REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. (AP) — The Israeli strike that killed Hezbollah’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/obituary-nasrallah-lebanon-israel-2da3789a02fd4e2e88511a7f59174d19">Hassan Nasrallah</a>&nbsp;was a “measure of justice" for victims of a four-decade “reign of terror,” President Joe Biden said Saturday.

The comments came after Lebanon’s Hezbollah group&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-israel-hezbollah-airstrikes-28-september-2024-c4751957433ff944c4eb06027885a973">confirmed earlier Saturday</a>&nbsp;that Nasrallah, one of the group’s founders, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut the previous day.

Biden noted that the operation to take out Nasrallah took place in the broader context of the conflict that began with Hamas’ massacre of Israelis on Oct. 7, 2023.

“Nasrallah, the next day, made the fateful decision to join hands with Hamas and open what he called a ‘northern front’ against Israel,” Biden said in a statement.

He also noted that Hezbollah under Nasrallah’s watch has been responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans, Israelis and Lebanese.

Hezbollah attacks against U.S. interests include the truck bombing of the U.S. Embassy and multinational force barracks in Beirut in 1983 and the kidnapping of the Central Intelligence Agency chief of station in Beirut, who died while held captive. The U.S. said Hezbollah leaders armed and trained militias that carried out attacks on American forces during the war in Iraq.

The White House sees the death of Nasrallah as a huge blow to the group. At the same time, the administration has sought to tread carefully as it has tried to contain Israel 's war with Hamas, which, like Hezbollah, is backed by Iran, from exploding into an all-out regional conflict.

The White House and Pentagon were quick on Friday, shortly after the strike, to say publicly that Israel offered it no forewarning of the operation.

“President Biden and I do not want to see conflict in the Middle East escalate into a broader regional war,” Vice President Kamala Harris said in a statement Saturday that echoed Biden's description of a “measure of justice.” She added, “Diplomacy remains the best path forward to protect civilians and achieve lasting stability in the region.”

The confirmation of Nasrallah's death comes during a week that began with Biden’s top national security aides working on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly to build support for a 21-day Israel-Hezbollah cease-fire that they hoped might also breathe new life into stalled efforts to secure a truce in Gaza.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-lebanon-united-nations-12e02fd82f35a8438aa907ca6762bac0">Netanyahu delivered a defiant speech</a>&nbsp;Friday to the United Nations, vowing to keep up operations against Hezbollah until tens of thousands of Israeli citizens displaced by rocket attacks can return home. Shortly after, Israel carried out the strike killing Nasrallah.

Biden reiterated on Saturday that he wants to see cease-fires both in Gaza and between Israel and Hezbollah.

“It is time for these deals to close, for the threats to Israel to be removed, and for the broader Middle East region to gain greater stability,” Biden said.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States of supporting the killing that took out Nasrallah and dozens of others.

“The world community will not forget that the order of the terrorist strike was issued from New York and the Americans cannot absolve themselves from complicity with the Zionists,” Pezeshkian was quoted as saying in a statement read on Iranian state television.

The State Department on Saturday ordered the departure of the families of U.S. diplomats who are not employed by the embassy in Beirut and authorized the departure of those who are, as well as nonessential employees because of “the volatile and unpredictable security situation” in Lebanon’s capital.

The State Department has previously advised American citizens to consider leaving Lebanon and reiterated its warning against all travel to the country.

“Due to the increased volatility following airstrikes within Beirut and the volatile and unpredictable security situation throughout Lebanon, the U.S. Embassy urges U.S. citizens to depart Lebanon while commercial options still remain available,” the department said in a statement Saturday.

The State Department routinely orders or authorizes the departure of nonessential embassy staffers and the families of diplomats when security conditions deteriorate in the country where they are posted.

An ordered departure is not technically an evacuation but does require those affected to leave. An authorized departure allows those affected to leave the country voluntarily at government expense.

Biden on Friday directed the Pentagon to assess and adjust as necessary the U.S. force posture in the region to enhance deterrence, ensure force protection and support the full range of U.S. objectives.

REHOBOTH BEACH, Del. (AP) — The Israeli strike that killed Hezbollah’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/obituary-nasrallah-lebanon-israel-2da3789a02fd4e2e88511a7f59174d19">Hassan Nasrallah</a>&nbsp;was a “measure of justice" for victims of a four-decade “reign of terror,” President Joe Biden said Saturday.The comments came after Lebanon’s Hezbollah group&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lebanon-israel-hezbollah-airstrikes-28-september-2024-c4751957433ff944c4eb06027885a973">confirmed earlier Saturday</a>&nbsp;that Nasrallah, one of the group’s founders, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Beirut the previous day.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Hassan Nasrallah will no longer be able to terrorize the world. <a href="https://t.co/gBWxK9FW2F">pic.twitter.com/gBWxK9FW2F</a>&mdash; Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) <a href="https://twitter.com/IAFsite/status/1839951448190099460?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 28, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden noted that the operation to take out Nasrallah took place in the broader context of the conflict that began with Hamas’ massacre of Israelis on Oct. 7, 2023.“Nasrallah, the next day, made the fateful decision to join hands with Hamas and open what he called a ‘northern front’ against Israel,” Biden said in a statement.He also noted that Hezbollah under Nasrallah’s watch has been responsible for the deaths of thousands of Americans, Israelis and Lebanese.Hezbollah attacks against U.S. interests include the truck bombing of the U.S. Embassy and multinational force barracks in Beirut in 1983 and the kidnapping of the Central Intelligence Agency chief of station in Beirut, who died while held captive. The U.S. said Hezbollah leaders armed and trained militias that carried out attacks on American forces during the war in Iraq.The White House sees the death of Nasrallah as a huge blow to the group. At the same time, the administration has sought to tread carefully as it has tried to contain Israel 's war with Hamas, which, like Hezbollah, is backed by Iran, from exploding into an all-out regional conflict.The White House and Pentagon were quick on Friday, shortly after the strike, to say publicly that Israel offered it no forewarning of the operation.“President Biden and I do not want to see conflict in the Middle East escalate into a broader regional war,” Vice President Kamala Harris said in a statement Saturday that echoed Biden's description of a “measure of justice.” She added, “Diplomacy remains the best path forward to protect civilians and achieve lasting stability in the region.”The confirmation of Nasrallah's death comes during a week that began with Biden’s top national security aides working on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly to build support for a 21-day Israel-Hezbollah cease-fire that they hoped might also breathe new life into stalled efforts to secure a truce in Gaza.Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-lebanon-united-nations-12e02fd82f35a8438aa907ca6762bac0">Netanyahu delivered a defiant speech</a>&nbsp;Friday to the United Nations, vowing to keep up operations against Hezbollah until tens of thousands of Israeli citizens displaced by rocket attacks can return home. Shortly after, Israel carried out the strike killing Nasrallah.Biden reiterated on Saturday that he wants to see cease-fires both in Gaza and between Israel and Hezbollah.“It is time for these deals to close, for the threats to Israel to be removed, and for the broader Middle East region to gain greater stability,” Biden said.Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian accused the United States of supporting the killing that took out Nasrallah and dozens of others.“The world community will not forget that the order of the terrorist strike was issued from New York and the Americans cannot absolve themselves from complicity with the Zionists,” Pezeshkian was quoted as saying in a statement read on Iranian state television.The State Department on Saturday ordered the departure of the families of U.S. diplomats who are not employed by the embassy in Beirut and authorized the departure of those who are, as well as nonessential employees because of “the volatile and unpredictable security situation” in Lebanon’s capital.The State Department has previously advised American citizens to consider leaving Lebanon and reiterated its warning against all travel to the country.“Due to the increased volatility following airstrikes within Beirut and the volatile and unpredictable security situation throughout Lebanon, the U.S. Embassy urges U.S. citizens to depart Lebanon while commercial options still remain available,” the department said in a statement Saturday.The State Department routinely orders or authorizes the departure of nonessential embassy staffers and the families of diplomats when security conditions deteriorate in the country where they are posted.An ordered departure is not technically an evacuation but does require those affected to leave. An authorized departure allows those affected to leave the country voluntarily at government expense.Biden on Friday directed the Pentagon to assess and adjust as necessary the U.S. force posture in the region to enhance deterrence, ensure force protection and support the full range of U.S. objectives.

Biden: Israeli strike killing terrorist leader a 'measure of justice'

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a> State's Newsroom

WASHINGTON — Senate Democrats attempted to pass a resolution Tuesday addressing abortion access in emergency medical situations, but Republicans blocked it from moving forward.

The floor action followed months of unsuccessful attempts by congressional Democrats to approve legislation on various reproductive rights, including access to birth control and in vitro fertilization.

Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said Tuesday she introduced the resolution to clarify what Congress’ objective was several decades ago when lawmakers approved the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, or EMTALA.

“We want to make it clear that Congress’s intent is that women can get life-saving care when they go to an emergency room anywhere in this country,” Murray said.

Oklahoma Republican Sen. James Lankford blocked Murray’s unanimous consent request to approve the resolution, saying that doctors in emergency departments are able to act in cases of miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy and life-threatening situations.

“This is a false claim that somehow what happened in the Dobbs decision and what’s happening in states is limiting that,” Lankford said. “It’s actually the political rhetoric that’s making people afraid.”

Lankford objected to another of Murray’s unanimous consent requests in March,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/gop-us-sen-lankford-oklahoma-blocks-bill-expanding-ivf-vets-service-members" target="_blank">blocking approval of legislation</a>&nbsp;that would have expanded access to in vitro fertilization for military members and veterans.

Unanimous consent is the fastest way to approve legislative items in the Senate. Under the process, any one senator can ask to approve a bill or resolution and any one senator can object. There is no recorded vote that puts all senators on the record.

Murray’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-resolution/828/text?s=8&amp;r=1&amp;q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22patty+murray%22%7D" target="_blank">two-page resolution</a>, which had the backing of 40 cosponsors, would have expressed “the sense of the Senate that every person has the basic right to emergency health care, including abortion care.”

The resolution also expressed that “State laws that purport to ban and restrict abortion in emergency circumstances force medical providers to decide between withholding necessary, stabilizing medical care from a patient experiencing a medical emergency or facing criminal prosecution, and put the lives, health, and futures of patients at risk.”

This resolution wouldn’t have actually changed the text of EMTALA.

The 1986 law states that hospital emergency departments must treat or transfer patients who have emergency medical conditions, regardless of their health insurance status or ability to pay.

It defines an emergency medical condition as something that could result in the health of the patient being in “serious jeopardy,” such as the patient “experiencing serious impairment to bodily functions, or serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part.”

The federal law has been the center of political and legal debate since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the constitutional right to abortion two years ago in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling.

The Biden administration&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/state-bans-abortion-dont-apply-emergency-health-care-white-house-reminds-providers" target="_blank">issued a public letter</a>&nbsp;shortly afterward saying EMTALA protected doctors and other qualified health care providers who ended a pregnancy to stabilize the patient if their life or health was at risk.

Republican attorneys general in several states challenged that view of the law and the U.S. Department of Justice later sued Idaho over its abortion law.

That case made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this year, but the justices ultimately decided to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-supreme-court-sends-idaho-abortion-case-back-down-lower-courts" target="_blank">send it back</a>&nbsp;to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The high court said it should have waited to hear the case until after the lower court ruled.

At the center of the disagreement between Republican state attorneys general and the Biden administration is that the federal law applies when a pregnant patient’s life or health is at risk; many of the conservative state laws only allow abortions after a certain gestational age when a woman’s life is at risk.

Exactly when a woman’s life becomes at risk due to pregnancy complications has led to dozens of stories from women throughout the country, who say they had to wait for treatment until their health deteriorated further.

Analysis from the Associated Press&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pregnant-women-emergency-room-ectopic-er-edd66276d2f6c412c988051b618fb8f9" target="_blank">released</a>&nbsp;in August found that more than 100 women experiencing medical distress during pregnancy were turned away from hospitals or negligently treated during the last two years.

ProPublica&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2024/09/16/abortion-bans-have-delayed-medical-care-experts-say-this-georgia-mothers-death-was-preventable/" target="_blank">recently obtained</a>&nbsp;reports “that confirm that at least two women have already died after they couldn’t access legal abortions and timely medical care in their state.”

‘This cruelty is unforgivable and unacceptable’

The Senate resolution that Republicans rejected Tuesday is nearly identical to one House Democrats&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/democrats-introduce-resolution-stating-us-house-support-emergency-abortion-care" target="_blank">introduced</a>&nbsp;earlier this month.

Murray said ahead of her UC request that women and their families will not forget about being denied medical care due to Republican state restrictions on abortion access.

“No woman is ever going to forget when she was sent off to miscarry alone after her doctor said, ‘Look, I know your life is in danger, but I’m not sure I’m allowed to save you right now,’” Murray said. “No husband is going to forget calling 911 in a panic after finding his wife bloody and unconscious. No child is going to forget, for a single day of their life, the mother that was taken from them by Republican abortion bans.

“This cruelty is unforgivable and unacceptable. Democrats will not let it become settled status quo.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727292249434.png" alt=" Oklahoma Republican Sen. James Lankford speaks with reporters outside the U.S. Capitol about border policy negotiations (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)" />
 <figcaption> Oklahoma Republican Sen. James Lankford speaks with reporters outside the U.S. Capitol about border policy negotiations (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jennifer-shutt/">JENNIFER SHUTT</a> State's NewsroomWASHINGTON — Senate Democrats attempted to pass a resolution Tuesday addressing abortion access in emergency medical situations, but Republicans blocked it from moving forward.The floor action followed months of unsuccessful attempts by congressional Democrats to approve legislation on various reproductive rights, including access to birth control and in vitro fertilization.Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., said Tuesday she introduced the resolution to clarify what Congress’ objective was several decades ago when lawmakers approved the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act, or EMTALA.“We want to make it clear that Congress’s intent is that women can get life-saving care when they go to an emergency room anywhere in this country,” Murray said.Oklahoma Republican Sen. James Lankford blocked Murray’s unanimous consent request to approve the resolution, saying that doctors in emergency departments are able to act in cases of miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy and life-threatening situations.“This is a false claim that somehow what happened in the Dobbs decision and what’s happening in states is limiting that,” Lankford said. “It’s actually the political rhetoric that’s making people afraid.”Lankford objected to another of Murray’s unanimous consent requests in March,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/gop-us-sen-lankford-oklahoma-blocks-bill-expanding-ivf-vets-service-members" target="_blank">blocking approval of legislation</a>&nbsp;that would have expanded access to in vitro fertilization for military members and veterans.<h2>No recorded vote</h2>Unanimous consent is the fastest way to approve legislative items in the Senate. Under the process, any one senator can ask to approve a bill or resolution and any one senator can object. There is no recorded vote that puts all senators on the record.Murray’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-resolution/828/text?s=8&amp;r=1&amp;q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22patty+murray%22%7D" target="_blank">two-page resolution</a>, which had the backing of 40 cosponsors, would have expressed “the sense of the Senate that every person has the basic right to emergency health care, including abortion care.”The resolution also expressed that “State laws that purport to ban and restrict abortion in emergency circumstances force medical providers to decide between withholding necessary, stabilizing medical care from a patient experiencing a medical emergency or facing criminal prosecution, and put the lives, health, and futures of patients at risk.”This resolution wouldn’t have actually changed the text of EMTALA.The 1986 law states that hospital emergency departments must treat or transfer patients who have emergency medical conditions, regardless of their health insurance status or ability to pay.It defines an emergency medical condition as something that could result in the health of the patient being in “serious jeopardy,” such as the patient “experiencing serious impairment to bodily functions, or serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part.”<h2>Dobbs decision</h2>The federal law has been the center of political and legal debate since the U.S. Supreme Court struck down the constitutional right to abortion two years ago in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization ruling.The Biden administration&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/state-bans-abortion-dont-apply-emergency-health-care-white-house-reminds-providers" target="_blank">issued a public letter</a>&nbsp;shortly afterward saying EMTALA protected doctors and other qualified health care providers who ended a pregnancy to stabilize the patient if their life or health was at risk.Republican attorneys general in several states challenged that view of the law and the U.S. Department of Justice later sued Idaho over its abortion law.That case made its way to the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this year, but the justices ultimately decided to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-supreme-court-sends-idaho-abortion-case-back-down-lower-courts" target="_blank">send it back</a>&nbsp;to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The high court said it should have waited to hear the case until after the lower court ruled.At the center of the disagreement between Republican state attorneys general and the Biden administration is that the federal law applies when a pregnant patient’s life or health is at risk; many of the conservative state laws only allow abortions after a certain gestational age when a woman’s life is at risk.Exactly when a woman’s life becomes at risk due to pregnancy complications has led to dozens of stories from women throughout the country, who say they had to wait for treatment until their health deteriorated further.Analysis from the Associated Press&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pregnant-women-emergency-room-ectopic-er-edd66276d2f6c412c988051b618fb8f9" target="_blank">released</a>&nbsp;in August found that more than 100 women experiencing medical distress during pregnancy were turned away from hospitals or negligently treated during the last two years.ProPublica&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/2024/09/16/abortion-bans-have-delayed-medical-care-experts-say-this-georgia-mothers-death-was-preventable/" target="_blank">recently obtained</a>&nbsp;reports “that confirm that at least two women have already died after they couldn’t access legal abortions and timely medical care in their state.”<h2>‘This cruelty is unforgivable and unacceptable’</h2>The Senate resolution that Republicans rejected Tuesday is nearly identical to one House Democrats&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/democrats-introduce-resolution-stating-us-house-support-emergency-abortion-care" target="_blank">introduced</a>&nbsp;earlier this month.Murray said ahead of her UC request that women and their families will not forget about being denied medical care due to Republican state restrictions on abortion access.“No woman is ever going to forget when she was sent off to miscarry alone after her doctor said, ‘Look, I know your life is in danger, but I’m not sure I’m allowed to save you right now,’” Murray said. “No husband is going to forget calling 911 in a panic after finding his wife bloody and unconscious. No child is going to forget, for a single day of their life, the mother that was taken from them by Republican abortion bans.“This cruelty is unforgivable and unacceptable. Democrats will not let it become settled status quo.”

GOP senator blocks resolution stating right to emergency care includes abortion

JACKSON COUNTY– Law enforcement are investigating a wanted suspect on new drug allegations.&nbsp;

Just after 3:30 p.m. September 26, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Ford Taurus for multiple alleged traffic infractions near 118th road on U.S. Hwy 75, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

During the course of the traffic stop, a K9 detected the odor of illegal drugs or narcotics within the vehicle. A passenger of the vehicle was identified as Steven Christopher Lee, 49, of Topeka.&nbsp; It was discovered Lee was wanted by the U.S. Marshals Service. &nbsp;A probable cause search was conducted of the vehicle and resulted in the discovery of methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia.

Lee was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727431578389.png" alt="Lee-photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Lee-photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY– Law enforcement are investigating a wanted suspect on new drug allegations.&nbsp;Just after 3:30 p.m. September 26, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Ford Taurus for multiple alleged traffic infractions near 118th road on U.S. Hwy 75, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.During the course of the traffic stop, a K9 detected the odor of illegal drugs or narcotics within the vehicle. A passenger of the vehicle was identified as Steven Christopher Lee, 49, of Topeka.&nbsp; It was discovered Lee was wanted by the U.S. Marshals Service. &nbsp;A probable cause search was conducted of the vehicle and resulted in the discovery of methamphetamine, and drug paraphernalia.Lee was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

Suspect wanted by U.S. Marshals captured during Kan. traffic stop

SHAWNEE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 10p.m. Friday in Shawnee County.

A Ford Ranger with one occupant was westbound on 62nd Street at U.S. 75 Highway, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

It appears the driver failed to stop at the stop sign, according to Christian. A southbound jeep with two occupants struck the pickup.

The driver of the Ford pickup was pronounced dead at the scene. American Medical Response transported two in the jeep to a local hospital. The accident remains under investigation.&nbsp; The sheriff's office released no additional details early Saturday. Check the&nbsp; Post for more information as it becomes available.

SHAWNEE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 10p.m. Friday in Shawnee County.A Ford Ranger with one occupant was westbound on 62nd Street at U.S. 75 Highway, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.It appears the driver failed to stop at the stop sign, according to Christian. A southbound jeep with two occupants struck the pickup.The driver of the Ford pickup was pronounced dead at the scene. American Medical Response transported two in the jeep to a local hospital. The accident remains under investigation.&nbsp; The sheriff's office released no additional details early Saturday. Check the&nbsp; Post for more information as it becomes available.

1 dead, 2 hospitalized after crash on Kansas highway

In nearly two years, Kansas has received $18.2 million in taxes from sports books

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The Kansas budget director said Thursday passage of a proposed Missouri constitutional amendment in November allowing legal sports wagering would cut into Kansas’ gaming tax revenue.

Adam Proffitt, who serves as secretary of the Kansas Department of Administration and as budget director under Gov. Laura Kelly, said adoption of the Missouri amendment would carve into cross-border betting by Missouri residents. He didn’t offer an estimate of the revenue shift.

“I would be naive to say that it wouldn’t have any impact,” Proffitt said during an economic outlook conference at Washburn University. “We’d like to keep that money in Kansas.”

Under Kansas law, people placing the bets must be present in Kansas even if making the wager through an online platform through DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, ESPN BET, Fanatics or Caesars.

“I live in the Kansas City metro and on some Sunday mornings about 11:30, if I drive toward State Line (Road), there’s a host of cars literally lined up on the Kansas side — they’re on their phones placing bets on football games,” Proffitt said.

On Sept. 1, 2022, Kelly placed the first legal sports bet in Kansas. She wagered $15 — to match quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ jersey number — on the Kansas City Chiefs winning Super Bowl LVII. On Feb. 12, 2023, Kelly proved herself an adept sports gambler. The Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles for the championship, and the governor won $150.

In nearly two years of government-sanctioned sports wagering in Kansas, the state has drawn $18.2 million in tax revenue. Tax in Kansas during August was $657,000, an increase from $484,000 in August 2023.

Gambling platforms authorized to operate in Kansas have documented revenue of $182 million on $4.1 billion in wagering since launching in 2022.

Proponents of Missouri Amendment 2 released an economic study indicating total tax revenue in the state would total $4.7 million in the initial year of operation, but grow to $38.7 million in the fifth year.

Missouri voters will decide the sports betting constitutional initiative Nov. 5. If approved, Missouri regulators would be directed to set up a sports gambling network by December 2024.

Overall, Proffitt said the state general fund in the current fiscal year had authorized expenditures of $10.5 billion on forecasted revenue of $9.7 billion. The state’s cash reserves would cushion that spending hit, he said.

“So, we’re spending more than we take in,” he said. “Really critical to note, we had a lot of one-time projects scheduled. We have a strong ending balance.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727472070746.jpeg" alt=" Adam Proffitt, the budget director under Gov. Laura Kelly, said during an economic outlook conference at Washburn University that passage of a Missouri constitutional amendment legalizing sports wagering would reduce Kansas' gambling revenue once Missouri residents in the Kansas City area had an alternative to driving across the state line to place online bets. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Adam Proffitt, the budget director under Gov. Laura Kelly, said during an economic outlook conference at Washburn University that passage of a Missouri constitutional amendment legalizing sports wagering would reduce Kansas' gambling revenue once Missouri residents in the Kansas City area had an alternative to driving across the state line to place online bets. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>In nearly two years, Kansas has received $18.2 million in taxes from sports books</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Kansas budget director said Thursday passage of a proposed Missouri constitutional amendment in November allowing legal sports wagering would cut into Kansas’ gaming tax revenue.Adam Proffitt, who serves as secretary of the Kansas Department of Administration and as budget director under Gov. Laura Kelly, said adoption of the Missouri amendment would carve into cross-border betting by Missouri residents. He didn’t offer an estimate of the revenue shift.“I would be naive to say that it wouldn’t have any impact,” Proffitt said during an economic outlook conference at Washburn University. “We’d like to keep that money in Kansas.”Under Kansas law, people placing the bets must be present in Kansas even if making the wager through an online platform through DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, ESPN BET, Fanatics or Caesars.“I live in the Kansas City metro and on some Sunday mornings about 11:30, if I drive toward State Line (Road), there’s a host of cars literally lined up on the Kansas side — they’re on their phones placing bets on football games,” Proffitt said.On Sept. 1, 2022, Kelly placed the first legal sports bet in Kansas. She wagered $15 — to match quarterback Patrick Mahomes’ jersey number — on the Kansas City Chiefs winning Super Bowl LVII. On Feb. 12, 2023, Kelly proved herself an adept sports gambler. The Chiefs defeated the Philadelphia Eagles for the championship, and the governor won $150.In nearly two years of government-sanctioned sports wagering in Kansas, the state has drawn $18.2 million in tax revenue. Tax in Kansas during August was $657,000, an increase from $484,000 in August 2023.Gambling platforms authorized to operate in Kansas have documented revenue of $182 million on $4.1 billion in wagering since launching in 2022.Proponents of Missouri Amendment 2 released an economic study indicating total tax revenue in the state would total $4.7 million in the initial year of operation, but grow to $38.7 million in the fifth year.Missouri voters will decide the sports betting constitutional initiative Nov. 5. If approved, Missouri regulators would be directed to set up a sports gambling network by December 2024.Overall, Proffitt said the state general fund in the current fiscal year had authorized expenditures of $10.5 billion on forecasted revenue of $9.7 billion. The state’s cash reserves would cushion that spending hit, he said.“So, we’re spending more than we take in,” he said. “Really critical to note, we had a lot of one-time projects scheduled. We have a strong ending balance.”

Passage of Mo. sports betting amendment will squeeze Kan. gaming revenue

JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a reported arson fire and shooting at a Kansas home.

Just before 4a.m. Friday, a homeowner near West 158th Terrance and Woodson in Overland Park&nbsp; observed a white compact car park in front of his residence, according to Overland Park Police Officer John Lacy

 The homeowner felt suspicious and observed the driver exit the vehicle and walk toward the backyard of a home in the 15700 block of Outlook. 

 The witness heard glass breakage and observed a flame from the house.  The witness said he then saw the suspect running back toward the white compact car. 

 The witness advised he pointed his firearm toward the suspect who was wearing a mask and gave several commands to stop, however the suspect did not comply and entered the vehicle.&nbsp; As the suspect left west on West 158 Terrance, the witness fired several rounds at the vehicle as it departed.

 It is unknown whether the suspect was struck, according to Lacy. The two adults and two children inside the home were not injured.  Overland Park Fire responded to the scene and distinguished the small fire. 

Anyone with information regarding this incident, please contact the Overland Park Police at 913- 344-8742 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS.&nbsp;

JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a reported arson fire and shooting at a Kansas home.Just before 4a.m. Friday, a homeowner near West 158th Terrance and Woodson in Overland Park&nbsp; observed a white compact car park in front of his residence, according to Overland Park Police Officer John Lacy The homeowner felt suspicious and observed the driver exit the vehicle and walk toward the backyard of a home in the 15700 block of Outlook. The witness heard glass breakage and observed a flame from the house. The witness said he then saw the suspect running back toward the white compact car. The witness advised he pointed his firearm toward the suspect who was wearing a mask and gave several commands to stop, however the suspect did not comply and entered the vehicle.&nbsp; As the suspect left west on West 158 Terrance, the witness fired several rounds at the vehicle as it departed. It is unknown whether the suspect was struck, according to Lacy. The two adults and two children inside the home were not injured. Overland Park Fire responded to the scene and distinguished the small fire. Anyone with information regarding this incident, please contact the Overland Park Police at 913- 344-8742 or the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS.&nbsp;

Police: Kan. homeowner shot at fleeing arson suspect

RILEY COUNTY —One person died in an accident involving a motorcycle and pedestrian just before 10p.m. Friday in Riley County.

According to the Riley County Police Department, a Honda CX 500 Custom motorcycle driven by Kameron Banks, 19, of Manhattan, was westbound in the 2300 Block of U.S. 24 between Kimball Avenue and Northfield Drive.

The motorcycle collided with a pedestrian, identified as Travell Toliver, 49, of Manhattan, who was crossing the highway. Toliver was pronounced dead at the scene.

&nbsp;Riley County EMS transported Banks to Ascension Via Christi and later he was transferred to Stormont Vail in Topeka by Life Star. He is expected to survive his injuries.

The road was closed for several hours to allow for investigation, with assistance from Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) in diverting traffic.

RCPD is asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash to contact our department at (785) 537-2112 or submit information through Crime Stoppers.

RILEY COUNTY —One person died in an accident that occurred late Friday in Riley County.

According to the Riley County Police Department a motorcycle with two occupants crashed on northbound Tuttle Creek Boulevard. One person was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported the other occupant to Via Christi for treatment of life-threatening injuries.

The accident remains under investigation. The RCPD released no additional details early Saturday.&nbsp; Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

RILEY COUNTY —One person died in an accident involving a motorcycle and pedestrian just before 10p.m. Friday in Riley County.According to the Riley County Police Department, a Honda CX 500 Custom motorcycle driven by Kameron Banks, 19, of Manhattan, was westbound in the 2300 Block of U.S. 24 between Kimball Avenue and Northfield Drive.The motorcycle collided with a pedestrian, identified as Travell Toliver, 49, of Manhattan, who was crossing the highway. Toliver was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;Riley County EMS transported Banks to Ascension Via Christi and later he was transferred to Stormont Vail in Topeka by Life Star. He is expected to survive his injuries.The road was closed for several hours to allow for investigation, with assistance from Kansas Department of Transportation (KDOT) in diverting traffic.RCPD is asking anyone who may have witnessed the crash to contact our department at (785) 537-2112 or submit information through Crime Stoppers.-----------RILEY COUNTY —One person died in an accident that occurred late Friday in Riley County.According to the Riley County Police Department a motorcycle with two occupants crashed on northbound Tuttle Creek Boulevard. One person was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported the other occupant to Via Christi for treatment of life-threatening injuries.The accident remains under investigation. The RCPD released no additional details early Saturday.&nbsp; Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

Kansas man dead after struck by a motorcycle

DOUGLAS, Ariz. (AP) — Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;walked a scrubby stretch of fence line along Arizona’s border with Mexico on Friday, seeking to project an image of strength against illegal migration as she confronts one of her biggest vulnerabilities in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">the November election</a>.

In her first trip to the international boundary since becoming the Democratic presidential nominee, Harris chatted with local Border Patrol leaders as they strode along a rust-colored stretch of wall built during Barack Obama’s presidency. Temperatures in Douglas, Arizona, neared 100 degrees during a conversation that lasted about half an hour.

“They’ve got a tough job, and they need, rightly, support to do their job,” Harris said of the Border Patrol as she entered the Douglas port of entry for a briefing on efforts to block the flow of fentanyl across the border. “They are very dedicated. And so I’m here to talk with them about what we can continue to do to support them. And also thank them for the hard work they do.”

Later, she was expected to call for further tightening asylum restrictions, moving beyond President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden’s</a>&nbsp;policy on an issue where her rival, former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, has an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-trump-economy-poll-inflation-dc80ac9e5d7da42900762910d5f0a283">edge with voters</a>. Hundreds of people packed into a gymnasium to hear her speak.

Trump and his fellow Republicans have pounded Harris relentlessly over the Biden administration’s record on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/immigration">migration</a>&nbsp;and fault the vice president for spending little time visiting the border during her time in the White House.

Harris will outline her plan to crack down further on asylum claims and keep the restrictions in place longer compared to the executive order that Biden signed this summer, according to a campaign official who spoke on condition of anonymity because Harris had not yet made the announcement. The official briefed reporters aboard Air Force 2 en route to Arizona.

Harris arrived by helicopter in Douglas, where she met with Mayor Donald Huish, Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels and County Supervisor Ann English, along with Sen. Mark Kelly and Attorney General Kris Mayes.

Immigration and border security are top issues in Arizona, the only battleground state that borders Mexico and one that contended with a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lukeville-arizona-border-crossing-closed-ae04e8c861a95e98dbfc8d49244cf092">record influx</a>&nbsp;of asylum seekers last year. Voters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-border-arizona-trip-trump-immigration-7f69b21e927319ef48e854e9305a9a3c">favor Trump</a>&nbsp;on migration, and Harris has gone on offense to improve her standing on the issue and defuse a key line of political attack for Trump.

In nearly every campaign speech she gives, Harris recounts how a sweeping bipartisan package aiming to overhaul the federal immigration system&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-aid-border-security-386dcc54b29a5491f8bd87b727a284f8">collapsed in Congress</a>&nbsp;earlier this year after Trump urged top Republicans to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-ukraine-trump-a8601ec6629ddc5b769028ca99ad9879">oppose it</a>.

“The American people deserve a president who cares more about border security than playing political games,” Harris plans to say, according to an excerpt of her remarks previewed by her campaign.

After the immigration legislation stalled, the Biden administration announced rules that bar&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-asylum-ban-halt-border-mexico-1905e3565b2da1cffb8f38a778c07118">migrants from being granted asylum</a>&nbsp;when U.S. officials deem that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/region/us-mexico-border/" target="_blank">the southern border</a>&nbsp;is overwhelmed. Since then,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/border-customs-mexico-immigration-041678cab8c135cf60757f0a99f11b47">arrests for illegal border crossings have fallen</a>.

Harris will also use her trip to remind voters about her work as attorney general of California in confronting crime along the border. During an August rally in Glendale, outside Phoenix, she talked about helping to prosecute drug- and people-smuggling gangs that operated transnationally and at the border.

“I prosecuted them in case after case, and I won,” Harris said then.

The vice president’s trip to Douglas thrusts the issue of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-border-texas-migrants-a378073ed4e565570b4d4aa20f3a9ff8">immigration into the brightest spotlight</a>&nbsp;yet less than six weeks before Election Day.

Trump didn’t wait for her to arrive there before pushing back. He pointed Friday to purported data about criminals entering the U.S. illegally in a bid to link Harris to violent crimes committed by migrants. In a scathing diatribe, he said “blood is on her hands.”

“These are hard, tough, vicious criminals that are free to roam in our country,” Trump said at a manufacturing plant in Michigan.

Earlier in the week, he told voters that “when Kamala speaks about the border, her credibility is less than zero.”

The Trump campaign has also countered with its own TV ads deriding the vice president as a failed “border czar.”

“Under Harris, over 10 million illegally here,” said one spot. However, estimates on how many people have entered the country illegally since the start of the Biden administration in 2021 vary widely.

Harris also never held the position of border czar. Instead, her&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-3400f56255e000547d1ca3ce1aa6b8e9">assignment</a>&nbsp;was to tackle the “root causes” of migration from three Central American nations — El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras — that were responsible for a significant share of border crossers.

The vice president took a long-term approach to an immediate problem, helping persuade multinational corporations and Latin American businesses to invest in the region. That, she argued, would create jobs and give locals more reasons to stay home rather than take the arduous trek north.

Still, Trump has continued to decry an “invasion” of border crossers.

Douglas, where Harris appeared, is an overwhelmingly Democratic border town in GOP-dominated Cochise County, where the Republicans on the board of supervisors are facing criminal charges for refusing to certify the 2022 election results. Trump was in the area last month, using a remote stretch of border wall and a pile of steel beams to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-border-mexico-immigration-a38e69068d0484d4adedf7a8a8c7d973">draw a contrast</a>&nbsp;between himself and Harris on border security.

The town of 16,000 people has strong ties to its much larger neighbor, Agua Prieta, Mexico, and a busy port of entry that’s slated for a long-sought upgrade. Many locals are as concerned with making legal border crossings more efficient as they are with combatting illegal ones.

DOUGLAS, Ariz. (AP) — Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;walked a scrubby stretch of fence line along Arizona’s border with Mexico on Friday, seeking to project an image of strength against illegal migration as she confronts one of her biggest vulnerabilities in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">the November election</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/VP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@vp</a> Kamala Harris at the Southern Border in Arizona <a href="https://t.co/QpI9m2mlk1">pic.twitter.com/QpI9m2mlk1</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1839810842356842573?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In her first trip to the international boundary since becoming the Democratic presidential nominee, Harris chatted with local Border Patrol leaders as they strode along a rust-colored stretch of wall built during Barack Obama’s presidency. Temperatures in Douglas, Arizona, neared 100 degrees during a conversation that lasted about half an hour.“They’ve got a tough job, and they need, rightly, support to do their job,” Harris said of the Border Patrol as she entered the Douglas port of entry for a briefing on efforts to block the flow of fentanyl across the border. “They are very dedicated. And so I’m here to talk with them about what we can continue to do to support them. And also thank them for the hard work they do.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727485637215.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>Later, she was expected to call for further tightening asylum restrictions, moving beyond President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden’s</a>&nbsp;policy on an issue where her rival, former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, has an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-trump-economy-poll-inflation-dc80ac9e5d7da42900762910d5f0a283">edge with voters</a>. Hundreds of people packed into a gymnasium to hear her speak.Trump and his fellow Republicans have pounded Harris relentlessly over the Biden administration’s record on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/immigration">migration</a>&nbsp;and fault the vice president for spending little time visiting the border during her time in the White House.Harris will outline her plan to crack down further on asylum claims and keep the restrictions in place longer compared to the executive order that Biden signed this summer, according to a campaign official who spoke on condition of anonymity because Harris had not yet made the announcement. The official briefed reporters aboard Air Force 2 en route to Arizona.Harris arrived by helicopter in Douglas, where she met with Mayor Donald Huish, Cochise County Sheriff Mark Dannels and County Supervisor Ann English, along with Sen. Mark Kelly and Attorney General Kris Mayes.Immigration and border security are top issues in Arizona, the only battleground state that borders Mexico and one that contended with a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lukeville-arizona-border-crossing-closed-ae04e8c861a95e98dbfc8d49244cf092">record influx</a>&nbsp;of asylum seekers last year. Voters&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-border-arizona-trip-trump-immigration-7f69b21e927319ef48e854e9305a9a3c">favor Trump</a>&nbsp;on migration, and Harris has gone on offense to improve her standing on the issue and defuse a key line of political attack for Trump.In nearly every campaign speech she gives, Harris recounts how a sweeping bipartisan package aiming to overhaul the federal immigration system&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-ukraine-aid-border-security-386dcc54b29a5491f8bd87b727a284f8">collapsed in Congress</a>&nbsp;earlier this year after Trump urged top Republicans to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-border-security-ukraine-trump-a8601ec6629ddc5b769028ca99ad9879">oppose it</a>.“The American people deserve a president who cares more about border security than playing political games,” Harris plans to say, according to an excerpt of her remarks previewed by her campaign.After the immigration legislation stalled, the Biden administration announced rules that bar&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-asylum-ban-halt-border-mexico-1905e3565b2da1cffb8f38a778c07118">migrants from being granted asylum</a>&nbsp;when U.S. officials deem that&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ap.org/news-highlights/region/us-mexico-border/" target="_blank">the southern border</a>&nbsp;is overwhelmed. Since then,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/border-customs-mexico-immigration-041678cab8c135cf60757f0a99f11b47">arrests for illegal border crossings have fallen</a>.Harris will also use her trip to remind voters about her work as attorney general of California in confronting crime along the border. During an August rally in Glendale, outside Phoenix, she talked about helping to prosecute drug- and people-smuggling gangs that operated transnationally and at the border.“I prosecuted them in case after case, and I won,” Harris said then.The vice president’s trip to Douglas thrusts the issue of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-border-texas-migrants-a378073ed4e565570b4d4aa20f3a9ff8">immigration into the brightest spotlight</a>&nbsp;yet less than six weeks before Election Day.Trump didn’t wait for her to arrive there before pushing back. He pointed Friday to purported data about criminals entering the U.S. illegally in a bid to link Harris to violent crimes committed by migrants. In a scathing diatribe, he said “blood is on her hands.”“These are hard, tough, vicious criminals that are free to roam in our country,” Trump said at a manufacturing plant in Michigan.Earlier in the week, he told voters that “when Kamala speaks about the border, her credibility is less than zero.”The Trump campaign has also countered with its own TV ads deriding the vice president as a failed “border czar.”“Under Harris, over 10 million illegally here,” said one spot. However, estimates on how many people have entered the country illegally since the start of the Biden administration in 2021 vary widely.Harris also never held the position of border czar. Instead, her&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-3400f56255e000547d1ca3ce1aa6b8e9">assignment</a>&nbsp;was to tackle the “root causes” of migration from three Central American nations — El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras — that were responsible for a significant share of border crossers.The vice president took a long-term approach to an immediate problem, helping persuade multinational corporations and Latin American businesses to invest in the region. That, she argued, would create jobs and give locals more reasons to stay home rather than take the arduous trek north.Still, Trump has continued to decry an “invasion” of border crossers.Douglas, where Harris appeared, is an overwhelmingly Democratic border town in GOP-dominated Cochise County, where the Republicans on the board of supervisors are facing criminal charges for refusing to certify the 2022 election results. Trump was in the area last month, using a remote stretch of border wall and a pile of steel beams to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-border-mexico-immigration-a38e69068d0484d4adedf7a8a8c7d973">draw a contrast</a>&nbsp;between himself and Harris on border security.The town of 16,000 people has strong ties to its much larger neighbor, Agua Prieta, Mexico, and a busy port of entry that’s slated for a long-sought upgrade. Many locals are as concerned with making legal border crossings more efficient as they are with combatting illegal ones.

🎥Harris visits US-Mexico border to project tougher stance on migration

SEDGWICK COUNTY — The suspect involved in a shooting near a school on Monday made his first court appearance in the case.

Vincent Solomon Jr., 46,&nbsp; Wichita, is charged with attempted 1st degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, and interference with law enforcement, according to the Sedgwick County District attorney's office

Just after 9a.m. Monday, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications began to receive reports of a shooting outside Cessna Elementary School, 2101 West 45th Street South in Wichita, according to a statement from Police Chief Joe Sullivan during a Tuesday afternoon news conference.

The call was broadcast on all law enforcement radio channels. A Sedgwick County Deputy heard the call and responded. When the deputy arrived, he located Solomon who was armed with a handgun. The man made statements that the deputy would kill him while pointing the gun at the deputy, according to Sullivan.

The suspect than ran to and laid on top of a 30-year-old woman. The deputy gave commands for the man to drop his gun and observed the suspect place the gun to the woman's head.

In defense of the woman, the deputy fired his gun twice. The suspect would not let go of the woman. The deputy then attempted to disarm the man physically. It took two Wichita Police officers and the deputy to disarm Solomon.

Investigators have learned that Solomon and woman live together and have children together. The couple had an argument in a vehicle on the way to the school which led to the suspect shooting the woman multiple times. The woman ran toward the school and the Solomon chased her. A Wichita Public School staff member saw the suspect with the gun approaching the school and pulled the door of the school shut and locked it so the suspect could not get inside.

EMS transported Solomon and the woman to an area hospital for treatment.

The Advanced Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) was activated to conduct this investigation. Solomon remains jailed on a $750,000 bond. He is due back in court October 7.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727347323043.png" alt="Solomon -photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Solomon -photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — The suspect involved in a shooting near a school on Monday made his first court appearance in the case.Vincent Solomon Jr., 46,&nbsp; Wichita, is charged with attempted 1st degree murder, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, and interference with law enforcement, according to the Sedgwick County District attorney's officeJust after 9a.m. Monday, Sedgwick County Emergency Communications began to receive reports of a shooting outside Cessna Elementary School, 2101 West 45th Street South in Wichita, according to a statement from Police Chief Joe Sullivan during a Tuesday afternoon news conference.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727210527551.png" alt="Image from security camera shows Solomon chasing the woman, after she had been shot, as they approach the entrance to the school.- image from Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Image from security camera shows Solomon chasing the woman, after she had been shot, as they approach the entrance to the school.- image from Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>The call was broadcast on all law enforcement radio channels. A Sedgwick County Deputy heard the call and responded. When the deputy arrived, he located Solomon who was armed with a handgun. The man made statements that the deputy would kill him while pointing the gun at the deputy, according to Sullivan.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727106753444.png" alt="Police on the scene near the school-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene near the school-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>The suspect than ran to and laid on top of a 30-year-old woman. The deputy gave commands for the man to drop his gun and observed the suspect place the gun to the woman's head.In defense of the woman, the deputy fired his gun twice. The suspect would not let go of the woman. The deputy then attempted to disarm the man physically. It took two Wichita Police officers and the deputy to disarm Solomon.Investigators have learned that Solomon and woman live together and have children together. The couple had an argument in a vehicle on the way to the school which led to the suspect shooting the woman multiple times. The woman ran toward the school and the Solomon chased her. A Wichita Public School staff member saw the suspect with the gun approaching the school and pulled the door of the school shut and locked it so the suspect could not get inside.EMS transported Solomon and the woman to an area hospital for treatment.The Advanced Law Enforcement Response Team (ALERT) was activated to conduct this investigation. Solomon remains jailed on a $750,000 bond. He is due back in court October 7.

Kan. man who shot woman near a school released on bond

NEW YORK (AP) — Ukrainian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/volodymyr-zelenskyy">Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;met face-to-face with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Friday with public tensions rising between the two over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Ukraine's defense against Russia's invasion</a>&nbsp;and in the midst of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">U.S. presidential election</a>.

“We both want to see this end, and we both want to see a fair deal made,” Trump told Fox News, referring to the Russia-Ukraine fighting while standing alongside Zelenskyy after meeting for 40 minutes. “The president wants it to end, and he wants it to end as quickly as possible. He wants a fair transaction to take place.”

Zelenskyy said the war shouldn't have started and added that there needs to be pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin and peace for the families of those killed.

“We need to do everything to pressure him to stop this war. He is in our territory. That's most important to understand. He is in our territory.”

The meeting came at a critical time in the Russia-Ukraine war as Election Day nears in the U.S. Trump and Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>, his Democratic opponent, have taken sharply different approaches to Ukraine. Zelenskyy has been eager to keep good relations with the United States, his country's largest provider of arms and money for the war. But the future of that support would be in doubt if Trump were to win the election.

Trump, who has touted his good relationship with Putin and called the Russian leader “pretty smart” for invading Ukraine, has for months criticized U.S. support for Ukraine and derided Zelenskyy as a “salesman” for persuading Washington to provide weapons and funding to his military as it tries to fend off Moscow. On Friday, Trump brought up his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ap-top-news-elections-international-news-politics-0756fda2b5143891c5da1c6897001cee">first impeachment</a>, which Democrats in Congress pursued after he asked Zelenskyy for a “favor” — that he investigate Joe Biden, now the president, and Biden’s son Hunter, who served on the board of a Ukrainian gas company.

At the time Trump asked for the “favor,” he was withholding $400 million in military aid to Ukraine as it fought Russian-backed separatists on its eastern boundary. He was later acquitted of the impeachment charges by a Republican-led Senate.

“He could have grandstanded and played cute,” Trump said. “And he didn't do that. He said, ‘President Trump did absolutely nothing wrong.’ He said it loud and clear.”

Zelenskyy&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/ukraine-president-says-there-was-no-blackmail-in-call-with-trump">told reporters</a>&nbsp;in October 2019, as Congress was launching its impeachment inquiry, that there was “no blackmail” from Trump. He also told reporters, “I don’t want to interfere in any way in the elections,” trying to publicly and privately distance himself then from U.S. domestic politics.

But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ap-top-news-international-news-joe-biden-politics-139dd535eac749aa961bc0205d10e872">The Associated Press reported afterward</a>&nbsp;that, despite Zelenskyy’s denials, U.S. officials were aware he was feeling pressure from the Trump administration to investigate Biden even before his phone call with Trump regarding the “favor.”

Friday's meeting almost wasn't scheduled despite Zelenskyy’s office saying something had been planned during the Ukrainian leader’s visit to the U.N. General Assembly, during which he is making his endgame pitch to allies.

In an interview with The New Yorker that was published earlier this week, Zelenskyy implied Trump does not understand and oversimplifies the conflict. The Ukrainian leader said Trump's running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, was “too radical” and has essentially advocated for Ukraine to “make a sacrifice” by “giving up its territories.”

Trump ripped Zelenskyy and Ukraine on two separate occasions this week. Speaking Wednesday in North Carolina, he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ukraine-putin-zelenskyy-0f4d539aa73a943474d779716e5fe42a">referred</a>&nbsp;to Ukraine as “demolished” and its people as “dead.”

“Any deal — the worst deal — would’ve been better than what we have now,” Trump said. “If they made a bad deal, it would’ve been much better. They would’ve given up a little bit and everybody would be living and every building would be built and every tower would be aging for another 2,000 years.”

Meanwhile,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-joe-biden-kamala-harris-trump-229804fd42332c584dfbe05224634e44">Harris on Thursday stood alongside Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;and said Trump's push for Ukraine to quickly cut a deal to end the war was “not proposals for peace,” but “proposals for surrender.” Trump on Thursday said he was not advocating for a surrender.

As he was preparing to sit down for the Friday meeting, Trump was asked by a reporter if Ukraine could win the war and he replied, “Sure. They could.”

He said of Zelenskyy: "We have a very good relationship. And I also have a very good relationship, as you know, with President Putin. And if we win, I think we’re going to get it resolved very quickly.”

Zelenskyy cut into Trump's remarks with, “I hope we have more good relations between us." Before moving on to another question, Trump interjected to say “but, you know, it takes two to tango.”

NEW YORK (AP) — Ukrainian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/volodymyr-zelenskyy">Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;met face-to-face with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Friday with public tensions rising between the two over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">Ukraine's defense against Russia's invasion</a>&nbsp;and in the midst of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">U.S. presidential election</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Former President Trump meets with Ukrainian President Zelensky Trump: &quot;What I said is true. He was a piece of steel. He gave a very honest, straight answer and that really, essentially ended the impeachment hoax and I appreciated that.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/d2INBkCP7D">pic.twitter.com/d2INBkCP7D</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1839679738488438846?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 27, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“We both want to see this end, and we both want to see a fair deal made,” Trump told Fox News, referring to the Russia-Ukraine fighting while standing alongside Zelenskyy after meeting for 40 minutes. “The president wants it to end, and he wants it to end as quickly as possible. He wants a fair transaction to take place.”Zelenskyy said the war shouldn't have started and added that there needs to be pressure on Russian President Vladimir Putin and peace for the families of those killed.“We need to do everything to pressure him to stop this war. He is in our territory. That's most important to understand. He is in our territory.”The meeting came at a critical time in the Russia-Ukraine war as Election Day nears in the U.S. Trump and Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>, his Democratic opponent, have taken sharply different approaches to Ukraine. Zelenskyy has been eager to keep good relations with the United States, his country's largest provider of arms and money for the war. But the future of that support would be in doubt if Trump were to win the election.Trump, who has touted his good relationship with Putin and called the Russian leader “pretty smart” for invading Ukraine, has for months criticized U.S. support for Ukraine and derided Zelenskyy as a “salesman” for persuading Washington to provide weapons and funding to his military as it tries to fend off Moscow. On Friday, Trump brought up his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ap-top-news-elections-international-news-politics-0756fda2b5143891c5da1c6897001cee">first impeachment</a>, which Democrats in Congress pursued after he asked Zelenskyy for a “favor” — that he investigate Joe Biden, now the president, and Biden’s son Hunter, who served on the board of a Ukrainian gas company.At the time Trump asked for the “favor,” he was withholding $400 million in military aid to Ukraine as it fought Russian-backed separatists on its eastern boundary. He was later acquitted of the impeachment charges by a Republican-led Senate.“He could have grandstanded and played cute,” Trump said. “And he didn't do that. He said, ‘President Trump did absolutely nothing wrong.’ He said it loud and clear.”Zelenskyy&nbsp;<a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/ukraine-president-says-there-was-no-blackmail-in-call-with-trump">told reporters</a>&nbsp;in October 2019, as Congress was launching its impeachment inquiry, that there was “no blackmail” from Trump. He also told reporters, “I don’t want to interfere in any way in the elections,” trying to publicly and privately distance himself then from U.S. domestic politics.But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ap-top-news-international-news-joe-biden-politics-139dd535eac749aa961bc0205d10e872">The Associated Press reported afterward</a>&nbsp;that, despite Zelenskyy’s denials, U.S. officials were aware he was feeling pressure from the Trump administration to investigate Biden even before his phone call with Trump regarding the “favor.”Friday's meeting almost wasn't scheduled despite Zelenskyy’s office saying something had been planned during the Ukrainian leader’s visit to the U.N. General Assembly, during which he is making his endgame pitch to allies.In an interview with The New Yorker that was published earlier this week, Zelenskyy implied Trump does not understand and oversimplifies the conflict. The Ukrainian leader said Trump's running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, was “too radical” and has essentially advocated for Ukraine to “make a sacrifice” by “giving up its territories.”Trump ripped Zelenskyy and Ukraine on two separate occasions this week. Speaking Wednesday in North Carolina, he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ukraine-putin-zelenskyy-0f4d539aa73a943474d779716e5fe42a">referred</a>&nbsp;to Ukraine as “demolished” and its people as “dead.”“Any deal — the worst deal — would’ve been better than what we have now,” Trump said. “If they made a bad deal, it would’ve been much better. They would’ve given up a little bit and everybody would be living and every building would be built and every tower would be aging for another 2,000 years.”Meanwhile,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-joe-biden-kamala-harris-trump-229804fd42332c584dfbe05224634e44">Harris on Thursday stood alongside Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;and said Trump's push for Ukraine to quickly cut a deal to end the war was “not proposals for peace,” but “proposals for surrender.” Trump on Thursday said he was not advocating for a surrender.As he was preparing to sit down for the Friday meeting, Trump was asked by a reporter if Ukraine could win the war and he replied, “Sure. They could.”He said of Zelenskyy: "We have a very good relationship. And I also have a very good relationship, as you know, with President Putin. And if we win, I think we’re going to get it resolved very quickly.”Zelenskyy cut into Trump's remarks with, “I hope we have more good relations between us." Before moving on to another question, Trump interjected to say “but, you know, it takes two to tango.”___

🎥 Trump, Zelenskyy discuss war in Ukraine, impeachment

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating an armed carjacking near Kansas City have charged twin sisters&nbsp;

The crime occurred just before 6p.m. Tuesday on southbound Interstate 49, south at the 163rd Street exit in Belton, approximately 20 minutes south of Kansas City.

A dark blue Kia Optima occupied by three suspects rear-ended a 2022 Dodge Charger driven by a victim, who was the sole occupant.

Both drivers pulled over. While checking the rear of the Dodge Charger, one of the occupants from the Kia entered the victim’s Dodge Charger and fled the scene.

A check of the Kia Optima license plate revealed it was a stolen vehicle.&nbsp; Police took two into custody.&nbsp;&nbsp;

On Thursday, the Cass County Prosecutor's Office charged 19-year-old Rodnae Gorham and her sister 19-year-old Rodneysha Gorham with Accessory Vehicle Hijacking / Deadly Weapon in connection to the carjacking, according to a media release. Both defendants are being held without bond.

This is an ongoing investigation and more charges may be forthcoming.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727402852571.png" alt="Rodnae Gorham photo Cass Co." />
 <figcaption>Rodnae Gorham photo Cass Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating an armed carjacking near Kansas City have charged twin sisters&nbsp;The crime occurred just before 6p.m. Tuesday on southbound Interstate 49, south at the 163rd Street exit in Belton, approximately 20 minutes south of Kansas City.A dark blue Kia Optima occupied by three suspects rear-ended a 2022 Dodge Charger driven by a victim, who was the sole occupant.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727402889596.png" alt="Rodneysha Gorham-photo Cass Co." />
 <figcaption>Rodneysha Gorham-photo Cass Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Both drivers pulled over. While checking the rear of the Dodge Charger, one of the occupants from the Kia entered the victim’s Dodge Charger and fled the scene.A check of the Kia Optima license plate revealed it was a stolen vehicle.&nbsp; Police took two into custody.&nbsp;&nbsp;On Thursday, the Cass County Prosecutor's Office charged 19-year-old Rodnae Gorham and her sister 19-year-old Rodneysha Gorham with Accessory Vehicle Hijacking / Deadly Weapon in connection to the carjacking, according to a media release. Both defendants are being held without bond.This is an ongoing investigation and more charges may be forthcoming.

Twins charged for armed carjacking after KC area rear-end crash

SALINE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating an alleged scam that cost an 83-year-0ld Salina woman $3,500 over ten days.

&nbsp;The scam began when the victim was contacted by a man claiming they were high school acquaintances. He promised her a $100,000 prize if she provided $3,000 in gift cards, according to Salina Police Captain James Feldman.

&nbsp;The caller said he was from 2024FHCS Worldwide, Promo/Agent and was able to obtain personal information from the victim.

The caller then told the victim to purchase the $1,000 Apple gift cards and send them the card activation numbers to get her winnings. The victim ended up purchasing two $500 Amazon gift cards and provided the numbers.

Despite initial confusion with the type of gift cards, the scammer persisted, even fabricating a story that the IRS had placed a hold on her winnings, leading to further demands for Apple gift cards.&nbsp;

Captain Feldman warned that these types of scams, often targeting the elderly, are becoming more frequent. He urged residents to be cautious if asked to pay with gift cards, stressing that legitimate agencies and businesses do not conduct transactions this way.

"If people have elderly neighbors or relatives, please discuss these types of situations with them," Feldman said. "If any store employees who sell gift cards to situations where they suspect someone purchasing gift cards is being taken advantage of please reach out to their local police department."

SALINE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating an alleged scam that cost an 83-year-0ld Salina woman $3,500 over ten days.&nbsp;The scam began when the victim was contacted by a man claiming they were high school acquaintances. He promised her a $100,000 prize if she provided $3,000 in gift cards, according to Salina Police Captain James Feldman.&nbsp;The caller said he was from 2024FHCS Worldwide, Promo/Agent and was able to obtain personal information from the victim.The caller then told the victim to purchase the $1,000 Apple gift cards and send them the card activation numbers to get her winnings. The victim ended up purchasing two $500 Amazon gift cards and provided the numbers.Despite initial confusion with the type of gift cards, the scammer persisted, even fabricating a story that the IRS had placed a hold on her winnings, leading to further demands for Apple gift cards.&nbsp;Captain Feldman warned that these types of scams, often targeting the elderly, are becoming more frequent. He urged residents to be cautious if asked to pay with gift cards, stressing that legitimate agencies and businesses do not conduct transactions this way."If people have elderly neighbors or relatives, please discuss these types of situations with them," Feldman said. "If any store employees who sell gift cards to situations where they suspect someone purchasing gift cards is being taken advantage of please reach out to their local police department."

Police: Kansas woman lost thousands in gift card scam

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Authorities have positively identified the human remains found on September 11 in the yard of a home in the city of Rose Hill.

Kennedy Jean Schroer, born on July 14, 2014, was adopted by Crystina and Joe Schroer in November 2018 and is believed to have died in late 2020, according to a statement from Rose Hill, Kansas Police Chief Taylor Parlier.

Her remains were brought to the Sedgwick County Forensic Science Center for the postmortem. Due to the advanced level of decomposition, the medical examiner was unable to identify a cause of death. Their preliminary report gave findings that no visible injuries were observed, nor were any healing or healed injuries observable, according to the police chief.

"Through our investigation we believe the time of death occurred within the month of November 2020. The medical examiner has not released the full report of the postmortem but has confirmed Kennedy’s identity through DNA analysis."

"We understand that many in the public might be confused how an arrest in this case has not been made, that is completely understandable. What we would like to convey is that we have one chance to gather as much information as possible, to find out what happened to this child and to tell her story. While we understand the desire to hold persons accountable, we need to get this correct and not fast. Releasing too much information might appear to implicate a person or persons who were not involved, so in our search for the truth we need to equally work to protect peoples’ rights."

"This investigation is ongoing. Officers, Detectives, surrounding law enforcement agencies, social workers, mental health professionals, and many others are hard at work to find answers. What we can assure anyone interested in this case, Kennedy is the center of our universe and will remain so until we have answers."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727450427639.png" alt="-Kennedy Jean Schroer-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>-Kennedy Jean Schroer-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Authorities have positively identified the human remains found on September 11 in the yard of a home in the city of Rose Hill.Kennedy Jean Schroer, born on July 14, 2014, was adopted by Crystina and Joe Schroer in November 2018 and is believed to have died in late 2020, according to a statement from Rose Hill, Kansas Police Chief Taylor Parlier.Her remains were brought to the Sedgwick County Forensic Science Center for the postmortem. Due to the advanced level of decomposition, the medical examiner was unable to identify a cause of death. Their preliminary report gave findings that no visible injuries were observed, nor were any healing or healed injuries observable, according to the police chief."Through our investigation we believe the time of death occurred within the month of November 2020. The medical examiner has not released the full report of the postmortem but has confirmed Kennedy’s identity through DNA analysis.""We understand that many in the public might be confused how an arrest in this case has not been made, that is completely understandable. What we would like to convey is that we have one chance to gather as much information as possible, to find out what happened to this child and to tell her story. While we understand the desire to hold persons accountable, we need to get this correct and not fast. Releasing too much information might appear to implicate a person or persons who were not involved, so in our search for the truth we need to equally work to protect peoples’ rights.""This investigation is ongoing. Officers, Detectives, surrounding law enforcement agencies, social workers, mental health professionals, and many others are hard at work to find answers. What we can assure anyone interested in this case, Kennedy is the center of our universe and will remain so until we have answers."

Police ID child's remains found in back yard of Kan. home

TAMPA BAY—United State Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater saved a man and his dog on Thursday during hurricane Helene, after his 36-ft sailboat became disabled and started taking on water approximately 25 miles off Sanibel Island, Florida, according to a social media report from the U.S. Coast Guard.

&nbsp;Emergency crews continue work to rescue people trapped in flooded homes after the hurricane roared ashore as a powerful Category 4 storm.

Kansas deployed a Type 1 swift water search and rescue team, Kansas Task Force 1, through the Office of the State Fire Marshal to assist the state of Florida and local crews responding to the storm.

The Kansas team will conduct search and rescue operations, provide basic life support (BLS) medical care, transport humans and animals to the nearest location for secondary air or land transport, provide shore-based and boat-based water rescue, provide animal rescues, and support helicopter and urban search and rescue in water environments.

As of noon Friday, at least 21 people were reported dead in four states.

The storm generated a massive storm surge and knocked out power to millions of customers in several states.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727457363913.png" alt="Photo U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater</figcaption>
 </figure>TAMPA BAY—United State Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater saved a man and his dog on Thursday during hurricane Helene, after his 36-ft sailboat became disabled and started taking on water approximately 25 miles off Sanibel Island, Florida, according to a social media report from the U.S. Coast Guard.&nbsp;Emergency crews continue work to rescue people trapped in flooded homes after the hurricane roared ashore as a powerful Category 4 storm.Kansas deployed a Type 1 swift water search and rescue team, Kansas Task Force 1, through the Office of the State Fire Marshal to assist the state of Florida and local crews responding to the storm.The Kansas team will conduct search and rescue operations, provide basic life support (BLS) medical care, transport humans and animals to the nearest location for secondary air or land transport, provide shore-based and boat-based water rescue, provide animal rescues, and support helicopter and urban search and rescue in water environments.As of noon Friday, at least 21 people were reported dead in four states.The storm generated a massive storm surge and knocked out power to millions of customers in several states.

Man and his dog rescued off Florida coast after boat sank in Hurricane Helene

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A child was critically injured in an accident Thursday in Wichita.

Just before 6p.m. Thursday, police were called to a report about a 5-year-old child who accidentally shot himself in the face with a flare gun while inside a vehicle, according to police spokesman Andrew Ford.

Other children were inside the car while his mother was outside talking to the child’s grandmother.

Shortly after hearing a loud bang, the mother saw the child exit the vehicle, which had caught fire. The child was hit in the forehead by the flare and suffered a head injury as well as burns.

Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responded quickly, and the child was taken to the hospital with critical injuries. However, he is expected to survive.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A child was critically injured in an accident Thursday in Wichita.Just before 6p.m. Thursday, police were called to a report about a 5-year-old child who accidentally shot himself in the face with a flare gun while inside a vehicle, according to police spokesman Andrew Ford.Other children were inside the car while his mother was outside talking to the child’s grandmother.Shortly after hearing a loud bang, the mother saw the child exit the vehicle, which had caught fire. The child was hit in the forehead by the flare and suffered a head injury as well as burns.Emergency Medical Services (EMS) responded quickly, and the child was taken to the hospital with critical injuries. However, he is expected to survive.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

Police: Kan. boy shot himself in the face with a flare gun

LONDON (AP) — Maggie Smith, the masterful, scene-stealing actor who won an Oscar for “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” in 1969 and gained new fans in the 21st century as the dowager Countess of Grantham in “Downton Abbey” and Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter films, died Friday. She was 89.

Smith's sons, Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens, said in a statement that Smith died early Friday in a London hospital.

“She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother,” they said in a statement issued through publicist Clair Dobbs.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1727444010447.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LONDON (AP) — Maggie Smith, the masterful, scene-stealing actor who won an Oscar for “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie” in 1969 and gained new fans in the 21st century as the dowager Countess of Grantham in “Downton Abbey” and Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter films, died Friday. She was 89.Smith's sons, Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens, said in a statement that Smith died early Friday in a London hospital.“She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother,” they said in a statement issued through publicist Clair Dobbs.Smith was frequently rated the preeminent British female performer of a generation that included Vanessa Redgrave and Judi Dench, with a clutch of Academy Award nominations and a shelf full of acting trophies.She remained in demand even in her later years, despite her lament that “when you get into the granny era, you’re lucky to get anything.”Smith drily summarized her later roles as “a gallery of grotesques,” including Professor McGonagall. Asked why she took the role, she quipped: “Harry Potter is my pension.”Richard Eyre, who directed Smith in a television production of “Suddenly Last Summer,” said she was “intellectually the smartest actress I’ve ever worked with. You have to get up very, very early in the morning to outwit Maggie Smith.”"Jean Brodie," in which she played a dangerously charismatic Edinburgh schoolteacher, brought her the Academy Award for best actress, and the British Academy Film Award (BAFTA) as well in 1969.Smith added a supporting actress Oscar for “California Suite” in 1978, Golden Globes for “California Suite” and “Room with a View,” and BAFTAs for lead actress in “A Private Function” in 1984, “A Room with a View” in 1986, and “The Lonely Passion of Judith Hearne” in 1988.She also received Academy Award nominations as a supporting actress in “Othello,” “Travels with My Aunt,” “Room with a View” and “Gosford Park,” and a BAFTA award for supporting actress in “Tea with Mussolini.” On stage, she won a Tony in 1990 for “Lettice and Lovage.”Her work in 2012 netted three Golden Globe nominations for the globally successful “Downton Abbey” TV series and the films “The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel” and “Quartet.”Smith had a reputation for being difficult, and sometimes upstaging others.Richard Burton remarked that Smith didn’t just take over a scene in “The VIPs” with him: “She commits grand larceny.” However, the director Peter Hall found that Smith wasn’t “remotely difficult unless she’s among idiots. She’s very hard on herself, and I don’t think she sees any reason why she shouldn’t be hard on other people, too.”Smith conceded that she could be impatient at times.“It’s true I don’t tolerate fools, but then they don’t tolerate me, so I am spiky,” Smith said. “Maybe that’s why I’m quite good at playing spiky elderly ladies.”Critic Frank Rich, in a New York Times review of “Lettice and Lovage,” praised Smith as “the stylized classicist who can italicize a line as prosaic as ‘Have you no marmalade?’ until it sounds like a freshly minted epigram by Coward or Wilde.”Smith famously drew laughs from a prosaic line — “This haddock is disgusting” — in a 1964 revival of Noel Coward’s “Hay Fever.”“But unfortunately the critics mentioned it, and after that it never got a laugh,” she recalled. “The moment you say something is funny it’s gossamer. It’s gone, really.”Margaret Natalie Smith was born in Ilford, on the eastern edge of London, on Dec. 28, 1934. She summed up her life briefly: “One went to school, one wanted to act, one started to act, one’s still acting.”Her father was assigned in 1939 to wartime duty in Oxford, where her theater studies at the Oxford Playhouse School led to a busy apprenticeship.“I did so many things, you know, round the universities there. ... If you were kind of clever enough and I suppose quick enough, you could almost do weekly rep because all the colleges were doing different productions at different times,” she said in a BBC interview.She took Maggie as her stage name because another Margaret Smith was active in the theater.Laurence Olivier spotted her talent, invited her to be part of his original National Theatre company and cast her as his co-star in a 1965 film adaptation of “Othello.”Smith said two directors, Ingmar Bergman and William Gaskill, both in National Theatre productions, were important influences.Alan Bennett, preparing to film the monologue “A Bed Among the Lentils,” said he was wary of Smith’s reputation for becoming bored. As the actor Jeremy Brett put it, “she starts divinely and then goes off, rather like a cheese.”“So the fact that we only just had enough time to do it was an absolute blessing really because she was so fresh and just so into it,” said Bennett, who also wrote a starring role for Smith in “The Lady in the Van.”However extravagant she may have been on stage or before the cameras, Smith was known to be intensely private.Simon Callow, who acted with her in “A Room with a View,” said he ruined their first meeting by spouting compliments.“I blurted out various kinds of rubbish about her and she kind of withdrew. She doesn’t like that sort of thing very much at all,” Callow said in a film portrait of the actress. “She never wanted to talk about acting. Acting was something she was terrified to talk about because if she did, it would disappear.”Smith was made a Dame Commander of the British Empire, the equivalent of a knight, in 1990.She married fellow actor Robert Stephens in 1967. They had two sons, Christopher and Toby, and divorced in 1975. The same year she married the writer Beverley Cross, who died in 1998.___Associated Press writer Robert Barr contributed biographical material to this obituary before his death in 2018.