KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri judge ruled Thursday that an anti-abortion GOP official used misleading language to summarize a ballot question designed to restore abortion rights in the state.

Cole County Circuit Judge Cotton Walker threw out a description of the amendment as written by the office of Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, an abortion opponent.

In his ruling, Walker said Ashcroft's language was “unfair, insufficient, inaccurate and misleading."

Walker wrote a new summary explaining to voters that the measure would remove Missouri's abortion ban and allow abortion to be restricted or banned after fetal viability, with exceptions.

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

Walker's language also notes that the amendment would create a “constitutional right to make decisions about reproductive health care, including abortion and contraceptives.”

At least nine&nbsp;<a href="https://interactives.ap.org/embeds/051pI/33/">other states</a>&nbsp;will consider constitutional amendments&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-election-2024-roe-ballot-4403190b898e501b0834053c3417d072">enshrining abortion rights</a>&nbsp;this fall — Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada and South Dakota.

In Missouri, ballot language is displayed at polling centers to help voters understand the impact of voting “yes” or “no” on sometimes complicated ballot measures.

The summary that Ashcroft wrote said a “yes” vote on the proposal would enshrine “the right to abortion at any time of a pregnancy in the Missouri Constitution.”

“Additionally, it will prohibit any regulation of abortion, including regulations designed to protect women undergoing abortions and prohibit any civil or criminal recourse against anyone who performs an abortion and hurts or kills the pregnant women,” according to Ashcroft's language.

The amendment itself states that “the government shall not deny or infringe upon a person’s fundamental right to reproductive freedom, which is the right to make and carry out decisions about all matters relating to reproductive health care, including but not limited to prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, birth control, abortion care, miscarriage care, and respectful birthing conditions.”

Assistant Attorney General Andrew Crane defended Ashcroft’s summary in court. He pointed to a clause in the amendment protecting “any person” from prosecution or penalties if they consensually assist a person exercising their right to reproductive freedom. Crane said if enacted, that provision would render any abortion regulations toothless.

The secretary of state and attorney general's offices didn't immediately respond to Associated Press emails seeking comment on the ruling.

Backers of the measure celebrated Walker's decision.

“This ruling confirms what we’ve known all along — our opponents are trying to block a vote in November because they know Missourians overwhelmingly support reproductive freedom and will be voting yes on Amendment 3,” Rachel Sweet, the campaign manager for Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, said in a statement Thursday. “Missourians deserve the chance to vote on Amendment 3 based on facts and today’s decision brings us one step closer to making that a reality.”

Lawyers for the woman who proposed the amendment wrote in legal briefs that Ashcroft's description is misleading and that lawmakers could regulate abortions after viability.

“Missourians are entitled to fair, accurate, and sufficient language that will allow them to cast an informed vote for or against the Amendment without being subjected to the Secretary of State’s disinformation,” according to a brief filed by the plaintiff.

This is the second time Ashcroft and the abortion-rights campaign have clashed over his official descriptions of the amendment.

The campaign in 2023 also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-constitution-amendment-ballot-31e5d91121b0be6ae41548eb11f2e751">sued Ashcroft</a>&nbsp;over how his office described the amendment in a ballot summary. Ballot summaries are high-level overviews of amendments, similar to ballot language. But summaries are included on ballots.

Ashcroft’s ballot summary said the measure would allow “dangerous and unregulated abortions until live birth.”

A three-judge panel of the Western District Court of Appeals ruled Ashcroft’s summary was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-ballot-constitution-ruling-edb5f44fc0f9799d01cda22cd1f70b40">politically partisan</a>&nbsp;and rewrote it. Much of Walker's ballot language is based on the Court of Appeals summary.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714753237039.png" alt="Photo Missourians for constitutional freedom" />
 <figcaption>Photo Missourians for constitutional freedom</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — A Missouri judge ruled Thursday that an anti-abortion GOP official used misleading language to summarize a ballot question designed to restore abortion rights in the state.Cole County Circuit Judge Cotton Walker threw out a description of the amendment as written by the office of Republican Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, an abortion opponent.In his ruling, Walker said Ashcroft's language was “unfair, insufficient, inaccurate and misleading."Walker wrote a new summary explaining to voters that the measure would remove Missouri's abortion ban and allow abortion to be restricted or banned after fetal viability, with exceptions.Missouri banned almost all abortions after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022.Walker's language also notes that the amendment would create a “constitutional right to make decisions about reproductive health care, including abortion and contraceptives.”At least nine&nbsp;<a href="https://interactives.ap.org/embeds/051pI/33/">other states</a>&nbsp;will consider constitutional amendments&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-election-2024-roe-ballot-4403190b898e501b0834053c3417d072">enshrining abortion rights</a>&nbsp;this fall — Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada and South Dakota.In Missouri, ballot language is displayed at polling centers to help voters understand the impact of voting “yes” or “no” on sometimes complicated ballot measures.The summary that Ashcroft wrote said a “yes” vote on the proposal would enshrine “the right to abortion at any time of a pregnancy in the Missouri Constitution.”“Additionally, it will prohibit any regulation of abortion, including regulations designed to protect women undergoing abortions and prohibit any civil or criminal recourse against anyone who performs an abortion and hurts or kills the pregnant women,” according to Ashcroft's language.The amendment itself states that “the government shall not deny or infringe upon a person’s fundamental right to reproductive freedom, which is the right to make and carry out decisions about all matters relating to reproductive health care, including but not limited to prenatal care, childbirth, postpartum care, birth control, abortion care, miscarriage care, and respectful birthing conditions.”Assistant Attorney General Andrew Crane defended Ashcroft’s summary in court. He pointed to a clause in the amendment protecting “any person” from prosecution or penalties if they consensually assist a person exercising their right to reproductive freedom. Crane said if enacted, that provision would render any abortion regulations toothless.The secretary of state and attorney general's offices didn't immediately respond to Associated Press emails seeking comment on the ruling.Backers of the measure celebrated Walker's decision.“This ruling confirms what we’ve known all along — our opponents are trying to block a vote in November because they know Missourians overwhelmingly support reproductive freedom and will be voting yes on Amendment 3,” Rachel Sweet, the campaign manager for Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, said in a statement Thursday. “Missourians deserve the chance to vote on Amendment 3 based on facts and today’s decision brings us one step closer to making that a reality.”Lawyers for the woman who proposed the amendment wrote in legal briefs that Ashcroft's description is misleading and that lawmakers could regulate abortions after viability.“Missourians are entitled to fair, accurate, and sufficient language that will allow them to cast an informed vote for or against the Amendment without being subjected to the Secretary of State’s disinformation,” according to a brief filed by the plaintiff.This is the second time Ashcroft and the abortion-rights campaign have clashed over his official descriptions of the amendment.The campaign in 2023 also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-constitution-amendment-ballot-31e5d91121b0be6ae41548eb11f2e751">sued Ashcroft</a>&nbsp;over how his office described the amendment in a ballot summary. Ballot summaries are high-level overviews of amendments, similar to ballot language. But summaries are included on ballots.Ashcroft’s ballot summary said the measure would allow “dangerous and unregulated abortions until live birth.”A three-judge panel of the Western District Court of Appeals ruled Ashcroft’s summary was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-ballot-constitution-ruling-edb5f44fc0f9799d01cda22cd1f70b40">politically partisan</a>&nbsp;and rewrote it. Much of Walker's ballot language is based on the Court of Appeals summary.

Mo. judge: Abortion-rights ballot measure summary is misleading

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man was sentenced Wednesday following the death of an elderly woman at an area nursing home.&nbsp;

Jose Luis Reyes, Jr., 31, Wichita, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of mistreating a 90- year-old resident of a Bel Aire nursing home was sentenced to a year of probation and ordered not to be employed in any capacity where he would be providing medical care to patients, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

&nbsp;Reyes Jr. was a certified nurse aide at Catholic Care Center in Bel Aire when one of the residents passed away on Dec. 10, 2022.&nbsp; An autopsy found the primary cause of the woman’s death was heart disease. The autopsy also noted that woman had suffered other injuries at the time of her death, including broken bones in her legs, bruising under her armpits and a bruise to her head.

Investigators from the Bel Aire Police Department obtained video from the facility showing Reyes had entered woman’s room alone shortly before her death. After interviewing witnesses and reviewing medical records, investigators found that Reyes injured the woman when he attempted to move her from her bed to a wheelchair without assistance from other staff at the nursing home. 

Evidence showed the woman either fell or was dropped onto the floor of her room on the day she died. Medical records showed the nursing home staff was aware that the woman required at least two people to move her at all times.

In July, Reyes entered a guilty plea to mistreatment of an elder person before District Judge David Kaufman. As part of the plea, Reyes agreed to surrender any Kansas certifications for providing medical care to patients.

If Reyes fails to comply with the probation conditions, he could serve a prison sentence of nine months in the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Kansas law makes it a crime to mistreat an elder person, either by intentionally inflicting injury or knowingly omitting or depriving treatment necessary to maintain the physical health of the elder person. The same law also prohibits the financial exploitation of elder persons through theft, coercion, false representations or overbilling. The definition of an elder person in Kansas is anyone 60 or older.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725542554889.png" alt="Reyes -photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Reyes -photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man was sentenced Wednesday following the death of an elderly woman at an area nursing home.&nbsp;Jose Luis Reyes, Jr., 31, Wichita, pleaded guilty to a felony charge of mistreating a 90- year-old resident of a Bel Aire nursing home was sentenced to a year of probation and ordered not to be employed in any capacity where he would be providing medical care to patients, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;Reyes Jr. was a certified nurse aide at Catholic Care Center in Bel Aire when one of the residents passed away on Dec. 10, 2022.&nbsp; An autopsy found the primary cause of the woman’s death was heart disease. The autopsy also noted that woman had suffered other injuries at the time of her death, including broken bones in her legs, bruising under her armpits and a bruise to her head.Investigators from the Bel Aire Police Department obtained video from the facility showing Reyes had entered woman’s room alone shortly before her death. After interviewing witnesses and reviewing medical records, investigators found that Reyes injured the woman when he attempted to move her from her bed to a wheelchair without assistance from other staff at the nursing home. Evidence showed the woman either fell or was dropped onto the floor of her room on the day she died. Medical records showed the nursing home staff was aware that the woman required at least two people to move her at all times.In July, Reyes entered a guilty plea to mistreatment of an elder person before District Judge David Kaufman. As part of the plea, Reyes agreed to surrender any Kansas certifications for providing medical care to patients.If Reyes fails to comply with the probation conditions, he could serve a prison sentence of nine months in the Kansas Department of Corrections.Kansas law makes it a crime to mistreat an elder person, either by intentionally inflicting injury or knowingly omitting or depriving treatment necessary to maintain the physical health of the elder person. The same law also prohibits the financial exploitation of elder persons through theft, coercion, false representations or overbilling. The definition of an elder person in Kansas is anyone 60 or older.

Kan. nurse aid admits guilt for woman's nursing home death 

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Pop superstar Taylor Swift returned to Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night to watch her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, and the rest of the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs open the NFL season against the Baltimore Ravens.

Swift arrived about 90 minutes prior to the AFC title game rematch,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/RobCollinsTV/status/1831828437260292389">wearing a denim crop top and shorts</a>&nbsp;along with red, knee-high heeled boots. She joined nearly 80,000 fans awaiting kickoff as storms began popping up in the area.

Swift became one of the Chiefs' biggest fans last season, when she began&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-chiefs-broncos-b08b0e53fdd232dc0a468b5fa43b5b04">her high-profile romance with Kelce,</a>&nbsp;a pop culture heavyweight in his own right. Kelce had failed to give her a friendship bracelet at one of her concerts, so he took to social media to invite Swift to a game, and the “Anti-Hero” singer took him up on the offer for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-kelce-chiefs-891e7df84295f5b35cfa97a5ec427721">a September matchup with the Bears</a>.

They continued to see each other throughout the season, whenever Swift was on break from her Eras Tour. The 14-time Grammy winner even made a much-publicized sprint from a stadium show in Japan to Las Vegas in time for the Super Bowl, where she partied with friends such as Blake Lively, enjoyed Post Malone's performance of “America the Beautiful," won what appeared to be a beer chugging contest, and then celebrated the Chiefs' triumph&nbsp;<a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/02/10/taylor-swift-kisses-travis-kelce-on-the-field-after-his-chiefs-beat-the-49ers-in-the-super-bowl/">by locking lips with Kelce on the field</a>.

Along the way, Swift became close friends with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his wife, Brittany.

During the offseason, Kelce frequently dropped in on the Eras Tour, even making an onstage cameo in a tuxedo during a performance. Swift later said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C8myZeBOoV6/?">social media post</a>&nbsp;she was still “cracking up/swooning over (Kelce’s) Eras Tour debut” before 90,000 screaming fans at Wembley Stadium in London, and that “she was never going to forget these shows.”

Indeed, it has been a busy offseason for both of the superstars.

Swift recently concluded the European leg of the Eras Tour with five consecutive shows at Wembley, and she is on break until October, when she begins the North American leg with stops across the U.S. and Canada stretching into December.

Kelce and his brother, retired Eagles center Jason Kelce,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kelce-chiefs-eagles-jason-travis-new-heights-92761f6968b12ee06603d66e7ce9c5b7">recently struck a deal</a>&nbsp;reportedly worth nine figures to take their “New Heights” podcast to Amazon’s Wondery service. He also is due to appear in&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/daV1NI7hxY0?si=PtU8BgFwX79OgD_i">Ryan Murphy’s murder mystery “Grotesquerie”</a>&nbsp;on FX debuting Sept. 25, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/travis-kelce-are-you-smarter-than-a-celebrity-prime-video">he is hosting “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity”</a>&nbsp;on Prime Video premiering Oct. 16.

Then there’s the fact that the Chiefs, who have won two straight Super Bowls and three in the past five years, are chasing some history beginning Thursday night. No team has ever won the Lombardi Trophy three consecutive times.

Kelce was asked this week how he juggles everything, and he pointed to the Chiefs practice facility — and Arrowhead Stadium, which sits just up the hill and across a parking lot — as his sanctuary, where he is surrounded by his closest friends.

“I just love football and how it takes me away from life,” he explained, “and it gives me something I can feel genuinely happy about. I enjoy coming into the building, working on my craft, getting to understand a new game plan and perfecting that for the people around me. It gives me a purpose to kind of go about my day and to live my life.”

Not everything was smooth for Swift and Kelce during the offseason.

Last month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-cia-vienna-concerts-foiled-attack-7e454af63efcff2a3ab0a20c718aba8d">Swift canceled three sold-out shows in Vienna</a>&nbsp;after the CIA discovered intelligence that led to multiple arrests of men linked to the Islamic State group. The agency’s deputy director, David Cohen, said “they were plotting to kill a huge number — tens of thousands of people at this concert, including I am sure many Americans — and were quite advanced in this.”

Then on Thursday, a spokesperson for Kelce denounced a document recently posted online calling into question the authenticity of their romance as “entirely false and fabricated.” The document, carrying the title “Comprehensive Media Plan For Travis Kelce’s Relations Following Breakup with Taylor Swift,” was posted on Reddit but has since been deleted.

It surfaced about the same time that&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/CbaIDysFUuQ?si=s7Zg_6hSRtFvFBVw">Kelce appeared on “The Rich Eisen Show,”</a>&nbsp;where he discussed their relationship.

“She had just been so open to learning the game,” Kelce said. “I think what makes her so good in her profession is that she’s so detailed in every aspect of it, from the words to her music and even the releases and the music videos and everything. She’s just so detailed and a part of it, that I think she was just curious about the profession.”

Kelce even said that Swift had started drawing up some plays for him, though he noted with a smile: “She’s a little biased and just creates plays for me. So we’ll see if they can make coach (Andy) Reid’s office.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725580468000.png" alt="Taylor Swift arrives at Arrowhead Stadium for the Chiefs' season opener -photo by&nbsp;Micaela Dea courtesy KAKE&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Taylor Swift arrives at Arrowhead Stadium for the Chiefs' season opener -photo by&nbsp;Micaela Dea courtesy KAKE&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Pop superstar Taylor Swift returned to Arrowhead Stadium on Thursday night to watch her boyfriend, Travis Kelce, and the rest of the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs open the NFL season against the Baltimore Ravens.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨| Taylor Swift stuns arriving at Arrowhead Stadium for today&#39;s Chiefs va Ravens game! <a href="https://t.co/v283TIqMd8">pic.twitter.com/v283TIqMd8</a>&mdash; The Eras Tour (@tswifterastour) <a href="https://twitter.com/tswifterastour/status/1831829709992480819?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨| Taylor Swift looks absolutely alluring at today&#39;s Chiefs vs Ravens game at Arrowhead Stadium! <a href="https://t.co/jza64xEXzv">pic.twitter.com/jza64xEXzv</a>&mdash; The Eras Tour (@tswifterastour) <a href="https://twitter.com/tswifterastour/status/1831834703558799712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Swift arrived about 90 minutes prior to the AFC title game rematch,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/RobCollinsTV/status/1831828437260292389">wearing a denim crop top and shorts</a>&nbsp;along with red, knee-high heeled boots. She joined nearly 80,000 fans awaiting kickoff as storms began popping up in the area.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨| Taylor Swift and Ed Kelce at today&#39;s Chiefs vs Ravens game! <a href="https://t.co/eMezCRHZKT">pic.twitter.com/eMezCRHZKT</a>&mdash; The Eras Tour (@tswifterastour) <a href="https://twitter.com/tswifterastour/status/1831851010366857294?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Swift became one of the Chiefs' biggest fans last season, when she began&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-chiefs-broncos-b08b0e53fdd232dc0a468b5fa43b5b04">her high-profile romance with Kelce,</a>&nbsp;a pop culture heavyweight in his own right. Kelce had failed to give her a friendship bracelet at one of her concerts, so he took to social media to invite Swift to a game, and the “Anti-Hero” singer took him up on the offer for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-kelce-chiefs-891e7df84295f5b35cfa97a5ec427721">a September matchup with the Bears</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨| Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce leaving after today&#39;s Chiefs vs Ravens game! <a href="https://t.co/soAHLC6hAq">pic.twitter.com/soAHLC6hAq</a>&mdash; The Eras Tour (@tswifterastour) <a href="https://twitter.com/tswifterastour/status/1831929172580823268?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>They continued to see each other throughout the season, whenever Swift was on break from her Eras Tour. The 14-time Grammy winner even made a much-publicized sprint from a stadium show in Japan to Las Vegas in time for the Super Bowl, where she partied with friends such as Blake Lively, enjoyed Post Malone's performance of “America the Beautiful," won what appeared to be a beer chugging contest, and then celebrated the Chiefs' triumph&nbsp;<a href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/02/10/taylor-swift-kisses-travis-kelce-on-the-field-after-his-chiefs-beat-the-49ers-in-the-super-bowl/">by locking lips with Kelce on the field</a>.Along the way, Swift became close friends with Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes and his wife, Brittany.During the offseason, Kelce frequently dropped in on the Eras Tour, even making an onstage cameo in a tuxedo during a performance. Swift later said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C8myZeBOoV6/?">social media post</a>&nbsp;she was still “cracking up/swooning over (Kelce’s) Eras Tour debut” before 90,000 screaming fans at Wembley Stadium in London, and that “she was never going to forget these shows.”Indeed, it has been a busy offseason for both of the superstars.Swift recently concluded the European leg of the Eras Tour with five consecutive shows at Wembley, and she is on break until October, when she begins the North American leg with stops across the U.S. and Canada stretching into December.Kelce and his brother, retired Eagles center Jason Kelce,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kelce-chiefs-eagles-jason-travis-new-heights-92761f6968b12ee06603d66e7ce9c5b7">recently struck a deal</a>&nbsp;reportedly worth nine figures to take their “New Heights” podcast to Amazon’s Wondery service. He also is due to appear in&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/daV1NI7hxY0?si=PtU8BgFwX79OgD_i">Ryan Murphy’s murder mystery “Grotesquerie”</a>&nbsp;on FX debuting Sept. 25, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aboutamazon.com/news/entertainment/travis-kelce-are-you-smarter-than-a-celebrity-prime-video">he is hosting “Are You Smarter Than a Celebrity”</a>&nbsp;on Prime Video premiering Oct. 16.Then there’s the fact that the Chiefs, who have won two straight Super Bowls and three in the past five years, are chasing some history beginning Thursday night. No team has ever won the Lombardi Trophy three consecutive times.Kelce was asked this week how he juggles everything, and he pointed to the Chiefs practice facility — and Arrowhead Stadium, which sits just up the hill and across a parking lot — as his sanctuary, where he is surrounded by his closest friends.“I just love football and how it takes me away from life,” he explained, “and it gives me something I can feel genuinely happy about. I enjoy coming into the building, working on my craft, getting to understand a new game plan and perfecting that for the people around me. It gives me a purpose to kind of go about my day and to live my life.”Not everything was smooth for Swift and Kelce during the offseason.Last month,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-cia-vienna-concerts-foiled-attack-7e454af63efcff2a3ab0a20c718aba8d">Swift canceled three sold-out shows in Vienna</a>&nbsp;after the CIA discovered intelligence that led to multiple arrests of men linked to the Islamic State group. The agency’s deputy director, David Cohen, said “they were plotting to kill a huge number — tens of thousands of people at this concert, including I am sure many Americans — and were quite advanced in this.”Then on Thursday, a spokesperson for Kelce denounced a document recently posted online calling into question the authenticity of their romance as “entirely false and fabricated.” The document, carrying the title “Comprehensive Media Plan For Travis Kelce’s Relations Following Breakup with Taylor Swift,” was posted on Reddit but has since been deleted.It surfaced about the same time that&nbsp;<a href="https://youtu.be/CbaIDysFUuQ?si=s7Zg_6hSRtFvFBVw">Kelce appeared on “The Rich Eisen Show,”</a>&nbsp;where he discussed their relationship.“She had just been so open to learning the game,” Kelce said. “I think what makes her so good in her profession is that she’s so detailed in every aspect of it, from the words to her music and even the releases and the music videos and everything. She’s just so detailed and a part of it, that I think she was just curious about the profession.”Kelce even said that Swift had started drawing up some plays for him, though he noted with a smile: “She’s a little biased and just creates plays for me. So we’ll see if they can make coach (Andy) Reid’s office.”---------------

🎥Taylor Swift shows up at Arrowhead to watch Kelce, Chiefs in NFL opener

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/ashley-murray/">ASHLEY MURRAY</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://statesnewsroom.com/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — Exactly two months out from the presidential election, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan plans to move ahead with the case accusing former President Donald Trump of subverting the 2020 presidential election results, telling Trump’s attorneys that she is “not concerned with the electoral schedule.”

Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, did not appear in federal court for Thursday’s hearing in Washington, D.C., but his lawyers pleaded not guilty on his behalf to the four charges that remained unchanged in U.S. special counsel Jack Smith’s new indictment, filed last week.

The case had been in a holding pattern for eight months as Trump appealed his claim of presidential immunity all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Chutkan’s anticipated new timeline for the case — which she could release as early as Thursday — is still expected to assure Trump will not face trial before Election Day in November.

U.S. prosecutors say they are ready to restart the case in the coming weeks, while Trump’s team has argued for more time to review evidence and dismiss the superseding indictment.

The Supreme Court returned Trump’s case to the trial court&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/presidential-immunity-covers-some-official-acts-supreme-court-rules-trump-case" target="_blank">after ruling</a>&nbsp;that former presidents are immune from criminal charges for official “core constitutional” acts while in office and hold at least presumptive immunity for “outer perimeter” activities, but not for personal actions.

This gave Chutkan, an Obama administration appointee, the major task of parsing Smith’s indictment, deciding which allegations against Trump fall under the umbrella of official acts and which relate to actions taken in a personal capacity.

Chutkan did not issue any decisions on immunity at the Thursday hearing but rather spent significant time grilling Trump’s attorney John Lauro on why he believes it is “unseemly” for Smith’s office to lay out its case this month in an opening brief. Thomas Windom, a federal prosecutor in Smith’s office, said the government would be ready to file the brief by the end of September.

Lauro argued that Smith wanting to file “at breakneck speed” is “incredibly unfair that they are able to put in the public record (evidence) at this sensitive time in our nation’s history.”

“I understand there’s an election impending,” Chutkan snapped back, reminding him that it “is not relevant here.”

“Three weeks is not exactly breakneck speed,” Chutkan added.

Lauro argues that Chutkan should examine parts of the indictment that accuse Trump of pressuring then-Vice President Mike Pence to accept false slates of electors leading up to Pence’s ceremonial role in certifying the election results on Jan. 6, 2021.

“The problem with that issue is if in fact the communications are immune, then the entire indictment fails,” Lauro argued.

“I’m not sure that’s my reading of the case,” Chutkan replied.

The government maintains that all actions and communications by Trump described in the new indictment were “private in nature,” Windom argued.

Chutkan also spent time during the roughly 75-minute hearing questioning Lauro on the Trump legal team’s numerous plans to request the case’s dismissal. One anticipated plan is to try its successful play in Florida, where a Trump-appointed federal judge&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/federal-judge-dismisses-trump-classified-documents-criminal-case" target="_blank">tossed</a>&nbsp;his classified documents case after Trump argued Smith was illegally appointed as special counsel.

Chutkan said she will allow the defense to file that motion but warned that attorneys must provide convincing arguments on why “binding precedent doesn’t hold” for the time-tested position of special prosecutor.

Trump is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67656595/226/united-states-v-trump/" target="_blank">charged</a>&nbsp;with conspiracy to defraud the United States; conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; obstruction of, and attempt to obstruct, an official proceeding; and conspiracy against rights for his alleged role in conspiring to create false electors from seven states and spreading knowingly false information that whipped his supporters into a violent attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

A federal grand jury handed up a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/special-counsel-smith-files-new-indictment-trumps-jan-6-case" target="_blank">revised indictment</a>&nbsp;Aug. 27 in an effort to tailor the charges to the Supreme Court’s July 1 immunity&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/23pdf/23-939_e2pg.pdf" target="_blank">ruling</a>. The fresh indictment omitted any references to Trump’s alleged pressure campaign on Justice Department officials to meddle in state election results.

But the document added emphasis on Trump’s personal use of social media outside of his actions as president, and said he and several co-conspirators schemed outside of his official duties. The new indictment also stressed Trump’s pressure on Pence to accept the fake electors in his role outside of the executive branch as president of the Senate.

If Trump wins the Oval Office in November, he would have the power to hinder or altogether shut down the Department of Justice’s election interference case against him.

If he loses to Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, the case is sure to be set back by further delays, as the Trump team plans numerous challenges and will almost certainly appeal — likely to the Supreme Court again — Chutkan’s decisions on which allegations against Trump are or are not subject to immunity.

According to Friday’s&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149.229.0_4.pdf" target="_blank">joint filing</a>&nbsp;in which each side laid out plans for the case going forward, Trump’s team also warned they will challenge that Trump’s tweets and communication about the 2020 presidential results should be considered all official acts.

Additionally, Trump plans to file a motion to dismiss the case based on the Supreme Court’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-supreme-court-ruling-obstruction-law-helps-cases-jan-6-defendants" target="_blank">June ruling</a>&nbsp;that a Jan. 6 rioter could not be charged with obstructing an official proceeding — a charge that Trump also faces.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725589977937.png" alt="Former President Trump at the Economic Club of New York on Thursday -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Former President Trump at the Economic Club of New York on Thursday -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/ashley-murray/">ASHLEY MURRAY</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://statesnewsroom.com/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — Exactly two months out from the presidential election, U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan plans to move ahead with the case accusing former President Donald Trump of subverting the 2020 presidential election results, telling Trump’s attorneys that she is “not concerned with the electoral schedule.”Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, did not appear in federal court for Thursday’s hearing in Washington, D.C., but his lawyers pleaded not guilty on his behalf to the four charges that remained unchanged in U.S. special counsel Jack Smith’s new indictment, filed last week.The case had been in a holding pattern for eight months as Trump appealed his claim of presidential immunity all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court. Chutkan’s anticipated new timeline for the case — which she could release as early as Thursday — is still expected to assure Trump will not face trial before Election Day in November.U.S. prosecutors say they are ready to restart the case in the coming weeks, while Trump’s team has argued for more time to review evidence and dismiss the superseding indictment.The Supreme Court returned Trump’s case to the trial court&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/presidential-immunity-covers-some-official-acts-supreme-court-rules-trump-case" target="_blank">after ruling</a>&nbsp;that former presidents are immune from criminal charges for official “core constitutional” acts while in office and hold at least presumptive immunity for “outer perimeter” activities, but not for personal actions.This gave Chutkan, an Obama administration appointee, the major task of parsing Smith’s indictment, deciding which allegations against Trump fall under the umbrella of official acts and which relate to actions taken in a personal capacity.<h2>Chutkan skeptical&nbsp;</h2>Chutkan did not issue any decisions on immunity at the Thursday hearing but rather spent significant time grilling Trump’s attorney John Lauro on why he believes it is “unseemly” for Smith’s office to lay out its case this month in an opening brief. Thomas Windom, a federal prosecutor in Smith’s office, said the government would be ready to file the brief by the end of September.Lauro argued that Smith wanting to file “at breakneck speed” is “incredibly unfair that they are able to put in the public record (evidence) at this sensitive time in our nation’s history.”“I understand there’s an election impending,” Chutkan snapped back, reminding him that it “is not relevant here.”“Three weeks is not exactly breakneck speed,” Chutkan added.Lauro argues that Chutkan should examine parts of the indictment that accuse Trump of pressuring then-Vice President Mike Pence to accept false slates of electors leading up to Pence’s ceremonial role in certifying the election results on Jan. 6, 2021.“The problem with that issue is if in fact the communications are immune, then the entire indictment fails,” Lauro argued.“I’m not sure that’s my reading of the case,” Chutkan replied.The government maintains that all actions and communications by Trump described in the new indictment were “private in nature,” Windom argued.Chutkan also spent time during the roughly 75-minute hearing questioning Lauro on the Trump legal team’s numerous plans to request the case’s dismissal. One anticipated plan is to try its successful play in Florida, where a Trump-appointed federal judge&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/federal-judge-dismisses-trump-classified-documents-criminal-case" target="_blank">tossed</a>&nbsp;his classified documents case after Trump argued Smith was illegally appointed as special counsel.Chutkan said she will allow the defense to file that motion but warned that attorneys must provide convincing arguments on why “binding precedent doesn’t hold” for the time-tested position of special prosecutor.<h2>New indictment, same charges</h2>Trump is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67656595/226/united-states-v-trump/" target="_blank">charged</a>&nbsp;with conspiracy to defraud the United States; conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; obstruction of, and attempt to obstruct, an official proceeding; and conspiracy against rights for his alleged role in conspiring to create false electors from seven states and spreading knowingly false information that whipped his supporters into a violent attack on the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.A federal grand jury handed up a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/special-counsel-smith-files-new-indictment-trumps-jan-6-case" target="_blank">revised indictment</a>&nbsp;Aug. 27 in an effort to tailor the charges to the Supreme Court’s July 1 immunity&nbsp;<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/opinions/23pdf/23-939_e2pg.pdf" target="_blank">ruling</a>. The fresh indictment omitted any references to Trump’s alleged pressure campaign on Justice Department officials to meddle in state election results.But the document added emphasis on Trump’s personal use of social media outside of his actions as president, and said he and several co-conspirators schemed outside of his official duties. The new indictment also stressed Trump’s pressure on Pence to accept the fake electors in his role outside of the executive branch as president of the Senate.If Trump wins the Oval Office in November, he would have the power to hinder or altogether shut down the Department of Justice’s election interference case against him.If he loses to Democratic nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, the case is sure to be set back by further delays, as the Trump team plans numerous challenges and will almost certainly appeal — likely to the Supreme Court again — Chutkan’s decisions on which allegations against Trump are or are not subject to immunity.According to Friday’s&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149.229.0_4.pdf" target="_blank">joint filing</a>&nbsp;in which each side laid out plans for the case going forward, Trump’s team also warned they will challenge that Trump’s tweets and communication about the 2020 presidential results should be considered all official acts.Additionally, Trump plans to file a motion to dismiss the case based on the Supreme Court’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-supreme-court-ruling-obstruction-law-helps-cases-jan-6-defendants" target="_blank">June ruling</a>&nbsp;that a Jan. 6 rioter could not be charged with obstructing an official proceeding — a charge that Trump also faces.

Judge: Trump’s Jan. 6 case won’t be delayed by upcoming election

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for alleged child sex crimes.

This week, police began an investigation focusing on unlawful sexual contact involving a victim under the age of 10, according to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson.&nbsp;

On Wednesday, police arrested 40-year-old Jeffery W. Bowen of Atchison at his home.&nbsp; He is being held on requested charges of aggravated indecent liberties with a child. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725550710990.png" alt="Bowen photo Atchison County" />
 <figcaption>Bowen photo Atchison County</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a suspect for alleged child sex crimes.This week, police began an investigation focusing on unlawful sexual contact involving a victim under the age of 10, according to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson.&nbsp;On Wednesday, police arrested 40-year-old Jeffery W. Bowen of Atchison at his home.&nbsp; He is being held on requested charges of aggravated indecent liberties with a child.

Kan. man jailed for alleged sex crimes with victim under the age of 10

JOHNSON COUNTY —A Kansas woman is going to prison for a drug deal overdose death.

Last week, Judge Thomas Sutherland sentenced 54-year-old Yahne Brown to 12 years in prison for distribution of drugs leading to death, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.

In July, Brown was convicted for the fentanyl overdose death of 32-year-old Steven Cantrell in 2020.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1725034859209.png" alt="Brown photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Brown photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —A Kansas woman is going to prison for a drug deal overdose death.Last week, Judge Thomas Sutherland sentenced 54-year-old Yahne Brown to 12 years in prison for distribution of drugs leading to death, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.In July, Brown was convicted for the fentanyl overdose death of 32-year-old Steven Cantrell in 2020.

Kan. woman going to prison for man's fentanyl overdose death

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-tax-charges-special-counsel-75b2aa05f247535677454ff2dfa7c71f">federal tax charges</a>&nbsp;Thursday in a surprise move that spares President Joe Biden and his family another likely embarrassing and painful criminal trial of the president’s son.

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hunter-biden">Hunter Biden’s</a>&nbsp;stunning decision to guilty plea to misdemeanor and felony charges without the benefits of a deal with prosecutors came hours after jury selection was supposed to begin in the case accusing him of failing to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes.

The president’s son was already facing potential prison time after his June conviction on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-gun-trial-federal-charges-delaware-5dd8a9380235c6360a1ddb691ef24a06">felony gun charges</a>&nbsp;in a trial that aired unflattering and salacious details about his struggles with a crack cocaine addiction. The tax trial was expected to showcase more potentially lurid evidence as well as details about Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings, which Republicans have seized on to try to paint the Biden family as corrupt.

Although President Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential election muted the potential political implications of the tax case, the trial was expected to carry a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-tax-trial-justice-department-california-beb51f4a830f4ed87e520dcd1920a5a6">heavy emotional toll</a>&nbsp;for the president in the final months of his five-decade political career.

“Enough is enough,” defense attorney Abbe Lowell told the judge before Hunter Biden entered his plea. “Mr. Biden is prepared, because of the public and private interest, to proceed today and finish this.”

Hunter Biden quickly responded “guilty” as the judge read out each of the nine counts. The charges carry up to 17 years behind bars, but federal sentencing guidelines are likely to call for a much shorter sentence. Sentencing is set for Dec. 16.

More than 100 potential jurors had been brought to the courthouse Thursday to begin the process of picking the panel to hear the case alleging a four-year scheme to avoid paying taxes while spending wildly on things like strippers, luxury hotels and exotic cars.

Prosecutors were caught off guard when Hunter Biden’s lawyer told the judge Thursday morning that Hunter wanted to enter what’s known as an Alford plea, under which a defendant maintains their innocence but acknowledges prosecutors have enough evidence to secure a conviction.

Prosecutors said they objected to such a plea, telling the judge that Hunter Biden “is not entitled to plead guilty on special terms that apply only to him.”

“Hunter Biden is not innocent. Hunter Biden is guilty,” prosecutor Leo Wise said.

Hunter Biden walked into the courtroom holding hands with his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, and flanked by Secret Service agents. Initially, he pleaded not guilty to the charges related to his 2016 through 2019 taxes and his attorneys had indicated they would argue he didn’t act “willfully,” or with the intention to break the law, in part because of his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-ukraine-firm-memoir-beautiful-things-40d98f7edf2e72f84ba2f12856327c5e">well-documented struggles</a>&nbsp;with alcohol and drug addiction.

Hunter Biden had agreed to plead guilty to misdemeanor tax offenses last year in a deal with the Justice Department that would allow him to avoid prosecution in the gun case if he stayed out of trouble. But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-plea-deal-taxes-gun-drugs-690d38f1ffae4dfce2c171d21e7d3594">the agreement imploded</a>&nbsp;after a judge questioned unusual aspects of it, and he was subsequently indicted in the two cases.

His decision to change his plea Thursday came after the judge issued some unfavorable pre-trial rulings for the defense, including rejecting a proposed defense expert lined up to testify about addiction.

Scarsi, who was appointed to the bench by former President Donald Trump, also placed some restrictions on what jurors would be allowed to hear about the traumatic events that Hunter Biden's family, friends and attorneys say led to his drug addiction.

The judge barred attorneys from connecting his substance abuse struggles to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-d8f69eb645d74b7886387f713981b739">2015 death of his brother Beau Biden</a>&nbsp;from cancer or the car accident that killed his mother and sister when he was a toddler.

The indictment alleged that Hunter Biden lived lavishly while flouting the tax law, spending his cash on things like strippers and luxury hotels — “in short, everything but his taxes.”

Hunter Biden’s attorneys had asked Scarsi to also limit prosecutors from highlighting details of his expenses that they say amount to a “character assassination,” including payments made to strippers or pornographic websites. The judge has said in court papers that he will maintain “strict control” over the presentation of potentially salacious evidence.

Prosecutors had said they want to introduce evidence about Hunter Biden’s overseas dealings, which have been at the center of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-republicans-joe-biden-impeachment-0659ac1d6bca42332647fddd0f9150fb">Republican investigations</a>&nbsp;into the Biden family often seeking — without evidence— to tie the president to an alleged influence peddling scheme.

The special counsel’s team had planned to have a business associate of Hunter Biden's testify about their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-taxes-special-counsel-romanian-businessman-9c1b15a548df02935e2bfa856e485ada">work for a Romanian businessman</a>, who prosecutors say sought to “influence U.S. government policy” while Joe Biden was vice president.

Sentencing in Hunter Biden's Delaware conviction is set for Nov. 13. He could face up to 25 years in prison in that case, though he is likely to get far less time or avoid prison entirely.

Lauer reported from Philadelphia. AP writer Zeke Miller contributed from Washington.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717532173443.png" alt="File photo Hunter Biden arrives at federal court in June&nbsp; (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)" />
 <figcaption>File photo Hunter Biden arrives at federal court in June&nbsp; (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — Hunter Biden pleaded guilty to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-tax-charges-special-counsel-75b2aa05f247535677454ff2dfa7c71f">federal tax charges</a>&nbsp;Thursday in a surprise move that spares President Joe Biden and his family another likely embarrassing and painful criminal trial of the president’s son.<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hunter-biden">Hunter Biden’s</a>&nbsp;stunning decision to guilty plea to misdemeanor and felony charges without the benefits of a deal with prosecutors came hours after jury selection was supposed to begin in the case accusing him of failing to pay at least $1.4 million in taxes.The president’s son was already facing potential prison time after his June conviction on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-gun-trial-federal-charges-delaware-5dd8a9380235c6360a1ddb691ef24a06">felony gun charges</a>&nbsp;in a trial that aired unflattering and salacious details about his struggles with a crack cocaine addiction. The tax trial was expected to showcase more potentially lurid evidence as well as details about Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings, which Republicans have seized on to try to paint the Biden family as corrupt.Although President Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential election muted the potential political implications of the tax case, the trial was expected to carry a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-tax-trial-justice-department-california-beb51f4a830f4ed87e520dcd1920a5a6">heavy emotional toll</a>&nbsp;for the president in the final months of his five-decade political career.“Enough is enough,” defense attorney Abbe Lowell told the judge before Hunter Biden entered his plea. “Mr. Biden is prepared, because of the public and private interest, to proceed today and finish this.”Hunter Biden quickly responded “guilty” as the judge read out each of the nine counts. The charges carry up to 17 years behind bars, but federal sentencing guidelines are likely to call for a much shorter sentence. Sentencing is set for Dec. 16.More than 100 potential jurors had been brought to the courthouse Thursday to begin the process of picking the panel to hear the case alleging a four-year scheme to avoid paying taxes while spending wildly on things like strippers, luxury hotels and exotic cars.Prosecutors were caught off guard when Hunter Biden’s lawyer told the judge Thursday morning that Hunter wanted to enter what’s known as an Alford plea, under which a defendant maintains their innocence but acknowledges prosecutors have enough evidence to secure a conviction.Prosecutors said they objected to such a plea, telling the judge that Hunter Biden “is not entitled to plead guilty on special terms that apply only to him.”“Hunter Biden is not innocent. Hunter Biden is guilty,” prosecutor Leo Wise said.Hunter Biden walked into the courtroom holding hands with his wife, Melissa Cohen Biden, and flanked by Secret Service agents. Initially, he pleaded not guilty to the charges related to his 2016 through 2019 taxes and his attorneys had indicated they would argue he didn’t act “willfully,” or with the intention to break the law, in part because of his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-ukraine-firm-memoir-beautiful-things-40d98f7edf2e72f84ba2f12856327c5e">well-documented struggles</a>&nbsp;with alcohol and drug addiction.Hunter Biden had agreed to plead guilty to misdemeanor tax offenses last year in a deal with the Justice Department that would allow him to avoid prosecution in the gun case if he stayed out of trouble. But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-plea-deal-taxes-gun-drugs-690d38f1ffae4dfce2c171d21e7d3594">the agreement imploded</a>&nbsp;after a judge questioned unusual aspects of it, and he was subsequently indicted in the two cases.His decision to change his plea Thursday came after the judge issued some unfavorable pre-trial rulings for the defense, including rejecting a proposed defense expert lined up to testify about addiction.Scarsi, who was appointed to the bench by former President Donald Trump, also placed some restrictions on what jurors would be allowed to hear about the traumatic events that Hunter Biden's family, friends and attorneys say led to his drug addiction.The judge barred attorneys from connecting his substance abuse struggles to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-d8f69eb645d74b7886387f713981b739">2015 death of his brother Beau Biden</a>&nbsp;from cancer or the car accident that killed his mother and sister when he was a toddler.The indictment alleged that Hunter Biden lived lavishly while flouting the tax law, spending his cash on things like strippers and luxury hotels — “in short, everything but his taxes.”Hunter Biden’s attorneys had asked Scarsi to also limit prosecutors from highlighting details of his expenses that they say amount to a “character assassination,” including payments made to strippers or pornographic websites. The judge has said in court papers that he will maintain “strict control” over the presentation of potentially salacious evidence.Prosecutors had said they want to introduce evidence about Hunter Biden’s overseas dealings, which have been at the center of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-republicans-joe-biden-impeachment-0659ac1d6bca42332647fddd0f9150fb">Republican investigations</a>&nbsp;into the Biden family often seeking — without evidence— to tie the president to an alleged influence peddling scheme.The special counsel’s team had planned to have a business associate of Hunter Biden's testify about their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-taxes-special-counsel-romanian-businessman-9c1b15a548df02935e2bfa856e485ada">work for a Romanian businessman</a>, who prosecutors say sought to “influence U.S. government policy” while Joe Biden was vice president.Sentencing in Hunter Biden's Delaware conviction is set for Nov. 13. He could face up to 25 years in prison in that case, though he is likely to get far less time or avoid prison entirely.___Lauer reported from Philadelphia. AP writer Zeke Miller contributed from Washington.

Hunter Biden agrees to surprise guilty plea to avoid tax trial 

‘ChiefsAholic’ Committed 11 Bank Robberies in Seven States, Laundered Proceeds Through Area Casinos

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A man popularly known as Kansas City Chiefs superfan “ChiefsAholic” was sentenced in federal court Thursday&nbsp; on charges related to a string of 11 robberies, or attempted robberies, in which he stole $847,725 from financial institutions in seven states, according to the United State's Attorney. The sentencing occurred as his favorite team begins defense of their Super Bowl title.&nbsp;

“While parading as a social media celebrity, the defendant secretly engaged in a violent crime spree of armed robberies and attempted robberies across seven states,” said U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore. “Babudar’s robbery spree bankrolled the expensive tickets and travel across the country to attend Kansas City Chiefs games while he cultivated a large fan base online. However, the bank and credit union employees whom he terrorized at gunpoint suffered the brunt of his true nature. He tried to flee from justice, but law enforcement caught up with him and now he will spend a significant portion of his life in prison.”

Xaviar Michael Babudar, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 17 years and six months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Babudar to pay $532,675 in restitution to the victim financial institutions. Some of the stolen money was recovered, but most of it was not.

The court ordered Babudar to forfeit to the government any property involved in his money laundering activity, including an autographed painting of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick L. Mahomes II that has been recovered by the FBI.

“The actions of Babudar were brazen and traumatic for the bank employees robbed in Bixby, Oklahoma,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson of the Northern District of Oklahoma. “A big thank you to the Bixby Police Department for their hard work in collaboration with the FBI Tulsa field office, who helped detain Babudar in Oklahoma.”

“The bank was not the only victim of these crimes,” stated Special Agent in Charge Stephen Cyrus of the FBI Kansas City Field Office. “Babudar terrorized bank employees throughout his multi-state crime spree, while relishing his celebrity status. Today’s sentencing speaks to the severity of his actions and the significant law enforcement assistance and resources utilized across multiple states to hold him accountable for his violent and criminal behavior.”

On Feb. 28, 2024, Babudar pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering and one count of transporting stolen property across state lines. Babudar also pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery, which is contained in a separate case filed in the Northern District of Oklahoma. The court today sentenced Babudar to 17 years and six months in federal prison in the Western District of Missouri case and 17 years and six months in prison in the Northern District of Oklahoma case, to be served concurrently.

Babudar also admitted that he engaged in a string of nine bank and credit union robberies (or attempted robberies) in 2022 followed by two bank robberies committed while he was a fugitive from justice. Babudar laundered much of the stolen money through area casinos and online gambling.

Babudar, who lived a nomadic existence at various locations around the Kansas City metropolitan area, enjoyed a robust social media presence as Kansas City Chiefs superfan Twitter user @ChiefsAholic, attending most games dressed as a wolf in Chiefs clothing.

Babudar pleaded guilty to stealing $70,000 from the Clive, Iowa, branch of Great Western Bank on March 2, 2022. Babudar admitted that he entered the bank wearing a ski mask and handed the bank teller a note demanding money and indicating he had a firearm. As he fled on foot, Babudar left behind a black glove and approximately $1,420 in $20 bills in a wooded area near the bank. Investigators later recovered Babudar’s DNA from the black glove. Babudar then carried this money to Missouri, depositing it in two separate transactions into his personal savings account in an attempt to conceal the criminal nature of the proceeds.

Babudar also pleaded guilty to stealing $139,500 from Tulsa Teachers Federal Credit Union in Bixby, Okla., on Dec. 16, 2022. Babudar admitted that he entered the credit union armed with what appeared to be a black handgun, jumped the teller counter, and ordered a bank employee at gunpoint to go to the credit union’s vault. Once at the vault, Babudar demanded that bank employees open the vault and put the money from the vault into a plastic bag. During this robbery, Babudar told credit union employees that if they did not comply he would shoot them.

When Babudar was arrested shortly after the robbery, he had a large bag in his possession that contained $139,500 in $100 bills plus $10,750 in $50 bills, totaling $150,250 in cash. When investigators searched his 2019 Mazda 3, they found numerous pairs of goggles and gloves, which Babudar wore during a series of bank robberies. Investigators also found a Barstool Sportsbook Betslip for $20,000, dated Nov. 19, 2022; a FanDuel Betslip for $4,000, dated Dec. 1, 2022; and letters from Community America Credit Union related to his deposits of $20,000 and $50,000 on May 2, 2022.

Babudar also admitted that he committed, or attempted to commit, nine robberies of banks and credit unions in addition to the two to which he pleaded guilty. Those crimes, including two bank robberies committed while Babudar was a fugitive from justice, were considered as relevant conduct for sentencing.

Babudar admitted that he stole $170,860 from the Omaha, Nebraska, branch of First National Bank of Omaha on April 28, 2022. Babudar entered the bank armed with what appeared to be a firearm and ordered bank employees to open their vault. Omaha police officers recovered $163,560 following the theft.

Babudar admitted that he stole $303,845 from the West Des Moines, Iowa, branch of First Class Community Credit Union on July 13, 2022. Babudar brandished what appeared to be a silver and black firearm, jumped over the teller counter, and demanded that the bank employees open the bank vault. After carrying the stolen money back to Missouri, Babudar began laundering this money through area casinos, depositing the cash he received from these casinos into his personal bank account.

Babudar admitted that he stole $125,900 from the Nashville, Tennessee, branch of The Tennessee Credit Union on Nov. 17, 2022. Babudar, armed with what appeared to be a black and silver firearm, climbed over the bank teller counter. He pressed the firearm against the teller’s body and demanded that credit union employees take him to the vault. Employees complied with Babudar’s demands, provided him with cash from the teller drawers, and took him to the vault. Babudar told credit union employees that if he was given a dye pack he would “come back and put a bullet in your head.” After Babudar fled on foot, a hat was recovered; investigators extracted DNA from the hat that matched the DNA extracted from Babudar’s glove in the March 2, 2022, robbery. A few days later, Babudar used some of the stolen money to purchase $20,000 in casino chips in multiple transactions from a local casino.

Babudar admitted that he attempted to rob Wings Financial Credit Union in Savage, Minnesota, on Nov. 29, 2022. Babudar entered this credit union with what appeared to be a firearm and demanded that credit union employees open the vault. Babudar fled from the credit union, however, after seeing the vault only held small bills.

Babudar admitted that he attempted to rob Royal Credit Union in Apple Valley, Minn., on Nov. 29, 2022. Babudar entered the credit union with what appeared to be a firearm and demanded that credit union employees open the vault. When he saw the vault only contained small bills, Babudar demanded $100 bills. Credit union employees told him they didn’t keep $100 bills in the vault, and Babudar fled on foot.

Babudar admitted that he stole $25,000 from the Clive, Iowa, branch of First Interstate Bank on Nov. 30, 2022. Following the two unsuccessful robberies the previous day, Babudar returned to the same facility he had robbed on March 2, 2022, which had since then become a branch of First Interstate Bank. Babudar entered the bank carrying what appeared to be a firearm and jumped over the teller counter. He ordered the bank employees, at gunpoint, to open the vault. He fled on foot after the bank employees gave him the cash in the vault. Babudar then carried the stolen money back to Missouri, where he deposited a portion of it into his personal bank account.

Babudar admitted that he attempted to rob Pinnacle Bank in Papillon, Nebraska, on Dec. 15, 2022. At approximately 1:55 p.m., Babudar entered the vestibule area of Pinnacle Bank and pulled on the doors, but was unable to open them. He then left the area. The next day, he robbed the Tulsa Teachers Federal Credit Union and was arrested.

Babudar, after being arrested in Oklahoma in December 2022, was released on bond in the state case in February 2023.

Months earlier, Babudar had placed two winning bets at the Argosy Casino in Alton, Ill. On June 10, 2022, Babudar bet $5,000 that Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes II would win the Most Valuable Player at Super Bowl LVII, which would pay out $45,000 should that occur. Babudar also bet $5,000 that the Kansas City Chiefs would win Super Bowl LVII, which would pay out $55,000 should that occur. When the Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl on Feb. 12, 2023, and Mahomes won the Most Valuable Player award, Babudar won $100,000. Argosy Casino mailed Babudar a $100,000 check in early March 2023.

Days later, Babudar cut his ankle monitor and fled from Oklahoma. According to court documents, Babudar used his gambling winnings to purchase a vehicle in Henderson, Nevada, and evade law enforcement until his arrest in Sacramento on July 7, 2023.

Babudar admitted that he robbed two additional banks while he was a fugitive from justice.

Babudar admitted that he stole $1,100 from Heritage Bank in Sparks, Nevada, on June 8, 2023. Babudar entered the bank wearing a beanie, a Covid-19 mask, a blue long-sleeved shirt, khaki pants, and a fanny pack. Babudar showed a note to the Heritage Bank teller that was composed on his cell phone, which demanded money from the teller.

Babudar admitted that he stole $950 from U.S. Bank in El Dorado Hills, California, on July 3, 2023. Babudar entered the bank wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt, a Covid-19 mask, and a yellow reflective vest. Babudar showed a note to the U.S. Bank teller that was composed on his cell phone, which demanded money from the teller.

Babudar has been detained in federal custody without bond since his arrest on July 7, 2023.

This case was prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Patrick D. Daly and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie C. Bradshaw in the Western District of Missouri, and U.S. Attorney Clinton J. Johnson and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric O. Johnston in the Northern District of Oklahoma. It was investigated by the FBI and the Bixby, Okla., Police Department. The Bixby, Okla., Police Department arrested Babudar in December 2022, and the Placer County, Calif., Sheriff’s Department and the Lincoln, Calif., Police Department assisted the FBI in the July 2023 arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689010403536.png" alt="Babudar from an earlier arrest in Tulsa County" />
 <figcaption>Babudar from an earlier arrest in Tulsa County</figcaption>
 </figure>‘ChiefsAholic’ Committed 11 Bank Robberies in Seven States, Laundered Proceeds Through Area CasinosKANSAS CITY, Mo. – A man popularly known as Kansas City Chiefs superfan “ChiefsAholic” was sentenced in federal court Thursday&nbsp; on charges related to a string of 11 robberies, or attempted robberies, in which he stole $847,725 from financial institutions in seven states, according to the United State's Attorney. The sentencing occurred as his favorite team begins defense of their Super Bowl title.&nbsp;<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ejVWEofiHBI?si=5dOjRY5klpUsbPr5" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>“While parading as a social media celebrity, the defendant secretly engaged in a violent crime spree of armed robberies and attempted robberies across seven states,” said U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore. “Babudar’s robbery spree bankrolled the expensive tickets and travel across the country to attend Kansas City Chiefs games while he cultivated a large fan base online. However, the bank and credit union employees whom he terrorized at gunpoint suffered the brunt of his true nature. He tried to flee from justice, but law enforcement caught up with him and now he will spend a significant portion of his life in prison.”Xaviar Michael Babudar, 30, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 17 years and six months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Babudar to pay $532,675 in restitution to the victim financial institutions. Some of the stolen money was recovered, but most of it was not.The court ordered Babudar to forfeit to the government any property involved in his money laundering activity, including an autographed painting of Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick L. Mahomes II that has been recovered by the FBI.“The actions of Babudar were brazen and traumatic for the bank employees robbed in Bixby, Oklahoma,” said U.S. Attorney Clint Johnson of the Northern District of Oklahoma. “A big thank you to the Bixby Police Department for their hard work in collaboration with the FBI Tulsa field office, who helped detain Babudar in Oklahoma.”“The bank was not the only victim of these crimes,” stated Special Agent in Charge Stephen Cyrus of the FBI Kansas City Field Office. “Babudar terrorized bank employees throughout his multi-state crime spree, while relishing his celebrity status. Today’s sentencing speaks to the severity of his actions and the significant law enforcement assistance and resources utilized across multiple states to hold him accountable for his violent and criminal behavior.”On Feb. 28, 2024, Babudar pleaded guilty to one count of money laundering and one count of transporting stolen property across state lines. Babudar also pleaded guilty to one count of bank robbery, which is contained in a separate case filed in the Northern District of Oklahoma. The court today sentenced Babudar to 17 years and six months in federal prison in the Western District of Missouri case and 17 years and six months in prison in the Northern District of Oklahoma case, to be served concurrently.Babudar also admitted that he engaged in a string of nine bank and credit union robberies (or attempted robberies) in 2022 followed by two bank robberies committed while he was a fugitive from justice. Babudar laundered much of the stolen money through area casinos and online gambling.Babudar, who lived a nomadic existence at various locations around the Kansas City metropolitan area, enjoyed a robust social media presence as Kansas City Chiefs superfan Twitter user @ChiefsAholic, attending most games dressed as a wolf in Chiefs clothing.Babudar pleaded guilty to stealing $70,000 from the Clive, Iowa, branch of Great Western Bank on March 2, 2022. Babudar admitted that he entered the bank wearing a ski mask and handed the bank teller a note demanding money and indicating he had a firearm. As he fled on foot, Babudar left behind a black glove and approximately $1,420 in $20 bills in a wooded area near the bank. Investigators later recovered Babudar’s DNA from the black glove. Babudar then carried this money to Missouri, depositing it in two separate transactions into his personal savings account in an attempt to conceal the criminal nature of the proceeds.Babudar also pleaded guilty to stealing $139,500 from Tulsa Teachers Federal Credit Union in Bixby, Okla., on Dec. 16, 2022. Babudar admitted that he entered the credit union armed with what appeared to be a black handgun, jumped the teller counter, and ordered a bank employee at gunpoint to go to the credit union’s vault. Once at the vault, Babudar demanded that bank employees open the vault and put the money from the vault into a plastic bag. During this robbery, Babudar told credit union employees that if they did not comply he would shoot them.When Babudar was arrested shortly after the robbery, he had a large bag in his possession that contained $139,500 in $100 bills plus $10,750 in $50 bills, totaling $150,250 in cash. When investigators searched his 2019 Mazda 3, they found numerous pairs of goggles and gloves, which Babudar wore during a series of bank robberies. Investigators also found a Barstool Sportsbook Betslip for $20,000, dated Nov. 19, 2022; a FanDuel Betslip for $4,000, dated Dec. 1, 2022; and letters from Community America Credit Union related to his deposits of $20,000 and $50,000 on May 2, 2022.Babudar also admitted that he committed, or attempted to commit, nine robberies of banks and credit unions in addition to the two to which he pleaded guilty. Those crimes, including two bank robberies committed while Babudar was a fugitive from justice, were considered as relevant conduct for sentencing.Babudar admitted that he stole $170,860 from the Omaha, Nebraska, branch of First National Bank of Omaha on April 28, 2022. Babudar entered the bank armed with what appeared to be a firearm and ordered bank employees to open their vault. Omaha police officers recovered $163,560 following the theft.Babudar admitted that he stole $303,845 from the West Des Moines, Iowa, branch of First Class Community Credit Union on July 13, 2022. Babudar brandished what appeared to be a silver and black firearm, jumped over the teller counter, and demanded that the bank employees open the bank vault. After carrying the stolen money back to Missouri, Babudar began laundering this money through area casinos, depositing the cash he received from these casinos into his personal bank account.Babudar admitted that he stole $125,900 from the Nashville, Tennessee, branch of The Tennessee Credit Union on Nov. 17, 2022. Babudar, armed with what appeared to be a black and silver firearm, climbed over the bank teller counter. He pressed the firearm against the teller’s body and demanded that credit union employees take him to the vault. Employees complied with Babudar’s demands, provided him with cash from the teller drawers, and took him to the vault. Babudar told credit union employees that if he was given a dye pack he would “come back and put a bullet in your head.” After Babudar fled on foot, a hat was recovered; investigators extracted DNA from the hat that matched the DNA extracted from Babudar’s glove in the March 2, 2022, robbery. A few days later, Babudar used some of the stolen money to purchase $20,000 in casino chips in multiple transactions from a local casino.Babudar admitted that he attempted to rob Wings Financial Credit Union in Savage, Minnesota, on Nov. 29, 2022. Babudar entered this credit union with what appeared to be a firearm and demanded that credit union employees open the vault. Babudar fled from the credit union, however, after seeing the vault only held small bills.Babudar admitted that he attempted to rob Royal Credit Union in Apple Valley, Minn., on Nov. 29, 2022. Babudar entered the credit union with what appeared to be a firearm and demanded that credit union employees open the vault. When he saw the vault only contained small bills, Babudar demanded $100 bills. Credit union employees told him they didn’t keep $100 bills in the vault, and Babudar fled on foot.Babudar admitted that he stole $25,000 from the Clive, Iowa, branch of First Interstate Bank on Nov. 30, 2022. Following the two unsuccessful robberies the previous day, Babudar returned to the same facility he had robbed on March 2, 2022, which had since then become a branch of First Interstate Bank. Babudar entered the bank carrying what appeared to be a firearm and jumped over the teller counter. He ordered the bank employees, at gunpoint, to open the vault. He fled on foot after the bank employees gave him the cash in the vault. Babudar then carried the stolen money back to Missouri, where he deposited a portion of it into his personal bank account.Babudar admitted that he attempted to rob Pinnacle Bank in Papillon, Nebraska, on Dec. 15, 2022. At approximately 1:55 p.m., Babudar entered the vestibule area of Pinnacle Bank and pulled on the doors, but was unable to open them. He then left the area. The next day, he robbed the Tulsa Teachers Federal Credit Union and was arrested.Babudar, after being arrested in Oklahoma in December 2022, was released on bond in the state case in February 2023.Months earlier, Babudar had placed two winning bets at the Argosy Casino in Alton, Ill. On June 10, 2022, Babudar bet $5,000 that Kansas City Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes II would win the Most Valuable Player at Super Bowl LVII, which would pay out $45,000 should that occur. Babudar also bet $5,000 that the Kansas City Chiefs would win Super Bowl LVII, which would pay out $55,000 should that occur. When the Kansas City Chiefs won the Super Bowl on Feb. 12, 2023, and Mahomes won the Most Valuable Player award, Babudar won $100,000. Argosy Casino mailed Babudar a $100,000 check in early March 2023.Days later, Babudar cut his ankle monitor and fled from Oklahoma. According to court documents, Babudar used his gambling winnings to purchase a vehicle in Henderson, Nevada, and evade law enforcement until his arrest in Sacramento on July 7, 2023.Babudar admitted that he robbed two additional banks while he was a fugitive from justice.Babudar admitted that he stole $1,100 from Heritage Bank in Sparks, Nevada, on June 8, 2023. Babudar entered the bank wearing a beanie, a Covid-19 mask, a blue long-sleeved shirt, khaki pants, and a fanny pack. Babudar showed a note to the Heritage Bank teller that was composed on his cell phone, which demanded money from the teller.Babudar admitted that he stole $950 from U.S. Bank in El Dorado Hills, California, on July 3, 2023. Babudar entered the bank wearing a grey hooded sweatshirt, a Covid-19 mask, and a yellow reflective vest. Babudar showed a note to the U.S. Bank teller that was composed on his cell phone, which demanded money from the teller.Babudar has been detained in federal custody without bond since his arrest on July 7, 2023.This case was prosecuted by Senior Litigation Counsel Patrick D. Daly and Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie C. Bradshaw in the Western District of Missouri, and U.S. Attorney Clinton J. Johnson and Assistant U.S. Attorney Eric O. Johnston in the Northern District of Oklahoma. It was investigated by the FBI and the Bixby, Okla., Police Department. The Bixby, Okla., Police Department arrested Babudar in December 2022, and the Placer County, Calif., Sheriff’s Department and the Lincoln, Calif., Police Department assisted the FBI in the July 2023 arrest.

KC Chiefs 'Superfan' sentenced as team set to open 2024 season

House GOP leader renews call for 2025 Legislature to trim property tax burden

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

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly said August state government tax revenue of nearly $23 million above projections reflected greater-than-last-year collections of personal income tax and retail sales tax.

Kelly, a Topeka Democrat, said total state revenue for the month hit $665 million, which was $22.8 million and 3.5% above the estimate developed in April by state budget and economic analysts. Tax collections by the Kansas Department of Revenue during August were 4% higher than in August 2023.

The revenue stream to state government hasn’t been fully modified by tax-cut law approved during a special session by the 2024 Legislature and Kelly. In June, the governor signed a bill reducing state taxes by $1.2 billion over three years that was approved with bipartisan support of legislators.

The focus of that compromise law was change to the state income tax rate, but a statewide sales tax on groceries will be fully repealed Jan. 1.

“While we are seeing collections higher than the estimate, we likely won’t see the impact of the income tax cuts from Senate Bill 1 on monthly collections until the beginning of next year,” Kelly said. “Because of that timing, we must continue to be fiscally responsible for our long-term outlook.”

Individual income tax collections for Kansas were $329 million, or $19.4 million, more than the August estimate. That represented a 10.1% surge from August one year ago. In terms of corporate income tax collections, the state took in $20.2 million during the month. That meant the state received $9.8 million and 32% less than the official projection for August. Kansas corporate tax revenue was 19% higher in August 2023.

Combined retail sales tax receipts to Kansas grew to $294 million in August. That was $12.6 million or 4.5% more than the estimate and up $2.2 million or 0.7% from August 2023.

House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, said the revenue report demonstrated the “state continues to take in more taxpayers’ dollars than needed.”

He said the 2025 Legislature — the entire House and Senate are up for election in November — should work on property tax reform when the session opened in January.

The special session tax bill was endorsed 121-2 in the House and 34-4 in the Senate in June, but there was bipartisan disappointment the final compromise didn’t do much to moderate state property taxes.

“To help get Kansans’ taxpayer money back in their hands where it belongs, House Republicans are already working on legislation for the 2025 session that would help ease the burden of rising property taxes,” Hawkins said. “These revenue numbers (for August) provide even more proof that additional tax relief, especially property tax relief, is not only needed but can be implemented responsibly.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725564007659.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, said the surge in state individual income tax and sales tax collections in August didn't mean the state could go on a spending spree because tax cuts signed into law in June won't fully be felt until Jan. 1. Meanwhile, GOP House Speaker Dan Hawkins said the August revenue surge indicated the state had the resources to cut property taxes during the 2025 legislative session. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, said the surge in state individual income tax and sales tax collections in August didn't mean the state could go on a spending spree because tax cuts signed into law in June won't fully be felt until Jan. 1. Meanwhile, GOP House Speaker Dan Hawkins said the August revenue surge indicated the state had the resources to cut property taxes during the 2025 legislative session. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>House GOP leader renews call for 2025 Legislature to trim property tax burden</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly said August state government tax revenue of nearly $23 million above projections reflected greater-than-last-year collections of personal income tax and retail sales tax.Kelly, a Topeka Democrat, said total state revenue for the month hit $665 million, which was $22.8 million and 3.5% above the estimate developed in April by state budget and economic analysts. Tax collections by the Kansas Department of Revenue during August were 4% higher than in August 2023.The revenue stream to state government hasn’t been fully modified by tax-cut law approved during a special session by the 2024 Legislature and Kelly. In June, the governor signed a bill reducing state taxes by $1.2 billion over three years that was approved with bipartisan support of legislators.The focus of that compromise law was change to the state income tax rate, but a statewide sales tax on groceries will be fully repealed Jan. 1.“While we are seeing collections higher than the estimate, we likely won’t see the impact of the income tax cuts from Senate Bill 1 on monthly collections until the beginning of next year,” Kelly said. “Because of that timing, we must continue to be fiscally responsible for our long-term outlook.”Individual income tax collections for Kansas were $329 million, or $19.4 million, more than the August estimate. That represented a 10.1% surge from August one year ago. In terms of corporate income tax collections, the state took in $20.2 million during the month. That meant the state received $9.8 million and 32% less than the official projection for August. Kansas corporate tax revenue was 19% higher in August 2023.Combined retail sales tax receipts to Kansas grew to $294 million in August. That was $12.6 million or 4.5% more than the estimate and up $2.2 million or 0.7% from August 2023.House Speaker Dan Hawkins, a Wichita Republican, said the revenue report demonstrated the “state continues to take in more taxpayers’ dollars than needed.”He said the 2025 Legislature — the entire House and Senate are up for election in November — should work on property tax reform when the session opened in January.The special session tax bill was endorsed 121-2 in the House and 34-4 in the Senate in June, but there was bipartisan disappointment the final compromise didn’t do much to moderate state property taxes.“To help get Kansans’ taxpayer money back in their hands where it belongs, House Republicans are already working on legislation for the 2025 session that would help ease the burden of rising property taxes,” Hawkins said. “These revenue numbers (for August) provide even more proof that additional tax relief, especially property tax relief, is not only needed but can be implemented responsibly.”

Gov. Kelly urges caution in terms of state spending despite tax revenue bump

WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;has accepted the rules set forth for next week's debate with former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, although the Democratic nominee says the decision not to keep both candidates' microphones live throughout the matchup will be to her disadvantage.

The development, which came Wednesday by way of a letter from Harris' campaign to host network ABC News, seemed to mark a conclusion to the debate over microphone muting, which had for a time threatened to derail the Sept. 10 presidential debate at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.

Harris’ acceptance of the debate rules came as Trump — using a night he had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-harris-debate-abc-fox-news-0d0be341bbe7877a71bfc4bed40610fa">proposed as a debate with Harris</a>&nbsp;on Fox News Channel — instead participated in a solo town hall with host Sean Hannity in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, a version of debate preparation with a longtime ally who queried him about his plans to take on the Democratic nominee.

President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden’s</a>&nbsp;campaign had made the muting of microphones, except for the candidate whose turn it is to speak, a condition of his decision to accept any debates this year. Some aides have said they now regret that decision, saying voters were shielded from hearing Trump’s outbursts during the June debate. A disastrous performance for the incumbent Democrat fueled his exit from the campaign.

Once Harris rose in Biden's stead and became their party's pick for president, her campaign had advocated for live microphones for the whole debate, saying previously that the practice would “fully allow for substantive exchanges between the candidates.”

But on Wednesday, in a letter obtained by The Associated Press, Harris’ advisers wrote that the former prosecutor will be “fundamentally disadvantaged by this format, which will serve to shield Donald Trump from direct exchanges with the Vice President."

“We suspect this is the primary reason for his campaign’s insistence on muted microphones,” her campaign added.

Despite those concerns, Harris' campaign wrote, “we understand that Donald Trump is a risk to skip the debate altogether, as he has threatened to do previously, if we do not accede to his preferred format.” So as not to “jeopardize the debate,” Harris' campaign wrote, “we accepted the full set of rules proposed by ABC, including muted microphones.”

According to an official with Harris’ campaign, a pool of journalists will be on hand to hear what the muted candidate may be trying to say when his or her microphone is turned off. That detail was not in the full debate rules, also released Wednesday by ABC, which are essentially the same as they were for the June debate between Trump and Biden.

The network laid out parameters from the basic format — 90 minutes, with two commercial breaks — to specifications that moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis “will be the only people asking questions,” perhaps hoping to avert a free-for-all between the candidates.

“Moderators will seek to enforce timing agreements and ensure a civilized discussion,” the network noted.

The Harris campaign official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss planning around the debate, said a candidate who repeatedly interrupts will receive a warning from a moderator, and both candidates' microphones may be unmuted if there is significant crosstalk so the audience can understand what's happening.

After a virtual coin flip held Tuesday and won by Trump, the GOP nominee opted to offer the final closing statement, while Harris chose the podium on the right side of viewers’ screens. There will be no audience, written notes or any topics or questions shared with campaigns or candidates in advance, the network said.

In the town hall on Wednesday, Hannity steered Trump through many of the topics typical of the GOP nominee's campaign events, with a heavy focus on immigration, and posed questions after showing video clips of Harris in media interviews and other appearances.

Trump also repeatedly returned his focus from Harris to Biden, calling Democrats' substitution of their top candidate “a coup” and saying he would have preferred a debate with Harris, rather than the town hall.

Asked about next week's debate, Trump repeated his former criticism of ABC as a “dishonest” and “unfair” network, also reiterating his previous claims that Harris' campaign is "going to get the questions in advance.”

The location of Trump's town hall, coupled with next week's debate in Philadelphia, highlights the importance of battleground Pennsylvania, where 19 Electoral College votes are up for grabs in the November election.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723838589358.png" alt="File photo Vice President Kamala Harris on the campaign trail last month -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo Vice President Kamala Harris on the campaign trail last month -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;has accepted the rules set forth for next week's debate with former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>, although the Democratic nominee says the decision not to keep both candidates' microphones live throughout the matchup will be to her disadvantage.The development, which came Wednesday by way of a letter from Harris' campaign to host network ABC News, seemed to mark a conclusion to the debate over microphone muting, which had for a time threatened to derail the Sept. 10 presidential debate at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia.Harris’ acceptance of the debate rules came as Trump — using a night he had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-harris-debate-abc-fox-news-0d0be341bbe7877a71bfc4bed40610fa">proposed as a debate with Harris</a>&nbsp;on Fox News Channel — instead participated in a solo town hall with host Sean Hannity in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, a version of debate preparation with a longtime ally who queried him about his plans to take on the Democratic nominee.President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden’s</a>&nbsp;campaign had made the muting of microphones, except for the candidate whose turn it is to speak, a condition of his decision to accept any debates this year. Some aides have said they now regret that decision, saying voters were shielded from hearing Trump’s outbursts during the June debate. A disastrous performance for the incumbent Democrat fueled his exit from the campaign.Once Harris rose in Biden's stead and became their party's pick for president, her campaign had advocated for live microphones for the whole debate, saying previously that the practice would “fully allow for substantive exchanges between the candidates.”But on Wednesday, in a letter obtained by The Associated Press, Harris’ advisers wrote that the former prosecutor will be “fundamentally disadvantaged by this format, which will serve to shield Donald Trump from direct exchanges with the Vice President."“We suspect this is the primary reason for his campaign’s insistence on muted microphones,” her campaign added.Despite those concerns, Harris' campaign wrote, “we understand that Donald Trump is a risk to skip the debate altogether, as he has threatened to do previously, if we do not accede to his preferred format.” So as not to “jeopardize the debate,” Harris' campaign wrote, “we accepted the full set of rules proposed by ABC, including muted microphones.”According to an official with Harris’ campaign, a pool of journalists will be on hand to hear what the muted candidate may be trying to say when his or her microphone is turned off. That detail was not in the full debate rules, also released Wednesday by ABC, which are essentially the same as they were for the June debate between Trump and Biden.The network laid out parameters from the basic format — 90 minutes, with two commercial breaks — to specifications that moderators David Muir and Linsey Davis “will be the only people asking questions,” perhaps hoping to avert a free-for-all between the candidates.“Moderators will seek to enforce timing agreements and ensure a civilized discussion,” the network noted.The Harris campaign official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss planning around the debate, said a candidate who repeatedly interrupts will receive a warning from a moderator, and both candidates' microphones may be unmuted if there is significant crosstalk so the audience can understand what's happening.After a virtual coin flip held Tuesday and won by Trump, the GOP nominee opted to offer the final closing statement, while Harris chose the podium on the right side of viewers’ screens. There will be no audience, written notes or any topics or questions shared with campaigns or candidates in advance, the network said.In the town hall on Wednesday, Hannity steered Trump through many of the topics typical of the GOP nominee's campaign events, with a heavy focus on immigration, and posed questions after showing video clips of Harris in media interviews and other appearances.Trump also repeatedly returned his focus from Harris to Biden, calling Democrats' substitution of their top candidate “a coup” and saying he would have preferred a debate with Harris, rather than the town hall.Asked about next week's debate, Trump repeated his former criticism of ABC as a “dishonest” and “unfair” network, also reiterating his previous claims that Harris' campaign is "going to get the questions in advance.”The location of Trump's town hall, coupled with next week's debate in Philadelphia, highlights the importance of battleground Pennsylvania, where 19 Electoral College votes are up for grabs in the November election.

Harris says she will be "disadvantaged" by the debate format with Trump

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating an alleged computer crime in Manhattan.

Just before 5p.m. Wednesday, officers filed a report of theft/unlawful acts concerning computers in the 500 block of Richards Drive, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

&nbsp;Four Points by Sheraton reported an estimated $20,000 had been stolen through hacking by an unknown subject through fraudulent credit card transaction that started in July and extending through August. 

Anyone with information can contact&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rileycountypolice.org/287/Crime-Stoppers">Crime Stoppers</a>. Using Crime Stoppers allows you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating an alleged computer crime in Manhattan.Just before 5p.m. Wednesday, officers filed a report of theft/unlawful acts concerning computers in the 500 block of Richards Drive, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.&nbsp;Four Points by Sheraton reported an estimated $20,000 had been stolen through hacking by an unknown subject through fraudulent credit card transaction that started in July and extending through August. Anyone with information can contact&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rileycountypolice.org/287/Crime-Stoppers">Crime Stoppers</a>. Using Crime Stoppers allows you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.

Police: Kan. hotel lost $20,000 in alleged computer hack

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The chief executive officer of Kroger insisted Wednesday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-grocery-merger-ftc-9fdb26cc044ee21a7a486c03caae6a5d">merging with rival Albertsons</a>&nbsp;would allow the two supermarket companies to lower prices and more effectively compete with retail giants like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/walmart-inc">Walmart</a>, Costco and Amazon.

Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen argued in favor of what would be the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-albertsons-companies-inc-0cfbd68f81ba8aab7c1d3012c69804d9">largest grocery chain merger</a>&nbsp;in U.S. history while testifying during a federal court hearing in Oregon on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-antitrust-grocery-merger-competition-71b47dc86ec7449f29b2b488c1d3f9de">U.S. government's request</a>&nbsp;for a preliminary injunction that would block the $24.6 billion deal.

“The day that we merge is the day that we will begin lowering prices,” McMullen said while under questioning by a lawyer representing his company.

Addressing another issue that has worried shoppers in communities with both Albertson and Kroger-run stores, McMullen said Kroger was committed to not closing any branches immediately if the merger is finalized but might down the road if it decides location changes or consolidations are needed.

The Federal Trade Commission sued early this year to stop the merger the two companies proposed in Oct. 2022 after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/opioid-crisis-settlement-kroger-79356d42ded9c5099e1c2b88d3ffc061">Kroger</a>&nbsp;agreed to purchase Albertsons. The commission alleged the deal would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-merger-federal-trade-commission-2fda44d9d8b82ef20d6c7e7cffb2ccc3">eliminate competition</a>&nbsp;and lead to higher food prices for already&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-price-gouging-ban-inflation-65dc8844bb41159d76886f752b6cab28">struggling consumers</a>.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/opioid-crisis-settlement-kroger-79356d42ded9c5099e1c2b88d3ffc061">Kroger</a>, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, operates 2,800 stores in 35 states, including brands like Dillons,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ralphs-supermarkets-california-job-applicants-46a287ac76515ffbbd196202c4ee3c38">Ralphs</a>, Smith’s and Harris Teeter.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-dividends-8c6e67bf9fb0cc3da523c672a6ca9141">Albertsons</a>, based in Boise, Idaho, operates 2,273 stores in 34 states, including brands like Safeway, Jewel Osco and Shaw’s. Together, the companies employ around 710,000 people.

FTC attorneys argued during the U.S. District Court proceedings on the commission’s injunction request that in the 22 states where the two companies compete now, they closely match each other on price, quality, private label products and services like store pickup. Shoppers benefit from that competition and would lose out if the merger is allowed to proceed, they said.

McMullen countered that argument by saying that Albertsons prices are 10-12% higher than Kroger’s and that the merged company would try to reduce the disparity as part of a strategy for keeping customers.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/walmart-settlement-weighted-grocery-class-action-62405b8c5fda5e63f0b0e4f1f64949e6">Walmart</a>&nbsp;now controls around 22% of U.S. grocery sales. Combined, Kroger and Albertsons would control around 13%.

“We know that pricing is going to continue to go down,” McMullen said.

His statements and the upcoming testimony of Albertsons CEO Vivek Sankaran were expected to be critical components of the three-week hearing, which is at its mid-point. What the two say under oath about prices, potential store closures and the impact on workers will likely be scrutinized in the years ahead if the merger goes through.

FTC Chief Trial Counsel Susan Musser referred to Kroger’s 2021 investor fact book to make the argument that the merger would affect competition in areas where the two company’s stores overlap. According to figures included in the document, Albertsons is Kroger’s biggest competitor in multiple metropolitan areas, including Portland.

A Kroger attorney countered by saying that Walmart remains Kroger's largest competitor in a majority of markets around the country.

The FTC and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-contract-west-virginia-471b61f4212e4a803e0777c9a6b0ab67">labor union leaders</a>&nbsp;also claim that workers’ wages and benefits would decline if Kroger and Albertsons no longer compete with each other. They’ve additionally expressed concern that potential store closures could create so-called food and pharmacy “deserts” for consumers.

Albertsons has argued the deal could actually bolster union jobs, since many of it and Kroger’s competitors, like Walmart, have few unionized workers. McMullen said Wednesday that Kroger was committed to honoring existing labor contracts.

FTC lawyer Musser said the merger still might affect working conditions since union contracts are typically renegotiated every three years.

Under the proposed deal, Kroger and Albertsons would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-merger-cs-grocery-9a1d40ba06f752d3c5c3d5db78fede4c">sell 579 stores</a>&nbsp;in places where their locations overlap to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-merger-cs-wholesale-grocer-401520f2a25ea2ae5fd06be4973b7c48">C&amp;S Wholesale Grocers</a>, a New Hampshire-based supplier to independent supermarkets that also owns the Grand Union and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-b50f18e7e7dc4701823b2d4346a8bd28">Piggly Wiggly</a>&nbsp;store brands.

The FTC alleges that C&amp;S is ill-prepared to take on those stores. Laura Hall, the FTC’s senior trial counsel, cited internal documents that indicated C&amp;S executives were skeptical about the quality of the stores they would get and may want the option to sell or close them.

C&amp;S CEO Eric Winn, for his part, testified last week that he thinks his company can be successful in the venture.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1694444368400.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — The chief executive officer of Kroger insisted Wednesday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-grocery-merger-ftc-9fdb26cc044ee21a7a486c03caae6a5d">merging with rival Albertsons</a>&nbsp;would allow the two supermarket companies to lower prices and more effectively compete with retail giants like&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/walmart-inc">Walmart</a>, Costco and Amazon.Kroger CEO Rodney McMullen argued in favor of what would be the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-albertsons-companies-inc-0cfbd68f81ba8aab7c1d3012c69804d9">largest grocery chain merger</a>&nbsp;in U.S. history while testifying during a federal court hearing in Oregon on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-antitrust-grocery-merger-competition-71b47dc86ec7449f29b2b488c1d3f9de">U.S. government's request</a>&nbsp;for a preliminary injunction that would block the $24.6 billion deal.“The day that we merge is the day that we will begin lowering prices,” McMullen said while under questioning by a lawyer representing his company.Addressing another issue that has worried shoppers in communities with both Albertson and Kroger-run stores, McMullen said Kroger was committed to not closing any branches immediately if the merger is finalized but might down the road if it decides location changes or consolidations are needed.The Federal Trade Commission sued early this year to stop the merger the two companies proposed in Oct. 2022 after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/opioid-crisis-settlement-kroger-79356d42ded9c5099e1c2b88d3ffc061">Kroger</a>&nbsp;agreed to purchase Albertsons. The commission alleged the deal would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-merger-federal-trade-commission-2fda44d9d8b82ef20d6c7e7cffb2ccc3">eliminate competition</a>&nbsp;and lead to higher food prices for already&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-price-gouging-ban-inflation-65dc8844bb41159d76886f752b6cab28">struggling consumers</a>.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/opioid-crisis-settlement-kroger-79356d42ded9c5099e1c2b88d3ffc061">Kroger</a>, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, operates 2,800 stores in 35 states, including brands like Dillons,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ralphs-supermarkets-california-job-applicants-46a287ac76515ffbbd196202c4ee3c38">Ralphs</a>, Smith’s and Harris Teeter.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-dividends-8c6e67bf9fb0cc3da523c672a6ca9141">Albertsons</a>, based in Boise, Idaho, operates 2,273 stores in 34 states, including brands like Safeway, Jewel Osco and Shaw’s. Together, the companies employ around 710,000 people.FTC attorneys argued during the U.S. District Court proceedings on the commission’s injunction request that in the 22 states where the two companies compete now, they closely match each other on price, quality, private label products and services like store pickup. Shoppers benefit from that competition and would lose out if the merger is allowed to proceed, they said.McMullen countered that argument by saying that Albertsons prices are 10-12% higher than Kroger’s and that the merged company would try to reduce the disparity as part of a strategy for keeping customers.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/walmart-settlement-weighted-grocery-class-action-62405b8c5fda5e63f0b0e4f1f64949e6">Walmart</a>&nbsp;now controls around 22% of U.S. grocery sales. Combined, Kroger and Albertsons would control around 13%.“We know that pricing is going to continue to go down,” McMullen said.His statements and the upcoming testimony of Albertsons CEO Vivek Sankaran were expected to be critical components of the three-week hearing, which is at its mid-point. What the two say under oath about prices, potential store closures and the impact on workers will likely be scrutinized in the years ahead if the merger goes through.FTC Chief Trial Counsel Susan Musser referred to Kroger’s 2021 investor fact book to make the argument that the merger would affect competition in areas where the two company’s stores overlap. According to figures included in the document, Albertsons is Kroger’s biggest competitor in multiple metropolitan areas, including Portland.A Kroger attorney countered by saying that Walmart remains Kroger's largest competitor in a majority of markets around the country.The FTC and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-contract-west-virginia-471b61f4212e4a803e0777c9a6b0ab67">labor union leaders</a>&nbsp;also claim that workers’ wages and benefits would decline if Kroger and Albertsons no longer compete with each other. They’ve additionally expressed concern that potential store closures could create so-called food and pharmacy “deserts” for consumers.Albertsons has argued the deal could actually bolster union jobs, since many of it and Kroger’s competitors, like Walmart, have few unionized workers. McMullen said Wednesday that Kroger was committed to honoring existing labor contracts.FTC lawyer Musser said the merger still might affect working conditions since union contracts are typically renegotiated every three years.Under the proposed deal, Kroger and Albertsons would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-merger-cs-grocery-9a1d40ba06f752d3c5c3d5db78fede4c">sell 579 stores</a>&nbsp;in places where their locations overlap to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-merger-cs-wholesale-grocer-401520f2a25ea2ae5fd06be4973b7c48">C&amp;S Wholesale Grocers</a>, a New Hampshire-based supplier to independent supermarkets that also owns the Grand Union and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-b50f18e7e7dc4701823b2d4346a8bd28">Piggly Wiggly</a>&nbsp;store brands.The FTC alleges that C&amp;S is ill-prepared to take on those stores. Laura Hall, the FTC’s senior trial counsel, cited internal documents that indicated C&amp;S executives were skeptical about the quality of the stores they would get and may want the option to sell or close them.C&amp;S CEO Eric Winn, for his part, testified last week that he thinks his company can be successful in the venture.The FTC is seeking the injunction to block the merger temporarily while its lawsuit against the deal goes before an administrative law judge. U.S. District Judge Adrienne Nelson was expected to hear from around 40 witnesses before deciding whether to grant the request.If Nelson agrees to issue the injunction, the FTC plans to hold the in-house hearings starting Oct. 1. Kroger sued the FTC last month, however, alleging the agency’s internal proceedings are unconstitutional and saying it wants the merger’s merits decided in federal court.The attorneys general of Arizona, California, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and Wyoming all joined the FTC's lawsuit on the commission's side. Washington and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-merger-colorado-06a59a420139ef8f4400b128778d408d">Colorado filed</a>&nbsp;separate cases in state courts seeking to block the merger.