SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man who offered women rides and then sexually assaulted them has been sentenced. 

District Judge Seth Rundle sentenced Marlon Montoya, 41 of Wichita, to just over 7-years in prison.&nbsp; In April Montoya pled guilty&nbsp; to two counts of aggravated sexual battery.

On December 31, 2021, a 54-year-old woman said Montoya sexually assaulted her in a parking lot in northeast Wichita. The woman told police she had been walking and decided to get into Montoya’s car. Montoya drove to the lot in the 1000 block of N. Topeka and forced her to have sex at knifepoint.

In January of 2022, Montoya picked up a 63-year old-woman. He sexually assaulted her in a park on east 16th St. North.&nbsp;

On January 27, 2021, police located Montoya in 1000 block of E MacArthur in Wichita and took him into custody.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1643404495160.png" alt="Montoya-photo KBI Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Montoya-photo KBI Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man who offered women rides and then sexually assaulted them has been sentenced. District Judge Seth Rundle sentenced Marlon Montoya, 41 of Wichita, to just over 7-years in prison.&nbsp; In April Montoya pled guilty&nbsp; to two counts of aggravated sexual battery.On December 31, 2021, a 54-year-old woman said Montoya sexually assaulted her in a parking lot in northeast Wichita. The woman told police she had been walking and decided to get into Montoya’s car. Montoya drove to the lot in the 1000 block of N. Topeka and forced her to have sex at knifepoint.In January of 2022, Montoya picked up a 63-year old-woman. He sexually assaulted her in a park on east 16th St. North.&nbsp;On January 27, 2021, police located Montoya in 1000 block of E MacArthur in Wichita and took him into custody.

Kan. man sentenced for rape of women he gave rides

SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for alleged drug distribution.&nbsp;

Just after 1p.m. Thursday, a deputy with the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a black Lexus&nbsp;near&nbsp;SW 29th&nbsp;Street&nbsp;and SW Wanamaker Road for an improper turn, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. The driver had a suspended driver’s license.

During the investigation, the deputy found illegal narcotics.

Shortly before 2 pm, a subsequent narcotics related search warrant was executed in the 6100 block of SW 26th&nbsp;Court. Additional illegal narcotics and paraphernalia were located.

Deputies arrested Julian L. Williams, 55, of Topeka and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, driving while license suspended and improperly making a left turn.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688726133038.png" alt="Williams-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Williams-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for alleged drug distribution.&nbsp;Just after 1p.m. Thursday, a deputy with the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office conducted a traffic stop on a black Lexus&nbsp;near&nbsp;SW 29th&nbsp;Street&nbsp;and SW Wanamaker Road for an improper turn, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. The driver had a suspended driver’s license.During the investigation, the deputy found illegal narcotics.Shortly before 2 pm, a subsequent narcotics related search warrant was executed in the 6100 block of SW 26th&nbsp;Court. Additional illegal narcotics and paraphernalia were located.Deputies arrested Julian L. Williams, 55, of Topeka and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of drug paraphernalia with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, driving while license suspended and improperly making a left turn.

Kansas man accused of selling cocaine

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating the July 2, mass shooting at the City Nightz club in Wichita's Old Town are asking the public for help to locate&nbsp;23-year-old Jaylen Thomas of Wichita for questioning in connection to the incident.

On Friday police arrested 19-year-old Ameir King-Ingram and booked him into the Sedgwick County jail for his role in the shooting.

Just before 1a.m. July 2, police responded to the club in the 200 Block of North Washington, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses.

There were nine people with gunshot wounds and two people were trampled during the mass exodus out of the club.&nbsp;&nbsp;No one was killed but one person was critically injured.&nbsp; Police originally arrested a Missouri man as a suspect.&nbsp;He was released from jail after the Sedgwick County District Attorney determined he was acting in self defense.

The investigation indicates there were at least four firearms discharged inside the club. Police&nbsp; also seized an additional four firearms as part of the investigation.

The shooting victims included a 21-year-old man, 26-year-old man, 24-year-old woman, 34-year-old man, 21-year-old woman, 30-year-old man, 24-year-old man. The traumatic injury victims were a 31-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man, according to Moses. Two additional gunshot victims checked into the hospital later Sunday.

King-Ingram is being held on requested charges that include two counts of aggravated battery and one count of criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688849063007.png" alt="Thomas-photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Thomas-photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating the July 2, mass shooting at the City Nightz club in Wichita's Old Town are asking the public for help to locate&nbsp;23-year-old Jaylen Thomas of Wichita for questioning in connection to the incident.On Friday police arrested 19-year-old Ameir King-Ingram and booked him into the Sedgwick County jail for his role in the shooting.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688300318332.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting investigation July 2, -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation July 2, -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 1a.m. July 2, police responded to the club in the 200 Block of North Washington, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses.There were nine people with gunshot wounds and two people were trampled during the mass exodus out of the club.&nbsp;&nbsp;No one was killed but one person was critically injured.&nbsp; Police originally arrested a Missouri man as a suspect.&nbsp;He was released from jail after the Sedgwick County District Attorney determined he was acting in self defense.The investigation indicates there were at least four firearms discharged inside the club. Police&nbsp; also seized an additional four firearms as part of the investigation.The shooting victims included a 21-year-old man, 26-year-old man, 24-year-old woman, 34-year-old man, 21-year-old woman, 30-year-old man, 24-year-old man. The traumatic injury victims were a 31-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man, according to Moses. Two additional gunshot victims checked into the hospital later Sunday.King-Ingram is being held on requested charges that include two counts of aggravated battery and one count of criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

Police ask for help to locate Kan. man in mass shooting  investigation

JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just after 9:30a.m.&nbsp; July 5, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop near 178th and U.S. Highway 75 on a 2013 Ford Focus for an alleged traffic infraction, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

 During the course of the traffic stop, a deputy discovered items believed to be illegal drug contraband.  The driver, Heather Ann Stebbins, 36, of Lincoln, Nebraska was arrested by deputies and. her booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and endangering a child.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688677478262.png" alt="Stebbins-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Stebbins-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just after 9:30a.m.&nbsp; July 5, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop near 178th and U.S. Highway 75 on a 2013 Ford Focus for an alleged traffic infraction, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. During the course of the traffic stop, a deputy discovered items believed to be illegal drug contraband. The driver, Heather Ann Stebbins, 36, of Lincoln, Nebraska was arrested by deputies and. her booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia and endangering a child.

Sheriff: Woman was transporting meth with kids in car

LABETTE COUNTY– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Labette County Sheriff’s Office are conducting an investigation into the death of a man from Cherryvale, Kansas. The preliminary investigation indicates the death is the result of homicide, according to a media release from the KBI.

Just before 1:30p.m. Friday, Labette County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a shooting. Police located the victim, Thaine Lee Anderson, 74, of Cherryvale, Kansas, at his residence of 21079 Douglas Road. Anderson suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the head.

During the course of the investigation, the suspect, a 14-year-old boy, was located and arrested on a requested charge of first-degree-murder. He was taken to the Southeast Kansas Regional Juvenile Center in Girard, Kansas.

The Kansas Wildlife and Parks also assisted with this investigation.

The case will be prosecuted by the Labette County Attorney.&nbsp;

LABETTE COUNTY– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Labette County Sheriff’s Office are conducting an investigation into the death of a man from Cherryvale, Kansas. The preliminary investigation indicates the death is the result of homicide, according to a media release from the KBI.Just before 1:30p.m. Friday, Labette County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a shooting. Police located the victim, Thaine Lee Anderson, 74, of Cherryvale, Kansas, at his residence of 21079 Douglas Road. Anderson suffered a fatal gunshot wound to the head.During the course of the investigation, the suspect, a 14-year-old boy, was located and arrested on a requested charge of first-degree-murder. He was taken to the Southeast Kansas Regional Juvenile Center in Girard, Kansas.The Kansas Wildlife and Parks also assisted with this investigation.The case will be prosecuted by the Labette County Attorney.&nbsp;

KBI: 14-year-old accused of 74-year-old man's murder

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are&nbsp;investigating a traffic collision that fatally injured 19-year-old Gavin Phillips of Wichita.

Just before 10:30 a.m. July 1, police responded to&nbsp; vehicle that struck a tree at the 2900 block of South Oliver in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

First responders located Phillips inside the vehicle unresponsive. EMS and Wichita Fire rendered emergency aid to Phillips and transported him to a local hospital with critical injuries. Phillips did not regain consciousness after the impact and was later pronounced deceased by medical staff.

Investigators learned that Phillips was driving southbound in a normal manner when, for unknown reasons, he took an erratic turn to the left and struck a tree. No other vehicles were involved.

Anyone who witnessed the collision is asked to contact detectives at 316-350-3687.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688775283681.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are&nbsp;investigating a traffic collision that fatally injured 19-year-old Gavin Phillips of Wichita.Just before 10:30 a.m. July 1, police responded to&nbsp; vehicle that struck a tree at the 2900 block of South Oliver in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.First responders located Phillips inside the vehicle unresponsive. EMS and Wichita Fire rendered emergency aid to Phillips and transported him to a local hospital with critical injuries. Phillips did not regain consciousness after the impact and was later pronounced deceased by medical staff.Investigators learned that Phillips was driving southbound in a normal manner when, for unknown reasons, he took an erratic turn to the left and struck a tree. No other vehicles were involved.Anyone who witnessed the collision is asked to contact detectives at 316-350-3687.

Police investigating crash that killed Kansas teen

By SAM BAILEY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Tissues clutched in her fist, Sherry Lesher stood before lawmakers Thursday with an urn containing the ashes of her 17-year-old son.

AJ, her son, died in 2017 from a drug overdose after years of trying to find help from the state. The day before AJ died in his sleep, Lesher begged that he be taken from her in the hopes of finding help after a recent drug test found Oxycontin in his system, but he was left in the home. Family Preservation services are used by the foster care system to keep children in homes and work with parents to solve issues while taking care of the child’s safety.&nbsp;

“Family Preservation’s goal was to keep him in the home,” Lesher said. ”He’ll be in the home forever now.”

Before his death, AJ lived with multiple diagnoses, including autism, and struggled with impulsive decision making, causing him to act like a young child. His family said that while he died of an overdose, he was not an addict but an unregulated kid who didn’t get the support he needed.

Lesher and Ashley Crego, AJ’s sister, joined others frustrated by the foster care system during a legislative committee on child welfare oversight Thursday. Many speakers shared frustrations with the system, and some came to the lectern fighting tears from hearing testimony.

The day before AJ died, Lesher stood in the kitchen arguing with him about a recent, failed drug test. During the argument, Lesher begged a therapist for Saint Francis Ministries, the state’s largest foster care contractor, to take AJ. But her son said he wouldn’t take drugs again, and the therapist left

“The next day, I go to wake my child up,” Lesher said. “He never woke up again.”

When AJ was alive, his family felt they didn’t get the support they needed. Lesher said the state wouldn’t provide mental health services to AJ through a psychiatric residential treatment facility, even though he ended up spending time at one for being a danger to himself due to his impulsive nature.

Even after his death, AJ’s family said they were still being hurt by the system. Lesher said the therapist who left her with AJ the night of his death continually called her, asking if the autopsy had come back yet, and would park his car on the road weeks afterward. Lesher said she had to file a cease and desist to get him to leave them alone.

Additionally, Saint Francis continued to bill the family after AJ died, including a bill for attending AJ’s funeral, even though no one from Saint Francis attended.

“The rail for my brother’s viewing was only large enough to hold about six people at a time,” Crego said. “Not only was I present the whole time, but I was also the last person to say goodbye to my little brother. I know who was there.”

Lesher said AJ’s death broke her family. Her grandchildren, close friends with AJ, could not visit their house two years after his death. Lesher and Crego also suffered tolls to their mental health, with Lesher attempting suicide on multiple occasions.

Lesher voiced her anger with the foster care system during her testimony before lawmakers. She said any trained professional should have seen what was happening to AJ.

“As long as they keep making those stakeholders happy, who cares about the kids? Who cares about AJ? It was only my child,” Lesher said.

Several other individuals spoke before the Legislature to vent their grievances with the foster care system, including a one-time foster parent who has no plans of returning to the system due to a lack of support.&nbsp;

Laura Howard, secretary of the Kansas Department for Children and Families, spoke after those who shared their stories and told lawmakers about various updates in DCF and statistics in foster care. When given the opportunity to respond to the speakers and share some comfort, she said she is always looking for the gaps in the system that need improvement.

“(I appreciate) the willingness of folks to comment and kind of share their pain in a public way really with the hope of seeing improvements in a system, because I think that’s what we all want to see,” Howard said.

Lesher said none of the entities who were supposed to care for AJ have apologized or shown any accountability for his death. After Howard spoke, Crego said she feels like the past five years she’s been “screaming to the void” to try and get someone to listen and acknowledge AJ existed.

“The only task more daunting than trying to breathe the entire essence of such a beautiful life into five minutes has been trying to hold the agencies who helped make his death a reality accountable for over five years to no avail,” Crego said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688314974546.png" alt=" Sherry Lesher holds up her son's ashes during a legislative committee on child welfare oversight Thursday. Her son AJ died in 2017 of an overdose after years of trying to get help from the state. (Sam Bailey/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Sherry Lesher holds up her son's ashes during a legislative committee on child welfare oversight Thursday. Her son AJ died in 2017 of an overdose after years of trying to get help from the state. (Sam Bailey/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SAM BAILEY <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Tissues clutched in her fist, Sherry Lesher stood before lawmakers Thursday with an urn containing the ashes of her 17-year-old son.AJ, her son, died in 2017 from a drug overdose after years of trying to find help from the state. The day before AJ died in his sleep, Lesher begged that he be taken from her in the hopes of finding help after a recent drug test found Oxycontin in his system, but he was left in the home. Family Preservation services are used by the foster care system to keep children in homes and work with parents to solve issues while taking care of the child’s safety.&nbsp;“Family Preservation’s goal was to keep him in the home,” Lesher said. ”He’ll be in the home forever now.”Before his death, AJ lived with multiple diagnoses, including autism, and struggled with impulsive decision making, causing him to act like a young child. His family said that while he died of an overdose, he was not an addict but an unregulated kid who didn’t get the support he needed.Lesher and Ashley Crego, AJ’s sister, joined others frustrated by the foster care system during a legislative committee on child welfare oversight Thursday. Many speakers shared frustrations with the system, and some came to the lectern fighting tears from hearing testimony.The day before AJ died, Lesher stood in the kitchen arguing with him about a recent, failed drug test. During the argument, Lesher begged a therapist for Saint Francis Ministries, the state’s largest foster care contractor, to take AJ. But her son said he wouldn’t take drugs again, and the therapist left“The next day, I go to wake my child up,” Lesher said. “He never woke up again.”When AJ was alive, his family felt they didn’t get the support they needed. Lesher said the state wouldn’t provide mental health services to AJ through a psychiatric residential treatment facility, even though he ended up spending time at one for being a danger to himself due to his impulsive nature.Even after his death, AJ’s family said they were still being hurt by the system. Lesher said the therapist who left her with AJ the night of his death continually called her, asking if the autopsy had come back yet, and would park his car on the road weeks afterward. Lesher said she had to file a cease and desist to get him to leave them alone.Additionally, Saint Francis continued to bill the family after AJ died, including a bill for attending AJ’s funeral, even though no one from Saint Francis attended.“The rail for my brother’s viewing was only large enough to hold about six people at a time,” Crego said. “Not only was I present the whole time, but I was also the last person to say goodbye to my little brother. I know who was there.”Lesher said AJ’s death broke her family. Her grandchildren, close friends with AJ, could not visit their house two years after his death. Lesher and Crego also suffered tolls to their mental health, with Lesher attempting suicide on multiple occasions.Lesher voiced her anger with the foster care system during her testimony before lawmakers. She said any trained professional should have seen what was happening to AJ.“As long as they keep making those stakeholders happy, who cares about the kids? Who cares about AJ? It was only my child,” Lesher said.Several other individuals spoke before the Legislature to vent their grievances with the foster care system, including a one-time foster parent who has no plans of returning to the system due to a lack of support.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688314892298.png" alt="Laura Howard, Kansas Department of Children and Families secretary, speaks during the legislative committee on child welfare oversight. (Sam Bailey/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Laura Howard, Kansas Department of Children and Families secretary, speaks during the legislative committee on child welfare oversight. (Sam Bailey/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>Laura Howard, secretary of the Kansas Department for Children and Families, spoke after those who shared their stories and told lawmakers about various updates in DCF and statistics in foster care. When given the opportunity to respond to the speakers and share some comfort, she said she is always looking for the gaps in the system that need improvement.“(I appreciate) the willingness of folks to comment and kind of share their pain in a public way really with the hope of seeing improvements in a system, because I think that’s what we all want to see,” Howard said.Lesher said none of the entities who were supposed to care for AJ have apologized or shown any accountability for his death. After Howard spoke, Crego said she feels like the past five years she’s been “screaming to the void” to try and get someone to listen and acknowledge AJ existed.“The only task more daunting than trying to breathe the entire essence of such a beautiful life into five minutes has been trying to hold the agencies who helped make his death a reality accountable for over five years to no avail,” Crego said.

Parents plead for accountability, support from Kansas foster care system

KANSAS CITY —A man wounded in a shooting last month in Kansas City has died.

Just after 7 pm June 30, police were dispatched to a shooting at 59th and Wabash in Kansas City, according to Police Captain Corey Carlisle.

First responders found&nbsp; 25-year-old&nbsp;Donnell Epperson on the sidewalk in front of a residence.&nbsp;

EMS arrived on scene and transported him to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries.&nbsp; Several days later Epperson died of his injuries

Police have no one is custody at this time.&nbsp; The circumstances surrounding the homicide are still being investigated.

KANSAS CITY —A man wounded in a shooting last month in Kansas City has died.Just after 7 pm June 30, police were dispatched to a shooting at 59th and Wabash in Kansas City, according to Police Captain Corey Carlisle.First responders found&nbsp; 25-year-old&nbsp;Donnell Epperson on the sidewalk in front of a residence.&nbsp;EMS arrived on scene and transported him to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries.&nbsp; Several days later Epperson died of his injuriesPolice have no one is custody at this time.&nbsp; The circumstances surrounding the homicide are still being investigated..&nbsp;&nbsp;

KCPD: Man wounded in shooting last month has died

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Republican attorney general of Kansas sued Friday to force the state to be among a few that prohibit transgender people from changing their sex on their driver's licenses and to repudiate the Democratic governor, who continues to allow such changes despite a new anti-trans law.

Attorney General Kris Kobach filed his lawsuit in state court, seeking an order to stop Gov. Laura Kelly, and agencies under her control, from letting transgender people change their licenses. Kobach contends a law that took effect Saturday prevents such changes and requires the state&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-rights-birth-certificates-kansas-df1e4120921749561ded2535263be223">to reverse any previous changes</a>&nbsp;in its records.

Kobach has argued that the law applies in the same way to birth certificates, but the lawsuit filed Friday doesn't address those documents. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/kansas-to-allow-trans-residents-to-change-birth-certificates-7409799fb2a144bca2fd90cd46b7ea6c">settlement of a 2018 federal lawsuit</a>&nbsp;requires Kansas to allow transgender people to change their birth certificates.

“The Governor cannot pick and choose which laws she will enforce and which laws she will ignore,” reads the lawsuit, filed in state district court in Shawnee County, home to the state capital, Topeka. It seeks to force the governor to enforce the law as he sees it and names as defendants two officials who oversee driver’s licenses.

While Kelly isn’t named as a defendant, the lawsuit holds her responsible for the policy on driver’s licenses.

“Governor Kelly is faithfully executing the laws of the state and has directed her administration to as well,” spokesperson Brianna Johnson said in a statement.

Even with a raft of measures targeting transgender people in statehouses across the U.S. this year, Kansas would be atypical for not allowing them to change sex or gender markers on birth certificates, driver's licenses or either. Montana and Tennessee also have policies against changing either document, and Oklahoma has a policy against changing birth certificates.

“The state has been doing just fine,” said Adam Kellogg, a 20-year-old transgender University of Kansas student. “The fact that this is an issue now for some reason is confusing, to say the least, when there hasn’t really been a problem.”

The dispute between Kobach and Kelly highlights an odd feature of their generally conservative state's modern politics. In the past 50 years, Republicans have won every U.S. Senate race, but Democrats have won half of the governor's races with support from GOP moderates. The Legislature has anti-abortion Republican supermajorities, but a statewide vote in August 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">decisively affirmed abortion rights.</a>

Kelly won her first term as governor in 2018 by defeating Kobach, who was then the Kansas secretary of state. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-immigration-kansas-topeka-339a45795e1e479b7754e2fc7a8127ed">staged a political comeback</a>&nbsp;last year by winning the attorney general’s race as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-donald-trump-kansas-topeka-39afdff811fd2f30a212036d5ec6e3fa">she captured a second term,</a>&nbsp;both of them by slim margins.

More than 900 people in Kansas have changed the listing for sex on their birth certificates in the past four years. About 400 have changed their driver's licenses in that period,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-identities-attacked-bathroom-laws-kansas-e8fc5f209f03f8d55a7491c071283bfb">about four times as many</a>&nbsp;a month this year as previously. The number of driver's licenses changes accelerated in May and June as LGBTQ+ rights advocates encouraged people to do it ahead of the new law.

<a href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/sb180_enrolled.pdf">That new law</a>&nbsp;defines a person's sex as male or female, based on the “biological reproductive system” identified at birth, applying that definition to any state law or regulation. It also says that “important governmental objectives" of protecting people's privacy, health and safety justify single-sex spaces such as bathrooms and locker rooms.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-law-transgender-birth-certificates-driver-licenses-d5d3631b6e624f24733d0dbdedc9c35e">The governor's office</a>&nbsp;said last week that the state health department, which handles birth certificates, and the motor vehicle division, which issues driver's licenses, would continue allowing transgender people to change the markers for sex on those documents. Her office said lawyers in her administration had concluded that doing so doesn't violate the new law. Kelly is a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/kansas-governor-expands-ban-on-anti-lgbt-bias-to-contractors-3ca7678ea8b747e38a495787cf046aee">strong supporter of LGBTQ+ rights</a>&nbsp;and vetoed the measure, but the Legislature&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-rights-bathroom-law-kansas-b3d068afa2bc02bb15314ee04e8e3899">overrode her.</a>

But the governor's statements about the new law are at odds with descriptions from LGBTQ+ rights advocates before the Republican-controlled Legislature enacted it over Kelly's veto. The advocates predicted that it would prevent transgender people from changing their driver's licenses and amounted to a legal “erasure” of their identities, something Kobach confirmed as the intent when he issued his legal opinion.

Kansas is also among at least 10 states with a law against transgender people using facilities in line with their gender identities, though it includes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-bathroom-laws-enforcement-e96e94b8935eb6bd23a42562cdeeec6c">no enforcement mechanism.</a>

“For me to go into a bathroom and not have a marker that represents who I am, I was terrified. I was afraid I was going to get accosted or harassed,” said Ty Goeke, a 37-year-old transgender Topeka resident who changed both his birth certificate and driver’s license last month. “Now that I have the correct marker, I feel much better, feel more confident."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1617726479094.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Republican attorney general of Kansas sued Friday to force the state to be among a few that prohibit transgender people from changing their sex on their driver's licenses and to repudiate the Democratic governor, who continues to allow such changes despite a new anti-trans law.Attorney General Kris Kobach filed his lawsuit in state court, seeking an order to stop Gov. Laura Kelly, and agencies under her control, from letting transgender people change their licenses. Kobach contends a law that took effect Saturday prevents such changes and requires the state&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-rights-birth-certificates-kansas-df1e4120921749561ded2535263be223">to reverse any previous changes</a>&nbsp;in its records.Kobach has argued that the law applies in the same way to birth certificates, but the lawsuit filed Friday doesn't address those documents. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/kansas-to-allow-trans-residents-to-change-birth-certificates-7409799fb2a144bca2fd90cd46b7ea6c">settlement of a 2018 federal lawsuit</a>&nbsp;requires Kansas to allow transgender people to change their birth certificates.“The Governor cannot pick and choose which laws she will enforce and which laws she will ignore,” reads the lawsuit, filed in state district court in Shawnee County, home to the state capital, Topeka. It seeks to force the governor to enforce the law as he sees it and names as defendants two officials who oversee driver’s licenses.While Kelly isn’t named as a defendant, the lawsuit holds her responsible for the policy on driver’s licenses.“Governor Kelly is faithfully executing the laws of the state and has directed her administration to as well,” spokesperson Brianna Johnson said in a statement.Even with a raft of measures targeting transgender people in statehouses across the U.S. this year, Kansas would be atypical for not allowing them to change sex or gender markers on birth certificates, driver's licenses or either. Montana and Tennessee also have policies against changing either document, and Oklahoma has a policy against changing birth certificates.“The state has been doing just fine,” said Adam Kellogg, a 20-year-old transgender University of Kansas student. “The fact that this is an issue now for some reason is confusing, to say the least, when there hasn’t really been a problem.”The dispute between Kobach and Kelly highlights an odd feature of their generally conservative state's modern politics. In the past 50 years, Republicans have won every U.S. Senate race, but Democrats have won half of the governor's races with support from GOP moderates. The Legislature has anti-abortion Republican supermajorities, but a statewide vote in August 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">decisively affirmed abortion rights.</a>Kelly won her first term as governor in 2018 by defeating Kobach, who was then the Kansas secretary of state. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-immigration-kansas-topeka-339a45795e1e479b7754e2fc7a8127ed">staged a political comeback</a>&nbsp;last year by winning the attorney general’s race as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-biden-donald-trump-kansas-topeka-39afdff811fd2f30a212036d5ec6e3fa">she captured a second term,</a>&nbsp;both of them by slim margins.More than 900 people in Kansas have changed the listing for sex on their birth certificates in the past four years. About 400 have changed their driver's licenses in that period,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-identities-attacked-bathroom-laws-kansas-e8fc5f209f03f8d55a7491c071283bfb">about four times as many</a>&nbsp;a month this year as previously. The number of driver's licenses changes accelerated in May and June as LGBTQ+ rights advocates encouraged people to do it ahead of the new law.<a href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/documents/sb180_enrolled.pdf">That new law</a>&nbsp;defines a person's sex as male or female, based on the “biological reproductive system” identified at birth, applying that definition to any state law or regulation. It also says that “important governmental objectives" of protecting people's privacy, health and safety justify single-sex spaces such as bathrooms and locker rooms.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-law-transgender-birth-certificates-driver-licenses-d5d3631b6e624f24733d0dbdedc9c35e">The governor's office</a>&nbsp;said last week that the state health department, which handles birth certificates, and the motor vehicle division, which issues driver's licenses, would continue allowing transgender people to change the markers for sex on those documents. Her office said lawyers in her administration had concluded that doing so doesn't violate the new law. Kelly is a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/kansas-governor-expands-ban-on-anti-lgbt-bias-to-contractors-3ca7678ea8b747e38a495787cf046aee">strong supporter of LGBTQ+ rights</a>&nbsp;and vetoed the measure, but the Legislature&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-rights-bathroom-law-kansas-b3d068afa2bc02bb15314ee04e8e3899">overrode her.</a>But the governor's statements about the new law are at odds with descriptions from LGBTQ+ rights advocates before the Republican-controlled Legislature enacted it over Kelly's veto. The advocates predicted that it would prevent transgender people from changing their driver's licenses and amounted to a legal “erasure” of their identities, something Kobach confirmed as the intent when he issued his legal opinion.Kansas is also among at least 10 states with a law against transgender people using facilities in line with their gender identities, though it includes&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-bathroom-laws-enforcement-e96e94b8935eb6bd23a42562cdeeec6c">no enforcement mechanism.</a>“For me to go into a bathroom and not have a marker that represents who I am, I was terrified. I was afraid I was going to get accosted or harassed,” said Ty Goeke, a 37-year-old transgender Topeka resident who changed both his birth certificate and driver’s license last month. “Now that I have the correct marker, I feel much better, feel more confident."

Court battle over transgender people in Kan. changing driver's licenses

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating the July 2, mass shooting at the City Nightz club in Wichita's Old Town arrested 19-year-old Ameir King-Ingram and booked him into the Sedgwick County jail just after noon Friday, according to online jail records.&nbsp;

Just before 1a.m. last Sunday, police responded to the club in the 200 Block of North Washington, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688816302231.png" alt="King-Ingram-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>King-Ingram-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating the July 2, mass shooting at the City Nightz club in Wichita's Old Town arrested 19-year-old Ameir King-Ingram and booked him into the Sedgwick County jail just after noon Friday, according to online jail records.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688300318332.png" alt="Police on the scene of the shooting investigation July 2, -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the shooting investigation July 2, -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 1a.m. last Sunday, police responded to the club in the 200 Block of North Washington, according to Police Lt. Aaron Moses.There were nine people with gunshot wounds and two people were trampled during the mass exodus out of the club.&nbsp;&nbsp;No one was killed but one person was critically injured.&nbsp; Police originally arrested a Missouri man as a suspect.&nbsp;He was released from jail after the Sedgwick County District Attorney determined he was acting in self defense.The investigation indicates there were at least four firearms discharged inside the club. Police&nbsp; also seized an additional four firearms as part of the investigation.The shooting victims included a 21-year-old man, 26-year-old man, 24-year-old woman, 34-year-old man, 21-year-old woman, 30-year-old man, 24-year-old man. The traumatic injury victims were a 31-year-old woman and a 30-year-old man, according to Moses. Two additional gunshot victims checked into the hospital later Sunday.King-Ingram is being held on requested charges that include two counts of aggravated battery and one count of criminal possession of a firearm by a felon, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

Police make arrest for mass shooting at Wichita night club

RICHMOND, Ky. (AP) — The last of the United States’ declared chemical weapons stockpile was destroyed at a sprawling military installation in eastern Kentucky, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell announced Friday, a milestone that closes a chapter of warfare dating back to World War I.

Workers at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky destroyed rockets filled with GB nerve agent, completing a decadeslong campaign to eliminate a stockpile that by the end of the Cold War totaled more than 30,000 tons.

“Chemical weapons are responsible for some of the most horrific episodes of human loss," McConnell said in a statement. "Though the use of these deadly agents will always be a stain on history, today our nation has finally fulfilled our promise to rid our arsenal of this evil.

The weapons' destruction is a major watershed for Richmond, Kentucky and Pueblo, Colorado, where an Army depot destroyed the last of its chemical agents last month. It's also a defining moment for arms control efforts worldwide.

The U.S. faced a Sept. 30 deadline to eliminate its remaining chemical weapons under the international Chemical Weapons Convention, which took effect in 1997 and was joined by 193 countries. The munitions being destroyed in Kentucky are the last of 51,000 M55 rockets with GB nerve agent — a deadly toxin also known as sarin — that have been stored at the depot since the 1940s.

By destroying the munitions, the U.S. is officially underscoring that these types of weapons are no longer acceptable in the battlefield and sending a message to the handful of countries that haven't joined the agreement, military experts say.

Friday’s announcement came as the Biden administration has also decided to provide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cluster-bombs-ukraine-biden-russia-unexploded-ordnance-cc16c482d86b34102ffeac6ee682a524">cluster munitions</a>&nbsp;to Ukraine, a weapon that two-thirds of NATO countries have banned because it can cause&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-afghanistan-israel-syria-europe-4ac7b012f2b63567ffde368f65283921">many civilian casualties</a>. National security adviser Jake Sullivan said Ukraine has promised to use the munitions — bombs that open in the air and release scores of smaller bomblets — carefully.

Chemical weapons were first used in modern warfare in World War I, where they were estimated have killed at least 100,000. Despite their use being subsequently banned by the Geneva Convention, countries continued to stockpile the weapons until the treaty calling for their destruction.

In southern Colorado, workers at the Army Pueblo Chemical Depot started destroying the weapons in 2016, and on June 22 completed their mission of neutralizing an entire cache of about 2,600 tons of mustard blister agent. The projectiles and mortars comprised about 8.5% of the country’s original chemical weapons stockpile of 30,610 tons of agent.

Nearly 800,000 chemical munitions containing mustard agent were stored since the 1950s inside row after row of heavily guarded concrete and earthen bunkers that pock the landscape near a large swath of farmland east of Pueblo.

The weapons' destruction alleviates a concern that civic leaders in Colorado and Kentucky admit was always in the back of their minds.

"Those (weapons) sitting out there were not a threat," Pueblo Mayor Nick Gradisar said. But, he added, “you always wondered what might happen with them.”

In the 1980s, the community around Kentucky’s Blue Grass Army Depot rose up in opposition to the Army’s initial plan to incinerate the plant’s 520 tons of chemical weapons, leading to a decadeslong battle over how they would be disposed of. They were able to halt the planned incineration plant, and then, with help from lawmakers, prompted the Army to submit alternative methods to burning the weapons.

Craig Williams, who became the leading voice of the community opposition and later a partner with political leadership and the military, said residents were concerned about potential toxic pollution from burning the deadly chemical agents.

Williams noted that the military eliminated most of its existing stockpile by burning weapons at other, more remote sites such as Johnston Atoll in the Pacific Ocean or at a chemical depot in the middle of the Utah desert. But the Kentucky site was adjacent to Richmond and only a few dozen miles away from Lexington, the state’s second-largest city.

“We had a middle school of over 600 kids a mile away from the (planned) smokestack,” Williams said.

The Kentucky storage facility has housed mustard agent and the VX and sarin nerve agents, much of it inside rockets and other projectiles, since the 1940s. The state’s disposal plant was completed in 2015 and began destroying weapons in 2019. It uses a process called neutralization to dilute the deadly agents so they can be safely disposed of.

The project, however, has been a boon for both communities, and facing the eventual loss of thousands of workers, both are pitching the pool of high-skilled laborers as a plus for companies looking to locate in their regions.

Workers at the Pueblo site used heavy machinery to meticulously — and slowly — load aging weapons onto conveyor systems that fed into secure rooms where remote-controlled robots did the dirty and dangerous work of eliminating the toxic mustard agent, which was designed to blister the skin and cause inflammation of the eyes, nose, throat and lungs.

Robotic equipment removed the weapons' fuses and bursters before the mustard agent was neutralized with hot water and mixed with a caustic solution to prevent the reaction from reversing. The byproduct was further broken down in large tanks swimming with microbes, and the mortars and projectiles were decontaminated at 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit (538 degrees Celsius) and recycled as scrap metal.

Problematic munitions that were leaky or overpacked were sent to an armored, stainless steel detonation chamber to be destroyed at about 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit (593 degrees Celsius).

The Colorado and Kentucky sites were the last among several, including Utah and the Johnston Atoll, where the nation's chemical weapons had been stockpiled and destroyed. Other locations included facilities in Alabama, Arkansas and Oregon.

Kingston Reif, an assistant U.S. secretary of defense for threat reduction and arms control, said the destruction of the last U.S. chemical weapon “will close an important chapter in military history, but one that we’re very much looking forward to closing.”

Officials say the elimination of the U.S. stockpile is a major step forward for the Chemical Weapons Convention. Only three countries — Egypt, North Korea and South Sudan — have not signed the treaty. A fourth, Israel, has signed but not ratified the treaty.

Reif noted that there remains concern that some parties to the convention, particularly Russia and Syria, possess undeclared chemical weapons stockpiles.

Still, arms control advocates hope this final step by the U.S. could nudge the remaining countries to join. But they also hope it could be used as a model for eliminating other types of weapons.

“It shows that countries can really ban a weapon of mass destruction,” said Paul F. Walker, vice chairman of the Arms Control Association and coordinator of the Chemical Weapons Convention Coalition. “If they want to do it, it just takes the political will and it takes a good verification system.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688765216929.png" alt="Workers at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky destroyed rockets filled with GB nerve agent, completing a decadeslong campaign to eliminate a stockpile that by the end of the Cold War totaled more than 30,000 tons.-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Workers at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky destroyed rockets filled with GB nerve agent, completing a decadeslong campaign to eliminate a stockpile that by the end of the Cold War totaled more than 30,000 tons.-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>RICHMOND, Ky. (AP) — The last of the United States’ declared chemical weapons stockpile was destroyed at a sprawling military installation in eastern Kentucky, Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell announced Friday, a milestone that closes a chapter of warfare dating back to World War I.Workers at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky destroyed rockets filled with GB nerve agent, completing a decadeslong campaign to eliminate a stockpile that by the end of the Cold War totaled more than 30,000 tons.“Chemical weapons are responsible for some of the most horrific episodes of human loss," McConnell said in a statement. "Though the use of these deadly agents will always be a stain on history, today our nation has finally fulfilled our promise to rid our arsenal of this evil.The weapons' destruction is a major watershed for Richmond, Kentucky and Pueblo, Colorado, where an Army depot destroyed the last of its chemical agents last month. It's also a defining moment for arms control efforts worldwide.The U.S. faced a Sept. 30 deadline to eliminate its remaining chemical weapons under the international Chemical Weapons Convention, which took effect in 1997 and was joined by 193 countries. The munitions being destroyed in Kentucky are the last of 51,000 M55 rockets with GB nerve agent — a deadly toxin also known as sarin — that have been stored at the depot since the 1940s.By destroying the munitions, the U.S. is officially underscoring that these types of weapons are no longer acceptable in the battlefield and sending a message to the handful of countries that haven't joined the agreement, military experts say.Friday’s announcement came as the Biden administration has also decided to provide&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cluster-bombs-ukraine-biden-russia-unexploded-ordnance-cc16c482d86b34102ffeac6ee682a524">cluster munitions</a>&nbsp;to Ukraine, a weapon that two-thirds of NATO countries have banned because it can cause&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-afghanistan-israel-syria-europe-4ac7b012f2b63567ffde368f65283921">many civilian casualties</a>. National security adviser Jake Sullivan said Ukraine has promised to use the munitions — bombs that open in the air and release scores of smaller bomblets — carefully.Chemical weapons were first used in modern warfare in World War I, where they were estimated have killed at least 100,000. Despite their use being subsequently banned by the Geneva Convention, countries continued to stockpile the weapons until the treaty calling for their destruction.In southern Colorado, workers at the Army Pueblo Chemical Depot started destroying the weapons in 2016, and on June 22 completed their mission of neutralizing an entire cache of about 2,600 tons of mustard blister agent. The projectiles and mortars comprised about 8.5% of the country’s original chemical weapons stockpile of 30,610 tons of agent.Nearly 800,000 chemical munitions containing mustard agent were stored since the 1950s inside row after row of heavily guarded concrete and earthen bunkers that pock the landscape near a large swath of farmland east of Pueblo.The weapons' destruction alleviates a concern that civic leaders in Colorado and Kentucky admit was always in the back of their minds."Those (weapons) sitting out there were not a threat," Pueblo Mayor Nick Gradisar said. But, he added, “you always wondered what might happen with them.”In the 1980s, the community around Kentucky’s Blue Grass Army Depot rose up in opposition to the Army’s initial plan to incinerate the plant’s 520 tons of chemical weapons, leading to a decadeslong battle over how they would be disposed of. They were able to halt the planned incineration plant, and then, with help from lawmakers, prompted the Army to submit alternative methods to burning the weapons.Craig Williams, who became the leading voice of the community opposition and later a partner with political leadership and the military, said residents were concerned about potential toxic pollution from burning the deadly chemical agents.Williams noted that the military eliminated most of its existing stockpile by burning weapons at other, more remote sites such as Johnston Atoll in the Pacific Ocean or at a chemical depot in the middle of the Utah desert. But the Kentucky site was adjacent to Richmond and only a few dozen miles away from Lexington, the state’s second-largest city.“We had a middle school of over 600 kids a mile away from the (planned) smokestack,” Williams said.The Kentucky storage facility has housed mustard agent and the VX and sarin nerve agents, much of it inside rockets and other projectiles, since the 1940s. The state’s disposal plant was completed in 2015 and began destroying weapons in 2019. It uses a process called neutralization to dilute the deadly agents so they can be safely disposed of.The project, however, has been a boon for both communities, and facing the eventual loss of thousands of workers, both are pitching the pool of high-skilled laborers as a plus for companies looking to locate in their regions.Workers at the Pueblo site used heavy machinery to meticulously — and slowly — load aging weapons onto conveyor systems that fed into secure rooms where remote-controlled robots did the dirty and dangerous work of eliminating the toxic mustard agent, which was designed to blister the skin and cause inflammation of the eyes, nose, throat and lungs.Robotic equipment removed the weapons' fuses and bursters before the mustard agent was neutralized with hot water and mixed with a caustic solution to prevent the reaction from reversing. The byproduct was further broken down in large tanks swimming with microbes, and the mortars and projectiles were decontaminated at 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit (538 degrees Celsius) and recycled as scrap metal.Problematic munitions that were leaky or overpacked were sent to an armored, stainless steel detonation chamber to be destroyed at about 1,100 degrees Fahrenheit (593 degrees Celsius).The Colorado and Kentucky sites were the last among several, including Utah and the Johnston Atoll, where the nation's chemical weapons had been stockpiled and destroyed. Other locations included facilities in Alabama, Arkansas and Oregon.Kingston Reif, an assistant U.S. secretary of defense for threat reduction and arms control, said the destruction of the last U.S. chemical weapon “will close an important chapter in military history, but one that we’re very much looking forward to closing.”Officials say the elimination of the U.S. stockpile is a major step forward for the Chemical Weapons Convention. Only three countries — Egypt, North Korea and South Sudan — have not signed the treaty. A fourth, Israel, has signed but not ratified the treaty.Reif noted that there remains concern that some parties to the convention, particularly Russia and Syria, possess undeclared chemical weapons stockpiles.Still, arms control advocates hope this final step by the U.S. could nudge the remaining countries to join. But they also hope it could be used as a model for eliminating other types of weapons.“It shows that countries can really ban a weapon of mass destruction,” said Paul F. Walker, vice chairman of the Arms Control Association and coordinator of the Chemical Weapons Convention Coalition. “If they want to do it, it just takes the political will and it takes a good verification system.”__

U.S. destroys last of its declared chemical weapons

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The first of two Iowa teenagers who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-teens-teacher-beating-death-f3acd07dff116cb2c7311b3ad2b44d9b" target="_blank">pleaded guilty to beating</a>&nbsp;their high school Spanish teacher to death&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-baseball-media-social-media-homicide-8d2536fb9668f3767b832c4d88b3f041" target="_blank">with a baseball bat</a>&nbsp;was sentenced Thursday to life with a possibility of parole after 35 years in prison.

A judge sentenced Willard Miller after a sentencing hearing that lasted more than seven hours.

Miller and another teen, Jeremy Goodale, had pleaded guilty in April to the 2021 attack on Nohema Graber. The 66-year-old teacher was fatally beaten while taking her regular afternoon walk in a park in Fairfield.

In sentencing Miller, District Court Judge Shawn Showers acknowledged Miller’s young age but also noted he had “cut Nohema Graber’s precious life short,” devastating her family and the community.

“I find that your intent and actions were sinister and evil. Those acts resulted in the intentional loss of human life in a brutal fashion,” Showers said. “There is no excuse.”

As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors had recommended Miller receive a term of between 30 years and life in prison, with the possibility of parole. Goodale is to be sentenced later.

Before being sentenced, Miller said in court Thursday that he accepted responsibility for the killing and apologized to the Graber family.

“I would like to apologize for my actions, first and foremost to the family,” he said. “I am sincerely sorry for the distress I have caused you and the devastation I have caused your family.”

Miller also apologized to the Fairfield community, his own family, Goodale’s family and the police.

“I’m realizing just the magnitude of my actions, and I know it’s wrong and I knew it was wrong and yet I still carried through,” he said. “I still did what I did, and I accept responsibility for that.”

Ten of Graber’s relatives either read or submitted victim impact statements that described the woman as kind, caring and devoted to her family, students and church. Several also blamed Miller and Goodale for the recent death of Graber’s husband, who suffered from cancer but delayed treatment amid his depression over the murder.

“I hope you open your soul to the lord and maybe ask for forgiveness there first because you’re on a spiral straight to hell,” Graber’s brother-in-law, Jim Graber said while staring at Miller.

Miller and Goodale killed Graber on Nov. 2, 2021, in a park where the teacher routinely walked after school. Prosecutors said the teens, who were 16 at the time, were angry at Graber because of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-homicide-iowa-des-moines-fairfield-42eba22bc42bf9e52a165478916072c4" target="_blank">bad grade she had given</a>&nbsp;Miller.

Under Goodale’s agreement to plead guilty, prosecutors had recommended a sentence of between 25 years and life with the possibility of parole. Goodale’s sentencing is scheduled for August, but his lawyers have sought a delay in the hearing.

Thursday’s sentencing hearing at the Jefferson County Courthouse in Fairfield initially focused on investigators who described how officers found Graber’s body. They also talked about social media postings that led them to question and then arrest Miller and Goodale. Prosecutors also played recordings of police interviews with both teens and displayed photographs of the crime scene, including graphic images of Graber’s body.

Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation agent Trent Vileta recalled police finding Graber’s body under a tarp in Chautauqua Park. A wheelbarrow and railroad tie had been placed over the tarp, making it hard to see the body, with only a shoe and a hand visible.

After pulling back part of the tarp, Vileta said the only significant injury to Graber appeared to be a severe head wound.

In the interview, Miller initially said he knew nothing about Graber’s disappearance but later said he saw other people carrying her body in the park.

Goodale testified earlier that he and Miller had planned the killing for about two weeks and that both of them struck the victim and then hid her body. Goodale said Miller had initiated the plan. Miller admitted helping but denied hitting Graber.

The two were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-homicide-iowa-fairfield-f4d1329baedb35bfe41f7a7b5a15173c" target="_blank">charged as adults</a>, but because of their age they were not subject to a mandatory sentence of life without parole for first-degree murder. Miller is now 17 and Goodale is 18.

Fairfield, a city of 9,400 people, is about 100 miles (160 kilometers) southeast of Des Moines.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688733891554.png" alt="Miller's original booking photo provided by Jefferson Co.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Miller's original booking photo provided by Jefferson Co.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — The first of two Iowa teenagers who&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-teens-teacher-beating-death-f3acd07dff116cb2c7311b3ad2b44d9b" target="_blank">pleaded guilty to beating</a>&nbsp;their high school Spanish teacher to death&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-baseball-media-social-media-homicide-8d2536fb9668f3767b832c4d88b3f041" target="_blank">with a baseball bat</a>&nbsp;was sentenced Thursday to life with a possibility of parole after 35 years in prison.A judge sentenced Willard Miller after a sentencing hearing that lasted more than seven hours.Miller and another teen, Jeremy Goodale, had pleaded guilty in April to the 2021 attack on Nohema Graber. The 66-year-old teacher was fatally beaten while taking her regular afternoon walk in a park in Fairfield.In sentencing Miller, District Court Judge Shawn Showers acknowledged Miller’s young age but also noted he had “cut Nohema Graber’s precious life short,” devastating her family and the community.“I find that your intent and actions were sinister and evil. Those acts resulted in the intentional loss of human life in a brutal fashion,” Showers said. “There is no excuse.”As part of the plea agreement, prosecutors had recommended Miller receive a term of between 30 years and life in prison, with the possibility of parole. Goodale is to be sentenced later.Before being sentenced, Miller said in court Thursday that he accepted responsibility for the killing and apologized to the Graber family.“I would like to apologize for my actions, first and foremost to the family,” he said. “I am sincerely sorry for the distress I have caused you and the devastation I have caused your family.”Miller also apologized to the Fairfield community, his own family, Goodale’s family and the police.“I’m realizing just the magnitude of my actions, and I know it’s wrong and I knew it was wrong and yet I still carried through,” he said. “I still did what I did, and I accept responsibility for that.”Ten of Graber’s relatives either read or submitted victim impact statements that described the woman as kind, caring and devoted to her family, students and church. Several also blamed Miller and Goodale for the recent death of Graber’s husband, who suffered from cancer but delayed treatment amid his depression over the murder.“I hope you open your soul to the lord and maybe ask for forgiveness there first because you’re on a spiral straight to hell,” Graber’s brother-in-law, Jim Graber said while staring at Miller.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688734515241.png" alt="Goodale-Jefferson Co." />
 <figcaption>Goodale-Jefferson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Miller and Goodale killed Graber on Nov. 2, 2021, in a park where the teacher routinely walked after school. Prosecutors said the teens, who were 16 at the time, were angry at Graber because of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-homicide-iowa-des-moines-fairfield-42eba22bc42bf9e52a165478916072c4" target="_blank">bad grade she had given</a>&nbsp;Miller.Under Goodale’s agreement to plead guilty, prosecutors had recommended a sentence of between 25 years and life with the possibility of parole. Goodale’s sentencing is scheduled for August, but his lawyers have sought a delay in the hearing.Thursday’s sentencing hearing at the Jefferson County Courthouse in Fairfield initially focused on investigators who described how officers found Graber’s body. They also talked about social media postings that led them to question and then arrest Miller and Goodale. Prosecutors also played recordings of police interviews with both teens and displayed photographs of the crime scene, including graphic images of Graber’s body.Iowa Division of Criminal Investigation agent Trent Vileta recalled police finding Graber’s body under a tarp in Chautauqua Park. A wheelbarrow and railroad tie had been placed over the tarp, making it hard to see the body, with only a shoe and a hand visible.After pulling back part of the tarp, Vileta said the only significant injury to Graber appeared to be a severe head wound.In the interview, Miller initially said he knew nothing about Graber’s disappearance but later said he saw other people carrying her body in the park.Goodale testified earlier that he and Miller had planned the killing for about two weeks and that both of them struck the victim and then hid her body. Goodale said Miller had initiated the plan. Miller admitted helping but denied hitting Graber.The two were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-homicide-iowa-fairfield-f4d1329baedb35bfe41f7a7b5a15173c" target="_blank">charged as adults</a>, but because of their age they were not subject to a mandatory sentence of life without parole for first-degree murder. Miller is now 17 and Goodale is 18.Fairfield, a city of 9,400 people, is about 100 miles (160 kilometers) southeast of Des Moines.

Teen sentenced for killing Spanish teacher over bad grade

RENO COUNTY— The Hutchinson Police Department has been working several cases of Battery over the last few weeks, according to a media release. The incidents stem from a private Instagram group called hk.street.beefs.

In this group, fights are set up at public and private locations in and around Hutchinson. At some private locations, such as a residence, admission is charged, and fights are scheduled.

What has been occurring is other fights, that were not scheduled have been happening or kids have been getting jumped and battered, so it could be recorded with cell phones, and was passed off as a beef, or an agreed fight between two people.

These fights are not sanctioned. We know about the group, the owners of the group, locations, fights, and other participants. These events will not be tolerated, and anyone caught participating in or recording the events will be charged. If it is scheduled by the site, the owners and creators will also be charged and could be held responsible for any damages or injuries.

Most of the participants and followers are juveniles or late teenagers. Stop participating immediately, and parents please make sure that your children are not participating, recording, or attending these events.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688768003368.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY— The Hutchinson Police Department has been working several cases of Battery over the last few weeks, according to a media release. The incidents stem from a private Instagram group called hk.street.beefs.In this group, fights are set up at public and private locations in and around Hutchinson. At some private locations, such as a residence, admission is charged, and fights are scheduled.What has been occurring is other fights, that were not scheduled have been happening or kids have been getting jumped and battered, so it could be recorded with cell phones, and was passed off as a beef, or an agreed fight between two people.These fights are not sanctioned. We know about the group, the owners of the group, locations, fights, and other participants. These events will not be tolerated, and anyone caught participating in or recording the events will be charged. If it is scheduled by the site, the owners and creators will also be charged and could be held responsible for any damages or injuries.Most of the participants and followers are juveniles or late teenagers. Stop participating immediately, and parents please make sure that your children are not participating, recording, or attending these events.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Police issue warning to unsanctioned, social media fight group

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple charges after an encounter this week.

On July 3, police were dispatched to the 1300 Block. of SW Western Ave. in Topeka on the reports of a disturbance, according to Police Lt. Edward Stanley.

Officers located 27-year-old Collin Ray Butter involved in the disturbance, and identified him as a person of interest in an Auto theft that was reported on June 14.&nbsp; 

Officers transported Butter to the Law Enforcement Center to speak with Detectives.

After further investigation by Detectives, Butter was also identified to be involved in multiple Auto Thefts and Burglaries throughout the month of June.

As a result of these investigation, Butter was transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections and remains jailed on requested charges of Auto Theft x 6, Burglary to vehicle x 7, Flee or Attempt to elude while operating a stolen vehicle, Reckless driving and Forgery.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688741743346.png" alt="Butter-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Butter-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple charges after an encounter this week.On July 3, police were dispatched to the 1300 Block. of SW Western Ave. in Topeka on the reports of a disturbance, according to Police Lt. Edward Stanley.Officers located 27-year-old Collin Ray Butter involved in the disturbance, and identified him as a person of interest in an Auto theft that was reported on June 14.&nbsp; Officers transported Butter to the Law Enforcement Center to speak with Detectives.After further investigation by Detectives, Butter was also identified to be involved in multiple Auto Thefts and Burglaries throughout the month of June.As a result of these investigation, Butter was transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections and remains jailed on requested charges of Auto Theft x 6, Burglary to vehicle x 7, Flee or Attempt to elude while operating a stolen vehicle, Reckless driving and Forgery.

Kansas man jailed for string of auto thefts and burglaries 

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a shooting that fatally injured 16-year-old Elrecus Nolan from Wichita have a suspect in custody.

Just before 10:30pm. Monday, yesterday, police were dispatched to shots fired call at the intersection of Mt. Vernon and Ellis Street in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

Police learned that a witness heard several gunshots before he noticed a silver 2002 Ford Taurus slowly rolling westbound on Mt. Vernon, hitting the curb before stopping on the sidewalk.

First responders located Nolan unconscious and not breathing with a gunshot wound to his upper body. Officers began providing life-saving efforts until EMS arrived. Nolan was pronounced deceased at the scene.

On Thursday, police arrested 21-year-old Dougqualynn Patterson and 21-year-old Kameron Solomon both from Wichita on requested charges of 1st Degree Murder.

The investigators are still working to fully determine what led up to the shooting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688743977576.png" alt="Patterson-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Patterson-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a shooting that fatally injured 16-year-old Elrecus Nolan from Wichita have a suspect in custody.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688508501373.png" alt="Police at the scene of the investigation late Monday -photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police at the scene of the investigation late Monday -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 10:30pm. Monday, yesterday, police were dispatched to shots fired call at the intersection of Mt. Vernon and Ellis Street in Wichita, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.Police learned that a witness heard several gunshots before he noticed a silver 2002 Ford Taurus slowly rolling westbound on Mt. Vernon, hitting the curb before stopping on the sidewalk.First responders located Nolan unconscious and not breathing with a gunshot wound to his upper body. Officers began providing life-saving efforts until EMS arrived. Nolan was pronounced deceased at the scene.On Thursday, police arrested 21-year-old Dougqualynn Patterson and 21-year-old Kameron Solomon both from Wichita on requested charges of 1st Degree Murder.The investigators are still working to fully determine what led up to the shooting.

Two accused in murder of 16-year-old Kansas boy

WASHINGTON (AP) — Seeking a valid U.S. passport for that 2023 trip? Buckle up, wishful traveler, for a very different journey before you step anywhere near an airport.

A much-feared backup of U.S passport applications has smashed into a wall of government bureaucracy as worldwide travel rebounds&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/transportation-security-administration-pandemics-travel-and-tourism-us-department-of-28113d77ccab463d88bcf97c7744b8e0">toward</a>&nbsp;record pre-pandemic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hajj-hospitality-mecca-construction-ce3c894d6f464aa70069be1a20f8ef5e">levels</a>&nbsp;— with too few humans to handle the load. The result, say aspiring travelers in the U.S. and around the world, is a maddening pre-travel purgatory defined, at best, by costly uncertainty.

With family dreams and big money on the line, passport seekers describe a slow-motion agony of waiting, worrying, holding the line, refreshing the screen, complaining to Congress, paying extra fees and following incorrect directions. Some applicants are buying additional plane tickets to snag in-process passports where they sit — in other cities — in time to make the flights they booked in the first place.

So grim is the outlook that U.S. officials aren't even denying the problem or predicting when it will ease. They're blaming the epic wait times on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-declares-covid-emergency-over-pandemic-8b6445735df5218b5d9d6ec32fa047ca">lingering pandemic</a>&nbsp;-related staffing shortages and a pause of online processing this year. That’s left the passport agency flooded with a record-busting 500,000 applications a week. The deluge is on-track to top last year’s 22 million passports issued, the State Department says.

Stories from applicants and interviews by The Associated Press depict a system of crisis management, in which the agencies are prioritizing urgent cases such as applicants traveling for reasons of “life or death” and those whose travel is only a few days off. For everyone else, the options are few and expensive.

So, 2023 traveler, if you still need a valid U.S. passport, prepare for an unplanned excursion into the nightmare zone.

‘PLENTY OF TIME’ TO ‘WE’LL STILL BE OK' TO BIG PROBLEMS

It was early March when Dallas-area florist Ginger Collier applied for four passports ahead of a family vacation at the end of June. The clerk, she said, estimated wait times at eight to 11 weeks. They'd have their passports a month before they needed them. "Plenty of time," Collier recalled thinking.

Then the State Department upped the wait time for a regular passport to as much as 13 weeks. “We'll still be okay,” she thought.

At T-minus two weeks to travel, this was her assessment: “I can’t sleep." This after months of calling, holding, pressing refresh on a website, trying her member of Congress — and stressing as the departure date loomed. Failure to obtain the family’s passports would mean losing $4,000, she said, as well as the chance to meet one of her sons in Italy after a study-abroad semester.

“My nerves are shot, because I may not be able to get to him,” she said. She calls the toll-free number every day, holds for as much as 90 minutes to be told — at best — that she might be able to get a required appointment at passport offices in other states.

“I can’t afford four more plane tickets anywhere in the United States to get a passport when I applied in plenty of time,” she said. “How about they just process my passports?”

THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT HAS A CULPRIT: COVID

By March, concerned travelers began asking for answers and then demanding help, including from their representatives in the House and Senate, who widely reported at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOJSPjuQFp0">hearings</a>&nbsp;this year that they were receiving more complaints from constituents on passport delays than any other issue.

The U.S. secretary of state had an answer, of a sort.

“With COVID, the bottom basically dropped out of the system,” Antony Blinken&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qcras2-XhdE">told a House subcommittee March 23</a>. When demand for travel all but disappeared during the pandemic, he said, the government let contractors go and reassigned staff that had been dedicated to handling passports.

Around the same time, the government also halted an online renewal system "to make sure that we can fine tune it and improve it," Blinken said. He said the department is hiring agents as quickly as possible, opening more appointments and trying to address the crisis in other ways.

Passport applicants lit up social media groups, toll-free numbers and lawmakers' phone lines with questions, appeals for advice and cries for help. Facebook and WhatsApp groups bristled with reports of bewilderment and fury. Reddit published eye-watering diaries, some more than 1,000 words long, of application dates, deposits submitted, contacts made, time on hold, money spent and appeals for advice.

It was 1952 when a law required, for the first time, passports for every U.S. traveler abroad, even in peacetime. Now, passports are processed at centers around the country and printed at secure facilities in Washington, D.C. and Mississippi, according to the Government Printing Office.

But the number of Americans holding valid U.S. passports has grown at roughly 10% faster than the population over the past three decades, according to Jay Zagorsky, an economist at Boston University's Questrom School of Business.

After passport delays derailed his own plans to travel to London earlier this year, Zagorsky found that the number of U.S. passports per American has soared from about three per 100 people in 1989 to nearly 46 per 100 people in 2022. Americans, it turns out, are on the move.

“As a society gets richer," says Zagorsky, "the people in that society say, ‘I want to visit the rest of the world.'”

FOR AMERICANS AND OTHERS ABROAD, IT'S NO PICNIC EITHER

At U.S. consulates overseas, the quest for U.S. visas and passports isn't much brighter.

On a day in June, people in New Delhi could expect to wait 451 days for a visa interview, according to the website. Those in Sao Paulo could plan on waiting more than 600 days. Aspiring travelers in Mexico City were waiting about 750 days; in Bogota, Colombia, it was 801 days.

In Israel, the need is especially acute. More than 200,000 people with citizenship in both countries live in Israel. It's one appointment per person, even for newborns, who must have both parents involved in the process, before traveling to the United States.

Batsheva Gutterman started looking for three appointments immediately after she had a baby in December, with an eye toward attending a family celebration in July, in Raleigh, N.C.

Her quest for three passports stretched from January to June, days before travel. And it only resolved after Gutterman payed a small fee to join a WhatsApp group that alerted her to new appointments, which stay available for only a few seconds. She ultimately got three appointments on three consecutive days — bureaucracy embodied.

“We had to drive the entire family with three small children, an hour-and-a-half to Tel Aviv three days in a row, taking off work and school,” she said. “This makes me incredibly uneasy having a baby in Israel as an American citizen, knowing there is no way I can fly with that baby until we get lucky with an appointment.”

Recently, there appeared to be some progress. The wait for an appointment for a renewed U.S. passport stood at 360 days on June 8. On July 2, the wait was down to 90 days, according to the web site.

FRUSTRATING TALES EMERGE FROM THE TRENCHES

Back in the U.S., Marni Larsen of Holladay, Utah, stood in line in Los Angeles, California, on June 14, in hopes of snagging her son's passport. That way, she hoped, the pair could meet the rest of their family, who had already left as scheduled for Europe, for a long-planned vacation.

She'd applied for her son's passport two months earlier and spent weeks checking for updates online or through a frustrating call system. As the mid-June vacation loomed, Larsen reached out to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOJSPjuQFp0">Sen. Mitt Romney</a>&nbsp;’s office, where one of four people he says is assigned full-time to passport issues were able to track down the document in New Orleans.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627262146028.jpeg" alt="passport Image by cytis from Pixabay" />
 <figcaption>passport Image by cytis from Pixabay</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Seeking a valid U.S. passport for that 2023 trip? Buckle up, wishful traveler, for a very different journey before you step anywhere near an airport.A much-feared backup of U.S passport applications has smashed into a wall of government bureaucracy as worldwide travel rebounds&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/transportation-security-administration-pandemics-travel-and-tourism-us-department-of-28113d77ccab463d88bcf97c7744b8e0">toward</a>&nbsp;record pre-pandemic&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hajj-hospitality-mecca-construction-ce3c894d6f464aa70069be1a20f8ef5e">levels</a>&nbsp;— with too few humans to handle the load. The result, say aspiring travelers in the U.S. and around the world, is a maddening pre-travel purgatory defined, at best, by costly uncertainty.With family dreams and big money on the line, passport seekers describe a slow-motion agony of waiting, worrying, holding the line, refreshing the screen, complaining to Congress, paying extra fees and following incorrect directions. Some applicants are buying additional plane tickets to snag in-process passports where they sit — in other cities — in time to make the flights they booked in the first place.So grim is the outlook that U.S. officials aren't even denying the problem or predicting when it will ease. They're blaming the epic wait times on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/who-declares-covid-emergency-over-pandemic-8b6445735df5218b5d9d6ec32fa047ca">lingering pandemic</a>&nbsp;-related staffing shortages and a pause of online processing this year. That’s left the passport agency flooded with a record-busting 500,000 applications a week. The deluge is on-track to top last year’s 22 million passports issued, the State Department says.Stories from applicants and interviews by The Associated Press depict a system of crisis management, in which the agencies are prioritizing urgent cases such as applicants traveling for reasons of “life or death” and those whose travel is only a few days off. For everyone else, the options are few and expensive.So, 2023 traveler, if you still need a valid U.S. passport, prepare for an unplanned excursion into the nightmare zone.‘PLENTY OF TIME’ TO ‘WE’LL STILL BE OK' TO BIG PROBLEMSIt was early March when Dallas-area florist Ginger Collier applied for four passports ahead of a family vacation at the end of June. The clerk, she said, estimated wait times at eight to 11 weeks. They'd have their passports a month before they needed them. "Plenty of time," Collier recalled thinking.Then the State Department upped the wait time for a regular passport to as much as 13 weeks. “We'll still be okay,” she thought.At T-minus two weeks to travel, this was her assessment: “I can’t sleep." This after months of calling, holding, pressing refresh on a website, trying her member of Congress — and stressing as the departure date loomed. Failure to obtain the family’s passports would mean losing $4,000, she said, as well as the chance to meet one of her sons in Italy after a study-abroad semester.“My nerves are shot, because I may not be able to get to him,” she said. She calls the toll-free number every day, holds for as much as 90 minutes to be told — at best — that she might be able to get a required appointment at passport offices in other states.“I can’t afford four more plane tickets anywhere in the United States to get a passport when I applied in plenty of time,” she said. “How about they just process my passports?”THE AMERICAN GOVERNMENT HAS A CULPRIT: COVIDBy March, concerned travelers began asking for answers and then demanding help, including from their representatives in the House and Senate, who widely reported at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOJSPjuQFp0">hearings</a>&nbsp;this year that they were receiving more complaints from constituents on passport delays than any other issue.The U.S. secretary of state had an answer, of a sort.“With COVID, the bottom basically dropped out of the system,” Antony Blinken&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qcras2-XhdE">told a House subcommittee March 23</a>. When demand for travel all but disappeared during the pandemic, he said, the government let contractors go and reassigned staff that had been dedicated to handling passports.Around the same time, the government also halted an online renewal system "to make sure that we can fine tune it and improve it," Blinken said. He said the department is hiring agents as quickly as possible, opening more appointments and trying to address the crisis in other ways.Passport applicants lit up social media groups, toll-free numbers and lawmakers' phone lines with questions, appeals for advice and cries for help. Facebook and WhatsApp groups bristled with reports of bewilderment and fury. Reddit published eye-watering diaries, some more than 1,000 words long, of application dates, deposits submitted, contacts made, time on hold, money spent and appeals for advice.It was 1952 when a law required, for the first time, passports for every U.S. traveler abroad, even in peacetime. Now, passports are processed at centers around the country and printed at secure facilities in Washington, D.C. and Mississippi, according to the Government Printing Office.But the number of Americans holding valid U.S. passports has grown at roughly 10% faster than the population over the past three decades, according to Jay Zagorsky, an economist at Boston University's Questrom School of Business.After passport delays derailed his own plans to travel to London earlier this year, Zagorsky found that the number of U.S. passports per American has soared from about three per 100 people in 1989 to nearly 46 per 100 people in 2022. Americans, it turns out, are on the move.“As a society gets richer," says Zagorsky, "the people in that society say, ‘I want to visit the rest of the world.'”FOR AMERICANS AND OTHERS ABROAD, IT'S NO PICNIC EITHERAt U.S. consulates overseas, the quest for U.S. visas and passports isn't much brighter.On a day in June, people in New Delhi could expect to wait 451 days for a visa interview, according to the website. Those in Sao Paulo could plan on waiting more than 600 days. Aspiring travelers in Mexico City were waiting about 750 days; in Bogota, Colombia, it was 801 days.In Israel, the need is especially acute. More than 200,000 people with citizenship in both countries live in Israel. It's one appointment per person, even for newborns, who must have both parents involved in the process, before traveling to the United States.Batsheva Gutterman started looking for three appointments immediately after she had a baby in December, with an eye toward attending a family celebration in July, in Raleigh, N.C.Her quest for three passports stretched from January to June, days before travel. And it only resolved after Gutterman payed a small fee to join a WhatsApp group that alerted her to new appointments, which stay available for only a few seconds. She ultimately got three appointments on three consecutive days — bureaucracy embodied.“We had to drive the entire family with three small children, an hour-and-a-half to Tel Aviv three days in a row, taking off work and school,” she said. “This makes me incredibly uneasy having a baby in Israel as an American citizen, knowing there is no way I can fly with that baby until we get lucky with an appointment.”Recently, there appeared to be some progress. The wait for an appointment for a renewed U.S. passport stood at 360 days on June 8. On July 2, the wait was down to 90 days, according to the web site.FRUSTRATING TALES EMERGE FROM THE TRENCHESBack in the U.S., Marni Larsen of Holladay, Utah, stood in line in Los Angeles, California, on June 14, in hopes of snagging her son's passport. That way, she hoped, the pair could meet the rest of their family, who had already left as scheduled for Europe, for a long-planned vacation.She'd applied for her son's passport two months earlier and spent weeks checking for updates online or through a frustrating call system. As the mid-June vacation loomed, Larsen reached out to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QOJSPjuQFp0">Sen. Mitt Romney</a>&nbsp;’s office, where one of four people he says is assigned full-time to passport issues were able to track down the document in New Orleans.It was supposed to be shipped to Los Angeles, where she got an appointment to retrieve it. That meant Larsen had to buy new tickets for herself and her son to Los Angeles and reroute their trip from there to Rome. All on a bet that her son's passport was indeed shipped as promised.“We are just waiting in this massive line of tons of people,” Larsen said. “It’s just been a nightmare.”They succeeded. But not everyone has been so lucky.Miranda Richter applied in person to renew passports for herself and her husband, as well as apply a new one on Feb. 9 for a trip with their neighbors to Croatia on June 6. She ended up canceling, losing more than $1,000.Her timeline went like this: Passports for her husband and daughter arrived in 11 weeks, while Richter's photo was rejected. On May 4, she sent in a new one via priority mail. Then she paid a rush fee of $79, which was never charged to her credit card. Between May 30 and June 2, four days before travel, Richter and her husband spent more than 12 hours on the national passport line while also calling their congressman, senators and third-party couriers.Finally, she showed up in person at the federal building in downtown Houston, 30 minutes before the passport office opened. Richter said there were at least 100 people in line.“The security guard asked when is my appointment, and I burst out in tears,” she recalls. She couldn't get one. “It didn't work."FINALLY: A HAPPY ENDING“I just got my passports!” Ginger Collier texts.She ended up showing up at the passport office in Dallas with her daughter-in-law at 6:30 a.m. and being sorted into groups and lined up against walls. Finally they were called to a window, where the agent was “super nice” and pulled all four of the family's applications — paperwork that had been sitting in the office since March 17. More than seven hours later, the two left the office with directions to pick up their passports the next day.They did — with four days to spare.“What a ridiculous process,” Collier says. Nevertheless, the reunion with her son in Italy was sweet. She texted last week: “It was the best hug ever!”___