By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Salina Post

Two teachers from&nbsp; Salina USD 305 Public Schools, Caleb and Lacie Stewart, skipped this year's traditional Thanksgiving celebration.&nbsp;

While friends and family cooked turkey and stuffing, the Stewarts hung Christmas lights and decorations in the Oval Office and other important White House rooms.

Dozens of volunteers visited the White House to decorate, with Stewarts' group including 15 members to decorate the Oval Office, the Vice President's Office, the Cabinet Room and the Roosevelt Room.

As fellow volunteers milled about the White House, Caleb Stewart said he noticed the camaraderie while decorating.

"We were just there to all work together to decorate the people's house for Christmas," Caleb Stewart said. "The big thing I'm taking away is that it is still possible for everyone to get along and work together toward a common goal."

The Stewarts tune in to the "HGTV White House Christmas Special" each year to watch the process of decorating the White House. This year, they decided to get involved and turned in a volunteer application in September.

The pair nervously waited for a response, and in October, HGTV and White House staff told the couple to show up on Thanksgiving week.

On Wednesday, Nov. 22, the Stewarts arrived, celebrated Thanksgiving Day in Washington, D.C., and began decorating with dozens of other volunteers.

"We started our decorating shift on Friday," Caleb Stewart said. "We decorated all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and that was 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. all those days."

The Stewarts strung twinkling lights and decorated Christmas trees throughout their assigned rooms.&nbsp;

While working, Lacie Stewart said she thought of the history of the iconic building and how she had taught her third-grade class at Schilling Elementary about it just a few weeks before.

She teaches about government and American History through a reading unit that took the students on a virtual White House and Washington, D.C. tour.

"My kids were really excited to research that and know those places, and then a month later, I was like, 'Hey guys, remember that White House picture we showed you? We're actually going in there, and I'm going to tell you all about it,'" Lacie Stewart said. "It was really cool to make that connection."

Lacie and Caleb Stewart began teaching eight years ago in Salina, with Caleb starting his career at South Middle School and then moving on to teach high school English at Salina South for the past three years.&nbsp;

Lacie Stewart began teaching at Schilling Elementary eight years ago and continues to teach third grade there.

After returning from Washington, the couple told their students of the experience, from decorating in the Roosevelt Room to shaking hands with first lady and fellow educator Jill Biden.

"The day we got back, we actually put together a little slideshow presentation of some pictures," Caleb Stewart said.&nbsp;

The White House also provided volunteers with a children's book-style booklet that explained the decorations of each room, so the Stewarts shared that with students.

Lacie Stewart said her students excitedly absorbed the information, letting friends and family know about their teacher's accomplishment.

"They had lots of questions," Lacie Stewart said. "After the initial kind of enjoyment, they really kind of thought about it like 'Wow, my teacher did do this!'"

"They were telling other students or parents, and I had a lot of parents after school ask me, 'Is it true that you really went to the White House?' and I was like, 'Your students aren't lying to you, it's true — I really did.'"

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702071243946.jpeg" alt="White House Christmas decorating volunteers stand in front of the festive Presidential Mansion for the 2023 season. Photo courtesy Caleb and Lacie Stewart" />
 <figcaption>White House Christmas decorating volunteers stand in front of the festive Presidential Mansion for the 2023 season. Photo courtesy Caleb and Lacie Stewart</figcaption>
 </figure>By OLIVIA BERGMEIER Salina PostTwo teachers from&nbsp; Salina USD 305 Public Schools, Caleb and Lacie Stewart, skipped this year's traditional Thanksgiving celebration.&nbsp;While friends and family cooked turkey and stuffing, the Stewarts hung Christmas lights and decorations in the Oval Office and other important White House rooms.Dozens of volunteers visited the White House to decorate, with Stewarts' group including 15 members to decorate the Oval Office, the Vice President's Office, the Cabinet Room and the Roosevelt Room.As fellow volunteers milled about the White House, Caleb Stewart said he noticed the camaraderie while decorating."We were just there to all work together to decorate the people's house for Christmas," Caleb Stewart said. "The big thing I'm taking away is that it is still possible for everyone to get along and work together toward a common goal."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702071395262.jpeg" alt="Lacie and Caleb Stewart stand in front of one of the decorations in the White House. Photo courtesy Caleb and Lacie Stewart" />
 <figcaption>Lacie and Caleb Stewart stand in front of one of the decorations in the White House. Photo courtesy Caleb and Lacie Stewart</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Decorating the White House</h2>The Stewarts tune in to the "HGTV White House Christmas Special" each year to watch the process of decorating the White House. This year, they decided to get involved and turned in a volunteer application in September.The pair nervously waited for a response, and in October, HGTV and White House staff told the couple to show up on Thanksgiving week.On Wednesday, Nov. 22, the Stewarts arrived, celebrated Thanksgiving Day in Washington, D.C., and began decorating with dozens of other volunteers."We started our decorating shift on Friday," Caleb Stewart said. "We decorated all day Friday, Saturday and Sunday, and that was 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. all those days."<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/H-m_TUT7zoY?si=WS106DCne13NvhgC" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The Stewarts strung twinkling lights and decorated Christmas trees throughout their assigned rooms.&nbsp;While working, Lacie Stewart said she thought of the history of the iconic building and how she had taught her third-grade class at Schilling Elementary about it just a few weeks before.She teaches about government and American History through a reading unit that took the students on a virtual White House and Washington, D.C. tour."My kids were really excited to research that and know those places, and then a month later, I was like, 'Hey guys, remember that White House picture we showed you? We're actually going in there, and I'm going to tell you all about it,'" Lacie Stewart said. "It was really cool to make that connection."<h2>Teachers for the community</h2>Lacie and Caleb Stewart began teaching eight years ago in Salina, with Caleb starting his career at South Middle School and then moving on to teach high school English at Salina South for the past three years.&nbsp;Lacie Stewart began teaching at Schilling Elementary eight years ago and continues to teach third grade there.After returning from Washington, the couple told their students of the experience, from decorating in the Roosevelt Room to shaking hands with first lady and fellow educator Jill Biden."The day we got back, we actually put together a little slideshow presentation of some pictures," Caleb Stewart said.&nbsp;The White House also provided volunteers with a children's book-style booklet that explained the decorations of each room, so the Stewarts shared that with students.Lacie Stewart said her students excitedly absorbed the information, letting friends and family know about their teacher's accomplishment."They had lots of questions," Lacie Stewart said. "After the initial kind of enjoyment, they really kind of thought about it like 'Wow, my teacher did do this!'""They were telling other students or parents, and I had a lot of parents after school ask me, 'Is it true that you really went to the White House?' and I was like, 'Your students aren't lying to you, it's true — I really did.'"

2 teachers from Kan. helped decorate the White House for Christmas

WASHINGTON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 4:30p.m. Friday in Washington County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1986 GMC S pickup driven by Hunter L.&nbsp;Wohlbrandt, 23, Wakefield, was southbound on Kansas 119 at Kansas 9 one mile South of Greenleaf.

The driver failed to stop at a stop sign prior to entering the intersection. A 2002 Chevy Tahoe driven by Lindsay I. Gray, 15, Waterville, struck the pickup.

EMS transported Wohlbrandt to&nbsp;Bryan Medical Center West Campus in Lincoln where he died. EMS transported Gray and a passenger Brian T. Gray, 47, Waterville, to the Washington County Hospital. Wohlbrandt was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

WASHINGTON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 4:30p.m. Friday in Washington County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1986 GMC S pickup driven by Hunter L.&nbsp;Wohlbrandt, 23, Wakefield, was southbound on Kansas 119 at Kansas 9 one mile South of Greenleaf.The driver failed to stop at a stop sign prior to entering the intersection. A 2002 Chevy Tahoe driven by Lindsay I. Gray, 15, Waterville, struck the pickup.EMS transported Wohlbrandt to&nbsp;Bryan Medical Center West Campus in Lincoln where he died. EMS transported Gray and a passenger Brian T. Gray, 47, Waterville, to the Washington County Hospital. Wohlbrandt was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies, 15-year-old driver and passenger injured in crash

PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — A judge sentenced a Michigan teenager to life in prison Friday for killing four students and terrorizing others at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/oxford-high-school-shooting">Oxford High School</a>, after listening to hours of gripping anguish from parents and wounded survivors.

Judge Kwame Rowe rejected pleas from defense lawyers for a shorter sentence and ensured that Ethan Crumbley, 17, will not get an opportunity for parole.

“My actions were what I chose to do. I could not stop myself. ... I am a really bad person. I’ve done terrible things,” Crumbley, who was 15 when he attacked his school in 2021, said before the sentence was announced.

He said he was sorry and pledged to change while behind bars.

Life sentences for teenagers are rare in Michigan since the U.S. Supreme Court and the state’s highest court said the violent acts of minors must be viewed differently than the crimes of adults. But the Oakland County prosecutor said a no-parole term fits Crumbley's case.

Rowe’s decision followed deeply emotional remarks by families of the deceased and survivors who spoke about how the tragedy has affected them.

“Your statements,” Rowe said, “do not fall on deaf ears.”

Crumbley pleaded guilty to 24 charges, including first-degree murder and terrorism.

“We are miserable. We miss Tate,” said Buck Myre, the father of Tate Myre. “Our family has a permanent hole in it that can never be fixed — ever.”

Nicole Beausoleil recalled seeing the body of her daughter, Madisyn Baldwin, at the medical examiner's office, her hand with blue-painted fingernails sticking out from a covering.

“I looked though the glass. My scream should have shattered it,” Beausoleil said.

Jill Soave, the mother of Justin Shilling, told the shooter that he executed a boy who could have helped him navigate awkward teenage years.

“If you were that lonely, that miserable and lost, and you really needed a friend, Justin would have been your friend — if only you had asked,” Soave said.

Crumbley looked down as Soave and others spoke. He also will have an opportunity to address the judge and possibly explain why he believes he should be spared a life sentence.

Kylie Ossege explained how she had urged Hana St. Juliana a “thousand times” to keep breathing while they waited for help on a blood-soaked carpet. Her classmate died.

Ossege, now a college student, was shot and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michigan-oxford-high-school-shooting-ossege-crumbley-450cc3cdd74058649740aa4cc3a7de8c">continues to struggle with daily pain</a>&nbsp;from spinal injuries.

“Being able to swing a leg over my horse is my therapy. It is pure joy,” she said of Blaze. “I have not been able to do it for two years.”

Defense attorney Paulette Michel Loftin has argued Crumbley deserves an opportunity for parole after his “sick brain” is fixed through counseling and rehabilitation.

But St. Juliana's father scoffed at that possibility.

"There can be no rehabilitation,” Steve St. Juliana told the judge. “There is absolutely nothing the defendant can do to earn my forgiveness. His age plays no part.”

In a journal, the shooter wrote about his desire to watch students suffer and the likelihood that he would spend his life in prison. He made a video on the eve of the shooting, declaring what he would do the next day.

More than 20 people gave victim-impact statements by early Friday afternoon. Some wore shirts honoring the fallen students. The judge briefly allowed a framed photo of Myre to be placed near him.

Speakers recalled the day and its aftermath in details large and small. One woman said she's still anxious simply pulling into Meijer, a big-box store where families reunited immediately after the shooting.

Linda Watson said her son, Aiden, who was shot in the leg, still doesn't go to school for a full day. She recalled the family staying in a hotel because a nail gun being used in her neighborhood sounded like a real gun to him.

“Aiden will be dealing with this for the rest of his life. ... This shooter — this monster — should have to feel everything hard and painful for the rest of his life," Watson said.

Like their son, Jennifer and James Crumbley are locked up in the county jail. They are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oxford-school-shooting-michigan-ethan-crumbley-654c839914eb3a36ae43a7bc8dd9bacd">awaiting trial on involuntary manslaughter charges</a>, accused of making a gun accessible at home and neglecting the shooter's mental health.

Crumbley and his parents met with school staff on the day of the shooting after a teacher noticed violent drawings. But no one checked his backpack for a gun and he was allowed to stay.

The shooting happened in Oxford Township, about 40 miles (60 kilometers) north of Detroit. Besides&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-football-michigan-77eb45f22f5d9dab802e4378608ca307">the four students</a>&nbsp;who were killed, six more students and a teacher also were wounded.

The Oxford school district hired an outside group to conduct an independent investigation.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/investigation-crumbley-oxford-high-shooting-school-899e59fdce25d92d7307dd0b1ddcea18">A report released</a>&nbsp;in October said “missteps at each level” — school board, administrators, staff — contributed to the tragedy.

Crumbley's behavior in class, including looking at a shooting video and gun ammunition on his phone, should have identified him as a “potential threat of violence,” the report said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638551635768.png" alt="Ethan Crumbley as shown in the original booking photo in 2021-photo Oakland County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Ethan Crumbley as shown in the original booking photo in 2021-photo Oakland County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>PONTIAC, Mich. (AP) — A judge sentenced a Michigan teenager to life in prison Friday for killing four students and terrorizing others at&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/oxford-high-school-shooting">Oxford High School</a>, after listening to hours of gripping anguish from parents and wounded survivors.Judge Kwame Rowe rejected pleas from defense lawyers for a shorter sentence and ensured that Ethan Crumbley, 17, will not get an opportunity for parole.“My actions were what I chose to do. I could not stop myself. ... I am a really bad person. I’ve done terrible things,” Crumbley, who was 15 when he attacked his school in 2021, said before the sentence was announced.He said he was sorry and pledged to change while behind bars.Life sentences for teenagers are rare in Michigan since the U.S. Supreme Court and the state’s highest court said the violent acts of minors must be viewed differently than the crimes of adults. But the Oakland County prosecutor said a no-parole term fits Crumbley's case.Rowe’s decision followed deeply emotional remarks by families of the deceased and survivors who spoke about how the tragedy has affected them.“Your statements,” Rowe said, “do not fall on deaf ears.”Crumbley pleaded guilty to 24 charges, including first-degree murder and terrorism.“We are miserable. We miss Tate,” said Buck Myre, the father of Tate Myre. “Our family has a permanent hole in it that can never be fixed — ever.”Nicole Beausoleil recalled seeing the body of her daughter, Madisyn Baldwin, at the medical examiner's office, her hand with blue-painted fingernails sticking out from a covering.“I looked though the glass. My scream should have shattered it,” Beausoleil said.Jill Soave, the mother of Justin Shilling, told the shooter that he executed a boy who could have helped him navigate awkward teenage years.“If you were that lonely, that miserable and lost, and you really needed a friend, Justin would have been your friend — if only you had asked,” Soave said.Crumbley looked down as Soave and others spoke. He also will have an opportunity to address the judge and possibly explain why he believes he should be spared a life sentence.Kylie Ossege explained how she had urged Hana St. Juliana a “thousand times” to keep breathing while they waited for help on a blood-soaked carpet. Her classmate died.Ossege, now a college student, was shot and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michigan-oxford-high-school-shooting-ossege-crumbley-450cc3cdd74058649740aa4cc3a7de8c">continues to struggle with daily pain</a>&nbsp;from spinal injuries.“Being able to swing a leg over my horse is my therapy. It is pure joy,” she said of Blaze. “I have not been able to do it for two years.”Defense attorney Paulette Michel Loftin has argued Crumbley deserves an opportunity for parole after his “sick brain” is fixed through counseling and rehabilitation.But St. Juliana's father scoffed at that possibility."There can be no rehabilitation,” Steve St. Juliana told the judge. “There is absolutely nothing the defendant can do to earn my forgiveness. His age plays no part.”In a journal, the shooter wrote about his desire to watch students suffer and the likelihood that he would spend his life in prison. He made a video on the eve of the shooting, declaring what he would do the next day.More than 20 people gave victim-impact statements by early Friday afternoon. Some wore shirts honoring the fallen students. The judge briefly allowed a framed photo of Myre to be placed near him.Speakers recalled the day and its aftermath in details large and small. One woman said she's still anxious simply pulling into Meijer, a big-box store where families reunited immediately after the shooting.Linda Watson said her son, Aiden, who was shot in the leg, still doesn't go to school for a full day. She recalled the family staying in a hotel because a nail gun being used in her neighborhood sounded like a real gun to him.“Aiden will be dealing with this for the rest of his life. ... This shooter — this monster — should have to feel everything hard and painful for the rest of his life," Watson said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638621694054.png" alt="Jennifeer Crumbley Oakland Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Jennifeer Crumbley Oakland Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>Like their son, Jennifer and James Crumbley are locked up in the county jail. They are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oxford-school-shooting-michigan-ethan-crumbley-654c839914eb3a36ae43a7bc8dd9bacd">awaiting trial on involuntary manslaughter charges</a>, accused of making a gun accessible at home and neglecting the shooter's mental health.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1638621716369.png" alt="James Crumbley-photo Oakland Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>James Crumbley-photo Oakland Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>Crumbley and his parents met with school staff on the day of the shooting after a teacher noticed violent drawings. But no one checked his backpack for a gun and he was allowed to stay.The shooting happened in Oxford Township, about 40 miles (60 kilometers) north of Detroit. Besides&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/sports-football-michigan-77eb45f22f5d9dab802e4378608ca307">the four students</a>&nbsp;who were killed, six more students and a teacher also were wounded.The Oxford school district hired an outside group to conduct an independent investigation.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/investigation-crumbley-oxford-high-shooting-school-899e59fdce25d92d7307dd0b1ddcea18">A report released</a>&nbsp;in October said “missteps at each level” — school board, administrators, staff — contributed to the tragedy.Crumbley's behavior in class, including looking at a shooting video and gun ammunition on his phone, should have identified him as a “potential threat of violence,” the report said.

Teen sentenced for Michigan high school attack that left 4 dead

KANSAS CITY —Kansas Police need help identifying a porch pirate. He took a Target bag from someone’s porch&nbsp;near 76th and Jefferson shortly before noon on Nov. 28.

The suspect sat in the passenger seat before this vehicle left. 

.have information, call Metro Property Crimes at 816-413-3406 or visit <a href="https://t.co/hdgjMWueud" target="_blank">https://kccrimestoppers.com</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701994670901.png" alt="Image from the security video -KCPD" />
 <figcaption>Image from the security video -KCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Kansas Police need help identifying a porch pirate. He took a Target bag from someone’s porch&nbsp;near 76th and Jefferson shortly before noon on Nov. 28.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨Porch Pirate Alert🚨 Do you recognize this suspect? He took a Target bag from someone’s porch and sat in the passenger seat before this vehicle left. This happened on near 76th and Jefferson shortly before noon on Nov. 28th. If you... 1/2 <a href="https://t.co/6FvMEMQPVa">pic.twitter.com/6FvMEMQPVa</a>&mdash; kcpolice (@kcpolice) <a href="https://twitter.com/kcpolice/status/1732822116607660092?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 7, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The suspect sat in the passenger seat before this vehicle left. .have information, call Metro Property Crimes at 816-413-3406 or visit <a href="https://t.co/hdgjMWueud" target="_blank">https://kccrimestoppers.com</a>

🎥 KCPD asks for help to ID another porch pirate

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ryan O'Neal, the heartthrob actor who went from a TV soap opera to an Oscar-nominated role in "Love Story" and delivered a wry performance opposite his charismatic 9-year-old daughter Tatum in "Paper Moon," died Friday, his son said.

“My dad passed away peacefully today, with his loving team by his side supporting him and loving him as he would us,” Patrick O'Neal, a Los Angeles sportscaster, posted on Instagram.

Attempts to reach O'Neal representatives were not immediately successful.

He did not give a cause. Ryan O'Neal was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2012, a decade after he was first diagnosed with chronic leukemia. He was 82.

O'Neal was among the biggest movie stars in the world in the 1970s, who worked with many of the era's most celebrated directors including Peter Bogdanovich on “Paper Moon” and Stanley Kubrick on "Barry Lyndon. He often used his boyish, blond good looks to play men who hid shadowy or sinister backgrounds behind their clean-cut images.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/0ae46f1c-5331-49eb-8366-7538e9ce5854">Portions of "Paper Moon" in and around Hays, Wilson and St. Jospeh Mo.</a>&nbsp;The movie recently celebrated 50 years since its release.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/67bee6b6-2d7a-42ac-b543-dad1b4c610e3">RELATED STORY: 'Paper Moon' extras recall filming during 50th anniversary festival in Wilson</a>

O’Neal maintained a steady television acting career into his 70s in the 2010s, appearing for stints on “Bones” and “Desperate Housewives,” but his longtime relationship with Farrah Fawcett and his tumultuous family life kept him in news.

Twice divorced, O'Neal was romantically involved with Fawcett for nearly 30 years, and they had a son, Redmond, born in 1985. The couple split in 1997, but reunited a few years later. He remained by Fawcett’s side as she battled cancer, which killed her in 2009 at age 62.

With his first wife, Joanna Moore, O'Neal fathered actors Griffin O'Neal and Tatum O'Neal, his co-star in the 1973 movie "Paper Moon," for which she won an Oscar for best supporting actress. He had son Patrick with his second wife, Leigh Taylor-Young.

Ryan O'Neal had his own best-actor Oscar nomination for the 1970 tear-jerker drama "Love Story," co-starring Ali MacGraw, about a young couple who fall in love, marry and discover she is dying of cancer. The movie includes the memorable, but often satirized line: "Love means never having to say you're sorry."

The actor had at times strained relationships with three of his children, including estrangement from his daughter, squabbles with son Griffin and a drug-related arrest sparked by a probation check of his son Redmond. The personal drama often over-shadowed his later career, although his attempts to reconcile with Tatum O’Neal were turned into a short-lived reality series.

O’Neal played bit parts and performed some stunt work before claiming a lead role on the prime-time soap opera "Peyton Place" (1964-69), which also made a star of Mia Farrow.

From there O'Neal jumped to the big screen with 1969's "The Big Bounce," which co-stared his then-wife, Leigh Taylor-Young. But it was "Love Story" that made him a movie star.

The romantic melodrama became one of Paramount Pictures' biggest hits and collected seven Oscar nominations, including one for best picture. It won for best music.

O'Neal then starred for Bogdanovich as a bumbling professor opposite Barbra Streisand in the 1972 screwball comedy "What's Up, Doc?" The filmmaker cast him the next year in the Depression-era con artist comedy "Paper Moon."

O'Neal played an unscrupulous Bible salesman preying on widows he located through obituary notices. His real-life daughter, Tatum, played a trash-talking, cigarette-smoking orphan who needs his help — and eventually helps redeem him.

Although critics praised both actors, the little girl's brash performance overshadowed her father's and made her the youngest person in history to win a regular Academy Award. She was 10 when the award was presented in 1974. (Younger performers such as Shirley Temple have won special Oscars.)

The elder O'Neal's next major film was Kubrick's 18th century epic "Barry Lyndon," in which he played a poor Irish rogue who traveled Europe trying to pass himself off as an aristocrat.

Filming the three-hour movie was tedious work, however, and Kubrick's notorious perfectionism created a rift between him and the actor that never healed.

O'Neal then reteamed with Tatum in Bogdanovich's early Hollywood comedy "Nickelodeon" (1976). But the film was a flop and they never worked together again. An attempt to capitalize on his "Love Story" character, Oliver Barrett, with the sequel "Oliver's Story" (1978) resulted in another flop.

Father and daughter drifted apart as Tatum O’Neal grew older, with the elder actor learning about his daughter’s marriage to tennis great John McEnroe by a belated telegram, Ryan O’Neal wrote in a 2012 book about his relationship with Fawcett.

“A door inside me locked the morning the telegram came, and I am still blindly searching for the key to open it,” O’Neal wrote in “Both of Us.”

O'Neal's career cooled further in the 1980s with the emerald heist drama "Green Ice" (1981) and the 1984 comedy "Irreconcilable Differences," in which he played a busy father in an unhappy marriage whose daughter, played by 9-year-old Drew Barrymore, tries to divorce her parents.

The decade was also a low-point in O'Neal's personal life. His son Griffin faced numerous brushes with the law, including a 1986 boating accident that killed Gian-Carlo Coppola, 23, son of movie director Francis Ford Coppola in Maryland. Griffin O’Neal was convicted of negligently and recklessly operating a boat, received a community service sentence and later served a brief stint in jail as a result.

With his Hollywood status diminishing, Ryan O'Neal began appearing in TV movies and eventually returned to series television opposite then-lover Fawcett with the 1991 sitcom "Good Sports," but the show ran only one season.

Both acknowledged the work put a strain on their relationship.

"We get into fights," O'Neal said in 1991. "She's tough. She expects to be treated well. On a set that can get lost when you're trying to create a moment and you're fighting the clock."

O'Neal began accepting more supporting roles with the 1989 film "Chances Are." He began a second career as a character actor, playing a husband who hires a hitman to kill his wife in "Faithful" (1996) and a mysterious tycoon in the blackmail comedy "Zero Effect" (1998).

By then his relationship with Fawcett had ended, although they remained close and eventually rekindled their romance in the 2000s. The volatile O’Neal family dynamics that had taxed their relationship before, however, remained.

In 2007 the elder O'Neal was arrested in 2007 for alleged assault and firing a weapon in an altercation with Griffin, but charges were never pursued. Their son Redmond was repeatedly arrested, jailed and spent several years in court-mandated rehab.

A probation check on Redmond O’Neal in September 2008 at his father’s Malibu home led to the actor’s arrest for methamphetamine possession. Ryan O’Neal pleaded guilty to the charge and entered a drug diversion program, but he publicly denied the drugs were his. He said he confiscated them from his son and was trying to protect him.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702073318758.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ryan O'Neal, the heartthrob actor who went from a TV soap opera to an Oscar-nominated role in "Love Story" and delivered a wry performance opposite his charismatic 9-year-old daughter Tatum in "Paper Moon," died Friday, his son said.“My dad passed away peacefully today, with his loving team by his side supporting him and loving him as he would us,” Patrick O'Neal, a Los Angeles sportscaster, posted on Instagram.Attempts to reach O'Neal representatives were not immediately successful.He did not give a cause. Ryan O'Neal was diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2012, a decade after he was first diagnosed with chronic leukemia. He was 82.O'Neal was among the biggest movie stars in the world in the 1970s, who worked with many of the era's most celebrated directors including Peter Bogdanovich on “Paper Moon” and Stanley Kubrick on "Barry Lyndon. He often used his boyish, blond good looks to play men who hid shadowy or sinister backgrounds behind their clean-cut images.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/0ae46f1c-5331-49eb-8366-7538e9ce5854">Portions of "Paper Moon" in and around Hays, Wilson and St. Jospeh Mo.</a>&nbsp;The movie recently celebrated 50 years since its release.<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/67bee6b6-2d7a-42ac-b543-dad1b4c610e3">RELATED STORY: 'Paper Moon' extras recall filming during 50th anniversary festival in Wilson</a>O’Neal maintained a steady television acting career into his 70s in the 2010s, appearing for stints on “Bones” and “Desperate Housewives,” but his longtime relationship with Farrah Fawcett and his tumultuous family life kept him in news.Twice divorced, O'Neal was romantically involved with Fawcett for nearly 30 years, and they had a son, Redmond, born in 1985. The couple split in 1997, but reunited a few years later. He remained by Fawcett’s side as she battled cancer, which killed her in 2009 at age 62.With his first wife, Joanna Moore, O'Neal fathered actors Griffin O'Neal and Tatum O'Neal, his co-star in the 1973 movie "Paper Moon," for which she won an Oscar for best supporting actress. He had son Patrick with his second wife, Leigh Taylor-Young.Ryan O'Neal had his own best-actor Oscar nomination for the 1970 tear-jerker drama "Love Story," co-starring Ali MacGraw, about a young couple who fall in love, marry and discover she is dying of cancer. The movie includes the memorable, but often satirized line: "Love means never having to say you're sorry."The actor had at times strained relationships with three of his children, including estrangement from his daughter, squabbles with son Griffin and a drug-related arrest sparked by a probation check of his son Redmond. The personal drama often over-shadowed his later career, although his attempts to reconcile with Tatum O’Neal were turned into a short-lived reality series.O’Neal played bit parts and performed some stunt work before claiming a lead role on the prime-time soap opera "Peyton Place" (1964-69), which also made a star of Mia Farrow.From there O'Neal jumped to the big screen with 1969's "The Big Bounce," which co-stared his then-wife, Leigh Taylor-Young. But it was "Love Story" that made him a movie star.The romantic melodrama became one of Paramount Pictures' biggest hits and collected seven Oscar nominations, including one for best picture. It won for best music.O'Neal then starred for Bogdanovich as a bumbling professor opposite Barbra Streisand in the 1972 screwball comedy "What's Up, Doc?" The filmmaker cast him the next year in the Depression-era con artist comedy "Paper Moon."O'Neal played an unscrupulous Bible salesman preying on widows he located through obituary notices. His real-life daughter, Tatum, played a trash-talking, cigarette-smoking orphan who needs his help — and eventually helps redeem him.Although critics praised both actors, the little girl's brash performance overshadowed her father's and made her the youngest person in history to win a regular Academy Award. She was 10 when the award was presented in 1974. (Younger performers such as Shirley Temple have won special Oscars.)The elder O'Neal's next major film was Kubrick's 18th century epic "Barry Lyndon," in which he played a poor Irish rogue who traveled Europe trying to pass himself off as an aristocrat.Filming the three-hour movie was tedious work, however, and Kubrick's notorious perfectionism created a rift between him and the actor that never healed.O'Neal then reteamed with Tatum in Bogdanovich's early Hollywood comedy "Nickelodeon" (1976). But the film was a flop and they never worked together again. An attempt to capitalize on his "Love Story" character, Oliver Barrett, with the sequel "Oliver's Story" (1978) resulted in another flop.Father and daughter drifted apart as Tatum O’Neal grew older, with the elder actor learning about his daughter’s marriage to tennis great John McEnroe by a belated telegram, Ryan O’Neal wrote in a 2012 book about his relationship with Fawcett.“A door inside me locked the morning the telegram came, and I am still blindly searching for the key to open it,” O’Neal wrote in “Both of Us.”O'Neal's career cooled further in the 1980s with the emerald heist drama "Green Ice" (1981) and the 1984 comedy "Irreconcilable Differences," in which he played a busy father in an unhappy marriage whose daughter, played by 9-year-old Drew Barrymore, tries to divorce her parents.The decade was also a low-point in O'Neal's personal life. His son Griffin faced numerous brushes with the law, including a 1986 boating accident that killed Gian-Carlo Coppola, 23, son of movie director Francis Ford Coppola in Maryland. Griffin O’Neal was convicted of negligently and recklessly operating a boat, received a community service sentence and later served a brief stint in jail as a result.With his Hollywood status diminishing, Ryan O'Neal began appearing in TV movies and eventually returned to series television opposite then-lover Fawcett with the 1991 sitcom "Good Sports," but the show ran only one season.Both acknowledged the work put a strain on their relationship."We get into fights," O'Neal said in 1991. "She's tough. She expects to be treated well. On a set that can get lost when you're trying to create a moment and you're fighting the clock."O'Neal began accepting more supporting roles with the 1989 film "Chances Are." He began a second career as a character actor, playing a husband who hires a hitman to kill his wife in "Faithful" (1996) and a mysterious tycoon in the blackmail comedy "Zero Effect" (1998).By then his relationship with Fawcett had ended, although they remained close and eventually rekindled their romance in the 2000s. The volatile O’Neal family dynamics that had taxed their relationship before, however, remained.In 2007 the elder O'Neal was arrested in 2007 for alleged assault and firing a weapon in an altercation with Griffin, but charges were never pursued. Their son Redmond was repeatedly arrested, jailed and spent several years in court-mandated rehab.A probation check on Redmond O’Neal in September 2008 at his father’s Malibu home led to the actor’s arrest for methamphetamine possession. Ryan O’Neal pleaded guilty to the charge and entered a drug diversion program, but he publicly denied the drugs were his. He said he confiscated them from his son and was trying to protect him.

Ryan O’Neal, star of ‘Paper Moon' and ‘Love Story’ has died

SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas man charged with killing his pregnant girlfriend was found dead in his jail cell.&nbsp;

Just after 5:30 a.m. Thursday, Sedgwick County detention facility staff located an unresponsive inmate identified as 22-year-old Alexander Lewis in Pod 18 of the facility, according to Sheriff's Lt. Nathan Gibbs.

On-site medical staff and Emergency Medical Services were notified and attempted life saving measures. On scene medical. personnel pronounced Lewis deceased on scene.

Lewis had been in the custody of the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office since August 26, 2023, for a capital murder charge in connection with the death of&nbsp;Zaiylah Bronson, a Wichita State University student who was studying to become a math teacher. She was about 16 weeks pregnant.

Court record showed Lewis searched online for information about “snapping necks" and abortion before Bronson's body was found in the trunk of his car.

The affidavit showed Lewis’ cellphone web browsing history also included searches about stun guns, lethal weapons and murder.

Lewis was jailed on a $500,000 bond and charged with capital murder.

The killing happened at Bronson's apartment near the WSU campus, according to the affidavit. Surveillance cameras last recorded Bronson alive at 8:13 a.m. on Aug. 26, when the couple took a dog out into the courtyard. Soon after, he searched for “snapping necks" then left to move his car closer to her door and retrieve a backpack containing items that included duct tape and towels, the affidavit said. Other troublesome searches, including for “weapons that can kill,” had occurred the day before.

At 10:24 a.m., surveillance video showed Bronson's feet dangling from a blanket-wrapped bundle as Lewis lugged her out of the apartment. He then drove off, searching online for murder before he called 911 about an hour later, the affidavit said.

When officers arrived at Lewis' apartment, he told them Bronson was in his car trunk, saying, “I got scared," according to the affidavit. An ax and shovel were also found in the trunk.

He explained to the officers Bronson had broken up with him the day before and that they argued throughout the night. He said eventually “he wanted her to stop talking, so he ‘grabbed her’” around the neck with his arm and squeezed “until she stopped moving,” the affidavit said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693155237617.png" alt="Lewis-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Lewis-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY — A Kansas man charged with killing his pregnant girlfriend was found dead in his jail cell.&nbsp;Just after 5:30 a.m. Thursday, Sedgwick County detention facility staff located an unresponsive inmate identified as 22-year-old Alexander Lewis in Pod 18 of the facility, according to Sheriff's Lt. Nathan Gibbs.On-site medical staff and Emergency Medical Services were notified and attempted life saving measures. On scene medical. personnel pronounced Lewis deceased on scene.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693339382320.png" alt="19-year-old Zaiylah Bronson photo GoFundMe -photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>19-year-old Zaiylah Bronson photo GoFundMe -photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>Lewis had been in the custody of the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office since August 26, 2023, for a capital murder charge in connection with the death of&nbsp;Zaiylah Bronson, a Wichita State University student who was studying to become a math teacher. She was about 16 weeks pregnant.Court record showed Lewis searched online for information about “snapping necks" and abortion before Bronson's body was found in the trunk of his car.The affidavit showed Lewis’ cellphone web browsing history also included searches about stun guns, lethal weapons and murder.Lewis was jailed on a $500,000 bond and charged with capital murder.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1693080884540.png" alt="Police at the scene of the investigation August 27-photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Police at the scene of the investigation August 27-photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>The killing happened at Bronson's apartment near the WSU campus, according to the affidavit. Surveillance cameras last recorded Bronson alive at 8:13 a.m. on Aug. 26, when the couple took a dog out into the courtyard. Soon after, he searched for “snapping necks" then left to move his car closer to her door and retrieve a backpack containing items that included duct tape and towels, the affidavit said. Other troublesome searches, including for “weapons that can kill,” had occurred the day before.At 10:24 a.m., surveillance video showed Bronson's feet dangling from a blanket-wrapped bundle as Lewis lugged her out of the apartment. He then drove off, searching online for murder before he called 911 about an hour later, the affidavit said.When officers arrived at Lewis' apartment, he told them Bronson was in his car trunk, saying, “I got scared," according to the affidavit. An ax and shovel were also found in the trunk.He explained to the officers Bronson had broken up with him the day before and that they argued throughout the night. He said eventually “he wanted her to stop talking, so he ‘grabbed her’” around the neck with his arm and squeezed “until she stopped moving,” the affidavit said.

Man accused of killing pregnant girlfriend dies in Kansas jail

MANHATTAN —Kansas State University president Richard Linton on Friday finally addressed&nbsp; rumors and the dismissal of Forward Nae’Qwan Tomlin from the basketball team.

"I am grateful to have the opportunity to address our university community — students, faculty, staff, alumni, fans and friends — regarding the questions and sentiments permeating social media and other events in recent days. Your passion demonstrates your interest in this university’s future, and we must all be committed to doing what is best for K-State. I want you to know that I am also committed to sharing our processes with transparency in regard to how we approach developing every student to meet the standards of this university. "

"We share a common aspiration to develop young men and women to make our world a better place. Our faculty, staff, coaches and administrators work every day to teach, guide, mentor and, at times, hold accountable members of our community. I recognize that leaders are often called upon to make difficult decisions. Some difficult decisions are very visible; others are not. Some of the policies that govern our decision-making are widely understood, yet again, others are not. As difficult decisions are made, it is also important that we have a sense of community and accountability. "

"The principal question at the heart of Nae’Qwan Tomlin’s release from the men’s basketball team seems to be around understanding the role a university president plays in student-athlete conduct decisions. I want to take the opportunity to outline the policy governing this process in full transparency."

"The NCAA Board of Governors has required each member institution to adopt a “serious misconduct policy” covering a number of potential allegations, including Title IX. Under the university’s serious misconduct policy, the university president is involved in collaboration with the athletic director and head coach when making a final decision concerning a student-athlete’s conduct and team membership."&nbsp;

"The decision to release Nae’Qwan from the men’s basketball team was made in full compliance with all applicable policies. When decisions like this are made, a range of factors are considered, including the entire history of a student athlete’s behavior."

"The reporting that this decision was made solely due to an incident at a bar in Aggieville is not accurate."

 Just before 2a.m. October 29,&nbsp;police arrested&nbsp; Tomlin at Tubby's Sports Bar, 1127 Moro Street in Manhattan on a requested charge of Disorderly conduct; Brawling or fighting, according to the&nbsp;Riley County Police Department arrest report.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Linton's letter continues, "There remains much we cannot share with the university community under federal laws, namely FERPA, which protects a student’s right to privacy while attending a university. I know this is difficult, as you want to understand all that has transpired. But in the absence of being able to share any more specifics, I hope that the details I am sharing today help bring resolution to any lingering questions."

"I want you to know that our university and our athletics department are unified. There is no “us” versus “them." Together, we are One K-State. The relationship between the university, athletics and the K-State community at large is special, and I will never take it for granted."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687440596492.jpeg" alt="Dr. Richard Linton-Photo Courtesy Kansas State University" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Richard Linton-Photo Courtesy Kansas State University</figcaption>
 </figure>MANHATTAN —Kansas State University president Richard Linton on Friday finally addressed&nbsp; rumors and the dismissal of Forward Nae’Qwan Tomlin from the basketball team."I am grateful to have the opportunity to address our university community — students, faculty, staff, alumni, fans and friends — regarding the questions and sentiments permeating social media and other events in recent days. Your passion demonstrates your interest in this university’s future, and we must all be committed to doing what is best for K-State. I want you to know that I am also committed to sharing our processes with transparency in regard to how we approach developing every student to meet the standards of this university. ""We share a common aspiration to develop young men and women to make our world a better place. Our faculty, staff, coaches and administrators work every day to teach, guide, mentor and, at times, hold accountable members of our community. I recognize that leaders are often called upon to make difficult decisions. Some difficult decisions are very visible; others are not. Some of the policies that govern our decision-making are widely understood, yet again, others are not. As difficult decisions are made, it is also important that we have a sense of community and accountability. ""The principal question at the heart of Nae’Qwan Tomlin’s release from the men’s basketball team seems to be around understanding the role a university president plays in student-athlete conduct decisions. I want to take the opportunity to outline the policy governing this process in full transparency.""The NCAA Board of Governors has required each member institution to adopt a “serious misconduct policy” covering a number of potential allegations, including Title IX. Under the university’s serious misconduct policy, the university president is involved in collaboration with the athletic director and head coach when making a final decision concerning a student-athlete’s conduct and team membership."&nbsp;"The decision to release Nae’Qwan from the men’s basketball team was made in full compliance with all applicable policies. When decisions like this are made, a range of factors are considered, including the entire history of a student athlete’s behavior.""The reporting that this decision was made solely due to an incident at a bar in Aggieville is not accurate." Just before 2a.m. October 29,&nbsp;police arrested&nbsp; Tomlin at Tubby's Sports Bar, 1127 Moro Street in Manhattan on a requested charge of Disorderly conduct; Brawling or fighting, according to the&nbsp;Riley County Police Department arrest report.&nbsp;&nbsp;Linton's letter continues, "There remains much we cannot share with the university community under federal laws, namely FERPA, which protects a student’s right to privacy while attending a university. I know this is difficult, as you want to understand all that has transpired. But in the absence of being able to share any more specifics, I hope that the details I am sharing today help bring resolution to any lingering questions.""I want you to know that our university and our athletics department are unified. There is no “us” versus “them." Together, we are One K-State. The relationship between the university, athletics and the K-State community at large is special, and I will never take it for granted."

K-State president addresses rumors on Nae'Qwan Tomlin's dismissal

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hunter-biden">Hunter Biden</a>&nbsp;was indicted on nine tax charges in California on Thursday as a special counsel investigation into the business dealings of President Joe Biden's son intensifies against the backdrop of the looming 2024 election.

<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cacd.907805/gov.uscourts.cacd.907805.1.0_1.pdf">Click here to read</a> the indictment

The new charges — three felonies and six misdemeanors — are in addition to federal firearms charges in Delaware alleging Hunter Biden broke laws against drug users having guns in 2018. They come after the implosion of a plea deal over the summer that would have spared him jail time, putting the case on track to a possible trial as his father campaigns for reelection.

Hunter Biden “spent millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle rather than paying his tax bills,” special counsel David Weiss said in a statement. The charges are centered on at least $1.4 million in taxes Hunter Biden owed during between 2016 and 2019, a period where he has acknowledged struggling with addiction. The back taxes have since been paid.

If convicted, Hunter Biden, 53, could a maximum of 17 years in prison. The special counsel probe remains open, Weiss said.

In a fiery response, defense attorney Abbe Lowell accused Weiss of “bowing to Republican pressure" in the case.

“Based on the facts and the law, if Hunter’s last name was anything other than Biden, the charges in Delaware, and now California, would not have been brought," Lowell said in a statement.

The White House declined to comment on Thursday’s indictment, referring questions to the Justice Department or Hunter Biden’s personal representatives.

The charging documents filed in California, where he lives, details spending on everything from drugs and strippers to luxury hotels and exotic cars, “in short, everything but his taxes," prosecutor Leo Wise wrote.

The indictment comes as congressional Republicans pursue an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-joe-biden-impeachment-congress-subpoena-37fe9652539c2c501d8b8bd8c3cc8901">impeachment inquiry into President Biden</a>, claiming he was engaged in an influence-peddling scheme with his son. The House is expected to vote next week on formally authorizing the inquiry.

No evidence has emerged so far to prove that Joe Biden, in his current or previous office, abused his role or accepted bribes, though questions have arisen about the ethics surrounding the Biden family’s international business.

The separate, long-running criminal investigation into Hunter Biden had been expected to wind down with a plea deal where he would have gotten two years' probation after pleading guilty to misdemeanor tax charges and avoided prosecution on the gun charge if he stayed out of trouble.

The agreement was pilloried as a “sweetheart deal” by Republicans, including former President Donald Trump. He is facing his own criminal cases, including charges that he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-capitol-riot-immunity-9528a29b2dbebb6ee4a4ebd26780f98c">plotted to overturn</a>&nbsp;the results of the 2020 election.

Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, gave credit for the new charges Thursday to two IRS investigators who testified before Congress that the Justice Department had mishandled and “slow walked” the investigation into the president's son. Justice officials have denied those allegations.

The two IRS employees, Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, said the indictment was “a complete vindication of our thorough investigation.”

The new charges against Hunter Biden include filing a false return and tax evasion felonies, as well as misdemeanor failure to file and failure to pay.

The defense signaled that it plans to fight the new charges, likely at least in part relying on immunity provisions from the original plea deal. Defense attorneys have argued those remain in force since that part of the agreement was signed by a prosecutor before the deal was scrapped.

Prosecutors have disagreed, pointing out the documents weren’t signed by a judge and are invalid.

Lowell said he's also planning to push for dismissal of the gun charges next week, calling them “unprecedented and unconstitutional."

The three federal gun charges filed in Delaware allege Hunter Biden had lied about his drug use to buy a gun that he kept for 11 days in 2018. Federal law bans gun possession by “habitual drug users,” though the measure is seldom seen as a stand-alone charge and has been called into question by a federal appeals court.

Hunter Biden’s longstanding struggle with substance abuse worsened after the death of his brother Beau Biden in 2015, according to court documents and his memoir “Beautiful Things," which ends with him getting clean in 2019.

His gross income nevertheless totaled some $7 million between 2016 and 2020, prosecutors said, pointing to his roles on the board of the Ukrainian energy company Burisma and a Chinese private equity fund as well as his position at a law firm.

Hunter did eventually file his taxes in 2020, while facing a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-child-support-arkansas-paternity-89fb7080985efe52c5c3bc94c37d6ac1">child-support case</a>&nbsp;in Arkansas, and the back taxes were paid by a “third party,” prosecutors have said in court documents.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/9/1695255188333.png" alt="-Hunter Biden “spent millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle rather than paying his tax bills,” special counsel David Weiss said in a statement-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>-Hunter Biden “spent millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle rather than paying his tax bills,” special counsel David Weiss said in a statement-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hunter-biden">Hunter Biden</a>&nbsp;was indicted on nine tax charges in California on Thursday as a special counsel investigation into the business dealings of President Joe Biden's son intensifies against the backdrop of the looming 2024 election.<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cacd.907805/gov.uscourts.cacd.907805.1.0_1.pdf">Click here to read</a> the indictmentThe new charges — three felonies and six misdemeanors — are in addition to federal firearms charges in Delaware alleging Hunter Biden broke laws against drug users having guns in 2018. They come after the implosion of a plea deal over the summer that would have spared him jail time, putting the case on track to a possible trial as his father campaigns for reelection.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702004663484.png" alt="The indictment includes summary of the expenditures Hunter Biden made instead of paying his taxes, per prosectors " />
 <figcaption>The indictment includes summary of the expenditures Hunter Biden made instead of paying his taxes, per prosectors </figcaption>
 </figure>Hunter Biden “spent millions of dollars on an extravagant lifestyle rather than paying his tax bills,” special counsel David Weiss said in a statement. The charges are centered on at least $1.4 million in taxes Hunter Biden owed during between 2016 and 2019, a period where he has acknowledged struggling with addiction. The back taxes have since been paid.If convicted, Hunter Biden, 53, could a maximum of 17 years in prison. The special counsel probe remains open, Weiss said.In a fiery response, defense attorney Abbe Lowell accused Weiss of “bowing to Republican pressure" in the case.“Based on the facts and the law, if Hunter’s last name was anything other than Biden, the charges in Delaware, and now California, would not have been brought," Lowell said in a statement.The White House declined to comment on Thursday’s indictment, referring questions to the Justice Department or Hunter Biden’s personal representatives.The charging documents filed in California, where he lives, details spending on everything from drugs and strippers to luxury hotels and exotic cars, “in short, everything but his taxes," prosecutor Leo Wise wrote.The indictment comes as congressional Republicans pursue an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-joe-biden-impeachment-congress-subpoena-37fe9652539c2c501d8b8bd8c3cc8901">impeachment inquiry into President Biden</a>, claiming he was engaged in an influence-peddling scheme with his son. The House is expected to vote next week on formally authorizing the inquiry.No evidence has emerged so far to prove that Joe Biden, in his current or previous office, abused his role or accepted bribes, though questions have arisen about the ethics surrounding the Biden family’s international business.The separate, long-running criminal investigation into Hunter Biden had been expected to wind down with a plea deal where he would have gotten two years' probation after pleading guilty to misdemeanor tax charges and avoided prosecution on the gun charge if he stayed out of trouble.The agreement was pilloried as a “sweetheart deal” by Republicans, including former President Donald Trump. He is facing his own criminal cases, including charges that he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-capitol-riot-immunity-9528a29b2dbebb6ee4a4ebd26780f98c">plotted to overturn</a>&nbsp;the results of the 2020 election.Rep. James Comer, R-Ky., the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, gave credit for the new charges Thursday to two IRS investigators who testified before Congress that the Justice Department had mishandled and “slow walked” the investigation into the president's son. Justice officials have denied those allegations.The two IRS employees, Gary Shapley and Joseph Ziegler, said the indictment was “a complete vindication of our thorough investigation.”The new charges against Hunter Biden include filing a false return and tax evasion felonies, as well as misdemeanor failure to file and failure to pay.The defense signaled that it plans to fight the new charges, likely at least in part relying on immunity provisions from the original plea deal. Defense attorneys have argued those remain in force since that part of the agreement was signed by a prosecutor before the deal was scrapped.Prosecutors have disagreed, pointing out the documents weren’t signed by a judge and are invalid.Lowell said he's also planning to push for dismissal of the gun charges next week, calling them “unprecedented and unconstitutional."The three federal gun charges filed in Delaware allege Hunter Biden had lied about his drug use to buy a gun that he kept for 11 days in 2018. Federal law bans gun possession by “habitual drug users,” though the measure is seldom seen as a stand-alone charge and has been called into question by a federal appeals court.Hunter Biden’s longstanding struggle with substance abuse worsened after the death of his brother Beau Biden in 2015, according to court documents and his memoir “Beautiful Things," which ends with him getting clean in 2019.His gross income nevertheless totaled some $7 million between 2016 and 2020, prosecutors said, pointing to his roles on the board of the Ukrainian energy company Burisma and a Chinese private equity fund as well as his position at a law firm.Hunter did eventually file his taxes in 2020, while facing a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-child-support-arkansas-paternity-89fb7080985efe52c5c3bc94c37d6ac1">child-support case</a>&nbsp;in Arkansas, and the back taxes were paid by a “third party,” prosecutors have said in court documents.

What Hunter Biden is accused of spending money on instead of paying taxes

CRAWFORD COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in multiple sex allegations.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol's Division of Drug and Crime Control, a Phelps County Grand Jury indicted 42-year-old Justin Durham of Rolla with rape, sodomy, possession of child porn and sexual trafficking of a child, following an investigation by the MSHP.

On December 6, the Phelps County Attorney formally charged Durham with rape and sodomy.

In August, the Phelps County Sheriff with assistance of the MSHP investigated allegations against Durham. He was alleged to be in possession of child pornography , based on information provided by the FBI.&nbsp;&nbsp;

During the joint investigation, a victim was identified who reported he sexually assaulted her. This led to Durham's arrest on September 14, and indictment.

A federal grand jury indicted&nbsp; Durham in October with producting child porn, possession of child porn and altering or destroying records. He is being held in Crawford County.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702058860013.png" alt="Durham is being held in Crawford County" />
 <figcaption>Durham is being held in Crawford County</figcaption>
 </figure>CRAWFORD COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in multiple sex allegations.According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol's Division of Drug and Crime Control, a Phelps County Grand Jury indicted 42-year-old Justin Durham of Rolla with rape, sodomy, possession of child porn and sexual trafficking of a child, following an investigation by the MSHP.On December 6, the Phelps County Attorney formally charged Durham with rape and sodomy.In August, the Phelps County Sheriff with assistance of the MSHP investigated allegations against Durham. He was alleged to be in possession of child pornography , based on information provided by the FBI.&nbsp;&nbsp;During the joint investigation, a victim was identified who reported he sexually assaulted her. This led to Durham's arrest on September 14, and indictment.A federal grand jury indicted&nbsp; Durham in October with producting child porn, possession of child porn and altering or destroying records. He is being held in Crawford County.

Missouri man charged with rape, sex trafficking a child

WASHINGTON —U.S. Senator Jerry Moran&nbsp; on Friday announced a $500,000 Federal Railroad Administration grant to begin planning and development for an extension of Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer that will connect the existing rail service between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth with Wichita and Newton, according to a media release from the senator's office.

The proposed extension would also include additional stops in Wichita, Newton and a new stop in Arkansas City.

“I have been working with local, state and federal leaders for several years to connect Kansas to the Heartland Flyer by rail,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran. “Connecting communities across these three states will support new economic opportunities for businesses and provide a new means of travel along this busy route. I am pleased to see the first step in this corridor progress and look forward to seeing the project benefit Kansas and the region and look forward to continued dialogue with local stakeholders.”

Sen. Moran led a meeting in 2021 with Amtrak leaders, Kansas legislators and officials from Texas and Oklahoma to discuss the benefits of connecting the Heartland Flyer to Kansas.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1609263248923.png" alt="The Southwest Chief serves Dodge City, Garden City, Newton, Hutchinson, Topeka, Lawrence and Kansas City." />
 <figcaption>The Southwest Chief serves Dodge City, Garden City, Newton, Hutchinson, Topeka, Lawrence and Kansas City.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —U.S. Senator Jerry Moran&nbsp; on Friday announced a $500,000 Federal Railroad Administration grant to begin planning and development for an extension of Amtrak’s Heartland Flyer that will connect the existing rail service between Oklahoma City and Fort Worth with Wichita and Newton, according to a media release from the senator's office.The proposed extension would also include additional stops in Wichita, Newton and a new stop in Arkansas City.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663103887561.png" alt="photo Amtrak" />
 <figcaption>photo Amtrak</figcaption>
 </figure>“I have been working with local, state and federal leaders for several years to connect Kansas to the Heartland Flyer by rail,”&nbsp;said Sen. Moran. “Connecting communities across these three states will support new economic opportunities for businesses and provide a new means of travel along this busy route. I am pleased to see the first step in this corridor progress and look forward to seeing the project benefit Kansas and the region and look forward to continued dialogue with local stakeholders.”Sen. Moran led a meeting in 2021 with Amtrak leaders, Kansas legislators and officials from Texas and Oklahoma to discuss the benefits of connecting the Heartland Flyer to Kansas.

Kansas receives $500,000 grant to expand Amtrak service 

CLAY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for allegedly trying to burn down a house with his wife and her elderly aunt trapped inside.

Just after 1:30a.m.&nbsp; Wednesday, 48-year-old Darin Thomsen’s wife called 911 from her home in the 7900 block of Arnote Road in Pleasant Valley, Missouri, according to the Clay County Sheriff's Offie.

 She said her estranged husband identified as Thomsen was in the house when he was not supposed to be and was threatening her with violence. Out of fear for her safety and that of her 78-year-old aunt, she barricaded them in a bedroom. Then she began to smell smoke.

When deputies arrived, they could smell something burning. The victim yelled from the bedroom window for help. Thomsen came onto the front porch, refused to follow deputies’ commands, and went back inside the house with the door open. He struggled while deputies tried to detain him, kicking one of them. A large dog in the home also had become aggressive and was attempting to bite deputies during the arrest. They were able to get the dog safely shut away in another room.

Once the suspect no longer presented a threat, Pleasant Valley firefighters were able to evacuate the two women and put out the fire that had been started in the living room. It had burned a cabinet and painting and was making its way up the wall toward the ceiling before firefighters extinguished it.

Detectives located multiple accelerants and lighters in and around the house. Thomsen also had a torch lighter in his pocket. An investigator from the Missouri Department of Public Safety’s Division of Fire Safety determined the fire was started with an accelerant and was intentional.

Both women told deputies they were in fear for their lives during the incident.

Thomsen is being held on a $100,000 bond on requested charges of first-degree assault on a special victim, arson, domestic assault and assault on a law enforcement officer.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1701983444904.png" alt="Thomsen-photo Clay Co." />
 <figcaption>Thomsen-photo Clay Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>CLAY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for allegedly trying to burn down a house with his wife and her elderly aunt trapped inside.Just after 1:30a.m.&nbsp; Wednesday, 48-year-old Darin Thomsen’s wife called 911 from her home in the 7900 block of Arnote Road in Pleasant Valley, Missouri, according to the Clay County Sheriff's Offie. She said her estranged husband identified as Thomsen was in the house when he was not supposed to be and was threatening her with violence. Out of fear for her safety and that of her 78-year-old aunt, she barricaded them in a bedroom. Then she began to smell smoke.When deputies arrived, they could smell something burning. The victim yelled from the bedroom window for help. Thomsen came onto the front porch, refused to follow deputies’ commands, and went back inside the house with the door open. He struggled while deputies tried to detain him, kicking one of them. A large dog in the home also had become aggressive and was attempting to bite deputies during the arrest. They were able to get the dog safely shut away in another room.Once the suspect no longer presented a threat, Pleasant Valley firefighters were able to evacuate the two women and put out the fire that had been started in the living room. It had burned a cabinet and painting and was making its way up the wall toward the ceiling before firefighters extinguished it.Detectives located multiple accelerants and lighters in and around the house. Thomsen also had a torch lighter in his pocket. An investigator from the Missouri Department of Public Safety’s Division of Fire Safety determined the fire was started with an accelerant and was intentional.Both women told deputies they were in fear for their lives during the incident.Thomsen is being held on a $100,000 bond on requested charges of first-degree assault on a special victim, arson, domestic assault and assault on a law enforcement officer.

Sheriff: Man tried to burn down KC-area home with wife, aunt inside

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A judge on Thursday gave a pregnant woman whose fetus has a fatal diagnosis permission to get an abortion in an unprecedented challenge over bans that more than a dozen states have enacted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-dobbs-anniversary-state-laws-51c2a83899f133556e715342abfcface">since Roe v. Wade was overturned</a>.

The lawsuit by Kate Cox, a 31-year-old mother of two from the Dallas area,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-texas-lawsuit-dc5f97fdccf801f572bb5acffac3ad45">is believed to be the first time</a>&nbsp;since the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision last year that a woman has asked a court to approve an immediate abortion. The order only applies to Cox and her attorneys afterward spoke cautiously about any wider impacts, calling it unfeasible that scores of other women seeking abortions would also now to turn to courts.

“This can't be the new normal,” said Marc Hearron, an attorney for the Center for Reproductive Rights. “I don’t think you can expect to see now hundreds of cases being filed on behalf of patients. It's just not realistic.”

State District Judge Maya Guerra Gamble, an elected Democrat, granted a temporary restraining order allowing Cox to have an abortion under what are narrow exceptions to Texas' ban. Her attorneys afterward said they would not disclose what Cox was planning to do next, citing concerns for her safety.

Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, whose office argued that Cox did not meet the criteria for a medical exception, issued a statement that did not say whether the state would appeal. But in a letter to three Houston hospitals, Paxton warned that legal consequences were still possible if Cox's physician provided the abortion.

Cox, who is 20 weeks pregnant, attended the hearing via Zoom along with her husband but did not address the court. Doctors have told Cox that if the baby’s heartbeat were to stop, inducing labor would carry a risk of a uterine rupture because of her prior cesareans sections, and that another C-section at full term would would endanger her ability to carry another child.

“The idea that Ms. Cox wants so desperately to be a parent and this law may have her lose that ability is shocking and would be a genuine miscarriage of justice," Gamble said.

The Center for Reproductive Rights, which is representing Cox, has said this lawsuit is believed to be the first of its kind since Roe v. Wade was overturned. Since that landmark ruling, Texas and 12 other states rushed to ban abortion at nearly all stages of pregnancy. Opponents have sought to weaken those bans, including an ongoing Texas challenge over whether the state's law is too restrictive for women with pregnancy complications.

“I do not want to continue the pain and suffering that has plagued this pregnancy or continue to put my body or my mental health through the risks of continuing this pregnancy,” Cox wrote in an editorial&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2023/12/07/i-need-to-end-my-pregnancy-now-it-is-the-best-chance-for-my-health-and-well-being/?utm_term=344619&amp;utm_medium=%E2%80%98I%20need%20to%20end%20my%20pregnancy%20now&amp;utm_source=pushly&amp;utm_content=e152fa1d-81d2-4ccc-bfdb-67c78f7fe2b5&amp;utm_campaign=3898389">published in The Dallas Morning News</a>. “I do not want my baby to arrive in this world only to watch her suffer.”

The temporary restraining order stops Texas from enforcing the state's ban on Cox and lasts for 14 days. Under the restrictions in Texas, doctors who provide abortions could face criminal charges that carry a punishment of up to life in prison. They could also be fined. Pregnant women cannot be criminally charged for having an abortion in Texas.

Paxton told the Houston hospitals the order “will not insulate you” from civil and criminal liabilities, arguing that private citizens could still bring lawsuits and local prosecutors could still bring charges.

Seth Chandler, a law professor at the University of Houston, said he would have concerns as a physician based on both legal issues and Paxton's “apparent zeal” to enforce the state's abortion ban.

“If I were one of the doctors involved here, I would not sleep easy performing that abortion,” he said.

Although Texas allows exceptions under the ban, doctors and women have argued that the requirements are so vaguely worded that physicians still won't risk providing abortions, lest they face potential criminal charges or lawsuits.

State officials had asked Gamble to deny the request, arguing that Cox has not shown her life is in imminent danger and that she is therefore unable to qualify for an exception to the ban.

The decision was handed down just two days after Cox filed the lawsuit, which says doctors told her the baby will likely be stillborn or live for a week at most.

Cox had cesarean sections with her previous pregnancies. She learned she was pregnant for a third time in August and was told weeks later that her baby was at a high risk for a condition known as trisomy 18, which has a very high likelihood of miscarriage or stillbirth and low survival rates, according to the lawsuit.

The lawsuit was filed a week after the Texas Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-texas-exceptions-lawsuit-82611bda29112775247d8e7adbc0a81b">heard arguments</a>&nbsp;about whether the ban is too restrictive for women with pregnancy complications. That case is among the biggest ongoing challenges to abortion bans in the U.S., although a ruling from the all-Republican court may not come for months.

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — A judge on Thursday gave a pregnant woman whose fetus has a fatal diagnosis permission to get an abortion in an unprecedented challenge over bans that more than a dozen states have enacted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-dobbs-anniversary-state-laws-51c2a83899f133556e715342abfcface">since Roe v. Wade was overturned</a>.The lawsuit by Kate Cox, a 31-year-old mother of two from the Dallas area,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-texas-lawsuit-dc5f97fdccf801f572bb5acffac3ad45">is believed to be the first time</a>&nbsp;since the landmark U.S. Supreme Court decision last year that a woman has asked a court to approve an immediate abortion. The order only applies to Cox and her attorneys afterward spoke cautiously about any wider impacts, calling it unfeasible that scores of other women seeking abortions would also now to turn to courts.“This can't be the new normal,” said Marc Hearron, an attorney for the Center for Reproductive Rights. “I don’t think you can expect to see now hundreds of cases being filed on behalf of patients. It's just not realistic.”State District Judge Maya Guerra Gamble, an elected Democrat, granted a temporary restraining order allowing Cox to have an abortion under what are narrow exceptions to Texas' ban. Her attorneys afterward said they would not disclose what Cox was planning to do next, citing concerns for her safety.Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, whose office argued that Cox did not meet the criteria for a medical exception, issued a statement that did not say whether the state would appeal. But in a letter to three Houston hospitals, Paxton warned that legal consequences were still possible if Cox's physician provided the abortion.Cox, who is 20 weeks pregnant, attended the hearing via Zoom along with her husband but did not address the court. Doctors have told Cox that if the baby’s heartbeat were to stop, inducing labor would carry a risk of a uterine rupture because of her prior cesareans sections, and that another C-section at full term would would endanger her ability to carry another child.“The idea that Ms. Cox wants so desperately to be a parent and this law may have her lose that ability is shocking and would be a genuine miscarriage of justice," Gamble said.The Center for Reproductive Rights, which is representing Cox, has said this lawsuit is believed to be the first of its kind since Roe v. Wade was overturned. Since that landmark ruling, Texas and 12 other states rushed to ban abortion at nearly all stages of pregnancy. Opponents have sought to weaken those bans, including an ongoing Texas challenge over whether the state's law is too restrictive for women with pregnancy complications.“I do not want to continue the pain and suffering that has plagued this pregnancy or continue to put my body or my mental health through the risks of continuing this pregnancy,” Cox wrote in an editorial&nbsp;<a href="https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2023/12/07/i-need-to-end-my-pregnancy-now-it-is-the-best-chance-for-my-health-and-well-being/?utm_term=344619&amp;utm_medium=%E2%80%98I%20need%20to%20end%20my%20pregnancy%20now&amp;utm_source=pushly&amp;utm_content=e152fa1d-81d2-4ccc-bfdb-67c78f7fe2b5&amp;utm_campaign=3898389">published in The Dallas Morning News</a>. “I do not want my baby to arrive in this world only to watch her suffer.”The temporary restraining order stops Texas from enforcing the state's ban on Cox and lasts for 14 days. Under the restrictions in Texas, doctors who provide abortions could face criminal charges that carry a punishment of up to life in prison. They could also be fined. Pregnant women cannot be criminally charged for having an abortion in Texas.Paxton told the Houston hospitals the order “will not insulate you” from civil and criminal liabilities, arguing that private citizens could still bring lawsuits and local prosecutors could still bring charges.Seth Chandler, a law professor at the University of Houston, said he would have concerns as a physician based on both legal issues and Paxton's “apparent zeal” to enforce the state's abortion ban.“If I were one of the doctors involved here, I would not sleep easy performing that abortion,” he said.Although Texas allows exceptions under the ban, doctors and women have argued that the requirements are so vaguely worded that physicians still won't risk providing abortions, lest they face potential criminal charges or lawsuits.State officials had asked Gamble to deny the request, arguing that Cox has not shown her life is in imminent danger and that she is therefore unable to qualify for an exception to the ban.The decision was handed down just two days after Cox filed the lawsuit, which says doctors told her the baby will likely be stillborn or live for a week at most.Cox had cesarean sections with her previous pregnancies. She learned she was pregnant for a third time in August and was told weeks later that her baby was at a high risk for a condition known as trisomy 18, which has a very high likelihood of miscarriage or stillbirth and low survival rates, according to the lawsuit.The lawsuit was filed a week after the Texas Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-texas-exceptions-lawsuit-82611bda29112775247d8e7adbc0a81b">heard arguments</a>&nbsp;about whether the ban is too restrictive for women with pregnancy complications. That case is among the biggest ongoing challenges to abortion bans in the U.S., although a ruling from the all-Republican court may not come for months.

Judge issues ruling in unprecedented abortion case

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Harlan Red Tailed Hawk used for educational programming escaped his enclosure on Monday, according to a social media report from the Midwest Avian Foundation.

The hawk, known as Harley, is a non-released bird and has limited ability to fly. He has likely not gone far from the organization located at 910 S Vassar Street in Wichita, and is probably tucked up in a bush or tree with low hanging branches. "He may soon come out to attempt to hunt and might wind up on the ground."

The bird is wearing leather anklets and 2 straps hanging down, called “jesses."&nbsp;On Thursday, the organization reported their best guess was that he might be south of Lincoln, between Rock and Woodlawn in Wichita.&nbsp;&nbsp;

If you see him in a tree, notify us immediately.If you see him on the ground, you can try to catch him with a towel or blanket and put him in a box.  Then notify us. Midwest Avian Foundation 316-214-7705Carrie Lower 316-633-6303Rachael: 316-616-7446

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702038276081.png" alt="Photo Midwest Avian Foundation" />
 <figcaption>Photo Midwest Avian Foundation</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Harlan Red Tailed Hawk used for educational programming escaped his enclosure on Monday, according to a social media report from the Midwest Avian Foundation.The hawk, known as Harley, is a non-released bird and has limited ability to fly. He has likely not gone far from the organization located at 910 S Vassar Street in Wichita, and is probably tucked up in a bush or tree with low hanging branches. "He may soon come out to attempt to hunt and might wind up on the ground."The bird is wearing leather anklets and 2 straps hanging down, called “jesses."&nbsp;On Thursday, the organization reported their best guess was that he might be south of Lincoln, between Rock and Woodlawn in Wichita.&nbsp;&nbsp;If you see him in a tree, notify us immediately.If you see him on the ground, you can try to catch him with a towel or blanket and put him in a box. Then notify us. Midwest Avian Foundation 316-214-7705Carrie Lower 316-633-6303Rachael: 316-616-7446