By NATE KING&nbsp; Salina Post

A maroon 1988 Jeep Wrangler stolen from Salina early Thursday morning has been recovered, and a female suspect was arrested at a ranch in Saline County.

According to Salina Police Department (SPD) Cpt. James Feldman, officers responded to a stolen vehicle report at around 6:30 a.m. on September 12. The Jeep's owner, a 43-year-old man from Salina, reported someone stole his vehicle from the 100 block of South Broadway sometime between 6 and 6:30 a.m. on Thursday.&nbsp;

Feldman said the owner didn't leave the keys in the ignition, but a mechanical issue allowed the vehicle to start without keys.

At 7:51 a.m., Saline County Sheriff's Office deputies were sent to the CW Ranch in the 4000 block of South Halstead Road after a ranch hand noticed a woman behaving erratically near the property's vacation rental area. The farmhand also identified the reported stolen maroon 1988 Jeep on the property. 

"She started to take some of her clothes off. She went into a building, a shed, and removed a bottle of wine from the refrigerator area, and began walking around the grounds, drinking that bottle of wine, and then she tried to get into the main residence where she was unsuccessful because the doors were locked," said Saline County Undersherriff Brent Melander. "She was able to make it upstairs to the one of the apartments where one of the another ranch hand stays resides, got into his room and then came back out."

Deputies identified the woman as 40-year-old Lindsay Slater of Park City, Kansas. Following a brief struggle, deputies took Slater nto custody. 

Slater was transported to the hospital for evaluation and later booked into the Saline County Jail on charges of aggravated burglary, theft, and possession of drugs and paraphernalia. 

Melander said the vehicle's owner was called to the scene, and the Jeep was returned to him.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726242750326.jpeg" alt="The 1988 Maroon Jeep Wrangler was found at CW Ranch. Photo Courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>The 1988 Maroon Jeep Wrangler was found at CW Ranch. Photo Courtesy Saline County Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>By NATE KING&nbsp; Salina PostA maroon 1988 Jeep Wrangler stolen from Salina early Thursday morning has been recovered, and a female suspect was arrested at a ranch in Saline County.According to Salina Police Department (SPD) Cpt. James Feldman, officers responded to a stolen vehicle report at around 6:30 a.m. on September 12. The Jeep's owner, a 43-year-old man from Salina, reported someone stole his vehicle from the 100 block of South Broadway sometime between 6 and 6:30 a.m. on Thursday.&nbsp;Feldman said the owner didn't leave the keys in the ignition, but a mechanical issue allowed the vehicle to start without keys.At 7:51 a.m., Saline County Sheriff's Office deputies were sent to the CW Ranch in the 4000 block of South Halstead Road after a ranch hand noticed a woman behaving erratically near the property's vacation rental area. The farmhand also identified the reported stolen maroon 1988 Jeep on the property. "She started to take some of her clothes off. She went into a building, a shed, and removed a bottle of wine from the refrigerator area, and began walking around the grounds, drinking that bottle of wine, and then she tried to get into the main residence where she was unsuccessful because the doors were locked," said Saline County Undersherriff Brent Melander. "She was able to make it upstairs to the one of the apartments where one of the another ranch hand stays resides, got into his room and then came back out."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726231897324.png" alt="Slater, Lindsay Don " />
 <figcaption>Slater, Lindsay Don </figcaption>
 </figure>Deputies identified the woman as 40-year-old Lindsay Slater of Park City, Kansas. Following a brief struggle, deputies took Slater nto custody. Slater was transported to the hospital for evaluation and later booked into the Saline County Jail on charges of aggravated burglary, theft, and possession of drugs and paraphernalia. Melander said the vehicle's owner was called to the scene, and the Jeep was returned to him.

Stolen Jeep recovered at Saline County ranch, suspect in custody

SHAWNEE COUNTY — A woman is in custody following a vehicle theft and kidnapping that led to a pursuit on eastbound Interstate 70 on Thursday afternoon.

Just after 1:15 p.m., police responded&nbsp; to a reported vehicle theft at the BP gas station located at 600 SE Quincy Street in Topeka, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichols

 It was reported that a vehicle was stolen with an adult female with special needs still inside. The suspect then fled eastbound on Interstate 70.

TPD officers responded and shared information with state law enforcement partners related to the incident. Authorities from Kansas Highway Patrol Troop G located and attempted to stop the vehicle near mile marker 200 on I-70, and the driver fled initiating a pursuit. 

The pursuit ended near mile marker 225 after stop sticks were deployed and Tactical Vehicle Intervention (TVI) techniques were used. The suspect was detained and the female passenger was returned to her guardians without further incident.

As a result of the investigation, LaShantese V. Ward, 29, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated burglary; Vehicle; to commit felony, theft, DV or sexually motivated crime, Kidnapping; In Flight Or The Commission Of Any Crime, Theft &gt;$1,500&lt;$25,000 Motor Vehicle, Aggravated battery; Recklessly cause great bodily harm/disfigurement, Criminal Damage To Property; Misdemeanor, Interference with LEO; Conceal/alter/destroy evidence in felony case, Theft; shoplifting Unknown Value Theft &lt;$1,500 From Motor Vehicle.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726190084942.png" alt="Ward photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Ward photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY — A woman is in custody following a vehicle theft and kidnapping that led to a pursuit on eastbound Interstate 70 on Thursday afternoon.Just after 1:15 p.m., police responded&nbsp; to a reported vehicle theft at the BP gas station located at 600 SE Quincy Street in Topeka, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichols It was reported that a vehicle was stolen with an adult female with special needs still inside. The suspect then fled eastbound on Interstate 70.TPD officers responded and shared information with state law enforcement partners related to the incident. Authorities from Kansas Highway Patrol Troop G located and attempted to stop the vehicle near mile marker 200 on I-70, and the driver fled initiating a pursuit. The pursuit ended near mile marker 225 after stop sticks were deployed and Tactical Vehicle Intervention (TVI) techniques were used. The suspect was detained and the female passenger was returned to her guardians without further incident.As a result of the investigation, LaShantese V. Ward, 29, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated burglary; Vehicle; to commit felony, theft, DV or sexually motivated crime, Kidnapping; In Flight Or The Commission Of Any Crime, Theft &gt;$1,500&lt;$25,000 Motor Vehicle, Aggravated battery; Recklessly cause great bodily harm/disfigurement, Criminal Damage To Property; Misdemeanor, Interference with LEO; Conceal/alter/destroy evidence in felony case, Theft; shoplifting Unknown Value Theft &lt;$1,500 From Motor Vehicle.

Kan. carjacking arrest:  Vehicle had passenger with special needs

LANSING, Kan. (AP) — The shuttered Kansas prison where the killers chronicled in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/truman-capote-sicily-unpublished-story-e473c57274d68b2733a1e81bf11f3251">Truman Capote</a>&nbsp;'s “In Cold Blood” were executed is now a tourist attraction.

Starting Friday, former wardens and corrections officers will lead two-hour tours of the stone-walled building in Lansing that first began housing inmates in the 1860s, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article292092030.html">reported</a>.

The building, originally called the Kansas State Penitentiary, was without purpose after the Kansas Department of Corrections opened the newly constructed Lansing Correctional Facility in 2020. But instead of demolishing it, the Department of Corrections transferred control of the building to the Lansing Historical Society and Museum.

Upcoming events include a car show inside the prison walls later this month.

“We’re expecting the prison to open up to large crowds who want to know what went on inside those walls,” Debra Bates-Lamborn, president of the society, said after state prison officials handed over the keys this week.

For years, the prison carried out executions by hanging at the gallows — a site that visitors will not be able to access during tours. Since removed from prison grounds, the wooden gallows are now disassembled and under the state’s custody.

Among the notable inmates executed at the prison were Richard “Dick” Hickock and Perry Smith, who were convicted of murdering four members of the Clutter family on November 15, 1959, in the family's home near Holcomb, Kansas.

Capote along with his close friend and fellow writer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/harper-lee">Harper Lee</a>&nbsp;visited the prison while doing research for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-99541e64b30d4f4180ecf04ccf5a72a3">book about the killings</a>. Hickock and Smith were executed in April 1965, among the last inmates to be hung in the state.

One spot on the tour is the Chow Hall, where the late country music legend Johnny Cash performed for inmates in 1970.

“Johnny Cash has always said that audiences in prisons are the most enthusiastic audience he’s ever played to,” Bates-Lamborn.

The prison tour is modeled off of a similar tour in Missouri. About a year ago, a state lawmaker approached the Lansing Historical Society and Museum with the idea of preserving the prison by converting it into a tourist attraction.

Bates-Lamborn said she and another board member made the trip to Jefferson City to tour the Missouri State Penitentiary, which has been open for tours since 2009.

“Afterwards, I thought ours is a shoo-in and we’re so much better,” she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726081200362.png" alt="Dick Hickock-photo Garden City Police" />
 <figcaption>Dick Hickock-photo Garden City Police</figcaption>
 </figure>LANSING, Kan. (AP) — The shuttered Kansas prison where the killers chronicled in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/truman-capote-sicily-unpublished-story-e473c57274d68b2733a1e81bf11f3251">Truman Capote</a>&nbsp;'s “In Cold Blood” were executed is now a tourist attraction.Starting Friday, former wardens and corrections officers will lead two-hour tours of the stone-walled building in Lansing that first began housing inmates in the 1860s, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article292092030.html">reported</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726081220877.png" alt="Perry Smith-photo Garden City Police" />
 <figcaption>Perry Smith-photo Garden City Police</figcaption>
 </figure>The building, originally called the Kansas State Penitentiary, was without purpose after the Kansas Department of Corrections opened the newly constructed Lansing Correctional Facility in 2020. But instead of demolishing it, the Department of Corrections transferred control of the building to the Lansing Historical Society and Museum.Upcoming events include a car show inside the prison walls later this month.“We’re expecting the prison to open up to large crowds who want to know what went on inside those walls,” Debra Bates-Lamborn, president of the society, said after state prison officials handed over the keys this week.For years, the prison carried out executions by hanging at the gallows — a site that visitors will not be able to access during tours. Since removed from prison grounds, the wooden gallows are now disassembled and under the state’s custody.Among the notable inmates executed at the prison were Richard “Dick” Hickock and Perry Smith, who were convicted of murdering four members of the Clutter family on November 15, 1959, in the family's home near Holcomb, Kansas.Capote along with his close friend and fellow writer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/harper-lee">Harper Lee</a>&nbsp;visited the prison while doing research for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-99541e64b30d4f4180ecf04ccf5a72a3">book about the killings</a>. Hickock and Smith were executed in April 1965, among the last inmates to be hung in the state.One spot on the tour is the Chow Hall, where the late country music legend Johnny Cash performed for inmates in 1970.“Johnny Cash has always said that audiences in prisons are the most enthusiastic audience he’s ever played to,” Bates-Lamborn.The prison tour is modeled off of a similar tour in Missouri. About a year ago, a state lawmaker approached the Lansing Historical Society and Museum with the idea of preserving the prison by converting it into a tourist attraction.Bates-Lamborn said she and another board member made the trip to Jefferson City to tour the Missouri State Penitentiary, which has been open for tours since 2009.“Afterwards, I thought ours is a shoo-in and we’re so much better,” she said.

Kan. prison where ‘In Cold Blood’ killers were executed now open for tours

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a now former Kansas Sheriff's office employee on multiple allegations of perjury and falsifying documents.

 In late June, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office became aware that a civilian employee, Andrew Johnson, 52, of Topeka, Kansas, had possibly falsified certain records related to the service of court documents.

Johnson, who had been employed by the agency as a civil process server for approximately six months, was immediately placed on administrative leave and removed from all job duties.

The Sheriff’s Office initiated a criminal investigation into the matter, with detectives and staff officers reviewing the entirety of Johnson’s work history with the agency, including all activitym for each day of Johnson’s employment.

On July 2, Johnson was terminated from the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office. Notification of the investigative findings was made to the Shawnee County District Court, and results of the criminal investigation were forwarded to the Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.

Just after 3p.m. Wednesday,&nbsp; Shawnee County grand jury indicted Johnson on 333 total felony counts of perjury and making false information. A warrant was issued for Johnson’s arrest and he was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.

The Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to work with court officials to remediate any issue related to this matter and the court documents previously assigned to Johnson for service.

Notification will be made by the Shawnee County District Court to all parties whose cases were involved in the investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726137090219.png" alt="Johnson photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Johnson photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a now former Kansas Sheriff's office employee on multiple allegations of perjury and falsifying documents. In late June, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office became aware that a civilian employee, Andrew Johnson, 52, of Topeka, Kansas, had possibly falsified certain records related to the service of court documents.Johnson, who had been employed by the agency as a civil process server for approximately six months, was immediately placed on administrative leave and removed from all job duties.The Sheriff’s Office initiated a criminal investigation into the matter, with detectives and staff officers reviewing the entirety of Johnson’s work history with the agency, including all activitym for each day of Johnson’s employment.On July 2, Johnson was terminated from the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office. Notification of the investigative findings was made to the Shawnee County District Court, and results of the criminal investigation were forwarded to the Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.Just after 3p.m. Wednesday,&nbsp; Shawnee County grand jury indicted Johnson on 333 total felony counts of perjury and making false information. A warrant was issued for Johnson’s arrest and he was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.The Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to work with court officials to remediate any issue related to this matter and the court documents previously assigned to Johnson for service.Notification will be made by the Shawnee County District Court to all parties whose cases were involved in the investigation.

 Kan. sheriff’s office employee indicted on 333 felony counts

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County Sheriff's Office made an arrest Wednesday morning after a chase and a short standoff.

8 a.m. Wednesday, deputies attempted to stop a maroon 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe in the area of 4th and K-61 that was displaying a stolen tag out of Wichita, according to a media release.

The vehicle fled from deputies in an attempt to escape.

The vehicle exited off K-61 on to Avenue A. Deputies were authorized to perform a tactical vehicle intervention before the Tahoe got to HMS-7.

A successful TVI was executed near Avenue A and Pershing. The vehicle continued through yards, alleyways and sidewalks before crashing into a backyard of 1207 East Avenue B.&nbsp;

A short standoff ensued, as the driver refused to follow commands and threatened deputies and officers. Chemical munitions and less lethal options were used to take the suspect into custody.

The driver was identified as 54-year-old Robbie Lee Miller of Wichita.&nbsp;

Miller was booked into the Reno County Correctional Facility on requested drug charges and charges related to the chase.&nbsp;

Miller has over a dozen convictions that include theft, criminal threat, flee and elude and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Hutchinson Police and Reno County EMS assisted in the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726091969017.png" alt="Miller has over a dozen convictions that include theft, criminal threat, flee and elude and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections." />
 <figcaption>Miller has over a dozen convictions that include theft, criminal threat, flee and elude and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County Sheriff's Office made an arrest Wednesday morning after a chase and a short standoff.8 a.m. Wednesday, deputies attempted to stop a maroon 2005 Chevrolet Tahoe in the area of 4th and K-61 that was displaying a stolen tag out of Wichita, according to a media release.The vehicle fled from deputies in an attempt to escape.The vehicle exited off K-61 on to Avenue A. Deputies were authorized to perform a tactical vehicle intervention before the Tahoe got to HMS-7.A successful TVI was executed near Avenue A and Pershing. The vehicle continued through yards, alleyways and sidewalks before crashing into a backyard of 1207 East Avenue B.&nbsp;A short standoff ensued, as the driver refused to follow commands and threatened deputies and officers. Chemical munitions and less lethal options were used to take the suspect into custody.The driver was identified as 54-year-old Robbie Lee Miller of Wichita.&nbsp;Miller was booked into the Reno County Correctional Facility on requested drug charges and charges related to the chase.&nbsp;Miller has over a dozen convictions that include theft, criminal threat, flee and elude and for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.Hutchinson Police and Reno County EMS assisted in the case.

Police use chemical munitions to capture Kan. felon after chase 

By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

A man arrested in Hays on Aug. 25 on a charge of rape and kidnapping was released on bond with an ankle monitor.

According to court records, 20-year-old Tucker James Eisenhauer was arrested and booked into the Ellis County Jail on charges of alleged rape, kidnapping, aggravated burglary and criminal deprivation of property.

According to court records,&nbsp;Eisenhauer was a Manhattan Area Technical College student.

The incident on Aug. 25 allegedly involved Eisenhauer forcing the victim into his truck, locking the doors and driving away to prevent escape, according to court records. The victim has since obtained a restraining order against Eisenhauer.

Eisenhauer was released on bond by the Ellis County District Court and placed under house arrest in Pratt County after the bond was reduced from $250,000 to $25,000.

According to court records, he is being supervised by his parents and the Pratt County Court Services Office through electronic monitoring.

Eisenhauer's next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 8.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726060645545.png" alt="Eisenhauer photo Ellis Co." />
 <figcaption>Eisenhauer photo Ellis Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TONY GUERRERO Hays PostA man arrested in Hays on Aug. 25 on a charge of rape and kidnapping was released on bond with an ankle monitor.According to court records, 20-year-old Tucker James Eisenhauer was arrested and booked into the Ellis County Jail on charges of alleged rape, kidnapping, aggravated burglary and criminal deprivation of property.According to court records,&nbsp;Eisenhauer was a Manhattan Area Technical College student.The incident on Aug. 25 allegedly involved Eisenhauer forcing the victim into his truck, locking the doors and driving away to prevent escape, according to court records. The victim has since obtained a restraining order against Eisenhauer.Eisenhauer was released on bond by the Ellis County District Court and placed under house arrest in Pratt County after the bond was reduced from $250,000 to $25,000.According to court records, he is being supervised by his parents and the Pratt County Court Services Office through electronic monitoring.Eisenhauer's next court appearance is scheduled for Oct. 8.

Kansas sex crime suspect placed under house arrest 

JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspects on drug allegaions.&nbsp;

Just before 8p.m. September 7, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a white&nbsp; 1996 Chevrolet 1500 for a traffic infraction at U.S. Highway 75&nbsp; and 142nd Road, according to Sheriff Tim Morese.

 A probable cause search was conducted resulting in the discovery of methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia.

A passenger, Robert Michael Rolin, 43, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail of possession of meth and paraphernalia.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725995489981.png" alt="Rolin -photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Rolin -photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspects on drug allegaions.&nbsp;Just before 8p.m. September 7, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a white&nbsp; 1996 Chevrolet 1500 for a traffic infraction at U.S. Highway 75&nbsp; and 142nd Road, according to Sheriff Tim Morese. A probable cause search was conducted resulting in the discovery of methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia.A passenger, Robert Michael Rolin, 43, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail of possession of meth and paraphernalia.&nbsp;

Kansas man accused of transporting meth

An early morning traffic stop in Solomon led to the arrest of a Salina man on multiple charges, according to a media release from Dickinson County Sheriff's Office.

At approximately 4:30 a.m. on September 6, Dickinson County Sheriff's deputies pulled over a 2002 GMC Sierra pickup in the 300 block of West Fourth Street of Solomon for a defective tail lamp. 

The driver, identified as Dan Leroy McConnell, 53, of Salina, was found to have a suspended driver’s license. Upon further investigation, deputies discovered methamphetamine inside the vehicle. A search of the vehicle also uncovered a shotgun, which had a barrel shorter than the legal limit of 18 inches.

McConnell was arrested and booked into the Dickinson County Detention Facility. His charges include driving while suspended, possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, and criminal carry of a weapon.

Anyone with information regarding the use/distribution of illegal drugs or any other crime can contact the Dickinson County Sheriff's Office at 785-263-4081. 

Citizens can also submit an anonymous tip online at <a href="http://www.p3tips.com">www.p3tips.com</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726004535571.jpeg" alt="Dan McConnell" />
 <figcaption>Dan McConnell</figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POSTAn early morning traffic stop in Solomon led to the arrest of a Salina man on multiple charges, according to a media release from Dickinson County Sheriff's Office.At approximately 4:30 a.m. on September 6, Dickinson County Sheriff's deputies pulled over a 2002 GMC Sierra pickup in the 300 block of West Fourth Street of Solomon for a defective tail lamp. The driver, identified as Dan Leroy McConnell, 53, of Salina, was found to have a suspended driver’s license. Upon further investigation, deputies discovered methamphetamine inside the vehicle. A search of the vehicle also uncovered a shotgun, which had a barrel shorter than the legal limit of 18 inches.McConnell was arrested and booked into the Dickinson County Detention Facility. His charges include driving while suspended, possession with the intent to distribute methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, criminal possession of a weapon by a convicted felon, and criminal carry of a weapon.Anyone with information regarding the use/distribution of illegal drugs or any other crime can contact the Dickinson County Sheriff's Office at 785-263-4081. Citizens can also submit an anonymous tip online at <a href="http://www.p3tips.com">www.p3tips.com</a>.

Salina man arrested after traffic stop in Dickinson Co. uncovers meth, illegal firearm

At approximately 9 p.m. on Sept. 6, Salina Police Department (SPD) officers were dispatched to the Chapel Ridge Apartments, 2363 Chapel Ridge Place, in response to a domestic disturbance. 

"Contact was made with a Yesenia Buenrostro, she's a 21-year-old female of Salina. She reported that she got into an argument with the 22-year-old male who also lives in the apartment," said SPD Cpt. James Feldman. "It was determined from both parties that during this argument, Buenrostro pulled a knife and threatened the 22-year-old male."

&nbsp;Feldman said the argument began after Buenrostro allegedly discovered that she was missing an item, and said the 22-year-old victim was responsible. It was later determined that the knife used to threaten the victim was a pocketknife.&nbsp;

Buenrostro was arrested and booked into the Saline County Jail on requested charges of aggravated assault.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725714933971.jpeg" alt="Buenrostro,Yesenia" />
 <figcaption>Buenrostro,Yesenia</figcaption>
 </figure>By SALINA POSTAt approximately 9 p.m. on Sept. 6, Salina Police Department (SPD) officers were dispatched to the Chapel Ridge Apartments, 2363 Chapel Ridge Place, in response to a domestic disturbance. "Contact was made with a Yesenia Buenrostro, she's a 21-year-old female of Salina. She reported that she got into an argument with the 22-year-old male who also lives in the apartment," said SPD Cpt. James Feldman. "It was determined from both parties that during this argument, Buenrostro pulled a knife and threatened the 22-year-old male."&nbsp;Feldman said the argument began after Buenrostro allegedly discovered that she was missing an item, and said the 22-year-old victim was responsible. It was later determined that the knife used to threaten the victim was a pocketknife.&nbsp;Buenrostro was arrested and booked into the Saline County Jail on requested charges of aggravated assault.

Salina woman arrested for threatening roommate with knife

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a woman on drug allegations after a traffic stop.

Just before 1 a.m. Friday, a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2015 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck without an operable tag light in the 1100 block of NW Topeka Boulevard, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

During the investigation, it was discovered that the driver had a revoked driver’s license and illegal narcotics were located.

The passenger, Kimberly D. Fish, 50, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Possession of opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant and&nbsp;Use/possess w/intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body.&nbsp; The driver was not arrested.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725718597721.png" alt="Fish-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Fish-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a woman on drug allegations after a traffic stop.Just before 1 a.m. Friday, a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2015 Toyota Tacoma pickup truck without an operable tag light in the 1100 block of NW Topeka Boulevard, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.During the investigation, it was discovered that the driver had a revoked driver’s license and illegal narcotics were located.The passenger, Kimberly D. Fish, 50, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Possession of opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant and&nbsp;Use/possess w/intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body.&nbsp; The driver was not arrested.

Kan. driver did not know passenger was in possession of drugs 

NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/james-earl-jones">James Earl Jones,</a>&nbsp;who overcame racial prejudice and a severe stutter to become a celebrated icon of stage and screen — eventually lending his deep, commanding voice to CNN, “The Lion King” and Darth Vader — has died. He was 93.

His agent, Barry McPherson, confirmed Jones died Monday morning at home in New York's Hudson Valley region. The cause was not immediately clear.

The pioneering Jones, who was one of the first African American actors in a continuing role on a daytime drama and worked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0c663181fccc4be5a06b6f63670fc7d6/james-earl-jones-happy-receive-voice-icon-award">deep into his 80s,</a>&nbsp;won two Emmys, a Golden Globe, two Tony Awards, a Grammy, the National Medal of Arts, the Kennedy Center Honors and was given an honorary Oscar and a special Tony for lifetime achievement. In 2022, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-business-earl-jones-james-earl-jones-august-wilson-b4056d456fb32a19657d1b9ff39ee0d6">Broadway theater was renamed</a>&nbsp;in his honor.

He cut an elegant figure late in life, with a wry sense of humor and a ferocious work habit. In 2015, he arrived at rehearsals for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f5220b7049444bc9ab4e273edf022cba">a Broadway run of “The Gin Game”</a>&nbsp;having already memorized the play and with notebooks filled with comments from the creative team. He said he was always in service of the work.

“The need to storytell has always been with us,” he told The Associated Press then. “I think it first happened around campfires when the man came home and told his family he got the bear, the bear didn't get him."

Jones created such memorable film roles as the reclusive writer coaxed back into the spotlight in “Field of Dreams,” the boxer Jack Johnson in the stage and screen hit “The Great White Hope,” the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-entertainment-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-3064de5f4a327209306fda7df7d25f14">writer Alex Haley</a>&nbsp;in “Roots: The Next Generation” and a South African minister in “Cry, the Beloved Country.”

He was also a sought-after voice actor, expressing the villainy of Darth Vader (“No, I am your father,” commonly misremembered as “Luke, I am your father”), as well as the benign dignity of King Mufasa in Disney's animated “The Lion King” and announcing “This is CNN” during station breaks. He won a 1977 Grammy for his performance on the “Great American Documents” audiobook.

“If you were an actor or aspired to be an actor, if you pounded the payment in these streets looks for jobs, one of the standards we always had was to be a James Earl Jones,” Samuel L. Jackson once said.

Some of his other films include “Dr. Strangelove,” “The Greatest” (with Muhammad Ali), “Conan the Barbarian,” “Three Fugitives” and playing an admiral in three Tom Clancy blockbuster adaptations — “The Hunt for Red October,” “Patriot Games” and “Clear and Present Danger.” In a rare romantic comedy, “Claudine,” Jones had an onscreen love affair with Diahann Carroll.

Jones made his Broadway debut in 1958’s “Sunrise At Campobello” and would win his two Tony Awards for “The Great White Hope” (1969) and “Fences” (1987). He also was nominated for “On Golden Pond” (2005) and “Gore Vidal’s The Best Man” (2012). He was celebrated for his command of Shakespeare and Athol Fugard alike. More recent Broadway appearances include “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” “Driving Miss Daisy,” “The Iceman Cometh,” and “You Can’t Take It With You.”

As a rising stage and television actor, he appeared in “As the World Turns” in 1965, one of the first Black actors to have such role on daytime TV. He performed with the New York Shakespeare Festival Theater in “Othello,” “Macbeth” and “King Lear” and in off-Broadway plays.

Jones was born by the light of an oil lamp in a shack in Arkabutla, Mississippi, on Jan. 17, 1931. His father, Robert Earl Jones, had deserted his wife before the baby's arrival to pursue life as a boxer and, later, an actor.

When Jones was 6, his mother took him to her parents' farm near Manistee, Michigan. His grandparents adopted the boy and raised him.

“A world ended for me, the safe world of childhood,” Jones wrote in his autobiography, “Voices and Silences.” “The move from Mississippi to Michigan was supposed to be a glorious event. For me it was a heartbreak, and not long after, I began to stutter.”

Too embarrassed to speak, he remained virtually mute for years, communicating with teachers and fellow students with handwritten notes. A sympathetic high school teacher, Donald Crouch, learned that the boy wrote poetry, and demanded that Jones read one of his poems aloud in class. He did so faultlessly.

Teacher and student worked together to restore the boy’s normal speech. “I could not get enough of speaking, debating, orating — acting,” he recalled in his book.

At the University of Michigan, he failed a pre-med exam and switched to drama, also playing four seasons of basketball. He served in the Army from 1953 to 1955.

In New York, he moved in with his father and enrolled with the American Theater Wing program for young actors. Father and son waxed floors to support themselves while looking for acting jobs.

True stardom came suddenly in 1970 with “The Great White Hope.” Howard Sackler’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway play depicted the struggles of Jack Johnson, the first Black heavyweight boxing champion, amid the racism of early 20th-century America. In 1972, Jones repeated his role in the movie version and was nominated for an Academy Award as best actor.

Jones’ two wives were also actors. He married Julienne Marie Hendricks in 1967. After their divorce, he married Cecilia Hart, best known for her role as Stacey Erickson in the CBS police drama “Paris,” in 1982. (She died in 2016.) They had a son, Flynn Earl, born in 1983.

In 2022, the Cort Theatre on Broadway&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-earl-jones-james-b2ede81ef88bedef4d17a8f08570b9dd">was renamed after Jones,</a>&nbsp;with a ceremony that included Norm Lewis singing “Go the Distance,” Brian Stokes Mitchell singing “Make Them Hear You” and words from Mayor Eric Adams, Samuel L. Jackson and LaTanya Richardson Jackson.

“You can’t think of an artist that has served America more,” director Kenny Leon told the AP. “It’s like it seems like a small act, but it’s a huge action. It’s something we can look up and see that’s tangible.”

Citing his stutter as one of the reasons he wasn’t a political activist, Jones nonetheless hoped his art could change minds.

“I realized early on, from people like Athol Fugard, that you cannot change anybody’s mind, no matter what you do,” he told the AP. “As a preacher, as a scholar, you cannot change their mind. But you can change the way they feel.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725918777492.png" alt="FILE - James Earl Jones arrives at the American Theatre Wing benefit to honor CBS and Leslie Moonves, Chairman of CBS, Monday, April 11, 2005, in New York. Jones, who overcame racial prejudice and a severe stutter to become a celebrated icon of stage and screen has died at age 93. His agent, Barry McPherson, confirmed Jones died Monday morning, Sept. 9, 2024, at home. (AP Photo/Diane Bondareff, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - James Earl Jones arrives at the American Theatre Wing benefit to honor CBS and Leslie Moonves, Chairman of CBS, Monday, April 11, 2005, in New York. Jones, who overcame racial prejudice and a severe stutter to become a celebrated icon of stage and screen has died at age 93. His agent, Barry McPherson, confirmed Jones died Monday morning, Sept. 9, 2024, at home. (AP Photo/Diane Bondareff, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/james-earl-jones">James Earl Jones,</a>&nbsp;who overcame racial prejudice and a severe stutter to become a celebrated icon of stage and screen — eventually lending his deep, commanding voice to CNN, “The Lion King” and Darth Vader — has died. He was 93.His agent, Barry McPherson, confirmed Jones died Monday morning at home in New York's Hudson Valley region. The cause was not immediately clear.The pioneering Jones, who was one of the first African American actors in a continuing role on a daytime drama and worked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/0c663181fccc4be5a06b6f63670fc7d6/james-earl-jones-happy-receive-voice-icon-award">deep into his 80s,</a>&nbsp;won two Emmys, a Golden Globe, two Tony Awards, a Grammy, the National Medal of Arts, the Kennedy Center Honors and was given an honorary Oscar and a special Tony for lifetime achievement. In 2022, a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-business-earl-jones-james-earl-jones-august-wilson-b4056d456fb32a19657d1b9ff39ee0d6">Broadway theater was renamed</a>&nbsp;in his honor.He cut an elegant figure late in life, with a wry sense of humor and a ferocious work habit. In 2015, he arrived at rehearsals for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f5220b7049444bc9ab4e273edf022cba">a Broadway run of “The Gin Game”</a>&nbsp;having already memorized the play and with notebooks filled with comments from the creative team. He said he was always in service of the work.“The need to storytell has always been with us,” he told The Associated Press then. “I think it first happened around campfires when the man came home and told his family he got the bear, the bear didn't get him."Jones created such memorable film roles as the reclusive writer coaxed back into the spotlight in “Field of Dreams,” the boxer Jack Johnson in the stage and screen hit “The Great White Hope,” the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lifestyle-entertainment-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-3064de5f4a327209306fda7df7d25f14">writer Alex Haley</a>&nbsp;in “Roots: The Next Generation” and a South African minister in “Cry, the Beloved Country.”He was also a sought-after voice actor, expressing the villainy of Darth Vader (“No, I am your father,” commonly misremembered as “Luke, I am your father”), as well as the benign dignity of King Mufasa in Disney's animated “The Lion King” and announcing “This is CNN” during station breaks. He won a 1977 Grammy for his performance on the “Great American Documents” audiobook.“If you were an actor or aspired to be an actor, if you pounded the payment in these streets looks for jobs, one of the standards we always had was to be a James Earl Jones,” Samuel L. Jackson once said.Some of his other films include “Dr. Strangelove,” “The Greatest” (with Muhammad Ali), “Conan the Barbarian,” “Three Fugitives” and playing an admiral in three Tom Clancy blockbuster adaptations — “The Hunt for Red October,” “Patriot Games” and “Clear and Present Danger.” In a rare romantic comedy, “Claudine,” Jones had an onscreen love affair with Diahann Carroll.Jones made his Broadway debut in 1958’s “Sunrise At Campobello” and would win his two Tony Awards for “The Great White Hope” (1969) and “Fences” (1987). He also was nominated for “On Golden Pond” (2005) and “Gore Vidal’s The Best Man” (2012). He was celebrated for his command of Shakespeare and Athol Fugard alike. More recent Broadway appearances include “Cat on a Hot Tin Roof,” “Driving Miss Daisy,” “The Iceman Cometh,” and “You Can’t Take It With You.”As a rising stage and television actor, he appeared in “As the World Turns” in 1965, one of the first Black actors to have such role on daytime TV. He performed with the New York Shakespeare Festival Theater in “Othello,” “Macbeth” and “King Lear” and in off-Broadway plays.Jones was born by the light of an oil lamp in a shack in Arkabutla, Mississippi, on Jan. 17, 1931. His father, Robert Earl Jones, had deserted his wife before the baby's arrival to pursue life as a boxer and, later, an actor.When Jones was 6, his mother took him to her parents' farm near Manistee, Michigan. His grandparents adopted the boy and raised him.“A world ended for me, the safe world of childhood,” Jones wrote in his autobiography, “Voices and Silences.” “The move from Mississippi to Michigan was supposed to be a glorious event. For me it was a heartbreak, and not long after, I began to stutter.”Too embarrassed to speak, he remained virtually mute for years, communicating with teachers and fellow students with handwritten notes. A sympathetic high school teacher, Donald Crouch, learned that the boy wrote poetry, and demanded that Jones read one of his poems aloud in class. He did so faultlessly.Teacher and student worked together to restore the boy’s normal speech. “I could not get enough of speaking, debating, orating — acting,” he recalled in his book.At the University of Michigan, he failed a pre-med exam and switched to drama, also playing four seasons of basketball. He served in the Army from 1953 to 1955.In New York, he moved in with his father and enrolled with the American Theater Wing program for young actors. Father and son waxed floors to support themselves while looking for acting jobs.True stardom came suddenly in 1970 with “The Great White Hope.” Howard Sackler’s Pulitzer Prize-winning Broadway play depicted the struggles of Jack Johnson, the first Black heavyweight boxing champion, amid the racism of early 20th-century America. In 1972, Jones repeated his role in the movie version and was nominated for an Academy Award as best actor.Jones’ two wives were also actors. He married Julienne Marie Hendricks in 1967. After their divorce, he married Cecilia Hart, best known for her role as Stacey Erickson in the CBS police drama “Paris,” in 1982. (She died in 2016.) They had a son, Flynn Earl, born in 1983.In 2022, the Cort Theatre on Broadway&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-earl-jones-james-b2ede81ef88bedef4d17a8f08570b9dd">was renamed after Jones,</a>&nbsp;with a ceremony that included Norm Lewis singing “Go the Distance,” Brian Stokes Mitchell singing “Make Them Hear You” and words from Mayor Eric Adams, Samuel L. Jackson and LaTanya Richardson Jackson.“You can’t think of an artist that has served America more,” director Kenny Leon told the AP. “It’s like it seems like a small act, but it’s a huge action. It’s something we can look up and see that’s tangible.”Citing his stutter as one of the reasons he wasn’t a political activist, Jones nonetheless hoped his art could change minds.“I realized early on, from people like Athol Fugard, that you cannot change anybody’s mind, no matter what you do,” he told the AP. “As a preacher, as a scholar, you cannot change their mind. But you can change the way they feel.”

James Earl Jones, acclaimed actor and voice of Darth Vader, dies at 93

‘We expect to win,’ a member of the coalition behind Amendment 3 said Sunday as the parties await a heading date from the Missouri Supreme Court

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

The Missouri Supreme Court will decide whether an abortion-rights will end up on the Nov. 5 ballot after a Cole County judge ruled the proposed amendment violated state law.&nbsp;

The case bypassed the court of appeals over the weekend and headed straight to the state’s highest court, which scheduled oral arguments for 8:30 a.m. Tuesday — the same day ballots are&nbsp;supposed to be printed for those voting absentee.&nbsp;

Sunday afternoon, attorneys representing the campaign behind the amendment, which would appear on the ballot as&nbsp;<a href="https://moconstitutionalfreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Missourians-for-Constitutional-Freedom-Amendment.pdf" target="_blank">Amendment 3,</a>&nbsp;filed an emergency motion asking the court to allow it to proceed to the ballot while the case plays out. Doing so, they argued, would&nbsp;“preserve the status quo and prevent irreparable harm to intervenors-appellants, election officials throughout the state and Missouri voters themselves.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

<a href="https://moconstitutionalfreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Missourians-for-Constitutional-Freedom-Amendment.pdf" target="_blank">Amendment 3&nbsp;</a>would establish the constitutional right to an abortion up until fetal viability and grant constitutional protections to other reproductive health care, including in-vitro fertilization and birth control. It would also protect those who assist in an abortion from prosecution.&nbsp;

Abortion is illegal in Missouri, with limited exceptions for the life and health of the mother.

In late August, a group of anti-abortion lawmakers and activists sued Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, accusing him of wrongly&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/13/missouri-voters-will-decide-whether-to-legalize-abortion-in-november/">certifying the citizen-led ballot initiative for the Nov. 5 ballot&nbsp;</a>nine days earlier.&nbsp;

Late Friday evening,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/06/judge-decides-abortion-amendment-3-missouri-ballot/">Cole County Circuit Judge Christopher Limbaugh&nbsp;ruled in favor of the plaintiffs,&nbsp;</a>saying the text of the initiative petition failed to list what existing laws would be repealed if it passed, as he said is required by state law.&nbsp;

He suggested the amendment be withheld from the ballot, but also left the door open for an appeal to a higher court, saying he recognized&nbsp; “the gravity of the unique issues involved in this case, and the lack of direct precedent on point.”&nbsp;

<a href="https://governor.mo.gov/press-releases/archive/governor-parson-announces-four-judicial-appointments-1" target="_blank">Limbaugh was appointed to the newly-created judicial position</a>&nbsp;in the 19th circuit on Aug. 2 by Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, for whom he previously served as general counsel.&nbsp;

He was previously&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/11/23/gov-mike-parson-picks-staffer-to-replace-eric-schmitt-as-missouri-attorney-general/">a potential candidate to replace Eric Schmitt as Missouri Attorney General</a>&nbsp;after he was elected to the U.S. Senate. His father was a federal court judge and his cousin was the late Rush Limbaugh, a conservative radio host who was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/04/us/politics/rush-limbaugh-medal-of-freedom.html" target="_blank">awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom&nbsp;</a>by former President Donald Trump.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, the campaign behind the amendment, quickly appealed his decision.

“Judges come from their own experience and background, and they’re not imperfect,” Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes, a member of the Missourians for Constitutional Freedom coalition, said Sunday, later adding: “What we’re asking is that the Supreme Court hold us to the same standard everyone else has had.”

Missouri law requires that initiative petitions&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=116.050#:~:text=116.050.,pages%20of%20a%20uniform%20size." target="_blank">“include all sections of existing law or of the constitution which would be repealed by the measure.”&nbsp;</a>

Loretta Haggard, an attorney representing the campaign&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/06/judge-decides-abortion-amendment-3-missouri-ballot/">said during a hearingFriday&nbsp;</a>that the amendment would not literally repeal the state’s current abortion law and take it off the books, but rather would create a new law that would supersede much of the existing one.&nbsp;

She said this is because not every element of the current law would be rendered moot: the two texts overlap in that both protect women who get abortions from prosecution and both restrict abortion after fetal viability, generally seen as the point at which a fetus can outside the womb, generally around 24 weeks pregnancy.&nbsp;

Anything else that falls under the scope of the amendment would be left to the judicial system to interpret, Haggard said.&nbsp;

During the trial, Mary Catherine Martin, an attorney with the Thomas More Society&nbsp;representing the plaintiffs, also&nbsp;argued the initiative petition illegally included more than one subject, pointing to language protecting “a person’s fundamental right to reproductive freedom” and saying such a phrase encompasses “infinite subjects.”

Haggard contended that the single subject was clear: “reproductive freedom.”

While&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/06/missouri-judge-rules-abortion-amendment-vioalates-state-requirements/">Limbaugh ruled the initiative petition did not meet the sufficiency requirement&nbsp;</a>through a “failure to include any statute or provision that will be repealed, especially when many of these statutes are apparent,” he did not address the single subject claims in his decision.&nbsp;

The plaintiffs — state Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, state Rep. Hannah Kelly, anti-abortion activist Kathy Forck and shelter operator Marguerite Forrest — said in a statement Friday evening that the amendment’s scope is about more than just abortion and could be interpreted to also include gender-affirming care and human cloning, though neither are mentioned by name in the amendment.&nbsp;

“There is no way to know if the proponents of this radical amendment would have gathered enough signatures to place this on the ballot if the truth about the staggering scope of laws Amendment 3 invalidates had been disclosed,” they said in a statement.&nbsp;

Wales said the campaign behind Amendment 3 remains undeterred despite the ruling.&nbsp;

“We are right on the law. The history of how initiative petitions have worked in this state has meant that they’re able to vote on their rights,” Wales said. “The constitution creates a process for citizens to engage in democracy, not one that’s intended to trip them up or hinder them from participating in democracy. We think the court is going to see that.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

In May, the campaign turned in signatures from more than<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/13/missouri-voters-will-decide-whether-to-legalize-abortion-in-november/">&nbsp;380,000 Missourians&nbsp;</a>across the state who supported the issue landing on the ballot. If Amendment 3 is ultimately voted on in November and wins by a simple majority, Missouri could be the first state to overturn an abortion ban by citizen-vote.

“These ballot initiatives just go through shenanigans, often at the eleventh hour, and what it does again every time is fire people up,” Wales said. “We expect to win, and we’re going to take all the energy and use it to galvanize folks to win in November.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725887984419.png" alt=" Supporters of a proposed ballot measure to legalize abortion up until the point of fetal viability gathered at a rally hosted by Missourians for Constitutional Freedom on Feb. 6 in Kansas City (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Supporters of a proposed ballot measure to legalize abortion up until the point of fetal viability gathered at a rally hosted by Missourians for Constitutional Freedom on Feb. 6 in Kansas City (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>‘We expect to win,’ a member of the coalition behind Amendment 3 said Sunday as the parties await a heading date from the Missouri Supreme Court</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>The Missouri Supreme Court will decide whether an abortion-rights will end up on the Nov. 5 ballot after a Cole County judge ruled the proposed amendment violated state law.&nbsp;The case bypassed the court of appeals over the weekend and headed straight to the state’s highest court, which scheduled oral arguments for 8:30 a.m. Tuesday — the same day ballots are&nbsp;supposed to be printed for those voting absentee.&nbsp;Sunday afternoon, attorneys representing the campaign behind the amendment, which would appear on the ballot as&nbsp;<a href="https://moconstitutionalfreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Missourians-for-Constitutional-Freedom-Amendment.pdf" target="_blank">Amendment 3,</a>&nbsp;filed an emergency motion asking the court to allow it to proceed to the ballot while the case plays out. Doing so, they argued, would&nbsp;“preserve the status quo and prevent irreparable harm to intervenors-appellants, election officials throughout the state and Missouri voters themselves.”&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://moconstitutionalfreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Missourians-for-Constitutional-Freedom-Amendment.pdf" target="_blank">Amendment 3&nbsp;</a>would establish the constitutional right to an abortion up until fetal viability and grant constitutional protections to other reproductive health care, including in-vitro fertilization and birth control. It would also protect those who assist in an abortion from prosecution.&nbsp;Abortion is illegal in Missouri, with limited exceptions for the life and health of the mother.In late August, a group of anti-abortion lawmakers and activists sued Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, accusing him of wrongly&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/13/missouri-voters-will-decide-whether-to-legalize-abortion-in-november/">certifying the citizen-led ballot initiative for the Nov. 5 ballot&nbsp;</a>nine days earlier.&nbsp;Late Friday evening,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/06/judge-decides-abortion-amendment-3-missouri-ballot/">Cole County Circuit Judge Christopher Limbaugh&nbsp;ruled in favor of the plaintiffs,&nbsp;</a>saying the text of the initiative petition failed to list what existing laws would be repealed if it passed, as he said is required by state law.&nbsp;He suggested the amendment be withheld from the ballot, but also left the door open for an appeal to a higher court, saying he recognized&nbsp; “the gravity of the unique issues involved in this case, and the lack of direct precedent on point.”&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.mo.gov/press-releases/archive/governor-parson-announces-four-judicial-appointments-1" target="_blank">Limbaugh was appointed to the newly-created judicial position</a>&nbsp;in the 19th circuit on Aug. 2 by Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, for whom he previously served as general counsel.&nbsp;He was previously&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2022/11/23/gov-mike-parson-picks-staffer-to-replace-eric-schmitt-as-missouri-attorney-general/">a potential candidate to replace Eric Schmitt as Missouri Attorney General</a>&nbsp;after he was elected to the U.S. Senate. His father was a federal court judge and his cousin was the late Rush Limbaugh, a conservative radio host who was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/04/us/politics/rush-limbaugh-medal-of-freedom.html" target="_blank">awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom&nbsp;</a>by former President Donald Trump.&nbsp;&nbsp;Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, the campaign behind the amendment, quickly appealed his decision.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725887948348.png" alt=" Tori Schafer, an attorney with the ACLU of Missouri, speaks to media following a trial over Amendment 3 on Friday outside the Cole County Courthouse (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Tori Schafer, an attorney with the ACLU of Missouri, speaks to media following a trial over Amendment 3 on Friday outside the Cole County Courthouse (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>“Judges come from their own experience and background, and they’re not imperfect,” Emily Wales, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Great Plains Votes, a member of the Missourians for Constitutional Freedom coalition, said Sunday, later adding: “What we’re asking is that the Supreme Court hold us to the same standard everyone else has had.”Missouri law requires that initiative petitions&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=116.050#:~:text=116.050.,pages%20of%20a%20uniform%20size." target="_blank">“include all sections of existing law or of the constitution which would be repealed by the measure.”&nbsp;</a>Loretta Haggard, an attorney representing the campaign&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/06/judge-decides-abortion-amendment-3-missouri-ballot/">said during a hearingFriday&nbsp;</a>that the amendment would not literally repeal the state’s current abortion law and take it off the books, but rather would create a new law that would supersede much of the existing one.&nbsp;She said this is because not every element of the current law would be rendered moot: the two texts overlap in that both protect women who get abortions from prosecution and both restrict abortion after fetal viability, generally seen as the point at which a fetus can outside the womb, generally around 24 weeks pregnancy.&nbsp;Anything else that falls under the scope of the amendment would be left to the judicial system to interpret, Haggard said.&nbsp;During the trial, Mary Catherine Martin, an attorney with the Thomas More Society&nbsp;representing the plaintiffs, also&nbsp;argued the initiative petition illegally included more than one subject, pointing to language protecting “a person’s fundamental right to reproductive freedom” and saying such a phrase encompasses “infinite subjects.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725707612193.png" alt=" Mary Catherine Martin, an attorney with the Thomas Moore Society, represented a group of Missouri anti-abortion lawmakers and activists Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, during a trial at the Cole County Courthouse (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> Mary Catherine Martin, an attorney with the Thomas Moore Society, represented a group of Missouri anti-abortion lawmakers and activists Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, during a trial at the Cole County Courthouse (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>Haggard contended that the single subject was clear: “reproductive freedom.”While&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/06/missouri-judge-rules-abortion-amendment-vioalates-state-requirements/">Limbaugh ruled the initiative petition did not meet the sufficiency requirement&nbsp;</a>through a “failure to include any statute or provision that will be repealed, especially when many of these statutes are apparent,” he did not address the single subject claims in his decision.&nbsp;The plaintiffs — state Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, state Rep. Hannah Kelly, anti-abortion activist Kathy Forck and shelter operator Marguerite Forrest — said in a statement Friday evening that the amendment’s scope is about more than just abortion and could be interpreted to also include gender-affirming care and human cloning, though neither are mentioned by name in the amendment.&nbsp;“There is no way to know if the proponents of this radical amendment would have gathered enough signatures to place this on the ballot if the truth about the staggering scope of laws Amendment 3 invalidates had been disclosed,” they said in a statement.&nbsp;Wales said the campaign behind Amendment 3 remains undeterred despite the ruling.&nbsp;“We are right on the law. The history of how initiative petitions have worked in this state has meant that they’re able to vote on their rights,” Wales said. “The constitution creates a process for citizens to engage in democracy, not one that’s intended to trip them up or hinder them from participating in democracy. We think the court is going to see that.”&nbsp;&nbsp;In May, the campaign turned in signatures from more than<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/13/missouri-voters-will-decide-whether-to-legalize-abortion-in-november/">&nbsp;380,000 Missourians&nbsp;</a>across the state who supported the issue landing on the ballot. If Amendment 3 is ultimately voted on in November and wins by a simple majority, Missouri could be the first state to overturn an abortion ban by citizen-vote.“These ballot initiatives just go through shenanigans, often at the eleventh hour, and what it does again every time is fire people up,” Wales said. “We expect to win, and we’re going to take all the energy and use it to galvanize folks to win in November.”

Fate of Missouri abortion-rights amendment in hands of state Supreme Court

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/katiemckellar/">KATIE MCKELLAR</a> Kansas Reflector

Child safety advocates at Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City are urging parents to be cautious of purchasing car seats online, warning that they’ve seen a rise in the number of parents unknowingly buying counterfeit car seats.

Many counterfeit car seats — though they may appear legitimate at first glance —&nbsp;don’t meet U.S. safety standards and often lack crucial safety features that protect children in car crashes. Advocates worry that using these car seats could be putting children’s lives at risk.

“It’s hard to tell a car seat is counterfeit from a small picture online, and many parents think they found a great deal from a major retailer,” said Michelle Jamison, community health program manager at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital. “Once they realize there’s a problem and try to return it, the site they got it from has already been taken down.”

Hospital officials warned that even though car seats purchased online can be “enticing” because of their discounts, “what often confuses parents is that these seats are found on the websites of major national retailers through third-party sellers.”

For years, Primary Children’s Hospital has offered in-person and virtual car seat checks to help parents learn how to properly install and use car seats. It’s during these checks where caregivers have started noticing more counterfeit car seats pop up, Jamison said.

“The counterfeit car seats that Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital caregivers are seeing look legitimate and can cost hundreds of dollars,” the news release said. “But many of these are missing key components that keep children safe in a crash, and they worry that using these seats could have deadly consequences.”

Jilian Davis is one parent who learned she had a counterfeit car seat from Primary Children’s.

A family member gifted Davis the car seat, which was purchased online. After giving birth in June, Davis’ daughter spent two weeks in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Intermountain LDS Hospital and Primary Children’s before she went home. As they were preparing to leave the hospital, a car seat tech assisting them realized the car seat was counterfeit, according to hospital officials.

“It’s completely shocking because this is my fourth child and I’ve never heard of this being an issue,” Davis said in a prepared statement. “It’s scary to think I could have been driving around with my child in a car seat that’s dangerous.”

Primary Children’s gave Davis a car seat to use, but now Davis said she wants to warn other parents and family members who might not know better.

How do you know if a car seat is counterfeit?

“Experts say the best way to avoid counterfeit car seats is to buy directly from the manufacturer’s website or go to a store in person to purchase the seat,” Primary Children’s officials said. “All these models will be legitimate and meet safety standards.”

While online discounts are tempting, Jamison said it’s worth paying the extra money to ensure your children’s safety.

“Parents may think an in-store purchase is more expensive but what they’re really getting is the peace of mind their child’s car seat is safe,” Jamison said. “While some models are pricey, there are less expensive ones that are still crash tested and safe.”

To adhere to federal safety standards, all car seats must have the following:

“Counterfeit car seats are often missing the labels, or they’re written in another language,” hospital officials said. “Sometimes these labels have grammatical errors, and the wording doesn’t make sense.”

Jamison urged parents to check their car seats. If they discover they may be counterfeit or not adhere to U.S. safety standards, “stop using it immediately and contact the retailer to notify them that they sold a counterfeit car seat,” Jamison said.

“You may be able to recover the cost of the seat if you used a credit card or purchased through a major retailer,” she added.

Parents can report counterfeit car seats through&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stopfakes.gov/welcome" target="_blank">STOPfakes.gov</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle-safety/car-seats-and-booster-seats" target="_blank">National Highway Traffic Safety Administration</a>&nbsp;(NHTSA) or the U.S. Department of Commerce via their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usa.gov/agencies/u-s-department-of-commerce" target="_blank">contact form</a>.

Hospital officials also encouraged parents to submit a report through their state’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usa.gov/state-consumer" target="_blank">consumer protection</a>&nbsp;agency.

Parents needing help with their car seat can&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle-safety/car-seats-and-booster-seats#installation-help-inspection" target="_blank">find a technician</a>&nbsp;in their area. They can also call Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital to book a virtual or in-person car seat check at 801-662-CARS.

For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://intermountainhealthcare.org/primary-childrens/wellness-prevention" target="_blank">primarychildrens.org/safety</a>.

Utah News Dispatch, a States Newsroom affiliate,&nbsp;<a href="https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2024/08/30/counterfeit-car-seats-child-safety-advocates-warn-how-to-avoid-them/" target="_blank">produced this story</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725634357521.png" alt="A car seat that meets U.S. safety regulations sits on the left, next to a counterfeit car seat that lacks required safety labels. Representatives at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City warn counterfeit car seats purchased online are on the rise. They’re urging parents to check their car seats and stop using them if they determine they don’t adhere to U.S. safety standards. (Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital)" />
 <figcaption>A car seat that meets U.S. safety regulations sits on the left, next to a counterfeit car seat that lacks required safety labels. Representatives at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City warn counterfeit car seats purchased online are on the rise. They’re urging parents to check their car seats and stop using them if they determine they don’t adhere to U.S. safety standards. (Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/katiemckellar/">KATIE MCKELLAR</a> Kansas ReflectorChild safety advocates at Primary Children’s Hospital in Salt Lake City are urging parents to be cautious of purchasing car seats online, warning that they’ve seen a rise in the number of parents unknowingly buying counterfeit car seats.Many counterfeit car seats — though they may appear legitimate at first glance —&nbsp;don’t meet U.S. safety standards and often lack crucial safety features that protect children in car crashes. Advocates worry that using these car seats could be putting children’s lives at risk.“It’s hard to tell a car seat is counterfeit from a small picture online, and many parents think they found a great deal from a major retailer,” said Michelle Jamison, community health program manager at Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital. “Once they realize there’s a problem and try to return it, the site they got it from has already been taken down.”Hospital officials warned that even though car seats purchased online can be “enticing” because of their discounts, “what often confuses parents is that these seats are found on the websites of major national retailers through third-party sellers.”For years, Primary Children’s Hospital has offered in-person and virtual car seat checks to help parents learn how to properly install and use car seats. It’s during these checks where caregivers have started noticing more counterfeit car seats pop up, Jamison said.“The counterfeit car seats that Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital caregivers are seeing look legitimate and can cost hundreds of dollars,” the news release said. “But many of these are missing key components that keep children safe in a crash, and they worry that using these seats could have deadly consequences.”Jilian Davis is one parent who learned she had a counterfeit car seat from Primary Children’s.A family member gifted Davis the car seat, which was purchased online. After giving birth in June, Davis’ daughter spent two weeks in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Intermountain LDS Hospital and Primary Children’s before she went home. As they were preparing to leave the hospital, a car seat tech assisting them realized the car seat was counterfeit, according to hospital officials.“It’s completely shocking because this is my fourth child and I’ve never heard of this being an issue,” Davis said in a prepared statement. “It’s scary to think I could have been driving around with my child in a car seat that’s dangerous.”Primary Children’s gave Davis a car seat to use, but now Davis said she wants to warn other parents and family members who might not know better.<h2>How do you know if a car seat is counterfeit?</h2>“Experts say the best way to avoid counterfeit car seats is to buy directly from the manufacturer’s website or go to a store in person to purchase the seat,” Primary Children’s officials said. “All these models will be legitimate and meet safety standards.”While online discounts are tempting, Jamison said it’s worth paying the extra money to ensure your children’s safety.“Parents may think an in-store purchase is more expensive but what they’re really getting is the peace of mind their child’s car seat is safe,” Jamison said. “While some models are pricey, there are less expensive ones that are still crash tested and safe.”To adhere to federal safety standards, all car seats must have the following:<ul>
 <li>A manufacturer’s label, which includes the name of the car seat, date of manufacture, branding, model number, and expiration date. This information is used to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.safekids.org/other-resource/register-your-car-seat" target="_blank">register your car seat</a>, which allows manufacturers to notify you of any recalls. Counterfeit car seats don’t have the model number, making them ineligible to register.</li><li>Warning labels written in both English and Spanish. They’re found on the back of the car seat, and are also required in the area where the baby’s head rests near the top of the seat.</li><li>A chest clip. Chest clips are required in the U.S., but not other countries, which is why counterfeit car seats usually don’t have them.</li>
 </ul>“Counterfeit car seats are often missing the labels, or they’re written in another language,” hospital officials said. “Sometimes these labels have grammatical errors, and the wording doesn’t make sense.”Jamison urged parents to check their car seats. If they discover they may be counterfeit or not adhere to U.S. safety standards, “stop using it immediately and contact the retailer to notify them that they sold a counterfeit car seat,” Jamison said.“You may be able to recover the cost of the seat if you used a credit card or purchased through a major retailer,” she added.Parents can report counterfeit car seats through&nbsp;<a href="https://www.stopfakes.gov/welcome" target="_blank">STOPfakes.gov</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle-safety/car-seats-and-booster-seats" target="_blank">National Highway Traffic Safety Administration</a>&nbsp;(NHTSA) or the U.S. Department of Commerce via their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usa.gov/agencies/u-s-department-of-commerce" target="_blank">contact form</a>.Hospital officials also encouraged parents to submit a report through their state’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usa.gov/state-consumer" target="_blank">consumer protection</a>&nbsp;agency.Parents needing help with their car seat can&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhtsa.gov/vehicle-safety/car-seats-and-booster-seats#installation-help-inspection" target="_blank">find a technician</a>&nbsp;in their area. They can also call Intermountain Primary Children’s Hospital to book a virtual or in-person car seat check at 801-662-CARS.For more information, visit&nbsp;<a href="https://intermountainhealthcare.org/primary-childrens/wellness-prevention" target="_blank">primarychildrens.org/safety</a>.Utah News Dispatch, a States Newsroom affiliate,&nbsp;<a href="https://utahnewsdispatch.com/2024/08/30/counterfeit-car-seats-child-safety-advocates-warn-how-to-avoid-them/" target="_blank">produced this story</a>.

Counterfeit car seats on the rise, advocates warn. Here’s how to avoid them

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a 7-hour standoff at a Kansas home.

Just before 1:30p.m. Wednesday, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office Warrant Team which consisted of five deputies and one sergeant responded to a residence in the 8100 block of South Bernice in Haysville attempting to serve an arrest warrant for a 43-year-old Robert Cook and began conducting surveillance on the home, according to statement from Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses.

Deputies conducted interviews and received information confirming that Cook was inside the home. At 2:55pm deputies requested the assistance of a K9 from the Haysville police department to assist with clearing the residence. 

After the K9 cleared the residence, a team of Deputies entered the residence and believed Cook was locked in a bedroom. A K9 from the Wichita Police Department responded and remained outside the residence for the duration of the incident.

A sergeant and two deputies exited the residence and prepared to deploy chemical munitions into the bedroom to end the barricade. At 3:48pm, a deputy broke out a bedroom window and Cook fired a gun at the deputies multiple times.

Two deputies returned fire. One deputy fired three rounds from a rifle and another fired five rounds from a handgun. Neither Cook nor the involved deputies were injured in the exchange of gunfire.

The combined Wichita Police and Sedgwick County SWAT team and Wichita Police negotiators were activated at 4:03pm.

At 4:41pm, police negotiators contacted Cook by phone. Throughout the ensuing seven-hour negotiation Cook made multiple statements that this was his “last stand” and that he would shoot at officers if they made entry into the home. 

At 9:01pm, after negotiations deteriorated and continued threats by Cook, chemical munitions were deployed into the residence and SWAT operators heard gunshots inside.

Following the deployment of chemical munitions, Cook resumed communication with negotiators, who remained focused on achieving a peaceful resolution. While operators were preparing to introduce a second round of chemical munitions, peacefully surrendered at 11:33pm.

Cook has been booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on requested chargers that include three counts of Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer. 

This investigation is ongoing as detectives are currently serving a search warrant at the incident location to gather additional information. Cook’s charges may be updated as more information is gathered.

The Wichita Police Department does not typically release the names of arrested individuals until formal charges are filed. In this case, the suspect was arrested on an approved arrest warrant stemming from a charged case in Sedgwick County District Court. The warrant was for Failure to Appear and Contempt of Court stemming from an incident where&nbsp; Cook threatened to shoot bail bondsmen when they made an arrest attempt.

The facts of the incident that occurred Wednesday will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office for formal charging consideration by investigators from the Wichita Police Department ALERT team members.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725569911182.png" alt="-During the standoff, a deputy broke out a bedroom window and Cook fired a gun at the deputies multiple times. Image from police body camera image provided by Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>-During the standoff, a deputy broke out a bedroom window and Cook fired a gun at the deputies multiple times. Image from police body camera image provided by Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a 7-hour standoff at a Kansas home.Just before 1:30p.m. Wednesday, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office Warrant Team which consisted of five deputies and one sergeant responded to a residence in the 8100 block of South Bernice in Haysville attempting to serve an arrest warrant for a 43-year-old Robert Cook and began conducting surveillance on the home, according to statement from Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725586579656.png" alt="Cook photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Cook photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Deputies conducted interviews and received information confirming that Cook was inside the home. At 2:55pm deputies requested the assistance of a K9 from the Haysville police department to assist with clearing the residence. After the K9 cleared the residence, a team of Deputies entered the residence and believed Cook was locked in a bedroom. A K9 from the Wichita Police Department responded and remained outside the residence for the duration of the incident.A sergeant and two deputies exited the residence and prepared to deploy chemical munitions into the bedroom to end the barricade. At 3:48pm, a deputy broke out a bedroom window and Cook fired a gun at the deputies multiple times.Two deputies returned fire. One deputy fired three rounds from a rifle and another fired five rounds from a handgun. Neither Cook nor the involved deputies were injured in the exchange of gunfire.The combined Wichita Police and Sedgwick County SWAT team and Wichita Police negotiators were activated at 4:03pm.At 4:41pm, police negotiators contacted Cook by phone. Throughout the ensuing seven-hour negotiation Cook made multiple statements that this was his “last stand” and that he would shoot at officers if they made entry into the home. At 9:01pm, after negotiations deteriorated and continued threats by Cook, chemical munitions were deployed into the residence and SWAT operators heard gunshots inside.Following the deployment of chemical munitions, Cook resumed communication with negotiators, who remained focused on achieving a peaceful resolution. While operators were preparing to introduce a second round of chemical munitions, peacefully surrendered at 11:33pm.Cook has been booked into the Sedgwick County Jail on requested chargers that include three counts of Aggravated Assault on a Law Enforcement Officer. This investigation is ongoing as detectives are currently serving a search warrant at the incident location to gather additional information. Cook’s charges may be updated as more information is gathered.The Wichita Police Department does not typically release the names of arrested individuals until formal charges are filed. In this case, the suspect was arrested on an approved arrest warrant stemming from a charged case in Sedgwick County District Court. The warrant was for Failure to Appear and Contempt of Court stemming from an incident where&nbsp; Cook threatened to shoot bail bondsmen when they made an arrest attempt.The facts of the incident that occurred Wednesday will be presented to the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office for formal charging consideration by investigators from the Wichita Police Department ALERT team members.

Gunfight with deputies during standoff at Kansas home

By NATE KING Salina Post

Salina residents will have the opportunity to breathe new life into their broken belongings at the Repair Café set to take place on Saturday, September 7. The event will run from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the <a href="https://www.salinaartcenter.org/fallclasses">Salina Art Center Warehouse</a>, located at 149 South Fourth Street.

The Repair Café is a community-focused initiative where skilled volunteers offer their expertise to fix a variety of items. Whether it's electrical repairs, flat tires on bikes, jewelry mending, sewing projects, book binding, or small woodworking tasks, volunteers are ready to assist with quick fixes.

The Art Center Wearhouse held its first Repair Cafe event in April. Salina Art Center Education Director, Darren Morawitz, who will repair wooden items at the Repair Cafe said his joy of fixing things began back when he was a kid on the farm.

" I grew up on a farm in Hutchison. It was a small farm, but definitely my dad and both my grandfathers never wanted to call a repairman if they could help it," Morawitz said. "I was the only one who could crawl in the crawl spaces. So I grew up at a young age doing all the plumbing."

Morawitz said he feels uniquely cathartic after he helps someone by repairing an item. He talked about fixing a woman's suitcase back in April.&nbsp;

&nbsp;"We repaired a suitcase that had a wheel broken on it and she admitted to that if we couldn't fix it, it was like a $20 suitcase, like she got from Goodwill or something. But we did fix it," Morawitz said.&nbsp;"Art is just problem-solving. That is all it is creative problem solving. So this is just a different form of art — the art of repair."

In addition to repairing household items, the event offers a special activity for children. Kids are encouraged to bring their broken crayons, which will be melted down and transformed into new ones that they can use again.

 The event is made possible through the generous support of dedicated volunteers and partnerships with The Salina Public Library, the Art Center Warehouse, The Kansas Wesleyan University Community Resiliency Hub, and North Salina Community Development.&nbsp;

Morawitz explained that only small and medium-sized items can be brought to the Repair Cafe, so please make sure items can be held in your hands.&nbsp;

If you would like to volunteer to repair items for the Repair Cafe, contact&nbsp;<a href="mailto:dmorawitz@salinaartcenter.org">Darren Morawitz&nbsp;here</a>.&nbsp;

For more information about the Salina Art Center, visit the Salina Art Center's Facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SalinaArtCenter/">here.</a>&nbsp;

<div><iframe title="Darren Morawitz, Salina Art Center Warehouse, Repair Cafe — Sept. 7" allowtransparency="true" height="150" width="100%" style="border: none; min-width: min(100%, 430px);height:150px;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/player-v2/?i=skc7g-16ba083-pb&from=pb6admin&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Arial&skin=60a0c8&font-color=auto&logo_link=episode_page&btn-skin=60a0c8" loading="lazy"></iframe></div>By NATE KING Salina PostSalina residents will have the opportunity to breathe new life into their broken belongings at the Repair Café set to take place on Saturday, September 7. The event will run from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the <a href="https://www.salinaartcenter.org/fallclasses">Salina Art Center Warehouse</a>, located at 149 South Fourth Street.The Repair Café is a community-focused initiative where skilled volunteers offer their expertise to fix a variety of items. Whether it's electrical repairs, flat tires on bikes, jewelry mending, sewing projects, book binding, or small woodworking tasks, volunteers are ready to assist with quick fixes.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724943185275.jpeg" alt="Repair Cafe Flyer&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Repair Cafe Flyer&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>The Art Center Wearhouse held its first Repair Cafe event in April. Salina Art Center Education Director, Darren Morawitz, who will repair wooden items at the Repair Cafe said his joy of fixing things began back when he was a kid on the farm." I grew up on a farm in Hutchison. It was a small farm, but definitely my dad and both my grandfathers never wanted to call a repairman if they could help it," Morawitz said. "I was the only one who could crawl in the crawl spaces. So I grew up at a young age doing all the plumbing."Morawitz said he feels uniquely cathartic after he helps someone by repairing an item. He talked about fixing a woman's suitcase back in April.&nbsp;&nbsp;"We repaired a suitcase that had a wheel broken on it and she admitted to that if we couldn't fix it, it was like a $20 suitcase, like she got from Goodwill or something. But we did fix it," Morawitz said.&nbsp;"Art is just problem-solving. That is all it is creative problem solving. So this is just a different form of art — the art of repair."In addition to repairing household items, the event offers a special activity for children. Kids are encouraged to bring their broken crayons, which will be melted down and transformed into new ones that they can use again. The event is made possible through the generous support of dedicated volunteers and partnerships with The Salina Public Library, the Art Center Warehouse, The Kansas Wesleyan University Community Resiliency Hub, and North Salina Community Development.&nbsp;Morawitz explained that only small and medium-sized items can be brought to the Repair Cafe, so please make sure items can be held in your hands.&nbsp;If you would like to volunteer to repair items for the Repair Cafe, contact&nbsp;<a href="mailto:dmorawitz@salinaartcenter.org">Darren Morawitz&nbsp;here</a>.&nbsp;For more information about the Salina Art Center, visit the Salina Art Center's Facebook page <a href="https://www.facebook.com/SalinaArtCenter/">here.</a>&nbsp;