BARBER COUNTY —The Silver Alert for 73-year-old David Reese remains active, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. He is still missing. Please keep an eye out for him or his vehicle, a white 2017 Chevy Silverado bearing Kansas tag 885NEW.

On Aug. 5, the Harper Police Department, the Barber County Sheriff’s Office, the Harper County Sheriff’s Office, the Elwood Township Fire, the Kansas Fire Marshall, Kiowa Police Department, Kansas Highway Patrol, Medicine Lodge Fire Department, Kiowa Fire Department, Barber County Rural Fire Department, and Barber County Emergency Management, conducted a search for Reese over 700 square miles in an 8-hour time frame.

The search utilized aircraft, multiple drones, vehicles, and off-road vehicles. The area searched was over half of Barber County surrounding the last known location of Reese which was near Little Mule and Hardtner Shortcut.

 No evidence of Reese or his vehicle were found. The search continues. If you own property in Barber or Harper County, you are asked to check your land for anything out of the ordinary.&nbsp;Reese is a white male who is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs around 250 pounds. He has brown eyes, a white beard, and is balding. He may be traveling with a chocolate Labrador retriever, and is likely wearing a baseball cap. Reese has diabetes, anxiety, and a condition impairing cognition and memory. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722706150273.png" alt="David Reese courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>David Reese courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>BARBER COUNTY —The Silver Alert for 73-year-old David Reese remains active, according to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. He is still missing. Please keep an eye out for him or his vehicle, a white 2017 Chevy Silverado bearing Kansas tag 885NEW.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1722939061343.png" alt="Photo Barber Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Barber Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>On Aug. 5, the Harper Police Department, the Barber County Sheriff’s Office, the Harper County Sheriff’s Office, the Elwood Township Fire, the Kansas Fire Marshall, Kiowa Police Department, Kansas Highway Patrol, Medicine Lodge Fire Department, Kiowa Fire Department, Barber County Rural Fire Department, and Barber County Emergency Management, conducted a search for Reese over 700 square miles in an 8-hour time frame.The search utilized aircraft, multiple drones, vehicles, and off-road vehicles. The area searched was over half of Barber County surrounding the last known location of Reese which was near Little Mule and Hardtner Shortcut. No evidence of Reese or his vehicle were found. The search continues. If you own property in Barber or Harper County, you are asked to check your land for anything out of the ordinary.&nbsp;Reese is a white male who is 5 feet 11 inches tall and weighs around 250 pounds. He has brown eyes, a white beard, and is balding. He may be traveling with a chocolate Labrador retriever, and is likely wearing a baseball cap. Reese has diabetes, anxiety, and a condition impairing cognition and memory.

After 9-days Silver Alert for Kansas man continues

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A stunt rider is going to prison for a fatal hit-and-run that killed a Kansas woman in 2023.

On Friday, a Sedgwick County judge sentenced 23-year-old Chase Faimon of Valley Center to 30-months in prison for the death of 48-year-old Kristine Sheffield, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

In June pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and leaving the scene of the accident.

Police arrested Faimon as part of a police Stunt Rider Project investigation.

On May 27, 2023 the Wichita Police Department Traffic Unit witnessed&nbsp; Faimon riding his motorcycle west on Waterman in Wichita doing a wheelie. Officers cautiously followed Faimon to the parking garage of Gander Mountain, contacted him, and placed him under arrest.

During the investigation, officers learned that Faimon had previously been charged with murder in the 2nd degree after hitting a pedestrian with his motorcycle.

In that case, Faimon was doing a wheelie down Broadway in Wichita when he struck the pedestrian identified as Sheffield and killed her.

Officers impounded the motorcycle that Faimon was riding.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676999156108.png" alt="photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A stunt rider is going to prison for a fatal hit-and-run that killed a Kansas woman in 2023.On Friday, a Sedgwick County judge sentenced 23-year-old Chase Faimon of Valley Center to 30-months in prison for the death of 48-year-old Kristine Sheffield, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.In June pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter and leaving the scene of the accident.Police arrested Faimon as part of a police Stunt Rider Project investigation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723416591334.png" alt="Faimon was booked into jail again after the sentencing Friday-photo Sedgwick Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>Faimon was booked into jail again after the sentencing Friday-photo Sedgwick Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>On May 27, 2023 the Wichita Police Department Traffic Unit witnessed&nbsp; Faimon riding his motorcycle west on Waterman in Wichita doing a wheelie. Officers cautiously followed Faimon to the parking garage of Gander Mountain, contacted him, and placed him under arrest.During the investigation, officers learned that Faimon had previously been charged with murder in the 2nd degree after hitting a pedestrian with his motorcycle.In that case, Faimon was doing a wheelie down Broadway in Wichita when he struck the pedestrian identified as Sheffield and killed her.Officers impounded the motorcycle that Faimon was riding.&nbsp;&nbsp;-----------

Prison for stunt rider after hit-and-run that killed Kansas woman

KANSAS CITY– A&nbsp; Kansas City area man was sentenced in federal court last week for a sextortion scheme in which he threatened victims, including minors, to extort them into sending him pornographic images and videos of themselves.

Marek Redding, 20, Lee's Summit, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Redding to 25 years of supervised release following incarceration. Redding will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.

On April 9, 2024, Redding pleaded guilty to two counts of producing child pornography, one count of distributing child pornography, and one count of extortion.

Redding, using a fake female persona on the Snapchat app, received nude photographs from multiple females, including minors. According to court documents, some victims reported that Redding threatened to distribute or publicly post their images if they did not continue sending nude images, some of which constituted child pornography.

Redding admitted that he induced two minor victims to produce child pornography in January 2022 and March 2022, and that he distributed the child pornography. Redding also admitted that he transmitted threats to injure the reputation of an adult victim in April 2022 in order to obtain more photographs from the victim.

According to court documents, the adult victim told investigators she had sent nude images to Redding. When she attempted to stop, Redding threatened to disclose her images to her family, school, and employer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599845246253.png" alt="Snapchat" />
 <figcaption>Snapchat</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY– A&nbsp; Kansas City area man was sentenced in federal court last week for a sextortion scheme in which he threatened victims, including minors, to extort them into sending him pornographic images and videos of themselves.Marek Redding, 20, Lee's Summit, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Howard F. Sachs to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The court also sentenced Redding to 25 years of supervised release following incarceration. Redding will be required to register as a sex offender upon his release from prison and will be subject to federal and state sex offender registration requirements, which may apply throughout his life.On April 9, 2024, Redding pleaded guilty to two counts of producing child pornography, one count of distributing child pornography, and one count of extortion.Redding, using a fake female persona on the Snapchat app, received nude photographs from multiple females, including minors. According to court documents, some victims reported that Redding threatened to distribute or publicly post their images if they did not continue sending nude images, some of which constituted child pornography.Redding admitted that he induced two minor victims to produce child pornography in January 2022 and March 2022, and that he distributed the child pornography. Redding also admitted that he transmitted threats to injure the reputation of an adult victim in April 2022 in order to obtain more photographs from the victim.According to court documents, the adult victim told investigators she had sent nude images to Redding. When she attempted to stop, Redding threatened to disclose her images to her family, school, and employer.

KC area man admits role in child porn, sextortion scheme

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating three suspects on drug and theft allegations.

On August 8, 2024, members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit served a search warrant in the 2500 Block SE Illinois Avenue in Topeka related to an ongoing investigation, according to Topeka Police&nbsp; LT Ronnie Connell.

While conducting the search warrant, officers located fentanyl, methamphetamine, stolen property and drug paraphernalia.

As a result police arrested 51-year-old&nbsp; Amy Jensen; 40-year-old Jerry Lewis and 36-year-old&nbsp; Cameron Laska.

&nbsp;Jensen is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;Distribution of Fentanyl, Distribution of Methamphetamine, Drug Tax,&nbsp;&nbsp;Distribution/Possession with intent of drug paraphernalia and&nbsp;&nbsp;Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

&nbsp;Lewis is being held on requested charges of Possession of stolen property,&nbsp;Theft and&nbsp;Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Laska is accused of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723234432912.png" alt="Jensen photo Shawnee&nbsp; Co." />
 <figcaption>Jensen photo Shawnee&nbsp; Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating three suspects on drug and theft allegations.On August 8, 2024, members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit served a search warrant in the 2500 Block SE Illinois Avenue in Topeka related to an ongoing investigation, according to Topeka Police&nbsp; LT Ronnie Connell.While conducting the search warrant, officers located fentanyl, methamphetamine, stolen property and drug paraphernalia.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723234715100.png" alt="Laska photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Laska photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>As a result police arrested 51-year-old&nbsp; Amy Jensen; 40-year-old Jerry Lewis and 36-year-old&nbsp; Cameron Laska.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723234755571.png" alt="Lewis photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Lewis photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Jensen is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;Distribution of Fentanyl, Distribution of Methamphetamine, Drug Tax,&nbsp;&nbsp;Distribution/Possession with intent of drug paraphernalia and&nbsp;&nbsp;Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.&nbsp;Lewis is being held on requested charges of Possession of stolen property,&nbsp;Theft and&nbsp;Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.Laska is accused of Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

Police: Suspects were selling fentanyl, meth from Kansas home

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a>

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Education said last week it will use a phased rollout to launch the 2025-26 form to apply for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/dont-give-fafsa-advocates-student-financial-aid-urge" target="_blank">federal financial student aid</a>, which will make the application fully available two months later than usual.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid — better known as FAFSA — will be available to hundreds of students on Oct. 1, gradually ramping up to be available to all by Dec. 1. The staggered approach is an attempt to fix any issues before the form is open to everyone.

The phased rollout came after the 2024-25 form, which got a makeover following Congress passing the FAFSA Simplification Act in late 2020, witnessed its share of hiccups and glitches during the soft launch in December and past the official debut in January.

Though advocates expressed concerns regarding the form’s failure to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/24/politics/fafsa-inflation-fix-income/index.html" target="_blank">adjust for inflation</a>, its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.chronicle.com/article/miscalculation-in-fafsa-formula-is-another-unforced-error" target="_blank">formula miscalculation</a>&nbsp;and its&nbsp;<a href="https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/library/electronic-announcements/2024-04-01/update-tax-data-received-fa-ddx-and-manually-entered-information" target="_blank">tax data errors</a>, which prompted processing delays, the department has worked to fix these issues.

“As we rolled out the 2024-2025 FAFSA cycle, we met various challenges in its first year,” U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said during a call with reporters Wednesday.

Cardona said “these challenges — rooted in a federal student aid department that was also in desperate need of modernization — resulted in frustration for many students, families, education leaders and policy makers from the Hill.”

The Education secretary added that over the last 10 months, the department has “spent lots of time with these stakeholders to ensure their experience and their input influences our work moving forward,” noting that the new rollout process reflects the extensive feedback the department has received.

Jeremy Singer, who leads FAFSA strategy within the department’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/us-department-education-announces-jeremy-singer-fafsa-executive-advisor-office-federal-student-aid" target="_blank">Office of Federal Student Aid</a>, said hundreds of students will participate in the testing period beginning Oct. 1.

Singer said that availability will expand to thousands of students in mid-October and then to tens of thousands of students in early November, all prior to the form opening up to all students and families by Dec. 1.

Hearing from many students, families, schools and organizations, Singer said some of the most common demands included a concrete launch timeline and ability to track progress on that timeline, the launch of a form that’s fully functioning and assurance that there will be no major defects once the form is launched.

Senior department officials said states and schools have told them that no determination of financial aid will be made before the system opens for all students in December.

U.S. Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal, who oversees higher education and financial aid, including the&nbsp; Office of Federal Student Aid, said that in March, the department received nearly 40% fewer FAFSAs than they had on the same date a year prior.

But now that gap is under 4% and they “continue to close it every week,” Kvaal said.

The department is inviting volunteers to take part in the testing period and said it will release more information in the coming weeks on how students and other partners can get involved in this initial process.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/11/1700516528497.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a>WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Education said last week it will use a phased rollout to launch the 2025-26 form to apply for&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/dont-give-fafsa-advocates-student-financial-aid-urge" target="_blank">federal financial student aid</a>, which will make the application fully available two months later than usual.The Free Application for Federal Student Aid — better known as FAFSA — will be available to hundreds of students on Oct. 1, gradually ramping up to be available to all by Dec. 1. The staggered approach is an attempt to fix any issues before the form is open to everyone.The phased rollout came after the 2024-25 form, which got a makeover following Congress passing the FAFSA Simplification Act in late 2020, witnessed its share of hiccups and glitches during the soft launch in December and past the official debut in January.Though advocates expressed concerns regarding the form’s failure to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/01/24/politics/fafsa-inflation-fix-income/index.html" target="_blank">adjust for inflation</a>, its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.chronicle.com/article/miscalculation-in-fafsa-formula-is-another-unforced-error" target="_blank">formula miscalculation</a>&nbsp;and its&nbsp;<a href="https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/library/electronic-announcements/2024-04-01/update-tax-data-received-fa-ddx-and-manually-entered-information" target="_blank">tax data errors</a>, which prompted processing delays, the department has worked to fix these issues.“As we rolled out the 2024-2025 FAFSA cycle, we met various challenges in its first year,” U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said during a call with reporters Wednesday.Cardona said “these challenges — rooted in a federal student aid department that was also in desperate need of modernization — resulted in frustration for many students, families, education leaders and policy makers from the Hill.”The Education secretary added that over the last 10 months, the department has “spent lots of time with these stakeholders to ensure their experience and their input influences our work moving forward,” noting that the new rollout process reflects the extensive feedback the department has received.Jeremy Singer, who leads FAFSA strategy within the department’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/us-department-education-announces-jeremy-singer-fafsa-executive-advisor-office-federal-student-aid" target="_blank">Office of Federal Student Aid</a>, said hundreds of students will participate in the testing period beginning Oct. 1.Singer said that availability will expand to thousands of students in mid-October and then to tens of thousands of students in early November, all prior to the form opening up to all students and families by Dec. 1.Hearing from many students, families, schools and organizations, Singer said some of the most common demands included a concrete launch timeline and ability to track progress on that timeline, the launch of a form that’s fully functioning and assurance that there will be no major defects once the form is launched.Senior department officials said states and schools have told them that no determination of financial aid will be made before the system opens for all students in December.U.S. Under Secretary of Education James Kvaal, who oversees higher education and financial aid, including the&nbsp; Office of Federal Student Aid, said that in March, the department received nearly 40% fewer FAFSAs than they had on the same date a year prior.But now that gap is under 4% and they “continue to close it every week,” Kvaal said.The department is inviting volunteers to take part in the testing period and said it will release more information in the coming weeks on how students and other partners can get involved in this initial process.

U.S. Education Department to gradually roll out new FAFSA form by Dec. 1

MCCONNELL&nbsp;AIR FORCE BASE, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;McConnell&nbsp;Air Force Base is adding extra horsepower to the 2024 Frontiers in Flight Airshow with the addition of the Budweiser Clydesdales­&nbsp;alongside Folds of Honor, according to a media release.

The Budweiser Clydesdales have served as iconic brand symbols for over 90 years, and since 1933, they’ve appeared at a number of events across the nation, from the Rose Parade to 2023’s Riverfest in Wichita. This year, they also starred in their 46th Super Bowl commercial.

At&nbsp;McConnell, the horses, handlers and Dalmatians will make Hangar 1111 their temporary headquarters, which is on the southern end of the airshow area. The Clydesdale hitch will pass by airshow attendees prior to the start of flying activity at approximately 11:30 a.m. each day of the airshow.

The Clydesdales’ visit is part of Anheuser-Busch and Budweiser’s nationwide tour to celebrate 14 years of partnership with Folds of Honor, a nonprofit organization that provides life-changing educational scholarships to the families of fallen or disabled U.S. service members and first responders.

The Frontiers in Flight airshow is free to attend and runs Aug. 24-25 at&nbsp;McConnell&nbsp;Air Force Base. The airshow features performances by the Navy Blue Angels and a host of other aerial acts. For more on the airshow, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.frontiersinflight.com/" target="_blank">www.frontiersinflight.com</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723306852448.png" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>MCCONNELL&nbsp;AIR FORCE BASE, Kan.&nbsp;–&nbsp;McConnell&nbsp;Air Force Base is adding extra horsepower to the 2024 Frontiers in Flight Airshow with the addition of the Budweiser Clydesdales­&nbsp;alongside Folds of Honor, according to a media release.The Budweiser Clydesdales have served as iconic brand symbols for over 90 years, and since 1933, they’ve appeared at a number of events across the nation, from the Rose Parade to 2023’s Riverfest in Wichita. This year, they also starred in their 46th Super Bowl commercial.At&nbsp;McConnell, the horses, handlers and Dalmatians will make Hangar 1111 their temporary headquarters, which is on the southern end of the airshow area. The Clydesdale hitch will pass by airshow attendees prior to the start of flying activity at approximately 11:30 a.m. each day of the airshow.The Clydesdales’ visit is part of Anheuser-Busch and Budweiser’s nationwide tour to celebrate 14 years of partnership with Folds of Honor, a nonprofit organization that provides life-changing educational scholarships to the families of fallen or disabled U.S. service members and first responders.The Frontiers in Flight airshow is free to attend and runs Aug. 24-25 at&nbsp;McConnell&nbsp;Air Force Base. The airshow features performances by the Navy Blue Angels and a host of other aerial acts. For more on the airshow, visit&nbsp;<a href="http://www.frontiersinflight.com/" target="_blank">www.frontiersinflight.com</a>.

 Kansas Air Force Base adds major horsepower to airshow

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a burglary have captured a suspect.

Just after 3p.m. Thursday, police responded to a reported traffic-related call for service in the 2900 block of SW 31st Court in Topeka, according tp Police Captain Jerry Monasmith. 

&nbsp;At the scene, officers identified the individual involved as Shawn M. Ward, 26, of Topeka, who is a suspect in an ongoing aggravated burglary and auto theft investigation.

Officers attempted to initiate a car stop, but Ward failed to comply. Additional units were requested to assist. After a brief period, Ward was taken into custody without further incident.

As a result of the investigation, Ward was arrested and transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated burglary, Misdemeanor theft from a Building, Felony theft of a motor vehicle, Criminal use of a financial card, Criminal Trespass and Felony obstruction; interference with a Law Enforcement Officer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723235082950.png" alt="Ward -photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Ward -photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a burglary have captured a suspect.Just after 3p.m. Thursday, police responded to a reported traffic-related call for service in the 2900 block of SW 31st Court in Topeka, according tp Police Captain Jerry Monasmith. &nbsp;At the scene, officers identified the individual involved as Shawn M. Ward, 26, of Topeka, who is a suspect in an ongoing aggravated burglary and auto theft investigation.Officers attempted to initiate a car stop, but Ward failed to comply. Additional units were requested to assist. After a brief period, Ward was taken into custody without further incident.As a result of the investigation, Ward was arrested and transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated burglary, Misdemeanor theft from a Building, Felony theft of a motor vehicle, Criminal use of a financial card, Criminal Trespass and Felony obstruction; interference with a Law Enforcement Officer.

Police captured burglary suspect at scene of car crash

KANSAS CITY—A man drowned in a pond a Kansas City area pond on Saturday.

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 ID 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—A man drowned in a pond a Kansas City area pond on Saturday.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 ID 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."

Man drowns in Kansas City area pond when canoe overturns

PARIS (AP) — U.S. Olympic officials say they will appeal 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.

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 Barbosu to third. The International Olympic Committee confirmed the ruling Sunday, announcing that it was reallocating the bronze from last Monday’s women’s floor final to Romanian Ana Barbosu.

“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 Cecile Landi's inquiry to have 0.1 added to Chiles’ score came outside the 1-minute window allowed by the FIG. 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 the 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.

Comaneci, at the same time, criticized the judges for the way they scored Maneca-Voinea’s routine — the gymnast was docked 0.1 points for stepping out of bounds, but viral replays showed she narrowly stayed inbounds. Comaneci urged the Romanian Olympic Committee to protest, which it did, but CAS denied that appeal.

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.”

Jazmin Chiles, Jordan's sister, said on Instagram that Chiles was stripped of a medal “not because she wasn't good enough. But because the judges failed to give her difficulty and forced an inquiry to be made.”

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.”

“All this talk about the athlete, what about the judges?”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/sunisalee/?hl=en">six-time Olympic medalist Sunisa Lee</a>&nbsp;added on Instagram. “Completely unacceptable, this is awful and I’m gutted for jordan.”

USA Gymnastics said in a statement on Saturday it is “devastated” by the ruling.

“The inquiry into the Difficulty Value of Jordan Chiles’ floor exercise routine was filed in good faith and, we believed, in accordance with FIG rules to ensure accurate scoring,” the organization wrote.

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.

“It was just the right thing to do,” Biles said about a moment that soon went viral, with even the&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/MuseeLouvre/status/1820468503910261176">Louvre</a>&nbsp;itself suggesting it might be worthy enough for a spot somewhere in the vicinity of the Mona Lisa.

That memory now carries a complicated and emotional postscript.

PARIS (AP) — American gymnast&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-olympics-paris-gymnastics-4004ae4869ac2eafbb89b68ee5966110">Jordan Chiles must 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 after sport's highest court voided an on-floor appeal by Chiles' coach that vaulted Chiles to third, the International Olympic Committee confirmed Sunday.

The IOC announced early Sunday it was reallocating the bronze from last Monday's women's floor final to Romanian Ana Barbosu after 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 Barbosu to third.

The decision came less than 24 hours after the Court of Arbitration for Sport&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/olympics-2024-romania-inquiry-007b6136128a934b4a5c900ad8fb608f">voided a scoring appeal</a>&nbsp;made by Team USA coach Cecile Landi during the competition that placed Chiles on the podium.

CAS ruled Saturday that Landi's appeal to have 0.1 added to Chiles’ score came outside the 1-minute window allowed by the FIG. The 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 U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee regarding the return of Chiles' bronze and will work with the Romanian Olympic Committee to discuss a reallocation ceremony honoring Barbosu.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721752151522.png" alt="FILE -&nbsp; (AP Photo/Thibault Campus, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE -&nbsp; (AP Photo/Thibault Campus, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>PARIS (AP) — U.S. Olympic officials say they will appeal 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.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">USA Gymnastics has submitted additional evidence to the Court of Arbitration for Sport. <a href="https://t.co/GOKymbAtcq">pic.twitter.com/GOKymbAtcq</a>&mdash; USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) <a href="https://twitter.com/USAGym/status/1822724122951991331?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 11, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>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.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 Barbosu to third. The International Olympic Committee confirmed the ruling Sunday, announcing that it was reallocating the bronze from last Monday’s women’s floor final to Romanian Ana Barbosu.<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>“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 Cecile Landi's inquiry to have 0.1 added to Chiles’ score came outside the 1-minute window allowed by the FIG. 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 the 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.Comaneci, at the same time, criticized the judges for the way they scored Maneca-Voinea’s routine — the gymnast was docked 0.1 points for stepping out of bounds, but viral replays showed she narrowly stayed inbounds. Comaneci urged the Romanian Olympic Committee to protest, which it did, but CAS denied that appeal.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.”Jazmin Chiles, Jordan's sister, said on Instagram that Chiles was stripped of a medal “not because she wasn't good enough. But because the judges failed to give her difficulty and forced an inquiry to be made.”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.”“All this talk about the athlete, what about the judges?”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/sunisalee/?hl=en">six-time Olympic medalist Sunisa Lee</a>&nbsp;added on Instagram. “Completely unacceptable, this is awful and I’m gutted for jordan.”USA Gymnastics said in a statement on Saturday it is “devastated” by the ruling.“The inquiry into the Difficulty Value of Jordan Chiles’ floor exercise routine was filed in good faith and, we believed, in accordance with FIG rules to ensure accurate scoring,” the organization wrote.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.“It was just the right thing to do,” Biles said about a moment that soon went viral, with even the&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/MuseeLouvre/status/1820468503910261176">Louvre</a>&nbsp;itself suggesting it might be worthy enough for a spot somewhere in the vicinity of the Mona Lisa.That memory now carries a complicated and emotional postscript.___PARIS (AP) — American gymnast&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-olympics-paris-gymnastics-4004ae4869ac2eafbb89b68ee5966110">Jordan Chiles must 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 after sport's highest court voided an on-floor appeal by Chiles' coach that vaulted Chiles to third, the International Olympic Committee confirmed Sunday.The IOC announced early Sunday it was reallocating the bronze from last Monday's women's floor final to Romanian Ana Barbosu after 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 Barbosu to third.The decision came less than 24 hours after the Court of Arbitration for Sport&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/olympics-2024-romania-inquiry-007b6136128a934b4a5c900ad8fb608f">voided a scoring appeal</a>&nbsp;made by Team USA coach Cecile Landi during the competition that placed Chiles on the podium.CAS ruled Saturday that Landi's appeal to have 0.1 added to Chiles’ score came outside the 1-minute window allowed by the FIG. The ad hoc committee wrote that Landi’s inquiry came 1 minute, 4 seconds after Chiles' initial score was posted.<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 IOC said in a statement it will be in touch with the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee regarding the return of Chiles' bronze and will work with the Romanian Olympic Committee to discuss a reallocation ceremony honoring Barbosu.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.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Joint Statement from USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic &amp; Paralympic Committee regarding the CAS decision on the women’s floor final: CAS Decision: <a href="https://t.co/KR6DYsfxEk">https://t.co/KR6DYsfxEk</a> <a href="https://t.co/r1e6QKmKA4">pic.twitter.com/r1e6QKmKA4</a>&mdash; USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) <a href="https://twitter.com/USAGym/status/1822320407589929220?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>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.Comaneci, at the same time, criticized the judges for the way they scored Maneca-Voinea’s routine — the gymnast was docked 0.1 points for stepping out of bounds, but viral replays showed she narrowly stayed inbounds. Comaneci urged the Romanian Olympic Committee to protest, which it did, but CAS denied that appeal.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.”Jazmin Chiles, Jordan's sister, said on Instagram that Chiles was stripped of a medal “not because she wasn't good enough. But because the judges failed to give her difficulty and forced an inquiry to be made.”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.”“All this talk about the athlete, what about the judges?”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/sunisalee/?hl=en">six-time Olympic medalist Sunisa Lee</a>&nbsp;added on Instagram. “Completely unacceptable, this is awful and I’m gutted for jordan.”USA Gymnastics said in a statement on Saturday it is “devastated” by the ruling.“The inquiry into the Difficulty Value of Jordan Chiles’ floor exercise routine was filed in good faith and, we believed, in accordance with FIG rules to ensure accurate scoring,” the organization wrote.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.“It was just the right thing to do,” Biles said about a moment that soon went viral, with even the&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/MuseeLouvre/status/1820468503910261176">Louvre</a>&nbsp;itself suggesting it might be worthy enough for a spot somewhere in the vicinity of the Mona Lisa.That memory now carries a complicated and emotional postscript.___

U.S. will appeal after star gymnast stripped of a gymnastics bronze medal

By GEOFF MULVIHILL and KIMBERLEE KRUESI&nbsp;

KANSAS CITY (AP) —The number of women getting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/abortion">abortions</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. actually went up in the first three months of 2024 compared with before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, a report released Wednesday found, reflecting the lengths that Democratic-controlled states went to expand access.

A major reason for the increase is that some Democratic-controlled states enacted laws to protect doctors who use telemedicine to see patients in places that have abortion bans, according to the quarterly #WeCount report for the Society of Family Planning, which supports abortion access.

The data comes ahead of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">November elections</a>&nbsp;in which abortion-rights supporters hope the issue will drive voters to the polls. In some places, voters will have a chance to enshrine or reject state-level abortion protections.

Fallout from the Supreme Court’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">June 2022 ruling</a>&nbsp;in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization has remade the way abortion works across the country. The #WeCount data, which has been collected in a monthly survey since April 2022, shows how those providing and seeking abortion have adapted to changing laws.

The survey found that the number of abortions fell to nearly zero in states that ban abortion in all stages of pregnancy and declined by about half in places that ban it after six weeks of pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant. Fourteen states are enforcing bans on abortion at all stages of pregnancy, with some exceptions, and four others bar it after about six weeks of pregnancy.

Numbers went up in places where abortion remains legal until further into pregnancy — and especially in states such as Illinois, Kansas and New Mexico, which border states with bans.

The report estimates that if not for the post-Dobbs bans, there would have been about 9,900 more abortions per month — and 208,000 total since — in those states. The numbers were up by more than 2,600 per month in Illinois, about 1,300 in Virginia, 1,200 in Kansas and more than 500 in New Mexico.

Abortion pills and telemedicine play a key role. In March, doctors in states with laws to protect medical providers used telemedicine to prescribe abortion pills to nearly 10,000 patients in states with bans or restrictions on abortion by telehealth — accounting for about 1 in 10 abortions in the U.S.

Laws to protect medical providers who use telemedicine to prescribe abortion pills started taking effect in some Democratic-led states last year.

“It eases the burden on clinics,” said Ushma Upadhyay, a University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine professor who co-leads #WeCount. “So it creates more space for the people who are coming to clinics.”

Abortion opponents say the fight over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mifepristone-abortion-pill-supreme-court-2814cfe39174580c8cd4eb63a8e8b3cd">abortion drug mifepristone</a>&nbsp;isn’t over after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-mifepristone-8b6ac57709fa72e9ce433852582f5fde">a narrow Supreme Court ruling</a>&nbsp;that preserved access to it for now. But so far there have not been legal challenges to shield laws.

The latest edition of the survey covers the first three months of this year, when it counted an average of just under 99,000 abortions per month, compared with 84,000 in the two months before Dobbs. January was the first time since the survey began that it has counted more than 100,000 abortions across the country in a single month.

The tracking effort collects monthly data from providers across the country, creating a snapshot of abortion trends. In some states, a portion of the data is estimated. The effort makes data public with less than a six-month lag, giving a picture of trends far faster than annual reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where the most recent report covers abortion in 2021.

Before the shield laws began kicking in and #WeCount started tallying them, people were still getting some pills in places with bans.

One of the states where abortions increased was Florida.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-abortion-ban-9509a806453e1eab50d118aaecffa2f1#:~:text=(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20Florida's%20ban%20on,access%20to%20needed%20health%20care.">That changed in April</a>, when a ban after six weeks' gestation took effect. The data doesn't yet reflect that change.

The policy could change again through a November ballot measure that would make abortion legal until viability, generally considered to be around 23 or 24 weeks into pregnancy. It needs at least 60% approval to be added to the state constitution.

One vote against it will come from Mia Adkins, a 20-year-old senior at Florida International University.

“Instead of pushing for more abortion legal later in pregnancy, we should be pushing for laws that protect these pregnant parents and students and provide them with the support that they need,” said Akins, a senior at Florida International University.

Florida is one of six states where abortion-related measures are already on the ballot. Determinations from elections officials about adding similar questions are pending in four more states. In one, Nebraska, there are dueling amendments: One to allow access until viability and one to keep the current ban on most abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Abortion-rights supporters have prevailed in all seven abortion ballot questions in the U.S. since 2022. That tracks with public opinion polling that has shown growing support for abortion rights, including a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-trump-biden-election-2024-dobbs-498d14f6e2bbfe1f313f006ad089de4e">Associated Press-NORC poll</a>&nbsp;that found 6 in 10 Americans think their state should allow someone to obtain a legal abortion if they don't want to be pregnant for any reason.

An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-abortion-ballot-petitions-83cb053919be342d7bbb60217129fe49">amendment to protect access</a>&nbsp;could be on the ballot in Arizona, a political battleground state where court cases have swung abortion policy — and access — since the Dobbs ruling.

The state Supreme Court ruled in April that Arizona should enforce an 1864 ban on abortions at all stages of pregnancy, only for lawmakers to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-abortion-1864-ban-repeal-24578e546b69ca087e01034bcaf4aa01">repeal that law.</a>&nbsp;The state's ban on abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy remains. The ballot measure would expand it to 24 weeks.

Natalie Harper, a 23-year-old independent who usually doesn't vote, said the potential of bringing back the Civil War-era ban “absolutely” impacts her decision to vote for the ballot measure this November. “Seeing that as a possibility really made me realize that everyone’s pro-choice voices need to be heard in hopes it never goes in that direction again,” she said.

In Missouri, which has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-missouri-government-and-politics-7bb5798bae32c3f15abad3a10941dfb5">outlawed almost all abortions</a>&nbsp;and where nearly none were reported in the new data, election officials could soon certify whether a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-constitution-amendment-ballot-voter-d6c3098ca082772954b36e03287f5b10">proposed constitutional amendment</a>&nbsp;guaranteeing abortion rights received enough petition signatures to qualify for the ballot in the reliably Republican state.

University of Missouri political scientist Peverill Squire said that if the measure is on the ballot, it could draw out enough Democratic voters to help swing a few competitive legislative races.

“They can seize on the personal freedom arguments the Republicans have generally owned over the recent elections,” he said.

Associated Press writers Sejal Govindarao in Phoenix and David A. Lieb in Jefferson City, Missouri, contributed to this report.

By GEOFF MULVIHILL and KIMBERLEE KRUESI&nbsp;KANSAS CITY (AP) —The number of women getting&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/abortion">abortions</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. actually went up in the first three months of 2024 compared with before the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, a report released Wednesday found, reflecting the lengths that Democratic-controlled states went to expand access.A major reason for the increase is that some Democratic-controlled states enacted laws to protect doctors who use telemedicine to see patients in places that have abortion bans, according to the quarterly #WeCount report for the Society of Family Planning, which supports abortion access.The data comes ahead of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">November elections</a>&nbsp;in which abortion-rights supporters hope the issue will drive voters to the polls. In some places, voters will have a chance to enshrine or reject state-level abortion protections.Fallout from the Supreme Court’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">June 2022 ruling</a>&nbsp;in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization has remade the way abortion works across the country. The #WeCount data, which has been collected in a monthly survey since April 2022, shows how those providing and seeking abortion have adapted to changing laws.The survey found that the number of abortions fell to nearly zero in states that ban abortion in all stages of pregnancy and declined by about half in places that ban it after six weeks of pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant. Fourteen states are enforcing bans on abortion at all stages of pregnancy, with some exceptions, and four others bar it after about six weeks of pregnancy.Numbers went up in places where abortion remains legal until further into pregnancy — and especially in states such as Illinois, Kansas and New Mexico, which border states with bans.The report estimates that if not for the post-Dobbs bans, there would have been about 9,900 more abortions per month — and 208,000 total since — in those states. The numbers were up by more than 2,600 per month in Illinois, about 1,300 in Virginia, 1,200 in Kansas and more than 500 in New Mexico.Abortion pills and telemedicine play a key role. In March, doctors in states with laws to protect medical providers used telemedicine to prescribe abortion pills to nearly 10,000 patients in states with bans or restrictions on abortion by telehealth — accounting for about 1 in 10 abortions in the U.S.Laws to protect medical providers who use telemedicine to prescribe abortion pills started taking effect in some Democratic-led states last year.“It eases the burden on clinics,” said Ushma Upadhyay, a University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine professor who co-leads #WeCount. “So it creates more space for the people who are coming to clinics.”Abortion opponents say the fight over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mifepristone-abortion-pill-supreme-court-2814cfe39174580c8cd4eb63a8e8b3cd">abortion drug mifepristone</a>&nbsp;isn’t over after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-mifepristone-8b6ac57709fa72e9ce433852582f5fde">a narrow Supreme Court ruling</a>&nbsp;that preserved access to it for now. But so far there have not been legal challenges to shield laws.The latest edition of the survey covers the first three months of this year, when it counted an average of just under 99,000 abortions per month, compared with 84,000 in the two months before Dobbs. January was the first time since the survey began that it has counted more than 100,000 abortions across the country in a single month.The tracking effort collects monthly data from providers across the country, creating a snapshot of abortion trends. In some states, a portion of the data is estimated. The effort makes data public with less than a six-month lag, giving a picture of trends far faster than annual reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, where the most recent report covers abortion in 2021.Before the shield laws began kicking in and #WeCount started tallying them, people were still getting some pills in places with bans.One of the states where abortions increased was Florida.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/florida-abortion-ban-9509a806453e1eab50d118aaecffa2f1#:~:text=(AP)%20%E2%80%94%20Florida's%20ban%20on,access%20to%20needed%20health%20care.">That changed in April</a>, when a ban after six weeks' gestation took effect. The data doesn't yet reflect that change.The policy could change again through a November ballot measure that would make abortion legal until viability, generally considered to be around 23 or 24 weeks into pregnancy. It needs at least 60% approval to be added to the state constitution.One vote against it will come from Mia Adkins, a 20-year-old senior at Florida International University.“Instead of pushing for more abortion legal later in pregnancy, we should be pushing for laws that protect these pregnant parents and students and provide them with the support that they need,” said Akins, a senior at Florida International University.Florida is one of six states where abortion-related measures are already on the ballot. Determinations from elections officials about adding similar questions are pending in four more states. In one, Nebraska, there are dueling amendments: One to allow access until viability and one to keep the current ban on most abortions after 12 weeks of pregnancy.Abortion-rights supporters have prevailed in all seven abortion ballot questions in the U.S. since 2022. That tracks with public opinion polling that has shown growing support for abortion rights, including a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-trump-biden-election-2024-dobbs-498d14f6e2bbfe1f313f006ad089de4e">Associated Press-NORC poll</a>&nbsp;that found 6 in 10 Americans think their state should allow someone to obtain a legal abortion if they don't want to be pregnant for any reason.An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-abortion-ballot-petitions-83cb053919be342d7bbb60217129fe49">amendment to protect access</a>&nbsp;could be on the ballot in Arizona, a political battleground state where court cases have swung abortion policy — and access — since the Dobbs ruling.The state Supreme Court ruled in April that Arizona should enforce an 1864 ban on abortions at all stages of pregnancy, only for lawmakers to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arizona-abortion-1864-ban-repeal-24578e546b69ca087e01034bcaf4aa01">repeal that law.</a>&nbsp;The state's ban on abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy remains. The ballot measure would expand it to 24 weeks.Natalie Harper, a 23-year-old independent who usually doesn't vote, said the potential of bringing back the Civil War-era ban “absolutely” impacts her decision to vote for the ballot measure this November. “Seeing that as a possibility really made me realize that everyone’s pro-choice voices need to be heard in hopes it never goes in that direction again,” she said.In Missouri, which has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-us-supreme-court-missouri-government-and-politics-7bb5798bae32c3f15abad3a10941dfb5">outlawed almost all abortions</a>&nbsp;and where nearly none were reported in the new data, election officials could soon certify whether a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-missouri-constitution-amendment-ballot-voter-d6c3098ca082772954b36e03287f5b10">proposed constitutional amendment</a>&nbsp;guaranteeing abortion rights received enough petition signatures to qualify for the ballot in the reliably Republican state.University of Missouri political scientist Peverill Squire said that if the measure is on the ballot, it could draw out enough Democratic voters to help swing a few competitive legislative races.“They can seize on the personal freedom arguments the Republicans have generally owned over the recent elections,” he said.___Associated Press writers Sejal Govindarao in Phoenix and David A. Lieb in Jefferson City, Missouri, contributed to this report.

Study: US abortion numbers have risen slightly since Roe overturned

JOHNSON COUNTY –&nbsp; Ricardo Marin-Valadez was placed on escape status at approximately 6:00 p.m. on Friday, after not reporting to his job or returning to the facility, according to the&nbsp;Kansas Department of Corrections.

Marin-Valadez, a 24-year-old Hispanic male, was reported missing when the resident could not be located at the Johnson County Department of Corrections (JCDOC) Adult Residential Center (ARC). This walkaway does not impact the facility's security or operations.

Marin-Valadez is described as 5-foot 11-inches, and weighs 206 pounds, with a heavy build. He has brown hair and eyes and was last seen wearing black t-shirt and camouflage shorts.

Marin-Valadez was convicted in Johnson County for drug-related convictions. He is serving a 15-month sentence at the ARC, from which he walked away. Under an agreement between the KDOC and JCDOC, residents with release plans appropriate to Johnson County are housed at the ARC

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723306461184.png" alt="Marin-Valadez photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>Marin-Valadez photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY –&nbsp; Ricardo Marin-Valadez was placed on escape status at approximately 6:00 p.m. on Friday, after not reporting to his job or returning to the facility, according to the&nbsp;Kansas Department of Corrections.Marin-Valadez, a 24-year-old Hispanic male, was reported missing when the resident could not be located at the Johnson County Department of Corrections (JCDOC) Adult Residential Center (ARC). This walkaway does not impact the facility's security or operations.Marin-Valadez is described as 5-foot 11-inches, and weighs 206 pounds, with a heavy build. He has brown hair and eyes and was last seen wearing black t-shirt and camouflage shorts.Marin-Valadez was convicted in Johnson County for drug-related convictions. He is serving a 15-month sentence at the ARC, from which he walked away. Under an agreement between the KDOC and JCDOC, residents with release plans appropriate to Johnson County are housed at the ARC

Search continues for inmate who escaped from Kan. prison

JOHNSON COUNTY—A Kansas woman is facing sex crime allegations.

Kassidy Alexander, 27, is charged with unlawful sexual relations, according to online jail records in Johnson County.&nbsp; She is a former USD 232 school district employee.

The charges involve events occurring from July 25, 2022, to March 2024, according to court documents.&nbsp; Alexander is accused of "unlawfully and feloniously engaging in consensual sexual intercourse" with someone 16 years or older, a student in the school, according to court documents.

USD 232 in a message to school district families reported the district became aware of the investigation in May.

"On Tuesday, May 14, district administration was made aware of an allegation of an inappropriate relationship between a female classified employee at Lexington Trails Middle School and a male high school student."&nbsp; "Based on this information, the school district acted immediately to protect and care for those involved by suspending the employee in question. Upon being suspended, the individual immediately resigned their employment."

Alexander met the requirements of the $75,000 bond and is no longer in custody. She made her first court appearance on Aug. 8, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723146446335.png" alt="Alexander photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Alexander photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY—A Kansas woman is facing sex crime allegations.Kassidy Alexander, 27, is charged with unlawful sexual relations, according to online jail records in Johnson County.&nbsp; She is a former USD 232 school district employee.The charges involve events occurring from July 25, 2022, to March 2024, according to court documents.&nbsp; Alexander is accused of "unlawfully and feloniously engaging in consensual sexual intercourse" with someone 16 years or older, a student in the school, according to court documents.USD 232 in a message to school district families reported the district became aware of the investigation in May."On Tuesday, May 14, district administration was made aware of an allegation of an inappropriate relationship between a female classified employee at Lexington Trails Middle School and a male high school student."&nbsp; "Based on this information, the school district acted immediately to protect and care for those involved by suspending the employee in question. Upon being suspended, the individual immediately resigned their employment."Alexander met the requirements of the $75,000 bond and is no longer in custody. She made her first court appearance on Aug. 8, according to online jail records.

Kansas middle school employee accused of sex crimes

HARVEY COUNTY— A Kansas man died in an accident just before 3:30p.m. Saturday in Harvey County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Freightliner semi driven by 39-year-old Mohamed Adan&nbsp;Abdulahi was northbound on Interstate 135 just south of Kansas 156 in the right lane. 

A 2016 Ford Fusion was legally parked on the right shoulder with a pedestrian identified as Richard Anthony Hall, 44, Overland Park, standing in front of it. 

Due to heavy traffic, the semi was unable to move to the left lane to pass the stationary vehicle. The truck-tractor slowed down as it approached the Ford. As the semi was passing the Ford Fusion, the pedestrian ran into the roadway. The truck-tractor struck the pedestrian with the front right corner of the vehicle.

Hall was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to the&nbsp;Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center.

Abdulahi was properly restrained and not injured, according to the KHP. The KHP did not report where Abdulahj lived.

HARVEY COUNTY— A Kansas man died in an accident just before 3:30p.m. Saturday in Harvey County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Freightliner semi driven by 39-year-old Mohamed Adan&nbsp;Abdulahi was northbound on Interstate 135 just south of Kansas 156 in the right lane. A 2016 Ford Fusion was legally parked on the right shoulder with a pedestrian identified as Richard Anthony Hall, 44, Overland Park, standing in front of it. Due to heavy traffic, the semi was unable to move to the left lane to pass the stationary vehicle. The truck-tractor slowed down as it approached the Ford. As the semi was passing the Ford Fusion, the pedestrian ran into the roadway. The truck-tractor struck the pedestrian with the front right corner of the vehicle.Hall was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to the&nbsp;Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center.Abdulahi was properly restrained and not injured, according to the KHP. The KHP did not report where Abdulahj lived.

Kansas man dies after struck by a semi 

OSAGE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas man on drug allegations.

Just after 11:31 am August 8, a Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit located a subject known to have an Osage County arrest warrant in the 20000 block of South Stanley Road, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.

 The subject was also found to be in possession of illegal narcotics while being taken into custody. Delwin D. Watkins, 58, of Pomona, Kansas was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of Distribution of methamphetamine and the arrest warrant.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723166607050.png" alt="Watkins photo Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>Watkins photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a Kansas man on drug allegations.Just after 11:31 am August 8, a Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit located a subject known to have an Osage County arrest warrant in the 20000 block of South Stanley Road, according to Sheriff Chris Wells. The subject was also found to be in possession of illegal narcotics while being taken into custody. Delwin D. Watkins, 58, of Pomona, Kansas was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of Distribution of methamphetamine and the arrest warrant.

Kansas man accused of selling methamphetamine 

WASHINGTON (AP) — A California man with a history of political violence was sentenced on Friday to 20 years in prison for repeatedly attacking police with flagpoles and other makeshift weapons during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.

David Nicholas Dempsey’s sentence is among the longest among hundreds of Capitol riot prosecutions. Prosecutors described him as one of the most violent members of the mob of Donald Trump supporters that attacked the Capitol as lawmakers met to certify Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential election victory.

Dempsey, who is from Van Nuys, stomped on police officers’ heads. He swung poles at officers defending a tunnel, struck an officer in the head with a metal crutch and attacked police with pepper spray and broken pieces of furniture, prosecutors said.

He climbed atop other rioters, using them like “human scaffolding” to reach officers guarding a tunnel entrance. He injured at least two police officers, prosecutors said.

“Your conduct on January 6th was exceptionally egregious,” U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth told Dempsey. “You did not get carried away in the moment.”

Dempsey pleaded guilty in January to two counts of assaulting police officers with a dangerous weapon.

Only former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio has received a longer sentence in the Jan. 6 attack. Tarrio was sentenced to 22 years for orchestrating a plot to stop the peaceful transfer of power from Trump to Joe Biden after the 2020 presidential election.

Dempsey called his conduct “reprehensible” and apologized to the police officers whom he assaulted,

“You were performing your duties, and I responded with hostility and violence,” he said before learning his sentence.

Justice Department prosecutors recommended a prison sentence of 21 years and 10 months for Dempsey, a former construction worker and fast-food restaurant employee. Dempsey’s violence was so extreme that he attacked a fellow rioter who was trying to disarm him,&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.235380/gov.uscourts.dcd.235380.69.0.pdf" target="_blank">prosecutors wrote</a>.

“David Dempsey is political violence personified,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Brasher told the judge.

Defense attorney Amy Collins, who sought a sentence of 6 years and six months, described the government’s sentencing recommendation as “ridiculous.”

“It makes him a statistic,” she said. “It doesn’t consider the person he is, how much he has grown.”

Dempsey was wearing a tactical vest, a helmet and an American flag gaiter covering his face when he attacked police at a tunnel leading to the Lower West Terrace doors. He shot pepper spray at Metropolitan Police Department Detective Phuson Nguyen just as another rioter yanked at the officer’s gas mask, prosecutors wrote.

“The searing spray burned Detective Nguyen’s lungs, throat, eyes, and face and left him gasping for breath, fearing he might lose consciousness and be overwhelmed by the mob,” they wrote.

Dempsey then struck MPD Sgt. Jason Mastony in the head with a metal crutch, cracking the shield on his gas mask and cutting his head.

“I collapsed and caught myself against the wall as my ears rang. I was able to stand again and hold the line for a few more minutes until another assault by rioters pushed the police line back away from the threshold of the tunnel,” Mastony said in a statement submitted to the court.

Dempsey has been jailed since his arrest in August 2021.

His criminal record in California includes convictions for burglary, theft and assault. The assault conviction stemmed from an October 2019, gathering near the Santa Monica Pier, where Dempsey attacked people peacefully demonstrating against then-President Trump, prosecutors said.

“The peaceful protest turned violent as Dempsey took a canister of bear spray from his pants and dispersed it at close range against several protesters,” they wrote, noting that Dempsey was sentenced to 200 days of jail time.

Dempsey engaged in at least three other acts of “vicious political violence” that didn’t lead to criminal charges “for various reasons,” according to prosecutors. They said Dempsey struck a counter-protester over the head with a skateboard at a June 2019 rally in Los Angeles, used the same skateboard to assault someone at an August 2020 protest in Tujunga, California, and attacked a protester with pepper spray and a metal bat during a August 2020 protest in Beverly Hills, California.

More than 1,400 people have been charged with Jan. 6-related federal crimes. Over 900 of them have been convicted and sentenced, with roughly two-thirds receiving terms of imprisonment ranging from a few days to the 22 years that Tarrio received.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723237501529.png" alt="David Dempsey photo United States District Court" />
 <figcaption>David Dempsey photo United States District Court</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A California man with a history of political violence was sentenced on Friday to 20 years in prison for repeatedly attacking police with flagpoles and other makeshift weapons during the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol.David Nicholas Dempsey’s sentence is among the longest among hundreds of Capitol riot prosecutions. Prosecutors described him as one of the most violent members of the mob of Donald Trump supporters that attacked the Capitol as lawmakers met to certify Joe Biden’s 2020 presidential election victory.Dempsey, who is from Van Nuys, stomped on police officers’ heads. He swung poles at officers defending a tunnel, struck an officer in the head with a metal crutch and attacked police with pepper spray and broken pieces of furniture, prosecutors said.He climbed atop other rioters, using them like “human scaffolding” to reach officers guarding a tunnel entrance. He injured at least two police officers, prosecutors said.“Your conduct on January 6th was exceptionally egregious,” U.S. District Judge Royce Lamberth told Dempsey. “You did not get carried away in the moment.”Dempsey pleaded guilty in January to two counts of assaulting police officers with a dangerous weapon.Only former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio has received a longer sentence in the Jan. 6 attack. Tarrio was sentenced to 22 years for orchestrating a plot to stop the peaceful transfer of power from Trump to Joe Biden after the 2020 presidential election.Dempsey called his conduct “reprehensible” and apologized to the police officers whom he assaulted,“You were performing your duties, and I responded with hostility and violence,” he said before learning his sentence.Justice Department prosecutors recommended a prison sentence of 21 years and 10 months for Dempsey, a former construction worker and fast-food restaurant employee. Dempsey’s violence was so extreme that he attacked a fellow rioter who was trying to disarm him,&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.235380/gov.uscourts.dcd.235380.69.0.pdf" target="_blank">prosecutors wrote</a>.“David Dempsey is political violence personified,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Douglas Brasher told the judge.Defense attorney Amy Collins, who sought a sentence of 6 years and six months, described the government’s sentencing recommendation as “ridiculous.”“It makes him a statistic,” she said. “It doesn’t consider the person he is, how much he has grown.”Dempsey was wearing a tactical vest, a helmet and an American flag gaiter covering his face when he attacked police at a tunnel leading to the Lower West Terrace doors. He shot pepper spray at Metropolitan Police Department Detective Phuson Nguyen just as another rioter yanked at the officer’s gas mask, prosecutors wrote.“The searing spray burned Detective Nguyen’s lungs, throat, eyes, and face and left him gasping for breath, fearing he might lose consciousness and be overwhelmed by the mob,” they wrote.Dempsey then struck MPD Sgt. Jason Mastony in the head with a metal crutch, cracking the shield on his gas mask and cutting his head.“I collapsed and caught myself against the wall as my ears rang. I was able to stand again and hold the line for a few more minutes until another assault by rioters pushed the police line back away from the threshold of the tunnel,” Mastony said in a statement submitted to the court.Dempsey has been jailed since his arrest in August 2021.His criminal record in California includes convictions for burglary, theft and assault. The assault conviction stemmed from an October 2019, gathering near the Santa Monica Pier, where Dempsey attacked people peacefully demonstrating against then-President Trump, prosecutors said.“The peaceful protest turned violent as Dempsey took a canister of bear spray from his pants and dispersed it at close range against several protesters,” they wrote, noting that Dempsey was sentenced to 200 days of jail time.Dempsey engaged in at least three other acts of “vicious political violence” that didn’t lead to criminal charges “for various reasons,” according to prosecutors. They said Dempsey struck a counter-protester over the head with a skateboard at a June 2019 rally in Los Angeles, used the same skateboard to assault someone at an August 2020 protest in Tujunga, California, and attacked a protester with pepper spray and a metal bat during a August 2020 protest in Beverly Hills, California.More than 1,400 people have been charged with Jan. 6-related federal crimes. Over 900 of them have been convicted and sentenced, with roughly two-thirds receiving terms of imprisonment ranging from a few days to the 22 years that Tarrio received.

Man who attacked police gets one of longest Jan. 6 sentences

PARIS (AP) — Romania’s Ana Barbosu could replace American&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/paris-olympics-2024-athletes-preperation-stories/jordan-chiles-paris-olympics-2024-gymnastics.html">Jordan Chiles</a>&nbsp;as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games">Olympic</a>&nbsp;bronze medalist in gymnastics floor exercise after the Court of Arbitration for Sport&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/olympics-2024-romania-inquiry-007b6136128a934b4a5c900ad8fb608f">voided an appeal</a>&nbsp;from Chiles’ coach that vaulted her onto the podium.

CAS ruled Saturday that the on-floor appeal by U.S. coach Cecile Landi to have .1 added to Chiles' score that boosted Chiles from fifth to third came outside the 1-minute window allowed by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG).

CAS wrote that the initial finishing order should be restored, with Barbosu third, teammate 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 to FIG to decide who would get the medal behind gold winner Rebeca Andrade of Brazil and silver medalist Simone Biles of the U.S.

FIG spokesperson Meike Behrensen said in an email to The Associated Press that a statement from the organization would be made “in due course” but did not offer a timeline.

The Romanian Olympic Committee had asked for three bronze medals to be awarded. Romanian prime minister Marcel Ciolacu reacted to the ruling by saying “justice has been served” and that “in the end, the truth prevailed.”

The ruling 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.

Comaneci, at the same time, criticized the judges for the way they scored Maneca-Voinea's routine — the gymnast was docked 0.1 points for stepping out of bounds, but viral replays showed she narrowly stayed inbounds. Comaneci urged the Romanian Olympic Committee to protest, which it did, but CAS denied that appeal.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721752151522.png" alt="FILE - (AP Photo/Thibault Campus, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - (AP Photo/Thibault Campus, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>PARIS (AP) — Romania’s Ana Barbosu could replace American&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/projects/paris-olympics-2024-athletes-preperation-stories/jordan-chiles-paris-olympics-2024-gymnastics.html">Jordan Chiles</a>&nbsp;as the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games">Olympic</a>&nbsp;bronze medalist in gymnastics floor exercise after the Court of Arbitration for Sport&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/olympics-2024-romania-inquiry-007b6136128a934b4a5c900ad8fb608f">voided an appeal</a>&nbsp;from Chiles’ coach that vaulted her onto the podium.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Joint Statement from USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic &amp; Paralympic Committee regarding the CAS decision on the women’s floor final: CAS Decision: <a href="https://t.co/KR6DYsfxEk">https://t.co/KR6DYsfxEk</a> <a href="https://t.co/r1e6QKmKA4">pic.twitter.com/r1e6QKmKA4</a>&mdash; USA Gymnastics (@USAGym) <a href="https://twitter.com/USAGym/status/1822320407589929220?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>CAS ruled Saturday that the on-floor appeal by U.S. coach Cecile Landi to have .1 added to Chiles' score that boosted Chiles from fifth to third came outside the 1-minute window allowed by the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG).CAS wrote that the initial finishing order should be restored, with Barbosu third, teammate 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 to FIG to decide who would get the medal behind gold winner Rebeca Andrade of Brazil and silver medalist Simone Biles of the U.S.FIG spokesperson Meike Behrensen said in an email to The Associated Press that a statement from the organization would be made “in due course” but did not offer a timeline.The Romanian Olympic Committee had asked for three bronze medals to be awarded. Romanian prime minister Marcel Ciolacu reacted to the ruling by saying “justice has been served” and that “in the end, the truth prevailed.”The ruling 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.Comaneci, at the same time, criticized the judges for the way they scored Maneca-Voinea's routine — the gymnast was docked 0.1 points for stepping out of bounds, but viral replays showed she narrowly stayed inbounds. Comaneci urged the Romanian Olympic Committee to protest, which it did, but CAS denied that appeal.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.”Barbosu and Maneca-Voinea were left outside the medals in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-olympics-simone-biles-53fdf2b99a088a4281fa8852e35cbb61">Monday’s floor final</a>&nbsp;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.“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 for the last spot on the podium.USA Gymnastics said in a statement it is “devastated” by the ruling.“The inquiry into the Difficulty Value of Jordan Chiles’ floor exercise routine was filed in good faith and, we believed, in accordance with FIG rules to ensure accurate scoring,” the organization wrote.The 23-year-old Chiles became a target on social media in the aftermath of the late switch, with critics asking her to give back the medal or offering racist remarks. Chiles&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/ChilesJordan/status/1820521508919488708">posted on X</a>&nbsp;earlier this week that “it's funny how people can still never be happy for someone.”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,”&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/ChilesJordan/status/1820521508919488708">Gina Chiles posted</a>. “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.“It was just the right thing to do,” Biles said about a moment that soon went viral, with even the&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/MuseeLouvre/status/1820468503910261176">Louvre</a>&nbsp;itself suggesting it might be worthy enough for a spot somewhere in the vicinity of the Mona Lisa.That memory now carries a complicated and emotional postscript.