JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. – Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on numerous allegations after a traffic stop.

Just before 10a.m. August 12, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Chevy Impala for an alleged traffic infraction on U.S. Highway 75 in southern Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

 A Jackson County Sheriff’s Narcotics K-9 was deployed and indicated to the presence of illegal narcotics inside the vehicle.

The driver, Steven Leroy Bayless, 62, of Topeka, was arrested on a Shawnee County warrant and on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and felony interference with law enforcement. 

The backseat passenger, Robert Bravehan Shutts, 50, of Topeka, was arrested for transporting an open container and no seat belt.

Bayless has previous convictions that include forgery, theft , obstruction, driving while suspended and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691966011065.png" alt="Bayless has previous convictions that include forgery, theft , obstruction and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Bayless has previous convictions that include forgery, theft , obstruction and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. – Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on numerous allegations after a traffic stop.Just before 10a.m. August 12, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Chevy Impala for an alleged traffic infraction on U.S. Highway 75 in southern Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. A Jackson County Sheriff’s Narcotics K-9 was deployed and indicated to the presence of illegal narcotics inside the vehicle.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691966222520.png" alt="Shutts-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Shutts-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The driver, Steven Leroy Bayless, 62, of Topeka, was arrested on a Shawnee County warrant and on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug paraphernalia, and felony interference with law enforcement. The backseat passenger, Robert Bravehan Shutts, 50, of Topeka, was arrested for transporting an open container and no seat belt.Bayless has previous convictions that include forgery, theft , obstruction, driving while suspended and for drugs, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections

Sheriff: Kansas man with history of crime was transporting meth

ATLANTA (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and 18 allies were indicted in Georgia on Monday over their efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss in the state, with prosecutors using a statute normally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-trump-election-investigation-indictment-rico-willis-2b18a1c1ed6a4ce22b1a2ca88ea861e3">associated with mobsters</a>&nbsp;to accuse the former president, lawyers and other aides of a “criminal enterprise” to keep him in power.

<a href="https://fm.cnbc.com/applications/cnbc.com/resources/editorialfiles/2023/08/14/23SC188947_-_CRIMINAL_INDICTMENT.pdf">Click here to read the full</a> indictment

The nearly 100-page indictment details dozens of acts by Trump or his allies to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-investigations-other-charges-b8b064a00caad4306fb54d2f6a320468">undo his defeat</a>, including beseeching Georgia’s Republican secretary of state to find enough votes for him to win the battleground state; harassing an election worker who faced false claims of fraud; and attempting to persuade Georgia lawmakers to ignore the will of voters and appoint a new slate of electoral college electors favorable to Trump.

In one particularly brazen episode, it also outlines a plot involving one of his lawyers to access voting machines in a rural Georgia county and steal data from a voting machine company.

"The indictment alleges that rather than abide by Georgia’s legal process for election challenges, the defendants engaged in a criminal racketeering enterprise to overturn Georgia’s presidential election result,” Fulton County District Attorney&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-election-investigation-fani-willis-indictment-32bfdd2cca9d3184056836b208a78379">Fani Willis</a>, whose office brought the case, said at a late-night news conference.

Other defendants include former White House chief of staff&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mark-meadows">Mark Meadows</a>; Trump attorney and former New York City Mayor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/rudolph-giuliani">Rudy Giuliani</a>; and a Trump administration Justice Department official, Jeffrey Clark, who advanced the then-president's efforts to undo his election loss in Georgia. Other lawyers who supported legally dubious ideas aimed at overturning the results, including John Eastman, Sidney Powell and Kenneth Chesebro, were also charged.

Willis said the defendants would be permitted to voluntarily surrender by noon Aug. 25. She also said she plans to seek a trial date within six months and that she intends to try the defendants collectively.

The indictment bookends a remarkable crush of criminal cases — four in five months, each in a different city — that would be daunting for anyone, never mind someone like Trump who is simultaneously balancing the roles of criminal defendant and presidential candidate.

It comes just two weeks after the Justice Department special counsel charged him in a vast&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">conspiracy to overturn the election</a>, underscoring how prosecutors after lengthy investigations that followed the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol have now, two-and-a-half years later, taken steps to hold Trump to account for an assault on the underpinnings of American democracy.

The Georgia case covers some of the same ground as Trump’s recent indictment in Washington, including attempts he and his allies made to disrupt the electoral vote count at the Capitol. But in its sprawling web of defendants — 19 in total — the indictment stands apart from the more tightly targeted case brought by special counsel Jack Smith, which so far only names Trump as a defendant.

In charging close Trump aides who were referenced by Smith only as unindicted co-conspirators, the Georgia indictment alleges a scale of criminal conduct extending far beyond just the ex-president.

The charging document, in language conjuring up the seedy underworld of mob bosses and gang leaders, accuses the former president, his former chief of staff, Trump’s attorneys and the ex-New York mayor of being members of a “criminal organization” and “enterprise” that operated in Georgia and other states.

The indictment capped a chaotic day at the courthouse caused by the brief but mysterious posting on a county website of a list of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-trump-election-investigation-indictment-rico-willis-2b18a1c1ed6a4ce22b1a2ca88ea861e3">criminal charges</a>&nbsp;that were to be brought against the former president. Reuters, which published a copy of the document, said the filing was taken down quickly.

A Willis spokesperson said in the afternoon that it was “inaccurate" to say that an indictment had already been returned but declined to comment further on a kerfuffle that the Trump legal team rapidly jumped on to attack the integrity of the investigation.

Trump and his allies, who have characterized the investigation as politically motivated, immediately seized on the apparent error to claim that the process was rigged. Trump’s campaign aimed to fundraise off it, sending out an email with the since-deleted document embedded.

In a statement after the indictment was issued, Trump's legal team said “the events that have unfolded today have been shocking and absurd, starting with the leak of a presumed and premature indictment before the witnesses had testified or the grand jurors had deliberated and ending with the District Attorney being unable to offer any explanation.”

The lawyers said prosecutors presenting their case “relied on witnesses who harbor their own personal and political interests — some of whom ran campaigns touting their efforts against the accused.”

Many of the 161 acts by Trump and his associates outlined in the Georgia indictment have already received widespread attention. That includes a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-raffensperger-phone-call-georgia-d503c8b4e58f7cd648fbf9a746131ec9">Jan. 2, 2021</a>, call in which Trump urged Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “find” the 11,780 votes needed to overturn his election loss. That call, prosecutors said, violated a Georgia law against soliciting a public official to violate their oath.

It also charges Trump with making false statements and writings for a series of claims he made to Raffensperger and other state election officials, including that up to 300,000 ballots “were dropped mysteriously into the rolls” in the 2020 election, that more than 4,500 people voted who weren’t on registration lists and that a Fulton County election worker,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-2022-midterm-elections-georgia-election-recounts-5cffe294a372eb32dc68588784202314">Ruby Freeman</a>, was a “professional vote scammer.”

Giuliani, meanwhile, is charged with making false statements for allegedly lying to lawmakers by claiming that more than 96,000 mail-in ballots were counted in Georgia despite there being no record of them having been returned to a county elections office, and that a voting machine in Michigan wrongly recorded 6,000 votes for Biden that were actually cast for Trump.

In a statement, Giuliani did not respond directly to any of the allegations but called the indictment an “affront to American democracy” and “just the next chapter in a book of lies.”

Also charged are individuals prosecutors say helped Trump and his allies on the ground in Georgia influence and intimidate election workers.

One man, Stephen Cliffgard Lee, was charged by prosecutors for allegedly traveling to Freeman's home “with intent to influence her testimony.” Freeman and her daughter Shaye Moss testified to Congress last year about how Trump and his allies latched onto surveillance footage from November 2020 to accuse both women of committing voter fraud — allegations that were quickly debunked, yet spread widely across conservative media.

Both women, who are Black, faced death threats for several months after the election.

The indictment also accuses Powell and several co-defendants of tampering with voting machines in Coffee County, Georgia, and stealing data belonging to Dominion Voting Systems, a producer of tabulation machines that has long been the focus of conspiracy theories.

According to evidence made public by the congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot, Trump allies targeted Coffee County in search of evidence to back their theories of widespread voter fraud, allegedly copying data and software.

Besides the two election-related cases, Trump faces a separate federal indictment accusing him of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-documents-maralago-politics-florida-charges-bee867f48da593d351c5a91e87c356a9">illegally hoarding classified documents</a>&nbsp;as well as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-new-york-florida-hush-money-election-764309dce49f81a50bf9f610ffd5ceb6">New York state case</a>&nbsp;charging him with falsifying business records.

As indictments mount, Trump — the leading Republican candidate for president in 2024 —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-iowa-target-letter-indictment-january-6-13afe5fa279e277aa6a11da46cd1821d">often invokes his distinction</a>&nbsp;as the only former president to face criminal charges. He is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-second-quarter-fundraising-gop-primary-fec-8f988e730c2ce8330b92063ed7225d7a">campaigning and fundraising</a>&nbsp;around these themes, portraying himself as the victim of Democratic prosecutors out to get him.

Republican allies once again quickly rallied to Trump’s defense. “Americans see through this desperate sham,” House Speaker Kevin McCarthy wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692093595851.png" alt="Fulton County District Attorney&nbsp;Fani Willis&nbsp;during Monday night's announcement-photo CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Fulton County District Attorney&nbsp;Fani Willis&nbsp;during Monday night's announcement-photo CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>ATLANTA (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and 18 allies were indicted in Georgia on Monday over their efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss in the state, with prosecutors using a statute normally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-trump-election-investigation-indictment-rico-willis-2b18a1c1ed6a4ce22b1a2ca88ea861e3">associated with mobsters</a>&nbsp;to accuse the former president, lawyers and other aides of a “criminal enterprise” to keep him in power.<a href="https://fm.cnbc.com/applications/cnbc.com/resources/editorialfiles/2023/08/14/23SC188947_-_CRIMINAL_INDICTMENT.pdf">Click here to read the full</a> indictmentThe nearly 100-page indictment details dozens of acts by Trump or his allies to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-investigations-other-charges-b8b064a00caad4306fb54d2f6a320468">undo his defeat</a>, including beseeching Georgia’s Republican secretary of state to find enough votes for him to win the battleground state; harassing an election worker who faced false claims of fraud; and attempting to persuade Georgia lawmakers to ignore the will of voters and appoint a new slate of electoral college electors favorable to Trump.In one particularly brazen episode, it also outlines a plot involving one of his lawyers to access voting machines in a rural Georgia county and steal data from a voting machine company."The indictment alleges that rather than abide by Georgia’s legal process for election challenges, the defendants engaged in a criminal racketeering enterprise to overturn Georgia’s presidential election result,” Fulton County District Attorney&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-election-investigation-fani-willis-indictment-32bfdd2cca9d3184056836b208a78379">Fani Willis</a>, whose office brought the case, said at a late-night news conference.Other defendants include former White House chief of staff&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mark-meadows">Mark Meadows</a>; Trump attorney and former New York City Mayor&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/rudolph-giuliani">Rudy Giuliani</a>; and a Trump administration Justice Department official, Jeffrey Clark, who advanced the then-president's efforts to undo his election loss in Georgia. Other lawyers who supported legally dubious ideas aimed at overturning the results, including John Eastman, Sidney Powell and Kenneth Chesebro, were also charged.Willis said the defendants would be permitted to voluntarily surrender by noon Aug. 25. She also said she plans to seek a trial date within six months and that she intends to try the defendants collectively.The indictment bookends a remarkable crush of criminal cases — four in five months, each in a different city — that would be daunting for anyone, never mind someone like Trump who is simultaneously balancing the roles of criminal defendant and presidential candidate.It comes just two weeks after the Justice Department special counsel charged him in a vast&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">conspiracy to overturn the election</a>, underscoring how prosecutors after lengthy investigations that followed the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol have now, two-and-a-half years later, taken steps to hold Trump to account for an assault on the underpinnings of American democracy.The Georgia case covers some of the same ground as Trump’s recent indictment in Washington, including attempts he and his allies made to disrupt the electoral vote count at the Capitol. But in its sprawling web of defendants — 19 in total — the indictment stands apart from the more tightly targeted case brought by special counsel Jack Smith, which so far only names Trump as a defendant.In charging close Trump aides who were referenced by Smith only as unindicted co-conspirators, the Georgia indictment alleges a scale of criminal conduct extending far beyond just the ex-president.The charging document, in language conjuring up the seedy underworld of mob bosses and gang leaders, accuses the former president, his former chief of staff, Trump’s attorneys and the ex-New York mayor of being members of a “criminal organization” and “enterprise” that operated in Georgia and other states.The indictment capped a chaotic day at the courthouse caused by the brief but mysterious posting on a county website of a list of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-trump-election-investigation-indictment-rico-willis-2b18a1c1ed6a4ce22b1a2ca88ea861e3">criminal charges</a>&nbsp;that were to be brought against the former president. Reuters, which published a copy of the document, said the filing was taken down quickly.A Willis spokesperson said in the afternoon that it was “inaccurate" to say that an indictment had already been returned but declined to comment further on a kerfuffle that the Trump legal team rapidly jumped on to attack the integrity of the investigation.Trump and his allies, who have characterized the investigation as politically motivated, immediately seized on the apparent error to claim that the process was rigged. Trump’s campaign aimed to fundraise off it, sending out an email with the since-deleted document embedded.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Statement from Trump Campaign <a href="https://t.co/1qT1dgdcCA">pic.twitter.com/1qT1dgdcCA</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1691275754179317760?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In a statement after the indictment was issued, Trump's legal team said “the events that have unfolded today have been shocking and absurd, starting with the leak of a presumed and premature indictment before the witnesses had testified or the grand jurors had deliberated and ending with the District Attorney being unable to offer any explanation.”The lawyers said prosecutors presenting their case “relied on witnesses who harbor their own personal and political interests — some of whom ran campaigns touting their efforts against the accused.”Many of the 161 acts by Trump and his associates outlined in the Georgia indictment have already received widespread attention. That includes a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-raffensperger-phone-call-georgia-d503c8b4e58f7cd648fbf9a746131ec9">Jan. 2, 2021</a>, call in which Trump urged Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “find” the 11,780 votes needed to overturn his election loss. That call, prosecutors said, violated a Georgia law against soliciting a public official to violate their oath.It also charges Trump with making false statements and writings for a series of claims he made to Raffensperger and other state election officials, including that up to 300,000 ballots “were dropped mysteriously into the rolls” in the 2020 election, that more than 4,500 people voted who weren’t on registration lists and that a Fulton County election worker,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-2022-midterm-elections-georgia-election-recounts-5cffe294a372eb32dc68588784202314">Ruby Freeman</a>, was a “professional vote scammer.”Giuliani, meanwhile, is charged with making false statements for allegedly lying to lawmakers by claiming that more than 96,000 mail-in ballots were counted in Georgia despite there being no record of them having been returned to a county elections office, and that a voting machine in Michigan wrongly recorded 6,000 votes for Biden that were actually cast for Trump.In a statement, Giuliani did not respond directly to any of the allegations but called the indictment an “affront to American democracy” and “just the next chapter in a book of lies.”Also charged are individuals prosecutors say helped Trump and his allies on the ground in Georgia influence and intimidate election workers.One man, Stephen Cliffgard Lee, was charged by prosecutors for allegedly traveling to Freeman's home “with intent to influence her testimony.” Freeman and her daughter Shaye Moss testified to Congress last year about how Trump and his allies latched onto surveillance footage from November 2020 to accuse both women of committing voter fraud — allegations that were quickly debunked, yet spread widely across conservative media.Both women, who are Black, faced death threats for several months after the election.The indictment also accuses Powell and several co-defendants of tampering with voting machines in Coffee County, Georgia, and stealing data belonging to Dominion Voting Systems, a producer of tabulation machines that has long been the focus of conspiracy theories.According to evidence made public by the congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot, Trump allies targeted Coffee County in search of evidence to back their theories of widespread voter fraud, allegedly copying data and software.Besides the two election-related cases, Trump faces a separate federal indictment accusing him of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-documents-maralago-politics-florida-charges-bee867f48da593d351c5a91e87c356a9">illegally hoarding classified documents</a>&nbsp;as well as a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictment-new-york-florida-hush-money-election-764309dce49f81a50bf9f610ffd5ceb6">New York state case</a>&nbsp;charging him with falsifying business records.As indictments mount, Trump — the leading Republican candidate for president in 2024 —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-iowa-target-letter-indictment-january-6-13afe5fa279e277aa6a11da46cd1821d">often invokes his distinction</a>&nbsp;as the only former president to face criminal charges. He is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-second-quarter-fundraising-gop-primary-fec-8f988e730c2ce8330b92063ed7225d7a">campaigning and fundraising</a>&nbsp;around these themes, portraying himself as the victim of Democratic prosecutors out to get him.Republican allies once again quickly rallied to Trump’s defense. “Americans see through this desperate sham,” House Speaker Kevin McCarthy wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.___

Read the full text of the Trump Georgia indictment document

LAFAYETTE COUNTY—Two people died in an accident just before 6:30p.m. Monday in Lafayette County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Buick Lucerne driven by Gerand L. Ratcliffe, 61, Hale, was. northbound on MO 23 just south of Jingles Road.&nbsp;

The car crossed the center of the road and struck a 2014 Chevy Captiva driven by a 17-year-old Carrolton boy head-on.

Ratcliffe was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported the teen to Carrolton County Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; The drivers were not wearing seat belts, according to the MSHP.

LAFAYETTE COUNTY—Two people died in an accident just before 6:30p.m. Monday in Lafayette County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Buick Lucerne driven by Gerand L. Ratcliffe, 61, Hale, was. northbound on MO 23 just south of Jingles Road.&nbsp;The car crossed the center of the road and struck a 2014 Chevy Captiva driven by a 17-year-old Carrolton boy head-on.Ratcliffe was pronounced dead at the scene. EMS transported the teen to Carrolton County Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; The drivers were not wearing seat belts, according to the MSHP.

Missoruri man, teen dead after head-on crash

The nearly 100-page indictment details dozens of acts by Trump or his allies to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-investigations-other-charges-b8b064a00caad4306fb54d2f6a320468">undo his defeat</a>, including beseeching Georgia’s Republican secretary of state to find enough votes for him to win the battleground state; harassing a state election worker who faced false claims of fraud; and attempting to persuade Georgia lawmakers to ignore the will of voters and appoint a new slate of electoral college electors favorable to Trump.

In one particularly brazen episode, it also outlines a plot involving one of his lawyers to tamper with voting machines in a rural Georgia county and steal data from a voting machine company.

Other defendants include former White House chief of staff&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mark-meadows">Mark Meadows</a>; Trump's personal attorney&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/rudolph-giuliani">Rudy Giuliani</a>; and a Trump administration Justice Department official, Jeffrey Clark, who advanced the then-president's efforts to undo his election loss in Georgia. Multiple other lawyers who devised legally dubious ideas aimed at overturning the results, including John Eastman, Sidney Powell and Kenneth Chesebro, were also charged.

Willis said the defendants would be allowed to voluntarily surrender by noon Aug. 25. She also said she plans to ask for a trial date within six months and that she intends to try the defendants as a group.

The Georgia case covers some of the same ground as Trump’s recent indictment in Washington, D.C., including attempts he and his allies made to disrupt the electoral vote count at the U.S. Capitol on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">Jan. 6, 2021</a>. But its sprawling web of defendants — 19 in total — stands apart from the more tightly targeted case brought by special counsel Jack Smith, which so far only names Trump as a defendant.

The charging document, in language conjuring up the seedy operations of mob bosses and gang leaders, accuses the former president of the United States, the former White House chief of staff, Trump’s attorneys and the former mayor of New York as members of a “criminal organization” who were part of an “enterprise” that operated in Georgia and other states.

Many of the 161 acts by Trump and his associates outlined in the Georgia indictment have already received widespread attention. That includes a Jan. 2, 2021, call in which Trump urged Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “find” the 11,780 votes needed to overturn his election loss. That call, prosecutors said, violated a Georgia law against soliciting a public official to violate their oath.

Giuliani, meanwhile, is charged with making false statements for allegedly lying to lawmakers by claiming that more than 96,000 mail-in ballots were counted in Georgia despite there being no record of them having been returned to a county elections office, and that a voting machine in Michigan wrongly recorded 6,000 votes for Biden that were actually cast for Trump. A lawyer who has represented him declined to comment.

Besides the two election-related cases, Trump faces a separate federal indictment accusing him of illegally hoarding classified documents as well as a New York state case charging him with falsifying business records.

ATLANTA (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and 18 allies were indicted in Georgia on Monday over their efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss in the state, with prosecutors using a statute normally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-trump-election-investigation-indictment-rico-willis-2b18a1c1ed6a4ce22b1a2ca88ea861e3">associated with mobsters</a>&nbsp;to accuse the former president, lawyers and other aides of a “criminal enterprise” to keep him in power.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">WATCH: Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis on indictment of former President Trump <a href="https://t.co/DTQMZkXEWg">pic.twitter.com/DTQMZkXEWg</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1691299495428882432?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 15, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The nearly 100-page indictment details dozens of acts by Trump or his allies to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-investigations-other-charges-b8b064a00caad4306fb54d2f6a320468">undo his defeat</a>, including beseeching Georgia’s Republican secretary of state to find enough votes for him to win the battleground state; harassing a state election worker who faced false claims of fraud; and attempting to persuade Georgia lawmakers to ignore the will of voters and appoint a new slate of electoral college electors favorable to Trump.In one particularly brazen episode, it also outlines a plot involving one of his lawyers to tamper with voting machines in a rural Georgia county and steal data from a voting machine company.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691094922366.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>"The indictment alleges that rather than abide by Georgia’s legal process for election challenges, the defendants engaged in a criminal racketeering enterprise to overturn Georgia’s presidential election result,” Fulton County District Attorney&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-election-investigation-fani-willis-indictment-32bfdd2cca9d3184056836b208a78379">Fani Willis</a>, whose office brought the case, said at a late-night news conference.Other defendants include former White House chief of staff&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/mark-meadows">Mark Meadows</a>; Trump's personal attorney&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/rudolph-giuliani">Rudy Giuliani</a>; and a Trump administration Justice Department official, Jeffrey Clark, who advanced the then-president's efforts to undo his election loss in Georgia. Multiple other lawyers who devised legally dubious ideas aimed at overturning the results, including John Eastman, Sidney Powell and Kenneth Chesebro, were also charged.Willis said the defendants would be allowed to voluntarily surrender by noon Aug. 25. She also said she plans to ask for a trial date within six months and that she intends to try the defendants as a group.The indictment bookends a remarkable crush of criminal cases — four in five months, each in a different city — that would be daunting for anyone, never mind someone like Trump who is simultaneously balancing the roles of criminal defendant and presidential candidate.It comes just two weeks after the Justice Department special counsel charged him in a vast&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">conspiracy to overturn the election</a>, underscoring how prosecutors after lengthy investigations that followed the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol have now, two-and-a-half years later, taken steps to hold Trump to account for an assault on the underpinnings of American democracy.The Georgia case covers some of the same ground as Trump’s recent indictment in Washington, D.C., including attempts he and his allies made to disrupt the electoral vote count at the U.S. Capitol on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">Jan. 6, 2021</a>. But its sprawling web of defendants — 19 in total — stands apart from the more tightly targeted case brought by special counsel Jack Smith, which so far only names Trump as a defendant.In charging close Trump aides who were referenced by Smith only as unindicted co-conspirators, the Georgia indictment alleges a scale of criminal conduct extending far beyond just the ex-president.The charging document, in language conjuring up the seedy operations of mob bosses and gang leaders, accuses the former president of the United States, the former White House chief of staff, Trump’s attorneys and the former mayor of New York as members of a “criminal organization” who were part of an “enterprise” that operated in Georgia and other states.The indictment capped a chaotic day at the courthouse caused by the brief but mysterious posting on a county website of a list of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/georgia-trump-election-investigation-indictment-rico-willis-2b18a1c1ed6a4ce22b1a2ca88ea861e3">criminal charges</a>&nbsp;that were to be brought against the former president. Reuters, which published a copy of the document, said the filing was taken down quickly.A Willis spokesperson said in the afternoon that it was “inaccurate" to say that an indictment had already been returned but declined to comment further on a kerfuffle that the Trump legal team rapidly jumped on to attack the integrity of the investigation.Trump and his allies, who have characterized the investigation as politically motivated, immediately seized on the apparent error to claim that the process was rigged. Trump’s campaign aimed to fundraise off it, sending out an email with the since-deleted document embedded.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692093790920.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692093809403.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>In a statement after the indictment was issued, Trump's legal team said “the events that have unfolded today have been shocking and absurd, starting with the leak of a presumed and premature indictment before the witnesses had testified or the grand jurors had deliberated and ending with the District Attorney being unable to offer any explanation.”The lawyers said prosecutors presenting their case “relied on witnesses who harbor their own personal and political interests — some of whom ran campaigns touting their efforts against the accused.”Many of the 161 acts by Trump and his associates outlined in the Georgia indictment have already received widespread attention. That includes a Jan. 2, 2021, call in which Trump urged Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to “find” the 11,780 votes needed to overturn his election loss. That call, prosecutors said, violated a Georgia law against soliciting a public official to violate their oath.It also charges Trump with making false statements and writings for a series of claims he made to Raffensperger and other state election officials, including that up to 300,000 ballots “were dropped mysteriously into the rolls” in the 2020 election, that more than 4,500 people voted who weren’t on registration lists and that a Fulton County election worker,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-2022-midterm-elections-georgia-election-recounts-5cffe294a372eb32dc68588784202314">Ruby Freeman</a>, was a “professional vote scammer.”Giuliani, meanwhile, is charged with making false statements for allegedly lying to lawmakers by claiming that more than 96,000 mail-in ballots were counted in Georgia despite there being no record of them having been returned to a county elections office, and that a voting machine in Michigan wrongly recorded 6,000 votes for Biden that were actually cast for Trump. A lawyer who has represented him declined to comment.Also charged are individuals prosecutors say helped Trump and his allies on the ground in Georgia influence and intimidate election workers.One man, Stephen Cliffgard Lee, was charged by prosecutors for allegedly traveling to Freeman's home “with intent to influence her testimony.” Freeman and her daughter Shaye Moss testified to Congress last year about how Trump and his allies latched onto surveillance footage from November 2020 to accuse both women of committing voter fraud — allegations that were quickly debunked, yet spread widely across conservative media.Both women, who are Black, faced death threats for several months after the election.The indictment also accuses Powell and several co-defendants of tampering with voting machines in Coffee County, Georgia, and stealing data belonging to Dominion Voting Systems, a producer of tabulation machines that has long been the focus of conspiracy theories.According to evidence made public by the congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6 riot, Trump allies targeted Coffee County in search of evidence to back their theories of widespread voter fraud, allegedly copying data and software.Besides the two election-related cases, Trump faces a separate federal indictment accusing him of illegally hoarding classified documents as well as a New York state case charging him with falsifying business records.As indictments mount, Trump — the leading Republican candidate for president in 2024 —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-iowa-target-letter-indictment-january-6-13afe5fa279e277aa6a11da46cd1821d">often invokes his distinction</a>&nbsp;as the only former president to face criminal charges. He is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-second-quarter-fundraising-gop-primary-fec-8f988e730c2ce8330b92063ed7225d7a">campaigning and fundraising</a>&nbsp;around these themes, portraying himself as the victim of Democratic prosecutors out to get him.Republican allies once again quickly rallied to Trump’s defense. “Americans see through this desperate sham,” House Speaker Kevin McCarthy wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter._____

🎥 Fourth indictment: Trump charged in Georgia 2020 election probe

WASHINGTON —The Defense Department&nbsp;<a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3491937/biden-administration-announces-additional-security-assistance-for-ukraine/">announced an additional security assistance package</a>&nbsp;valued at up to $200 million to help Ukraine counter Russia's ongoing war of aggression, according to a media release from the agency.

The package includes critical munitions for U.S.-provided Patriot air defense systems and High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, among other items.&nbsp;

The items are being provisioned as part of the $6.2 billion in presidential drawdown authority restored in June following a reevaluation of the total value of items already committed to Ukraine. &nbsp;

The latest round of assistance marks the 44th drawdown of equipment from DOD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021.&nbsp;

The package underscores the United States' continued commitment to providing Ukraine with the capabilities it needs to defend its territory.

"Russia started this war and could end it at any time by withdrawing its forces from Ukraine and stopping its brutal attacks," Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said today in a statement. "Until it does, the United States and our allies and partners will stand united with Ukraine for as long as it takes."

The Biden administration has committed more than $43 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of Russia's invasion in February 2022.&nbsp;

That assistance has included more than 2,000 Stinger anti-aircraft systems, more than 10,000 Javelin anti-armor systems, and more than 2 million 155-mm artillery rounds, among other items.&nbsp;

The assistance has been provisioned through drawdowns of existing U.S. stocks and through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, the authority under which the U.S. procures capabilities from industry and partners.&nbsp;

In response to the effort to assist Ukraine, the U.S. has ramped up production of key artillery rounds used most by Ukraine in support of its counteroffensive operations and in defending its territory against the invading Russian forces.&nbsp;

Douglas R. Bush, assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology, said last week that the U.S. is currently producing new artillery rounds at a rate of 24,000 per month and is on track to produce in excess of 80,000 rounds per month over the following year.

He said the DOD remains committed to arming Ukraine as the country defends itself against Russia's unprovoked invasion while at the same time maintaining U.S. military readiness.&nbsp;

"The U.S. Army is committed to and will succeed at maintaining our stocks sufficient for training and readiness of the U.S. Army, while also supporting our ally, Ukraine, with what they need, working as part of an international team to make sure that happens," Bush said.&nbsp;

He added that, throughout the war, U.S. equipment has remained highly effective in combat.&nbsp;

"That's the result of decades of work by thousands of people to make sure our equipment is tested well and also that our industry partners produce it, critically, at a high level of quality," Bush said. "Lots of countries can produce. The United States produces the best in terms of quality. I think we are seeing that, and I think that speaks well of our industry partners."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692046689525.png" alt="Weapons bound for Ukraine are loaded onto a C-17 Globemaster III during a security assistance mission at Dover Air Force Base, Del., Aug. 19, 2022.&nbsp;Photo By:Air Force Senior Airman Cydney Lee" />
 <figcaption>Weapons bound for Ukraine are loaded onto a C-17 Globemaster III during a security assistance mission at Dover Air Force Base, Del., Aug. 19, 2022.&nbsp;Photo By:Air Force Senior Airman Cydney Lee</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON —The Defense Department&nbsp;<a href="https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3491937/biden-administration-announces-additional-security-assistance-for-ukraine/">announced an additional security assistance package</a>&nbsp;valued at up to $200 million to help Ukraine counter Russia's ongoing war of aggression, according to a media release from the agency.The package includes critical munitions for U.S.-provided Patriot air defense systems and High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, among other items.&nbsp;The items are being provisioned as part of the $6.2 billion in presidential drawdown authority restored in June following a reevaluation of the total value of items already committed to Ukraine. &nbsp;The latest round of assistance marks the 44th drawdown of equipment from DOD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021.&nbsp;The package underscores the United States' continued commitment to providing Ukraine with the capabilities it needs to defend its territory."Russia started this war and could end it at any time by withdrawing its forces from Ukraine and stopping its brutal attacks," Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said today in a statement. "Until it does, the United States and our allies and partners will stand united with Ukraine for as long as it takes."The Biden administration has committed more than $43 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since the beginning of Russia's invasion in February 2022.&nbsp;That assistance has included more than 2,000 Stinger anti-aircraft systems, more than 10,000 Javelin anti-armor systems, and more than 2 million 155-mm artillery rounds, among other items.&nbsp;The assistance has been provisioned through drawdowns of existing U.S. stocks and through the Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative, the authority under which the U.S. procures capabilities from industry and partners.&nbsp;In response to the effort to assist Ukraine, the U.S. has ramped up production of key artillery rounds used most by Ukraine in support of its counteroffensive operations and in defending its territory against the invading Russian forces.&nbsp;Douglas R. Bush, assistant secretary of the Army for acquisition, logistics and technology, said last week that the U.S. is currently producing new artillery rounds at a rate of 24,000 per month and is on track to produce in excess of 80,000 rounds per month over the following year.He said the DOD remains committed to arming Ukraine as the country defends itself against Russia's unprovoked invasion while at the same time maintaining U.S. military readiness.&nbsp;"The U.S. Army is committed to and will succeed at maintaining our stocks sufficient for training and readiness of the U.S. Army, while also supporting our ally, Ukraine, with what they need, working as part of an international team to make sure that happens," Bush said.&nbsp;He added that, throughout the war, U.S. equipment has remained highly effective in combat.&nbsp;"That's the result of decades of work by thousands of people to make sure our equipment is tested well and also that our industry partners produce it, critically, at a high level of quality," Bush said. "Lots of countries can produce. The United States produces the best in terms of quality. I think we are seeing that, and I think that speaks well of our industry partners."

$43 Billion: U.S. sending Ukraine more military assistance 

RENO COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a break-in at a rural home in Reno County.

The man seen in a security video entered into an abandoned residence located in the rural southwestern portion of Reno County, according to a social media report from the sheriff's office.

It is apparent the subject was aware of the cameras in the home as he provided a couple one-fingered salutes to them. 

It's unknown what the person was looking for as this house had a recent foreclosure which resulted in an auction. So not much bang for his buck considering the steps he took in breaking in with his backpack and ready-to-steal-something bandana disguise

If you have info about the suspect, please contact the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RenoCountySheriff?__cft__[0]=AZWOPZSYy_WRn06nYnUas027hejJwbrDhFepmh6fcNaEgzfMqwj3Nfi-PpP-6oBokJrx1YsKsbRiZyhopdUyq3st-kNFHKjH1x6crMhGn8hiH2izaBDsNPXvhFrvqKXCUEAJmrhN3Y9WKiQZUYC075Op7UYIKaMFEm4If_Q16wCFoii5ppX3BmHdjpqe4ZSXC14&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Reno County Sheriff's Office</a> at 620-694-2735 If you prefer to remain anonymous you could contact Reno County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or 620-694-2666 or <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.p3tips.com%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR1dUTDqbWyIVIIiglrpyZJ6irX1MffehfKwbQ88JmAaHpocxVZOypKp4Rc&amp;h=AT0VOR59ybEfMTt5eiyHU0qgA6HNjJGH_EtF9WvI1NX9mx0LBPw5S1Pz4LyJTXi9Rr7jKaneZ3CXzrdRgM9viVMGsecSAVU0Qn0PJSYg3d-gaWv3k-kGjTrk884nNVQpMBInFwA&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT1xG4AZEoKVVFG7WP-lea1R29XH21ggycQ3j_yfl_Tlrd-o4XtKVe0760mM9Dl2x_v1kx-ER7qUPy6S0UJdZtlvcBd8LnkSjRkj4UiZllO7AHt0SkQETOFd1QucsKDIOG0X8fz9Up2Ep-bqX8hMQfv4Fhfkm3baBGCjcXNqMnZfvSg8QF0KJDy-8LGea74e3crnU81PLUuqSMWtmjkmi5mA" target="_blank">www.p3tips.com.</a> If your tip results in identifying the person, you could be eligible for a cash payout.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692096750956.png" alt="Image Reno Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Image Reno Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a break-in at a rural home in Reno County.The man seen in a security video entered into an abandoned residence located in the rural southwestern portion of Reno County, according to a social media report from the sheriff's office.It is apparent the subject was aware of the cameras in the home as he provided a couple one-fingered salutes to them. It's unknown what the person was looking for as this house had a recent foreclosure which resulted in an auction. So not much bang for his buck considering the steps he took in breaking in with his backpack and ready-to-steal-something bandana disguiseIf you have info about the suspect, please contact the <a href="https://www.facebook.com/RenoCountySheriff?__cft__[0]=AZWOPZSYy_WRn06nYnUas027hejJwbrDhFepmh6fcNaEgzfMqwj3Nfi-PpP-6oBokJrx1YsKsbRiZyhopdUyq3st-kNFHKjH1x6crMhGn8hiH2izaBDsNPXvhFrvqKXCUEAJmrhN3Y9WKiQZUYC075Op7UYIKaMFEm4If_Q16wCFoii5ppX3BmHdjpqe4ZSXC14&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Reno County Sheriff's Office</a> at 620-694-2735 If you prefer to remain anonymous you could contact Reno County Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or 620-694-2666 or <a href="https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.p3tips.com%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR1dUTDqbWyIVIIiglrpyZJ6irX1MffehfKwbQ88JmAaHpocxVZOypKp4Rc&amp;h=AT0VOR59ybEfMTt5eiyHU0qgA6HNjJGH_EtF9WvI1NX9mx0LBPw5S1Pz4LyJTXi9Rr7jKaneZ3CXzrdRgM9viVMGsecSAVU0Qn0PJSYg3d-gaWv3k-kGjTrk884nNVQpMBInFwA&amp;__tn__=-UK-R&amp;c[0]=AT1xG4AZEoKVVFG7WP-lea1R29XH21ggycQ3j_yfl_Tlrd-o4XtKVe0760mM9Dl2x_v1kx-ER7qUPy6S0UJdZtlvcBd8LnkSjRkj4UiZllO7AHt0SkQETOFd1QucsKDIOG0X8fz9Up2Ep-bqX8hMQfv4Fhfkm3baBGCjcXNqMnZfvSg8QF0KJDy-8LGea74e3crnU81PLUuqSMWtmjkmi5mA" target="_blank">www.p3tips.com.</a> If your tip results in identifying the person, you could be eligible for a cash payout.

Sheriff working to ID suspect who broke into rural Kan. home

KANSAS CITY —Twenty felony counts have been filed against a Kansas City man in connection with sexual attacks and robberies on three women in May and June 2023, according Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker&nbsp;

Dairon Lee Riley, 24, faces&nbsp;five counts of Rape 1st Degree, three counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, three counts of Robbery 1st Degree, two counts of Armed Criminal Action, three counts of Assault 4th Degree, two counts of Kidnapping in the 1st Degree, two counts of Sodomy or Attempted Sodomy 1st Degree.

According to court records, Kansas City police were dispatched on&nbsp;June 17, to the QuikTrip on Westport Road on a reported robbery and made contact with a victim who said she had been sexually assaulted. 

The victim had red marks on her wrist and had met the defendant on a dating app. The victim drove the defendant to a wooded area and he pointed a knife at her and ordered her into the backseat. Then he pointed a gun at her and threatened to kill her. He raped her in the backseat and robbed her of phone, money and other belongings. He tied her wrists with a shoestring.

On May 23, 2023, according to court records, a victim told police at an area hospital that she met the defendant through an escort dating service and they went to 89th Terrace area. He got into her vehicle and punched her when she wouldn't give her phone to him. He climbed on top of her and tied her hands with a phone charging cord. The defendant also took a gun she had in her purse. He also had a knife and a taser. He raped her in the back seat and again outside the vehicle.

&nbsp;On May 17, 2023, according to court records, Kansas City police were dispatched to 89th Street. The third victim reported she met the defendant on a website for adults. He met her and pulled a knife on her. He also took up to $300 cash, her taser, as well as her phone.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691779776292.png" alt="Riley from an earlier arrest in Johnson County" />
 <figcaption>Riley from an earlier arrest in Johnson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Twenty felony counts have been filed against a Kansas City man in connection with sexual attacks and robberies on three women in May and June 2023, according Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker&nbsp;Dairon Lee Riley, 24, faces&nbsp;five counts of Rape 1st Degree, three counts of Unlawful Use of a Weapon, three counts of Robbery 1st Degree, two counts of Armed Criminal Action, three counts of Assault 4th Degree, two counts of Kidnapping in the 1st Degree, two counts of Sodomy or Attempted Sodomy 1st Degree.According to court records, Kansas City police were dispatched on&nbsp;June 17, to the QuikTrip on Westport Road on a reported robbery and made contact with a victim who said she had been sexually assaulted. The victim had red marks on her wrist and had met the defendant on a dating app. The victim drove the defendant to a wooded area and he pointed a knife at her and ordered her into the backseat. Then he pointed a gun at her and threatened to kill her. He raped her in the backseat and robbed her of phone, money and other belongings. He tied her wrists with a shoestring.On May 23, 2023, according to court records, a victim told police at an area hospital that she met the defendant through an escort dating service and they went to 89th Terrace area. He got into her vehicle and punched her when she wouldn't give her phone to him. He climbed on top of her and tied her hands with a phone charging cord. The defendant also took a gun she had in her purse. He also had a knife and a taser. He raped her in the back seat and again outside the vehicle.&nbsp;On May 17, 2023, according to court records, Kansas City police were dispatched to 89th Street. The third victim reported she met the defendant on a website for adults. He met her and pulled a knife on her. He also took up to $300 cash, her taser, as well as her phone.&nbsp;

 Charges filed against KC man involved in assaults, robberies of women

JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities on August 10. conducted a directed enforcement operation with assistance from the Kansas Bureau of Investigations, Kansas Highway Patrol, and the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office, according to Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse.

This enforcement operation targeted individuals with Felony Jackson County District Court Warrants.

During the operation, authorities arrested&nbsp;Katie Lynn Vance, 22, of Havensville,&nbsp; who was wanted for Possession of narcotic or stimulant, possession of drug paraphernalia and a probation violation; Alicia Nicole Cady, 31, of Oskaloosa, on a Pottawatomie County Warrant for drug and weapon charges and Jordan Thomas Monaghan, 28, of Holton, wanted for a Probation Violation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691760494823.png" alt="Monaghan-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Monaghan-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities on August 10. conducted a directed enforcement operation with assistance from the Kansas Bureau of Investigations, Kansas Highway Patrol, and the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office, according to Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse.This enforcement operation targeted individuals with Felony Jackson County District Court Warrants.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691760441572.png" alt="Vance-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Vance-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>During the operation, authorities arrested&nbsp;Katie Lynn Vance, 22, of Havensville,&nbsp; who was wanted for Possession of narcotic or stimulant, possession of drug paraphernalia and a probation violation; Alicia Nicole Cady, 31, of Oskaloosa, on a Pottawatomie County Warrant for drug and weapon charges and Jordan Thomas Monaghan, 28, of Holton, wanted for a Probation Violation.

KBI, KHP help in capture of 3 wanted suspects

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The jury in a Reno County murder case did not return a verdict on that count after deliberating for several days.

According to Reno County District Attorney Thomas Stanton, the case against Sandral Wade&nbsp;went to the jury last Wednesday afternoon. The jury deliberated until Monday morning.

The jury deadlocked on the first three counts including first degree murder of Orlando Gipson, attempted first degree murder of Landre Bowie and aggravated robbery using a deadly weapon, found the defendant not guilty of aggravated robbery - infliction of bodily harm, and guilty of criminal possession of a firearm.

In October 2021, Wade was arrested in connection with an early morning shooting in the 1500 block of West 12th Avenue in Hutchinson. Officers arrived at the scene and found Landre Bowie laying in the street with gunshot wounds to his abdomen. He was transferred to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center for treatment and survived. Officers then located Gipson in the front yard of a nearby residence with a single gunshot wound to his chest. He was taken to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.

Bowie testified during a preliminary hearing that Wade was the person who shot him before he crawled out into the street where police who were in the area assisted him. He also told detectives that he could hear Gibson shouting “don’t shoot me.”

A co-defendant Robert Lagrange testified that he saw Wade shoot the two men. He also said that Wade tried to give him a cell phone which he threw in the trash. The phone belonged to Bowie. Lagrange also said that he helped hide Wade at his house for two days before police found him hiding in a closet. 

Stanton said the counts upon which the jury deadlocked will be retried on a future date. No sentencing date on the firearm count was given in Stanton's email to Hutch Post.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618162821449.jpeg" alt="Wade photo Reno Co." />
 <figcaption>Wade photo Reno Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The jury in a Reno County murder case did not return a verdict on that count after deliberating for several days.According to Reno County District Attorney Thomas Stanton, the case against Sandral Wade&nbsp;went to the jury last Wednesday afternoon. The jury deliberated until Monday morning.The jury deadlocked on the first three counts including first degree murder of Orlando Gipson, attempted first degree murder of Landre Bowie and aggravated robbery using a deadly weapon, found the defendant not guilty of aggravated robbery - infliction of bodily harm, and guilty of criminal possession of a firearm.In October 2021, Wade was arrested in connection with an early morning shooting in the 1500 block of West 12th Avenue in Hutchinson. Officers arrived at the scene and found Landre Bowie laying in the street with gunshot wounds to his abdomen. He was transferred to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center for treatment and survived. Officers then located Gipson in the front yard of a nearby residence with a single gunshot wound to his chest. He was taken to Hutchinson Regional Medical Center where he was pronounced dead.Bowie testified during a preliminary hearing that Wade was the person who shot him before he crawled out into the street where police who were in the area assisted him. He also told detectives that he could hear Gibson shouting “don’t shoot me.”A co-defendant Robert Lagrange testified that he saw Wade shoot the two men. He also said that Wade tried to give him a cell phone which he threw in the trash. The phone belonged to Bowie. Lagrange also said that he helped hide Wade at his house for two days before police found him hiding in a closet. Stanton said the counts upon which the jury deadlocked will be retried on a future date. No sentencing date on the firearm count was given in Stanton's email to Hutch Post.

Jury deadlocked in Kansas murder case

OVERLAND PARK&nbsp;–&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly&nbsp;today&nbsp;welcomed&nbsp;iconic singer-songwriter and early childhood literacy advocate&nbsp;Dolly Parton to Kansas to celebrate the statewide&nbsp;expansion&nbsp;of her Imagination Library program, according to a media release from Kelly's office. The celebration comes after the announcement last month that every child in Kansas is now eligible to participate in the program&nbsp;to&nbsp;receive one free, high-quality, age-appropriate&nbsp;book per month until their fifth birthday. That’s a total of 60 books from birth to age 5! Today, Kansas is one of just 15 states where the program is available statewide, with more coming&nbsp;onboard later this year. “Well Kansas, we did it! I’m so thankful for Governor Kelly, Representative Waymaster and the countless friends and local partners across Kansas who have made this dream come true,”&nbsp;Dolly Parton said.&nbsp;“Let’s celebrate by registering as many children and families as we can to receive the gift of Imagination Library books right to their home each month. Together, we can inspire children across Kansas to love books and reading, and that’s a gift that will last a lifetime.”&nbsp;

This statewide expansion&nbsp;of the Imagination Library&nbsp;was made possible through the additional funding&nbsp;that was&nbsp;included in&nbsp;Governor Kelly’s&nbsp;budget proposal at the start of the 2023 legislative session and&nbsp;was&nbsp;passed by the bipartisan Kansas legislature.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; "I’m honored that Dolly has taken the time to help our state celebrate this exciting milestone of being able to provide the gift of reading for children and families in every part of Kansas,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“I urge all eligible families to take advantage of this program and&nbsp;to&nbsp;sign their children up for the Imagination Library of Kansas.”

This was a closed event to nearly 500 supporters of the program and special guests hosted by the Imagination Library of Kansas.&nbsp;The event&nbsp;featured&nbsp;a&nbsp;sit-down&nbsp;conversation between Dolly Parton and Governor Kelly&nbsp;where&nbsp;Parton&nbsp;also presented the&nbsp;governor with a&nbsp;copy of her book,&nbsp;Coat of Many Colors.&nbsp;Governor Kelly&nbsp;also&nbsp;declared August 14 “Imagination Library of Kansas Day.” The celebration&nbsp;was&nbsp;emceed by Representative Troy Waymaster,&nbsp;whose three children are all enrolled in the Imagination Library Program.&nbsp;The evening concluded with Parton signing “Coat of Many Colors” and “Try.”&nbsp; &nbsp; “All children in Kansas should be able to have the same opportunity that my sons have,”&nbsp;Representative Troy Waymaster said. &nbsp;“All three of our sons participate in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, thank you, Dolly Parton, for providing the gift of reading for all children ages zero to five in the state of Kansas.”

To enroll 0-5 children for free books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, click&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8va3NjaGlsZHJlbnNjYWJpbmV0Lm9yZy9pbWFnaW5hdGlvbmxpYnJhcnkvIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDIzMDgxNC44MTExOTg2MSJ9.VwavJ3SQlX6oIIYEnY0H_h76yzw-sPP07q8VMVwton0/s/1303160919/br/224206871999-l" target="_blank">here</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692049888802.png" alt="This statewide expansion of the Imagination Library was made possible through the additional funding that was included in Governor Kelly’s budget proposal at the start of the 2023 legislative session and was passed by the bipartisan Kansas legislature. -courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>This statewide expansion of the Imagination Library was made possible through the additional funding that was included in Governor Kelly’s budget proposal at the start of the 2023 legislative session and was passed by the bipartisan Kansas legislature. -courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>OVERLAND PARK&nbsp;–&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly&nbsp;today&nbsp;welcomed&nbsp;iconic singer-songwriter and early childhood literacy advocate&nbsp;Dolly Parton to Kansas to celebrate the statewide&nbsp;expansion&nbsp;of her Imagination Library program, according to a media release from Kelly's office. The celebration comes after the announcement last month that every child in Kansas is now eligible to participate in the program&nbsp;to&nbsp;receive one free, high-quality, age-appropriate&nbsp;book per month until their fifth birthday. That’s a total of 60 books from birth to age 5! Today, Kansas is one of just 15 states where the program is available statewide, with more coming&nbsp;onboard later this year. “Well Kansas, we did it! I’m so thankful for Governor Kelly, Representative Waymaster and the countless friends and local partners across Kansas who have made this dream come true,”&nbsp;Dolly Parton said.&nbsp;“Let’s celebrate by registering as many children and families as we can to receive the gift of Imagination Library books right to their home each month. Together, we can inspire children across Kansas to love books and reading, and that’s a gift that will last a lifetime.”&nbsp; This statewide expansion&nbsp;of the Imagination Library&nbsp;was made possible through the additional funding&nbsp;that was&nbsp;included in&nbsp;Governor Kelly’s&nbsp;budget proposal at the start of the 2023 legislative session and&nbsp;was&nbsp;passed by the bipartisan Kansas legislature.&nbsp;&nbsp; &nbsp; "I’m honored that Dolly has taken the time to help our state celebrate this exciting milestone of being able to provide the gift of reading for children and families in every part of Kansas,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“I urge all eligible families to take advantage of this program and&nbsp;to&nbsp;sign their children up for the Imagination Library of Kansas.” This was a closed event to nearly 500 supporters of the program and special guests hosted by the Imagination Library of Kansas.&nbsp;The event&nbsp;featured&nbsp;a&nbsp;sit-down&nbsp;conversation between Dolly Parton and Governor Kelly&nbsp;where&nbsp;Parton&nbsp;also presented the&nbsp;governor with a&nbsp;copy of her book,&nbsp;Coat of Many Colors.&nbsp;Governor Kelly&nbsp;also&nbsp;declared August 14 “Imagination Library of Kansas Day.” The celebration&nbsp;was&nbsp;emceed by Representative Troy Waymaster,&nbsp;whose three children are all enrolled in the Imagination Library Program.&nbsp;The evening concluded with Parton signing “Coat of Many Colors” and “Try.”&nbsp; &nbsp; “All children in Kansas should be able to have the same opportunity that my sons have,”&nbsp;Representative Troy Waymaster said. &nbsp;“All three of our sons participate in the Dolly Parton Imagination Library, thank you, Dolly Parton, for providing the gift of reading for all children ages zero to five in the state of Kansas.”To enroll 0-5 children for free books from Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, click&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8va3NjaGlsZHJlbnNjYWJpbmV0Lm9yZy9pbWFnaW5hdGlvbmxpYnJhcnkvIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDIzMDgxNC44MTExOTg2MSJ9.VwavJ3SQlX6oIIYEnY0H_h76yzw-sPP07q8VMVwton0/s/1303160919/br/224206871999-l" target="_blank">here</a>.

Gov. welcomes Dolly Parton to Kan. for the Imagination Library celebration

LAHAINA, Hawaii  (AP) —The U.S. National Guard, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Coast Guard are assisting with recovery efforts in the communities reeling from fires in Maui, Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said on Monday.

However, no active duty forced are involved yet, Ryder said. That raises questions as to why not — Hawaii is home to tens of thousands of active duty military personnel, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and major Navy and Air Force installations, with ships and aircraft that could assist in flying in supplies or personnel.

Ryder said those forces are ready to provide whatever support is requested by Hawaii, but that rushing in resources too quickly could create additional logistics problems for rescue operations on the ground.

The multi-agency fire response&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-lahaina-wildfire-warnings-sirens-chaos-f4bb9bb77c093ac8ff16440b54ade4a6">has already been stymied</a>&nbsp;by logistical issues and communication challenges, particularly during evacuations when sirens failed to sound and roadblocks hindered residents leaving.

“Indo-Pacom is on a hair trigger to be able to support as necessary,” Ryder said. “Everyone fully understands the pain that people are experiencing right now. We want to do everything we can help. But we also don’t want to contribute to the problem by sending unnecessary capabilities that then will hinder any type of emergency response.”

So far 250 Hawaii Army National Guard and Air National Guard members are assisting recovery operations, Army National Guard helicopters have dropped more than 189,000 gallons of water on the wildfires, the Army Corps of Engineers have sent debris removal teams and power experts and the Army Reserve has provided space to collect and distribute supplies, Ryder said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692046987598.png" alt="Hawaii Guard Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear &amp; high-yield Explosive Enhanced Response Force Package members assist search &amp; recovery efforts.-image Dept. of Defense" />
 <figcaption>Hawaii Guard Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear &amp; high-yield Explosive Enhanced Response Force Package members assist search &amp; recovery efforts.-image Dept. of Defense</figcaption>
 </figure>LAHAINA, Hawaii (AP) —The U.S. National Guard, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and U.S. Coast Guard are assisting with recovery efforts in the communities reeling from fires in Maui, Pentagon spokesman Brig. Gen. Pat Ryder said on Monday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Lahaina?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Lahaina</a> residents are receiving help from volunteers and the Na Aikane ‘O Maui Cultural Center. Essential supplies — food, water, clothing &amp; basic medicine — have been distributed to 1,000+ survivors, with efforts continuing. Response &amp; recovery efforts: <a href="https://t.co/2b9mAIFLm1">https://t.co/2b9mAIFLm1</a> <a href="https://t.co/5H5AND9qSE">pic.twitter.com/5H5AND9qSE</a>&mdash; FEMA (@fema) <a href="https://twitter.com/fema/status/1690830336224096257?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>However, no active duty forced are involved yet, Ryder said. That raises questions as to why not — Hawaii is home to tens of thousands of active duty military personnel, U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and major Navy and Air Force installations, with ships and aircraft that could assist in flying in supplies or personnel.Ryder said those forces are ready to provide whatever support is requested by Hawaii, but that rushing in resources too quickly could create additional logistics problems for rescue operations on the ground.The multi-agency fire response&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-lahaina-wildfire-warnings-sirens-chaos-f4bb9bb77c093ac8ff16440b54ade4a6">has already been stymied</a>&nbsp;by logistical issues and communication challenges, particularly during evacuations when sirens failed to sound and roadblocks hindered residents leaving.“Indo-Pacom is on a hair trigger to be able to support as necessary,” Ryder said. “Everyone fully understands the pain that people are experiencing right now. We want to do everything we can help. But we also don’t want to contribute to the problem by sending unnecessary capabilities that then will hinder any type of emergency response.”So far 250 Hawaii Army National Guard and Air National Guard members are assisting recovery operations, Army National Guard helicopters have dropped more than 189,000 gallons of water on the wildfires, the Army Corps of Engineers have sent debris removal teams and power experts and the Army Reserve has provided space to collect and distribute supplies, Ryder said.

Pentagon: Active duty forces yet to be deployed on Maui

GLEN ALLEN, Mo. (AP) — A drenching storm dropped several inches of rain in a short time Monday morning in an area of southeastern Missouri, shutting down roads and prompting several water rescues.

Unconfirmed reports of up to 8 inches of rain fell in Bollinger County, a rural area about 120 miles (193 kilometers) southwest of St. Louis. No injuries or deaths were reported, but campers had to be rescued when water inundated two campgrounds.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol said rescue crews with boats were going door-to-door in the hardest hit areas. High water also closed roads in several counties, including sections of U.S. 67.

The Bollinger County Sheriff's Office said rescuers were focused on the area in and around the tiny village of Glen Allen, trying to get people to higher ground. The First Baptist Family Life Center in neighboring Marble Hill was set up as a shelter for those flooded out of their homes.

Portions of southwestern Missouri also saw more than 3 inches of rain as strong storms swept across the state Sunday and early Monday.

GLEN ALLEN, Mo. (AP) — A drenching storm dropped several inches of rain in a short time Monday morning in an area of southeastern Missouri, shutting down roads and prompting several water rescues.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The Patrol teamed up with Bollinger County Sheriff&#39;s Office, Jackson/Cape Girardeau/Sikeston Homeland Security Response Team, and other local agencies to assist with flash flooding overnight. Fortunately, everyone in the the Glenallen/Castor River area has been accounted for! <a href="https://t.co/nHkJ1Al0Rn">pic.twitter.com/nHkJ1Al0Rn</a>&mdash; MSHP Troop E (@MSHPTrooperE) <a href="https://twitter.com/MSHPTrooperE/status/1691188036338331650?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 14, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Unconfirmed reports of up to 8 inches of rain fell in Bollinger County, a rural area about 120 miles (193 kilometers) southwest of St. Louis. No injuries or deaths were reported, but campers had to be rescued when water inundated two campgrounds.The Missouri State Highway Patrol said rescue crews with boats were going door-to-door in the hardest hit areas. High water also closed roads in several counties, including sections of U.S. 67.The Bollinger County Sheriff's Office said rescuers were focused on the area in and around the tiny village of Glen Allen, trying to get people to higher ground. The First Baptist Family Life Center in neighboring Marble Hill was set up as a shelter for those flooded out of their homes.Portions of southwestern Missouri also saw more than 3 inches of rain as strong storms swept across the state Sunday and early Monday.

Water rescues, campground evacuations after floods in SE Missouri

By CASEY QUINLAN <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/19/rural-hospitals-gird-for-unwinding-of-pandemic-medicaid-coverage/">States Newsroom</a>

Consumers are getting some relief from higher prices as core inflation, which excludes food and energy, continues to show signs of cooling — an encouraging sign for the U.S. economy, according to economists.

The Department of Labor’s report on Thursday showed the consumer price index rose&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm#cpi_pressa.f.1">0.2%</a>&nbsp;in July, in line with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-08-05/world-economy-latest-us-inflation-may-reassure-fed">expectations</a>, and 3.2% in the past year compared to 3% in June. Despite that slight uptick, economists say that it’s still good news for the economy overall and for consumers.

This is the second month core inflation has reached pre-pandemic levels, according to an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/mtkonczal/status/1689622719367716864">analysis</a>&nbsp;of Department of Labor data by the Roosevelt Institute.

“We now have two straight months of low, honestly, quite normal levels of inflation,” Kitty Richards, acting executive director of the progressive think tank Groundwork Collaborative, told States Newsroom. “That’s a huge drop from last summer’s peak. And that is something that we should be celebrating, especially given that it has happened in the context of growing real wages and a job market that is still really delivering for American workers. I’m really glad to see that in the inflation report.”

Food prices increased 0.2% from June to July and 4.9% from July 2022. However, egg prices, which families have been complaining about at the checkout line, are falling. Milk prices have also continued to decline. Frozen fish and other seafood prices also fell in July after increasing a bit in June.

David Ortega, a food economist who is an associate professor at Michigan State University, said food price inflation is starting to moderate.

“A 3.6% increase in grocery prices is a welcome relief from what we saw last year. We were talking about double-digit increases, year-over-year for grocery prices,” he said. “They peaked in August [of 2022]. There’s signs that things are moderating and, and they’re definitely improving.”

But it’s still important to consider that these changes, while promising, are not necessarily affecting the average American’s experience of prices at the supermarket in a big way, he cautioned.

“If you talk to consumers, people are like, ‘Things are still expensive at the grocery store.’ And that’s correct because inflation is the rate of increase in prices over a period of time,” he said. “Just because the rate of increase starts to come down, it doesn’t mean that prices are coming down or that things are necessarily getting cheaper. It just means that they’re not increasing in price as quickly.”

Some factors still adding inflationary pressures include climate change and Russia’s war in Ukraine, Ortega said.

“We’ve seen some of those factors start to improve and in some cases, not really be much of a problem like in the case of bird flu for egg prices. But we still have some factors at play that are still adding inflationary pressures ….,” he said. “That’s why inflation has been very persistent. And there’s also a demand story that we’ve seen, especially in the data that we have for last year, that consumer spending on food has been pretty strong.”

Thursday’s inflation numbers have implications for the Federal Reserve’s efforts to bring inflation down to its 2% target. In July, the Fed raised interest rates by 0.25% to the highest it has been in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/interest-rate-hike-july-2023-how-much-higher-federal-reserve-rcna96210#:~:text=Federal%20Reserve%20raises%20interest%20rates%20by%200.25%25&amp;text=The%20Federal%20Reserve%20announced%20Wednesday,inflation%20in%20the%20U.S.%20economy.">22 years</a>.

Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said in a July press conference that the Fed was waiting to see whether the June CPI report, as well as other economic data, was a blip before deciding to pause the raising of interest rates. Fed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/files/fomcminutes20230614.pdf">meeting details</a>&nbsp;show that officials wanted to see how interest rate hikes, as well as the spring bank collapses, were affecting the economy before making another policy decision.

Powell said the Fed would be watching this CPI report and the following one to see if there is a trend in the moderation of inflation as it considers its next decision.

“Between now and the September meeting, we get two more job reports, two more CPI reports,,” he said. “… All that data I recited we will be looking at all that and making that assessment then. Really, we did have that one good reading but it is just one reading as everybody knows and we’ve seen this borne in the data. Many forecasts call for inflation to remain low but we just don’t know until we see it in the data.”

Shelter also continues to have a significant effect on inflation. It made up 90% of the increase this month according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. But there is additional context to consider for shelter data since it is a lagging indicator, Richards said.

“Affordability of housing is a huge concern for Americans. … The data is really telling us shelter costs in the CPI lag by up to a year and market data, which is much more current, shows that housing costs have cooled dramatically since last summer,” she said. “… What that means is that inflation right now is actually lower than the CPI headline number.”

Richards said that because prices for all items without shelter is only 1% for the past 12 months, the Fed may take that data into consideration in September when it makes its next call on interest rates.

“That’s good news. But we also need to start to ask whether the Fed continuing to pursue a 2% CPI inflation target aggressively has a real risk of overshooting.”

There’s only so much effect the Fed can have on demand for food, however, Ortega said.

“The raising of interest rates has little effect on demand for food, especially at the grocery store because food is a necessity. … That may make it more difficult for people to go out and eat at restaurants or maybe not splurge as much when they go to the grocery store. But that is not going to have that significant of an effect on the overall prices and, and what we’re seeing with overall inflation.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/1/1642689710083.jpeg" alt="Food prices overall increased a tad in July over the previous month, but seafood, eggs and milk prices all declined, according to the Department of Labor’s consumer price index. Photo by Cole Rife" />
 <figcaption>Food prices overall increased a tad in July over the previous month, but seafood, eggs and milk prices all declined, according to the Department of Labor’s consumer price index. Photo by Cole Rife</figcaption>
 </figure>By CASEY QUINLAN <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/02/19/rural-hospitals-gird-for-unwinding-of-pandemic-medicaid-coverage/">States Newsroom</a>Consumers are getting some relief from higher prices as core inflation, which excludes food and energy, continues to show signs of cooling — an encouraging sign for the U.S. economy, according to economists.The Department of Labor’s report on Thursday showed the consumer price index rose&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm#cpi_pressa.f.1">0.2%</a>&nbsp;in July, in line with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-08-05/world-economy-latest-us-inflation-may-reassure-fed">expectations</a>, and 3.2% in the past year compared to 3% in June. Despite that slight uptick, economists say that it’s still good news for the economy overall and for consumers.This is the second month core inflation has reached pre-pandemic levels, according to an&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://twitter.com/mtkonczal/status/1689622719367716864">analysis</a>&nbsp;of Department of Labor data by the Roosevelt Institute.“We now have two straight months of low, honestly, quite normal levels of inflation,” Kitty Richards, acting executive director of the progressive think tank Groundwork Collaborative, told States Newsroom. “That’s a huge drop from last summer’s peak. And that is something that we should be celebrating, especially given that it has happened in the context of growing real wages and a job market that is still really delivering for American workers. I’m really glad to see that in the inflation report.”Food prices increased 0.2% from June to July and 4.9% from July 2022. However, egg prices, which families have been complaining about at the checkout line, are falling. Milk prices have also continued to decline. Frozen fish and other seafood prices also fell in July after increasing a bit in June.David Ortega, a food economist who is an associate professor at Michigan State University, said food price inflation is starting to moderate.“A 3.6% increase in grocery prices is a welcome relief from what we saw last year. We were talking about double-digit increases, year-over-year for grocery prices,” he said. “They peaked in August [of 2022]. There’s signs that things are moderating and, and they’re definitely improving.”But it’s still important to consider that these changes, while promising, are not necessarily affecting the average American’s experience of prices at the supermarket in a big way, he cautioned.“If you talk to consumers, people are like, ‘Things are still expensive at the grocery store.’ And that’s correct because inflation is the rate of increase in prices over a period of time,” he said. “Just because the rate of increase starts to come down, it doesn’t mean that prices are coming down or that things are necessarily getting cheaper. It just means that they’re not increasing in price as quickly.”Some factors still adding inflationary pressures include climate change and Russia’s war in Ukraine, Ortega said.“We’ve seen some of those factors start to improve and in some cases, not really be much of a problem like in the case of bird flu for egg prices. But we still have some factors at play that are still adding inflationary pressures ….,” he said. “That’s why inflation has been very persistent. And there’s also a demand story that we’ve seen, especially in the data that we have for last year, that consumer spending on food has been pretty strong.”<h2>Housing costs lagging</h2>Thursday’s inflation numbers have implications for the Federal Reserve’s efforts to bring inflation down to its 2% target. In July, the Fed raised interest rates by 0.25% to the highest it has been in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/business/economy/interest-rate-hike-july-2023-how-much-higher-federal-reserve-rcna96210#:~:text=Federal%20Reserve%20raises%20interest%20rates%20by%200.25%25&amp;text=The%20Federal%20Reserve%20announced%20Wednesday,inflation%20in%20the%20U.S.%20economy.">22 years</a>.Fed Chairman Jerome Powell said in a July press conference that the Fed was waiting to see whether the June CPI report, as well as other economic data, was a blip before deciding to pause the raising of interest rates. Fed&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.federalreserve.gov/monetarypolicy/files/fomcminutes20230614.pdf">meeting details</a>&nbsp;show that officials wanted to see how interest rate hikes, as well as the spring bank collapses, were affecting the economy before making another policy decision.Powell said the Fed would be watching this CPI report and the following one to see if there is a trend in the moderation of inflation as it considers its next decision.“Between now and the September meeting, we get two more job reports, two more CPI reports,,” he said. “… All that data I recited we will be looking at all that and making that assessment then. Really, we did have that one good reading but it is just one reading as everybody knows and we’ve seen this borne in the data. Many forecasts call for inflation to remain low but we just don’t know until we see it in the data.”Shelter also continues to have a significant effect on inflation. It made up 90% of the increase this month according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. But there is additional context to consider for shelter data since it is a lagging indicator, Richards said.“Affordability of housing is a huge concern for Americans. … The data is really telling us shelter costs in the CPI lag by up to a year and market data, which is much more current, shows that housing costs have cooled dramatically since last summer,” she said. “… What that means is that inflation right now is actually lower than the CPI headline number.”Richards said that because prices for all items without shelter is only 1% for the past 12 months, the Fed may take that data into consideration in September when it makes its next call on interest rates.“That’s good news. But we also need to start to ask whether the Fed continuing to pursue a 2% CPI inflation target aggressively has a real risk of overshooting.”There’s only so much effect the Fed can have on demand for food, however, Ortega said.“The raising of interest rates has little effect on demand for food, especially at the grocery store because food is a necessity. … That may make it more difficult for people to go out and eat at restaurants or maybe not splurge as much when they go to the grocery store. But that is not going to have that significant of an effect on the overall prices and, and what we’re seeing with overall inflation.”

Consumers seeing relief in some food prices as inflation continues to slow

BY:&nbsp;SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Marion police on Saturday defended&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/08/11/police-stage-chilling-raid-on-marion-county-newspaper-seizing-computers-records-and-cellphones/">their unprecedented raid</a>&nbsp;on a newspaper office and the publisher’s home by pointing to a loophole in federal law that protects journalists from searches and seizures.

Law enforcement raided the Marion County Record on Friday, seizing computers and reporters’ personal cellphones as part of an investigation into alleged identity theft of a restaurant operator who feuded with the newspaper. Officers also raided the home of publisher Eric Meyer, who lived with his 98-year-old mother, Joan.

The newspaper&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://marionrecord.com/direct/updated_illegal_raids_contribute_to_death_of_newspaper_co_owner+5447raid+555044415445443a20496c6c6567616c20726169647320636f6e7472696275746520746f20646">reported Saturday</a>&nbsp;that Joan Meyer, “stressed beyond her limits and overwhelmed by hours of shock and grief,” had collapsed and died.

The newspaper said it was planning to file a federal lawsuit. Free press attorneys and advocacy groups rejected the police explanation for the raid.

“It appears like the police department is trying to criminalize protected speech in an attempt to sidestep federal law,” said Jared McClain, an attorney for the Institute for Justice, a libertarian law firm.

“The First Amendment ensures that publications like the Marion County Record can investigate public officials without fear of reprisal,” McClain said. “It chills the important function of journalism when police raid a newsroom, storm the homes of reporters, seize their property and gain access to their confidential sources. That’s precisely why we must hold accountable officers who retaliate against people who exercise their First Amendment rights.”

The Marion Police Department, in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/marionpoliceks/posts/pfbid0cch8ULTSu9wrKHhZMFmQLMRPGFTUBttBbdiEJQojNmTBukgZEnPdMa2EsZ8FY9RVl?__cft__[0]=AZX8KQtdyxyK25PkQFMyqtUdGlrEXPI8sjUQJ4IE1xyKPG9Y5_Tk1EnI-dnG2On-R7AT9y5ynGEo5MJNPQ-aQXyOBRNHC9lxFVVrUWpCHHJVO5F52LmSZDZtSvd0cBmKEgU2vEU1zU5c3KbRm4EIz-KRCsTivdfCykc1C98mAssiHOCTKvJMglB2I0gBVF9ncPR7oc0gJWkgAdR019GHCGSv&amp;__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R">statement posted Saturday</a>&nbsp;on the department’s Facebook page, acknowledged that the federal Privacy Protection Act protects journalists from searches. However, the department argued, the law doesn’t apply when journalists are suspected of criminal activity.

“The victim asks that we do all the law allows to ensure justice is served,” the statement said.

The alleged victim is Kari Newell, who owns a restaurant in Marion and was trying to obtain a liquor license.

Newell declined to answer questions for this story but pointed to a statement she issued Saturday on her personal Facebook page. She said someone had used a piece of mail addressed to her from the Kansas Department of Revenue to obtain her driver’s license number and date of birth. That information was then used to find her driver’s license history through&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kdor.ks.gov/Apps/DLStatus/login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fapps%2fdlstatus%2fsecure%2fdefault.aspx">KDOR’s website</a>.

Eric Meyer, the newspaper publisher, said a confidential source had provided documentation that Newell had been convicted of drunken driving in 2008 and had driven without a license. A reporter used the KDOR website to verify that the information was accurate, but the newspaper decided not to publish a story about the information.

Instead, Eric Meyer said, he notified local police of the situation. Marion police, in coordination with state authorities, launched an investigation and alerted Newell. They obtained a search warrant, signed by Magistrate Judge Laura Viar, for evidence of identity theft and criminal use of a computer.

“Basically,” Eric Meyer said, “all the law enforcement officers on duty in Marion County, Kansas, descended on our offices today and seized our server and computers and personal cellphones of staff members all because of a story we didn’t publish.”

Newell, in her Facebook statement, said the newspaper has a “reputation of contortion,” and that “media is not exempt from the laws they blast others for not following.”

“The victim shaming culture is sad and an injustice,” Newell wrote. “I have received false reviews, nasty hateful messages and comments and borderline threats. The sheer amount of defamation and slander is overwhelming.”

News of Friday’s raid attracted national attention and elicited condemnation from free speech organizations.

Shannon Jankowski, PEN America’s journalism and disinformation program director, said law enforcement should be held accountable for violations of the newspaper’s legal rights.

“Journalists rely on confidential sources to report on matters of vital public concern,” Jankowski said. “Law enforcement’s sweeping raid on the Marion County Record and confiscation of its equipment almost certainly violates federal law and puts the paper’s very ability to publish the news in jeopardy. Such egregious attempts to interfere with news reporting cannot go unchecked in a democracy.”

Max Kautsch, president of the Kansas Coalition for Open Government, said if there were evidence to justify an exemption to federal law protecting journalists from searches, it would be identified in the affidavit that supports the search warrant.

Kansas Reflector on Friday petitioned Marion County District Court for a copy of the affidavit. The court has 10 days to provide the document or deny the request.

“There is no reason for that information to be withheld,” Kautsch said. “Once the public has an opportunity to look at the search warrant application, it can decide for itself whether the search was justified, rather than take the word of the agency that executed the search.”

National Press Club president Eileen O’Reilly and Gil Klein, president of the organization’s Journalism Institute, said in a joint statement they were “shocked and outraged by this brazen violation of press freedom.”

“A law enforcement raid of a newspaper office is deeply upsetting anywhere in the world,” they said. “It is especially concerning in the United States, where we have strong and well-established legal protections guaranteeing the freedom of the press.”

The Marion County Record on Saturday said Joan Meyer, the publisher’s mother and co-owner of the paper, had not been able to eat or sleep after officers arrived at her house.

“She tearfully watched during the raid as police not only carted away her computer and a router used by an Alexa smart speaker but also dug through her son Eric’s personal bank and investments statements to photograph them,” the newspaper reported.

Before the raid, the report said, Joan Meyer had been “in good health for her age.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692029185055.png" alt="Police raided the Marion County Record office Aug. 11, 2023, with a search warrant that free press attorneys and advocates say violated federal law. (Sam Bailey/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Police raided the Marion County Record office Aug. 11, 2023, with a search warrant that free press attorneys and advocates say violated federal law. (Sam Bailey/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Marion police on Saturday defended&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/08/11/police-stage-chilling-raid-on-marion-county-newspaper-seizing-computers-records-and-cellphones/">their unprecedented raid</a>&nbsp;on a newspaper office and the publisher’s home by pointing to a loophole in federal law that protects journalists from searches and seizures.Law enforcement raided the Marion County Record on Friday, seizing computers and reporters’ personal cellphones as part of an investigation into alleged identity theft of a restaurant operator who feuded with the newspaper. Officers also raided the home of publisher Eric Meyer, who lived with his 98-year-old mother, Joan.The newspaper&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://marionrecord.com/direct/updated_illegal_raids_contribute_to_death_of_newspaper_co_owner+5447raid+555044415445443a20496c6c6567616c20726169647320636f6e7472696275746520746f20646">reported Saturday</a>&nbsp;that Joan Meyer, “stressed beyond her limits and overwhelmed by hours of shock and grief,” had collapsed and died.The newspaper said it was planning to file a federal lawsuit. Free press attorneys and advocacy groups rejected the police explanation for the raid.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692029232791.png" alt=" Eric Meyer, owner and publisher of the Marion County Record, speaks on on the phone with news media in his office Aug. 11, 2023 (Sam Bailey/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Eric Meyer, owner and publisher of the Marion County Record, speaks on on the phone with news media in his office Aug. 11, 2023 (Sam Bailey/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>“It appears like the police department is trying to criminalize protected speech in an attempt to sidestep federal law,” said Jared McClain, an attorney for the Institute for Justice, a libertarian law firm.“The First Amendment ensures that publications like the Marion County Record can investigate public officials without fear of reprisal,” McClain said. “It chills the important function of journalism when police raid a newsroom, storm the homes of reporters, seize their property and gain access to their confidential sources. That’s precisely why we must hold accountable officers who retaliate against people who exercise their First Amendment rights.”The Marion Police Department, in a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/marionpoliceks/posts/pfbid0cch8ULTSu9wrKHhZMFmQLMRPGFTUBttBbdiEJQojNmTBukgZEnPdMa2EsZ8FY9RVl?__cft__[0]=AZX8KQtdyxyK25PkQFMyqtUdGlrEXPI8sjUQJ4IE1xyKPG9Y5_Tk1EnI-dnG2On-R7AT9y5ynGEo5MJNPQ-aQXyOBRNHC9lxFVVrUWpCHHJVO5F52LmSZDZtSvd0cBmKEgU2vEU1zU5c3KbRm4EIz-KRCsTivdfCykc1C98mAssiHOCTKvJMglB2I0gBVF9ncPR7oc0gJWkgAdR019GHCGSv&amp;__tn__=%2CO%2CP-R">statement posted Saturday</a>&nbsp;on the department’s Facebook page, acknowledged that the federal Privacy Protection Act protects journalists from searches. However, the department argued, the law doesn’t apply when journalists are suspected of criminal activity.“The victim asks that we do all the law allows to ensure justice is served,” the statement said.The alleged victim is Kari Newell, who owns a restaurant in Marion and was trying to obtain a liquor license.Newell declined to answer questions for this story but pointed to a statement she issued Saturday on her personal Facebook page. She said someone had used a piece of mail addressed to her from the Kansas Department of Revenue to obtain her driver’s license number and date of birth. That information was then used to find her driver’s license history through&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kdor.ks.gov/Apps/DLStatus/login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2fapps%2fdlstatus%2fsecure%2fdefault.aspx">KDOR’s website</a>.Eric Meyer, the newspaper publisher, said a confidential source had provided documentation that Newell had been convicted of drunken driving in 2008 and had driven without a license. A reporter used the KDOR website to verify that the information was accurate, but the newspaper decided not to publish a story about the information.Instead, Eric Meyer said, he notified local police of the situation. Marion police, in coordination with state authorities, launched an investigation and alerted Newell. They obtained a search warrant, signed by Magistrate Judge Laura Viar, for evidence of identity theft and criminal use of a computer.“Basically,” Eric Meyer said, “all the law enforcement officers on duty in Marion County, Kansas, descended on our offices today and seized our server and computers and personal cellphones of staff members all because of a story we didn’t publish.”Newell, in her Facebook statement, said the newspaper has a “reputation of contortion,” and that “media is not exempt from the laws they blast others for not following.”“The victim shaming culture is sad and an injustice,” Newell wrote. “I have received false reviews, nasty hateful messages and comments and borderline threats. The sheer amount of defamation and slander is overwhelming.”News of Friday’s raid attracted national attention and elicited condemnation from free speech organizations.Shannon Jankowski, PEN America’s journalism and disinformation program director, said law enforcement should be held accountable for violations of the newspaper’s legal rights.“Journalists rely on confidential sources to report on matters of vital public concern,” Jankowski said. “Law enforcement’s sweeping raid on the Marion County Record and confiscation of its equipment almost certainly violates federal law and puts the paper’s very ability to publish the news in jeopardy. Such egregious attempts to interfere with news reporting cannot go unchecked in a democracy.”Max Kautsch, president of the Kansas Coalition for Open Government, said if there were evidence to justify an exemption to federal law protecting journalists from searches, it would be identified in the affidavit that supports the search warrant.Kansas Reflector on Friday petitioned Marion County District Court for a copy of the affidavit. The court has 10 days to provide the document or deny the request.“There is no reason for that information to be withheld,” Kautsch said. “Once the public has an opportunity to look at the search warrant application, it can decide for itself whether the search was justified, rather than take the word of the agency that executed the search.”National Press Club president Eileen O’Reilly and Gil Klein, president of the organization’s Journalism Institute, said in a joint statement they were “shocked and outraged by this brazen violation of press freedom.”“A law enforcement raid of a newspaper office is deeply upsetting anywhere in the world,” they said. “It is especially concerning in the United States, where we have strong and well-established legal protections guaranteeing the freedom of the press.”The Marion County Record on Saturday said Joan Meyer, the publisher’s mother and co-owner of the paper, had not been able to eat or sleep after officers arrived at her house.“She tearfully watched during the raid as police not only carted away her computer and a router used by an Alexa smart speaker but also dug through her son Eric’s personal bank and investments statements to photograph them,” the newspaper reported.Before the raid, the report said, Joan Meyer had been “in good health for her age.”

Police defend raid on Kan. newspaper amid backlash over ‘brazen violation of press freedom’

RILEY COUNTY&nbsp; —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged sex assault.

On Sunday, police took 40-year-old Brandon Cameron of Manhattan&nbsp; into custody&nbsp; following a report he allegedly broke into a home and committed a sexual assault Saturday night, according to a media release from the Riley County Police Department.

Just before midnight Saturday, the Riley County Communications Center received a 911 call from a 26-year-old woman reporting a burglary in the 1300 block of Flint Hills Place in Manhattan.

Officers discovered a sexual assault had taken place during the burglary. After further investigation and assistance from the victim, Cameron was subsequently identified as the suspect.

At 4:30a.m. Sunday, police located him in the 2700 block of N. Brookglen Circle in Manhattan on requested charges of aggravated burglary and rape. He remains confined in the Riley County Jail with a total bond of $200,000.&nbsp; He has previous convictions for theft and burglary, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

RILEY COUNTY&nbsp; —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged sex assault.On Sunday, police took 40-year-old Brandon Cameron of Manhattan&nbsp; into custody&nbsp; following a report he allegedly broke into a home and committed a sexual assault Saturday night, according to a media release from the Riley County Police Department.Just before midnight Saturday, the Riley County Communications Center received a 911 call from a 26-year-old woman reporting a burglary in the 1300 block of Flint Hills Place in Manhattan.Officers discovered a sexual assault had taken place during the burglary. After further investigation and assistance from the victim, Cameron was subsequently identified as the suspect.At 4:30a.m. Sunday, police located him in the 2700 block of N. Brookglen Circle in Manhattan on requested charges of aggravated burglary and rape. He remains confined in the Riley County Jail with a total bond of $200,000.&nbsp; He has previous convictions for theft and burglary, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Kansas man jailed for alleged home invasion sex assault

JOHNSON COUNTY —The Kansas Highway Patrol is seeking assistance from the public to identify witnesses to a fatal hit-and-run fatal that occurred just before 2:30a.m. Saturday on southbound Interstate 35 just north of the exit to Santa Fe in Johnson County, Kansas.

The collision involved a pedestrian and a maroon Volvo truck tractor, commercial vehicle, hauling a white trailer.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a maroon Volvo semi hauling a white trailer was southbound and struck a pedestrian identified as 27-year-old Maxwell Michael&nbsp;&nbsp;Pozek of Lenexa and didn't stop. 

Pozek was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to&nbsp;Johnson County Medical Examiner's office.&nbsp;

Anyone with information on the crime is asked to contact the KHP.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692022398573.png" alt="Security camera images Kansas Highway Patrol" />
 <figcaption>Security camera images Kansas Highway Patrol</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —The Kansas Highway Patrol is seeking assistance from the public to identify witnesses to a fatal hit-and-run fatal that occurred just before 2:30a.m. Saturday on southbound Interstate 35 just north of the exit to Santa Fe in Johnson County, Kansas.The collision involved a pedestrian and a maroon Volvo truck tractor, commercial vehicle, hauling a white trailer.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a maroon Volvo semi hauling a white trailer was southbound and struck a pedestrian identified as 27-year-old Maxwell Michael&nbsp;&nbsp;Pozek of Lenexa and didn't stop. Pozek was pronounced dead at the scene and transported to&nbsp;Johnson County Medical Examiner's office.&nbsp;Anyone with information on the crime is asked to contact the KHP.

KHP looking for witnesses to fatal hit-and-run

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly stabbing and have made an arrest.

Just after 2:30p.m. Sunday, police to report of stabbing at a residence in the 2500 Block SE Ohio, according to Police Captain Jerry Monasmith.

First responders&nbsp;located&nbsp;Lois Brown, 92, of Topeka, unresponsive with life threatening injuries. Medical personnel pronounced her dead at the scene.&nbsp;

As a result of the investigation, Stephanie Miller, 43 years of age, of Topeka, was transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charge of First-Degree murder, according to Monasmith.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692007893684.png" alt="Miller-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Miller-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly stabbing and have made an arrest.Just after 2:30p.m. Sunday, police to report of stabbing at a residence in the 2500 Block SE Ohio, according to Police Captain Jerry Monasmith.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1692008058271.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation Sunday-photo courtesy WiBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation Sunday-photo courtesy WiBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>First responders&nbsp;located&nbsp;Lois Brown, 92, of Topeka, unresponsive with life threatening injuries. Medical personnel pronounced her dead at the scene.&nbsp;As a result of the investigation, Stephanie Miller, 43 years of age, of Topeka, was transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charge of First-Degree murder, according to Monasmith.

Police investigate deadly stabbing of 92-year-old Kan. woman

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gone was the helicopter, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump" target="_blank">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;over the weekend renewed his reputation for defying norms and creating a mega-celebrity’s spectacle at the Iowa State Fair.

Trump, in fewer than two hours on the steaming fairgrounds in Des Moines, attracted thousands of sweating, chanting supporters to his stops at the Iowa Pork Producers tent, a baby farm animal exhibit and a popular Grand Concourse pub.

All the while, Trump not-so-subtly tried to set himself apart from Florida Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ron-desantis" target="_blank">Ron DeSantis</a>, Trump’s main rival with more than five months until&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-caucuses-2024-new-hampshire-primary-republican-election-ab362c03166a97c50a4db87c3bb494d9" target="_blank">Iowa’s leadoff caucuses</a>&nbsp;and who was on the fairgrounds at the same time.

Just as DeSantis and his family were wrapping up their day at the fair, meeting with Iowa Republican leaders and activists, Trump descended into the huge scrum of backers accompanied by about a dozen Florida U.S. House members, a shot at DeSantis who is making an aggressive pitch to Iowa Republicans.

Trump spoke little to the public in his short time at the fair, except to talk individually to some fairgoers. However, he repeated during remarks to hundreds crammed into the fair favorite “Steer and Stein” the disproven claim that the 2020 election was “rigged,” and that “we got millions and millions more votes.”

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — Gone was the helicopter, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump" target="_blank">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;over the weekend renewed his reputation for defying norms and creating a mega-celebrity’s spectacle at the Iowa State Fair.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">WATCH: (from Saturday) Former President Trump: &quot;We don&#39;t take plea deals because I did nothing wrong. It&#39;s called election interference.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Ch2w7InRnm">pic.twitter.com/Ch2w7InRnm</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1690737890425200640?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 13, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump, in fewer than two hours on the steaming fairgrounds in Des Moines, attracted thousands of sweating, chanting supporters to his stops at the Iowa Pork Producers tent, a baby farm animal exhibit and a popular Grand Concourse pub.All the while, Trump not-so-subtly tried to set himself apart from Florida Gov.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ron-desantis" target="_blank">Ron DeSantis</a>, Trump’s main rival with more than five months until&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/iowa-caucuses-2024-new-hampshire-primary-republican-election-ab362c03166a97c50a4db87c3bb494d9" target="_blank">Iowa’s leadoff caucuses</a>&nbsp;and who was on the fairgrounds at the same time.Just as DeSantis and his family were wrapping up their day at the fair, meeting with Iowa Republican leaders and activists, Trump descended into the huge scrum of backers accompanied by about a dozen Florida U.S. House members, a shot at DeSantis who is making an aggressive pitch to Iowa Republicans.Trump spoke little to the public in his short time at the fair, except to talk individually to some fairgoers. However, he repeated during remarks to hundreds crammed into the fair favorite “Steer and Stein” the disproven claim that the 2020 election was “rigged,” and that “we got millions and millions more votes.”Instead, while most candidates seeking caucus support tout Iowa political endorsements, Trump spent most of his public remarks introducing Florida lawmakers who traveled with him to Iowa. The effort, Trump aides said, demonstrates feelings of those who know DeSantis best, but also clearly stoke outrage among those who feel the former president has been persecuted with the two federal indictments he now faces.“So to all my friends in Iowa when you see them come for this man, know that they are coming for this movement, and they are coming for all of us,” said Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.Before taking his three children to ride bumper cars and the Ferris wheel, DeSantis boasted about the delegation of state lawmakers in Iowa that flanked him when reporters asked about the Florida representatives surrounding Trump.“I think it’s fine to bring folks in from Washington, but I think Iowans really are more concerned about the people in their communities,” he said.DeSantis and other candidates at the fair called out Trump for his criticism of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kim-reynolds" target="_blank">Gov. Kim Reynolds</a>, who has taken a pledge of neutrality and hosted a series of one-on-one conversations that most GOP candidates accepted but Trump declined.“That’s just how he operates, to attack one of the best governors in the country,” DeSantis said. “I think as Republicans we should be thankful and proud to see other Republicans doing well.”Most candidates effused praise on Reynolds throughout their appearances at the fair and enjoyed her company on walks around the fairground or flipping pork burgers.Former Vice President Mike Pence said he was “for Governor Kim Reynolds before it was cool.” Business entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy encouraged fairgoers to give her a round of applause.Trump also sought to soothe tension between him and Reynolds Saturday even though he didn’t appear with her. But in addressing the drama with Reynolds, Trump repeated his claim that he was responsible for her election. Trump campaigned with Reynolds during her 2018 bid, which she won narrowly. She won reelection by a much larger margin in 2022.“I have a very nice relationship with her,” he said. “I got her elected.”For Trump’s team, there was not a trace of concern in the air — given the concentration of supporters, the range of ages and the sea of Make America Great Again hats — about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc" target="_blank">Trump’s indictment this month on federal felony changes he worked to overturn the 2020 election</a>&nbsp;in the run-up to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege" target="_blank">violent riot by his supporters at the U.S. Capitol</a>&nbsp;on Jan. 6, 2021.Stopping briefly to talk to reporters, he declined to say whether he would comply with a protective order by the judge overseeing the election conspiracy case, limiting what the former president can publicly say about evidence in the investigation as he campaigns.“I’ll have to take a look at the order,” Trump said. “The whole thing is a fake — it was put out by Biden, because they can’t win an election the fair way.”Asked later whether he would agree to plead guilty to lesser charges, Trump called the reporter “a wise guy.” “We don’t do plea deals,” he said.In 2015, as the emerging Republican presidential nominee, Trump commanded attention at the fair by offering children rides on his personal helicopter. In suit and tie, the then-TV celebrity and New York real estate executive cut a far different figure than candidates typically in jeans and cowboy boots.In just as brazen style Saturday, Trump’s Boeing 757 circled the fairgrounds ahead of his landing just as DeSantis was manning the grill at the Iowa Pork Producers tent.It was one of several episodes this year in Iowa where Trump has sought to outshine DeSantis while both were in the state. DeSantis trails Trump in national and Iowa polls but is viewed still early in the race as his strongest potential challenger and has recently accelerated his Iowa outreach in an attempt to land an early blow against the former president who remains extremely popular within the GOP base.Cheers of “Trump, Trump, Trump” erupted at the three stops the former president made — in a blue suit, but this time in an open-collared shirt — trudging shoulder-to-shoulder crowds.Though so much of Trump’s stop was out of the ordinary, at the pork tent, he bowed to state fair protocol.He held a pork chop on a stick up to the crowd and waved it.