JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a surge of reports of a vague school shooting threat circulating online about the USD 230 Spring Hill school district, according to a statement from the Johnson County Sheriff's office.

With the help of the school resources officers and sheriff's deputies, the sheriff's office have determine the threats are unsubstantiated.

To be proactive , the sheriff's office has increased their presence at schools in Spring Hill and adjacent districts out of an abundance of caution.&nbsp;Spring Hill is a city in Johnson and Miami counties.

The sheriff's office is working with the school district administrators to ensure and maintain a safe and secure environment for students and staff.

The sheriff's office encourage the public, " if you see something, say something."&nbsp; The sheriff's office also thanked the public for alerting them to to these social media posts circulating online. "We take every report seriously."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697128767642.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a surge of reports of a vague school shooting threat circulating online about the USD 230 Spring Hill school district, according to a statement from the Johnson County Sheriff's office.With the help of the school resources officers and sheriff's deputies, the sheriff's office have determine the threats are unsubstantiated.To be proactive , the sheriff's office has increased their presence at schools in Spring Hill and adjacent districts out of an abundance of caution.&nbsp;Spring Hill is a city in Johnson and Miami counties.The sheriff's office is working with the school district administrators to ensure and maintain a safe and secure environment for students and staff.The sheriff's office encourage the public, " if you see something, say something."&nbsp; The sheriff's office also thanked the public for alerting them to to these social media posts circulating online. "We take every report seriously."

Increased police presence in Kan. school districts due to online threats

Two Missouri OB-GYNs said family planning has become increasingly anxiety-inducing for many patients, especially those with high-risk pregnancies, since abortion was outlawed in 2022

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

Dr. Betsy Wickstrom says she’s still lacking clarity on what constitutes a medical emergency under Missouri’s abortion ban, despite the law having been in place for more than two years.&nbsp;

In Missouri, health care providers who perform abortions not deemed necessary emergencies can be charged with a class B felony, which means up to 15 years in prison. Their medical license can also be suspended or revoked.

So Wickstrom, a high-risk obstetrician in Kansas City more than three decades into her career, must first consult a team of lawyers.

“When we have something that looks like it’s skirting the line and there’s a flicker of a heartbeat, but someone is desperately ill, sure I can call up the attorney,” she told reporters Monday. “But they’re not going to put the hospital’s licensure on the line. They’re going to say ‘you know, good thing you live next to Kansas.’”

Dr. Jennifer Smith, an OB-GYN in St. Louis, agreed.&nbsp;

“I don’t think that many hospitals feel comfortable testing this law because the government hasn’t provided us any clarity on it,” Smith said.&nbsp;

Wickstrom and Smith are among more than 500 physicians and more than 300 other medical professionals who signed a letter in support of&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/13/missouri-abortion-rights-campaign-doubles-fundraising-fairness-project/">Amendment 3.</a>&nbsp;If approved by a majority of Missourians on Nov. 5, the amendment would overturn Missouri’s near-total abortion ban and legalize the procedure up until the point of fetal viability.&nbsp;

Missouri became<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/24/2-year-anniversary-missouri-abortion-ban/">&nbsp;the first state to enact a trigger law banning abortion&nbsp;</a>except for cases of medical emergencies following the fall of Roe v. Wade in June 2022. There are no exceptions for survivors of rape or incest.

“As a result, Missourians are being denied abortions and forced to continue life-threatening pregnancies, risking their health and lives,” the medical professionals wrote in a letter through the Committee to Protect Health Care. “Doctors can’t treat patients with heartbreaking pregnancy complications until they are on the brink of death. Otherwise, they could be put in jail.”

The situation in Missouri leaves&nbsp;pregnant patients with few options, the group of physicians contend.

“It forces many to leave the state to receive care,” the letter continues, “while others are forced to carry a pregnancy against their will. No one should ever have their health deteriorate or need to flee to receive care, nor should anyone have to carry a pregnancy against their will.”

Between June 2022 and March 2024, 64 abortions were performed in Missouri under the state’s emergency exemption, according to data from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.

Wickstrom said she often has difficult conversations with women about growing their families — conversations made more difficult by the ban.&nbsp;

She has patients diagnosed with cancer who were advised not to start chemotherapy while pregnant. And she has patients with heart disease who might not survive another pregnancy.&nbsp;

“But can I do anything about that in Missouri?” Wickstrom said. “No. These are people that have to find their way out of the state to get life-saving care.”&nbsp;

Smith, who has been an OB-GYN in eastern Missouri for more than 20 years, said the questions she’s hearing from patients now are unlike any she’s heard in the past.&nbsp;

“People are very hesitant to start their families and expand their families in this environment,” she said.&nbsp;

In the past two years Smith said she’s had men ask her to promise to save their partner before their baby if something were to go wrong during a wanted pregnancy.&nbsp;

Patients planning their families face similar fears.

“Do you think that it’s safe to be pregnant here? What if I have an ectopic? What if I have a miscarriage?” Smith said she hears often from patients. “What if something’s wrong with the pregnancy? What if something’s wrong with me?”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726521462460.png" alt="Dr. Jennifer Smith, an OB-GYN in St. Louis, was among 800 Missouri medical professionals who signed a letter in support of Amendment 3, which would legalize abortion up to the point of fetal viability (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>Dr. Jennifer Smith, an OB-GYN in St. Louis, was among 800 Missouri medical professionals who signed a letter in support of Amendment 3, which would legalize abortion up to the point of fetal viability (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Two Missouri OB-GYNs said family planning has become increasingly anxiety-inducing for many patients, especially those with high-risk pregnancies, since abortion was outlawed in 2022</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/annaspoerre/">ANNA SPOERRE</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>Dr. Betsy Wickstrom says she’s still lacking clarity on what constitutes a medical emergency under Missouri’s abortion ban, despite the law having been in place for more than two years.&nbsp;In Missouri, health care providers who perform abortions not deemed necessary emergencies can be charged with a class B felony, which means up to 15 years in prison. Their medical license can also be suspended or revoked.So Wickstrom, a high-risk obstetrician in Kansas City more than three decades into her career, must first consult a team of lawyers.“When we have something that looks like it’s skirting the line and there’s a flicker of a heartbeat, but someone is desperately ill, sure I can call up the attorney,” she told reporters Monday. “But they’re not going to put the hospital’s licensure on the line. They’re going to say ‘you know, good thing you live next to Kansas.’”Dr. Jennifer Smith, an OB-GYN in St. Louis, agreed.&nbsp;“I don’t think that many hospitals feel comfortable testing this law because the government hasn’t provided us any clarity on it,” Smith said.&nbsp;Wickstrom and Smith are among more than 500 physicians and more than 300 other medical professionals who signed a letter in support of&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/09/13/missouri-abortion-rights-campaign-doubles-fundraising-fairness-project/">Amendment 3.</a>&nbsp;If approved by a majority of Missourians on Nov. 5, the amendment would overturn Missouri’s near-total abortion ban and legalize the procedure up until the point of fetal viability.&nbsp;Missouri became<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/24/2-year-anniversary-missouri-abortion-ban/">&nbsp;the first state to enact a trigger law banning abortion&nbsp;</a>except for cases of medical emergencies following the fall of Roe v. Wade in June 2022. There are no exceptions for survivors of rape or incest.“As a result, Missourians are being denied abortions and forced to continue life-threatening pregnancies, risking their health and lives,” the medical professionals wrote in a letter through the Committee to Protect Health Care. “Doctors can’t treat patients with heartbreaking pregnancy complications until they are on the brink of death. Otherwise, they could be put in jail.”The situation in Missouri leaves&nbsp;pregnant patients with few options, the group of physicians contend.“It forces many to leave the state to receive care,” the letter continues, “while others are forced to carry a pregnancy against their will. No one should ever have their health deteriorate or need to flee to receive care, nor should anyone have to carry a pregnancy against their will.”Between June 2022 and March 2024, 64 abortions were performed in Missouri under the state’s emergency exemption, according to data from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.Wickstrom said she often has difficult conversations with women about growing their families — conversations made more difficult by the ban.&nbsp;She has patients diagnosed with cancer who were advised not to start chemotherapy while pregnant. And she has patients with heart disease who might not survive another pregnancy.&nbsp;“But can I do anything about that in Missouri?” Wickstrom said. “No. These are people that have to find their way out of the state to get life-saving care.”&nbsp;Smith, who has been an OB-GYN in eastern Missouri for more than 20 years, said the questions she’s hearing from patients now are unlike any she’s heard in the past.&nbsp;“People are very hesitant to start their families and expand their families in this environment,” she said.&nbsp;In the past two years Smith said she’s had men ask her to promise to save their partner before their baby if something were to go wrong during a wanted pregnancy.&nbsp;Patients planning their families face similar fears.“Do you think that it’s safe to be pregnant here? What if I have an ectopic? What if I have a miscarriage?” Smith said she hears often from patients. “What if something’s wrong with the pregnancy? What if something’s wrong with me?”

More than 800 Mo. medical professionals sign letter in support of abortion amendment

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;wasn’t harmed by Sunday’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shooting-gunshots-florida-f62f8378d3a8ce7b2e99d6a8fb40aba9">apparent assassination attempt</a>&nbsp;as he golfed near his Florida club. But the second attack on his life in barely two months is likely to further unsettle an election cycle already marked by upheaval.

The man suspected in the incident,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-suspect-ukraine-f76ed09f256f6bd21727a10901d92af7">Ryan Wesley Routh</a>, camped outside the golf course in West Palm Beach with food and a rifle for nearly 12 hours, according to court documents filed Monday. He is accused of lying in wait for the former president before a Secret Service agent opened fire, thwarting the potential attack.

Here are five things to know about what happened and where the investigation stands:

Routh, 58, faces charges of possessing a firearm despite a prior felony conviction and of possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Additional charges are possible.

The suspect lived in North Carolina for most of his life before moving in 2018 to Kaaawa, Hawaii. He and his son operated a company building sheds, according to an archived version of the webpage for the business.

Routh appeared briefly in federal court in West Palm Beach on Monday. He had frequently posted on social media about the war in Ukraine and had a website where he sought to raise money and recruit volunteers to go to Kyiv to join the fight against the Russian invasion.

“Fight and die to stop aggression,” he posted on X in February 2023 about Ukraine. “Everyone should be outraged and helping.” In a video circulating online Routh said, “This is about good versus evil.”

He also wrote separately on X, “I am going to fight and die for Ukraine,” and he even traveled there.

Video shot by The Associated Press showed Routh at a small demonstration in Kyiv’s Independence Square in April 2022, two months after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion of the country. A placard he was holding said: “We cannot tolerate corruption and evil for another 50+ years. End Russia for our kids.” Routh wore a blue vest with the U.S. flag on the back.

That same day, Routh also visited a makeshift memorial to “Foreigners killed by Putin.”

But Routh never served in the Ukrainian army or worked with its military, said Oleksandr Shahuri of the Foreigners Coordination Department of the Ukrainian Ground Forces Command.

Routh's politics, meanwhile, don't appear consistently aligned to one party or the other.

In June 2020, he offered a post on X directed at then-President Trump to say he would win reelection if he issued an executive order for the Justice Department to prosecute police misconduct. That year, he also posted in support of the Democratic presidential campaign of then-U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, who has since left the party and endorsed Trump.

However, in recent years, his posts suggest he soured on Trump, and he expressed support for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

In July, following the assassination attempt on Trump in Pennsylvania, Routh urged Biden and Harris to visit those wounded in the shooting at the hospital and to attend the funeral of a former fire chief killed at the rally.

Voter records show he registered as an unaffiliated voter in North Carolina in 2012, most recently voting in person during the state’s Democratic Party primary in March 2024. Federal campaign finance records show Routh made 19 small political donations totaling $140 since 2019 using his Hawaii address through a political action committee that supports Democratic candidates.

Records show that while living in Greensboro, North Carolina, Routh had multiple run-ins with law enforcement. The top FBI official in the Miami, Jeffrey B. Veltri, said Routh has numerous felony charges for stolen goods between 1997 and 2010. He also was the subject of a closed investigation in 2019 when someone reported he was a felon in possession of a firearm, but Veltri said the tipster would not confirm making the report.

Routh was convicted in 2002 of possessing a weapon of mass destruction, according to online North Carolina Department of Adult Correction records.

Authorities spotted a firearm poking out of shrubbery on the West Palm Beach golf course around 400 to 500 yards from where Trump was playing. As the former president was moving through the fifth hole's fairway, an agent who was visually sweeping the area of the sixth hole's green saw the subject, armed with what he perceived to be a rifle, and immediately discharged his firearm, said acting Director Ronald Rowe Jr. of the U.S. Secret Service.

Rowe said Routh “did not have a line of sight to the former president” and did not fire at Secret Service agents before fleeing.

Routh sped away before being captured in a neighboring county.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2214283825615030&amp;rdid=5QlCDJr1drAouqI4">Body camera footage</a>&nbsp;of Routh’s arrest showed him walking backward with his hands over his head on the side of a road before being handcuffed and led away.

The suspect is believed to have been positioned at the tree line of the golf course from about 1:59 a.m. to 1:31 p.m. Sunday. A digital camera, a loaded SKS-style rifle with a scope and a plastic bag containing food were recovered from the area.

Trump’s protective detail has been higher than some of his peers because of his high visibility and his campaign to seek the White House again. His security was bolstered days before the July 13 assassination attempt in Pennsylvania because of a threat on Trump’s life from Iran, U.S. officials said.

Trump initially posted, “I AM SAFE AND WELL!” and subsequently praised the Secret Service for protecting him.

But the former president pivoted Monday to the politics surrounding the incident, claiming — without evidence — that Biden and Harris comments that he is a threat to democracy had inspired the latest attempt on his life.

“Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at," Trump told Fox News Digital. In a subsequent post on his social media site Monday, Trump wrote that the left “has taken politics in our Country to a whole new level of Hatred, Abuse, and Distrust.” He said “it will only get worse,” then veered into comments about immigration, even though there is no evidence immigrants were involved in the incident.

The former president made those comments despite his own long history of inflammatory campaign rhetoric and advocacy for jailing or prosecuting his political enemies.

Trump hasn't announced any changes to his schedule and spoke live on X on Monday night from his Mar-a-Lago resort. Harris met with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters at the 1.3 million-member group’s headquarters in Washington.

Still, a presidential race already rocked by Biden giving up his reelection bid and the first attack on Trump now is being further shaped by a second one. The leaders of a congressional bipartisan task force investigating Trump's Pennsylvania shooting said they have requested a briefing by the Secret Service.

“We are thankful that the former President was not harmed, but remain deeply concerned about political violence and condemn it in all of its forms,” Reps. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., and Jason Crow, D-Colo., said in a statement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726536262473.png" alt="Ryan Wesley Routh at his arrest -photo Martin County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Ryan Wesley Routh at his arrest -photo Martin County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;wasn’t harmed by Sunday’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shooting-gunshots-florida-f62f8378d3a8ce7b2e99d6a8fb40aba9">apparent assassination attempt</a>&nbsp;as he golfed near his Florida club. But the second attack on his life in barely two months is likely to further unsettle an election cycle already marked by upheaval.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FMartinCountySheriffsOffice%2Fvideos%2F1805385979995807%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=7" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The man suspected in the incident,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-assassination-attempt-suspect-ukraine-f76ed09f256f6bd21727a10901d92af7">Ryan Wesley Routh</a>, camped outside the golf course in West Palm Beach with food and a rifle for nearly 12 hours, according to court documents filed Monday. He is accused of lying in wait for the former president before a Secret Service agent opened fire, thwarting the potential attack.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FMartinCountySheriffsOffice%2Fvideos%2F2214283825615030%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=1" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Here are five things to know about what happened and where the investigation stands:<h2>Who is the suspect?</h2>Routh, 58, faces charges of possessing a firearm despite a prior felony conviction and of possessing a firearm with an obliterated serial number. Additional charges are possible.The suspect lived in North Carolina for most of his life before moving in 2018 to Kaaawa, Hawaii. He and his son operated a company building sheds, according to an archived version of the webpage for the business.Routh appeared briefly in federal court in West Palm Beach on Monday. He had frequently posted on social media about the war in Ukraine and had a website where he sought to raise money and recruit volunteers to go to Kyiv to join the fight against the Russian invasion.“Fight and die to stop aggression,” he posted on X in February 2023 about Ukraine. “Everyone should be outraged and helping.” In a video circulating online Routh said, “This is about good versus evil.”He also wrote separately on X, “I am going to fight and die for Ukraine,” and he even traveled there.Video shot by The Associated Press showed Routh at a small demonstration in Kyiv’s Independence Square in April 2022, two months after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered an invasion of the country. A placard he was holding said: “We cannot tolerate corruption and evil for another 50+ years. End Russia for our kids.” Routh wore a blue vest with the U.S. flag on the back.That same day, Routh also visited a makeshift memorial to “Foreigners killed by Putin.”But Routh never served in the Ukrainian army or worked with its military, said Oleksandr Shahuri of the Foreigners Coordination Department of the Ukrainian Ground Forces Command.Routh's politics, meanwhile, don't appear consistently aligned to one party or the other.In June 2020, he offered a post on X directed at then-President Trump to say he would win reelection if he issued an executive order for the Justice Department to prosecute police misconduct. That year, he also posted in support of the Democratic presidential campaign of then-U.S. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii, who has since left the party and endorsed Trump.However, in recent years, his posts suggest he soured on Trump, and he expressed support for President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.In July, following the assassination attempt on Trump in Pennsylvania, Routh urged Biden and Harris to visit those wounded in the shooting at the hospital and to attend the funeral of a former fire chief killed at the rally.Voter records show he registered as an unaffiliated voter in North Carolina in 2012, most recently voting in person during the state’s Democratic Party primary in March 2024. Federal campaign finance records show Routh made 19 small political donations totaling $140 since 2019 using his Hawaii address through a political action committee that supports Democratic candidates.Records show that while living in Greensboro, North Carolina, Routh had multiple run-ins with law enforcement. The top FBI official in the Miami, Jeffrey B. Veltri, said Routh has numerous felony charges for stolen goods between 1997 and 2010. He also was the subject of a closed investigation in 2019 when someone reported he was a felon in possession of a firearm, but Veltri said the tipster would not confirm making the report.Routh was convicted in 2002 of possessing a weapon of mass destruction, according to online North Carolina Department of Adult Correction records.<h2>How did this happen?</h2>Authorities spotted a firearm poking out of shrubbery on the West Palm Beach golf course around 400 to 500 yards from where Trump was playing. As the former president was moving through the fifth hole's fairway, an agent who was visually sweeping the area of the sixth hole's green saw the subject, armed with what he perceived to be a rifle, and immediately discharged his firearm, said acting Director Ronald Rowe Jr. of the U.S. Secret Service.Rowe said Routh “did not have a line of sight to the former president” and did not fire at Secret Service agents before fleeing.Routh sped away before being captured in a neighboring county.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=2214283825615030&amp;rdid=5QlCDJr1drAouqI4">Body camera footage</a>&nbsp;of Routh’s arrest showed him walking backward with his hands over his head on the side of a road before being handcuffed and led away.The suspect is believed to have been positioned at the tree line of the golf course from about 1:59 a.m. to 1:31 p.m. Sunday. A digital camera, a loaded SKS-style rifle with a scope and a plastic bag containing food were recovered from the area.Trump’s protective detail has been higher than some of his peers because of his high visibility and his campaign to seek the White House again. His security was bolstered days before the July 13 assassination attempt in Pennsylvania because of a threat on Trump’s life from Iran, U.S. officials said.<h2>What has Trump said since?</h2>Trump initially posted, “I AM SAFE AND WELL!” and subsequently praised the Secret Service for protecting him.But the former president pivoted Monday to the politics surrounding the incident, claiming — without evidence — that Biden and Harris comments that he is a threat to democracy had inspired the latest attempt on his life.“Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at," Trump told Fox News Digital. In a subsequent post on his social media site Monday, Trump wrote that the left “has taken politics in our Country to a whole new level of Hatred, Abuse, and Distrust.” He said “it will only get worse,” then veered into comments about immigration, even though there is no evidence immigrants were involved in the incident.The former president made those comments despite his own long history of inflammatory campaign rhetoric and advocacy for jailing or prosecuting his political enemies.<h2>What’s next?</h2>Trump hasn't announced any changes to his schedule and spoke live on X on Monday night from his Mar-a-Lago resort. Harris met with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters at the 1.3 million-member group’s headquarters in Washington.Still, a presidential race already rocked by Biden giving up his reelection bid and the first attack on Trump now is being further shaped by a second one. The leaders of a congressional bipartisan task force investigating Trump's Pennsylvania shooting said they have requested a briefing by the Secret Service.“We are thankful that the former President was not harmed, but remain deeply concerned about political violence and condemn it in all of its forms,” Reps. Mike Kelly, R-Pa., and Jason Crow, D-Colo., said in a statement.___

🎥 New bodycam footage of arrest of Trump would-be assassin

By NATE KING Salina Post

A 37-year-old Salina man was arrested on Friday after he allegedly made alarming statements about plans to "shoot up a school" while standing in line at a local Casey's convenience store.

Just after 8 a.m. on Sept. 13,&nbsp; police responded to Casey's at 725 West Schilling Road after a concerned customer called to report a man standing in line making concerning statements.

"The reporting party indicated that they were in the store waiting in line when the suspect allegedly stated that he was running late and had plans to shoot up a school, adding that, 'people were gonna die,'" said SPD Captain James Feldman.

Officers quickly arrived on the scene and located the suspect identified as 37-year-old Johnny Baldwin of Salina. No weapons were found at the scene, and Baldwin did not attempt to flee. He was taken into custody without incident.

Baldwin remains in custody currently on a requested charge of criminal threat.

Police urge the community to remain vigilant and report any concerning behavior they see or hear. SPD Feldman thanked the citizen for making the call.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726407579924.png" alt="Baldwin remains jailed in Saline County" />
 <figcaption>Baldwin remains jailed in Saline County</figcaption>
 </figure>By NATE KING Salina PostA 37-year-old Salina man was arrested on Friday after he allegedly made alarming statements about plans to "shoot up a school" while standing in line at a local Casey's convenience store.Just after 8 a.m. on Sept. 13,&nbsp; police responded to Casey's at 725 West Schilling Road after a concerned customer called to report a man standing in line making concerning statements."The reporting party indicated that they were in the store waiting in line when the suspect allegedly stated that he was running late and had plans to shoot up a school, adding that, 'people were gonna die,'" said SPD Captain James Feldman.Officers quickly arrived on the scene and located the suspect identified as 37-year-old Johnny Baldwin of Salina. No weapons were found at the scene, and Baldwin did not attempt to flee. He was taken into custody without incident.Baldwin remains in custody currently on a requested charge of criminal threat.Police urge the community to remain vigilant and report any concerning behavior they see or hear. SPD Feldman thanked the citizen for making the call.

Kansas man accused of making school shooting threat

TOPEKA—The FBI is investigating suspicious mail delivered to a state office building in Topeka. Just after 2:30 p.m. Monday, the Topeka Police Department’s&nbsp; bomb unit responded to a suspicious mail call at Memorial Hall 120 SW 10th Street in Topeka, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichols. 

It was reported that several pieces of mail had an unknown substance on them. The Topeka Fire Department’s Hazmat team responded in addition to an ambulance from American Medical Response and the Office of the State Fire Marshal, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

A field test found no hazardous materials. Further testing will be conducted.

TOPEKA —Fire and law enforcement officials are investigating the contents of two suspicious packages at a state office building in Topeka.

Just after 2 p.m. Monday, crews from the Topeka Fire Department (TFD) responded to a reported suspicious package at the Memorial Building located at 120 SW 10th Avenue, according to Fire Department spokesperson Rosie Nichols

 It was reported that two pieces of mail contained unknown substances. the Topeka Fire Department’s Hazardous Materials team, one engine company, the Office of the State Fire Marshal, and an American Medical Response ambulance responded. Crews located two packages with unknown substances in them. 

Several personnel in the Secretary of State and Attorney General’s offices were exposed and are being medically monitored.

TFD crews are currently on scene working to determine the substances. are.&nbsp;&nbsp;Since 2000, Memorial Hall has served as headquarters for the&nbsp;Kansas Attorney General&nbsp;and&nbsp;Kansas Secretary of State.

Check the Post for additional details as they are available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726521879166.png" alt="First responders on the scene Monday afternoon -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene Monday afternoon -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA—The FBI is investigating suspicious mail delivered to a state office building in Topeka. Just after 2:30 p.m. Monday, the Topeka Police Department’s&nbsp; bomb unit responded to a suspicious mail call at Memorial Hall 120 SW 10th Street in Topeka, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichols. It was reported that several pieces of mail had an unknown substance on them. The Topeka Fire Department’s Hazmat team responded in addition to an ambulance from American Medical Response and the Office of the State Fire Marshal, the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Federal Bureau of Investigation.A field test found no hazardous materials. Further testing will be conducted.-------------TOPEKA —Fire and law enforcement officials are investigating the contents of two suspicious packages at a state office building in Topeka.Just after 2 p.m. Monday, crews from the Topeka Fire Department (TFD) responded to a reported suspicious package at the Memorial Building located at 120 SW 10th Avenue, according to Fire Department spokesperson Rosie Nichols It was reported that two pieces of mail contained unknown substances. the Topeka Fire Department’s Hazardous Materials team, one engine company, the Office of the State Fire Marshal, and an American Medical Response ambulance responded. Crews located two packages with unknown substances in them. Several personnel in the Secretary of State and Attorney General’s offices were exposed and are being medically monitored.TFD crews are currently on scene working to determine the substances. are.&nbsp;&nbsp;Since 2000, Memorial Hall has served as headquarters for the&nbsp;Kansas Attorney General&nbsp;and&nbsp;Kansas Secretary of State.Check the Post for additional details as they are available.

FBI checking on suspicious packages sent to government office in Topeka

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a registered sex offender on new allegations.

Just after 3:30p.m. Saturday, police arrested 23-year-old Jamichael Strahan of Junction City on a Riley County District Court warrant for probation violation, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

The original charge in this matter is for aggravated indecent solicitation of a child. 

His bond was set at $25,000. Strahan was out of custody early Monday, according to the RCPD. He has been registered as a sex offender since September of 2022 following convictions in Manhattan for&nbsp;Aggravated indecent solicitation of a child; Sex act with a child &lt;14 in 2020 and 2022, according to the KBI Offender registry.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726500702501.png" alt="Strahan photo KBI Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Strahan photo KBI Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a registered sex offender on new allegations.Just after 3:30p.m. Saturday, police arrested 23-year-old Jamichael Strahan of Junction City on a Riley County District Court warrant for probation violation, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.The original charge in this matter is for aggravated indecent solicitation of a child. His bond was set at $25,000. Strahan was out of custody early Monday, according to the RCPD. He has been registered as a sex offender since September of 2022 following convictions in Manhattan for&nbsp;Aggravated indecent solicitation of a child; Sex act with a child &lt;14 in 2020 and 2022, according to the KBI Offender registry.

Kansas sex offender out of jail after accused of new crime

WASHINGTON&nbsp;—&nbsp; In the wake of a&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fx.com%2fHawleyMO%2fstatus%2f1835429374792970292&amp;redir_log=343221794648289" target="_blank">second assassination attempt</a>&nbsp;against former President Donald J. Trump, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) unveiled&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2024%2f09%2fHawley-Whistleblower-Report-re-USSS-Failures-2024-09-16.pdf&amp;redir_log=255885719553759">a new, 22-page whistleblower report</a>&nbsp;detailing the failures of the United States Secret Service in connection with the July 13 attempted assassination of former President Trump.

The Hawley Report has been shared with the House Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump to supplement their investigation.

<a href="https://www.hawley.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Hawley-Whistleblower-Report-re-USSS-Failures-2024-09-16.pdf">CLICK HERE to read</a> the entire Hawley Report.&nbsp;

The Hawley Report’s findings are highly damaging to the credibility of the Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). They reveal a compounding pattern of negligence, sloppiness, and gross incompetence that goes back years, all of which culminated in an assassination attempt that came inches from succeeding.

In addition to a comprehensive review of previous whistleblower allegations that Senator Hawley has uncovered, the Hawley Report includes&nbsp;new findings from whistleblowers that have not yet been reported, including:

To date, Secret Service and DHS have provided virtually no answers and there remain many outstanding questions, including:

The Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, and Department of Homeland Security have all tried to evade real accountability. Their leaders have slow-walked congressional investigations, misled the American people, and shirked responsibility. DHS is now&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fx.com%2fHawleyMO%2fstatus%2f1834396709964628463&amp;redir_log=693803866273289" target="_blank">reportedly</a>&nbsp;pressuring the Secret Service not to comply with document requests by Congress about the Trump assassination attempt. The American people deserve answers.

As a member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Senator Hawley has been a leader in the investigation into the attempted assassination of former President Trump. He has&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fx.com%2fHawleyMO%2fstatus%2f1814657791774036032&amp;redir_log=363485896701288" target="_blank">personally surveyed&nbsp;</a>the Butler site and has publicized multiple whistleblower allegations. Previous allegations assert that agents were&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2foutreach.senate.gov%2fiqextranet%2fiqClickTrk.aspx%3f%26cid%3dSenHawley%26crop%3d14442.9285199.8119262.8019990%26report_id%3d%26redirect%3dhttps%253a%252f%252fwww.hawley.senate.gov%252fnew-whistleblower-allegation-secret-service-prevented-extra-security-assets-for-trump-rally%252f%26redir_log%3d380552127117865&amp;redir_log=516773093792034" target="_blank">discouraged</a>&nbsp;from requesting additional security and note&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2foutreach.senate.gov%2fiqextranet%2fiqClickTrk.aspx%3f%26cid%3dSenHawley%26crop%3d14442.9285199.8119262.8019990%26report_id%3d%26redirect%3dhttps%253a%252f%252foutreach.senate.gov%252fiqextranet%252fiqClickTrk.aspx%253f%2526cid%253dSenHawley%2526crop%253d14275.9278220.8114513.8019990%2526report_id%253d%2526redirect%253dhttps%25253a%25252f%25252fwww.hawley.senate.gov%25252fhawley-reveals-new-whistleblower-allegations-exposing-loose-security-ahead-of-trump-assassination-attempt%25252f%2526redir_log%253d182953689345966%26redir_log%3d688733780582138&amp;redir_log=721852135923331" target="_blank">loose security</a>&nbsp;at the Trump rally,&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fnew-whistleblower-allegations-hawley-reveals-law-enforcement-supposed-to-cover-roof-at-butler-pa-trump-rally%2f&amp;redir_log=901068615772977" target="_blank">abandoned posts</a>&nbsp;on the roof where the shooter was located, and&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fhawley-releases-new-whistleblower-claims-alleging-secret-service-directors-role-in-scaling-back-agencys-manpower-retaliating-against-agents-who-speak-out%2f&amp;redir_log=678420953921292" target="_blank">scaled-back security</a>&nbsp;due to the decisions of Acting Director Rowe.

On July 30, Senator Hawley&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fno-one-has-been-fired-hawley-pushes-for-accountability-from-secret-service-on-trump-assassination-attempt%2f&amp;redir_log=504810180305961" target="_blank">questioned</a>&nbsp;Acting Director Rowe in a Senate hearing. The Acting Director&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fnew-whistleblower-allegations-hawley-reveals-secret-service-declined-drone-usage-day-of-trump-butler-rally%2f&amp;redir_log=303746225621962" target="_blank">confirmed</a>&nbsp;that the Secret Service did, in fact, refuse drones from local law enforcement—a detail brought to light by a whistleblower in contact with Senator Hawley’s office.&nbsp;Whistleblowers with information are encouraged to contact Senator Hawley’s office&nbsp;by email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:tips@hawley.senate.gov">tips@hawley.senate.gov</a>&nbsp;or by phone at (202) 224-6154. Whistleblower identities will be protected against disclosure. Tips from federal employees are protected by the Whistleblower Protection Act, 5 U.S.C. § 2302, which prohibits the federal government from taking any personnel action on the basis of a disclosure of evidence of gross mismanagement, gross waste of funds, abuse of authority, or illegal activity.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720975879185.jpeg" alt="Former President Donald Trump gestures while surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents as he is helped off the stage at a campaign rally in Butler, Pa., Saturday, July 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)" />
 <figcaption>Former President Donald Trump gestures while surrounded by U.S. Secret Service agents as he is helped off the stage at a campaign rally in Butler, Pa., Saturday, July 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON&nbsp;—&nbsp; In the wake of a&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fx.com%2fHawleyMO%2fstatus%2f1835429374792970292&amp;redir_log=343221794648289" target="_blank">second assassination attempt</a>&nbsp;against former President Donald J. Trump, U.S. Senator Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) unveiled&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fwp-content%2fuploads%2f2024%2f09%2fHawley-Whistleblower-Report-re-USSS-Failures-2024-09-16.pdf&amp;redir_log=255885719553759">a new, 22-page whistleblower report</a>&nbsp;detailing the failures of the United States Secret Service in connection with the July 13 attempted assassination of former President Trump. The Hawley Report has been shared with the House Task Force on the Attempted Assassination of Donald J. Trump to supplement their investigation.<a href="https://www.hawley.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Hawley-Whistleblower-Report-re-USSS-Failures-2024-09-16.pdf">CLICK HERE to read</a> the entire Hawley Report.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726517941485.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Hawley Report’s findings are highly damaging to the credibility of the Secret Service and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). They reveal a compounding pattern of negligence, sloppiness, and gross incompetence that goes back years, all of which culminated in an assassination attempt that came inches from succeeding.In addition to a comprehensive review of previous whistleblower allegations that Senator Hawley has uncovered, the Hawley Report includes&nbsp;new findings from whistleblowers that have not yet been reported, including:<ul>
 <li>Secret&nbsp;Service intelligence units—teams of Secret Service agents paired with state and local law enforcement to handle reports of suspicious persons—were absent from the Butler rally.</li><li>The&nbsp;hospital site where former President Trump received treatment after the shooting was poorly secured, and the hospital site agent could not answer basic questions about site security.</li>
 </ul>To date, Secret Service and DHS have provided virtually no answers and there remain many outstanding questions, including:<ul>
 <li>Who,&nbsp;within the Secret Service or DHS, made the decision to deny counter sniper coverage to the rooftop from which Thomas Crooks shot former President Trump on July 13?</li><li>When&nbsp;will Secret Service or DHS publicly name the lead site agent for the rally and the lead agent for the Butler visit?</li><li>Did&nbsp;the Acting Secret Service Director ever deny resources to the Trump campaign, or USSS sniper teams, as has been reported in the press?</li>
 </ul>The Secret Service, the Federal Bureau of Investigations, and Department of Homeland Security have all tried to evade real accountability. Their leaders have slow-walked congressional investigations, misled the American people, and shirked responsibility. DHS is now&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fx.com%2fHawleyMO%2fstatus%2f1834396709964628463&amp;redir_log=693803866273289" target="_blank">reportedly</a>&nbsp;pressuring the Secret Service not to comply with document requests by Congress about the Trump assassination attempt. The American people deserve answers.As a member of the Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, Senator Hawley has been a leader in the investigation into the attempted assassination of former President Trump. He has&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fx.com%2fHawleyMO%2fstatus%2f1814657791774036032&amp;redir_log=363485896701288" target="_blank">personally surveyed&nbsp;</a>the Butler site and has publicized multiple whistleblower allegations. Previous allegations assert that agents were&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2foutreach.senate.gov%2fiqextranet%2fiqClickTrk.aspx%3f%26cid%3dSenHawley%26crop%3d14442.9285199.8119262.8019990%26report_id%3d%26redirect%3dhttps%253a%252f%252fwww.hawley.senate.gov%252fnew-whistleblower-allegation-secret-service-prevented-extra-security-assets-for-trump-rally%252f%26redir_log%3d380552127117865&amp;redir_log=516773093792034" target="_blank">discouraged</a>&nbsp;from requesting additional security and note&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2foutreach.senate.gov%2fiqextranet%2fiqClickTrk.aspx%3f%26cid%3dSenHawley%26crop%3d14442.9285199.8119262.8019990%26report_id%3d%26redirect%3dhttps%253a%252f%252foutreach.senate.gov%252fiqextranet%252fiqClickTrk.aspx%253f%2526cid%253dSenHawley%2526crop%253d14275.9278220.8114513.8019990%2526report_id%253d%2526redirect%253dhttps%25253a%25252f%25252fwww.hawley.senate.gov%25252fhawley-reveals-new-whistleblower-allegations-exposing-loose-security-ahead-of-trump-assassination-attempt%25252f%2526redir_log%253d182953689345966%26redir_log%3d688733780582138&amp;redir_log=721852135923331" target="_blank">loose security</a>&nbsp;at the Trump rally,&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fnew-whistleblower-allegations-hawley-reveals-law-enforcement-supposed-to-cover-roof-at-butler-pa-trump-rally%2f&amp;redir_log=901068615772977" target="_blank">abandoned posts</a>&nbsp;on the roof where the shooter was located, and&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fhawley-releases-new-whistleblower-claims-alleging-secret-service-directors-role-in-scaling-back-agencys-manpower-retaliating-against-agents-who-speak-out%2f&amp;redir_log=678420953921292" target="_blank">scaled-back security</a>&nbsp;due to the decisions of Acting Director Rowe. On July 30, Senator Hawley&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fno-one-has-been-fired-hawley-pushes-for-accountability-from-secret-service-on-trump-assassination-attempt%2f&amp;redir_log=504810180305961" target="_blank">questioned</a>&nbsp;Acting Director Rowe in a Senate hearing. The Acting Director&nbsp;<a href="https://outreach.senate.gov/iqextranet/iqClickTrk.aspx?&amp;cid=SenHawley&amp;crop=14540.9298959.8127925.8019990&amp;report_id=&amp;redirect=https%3a%2f%2fwww.hawley.senate.gov%2fnew-whistleblower-allegations-hawley-reveals-secret-service-declined-drone-usage-day-of-trump-butler-rally%2f&amp;redir_log=303746225621962" target="_blank">confirmed</a>&nbsp;that the Secret Service did, in fact, refuse drones from local law enforcement—a detail brought to light by a whistleblower in contact with Senator Hawley’s office.&nbsp;Whistleblowers with information are encouraged to contact Senator Hawley’s office&nbsp;by email at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:tips@hawley.senate.gov">tips@hawley.senate.gov</a>&nbsp;or by phone at (202) 224-6154. Whistleblower identities will be protected against disclosure. Tips from federal employees are protected by the Whistleblower Protection Act, 5 U.S.C. § 2302, which prohibits the federal government from taking any personnel action on the basis of a disclosure of evidence of gross mismanagement, gross waste of funds, abuse of authority, or illegal activity.

Read Senator's new whistleblower report on 1st Trump assassination attempt 

WASHINGTON (AP) — A Christian pastor from California has been freed from China after nearly 20 years behind bars and is back home in the U.S., the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-department-of-state">State Department</a>&nbsp;said Monday.

David Lin, 68, was detained after he entered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/china">China</a>&nbsp;in 2006, later convicted of contract fraud and sentenced to life in prison, according to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and advocacy groups.

“Praise God! We got the call late last night!!! Dad is free and over Alaska now,” the pastor’s daughter, Alice Lin, said by text message Sunday to Bob Fu, a longtime supporter and the founder of China Aid, an U.S.-based advocacy group for persecuted activists in China. Fu shared with The Associated Press a screenshot of the text sent before the Lins reunited.

The Biden administration has been working on David Lin's case and those of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/american-hostages-wrongfully-detained-joe-biden-0fb40f42130f59dadb783e8a9823d3e1">other wrongly detained Americans</a>&nbsp;in China for years and have raised them at every meeting with senior Chinese officials, including Secretary of State Antony&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-china-blinken-83a98c83af72335e3f321a375ea26a3c">Blinken’s meeting this summer with Chinese Foreign Minister</a>&nbsp;Wang Yi in Laos. Such meetings aim to keep communication open between Washington and Beijing despite escalating tensions.

“We welcome David Lin's release from prison in the People’s Republic of China. He has returned to the United States and reunited with his family for the first time in nearly 20 years,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.

“We’ll continue to push the release of other Americans," he said. “It’s something that we continue to work on. It’s an important step forward, and we’re going to continue to push for the release of other Americans."

Lin frequently traveled to China in the 1990s to spread the gospel, according to China Aid, which says Lin sought a license from the Chinese government to carry out Christian ministry. It’s unlikely he was granted permission, and he was detained in 2006 when assisting a church not authorized by Chinese officials, the group said.

Lin was formally arrested in 2009 on suspicion of contract fraud and, after a court review, was sentenced to life in prison, China Aid said.

The charge is frequently used against leaders of churches that operate outside state-sponsored faith groups, and it is a crime that Lin denied, according to the Dui Hua Foundation, a humanitarian group that advocates for prisoners in China. The commission on religious freedom says those leading and taking part in churches not sanctioned by the Chinese government “often face intimidation, harassment, arrest and harsh sentences.”

In China, all Christian churches must pledge loyalty to the ruling Communist Party and register with the government. Any unregistered congregation is considered an underground church whose activities are illegal in China. Beijing has always&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/newsom-china-visit-xi-jinping-22316290e39e078f0bb695a250e8658e">cracked down</a>&nbsp;on “unlawful preaching,” and efforts have only intensified in the past decade.

Lin's sentence had been reduced and he had been due for release in April 2030. The commission on religious freedom noted in 2019 that there were reports Lin was in declining health and faced possible threats to his safety in prison.

The Chinese foreign ministry didn't immediately respond to requests for comment about Lin's release.

Other Americans known to remain detained in China include Kai Li, a businessman who is being held on espionage-related charges that his family says are bogus, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-states-china-diplomacy-jake-sullivan-wang-yi-118132affe809b4fd99c627cb22f8878">Mark Swidan</a>, who was sentenced on drug charges. The State Department’s office of the special presidential envoy on hostage affairs has designated the two as “wrongful detainees,” a label given to Americans jailed in foreign countries for what the U.S. government considers legally specious allegations or for improper motivations.

Nelson Wells Jr. and Dawn Michelle Hunt also are incarcerated in China over drug-related charges, and their families, along with Li's son, will be among those speaking at a congressional hearing Wednesday about Americans held in China.

Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-mccaul">Michael McCaul</a>, the Texas Republican who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he was “extremely glad” Lin was released after 17 years behind bars and called for Li and Swidan to be freed immediately.

Lin's “capture, like so many others, marks a rising trend of hostage diplomacy by authoritarians around the world,” McCaul&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/HouseForeignGOP/status/1835429989803758016">said</a>&nbsp;on the social platform X.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726516946080.png" alt="David Lin photo courtesy Hostage Aid Worldwide" />
 <figcaption>David Lin photo courtesy Hostage Aid Worldwide</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A Christian pastor from California has been freed from China after nearly 20 years behind bars and is back home in the U.S., the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-department-of-state">State Department</a>&nbsp;said Monday.David Lin, 68, was detained after he entered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/china">China</a>&nbsp;in 2006, later convicted of contract fraud and sentenced to life in prison, according to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom and advocacy groups.“Praise God! We got the call late last night!!! Dad is free and over Alaska now,” the pastor’s daughter, Alice Lin, said by text message Sunday to Bob Fu, a longtime supporter and the founder of China Aid, an U.S.-based advocacy group for persecuted activists in China. Fu shared with The Associated Press a screenshot of the text sent before the Lins reunited.The Biden administration has been working on David Lin's case and those of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/american-hostages-wrongfully-detained-joe-biden-0fb40f42130f59dadb783e8a9823d3e1">other wrongly detained Americans</a>&nbsp;in China for years and have raised them at every meeting with senior Chinese officials, including Secretary of State Antony&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-china-blinken-83a98c83af72335e3f321a375ea26a3c">Blinken’s meeting this summer with Chinese Foreign Minister</a>&nbsp;Wang Yi in Laos. Such meetings aim to keep communication open between Washington and Beijing despite escalating tensions.“We welcome David Lin's release from prison in the People’s Republic of China. He has returned to the United States and reunited with his family for the first time in nearly 20 years,” State Department spokesman Matthew Miller told reporters.“We’ll continue to push the release of other Americans," he said. “It’s something that we continue to work on. It’s an important step forward, and we’re going to continue to push for the release of other Americans."Lin frequently traveled to China in the 1990s to spread the gospel, according to China Aid, which says Lin sought a license from the Chinese government to carry out Christian ministry. It’s unlikely he was granted permission, and he was detained in 2006 when assisting a church not authorized by Chinese officials, the group said.Lin was formally arrested in 2009 on suspicion of contract fraud and, after a court review, was sentenced to life in prison, China Aid said.The charge is frequently used against leaders of churches that operate outside state-sponsored faith groups, and it is a crime that Lin denied, according to the Dui Hua Foundation, a humanitarian group that advocates for prisoners in China. The commission on religious freedom says those leading and taking part in churches not sanctioned by the Chinese government “often face intimidation, harassment, arrest and harsh sentences.”In China, all Christian churches must pledge loyalty to the ruling Communist Party and register with the government. Any unregistered congregation is considered an underground church whose activities are illegal in China. Beijing has always&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/newsom-china-visit-xi-jinping-22316290e39e078f0bb695a250e8658e">cracked down</a>&nbsp;on “unlawful preaching,” and efforts have only intensified in the past decade.Lin's sentence had been reduced and he had been due for release in April 2030. The commission on religious freedom noted in 2019 that there were reports Lin was in declining health and faced possible threats to his safety in prison.The Chinese foreign ministry didn't immediately respond to requests for comment about Lin's release.Other Americans known to remain detained in China include Kai Li, a businessman who is being held on espionage-related charges that his family says are bogus, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-states-china-diplomacy-jake-sullivan-wang-yi-118132affe809b4fd99c627cb22f8878">Mark Swidan</a>, who was sentenced on drug charges. The State Department’s office of the special presidential envoy on hostage affairs has designated the two as “wrongful detainees,” a label given to Americans jailed in foreign countries for what the U.S. government considers legally specious allegations or for improper motivations.Nelson Wells Jr. and Dawn Michelle Hunt also are incarcerated in China over drug-related charges, and their families, along with Li's son, will be among those speaking at a congressional hearing Wednesday about Americans held in China.Rep.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/michael-mccaul">Michael McCaul</a>, the Texas Republican who chairs the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said he was “extremely glad” Lin was released after 17 years behind bars and called for Li and Swidan to be freed immediately.Lin's “capture, like so many others, marks a rising trend of hostage diplomacy by authoritarians around the world,” McCaul&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/HouseForeignGOP/status/1835429989803758016">said</a>&nbsp;on the social platform X.

China releases U.S. pastor after nearly 20 years in prison

WASHINGTON (AP) —President Joe Biden on Monday again decried the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump and said America must work to stop the scourge of political violence.

“America has suffered too many times the tragedy of an assassin’s bullet,” Biden said at the start of an address to the National HBCU Week Conference in Philadelphia. “It solves nothing. It just tears the country apart. We must do everything we can to prevent it and never give it any oxygen.”

The president’s comments came after Trump said, without evidence, that Biden and Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;inspired&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shooting-gunshots-florida-f62f8378d3a8ce7b2e99d6a8fb40aba9">another apparent attempt on his life</a>, deriding their criticism of him as a threat to democracy despite his own long history of inflammatory campaign rhetoric and advocacy for jailing or prosecuting his political enemies.

“Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at, when I am the one who is going to save the country and they are the ones that are destroying the country — both from the inside and out,” Trump said in comments to Fox News Digital.

Biden in his speech added that Acting Director Secret Service Ronald Rowe, Jr. was in Florida “assessing what happened and determining whether any further adjustments need to be made to ensure” Trump’s safety.

Justice Department to ‘bring every available resource’ to investigation of apparent assassination attempt, Garland says

Attorney General Merrick Garland says the Justice Department will “work tirelessly to ensure accountability” in the apparent assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump.

Garland said in an emailed statement that the Justice Department will “bring every available resource to bear in this investigation.”

“We are grateful that the former President is safe,” Garland said.

Trump was 'courageous', his golf partner says

Steve Witkoff, Trump’s golf partner on Sunday, says the former president’s reaction to the apparent assassination attempt was “courageous and stoic.”

The real estate investor said Monday in a post on the social platform X that Trump, his “very close friend,” was “concerned about his friends first before thinking of himself,” something Witkoff said exemplified “the truest example of leadership.”

Fox News host Sean Hannity, a close friend of the former president’s, said on air Sunday that he had spoken with Trump and Witkoff, who told him that Secret Service agents “pounced on” Trump and “covered him” to protect him.

Body camera footage shows Routh’s arrest

Body camera footage posted on Facebook Monday shows the arrest of the man suspected in the apparent assassination attempt.

The video posted by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office shows Ryan Routh walking backward with his hands over his head on the side of a road before being handcuffed and led away by law enforcement.

Law enforcement block and search Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach

Local law enforcement was still blocking the palm tree-lined road south of the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, as a group of FBI agents were searching Monday near the hedge surrounding the property.

Other investigators were also in the area walking back and forth from their vehicles to the hedge.

Journalists had set up cameras near a gas station facing the property as temperatures were nearing 90 degrees Fahrenheit.

‘There’s no quick fix,’ retired agent says of adding more personnel to the Secret Service

Retired supervisory Secret Service agent Bobby McDonald, now a criminal justice lecturer at the University of New Haven, said Monday that he hopes the agency will analyze the Sunday’s events and take ownership of what went right and what went wrong — and use it to improve as it moves into the home stretch of election season.

He noted that it’s a “very busy time” for the Secret Service with the election going on, more candidates now needing protection and with preparations underway for the United Nations General Assembly. The Secret Service currently has 40 people it’s responsible for protecting fulltime. In addition to Trump and Biden, that list also includes Harris, vice presidential candidates, other former presidents and their families and others.

McDonald cautioned that it can take nine to 18 months to bring on a Secret Service staffer. The service may want to transfer more personnel from the investigative work the agency does to its protective side, McDonald said.

“There is no quick fix,” he said, noting that temporarily bringing in people from outside the agency to help can come with its own challenges because they don’t regularly do protective work.

Former Secret Service agent says there’s an obvious need for more protection for Trump

Anthony Cangelosi, a former Secret Service agent, said the events Sunday show that there’s an obvious need for more personnel assigned to protect former President Trump.

“They could have been utilized to secure the perimeter,” he said.

He said it’s understandable that former presidents like Trump do not have the same level of protection as a sitting president. But, he said, Trump also isn’t like former presidents Obama or Clinton for example. He’s both a former president and a current nominee hoping to return to the White House.

“He’s not your typical former president,” he said.

Cangelosi, who’s currently a lecturer at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, questioned whether a request had been made by anyone in the Secret Service for more personnel and if so what happened to that request? And if no requests have been made for more personnel, why not?

Without the resources to secure the entire perimeter, Cangelosi said the Secret Service did the next best thing, which was to have agents going ahead of the president to scout the next locations. He commended the work they did to spot the muzzle of the gun and open fire, saying they were vigilant. But he said there’s always a chance that they could have missed the muzzle. Extra coverage could include roving uniformed personnel outside the perimeter, for example, he said. The goal is to create a presence that serves as a deterrence.

He said the Secret Service doesn’t have the extra personnel but they can be pulled from other agencies.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726517249192.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —President Joe Biden on Monday again decried the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump and said America must work to stop the scourge of political violence.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">From earlier today, President Biden on former President Trump: “Thank God the president is ok...the Service needs more help and I think the Congress should respond to their needs.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/scmdJTqrmi">pic.twitter.com/scmdJTqrmi</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1835734379047338024?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 16, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“America has suffered too many times the tragedy of an assassin’s bullet,” Biden said at the start of an address to the National HBCU Week Conference in Philadelphia. “It solves nothing. It just tears the country apart. We must do everything we can to prevent it and never give it any oxygen.”The president’s comments came after Trump said, without evidence, that Biden and Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;inspired&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-shooting-gunshots-florida-f62f8378d3a8ce7b2e99d6a8fb40aba9">another apparent attempt on his life</a>, deriding their criticism of him as a threat to democracy despite his own long history of inflammatory campaign rhetoric and advocacy for jailing or prosecuting his political enemies.“Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at, when I am the one who is going to save the country and they are the ones that are destroying the country — both from the inside and out,” Trump said in comments to Fox News Digital.Biden in his speech added that Acting Director Secret Service Ronald Rowe, Jr. was in Florida “assessing what happened and determining whether any further adjustments need to be made to ensure” Trump’s safety.<h2>Justice Department to ‘bring every available resource’ to investigation of apparent assassination attempt, Garland says</h2>Attorney General Merrick Garland says the Justice Department will “work tirelessly to ensure accountability” in the apparent assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump.Garland said in an emailed statement that the Justice Department will “bring every available resource to bear in this investigation.”“We are grateful that the former President is safe,” Garland said.<h2>Trump was 'courageous', his golf partner says</h2>Steve Witkoff, Trump’s golf partner on Sunday, says the former president’s reaction to the apparent assassination attempt was “courageous and stoic.”The real estate investor said Monday in a post on the social platform X that Trump, his “very close friend,” was “concerned about his friends first before thinking of himself,” something Witkoff said exemplified “the truest example of leadership.”Fox News host Sean Hannity, a close friend of the former president’s, said on air Sunday that he had spoken with Trump and Witkoff, who told him that Secret Service agents “pounced on” Trump and “covered him” to protect him.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726480816341.png" alt="Ryan Wesley Routh takes part in a rally in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, April 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)" />
 <figcaption>Ryan Wesley Routh takes part in a rally in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, April 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Body camera footage shows Routh’s arrest</h2>Body camera footage posted on Facebook Monday shows the arrest of the man suspected in the apparent assassination attempt.The video posted by the Martin County Sheriff’s Office shows Ryan Routh walking backward with his hands over his head on the side of a road before being handcuffed and led away by law enforcement.<h2>Law enforcement block and search Trump’s golf course in West Palm Beach</h2>Local law enforcement was still blocking the palm tree-lined road south of the Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach, Florida, as a group of FBI agents were searching Monday near the hedge surrounding the property.Other investigators were also in the area walking back and forth from their vehicles to the hedge.Journalists had set up cameras near a gas station facing the property as temperatures were nearing 90 degrees Fahrenheit.<h2>‘There’s no quick fix,’ retired agent says of adding more personnel to the Secret Service</h2>Retired supervisory Secret Service agent Bobby McDonald, now a criminal justice lecturer at the University of New Haven, said Monday that he hopes the agency will analyze the Sunday’s events and take ownership of what went right and what went wrong — and use it to improve as it moves into the home stretch of election season.He noted that it’s a “very busy time” for the Secret Service with the election going on, more candidates now needing protection and with preparations underway for the United Nations General Assembly. The Secret Service currently has 40 people it’s responsible for protecting fulltime. In addition to Trump and Biden, that list also includes Harris, vice presidential candidates, other former presidents and their families and others.McDonald cautioned that it can take nine to 18 months to bring on a Secret Service staffer. The service may want to transfer more personnel from the investigative work the agency does to its protective side, McDonald said.“There is no quick fix,” he said, noting that temporarily bringing in people from outside the agency to help can come with its own challenges because they don’t regularly do protective work.<h2>Former Secret Service agent says there’s an obvious need for more protection for Trump</h2>Anthony Cangelosi, a former Secret Service agent, said the events Sunday show that there’s an obvious need for more personnel assigned to protect former President Trump.“They could have been utilized to secure the perimeter,” he said.He said it’s understandable that former presidents like Trump do not have the same level of protection as a sitting president. But, he said, Trump also isn’t like former presidents Obama or Clinton for example. He’s both a former president and a current nominee hoping to return to the White House.“He’s not your typical former president,” he said.Cangelosi, who’s currently a lecturer at John Jay College of Criminal Justice, questioned whether a request had been made by anyone in the Secret Service for more personnel and if so what happened to that request? And if no requests have been made for more personnel, why not?Without the resources to secure the entire perimeter, Cangelosi said the Secret Service did the next best thing, which was to have agents going ahead of the president to scout the next locations. He commended the work they did to spot the muzzle of the gun and open fire, saying they were vigilant. But he said there’s always a chance that they could have missed the muzzle. Extra coverage could include roving uniformed personnel outside the perimeter, for example, he said. The goal is to create a presence that serves as a deterrence.He said the Secret Service doesn’t have the extra personnel but they can be pulled from other agencies.

🎥President decries 2nd assassination attempt against Trump

JEFFERSON COUNTY—Four people were injured in an accident involving a school bus just after 7a.m. Monday in Jefferson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Volvo S80 driven by Linn&nbsp;Cote, 15, Ozawkie, was eastbound up a hill in the 12,000 Block of Kansas 92 just east of McCarter Drive.&nbsp; 

The sun was in the driver's eyes and he was unable to see a school bus driven by John Norman, 73,&nbsp;Oskaloosa,&nbsp;stopped picking up passengers. The car rear-ended the school bus.

EMS transported Cote and three passengers on the bus identified as 3-year-old Landry&nbsp;Milner, 5-year-old Serenity&nbsp;Eastridge and 10-year-old Annsley&nbsp;Eastridge, all of Oskaloosa, to Stormont Vail in Topeka.&nbsp; Norman and sixteen other passengers on the bus were not injured.&nbsp; Cote was properly restrained, according to the KHP.&nbsp; The KHP did not have details on the school or district involved.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1636545715782.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>JEFFERSON COUNTY—Four people were injured in an accident involving a school bus just after 7a.m. Monday in Jefferson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Volvo S80 driven by Linn&nbsp;Cote, 15, Ozawkie, was eastbound up a hill in the 12,000 Block of Kansas 92 just east of McCarter Drive.&nbsp; The sun was in the driver's eyes and he was unable to see a school bus driven by John Norman, 73,&nbsp;Oskaloosa,&nbsp;stopped picking up passengers. The car rear-ended the school bus.EMS transported Cote and three passengers on the bus identified as 3-year-old Landry&nbsp;Milner, 5-year-old Serenity&nbsp;Eastridge and 10-year-old Annsley&nbsp;Eastridge, all of Oskaloosa, to Stormont Vail in Topeka.&nbsp; Norman and sixteen other passengers on the bus were not injured.&nbsp; Cote was properly restrained, according to the KHP.&nbsp; The KHP did not have details on the school or district involved.

3 children, Kan. teen driver hospitalized after car, school bus accident

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A federal judge in North Dakota has temporarily blocked a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/methane-leaks-limits-fees-biden-climate-change-34217e0d7cda1f2ebf75a9eb032f2dc5">new Biden administration rule</a>&nbsp;aimed at reducing the venting and flaring of natural gas at oil wells.

“At this preliminary stage, the plaintiffs have shown they are likely to succeed on the merits of their claim the 2024 Rule is arbitrary and capricious,” U.S. District Judge Daniel Traynor ruled Friday,&nbsp;<a href="https://bismarcktribune.com/news/state-regional/north-dakota-judge-blocks-blm-rule-legal-challenge-plays-out/article_ba81bc4a-71e6-11ef-873c-731f7d3970b4.html#tracking-source=home-top-story">the Bismarck Tribune reported.</a>

North Dakota, along with Montana, Texas, Wyoming and Utah, challenged the rule in federal court earlier this year, arguing that it would hinder oil and gas production and that the Interior Department's Bureau of Land Management is overstepping its regulatory authority on non-federal minerals and air pollution.

The bureau says the rule is intended to reduce the waste of gas and that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-gas-drilling-public-lands-climate-wells-ceb61d62aecf09d9ba4cb72d0d7f39f4">royalty owners</a>&nbsp;would see over $50 million in additional payments if it was enforced.

But Traynor wrote that the rules "add nothing more than a layer of federal regulation on top of existing federal regulation.”

When pumping for oil, natural gas often comes up as a byproduct. Gas isn't as profitable as oil, so it is vented or flared unless the right equipment is in place to capture.

Methane, the main component of natural gas, is a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/methane-fee-epa-climate-biden-oil-gas-aed2fca450a4f29235083fc9dfcf8c42">climate “super pollutant”</a>&nbsp;that is many times more potent in the short term than carbon dioxide.

Well operators have reduced flaring rates in North Dakota significantly over the past few years, but they still hover around 5%, the Tribune reported. Reductions require infrastructure to capture, transport and use that gas.

North Dakota politicians praised the ruling.

“The Biden-Harris administration continuously attempts to overregulate and ultimately debilitate North Dakota’s energy production capabilities,” state Attorney General Drew Wrigley said in a statement.

The Bureau of Land Management declined comment.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574099609456.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A federal judge in North Dakota has temporarily blocked a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/methane-leaks-limits-fees-biden-climate-change-34217e0d7cda1f2ebf75a9eb032f2dc5">new Biden administration rule</a>&nbsp;aimed at reducing the venting and flaring of natural gas at oil wells.“At this preliminary stage, the plaintiffs have shown they are likely to succeed on the merits of their claim the 2024 Rule is arbitrary and capricious,” U.S. District Judge Daniel Traynor ruled Friday,&nbsp;<a href="https://bismarcktribune.com/news/state-regional/north-dakota-judge-blocks-blm-rule-legal-challenge-plays-out/article_ba81bc4a-71e6-11ef-873c-731f7d3970b4.html#tracking-source=home-top-story">the Bismarck Tribune reported.</a>North Dakota, along with Montana, Texas, Wyoming and Utah, challenged the rule in federal court earlier this year, arguing that it would hinder oil and gas production and that the Interior Department's Bureau of Land Management is overstepping its regulatory authority on non-federal minerals and air pollution.The bureau says the rule is intended to reduce the waste of gas and that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-gas-drilling-public-lands-climate-wells-ceb61d62aecf09d9ba4cb72d0d7f39f4">royalty owners</a>&nbsp;would see over $50 million in additional payments if it was enforced.But Traynor wrote that the rules "add nothing more than a layer of federal regulation on top of existing federal regulation.”When pumping for oil, natural gas often comes up as a byproduct. Gas isn't as profitable as oil, so it is vented or flared unless the right equipment is in place to capture.Methane, the main component of natural gas, is a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/methane-fee-epa-climate-biden-oil-gas-aed2fca450a4f29235083fc9dfcf8c42">climate “super pollutant”</a>&nbsp;that is many times more potent in the short term than carbon dioxide.Well operators have reduced flaring rates in North Dakota significantly over the past few years, but they still hover around 5%, the Tribune reported. Reductions require infrastructure to capture, transport and use that gas.North Dakota politicians praised the ruling.“The Biden-Harris administration continuously attempts to overregulate and ultimately debilitate North Dakota’s energy production capabilities,” state Attorney General Drew Wrigley said in a statement.The Bureau of Land Management declined comment.

Judge blocks Biden administration rule to limit flaring of gas at oil wells

SALINE COUNTY —A Mulvane man was arrested on Friday night after a physical altercation with police and security personnel at Salina Central Stadium following the Salina South vs. Maize South football game.&nbsp;

Just after 9:30 p.m., a school resource officer and a security guard were called to remove an adult spectator from the game due to disruptive behavior, according to Salina Police Department (SPD) Captain James Feldman.

A Salina South High School resource officer was approached by Salina South High staff wanting an adult fan from from Maize South removed from the game due to his behavior in the stands,&nbsp; according to Feldman&nbsp;

The suspect, later identified as Jonathan Cordova, 43, of Mulvane, initially complied with the request to leave the stadium but refused to vacate the property entirely, stating he needed to wait for someone.

Feldman could not provide details on the specific behavior that led to Cordova's removal from the stadium.

The officer told Cordova again to leave, and then he refused and proceeded to take steps towards the school resource officer.

The school resource then attempt to apprehend the suspect.

Cordova struck the 38-year-old resource officer multiple times in the head and also punched the 63-year-old security guard. The resource officer sustained a contusion above her left eye and the security guard suffered a head injury.

Attempts to subdue Cordova with a taser were initially unsuccessful, but after a second deployment, the taser was effective and he was taken into custody.

Cordova was booked into the Saline County Jail on requested charges of battery on a law enforcement officer, battery on a security guard, criminal trespass, and disorderly conduct, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726408012123.png" alt="Cordova photo Saline County Jail" />
 <figcaption>Cordova photo Saline County Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —A Mulvane man was arrested on Friday night after a physical altercation with police and security personnel at Salina Central Stadium following the Salina South vs. Maize South football game.&nbsp;Just after 9:30 p.m., a school resource officer and a security guard were called to remove an adult spectator from the game due to disruptive behavior, according to Salina Police Department (SPD) Captain James Feldman.A Salina South High School resource officer was approached by Salina South High staff wanting an adult fan from from Maize South removed from the game due to his behavior in the stands,&nbsp; according to Feldman&nbsp;The suspect, later identified as Jonathan Cordova, 43, of Mulvane, initially complied with the request to leave the stadium but refused to vacate the property entirely, stating he needed to wait for someone.Feldman could not provide details on the specific behavior that led to Cordova's removal from the stadium.The officer told Cordova again to leave, and then he refused and proceeded to take steps towards the school resource officer.The school resource then attempt to apprehend the suspect.Cordova struck the 38-year-old resource officer multiple times in the head and also punched the 63-year-old security guard. The resource officer sustained a contusion above her left eye and the security guard suffered a head injury.Attempts to subdue Cordova with a taser were initially unsuccessful, but after a second deployment, the taser was effective and he was taken into custody.Cordova was booked into the Saline County Jail on requested charges of battery on a law enforcement officer, battery on a security guard, criminal trespass, and disorderly conduct, according to online jail records.

Kan. school resource officer injured during incident at football game

PALM BEACH, FL (AP) —Ryan Wesley Routh has had his first appearance in federal court.

During an eight-minute hearing, prosecutors levied two charges against him: possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.

Officials said Routh could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted on the first charge, and a possible five-year sentence on the second charge.

A bond hearing has been schedule for Sept. 23, and a probable cause hearing or arraignment has been set for Sept. 30, depending on whether the government secures an indictment on the charges.

During the hearing, Routh gave routine information to court officials as to his work status and income. Speaking in a soft voice, he said that he was working and making around $3,000 a month, but has zero savings.

Routh said that he has no real estate or assets, aside from two trucks worth about $1,000, both located in Hawaii.

Routh also said that he has a 25-year-old son, whom he sometimes supports.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump is blaming his political rivals’ rhetoric for Sunday’s apparent attempt on his life.

Trump said Monday in an interview with Fox News Digital that the accused gunman “believed the rhetoric of Biden and Harris, and he acted on it.”

The former president went on to say, “Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at, when I am the one who is going to save the country, and they are the ones that are destroying the country — both from the inside and out.”

The tone was different than the one Trump adopted immediately after the Pennsylvania assassination attempt in July, when he called for unity and a cooling of the campaign’s tenor, including during his speech at the Republican National Convention.

“They use highly inflammatory language,” Trump told Fox News Digital. “I can use it too — far better than they can — but I don’t.”

Routh had expressed support for Trump online in as recently as 2020, but in recent years, his posts suggest he soured on him, expressing support for Biden and Harris.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726480816341.png" alt="Ryan Wesley Routh takes part in a rally in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, April 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)" />
 <figcaption>Ryan Wesley Routh takes part in a rally in central Kyiv, Ukraine, Saturday, April 30, 2022. (AP Photo/Efrem Lukatsky)</figcaption>
 </figure>PALM BEACH, FL (AP) —Ryan Wesley Routh has had his first appearance in federal court.During an eight-minute hearing, prosecutors levied two charges against him: possession of a firearm by a convicted felon and possession of a firearm with an obliterated serial number.Officials said Routh could face up to 15 years in prison if convicted on the first charge, and a possible five-year sentence on the second charge.A bond hearing has been schedule for Sept. 23, and a probable cause hearing or arraignment has been set for Sept. 30, depending on whether the government secures an indictment on the charges.During the hearing, Routh gave routine information to court officials as to his work status and income. Speaking in a soft voice, he said that he was working and making around $3,000 a month, but has zero savings.Routh said that he has no real estate or assets, aside from two trucks worth about $1,000, both located in Hawaii.Routh also said that he has a 25-year-old son, whom he sometimes supports.Meanwhile, Donald Trump is blaming his political rivals’ rhetoric for Sunday’s apparent attempt on his life.Trump said Monday in an interview with Fox News Digital that the accused gunman “believed the rhetoric of Biden and Harris, and he acted on it.”The former president went on to say, “Their rhetoric is causing me to be shot at, when I am the one who is going to save the country, and they are the ones that are destroying the country — both from the inside and out.”The tone was different than the one Trump adopted immediately after the Pennsylvania assassination attempt in July, when he called for unity and a cooling of the campaign’s tenor, including during his speech at the Republican National Convention.“They use highly inflammatory language,” Trump told Fox News Digital. “I can use it too — far better than they can — but I don’t.”Routh had expressed support for Trump online in as recently as 2020, but in recent years, his posts suggest he soured on him, expressing support for Biden and Harris.

Suspect in 2nd assassination attempt of Donald Trump appears in court

GEARY COUNTY —A Kansas man accused in connection with a fatal crash in March that killed a police officer on his way home from work has been arrested.

On August, 19-year-old Gage Kaiser was charged with involuntary manslaughter while under the influence of alcohol or drugs and aggravated battery, according to the&nbsp;the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726259901569.png" alt="Kaiser photo Geary Co." />
 <figcaption>Kaiser photo Geary Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>GEARY COUNTY —A Kansas man accused in connection with a fatal crash in March that killed a police officer on his way home from work has been arrested.On August, 19-year-old Gage Kaiser was charged with involuntary manslaughter while under the influence of alcohol or drugs and aggravated battery, according to the&nbsp;the Sedgwick County District Attorney’s Office.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710681634704.png" alt="Officer Scott Hollingsworth-photo city of Clearwater" />
 <figcaption>Officer Scott Hollingsworth-photo city of Clearwater</figcaption>
 </figure>The accident occurred just before 3:30a.m. March 16, when a passenger vehicle driven by 26-year-old Scott Hollingsworth was southbound on U.S. 81 at 119th Street, according to Sumner County Sheriff's Lt. Mike Friday. A westbound pickup struck the vehicle driven by Hollingsworth.&nbsp;Hollingsworth was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; EMS transported three passengers in the pickup to an area hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. The pickup driver, later identified as Kaiser, was not injured.Clearwater PD said Hollingsworth had served the department for a year.On Sept. 10, Geary County deputies arrested Kaiser. He&nbsp;remains in the Geary County Detention Facility on a $200,000 bond.Hollingsworth's survivors included his wife, Hadley, daughter, Claire, parents, Greg and Nataly, and siblings, Jordan and Sydney.&nbsp;