DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The first of two Iowa teenagers who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-teens-teacher-beating-death-f3acd07dff116cb2c7311b3ad2b44d9b" target="_blank">pleaded guilty to beating</a>&nbsp;their high school Spanish teacher to death&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-baseball-media-social-media-homicide-8d2536fb9668f3767b832c4d88b3f041" target="_blank">with a baseball bat</a>&nbsp;was sentenced Thursday to life with a possibility of parole after 35 years in prison.

A judge sentenced Willard Miller after a sentencing hearing that lasted more than seven hours.

Miller and another teen, Jeremy Goodale, had pleaded guilty in April to the 2021 attack on Nohema Graber. The 66-year-old teacher was fatally beaten while taking her regular afternoon walk in a park in Fairfield.

In sentencing Miller, District Court Judge Shawn Showers acknowledged Miller’s young age but also noted he had “cut Nohema Graber’s precious life short,” devastating her family and the community.

“I find that your intent and actions were sinister and evil. Those acts resulted in the intentional loss of human life in a brutal fashion,” Showers said. “There is no excuse.”

As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors had recommended Miller receive a term of between 30 years and life in prison, with the possibility of parole. Goodale is to be sentenced later.

Before being sentenced, Miller said in court Thursday that he accepted responsibility for the killing and apologized to the Graber family.

“I would like to apologize for my actions, first and foremost to the family,” he said. “I am sincerely sorry for the distress I have caused you and the devastation I have caused your family.”

Miller also apologized to the Fairfield community, his own family, Goodale’s family and the police.

“I’m realizing just the magnitude of my actions, and I know it’s wrong and I knew it was wrong and yet I still carried through,” he said. “I still did what I did, and I accept responsibility for that.”

Ten of Graber’s relatives either read or submitted victim impact statements that described the woman as kind, caring and devoted to her family, students and church. Several also blamed Miller and Goodale for the recent death of Graber’s husband, who suffered from cancer but delayed treatment amid his depression over the murder.

“I hope you open your soul to the lord and maybe ask for forgiveness there first because you’re on a spiral straight to hell,” Graber’s brother-in-law, Jim Graber said while staring at Miller.

Miller and Goodale killed Graber on Nov. 2, 2021, in a park where the teacher routinely walked after school. Prosecutors said the teens, who were 16 at the time, were angry at Graber because of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-homicide-iowa-des-moines-fairfield-42eba22bc42bf9e52a165478916072c4" target="_blank">bad grade she had given</a>&nbsp;Miller.

Under Goodale’s agreement to plead guilty, prosecutors had recommended a sentence of between 25 years and life with the possibility of parole. Goodale’s sentencing is scheduled for August, but his lawyers have sought a delay in the hearing.

Thursday’s sentencing hearing at the Jefferson County Courthouse in Fairfield initially focused on investigators who described how officers found Graber’s body. They also talked about social media postings that led them to question and then arrest Miller and Goodale. Prosecutors also played recordings of police interviews with both teens and displayed photographs of the crime scene, including graphic images of Graber’s body.

Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation agent Trent Vileta recalled police finding Graber’s body under a tarp in Chautauqua Park. A wheelbarrow and railroad tie had been placed over the tarp, making it hard to see the body, with only a shoe and a hand visible.

After pulling back part of the tarp, Vileta said the only significant injury to Graber appeared to be a severe head wound.

In the interview, Miller initially said he knew nothing about Graber’s disappearance but later said he saw other people carrying her body in the park.

Goodale testified earlier that he and Miller had planned the killing for about two weeks and that both of them struck the victim and then hid her body. Goodale said Miller had initiated the plan. Miller admitted helping but denied hitting Graber.

The two were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-homicide-iowa-fairfield-f4d1329baedb35bfe41f7a7b5a15173c" target="_blank">charged as adults</a>, but because of their age they were not subject to a mandatory sentence of life without parole for first-degree murder. Miller is now 17 and Goodale is 18.

Fairfield, a city of 9,400 people, is about 100 miles (160 kilometers) southeast of Des Moines.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688733891554.png" alt="Miller's original booking photo provided by Jefferson Co.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Miller's original booking photo provided by Jefferson Co.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The first of two Iowa teenagers who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-teens-teacher-beating-death-f3acd07dff116cb2c7311b3ad2b44d9b" target="_blank">pleaded guilty to beating</a>&nbsp;their high school Spanish teacher to death&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-baseball-media-social-media-homicide-8d2536fb9668f3767b832c4d88b3f041" target="_blank">with a baseball bat</a>&nbsp;was sentenced Thursday to life with a possibility of parole after 35 years in prison.A judge sentenced Willard Miller after a sentencing hearing that lasted more than seven hours.Miller and another teen, Jeremy Goodale, had pleaded guilty in April to the 2021 attack on Nohema Graber. The 66-year-old teacher was fatally beaten while taking her regular afternoon walk in a park in Fairfield.In sentencing Miller, District Court Judge Shawn Showers acknowledged Miller’s young age but also noted he had “cut Nohema Graber’s precious life short,” devastating her family and the community.“I find that your intent and actions were sinister and evil. Those acts resulted in the intentional loss of human life in a brutal fashion,” Showers said. “There is no excuse.”As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors had recommended Miller receive a term of between 30 years and life in prison, with the possibility of parole. Goodale is to be sentenced later.Before being sentenced, Miller said in court Thursday that he accepted responsibility for the killing and apologized to the Graber family.“I would like to apologize for my actions, first and foremost to the family,” he said. “I am sincerely sorry for the distress I have caused you and the devastation I have caused your family.”Miller also apologized to the Fairfield community, his own family, Goodale’s family and the police.“I’m realizing just the magnitude of my actions, and I know it’s wrong and I knew it was wrong and yet I still carried through,” he said. “I still did what I did, and I accept responsibility for that.”Ten of Graber’s relatives either read or submitted victim impact statements that described the woman as kind, caring and devoted to her family, students and church. Several also blamed Miller and Goodale for the recent death of Graber’s husband, who suffered from cancer but delayed treatment amid his depression over the murder.“I hope you open your soul to the lord and maybe ask for forgiveness there first because you’re on a spiral straight to hell,” Graber’s brother-in-law, Jim Graber said while staring at Miller.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688734515241.png" alt="Goodale-Jefferson Co." />
 <figcaption>Goodale-Jefferson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Miller and Goodale killed Graber on Nov. 2, 2021, in a park where the teacher routinely walked after school. Prosecutors said the teens, who were 16 at the time, were angry at Graber because of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-homicide-iowa-des-moines-fairfield-42eba22bc42bf9e52a165478916072c4" target="_blank">bad grade she had given</a>&nbsp;Miller.Under Goodale’s agreement to plead guilty, prosecutors had recommended a sentence of between 25 years and life with the possibility of parole. Goodale’s sentencing is scheduled for August, but his lawyers have sought a delay in the hearing.Thursday’s sentencing hearing at the Jefferson County Courthouse in Fairfield initially focused on investigators who described how officers found Graber’s body. They also talked about social media postings that led them to question and then arrest Miller and Goodale. Prosecutors also played recordings of police interviews with both teens and displayed photographs of the crime scene, including graphic images of Graber’s body.Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation agent Trent Vileta recalled police finding Graber’s body under a tarp in Chautauqua Park. A wheelbarrow and railroad tie had been placed over the tarp, making it hard to see the body, with only a shoe and a hand visible.After pulling back part of the tarp, Vileta said the only significant injury to Graber appeared to be a severe head wound.In the interview, Miller initially said he knew nothing about Graber’s disappearance but later said he saw other people carrying her body in the park.Goodale testified earlier that he and Miller had planned the killing for about two weeks and that both of them struck the victim and then hid her body. Goodale said Miller had initiated the plan. Miller admitted helping but denied hitting Graber.The two were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-homicide-iowa-fairfield-f4d1329baedb35bfe41f7a7b5a15173c" target="_blank">charged as adults</a>, but because of their age they were not subject to a mandatory sentence of life without parole for first-degree murder. Miller is now 17 and Goodale is 18.Fairfield, a city of 9,400 people, is about 100 miles (160 kilometers) southeast of Des Moines.

Teen sentenced for killing Spanish teacher over bad grade

WASHINGTON (AP) — Seeking a valid U.S. passport for that 2023 trip? Buckle up, wishful traveler, for a very different journey before you step anywhere near an airport.

A much-feared backup of U.S passport applications has smashed into a wall of government bureaucracy as worldwide travel rebounds&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/transportation-security-administration-pandemics-travel-and-tourism-us-department-of-28113d77ccab463d88bcf97c7744b8e0">toward</a>&nbsp;record pre-pandemic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hajj-hospitality-mecca-construction-ce3c894d6f464aa70069be1a20f8ef5e">levels</a>&nbsp;— with too few humans to handle the load. The result, say aspiring travelers in the U.S. and around the world, is a maddening pre-travel purgatory defined, at best, by costly uncertainty.

With family dreams and big money on the line, passport seekers describe a slow-motion agony of waiting, worrying, holding the line, refreshing the screen, complaining to Congress, paying extra fees and following incorrect directions. Some applicants are buying additional plane tickets to snag in-process passports where they sit — in other cities — in time to make the flights they booked in the first place.

So grim is the outlook that U.S. officials aren't even denying the problem or predicting when it will ease. They're blaming the epic wait times on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-declares-covid-emergency-over-pandemic-8b6445735df5218b5d9d6ec32fa047ca">lingering pandemic</a>&nbsp;-related staffing shortages and a pause of online processing this year. That’s left the passport agency flooded with a record-busting 500,000 applications a week. The deluge is on-track to top last year’s 22 million passports issued, the State Department says.

Stories from applicants and interviews by The Associated Press depict a system of crisis management, in which the agencies are prioritizing urgent cases such as applicants traveling for reasons of “life or death” and those whose travel is only a few days off. For everyone else, the options are few and expensive.

So, 2023 traveler, if you still need a valid U.S. passport, prepare for an unplanned excursion into the nightmare zone.

‘PLENTY OF TIME’ TO ‘WE’LL STILL BE OK' TO BIG PROBLEMS

It was early March when Dallas-area florist Ginger Collier applied for four passports ahead of a family vacation at the end of June. The clerk, she said, estimated wait times at eight to 11 weeks. They'd have their passports a month before they needed them. "Plenty of time," Collier recalled thinking.

Then the State Department upped the wait time for a regular passport to as much as 13 weeks. “We'll still be okay,” she thought.

At T-minus two weeks to travel, this was her assessment: “I can’t sleep." This after months of calling, holding, pressing refresh on a website, trying her member of Congress — and stressing as the departure date loomed. Failure to obtain the family’s passports would mean losing $4,000, she said, as well as the chance to meet one of her sons in Italy after a study-abroad semester.

“My nerves are shot, because I may not be able to get to him,” she said. She calls the toll-free number every day, holds for as much as 90 minutes to be told — at best — that she might be able to get a required appointment at passport offices in other states.

“I can’t afford four more plane tickets anywhere in the United States to get a passport when I applied in plenty of time,” she said. “How about they just process my passports?”

THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT HAS A CULPRIT: COVID

By March, concerned travelers began asking for answers and then demanding help, including from their representatives in the House and Senate, who widely reported at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOJSPjuQFp0">hearings</a>&nbsp;this year that they were receiving more complaints from constituents on passport delays than any other issue.

The U.S. secretary of state had an answer, of a sort.

“With COVID, the bottom basically dropped out of the system,” Antony Blinken&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qcras2-XhdE">told a House subcommittee March 23</a>. When demand for travel all but disappeared during the pandemic, he said, the government let contractors go and reassigned staff that had been dedicated to handling passports.

Around the same time, the government also halted an online renewal system "to make sure that we can fine tune it and improve it," Blinken said. He said the department is hiring agents as quickly as possible, opening more appointments and trying to address the crisis in other ways.

Passport applicants lit up social media groups, toll-free numbers and lawmakers' phone lines with questions, appeals for advice and cries for help. Facebook and WhatsApp groups bristled with reports of bewilderment and fury. Reddit published eye-watering diaries, some more than 1,000 words long, of application dates, deposits submitted, contacts made, time on hold, money spent and appeals for advice.

It was 1952 when a law required, for the first time, passports for every U.S. traveler abroad, even in peacetime. Now, passports are processed at centers around the country and printed at secure facilities in Washington, D.C. and Mississippi, according to the Government Printing Office.

But the number of Americans holding valid U.S. passports has grown at roughly 10% faster than the population over the past three decades, according to Jay Zagorsky, an economist at Boston University's Questrom School of Business.

After passport delays derailed his own plans to travel to London earlier this year, Zagorsky found that the number of U.S. passports per American has soared from about three per 100 people in 1989 to nearly 46 per 100 people in 2022. Americans, it turns out, are on the move.

“As a society gets richer," says Zagorsky, "the people in that society say, ‘I want to visit the rest of the world.'”

FOR AMERICANS AND OTHERS ABROAD, IT'S NO PICNIC EITHER

At U.S. consulates overseas, the quest for U.S. visas and passports isn't much brighter.

On a day in June, people in New Delhi could expect to wait 451 days for a visa interview, according to the website. Those in Sao Paulo could plan on waiting more than 600 days. Aspiring travelers in Mexico City were waiting about 750 days; in Bogota, Colombia, it was 801 days.

In Israel, the need is especially acute. More than 200,000 people with citizenship in both countries live in Israel. It's one appointment per person, even for newborns, who must have both parents involved in the process, before traveling to the United States.

Batsheva Gutterman started looking for three appointments immediately after she had a baby in December, with an eye toward attending a family celebration in July, in Raleigh, N.C.

Her quest for three passports stretched from January to June, days before travel. And it only resolved after Gutterman payed a small fee to join a WhatsApp group that alerted her to new appointments, which stay available for only a few seconds. She ultimately got three appointments on three consecutive days — bureaucracy embodied.

“We had to drive the entire family with three small children, an hour-and-a-half to Tel Aviv three days in a row, taking off work and school,” she said. “This makes me incredibly uneasy having a baby in Israel as an American citizen, knowing there is no way I can fly with that baby until we get lucky with an appointment.”

Recently, there appeared to be some progress. The wait for an appointment for a renewed U.S. passport stood at 360 days on June 8. On July 2, the wait was down to 90 days, according to the web site.

FRUSTRATING TALES EMERGE FROM THE TRENCHES

Back in the U.S., Marni Larsen of Holladay, Utah, stood in line in Los Angeles, California, on June 14, in hopes of snagging her son's passport. That way, she hoped, the pair could meet the rest of their family, who had already left as scheduled for Europe, for a long-planned vacation.

She'd applied for her son's passport two months earlier and spent weeks checking for updates online or through a frustrating call system. As the mid-June vacation loomed, Larsen reached out to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOJSPjuQFp0">Sen. Mitt Romney</a>&nbsp;’s office, where one of four people he says is assigned full-time to passport issues were able to track down the document in New Orleans.

It was supposed to be shipped to Los Angeles, where she got an appointment to retrieve it. That meant Larsen had to buy new tickets for herself and her son to Los Angeles and reroute their trip from there to Rome. All on a bet that her son's passport was indeed shipped as promised.

“We are just waiting in this massive line of tons of people,” Larsen said. “It’s just been a nightmare.”

They succeeded. But not everyone has been so lucky.

Miranda Richter applied in person to renew passports for herself and her husband, as well as apply a new one on Feb. 9 for a trip with their neighbors to Croatia on June 6. She ended up canceling, losing more than $1,000.

Her timeline went like this: Passports for her husband and daughter arrived in 11 weeks, while Richter's photo was rejected. On May 4, she sent in a new one via priority mail. Then she paid a rush fee of $79, which was never charged to her credit card. Between May 30 and June 2, four days before travel, Richter and her husband spent more than 12 hours on the national passport line while also calling their congressman, senators and third-party couriers.

Finally, she showed up in person at the federal building in downtown Houston, 30 minutes before the passport office opened. Richter said there were at least 100 people in line.

“The security guard asked when is my appointment, and I burst out in tears,” she recalls. She couldn't get one. “It didn't work."

“I just got my passports!” Ginger Collier texts.

She ended up showing up at the passport office in Dallas with her daughter-in-law at 6:30 a.m. and being sorted into groups and lined up against walls. Finally they were called to a window, where the agent was “super nice” and pulled all four of the family's applications — paperwork that had been sitting in the office since March 17. More than seven hours later, the two left the office with directions to pick up their passports the next day.

“What a ridiculous process,” Collier says. Nevertheless, the reunion with her son in Italy was sweet. She texted last week: “It was the best hug ever!”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627262146028.jpeg" alt="passport Image by cytis from Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>passport Image by cytis from Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Seeking a valid U.S. passport for that 2023 trip? Buckle up, wishful traveler, for a very different journey before you step anywhere near an airport.A much-feared backup of U.S passport applications has smashed into a wall of government bureaucracy as worldwide travel rebounds&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/transportation-security-administration-pandemics-travel-and-tourism-us-department-of-28113d77ccab463d88bcf97c7744b8e0">toward</a>&nbsp;record pre-pandemic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hajj-hospitality-mecca-construction-ce3c894d6f464aa70069be1a20f8ef5e">levels</a>&nbsp;— with too few humans to handle the load. The result, say aspiring travelers in the U.S. and around the world, is a maddening pre-travel purgatory defined, at best, by costly uncertainty.With family dreams and big money on the line, passport seekers describe a slow-motion agony of waiting, worrying, holding the line, refreshing the screen, complaining to Congress, paying extra fees and following incorrect directions. Some applicants are buying additional plane tickets to snag in-process passports where they sit — in other cities — in time to make the flights they booked in the first place.So grim is the outlook that U.S. officials aren't even denying the problem or predicting when it will ease. They're blaming the epic wait times on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-declares-covid-emergency-over-pandemic-8b6445735df5218b5d9d6ec32fa047ca">lingering pandemic</a>&nbsp;-related staffing shortages and a pause of online processing this year. That’s left the passport agency flooded with a record-busting 500,000 applications a week. The deluge is on-track to top last year’s 22 million passports issued, the State Department says.Stories from applicants and interviews by The Associated Press depict a system of crisis management, in which the agencies are prioritizing urgent cases such as applicants traveling for reasons of “life or death” and those whose travel is only a few days off. For everyone else, the options are few and expensive.So, 2023 traveler, if you still need a valid U.S. passport, prepare for an unplanned excursion into the nightmare zone.‘PLENTY OF TIME’ TO ‘WE’LL STILL BE OK' TO BIG PROBLEMSIt was early March when Dallas-area florist Ginger Collier applied for four passports ahead of a family vacation at the end of June. The clerk, she said, estimated wait times at eight to 11 weeks. They'd have their passports a month before they needed them. "Plenty of time," Collier recalled thinking.Then the State Department upped the wait time for a regular passport to as much as 13 weeks. “We'll still be okay,” she thought.At T-minus two weeks to travel, this was her assessment: “I can’t sleep." This after months of calling, holding, pressing refresh on a website, trying her member of Congress — and stressing as the departure date loomed. Failure to obtain the family’s passports would mean losing $4,000, she said, as well as the chance to meet one of her sons in Italy after a study-abroad semester.“My nerves are shot, because I may not be able to get to him,” she said. She calls the toll-free number every day, holds for as much as 90 minutes to be told — at best — that she might be able to get a required appointment at passport offices in other states.“I can’t afford four more plane tickets anywhere in the United States to get a passport when I applied in plenty of time,” she said. “How about they just process my passports?”THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT HAS A CULPRIT: COVIDBy March, concerned travelers began asking for answers and then demanding help, including from their representatives in the House and Senate, who widely reported at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOJSPjuQFp0">hearings</a>&nbsp;this year that they were receiving more complaints from constituents on passport delays than any other issue.The U.S. secretary of state had an answer, of a sort.“With COVID, the bottom basically dropped out of the system,” Antony Blinken&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qcras2-XhdE">told a House subcommittee March 23</a>. When demand for travel all but disappeared during the pandemic, he said, the government let contractors go and reassigned staff that had been dedicated to handling passports.Around the same time, the government also halted an online renewal system "to make sure that we can fine tune it and improve it," Blinken said. He said the department is hiring agents as quickly as possible, opening more appointments and trying to address the crisis in other ways.Passport applicants lit up social media groups, toll-free numbers and lawmakers' phone lines with questions, appeals for advice and cries for help. Facebook and WhatsApp groups bristled with reports of bewilderment and fury. Reddit published eye-watering diaries, some more than 1,000 words long, of application dates, deposits submitted, contacts made, time on hold, money spent and appeals for advice.It was 1952 when a law required, for the first time, passports for every U.S. traveler abroad, even in peacetime. Now, passports are processed at centers around the country and printed at secure facilities in Washington, D.C. and Mississippi, according to the Government Printing Office.But the number of Americans holding valid U.S. passports has grown at roughly 10% faster than the population over the past three decades, according to Jay Zagorsky, an economist at Boston University's Questrom School of Business.After passport delays derailed his own plans to travel to London earlier this year, Zagorsky found that the number of U.S. passports per American has soared from about three per 100 people in 1989 to nearly 46 per 100 people in 2022. Americans, it turns out, are on the move.“As a society gets richer," says Zagorsky, "the people in that society say, ‘I want to visit the rest of the world.'”FOR AMERICANS AND OTHERS ABROAD, IT'S NO PICNIC EITHERAt U.S. consulates overseas, the quest for U.S. visas and passports isn't much brighter.On a day in June, people in New Delhi could expect to wait 451 days for a visa interview, according to the website. Those in Sao Paulo could plan on waiting more than 600 days. Aspiring travelers in Mexico City were waiting about 750 days; in Bogota, Colombia, it was 801 days.In Israel, the need is especially acute. More than 200,000 people with citizenship in both countries live in Israel. It's one appointment per person, even for newborns, who must have both parents involved in the process, before traveling to the United States.Batsheva Gutterman started looking for three appointments immediately after she had a baby in December, with an eye toward attending a family celebration in July, in Raleigh, N.C.Her quest for three passports stretched from January to June, days before travel. And it only resolved after Gutterman payed a small fee to join a WhatsApp group that alerted her to new appointments, which stay available for only a few seconds. She ultimately got three appointments on three consecutive days — bureaucracy embodied.“We had to drive the entire family with three small children, an hour-and-a-half to Tel Aviv three days in a row, taking off work and school,” she said. “This makes me incredibly uneasy having a baby in Israel as an American citizen, knowing there is no way I can fly with that baby until we get lucky with an appointment.”Recently, there appeared to be some progress. The wait for an appointment for a renewed U.S. passport stood at 360 days on June 8. On July 2, the wait was down to 90 days, according to the web site.FRUSTRATING TALES EMERGE FROM THE TRENCHESBack in the U.S., Marni Larsen of Holladay, Utah, stood in line in Los Angeles, California, on June 14, in hopes of snagging her son's passport. That way, she hoped, the pair could meet the rest of their family, who had already left as scheduled for Europe, for a long-planned vacation.She'd applied for her son's passport two months earlier and spent weeks checking for updates online or through a frustrating call system. As the mid-June vacation loomed, Larsen reached out to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOJSPjuQFp0">Sen. Mitt Romney</a>&nbsp;’s office, where one of four people he says is assigned full-time to passport issues were able to track down the document in New Orleans.It was supposed to be shipped to Los Angeles, where she got an appointment to retrieve it. That meant Larsen had to buy new tickets for herself and her son to Los Angeles and reroute their trip from there to Rome. All on a bet that her son's passport was indeed shipped as promised.“We are just waiting in this massive line of tons of people,” Larsen said. “It’s just been a nightmare.”They succeeded. But not everyone has been so lucky.Miranda Richter applied in person to renew passports for herself and her husband, as well as apply a new one on Feb. 9 for a trip with their neighbors to Croatia on June 6. She ended up canceling, losing more than $1,000.Her timeline went like this: Passports for her husband and daughter arrived in 11 weeks, while Richter's photo was rejected. On May 4, she sent in a new one via priority mail. Then she paid a rush fee of $79, which was never charged to her credit card. Between May 30 and June 2, four days before travel, Richter and her husband spent more than 12 hours on the national passport line while also calling their congressman, senators and third-party couriers.Finally, she showed up in person at the federal building in downtown Houston, 30 minutes before the passport office opened. Richter said there were at least 100 people in line.“The security guard asked when is my appointment, and I burst out in tears,” she recalls. She couldn't get one. “It didn't work."FINALLY: A HAPPY ENDING“I just got my passports!” Ginger Collier texts.She ended up showing up at the passport office in Dallas with her daughter-in-law at 6:30 a.m. and being sorted into groups and lined up against walls. Finally they were called to a window, where the agent was “super nice” and pulled all four of the family's applications — paperwork that had been sitting in the office since March 17. More than seven hours later, the two left the office with directions to pick up their passports the next day.They did — with four days to spare.“What a ridiculous process,” Collier says. Nevertheless, the reunion with her son in Italy was sweet. She texted last week: “It was the best hug ever!”___

The wait for US passports is creating travel purgatory, snarling plans

DICKINSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a burglary have made an arrest.

On Thursday, Solomon High School, 400 North Pine Street in Solomon, reported the burglary and theft of&nbsp; power tools, according to Dickinson County Undersheriff Jeff Vaughan.

A deputy responded to the school and learned approximately $1393 worth of tools were missing.

Deputies applied for a search warrant for a residence in Salina. During the search, deputies recovered the tools taken in the burglary.&nbsp;

Later on Thursday, the deputy who responded to the school made contact with the suspect in the case. The deputy arrested 51-year-old Troy Dean Holcom of Salina and booked him into the Dickinson County Jail on requested charges of burglary and theft.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688738522766.png" alt="Holcom-photo Dickinson County" />
 <figcaption>Holcom-photo Dickinson County</figcaption>
 </figure>DICKINSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a burglary have made an arrest.On Thursday, Solomon High School, 400 North Pine Street in Solomon, reported the burglary and theft of&nbsp; power tools, according to Dickinson County Undersheriff Jeff Vaughan.A deputy responded to the school and learned approximately $1393 worth of tools were missing.Deputies applied for a search warrant for a residence in Salina. During the search, deputies recovered the tools taken in the burglary.&nbsp;Later on Thursday, the deputy who responded to the school made contact with the suspect in the case. The deputy arrested 51-year-old Troy Dean Holcom of Salina and booked him into the Dickinson County Jail on requested charges of burglary and theft.

Sheriff: Salina man took $1300 in tools from Solomon High School

Following is recent booking activity for the Saline County Jail, as provided by law enforcement. Photos, if provided, are courtesy of Saline County Jail.

All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.

NAME:Allen, Xavier Ramell Tysyl REQUESTED CHARGE(S):Domestic Battery: rude physical contact

NAME: Fane,Lance Everett REQUESTED CHARGE(S): Distribute marijuana; 450 grams - &lt; 30 kilograms, Use/poss drug paraphernalian/human body

NAME:Judd,Stephanie Isis&nbsp;&nbsp; REQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp;Failure to appear

NAME:Lageman,Malachi Wayne&nbsp;&nbsp; REQUESTED CHARGE(S):Outside warrant/NCIC hit, Use/poss drug paraphernalian/human body, Poss of marijuana, Poss of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant, Taxation; Drugs; No drug tax stamp for marijuana or cont substance

NAME:Price,Jerry Dean&nbsp;&nbsp; REQUESTED CHARGE(S):Use/poss drug paraphernalian/human body, Poss of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant

NAME:Starmer,Aaron Russell&nbsp;&nbsp; REQUESTED CHARGE(S): Driving While Suspended, No Proof Of Insurance

NAME:Williams,Tercero Doron&nbsp;&nbsp; REQUESTED CHARGE(S):Probation Violation

Following is recent booking activity for the Saline County Jail, as provided by law enforcement. Photos, if provided, are courtesy of Saline County Jail.All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688737443812.jpeg" alt="Allen, Xavier Ramell Tysyl" />
 <figcaption>Allen, Xavier Ramell Tysyl</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:Allen, Xavier Ramell Tysyl REQUESTED CHARGE(S):Domestic Battery: rude physical contact<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688562049999.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NAME: Fane,Lance Everett REQUESTED CHARGE(S): Distribute marijuana; 450 grams - &lt; 30 kilograms, Use/poss drug paraphernalian/human body<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688737484612.jpeg" alt=" Judd,Stephanie Isis" />
 <figcaption> Judd,Stephanie Isis</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:Judd,Stephanie Isis&nbsp;&nbsp; REQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp;Failure to appear
<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688737520324.jpeg" alt=" Lageman,Malachi Wayne" />
 <figcaption> Lageman,Malachi Wayne</figcaption>
 </figure>
NAME:Lageman,Malachi Wayne&nbsp;&nbsp; REQUESTED CHARGE(S):Outside warrant/NCIC hit, Use/poss drug paraphernalian/human body, Poss of marijuana, Poss of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant, Taxation; Drugs; No drug tax stamp for marijuana or cont substance<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688737579771.jpeg" alt=" Price,Jerry Dean" />
 <figcaption> Price,Jerry Dean</figcaption>
 </figure>
NAME:Price,Jerry Dean&nbsp;&nbsp; REQUESTED CHARGE(S):Use/poss drug paraphernalian/human body, Poss of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688737643771.jpeg" alt=" Starmer,Aaron Russell" />
 <figcaption> Starmer,Aaron Russell</figcaption>
 </figure>
NAME:Starmer,Aaron Russell&nbsp;&nbsp; REQUESTED CHARGE(S): Driving While Suspended, No Proof Of Insurance<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688737692748.jpeg" alt=" Williams,Tercero Doron" />
 <figcaption> Williams,Tercero Doron</figcaption>
 </figure>
NAME:Williams,Tercero Doron&nbsp;&nbsp; REQUESTED CHARGE(S):Probation Violation

Saline County Booking Activity, July 7

SEDGWICK COUNTY—&nbsp;the lead detective assigned to the investigation into the mass shooting that injured over a dozen people at the “City Lightz Nightclub in the 200 Block Washington in the Old Town section of Wichita on Sunday morning, presented the results of the investigation to the Office of the District Attorney, according to a statement from District Attorney Marc Bennett.&nbsp;

The subject of the presentation was 31-year-old suspect Brandon Lee Young of Florissant, Missouri, who had ben booked on suspicion of Aggravated Battery following the incident. &nbsp;&nbsp;

&nbsp;Based on the current status of the investigation, Young was not charged Thursday morning.&nbsp; &nbsp;Additional investigation and forensic analysis will continue and Young will be released from custody, according to Bennett.

Additional suspects are currently being sought by law enforcement.&nbsp; As such, Supreme Court rule 3.6 limits the district attorney office’s ability to make further comment. &nbsp;Rule 3.8, which specifically governs the “Special Responsibilities of a Prosecutor,” allows one exception under §(f):

(f) &nbsp; except for statements that are necessary to inform the public of the nature and extent of the prosecutor’s action and that serve a legitimate law enforcement purpose, refrain from making extrajudicial comments that have a substantial likelihood of heightening public condemnation of the accused and exercise reasonable care to prevent investigators, law enforcement personnel, employees or other persons assisting or associated with the prosecutor in a criminal case from making an extrajudicial statement that the prosecutor would be prohibited from making under Rule 3.6 or this Rule.

Given the legitimate public concern in this matter, a brief explanation as to the analysis regarding the evidence presented on Thursday morning against Young is appropriate.&nbsp;

Video surveillance from inside the club was analyzed over the past several days.&nbsp; Based upon this detailed analysis, Young appears to have fired a weapon in response to shots fired by two different gunmen within the bar. &nbsp;

Based upon the current status of the evidence, Mr. Young appears to have acted in self-defense/ defense of a third party.&nbsp; The law that controls this analysis is as follows:

21-5222.&nbsp;Same; defense of a person; no duty to retreat.&nbsp;(a) A person is justified in the use of force against another when and to the extent it appears to such person and such person reasonably believes that such use of force is necessary to defend such person or a third person against such other's imminent use of unlawful force.

(b) A person is justified in the use of deadly force under circumstances described in subsection (a) if such person reasonably believes that such use of deadly force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to such person or a third person.

(c) Nothing in this section shall require a person to retreat if such person is using force to protect such person or a third person.

21-5230.&nbsp;Same; no duty to retreat.&nbsp;A person who is not engaged in an unlawful activity and who is attacked in a place where such person has a right to be has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand such person's ground and use any force which such person would be justified in using under article 32 of chapter 21 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, prior to their repeal, or K.S.A. 2022 Supp.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch21/021_052_0002.html" target="_blank">21-5202</a>&nbsp;through&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch21/021_052_0008.html" target="_blank">21-5208</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch21/021_052_0010.html" target="_blank">21-5210</a>&nbsp;through&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch21/021_052_0012.html" target="_blank">21-5212</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch21/021_052_0020.html" target="_blank">21-5220</a>&nbsp;through&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch21/021_052_0031.html" target="_blank">21-5231</a>, and amendments thereto.

21-5231.&nbsp;Same; immunity from prosecution or liability; investigation.&nbsp;(a) A person who uses force which, subject to the provisions of K.S.A. 2022 Supp.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch21/021_052_0026.html" target="_blank">21-5226</a>, and amendments thereto, is justified pursuant to K.S.A. 2022 Supp.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch21/021_052_0022.html" target="_blank">21-5222</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch21/021_052_0023.html" target="_blank">21-5223</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch21/021_052_0025.html" target="_blank">21-5225</a>, and amendments thereto, is immune from criminal prosecution and civil action for the use of such force, unless the person against whom force was used is a law enforcement officer who was acting in the performance of such officer's official duties and the officer identified the officer's self in accordance with any applicable law or the person using force knew or reasonably should have known that the person was a law enforcement officer. As used in this subsection, "criminal prosecution" includes arrest, detention in custody and charging or prosecution of the defendant.

(b) A law enforcement agency may use standard procedures for investigating the use of force as described in subsection (a), but the agency shall not arrest the person for using force unless it determines that there is probable cause for the arrest.

(c) A prosecutor may commence a criminal prosecution upon a determination of probable cause.

To overcome self-defense/ stand your ground immunity, the State must come forward with evidence establishing probable cause that the defendant's use of force was not statutorily justified. “This generally means the State must show probable cause that (1) the defendant did not honestly believe the use of force was necessary or (2) a reasonable person would not believe the use of force was necessary under the circumstances.”&nbsp;State v. Phillips, 312 Kan. 643, Syl. 4 (2021).

The Office of the District Attorney will make no further commentary regarding the facts of this investigation or the analysis concerning Mr. Young while the investigation is ongoing.&nbsp;

Any subsequent charging decisions arising from this investigation will be made public when they occur, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688300318332.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—&nbsp;the lead detective assigned to the investigation into the mass shooting that injured over a dozen people at the “City Lightz Nightclub in the 200 Block Washington in the Old Town section of Wichita on Sunday morning, presented the results of the investigation to the Office of the District Attorney, according to a statement from District Attorney Marc Bennett.&nbsp;The subject of the presentation was 31-year-old suspect Brandon Lee Young of Florissant, Missouri, who had ben booked on suspicion of Aggravated Battery following the incident. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Based on the current status of the investigation, Young was not charged Thursday morning.&nbsp; &nbsp;Additional investigation and forensic analysis will continue and Young will be released from custody, according to Bennett.Additional suspects are currently being sought by law enforcement.&nbsp; As such, Supreme Court rule 3.6 limits the district attorney office’s ability to make further comment. &nbsp;Rule 3.8, which specifically governs the “Special Responsibilities of a Prosecutor,” allows one exception under §(f):(f) &nbsp; except for statements that are necessary to inform the public of the nature and extent of the prosecutor’s action and that serve a legitimate law enforcement purpose, refrain from making extrajudicial comments that have a substantial likelihood of heightening public condemnation of the accused and exercise reasonable care to prevent investigators, law enforcement personnel, employees or other persons assisting or associated with the prosecutor in a criminal case from making an extrajudicial statement that the prosecutor would be prohibited from making under Rule 3.6 or this Rule.Given the legitimate public concern in this matter, a brief explanation as to the analysis regarding the evidence presented on Thursday morning against Young is appropriate.&nbsp;Video surveillance from inside the club was analyzed over the past several days.&nbsp; Based upon this detailed analysis, Young appears to have fired a weapon in response to shots fired by two different gunmen within the bar. &nbsp;Based upon the current status of the evidence, Mr. Young appears to have acted in self-defense/ defense of a third party.&nbsp; The law that controls this analysis is as follows:21-5222.&nbsp;Same; defense of a person; no duty to retreat.&nbsp;(a) A person is justified in the use of force against another when and to the extent it appears to such person and such person reasonably believes that such use of force is necessary to defend such person or a third person against such other's imminent use of unlawful force.(b) A person is justified in the use of deadly force under circumstances described in subsection (a) if such person reasonably believes that such use of deadly force is necessary to prevent imminent death or great bodily harm to such person or a third person.(c) Nothing in this section shall require a person to retreat if such person is using force to protect such person or a third person.21-5230.&nbsp;Same; no duty to retreat.&nbsp;A person who is not engaged in an unlawful activity and who is attacked in a place where such person has a right to be has no duty to retreat and has the right to stand such person's ground and use any force which such person would be justified in using under article 32 of chapter 21 of the Kansas Statutes Annotated, prior to their repeal, or K.S.A. 2022 Supp.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch21/021_052_0002.html" target="_blank">21-5202</a>&nbsp;through&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch21/021_052_0008.html" target="_blank">21-5208</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch21/021_052_0010.html" target="_blank">21-5210</a>&nbsp;through&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch21/021_052_0012.html" target="_blank">21-5212</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch21/021_052_0020.html" target="_blank">21-5220</a>&nbsp;through&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch21/021_052_0031.html" target="_blank">21-5231</a>, and amendments thereto.21-5231.&nbsp;Same; immunity from prosecution or liability; investigation.&nbsp;(a) A person who uses force which, subject to the provisions of K.S.A. 2022 Supp.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch21/021_052_0026.html" target="_blank">21-5226</a>, and amendments thereto, is justified pursuant to K.S.A. 2022 Supp.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch21/021_052_0022.html" target="_blank">21-5222</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch21/021_052_0023.html" target="_blank">21-5223</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevisor.org/statutes/chapters/ch21/021_052_0025.html" target="_blank">21-5225</a>, and amendments thereto, is immune from criminal prosecution and civil action for the use of such force, unless the person against whom force was used is a law enforcement officer who was acting in the performance of such officer's official duties and the officer identified the officer's self in accordance with any applicable law or the person using force knew or reasonably should have known that the person was a law enforcement officer. As used in this subsection, "criminal prosecution" includes arrest, detention in custody and charging or prosecution of the defendant.(b) A law enforcement agency may use standard procedures for investigating the use of force as described in subsection (a), but the agency shall not arrest the person for using force unless it determines that there is probable cause for the arrest.(c) A prosecutor may commence a criminal prosecution upon a determination of probable cause.To overcome self-defense/ stand your ground immunity, the State must come forward with evidence establishing probable cause that the defendant's use of force was not statutorily justified. “This generally means the State must show probable cause that (1) the defendant did not honestly believe the use of force was necessary or (2) a reasonable person would not believe the use of force was necessary under the circumstances.”&nbsp;State v. Phillips, 312 Kan. 643, Syl. 4 (2021).The Office of the District Attorney will make no further commentary regarding the facts of this investigation or the analysis concerning Mr. Young while the investigation is ongoing.&nbsp;Any subsequent charging decisions arising from this investigation will be made public when they occur, according to the district attorney's office.

DA: Suspect accused in Wichita mass shooting acted in self defense

NAME:Albers,Kaylee Ann REQUESTED CHARGE(S):Domestic Battery: rude physical contact

NAME:Grennan,John Avery REQUESTED CHARGE(S):Use/poss drug paraphernalian/human body, Failure to appear, Failure to appear, Outside warrant/NCIC hit, Theft of prop/serv;&lt;$1500 2 or more conv in 5yr, Probation Violation, Poss of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant

NAME: Guerrero,Juan Luis-Ponce REQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp;Return for court testimony

NAME: Heart,Donald Albert&nbsp;&nbsp; REQUESTED CHARGE(S):Driving under influence of alcohol or drugs; Misdemeanor

NAME:Machnicki,Sierra Lois REQUESTED CHARGE(S):Probation Violation, Return for court testimony

NAME:&nbsp;Provincia-Salazar,Octavio REQUESTED CHARGE(S): DUI; 2nd conv; comp evidence of blood/breath .08+

NAME:Rosario,Jailene Ayanna REQUESTED CHARGES: Failure to Appear

NAME:Scott,Eddie Ray REQUESTED CHARGE(S): Failure to Appear

NAME:Sonneberger,Jessica Lee&nbsp;&nbsp; REQUESTED CHARGE(S): Probation Violation

NAME:Toney, Kelsie Dean REQUESTED CHARGE(S): Outside warrant/NCIC hit and Failure to appear

Following is recent booking activity for the Saline County Jail, as provided by law enforcement. Photos, if provided, are courtesy of Saline County Jail.All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688661487460.jpeg" alt="Albers,Kaylee Ann" />
 <figcaption>Albers,Kaylee Ann</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:Albers,Kaylee Ann REQUESTED CHARGE(S):Domestic Battery: rude physical contact<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688661541778.jpeg" alt="Grennan,John Avery" />
 <figcaption>Grennan,John Avery</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:Grennan,John Avery REQUESTED CHARGE(S):Use/poss drug paraphernalian/human body, Failure to appear, Failure to appear, Outside warrant/NCIC hit, Theft of prop/serv;&lt;$1500 2 or more conv in 5yr, Probation Violation, Poss of opiate, narcotic, or certain stimulant<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688661616114.jpeg" alt=" Guerrero,Juan Luis-Ponce" />
 <figcaption> Guerrero,Juan Luis-Ponce</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME: Guerrero,Juan Luis-Ponce REQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp;Return for court testimony <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688661661596.jpeg" alt=" Heart,Donald Albert" />
 <figcaption> Heart,Donald Albert</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME: Heart,Donald Albert&nbsp;&nbsp; REQUESTED CHARGE(S):Driving under influence of alcohol or drugs; Misdemeanor<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688661701025.jpeg" alt="Machnicki,Sierra Lois" />
 <figcaption>Machnicki,Sierra Lois</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:Machnicki,Sierra Lois REQUESTED CHARGE(S):Probation Violation, Return for court testimony<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688661744312.jpeg" alt="Provincia-Salazar,Octavio" />
 <figcaption>Provincia-Salazar,Octavio</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp;Provincia-Salazar,Octavio REQUESTED CHARGE(S): DUI; 2nd conv; comp evidence of blood/breath .08+<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688661790992.jpeg" alt="Rosario,Jailene Ayanna" />
 <figcaption>Rosario,Jailene Ayanna</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:Rosario,Jailene Ayanna REQUESTED CHARGES: Failure to Appear<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688661840930.jpeg" alt="Scott,Eddie Ray" />
 <figcaption>Scott,Eddie Ray</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:Scott,Eddie Ray REQUESTED CHARGE(S): Failure to Appear<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688562049999.png" alt="Sonneberger,Jessica Lee&nbsp;&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Sonneberger,Jessica Lee&nbsp;&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:Sonneberger,Jessica Lee&nbsp;&nbsp; REQUESTED CHARGE(S): Probation Violation<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688661933744.jpeg" alt="Toney, Kelsie Dean" />
 <figcaption>Toney, Kelsie Dean</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:Toney, Kelsie Dean REQUESTED CHARGE(S): Outside warrant/NCIC hit and Failure to appear

Saline County Booking Activity, July 6

SUMNER COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly shooting in Wellington.

Just after 1:30p.m. Monday, police responded to report of a shooting in the the 1300 block of North A Street in Wellington, according to a media release.

First responders found a 25-year-old woman shot once in the upper chest. EMS transported her to Wesley Medical Center where she was pronounced deceased.

After an investigation, police arrested a 24-year-old Michael Eugene Edgington and booked him into the Sumner County jail on requested charges of Murder in the 2nd degree; Unintentional but reckless, according to online jail records. He is being held on a $500,000 bond.

&nbsp; Police have not reported the name of the victim or additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688570539512.png" alt="Edgington is being held on a $500,000 bond-photo Sumner Co." />
 <figcaption>Edgington is being held on a $500,000 bond-photo Sumner Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SUMNER COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly shooting in Wellington.Just after 1:30p.m. Monday, police responded to report of a shooting in the the 1300 block of North A Street in Wellington, according to a media release.First responders found a 25-year-old woman shot once in the upper chest. EMS transported her to Wesley Medical Center where she was pronounced deceased.After an investigation, police arrested a 24-year-old Michael Eugene Edgington and booked him into the Sumner County jail on requested charges of Murder in the 2nd degree; Unintentional but reckless, according to online jail records. He is being held on a $500,000 bond.&nbsp; Police have not reported the name of the victim or additional details.

Kan. man accused of unintentional, reckless murder of woman

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspect on drug and related charges

Just after 2a.m. Monday, a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a&nbsp; 2014 Dodge Challenger near NE Soldier Street and NE Monroe Street in Shawnee County, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

The driver, later identified as 39-year-old William P. Roberts of Topeka had a felony warrant for his arrest. He failed to stop for the officer and was located inside of a residence in the 1500 block of NE Jefferson Street a short time later.

Deputies arrested Roberts and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on the felony arrest warrant and on requested charges of flee or attempt to elude law enforcement, interference with law enforcement, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and transporting an open container of liquor.

He has previous convictions for drugs and theft, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688575144773.png" alt="Roberts photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Roberts photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspect on drug and related chargesJust after 2a.m. Monday, a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a&nbsp; 2014 Dodge Challenger near NE Soldier Street and NE Monroe Street in Shawnee County, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.The driver, later identified as 39-year-old William P. Roberts of Topeka had a felony warrant for his arrest. He failed to stop for the officer and was located inside of a residence in the 1500 block of NE Jefferson Street a short time later.Deputies arrested Roberts and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on the felony arrest warrant and on requested charges of flee or attempt to elude law enforcement, interference with law enforcement, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and transporting an open container of liquor.He has previous convictions for drugs and theft, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Deputies catch wanted Kansas felon who ran from arrest

NAME: Barrett,Joshua Mark REQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp;Criminal Damage to Property; Misdemeanor

NAME:&nbsp;Greer,Savannah Cynthia-Sierra REQUESTED CHARGE(S): Contempt of Court; Direct

NAME: Watkins,Briana Kelly REQUESTED CHARGE(S):Failure to appear

NAME:&nbsp;Wirtz, Patrick Jerome REQUESTED CHARGE(S): Driving while suspended, failure to appear

NAME: Vickrey,Ericka Lashawn REQUESTED CHARGE(S): Transmit/commun false info to req emerg srv, Battery; Phys contact rude/insult/angry manner. Battery on LEO; Phys contact county/city LEO, Criminal threat; Cause terror, evacuation or disruption, Criminal Damage to Property; Misdemeanor, Disorderly conduct; Brawling or fighting, Interf w/LEO; obstr/resist/oppose felony warrant

NAME: Willis, Justin Alan REQUESTED CHARGE(S): Driving under influence of alcohol or drugs; Misdemeanor, Driving While Suspended, Interfere w/ LEO; Conceal/destroy evidence, Criminal trespass; Property as posted per KSA 32-1013

Following is recent booking activity for the Saline County Jail, as provided by law enforcement. Photos, if provided, are courtesy of Saline County Jail.All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688561817015.jpeg" alt=" Barrett,Joshua Mark" />
 <figcaption> Barrett,Joshua Mark</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME: Barrett,Joshua Mark REQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp;Criminal Damage to Property; Misdemeanor<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688561858351.jpeg" alt="Greer,Savannah Cynthia-Sierra" />
 <figcaption>Greer,Savannah Cynthia-Sierra</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp;Greer,Savannah Cynthia-Sierra REQUESTED CHARGE(S): Contempt of Court; Direct<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688561904471.jpeg" alt="Watkins,Briana Kelly" />
 <figcaption>Watkins,Briana Kelly</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME: Watkins,Briana Kelly REQUESTED CHARGE(S):Failure to appear<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688561946328.jpeg" alt="Wirtz, Patrick Jerome" />
 <figcaption>Wirtz, Patrick Jerome</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp;Wirtz, Patrick Jerome REQUESTED CHARGE(S): Driving while suspended, failure to appear<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688562049999.png" alt="Vickrey,Ericka Lashawn&nbsp;&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Vickrey,Ericka Lashawn&nbsp;&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME: Vickrey,Ericka Lashawn REQUESTED CHARGE(S): Transmit/commun false info to req emerg srv, Battery; Phys contact rude/insult/angry manner. Battery on LEO; Phys contact county/city LEO, Criminal threat; Cause terror, evacuation or disruption, Criminal Damage to Property; Misdemeanor, Disorderly conduct; Brawling or fighting, Interf w/LEO; obstr/resist/oppose felony warrant<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688562157630.jpeg" alt="Willis, Justin Alan" />
 <figcaption>Willis, Justin Alan</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME: Willis, Justin Alan REQUESTED CHARGE(S): Driving under influence of alcohol or drugs; Misdemeanor, Driving While Suspended, Interfere w/ LEO; Conceal/destroy evidence, Criminal trespass; Property as posted per KSA 32-1013

Saline County Booking Activity, July 5

REQUESTED CHARGE(S): Driving while under the influence and driving while suspended.

NAME:Fairchild,Zachary Ryan REQUESTED CHARGE(S):Interf w/LEO; obstr/resist/oppose misd warrant,&nbsp;Theft of prop/services:Value less than $1,500,&nbsp;Violation of protection order; Unknown circumstance

REQUESTED CHARGE(S): Outside warrant, probation violation

REQUESTED CHARGE(S):Battery; Phys contact rude/insult/angry manner,&nbsp;Disorderly conduct; Fighting words or noisy conduct to cause resentment,&nbsp;Criminal trespass; Unknown circumstance

REQUESTED CHARGE(S):DUI; 3rd in 10y;comp evidence blood/breath .08+

REQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp;Criminal Damage to Property; Value Unknown,&nbsp;Domestic battery: Knowing/reckless bodily harm

REQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp;Failure to appear,&nbsp;Criminal Damage to Property; Value Unknown,&nbsp;Domestic Battery: rude physical contact&nbsp;Probation Violation

Following is recent booking activity for the Saline County Jail, as provided by law enforcement. Photos, if provided, are courtesy of Saline County Jail.All persons are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688474434362.jpeg" alt="Anderson,Richard Lee" />
 <figcaption>Anderson,Richard Lee</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:Anderson,Richard Lee REQUESTED CHARGE(S): Driving while under the influence and driving while suspended.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688474487010.jpeg" alt="Chambers,Bonnie Lee" />
 <figcaption>Chambers,Bonnie Lee</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:Chambers,Bonnie LeeREQUESTED CHARGE(S):Probation Violation<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688474548313.jpeg" alt="Clemence,Lance Jeffery" />
 <figcaption>Clemence,Lance Jeffery</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:Clemence,Lance JefferyREQUESTED CHARGE(S): Probation Violation<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688474613544.jpeg" alt="Fairchild,Zachary Ryan" />
 <figcaption>Fairchild,Zachary Ryan</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:Fairchild,Zachary Ryan REQUESTED CHARGE(S):Interf w/LEO; obstr/resist/oppose misd warrant,&nbsp;Theft of prop/services:Value less than $1,500,&nbsp;Violation of protection order; Unknown circumstance<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688474702742.jpeg" alt="Fouard,Daniel Dean" />
 <figcaption>Fouard,Daniel Dean</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:Fouard,Daniel DeanREQUESTED CHARGE(S): Failure to appear<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688474776940.jpeg" alt=" Hansen,Brittany Ann" />
 <figcaption> Hansen,Brittany Ann</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:Hansen,Brittany AnnREQUESTED CHARGE(S): Outside warrant, probation violation<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688474840797.jpeg" alt="Hathaway,Kelsey Jade" />
 <figcaption>Hathaway,Kelsey Jade</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:Hathaway,Kelsey JadeREQUESTED CHARGE(S):Battery; Phys contact rude/insult/angry manner,&nbsp;Disorderly conduct; Fighting words or noisy conduct to cause resentment,&nbsp;Criminal trespass; Unknown circumstance<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688474935258.jpeg" alt="Huiett,Joseph Adam" />
 <figcaption>Huiett,Joseph Adam</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:Huiett,Joseph AdamREQUESTED CHARGE(S): Probation Violation<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688475014396.jpeg" alt="Jump,Donald Tristian" />
 <figcaption>Jump,Donald Tristian</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:&nbsp;Jump,Donald TristianREQUESTED CHARGE(S):Failure to appear<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688475099807.jpeg" alt="Macias-Ruedas,Cesar Arturo" />
 <figcaption>Macias-Ruedas,Cesar Arturo</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:Macias-Ruedas,Cesar ArturoREQUESTED CHARGE(S):DUI; 3rd in 10y;comp evidence blood/breath .08+<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688475152145.jpeg" alt=" Martinez-Tran,Christian Briana" />
 <figcaption> Martinez-Tran,Christian Briana</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME: Martinez-Tran,Christian BrianaREQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp;Criminal Damage to Property; Value Unknown,&nbsp;Domestic battery: Knowing/reckless bodily harm<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688475211395.jpeg" alt="Reizer,George Anthony" />
 <figcaption>Reizer,George Anthony</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:Reizer,George AnthonyREQUESTED CHARGE(S): Failure to appear<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688475268845.jpeg" alt="Sawyer,Lori Beth" />
 <figcaption>Sawyer,Lori Beth</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:Sawyer,Lori BethREQUESTED CHARGE(S):&nbsp;Failure to appear,&nbsp;Criminal Damage to Property; Value Unknown,&nbsp;Domestic Battery: rude physical contact&nbsp;Probation ViolationNO IMAGE PROVIDEDNAME:Stewart,Robin CarolREQUESTED CHARGE(S): Failure to appear<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688475456246.jpeg" alt="Williams,Tercero Doron" />
 <figcaption>Williams,Tercero Doron</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:Williams,Tercero DoronREQUESTED CHARGE(S): Probation Violation<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688475504474.jpeg" alt="Zugg,William Henry" />
 <figcaption>Zugg,William Henry</figcaption>
 </figure>NAME:Zugg,William HenryREQUESTED CHARGE(S): Failure to appear

Saline County Booking Activity July 4

In the first full year of the pandemic, both states saw drops in reading and math proficiency. But educators hope that higher levels of school funding in Kansas should help reverse the trend.

By&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/people/jodi-fortino">Jodi Fortino</a> KMUW

More than 75 percent of eighth-grade students in Kansas and Missouri weren’t proficient in math in 2022, according to the latest&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aecf.org/interactive/databook?l=20" target="_blank">Kids Count Data Book.</a>

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aecf.org/resources/2023-kids-count-data-book" target="_blank">annual child wellness report</a>&nbsp;from the Anne E. Casey Foundation ranks Kansas at 26th in the nation for education and Missouri at 22nd. Kansas also ranks 28th in reading proficiency for fourth graders and 34th in math proficiency for eighth graders, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kac.org/kansas_kids_count" target="_blank">Kansas Action for Children</a>.

Ryan Reza, data and policy analyst for Kansas Action for Children, said these are important indications of how ready students are for the rest of their education.

“These indicators are sounding the alarm for our educational systems to get these students caught up," he said. "It's not too late if they're not proficient at these grades.”

In 2022, 77 percent of eighth graders in Kansas were not proficient in math, a 10 percent increase from 2019. Fourth graders not proficient in reading rose from 66 percent in 2019 to 69 percent in 2022. Those increases are slightly higher than the national average, Reza said.

In Missouri, 76 percent of eighth graders were not proficient in math and 70% of fourth graders were not proficient in reading.

If fourth graders are struggling with a subject matter now, Reza said it will impact the rest of their academic career — that’s why it’s important to analyze this data early and get students caught quickly.

Reza said the data indicates that fourth graders may have adapted better to online learning, but it may not be clear why for years to come.

“With eighth graders specifically, you're isolated from your peers and your teachers. You are having to learn pretty complex themes and ideas and subject matter in eighth grade,” Reza said. “An online learning environment would be much more detrimental to those factors.”

Members of the&nbsp;<a href="https://kclinc.org/" target="_blank">Local Investment Commission</a>&nbsp;in Kansas City said students were expected to learn during difficult conditions during the pandemic, leading to worse academic outcomes. The nonprofit provided families with utility and food assistance to keep homes stable as families faced economic hardship.

Janet Miles-Bartee, executive vice president of the commission, said students in the metro still have some of those same needs.

“Even though they're back in school… families suffered a lot during the pandemic,” Miles-Bartee said. “We're having to do some of those same supports around the family… making sure that the family as a whole has what it needs so that children are able to go to school, concentrate and learn.”

Reza said the pandemic aggravated existing problems with education in Kansas.

This school year marked the first time the K-12 education system in Kansas&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/28/kansas-legislature-approves-k-12-education-budget-with-private-school-benefits/" target="_blank">has been funded at a constitutional level</a>&nbsp;since 2008. In 2018,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/education/2019-06-14/kansas-supreme-court-lawmakers-finally-put-enough-money-into-schools" target="_blank">Kansas lawmakers approved</a>&nbsp;a funding increase for schools over multiple years.

Jessica Herrera Russell, senior communications manager at KAC, said students are still recovering from the lack of funding. Now that schools have more funding, she hopes to see these math and reading trends reverse.

With more funding, she said schools can hire more teachers and decrease the student-to-teacher ratio.

“Then teachers have more opportunities to get that one-on-one instruction that is really needed for these students at this time," she said. “If they're not doing great in the first few months in algebra, they're not going to get better, because they never learned the foundational learning that they really needed to apply for the rest of the year."

<h2>In the first full year of the pandemic, both states saw drops in reading and math proficiency. But educators hope that higher levels of school funding in Kansas should help reverse the trend.</h2><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688393976712.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/people/jodi-fortino">Jodi Fortino</a> KMUW More than 75 percent of eighth-grade students in Kansas and Missouri weren’t proficient in math in 2022, according to the latest&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aecf.org/interactive/databook?l=20" target="_blank">Kids Count Data Book.</a>The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aecf.org/resources/2023-kids-count-data-book" target="_blank">annual child wellness report</a>&nbsp;from the Anne E. Casey Foundation ranks Kansas at 26th in the nation for education and Missouri at 22nd. Kansas also ranks 28th in reading proficiency for fourth graders and 34th in math proficiency for eighth graders, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kac.org/kansas_kids_count" target="_blank">Kansas Action for Children</a>.Ryan Reza, data and policy analyst for Kansas Action for Children, said these are important indications of how ready students are for the rest of their education.“These indicators are sounding the alarm for our educational systems to get these students caught up," he said. "It's not too late if they're not proficient at these grades.”In 2022, 77 percent of eighth graders in Kansas were not proficient in math, a 10 percent increase from 2019. Fourth graders not proficient in reading rose from 66 percent in 2019 to 69 percent in 2022. Those increases are slightly higher than the national average, Reza said.In Missouri, 76 percent of eighth graders were not proficient in math and 70% of fourth graders were not proficient in reading.If fourth graders are struggling with a subject matter now, Reza said it will impact the rest of their academic career — that’s why it’s important to analyze this data early and get students caught quickly.Reza said the data indicates that fourth graders may have adapted better to online learning, but it may not be clear why for years to come.“With eighth graders specifically, you're isolated from your peers and your teachers. You are having to learn pretty complex themes and ideas and subject matter in eighth grade,” Reza said. “An online learning environment would be much more detrimental to those factors.”Members of the&nbsp;<a href="https://kclinc.org/" target="_blank">Local Investment Commission</a>&nbsp;in Kansas City said students were expected to learn during difficult conditions during the pandemic, leading to worse academic outcomes. The nonprofit provided families with utility and food assistance to keep homes stable as families faced economic hardship.Janet Miles-Bartee, executive vice president of the commission, said students in the metro still have some of those same needs.“Even though they're back in school… families suffered a lot during the pandemic,” Miles-Bartee said. “We're having to do some of those same supports around the family… making sure that the family as a whole has what it needs so that children are able to go to school, concentrate and learn.”Reza said the pandemic aggravated existing problems with education in Kansas.This school year marked the first time the K-12 education system in Kansas&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/28/kansas-legislature-approves-k-12-education-budget-with-private-school-benefits/" target="_blank">has been funded at a constitutional level</a>&nbsp;since 2008. In 2018,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/education/2019-06-14/kansas-supreme-court-lawmakers-finally-put-enough-money-into-schools" target="_blank">Kansas lawmakers approved</a>&nbsp;a funding increase for schools over multiple years.Jessica Herrera Russell, senior communications manager at KAC, said students are still recovering from the lack of funding. Now that schools have more funding, she hopes to see these math and reading trends reverse.With more funding, she said schools can hire more teachers and decrease the student-to-teacher ratio.“Then teachers have more opportunities to get that one-on-one instruction that is really needed for these students at this time," she said. “If they're not doing great in the first few months in algebra, they're not going to get better, because they never learned the foundational learning that they really needed to apply for the rest of the year."

75% of 8th graders in Kansas, Missouri weren’t proficient in math in 2022

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a deadly gunfight that left a teen dead have made an arrest.

At approximately 6:30 p.m. Saturday, officers were dispatched to report of a shooting in the 900 block of North Glendale in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

Officers arrived on the scene and located 17-year-old Jaron Reed unconscious and not breathing with several gunshot wounds to his upper body. Officers began providing life-saving efforts until EMS arrived.

The teen was pronounced deceased at the scene.

While officers were processing the scene a 21-year-old male victim arrived at a local hospital with a gunshot wound to his hand. The 21-year-old victim had serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

The 21- year-old victim was treated by medical staff and dismissed from the hospital and transported to investigations for further questioning.

Detectives learned that Reed and Love met to conduct a drug transaction before multiple shots were fired. Detectives are still working to fully determine the circumstances leading up to the shooting.

Love is being held on a requested charge of first-degree murder, according to Rebolledo.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688386566244.png" alt="Blurry booking photo of Love-Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Blurry booking photo of Love-Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a deadly gunfight that left a teen dead have made an arrest.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688315722286.png" alt="First responders at the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>First responders at the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>At approximately 6:30 p.m. Saturday, officers were dispatched to report of a shooting in the 900 block of North Glendale in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.Officers arrived on the scene and located 17-year-old Jaron Reed unconscious and not breathing with several gunshot wounds to his upper body. Officers began providing life-saving efforts until EMS arrived.The teen was pronounced deceased at the scene.While officers were processing the scene a 21-year-old male victim arrived at a local hospital with a gunshot wound to his hand. The 21-year-old victim had serious but non-life-threatening injuries.The 21- year-old victim was treated by medical staff and dismissed from the hospital and transported to investigations for further questioning.Detectives learned that Reed and Love met to conduct a drug transaction before multiple shots were fired. Detectives are still working to fully determine the circumstances leading up to the shooting.Love is being held on a requested charge of first-degree murder, according to Rebolledo.

Suspect jailed for gunfight that left 17-year-old Kan. boy dead

ELLIS COUNTY —A Kansas man was arrested last week on fraud charges after an FBI search of his Hays home on June 26, according to a media release from the bureau.

Last week, FBI agents arrested two men who allegedly targeted elderly individuals in a telemarketing scheme by purporting to represent companies who provided advertising and other services to current or former timeshare owners. 

Michael Farole, 44, of West Los Angeles, and Christopher Lang, 42, a resident of Hays, were charged this week in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The defendants allegedly convinced victims to pay advance fees in return for services that involved selling or securing the sale or rental of their timeshares.

Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler said Hays police officers provided a support role in the FBI search of Lang's home on June 26.

After the victims paid initial fees for services that were never provided, Farole and Lang continued to contact the victims by phone, text and email in attempts to obtain additional fees.

The investigation revealed at least 370 elderly individuals lost over $4.5 million as a result of the fraud. The victims used funds from their social security income, investment and retirement accounts, as well as their savings, to pay the fraudulent companies.

Despite the recurring fees that each victim paid, often reaching the hundreds of thousands over several years, none received the timeshare-related services or proceeds promised.

Evidence obtained throughout the investigation indicates that the subjects used the proceeds from their scheme to enrich themselves and to pay for personal expenses and luxury items. Farole was ordered detained at his initial court appearance; Lang has a detention hearing set for next week.

The investigation of Farole and Lang is being conducted by the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, which received assistance from the FBI’s Kansas City Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles.

A criminal complaint contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.

The FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office is raising public awareness about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/safety-resources/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/elder-fraud">elder fraud schemes</a>, which have increased in recent years, and is announcing charges against two men who were arrested June 28, 2023, for allegedly targeting elderly victims. In 2022, adults over the age 60 reported 88,262 complaints to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ic3.gov/" target="_blank">FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center</a>, with a total loss of $3.1 billion. This represents an 84% increase in losses as compared to losses reported in 2021. The average loss per victim was more than $35,000, and more than 5,000 victims lost over $100,000. California leads the nation in the number of elderly victims of fraud, and the collective amount of reported losses incurred in California was $624,509,520 in 2022.

Elder fraud is a form of older adult exploitation where a perpetrator misuses or steals financial assets, savings, income, or personal identifying information from an adult over the age 60, often without their direct knowledge or consent. Fraudsters often use deception to scam older adults by posing as a person in a position of trust (such as a government official) by claiming to have a romantic interest in the victim or by posing as a shrewd investor promising a financial payout.

In 2022, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received almost 10,000 complaints from victims over the age of 60 involving the use of some type of cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, or Ripple. Losses incurred by these victims totaled over $1 billion. Cryptocurrency is becoming a preferred payment method for all types of scams. Last year, William Webster, a former Director of the FBI and of the CIA, was a victim of elder fraud and worked with the FBI&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fbi.gov/video-repository/webster-elder-fraud-psa-040722.mp4/view">to make a public service</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fbi.gov/video-repository/webster-elder-fraud-psa-040722.mp4/view">announcement</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688408367149.png" alt="Christopher Lang was booked into the Shawnee Co. Jail June 28. He is currently being held in Jackson County, according to online jail records." />
 <figcaption>Christopher Lang was booked into the Shawnee Co. Jail June 28. He is currently being held in Jackson County, according to online jail records.</figcaption>
 </figure>ELLIS COUNTY —A Kansas man was arrested last week on fraud charges after an FBI search of his Hays home on June 26, according to a media release from the bureau.Last week, FBI agents arrested two men who allegedly targeted elderly individuals in a telemarketing scheme by purporting to represent companies who provided advertising and other services to current or former timeshare owners. Michael Farole, 44, of West Los Angeles, and Christopher Lang, 42, a resident of Hays, were charged this week in a criminal complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Los Angeles with conspiracy to commit wire fraud. The defendants allegedly convinced victims to pay advance fees in return for services that involved selling or securing the sale or rental of their timeshares.Hays Police Chief Don Scheibler said Hays police officers provided a support role in the FBI search of Lang's home on June 26.After the victims paid initial fees for services that were never provided, Farole and Lang continued to contact the victims by phone, text and email in attempts to obtain additional fees.The investigation revealed at least 370 elderly individuals lost over $4.5 million as a result of the fraud. The victims used funds from their social security income, investment and retirement accounts, as well as their savings, to pay the fraudulent companies.Despite the recurring fees that each victim paid, often reaching the hundreds of thousands over several years, none received the timeshare-related services or proceeds promised.Evidence obtained throughout the investigation indicates that the subjects used the proceeds from their scheme to enrich themselves and to pay for personal expenses and luxury items. Farole was ordered detained at his initial court appearance; Lang has a detention hearing set for next week.The investigation of Farole and Lang is being conducted by the FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office, which received assistance from the FBI’s Kansas City Field Office. The case is being prosecuted by the United States Attorney’s Office in Los Angeles.A criminal complaint contains allegations. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law. <h2>FBI tries to increase fraud awareness</h2>The FBI’s Los Angeles Field Office is raising public awareness about&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/safety-resources/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/elder-fraud">elder fraud schemes</a>, which have increased in recent years, and is announcing charges against two men who were arrested June 28, 2023, for allegedly targeting elderly victims. In 2022, adults over the age 60 reported 88,262 complaints to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ic3.gov/" target="_blank">FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center</a>, with a total loss of $3.1 billion. This represents an 84% increase in losses as compared to losses reported in 2021. The average loss per victim was more than $35,000, and more than 5,000 victims lost over $100,000. California leads the nation in the number of elderly victims of fraud, and the collective amount of reported losses incurred in California was $624,509,520 in 2022.Elder fraud is a form of older adult exploitation where a perpetrator misuses or steals financial assets, savings, income, or personal identifying information from an adult over the age 60, often without their direct knowledge or consent. Fraudsters often use deception to scam older adults by posing as a person in a position of trust (such as a government official) by claiming to have a romantic interest in the victim or by posing as a shrewd investor promising a financial payout.In 2022, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received almost 10,000 complaints from victims over the age of 60 involving the use of some type of cryptocurrency, such as Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, or Ripple. Losses incurred by these victims totaled over $1 billion. Cryptocurrency is becoming a preferred payment method for all types of scams. Last year, William Webster, a former Director of the FBI and of the CIA, was a victim of elder fraud and worked with the FBI&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fbi.gov/video-repository/webster-elder-fraud-psa-040722.mp4/view">to make a public service</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fbi.gov/video-repository/webster-elder-fraud-psa-040722.mp4/view">announcement</a>.

FBI: Kan. man arrested in $4.5 million fraud scheme targeting elderly

Salina Arts Center The Salina Art Center executive director, Misty Serene stopped by Salina Post for an update on upcoming events including the upcoming workshop “Writing with Art: PATTERNS IN POETRY” with Lori Brack.

Nature, visual art, music, math, time, and our daily lives show us patterns over and over again. The work of Alicia Kelly riffs on and revels in repetition and the breaking of pattern

During this workshop you’ll get a chance to look at her work in the exhibition-POV: Point of View and read a couple of short poems that display kinds of patterns. 

Then, you’ll be free to repeat sounds, forms, and ideas as you write narrative poems.

The workshop will take place on July 15 from 10-11:30 a.m.

The workshop is open to middle school, high school students, and adults with a cost of $45 per person.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1675181242657.png" alt="Salina Art Center" />
 <figcaption>Salina Art Center</figcaption>
 </figure> Salina Arts Center The Salina Art Center executive director, Misty Serene stopped by Salina Post for an update on upcoming events including the upcoming workshop “Writing with Art: PATTERNS IN POETRY” with Lori Brack.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688408872030.jpeg" alt="Writing With Art Flyer. Image Courtesy Salina Arts Center" />
 <figcaption>Writing With Art Flyer. Image Courtesy Salina Arts Center</figcaption>
 </figure>Nature, visual art, music, math, time, and our daily lives show us patterns over and over again. The work of Alicia Kelly riffs on and revels in repetition and the breaking of patternDuring this workshop you’ll get a chance to look at her work in the exhibition-POV: Point of View and read a couple of short poems that display kinds of patterns. Then, you’ll be free to repeat sounds, forms, and ideas as you write narrative poems.The workshop will take place on July 15 from 10-11:30 a.m.The workshop is open to middle school, high school students, and adults with a cost of $45 per person.<a href="https://www.cognitoforms.com/Sali.../WritingWithArtWorkshops">SIGN UP HERE</a>Lori Brack is the author of three books of poems, some short stories, and many essays. Her work can be found online and in print. Find out more about her work and read some of her writing at <a href="http://www.loribrack.com">www.loribrack.com</a>.