HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas Tourism unveiled its Mobile Visitor Center (MVC) on Thursday at the Kansas State Fair with a ribbon cutting inside the Pride of Kansas building.

The MVC will attend major sporting events, fairs, trade shows and festivals in and out of the state to help attract guests to visit Kansas.

Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland and&nbsp;Kansas Department of Transportation Secretary Calvin Reed joined Kansas Tourism Director Bridgette Jobe at the event on Thursday.

“Kansas is home to endless views, unique geography, one of a kind sights, vibrant communities and amazing people," Reed said. "Whether its a road trip that takes you to the Gypsum Hills, a treasure hunt on US-36, a camping trip to one of our many beautiful lakes, or hiking and biking on over 800 miles of biking and pedestrian trails in our state, Kansas is a destination for all road trips. Today, I am proud to be a part of the unveiling of the Kansas Mobile Visitors Center, which will provide us with the opportunity to showcase our amazing state."

Toland talked about how the idea and vision came about for the MVC.

"About a year and a half ago we had a series of conversations with the Kansas Tourism team," Toland said. "They were about the World Cup and specifically the east side of the state and the need for a visitors information center somewhere along I-70. So we had some conversations and decided to talk to KDOT to see what we could do."

Toland says Reed and his staff listened to the idea and had an even better vision.

"KDOT came with a concept of a mobile visitor center," Toland said. "They did some research about what cities around the country had been doing. There is a model where you don't wait for them to come to you, you go to them. You go to the people you want to bring to your place."

Toland and his staff were skeptical of this vision in the beginning, but now has a different opinion.

"They (KDOT) were right," Toland said. "They were absolutely right that we need to think differently about how we bring people to Kansas. It's not just about expecting them to pull off the highway and stop at our place. We need to go to Dallas, to Denver, to Ames, Iowa, to Lincoln, Nebraska, to Chicago and make the case for why they should come here."&nbsp;

Toland was very appreciative and supportive for all of the hard work done to bring visitors to the Sunflower State by Kansas Tourism and its Director Bridgette Jobe.

"I also want to think the Kansas Tourism team, because they are always open to those new ideas," Toland said. "Kansas has now achieved visitation numbers that are dramatically above where we were pre-COVID. We've got more people to come to Kansas than ever before, and that's because this team is getting out there and hustling. They're doing it in-person, they're going to the trade shows and our numbers are way up."

The van will hit the road shortly after the Kansas State Fair to make its debut outside of the state.

"I think two days after the fair is over he (Kevin Crockett) is heading to Nebraska City for a major event," Jobe said. "We have it scheduled to be on the road every week between now and the end of the year."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726172844931.jpeg" alt="Kansas Lieutenant Governor David Toland speaks at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Kansas Tourism Mobile Visitors Center at the Kansas State Fair on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (Hutch Post Photo/Sean Boston)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Lieutenant Governor David Toland speaks at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Kansas Tourism Mobile Visitors Center at the Kansas State Fair on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (Hutch Post Photo/Sean Boston)</figcaption>
 </figure>SEAN BOSTON Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Kansas Tourism unveiled its Mobile Visitor Center (MVC) on Thursday at the Kansas State Fair with a ribbon cutting inside the Pride of Kansas building.The MVC will attend major sporting events, fairs, trade shows and festivals in and out of the state to help attract guests to visit Kansas.Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland and&nbsp;Kansas Department of Transportation Secretary Calvin Reed joined Kansas Tourism Director Bridgette Jobe at the event on Thursday.“Kansas is home to endless views, unique geography, one of a kind sights, vibrant communities and amazing people," Reed said. "Whether its a road trip that takes you to the Gypsum Hills, a treasure hunt on US-36, a camping trip to one of our many beautiful lakes, or hiking and biking on over 800 miles of biking and pedestrian trails in our state, Kansas is a destination for all road trips. Today, I am proud to be a part of the unveiling of the Kansas Mobile Visitors Center, which will provide us with the opportunity to showcase our amazing state."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726172904770.jpeg" alt="Kansas Department of Transportation Secretary Calvin Reed speaks at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Kansas Tourism Mobile Visitors Center at the Kansas State Fair on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (Hutch Post Photo/Sean Boston)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Department of Transportation Secretary Calvin Reed speaks at the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Kansas Tourism Mobile Visitors Center at the Kansas State Fair on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (Hutch Post Photo/Sean Boston)</figcaption>
 </figure>Toland talked about how the idea and vision came about for the MVC."About a year and a half ago we had a series of conversations with the Kansas Tourism team," Toland said. "They were about the World Cup and specifically the east side of the state and the need for a visitors information center somewhere along I-70. So we had some conversations and decided to talk to KDOT to see what we could do."Toland says Reed and his staff listened to the idea and had an even better vision."KDOT came with a concept of a mobile visitor center," Toland said. "They did some research about what cities around the country had been doing. There is a model where you don't wait for them to come to you, you go to them. You go to the people you want to bring to your place."Toland and his staff were skeptical of this vision in the beginning, but now has a different opinion.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726172963986.jpeg" alt="Kansas Lieutenant Governor David Toland cuts the ribbon at the ceremony for the Kansas Tourism Mobile Visitors Center at the Kansas State Fair on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (Hutch Post Photo/Sean Boston)" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Lieutenant Governor David Toland cuts the ribbon at the ceremony for the Kansas Tourism Mobile Visitors Center at the Kansas State Fair on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024. (Hutch Post Photo/Sean Boston)</figcaption>
 </figure>"They (KDOT) were right," Toland said. "They were absolutely right that we need to think differently about how we bring people to Kansas. It's not just about expecting them to pull off the highway and stop at our place. We need to go to Dallas, to Denver, to Ames, Iowa, to Lincoln, Nebraska, to Chicago and make the case for why they should come here."&nbsp;Toland was very appreciative and supportive for all of the hard work done to bring visitors to the Sunflower State by Kansas Tourism and its Director Bridgette Jobe."I also want to think the Kansas Tourism team, because they are always open to those new ideas," Toland said. "Kansas has now achieved visitation numbers that are dramatically above where we were pre-COVID. We've got more people to come to Kansas than ever before, and that's because this team is getting out there and hustling. They're doing it in-person, they're going to the trade shows and our numbers are way up."The van will hit the road shortly after the Kansas State Fair to make its debut outside of the state."I think two days after the fair is over he (Kevin Crockett) is heading to Nebraska City for a major event," Jobe said. "We have it scheduled to be on the road every week between now and the end of the year."

Kansas Tourism unveils new mobile visitors center 

LANSING, Kan. (AP) — The shuttered Kansas prison where the killers chronicled in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/truman-capote-sicily-unpublished-story-e473c57274d68b2733a1e81bf11f3251">Truman Capote</a>&nbsp;'s “In Cold Blood” were executed is now a tourist attraction.

Starting Friday, former wardens and corrections officers will lead two-hour tours of the stone-walled building in Lansing that first began housing inmates in the 1860s, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article292092030.html">reported</a>.

The building, originally called the Kansas State Penitentiary, was without purpose after the Kansas Department of Corrections opened the newly constructed Lansing Correctional Facility in 2020. But instead of demolishing it, the Department of Corrections transferred control of the building to the Lansing Historical Society and Museum.

Upcoming events include a car show inside the prison walls later this month.

“We’re expecting the prison to open up to large crowds who want to know what went on inside those walls,” Debra Bates-Lamborn, president of the society, said after state prison officials handed over the keys this week.

For years, the prison carried out executions by hanging at the gallows — a site that visitors will not be able to access during tours. Since removed from prison grounds, the wooden gallows are now disassembled and under the state’s custody.

Among the notable inmates executed at the prison were Richard “Dick” Hickock and Perry Smith, who were convicted of murdering four members of the Clutter family on November 15, 1959, in the family's home near Holcomb, Kansas.

Capote along with his close friend and fellow writer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/harper-lee">Harper Lee</a>&nbsp;visited the prison while doing research for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-99541e64b30d4f4180ecf04ccf5a72a3">book about the killings</a>. Hickock and Smith were executed in April 1965, among the last inmates to be hung in the state.

One spot on the tour is the Chow Hall, where the late country music legend Johnny Cash performed for inmates in 1970.

“Johnny Cash has always said that audiences in prisons are the most enthusiastic audience he’s ever played to,” Bates-Lamborn.

The prison tour is modeled off of a similar tour in Missouri. About a year ago, a state lawmaker approached the Lansing Historical Society and Museum with the idea of preserving the prison by converting it into a tourist attraction.

Bates-Lamborn said she and another board member made the trip to Jefferson City to tour the Missouri State Penitentiary, which has been open for tours since 2009.

“Afterwards, I thought ours is a shoo-in and we’re so much better,” she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726081200362.png" alt="Dick Hickock-photo Garden City Police" />
 <figcaption>Dick Hickock-photo Garden City Police</figcaption>
 </figure>LANSING, Kan. (AP) — The shuttered Kansas prison where the killers chronicled in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/truman-capote-sicily-unpublished-story-e473c57274d68b2733a1e81bf11f3251">Truman Capote</a>&nbsp;'s “In Cold Blood” were executed is now a tourist attraction.Starting Friday, former wardens and corrections officers will lead two-hour tours of the stone-walled building in Lansing that first began housing inmates in the 1860s, The Kansas City Star&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article292092030.html">reported</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726081220877.png" alt="Perry Smith-photo Garden City Police" />
 <figcaption>Perry Smith-photo Garden City Police</figcaption>
 </figure>The building, originally called the Kansas State Penitentiary, was without purpose after the Kansas Department of Corrections opened the newly constructed Lansing Correctional Facility in 2020. But instead of demolishing it, the Department of Corrections transferred control of the building to the Lansing Historical Society and Museum.Upcoming events include a car show inside the prison walls later this month.“We’re expecting the prison to open up to large crowds who want to know what went on inside those walls,” Debra Bates-Lamborn, president of the society, said after state prison officials handed over the keys this week.For years, the prison carried out executions by hanging at the gallows — a site that visitors will not be able to access during tours. Since removed from prison grounds, the wooden gallows are now disassembled and under the state’s custody.Among the notable inmates executed at the prison were Richard “Dick” Hickock and Perry Smith, who were convicted of murdering four members of the Clutter family on November 15, 1959, in the family's home near Holcomb, Kansas.Capote along with his close friend and fellow writer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/harper-lee">Harper Lee</a>&nbsp;visited the prison while doing research for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-99541e64b30d4f4180ecf04ccf5a72a3">book about the killings</a>. Hickock and Smith were executed in April 1965, among the last inmates to be hung in the state.One spot on the tour is the Chow Hall, where the late country music legend Johnny Cash performed for inmates in 1970.“Johnny Cash has always said that audiences in prisons are the most enthusiastic audience he’s ever played to,” Bates-Lamborn.The prison tour is modeled off of a similar tour in Missouri. About a year ago, a state lawmaker approached the Lansing Historical Society and Museum with the idea of preserving the prison by converting it into a tourist attraction.Bates-Lamborn said she and another board member made the trip to Jefferson City to tour the Missouri State Penitentiary, which has been open for tours since 2009.“Afterwards, I thought ours is a shoo-in and we’re so much better,” she said.

Kan. prison where ‘In Cold Blood’ killers were executed now open for tours

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating&nbsp; a fatal shooting in Kansas City have identified the victim as 43-year-old&nbsp;Willie L. Judon III, according to KCKPD Officer&nbsp;Alayna Gonzalez.

Just before 11:45p.m. Wednesday, police were&nbsp;dispatched to a shooting in 4000 block of Norton, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.&nbsp;

 Officers located two adult shooting victims suffering from gunshot wounds. Judon was&nbsp; on the porch of a home and pronounced dead at scene. EMS transported a female victim to an area hospital

Detectives continue investigating what led up to shots being fired. There is not currently anyone in custody and detectives are working on identifying a person of interest.

If you know anything about this incident, you can leave an anonymous tip on the tips hotline at 816-474-TIPS.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726187733804.png" alt="Photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating&nbsp; a fatal shooting in Kansas City have identified the victim as 43-year-old&nbsp;Willie L. Judon III, according to KCKPD Officer&nbsp;Alayna Gonzalez.Just before 11:45p.m. Wednesday, police were&nbsp;dispatched to a shooting in 4000 block of Norton, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.&nbsp; Officers located two adult shooting victims suffering from gunshot wounds. Judon was&nbsp; on the porch of a home and pronounced dead at scene. EMS transported a female victim to an area hospitalDetectives continue investigating what led up to shots being fired. There is not currently anyone in custody and detectives are working on identifying a person of interest.If you know anything about this incident, you can leave an anonymous tip on the tips hotline at 816-474-TIPS.

Homicide: Police ID man found dead on porch of KC home

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a now former Kansas Sheriff's office employee on multiple allegations of perjury and falsifying documents.

 In late June, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office became aware that a civilian employee, Andrew Johnson, 52, of Topeka, Kansas, had possibly falsified certain records related to the service of court documents.

Johnson, who had been employed by the agency as a civil process server for approximately six months, was immediately placed on administrative leave and removed from all job duties.

The Sheriff’s Office initiated a criminal investigation into the matter, with detectives and staff officers reviewing the entirety of Johnson’s work history with the agency, including all activitym for each day of Johnson’s employment.

On July 2, Johnson was terminated from the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office. Notification of the investigative findings was made to the Shawnee County District Court, and results of the criminal investigation were forwarded to the Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.

Just after 3p.m. Wednesday,&nbsp; Shawnee County grand jury indicted Johnson on 333 total felony counts of perjury and making false information. A warrant was issued for Johnson’s arrest and he was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.

The Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to work with court officials to remediate any issue related to this matter and the court documents previously assigned to Johnson for service.

Notification will be made by the Shawnee County District Court to all parties whose cases were involved in the investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726137090219.png" alt="Johnson photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Johnson photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a now former Kansas Sheriff's office employee on multiple allegations of perjury and falsifying documents. In late June, the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office became aware that a civilian employee, Andrew Johnson, 52, of Topeka, Kansas, had possibly falsified certain records related to the service of court documents.Johnson, who had been employed by the agency as a civil process server for approximately six months, was immediately placed on administrative leave and removed from all job duties.The Sheriff’s Office initiated a criminal investigation into the matter, with detectives and staff officers reviewing the entirety of Johnson’s work history with the agency, including all activitym for each day of Johnson’s employment.On July 2, Johnson was terminated from the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office. Notification of the investigative findings was made to the Shawnee County District Court, and results of the criminal investigation were forwarded to the Shawnee County District Attorney’s Office for prosecution.Just after 3p.m. Wednesday,&nbsp; Shawnee County grand jury indicted Johnson on 333 total felony counts of perjury and making false information. A warrant was issued for Johnson’s arrest and he was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.The Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office is continuing to work with court officials to remediate any issue related to this matter and the court documents previously assigned to Johnson for service.Notification will be made by the Shawnee County District Court to all parties whose cases were involved in the investigation.

 Kan. sheriff’s office employee indicted on 333 felony counts

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A judge declined Thursday to vacate the conviction and death sentence of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marcellus-williams-innocence-missouri-death-row-dcc03c8f998648783f4755818aaec6fd">Marcellus Williams</a>, a Missouri man scheduled for execution later this month in the stabbing death of a woman in 1998, despite questions about DNA evidence on the knife used in the attack.

St. Louis County Circuit Judge Bruce Hilton presided over an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marcellus-williams-missouri-death-row-f7b3b4257c8a18542a6686d810472646">evidentiary hearing</a>&nbsp;last month challenging Williams' guilt. Williams, 55, was convicted in the killing of Lisha Gayle, a social worker and former reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. His execution by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-death-row-inquiry-board-state-supreme-court-0103d6047d1caa04eefbb6ef262063fb">lethal injection is scheduled for Sept. 24</a>&nbsp;unless the courts or Republican Gov. Mike Parson intervene.

“Every claim of error Williams has asserted on direct appeal, post-conviction review, and habeas review has been rejected by Missouri's courts,” Hilton wrote. “There is no basis for a court to find that Williams is innocent, and no court has made such a finding. Williams is guilty of first-degree murder, and has been sentenced to death.”

Williams' attorney, Tricia Bushnell, said in a statement that the Midwest Innocence Project "will continue pursuing every possible option to prevent Mr. Williams’ wrongful execution. There is still time for the courts or Governor Parson to ensure that Missouri does not commit the irreparable injustice of executing an innocent person.”

Representatives of the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office and the Missouri Attorney General's Office did not respond to messages seeking comment.

In January, Democratic St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-death-row-inmate-dna-evidence-0a179b0aafb1a0c0a3e144f7e3592a62">Wesley Bell cited questions about DNA evidence</a>&nbsp;on the murder weapon in seeking a hearing to consider vacating Williams’ conviction. Bell said the evidence indicated that someone else’s DNA was on the butcher knife used to kill Gayle.

Bell brought the challenge under a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-kansas-city-kansas-missouri-f73d1486d17a1884ff95ce84af75b00f">2021 Missouri law</a>&nbsp;that allows prosecutors to ask a court to review a conviction they believe is unjust. That and the setting of an execution date saw Williams facing the prospect of everything from having his conviction overturned and being set free, to having it confirmed and facing pending execution.

Despite Bell's motion, the Missouri Supreme Court in June set the Sept. 24 execution date. Then, an August hearing date was set on the motion by Bell involving the DNA evidence.

But just before the Aug. 21 hearing, a new DNA report revealed that the DNA evidence was contaminated because officials in the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office touched the knife without gloves before the original trial in 2001.

With the DNA evidence spoiled, lawyers working on behalf of Williams from the Midwest Innocence Project reached a compromise with the prosecutor’s office: Williams would enter a new, no-contest plea to first-degree murder in exchange for a new sentence of life in prison without parole.

Hilton signed off on the agreement. So did Gayle’s family. But the Missouri Attorney General’s Office did not.

At Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s urging, the Missouri Supreme Court blocked the agreement and ordered Hilton to proceed with the evidentiary hearing on Aug. 28.

An attorney for Williams, Jonathan Potts, said during the hearing that the mishandling of the murder weapon was devastating for Williams because it “destroyed his last and best chance” to prove his innocence.

“In light of this report, (Williams) cannot demonstrate that the genetic material on the knife handle can form a basis for a ‘clear and convincing showing’ of Williams’ innocence,” Hilton wrote.

Assistant Attorney General Michael Spillane said other evidence pointed to his guilt.

“They refer to the evidence in this case as being weak. It was overwhelming,” Spillane said at the hearing.

Prosecutors at Williams’ original trial said he broke into Gayle’s home on Aug. 11, 1998, heard water running in the shower, and found a large butcher knife. When Gayle came downstairs, she was stabbed 43 times. Her purse and her husband’s laptop were stolen.

Authorities said Williams stole a jacket to conceal blood on his shirt. Williams’ girlfriend asked him why he would wear a jacket on a hot day. The girlfriend said she later saw the laptop in the car and that Williams sold it a day or two later.

Prosecutors also cited testimony from Henry Cole, who shared a cell with Williams in 1999 while Williams was jailed on unrelated charges. Cole told prosecutors Williams confessed to the killing and offered details about it.

Williams’ attorneys responded that the girlfriend and Cole were both convicted of felonies and wanted a $10,000 reward.

Three other men —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-case-conviction-overturned-christopher-dunn-f128653d7b67aa4099faa91d0fcba31c">Christopher Dunn</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wrongful-conviction-vacated-3eb7e5fbe6210dbc38b11995902b9947">Lamar Johnson</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-kansas-missouri-bba67efd61eaa165165e29a7298a1dc3">Kevin Strickland</a>&nbsp;— have been freed after decades in prison under the 2021 Missouri law.

Williams has been close to execution before. In August 2017, just hours before his scheduled death, then-Gov. Eric Greitens, a Republican,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-a97937db95a34c03b116817d2ed3c340">granted a stay</a>&nbsp;after reviewing the same DNA evidence that spurred Bell's effort to vacate the conviction.

A rising star in Missouri Democratic politics,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-congress-election-bush-bell-f507703334e182528489ca078bc5ce70">Bell defeated incumbent U.S. Rep. Cori Bush</a>&nbsp;in a primary this month and is heavily favored in the November general election.

Williams is Black and at the hearing, the man who prosecuted him, Keith Larner, was asked why the trial jury included just one Black juror. Larner said he struck just three potential Black jurors, including one who he said looked like Williams.

Williams’ trial attorney, Joseph Green, told Hilton that when Williams was tried, he also was representing a man who killed his wife and injured several others in a St. Louis County courthouse shooting in 1992. That case took time away from working on Williams’ defense, Green said at the hearing.

“I don’t believe he got our best,” said Green, now a judge.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726156556643.png" alt="Williams photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>Williams photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A judge declined Thursday to vacate the conviction and death sentence of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marcellus-williams-innocence-missouri-death-row-dcc03c8f998648783f4755818aaec6fd">Marcellus Williams</a>, a Missouri man scheduled for execution later this month in the stabbing death of a woman in 1998, despite questions about DNA evidence on the knife used in the attack.St. Louis County Circuit Judge Bruce Hilton presided over an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marcellus-williams-missouri-death-row-f7b3b4257c8a18542a6686d810472646">evidentiary hearing</a>&nbsp;last month challenging Williams' guilt. Williams, 55, was convicted in the killing of Lisha Gayle, a social worker and former reporter for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. His execution by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-death-row-inquiry-board-state-supreme-court-0103d6047d1caa04eefbb6ef262063fb">lethal injection is scheduled for Sept. 24</a>&nbsp;unless the courts or Republican Gov. Mike Parson intervene.“Every claim of error Williams has asserted on direct appeal, post-conviction review, and habeas review has been rejected by Missouri's courts,” Hilton wrote. “There is no basis for a court to find that Williams is innocent, and no court has made such a finding. Williams is guilty of first-degree murder, and has been sentenced to death.”Williams' attorney, Tricia Bushnell, said in a statement that the Midwest Innocence Project "will continue pursuing every possible option to prevent Mr. Williams’ wrongful execution. There is still time for the courts or Governor Parson to ensure that Missouri does not commit the irreparable injustice of executing an innocent person.”Representatives of the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office and the Missouri Attorney General's Office did not respond to messages seeking comment.In January, Democratic St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-death-row-inmate-dna-evidence-0a179b0aafb1a0c0a3e144f7e3592a62">Wesley Bell cited questions about DNA evidence</a>&nbsp;on the murder weapon in seeking a hearing to consider vacating Williams’ conviction. Bell said the evidence indicated that someone else’s DNA was on the butcher knife used to kill Gayle.Bell brought the challenge under a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-kansas-city-kansas-missouri-f73d1486d17a1884ff95ce84af75b00f">2021 Missouri law</a>&nbsp;that allows prosecutors to ask a court to review a conviction they believe is unjust. That and the setting of an execution date saw Williams facing the prospect of everything from having his conviction overturned and being set free, to having it confirmed and facing pending execution.Despite Bell's motion, the Missouri Supreme Court in June set the Sept. 24 execution date. Then, an August hearing date was set on the motion by Bell involving the DNA evidence.But just before the Aug. 21 hearing, a new DNA report revealed that the DNA evidence was contaminated because officials in the St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney's Office touched the knife without gloves before the original trial in 2001.With the DNA evidence spoiled, lawyers working on behalf of Williams from the Midwest Innocence Project reached a compromise with the prosecutor’s office: Williams would enter a new, no-contest plea to first-degree murder in exchange for a new sentence of life in prison without parole.Hilton signed off on the agreement. So did Gayle’s family. But the Missouri Attorney General’s Office did not.At Republican Attorney General Andrew Bailey’s urging, the Missouri Supreme Court blocked the agreement and ordered Hilton to proceed with the evidentiary hearing on Aug. 28.An attorney for Williams, Jonathan Potts, said during the hearing that the mishandling of the murder weapon was devastating for Williams because it “destroyed his last and best chance” to prove his innocence.Hilton, in his ruling, agreed.“In light of this report, (Williams) cannot demonstrate that the genetic material on the knife handle can form a basis for a ‘clear and convincing showing’ of Williams’ innocence,” Hilton wrote.Assistant Attorney General Michael Spillane said other evidence pointed to his guilt.“They refer to the evidence in this case as being weak. It was overwhelming,” Spillane said at the hearing.Prosecutors at Williams’ original trial said he broke into Gayle’s home on Aug. 11, 1998, heard water running in the shower, and found a large butcher knife. When Gayle came downstairs, she was stabbed 43 times. Her purse and her husband’s laptop were stolen.Authorities said Williams stole a jacket to conceal blood on his shirt. Williams’ girlfriend asked him why he would wear a jacket on a hot day. The girlfriend said she later saw the laptop in the car and that Williams sold it a day or two later.Prosecutors also cited testimony from Henry Cole, who shared a cell with Williams in 1999 while Williams was jailed on unrelated charges. Cole told prosecutors Williams confessed to the killing and offered details about it.Williams’ attorneys responded that the girlfriend and Cole were both convicted of felonies and wanted a $10,000 reward.Three other men —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-case-conviction-overturned-christopher-dunn-f128653d7b67aa4099faa91d0fcba31c">Christopher Dunn</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wrongful-conviction-vacated-3eb7e5fbe6210dbc38b11995902b9947">Lamar Johnson</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-city-kansas-missouri-bba67efd61eaa165165e29a7298a1dc3">Kevin Strickland</a>&nbsp;— have been freed after decades in prison under the 2021 Missouri law.Williams has been close to execution before. In August 2017, just hours before his scheduled death, then-Gov. Eric Greitens, a Republican,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-a97937db95a34c03b116817d2ed3c340">granted a stay</a>&nbsp;after reviewing the same DNA evidence that spurred Bell's effort to vacate the conviction.A rising star in Missouri Democratic politics,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-congress-election-bush-bell-f507703334e182528489ca078bc5ce70">Bell defeated incumbent U.S. Rep. Cori Bush</a>&nbsp;in a primary this month and is heavily favored in the November general election.Williams is Black and at the hearing, the man who prosecuted him, Keith Larner, was asked why the trial jury included just one Black juror. Larner said he struck just three potential Black jurors, including one who he said looked like Williams.Williams’ trial attorney, Joseph Green, told Hilton that when Williams was tried, he also was representing a man who killed his wife and injured several others in a St. Louis County courthouse shooting in 1992. That case took time away from working on Williams’ defense, Green said at the hearing.“I don’t believe he got our best,” said Green, now a judge.

Judge rejects innocence claim of Mo. man who faces execution

KANSAS CITY– Three Mexican nationals were charged in federal court last week after they were caught with more than 56 pounds of methamphetamine during a traffic stop on Interstate 29, according to the United State's Attorney.

Pedro Alberto Quiroz Ayala, 20, Apolinar Gocovachi Pacheco, 24, and Pablo De Jesus Peralta Anguis, 25, all of whom are citizens of Mexico, were charged with possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute in a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court. They remain in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Tuesday, Sept. 10.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper pulled over a gray 2011 Acura MDX on Interstate 29, near the N.W. 112th&nbsp;Street exit in Kansas City at about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 3. Ayala, who did not have a valid driver’s license, was driving the Acura, with a female juvenile in the front passenger seat and Pacheco and Anguis in the back seats.

When the trooper searched the vehicle, he found a large duffle bag in the third-row seating area that contained approximately 55.6 pounds of methamphetamine. He also found a grocery bag that contained approximately one pound of methamphetamine on the floorboard where the female juvenile had been sitting, and a loaded firearm in the driver’s door pouch.

When the four occupants got out of the vehicle for the search, the affidavit says, Ayala and Anguis fled on foot. A manhunt ensued; Ayala was apprehended about half an hour later and Anguis was apprehended after about 12 minutes.

Ayala told investigators they had picked up the drugs at a Walmart parking lot in Omaha, Nebraska. Ayala said he was going to receive $2,000 for transporting the drugs.

KANSAS CITY– Three Mexican nationals were charged in federal court last week after they were caught with more than 56 pounds of methamphetamine during a traffic stop on Interstate 29, according to the United State's Attorney.Pedro Alberto Quiroz Ayala, 20, Apolinar Gocovachi Pacheco, 24, and Pablo De Jesus Peralta Anguis, 25, all of whom are citizens of Mexico, were charged with possessing methamphetamine with the intent to distribute in a complaint filed in the U.S. District Court. They remain in federal custody pending a detention hearing on Tuesday, Sept. 10.According to an affidavit filed in support of the federal criminal complaint, a Missouri State Highway Patrol trooper pulled over a gray 2011 Acura MDX on Interstate 29, near the N.W. 112th&nbsp;Street exit in Kansas City at about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 3. Ayala, who did not have a valid driver’s license, was driving the Acura, with a female juvenile in the front passenger seat and Pacheco and Anguis in the back seats.When the trooper searched the vehicle, he found a large duffle bag in the third-row seating area that contained approximately 55.6 pounds of methamphetamine. He also found a grocery bag that contained approximately one pound of methamphetamine on the floorboard where the female juvenile had been sitting, and a loaded firearm in the driver’s door pouch.When the four occupants got out of the vehicle for the search, the affidavit says, Ayala and Anguis fled on foot. A manhunt ensued; Ayala was apprehended about half an hour later and Anguis was apprehended after about 12 minutes.Ayala told investigators they had picked up the drugs at a Walmart parking lot in Omaha, Nebraska. Ayala said he was going to receive $2,000 for transporting the drugs.

Mexican nationals were transporting 55 pounds of meth in Kansas City

PHOENIX (AP) —Trump says he won't participate in a future debate with Harris.

The GOP nominee posted Thursday on Truth Social that “THERE WILL BE NO THIRD DEBATE!” He also suggested that a “prizefighter" who loses a bout is always the one to call for a rematch.

Trump also called Harris a “no-show" for a debate date that had been proposed earlier this month. Instead of an event with Harris, Trump ended up going on Fox News for a solo town hall with host Sean Hannity.

Both campaigns have framed their candidates as the winner of Tuesday night's debate in Philadelphia. Shortly thereafter, a spokesperson for Harris said she would be open to another debate with Trump, and Harris said during a North Carolina campaign rally on Thursday she believes she and Trump “owe it to voters” to debate again.

Fox News has issued invitations to both campaigns for a debate in October.

Representatives for both the Harris and Trump campaigns did not immediately return messages seeking comment.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726020929820.png" alt="Image courtesy ABC via CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy ABC via CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>PHOENIX (AP) —Trump says he won't participate in a future debate with Harris.The GOP nominee posted Thursday on Truth Social that “THERE WILL BE NO THIRD DEBATE!” He also suggested that a “prizefighter" who loses a bout is always the one to call for a rematch.Trump also called Harris a “no-show" for a debate date that had been proposed earlier this month. Instead of an event with Harris, Trump ended up going on Fox News for a solo town hall with host Sean Hannity.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726181363704.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Both campaigns have framed their candidates as the winner of Tuesday night's debate in Philadelphia. Shortly thereafter, a spokesperson for Harris said she would be open to another debate with Trump, and Harris said during a North Carolina campaign rally on Thursday she believes she and Trump “owe it to voters” to debate again.Fox News has issued invitations to both campaigns for a debate in October.Representatives for both the Harris and Trump campaigns did not immediately return messages seeking comment.

Trump: No more debates with Kamala Harris

WICHITA —A man arrested following a Kansas Amber Alert faces multiple requested charges after police captured him and rescued the 5-year-old boy.

Just before 5 p.m. Wednesday, 5-year-old Trevawn Strong Jr. was forcibly taken from his mother by his father 30-year-old Trevawn Strong Sr. utilizing a knife and firearm during a domestic incident at their residence at 2025 S. Grove, Wichita, according to police.

&nbsp;Strong&nbsp; threatened to kill his son, stabbed the boy's mother, and took the child.&nbsp; The Kansas Bureau reported the was in imminent danger. The suspect left in a vehicle, but that vehicle was been recovered in the 1900 block of N. Woodlawn in Wichita.&nbsp;

Police reported the boy was "in imminent danger."&nbsp; The suspect left in a vehicle, but police found that vehicle&nbsp; in the 1900 block of N. Woodlawn in Wichita, Kansas.

Just before 9p.m. police located the child and took the father into custody.   Trevawn Strong is being held in the Sedgwick County Jail on requested charges that include aggravated assault, criminal threat, criminal discharge of a firearm, domestic battery, criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, aggravated battery, criminal damage to property and aggravated endangering a child.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726138875380.png" alt="Strong photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Strong photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA —A man arrested following a Kansas Amber Alert faces multiple requested charges after police captured him and rescued the 5-year-old boy.Just before 5 p.m. Wednesday, 5-year-old Trevawn Strong Jr. was forcibly taken from his mother by his father 30-year-old Trevawn Strong Sr. utilizing a knife and firearm during a domestic incident at their residence at 2025 S. Grove, Wichita, according to police.&nbsp;Strong&nbsp; threatened to kill his son, stabbed the boy's mother, and took the child.&nbsp; The Kansas Bureau reported the was in imminent danger. The suspect left in a vehicle, but that vehicle was been recovered in the 1900 block of N. Woodlawn in Wichita.&nbsp;Police reported the boy was "in imminent danger."&nbsp; The suspect left in a vehicle, but police found that vehicle&nbsp; in the 1900 block of N. Woodlawn in Wichita, Kansas.Just before 9p.m. police located the child and took the father into custody. Trevawn Strong is being held in the Sedgwick County Jail on requested charges that include aggravated assault, criminal threat, criminal discharge of a firearm, domestic battery, criminal possession of a weapon by a felon, aggravated battery, criminal damage to property and aggravated endangering a child.

Suspect in Kansas Amber Alert faces multiple charges

MANHATTAN —K-State will commemorate 100 years of broadcasting on campus this Friday. Radio station KSAC, the first educational station in Kansas, aired for the first time on Dec. 1,1924. The K-State Radio Centennial: A Century of Sound and Service is scheduled from 10-11 a.m. near the radio towers on the west side of Nichols Hall on the Manhattan campus.

Click below to watch an interview on the celebration with former 'Agriculture Today' host Eric Atkinson

KAB President Allison Mazzei said the towers symbolize the university's dedication to connecting and educating communities.

Those attending the event will hear from speakers, including former U.S. Sen. and KSAC broadcaster Sam Brownback, journalist and former National Public Radio Vice President for News and Information William Buzenberg, National Association of Broadcasting President Curtis LeGeyt and K-State Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff Marshall Stewart.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726170616510.jpeg" alt="Photo KSU" />
 <figcaption>Photo KSU</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN —K-State will commemorate 100 years of broadcasting on campus this Friday. Radio station KSAC, the first educational station in Kansas, aired for the first time on Dec. 1,1924. The K-State Radio Centennial: A Century of Sound and Service is scheduled from 10-11 a.m. near the radio towers on the west side of Nichols Hall on the Manhattan campus.Click below to watch an interview on the celebration with former 'Agriculture Today' host Eric Atkinson<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/omYhIikaKGw?si=5Nb61oa6Qy-MG1MZ&amp;start=7" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" referrerpolicy="strict-origin-when-cross-origin" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>KAB President Allison Mazzei said the towers symbolize the university's dedication to connecting and educating communities.Those attending the event will hear from speakers, including former U.S. Sen. and KSAC broadcaster Sam Brownback, journalist and former National Public Radio Vice President for News and Information William Buzenberg, National Association of Broadcasting President Curtis LeGeyt and K-State Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff Marshall Stewart.

🎥K-State will commemorate 100 years of radio 

By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

States, Native American tribes and local communities could get help accessing federal funds for water infrastructure projects in drought-stricken areas under new U.S. Senate legislation.

The Water Project Navigators Act —&nbsp;sponsored by U.S. Sens. Jerry Moran and John Hickenlooper and Reps. Brittany Pettersen and Juan Ciscomani —&nbsp;would create a program in the Bureau of Reclamation to place “navigator” positions in local, state and tribal communities. Navigators would help connect communities to resources.

In a news release announcing the legislation, Moran, a Kansas Republican, said federal resources to help preserve water can be difficult to access.

“Widespread drought is impacting many communities across Kansas, hurting family farms, local municipalities and businesses,” Moran said.

Hickenlooper, a Colorado Democrat, said the same.

“Rural and Tribal communities deserve their fair share of federal funds to address drought, but all too often are left out,” Hickenlooper said.

Fellow Coloradoan Pettersen said water scarcity is felt throughout Colorado, but rural communities struggle to respond.

“It is critical that we invest in these areas to strengthen and protect our water resources and help communities draw down federal dollars,” Pettersen said.

Kansas and Colorado —&nbsp;along with Ciscomani’s home state of Arizona — struggle with continual drought and limited access to water. As of last week, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, more than 51% of Kansas is in some level of drought, mostly moderate or severe. Almost 5% of Arizona is in extreme drought. Colorado is currently the least affected with about 12% of the state in some level of drought.

“In Arizona, water is our most precious resource,” said Ciscomani, a Republican. “As the drought worsens in the West, it is now more important than ever that impacted communities have the necessary tools to secure federal dollars for critical multi-benefit water infrastructure projects.”&nbsp;

The legislation is backed by conservation groups, according to the news release, along with the Kansas Water Office, Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the Kansas Department of Agriculture.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726156097748.png" alt=" U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran says Kansas communities, farmers and businesses have been impacted by widespread drought. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran says Kansas communities, farmers and businesses have been impacted by widespread drought. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By ALLISON KITE <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>States, Native American tribes and local communities could get help accessing federal funds for water infrastructure projects in drought-stricken areas under new U.S. Senate legislation.The Water Project Navigators Act —&nbsp;sponsored by U.S. Sens. Jerry Moran and John Hickenlooper and Reps. Brittany Pettersen and Juan Ciscomani —&nbsp;would create a program in the Bureau of Reclamation to place “navigator” positions in local, state and tribal communities. Navigators would help connect communities to resources.In a news release announcing the legislation, Moran, a Kansas Republican, said federal resources to help preserve water can be difficult to access.“Widespread drought is impacting many communities across Kansas, hurting family farms, local municipalities and businesses,” Moran said.Hickenlooper, a Colorado Democrat, said the same.“Rural and Tribal communities deserve their fair share of federal funds to address drought, but all too often are left out,” Hickenlooper said.Fellow Coloradoan Pettersen said water scarcity is felt throughout Colorado, but rural communities struggle to respond.“It is critical that we invest in these areas to strengthen and protect our water resources and help communities draw down federal dollars,” Pettersen said.Kansas and Colorado —&nbsp;along with Ciscomani’s home state of Arizona — struggle with continual drought and limited access to water. As of last week, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor, more than 51% of Kansas is in some level of drought, mostly moderate or severe. Almost 5% of Arizona is in extreme drought. Colorado is currently the least affected with about 12% of the state in some level of drought.“In Arizona, water is our most precious resource,” said Ciscomani, a Republican. “As the drought worsens in the West, it is now more important than ever that impacted communities have the necessary tools to secure federal dollars for critical multi-benefit water infrastructure projects.”&nbsp;The legislation is backed by conservation groups, according to the news release, along with the Kansas Water Office, Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the Kansas Department of Agriculture.

U.S. senators from Kan., Colo., Ariz. introduce bill to unlock funds for water preservation

By JOHN HANNA and CHRISTINA A. CASSIDY Associated Press

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — State and local election officials from across the country on Wednesday warned that problems with the nation's mail delivery system threaten to disenfranchise voters in the upcoming presidential election, telling the head of the U.S. Postal Service that it hasn't fixed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-mail-ballots-a8ee9b88418e1f6b2835e91827d721bf">persistent deficiencies</a>.

In an alarming letter, the officials said that over the past year, including the just-concluded primary season, mailed ballots that were postmarked on time were received by local election offices days after the deadline to be counted. They also noted that properly addressed election mail was being returned to them as undeliverable, a problem that could automatically send voters to inactive status through no fault of their own, potentially creating chaos when those voters show up to cast a ballot.

The officials also said that repeated outreach to the Postal Service to resolve the issues had failed and that the widespread nature of the problems made it clear these were “not one-off mistakes or a problem with specific facilities. Instead, it demonstrates a pervasive lack of understanding and enforcement of USPS policies among its employees.”

The letter to U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy came from two groups that represent top election administrators in all 50 states. They told DeJoy, “We have not seen improvement or concerted efforts to remediate our concerns.”

“We implore you to take immediate and tangible corrective action to address the ongoing performance issues with USPS election mail service,” they added. "Failure to do so will risk limiting voter participation and trust in the election process."

A message seeking a response from the U.S. Postal Service was not immediately returned.

The two groups, the National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Association of State Election Directors, said local election officials “in nearly every state” are receiving timely postmarked ballots after Election Day and outside the three to five business days USPS claims as the standard for first-class mail.

The letter comes less than two weeks after DeJoy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-mail-ballots-postal-service-1fd285fd56f640a370d155d25458c423">said in an interview</a>&nbsp;that the Postal Service was ready to handle a flood of mail ballots expected as part of this November's presidential election and as former President Donald Trump continues to sow doubts about U.S. elections by falsely claiming he won in 2020.

That year, amid the global pandemic, election officials reported sending just over 69 million ballots in the mail, a substantial increase from four years earlier.

While it's likely that number will be smaller now, many voters have embraced mail voting and come to rely on it. And both Democrats and Republicans have launched efforts to push supporters to vote early, either in person or by mail to “bank” their votes before Election Day on Nov. 5.

The letter went out on the day&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-first-ballots-voting-alabama-mail-1ef4f9694cc5edbb07fd3d641d6d248e">the first mailed ballots</a>&nbsp;of this year's general election were being sent, to absentee voters in Alabama.

Postal Service officials told reporters last month that almost 98% of ballots were returned to election officials within three days in 2020, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-united-states-government-georgia-237f3cc44f194d8228ddecd7b90c12df">in 2022, the figure was nearly 99%</a>. DeJoy said he would like to inch closer to 100% this election cycle and that the Postal Service is better positioned to handle ballots than four years ago.

But officials in rural states have been critical of the Postal Service for years as it has consolidated mail-processing centers to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-postal-service-delivery-changes-f7ca9fbf047c512aeeddaa2c6bbc500d">cut its costs and financial losses</a>.

In addition to being signed by the current and incoming presidents for both groups of election officials, the leaders of groups that represent local election officials in 25 states were listed.

The election officials warned that any election mail returned to an election office as undeliverable could trigger a process outlined in federal law for maintaining accurate lists of registered voters. That means a voter could be moved to “inactive” status and be required to take additional action to verify their address to participate in the election, the officials said in the letter.

Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, the recent past president of the National Association of Secretaries of State, sent his own letter in recent days to DeJoy. He said nearly 1,000 ballots from his state's Aug. 6 primary election couldn't be counted because they arrived too late or without postmarks — and more continue to come in.

“The Pony Express is more efficient at this point,"&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/ScottSchwabKS/status/1828527357172363328">Schwab posted</a>&nbsp;on the social media platform X in late August.

Schwab and other Kansas election officials also have said some ballots arrive on time but without postmarks, which keeps them from being counted under Kansas law. What's more, Schwab told DeJoy, local postal clerks have told election officials that they can't add postmarks later even if it's clear that the Postal Service handled the ballot ahead of the mail-in deadline.

Kansas will count ballots postmarked on or before Election Day if they arrive within three days. The Republican-controlled Legislature created that grace period in 2017 over concerns that mail delivery had slowed after the Postal Service shut down seven mail-processing centers in the state. That left much of the state's mail handled through larger centers in Denver, Amarillo, Texas, and Kansas City, Missouri.

Schwab has promoted the use of local ballot drop boxes for voting in advance, breaking with other Republicans who have suggested without evidence that they can be sources of fraud. Schwab has long said the boxes are more secure than the U.S. mail.

"Keep your ballot out of the hands of the federal government!” he advised voters&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/ScottSchwabKS/status/1827008733727051802">in a post on X</a>&nbsp;after the August primary.

In their letter Wednesday, election officials said colleagues across the U.S. have reported that Postal Service staff, from managers to mail carriers, are uninformed about the service's policies for handling election-related mail, give them inconsistent guidance and misdeliver ballots.

“There is no amount of proactive communication election officials can do to account for USPS’s inability to meet their own service delivery timelines,” the officials wrote. “State and local election officials need a committed partner in USPS.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596998697812.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA and CHRISTINA A. CASSIDY Associated PressTOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — State and local election officials from across the country on Wednesday warned that problems with the nation's mail delivery system threaten to disenfranchise voters in the upcoming presidential election, telling the head of the U.S. Postal Service that it hasn't fixed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-mail-ballots-a8ee9b88418e1f6b2835e91827d721bf">persistent deficiencies</a>.In an alarming letter, the officials said that over the past year, including the just-concluded primary season, mailed ballots that were postmarked on time were received by local election offices days after the deadline to be counted. They also noted that properly addressed election mail was being returned to them as undeliverable, a problem that could automatically send voters to inactive status through no fault of their own, potentially creating chaos when those voters show up to cast a ballot.The officials also said that repeated outreach to the Postal Service to resolve the issues had failed and that the widespread nature of the problems made it clear these were “not one-off mistakes or a problem with specific facilities. Instead, it demonstrates a pervasive lack of understanding and enforcement of USPS policies among its employees.”The letter to U.S. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy came from two groups that represent top election administrators in all 50 states. They told DeJoy, “We have not seen improvement or concerted efforts to remediate our concerns.”“We implore you to take immediate and tangible corrective action to address the ongoing performance issues with USPS election mail service,” they added. "Failure to do so will risk limiting voter participation and trust in the election process."A message seeking a response from the U.S. Postal Service was not immediately returned.The two groups, the National Association of Secretaries of State and the National Association of State Election Directors, said local election officials “in nearly every state” are receiving timely postmarked ballots after Election Day and outside the three to five business days USPS claims as the standard for first-class mail.The letter comes less than two weeks after DeJoy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-mail-ballots-postal-service-1fd285fd56f640a370d155d25458c423">said in an interview</a>&nbsp;that the Postal Service was ready to handle a flood of mail ballots expected as part of this November's presidential election and as former President Donald Trump continues to sow doubts about U.S. elections by falsely claiming he won in 2020.That year, amid the global pandemic, election officials reported sending just over 69 million ballots in the mail, a substantial increase from four years earlier.While it's likely that number will be smaller now, many voters have embraced mail voting and come to rely on it. And both Democrats and Republicans have launched efforts to push supporters to vote early, either in person or by mail to “bank” their votes before Election Day on Nov. 5.The letter went out on the day&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2024-first-ballots-voting-alabama-mail-1ef4f9694cc5edbb07fd3d641d6d248e">the first mailed ballots</a>&nbsp;of this year's general election were being sent, to absentee voters in Alabama.Postal Service officials told reporters last month that almost 98% of ballots were returned to election officials within three days in 2020, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-united-states-government-georgia-237f3cc44f194d8228ddecd7b90c12df">in 2022, the figure was nearly 99%</a>. DeJoy said he would like to inch closer to 100% this election cycle and that the Postal Service is better positioned to handle ballots than four years ago.But officials in rural states have been critical of the Postal Service for years as it has consolidated mail-processing centers to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-postal-service-delivery-changes-f7ca9fbf047c512aeeddaa2c6bbc500d">cut its costs and financial losses</a>.In addition to being signed by the current and incoming presidents for both groups of election officials, the leaders of groups that represent local election officials in 25 states were listed.The election officials warned that any election mail returned to an election office as undeliverable could trigger a process outlined in federal law for maintaining accurate lists of registered voters. That means a voter could be moved to “inactive” status and be required to take additional action to verify their address to participate in the election, the officials said in the letter.Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab, the recent past president of the National Association of Secretaries of State, sent his own letter in recent days to DeJoy. He said nearly 1,000 ballots from his state's Aug. 6 primary election couldn't be counted because they arrived too late or without postmarks — and more continue to come in.“The Pony Express is more efficient at this point,"&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/ScottSchwabKS/status/1828527357172363328">Schwab posted</a>&nbsp;on the social media platform X in late August.Schwab and other Kansas election officials also have said some ballots arrive on time but without postmarks, which keeps them from being counted under Kansas law. What's more, Schwab told DeJoy, local postal clerks have told election officials that they can't add postmarks later even if it's clear that the Postal Service handled the ballot ahead of the mail-in deadline.Kansas will count ballots postmarked on or before Election Day if they arrive within three days. The Republican-controlled Legislature created that grace period in 2017 over concerns that mail delivery had slowed after the Postal Service shut down seven mail-processing centers in the state. That left much of the state's mail handled through larger centers in Denver, Amarillo, Texas, and Kansas City, Missouri.Schwab has promoted the use of local ballot drop boxes for voting in advance, breaking with other Republicans who have suggested without evidence that they can be sources of fraud. Schwab has long said the boxes are more secure than the U.S. mail."Keep your ballot out of the hands of the federal government!” he advised voters&nbsp;<a href="https://twitter.com/ScottSchwabKS/status/1827008733727051802">in a post on X</a>&nbsp;after the August primary.In their letter Wednesday, election officials said colleagues across the U.S. have reported that Postal Service staff, from managers to mail carriers, are uninformed about the service's policies for handling election-related mail, give them inconsistent guidance and misdeliver ballots.“There is no amount of proactive communication election officials can do to account for USPS’s inability to meet their own service delivery timelines,” the officials wrote. “State and local election officials need a committed partner in USPS.”____ Cassidy reported from Detroit.

Election officials: Widespread problems with the US mail could disrupt voting

KIOWA COUNTY—An 87-year-old man remains jailed on multiple allegations after a standoff at a Kansas home, according to Kiowa County jail records.

Just after 4:30p.m. September 2, the Greensburg Police Department and Kiowa County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to a shots fired call in the 400 block of Main Street&nbsp; in Greensburg, according to a media release. 

 When officers arrived, they discovered 87-year-old Jack A. Loesch had fired shots inside his residence and barricaded himself inside the residence. 

 Area residents were evacuated and calls for assistance were made to the Kansas Highway Patrol and the Pratt County Sheriff's Office.&nbsp;

Just after 7p.m. negotiations were successful and Loesch was taken into custody without incident.  No injuries were reported to civilians or law enforcement.  The case is being investigated by the Greensburg Police Department.&nbsp; Loesch is being held on a $500,000 bond on a requested charge of Aggravated assault, Use of a deadly weapon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725968745233.png" alt="Loesch-photo Kiowa Co." />
 <figcaption>Loesch-photo Kiowa Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KIOWA COUNTY—An 87-year-old man remains jailed on multiple allegations after a standoff at a Kansas home, according to Kiowa County jail records.Just after 4:30p.m. September 2, the Greensburg Police Department and Kiowa County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to a shots fired call in the 400 block of Main Street&nbsp; in Greensburg, according to a media release. When officers arrived, they discovered 87-year-old Jack A. Loesch had fired shots inside his residence and barricaded himself inside the residence. Area residents were evacuated and calls for assistance were made to the Kansas Highway Patrol and the Pratt County Sheriff's Office.&nbsp;Just after 7p.m. negotiations were successful and Loesch was taken into custody without incident. No injuries were reported to civilians or law enforcement. The case is being investigated by the Greensburg Police Department.&nbsp; Loesch is being held on a $500,000 bond on a requested charge of Aggravated assault, Use of a deadly weapon.

87-year-old remains jailed a week after standoff at Kan.  home

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Prices at the pump are continuing a general downward trend for fuel buyers, according to Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas.

"The average gas price in Kansas is $2.96 a gallon," Steward said. "We're under that $3 a gallon threshold. Currently, 13 states across the country have a sub-$3 average. We're definitely trending down in many areas of the country."

"Right now, demand is pretty light in the United States," Steward said. "It has been for a while. Crude oil prices have been fairly stable to falling. We do have a situation with Hurricane Francine, which has bumped up prices one to one and a half percent."

Assuming that damage from Francine doesn't tighten gasoline stocks, prices still could go lower.

"They assess after the storm passes," Steward said. "Apparently, about 38 or 39% of Gulf production was temporarily off line as the hurricane passed through. Now, the assessment stage happens, where they look for damage. Certainly, there's power outages that impact refineries, as well. It may be a short-lived impact of that hurricane."

With demand traditionally dropping in the fall months and the less expensive winter blend of gas entering the system, there's a good opportunity for even more savings in the coming weeks.

NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Prices at the pump are continuing a general downward trend for fuel buyers, according to Shawn Steward with AAA Kansas."The average gas price in Kansas is $2.96 a gallon," Steward said. "We're under that $3 a gallon threshold. Currently, 13 states across the country have a sub-$3 average. We're definitely trending down in many areas of the country.""Right now, demand is pretty light in the United States," Steward said. "It has been for a while. Crude oil prices have been fairly stable to falling. We do have a situation with Hurricane Francine, which has bumped up prices one to one and a half percent."Assuming that damage from Francine doesn't tighten gasoline stocks, prices still could go lower."They assess after the storm passes," Steward said. "Apparently, about 38 or 39% of Gulf production was temporarily off line as the hurricane passed through. Now, the assessment stage happens, where they look for damage. Certainly, there's power outages that impact refineries, as well. It may be a short-lived impact of that hurricane."With demand traditionally dropping in the fall months and the less expensive winter blend of gas entering the system, there's a good opportunity for even more savings in the coming weeks.

Gas prices in Kansas continue downward trend

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a homicide in Topeka and have made an arrest.

have identified the victim as 47-year-old Michael Sanchez, according to Topeka Police Lieutenant Ronnie Connell.

Just before 9a.m. Friday, police responded to the 1300 block of SW Western in Topeka on a report of an individual down, according to Police Lt. Matt Danielson.

First responders located&nbsp; 47-year-old Michael Sanchez suffering from gunshot wounds. He was pronounced deceased on scene.

As a result of the investigation, 23-year-old Caleb Horton of Topeka was taken to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges: Murder in the 1 st Degree, Unlawful discharge of a firearm in the city limits and Criminal possession of a weapon by a felon.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726142046081.png" alt="Horton photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Horton photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a homicide in Topeka and have made an arrest.have identified the victim as 47-year-old Michael Sanchez, according to Topeka Police Lieutenant Ronnie Connell.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725645926163.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 9a.m. Friday, police responded to the 1300 block of SW Western in Topeka on a report of an individual down, according to Police Lt. Matt Danielson.First responders located&nbsp; 47-year-old Michael Sanchez suffering from gunshot wounds. He was pronounced deceased on scene.As a result of the investigation, 23-year-old Caleb Horton of Topeka was taken to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges: Murder in the 1 st Degree, Unlawful discharge of a firearm in the city limits and Criminal possession of a weapon by a felon.

Suspect accused of murder of man outside Kansas home

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A tech billionaire performed the first private spacewalk hundreds of miles above Earth on Thursday, a high-risk endeavor reserved for professional astronauts — until now.

Tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman teamed up with SpaceX to test the company’s brand new spacesuits on his chartered flight. The daring spacewalk also saw SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis going out once Isaacman was safely back inside.

This spacewalk was simple and quick — less than two hours — compared with the drawn-out affairs conducted by NASA. Astronauts at the International Space Station often need to move across the sprawling complex for repairs, always traveling in pairs and lugging gear. Station spacewalks can last seven to eight hours.

Isaacman emerged first from the hatch, joining a small elite group of spacewalkers who until now had included only professional astronauts from a dozen countries.

“Back at home, we all have a lot of work to do. But from here, it sure looks like a perfect world," Isaacman said as the capsule soared above the South Pacific. Cameras on board caught his silhouette, waist high at the hatch, with the blue Earth beneath.

The commercial spacewalk was the main focus of the five-day flight financed by Isaacman and Elon Musk’s company, and the culmination of years of development geared toward settling Mars and other planets.

All four on board donned the new spacewalking suits to protect themselves from the harsh vacuum. They launched on Tuesday from Florida, rocketing farther from Earth than anyone since NASA’s moonwalkers. The orbit was reduced by half — to 460 miles (740 kilometers) — for the spacewalk.

This first spacewalking test involved more stretching than walking. Isaacman kept a hand or foot attached to it the whole time as he flexed his arms and legs to see how the spacesuit held up. The hatch sported a walker-like structure for extra support.

After roughly 10 minutes outside, Isaacman was replaced by SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis to go through the same motions. Gillis bobbed up and down in weightlessness, no higher than her knees out of the capsule, as she twisted her arms and sent reports back to Mission Control.

Each had 12-foot (3.6-meter) tethers but did not unfurl them or dangle at the end unlike what happens at the space station, where astronauts routinely float out at a much lower orbit.

More and more wealthy passengers are plunking down huge sums for rides aboard private rockets to experience a few minutes of weightlessness. Other have spent tens of millions to stay in space for days or even weeks. Space experts and risk analysts say it’s inevitable that some will seek the thrill of spacewalking, deemed one of the most dangerous parts of spaceflight after launch and reentry but also the most soul-stirring.

This operation was planned down to the minute with little room for error. Trying out new spacesuits from a spacecraft new to spacewalking added to the risk. So did the fact that the entire capsule was exposed to the vacuum of space.

There were a few glitches. Isaacman had to manually pull the hatch open instead of pushing a button on board. Before heading out, Gillis reported seeing bulges in the hatch seal.

Scott “Kidd” Poteet, a former Air Force Thunderbird pilot, and SpaceX engineer Anna Menon stayed strapped to their seats to monitor from inside. All four underwent intensive training before the trip.

Mission controllers announced the spacewalk complete from company headquarters in Hawthorne, California, after one hour and 46 minutes — or a full swing and then some around Earth.

It went by “in the blink of an eye,” said SpaceX commentator Kate Tice.

Isaacman, 41, CEO and founder of the Shift4 credit card-processing company, has declined to disclose how much he invested in the flight. It was the first of three flights in a program he’s dubbed Polaris; this one was called Polaris Dawn. For SpaceX’s inaugural private flight in 2021, he took up contest winners and a cancer survivor.

Until Thursday, only 263 people had conducted a spacewalk, representing 12 countries. The Soviet Union’s Alexei Leonov kicked it off in 1965, followed a few months later by NASA’s Ed White.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — A tech billionaire performed the first private spacewalk hundreds of miles above Earth on Thursday, a high-risk endeavor reserved for professional astronauts — until now.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Watch Dragon’s first spacewalk with the <a href="https://twitter.com/PolarisProgram?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PolarisProgram</a>’s Polaris Dawn crew <a href="https://t.co/svdJRkGN7K">https://t.co/svdJRkGN7K</a>&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1834154037606056327?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Tech entrepreneur Jared Isaacman teamed up with SpaceX to test the company’s brand new spacesuits on his chartered flight. The daring spacewalk also saw SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis going out once Isaacman was safely back inside.This spacewalk was simple and quick — less than two hours — compared with the drawn-out affairs conducted by NASA. Astronauts at the International Space Station often need to move across the sprawling complex for repairs, always traveling in pairs and lugging gear. Station spacewalks can last seven to eight hours.Isaacman emerged first from the hatch, joining a small elite group of spacewalkers who until now had included only professional astronauts from a dozen countries.“Back at home, we all have a lot of work to do. But from here, it sure looks like a perfect world," Isaacman said as the capsule soared above the South Pacific. Cameras on board caught his silhouette, waist high at the hatch, with the blue Earth beneath.The commercial spacewalk was the main focus of the five-day flight financed by Isaacman and Elon Musk’s company, and the culmination of years of development geared toward settling Mars and other planets.All four on board donned the new spacewalking suits to protect themselves from the harsh vacuum. They launched on Tuesday from Florida, rocketing farther from Earth than anyone since NASA’s moonwalkers. The orbit was reduced by half — to 460 miles (740 kilometers) — for the spacewalk.This first spacewalking test involved more stretching than walking. Isaacman kept a hand or foot attached to it the whole time as he flexed his arms and legs to see how the spacesuit held up. The hatch sported a walker-like structure for extra support.After roughly 10 minutes outside, Isaacman was replaced by SpaceX engineer Sarah Gillis to go through the same motions. Gillis bobbed up and down in weightlessness, no higher than her knees out of the capsule, as she twisted her arms and sent reports back to Mission Control.Each had 12-foot (3.6-meter) tethers but did not unfurl them or dangle at the end unlike what happens at the space station, where astronauts routinely float out at a much lower orbit.More and more wealthy passengers are plunking down huge sums for rides aboard private rockets to experience a few minutes of weightlessness. Other have spent tens of millions to stay in space for days or even weeks. Space experts and risk analysts say it’s inevitable that some will seek the thrill of spacewalking, deemed one of the most dangerous parts of spaceflight after launch and reentry but also the most soul-stirring.This operation was planned down to the minute with little room for error. Trying out new spacesuits from a spacecraft new to spacewalking added to the risk. So did the fact that the entire capsule was exposed to the vacuum of space.There were a few glitches. Isaacman had to manually pull the hatch open instead of pushing a button on board. Before heading out, Gillis reported seeing bulges in the hatch seal.Scott “Kidd” Poteet, a former Air Force Thunderbird pilot, and SpaceX engineer Anna Menon stayed strapped to their seats to monitor from inside. All four underwent intensive training before the trip.Mission controllers announced the spacewalk complete from company headquarters in Hawthorne, California, after one hour and 46 minutes — or a full swing and then some around Earth.It went by “in the blink of an eye,” said SpaceX commentator Kate Tice.Isaacman, 41, CEO and founder of the Shift4 credit card-processing company, has declined to disclose how much he invested in the flight. It was the first of three flights in a program he’s dubbed Polaris; this one was called Polaris Dawn. For SpaceX’s inaugural private flight in 2021, he took up contest winners and a cancer survivor.Until Thursday, only 263 people had conducted a spacewalk, representing 12 countries. The Soviet Union’s Alexei Leonov kicked it off in 1965, followed a few months later by NASA’s Ed White.___

🎥Tech billionaire makes first private spacewalk high above Earth

PLATTE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a bank robbery and asking for help to identify a suspect.

Early Wednesday, the FBI and Parkville Police Department were notified of damage that occurred Tuesday night to the unopened, new Chase Bank on 9000 Tom Watson Parkway in Parkville, according to a media release from the city.

Preliminary information indicates the individual responsible may have thrown a Molotov cocktail at the ATM attached to the bank and multiple windows were damaged. 

This bank has not officially opened for business, and no one was injured or present during the incident.

The FBI is working alongside Parkville Police Department in this matter. The city released a security camera image of the individual believed to be the suspect.

Anyone with information on this incident or the identity of the individual in the attached photo should call the FBI at 816-512-8200 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726102223941.png" alt="The city released a security camera image of the individual believed to be the suspect." />
 <figcaption>The city released a security camera image of the individual believed to be the suspect.</figcaption>
 </figure>PLATTE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a bank robbery and asking for help to identify a suspect.Early Wednesday, the FBI and Parkville Police Department were notified of damage that occurred Tuesday night to the unopened, new Chase Bank on 9000 Tom Watson Parkway in Parkville, according to a media release from the city.Preliminary information indicates the individual responsible may have thrown a Molotov cocktail at the ATM attached to the bank and multiple windows were damaged. This bank has not officially opened for business, and no one was injured or present during the incident.The FBI is working alongside Parkville Police Department in this matter. The city released a security camera image of the individual believed to be the suspect.Anyone with information on this incident or the identity of the individual in the attached photo should call the FBI at 816-512-8200 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi

Suspect threw Molotov cocktail at KC area bank ATM

CHEROKEE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 8:30p.m. Wednesday in Cherokee County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Honda motorcycle driven by William J J&nbsp;Meiers-Vilmer, 36, Pittsburg, was northbound on SE 70th Street at&nbsp;SE Quakervale Road in Riverton.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The motorcycle rear-ended a&nbsp;2015 Dodge Ram driven by Zachary T.&nbsp;Truster, 35, Baxter Springs, Kansas, who&nbsp;stopped in traffic waiting to turn left onto SE Quakervale Road.

&nbsp;EMS transported Meiers-Vilmer to&nbsp;Freeman Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp;Truster was not injured.&nbsp;Meiers-Vilmer was not wearing a. helmet, according to the KHP.

CHEROKEE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 8:30p.m. Wednesday in Cherokee County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2000 Honda motorcycle driven by William J J&nbsp;Meiers-Vilmer, 36, Pittsburg, was northbound on SE 70th Street at&nbsp;SE Quakervale Road in Riverton.&nbsp;&nbsp;The motorcycle rear-ended a&nbsp;2015 Dodge Ram driven by Zachary T.&nbsp;Truster, 35, Baxter Springs, Kansas, who&nbsp;stopped in traffic waiting to turn left onto SE Quakervale Road.&nbsp;EMS transported Meiers-Vilmer to&nbsp;Freeman Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp;Truster was not injured.&nbsp;Meiers-Vilmer was not wearing a. helmet, according to the KHP.