KANSAS CITY—One person died in standing outside a vehicle after accident&nbsp; Wednesday in Kansas City.

 A Ram 1500 was westbound on 210 Highway and had stopped in traffic and just prior to the light at North Norfleet, according to KCPD Officer&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez

A westbound Hyundai Accent was unable to stop in time and rear-ended f the Ram 1500. Both drivers exited their vehicles and 9-1-1 was called. 

While waiting for the Police to arrive, the driver of the Hyundai was standing by his driver's door, on the yellow line, south shoulder of the roadway. 

Just after 6a.m., the driver of a westbound Chevy Silverado did not see the flashers on the Hyundai until the last second.&nbsp; The Silverado swerved to the left and struck the driver of the Hyundai.&nbsp;

He was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Chevy Silverado was not injured in the collision. All lanes of westbound 210 Highway were closed for about 3 1/2 hours. This is traffic death 55 in 2024 compared to 51 at this time last year, according to Gonzalez.

KANSAS CITY—One person died in standing outside a vehicle after accident&nbsp; Wednesday in Kansas City. A Ram 1500 was westbound on 210 Highway and had stopped in traffic and just prior to the light at North Norfleet, according to KCPD Officer&nbsp;Officer Alayna GonzalezA westbound Hyundai Accent was unable to stop in time and rear-ended f the Ram 1500. Both drivers exited their vehicles and 9-1-1 was called. While waiting for the Police to arrive, the driver of the Hyundai was standing by his driver's door, on the yellow line, south shoulder of the roadway. Just after 6a.m., the driver of a westbound Chevy Silverado did not see the flashers on the Hyundai until the last second.&nbsp; The Silverado swerved to the left and struck the driver of the Hyundai.&nbsp;He was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the Chevy Silverado was not injured in the collision. All lanes of westbound 210 Highway were closed for about 3 1/2 hours. This is traffic death 55 in 2024 compared to 51 at this time last year, according to Gonzalez.

KCPD: Man waiting outside car after crash is struck, killed 

DOUGLAS COUNTY —A Kansas woman has admitted selling drugs in 2022.

Last week, Angela Lynn Johnson, 52, of Lawrence, pleaded guilty to five counts of unlawful distribution of methamphetamine and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia, according to&nbsp;Douglas County District Attorney Suzanne Valdez.

“We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to halt the flow of dangerous narcotics coming into our community,” District Attorney Valdez said. Charges stemmed from a multi-agency law enforcement investigation led by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office in 2022.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722110685233.png" alt="Johnson photo Douglas County" />
 <figcaption>Johnson photo Douglas County</figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY —A Kansas woman has admitted selling drugs in 2022.Last week, Angela Lynn Johnson, 52, of Lawrence, pleaded guilty to five counts of unlawful distribution of methamphetamine and one count of possession of drug paraphernalia, according to&nbsp;Douglas County District Attorney Suzanne Valdez.“We are committed to working with our law enforcement partners to halt the flow of dangerous narcotics coming into our community,” District Attorney Valdez said. Charges stemmed from a multi-agency law enforcement investigation led by the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office in 2022.

Kansas woman admits selling methamphetamine

WASHINGTON —Former President Donald Trump spoke and was interviewed&nbsp; Wednesday in Chicago at a gathering for the National Association of Black Journalists.

Trump answered questions from three reporters: Kadia Goba of Semafor, Rachel Scott of ABC News and Harris Faulkner of Fox News. 

Vice President Kamala Harris, the likely Democratic nominee was not scheduled to address the convention. 

A person familiar with her schedule said the Harris campaign was unable to find a time to appear at NABJ in person and claimed the organization turned down an offer for her to appear virtually.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722460473060.png" alt="Image from CSPAN video" />
 <figcaption>Image from CSPAN video</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —Former President Donald Trump spoke and was interviewed&nbsp; Wednesday in Chicago at a gathering for the National Association of Black Journalists.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Former President Trump on Vice President Kamala Harris: &quot;She was Indian all the way and then all of a sudden she made a turn and she went, she became a Black person. I think somebody should look into that.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/RpEuRq6p5m">pic.twitter.com/RpEuRq6p5m</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1818717916285509891?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump answered questions from three reporters: Kadia Goba of Semafor, Rachel Scott of ABC News and Harris Faulkner of Fox News. Vice President Kamala Harris, the likely Democratic nominee was not scheduled to address the convention. A person familiar with her schedule said the Harris campaign was unable to find a time to appear at NABJ in person and claimed the organization turned down an offer for her to appear virtually.

🎥Trump answers whether Kamala Harris is a DEI hire

MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating alleged animal cruelty in southeast Kansas.

On July 26, deputies from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at 109 E. Bell Street in Wayside, Kansas, in connection with an animal cruelty investigation, according to Sheriff Ron Wade.

First responders removed nine dogs and two horses from the property.&nbsp; The animals were exhibiting signs of malnourishment and injuries. The deputies took custody of the animals and arranged for their treatment by a local veterinarian. Subsequently, the animals were transported to a predetermined location for continued care.

The sheriff's office has not reported an arrest or additional details.

MONTGOMERY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating alleged animal cruelty in southeast Kansas.On July 26, deputies from the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant at 109 E. Bell Street in Wayside, Kansas, in connection with an animal cruelty investigation, according to Sheriff Ron Wade.First responders removed nine dogs and two horses from the property.&nbsp; The animals were exhibiting signs of malnourishment and injuries. The deputies took custody of the animals and arranged for their treatment by a local veterinarian. Subsequently, the animals were transported to a predetermined location for continued care.The sheriff's office has not reported an arrest or additional details.

Alleged animal cruelty: Kan. deputies remove dogs, horses from property

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jaredstrong/">JARED STRONG</a>&nbsp;

Federal health officials are encouraging farm workers who tend livestock and poultry to get vaccinated for seasonal influenza to help prevent a bird flu mutation that might spark a pandemic in people.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday it would devote up to $5 million to pay for the vaccinations, and that it will rely on states to implement the initiative.

There are 14 known human infections of highly pathogenic avian influenza that resulted from contact with infected dairy cattle and poultry in the United States, and all but one has happened in the past four months.

The virus has been circulated by wild birds for more than two years and has sporadically transmitted to domestic birds. A variation of the virus has been infecting U.S. dairy cattle since December, and four people who worked closely with infected cattle also became ill.

In recent weeks, nine people in Colorado who were tasked with culling infected poultry contracted the virus.

The CDC has maintained that the virus’ risk to humans is low — those who have been infected so far had minor symptoms of respiratory illness or pinkeye, or both.

It has not been shown to transmit between people, but the virus has the potential to rapidly gain that ability if it infects someone who also has a seasonal flu virus.

“Such dual infections, while rare, could potentially result in an exchange of genetic material between two different influenza viruses,” Dr. Nirav Shah, principal deputy director for the CDC, said in a call with reporters Tuesday.

Shah said that “reassortment” process could pose a “significant public health concern” if bird flu gains the ability to spread person-to-person the way seasonal flu does, potentially resulting in a virus that spreads easily and causes severe symptoms.

Shah said the CDC will devote up to $10 million for farm workers’ health related to avian flu. Half will be spent educating and training farm workers about how to avoid being infected.

The other half will pay for seasonal flu vaccines for an estimated 200,000 farm workers who tend livestock and poultry. The CDC hopes to vaccinate all of them but acknowledges that less than half of the general population typically gets a flu shot.

How the voluntary vaccination effort will proceed is unclear. State health officials are expected to implement them, most immediately in the 13 states that have confirmed infections among cows.

That includes Iowa, where 13 dairy herds have been infected. However, no new infections have been reported in the state in the past month.

A spokesperson for the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services — which presumably would coordinate with the CDC — did not immediately respond to a request to comment for this article.

The vaccine will not protect the workers from contracting bird flu, Shah said, nor will it guarantee they won’t be infected by seasonal flu. But he said it’s an important component of the public health response to the new virus’ threat.

“The risk here is a theoretical but important risk,” Shah said.

The confirmations of new bird flu infections among cattle have waned significantly in most states, except for in Colorado. In the past 30 days, two-thirds of the nation’s 32 newly infected herds were in that state, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data.

Some of that might be due to Colorado’s&nbsp;<a href="https://coloradonewsline.com/briefs/colorado-requiring-dairy-products-to-be-regularly-tested-for-bird-flu-amid-outbreak/" target="_blank">robust testing protocols</a>, but it’s also “a quirk of history and geography,” said Eric Deeble, deputy under secretary for marketing and regulatory programs for the USDA.

The state has far fewer dairy farms than the leading milk-producing states, but most of them are concentrated in one county.

“They are all in very close proximity to one another, and so there is a lot of sharing of equipment, a lot of sharing of personnel and a lot of movement on and off farms to adjacent farms,” Deeble said.

The USDA has identified the movement of equipment and people between dairy farms as a primary vector for virus transmissions from herd to herd and from herd to flock.

The virus has been identified in 172 dairy herds in the United States this year. Fifty of them are in Colorado. In Texas, where the infections originated, the virus was confirmed in 22 herds, although there were many that went untested because they recovered before bird flu&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/04/17/two-veterinarians-hundreds-of-miles-apart-solved-a-cow-sickness-whodunit/" target="_blank">was identified</a>&nbsp;as the culprit.

This story was originally published by the&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/07/30/worried-about-bird-flu-mutation-feds-seek-livestock-worker-vaccinations/" target="_blank">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>, a States Newsroom affiliate.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722448527185.png" alt="Cow Photo courtesy of Iowa State Dairy Association)." />
 <figcaption>Cow Photo courtesy of Iowa State Dairy Association).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jaredstrong/">JARED STRONG</a>&nbsp;Federal health officials are encouraging farm workers who tend livestock and poultry to get vaccinated for seasonal influenza to help prevent a bird flu mutation that might spark a pandemic in people.The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday it would devote up to $5 million to pay for the vaccinations, and that it will rely on states to implement the initiative.There are 14 known human infections of highly pathogenic avian influenza that resulted from contact with infected dairy cattle and poultry in the United States, and all but one has happened in the past four months.The virus has been circulated by wild birds for more than two years and has sporadically transmitted to domestic birds. A variation of the virus has been infecting U.S. dairy cattle since December, and four people who worked closely with infected cattle also became ill.In recent weeks, nine people in Colorado who were tasked with culling infected poultry contracted the virus.The CDC has maintained that the virus’ risk to humans is low — those who have been infected so far had minor symptoms of respiratory illness or pinkeye, or both.It has not been shown to transmit between people, but the virus has the potential to rapidly gain that ability if it infects someone who also has a seasonal flu virus.“Such dual infections, while rare, could potentially result in an exchange of genetic material between two different influenza viruses,” Dr. Nirav Shah, principal deputy director for the CDC, said in a call with reporters Tuesday.Shah said that “reassortment” process could pose a “significant public health concern” if bird flu gains the ability to spread person-to-person the way seasonal flu does, potentially resulting in a virus that spreads easily and causes severe symptoms.<h2>A new vaccination campaign</h2>Shah said the CDC will devote up to $10 million for farm workers’ health related to avian flu. Half will be spent educating and training farm workers about how to avoid being infected.The other half will pay for seasonal flu vaccines for an estimated 200,000 farm workers who tend livestock and poultry. The CDC hopes to vaccinate all of them but acknowledges that less than half of the general population typically gets a flu shot.How the voluntary vaccination effort will proceed is unclear. State health officials are expected to implement them, most immediately in the 13 states that have confirmed infections among cows.That includes Iowa, where 13 dairy herds have been infected. However, no new infections have been reported in the state in the past month.A spokesperson for the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services — which presumably would coordinate with the CDC — did not immediately respond to a request to comment for this article.The vaccine will not protect the workers from contracting bird flu, Shah said, nor will it guarantee they won’t be infected by seasonal flu. But he said it’s an important component of the public health response to the new virus’ threat.“The risk here is a theoretical but important risk,” Shah said.<h2>Colorado has most recent infections</h2>The confirmations of new bird flu infections among cattle have waned significantly in most states, except for in Colorado. In the past 30 days, two-thirds of the nation’s 32 newly infected herds were in that state, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data.Some of that might be due to Colorado’s&nbsp;<a href="https://coloradonewsline.com/briefs/colorado-requiring-dairy-products-to-be-regularly-tested-for-bird-flu-amid-outbreak/" target="_blank">robust testing protocols</a>, but it’s also “a quirk of history and geography,” said Eric Deeble, deputy under secretary for marketing and regulatory programs for the USDA.The state has far fewer dairy farms than the leading milk-producing states, but most of them are concentrated in one county.“They are all in very close proximity to one another, and so there is a lot of sharing of equipment, a lot of sharing of personnel and a lot of movement on and off farms to adjacent farms,” Deeble said.The USDA has identified the movement of equipment and people between dairy farms as a primary vector for virus transmissions from herd to herd and from herd to flock.The virus has been identified in 172 dairy herds in the United States this year. Fifty of them are in Colorado. In Texas, where the infections originated, the virus was confirmed in 22 herds, although there were many that went untested because they recovered before bird flu&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/04/17/two-veterinarians-hundreds-of-miles-apart-solved-a-cow-sickness-whodunit/" target="_blank">was identified</a>&nbsp;as the culprit.This story was originally published by the&nbsp;<a href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2024/07/30/worried-about-bird-flu-mutation-feds-seek-livestock-worker-vaccinations/" target="_blank">Iowa Capital Dispatch</a>, a States Newsroom affiliate.&nbsp;

Worried about bird flu mutation, feds seek livestock worker vaccinations

WASHINGTON —NRRM, LLC, which does business as CarShield,&nbsp;along with American Auto Shield, LLC (AAS), the administrator of its&nbsp;vehicle service contracts (VSCs),&nbsp;will pay $10 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that its advertisements and telemarketing for VSC are deceptive and misleading, and that many purchasers found that many repairs were not “covered,” despite making payments of up to $120 per month. The FTC also alleges CarShield’s celebrity and consumer endorsers made false statements in its ads, according to a media release from the FTC.

The stipulated order settling the Commission’s complaint also bars&nbsp;CarShield and AAS from making deceptive and misleading statements in the future and requires them to ensure their endorsers’ testimonials are truthful, accurate, and not deceptive.

“For many consumers, a personal vehicle is one of their most valuable assets and a vital lifeline for getting to work, taking their kids to school, and obtaining medical care. Instead of delivering the ‘peace of mind’ promised by its advertisements, CarShield left many consumers with a financial headache,” said Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Worse still, CarShield used trusted personalities to deliver its empty promises. The FTC will hold advertisers accountable for using false or deceptive claims to exploit consumers’ financial anxieties.”

NRRM is a Missouri-based company that advertises VSCs to consumers throughout the United Sates. AAS, based in Lakewood, Colorado, designs and administers the VSCs.

<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/NRRM-dba-Carshield-Complaint.pdf">According to the FTC’s complaint</a>, CarShield advertises and sells VSCs costing approximately $80 to $120 a month. CarShield’s ads for VSCs often feature celebrities such as sports commentator Chris Berman and actor Ice-T. These endorsers try to assure consumers that buying a CarShield service plan will provide them with “peace of mind” and “protection” from the cost and inconvenience of vehicle breakdowns, which will inevitably occur.

The complaint alleges many ads claim that all repairs or repairs to “covered” systems, such as the engine and transmission, will be covered and use language that makes consumers believe CarShield will pay for all necessary repairs. For example, one ad that ran 18,000 times on television stated, “With CarShield’s administrators, they make sure you don’t get stuck with expensive car repair bills like this.” It also touts CarShield VSCs as “your best line of defense against expensive breakdowns.”

The company sells its plans using telemarketers who answer inbound calls and make outbound calls responding to consumers, including those who made web inquiries. Using scripted statements written by CarShield and cleared by AAS, the telemarketers pitch the VSCs and tell consumers that, whether they use a dealer or local mechanic for the repair work, “there is just a $100 deductible for any covered repair.”&nbsp;

However, consumers do not always get what they think they bought when signing up for the VSCs. Instead, the complaint alleges that CarShield’s ads deceptively represent that: 1) all repairs or repairs to “covered” vehicle systems will be paid for under the plans; 2) consumers will receive a rental car at no cost when their car breaks down; and 3)&nbsp;consumers can use the repair facility of their choice for repairs.

Specifically, many consumers could not use the repair facility of their choice, as many do not accept the VSCs. Many consumers also find that repairs they thought were covered are not. In fact, none of CarShield’s VSCs covers all repairs or even repairs to “covered” vehicle systems. Instead, the plans contain myriad exclusions.&nbsp;Consumers with denied claims receive no rental car, while many consumers with “approved” claims must pay a portion of their rental car costs.

In addition, while CarShield’s celebrity endorsers said they had signed up and used the company’s VSCs, in many cases this was not true.&nbsp;They were not “real” customers and had never saved money&nbsp;by using an AAS VSC. Finally, many CarShield ads deceptively feature consumer endorsers who claim to have saved a specific amount of money using their plans but have not in fact saved that amount.

<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/NRRM-dba-Carshield-MotiontoApprovedStipulatedOrder.pdf">The proposed order</a>&nbsp;settling the complaint addresses the defendants’ alleged violations of the FTC Act. First, it prohibits CarShield from making the misrepresentations described in the complaint, along with any other misrepresentations related to any good or service. It also prohibits&nbsp;CarShield and AAS&nbsp;from failing to make required disclosures and from violating the FTC’s Telemarketing Sales Rule.

Next, the order bars CarShield from misrepresenting any endorser’s ownership, use of, or experience with any product or service and requires AAS to inform third-party marketers of the order and to review and monitor their advertising and marketing. The order also imposes standard reporting and compliance provision that will remain in place for up to 10 years.

Finally, the order imposes a $10 million monetary judgment against&nbsp;CarShield and AAS,&nbsp;which will be used to provide refunds to defrauded consumers. The full amount of the judgment must be paid to the FTC within seven days of when the court enters the order.

The Commission vote authorizing the staff to file the complaint and proposed order was 5-0. FTC staff filed the complaint and proposed order in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.&nbsp;The case was brought by the agency’s East Central Region. The FTC thanks the Missouri Attorney General’s Office for its help in bringing this case.

WASHINGTON —NRRM, LLC, which does business as CarShield,&nbsp;along with American Auto Shield, LLC (AAS), the administrator of its&nbsp;vehicle service contracts (VSCs),&nbsp;will pay $10 million to settle Federal Trade Commission charges that its advertisements and telemarketing for VSC are deceptive and misleading, and that many purchasers found that many repairs were not “covered,” despite making payments of up to $120 per month. The FTC also alleges CarShield’s celebrity and consumer endorsers made false statements in its ads, according to a media release from the FTC.The stipulated order settling the Commission’s complaint also bars&nbsp;CarShield and AAS from making deceptive and misleading statements in the future and requires them to ensure their endorsers’ testimonials are truthful, accurate, and not deceptive.“For many consumers, a personal vehicle is one of their most valuable assets and a vital lifeline for getting to work, taking their kids to school, and obtaining medical care. Instead of delivering the ‘peace of mind’ promised by its advertisements, CarShield left many consumers with a financial headache,” said Samuel Levine, Director of the FTC’s Bureau of Consumer Protection. “Worse still, CarShield used trusted personalities to deliver its empty promises. The FTC will hold advertisers accountable for using false or deceptive claims to exploit consumers’ financial anxieties.”NRRM is a Missouri-based company that advertises VSCs to consumers throughout the United Sates. AAS, based in Lakewood, Colorado, designs and administers the VSCs.<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/NRRM-dba-Carshield-Complaint.pdf">According to the FTC’s complaint</a>, CarShield advertises and sells VSCs costing approximately $80 to $120 a month. CarShield’s ads for VSCs often feature celebrities such as sports commentator Chris Berman and actor Ice-T. These endorsers try to assure consumers that buying a CarShield service plan will provide them with “peace of mind” and “protection” from the cost and inconvenience of vehicle breakdowns, which will inevitably occur.The complaint alleges many ads claim that all repairs or repairs to “covered” systems, such as the engine and transmission, will be covered and use language that makes consumers believe CarShield will pay for all necessary repairs. For example, one ad that ran 18,000 times on television stated, “With CarShield’s administrators, they make sure you don’t get stuck with expensive car repair bills like this.” It also touts CarShield VSCs as “your best line of defense against expensive breakdowns.”The company sells its plans using telemarketers who answer inbound calls and make outbound calls responding to consumers, including those who made web inquiries. Using scripted statements written by CarShield and cleared by AAS, the telemarketers pitch the VSCs and tell consumers that, whether they use a dealer or local mechanic for the repair work, “there is just a $100 deductible for any covered repair.”&nbsp;However, consumers do not always get what they think they bought when signing up for the VSCs. Instead, the complaint alleges that CarShield’s ads deceptively represent that: 1) all repairs or repairs to “covered” vehicle systems will be paid for under the plans; 2) consumers will receive a rental car at no cost when their car breaks down; and 3)&nbsp;consumers can use the repair facility of their choice for repairs.Specifically, many consumers could not use the repair facility of their choice, as many do not accept the VSCs. Many consumers also find that repairs they thought were covered are not. In fact, none of CarShield’s VSCs covers all repairs or even repairs to “covered” vehicle systems. Instead, the plans contain myriad exclusions.&nbsp;Consumers with denied claims receive no rental car, while many consumers with “approved” claims must pay a portion of their rental car costs.In addition, while CarShield’s celebrity endorsers said they had signed up and used the company’s VSCs, in many cases this was not true.&nbsp;They were not “real” customers and had never saved money&nbsp;by using an AAS VSC. Finally, many CarShield ads deceptively feature consumer endorsers who claim to have saved a specific amount of money using their plans but have not in fact saved that amount.<a href="https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/NRRM-dba-Carshield-MotiontoApprovedStipulatedOrder.pdf">The proposed order</a>&nbsp;settling the complaint addresses the defendants’ alleged violations of the FTC Act. First, it prohibits CarShield from making the misrepresentations described in the complaint, along with any other misrepresentations related to any good or service. It also prohibits&nbsp;CarShield and AAS&nbsp;from failing to make required disclosures and from violating the FTC’s Telemarketing Sales Rule.Next, the order bars CarShield from misrepresenting any endorser’s ownership, use of, or experience with any product or service and requires AAS to inform third-party marketers of the order and to review and monitor their advertising and marketing. The order also imposes standard reporting and compliance provision that will remain in place for up to 10 years.Finally, the order imposes a $10 million monetary judgment against&nbsp;CarShield and AAS,&nbsp;which will be used to provide refunds to defrauded consumers. The full amount of the judgment must be paid to the FTC within seven days of when the court enters the order.The Commission vote authorizing the staff to file the complaint and proposed order was 5-0. FTC staff filed the complaint and proposed order in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri.&nbsp;The case was brought by the agency’s East Central Region. The FTC thanks the Missouri Attorney General’s Office for its help in bringing this case.

CarShield to pay $10M to settle deceptive advertising charges

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating the death of a teenager in an apparent drive-by shooting in the north Kansas City community of Avondale Tuesday night.

Just after 9p.m.,&nbsp; multiple 911 callers reported the sound of shots fired, according to a statement from the Clay County Sheriff's Office. Shortly thereafter, a caller reported someone had been shot in the 3200 block of N.E. Excelsior Street. The victim, a boy in his teens, was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.

Detectives spoke to witnesses and gathered evidence. The Kansas City Police Crime Scene Investigations Unit is helping process the scene. Initially, it appears a drive-by shooting took place.

Investigators have identified a suspect vehicle.

The vehicle appears to be a dark blue or black 1996-98 Chevy Silverado Z71 4x4 with the driver’s side headlight out.

If anyone has any information that can help solve this case, please contact the Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722421208879.png" alt="Clay County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Clay County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating the death of a teenager in an apparent drive-by shooting in the north Kansas City community of Avondale Tuesday night.Just after 9p.m.,&nbsp; multiple 911 callers reported the sound of shots fired, according to a statement from the Clay County Sheriff's Office. Shortly thereafter, a caller reported someone had been shot in the 3200 block of N.E. Excelsior Street. The victim, a boy in his teens, was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced deceased.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We&#39;re investigating an apparent drive-by shooting that resulted in the death of a teenager in Avondale about 9 p.m. tonight. This is the suspect vehicle. Contact <a href="https://twitter.com/KCCrimeStop?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@KCCrimeStop</a> @ 816-474-TIPS with any info. that could help us solve this. More: <a href="https://t.co/U9sq7dbtRR">https://t.co/U9sq7dbtRR</a> <a href="https://t.co/5LrGs3msvG">pic.twitter.com/5LrGs3msvG</a>&mdash; Clay County, Missouri Sheriff (@SheriffClayCo) <a href="https://twitter.com/SheriffClayCo/status/1818505232189378894?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Detectives spoke to witnesses and gathered evidence. The Kansas City Police Crime Scene Investigations Unit is helping process the scene. Initially, it appears a drive-by shooting took place.Investigators have identified a suspect vehicle.The vehicle appears to be a dark blue or black 1996-98 Chevy Silverado Z71 4x4 with the driver’s side headlight out.If anyone has any information that can help solve this case, please contact the Crime Stoppers TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS (8477).

Sheriff: Teen dead in Kansas City area drive-by shooting

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement continue their investigation of a vehicle crash into two homes in Riley County.

According to an updated statement from the Riley County Police Department, just before 1a.m. Saturday, a vehicle traveled through two houses  1100 Block of Yuma and came to rest inside the second home and ran over a 23-year-old occupant of the residence who sleeping in his bed. The man was trapped and eventually extracted from under the vehicle.

He was taken to the hospital for treatment. &nbsp;

The vehicle occupants exited the vehicle. EMS was dispatched for the vehicle occupants with one being transported to Via Christi for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. The other occupant of the vehicle was pronounced deceased at the scene.&nbsp;

Police continue to work to gather all of the facts.&nbsp; Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

RILEY COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 1a.m. Saturday in Riley County.

A driver lost control of a vehicle in the 1100 Block of Yuma, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.

The vehicle struck a house and continued into another house where it&nbsp; ran over a 23-year-old occupant of the residence who sleeping in his bed. The man was trapped and eventually&nbsp;extracted from under the vehicle.

EMS transported the victim to Via Christi for treatment of his non-life-threatening injuries. He was later transferred to Stormont-Vail for advanced treatment, according to the RCPD.&nbsp;&nbsp;Before he was transported the injured man was stable and was able to communicate with officers, according to the RCPD.&nbsp; Police had no additional information early Monday.

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement continue their investigation of a vehicle crash into two homes in Riley County.According to an updated statement from the Riley County Police Department, just before 1a.m. Saturday, a vehicle traveled through two houses 1100 Block of Yuma and came to rest inside the second home and ran over a 23-year-old occupant of the residence who sleeping in his bed. The man was trapped and eventually extracted from under the vehicle.He was taken to the hospital for treatment. &nbsp;The vehicle occupants exited the vehicle. EMS was dispatched for the vehicle occupants with one being transported to Via Christi for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries. The other occupant of the vehicle was pronounced deceased at the scene.&nbsp;Police continue to work to gather all of the facts.&nbsp; Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.-------------RILEY COUNTY—One person was injured in an accident just after 1a.m. Saturday in Riley County.A driver lost control of a vehicle in the 1100 Block of Yuma, according to the Riley County Police Department activity report.The vehicle struck a house and continued into another house where it&nbsp; ran over a 23-year-old occupant of the residence who sleeping in his bed. The man was trapped and eventually&nbsp;extracted from under the vehicle.EMS transported the victim to Via Christi for treatment of his non-life-threatening injuries. He was later transferred to Stormont-Vail for advanced treatment, according to the RCPD.&nbsp;&nbsp;Before he was transported the injured man was stable and was able to communicate with officers, according to the RCPD.&nbsp; Police had no additional information early Monday.

Police: 1 died after vehicle ran over man asleep in his bed at Kansas home

&nbsp;WASHINGTON —The Secret Service's acting director told a United State's Senate committee Tuesday that he considered it indefensible that the roof used by the gunman in&nbsp;the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump&nbsp;was unsecured.&nbsp; Following the hearing, Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall led colleagues in demanding accountability on Trump assassination attempt.

Marshall is calling for an independent commission that identifies all of the problems and mistakes that took place on July 13th.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722374985803.png" alt="Kansas Senator Roger Marshall during Tuesday's hearing with Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe Jr.-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Senator Roger Marshall during Tuesday's hearing with Acting Secret Service Director Ronald Rowe Jr.-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;WASHINGTON —The Secret Service's acting director told a United State's Senate committee Tuesday that he considered it indefensible that the roof used by the gunman in&nbsp;the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump&nbsp;was unsecured.&nbsp; Following the hearing, Kansas U.S. Senator Roger Marshall led colleagues in demanding accountability on Trump assassination attempt.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I am demanding an independent commission that identifies all of the problems and mistakes that took place on July 13th. Corey’s family deserves more, President Trump deserves more and the American people deserve more. <a href="https://t.co/hk1YLYpPcB">pic.twitter.com/hk1YLYpPcB</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1818379725024133403?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We are 17 days out from the assassination attempt on Trump. I don&#39;t want conversations and processes- I want answers and accountability. Hiding behind a vague, slow-moving investigation is not going to cut it. We need full reform at the Secret Service and FBI now. <a href="https://t.co/vBwmq4FnCh">pic.twitter.com/vBwmq4FnCh</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1818338263775547853?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 30, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Marshall is calling for an independent commission that identifies all of the problems and mistakes that took place on July 13th.

🎥Kan. U.S. Senator calls for independent investigation of Trump assassination attempt

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating a car theft with a dog in the vehicle have located the car and also the puppy.&nbsp;

The dog was located late Tuesday, according to police, and is safe.

Just after 5:30a.m. Tuesday, a black Volkswagon Passat with Kansas tag number 0806ABC, was reportedly stolen from the Kwik Shop at SW 6th and Macvicar in Topeka, according to Topeka Police.

Police determined there was a puppy inside the vehicle at the time it was stolen.&nbsp;

Just before 4p.m. Tuesday, police reported they located the black Volkswagon Passat and two individuals were currently in custody, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichols.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Police thanked the many community members who assisted in this investigation.&nbsp; Police have not released the names of the suspects.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722349064686.png" alt="Volkswagon Passat with Kansas tag number 0806ABC" />
 <figcaption>Volkswagon Passat with Kansas tag number 0806ABC</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating a car theft with a dog in the vehicle have located the car and also the puppy.&nbsp;The dog was located late Tuesday, according to police, and is safe.Just after 5:30a.m. Tuesday, a black Volkswagon Passat with Kansas tag number 0806ABC, was reportedly stolen from the Kwik Shop at SW 6th and Macvicar in Topeka, according to Topeka Police.Police determined there was a puppy inside the vehicle at the time it was stolen.&nbsp;Just before 4p.m. Tuesday, police reported they located the black Volkswagon Passat and two individuals were currently in custody, according to police spokesperson Rosie Nichols.&nbsp;&nbsp;Police thanked the many community members who assisted in this investigation.&nbsp; Police have not released the names of the suspects.---------------

Police find puppy taken in Kansas car theft

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A&nbsp;Kansas woman who admitted killing her 14-year-old son before a standoff with police at her apartment is going to prison for the rest of her adult life.&nbsp;&nbsp;

On Tuesday, Judge Jeffrey Goering sentenced 43-year-old Kylee Hodges of Wichita to life in prison with parole eligibility after 25 years, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. Hodges waived her right to be present at the sentencing hearing, according to the DA's office and left the courtroom.

In June,&nbsp; Hodges pleaded guilty to&nbsp;first-degree murder&nbsp;for the shooting death of&nbsp;Claude Hodges Jr., according to the District Attorney's Office.

Just before 6:30 p.m. Jan. 28, police arrived at an apartment at 8405 W. Central in Wichita, to check on 14-year-old Claude Hodges after his father called concerned for his welfare.

When they arrived at the apartment they knocked and received no response. They observed a bullet hole in the apartment's exterior wall and also found a fired bullet on the ground near the entrance.

Police officers quickly obtained a key and entered the apartment. Upon entering they found a woman, later identified as Kylee Hodges of Wichita, holding a handgun. A shotgun was also nearby. Officers quickly withdrew from the apartment and notified negotiators.

The police negotiators began talking with Hodges at around 8:20 p.m. A tactical team, comprised of both police and deputies from the Sedgwick County Sheriff's office were called to the apartment at around 9:45 p.m.

Discussions with Hodges continued for several hours in an effort to convince her to disarm and exit peacefully. At one point they convinced Hodges to come out of the apartment and leave her handgun on the ground outside, but she remained close to the gun.

At around 1:40 a.m., Hodges quickly picked up the handgun again, and advanced toward officers while pointing the firearm in their direction. Two SWAT officers from Wichita police each fired one shot toward Hodges, striking her.

When officers went back in the apartment, they found the teen dead in a bedroom.&nbsp; Kylee Hodges was treated at a local hospital and booked into the Sedgwick County Detention Center.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707836093664.png" alt="Hodges photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Hodges photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A&nbsp;Kansas woman who admitted killing her 14-year-old son before a standoff with police at her apartment is going to prison for the rest of her adult life.&nbsp;&nbsp;On Tuesday, Judge Jeffrey Goering sentenced 43-year-old Kylee Hodges of Wichita to life in prison with parole eligibility after 25 years, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office. Hodges waived her right to be present at the sentencing hearing, according to the DA's office and left the courtroom.In June,&nbsp; Hodges pleaded guilty to&nbsp;first-degree murder&nbsp;for the shooting death of&nbsp;Claude Hodges Jr., according to the District Attorney's Office.Just before 6:30 p.m. Jan. 28, police arrived at an apartment at 8405 W. Central in Wichita, to check on 14-year-old Claude Hodges after his father called concerned for his welfare.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706532733268.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation Jan. 28-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation Jan. 28-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>When they arrived at the apartment they knocked and received no response. They observed a bullet hole in the apartment's exterior wall and also found a fired bullet on the ground near the entrance.Police officers quickly obtained a key and entered the apartment. Upon entering they found a woman, later identified as Kylee Hodges of Wichita, holding a handgun. A shotgun was also nearby. Officers quickly withdrew from the apartment and notified negotiators.The police negotiators began talking with Hodges at around 8:20 p.m. A tactical team, comprised of both police and deputies from the Sedgwick County Sheriff's office were called to the apartment at around 9:45 p.m.Discussions with Hodges continued for several hours in an effort to convince her to disarm and exit peacefully. At one point they convinced Hodges to come out of the apartment and leave her handgun on the ground outside, but she remained close to the gun.At around 1:40 a.m., Hodges quickly picked up the handgun again, and advanced toward officers while pointing the firearm in their direction. Two SWAT officers from Wichita police each fired one shot toward Hodges, striking her.When officers went back in the apartment, they found the teen dead in a bedroom.&nbsp; Kylee Hodges was treated at a local hospital and booked into the Sedgwick County Detention Center.&nbsp;

Kan. woman who killed her teen son does not attend sentencing hearing 

JOHNSON COUNTY —Investigators are working to determine the cause of a house fire in Olathe.

Just before 4:30p.m. Tuesday, crews responded to a fire in a home&nbsp;&nbsp;in the 1400 block of N. Mart-Way Drive, according to a social media report. 

&nbsp;Two people safely escaped the home. There were no injuries. The fire started in a downstairs room. Damage to the home is significant. Authorities released no additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722422030615.png" alt="Photo Olathe FIre" />
 <figcaption>Photo Olathe FIre</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Investigators are working to determine the cause of a house fire in Olathe.Just before 4:30p.m. Tuesday, crews responded to a fire in a home&nbsp;&nbsp;in the 1400 block of N. Mart-Way Drive, according to a social media report. &nbsp;Two people safely escaped the home. There were no injuries. The fire started in a downstairs room. Damage to the home is significant. Authorities released no additional details.

Significant damage after fire at Kansas home

LACLEDE COUNTY—A Missouri man died in an accident just before 3:30p.m. Tuesday in Laclede County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by Albert A. Ishman, 46, Phillipsburg, Mo., was westbound on Highway MM near Rustic Drive.

The driver attempted to pass another vehicle. The motorcycle traveled off the left side of the road and overturned in a ditch. Ishman was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Shadel's Colonial Chapel in Lebanon. He was not wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP.

LACLEDE COUNTY—A Missouri man died in an accident just before 3:30p.m. Tuesday in Laclede County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2007 Harley Davidson motorcycle driven by Albert A. Ishman, 46, Phillipsburg, Mo., was westbound on Highway MM near Rustic Drive.The driver attempted to pass another vehicle. The motorcycle traveled off the left side of the road and overturned in a ditch. Ishman was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Shadel's Colonial Chapel in Lebanon. He was not wearing a helmet, according to the MSHP.

Missouri man dies after motorcycle overturns in ditch

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating another homicide in Kansas City have identified the victim as 25-year-old&nbsp;Anthony Canaday, according to KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

Just before 9a.m. Tuesday, officers were in the area of E 55th and Paseo Boulevard when they heard several sounds of gunshots. Officers began to canvass the area where they believed the gunshots came from when a shooting call was reported nearby, according to Gonzalez.

Officers were flagged down by several people on scene advising someone had been shot. Police located a victim later identified as Canady outside of a vehicle parked in the area unresponsive and suffering from apparent gunshot wounds.

 Officers rendered medical aid until EMS arrived and declared the Canady deceased on scene.

The circumstances surrounding this incident are currently unknown and no one is in custody. Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel&nbsp; responded to begin gathering evidence and to collect witness statements.This is being investigated as a homicide and is ongoing at this time.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722357400169.png" alt="Photos Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photos Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating another homicide in Kansas City have identified the victim as 25-year-old&nbsp;Anthony Canaday, according to KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez.Just before 9a.m. Tuesday, officers were in the area of E 55th and Paseo Boulevard when they heard several sounds of gunshots. Officers began to canvass the area where they believed the gunshots came from when a shooting call was reported nearby, according to Gonzalez.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722357430446.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Officers were flagged down by several people on scene advising someone had been shot. Police located a victim later identified as Canady outside of a vehicle parked in the area unresponsive and suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Officers rendered medical aid until EMS arrived and declared the Canady deceased on scene.The circumstances surrounding this incident are currently unknown and no one is in custody. Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel&nbsp; responded to begin gathering evidence and to collect witness statements.This is being investigated as a homicide and is ongoing at this time.

KCPD IDs 25-year-old victim found dead outside vehicle 

JOHNSON COUNTY —A Kansas man is going to prison for child sex crimes.

On July 25, a Johnson County judge sentenced&nbsp;37-year-old Cameron J. McPheeters of Olathe to just over 41-years in prison for two counts of rape of a child under the age of 14, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.

In June McPheeters pleaded guilty to two counts of rape.&nbsp; The crimes occurred in May of 2020, according to the KBI Offender Registry.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722002983096.png" alt="McPheeters-photo Johnson County" />
 <figcaption>McPheeters-photo Johnson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —A Kansas man is going to prison for child sex crimes.On July 25, a Johnson County judge sentenced&nbsp;37-year-old Cameron J. McPheeters of Olathe to just over 41-years in prison for two counts of rape of a child under the age of 14, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.In June McPheeters pleaded guilty to two counts of rape.&nbsp; The crimes occurred in May of 2020, according to the KBI Offender Registry.

Kansas man going to prison for violent child sex crimes

SALINE COUNTY —Police are investigating a domestic incident that injured a woman in Salina.

Just after 8p.m. Sunday, officers responded to a domestic disturbance call near Ohio and Magnolia Streets, according to Salina Police Captain James Feldman. When officers arrived, they found a 46-year-old woman from Salina in the parking lot of Scooters on Ohio Street.

"She indicated that she got into a domestic incident at a residence in the 2300 block of Aurora Avenue with someone she's involved with," Feldman said. "The victim said that when he [suspect] attempted to leave in a vehicle, she attempted to stop him. She was partially in the vehicle and out of the vehicle."

The driver and suspect, later identified as Troy Zelfer, 35-year-old of Salina, drove off as the woman victim's leg hung outside of the front passenger side of the vehicle. Zelfer drove the vehicle, dragging the victim's leg for approximately two-tenths of a mile.

"He pulled away with her half in half out, dragging her for a short distance. She did have injuries and abrasions on her right leg and left arm," Feldman said.

Zelfer then drove the vehicle to the Scooters Coffee parking lot, 2055 S Ohio Street, before he left the vehicle and the woman behind. He then walked to the nearby Kwik Shop, where officers apprehended him without incident.

&nbsp;Zelfer was booked into the Saline County Jail on requested charges that include aggravated battery and driving with a suspended license. Additionally, he was found to have two outstanding warrants for failure to appear in court, according to Feldman.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722254442222.png" alt="Zelfer photo Saline County" />
 <figcaption>Zelfer photo Saline County</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Police are investigating a domestic incident that injured a woman in Salina.Just after 8p.m. Sunday, officers responded to a domestic disturbance call near Ohio and Magnolia Streets, according to Salina Police Captain James Feldman. When officers arrived, they found a 46-year-old woman from Salina in the parking lot of Scooters on Ohio Street."She indicated that she got into a domestic incident at a residence in the 2300 block of Aurora Avenue with someone she's involved with," Feldman said. "The victim said that when he [suspect] attempted to leave in a vehicle, she attempted to stop him. She was partially in the vehicle and out of the vehicle."The driver and suspect, later identified as Troy Zelfer, 35-year-old of Salina, drove off as the woman victim's leg hung outside of the front passenger side of the vehicle. Zelfer drove the vehicle, dragging the victim's leg for approximately two-tenths of a mile."He pulled away with her half in half out, dragging her for a short distance. She did have injuries and abrasions on her right leg and left arm," Feldman said.Zelfer then drove the vehicle to the Scooters Coffee parking lot, 2055 S Ohio Street, before he left the vehicle and the woman behind. He then walked to the nearby Kwik Shop, where officers apprehended him without incident.&nbsp;Zelfer was booked into the Saline County Jail on requested charges that include aggravated battery and driving with a suspended license. Additionally, he was found to have two outstanding warrants for failure to appear in court, according to Feldman.

 Police: Kan. man dragged woman with vehicle during dispute

Units in the separate division, put in place after campus protests in 2015, will be moved into other offices to reduce political visibility and protect budget allocations, system president Mun Choi says

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>

The University of Missouri will eliminate its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/news/2016/07/19/new-university-missouri-division-pulls/21802167007/" target="_blank">division focused on diversity, social equity and inclusion</a>&nbsp;on the Columbia campus, completing the dismantling of administrative structures put in place after&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/news/politics/2015/11/12/semester-strife-capped-longstanding-issues/21777673007/" target="_blank">protests in 2015</a>&nbsp;brought national attention to issues of racial equality.

The move coincides with the departure of division Vice Chancellor Maurice Gipson. It is designed to appease Republicans who are showing hostility towards efforts designed to attract and retain students from historically underrepresented groups, Mun Choi, University of Missouri System president and Columbia campus chancellor, said at a briefing with reporters last week.

There have been 13 bills targeting diversity, equity and inclusion filed in the legislature over the past two years Choi noted. During debate on the state budget during 2023,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/03/30/diversity-debate-dominates-house-action-on-missouri-state-budget/">Republicans in the Missouri House</a>&nbsp;added language banning any diversity efforts across state government, language that was deleted before the final budget passed.

One of the leading Republican candidates for governor, state Sen. Bill Eigel, has said he will fire every state employee who works to promote diversity and equity in state agencies, including universities.

“We realize the political situations that have occurred in other universities across the United States, including Texas, and Florida, Utah, and now Alabama, as well as many others,” Choi said.

Choi said the university has lobbied heavily against legislative action.

“We do believe that our proactive approaches in the past have really played an important role when diverting these bills from passing and I will be sharing our plans with elected leaders beginning this week,” he said.

The top goal is to protect the university’s operating and capital appropriations, Choi said.

“As a university we see about $500 million per year in appropriations and $200 million in capital one-time projects,” Choi said. “If we don’t see the $700 million dollars per year, we would have to eliminate every single position at all of the colleges that we have at universities. That is not a risk that I want to take.”

Gipson, hired as vice chancellor in 2020, is leaving to become interim president at Philander Smith University, an historically Black college in Arkansas. The four units of the division will be moved into other offices, which Choi said will make their mission part of the overall mission in each office.

No employees will lose their jobs, Choi said.

Gipson, who joined Choi in the briefing, said he’s confident that the work begun in the division will continue.

“We’ve been inspired and impressed that our colleagues here say, ‘this is going to work, we don’t have to all be underneath, necessarily the same place to get this work done,’” Gipson said.

The division’s units were moved out of the offices where they will return as part of a university commitment following the events of the fall of 2015, when long-simmering grievances about racial issues on campus led to a protest movement called Concerned Student 1950.&nbsp;

The student group chose a name that reflected the year the first Black student was admitted to the school, which was founded in 1839. It sought to bring attention to overlooked school history that the campus was founded on the wealth of slaveholders and partially built with the labor of enslaved people.

A large group of students created a tent city, a graduate student&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/higher_education/quest-for-justice-drives-mu-hunger-striker-to-grab-things-by-the-root/article_8fbbb75e-873a-11e5-a683-4f42206b7731.html" target="_blank">started a hunger strike</a>&nbsp;and the protests grabbed international attention when the Missouri Tiger football team joined the protest, stating they&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/sports/mizzou_football/missouri-football-players-flexed-muscle-with-proposed-boycott/article_6fe200c4-873e-11e5-bb7d-33e0fbceffb5.html" target="_blank">would not participate in sports</a>&nbsp;until administrators showed they were meeting the demands that included the resignation of then-system President Tim Wolfe.

Other demands&nbsp;<a href="https://krcgtv.com/news/local/concerned-student-1950-reissues-list-of-demands" target="_blank">included more Black faculty</a>, a plan to increase the retention rates for marginalized students and increased funding and personnel for the student support centers.

Wolfe resigned in November 2015 and the protest ended. In the year between his removal and the announcement that Choi would become the new permanent president, the university established both a campus division and a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/news/2016/06/14/university-missouri-system-diversity-officer/21833843007/" target="_blank">system vice-presidency focused</a>&nbsp;on DEI efforts.

Choi, who was born in Korea, is the first non-white president of the university. He became campus chancellor in 2020, becoming the first president since the university system was established in the 1960s to hold both jobs.

“This reporting structure in the chancellor’s office is important to cementing the level of support for this work,” Kevin McDonald, then-chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer for the UM System and vice chancellor for inclusion, diversity and equity on the MU campus&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/news/2016/07/19/new-university-missouri-division-pulls/21802167007/" target="_blank">told the Columbia Daily Tribune in 2016.</a>&nbsp;“I would hope it elevates the level of visibility of the work they have been doing.”

Despite those efforts, Black enrollment on the Columbia campus has fallen from 7.3% of the student body in fall 2015 to 5.3% last fall. The share of Hispanic students has increased to 5.5% from 3.5% in fall 2015 and the share of Asian students has increased from 3% from 2.2%.

The share of white students has remained virtually unchanged at about 77%.

The university anticipates an 11% increase in Black students and a 14% increase in Hispanic students on campus this fall, Choi said.

One specific demand was to increase Black representation among faculty to 10%. Black academics made up 3.5% of tenured and tenure-track faculty on the Columbia campus in the fall of 2023, down from 4.2% in 2018, the target year for the 10% goal.

While the share of Black students and faculty has declined, graduation rates for underrepresented ethnic groups on campus have increased, Choi said. The Columbia campus has the highest six-year graduation rate for Black students among public universities in Missouri, he said, and is near the median of flagship universities in nearby states for Black faculty.

The university began removing the structures put in place following the protests last year after a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/06/29/us-supreme-court-strikes-down-use-of-affirmative-action-in-college-admissions/">U.S. Supreme Court decision</a>&nbsp;that ruled race-based admission policies were unconstitutional.

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey ordered universities to “immediately cease their practice of using race-based standards to make decisions about things like admission, scholarships, programs and employment.”

The university responded by&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/10/30/university-of-missouri-students-reflect-on-end-of-race-based-scholarships/">ending preferences in a number of scholarships</a>&nbsp;and persuading donors to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/13/racial-criteria-removed-by-university-of-missouri-system-from-millions-of-dollars-in-student-aid/">remove any racial or ethnic criteria</a>&nbsp;from endowed programs. It also stopped requiring applicants for system administration jobs to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/news/education/campus/2023/03/29/diversity-statements-no-longer-allowed-in-hiring-for-um-system-jobs/70057922007/" target="_blank">include diversity statements</a>&nbsp;in their job submissions.

Choi said the university has used those actions as part of its lobbying strategy.

“We do believe that our proactive approaches in the past have really played an important role when diverting these bills from passing,” Choi said, “and I will be sharing our plans with elected leaders.”

There were issues identified with a separate structure that the reorganization will address, Choi said.

“Because the ID division that works on student success programs were operating in an organization that was outside of the rest of the student success organization that’s in the Provost Office, there’s less opportunity to be inclusive, and less opportunities to be collaborative in that process,” he said.

The goal of the reorganization, Choi said, is to preserve the jobs and programs but to make them less visible.

“When you read the headlines that are out there, nationally, DEI is seen as an ideology, and it may be viewed by some as being exclusionary in the name of inclusion,” Choi said. “That is not what we do at the University of Missouri.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722363995990.png" alt="University of Missouri System President Mun Choi discusses plans to reorganize diversity, equity and inclusion efforts by ending a separate campus division during a Friday briefing with reporters. He was joined by Vice Chancellor Maurice Gipson, who headed the division and is leaving for a new post in Arkansas. (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)" />
 <figcaption>University of Missouri System President Mun Choi discusses plans to reorganize diversity, equity and inclusion efforts by ending a separate campus division during a Friday briefing with reporters. He was joined by Vice Chancellor Maurice Gipson, who headed the division and is leaving for a new post in Arkansas. (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Units in the separate division, put in place after campus protests in 2015, will be moved into other offices to reduce political visibility and protect budget allocations, system president Mun Choi says</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>The University of Missouri will eliminate its&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/news/2016/07/19/new-university-missouri-division-pulls/21802167007/" target="_blank">division focused on diversity, social equity and inclusion</a>&nbsp;on the Columbia campus, completing the dismantling of administrative structures put in place after&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/news/politics/2015/11/12/semester-strife-capped-longstanding-issues/21777673007/" target="_blank">protests in 2015</a>&nbsp;brought national attention to issues of racial equality.The move coincides with the departure of division Vice Chancellor Maurice Gipson. It is designed to appease Republicans who are showing hostility towards efforts designed to attract and retain students from historically underrepresented groups, Mun Choi, University of Missouri System president and Columbia campus chancellor, said at a briefing with reporters last week.There have been 13 bills targeting diversity, equity and inclusion filed in the legislature over the past two years Choi noted. During debate on the state budget during 2023,&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/03/30/diversity-debate-dominates-house-action-on-missouri-state-budget/">Republicans in the Missouri House</a>&nbsp;added language banning any diversity efforts across state government, language that was deleted before the final budget passed.One of the leading Republican candidates for governor, state Sen. Bill Eigel, has said he will fire every state employee who works to promote diversity and equity in state agencies, including universities.“We realize the political situations that have occurred in other universities across the United States, including Texas, and Florida, Utah, and now Alabama, as well as many others,” Choi said.Choi said the university has lobbied heavily against legislative action.“We do believe that our proactive approaches in the past have really played an important role when diverting these bills from passing and I will be sharing our plans with elected leaders beginning this week,” he said.The top goal is to protect the university’s operating and capital appropriations, Choi said.“As a university we see about $500 million per year in appropriations and $200 million in capital one-time projects,” Choi said. “If we don’t see the $700 million dollars per year, we would have to eliminate every single position at all of the colleges that we have at universities. That is not a risk that I want to take.”Gipson, hired as vice chancellor in 2020, is leaving to become interim president at Philander Smith University, an historically Black college in Arkansas. The four units of the division will be moved into other offices, which Choi said will make their mission part of the overall mission in each office.No employees will lose their jobs, Choi said.Gipson, who joined Choi in the briefing, said he’s confident that the work begun in the division will continue.“We’ve been inspired and impressed that our colleagues here say, ‘this is going to work, we don’t have to all be underneath, necessarily the same place to get this work done,’” Gipson said.The division’s units were moved out of the offices where they will return as part of a university commitment following the events of the fall of 2015, when long-simmering grievances about racial issues on campus led to a protest movement called Concerned Student 1950.&nbsp;The student group chose a name that reflected the year the first Black student was admitted to the school, which was founded in 1839. It sought to bring attention to overlooked school history that the campus was founded on the wealth of slaveholders and partially built with the labor of enslaved people.A large group of students created a tent city, a graduate student&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/news/higher_education/quest-for-justice-drives-mu-hunger-striker-to-grab-things-by-the-root/article_8fbbb75e-873a-11e5-a683-4f42206b7731.html" target="_blank">started a hunger strike</a>&nbsp;and the protests grabbed international attention when the Missouri Tiger football team joined the protest, stating they&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiamissourian.com/sports/mizzou_football/missouri-football-players-flexed-muscle-with-proposed-boycott/article_6fe200c4-873e-11e5-bb7d-33e0fbceffb5.html" target="_blank">would not participate in sports</a>&nbsp;until administrators showed they were meeting the demands that included the resignation of then-system President Tim Wolfe.Other demands&nbsp;<a href="https://krcgtv.com/news/local/concerned-student-1950-reissues-list-of-demands" target="_blank">included more Black faculty</a>, a plan to increase the retention rates for marginalized students and increased funding and personnel for the student support centers.Wolfe resigned in November 2015 and the protest ended. In the year between his removal and the announcement that Choi would become the new permanent president, the university established both a campus division and a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/news/2016/06/14/university-missouri-system-diversity-officer/21833843007/" target="_blank">system vice-presidency focused</a>&nbsp;on DEI efforts.Choi, who was born in Korea, is the first non-white president of the university. He became campus chancellor in 2020, becoming the first president since the university system was established in the 1960s to hold both jobs.“This reporting structure in the chancellor’s office is important to cementing the level of support for this work,” Kevin McDonald, then-chief diversity, equity and inclusion officer for the UM System and vice chancellor for inclusion, diversity and equity on the MU campus&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/news/2016/07/19/new-university-missouri-division-pulls/21802167007/" target="_blank">told the Columbia Daily Tribune in 2016.</a>&nbsp;“I would hope it elevates the level of visibility of the work they have been doing.”Despite those efforts, Black enrollment on the Columbia campus has fallen from 7.3% of the student body in fall 2015 to 5.3% last fall. The share of Hispanic students has increased to 5.5% from 3.5% in fall 2015 and the share of Asian students has increased from 3% from 2.2%.The share of white students has remained virtually unchanged at about 77%.The university anticipates an 11% increase in Black students and a 14% increase in Hispanic students on campus this fall, Choi said.One specific demand was to increase Black representation among faculty to 10%. Black academics made up 3.5% of tenured and tenure-track faculty on the Columbia campus in the fall of 2023, down from 4.2% in 2018, the target year for the 10% goal.While the share of Black students and faculty has declined, graduation rates for underrepresented ethnic groups on campus have increased, Choi said. The Columbia campus has the highest six-year graduation rate for Black students among public universities in Missouri, he said, and is near the median of flagship universities in nearby states for Black faculty.The university began removing the structures put in place following the protests last year after a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/06/29/us-supreme-court-strikes-down-use-of-affirmative-action-in-college-admissions/">U.S. Supreme Court decision</a>&nbsp;that ruled race-based admission policies were unconstitutional.Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey ordered universities to “immediately cease their practice of using race-based standards to make decisions about things like admission, scholarships, programs and employment.”The university responded by&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/10/30/university-of-missouri-students-reflect-on-end-of-race-based-scholarships/">ending preferences in a number of scholarships</a>&nbsp;and persuading donors to&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/13/racial-criteria-removed-by-university-of-missouri-system-from-millions-of-dollars-in-student-aid/">remove any racial or ethnic criteria</a>&nbsp;from endowed programs. It also stopped requiring applicants for system administration jobs to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/news/education/campus/2023/03/29/diversity-statements-no-longer-allowed-in-hiring-for-um-system-jobs/70057922007/" target="_blank">include diversity statements</a>&nbsp;in their job submissions.Choi said the university has used those actions as part of its lobbying strategy.“We do believe that our proactive approaches in the past have really played an important role when diverting these bills from passing,” Choi said, “and I will be sharing our plans with elected leaders.”There were issues identified with a separate structure that the reorganization will address, Choi said.“Because the ID division that works on student success programs were operating in an organization that was outside of the rest of the student success organization that’s in the Provost Office, there’s less opportunity to be inclusive, and less opportunities to be collaborative in that process,” he said.The goal of the reorganization, Choi said, is to preserve the jobs and programs but to make them less visible.“When you read the headlines that are out there, nationally, DEI is seen as an ideology, and it may be viewed by some as being exclusionary in the name of inclusion,” Choi said. “That is not what we do at the University of Missouri.”

University of Missouri bows to Republican pressure, eliminates campus DEI division

KANSAS CITY— A 70-year-old Kansas City man has been charged with second-degree murder, according to the Jackson County District Attorney's office.

Juan Maiden is charged in connection to a homicide that occurred just after 9:30p.m. July 23.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Kansas City police responded to a shooting at a home and found the front door locked and chose to enter through a bedroom window. They discovered the victim with a gunshot wound to her head in the hallway.

The victim was evacuated through the window and transported to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The victim's sister told police Maiden shot her unprovoked, according to court documents.

Following a standoff, police found Maiden in the basement with head injuries and he appeared intoxicated.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722171295792.png" alt="Maiden-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Maiden-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY— A 70-year-old Kansas City man has been charged with second-degree murder, according to the Jackson County District Attorney's office.Juan Maiden is charged in connection to a homicide that occurred just after 9:30p.m. July 23.&nbsp;&nbsp;Kansas City police responded to a shooting at a home and found the front door locked and chose to enter through a bedroom window. They discovered the victim with a gunshot wound to her head in the hallway.The victim was evacuated through the window and transported to a hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The victim's sister told police Maiden shot her unprovoked, according to court documents.Following a standoff, police found Maiden in the basement with head injuries and he appeared intoxicated.

70-year-old charged with killing woman at Kansas City home 

MCPHERSON COUNTY — A 14-month old was rescued Sunday afternoon, according to a social media post from Moundridge Police Department.

Just before 2 p.m., Moundridge Police, Fire and EMS were called to a report of a juvenile needing assistance. The child was trapped underground inside a PVC pipe. The pipe was about 12 inches in diameter and 10-12 feet deep. The child was apparently uninjured and upright in the bottom of the pipe.

Emergency crews worked for 15-20 minutes to recover the child. Officer Wagner constructed a makeshift 'catch pole'. This creative solution was instrumental in lifting the child out.

The child was physically OK, though obviously emotionally shaken from the experience.

MCPHERSON COUNTY — A 14-month old was rescued Sunday afternoon, according to a social media post from Moundridge Police Department.Just before 2 p.m., Moundridge Police, Fire and EMS were called to a report of a juvenile needing assistance. The child was trapped underground inside a PVC pipe. The pipe was about 12 inches in diameter and 10-12 feet deep. The child was apparently uninjured and upright in the bottom of the pipe.Emergency crews worked for 15-20 minutes to recover the child. Officer Wagner constructed a makeshift 'catch pole'. This creative solution was instrumental in lifting the child out.The child was physically OK, though obviously emotionally shaken from the experience.

Toddler rescued after trapped in underground pipe

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City.

Just before 9a.m. Tuesday, officers were in the area of E 55th and Paseo Boulevard when they heard several sounds of gunshots. Officers began to canvass the area where they believed the gunshots came from when a shooting call was reported nearby, according to KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

Officers were flagged down by several people on scene advising someone had been shot. Police located a victim outside of a vehicle parked in the area unresponsive and suffering from apparent gunshot wounds.

 Officers rendered medical aid until EMS arrived and declared the victim deceased on scene.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722357430446.png" alt="Photos Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photos Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City.Just before 9a.m. Tuesday, officers were in the area of E 55th and Paseo Boulevard when they heard several sounds of gunshots. Officers began to canvass the area where they believed the gunshots came from when a shooting call was reported nearby, according to KCPD Officer Alayna Gonzalez.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722357400169.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Officers were flagged down by several people on scene advising someone had been shot. Police located a victim outside of a vehicle parked in the area unresponsive and suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Officers rendered medical aid until EMS arrived and declared the victim deceased on scene.The circumstances surrounding this incident are currently unknown and no one is in custody. Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel&nbsp; responded to begin gathering evidence and to collect witness statements.This is being investigated as a homicide and is ongoing at this time.

Homicide: KCPD found gunshot victim outside vehicle

SALINA —Just before 10p.m. Monday, the Kansas Highway Patrol made a DUI arrest on Interstate 135 just south of Salina, according to a social media report from Trooper Ben Gardner. 

The vehicle was observed speeding and failing to maintain its lane. During the traffic stop, signs of impairment were noted. The driver submitted to a preliminary breath test (PBT), revealing a blood alcohol level of .261—over three times the legal limit of .08 for individuals 21 years and older. 

The driver was arrested and charged with DUI, transporting an open container, speeding, and failing to maintain a single. Gardner reminded, "driving under the influence endangers everyone."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1722343914707.png" alt="Photo KHP" />
 <figcaption>Photo KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINA —Just before 10p.m. Monday, the Kansas Highway Patrol made a DUI arrest on Interstate 135 just south of Salina, according to a social media report from Trooper Ben Gardner. The vehicle was observed speeding and failing to maintain its lane. During the traffic stop, signs of impairment were noted. The driver submitted to a preliminary breath test (PBT), revealing a blood alcohol level of .261—over three times the legal limit of .08 for individuals 21 years and older. The driver was arrested and charged with DUI, transporting an open container, speeding, and failing to maintain a single. Gardner reminded, "driving under the influence endangers everyone."