By AARON SANDERFORD <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/08/10/facebook-data-used-to-prosecute-nebraska-mother-daughter-after-alleged-abortion/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

OMAHA — Evidence against a Norfolk, 
Nebraska, mother and her teen in a case alleging an illegal abortion is 
opening a new digital front in the national battle over abortion.

Police allege in court documents that
 Celeste Burgess, then 17 years old, told police in April that she had 
suffered a miscarriage in a bathtub at her home. She said she and her 
mom buried the stillborn, the documents show.

Investigators seeking a search 
warrant said they later learned that the mother, Jessica Burgess, had 
bought the oral medication online to end her daughter’s pregnancy. That 
information was gathered in part from private Facebook messages the 
Burgesses exchanged.&nbsp;

Criminal charges against the two brought by the Madison County Attorney’s Office are among the first nationally <a target="_blank" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilybaker-white/2022/08/08/nebraska-cops-supoenaed-a-teens-facebook-dms-so-they-could-prosecute-her-for-having-an-abortion/?sh=20eb4cbb1c62">to use Facebook data</a> subpoenaed by police against a woman seeking an abortion.&nbsp;

After the U.S. Supreme Court reversed
 Roe v. Wade in June, national abortion-rights advocates argued that law
 enforcement agencies might use technology to track and prosecute women 
seeking abortions. 

A <a target="_blank" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilybaker-white/2022/08/08/facebook-abortion-teen-dms/?sh=4a740331579c">Meta spokesman told Forbes</a>
 that the search warrant they received in June, before the Roe reversal,
 did not mention abortion. Meta is the parent company of Facebook and 
Instagram.

Madison County Attorney Joe Smith <a target="_blank" href="https://journalstar.com/news/state-and-regional/nebraska/norfolk-mother-and-daughter-accused-of-illegal-abortion-burning-and-burying-body/article_ff99fd49-a710-5ec3-8d51-5aced3001c71.html#tracking-source=mp-homepage">told the Lincoln Journal Star</a> that this was the first time in his 32 years as a prosecutor that he had filed such charges in an abortion-related case.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Police say the abortion occurred 
later than allowed under Nebraska law. The teen took the medication when
 she was more than 23 weeks pregnant, authorities allege, perhaps for as
 long as 29 weeks. Under Nebraska law, abortions are legal up to 20 
weeks.

Abortion pills are typically used within 11 weeks of conception.

State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha said 
Tuesday that Nebraska, like a number of other states, is “prosecuting 
people for their pregnancy outcomes.” She said the Norfolk daughter and 
her mother need “help and support … not prosecution.”

“True justice would mean ensuring 
that people have all the resources and the support they need to make 
decisions about whether they want to have a family, when they have a 
family, and how to support the families they have with dignity,” Hunt 
said. “How did we fail this young woman? That is a bigger question that 
we need to ask ourselves as a culture.”

Abortion opponents said questions 
about data privacy are a distraction from a possible crime. They said 
Tuesday that Nebraska’s abortion restrictions are working as intended.

Sandy Danek, president of Nebraska 
Right to Life, applauded police and prosecutors for enforcing the 
20-week ban. Nothing, she said, will “remedy the tragedy of this event, 
where a baby has died and a mother is left with the wounds of abortion.”

“Nebraskans
 should be appalled (by) the lack of dignity given to this baby’s body. 
All Nebraskans deserve a respectful burial,” Danek said. “We hope the 
authorities will further investigate the source of the chemical cocktail
 used to kill this preborn child.”

Celeste, who is now 18, is being 
charged as an adult with removing, concealing or abandoning a human 
body, which is a felony, and with concealing the death of another person
 and false reporting, which are misdemeanors.

Her mother has been charged with 
three felonies: performing an abortion after 20 weeks; performing an 
abortion as a non-doctor; and removing, concealing or abandoning a human
 body. She also faces two misdemeanors: concealing a death and false 
reporting.

Police allege in court documents that
 both mother and daughter knew a drug being ordered online was intended 
to cause a miscarriage. The mother said she could not remember the name 
of the drug or what website she had ordered it from online.

Here is what the documents say 
Celeste and her mother wrote to each other on Facebook Messenger in 
April. The exchange has been edited for brevity:

The Burgesses showed police where the fetus was buried, just outside 
of Norfolk. Authorities said in court documents that they recovered a 
fetus with evidence of “thermal injuries.”

Both women have pleaded not guilty. 
The mother, in a financial statement she made when applying for a public
 defender, said she lost her job because of what happened.

Local abortion rights advocates have been trying to help her hire a private lawyer.

Abortion is legal in 27 states, 
ranging from until 15 weeks in Florida to being legal throughout 
pregnancy in Colorado and three other states. A dozen states, including 
Minnesota, allow abortions until fetal viability. Nebraska allows 
abortions up to 20 weeks. Abortion is illegal or soon to be illegal in 
16 states, including Oklahoma and South Dakota.&nbsp;

U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb., author 
of Nebraska’s 20-week ban, said the law recognizes late-term abortion as
 “especially cruel and inhumane.”

Flood said he has “always supported 
commonsense restrictions on abortion.” He also has said he would support
 an outright ban on abortion in Nebraska and federally.&nbsp;

His opponent in November’s general 
election, State Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks of Lincoln, worked with other 
Democrats this year to filibuster Republicans’ effort to pass a full 
ban.&nbsp;

She had no immediate comment on the Madison County case.

By AARON SANDERFORD <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2022/08/10/facebook-data-used-to-prosecute-nebraska-mother-daughter-after-alleged-abortion/">Nebraska Examiner</a>OMAHA — Evidence against a Norfolk, 
Nebraska, mother and her teen in a case alleging an illegal abortion is 
opening a new digital front in the national battle over abortion.Police allege in court documents that
 Celeste Burgess, then 17 years old, told police in April that she had 
suffered a miscarriage in a bathtub at her home. She said she and her 
mom buried the stillborn, the documents show.Investigators seeking a search 
warrant said they later learned that the mother, Jessica Burgess, had 
bought the oral medication online to end her daughter’s pregnancy. That 
information was gathered in part from private Facebook messages the 
Burgesses exchanged.&nbsp;Criminal charges against the two brought by the Madison County Attorney’s Office are among the first nationally <a target="_blank" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilybaker-white/2022/08/08/nebraska-cops-supoenaed-a-teens-facebook-dms-so-they-could-prosecute-her-for-having-an-abortion/?sh=20eb4cbb1c62">to use Facebook data</a> subpoenaed by police against a woman seeking an abortion.&nbsp;After the U.S. Supreme Court reversed
 Roe v. Wade in June, national abortion-rights advocates argued that law
 enforcement agencies might use technology to track and prosecute women 
seeking abortions. A <a target="_blank" href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilybaker-white/2022/08/08/facebook-abortion-teen-dms/?sh=4a740331579c">Meta spokesman told Forbes</a>
 that the search warrant they received in June, before the Roe reversal,
 did not mention abortion. Meta is the parent company of Facebook and 
Instagram.Madison County Attorney Joe Smith <a target="_blank" href="https://journalstar.com/news/state-and-regional/nebraska/norfolk-mother-and-daughter-accused-of-illegal-abortion-burning-and-burying-body/article_ff99fd49-a710-5ec3-8d51-5aced3001c71.html#tracking-source=mp-homepage">told the Lincoln Journal Star</a> that this was the first time in his 32 years as a prosecutor that he had filed such charges in an abortion-related case.&nbsp;&nbsp;Police say the abortion occurred 
later than allowed under Nebraska law. The teen took the medication when
 she was more than 23 weeks pregnant, authorities allege, perhaps for as
 long as 29 weeks. Under Nebraska law, abortions are legal up to 20 
weeks.Abortion pills are typically used within 11 weeks of conception.State Sen. Megan Hunt of Omaha said 
Tuesday that Nebraska, like a number of other states, is “prosecuting 
people for their pregnancy outcomes.” She said the Norfolk daughter and 
her mother need “help and support … not prosecution.”“True justice would mean ensuring 
that people have all the resources and the support they need to make 
decisions about whether they want to have a family, when they have a 
family, and how to support the families they have with dignity,” Hunt 
said. “How did we fail this young woman? That is a bigger question that 
we need to ask ourselves as a culture.”Abortion opponents said questions 
about data privacy are a distraction from a possible crime. They said 
Tuesday that Nebraska’s abortion restrictions are working as intended.Sandy Danek, president of Nebraska 
Right to Life, applauded police and prosecutors for enforcing the 
20-week ban. Nothing, she said, will “remedy the tragedy of this event, 
where a baby has died and a mother is left with the wounds of abortion.”“Nebraskans
 should be appalled (by) the lack of dignity given to this baby’s body. 
All Nebraskans deserve a respectful burial,” Danek said. “We hope the 
authorities will further investigate the source of the chemical cocktail
 used to kill this preborn child.”Celeste, who is now 18, is being 
charged as an adult with removing, concealing or abandoning a human 
body, which is a felony, and with concealing the death of another person
 and false reporting, which are misdemeanors.Her mother has been charged with 
three felonies: performing an abortion after 20 weeks; performing an 
abortion as a non-doctor; and removing, concealing or abandoning a human
 body. She also faces two misdemeanors: concealing a death and false 
reporting.Police allege in court documents that
 both mother and daughter knew a drug being ordered online was intended 
to cause a miscarriage. The mother said she could not remember the name 
of the drug or what website she had ordered it from online.Here is what the documents say 
Celeste and her mother wrote to each other on Facebook Messenger in 
April. The exchange has been edited for brevity:<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660141792171.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Burgesses showed police where the fetus was buried, just outside 
of Norfolk. Authorities said in court documents that they recovered a 
fetus with evidence of “thermal injuries.”Both women have pleaded not guilty. 
The mother, in a financial statement she made when applying for a public
 defender, said she lost her job because of what happened.Local abortion rights advocates have been trying to help her hire a private lawyer.Abortion is legal in 27 states, 
ranging from until 15 weeks in Florida to being legal throughout 
pregnancy in Colorado and three other states. A dozen states, including 
Minnesota, allow abortions until fetal viability. Nebraska allows 
abortions up to 20 weeks. Abortion is illegal or soon to be illegal in 
16 states, including Oklahoma and South Dakota.&nbsp;U.S. Rep. Mike Flood, R-Neb., author 
of Nebraska’s 20-week ban, said the law recognizes late-term abortion as
 “especially cruel and inhumane.”Flood said he has “always supported 
commonsense restrictions on abortion.” He also has said he would support
 an outright ban on abortion in Nebraska and federally.&nbsp;His opponent in November’s general 
election, State Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks of Lincoln, worked with other 
Democrats this year to filibuster Republicans’ effort to pass a full 
ban.&nbsp;She had no immediate comment on the Madison County case.

Facebook data used to prosecute Neb. mother, daughter after alleged abortion

By GEMA DE LAS HERAS Federal Trade Commission

Sorry
 to burst your bubble. That unexpected text from the Postal Service 
(USPS), Costco, or The Home Depot telling you about an unclaimed package
 or a survey you can complete to claim a freebie is NOT from them. It’s 
a&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-and-avoid-phishing-scams">scam</a>.

<a>The FTC has seen a spike in reports from people getting&nbsp;</a><a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/features/imposter-scams">text messages</a>&nbsp;that look like they’re from well-known names like USPS, Costco, or The Home Depot and others.&nbsp;<a>Spoiler alert: they’re from&nbsp;</a><a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/features/imposter-scams">impersonators</a>.
 The details vary, but the scammers are after the same thing: your money
 and your personal information.&nbsp;You may get a text from scammers 
pretending to be USPS and asking you to confirm your debit card details 
so you can get an undelivered package. Or you might get texts about a 
chance to win a free gift card or a power tool. To claim your “reward,” 
you’re told to click on the link, answer some questions, and pay for 
shipping. Don’t do it.

If you click on those links and submit your card information, you’ll ending up with nothing — but you’ll find&nbsp;<a></a><a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-do-if-youre-billed-things-you-never-got-or-you-get-unordered-products">unauthorized charges</a>&nbsp;posted to your account.

No matter what the unexpected text says, the advice is the same.

●Don’t click on links or respond to unexpected texts&nbsp;—
 including ones asking you to fill out surveys to get free items. If you
 think it could be legit, contact the company using a website or phone 
number you know is real. Don’t use the information in the text message.

●Don’t pay to get a package redelivered.&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.uspis.gov/news/scam-article/smishing-package-tracking-text-scams">real USPS won’t contact you out of the blue</a>&nbsp;about
 a delivery (unless you submitted a request first and give a tracking 
number) — and they’ll never demand payment to redeliver a package.

Already paid or gave your information to a scammer? Check out&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-do-if-you-were-scammed">What to Do If You Were Scammed</a>&nbsp;to learn more about asking for a refund. And see what to do next if your identity has been stolen. &nbsp;

Have you spotted an impersonation scam?&nbsp;Report it at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>.

Read more about the&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2022/02/help-ftc-get-money-back-people-who-experience-impersonator-fraud">FTC’s rulemaking proposal</a>&nbsp;to combat impersonation scams.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660012349842.png" alt="Image courtesy FTC" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy FTC</figcaption>
 </figure>By GEMA DE LAS HERAS Federal Trade CommissionSorry
 to burst your bubble. That unexpected text from the Postal Service 
(USPS), Costco, or The Home Depot telling you about an unclaimed package
 or a survey you can complete to claim a freebie is NOT from them. It’s 
a&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/how-recognize-and-avoid-phishing-scams">scam</a>.<a>The FTC has seen a spike in reports from people getting&nbsp;</a><a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/features/imposter-scams">text messages</a>&nbsp;that look like they’re from well-known names like USPS, Costco, or The Home Depot and others.&nbsp;<a>Spoiler alert: they’re from&nbsp;</a><a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/features/imposter-scams">impersonators</a>.
 The details vary, but the scammers are after the same thing: your money
 and your personal information.&nbsp;You may get a text from scammers 
pretending to be USPS and asking you to confirm your debit card details 
so you can get an undelivered package. Or you might get texts about a 
chance to win a free gift card or a power tool. To claim your “reward,” 
you’re told to click on the link, answer some questions, and pay for 
shipping. Don’t do it.If you click on those links and submit your card information, you’ll ending up with nothing — but you’ll find&nbsp;<a></a><a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-do-if-youre-billed-things-you-never-got-or-you-get-unordered-products">unauthorized charges</a>&nbsp;posted to your account.No matter what the unexpected text says, the advice is the same.●Don’t click on links or respond to unexpected texts&nbsp;—
 including ones asking you to fill out surveys to get free items. If you
 think it could be legit, contact the company using a website or phone 
number you know is real. Don’t use the information in the text message.●Don’t pay to get a package redelivered.&nbsp;The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.uspis.gov/news/scam-article/smishing-package-tracking-text-scams">real USPS won’t contact you out of the blue</a>&nbsp;about
 a delivery (unless you submitted a request first and give a tracking 
number) — and they’ll never demand payment to redeliver a package.Already paid or gave your information to a scammer? Check out&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/articles/what-do-if-you-were-scammed">What to Do If You Were Scammed</a>&nbsp;to learn more about asking for a refund. And see what to do next if your identity has been stolen. &nbsp;Have you spotted an impersonation scam?&nbsp;Report it at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reportfraud.ftc.gov/">ReportFraud.ftc.gov</a>.Read more about the&nbsp;<a href="https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2022/02/help-ftc-get-money-back-people-who-experience-impersonator-fraud">FTC’s rulemaking proposal</a>&nbsp;to combat impersonation scams.

FTC: Don’t click on that random text; It’s a scam

MONTGOMERY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on multiple charges after a traffic stop.

Just after 8:30a.m. Friday Sheriff's Detectives conducted a traffic stop on a Chrysler Minivan at 4th and Maple Street in Independence, Kansas for a traffic infraction, according to Montgomery County Sheriff Ron Wade.

The driver of the vehicle was identified as 35-year-old Ashley Linton and a passenger in the vehicle identified as Ryan Banning both of Independence, Kansas. 

 During the traffic stop the sheriff’s office Police Service Dog, Hector, was deployed around the outside of the vehicle for a free air sniff and alerted to the odor of narcotics coming from the vehicle 

This allowed detectives to search inside where they located methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. 

Deputies released Banning from the scene.  Linton took ownership of the narcotics and was taken into custody then transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections. 

 Upon arrival at DOC, it was discovered Linton was in possession of written checks belonging to area businesses and citizens. 

 Detectives contacted the businesses and it was determined they had been stolen within the past couple of weeks.  The investigation into the stolen checks is ongoing. 

 Linton was booked into DOC on requested charges of possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of methamphetamine, expired tag, and no insurance.  This case has been sent to the County Attorney’s Office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659901027019.png" alt="Linton-photo Montgomery County" />
 <figcaption>Linton-photo Montgomery County</figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on multiple charges after a traffic stop.Just after 8:30a.m. Friday Sheriff's Detectives conducted a traffic stop on a Chrysler Minivan at 4th and Maple Street in Independence, Kansas for a traffic infraction, according to Montgomery County Sheriff Ron Wade.The driver of the vehicle was identified as 35-year-old Ashley Linton and a passenger in the vehicle identified as Ryan Banning both of Independence, Kansas. During the traffic stop the sheriff’s office Police Service Dog, Hector, was deployed around the outside of the vehicle for a free air sniff and alerted to the odor of narcotics coming from the vehicle This allowed detectives to search inside where they located methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia. Deputies released Banning from the scene. Linton took ownership of the narcotics and was taken into custody then transported to the Montgomery County Department of Corrections. Upon arrival at DOC, it was discovered Linton was in possession of written checks belonging to area businesses and citizens. Detectives contacted the businesses and it was determined they had been stolen within the past couple of weeks. The investigation into the stolen checks is ongoing. Linton was booked into DOC on requested charges of possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of methamphetamine, expired tag, and no insurance. This case has been sent to the County Attorney’s Office.

Sheriff: Kan. woman found with stolen checks, drugs

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump said in a lengthy statement Monday that the FBI was conducting a search of his Mar-a-Lago estate and asserted that agents had broken open a safe. A person familiar with the matter said the action was related to a probe of whether Trump had taken classified records from his White House tenure to his Florida residence.

The action, which the FBI and Justice Department did not immediately confirm, marks a dramatic escalation in law enforcement scrutiny of Trump and comes as he has been laying the groundwork to make another bid for president. Though a search warrant does not suggest that criminal charges are near or even expected, federal officials looking to obtain one must demonstrate that they have probable cause that a crime occurred.

“After working and cooperating with the relevant Government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was not necessary or appropriate,” Trump said in his statement.

He added: "These are dark times for our Nation, as my beautiful home, Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, is currently under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents. Nothing like this has ever happened to a President of the United States before.”

Justice Department spokesperson Dena Iverson declined to comment on the search, including about whether Attorney General Merrick Garland had personally authorized the search.

A person familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation, said the search happened earlier Monday and agents were also looking to see if Trump had additional presidential records or any classified documents at the estate.

The Justice Department has been investigating the presence of classified records inside 15 boxes that were retrieved from Mar-a-Lago by the National Archives and Records Administration earlier this year. The Archives then referred the matter to the Justice Department.

Federal law bars the removal of classified documents to unauthorized locations, though it is possible that Trump could try to argue that, as president, he was the ultimate declassification authority.

There are multiple statutes governing classified information, including a law punishable by up to five years in prison that makes it a crime to remove such records and retain them at an unauthorized location. Another statute makes it a crime to mishandle classified records either intentionally or in a grossly negligent manner.

The probe is hardly the only legal headache confronting Trump. A separate investigation related to efforts by Trump and his allies to undo the results of the 2020 presidential election and the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol has also been intensifying in Washington.

And a district attorney in Fulton County, Georgia is investigation whether Trump and his close associates sought to interfere in that state's election, which was won by Democrat Joe Biden.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Former President Donald Trump said in a lengthy statement Monday that the FBI was conducting a search of his Mar-a-Lago estate and asserted that agents had broken open a safe. A person familiar with the matter said the action was related to a probe of whether Trump had taken classified records from his White House tenure to his Florida residence.The action, which the FBI and Justice Department did not immediately confirm, marks a dramatic escalation in law enforcement scrutiny of Trump and comes as he has been laying the groundwork to make another bid for president. Though a search warrant does not suggest that criminal charges are near or even expected, federal officials looking to obtain one must demonstrate that they have probable cause that a crime occurred.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660004033657.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“After working and cooperating with the relevant Government agencies, this unannounced raid on my home was not necessary or appropriate,” Trump said in his statement.He added: "These are dark times for our Nation, as my beautiful home, Mar-A-Lago in Palm Beach, Florida, is currently under siege, raided, and occupied by a large group of FBI agents. Nothing like this has ever happened to a President of the United States before.”Justice Department spokesperson Dena Iverson declined to comment on the search, including about whether Attorney General Merrick Garland had personally authorized the search.A person familiar with the matter, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss an ongoing investigation, said the search happened earlier Monday and agents were also looking to see if Trump had additional presidential records or any classified documents at the estate.The Justice Department has been investigating the presence of classified records inside 15 boxes that were retrieved from Mar-a-Lago by the National Archives and Records Administration earlier this year. The Archives then referred the matter to the Justice Department.Federal law bars the removal of classified documents to unauthorized locations, though it is possible that Trump could try to argue that, as president, he was the ultimate declassification authority.There are multiple statutes governing classified information, including a law punishable by up to five years in prison that makes it a crime to remove such records and retain them at an unauthorized location. Another statute makes it a crime to mishandle classified records either intentionally or in a grossly negligent manner.The probe is hardly the only legal headache confronting Trump. A separate investigation related to efforts by Trump and his allies to undo the results of the 2020 presidential election and the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol has also been intensifying in Washington.And a district attorney in Fulton County, Georgia is investigation whether Trump and his close associates sought to interfere in that state's election, which was won by Democrat Joe Biden.

Trump: FBI conducting search of his Mar-a-Lago estate

SEDGWICK COUNTY— A jury found a registered sex offender guilty in a violent kidnapping and rape of a 15-year-old who was walking home from a Wichita grocery store.

Anthony Craig Seymour, 61, Wichita, is guilty of rape, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated criminal sodomy and aggravated robbery, according to the Sedgwick County Attorney's office.&nbsp;

In November 0f 2019, police responded to a 911 call of an abduction in the 300 Block of North Volutsia in Wichita, according to Wichita Police Captain Brett Allred.

Upon arrival, police searched the area and located a 2005 Lexus driven by a suspect later identified as Anthony Seymour leaving the area. They also observed a 15-year-old girl exit the vehicle while it was moving slowly and run toward the officers.&nbsp;Seymour fled in the car. Police initially were not able to locate it.

Investigators learned that while the girl was walking home, Seymour approached, held a knife to her, forced her into the Lexus and sexually assaulted her, according to Allred.

Through continued investigation, police located the victim’s phone in a parking lot and were able to obtain video in the area and a tag number on the car. 

Police located the vehicle and Seymour in the 1900 Block of North Lorraine. He was arrested without incident and booked on requested charges of kidnapping, rape, aggravated criminal sodomy, aggravated battery and a Kansas Department of Corrections arrest and detain order, according to Allred.

“The victim is very brave,” said Allred. “She saw police and took action to get out of the car, run to the officers and explain what had happened.”&nbsp;She had been on her way to Dillons and had seen the suspect and thought he was acting suspiciously. On the way home, the suspect approached her a second time and forced her in the vehicle, according to Allred.

EMS transported the girl to a local hospital for treatment.

Seymour had been on parole since May of 2018 after a 2004 conviction for rape, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. Seymour is scheduled for sentencing on September 19, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659638952034.png" alt="Seymour-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Seymour-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY— A jury found a registered sex offender guilty in a violent kidnapping and rape of a 15-year-old who was walking home from a Wichita grocery store.Anthony Craig Seymour, 61, Wichita, is guilty of rape, aggravated kidnapping, aggravated criminal sodomy and aggravated robbery, according to the Sedgwick County Attorney's office.&nbsp;In November 0f 2019, police responded to a 911 call of an abduction in the 300 Block of North Volutsia in Wichita, according to Wichita Police Captain Brett Allred.Upon arrival, police searched the area and located a 2005 Lexus driven by a suspect later identified as Anthony Seymour leaving the area. They also observed a 15-year-old girl exit the vehicle while it was moving slowly and run toward the officers.&nbsp;Seymour fled in the car. Police initially were not able to locate it.Investigators learned that while the girl was walking home, Seymour approached, held a knife to her, forced her into the Lexus and sexually assaulted her, according to Allred.Through continued investigation, police located the victim’s phone in a parking lot and were able to obtain video in the area and a tag number on the car. Police located the vehicle and Seymour in the 1900 Block of North Lorraine. He was arrested without incident and booked on requested charges of kidnapping, rape, aggravated criminal sodomy, aggravated battery and a Kansas Department of Corrections arrest and detain order, according to Allred.“The victim is very brave,” said Allred. “She saw police and took action to get out of the car, run to the officers and explain what had happened.”&nbsp;She had been on her way to Dillons and had seen the suspect and thought he was acting suspiciously. On the way home, the suspect approached her a second time and forced her in the vehicle, according to Allred.EMS transported the girl to a local hospital for treatment.Seymour had been on parole since May of 2018 after a 2004 conviction for rape, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. Seymour is scheduled for sentencing on September 19, according to the district attorney's office.

Kan. sex offender convicted in kidnapping, rape of teen

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

Two Salina residents awoke Saturday morning to find a man in the residence who didn't belong there.

Officers were sent to a residence in the 800 block of W. South Street just after 9:30 a.m. Saturday after a 23-year-old woman and a 17-year-old girl awoke to find Michael James Haffner, 35, of Salina, inside the residence, Salina Police Interim Patrol Captain David Villanueva said this morning. The two told Haffner to leave and then called police.

The woman and girl were not acquainted with Haffner, Villanueva said. There did not appear to be forced entry into the residence, he added.

While in the residence, Haffner allegedly consumed alcohol and food. Officers found Haffner nearby and arrested him on requested charges of Aggravated burglary and Theft.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659876072597.jpeg" alt="Haffner Photo Saline County&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Haffner Photo Saline County&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostTwo Salina residents awoke Saturday morning to find a man in the residence who didn't belong there.Officers were sent to a residence in the 800 block of W. South Street just after 9:30 a.m. Saturday after a 23-year-old woman and a 17-year-old girl awoke to find Michael James Haffner, 35, of Salina, inside the residence, Salina Police Interim Patrol Captain David Villanueva said this morning. The two told Haffner to leave and then called police.The woman and girl were not acquainted with Haffner, Villanueva said. There did not appear to be forced entry into the residence, he added.While in the residence, Haffner allegedly consumed alcohol and food. Officers found Haffner nearby and arrested him on requested charges of Aggravated burglary and Theft.

Kansas home invasion burglary suspect drank a beer, ate a meal

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Kansas City police shot and killed a man who he sped toward an officer in a stolen sport utility vehicle and struck a police van, authorities said.

The shooting happened around 9:45 p.m. Sunday after officers spotted the unoccupied SUV in a gas station parking lot, said Sgt. Bill Lowe, a spokesman for the Missouri State Highway Patrol, which is investigating the shooting.

Lowe said police approached the man after he exited the store. He accelerated backward and then drove forward toward one of the officers, Lowe said.

Lowe said the officer dived out of the way and that the SUV struck the police van before officers opened fire.

Lowe said the driver was declared dead at a hospital. His name wasn't immediately released. The patrol is reviewing video from the gas station and police body camera footage, as well as interviewing witnesses.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659977091793.png" alt="The patrol is reviewing video from the gas station and police body camera footage, as well as interviewing witnesses.-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>The patrol is reviewing video from the gas station and police body camera footage, as well as interviewing witnesses.-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Kansas City police shot and killed a man who he sped toward an officer in a stolen sport utility vehicle and struck a police van, authorities said.The shooting happened around 9:45 p.m. Sunday after officers spotted the unoccupied SUV in a gas station parking lot, said Sgt. Bill Lowe, a spokesman for the Missouri State Highway Patrol, which is investigating the shooting.Lowe said police approached the man after he exited the store. He accelerated backward and then drove forward toward one of the officers, Lowe said.Lowe said the officer dived out of the way and that the SUV struck the police van before officers opened fire.Lowe said the driver was declared dead at a hospital. His name wasn't immediately released. The patrol is reviewing video from the gas station and police body camera footage, as well as interviewing witnesses.

Kansas City police shoot, kill driver of stolen SUV

NEW YORK (AP) — Olivia Newton-John, the Grammy-winning superstar who reigned on pop, country, adult contemporary and dance charts with such hits as “Physical” and “You’re the One That I Want” and won countless hearts as everyone’s favorite, Sandy, in the blockbuster film version of “Grease,” has died. She was 73.

Newton-John, a longtime resident of Australia whose sales topped 100 million albums, died Monday at her southern California ranch, John Easterling, her husband, wrote on Instagram and Facebook. “We ask that everyone please respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time,” the message said.

From 1973-83, Newton-John was among the world’s most popular entertainers. She had 14 top 10 singles just in the U.S., won four Grammys, starred with John Travolta in “Grease” and with Gene Kelly in “Xanadu.” The fast-stepping Travolta-Newton-John duet, “You’re the One That I Want,” was one of the era’s biggest songs and has sold more than 15 million copies.

“Physical,” the bouncy, R-rated smash released in 1981, was No. 1 for 10 weeks and was named Billboard’s song of the year despite being banned by some radio stations. An aerobics-friendly promotional clip, filmed in the early years of MTV, won a Grammy for best video.

Both musically and image-wise, she reinvented herself during those years. The blonde, ever-smiling Newton-John initially favored mild pop-country songs such as “Please Mr. Please” and “Have You Never Been Mellow” and soft-breathing ballads like “I Honestly Love You,” which in 1975 won Grammys for best female pop vocal and record of the year. But she picked up the tempo in “Grease,” especially after Sandy ditched her white sweaters and blouses for waist-high, black leather pants. “Physical” even made Newton-John blush as she told her would-be lover “There’s nothing left to talk about/Unless it’s horizontally” and finally called out “Let’s get animal! Animal!”

“I recorded it and then suddenly thought, ‘Goodness, maybe I’ve gone too far!’” she told Entertainment Weekly in 2017, recalling how the song had been suggested by manager Roger Davies. “I called Roger and said, ‘We’ve got to pull this song!’ He said, ‘It’s too late. It’s already gone to radio and it’s running up the charts.’ I was horrified!”

She had a few hits after “Physical,” but her career declined and Newton-John became more likely to make news because of her private life. In 1992, as she was preparing a concert tour, her father died and she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her marriage to actor Matt Lattanzi, with whom she had a daughter, actor-singer Chloe Lattanzi, broke up in 1995 and a years-long relationship with cameraman Patrick McDermott ended mysteriously. McDermott went missing during a 2005 fishing trip in California and his fate remained unknown years later. Numerous reports alleged that he was living in Mexico, with a new girlfriend.

“He was lost at sea, and nobody really knows what happened,” Newton-John told Australia’s “60 Minutes” in 2016. “It’s human to wonder. But you know, those are the things in life you have to accept and let go. Because whenever you go through difficult times, there’s always those concerns.”

Newton-John’s recent albums included “Stronger Than Before”; a holiday collaboration with Travolta, “This Christmas,” and the autobiographical “Gaia: One Woman’s Journey,” inspired by her battle with cancer and by the loss of her father.

Newton-John married John Easterling, founder of the Amazon Herb Company, in 2008. She was involved in numerous charitable causes, serving as goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme and as national spokeswoman for the Children’s Health Environmental Coalition. She also founded the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre in Melbourne, Australia.

Newton-John was the daughter of German literature professor Brin Newton-John and Irene Bron, whose father was Nobel Prize-winning physicist Max Bron. The Newton-Johns moved to Australia when Olivia was 5, but she returned to England in her teens and lived with her mother after her parents broke up. She had early dreams of becoming a veterinarian but was winning singing contests in high school and before age 20 had toured army bases and clubs and recorded her first single, “Till You Say You’ll Be Mine.” In 1971, she covered Bob Dylan’s “If Not for You” and began a close partnership with a friend from Australia, John Farrar, who produced the song and later wrote “You’re the One That I Want,” “Magic” and several other hits for her.

She had loved country music, especially the records of “Tennessee” Ernie Ford, since childhood, but her early success didn’t impress critics or some fellow musicians. A Village Voice review likened her to a geisha who “makes her voice smaller than it really is just to please men.” When Newton-John beat out Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn for the Country Music Association’s top artist of 1973, Tammy Wynette helped founded the Association of Country Entertainers, a club designed to exclude Newton-John and other crossover performers.

But Newton-John had a show business admirer who with her became one of movies’ most unforgettable teams. Travolta had starred in the stage version of “Grease” and for the planned film thought Newton-John would be the “ultimate” Sandy, the nice girl who gets tough in the final act and gets her man.

“I worried that at 29 I was too old to play a high school girl,” Newton-John, who insisted on taking a screen test before accepting the part, told The Telegraph in 2017. “Everything about making the film was fun, but if I had to pick a favorite moment, it was the transformation from what I call Sandy 1 to Sandy 2. I got to play a different character and wear different clothes, and when I put on that tight black outfit to sing ‘You’re the One That I Want,’ I got a very different reaction from the guys on the set.”

She is survived by her husband; daughter Chloe Lattanzi; sister Sarah Newton-John; brother Toby Newton-John; and several nieces and nephews.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659987535447.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Olivia Newton-John, the Grammy-winning superstar who reigned on pop, country, adult contemporary and dance charts with such hits as “Physical” and “You’re the One That I Want” and won countless hearts as everyone’s favorite, Sandy, in the blockbuster film version of “Grease,” has died. She was 73.Newton-John, a longtime resident of Australia whose sales topped 100 million albums, died Monday at her southern California ranch, John Easterling, her husband, wrote on Instagram and Facebook. “We ask that everyone please respect the family’s privacy during this very difficult time,” the message said.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Folivianewtonjohn%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0G8HA6NM3od3k81eeTVFDfY1HPrmv3SpHL8h67hn5BJ81CrxvMHc2VKAvCacb5Aswl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="730" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>From 1973-83, Newton-John was among the world’s most popular entertainers. She had 14 top 10 singles just in the U.S., won four Grammys, starred with John Travolta in “Grease” and with Gene Kelly in “Xanadu.” The fast-stepping Travolta-Newton-John duet, “You’re the One That I Want,” was one of the era’s biggest songs and has sold more than 15 million copies.“Physical,” the bouncy, R-rated smash released in 1981, was No. 1 for 10 weeks and was named Billboard’s song of the year despite being banned by some radio stations. An aerobics-friendly promotional clip, filmed in the early years of MTV, won a Grammy for best video.Both musically and image-wise, she reinvented herself during those years. The blonde, ever-smiling Newton-John initially favored mild pop-country songs such as “Please Mr. Please” and “Have You Never Been Mellow” and soft-breathing ballads like “I Honestly Love You,” which in 1975 won Grammys for best female pop vocal and record of the year. But she picked up the tempo in “Grease,” especially after Sandy ditched her white sweaters and blouses for waist-high, black leather pants. “Physical” even made Newton-John blush as she told her would-be lover “There’s nothing left to talk about/Unless it’s horizontally” and finally called out “Let’s get animal! Animal!”“I recorded it and then suddenly thought, ‘Goodness, maybe I’ve gone too far!’” she told Entertainment Weekly in 2017, recalling how the song had been suggested by manager Roger Davies. “I called Roger and said, ‘We’ve got to pull this song!’ He said, ‘It’s too late. It’s already gone to radio and it’s running up the charts.’ I was horrified!”She had a few hits after “Physical,” but her career declined and Newton-John became more likely to make news because of her private life. In 1992, as she was preparing a concert tour, her father died and she was diagnosed with breast cancer. Her marriage to actor Matt Lattanzi, with whom she had a daughter, actor-singer Chloe Lattanzi, broke up in 1995 and a years-long relationship with cameraman Patrick McDermott ended mysteriously. McDermott went missing during a 2005 fishing trip in California and his fate remained unknown years later. Numerous reports alleged that he was living in Mexico, with a new girlfriend.“He was lost at sea, and nobody really knows what happened,” Newton-John told Australia’s “60 Minutes” in 2016. “It’s human to wonder. But you know, those are the things in life you have to accept and let go. Because whenever you go through difficult times, there’s always those concerns.”Newton-John’s recent albums included “Stronger Than Before”; a holiday collaboration with Travolta, “This Christmas,” and the autobiographical “Gaia: One Woman’s Journey,” inspired by her battle with cancer and by the loss of her father.Newton-John married John Easterling, founder of the Amazon Herb Company, in 2008. She was involved in numerous charitable causes, serving as goodwill ambassador for the United Nations Environment Programme and as national spokeswoman for the Children’s Health Environmental Coalition. She also founded the Olivia Newton-John Cancer and Wellness Centre in Melbourne, Australia.Newton-John was the daughter of German literature professor Brin Newton-John and Irene Bron, whose father was Nobel Prize-winning physicist Max Bron. The Newton-Johns moved to Australia when Olivia was 5, but she returned to England in her teens and lived with her mother after her parents broke up. She had early dreams of becoming a veterinarian but was winning singing contests in high school and before age 20 had toured army bases and clubs and recorded her first single, “Till You Say You’ll Be Mine.” In 1971, she covered Bob Dylan’s “If Not for You” and began a close partnership with a friend from Australia, John Farrar, who produced the song and later wrote “You’re the One That I Want,” “Magic” and several other hits for her.She had loved country music, especially the records of “Tennessee” Ernie Ford, since childhood, but her early success didn’t impress critics or some fellow musicians. A Village Voice review likened her to a geisha who “makes her voice smaller than it really is just to please men.” When Newton-John beat out Dolly Parton and Loretta Lynn for the Country Music Association’s top artist of 1973, Tammy Wynette helped founded the Association of Country Entertainers, a club designed to exclude Newton-John and other crossover performers.But Newton-John had a show business admirer who with her became one of movies’ most unforgettable teams. Travolta had starred in the stage version of “Grease” and for the planned film thought Newton-John would be the “ultimate” Sandy, the nice girl who gets tough in the final act and gets her man.“I worried that at 29 I was too old to play a high school girl,” Newton-John, who insisted on taking a screen test before accepting the part, told The Telegraph in 2017. “Everything about making the film was fun, but if I had to pick a favorite moment, it was the transformation from what I call Sandy 1 to Sandy 2. I got to play a different character and wear different clothes, and when I put on that tight black outfit to sing ‘You’re the One That I Want,’ I got a very different reaction from the guys on the set.”She is survived by her husband; daughter Chloe Lattanzi; sister Sarah Newton-John; brother Toby Newton-John; and several nieces and nephews.

Olivia Newton-John, superstar singer and actress has died

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a drive by shooting and asking the public for help with information.

At approximately 10:30 a.m. on July 23, police responded to the 1600 block of E MacArthur in Wichita for a vandalism report, according to Officer Trevor Macy. A caller reported hearing noises at about 5a.m. that morning, and woke to find a bullet hole in their home.

Four shell casings were recovered at the scene, and video was obtained that shows a motorcycle driving by when the motorcyclist opens fire on the home.

Anyone with information is asked to call Wichita Police.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659902039846.png" alt="Photo of the suspect motorcycle-Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo of the suspect motorcycle-Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a drive by shooting and asking the public for help with information.At approximately 10:30 a.m. on July 23, police responded to the 1600 block of E MacArthur in Wichita for a vandalism report, according to Officer Trevor Macy. A caller reported hearing noises at about 5a.m. that morning, and woke to find a bullet hole in their home.Four shell casings were recovered at the scene, and video was obtained that shows a motorcycle driving by when the motorcyclist opens fire on the home.Anyone with information is asked to call Wichita Police.

Police investigate Kan. motorcycle drive-by shooting

ELLSWORTH COUNTY — Authorities in Ellsworth County are investigating after a man was found dead on Monday and a deputy injured on Sunday by a charging buffalo.

At 9a.m. Monday, a woman called Ellsworth County 911 to report she needed an ambulance because she had found her nephew identified as 56-year-old Scott Schroeder of rural Bushton, dead in a pen and thought a buffalo killed him, according to Sheriff Murray Marston

Sheriff's deputies and Claflin EMS responded to the scene. The body was in a row of trees north of Kansas 4 highway at 5th Road. The location where the deputy was injured by a buffalo on Sunday night is approximately one half mile south of where the body was found Monday.

The coroner's preliminary cause of death, pending an autopsy, is that a buffalo gored Schroeder. He is the owner of over 20 buffalo kept at that location, according to Marston.

The deputy injured by a buffalo on Sunday underwent surgery at Salina Regional Health Center and is in stable condition, according to Marston.

A Rice County Deputy arrived at the scene of the attack just as it occurred on Sunday. He put down the animal when it appeared it was preparing to charge at the downed deputy. Both incidents remain under investigation, according to Marston.

ELLSWORTH COUNTY—A Kansas sheriff's deputy&nbsp; is recovering after he was injured by a buffalo.

Just after 6:30p.m. Sunday, Ellsworth County 911 received a call about the buffalo on K-4 highway at 5th Road in Ellsworth County, according to a media release.

A deputy responded to the scene, found the animal and attempted to get it to return to a pasture. The buffalo suddenly charged the deputy and injured him.

Claflin EMS transported the deputy to the Ellsworth County Medical Center and he was later transferred to Salina Regional Health Center.&nbsp; The sheriff's office has not identified the deputy or updated his condition.

ELLSWORTH COUNTY — Authorities in Ellsworth County are investigating after a man was found dead on Monday and a deputy injured on Sunday by a charging buffalo.At 9a.m. Monday, a woman called Ellsworth County 911 to report she needed an ambulance because she had found her nephew identified as 56-year-old Scott Schroeder of rural Bushton, dead in a pen and thought a buffalo killed him, according to Sheriff Murray MarstonSheriff's deputies and Claflin EMS responded to the scene. The body was in a row of trees north of Kansas 4 highway at 5th Road. The location where the deputy was injured by a buffalo on Sunday night is approximately one half mile south of where the body was found Monday.The coroner's preliminary cause of death, pending an autopsy, is that a buffalo gored Schroeder. He is the owner of over 20 buffalo kept at that location, according to Marston.The deputy injured by a buffalo on Sunday underwent surgery at Salina Regional Health Center and is in stable condition, according to Marston.A Rice County Deputy arrived at the scene of the attack just as it occurred on Sunday. He put down the animal when it appeared it was preparing to charge at the downed deputy. Both incidents remain under investigation, according to Marston.------ELLSWORTH COUNTY—A Kansas sheriff's deputy&nbsp; is recovering after he was injured by a buffalo.Just after 6:30p.m. Sunday, Ellsworth County 911 received a call about the buffalo on K-4 highway at 5th Road in Ellsworth County, according to a media release.A deputy responded to the scene, found the animal and attempted to get it to return to a pasture. The buffalo suddenly charged the deputy and injured him.Claflin EMS transported the deputy to the Ellsworth County Medical Center and he was later transferred to Salina Regional Health Center.&nbsp; The sheriff's office has not identified the deputy or updated his condition.

Update: Charging buffalo kills Kan. man, injures deputy 

By JOHN HANNA and HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH&nbsp;

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Abortion opponents were shocked and abortion rights advocates energized by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">a decisive statewide vote in heavily Republican Kansas</a>&nbsp;this week in favor of protecting abortion access, yet it's not likely to translate into new abortion votes across the U.S. in the November election.

Four other states — California, Kentucky, Michigan and Vermont — could have votes in November on abortion access, and a fifth, Montana, is voting on a measure that would require abortion providers to give lifesaving treatment to a fetus that is born alive after a botched abortion. Opponents argue federal law already offers those protections.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-health-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-constitutions-022d340cf968be3c28b03f7f96965f09">No other abortion initiatives</a>&nbsp;are likely to make a state's November ballot.

The Kansas vote was the first test of public feeling about abortion rights since the U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">overturned Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;in late June, and it upended political assumptions.

Voters rejected a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution declaring that it grants no right to abortion. That would have opened the door for the GOP-controlled Legislature to further restrict or ban abortion and nullify&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">a 2019 decision</a>&nbsp;by the Kansas Supreme Court that access is a “fundamental” right under the state's Bill of Rights.

HOW WAS THE OUTCOME OF THE KANSAS VOTE A SURPRISE?

Abortion rights supporters prevailed by nearly 18 percentage points in the Republican state with deep ties to the anti-abortion movement. They took the outcome as confirmation that preserving access to abortion is popular.

Officials with several national abortion rights groups argued that the vote shows it’s a mistake for Democrats in red states like Kansas to avoid talking about abortion and that support for abortion rights can drive voters to the polls. In Kentucky, donations to the abortion rights cause poured in immediately, said Tamarra Wieder, state director for Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates.

The election in Kansas coincided with the state’s primary. Over the previous 10 years, turnout for a mid-term primary has averaged less than 26%, with Republicans casting twice as many ballots as Democrats.

But turnout for this election topped 45% — almost 915,000 voters — approaching levels normally seen during a fall election for governor. More than half of registered Democrats and Republicans cast ballots. At least 28% of registered unaffiliated voters, who couldn’t vote on anything else on ballots on Tuesday, voted on the proposed amendment.

The outcome also suggested that a sizeable number of Republicans voted against the proposed amendment.

“Three things in Kansas are really important to note: One, the depth of the victory; two, the amount of increased voter turnout, and three, that it happened in an off-year midterm election,” said Kristen Rowe-Finkbeiner, CEO of MomsRising, an advocacy group that supports abortion rights.

Abortion opponents argued that the vote was a temporary setback and vowed to keep electing anti-abortion candidates.

CAN EITHER SIDE RUSH TO PUT A QUESTION TO VOTERS IN MY STATE IN NOVEMBER?

Likely not. For one thing, deadlines to do it have passed in the half of U.S. states that allow voters to put questions on the ballot without going through the Legislature.

In Ohio, the Democratic nominee for governor, Nan Whaley, has called for putting an abortion rights measure on the ballot as early as next year, and efforts have started in Colorado and South Dakota for 2024. In Iowa, GOP lawmakers have taken the first step toward putting an anti-abortion measure on the ballot in 2024.

In Kansas, anti-abortion lawmakers anticipated voters approving their measure.

BUT THERE ARE VOTES IN SOME STATES IN NOVEMBER?

Yes, but those efforts were all underway before the Kansas vote.

Legislators in California and Vermont put measures to protect abortion rights on the ballot, and Kentucky lawmakers have a measure on the ballot similar to the one that failed in Kansas.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-voting-rights-2022-midterm-elections-us-supreme-court-health-96575728b5ccc4664e0a38fe4884f1e4">In Michigan,</a>&nbsp;abortion rights advocates believe they have turned in enough signatures to put an abortion rights amendment to the state constitution on the November ballot, but the signatures must still be counted.

The Montana referendum also was initiated by legislators.

IN STATES ALLOWING IT, WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR VOTERS TO GET A QUESTION ON THE BALLOT?

They have to circulate petitions and collect tens of thousands of signatures from registered voters; the number is often a percentage of the vote in a previous election. Some states set requirements to get signatures from across the state, not just in one or two metropolitan areas.

In Nebraska, abortion opponents are focused on gaining one more seat in its one-house Legislature for the two-thirds majority necessary to overcome filibusters and pass an abortion ban. A voter initiative there must gather nearly 88,000 signatures from at least 5% of the registered voters in 38 of its 93 counties, something known as the “two-fifths rule.”

In Missouri, initiatives can take a year to get to the ballot, and in Oklahoma, the average length has been more than a year — 64 weeks — over the past 10 years, according to the secretary of state's office.

“From start to finish, if you could get it done in nine months, you’d really be moving fast," said Amber England, a political strategist in Oklahoma who has worked to get questions on the ballot in recent years.

The Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, which advises progressive groups on campaigning for ballot questions, advises that the work should take three years, including building community relationships before even circulating signatures.

SO IT'S A MATTER OF GETTING ENOUGH VALID SIGNATURES IN THE RIGHT PLACES?

Not necessarily. There can be other hurdles, particularly if public officials who are players in the process oppose an initiative.

In Missouri in 2019, opponents of a law banning most abortions after eight weeks of pregnancy sought to get a proposed repeal on the ballot, but Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, a Republican who opposes abortion, took enough time in vetting the language that supporters had only two weeks to gather signatures. While the initiative's backers sued —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-abortion-health-legislature-missouri-362a4066bfb8766d486cec24c59ab9b9">and won</a>&nbsp;— the final ruling from the state Supreme Court didn't come until early this year.

“It was a significant victory,” said Mallory Schwarz, executive director of Pro-Choice Missouri. “But we didn’t get a do-over.”

Hollingsworth reported from Mission, Kansas. Also contributing were Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City, Scott McFetridge in Des Moines, Iowa, and Julie Carr Smyth in Columbus, Ohio.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1656082532826.png" alt="Photo by Dylan Lysen / Kansas News Service" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Dylan Lysen / Kansas News Service</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA and HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Abortion opponents were shocked and abortion rights advocates energized by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">a decisive statewide vote in heavily Republican Kansas</a>&nbsp;this week in favor of protecting abortion access, yet it's not likely to translate into new abortion votes across the U.S. in the November election.Four other states — California, Kentucky, Michigan and Vermont — could have votes in November on abortion access, and a fifth, Montana, is voting on a measure that would require abortion providers to give lifesaving treatment to a fetus that is born alive after a botched abortion. Opponents argue federal law already offers those protections.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-midterm-elections-abortion-health-sexual-abuse-by-clergy-constitutions-022d340cf968be3c28b03f7f96965f09">No other abortion initiatives</a>&nbsp;are likely to make a state's November ballot.The Kansas vote was the first test of public feeling about abortion rights since the U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">overturned Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;in late June, and it upended political assumptions.Voters rejected a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution declaring that it grants no right to abortion. That would have opened the door for the GOP-controlled Legislature to further restrict or ban abortion and nullify&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">a 2019 decision</a>&nbsp;by the Kansas Supreme Court that access is a “fundamental” right under the state's Bill of Rights.HOW WAS THE OUTCOME OF THE KANSAS VOTE A SURPRISE?Abortion rights supporters prevailed by nearly 18 percentage points in the Republican state with deep ties to the anti-abortion movement. They took the outcome as confirmation that preserving access to abortion is popular.Officials with several national abortion rights groups argued that the vote shows it’s a mistake for Democrats in red states like Kansas to avoid talking about abortion and that support for abortion rights can drive voters to the polls. In Kentucky, donations to the abortion rights cause poured in immediately, said Tamarra Wieder, state director for Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates.The election in Kansas coincided with the state’s primary. Over the previous 10 years, turnout for a mid-term primary has averaged less than 26%, with Republicans casting twice as many ballots as Democrats.But turnout for this election topped 45% — almost 915,000 voters — approaching levels normally seen during a fall election for governor. More than half of registered Democrats and Republicans cast ballots. At least 28% of registered unaffiliated voters, who couldn’t vote on anything else on ballots on Tuesday, voted on the proposed amendment.The outcome also suggested that a sizeable number of Republicans voted against the proposed amendment.“Three things in Kansas are really important to note: One, the depth of the victory; two, the amount of increased voter turnout, and three, that it happened in an off-year midterm election,” said Kristen Rowe-Finkbeiner, CEO of MomsRising, an advocacy group that supports abortion rights.Abortion opponents argued that the vote was a temporary setback and vowed to keep electing anti-abortion candidates.CAN EITHER SIDE RUSH TO PUT A QUESTION TO VOTERS IN MY STATE IN NOVEMBER?Likely not. For one thing, deadlines to do it have passed in the half of U.S. states that allow voters to put questions on the ballot without going through the Legislature.In Ohio, the Democratic nominee for governor, Nan Whaley, has called for putting an abortion rights measure on the ballot as early as next year, and efforts have started in Colorado and South Dakota for 2024. In Iowa, GOP lawmakers have taken the first step toward putting an anti-abortion measure on the ballot in 2024.In Kansas, anti-abortion lawmakers anticipated voters approving their measure.BUT THERE ARE VOTES IN SOME STATES IN NOVEMBER?Yes, but those efforts were all underway before the Kansas vote.Legislators in California and Vermont put measures to protect abortion rights on the ballot, and Kentucky lawmakers have a measure on the ballot similar to the one that failed in Kansas.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-voting-rights-2022-midterm-elections-us-supreme-court-health-96575728b5ccc4664e0a38fe4884f1e4">In Michigan,</a>&nbsp;abortion rights advocates believe they have turned in enough signatures to put an abortion rights amendment to the state constitution on the November ballot, but the signatures must still be counted.The Montana referendum also was initiated by legislators.IN STATES ALLOWING IT, WHAT DOES IT TAKE FOR VOTERS TO GET A QUESTION ON THE BALLOT?They have to circulate petitions and collect tens of thousands of signatures from registered voters; the number is often a percentage of the vote in a previous election. Some states set requirements to get signatures from across the state, not just in one or two metropolitan areas.In Nebraska, abortion opponents are focused on gaining one more seat in its one-house Legislature for the two-thirds majority necessary to overcome filibusters and pass an abortion ban. A voter initiative there must gather nearly 88,000 signatures from at least 5% of the registered voters in 38 of its 93 counties, something known as the “two-fifths rule.”In Missouri, initiatives can take a year to get to the ballot, and in Oklahoma, the average length has been more than a year — 64 weeks — over the past 10 years, according to the secretary of state's office.“From start to finish, if you could get it done in nine months, you’d really be moving fast," said Amber England, a political strategist in Oklahoma who has worked to get questions on the ballot in recent years.The Ballot Initiative Strategy Center, which advises progressive groups on campaigning for ballot questions, advises that the work should take three years, including building community relationships before even circulating signatures.SO IT'S A MATTER OF GETTING ENOUGH VALID SIGNATURES IN THE RIGHT PLACES?Not necessarily. There can be other hurdles, particularly if public officials who are players in the process oppose an initiative.In Missouri in 2019, opponents of a law banning most abortions after eight weeks of pregnancy sought to get a proposed repeal on the ballot, but Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft, a Republican who opposes abortion, took enough time in vetting the language that supporters had only two weeks to gather signatures. While the initiative's backers sued —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-abortion-health-legislature-missouri-362a4066bfb8766d486cec24c59ab9b9">and won</a>&nbsp;— the final ruling from the state Supreme Court didn't come until early this year.“It was a significant victory,” said Mallory Schwarz, executive director of Pro-Choice Missouri. “But we didn’t get a do-over.”____Hollingsworth reported from Mission, Kansas. Also contributing were Sean Murphy in Oklahoma City, Scott McFetridge in Des Moines, Iowa, and Julie Carr Smyth in Columbus, Ohio.

Will abortion be on more state ballots after Kansas vote?

<a href="https://hutchpost.com">Hutch Post</a>

HUTCHINSON — Cosmosphere has been recognized by Tripadvisor as a
 2022 Travelers’ Choice&nbsp;award winner for being in&nbsp;the top 10% of 
attractions worldwide.&nbsp;The award celebrates businesses that have 
received great reviews from travelers around the globe on Tripadvisor 
over the last 12 months. Cosmosphere stood out by consistently 
delivering positive experiences to visitors.

“This 2022 
recognition comes as Cosmosphere celebrates 60 years of space and 
science education,” Jim Remar, President and Chief Executive Officer at 
the Cosmosphere said. “Our visitors have been wonderfully engaged over 
those years, and we appreciate every single one of them. We look forward
 to lighting that spark of interest in science education and the history
 of space exploration for years to come.”

“Congratulations to the 
2022 Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Winners,” Kanika Soni, Chief 
Commercial Officer at Tripadvisor said. “The Travelers’ Choice Awards 
recognize the best in tourism and hospitality, according to those who 
matter most: your guests. Ranking among the Travelers’ Choice winners is
 always tough — but never more so than this year as we emerge from the 
pandemic. Whether it's using new technology, implementing safety 
measures, or hiring outstanding staff, I’m impressed by the steps you've
 taken to meet travelers' new demands."

Cosmosphere 
emerged from the pandemic with a new look in the hall of science museum 
and reintroduced its summer camps. The center also expanded its virtual 
platform and expanded its ability to reach students and instructors with
 online and virtual classrooms.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659980696282.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://hutchpost.com">Hutch Post</a>HUTCHINSON — Cosmosphere has been recognized by Tripadvisor as a
 2022 Travelers’ Choice&nbsp;award winner for being in&nbsp;the top 10% of 
attractions worldwide.&nbsp;The award celebrates businesses that have 
received great reviews from travelers around the globe on Tripadvisor 
over the last 12 months. Cosmosphere stood out by consistently 
delivering positive experiences to visitors.“This 2022 
recognition comes as Cosmosphere celebrates 60 years of space and 
science education,” Jim Remar, President and Chief Executive Officer at 
the Cosmosphere said. “Our visitors have been wonderfully engaged over 
those years, and we appreciate every single one of them. We look forward
 to lighting that spark of interest in science education and the history
 of space exploration for years to come.”“Congratulations to the 
2022 Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Winners,” Kanika Soni, Chief 
Commercial Officer at Tripadvisor said. “The Travelers’ Choice Awards 
recognize the best in tourism and hospitality, according to those who 
matter most: your guests. Ranking among the Travelers’ Choice winners is
 always tough — but never more so than this year as we emerge from the 
pandemic. Whether it's using new technology, implementing safety 
measures, or hiring outstanding staff, I’m impressed by the steps you've
 taken to meet travelers' new demands."Cosmosphere 
emerged from the pandemic with a new look in the hall of science museum 
and reintroduced its summer camps. The center also expanded its virtual 
platform and expanded its ability to reach students and instructors with
 online and virtual classrooms.

Tripadvisor: Kansas attraction in top 10% worldwide

GEARY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating the murder of&nbsp;Enfinnity Hayes Lawson, 22, Fort Riley, at Milford State Park in October of 2021 have made a second arrest.

The Geary County Sheriff's Office with the assistance of Fort Riley's Criminal Investigations Division, Kansas Bureau of Investigations, Kansas Highway Patrol, along with other agencies, were able to obtain a warrant for an arrest of 20-year-old Jonathan Kendrick Franklin, of Fort Riley on Sunday.

In July authorities arrested Enfinnity Hayes Lawson's husband, Cameron Lawson for her murder.

Enfinnity Hayes Lawsonn was the victim in a fatal shooting that occurred Oct. 3, 2021&nbsp; at the Milford State Park Group Shelter. At the time authorities were told that the victim was approached by a man described as 6-foot-1 or taller dressed in all black who approached the victim and her husband and attempted to rob the couple at gun point. There was a gun shot and she fell to the ground. Her husband drove her Geary Community Hospital where she died of her injuries.

In January, the United State's Army offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the murder.

Franklin is being held on requested charges of First Degree Murder, and Conspiracy to Commit First Degree Murder on a $1,000,000 bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659970013635.jpeg" alt="Jonathan Kendrick Franklin-photo Geary Co." />
 <figcaption>Jonathan Kendrick Franklin-photo Geary Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>GEARY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating the murder of&nbsp;Enfinnity Hayes Lawson, 22, Fort Riley, at Milford State Park in October of 2021 have made a second arrest.The Geary County Sheriff's Office with the assistance of Fort Riley's Criminal Investigations Division, Kansas Bureau of Investigations, Kansas Highway Patrol, along with other agencies, were able to obtain a warrant for an arrest of 20-year-old Jonathan Kendrick Franklin, of Fort Riley on Sunday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/7/1658192008297.png" alt="Lawson-photo Geary Co." />
 <figcaption>Lawson-photo Geary Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>In July authorities arrested Enfinnity Hayes Lawson's husband, Cameron Lawson for her murder.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1637156736481.png" alt="Enfinnity Hayes-Lawson -photo Geary Co. Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>Enfinnity Hayes-Lawson -photo Geary Co. Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>Enfinnity Hayes Lawsonn was the victim in a fatal shooting that occurred Oct. 3, 2021&nbsp; at the Milford State Park Group Shelter. At the time authorities were told that the victim was approached by a man described as 6-foot-1 or taller dressed in all black who approached the victim and her husband and attempted to rob the couple at gun point. There was a gun shot and she fell to the ground. Her husband drove her Geary Community Hospital where she died of her injuries.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGearyCountySheriffsDepartment%2Fposts%2F237576788555786&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="497" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>In January, the United State's Army offering a reward of up to $25,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the murder.Franklin is being held on requested charges of First Degree Murder, and Conspiracy to Commit First Degree Murder on a $1,000,000 bond.

Sheriff: 2nd suspect accused in murder of woman at Kansas lake

By SCOTT CARLSON <a href="https://northplattepost.com">North Platte Post</a>

NANCE COUNTY, Nebraska-Authorities have identified a Kansas man who drowned in a Nebraska lake over the weekend as 79-year-old Wayne E. Mathias of Augusta, according to the Nance County Sheriff's Department.&nbsp;

Just before 1:30 p.m. Saturday Nance County Sheriffs deputies and Genoa Volunteer Fire and Rescue responded to a reported drowning at a private lake south of Genoa, Nebraska.

Deputies arrived on scene within five minutes of receiving the call and were informed that Mathias had been swimming approximately 100 feet from the shore when witnesses heard him call for help then disappear under the water. 

Deputies entered the lake and attempted to locate the Mathias but were not successful. Further efforts to locate him using boats, volunteers and thermal cameras were not successful. 

Several other citizens provided boats and floatation devices to assist first responders in the search. Mutual Aid was requested from the Platte County Dive Team and the The Oxford Nebraska Dive Team.  The Platte County Dive Team arrived on scene first and used sonar and diver to search the area and were able to locate the victim and recovered his body.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659967644953.jpeg" alt="Authorities said a Kansas man drowned over the weekend at a private lake south of Genoa. (Photo: Nance County Sheriff's Office)" />
 <figcaption>Authorities said a Kansas man drowned over the weekend at a private lake south of Genoa. (Photo: Nance County Sheriff's Office)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SCOTT CARLSON <a href="https://northplattepost.com">North Platte Post</a>NANCE COUNTY, Nebraska-Authorities have identified a Kansas man who drowned in a Nebraska lake over the weekend as 79-year-old Wayne E. Mathias of Augusta, according to the Nance County Sheriff's Department.&nbsp;Just before 1:30 p.m. Saturday Nance County Sheriffs deputies and Genoa Volunteer Fire and Rescue responded to a reported drowning at a private lake south of Genoa, Nebraska.Deputies arrived on scene within five minutes of receiving the call and were informed that Mathias had been swimming approximately 100 feet from the shore when witnesses heard him call for help then disappear under the water. Deputies entered the lake and attempted to locate the Mathias but were not successful. Further efforts to locate him using boats, volunteers and thermal cameras were not successful. Several other citizens provided boats and floatation devices to assist first responders in the search. Mutual Aid was requested from the Platte County Dive Team and the The Oxford Nebraska Dive Team. The Platte County Dive Team arrived on scene first and used sonar and diver to search the area and were able to locate the victim and recovered his body.&nbsp;

Sheriff IDs Kansas man who drowned in Nebraska lake

GODDARD, Kan. (AP) — A new federal study said dozens of people got sick after visiting a splash park near Wichita, Kansas, last summer.

The study by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that 21 people contracted Shigella bacteria and six others&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ks-state-wire-health-c4508fd0a202a87197b1ef13b82131e8">became sick</a>&nbsp;with the norovirus after visiting the splash park at Tanganyika Wildlife Park in Goddard. Another 36 people reported gastrointestinal illnesses after visiting the splash park but didn't have lab tests confirming what caused their illnesses,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/local/article264228951.html">according</a>&nbsp;to The Wichita Eagle. At least four people were hospitalized afterward.

Previously, state and local health officials had said that eight people who visited the park contracted Shigella and other people tested positive for the norovirus, sapovirus and a type of E. coli called enteropathogenic E. coli.

The CDC report is based on a survey of 404 people who visited the splash park last year between May 28 and June 19.

The splash park located about 14 miles west of Wichita was allowed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-wichita-ca8afce1cf629bcb04e2953c964b7b1a">reopen</a>&nbsp;last July after upgrading its pump and filtration system and passing a health inspection.

The report confirmed the illnesses&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-animals-e0b8b5d980bd5573ed50250aa77c8b7b">weren’t linked</a>&nbsp;to any of the animals at the interactive zoo. At least three&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ks-state-wire-wichita-health-lawsuits-2a3e84566c9480c34d4b6d8adfbb2161">lawsuits</a>&nbsp;have been filed against the splash pad. One of those was settled, but two others remain pending.

The director of the wildlife park Matt Fouts told the newspaper he didn’t find the study useful although he’s “all for analyzing data to learn from the past.”

“It offered little advice for other splash parks besides ensuring you have signage that states ‘don’t swallow the water’ and offered no additional insight into the investigation,” Fouts said. “Regardless, it did affirm that there have been no additional incidents because we took the situation seriously and found ways to enhance our system and processes so that the Splash Park is safer than ever.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624228385006.png" alt="Photo courtesy Tanganyika Wildlife Park" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Tanganyika Wildlife Park</figcaption>
 </figure>GODDARD, Kan. (AP) — A new federal study said dozens of people got sick after visiting a splash park near Wichita, Kansas, last summer.The study by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that 21 people contracted Shigella bacteria and six others&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ks-state-wire-health-c4508fd0a202a87197b1ef13b82131e8">became sick</a>&nbsp;with the norovirus after visiting the splash park at Tanganyika Wildlife Park in Goddard. Another 36 people reported gastrointestinal illnesses after visiting the splash park but didn't have lab tests confirming what caused their illnesses,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/local/article264228951.html">according</a>&nbsp;to The Wichita Eagle. At least four people were hospitalized afterward.Previously, state and local health officials had said that eight people who visited the park contracted Shigella and other people tested positive for the norovirus, sapovirus and a type of E. coli called enteropathogenic E. coli.The CDC report is based on a survey of 404 people who visited the splash park last year between May 28 and June 19.The splash park located about 14 miles west of Wichita was allowed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-wichita-ca8afce1cf629bcb04e2953c964b7b1a">reopen</a>&nbsp;last July after upgrading its pump and filtration system and passing a health inspection.The report confirmed the illnesses&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-animals-e0b8b5d980bd5573ed50250aa77c8b7b">weren’t linked</a>&nbsp;to any of the animals at the interactive zoo. At least three&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ks-state-wire-wichita-health-lawsuits-2a3e84566c9480c34d4b6d8adfbb2161">lawsuits</a>&nbsp;have been filed against the splash pad. One of those was settled, but two others remain pending.The director of the wildlife park Matt Fouts told the newspaper he didn’t find the study useful although he’s “all for analyzing data to learn from the past.”“It offered little advice for other splash parks besides ensuring you have signage that states ‘don’t swallow the water’ and offered no additional insight into the investigation,” Fouts said. “Regardless, it did affirm that there have been no additional incidents because we took the situation seriously and found ways to enhance our system and processes so that the Splash Park is safer than ever.”

CDC: Dozens got sick after visiting Kansas splash park

By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/smokey-the-cat-seen-as-miracle-kitten-after-gering-wildfire/">Nebraska Examiner</a>

LINCOLN &nbsp;— It’s being called a “miracle kitten.”

A day after a fast-moving wildfire destroyed the rural ranch home of&nbsp; Carolyne and David Ewing south of Gering, the family was allowed a quick visit to the charred remains.

They heard a loud “meow” coming from the blackened debris of a 
garage. Inside a cinder block, underneath some steel roofing panels that
 had collapsed, they found a small kitten, slightly burned but alive.

“Its eyebrow was singed, but it was like the miracle kitten,” said the Ewings’ son, Josh.&nbsp;

“The cat is providing some comic relief to keep us from crying,” he said.

The kitten, who had wandered into the Ewings’ ranch a few days before
 the fire, is now named “Smokey” and is staying in Gering with the 
displaced family.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659965489956.png" alt="This kitten, now dubbed “Smokey,” survived a fast-moving wildfire that destroyed a garage in which the kitten had taken refuge on Saturday. (Courtesy of Josh Ewing)" />
 <figcaption>This kitten, now dubbed “Smokey,” survived a fast-moving wildfire that destroyed a garage in which the kitten had taken refuge on Saturday. (Courtesy of Josh Ewing)</figcaption>
 </figure>By PAUL HAMMEL <a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/smokey-the-cat-seen-as-miracle-kitten-after-gering-wildfire/">Nebraska Examiner</a>LINCOLN &nbsp;— It’s being called a “miracle kitten.”A day after a fast-moving wildfire destroyed the rural ranch home of&nbsp; Carolyne and David Ewing south of Gering, the family was allowed a quick visit to the charred remains.<h2>Loud ‘meow’</h2>They heard a loud “meow” coming from the blackened debris of a 
garage. Inside a cinder block, underneath some steel roofing panels that
 had collapsed, they found a small kitten, slightly burned but alive.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659965571611.jpeg" alt="Three homes were destroyed south of Gering by a wildfire sparked Saturday night by a lightning strike. (Courtesy of Nebraska Forest Service)" />
 <figcaption>Three homes were destroyed south of Gering by a wildfire sparked Saturday night by a lightning strike. (Courtesy of Nebraska Forest Service)</figcaption>
 </figure>“Its eyebrow was singed, but it was like the miracle kitten,” said the Ewings’ son, Josh.&nbsp;“The cat is providing some comic relief to keep us from crying,” he said.The kitten, who had wandered into the Ewings’ ranch a few days before
 the fire, is now named “Smokey” and is staying in Gering with the 
displaced family.Their home was one of three destroyed after lightning strikes sparked
 fires in the rugged Wildcat Hills south of Gering on Saturday night.Josh Ewing, who lives in Bluffs, Utah, said his father was texting 
him Saturday evening as flames bore down on the family ranch, which has 
been in the family for four generations.“Whoa, you need to get out of there,” Josh, who is a volunteer firefighter, said he texted in response.He said his mother, a retired school teacher, evacuated first, but 
his father, also a retired teacher, stayed and tried to wet down the 
house. But the electricity had already been cut off, and the ranch well 
wasn’t working. He was able to cut barbed-wire fences so about 50 cattle
 could flee.Flames, pushed by high winds, took only about an hour to reach the 
family home, which is about 18 miles outside Gering, according to Ewing.The house had recently undergone a renovation so a 95-year-old 
grandmother could move in. The structure was a complete loss, the son 
said. Only a shower stall and a rock chimney remained standing.Lost in the flames was his mother’s handwritten recipes, along with 
an 1870s rifle that had been brought to the Panhandle by Josh Ewing’s 
great-great-grandfather, who homesteaded the land.“There’s nothing left,” Josh Ewing 
said, estimating that the family’s insurance will fall a couple hundred 
thousand dollars short of covering rebuilding costs.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1659965598525.jpeg" alt="Smoke rises from a wildfire sparked Saturday night by lightning south of Gering, in Nebraska’s Panhandle. (Courtesy of the Nebraska State Patrol)" />
 <figcaption>Smoke rises from a wildfire sparked Saturday night by lightning south of Gering, in Nebraska’s Panhandle. (Courtesy of the Nebraska State Patrol)</figcaption>
 </figure>Smokey was checked out by a local veterinarian, and besides singed eyebrows and feet, was OK.“We need to figure out who the owner is,” Ewing said, guessing that 
the kitten had wandered alone to his parents’ place from a nearby ranch.He said his family is feeling “the Nebraska spirit” from friends and 
neighbors, who have already volunteered to help with the rebuilding 
effort.For now, his parents are living with a
 friend and former school principal, Maurie Deines, and waiting for an 
insurance adjuster to survey the ruins. The fire, dubbed the Carson Canyon 
Fire, burned about 15,000 acres. Firefighters, who at one time numbered 
about 200, have been leaving the area after mopping up hot spots.&nbsp;Josh Ewing said his wife and others have set up <a target="_blank" href="https://gofund.me/7b96e9ee">a Gofundme page</a> to collect donations to help defray the cost of rebuilding the home. As of Friday, it had collected more than $23,000.