SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man in custody for a violent sword attack on his girlfriend and her dog in March of 2020 is facing new charges for an attack on jail deputies.

James E. Brown, 56 of Wichita, was charged this week with attempted 1st degree murder, battery against a law enforcement officer, 3 counts of aggravated assault, 2 counts of criminal threat, and traffic in contraband in a correctional institution, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's Office.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Just before 10:30p.m. Sept. 8, two corporals and a deputy were escorting Brown to his cell at the Sedgwick County Detention Center when he produced a metal shank and swung it at the deputy, according to Lt. Benjamin Blick.

A struggle ensued between the deputies and Brown in an effort to control the metal shank and end the assault. Once Brown was restrained, he was evaluated by clinic staff and transported to the hospital for treatment. 

Brown was later returned to the Detention Facility. Two of the deputies involved sustained injuries to their hands, according to Blick.

In March, police arrested Brown for Aggravated Domestic Battery, Aggravated Battery and Cruelty to Animals involving his use of a sword attack on his girlfriend and her dog.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Brown is scheduled back in court on Sept.30. He is being on a&nbsp; $500,000 bond, according to the district attorney.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631279622169.png" alt="Brown photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Brown photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A man in custody for a violent sword attack on his girlfriend and her dog in March of 2020 is facing new charges for an attack on jail deputies.James E. Brown, 56 of Wichita, was charged this week with attempted 1st degree murder, battery against a law enforcement officer, 3 counts of aggravated assault, 2 counts of criminal threat, and traffic in contraband in a correctional institution, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's Office.&nbsp;&nbsp;Just before 10:30p.m. Sept. 8, two corporals and a deputy were escorting Brown to his cell at the Sedgwick County Detention Center when he produced a metal shank and swung it at the deputy, according to Lt. Benjamin Blick.A struggle ensued between the deputies and Brown in an effort to control the metal shank and end the assault. Once Brown was restrained, he was evaluated by clinic staff and transported to the hospital for treatment. Brown was later returned to the Detention Facility. Two of the deputies involved sustained injuries to their hands, according to Blick.In March, police arrested Brown for Aggravated Domestic Battery, Aggravated Battery and Cruelty to Animals involving his use of a sword attack on his girlfriend and her dog.&nbsp;&nbsp;Brown is scheduled back in court on Sept.30. He is being on a&nbsp; $500,000 bond, according to the district attorney.-----------

Man in sword attack, charged with attack on Kan. jail deputies

&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man following a domestic disturbance.

Just after 4p.m. Sept. 16, deputies received a report of a disturbance at 2340 238th Road in the small Jackson County community of Soldier.&nbsp;&nbsp;Deputies found a female victim who reported she had been strangled, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

 Deputies deployed stop sticks to disable the vehicle southbound on Kansas 62 Highway north of the City of Soldier. 

 Deputies took the suspect identified as Ervin Milo Mitchell, 45, of Soldier into custody. He is being held in the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of attempted 2nd degree murder, aggravated domestic battery, criminal restraint and criminal threat.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631966898466.png" alt="Mitchell-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Mitchell-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man following a domestic disturbance.Just after 4p.m. Sept. 16, deputies received a report of a disturbance at 2340 238th Road in the small Jackson County community of Soldier.&nbsp;&nbsp;Deputies found a female victim who reported she had been strangled, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. Deputies deployed stop sticks to disable the vehicle southbound on Kansas 62 Highway north of the City of Soldier. Deputies took the suspect identified as Ervin Milo Mitchell, 45, of Soldier into custody. He is being held in the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of attempted 2nd degree murder, aggravated domestic battery, criminal restraint and criminal threat.

Sheriff: Kan. man jailed for alleged attempted murder of woman

By STEVE VOCKRODT <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-09-17/nebraska-furniture-mart-could-win-back-1-5-million-from-kansas-city-kansas-in-dark-store-battle">For the Kansas News Service</a>

Nebraska Furniture Mart, one of the busiest retailers in the region, 
stands to get a refund on property taxes it paid on its Kansas City, 
Kansas, location after winning an appeal to a state tax board.

The Kansas Board of Tax Appeals ruled last week that Wyandotte County overestimated the value of Nebraska Furniture Mart’s <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/MN8X2ZEAj43pFFQf8" target="_blank">sprawling location in Village West</a>.

If
 the board’s decision holds up — the county could appeal the decision in
 court — Nebraska Furniture Mart stands to collect a nearly $1.5 million
 refund. That refund would come from the Unified Government of Wyandotte
 County and Kansas City, Kansas Community College as well as school and 
library districts in the area. The Unified Government and other taxing 
jurisdictions use property tax to pay for basic services.

The 
amount of the refund itself isn’t staggering. But cities and counties in
 Kansas fear that continued success by big-box retailers in appealing 
their tax bills could diminish the revenue they collect for basic 
services and shift the tax burden to small businesses and residents.

“Every
 taxpayer, whether a homeowner, a small business, or a large 
corporation, has the right to access the appeal process,” the Unified 
Government said in a statement. “However, rulings by the Board of Tax 
Appeals that significantly shift how large commercial properties are 
valued, will affect how critical services and schools in our community 
are paid for.”

Indeed,
 the Nebraska Furniture Mart decision is the latest among several 
victories by retailers in Kansas that have convinced courts and tax 
boards that county appraisers miscalculate the value of their 
properties. They argue that appraisers place too much emphasis on the 
lease income that a business occupying the retail property generates 
rather than focusing on how much a buyer is willing to pay for the land 
and the building on the open market.

In other words, the retailers
 argue that appraisers should value property as though it is vacant when
 the new owner takes control of the property. Lawyers for retailers 
compare it to buying a house: A buyer will pay for the house and the 
land without regard for whether the seller is financially well-off or 
struggles to make ends meet.

“We value property on the assumption 
that the current owner-occupant will vacate, just as you would value a 
house,” said Linda Terrill, a Johnson County lawyer who is president of 
the American Property Tax Counsel and frequently represents Kansas 
retailers in appealing their tax bills. “It’s not dark, abandoned or 
empty.”

Terrill represented Nebraska Furniture Mart in its appeal,
 but stressed that she was not speaking about that case while it remains
 pending.

Critics
 of retailers who appeal their taxes call the approach the “dark store 
theory,” an implication that retailers believe their properties should 
be evaluated as if they were closed, resulting in lower property values.

The
 Unified Government said it disagreed with the Board of Tax Appeals 
decision for relying on a methodology that is not consistent with how 
commercial property is appraised.

“The NFM building has never been
 vacant and, because of its desirable location, should not be compared 
to other vacant buildings,” the Unified Government said in a statement. 
“The Unified Government only seeks to ensure that all properties, 
commercial and residential, are valued fairly, so that the tax burden is
 shared equitable and appropriately.”

Nebraska Furniture Mart, 
which did not respond to a request for comment on this story, is the 
first Wyandotte County business to prevail before the Board of Tax 
Appeals using dark store theory arguments

But <a href="https://www.kcur.org/government/2018-04-04/big-box-stores-say-kansas-property-taxes-should-be-based-on-vacant-building-value" target="_blank">several big-box retailers in Johnson County</a> have been successful in their appeals.

In
 April, the Kansas Court of Appeals sided with the Board of Tax Appeals 
in lowering the tax bill for the Bass Pro Shops store in Olathe.

In
 2018, an analysis by then-Johnson County Appraiser Paul Welcome 
concluded that the county, as well as school districts, cities and 
libraries within it could lose close to $133 million if the dark store 
theory becomes the dominant methodology for large retailers, according 
to a story in the <a href="https://shawneemissionpost.com/2018/03/01/appraisers-analysis-suggests-move-dark-store-theory-valuation-eliminate-133-million-revenue-commercial-real-estate-johnson-county-70033/" target="_blank">Shawnee Mission Post</a>.

Terrill
 said Kansas courts are applying the law when they arrive at their 
decisions about tax appeals. She added that cities and counties should 
press their cases to the Kansas Legislature to make changes to the law.

“The
 decision of who pays and who shares what portion of taxation is up to 
the legislature, not the county appraiser,” Terrill said.

Steve Vockrodt is the investigative editor for the Midwest Newsroom.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631889798204.png" alt="Nebraska Furniture Mart in western Kansas City, Kansas, won its appeal of its property tax bill using what's sometimes called the "dark store theory." Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3" />
 <figcaption>Nebraska Furniture Mart in western Kansas City, Kansas, won its appeal of its property tax bill using what's sometimes called the "dark store theory." Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3</figcaption>
 </figure>By STEVE VOCKRODT <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-09-17/nebraska-furniture-mart-could-win-back-1-5-million-from-kansas-city-kansas-in-dark-store-battle">For the Kansas News Service</a>Nebraska Furniture Mart, one of the busiest retailers in the region, 
stands to get a refund on property taxes it paid on its Kansas City, 
Kansas, location after winning an appeal to a state tax board.The Kansas Board of Tax Appeals ruled last week that Wyandotte County overestimated the value of Nebraska Furniture Mart’s <a href="https://goo.gl/maps/MN8X2ZEAj43pFFQf8" target="_blank">sprawling location in Village West</a>.If
 the board’s decision holds up — the county could appeal the decision in
 court — Nebraska Furniture Mart stands to collect a nearly $1.5 million
 refund. That refund would come from the Unified Government of Wyandotte
 County and Kansas City, Kansas Community College as well as school and 
library districts in the area. The Unified Government and other taxing 
jurisdictions use property tax to pay for basic services.The 
amount of the refund itself isn’t staggering. But cities and counties in
 Kansas fear that continued success by big-box retailers in appealing 
their tax bills could diminish the revenue they collect for basic 
services and shift the tax burden to small businesses and residents.“Every
 taxpayer, whether a homeowner, a small business, or a large 
corporation, has the right to access the appeal process,” the Unified 
Government said in a statement. “However, rulings by the Board of Tax 
Appeals that significantly shift how large commercial properties are 
valued, will affect how critical services and schools in our community 
are paid for.”<h2>Retailers on a roll</h2>Indeed,
 the Nebraska Furniture Mart decision is the latest among several 
victories by retailers in Kansas that have convinced courts and tax 
boards that county appraisers miscalculate the value of their 
properties. They argue that appraisers place too much emphasis on the 
lease income that a business occupying the retail property generates 
rather than focusing on how much a buyer is willing to pay for the land 
and the building on the open market.In other words, the retailers
 argue that appraisers should value property as though it is vacant when
 the new owner takes control of the property. Lawyers for retailers 
compare it to buying a house: A buyer will pay for the house and the 
land without regard for whether the seller is financially well-off or 
struggles to make ends meet.“We value property on the assumption 
that the current owner-occupant will vacate, just as you would value a 
house,” said Linda Terrill, a Johnson County lawyer who is president of 
the American Property Tax Counsel and frequently represents Kansas 
retailers in appealing their tax bills. “It’s not dark, abandoned or 
empty.”Terrill represented Nebraska Furniture Mart in its appeal,
 but stressed that she was not speaking about that case while it remains
 pending. <h2>‘Dark store theory’ looms</h2>Critics
 of retailers who appeal their taxes call the approach the “dark store 
theory,” an implication that retailers believe their properties should 
be evaluated as if they were closed, resulting in lower property values.The
 Unified Government said it disagreed with the Board of Tax Appeals 
decision for relying on a methodology that is not consistent with how 
commercial property is appraised.“The NFM building has never been
 vacant and, because of its desirable location, should not be compared 
to other vacant buildings,” the Unified Government said in a statement. 
“The Unified Government only seeks to ensure that all properties, 
commercial and residential, are valued fairly, so that the tax burden is
 shared equitable and appropriately.”Nebraska Furniture Mart, 
which did not respond to a request for comment on this story, is the 
first Wyandotte County business to prevail before the Board of Tax 
Appeals using dark store theory argumentsBut <a href="https://www.kcur.org/government/2018-04-04/big-box-stores-say-kansas-property-taxes-should-be-based-on-vacant-building-value" target="_blank">several big-box retailers in Johnson County</a> have been successful in their appeals.In
 April, the Kansas Court of Appeals sided with the Board of Tax Appeals 
in lowering the tax bill for the Bass Pro Shops store in Olathe.In
 2018, an analysis by then-Johnson County Appraiser Paul Welcome 
concluded that the county, as well as school districts, cities and 
libraries within it could lose close to $133 million if the dark store 
theory becomes the dominant methodology for large retailers, according 
to a story in the <a href="https://shawneemissionpost.com/2018/03/01/appraisers-analysis-suggests-move-dark-store-theory-valuation-eliminate-133-million-revenue-commercial-real-estate-johnson-county-70033/" target="_blank">Shawnee Mission Post</a>.Terrill
 said Kansas courts are applying the law when they arrive at their 
decisions about tax appeals. She added that cities and counties should 
press their cases to the Kansas Legislature to make changes to the law.“The
 decision of who pays and who shares what portion of taxation is up to 
the legislature, not the county appraiser,” Terrill said.Steve Vockrodt is the investigative editor for the Midwest Newsroom.&nbsp;

Nebraska Furniture Mart could win back $1.5M from KCK in 'dark store' battle

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — More than 100 students at Topeka West High School held a protest over the school administration's handling of a male student who has been accused of raping a female student last summer. 

The students also said during Friday's protest that the same student has harassed girls at the school. A district official said administrators had just become aware of the alleged rape, and administrators are not aware of any incidents involving the male student on campus. 

Police spokeswoman Gretchen Spiker said the 17-year-old was placed into juvenile detention Friday on an alleged probation violation. She said the rape report from the summer is being investigated.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631914182570.png" alt="Friday morning protest photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Friday morning protest photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — More than 100 students at Topeka West High School held a protest over the school administration's handling of a male student who has been accused of raping a female student last summer. The students also said during Friday's protest that the same student has harassed girls at the school. A district official said administrators had just become aware of the alleged rape, and administrators are not aware of any incidents involving the male student on campus. Police spokeswoman Gretchen Spiker said the 17-year-old was placed into juvenile detention Friday on an alleged probation violation. She said the rape report from the summer is being investigated.

Students protest Kan. high school's handling of rape accusation

By LAURA OLSON <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/09/15/putting-on-pandemic-pounds-state-obesity-rates-hit-all-time-highs/">Kansas Reflector</a>

WASHINGTON — The number of states with high obesity among residents has nearly doubled since 2018, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/prevalence-maps.html">new data</a> Wednesday from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

There were 16 states that had obesity
 rates among adult residents of at least 35% last year, with Iowa, Ohio,
 Delaware and Texas on that list for the first time. That’s an increase 
from 12 states in 2019 and nine states in 2018.

Officials with the Association of 
State and Territorial Health Officials described the obesity rates as 
having hit all-time highs, and that they signal how the COVID-19 
pandemic exacerbated the decades-long pattern of obesity in the United 
States.

“Our attention on COVID-19 diverted 
us from focusing on chronic disease prevention, which we need to get 
back to,” said Marcus Plescia, chief medical officer at the association.
 “We must get back on track to assure that we have the policies, systems
 and environments in place to support equitable access to physical 
activity opportunities and nutrition security for all.”

As recently as 2012, no state had an adult obesity rate above 35%, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tfah.org/report-details/state-of-obesity-2021/">according to the Trust for America’s Health</a>, a D.C.-based health policy organization.&nbsp;

Last year, more than 20% of adults in every state were obese, according to the CDC.

Mississippi had the highest rate nationally, at 39.7%. The rate in Kansas is 35.3%.

Others that ranked high were Alabama,
 Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Oklahoma, South 
Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia.

Colorado had the lowest obesity rate, at 24.2%.&nbsp;

Others in the lowest tier — between 20% and 25% — were Hawaii, Massachusetts, and the District of Columbia.

The obesity rates are based on 
self-reported height and weight data gathered through telephone surveys 
on health-related risk behaviors, chronic health conditions, and use of 
preventive services.

Analyzing obesity rates from 2018 to 2020, federal health researchers identified racial, educational and regional trends.

No state had an obesity prevalence at
 or above 35% among Asian residents, seven had high obesity rates among 
white residents, 22 had high rates among Hispanic residents, and 35 
states had obesity rates at or above 35% among Black residents.&nbsp;

Among adults without a high school degree, obesity rates were 38.8%, while it was 25% among college graduates.

The Midwest and South had the highest levels of obesity among residents, at 34.1% in each region.&nbsp;

Western states had a rate of 29%, with 28% among residents in the Northeast.

Laura covers the nation's capital as a senior reporter for States Newsroom, a network of nonprofit outlets that includes Kansas Reflector.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631800950996.png" alt="Carrots are an excellent source of Vitamin A, which is necessary for healthy eyesight, skin, growth, and also aids our bodies in resisting infection. Carrots are also a good source of potassium. Carrots have a higher natural sugar content than all other vegetables with the exception of beets. This is why they make a wonderful snack when eaten raw, and make a tasty addition to a variety of cooked dishes. (Mary Anne Fenley/CDC)" />
 <figcaption>Carrots are an excellent source of Vitamin A, which is necessary for healthy eyesight, skin, growth, and also aids our bodies in resisting infection. Carrots are also a good source of potassium. Carrots have a higher natural sugar content than all other vegetables with the exception of beets. This is why they make a wonderful snack when eaten raw, and make a tasty addition to a variety of cooked dishes. (Mary Anne Fenley/CDC)</figcaption>
 </figure>By LAURA OLSON <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/09/15/putting-on-pandemic-pounds-state-obesity-rates-hit-all-time-highs/">Kansas Reflector</a>WASHINGTON — The number of states with high obesity among residents has nearly doubled since 2018, according to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/prevalence-maps.html">new data</a> Wednesday from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.There were 16 states that had obesity
 rates among adult residents of at least 35% last year, with Iowa, Ohio,
 Delaware and Texas on that list for the first time. That’s an increase 
from 12 states in 2019 and nine states in 2018.Officials with the Association of 
State and Territorial Health Officials described the obesity rates as 
having hit all-time highs, and that they signal how the COVID-19 
pandemic exacerbated the decades-long pattern of obesity in the United 
States.“Our attention on COVID-19 diverted 
us from focusing on chronic disease prevention, which we need to get 
back to,” said Marcus Plescia, chief medical officer at the association.
 “We must get back on track to assure that we have the policies, systems
 and environments in place to support equitable access to physical 
activity opportunities and nutrition security for all.”As recently as 2012, no state had an adult obesity rate above 35%, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tfah.org/report-details/state-of-obesity-2021/">according to the Trust for America’s Health</a>, a D.C.-based health policy organization.&nbsp;Last year, more than 20% of adults in every state were obese, according to the CDC.Mississippi had the highest rate nationally, at 39.7%. The rate in Kansas is 35.3%.Others that ranked high were Alabama,
 Arkansas, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Oklahoma, South 
Carolina, Tennessee, and West Virginia.Colorado had the lowest obesity rate, at 24.2%.&nbsp;Others in the lowest tier — between 20% and 25% — were Hawaii, Massachusetts, and the District of Columbia.The obesity rates are based on 
self-reported height and weight data gathered through telephone surveys 
on health-related risk behaviors, chronic health conditions, and use of 
preventive services.Analyzing obesity rates from 2018 to 2020, federal health researchers identified racial, educational and regional trends.No state had an obesity prevalence at
 or above 35% among Asian residents, seven had high obesity rates among 
white residents, 22 had high rates among Hispanic residents, and 35 
states had obesity rates at or above 35% among Black residents.&nbsp;Among adults without a high school degree, obesity rates were 38.8%, while it was 25% among college graduates.The Midwest and South had the highest levels of obesity among residents, at 34.1% in each region.&nbsp;Western states had a rate of 29%, with 28% among residents in the Northeast.Laura covers the nation's capital as a senior reporter for States Newsroom, a network of nonprofit outlets that includes Kansas Reflector.&nbsp;

Pandemic pounds: State obesity rates hit all-time highs

DOUGLAS COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting, have made an arrest and are asking the public for help to locate a second suspect.

On Friday, Lawrence Police, with assistance from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, arrested 18-year-old Javier Isidro Romero on a requested charge of first-degree murder in the Wednesday death of 21-year-old Christian Willis&nbsp;in the 1500 block of Kentucky Street, according to police department spokesperson Patrick Compton.

Police are also seeking information on the whereabouts of 19-year-old Andrel Darnell Spates, Jr. of Lawrence in connection with the murder.

Spates is 6-foot tall, 165 pounds and is considered armed and dangerous.

Anyone with information on Spates is encouraged to call the Lawrence Kansas Police Department at 785-832-7509 or Crime Stoppers of Douglas County at 785-843-7477. Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards and tips can be anonymous.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631932120397.png" alt="Romero photo Douglas Co." />
 <figcaption>Romero photo Douglas Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal shooting, have made an arrest and are asking the public for help to locate a second suspect.On Friday, Lawrence Police, with assistance from the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, arrested 18-year-old Javier Isidro Romero on a requested charge of first-degree murder in the Wednesday death of 21-year-old Christian Willis&nbsp;in the 1500 block of Kentucky Street, according to police department spokesperson Patrick Compton.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631931965791.png" alt="Spates is considered armed and dangerous-photo Lawrence PD" />
 <figcaption>Spates is considered armed and dangerous-photo Lawrence PD</figcaption>
 </figure>Police are also seeking information on the whereabouts of 19-year-old Andrel Darnell Spates, Jr. of Lawrence in connection with the murder.Spates is 6-foot tall, 165 pounds and is considered armed and dangerous.Anyone with information on Spates is encouraged to call the Lawrence Kansas Police Department at 785-832-7509 or Crime Stoppers of Douglas County at 785-843-7477. Crime Stoppers offers cash rewards and tips can be anonymous.

Police make arrest, search for 2nd suspect in Kansas killing

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon retreated from its defense of a drone strike that killed multiple civilians in Afghanistan last month, announcing Friday that a review revealed that only civilians were killed in the attack, not an Islamic State extremist as first believed.

“The strike was a tragic mistake,” Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, told a Pentagon news conference.

McKenzie apologized for the error and said the United States is considering making reparation payments to the family of the victims. He said the decision to strike a white Toyota Corolla sedan, after having tracked it for about eight hours, was made in an “earnest belief” — based on a standard of “reasonable certainty” — that it posed an imminent threat to American forces at Kabul airport. The car was believed to have been carrying explosives in its trunk, he said.

For days after the Aug. 29 strike, Pentagon officials asserted that it had been conducted correctly, despite 10 civilians being killed, including seven children. News organizations later raised doubts about that version of events, reporting that the driver of the targeted vehicle was a longtime employee at an American humanitarian organization and citing an absence of evidence to support the Pentagon’s assertion that the vehicle contained explosives.

The airstrike was the last of a U.S. war that ended as it had begun in 2001 — with the Taliban in power in Kabul. The speed with which the Taliban overran the country took the U.S. government by surprise and forced it to send several thousand troops to the Kabul airport for a hurried evacuation of Americans, Afghans and others. The evacuation, which began Aug. 14, unfolded under a near-constant threat of attack by the Islamic State group’s Afghanistan affiliate.

McKenzie, who oversaw U.S. military operations in Afghanistan, including a final evacuation of U.S. forces and more than 120,000 civilians from Kabul airport, expressed his condolences to the family and friends of those killed.

“I am now convinced that as many as 10 civilians, including up to seven children, were tragically killed in that strike,” McKenzie said. “Moreover, we now assess that it is unlikely that the vehicle and those who died were associated with ISIS-K or were a direct threat to U.S. forces,” he added, referring to the Islamic State group’s Afghanistan affiliate.

Prior to the strike, U.S. intelligence had indicated a likelihood that a white Toyota Corolla would be used in an attack against U.S. forces, McKenzie said. On the morning of Aug. 29, such a vehicle was detected at a compound in Kabul that U.S. intelligence in the preceding 48 hours had determined was used by the Islamic State group to plan and facilitate attacks. The vehicle was tracked by U.S. drone aircraft from that compound to numerous other locations in the city before the decision was made to attack it at a point just a couple of miles from Kabul airport, McKenzie said.

“Clearly our intelligence was wrong on this particular white Toyota Corolla,” he said.

Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, in a written statement, apologized for what he called “a horrible mistake.”

“We now know that there was no connection” between the driver of the vehicle and the Islamic State group, and that the driver’s activities that day were “completely harmless and not at all related to the imminent threat we believed we faced,” Austin said.

Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters two days after the attack that it appeared to have been a “righteous” strike and that at least one of the people killed was a “facilitator” for the Islamic State group’s Afghanistan affiliate, which had killed 169 Afghan civilians and 13 American service members in a suicide bombing on Aug. 26 at the Kabul airport.

After McKenzie’s remarks on Friday, Milley expressed regret.

“This is a horrible tragedy of war and it’s heart wrenching,” Milley told reporters traveling with him in Europe. “We are committed to being fully transparent about this incident.”

“In a dynamic high-threat environment, the commanders on the ground had appropriate authority and had reasonable certainty that the target was valid, but after deeper post-strike analysis our conclusion is that innocent civilians were killed,” Milley added.

Accounts from the family of the victims, documents from colleagues seen by The Associated Press, and the scene at the family home — where Zemerai Ahmadi’s car was struck by a Hellfire missile just as he pulled into the driveway — all painted a picture of a family that had worked for Americans and were trying to gain visas to the United States, fearing for their lives under the Taliban.

The family said that when the 37-year-old Zemerai, alone in his car, pulled up to the house, he honked his horn. His 11-year-old son ran out and Zemerai let the boy get in and drive the car into the driveway. The other kids ran out to watch, and the Hellfire missile incinerated the car, killing seven children and an adult son and nephew of Zemerai.

Amnesty International, the humanitarian aid group, called the U.S. military’s admission of a mistake a good first step.

“The U.S. must now commit to a full, transparent, and impartial investigation into this incident,” said Brian Castner, a senior crisis adviser with Amnesty International. “Anyone suspected of criminal responsibility should be prosecuted in a fair trial. Survivors and families of the victims should be kept informed of the progress of the investigation and be given full reparation.”

Rep. Adam Schiff, the California Democrat who is chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said a fuller explanation must be provided.

“We need to know what went wrong in the hours and minutes leading up to the strike to prevent similar tragedies in the future,” he said. “I am also concerned about the accuracy and completeness of public statements made in the immediate aftermath of the strike, and whether those accounted for all of the information possessed by the government at the time.”

--------WHAT the U.S. military originally reported

WASHINGTON (AP) — Acting swiftly on President Joe Biden's promise to retaliate for the deadly suicide bombing at Kabul airport, the U.S. military said it killed two members of the Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate with a drone strike in the group's eastern stronghold.

The attack Saturday local time came amid what the White House called indications that IS planned to strike again as the U.S.-led evacuation from Kabul airport moved into its final days. Biden has set Tuesday as his deadline for completing the exit.

Biden authorized the drone strike and it was ordered by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, a defense official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to provide details not yet publicly announced. It was not immediately clear whether the targeted IS members were directly involved in Thursday's airport attack. The U.S. military initially said one person was killed.

“It was a single mission to get these targets and as the assessments and information flowed over time, we were able to recognize that another was killed as well and one wounded,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said at a Defense Department briefing Saturday.

"They were ISIS-K planners and facilitators and that’s enough reason there alone. I won’t speak to the details of these individuals and what their specific roles might be," Kirby said. He added: "We have the ability and the means to carry over the horizon counterterrorism capabilities and we’re going to defend ourselves.’’

He declined to identify those killed but said the United States knew who they were.

The airstrike was launched from beyond Afghanistan less than 48 hours after the devastating Kabul attack that killed 13 Americans and 169 Afghans with just days left in a final U.S. withdrawal after 20 years of war. U.S. Central Command said it believed its strike killed no civilians.

The speed with which the U.S. military retaliated reflected its close monitoring of IS and years of experience in targeting extremists in remote parts of the world. But it also shows the limits of U.S. power to eliminate extremist threats, which some believe will have more freedom of movement in Afghanistan now that the Taliban is in power.

The airstrike came after Biden declared Thursday that perpetrators of the attack would not be able to hide. “We will hunt you down and make you pay,” he said. Pentagon leaders told reporters Friday that they were prepared for whatever retaliatory action the president ordered.

The president was warned Friday to expect another lethal attack in the closing days of a frantic U.S.-led evacuation. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden's national security team offered a grim outlook.

"They advised the president and vice president that another terror attack in Kabul is likely, but that they are taking maximum force protection measures at the Kabul airport,” Psaki said, echoing what the Pentagon has been saying since the bombing Thursday at Kabul airport.

Late Friday, the State Department again urged Americans to stay away from airport gates, including “the New Ministry of Interior gate.”

Few new details about the airport attack emerged a day later, but the Pentagon corrected its initial report that there had been suicide bombings at two locations. It said there was just one — at or near the Abbey Gate — followed by gunfire. The initial report of a second bombing at the nearby Baron Hotel proved to be false, said Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor of the Pentagon's Joint Staff; he attributed the mistake to initial confusion.

Based on a preliminary assessment, U.S. officials believe the suicide vest used in the attack, which killed at least 169 Afghans in addition to the 13 Americans, carried about 25 pounds of explosives and was loaded with shrapnel, a U.S. official said Friday. A suicide bomb typically carries five to 10 pounds of explosives, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss preliminary assessments of the bombing.

Biden still faces the problem over the longer term of containing an array of potential extremist threats based in Afghanistan, which will be harder with fewer U.S. intelligence assets and no military presence in the nation.

In an Oval Office appearance Friday, Biden again expressed his condolences to victims of the attack. The return home of U.S. military members' remains in coming days will provide painful and poignant reminders not just of the devastation at the Kabul airport but also of the costly way the war is ending. More than 2,400 U.S. service members died in the war and tens of thousands were injured over the past two decades.

The Marine Corps said 11 of the 13 Americans killed were Marines. One was a Navy sailor and one an Army soldier. Their names have not been released pending notification of their families, but the Pentagon said Saturday they would be released soon.

Still, sorrowful details of those killed were starting to emerge. One Marine from Wyoming was on his first tour in Afghanistan and his wife is expecting a baby in three weeks; another was a 20-year-old man from Missouri whose father was devastated by the loss. A third, a 20-year-old from Texas, had joined the armed services out of high school.

Biden ordered U.S. flags to half-staff across the country in honor of the 13.

They were the first U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan since February 2020, the month the Trump administration struck an agreement with the Taliban that called for the militant group to halt attacks on Americans in exchange for a U.S. agreement to remove all American troops and contractors by May 2021. Biden announced in April that he would have all forces out by September.

Psaki said the next few days of the mission to evacuate Americans and others, including vulnerable Afghans fleeing Taliban rule, “will be the most dangerous period to date.”

The Pentagon said Saturday morning that about 6,800 people were airlifted from Kabul on U.S. and coalition aircraft in the past 24 hours, and about 117,000 people have been airlifted over the last two weeks.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon retreated from its defense of a drone strike that killed multiple civilians in Afghanistan last month, announcing Friday that a review revealed that only civilians were killed in the attack, not an Islamic State extremist as first believed.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">LIVE: <a href="https://twitter.com/PentagonPresSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PentagonPresSec</a> John F. Kirby and <a href="https://twitter.com/CENTCOM?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CENTCOM</a> commander, Marine Corps Gen. Kenneth F. McKenzie Jr., hold a news briefing at the Pentagon. <a href="https://t.co/qSwXqCVfoo">https://t.co/qSwXqCVfoo</a>&mdash; Department of Defense 🇺🇸 (@DeptofDefense) <a href="https://twitter.com/DeptofDefense/status/1438941219757846530?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 17, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“The strike was a tragic mistake,” Marine Gen. Frank McKenzie, head of U.S. Central Command, told a Pentagon news conference.McKenzie apologized for the error and said the United States is considering making reparation payments to the family of the victims. He said the decision to strike a white Toyota Corolla sedan, after having tracked it for about eight hours, was made in an “earnest belief” — based on a standard of “reasonable certainty” — that it posed an imminent threat to American forces at Kabul airport. The car was believed to have been carrying explosives in its trunk, he said.For days after the Aug. 29 strike, Pentagon officials asserted that it had been conducted correctly, despite 10 civilians being killed, including seven children. News organizations later raised doubts about that version of events, reporting that the driver of the targeted vehicle was a longtime employee at an American humanitarian organization and citing an absence of evidence to support the Pentagon’s assertion that the vehicle contained explosives.The airstrike was the last of a U.S. war that ended as it had begun in 2001 — with the Taliban in power in Kabul. The speed with which the Taliban overran the country took the U.S. government by surprise and forced it to send several thousand troops to the Kabul airport for a hurried evacuation of Americans, Afghans and others. The evacuation, which began Aug. 14, unfolded under a near-constant threat of attack by the Islamic State group’s Afghanistan affiliate.McKenzie, who oversaw U.S. military operations in Afghanistan, including a final evacuation of U.S. forces and more than 120,000 civilians from Kabul airport, expressed his condolences to the family and friends of those killed.“I am now convinced that as many as 10 civilians, including up to seven children, were tragically killed in that strike,” McKenzie said. “Moreover, we now assess that it is unlikely that the vehicle and those who died were associated with ISIS-K or were a direct threat to U.S. forces,” he added, referring to the Islamic State group’s Afghanistan affiliate.Prior to the strike, U.S. intelligence had indicated a likelihood that a white Toyota Corolla would be used in an attack against U.S. forces, McKenzie said. On the morning of Aug. 29, such a vehicle was detected at a compound in Kabul that U.S. intelligence in the preceding 48 hours had determined was used by the Islamic State group to plan and facilitate attacks. The vehicle was tracked by U.S. drone aircraft from that compound to numerous other locations in the city before the decision was made to attack it at a point just a couple of miles from Kabul airport, McKenzie said.“Clearly our intelligence was wrong on this particular white Toyota Corolla,” he said.Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, in a written statement, apologized for what he called “a horrible mistake.”“We now know that there was no connection” between the driver of the vehicle and the Islamic State group, and that the driver’s activities that day were “completely harmless and not at all related to the imminent threat we believed we faced,” Austin said.Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told reporters two days after the attack that it appeared to have been a “righteous” strike and that at least one of the people killed was a “facilitator” for the Islamic State group’s Afghanistan affiliate, which had killed 169 Afghan civilians and 13 American service members in a suicide bombing on Aug. 26 at the Kabul airport.After McKenzie’s remarks on Friday, Milley expressed regret.“This is a horrible tragedy of war and it’s heart wrenching,” Milley told reporters traveling with him in Europe. “We are committed to being fully transparent about this incident.”“In a dynamic high-threat environment, the commanders on the ground had appropriate authority and had reasonable certainty that the target was valid, but after deeper post-strike analysis our conclusion is that innocent civilians were killed,” Milley added.Accounts from the family of the victims, documents from colleagues seen by The Associated Press, and the scene at the family home — where Zemerai Ahmadi’s car was struck by a Hellfire missile just as he pulled into the driveway — all painted a picture of a family that had worked for Americans and were trying to gain visas to the United States, fearing for their lives under the Taliban.The family said that when the 37-year-old Zemerai, alone in his car, pulled up to the house, he honked his horn. His 11-year-old son ran out and Zemerai let the boy get in and drive the car into the driveway. The other kids ran out to watch, and the Hellfire missile incinerated the car, killing seven children and an adult son and nephew of Zemerai.Amnesty International, the humanitarian aid group, called the U.S. military’s admission of a mistake a good first step.“The U.S. must now commit to a full, transparent, and impartial investigation into this incident,” said Brian Castner, a senior crisis adviser with Amnesty International. “Anyone suspected of criminal responsibility should be prosecuted in a fair trial. Survivors and families of the victims should be kept informed of the progress of the investigation and be given full reparation.”Rep. Adam Schiff, the California Democrat who is chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, said a fuller explanation must be provided.“We need to know what went wrong in the hours and minutes leading up to the strike to prevent similar tragedies in the future,” he said. “I am also concerned about the accuracy and completeness of public statements made in the immediate aftermath of the strike, and whether those accounted for all of the information possessed by the government at the time.”--------WHAT the U.S. military originally reportedWASHINGTON (AP) — Acting swiftly on President Joe Biden's promise to retaliate for the deadly suicide bombing at Kabul airport, the U.S. military said it killed two members of the Islamic State group's Afghanistan affiliate with a drone strike in the group's eastern stronghold.The attack Saturday local time came amid what the White House called indications that IS planned to strike again as the U.S.-led evacuation from Kabul airport moved into its final days. Biden has set Tuesday as his deadline for completing the exit.Biden authorized the drone strike and it was ordered by Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, a defense official said, speaking on condition of anonymity to provide details not yet publicly announced. It was not immediately clear whether the targeted IS members were directly involved in Thursday's airport attack. The U.S. military initially said one person was killed.“It was a single mission to get these targets and as the assessments and information flowed over time, we were able to recognize that another was killed as well and one wounded,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said at a Defense Department briefing Saturday."They were ISIS-K planners and facilitators and that’s enough reason there alone. I won’t speak to the details of these individuals and what their specific roles might be," Kirby said. He added: "We have the ability and the means to carry over the horizon counterterrorism capabilities and we’re going to defend ourselves.’’He declined to identify those killed but said the United States knew who they were.The airstrike was launched from beyond Afghanistan less than 48 hours after the devastating Kabul attack that killed 13 Americans and 169 Afghans with just days left in a final U.S. withdrawal after 20 years of war. U.S. Central Command said it believed its strike killed no civilians.The speed with which the U.S. military retaliated reflected its close monitoring of IS and years of experience in targeting extremists in remote parts of the world. But it also shows the limits of U.S. power to eliminate extremist threats, which some believe will have more freedom of movement in Afghanistan now that the Taliban is in power.The airstrike came after Biden declared Thursday that perpetrators of the attack would not be able to hide. “We will hunt you down and make you pay,” he said. Pentagon leaders told reporters Friday that they were prepared for whatever retaliatory action the president ordered.The president was warned Friday to expect another lethal attack in the closing days of a frantic U.S.-led evacuation. White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden's national security team offered a grim outlook."They advised the president and vice president that another terror attack in Kabul is likely, but that they are taking maximum force protection measures at the Kabul airport,” Psaki said, echoing what the Pentagon has been saying since the bombing Thursday at Kabul airport.Late Friday, the State Department again urged Americans to stay away from airport gates, including “the New Ministry of Interior gate.”Few new details about the airport attack emerged a day later, but the Pentagon corrected its initial report that there had been suicide bombings at two locations. It said there was just one — at or near the Abbey Gate — followed by gunfire. The initial report of a second bombing at the nearby Baron Hotel proved to be false, said Maj. Gen. Hank Taylor of the Pentagon's Joint Staff; he attributed the mistake to initial confusion.Based on a preliminary assessment, U.S. officials believe the suicide vest used in the attack, which killed at least 169 Afghans in addition to the 13 Americans, carried about 25 pounds of explosives and was loaded with shrapnel, a U.S. official said Friday. A suicide bomb typically carries five to 10 pounds of explosives, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss preliminary assessments of the bombing.Biden still faces the problem over the longer term of containing an array of potential extremist threats based in Afghanistan, which will be harder with fewer U.S. intelligence assets and no military presence in the nation.In an Oval Office appearance Friday, Biden again expressed his condolences to victims of the attack. The return home of U.S. military members' remains in coming days will provide painful and poignant reminders not just of the devastation at the Kabul airport but also of the costly way the war is ending. More than 2,400 U.S. service members died in the war and tens of thousands were injured over the past two decades.The Marine Corps said 11 of the 13 Americans killed were Marines. One was a Navy sailor and one an Army soldier. Their names have not been released pending notification of their families, but the Pentagon said Saturday they would be released soon.Still, sorrowful details of those killed were starting to emerge. One Marine from Wyoming was on his first tour in Afghanistan and his wife is expecting a baby in three weeks; another was a 20-year-old man from Missouri whose father was devastated by the loss. A third, a 20-year-old from Texas, had joined the armed services out of high school.Biden ordered U.S. flags to half-staff across the country in honor of the 13.They were the first U.S. service members killed in Afghanistan since February 2020, the month the Trump administration struck an agreement with the Taliban that called for the militant group to halt attacks on Americans in exchange for a U.S. agreement to remove all American troops and contractors by May 2021. Biden announced in April that he would have all forces out by September.Psaki said the next few days of the mission to evacuate Americans and others, including vulnerable Afghans fleeing Taliban rule, “will be the most dangerous period to date.”The Pentagon said Saturday morning that about 6,800 people were airlifted from Kabul on U.S. and coalition aircraft in the past 24 hours, and about 117,000 people have been airlifted over the last two weeks.___

Tragic mistake: U.S. airstrike killed 7 children, no terrorists

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple charges after an unusual traffic stop.

Just before 6 p.m. Sept. 15, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a dark green 2004 GMC Envoy without a license plate in the 3900 block of NW Rochester Road, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

During the investigation, it was discovered that the male passenger had a warrant for his arrest. The deputies with the assistance of a K9 Unit also located illegal narcotics in the vehicle.

Deputies arrested the driver, Latosha L. Mahkuk (32) of Mayetta, was booked her on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and driving a vehicle without a license plate.

The passenger, Gino V. Vicchiullo (28) of Topeka, was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections for a warrant out of the City of Topeka.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631831462971.png" alt="Vicchiullo-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Vicchiullo-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple charges after an unusual traffic stop.Just before 6 p.m. Sept. 15, a deputy conducted a traffic stop on a dark green 2004 GMC Envoy without a license plate in the 3900 block of NW Rochester Road, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.During the investigation, it was discovered that the male passenger had a warrant for his arrest. The deputies with the assistance of a K9 Unit also located illegal narcotics in the vehicle.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631831286571.png" alt="Makhuk photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Makhuk photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Deputies arrested the driver, Latosha L. Mahkuk (32) of Mayetta, was booked her on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine and driving a vehicle without a license plate.The passenger, Gino V. Vicchiullo (28) of Topeka, was booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections for a warrant out of the City of Topeka.

Wanted Kan. man caught traveling in SUV without license plate

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A woman died and two children were injured in a hit-and-run crash early Friday in Kansas City, police said.

Police spokesman Sgt. Jacob Becchina said an SUV ran a stop sign early Friday at an east Kansas City intersection and collided with a Hyundai sedan.

The driver of the Hyundai died at the scene. Becchina said two children, ages 4 and 10, in the car were taken to a hospital with injures that did not appear to be life threatening.

It was not immediately clear if the woman and two children were related.

The driver and a passenger in the SUV fled the scene.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A woman died and two children were injured in a hit-and-run crash early Friday in Kansas City, police said.Police spokesman Sgt. Jacob Becchina said an SUV ran a stop sign early Friday at an east Kansas City intersection and collided with a Hyundai sedan.The driver of the Hyundai died at the scene. Becchina said two children, ages 4 and 10, in the car were taken to a hospital with injures that did not appear to be life threatening.It was not immediately clear if the woman and two children were related.The driver and a passenger in the SUV fled the scene.No names have been released.

Police: Woman dead, children injured in Kansas City hit-and-run

RENO COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities investigating the double homicide in Reno County on August have released the names of the two victims&nbsp;as 56-year-old Marion Edward Bates and 58-year-old Phillip Duane Anstine.

Prosecutors have charged 37-year-old Kyle Hardwick with two counts of premeditated first-degree murder and one count of theft.&nbsp;

Authorities in Maize arrested Hardwick on Sept. 1 after the Reno County Sheriff listed him as a person of interest when two bodies were discovered at a property in eastern Reno County.

Deputies went to that location for a check welfare call for a missing person. While searching the property, deputies believed they found the missing person, so they got a warrant to search the entire property and found a second man dead.

RENO COUNTY—Authorities investigating a double-homicide in Reno County have charged 37-year-old Kyle Hardwick&nbsp;with two counts of premeditated first degree murder and one count of theft.

Police in Maize arrested Hardwick Wednesday. He made his first appearance in the case Thursday morning. He’s being held on a bond of $2-million and is scheduled to return to court on Sept. 9. 

The case has been sealed by Judge Daniel Gilligan at this time. Authorities have not released names of the victims.

On Friday, the Reno County Sheriff's department listed Hardwick as a person of interest in the case after two bodies were discovered on a property in eastern Reno County.

Deputies were sent to that location for a check welfare call. While searching the property, deputies believed they found the missing person, so they got a warrant to search the entire property and found a second man dead.

The murder charges against Hardwick carry a life sentence without parole for 50 years.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1630599777911.png" alt="Hardwick-photo Reno County" />
 <figcaption>Hardwick-photo Reno County</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY— Law enforcement authorities investigating the double homicide in Reno County on August have released the names of the two victims&nbsp;as 56-year-old Marion Edward Bates and 58-year-old Phillip Duane Anstine.Prosecutors have charged 37-year-old Kyle Hardwick with two counts of premeditated first-degree murder and one count of theft.&nbsp;Authorities in Maize arrested Hardwick on Sept. 1 after the Reno County Sheriff listed him as a person of interest when two bodies were discovered at a property in eastern Reno County.Deputies went to that location for a check welfare call for a missing person. While searching the property, deputies believed they found the missing person, so they got a warrant to search the entire property and found a second man dead.------RENO COUNTY—Authorities investigating a double-homicide in Reno County have charged 37-year-old Kyle Hardwick&nbsp;with two counts of premeditated first degree murder and one count of theft.Police in Maize arrested Hardwick Wednesday. He made his first appearance in the case Thursday morning. He’s being held on a bond of $2-million and is scheduled to return to court on Sept. 9. The case has been sealed by Judge Daniel Gilligan at this time. Authorities have not released names of the victims.On Friday, the Reno County Sheriff's department listed Hardwick as a person of interest in the case after two bodies were discovered on a property in eastern Reno County.Deputies were sent to that location for a check welfare call. While searching the property, deputies believed they found the missing person, so they got a warrant to search the entire property and found a second man dead.The murder charges against Hardwick carry a life sentence without parole for 50 years.&nbsp;

Sheriff IDs victims in Reno County double homicide

DOUGLAS COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that left a child dead.

Just before 11a.m. Friday, police were dispatched to the 1500 Block of Wedgewood Drive in reference to a shooting, according to police spokesperson Patrick Compton.&nbsp;

Officers arrived on scene and located a 2-year-old child who was critically injured from an apparent gunshot wound. The child was transported to Lawrence Memorial Hospital by Lawrence Douglas County Fire and Medical. The child was later pronounced deceased at the hospital.

Officers and detectives are currently speaking with the parties involved in the incident and preliminary information suggests the shooting was accidental. Authorities released no additional details including names of those involved.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/9/1631914210754.png" alt="Police on the scene of the Friday fatal shooting investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the Friday fatal shooting investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that left a child dead.Just before 11a.m. Friday, police were dispatched to the 1500 Block of Wedgewood Drive in reference to a shooting, according to police spokesperson Patrick Compton.&nbsp;Officers arrived on scene and located a 2-year-old child who was critically injured from an apparent gunshot wound. The child was transported to Lawrence Memorial Hospital by Lawrence Douglas County Fire and Medical. The child was later pronounced deceased at the hospital.Officers and detectives are currently speaking with the parties involved in the incident and preliminary information suggests the shooting was accidental. Authorities released no additional details including names of those involved.

Police: 2-year-old dies from accidental shooting at Kan. home

GREAT BEND – A Barton County jury Friday convicted a 57-year-old&nbsp; woman on charges of capital murder stemming from the deaths of a couple who were working as vendors at the Barton County fair in July 2018, according to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.

Kimberley Stacey Younger, 57, of Aransas Pass, Texas, was convicted in Barton County District Court on charges of capital murder, conspiracy to commit murder in the first degree, solicitation to commit murder in the first degree and theft. 

Younger’s conviction is for her role in connection with the July 2018 deaths of Alfred “Sonny” Carpenter and Pauline Carpenter, both of Wichita.&nbsp;Authorities said the Carpenters were working as vendors at the Barton County Fair when they were killed, driven to Arkansas and buried in a national forest near Van Buren.

 Four other individuals have been convicted for their connection to the crimes.

Senior Judge James Fleetwood presided over the trial. Sentencing is scheduled for 1 p.m., November 29, 2021, in Barton County District Court. Because the State is not seeking the death penalty in this case, the only authorized sentence is life without parole.

GREAT BEND, Kan. (AP) — A&nbsp; woman pleaded not guilty Wednesday in the deaths of a Kansas couple who were killed after a carnival worker ordered their deaths as part of a fictitious&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/8b5ea31614994ceea97715a034cf9787">“carnival mafia”</a>&nbsp;initiation.

Kimberly Younger, of McIntosh, Florida, is facing six charges, including capital murder, in the July 2018 deaths of Alfred and Pauline Carpenter, of Wichita.

Authorities said the Carpenters were working as vendors at the Barton County Fair when they were killed, driven to Arkansas and buried in a national forest near Van Buren.

During Wednesday’s arraignment, prosecutors said they would not seek the death penalty against Younger, KWCH reported. She is also charged with first-degree premeditated murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree premeditated murder, solicitation to commit first-degree premeditated murder and felony theft.

Police in Arkansas alleged that a Kansas carnival worker posed as a member of a mafia group and ordered fellow workers to kill the couple as part of an initiation. Investigators have said a “carnival mafia” does not exist.

Two other people have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c86989a1b9184ccdb268edbe3ea91303">pleaded</a>&nbsp;guilty to first-degree murder in the deaths. Two others pleaded guilty to lesser charges.

GREAT BEND, Kan. (AP)— A woman suspected in the killings of a Kansas couple who were working as carnival vendors pleaded not guilty to several charges. 

Kimberly Younger, of McIntosh, Florida, entered the plea Wednesday in the death of Alfred and Pauline Carpenter, who were working as vendors at the Barton County Fair in July 2018 when they were killed, driven to Arkansas and buried. She is charged with six counts, including capital murder. 

KWCH-TV reports that during Wednesday's arraignment, prosecutors said they would not pursue the death penalty against Younger. Authorities say the Carpenters were killed after one suspect posed as a carnival mafia boss and ordered the killings.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582210805867.png" alt="Police at the scene of the murder investigation near Van Buren Arkansas -photo courtesy KFSM TV" />
 <figcaption>Police at the scene of the murder investigation near Van Buren Arkansas -photo courtesy KFSM TV</figcaption>
 </figure>GREAT BEND – A Barton County jury Friday convicted a 57-year-old&nbsp; woman on charges of capital murder stemming from the deaths of a couple who were working as vendors at the Barton County fair in July 2018, according to Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt.Kimberley Stacey Younger, 57, of Aransas Pass, Texas, was convicted in Barton County District Court on charges of capital murder, conspiracy to commit murder in the first degree, solicitation to commit murder in the first degree and theft. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/2/1582210167788.png" alt="Kimberly Younger" />
 <figcaption>Kimberly Younger</figcaption>
 </figure>Younger’s conviction is for her role in connection with the July 2018 deaths of Alfred “Sonny” Carpenter and Pauline Carpenter, both of Wichita.&nbsp;Authorities said the Carpenters were working as vendors at the Barton County Fair when they were killed, driven to Arkansas and buried in a national forest near Van Buren. Four other individuals have been convicted for their connection to the crimes.Senior Judge James Fleetwood presided over the trial. Sentencing is scheduled for 1 p.m., November 29, 2021, in Barton County District Court. Because the State is not seeking the death penalty in this case, the only authorized sentence is life without parole.-----------GREAT BEND, Kan. (AP) — A&nbsp; woman pleaded not guilty Wednesday in the deaths of a Kansas couple who were killed after a carnival worker ordered their deaths as part of a fictitious&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/8b5ea31614994ceea97715a034cf9787">“carnival mafia”</a>&nbsp;initiation.Kimberly Younger, of McIntosh, Florida, is facing six charges, including capital murder, in the July 2018 deaths of Alfred and Pauline Carpenter, of Wichita.Authorities said the Carpenters were working as vendors at the Barton County Fair when they were killed, driven to Arkansas and buried in a national forest near Van Buren.During Wednesday’s arraignment, prosecutors said they would not seek the death penalty against Younger, KWCH reported. She is also charged with first-degree premeditated murder, conspiracy to commit first-degree premeditated murder, solicitation to commit first-degree premeditated murder and felony theft.Police in Arkansas alleged that a Kansas carnival worker posed as a member of a mafia group and ordered fellow workers to kill the couple as part of an initiation. Investigators have said a “carnival mafia” does not exist.Two other people have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/c86989a1b9184ccdb268edbe3ea91303">pleaded</a>&nbsp;guilty to first-degree murder in the deaths. Two others pleaded guilty to lesser charges.------GREAT BEND, Kan. (AP)— A woman suspected in the killings of a Kansas couple who were working as carnival vendors pleaded not guilty to several charges. Kimberly Younger, of McIntosh, Florida, entered the plea Wednesday in the death of Alfred and Pauline Carpenter, who were working as vendors at the Barton County Fair in July 2018 when they were killed, driven to Arkansas and buried. She is charged with six counts, including capital murder. KWCH-TV reports that during Wednesday's arraignment, prosecutors said they would not pursue the death penalty against Younger. Authorities say the Carpenters were killed after one suspect posed as a carnival mafia boss and ordered the killings.

Jury: Woman guilty in murder of couple working at Barton Co. fair

WASHINGTON (AP) — An influential federal advisory panel has overwhelmingly rejected a plan to give Pfizer booster shots against COVID-19 to most Americans, but it approved the extra doses for those who are 65 or older or run a high risk of severe disease. 

The twin votes Friday represented a heavy blow to the Biden administration’s sweeping effort to shore up nearly all Americans’ protection amid the spread of the highly contagious delta variant. The decision was made by a committee of outside experts who advise the Food and Drug Administration.

WASHINGTON (AP) — An influential federal advisory panel has rejected a plan to offer Pfizer booster shots against COVID-19 to most Americans. The vote Friday, 16-2, was a blow to the Biden administration's plan to shore up people's protection against the virus amid the highly contagious delta variant.

Over several hours of discussion, members of the Food and Drug Administration panel of outside experts voiced frustration that Pfizer had provided little data on safety of extra doses. And they complained that data provided by Israeli researchers about their booster campaign might not be suitable for predicting the U.S. experience.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration’s embattled plan to dispense COVID-19 booster shots to most Americans faced its first major hurdle Friday as a government advisory panel met to decide whether to endorse extra doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

Scientists inside and outside the government have been divided in recent days over the need for boosters and who should get them, and the World Health Organization has strongly objected to rich nations giving a third round of shots when poor countries don’t have enough vaccine for their first.

The panel, made up of outside experts who advise the Food and Drug Administration, weighed a less than clear-cut case: While research suggests immunity levels in those who have been vaccinated wane over time and boosters can reverse that, the Pfizer vaccine is still highly protective against severe illness and death, even amid the spread of the highly contagious delta variant.

The FDA experts were scheduled to vote on one basic question: Does the evidence show that a Pfizer booster would be safe and effective for people 16 and older? In the event of a yes vote, the FDA is expected to quickly approve boosters for Pfizer’s shot.

But that is just one step in the process. The more thorny question of who should get the shots and when will be debated next week by advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC generally adopts the recommendations of the group, which sets policy for U.S. vaccination campaigns.

Some group members have made clear they favor giving third doses to older people, nursing home residents and front-line health care workers, rather than all adults.

Separate FDA and CDC decisions will be needed in order for people who received the Moderna or J&amp;J shots to get boosters.

Friday’s meeting came as the delta variant continues to drive U.S. cases and deaths back to levels not seen since last winter. That has given urgency to efforts by top health officials to shore up Americans’ protection against the virus.

Dr. Peter Marks, FDA’s top vaccine regulator, acknowledged the intense disagreements in opening remarks to the advisory panel.

“We know there may be differing opinions in interpreting the data,” he said. “We strongly encourage all the different viewpoints to be voiced and discussed regarding the data, which is complex and evolving.”

President Joe Biden’s top health advisers, including the heads of the FDA and CDC, first announced plans for widespread booster shots a month ago, targeting the week of Sept. 20 as an all-but-certain start date. It said boosters would be dispensed eight months after the second dose of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

But that was before FDA staff scientists had completed their own assessments of the data. Some experts questioned whether Biden was breaking his own pledge to “follow the science” on COVID-19 by getting out ahead of government scientists.

Earlier this week, two top FDA vaccine reviewers joined a group of international scientists in publishing an editorial rejecting the need for boosters in healthy people. The scientists said continuing studies show the shots are working well despite the delta variant.

The editorial came two weeks after the two reviewers announced plans to retire from the FDA. One of them, Dr. Marian Gruber, addressed the American people directly in her opening remarks Friday but gave no reason for her retirement.

“All my actions and decisions over my 32-year FDA career have been grounded in science with you in mind and in the best interest of your health and safety,” Gruber said.

The Biden booster plan has raised major ethical concerns, given the dire shortages of vaccine in impoverished parts of the world. But the administration has argued that the plan is not an us-or-them choice and noted that the U.S. is supplying large quantities of vaccine to the rest of the globe.

The U.S. has already approved Pfizer and Moderna boosters for certain people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients and transplant recipients. And some Americans, healthy or not, have managed to get boosters on the sly by going to clinics and pretending they have yet to get their initial shots.

Pfizer was expected Friday to present data suggesting immunity from its vaccine begins to wane somewhere around six to eight months after the second dose.

The panel was also set to hear from Israeli health officials, who began offering boosters over the summer. Officials there tracked about 1 million people 60 and older and found that those who got the extra shot were far less likely to become infected soon afterward.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608677701818.png" alt="A worker prepares doses of Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine against the virus that causes COVID-19 -photo courtesy Truman Medical Center" />
 <figcaption>A worker prepares doses of Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine against the virus that causes COVID-19 -photo courtesy Truman Medical Center</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — An influential federal advisory panel has overwhelmingly rejected a plan to give Pfizer booster shots against COVID-19 to most Americans, but it approved the extra doses for those who are 65 or older or run a high risk of severe disease. <div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bQevYc2jX7Y" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The twin votes Friday represented a heavy blow to the Biden administration’s sweeping effort to shore up nearly all Americans’ protection amid the spread of the highly contagious delta variant. The decision was made by a committee of outside experts who advise the Food and Drug Administration.-------------WASHINGTON (AP) — An influential federal advisory panel has rejected a plan to offer Pfizer booster shots against COVID-19 to most Americans. The vote Friday, 16-2, was a blow to the Biden administration's plan to shore up people's protection against the virus amid the highly contagious delta variant.Over several hours of discussion, members of the Food and Drug Administration panel of outside experts voiced frustration that Pfizer had provided little data on safety of extra doses. And they complained that data provided by Israeli researchers about their booster campaign might not be suitable for predicting the U.S. experience.----------WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration’s embattled plan to dispense COVID-19 booster shots to most Americans faced its first major hurdle Friday as a government advisory panel met to decide whether to endorse extra doses of the Pfizer vaccine.Scientists inside and outside the government have been divided in recent days over the need for boosters and who should get them, and the World Health Organization has strongly objected to rich nations giving a third round of shots when poor countries don’t have enough vaccine for their first.The panel, made up of outside experts who advise the Food and Drug Administration, weighed a less than clear-cut case: While research suggests immunity levels in those who have been vaccinated wane over time and boosters can reverse that, the Pfizer vaccine is still highly protective against severe illness and death, even amid the spread of the highly contagious delta variant.The FDA experts were scheduled to vote on one basic question: Does the evidence show that a Pfizer booster would be safe and effective for people 16 and older? In the event of a yes vote, the FDA is expected to quickly approve boosters for Pfizer’s shot.But that is just one step in the process. The more thorny question of who should get the shots and when will be debated next week by advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC generally adopts the recommendations of the group, which sets policy for U.S. vaccination campaigns.Some group members have made clear they favor giving third doses to older people, nursing home residents and front-line health care workers, rather than all adults.Separate FDA and CDC decisions will be needed in order for people who received the Moderna or J&amp;J shots to get boosters.Friday’s meeting came as the delta variant continues to drive U.S. cases and deaths back to levels not seen since last winter. That has given urgency to efforts by top health officials to shore up Americans’ protection against the virus.Dr. Peter Marks, FDA’s top vaccine regulator, acknowledged the intense disagreements in opening remarks to the advisory panel.“We know there may be differing opinions in interpreting the data,” he said. “We strongly encourage all the different viewpoints to be voiced and discussed regarding the data, which is complex and evolving.”President Joe Biden’s top health advisers, including the heads of the FDA and CDC, first announced plans for widespread booster shots a month ago, targeting the week of Sept. 20 as an all-but-certain start date. It said boosters would be dispensed eight months after the second dose of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.But that was before FDA staff scientists had completed their own assessments of the data. Some experts questioned whether Biden was breaking his own pledge to “follow the science” on COVID-19 by getting out ahead of government scientists.Earlier this week, two top FDA vaccine reviewers joined a group of international scientists in publishing an editorial rejecting the need for boosters in healthy people. The scientists said continuing studies show the shots are working well despite the delta variant.The editorial came two weeks after the two reviewers announced plans to retire from the FDA. One of them, Dr. Marian Gruber, addressed the American people directly in her opening remarks Friday but gave no reason for her retirement.“All my actions and decisions over my 32-year FDA career have been grounded in science with you in mind and in the best interest of your health and safety,” Gruber said.The Biden booster plan has raised major ethical concerns, given the dire shortages of vaccine in impoverished parts of the world. But the administration has argued that the plan is not an us-or-them choice and noted that the U.S. is supplying large quantities of vaccine to the rest of the globe.The U.S. has already approved Pfizer and Moderna boosters for certain people with weakened immune systems, such as cancer patients and transplant recipients. And some Americans, healthy or not, have managed to get boosters on the sly by going to clinics and pretending they have yet to get their initial shots.Pfizer was expected Friday to present data suggesting immunity from its vaccine begins to wane somewhere around six to eight months after the second dose.The panel was also set to hear from Israeli health officials, who began offering boosters over the summer. Officials there tracked about 1 million people 60 and older and found that those who got the extra shot were far less likely to become infected soon afterward.

🎥  FDA rejects Pfizer booster shots for general public

WASHINGTON (AP) — The architect of a Washington protest planned for Saturday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-capitol-siege-d2fb23af3f01387412a1a00b4eac531c">aims to rewrite history about the violent January assault&nbsp;</a>on the U.S. Capitol is hardly a household name.

Matt Braynard worked as an analyst for the Republican Party, crunched data for a small election firm and later started a consulting business that attracted few federal clients, records show. He started a nonprofit after he was dismissed by Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign following several months on the job, but struggled to raise money. The group’s tax-exempt status was revoked last year.

But Braynard’s fortunes changed abruptly after Trump’s 2020 election loss. He joined an aggrieved group of Trump allies seeking to overturn the election — and in the process reaped recognition, lucrative fees and a fundraising windfall that enabled him to rekindle his nonprofit.

Now, Braynard and his group, Look Ahead America, are using his newfound platform and resources to present an alternate history of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the Jan. 6 attack that was meant to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s victory</a>, rebranding those who were charged as “political prisoners.”

Although many members of Congress, including those who are allied with Braynard’s cause, have been mum on whether they will attend Saturday’s protest, the event has put law enforcement on edge,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-a88ed1eb0525a50bf2fa5b047c56ec56">led to stepped-up security measures</a>&nbsp;and created worries that members of the same extremist groups that were present on Jan 6. could also be in attendance.

How much of a draw his “Justice for J6” rally ends up being will test the reach and potency of the emerging far-right movement, as well as the extent of Braynard’s own reach.

Braynard, who is in his 40s, did not respond to a request for comment for this story. The Associated Press earlier declined to accept his condition that an interview of him be broadcast live.

But a review of court records, campaign finance disclosures and social media postings, as well as Braynard’s past interviews with journalists that he has posted online, document his efforts to build his influence over the past year, culminating in Saturday’s event.

“At no point will I cancel this rally,” Braynard told WTOP radio in Washington. “This is happening even if I’m there by myself with a megaphone.”

The seeds of the rally were planted the day after the 2020 election as Trump made false claims of widespread voter fraud, which were later rejected by numerous courts, election officials and his own&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/barr-no-widespread-election-fraud-b1f1488796c9a98c4b1a9061a6c7f49d">attorney general at the time, William Barr</a>.

Braynard suggested on Twitter that there could have been fraud in the election, while promoting an online fundraiser he created to defray the cost of analyzing voting data in states where the Trump campaign insisted it was winning.

He told BuzzFeed News in a summer interview that he brought some early findings to the attention of the Trump campaign. The campaign, which had declined to rehire him earlier in the 2020 campaign as a low-level field staffer, initially agreed to hear him out. But after he arrived at campaign headquarters, campaign officials changed their minds, he said.

“I stood on the sidewalk for an hour while they fought inside about whether or not to let me in,” he said. “Ultimately, I was told I would not be let in and I went home.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615213886851.png" alt="Security fence is up again around the U.S. Capitol ahead of the rally-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Security fence is up again around the U.S. Capitol ahead of the rally-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The architect of a Washington protest planned for Saturday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-donald-trump-capitol-siege-d2fb23af3f01387412a1a00b4eac531c">aims to rewrite history about the violent January assault&nbsp;</a>on the U.S. Capitol is hardly a household name.Matt Braynard worked as an analyst for the Republican Party, crunched data for a small election firm and later started a consulting business that attracted few federal clients, records show. He started a nonprofit after he was dismissed by Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign following several months on the job, but struggled to raise money. The group’s tax-exempt status was revoked last year.But Braynard’s fortunes changed abruptly after Trump’s 2020 election loss. He joined an aggrieved group of Trump allies seeking to overturn the election — and in the process reaped recognition, lucrative fees and a fundraising windfall that enabled him to rekindle his nonprofit.Now, Braynard and his group, Look Ahead America, are using his newfound platform and resources to present an alternate history of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">the Jan. 6 attack that was meant to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s victory</a>, rebranding those who were charged as “political prisoners.”Although many members of Congress, including those who are allied with Braynard’s cause, have been mum on whether they will attend Saturday’s protest, the event has put law enforcement on edge,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-capitol-siege-a88ed1eb0525a50bf2fa5b047c56ec56">led to stepped-up security measures</a>&nbsp;and created worries that members of the same extremist groups that were present on Jan 6. could also be in attendance.How much of a draw his “Justice for J6” rally ends up being will test the reach and potency of the emerging far-right movement, as well as the extent of Braynard’s own reach.Braynard, who is in his 40s, did not respond to a request for comment for this story. The Associated Press earlier declined to accept his condition that an interview of him be broadcast live.But a review of court records, campaign finance disclosures and social media postings, as well as Braynard’s past interviews with journalists that he has posted online, document his efforts to build his influence over the past year, culminating in Saturday’s event.“At no point will I cancel this rally,” Braynard told WTOP radio in Washington. “This is happening even if I’m there by myself with a megaphone.”The seeds of the rally were planted the day after the 2020 election as Trump made false claims of widespread voter fraud, which were later rejected by numerous courts, election officials and his own&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/barr-no-widespread-election-fraud-b1f1488796c9a98c4b1a9061a6c7f49d">attorney general at the time, William Barr</a>.Braynard suggested on Twitter that there could have been fraud in the election, while promoting an online fundraiser he created to defray the cost of analyzing voting data in states where the Trump campaign insisted it was winning.He told BuzzFeed News in a summer interview that he brought some early findings to the attention of the Trump campaign. The campaign, which had declined to rehire him earlier in the 2020 campaign as a low-level field staffer, initially agreed to hear him out. But after he arrived at campaign headquarters, campaign officials changed their minds, he said.“I stood on the sidewalk for an hour while they fought inside about whether or not to let me in,” he said. “Ultimately, I was told I would not be let in and I went home.”His online fundraising, however, took off. After the crowdfunding site GoFundMe.com took down an early effort, citing misleading information, Braynard migrated to an conservative friendly site and quickly took in over $675,000.