NEW YORK (AP) — A jury found Donald Trump liable Tuesday for sexually abusing advice columnist E. Jean Carroll in 1996, awarding her $5 million in a judgment that could haunt the former president as he campaigns to regain the White House.

The verdict was announced in a federal courtroom in New York City on the first day of jury deliberations. Jurors rejected Carroll’s claims that she was raped, but found Trump liable for sexual abuse and for defaming Carroll after she made her allegations public.

Trump chose not to attend the civil trial and was absent when the verdict was read.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?527931-1/president-trump-deposition-e-jean-carroll-civil-case">CLICK here to watch&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;Trump's&nbsp;deposition&nbsp;

Carroll nodded as the verdict was read. Afterward, her lawyers put their arms around her, and she hugged supporters in the gallery, smiling through tears.

Trump’s lawyer, Joseph Tacopina, shook hands with Carroll and hugged her lawyer, Roberta Kaplan. As the courtroom cleared, Carroll could be heard laughing and crying.

Trump immediately lashed out with a statement on his social media site, claiming again that he does not know Carroll and referring to the verdict as “a disgrace” and “a continuation of the greatest witch hunt of all time.”

The trial’s outcome was a validation for Carroll, one of more than a dozen women who accused Trump of sexual assault or harassment. She went public in 2019 with her allegation that the Republican raped her in the dressing room of a posh Manhattan department store.

Trump, 76, denied it, saying he never encountered Carroll at the store and didn’t know her. He has called her a “nut job” who invented “a fraudulent and false story” to sell a memoir.

Carroll, 79, had sought unspecified damages, plus a retraction of what she said were Trump’s defamatory denials of her claims.

The trial revisited the lightning-rod topic of Trump’s conduct toward women.

Carroll gave multiple days of frank, occasionally emotional testimony, buttressed by two friends who told jurors she reported the alleged attack to them in the moments and day afterward.

Jurors also heard from Jessica Leeds, a former stockbroker who testified that Trump abruptly groped her against her will on an airplane in the 1970s, and from Natasha Stoynoff, a writer who said Trump forcibly kissed her against her will while she was interviewing him for a 2005 article.

The six-man, three-woman jury also saw the well-known 2005 “Access Hollywood” hot mic recording of Trump talking about kissing and grabbing women without asking.

The Associated Press typically does not name people who say they have been sexually assaulted unless they come forward publicly, as Carroll, Leeds and Stoynoff have done.

Tacopina told the jury&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rape-carroll-trial-1041ad0dcfbca5d9f9f9ed962b48bc7b">in closing arguments Monday</a>&nbsp;that Carroll's account is too far fetched to be believed. He said she made it up to fuel sales of a 2019 memoir in which she first publicly revealed her claims and to disparage Trump for political reasons.

Carroll's attorney, Roberta Kaplan, cited excerpts from Trump's October deposition and his notorious comments on a 2005 “Access Hollywood” video in which he said celebrities can grab women between the legs without asking.

“He didn’t even bother to show up here in person,” Kaplan said. She said much of what he said in his deposition and in public statements “actually supports our side of the case.”

“In a very real sense, Donald Trump is a witness against himself,” she said. “He knows what he did. He knows that he sexually assaulted E. Jean Carroll.”

Carroll testified that she had a chance encounter with Trump at the Bergdorf Goodman store across the street from Trump Tower. She said it was a lighthearted interaction in which they teased each other about trying on a piece of lingerie before Trump became violent inside a dressing room.

Tacopina told jurors there was no reason to call Trump as a witness when Carroll can't even recall when her encounter with Trump happened.

He told the jury Carroll made up her claims after hearing about a 2012 “Law and Order” episode in which a woman is raped in the dressing room of the lingerie section of a Bergdorf Goodman store.

“They modeled their secret scheme on an episode of one of the most popular shows on television,” he said of Carroll.

Two of Carroll's friends testified that she told them about the encounter with Trump shortly after it happened, many years before the “Law and Order” episode aired.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683662188422.png" alt="Image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — A jury found Donald Trump liable Tuesday for sexually abusing advice columnist E. Jean Carroll in 1996, awarding her $5 million in a judgment that could haunt the former president as he campaigns to regain the White House.The verdict was announced in a federal courtroom in New York City on the first day of jury deliberations. Jurors rejected Carroll’s claims that she was raped, but found Trump liable for sexual abuse and for defaming Carroll after she made her allegations public.Trump chose not to attend the civil trial and was absent when the verdict was read.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683335527038.png" alt="Image from the video deposition that was made available Friday to the media" />
 <figcaption>Image from the video deposition that was made available Friday to the media</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://www.c-span.org/video/?527931-1/president-trump-deposition-e-jean-carroll-civil-case">CLICK here to watch&nbsp;</a>&nbsp;Trump's&nbsp;deposition&nbsp;Carroll nodded as the verdict was read. Afterward, her lawyers put their arms around her, and she hugged supporters in the gallery, smiling through tears.Trump’s lawyer, Joseph Tacopina, shook hands with Carroll and hugged her lawyer, Roberta Kaplan. As the courtroom cleared, Carroll could be heard laughing and crying.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683662295741.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Trump immediately lashed out with a statement on his social media site, claiming again that he does not know Carroll and referring to the verdict as “a disgrace” and “a continuation of the greatest witch hunt of all time.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683661624711.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The trial’s outcome was a validation for Carroll, one of more than a dozen women who accused Trump of sexual assault or harassment. She went public in 2019 with her allegation that the Republican raped her in the dressing room of a posh Manhattan department store.Trump, 76, denied it, saying he never encountered Carroll at the store and didn’t know her. He has called her a “nut job” who invented “a fraudulent and false story” to sell a memoir.Carroll, 79, had sought unspecified damages, plus a retraction of what she said were Trump’s defamatory denials of her claims.The trial revisited the lightning-rod topic of Trump’s conduct toward women.Carroll gave multiple days of frank, occasionally emotional testimony, buttressed by two friends who told jurors she reported the alleged attack to them in the moments and day afterward.Jurors also heard from Jessica Leeds, a former stockbroker who testified that Trump abruptly groped her against her will on an airplane in the 1970s, and from Natasha Stoynoff, a writer who said Trump forcibly kissed her against her will while she was interviewing him for a 2005 article.The six-man, three-woman jury also saw the well-known 2005 “Access Hollywood” hot mic recording of Trump talking about kissing and grabbing women without asking.The Associated Press typically does not name people who say they have been sexually assaulted unless they come forward publicly, as Carroll, Leeds and Stoynoff have done.Tacopina told the jury&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-rape-carroll-trial-1041ad0dcfbca5d9f9f9ed962b48bc7b">in closing arguments Monday</a>&nbsp;that Carroll's account is too far fetched to be believed. He said she made it up to fuel sales of a 2019 memoir in which she first publicly revealed her claims and to disparage Trump for political reasons.Carroll's attorney, Roberta Kaplan, cited excerpts from Trump's October deposition and his notorious comments on a 2005 “Access Hollywood” video in which he said celebrities can grab women between the legs without asking.She urged jurors to believe her client.“He didn’t even bother to show up here in person,” Kaplan said. She said much of what he said in his deposition and in public statements “actually supports our side of the case.”“In a very real sense, Donald Trump is a witness against himself,” she said. “He knows what he did. He knows that he sexually assaulted E. Jean Carroll.”Carroll testified that she had a chance encounter with Trump at the Bergdorf Goodman store across the street from Trump Tower. She said it was a lighthearted interaction in which they teased each other about trying on a piece of lingerie before Trump became violent inside a dressing room.Tacopina told jurors there was no reason to call Trump as a witness when Carroll can't even recall when her encounter with Trump happened.He told the jury Carroll made up her claims after hearing about a 2012 “Law and Order” episode in which a woman is raped in the dressing room of the lingerie section of a Bergdorf Goodman store.“They modeled their secret scheme on an episode of one of the most popular shows on television,” he said of Carroll.Two of Carroll's friends testified that she told them about the encounter with Trump shortly after it happened, many years before the “Law and Order” episode aired.

Jury rejects rape claim, finds Trump liable; read the verdict form

By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays Post

Dennis and Chuck Budke were little boys when the Hollywood crew for "Paper Moon" descended on Hays.

The boys' mother attended a casting call in Hays but was told they didn't have any more female roles. They needed kids. That she had. There were 14 siblings in the Budke family.

Eight of those siblings were cast in a scene from "Paper Moon," which was filmed in Wilson, Hays and locations around Ellis County.

Dennis and Chuck recounted their memories of the filming Saturday during the "Paper Moon" Festival in Wilson, which celebrated the 50th anniversary of the film's release.

The Budke family was in a scene during which Moze, played by Ryan O'Neal, and Addie, played by his daughter Tatum O'Neal, try to sell a Bible to a poor family.&nbsp;

The widow comes to the door and her many children, the Budke siblings, file in behind her. Addie turns to Moze and tells him the Bible is paid for.&nbsp;

Dennis, who was about 10 when the movie was filmed, remembers his youngest sibling in the scene, his sister who was about 2, kept crying. The crew tried to get her to stop, but she just keep crying.

Finally, they decided to precede and include the crying child in the scene.

Dennis said he remembers eating lunch with Tatum and Ryan O'Neal. He said Tatum was much like she was in the movie, complaining to her dad about her ham sandwich.

He said his siblings played with Tatum on a nearby playground between takes.

"It was a pretty good experience," Dennis said, "It was kind of scary at first. We got to see all of these people and the lights and trucks and trailers."

Chuck, who was only 5 during the filming, said the filming of the movie was one of his earliest memories. Chuck is now a resident of Salina.

Chuck was so small that the crew gave him a couple of Sears catalogs to stand on so he could be seen in the shot.

Dennis still has the pay stub from the film. It was for a whopping $14.

Both men remember the Hays premiere of the film, which included a red carpet showing at the Fox Theatre in downtown Hays.

The boys, who came from a family of modest means, remember drinking pop and eating popcorn, a rare treat.

Dennis said a few girls even asked him for his autograph.

The MacCraken Historical Museum still has a newspaper clipping from the time that includes a picture of the eight Bubke siblings who were in the movie.

"Paper Moon" depicts the Depression era in Kansas and Missouri. It was shot in black and white by director Peter Bogdanovich and tells the story of drifter, Moze, and a little girl, Addie, as Moze takes Addie from rural Kansas to St. Joseph, Mo., to live with her aunt.

Tatum O'Neal won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film, becoming the youngest actress to do so.

Seven locations in Wilson were in the movie. All of those locations in Wilson were marked during the festival with photos of the original images from the movie. Several of the buildings are now vacant, and one, the Otasco Building, has been torn down.

In September 1974, ABC premiered a&nbsp;television&nbsp;series by the same name based on the film.&nbsp;Jodie Foster&nbsp;was cast as Addie and&nbsp;Christopher Connelly&nbsp;played Moze. Dennis Budke received a callback and was in the third episode of the series, but the series only ran 13 episodes and was canceled.

Susan Keith was only 4 when the "Paper Moon" crew shot the opening scene of the movie at her family's cemetery outside of McCracken. Her mother, Carolyn Thompson, took Keith to the Nickel family cemetery where she met Tatum O'Neal.

Although Keith was too young to remember that day, she still has a photo of her and the young actress.

The Nickel family cemetery is still being maintained today and is much the same as it was 50 years ago when the movie was shot there, said Keith, who grew up in McCracken, but now lives in Ellsworth.

A father-daughter duo came from San Diego just for the festival. Jim Croff came dressed as Moze and his daughter,&nbsp;Adrienne&nbsp; Blake, as Addie. Croff has owned a Ford Model A since he was in his twenties. This is the car that Moze is driving at the beginning of the movie.

Croff said he has always loved vintage cars, and movies, including "Paper Moon" and "The Sting" and the TV show "The Waltons" amplified his fascination with the Model A.

"Paper Moon" debuted before Adrienne, 39, was born, but she said she remembers watching the movie with her dad and riding in parades in the Model A.

The duo also toured the cemetery and the "Paper Moon" wing at of historical museum at McCracken.&nbsp;

"That's been the best part," Blake said, "hearing the stories about what it was like when the crew was here. My favorite part is that it was just people from the town who were also in the movie. I just can't imagine what it was like at the time having this whole Hollywood movie crew come into your town and want to film there."

Croff said he enjoyed meeting the local residents.

"There's just wonderful folk wherever you go," he said, wearing a pinstripe linen suit. ... "People opened their homes to us."

<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/3040621666245942">Hays and McCracken are partnering for their own "Paper Moon" Festival June 16-18.</a>

Defiance Brewing Co. will have a commemorative beer, which has yet to be named. Two free showings of the movie will be offered at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 17 and 2 p.m. Sunday, June 18 at Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center.&nbsp;

There will be special exhibits at the Hays Arts Council Annex along with the Summer Art Walk on June 16 and at the McCracken Historical Society will be open on Friday and Saturday, June 16 and 17.&nbsp;

McCracken also will have a luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 17 at the McCracken Community Building, and The Little Big Band will perform from 1 to 2 p.m. at the community building.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683572891848.jpeg" alt="Hays resident Dennis Budke, who was a child actor in "Paper Moon," holds up his original paycheck from the movie. He is sitting in the lounge of the Midland Railroad Hotel in Wilson, which was used for several scenes in the movie. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Hays resident Dennis Budke, who was a child actor in "Paper Moon," holds up his original paycheck from the movie. He is sitting in the lounge of the Midland Railroad Hotel in Wilson, which was used for several scenes in the movie. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>By CRISTINA JANNEY Hays PostDennis and Chuck Budke were little boys when the Hollywood crew for "Paper Moon" descended on Hays.The boys' mother attended a casting call in Hays but was told they didn't have any more female roles. They needed kids. That she had. There were 14 siblings in the Budke family.Eight of those siblings were cast in a scene from "Paper Moon," which was filmed in Wilson, Hays and locations around Ellis County.Dennis and Chuck recounted their memories of the filming Saturday during the "Paper Moon" Festival in Wilson, which celebrated the 50th anniversary of the film's release.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683572602335.jpeg" alt="Brothers Dennis Budke of Hays, and Chuck&nbsp; Budke of Salina, were in the movie "Paper Moon" when they were children. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Brothers Dennis Budke of Hays, and Chuck&nbsp; Budke of Salina, were in the movie "Paper Moon" when they were children. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>The Budke family was in a scene during which Moze, played by Ryan O'Neal, and Addie, played by his daughter Tatum O'Neal, try to sell a Bible to a poor family.&nbsp;The widow comes to the door and her many children, the Budke siblings, file in behind her. Addie turns to Moze and tells him the Bible is paid for.&nbsp;Dennis, who was about 10 when the movie was filmed, remembers his youngest sibling in the scene, his sister who was about 2, kept crying. The crew tried to get her to stop, but she just keep crying.Finally, they decided to precede and include the crying child in the scene.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682544574936.png" alt="The Sunflower Coal building as it appeared in "Paper Moon" in 1973. Courtesy photo." />
 <figcaption>The Sunflower Coal building as it appeared in "Paper Moon" in 1973. Courtesy photo.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683573246292.jpeg" alt=""Paper Moon" Festival guests Jim Croff and his daughter Adrienne Blake, dressed as Addie and Moze from "Paper Moon," pose outside the Sunflower Coal building Saturday in Wilson. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>"Paper Moon" Festival guests Jim Croff and his daughter Adrienne Blake, dressed as Addie and Moze from "Paper Moon," pose outside the Sunflower Coal building Saturday in Wilson. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Dennis said he remembers eating lunch with Tatum and Ryan O'Neal. He said Tatum was much like she was in the movie, complaining to her dad about her ham sandwich.He said his siblings played with Tatum on a nearby playground between takes."It was a pretty good experience," Dennis said, "It was kind of scary at first. We got to see all of these people and the lights and trucks and trailers."Chuck, who was only 5 during the filming, said the filming of the movie was one of his earliest memories. Chuck is now a resident of Salina.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682544797256.png" alt="The Midland Railroad Hotelin Wilson was in several scenes from "Paper Moon."&nbsp; A hotel was first built on the site in 1899, but the original structure burned in a fire. The current building is still being used as a restaurant and hotel. Courtesy image.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>The Midland Railroad Hotelin Wilson was in several scenes from "Paper Moon."&nbsp; A hotel was first built on the site in 1899, but the original structure burned in a fire. The current building is still being used as a restaurant and hotel. Courtesy image.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683573969527.jpeg" alt="The Midland Railroad Hotel in Wilson as it stands today. Several scenes from the movie were shot in the hotel, including a scene from inside one of the rooms. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The Midland Railroad Hotel in Wilson as it stands today. Several scenes from the movie were shot in the hotel, including a scene from inside one of the rooms. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Chuck was so small that the crew gave him a couple of Sears catalogs to stand on so he could be seen in the shot.Dennis still has the pay stub from the film. It was for a whopping $14.Both men remember the Hays premiere of the film, which included a red carpet showing at the Fox Theatre in downtown Hays.The boys, who came from a family of modest means, remember drinking pop and eating popcorn, a rare treat.Dennis said a few girls even asked him for his autograph.The MacCraken Historical Museum still has a newspaper clipping from the time that includes a picture of the eight Bubke siblings who were in the movie.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682544727608.png" alt="This scene from "Paper Moon" was shot inside the Otasco building in Wilson although it is portrayed as Somer Hardware Store, which was across the street. This is the scene where Addie tricks a store clerk out of a $20 bill. Courtesy image." />
 <figcaption>This scene from "Paper Moon" was shot inside the Otasco building in Wilson although it is portrayed as Somer Hardware Store, which was across the street. This is the scene where Addie tricks a store clerk out of a $20 bill. Courtesy image.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683574274291.jpeg" alt="The Otasco building in Wilson, which was used for the hardware store scene in "Paper Moon," has been torn down. However, Somer Hardware, which is across the street, is still standing. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The Otasco building in Wilson, which was used for the hardware store scene in "Paper Moon," has been torn down. However, Somer Hardware, which is across the street, is still standing. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683574469454.jpeg" alt="The Somer Hardware Building as it stands today in Wilson. The exterior of the building was used in the $20 bill trick scene in the movie. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The Somer Hardware Building as it stands today in Wilson. The exterior of the building was used in the $20 bill trick scene in the movie. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683574686636.png" alt="The exterior of Somer Hardware in "Paper Moon." Courtesy photo " />
 <figcaption>The exterior of Somer Hardware in "Paper Moon." Courtesy photo </figcaption>
 </figure>"Paper Moon" depicts the Depression era in Kansas and Missouri. It was shot in black and white by director Peter Bogdanovich and tells the story of drifter, Moze, and a little girl, Addie, as Moze takes Addie from rural Kansas to St. Joseph, Mo., to live with her aunt.Tatum O'Neal won an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in the film, becoming the youngest actress to do so.Seven locations in Wilson were in the movie. All of those locations in Wilson were marked during the festival with photos of the original images from the movie. Several of the buildings are now vacant, and one, the Otasco Building, has been torn down.In September 1974, ABC premiered a&nbsp;television&nbsp;series by the same name based on the film.&nbsp;Jodie Foster&nbsp;was cast as Addie and&nbsp;Christopher Connelly&nbsp;played Moze. Dennis Budke received a callback and was in the third episode of the series, but the series only ran 13 episodes and was canceled.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683574800032.png" alt="Addie storms out of Whitmer's Barber Shop in "Paper Moon" after the barber calls her a boy. Courtesy photo." />
 <figcaption>Addie storms out of Whitmer's Barber Shop in "Paper Moon" after the barber calls her a boy. Courtesy photo.</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683574977427.jpeg" alt="Whitmer's Barber Shop is still standing in Wilson but is vacant. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Whitmer's Barber Shop is still standing in Wilson but is vacant. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Susan Keith was only 4 when the "Paper Moon" crew shot the opening scene of the movie at her family's cemetery outside of McCracken. Her mother, Carolyn Thompson, took Keith to the Nickel family cemetery where she met Tatum O'Neal.Although Keith was too young to remember that day, she still has a photo of her and the young actress.The Nickel family cemetery is still being maintained today and is much the same as it was 50 years ago when the movie was shot there, said Keith, who grew up in McCracken, but now lives in Ellsworth.A father-daughter duo came from San Diego just for the festival. Jim Croff came dressed as Moze and his daughter,&nbsp;Adrienne&nbsp; Blake, as Addie. Croff has owned a Ford Model A since he was in his twenties. This is the car that Moze is driving at the beginning of the movie.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683575093601.png" alt="Addie looks in her reflection in the glass of Old's Motor Company in Wilson in "Paper Moon." Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Addie looks in her reflection in the glass of Old's Motor Company in Wilson in "Paper Moon." Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683575329284.jpeg" alt="The Old's Motor Company building in Wilson is still standing but is vacant. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The Old's Motor Company building in Wilson is still standing but is vacant. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Croff said he has always loved vintage cars, and movies, including "Paper Moon" and "The Sting" and the TV show "The Waltons" amplified his fascination with the Model A."Paper Moon" debuted before Adrienne, 39, was born, but she said she remembers watching the movie with her dad and riding in parades in the Model A.The duo also toured the cemetery and the "Paper Moon" wing at of historical museum at McCracken.&nbsp;"That's been the best part," Blake said, "hearing the stories about what it was like when the crew was here. My favorite part is that it was just people from the town who were also in the movie. I just can't imagine what it was like at the time having this whole Hollywood movie crew come into your town and want to film there."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683575447734.png" alt="Addie, Moze, Miss Trixie and Emma stop for gas at the Travel Inn in Wilson in the movie "Paper Moon." Courtesy image.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Addie, Moze, Miss Trixie and Emma stop for gas at the Travel Inn in Wilson in the movie "Paper Moon." Courtesy image.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683575616549.jpeg" alt="The location of the Travel Inn in Wilson that was used in the movie "Paper Moon" is no longer a functioning gas station. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>The location of the Travel Inn in Wilson that was used in the movie "Paper Moon" is no longer a functioning gas station. Photo by Cristina Janney/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>Croff said he enjoyed meeting the local residents."There's just wonderful folk wherever you go," he said, wearing a pinstripe linen suit. ... "People opened their homes to us."<a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/3040621666245942">Hays and McCracken are partnering for their own "Paper Moon" Festival June 16-18.</a>Defiance Brewing Co. will have a commemorative beer, which has yet to be named. Two free showings of the movie will be offered at 7 p.m. Saturday, June 17 and 2 p.m. Sunday, June 18 at Beach/Schmidt Performing Arts Center.&nbsp;There will be special exhibits at the Hays Arts Council Annex along with the Summer Art Walk on June 16 and at the McCracken Historical Society will be open on Friday and Saturday, June 16 and 17.&nbsp;McCracken also will have a luncheon from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, June 17 at the McCracken Community Building, and The Little Big Band will perform from 1 to 2 p.m. at the community building.

'Paper Moon' extras recall filming during 50th anniversary festival 

KANSAS CITY— Law enforcement authorities continue searching for 21-year-old Jae’veon Marquice Mitchell-Locke, a suspect in the April 5, shooting of three Kansas police officers during an undercover fentanyl trafficking investigation, according&nbsp; to the Platte County Sheriff's office.

Officials at the Platte County, Missouri Detention Center released him inadvertently on April 20.

Mitchell-Locke and two other suspects in the gunfight are charged in Wyandotte County with attempted murder, aggravated battery against law enforcement, criminal discharge of a firearm at an occupied building or vehicle, aggravated endangering a child, aggravated assault of law enforcement officers and distribution or possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1682111930463.png" alt="Mitchell-Locke-photo Platte County" />
 <figcaption>Mitchell-Locke-photo Platte County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY— Law enforcement authorities continue searching for 21-year-old Jae’veon Marquice Mitchell-Locke, a suspect in the April 5, shooting of three Kansas police officers during an undercover fentanyl trafficking investigation, according&nbsp; to the Platte County Sheriff's office.Officials at the Platte County, Missouri Detention Center released him inadvertently on April 20.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681993393030.png" alt="Scene of the shooting investigation on April 5 -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Scene of the shooting investigation on April 5 -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>Mitchell-Locke and two other suspects in the gunfight are charged in Wyandotte County with attempted murder, aggravated battery against law enforcement, criminal discharge of a firearm at an occupied building or vehicle, aggravated endangering a child, aggravated assault of law enforcement officers and distribution or possession of fentanyl with intent to distribute, according to online jail records.

Still missing: Suspect in Kan. officer shooting released by mistake

By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/05/kansas-lawmakers-debate-definition-of-female-and-male-for-county-jails/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly has signed legislation meant to help patch up the state’s health care workforce shortages and provide more care options for out-of-town athletes.

Kelly announced the signing of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cua3NsZWdpc2xhdHVyZS5vcmcvbGkvYjIwMjNfMjQvbWVhc3VyZXMvc2IxMzEvIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDIzMDUwOS43NjQ0ODkxMSJ9._NJOpMD0caXED8t5OAfEiHkZhpFLZedrf9m0Ve8Rnb4/s/2897855304/br/182170435213-l">Senate Bill 131</a>&nbsp;Tuesday, a bipartisan bill that passed the House 118-4 and the Senate 38-2. The bill smooths over the licensing process for therapists, psychologists, social workers and health care workers, among others.

“The nationwide workforce shortage has hit Kansas hard, hurting people’s ability to access the health care they need in a timely manner,” Kelly said. “Signing this bipartisan bill is part of how my administration is addressing that shortage, making it easier than ever for Kansans to deliver or access lifesaving care.”

The legislation also expands the list of vaccine administrators.&nbsp;Pharmacy technicians 18 or older and working under supervision will be allowed to administer vaccines if they have received the proper training.&nbsp;Another bill provision sets up an avenue for sports medicine professionals that are licensed in other states to practice in Kansas during qualifying sporting events.

“I am proud to have worked on this bill that expedites the licensing process so we can get more workers in the health care field quicker,” said Rep. Brenda Landwehr, a Wichita Republican. “I’ve seen in my district that the shortage of health care workers has driven up costs and waiting times for everyday people, so I thank Governor Kelly for signing this important legislation to address this issue.”

Sen. Jeff Pittman, a Leavenworth Democrat, said the sports medicine portion of the bill would benefit&nbsp; professional sports teams visiting the state. Under the legislation, health care providers traveling with a sports team can get a sports waiver to provide services for their teams and coaching staff.

“The timing of the passage of SB 131 could not have been better with the successful 2023 NFL Draft here in the Kansas City area,” Pittman said. “This bill puts in place a critical process allowing team doctors and other healthcare providers for competitive sports teams to practice while visiting our great state. ”

<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/P4240893-1024x768.jpg" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly said the legislation would help with the state's struggle to provide health care for Kansans. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly said the legislation would help with the state's struggle to provide health care for Kansans. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/05/kansas-lawmakers-debate-definition-of-female-and-male-for-county-jails/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly has signed legislation meant to help patch up the state’s health care workforce shortages and provide more care options for out-of-town athletes.Kelly announced the signing of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsInVybCI6Imh0dHA6Ly93d3cua3NsZWdpc2xhdHVyZS5vcmcvbGkvYjIwMjNfMjQvbWVhc3VyZXMvc2IxMzEvIiwiYnVsbGV0aW5faWQiOiIyMDIzMDUwOS43NjQ0ODkxMSJ9._NJOpMD0caXED8t5OAfEiHkZhpFLZedrf9m0Ve8Rnb4/s/2897855304/br/182170435213-l">Senate Bill 131</a>&nbsp;Tuesday, a bipartisan bill that passed the House 118-4 and the Senate 38-2. The bill smooths over the licensing process for therapists, psychologists, social workers and health care workers, among others.“The nationwide workforce shortage has hit Kansas hard, hurting people’s ability to access the health care they need in a timely manner,” Kelly said. “Signing this bipartisan bill is part of how my administration is addressing that shortage, making it easier than ever for Kansans to deliver or access lifesaving care.”The legislation also expands the list of vaccine administrators.&nbsp;Pharmacy technicians 18 or older and working under supervision will be allowed to administer vaccines if they have received the proper training.&nbsp;Another bill provision sets up an avenue for sports medicine professionals that are licensed in other states to practice in Kansas during qualifying sporting events.“I am proud to have worked on this bill that expedites the licensing process so we can get more workers in the health care field quicker,” said Rep. Brenda Landwehr, a Wichita Republican. “I’ve seen in my district that the shortage of health care workers has driven up costs and waiting times for everyday people, so I thank Governor Kelly for signing this important legislation to address this issue.”Sen. Jeff Pittman, a Leavenworth Democrat, said the sports medicine portion of the bill would benefit&nbsp; professional sports teams visiting the state. Under the legislation, health care providers traveling with a sports team can get a sports waiver to provide services for their teams and coaching staff.“The timing of the passage of SB 131 could not have been better with the successful 2023 NFL Draft here in the Kansas City area,” Pittman said. “This bill puts in place a critical process allowing team doctors and other healthcare providers for competitive sports teams to practice while visiting our great state. ”

Governor signs bill to bolster Kansas health care workforce

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating after a police officer was injured early Tuesday during an investigation.

Just after 2a.m., officers responded to disturbance at a home in the 600 block of Stewart Avenue, according to Kansas City, Kansas Police.

When officers arrived at the residence, they encountered several individuals involved in the disturbance. While officers were attempting to obtain statements, one of the individuals fled the scene in a vehicle, striking one of the responding officers who was on foot. 

The officer was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver and vehicle were located a short time later in Kansas City, Missouri.

 The driver was taken into custody by the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department. Police released no additional details.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating after a police officer was injured early Tuesday during an investigation.Just after 2a.m., officers responded to disturbance at a home in the 600 block of Stewart Avenue, according to Kansas City, Kansas Police.When officers arrived at the residence, they encountered several individuals involved in the disturbance. While officers were attempting to obtain statements, one of the individuals fled the scene in a vehicle, striking one of the responding officers who was on foot. The officer was transported to an area hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver and vehicle were located a short time later in Kansas City, Missouri. The driver was taken into custody by the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department. Police released no additional details.

Kan. officer struck by vehicle fleeing disturbance investigation

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

ELLSWORTH COUNTY —A petition to disorganize the USD 112 Central Plains school district has been filed. The Wilson High School Future Committee asked the USD 112 Board of Education to delay the closure of Wilson High School for one year. With no action regarding the issue taken at Monday's board meeting, the petition was filed with Ellsworth County Tuesday morning.

(Click below to watch Monday's board meeting)

Long-time educator Roberta Meier, who helped file the petition, was disappointed the issue was not discussed Monday.

"That was very surreal because, with something this serious and historic, it shows their lack of understanding for what a disorganization is and how it will proceed," she said. "The only discussion was about who would pay for the election and the date."

Disorganization was brought up twice during Monday's board meeting. The body heard from Claflin resident Dave Wirth, who expressed frustration that only three of Wilson's 73 students visited Central Plains High School in Claflin after hearing about the closure in Wilson. 

He expressed further concern that voters may be willing to shut down their own elementary school in Wilson, and that no one is quite sure what disorganization would mean for USD 112.

"If you don't have any idea, you better find out, including the board members from Wilson, because I understand you're supporting this," Wirth said. "If you're not, I need to know now whether you are or aren't supporting this petition. Yes or no?"

Board Member Roger Robinson asked Wirth why he needed to know, and said Wirth did not need to know anything about him.  

"You're serving a public board?" Wirth asked. "Yes or no?"

Monday's meeting lasted nearly two-and-a-half hours. Late in the meeting, Superintendent Bill Lowry addressed the disorganization petition. He's been in touch with the Ellsworth County clerk's office and the state board of education, but answers about when the matter will be put on a ballot or who will pay for it are still undetermined.

"I just think it's important, if we get to that point, to try to educate all patrons on what 'yes' or 'no' means," Lowry told the board.

On Jan. 9, 2023, the USD 112 Central Plains Board of Education voted 5-2 to close Wilson High School at the close of the 2022-23 school year. The Wilson High School Future Committee was formed in October. The group visited Topeka several times to speak with state legislators about possible solutions. The disorganization petition will put the matter before voters in the district. If approved, the fate of the district would go before the state board of education. Beyond that, answers are few and far between.

"As far as precedence, there is none," Meier said. "When we asked the state how this would all play out and for advice, they just said basically we can ask the questions but there are no answers yet. We took an extra week to try to make sure we were getting this right."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683639987601.png" alt="The USD 112 Central Plains Board of Education met Monday night. A petition to disorganize the district was filed Tuesday morning in Ellsworth County." />
 <figcaption>The USD 112 Central Plains Board of Education met Monday night. A petition to disorganize the district was filed Tuesday morning in Ellsworth County.</figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostELLSWORTH COUNTY —A petition to disorganize the USD 112 Central Plains school district has been filed. The Wilson High School Future Committee asked the USD 112 Board of Education to delay the closure of Wilson High School for one year. With no action regarding the issue taken at Monday's board meeting, the petition was filed with Ellsworth County Tuesday morning.(Click below to watch Monday's board meeting)<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/80PL_WxEKWE?start=804" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Long-time educator Roberta Meier, who helped file the petition, was disappointed the issue was not discussed Monday."That was very surreal because, with something this serious and historic, it shows their lack of understanding for what a disorganization is and how it will proceed," she said. "The only discussion was about who would pay for the election and the date."Disorganization was brought up twice during Monday's board meeting. The body heard from Claflin resident Dave Wirth, who expressed frustration that only three of Wilson's 73 students visited Central Plains High School in Claflin after hearing about the closure in Wilson. He expressed further concern that voters may be willing to shut down their own elementary school in Wilson, and that no one is quite sure what disorganization would mean for USD 112."If you don't have any idea, you better find out, including the board members from Wilson, because I understand you're supporting this," Wirth said. "If you're not, I need to know now whether you are or aren't supporting this petition. Yes or no?"Board Member Roger Robinson asked Wirth why he needed to know, and said Wirth did not need to know anything about him. "You're serving a public board?" Wirth asked. "Yes or no?"Monday's meeting lasted nearly two-and-a-half hours. Late in the meeting, Superintendent Bill Lowry addressed the disorganization petition. He's been in touch with the Ellsworth County clerk's office and the state board of education, but answers about when the matter will be put on a ballot or who will pay for it are still undetermined."I just think it's important, if we get to that point, to try to educate all patrons on what 'yes' or 'no' means," Lowry told the board.On Jan. 9, 2023, the USD 112 Central Plains Board of Education voted 5-2 to close Wilson High School at the close of the 2022-23 school year. The Wilson High School Future Committee was formed in October. The group visited Topeka several times to speak with state legislators about possible solutions. The disorganization petition will put the matter before voters in the district. If approved, the fate of the district would go before the state board of education. Beyond that, answers are few and far between."As far as precedence, there is none," Meier said. "When we asked the state how this would all play out and for advice, they just said basically we can ask the questions but there are no answers yet. We took an extra week to try to make sure we were getting this right."

🎥Petition to disorganize Kan. school district filed Tuesday

WICHITA (AP) —Abortion providers in Kansas and two others states filed a lawsuit Monday aimed at preserving access to the abortion pill mifepristone, even as the drug is threatened by a separate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-mifepristone-supreme-court-texas-436fe0de292379b469159a3ed7b62fef">Texas lawsuit</a>&nbsp;winding its way through U.S. court system.

The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Virginia on behalf of clinics in Kansas, Virginia and Montana is the latest legal action over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-covid-science-health-2d52ebf9efc6ef06f03e788fecd13013">decades-old pill</a>, which is part of the two-drug regimen used in most U.S. abortions.

A federal judge in Texas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-lawsuit-mifepristone-misoprostol-kacsmaryk-74cb1c4cfab2c04f6cf2696151bc86ef">issued a ruling</a>&nbsp;last month that would have revoked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s longstanding approval of the pill, an unprecedented challenge to the federal drug regulator. But the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-pill-mifepristone-access-f781488016640bf571faf36096339ea4">Supreme Court blocked</a>&nbsp;that decision and other limits from a lower court from taking effect while the lawsuit continues.

Abortion-rights advocates and their opponents continue jostling for a legal foothold on the issue across the country.

The clinics in Kansas, Virginia and Montana sued the FDA on Monday in federal court to force the agency to drop several longstanding restrictions on how mifepristone can be prescribed.

But from a practical standpoint, the groups said they are seeking a court order that would shield mifepristone access as the litigation over the drug proceeds. That is what 18 liberal states achieved last month when a judge in Washington state issued a ruling ordering the FDA to preserve access to mifepristone in those states, regardless of any conflicting court decisions. The ruling came within minutes of the Texas decision, creating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-ruling-mifepristone-misoprostol-5fd29a4678e7678a6538054eb75b6d15">confusion for abortion providers and their patients</a>.

The plaintiffs in Monday’s lawsuit said they hope to prevent similar chaos as the legal battle over mifepristone continues. An appeals court in New Orleans is set to hear arguments in the Texas case later this month.

“Plaintiffs cannot retool their practices overnight with no notice — healthcare has no on-off switch. They and their patients require clarity around their continued provision of mifepristone,” states the lawsuit, which was filed on behalf of the clinics by the Center for Reproductive Rights, a New York-based legal and advocacy group that works to ensure access to abortion.

The group said it included abortion providers in Kansas,&nbsp; Virginia, and Montana in the lawsuit because those states are not parties to either the Texas or Washington cases, but have many lawmakers who are hostile to abortion access and “are caught in the middle of this maelstrom.”

The FDA approved mifepristone, in combination with a second pill, as a safe and effective means of ending pregnancy in 2000. Mifepristone is sometimes used for alternate reasons, including managing miscarriages.

At the time of the approval, the FDA imposed a number of restrictions on the drug, including requiring that prescribers undergo certification and that women sign an agreement form before taking it.

In recent years, the FDA has made mifepristone easier to get,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-abortion-health-medication-a6634601a37fb048aecdd9f030e0863a">dropping a two-decade-old requirement</a>&nbsp;that women pick up the pill in person. But the FDA has repeatedly concluded that the remaining requirements — including prescriber certification — are necessary.

In their lawsuit, the clinics argue that these restrictions “stigmatize and undermine access to medication abortion.”

The abortion providers who are suing include: Whole Woman’s Health Alliance, a nonprofit organization that operates healthcare facilities in Charlottesville and Alexandria, Virginia; Whole Woman’s Health of the Twin Cities, LLC, in Minnesota, which provides telehealth services for medication abortion in Virginia, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico and Illinois; and Blue Mountain Clinic, a family practice in Missoula, Montana, which first opened in 1977 as the first and only abortion clinic in the state.

Other providers named as plaintiffs include: Helen Weems, a certified nurse practitioner licensed to practice in Montana and owner of All Families Healthcare, a sexual and reproductive health clinic in Whitefish, Montana; and Trust Women, which operates clinics in Wichita, Kansas, and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680967457500.png" alt="Abortion-rights advocates and their opponents continue jostling for a legal foothold on the issue across the country.-photo AP" />
 <figcaption>Abortion-rights advocates and their opponents continue jostling for a legal foothold on the issue across the country.-photo AP</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA (AP) —Abortion providers in Kansas and two others states filed a lawsuit Monday aimed at preserving access to the abortion pill mifepristone, even as the drug is threatened by a separate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-mifepristone-supreme-court-texas-436fe0de292379b469159a3ed7b62fef">Texas lawsuit</a>&nbsp;winding its way through U.S. court system.The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Virginia on behalf of clinics in Kansas, Virginia and Montana is the latest legal action over the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-covid-science-health-2d52ebf9efc6ef06f03e788fecd13013">decades-old pill</a>, which is part of the two-drug regimen used in most U.S. abortions.A federal judge in Texas&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-lawsuit-mifepristone-misoprostol-kacsmaryk-74cb1c4cfab2c04f6cf2696151bc86ef">issued a ruling</a>&nbsp;last month that would have revoked the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s longstanding approval of the pill, an unprecedented challenge to the federal drug regulator. But the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-pill-mifepristone-access-f781488016640bf571faf36096339ea4">Supreme Court blocked</a>&nbsp;that decision and other limits from a lower court from taking effect while the lawsuit continues.Abortion-rights advocates and their opponents continue jostling for a legal foothold on the issue across the country.The clinics in Kansas, Virginia and Montana sued the FDA on Monday in federal court to force the agency to drop several longstanding restrictions on how mifepristone can be prescribed.But from a practical standpoint, the groups said they are seeking a court order that would shield mifepristone access as the litigation over the drug proceeds. That is what 18 liberal states achieved last month when a judge in Washington state issued a ruling ordering the FDA to preserve access to mifepristone in those states, regardless of any conflicting court decisions. The ruling came within minutes of the Texas decision, creating&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-ruling-mifepristone-misoprostol-5fd29a4678e7678a6538054eb75b6d15">confusion for abortion providers and their patients</a>.The plaintiffs in Monday’s lawsuit said they hope to prevent similar chaos as the legal battle over mifepristone continues. An appeals court in New Orleans is set to hear arguments in the Texas case later this month.“Plaintiffs cannot retool their practices overnight with no notice — healthcare has no on-off switch. They and their patients require clarity around their continued provision of mifepristone,” states the lawsuit, which was filed on behalf of the clinics by the Center for Reproductive Rights, a New York-based legal and advocacy group that works to ensure access to abortion.The group said it included abortion providers in Kansas,&nbsp; Virginia, and Montana in the lawsuit because those states are not parties to either the Texas or Washington cases, but have many lawmakers who are hostile to abortion access and “are caught in the middle of this maelstrom.”The FDA approved mifepristone, in combination with a second pill, as a safe and effective means of ending pregnancy in 2000. Mifepristone is sometimes used for alternate reasons, including managing miscarriages.At the time of the approval, the FDA imposed a number of restrictions on the drug, including requiring that prescribers undergo certification and that women sign an agreement form before taking it.In recent years, the FDA has made mifepristone easier to get,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-abortion-health-medication-a6634601a37fb048aecdd9f030e0863a">dropping a two-decade-old requirement</a>&nbsp;that women pick up the pill in person. But the FDA has repeatedly concluded that the remaining requirements — including prescriber certification — are necessary.In their lawsuit, the clinics argue that these restrictions “stigmatize and undermine access to medication abortion.”The abortion providers who are suing include: Whole Woman’s Health Alliance, a nonprofit organization that operates healthcare facilities in Charlottesville and Alexandria, Virginia; Whole Woman’s Health of the Twin Cities, LLC, in Minnesota, which provides telehealth services for medication abortion in Virginia, Maryland, Minnesota, New Mexico and Illinois; and Blue Mountain Clinic, a family practice in Missoula, Montana, which first opened in 1977 as the first and only abortion clinic in the state.Other providers named as plaintiffs include: Helen Weems, a certified nurse practitioner licensed to practice in Montana and owner of All Families Healthcare, a sexual and reproductive health clinic in Whitefish, Montana; and Trust Women, which operates clinics in Wichita, Kansas, and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Abortion clinics in Kansas join lawsuit to protect pill access

WASHINGTON (AP)—President Joe Biden said Monday his administration will write new regulations that will require airlines to compensate air travelers and cover their meals and hotel rooms if they are stranded for reasons within the airline's control.

The compensation would be in addition to ticket refunds when the airline is at fault for a flight being canceled or significantly delayed. It would give consumers in the United States protections similar to those in the European Union.

“I know how frustrated many of you are with the service you get from your U.S. airlines,” especially after airlines received taxpayer relief to get through the pandemic, Biden said. “You deserve more than just getting the price of your ticket (refunded) — you deserve to be fully compensated. Your time matters, the impact on your life matters."

Biden’s pledge comes just weeks before the start of the peak summer travel season, when air travel could exceed pre-coronavirus pandemic records.

Officials at the Transportation Department, which will write the new rules, said they didn't ahve a precise date for when they expect to finish, but indicated they are working to quickly publish a notice that is required to get the process started.

As outlined at the White House by Biden and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the rules would focus on cancellations and long delays caused by things such as mechanical issues with the plane or lack of a crew.

Airlines for America, which represents the biggest carriers, said in a statement that airlines have no incentive to delay or cancel flights. The trade group said more than half of cancellations in 2022 and 2023 have been caused by “extreme weather” or air traffic control outages.

“Carriers have taken responsibility for challenges within their control and continue working diligently to improve operational reliability,” including hiring more workers and reducing their schedules, the group said.

After the pandemic hit, airlines received $54 billion in federal aid that included a prohibition on layoffs, but that didn't prevent the airlines from paying tens of thousands of workers to quit or retire early.

Airlines have added about 118,000 workers since November 2020 and now have 5% more employees than before the pandemic, according to Transportation Department figures.

The rate of canceled flights has declined to 1.6% so far this year, compared with 2.1% in the same period last year. However, delays are slightly more common and a few minutes longer on average, according to data from tracking service FlightAware.

Currently, when an airline cancels a flight for any reason, consumers can demand a refund of the unused part of their ticket and certain extras that they might have paid to the airline, such as fees for checking a bag or getting a seat assignment. Airlines often try to persuade consumers to accept a travel voucher instead of a refund.

After widespread flight disruptions last summer,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-travel-transportation-pete-buttigieg-ef15613d7b2eeedf72b4494a6d3a0255">the Transportation Department posted</a>&nbsp;an online&nbsp;<a href="https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/airline-customer-service-dashboard">dashboard</a>&nbsp;to let consumers compare airline policies on refunds and compensation.

The Transportation Department is expanding the site to indicate when airlines offer cash, travel vouchers or frequent-flyer miles as compensation for flight disruptions.

None of the major U.S. airlines offer cash for cancellations or long delays, only Alaska Airlines offers frequent-flyer miles, and only Alaska and JetBlue provide travel credits, according to the dashboard.

Biden and Buttigieg credited the dashboard with pushing the 10 largest U.S. airlines to promise to provide cash or vouchers for meals when a cancellation forces passengers to wait at least three hours for another flight. Nine of the 10 — all but Frontier Airlines — also promise to pay for accommodations for passengers stranded overnight.

Questions arose again around reimbursing consumers for out-of-pocket costs after Southwest Airlines canceled nearly 17,000 flights during a December meltdown in service. The Transportation and Justice departments are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-department-of-transportation-dallas-business-28f98b23081bdec04dbed54506e5568b">investigating whether Southwest</a>&nbsp;scheduled more flights than it realistically could handle.

A report last month from the congressional Government Accountability Office&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/airlines-delays-cancellations-gao-report-e631cca8e4968fbd0f57c06b6eea0ef3">blamed airlines for a surge in cancellations</a>&nbsp;as air travel began to recover in 2021 and early 2022. The Federal Aviation Administration has also created disruptions due to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-federal-aviation-administration-business-9e277db75130cc7e4d4b6c6a7bdaad7c">technology outages</a>&nbsp;and staffing shortages. The FAA recently encouraged airlines to reduce flights to and from major New York airports this summer because it doesn't have enough air traffic controllers at a key facility.

WASHINGTON (AP)—President Joe Biden said Monday his administration will write new regulations that will require airlines to compensate air travelers and cover their meals and hotel rooms if they are stranded for reasons within the airline's control.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F237122548936520%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=7" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The compensation would be in addition to ticket refunds when the airline is at fault for a flight being canceled or significantly delayed. It would give consumers in the United States protections similar to those in the European Union.“I know how frustrated many of you are with the service you get from your U.S. airlines,” especially after airlines received taxpayer relief to get through the pandemic, Biden said. “You deserve more than just getting the price of your ticket (refunded) — you deserve to be fully compensated. Your time matters, the impact on your life matters."Biden’s pledge comes just weeks before the start of the peak summer travel season, when air travel could exceed pre-coronavirus pandemic records.Officials at the Transportation Department, which will write the new rules, said they didn't ahve a precise date for when they expect to finish, but indicated they are working to quickly publish a notice that is required to get the process started.As outlined at the White House by Biden and Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, the rules would focus on cancellations and long delays caused by things such as mechanical issues with the plane or lack of a crew.Airlines for America, which represents the biggest carriers, said in a statement that airlines have no incentive to delay or cancel flights. The trade group said more than half of cancellations in 2022 and 2023 have been caused by “extreme weather” or air traffic control outages.“Carriers have taken responsibility for challenges within their control and continue working diligently to improve operational reliability,” including hiring more workers and reducing their schedules, the group said.After the pandemic hit, airlines received $54 billion in federal aid that included a prohibition on layoffs, but that didn't prevent the airlines from paying tens of thousands of workers to quit or retire early.Airlines have added about 118,000 workers since November 2020 and now have 5% more employees than before the pandemic, according to Transportation Department figures.The rate of canceled flights has declined to 1.6% so far this year, compared with 2.1% in the same period last year. However, delays are slightly more common and a few minutes longer on average, according to data from tracking service FlightAware.Currently, when an airline cancels a flight for any reason, consumers can demand a refund of the unused part of their ticket and certain extras that they might have paid to the airline, such as fees for checking a bag or getting a seat assignment. Airlines often try to persuade consumers to accept a travel voucher instead of a refund.After widespread flight disruptions last summer,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-travel-transportation-pete-buttigieg-ef15613d7b2eeedf72b4494a6d3a0255">the Transportation Department posted</a>&nbsp;an online&nbsp;<a href="https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/airline-customer-service-dashboard">dashboard</a>&nbsp;to let consumers compare airline policies on refunds and compensation.The Transportation Department is expanding the site to indicate when airlines offer cash, travel vouchers or frequent-flyer miles as compensation for flight disruptions.None of the major U.S. airlines offer cash for cancellations or long delays, only Alaska Airlines offers frequent-flyer miles, and only Alaska and JetBlue provide travel credits, according to the dashboard.Biden and Buttigieg credited the dashboard with pushing the 10 largest U.S. airlines to promise to provide cash or vouchers for meals when a cancellation forces passengers to wait at least three hours for another flight. Nine of the 10 — all but Frontier Airlines — also promise to pay for accommodations for passengers stranded overnight.Questions arose again around reimbursing consumers for out-of-pocket costs after Southwest Airlines canceled nearly 17,000 flights during a December meltdown in service. The Transportation and Justice departments are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-department-of-transportation-dallas-business-28f98b23081bdec04dbed54506e5568b">investigating whether Southwest</a>&nbsp;scheduled more flights than it realistically could handle.A report last month from the congressional Government Accountability Office&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/airlines-delays-cancellations-gao-report-e631cca8e4968fbd0f57c06b6eea0ef3">blamed airlines for a surge in cancellations</a>&nbsp;as air travel began to recover in 2021 and early 2022. The Federal Aviation Administration has also created disruptions due to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/science-federal-aviation-administration-business-9e277db75130cc7e4d4b6c6a7bdaad7c">technology outages</a>&nbsp;and staffing shortages. The FAA recently encouraged airlines to reduce flights to and from major New York airports this summer because it doesn't have enough air traffic controllers at a key facility.___

🎥Biden wants airlines to pay passengers in U.S. for delays

DENVER (AP) — A judge sentenced a woman convicted of killing her 11-year-old stepson in Colorado and dumping his body over a bridge in Florida to life in prison without parole on Monday, calling her claim that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stepson-stepmother-killing-colorado-suitcase-florida-aa2e46edd072ccd98036479f8644e490">she was insane</a>&nbsp;and that one of her other personalities killed him a disservice to those who are mentally ill.

Earlier in the day, jurors found Letecia Stauch guilty of first-degree murder and other charges she faced in Gannon Stauch’s killing over three years ago. Prosecutors said she stabbed Gannon 18 times as he tried to fight her off before hitting him in the head and then shooting him once.

Prosecutors claimed Stauch killed the boy in January 2020 because she hated him and wanted to hurt his father, Al Stauch, whom she planned to leave and who was away on a National Guard deployment at the time. They said she then put his body in a suitcase and drove over 1,300 miles with it in a rented van.

Authorities arrested Stauch in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on March 2, 2022. She was held in the Saline County, Kansas jail on her return to Colorado.

Judge Gregory Werner said Stauch was also motivated by “hatred and jealousy” of Gannon’s mother, Landen Bullard, and resentful of being left to take care of Gannon and his younger sister.

Unlike other defendants with mental health problems, Werner said Stauch was never surprised by what her alleged other personality did but instead took conscious steps to cover up her actions.

“There is no time during the minutes, hours and days following the murder where Letecia came out and wondered 'Gee, why am I carrying a body around a body in my luggage?' That just isn't credible," he said.

Al Stauch broke down in court while addressing Gannon, saying he would never would have thought he was leaving him with his “murderer." Both he and Bullard recalled how their severely premature son weighed about a pound and a half when he was born, able to fit into the palms of his dad’s hands, but proved to be a survivor.

“You came into this world fighting. Unfortunately, you left this world fighting,” Bullard said.

Stauch did not deny killing Gannon, but she pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The defense argued that she killed Gannon during a “psychotic break" caused by trauma from being physically, emotionally and sexually abused during her childhood.

Experts at the state mental hospital concluded that Stauch had a personality disorder with borderline and narcissistic features but was sane at the time Gannon was killed. Under Colorado law, that means understanding the difference between right and wrong and being able to form the intent to commit a crime.

The main defense witness, Dr. Dorothy Lewis, author of the book “Crazy, Not Insane” and featured in an HBO documentary with the same title, concluded Stauch suffered from dissociative identity disorder — when someone has two or more personalities as the result of trauma — and was not sane at the time Gannon was killed.

In the weeks leading up to Gannon's killing, Stauch was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder after she was referred to a psychologist while being treated military health clinic. Therapist Ronda Niederhauser testified that Stauch did not show any signs of being a threat to herself or others and was aware of her surroundings.

Authorities believe Stauch killed Gannon in his bedroom a few hours before reporting him missing on Jan. 27, 2020, saying he had not come home from playing with friends. Dozens of volunteers helped search for the boy in the area around where the family lived near Colorado Springs. However, investigators later revealed that Stauch concocted a variety of stories to mislead them, including that a man she hired to repair a carpet raped her and then abducted Gannon.

After Al Stauch became suspicious of his wife, he allowed the FBI to listen in on his phone calls with Stauch, trying to draw out more information from her about where Gannon was. Hours of audio from those calls along with video recordings of interviews with Stauch about her mental health were a prominent part of the evidence offered during the five-week trial.

Gannon’s body was found in a suitcase below a bridge on the Florida Pandhandle during an inspection done twice a year in what prosecutors called “divine intervention.”

Stauch was convicted of first-degree murder after deliberation, first-degree murder of a child by a person in a position of trust, tampering with a deceased human body and tampering with physical evidence.

She did not appear to show any reaction to the verdict as it was read, sitting at the defense table between her two lawyers, or as Al Stauch, Bullard and others spoke to the judge about how Gannon's killing had hurt them.

Prosecutors claimed Stauch killed the boy in January 2020 because she hated him and wanted to hurt his father, Al Stauch, whom she planned to leave and who was away on a National Guard deployment at the time. They said she then put his body in a suitcase and drove over 1,300 miles with it in a rented van.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583419148723.jpeg" alt="After her March 2020 arrest in South Carolina, Letecia Stauch was held in the Saline County jail on her return to Colorado -Photo Saline County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>After her March 2020 arrest in South Carolina, Letecia Stauch was held in the Saline County jail on her return to Colorado -Photo Saline County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>DENVER (AP) — A judge sentenced a woman convicted of killing her 11-year-old stepson in Colorado and dumping his body over a bridge in Florida to life in prison without parole on Monday, calling her claim that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stepson-stepmother-killing-colorado-suitcase-florida-aa2e46edd072ccd98036479f8644e490">she was insane</a>&nbsp;and that one of her other personalities killed him a disservice to those who are mentally ill.Earlier in the day, jurors found Letecia Stauch guilty of first-degree murder and other charges she faced in Gannon Stauch’s killing over three years ago. Prosecutors said she stabbed Gannon 18 times as he tried to fight her off before hitting him in the head and then shooting him once.Prosecutors claimed Stauch killed the boy in January 2020 because she hated him and wanted to hurt his father, Al Stauch, whom she planned to leave and who was away on a National Guard deployment at the time. They said she then put his body in a suitcase and drove over 1,300 miles with it in a rented van.Authorities arrested Stauch in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on March 2, 2022. She was held in the Saline County, Kansas jail on her return to Colorado.Judge Gregory Werner said Stauch was also motivated by “hatred and jealousy” of Gannon’s mother, Landen Bullard, and resentful of being left to take care of Gannon and his younger sister.Unlike other defendants with mental health problems, Werner said Stauch was never surprised by what her alleged other personality did but instead took conscious steps to cover up her actions.“There is no time during the minutes, hours and days following the murder where Letecia came out and wondered 'Gee, why am I carrying a body around a body in my luggage?' That just isn't credible," he said.Al Stauch broke down in court while addressing Gannon, saying he would never would have thought he was leaving him with his “murderer." Both he and Bullard recalled how their severely premature son weighed about a pound and a half when he was born, able to fit into the palms of his dad’s hands, but proved to be a survivor.“You came into this world fighting. Unfortunately, you left this world fighting,” Bullard said.Stauch did not deny killing Gannon, but she pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The defense argued that she killed Gannon during a “psychotic break" caused by trauma from being physically, emotionally and sexually abused during her childhood.Experts at the state mental hospital concluded that Stauch had a personality disorder with borderline and narcissistic features but was sane at the time Gannon was killed. Under Colorado law, that means understanding the difference between right and wrong and being able to form the intent to commit a crime.The main defense witness, Dr. Dorothy Lewis, author of the book “Crazy, Not Insane” and featured in an HBO documentary with the same title, concluded Stauch suffered from dissociative identity disorder — when someone has two or more personalities as the result of trauma — and was not sane at the time Gannon was killed.In the weeks leading up to Gannon's killing, Stauch was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder after she was referred to a psychologist while being treated military health clinic. Therapist Ronda Niederhauser testified that Stauch did not show any signs of being a threat to herself or others and was aware of her surroundings.Authorities believe Stauch killed Gannon in his bedroom a few hours before reporting him missing on Jan. 27, 2020, saying he had not come home from playing with friends. Dozens of volunteers helped search for the boy in the area around where the family lived near Colorado Springs. However, investigators later revealed that Stauch concocted a variety of stories to mislead them, including that a man she hired to repair a carpet raped her and then abducted Gannon.After Al Stauch became suspicious of his wife, he allowed the FBI to listen in on his phone calls with Stauch, trying to draw out more information from her about where Gannon was. Hours of audio from those calls along with video recordings of interviews with Stauch about her mental health were a prominent part of the evidence offered during the five-week trial.Gannon’s body was found in a suitcase below a bridge on the Florida Pandhandle during an inspection done twice a year in what prosecutors called “divine intervention.”Stauch was convicted of first-degree murder after deliberation, first-degree murder of a child by a person in a position of trust, tampering with a deceased human body and tampering with physical evidence.She did not appear to show any reaction to the verdict as it was read, sitting at the defense table between her two lawyers, or as Al Stauch, Bullard and others spoke to the judge about how Gannon's killing had hurt them.-----------------DENVER (AP) — A judge sentenced a woman convicted of killing her 11-year-old stepson in Colorado and dumping his body over a bridge in Florida to life in prison without parole on Monday, calling her claim that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/stepson-stepmother-killing-colorado-suitcase-florida-aa2e46edd072ccd98036479f8644e490">she was insane</a>&nbsp;and that one of her other personalities killed him a disservice to those who are mentally ill.Earlier in the day, jurors found Letecia Stauch guilty of first-degree murder and other charges she faced in Gannon Stauch’s killing over three years ago. Prosecutors said she stabbed Gannon 18 times as he tried to fight her off before hitting him in the head and then shooting him once.Prosecutors claimed Stauch killed the boy in January 2020 because she hated him and wanted to hurt his father, Al Stauch, whom she planned to leave and who was away on a National Guard deployment at the time. They said she then put his body in a suitcase and drove over 1,300 miles with it in a rented van.&nbsp;Authorities arrested Stauch in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, on March 2, 2022. She was held in the Saline County, Kansas jail on her return to Colorado.Judge Gregory Werner said Stauch was also motivated by “hatred and jealousy” of Gannon’s mother, Landen Bullard, and resentful of being left to take care of Gannon and his younger sister.Unlike other defendants with mental health problems, Werner said Stauch was never surprised by what her alleged other personality did but instead took conscious steps to cover up her actions.“There is no time during the minutes, hours and days following the murder where Letecia came out and wondered 'Gee, why am I carrying a body around a body in my luggage?' That just isn't credible," he said.Al Stauch broke down in court while addressing Gannon, saying he would never would have thought he was leaving him with his “murderer." Both he and Bullard recalled how their severely premature son weighed about a pound and a half when he was born, able to fit into the palms of his dad’s hands, but proved to be a survivor.“You came into this world fighting. Unfortunately, you left this world fighting,” Bullard said.Stauch did not deny killing Gannon, but she pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The defense argued that she killed Gannon during a “psychotic break" caused by trauma from being physically, emotionally and sexually abused during her childhood.Experts at the state mental hospital concluded that Stauch had a personality disorder with borderline and narcissistic features but was sane at the time Gannon was killed. Under Colorado law, that means understanding the difference between right and wrong and being able to form the intent to commit a crime.The main defense witness, Dr. Dorothy Lewis, author of the book “Crazy, Not Insane” and featured in an HBO documentary with the same title, concluded Stauch suffered from dissociative identity disorder — when someone has two or more personalities as the result of trauma — and was not sane at the time Gannon was killed.In the weeks leading up to Gannon's killing, Stauch was diagnosed with generalized anxiety disorder after she was referred to a psychologist while being treated military health clinic. Therapist Ronda Niederhauser testified that Stauch did not show any signs of being a threat to herself or others and was aware of her surroundings.Authorities believe Stauch killed Gannon in his bedroom a few hours before reporting him missing on Jan. 27, 2020, saying he had not come home from playing with friends. Dozens of volunteers helped search for the boy in the area around where the family lived near Colorado Springs. However, investigators later revealed that Stauch concocted a variety of stories to mislead them, including that a man she hired to repair a carpet raped her and then abducted Gannon.After Al Stauch became suspicious of his wife, he allowed the FBI to listen in on his phone calls with Stauch, trying to draw out more information from her about where Gannon was. Hours of audio from those calls along with video recordings of interviews with Stauch about her mental health were a prominent part of the evidence offered during the five-week trial.Gannon’s body was found in a suitcase below a bridge on the Florida Pandhandle during an inspection done twice a year in what prosecutors called “divine intervention.”Stauch was convicted of first-degree murder after deliberation, first-degree murder of a child by a person in a position of trust, tampering with a deceased human body and tampering with physical evidence.She did not appear to show any reaction to the verdict as it was read, sitting at the defense table between her two lawyers, or as Al Stauch, Bullard and others spoke to the judge about how Gannon's killing had hurt them.

Woman briefly held in Kan. jail sentenced for killing stepson 

FRANKLIN COUNTY—Law enforcement officers in Franklin County Kansas had an interesting traffic stop.

On May 5, deputies were notified of a possible intoxicated driver traveling northbound on Interstate 35, according to the Franklin County Sheriff's office. 

A deputy located the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop on a driver wearing a beer can costume. 

The driver was eventually placed under arrest on a requested charge of driving under the influence of alcohol and transported to the Franklin County Jail.&nbsp; The sheriff's office released no additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683587104112.png" alt="Photo Franklin County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Franklin County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>FRANKLIN COUNTY—Law enforcement officers in Franklin County Kansas had an interesting traffic stop.On May 5, deputies were notified of a possible intoxicated driver traveling northbound on Interstate 35, according to the Franklin County Sheriff's office. A deputy located the vehicle and conducted a traffic stop on a driver wearing a beer can costume. The driver was eventually placed under arrest on a requested charge of driving under the influence of alcohol and transported to the Franklin County Jail.&nbsp; The sheriff's office released no additional details.

Sheriff: Kan. man wearing beer can costume accused of DUI

LINN COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 7:30p.m. Monday in Linn County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1997 Dodge Dakota driven by Jody N. Russell, 67, Mound City, was southbound on Kansas 7 one mile north of Mound City. The driver failed to negotiate a curve and the pickup struck a tree head-on.

Russell was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics. She was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

LINN COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 7:30p.m. Monday in Linn County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 1997 Dodge Dakota driven by Jody N. Russell, 67, Mound City, was southbound on Kansas 7 one mile north of Mound City. The driver failed to negotiate a curve and the pickup struck a tree head-on.Russell was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Frontier Forensics. She was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas woman dies after pickup strikes a tree head-on

NEOSHO COUNTY&nbsp;_&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Labette County Sheriff’s Office, and the Neosho County Sheriff’s Office located the body of missing 23-year-old Dakota A. Patton, and arrested two subjects connected to his death, according to a media release from the KBI.

On Monday, May 8 around 11:40 a.m., deputies from the Labette County Sheriff’s Office and the Neosho County Sheriff’s Office were searching an area northeast of Parsons in rural Neosho County. They discovered Patton’s remains in a field near 20th&nbsp;Road and Xavier Road.

The KBI’s Crime Scene Response Team responded to the area. They collected evidence and determined Patton died from an apparent gunshot wound.

Arrest warrants for first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder were secured for Clint W. Nibarger, 32, of Parsons, and Kimberly J. Thomas, 47, of Parsons.&nbsp;

At approximately 6 p.m. on Monday, Thomas was observed leaving a residence in Hollister, Missouri when she was arrested by the Taney County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies from the Taney County Sheriff’s Office then arrested Nibarger at the same residence at around 6:30 p.m.

Nibarger and Thomas were booked into the Taney County Jail.

LABETTE COUNTY — The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Labette County Sheriff’s Office continue their search for Dakota A. Patton, the 23-year-old man who was last seen the evening of April 25, in Parsons, Kansas. Foul play is suspected in Patton’s disappearance, according to a media release from the KBI.

The Labette County Sheriff’s Office requested KBI assistance on April 27, after Patton’s vehicle was located abandoned in a field in rural Labette County. Patton was also reported missing on April 27.

Patton is a white male. He is 5 feet- 11, weighs around 230 pounds with brown hair, blue eyes, and facial hair. Patton was likely wearing blue jeans, a grey sweatshirt and boots.

KBI agents believe Patton may have last been in an area along the Neosho River,&nbsp; between 20th Road and Wallace Road and 60th Road and Wallace Road. 

Investigators ask fisherman, hunters, farmers, and hikers who frequent this area to report anything suspicious they encounter that may be connected to Patton’s disappearance.

If you have any information about the disappearance of Dakota Patton, please contact the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME, or the Labette County Sheriff’s Office at 620-795-2565. Anonymous tips can be made online at https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683598458148.png" alt="Thomas-photo Taney Co." />
 <figcaption>Thomas-photo Taney Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>NEOSHO COUNTY&nbsp;_&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Labette County Sheriff’s Office, and the Neosho County Sheriff’s Office located the body of missing 23-year-old Dakota A. Patton, and arrested two subjects connected to his death, according to a media release from the KBI.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683326201347.png" alt="Image KBI" />
 <figcaption>Image KBI</figcaption>
 </figure>On Monday, May 8 around 11:40 a.m., deputies from the Labette County Sheriff’s Office and the Neosho County Sheriff’s Office were searching an area northeast of Parsons in rural Neosho County. They discovered Patton’s remains in a field near 20th&nbsp;Road and Xavier Road.The KBI’s Crime Scene Response Team responded to the area. They collected evidence and determined Patton died from an apparent gunshot wound.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683627777629.png" alt="Nibarger-photo Taney Co." />
 <figcaption>Nibarger-photo Taney Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Arrest warrants for first-degree murder and conspiracy to commit murder were secured for Clint W. Nibarger, 32, of Parsons, and Kimberly J. Thomas, 47, of Parsons.&nbsp;At approximately 6 p.m. on Monday, Thomas was observed leaving a residence in Hollister, Missouri when she was arrested by the Taney County Sheriff’s Office. Deputies from the Taney County Sheriff’s Office then arrested Nibarger at the same residence at around 6:30 p.m.Nibarger and Thomas were booked into the Taney County Jail.---------------LABETTE COUNTY — The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) and the Labette County Sheriff’s Office continue their search for Dakota A. Patton, the 23-year-old man who was last seen the evening of April 25, in Parsons, Kansas. Foul play is suspected in Patton’s disappearance, according to a media release from the KBI.The Labette County Sheriff’s Office requested KBI assistance on April 27, after Patton’s vehicle was located abandoned in a field in rural Labette County. Patton was also reported missing on April 27.Patton is a white male. He is 5 feet- 11, weighs around 230 pounds with brown hair, blue eyes, and facial hair. Patton was likely wearing blue jeans, a grey sweatshirt and boots.KBI agents believe Patton may have last been in an area along the Neosho River,&nbsp; between 20th Road and Wallace Road and 60th Road and Wallace Road. Investigators ask fisherman, hunters, farmers, and hikers who frequent this area to report anything suspicious they encounter that may be connected to Patton’s disappearance.If you have any information about the disappearance of Dakota Patton, please contact the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME, or the Labette County Sheriff’s Office at 620-795-2565. Anonymous tips can be made online at https://www.kbi.ks.gov/sar.

KBI: Body of missing Kansas man located, 2 jailed in Missouri

ALLEN, Texas — Officials have have positively identified the victims killed in&nbsp; the Dallas-area mall shooting on Sunday. They include a 3-year-old boy and two grade-school girls.

According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, "it is with great sorrow that we share this information. Each of these individuals were members of our North Texas community and their loss is felt with heavy hearts. No agency will release the name of anyone under 18 or victims who are injured."

The victims are 11-year-old girl, Sachse, Texas

Kyu Song Cho, male, age 37, Dallas, Texas

Cindy&nbsp;Cho, female, age 35, Dallas, Texas

Christian LaCour, male, age 20, Nevada, Texas

 Elio Cumana-Rivas, male, age 32, Dallas, Texas

Aishwarya Thatikonda, female, age 26, McKinney, Texas.

Several verified funds have been established to support victims’ families. <a href="https://www.cityofallen.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=5028&amp;fbclid=IwAR1bVBXta2-vYy8ZcOmdfPqXuJSq0hTUFITLQXQHPQW-k9rqWIKj5Gxp_ck">Click here for details</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683592555152.png" alt="A memorial outside the Allen Premium Outlet Mall-Photo Allen, Texas Police" />
 <figcaption>A memorial outside the Allen Premium Outlet Mall-Photo Allen, Texas Police</figcaption>
 </figure>ALLEN, Texas — Officials have have positively identified the victims killed in&nbsp; the Dallas-area mall shooting on Sunday. They include a 3-year-old boy and two grade-school girls.According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, "it is with great sorrow that we share this information. Each of these individuals were members of our North Texas community and their loss is felt with heavy hearts. No agency will release the name of anyone under 18 or victims who are injured."The victims are 11-year-old girl, Sachse, Texas8-year-old girl Sachse, Texas3-year-old boy Dallas, TexasKyu Song Cho, male, age 37, Dallas, TexasCindy&nbsp;Cho, female, age 35, Dallas, TexasChristian LaCour, male, age 20, Nevada, Texas Elio Cumana-Rivas, male, age 32, Dallas, TexasAishwarya Thatikonda, female, age 26, McKinney, Texas.Several verified funds have been established to support victims’ families. <a href="https://www.cityofallen.org/CivicAlerts.aspx?AID=5028&amp;fbclid=IwAR1bVBXta2-vYy8ZcOmdfPqXuJSq0hTUFITLQXQHPQW-k9rqWIKj5Gxp_ck">Click here for details</a>

Officials ID victims killed in Texas mall shooting

By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina Post

A Salina man is under investigation after a violent incident on Interstate 70 just east of the N. Ohio Street exit Sunday afternoon.

Jeremiah John Bastin, 40, of Salina, was driving westbound on I-70 with his wife and three children when he and his wife allegedly got into an argument,&nbsp; according to Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan. 

While the vehicle was traveling at approximately 50 mph, Bastin allegedly pushed his wife out of the car. She was caught in the seatbelt and drug along for a while, Soldan said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683550281665.jpeg" alt="Jeremiah John Bastin-photo&nbsp;Saline County Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>Jeremiah John Bastin-photo&nbsp;Saline County Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>By LESLIE EIKLEBERRY Salina PostA Salina man is under investigation after a violent incident on Interstate 70 just east of the N. Ohio Street exit Sunday afternoon.Jeremiah John Bastin, 40, of Salina, was driving westbound on I-70 with his wife and three children when he and his wife allegedly got into an argument,&nbsp; according to Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan. While the vehicle was traveling at approximately 50 mph, Bastin allegedly pushed his wife out of the car. She was caught in the seatbelt and drug along for a while, Soldan said.Bastin then stopped the car and allegedly made his wife's two children, an 11-year-old girl and a nine-year-old girl, get out of the car and left them on the shoulder of the interstate, taking off with his two-year-old son, Soldan said.The incident, which was witnessed by several people, occurred at approximately 4:57 p.m. Sunday just east of the N. Ohio Street exit.Bastin was later found and taken into custody at his residence in the 1900 block of Haskett Avenue in Salina on requested charges of Aggravated battery and Aggravated endangering a child.The woman sustained road rash, but otherwise was not injured, Soldan said.