DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a driver involved in a wrong-way crash alleged DUI.

Early Tuesday, deputies arrested a 22-year-old woman on requested charges of driving under the influence after a crash occurred while driving the wrong way on the eastbound ramp from 23rd Street to Kansas Highway 10, according to the Douglas County Sheriff's office.

Fortunately there were no injuries when her vehicle struck the barrier.&nbsp; &nbsp;The sheriff's office did not release the name of the driver.

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a driver involved in a wrong-way crash alleged DUI.Early Tuesday, deputies arrested a 22-year-old woman on requested charges of driving under the influence after a crash occurred while driving the wrong way on the eastbound ramp from 23rd Street to Kansas Highway 10, according to the Douglas County Sheriff's office.Fortunately there were no injuries when her vehicle struck the barrier.&nbsp; &nbsp;The sheriff's office did not release the name of the driver.

Kan. woman accused of DUI after wrong-way crash

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Missouri voters will decide in November whether to guarantee a right to abortion with a constitutional amendment that would reverse the state’s near-total ban on the procedure.

The secretary of state’s office certified Tuesday that an initiative petition received more than enough signatures from registered voters to qualify for the general election. It will need approval from a majority of voters to become enshrined in the state constitution.

Missouri will join&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ban-ballot-measures-states-2024-84c6fa8c778c1aea2b40071057a69aa8">at least a half-dozen states</a>&nbsp;voting on abortion rights during the presidential election.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-abortion-ballot-petitions-ff88d989019a1e4bf10fabd5d7acc801">Arizona’s secretary of state certified</a>&nbsp;an abortion-rights measure for the ballot on Monday. Measures also will go before voters in Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Nevada and South Dakota. While not explicitly addressing abortion rights, a New York ballot measure would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-politics-womens-rights-new-york-5ae2968ab80098246978af10765ed9ae">bar discrimination</a>&nbsp;based on “pregnancy outcomes” and “reproductive healthcare,” among other things.

Initiative supporters had expressed confidence the measure will make the ballot after submitting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-constitution-amendment-ballot-voter-d6c3098ca082772954b36e03287f5b10">more than double the necessary number</a>&nbsp;of signatures.

Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft said there also were sufficient signatures to hold November elections on initiatives raising the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour and legalizing sports betting.

The U.S. Supreme Court overturned a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">nationwide right to abortion</a>&nbsp;in 2022, sparking a state-by-state battle in legislatures and a new push to let voters decide the issue. Since the ruling, most Republican-controlled states have new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/abortion">abortion restrictions</a>&nbsp;in effect while most Democratic-led states have measures protecting abortion access.

Abortion rights supporters have prevailed in all seven states that already have decided ballot measures since 2022: California, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Montana, Ohio and Vermont.

The high court’s decision overturning its Roe v. Wade precedent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-missouri-government-and-politics-7bb5798bae32c3f15abad3a10941dfb5">triggered a 2019 Missouri law</a>&nbsp;to take effect prohibiting abortion “except in cases of medical emergency.” That law makes it a felony punishable by 5 to 15 years in prison to perform or induce an abortion, though a woman undergoing an abortion cannot be prosecuted.

Since then, almost no abortions have occurred in Missouri. But that doesn’t mean Missouri residents aren’t having abortions. They can still travel to out-of-state abortion clinics, including ones just across the border in Illinois and Kansas.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://moconstitutionalfreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Missourians-for-Constitutional-Freedom-Amendment.pdf">Missouri ballot measure</a>&nbsp;would create a right to abortion until a fetus could likely survive outside the womb without extraordinary medical measures. Fetal viability generally has been considered to be around 23 or 24 weeks into pregnancy but has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-technology-science-health-birmingham-7fc806f3c06aeae94c5d6ed1b06a6461">shifted downward</a>&nbsp;with medical advances. The ballot measure would allow abortions after fetal viability if a health care professional determines it’s necessary to protect the life or physical or mental health of the pregnant woman.

The number of states considering abortion ballot measures could grow. Officials in Montana and Nebraska have yet to determine whether proposed abortion-rights initiatives qualified for a November vote. Nebraska officials also are evaluating a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-abortion-ballot-petitions-83cb053919be342d7bbb60217129fe49">competing constitutional amendment</a>&nbsp;that would enshrine the state’s current ban on most abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714753237039.png" alt="photo Missourians for constitutional freedom" />
 <figcaption>photo Missourians for constitutional freedom</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Missouri voters will decide in November whether to guarantee a right to abortion with a constitutional amendment that would reverse the state’s near-total ban on the procedure.The secretary of state’s office certified Tuesday that an initiative petition received more than enough signatures from registered voters to qualify for the general election. It will need approval from a majority of voters to become enshrined in the state constitution.Missouri will join&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-ban-ballot-measures-states-2024-84c6fa8c778c1aea2b40071057a69aa8">at least a half-dozen states</a>&nbsp;voting on abortion rights during the presidential election.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-abortion-ballot-petitions-ff88d989019a1e4bf10fabd5d7acc801">Arizona’s secretary of state certified</a>&nbsp;an abortion-rights measure for the ballot on Monday. Measures also will go before voters in Colorado, Florida, Maryland, Nevada and South Dakota. While not explicitly addressing abortion rights, a New York ballot measure would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-politics-womens-rights-new-york-5ae2968ab80098246978af10765ed9ae">bar discrimination</a>&nbsp;based on “pregnancy outcomes” and “reproductive healthcare,” among other things.Initiative supporters had expressed confidence the measure will make the ballot after submitting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-constitution-amendment-ballot-voter-d6c3098ca082772954b36e03287f5b10">more than double the necessary number</a>&nbsp;of signatures.Missouri Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft said there also were sufficient signatures to hold November elections on initiatives raising the state’s minimum wage to $15 an hour and legalizing sports betting.The U.S. Supreme Court overturned a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">nationwide right to abortion</a>&nbsp;in 2022, sparking a state-by-state battle in legislatures and a new push to let voters decide the issue. Since the ruling, most Republican-controlled states have new&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/abortion">abortion restrictions</a>&nbsp;in effect while most Democratic-led states have measures protecting abortion access.Abortion rights supporters have prevailed in all seven states that already have decided ballot measures since 2022: California, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Montana, Ohio and Vermont.The high court’s decision overturning its Roe v. Wade precedent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-missouri-government-and-politics-7bb5798bae32c3f15abad3a10941dfb5">triggered a 2019 Missouri law</a>&nbsp;to take effect prohibiting abortion “except in cases of medical emergency.” That law makes it a felony punishable by 5 to 15 years in prison to perform or induce an abortion, though a woman undergoing an abortion cannot be prosecuted.Since then, almost no abortions have occurred in Missouri. But that doesn’t mean Missouri residents aren’t having abortions. They can still travel to out-of-state abortion clinics, including ones just across the border in Illinois and Kansas.The&nbsp;<a href="https://moconstitutionalfreedom.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Missourians-for-Constitutional-Freedom-Amendment.pdf">Missouri ballot measure</a>&nbsp;would create a right to abortion until a fetus could likely survive outside the womb without extraordinary medical measures. Fetal viability generally has been considered to be around 23 or 24 weeks into pregnancy but has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-technology-science-health-birmingham-7fc806f3c06aeae94c5d6ed1b06a6461">shifted downward</a>&nbsp;with medical advances. The ballot measure would allow abortions after fetal viability if a health care professional determines it’s necessary to protect the life or physical or mental health of the pregnant woman.The number of states considering abortion ballot measures could grow. Officials in Montana and Nebraska have yet to determine whether proposed abortion-rights initiatives qualified for a November vote. Nebraska officials also are evaluating a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-abortion-ballot-petitions-83cb053919be342d7bbb60217129fe49">competing constitutional amendment</a>&nbsp;that would enshrine the state’s current ban on most abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Missouri voters will decide whether to legalize abortion in November

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Fire investigators are investigating an arson fire in Topeka.

Just after 11p.m. August 10,&nbsp;&nbsp;crews responded to a reported house fire at 1245 SW Randolph Avenue in Topeka, according to a media release. 

Crews found smoke and flames coming from the porch of a two-story house, and were able to extinguish it.&nbsp; where it originated. No occupants were found at the time of the incident.

Investigators determined the cause of the fire was was intentionally set.&nbsp;

Estimated loss associated with the fire is approximately $30,000 with around $20,000 in structural damage and around $10,000 in content loss. Working smoke detectors were not located in the house. The incident remains under investigation.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723567362915.png" alt="photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Fire investigators are investigating an arson fire in Topeka.Just after 11p.m. August 10,&nbsp;&nbsp;crews responded to a reported house fire at 1245 SW Randolph Avenue in Topeka, according to a media release. Crews found smoke and flames coming from the porch of a two-story house, and were able to extinguish it.&nbsp; where it originated. No occupants were found at the time of the incident.Investigators determined the cause of the fire was was intentionally set.&nbsp;Estimated loss associated with the fire is approximately $30,000 with around $20,000 in structural damage and around $10,000 in content loss. Working smoke detectors were not located in the house. The incident remains under investigation.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest.

Investigators: Kansas house fire intentionally set

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A former Kansas police chief who led a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marion-kansas-newspaper-raid-aca057365ea3925328a69acd615c9893">raid last year on a weekly newspaper</a>&nbsp;has been charged with felony obstruction of justice and is accused of persuading a potential witness to withhold information from authorities when they later investigated his conduct.

The single charge against former Marion Police Chief Gideon Cody alleges that he knowingly or intentionally influenced the witness to withhold information on the day of the raid of the Marion County Record and the home of its publisher or sometime within the following six days. The charge was filed Monday in state district court in Marion County and is not more specific about Cody's alleged conduct.

The raid sparked a national debate about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marion-county-record-kansas-newspaper-raid-f1e49c4e542ddb3cf19c9ca02a0a21fb">press freedom</a>&nbsp;focused on Marion, a town of about 1,900 people set among rolling prairie hills about 150 miles (241 kilometers) southwest of Kansas City, Missouri. Also, newspaper Publisher Eric Meyer's mother, who co-owned the newspaper and lived with him, died the next day of a heart attack, and he blames the stress of the raid.

Meyer said last week that authorities appear to be making Cody the “fall guy” for the raid when numerous officials were involved. He said Tuesday that he suspects the criminal case ultimately will be resolved through a plea bargain so that Cody will not have a trial that would more fully disclose details about the raid.

“We're just being basic journalists here,” he said. “We want the whole story. We don't want part of it.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-newspaper-raid-criminal-charge-289ad3ae0204fe2278c4057bcf6364c7">A report from two special prosecutors</a>&nbsp;last week referenced text messages between Cody and a local business owner after the raid. The business owner has said that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-newspaper-raid-police-chief-resigns-e4ddf5a06defbb702bc23650827e53fd">Cody asked her to delete text messages</a>&nbsp;between them, fearing people could get the wrong idea about their relationship, which she said was professional and platonic.

The Associated Press left a message seeking comment at a possible cellphone number for Cody, and it was not immediately returned Tuesday. Attorneys representing Cody in a federal lawsuit over the raid are not representing him in the criminal case and did not immediately know who was representing him.

Cody justified the Aug. 11, 2023, raid by saying he had evidence that Meyer, the newspaper and one of its reporters, Phyllis Zorn, had committed identity theft or other computer crimes in verifying the authenticity of a copy of the business owner's state driving record provided to the newspaper by an acquaintance. The business owner was seeking Marion City Council approval for a liquor license and the record showed that she potentially had driven without a valid license for years. However, she later had her license reinstated.

The prosecutors' report concluded that no crime was committed by Meyer, Zorn, or the newspaper and that Cody reached an erroneous conclusion about their conduct because of a poor investigation. Zorn used the information she had to legally search an online state database using her own name.

The prosecutors also said police search warrants signed by a judge contained inaccurate information because of the “inadequate investigation” and were not legally justified. But the prosecutors said they couldn't show that Cody had intentionally misled the judge.

The obstruction of justice charge against Cody was filed by one of the special prosecutors, Barry Wilkerson, the top prosecutor in Riley County in northeastern Kansas. The other special prosecutor is Marc Bennett, the district attorney in Sedgwick County, the home to the state's largest city of Wichita.

A conviction for a first-time offender can be punished by up to nine months in prison, though under the state's sentencing guidelines, the typical penalty is 18 months or less of probation.

The Record's publishing company and current and former staffers have filed four federal lawsuits against Cody and other former and current local officials. The publishing company's lawsuit includes a wrongful death claim and suggests&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-newspaper-raid-federal-lawsuit-f19966b3b1a2f2f4f116000c67313d8f">total damages exceed $10 million.</a>&nbsp;The city's current annual budget is about $9.5 million.

The publishing company also filed an open records lawsuit last month in state district court, seeking to force the city to turn over texts between police and other local officials.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-newspaper-mother-raid-video-4427af3241da82767deb76028836cffd">Police body-camera footage</a>&nbsp;of the 2023 raid on the publisher's home shows the publisher's 98-year-old mother, Joan Meyer, visibly upset and telling officers, “Get out of my house!”

The prosecutors said they could not charge Cody or other officers involved in the raid over her death because there was no evidence they believed the raid posed a risk to her life.

The prosecutors also said there was no “gross deviation” from how officers served other search warrants in the past. However, Eric Meyer said seven officers came to the house for the search.

“A couple of weeks earlier, they conducted a raid on the home of a suspected child rapist who was known to have guns in his house, and they only sent two cops for that,” he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692219843330.png" alt="Photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A former Kansas police chief who led a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marion-kansas-newspaper-raid-aca057365ea3925328a69acd615c9893">raid last year on a weekly newspaper</a>&nbsp;has been charged with felony obstruction of justice and is accused of persuading a potential witness to withhold information from authorities when they later investigated his conduct.The single charge against former Marion Police Chief Gideon Cody alleges that he knowingly or intentionally influenced the witness to withhold information on the day of the raid of the Marion County Record and the home of its publisher or sometime within the following six days. The charge was filed Monday in state district court in Marion County and is not more specific about Cody's alleged conduct.The raid sparked a national debate about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/marion-county-record-kansas-newspaper-raid-f1e49c4e542ddb3cf19c9ca02a0a21fb">press freedom</a>&nbsp;focused on Marion, a town of about 1,900 people set among rolling prairie hills about 150 miles (241 kilometers) southwest of Kansas City, Missouri. Also, newspaper Publisher Eric Meyer's mother, who co-owned the newspaper and lived with him, died the next day of a heart attack, and he blames the stress of the raid.Meyer said last week that authorities appear to be making Cody the “fall guy” for the raid when numerous officials were involved. He said Tuesday that he suspects the criminal case ultimately will be resolved through a plea bargain so that Cody will not have a trial that would more fully disclose details about the raid.“We're just being basic journalists here,” he said. “We want the whole story. We don't want part of it.”<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-newspaper-raid-criminal-charge-289ad3ae0204fe2278c4057bcf6364c7">A report from two special prosecutors</a>&nbsp;last week referenced text messages between Cody and a local business owner after the raid. The business owner has said that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-newspaper-raid-police-chief-resigns-e4ddf5a06defbb702bc23650827e53fd">Cody asked her to delete text messages</a>&nbsp;between them, fearing people could get the wrong idea about their relationship, which she said was professional and platonic.The Associated Press left a message seeking comment at a possible cellphone number for Cody, and it was not immediately returned Tuesday. Attorneys representing Cody in a federal lawsuit over the raid are not representing him in the criminal case and did not immediately know who was representing him.Cody justified the Aug. 11, 2023, raid by saying he had evidence that Meyer, the newspaper and one of its reporters, Phyllis Zorn, had committed identity theft or other computer crimes in verifying the authenticity of a copy of the business owner's state driving record provided to the newspaper by an acquaintance. The business owner was seeking Marion City Council approval for a liquor license and the record showed that she potentially had driven without a valid license for years. However, she later had her license reinstated.The prosecutors' report concluded that no crime was committed by Meyer, Zorn, or the newspaper and that Cody reached an erroneous conclusion about their conduct because of a poor investigation. Zorn used the information she had to legally search an online state database using her own name.The prosecutors also said police search warrants signed by a judge contained inaccurate information because of the “inadequate investigation” and were not legally justified. But the prosecutors said they couldn't show that Cody had intentionally misled the judge.The obstruction of justice charge against Cody was filed by one of the special prosecutors, Barry Wilkerson, the top prosecutor in Riley County in northeastern Kansas. The other special prosecutor is Marc Bennett, the district attorney in Sedgwick County, the home to the state's largest city of Wichita.A conviction for a first-time offender can be punished by up to nine months in prison, though under the state's sentencing guidelines, the typical penalty is 18 months or less of probation.The Record's publishing company and current and former staffers have filed four federal lawsuits against Cody and other former and current local officials. The publishing company's lawsuit includes a wrongful death claim and suggests&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-newspaper-raid-federal-lawsuit-f19966b3b1a2f2f4f116000c67313d8f">total damages exceed $10 million.</a>&nbsp;The city's current annual budget is about $9.5 million.The publishing company also filed an open records lawsuit last month in state district court, seeking to force the city to turn over texts between police and other local officials.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-newspaper-mother-raid-video-4427af3241da82767deb76028836cffd">Police body-camera footage</a>&nbsp;of the 2023 raid on the publisher's home shows the publisher's 98-year-old mother, Joan Meyer, visibly upset and telling officers, “Get out of my house!”The prosecutors said they could not charge Cody or other officers involved in the raid over her death because there was no evidence they believed the raid posed a risk to her life.The prosecutors also said there was no “gross deviation” from how officers served other search warrants in the past. However, Eric Meyer said seven officers came to the house for the search.“A couple of weeks earlier, they conducted a raid on the home of a suspected child rapist who was known to have guns in his house, and they only sent two cops for that,” he said.

Ex-Kan. police chief who led a raid on a newspaper charged with obstruction

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man and woman now have been charged in connection with a knife assault on Aug. 5, 2024, on a KCATA public bus as it ran its route with multiple passengers, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Shaunte L. Washington faces Assault in the 1st Degree and Mohummah S. Baker faces Assault in the 1st Degree.

According to court records, Washington boarded a KCATA bus and began wielding a knife and making threatening stabbing motions toward another female passenger. The victim confronted Washington and&nbsp; Baker t struck the victim several times with a fist. Washington then began stabbing the victim. One stab wound severed an artery.&nbsp;

Prosecutors asked for $75,000/10 percent bonds for each defendant..

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723558799265.png" alt="Washington-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Washington-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man and woman now have been charged in connection with a knife assault on Aug. 5, 2024, on a KCATA public bus as it ran its route with multiple passengers, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Shaunte L. Washington faces Assault in the 1st Degree and Mohummah S. Baker faces Assault in the 1st Degree.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723558924081.png" alt="Baker photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Baker photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>According to court records, Washington boarded a KCATA bus and began wielding a knife and making threatening stabbing motions toward another female passenger. The victim confronted Washington and&nbsp; Baker t struck the victim several times with a fist. Washington then began stabbing the victim. One stab wound severed an artery.&nbsp;Prosecutors asked for $75,000/10 percent bonds for each defendant..

2 charged for knife attack on Kansas City bus 

NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump recounted his assassination attempt in vivid detail, promised the largest deportation in U.S. history and shared a plan to shut down the U.S. Education Department during a high-profile return to the social media platform formerly known as Twitter — a conversation that was plagued by technical glitches.

“If I had not turned my head, I would not be talking to you right now — as much as I like you," Trump told X’s owner Elon Musk.

Musk, a former Trump critic, said the Republican nominee's toughness, as demonstrated by his reaction to last month's shooting, was critical for national security.

“There’s some real tough characters out there," Musk said. "And if they don’t think the American president is tough, they will do what they want to do.”

The rare public conversation between Trump and Musk, which spanned more than two hours and was overwhelmingly friendly, revealed little new about Trump’s plans for a second term. The former president spent much of the discussion focused on his recent assassination attempt, illegal immigration and his plans to cut government regulations.

Still, the online meeting underscored just how much the U.S. political landscape has changed less than four years after Trump was permanently banned by the social media platform’s former leadership for spreading disinformation that sparked the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on Congress and undermined the very foundation of the American democracy.

Such disinformation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-twitter-trump-misinformation-election-lies-5137a88a58eaaca0e45ba043db911d15">has thrived at X</a>&nbsp;under Musk’s leadership, although it was largely ignored during his conversation with Trump save for a passing Trump reference to a “rigged election.”

The session was intended to serve as a way for the former president to reach potentially millions of voters directly. It was also an opportunity for X, a platform that relies heavily on politics, to redeem itself after some struggles.

With more than 878,000 users connected to the meeting more than 40 minutes after the scheduled start time, the interview had not yet begun. Many users received a message reading, “Details not available."

Trump's team posted that the “interview on X is being overwhelmed with listeners logging in.” And once the meeting began, Musk apologized for the late start and blamed a “massive attack” that overwhelmed the company's system. Trump’s voice sounded muffled at times.

“Not available????? I planned my whole day around this,” wrote conservative commentator Glenn Beck.

“Please let Elon know we can’t join,” billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman posted.

Ahead of the event, Musk posted on the platform that X was conducting “some system scaling tests” to handle what was anticipated to be a high volume of participants.

The rocky start was reminiscent of a May 2023 social media conversation between Musk and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. The Republican governor was using the social media platform as a way to officially announce his presidential bid,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/twitter-spaces-musk-desantis-presidential-f1d67097d0ec19616bd0b0d320cb27d1">a disastrous rollout</a>&nbsp;marred by technical glitches, overloaded by the more than 400,000 people who tried to dial in.

Trump's Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, noted that Trump mocked DeSantis at the time.

“Wow! The DeSanctus TWITTER launch is a DISASTER! His whole campaign will be a disaster. WATCH!” Trump wrote in a message reposted by Harris' campaign Monday.

Once the interview ended, Harris’ campaign responded with a statement saying, “Trump’s entire campaign is in service of people like Elon Musk and himself — self-obsessed rich guys who will sell out the middle class and who cannot run a livestream in the year 2024.”

Monday’s meeting highlighted the evolving personal relationship between Trump and Musk, two of the world’s most powerful men, who have shifted from being bitter rivals to unlikely allies over the span of one election season.

Musk, who described himself as a “moderate Democrat” until recently, suggested in 2022 that Trump was too old to be president again. Still, Musk&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1812256998588662068">formally endorsed</a>&nbsp;Trump two days after his assassination attempt last month.

During their talk, Trump welcomed the idea of Musk joining his next administration to help cut government waste. Musk volunteered to join a prospective “government efficiency commission.”

“You’re the greatest cutter,” Trump told Musk. “I need an Elon Musk — I need somebody that has a lot of strength and courage and smarts. I want to close up the Department of Education, move education back to the states.”

Even before his endorsement, the tech CEO had already been working privately to support a pro-Trump super PAC. The group, known as America PAC, is now under investigation by election officials for alleged misleading attempts to collect data from voters.

Meanwhile, Trump has softened his criticism of electric vehicles, citing Musk’s leadership of Tesla. And on Monday, at least, Trump returned to Musk’s social media platform in force. The former president made at least eight individual posts in the hours leading up to the Musk interview.

Long before he endorsed Trump, Musk turned increasingly toward the right in his posts and actions on the platform, also using X to try to sway political discourse around the world. He's gotten in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brazil-musk-x-twitter-moraes-bef06c0dbbb8ed87495b1afbb0edf211">dustup with a Brazilian judge</a>&nbsp;over censorship, railed against what he calls the “woke mind virus” and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-misinformation-immigrants-parole-biden-trump-musk-dbd634820b3f8d07b859b8a05b2b20a7">amplified false claims</a>&nbsp;that Democrats are secretly flying in migrants to vote in U.S. elections.

Musk has also reinstated previously banned accounts such as the conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and Trump, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-donald-trump-media-michael-flynn-social-media-f41b11060d7703e3a3136ddb5eefa055">kicked off the platform</a>&nbsp;— then known as Twitter — two days after the Jan. 6 violence, with the company citing “the risk of further incitement of violence.” By November 2022, Musk had bought the company, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-biden-twitter-inc-technology-congress-d88e3de4b3cc095926dc133f53dc3320">Trump’s account was reinstated</a>, although the former president refrained from tweeting until Monday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-media-social-donald-trump-2bc528a6c43fc943c08819f2376bb24a">insisting that he was happier</a>&nbsp;on his own Truth Social site, which he launched during the ban.

Trump's audience on X is legions larger than on Truth Social, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/truth-social-donald-trump-djt-ipo-digital-world-7437d5dcc491a1459a078195ae547987">became a publicly traded company</a>&nbsp;earlier this year. Trump has just over 7.5 million followers on Truth Social, while his mostly dormant X account is followed by 88 million. Musk's account, which hosted the interview, has more than 193 million followers.

In a reminder that the world was watching, the chat prompted a preemptive note of caution from Europe.

Thierry Breton, a French business executive and commissioner for internal market of the European Union, warned Musk of possible “amplification of harmful content” by broadcasting his interview with Trump. In a letter posted on X, Breton urged Musk to “ensure X’s compliance” with EU law, including the Digital Services Act, adopted in 2022 to address a number of issues including disinformation.

Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung urged the EU to “mind their own business instead of trying to meddle in the U.S. Presidential election.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723512136730.png" alt="Photo by Deputy Director of Communications, Donald J. Trump for President&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Deputy Director of Communications, Donald J. Trump for President&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Donald Trump recounted his assassination attempt in vivid detail, promised the largest deportation in U.S. history and shared a plan to shut down the U.S. Education Department during a high-profile return to the social media platform formerly known as Twitter — a conversation that was plagued by technical glitches.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/cPUMFx9Qu5">pic.twitter.com/cPUMFx9Qu5</a>&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1823254086126608862?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“If I had not turned my head, I would not be talking to you right now — as much as I like you," Trump told X’s owner Elon Musk.Musk, a former Trump critic, said the Republican nominee's toughness, as demonstrated by his reaction to last month's shooting, was critical for national security.“There’s some real tough characters out there," Musk said. "And if they don’t think the American president is tough, they will do what they want to do.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Combined views of the conversation with <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> and subsequent discussion by other accounts now ~1 billion <a href="https://t.co/s8x8QmdmnY">https://t.co/s8x8QmdmnY</a>&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1823249070296797515?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The rare public conversation between Trump and Musk, which spanned more than two hours and was overwhelmingly friendly, revealed little new about Trump’s plans for a second term. The former president spent much of the discussion focused on his recent assassination attempt, illegal immigration and his plans to cut government regulations.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723514711398.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Still, the online meeting underscored just how much the U.S. political landscape has changed less than four years after Trump was permanently banned by the social media platform’s former leadership for spreading disinformation that sparked the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on Congress and undermined the very foundation of the American democracy.Such disinformation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-twitter-trump-misinformation-election-lies-5137a88a58eaaca0e45ba043db911d15">has thrived at X</a>&nbsp;under Musk’s leadership, although it was largely ignored during his conversation with Trump save for a passing Trump reference to a “rigged election.”The session was intended to serve as a way for the former president to reach potentially millions of voters directly. It was also an opportunity for X, a platform that relies heavily on politics, to redeem itself after some struggles.It did not begin as planned.With more than 878,000 users connected to the meeting more than 40 minutes after the scheduled start time, the interview had not yet begun. Many users received a message reading, “Details not available."Trump's team posted that the “interview on X is being overwhelmed with listeners logging in.” And once the meeting began, Musk apologized for the late start and blamed a “massive attack” that overwhelmed the company's system. Trump’s voice sounded muffled at times.Trump supporters were openly frustrated.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723546138094.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“Not available????? I planned my whole day around this,” wrote conservative commentator Glenn Beck.“Please let Elon know we can’t join,” billionaire hedge fund manager Bill Ackman posted.Ahead of the event, Musk posted on the platform that X was conducting “some system scaling tests” to handle what was anticipated to be a high volume of participants.The rocky start was reminiscent of a May 2023 social media conversation between Musk and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. The Republican governor was using the social media platform as a way to officially announce his presidential bid,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/twitter-spaces-musk-desantis-presidential-f1d67097d0ec19616bd0b0d320cb27d1">a disastrous rollout</a>&nbsp;marred by technical glitches, overloaded by the more than 400,000 people who tried to dial in.Trump's Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, noted that Trump mocked DeSantis at the time.“Wow! The DeSanctus TWITTER launch is a DISASTER! His whole campaign will be a disaster. WATCH!” Trump wrote in a message reposted by Harris' campaign Monday.Once the interview ended, Harris’ campaign responded with a statement saying, “Trump’s entire campaign is in service of people like Elon Musk and himself — self-obsessed rich guys who will sell out the middle class and who cannot run a livestream in the year 2024.”Monday’s meeting highlighted the evolving personal relationship between Trump and Musk, two of the world’s most powerful men, who have shifted from being bitter rivals to unlikely allies over the span of one election season.Musk, who described himself as a “moderate Democrat” until recently, suggested in 2022 that Trump was too old to be president again. Still, Musk&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1812256998588662068">formally endorsed</a>&nbsp;Trump two days after his assassination attempt last month.During their talk, Trump welcomed the idea of Musk joining his next administration to help cut government waste. Musk volunteered to join a prospective “government efficiency commission.”“You’re the greatest cutter,” Trump told Musk. “I need an Elon Musk — I need somebody that has a lot of strength and courage and smarts. I want to close up the Department of Education, move education back to the states.”Even before his endorsement, the tech CEO had already been working privately to support a pro-Trump super PAC. The group, known as America PAC, is now under investigation by election officials for alleged misleading attempts to collect data from voters.Meanwhile, Trump has softened his criticism of electric vehicles, citing Musk’s leadership of Tesla. And on Monday, at least, Trump returned to Musk’s social media platform in force. The former president made at least eight individual posts in the hours leading up to the Musk interview.Long before he endorsed Trump, Musk turned increasingly toward the right in his posts and actions on the platform, also using X to try to sway political discourse around the world. He's gotten in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/brazil-musk-x-twitter-moraes-bef06c0dbbb8ed87495b1afbb0edf211">dustup with a Brazilian judge</a>&nbsp;over censorship, railed against what he calls the “woke mind virus” and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-misinformation-immigrants-parole-biden-trump-musk-dbd634820b3f8d07b859b8a05b2b20a7">amplified false claims</a>&nbsp;that Democrats are secretly flying in migrants to vote in U.S. elections.Musk has also reinstated previously banned accounts such as the conspiracy theorist Alex Jones and Trump, who was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-donald-trump-media-michael-flynn-social-media-f41b11060d7703e3a3136ddb5eefa055">kicked off the platform</a>&nbsp;— then known as Twitter — two days after the Jan. 6 violence, with the company citing “the risk of further incitement of violence.” By November 2022, Musk had bought the company, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/elon-musk-biden-twitter-inc-technology-congress-d88e3de4b3cc095926dc133f53dc3320">Trump’s account was reinstated</a>, although the former president refrained from tweeting until Monday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/technology-business-media-social-donald-trump-2bc528a6c43fc943c08819f2376bb24a">insisting that he was happier</a>&nbsp;on his own Truth Social site, which he launched during the ban.Trump's audience on X is legions larger than on Truth Social, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/truth-social-donald-trump-djt-ipo-digital-world-7437d5dcc491a1459a078195ae547987">became a publicly traded company</a>&nbsp;earlier this year. Trump has just over 7.5 million followers on Truth Social, while his mostly dormant X account is followed by 88 million. Musk's account, which hosted the interview, has more than 193 million followers.In a reminder that the world was watching, the chat prompted a preemptive note of caution from Europe.Thierry Breton, a French business executive and commissioner for internal market of the European Union, warned Musk of possible “amplification of harmful content” by broadcasting his interview with Trump. In a letter posted on X, Breton urged Musk to “ensure X’s compliance” with EU law, including the Digital Services Act, adopted in 2022 to address a number of issues including disinformation.Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung urged the EU to “mind their own business instead of trying to meddle in the U.S. Presidential election.”

🎥 A billion combined views: The Trump-Musk full conversation

KANSAS CITY— Authorities continue to work to confirm the identity of a man who drowned in a Kansas City area pond on Saturday, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.

Just after 5:30p.m., the Kansas City Fire Department responded to a water rescue call at 12701 E. 150 highway, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

Witnesses stated that two individuals in a canoe on the pond overturned. One victim, an eight year old was able to make their way back to the bank and was safe.

 The second victim, a 23-year-old Hispanic male was not able to swim to shore. The victim was overcome and drowned. KCFD put swimmers in the water and searched the last known location. 

Missouri Highway Patrol was notified, and a water patrol boat was sent to the location to search with sonar. KCFD also called in their search dog. The dog quickly hit on area where the witnesses stated the individual was last seen. 

The Highway patrol then was able to locate the victim on sonar and retrieve the body. Neither the survivor or the victim were wearing life jackets. 

The KCFD stressed to the public to "wear a life jacket any time you are in a body of water where you can not see the bottom, and if you are not a strong swimmer or cannot swim."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723378703298.png" alt="KCFD crews on the scene of the search -photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>KCFD crews on the scene of the search -photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY— Authorities continue to work to confirm the identity of a man who drowned in a Kansas City area pond on Saturday, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.Just after 5:30p.m., the Kansas City Fire Department responded to a water rescue call at 12701 E. 150 highway, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.Witnesses stated that two individuals in a canoe on the pond overturned. One victim, an eight year old was able to make their way back to the bank and was safe. The second victim, a 23-year-old Hispanic male was not able to swim to shore. The victim was overcome and drowned. KCFD put swimmers in the water and searched the last known location. Missouri Highway Patrol was notified, and a water patrol boat was sent to the location to search with sonar. KCFD also called in their search dog. The dog quickly hit on area where the witnesses stated the individual was last seen. The Highway patrol then was able to locate the victim on sonar and retrieve the body. Neither the survivor or the victim were wearing life jackets. The KCFD stressed to the public to "wear a life jacket any time you are in a body of water where you can not see the bottom, and if you are not a strong swimmer or cannot swim."

KCPD working to ID man who drowned when canoe overturned

ELLSWORTH COUNTY — Law enforcement across Kansas continue to  see more drivers traveling well above the posted speed limit. On Saturday night, Trooper Jacoby Williams was out on patrol,&nbsp;according to a social media report from the Kansas Highway Patrol.

During his shift, Williams stopped a vehicle on Interstate 70 in Ellsworth County for traveling 114 mph in a 75 mph zone, failing to drive in the right lane, and having an unrestrained child in the car. 

The KHP did not release details on the cost of the ticket or additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723476277152.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>ELLSWORTH COUNTY — Law enforcement across Kansas continue to see more drivers traveling well above the posted speed limit. On Saturday night, Trooper Jacoby Williams was out on patrol,&nbsp;according to a social media report from the Kansas Highway Patrol.During his shift, Williams stopped a vehicle on Interstate 70 in Ellsworth County for traveling 114 mph in a 75 mph zone, failing to drive in the right lane, and having an unrestrained child in the car. The KHP did not release details on the cost of the ticket or additional details.

KHP: Driver with unrestrained child clocked at 114mph on I-70

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

TOPEKA — The next personalized license plate will feature the Flint Hills design after more than 30,000 Kansans&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/08/05/kansas-invites-voting-on-five-design-options-for-states-new-personalized-license-plate/">voted among five potential designs</a>.

Kansas Department of Revenue spokesman Zach Denny said the design was the “clear favorite,” receiving more than 56% of the vote.

The new design will be ready for purchase in 2025 for $45.50 at county treasurer’s offices.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevenue.gov/press/2020/pr01132020.html" target="_blank">“Powering the Future”</a>&nbsp;personalized plate, the 2020 design that featured a sunset and wind turbines, will no longer be available after Jan. 1, 2025. Kansans with the “Powering the Future” plate must replace their plate during their next renewal period to keep their personalized plate text, Denny said.

“We know how passionate Kansans are about license plates, and this initiative aims to give the public a direct say in selecting the next personalized plate design that will be featured on vehicles across the state for years to come,” KDOR Division of Vehicles director David Harper said in a statement at the beginning of the vote.

The new personalized plate, which is available along with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevenue.gov/dovplates.html" target="_blank">many distinctive plates</a>, comes after last year’s controversy around the standard plate design.

The first design for the state’s new standard plate was met with bipartisan criticism, with complaints that it looked too much like the University of Missouri’s colors and that it looked like the state of New York’s standard plate. Gov. Laura Kelly pulled the plate from production and allowed Kansans to vote on alternate designs. More than half the votes went to a design featuring the state Capitol.

As of January 2024, KDOR started to replace the old standard plate with the new one.

A KDOR statement said feedback during the voting process for the standard plate led to the decision to hold another vote for the personalized plate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723474905874.png" alt="&nbsp;Kansans voted for the new personalized license plate, with the design of the Flint Hills winning more than 56% of the vote.&nbsp; (Kansas Department of Revenue)" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Kansans voted for the new personalized license plate, with the design of the Flint Hills winning more than 56% of the vote.&nbsp; (Kansas Department of Revenue)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ghills/">GRACE HILLS</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a> TOPEKA — The next personalized license plate will feature the Flint Hills design after more than 30,000 Kansans&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/08/05/kansas-invites-voting-on-five-design-options-for-states-new-personalized-license-plate/">voted among five potential designs</a>.Kansas Department of Revenue spokesman Zach Denny said the design was the “clear favorite,” receiving more than 56% of the vote.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723544227052.png" alt=" The Kansas Department of Revenue is had Kansans take part in an online vote to select a new background for the state’s personalized license plates. There were five options. (Kansas Department of Revenue)" />
 <figcaption> The Kansas Department of Revenue is had Kansans take part in an online vote to select a new background for the state’s personalized license plates. There were five options. (Kansas Department of Revenue)</figcaption>
 </figure>The new design will be ready for purchase in 2025 for $45.50 at county treasurer’s offices.The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevenue.gov/press/2020/pr01132020.html" target="_blank">“Powering the Future”</a>&nbsp;personalized plate, the 2020 design that featured a sunset and wind turbines, will no longer be available after Jan. 1, 2025. Kansans with the “Powering the Future” plate must replace their plate during their next renewal period to keep their personalized plate text, Denny said.“We know how passionate Kansans are about license plates, and this initiative aims to give the public a direct say in selecting the next personalized plate design that will be featured on vehicles across the state for years to come,” KDOR Division of Vehicles director David Harper said in a statement at the beginning of the vote.The new personalized plate, which is available along with&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ksrevenue.gov/dovplates.html" target="_blank">many distinctive plates</a>, comes after last year’s controversy around the standard plate design.The first design for the state’s new standard plate was met with bipartisan criticism, with complaints that it looked too much like the University of Missouri’s colors and that it looked like the state of New York’s standard plate. Gov. Laura Kelly pulled the plate from production and allowed Kansans to vote on alternate designs. More than half the votes went to a design featuring the state Capitol.As of January 2024, KDOR started to replace the old standard plate with the new one.A KDOR statement said feedback during the voting process for the standard plate led to the decision to hold another vote for the personalized plate.

Kansas reveals winning personalized license plate design

ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A judge ruled Monday that independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. falsely claimed a New York residence on nominating petitions, invalidating the documents he needs to appear on the ballot in the state.

Judge Christina Ryba’s ruling after a short trial in state court is expected to be appealed. If upheld, it would keep Kennedy off the ballot in New York and could lead to challenges in other states where he used an address in New York City’s suburbs to gather signatures.

The lawsuit backed by a Democrat-aligned political action committee claims Kennedy’s state nominating petition falsely listed a residence in well-to-do Katonah while actually living in the Los Angeles area since 2014, when he married “Curb Your Enthusiasm” actor Cheryl Hines.

Kennedy argued during the trial that he has lifelong ties to New York and intends to move back.

During the trial, which ran for less than four days, Kennedy maintained that he began living in New York when he was 10 and that he currently rents a room in a friend’s home in Katonah, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) north of midtown Manhattan. However, Kennedy testified that he has only slept in that room once due to his constant campaign travel.

The 70-year-old candidate testified that his move to California a decade ago was so he could be with his wife, and that he always planned to return to New York, where he is registered to vote.

Barbara Moss, who rents the room to Kennedy, testified that he pays her $500 a month. But she acknowledged there is no written lease and that Kennedy’s first payment wasn’t made until after the New York Post&nbsp;<a href="https://nypost.com/2024/05/19/us-news/rfk-jr-lists-voting-address-at-westchester-home-thats-in-foreclosure-and-neighbors-have-never-seen-him/">published a story</a>&nbsp;casting doubt on Kennedy’s claim that he lived at that address.

The judge also heard from a longtime friend of Kennedy’s who said the candidate had regularly been an overnight guest at his own Westchester home from 2014 through 2017, but was not a tenant there as Kennedy had claimed.

Attorneys representing several New York voters grilled Kennedy in often heated exchanges as they sought to make their case, pointing to government documents including a federal statement of candidacy with a California address, and even a social media video in which Kennedy talks about training ravens at his Los Angeles home.

Kennedy has the potential to do better than any independent presidential candidate in decades thanks to his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-kennedy-rfk-trump-pennsylvania-b411e744d3b13fc6365029cb3dfd00c4">famous name</a>&nbsp;and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/robert-kennedy-rfk-independent-phoenix-ce8ef411c13bb7d5fc4ddff198cbbac9">loyal base.</a>&nbsp;Both Democrat and Republican strategists have expressed concerns that he could affect their candidate’s chances.

Kennedy’s campaign has said he has enough signatures to qualify in a majority of states, but his ballot drive has faced challenges and lawsuits in several, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-rfk-ballot-election-2024-6578c475c48887f736270248d1664a4a">North Carolina</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-jr-new-jersey-ballot-7d522fb10901599e197804096baaabf0">New Jersey</a>.

Clear Choice, a super PAC, filed the New York suit on behalf of several voters in the state.

Kennedy told reporters last week that getting knocked off the ballot in New York could lead to lawsuits in other states where his campaign listed the same address.

After the trial ended Thursday, Kennedy argued that people who signed his petitions deserve a chance to vote for him.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715712559050.png" alt="File photo RFK, Jr. courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo RFK, Jr. courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) — A judge ruled Monday that independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. falsely claimed a New York residence on nominating petitions, invalidating the documents he needs to appear on the ballot in the state.Judge Christina Ryba’s ruling after a short trial in state court is expected to be appealed. If upheld, it would keep Kennedy off the ballot in New York and could lead to challenges in other states where he used an address in New York City’s suburbs to gather signatures.The lawsuit backed by a Democrat-aligned political action committee claims Kennedy’s state nominating petition falsely listed a residence in well-to-do Katonah while actually living in the Los Angeles area since 2014, when he married “Curb Your Enthusiasm” actor Cheryl Hines.Kennedy argued during the trial that he has lifelong ties to New York and intends to move back.During the trial, which ran for less than four days, Kennedy maintained that he began living in New York when he was 10 and that he currently rents a room in a friend’s home in Katonah, about 40 miles (65 kilometers) north of midtown Manhattan. However, Kennedy testified that he has only slept in that room once due to his constant campaign travel.The 70-year-old candidate testified that his move to California a decade ago was so he could be with his wife, and that he always planned to return to New York, where he is registered to vote.Barbara Moss, who rents the room to Kennedy, testified that he pays her $500 a month. But she acknowledged there is no written lease and that Kennedy’s first payment wasn’t made until after the New York Post&nbsp;<a href="https://nypost.com/2024/05/19/us-news/rfk-jr-lists-voting-address-at-westchester-home-thats-in-foreclosure-and-neighbors-have-never-seen-him/">published a story</a>&nbsp;casting doubt on Kennedy’s claim that he lived at that address.The judge also heard from a longtime friend of Kennedy’s who said the candidate had regularly been an overnight guest at his own Westchester home from 2014 through 2017, but was not a tenant there as Kennedy had claimed.Attorneys representing several New York voters grilled Kennedy in often heated exchanges as they sought to make their case, pointing to government documents including a federal statement of candidacy with a California address, and even a social media video in which Kennedy talks about training ravens at his Los Angeles home.Kennedy has the potential to do better than any independent presidential candidate in decades thanks to his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-kennedy-rfk-trump-pennsylvania-b411e744d3b13fc6365029cb3dfd00c4">famous name</a>&nbsp;and a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/robert-kennedy-rfk-independent-phoenix-ce8ef411c13bb7d5fc4ddff198cbbac9">loyal base.</a>&nbsp;Both Democrat and Republican strategists have expressed concerns that he could affect their candidate’s chances.Kennedy’s campaign has said he has enough signatures to qualify in a majority of states, but his ballot drive has faced challenges and lawsuits in several, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-carolina-rfk-ballot-election-2024-6578c475c48887f736270248d1664a4a">North Carolina</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-jr-new-jersey-ballot-7d522fb10901599e197804096baaabf0">New Jersey</a>.Clear Choice, a super PAC, filed the New York suit on behalf of several voters in the state.Kennedy told reporters last week that getting knocked off the ballot in New York could lead to lawsuits in other states where his campaign listed the same address.After the trial ended Thursday, Kennedy argued that people who signed his petitions deserve a chance to vote for him.

Judge rules against RFK Jr. in fight to be on another state ballot

JOHNSON COUNTY —A Kansas man is going to prison for a 2021 murder.

On August 7, Judge Neil B. Foth sentenced Kyle Anthony Gutierres to 285 months in prison for second degree intentional murder, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.

In May of 2024, Gutierres pleaded guilty to second degree intentional murder in the death of Jeren Hinton.

On May 24, 2021, police responded to the report of an armed disturbance&nbsp;in an apartment complex in the 8500 block of Greenbrier Drive in Overland Park.&nbsp; Officers found a man later identified as Hinton lying in the parking lot of the apartment complex. Hinton was suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest and died of his injury.

After asking the public for help to locate a suspect, police arrested Gutierres.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716935604176.png" alt="Gutierres -photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Gutierres -photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —A Kansas man is going to prison for a 2021 murder.On August 7, Judge Neil B. Foth sentenced Kyle Anthony Gutierres to 285 months in prison for second degree intentional murder, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.In May of 2024, Gutierres pleaded guilty to second degree intentional murder in the death of Jeren Hinton.On May 24, 2021, police responded to the report of an armed disturbance&nbsp;in an apartment complex in the 8500 block of Greenbrier Drive in Overland Park.&nbsp; Officers found a man later identified as Hinton lying in the parking lot of the apartment complex. Hinton was suffering from a gunshot wound to the chest and died of his injury.After asking the public for help to locate a suspect, police arrested Gutierres.

Prison for Kansas man in apartment complex killing

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas woman on drug allegations.

On August 9, members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit served a search warrant in the 3400 Block of SE Girard Street related to an ongoing investigation, according to Police&nbsp;LT Ronnie Connell.

While conducting the search warrant, officers located cocaine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.

Officers arrested 56-year-old&nbsp; Cindy Kinmon and transported her to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections for the following charges on requested charges of&nbsp;Possession of Cocaine, Possession of Marijuana, Distribution/Possession with intent of Drug Paraphernalia and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Kinmon has six previous forgery convictions and one for ID theft, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723469508697.png" alt="Kinmon has six previous forgery convictions and one for ID theft, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections-&nbsp; photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Kinmon has six previous forgery convictions and one for ID theft, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections-&nbsp; photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas woman on drug allegations.On August 9, members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit served a search warrant in the 3400 Block of SE Girard Street related to an ongoing investigation, according to Police&nbsp;LT Ronnie Connell.While conducting the search warrant, officers located cocaine, marijuana, and drug paraphernalia.Officers arrested 56-year-old&nbsp; Cindy Kinmon and transported her to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections for the following charges on requested charges of&nbsp;Possession of Cocaine, Possession of Marijuana, Distribution/Possession with intent of Drug Paraphernalia and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.Kinmon has six previous forgery convictions and one for ID theft, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.&nbsp;

Kan. woman with history ID theft caught with cocaine

WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI said Monday it is investigating allegations that sensitive documents from Donald Trump's presidential campaign were stolen in a cyber intrusion days after the campaign declared it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-campaign-hacked-036ffd3ed07cf3fe9fb74d4958808b65">had been hacked by Iran</a>.

The FBI released a brief statement reading, “We can confirm the FBI is investigating this matter.”

A person familiar with the matter said the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris campaign was also targeted in the suspected Iranian cyber intrusion that is under FBI investigation. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the details of the investigation.

The Trump campaign provided no specific evidence of Iran’s involvement, but the claim came shortly after Microsoft&nbsp;<a href="https://cdn-dynmedia-1.microsoft.com/is/content/microsoftcorp/microsoft/final/en-us/microsoft-brand/documents/5bc57431-a7a9-49ad-944d-b93b7d35d0fc.pdf">issued a report</a>&nbsp;detailing foreign agents’ attempts to interfere in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">U.S. election in 2024</a>. The report cited an instance of an Iranian military intelligence unit in June sending “a spear-phishing email to a high-ranking official of a presidential campaign from a compromised email account of a former senior advisor.”

Politico reported Saturday that it began receiving emails on July 22 from an anonymous account. The source — an AOL email account identified only as “Robert” — passed along what appeared to be a research dossier the campaign had apparently done on the Republican vice presidential nominee, Ohio Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jd-vance">JD Vance</a>. The document was dated Feb. 23, almost five months before Trump selected Vance as his running mate.

“These documents were obtained illegally” and “intended to interfere with the 2024 election and sow chaos throughout our Democratic process,” Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said.

Vice President Harris' campaign said in a statement, “Our campaign vigilantly monitors and protects against cyber threats, and we are not aware of any security breaches of our systems.” It declined to address whether it had identified any state-based intrusion attempts.

Iran’s mission to the United Nations, when asked about the claim of the Trump campaign, denied being involved.

However, Iran long has been suspected of running hacking campaigns targeting its enemies in the Middle East and beyond. Tehran also long has threatened to retaliate against Trump over the 2020 drone strike he ordered that killed prominent Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani.

In its report, Microsoft stated that “foreign malign influence concerning the 2024 US election started off slowly but has steadily picked up pace over the last six months due initially to Russian operations, but more recently from Iranian activity.”

The analysis continued: “Iranian cyber-enabled influence operations have been a consistent feature of at least the last three U.S. election cycles. Iran’s operations have been notable and distinguishable from Russian campaigns for appearing later in the election season and employing cyberattacks more geared toward election conduct than swaying voters.”

“Recent activity suggests the Iranian regime — along with the Kremlin — may be equally engaged in election 2024,” Microsoft concluded.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723499768905.png" alt="File photo -Trump during the campaign stop over the weekend in Montana-courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo -Trump during the campaign stop over the weekend in Montana-courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The FBI said Monday it is investigating allegations that sensitive documents from Donald Trump's presidential campaign were stolen in a cyber intrusion days after the campaign declared it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-campaign-hacked-036ffd3ed07cf3fe9fb74d4958808b65">had been hacked by Iran</a>.The FBI released a brief statement reading, “We can confirm the FBI is investigating this matter.”A person familiar with the matter said the Joe Biden-Kamala Harris campaign was also targeted in the suspected Iranian cyber intrusion that is under FBI investigation. The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the details of the investigation.The Trump campaign provided no specific evidence of Iran’s involvement, but the claim came shortly after Microsoft&nbsp;<a href="https://cdn-dynmedia-1.microsoft.com/is/content/microsoftcorp/microsoft/final/en-us/microsoft-brand/documents/5bc57431-a7a9-49ad-944d-b93b7d35d0fc.pdf">issued a report</a>&nbsp;detailing foreign agents’ attempts to interfere in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">U.S. election in 2024</a>. The report cited an instance of an Iranian military intelligence unit in June sending “a spear-phishing email to a high-ranking official of a presidential campaign from a compromised email account of a former senior advisor.”Politico reported Saturday that it began receiving emails on July 22 from an anonymous account. The source — an AOL email account identified only as “Robert” — passed along what appeared to be a research dossier the campaign had apparently done on the Republican vice presidential nominee, Ohio Sen.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jd-vance">JD Vance</a>. The document was dated Feb. 23, almost five months before Trump selected Vance as his running mate.“These documents were obtained illegally” and “intended to interfere with the 2024 election and sow chaos throughout our Democratic process,” Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said.Vice President Harris' campaign said in a statement, “Our campaign vigilantly monitors and protects against cyber threats, and we are not aware of any security breaches of our systems.” It declined to address whether it had identified any state-based intrusion attempts.Iran’s mission to the United Nations, when asked about the claim of the Trump campaign, denied being involved.However, Iran long has been suspected of running hacking campaigns targeting its enemies in the Middle East and beyond. Tehran also long has threatened to retaliate against Trump over the 2020 drone strike he ordered that killed prominent Revolutionary Guard Gen. Qassem Soleimani.In its report, Microsoft stated that “foreign malign influence concerning the 2024 US election started off slowly but has steadily picked up pace over the last six months due initially to Russian operations, but more recently from Iranian activity.”The analysis continued: “Iranian cyber-enabled influence operations have been a consistent feature of at least the last three U.S. election cycles. Iran’s operations have been notable and distinguishable from Russian campaigns for appearing later in the election season and employing cyberattacks more geared toward election conduct than swaying voters.”“Recent activity suggests the Iranian regime — along with the Kremlin — may be equally engaged in election 2024,” Microsoft concluded.

FBI investigating alleged campaign hack that Trump blames on Iran

PARIS (AP) —USA Gymnastics officials say an arbitration panel won't reconsider a decision&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-olympics-paris-gymnastics-4004ae4869ac2eafbb89b68ee5966110">asking gymnast Jordan Chiles to return the bronze medal</a>&nbsp;she was awarded in the floor exercise at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games">Paris Olympics</a>.

USA Gymnastics says it will continue efforts to let Chiles keep the medal.

“USA Gymnastics was notified by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Monday that their rules do not allow for an arbitral award to be reconsidered even when conclusive new evidence is presented,” USA Gymnastics said in a statement.

“We are deeply disappointed by the notification and will continue to pursue every possible avenue and appeal process, including to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, to ensure the just scoring, placement, and medal award for Jordan.”

CAS voided an on-floor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/olympics-2024-romania-inquiry-007b6136128a934b4a5c900ad8fb608f">appeal from Chiles’ coach</a>&nbsp;that vaulted her to third, saying the appeal came 4 seconds beyond the one-minute time limit for scoring inquiries.

USA Gymnastics disputed the timing, saying in a statement Sunday that the agency submitted video evidence to CAS that showed Team USA coach Cecile Landi first appealed 13 seconds before the deadline.

The dispute over such minute details sets up what could be a months- or years-long legal battle over the gymnastics scores.

The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) said Saturday night it would respect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-olympics-jordan-chiles-bronze-5a7db5537e2defb3ebe57b0b746556f3">the court’s decision</a>&nbsp;and elevate Ana Barbosu of Romania to third. The International Olympic Committee confirmed the ruling Sunday, announcing that it was reallocating the medal.

CAS ruled Saturday that Landi’s inquiry to have 0.1 added to Chiles’ score came outside the one-minute window. The CAS ad hoc committee wrote that Landi’s inquiry came 1 minute, 4 seconds after Chiles’ initial score was posted.

The IOC said in a statement it will be in touch with the USOPC regarding the return of Chiles’ bronze and will work with the Romanian Olympic Committee to discuss a reallocation ceremony honoring Barbosu.

The appeal could go to Switzerland’s highest court, the Swiss Tribunal, or the European Court of Human Rights.

Rebeca Andrade of Brazil won gold and Simone Biles of the U.S. was the silver medalist.

PARIS (AP) — U.S. Olympic officials are appealing a court ruling that resulted in American gymnast&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-olympics-paris-gymnastics-4004ae4869ac2eafbb89b68ee5966110">Jordan Chiles being asked to return the bronze medal</a>&nbsp;she won in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games">Paris Olympics</a>&nbsp;floor exercise.

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) voided an on-floor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/olympics-2024-romania-inquiry-007b6136128a934b4a5c900ad8fb608f">appeal by Chiles' coach</a>&nbsp;that vaulted her to third, saying the appeal came 4 seconds beyond the 1-minute time limit for scoring inquiries.

USA Gymnastics disputed the timing, saying in a statement Sunday that the agency submitted video evidence to CAS that showed coach Cecile Landi first appealed 13 seconds before the deadline.

"The time-stamped, video evidence submitted by USA Gymnastics Sunday evening shows Landi first stated her request to file an inquiry at the inquiry table 47 seconds after the score is posted, followed by a second statement 55 seconds after the score was originally posted."

The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) said Saturday night it would respect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-olympics-jordan-chiles-bronze-5a7db5537e2defb3ebe57b0b746556f3">the court's decision</a>&nbsp;and elevate Ana Barbosu of Romania to third. The International Olympic Committee confirmed the ruling Sunday, announcing that it was reallocating the medal from Monday's final.

“We firmly believe that Jordan rightfully earned the bronze medal, and there were critical errors in both the initial scoring by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) and the subsequent CAS appeal process that need to be addressed,” the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee statement said.

CAS ruled Saturday that Team USA coach Landi's inquiry to have 0.1 added to Chiles’ score came outside the 1-minute window. The CAS ad hoc committee wrote that Landi’s inquiry came 1 minute, 4 seconds after Chiles' initial score was posted.

The IOC said in a statement it will be in touch with the USOPC regarding the return of Chiles' bronze and will work with the Romanian Olympic Committee to discuss a reallocation ceremony honoring Barbosu.

“The initial error occurred in the scoring by FIG, and the second error was during the CAS appeal process, where the USOPC was not given adequate time or notice to effectively challenge the decision,” said a USOPC statement, which was released Sunday.

It was unclear the exact process the appeal would take first. The two potential places the USOPC could take the appeal would be to Switzerland’s highest court, the Swiss Tribunal, or the European Court of Human Rights.

CAS wrote Saturday that the initial finishing order should be restored, with Barbosu third, Romanian Sabrina Maneca-Voinea fourth and Chiles fifth. The organization added the FIG should determine the final ranking “in accordance with the above decision,” but left it up to the federation to decide who would get the medal behind gold winner Rebeca Andrade of Brazil and silver medalist Simone Biles of the U.S.

The FIG said it was the IOC’s call on whether to reallocate the medal. The IOC confirmed Sunday it would respect FIG's decision and seek to have Chiles' medal returned.

The rapid turn of events adds another layer to what has been a difficult few days for all three athletes.

Romanian gymnastics legend and 1976 Olympic champion Nadia Comaneci feared for Barbosu’s mental health because of the wrenching sequence in which she went from bronze medalist to fourth-place finisher.

“I can’t believe we play with athletes mental health and emotions like this… let’s protect them,” Comaneci&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/nadiacomaneci10/status/1820483816848605506">posted on X</a>&nbsp;earlier in the week.

Chiles hinted at the decision in an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/jordanchiles/">Instagram story</a>&nbsp;on Saturday, indicating she is heartbroken and is “taking this time and removing myself from social media for my mental health, thank you.”

U.S. teammates offered support to Chiles, a two-time Olympian.

"Sending you so much love Jordan,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/simonebiles/?hl=en">American star Simone Biles posted on Instagram</a>. “Keep your chin up ‘Olympic champ’ we love you.”

Barbosu and Maneca-Voinea were left outside the medals in the floor final after finishing with matching scores of 13.700. Barbosu thought she had won bronze over Maneca-Voinea via a tiebreaker — a higher execution score — and began celebrating with a Romanian flag.

Chiles was the last athlete to compete and initially given a score of 13.666 that placed her fifth, right behind Maneca-Voinea. Landi called for an inquiry on Chiles’ score was announced.

“At this point, we had nothing to lose, so I was like ‘We’re just going to try,‘” Landi said after the awards ceremony. “I honestly didn’t think it was going to happen, but when I heard her scream, I turned around and was like ‘What?’”

Judges awarded the appeal, leapfrogging Chiles past Barbosu and Maneca-Voinea.

Barbosu made it a point after returning home to Romania that she had no problem with Chiles.

“I only want for everybody to be fair, we don’t want to start picking on other athletes of any nationality,” Barbosu told reporters. “We as athletes don’t deserve something like that, we only want to perform as best as we can and to be rewarded based on our performance. The problems lie with the judges, with their calculations and decisions.”

Chiles’ mother, Gina Chiles, called out the critics in a post, writing she was “tired” of the derogatory comments being leveled at Jordan.

“My daughter is a highly decorated Olympian with the biggest heart and a level of sportsmanship that is unmatched,” Gina Chiles posted. “And she’s being called disgusting things.”

The uncertainty also tinges what had been a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-olympics-biles-andrade-02e953a669403456aeaf3aee9cf40457">beautiful moment</a>&nbsp;on the medal stand, when Chiles and Biles knelt to honor Andrade after the Brazilian star won her fourth medal in Paris.

Associated Press writer Stephen McGrath and AP Sports Writers Eddie Pells and Graham Dunbar contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723543051917.jpeg" alt="Photo Associated Press" />
 <figcaption>Photo Associated Press</figcaption>
 </figure>PARIS (AP) —USA Gymnastics officials say an arbitration panel won't reconsider a decision&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-olympics-paris-gymnastics-4004ae4869ac2eafbb89b68ee5966110">asking gymnast Jordan Chiles to return the bronze medal</a>&nbsp;she was awarded in the floor exercise at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games">Paris Olympics</a>.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Statement from USA Gymnastics on CAS Notice: <a href="https://t.co/HoSiKjx9wl">pic.twitter.com/HoSiKjx9wl</a>&mdash; USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) <a href="https://twitter.com/USAGym/status/1823100703797068224?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>USA Gymnastics says it will continue efforts to let Chiles keep the medal.“USA Gymnastics was notified by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) on Monday that their rules do not allow for an arbitral award to be reconsidered even when conclusive new evidence is presented,” USA Gymnastics said in a statement.“We are deeply disappointed by the notification and will continue to pursue every possible avenue and appeal process, including to the Swiss Federal Tribunal, to ensure the just scoring, placement, and medal award for Jordan.”CAS voided an on-floor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/olympics-2024-romania-inquiry-007b6136128a934b4a5c900ad8fb608f">appeal from Chiles’ coach</a>&nbsp;that vaulted her to third, saying the appeal came 4 seconds beyond the one-minute time limit for scoring inquiries.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">sending <a href="https://twitter.com/ChilesJordan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@ChilesJordan</a> a whole heap of <a href="https://twitter.com/AbbyCadabbySST?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AbbyCadabbySST</a> &amp; <a href="https://twitter.com/sesamestreet?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sesamestreet</a> hugs 🫶 <a href="https://t.co/Enq4TdL2m3">pic.twitter.com/Enq4TdL2m3</a>&mdash; USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) <a href="https://twitter.com/USAGym/status/1823133042245828847?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 12, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>USA Gymnastics disputed the timing, saying in a statement Sunday that the agency submitted video evidence to CAS that showed Team USA coach Cecile Landi first appealed 13 seconds before the deadline.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Forever THAT GIRL ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/U6ylsOxSuK">pic.twitter.com/U6ylsOxSuK</a>&mdash; Team USA (@TeamUSA) <a href="https://twitter.com/TeamUSA/status/1822604940147118222?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The dispute over such minute details sets up what could be a months- or years-long legal battle over the gymnastics scores.The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) said Saturday night it would respect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-olympics-jordan-chiles-bronze-5a7db5537e2defb3ebe57b0b746556f3">the court’s decision</a>&nbsp;and elevate Ana Barbosu of Romania to third. The International Olympic Committee confirmed the ruling Sunday, announcing that it was reallocating the medal.CAS ruled Saturday that Landi’s inquiry to have 0.1 added to Chiles’ score came outside the one-minute window. The CAS ad hoc committee wrote that Landi’s inquiry came 1 minute, 4 seconds after Chiles’ initial score was posted.The IOC said in a statement it will be in touch with the USOPC regarding the return of Chiles’ bronze and will work with the Romanian Olympic Committee to discuss a reallocation ceremony honoring Barbosu.The appeal could go to Switzerland’s highest court, the Swiss Tribunal, or the European Court of Human Rights.Rebeca Andrade of Brazil won gold and Simone Biles of the U.S. was the silver medalist.___PARIS (AP) — U.S. Olympic officials are appealing a court ruling that resulted in American gymnast&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-olympics-paris-gymnastics-4004ae4869ac2eafbb89b68ee5966110">Jordan Chiles being asked to return the bronze medal</a>&nbsp;she won in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games">Paris Olympics</a>&nbsp;floor exercise.The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) voided an on-floor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/olympics-2024-romania-inquiry-007b6136128a934b4a5c900ad8fb608f">appeal by Chiles' coach</a>&nbsp;that vaulted her to third, saying the appeal came 4 seconds beyond the 1-minute time limit for scoring inquiries.USA Gymnastics disputed the timing, saying in a statement Sunday that the agency submitted video evidence to CAS that showed coach Cecile Landi first appealed 13 seconds before the deadline."The time-stamped, video evidence submitted by USA Gymnastics Sunday evening shows Landi first stated her request to file an inquiry at the inquiry table 47 seconds after the score is posted, followed by a second statement 55 seconds after the score was originally posted."The dispute over such minute details sets up what could be a months- or years-long legal battle over the gymnastics scores.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Forever THAT GIRL ❤️ <a href="https://t.co/U6ylsOxSuK">pic.twitter.com/U6ylsOxSuK</a>&mdash; Team USA (@TeamUSA) <a href="https://twitter.com/TeamUSA/status/1822604940147118222?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) said Saturday night it would respect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-olympics-jordan-chiles-bronze-5a7db5537e2defb3ebe57b0b746556f3">the court's decision</a>&nbsp;and elevate Ana Barbosu of Romania to third. The International Olympic Committee confirmed the ruling Sunday, announcing that it was reallocating the medal from Monday's final.“We firmly believe that Jordan rightfully earned the bronze medal, and there were critical errors in both the initial scoring by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG) and the subsequent CAS appeal process that need to be addressed,” the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee statement said.CAS ruled Saturday that Team USA coach Landi's inquiry to have 0.1 added to Chiles’ score came outside the 1-minute window. The CAS ad hoc committee wrote that Landi’s inquiry came 1 minute, 4 seconds after Chiles' initial score was posted.The IOC said in a statement it will be in touch with the USOPC regarding the return of Chiles' bronze and will work with the Romanian Olympic Committee to discuss a reallocation ceremony honoring Barbosu.“The initial error occurred in the scoring by FIG, and the second error was during the CAS appeal process, where the USOPC was not given adequate time or notice to effectively challenge the decision,” said a USOPC statement, which was released Sunday.It was unclear the exact process the appeal would take first. The two potential places the USOPC could take the appeal would be to Switzerland’s highest court, the Swiss Tribunal, or the European Court of Human Rights.CAS wrote Saturday that the initial finishing order should be restored, with Barbosu third, Romanian Sabrina Maneca-Voinea fourth and Chiles fifth. The organization added the FIG should determine the final ranking “in accordance with the above decision,” but left it up to the federation to decide who would get the medal behind gold winner Rebeca Andrade of Brazil and silver medalist Simone Biles of the U.S.The FIG said it was the IOC’s call on whether to reallocate the medal. The IOC confirmed Sunday it would respect FIG's decision and seek to have Chiles' medal returned.The rapid turn of events adds another layer to what has been a difficult few days for all three athletes.Romanian gymnastics legend and 1976 Olympic champion Nadia Comaneci feared for Barbosu’s mental health because of the wrenching sequence in which she went from bronze medalist to fourth-place finisher.“I can’t believe we play with athletes mental health and emotions like this… let’s protect them,” Comaneci&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/nadiacomaneci10/status/1820483816848605506">posted on X</a>&nbsp;earlier in the week.Chiles hinted at the decision in an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/jordanchiles/">Instagram story</a>&nbsp;on Saturday, indicating she is heartbroken and is “taking this time and removing myself from social media for my mental health, thank you.”U.S. teammates offered support to Chiles, a two-time Olympian."Sending you so much love Jordan,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/simonebiles/?hl=en">American star Simone Biles posted on Instagram</a>. “Keep your chin up ‘Olympic champ’ we love you.”Barbosu and Maneca-Voinea were left outside the medals in the floor final after finishing with matching scores of 13.700. Barbosu thought she had won bronze over Maneca-Voinea via a tiebreaker — a higher execution score — and began celebrating with a Romanian flag.Chiles was the last athlete to compete and initially given a score of 13.666 that placed her fifth, right behind Maneca-Voinea. Landi called for an inquiry on Chiles’ score was announced.“At this point, we had nothing to lose, so I was like ‘We’re just going to try,‘” Landi said after the awards ceremony. “I honestly didn’t think it was going to happen, but when I heard her scream, I turned around and was like ‘What?’”Judges awarded the appeal, leapfrogging Chiles past Barbosu and Maneca-Voinea.Barbosu made it a point after returning home to Romania that she had no problem with Chiles.“I only want for everybody to be fair, we don’t want to start picking on other athletes of any nationality,” Barbosu told reporters. “We as athletes don’t deserve something like that, we only want to perform as best as we can and to be rewarded based on our performance. The problems lie with the judges, with their calculations and decisions.”Chiles’ mother, Gina Chiles, called out the critics in a post, writing she was “tired” of the derogatory comments being leveled at Jordan.“My daughter is a highly decorated Olympian with the biggest heart and a level of sportsmanship that is unmatched,” Gina Chiles posted. “And she’s being called disgusting things.”The uncertainty also tinges what had been a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-olympics-biles-andrade-02e953a669403456aeaf3aee9cf40457">beautiful moment</a>&nbsp;on the medal stand, when Chiles and Biles knelt to honor Andrade after the Brazilian star won her fourth medal in Paris.___Associated Press writer Stephen McGrath and AP Sports Writers Eddie Pells and Graham Dunbar contributed to this report.

U.S. continues fight for star gymnast to keep Olympic medal

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/culyerdunn/">CUYLER DUNN</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

When faculty and staff at Sterling College received an updated employee handbook in August 2023, they were quickly alarmed by changes made without their input.

Those concerns sparked a year of frustration with president Scott Rich’s leadership, frustration that continues as a new school year approaches.

In April, a majority of faculty voted to express a lack of confidence in Rich following months of meetings, letters and complaints. Of the 49 faculty members eligible to vote, 29 said they had either minimal or no confidence in Rich. Nine said they had substantial confidence, and only one voiced full confidence. Ten abstained.

One of the biggest concerns for faculty was new language in the handbook they said created confusion and a chilling effect on what they could say and do, both at work and in their private lives. Many worried about creating barriers for LGBTQ+ inclusion on campus.

“There’s all these things that are in the back of one’s mind,” assistant professor Todd Vogts said. “How long can I continue to be OK with some of these decisions that seem to be directly impacting not only my fellow faculty members but the students in negative ways?”

Sterling faculty have left the college, located in the town of Sterling in central Kansas, and some suggested the exodus would continue if concerns remain unaddressed.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723477223880.png" alt=" Faculty at Sterling College, a private religious school in central Kansas, have raised concerns with president Scott Rich’s leadership, unilateral policy changes, forced religious beliefs, and discrimination of LGBTQ+ students. (Andy Giorgetti)" />
 <figcaption> Faculty at Sterling College, a private religious school in central Kansas, have raised concerns with president Scott Rich’s leadership, unilateral policy changes, forced religious beliefs, and discrimination of LGBTQ+ students. (Andy Giorgetti)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/culyerdunn/">CUYLER DUNN</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a> When faculty and staff at Sterling College received an updated employee handbook in August 2023, they were quickly alarmed by changes made without their input.Those concerns sparked a year of frustration with president Scott Rich’s leadership, frustration that continues as a new school year approaches.In April, a majority of faculty voted to express a lack of confidence in Rich following months of meetings, letters and complaints. Of the 49 faculty members eligible to vote, 29 said they had either minimal or no confidence in Rich. Nine said they had substantial confidence, and only one voiced full confidence. Ten abstained.One of the biggest concerns for faculty was new language in the handbook they said created confusion and a chilling effect on what they could say and do, both at work and in their private lives. Many worried about creating barriers for LGBTQ+ inclusion on campus.“There’s all these things that are in the back of one’s mind,” assistant professor Todd Vogts said. “How long can I continue to be OK with some of these decisions that seem to be directly impacting not only my fellow faculty members but the students in negative ways?”Sterling faculty have left the college, located in the town of Sterling in central Kansas, and some suggested the exodus would continue if concerns remain unaddressed.Multiple staff members said they were frustrated by a systemic lack of collaboration on major decisions in recent years, including administration eliminating a diversity initiative and pushing back on a Catholic student group. Those frustrations were compounded as budgets decrease and enrollment drops.“It seemed that the will of everyone involved was being thwarted by the president without any type of transparency or discussion,” said former Sterling staff member Andy Giorgetti.Rich is less active around campus, faculty members said. He lives in Hutchinson, a 30-minute drive from Sterling.“It’s that lack of communication, that unwillingness to listen to concerns,” Vogts said. “Even when there appears that someone is listening, nothing changes. And so that’s just seeded a lot of frustration.”Tony Thompson, a Sterling graduate and former two-decade member of the board of trustees, said he believed a change in leadership was necessary for the college.“I definitely love Sterling College and supported her for over 50 years,” he said. “Unfortunately, I do not currently support the current leadership, and there needs to be a change.”He said his decision was based solely on performance, citing deteriorating faculty relationships, declining enrollment and poor communication. Thompson has long been a supporter and donor for the college and in 2006 won Sterling’s Distinguished Service Award.Rich said in a statement he was unaware of the faculty’s vote, but the college’s board of trustees held its own unanimous vote reaffirming support for the president.Randy Henry, chairman of the Sterling College board of trustees, said the board fully supports Rich.“We want everyone to feel they are valued and the board has tried to do everything we can to try and bring these faculty members and the president to a place where they can work together, as has been the case for almost all of Dr. Rich’s tenure,” he said.A Kansas Reflector investigation — based on interviews with a half-dozen current and former Sterling College staff members and a review of documents outlining complaints — found widespread concerns about unilateral policy changes, forced religious beliefs, the administration’s willingness to listen to concerns, and discrimination of LGBTQ+ students.<h2>A chilling effect</h2>Employees were given a new handbook in August 2023 and asked to sign a statement acknowledging they would comply with its contents.Many of them still haven’t signed the agreement.Multiple faculty members expressed concern the phrasing would allow the school to terminate them for being too liberal in their beliefs or coming from a denomination that theologically varied from the school.The handbook included new wording requiring staff to “exhibit habits and actions consistent with biblical standards and in accordance with Sterling College’s Mission Statement, Statement of Faith, and Faith Perspectives.” Staff would face disciplinary action including termination if they violated the requirement.According to Sterling’s website, the college is “thoroughly Christian, but not in any sense sectarian.” Multiple faculty members said the new employee handbook jeopardizes that idea by forcing faculty to personally agree with certain beliefs or face punishment.“When we have these issues and we can’t talk about them, faculty and staff don’t feel safe in this community, in our jobs, if we can’t actually know where we stand on these issues,” Giorgetti said.The handbook also added a section on social media usage that said staff should consider their social media presence to be an extension of their classroom or office. Multiple faculty said they worried about how the policy could be interpreted. The ambiguity left them wondering if they could be fired for personal social media activity like adding a pride flag to their profile picture.The Faculty Welfare Committee — faculty members who act as liaisons with administration — began hearing concerns as soon as the handbook was released. They compiled the issues and sent them to human resources, Rich and the board of trustees.At each stage, they said they were met with an initial willingness to discuss changes or clarifications before being shut down.The final blow came when the board of trustees responded to detailed faculty concerns by saying it had voted to reaffirm confidence in Rich and scolded the faculty for bringing the complaint to the board.“The board will not be making a habit of dealing with these types of issues,” Henry, the board chairman, wrote in a May letter to faculty.In a statement, Rich said handbook revisions occur at the will of the human resources department. The edits were made, he said, “to further protect the institution.”The new language, which faculty said was ambiguous and confusing, left them with many questions about what they could say or do, creating a chilling effect on both their professional and personal lives.“I think it’s incredibly important to be open to all of the ideas and to weigh them and evaluate them,” said professor Ken Troyer. “I’m not saying, you know, everything needs to be supported, but everything needs to at least be able to be heard and be discussed.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723477179968.png" alt=" Staff at Sterling College were asked to sign a policy that includes anti-LGBTQ+ language. President Scott Rich says staff are aware of the college’s biblical foundation when hired. (Andy Giorgetti)" />
 <figcaption> Staff at Sterling College were asked to sign a policy that includes anti-LGBTQ+ language. President Scott Rich says staff are aware of the college’s biblical foundation when hired. (Andy Giorgetti)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Grappling with LGBTQ+ inclusion</h2>Some staff worried the handbook change could create an unwelcoming space for LGBTQ+ students on campus. Staff were asked to affirm a Statement on Life, Marriage, Gender Identity and Human Sexuality, which includes anti-LGBTQ+ language.Sterling is a religious college, but students don’t necessarily hold the same beliefs as the college, especially because many of them are recruited for athletics.“I think it’s our job to just welcome everybody,” Troyer said. “I mean, if Christianity is important and we want people to hear that message, then it’s great if you’re a believer. And if you’re not, cool, come along for the ride and enrich our lives by giving us different perspectives. And maybe we can do the same.”Adam Moore lived through this tension firsthand as a student. In 2019-20, he was elected student body president. He was the first openly gay student to hold the role.Growing up in nearby Hutchinson, he knew that being gay and attending Sterling wouldn’t be easy. But he was drawn to the college’s debate team and liked that it was a Christian school where he could continue his faith. He arrived committed to having difficult conversations.His challenges began when he became a resident assistant for the dorms. He had weekly meetings with administration he said felt like “conversion therapy.” When he was elected student body president, students asked to start a gay-straight alliance. Clubs normally received approval from the student government, he said. Moore passed along his approval of the club to administrators, who swiftly overturned it.“Gay people feel ostracized from the religious community,” Moore said. “It definitely has affected me. But I’ve also seen a church community that can be welcoming and loving and caring for LGBTQ+ people. … If I had only talked to administrators about this, there’s no chance I’d ever be a part of a church community again.”The battle over LGBTQ+ inclusion spread throughout campus.When faculty at Sterling conduct research, they are supposed to follow American Psychological Association standards, which say to include an “other” option when asking about gender. But Rich only wanted to include “male” and “female” on surveys, Vogts said.After a year, faculty members were allowed to add the “other” option to surveys after Rich took the clash to the cabinet, a group of representatives from across campus selected by the president that advise him.Rich said staff are aware of the college’s biblical foundation when hired. He said there were no personal interpretations involved and the board had laid out how the administration was to run the college.“If (faculty) violate campus policies then they could be reprimanded for violating such policies,” Rich said. “The board and cabinet extend grace until grace has been exhausted.”But faculty said their concerns were not with the religious foundations of the college.Because Christianity has diverse denominations, many worried that cracking down on what staff could say or believe would exclude some groups. Before the changes, the handbook allowed for more diversity, they said.“I’m a Christian. I have no problem saying that,” Troyer said. “Our statements have enough wiggle room and are kind of vague in some ways, that it allows for a Baptist and a Catholic and a Mennonite and all of these different denominations to still be able to work for the same common cause.”Staff say they see a clear way forward: a seat at the table.“I would just like to see more deliberation and more collaboration about these types of decisions,” Vogts said.<h2>All in this together</h2>Many of them believe that Sterling is a place with a solid mission, but they say recent decisions have jeopardized the faculty’s ability to carry it out, rendering the college almost unrecognizable.While many have left the school, those who stayed did so out of love for the college and its students.“There needs to be a greater sense of everyone, all employees, are all kind of in this together, moving forward in lockstep,” said Troyer, who has taught at Sterling for nearly two decades. “But we need to reach the point where we at least are like, ‘Oh, I understand why that decision is made.’ ”Rich said he intended to address frustrations by reminding staff that “they are always welcome to visit with the president about anything — including concerns.”Moore said there are a lot of lessons that can be learned from the small college of less than 1,000 north of Hutchinson.He saw many sides of the community during his time there, including with Rich. He said while Rich held opinions he viewed as severely harmful, he also saw a side of the leader that was thoughtful and authentic.“There’s a lot of trauma that is created,” Moore said. “Ever since I’ve left Sterling, I continue to grapple with these two very different Sterlings that I know.”Now living in Emporia, Moore keeps an eye on the college, hoping that one of the two sides will win out in the end.“Even though Sterling is a teeny tiny community,” Moore said, “I think that there are so many others just like it that the story can only help.”