By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/christina-larson">CHRISTINA LARSON</a><br>Associated Press

SpaceX launched the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-musk-starship-launch-test-flight-11de145e989e0534b6399640bc437b8e">latest test</a>&nbsp;of its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-starship-elon-musk-moon-mars-5f02ab8e4b794e518fe99905adaa7471">mega rocket Starship</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday night and completed the first-ever deployment of a test payload — eight dummy satellites — into space. After just over an hour coasting through space, Starship splashed down as planned in the Indian Ocean.

Starship blasted off from Starbase, SpaceX’s launch site in South Texas, just after 6:30 p.m. It was the 10th test for the world’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-starship-elon-musk-0c260a324f597a172300315c6486b9df">biggest and most powerful rocket</a>, which SpaceX and NASA hope to use to get astronauts back on the moon.

NASA has ordered two Starships to land astronauts on the moon later this decade, and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s ultimate goal is Mars.

No crew members were aboard the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-elon-musk-starship-e165e81ed2350ce684c7ed8d9357d7ba">demo launch</a>.

The Starship itself continued to orbit the Earth — passing from daylight in Texas through night and back into daytime again — ahead of the planned splashdown. Before the craft hit the waves, its engines fired, flipping its position so it entered the water upright with the nose cone pointed upward.

The successful demo came after a year of mishaps. Back-to-back tests in January and March ended just minutes after liftoff, raining wreckage into the ocean. The most recent test in May — the ninth try — ended when the spacecraft tumbled out of control and broke apart.

SpaceX later redesigned the Super Heavy booster with larger and stronger fins for greater stability, according to a company post on the social platform X this month.

The first Starship exploded minutes into its inaugural test flight in 2023.

SpaceX’s first batch of Starlink satellites were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/0f3ba6930459401ca9bf68902753bc5e">launched in 2019</a>&nbsp;from a Falcon rocket that lifted off from Cape Canaveral.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756251294147.png" alt="Image from SpaceX video" />
                        <figcaption>Image from SpaceX video</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/christina-larson">CHRISTINA LARSON</a><br>Associated Press</p><p>SpaceX launched the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-musk-starship-launch-test-flight-11de145e989e0534b6399640bc437b8e">latest test</a>&nbsp;of its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-starship-elon-musk-moon-mars-5f02ab8e4b794e518fe99905adaa7471">mega rocket Starship</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday night and completed the first-ever deployment of a test payload — eight dummy satellites — into space. After just over an hour coasting through space, Starship splashed down as planned in the Indian Ocean.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Liftoff of Starship! <a href="https://t.co/d6d2hHgMa0">pic.twitter.com/d6d2hHgMa0</a></p>&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1960485359239774487?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Starship blasted off from Starbase, SpaceX’s launch site in South Texas, just after 6:30 p.m. It was the 10th test for the world’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-starship-elon-musk-0c260a324f597a172300315c6486b9df">biggest and most powerful rocket</a>, which SpaceX and NASA hope to use to get astronauts back on the moon.</p><p>NASA has ordered two Starships to land astronauts on the moon later this decade, and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s ultimate goal is Mars.</p><p>No crew members were aboard the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-elon-musk-starship-e165e81ed2350ce684c7ed8d9357d7ba">demo launch</a>.</p><p>The Starship itself continued to orbit the Earth — passing from daylight in Texas through night and back into daytime again — ahead of the planned splashdown. Before the craft hit the waves, its engines fired, flipping its position so it entered the water upright with the nose cone pointed upward.</p><p>The successful demo came after a year of mishaps. Back-to-back tests in January and March ended just minutes after liftoff, raining wreckage into the ocean. The most recent test in May — the ninth try — ended when the spacecraft tumbled out of control and broke apart.</p><p>SpaceX later redesigned the Super Heavy booster with larger and stronger fins for greater stability, according to a company post on the social platform X this month.</p><p>The first Starship exploded minutes into its inaugural test flight in 2023.</p><p>SpaceX’s first batch of Starlink satellites were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/0f3ba6930459401ca9bf68902753bc5e">launched in 2019</a>&nbsp;from a Falcon rocket that lifted off from Cape Canaveral.</p><p>___</p><p>The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.</p>

🎥SpaceX's mega rocket Starship nails critical test flight in stunning comeback

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating the theft of an expensive bicycle have made an arrest.

On August 8,&nbsp; a 76 year old man from Williamsburg, Virginia stopped in Atchison, Kansas, as h traveled across America on his&nbsp;Surly Disc Trucker bicycle on his way to Oregon, according to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson.

The bicycle was stolen at 11:00AM in the 700 block Commercial as the victim was in a local laundromat. Police recovered the bicycle a short time later just across the bridge in Missouri. 

Just after 8:30a.m. Tuesday, police arrested 50-year-old Jody B. Erickson of Atchison in the 700 block M Street on a District Court warrant charging him with felony theft. Erickson was taken to the County Jail and is being held on a $10,000 bond.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756222412660.png" alt="Erickson Atchison County" />
                        <figcaption>Erickson Atchison County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating the theft of an expensive bicycle have made an arrest.</p><p>On August 8,&nbsp; a 76 year old man from Williamsburg, Virginia stopped in Atchison, Kansas, as h traveled across America on his&nbsp;Surly Disc Trucker bicycle on his way to Oregon, according to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson.</p><p>The bicycle was stolen at 11:00AM in the 700 block Commercial as the victim was in a local laundromat. Police recovered the bicycle a short time later just across the bridge in Missouri. </p><p>Just after 8:30a.m. Tuesday, police arrested 50-year-old Jody B. Erickson of Atchison in the 700 block M Street on a District Court warrant charging him with felony theft. Erickson was taken to the County Jail and is being held on a $10,000 bond.</p>

Kan. man accused of bicycle theft from man riding cross-county

Cracker Barrel said late Tuesday it's returning to its old logo after critics — including President Donald Trump — protested the company's plan to modernize.

In a post on its website, Cracker Barrel said it will retain its old logo, which features an older man in overalls sitting next to a barrel and the words “Old Country Store.”

“We thank our guests for sharing your voices and love for Cracker Barrel,” the company said in a statement. “Our new logo is going away and our ‘Old Timer’ will remain.”

The tempest over the logo&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cracker-barrel-new-logo-rebrand-efforts-67f3181a144cd639eb33d1066f85ef08">began last week</a>, when the company announced plans for a simplified design featuring only the company's name. Lebanon, Tennessee-based Cracker Barrel made the change as part of a wider plan to modernize its restaurants and appeal to younger customers.

But many protested the change. Earlier Tuesday, Trump said via Truth Social that Cracker Barrel should “admit a mistake based on customer response (the ultimate Poll), and manage the company better than ever before,” saying doing so could wield “a Billion Dollars worth of free publicity” to their advantage.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756220659164.png" alt="Google image" />
                        <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>By DEE-ANN DURBIN <br>AP Business Write</p><p>Cracker Barrel said late Tuesday it's returning to its old logo after critics — including President Donald Trump — protested the company's plan to modernize.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">We thank our guests for sharing your voices and love for Cracker Barrel. We said we would listen, and we have. Our new logo is going away and our “Old Timer” will remain. <br><br>At Cracker Barrel, it’s always been – and always will be – about serving up delicious food, warm… <a href="https://t.co/C32QMLOeq0">pic.twitter.com/C32QMLOeq0</a></p>&mdash; Cracker Barrel (@CrackerBarrel) <a href="https://twitter.com/CrackerBarrel/status/1960475658116632865?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>In a post on its website, Cracker Barrel said it will retain its old logo, which features an older man in overalls sitting next to a barrel and the words “Old Country Store.”</p><p>“We thank our guests for sharing your voices and love for Cracker Barrel,” the company said in a statement. “Our new logo is going away and our ‘Old Timer’ will remain.”</p><p>The tempest over the logo&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cracker-barrel-new-logo-rebrand-efforts-67f3181a144cd639eb33d1066f85ef08">began last week</a>, when the company announced plans for a simplified design featuring only the company's name. Lebanon, Tennessee-based Cracker Barrel made the change as part of a wider plan to modernize its restaurants and appeal to younger customers.</p><p>But many protested the change. Earlier Tuesday, Trump said via Truth Social that Cracker Barrel should “admit a mistake based on customer response (the ultimate Poll), and manage the company better than ever before,” saying doing so could wield “a Billion Dollars worth of free publicity” to their advantage.</p>

Cracker Barrel relents, says its old logo will return

BOLIVAR, Missouri (AP) — One of the few Republican U.S. House members making in-person appearances embarked on a town hall tour of his district to meet with constituents Monday, and a civil conversation broke out.

Rep. Mark Alford and an audience of about 100 in west central Missouri spent an hour bantering politely about Medicaid, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-wes-moore-baltimore-sharpton-national-guard-6cdfd82a1a0dc14e85518c750e8bcc48">National Guard being deployed in Washington, D.C.,</a>&nbsp;and the extended run of aggressive executive action being taken by President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>.

But gone from the slightly Democratic-leaning audience in the small auditorium on Southwest Baptist University campus in Boliver were the screams of “liar!" that have marked other Republican town halls, notably Nebraska Rep. Mike Flood's in Lincoln on Aug. 5.

“I don't think you're lying to me,” a woman told Alford, a second-term member, as she disagreed on whether cuts to Medicaid in Trump's signature tax-break and spending-cut bill enacted last month would affect services for children.

In return, Alford referred only once to the measure by the name given to it by Trump, One Big Beautiful Bill, before quickly noting, “I know some people don’t like that name. So I’m just going to call it HR1."

Alford, who represents a district widely believed to be safely Republican, was safely referring to it by its congressional designation.

There were occasional moments of conflict. Groans and laughter surfaced in response to Alford's suggestion that the tax cuts in the measure would benefit the working class. Polls show most Americans believe the tax cuts in the bill will largely benefit wealthy Americans.

And longtime Bolivar resident Fred Higginbotham shouted angrily when he suggested to Alford that he was coddling Trump. “I am pissed, and I am pissed at you,” he said. “Get Trump out of office. The man is a dictator. He knows nothing about what he talks about.”

But Alford, a former veteran Kansas City, Missouri, television news anchor, thanked him by name and responded calmly, as he did with each person who spoke during the hour-long, question and answer session.

Alford's demeanor did little to ease the concerns of Darwina Stewart, a 67-year-old trained nurse who runs a pet-care business in Bolivar, a town of about 11,500 in a rolling swath of forests, rivers and farmland about 140 miles (225 kilometers) southeast of Kansas City.

“You cut Medicaid, you are closing rural hospitals around here,” Stewart said.

Pivoting to describe the congressman, she said: “He seems sincere about his beliefs. But you can't deny the effect on poor people around here.”

Alford was holding the first of six formal, town hall meetings scheduled throughout Missouri's 4th District this week, but he had taken questions at less formal stops throughout the day at a cafe, VFW hall and ice cream shop.

Alford has not shied away from open forums with constituents and has faced more confrontational audiences, notably in February and June. But, unlike Republicans in more competitive districts who have kept far lower profiles, Alford has had little to risk in facing frustrated Democrats in the west-central Missouri district where he won 70% of the vote last year.

Nebraska's Flood has held similar events throughout the year. On Aug. 5, roughly 700 hundred attended his public meeting in Democratic-heavy Lincoln and shouted at the three-term Republican House member for nearly all of a 90-minute forum.

Alford's audience applauded when he entered, even Dusty Ross, a Bolivar Democrat who told his representative he wanted him to do more to ease energy costs for small business.

“Thanks for being here," Ross said, after asking his question. "I appreciate you giving everyone a chance to speak.”

<p>BOLIVAR, Missouri (AP) — One of the few Republican U.S. House members making in-person appearances embarked on a town hall tour of his district to meet with constituents Monday, and a civil conversation broke out.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Constituent Fred: &quot;I am pissed and I am pissed at you...Get Trump out of office! The man is a dictator. He knows nothing about what he talks about...You&#39;re not helping me...You need to take your head out of Trump’s ass.&quot;<br><br>Watch response from <a href="https://twitter.com/RepMarkAlford?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RepMarkAlford</a> in the clip. <a href="https://t.co/YtLTTdTjJX">pic.twitter.com/YtLTTdTjJX</a></p>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1960352340805857530?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>Rep. Mark Alford and an audience of about 100 in west central Missouri spent an hour bantering politely about Medicaid, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-wes-moore-baltimore-sharpton-national-guard-6cdfd82a1a0dc14e85518c750e8bcc48">National Guard being deployed in Washington, D.C.,</a>&nbsp;and the extended run of aggressive executive action being taken by President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>.</p><p>But gone from the slightly Democratic-leaning audience in the small auditorium on Southwest Baptist University campus in Boliver were the screams of “liar!" that have marked other Republican town halls, notably Nebraska Rep. Mike Flood's in Lincoln on Aug. 5.</p><p>“I don't think you're lying to me,” a woman told Alford, a second-term member, as she disagreed on whether cuts to Medicaid in Trump's signature tax-break and spending-cut bill enacted last month would affect services for children.</p><p>In return, Alford referred only once to the measure by the name given to it by Trump, One Big Beautiful Bill, before quickly noting, “I know some people don’t like that name. So I’m just going to call it HR1."</p><p>Alford, who represents a district widely believed to be safely Republican, was safely referring to it by its congressional designation.</p><p>There were occasional moments of conflict. Groans and laughter surfaced in response to Alford's suggestion that the tax cuts in the measure would benefit the working class. Polls show most Americans believe the tax cuts in the bill will largely benefit wealthy Americans.</p><p>And longtime Bolivar resident Fred Higginbotham shouted angrily when he suggested to Alford that he was coddling Trump. “I am pissed, and I am pissed at you,” he said. “Get Trump out of office. The man is a dictator. He knows nothing about what he talks about.”</p><p>But Alford, a former veteran Kansas City, Missouri, television news anchor, thanked him by name and responded calmly, as he did with each person who spoke during the hour-long, question and answer session.</p><p>Alford's demeanor did little to ease the concerns of Darwina Stewart, a 67-year-old trained nurse who runs a pet-care business in Bolivar, a town of about 11,500 in a rolling swath of forests, rivers and farmland about 140 miles (225 kilometers) southeast of Kansas City.</p><p>“You cut Medicaid, you are closing rural hospitals around here,” Stewart said.</p><p>Pivoting to describe the congressman, she said: “He seems sincere about his beliefs. But you can't deny the effect on poor people around here.”</p><p>Alford was holding the first of six formal, town hall meetings scheduled throughout Missouri's 4th District this week, but he had taken questions at less formal stops throughout the day at a cafe, VFW hall and ice cream shop.</p><p>Alford has not shied away from open forums with constituents and has faced more confrontational audiences, notably in February and June. But, unlike Republicans in more competitive districts who have kept far lower profiles, Alford has had little to risk in facing frustrated Democrats in the west-central Missouri district where he won 70% of the vote last year.</p><p>Nebraska's Flood has held similar events throughout the year. On Aug. 5, roughly 700 hundred attended his public meeting in Democratic-heavy Lincoln and shouted at the three-term Republican House member for nearly all of a 90-minute forum.</p><p>Alford's audience applauded when he entered, even Dusty Ross, a Bolivar Democrat who told his representative he wanted him to do more to ease energy costs for small business.</p><p>“Thanks for being here," Ross said, after asking his question. "I appreciate you giving everyone a chance to speak.”</p>

Something different, civility at GOP congressman's town hall

CHEYENNE COUNTY, Nebraska —Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol arrested a California man after finding 60 pounds of suspected methamphetamine during a traffic stop in Cheyenne County,&nbsp;

At approximately 9:00 p.m. August 18, a trooper performed a traffic stop on a Honda CRV for driving on the shoulder of Interstate 80 near Sidney, according to a statement from the Nebraska State Patrol. During the traffic stop, the trooper became suspicious of criminal activity.

During a search of the vehicle, troopers found dozens of packages of suspected methamphetamine in a suitcase. The total weight of the packages was 60 pounds.

The driver, Elmer Posadas Castro, 29, of El Monte, California was arrested for possession of methamphetamine and possession with intent to deliver. He was lodged in Cheyenne County Jail.&nbsp;

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756141186399.jpeg" alt="Photo Nebraska State Patrol" />
                        <figcaption>Photo Nebraska State Patrol</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>CHEYENNE COUNTY, Nebraska —Troopers with the Nebraska State Patrol arrested a California man after finding 60 pounds of suspected methamphetamine during a traffic stop in Cheyenne County,&nbsp;</p><p>At approximately 9:00 p.m. August 18, a trooper performed a traffic stop on a Honda CRV for driving on the shoulder of Interstate 80 near Sidney, according to a statement from the Nebraska State Patrol. During the traffic stop, the trooper became suspicious of criminal activity.</p><p>During a search of the vehicle, troopers found dozens of packages of suspected methamphetamine in a suitcase. The total weight of the packages was 60 pounds.</p><p>The driver, Elmer Posadas Castro, 29, of El Monte, California was arrested for possession of methamphetamine and possession with intent to deliver. He was lodged in Cheyenne County Jail.&nbsp;</p>

Troopers found 60 pounds of meth during traffic stop

<b>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a><br></b><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas officials refused persistent demands from the federal government for access to residents’ personal data solely based on the legal responsibility to protect that data, a state leader says.

In the midst of political attacks and two lawsuits, Department for Children and Families secretary Laura Howard and Gov. Laura Kelly pushed back against federal demands because they don’t know how Kansans’ personal data will be used. The release of information isn’t about detecting fraud because those procedures are already in place, Howard said.&nbsp;

The state has denied requests to turn over personal information of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service has requested since May.&nbsp;

Since then, Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins has accused Howard and Kelly of a “massive cover-up of waste, fraud and abuse” because they failed to comply with federal demands.

But Howard said in an interview that the federal government already monitors the Kansas SNAP program for such problems.

“The federal SNAP law today allows data to be shared for the administration of the program, including fraud, waste and abuse,” she said.&nbsp;

However, the law is also clear the data cannot be shared “except as it relates to the administration of the program,” Howard said.&nbsp;

The first letter received from Food and Nutrition Service in May did not include information about how the data would be used, which led to DCF’s initial refusal, she said.&nbsp;

A lawsuit was filed in June by privacy organizations arguing against the data collection, followed by&nbsp;<a href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Foag.ca.gov%2Fsystem%2Ffiles%2Fattachments%2Fpress-docs%2FCA%2520et%2520al.%2520v.%2520USDA%2520et%2520al.%2520Complaint%2520%255Bfiled%255D.pdf/1/01010198be6f3fd3-537277d9-f742-4949-8e1c-564d50b6b1d5-000000/qv7jf79_FG4jT_9V7_OgsIuWoA5uBl4AoSin_n--NlU=418" target="_blank">a July lawsuit filed</a>&nbsp;by multiple states asking the courts to stay the data request, Howard said.&nbsp;

“USDA makes this demand for the stated purpose of detecting ‘overpayments and fraud,’ ” the state lawsuit said. “Instead, the move appears to be part of the federal government’s well-publicized campaign to amass enormous troves of personal and private data, including information on taxpayers and Medicaid recipients, to advance goals that have nothing to do with combating waste, fraud, or abuse in federal benefit programs.”

Howard said she is concerned about what could happen based on the lawsuit outcome.&nbsp;

“I honestly believe that if I were to release that data, then the courts find in favor of the states, then I’m putting the state at liability for releasing the personal information of more than 700,000 Kansans,” she said.&nbsp;

In a legislative meeting earlier this month, state Attorney General Kris Kobach said his office is exploring whether it is legal for Kansas to withhold the information requested.&nbsp;

“Attorneys in the office of the attorney general are investigating the matter. A decision about how to proceed is expected to be made within the next three weeks,” spokeswoman Danedri Herbert said Thursday.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Howard said additional concerns about whether the data should be released occurred in June when the USDA&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/06/23/2025-11463/privacy-act-of-1974-system-of-records" target="_blank">published the request for data</a>, highlighting the intention to create a SNAP information database in the Federal Register.&nbsp;

“The notice in the Federal Register talks about 10 or 12 uses of the data, and one of those talks about sharing it with other federal entities,” Howard said. “It talks about things to do with anything regulatory or civil or criminal. It doesn’t say for the purpose of administering the SNAP program.”

The list is too broad and underlines DCF’s concerns, Howard said.

Titled “Notice of a new system of records,” the Federal Register notice said: “The primary purposes of this system are to validate the accuracy of eligibility determinations and strengthen SNAP and government program integrity.”

The notice lists 11 categories of “routine” uses of the records.&nbsp;

A point raised by Hawkins and Senate president Ty Masterson, who want the data turned over, is that the state has a high error rate in the SNAP program and the sharing of data would help discover fraud or abuse.&nbsp;

Hawkins has repeatedly referred to an inaccurate current error rate in the SNAP program and insists the sharing the data could help lower the rate.&nbsp; But that rate isn’t about fraud detection, which Howard said is already occurring in the SNAP program.&nbsp;

Hawkins did not respond to a request for comment for this story.

Howard said a robust fraud detection system is already in place in partnership with the USDA, and account data is freely shared for that purpose. In fact, of all federal funds processed through DCF, she said SNAP and Medicaid have the most extensive programs looking for any problems.&nbsp;

Medicaid isn’t as complicated to process as the SNAP benefits are because staff are only determining whether the applicant is eligible, Howard said. With SNAP, they’re also figuring out how much the payment should be.&nbsp;

“States are responsible for conducting these quality control processes,” she said. “There are samples of cases that are drawn every month. We have quality control staff that look at those cases. They’re essentially redetermining that eligibility from scratch, and that includes verifications.”

Once quality control staff go through the detailed information collected from SNAP applicants, which includes income, shelter, work and household member information, they determine whether mistakes were made.&nbsp;

“Then the feds look at a sample of our sample, just to verify that our quality control is accurate,” Howard said.

It’s not about finding fraud because the error rate is attributed to mistakes, Howard said.

“None of it’s about fraud,” she said. “If, in the context of the original determination, if a worker believed that someone was being untruthful, then we have a separate process to refer that for a fraud investigation.”

Multiple factors go into determining whether someone is eligible for SNAP and how much they should receive, including all assets, income, shelter costs, whether they must be working, if roommates are contributing to utilities and much more, Howard said. Simple things like a teenager who works at a fast-food restaurant turning 18, which means their income should be added to household income, can cause eligibility errors.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Kansas error rate climbed in the last few years, and Howard said she wishes there was a “magic bullet answer” to how to correct it.&nbsp;

The DCF team is working on retraining staff, rewriting manuals to make sure they’re clear, training staff to interview applicants, among other items.&nbsp;

“We’ve done a whole root cause analysis based on our error rate,” Howard said. “We have to do that for the feds. States have to submit corrective action plans. We know that the areas where we see the most errors have to do with wages and income and shelter deductions. So then, based on that, you train even more in that area.”

The agency is considering automation that may help reduce errors, she said, as well as encouraging more people to use the online application form. That could help reduce data processing typos and misunderstandings that occur when staff interview someone and then enter the information.&nbsp;&nbsp;

In its most recent report for 2024, the state reduced its error rate from 12% in 2023 to just under 10%.&nbsp;

The error rate jumped after the COVID-19 pandemic, when Howard said many experienced workers who had performed eligibility work for years retired. The error rate in 2017 was 3.9%, jumping to 5.9% in 2018 and 7.1% in 2019. The target is to achieve error rates below 5%.&nbsp;

No data is available on the USDA website for 2020 and 2021. In 2022, the rate jumped to 9%, followed by 12% in 2023, which is the highest rate in more than 15 years.

“We were very short staffed for a couple of years,” Howard said. “That really has started to turn around, particularly in some of our regions, and I would attribute that to a number of things. The state’s had some nice salary increases based on some of the market assessments, and then I think things just kind of stabilized after COVID.”

In 2024, there were 205 eligibility workers on average processing applications and confirming eligibility throughout the state, she said.&nbsp;

“I wish I could say, ‘Well, we’re doing these three really glitzy things,’ ” Howard said. “We’re doing hard things. There are a lot of things going on.”

In reality, it comes down to worker training, making sure paperwork is filled out correctly, with the right questions being asked, and then verifying all information, she said.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756238637365.png" alt=" Department for Children and Families secretary Laura Howard said her agency already works with the federal government to determine waste, fraud and abuse occurring in a federally funded nutrition program.(Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)" />
                        <figcaption> Department for Children and Families secretary Laura Howard said her agency already works with the federal government to determine waste, fraud and abuse occurring in a federally funded nutrition program.(Morgan Chilson/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p><b>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a><br></b><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a></p><p>TOPEKA — Kansas officials refused persistent demands from the federal government for access to residents’ personal data solely based on the legal responsibility to protect that data, a state leader says.</p><p>In the midst of political attacks and two lawsuits, Department for Children and Families secretary Laura Howard and Gov. Laura Kelly pushed back against federal demands because they don’t know how Kansans’ personal data will be used. The release of information isn’t about detecting fraud because those procedures are already in place, Howard said.&nbsp;</p><p>The state has denied requests to turn over personal information of Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program recipients, which the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service has requested since May.&nbsp;</p><p>Since then, Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins has accused Howard and Kelly of a “massive cover-up of waste, fraud and abuse” because they failed to comply with federal demands.</p><p>But Howard said in an interview that the federal government already monitors the Kansas SNAP program for such problems.</p><p>“The federal SNAP law today allows data to be shared for the administration of the program, including fraud, waste and abuse,” she said.&nbsp;</p><p>However, the law is also clear the data cannot be shared “except as it relates to the administration of the program,” Howard said.&nbsp;</p><p>The first letter received from Food and Nutrition Service in May did not include information about how the data would be used, which led to DCF’s initial refusal, she said.&nbsp;</p><h2>Lawsuit outcome</h2><p>A lawsuit was filed in June by privacy organizations arguing against the data collection, followed by&nbsp;<a href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Foag.ca.gov%2Fsystem%2Ffiles%2Fattachments%2Fpress-docs%2FCA%2520et%2520al.%2520v.%2520USDA%2520et%2520al.%2520Complaint%2520%255Bfiled%255D.pdf/1/01010198be6f3fd3-537277d9-f742-4949-8e1c-564d50b6b1d5-000000/qv7jf79_FG4jT_9V7_OgsIuWoA5uBl4AoSin_n--NlU=418" target="_blank">a July lawsuit filed</a>&nbsp;by multiple states asking the courts to stay the data request, Howard said.&nbsp;</p><p>“USDA makes this demand for the stated purpose of detecting ‘overpayments and fraud,’ ” the state lawsuit said. “Instead, the move appears to be part of the federal government’s well-publicized campaign to amass enormous troves of personal and private data, including information on taxpayers and Medicaid recipients, to advance goals that have nothing to do with combating waste, fraud, or abuse in federal benefit programs.”</p><p>Howard said she is concerned about what could happen based on the lawsuit outcome.&nbsp;</p><p>“I honestly believe that if I were to release that data, then the courts find in favor of the states, then I’m putting the state at liability for releasing the personal information of more than 700,000 Kansans,” she said.&nbsp;</p><p>In a legislative meeting earlier this month, state Attorney General Kris Kobach said his office is exploring whether it is legal for Kansas to withhold the information requested.&nbsp;</p><p>“Attorneys in the office of the attorney general are investigating the matter. A decision about how to proceed is expected to be made within the next three weeks,” spokeswoman Danedri Herbert said Thursday.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><h2>Federal Register</h2><p>Howard said additional concerns about whether the data should be released occurred in June when the USDA&nbsp;<a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/06/23/2025-11463/privacy-act-of-1974-system-of-records" target="_blank">published the request for data</a>, highlighting the intention to create a SNAP information database in the Federal Register.&nbsp;</p><p>“The notice in the Federal Register talks about 10 or 12 uses of the data, and one of those talks about sharing it with other federal entities,” Howard said. “It talks about things to do with anything regulatory or civil or criminal. It doesn’t say for the purpose of administering the SNAP program.”</p><p>The list is too broad and underlines DCF’s concerns, Howard said.</p><p>Titled “Notice of a new system of records,” the Federal Register notice said: “The primary purposes of this system are to validate the accuracy of eligibility determinations and strengthen SNAP and government program integrity.”</p><p>The notice lists 11 categories of “routine” uses of the records.&nbsp;</p><h2>SNAP error rate</h2><p>A point raised by Hawkins and Senate president Ty Masterson, who want the data turned over, is that the state has a high error rate in the SNAP program and the sharing of data would help discover fraud or abuse.&nbsp;</p><p>Hawkins has repeatedly referred to an inaccurate current error rate in the SNAP program and insists the sharing the data could help lower the rate.&nbsp; But that rate isn’t about fraud detection, which Howard said is already occurring in the SNAP program.&nbsp;</p><p>Hawkins did not respond to a request for comment for this story.</p><p>Howard said a robust fraud detection system is already in place in partnership with the USDA, and account data is freely shared for that purpose. In fact, of all federal funds processed through DCF, she said SNAP and Medicaid have the most extensive programs looking for any problems.&nbsp;</p><p>Medicaid isn’t as complicated to process as the SNAP benefits are because staff are only determining whether the applicant is eligible, Howard said. With SNAP, they’re also figuring out how much the payment should be.&nbsp;</p><p>“States are responsible for conducting these quality control processes,” she said. “There are samples of cases that are drawn every month. We have quality control staff that look at those cases. They’re essentially redetermining that eligibility from scratch, and that includes verifications.”</p><p>Once quality control staff go through the detailed information collected from SNAP applicants, which includes income, shelter, work and household member information, they determine whether mistakes were made.&nbsp;</p><p>“Then the feds look at a sample of our sample, just to verify that our quality control is accurate,” Howard said.</p><p>It’s not about finding fraud because the error rate is attributed to mistakes, Howard said.</p><p>“None of it’s about fraud,” she said. “If, in the context of the original determination, if a worker believed that someone was being untruthful, then we have a separate process to refer that for a fraud investigation.”</p><p>Multiple factors go into determining whether someone is eligible for SNAP and how much they should receive, including all assets, income, shelter costs, whether they must be working, if roommates are contributing to utilities and much more, Howard said. Simple things like a teenager who works at a fast-food restaurant turning 18, which means their income should be added to household income, can cause eligibility errors.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><h2>Error rate increases</h2><p>The Kansas error rate climbed in the last few years, and Howard said she wishes there was a “magic bullet answer” to how to correct it.&nbsp;</p><p>The DCF team is working on retraining staff, rewriting manuals to make sure they’re clear, training staff to interview applicants, among other items.&nbsp;</p><p>“We’ve done a whole root cause analysis based on our error rate,” Howard said. “We have to do that for the feds. States have to submit corrective action plans. We know that the areas where we see the most errors have to do with wages and income and shelter deductions. So then, based on that, you train even more in that area.”</p><p>The agency is considering automation that may help reduce errors, she said, as well as encouraging more people to use the online application form. That could help reduce data processing typos and misunderstandings that occur when staff interview someone and then enter the information.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><p>In its most recent report for 2024, the state reduced its error rate from 12% in 2023 to just under 10%.&nbsp;</p><p>The error rate jumped after the COVID-19 pandemic, when Howard said many experienced workers who had performed eligibility work for years retired. The error rate in 2017 was 3.9%, jumping to 5.9% in 2018 and 7.1% in 2019. The target is to achieve error rates below 5%.&nbsp;</p><p>No data is available on the USDA website for 2020 and 2021. In 2022, the rate jumped to 9%, followed by 12% in 2023, which is the highest rate in more than 15 years.</p><p>“We were very short staffed for a couple of years,” Howard said. “That really has started to turn around, particularly in some of our regions, and I would attribute that to a number of things. The state’s had some nice salary increases based on some of the market assessments, and then I think things just kind of stabilized after COVID.”</p><p>In 2024, there were 205 eligibility workers on average processing applications and confirming eligibility throughout the state, she said.&nbsp;</p><p>“I wish I could say, ‘Well, we’re doing these three really glitzy things,’ ” Howard said. “We’re doing hard things. There are a lot of things going on.”</p><p>In reality, it comes down to worker training, making sure paperwork is filled out correctly, with the right questions being asked, and then verifying all information, she said.</p>

Kansas official defends refusal to turn over private food program data in face of political attacks

WASHINGTON (AP) —First lady Melania Trump on Tuesday announced a nationwide AI contest for students.

The goal is to help students get comfortable with artificial intelligence tools and to work together using them to solve community issues.

The first lady announced the Presidential AI Challenge in a short video. Students in grades K-12 can sign up starting Tuesday at&nbsp;<a href="http://ai.gov/">AI.gov</a>.

An adult or teacher must sponsor a team. Submissions are due by the end of December. Regional competitions will be held in the spring, followed by a White House event with the national winners.

The contest was called for under an executive order Trump signed in April

<p>WASHINGTON (AP) —First lady Melania Trump on Tuesday announced a nationwide AI contest for students.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Are you ready for an AI challenge?<br>Visit <a href="https://t.co/PNPBv2KckS">https://t.co/PNPBv2KckS</a> <a href="https://t.co/GdRiH8tz2t">pic.twitter.com/GdRiH8tz2t</a></p>&mdash; First Lady Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) <a href="https://twitter.com/FLOTUS/status/1960320005909737658?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>The goal is to help students get comfortable with artificial intelligence tools and to work together using them to solve community issues.</p><p>The first lady announced the Presidential AI Challenge in a short video. Students in grades K-12 can sign up starting Tuesday at&nbsp;<a href="http://ai.gov/">AI.gov</a>.</p><p>An adult or teacher must sponsor a team. Submissions are due by the end of December. Regional competitions will be held in the spring, followed by a White House event with the national winners.</p><p>The contest was called for under an executive order Trump signed in April</p>

🎥First lady announces nationwide AI contest for students

WYANDOTTE COUNTY&nbsp; – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating a vehicle pursuit that occurred Tuesday morning in Kansas City, Kansas, resulting in an officer being struck and killed.

At approximately 12:30 a.m., officers from the Kansas City, Kansas were dispatched near the 7700 block of Everett Ave, regarding shots being fired.

At approximately 12:40 a.m., officers located an unconscious man in the driver’s seat of a truck. As officers approached the driver, he woke up and fled the scene.

The driver, later identified as Dennis Mitchell III, 31, of Kansas City, was pursued by law enforcement. He abandoned the truck, entered another vehicle, and continued fleeing from officers.

During the pursuit, two Kansas City, Kansas officers exited their vehicle to stage stop sticks in the 7200 block of State Ave. 

Mitchell drove toward an officer, striking him before continuing to flee the area. The officer, identified as Hunter Simoncic, 26, was struck and transported to the University of Kansas Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased.

At approximately 12:55 a.m., Mitchell crashed the truck near the 6400 block of Kaw Driver. He was taken into custody and was transported to the University of Kansas Medical Center for examination. Mitchell was treated, released and transported to the Wyandotte County Jail. It was later learned both trucks had been reported stolen.

Mitchell was arrested on requested charges of first-degree murder, vehicular homicide, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, theft, criminal possession of a firearm, and aggravated failure to appear. Formal charges are pending.

When this investigation concludes case findings will be presented to the Wyandotte County District Attorney for determination of charges. The investigation is ongoing.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756223822488.png" alt="Mitchell photo Wyandotte County" />
                        <figcaption>Mitchell photo Wyandotte County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>WYANDOTTE COUNTY&nbsp; – The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating a vehicle pursuit that occurred Tuesday morning in Kansas City, Kansas, resulting in an officer being struck and killed.</p><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FKCKPolice%2Fvideos%2F786148240688021%2F&show_text=true&width=267&t=0" width="267" height="591" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div><p>At approximately 12:30 a.m., officers from the Kansas City, Kansas were dispatched near the 7700 block of Everett Ave, regarding shots being fired.</p><p>At approximately 12:40 a.m., officers located an unconscious man in the driver’s seat of a truck. As officers approached the driver, he woke up and fled the scene.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756227822168.png" alt="Officer Hunter Simoncic-courtesy image" />
                        <figcaption>Officer Hunter Simoncic-courtesy image</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>The driver, later identified as Dennis Mitchell III, 31, of Kansas City, was pursued by law enforcement. He abandoned the truck, entered another vehicle, and continued fleeing from officers.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756216912404.png" alt="Law enforcement on the scene of the investigation early Tuesday -photo courtesy KCTV" />
                        <figcaption>Law enforcement on the scene of the investigation early Tuesday -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>During the pursuit, two Kansas City, Kansas officers exited their vehicle to stage stop sticks in the 7200 block of State Ave. </p><p>Mitchell drove toward an officer, striking him before continuing to flee the area. The officer, identified as Hunter Simoncic, 26, was struck and transported to the University of Kansas Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased.</p><p>At approximately 12:55 a.m., Mitchell crashed the truck near the 6400 block of Kaw Driver. He was taken into custody and was transported to the University of Kansas Medical Center for examination. Mitchell was treated, released and transported to the Wyandotte County Jail. It was later learned both trucks had been reported stolen.</p><p>Mitchell was arrested on requested charges of first-degree murder, vehicular homicide, fleeing or attempting to elude a police officer, theft, criminal possession of a firearm, and aggravated failure to appear. Formal charges are pending.</p><p>When this investigation concludes case findings will be presented to the Wyandotte County District Attorney for determination of charges. The investigation is ongoing.</p>

Police ID Kan. officer struck, killed by suspect vehicle during chase

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — It's a love story and, baby, she said yes:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/taylor-swift">Taylor Swift</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-engaged-d585627eb98b69428ce206a2c8a9cb7d">Travis Kelce</a>&nbsp;are engaged, they announced Tuesday.

In a five-photo joint post on Instagram, the superstar singer and football player revealed their engagement, the fairytale culmination of a courtship that for two years has thrilled and fascinated millions around the world, but especially Swifties, the pop star’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-eras-tour-end-06a41d7c717486f2c0e99a7304789912">enormous and ardent fan base.</a>

“Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married,” the caption read, accompanied by an emoji of a dynamite stick.

Kelce was a famous football player when they met — a star tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs and a Super Bowl champion — but Swift’s unique level of fame catapulted him into a different orbit entirely. Their relationship was documented in countless shots of Swift celebrating at Chiefs games and fan videos of Kelce dancing along at Swift’s Eras concert tour as it traveled the globe.

There were those who speculated, with no evidence, that the relationship was not genuine but a cynical ploy for more fame, while some even theorized it was a plot to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-endorsement-democrats-harris-trump-3a5f4827a930d5cf5439febaf014de76">influence the U.S. elections.</a>&nbsp;In the end, those voices were quieted by a happy couple who simply looked in love — now with an engagement ring rivaling the size of Kelce's three Super Bowl rings.

It’s unclear when and where the two, both 35, got engaged. Representatives for Swift and Kelce did not immediately respond to The Associated Press' request for comment on that detail, though Swift publicist Tree Paine confirmed the engagement ring was an old mine brilliant-cut diamond from Kindred Lubeck. Scarcely over an hour later, Kelce was stretching for practice in Kansas City, Missouri.

It's been just two weeks since Swift — and Kelce — last ignited a media frenzy, with the announcement of a new album,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-new-album-life-of-showgirl-c4262686b5b68ee210f7571b8716ab51">“The Life of a Showgirl.”</a>&nbsp;(It comes out Oct. 3.) Kelce and his brother, former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, assisted Swift with the rollout, hosting her on their typically football-oriented podcast, “New Heights.” During the episode, she likened her career to her now-fiance's, saying their jobs were “to entertain people for three hours in NFL stadiums.”

When Jason Kelce asked his brother and Swift, sitting side-by-side, how they handled the discourse around their relationship, Swift said they just didn't.

“We don’t, really. I don’t see a lot of things,” she said. “My name can be in the actual headline, and it’s none of my business.”

The pair started dating during Swift's landmark Eras tour — though Kelce was thwarted in his first attempt to meet Swift at her concert at Arrowhead Stadium. But by September,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-kelce-chiefs-891e7df84295f5b35cfa97a5ec427721">Swift was back at the Kansas City stadium,</a>&nbsp;cheering on Kelce next to his mother. Less than two months later, she was changing lyrics onstage: “Karma is the guy on the Chiefs, coming straight home to me,” she sang in Argentina as Kelce beamed from the audience.

It's the first engagement for both Kelce — who once had his own reality dating show, “Catching Kelce” — and Swift, whose past relationships with high-profile celebrities including Joe Alwyn, Jake Gyllenhaal and Harry Styles, have been inspiration for her music.

The news broke in the middle of the Kansas City Chiefs' media availability, though after head coach Andy Reid had departed. That left Chiefs defensive end Mike Danna to field questions about his teammate's engagement.

“Man, it’s incredible. I was caught off guard but you know, great for them,” Danna said, a few minutes after the news raced across social media. “But you know, great for them. That’s a blessing. Any time you find that type of joy, blessing, love — that’s a beautiful thing.”

Like many of the Chiefs, Danna has hung out with Swift and Kelce at a New Year’s party and after most of their home games.

“I’ll think of a good little engagement gift,” Danna said. “Maybe some Pop-Tarts back to her. It won’t be homemade.”

The NFL, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-nfl-gen-z-be42bde423a35c8f4c34bd9a18327b07">has gained untold numbers of fans</a>&nbsp;since the relationship became public, posted the news on X with their congratulations — then quickly deleted it and reposted it when they realized they tagged the wrong Swift account.

“Two of the most genuine people meet &amp; fall in love. Just so happy for these two,” Brittany Mahomes, the wife of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, said on Instagram. Brittany Mahomes and Swift have frequently shared a suite for games at Arrowhead Stadium. Meanwhile the Cleveland Guardians, the baseball team&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-alcs-yankees-guardians-yankee-stadium-73182d99e0f50978b6971b521a320b35">Kelce grew up rooting for,</a>&nbsp;joked online: “Thanks a lot, Taylor Swift. Now no one cares that next year’s schedule is out.”

Kelce and Swift’s relationship featured prominently in the just-released six-part ESPN documentary “The Kingdom,” which chronicles the franchise’s ultimately foiled pursuit of an unprecedented third consecutive Super Bowl title last season. Kelce was joined by his parents, Donna and Ed Kelce, on the red carpet last Sunday for the premiere at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City.

“She’s very good for him. I don’t hesitate in saying that,” Ed Kelce said of his future daughter-in-law. “They are two people that truly deserve each other.”

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707736613770.png" alt="File photo Taylor Swift kisses Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce after the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game in Las Vegas.(Brynn Anderson | AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)" />
                        <figcaption>File photo Taylor Swift kisses Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce after the NFL Super Bowl 58 football game in Las Vegas.(Brynn Anderson | AP Photo/Brynn Anderson)</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — It's a love story and, baby, she said yes:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/taylor-swift">Taylor Swift</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-engaged-d585627eb98b69428ce206a2c8a9cb7d">Travis Kelce</a>&nbsp;are engaged, they announced Tuesday.</p><div><blockquote class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-captioned data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/DN02niAXMM-/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" data-instgrm-version="14" style=" background:#FFF; border:0; border-radius:3px; box-shadow:0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width:540px; min-width:326px; padding:0; width:99.375%; width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px); width:calc(100% - 2px);"><div style="padding:16px;"> <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DN02niAXMM-/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" background:#FFFFFF; line-height:0; padding:0 0; text-align:center; text-decoration:none; width:100%;" target="_blank"> <div style=" display: flex; 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font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:550; line-height:18px;">View this post on Instagram</div></div><div style="padding: 12.5% 0;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;"><div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);"></div></div><div style="margin-left: 8px;"> <div style=" background-color: #F4F4F4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;"></div> <div style=" width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; 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overflow:hidden; padding:8px 0 7px; text-align:center; text-overflow:ellipsis; white-space:nowrap;"><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DN02niAXMM-/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading" style=" color:#c9c8cd; font-family:Arial,sans-serif; font-size:14px; font-style:normal; font-weight:normal; line-height:17px; text-decoration:none;" target="_blank">A post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift)</a></p></div></blockquote>
<script async src="//www.instagram.com/embed.js"></script></div><p>In a five-photo joint post on Instagram, the superstar singer and football player revealed their engagement, the fairytale culmination of a courtship that for two years has thrilled and fascinated millions around the world, but especially Swifties, the pop star’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-eras-tour-end-06a41d7c717486f2c0e99a7304789912">enormous and ardent fan base.</a></p><p>“Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married,” the caption read, accompanied by an emoji of a dynamite stick.</p><p>Kelce was a famous football player when they met — a star tight end for the Kansas City Chiefs and a Super Bowl champion — but Swift’s unique level of fame catapulted him into a different orbit entirely. Their relationship was documented in countless shots of Swift celebrating at Chiefs games and fan videos of Kelce dancing along at Swift’s Eras concert tour as it traveled the globe.</p><p>There were those who speculated, with no evidence, that the relationship was not genuine but a cynical ploy for more fame, while some even theorized it was a plot to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-endorsement-democrats-harris-trump-3a5f4827a930d5cf5439febaf014de76">influence the U.S. elections.</a>&nbsp;In the end, those voices were quieted by a happy couple who simply looked in love — now with an engagement ring rivaling the size of Kelce's three Super Bowl rings.</p><p>It’s unclear when and where the two, both 35, got engaged. Representatives for Swift and Kelce did not immediately respond to The Associated Press' request for comment on that detail, though Swift publicist Tree Paine confirmed the engagement ring was an old mine brilliant-cut diamond from Kindred Lubeck. Scarcely over an hour later, Kelce was stretching for practice in Kansas City, Missouri.</p><h2>Throwing fans into frenzies since 2023</h2><p>It's been just two weeks since Swift — and Kelce — last ignited a media frenzy, with the announcement of a new album,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-new-album-life-of-showgirl-c4262686b5b68ee210f7571b8716ab51">“The Life of a Showgirl.”</a>&nbsp;(It comes out Oct. 3.) Kelce and his brother, former Philadelphia Eagles center Jason Kelce, assisted Swift with the rollout, hosting her on their typically football-oriented podcast, “New Heights.” During the episode, she likened her career to her now-fiance's, saying their jobs were “to entertain people for three hours in NFL stadiums.”</p><p>When Jason Kelce asked his brother and Swift, sitting side-by-side, how they handled the discourse around their relationship, Swift said they just didn't.</p><p>“We don’t, really. I don’t see a lot of things,” she said. “My name can be in the actual headline, and it’s none of my business.”</p><p>The pair started dating during Swift's landmark Eras tour — though Kelce was thwarted in his first attempt to meet Swift at her concert at Arrowhead Stadium. But by September,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-kelce-chiefs-891e7df84295f5b35cfa97a5ec427721">Swift was back at the Kansas City stadium,</a>&nbsp;cheering on Kelce next to his mother. Less than two months later, she was changing lyrics onstage: “Karma is the guy on the Chiefs, coming straight home to me,” she sang in Argentina as Kelce beamed from the audience.</p><p>It's the first engagement for both Kelce — who once had his own reality dating show, “Catching Kelce” — and Swift, whose past relationships with high-profile celebrities including Joe Alwyn, Jake Gyllenhaal and Harry Styles, have been inspiration for her music.</p><h2>Congratulations pour in</h2><p>The news broke in the middle of the Kansas City Chiefs' media availability, though after head coach Andy Reid had departed. That left Chiefs defensive end Mike Danna to field questions about his teammate's engagement.</p><p>“Man, it’s incredible. I was caught off guard but you know, great for them,” Danna said, a few minutes after the news raced across social media. “But you know, great for them. That’s a blessing. Any time you find that type of joy, blessing, love — that’s a beautiful thing.”</p><p>Like many of the Chiefs, Danna has hung out with Swift and Kelce at a New Year’s party and after most of their home games.</p><p>“I’ll think of a good little engagement gift,” Danna said. “Maybe some Pop-Tarts back to her. It won’t be homemade.”</p><p>The NFL, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-nfl-gen-z-be42bde423a35c8f4c34bd9a18327b07">has gained untold numbers of fans</a>&nbsp;since the relationship became public, posted the news on X with their congratulations — then quickly deleted it and reposted it when they realized they tagged the wrong Swift account.</p><p>“Two of the most genuine people meet &amp; fall in love. Just so happy for these two,” Brittany Mahomes, the wife of Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, said on Instagram. Brittany Mahomes and Swift have frequently shared a suite for games at Arrowhead Stadium. Meanwhile the Cleveland Guardians, the baseball team&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/taylor-swift-travis-kelce-alcs-yankees-guardians-yankee-stadium-73182d99e0f50978b6971b521a320b35">Kelce grew up rooting for,</a>&nbsp;joked online: “Thanks a lot, Taylor Swift. Now no one cares that next year’s schedule is out.”</p><p>Kelce and Swift’s relationship featured prominently in the just-released six-part ESPN documentary “The Kingdom,” which chronicles the franchise’s ultimately foiled pursuit of an unprecedented third consecutive Super Bowl title last season. Kelce was joined by his parents, Donna and Ed Kelce, on the red carpet last Sunday for the premiere at the Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City.</p><p>“She’s very good for him. I don’t hesitate in saying that,” Ed Kelce said of his future daughter-in-law. “They are two people that truly deserve each other.”</p>

See the photos: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are engaged

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas felon wounded by police following a domestic violence call to a home in Wichita will return to court Tuesday.

Daniel James Gabor, 31, will attend a preliminary hearing in Judge Rodger Woods courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. He has been charged with aggravated kidnapping, one count of aggravated domestic battery, one count of domestic battery, one count of interference with law enforcement, and one count of violating a protection order.

Just before 4:30 a.m., June 20, the Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received a 911 call with a woman screaming in the background. The open-line call was traced to a moving location, and Wichita police officers were dispatched to what sounded like an active disturbance without a specific location.

By 4:30 a.m., the phone’s signal stopped in the 4600 block of West 37th Street South, where officers responded.

Officers found a vehicle stopped along the side of the street and saw a man later identified as 31-year-old Daniel James Gabor assaulting a woman in the front seat. During the encounter, an officer fired two rounds, striking&nbsp; Gabor in the upper arm. Gabor then drove off with the woman still inside the vehicle.

He later crashed in a construction area near K-42 highway and West Street. Officers responded, provided medical aid, and Sedgwick County EMS transported Gaabor to a Wichita hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Officers also assisted the woman, who sustained minor injuries but declined transport to a medical facility by EMS.

Detectives with the Sheriff’s Office Investigations Division investigated both the officer-involved shooting and the original disturbance. Investigators are treating the two incidents as separate but related cases.

Detectives confirmed that Gabor and woman were in a domestic relationship. Gabor has a 2024 conviction for two counts of domestic battery and one count of criminal restraint through Harvey County District Court.

Following his release from the hospital, detectives booked Gabor into the Sedgwick County Jail. He is being held on bonds totaling $300,000, according to online jail records.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750427350550.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH" />
                        <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas felon wounded by police following a domestic violence call to a home in Wichita will return to court Tuesday.</p><p>Daniel James Gabor, 31, will attend a preliminary hearing in Judge Rodger Woods courtroom, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. He has been charged with aggravated kidnapping, one count of aggravated domestic battery, one count of domestic battery, one count of interference with law enforcement, and one count of violating a protection order.</p><figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750873007733.png" alt="Gabor photo Sedgwick County" />
                        <figcaption>Gabor photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>Just before 4:30 a.m., June 20, the Sedgwick County Emergency Communications received a 911 call with a woman screaming in the background. The open-line call was traced to a moving location, and Wichita police officers were dispatched to what sounded like an active disturbance without a specific location.</p><p>By 4:30 a.m., the phone’s signal stopped in the 4600 block of West 37th Street South, where officers responded.</p><p>Officers found a vehicle stopped along the side of the street and saw a man later identified as 31-year-old Daniel James Gabor assaulting a woman in the front seat. During the encounter, an officer fired two rounds, striking&nbsp; Gabor in the upper arm. Gabor then drove off with the woman still inside the vehicle.</p><p>He later crashed in a construction area near K-42 highway and West Street. Officers responded, provided medical aid, and Sedgwick County EMS transported Gaabor to a Wichita hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Officers also assisted the woman, who sustained minor injuries but declined transport to a medical facility by EMS.</p><p>Detectives with the Sheriff’s Office Investigations Division investigated both the officer-involved shooting and the original disturbance. Investigators are treating the two incidents as separate but related cases.</p><p>Detectives confirmed that Gabor and woman were in a domestic relationship. Gabor has a 2024 conviction for two counts of domestic battery and one count of criminal restraint through Harvey County District Court.</p><p>Following his release from the hospital, detectives booked Gabor into the Sedgwick County Jail. He is being held on bonds totaling $300,000, according to online jail records.</p>

Preliminary hearing: Kan. felon injured in officer involved shooting

NASHVILLE (AP) —Cracker Barrel is sticking with its new logo but apologizing to fans who were angered when the change was announced last week.

“If the last few days have shown us anything, it's how deeply people care about Cracker Barrel. We're truly grateful for your heartfelt voices,” the company said Monday in a statement on its website. “You've also shown us that we could have done a better job sharing who we are and who we'll always be.”

Cracker Barrel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cracker-barrel-new-logo-rebrand-efforts-67f3181a144cd639eb33d1066f85ef08">took heat last week</a>&nbsp;when it announced a simplified logo featuring only the chain's name. Gone was the picture of an older man in overalls leaning against a barrel. The words “Old Country Store” were also removed.

The change was part of a wider rebrand, which has seen Cracker Barrel update its cluttered, antique-filled restaurants with lighter paint and modern furniture.

Many on social media, including Donald Trump Jr., criticized the new logo, with some threatening to boycott unless it was changed back. Sensing an opening, the rival chain Steak n' Shake called the new logo “a cheap effort to gain the approval of trend seekers.”

“Heritage is what got Cracker Barrel this far, and now the CEO wants to just scrape it all away,” Steak n' Shake said in a statement on X.

Cracker Barrel shares have dropped more than 10% since the new logo was introduced on Aug. 18.

On Monday, the Lebanon, Tennessee-based company emphasized that many things about Cracker Barrel won't change, including the rocking chairs on its front porches and vintage Americana and antiques scattered throughout its restaurants.

Cracker Barrel also said it will continue to honor Uncle Herschel — the older man in the former logo, who represents the uncle of Cracker Barrel's founder — on its menu and on items sold in its stores.

But Cracker Barrel said it also wants to make sure that the business stays fresh and attracts a new generation of customers.

“That means showing up on new platforms and in new ways, but always with our heritage at the heart,” the company said in a statement.

The company said it will also keep testing, learning and listening to its employees and customers.

Cracker Barrel shares fell less than 1% to close at $54.26 per share Monday.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756220659164.png" alt="google image" />
                        <figcaption>google image</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>NASHVILLE (AP) —Cracker Barrel is sticking with its new logo but apologizing to fans who were angered when the change was announced last week.</p><p>“If the last few days have shown us anything, it's how deeply people care about Cracker Barrel. We're truly grateful for your heartfelt voices,” the company said Monday in a statement on its website. “You've also shown us that we could have done a better job sharing who we are and who we'll always be.”</p><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fcrackerbarrel%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0mkLsPTr7Ca9NV1mzzJowjFW5gDpbBuzhAtaMPVjqifMfR9jZnSsMEmwy42zgJrt4l&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="250" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div><p>Cracker Barrel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cracker-barrel-new-logo-rebrand-efforts-67f3181a144cd639eb33d1066f85ef08">took heat last week</a>&nbsp;when it announced a simplified logo featuring only the chain's name. Gone was the picture of an older man in overalls leaning against a barrel. The words “Old Country Store” were also removed.</p><p>The change was part of a wider rebrand, which has seen Cracker Barrel update its cluttered, antique-filled restaurants with lighter paint and modern furniture.</p><p>Many on social media, including Donald Trump Jr., criticized the new logo, with some threatening to boycott unless it was changed back. Sensing an opening, the rival chain Steak n' Shake called the new logo “a cheap effort to gain the approval of trend seekers.”</p><p>“Heritage is what got Cracker Barrel this far, and now the CEO wants to just scrape it all away,” Steak n' Shake said in a statement on X.</p><p>Cracker Barrel shares have dropped more than 10% since the new logo was introduced on Aug. 18.</p><p>On Monday, the Lebanon, Tennessee-based company emphasized that many things about Cracker Barrel won't change, including the rocking chairs on its front porches and vintage Americana and antiques scattered throughout its restaurants.</p><p>Cracker Barrel also said it will continue to honor Uncle Herschel — the older man in the former logo, who represents the uncle of Cracker Barrel's founder — on its menu and on items sold in its stores.</p><p>But Cracker Barrel said it also wants to make sure that the business stays fresh and attracts a new generation of customers.</p><p>“That means showing up on new platforms and in new ways, but always with our heritage at the heart,” the company said in a statement.</p><p>The company said it will also keep testing, learning and listening to its employees and customers.</p><p>Cracker Barrel shares fell less than 1% to close at $54.26 per share Monday.</p>

Read Cracker Barrel's apology to fans angered at changes

WASHINGTON (AP) —President Donald Trump signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/08/taking-steps-to-end-cashless-bail-to-protect-americans/" target="_blank">executive order</a>&nbsp;on Monday threatening to withhold or revoke federal funding to local and state governments that offer cashless bail, arguing that it is a threat to public safety.

“No cash. Come back in a couple of months, we’ll give you a trial. You never see the person again,” he said, moments before signing the order.

Attorney General Pam Bondi must submit a list of jurisdictions that have “substantially eliminated cash bail as a potential condition of pretrial release from custody for crimes that pose a clear threat to public safety and order” within 30 days, as stipulated in the order.

Proponents of eliminating cash bail describe it as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lawsuits-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-michigan-detroit-76a38e8bd1c0432103068d0837aa2a0b">penalty on poverty</a>, suggesting that the wealthy can pay their way out of jail to await trial while those with fewer financial resources have to sit it out behind bars. Critics of the cashless route&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cash-bail-criminal-justice-supreme-court-pretrial-jail-poverty-55f1d3e71714151eb19cc2fbc10677d5">have argued</a>&nbsp;that bail is a time-honored way to ensure defendants released from jail show up for court proceedings. They warn that violent criminals will be released pending trial, giving them license to commit other crimes.

Cashless bail refers to policies that allow people to be released from jail without paying any money while they await trial. It is an alternative to the traditional cash bail system in which which people pay money to be released and get their money back if they return to court when they are supposed to. The&nbsp;<a href="https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-8/" target="_blank">Eighth Amendment</a>&nbsp;of the Constitution prohibits excessive bail.

In 2023, Illinois became&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cash-bail-criminal-justice-supreme-court-pretrial-jail-poverty-55f1d3e71714151eb19cc2fbc10677d5">the first state</a>&nbsp;to eliminate cash bail when the state Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the law abolishing it. The move was part of an expansive criminal justice overhaul adopted in 2021 known as the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/publicacts/101/PDF/101-0652.pdf" target="_blank">SAFE-T Act</a>. Under the change, a judge decides whether to release the defendant prior to their trial, weighing factors such as their criminal charges, if they could pose any danger to others and if they are considered a flight risk.

A number of&nbsp;<a href="https://bailproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/CLIENT-Bail-Project-Beyond-Bail-Report-FINAL-3.1.25.pdf" target="_blank">other jurisdictions</a>, including New Jersey, New Mexico and Washington, D.C., have nearly eliminated cash bail or limited its use. Some&nbsp;<a href="https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/99166/supporting_individual_agency_in_the_pretrial_release_process.pdf" target="_blank">have used</a>&nbsp;practices&nbsp;<a href="https://www.americanprogress.org/article/ending-cash-bail/" target="_blank">such as</a>&nbsp;court date reminders, transportation vouchers, flexible scheduling and on-site child care to increase court attendance for people who have been released without bail.

<a href="https://bailproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/CLIENT-Bail-Project-Beyond-Bail-Report-FINAL-3.1.25.pdf" target="_blank">Policies vary</a>&nbsp;by jurisdiction, but many exclude the use of cashless bail for more serious crimes such as murder and other violent offenses. Cashless bail might also be denied if there is concern an individual might flee before trial. In some cases, it is granted automatically for misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies.

Studies have shown mixed results regarding the impact of cashless bail on crime. Many focus on the recidivism of individual defendants rather than overall crime rates.

Loyola University of Chicago’s Center for Criminal Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://pfa-1yr.loyolaccj.org/" target="_blank">published a 2024 report</a>&nbsp;on Illinois’ new cashless bail policy, one year after it went into effect. It acknowledges that there is not yet enough data to know what impact the law has had on crime, but that crime in Illinois did not increase after its implementation. Violent and property crime declined in some counties.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/bail-reform-and-public-safety" target="_blank">2024 report</a>&nbsp;published by the Brennan Center for Justice saw “no statistically significant relationship” between bail reform and crime rates. It looked at crime rate data from 2015 through 2021 for 33 cities across the U.S., 22 of which had instituted some type of bail reform. Researchers used a statistical method to determine if crime rates had diverged in those with reforms and those without. The report found that “put simply” there was no “significant difference in crime rates between cities that reformed their bail policies and those that did not.”

Asked last month what data Trump was using to support his claim that cashless bail leads to increase in crime, the White House pointed to a&nbsp;<a href="https://yoloda.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Emergency-Bail-Analysis.pdf" target="_blank">2022 report</a>&nbsp;from the district attorney’s office in Yolo County, California, that looked at how a temporary cashless bail system implemented across the state to prevent COVID-19 outbreaks in courts and jails impacted recidivism. It found that out of 595 individuals released between April 2020 and May 2021 under this system, 70.6% were arrested again after they were released. A little more than half were rearrested more than once.

<p>WASHINGTON (AP) —President Donald Trump signed an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/08/taking-steps-to-end-cashless-bail-to-protect-americans/" target="_blank">executive order</a>&nbsp;on Monday threatening to withhold or revoke federal funding to local and state governments that offer cashless bail, arguing that it is a threat to public safety.</p><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> signs an Executive Order taking steps to crack down on cashless bail <a href="https://t.co/qF795onMZa">pic.twitter.com/qF795onMZa</a></p>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1959996712736452677?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 25, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><p>“No cash. Come back in a couple of months, we’ll give you a trial. You never see the person again,” he said, moments before signing the order.</p><p>Attorney General Pam Bondi must submit a list of jurisdictions that have “substantially eliminated cash bail as a potential condition of pretrial release from custody for crimes that pose a clear threat to public safety and order” within 30 days, as stipulated in the order.</p><p>Proponents of eliminating cash bail describe it as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lawsuits-race-and-ethnicity-racial-injustice-michigan-detroit-76a38e8bd1c0432103068d0837aa2a0b">penalty on poverty</a>, suggesting that the wealthy can pay their way out of jail to await trial while those with fewer financial resources have to sit it out behind bars. Critics of the cashless route&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cash-bail-criminal-justice-supreme-court-pretrial-jail-poverty-55f1d3e71714151eb19cc2fbc10677d5">have argued</a>&nbsp;that bail is a time-honored way to ensure defendants released from jail show up for court proceedings. They warn that violent criminals will be released pending trial, giving them license to commit other crimes.</p><p>Here’s what to know:</p><h2>What it is</h2><p>Cashless bail refers to policies that allow people to be released from jail without paying any money while they await trial. It is an alternative to the traditional cash bail system in which which people pay money to be released and get their money back if they return to court when they are supposed to. The&nbsp;<a href="https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/amendment-8/" target="_blank">Eighth Amendment</a>&nbsp;of the Constitution prohibits excessive bail.</p><h2>Where it’s offered</h2><p>In 2023, Illinois became&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cash-bail-criminal-justice-supreme-court-pretrial-jail-poverty-55f1d3e71714151eb19cc2fbc10677d5">the first state</a>&nbsp;to eliminate cash bail when the state Supreme Court upheld the constitutionality of the law abolishing it. The move was part of an expansive criminal justice overhaul adopted in 2021 known as the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ilga.gov/documents/legislation/publicacts/101/PDF/101-0652.pdf" target="_blank">SAFE-T Act</a>. Under the change, a judge decides whether to release the defendant prior to their trial, weighing factors such as their criminal charges, if they could pose any danger to others and if they are considered a flight risk.</p><p>A number of&nbsp;<a href="https://bailproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/CLIENT-Bail-Project-Beyond-Bail-Report-FINAL-3.1.25.pdf" target="_blank">other jurisdictions</a>, including New Jersey, New Mexico and Washington, D.C., have nearly eliminated cash bail or limited its use. Some&nbsp;<a href="https://www.urban.org/sites/default/files/publication/99166/supporting_individual_agency_in_the_pretrial_release_process.pdf" target="_blank">have used</a>&nbsp;practices&nbsp;<a href="https://www.americanprogress.org/article/ending-cash-bail/" target="_blank">such as</a>&nbsp;court date reminders, transportation vouchers, flexible scheduling and on-site child care to increase court attendance for people who have been released without bail.</p><h2>When it’s offered</h2><p><a href="https://bailproject.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/CLIENT-Bail-Project-Beyond-Bail-Report-FINAL-3.1.25.pdf" target="_blank">Policies vary</a>&nbsp;by jurisdiction, but many exclude the use of cashless bail for more serious crimes such as murder and other violent offenses. Cashless bail might also be denied if there is concern an individual might flee before trial. In some cases, it is granted automatically for misdemeanors and nonviolent felonies.</p><h2>The impact on crime</h2><p>Studies have shown mixed results regarding the impact of cashless bail on crime. Many focus on the recidivism of individual defendants rather than overall crime rates.</p><p>Loyola University of Chicago’s Center for Criminal Justice&nbsp;<a href="https://pfa-1yr.loyolaccj.org/" target="_blank">published a 2024 report</a>&nbsp;on Illinois’ new cashless bail policy, one year after it went into effect. It acknowledges that there is not yet enough data to know what impact the law has had on crime, but that crime in Illinois did not increase after its implementation. Violent and property crime declined in some counties.</p><p>A&nbsp;<a href="https://www.brennancenter.org/our-work/research-reports/bail-reform-and-public-safety" target="_blank">2024 report</a>&nbsp;published by the Brennan Center for Justice saw “no statistically significant relationship” between bail reform and crime rates. It looked at crime rate data from 2015 through 2021 for 33 cities across the U.S., 22 of which had instituted some type of bail reform. Researchers used a statistical method to determine if crime rates had diverged in those with reforms and those without. The report found that “put simply” there was no “significant difference in crime rates between cities that reformed their bail policies and those that did not.”</p><p>Asked last month what data Trump was using to support his claim that cashless bail leads to increase in crime, the White House pointed to a&nbsp;<a href="https://yoloda.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Emergency-Bail-Analysis.pdf" target="_blank">2022 report</a>&nbsp;from the district attorney’s office in Yolo County, California, that looked at how a temporary cashless bail system implemented across the state to prevent COVID-19 outbreaks in courts and jails impacted recidivism. It found that out of 595 individuals released between April 2020 and May 2021 under this system, 70.6% were arrested again after they were released. A little more than half were rearrested more than once.</p>

Details on President Trump's order aimed at ending cashless bail nationwide

The Powerball® jackpot has soared to an estimated $815 million for the next drawing on Wednesday night, making it the seventh-largest prize in game history, according to the Multi-State Lottery Association.&nbsp; The jackpot has an estimated cash value of $367.9 million.

The Powerball jackpot rolled Monday night after no ticket matched all six numbers drawn – white balls 16, 19, 34, 37, 64 and red Powerball 22. The Power Play® multiplier was 3.

While the jackpot evaded players, two tickets in Georgia and Texas won $1 million prizes after matching all five white balls. There were also 26 tickets that won $50,000 prizes and five tickets that won $150,000 prizes.

In the Double Play® drawing, a ticket in Maryland won a $500,000 prize after matching all five black balls. Double Play® is a $1 add-on feature that allows players to play their Powerball numbers, again, in a separate drawing for a chance to win up to $10 million. Double Play drawings are live streamed on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.powerball.com/watch-drawing">Powerball.com&nbsp;</a>after the main drawing.

Wednesday’s Powerball drawing will be the 38th drawing since the jackpot was last won in California on May 31, 2025. If a player wins Wednesday’s jackpot, they will have the choice between an annuitized prize estimated at $815 million or a lump sum payment estimated at $367.9 million. Both prize options are before taxes. If the winner selects the annuity option, they will receive one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments that increase by 5-percent each year.

Powerball® tickets are $2 per play. Tickets are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. More than half of all proceeds from the sale of a Powerball ticket remain in the jurisdiction where the ticket was sold. Since its first drawing in 1992, the Powerball game has helped generate more than $36 billion for good causes supported by U.S. lotteries.

Powerball drawings are broadcast live every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET from the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee, Fla. Powerball drawings are also live streamed on Powerball.com.

The overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 24.9. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1689681523439.png" alt="<br>" />
                        <figcaption><br></figcaption>
                    </figure><p>The Powerball® jackpot has soared to an estimated $815 million for the next drawing on Wednesday night, making it the seventh-largest prize in game history, according to the Multi-State Lottery Association.&nbsp; The jackpot has an estimated cash value of $367.9 million.</p><p>The Powerball jackpot rolled Monday night after no ticket matched all six numbers drawn – white balls 16, 19, 34, 37, 64 and red Powerball 22. The Power Play® multiplier was 3.</p><p>While the jackpot evaded players, two tickets in Georgia and Texas won $1 million prizes after matching all five white balls. There were also 26 tickets that won $50,000 prizes and five tickets that won $150,000 prizes.</p><p>In the Double Play® drawing, a ticket in Maryland won a $500,000 prize after matching all five black balls. Double Play® is a $1 add-on feature that allows players to play their Powerball numbers, again, in a separate drawing for a chance to win up to $10 million. Double Play drawings are live streamed on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.powerball.com/watch-drawing">Powerball.com&nbsp;</a>after the main drawing.</p><p>Wednesday’s Powerball drawing will be the 38th drawing since the jackpot was last won in California on May 31, 2025. If a player wins Wednesday’s jackpot, they will have the choice between an annuitized prize estimated at $815 million or a lump sum payment estimated at $367.9 million. Both prize options are before taxes. If the winner selects the annuity option, they will receive one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments that increase by 5-percent each year.</p><p>Powerball® tickets are $2 per play. Tickets are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. More than half of all proceeds from the sale of a Powerball ticket remain in the jurisdiction where the ticket was sold. Since its first drawing in 1992, the Powerball game has helped generate more than $36 billion for good causes supported by U.S. lotteries.</p><p>Powerball drawings are broadcast live every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET from the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee, Fla. Powerball drawings are also live streamed on Powerball.com.</p><p>The overall odds of winning a prize are 1 in 24.9. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.</p><p>Top Ten Powerball Jackpots</p><ol>
                        <li>$2.04 Billion – Nov. 7, 2022 – CA</li><li>$1.765 Billion – Oct. 11, 2023 - CA</li><li>$1.586 Billion – Jan. 13, 2016 – CA, FL, TN</li><li>$1.326 Billion – April 6, 2024 - OR</li><li>$1.08 Billion – July 19, 2023 – CA</li><li>$842.4 Million – January 1, 2024 – MI</li><li>$815 Million (est) – Aug. 27, 2025</li><li>$768.4 Million – March 27, 2019 – WI</li><li>$758.7 Million – Aug. 23, 2017 – MA</li><li>$754.6 Million – Feb. 6, 2023 - WA</li>
                    </ol>

Powerball jackpot soars to seventh largest in game history

CRAWFORD COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on&nbsp;

Just before 6p.m. August 23, police were dispatched to Americas Best Value Inn, 3108 N Broadway Street, in Pittsburg, in reference to a report of a sexual assault that just occurred, according to a media release.

Upon arrival, officers met with the reporting party about the incident, which involved a juvenile victim and an adult male. While the officers were on scene, they were made aware that the suspect, identified as 50-year-old Damien Dorien Yarbrough of Pittsburg, was attempting to leave the hotel. 

Police found Yarbrough with his luggage attempting to leave, and officers detained him. Detectives with the police department’s Criminal Investigations Division were contacted and responded to assist with the investigation.

The victim and their family were interviewed about the incident, and the victim was referred to local medical providers for further attention. 

A search warrant application was prepared for Yarbrough’s hotel room to look for evidence relating to the incident. The search warrant was granted, and items of suspected evidence were collected.

Yarbrough was arrested and transported to jail at the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office for booking. He is in being held on a&nbsp;a $500,000 bond on requested charges of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated criminal sodomy, and rape.

<figure>
                        <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756166135622.png" alt="Yarbrough photo Crawford County" />
                        <figcaption>Yarbrough photo Crawford County</figcaption>
                    </figure><p>CRAWFORD COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on&nbsp;</p><p>Just before 6p.m. August 23, police were dispatched to Americas Best Value Inn, 3108 N Broadway Street, in Pittsburg, in reference to a report of a sexual assault that just occurred, according to a media release.</p><p>Upon arrival, officers met with the reporting party about the incident, which involved a juvenile victim and an adult male. While the officers were on scene, they were made aware that the suspect, identified as 50-year-old Damien Dorien Yarbrough of Pittsburg, was attempting to leave the hotel. </p><p>Police found Yarbrough with his luggage attempting to leave, and officers detained him. Detectives with the police department’s Criminal Investigations Division were contacted and responded to assist with the investigation.</p><p>The victim and their family were interviewed about the incident, and the victim was referred to local medical providers for further attention. </p><p>A search warrant application was prepared for Yarbrough’s hotel room to look for evidence relating to the incident. The search warrant was granted, and items of suspected evidence were collected.</p><p>Yarbrough was arrested and transported to jail at the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office for booking. He is in being held on a&nbsp;a $500,000 bond on requested charges of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated criminal sodomy, and rape.</p>

Kansas man accused of kidnapping, child rape at hotel

WICHITA<b>– </b>Earlier this month, the&nbsp;Democratic Caucus of the Kansas House of Representatives and Senate&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/Immediate-Demand-to-Cease-Illegal-Raids-and-Detentions-in-Kansas-.docx4_.pdf">sent a letter</a>&nbsp;to U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall accusing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) of being “bloated and reckless” and exhibiting “unprofessional behavior” while apprehending dangerous, illegal immigrants from Kansas communities. &nbsp;

Unlike Kansas Democrats, Senator Marshall’s office reached out to DHS officials to confirm details of the targeted enforcement events cited in the letter.&nbsp; Marshall's response is below

<i>“Our federal law enforcement officials have safely and legally removed dozens of illegal immigrants from our communities,”&nbsp;<b>said Senator Marshall.</b>&nbsp;“President Trump promised to make America safe again, and he is delivering on that promise. For Democrats to make unfounded and false accusations against our hardworking law enforcement officials is not only unprofessional but also against the American people's goal of closing our borders and keeping communities safe from illegal and dangerous criminals.”</i>

Contrary to the allegations leveled by the Kansas Democratic Caucus, agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted the targeted enforcement operations legally and judiciously.&nbsp;

During the July 30, 2025, targeted enforcement operations in Johnson and Wyandotte Counties:

<i>“Our agents were executing a&nbsp;lawful and targeted operation. When agitators spread false narratives or interfere with law enforcement, it undermines public safety and puts both the community and law enforcement personnel at risk,”&nbsp;<b>said HSI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Mark Zito.</b>&nbsp;“Make no mistake: individuals who violate federal immigration law by being unlawfully present in the United States may be subject to detention and removal proceedings under the law. And let me be clear, assaults on officers have surged dramatically, and anyone who dares to obstruct, assault, or interfere with federal agents will face immediate consequences, including arrest and prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.”</i>

<p>WICHITA<b>– </b>Earlier this month, the&nbsp;Democratic Caucus of the Kansas House of Representatives and Senate&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marshall.senate.gov/wp-content/uploads/Immediate-Demand-to-Cease-Illegal-Raids-and-Detentions-in-Kansas-.docx4_.pdf">sent a letter</a>&nbsp;to U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall accusing the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) of being “bloated and reckless” and exhibiting “unprofessional behavior” while apprehending dangerous, illegal immigrants from Kansas communities. &nbsp;</p><p>Unlike Kansas Democrats, Senator Marshall’s office reached out to DHS officials to confirm details of the targeted enforcement events cited in the letter.&nbsp; Marshall's response is below</p><p><i>“Our federal law enforcement officials have safely and legally removed dozens of illegal immigrants from our communities,”&nbsp;<b>said Senator Marshall.</b>&nbsp;“President Trump promised to make America safe again, and he is delivering on that promise. For Democrats to make unfounded and false accusations against our hardworking law enforcement officials is not only unprofessional but also against the American people's goal of closing our borders and keeping communities safe from illegal and dangerous criminals.”</i></p><p>Contrary to the allegations leveled by the Kansas Democratic Caucus, agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) conducted the targeted enforcement operations legally and judiciously.&nbsp;</p><p>During the July 30, 2025, targeted enforcement operations in Johnson and Wyandotte Counties:</p><ul>
                        <li>All HSI agents were clearly marked, displaying badges and other identification.</li><li>Local law enforcement was notified of HSI’s plans to conduct&nbsp;the operations.</li>
                    </ul><ul>
                        <li>HSI officials on the ground confirmed that all those arrested had committed violations of the Immigration and Naturalization Act. U.S. citizens, Legal Permanent Residents, employees possessing a valid Employment Authorization Document, and any individual already in immigration proceedings were released.</li>
                    </ul><ul>
                        <li>During the operations in Lenexa and Kansas City, all stovetop burners were safely turned off. The only flame that remained on the stoves&nbsp;was the commercial kitchen stove pilot lights.&nbsp;</li><li>Local protestors and agitators attempted to obstruct the operations by interfering with efforts to detain and arrest suspects, even breaking into the Lenexa restaurant through the back door and surrounding law enforcement vehicles to block their departure.&nbsp;</li>
                    </ul><p><i>“Our agents were executing a&nbsp;lawful and targeted operation. When agitators spread false narratives or interfere with law enforcement, it undermines public safety and puts both the community and law enforcement personnel at risk,”&nbsp;<b>said HSI Kansas City Special Agent in Charge Mark Zito.</b>&nbsp;“Make no mistake: individuals who violate federal immigration law by being unlawfully present in the United States may be subject to detention and removal proceedings under the law. And let me be clear, assaults on officers have surged dramatically, and anyone who dares to obstruct, assault, or interfere with federal agents will face immediate consequences, including arrest and prosecution to the fullest extent of the law.”</i></p><p><b>Background:</b></p><ul>
                        <li>Previously, on August 6, 2025, federal agents&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-ks/pr/two-kansas-men-charged-drug-trafficking-related-crimes">arrested two Kansas men</a>&nbsp;on charges related to drug trafficking as part of Operation Take Back America.</li><li>Under the One Big Beautiful Bill, the number of federal immigration officials in Kansas will double, allowing for better enforcement across the entire state.</li><li>Since President Trump’s inauguration, targeting of brave federal law enforcement officers performing their duties has become more common, as&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://fox4kc.com/news/ice-raids-reported-at-lenexa-kck-mexican-restaurants-wednesday/">assaults against ICE agents</a>&nbsp;have increased&nbsp;1000%.</li>
                    </ul>