JOHNSON COUNTY —In the first 18-days of August, police in the city of Shawnee, Kansas are investigating multiple reports of auto burglaries. 

Ten occurred between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. on August 14, near 51st Street between Monticello Road and Woodland Drive.

The suspects entered both locked and unlocked vehicles, taking backpacks, wallets, debit/credit cards, cash, and a handgun.

Police released still images are from video surveillance and hope someone might recognize the suspects despite their attempts to conceal their identity.

Anyone with information can call 913-631-2150. If you see something, say something immediately by calling the same number to report suspicious activity in your neighborhood.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724083140087.png" alt="" />
                        <figcaption></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>JOHNSON COUNTY —In the first 18-days of August, police in the city of Shawnee, Kansas are investigating multiple reports of auto burglaries. </p><p>Ten occurred between 1:00 a.m. and 5:00 a.m. on August 14, near 51st Street between Monticello Road and Woodland Drive.</p><p>The suspects entered both locked and unlocked vehicles, taking backpacks, wallets, debit/credit cards, cash, and a handgun.</p><p>Police released still images are from video surveillance and hope someone might recognize the suspects despite their attempts to conceal their identity.</p><p>Anyone with information can call 913-631-2150. If you see something, say something immediately by calling the same number to report suspicious activity in your neighborhood.</p>

Series of car burglaries reported in Kansas community

🎥 Highlights of 2nd night at the Democratic National Convention 

KANSAS CITY —Sheriff Deputies seized enough fentanyl during an arrest last week to kill 327,000 people.

On August 15, deputies located and arrested 21-year-old Josiah J. Langston in the 3900 block of N. Skiles Avenue, according to a media release from the Clay County Sheriff.

Deputies were looking for Langston due to a prior warrant he had for drug trafficking. When deputies approached him, he rammed a patrol car in an attempt to flee, but he was unable to. No one was hurt, and deputies took him into custody.

Inside Langston’s vehicle, investigators located 1.5 pounds of powdered fentanyl, and 0.4 pounds of methamphetamine. They also found $2,000 in cash. Just two milligrams of fentanyl can be a lethal dose, meaning the amount of fentanyl seized could have killed nearly two-thirds of the population of Kansas City, Missouri.

Langston has been charged with two counts of first-degree drug trafficking and one count of resisting arrest. This is in addition to his prior drug trafficking charge. He is now in the Clay County Detention Center on a $450,000 bond. More charges – including federal charges – are possible.

This arrest and seizure were a joint operation conducted by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office’s Drug Task Force and Special Operations Squad.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724171004783.png" alt="Langston photo Clay Co." />
                        <figcaption>Langston photo Clay Co.</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>KANSAS CITY —Sheriff Deputies seized enough fentanyl during an arrest last week to kill 327,000 people.</p><p>On August 15, deputies located and arrested 21-year-old Josiah J. Langston in the 3900 block of N. Skiles Avenue, according to a media release from the Clay County Sheriff.</p><p>Deputies were looking for Langston due to a prior warrant he had for drug trafficking. When deputies approached him, he rammed a patrol car in an attempt to flee, but he was unable to. No one was hurt, and deputies took him into custody.</p><p>Inside Langston’s vehicle, investigators located 1.5 pounds of powdered fentanyl, and 0.4 pounds of methamphetamine. They also found $2,000 in cash. Just two milligrams of fentanyl can be a lethal dose, meaning the amount of fentanyl seized could have killed nearly two-thirds of the population of Kansas City, Missouri.</p><p>Langston has been charged with two counts of first-degree drug trafficking and one count of resisting arrest. This is in addition to his prior drug trafficking charge. He is now in the Clay County Detention Center on a $450,000 bond. More charges – including federal charges – are possible.</p><p>This arrest and seizure were a joint operation conducted by the Clay County Sheriff’s Office’s Drug Task Force and Special Operations Squad.</p>

Deputies seize enough fentanyl to kill two-thirds of Kansas City

CHICAGO — Convention roll call votes can be staid and cheesy, but Democrats turned theirs into the ultimate dance party on Tuesday.

DJ Cassidy stood onstage in what appeared to be a double-breasted satin suit of royal blue, spinning a special song for each state and territory awarding their delegates to Vice President Kamala Harris at the&nbsp;Democratic National Convention.

With the music of&nbsp;<i>Carry on my Wayward Son&nbsp;</i>by the rock band Kansas blasting through the United Center, Jeannna Repass, Chairperson of the Kansas Democratic Party shouted, "from the center of America, the sunflower state where our farmers feed America, where we elect strong women who govern from the middle." "As the first black chair of Kansas, I am proud to cast our 39 votes for the first black woman president Kamala Harris."

Kansas District 19 Representative Stephanie Clayton of Overland Park shared the moment on social media.

&nbsp;Repass, state Democrat Vice Chair Shaun Junkins and the members of the delegation cheered and danced.

Under Democratic Party rules, only Harris garnered enough signatures to be entered into nomination. Votes for any other person or uncommitted votes were tallied as “present” during the virtual roll call earlier this month. Tuesday night’s “celebratory” vote is following that earlier roll call’s vote total.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724201126887.png" alt="Jeannna Repass, Chairperson of the Kansas Democratic Party and Vice Chair Shaun Junkins , far right, cheer as the votes are announced for Harris-image courtesy CSPAN" />
                        <figcaption>Jeannna Repass, Chairperson of the Kansas Democratic Party and Vice Chair Shaun Junkins , far right, cheer as the votes are announced for Harris-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>CHICAGO — Convention roll call votes can be staid and cheesy, but Democrats turned theirs into the ultimate dance party on Tuesday.</p><p>DJ Cassidy stood onstage in what appeared to be a double-breasted satin suit of royal blue, spinning a special song for each state and territory awarding their delegates to Vice President Kamala Harris at the&nbsp;Democratic National Convention.</p><p>With the music of&nbsp;<i>Carry on my Wayward Son&nbsp;</i>by the rock band Kansas blasting through the United Center, Jeannna Repass, Chairperson of the Kansas Democratic Party shouted, "from the center of America, the sunflower state where our farmers feed America, where we elect strong women who govern from the middle." "As the first black chair of Kansas, I am proud to cast our 39 votes for the first black woman president Kamala Harris."</p><p>Kansas District 19 Representative Stephanie Clayton of Overland Park shared the moment on social media.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">So proud to be from Kansas, where we elect strong women who govern from the Middle! 💙💙💙 <a href="https://twitter.com/JeannaRepass?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JeannaRepass</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLauraKelly?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovLauraKelly</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ksleg?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ksleg</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DNC2024CHICAGO?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DNC2024CHICAGO</a> <a href="https://t.co/VeaWOe1Teh">pic.twitter.com/VeaWOe1Teh</a></p>&mdash; Stephanie Clayton (@SSCJoCoKs) <a href="https://twitter.com/SSCJoCoKs/status/1826051336745660514?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 21, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>&nbsp;Repass, state Democrat Vice Chair Shaun Junkins and the members of the delegation cheered and danced.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724201148043.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
                        <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Under Democratic Party rules, only Harris garnered enough signatures to be entered into nomination. Votes for any other person or uncommitted votes were tallied as “present” during the virtual roll call earlier this month. Tuesday night’s “celebratory” vote is following that earlier roll call’s vote total.</p>

Kansas gives all 39 votes for Harris at Democratic National Convention

INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — Prosecutors have dropped charges against a man who was accused of fatally shooting a pregnant woman after she went to a suburban Kansas City mall to shop for baby clothes.

Michael Mansur, a spokesperson for the Jackson County prosecutor’s office, said Monday that not enough evidence had been obtained to prove the charges filed against 21-year-old MarkAnthony Greer beyond a reasonable doubt.

Authorities believe there were multiple people who fired shots after two groups got into an argument&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-mall-shooting-woman-died-acc584001f4a1d003911ef00a233968c">at Independence Center</a>&nbsp;on Nov. 10. Four people were shot, including 19-year-old Karla Brown, who was four months pregnant when she was killed.

Hampering the investigation was the fact that police were not able to find any of the guns that were used, forcing investigators to rely on gun casings and blood spatter, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article287956705.html">Kansas City Star reported</a>.

Greer initially was charged with three counts of unlawful use of a weapon and three counts of armed criminal action in the shooting. One of the charges later was upgraded to second-degree murder.

But Mansur&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article291202975.html">told</a>&nbsp;The Kansas City Star that the county’s investigation will continue, and a different set of charges could still follow.

Courts records said Green and Brown entered the mall with different groups of people. Brown dropped back and sat in a chair before a disagreement between the groups turned violent. Brown was shot in the head and died about a week later.

At the time of the shooting, Greer told investigators he had been present at the mall but was not armed.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700172176646.png" alt="Karla Brown photo GoFundMe" />
                        <figcaption>Karla Brown photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>INDEPENDENCE, Mo. (AP) — Prosecutors have dropped charges against a man who was accused of fatally shooting a pregnant woman after she went to a suburban Kansas City mall to shop for baby clothes.</p><p>Michael Mansur, a spokesperson for the Jackson County prosecutor’s office, said Monday that not enough evidence had been obtained to prove the charges filed against 21-year-old MarkAnthony Greer beyond a reasonable doubt.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1699966010607.png" alt="Greer as shown is his November Jackson Co. booking photo" />
                        <figcaption>Greer as shown is his November Jackson Co. booking photo</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Authorities believe there were multiple people who fired shots after two groups got into an argument&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-mall-shooting-woman-died-acc584001f4a1d003911ef00a233968c">at Independence Center</a>&nbsp;on Nov. 10. Four people were shot, including 19-year-old Karla Brown, who was four months pregnant when she was killed.</p><p>Hampering the investigation was the fact that police were not able to find any of the guns that were used, forcing investigators to rely on gun casings and blood spatter, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article287956705.html">Kansas City Star reported</a>.</p><p>Greer initially was charged with three counts of unlawful use of a weapon and three counts of armed criminal action in the shooting. One of the charges later was upgraded to second-degree murder.</p><p>But Mansur&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article291202975.html">told</a>&nbsp;The Kansas City Star that the county’s investigation will continue, and a different set of charges could still follow.</p><p>Courts records said Green and Brown entered the mall with different groups of people. Brown dropped back and sat in a chair before a disagreement between the groups turned violent. Brown was shot in the head and died about a week later.</p><p>At the time of the shooting, Greer told investigators he had been present at the mall but was not armed.</p>

Charges dropped: Man accused of fatally shooting woman at KC area mall

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a connection between a fatal traffic crash and domestic incident in Wichita.

At 6:39 p.m. Monday, police responded to a domestic disturbance involving gunshots at 6200 E. Harry in Wichita, according to Wichita Police Department spokesman Andrew Ford. One minute later, at 6:40 p.m., officers were also dispatched to a traffic crash in the 700 block of S. Woodland, where vehicle driven by&nbsp; 36-year-old Joshua Books of Wichita was northbound on Woodlawn and struck a tree.

 An off-duty firefighter who witnessed the accident immediately provided life-saving measures until police and EMS arrived. Sedgwick EMS continued the life-saving efforts; however, Brooks was pronounced deceased at the scene at 7:27 p.m., according to Ford.

Preliminary information from witnesses suggests that Brooks was the individual who fled the scene of the disturbance on E. Harry involving gunshots, according to Ford. 

A firearm was recovered from the vehicle involved in the crash. The investigation is ongoing, and an official cause of death will be determined pending the autopsy from the Medical Examiner's Office.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724163152232.png" alt="First responders at the crash scene -photo courtesy KWCH" />
                        <figcaption>First responders at the crash scene -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a connection between a fatal traffic crash and domestic incident in Wichita.</p><p>At 6:39 p.m. Monday, police responded to a domestic disturbance involving gunshots at 6200 E. Harry in Wichita, according to Wichita Police Department spokesman Andrew Ford. One minute later, at 6:40 p.m., officers were also dispatched to a traffic crash in the 700 block of S. Woodland, where vehicle driven by&nbsp; 36-year-old Joshua Books of Wichita was northbound on Woodlawn and struck a tree.</p><p> An off-duty firefighter who witnessed the accident immediately provided life-saving measures until police and EMS arrived. Sedgwick EMS continued the life-saving efforts; however, Brooks was pronounced deceased at the scene at 7:27 p.m., according to Ford.</p><p>Preliminary information from witnesses suggests that Brooks was the individual who fled the scene of the disturbance on E. Harry involving gunshots, according to Ford. </p><p>A firearm was recovered from the vehicle involved in the crash. The investigation is ongoing, and an official cause of death will be determined pending the autopsy from the Medical Examiner's Office.</p>

Police: Kan. man who died in crash fled after shots fired in domestic incident

HUTCHINSON, KS – The Kansas State Fair is pleased to announce the launch of its all-new mobile app, now available for download on the Apple Store and Google Play Store. This&nbsp;will provide users with schedule and wayfinding information&nbsp;directly at their fingertips--useful for&nbsp;first-time and life-long Fairgoers alike!

To ensure the best possible experience, downlaod&nbsp;the Kansas State Fair app before you arrive. During peak times, internet bandwidth may be limited, but with the app pre-installed, you will have everything you need to navigate the Fair.&nbsp;

Important Notice:&nbsp;This is a newly released app. If you have used the Kansas State Fair app in previous years, please download the latest version to access current information and features.To download the app, search for "Kansas State Fair" in your preferred app store.&nbsp;

<p><i>Kansas State Fair</i></p><p>HUTCHINSON, KS – The Kansas State Fair is pleased to announce the launch of its all-new mobile app, now available for download on the Apple Store and Google Play Store. This&nbsp;will provide users with schedule and wayfinding information&nbsp;directly at their fingertips--useful for&nbsp;first-time and life-long Fairgoers alike!</p><p>Key Features of the App:</p><ol>
                        <li>Ticket Purchasing:&nbsp;Easily purchase admission and event tickets through the app, ensuring a smooth and efficient entry to the Fair.</li><li>Vendor Map:&nbsp;Access an interactive map featuring all food and shopping vendors, making it easier to find your favorite locations.</li><li>Daily Schedule:&nbsp;Stay informed about daily events, concerts, and activities, helping you to make the most of your time at the Fair.</li><li>FAQs and Trip Tips:&nbsp;Obtain quick answers to frequently asked questions and valuable tips to optimize your visit.</li>
                    </ol><p>…and much more!&nbsp;</p><p>Download the App Before You Arrive</p><p>To ensure the best possible experience, downlaod&nbsp;the Kansas State Fair app before you arrive. During peak times, internet bandwidth may be limited, but with the app pre-installed, you will have everything you need to navigate the Fair.&nbsp;</p><p>Important Notice:&nbsp;This is a newly released app. If you have used the Kansas State Fair app in previous years, please download the latest version to access current information and features.To download the app, search for "Kansas State Fair" in your preferred app store.&nbsp;</p><p>Download Links:</p><ol>
                        <li><a href="https://kansasstatefair.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3e8ba81fdd03d1e38c02c0ae6&amp;id=cb8f66a251&amp;e=3291b91fe2" target="_blank">Apple Store</a></li><li><a href="https://kansasstatefair.us12.list-manage.com/track/click?u=3e8ba81fdd03d1e38c02c0ae6&amp;id=b721e95db6&amp;e=3291b91fe2" target="_blank">Google Play Store</a></li>
                    </ol>

Kansas State Fair has all-new mobile app

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A campaign to bring a casino to the Missouri tourist destination of the Lake of the Ozarks on Tuesday sued to get the proposal on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ballot-measures-sports-betting-minimum-wage-0c0a28e5176a647b47aaca5a5d287628">November's ballot.</a>

The secretary of state’s office last week said the campaign did not collect enough voter signatures for the constitutional amendment to go before voters.

But the Osage River and Gaming Convention said it collected plenty of signatures.

“Verifying every signature on multiple initiative petitions this summer has been a very long process for election officials and we realize mistakes happen," the group said in a statement. "However, ORGC has always been confident their initiative petition contained a sufficient number of valid signatures from legal voters to qualify for placement on the November 5, 2024, general election ballot and are now asking the Court to do so.”

The state constitution allows casinos only on the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. The petition seeks authorization for one casino on the Osage River, which feeds into the Lake of the Ozarks.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/9/1569530951374.png" alt="" />
                        <figcaption></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A campaign to bring a casino to the Missouri tourist destination of the Lake of the Ozarks on Tuesday sued to get the proposal on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ballot-measures-sports-betting-minimum-wage-0c0a28e5176a647b47aaca5a5d287628">November's ballot.</a></p><p>The secretary of state’s office last week said the campaign did not collect enough voter signatures for the constitutional amendment to go before voters.</p><p>But the Osage River and Gaming Convention said it collected plenty of signatures.</p><p>“Verifying every signature on multiple initiative petitions this summer has been a very long process for election officials and we realize mistakes happen," the group said in a statement. "However, ORGC has always been confident their initiative petition contained a sufficient number of valid signatures from legal voters to qualify for placement on the November 5, 2024, general election ballot and are now asking the Court to do so.”</p><p>The state constitution allows casinos only on the Missouri and Mississippi rivers. The petition seeks authorization for one casino on the Osage River, which feeds into the Lake of the Ozarks.</p>

Campaign to bring casino to Lake of the Ozarks sues to get measure on ballot

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/aj-dome/">AJ DOME</a>&nbsp;<br><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

GARDEN CITY — Community colleges across Kansas are reporting an increase in students living on campus as classes resume for the fall semester.

According to the Kansas Association of Community Colleges, institutions in the southwest quadrant of the state reached 100% capacity for on-campus housing a few weeks before the scheduled start of classes.

At Garden City Community College, director of residential life Chip Schuler said housing on campus is full as of Monday with about 440 students, an increase from last year’s figure of 380 students. Schuler said he believes the increase is tied to new offerings at the college, such as the John Deere agricultural technology program and a new STEM Success Center with robotics and chemistry labs.

On the eastern side of the state, officials from both Butler Community College in El Dorado and Allen County Community College in Allen report on-campus housing are full. Labette Community College president Mark Watkins said in a statement that campus dorms for LCC are 93% full as of Aug. 7 and expected to rise. Independence Community College and Kansas City, Kansas, Community College also are at capacity for on-campus living, according to KACC.

KACC representatives also said overall student enrollment was up across Kansas community colleges, although the official headcounts for state institutions have not been finalized. Student headcount data for the fall semester is tallied and presented in late September.

DJ Messerly and Mike Shipman,&nbsp;friends from Chapman in Dickinson County, said they chose Garden City Community College for its affordability and range of programs. Shipman is enrolled in the automotive technology program, while Messerly is studying sports science. Both are living on campus in dormitory halls.

“A lot of the kids we’ve met are all from like, this area (southwest Kansas),” Shipman said. “Besides international students, we’re probably the farthest kids from Kansas to come here.”

Messerly said on-campus living is good for long-distance students who may not have friends at the college they’re attending. He recommends taking part in campus activities as a social ice breaker.

“Just go out and talk to people,” Messerly said. “Especially in the dorms, everyone’s out from like 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. I’m really introverted usually, but that makes it easier (to make friends).”

New students at GCCC took part in orientation activities Sunday amid 105-degree heat. Recent high school graduates and transfer students toured the campus to get acquainted with their classrooms and meet their instructors. Schuler said the first week of the semester involves “a lot of paperwork” for him to complete as students get comfortable with their room assignments and course schedules.

“We’re just trying to get everybody in and settled,” Schuler said. “It’s a great situation to be in.”

Briana Hernandez and Johana Lira are studying nursing at GCCC. Because they are Garden City residents, they are not required to live on campus. They said affordability and convenience are the two biggest reasons why they chose to attend their local community college over a four-year university.

“There’s lots of opportunities here to try new stuff and be open-minded,” Lira said.

Both Lira and Hernandez said it feels strange transitioning from high school life to the hustle and bustle of college.

“It’s very much, like: ‘Figure it out on your own,’ ” Lira said.

“It’s more about yourself, no more parents being behind you,” Hernandez said. “This is where your adult life starts.”

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724171440171.png" alt="New students at Garden City Community College pet Aspen the comfort dog during fall semester orientation Aug. 18, 2024. Community colleges across Kansas are reporting increased numbers of students living on campus. (AJ Dome for Kansas Reflector)" />
                        <figcaption>New students at Garden City Community College pet Aspen the comfort dog during fall semester orientation Aug. 18, 2024. Community colleges across Kansas are reporting increased numbers of students living on campus. (AJ Dome for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/aj-dome/">AJ DOME</a>&nbsp;<br><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a></p><p>GARDEN CITY — Community colleges across Kansas are reporting an increase in students living on campus as classes resume for the fall semester.</p><p>According to the Kansas Association of Community Colleges, institutions in the southwest quadrant of the state reached 100% capacity for on-campus housing a few weeks before the scheduled start of classes.</p><p>At Garden City Community College, director of residential life Chip Schuler said housing on campus is full as of Monday with about 440 students, an increase from last year’s figure of 380 students. Schuler said he believes the increase is tied to new offerings at the college, such as the John Deere agricultural technology program and a new STEM Success Center with robotics and chemistry labs.</p><p>On the eastern side of the state, officials from both Butler Community College in El Dorado and Allen County Community College in Allen report on-campus housing are full. Labette Community College president Mark Watkins said in a statement that campus dorms for LCC are 93% full as of Aug. 7 and expected to rise. Independence Community College and Kansas City, Kansas, Community College also are at capacity for on-campus living, according to KACC.</p><p>KACC representatives also said overall student enrollment was up across Kansas community colleges, although the official headcounts for state institutions have not been finalized. Student headcount data for the fall semester is tallied and presented in late September.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724171604993.png" alt="DJ Messerly, left, and Mike Shipman, both natives of Chapman, review their courses at Garden City Community College during orientation Aug. 18, 2024. Messerly and Shipman chose the southwest Kansas community college for its affordability and range of programs. (AJ Dome for Kansas Reflector)" />
                        <figcaption>DJ Messerly, left, and Mike Shipman, both natives of Chapman, review their courses at Garden City Community College during orientation Aug. 18, 2024. Messerly and Shipman chose the southwest Kansas community college for its affordability and range of programs. (AJ Dome for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>DJ Messerly and Mike Shipman,&nbsp;friends from Chapman in Dickinson County, said they chose Garden City Community College for its affordability and range of programs. Shipman is enrolled in the automotive technology program, while Messerly is studying sports science. Both are living on campus in dormitory halls.</p><p>“A lot of the kids we’ve met are all from like, this area (southwest Kansas),” Shipman said. “Besides international students, we’re probably the farthest kids from Kansas to come here.”</p><p>Messerly said on-campus living is good for long-distance students who may not have friends at the college they’re attending. He recommends taking part in campus activities as a social ice breaker.</p><p>“Just go out and talk to people,” Messerly said. “Especially in the dorms, everyone’s out from like 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. I’m really introverted usually, but that makes it easier (to make friends).”</p><p>New students at GCCC took part in orientation activities Sunday amid 105-degree heat. Recent high school graduates and transfer students toured the campus to get acquainted with their classrooms and meet their instructors. Schuler said the first week of the semester involves “a lot of paperwork” for him to complete as students get comfortable with their room assignments and course schedules.</p><p>“We’re just trying to get everybody in and settled,” Schuler said. “It’s a great situation to be in.”</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724171645742.jpeg" alt="Students traverse Garden City Community College during a fall semester orientation event Aug. 18, 2024. This week marks the start of fall classes at most state colleges and universities. (AJ Dome for Kansas Reflector)" />
                        <figcaption>Students traverse Garden City Community College during a fall semester orientation event Aug. 18, 2024. This week marks the start of fall classes at most state colleges and universities. (AJ Dome for Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Briana Hernandez and Johana Lira are studying nursing at GCCC. Because they are Garden City residents, they are not required to live on campus. They said affordability and convenience are the two biggest reasons why they chose to attend their local community college over a four-year university.</p><p>“There’s lots of opportunities here to try new stuff and be open-minded,” Lira said.</p><p>Both Lira and Hernandez said it feels strange transitioning from high school life to the hustle and bustle of college.</p><p>“It’s very much, like: ‘Figure it out on your own,’ ” Lira said.</p><p>“It’s more about yourself, no more parents being behind you,” Hernandez said. “This is where your adult life starts.”</p>

Kansas community colleges report increase in students living on campus as fall semester begins

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating four suspects on drug allegations.

On&nbsp;&nbsp;August 15, members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit served a search warrant in the 500 Block NE Grattan Street. related to an ongoing investigation, according to a media release.

While conducting the search warrant, officers located fentanyl, heroin methamphetamine, marijuana, THC gummies and drug paraphernalia.

As a result, Patricia Miller, 43; Phillip Minton, 41; Jason Hokanson, 37&nbsp;and Ashley Johnson, 33, all of Topeka were transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.

Patricia Miller was booked on requested charges of Possession of an opiate (3 counts)&nbsp;Possession of marijuana and&nbsp;Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

Phillip Minton is being held on requested charges of Possession of an opiate and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia

Jason Hokanson is jailed on requested charges of Possession of an opiate (2 counts), Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Arrest Warrant. Ashley Johnson was jailed on a requested charge of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723924871431.png" alt="Johnson photo Shawnee Co." />
                        <figcaption>Johnson photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating four suspects on drug allegations.</p><p>On&nbsp;&nbsp;August 15, members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit served a search warrant in the 500 Block NE Grattan Street. related to an ongoing investigation, according to a media release.</p><p>While conducting the search warrant, officers located fentanyl, heroin methamphetamine, marijuana, THC gummies and drug paraphernalia.</p><p>As a result, Patricia Miller, 43; Phillip Minton, 41; Jason Hokanson, 37&nbsp;and Ashley Johnson, 33, all of Topeka were transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723924843250.png" alt="Miller photo Shawnee Co." />
                        <figcaption>Miller photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Patricia Miller was booked on requested charges of Possession of an opiate (3 counts)&nbsp;Possession of marijuana and&nbsp;Possession of Drug Paraphernalia</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723925000365.png" alt="Minton photo Shawnee Co." />
                        <figcaption>Minton photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Phillip Minton is being held on requested charges of Possession of an opiate and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723925035668.png" alt="Hokanson" />
                        <figcaption>Hokanson</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Jason Hokanson is jailed on requested charges of Possession of an opiate (2 counts), Possession of Drug Paraphernalia and Arrest Warrant. Ashley Johnson was jailed on a requested charge of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.</p>

Kansas drug bust: Fentanyl, heroin and THC gummies 

WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced Monday to 293 months in prison for using his former position as chief executive officer (CEO) of a bank to embezzle tens of millions of dollars in a cryptocurrency scheme which led the bank to fail at a complete loss of equity for investors, according to the United State's Attorney.

&nbsp;Shan Hanes, 53, of Elkhart pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement by a bank officer, according to court documents.

While the CEO of Heartland Tri-State Bank (HTSB) in Elkhart, Kansas, Hanes initiated 11 outgoing wire transfers between May 2023 and July 2023 totaling $47.1 million of Heartland’s funds to a cryptocurrency wallet in a cryptocurrency scheme referred to as “pig butchering.” The funds were transferred to multiple cryptocurrency accounts controlled by unidentified third parties during the time HTSB was insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The FDIC absorbed the $47.1 million loss. Hanes’ fraudulent actions caused HTSB to fail and the bank investors to lose $9 million.

A federal judge ordered that restitution be finalized at a separate hearing within the next 90 days. “Hanes’ greed knew no bounds. He trespassed his professional obligations, his personal relationships, and federal law. Not only did Shan Hanes betray Heartland Bank and its investors, but his illegal schemes also jeopardized confidence in financial institutions,” said U.S. Attorney Kate E. Brubacher. “Today’s sentence is a measure of justice for the victims, and a statement that the U.S. Department of Justice will hold those accountable who violate positions of trust for their own gain.”

“Mr. Hanes, as the CEO of Heartland Tri-State Bank, held the trust and confidence of the community of Elkhart, KS, but he violated that trust. He attempted to benefit financially by embezzling funds from the bank. His idea to get rich quick, in all reality, was a pig butchering scheme. His involvement in this scheme ultimately led to the bank’s collapse. His job, the bank’s job was to protect its customers and identify fraudulent scams – not to participate in them,” said Special Agent in Charge Stephen Cyrus of the FBI Kansas City Field Office.

“As the CEO, the defendant had a duty to conduct business honestly but instead abused that trust and committed insider fraud, contributing to the failure of a bank and causing catastrophic losses to bank customers who relied on the bank for the safekeeping of their savings,” said Korey Brinkman, Special-Agent-in-Charge of FHFA-OIG’s Central Region. “We will continue to vigorously investigate criminal offenses involving frauds that impact the integrity, safety, and soundness of 

Federal Home Loan Banks and member banks. We are proud to partner with our colleagues and the United States Attorney’s Office with this investigation.” “Shan Hanes was sentenced today for his role in a $47.1 million embezzlement scheme that ultimately caused Heartland Tri-State Bank to fail,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin R. Bundy of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG) Kansas City Region. “We are pleased to join our law enforcement partners in bringing Mr. Hanes to justice, and we will continue to investigate and hold accountable bank insiders who violate their positions of trust and threaten to undermine the safety and soundness of our Nation’s financial institutions.”

“Today’s sentencing makes clear that bank executives who undermine the safety and soundness of community banks will be brought to justice,” said Jon Ellwanger, Special Agent in Charge, Western

Region, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. “We are proud to have worked with our federal law enforcement partners to achieve this result, and we thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecuting this case and holding Mr. Hanes accountable for his crimes.”

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), Federal Reserve Board - Office of Inspector General (FRB-OIG), and Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General ((FHFA-OIG) investigated the case

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716594323085.png" alt="Shan Hanes&nbsp;" />
                        <figcaption>Shan Hanes&nbsp;</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>WICHITA, KAN. – A Kansas man was sentenced Monday to 293 months in prison for using his former position as chief executive officer (CEO) of a bank to embezzle tens of millions of dollars in a cryptocurrency scheme which led the bank to fail at a complete loss of equity for investors, according to the United State's Attorney.</p><p>&nbsp;Shan Hanes, 53, of Elkhart pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement by a bank officer, according to court documents.</p><p>While the CEO of Heartland Tri-State Bank (HTSB) in Elkhart, Kansas, Hanes initiated 11 outgoing wire transfers between May 2023 and July 2023 totaling $47.1 million of Heartland’s funds to a cryptocurrency wallet in a cryptocurrency scheme referred to as “pig butchering.” The funds were transferred to multiple cryptocurrency accounts controlled by unidentified third parties during the time HTSB was insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). The FDIC absorbed the $47.1 million loss. Hanes’ fraudulent actions caused HTSB to fail and the bank investors to lose $9 million.</p><p>A federal judge ordered that restitution be finalized at a separate hearing within the next 90 days. “Hanes’ greed knew no bounds. He trespassed his professional obligations, his personal relationships, and federal law. Not only did Shan Hanes betray Heartland Bank and its investors, but his illegal schemes also jeopardized confidence in financial institutions,” said U.S. Attorney Kate E. Brubacher. “Today’s sentence is a measure of justice for the victims, and a statement that the U.S. Department of Justice will hold those accountable who violate positions of trust for their own gain.”</p><p>“Mr. Hanes, as the CEO of Heartland Tri-State Bank, held the trust and confidence of the community of Elkhart, KS, but he violated that trust. He attempted to benefit financially by embezzling funds from the bank. His idea to get rich quick, in all reality, was a pig butchering scheme. His involvement in this scheme ultimately led to the bank’s collapse. His job, the bank’s job was to protect its customers and identify fraudulent scams – not to participate in them,” said Special Agent in Charge Stephen Cyrus of the FBI Kansas City Field Office.</p><p>“As the CEO, the defendant had a duty to conduct business honestly but instead abused that trust and committed insider fraud, contributing to the failure of a bank and causing catastrophic losses to bank customers who relied on the bank for the safekeeping of their savings,” said Korey Brinkman, Special-Agent-in-Charge of FHFA-OIG’s Central Region. “We will continue to vigorously investigate criminal offenses involving frauds that impact the integrity, safety, and soundness of </p><p>Federal Home Loan Banks and member banks. We are proud to partner with our colleagues and the United States Attorney’s Office with this investigation.” “Shan Hanes was sentenced today for his role in a $47.1 million embezzlement scheme that ultimately caused Heartland Tri-State Bank to fail,” said Special Agent in Charge Justin R. Bundy of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation Office of Inspector General (FDIC OIG) Kansas City Region. “We are pleased to join our law enforcement partners in bringing Mr. Hanes to justice, and we will continue to investigate and hold accountable bank insiders who violate their positions of trust and threaten to undermine the safety and soundness of our Nation’s financial institutions.”</p><p>“Today’s sentencing makes clear that bank executives who undermine the safety and soundness of community banks will be brought to justice,” said Jon Ellwanger, Special Agent in Charge, Western</p><p>Region, Office of Inspector General for the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. “We are proud to have worked with our federal law enforcement partners to achieve this result, and we thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for prosecuting this case and holding Mr. Hanes accountable for his crimes.”</p><p>The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation – Office of Inspector General (FDIC-OIG), Federal Reserve Board - Office of Inspector General (FRB-OIG), and Federal Housing Finance Agency – Office of Inspector General ((FHFA-OIG) investigated the case</p>

Greed: Former Kan. bank CEO going to prison for crypto scheme

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — A Black student group at a flagship Missouri university that was roiled by protests over race nearly a decade ago said it was forced to rename an upcoming barbecue the Welcome Black and Gold BBQ instead of the Welcome Black BBQ.

The Legion of Black Collegians at the University of Missouri said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C-u76Wux2RP/">post</a>&nbsp;on Instagram that it spent months fighting the decision and was “heartbroken.” But the university defended the change in a statement, saying the modification was made to reflect that the campus is “welcoming to all.”

“In striving for an inclusive university, we must not exclude (or give impressions that we are excluding) individuals with different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives,” university spokesperson Christopher Ave said in the statement.

The Legion of Black Collegians started in 1968 after the song “Dixie” was played at a football game while students waved a Confederate flag, the group explained on its website. “Dixie” celebrates life in the old South and originated in blackface minstrel shows. Critics have said the term is racially insensitive.

The group describes itself as “the only Black Student Government in the Nation.” It said all other schools have a Black Student Union or a Black Student Alliance.

The group said in the Instagram post that the barbecue is a staple for incoming and returning Black students. At one point it considered canceling the event, but now is encouraging members to attend on Friday and resist "any further changes to our fundamental programming.”

“We are looking into all avenues to NEVER allow this to happen again. If it does, rest assured the Legion will have nothing to do with it," the post said. “The erasure of the names and visibility of our events will continue to erode our presence on this campus, and we plan to do everything we can to divest from that.”

The name-change dustup comes after massive protests erupted in 2015 on the Columbia campus over the administration’s handling of racial slurs and other racist acts. More than 30 Black football team members said they wouldn’t play until the university’s president was removed and one student went on a hunger strike.

<p>COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — A Black student group at a flagship Missouri university that was roiled by protests over race nearly a decade ago said it was forced to rename an upcoming barbecue the Welcome Black and Gold BBQ instead of the Welcome Black BBQ.</p><div><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/C-u76Wux2RP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C-u76Wux2RP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div></div></div><div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display:block; height:50px; margin:0 auto 12px; width:50px;"><svg width="50px" height="50px" viewBox="0 0 60 60" version="1.1" xmlns="https://www.w3.org/2000/svg" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"><g stroke="none" stroke-width="1" fill="none" fill-rule="evenodd"><g transform="translate(-511.000000, -20.000000)" fill="#000000"><g><path d="M556.869,30.41 C554.814,30.41 553.148,32.076 553.148,34.131 C553.148,36.186 554.814,37.852 556.869,37.852 C558.924,37.852 560.59,36.186 560.59,34.131 C560.59,32.076 558.924,30.41 556.869,30.41 M541,60.657 C535.114,60.657 530.342,55.887 530.342,50 C530.342,44.114 535.114,39.342 541,39.342 C546.887,39.342 551.658,44.114 551.658,50 C551.658,55.887 546.887,60.657 541,60.657 M541,33.886 C532.1,33.886 524.886,41.1 524.886,50 C524.886,58.899 532.1,66.113 541,66.113 C549.9,66.113 557.115,58.899 557.115,50 C557.115,41.1 549.9,33.886 541,33.886 M565.378,62.101 C565.244,65.022 564.756,66.606 564.346,67.663 C563.803,69.06 563.154,70.057 562.106,71.106 C561.058,72.155 560.06,72.803 558.662,73.347 C557.607,73.757 556.021,74.244 553.102,74.378 C549.944,74.521 548.997,74.552 541,74.552 C533.003,74.552 532.056,74.521 528.898,74.378 C525.979,74.244 524.393,73.757 523.338,73.347 C521.94,72.803 520.942,72.155 519.894,71.106 C518.846,70.057 518.197,69.06 517.654,67.663 C517.244,66.606 516.755,65.022 516.623,62.101 C516.479,58.943 516.448,57.996 516.448,50 C516.448,42.003 516.479,41.056 516.623,37.899 C516.755,34.978 517.244,33.391 517.654,32.338 C518.197,30.938 518.846,29.942 519.894,28.894 C520.942,27.846 521.94,27.196 523.338,26.654 C524.393,26.244 525.979,25.756 528.898,25.623 C532.057,25.479 533.004,25.448 541,25.448 C548.997,25.448 549.943,25.479 553.102,25.623 C556.021,25.756 557.607,26.244 558.662,26.654 C560.06,27.196 561.058,27.846 562.106,28.894 C563.154,29.942 563.803,30.938 564.346,32.338 C564.756,33.391 565.244,34.978 565.378,37.899 C565.522,41.056 565.552,42.003 565.552,50 C565.552,57.996 565.522,58.943 565.378,62.101 M570.82,37.631 C570.674,34.438 570.167,32.258 569.425,30.349 C568.659,28.377 567.633,26.702 565.965,25.035 C564.297,23.368 562.623,22.342 560.652,21.575 C558.743,20.834 556.562,20.326 553.369,20.18 C550.169,20.033 549.148,20 541,20 C532.853,20 531.831,20.033 528.631,20.18 C525.438,20.326 523.257,20.834 521.349,21.575 C519.376,22.342 517.703,23.368 516.035,25.035 C514.368,26.702 513.342,28.377 512.574,30.349 C511.834,32.258 511.326,34.438 511.181,37.631 C511.035,40.831 511,41.851 511,50 C511,58.147 511.035,59.17 511.181,62.369 C511.326,65.562 511.834,67.743 512.574,69.651 C513.342,71.625 514.368,73.296 516.035,74.965 C517.703,76.634 519.376,77.658 521.349,78.425 C523.257,79.167 525.438,79.673 528.631,79.82 C531.831,79.965 532.853,80.001 541,80.001 C549.148,80.001 550.169,79.965 553.369,79.82 C556.562,79.673 558.743,79.167 560.652,78.425 C562.623,77.658 564.297,76.634 565.965,74.965 C567.633,73.296 568.659,71.625 569.425,69.651 C570.167,67.743 570.674,65.562 570.82,62.369 C570.966,59.17 571,58.147 571,50 C571,41.851 570.966,40.831 570.82,37.631"></path></g></g></g></svg></div><div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style=" color:#3897f0; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"><div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg)"></div></div><div style="margin-left: auto;"> <div style=" width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);"></div></div></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;"></div> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;"></div></div></a><p style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; line-height:17px; margin-bottom:0; margin-top:8px; overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C-u76Wux2RP/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Legion of Black Collegians (@mizzoulbc)</a></p></div></blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div><p>The Legion of Black Collegians at the University of Missouri said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/C-u76Wux2RP/">post</a>&nbsp;on Instagram that it spent months fighting the decision and was “heartbroken.” But the university defended the change in a statement, saying the modification was made to reflect that the campus is “welcoming to all.”</p><p>“In striving for an inclusive university, we must not exclude (or give impressions that we are excluding) individuals with different backgrounds, experiences and perspectives,” university spokesperson Christopher Ave said in the statement.</p><p>The Legion of Black Collegians started in 1968 after the song “Dixie” was played at a football game while students waved a Confederate flag, the group explained on its website. “Dixie” celebrates life in the old South and originated in blackface minstrel shows. Critics have said the term is racially insensitive.</p><p>The group describes itself as “the only Black Student Government in the Nation.” It said all other schools have a Black Student Union or a Black Student Alliance.</p><p>The group said in the Instagram post that the barbecue is a staple for incoming and returning Black students. At one point it considered canceling the event, but now is encouraging members to attend on Friday and resist "any further changes to our fundamental programming.”</p><p>“We are looking into all avenues to NEVER allow this to happen again. If it does, rest assured the Legion will have nothing to do with it," the post said. “The erasure of the names and visibility of our events will continue to erode our presence on this campus, and we plan to do everything we can to divest from that.”</p><p>The name-change dustup comes after massive protests erupted in 2015 on the Columbia campus over the administration’s handling of racial slurs and other racist acts. More than 30 Black football team members said they wouldn’t play until the university’s president was removed and one student went on a hunger strike.</p>

Mizzou student group 'heartbroken' after told to rename its Welcome Black BBQ

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. intelligence officials said Monday they were confident that Iran was responsible for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-trump-iran-hack-campaign-02a44ea734c8ee92c4d3a576af7a79fe">hack of Donald Trump's presidential campaign</a>, casting the cyber intrusion as part of a brazen and broader effort by Tehran to interfere in American politics and potentially shape the outcome of the election.

The assessment from the FBI and other federal agencies was the first time the U.S. government has assigned blame for hacks that have raised anew the threat of foreign election interference. The hacking also underscored how Iran, in addition to more sophisticated adversaries like Russia and China, remains a top concern to U.S. officials tasked with protecting democratic processes.

Besides breaching the Trump campaign, officials also believe that Iran tried to hack into the presidential campaign of Kamala Harris.

The hacking and similar activities, federal officials said, reflect Iran's determination to “complicate the ability of any U.S. administration to pursue a foreign policy at odds" with its own interests. The goal is to sow discord, weaken faith in democratic institutions and influence the outcome of elections that Iran perceives to be “particularly consequential in terms of the impact they could have on its national security interests," officials said.

“We have observed increasingly aggressive Iranian activity during this election cycle, specifically involving influence operations targeting the American public and cyber operations targeting Presidential campaigns,” said the statement released by the FBI, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.

Iran’s mission to the United Nations denied the hacks, saying that Iran had neither the motive nor intention to interfere with the election, and challenged the U.S. to provide evidence.

The statement was released at a time of significant tensions between Washington and Tehran as the U.S. hopes to halt or limit a threatened threatened retaliatory strike on Israel over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-hamas-israel-30968a7acb31cd8b259de9650014b779">the assassination of Hamas official Ismail Haniyeh</a>. An Israeli strike last month in southern Beirut&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-lebanon-strike-beirut-52c2a1711e274859b60daf8d2db3e0e2">killed Hezbollah’s top commander</a>, but while Tehran and Iran-backed Hezbollah have vowed to retaliate, they have not yet launched strikes as diplomatic endeavors and Gaza cease-fire talks continue in Qatar.

The U.S. did not detail how it reached the conclusion that Iran was responsible, nor did it describe the nature of any information that may have been taken from the Trump campaign. But it said the intelligence community was confident “the Iranians have through social engineering and other efforts sought access to individuals with direct access to the Presidential campaigns of both political parties.”

At least three staffers in the Biden-Harris campaign were targeted with phishing emails, but investigators have uncovered no evidence the attempt was successful, The Associated Press reported last week.

“Such activity, including thefts and disclosures, are intended to influence the U.S. election process. It is important to note that this approach is not new. Iran and Russia have employed these tactics not only in the United States during this and prior federal election cycles but also in other countries around the world,” the statement said.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-campaign-hacked-036ffd3ed07cf3fe9fb74d4958808b65">Trump campaign disclosed on Aug. 10</a>&nbsp;that it had been hacked and said Iranian actors had stolen and distributed sensitive internal documents. At least three news outlets — Politico, The New York Times and The Washington Post — were leaked confidential material from inside the Trump campaign, including its report vetting JD Vance as a vice presidential candidate. So far, each has refused to reveal any details about what it received.

Earlier this month, Microsoft&nbsp;<a href="https://cdn-dynmedia-1.microsoft.com/is/content/microsoftcorp/microsoft/final/en-us/microsoft-brand/documents/5bc57431-a7a9-49ad-944d-b93b7d35d0fc.pdf">issued a report</a>&nbsp;detailing foreign agents’ attempts to interfere in this year's election, citing an instance of an Iranian military intelligence unit in June sending “a spear-phishing email to a high-ranking official of a presidential campaign from a compromised email account of a former senior advisor.”

In a separate report, Google said an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-campaign-hack-iran-phishing-b77458428a25e694a738a8c82219f271">Iranian group</a>&nbsp;linked to the country’s Revolutionary Guard has tried to infiltrate the personal email accounts of roughly a dozen people linked to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and Trump since May.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723499768905.png" alt="File photo -Trump during a campaign stop in Montana-courtesy CSPAN" />
                        <figcaption>File photo -Trump during a campaign stop in Montana-courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. intelligence officials said Monday they were confident that Iran was responsible for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fbi-trump-iran-hack-campaign-02a44ea734c8ee92c4d3a576af7a79fe">hack of Donald Trump's presidential campaign</a>, casting the cyber intrusion as part of a brazen and broader effort by Tehran to interfere in American politics and potentially shape the outcome of the election.</p><p>The assessment from the FBI and other federal agencies was the first time the U.S. government has assigned blame for hacks that have raised anew the threat of foreign election interference. The hacking also underscored how Iran, in addition to more sophisticated adversaries like Russia and China, remains a top concern to U.S. officials tasked with protecting democratic processes.</p><p>Besides breaching the Trump campaign, officials also believe that Iran tried to hack into the presidential campaign of Kamala Harris.</p><p>The hacking and similar activities, federal officials said, reflect Iran's determination to “complicate the ability of any U.S. administration to pursue a foreign policy at odds" with its own interests. The goal is to sow discord, weaken faith in democratic institutions and influence the outcome of elections that Iran perceives to be “particularly consequential in terms of the impact they could have on its national security interests," officials said.</p><p>“We have observed increasingly aggressive Iranian activity during this election cycle, specifically involving influence operations targeting the American public and cyber operations targeting Presidential campaigns,” said the statement released by the FBI, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency.</p><p>Iran’s mission to the United Nations denied the hacks, saying that Iran had neither the motive nor intention to interfere with the election, and challenged the U.S. to provide evidence.</p><p>The statement was released at a time of significant tensions between Washington and Tehran as the U.S. hopes to halt or limit a threatened threatened retaliatory strike on Israel over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iran-hamas-israel-30968a7acb31cd8b259de9650014b779">the assassination of Hamas official Ismail Haniyeh</a>. An Israeli strike last month in southern Beirut&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-lebanon-strike-beirut-52c2a1711e274859b60daf8d2db3e0e2">killed Hezbollah’s top commander</a>, but while Tehran and Iran-backed Hezbollah have vowed to retaliate, they have not yet launched strikes as diplomatic endeavors and Gaza cease-fire talks continue in Qatar.</p><p>The U.S. did not detail how it reached the conclusion that Iran was responsible, nor did it describe the nature of any information that may have been taken from the Trump campaign. But it said the intelligence community was confident “the Iranians have through social engineering and other efforts sought access to individuals with direct access to the Presidential campaigns of both political parties.”</p><p>At least three staffers in the Biden-Harris campaign were targeted with phishing emails, but investigators have uncovered no evidence the attempt was successful, The Associated Press reported last week.</p><p>“Such activity, including thefts and disclosures, are intended to influence the U.S. election process. It is important to note that this approach is not new. Iran and Russia have employed these tactics not only in the United States during this and prior federal election cycles but also in other countries around the world,” the statement said.</p><p>The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-campaign-hacked-036ffd3ed07cf3fe9fb74d4958808b65">Trump campaign disclosed on Aug. 10</a>&nbsp;that it had been hacked and said Iranian actors had stolen and distributed sensitive internal documents. At least three news outlets — Politico, The New York Times and The Washington Post — were leaked confidential material from inside the Trump campaign, including its report vetting JD Vance as a vice presidential candidate. So far, each has refused to reveal any details about what it received.</p><p>Earlier this month, Microsoft&nbsp;<a href="https://cdn-dynmedia-1.microsoft.com/is/content/microsoftcorp/microsoft/final/en-us/microsoft-brand/documents/5bc57431-a7a9-49ad-944d-b93b7d35d0fc.pdf">issued a report</a>&nbsp;detailing foreign agents’ attempts to interfere in this year's election, citing an instance of an Iranian military intelligence unit in June sending “a spear-phishing email to a high-ranking official of a presidential campaign from a compromised email account of a former senior advisor.”</p><p>In a separate report, Google said an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-campaign-hack-iran-phishing-b77458428a25e694a738a8c82219f271">Iranian group</a>&nbsp;linked to the country’s Revolutionary Guard has tried to infiltrate the personal email accounts of roughly a dozen people linked to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;and Trump since May.</p>

U.S. confirms Trump campaign claim it was breached by Iranian hackers

JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli military said Tuesday that it recovered the bodies of six hostages taken in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">started the war in Gaza</a>, as U.S. and Arab mediators tried to advance an agreement to halt the fighting and release scores of other militant-held captives.

The military said its forces recovered the bodies in an overnight operation in southern Gaza, without saying when or how the six died. A forum for hostage families said they were kidnapped alive. Hamas says some captives have been killed and wounded in Israeli airstrikes.

The recovery is a blow to Hamas, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-hostages-endgame-0b4720545d294b4eb25eb97055c238eb">hopes to exchange hostages</a>&nbsp;for Palestinian prisoners, an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a lasting cease-fire. But it was also likely to increase pressure on Israel's government to reach a deal to release dozens of hostages who are still believed to be alive.

The military said it had identified the remains of Chaim Perry, 80; Yoram Metzger, 80; Avraham Munder, 79; Alexander Dancyg, 76; Nadav Popplewell, 51; and Yagev Buchshtav, 35. Metzger, Munder, Popplewell and Buchshtav had family members who were also abducted but freed during a November cease-fire.

Munder's death was confirmed on Tuesday by Kibbutz Nir Oz, the farming community where he was among&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-hostages-0c14750240138853a70e38b0c09ef157">around 80 residents who were taken captive</a>. It said he died “after enduring months of physical and mental torture.” Israeli authorities had previously determined that the other five were deceased.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the recovery effort and said “our hearts ache for the terrible loss.”

“The State of Israel will continue to make every effort to return all of our hostages — both alive and dead,” he said in a statement.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant also praised the operation, which he said had been carried out inside Hamas' vast tunnel network. There were no immediate reports of any casualties among Israelis or Palestinians in the recovery operation.

Hamas is still believed to be holding around 110 hostages captured in the Oct. 7 attack. Israeli authorities estimate around a third of them are dead.

Blinken, who is on his ninth visit to the region since the start of the war, said Monday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-israel-blinken-hamas-palestinians-gaza-34f91f99c9a4f63e98134aaecb7af971">Netanyahu has accepted a proposal</a>&nbsp;to bridge gaps in the cease-fire talks, which have dragged on for months, and called on Hamas to do the same.

Hamas has accused the United States of embracing Israeli demands and trying to impose them on the militant group. There still appear to be wide gaps between the two sides, including Israel’s demand for lasting control over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-ceasefire-talks-corridors-03deb20a6c549273fb4b8ce3475fff17">two strategic corridors in Gaza</a>, which Hamas has rejected.

Hamas-led militants burst through Israel's defenses on Oct. 7 and rampaged across the south, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 people hostage. Over 100 hostages were released in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned in Israel during a weeklong cease-fire last year.

Israel's retaliatory offensive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-war-hamas-dead-graves-40000-988d16b648e06e222f04964dc9440da0">has killed over 40,000 Palestinians</a>, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not say how many were militants. Air and ground operations have caused widespread destruction and forced the vast majority of Gaza's 2.3 million residents to flee their homes, often multiple times. Aid groups&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-polio-outbreak-vaccination-8cc05570b5b1af6c6adcedf8a6b36880">fear the outbreak of diseases like polio</a>.

An Israeli airstrike in central Gaza early Tuesday killed five children and their mother, according to the nearby Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, where an Associated Press reporter counted the bodies. The hospital said the father, Alaa Abu Zeid, a schoolteacher, has been in Israeli detention for the last nine months.

The mediators have been trying to finalize a proposal for a three-phase process in which Hamas would release all the hostages in return for the release of more Palestinian prisoners, an Israeli withdrawal from the territory and a lasting truce.

Blinken traveled to Egypt on Tuesday and was also expected to hold talks in Qatar.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724150444816.png" alt="Clockwise from top left Yoram Metzger, Haim Peri, Yagev Buchshtab,&nbsp; Alex Dancyg and Nadav Popplewell -photos courtesy Hostages and missing Families Forum " />
                        <figcaption>Clockwise from top left Yoram Metzger, Haim Peri, Yagev Buchshtab,&nbsp; Alex Dancyg and Nadav Popplewell -photos courtesy Hostages and missing Families Forum </figcaption>
                    </figure><p>JERUSALEM (AP) — The Israeli military said Tuesday that it recovered the bodies of six hostages taken in Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">started the war in Gaza</a>, as U.S. and Arab mediators tried to advance an agreement to halt the fighting and release scores of other militant-held captives.</p><p>The military said its forces recovered the bodies in an overnight operation in southern Gaza, without saying when or how the six died. A forum for hostage families said they were kidnapped alive. Hamas says some captives have been killed and wounded in Israeli airstrikes.</p><p>The recovery is a blow to Hamas, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-hostages-endgame-0b4720545d294b4eb25eb97055c238eb">hopes to exchange hostages</a>&nbsp;for Palestinian prisoners, an Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and a lasting cease-fire. But it was also likely to increase pressure on Israel's government to reach a deal to release dozens of hostages who are still believed to be alive.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724155305073.png" alt="Avraham Munder  photo Hostages Families Forum" />
                        <figcaption>Avraham Munder  photo Hostages Families Forum</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>The military said it had identified the remains of Chaim Perry, 80; Yoram Metzger, 80; Avraham Munder, 79; Alexander Dancyg, 76; Nadav Popplewell, 51; and Yagev Buchshtav, 35. Metzger, Munder, Popplewell and Buchshtav had family members who were also abducted but freed during a November cease-fire.</p><p>Munder's death was confirmed on Tuesday by Kibbutz Nir Oz, the farming community where he was among&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-hostages-0c14750240138853a70e38b0c09ef157">around 80 residents who were taken captive</a>. It said he died “after enduring months of physical and mental torture.” Israeli authorities had previously determined that the other five were deceased.</p><p>Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu praised the recovery effort and said “our hearts ache for the terrible loss.”</p><p>“The State of Israel will continue to make every effort to return all of our hostages — both alive and dead,” he said in a statement.</p><p>Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant also praised the operation, which he said had been carried out inside Hamas' vast tunnel network. There were no immediate reports of any casualties among Israelis or Palestinians in the recovery operation.</p><p>Hamas is still believed to be holding around 110 hostages captured in the Oct. 7 attack. Israeli authorities estimate around a third of them are dead.</p><p>Blinken, who is on his ninth visit to the region since the start of the war, said Monday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-israel-blinken-hamas-palestinians-gaza-34f91f99c9a4f63e98134aaecb7af971">Netanyahu has accepted a proposal</a>&nbsp;to bridge gaps in the cease-fire talks, which have dragged on for months, and called on Hamas to do the same.</p><p>Hamas has accused the United States of embracing Israeli demands and trying to impose them on the militant group. There still appear to be wide gaps between the two sides, including Israel’s demand for lasting control over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-ceasefire-talks-corridors-03deb20a6c549273fb4b8ce3475fff17">two strategic corridors in Gaza</a>, which Hamas has rejected.</p><p>Hamas-led militants burst through Israel's defenses on Oct. 7 and rampaged across the south, killing some 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and taking around 250 people hostage. Over 100 hostages were released in exchange for Palestinians imprisoned in Israel during a weeklong cease-fire last year.</p><p>Israel's retaliatory offensive&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-war-hamas-dead-graves-40000-988d16b648e06e222f04964dc9440da0">has killed over 40,000 Palestinians</a>, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, which does not say how many were militants. Air and ground operations have caused widespread destruction and forced the vast majority of Gaza's 2.3 million residents to flee their homes, often multiple times. Aid groups&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-polio-outbreak-vaccination-8cc05570b5b1af6c6adcedf8a6b36880">fear the outbreak of diseases like polio</a>.</p><p>An Israeli airstrike in central Gaza early Tuesday killed five children and their mother, according to the nearby Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, where an Associated Press reporter counted the bodies. The hospital said the father, Alaa Abu Zeid, a schoolteacher, has been in Israeli detention for the last nine months.</p><p>The mediators have been trying to finalize a proposal for a three-phase process in which Hamas would release all the hostages in return for the release of more Palestinian prisoners, an Israeli withdrawal from the territory and a lasting truce.</p><p>Blinken traveled to Egypt on Tuesday and was also expected to hold talks in Qatar.</p>

Israel recovers bodies of 6 hostages from Gaza

DOUGLAS COUNTY— One firefighter was injured and residents evacuated following a fire in Lawrence.

Just after noon Monday, crews&nbsp;responded to a fire at Brandon Woods senior living residence, 1501 Inverness Drive in Lawrence, according to a media release from Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical.

Multiple reports of heavy smoke and fire with flames were reported by residents and bystanders.

First responders arrived to find occupants being evacuated by facility staff and Lawrence Kansas Police Department.&nbsp;There was a large amount of dense smoke coming from the structure.

Fire was found in the attic and crews performed venting efforts upon arrival. Additional resources such as department chief officers, the mobile integrated health (MIH) team, and the logistics technician responded to the incident to assist with moving residents to designated safety spaces.

The fire was declared under control at 2:20 p.m. LDCFM crews will continue to perform fire watch on the building overnight.

LDCFM coordinated with the Lawrence Transit Department and LKPD to transport approximately 85 residents to Bella Sera Condominiums. The residents were connected to resources with the Red Cross and Douglas County Emergency Management to identify alternative housing options.

One LKPD officer was transported for smoke inhalation. No other injuries have been reported. 

Resources through mutual aid were provided from Douglas County Consolidated Fire District No. 1, Olathe Fire Department, Overland Park Fire Department, and Johnson County MED-ACT. These resources assisted with additional coverage for the City of Lawrence and Douglas County during this incident.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724105670101.png" alt="Photos Lawrence-Douglas County Fire and Medical" />
                        <figcaption>Photos Lawrence-Douglas County Fire and Medical</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>DOUGLAS COUNTY— One firefighter was injured and residents evacuated following a fire in Lawrence.</p><p>Just after noon Monday, crews&nbsp;responded to a fire at Brandon Woods senior living residence, 1501 Inverness Drive in Lawrence, according to a media release from Lawrence-Douglas County Fire Medical.</p><p>Multiple reports of heavy smoke and fire with flames were reported by residents and bystanders.</p><p>First responders arrived to find occupants being evacuated by facility staff and Lawrence Kansas Police Department.&nbsp;There was a large amount of dense smoke coming from the structure.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724105638159.png" alt="" />
                        <figcaption></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Fire was found in the attic and crews performed venting efforts upon arrival. Additional resources such as department chief officers, the mobile integrated health (MIH) team, and the logistics technician responded to the incident to assist with moving residents to designated safety spaces.</p><p>The fire was declared under control at 2:20 p.m. LDCFM crews will continue to perform fire watch on the building overnight.</p><p>LDCFM coordinated with the Lawrence Transit Department and LKPD to transport approximately 85 residents to Bella Sera Condominiums. The residents were connected to resources with the Red Cross and Douglas County Emergency Management to identify alternative housing options.</p><p>One LKPD officer was transported for smoke inhalation. No other injuries have been reported. </p><p>Resources through mutual aid were provided from Douglas County Consolidated Fire District No. 1, Olathe Fire Department, Overland Park Fire Department, and Johnson County MED-ACT. These resources assisted with additional coverage for the City of Lawrence and Douglas County during this incident.</p>

Residents evacuated, officer injured after fire at Kan. senior living center

ELLSWORTH COUNTY —Kansas Highway Patrol reports more drivers traveling well above the posted speed limit, despite a statewide campaign to crack down on excessive speeding.

On Monday, KHP Lt. Brown in Ellsworth County stopped a vehicle on I-70 westbound going 106 mph in a 75 mph zone, according to a social media report.

In addition to speeding, the driver was not traveling in the right lane like they should. Speeding and not following lane rules puts everyone in danger.&nbsp; The ticket was for $393.00.

Please, drive safe, follow the limits, and keep right unless you’re passing. Report aggressive drivers on the highways to *47.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724114776914.png" alt="Photo KHP" />
                        <figcaption>Photo KHP</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>ELLSWORTH COUNTY —Kansas Highway Patrol reports more drivers traveling well above the posted speed limit, despite a statewide campaign to crack down on excessive speeding.</p><p>On Monday, KHP Lt. Brown in Ellsworth County stopped a vehicle on I-70 westbound going 106 mph in a 75 mph zone, according to a social media report.</p><p>In addition to speeding, the driver was not traveling in the right lane like they should. Speeding and not following lane rules puts everyone in danger.&nbsp; The ticket was for $393.00.</p><p>Please, drive safe, follow the limits, and keep right unless you’re passing. Report aggressive drivers on the highways to *47.</p>

KHP: Driver ticketed for traveling 106mph on I-70

CHICAGO (AP) — President Joe Biden delivered his valedictory address to the Democratic National Convention on Monday night, saying, “I gave my best to you” and basking in a long ovation that reflected the energy released by his decision to cede the stage to Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>.

Biden, 81, received a hero’s welcome weeks after many in his party were pressuring him to drop his bid for reelection. One month after an unprecedented&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-drops-out-2024-election-ddffde72838370032bdcff946cfc2ce6">mid-campaign switch</a>, the opening night of the convention in Chicago was designed to give a graceful exit to the incumbent president and slingshot Harris toward a faceoff with Republican Donald Trump, whose comeback bid for the White House is viewed by Democrats as an existential threat.

On Monday, Biden insisted he did not harbor any ill will about the impending end of his tenure — despite reports to the contrary — and called on the party to unite around Harris.

“I made a lot of mistakes in my career, but I gave my best to you,” Biden said.

Speaking clearly and energetically, Biden relished the chance to defend his record, advocate for his vice president and go on the attack against Trump. His delivery was more reminiscent of the Biden who won in 2020 than the mumbling and sometimes incoherent one-time candidate whose debate performance sparked the downfall of his reelection campaign.

Visibly emotional when he took the stage, Biden was greeted by a more than four-minute-long ovation and chants of “Thank you Joe.”

He called his selection of Harris as his running mate four years ago “the very first decision I made when I became our nominee, and it was the best decision I made my whole career.”

“She’s tough, she’s experienced and she has enormous integrity, enormous integrity,” he said. “Her story represents the best American story."

“And like many of our best presidents,” he added in a nod to his own career, “she was also vice president.”

Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff came out after his address to embrace him and his family.

“Joe, thank you for your historic leadership, for your lifetime of service to our nation, and for all you’ll continue to do,” she said earlier in the evening. “We are forever grateful to you.”

The president touted his proudest accomplishments

Biden's speech, billed as the marquee event of the evening, was pushed into late night as the convention program lagged more than an hour behind schedule. The delay led convention organizers to cancel a performance from legendary musician James Taylor.

He celebrated the successes from his administration, including a massive boost in infrastructure spending and a cap on the price of insulin. The spending resulted in more money going to Republican-leaning states than Democratic states, he said, because “the job of the president is to deliver for all of America.”

The president recalled the 2017 “unite the right” rally, when torch-carrying white supremacists marched in Charlottesville, Virginia, an episode he cites as cementing his decision to run for president in 2020 despite his ongoing grief over the death of his son Beau Biden.

First lady Jill Biden alluded to her husband's wrenching decision to leave the race in her remarks minutes before Biden took the stage. She said she fell in love with him all over again "just weeks ago, when I saw him dig deep into his soul and decide to no longer seek reelection and endorse Kamala Harris.”

Monday's speakers tried to boost both Biden and Harris

A long list of high-profile speakers tried to connect both Biden and Harris to what the party sees as the governing pair's most popular accomplishments.

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who was greeted with prolonged applause, saluted Harris while noting her potential to break the “highest, hardest glass ceiling” to become America’s first female president. Clinton was the Democratic nominee in 2016, but she lost that election to Trump.

“Together, we’ve put a lot of cracks in the highest, hardest glass ceiling,” Clinton said, invoking a metaphor she referenced in her concession speech eight years ago. “On the other side of that glass ceiling is Kamala Harris taking the oath of office as our 47th president of the United States. When a barrier falls for one of us, it clears the way for all of us.”

Clinton also saluted Biden for stepping aside, saying, “Now we are writing a new chapter in America’s story.”

Highlighting the party’s generational reach, Clinton, 76, followed New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 34, who endorsed Harris while delivering the first mention of the war in Gaza from the convention stage, addressing an issue that has split the party’s base ever since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack and Israel’s resulting offensive.

Biden tells antiwar protesters they ‘have a point’

Outside the arena,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/democratic-national-convention-chicago-protests-5741113478d2ca454d6d6d7a6e7bd50f">thousands of protesters</a>&nbsp;descended on Chicago to decry the Biden-Harris administration’s support for the Israeli war effort.

Israel’s counterattack in Gaza after more than 1,200 were killed and about 250 taken hostage on Oct. 7 has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Pro-Palestinian activists&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/democratic-national-convention-gaza-arab-americans-18c9a6c1d1579f2f8af763361fcd0e97">held a panel</a>&nbsp;earlier Monday in which they discussed the plight of Gaza, in what organizers called a first for the DNC.

A couple of protesters from the Abandon Biden movement unfurled a protest sign late Monday that read, “STOP ARMING ISRAEL” a few minutes after Biden began his speech.

The sign was quickly wrestled away from the protesters and the lights in that section of the convention were turned off. Others in the hall responded to the protest by chanting “We love Joe” and holding up their banners in support of the president.

Biden acknowledged the protests as he spoke, saying, “Those protesters out in the street have a point. A lot of innocent people are being killed on both sides." He reiterated his push to get Israel and Hamas to agree to a cease-fire deal that would also see the release of hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7.

Democrats presented a giant version of ‘Project 2025’

Meanwhile, Democrats also looked to keep the focus on Trump, whose criminal convictions they mocked and who they asserted was only fighting for himself, rather than “for the people” — the night's official theme.

Michigan State Sen. Mallory McMorrow hoisted an oversized copy of “Project 2025” — a blueprint for a second Trump term that was put together by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank — onto the lectern and quoted from portions of it.

Democrats kept&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/roe-biden-abortion-reproductive-rights-election-3d184285cc6edbe733311b26445db2a0">abortion access front and center</a>&nbsp;for voters, betting that the issue will propel them to success as it has in other key races since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade two years ago. Speakers Monday included women whose healthcare suffered as a result of that decision, and one woman who was raped and became pregnant by her stepfather attacked Trump for trying to roll back access to abortion. The convention program included a video of Trump praising his own role in getting Roe struck down.

The convention program also honored the civil rights movement, with an appearance from the Rev. Jesse Jackson, the founder of the Chicago-based Rainbow PUSH Coalition, who is ailing with Parkinson’s disease. There were several references to Fannie Lou Hamer, the late civil rights activist who gave a landmark speech at a Democratic convention in 1964.

Hamer was a former sharecropper and a leader of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, a racially integrated group that challenged the seating of an all-white Mississippi delegation at the 1964 Democratic National Convention. Hamer spoke on Aug. 22, 1964 — exactly 60 years before Harris is set to accept the Democratic nomination and become the first Black woman and first person of South Asian descent to be the presidential nominee of a major party.

<p>CHICAGO (AP) — President Joe Biden delivered his valedictory address to the Democratic National Convention on Monday night, saying, “I gave my best to you” and basking in a long ovation that reflected the energy released by his decision to cede the stage to Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Biden: &quot;I made a lot of my mistake in my career, but I gave my best to you. For 50 years...I give my heart and my soul to our nation...I was too young to be in the Senate...and too old to stay as president. I hope you know how grateful I am to all of you.&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DNC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DNC</a> <a href="https://t.co/xQ9L7bZeE4">pic.twitter.com/xQ9L7bZeE4</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1825751860491276558?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">President Biden: &quot;I&#39;ve got five months left in my presidency. I&#39;ve got a lot to do. I intend to get it done. It&#39;s been the honor of my lifetime to serve as your president. I love the job, but I love my country more.&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DNC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DNC</a> <a href="https://t.co/Wox80ZeWJg">pic.twitter.com/Wox80ZeWJg</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1825747406861779245?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Biden, 81, received a hero’s welcome weeks after many in his party were pressuring him to drop his bid for reelection. One month after an unprecedented&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-drops-out-2024-election-ddffde72838370032bdcff946cfc2ce6">mid-campaign switch</a>, the opening night of the convention in Chicago was designed to give a graceful exit to the incumbent president and slingshot Harris toward a faceoff with Republican Donald Trump, whose comeback bid for the White House is viewed by Democrats as an existential threat.</p><p>On Monday, Biden insisted he did not harbor any ill will about the impending end of his tenure — despite reports to the contrary — and called on the party to unite around Harris.</p><p>“I made a lot of mistakes in my career, but I gave my best to you,” Biden said.</p><p>Speaking clearly and energetically, Biden relished the chance to defend his record, advocate for his vice president and go on the attack against Trump. His delivery was more reminiscent of the Biden who won in 2020 than the mumbling and sometimes incoherent one-time candidate whose debate performance sparked the downfall of his reelection campaign.</p><p>Visibly emotional when he took the stage, Biden was greeted by a more than four-minute-long ovation and chants of “Thank you Joe.”</p><p>“America, I love you,” he replied.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">VP Kamala Harris arrives at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DNC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DNC</a>: &quot;I want to kick us off by celebrating our incredible President Joe Biden...Thank you, Joe.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/iuMIz58o2l">pic.twitter.com/iuMIz58o2l</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1825704715608318293?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>He called his selection of Harris as his running mate four years ago “the very first decision I made when I became our nominee, and it was the best decision I made my whole career.”</p><p>“She’s tough, she’s experienced and she has enormous integrity, enormous integrity,” he said. “Her story represents the best American story."</p><p>“And like many of our best presidents,” he added in a nod to his own career, “she was also vice president.”</p><p>Harris and second gentleman Doug Emhoff came out after his address to embrace him and his family.</p><p>“Joe, thank you for your historic leadership, for your lifetime of service to our nation, and for all you’ll continue to do,” she said earlier in the evening. “We are forever grateful to you.”</p><h2>The president touted his proudest accomplishments</h2><p>Biden's speech, billed as the marquee event of the evening, was pushed into late night as the convention program lagged more than an hour behind schedule. The delay led convention organizers to cancel a performance from legendary musician James Taylor.</p><p>He celebrated the successes from his administration, including a massive boost in infrastructure spending and a cap on the price of insulin. The spending resulted in more money going to Republican-leaning states than Democratic states, he said, because “the job of the president is to deliver for all of America.”</p><p>The president recalled the 2017 “unite the right” rally, when torch-carrying white supremacists marched in Charlottesville, Virginia, an episode he cites as cementing his decision to run for president in 2020 despite his ongoing grief over the death of his son Beau Biden.</p><p>First lady Jill Biden alluded to her husband's wrenching decision to leave the race in her remarks minutes before Biden took the stage. She said she fell in love with him all over again "just weeks ago, when I saw him dig deep into his soul and decide to no longer seek reelection and endorse Kamala Harris.”</p><h2>Monday's speakers tried to boost both Biden and Harris</h2><p>A long list of high-profile speakers tried to connect both Biden and Harris to what the party sees as the governing pair's most popular accomplishments.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/HillaryClinton?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@HillaryClinton</a>: &quot;We refused to give up on America. Millions marched. Many ran for office. We kept our eyes on the future. Well, my friends, the future is here! I wish my mother and Kamala&#39;s mother could see us. They would say, &#39;Keep going!&#39;&quot; <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DNC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DNC</a> <a href="https://t.co/jHLg9jbkka">pic.twitter.com/jHLg9jbkka</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1825718096159457311?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who was greeted with prolonged applause, saluted Harris while noting her potential to break the “highest, hardest glass ceiling” to become America’s first female president. Clinton was the Democratic nominee in 2016, but she lost that election to Trump.</p><p>“Together, we’ve put a lot of cracks in the highest, hardest glass ceiling,” Clinton said, invoking a metaphor she referenced in her concession speech eight years ago. “On the other side of that glass ceiling is Kamala Harris taking the oath of office as our 47th president of the United States. When a barrier falls for one of us, it clears the way for all of us.”</p><p>Clinton also saluted Biden for stepping aside, saying, “Now we are writing a new chapter in America’s story.”</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">WATCH: Rep. <a href="https://twitter.com/AOC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AOC</a> complete remarks at the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/DNC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#DNC</a>. <a href="https://t.co/Pw03dcjdvz">pic.twitter.com/Pw03dcjdvz</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1825720902987952313?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Highlighting the party’s generational reach, Clinton, 76, followed New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 34, who endorsed Harris while delivering the first mention of the war in Gaza from the convention stage, addressing an issue that has split the party’s base ever since Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack and Israel’s resulting offensive.</p><h2>Biden tells antiwar protesters they ‘have a point’</h2><p>Outside the arena,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/democratic-national-convention-chicago-protests-5741113478d2ca454d6d6d7a6e7bd50f">thousands of protesters</a>&nbsp;descended on Chicago to decry the Biden-Harris administration’s support for the Israeli war effort.</p><p>Israel’s counterattack in Gaza after more than 1,200 were killed and about 250 taken hostage on Oct. 7 has killed more than 40,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run health ministry. Pro-Palestinian activists&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/democratic-national-convention-gaza-arab-americans-18c9a6c1d1579f2f8af763361fcd0e97">held a panel</a>&nbsp;earlier Monday in which they discussed the plight of Gaza, in what organizers called a first for the DNC.</p><p>A couple of protesters from the Abandon Biden movement unfurled a protest sign late Monday that read, “STOP ARMING ISRAEL” a few minutes after Biden began his speech.</p><p>The sign was quickly wrestled away from the protesters and the lights in that section of the convention were turned off. Others in the hall responded to the protest by chanting “We love Joe” and holding up their banners in support of the president.</p><p>Biden acknowledged the protests as he spoke, saying, “Those protesters out in the street have a point. A lot of innocent people are being killed on both sides." He reiterated his push to get Israel and Hamas to agree to a cease-fire deal that would also see the release of hostages taken by Hamas on Oct. 7.</p><h2>Democrats presented a giant version of ‘Project 2025’</h2><p>Meanwhile, Democrats also looked to keep the focus on Trump, whose criminal convictions they mocked and who they asserted was only fighting for himself, rather than “for the people” — the night's official theme.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Rep. Jasmine Crockett (<a href="https://twitter.com/JasmineForUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JasmineForUS</a>) tells the story about her first interaction with VP Harris: &quot;She then said among other things, &#39;you are exactly where God wants you&#39;...That brief but impactful interaction gave me my legislative legs and I&#39;ve been running ever since.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/vpEzq4KSsX">pic.twitter.com/vpEzq4KSsX</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1825727264589312291?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Michigan State Sen. Mallory McMorrow hoisted an oversized copy of “Project 2025” — a blueprint for a second Trump term that was put together by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank — onto the lectern and quoted from portions of it.</p><p>Democrats kept&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/roe-biden-abortion-reproductive-rights-election-3d184285cc6edbe733311b26445db2a0">abortion access front and center</a>&nbsp;for voters, betting that the issue will propel them to success as it has in other key races since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade two years ago. Speakers Monday included women whose healthcare suffered as a result of that decision, and one woman who was raped and became pregnant by her stepfather attacked Trump for trying to roll back access to abortion. The convention program included a video of Trump praising his own role in getting Roe struck down.</p><p>The convention program also honored the civil rights movement, with an appearance from the Rev. Jesse Jackson, the founder of the Chicago-based Rainbow PUSH Coalition, who is ailing with Parkinson’s disease. There were several references to Fannie Lou Hamer, the late civil rights activist who gave a landmark speech at a Democratic convention in 1964.</p><p>Hamer was a former sharecropper and a leader of the Mississippi Freedom Democratic Party, a racially integrated group that challenged the seating of an all-white Mississippi delegation at the 1964 Democratic National Convention. Hamer spoke on Aug. 22, 1964 — exactly 60 years before Harris is set to accept the Democratic nomination and become the first Black woman and first person of South Asian descent to be the presidential nominee of a major party.</p><p>___</p>

🎥 Highlights from opening night at the Democratic National Convention

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a deadly crash involving a stolen vehicle that occurred just after 5p.m. August 13 in Kansas City have identified the victims.

A Kia Soul driven by&nbsp;16-year-old Donelle Morris of Kansas City was eastbound on 35th Street at a high rate of speed, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina. The Kia came upon an eastbound Chevy Tahoe. As the Chevy Tahoe approached Norton Street, the driver slowed to make the left turn to go North on Norton, according to Becchina.

The driver of the Kia had pulled over into the westbound lanes to pass the Chevy Tahoe just as the Chevy Tahoe was starting his turn. The vehicles collided in the westbound lanes of travel. The Chevy Tahoe was spun around and south on Norton.

The driver was transported to an area hospital, with non-life-threatening injuries. The Kia Soul crashed into a large wooden utility pole and then flipped onto the roof.

The Kia Soul had eight occupants in the vehicle. Morris was pronounced dead at the scene. The front seat passenger identified as 37-year-old Reginald K Smith of Kansas City, Missouri, was pronounced dead at the scene. 

EMS transported the second left front passenger&nbsp;identified as 32-year-old Myesha S. Gentry of Kansas City, Missouri,&nbsp;to an area hospital, where she was pronounced dead shortly after arriving, according to Becchina.

A 20-year-old man was sitting in the second right passenger seat, with a 4-year-old child sitting on his lap. In the middle second row seat was a 6-year-old child. In the rear cargo area were a 12-year-old and 13-year-old, not in any type of seat.&nbsp; All were transported to area hospitals with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

Prior to the crash, an officer had stopped the Kia at 31st and Cleveland, for a traffic violation.

The Kia driver pulled over, but after the officer exited his vehicle, the Kia driver took off at a high rate of speed. The officer did not follow. The Kia responded back as a stolen auto, taken August 2nd.&nbsp;&nbsp;

This were the 57th, 58th and 59th traffic fatalities in Kansas City, Missouri in 2024 total compared to 56 at this time last year, according to Becchina.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723594321991.png" alt="Photo courtesy KMBC" />
                        <figcaption>Photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a deadly crash involving a stolen vehicle that occurred just after 5p.m. August 13 in Kansas City have identified the victims.</p><p>A Kia Soul driven by&nbsp;16-year-old Donelle Morris of Kansas City was eastbound on 35th Street at a high rate of speed, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina. The Kia came upon an eastbound Chevy Tahoe. As the Chevy Tahoe approached Norton Street, the driver slowed to make the left turn to go North on Norton, according to Becchina.</p><p>The driver of the Kia had pulled over into the westbound lanes to pass the Chevy Tahoe just as the Chevy Tahoe was starting his turn. The vehicles collided in the westbound lanes of travel. The Chevy Tahoe was spun around and south on Norton.</p><p>The driver was transported to an area hospital, with non-life-threatening injuries. The Kia Soul crashed into a large wooden utility pole and then flipped onto the roof.</p><p>The Kia Soul had eight occupants in the vehicle. Morris was pronounced dead at the scene. The front seat passenger identified as 37-year-old Reginald K Smith of Kansas City, Missouri, was pronounced dead at the scene. </p><p>EMS transported the second left front passenger&nbsp;identified as 32-year-old Myesha S. Gentry of Kansas City, Missouri,&nbsp;to an area hospital, where she was pronounced dead shortly after arriving, according to Becchina.</p><p>A 20-year-old man was sitting in the second right passenger seat, with a 4-year-old child sitting on his lap. In the middle second row seat was a 6-year-old child. In the rear cargo area were a 12-year-old and 13-year-old, not in any type of seat.&nbsp; All were transported to area hospitals with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.</p><p>Prior to the crash, an officer had stopped the Kia at 31st and Cleveland, for a traffic violation.</p><p>The Kia driver pulled over, but after the officer exited his vehicle, the Kia driver took off at a high rate of speed. The officer did not follow. The Kia responded back as a stolen auto, taken August 2nd.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>This were the 57th, 58th and 59th traffic fatalities in Kansas City, Missouri in 2024 total compared to 56 at this time last year, according to Becchina.</p>