WICHITA, KAN. – Two Kansas men pleaded guilty this week to taking part in a scheme to defraud a federal healthcare program.

According to court documents, 60-year-old Todd Eck, 60 and 56-year-old Bradley Eck both of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, according to the United State's Attorney's office.

From January 2017 to April 2019, Todd Eck and Bradley Eck utilized four healthcare related companies they created to enroll to receive Medicare reimbursements for billed medical procedures.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is responsible for the Medicare Program, a federal healthcare benefits program.

The Ecks concealed their ownership and control of the businesses on the Medicare enrollment form and omitted background information about themselves. Each omission was material to determine if Todd Eck and Bradley Eck were eligible to enroll, thus, all billing reimbursements made by Medicare to the Ecks were fraudulent.

Brad Eck’s license to practice chiropractic medicine was revoked by the Kansas Board of Healing Arts in 2013 for gross negligence, professional incompetency, and dishonesty.

Todd Eck had his license to practice chiropractic medicine revoked by the Kansas Board of Healing Arts in 2018 for violation of an order, fraud during license renewal, practicing medicine without a license, fraudulent medical records, and failure to maintain records.

As part of the plea agreement, the Eck brothers must pay $3.4 million in restitution.

Todd Eck and Bradley Eck are scheduled to be sentenced on January 13, 2025. The brothers face a maximum penalty of five years in prison. 

WICHITA, KAN. – Two Kansas men pleaded guilty this week to taking part in a scheme to defraud a federal healthcare program.According to court documents, 60-year-old Todd Eck, 60 and 56-year-old Bradley Eck both of Wichita pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, according to the United State's Attorney's office.From January 2017 to April 2019, Todd Eck and Bradley Eck utilized four healthcare related companies they created to enroll to receive Medicare reimbursements for billed medical procedures.The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is responsible for the Medicare Program, a federal healthcare benefits program.The Ecks concealed their ownership and control of the businesses on the Medicare enrollment form and omitted background information about themselves. Each omission was material to determine if Todd Eck and Bradley Eck were eligible to enroll, thus, all billing reimbursements made by Medicare to the Ecks were fraudulent.Brad Eck’s license to practice chiropractic medicine was revoked by the Kansas Board of Healing Arts in 2013 for gross negligence, professional incompetency, and dishonesty.Todd Eck had his license to practice chiropractic medicine revoked by the Kansas Board of Healing Arts in 2018 for violation of an order, fraud during license renewal, practicing medicine without a license, fraudulent medical records, and failure to maintain records.As part of the plea agreement, the Eck brothers must pay $3.4 million in restitution.Todd Eck and Bradley Eck are scheduled to be sentenced on January 13, 2025. The brothers face a maximum penalty of five years in prison.

2 former Kansas chiropractors face prison for Medicare fraud

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating homicide in Kansas City continue asking for help to locate a suspect vehicle.

Just before 10:30a.m. Thursday police responded to a shooting near East 55th Street and College Avenue, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.

When officers arrived to the area, they located a man in the middle of the street suffering from apparent gunshot trauma and unresponsive. EMS responded and declared the victim deceased on scene, according to KCPD Officer&nbsp;Alayna Gonzalez.

Investigators believed the victim and a suspect were involved in a verbal altercation that escalated to shots being fired and the victim was struck. Detectives are requesting assistance locating the suspect described as an adult black male, wearing all dark clothing, and occupying a burgundy over tan mid-2000s Ford F-150 pickup truck. The suspect left the area in an unknown direction in the pickup.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating homicide in Kansas City continue asking for help to locate a suspect vehicle.Just before 10:30a.m. Thursday police responded to a shooting near East 55th Street and College Avenue, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727984542912.png" alt="-Burgundy over tan Ford F150 4-door Lic# 8FHB06 (MO). The vehicle was stolen with the bed cover rolled up and the tailgate down." />
 <figcaption>-Burgundy over tan Ford F150 4-door Lic# 8FHB06 (MO). The vehicle was stolen with the bed cover rolled up and the tailgate down.</figcaption>
 </figure>When officers arrived to the area, they located a man in the middle of the street suffering from apparent gunshot trauma and unresponsive. EMS responded and declared the victim deceased on scene, according to KCPD Officer&nbsp;Alayna Gonzalez.Investigators believed the victim and a suspect were involved in a verbal altercation that escalated to shots being fired and the victim was struck. Detectives are requesting assistance locating the suspect described as an adult black male, wearing all dark clothing, and occupying a burgundy over tan mid-2000s Ford F-150 pickup truck. The suspect left the area in an unknown direction in the pickup.

Search continues for stolen pickup in KC man's killing

KANSAS CITY—Police are investigating another homicide in Kansas City after a teen injured in a shooting on Labor Day died this week.

Just after 6:30p.m. September 2, police responded to a shooting in the 7500 block of East 87th Street, according to a media release.

First responders found a teen, later identified as 17-year-old&nbsp; Lipara Westmoreland suffering from apparent gunshot wounds in the parking lot of a nearby store.

Investigators determined the Westmoreland was standing in the parking lot of the store armed with a gun when there was an exchange of gunfire with other unknown suspects.

EMS transported the teen to an area hospital for treatment and he died&nbsp; on October 3. Police have not reported an arrest or additional details.

KANSAS CITY—Police are investigating another homicide in Kansas City after a teen injured in a shooting on Labor Day died this week.Just after 6:30p.m. September 2, police responded to a shooting in the 7500 block of East 87th Street, according to a media release.First responders found a teen, later identified as 17-year-old&nbsp; Lipara Westmoreland suffering from apparent gunshot wounds in the parking lot of a nearby store.Investigators determined the Westmoreland was standing in the parking lot of the store armed with a gun when there was an exchange of gunfire with other unknown suspects.EMS transported the teen to an area hospital for treatment and he died&nbsp; on October 3. Police have not reported an arrest or additional details.

17-year-old dies from injuries in Labor Day gunfight in Kansas City

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

Missouri House testimony presented under several aliases should be investigated and prosecuted under laws making it a felony to file false documents with a government agency, state Rep. Del Taylor said Friday.

Taylor, a St. Louis Democrat, said that&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/03/false-names-used-in-testimony-to-missouri-house-committee-studying-immigrant-crime/">The Independent’s report</a>&nbsp;that a Columbia restaurant owner is the source of testimony under at least three fake names demands further investigation.

“Let’s take a closer look at who are these people that testified and submitted written testimony, and put some degree of scrutiny to them,” Taylor said in an interview with The Independent.

Written testimony submitted to the Missouri House Special Interim Committee on Illegal Immigrant Crimes included several statements that accused restaurant owners in cities around the state of conspiring to obtain liquor licenses for undocumented immigrants.

Three of the names and email addresses matched emails sent to The Independent beginning in May. Those emails included many of the same accusations sent to the committee, all tied back to officials and restaurants in Dunklin County in southeast Missouri.

Associate Dunklin County Commissioner Ron Huber, named as one of the alleged conspirators in the testimony and emails to The Independent, said he recognized them as among the aliases adopted by Crystal Umfress of Columbia as she targeted businesses he serves as an accountant.

Umfress was charged Sept. 18 in Dunklin County with filing false documents and forgery for impersonating Huber in emails seeking to withdraw liquor license applications for businesses he served. Umfress, owner of Casa Maria’s Mexican Cantina in Columbia, was already facing trial in February on charges of hiring a man to set fire to a Kennett restaurant when the forgery charges were filed.

The committee, formed by the House Republican leadership to document crimes committed by undocumented immigrants, actually found very little evidence that newly arrived people are more likely to commit offenses, Taylor said.

Taylor, a member of the committee, attended all six hearings in cities around the state, he said.

“The fact we had these hearings in the first place was unwarranted and now we have evidence to show that the testimony given that attempted to fuel the Republican anti-immigration rhetoric was falsified,” he said in a statement.

Taylor said the law&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=570.095&amp;bid=34959&amp;hl=" target="_blank">making it a felony</a>&nbsp;to file a false document with a government agency is one possible avenue for prosecution. Another is the punishment allowed&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=III++++18&amp;bid=31756&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">in the Missouri Constitution</a>&nbsp;for “disrespect to the House by any disorderly or contemptuous behavior in its presence during its sessions.”

“I don’t know if it would be the prosecutor from each county where a hearing took place, or the prosecutor here in Jefferson City since it was a House hearing,” Taylor said. “We are looking at a violation of Missouri statute. And I don’t know the jurisdiction, but yes, I would think the prosecutors should go ahead.”

The committee has concluded its public hearings and will prepare a report with recommendations for legislative action. The most pressing need shown by the testimony, Taylor said, is for laws protecting immigrants.

“Our immigrants and visitors are the victims of horrible human trafficking, hate crimes and wage theft,” Taylor said. “We heard that at all six of the hearings, and there were a number of recommendations that were made to offer better protections for our immigrant community.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710588992878.png" alt=" The Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City, as pictured September 26, 2023 (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption> The Missouri State Capitol in Jefferson City, as pictured September 26, 2023 (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>By RUDI KELLER &nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>Missouri House testimony presented under several aliases should be investigated and prosecuted under laws making it a felony to file false documents with a government agency, state Rep. Del Taylor said Friday.Taylor, a St. Louis Democrat, said that&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/10/03/false-names-used-in-testimony-to-missouri-house-committee-studying-immigrant-crime/">The Independent’s report</a>&nbsp;that a Columbia restaurant owner is the source of testimony under at least three fake names demands further investigation.“Let’s take a closer look at who are these people that testified and submitted written testimony, and put some degree of scrutiny to them,” Taylor said in an interview with The Independent.Written testimony submitted to the Missouri House Special Interim Committee on Illegal Immigrant Crimes included several statements that accused restaurant owners in cities around the state of conspiring to obtain liquor licenses for undocumented immigrants.Three of the names and email addresses matched emails sent to The Independent beginning in May. Those emails included many of the same accusations sent to the committee, all tied back to officials and restaurants in Dunklin County in southeast Missouri.Associate Dunklin County Commissioner Ron Huber, named as one of the alleged conspirators in the testimony and emails to The Independent, said he recognized them as among the aliases adopted by Crystal Umfress of Columbia as she targeted businesses he serves as an accountant.Umfress was charged Sept. 18 in Dunklin County with filing false documents and forgery for impersonating Huber in emails seeking to withdraw liquor license applications for businesses he served. Umfress, owner of Casa Maria’s Mexican Cantina in Columbia, was already facing trial in February on charges of hiring a man to set fire to a Kennett restaurant when the forgery charges were filed.The committee, formed by the House Republican leadership to document crimes committed by undocumented immigrants, actually found very little evidence that newly arrived people are more likely to commit offenses, Taylor said.Taylor, a member of the committee, attended all six hearings in cities around the state, he said.“The fact we had these hearings in the first place was unwarranted and now we have evidence to show that the testimony given that attempted to fuel the Republican anti-immigration rhetoric was falsified,” he said in a statement.Taylor said the law&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=570.095&amp;bid=34959&amp;hl=" target="_blank">making it a felony</a>&nbsp;to file a false document with a government agency is one possible avenue for prosecution. Another is the punishment allowed&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=III++++18&amp;bid=31756&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">in the Missouri Constitution</a>&nbsp;for “disrespect to the House by any disorderly or contemptuous behavior in its presence during its sessions.”“I don’t know if it would be the prosecutor from each county where a hearing took place, or the prosecutor here in Jefferson City since it was a House hearing,” Taylor said. “We are looking at a violation of Missouri statute. And I don’t know the jurisdiction, but yes, I would think the prosecutors should go ahead.”The committee has concluded its public hearings and will prepare a report with recommendations for legislative action. The most pressing need shown by the testimony, Taylor said, is for laws protecting immigrants.“Our immigrants and visitors are the victims of horrible human trafficking, hate crimes and wage theft,” Taylor said. “We heard that at all six of the hearings, and there were a number of recommendations that were made to offer better protections for our immigrant community.”

Missouri House Democrat calls for investigation of testimony given under false names

JACKSON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 5p.m. Saturday in Jackson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Toyota Rav4 driven by Jamie Lynn Wells, 38, Topeka, was northbound on U.S. 75 three miles south of Holton.&nbsp; The SUV struck a 2007 Honda CRV driven by Dianna Faye Slavens, 77, Topeka, who was entering U.S. 75 from a private drive and failed to yield.

Slavens was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to the Shawnee County Coroner's Office.

EMS transported Wells and a passenger in the Honda Alva E. Goff&nbsp; Jr., 89, Topeka, to the Holton Community Hospital. All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

JACKSON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 5p.m. Saturday in Jackson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2019 Toyota Rav4 driven by Jamie Lynn Wells, 38, Topeka, was northbound on U.S. 75 three miles south of Holton.&nbsp; The SUV struck a 2007 Honda CRV driven by Dianna Faye Slavens, 77, Topeka, who was entering U.S. 75 from a private drive and failed to yield.Slavens was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to the Shawnee County Coroner's Office.EMS transported Wells and a passenger in the Honda Alva E. Goff&nbsp; Jr., 89, Topeka, to the Holton Community Hospital. All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas woman dead, 2 others injured after 2-vehicle crash

JOHNSON COUNTY—A Kansas man is going to prison for the gun sale robbery that left a 16-year-old dead in 2022.

Deon Eugene Austin, 19, was sentenced to life in prison, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.

On August 2, a jury convicted Austin of first degree murder, aggravated battery; great bodily harm in the death of 16-year-old Jammal Blacknoll, Jr. who died of gunshot wounds, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.

Just before 9p.m. April 10, 2022, the&nbsp;Mission, Kansas, Police Department&nbsp;was called to a shooting in the parking lot of an apartment complex In the 5100 block of Foxridge Drive, according to court records.

First responders found 16-year-old Jammaal Blacknoll, Jr. had suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced deceased at the scene. Austin also suffered a gunshot wound to the left leg. He was transported to to&nbsp;Children’s Mercy Hospital&nbsp;for treatment.

Investigators said a baggie that contained marijuana and a handgun were found at the scene of the shooting. Witness statements confirmed the incident to be a firearms sale gone wrong as Austin attempted to rob Blacknoll. An autopsy confirmed Blacknoll had been shot 11 times.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723061153324.png" alt="Austin photo Johnson County" />
 <figcaption>Austin photo Johnson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY—A Kansas man is going to prison for the gun sale robbery that left a 16-year-old dead in 2022.Deon Eugene Austin, 19, was sentenced to life in prison, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.On August 2, a jury convicted Austin of first degree murder, aggravated battery; great bodily harm in the death of 16-year-old Jammal Blacknoll, Jr. who died of gunshot wounds, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.Just before 9p.m. April 10, 2022, the&nbsp;Mission, Kansas, Police Department&nbsp;was called to a shooting in the parking lot of an apartment complex In the 5100 block of Foxridge Drive, according to court records.First responders found 16-year-old Jammaal Blacknoll, Jr. had suffered multiple gunshot wounds and was pronounced deceased at the scene. Austin also suffered a gunshot wound to the left leg. He was transported to to&nbsp;Children’s Mercy Hospital&nbsp;for treatment.Investigators said a baggie that contained marijuana and a handgun were found at the scene of the shooting. Witness statements confirmed the incident to be a firearms sale gone wrong as Austin attempted to rob Blacknoll. An autopsy confirmed Blacknoll had been shot 11 times.&nbsp;

Prison for Kansas gun sale robbery that left 16-year-old dead

JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating three suspect on multiple allegations after sting operation.

Last month, police received information about an individual in Lenexa who was selling stolen goods in an online Marketplace, according to a social media report from Lenexa Police.

Detectives and officers began communicating with this suspect and set up a sting operation to "buy" some of the stolen merchandise. This operation was successful and 3 individuals were charged as part of this case. 

Police found over 100 Nintendo Switches and over 100 Samsung tablets in the suspect's hotel room. In addition to stolen goods recovered, police also seized methamphetamine in the room and one of the arrested individuals was charged with intent to distribute the meth.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727988029677.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating three suspect on multiple allegations after sting operation.Last month, police received information about an individual in Lenexa who was selling stolen goods in an online Marketplace, according to a social media report from Lenexa Police.Detectives and officers began communicating with this suspect and set up a sting operation to "buy" some of the stolen merchandise. This operation was successful and 3 individuals were charged as part of this case. Police found over 100 Nintendo Switches and over 100 Samsung tablets in the suspect's hotel room. In addition to stolen goods recovered, police also seized methamphetamine in the room and one of the arrested individuals was charged with intent to distribute the meth.

100s of stolen computer tablets, video games found in Kan. hotel

OSAGE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on drug allegations.

Just before 9a.m. September 30, a sheriff's K9 unit conducted a traffic stop just east of Quenemo on 269th Street for a traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.

 During the stop, illegal narcotics were located.Two subjects were taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility.

Jack Sands, 25, of Kansas City, is jailed on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine, Possession of marijuana, No driver’s license and Reckless driving

Eric E. Yost, 43, of Kansas City, is in custody on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine and Possession of marijuana.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727833843091.png" alt="Sands-Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>Sands-Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating two suspects on drug allegations.Just before 9a.m. September 30, a sheriff's K9 unit conducted a traffic stop just east of Quenemo on 269th Street for a traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells. During the stop, illegal narcotics were located.Two subjects were taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727833869235.png" alt="Yost-photo Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>Yost-photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Jack Sands, 25, of Kansas City, is jailed on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine, Possession of marijuana, No driver’s license and Reckless drivingEric E. Yost, 43, of Kansas City, is in custody on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine and Possession of marijuana.

Kansas sheriff's K9 unit found meth during traffic stop

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City. Just after 8:30p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to report of a shooting in the 2000 block of Drury Avenue, according to KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

When officers arrived, EMS was already on scene and advised an adult male victim was located in the street and declared deceased after suffering from gunshot trauma.

Preliminary investigation indicates an argument took place between the victim and an adult male suspect that escalated to gunfire and the victim was struck.&nbsp; There is no person of interest identified and no one is in custody. Police have not released the name of the victim.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728137529290.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City. Just after 8:30p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to report of a shooting in the 2000 block of Drury Avenue, according to KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez.When officers arrived, EMS was already on scene and advised an adult male victim was located in the street and declared deceased after suffering from gunshot trauma.Preliminary investigation indicates an argument took place between the victim and an adult male suspect that escalated to gunfire and the victim was struck.&nbsp; There is no person of interest identified and no one is in custody. Police have not released the name of the victim.

KCPD: Man dead after argument escalated to gunfire 

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

TOPEKA — Lawmakers’ plans to take control of the state’s budget-writing process could be rocky upon rollout, Republican leadership warned Wednesday as outside groups weighed in.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/08/29/kansas-gop-leaders-drafting-new-roadmap-for-legislatures-annual-budgeting-process/">new approach</a>&nbsp;positions the Legislature as the state’s chief budget authority and, if successful, would mean a budget is proposed as a bill on the first day of the 2025 session. The spending recommendations that Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly proposes in the first week of the session, which are typically lawmakers’ first glimpse at the budget, would become merely supplemental.

The special committee tasked with sorting out the details of the budget takeover, formed by House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, and Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, held its second meeting Wednesday. Three organizations provided testimony and recommendations.

Ultimately, such an overhaul isn’t going to go perfectly in its first year, Hawkins said at the meeting.

“It’s gonna be probably a little rocky, but we’re gonna get through it, and we’re gonna learn,” Hawkins said. “And we’re going to become better at this process every single year.”

Leah Fliter, executive assistant director of advocacy for Kansas Association of School Boards, urged the committee to consider creating a “clean K-12 budget” instead of packaging it alongside non-budget policies. She also recommended passing the school funding bill before the midway point in the legislative session to avoid the addition of last-minute earmarks and late-night negotiations, she wrote in testimony to the committee.

Lawmakers in recent years have tied school funding to&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/05/16/kelly-signs-education-budget-and-policy-bundle-asks-legislature-to-fully-fund-special-education/">open enrollment</a>&nbsp;and attempts to create&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/27/kansas-lawmakers-polish-plan-to-fully-fund-public-schools-revive-voucher-program/">a voucher program</a>&nbsp;for private schools.

The approach “resulted in legislators reluctantly voting for education funding bills that also include policy measures which harm their local school boards’ ability to support success for all Kansas students,” Fliter said.

Vance Ginn, a senior fellow at Kansas Policy Institute, offered a shortlist of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2023_24/committees/ctte_spc_2024_on_bdgt_and_dev_1/documents/testimony/20241002_03.pdf" target="_blank">six recommendations</a>, which included reducing the state’s dependency on federal funds, imposing stronger spending limits and conducting regular third-party efficiency audits.

Kurt Couchman with Americans for Prosperity encouraged the committee to consider a comprehensive budget, in which all spending and revenues would be contained. That would allow lawmakers to make relative value judgements on different programs, he said.

“It also would help provide more political cover to do the tough but necessary things,” Couchman said, including “pension reform.”

Rep. Henry Helgerson, D-Eastborough, questioned the goals of the special committee and whether it was truly without partisan motivations.&nbsp;

“The budget process should not be a partisan effort by one side or the other,” he told Kansas Reflector. “It should be based on good public policy.”

Following the committee meeting, Helgerson said he’s interested in marrying the governor’s customary budget approach with the new legislative experiment while working toward limiting government growth and returning funds to Kansans. Citizens in his Sedgwick County district are struggling with the costs of gasoline, food and property taxes, according to a recent survey he conducted of his constituents.&nbsp;

“Too many people are out there hurting,” he said.&nbsp;

In Helgerson’s mind, a married approach means legislators examine the budget in November and December but still allow the governor to propose a primary budget in January.&nbsp;

Republican leadership maintained that the procedural change isn’t fueled by partisan politics. Rep. Troy Waymaster, committee chairman and Republican from Bunker Hill, said his frustration with the budget process existed under Republican Gov. Sam Brownback’s administration in addition to Kelly’s.

“We can’t really do a deep dive into efficiencies and cost savings for the taxpayers of the state of Kansas,” Waymaster said.

Hawkins said GOP leadership approached the governor last year to ask that she release the budget sooner.

She released a few items, Hawkins said, “but not enough to make any difference.”

Dylan Dear with the Kansas Legislative Research Department said the department will have to take on more work to carry out the committee’s vision. Briefing the committee while simultaneously drafting budget summaries will be a challenge, he said.

Dear is one of few people who have early access to the governor’s budget recommendations, and he said Wednesday she requires him to sign a nondisclosure agreement.

He also said the governor typically works on the budget up until “very close” to the beginning of the session.

Grace Hoge, a spokeswoman for the governor, said in an email that the governor’s “meticulously crafted budget proposals have reversed years of financial irresponsibility and instability.”

“The governor’s budgets have fully funded our public schools, made historic investments in our transportation infrastructure and State Water Plan, and created a record budget surplus, while still cutting taxes for all Kansans,” Hoge said. “Although the Legislature has discussed changing the budget process, Kansans can trust that Governor Kelly will submit another commonsense, fiscally responsible budget proposal at the beginning of the 2025 session.”

Hoge didn’t answer questions about legislators’ claims that the governor doesn’t give them enough time to conduct a deep dive on budget efficiencies and whether she sees the effort to create a new budget process as partisan.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728065552192.png" alt=" Rep. Henry Helgerson, D-Eastborough, and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, talk amongst themselves during a special committee meeting on budget process and development on Oct. 2, 2024. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Rep. Henry Helgerson, D-Eastborough, and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, talk amongst themselves during a special committee meeting on budget process and development on Oct. 2, 2024. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/">ANNA KAMINSKI</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/akaminski/"></a><a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Lawmakers’ plans to take control of the state’s budget-writing process could be rocky upon rollout, Republican leadership warned Wednesday as outside groups weighed in.The&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/08/29/kansas-gop-leaders-drafting-new-roadmap-for-legislatures-annual-budgeting-process/">new approach</a>&nbsp;positions the Legislature as the state’s chief budget authority and, if successful, would mean a budget is proposed as a bill on the first day of the 2025 session. The spending recommendations that Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly proposes in the first week of the session, which are typically lawmakers’ first glimpse at the budget, would become merely supplemental.The special committee tasked with sorting out the details of the budget takeover, formed by House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, and Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, held its second meeting Wednesday. Three organizations provided testimony and recommendations.Ultimately, such an overhaul isn’t going to go perfectly in its first year, Hawkins said at the meeting.“It’s gonna be probably a little rocky, but we’re gonna get through it, and we’re gonna learn,” Hawkins said. “And we’re going to become better at this process every single year.”Leah Fliter, executive assistant director of advocacy for Kansas Association of School Boards, urged the committee to consider creating a “clean K-12 budget” instead of packaging it alongside non-budget policies. She also recommended passing the school funding bill before the midway point in the legislative session to avoid the addition of last-minute earmarks and late-night negotiations, she wrote in testimony to the committee.Lawmakers in recent years have tied school funding to&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/05/16/kelly-signs-education-budget-and-policy-bundle-asks-legislature-to-fully-fund-special-education/">open enrollment</a>&nbsp;and attempts to create&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/27/kansas-lawmakers-polish-plan-to-fully-fund-public-schools-revive-voucher-program/">a voucher program</a>&nbsp;for private schools.The approach “resulted in legislators reluctantly voting for education funding bills that also include policy measures which harm their local school boards’ ability to support success for all Kansas students,” Fliter said.Vance Ginn, a senior fellow at Kansas Policy Institute, offered a shortlist of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2023_24/committees/ctte_spc_2024_on_bdgt_and_dev_1/documents/testimony/20241002_03.pdf" target="_blank">six recommendations</a>, which included reducing the state’s dependency on federal funds, imposing stronger spending limits and conducting regular third-party efficiency audits.Kurt Couchman with Americans for Prosperity encouraged the committee to consider a comprehensive budget, in which all spending and revenues would be contained. That would allow lawmakers to make relative value judgements on different programs, he said.“It also would help provide more political cover to do the tough but necessary things,” Couchman said, including “pension reform.”Rep. Henry Helgerson, D-Eastborough, questioned the goals of the special committee and whether it was truly without partisan motivations.&nbsp;“The budget process should not be a partisan effort by one side or the other,” he told Kansas Reflector. “It should be based on good public policy.”Following the committee meeting, Helgerson said he’s interested in marrying the governor’s customary budget approach with the new legislative experiment while working toward limiting government growth and returning funds to Kansans. Citizens in his Sedgwick County district are struggling with the costs of gasoline, food and property taxes, according to a recent survey he conducted of his constituents.&nbsp;“Too many people are out there hurting,” he said.&nbsp;In Helgerson’s mind, a married approach means legislators examine the budget in November and December but still allow the governor to propose a primary budget in January.&nbsp;Republican leadership maintained that the procedural change isn’t fueled by partisan politics. Rep. Troy Waymaster, committee chairman and Republican from Bunker Hill, said his frustration with the budget process existed under Republican Gov. Sam Brownback’s administration in addition to Kelly’s.“We can’t really do a deep dive into efficiencies and cost savings for the taxpayers of the state of Kansas,” Waymaster said.Hawkins said GOP leadership approached the governor last year to ask that she release the budget sooner.She released a few items, Hawkins said, “but not enough to make any difference.”Dylan Dear with the Kansas Legislative Research Department said the department will have to take on more work to carry out the committee’s vision. Briefing the committee while simultaneously drafting budget summaries will be a challenge, he said.Dear is one of few people who have early access to the governor’s budget recommendations, and he said Wednesday she requires him to sign a nondisclosure agreement.He also said the governor typically works on the budget up until “very close” to the beginning of the session.Grace Hoge, a spokeswoman for the governor, said in an email that the governor’s “meticulously crafted budget proposals have reversed years of financial irresponsibility and instability.”“The governor’s budgets have fully funded our public schools, made historic investments in our transportation infrastructure and State Water Plan, and created a record budget surplus, while still cutting taxes for all Kansans,” Hoge said. “Although the Legislature has discussed changing the budget process, Kansans can trust that Governor Kelly will submit another commonsense, fiscally responsible budget proposal at the beginning of the 2025 session.”Hoge didn’t answer questions about legislators’ claims that the governor doesn’t give them enough time to conduct a deep dive on budget efficiencies and whether she sees the effort to create a new budget process as partisan.

Kansas House speaker says Legislature’s budget takeover could have rocky rollout

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating an officer-involved shooting in Kansas City, according to a statement from the Missouri State Highway Patrol's Department of Drug and Crime Control.

Just after 7:30p.m. Friday, the Kansas City, Missouri police department received a 911 call about a disturbance involving a weapon in the 3000 Block of 8th Street.

At the scene, officers contacted a suspect at the door of a first floor apartment and officers heard gunshots from inside the apartment.

Officers established a perimeter around the apartment and tactical operations were initiated. The KCPD SWAT team and crisis negotiators responded to the scene and communicated with the suspect for 3 hours.

Just after 11p.m., the suspect exited the rear of the apartment armed with a handgun. A KCPD officer fired at the suspect and struck him. The suspect was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.&nbsp;

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating an officer-involved shooting in Kansas City, according to a statement from the Missouri State Highway Patrol's Department of Drug and Crime Control.Just after 7:30p.m. Friday, the Kansas City, Missouri police department received a 911 call about a disturbance involving a weapon in the 3000 Block of 8th Street.At the scene, officers contacted a suspect at the door of a first floor apartment and officers heard gunshots from inside the apartment.Officers established a perimeter around the apartment and tactical operations were initiated. The KCPD SWAT team and crisis negotiators responded to the scene and communicated with the suspect for 3 hours.Just after 11p.m., the suspect exited the rear of the apartment armed with a handgun. A KCPD officer fired at the suspect and struck him. The suspect was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.&nbsp;

Suspect wounded in KCPD officer involved shooting

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

The Biden administration was hit with the latest blow to its student debt relief efforts on Thursday after a federal judge in Missouri temporarily blocked the administration from putting in place a plan that would provide student debt relief to millions of borrowers.

The ruling further hinders the administration’s efforts to promote its work on student loans ahead of the November election and comes amid persistent Republican challenges to President Joe Biden’s student debt relief initiatives.

The administration, which unveiled the plans in April,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/04/08/president-joe-biden-outlines-new-plans-to-deliver-student-debt-relief-to-over-30-million-americans-under-the-biden-harris-administration/" target="_blank">said these efforts</a>&nbsp;would provide student debt relief to more than 30 million borrowers. The proposals were never finalized.

In a September lawsuit, Missouri led Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, North Dakota and Ohio in challenging&nbsp;<a href="https://ago.mo.gov/wp-content/uploads/1-Complaint-Student-Loans.pdf" target="_blank">the administration</a>&nbsp;over the plan.

Their suit, filed in a Georgia federal court, came just days after a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/bidens-newest-student-loan-repayment-plan-temporarily-blocked-supreme-court" target="_blank">separate student debt relief effort</a>&nbsp;— the Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, plan — continued to be put on pause after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to lift a block on the plan in late August.

Following the September filing of the suit, U.S. District Judge J. Randal Hall of Georgia paused the plan through a&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.gasd.101744/gov.uscourts.gasd.101744.17.0.pdf" target="_blank">temporary restraining order</a>&nbsp;on Sept. 5 and&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.gasd.101744/gov.uscourts.gasd.101744.49.0.pdf" target="_blank">extended that order</a>&nbsp;on Sept. 19 while the case could be reviewed.

But on Wednesday, Hall&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.gasd.101744/gov.uscourts.gasd.101744.52.0.pdf" target="_blank">let that order expire</a>, dismissed Georgia from the suit and moved the case to a Missouri federal court.

Once the suit moved to Missouri and the restraining order was not extended, the remaining six states in the case quickly sought a&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.moed.215155/gov.uscourts.moed.215155.54.0_2.pdf" target="_blank">preliminary injunction</a>.

U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.moed.215155/gov.uscourts.moed.215155.57.0_2.pdf" target="_blank">granted the states’ request</a>&nbsp;on Thursday, writing that the administration is barred from “mass canceling student loans, forgiving any principal or interest, not charging borrowers accrued interest, or further implementing any other actions under the (debt relief plans) or instructing federal contractors to take such actions.”

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey praised Schelp’s decision, saying in a Thursday&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/AGAndrewBailey/status/1841960194395312578" target="_blank">post on X</a>&nbsp;that it’s a “huge win for transparency, the rule of law, and for every American who won’t have to foot the bill for someone else’s Ivy League debt.”

Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Department of Education said the agency is “extremely disappointed by this ruling on our proposed debt relief rules, which have not yet even been finalized,” per a statement.

“This lawsuit was brought by Republican elected officials who made clear they will stop at nothing to prevent millions of their own constituents from getting breathing room on their student loans,” the spokesperson said.

The department will “continue to vigorously defend these proposals in court” and “will not stop fighting to fix the broken student loan system and provide support and relief to borrowers across the country,” they added.

The Student Borrower Protection Center, an advocacy group, also lambasted the Missouri decision.

“With this case, the Missouri Attorney General continues to put naked political interest and corporate greed ahead of student loan borrowers in Missouri and across the country,” Persis Yu, deputy executive director and managing counsel for the advocacy group, said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://protectborrowers.org/trump-appointed-judge-sides-with-missouri-ag-to-block-future-student-debt-relief-undermining-millions-of-borrowers/" target="_blank">Thursday statement</a>.

“This is a shameful attack on tens of millions of student loan borrowers and our judicial system as a whole,” Yu said. “We will not stop fighting to expose these abuses and ensure borrowers get the relief they deserve.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728051440239.png" alt="-File photo President Biden met with reporters Thursday before boarding Air Force One- image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>-File photo President Biden met with reporters Thursday before boarding Air Force One- image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">SHAUNEEN MIRANDA</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a> The Biden administration was hit with the latest blow to its student debt relief efforts on Thursday after a federal judge in Missouri temporarily blocked the administration from putting in place a plan that would provide student debt relief to millions of borrowers.The ruling further hinders the administration’s efforts to promote its work on student loans ahead of the November election and comes amid persistent Republican challenges to President Joe Biden’s student debt relief initiatives.The administration, which unveiled the plans in April,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2024/04/08/president-joe-biden-outlines-new-plans-to-deliver-student-debt-relief-to-over-30-million-americans-under-the-biden-harris-administration/" target="_blank">said these efforts</a>&nbsp;would provide student debt relief to more than 30 million borrowers. The proposals were never finalized.In a September lawsuit, Missouri led Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, North Dakota and Ohio in challenging&nbsp;<a href="https://ago.mo.gov/wp-content/uploads/1-Complaint-Student-Loans.pdf" target="_blank">the administration</a>&nbsp;over the plan.Their suit, filed in a Georgia federal court, came just days after a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/bidens-newest-student-loan-repayment-plan-temporarily-blocked-supreme-court" target="_blank">separate student debt relief effort</a>&nbsp;— the Saving on a Valuable Education, or SAVE, plan — continued to be put on pause after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to lift a block on the plan in late August.Following the September filing of the suit, U.S. District Judge J. Randal Hall of Georgia paused the plan through a&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.gasd.101744/gov.uscourts.gasd.101744.17.0.pdf" target="_blank">temporary restraining order</a>&nbsp;on Sept. 5 and&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.gasd.101744/gov.uscourts.gasd.101744.49.0.pdf" target="_blank">extended that order</a>&nbsp;on Sept. 19 while the case could be reviewed.But on Wednesday, Hall&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.gasd.101744/gov.uscourts.gasd.101744.52.0.pdf" target="_blank">let that order expire</a>, dismissed Georgia from the suit and moved the case to a Missouri federal court.Once the suit moved to Missouri and the restraining order was not extended, the remaining six states in the case quickly sought a&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.moed.215155/gov.uscourts.moed.215155.54.0_2.pdf" target="_blank">preliminary injunction</a>.U.S. District Judge Matthew T. Schelp&nbsp;<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.moed.215155/gov.uscourts.moed.215155.57.0_2.pdf" target="_blank">granted the states’ request</a>&nbsp;on Thursday, writing that the administration is barred from “mass canceling student loans, forgiving any principal or interest, not charging borrowers accrued interest, or further implementing any other actions under the (debt relief plans) or instructing federal contractors to take such actions.”Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey praised Schelp’s decision, saying in a Thursday&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/AGAndrewBailey/status/1841960194395312578" target="_blank">post on X</a>&nbsp;that it’s a “huge win for transparency, the rule of law, and for every American who won’t have to foot the bill for someone else’s Ivy League debt.”Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Department of Education said the agency is “extremely disappointed by this ruling on our proposed debt relief rules, which have not yet even been finalized,” per a statement.“This lawsuit was brought by Republican elected officials who made clear they will stop at nothing to prevent millions of their own constituents from getting breathing room on their student loans,” the spokesperson said.The department will “continue to vigorously defend these proposals in court” and “will not stop fighting to fix the broken student loan system and provide support and relief to borrowers across the country,” they added.The Student Borrower Protection Center, an advocacy group, also lambasted the Missouri decision.“With this case, the Missouri Attorney General continues to put naked political interest and corporate greed ahead of student loan borrowers in Missouri and across the country,” Persis Yu, deputy executive director and managing counsel for the advocacy group, said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://protectborrowers.org/trump-appointed-judge-sides-with-missouri-ag-to-block-future-student-debt-relief-undermining-millions-of-borrowers/" target="_blank">Thursday statement</a>.“This is a shameful attack on tens of millions of student loan borrowers and our judicial system as a whole,” Yu said. “We will not stop fighting to expose these abuses and ensure borrowers get the relief they deserve.”

Biden’s student loan relief plan suffers another setback in Missouri ruling

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect in connection with an armed robbery at a fast food restaurant in Lawrence.

just after noon on Friday, the Lawrence Police Department to the initial report of a strong armed robbery at Chick-fil-A,&nbsp;2735 Iowa Street, according to a social media report from the Douglas County Sheriff's office.

Officers connected the vehicle to a report of of the crime.

Deputies stopped the suspect’s vehicle at U.S. 59 and N 1000 Road. The suspect initially pulled over and then fled south. A Kansas Highway Patrol trooper deployed spikes to disable the vehicle, and it came to a stop south of the Baldwin Junction.

Deputies took the driver, a 26-year-old Sapulpa, Oklahoma, man, into custody on suspicion of felony flee and elude charges. No injuries were reported. Beyond the tire damage to the suspect’s vehicle, no other vehicles sustained damage.

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect in connection with an armed robbery at a fast food restaurant in Lawrence.just after noon on Friday, the Lawrence Police Department to the initial report of a strong armed robbery at Chick-fil-A,&nbsp;2735 Iowa Street, according to a social media report from the Douglas County Sheriff's office.Officers connected the vehicle to a report of of the crime.Deputies stopped the suspect’s vehicle at U.S. 59 and N 1000 Road. The suspect initially pulled over and then fled south. A Kansas Highway Patrol trooper deployed spikes to disable the vehicle, and it came to a stop south of the Baldwin Junction.Deputies took the driver, a 26-year-old Sapulpa, Oklahoma, man, into custody on suspicion of felony flee and elude charges. No injuries were reported. Beyond the tire damage to the suspect’s vehicle, no other vehicles sustained damage.

Kan. deputies catch Chick-fil-A armed robbery suspect after chase

JERUSALEM —U.S. forces conducted strikes on 15 Houthi targets in Iranian-backed Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen at approximately 5p.m. on Friday, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.

These targets included Houthi offensive military capabilities. "These actions were taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels," according to the Central Command.

On Monday the Pentagon announced it was sending a “few thousand” additional troops to the Middle East to bolster security and to defend Israel if necessary.&nbsp;

The additional forces would raise the total number of troops in the region to as many as 43,000.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728066701383.png" alt="A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor -photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor -photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM —U.S. forces conducted strikes on 15 Houthi targets in Iranian-backed Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen at approximately 5p.m. on Friday, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.These targets included Houthi offensive military capabilities. "These actions were taken to protect freedom of navigation and make international waters safer and more secure for U.S., coalition, and merchant vessels," according to the Central Command.On Monday the Pentagon announced it was sending a “few thousand” additional troops to the Middle East to bolster security and to defend Israel if necessary.&nbsp;The additional forces would raise the total number of troops in the region to as many as 43,000.

U.S. Forces conduct air-strikes on terrorist sites in Yemen

The Justice Department this week announced that the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) arrested 3,421 violent fugitives, including 216 for homicide, 803 for assault, and 482 for weapons offenses, during the latest phase of its high-impact fugitive apprehension initiative called Operation North Star FY 2024 (ONS FY24), according to a media release.

ONS FY24 enforcement activities covered 74 operational days, from May 10 to Sept. 13, and targeted fugitives and violent offenders in 10 metropolitan areas, prioritizing those who used firearms in the commission of crimes or signaled high risk factors for violence. ONS FY24 targeted violent offenders wanted on warrants for homicide, sexual offenses, robbery, aggravated assault, and firearms violations. During the operation, investigators also seized 534 firearms, more than $508,000 in U.S. currency, and 456 kilograms in illegal narcotics, including 138 pounds and over 550,000 pills of deadly fentanyl.

The 10 metropolitan areas selected for ONS FY24 were identified using data from the National Crime Information Center and the FBI Uniform Crime Report, and included Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas; Charleston and North Charleston, South Carolina; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Little Rock, Arkansas; Phoenix; St. Louis (to include East St. Louis, Illinois); Birmingham, Alabama; Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Dayton, Ohio; and San Antonio.

“We first launched Operation North Star in 2022 to identify and apprehend the most dangerous fugitives and violent offenders,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “From May to September of this year, the U.S. Marshals Service worked with state and local law enforcement partners in 10 metropolitan areas to arrest more than 3,400 fugitives and violent offenders and seize large quantities of firearms and fentanyl. I am deeply grateful to every Deputy U.S. Marshal, Task Force Officer, investigator, and police officer who carried out these arrests, and who did so at great risk to themselves.”

“Over the past year, the Marshals Service conducted Operation North Star in 10 cities across the country experiencing high levels of gun violence,” said USMS Director Ronald L. Davis. “Over 3,000 dangerous fugitives, including over 200 homicide suspects, were apprehended and removed from neighborhoods. The success of this operation is the result of the outstanding combined efforts of our Deputies and Task Force Officers, along with strong collaboration with the community and our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners.”

Since July 2022, in a total of 30 locations, USMS Operation North Star initiatives have resulted in the apprehension of more than 10,200 wanted fugitives, including 1,153 charged with homicide, in addition to the removal of more than 1,425 weapons associated with violent crime. The agency utilized a data-driven, evidence-based approach to remove the dangerous criminals who are the drivers of violence in those communities. The concept behind interagency law enforcement operations such as ONS evolved largely from regional and district fugitive task forces. Since the 1980s, the USMS has combined its resources and expertise with local, state, and federal agencies to find and apprehend dangerous fugitives.

Aaron Michael Jones was arrested on May 20, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, by members of the Middle Louisiana Task Force. He was wanted by the Baton Rouge Police Department for home invasion, domestic abuse battery, and child endangerment.

Hayden Bates-Vellmure, Jordan Elijah Jackson, Allan Gilbert, and Patrick Biscoe were arrested on May 22, 2024, in Fort Worth, Texas, by members of the North Texas Fugitive Task Force. The four were wanted on charges relating to a drive-by shooting, which injured multiple children. The arrest team recovered nine handguns and one shotgun.

Garron Stevenson was arrested on May 21, in St. Louis, by USMS personnel from the Eastern District of Missouri. He was wanted for the unlawful use of a weapon and first-degree murder after opening fire at a street racing event, striking seven people and killing a 14-year-old. An AR-15 style rifle and a revolver were recovered during the arrest.

Michael Muldovan was arrested on Aug. 15, in Sterling, Virginia, by members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. He was wanted in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for first degree statutory rape and indecent liberties with a child.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727864343156.png" alt="Photo U.S. Marshal's Service" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Marshal's Service</figcaption>
 </figure>The Justice Department this week announced that the U.S. Marshals Service (USMS) arrested 3,421 violent fugitives, including 216 for homicide, 803 for assault, and 482 for weapons offenses, during the latest phase of its high-impact fugitive apprehension initiative called Operation North Star FY 2024 (ONS FY24), according to a media release.ONS FY24 enforcement activities covered 74 operational days, from May 10 to Sept. 13, and targeted fugitives and violent offenders in 10 metropolitan areas, prioritizing those who used firearms in the commission of crimes or signaled high risk factors for violence. ONS FY24 targeted violent offenders wanted on warrants for homicide, sexual offenses, robbery, aggravated assault, and firearms violations. During the operation, investigators also seized 534 firearms, more than $508,000 in U.S. currency, and 456 kilograms in illegal narcotics, including 138 pounds and over 550,000 pills of deadly fentanyl.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727864316487.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The 10 metropolitan areas selected for ONS FY24 were identified using data from the National Crime Information Center and the FBI Uniform Crime Report, and included Dallas and Fort Worth, Texas; Charleston and North Charleston, South Carolina; Baton Rouge, Louisiana; Little Rock, Arkansas; Phoenix; St. Louis (to include East St. Louis, Illinois); Birmingham, Alabama; Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Dayton, Ohio; and San Antonio.“We first launched Operation North Star in 2022 to identify and apprehend the most dangerous fugitives and violent offenders,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “From May to September of this year, the U.S. Marshals Service worked with state and local law enforcement partners in 10 metropolitan areas to arrest more than 3,400 fugitives and violent offenders and seize large quantities of firearms and fentanyl. I am deeply grateful to every Deputy U.S. Marshal, Task Force Officer, investigator, and police officer who carried out these arrests, and who did so at great risk to themselves.”“Over the past year, the Marshals Service conducted Operation North Star in 10 cities across the country experiencing high levels of gun violence,” said USMS Director Ronald L. Davis. “Over 3,000 dangerous fugitives, including over 200 homicide suspects, were apprehended and removed from neighborhoods. The success of this operation is the result of the outstanding combined efforts of our Deputies and Task Force Officers, along with strong collaboration with the community and our local, state, and federal law enforcement partners.”Since July 2022, in a total of 30 locations, USMS Operation North Star initiatives have resulted in the apprehension of more than 10,200 wanted fugitives, including 1,153 charged with homicide, in addition to the removal of more than 1,425 weapons associated with violent crime. The agency utilized a data-driven, evidence-based approach to remove the dangerous criminals who are the drivers of violence in those communities. The concept behind interagency law enforcement operations such as ONS evolved largely from regional and district fugitive task forces. Since the 1980s, the USMS has combined its resources and expertise with local, state, and federal agencies to find and apprehend dangerous fugitives.Significant arrests:Aaron Michael Jones was arrested on May 20, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, by members of the Middle Louisiana Task Force. He was wanted by the Baton Rouge Police Department for home invasion, domestic abuse battery, and child endangerment.Hayden Bates-Vellmure, Jordan Elijah Jackson, Allan Gilbert, and Patrick Biscoe were arrested on May 22, 2024, in Fort Worth, Texas, by members of the North Texas Fugitive Task Force. The four were wanted on charges relating to a drive-by shooting, which injured multiple children. The arrest team recovered nine handguns and one shotgun.Garron Stevenson was arrested on May 21, in St. Louis, by USMS personnel from the Eastern District of Missouri. He was wanted for the unlawful use of a weapon and first-degree murder after opening fire at a street racing event, striking seven people and killing a 14-year-old. An AR-15 style rifle and a revolver were recovered during the arrest.Michael Muldovan was arrested on Aug. 15, in Sterling, Virginia, by members of the Capital Area Regional Fugitive Task Force. He was wanted in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, for first degree statutory rape and indecent liberties with a child.

U.S. Marshals arrest hundreds of fugitives, seize 550,000  fentanyl pills

WASHINGTON— President Biden made a rare appearance Friday at the White House press briefing.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Biden also had terse words for&nbsp;Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday, and said he didn't know whether the Israeli leader was holding up a peace deal in order to influence the outcome of the 2024 U.S. presidential election.

Biden, was responding to comments made by one of his allies, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who said on CNN this week that he was concerned Netanyahu had little interest in a peace deal in part because of U.S. politics.

Israel has pressed forward on two fronts, pursuing a ground incursion into Lebanon against Hezbollah that left eight Israeli soldiers dead and conducting strikes in Gaza that killed dozens, including children. And the nation has vowed to retaliate for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-lebanon-hezbollah-gaza-news-10-01-2024-eb175dff6e46906caea8b9e43dfbd3da">Iran’s ballistic missile attack</a>&nbsp;this week, as the region braced for further escalation.

-The Associated Press contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON— President Biden made a rare appearance Friday at the White House press briefing.&nbsp;<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Q: &quot;Do you have confidence that it will be a free and fair election and that it will be peaceful?&quot; President Biden: &quot;I&#39;m confident it will be free and fair. I don&#39;t know whether it will be peaceful. The things that Trump has said...were very dangerous.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/HrhpaooEHe">pic.twitter.com/HrhpaooEHe</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1842271469838962742?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>&nbsp;Biden also had terse words for&nbsp;Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday, and said he didn't know whether the Israeli leader was holding up a peace deal in order to influence the outcome of the 2024 U.S. presidential election.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Q: &quot;Do you want to re-consider dropping out of the race?&quot; President Biden jokingly, &quot;I&#39;m back in!&quot; <a href="https://t.co/WIyhRwbjjk">pic.twitter.com/WIyhRwbjjk</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1842272465117921726?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 4, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden, was responding to comments made by one of his allies, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., who said on CNN this week that he was concerned Netanyahu had little interest in a peace deal in part because of U.S. politics.Israel has pressed forward on two fronts, pursuing a ground incursion into Lebanon against Hezbollah that left eight Israeli soldiers dead and conducting strikes in Gaza that killed dozens, including children. And the nation has vowed to retaliate for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-lebanon-hezbollah-gaza-news-10-01-2024-eb175dff6e46906caea8b9e43dfbd3da">Iran’s ballistic missile attack</a>&nbsp;this week, as the region braced for further escalation.-The Associated Press contributed to this report.

🎥President Biden said he doesn't know if the election will be peaceful

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are asking for the public's help to identify a man who robbed a Kansas City bank Thursday morning, showing a handgun as he demanded cash.

Just after 10:30a.m., the suspect walked into the First Federal Bank of Kansas City in the 1200 block of Armour Road and demanded money, according to a media release from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The suspect was wearing a T-shirt, hat, and sunglasses. He displayed a handgun and demanded tellers hand over cash. He then ran from the bank with an undisclosed amount of money.

Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call police, CrimeStoppers at 816-474-TIPS, or the FBI Kansas City at 816-512-8200.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1727992742848.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are asking for the public's help to identify a man who robbed a Kansas City bank Thursday morning, showing a handgun as he demanded cash.Just after 10:30a.m., the suspect walked into the First Federal Bank of Kansas City in the 1200 block of Armour Road and demanded money, according to a media release from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.The suspect was wearing a T-shirt, hat, and sunglasses. He displayed a handgun and demanded tellers hand over cash. He then ran from the bank with an undisclosed amount of money.Anyone with information on this incident is asked to call police, CrimeStoppers at 816-474-TIPS, or the FBI Kansas City at 816-512-8200.

Police working to identify Kansas City bank robbery suspect

The Missouri NAACP argues that the fees ‘create a negative incentive to give more tickets and charge unnecessary crimes’

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/marysanchez/">MARY SANCHEZ</a>

Missouri voters will decide Nov. 5 if retirement funds for sheriffs and prosecutors should be supported with fees collected on court cases.

A fee used to fund sheriffs’ pensions was put in place by state law in 1983.

The Missouri General Assembly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Petitions/SSSCSSJR71-SignedCopy.pdf" target="_blank">placed Amendment 6</a>&nbsp;on the ballot to reverse a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/file.jsp?id=177738" target="_blank">2021 Missouri Supreme Court ruling</a>&nbsp;that found the fees unconstitutional.

The state’s high court found that court fees for pensions were “not reasonably related to expense of the administration of justice” and thus violated a constitutional ban against using court fees to enhance the compensation of executive department officials, which would include retired county sheriffs.

If approved by a simple majority of voters, the Missouri Constitution will be changed, allowing the legislature to fund benefits for the state’s 114 elected county sheriffs or their surviving spouses through the collection of&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=57.955&amp;bid=2164" target="_blank">a $3 fee</a>&nbsp;per case where a guilty verdict or plea is reached. Retirement benefits for prosecutors are also included, through&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=56.807&amp;bid=35555" target="_blank">a $4 fee</a>.

Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to provide that the administration of justice shall include the levying of costs and fees to support salaries and benefits for certain current and former law enforcement personnel?

State and local governmental entities estimate an unknown fiscal impact.

A&nbsp;“yes”&nbsp;vote will amend the Missouri Constitution to levy costs and fees to support salaries and benefits for current and former sheriffs, prosecuting attorneys, and circuit attorneys to ensure all Missourians have access to the courts of justice.

A&nbsp;“no”&nbsp;vote will not amend the Missouri Constitution to levy costs and fees related to current or former sheriffs, prosecuting attorneys and circuit attorneys.

If passed, this measure will have no impact on taxes.

If it fails, the&nbsp;<a href="https://sherretmo.com/" target="_blank">Missouri Sheriffs’ Retirement System</a>&nbsp;predicts that its fund will be insolvent within nine years, said Melissa Lorts, executive director.

“We feel like the $3 fee is really a user fee of the court system,” Lorts said.

Sheriffs are responsible for bringing defendants to the courthouse from the jail, and they administer warrants and manage other aspects of a criminal case, she said.

“So we have a heavy hand in what happens in the court system,” Lorts said.

More than 200 former sheriffs or their surviving spouses currently receive benefits, Lorts said.

The amendment traces back to two speeding tickets in Kansas City and the state supreme court ruling that followed.

Two men admitted to the traffic violations in 2017, ultimately paying a total of $223.50 in fines and fees to the city’s municipal court.

But the men later argued that they didn’t realize that $3 from each case would go toward the sheriffs’ retirement benefits.

The two men led a class action filed with Jackson County Circuit Court, arguing that the extra charge was “unjust enrichment,” a violation of the state constitution.

The case continued to wind through the courts until the Missouri Supreme Court ruled for the plaintiffs in 2021, Lorts said.

The court’s decision cited a 1986 ruling, noting that it laid down “a bright-line rule” barring court fees that benefit executive officials that are not “reasonably related to the expense of the administration of justice.”

The ruling in the traffic case cost the retirement system about $9 million in court costs and settlements and ended its ability to collect the money, Lorts said.

In December 2023, the fund had $38.4 million in assets, a drop of $800,000 from the end of the previous calendar year, according to the Missouri Sheriffs’ Retirement System&nbsp;<a href="https://sherretmo.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/2023-Sheriffs-Retirement-Annual-Report.pdf" target="_blank">annual report</a>.

Beginning in January 2024, active sheriffs began contributing 5% of their salaries to the retirement fund, a change instituted by the legislature.

The legislature also approved $2.5 million to help stabilize the fund, an amount that has been requested again in the coming fiscal year, Lorts said.

What are the arguments against Amendment 6?&nbsp;

Critics of the fees that Amendment 6 would allow say each county should pay for pensions and other costs related to law enforcement and the courts.

The Washington, D.C.-based&nbsp;<a href="https://finesandfeesjusticecenter.org/" target="_blank">Fines and Fees Justice Center</a>&nbsp;told lawmakers that the salaries and benefits for prosecutors and sheriffs should be adequately funded, but that court fees are an “ineffective and counterproductive” approach.

“When fines and fees go unpaid, judges may issue arrest warrants for failing to pay, leading to law enforcement arresting people for not paying financial obligations — most often because they are too poor to pay,” testified Priya Sarathy Jones, deputy executive director at the Fines and Fees Justice Center.

“The time spent on these debt collection and enforcement efforts diverts law enforcement and courts from their core responsibilities … In fact, the collection of fines and fees by law enforcement has been found to be associated with lower clearance rates for more serious crimes.”

Some studies have shown that the cost to municipalities to collect fines and fees can exceed the revenue generated.

The Missouri NAACP argued that the fees “create a negative incentive to give more tickets and charge unnecessary crimes.”

Leonard Charles Gilroy, a vice president of the&nbsp;<a href="https://reason.org/" target="_blank">Reason Foundation</a>&nbsp;in Los Angeles, wrote that changing the state constitution to allow the fees would violate “basics of public finance and fiscal stewardship.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/10/1728071001520.png" alt=" Amendment 6 would open the door to charging criminal defendants fees to fund some law enforcement pensions (Mary Sanchez /The Beacon)." />
 <figcaption> Amendment 6 would open the door to charging criminal defendants fees to fund some law enforcement pensions (Mary Sanchez /The Beacon).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The Missouri NAACP argues that the fees ‘create a negative incentive to give more tickets and charge unnecessary crimes’</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/marysanchez/">MARY SANCHEZ</a>Missouri voters will decide Nov. 5 if retirement funds for sheriffs and prosecutors should be supported with fees collected on court cases.A fee used to fund sheriffs’ pensions was put in place by state law in 1983.The Missouri General Assembly&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sos.mo.gov/CMSImages/Elections/Petitions/SSSCSSJR71-SignedCopy.pdf" target="_blank">placed Amendment 6</a>&nbsp;on the ballot to reverse a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/file.jsp?id=177738" target="_blank">2021 Missouri Supreme Court ruling</a>&nbsp;that found the fees unconstitutional.The state’s high court found that court fees for pensions were “not reasonably related to expense of the administration of justice” and thus violated a constitutional ban against using court fees to enhance the compensation of executive department officials, which would include retired county sheriffs.If approved by a simple majority of voters, the Missouri Constitution will be changed, allowing the legislature to fund benefits for the state’s 114 elected county sheriffs or their surviving spouses through the collection of&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=57.955&amp;bid=2164" target="_blank">a $3 fee</a>&nbsp;per case where a guilty verdict or plea is reached. Retirement benefits for prosecutors are also included, through&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=56.807&amp;bid=35555" target="_blank">a $4 fee</a>.The exact ballot language is below:Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to provide that the administration of justice shall include the levying of costs and fees to support salaries and benefits for certain current and former law enforcement personnel?State and local governmental entities estimate an unknown fiscal impact.Fair Ballot Language:A&nbsp;“yes”&nbsp;vote will amend the Missouri Constitution to levy costs and fees to support salaries and benefits for current and former sheriffs, prosecuting attorneys, and circuit attorneys to ensure all Missourians have access to the courts of justice.A&nbsp;“no”&nbsp;vote will not amend the Missouri Constitution to levy costs and fees related to current or former sheriffs, prosecuting attorneys and circuit attorneys.If passed, this measure will have no impact on taxes.<h2>What happens if Amendment 6 fails?</h2>If it fails, the&nbsp;<a href="https://sherretmo.com/" target="_blank">Missouri Sheriffs’ Retirement System</a>&nbsp;predicts that its fund will be insolvent within nine years, said Melissa Lorts, executive director.“We feel like the $3 fee is really a user fee of the court system,” Lorts said.Sheriffs are responsible for bringing defendants to the courthouse from the jail, and they administer warrants and manage other aspects of a criminal case, she said.“So we have a heavy hand in what happens in the court system,” Lorts said.More than 200 former sheriffs or their surviving spouses currently receive benefits, Lorts said.The amendment traces back to two speeding tickets in Kansas City and the state supreme court ruling that followed.Two men admitted to the traffic violations in 2017, ultimately paying a total of $223.50 in fines and fees to the city’s municipal court.But the men later argued that they didn’t realize that $3 from each case would go toward the sheriffs’ retirement benefits.The two men led a class action filed with Jackson County Circuit Court, arguing that the extra charge was “unjust enrichment,” a violation of the state constitution.The case continued to wind through the courts until the Missouri Supreme Court ruled for the plaintiffs in 2021, Lorts said.The court’s decision cited a 1986 ruling, noting that it laid down “a bright-line rule” barring court fees that benefit executive officials that are not “reasonably related to the expense of the administration of justice.”The ruling in the traffic case cost the retirement system about $9 million in court costs and settlements and ended its ability to collect the money, Lorts said.In December 2023, the fund had $38.4 million in assets, a drop of $800,000 from the end of the previous calendar year, according to the Missouri Sheriffs’ Retirement System&nbsp;<a href="https://sherretmo.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/2023-Sheriffs-Retirement-Annual-Report.pdf" target="_blank">annual report</a>.Beginning in January 2024, active sheriffs began contributing 5% of their salaries to the retirement fund, a change instituted by the legislature.The legislature also approved $2.5 million to help stabilize the fund, an amount that has been requested again in the coming fiscal year, Lorts said.<h2>What are the arguments against Amendment 6?&nbsp;</h2>Critics of the fees that Amendment 6 would allow say each county should pay for pensions and other costs related to law enforcement and the courts.The Washington, D.C.-based&nbsp;<a href="https://finesandfeesjusticecenter.org/" target="_blank">Fines and Fees Justice Center</a>&nbsp;told lawmakers that the salaries and benefits for prosecutors and sheriffs should be adequately funded, but that court fees are an “ineffective and counterproductive” approach.“When fines and fees go unpaid, judges may issue arrest warrants for failing to pay, leading to law enforcement arresting people for not paying financial obligations — most often because they are too poor to pay,” testified Priya Sarathy Jones, deputy executive director at the Fines and Fees Justice Center.“The time spent on these debt collection and enforcement efforts diverts law enforcement and courts from their core responsibilities … In fact, the collection of fines and fees by law enforcement has been found to be associated with lower clearance rates for more serious crimes.”Some studies have shown that the cost to municipalities to collect fines and fees can exceed the revenue generated.The Missouri NAACP argued that the fees “create a negative incentive to give more tickets and charge unnecessary crimes.”Leonard Charles Gilroy, a vice president of the&nbsp;<a href="https://reason.org/" target="_blank">Reason Foundation</a>&nbsp;in Los Angeles, wrote that changing the state constitution to allow the fees would violate “basics of public finance and fiscal stewardship.”Public pensions are constitutionally protected benefits, which are obligated to be paid in full regardless of market conditions or revenue generated.“Law enforcement and courts are core functions of government that should be funded through legislative appropriations, not fees,” Gilroy’s statement said.“It would be imprudent to revive a policy to fund pension contributions with dedicated fine/fee revenues because those revenues can fluctuate over time, while pension liabilities are always locked in.”Meanwhile, Amendment 6 came under fire for ballot summary language that the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.courts.mo.gov/file.jsp?id=211134" target="_blank">Missouri Court of Appeals Western District</a>&nbsp;ruled was insufficient and unfair.The court clarified that passage of the measure by voters in the general election would enshrine a broader meaning of the administration of justice in the state constitution.That court reworded the ballot language voters will see to read: “Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to provide that the administration of justice shall include the levying of costs and fees to support salaries and benefits for certain current and former law enforcement personnel?”This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2024/10/02/missouri-amendment-6-should-court-fees-could-fund-retirement-for-sheriffs-and-prosecutors/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Missouri</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.<figure>
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