Nun warns of impact mass deportation on child welfare system

BY: BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ghills/">GRACE HILLS</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

Sherry Lesher stood before lawmakers Thursday holding a photo of her son — who died seven years ago in state custody — pleading for reform.

In 2017, Lesher’s 17-year-old son, A.J. Iverson, died by drug overdose. The day before he died, Lesher begged Saint Francis Ministries, one of the state’s foster care contractors, to take Iverson to a psychiatric residential treatment facility. Saint Francis sent a therapist to his home, but when Iverson, a teenager who struggled with substance abuse, impulsive decision making and who had an autism diagnosis, promised he wouldn’t do drugs again, the contractor refused to intervene. Iverson died in his sleep that night.

Lesher and Iverson’s sister, Ashley Crego, have spent years calling for reform. Last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/06/30/parents-plead-for-accountability-and-support-from-kansas-foster-care-system/">Lesher held her son’s ashes up to lawmakers asking for change</a>.&nbsp;

On Thursday, as&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/11/14/kansas-foster-care-compliance-report-raises-concern-with-sleep-only-placement-of-children/">part of two days of hearings</a>&nbsp;aimed at evaluating the state’s progress on child welfare, Lesher continued the fight.&nbsp;

“I don’t want to keep doing this,” Lesher said. “I want to grieve my son, without having Saint Francis attached to it, but I’m still waiting for the state to do the right thing by us in every way possible. These kids — we are losing them.”

The hearings before the joint committee on child welfare system oversight offered a public comment section Thursday. Sister Therese Bangert, social justice coordinator for the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth shared a wide range of concerns for the child welfare system.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

With President-elect Donald Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/inside-trumps-plan-mass-deportations-who-wants-stop-him-2024-11-06/" target="_blank">promises of mass deportations</a>, Sister Therese brought forward concerns for vulnerable children who are citizens but whose parents are not.&nbsp;

“I want to lift up some of the children that are on my heart these days,” Bangert said. “If the mass deportations are carried through, we will have citizen children in Kansas who will lose a mother or father, sister or brother and more. I believe we will have families losing the person who financially supports them. Please be mindful of the needs of these children and their extended families and how we will address these needs.”

She encouraged committee members to consider the words of Republican Senate President Ty Masterson, who said children don’t care if someone is a Republican or Democrat.

A 2018 class-action lawsuit against the state that challenged the state’s poor treatment of foster children led to a settlement that agreed on deadlines for making gradual improvements to the foster care system. At Wednesday’s committee meeting, court-appointed monitor for the improvements Judith Meltzer said&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/11/14/kansas-foster-care-compliance-report-raises-concern-with-sleep-only-placement-of-children/">the state failed to meet the majority of the targets</a>.&nbsp;

Meltzer found that there was a decline in delivery of behavioral and mental health services. Those were the services Lesher requested back in 2017 for her son.&nbsp;

Laura Howard, secretary of the Kansas Department for Children and Families, acknowledged the deficiencies, but pointed to the lowering number of children in foster care — 7,600 in June 2019 compared to 5,800 in June 2024.&nbsp;

When some parents, like Lesher, aren’t provided the help they need for their children, some children are relinquished to the foster care system or end up at psychiatric residential treatment facilities. In 2023,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-03-14/some-kansas-families-say-even-foster-care-isnt-equipped-for-their-high-needs-kids" target="_blank">the state removed 57 children with special needs</a>&nbsp;from their homes because their families could not meet their level of care.

When Iverson was 4, Lesher applied for the intellectual and developmental disability waiver but never received help. The current waitlist to access these services is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.drckansas.org/resource-center/hcbs/endthewait#:~:text=Currently%2C%20the%20waitlist%20to%20access,and%20tailored%20to%20the%20individual." target="_blank">about nine years</a>, meaning children often age out before they can access them. Democratic&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/03/15/state-budget-blueprint-leaves-out-kansans-who-need-state-disability-services/">Gov. Laura Kelly proposed $23 million</a>&nbsp;to assist the families waiting on disability waivers, which Republicans opposed.&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/10/24/kansas-disability-waitlists-see-major-progress-after-legislative-action/">Republicans invested $17.8 million in the waivers</a>, and have successfully reduced the waitlists.&nbsp;

Iverson was placed in family preservation services, meaning he stayed with his family but was given a foster care caseworker. Lesher said she spent Iverson’s entire life fighting for him to get support he never received.&nbsp;

Iverson’s sister, Ashley Crego, stood by Lesher at the 2023 committee meeting. This year, note the disillusionment she feels, she provided a written statement instead of appearing in-person.

“This is going to keep happening to other families in a multitude of ways,” Crego wrote. “This is what we were trying to prevent. Agencies will change their names and pass any accountability onto the next and leave a trail of dead kids, or kids that ‘fell through the cracks’ in their path and if it turns a profit, no one will bat an eye.

“You will all go home to your families and mine will go home to A.J.’s urn. These meetings in the last two years have made me lose every bit of faith in any regulatory system or oversight committee and that has been the most discouraging thing of all.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731965940288.png" alt=" Sherry Lesher, a mother whose son died in state custody, holds a photo of her son during a Nov. 14, 2024, meeting of the child welfare oversight committee, begging lawmakers for reform. To the left is Sister Therese Bangert, social justice coordinator for the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Kansas Legislature video)" />
 <figcaption> Sherry Lesher, a mother whose son died in state custody, holds a photo of her son during a Nov. 14, 2024, meeting of the child welfare oversight committee, begging lawmakers for reform. To the left is Sister Therese Bangert, social justice coordinator for the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Kansas Legislature video)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Nun warns of impact mass deportation on child welfare system</h2>BY: BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ghills/">GRACE HILLS</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>Sherry Lesher stood before lawmakers Thursday holding a photo of her son — who died seven years ago in state custody — pleading for reform.In 2017, Lesher’s 17-year-old son, A.J. Iverson, died by drug overdose. The day before he died, Lesher begged Saint Francis Ministries, one of the state’s foster care contractors, to take Iverson to a psychiatric residential treatment facility. Saint Francis sent a therapist to his home, but when Iverson, a teenager who struggled with substance abuse, impulsive decision making and who had an autism diagnosis, promised he wouldn’t do drugs again, the contractor refused to intervene. Iverson died in his sleep that night.Lesher and Iverson’s sister, Ashley Crego, have spent years calling for reform. Last year,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/06/30/parents-plead-for-accountability-and-support-from-kansas-foster-care-system/">Lesher held her son’s ashes up to lawmakers asking for change</a>.&nbsp;On Thursday, as&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/11/14/kansas-foster-care-compliance-report-raises-concern-with-sleep-only-placement-of-children/">part of two days of hearings</a>&nbsp;aimed at evaluating the state’s progress on child welfare, Lesher continued the fight.&nbsp;“I don’t want to keep doing this,” Lesher said. “I want to grieve my son, without having Saint Francis attached to it, but I’m still waiting for the state to do the right thing by us in every way possible. These kids — we are losing them.”The hearings before the joint committee on child welfare system oversight offered a public comment section Thursday. Sister Therese Bangert, social justice coordinator for the Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth shared a wide range of concerns for the child welfare system.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;With President-elect Donald Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/us/inside-trumps-plan-mass-deportations-who-wants-stop-him-2024-11-06/" target="_blank">promises of mass deportations</a>, Sister Therese brought forward concerns for vulnerable children who are citizens but whose parents are not.&nbsp;“I want to lift up some of the children that are on my heart these days,” Bangert said. “If the mass deportations are carried through, we will have citizen children in Kansas who will lose a mother or father, sister or brother and more. I believe we will have families losing the person who financially supports them. Please be mindful of the needs of these children and their extended families and how we will address these needs.”She encouraged committee members to consider the words of Republican Senate President Ty Masterson, who said children don’t care if someone is a Republican or Democrat.A 2018 class-action lawsuit against the state that challenged the state’s poor treatment of foster children led to a settlement that agreed on deadlines for making gradual improvements to the foster care system. At Wednesday’s committee meeting, court-appointed monitor for the improvements Judith Meltzer said&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/11/14/kansas-foster-care-compliance-report-raises-concern-with-sleep-only-placement-of-children/">the state failed to meet the majority of the targets</a>.&nbsp;Meltzer found that there was a decline in delivery of behavioral and mental health services. Those were the services Lesher requested back in 2017 for her son.&nbsp;Laura Howard, secretary of the Kansas Department for Children and Families, acknowledged the deficiencies, but pointed to the lowering number of children in foster care — 7,600 in June 2019 compared to 5,800 in June 2024.&nbsp;When some parents, like Lesher, aren’t provided the help they need for their children, some children are relinquished to the foster care system or end up at psychiatric residential treatment facilities. In 2023,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2023-03-14/some-kansas-families-say-even-foster-care-isnt-equipped-for-their-high-needs-kids" target="_blank">the state removed 57 children with special needs</a>&nbsp;from their homes because their families could not meet their level of care.When Iverson was 4, Lesher applied for the intellectual and developmental disability waiver but never received help. The current waitlist to access these services is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.drckansas.org/resource-center/hcbs/endthewait#:~:text=Currently%2C%20the%20waitlist%20to%20access,and%20tailored%20to%20the%20individual." target="_blank">about nine years</a>, meaning children often age out before they can access them. Democratic&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/03/15/state-budget-blueprint-leaves-out-kansans-who-need-state-disability-services/">Gov. Laura Kelly proposed $23 million</a>&nbsp;to assist the families waiting on disability waivers, which Republicans opposed.&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/10/24/kansas-disability-waitlists-see-major-progress-after-legislative-action/">Republicans invested $17.8 million in the waivers</a>, and have successfully reduced the waitlists.&nbsp;Iverson was placed in family preservation services, meaning he stayed with his family but was given a foster care caseworker. Lesher said she spent Iverson’s entire life fighting for him to get support he never received.&nbsp;Iverson’s sister, Ashley Crego, stood by Lesher at the 2023 committee meeting. This year, note the disillusionment she feels, she provided a written statement instead of appearing in-person.“This is going to keep happening to other families in a multitude of ways,” Crego wrote. “This is what we were trying to prevent. Agencies will change their names and pass any accountability onto the next and leave a trail of dead kids, or kids that ‘fell through the cracks’ in their path and if it turns a profit, no one will bat an eye.“You will all go home to your families and mine will go home to A.J.’s urn. These meetings in the last two years have made me lose every bit of faith in any regulatory system or oversight committee and that has been the most discouraging thing of all.”

Mother returns to Kansas Statehouse with photo of boy who died in foster care, pleading for change

ALLEN COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 4:30a.m. Monday in Allen County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1997 Dodge Dakota driven by Eric Leon&nbsp;Guenther, 57, Humboldt, was northbound on 800th Road&nbsp; just north of Delaware Road and one mile west of Humboldt.

The Dodge went into a spin and struck a southbound 2003 Ford Ranger driven by Steven&nbsp;Yost, 53, Humboldt, head-on.&nbsp;

EMS transported Guenther to&nbsp;Allen County Regional Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; EMS transported Yost to Neosho Memorial Hospital for treatment of serious injuries. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

ALLEN COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 4:30a.m. Monday in Allen County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1997 Dodge Dakota driven by Eric Leon&nbsp;Guenther, 57, Humboldt, was northbound on 800th Road&nbsp; just north of Delaware Road and one mile west of Humboldt.The Dodge went into a spin and struck a southbound 2003 Ford Ranger driven by Steven&nbsp;Yost, 53, Humboldt, head-on.&nbsp;EMS transported Guenther to&nbsp;Allen County Regional Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; EMS transported Yost to Neosho Memorial Hospital for treatment of serious injuries. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas driver dead, another injured after head-on pickup crash

TYLER, Texas (AP) — Country singer Sundance Head, a winner on “The Voice,” is recovering at home after he was accidentally shot in the stomach while handling a firearm on a hunting trip at his East Texas ranch, his agent said Sunday.

Head, winner of the 11th season of NBC’s “The Voice” in 2016, was leaning into his vehicle to grab his .22 caliber pistol when it fell out of its holster and onto the exterior of the vehicle and fired off a shot that hit Head in the stomach, his agent, Trey Newman said in an email.

Newman said Head was airlifted to a hospital in Tyler, located about 100 miles east of Dallas. He said no vital organs were hit and no surgery was needed. Head was released later Friday, he said.

Before his win on “The Voice,” Head competed in “American Idol” on Fox in 2007, making it to the top 16 before being eliminated.

Head, who has upcoming performances scheduled in Texas and Illinois, is from the community of Porter, located north of Houston.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731726520509.png" alt="Sundance Head" />
 <figcaption>Sundance Head</figcaption>
 </figure>TYLER, Texas (AP) — Country singer Sundance Head, a winner on “The Voice,” is recovering at home after he was accidentally shot in the stomach while handling a firearm on a hunting trip at his East Texas ranch, his agent said Sunday.Head, winner of the 11th season of NBC’s “The Voice” in 2016, was leaning into his vehicle to grab his .22 caliber pistol when it fell out of its holster and onto the exterior of the vehicle and fired off a shot that hit Head in the stomach, his agent, Trey Newman said in an email.Newman said Head was airlifted to a hospital in Tyler, located about 100 miles east of Dallas. He said no vital organs were hit and no surgery was needed. Head was released later Friday, he said.Before his win on “The Voice,” Head competed in “American Idol” on Fox in 2007, making it to the top 16 before being eliminated.Head, who has upcoming performances scheduled in Texas and Illinois, is from the community of Porter, located north of Houston.

‘The Voice’ winner recovers at home after accidental shooting

Almost 10,000 votes not reported on Election Day in Christian County go heavily against Amendment 2, while small changes elsewhere in the state add to majority.

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

A late report adding nearly 10,000 votes to Christian County’s election results has narrowed the margin&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/06/missouri-voters-narrowly-approve-sports-betting-amendment/">for Missouri’s sports betting amendment</a>&nbsp;and put it in range for a possible recount.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://ccmoelections.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/OFFICIAL_Election_Summary.pdf" target="_blank">official results</a>&nbsp;from Christian County, certified last week, increased the county’s vote total on Amendment 2 by 9,653, with a margin of 3,995 votes against sports betting among the additional ballots. Added to the statewide tally maintained by the Secretary of State’s office, just that change would shrink the statewide margin from a 4,363-vote majority on Election Day to a mere 368 votes as of Monday out of nearly 3 million votes cast.

But other changes will be made as the 116 election jurisdictions around the state certify their results, a process that must be completed by Tuesday. The Independent checked websites for the 50 counties with the highest number of votes on Amendment 2, finding official results in 25.

In most of those jurisdictions, a few dozen, or at most, a few hundred additional votes were reported in the final tallies. With those votes included, the majority for Amendment 2 stood at 720 votes.

That would be well within the 0.5% margin for a recount if it is requested. A recount would not be automatic.

None of the eight largest voting jurisdictions, representing half the total statewide vote, have certified final results. All eight passed Amendment 2 by strong majorities.

Final state certification of the results must occur by Dec. 10. Any recount would take place after that certification.

Jack Cardetti, spokesman for Winning for Missouri Education, which backed Amendment 2, said the campaign is confident the margin will hold up. The counties that have certified the Nov. 5 results include many where the majority went against the amendment but the additional votes reported favor the proposal.

“The fact that even the provisional ballots are coming in on the net side for us is good, so you can imagine what St. Louis and Kansas City will show,” Cardetti said.

The campaign is monitoring the final certifications, he said.

“We’re gonna watch them very carefully today and tomorrow as they come in,” he said.

The reason Christian County reported 40,622 ballots for Amendment 2 on election night and 50,275 in the official results is because of the huge volume of early votes received and limitations imposed by the ballot counting equipment, said Eryn Flood, deputy clerk and director of elections.

County clerks must accept ballots from overseas military voters that arrive by the Friday after an election as well as tallying any provisional ballots determined to be valid, Flood said.

“With us having such a high volume of absentees, we were running out of machines, and so we had to keep three machines open to ensure that we had enough room for Friday,” Flood said.

This was the first presidential election where Missourians had two weeks of “<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/30/increasing-every-day-voters-line-up-across-missouri-for-chance-to-cast-ballot-early/">no excuse absentee voting</a>” to cast ballots before Election Day. Hundreds of thousands of voters took advantage of the law.

“We might have to look into, for presidential elections at least, having more machines,” Flood said. “I don’t think the entire state of Missouri was ready for the amount of people coming in their offices to vote.”

Of the counties that have certified their results, the largest number of additional votes for Amendment 2 were reported in Boone County, where an additional 243 “yes” votes were reported against 115 additional “no” votes.

If the margin remains at about 700 votes, that would be a majority of 0.03% of the statewide vote, well within the 0.5% margin that would&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=115.601&amp;bid=6240&amp;hl=" target="_blank">qualify it for a recount</a>. JoDonn Chaney, spokesman for Secretary of State Jay Aschcroft, said Monday that the recount must be requested by someone representing the campaign against the amendment.

“Only certain groups, not anybody, can request it,” Chaney said.

In an email, Chaney said Ashcroft and previous secretaries have interpreted the law to mean only people with a direct interest in the issue can request a recount.

“As we are not an adjudicatory body, any change in this interpretation would need to come from the courts,” Chaney said.

Winning for Missouri Education raised the most money in Missouri history for a ballot measure, spending nearly $40 million to get on the ballot and advertise during the fall campaign. The opposition, Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment, raised $15 million to defeat it but&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/opponents-of-missouri-sports-betting-amendment-pull-tv-ads-in-campaigns-homestretch/">pulled its ads</a>&nbsp;three weeks before the election.

“We have no plans to request a recount at this time,” Brooke Foster, spokeswoman for the opponents, said Monday.

The language in state law, however, doesn’t limit recount requests to groups formally organized to oppose a ballot measure. The last statewide recount of a ballot measure was in 2014, when Amendment 1, known as the Right to Farm amendment, passed by 2,490 votes during the Aug. 5, 2014, primary.

Wes Shoemyer, a former state lawmaker, was the treasurer for Missouri’s Food for America, which opposed the Right to Farm amendment. He&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/ElectionResultsStatistics/RecountRequest.pdf" target="_blank">requested a recount</a>, but it was based on his status as a voter who opposed the measure, not his position with the opposition campaign.

“The voter has more rights than the treasurer,” Shoemyer said. “Anybody who wants to come out and say they voted no can ask for it.”

Recounts rarely change the outcome of an election but it was important to make sure, Shoemyer said. On the Right to Farm amendment, the majority&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/ElectionResultsStatistics/RecountCertification.pdf" target="_blank">narrowed to 2,375 votes</a>.

“You might get lucky, man,” Shoemyer said. “We were less than one quarter of 1%, and things have been counted wrong. You know, mistakes have been made.”

The backers of Amendment 2 are confident they will prevail in the official tallies and any recount&nbsp;

“We’re watching the votes come in extremely carefully here, but we feel really good about where we’re at,” Cardetti said. “We’re going to win this election when every last vote comes in.”

<h2>Almost 10,000 votes not reported on Election Day in Christian County go heavily against Amendment 2, while small changes elsewhere in the state add to majority.</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>A late report adding nearly 10,000 votes to Christian County’s election results has narrowed the margin&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/11/06/missouri-voters-narrowly-approve-sports-betting-amendment/">for Missouri’s sports betting amendment</a>&nbsp;and put it in range for a possible recount.The&nbsp;<a href="https://ccmoelections.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/OFFICIAL_Election_Summary.pdf" target="_blank">official results</a>&nbsp;from Christian County, certified last week, increased the county’s vote total on Amendment 2 by 9,653, with a margin of 3,995 votes against sports betting among the additional ballots. Added to the statewide tally maintained by the Secretary of State’s office, just that change would shrink the statewide margin from a 4,363-vote majority on Election Day to a mere 368 votes as of Monday out of nearly 3 million votes cast.But other changes will be made as the 116 election jurisdictions around the state certify their results, a process that must be completed by Tuesday. The Independent checked websites for the 50 counties with the highest number of votes on Amendment 2, finding official results in 25.In most of those jurisdictions, a few dozen, or at most, a few hundred additional votes were reported in the final tallies. With those votes included, the majority for Amendment 2 stood at 720 votes.That would be well within the 0.5% margin for a recount if it is requested. A recount would not be automatic.None of the eight largest voting jurisdictions, representing half the total statewide vote, have certified final results. All eight passed Amendment 2 by strong majorities.Final state certification of the results must occur by Dec. 10. Any recount would take place after that certification.Jack Cardetti, spokesman for Winning for Missouri Education, which backed Amendment 2, said the campaign is confident the margin will hold up. The counties that have certified the Nov. 5 results include many where the majority went against the amendment but the additional votes reported favor the proposal.“The fact that even the provisional ballots are coming in on the net side for us is good, so you can imagine what St. Louis and Kansas City will show,” Cardetti said.The campaign is monitoring the final certifications, he said.“We’re gonna watch them very carefully today and tomorrow as they come in,” he said.The reason Christian County reported 40,622 ballots for Amendment 2 on election night and 50,275 in the official results is because of the huge volume of early votes received and limitations imposed by the ballot counting equipment, said Eryn Flood, deputy clerk and director of elections.County clerks must accept ballots from overseas military voters that arrive by the Friday after an election as well as tallying any provisional ballots determined to be valid, Flood said.“With us having such a high volume of absentees, we were running out of machines, and so we had to keep three machines open to ensure that we had enough room for Friday,” Flood said.This was the first presidential election where Missourians had two weeks of “<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/30/increasing-every-day-voters-line-up-across-missouri-for-chance-to-cast-ballot-early/">no excuse absentee voting</a>” to cast ballots before Election Day. Hundreds of thousands of voters took advantage of the law.“We might have to look into, for presidential elections at least, having more machines,” Flood said. “I don’t think the entire state of Missouri was ready for the amount of people coming in their offices to vote.”Of the counties that have certified their results, the largest number of additional votes for Amendment 2 were reported in Boone County, where an additional 243 “yes” votes were reported against 115 additional “no” votes.If the margin remains at about 700 votes, that would be a majority of 0.03% of the statewide vote, well within the 0.5% margin that would&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=115.601&amp;bid=6240&amp;hl=" target="_blank">qualify it for a recount</a>. JoDonn Chaney, spokesman for Secretary of State Jay Aschcroft, said Monday that the recount must be requested by someone representing the campaign against the amendment.“Only certain groups, not anybody, can request it,” Chaney said.In an email, Chaney said Ashcroft and previous secretaries have interpreted the law to mean only people with a direct interest in the issue can request a recount.“As we are not an adjudicatory body, any change in this interpretation would need to come from the courts,” Chaney said.Winning for Missouri Education raised the most money in Missouri history for a ballot measure, spending nearly $40 million to get on the ballot and advertise during the fall campaign. The opposition, Missourians Against the Deceptive Online Gambling Amendment, raised $15 million to defeat it but&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/opponents-of-missouri-sports-betting-amendment-pull-tv-ads-in-campaigns-homestretch/">pulled its ads</a>&nbsp;three weeks before the election.“We have no plans to request a recount at this time,” Brooke Foster, spokeswoman for the opponents, said Monday.The language in state law, however, doesn’t limit recount requests to groups formally organized to oppose a ballot measure. The last statewide recount of a ballot measure was in 2014, when Amendment 1, known as the Right to Farm amendment, passed by 2,490 votes during the Aug. 5, 2014, primary.Wes Shoemyer, a former state lawmaker, was the treasurer for Missouri’s Food for America, which opposed the Right to Farm amendment. He&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/ElectionResultsStatistics/RecountRequest.pdf" target="_blank">requested a recount</a>, but it was based on his status as a voter who opposed the measure, not his position with the opposition campaign.“The voter has more rights than the treasurer,” Shoemyer said. “Anybody who wants to come out and say they voted no can ask for it.”Recounts rarely change the outcome of an election but it was important to make sure, Shoemyer said. On the Right to Farm amendment, the majority&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/ElectionResultsStatistics/RecountCertification.pdf" target="_blank">narrowed to 2,375 votes</a>.“You might get lucky, man,” Shoemyer said. “We were less than one quarter of 1%, and things have been counted wrong. You know, mistakes have been made.”The backers of Amendment 2 are confident they will prevail in the official tallies and any recount&nbsp;“We’re watching the votes come in extremely carefully here, but we feel really good about where we’re at,” Cardetti said. “We’re going to win this election when every last vote comes in.”

Margin on Missouri sports betting amendment narrows as counties tally official results

NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;election victory created a conundrum for the judge overseeing his criminal case in New York. Can he go ahead and sentence the president-elect, or would doing so potentially get in the way of Trump's constitutional responsibility to lead the nation?

Court documents made public Tuesday revealed that Judge Juan M. Merchan has effectively&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-immunity-ruling-1b555b96443f38d35e995b8b4853a32c">put the case on hold</a>&nbsp;until at least Nov. 19 while he and the lawyers on both sides weigh in on what should happen next. Trump's sentencing had been tentatively scheduled for Nov. 26.

Trump's lawyers are urging Merchan to act “in the interests of justice" and rip up the verdict, the first criminal conviction of a former and now future U.S. president.

Manhattan prosecutors told Merchan they want to find a way forward that balances the “competing interests” of the jury’s verdict and Trump’s responsibilities as president.

Here are some scenarios for what could happen next:

If Merchan wants to preserve the verdict without disrupting Trump’s presidency, he could opt to delay sentencing until the president-elect leaves office in 2029.

Trump would be 82 at the end of his second term and more than a decade removed from the events at the heart of the case.

Trump’s conviction on 34 felon counts of falsifying business records involves his efforts to hide a $130,000 payment during his 2016 presidential campaign to squelch porn actor Stormy Daniels’ claims that she had sex with him years earlier, which he denies.

If he opts to wait, Merchan might not be on the bench by then. His current term ends before Trump is slated to leave office.

Another way Merchan could get rid of the case is by granting Trump’s previous request to overturn the verdict because of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immunity-supreme-court-capitol-riot-trial-72ec35de776315183e1db561257cb108">U.S. Supreme Court decision</a>&nbsp;in July that gave presidents broad immunity from criminal prosecution.

The judge had said he would issue a ruling Tuesday, but that was before Trump’s election victory upended the schedule.

The high court’s ruling gives former presidents immunity from prosecution for official acts and bars a prosecutor from using evidence of official acts in trying to prove their personal conduct violated the law.

Trump’s lawyers argue prosecutors “tainted” the case with testimony about his first term and other evidence that shouldn’t have been allowed. Prosecutors have said the ruling provides “no basis for disturbing the jury’s verdict.”

The judge could order a new trial — potentially to take place after Trump leaves office — or dismiss the indictment entirely.

Merchan could choose to delay things until the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rules on Trump’s earlier bid to move the case from state court to federal court.

Trump’s lawyers have been appealing a Manhattan federal judge’s decision to deny the transfer. Their argument: Trump’s case belongs in federal court because as a former president he has the right to assert immunity and seek dismissal.

Waiting for the appeals court to rule, though, might trigger further delays down the road. The court has given prosecutors until Jan. 13 to respond to Trump’s appeal. That’s a week before he is to be sworn in to office. Once Trump is in the White House, his legal team could make fresh arguments around presidential immunity.

Merchan could end the case immediately by overturning Trump's conviction on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. He could throw out the indictment.

That would mean no sentencing or punishment, sparing the president-elect from the possibility of prison time or other penalties.

Trump's lawyers insist tossing the case is the only way “to avoid unconstitutional impediments” to his ability to govern.

Prosecutors acknowledged the “unprecedented circumstances” of Trump's conviction colliding with his election but also said the jury's verdict should stand.

Merchan could also opt for none of the above and move to sentencing — or at least try, barring an appeal by Trump's lawyers.

George Mason University law professor Ilya Somin said whether the case reaches sentencing “could go either way.”

In any case, he said, “it probably won’t be a prison sentence.”

Trump's charges carry a range of punishments from a fine or probation to up to four years in prison.

“Any prison sentence would likely be blocked or suspended in some way," but a lesser sentence “probably wouldn’t impede Trump to any meaningful degree," Somin said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1717103382357.png" alt="File photo Donald Trump photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo Donald Trump photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;election victory created a conundrum for the judge overseeing his criminal case in New York. Can he go ahead and sentence the president-elect, or would doing so potentially get in the way of Trump's constitutional responsibility to lead the nation?Court documents made public Tuesday revealed that Judge Juan M. Merchan has effectively&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-immunity-ruling-1b555b96443f38d35e995b8b4853a32c">put the case on hold</a>&nbsp;until at least Nov. 19 while he and the lawyers on both sides weigh in on what should happen next. Trump's sentencing had been tentatively scheduled for Nov. 26.Trump's lawyers are urging Merchan to act “in the interests of justice" and rip up the verdict, the first criminal conviction of a former and now future U.S. president.Manhattan prosecutors told Merchan they want to find a way forward that balances the “competing interests” of the jury’s verdict and Trump’s responsibilities as president.Here are some scenarios for what could happen next:<h2>Wait until Trump leaves office</h2>If Merchan wants to preserve the verdict without disrupting Trump’s presidency, he could opt to delay sentencing until the president-elect leaves office in 2029.Trump would be 82 at the end of his second term and more than a decade removed from the events at the heart of the case.Trump’s conviction on 34 felon counts of falsifying business records involves his efforts to hide a $130,000 payment during his 2016 presidential campaign to squelch porn actor Stormy Daniels’ claims that she had sex with him years earlier, which he denies.If he opts to wait, Merchan might not be on the bench by then. His current term ends before Trump is slated to leave office.<h2>Grant Trump’s immunity claim</h2>Another way Merchan could get rid of the case is by granting Trump’s previous request to overturn the verdict because of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-immunity-supreme-court-capitol-riot-trial-72ec35de776315183e1db561257cb108">U.S. Supreme Court decision</a>&nbsp;in July that gave presidents broad immunity from criminal prosecution.The judge had said he would issue a ruling Tuesday, but that was before Trump’s election victory upended the schedule.The high court’s ruling gives former presidents immunity from prosecution for official acts and bars a prosecutor from using evidence of official acts in trying to prove their personal conduct violated the law.Trump’s lawyers argue prosecutors “tainted” the case with testimony about his first term and other evidence that shouldn’t have been allowed. Prosecutors have said the ruling provides “no basis for disturbing the jury’s verdict.”The judge could order a new trial — potentially to take place after Trump leaves office — or dismiss the indictment entirely.<h2>Hold off until a federal court rules</h2>Merchan could choose to delay things until the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals rules on Trump’s earlier bid to move the case from state court to federal court.Trump’s lawyers have been appealing a Manhattan federal judge’s decision to deny the transfer. Their argument: Trump’s case belongs in federal court because as a former president he has the right to assert immunity and seek dismissal.Waiting for the appeals court to rule, though, might trigger further delays down the road. The court has given prosecutors until Jan. 13 to respond to Trump’s appeal. That’s a week before he is to be sworn in to office. Once Trump is in the White House, his legal team could make fresh arguments around presidential immunity.<h2>Case dismissed</h2>Merchan could end the case immediately by overturning Trump's conviction on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. He could throw out the indictment.That would mean no sentencing or punishment, sparing the president-elect from the possibility of prison time or other penalties.Trump's lawyers insist tossing the case is the only way “to avoid unconstitutional impediments” to his ability to govern.Prosecutors acknowledged the “unprecedented circumstances” of Trump's conviction colliding with his election but also said the jury's verdict should stand.<h2>Proceed to sentencing</h2>Merchan could also opt for none of the above and move to sentencing — or at least try, barring an appeal by Trump's lawyers.George Mason University law professor Ilya Somin said whether the case reaches sentencing “could go either way.”In any case, he said, “it probably won’t be a prison sentence.”Trump's charges carry a range of punishments from a fine or probation to up to four years in prison.“Any prison sentence would likely be blocked or suspended in some way," but a lesser sentence “probably wouldn’t impede Trump to any meaningful degree," Somin said.__

What happens to Donald Trump’s criminal conviction? Here are a few ways it could go

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are conducting an officer-involved shooting and a death investigation surrounding a domestic disturbance in Lawson, Missouri, according to a media release from he Missouri State Highway Patrol.

Just after 7:30p.m. Sunday, police responded to report of a domestic disturbance at a home in the 200 Block of Montgomery Street in Lawson.

Lawson Police requested assistance from the Ray County sheriff's office. An officer and sheriff's deputy arrived at the scene and were informed a man had been assaulting woman inside the residence. They also learned a child was inside the residence. The male suspect presented a firearm and fired at the officers, striking the Ray County deputy. Officers returned fire and retreated outside the home.&nbsp;

Multiple law enforcement agencies from surrounding jurisdictions responded to assist, including the Clay County Sheriff's Office STAR team.&nbsp; With information that additional gunfire had been heard from inside the home and a child may be held hostage, the Clay County STAR team entered the residence just after 9p.m.&nbsp; Deputies found the man and a juvenile deceased.&nbsp;

EMS transported the deputy to the&nbsp; hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.&nbsp; The deputy was treated and released&nbsp; Police also found the woman victim from the original call and she was safe.&nbsp; Lawson is located approximately 35 miles north and east of Kansas City, Missouri.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are conducting an officer-involved shooting and a death investigation surrounding a domestic disturbance in Lawson, Missouri, according to a media release from he Missouri State Highway Patrol.Just after 7:30p.m. Sunday, police responded to report of a domestic disturbance at a home in the 200 Block of Montgomery Street in Lawson.Lawson Police requested assistance from the Ray County sheriff's office. An officer and sheriff's deputy arrived at the scene and were informed a man had been assaulting woman inside the residence. They also learned a child was inside the residence. The male suspect presented a firearm and fired at the officers, striking the Ray County deputy. Officers returned fire and retreated outside the home.&nbsp;Multiple law enforcement agencies from surrounding jurisdictions responded to assist, including the Clay County Sheriff's Office STAR team.&nbsp; With information that additional gunfire had been heard from inside the home and a child may be held hostage, the Clay County STAR team entered the residence just after 9p.m.&nbsp; Deputies found the man and a juvenile deceased.&nbsp;EMS transported the deputy to the&nbsp; hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.&nbsp; The deputy was treated and released&nbsp; Police also found the woman victim from the original call and she was safe.&nbsp; Lawson is located approximately 35 miles north and east of Kansas City, Missouri.

Child and man dead, deputy wounded after assault led to police shooting

SALINE COUNTY —Six vehicles slid off the road around Salina Monday morning due to wet conditions, according to a social media report from Trooper Ben Gardner.

"Hydroplaning happens fast—don’t join the “ditch crew.”

"Reduce your speed and drive safe out there."&nbsp; The KHP has not reported any injuries form the accidents.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731946004313.png" alt="Photo KHP" />
 <figcaption>Photo KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Six vehicles slid off the road around Salina Monday morning due to wet conditions, according to a social media report from Trooper Ben Gardner."Hydroplaning happens fast—don’t join the “ditch crew.”"Reduce your speed and drive safe out there."&nbsp; The KHP has not reported any injuries form the accidents.

KHP working numerous slide off accidents on the wet roads

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a weekend shooting have made an arrest.

Just after 2 a.m. Saturday, police&nbsp;responded to a reported shooting in the 400 block of SW Lincoln in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Edwrd Stanley.

First responders found an individual who had life-threatening injuries and they were transported to a local hospital.

Just after 5:30 p.m. Saturday, police took 21-year-old William E. A. Hill of Topeka into custody on requested charges of Aggravated Battery.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731882145533.png" alt="Hill photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Hill photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating a weekend shooting have made an arrest.Just after 2 a.m. Saturday, police&nbsp;responded to a reported shooting in the 400 block of SW Lincoln in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Edwrd Stanley.First responders found an individual who had life-threatening injuries and they were transported to a local hospital.Just after 5:30 p.m. Saturday, police took 21-year-old William E. A. Hill of Topeka into custody on requested charges of Aggravated Battery.

Kan. shooting sent victim to the hospital with critical injuries

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas is expected to take in about $72 million less in tax revenue next year than initial estimates projected, officials said.

The revised state revenue estimate announced Friday is the first since Gov. Laura Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/06/21/gov-kelly-signs-tax-reduction-bill-passed-with-bipartisan-majorities-in-special-session/">signed a major bipartisan tax cut bill</a>&nbsp;in June, which is expected to slash state taxes by $1.2 billion in the next two and a half years.

The new estimate contained updated projections for state general fund revenue for fiscal year 2025, which ends in June.&nbsp;

Officials estimated the state government will take in about $9.73 billion in revenue in fiscal year 2025, which is a 4%, or $400 million, decrease from 2024 total receipts. While tax revenues are expected to decrease in 2025, estimates for other revenue sources increased by more than $12 million.

The revised estimate is crafted through a consensus process with state officials and three consulting economists from state universities. Kelly and the Legislature will use the revised estimate to inform the annual budget process.&nbsp;

Officials also presented their first estimates for fiscal year 2026, which begins July 2025, and they predicted $9.85 billion in revenue, an increase from the revised fiscal year 2025 estimate.

In the spring, when officials last updated the state’s revenue estimates, the state’s revenue and economy were deemed “stable,” said Shirley Morrow, director of the Kansas Legislative Research Department, at a Friday press conference.&nbsp;

“That is relatively the same,” Morrow said.

However, some risks still exist, she said. Among them are persistent inflation, high interest rates, potential global geopolitical impacts on commodities, and price declines in the agricultural sector that began in 2023.

Over the past year, overall “farm financial conditions have deteriorated,” she said.

“We still have worries over drought conditions, which seem to have gotten a little worse over most of the state,” she said.

Following officials’ spring estimate, the number of open jobs and the number of available employees have moved closer together, and Kansas jobs have grown by 20,500, Morrow said. But job openings continue to outpace the number of unemployed individuals.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664035042806.png" alt="A new state revenue estimate shows the state collecting $72 million less than expected in the current fiscal year, and $400 million less than the previous year." />
 <figcaption>A new state revenue estimate shows the state collecting $72 million less than expected in the current fiscal year, and $400 million less than the previous year.</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas is expected to take in about $72 million less in tax revenue next year than initial estimates projected, officials said.The revised state revenue estimate announced Friday is the first since Gov. Laura Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/06/21/gov-kelly-signs-tax-reduction-bill-passed-with-bipartisan-majorities-in-special-session/">signed a major bipartisan tax cut bill</a>&nbsp;in June, which is expected to slash state taxes by $1.2 billion in the next two and a half years.The new estimate contained updated projections for state general fund revenue for fiscal year 2025, which ends in June.&nbsp;Officials estimated the state government will take in about $9.73 billion in revenue in fiscal year 2025, which is a 4%, or $400 million, decrease from 2024 total receipts. While tax revenues are expected to decrease in 2025, estimates for other revenue sources increased by more than $12 million.The revised estimate is crafted through a consensus process with state officials and three consulting economists from state universities. Kelly and the Legislature will use the revised estimate to inform the annual budget process.&nbsp;Officials also presented their first estimates for fiscal year 2026, which begins July 2025, and they predicted $9.85 billion in revenue, an increase from the revised fiscal year 2025 estimate.In the spring, when officials last updated the state’s revenue estimates, the state’s revenue and economy were deemed “stable,” said Shirley Morrow, director of the Kansas Legislative Research Department, at a Friday press conference.&nbsp;“That is relatively the same,” Morrow said.However, some risks still exist, she said. Among them are persistent inflation, high interest rates, potential global geopolitical impacts on commodities, and price declines in the agricultural sector that began in 2023.Over the past year, overall “farm financial conditions have deteriorated,” she said.“We still have worries over drought conditions, which seem to have gotten a little worse over most of the state,” she said.Following officials’ spring estimate, the number of open jobs and the number of available employees have moved closer together, and Kansas jobs have grown by 20,500, Morrow said. But job openings continue to outpace the number of unemployed individuals.

Kansas tax revenue projected to decline by $72M after tax cut bill

SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man convicted of child sex crimes involving a 14-year-0ld rescued from a closet in Wichita is scheduled for sentencing on Monday, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office..

In October, a jury found 37-year-old David Roark of Wichita guilty of kidnapping, child abuse, aggravated indecent liberties with a child, criminal sodomy and sexual exploitation of a child, according to the&nbsp; District Attorney's office.

Just after midnight Dec. 14, 2022, a detective with the White County, Arkansas Sheriff’s Office contacted Wichita Police requesting assistance locating a missing child from their jurisdiction, according to Wichita Police Officer Chad Ditch.

&nbsp; A 14-year-old girl had left her home in Arkansas in early November and not returned.&nbsp; A follow-up investigation by White County detectives revealed she had been&nbsp;seen in a convenience store&nbsp;with a man before leaving in a vehicle with the same man later identified as 35-year-old&nbsp;David E. Roark of Wichita. Police also learned Roark was wanted on two warrants from the state of Kentucky.

Additional information provided by White County suggested that Roark was possibly in the Wichita area.

The Wichita Police Exploited and Missing Child Unit and the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit began investigating and located an address in the 1800 block of N. Litchfield in Wichita, where they believed Roark was staying.

Police observed Roark leaving the home and took him into custody. Officers then found the missing girl in a closet inside the house. Police took both of them for additional interviews, where it was discovered further crimes had occurred in Wichita.

A search warrant for the residence was completed, and David Roark was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671221717558.png" alt="Roark photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Roark photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—A Kansas man convicted of child sex crimes involving a 14-year-0ld rescued from a closet in Wichita is scheduled for sentencing on Monday, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office..In October, a jury found 37-year-old David Roark of Wichita guilty of kidnapping, child abuse, aggravated indecent liberties with a child, criminal sodomy and sexual exploitation of a child, according to the&nbsp; District Attorney's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1671545735044.png" alt="Original charges -image Sedgwick Co. District Attorney" />
 <figcaption>Original charges -image Sedgwick Co. District Attorney</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after midnight Dec. 14, 2022, a detective with the White County, Arkansas Sheriff’s Office contacted Wichita Police requesting assistance locating a missing child from their jurisdiction, according to Wichita Police Officer Chad Ditch.&nbsp; A 14-year-old girl had left her home in Arkansas in early November and not returned.&nbsp; A follow-up investigation by White County detectives revealed she had been&nbsp;seen in a convenience store&nbsp;with a man before leaving in a vehicle with the same man later identified as 35-year-old&nbsp;David E. Roark of Wichita. Police also learned Roark was wanted on two warrants from the state of Kentucky.Additional information provided by White County suggested that Roark was possibly in the Wichita area.The Wichita Police Exploited and Missing Child Unit and the Internet Crimes Against Children Unit began investigating and located an address in the 1800 block of N. Litchfield in Wichita, where they believed Roark was staying.Police observed Roark leaving the home and took him into custody. Officers then found the missing girl in a closet inside the house. Police took both of them for additional interviews, where it was discovered further crimes had occurred in Wichita.A search warrant for the residence was completed, and David Roark was booked into the Sedgwick County Jail.&nbsp;

Sentencing day: 14-year-old rescued from Kan. man's closet

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating deadly shooting in a Kansas City area restaurant parking lot.

Just before 11p.m. Saturday, police responded to a shooting in the parking lot of Twin Peaks,&nbsp;19821 E Jackson Drive in Independence, according to a media release from police.

First responders found a man with a gunshot wound lying in the parking lot. EMS transported him to a local hospital where he were pronounced deceased. Police took a person of interest into custody at the scene.

Anyone with information on this case can call the Crimestoppers TIPS Hotline to leave a tip. The number is 816-474-8477.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731895216611.png" alt="First responders on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating deadly shooting in a Kansas City area restaurant parking lot.Just before 11p.m. Saturday, police responded to a shooting in the parking lot of Twin Peaks,&nbsp;19821 E Jackson Drive in Independence, according to a media release from police.First responders found a man with a gunshot wound lying in the parking lot. EMS transported him to a local hospital where he were pronounced deceased. Police took a person of interest into custody at the scene.Anyone with information on this case can call the Crimestoppers TIPS Hotline to leave a tip. The number is 816-474-8477.

Police: Fatal shooting in KC area restaurant parking lot

NEW YORK (AP) — An outbreak of E. coli has infected dozens of people who ate bagged organic carrots, and one person died from the infection.

Altogether, 39 people were infected and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/outbreaks/e-coli-O121.html">15 were hospitalized in 18 states</a>&nbsp;after eating organic whole and baby carrots sold by Grimmway Farms, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Sunday.

Grimmway Farms, based in Bakersfiled, California, has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/grimmway-farms-recalls-organic-whole-and-select-organic-baby-carrots-may-be-consumers-homes-due">recalled the carrots, which included whole and baby organic carrots</a>&nbsp;sold in bags under multiple brand names including 365, Cal-Organic, Nature's Promise, O-Organics, Trader Joe's and Wegmans, among others.

The carrots are no longer in stores, but the CDC is warning consumers to not eat recalled bag carrots and to check their refrigerators or freezers and throw away any carrots that fit the description. Most of the infected people live in New York, Minnesota and Washington, followed by California and Oregon, although infections have been reported in states throughout the country, according to the CDC.

There have been several E. coli outbreaks in recent months. In October, more than 100&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-e-coli-investment-franchises-837b91490d833ed17c2a852baacb267e">McDonald’s customers</a>&nbsp;were sickened by an E. coli outbreak in the U.S. linked to slivered onions.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/britain-uk-ecoli-outbreak-death-2caa8dc570df7130ffc2d4b7bfbab88e">In the U.K.,</a>&nbsp;one person died in an E. coli outbreak in June linked to lettuce that sickened at least 275 people.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/organic-walnuts-gibson-farms-e-coli-876a4506dda1872b298bcae5eab37519">Organic walnuts</a>&nbsp;sickened consumers in 19 states with E. coli infections in April.

Despite the number of recent outbreaks, experts say the food supply is generally safe, although there&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-boars-head-ecoli-listeria-food-safety-1256564e2ec8baf6a96b27c7102e833e">hasn't been much progress in curbing infections caused by E. coli</a>.

The recalled organic baby carrots have best-by dates ranging from Sept. 11 through Nov. 12, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Symptoms of E. coli infection usually start three to four days after eating the bacteria and include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, which is often bloody, and vomiting. People with severe symptoms of an E. coli infection should seek medical attention and tell the provider what they ate, the CDC said.

The bacteria E. coli can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, elderly people and those with weakened immune systems, according to the FDA.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731881073830.png" alt="CDC Image" />
 <figcaption>CDC Image</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — An outbreak of E. coli has infected dozens of people who ate bagged organic carrots, and one person died from the infection.Altogether, 39 people were infected and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/ecoli/outbreaks/e-coli-O121.html">15 were hospitalized in 18 states</a>&nbsp;after eating organic whole and baby carrots sold by Grimmway Farms, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Sunday.Grimmway Farms, based in Bakersfiled, California, has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fda.gov/safety/recalls-market-withdrawals-safety-alerts/grimmway-farms-recalls-organic-whole-and-select-organic-baby-carrots-may-be-consumers-homes-due">recalled the carrots, which included whole and baby organic carrots</a>&nbsp;sold in bags under multiple brand names including 365, Cal-Organic, Nature's Promise, O-Organics, Trader Joe's and Wegmans, among others.The carrots are no longer in stores, but the CDC is warning consumers to not eat recalled bag carrots and to check their refrigerators or freezers and throw away any carrots that fit the description. Most of the infected people live in New York, Minnesota and Washington, followed by California and Oregon, although infections have been reported in states throughout the country, according to the CDC.There have been several E. coli outbreaks in recent months. In October, more than 100&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-e-coli-investment-franchises-837b91490d833ed17c2a852baacb267e">McDonald’s customers</a>&nbsp;were sickened by an E. coli outbreak in the U.S. linked to slivered onions.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/britain-uk-ecoli-outbreak-death-2caa8dc570df7130ffc2d4b7bfbab88e">In the U.K.,</a>&nbsp;one person died in an E. coli outbreak in June linked to lettuce that sickened at least 275 people.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/organic-walnuts-gibson-farms-e-coli-876a4506dda1872b298bcae5eab37519">Organic walnuts</a>&nbsp;sickened consumers in 19 states with E. coli infections in April.Despite the number of recent outbreaks, experts say the food supply is generally safe, although there&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mcdonalds-boars-head-ecoli-listeria-food-safety-1256564e2ec8baf6a96b27c7102e833e">hasn't been much progress in curbing infections caused by E. coli</a>.The recalled organic baby carrots have best-by dates ranging from Sept. 11 through Nov. 12, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.Symptoms of E. coli infection usually start three to four days after eating the bacteria and include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, which is often bloody, and vomiting. People with severe symptoms of an E. coli infection should seek medical attention and tell the provider what they ate, the CDC said.The bacteria E. coli can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, elderly people and those with weakened immune systems, according to the FDA.

Dozens are sickened, 1 dead after eating carrots contaminated with E. coli

LOGAN COUNTY — School is not in session Monday in Oakley, according to USD 274. The district reported they had a small fire on Friday and the district wants to make sure everything is safe for students and staff. Extra-curricular activities will continue as scheduled.

An adjuster will be at the school on Monday and the school district hopes they we can return to normal on Tuesday.

USD 274 also thanked the fire department for "getting here quickly and the community members and staff that helped us navigate through this." The school district released no additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731930159345.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>LOGAN COUNTY — School is not in session Monday in Oakley, according to USD 274. The district reported they had a small fire on Friday and the district wants to make sure everything is safe for students and staff. Extra-curricular activities will continue as scheduled.An adjuster will be at the school on Monday and the school district hopes they we can return to normal on Tuesday.USD 274 also thanked the fire department for "getting here quickly and the community members and staff that helped us navigate through this." The school district released no additional details.

USD 274: No school Monday after weekend fire in Oakley

BROWN COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 8:30p.m. Sunday in Brown County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Kia Sorento driven by Richard E.&nbsp;Childress, 76, Hiawatha, was eastbound on U.S. 36 approaching Goldfinch Road&nbsp; four and one hald miles east of Fairview.

The SUV traveled off the the roadway to the north, traveled eastbound in the ditch, struck a highway sign, vaulted, rolled and the driver was ejected.

Childress was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Chapel Oaks Funeral Home. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.&nbsp;&nbsp;

BROWN COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 8:30p.m. Sunday in Brown County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Kia Sorento driven by Richard E.&nbsp;Childress, 76, Hiawatha, was eastbound on U.S. 36 approaching Goldfinch Road&nbsp; four and one hald miles east of Fairview.The SUV traveled off the the roadway to the north, traveled eastbound in the ditch, struck a highway sign, vaulted, rolled and the driver was ejected.Childress was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Chapel Oaks Funeral Home. He was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Kansas man dies after ejected in violent rollover crash

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The Kremlin warned Monday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ukraine-long-range-weapons-russia-52d424158182de2044ecc8bfcf011f9c">President Joe Biden’s decision</a>&nbsp;to let Ukraine strike targets inside Russia with U.S.-supplied longer-range missiles adds “fuel to the fire”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ukraine#">of the war</a>&nbsp;and would escalate international tensions even higher.

Biden’s shift in policy added an uncertain, new factor to the conflict on the eve of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-f7f56e494df1dbbcdec1853001796c45">1,000-day milestone</a>&nbsp;since Russia began its full-scale invasion in 2022.

It also came as a Russian ballistic missile with cluster munitions struck a residential area of Sumy in northern Ukraine, killing 11 people, including two children, and injuring 84 others. Another missile barrage sparked apartment fires in the southern port of Odesa, killing at least 10 people and injuring 43, including a child, Ukraine’s Interior Ministry said.

Washington is easing limits on what Ukraine can strike with its American-made&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/atacms-ukraine-longrange-missiles-5fd95f32449d14da22b82d57d6ccab22">Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMs</a>, U.S. officials told The Associated Press on Sunday, after months of ruling out such a move over fears of escalating the conflict and bringing about a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO.

The Kremlin was swift in its condemnation.

“It is obvious that the outgoing administration in Washington intends to take steps and they have been talking about this, to continue adding fuel to the fire and provoking further escalation of tensions around this conflict,” spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.

The scope of the new firing guidelines isn’t clear. But the change came after the U.S., South Korea and NATO said recently that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-north-korea-troops-c8cf9599591e50caf1c48a98b6841fe4">North Korean troops are in Russia</a>&nbsp;and apparently are being deployed to help Moscow drive Ukrainian troops out of Russia’s Kursk border region.

Russia also is slowly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kurakhove-donbas-drones-evacuation-offensive-afb121bfbb276f8bb3789960f7076331">pushing Ukraine’s outnumbered army backward</a>&nbsp;in the eastern Donetsk region. It has also conducted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-missile-attack-sumy-5cd4f9fe2cee1ae8aed67d63c22b0703">a devastating aerial campaign</a>&nbsp;against civilian areas in Ukraine.

Peskov referred journalists to a statement made by President Vladimir Putin in September in which he said allowing Ukraine to target Russia would significantly raise the stakes.

It would change “the very nature of the conflict dramatically,” Putin said at the time. “This will mean that NATO countries — the United States and European countries — are at war with Russia.”

Peskov claimed that Western countries supplying longer-range weapons also provide targeting services to Kyiv. “This fundamentally changes the modality of their involvement in the conflict,” he said.

Putin warned in June that Moscow&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-putin-ukraine-e192904652221b29efdc88d0af23114e">could provide longer-range weapons</a>&nbsp;to others to strike Western targets if NATO allowed Ukraine to use its allies' arms to attack Russian territory. He also reaffirmed Moscow’s readiness to use nuclear weapons if it sees a threat to its sovereignty.

President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office in about two months, has raised uncertainty about whether his administration would continue vital military support to Ukraine. He has also vowed to quickly end the war.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gave a muted response to the approval that he and his government have been requesting of Biden for more than a year.

“Today, much is being said in the media about us receiving permission for the relevant actions,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address Sunday.

“But strikes are not made with words. Such things are not announced. The missiles will speak for themselves,” he said.

The new policy's consequences on the battlefield are uncertain. ATACMS, which have a range of about 300 kilometers (190 miles), can reach targets far behind the about 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line in Ukraine, but they have relatively short range compared with other types of ballistic and cruise missiles.

The policy change came “too late to have a major strategic effect,” said Patrick Bury, a senior associate professor in security at the University of Bath in the United Kingdom.

“The ultimate kind of impact it will have is to probably slow down the tempo of the Russian offensives which are now happening,” he said.

Ukraine could target enemy troops concentrated in Kursk or logistics hubs or command headquarters, Bury added.

The cue for the policy change was the arrival in Russia of North Korean troops, according to Glib Voloskyi, an analyst at the CBA Initiatives Center, a Kyiv-based think tank.

“This is a signal the Biden administration is sending to North Korea and Russia, indicating that the decision to involve North Korean units has crossed a red line,” he told AP.

Russian lawmakers and state media bashed the West over what they called an escalatory step, and threatened a harsh response.

“Biden, apparently, decided to end his presidential term and go down in history as ‘Bloody Joe,’” senior lawmaker Leonid Slutsky told Russian state news agency RIA Novosti.

Vladimir Dzhabarov, deputy head of the foreign affairs committee in the upper house of Russian parliament, called it "a very big step toward the start of World War III” and an attempt to “reduce the degree of freedom for Trump.”

Russian newspapers offered similar predictions of doom. “The madmen who are drawing NATO into a direct conflict with our country may soon be in great pain,” Rossiyskaya Gazeta said.

Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna of Russian neighbor Estonia said easing restrictions on Ukraine was “a good thing.”

“We have been saying that from the beginning — that no restrictions must be put on the military support,” he said at a meeting of senior European Union diplomats in Brussels. “And we need to understand that situation is more serious (than) it was even maybe like a couple of months ago.”

Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said he’s not “opening the champagne” yet as it is unclear exactly what restrictions have been lifted and whether Ukraine has enough of the U.S. weapons to make a difference.

Lorne Cook in Brussels, Danica Kirka in London and Hanna Arhirova in Kyiv contributed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663760963726.jpeg" alt="File photo (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)" />
 <figcaption>File photo (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The Kremlin warned Monday that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-ukraine-long-range-weapons-russia-52d424158182de2044ecc8bfcf011f9c">President Joe Biden’s decision</a>&nbsp;to let Ukraine strike targets inside Russia with U.S.-supplied longer-range missiles adds “fuel to the fire”&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ukraine#">of the war</a>&nbsp;and would escalate international tensions even higher.Biden’s shift in policy added an uncertain, new factor to the conflict on the eve of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-f7f56e494df1dbbcdec1853001796c45">1,000-day milestone</a>&nbsp;since Russia began its full-scale invasion in 2022.It also came as a Russian ballistic missile with cluster munitions struck a residential area of Sumy in northern Ukraine, killing 11 people, including two children, and injuring 84 others. Another missile barrage sparked apartment fires in the southern port of Odesa, killing at least 10 people and injuring 43, including a child, Ukraine’s Interior Ministry said.Washington is easing limits on what Ukraine can strike with its American-made&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/atacms-ukraine-longrange-missiles-5fd95f32449d14da22b82d57d6ccab22">Army Tactical Missile System, or ATACMs</a>, U.S. officials told The Associated Press on Sunday, after months of ruling out such a move over fears of escalating the conflict and bringing about a direct confrontation between Russia and NATO.The Kremlin was swift in its condemnation.“It is obvious that the outgoing administration in Washington intends to take steps and they have been talking about this, to continue adding fuel to the fire and provoking further escalation of tensions around this conflict,” spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters.The scope of the new firing guidelines isn’t clear. But the change came after the U.S., South Korea and NATO said recently that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-north-korea-troops-c8cf9599591e50caf1c48a98b6841fe4">North Korean troops are in Russia</a>&nbsp;and apparently are being deployed to help Moscow drive Ukrainian troops out of Russia’s Kursk border region.Russia also is slowly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kurakhove-donbas-drones-evacuation-offensive-afb121bfbb276f8bb3789960f7076331">pushing Ukraine’s outnumbered army backward</a>&nbsp;in the eastern Donetsk region. It has also conducted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-missile-attack-sumy-5cd4f9fe2cee1ae8aed67d63c22b0703">a devastating aerial campaign</a>&nbsp;against civilian areas in Ukraine.Peskov referred journalists to a statement made by President Vladimir Putin in September in which he said allowing Ukraine to target Russia would significantly raise the stakes.It would change “the very nature of the conflict dramatically,” Putin said at the time. “This will mean that NATO countries — the United States and European countries — are at war with Russia.”Peskov claimed that Western countries supplying longer-range weapons also provide targeting services to Kyiv. “This fundamentally changes the modality of their involvement in the conflict,” he said.Putin warned in June that Moscow&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-putin-ukraine-e192904652221b29efdc88d0af23114e">could provide longer-range weapons</a>&nbsp;to others to strike Western targets if NATO allowed Ukraine to use its allies' arms to attack Russian territory. He also reaffirmed Moscow’s readiness to use nuclear weapons if it sees a threat to its sovereignty.President-elect Donald Trump, who takes office in about two months, has raised uncertainty about whether his administration would continue vital military support to Ukraine. He has also vowed to quickly end the war.Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy gave a muted response to the approval that he and his government have been requesting of Biden for more than a year.“Today, much is being said in the media about us receiving permission for the relevant actions,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address Sunday.“But strikes are not made with words. Such things are not announced. The missiles will speak for themselves,” he said.The new policy's consequences on the battlefield are uncertain. ATACMS, which have a range of about 300 kilometers (190 miles), can reach targets far behind the about 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line in Ukraine, but they have relatively short range compared with other types of ballistic and cruise missiles.The policy change came “too late to have a major strategic effect,” said Patrick Bury, a senior associate professor in security at the University of Bath in the United Kingdom.“The ultimate kind of impact it will have is to probably slow down the tempo of the Russian offensives which are now happening,” he said.Ukraine could target enemy troops concentrated in Kursk or logistics hubs or command headquarters, Bury added.The cue for the policy change was the arrival in Russia of North Korean troops, according to Glib Voloskyi, an analyst at the CBA Initiatives Center, a Kyiv-based think tank.“This is a signal the Biden administration is sending to North Korea and Russia, indicating that the decision to involve North Korean units has crossed a red line,” he told AP.Russian lawmakers and state media bashed the West over what they called an escalatory step, and threatened a harsh response.“Biden, apparently, decided to end his presidential term and go down in history as ‘Bloody Joe,’” senior lawmaker Leonid Slutsky told Russian state news agency RIA Novosti.Vladimir Dzhabarov, deputy head of the foreign affairs committee in the upper house of Russian parliament, called it "a very big step toward the start of World War III” and an attempt to “reduce the degree of freedom for Trump.”Russian newspapers offered similar predictions of doom. “The madmen who are drawing NATO into a direct conflict with our country may soon be in great pain,” Rossiyskaya Gazeta said.Some NATO allies welcomed the move.Foreign Minister Margus Tsahkna of Russian neighbor Estonia said easing restrictions on Ukraine was “a good thing.”“We have been saying that from the beginning — that no restrictions must be put on the military support,” he said at a meeting of senior European Union diplomats in Brussels. “And we need to understand that situation is more serious (than) it was even maybe like a couple of months ago.”Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius Landsbergis said he’s not “opening the champagne” yet as it is unclear exactly what restrictions have been lifted and whether Ukraine has enough of the U.S. weapons to make a difference.___Lorne Cook in Brussels, Danica Kirka in London and Hanna Arhirova in Kyiv contributed.

Moscow warns US over allowing Ukraine to use long-range weapons on Russia

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A California man was sentenced to 240 months in prison after soliciting and receiving child pornography.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/11/1731440111988.png" alt="Escobar photo Wyandotte County" />
 <figcaption>Escobar photo Wyandotte County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A California man was sentenced to 240 months in prison after soliciting and receiving child pornography.According to court documents, Timothy Vigil, 38, of Lemore, California pleaded guilty to one count of receipt of child pornography, according to the United State's Attorney.In 2023, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) arrested Jordan Escobar, 18, of Kansas City, Kansas. Escobar admitted to recording child sexual abuse material then distributing it on an online platform.&nbsp; After reviewing Escobar’s electronic devices and a subsequent investigation, agents identified Timothy Vigil as the owner of an account to which Escobar sent the images. Vigil direct messaged Escobar specifically requesting materials containing child pornography.Between December 2023 and January 2024, Vigil also distributed 29 MEGA links to other platform users that contained child sexual abuse material, including more than 3,000 videos.Escobar pleaded guilty to one count of distribution of child pornography and is awaiting sentencing. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) investigated the case.