7 with a cellphone or a computer.

The Kansas Lottery would be allowed to sell lottery tickets online for the&nbsp;first time. The bill would be tweaked so that if&nbsp;fewer than two casinos engaged in&nbsp;sports&nbsp;book betting by July 2022, the Kansas Lottery would get a shot at offering internet&nbsp;gambling&nbsp;on&nbsp;sports.

The four state licensed casinos deserve first crack at sports gaming after investing $1 billion in gambling facilities in Kansas and producing $110 million in annual revenue for the state, said Matthew Bergmann, who represented the Boot Hill Casino and Resort and Kansas Crossing Casino.

“Sports betting has become an effective new customer acquisition tool, particularly when we are able to offer mobile wagering,” said Jeff Morris, an executive with Penn National Gaming, which operates the Hollywood Casino.

Fans of the so-called casino model, with the blessing of some members of Senate and House GOP leadership, concluded their best shot was to secure Senate passage of a sports betting bill early in the 2020 session. After the Senate staked out a position, their objective was to undermine any House alternative offered by Rep. John Barker, an Abilene Republican who chairs the House Federal and State Affairs Committee.

Barker’s strategy was to put the Kansas Lottery in the lead on&nbsp;sports&nbsp;wagering and let casinos and racetracks compete for these new&nbsp;gambling&nbsp;dollars in the same manner as retailers. In addition, his House bill was structured to allow internet-based lottery games.

“You could be able to go down and buy a lottery ticket and bet on the K-State-KU game, hopefully buy a loaf of bread and 10 gallons of gas or whatever,” Barker said.

Advocates of sports gaming planned for the two bills to be placed in a House-Senate conference committee for wheeling and dealing necessary to place an agreement on the governor’s desk. That debate was expected to be complicated by the governor’s preference for a robust iLottery operated by the Kansas Lottery.

Sen. Tom Holland, a Democrat from Baldwin City, said he was supportive of legal sports&nbsp;gambling in Kansas, but was convinced casino lobbyists led the Senate to a proposal too financially generous to those brick-and-mortar businesses. He said the state was “leaving money on the table.”

In addition, Holland said, the legislation included obligations of casino operators that should be negotiated by contract rather than embedded in state law. It’s impossible to operate an effective private-public partnership without opportunity to respond nimbly to shifting market conditions, he said.

“This is not a static environment,” Holland said. “We’re not going to know everything at the beginning of this journey into&nbsp;sports&nbsp;wagering. We’re not going to think of everything up front.”

Rancher Jeff Rutland, of Independence, used the words “irony” and “oddity” to refer to what could better be described as hypocrisy of companies hired by the state of Kansas to operate the four casinos. He watched for a decade at rejection of proposals to revise the 2007 law that set the foundation for development of casinos and granted dog or horse racetracks to install slot machines. All of the tracks closed and Rutland believes the 40% tax on revenue at the racetracks should be lowered. The casinos pay a 22% tax on revenue.

“The only opposition you will have to this amendment will be the state-owned casino groups because they simply don’t want the competition,” Rutland said.

The Kansas League of Municipalities complained the sports wagering bills floated in Kansas earmarked revenue for the state government, but none for cities and counties. The Humane Society Legislative Fund of Kansas recommended the legislation ban wagering on greyhound races if tracks opened in Kansas or if races in other states were broadcast in Kansas venues. The National Council on Problem Gambling urged lawmakers to direct at least 1% of revenue to addiction prevention and treatment services.

Senate President Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, said the bill should require 2% of sports&nbsp;betting revenue to be devoted to treatment of individuals with&nbsp;gambling&nbsp;addiction. She got that measure added to the Senate bill.

“When you increase availability of gaming, you’ll have increased addicts,” Wagle said.

Sports&nbsp;betting has been legalized in the District of Columbia and 21 states, including Iowa, Colorado and Illinois,&nbsp;and that number might have grown had the pandemic not wiped out opportunity in Kansas to work through bill-writing conflicts during the 2020 session.

While COVID-19 damaged the economy by igniting unemployment and weakening city, county and state tax collections, including lottery revenue,&nbsp;a projected&nbsp;state treasury shortfall of more than $1 billion in Kansas could serve as incentive for the 2021 Legislature to move factions toward compromise.

“We’re going to need more revenue,” said House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer, D-Wichita. “It’s unfortunate we couldn’t get it done. I’d like to see it move.”

While the Legislature took center stage on sports betting, the Kansas attorney general&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/08/10/kansas-attorney-general-files-federal-lawsuit-to-thwart-proposed-tribal-casino/">filed a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;to reverse a U.S. Department of Interior decision clearing obstacles for the Wyandotte Nation of Oklahoma to build a casino on tribal land near Wichita.

Bill Friend, the tribe’s chief, said the suit brought by Attorney General Derek Schmidt was a waste of time. He said Kansas’ state-operated casinos and the tribal gaming facilities would soon have a competitor.

“They fought us for 14 years in Washington, D.C., to try to break what was our legal right,” Friend said. “We fought through the politics of it and all the money they spent on lobbying.”

The pressure for reform mounted just as Kansas fumbled the ball.

“This is a watershed moment for&nbsp;sports&nbsp;betting in the United States,” said Bill Miller, president of the American Gaming Association. “Roughly 100 million Americans will be able to legally wager on&nbsp;sports&nbsp;in their state by the end of the year.”

Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International. He has been recognized for investigative reporting on Kansas government and politics. He won the Kansas Press Association's Victor Murdock Award six times. The William Allen White Foundation honored him four times with its Burton Marvin News Enterprise Award. The Kansas City Press Club twice presented him its Journalist of the Year Award and more recently its Lifetime Achievement Award. He earned an agriculture degree at Kansas State University and grew up on a small dairy and beef cattle farm in Missouri.

Republished courtesy Kansas Reflector.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599527771608.jpeg" alt="Senate Vice President Jeff Longbine, left, says differences of opinion about legalizing sports gambling in Kansas would have likely blocked completion of a bill in the 2020 session. Here the Emporia Republican chats during a special legislative session in June. Photo by Nick Krug courtesy Kansas Reflector" />
 <figcaption>Senate Vice President Jeff Longbine, left, says differences of opinion about legalizing sports gambling in Kansas would have likely blocked completion of a bill in the 2020 session. Here the Emporia Republican chats during a special legislative session in June. Photo by Nick Krug courtesy Kansas Reflector</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;TIM CARPENTER <a href="http://kansasreflector.com">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas City Chiefs fan Rob Olson raised his voice during a Kansas Senate debate to let colleagues know how frustrated he was with inability of politicians, lobbyists and gambling executives to hammer out deal that would have allowed him to legally place a bet on the 2020 Super Bowl.Absent such reform, Olson could have driven 170 miles from his home in Olathe to Lakeside Hotel and Casino in Iowa, which is among the few Midwest states to legitimize sports gambling since the U.S. Supreme Court cast aside a federal statute forbidding sports books in most places. That would have enabled him to join the estimated nine million Americans who legally put down money on Super Bowl LIV pitting the Chiefs against the San Francisco 49ers.Olson’s favorite team won that game, but the Republican senator’s sense of jubilation soon faded as the 2020 Legislature proved itself unable to nail down a compromise bill to bring sports-book action to Kansas. Political and financial issues — not coronavirus — derailed attempts to deliver regulated and taxed sports gambling to Kansas.Each Statehouse failure is cause for celebration among black-market bookies.“I’m tired of people going to Iowa to gamble, to wager on the Super Bowl,” said Olson, who has urged political foes and allies to end bickering and make a deal. “We’re going to mess around here until we mess this bill up and then we won’t have another year’s opportunity of revenue.”Indeed, the Legislature’s attempts to infiltrate the cash-saturated world of betting on professional and college sports have been a bust.The Kansas Senate approved a bill granting new authority to operate sports books at the four state-owned casinos managed by private companies through contracts with the Kansas Lottery. That bill also would enable the Kansas Lottery to market lottery tickets online.The Senate’s strategy was ignored by the contrarian House, which envisioned up to 1,200 lottery retailers dominating sports wagering in the state. The House’s alternative didn’t get out of committee before COVID-19 interrupted the legislative session. The threat of infection kept lawmakers away from Topeka and left no time to forge a deal among the state’s lottery and casino brass, the Legislature and Gov. Laura Kelly.Rich rivalryUnlike a Super Bowl that cannot by rule end in a tie, competition between elected officials and special interests frequently ends without a clear victor.The gap between the House and Senate was significant enough for Senate Vice President Jeff Longbine, an Emporia Republican, to conclude a deal would have been unlikely even if the pandemic hadn’t slammed brakes on the session in March. There was a core disagreement on who would be the dominant force in the legal sports&nbsp;betting industry in Kansas. It was sort of&nbsp;an in-house feud between the four state-owned and privately operated casinos and the state-owned and state-operated Kansas Lottery.“There were significant policy differences in the two bills,” Longbine said. “My guess is we were too far apart on major sticking points.”There wasn’t consensus on how popular sports wagering could be in Kansas or on what the state’s cut of revenue should be. The Senate settled on a tax of 5.5% of revenue from in-person wagers and 8% for online bets, plus an extra 2% dedicated to a fund to care for gambling addicts. The House wanted the state to claim 14% of in-person and 20% of online revenue.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599526784759.jpeg" alt="Senate President Susan Wagle, a Wichita Republican, says any law allowing legal sports betting in Kansas should set aside 2% of revenue to help treat gambling addicts. Photo by Nick Krug courtesy Kansas Reflector" />
 <figcaption>Senate President Susan Wagle, a Wichita Republican, says any law allowing legal sports betting in Kansas should set aside 2% of revenue to help treat gambling addicts. Photo by Nick Krug courtesy Kansas Reflector</figcaption>
 </figure>The Senate bill would ban sports betting at greyhound and horse racetracks, which would spike an economic development opportunity sought by the House. The Senate didn’t want to pay professional leagues for access to “official” statistics, but the House remained in favor of that giveaway.Of philosophical significance was the Senate’s preference for a firewall between the state government and the kind of financial risk accepted by&nbsp;sports&nbsp;bookies. The House plan would place state taxpayers on the hook for losses.The Senate was loathe to place the Kansas Lottery in the role of regulator and operator in competition with state-authorized casinos in Dodge City, Pittsburg, Mulvane and Kansas City, Kansas.House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins, a Republican from Wichita, said despite obvious challenges the tenor of Statehouse discussions on sports betting would have borne fruit.“I think it would have gotten done if there hadn’t been a truncated session. Next year, I hope it does,” Hawkins said.Casino planA Senate bill authorizing sports betting that surfaced in January followed extensive confidential negotiations that emphasized the economic interests of operators at the four state casinos — Kansas Star Casino in Mulvane, Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway in Kansas City, Boot Hill Casino and Resort in Dodge City and Kansas Crossing Casino and Hotel in Pittsburg.Under the blueprint, each casino would be able to run two sports books each. Folks could place in-person or online bets through the casino apps. An authorized business could play host to customers placing bets by cellular telephone through the casinos. Their idea was to forbid the Kansas Lottery from moving ahead with a sports betting platform accessible 24/7 with a cellphone or a computer.The Kansas Lottery would be allowed to sell lottery tickets online for the&nbsp;first time. The bill would be tweaked so that if&nbsp;fewer than two casinos engaged in&nbsp;sports&nbsp;book betting by July 2022, the Kansas Lottery would get a shot at offering internet&nbsp;gambling&nbsp;on&nbsp;sports.The four state licensed casinos deserve first crack at sports gaming after investing $1 billion in gambling facilities in Kansas and producing $110 million in annual revenue for the state, said Matthew Bergmann, who represented the Boot Hill Casino and Resort and Kansas Crossing Casino.“Sports betting has become an effective new customer acquisition tool, particularly when we are able to offer mobile wagering,” said Jeff Morris, an executive with Penn National Gaming, which operates the Hollywood Casino.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599526970466.jpeg" alt="While other states move ahead with legal sports gambling, the House and Senate in Kansas have fought for two sessions without striking a deal on who controls and profits from cutting into black market bookmaking.&nbsp; Photo by Sherman Smith courtesy Kansas Reflector" />
 <figcaption>While other states move ahead with legal sports gambling, the House and Senate in Kansas have fought for two sessions without striking a deal on who controls and profits from cutting into black market bookmaking.&nbsp; Photo by Sherman Smith courtesy Kansas Reflector</figcaption>
 </figure>Fans of the so-called casino model, with the blessing of some members of Senate and House GOP leadership, concluded their best shot was to secure Senate passage of a sports betting bill early in the 2020 session. After the Senate staked out a position, their objective was to undermine any House alternative offered by Rep. John Barker, an Abilene Republican who chairs the House Federal and State Affairs Committee.Barker’s strategy was to put the Kansas Lottery in the lead on&nbsp;sports&nbsp;wagering and let casinos and racetracks compete for these new&nbsp;gambling&nbsp;dollars in the same manner as retailers. In addition, his House bill was structured to allow internet-based lottery games.“You could be able to go down and buy a lottery ticket and bet on the K-State-KU game, hopefully buy a loaf of bread and 10 gallons of gas or whatever,” Barker said.Advocates of sports gaming planned for the two bills to be placed in a House-Senate conference committee for wheeling and dealing necessary to place an agreement on the governor’s desk. That debate was expected to be complicated by the governor’s preference for a robust iLottery operated by the Kansas Lottery.The rebukesSen. Tom Holland, a Democrat from Baldwin City, said he was supportive of legal sports&nbsp;gambling in Kansas, but was convinced casino lobbyists led the Senate to a proposal too financially generous to those brick-and-mortar businesses. He said the state was “leaving money on the table.”In addition, Holland said, the legislation included obligations of casino operators that should be negotiated by contract rather than embedded in state law. It’s impossible to operate an effective private-public partnership without opportunity to respond nimbly to shifting market conditions, he said.“This is not a static environment,” Holland said. “We’re not going to know everything at the beginning of this journey into&nbsp;sports&nbsp;wagering. We’re not going to think of everything up front.”Rancher Jeff Rutland, of Independence, used the words “irony” and “oddity” to refer to what could better be described as hypocrisy of companies hired by the state of Kansas to operate the four casinos. He watched for a decade at rejection of proposals to revise the 2007 law that set the foundation for development of casinos and granted dog or horse racetracks to install slot machines. All of the tracks closed and Rutland believes the 40% tax on revenue at the racetracks should be lowered. The casinos pay a 22% tax on revenue.“The only opposition you will have to this amendment will be the state-owned casino groups because they simply don’t want the competition,” Rutland said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599527133524.jpeg" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly says she prefers Kansas adopt a sports gambling bill that grants the Kansas Lottery the authority to operate for the first time internet lottery gaming. Photo by Sherman Smith courtesy Kansas Reflector" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly says she prefers Kansas adopt a sports gambling bill that grants the Kansas Lottery the authority to operate for the first time internet lottery gaming. Photo by Sherman Smith courtesy Kansas Reflector</figcaption>
 </figure>The Kansas League of Municipalities complained the sports wagering bills floated in Kansas earmarked revenue for the state government, but none for cities and counties. The Humane Society Legislative Fund of Kansas recommended the legislation ban wagering on greyhound races if tracks opened in Kansas or if races in other states were broadcast in Kansas venues. The National Council on Problem Gambling urged lawmakers to direct at least 1% of revenue to addiction prevention and treatment services.Senate President Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, said the bill should require 2% of sports&nbsp;betting revenue to be devoted to treatment of individuals with&nbsp;gambling&nbsp;addiction. She got that measure added to the Senate bill.“When you increase availability of gaming, you’ll have increased addicts,” Wagle said.Horizon lineSports&nbsp;betting has been legalized in the District of Columbia and 21 states, including Iowa, Colorado and Illinois,&nbsp;and that number might have grown had the pandemic not wiped out opportunity in Kansas to work through bill-writing conflicts during the 2020 session.While COVID-19 damaged the economy by igniting unemployment and weakening city, county and state tax collections, including lottery revenue,&nbsp;a projected&nbsp;state treasury shortfall of more than $1 billion in Kansas could serve as incentive for the 2021 Legislature to move factions toward compromise.“We’re going to need more revenue,” said House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer, D-Wichita. “It’s unfortunate we couldn’t get it done. I’d like to see it move.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599527256879.jpeg" alt="House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer, a Wichita Democrat, says the 2021 Legislature needs to work hard on a bill to legalize sports gambling because the state government needs the new revenue. Photo by Nick Krug courtesy Kansas Reflector" />
 <figcaption>House Minority Leader Tom Sawyer, a Wichita Democrat, says the 2021 Legislature needs to work hard on a bill to legalize sports gambling because the state government needs the new revenue. Photo by Nick Krug courtesy Kansas Reflector</figcaption>
 </figure>While the Legislature took center stage on sports betting, the Kansas attorney general&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2020/08/10/kansas-attorney-general-files-federal-lawsuit-to-thwart-proposed-tribal-casino/">filed a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;to reverse a U.S. Department of Interior decision clearing obstacles for the Wyandotte Nation of Oklahoma to build a casino on tribal land near Wichita.Bill Friend, the tribe’s chief, said the suit brought by Attorney General Derek Schmidt was a waste of time. He said Kansas’ state-operated casinos and the tribal gaming facilities would soon have a competitor.“They fought us for 14 years in Washington, D.C., to try to break what was our legal right,” Friend said. “We fought through the politics of it and all the money they spent on lobbying.”The pressure for reform mounted just as Kansas fumbled the ball.“This is a watershed moment for&nbsp;sports&nbsp;betting in the United States,” said Bill Miller, president of the American Gaming Association. “Roughly 100 million Americans will be able to legally wager on&nbsp;sports&nbsp;in their state by the end of the year.”Tim Carpenter has reported on Kansas for 35 years. He covered the Capitol for 16 years at the Topeka Capital-Journal and previously worked for the Lawrence Journal-World and United Press International. He has been recognized for investigative reporting on Kansas government and politics. He won the Kansas Press Association's Victor Murdock Award six times. The William Allen White Foundation honored him four times with its Burton Marvin News Enterprise Award. The Kansas City Press Club twice presented him its Journalist of the Year Award and more recently its Lifetime Achievement Award. He earned an agriculture degree at Kansas State University and grew up on a small dairy and beef cattle farm in Missouri.Republished courtesy Kansas Reflector.

Feuding over who controls, profits from sports betting stalls legislation

Today is Tuesday, Sept. 8, the 252nd day of 2020. There are 114 days left in the year. 

On Sept. 8, 1974, President Gerald R. Ford granted a "full, free, and absolute pardon" to former President Richard Nixon covering his entire term in office. 

In 1565, a Spanish expedition established the first permanent European settlement in North America at present-day St. Augustine, Fla. 

In 1664, the Dutch surrendered New Amsterdam to the British, who renamed it New York. 

In 1761, Britain's King George III married Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz a few hours after meeting her for the first time.

In 1892, an early version of "The Pledge of Allegiance," written by Francis Bellamy, appeared in "The Youth's Companion." It went: "I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." 

In 1900, Galveston, Texas, was struck by a hurricane that killed an estimated 8,000 people. 

In 1935, Sen. Huey P. Long, a Louisiana Democrat, was shot and mortally wounded inside the Louisiana State Capitol; he died two days later. (The assailant was identified as Dr. Carl Weiss, who was gunned down by Long's bodyguards.) 

In 1941, the 900-day Siege of Leningrad by German forces began during World War II. 

In 1943, during World War II, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower announced Italy's surrender; Nazi Germany denounced Italy's decision as a cowardly act. 

In 1964, public schools in Prince Edward County, Virginia, reopened after being closed for five years by officials attempting to prevent court-ordered racial desegregation. 

In 1986, "The Oprah Winfrey Show" began the first of 25 seasons in national syndication. 

In 2005, Congress hastened to provide an additional $51.8 billion for relief and recovery from Hurricane Katrina; President George W. Bush pledged to make it "easy and simple as possible" for uncounted, uprooted storm victims to collect food stamps and other government benefits.

In 2014, Ray Rice was let go by the Baltimore Ravens and suspended indefinitely by the NFL after a video was released showing the running back striking his then-fiancee, Janay Palmer, in an elevator. (A neutral arbitrator vacated the suspension two months later, but Rice never played in the NFL again.) S. Truett Cathy, the billionaire founder of the Chick-fil-A restaurant chain, died in suburban Atlanta at age 93. 

Ten years ago: BP took some of the blame for the Gulf oil disaster in an internal report, acknowledging among other things that it had misinterpreted a key pressure test of the well, but also assigned responsibility to its partners on the doomed rig. Israel Tal, a decorated war hero and creator of Israel's renowned "Merkava" tank, died at age 86. Allen Dale June, one of the 29 original Navajo code talkers of World War II, died in Prescott, Arizona, at age 91.

Five years ago: After resisting apologizing for using a personal email account run on a private server to conduct government business as secretary of state, Hillary Clinton shifted course, telling ABC News, "That was a mistake. I'm sorry about that. I take responsibility." Kim Davis, the Rowan County, Kentucky, clerk jailed for refusing to issue marriage licenses to gay couples, was released after five days behind bars, emerging to a hero's welcome from thousands of supporters.

One year ago: Dorian, the storm that had walloped the Bahamas and North Carolina, lashed at far-eastern Canada with hurricane-force winds, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands before weakening and heading into the North Atlantic. Former South Carolina governor and congressman Mark Sanford joined the Republican race against President Donald Trump, saying that there needed to be "a conversation about what it means to be a Republican." (Sanford ended his bid two months later.) Rafael Nadal held off a strong comeback bid to win his 19th Grand Slam title in a five-set U.S. Open final against Daniil Medvedev.

Today's Birthdays: Ventriloquist Willie Tyler is 80. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is 79. Actor Alan Feinstein is 79. Pop singer Sal Valentino (The Beau Brummels) is 78. Author Ann Beattie is 73. Former Secretary of Defense James Mattis is 70. Cajun singer Zachary Richard is 70. Musician Will Lee is 68. Actor Heather Thomas is 63. Singer Aimee Mann is 60. Pop musician David Steele (Fine Young Cannibals) is 60. Actor Thomas Kretschmann is 58. Rhythm-and-blues singer Marc Gordon (Levert) is 56. Gospel singer Darlene Zschech is 55. Alternative country singer Neko Case is 50. TV personality Brooke Burke-Charvet is 49. Actor Martin Freeman is 49. Actor David Arquette is 49. TV-radio personality Kennedy is 48. Rock musician Richard Hughes (Keane) is 45. Actor Larenz Tate is 45. Actor Nathan Corddry is 43. Rhythm-and-blues singer Pink is 41. Singer-songwriter Eric Hutchinson is 40. Actor Jonathan Taylor Thomas is 39. Rapper Wiz Khalifa is 33. Actor Gaten Matarazzo (TV: "Stranger Things") is 18.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSToday is Tuesday, Sept. 8, the 252nd day of 2020. There are 114 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On Sept. 8, 1974, President Gerald R. Ford granted a "full, free, and absolute pardon" to former President Richard Nixon covering his entire term in office. On this date: In 1565, a Spanish expedition established the first permanent European settlement in North America at present-day St. Augustine, Fla. In 1664, the Dutch surrendered New Amsterdam to the British, who renamed it New York. In 1761, Britain's King George III married Princess Charlotte of Mecklenburg-Strelitz a few hours after meeting her for the first time.In 1892, an early version of "The Pledge of Allegiance," written by Francis Bellamy, appeared in "The Youth's Companion." It went: "I pledge allegiance to my Flag and the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all." In 1900, Galveston, Texas, was struck by a hurricane that killed an estimated 8,000 people. In 1935, Sen. Huey P. Long, a Louisiana Democrat, was shot and mortally wounded inside the Louisiana State Capitol; he died two days later. (The assailant was identified as Dr. Carl Weiss, who was gunned down by Long's bodyguards.) In 1941, the 900-day Siege of Leningrad by German forces began during World War II. In 1943, during World War II, Gen. Dwight D. Eisenhower announced Italy's surrender; Nazi Germany denounced Italy's decision as a cowardly act. In 1964, public schools in Prince Edward County, Virginia, reopened after being closed for five years by officials attempting to prevent court-ordered racial desegregation. In 1986, "The Oprah Winfrey Show" began the first of 25 seasons in national syndication. In 2005, Congress hastened to provide an additional $51.8 billion for relief and recovery from Hurricane Katrina; President George W. Bush pledged to make it "easy and simple as possible" for uncounted, uprooted storm victims to collect food stamps and other government benefits.In 2014, Ray Rice was let go by the Baltimore Ravens and suspended indefinitely by the NFL after a video was released showing the running back striking his then-fiancee, Janay Palmer, in an elevator. (A neutral arbitrator vacated the suspension two months later, but Rice never played in the NFL again.) S. Truett Cathy, the billionaire founder of the Chick-fil-A restaurant chain, died in suburban Atlanta at age 93. Ten years ago: BP took some of the blame for the Gulf oil disaster in an internal report, acknowledging among other things that it had misinterpreted a key pressure test of the well, but also assigned responsibility to its partners on the doomed rig. Israel Tal, a decorated war hero and creator of Israel's renowned "Merkava" tank, died at age 86. Allen Dale June, one of the 29 original Navajo code talkers of World War II, died in Prescott, Arizona, at age 91.Five years ago: After resisting apologizing for using a personal email account run on a private server to conduct government business as secretary of state, Hillary Clinton shifted course, telling ABC News, "That was a mistake. I'm sorry about that. I take responsibility." Kim Davis, the Rowan County, Kentucky, clerk jailed for refusing to issue marriage licenses to gay couples, was released after five days behind bars, emerging to a hero's welcome from thousands of supporters. One year ago: Dorian, the storm that had walloped the Bahamas and North Carolina, lashed at far-eastern Canada with hurricane-force winds, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands before weakening and heading into the North Atlantic. Former South Carolina governor and congressman Mark Sanford joined the Republican race against President Donald Trump, saying that there needed to be "a conversation about what it means to be a Republican." (Sanford ended his bid two months later.) Rafael Nadal held off a strong comeback bid to win his 19th Grand Slam title in a five-set U.S. Open final against Daniil Medvedev.Today's Birthdays: Ventriloquist Willie Tyler is 80. Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., is 79. Actor Alan Feinstein is 79. Pop singer Sal Valentino (The Beau Brummels) is 78. Author Ann Beattie is 73. Former Secretary of Defense James Mattis is 70. Cajun singer Zachary Richard is 70. Musician Will Lee is 68. Actor Heather Thomas is 63. Singer Aimee Mann is 60. Pop musician David Steele (Fine Young Cannibals) is 60. Actor Thomas Kretschmann is 58. Rhythm-and-blues singer Marc Gordon (Levert) is 56. Gospel singer Darlene Zschech is 55. Alternative country singer Neko Case is 50. TV personality Brooke Burke-Charvet is 49. Actor Martin Freeman is 49. Actor David Arquette is 49. TV-radio personality Kennedy is 48. Rock musician Richard Hughes (Keane) is 45. Actor Larenz Tate is 45. Actor Nathan Corddry is 43. Rhythm-and-blues singer Pink is 41. Singer-songwriter Eric Hutchinson is 40. Actor Jonathan Taylor Thomas is 39. Rapper Wiz Khalifa is 33. Actor Gaten Matarazzo (TV: "Stranger Things") is 18.

Today in History -- Sept. 8

TOPEKA–Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on weapons charges after a joint investigation between the Topeka Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.

As a result of the investigation, a search warrant was issued on a residence in the 400 block of SE Rodgers Street in Topeka, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.

At the residence, officers took Rodolfo V. Arzate, 42 of Topeka into custody. They also recovered 26 firearms.

Arzate was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of&nbsp; 26 counts of Criminal Possession of a Firearm, Interference with LEO and Topeka Bench Warrants, according to Spiker.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599246606990.png" alt="Arzate" />
 <figcaption>Arzate</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA–Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on weapons charges after a joint investigation between the Topeka Police Department and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.As a result of the investigation, a search warrant was issued on a residence in the 400 block of SE Rodgers Street in Topeka, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.At the residence, officers took Rodolfo V. Arzate, 42 of Topeka into custody. They also recovered 26 firearms.Arzate was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of&nbsp; 26 counts of Criminal Possession of a Firearm, Interference with LEO and Topeka Bench Warrants, according to Spiker.

ATF recovers 26 firearms at home of Kansas felon

HUTCHINSON – A solid mix of newcomers and returners would help the Cloud County women's cross country team land four runners inside the top-10 to take a convincing 17-point victory in the team race to open the season at the 2020 Terry Masterson Twilight Classic in Hutchinson, Kansas on Friday.

Earning a team title among the five competing women's teams, Cloud County would finish with 35 total points and 17 points clear of runner-up Cowley College who finished with 52 points. Host Hutchinson would take third with 59 points followed by Dodge City (92 points) and Barton (114) while Coffeyville, Allen, Neosho, Highland, and MCC-Longview would not post team scores.

"I'm very happy for our sophomore girls as they set the tone for this group and had success individually last year, but to win the team title is a lot fun" said head coach Drew Mahin in a post-race interview. "<a href="http://cloudcountycc.prestosports.com/sports/wxc/2020-21/bios/koma_patricia_w33r" target="_blank">Patricia Koma</a>" had a great race, and as long as she can continue to improve will be in the hunt for a regional title in October." "<a href="http://cloudcountycc.prestosports.com/sports/wxc/2020-21/bios/johnson_kya_68j1" target="_blank">Kya Johnson</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudcountycc.prestosports.com/sports/wxc/2020-21/bios/mbenoun_maryse_ekxv" target="_blank">Maryse Mbenoun</a>&nbsp;are great leaders for this team, and they deserve a lot of credit for helping make this team happen." "On and off the course they are always helping and supporting others and I'm happy we could put a team around them that allowed us to see some immediate success."

Four of the top 10 finishers in the individual race would come courtesy of CCCC as&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudcountycc.prestosports.com/sports/wxc/2020-21/bios/koma_patricia_w33r" target="_blank">Koma</a>&nbsp;would take runner-up honors in her first race as a T-Bird while&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudcountycc.prestosports.com/sports/wxc/2020-21/bios/johnson_kya_68j1" target="_blank">Johnson</a>&nbsp;would get her year off to a strong start with a sixth-place finish in a time of 19:47.20. Also earning top-10 finishes for Cloud County would be&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudcountycc.prestosports.com/sports/wxc/2020-21/bios/mbenoun_maryse_ekxv" target="_blank">Mbenoun</a>&nbsp;(eighth, 19:56.90) and&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudcountycc.prestosports.com/sports/wxc/2020-21/bios/milano_pamela_cjbz" target="_blank">Pamela Milano</a>&nbsp;(ninth, 20:03.90) while&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudcountycc.prestosports.com/sports/wxc/2020-21/bios/hoover_abbey_2450" target="_blank">Abbey Hoover</a>&nbsp;would come in 14th place with a time of 20:22 in her first collegiate race. The T-Birds would also have&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudcountycc.prestosports.com/sports/wxc/2020-21/bios/holthaus_emma_1097" target="_blank">Emma Holthaus</a>&nbsp;(20:43.60),&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudcountycc.prestosports.com/sports/wxc/2020-21/bios/fisher_abigail_7pso" target="_blank">Abigail Fisher</a>&nbsp;(21:27.10), and&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudcountycc.prestosports.com/sports/wxc/2020-21/bios/crews_passion_6zzf" target="_blank">Passion Crews</a>&nbsp;(24:36.10) all post times in the meet in what would be their first time running in a college cross country meet.

With one race in the books, Cloud County will return to action next Friday with a trip to El Dorado to take part in the 2020 Ollie Isom Invitational hosted by Butler Community College. The 5K race will get underway at 4 p.m. and will serve as a preview of this year's 2020 NJCAA Region VI Championships as many Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference teams are expected to be in attendance to compete at the site of Region Championships which will take place in October.

HUTCHINSON – A solid mix of newcomers and returners would help the Cloud County women's cross country team land four runners inside the top-10 to take a convincing 17-point victory in the team race to open the season at the 2020 Terry Masterson Twilight Classic in Hutchinson, Kansas on Friday.Earning a team title among the five competing women's teams, Cloud County would finish with 35 total points and 17 points clear of runner-up Cowley College who finished with 52 points. Host Hutchinson would take third with 59 points followed by Dodge City (92 points) and Barton (114) while Coffeyville, Allen, Neosho, Highland, and MCC-Longview would not post team scores."I'm very happy for our sophomore girls as they set the tone for this group and had success individually last year, but to win the team title is a lot fun" said head coach Drew Mahin in a post-race interview. "<a href="http://cloudcountycc.prestosports.com/sports/wxc/2020-21/bios/koma_patricia_w33r" target="_blank">Patricia Koma</a>" had a great race, and as long as she can continue to improve will be in the hunt for a regional title in October." "<a href="http://cloudcountycc.prestosports.com/sports/wxc/2020-21/bios/johnson_kya_68j1" target="_blank">Kya Johnson</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudcountycc.prestosports.com/sports/wxc/2020-21/bios/mbenoun_maryse_ekxv" target="_blank">Maryse Mbenoun</a>&nbsp;are great leaders for this team, and they deserve a lot of credit for helping make this team happen." "On and off the course they are always helping and supporting others and I'm happy we could put a team around them that allowed us to see some immediate success."Four of the top 10 finishers in the individual race would come courtesy of CCCC as&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudcountycc.prestosports.com/sports/wxc/2020-21/bios/koma_patricia_w33r" target="_blank">Koma</a>&nbsp;would take runner-up honors in her first race as a T-Bird while&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudcountycc.prestosports.com/sports/wxc/2020-21/bios/johnson_kya_68j1" target="_blank">Johnson</a>&nbsp;would get her year off to a strong start with a sixth-place finish in a time of 19:47.20. Also earning top-10 finishes for Cloud County would be&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudcountycc.prestosports.com/sports/wxc/2020-21/bios/mbenoun_maryse_ekxv" target="_blank">Mbenoun</a>&nbsp;(eighth, 19:56.90) and&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudcountycc.prestosports.com/sports/wxc/2020-21/bios/milano_pamela_cjbz" target="_blank">Pamela Milano</a>&nbsp;(ninth, 20:03.90) while&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudcountycc.prestosports.com/sports/wxc/2020-21/bios/hoover_abbey_2450" target="_blank">Abbey Hoover</a>&nbsp;would come in 14th place with a time of 20:22 in her first collegiate race. The T-Birds would also have&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudcountycc.prestosports.com/sports/wxc/2020-21/bios/holthaus_emma_1097" target="_blank">Emma Holthaus</a>&nbsp;(20:43.60),&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudcountycc.prestosports.com/sports/wxc/2020-21/bios/fisher_abigail_7pso" target="_blank">Abigail Fisher</a>&nbsp;(21:27.10), and&nbsp;<a href="http://cloudcountycc.prestosports.com/sports/wxc/2020-21/bios/crews_passion_6zzf" target="_blank">Passion Crews</a>&nbsp;(24:36.10) all post times in the meet in what would be their first time running in a college cross country meet.What's next?With one race in the books, Cloud County will return to action next Friday with a trip to El Dorado to take part in the 2020 Ollie Isom Invitational hosted by Butler Community College. The 5K race will get underway at 4 p.m. and will serve as a preview of this year's 2020 NJCAA Region VI Championships as many Kansas Jayhawk Community College Conference teams are expected to be in attendance to compete at the site of Region Championships which will take place in October.

T-Bird women's cross country takes Masterson Twilight team title

Today is Monday, Sept. 7, the 251st day of 2020. There are 115 days left in the year. 

On September 7, 1940, Nazi Germany began its eight-month blitz of Britain during World War II with the first air attack on London. 

In 1892, James J. Corbett knocked out John L. Sullivan to win the world heavyweight crown in New Orleans in a fight conducted under the Marquess of Queensberry rules. 

In 1907, the British liner RMS Lusitania set out from Liverpool, England, on its maiden voyage, arriving six days later in New York.

In 1963, the National Professional Football Hall of Fame was dedicated in Canton, Ohio. 

In 1972, the International Olympic Committee banned Vince Matthews and Wayne Collett of the U.S. from further competition for talking to each other on the victory stand in Munich during the playing of the "Star-Spangled Banner" after winning the gold and silver medals in the 400-meter run. 

In 1977, the Panama Canal treaties, calling for the U.S. to eventually turn over control of the waterway to Panama, were signed in Washington by President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian leader Omar Torrijos. 

In 1979, the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN) made its cable TV debut.

In 1986, Desmond Tutu was installed as the first Black clergyman to lead the Anglican Church in southern Africa.

In 1996, rapper Tupac Shakur was shot and mortally wounded on the Las Vegas Strip; he died six days later. 

In 2005, police and soldiers went house to house in New Orleans to try to coax the last stubborn holdouts into leaving the city shattered by Hurricane Katrina. President George W. Bush led the nation in a final tribute to William H. Rehnquist, remembering the late chief justice as the Supreme Court's steady leader and a man of lifetime integrity. 

In 2007, Osama bin Laden appeared in a video for the first time in three years, telling Americans they should convert to Islam if they wanted the war in Iraq to end. 

In 2008, troubled mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were placed in government conservatorship. 

In 2014, Serena Williams won her third consecutive U.S. Open championship and 18th major title overall, taking 75 minutes to beat good friend Caroline Wozniacki 6-3, 6-3. 

Ten years ago: A Chinese fishing trawler and two Japanese patrol boats collided near disputed islands in the East China Sea, further straining relations between Beijing and Tokyo. Lucius Walker, 80, who'd led an annual pilgrimage of aid volunteers to Cuba in defiance of the nearly half century U.S. trade embargo, died in New York.

Five years ago: Hillary Clinton, interviewed by The Associated Press during a campaign swing through Iowa, said she did not need to apologize for using a private email account and server while at the State Department because "what I did was allowed." Courting unions on Labor Day, President Barack Obama denounced Republicans for a "constant attack on working Americans," telling a rally in Boston that he was using his executive power to force federal contractors to give paid sick leave to their employees. Former child star Dickie Moore, 89, died in Connecticut.

One year ago: President Donald Trump said he had canceled a secret weekend meeting at Camp David with Taliban and Afghan leaders, just days before the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, after a bombing in the past week in Kabul that killed 12 people, including an American soldier. India's lunar lander crashed on the surface of the moon, where it was supposed to deploy a rover to search for signs of water; a successful landing would have made India just the fourth country to land a vessel on the lunar surface. Nineteen-year-old Bianca Andreescu won her first Grand Slam title, beating Serena Williams 6-3, 7-5 in the final of the U.S. Open. After being released by the Oakland Raiders without playing a regular season game, wide receiver Antonio Brown was signed by the New England Patriots. (The Patriots would release Brown two weeks later after a second woman accused him of sexual misconduct.)

Today's Birthdays: Jazz musician Sonny Rollins is 90. Singer Gloria Gaynor is 77. Singer Alfa Anderson (Chic) is 74. Actor Susan Blakely is 72. Rock musician Dennis Thompson (MC5) is 72. Actor Julie Kavner is 70. Rock singer Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders) is 69. Rock musician Benmont Tench (Tom Petty &amp; the Heartbreakers) is 67. Actor Corbin Bernsen is 66. Actor Michael Emerson is 66. Pianist Michael Feinstein is 64. Singer/songwriter Diane Warren is 64. Singer Margot Chapman is 63. Actor J. Smith-Cameron is 63. Actor W. Earl Brown is 57. Actor Toby Jones is 54. Actor-comedian Leslie Jones (TV: "Saturday Night Live") is 53. Model-actor Angie Everhart is 51. Actor Diane Farr is 51. Country singer Butter (Trailer Choir) is 50. Actor Monique Gabriela Curnen is 50. Actor Tom Everett Scott is 50. Rock musician Chad Sexton (311) is 50. Actor Shannon Elizabeth is 47. Actor Oliver Hudson is 44. Actor Devon Sawa is 42. Actor JD Pardo is 41. Actor Benjamin Hollingsworth (TV: "Code Black") is 36. Actor Alyssa Diaz (TV: "Ray Donovan"; "Zoo") is 35. Singer-musician Wes Willis (Rush of Fools) is 34. Actor Evan Rachel Wood is 33. Actor Ian Chen (TV: "Fresh Off the Boat") is 14.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSToday is Monday, Sept. 7, the 251st day of 2020. There are 115 days left in the year. Today's Highlight in History: On September 7, 1940, Nazi Germany began its eight-month blitz of Britain during World War II with the first air attack on London. On this date: In 1892, James J. Corbett knocked out John L. Sullivan to win the world heavyweight crown in New Orleans in a fight conducted under the Marquess of Queensberry rules. In 1907, the British liner RMS Lusitania set out from Liverpool, England, on its maiden voyage, arriving six days later in New York.In 1963, the National Professional Football Hall of Fame was dedicated in Canton, Ohio. In 1972, the International Olympic Committee banned Vince Matthews and Wayne Collett of the U.S. from further competition for talking to each other on the victory stand in Munich during the playing of the "Star-Spangled Banner" after winning the gold and silver medals in the 400-meter run. In 1977, the Panama Canal treaties, calling for the U.S. to eventually turn over control of the waterway to Panama, were signed in Washington by President Jimmy Carter and Panamanian leader Omar Torrijos. In 1979, the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network (ESPN) made its cable TV debut.In 1986, Desmond Tutu was installed as the first Black clergyman to lead the Anglican Church in southern Africa.In 1996, rapper Tupac Shakur was shot and mortally wounded on the Las Vegas Strip; he died six days later. In 2005, police and soldiers went house to house in New Orleans to try to coax the last stubborn holdouts into leaving the city shattered by Hurricane Katrina. President George W. Bush led the nation in a final tribute to William H. Rehnquist, remembering the late chief justice as the Supreme Court's steady leader and a man of lifetime integrity. In 2007, Osama bin Laden appeared in a video for the first time in three years, telling Americans they should convert to Islam if they wanted the war in Iraq to end. In 2008, troubled mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were placed in government conservatorship. In 2014, Serena Williams won her third consecutive U.S. Open championship and 18th major title overall, taking 75 minutes to beat good friend Caroline Wozniacki 6-3, 6-3. Ten years ago: A Chinese fishing trawler and two Japanese patrol boats collided near disputed islands in the East China Sea, further straining relations between Beijing and Tokyo. Lucius Walker, 80, who'd led an annual pilgrimage of aid volunteers to Cuba in defiance of the nearly half century U.S. trade embargo, died in New York.Five years ago: Hillary Clinton, interviewed by The Associated Press during a campaign swing through Iowa, said she did not need to apologize for using a private email account and server while at the State Department because "what I did was allowed." Courting unions on Labor Day, President Barack Obama denounced Republicans for a "constant attack on working Americans," telling a rally in Boston that he was using his executive power to force federal contractors to give paid sick leave to their employees. Former child star Dickie Moore, 89, died in Connecticut.One year ago: President Donald Trump said he had canceled a secret weekend meeting at Camp David with Taliban and Afghan leaders, just days before the anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, after a bombing in the past week in Kabul that killed 12 people, including an American soldier. India's lunar lander crashed on the surface of the moon, where it was supposed to deploy a rover to search for signs of water; a successful landing would have made India just the fourth country to land a vessel on the lunar surface. Nineteen-year-old Bianca Andreescu won her first Grand Slam title, beating Serena Williams 6-3, 7-5 in the final of the U.S. Open. After being released by the Oakland Raiders without playing a regular season game, wide receiver Antonio Brown was signed by the New England Patriots. (The Patriots would release Brown two weeks later after a second woman accused him of sexual misconduct.) Today's Birthdays: Jazz musician Sonny Rollins is 90. Singer Gloria Gaynor is 77. Singer Alfa Anderson (Chic) is 74. Actor Susan Blakely is 72. Rock musician Dennis Thompson (MC5) is 72. Actor Julie Kavner is 70. Rock singer Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders) is 69. Rock musician Benmont Tench (Tom Petty &amp; the Heartbreakers) is 67. Actor Corbin Bernsen is 66. Actor Michael Emerson is 66. Pianist Michael Feinstein is 64. Singer/songwriter Diane Warren is 64. Singer Margot Chapman is 63. Actor J. Smith-Cameron is 63. Actor W. Earl Brown is 57. Actor Toby Jones is 54. Actor-comedian Leslie Jones (TV: "Saturday Night Live") is 53. Model-actor Angie Everhart is 51. Actor Diane Farr is 51. Country singer Butter (Trailer Choir) is 50. Actor Monique Gabriela Curnen is 50. Actor Tom Everett Scott is 50. Rock musician Chad Sexton (311) is 50. Actor Shannon Elizabeth is 47. Actor Oliver Hudson is 44. Actor Devon Sawa is 42. Actor JD Pardo is 41. Actor Benjamin Hollingsworth (TV: "Code Black") is 36. Actor Alyssa Diaz (TV: "Ray Donovan"; "Zoo") is 35. Singer-musician Wes Willis (Rush of Fools) is 34. Actor Evan Rachel Wood is 33. Actor Ian Chen (TV: "Fresh Off the Boat") is 14.

Today in History -- Sept. 7

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating three suspects following the completion of a search warrant in Shawnee County.

On Sept. 3, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Task Force, consisting of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit and Rossville Police Department, served a narcotic search warrant in the 3300 block of SE Girard Street, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

Officers located three individuals and initially detained them for the investigation.

Following the discovery of narcotics and firearms, officers&nbsp; arrested William C. O’Handlen, 51; Stella M. Hillis, 46, of&nbsp; Walter U. O’Handlen, 51, all of Topeka were arrested and booked them into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.

William O’Handlen was booked on requested charged that include possession of methamphetamine, criminal use of a weapon and possession of drug paraphernalia. Hillis and Walter O’Handlen were both booked on requested charged of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599224726289.png" alt="William O’Handlen-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>William O’Handlen-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating three suspects following the completion of a search warrant in Shawnee County.On Sept. 3, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office Drug Enforcement Task Force, consisting of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit and Rossville Police Department, served a narcotic search warrant in the 3300 block of SE Girard Street, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.Officers located three individuals and initially detained them for the investigation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599224888013.png" alt="Walter O’Handlen-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Walter O’Handlen-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Following the discovery of narcotics and firearms, officers&nbsp; arrested William C. O’Handlen, 51; Stella M. Hillis, 46, of&nbsp; Walter U. O’Handlen, 51, all of Topeka were arrested and booked them into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599224792206.png" alt="Hillis-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Hillis-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>William O’Handlen was booked on requested charged that include possession of methamphetamine, criminal use of a weapon and possession of drug paraphernalia. Hillis and Walter O’Handlen were both booked on requested charged of possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Kan. twins arrested after Drug Task Force investigation

In need of a good deal on some reading material? Friends of the Salina Public Library has you covered!

The Friends of the Salina Public Library will have a sidewalk book sale from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. The sale will take place on the north side of the library building.&nbsp;

The sale will feature grab-bags labeled by genre with a surprise assortment of books. Genres will include children’s, young adults, fiction, biography, mystery, romance and hobbies. There will also be some bags of music CDs. Each bag will be $5. Payment can be made with cash or check.

Shoppers are asked to observe social distancing and wear masks. The Friends volunteers will provide curbside service for those wishing to remain in their cars. Simply pull up near the sales tables.&nbsp;

The sale benefits the Friends of the Library, a volunteer, board-guided, membership organization that acts as a booster club for the library. Some Friends’ activities include providing volunteers for library events, purchasing prizes for Summer at the Library, supplies for the CLASS program and new self-check machines, and providing scholarships for teen library volunteers.

For more information on Friends of the Salina Public Library, including how to become a member, visit <a href="http://www.salinapubliclibrary.org/friends" target="_blank">www.salinapubliclibrary.org/friends</a> or email <a href="mailto:friends@salpublib.org" target="_blank">friends@salpublib.org</a>.

In need of a good deal on some reading material? Friends of the Salina Public Library has you covered!The Friends of the Salina Public Library will have a sidewalk book sale from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday. The sale will take place on the north side of the library building.&nbsp;The sale will feature grab-bags labeled by genre with a surprise assortment of books. Genres will include children’s, young adults, fiction, biography, mystery, romance and hobbies. There will also be some bags of music CDs. Each bag will be $5. Payment can be made with cash or check.Shoppers are asked to observe social distancing and wear masks. The Friends volunteers will provide curbside service for those wishing to remain in their cars. Simply pull up near the sales tables.&nbsp;The sale benefits the Friends of the Library, a volunteer, board-guided, membership organization that acts as a booster club for the library. Some Friends’ activities include providing volunteers for library events, purchasing prizes for Summer at the Library, supplies for the CLASS program and new self-check machines, and providing scholarships for teen library volunteers.For more information on Friends of the Salina Public Library, including how to become a member, visit <a href="http://www.salinapubliclibrary.org/friends" target="_blank">www.salinapubliclibrary.org/friends</a> or email <a href="mailto:friends@salpublib.org" target="_blank">friends@salpublib.org</a>.

Friends of the Salina Public Library to have sidewalk sale

Today is Sunday, Sept. 6, the 250th day of 2020. There are 116 days left in the year. 

On Sept. 6, 1997, a public funeral was held for Princess Diana at Westminster Abbey in London, six days after her death in a car crash in Paris. In Calcutta, India, weeping masses gathered to pay homage to Mother Teresa, who had died the day before at age 87. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1573488868914.jpeg" alt="Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a>" />
 <figcaption>Photo of old book courtesy <a href="http://shutterstock.com">shutterstock</a></figcaption>
 </figure>By THE ASSOCIATED PRESSToday is Sunday, Sept. 6, the 250th day of 2020. There are 116 days left in the year. Today's Highlights in History: On Sept. 6, 1997, a public funeral was held for Princess Diana at Westminster Abbey in London, six days after her death in a car crash in Paris. In Calcutta, India, weeping masses gathered to pay homage to Mother Teresa, who had died the day before at age 87. On this date: In 1888, diplomat and financier Joseph P. Kennedy, Sr. was born in Boston.In 1901, President William McKinley was shot and mortally wounded by anarchist Leon Czolgosz at the Pan-American Exposition in Buffalo, New York. (McKinley died eight days later; Czolgosz was executed on Oct. 29.) In 1909, American explorer Robert Peary sent a telegram from Indian Harbor, Labrador, announcing that he had reached the North Pole five months earlier. In 1916, the first self-serve grocery store, Piggly Wiggly, was opened in Memphis, Tennessee, by Clarence Saunders. In 1943, 79 people were killed when a New York-bound Pennsylvania Railroad train derailed and crashed in Philadelphia. In 1972, the Summer Olympics resumed in Munich, West Germany, a day after the deadly hostage crisis that claimed the lives of eleven Israelis and five Arab abductors. In 1985, all 31 people aboard a Midwest Express Airlines DC-9 were killed when the Atlanta-bound jetliner crashed just after takeoff from Milwaukee's Mitchell Field. In 1995, Baltimore Orioles shortstop Cal Ripken broke Lou Gehrig's record by playing his two-thousand-131st consecutive game. In 2002, meeting outside Washington, D.C. for only the second time since 1800, Congress convened in New York to pay homage to the victims and heroes of September 11. In 2003, Justine Henin-Hardenne won the all-Belgian women's singles final at the U.S. Open, beating countrywoman Kim Clijsters, 7-5, 6-1. In 2006, President George W. Bush acknowledged for the first time that the CIA was running secret prisons overseas and said tough interrogation had forced terrorist leaders to reveal plots to attack the United States and its allies. In 2007, opera star Luciano Pavarotti died in Modena, Italy, at the age of 71. Ten years ago: President Barack Obama rolled out a long-term jobs program that would have exceeded $50 billion to rebuild roads, railways and runways, and coupled it with a blunt campaign-season assault accusing Republicans of causing Americans' hard economic times. (The proposal ended up being blocked by Senate Republicans.)Five years ago: Guatemala held its general election; with no presidential candidate winning more than 50 percent of the vote, there was a runoff the following month that was won by former TV comedian Jimmy Morales.One year ago: Zimbabwe's president announced that Robert Mugabe, the country's former leader who was forced to resign after a 37-year rule, had died at the age of 95; he had taken power after white minority rule ended in 1980. A weakened Hurricane Dorian flooded homes on North Carolina's Outer Banks, forcing people to climb to their attics. Hundreds of desperate hurricane survivors gathered at the port on the Bahamian island of Grand Abaco in hopes of getting off the devastated island. U.S. health officials again urged people to stop vaping until officials figured out why some were coming down with serious breathing illnesses. Today's Birthdays: Comedian JoAnne Worley is 85. Country singer David Allan Coe is 81. Rock singer-musician Roger Waters (Pink Floyd) is 77. Actor Swoosie Kurtz is 76. Comedian-actor Jane Curtin is 73. Rock musician Mick Mashbir is 72. Country singer-songwriter Buddy Miller is 68. Actor James Martin Kelly is 66. Country musician Joe Smyth (Sawyer Brown) is 63. Actor-comedian Jeff Foxworthy is 62. Actor-comedian Michael Winslow is 62. Rock musician Perry Bamonte is 60. Actor Steven Eckholdt is 59. Rock musician Scott Travis (Judas Priest) is 59. Pop musician Pal Waaktaar (a-ha) is 59. Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is 58. Rock musician Kevin Miller is 58. ABC News correspondent Elizabeth Vargas is 58. Country singer Mark Chesnutt is 57. Actor Betsy Russell is 57. Actor Rosie Perez is 56. Rhythm and blues singer Macy Gray is 53. Country songwriter Lee Thomas Miller (Songs: "The Impossible" "You're Gonna Miss This") is 52. Singer CeCe Peniston is 51. Rhythm-and-blues singer Darryl Anthony (Az Yet) is 51. Actor Daniele Gaither is 50. Actor Dylan Bruno is 48. Actor Idris Elba is 48. Actor Justina Machado is 48. Actor Anika Noni Rose is 48. Rock singer Nina Persson (The Cardigans) is 46. Actor Justin Whalin is 46. Actor Naomie Harris is 44. Rapper Noreaga is 43. Actor Natalia Cigliuti is 42. Rapper Foxy Brown is 42. Actor Howard Charles is 37. Actor/singer Deborah Joy Winans is 37. Actress Lauren Lapkus is 35. Rock singer Max George (The Wanted) is 32.