TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Health reported&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;2,779 new coronavirus cases in Kansas from Wednesday Sept. 14 to Wednesday September 21, for a total of 875,854 cases.&nbsp;&nbsp;

On Wednesday, th<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1529/June-15-Case-Summary-PDF?bidId=">e state reported</a>&nbsp;7&nbsp;additional COVID-19 deaths since September 14, for a total of 9,079.&nbsp; The increase in deaths is attributed to OVS death data reconciliation and does not necessarily&nbsp; reflect an increase in recent deaths, according to the KDHE.

<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a>&nbsp;about the COVID-19 vaccine.

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.

Kansas is providing fewer updates of its data about COVID-19 now that Gov. Laura Kelly formally declared that the state is moving toward treating COVID-19 as a disease like the flu that spreads regularly and isn't considered a pandemic.&nbsp;The health department plans to update data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.

The state continues to support access to free COVID-19 testing, works to ensure that vulnerable populations can get vaccinated, see that providers serve a broad population and give “comprehensive guidance” about the virus. She called the new phase “endemic normalcy.”

The health department plans to update data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.

TOPEKA — The Kansas Department of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Health reported&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;2,779 new coronavirus cases in Kansas from Wednesday Sept. 14 to Wednesday September 21, for a total of 875,854 cases.&nbsp;&nbsp;On Wednesday, th<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1529/June-15-Case-Summary-PDF?bidId=">e state reported</a>&nbsp;7&nbsp;additional COVID-19 deaths since September 14, for a total of 9,079.&nbsp; The increase in deaths is attributed to OVS death data reconciliation and does not necessarily&nbsp; reflect an increase in recent deaths, according to the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663779888837.png" alt="Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022-KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022-KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a>&nbsp;about the COVID-19 vaccine.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.Kansas is providing fewer updates of its data about COVID-19 now that Gov. Laura Kelly formally declared that the state is moving toward treating COVID-19 as a disease like the flu that spreads regularly and isn't considered a pandemic.&nbsp;The health department plans to update data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.The state continues to support access to free COVID-19 testing, works to ensure that vulnerable populations can get vaccinated, see that providers serve a broad population and give “comprehensive guidance” about the virus. She called the new phase “endemic normalcy.”The health department plans to update data about cases and vaccinations each Wednesday.

KDHE: COVID case numbers down over the past week

NEW YORK (AP) — New York’s attorney general sued former President Donald Trump and his company Wednesday, alleging business fraud involving some of their most prized assets, including properties in Manhattan, Chicago and Washington, D.C.

(Click below to watch the news conference)

<a href="https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2022/attorney-general-james-sues-donald-trump-years-financial-fraud">Click here to read</a> the statement from the NY AG's office

Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit, filed in state court in New York, is the culmination of the Democrat’s three-year civil investigation of Trump and the Trump Organization. Three of Trump’s adult children, Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric Trump, were also named as defendants, along with two longtime company executives, Allen Weisselberg and Jeffrey McConney.

The lawsuit seeks to strike at the core of what made Trump famous, taking a blacklight to the image of wealth and opulence he’s embraced throughout his career — first as a real estate developer, then as a reality TV host on “The Apprentice” and “Celebrity Apprentice,” and later as president.

James, a Democrat, announced details of the lawsuit at a news conference on Wednesday. The case&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/22670312-ny-vs-trump">showed up on a court docket</a>&nbsp;Wednesday morning.

James said Trump “falsely inflated his net worth by billions of dollars.”

The goal, the attorney general’s office has said, was to burnish Trump’s billionaire image and the value of his properties when doing so gave him an advantage, while playing down the value of assets at other times for tax purposes.

“This investigation revealed that Donald Trump engaged in years of illegal conduct to inflate his net worth, to deceive banks and the people of the great state of New York," James said at the news conference. “Claiming you have money that you do not have does not amount to the art of the deal. It’s the art of the steal.”

James is seeking to remove the Trumps from businesses engaged in the alleged fraud and wants an independent monitor appointed for no less than five years to oversee the Trump Organization’s compliance, financial reporting, valuations and disclosures to lenders, insurers and tax authorities.

She is seeking to replace the current trustees of Trump’s revocable trust, which controls his business interests, with independent trustees, to bar Trump and the Trump Organization from entering into commercial real estate acquisitions for five years, from obtaining loans from banks in New York for five years and permanently bar Trump and three of his adult children from serving as an officer or director in any New York corporation or similar business entity registered and/or licensed in New York State.

She also seeks to permanently bar Weisselberg and McConney from serving in the financial control function of any New York corporation or similar business entity registered and/or licensed in New York State.

James said her investigation uncovered potential criminal violations, including falsifying business records, issuing false financial statements, insurance fraud, conspiracy and bank fraud. She said her office is referring those findings to federal prosecutors and the Internal Revenue Service.

Alina Habba, an attorney for Trump, said the lawsuit “is neither focused on the facts nor the law — rather, it is solely focused on advancing the Attorney General’s political agenda.”

“It is abundantly clear that the Attorney General’s Office has exceeded its statutory authority by prying into transactions where absolutely no wrongdoing has taken place," Habba said. "We are confident that our judicial system will not stand for this unchecked abuse of authority, and we look forward to defending our client against each and every one of the Attorney General’s meritless claims.”

James’ lawsuit comes amid a swirl of unprecedented legal challenges for a former president, including an FBI investigation into Trump’s handling of classified records and inquiries into his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

The Trump Organization is set to go on trial in October in a criminal case alleging that it schemed to give untaxed perks to senior executives, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-donald-trump-tax-evasion-government-and-politics-3b28e6f6b861807e5e3b703525fb5284">its longtime finance chief Weisselberg</a>, who alone took more than $1.7 million in extras.

Weisselberg, 75, pleaded guilty Aug. 18. His plea agreement requires him to testify at the company’s trial before he starts a five-month jail sentence. If convicted, the Trump Organization could face a fine of double the amount of unpaid taxes.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has been conducting a parallel criminal investigation of the same business practices at the heart of James’ civil lawsuit. That probe lost momentum earlier this year after Bragg raised questions internally about whether a criminal case was viable, but the Democrat has said it has not been abandoned.

At the same time, the FBI is continuing to investigate Trump’s storage of sensitive government documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, and a special grand jury in Georgia is investigating whether Trump and others attempted to influence state election officials.

All of the legal drama is playing out ahead of the November midterm elections, where Republicans are trying to win control of one or both houses of Congress.

Meanwhile, Trump has been laying the groundwork for a potential comeback campaign for president in 2024 and has accused President Joe Biden’s administration of targeting him to hurt his political chances.

State law allows a broad range of civil remedies against companies committing commercial fraud, including revoking licenses to conduct business in the state, removing company officers and forcing the payment of restitution or disgorgement of ill-gotten gains.

James’ office could also seek to ban Trump from being involved in certain types of businesses, as happened in January when a judge barred ex-drug company CEO Martin Shkreli from the pharmaceutical industry for life.

In a previous clash with Trump, James oversaw the closure of his charity, the Trump Foundation, after her predecessor in the attorney general’s office, Barbara Underwood, filed a lawsuit alleging he misused its assets to resolve business disputes and boost his run for the White House. A judge ordered Trump to pay $2 million to an array of charities to settle the matter.

James, who campaigned for office as a Trump critic and watchdog, started scrutinizing his business practices in March 2019 after his former personal lawyer Michael Cohen testified to Congress that Trump exaggerated his wealth on financial statements provided to Deutsche Bank when he was trying to obtain financing to buy the NFL’s Buffalo Bills.

Since then, James’ office and Trump’s lawyers have repeatedly sparred over the direction of the investigation and Trump’s unwillingness to comply with subpoenas for his testimony and records. Trump spent months fighting the subpoena that led to his August deposition, his lawyers unable to convince courts that he should be excused from testifying because his answers could be used in Bragg’s criminal probe.

In May, Trump paid $110,000 in fines after he was held in contempt of court for being slow to respond to a subpoena James’ office issued seeking documents and other evidence. The contempt finding was lifted in June after Trump and his lawyers submitted paperwork showing they had made a good faith effort to find relevant documents.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663775123495.png" alt="Attorney General Letitia James announced the lawsuit Wednesday morning-image courtesy NYAG's office" />
 <figcaption>Attorney General Letitia James announced the lawsuit Wednesday morning-image courtesy NYAG's office</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — New York’s attorney general sued former President Donald Trump and his company Wednesday, alleging business fraud involving some of their most prized assets, including properties in Manhattan, Chicago and Washington, D.C.(Click below to watch the news conference)<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fnewyorkstateag%2Fvideos%2F1400576467017874%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=495" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div><a href="https://ag.ny.gov/press-release/2022/attorney-general-james-sues-donald-trump-years-financial-fraud">Click here to read</a> the statement from the NY AG's officeAttorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit, filed in state court in New York, is the culmination of the Democrat’s three-year civil investigation of Trump and the Trump Organization. Three of Trump’s adult children, Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric Trump, were also named as defendants, along with two longtime company executives, Allen Weisselberg and Jeffrey McConney.The lawsuit seeks to strike at the core of what made Trump famous, taking a blacklight to the image of wealth and opulence he’s embraced throughout his career — first as a real estate developer, then as a reality TV host on “The Apprentice” and “Celebrity Apprentice,” and later as president.James, a Democrat, announced details of the lawsuit at a news conference on Wednesday. The case&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/22670312-ny-vs-trump">showed up on a court docket</a>&nbsp;Wednesday morning.James said Trump “falsely inflated his net worth by billions of dollars.”The goal, the attorney general’s office has said, was to burnish Trump’s billionaire image and the value of his properties when doing so gave him an advantage, while playing down the value of assets at other times for tax purposes.“This investigation revealed that Donald Trump engaged in years of illegal conduct to inflate his net worth, to deceive banks and the people of the great state of New York," James said at the news conference. “Claiming you have money that you do not have does not amount to the art of the deal. It’s the art of the steal.”James is seeking to remove the Trumps from businesses engaged in the alleged fraud and wants an independent monitor appointed for no less than five years to oversee the Trump Organization’s compliance, financial reporting, valuations and disclosures to lenders, insurers and tax authorities.She is seeking to replace the current trustees of Trump’s revocable trust, which controls his business interests, with independent trustees, to bar Trump and the Trump Organization from entering into commercial real estate acquisitions for five years, from obtaining loans from banks in New York for five years and permanently bar Trump and three of his adult children from serving as an officer or director in any New York corporation or similar business entity registered and/or licensed in New York State.She also seeks to permanently bar Weisselberg and McConney from serving in the financial control function of any New York corporation or similar business entity registered and/or licensed in New York State.James said her investigation uncovered potential criminal violations, including falsifying business records, issuing false financial statements, insurance fraud, conspiracy and bank fraud. She said her office is referring those findings to federal prosecutors and the Internal Revenue Service.Alina Habba, an attorney for Trump, said the lawsuit “is neither focused on the facts nor the law — rather, it is solely focused on advancing the Attorney General’s political agenda.”“It is abundantly clear that the Attorney General’s Office has exceeded its statutory authority by prying into transactions where absolutely no wrongdoing has taken place," Habba said. "We are confident that our judicial system will not stand for this unchecked abuse of authority, and we look forward to defending our client against each and every one of the Attorney General’s meritless claims.”James’ lawsuit comes amid a swirl of unprecedented legal challenges for a former president, including an FBI investigation into Trump’s handling of classified records and inquiries into his efforts to overturn the 2020 election.The Trump Organization is set to go on trial in October in a criminal case alleging that it schemed to give untaxed perks to senior executives, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/new-york-donald-trump-tax-evasion-government-and-politics-3b28e6f6b861807e5e3b703525fb5284">its longtime finance chief Weisselberg</a>, who alone took more than $1.7 million in extras.Weisselberg, 75, pleaded guilty Aug. 18. His plea agreement requires him to testify at the company’s trial before he starts a five-month jail sentence. If convicted, the Trump Organization could face a fine of double the amount of unpaid taxes.Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has been conducting a parallel criminal investigation of the same business practices at the heart of James’ civil lawsuit. That probe lost momentum earlier this year after Bragg raised questions internally about whether a criminal case was viable, but the Democrat has said it has not been abandoned.At the same time, the FBI is continuing to investigate Trump’s storage of sensitive government documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, and a special grand jury in Georgia is investigating whether Trump and others attempted to influence state election officials.All of the legal drama is playing out ahead of the November midterm elections, where Republicans are trying to win control of one or both houses of Congress.Meanwhile, Trump has been laying the groundwork for a potential comeback campaign for president in 2024 and has accused President Joe Biden’s administration of targeting him to hurt his political chances.State law allows a broad range of civil remedies against companies committing commercial fraud, including revoking licenses to conduct business in the state, removing company officers and forcing the payment of restitution or disgorgement of ill-gotten gains.James’ office could also seek to ban Trump from being involved in certain types of businesses, as happened in January when a judge barred ex-drug company CEO Martin Shkreli from the pharmaceutical industry for life.In a previous clash with Trump, James oversaw the closure of his charity, the Trump Foundation, after her predecessor in the attorney general’s office, Barbara Underwood, filed a lawsuit alleging he misused its assets to resolve business disputes and boost his run for the White House. A judge ordered Trump to pay $2 million to an array of charities to settle the matter.James, who campaigned for office as a Trump critic and watchdog, started scrutinizing his business practices in March 2019 after his former personal lawyer Michael Cohen testified to Congress that Trump exaggerated his wealth on financial statements provided to Deutsche Bank when he was trying to obtain financing to buy the NFL’s Buffalo Bills.Since then, James’ office and Trump’s lawyers have repeatedly sparred over the direction of the investigation and Trump’s unwillingness to comply with subpoenas for his testimony and records. Trump spent months fighting the subpoena that led to his August deposition, his lawyers unable to convince courts that he should be excused from testifying because his answers could be used in Bragg’s criminal probe.In May, Trump paid $110,000 in fines after he was held in contempt of court for being slow to respond to a subpoena James’ office issued seeking documents and other evidence. The contempt finding was lifted in June after Trump and his lawyers submitted paperwork showing they had made a good faith effort to find relevant documents.

🎥 New York sues Donald Trump alleging years of financial fraud

DOUGLAS COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities investigating vandalism at Lawrence High School football field, 1901 Louisiana in Lawrence, have identified a suspect, according to police spokesperson Laurie McCabe.

"The joint investigation, between police and the Lawrence Douglas County Fire Department, has led to the ID of a suspect."

The Lawrence High School Resource Officer who helped in the investigation submitted an affidavit to the district attorney. Police have now issued a warrant for the suspect’s arrest.

The suspect is alleged to have set a fire that caused thousands of dollars in damage to a section of turf and the school’s mascot painted on the field, according to USD 497.&nbsp; Police have not released the suspect's name.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663771637398.png" alt="Lawrence High School football stadium-google image" />
 <figcaption>Lawrence High School football stadium-google image</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities investigating vandalism at Lawrence High School football field, 1901 Louisiana in Lawrence, have identified a suspect, according to police spokesperson Laurie McCabe."The joint investigation, between police and the Lawrence Douglas County Fire Department, has led to the ID of a suspect."The Lawrence High School Resource Officer who helped in the investigation submitted an affidavit to the district attorney. Police have now issued a warrant for the suspect’s arrest.The suspect is alleged to have set a fire that caused thousands of dollars in damage to a section of turf and the school’s mascot painted on the field, according to USD 497.&nbsp; Police have not released the suspect's name.

Police ID suspect who set fire to Kan. school football field

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/09/21/kansas-poll-gov-kelly-holds-narrow-lead-in-gubernatorial-race-against-gops-schmidt/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — A new poll of likely 
Kansas voters released Wednesday indicated Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly 
held a narrow lead over Republican nominee Derek Schmidt in a heated 
contest to be decided in less than two months.

Kelly, who is seeking a second term as governor, was favored by 44.6%
 of those participating in the survey, while Schmidt was the preference 
of 43.1%. Independent candidate Dennis Pyle, a lifelong member of the 
GOP until launching his bid, had 3%. Eight percent of those polled were 
undecided.

The 1.5 percentage point gap between Schmidt and Kelly in the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ksnt.com/news/poll-shows-kelly-schmidt-in-tight-race-for-kansas-governor/">FOX4 survey by Emerson College Polling</a>
 was within the margin of error. In earlier polling in Kansas’ 
gubernatorial contest done by different organizations, Schmidt was ahead
 in two polls and Kelly in one poll. One of those polls had Pyle at 2%.

Spencer Kimball, executive director for Emerson College Polling, said
 the latest assessment revealed men in Kansas favored Schmidt over Kelly
 by a margin of 51% to 38%. At the same time, he said, women were 
breaking for Kelly over Schmidt 51% to 37%.

Meanwhile, the poll by Emerson College put Republican Kris Kobach 
ahead of Democratic nominee Chris Mann. It had Kobach at 41% and Mann at
 39%.

U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, a Republican, had a lead of 45% to 33% over 
Democratic candidate Mark Holland, a former mayor of the unified 
government in Kansas City, Kansas.

The Emerson College poll found 48.4% Kansas voters in the survey were
 most concerned about the economy, but abortion rights was the 
second-most important issue at 16%.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663768460516.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly, center, holds a slim lead in the campaign against Republican nominee Derek Schmidt, second from left, in the gubernatorial race to be decided in November. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly, center, holds a slim lead in the campaign against Republican nominee Derek Schmidt, second from left, in the gubernatorial race to be decided in November. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/09/21/kansas-poll-gov-kelly-holds-narrow-lead-in-gubernatorial-race-against-gops-schmidt/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — A new poll of likely 
Kansas voters released Wednesday indicated Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly 
held a narrow lead over Republican nominee Derek Schmidt in a heated 
contest to be decided in less than two months.Kelly, who is seeking a second term as governor, was favored by 44.6%
 of those participating in the survey, while Schmidt was the preference 
of 43.1%. Independent candidate Dennis Pyle, a lifelong member of the 
GOP until launching his bid, had 3%. Eight percent of those polled were 
undecided.The 1.5 percentage point gap between Schmidt and Kelly in the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ksnt.com/news/poll-shows-kelly-schmidt-in-tight-race-for-kansas-governor/">FOX4 survey by Emerson College Polling</a>
 was within the margin of error. In earlier polling in Kansas’ 
gubernatorial contest done by different organizations, Schmidt was ahead
 in two polls and Kelly in one poll. One of those polls had Pyle at 2%.Spencer Kimball, executive director for Emerson College Polling, said
 the latest assessment revealed men in Kansas favored Schmidt over Kelly
 by a margin of 51% to 38%. At the same time, he said, women were 
breaking for Kelly over Schmidt 51% to 37%.Meanwhile, the poll by Emerson College put Republican Kris Kobach 
ahead of Democratic nominee Chris Mann. It had Kobach at 41% and Mann at
 39%.U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, a Republican, had a lead of 45% to 33% over 
Democratic candidate Mark Holland, a former mayor of the unified 
government in Kansas City, Kansas.The Emerson College poll found 48.4% Kansas voters in the survey were
 most concerned about the economy, but abortion rights was the 
second-most important issue at 16%.

Kansas poll: Kelly holds narrow lead over Schmidt

JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities arrested a wanted Kansas woman after a traffic stop.

Just after 10:30p.m. Sept. 17, a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Nissan Altima on 150th and U.S. Highway 75, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

The deputy found open containers, methamphetamine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia in the vehicle. A passenger, Cass Cadue, 27, of Mayetta, was wanted on outstanding felony warrants from Douglas County.

 Cadue was arrested on the warrants and for transporting an open container. The driver, Lonnie Shopteese, 50, of Mayetta was arrested on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of drug paraphernalia and transporting an open container.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663711892489.png" alt="Shopteese-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Shopteese-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities arrested a wanted Kansas woman after a traffic stop.Just after 10:30p.m. Sept. 17, a sheriff's deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Nissan Altima on 150th and U.S. Highway 75, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.The deputy found open containers, methamphetamine, marijuana and drug paraphernalia in the vehicle. A passenger, Cass Cadue, 27, of Mayetta, was wanted on outstanding felony warrants from Douglas County.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663711850374.png" alt="Cadue-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Cadue-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure> Cadue was arrested on the warrants and for transporting an open container. The driver, Lonnie Shopteese, 50, of Mayetta was arrested on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug, possession of drug paraphernalia and transporting an open container.

Wanted Kansas woman captured transporting drugs 

DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) — A parts shortage that has thousands of Ford’s most-profitable vehicles sitting on lots waiting to be fully assembled has forced the automaker to slash its third-quarter earnings forecast.

Ford said Monday that it expects to have 40,000 to 45,000 unfinished vehicles on its hands when the quarter ends Sept. 30. Most of those are SUVs and popular truck models, which are some of Ford’s biggest money makers.

The company based in Dearborn, Michigan, now expects its third-quarter earnings before interest and taxes to be between $1.4 billion and $1.7 billion. It reported adjusted earnings before interest and taxes of $3.7 billion in the second quarter.

Its stock fell almost 5% in after-hours trading Monday.

The company did, however, say it expected the vehicles that it couldn’t fully assemble in the third quarter to be completed and sold to dealers in the final three months of the year. As a result, it reaffirmed its full-year 2022 profit forecast of $11.5 billion to $12.5 billion.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/auto-prices-soaring-computer-chip-shortage-f49547a45f6a10ca608886893c787891">global shortage of computer chips</a>&nbsp;has hobbled automakers’ ability to fully assemble vehicles and meet high buyer demand.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-detroit-fd10a1f1e7a46fa5a26bb36b8ca35dc8">General Motors said in July</a>&nbsp;that shortages of chips and other parts forced it to build 95,000 vehicles without one part or another. It also said that its incomplete vehicles are expected to be finished and sold by the end of the year.

Ford also said Monday that its inflation-related supplier costs for the third quarter were about $1 billion above what it had been planning for.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663764821458.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) — A parts shortage that has thousands of Ford’s most-profitable vehicles sitting on lots waiting to be fully assembled has forced the automaker to slash its third-quarter earnings forecast.Ford said Monday that it expects to have 40,000 to 45,000 unfinished vehicles on its hands when the quarter ends Sept. 30. Most of those are SUVs and popular truck models, which are some of Ford’s biggest money makers.The company based in Dearborn, Michigan, now expects its third-quarter earnings before interest and taxes to be between $1.4 billion and $1.7 billion. It reported adjusted earnings before interest and taxes of $3.7 billion in the second quarter.Its stock fell almost 5% in after-hours trading Monday.The company did, however, say it expected the vehicles that it couldn’t fully assemble in the third quarter to be completed and sold to dealers in the final three months of the year. As a result, it reaffirmed its full-year 2022 profit forecast of $11.5 billion to $12.5 billion.A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/auto-prices-soaring-computer-chip-shortage-f49547a45f6a10ca608886893c787891">global shortage of computer chips</a>&nbsp;has hobbled automakers’ ability to fully assemble vehicles and meet high buyer demand.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-detroit-fd10a1f1e7a46fa5a26bb36b8ca35dc8">General Motors said in July</a>&nbsp;that shortages of chips and other parts forced it to build 95,000 vehicles without one part or another. It also said that its incomplete vehicles are expected to be finished and sold by the end of the year.Ford also said Monday that its inflation-related supplier costs for the third quarter were about $1 billion above what it had been planning for.

Supply chain issue: Ford has 45,000 vehicles on hold

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Kansas State Fair announced that 315,273 people went through the gates at their 2022 event held September 9-18 in Hutchinson, versus 281,981 in 2021.

The Nex-Tech Grandstand concerts were well attended, and initial projections show carnival attendance trending over last year. Food and commercial vendors were also enthusiastic with their early sales projections.

Sponsorships also increased this year. “We have phenomenal partners and sponsors. I couldn’t be more pleased with the level of commitment our sponsors have shown us,” stated General Manager Bryan Schulz. “We would also like to thank all who attended, and want to build on this year’s success as we think ahead to 2023.”

The 2023 Fair is scheduled for September 8-17 in Hutchinson. Visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansasstatefair.com/">www.kansasstatefair.com</a>&nbsp;to learn more.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663083198915.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Kansas State Fair announced that 315,273 people went through the gates at their 2022 event held September 9-18 in Hutchinson, versus 281,981 in 2021.The Nex-Tech Grandstand concerts were well attended, and initial projections show carnival attendance trending over last year. Food and commercial vendors were also enthusiastic with their early sales projections.Sponsorships also increased this year. “We have phenomenal partners and sponsors. I couldn’t be more pleased with the level of commitment our sponsors have shown us,” stated General Manager Bryan Schulz. “We would also like to thank all who attended, and want to build on this year’s success as we think ahead to 2023.”The 2023 Fair is scheduled for September 8-17 in Hutchinson. Visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kansasstatefair.com/">www.kansasstatefair.com</a>&nbsp;to learn more.

Kansas State Fair attendance tops 300,000

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

Homecoming has been a long-time coming for Jason Lamb. The 1990 Great Bend High School graduate moved east to pursue a television journalism career shortly after graduation. But now he's back - sort of. Last month, Lamb was hired by KSN in Wichita to handle the noon news broadcast among other duties. Now Lamb is able to share the news with many friends and family in the western half of the state.

"To be back here is a lot of fun because this is the station I grew up watching," he said. "I grew up watching "NBC News with Tom Brokaw." He was my guy. I was watching "The Today Show" when 9/11 happened. I grew up with Tim McQuade doing the local news cut-ins from the studio in Great Bend on channel three. I loved the sports guys on KSN. So for me to come back to KSN and work here now, is kind of nostalgic. It feels like home."

While at GBHS, Lamb gained a taste for journalism while working for the high school paper, earning several awards along the way. After graduating, he attended Barton Community College and worked at KHOK for some hands-on experience.

"I always knew I wanted to be in the broadcasting end of it," said Lamb. "For me, working at KHOK was like an internship, even though it was a part-time job. That's kind of the way I approached it, and I loved it."

Back then, the KHOK studios were located on west 10th Street in Great Bend. And back then, not everything was digital. Casey Kasem's "Weekly Top 40" still required a little manpower.

"Back then we played CDs, so everything was on CD," Lamb said. "Casey's Top-40 would come in a box with (several) CDs. You just had to make sure you were playing the right ones in the right order. I learned a lot from Scott (Donovan), and Craig Watkins, and there were several other long-time DJs I picked stuff up from."

Being a college student and doubling as a DJ was also fun. In the 1990s, KHOK was still playing Top-40 hits. Except on Friday nights when the music turned to dance.

"We called it the Friday Night Hot Mix with Jammin' Jason Lamb," Lamb laughs. "I was Jammin' Jason Lamb there for a short couple years. I really loved doing that show."

After BCC, Lamb moved on to the University of Kansas. He worked at a radio station in Lawrence and a TV station in Topeka before interning at EPSN in the summer of 1994, otherwise known as the summer O.J. Simpson went on the run.

"I was in the programming department at ESPN so they would put us on to watch all the competition, to see how the other networks were covering the O.J. arraignment and the trial," Lamb recalled. "They wanted to know if NBC or CNN were going non-stop, or if they were taking commercial breaks and when they were taking the commercial breaks. They'd buy us lunch and sit us down in front of these four or five TVs and leave us in a room to watch the competition to log how they were handling it."

Upon graduating from KU in 1995, Lamb accepted his first job at WIBW in Topeka, then later took a job at KTKA, working as a sports reporter and weekend anchor at both stations. He was named sports director at KTKW before the station abruptly shut down and laid off the newsroom staff.

That was just before Lamb's 30th birthday, but after spending a few months unemployed, he took a position with WDAF Fox 4 in Kansas City, where he spent the next 16 years covering some of the biggest sports stories in the city's history. At Fox 4, Lamb worked alongside fellow GBHS graduates John Holt, David Stonebraker, and Derek Kenyon, another former KHOK employee.

Lamb covered the 2012 Major League Baseball All-Star game at Kauffman Stadium, and he saw both the 2014 and 2015 World Series runs. And he's seen the rise and continued rise of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes.

"I witnessed Patrick Mahomes being just a goofball in the locker room when Alex Smith was the starter, and nobody knew anything about Mahomes," said Lamb. "Nobody paid any attention to him, to all of a sudden taking over for Alex Smith and becoming an all-world quarterback. It was unbelievable."

After Fox 4, Lamb spent a brief period at KY3 in Springfield, Mo. He left there around Thanksgiving last year and did some freelance work prior to taking the KSN job in August. That freelance work brought him home for the first time in three decades as he did play-by-play for the KSHSAA Class 1A, Div. II State Basketball Championships in March.

"That's kind of when I thought, you know what, it'd be fun to work in Wichita someday because I enjoyed being back in Great Bend and seeing old friends," he said. "My first day on the air, I had messages from friends on 28th Street where I grew up. I got a message a few days later from my fourth-grade teacher, Mrs. Esfeld, wondering if that was really me. That part of it has been fun."

Lamb moves to Wichita with his wife, Amy, and a son, Jayce, and a mini Goldendoodle named Riggs.

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663619387679.jpeg" alt="Jason Lamb, a 1990 graduate of Great Bend High School, recently took to the airwaves at KSN after a long stint in Kansas City." />
 <figcaption>Jason Lamb, a 1990 graduate of Great Bend High School, recently took to the airwaves at KSN after a long stint in Kansas City.</figcaption>
 </figure>Homecoming has been a long-time coming for Jason Lamb. The 1990 Great Bend High School graduate moved east to pursue a television journalism career shortly after graduation. But now he's back - sort of. Last month, Lamb was hired by KSN in Wichita to handle the noon news broadcast among other duties. Now Lamb is able to share the news with many friends and family in the western half of the state."To be back here is a lot of fun because this is the station I grew up watching," he said. "I grew up watching "NBC News with Tom Brokaw." He was my guy. I was watching "The Today Show" when 9/11 happened. I grew up with Tim McQuade doing the local news cut-ins from the studio in Great Bend on channel three. I loved the sports guys on KSN. So for me to come back to KSN and work here now, is kind of nostalgic. It feels like home."While at GBHS, Lamb gained a taste for journalism while working for the high school paper, earning several awards along the way. After graduating, he attended Barton Community College and worked at KHOK for some hands-on experience."I always knew I wanted to be in the broadcasting end of it," said Lamb. "For me, working at KHOK was like an internship, even though it was a part-time job. That's kind of the way I approached it, and I loved it."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663619482196.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Back then, the KHOK studios were located on west 10th Street in Great Bend. And back then, not everything was digital. Casey Kasem's "Weekly Top 40" still required a little manpower."Back then we played CDs, so everything was on CD," Lamb said. "Casey's Top-40 would come in a box with (several) CDs. You just had to make sure you were playing the right ones in the right order. I learned a lot from Scott (Donovan), and Craig Watkins, and there were several other long-time DJs I picked stuff up from."Being a college student and doubling as a DJ was also fun. In the 1990s, KHOK was still playing Top-40 hits. Except on Friday nights when the music turned to dance."We called it the Friday Night Hot Mix with Jammin' Jason Lamb," Lamb laughs. "I was Jammin' Jason Lamb there for a short couple years. I really loved doing that show."After BCC, Lamb moved on to the University of Kansas. He worked at a radio station in Lawrence and a TV station in Topeka before interning at EPSN in the summer of 1994, otherwise known as the summer O.J. Simpson went on the run."I was in the programming department at ESPN so they would put us on to watch all the competition, to see how the other networks were covering the O.J. arraignment and the trial," Lamb recalled. "They wanted to know if NBC or CNN were going non-stop, or if they were taking commercial breaks and when they were taking the commercial breaks. They'd buy us lunch and sit us down in front of these four or five TVs and leave us in a room to watch the competition to log how they were handling it."Upon graduating from KU in 1995, Lamb accepted his first job at WIBW in Topeka, then later took a job at KTKA, working as a sports reporter and weekend anchor at both stations. He was named sports director at KTKW before the station abruptly shut down and laid off the newsroom staff.That was just before Lamb's 30th birthday, but after spending a few months unemployed, he took a position with WDAF Fox 4 in Kansas City, where he spent the next 16 years covering some of the biggest sports stories in the city's history. At Fox 4, Lamb worked alongside fellow GBHS graduates John Holt, David Stonebraker, and Derek Kenyon, another former KHOK employee.Lamb covered the 2012 Major League Baseball All-Star game at Kauffman Stadium, and he saw both the 2014 and 2015 World Series runs. And he's seen the rise and continued rise of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes."I witnessed Patrick Mahomes being just a goofball in the locker room when Alex Smith was the starter, and nobody knew anything about Mahomes," said Lamb. "Nobody paid any attention to him, to all of a sudden taking over for Alex Smith and becoming an all-world quarterback. It was unbelievable."After Fox 4, Lamb spent a brief period at KY3 in Springfield, Mo. He left there around Thanksgiving last year and did some freelance work prior to taking the KSN job in August. That freelance work brought him home for the first time in three decades as he did play-by-play for the KSHSAA Class 1A, Div. II State Basketball Championships in March."That's kind of when I thought, you know what, it'd be fun to work in Wichita someday because I enjoyed being back in Great Bend and seeing old friends," he said. "My first day on the air, I had messages from friends on 28th Street where I grew up. I got a message a few days later from my fourth-grade teacher, Mrs. Esfeld, wondering if that was really me. That part of it has been fun."Lamb moves to Wichita with his wife, Amy, and a son, Jayce, and a mini Goldendoodle named Riggs.

Great Bend-native Lamb returns 'home' as journalist at KSN

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a partial mobilization of reservists in Russia on Wednesday, risking a deeply unpopular step that follows a string of humiliating setbacks for his troops nearly seven months after invading Ukraine.

It’s the first mobilization in Russia since World War II and is sure to further fuel tensions with the Western backers of Ukraine, who derided the move as an act of weakness. The move also sent Russians scrambling to buy plane tickets out of the country.

The Russian leader, in a seven-minute televised address to the nation aired on Wednesday morning, also warned the West that he isn't bluffing over using all the means at his disposal to protect Russia's territory, in what appeared to be a veiled reference to Russia’s nuclear capability. Putin has previously warned the West not to back Russia against the wall and has rebuked NATO countries for supplying weapons to help Ukraine.

The total number of reservists to be called up could be as high as 300,000, officials said.

Even a partial mobilization is likely to increase dismay, or sow doubt, among Russians about the war in Ukraine. Shortly after Putin’s address, Russian media reported a sharp spike in demand for plane tickets abroad amid an apparent scramble to leave despite exorbitant prices for flights.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who was asked what had changed since he and others previously said no mobilization was planned, argued that Russia is effectively fighting against a combined potential of NATO because the alliance’s members have been supplying weapons to Kyiv.

Only those with relevant combat and service experience will be mobilized, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said. He added that there are around 25 million people who fit this criteria, but only around 1% of them will be mobilized.

Another clause in the decree prevents most professional soldiers from terminating their contracts and leaving service until the partial mobilization is no longer in place.

Putin's announcement came against the backdrop of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-general-assembly-russia-ukraine-putin-biden-health-5596bb7d07051a8edb776faa63311f82">U.N. General Assembly</a>&nbsp;in New York, where Moscow's invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 has been the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-general-assembly-russia-ukraine-biden-taiwan-4aef4aa948a199b310efd457be7e3036">target of broad international criticism</a>&nbsp;that has kept up intense diplomatic pressure on Moscow.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskky is due to address the gathering in a prerecorded address on Wednesday. Putin didn't travel to New York.

Putin's gambit has a strong element of risk — it could backfire, by making the Ukraine war unpopular at home and hurting his own standing, and it exposes Russia's underlying military shortcomings.

A Ukraine counteroffensive launched this month has snatched the military initiative away from Russia, as well as capturing large areas the Russians once held. The swiftness of the counteroffensive saw Russian forces abandon armored vehicles and other weapons as they beat hasty retreats.

A spokesman for Zelenskyy called the mobilization a “big tragedy” for the Russian people.

In a statement to The Associated Press, Sergii Nikiforov said conscripts sent to the front line in Ukraine would face a similar fate as ill-prepared Russian forces who were repelled in an attack on Kyiv in the first days of the invasion last February.

“This is a recognition of the incapacity of the Russian professional army, which has failed in all its tasks,” Nikiforov said.

The mobilization is unlikely to bring any consequences on the battlefield for months because of a lack of training facilities and equipment.

The U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Bridget Brink, tweeted that the mobilization is a sign "of weakness, of Russian failure.”

British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace echoed that assessment, describing Putin's move as “an admission that his invasion is failing.”

Russian political analyst Dmitry Oreshkin said Putin’s announcement smacked of “an act of desperation.” He predicted that Russians will resist the mobilization through “passive sabotage.”

“People will evade this mobilization in every possible way, bribe their way out of this mobilization, leave the country,” Oreshkin told the AP in an interview Wednesday.

The announcement won’t go down well with the general public, Oreshkin said, describing it as “a huge personal blow to Russian citizens, who until recently (took part in the hostilities) with pleasure, sitting on their couches, (watching) TV. And now the war has come into their home.”

The head of the Duma defense committee, Andrei Kartapolov, said there would be no additional restrictions on reservists leaving Russia based on this mobilization, according to Russian media reports. Kartapolov said he wanted to “calm” people about the mobilization.

The partial mobilization order came a day after Russian-controlled regions in eastern and southern Ukraine announced plans to hold votes on becoming integral parts of Russia — a move that could set the stage for Moscow to escalate the war following Ukrainian successes.

The referendums, which have been expected to take place since the first months of the war, will start Friday in the Luhansk, Kherson and partly Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions.

The ballots are all but certain to go Moscow’s way.

The war, which has killed thousands of people, has driven up food prices worldwide and caused energy costs to soar. It has also brought fears of a potential nuclear catastrophe at Europe’s largest nuclear plant in Ukraine’s now Russia-occupied southeast.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-european-union-international-criminal-court-government-and-politics-8f11ae4601f12db2bfacd01806de17c3">Investigations are also underway</a>&nbsp;into possible atrocities committed by Russian forces in Ukraine.

In his address, which was far shorter than previous speeches about the Ukraine war, Putin accused the West of engaging in “nuclear blackmail” and noted “statements of some high-ranking representatives of the leading NATO states about the possibility of using nuclear weapons of mass destruction against Russia.”

He didn't identify who had made such comments.

“To those who allow themselves such statements regarding Russia, I want to remind you that our country also has various means of destruction, and for separate components and more modern than those of NATO countries and when the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, to protect Russia and our people, we will certainly use all the means at our disposal,” Putin said.

Foreign leaders have described the ballots as illegitimate and nonbinding. Zelenskyy said they were a “sham” and “noise” to distract public attention.

Putin said he has already signed the decree for partial mobilization, which is due to start on Wednesday. A full-scale mobilization would likely be unpopular in Russia and could further dent Putin's standing after the recent military setbacks in Ukraine.

“We are talking about partial mobilization, that is, only citizens who are currently in the reserve will be subject to conscription, and above all, those who served in the armed forces have a certain military specialty and relevant experience,” Putin said.

Shoigu, the Russian defense minister, also said that 5,937 Russian soldiers have died in the Ukraine conflict, far lower than Western estimates that Russia has lost tens of thousands.

The Vesna opposition movement called for nationwide protests on Wednesday, saying “Thousands of Russian men -- our fathers, brothers and husbands -- will be thrown into the meat grinder of the war. What will they be dying for? What will mothers and children be crying for?"

It was unclear how many would dare to protest amid Russia's overall suppression of opposition and harsh laws against discrediting soldiers and the military operation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663760963726.jpeg" alt="Image from a video released by the Russian Presidential Press Service, Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses the nation in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022. (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)" />
 <figcaption>Image from a video released by the Russian Presidential Press Service, Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses the nation in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022. (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered a partial mobilization of reservists in Russia on Wednesday, risking a deeply unpopular step that follows a string of humiliating setbacks for his troops nearly seven months after invading Ukraine.It’s the first mobilization in Russia since World War II and is sure to further fuel tensions with the Western backers of Ukraine, who derided the move as an act of weakness. The move also sent Russians scrambling to buy plane tickets out of the country.The Russian leader, in a seven-minute televised address to the nation aired on Wednesday morning, also warned the West that he isn't bluffing over using all the means at his disposal to protect Russia's territory, in what appeared to be a veiled reference to Russia’s nuclear capability. Putin has previously warned the West not to back Russia against the wall and has rebuked NATO countries for supplying weapons to help Ukraine.The total number of reservists to be called up could be as high as 300,000, officials said.Even a partial mobilization is likely to increase dismay, or sow doubt, among Russians about the war in Ukraine. Shortly after Putin’s address, Russian media reported a sharp spike in demand for plane tickets abroad amid an apparent scramble to leave despite exorbitant prices for flights.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov, who was asked what had changed since he and others previously said no mobilization was planned, argued that Russia is effectively fighting against a combined potential of NATO because the alliance’s members have been supplying weapons to Kyiv.Only those with relevant combat and service experience will be mobilized, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said. He added that there are around 25 million people who fit this criteria, but only around 1% of them will be mobilized.Another clause in the decree prevents most professional soldiers from terminating their contracts and leaving service until the partial mobilization is no longer in place.Putin's announcement came against the backdrop of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-general-assembly-russia-ukraine-putin-biden-health-5596bb7d07051a8edb776faa63311f82">U.N. General Assembly</a>&nbsp;in New York, where Moscow's invasion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 has been the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-nations-general-assembly-russia-ukraine-biden-taiwan-4aef4aa948a199b310efd457be7e3036">target of broad international criticism</a>&nbsp;that has kept up intense diplomatic pressure on Moscow.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskky is due to address the gathering in a prerecorded address on Wednesday. Putin didn't travel to New York.Putin's gambit has a strong element of risk — it could backfire, by making the Ukraine war unpopular at home and hurting his own standing, and it exposes Russia's underlying military shortcomings.A Ukraine counteroffensive launched this month has snatched the military initiative away from Russia, as well as capturing large areas the Russians once held. The swiftness of the counteroffensive saw Russian forces abandon armored vehicles and other weapons as they beat hasty retreats.A spokesman for Zelenskyy called the mobilization a “big tragedy” for the Russian people.In a statement to The Associated Press, Sergii Nikiforov said conscripts sent to the front line in Ukraine would face a similar fate as ill-prepared Russian forces who were repelled in an attack on Kyiv in the first days of the invasion last February.“This is a recognition of the incapacity of the Russian professional army, which has failed in all its tasks,” Nikiforov said.The mobilization is unlikely to bring any consequences on the battlefield for months because of a lack of training facilities and equipment.The U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Bridget Brink, tweeted that the mobilization is a sign "of weakness, of Russian failure.”British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace echoed that assessment, describing Putin's move as “an admission that his invasion is failing.”Russian political analyst Dmitry Oreshkin said Putin’s announcement smacked of “an act of desperation.” He predicted that Russians will resist the mobilization through “passive sabotage.”“People will evade this mobilization in every possible way, bribe their way out of this mobilization, leave the country,” Oreshkin told the AP in an interview Wednesday.The announcement won’t go down well with the general public, Oreshkin said, describing it as “a huge personal blow to Russian citizens, who until recently (took part in the hostilities) with pleasure, sitting on their couches, (watching) TV. And now the war has come into their home.”The head of the Duma defense committee, Andrei Kartapolov, said there would be no additional restrictions on reservists leaving Russia based on this mobilization, according to Russian media reports. Kartapolov said he wanted to “calm” people about the mobilization.The partial mobilization order came a day after Russian-controlled regions in eastern and southern Ukraine announced plans to hold votes on becoming integral parts of Russia — a move that could set the stage for Moscow to escalate the war following Ukrainian successes.The referendums, which have been expected to take place since the first months of the war, will start Friday in the Luhansk, Kherson and partly Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions.The ballots are all but certain to go Moscow’s way.The war, which has killed thousands of people, has driven up food prices worldwide and caused energy costs to soar. It has also brought fears of a potential nuclear catastrophe at Europe’s largest nuclear plant in Ukraine’s now Russia-occupied southeast.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-european-union-international-criminal-court-government-and-politics-8f11ae4601f12db2bfacd01806de17c3">Investigations are also underway</a>&nbsp;into possible atrocities committed by Russian forces in Ukraine.In his address, which was far shorter than previous speeches about the Ukraine war, Putin accused the West of engaging in “nuclear blackmail” and noted “statements of some high-ranking representatives of the leading NATO states about the possibility of using nuclear weapons of mass destruction against Russia.”He didn't identify who had made such comments.“To those who allow themselves such statements regarding Russia, I want to remind you that our country also has various means of destruction, and for separate components and more modern than those of NATO countries and when the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, to protect Russia and our people, we will certainly use all the means at our disposal,” Putin said.He added: “It’s not a bluff.”Foreign leaders have described the ballots as illegitimate and nonbinding. Zelenskyy said they were a “sham” and “noise” to distract public attention.Putin said he has already signed the decree for partial mobilization, which is due to start on Wednesday. A full-scale mobilization would likely be unpopular in Russia and could further dent Putin's standing after the recent military setbacks in Ukraine.“We are talking about partial mobilization, that is, only citizens who are currently in the reserve will be subject to conscription, and above all, those who served in the armed forces have a certain military specialty and relevant experience,” Putin said.Shoigu, the Russian defense minister, also said that 5,937 Russian soldiers have died in the Ukraine conflict, far lower than Western estimates that Russia has lost tens of thousands.The Vesna opposition movement called for nationwide protests on Wednesday, saying “Thousands of Russian men -- our fathers, brothers and husbands -- will be thrown into the meat grinder of the war. What will they be dying for? What will mothers and children be crying for?"It was unclear how many would dare to protest amid Russia's overall suppression of opposition and harsh laws against discrediting soldiers and the military operation.

Putin calls up more troops, says he won’t ‘bluff’ on nukes

WASHINGTON —On Tuesday, the White House released state-by-state data on how the Biden Administration’s plan for student debt relief will benefit borrowers in all fifty states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, according to a statement from the White House.

In Kansas and Nebraska, almost 400,000 student loan recipients qualify for some form of loan forgiveness and over 777,000 qualify in Missouri.

<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/09/20/fact-sheet-the-biden-harris-administrations-plan-for-student-debt-relief-could-benefit-tens-of-millions-of-borrowers-in-all-fifty-states/">Click here to see the</a> breakdown

 Last month, President Biden announced his Administration’s plan to give working and middle-class Americans more breathing room by providing up to $20,000 in debt relief to Pell Grant recipients and up to $10,000 to other borrowers. The Biden-Harris Administration expects that over 40 million borrowers are eligible for its student debt relief plan, and nearly 20 million borrowers could see their entire remaining balance discharged.

The student debt relief plan will help borrowers and families continue to recover from the pandemic and prepare to resume student loan payments in January 2023. Nearly 90% of relief dollars will go to those earning less than $75,000 per year – and no relief will go to any individual or household in the top 5% of incomes in the United States. By targeting relief to borrowers with the highest economic need, the Administration’s actions are also likely to help narrow the racial wealth gap. Nearly 71% of Black undergraduate borrowers are Pell Grant recipients, and 65% of Latino undergraduate borrowers are Pell Grant recipients.

The below analysis from the Department of Education includes state-by-state data on the estimated number of individuals eligible for student debt relief, and the estimated number of Pell Grant borrowers eligible for up to $20,000 of relief within each state. In the coming weeks, the Department of Education will release additional details on how individuals across the country can benefit from the Administration’s student debt relief plan. For more information, visit&nbsp;<a>StudentAid.gov/debtrelief</a>.

WASHINGTON —On Tuesday, the White House released state-by-state data on how the Biden Administration’s plan for student debt relief will benefit borrowers in all fifty states, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, according to a statement from the White House.In Kansas and Nebraska, almost 400,000 student loan recipients qualify for some form of loan forgiveness and over 777,000 qualify in Missouri.<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/09/20/fact-sheet-the-biden-harris-administrations-plan-for-student-debt-relief-could-benefit-tens-of-millions-of-borrowers-in-all-fifty-states/">Click here to see the</a> breakdown Last month, President Biden announced his Administration’s plan to give working and middle-class Americans more breathing room by providing up to $20,000 in debt relief to Pell Grant recipients and up to $10,000 to other borrowers. The Biden-Harris Administration expects that over 40 million borrowers are eligible for its student debt relief plan, and nearly 20 million borrowers could see their entire remaining balance discharged.The student debt relief plan will help borrowers and families continue to recover from the pandemic and prepare to resume student loan payments in January 2023. Nearly 90% of relief dollars will go to those earning less than $75,000 per year – and no relief will go to any individual or household in the top 5% of incomes in the United States. By targeting relief to borrowers with the highest economic need, the Administration’s actions are also likely to help narrow the racial wealth gap. Nearly 71% of Black undergraduate borrowers are Pell Grant recipients, and 65% of Latino undergraduate borrowers are Pell Grant recipients.The below analysis from the Department of Education includes state-by-state data on the estimated number of individuals eligible for student debt relief, and the estimated number of Pell Grant borrowers eligible for up to $20,000 of relief within each state. In the coming weeks, the Department of Education will release additional details on how individuals across the country can benefit from the Administration’s student debt relief plan. For more information, visit&nbsp;<a>StudentAid.gov/debtrelief</a>.

White House: Thousands in Kan. eligible for student debt forgiveness

By BECKY GOFF&nbsp; Little Apple Post&nbsp;

MANHATTAN - For more than 50 years, a Manhattan man has been adding to his collection of Kansas City Chiefs memorabilia, which now totals more than 1,300 pieces.&nbsp;

More than two years ago, Curt Herrman applied to the Guinness World Records hoping to be named the owner of the 'Largest collection of Kansas City Chiefs memorabilia,' a designation that did not exist, prior to him being notified<a href="https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/704424-largest-collection-of-kanas-city-chiefs-memorabilia"> he is now a 'Guinness World Record' holder</a>.&nbsp;

"It was obviously elation, actually I got the notice at 5:37 a.m. a week ago last Friday...because, well, because they are based out of England, and so they're way ahead of me...but you know, they kept coming back every time I would send them something they would come back and say, 'ok, we need to have this; well, can you send us a close up of this.' and I had to make a video of everything, of me counting everything, and so when I got that email that morning, I thought, 'oh, here we go again, what else do you need?' and it was like 'Congratulations, You've now been awarded the World Record,' so it was a very happy moment." Curt Herrman says.&nbsp;

Curt received his first Chiefs item, a football, following the Chiefs' Super Bowl 4 victory.&nbsp;

"When I was 9 years old in 1970, the Chiefs won Super Bowl 4, and that year for my birthday I got a football for my birthday, and then ever since then, every year, Christmas, holidays, birthdays everybody just gave me Chiefs stuff. And over the years, I collected quite a bit and...but at one point a lot of it was in storage, but when my kids went to college, we became empty-nesters, and my wife told me 'Stop buying more stuff, you have...you don't even know what all you have.' And so, I got everything and started taking pictures and started hanging stuff up on the walls and next thing you know I had realized I had about 650, almost 700 items." Curt says.&nbsp;

Curt's collection contains no duplicates, any duplicates he receives he gives to friends who are working to build their own collections.&nbsp;

As of September 19th, Herrman's collection contains 1,312 Kansas City Chiefs items.&nbsp;

Herrman's collection keeps growing thanks to gifts, donations and things he finds while he's out and about.&nbsp;

Curt watches the Kansas City Chiefs games from the couch in his basement surrounded by his 'Chiefseum' collection, which include a life-size cardboard cut-out of his son.&nbsp;

Curt says as a huge Kansas City Chiefs fan, he would love to meet someone from the team and have them visit his collection.&nbsp;

By BECKY GOFF&nbsp; Little Apple Post&nbsp;MANHATTAN - For more than 50 years, a Manhattan man has been adding to his collection of Kansas City Chiefs memorabilia, which now totals more than 1,300 pieces.&nbsp;More than two years ago, Curt Herrman applied to the Guinness World Records hoping to be named the owner of the 'Largest collection of Kansas City Chiefs memorabilia,' a designation that did not exist, prior to him being notified<a href="https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/704424-largest-collection-of-kanas-city-chiefs-memorabilia"> he is now a 'Guinness World Record' holder</a>.&nbsp;"It was obviously elation, actually I got the notice at 5:37 a.m. a week ago last Friday...because, well, because they are based out of England, and so they're way ahead of me...but you know, they kept coming back every time I would send them something they would come back and say, 'ok, we need to have this; well, can you send us a close up of this.' and I had to make a video of everything, of me counting everything, and so when I got that email that morning, I thought, 'oh, here we go again, what else do you need?' and it was like 'Congratulations, You've now been awarded the World Record,' so it was a very happy moment." Curt Herrman says.&nbsp;Curt received his first Chiefs item, a football, following the Chiefs' Super Bowl 4 victory.&nbsp;"When I was 9 years old in 1970, the Chiefs won Super Bowl 4, and that year for my birthday I got a football for my birthday, and then ever since then, every year, Christmas, holidays, birthdays everybody just gave me Chiefs stuff. And over the years, I collected quite a bit and...but at one point a lot of it was in storage, but when my kids went to college, we became empty-nesters, and my wife told me 'Stop buying more stuff, you have...you don't even know what all you have.' And so, I got everything and started taking pictures and started hanging stuff up on the walls and next thing you know I had realized I had about 650, almost 700 items." Curt says.&nbsp;Curt's collection contains no duplicates, any duplicates he receives he gives to friends who are working to build their own collections.&nbsp;As of September 19th, Herrman's collection contains 1,312 Kansas City Chiefs items.&nbsp;<div><div style="position:relative; overflow:hidden; padding-bottom:56.25%"><iframe src="https://cdn.jwplayer.com/players/Vv0uTAXk-60zMcgvZ.html" width="100%" height="100%" frameborder="0" scrolling="auto" title="Chiefseum" style="position:absolute;" allowfullscreen></iframe></div></div>Herrman's collection keeps growing thanks to gifts, donations and things he finds while he's out and about.&nbsp;Curt watches the Kansas City Chiefs games from the couch in his basement surrounded by his 'Chiefseum' collection, which include a life-size cardboard cut-out of his son.&nbsp;Curt says as a huge Kansas City Chiefs fan, he would love to meet someone from the team and have them visit his collection.&nbsp;

🎥: Kan. man owns world's largest KC Chiefs memorabilia collection 

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities have filed new charges against a Kansas felon who absconded in August, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

Just after 1a.m. August 19, police officers responded to the area of the 400 block North 9th in Atchison to investigate a report of shots fired, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

Officers determined that multiple shots had been fired and although there were no injuries to anyone, four vehicles became a focus of police.&nbsp;

Two were parked vehicles that were struck by gunfire and two vehicles that were occupied. The investigation that followed has led to charges being filed in District Court against 21-year-old Keldon M. Reynolds of Atchison.

Reynolds is currently being held in the Lyon County Jail on unrelated charges. He&nbsp; is now charged in Atchison County District Court with criminal discharge of a firearm at an occupied vehicle, criminal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and two counts of criminal damage to property.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663710208498.png" alt="Reynolds-photo Kansas Dept. of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Reynolds-photo Kansas Dept. of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities have filed new charges against a Kansas felon who absconded in August, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.Just after 1a.m. August 19, police officers responded to the area of the 400 block North 9th in Atchison to investigate a report of shots fired, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.Officers determined that multiple shots had been fired and although there were no injuries to anyone, four vehicles became a focus of police.&nbsp;<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/KedKSrclC_w" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Two were parked vehicles that were struck by gunfire and two vehicles that were occupied. The investigation that followed has led to charges being filed in District Court against 21-year-old Keldon M. Reynolds of Atchison.Reynolds is currently being held in the Lyon County Jail on unrelated charges. He&nbsp; is now charged in Atchison County District Court with criminal discharge of a firearm at an occupied vehicle, criminal possession of a firearm by a convicted felon, and two counts of criminal damage to property.

Charges filed against wanted Kan. felon for firing gun at vehicles

DICKINSON COUNTY —Three died in an accident just before 3:30p.m. Tuesday in Dickinson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Kenworth semi driven by Dwight E. Morey, 63, Fairmont, Oklahoma, was southbound on Kansas 15 at 1500 Avenue.&nbsp;

The semi struck a 2006 Dodge Dakota driven by Joel C. Hynes, 54, Junction City, who was southbound on Kansas 15 and had made a u-turn at 1500 Avenue. 

After impact the pickup&nbsp; entered the east ditch and flipped onto its roof. The semi entered the east ditch and came to rest in a field.

Hynes and passengers in the pickup Mary L. Hynes, 64,&nbsp; and John L. Hynes, 78, Coal Valley, Illinois, were pronounced dead at the scene and transported to&nbsp; Martin Becker Funeral Home. Morey was not transported for treatment of a minor injury. John Hynes was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

DICKINSON COUNTY —Three died in an accident just before 3:30p.m. Tuesday in Dickinson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2003 Kenworth semi driven by Dwight E. Morey, 63, Fairmont, Oklahoma, was southbound on Kansas 15 at 1500 Avenue.&nbsp;The semi struck a 2006 Dodge Dakota driven by Joel C. Hynes, 54, Junction City, who was southbound on Kansas 15 and had made a u-turn at 1500 Avenue. After impact the pickup&nbsp; entered the east ditch and flipped onto its roof. The semi entered the east ditch and came to rest in a field.Hynes and passengers in the pickup Mary L. Hynes, 64,&nbsp; and John L. Hynes, 78, Coal Valley, Illinois, were pronounced dead at the scene and transported to&nbsp; Martin Becker Funeral Home. Morey was not transported for treatment of a minor injury. John Hynes was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas man, woman among 3 dead in semi, pickup crash

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service recently issued <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-wd/202237010.pdf">guidance addressing improper forgiveness of a Paycheck Protection Program loan (PPP loan)</a>PDF.

The guidance confirms that, when a taxpayer's loan is forgiven based 
upon misrepresentations or omissions, the taxpayer is not eligible to 
exclude the forgiveness from income and must include in income the 
portion of the loan proceeds that were forgiven based upon 
misrepresentations or omissions. Taxpayers who inappropriately received 
forgiveness of their PPP loans are encouraged to take steps to come into
 compliance by, for example, filing amended returns that include 
forgiven loan proceed amounts in income.

"This action underscores the Internal Revenue Service's commitment to
 ensuring that all taxpayers are paying their fair share of taxes," said
 IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "We want to make sure that those who are
 abusing such programs are held accountable, and we will be considering 
all available treatment and penalty streams to address the abuses."

Many PPP loan recipients who received loan forgiveness were qualified
 and used the loan proceeds properly to pay eligible expenses. However, 
the IRS has discovered that some recipients who received loan 
forgiveness did not meet one or more eligibility conditions. These 
recipients received forgiveness of their PPP loan through 
misrepresentation or omission and either did not qualify to receive a 
PPP loan or misused the loan proceeds.

The PPP loan program was established by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief 
and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) to assist small US businesses that
 were adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in paying certain 
expenses. The PPP loan program was further extended by the Economic Aid 
to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits and Venues Act.

Under the terms of the PPP loan program, lenders can forgive the full
 amount of the loan if the loan recipient meets three conditions.

If the 3 conditions above are met, then under the PPP loan 
program the forgiven portion is excluded from income. If the conditions 
are not met, then the amount of the loan proceeds that were forgiven but
 do not meet the conditions must be included in income and any 
additional income tax must be paid.

To report tax-related illegal activities relating to PPP loans, submit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f3949a.pdf">Form 3949-A, Information Referral</a>PDF. You should also report instances of&nbsp;IRS-related phishing attempts and fraud to the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ustreas.gov/tigta">Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration</a>&nbsp;at&nbsp;<a href="tel:800-366-4484">800-366-4484</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRS\WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service recently issued <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-wd/202237010.pdf">guidance addressing improper forgiveness of a Paycheck Protection Program loan (PPP loan)</a>PDF.The guidance confirms that, when a taxpayer's loan is forgiven based 
upon misrepresentations or omissions, the taxpayer is not eligible to 
exclude the forgiveness from income and must include in income the 
portion of the loan proceeds that were forgiven based upon 
misrepresentations or omissions. Taxpayers who inappropriately received 
forgiveness of their PPP loans are encouraged to take steps to come into
 compliance by, for example, filing amended returns that include 
forgiven loan proceed amounts in income."This action underscores the Internal Revenue Service's commitment to
 ensuring that all taxpayers are paying their fair share of taxes," said
 IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "We want to make sure that those who are
 abusing such programs are held accountable, and we will be considering 
all available treatment and penalty streams to address the abuses."Many PPP loan recipients who received loan forgiveness were qualified
 and used the loan proceeds properly to pay eligible expenses. However, 
the IRS has discovered that some recipients who received loan 
forgiveness did not meet one or more eligibility conditions. These 
recipients received forgiveness of their PPP loan through 
misrepresentation or omission and either did not qualify to receive a 
PPP loan or misused the loan proceeds.The PPP loan program was established by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief 
and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) to assist small US businesses that
 were adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in paying certain 
expenses. The PPP loan program was further extended by the Economic Aid 
to Hard-Hit Small Businesses, Nonprofits and Venues Act.Under the terms of the PPP loan program, lenders can forgive the full
 amount of the loan if the loan recipient meets three conditions.<ol>
 <li>The loan recipient was eligible to receive the PPP loan. An eligible loan recipient:
	• is a small business concern, independent contractor, eligible 
self-employed individual, sole proprietor, business concern, or a 
certain type of tax-exempt entity;&nbsp;• was in business on or before February 15, 2020; and• had employees or independent contractors who were paid for their 
services, or was a self-employed individual, sole proprietor or 
independent contractor. 
		&nbsp;</li><li>is a small business concern, independent contractor, eligible 
self-employed individual, sole proprietor, business concern, or a 
certain type of tax-exempt entity;&nbsp;</li><li>was in business on or before February 15, 2020; and</li><li>had employees or independent contractors who were paid for their 
services, or was a self-employed individual, sole proprietor or 
independent contractor. 
		&nbsp;</li><li>The loan proceeds had to be used to pay eligible expenses, such as 
payroll costs, rent, interest on the business' mortgage, and utilities. 
	&nbsp;</li><li>The loan recipient had to apply for loan forgiveness. The loan 
forgiveness application required a loan recipient to attest to 
eligibility, verify certain financial information, and meet other legal 
qualifications.</li>
 </ol>If the 3 conditions above are met, then under the PPP loan 
program the forgiven portion is excluded from income. If the conditions 
are not met, then the amount of the loan proceeds that were forgiven but
 do not meet the conditions must be included in income and any 
additional income tax must be paid.To report tax-related illegal activities relating to PPP loans, submit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f3949a.pdf">Form 3949-A, Information Referral</a>PDF. You should also report instances of&nbsp;IRS-related phishing attempts and fraud to the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.ustreas.gov/tigta">Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration</a>&nbsp;at&nbsp;<a href="tel:800-366-4484">800-366-4484</a>

IRS: Improperly forgiven Paycheck Protection loans are taxable

GEARY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects from Milford in connection to an alleged rape.

&nbsp;Just after 8:30 a.m. Tuesday deputies responded to the Junction City High School in reference to a possible rape that occurred at a residence on Old Highway 77 in the early morning hours, according to a media release from the Sheriff's Department.

Following their investigation, deputies arrested 45-year-old Christopher James Beem on requested rape charges and 40-year-old Melissa Sue Beem on charges of aiding, abetting rape.&nbsp;

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663719007370.png" alt="Beem-photo Geary County" />
 <figcaption>Beem-photo Geary County</figcaption>
 </figure>GEARY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects from Milford in connection to an alleged rape.&nbsp;Just after 8:30 a.m. Tuesday deputies responded to the Junction City High School in reference to a possible rape that occurred at a residence on Old Highway 77 in the early morning hours, according to a media release from the Sheriff's Department.Following their investigation, deputies arrested 45-year-old Christopher James Beem on requested rape charges and 40-year-old Melissa Sue Beem on charges of aiding, abetting rape.&nbsp;Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

Sheriff: Kansas man and woman arrested for alleged rape

KANSAS CITY (AP) —A federal judge on Tuesday threw out three of four convictions against a Kansas researcher accused of illegally concealing work he was doing at a Chinese university while working at the University of Kansas, leaving only a conviction for making a false statement on a form.

A jury&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-education-kansas-lawrence-university-of-kansas-cbbbb2cce47f22631a676e4e21a04beb">convicted</a>&nbsp;researcher Feng “Franklin” Tao in April on three counts of wire fraud and one count of false statements. He was accused of not disclosing that he was working for Fuzhou University in China while employed at the Kansas university.

However, U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson ruled that federal prosecutors did not provide sufficient evidence to support the wire fraud convictions. She upheld the making a false statement conviction and denied Tao's request for a new trial on that count.

Tao's attorney, Peter Zeidenberg, said in a statement that the defense team was gratified that Robinson found Tao did not intend to defraud Kansas or the federal government, and that Tao was "an outstanding researcher and award-winning professor" at Kansas.

“This will hopefully drive a final stake through the heart of these China Initiative cases, where the government has claimed that the failure to disclose a relationship to China constitutes federal grant fraud even when the researcher has completed all of the work on the grant to the government’s complete satisfaction,” Zeidenberg wrote.

The U.S. Attorney's office in Kansas said Tuesday it would have no comment on Robinson's ruling.

Zeidenberg said the defense team is considering its next steps related to the filing a false statement conviction, which carries a possible sentence of up to five years.

Federal prosecutors&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-china-education-kansas-city-kansas-8aae3094feceb89063daed39625925f4">argued during the trial</a>&nbsp;that Tao concealed his work in China to defraud the University of Kansas, the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation. The federal agencies had awarded Tao grants for research projects at Kansas.

Defense attorneys argued that Tao was merely “moonlighting.” They said Tao completed all the research he received grants to conduct in Kansas and that his work in China wasn’t illegal because he wasn’t paid for it.

Robinson said Tao was deceptive in not disclosing his activities at Fuzhou University but there was no evidence Tao received money or property for the work, which is required for a wire fraud conviction.

“During the time period of the alleged scheme to defraud, Tao continued to rightfully receive his salary from KU for his services and continued to successfully perform the research required by DOE and NSF under their research grants,” Robinson wrote.

She said Tao did make a false statement to Kansas on a conflict of interest statement he submitted to the university in 2018.

The case against Tao was part of the U.S. Justice Department's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-china-asia-pacific-u-s-news-espionage-15bb5a431f8bdcdde54c3988b48607d4">China Initiative,</a>&nbsp;a program started in 2018 to crack down on efforts to transfer original ideas and intellectual property from U.S. universities to Chinese government institutions. The department ended the program in February amid public criticism and several failed prosecutions.

Tao did not disclose on conflict of interest forms that he was named to a Chinese talent program, the Changjiang Professorship. As part of that program he traveled to China to set up a laboratory and recruit staff for Fuzhou University, while telling Kansas officials that he was in Germany.

Zeidenberg noted during the trial that Tao listed his affiliation with both schools in some papers, suggesting he wasn’t hiding it. He also noted that the university honored Tao for his research efforts in April 2019,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c504c8ccc0194ad190b1abf25a64e943">just months before his arrest</a>.

Tao was born in China and moved to the U.S. in 2002. He began working in August 2014 as a tenured associate professor at the University of Kansas’ Center for Environmentally Beneficial Catalysis, which conducts research on sustainable technology to conserve natural resources and energy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574105486339.png" alt="Feng “Franklin” Tao -photo University of Kansas" />
 <figcaption>Feng “Franklin” Tao -photo University of Kansas</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) —A federal judge on Tuesday threw out three of four convictions against a Kansas researcher accused of illegally concealing work he was doing at a Chinese university while working at the University of Kansas, leaving only a conviction for making a false statement on a form.A jury&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-education-kansas-lawrence-university-of-kansas-cbbbb2cce47f22631a676e4e21a04beb">convicted</a>&nbsp;researcher Feng “Franklin” Tao in April on three counts of wire fraud and one count of false statements. He was accused of not disclosing that he was working for Fuzhou University in China while employed at the Kansas university.However, U.S. District Judge Julie Robinson ruled that federal prosecutors did not provide sufficient evidence to support the wire fraud convictions. She upheld the making a false statement conviction and denied Tao's request for a new trial on that count.Tao's attorney, Peter Zeidenberg, said in a statement that the defense team was gratified that Robinson found Tao did not intend to defraud Kansas or the federal government, and that Tao was "an outstanding researcher and award-winning professor" at Kansas.“This will hopefully drive a final stake through the heart of these China Initiative cases, where the government has claimed that the failure to disclose a relationship to China constitutes federal grant fraud even when the researcher has completed all of the work on the grant to the government’s complete satisfaction,” Zeidenberg wrote.The U.S. Attorney's office in Kansas said Tuesday it would have no comment on Robinson's ruling.Zeidenberg said the defense team is considering its next steps related to the filing a false statement conviction, which carries a possible sentence of up to five years.Federal prosecutors&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-china-education-kansas-city-kansas-8aae3094feceb89063daed39625925f4">argued during the trial</a>&nbsp;that Tao concealed his work in China to defraud the University of Kansas, the U.S. Department of Energy and the National Science Foundation. The federal agencies had awarded Tao grants for research projects at Kansas.Defense attorneys argued that Tao was merely “moonlighting.” They said Tao completed all the research he received grants to conduct in Kansas and that his work in China wasn’t illegal because he wasn’t paid for it.Robinson said Tao was deceptive in not disclosing his activities at Fuzhou University but there was no evidence Tao received money or property for the work, which is required for a wire fraud conviction.“During the time period of the alleged scheme to defraud, Tao continued to rightfully receive his salary from KU for his services and continued to successfully perform the research required by DOE and NSF under their research grants,” Robinson wrote.She said Tao did make a false statement to Kansas on a conflict of interest statement he submitted to the university in 2018.The case against Tao was part of the U.S. Justice Department's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-china-asia-pacific-u-s-news-espionage-15bb5a431f8bdcdde54c3988b48607d4">China Initiative,</a>&nbsp;a program started in 2018 to crack down on efforts to transfer original ideas and intellectual property from U.S. universities to Chinese government institutions. The department ended the program in February amid public criticism and several failed prosecutions.Tao did not disclose on conflict of interest forms that he was named to a Chinese talent program, the Changjiang Professorship. As part of that program he traveled to China to set up a laboratory and recruit staff for Fuzhou University, while telling Kansas officials that he was in Germany.Zeidenberg noted during the trial that Tao listed his affiliation with both schools in some papers, suggesting he wasn’t hiding it. He also noted that the university honored Tao for his research efforts in April 2019,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/c504c8ccc0194ad190b1abf25a64e943">just months before his arrest</a>.Tao was born in China and moved to the U.S. in 2002. He began working in August 2014 as a tenured associate professor at the University of Kansas’ Center for Environmentally Beneficial Catalysis, which conducts research on sustainable technology to conserve natural resources and energy.