SALINE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a domestic incident and have made an arest.

Just after 9p.m.&nbsp;September 6, police were dispatched to the Chapel Ridge Apartments, 2363 Chapel Ridge Place in Salina, in response to a domestic disturbance, according to Salina Police Captain James Feldman.

Officers made contact with 21-year-old Yesenia Buenrostro of Salina. She told officers that she got into an argument with the 22-year-old man who also lives in the apartment. Police determined from both parties that during this argument, Buenrostro pulled a. pocketknife and threatened the 22-year-old roommate.

&nbsp;Feldman said the argument began after Buenrostro allegedly discovered that she was missing an item, and said the 22-year-old victim was responsible.&nbsp;&nbsp;

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725980157342.png" alt="Buenrostro photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Buenrostro photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a domestic incident and have made an arest.Just after 9p.m.&nbsp;September 6, police were dispatched to the Chapel Ridge Apartments, 2363 Chapel Ridge Place in Salina, in response to a domestic disturbance, according to Salina Police Captain James Feldman.Officers made contact with 21-year-old Yesenia Buenrostro of Salina. She told officers that she got into an argument with the 22-year-old man who also lives in the apartment. Police determined from both parties that during this argument, Buenrostro pulled a. pocketknife and threatened the 22-year-old roommate.&nbsp;Feldman said the argument began after Buenrostro allegedly discovered that she was missing an item, and said the 22-year-old victim was responsible.&nbsp;&nbsp;Police arrested Buenrostro and booked her into the Saline County Jail on requested charges of aggravated assault.

Police: Kan. woman threatened roommate with a knife

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday posthumously presented Congress' highest honor — the Congressional Gold Medal — to 13 U.S. service members who were killed during the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, even as the politics of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">presidential election</a>&nbsp;swirled around the event.

Both Democrats and Republicans supported the legislation to honor the 13 U.S. troops, who were killed along with more than 170 Afghans in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-france-evacuations-kabul-9e457201e5bbe75a4eb1901fedeee7a1">a suicide bombing at the Abbey Gate at Kabul's Airport</a>&nbsp;in August 2021. President Joe Biden signed the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/5142/all-actions">legislation</a>&nbsp;in December 2021. The top Republican and Democratic leaders for both the House and Senate spoke at a somber ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda, hailing the lives and sacrifices of the service members.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called on the lawmakers gathered to “ensure the sacrifices of all our servicemembers were not in vain.”

“We must care for them and their families and defend the values of freedom and democracy they so nobly fought for,” Schumer, a New York Democrat, said.

But rather than a unifying moment, the event took place against the backdrop of a bitter back-and-forth over who is to blame for the rushed and deadly evacuation from Kabul. Johnson, a Louisiana Republican and ally of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, scheduled the ceremony just hours before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-trump-debate-tuesday-6ad8c03f6bf1ae88870b7db26276236e">the first debate</a>&nbsp;between Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris.

As the speaker opened the ceremony Tuesday, he took a jab at how the Biden administration has defended the decisions made during the final months of America's longest war.

“To the families who are here, and the many of you have yet to hear these words, so I will say them: we are sorry,” Johnson said. “The United States government should have done everything to protect our troops, those fallen and wounded at Abbey Gate, deserve their best efforts, and the families who have been left to pick up the pieces continue to deserve transparency, appreciation and recognition.”

Republicans on the House Foreign Affairs Committee also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-republicans-afghanistan-withdrawal-kabul-abbey-gate-cdf9578d3fef6201ee44fafb5f5d5acd">released a scathing investigation</a>&nbsp;on Sunday into the withdrawal that cast blame on Biden’s administration and minimized the role of Trump, who had signed the withdrawal deal with the Taliban.

White House national security spokesman John Kirby on Monday criticized the House report as partisan and one-sided, and said it revealed little new information as well as several inaccuracies. He noted that evacuation plans had started well before the pullout and the fall of Kabul “moved a lot faster than anyone could have anticipated.”

He also acknowledged that during the evacuation “not everything went according to plan. Nothing ever does.”

“We hold ourselves all accountable for that,” he said of the deaths.

Top military and White House officials attended the ceremony Tuesday, including Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis Richard McDonough and Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr. the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-islamic-state-group-bombings-kabul-taliban-80dde38aa7c28451b2dc55b466e31228">Pentagon reviews have concluded</a>&nbsp;that the suicide bombing was not preventable, and that suggestions troops may have seen the would-be bomber were not true.

Regardless, Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-michigan-afghanistan-war-46eb2b0861939bf022747920c0ee0234">thrust the withdrawal</a>, with the backing from some of the families of the Americans killed, into the center of his campaign. Last month, his political team distributed video of him&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-arlington-cemetery-altercation-18086b03bb1214bc9b6a23f2aaea1c98">attending a wreath-laying ceremony</a>&nbsp;for the fallen service members at Arlington National Cemetery on the third anniversary of the bombing, despite the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-arlington-cemetery-altercation-18086b03bb1214bc9b6a23f2aaea1c98">cemetery’s prohibition</a>&nbsp;on partisan activity on the grounds as well as an altercation with a cemetery employee who was trying to make sure the campaign followed those rules.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-arlington-cemetery-altercation-18086b03bb1214bc9b6a23f2aaea1c98">Gold Star military families</a>&nbsp;who invited him to the Arlington ceremony have defended Trump's actions. At a fiery news conference outside the Capitol Monday, they implored for the House report to be taken seriously and demanded accountability for those in leadership during evacuation from Kabul.

“President Trump is certainly not perfect. But he’s a far better choice, in my opinion, than the mess that Biden and Harris have created since Kabul,” said Paula Knauss Selph, whose son Ryan Knauss died in the Abbey Gate attack.

At the ceremony Tuesday, Coral Doolittle, whose son Humberto A. Sanchez was killed, spoke on behalf of the Gold Star families and asked the American public to "always remember the 13. Say their names, speak their names, and tell their stories.”

While Trump and Republicans have sought to link Harris to the withdrawal as a campaign issue, and Harris has said she was the last person in the room when Biden made his decision, neither watchdog reviews nor the 18-month investigation by House Republicans have identified any instance where the vice president had a significant impact on decision-making.

Still, House Republicans argued that Harris, as well as Biden's national security team, needed to face accountability for the consequences of the deadly withdrawal.

“Kamala Harris wants to be the president of the United States. She wants to be commander in chief. She needs to answer for this report immediately,” said Rep. Mike Lawler, a New York Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.

McCaul, the committee chairman, also defended the timing of the report by saying that the committee's investigation had to overcome resistance from the Biden administration.

He cast the investigation as a “truth-seeking mission” rather than a partisan endeavor, but also bragged that out of all the investigations that House Republicans have launched into the Biden administration in the last two years “this investigation is the one they fear the most because they know ... they were wrong."

Most assessments have concluded Trump and Biden share blame for the disastrous end to the 20-year war, which saw enemy Taliban take over Afghanistan again before the last American troops even flew out of the Kabul airport. Over 2000 U.S. troops were killed in Afghanistan.

The main U.S. government watchdog for the war points to Trump’s 2020 deal with the Taliban to withdraw all U.S. forces and military contractors as “the single most important factor” in the collapse of U.S.-allied Afghan security forces and Taliban takeover. Biden’s April 2021 announcement that he would proceed with the withdrawal set in motion by Trump was the second-biggest factor, the watchdog said.

Both Trump and Biden kept up the staged withdrawal of U.S. forces, and in Trump’s case sharply cut back important U.S. airstrikes in the Taliban, even though the Taliban failed to enter into substantive negotiations with the U.S.-backed civilian government as required by Trump’s withdrawal deal.

The top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, also issued a memorandum in response to the GOP report, saying he was concerned by the “attempts to politicize the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.”

“Republicans’ partisan attempts to garner headlines rather than acknowledge the full facts and substance of their investigation have only increased with the heat of an election season,” Meeks said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725994960801.png" alt="Photo courtesy Rep. Jake LaTurner" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Rep. Jake LaTurner</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Mike Johnson on Tuesday posthumously presented Congress' highest honor — the Congressional Gold Medal — to 13 U.S. service members who were killed during the disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, even as the politics of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">presidential election</a>&nbsp;swirled around the event.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today, Congress presented its highest honor, the Congressional Gold Medal, to the 13 men and women of valor who made the ultimate sacrifice serving this nation at Hamid Karzai International Airport in 2021. Their names are etched into our hearts and now into the history of our… <a href="https://t.co/mKrcVKsjpg">pic.twitter.com/mKrcVKsjpg</a>&mdash; Speaker Mike Johnson (@SpeakerJohnson) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson/status/1833551869039300907?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Both Democrats and Republicans supported the legislation to honor the 13 U.S. troops, who were killed along with more than 170 Afghans in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-france-evacuations-kabul-9e457201e5bbe75a4eb1901fedeee7a1">a suicide bombing at the Abbey Gate at Kabul's Airport</a>&nbsp;in August 2021. President Joe Biden signed the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/5142/all-actions">legislation</a>&nbsp;in December 2021. The top Republican and Democratic leaders for both the House and Senate spoke at a somber ceremony in the Capitol Rotunda, hailing the lives and sacrifices of the service members.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Taps is played at the Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony honoring the service members killed at Abbey Gate on August 26, 2021, during the withdrawal from Afghanistan. <a href="https://t.co/YhT2zAEgB2">pic.twitter.com/YhT2zAEgB2</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1833537725435162946?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer called on the lawmakers gathered to “ensure the sacrifices of all our servicemembers were not in vain.”“We must care for them and their families and defend the values of freedom and democracy they so nobly fought for,” Schumer, a New York Democrat, said.But rather than a unifying moment, the event took place against the backdrop of a bitter back-and-forth over who is to blame for the rushed and deadly evacuation from Kabul. Johnson, a Louisiana Republican and ally of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, scheduled the ceremony just hours before&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-trump-debate-tuesday-6ad8c03f6bf1ae88870b7db26276236e">the first debate</a>&nbsp;between Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris.As the speaker opened the ceremony Tuesday, he took a jab at how the Biden administration has defended the decisions made during the final months of America's longest war.“To the families who are here, and the many of you have yet to hear these words, so I will say them: we are sorry,” Johnson said. “The United States government should have done everything to protect our troops, those fallen and wounded at Abbey Gate, deserve their best efforts, and the families who have been left to pick up the pieces continue to deserve transparency, appreciation and recognition.”Republicans on the House Foreign Affairs Committee also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-republicans-afghanistan-withdrawal-kabul-abbey-gate-cdf9578d3fef6201ee44fafb5f5d5acd">released a scathing investigation</a>&nbsp;on Sunday into the withdrawal that cast blame on Biden’s administration and minimized the role of Trump, who had signed the withdrawal deal with the Taliban.White House national security spokesman John Kirby on Monday criticized the House report as partisan and one-sided, and said it revealed little new information as well as several inaccuracies. He noted that evacuation plans had started well before the pullout and the fall of Kabul “moved a lot faster than anyone could have anticipated.”He also acknowledged that during the evacuation “not everything went according to plan. Nothing ever does.”“We hold ourselves all accountable for that,” he said of the deaths.Top military and White House officials attended the ceremony Tuesday, including Secretary of Veterans Affairs Denis Richard McDonough and Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown, Jr. the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-islamic-state-group-bombings-kabul-taliban-80dde38aa7c28451b2dc55b466e31228">Pentagon reviews have concluded</a>&nbsp;that the suicide bombing was not preventable, and that suggestions troops may have seen the would-be bomber were not true.Regardless, Trump has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-michigan-afghanistan-war-46eb2b0861939bf022747920c0ee0234">thrust the withdrawal</a>, with the backing from some of the families of the Americans killed, into the center of his campaign. Last month, his political team distributed video of him&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-arlington-cemetery-altercation-18086b03bb1214bc9b6a23f2aaea1c98">attending a wreath-laying ceremony</a>&nbsp;for the fallen service members at Arlington National Cemetery on the third anniversary of the bombing, despite the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-arlington-cemetery-altercation-18086b03bb1214bc9b6a23f2aaea1c98">cemetery’s prohibition</a>&nbsp;on partisan activity on the grounds as well as an altercation with a cemetery employee who was trying to make sure the campaign followed those rules.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-arlington-cemetery-altercation-18086b03bb1214bc9b6a23f2aaea1c98">Gold Star military families</a>&nbsp;who invited him to the Arlington ceremony have defended Trump's actions. At a fiery news conference outside the Capitol Monday, they implored for the House report to be taken seriously and demanded accountability for those in leadership during evacuation from Kabul.“President Trump is certainly not perfect. But he’s a far better choice, in my opinion, than the mess that Biden and Harris have created since Kabul,” said Paula Knauss Selph, whose son Ryan Knauss died in the Abbey Gate attack.At the ceremony Tuesday, Coral Doolittle, whose son Humberto A. Sanchez was killed, spoke on behalf of the Gold Star families and asked the American public to "always remember the 13. Say their names, speak their names, and tell their stories.”While Trump and Republicans have sought to link Harris to the withdrawal as a campaign issue, and Harris has said she was the last person in the room when Biden made his decision, neither watchdog reviews nor the 18-month investigation by House Republicans have identified any instance where the vice president had a significant impact on decision-making.Still, House Republicans argued that Harris, as well as Biden's national security team, needed to face accountability for the consequences of the deadly withdrawal.“Kamala Harris wants to be the president of the United States. She wants to be commander in chief. She needs to answer for this report immediately,” said Rep. Mike Lawler, a New York Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee.McCaul, the committee chairman, also defended the timing of the report by saying that the committee's investigation had to overcome resistance from the Biden administration.He cast the investigation as a “truth-seeking mission” rather than a partisan endeavor, but also bragged that out of all the investigations that House Republicans have launched into the Biden administration in the last two years “this investigation is the one they fear the most because they know ... they were wrong."Most assessments have concluded Trump and Biden share blame for the disastrous end to the 20-year war, which saw enemy Taliban take over Afghanistan again before the last American troops even flew out of the Kabul airport. Over 2000 U.S. troops were killed in Afghanistan.The main U.S. government watchdog for the war points to Trump’s 2020 deal with the Taliban to withdraw all U.S. forces and military contractors as “the single most important factor” in the collapse of U.S.-allied Afghan security forces and Taliban takeover. Biden’s April 2021 announcement that he would proceed with the withdrawal set in motion by Trump was the second-biggest factor, the watchdog said.Both Trump and Biden kept up the staged withdrawal of U.S. forces, and in Trump’s case sharply cut back important U.S. airstrikes in the Taliban, even though the Taliban failed to enter into substantive negotiations with the U.S.-backed civilian government as required by Trump’s withdrawal deal.The top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Gregory Meeks of New York, also issued a memorandum in response to the GOP report, saying he was concerned by the “attempts to politicize the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan.”“Republicans’ partisan attempts to garner headlines rather than acknowledge the full facts and substance of their investigation have only increased with the heat of an election season,” Meeks said.___

🎥Congress bestows highest honor on 13 killed during Afghanistan withdrawal

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha police arrested a suspect about half an hour after a shooting Tuesday that critically injured a teenage boy at a high school in Nebraska’s largest city.

Families rushed to Omaha Northwest High School after the shooting was reported by the school resource officer during lunch at 12:23 p.m. Omaha Police Deputy Chief Sherie Thomas said officers from several departments quickly responded to the school and found the victim inside.

Thomas said police believe the shooting was an isolated incident between two students. The 14-year-old suspect was arrested three blocks away about 30 minutes later.

Parents tearfully embraced their kids in the parking lot as the first few started to come out of the school after 1 p.m. The rest of the students were reunited with their families over the next couple hours.

Thomas said a 15-year-old boy was critically injured in the shooting and rushed to a hospital. She said the victim was in stable condition several hours after the shooting Tuesday.

One student told KETV that he was coming back to school after lunch and ran as fast as he could when he heard screams and saw people running because he didn’t want to die.

Two nearby Catholic high schools — Marian and Roncalli high schools — were also locked down after the shooting, but that was lifted after the arrest.

Devon DeMott told the Omaha World-Herald that he raced to the school from his home a few blocks away as soon as his son texted him there had been a shooting.

“As fatherly instinct, I jumped in the car and headed up there,” said DeMott, who was glad to see a significant police presence when he arrived.

The school district said no classes will be held at Northwest High on Wednesday, but students are scheduled to return Thursday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726003807260.png" alt="Omaha Public School Superintendent Matthew Ray during a press conference Tuesday afternoon-photo Omaha Police" />
 <figcaption>Omaha Public School Superintendent Matthew Ray during a press conference Tuesday afternoon-photo Omaha Police</figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Omaha police arrested a suspect about half an hour after a shooting Tuesday that critically injured a teenage boy at a high school in Nebraska’s largest city.Families rushed to Omaha Northwest High School after the shooting was reported by the school resource officer during lunch at 12:23 p.m. Omaha Police Deputy Chief Sherie Thomas said officers from several departments quickly responded to the school and found the victim inside.Thomas said police believe the shooting was an isolated incident between two students. The 14-year-old suspect was arrested three blocks away about 30 minutes later.Parents tearfully embraced their kids in the parking lot as the first few started to come out of the school after 1 p.m. The rest of the students were reunited with their families over the next couple hours.Thomas said a 15-year-old boy was critically injured in the shooting and rushed to a hospital. She said the victim was in stable condition several hours after the shooting Tuesday.One student told KETV that he was coming back to school after lunch and ran as fast as he could when he heard screams and saw people running because he didn’t want to die.Two nearby Catholic high schools — Marian and Roncalli high schools — were also locked down after the shooting, but that was lifted after the arrest.Devon DeMott told the Omaha World-Herald that he raced to the school from his home a few blocks away as soon as his son texted him there had been a shooting.“As fatherly instinct, I jumped in the car and headed up there,” said DeMott, who was glad to see a significant police presence when he arrived.The school district said no classes will be held at Northwest High on Wednesday, but students are scheduled to return Thursday.

Suspect in custody after teen wounded in shooting at Nebraska school

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A suspect involved in a 7-hour standoff and gunfight with deputies at a Kansas home made his first court appearance Monday.

Robert Cook Jr., 43 of Haysville, is charged with Aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, Interference with law enforcement and Criminal threat, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Just before 1:30p.m. September 4, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office Warrant Team which consisted of five deputies and one sergeant responded to a residence in the 8100 block of South Bernice in Haysville attempting to serve an arrest warrant for a 43-year-old Robert Cook and began conducting surveillance on the home, according to statement from Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Cook is due back in court on September 26, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725569911182.png" alt="-During the standoff, a deputy broke out a bedroom window and Cook fired a gun at the deputies multiple times. Image from police body camera image provided by Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>-During the standoff, a deputy broke out a bedroom window and Cook fired a gun at the deputies multiple times. Image from police body camera image provided by Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A suspect involved in a 7-hour standoff and gunfight with deputies at a Kansas home made his first court appearance Monday.Robert Cook Jr., 43 of Haysville, is charged with Aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer, Interference with law enforcement and Criminal threat, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725586579656.png" alt="Cook-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Cook-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 1:30p.m. September 4, the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office Warrant Team which consisted of five deputies and one sergeant responded to a residence in the 8100 block of South Bernice in Haysville attempting to serve an arrest warrant for a 43-year-old Robert Cook and began conducting surveillance on the home, according to statement from Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses.Deputies conducted interviews and received information confirming that Cook was inside the home. At 2:55pm deputies requested the assistance of a K9 from the Haysville police department to assist with clearing the residence.After the K9 cleared the residence, a team of Deputies entered the residence and believed Cook was locked in a bedroom. A K9 from the Wichita Police Department responded and remained outside the residence for the duration of the incident.A sergeant and two deputies exited the residence and prepared to deploy chemical munitions into the bedroom to end the barricade. At 3:48pm, a deputy broke out a bedroom window and Cook fired a gun at the deputies multiple times.Two deputies returned fire. One deputy fired three rounds from a rifle and another fired five rounds from a handgun. Neither Cook nor the involved deputies were injured in the exchange of gunfire.The combined Wichita Police and Sedgwick County SWAT team and Wichita Police negotiators were activated at 4:03pm.At 4:41pm, police negotiators contacted Cook by phone. Throughout the ensuing seven-hour negotiation Cook made multiple statements that this was his “last stand” and that he would shoot at officers if they made entry into the home.At 9:01pm, after negotiations deteriorated and continued threats by Cook, chemical munitions were deployed into the residence and SWAT operators heard gunshots inside.Following the deployment of chemical munitions, Cook resumed communication with negotiators, who remained focused on achieving a peaceful resolution. While operators were preparing to introduce a second round of chemical munitions, Cook peacefully surrendered at 11:33pm.Cook is due back in court on September 26, according to the district attorney's office.

Suspect charged after gunfight with Kansas deputies

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22SUMMER%20BALLENTINE%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By SUMMER BALLENTINE Associated Press</a>

KANSAS&nbsp; CITY, Mo. (AP) —&nbsp; A measure undoing Missouri’s near-total abortion ban will appear on the ballot in November, the state’s high court ruled Tuesday, marking the latest victory in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/abortion">a nationwide fight</a>&nbsp;to have voters weigh in on abortion laws since federal rights to the procedure ended in 2022.

If passed, the proposal would enshrine abortion rights in the constitution and is expected to broadly supplant the state’s near-total abortion ban. Judges ruled hours before the Tuesday deadline for changes to be made to the November ballot.

Supreme Court judges ordered Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft to put the measure back on the ballot. He had removed it Monday following a county circuit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-constitutional-amendment-4f40c97177cdeaea6aec3fca59c2f99e">judge’s ruling Friday</a>.

The order also directs Ashcroft, an abortion opponent, to “take all steps necessary to ensure that it is on said ballot.”

Secretary of State's Office spokesman JoDonn Chaney in an email said the Secretary of State's Office is putting the amendment on the ballot, although Ashcroft in a statement said he's “disappointed” with the ruling.

The court's full opinion on the case was not immediately released Tuesday.

Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, the campaign backing the measure, lauded the decision.

“Missourians overwhelmingly support reproductive rights, including access to abortion, birth control, and miscarriage care,” campaign manager Rachel Sweet said in a statement. “Now, they will have the chance to enshrine these protections in the Missouri Constitution on November 5.”

Mary Catherine Martin, a lawyer for a group of GOP lawmakers and abortion opponents suing to remove the amendment, had told Supreme Court judges during rushed Tuesday arguments that the initiative petition “misled voters” by not listing all the laws restricting abortion that it would effectively repeal.

“This Missouri Supreme Court turned a blind eye and ruled Missourians don’t have to be fully informed about the laws their votes may overturn before signing initiative petitions,” the plaintiffs said in a statement after the decision.

Missouri banned almost all abortions immediately after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.

Eight other states will consider constitutional amendments&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-election-2024-roe-ballot-4403190b898e501b0834053c3417d072">enshrining abortion rights</a>, including Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada and South Dakota. Most would guarantee a right to abortion until fetal viability and allow it later for the health of the pregnant woman, which is what the Missouri proposal would do.

New York also has a ballot measure that proponents say would protect abortion rights, though there’s a dispute about its impact.

Voting on the polarizing issue could draw more people to the polls, potentially impacting results for the presidency in swing states, control of Congress and the outcomes for closely contested state offices. Missouri Democrats, for instance, hope to get a boost from abortion-rights supporters during the November election.

Legal fights have sprung up across the country over whether to allow voters to decide these questions — and over the exact wording used on the ballots and explanatory material. In August, Arkansas’ highest court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ballot-arkansas-supreme-court-48c208d49d82b467fbcc4b9c2724617a">upheld a decision</a>&nbsp;to keep an abortion rights initiative off the state’s November ballot, agreeing with election officials that the group behind the measure did not properly submit documentation regarding the signature gatherers it hired.

Voters in all seven states that have had abortion questions on their ballots since Roe was overturned have sided with abortion-rights supporters.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725997401102.png" alt=" The Missouri Supreme Court takes the bench on Tuesday in Jefferson City to hear a case questioning whether an amendment to overturn the state’s abortion ban will remain on the state’s November ballot. From left are Judges Kelly C. Broniec, Robin Ransom, W. Brent Powell, Chief Justice Mary R. Russell, Zel. M. Fischer, Paul C. Wilson and Ginger K. Gooch (Pool photo by Robert Cohen/St. Louis Post-Dispatch)." />
 <figcaption> The Missouri Supreme Court takes the bench on Tuesday in Jefferson City to hear a case questioning whether an amendment to overturn the state’s abortion ban will remain on the state’s November ballot. From left are Judges Kelly C. Broniec, Robin Ransom, W. Brent Powell, Chief Justice Mary R. Russell, Zel. M. Fischer, Paul C. Wilson and Ginger K. Gooch (Pool photo by Robert Cohen/St. Louis Post-Dispatch).</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22SUMMER%20BALLENTINE%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By SUMMER BALLENTINE Associated Press</a>KANSAS&nbsp; CITY, Mo. (AP) —&nbsp; A measure undoing Missouri’s near-total abortion ban will appear on the ballot in November, the state’s high court ruled Tuesday, marking the latest victory in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/abortion">a nationwide fight</a>&nbsp;to have voters weigh in on abortion laws since federal rights to the procedure ended in 2022.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725989310270.png" alt=" Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, anti-abortion activist Kathy Forck, Thomas More Society attorney Mary Catherine Martin and state Rep. Hannah Kelly stand on the steps of the Missouri Supreme Court following oral arguments in a case involving the abortion-rights amendment on Tuesday photo by Anna Spoerre" />
 <figcaption> Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, anti-abortion activist Kathy Forck, Thomas More Society attorney Mary Catherine Martin and state Rep. Hannah Kelly stand on the steps of the Missouri Supreme Court following oral arguments in a case involving the abortion-rights amendment on Tuesday photo by Anna Spoerre</figcaption>
 </figure>If passed, the proposal would enshrine abortion rights in the constitution and is expected to broadly supplant the state’s near-total abortion ban. Judges ruled hours before the Tuesday deadline for changes to be made to the November ballot.Supreme Court judges ordered Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft to put the measure back on the ballot. He had removed it Monday following a county circuit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-constitutional-amendment-4f40c97177cdeaea6aec3fca59c2f99e">judge’s ruling Friday</a>.The order also directs Ashcroft, an abortion opponent, to “take all steps necessary to ensure that it is on said ballot.”Secretary of State's Office spokesman JoDonn Chaney in an email said the Secretary of State's Office is putting the amendment on the ballot, although Ashcroft in a statement said he's “disappointed” with the ruling.The court's full opinion on the case was not immediately released Tuesday.Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, the campaign backing the measure, lauded the decision.“Missourians overwhelmingly support reproductive rights, including access to abortion, birth control, and miscarriage care,” campaign manager Rachel Sweet said in a statement. “Now, they will have the chance to enshrine these protections in the Missouri Constitution on November 5.”Mary Catherine Martin, a lawyer for a group of GOP lawmakers and abortion opponents suing to remove the amendment, had told Supreme Court judges during rushed Tuesday arguments that the initiative petition “misled voters” by not listing all the laws restricting abortion that it would effectively repeal.“This Missouri Supreme Court turned a blind eye and ruled Missourians don’t have to be fully informed about the laws their votes may overturn before signing initiative petitions,” the plaintiffs said in a statement after the decision.Missouri banned almost all abortions immediately after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.Eight other states will consider constitutional amendments&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-election-2024-roe-ballot-4403190b898e501b0834053c3417d072">enshrining abortion rights</a>, including Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada and South Dakota. Most would guarantee a right to abortion until fetal viability and allow it later for the health of the pregnant woman, which is what the Missouri proposal would do.New York also has a ballot measure that proponents say would protect abortion rights, though there’s a dispute about its impact.Voting on the polarizing issue could draw more people to the polls, potentially impacting results for the presidency in swing states, control of Congress and the outcomes for closely contested state offices. Missouri Democrats, for instance, hope to get a boost from abortion-rights supporters during the November election.Legal fights have sprung up across the country over whether to allow voters to decide these questions — and over the exact wording used on the ballots and explanatory material. In August, Arkansas’ highest court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ballot-arkansas-supreme-court-48c208d49d82b467fbcc4b9c2724617a">upheld a decision</a>&nbsp;to keep an abortion rights initiative off the state’s November ballot, agreeing with election officials that the group behind the measure did not properly submit documentation regarding the signature gatherers it hired.Voters in all seven states that have had abortion questions on their ballots since Roe was overturned have sided with abortion-rights supporters.

 Court rules abortion-rights measure will be on Missouri's Nov. ballot

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">ARIANA FIGUEROA</a>

WASHINGTON — As Congress returns from a five-week recess Monday, House Republicans have attached a provision to bar noncitizens from voting in federal elections — which is already unlawful — to a stopgap funding bill that is already teeing up a battle with the Senate and White House.

The GOP drive in Congress echoes state lawmakers’ push for&nbsp;<a href="https://scdailygazette.com/2024/05/06/though-noncitizens-can-vote-in-few-local-elections-gop-goes-big-to-make-it-illegal/" target="_blank">ballot measures</a>&nbsp;this November that would bar noncitizens from voting in&nbsp;<a href="https://idahocapitalsun.com/2024/06/21/idaho-legislators-approve-ballot-info-for-noncitizen-voting-constitutional-amendment/" target="_blank">Idaho</a>, Iowa,&nbsp;<a href="https://kentuckylantern.com/2024/06/18/kentucky-elections-officials-say-noncitizens-arent-voting-in-the-state/" target="_blank">Kentucky</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/judge-upholds-ballot-language-to-ban-noncitizen-voting-already-illegal-in-missouri/" target="_blank">Missouri</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://ncnewsline.com/briefs/nc-house-republicans-advance-a-proposed-constitutional-amendment-to-prohibit-non-citizen-voting/" target="_blank">North Carolina</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://oklahomavoice.com/2024/06/04/republicans-want-oklahomans-to-reword-constitution-to-make-crystal-clear-noncitizens-cant-vote/" target="_blank">Oklahoma</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://scdailygazette.com/2024/08/12/panel-decides-citizenship-question-on-sc-ballots-needs-no-explanation/" target="_blank">South Carolina</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://wisconsinexaminer.com/briefs/legislators-hold-hearing-on-non-citizen-voting/" target="_blank">Wisconsin</a>.

It also comes in the heat of the presidential campaign, as Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump<a href="https://newhampshirebulletin.com/2024/09/03/trump-promises-mass-deportations-of-undocumented-people-how-would-that-work/" target="_blank">&nbsp;repeatedly calls for mass deportations&nbsp;</a>of undocumented immigrants and faces the Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, in a crucial Tuesday night debate.

Current federal government spending will expire Oct. 1, so Congress must pass a continuing resolution, or CR, to approve temporary spending beyond that date or risk a shutdown.

The measure that requires proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections, which U.S. House Republicans and some vulnerable Democrats passed in July, has been added by the House GOP to a CR that would extend spending until March 28. A vote by the House is expected this week.

The White House on Monday vowed President Joe Biden would issue a veto if Congress passed the measure in that form.

“Instead of meeting the security and disaster needs of the Nation, this bill includes unrelated cynical legislation that would do nothing to safeguard our elections, but would make it much harder for all eligible Americans to register to vote and increase the risk that eligible voters are purged from voter rolls,” the White House<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/H.R.-9494%E2%80%94-Continuing-Appropriations-and-Other-Matters-Act-2025-Final.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;said in a statement&nbsp;</a>Monday. “It is already illegal for noncitizens to vote in Federal elections — it is a Federal crime punishable by prison and fines.”

The voting language is a nonstarter among Senate Democrats, who hold a slim majority in the chamber.

“As we have said repeatedly, avoiding a government shutdown requires bipartisanship, not a bill drawn up by one party,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Patty Murray of Washington said in a joint statement Friday.

“If Speaker Johnson drives House Republicans down this highly partisan path, the odds of a shutdown go way up, and Americans will know that the responsibility of a shutdown will be on the House Republicans’ hands,” they continued.

Democrats have argued that the bill is an attempt to sow distrust in U.S. elections ahead of November elections.

House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana has stressed that noncitizen voting in federal elections is an issue, although research has found&nbsp;<a href="https://campaignlegal.org/update/false-claims-noncitizen-voting-harm-our-democracy" target="_blank">it rarely happens.&nbsp;</a>

“As the 2024 election nears, it is imperative that Congress does everything within our power to protect the integrity of our nation’s election system,” he said in a statement.

In April, Johnson while at Trump’s residence in Palm Beach, Florida,&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/04/12/trump-supports-u-s-house-speaker-johnson-elections-agenda-in-joint-appearance/" target="_blank">announced the House would pass a bill relating to noncitizen voting</a>. The former president has often falsely blamed voting by large numbers of undocumented people for his 2016 opponent Hillary Clinton as the reason he lost the popular vote.

Other Democrats objected to passing a CR that would last until next year.

The top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, criticized the six-month measure because it is “shortchanging veterans and jeopardizing their care by kicking the can down the road until March.”

“A continuing resolution to the end of March provides Republicans with more leverage to attempt to force their unpopular cuts to services that American families depend on to make ends meet,” she said in a statement.

The original noncitizen voting bill,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-118hr8281rh/pdf/BILLS-118hr8281rh.pdf" target="_blank">H.R.8281,</a>&nbsp;was first introduced by Texas GOP Rep. Chip Roy, a member of the far-right House Freedom Caucus. It&nbsp;<a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2024345?Page=2" target="_blank">passed 221-198</a>, with five Democrats voting with Republicans, but stalled in the Senate.

Those five Democrats who voted in support of the measure are: Reps. Jared Golden of Maine, Henry Cuellar of Texas, Donald Davis of North Carolina, Vicente Gonzalez of Texas and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington.

Under current U.S. law, only citizens can vote in federal elections, but the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/103rd-congress/house-bill/2" target="_blank">National Voter Registration Act</a>&nbsp;of 1993 prohibits states from confirming citizenship status.

Along with the ballot measures, hundreds of Republican state legislators have also signed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.onlycitizensvotecoalition.com/state-leaders-pledge" target="_blank">on to a letter</a>&nbsp;by the Only Citizens Vote Coalition urging Congress to pass a bill to bar noncitizens from voting in federal elections.

The Only Citizens Vote Coalition includes election denier activists, organizations headed by former Trump aides and anti-immigrant groups. It was founded by Cleta Mitchell,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trumps-pick-rnc-chief-worked-top-election-deniers-group" target="_blank">a key figure who tried to overturn the 2020 presidential election&nbsp;</a>and is now running a grassroots organization to aggressively monitor elections in November.

Five of the eight states — Idaho, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Wisconsin — with votes set on ballot measures have state legislators who sponsored bills to put the question on the ballot and are signed on to the letter by Only Citizens Vote.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725930223008.png" alt=" The U.S. House as it returns from a five-week recess is preparing to vote on a stopgap spending bill that also includes a provision to bar noncitizens from voting in federal elections. (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)" />
 <figcaption> The U.S. House as it returns from a five-week recess is preparing to vote on a stopgap spending bill that also includes a provision to bar noncitizens from voting in federal elections. (Jennifer Shutt/States Newsroom)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/ariana-figueroa/">ARIANA FIGUEROA</a>WASHINGTON — As Congress returns from a five-week recess Monday, House Republicans have attached a provision to bar noncitizens from voting in federal elections — which is already unlawful — to a stopgap funding bill that is already teeing up a battle with the Senate and White House.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SpeakerJohnson?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpeakerJohnson</a>: &quot;I believe we can fund the government responsibly and I believe that we can do right by the American people and ensure the security of our elections. I defy anybody to give me any logical argument why we shouldn&#39;t do that. That&#39;s why I&#39;m so resolute about this.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/SHvLqS0QPj">pic.twitter.com/SHvLqS0QPj</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1833521566954475819?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 10, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The GOP drive in Congress echoes state lawmakers’ push for&nbsp;<a href="https://scdailygazette.com/2024/05/06/though-noncitizens-can-vote-in-few-local-elections-gop-goes-big-to-make-it-illegal/" target="_blank">ballot measures</a>&nbsp;this November that would bar noncitizens from voting in&nbsp;<a href="https://idahocapitalsun.com/2024/06/21/idaho-legislators-approve-ballot-info-for-noncitizen-voting-constitutional-amendment/" target="_blank">Idaho</a>, Iowa,&nbsp;<a href="https://kentuckylantern.com/2024/06/18/kentucky-elections-officials-say-noncitizens-arent-voting-in-the-state/" target="_blank">Kentucky</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/judge-upholds-ballot-language-to-ban-noncitizen-voting-already-illegal-in-missouri/" target="_blank">Missouri</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://ncnewsline.com/briefs/nc-house-republicans-advance-a-proposed-constitutional-amendment-to-prohibit-non-citizen-voting/" target="_blank">North Carolina</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://oklahomavoice.com/2024/06/04/republicans-want-oklahomans-to-reword-constitution-to-make-crystal-clear-noncitizens-cant-vote/" target="_blank">Oklahoma</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://scdailygazette.com/2024/08/12/panel-decides-citizenship-question-on-sc-ballots-needs-no-explanation/" target="_blank">South Carolina</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://wisconsinexaminer.com/briefs/legislators-hold-hearing-on-non-citizen-voting/" target="_blank">Wisconsin</a>.It also comes in the heat of the presidential campaign, as Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump<a href="https://newhampshirebulletin.com/2024/09/03/trump-promises-mass-deportations-of-undocumented-people-how-would-that-work/" target="_blank">&nbsp;repeatedly calls for mass deportations&nbsp;</a>of undocumented immigrants and faces the Democratic nominee, Vice President Kamala Harris, in a crucial Tuesday night debate.Current federal government spending will expire Oct. 1, so Congress must pass a continuing resolution, or CR, to approve temporary spending beyond that date or risk a shutdown.The measure that requires proof of citizenship to vote in federal elections, which U.S. House Republicans and some vulnerable Democrats passed in July, has been added by the House GOP to a CR that would extend spending until March 28. A vote by the House is expected this week.The White House on Monday vowed President Joe Biden would issue a veto if Congress passed the measure in that form.“Instead of meeting the security and disaster needs of the Nation, this bill includes unrelated cynical legislation that would do nothing to safeguard our elections, but would make it much harder for all eligible Americans to register to vote and increase the risk that eligible voters are purged from voter rolls,” the White House<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/H.R.-9494%E2%80%94-Continuing-Appropriations-and-Other-Matters-Act-2025-Final.pdf" target="_blank">&nbsp;said in a statement&nbsp;</a>Monday. “It is already illegal for noncitizens to vote in Federal elections — it is a Federal crime punishable by prison and fines.”<h2>Senate opposition</h2>The voting language is a nonstarter among Senate Democrats, who hold a slim majority in the chamber.“As we have said repeatedly, avoiding a government shutdown requires bipartisanship, not a bill drawn up by one party,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Appropriations Committee Chair Patty Murray of Washington said in a joint statement Friday.“If Speaker Johnson drives House Republicans down this highly partisan path, the odds of a shutdown go way up, and Americans will know that the responsibility of a shutdown will be on the House Republicans’ hands,” they continued.Democrats have argued that the bill is an attempt to sow distrust in U.S. elections ahead of November elections.House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana has stressed that noncitizen voting in federal elections is an issue, although research has found&nbsp;<a href="https://campaignlegal.org/update/false-claims-noncitizen-voting-harm-our-democracy" target="_blank">it rarely happens.&nbsp;</a>“As the 2024 election nears, it is imperative that Congress does everything within our power to protect the integrity of our nation’s election system,” he said in a statement.The bill is also supported by Trump.In April, Johnson while at Trump’s residence in Palm Beach, Florida,&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/04/12/trump-supports-u-s-house-speaker-johnson-elections-agenda-in-joint-appearance/" target="_blank">announced the House would pass a bill relating to noncitizen voting</a>. The former president has often falsely blamed voting by large numbers of undocumented people for his 2016 opponent Hillary Clinton as the reason he lost the popular vote.Other Democrats objected to passing a CR that would last until next year.The top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee, Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, criticized the six-month measure because it is “shortchanging veterans and jeopardizing their care by kicking the can down the road until March.”“A continuing resolution to the end of March provides Republicans with more leverage to attempt to force their unpopular cuts to services that American families depend on to make ends meet,” she said in a statement.<h2>Texas congressman spearheads bill</h2>The original noncitizen voting bill,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/BILLS-118hr8281rh/pdf/BILLS-118hr8281rh.pdf" target="_blank">H.R.8281,</a>&nbsp;was first introduced by Texas GOP Rep. Chip Roy, a member of the far-right House Freedom Caucus. It&nbsp;<a href="https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2024345?Page=2" target="_blank">passed 221-198</a>, with five Democrats voting with Republicans, but stalled in the Senate.Those five Democrats who voted in support of the measure are: Reps. Jared Golden of Maine, Henry Cuellar of Texas, Donald Davis of North Carolina, Vicente Gonzalez of Texas and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez of Washington.Under current U.S. law, only citizens can vote in federal elections, but the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/103rd-congress/house-bill/2" target="_blank">National Voter Registration Act</a>&nbsp;of 1993 prohibits states from confirming citizenship status.Along with the ballot measures, hundreds of Republican state legislators have also signed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.onlycitizensvotecoalition.com/state-leaders-pledge" target="_blank">on to a letter</a>&nbsp;by the Only Citizens Vote Coalition urging Congress to pass a bill to bar noncitizens from voting in federal elections.The Only Citizens Vote Coalition includes election denier activists, organizations headed by former Trump aides and anti-immigrant groups. It was founded by Cleta Mitchell,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/trumps-pick-rnc-chief-worked-top-election-deniers-group" target="_blank">a key figure who tried to overturn the 2020 presidential election&nbsp;</a>and is now running a grassroots organization to aggressively monitor elections in November.Five of the eight states — Idaho, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Wisconsin — with votes set on ballot measures have state legislators who sponsored bills to put the question on the ballot and are signed on to the letter by Only Citizens Vote.

🎥U.S. House GOP sets up fight over noncitizen voting in bill averting government shutdown

BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement continue searching for a suspect after a chase with a disabled pickup.

On September 5, sheriff's deputies observed a red Ford pickup driving without a tire on the rear of the vehicle near Morrill, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.

 When an officer tried to initiate a traffic stop on the&nbsp; vehicle, the driver&nbsp; refused to stop and a chase ensued with speeds at times&nbsp; of over 75 miles per hour.

The chase ended when the pickup traveled down&nbsp; a dead end road in the vicinity of 340th and Acorn, continued approximately 150-200 feet in to a corn field and caught fire.&nbsp; 

The driver&nbsp; fled on foot.&nbsp; Brown County deputies as well as Nemaha County, Richardson County, Sabetha and Sac and Fox Police, Brown County Emergency Manager assisted in trying to locate the male driver. The Morrill Fire Department also responded to the scene.

On Tuesday, the search for the suspect continued.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sheriff John Merchant is asking the public for assistance in locating Dustin Barrett, 36 of&nbsp; Oneida..&nbsp; Please contact the Brown County Sheriff's Office if you have information on the whereabouts of Barrett.&nbsp; 785-742-7125

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725983979329.png" alt="The search for Dustin Barrett continues -photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>The search for Dustin Barrett continues -photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY —Law enforcement continue searching for a suspect after a chase with a disabled pickup.On September 5, sheriff's deputies observed a red Ford pickup driving without a tire on the rear of the vehicle near Morrill, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant. When an officer tried to initiate a traffic stop on the&nbsp; vehicle, the driver&nbsp; refused to stop and a chase ensued with speeds at times&nbsp; of over 75 miles per hour.The chase ended when the pickup traveled down&nbsp; a dead end road in the vicinity of 340th and Acorn, continued approximately 150-200 feet in to a corn field and caught fire.&nbsp; The driver&nbsp; fled on foot.&nbsp; Brown County deputies as well as Nemaha County, Richardson County, Sabetha and Sac and Fox Police, Brown County Emergency Manager assisted in trying to locate the male driver. The Morrill Fire Department also responded to the scene.On Tuesday, the search for the suspect continued.&nbsp;&nbsp;Sheriff John Merchant is asking the public for assistance in locating Dustin Barrett, 36 of&nbsp; Oneida..&nbsp; Please contact the Brown County Sheriff's Office if you have information on the whereabouts of Barrett.&nbsp; 785-742-7125

Sheriff: Kansas high-speed chase with pickup missing rear tire

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — The Israeli military said Tuesday an American activist&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/turkish-american-palestinian-activist-funeral-israel-palestinians-ff3ed17b295793bce4631fdb2a35332c">killed in the West Bank</a>&nbsp;last week was likely shot “indirectly and unintentionally” by soldiers firing upon participants in a demonstration against settlements that turned violent. The acknowledgement drew a strong rebuke from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the activist's family.

Israel expressed its “deepest regret” for the death of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/american-shot-killed-west-bank-israel-palestinians-b2f1c741cea3d56eb1a339240dbf036e">Aysenur Ezgi Eygi,</a>&nbsp;a 26-year-old activist from Seattle who also held Turkish citizenship, and said a criminal investigation has been launched.

Blinken condemned the “unprovoked and unjustified” killing when asked about the Israeli inquiry at a news conference in London. “No one should be shot while attending a protest,” he said. “The Israeli security forces need to make some fundamental changes in the way they operate in the West Bank.”

Eygi's family in the U.S. released a statement saying “we are deeply offended by the suggestion that her killing by a trained sniper was in any way unintentional. The disregard shown for human life in the inquiry is appalling.”

An Israeli protester who witnessed the shooting, Jonathan Pollak, said Eygi was killed about half an hour after clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces had subsided, in an area several hundred meters (yards) from where the demonstration took place. Pollak said he saw two Israeli soldiers mount the roof of a nearby home, train a gun in the group’s direction and fire, with one of the bullets striking Eygi in the head.

Israel said its inquiry into Eygi’s killing “found that it is highly likely that she was hit indirectly and unintentionally by (Israeli army) fire which was not aimed at her, but aimed at the key instigator of the riot.”

The killing came amid a surge of violence in the West Bank since the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;began in October, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-west-bank-jenin-hamas-militants-c1618cc024d8a5269486e266593b5434">increasing Israeli raids</a>, attacks by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-west-bank-raids-bc3383024400ee42518e41f3660acbd4">Palestinian militants</a>&nbsp;on Israelis,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/west-bank-israel-palestinians-settler-violence-ffa6e84c39861c224f685e660c53a82d">attacks by Israeli settlers</a>&nbsp;on Palestinians and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-6-september-2024-29705c9c6cc59054d74b1dbcd29497df">heavier military crackdowns</a>&nbsp;on Palestinian protests.

Israel says it thoroughly investigates allegations of its forces killing civilians and holds them accountable. It says soldiers often have to make split-second decisions while operating in areas where militants hide among civilians. But even in the most shocking cases — and those captured on video — soldiers often get relatively light sentences.

The Palestinian Authority held a funeral procession for Eygi in the West Bank city of Nablus on Monday. Turkish authorities said they are working on repatriating her body to Turkey for burial in the Aegean coastal town of Didim, as per her family’s wishes.

Eygi was a volunteer with the activist group International Solidarity Movement. But Eygi's uncle said in an interview with the Turkish TV channel HaberTurk that she kept her visit to the West Bank secret from at least some of her family members. She said she was traveling to Jordan to help Palestinians there, he said.

"She hid the fact that she was going to Palestine. She blocked us from her social media posts so that we would not see them,” Yilmaz Eygi said.

The deaths of American citizens in the West Bank have drawn international attention, such as the fatal shooting of a prominent Palestinian-American journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh, in 2022 in the Jenin refugee camp.

Several independent investigations and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-west-bank-middle-east-israel-8df6c999627efcef2fe0ca2b401e7a2c">reporting by The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;shortly after the killing determined that Abu Akleh was likely killed by Israeli fire. Months later, the military said there was a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-israel-journalists-veterans-al-jazeera-0e33ab0025cf06ee498ab83445e39733">“high probablility”</a>&nbsp;one of its soldiers had mistakenly killed her but that no one would be punished.

Earlier in 2022, Israel’s military said it would punish a senior officer and remove two others from their posts over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-israel-2569b996a0d596a5981d09ef811783f4">the death of Omar Assad, 78</a>, a Palestinian-American who was dragged from a car by Israeli troops, bound and blindfolded after being stopped at a checkpoint.

The military later said the soldiers believed Assad was asleep when they cut his zip-ties and left him face-down in an abandoned building where he had been detained with three other Palestinians.

The deaths of Palestinians who do not have dual nationality rarely receive the same scrutiny.

Human rights groups say Israel rarely holds soldiers accountable for killing Palestinians and that any resulting military investigations often reflect a pattern of impunity. B’Tselem, a leading Israeli watchdog, became so frustrated with the system that in 2016 it dismissed the probes as a whitewash and halted its decades-long practice of assisting investigations.

Last year, an Israeli court acquitted a member of the paramilitary Border Police who had been charged with reckless manslaughter in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinian-autistic-court-jerusalem-shooting-acquitted-cddd8df0d1f9fd2925a5a3ea011655f4">the deadly shooting of 32-year-old Eyad Hallaq</a>, an autistic Palestinian man in Jerusalem’s Old City in 2020. The case had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-middle-east-shootings-863c927ae5a5e2eae21b1dff3bc36c4b">drawn comparisons to the police killing</a>&nbsp;of George Floyd in the United States.

In 2017, Israeli soldier Elor Azaria was convicted for manslaughter and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-90c06663250747a68b6d77e3199d136b">served nine months after he killed a wounded</a>, incapacitated Palestinian attacker in the West Bank city of Hebron. The combat medic was caught on video fatally shooting Abdel Fattah al-Sharif, who was lying motionless on the ground.

That case&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-cf98215495194f37b283dc11d3ff7fd3">deeply divided Israelis</a>, with the military saying Azaria had clearly violated its code of ethics, while many Israelis — particularly on the nationalist right — defended his actions and accused military brass of second-guessing a soldier operating in dangerous conditions.

RAMALLAH, West Bank (AP) — The Israeli military said Tuesday an American activist&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/turkish-american-palestinian-activist-funeral-israel-palestinians-ff3ed17b295793bce4631fdb2a35332c">killed in the West Bank</a>&nbsp;last week was likely shot “indirectly and unintentionally” by soldiers firing upon participants in a demonstration against settlements that turned violent. The acknowledgement drew a strong rebuke from U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the activist's family.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Aysenur Ezgi Eygi should be alive today. Instead, she was shot in the head and killed by the IDF while protesting Israel’s illegal occupation of the West Bank. She was an American citizen. There must be accountability and a thorough, independent investigation. <a href="https://t.co/FQuPq3Sf9R">pic.twitter.com/FQuPq3Sf9R</a>&mdash; Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (@RepPressley) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepPressley/status/1833255569530225068?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Israel expressed its “deepest regret” for the death of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/american-shot-killed-west-bank-israel-palestinians-b2f1c741cea3d56eb1a339240dbf036e">Aysenur Ezgi Eygi,</a>&nbsp;a 26-year-old activist from Seattle who also held Turkish citizenship, and said a criminal investigation has been launched.Blinken condemned the “unprovoked and unjustified” killing when asked about the Israeli inquiry at a news conference in London. “No one should be shot while attending a protest,” he said. “The Israeli security forces need to make some fundamental changes in the way they operate in the West Bank.”Eygi's family in the U.S. released a statement saying “we are deeply offended by the suggestion that her killing by a trained sniper was in any way unintentional. The disregard shown for human life in the inquiry is appalling.”An Israeli protester who witnessed the shooting, Jonathan Pollak, said Eygi was killed about half an hour after clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces had subsided, in an area several hundred meters (yards) from where the demonstration took place. Pollak said he saw two Israeli soldiers mount the roof of a nearby home, train a gun in the group’s direction and fire, with one of the bullets striking Eygi in the head.Israel said its inquiry into Eygi’s killing “found that it is highly likely that she was hit indirectly and unintentionally by (Israeli army) fire which was not aimed at her, but aimed at the key instigator of the riot.”The killing came amid a surge of violence in the West Bank since the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">Israel-Hamas war</a>&nbsp;began in October, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-west-bank-jenin-hamas-militants-c1618cc024d8a5269486e266593b5434">increasing Israeli raids</a>, attacks by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-west-bank-raids-bc3383024400ee42518e41f3660acbd4">Palestinian militants</a>&nbsp;on Israelis,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/west-bank-israel-palestinians-settler-violence-ffa6e84c39861c224f685e660c53a82d">attacks by Israeli settlers</a>&nbsp;on Palestinians and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-6-september-2024-29705c9c6cc59054d74b1dbcd29497df">heavier military crackdowns</a>&nbsp;on Palestinian protests.Israel says it thoroughly investigates allegations of its forces killing civilians and holds them accountable. It says soldiers often have to make split-second decisions while operating in areas where militants hide among civilians. But even in the most shocking cases — and those captured on video — soldiers often get relatively light sentences.The Palestinian Authority held a funeral procession for Eygi in the West Bank city of Nablus on Monday. Turkish authorities said they are working on repatriating her body to Turkey for burial in the Aegean coastal town of Didim, as per her family’s wishes.Eygi was a volunteer with the activist group International Solidarity Movement. But Eygi's uncle said in an interview with the Turkish TV channel HaberTurk that she kept her visit to the West Bank secret from at least some of her family members. She said she was traveling to Jordan to help Palestinians there, he said."She hid the fact that she was going to Palestine. She blocked us from her social media posts so that we would not see them,” Yilmaz Eygi said.The deaths of American citizens in the West Bank have drawn international attention, such as the fatal shooting of a prominent Palestinian-American journalist, Shireen Abu Akleh, in 2022 in the Jenin refugee camp.Several independent investigations and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-west-bank-middle-east-israel-8df6c999627efcef2fe0ca2b401e7a2c">reporting by The Associated Press</a>&nbsp;shortly after the killing determined that Abu Akleh was likely killed by Israeli fire. Months later, the military said there was a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-israel-journalists-veterans-al-jazeera-0e33ab0025cf06ee498ab83445e39733">“high probablility”</a>&nbsp;one of its soldiers had mistakenly killed her but that no one would be punished.Earlier in 2022, Israel’s military said it would punish a senior officer and remove two others from their posts over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/middle-east-israel-2569b996a0d596a5981d09ef811783f4">the death of Omar Assad, 78</a>, a Palestinian-American who was dragged from a car by Israeli troops, bound and blindfolded after being stopped at a checkpoint.The military later said the soldiers believed Assad was asleep when they cut his zip-ties and left him face-down in an abandoned building where he had been detained with three other Palestinians.The deaths of Palestinians who do not have dual nationality rarely receive the same scrutiny.Human rights groups say Israel rarely holds soldiers accountable for killing Palestinians and that any resulting military investigations often reflect a pattern of impunity. B’Tselem, a leading Israeli watchdog, became so frustrated with the system that in 2016 it dismissed the probes as a whitewash and halted its decades-long practice of assisting investigations.Last year, an Israeli court acquitted a member of the paramilitary Border Police who had been charged with reckless manslaughter in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinian-autistic-court-jerusalem-shooting-acquitted-cddd8df0d1f9fd2925a5a3ea011655f4">the deadly shooting of 32-year-old Eyad Hallaq</a>, an autistic Palestinian man in Jerusalem’s Old City in 2020. The case had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-middle-east-shootings-863c927ae5a5e2eae21b1dff3bc36c4b">drawn comparisons to the police killing</a>&nbsp;of George Floyd in the United States.In 2017, Israeli soldier Elor Azaria was convicted for manslaughter and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-90c06663250747a68b6d77e3199d136b">served nine months after he killed a wounded</a>, incapacitated Palestinian attacker in the West Bank city of Hebron. The combat medic was caught on video fatally shooting Abdel Fattah al-Sharif, who was lying motionless on the ground.That case&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-cf98215495194f37b283dc11d3ff7fd3">deeply divided Israelis</a>, with the military saying Azaria had clearly violated its code of ethics, while many Israelis — particularly on the nationalist right — defended his actions and accused military brass of second-guessing a soldier operating in dangerous conditions.

Israel says its forces likely shot and killed an American activist 

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Investigators are working to determine the cause of a fire that damaged three homes on Monday night in Topeka.

Just after&nbsp;11:30 p.m., crews responded to report of a house fire 406 SW Clay Street in Topeka, according to spokesperson Rosie Nichols

First responders found heavy smoke and flames coming from a two-story home.&nbsp; There were no residents home and no injuries reported.

The fire originated on the second floor of the home.&nbsp;Heat from the fire caused an estimated $10,000 in structural damages to a neighboring house and approximately $4,000 to a second neighboring house.

The total estimated loss at the home where the fire originated was approximately $18,500, including approximately $4,500 in structural damages. 

Working smoke detectors were not located in the house where the fire originated.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725978031146.png" alt="Crews on the scene of the Monday night fire -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Crews on the scene of the Monday night fire -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Investigators are working to determine the cause of a fire that damaged three homes on Monday night in Topeka.Just after&nbsp;11:30 p.m., crews responded to report of a house fire 406 SW Clay Street in Topeka, according to spokesperson Rosie NicholsFirst responders found heavy smoke and flames coming from a two-story home.&nbsp; There were no residents home and no injuries reported.The fire originated on the second floor of the home.&nbsp;Heat from the fire caused an estimated $10,000 in structural damages to a neighboring house and approximately $4,000 to a second neighboring house.The total estimated loss at the home where the fire originated was approximately $18,500, including approximately $4,500 in structural damages. Working smoke detectors were not located in the house where the fire originated.

Fire at Kansas home damages two adjacent houses

Schwab urges U.S. Postal Service to guarantee timely delivery of postmarked ballots

TOPEKA — The Kansas secretary of state said in a letter to the U.S. postmaster general that approximately 1,000 August primary voters in Kansas were disenfranchised because ballots mailed before Election Day in August arrived in county offices more than three days after the deadline or without an essential postmark.

Secretary of State Scott Schwab, a Republican who serves as the state’s chief elections officer, told Postmaster General Louis DeJoy there was cause to be “extremely concerned” about “a troubling pattern that persists in the U.S. Postal Service’s processing and handling of ballots.” He send the same letter to the six members of the Kansas congressional delegation.

During the August primary, Schwab said, 18% of Kansans exercised the constitutional right to vote by sending ballots through the mail. Nearly 1,000 of those individuals, or 2% of ballots transmitted by mail in Kansas, weren’t counted “due to USPS administrative failures,” he said.

In correspondence released Monday, Schwab sought assurances that the USPS would guarantee every mail ballot in the November general election received a postmark so it could be counted. Schwab also asked that ballots placed in USPS custody before Election Day would be delivered to county offices before the three-day, post-election window closed.

“The USPS’ proper and timely handling of mail ballots is a key aspect to maintaining trust in our election system by assuring the public that utmost care is taken to preserve the safety and security of their ballot,” Schwab said. “Kansas has had mail voting in some form since the Civil War, but never has a lack of confidence in the delivery of our ballot been questioned as it has in the 21st century.”

Kansas law requires advance mail-in ballots to be postmarked by 7 p.m. on Election Day. Only ballots received in county election offices within three days of a primary or general election could be counted in Kansas.

Schwab said a post-election survey showed county election offices in the state received ballots from the postal service days or weeks after they were mailed. He said some ballots placed in the mail ahead of Election Day didn’t get a postmark.

Approximately half the state’s county clerks reported receiving mail-in ballots without a postmark or after the three-day grace period permitted under statute, he said.

“It is unacceptable that voters, who follow the rules for requesting, voting and returning their mail ballot, are disenfranchised by the USPS because ballots that were properly and timely mailed were delivered without a postmark or not at all,” Schwab said.

In July, the USPS’ office of inspector general recommended the postal service make changes to allow postmarking of ballots that erroneously didn’t receive one. The operational shift could help voters feel more confident their ballot would move efficiently through USPS, the inspector general said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720316487639.png" alt="Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, a Republican, send a letter to the U.S. postmaster general and the Kansas congressional delegation complaining that nearly 1,000 advance ballots dropped in the mail before Election Day in the August primary weren't counted because envelopes lacked the required postmark or arrived after the three-day grace period&nbsp;authorized under state law.-Post file photo" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, a Republican, send a letter to the U.S. postmaster general and the Kansas congressional delegation complaining that nearly 1,000 advance ballots dropped in the mail before Election Day in the August primary weren't counted because envelopes lacked the required postmark or arrived after the three-day grace period&nbsp;authorized under state law.-Post file photo</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Schwab urges U.S. Postal Service to guarantee timely delivery of postmarked ballots</h2>TOPEKA — The Kansas secretary of state said in a letter to the U.S. postmaster general that approximately 1,000 August primary voters in Kansas were disenfranchised because ballots mailed before Election Day in August arrived in county offices more than three days after the deadline or without an essential postmark.Secretary of State Scott Schwab, a Republican who serves as the state’s chief elections officer, told Postmaster General Louis DeJoy there was cause to be “extremely concerned” about “a troubling pattern that persists in the U.S. Postal Service’s processing and handling of ballots.” He send the same letter to the six members of the Kansas congressional delegation.During the August primary, Schwab said, 18% of Kansans exercised the constitutional right to vote by sending ballots through the mail. Nearly 1,000 of those individuals, or 2% of ballots transmitted by mail in Kansas, weren’t counted “due to USPS administrative failures,” he said.In correspondence released Monday, Schwab sought assurances that the USPS would guarantee every mail ballot in the November general election received a postmark so it could be counted. Schwab also asked that ballots placed in USPS custody before Election Day would be delivered to county offices before the three-day, post-election window closed.“The USPS’ proper and timely handling of mail ballots is a key aspect to maintaining trust in our election system by assuring the public that utmost care is taken to preserve the safety and security of their ballot,” Schwab said. “Kansas has had mail voting in some form since the Civil War, but never has a lack of confidence in the delivery of our ballot been questioned as it has in the 21st century.”Kansas law requires advance mail-in ballots to be postmarked by 7 p.m. on Election Day. Only ballots received in county election offices within three days of a primary or general election could be counted in Kansas.Schwab said a post-election survey showed county election offices in the state received ballots from the postal service days or weeks after they were mailed. He said some ballots placed in the mail ahead of Election Day didn’t get a postmark.Approximately half the state’s county clerks reported receiving mail-in ballots without a postmark or after the three-day grace period permitted under statute, he said.“It is unacceptable that voters, who follow the rules for requesting, voting and returning their mail ballot, are disenfranchised by the USPS because ballots that were properly and timely mailed were delivered without a postmark or not at all,” Schwab said.In July, the USPS’ office of inspector general recommended the postal service make changes to allow postmarking of ballots that erroneously didn’t receive one. The operational shift could help voters feel more confident their ballot would move efficiently through USPS, the inspector general said.

Kansas election official says nearly 1,000 primary ballots tossed due to mail processing issues

KANSAS CITY—Over the weekend police continued enforcement against criminals performing illegal sideshows all around Kansas City, including both sides of the river, according to a social media report from Kansas City Police.

Police made two arrests had six vehicles towed and issued 57 citations, including for spectating.

Property Crimes detectives also joined, as some vehicles were stolen. Officers also recovered four guns.

"Officers put their personal safety at risk against hundreds of criminals who chose not to obey the law, but the streets belong to all of us, and we will continue the work."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725931467781.png" alt="Guns recovered during the side show arrests in Kansas City-photo KCPD" />
 <figcaption>Guns recovered during the side show arrests in Kansas City-photo KCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Over the weekend police continued enforcement against criminals performing illegal sideshows all around Kansas City, including both sides of the river, according to a social media report from Kansas City Police.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725931670203.png" alt="Photo KCPD" />
 <figcaption>Photo KCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>Police made two arrests had six vehicles towed and issued 57 citations, including for spectating.

Property Crimes detectives also joined, as some vehicles were stolen. Officers also recovered four guns.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725931448287.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>"Officers put their personal safety at risk against hundreds of criminals who chose not to obey the law, but the streets belong to all of us, and we will continue the work."

KCPD busts more sideshows, seizes guns, cars and makes arrests

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a>

Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump will take the stage next week in the only planned debate between the respective Democratic and GOP presidential candidates between now and November.

It’s the first presidential debate since President Joe Biden bowed out of the race following his own disastrous debate performance in late June against Trump. Biden, who faced mounting calls to resign,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/pass-torch-biden-addresses-nation-why-he-wont-seek-second-term" target="_blank">passed the torch</a>&nbsp;to Harris back in July.

The veep has embarked on an unprecedented and expedited campaign as she and Trump vie for the Oval Office. The election is just two months away.

Though the Harris and Trump campaigns clashed over debate procedures in recent weeks, both candidates have agreed to the finalized rules. ABC News, host of the debate, released the rules Wednesday.

The debate will be Tuesday, Sept. 10, at 9 p.m. Eastern time at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The debate will be 90 minutes long and include two commercial breaks,&nbsp;<a href="https://abc.com/news/5e38600c-4732-4cd2-a99c-3dedfa81beb0/category/1138628" target="_blank">according to ABC</a>.

The Keystone State — where both Harris and Trump have spent a lot of time campaigning — could determine the outcome of the presidential election. The battleground state has narrowly flip-flopped in recent elections, with Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/2020-election/results/pennsylvania/" target="_blank">turning Pennsylvania blue</a>&nbsp;in 2020 after Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/2016-election/results/map/president/pennsylvania/" target="_blank">secured a red win</a>&nbsp;in 2016.

The debate will air live on ABC News and will also be streaming on ABC News Live, Disney+ and Hulu.

ABC News’ David Muir and Linsey Davis will moderate the debate.

Harris and Trump will each have two minutes to answer questions and two minutes to give rebuttals. They will also be granted one additional minute to clarify or follow up on anything.

Microphones will be muted when it’s not a candidate’s turn to speak, just like the previous debate between Biden and Trump in June.

The candidates will not give opening statements. Trump won a coin flip to determine the order of closing statements and podium placement. Trump, who selected the statement order, will give the final closing statement.

Each closing statement will be two minutes long.

Harris and Trump are not allowed to bring any props or prewritten notes to the debate stage. They will each receive a pen, a pad of paper and a water bottle.

There will be no live audience at the National Constitution Center, as was the case in the last presidential debate.

Harris and Trump are not permitted to interact with their campaign staff during the two commercial breaks.

Trump went on the attack over the details of the debate, telling&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/town-hall-no-questions-trump-grouses-about-polls-attacks-debate-host" target="_blank">Fox News’ Sean Hannity</a>&nbsp;during an interview Wednesday in Pennsylvania that “ABC is the worst network in terms of fairness” and “the most dishonest network, the meanest, the nastiest.”

He accused the network of releasing poor polls on purpose ahead of a previous election to drive down voter turnout.

Trump also claimed, without evidence, that Harris would get the questions in advance of the debate. ABC’s debate rules state that no candidates or campaigns will receive any topics or questions ahead of the event.

Meanwhile, Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Ohio Republican Sen. J.D. Vance will battle it out at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/mark-your-calendar-vp-candidates-walz-and-vance-debate-oct-1" target="_blank">vice presidential debate</a>&nbsp;hosted by CBS News on Oct. 1 in New York City.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724867447394.png" alt="Photo Associated Press" />
 <figcaption>Photo Associated Press</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a>Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump will take the stage next week in the only planned debate between the respective Democratic and GOP presidential candidates between now and November.It’s the first presidential debate since President Joe Biden bowed out of the race following his own disastrous debate performance in late June against Trump. Biden, who faced mounting calls to resign,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/pass-torch-biden-addresses-nation-why-he-wont-seek-second-term" target="_blank">passed the torch</a>&nbsp;to Harris back in July.The veep has embarked on an unprecedented and expedited campaign as she and Trump vie for the Oval Office. The election is just two months away.Though the Harris and Trump campaigns clashed over debate procedures in recent weeks, both candidates have agreed to the finalized rules. ABC News, host of the debate, released the rules Wednesday.<h2>When and where is the debate?</h2>The debate will be Tuesday, Sept. 10, at 9 p.m. Eastern time at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The debate will be 90 minutes long and include two commercial breaks,&nbsp;<a href="https://abc.com/news/5e38600c-4732-4cd2-a99c-3dedfa81beb0/category/1138628" target="_blank">according to ABC</a>.The Keystone State — where both Harris and Trump have spent a lot of time campaigning — could determine the outcome of the presidential election. The battleground state has narrowly flip-flopped in recent elections, with Biden&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/2020-election/results/pennsylvania/" target="_blank">turning Pennsylvania blue</a>&nbsp;in 2020 after Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/2016-election/results/map/president/pennsylvania/" target="_blank">secured a red win</a>&nbsp;in 2016.<h2>How can I watch the debate?</h2>The debate will air live on ABC News and will also be streaming on ABC News Live, Disney+ and Hulu.ABC News’ David Muir and Linsey Davis will moderate the debate.Harris and Trump will each have two minutes to answer questions and two minutes to give rebuttals. They will also be granted one additional minute to clarify or follow up on anything.<h2>Will the mics be muted?</h2>Microphones will be muted when it’s not a candidate’s turn to speak, just like the previous debate between Biden and Trump in June.The candidates will not give opening statements. Trump won a coin flip to determine the order of closing statements and podium placement. Trump, who selected the statement order, will give the final closing statement.Each closing statement will be two minutes long.Harris and Trump are not allowed to bring any props or prewritten notes to the debate stage. They will each receive a pen, a pad of paper and a water bottle.<h2>Will there be a live audience?</h2>There will be no live audience at the National Constitution Center, as was the case in the last presidential debate.Harris and Trump are not permitted to interact with their campaign staff during the two commercial breaks.<h2>Trump slams ABC ahead of debate</h2>Trump went on the attack over the details of the debate, telling&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/town-hall-no-questions-trump-grouses-about-polls-attacks-debate-host" target="_blank">Fox News’ Sean Hannity</a>&nbsp;during an interview Wednesday in Pennsylvania that “ABC is the worst network in terms of fairness” and “the most dishonest network, the meanest, the nastiest.”He accused the network of releasing poor polls on purpose ahead of a previous election to drive down voter turnout.Trump also claimed, without evidence, that Harris would get the questions in advance of the debate. ABC’s debate rules state that no candidates or campaigns will receive any topics or questions ahead of the event.Meanwhile, Democratic Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz and Ohio Republican Sen. J.D. Vance will battle it out at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/mark-your-calendar-vp-candidates-walz-and-vance-debate-oct-1" target="_blank">vice presidential debate</a>&nbsp;hosted by CBS News on Oct. 1 in New York City.

5 things to know about the Harris-Trump presidential debate  

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal crash involving two vehicles in Shawnee County on Sunday have identified the victim as 45-year-old&nbsp; Julie A. Tibbits of Topeka.

According to Deputy Abigail Christian, a southbound Dodge sedan with two occupants and a Buick SUV with four occupants collided at NE Kincaid Road and 62nd Street.&nbsp;

Tibbits was pronounced deceased at the scene, according to Deputy Christian. American Medical Response transported four others to a local hospital.&nbsp; The crash remains under investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725840465323.png" alt="View of the fatal crash scene -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>View of the fatal crash scene -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal crash involving two vehicles in Shawnee County on Sunday have identified the victim as 45-year-old&nbsp; Julie A. Tibbits of Topeka.According to Deputy Abigail Christian, a southbound Dodge sedan with two occupants and a Buick SUV with four occupants collided at NE Kincaid Road and 62nd Street.&nbsp;Tibbits was pronounced deceased at the scene, according to Deputy Christian. American Medical Response transported four others to a local hospital.&nbsp; The crash remains under investigation.

Sheriff IDs Kan. woman who died in crash that injured 4 others

By SUMMER BALLENTINE Associated Press

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri's Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday over whether an abortion-rights amendment should go before voters this year.

The proposal to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution is expected to widely undo the state’s 2022 near-total abortion ban if passed. The state’s highest court has mere hours Tuesday to issue what will likely be the final say on the measure before a deadline to make changes to the November ballot.

Mary Catherine Martin, a lawyer for a group of GOP lawmakers and abortion opponents suing to remove the amendment, told judges that Missouri’s law requires petition signers “to be fully informed” and argued that the initiative petition “misled voters” by not listing all the laws restricting abortion that it would effectively repeal.

But removing the measure would step on Missouri voters' rights to sidestep the legislature and enact laws and constitutional amendments by the ballot, abortion-rights campaign lawyer Chuck Hatfield argued.

“The court will send a message today,” Hatfield said, “about whether in our little corner of the democracy, the government will honor the will of the people or whether we will have it snatched away.”

Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, who opposes abortion, decertified the measure Monday, removing it from the ballot himself following a county circuit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-constitutional-amendment-4f40c97177cdeaea6aec3fca59c2f99e">judge’s ruling Friday</a>. Ashcroft's move appears symbolic, although lawyers for his office argued it made the appeal moot.

The amendment is part of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/abortion">national push to have voters</a>&nbsp;weigh in on abortion since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. Missouri banned almost all abortions immediately after.

At least nine other states will consider constitutional amendments&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-election-2024-roe-ballot-4403190b898e501b0834053c3417d072">enshrining abortion rights</a>, including Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada and South Dakota. Most would guarantee a right to abortion until fetal viability and allow it later for the health of the pregnant woman, which is what the Missouri proposal would do.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri's Supreme Court will hear arguments Tuesday over whether an abortion-rights amendment should go before voters this year.

At issue is a proposal to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution, along with the right for individuals to make other reproductive health care decisions. If enacted, the measure is widely expected to undo the state's 2022 near-total abortion ban.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725989236561.png" alt=" Chuck Hatfield, an attorney for Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, argues before the Missouri Supreme Court on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024 in Jefferson City as the court hears a case questioning whether an amendment to overturn the state’s abortion ban should remain on the November ballot (Pool photo by Robert Cohen/St. Louis Post-Dispatch)." />
 <figcaption> Chuck Hatfield, an attorney for Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, argues before the Missouri Supreme Court on Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2024 in Jefferson City as the court hears a case questioning whether an amendment to overturn the state’s abortion ban should remain on the November ballot (Pool photo by Robert Cohen/St. Louis Post-Dispatch).</figcaption>
 </figure>By SUMMER BALLENTINE Associated PressJEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri's Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday over whether an abortion-rights amendment should go before voters this year.The proposal to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution is expected to widely undo the state’s 2022 near-total abortion ban if passed. The state’s highest court has mere hours Tuesday to issue what will likely be the final say on the measure before a deadline to make changes to the November ballot.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725707612193.png" alt=" Mary Catherine Martin, an attorney with the Thomas Moore Society, represents a group of Missouri anti-abortion lawmakers and activists Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, during a trial at the Cole County Courthouse photo by Anna Spoerre" />
 <figcaption> Mary Catherine Martin, an attorney with the Thomas Moore Society, represents a group of Missouri anti-abortion lawmakers and activists Friday, Sept. 6, 2024, during a trial at the Cole County Courthouse photo by Anna Spoerre</figcaption>
 </figure>Mary Catherine Martin, a lawyer for a group of GOP lawmakers and abortion opponents suing to remove the amendment, told judges that Missouri’s law requires petition signers “to be fully informed” and argued that the initiative petition “misled voters” by not listing all the laws restricting abortion that it would effectively repeal.But removing the measure would step on Missouri voters' rights to sidestep the legislature and enact laws and constitutional amendments by the ballot, abortion-rights campaign lawyer Chuck Hatfield argued.“The court will send a message today,” Hatfield said, “about whether in our little corner of the democracy, the government will honor the will of the people or whether we will have it snatched away.”Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, who opposes abortion, decertified the measure Monday, removing it from the ballot himself following a county circuit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-constitutional-amendment-4f40c97177cdeaea6aec3fca59c2f99e">judge’s ruling Friday</a>. Ashcroft's move appears symbolic, although lawyers for his office argued it made the appeal moot.The amendment is part of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/abortion">national push to have voters</a>&nbsp;weigh in on abortion since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. Missouri banned almost all abortions immediately after.At least nine other states will consider constitutional amendments&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-election-2024-roe-ballot-4403190b898e501b0834053c3417d072">enshrining abortion rights</a>, including Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada and South Dakota. Most would guarantee a right to abortion until fetal viability and allow it later for the health of the pregnant woman, which is what the Missouri proposal would do.New York also has a ballot measure that proponents say would protect abortion rights, though there’s a dispute about its impact.Voting on the polarizing issue could draw more people to the polls, potentially impacting results for the presidency in swing states, control of Congress and the outcomes for closely contested state offices. Missouri Democrats, for instance, hope to get a boost from abortion-rights supporters during the November election.Legal fights have sprung up across the country over whether to allow voters to decide these questions — and over the exact wording used on the ballots and explanatory material. In August, Arkansas’ highest court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ballot-arkansas-supreme-court-48c208d49d82b467fbcc4b9c2724617a">upheld a decision</a>&nbsp;to keep an abortion rights initiative off the state’s November ballot, agreeing with election officials that the group behind the measure did not properly submit documentation regarding the signature gatherers it hired.Voters in all seven states that have had abortion questions on their ballots since Roe was overturned have sided with abortion-rights supporters.-------------JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri's Supreme Court will hear arguments Tuesday over whether an abortion-rights amendment should go before voters this year.At issue is a proposal to enshrine abortion rights in the state constitution, along with the right for individuals to make other reproductive health care decisions. If enacted, the measure is widely expected to undo the state's 2022 near-total abortion ban.The proposal had been slated for the November ballot. But Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft decertified the measure Monday, removing it from the ballot himself, following a county circuit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-constitutional-amendment-4f40c97177cdeaea6aec3fca59c2f99e">judge’s ruling Friday</a>&nbsp;that sided with abortion opponents and several Republican lawmakers who sought to have the amendment taken off the ballot.Monday’s move by Ashcroft, who opposes abortion, is largely symbolic. The Supreme Court is expected to have the final say on the measure and faces a 5 p.m. Tuesday deadline to make changes to the November ballot. That gives the court mere hours to issue a ruling after the morning hearing.The amendment is part of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/abortion">national push to have voters</a>&nbsp;weigh in on abortion since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022. Missouri banned almost all abortions immediately after.At least nine other states will consider constitutional amendments&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-election-2024-roe-ballot-4403190b898e501b0834053c3417d072">enshrining abortion rights</a>, including Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada and South Dakota. Most would guarantee a right to abortion until fetal viability and allow it later for the health of the pregnant woman, which is what the Missouri proposal would do.New York also has a ballot measure that proponents say would protect abortion rights, though there’s a dispute about its impact.Voting on the polarizing issue could draw more people to the polls, potentially impacting results for the presidency in swing states, control of Congress and the outcomes for closely contested state offices. Missouri Democrats, for instance, hope to get a boost from abortion-rights supporters during the November election.Legal fights have sprung up across the country over whether to allow voters to decide these questions — and over the exact wording used on the ballots and explanatory material. In August, Arkansas’ highest court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ballot-arkansas-supreme-court-48c208d49d82b467fbcc4b9c2724617a">upheld a decision</a>&nbsp;to keep an abortion-rights ballot initiative off the state’s November ballot, agreeing with election officials that the group behind the measure did not properly submit documentation regarding the signature gatherers it hired.The legal challenge to Missouri's proposed amendment hinges on a state law requiring campaigns to inform voters during the petition signature-gathering process about any laws that proposed amendments would overturn.Lawyers for the plaintiffs wrote in a court brief that Missouri's abortion-rights campaign “defrauded potential signers by failing to disclose any of the many, many provisions” of Missouri law it proposes to repeal, including the state's current ban.Lawyers for Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, the abortion-rights campaign, wrote that the case is about “whether the people’s right to engage in direct democracy will be protected.”“The circuit court’s decision threatens to grind our system of constitutional initiative petition to a halt at the last minute,” the attorneys wrote. “Hundreds of thousands have exercised their power as citizens, and want their fellow Missourians to vote on whether to change the Constitution with regard to abortion rights.”Voters in all seven states that have had abortion questions on their ballots since Roe was overturned have sided with abortion-rights supporters.