By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/laurencross/">Lauren Cross</a>

If you live in a small town, you probably have fewer grocery stores than you did 30 years ago — and fewer choices inside them.

Independent grocers have disappeared, replaced by big national chains that now decide what’s on the shelves, how much it costs, and who gets to profit.

In 1990, the top four grocery chains controlled just 13% of nationwide sales. By 2019, the top four retailers — Walmart, Kroger, Costco, and Ahold Delhaize — controlled 34% of U.S. grocery sales,&nbsp;<a href="https://ers.usda.gov/sites/default/files/_laserfiche/publications/106795/EIB-256.pdf?v=40605" target="_blank">according to the USDA</a>.

That concentration hasn’t gone unnoticed. Just last year, the Federal Trade Commission and nine states&nbsp;<a href="https://hpj.com/2024/02/26/ftc-sues-to-block-supermarket-merger/" target="_blank">sued to block a $25 billion merger between grocery giants Kroger and Albertsons</a>, arguing that the deal would harm both shoppers and workers by reducing competition, increasing prices, and consolidating power into fewer hands. The merger has since unraveled, but only after a court battle and mounting public pressure.

In rural counties, market concentration more than doubled between 1990 and 2019, according to USDA data.

One way to measure concentration is the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI), a tool used to track monopoly risk. In rural areas, HHI scores jumped from 3,104 to 5,584 — more than twice the threshold where federal antitrust regulators start to worry about competition. According to a 2023 USDA report, the USDA considers anything above 2,500 is considered highly concentrated.

Now that trend may speed up. The White House has proposed nearly $7 billion in USDA budget cuts, including $721 million from&nbsp;<a href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2025/05/14/trump-says-he-loves-farmers-hes-dismantlintheg-the-agency-helping-their-communities-survive/" target="_blank">Rural Development programs</a>&nbsp;— the ones that help small towns open grocery stores and other local businesses. One program on the chopping block is the Rural Business-Cooperative Service. Loan funding for community facilities and rural businesses would also drop by 45%, with no new grant dollars offered.

At the same time, the administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative discusses improving nutrition, but proposes cuts to the very programs that help people buy food, including Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), school meal equipment, and farm-to-school efforts.

The bottom line? Rural communities already hit hardest by grocery consolidation are now facing even more roadblocks.

This&nbsp;<a href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2025/06/18/usda-data-highlights-monopoly-risk-in-rural-grocery-markets/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://investigatemidwest.org/" target="_blank">Investigate Midwest</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750436100569.png" alt=" General Manager Brian Horak walks down an aisle at Post 60 Market in Emerson, Nebraska. Locals opened the market as a cooperative in 2022 after the tiny town lost its only grocery store (Kevin Hardy/Stateline)." />
 <figcaption> General Manager Brian Horak walks down an aisle at Post 60 Market in Emerson, Nebraska. Locals opened the market as a cooperative in 2022 after the tiny town lost its only grocery store (Kevin Hardy/Stateline).</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/laurencross/">Lauren Cross</a>If you live in a small town, you probably have fewer grocery stores than you did 30 years ago — and fewer choices inside them.Independent grocers have disappeared, replaced by big national chains that now decide what’s on the shelves, how much it costs, and who gets to profit.In 1990, the top four grocery chains controlled just 13% of nationwide sales. By 2019, the top four retailers — Walmart, Kroger, Costco, and Ahold Delhaize — controlled 34% of U.S. grocery sales,&nbsp;<a href="https://ers.usda.gov/sites/default/files/_laserfiche/publications/106795/EIB-256.pdf?v=40605" target="_blank">according to the USDA</a>.That concentration hasn’t gone unnoticed. Just last year, the Federal Trade Commission and nine states&nbsp;<a href="https://hpj.com/2024/02/26/ftc-sues-to-block-supermarket-merger/" target="_blank">sued to block a $25 billion merger between grocery giants Kroger and Albertsons</a>, arguing that the deal would harm both shoppers and workers by reducing competition, increasing prices, and consolidating power into fewer hands. The merger has since unraveled, but only after a court battle and mounting public pressure.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750436058104.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>In rural counties, market concentration more than doubled between 1990 and 2019, according to USDA data.One way to measure concentration is the Herfindahl-Hirschman Index (HHI), a tool used to track monopoly risk. In rural areas, HHI scores jumped from 3,104 to 5,584 — more than twice the threshold where federal antitrust regulators start to worry about competition. According to a 2023 USDA report, the USDA considers anything above 2,500 is considered highly concentrated.Now that trend may speed up. The White House has proposed nearly $7 billion in USDA budget cuts, including $721 million from&nbsp;<a href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2025/05/14/trump-says-he-loves-farmers-hes-dismantlintheg-the-agency-helping-their-communities-survive/" target="_blank">Rural Development programs</a>&nbsp;— the ones that help small towns open grocery stores and other local businesses. One program on the chopping block is the Rural Business-Cooperative Service. Loan funding for community facilities and rural businesses would also drop by 45%, with no new grant dollars offered.At the same time, the administration’s “Make America Healthy Again” initiative discusses improving nutrition, but proposes cuts to the very programs that help people buy food, including Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), school meal equipment, and farm-to-school efforts.The bottom line? Rural communities already hit hardest by grocery consolidation are now facing even more roadblocks.This&nbsp;<a href="https://investigatemidwest.org/2025/06/18/usda-data-highlights-monopoly-risk-in-rural-grocery-markets/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://investigatemidwest.org/" target="_blank">Investigate Midwest</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.<figure>
 <img src="https://investigatemidwest.org/?republication-pixel=true&amp;post=754059&amp;ga4=G-R9VE8P61LG" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

USDA data highlights monopoly risk in rural grocery market

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

Just after 10p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a shooting in 3600 block of Norton in Kansas City, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.

On arrival officers were led inside a residence where they located a juvenile teen shooting victim unresponsive. Officers summoned EMS to the scene who transported the girl to the hospital. She was declared deceased by medical personnel at the hospital. 

Homicide detectives responded to the scene and are investigating.

Preliminary investigation indicates the victim was inside a residence at the location when gunfire from an unknown suspect or suspects came from outside the residence to the inside, striking her.&nbsp; Police have no known suspect information.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754840034182.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City, Missouri.Just after 10p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to a shooting in 3600 block of Norton in Kansas City, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.On arrival officers were led inside a residence where they located a juvenile teen shooting victim unresponsive. Officers summoned EMS to the scene who transported the girl to the hospital. She was declared deceased by medical personnel at the hospital. Homicide detectives responded to the scene and are investigating.Preliminary investigation indicates the victim was inside a residence at the location when gunfire from an unknown suspect or suspects came from outside the residence to the inside, striking her.&nbsp; Police have no known suspect information.

KCPD: Girl injured from shots fired outside her home has died

The 17th annual Congressional Women's softball game was played at Audi Field in Washington DC on July 16. Members of Congress took on the Bad News Babes in a friendly showdown to raise awareness and support for the unique challenges young adults face after a breast cancer diagnosis.

On Saturday, Kansas 3rd District Representative Sharice Davids used her social media account to finally share just how well she played in the game.

Due to the threat of severe weather the game was not completed but the Congressional team had a 5-3 lead and claimed victory

The game raised over $650,000 for Young Survival Coalition to ensure no one faces breast cancer alone. "And, that right there is what it’s all about!"

The 17th annual Congressional Women's softball game was played at Audi Field in Washington DC on July 16. Members of Congress took on the Bad News Babes in a friendly showdown to raise awareness and support for the unique challenges young adults face after a breast cancer diagnosis.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I don’t mean to brag, but I really knocked this one out of the park.😉 (Okay, it was a triple — but pretty close!) <a href="https://t.co/vnUQortHmx">pic.twitter.com/vnUQortHmx</a>&mdash; Rep. Sharice Davids (@RepDavids) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepDavids/status/1954289332032061532?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>On Saturday, Kansas 3rd District Representative Sharice Davids used her social media account to finally share just how well she played in the game.Due to the threat of severe weather the game was not completed but the Congressional team had a 5-3 lead and claimed victoryThe game raised over $650,000 for Young Survival Coalition to ensure no one faces breast cancer alone. "And, that right there is what it’s all about!"

Kan. Congresswoman shines at Congressional softball game

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>

WASHINGTON — Fueled by President Donald Trump’s aims to bolster the U.S. House’s razor-thin GOP majority in the 2026 midterm elections, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/04/texas-redistricting-democrats-quorum-break-what-need-know/" target="_blank">rare mid-decade redistricting fight</a>&nbsp;in Texas grew increasingly bitter in recent days and engulfed other states.

As Democratic legislators in the Lone Star State fled to block a new congressional map, a handful of both blue and red states eyed their own redistricting plans, lawsuits cropped up and members of Congress pledged bills to curb redistricting wars.

While Texas is the only state that has so far taken formal action to redraw its U.S. House lines, a full-blown arms race could be imminent.

Here’s a breakdown on the redistricting battle as the drama unfolds:

How did all of this interest in redistricting kick off?

Republicans in Texas drew a new congressional map at the urging of Trump that could give the GOP five crucial new congressional seats in 2026.

Midterm elections typically lead to the loss of congressional seats for a president’s party.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, the GOP&nbsp;<a href="https://pressgallery.house.gov/member-data/party-breakdown" target="_blank">currently holds</a>&nbsp;219 seats in the House, while Democrats hold 212 spots, with four vacancies. That extremely narrow majority has created immense challenges for U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, as he tries to enact Trump’s sweeping agenda and cater to the president’s demands as well as factions in the GOP conference.

Though congressional districts are typically redrawn every decade following each U.S. Census, the move, particularly in Texas, is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/texas-redistricting-history-partisan-apportionment-democrats-legislature/" target="_blank">not unprecedented</a>&nbsp;and is allowed.

Texas Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/30/texas-redistricting-congressional-maps-house-republicans/" target="_blank">unveiled a draft</a>&nbsp;of the new congressional map in late July, which looks to reshape and flip major metro areas’ districts held by Democrats.

According to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/01/texas-congressional-redistricting-doj-coalition-districts/?_bhlid=7f2627553c4e88985dcc13d559313ade1585940b" target="_blank">The Texas Tribune</a>, the Department of Justice sent Texas’ leaders a letter in early July that said four of its districts violate the U.S. Constitution. The proposed map would dismantle those districts, per the Tribune.

More than 50 of Texas’ Democratic legislators left the state to try to block the legislature from adopting the new map, according to the Tribune.

This move has drawn the ire of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/05/texas-democrats-ken-paxton-court-vacate-seats-quorum-break/" target="_blank">Texas Gov. Greg Abbott</a>, who went so far as to&nbsp;<a href="https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-files-lawsuit-seeking-removal-of-texas-democrat-caucus-chair-representative-wu" target="_blank">file a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;asking to remove the Texas House Democratic Caucus chair, state Rep. Gene Wu, after Wu left the state.

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also&nbsp;<a href="https://texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-will-seek-judicial-orders-declaring-runaway-democrats-who-abandon-their" target="_blank">said Tuesday</a>&nbsp;that he will pursue a court ruling that declares the seats vacant for the House Democrats who do not return by Friday.

Texas GOP U.S. Sen. John Cornyn has also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cornyn.senate.gov/news/cornyn-urges-fbi-to-investigate-hold-fleeing-texas-legislators-accountable/" target="_blank">called on the FBI</a>&nbsp;“to take any appropriate steps to aid in Texas state law enforcement efforts to locate or arrest potential lawbreakers who have fled the state.” Trump on Tuesday, asked by a reporter if the FBI should “get involved,” said, “Well, they may have to.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom has been among the most vocal Democratic governors in suggesting retaliating against Texas Republicans by redrawing his populous blue state’s own lines before the 2026 elections.

State laws in California and other Democratic states make mid-decade redistricting tougher than it is in Texas.

While pro-democracy groups have praised California’s nonpartisan commission as the “gold standard” of independent redistricting, Newsom has indicated he would ask state lawmakers to temporarily scrap it to join the arms race he says Trump started in Texas.

At a Monday press conference, Newsom justified his exploration of mid-decade redistricting in the Golden State by describing Trump’s recent and historic record as anti-democratic.

“These folks don’t play by the rules,” Newsom said. “If they can’t win playing the game with the existing set of rules, they’ll change the rules. That’s what Donald Trump has done … Here is someone who tried to break this country, tried to light democracy on fire on Jan. 6. He recognizes he’s going to lose in the midterms.”

What other states are looking at potentially redistricting?

Vice President JD Vance is slated to visit Indiana Thursday in an attempt to push redistricting, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2025/08/05/vice-president-heads-to-indiana-to-push-redistricting-but-legalities-remain-unclear/" target="_blank">Indiana Capital Chronicle</a>.

Indiana GOP Gov. Mike Braun said that as of now, no commitments have been made, when asked about redistricting efforts in the Hoosier State, per the Capital Chronicle.

Leaders of large Democratic states, in addition to California, are considering their own redistricting in response to Texas.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul wrote in an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/outlook/article/texas-redistricting-new-york-kathy-hochul-20802629.php?emci=f5933625-3c72-f011-8dc9-6045bda9d96b&amp;emdi=85ee365f-d072-f011-8dc9-6045bda9d96b&amp;ceid=37942749" target="_blank">op-ed published in the Houston Chronicle</a>&nbsp;Tuesday that she would “not sit on the sidelines” and watch “Republicans dismantle democracy.”

“What Texas is doing isn’t a clever strategy, it’s political arson — torching our democracy to cling to power,” Hochul wrote. “The only viable recourse is to fight fire with fire.”

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker appeared alongside Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin and a group of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/texas-dems-flee-illinois-block-redistricting-vote" target="_blank">exiled Texas Democratic lawmakers</a>&nbsp;at a news conference Tuesday. Pritzker said it was “possible” the state would pursue redistricting,&nbsp;<a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/illinois-governor/2025/08/05/jb-pritzker-illinois-remap-texas-democrats-greg-abbott" target="_blank">according to the Chicago Sun-Times</a>.

Other Democratic governors — even including Laura Kelly of ruby-red Kansas — raised the prospect during a Democratic Governors Association&nbsp;<a href="https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2025/08/01/democratic-governors-endorse-mid-decade-redistricting-in-response-to-gop-efforts/" target="_blank">meeting in Wisconsin last week</a>&nbsp;of pursuing mid-decade redistricting if Texas follows through.

Republican states are also considering jumping in the fray.

Missouri Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin, a Republican, told a news radio station last week that it was&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/08/02/missouri-senate-leader-says-special-session-is-likely-to-redraw-congressional-map/" target="_blank">“likely”</a>&nbsp;lawmakers would convene in a special session to redraw district lines after&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/25/trump-white-house-pressing-missouri-republicans-to-redraw-congressional-map/" target="_blank">pressure from Trump</a>.

And Rep. Don Bacon, a Republican who holds the most competitive of Nebraska’s three U.S. House seats but plans to step down,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/08/06/nebraska-might-join-national-wildfire-of-mid-decade-redistricting/" target="_blank">told the Nebraska Examiner</a>&nbsp;that Republicans in the state were having conversations about potential redistricting.

An arms race to shorten the cycle for redrawing congressional lines could come at a cost for efforts to overhaul the redistricting process.

Common Cause, a national pro-democracy group that advocates for election reforms including nonpartisan redistricting, urged Democrats not to respond to Texas.

A redistricting arms race would only result in “rigged elections across America,” Emily Eby French, the policy director for Common Cause Texas,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/good-government-group-urges-blue-states-back-away-redistricting-arms-race" target="_blank">said on a press call last week</a>. It was wrong for Republicans to put “a thumb on the scale” through redistricting, she said, but also wrong for Democrats to do the same.

“The real solution is for Democrats to help us lift the Republican thumb off of the Texas scale and every other scale in America until we reach free and fair elections for everyone.”

Trump, whose urging appeared to prompt Texas Republicans to action, has consistently pushed lawmakers in that state to reinforce the GOP advantage there.

Tuesday, he said on CNBC that Republicans were “entitled” to five more House seats in Texas.

Martin, the DNC chair, responded in Illinois.

“No party is entitled to any district,” he said. “We have to go out and earn the votes.”

Still, Martin advised Democrats in blue states to do the opposite by responding in kind to Texas Republicans.

In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/gun-knife-fight-democrats-chief-pledges-more-pugnacious-party-more-states" target="_blank">an interview with States Newsroom last week</a>, Martin suggested Democratic states drop any commitment to nonpartisan redistricting in response to Texas.

“We’re not here to tie one of our hands behind our back,” he said. “We can’t be the only party that’s playing by the rules.”

At least two GOP House lawmakers — representing blue states looking at retaliatory redistricting efforts against Trump — are taking it upon themselves to introduce bills in Congress that bar these initiatives.

GOP Rep. Kevin Kiley of California&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/RepKiley/status/1952851943912817083" target="_blank">introduced a bill</a>&nbsp;in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4889/text" target="_blank">House</a>&nbsp;this week that would ban mid-decade redistricting across the country.

Kiley said Newsom “is trying to subvert the will of voters and do lasting damage to democracy in California,” in a&nbsp;<a href="https://kiley.house.gov/posts/rep-kiley-to-introduce-redistricting-legislation" target="_blank">statement</a>&nbsp;earlier this week.

“Fortunately, Congress has the ability to protect California voters using its authority under the Elections Clause of the U.S. Constitution,” he said. “This will also stop a damaging redistricting war from breaking out across the country.”

Rep. Mike Lawler, a New York Republican, also said he&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/RepMikeLawler/status/1952871627852833110" target="_blank">plans to introduce legislation</a>&nbsp;to prohibit “partisan gerrymandering and mid-decade redistricting.”

The New York Republican told CNN on Tuesday that “this is fundamentally why Congress is broken,” adding that “you do not have competitive districts and so, most members are focused on primaries and not actually engaging in a general election.”&nbsp;

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://georgiarecorder.com/author/jacob-fischler/">Jacob Fischler</a>&nbsp; <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>WASHINGTON — Fueled by President Donald Trump’s aims to bolster the U.S. House’s razor-thin GOP majority in the 2026 midterm elections, a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/04/texas-redistricting-democrats-quorum-break-what-need-know/" target="_blank">rare mid-decade redistricting fight</a>&nbsp;in Texas grew increasingly bitter in recent days and engulfed other states.As Democratic legislators in the Lone Star State fled to block a new congressional map, a handful of both blue and red states eyed their own redistricting plans, lawsuits cropped up and members of Congress pledged bills to curb redistricting wars.While Texas is the only state that has so far taken formal action to redraw its U.S. House lines, a full-blown arms race could be imminent.Here’s a breakdown on the redistricting battle as the drama unfolds:<h2>How did all of this interest in redistricting kick off?</h2>Republicans in Texas drew a new congressional map at the urging of Trump that could give the GOP five crucial new congressional seats in 2026.Midterm elections typically lead to the loss of congressional seats for a president’s party.&nbsp;Meanwhile, the GOP&nbsp;<a href="https://pressgallery.house.gov/member-data/party-breakdown" target="_blank">currently holds</a>&nbsp;219 seats in the House, while Democrats hold 212 spots, with four vacancies. That extremely narrow majority has created immense challenges for U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Louisiana Republican, as he tries to enact Trump’s sweeping agenda and cater to the president’s demands as well as factions in the GOP conference.Though congressional districts are typically redrawn every decade following each U.S. Census, the move, particularly in Texas, is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texasstandard.org/stories/texas-redistricting-history-partisan-apportionment-democrats-legislature/" target="_blank">not unprecedented</a>&nbsp;and is allowed.<h2>What’s going on in Texas?</h2>Texas Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2025/07/30/texas-redistricting-congressional-maps-house-republicans/" target="_blank">unveiled a draft</a>&nbsp;of the new congressional map in late July, which looks to reshape and flip major metro areas’ districts held by Democrats.According to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/01/texas-congressional-redistricting-doj-coalition-districts/?_bhlid=7f2627553c4e88985dcc13d559313ade1585940b" target="_blank">The Texas Tribune</a>, the Department of Justice sent Texas’ leaders a letter in early July that said four of its districts violate the U.S. Constitution. The proposed map would dismantle those districts, per the Tribune.More than 50 of Texas’ Democratic legislators left the state to try to block the legislature from adopting the new map, according to the Tribune.This move has drawn the ire of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.texastribune.org/2025/08/05/texas-democrats-ken-paxton-court-vacate-seats-quorum-break/" target="_blank">Texas Gov. Greg Abbott</a>, who went so far as to&nbsp;<a href="https://gov.texas.gov/news/post/governor-abbott-files-lawsuit-seeking-removal-of-texas-democrat-caucus-chair-representative-wu" target="_blank">file a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;asking to remove the Texas House Democratic Caucus chair, state Rep. Gene Wu, after Wu left the state.Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton also&nbsp;<a href="https://texasattorneygeneral.gov/news/releases/attorney-general-ken-paxton-will-seek-judicial-orders-declaring-runaway-democrats-who-abandon-their" target="_blank">said Tuesday</a>&nbsp;that he will pursue a court ruling that declares the seats vacant for the House Democrats who do not return by Friday.Texas GOP U.S. Sen. John Cornyn has also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cornyn.senate.gov/news/cornyn-urges-fbi-to-investigate-hold-fleeing-texas-legislators-accountable/" target="_blank">called on the FBI</a>&nbsp;“to take any appropriate steps to aid in Texas state law enforcement efforts to locate or arrest potential lawbreakers who have fled the state.” Trump on Tuesday, asked by a reporter if the FBI should “get involved,” said, “Well, they may have to.”<h2>How is California reacting?</h2>California Gov. Gavin Newsom has been among the most vocal Democratic governors in suggesting retaliating against Texas Republicans by redrawing his populous blue state’s own lines before the 2026 elections.State laws in California and other Democratic states make mid-decade redistricting tougher than it is in Texas.While pro-democracy groups have praised California’s nonpartisan commission as the “gold standard” of independent redistricting, Newsom has indicated he would ask state lawmakers to temporarily scrap it to join the arms race he says Trump started in Texas.At a Monday press conference, Newsom justified his exploration of mid-decade redistricting in the Golden State by describing Trump’s recent and historic record as anti-democratic.“These folks don’t play by the rules,” Newsom said. “If they can’t win playing the game with the existing set of rules, they’ll change the rules. That’s what Donald Trump has done … Here is someone who tried to break this country, tried to light democracy on fire on Jan. 6. He recognizes he’s going to lose in the midterms.”<h2>What other states are looking at potentially redistricting?</h2>Vice President JD Vance is slated to visit Indiana Thursday in an attempt to push redistricting, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://indianacapitalchronicle.com/2025/08/05/vice-president-heads-to-indiana-to-push-redistricting-but-legalities-remain-unclear/" target="_blank">Indiana Capital Chronicle</a>.Indiana GOP Gov. Mike Braun said that as of now, no commitments have been made, when asked about redistricting efforts in the Hoosier State, per the Capital Chronicle.Leaders of large Democratic states, in addition to California, are considering their own redistricting in response to Texas.New York Gov. Kathy Hochul wrote in an&nbsp;<a href="https://www.houstonchronicle.com/opinion/outlook/article/texas-redistricting-new-york-kathy-hochul-20802629.php?emci=f5933625-3c72-f011-8dc9-6045bda9d96b&amp;emdi=85ee365f-d072-f011-8dc9-6045bda9d96b&amp;ceid=37942749" target="_blank">op-ed published in the Houston Chronicle</a>&nbsp;Tuesday that she would “not sit on the sidelines” and watch “Republicans dismantle democracy.”“What Texas is doing isn’t a clever strategy, it’s political arson — torching our democracy to cling to power,” Hochul wrote. “The only viable recourse is to fight fire with fire.”Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker appeared alongside Democratic National Committee Chair Ken Martin and a group of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/texas-dems-flee-illinois-block-redistricting-vote" target="_blank">exiled Texas Democratic lawmakers</a>&nbsp;at a news conference Tuesday. Pritzker said it was “possible” the state would pursue redistricting,&nbsp;<a href="https://chicago.suntimes.com/illinois-governor/2025/08/05/jb-pritzker-illinois-remap-texas-democrats-greg-abbott" target="_blank">according to the Chicago Sun-Times</a>.Other Democratic governors — even including Laura Kelly of ruby-red Kansas — raised the prospect during a Democratic Governors Association&nbsp;<a href="https://wisconsinexaminer.com/2025/08/01/democratic-governors-endorse-mid-decade-redistricting-in-response-to-gop-efforts/" target="_blank">meeting in Wisconsin last week</a>&nbsp;of pursuing mid-decade redistricting if Texas follows through.Republican states are also considering jumping in the fray.Missouri Senate President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin, a Republican, told a news radio station last week that it was&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/08/02/missouri-senate-leader-says-special-session-is-likely-to-redraw-congressional-map/" target="_blank">“likely”</a>&nbsp;lawmakers would convene in a special session to redraw district lines after&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/07/25/trump-white-house-pressing-missouri-republicans-to-redraw-congressional-map/" target="_blank">pressure from Trump</a>.And Rep. Don Bacon, a Republican who holds the most competitive of Nebraska’s three U.S. House seats but plans to step down,&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2025/08/06/nebraska-might-join-national-wildfire-of-mid-decade-redistricting/" target="_blank">told the Nebraska Examiner</a>&nbsp;that Republicans in the state were having conversations about potential redistricting.<h2>What downside do some see?</h2>An arms race to shorten the cycle for redrawing congressional lines could come at a cost for efforts to overhaul the redistricting process.Common Cause, a national pro-democracy group that advocates for election reforms including nonpartisan redistricting, urged Democrats not to respond to Texas.A redistricting arms race would only result in “rigged elections across America,” Emily Eby French, the policy director for Common Cause Texas,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/good-government-group-urges-blue-states-back-away-redistricting-arms-race" target="_blank">said on a press call last week</a>. It was wrong for Republicans to put “a thumb on the scale” through redistricting, she said, but also wrong for Democrats to do the same.“The real solution is for Democrats to help us lift the Republican thumb off of the Texas scale and every other scale in America until we reach free and fair elections for everyone.”<h2>Are party leaders egging this on?</h2>Trump, whose urging appeared to prompt Texas Republicans to action, has consistently pushed lawmakers in that state to reinforce the GOP advantage there.Tuesday, he said on CNBC that Republicans were “entitled” to five more House seats in Texas.Martin, the DNC chair, responded in Illinois.“No party is entitled to any district,” he said. “We have to go out and earn the votes.”Still, Martin advised Democrats in blue states to do the opposite by responding in kind to Texas Republicans.In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/gun-knife-fight-democrats-chief-pledges-more-pugnacious-party-more-states" target="_blank">an interview with States Newsroom last week</a>, Martin suggested Democratic states drop any commitment to nonpartisan redistricting in response to Texas.“We’re not here to tie one of our hands behind our back,” he said. “We can’t be the only party that’s playing by the rules.”<h2>How is Congress reacting?</h2>At least two GOP House lawmakers — representing blue states looking at retaliatory redistricting efforts against Trump — are taking it upon themselves to introduce bills in Congress that bar these initiatives.GOP Rep. Kevin Kiley of California&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/RepKiley/status/1952851943912817083" target="_blank">introduced a bill</a>&nbsp;in the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/4889/text" target="_blank">House</a>&nbsp;this week that would ban mid-decade redistricting across the country.Kiley said Newsom “is trying to subvert the will of voters and do lasting damage to democracy in California,” in a&nbsp;<a href="https://kiley.house.gov/posts/rep-kiley-to-introduce-redistricting-legislation" target="_blank">statement</a>&nbsp;earlier this week.“Fortunately, Congress has the ability to protect California voters using its authority under the Elections Clause of the U.S. Constitution,” he said. “This will also stop a damaging redistricting war from breaking out across the country.”Rep. Mike Lawler, a New York Republican, also said he&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/RepMikeLawler/status/1952871627852833110" target="_blank">plans to introduce legislation</a>&nbsp;to prohibit “partisan gerrymandering and mid-decade redistricting.”The New York Republican told CNN on Tuesday that “this is fundamentally why Congress is broken,” adding that “you do not have competitive districts and so, most members are focused on primaries and not actually engaging in a general election.”&nbsp;

Why congressional redistricting is blowing up across the US this summer

TOPEKA —A federal judge in the District of Kansas sentenced defendant Kaaba Majeed, 51, to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release for forced labor and forced labor conspiracy. The court sentenced co-defendants Yunus Rassoul, 39, to five years of probation; James Staton, 63, to five years in prison and one year of supervised release; Randolph Rodney Hadley, 50, to five years in prison and one year of supervised release; Daniel Aubrey Jenkins, 44, to four years in prison and one year of supervised release; and Dana Peach, 60, to four years in prison and one year of supervised release for forced labor conspiracy.

In September 2024, after a 26-day trial, a jury convicted all six defendants of forced labor conspiracy and convicted Majeed of five additional counts of forced labor. Two other co-defendants, Etenia Kinard, 49, and Jacelyn Greenwell, 46 who previously pleaded guilty to the forced labor conspiracy, are scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 22.

“Labor trafficking of children is an egregious crime,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “These sentences reflect our relentless pursuit of perpetrators and our determination to seek justice for survivors of human trafficking.”

“The defendants were entrusted to care for and nurture vulnerable children but instead chose to exploit and abuse them,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser for the District of Kansas. “Although these crimes were committed many years ago and the children are now adults, the sentences handed down today reflect how the passage of time did not diminish the Department of Justice’s resolve to hold these human traffickers accountable and seek justice for their victims.”

“The FBI works closely with numerous local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, as well as non-governmental agencies and other nonprofits on the front lines to combat human trafficking,” said Special Agent in Charge Stephen Cyrus of the FBI Kansas City Field Office. “This case highlights the value of those partnerships. The Kansas City FBI will continue to prioritize the safety of our community and thanks the Department of Labor and the New York State Department of Labor for their invaluable assistance.”

As established at trial, all six defendants were former high-ranking members of the United Nation of Islam (UNOI) who assisted UNOI’s late founder Royall Jenkins in managing UNOI operations. Defendant Peach was also one of Jenkins’s wives. Jenkins represented himself as Allah, contrary to principles of the Islamic faith, and demanded compliance with strict UNOI rules. UNOI operated multiple businesses including restaurants, bakeries, gas stations, a laboratory, and a clothing factory.

For over 12 years from October 2000 through November 2012, the defendants conspired to enforce rules that required UNOI members to perform unpaid labor, using beatings, threats, punishments, isolation, and coercion to compel the unpaid labor of over a dozen victims, including multiple minors, some as young as eight years old. The defendants required the victims to work up to 16 hours a day performing unpaid labor in UNOI-owned and operated businesses in Kansas City, Kansas; New York, New York; Newark, New Jersey; Cincinnati, Ohio; Dayton, Ohio; Atlanta, Georgia, and elsewhere. The defendants also required the victims to perform unpaid childcare and domestic service in the defendants’ homes. The evidence showed that the defendants lived comfortably while housing the victims in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions along with restricting their food and water.

As proven at trial, the defendants used false promises of education, life skills training, and job training to induce parents to send their children to Kansas. After isolating the victims from their families and making them wholly dependent on UNOI, the defendants required the victims to attend UNOI’s unlicensed, unaccredited school and used strict rules, isolation, punishments, humiliation, threats, and coercion to compel the victims’ unpaid labor. This included restricting and monitoring the victims’ communications with others along with their whereabouts. &nbsp;&nbsp;

The FBI Kansas City Field Office investigated the case with the assistance of the Department of Labor and the New York State Department of Labor.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Huschka for the District of Kansas and Trial Attorneys Kate Alexander, Maryam Zhuravitsky, and Francisco Zornosa of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit prosecuted the case

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635365692259.png" alt="All six defendants were former high-ranking members of the United Nation of Islam (UNOI) who assisted UNOI’s late founder Royall Jenkins in managing UNOI operations. Royall Jenkins-image from the organization's Youtube page" />
 <figcaption>All six defendants were former high-ranking members of the United Nation of Islam (UNOI) who assisted UNOI’s late founder Royall Jenkins in managing UNOI operations. Royall Jenkins-image from the organization's Youtube page</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —A federal judge in the District of Kansas sentenced defendant Kaaba Majeed, 51, to 10 years in prison and three years of supervised release for forced labor and forced labor conspiracy. The court sentenced co-defendants Yunus Rassoul, 39, to five years of probation; James Staton, 63, to five years in prison and one year of supervised release; Randolph Rodney Hadley, 50, to five years in prison and one year of supervised release; Daniel Aubrey Jenkins, 44, to four years in prison and one year of supervised release; and Dana Peach, 60, to four years in prison and one year of supervised release for forced labor conspiracy.In September 2024, after a 26-day trial, a jury convicted all six defendants of forced labor conspiracy and convicted Majeed of five additional counts of forced labor. Two other co-defendants, Etenia Kinard, 49, and Jacelyn Greenwell, 46 who previously pleaded guilty to the forced labor conspiracy, are scheduled to be sentenced on Sept. 22.“Labor trafficking of children is an egregious crime,” said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “These sentences reflect our relentless pursuit of perpetrators and our determination to seek justice for survivors of human trafficking.”“The defendants were entrusted to care for and nurture vulnerable children but instead chose to exploit and abuse them,” said U.S. Attorney Ryan A. Kriegshauser for the District of Kansas. “Although these crimes were committed many years ago and the children are now adults, the sentences handed down today reflect how the passage of time did not diminish the Department of Justice’s resolve to hold these human traffickers accountable and seek justice for their victims.”“The FBI works closely with numerous local, state, and federal law enforcement partners, as well as non-governmental agencies and other nonprofits on the front lines to combat human trafficking,” said Special Agent in Charge Stephen Cyrus of the FBI Kansas City Field Office. “This case highlights the value of those partnerships. The Kansas City FBI will continue to prioritize the safety of our community and thanks the Department of Labor and the New York State Department of Labor for their invaluable assistance.”As established at trial, all six defendants were former high-ranking members of the United Nation of Islam (UNOI) who assisted UNOI’s late founder Royall Jenkins in managing UNOI operations. Defendant Peach was also one of Jenkins’s wives. Jenkins represented himself as Allah, contrary to principles of the Islamic faith, and demanded compliance with strict UNOI rules. UNOI operated multiple businesses including restaurants, bakeries, gas stations, a laboratory, and a clothing factory.For over 12 years from October 2000 through November 2012, the defendants conspired to enforce rules that required UNOI members to perform unpaid labor, using beatings, threats, punishments, isolation, and coercion to compel the unpaid labor of over a dozen victims, including multiple minors, some as young as eight years old. The defendants required the victims to work up to 16 hours a day performing unpaid labor in UNOI-owned and operated businesses in Kansas City, Kansas; New York, New York; Newark, New Jersey; Cincinnati, Ohio; Dayton, Ohio; Atlanta, Georgia, and elsewhere. The defendants also required the victims to perform unpaid childcare and domestic service in the defendants’ homes. The evidence showed that the defendants lived comfortably while housing the victims in overcrowded, unsanitary conditions along with restricting their food and water.As proven at trial, the defendants used false promises of education, life skills training, and job training to induce parents to send their children to Kansas. After isolating the victims from their families and making them wholly dependent on UNOI, the defendants required the victims to attend UNOI’s unlicensed, unaccredited school and used strict rules, isolation, punishments, humiliation, threats, and coercion to compel the victims’ unpaid labor. This included restricting and monitoring the victims’ communications with others along with their whereabouts. &nbsp;&nbsp;The FBI Kansas City Field Office investigated the case with the assistance of the Department of Labor and the New York State Department of Labor.Assistant U.S. Attorney Ryan Huschka for the District of Kansas and Trial Attorneys Kate Alexander, Maryam Zhuravitsky, and Francisco Zornosa of the Civil Rights Division’s Human Trafficking Prosecution Unit prosecuted the case

Child abuse: Prison for members of religious group tied to Kansas

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect&nbsp; on multiple allegations involving a woman in Salina.

Just before 5p.m. August 7, a 27-year-old Salina woman reported that a subject she knew, later identified as Dustin Tyler, age 41, of Wichita had been stalking her, according to a media release from the Saline County Sheriff's office.

The victim reported Tyler, who she had previously told to stay away from her, had begun following her around Salina as she drove. The victim drove to a friend’s residence in the 900 block of Seneca. Upon arrival at the friend’s residence, Tyler exited his vehicle and approached the victim.

 Tyler then threatened to kill the victim and her daughter. Tyler also pushed the victim. There was a witness to the incident. Tyler then left the area. At approximately 2:00a.m. Friday, an officer observed a vehicle driving in the area of Broadway and N. 13th without any headlights. The officer conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver identified as Tyler. Tyler was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Saline County Jail on requested charges of Criminal Threat, Stalking, and Domestic Battery.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754660157390.jpeg" alt="Tyler -photo Saline County Sheriff's Office" />
 <figcaption>Tyler -photo Saline County Sheriff's Office</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect&nbsp; on multiple allegations involving a woman in Salina.Just before 5p.m. August 7, a 27-year-old Salina woman reported that a subject she knew, later identified as Dustin Tyler, age 41, of Wichita had been stalking her, according to a media release from the Saline County Sheriff's office.The victim reported Tyler, who she had previously told to stay away from her, had begun following her around Salina as she drove. The victim drove to a friend’s residence in the 900 block of Seneca. Upon arrival at the friend’s residence, Tyler exited his vehicle and approached the victim. Tyler then threatened to kill the victim and her daughter. Tyler also pushed the victim. There was a witness to the incident. Tyler then left the area. At approximately 2:00a.m. Friday, an officer observed a vehicle driving in the area of Broadway and N. 13th without any headlights. The officer conducted a traffic stop and made contact with the driver identified as Tyler. Tyler was taken into custody without incident and booked into the Saline County Jail on requested charges of Criminal Threat, Stalking, and Domestic Battery.

Kansas man accused of stalking, threatening to kill woman and her child

&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.&nbsp;

Just after&nbsp;10:30 p.m., August 5, a Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2009 Hyundai Sonata for an alleged traffic infraction, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

 The driver was identified as 36-year-old Starkesha Sabrina Palmer, of Topeka.  Palmer was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of THC, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving while suspended.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754403061745.png" alt="Palmer photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Palmer photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;JACKSON COUNTY, Kan. —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.&nbsp;Just after&nbsp;10:30 p.m., August 5, a Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a 2009 Hyundai Sonata for an alleged traffic infraction, according to Sheriff Tim Morse. The driver was identified as 36-year-old Starkesha Sabrina Palmer, of Topeka. Palmer was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of THC, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving while suspended.

Sheriff: Kansas woman caught transporting meth, THC

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an encounter with a deputy.&nbsp;

Just after 11a.m. August 6,&nbsp;a sheriff's deputy made contact with two individuals with a red 2003 Dodge Ram pickup truck backed into the bushes of a business in the 2600 block of SW Rochester Road in rural Shawnee County, according to Shawnee County Deputy Abigail Christian.

During the investigation, it was determined that the man had a felony warrant for his arrest and illegal narcotics were located.

Todd A. Lohness, 59, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requeste charges of Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Possession of marijuana, and Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia.

Lohness also had a felony warrant out of the county for a probation violation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754665135292.png" alt="Lohness photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Lohness photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an encounter with a deputy.&nbsp;Just after 11a.m. August 6,&nbsp;a sheriff's deputy made contact with two individuals with a red 2003 Dodge Ram pickup truck backed into the bushes of a business in the 2600 block of SW Rochester Road in rural Shawnee County, according to Shawnee County Deputy Abigail Christian.During the investigation, it was determined that the man had a felony warrant for his arrest and illegal narcotics were located.Todd A. Lohness, 59, of Topeka, was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requeste charges of Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Possession of marijuana, and Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia.Lohness also had a felony warrant out of the county for a probation violation.

Wanted suspect was hiding in bushes of rural Kan. business

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/ashley-murray/">Ashley Murray</a>&nbsp;

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump will remove former Missouri Republican U.S. Rep. Billy Long from his post as head of the Internal Revenue Service less than two months after his confirmation, according to the White House Friday.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will step in as commissioner of the agency tasked with enforcing tax law and collecting revenue, according to a White House official. Long’s sudden departure was first reported by the New York Times.

Long wrote on social media that Trump will now appoint him to be U.S. ambassador to Iceland. The White House confirmed Long’s statement.

“It is a honor to serve my friend&nbsp;President Trump and I am excited to take on my new role as the ambassador to Iceland. I am thrilled to answer his call to service and deeply committed to advancing his bold agenda. Exciting times ahead!” Long wrote.

The former lawmaker’s ouster comes as the IRS must begin to implement changes to the tax code&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-passes-massive-tax-break-and-spending-cut-bill-sending-it-trump" target="_blank">championed</a>&nbsp;by Senate Republicans and signed into law by Trump just last month. Those include temporary tax relief for some tipped and overtime workers, as well as permanent changes to the child tax credit and several clean energy tax credits.

The agency, which collects the lion’s share of the country’s revenue from individual taxpayers, lost more than 11,000 employees, or 11% of its workforce, either through deferred resignations or mass firings of probationary workers since Trump began his second term, according to a May 2&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tigta.gov/sites/default/files/reports/2025-05/2025ier017fr.pdf" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;from the agency’s inspector general.

Long, who represented Missouri in the U.S. House from 2011 to 2023 and then worked many years as a talk radio host, was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/billy-long-confirmed-internal-revenue-service-commissioner" target="_blank">confirmed</a>&nbsp;by the U.S. Senate in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00308.htm" target="_blank">53-44</a>&nbsp;vote on June 12.

The former lawmaker and media personality faced&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/irs-nominee-billy-long-probed-democrats-over-nonexistent-tribal-tax-credits" target="_blank">scrutiny</a>&nbsp;during his confirmation process from Senate Democrats who demanded an investigation into Long’s work with two companies, Capital Edge Strategies and White River, where he allegedly peddled fake tax credits.

Senate Democrats also scrutinized donations Long received to his defunct Senate campaign after Trump announced in December he intended to install the former congressman at the helm of the IRS.

Long denied any wrongdoing, and received the support of all Senate Republicans, including Senate Committee on Finance Chair Mike Crapo, of Idaho, who praised Long’s promise to “implement a top-down culture change at the agency.”

‘One corruption bombshell after another’

Sen. Ron Wyden, the committee’s top Democrat, said in a statement Friday that&nbsp;“it was obvious this would end badly, but every Senate Republican voted to confirm his nomination anyway.”

“He didn’t even last two months on the job. Let’s not forget that there wasn’t a vacancy at the time Trump announced Long’s nomination. Danny Werfel, a skilled leader with fans among Democrats and Republicans, had years left on his term,” the Oregon lawmaker said.

Upon Long’s confirmation, Wyden said the vote should have been an “easy no” for Republicans.

“It’s one corruption bombshell after another with former Congressman Billy Long,” he said in June.

States Newsroom reached out to what appeared to be Long’s phone number for comment.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754682615731.png" alt="Billy Long, former Missouri Congressman, photo IRS" />
 <figcaption>Billy Long, former Missouri Congressman, photo IRS</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/ashley-murray/">Ashley Murray</a>&nbsp;WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump will remove former Missouri Republican U.S. Rep. Billy Long from his post as head of the Internal Revenue Service less than two months after his confirmation, according to the White House Friday.Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will step in as commissioner of the agency tasked with enforcing tax law and collecting revenue, according to a White House official. Long’s sudden departure was first reported by the New York Times.Long wrote on social media that Trump will now appoint him to be U.S. ambassador to Iceland. The White House confirmed Long’s statement.“It is a honor to serve my friend&nbsp;President Trump and I am excited to take on my new role as the ambassador to Iceland. I am thrilled to answer his call to service and deeply committed to advancing his bold agenda. Exciting times ahead!” Long wrote.The former lawmaker’s ouster comes as the IRS must begin to implement changes to the tax code&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-passes-massive-tax-break-and-spending-cut-bill-sending-it-trump" target="_blank">championed</a>&nbsp;by Senate Republicans and signed into law by Trump just last month. Those include temporary tax relief for some tipped and overtime workers, as well as permanent changes to the child tax credit and several clean energy tax credits.The agency, which collects the lion’s share of the country’s revenue from individual taxpayers, lost more than 11,000 employees, or 11% of its workforce, either through deferred resignations or mass firings of probationary workers since Trump began his second term, according to a May 2&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tigta.gov/sites/default/files/reports/2025-05/2025ier017fr.pdf" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;from the agency’s inspector general.<h2>Confirmed in June</h2>Long, who represented Missouri in the U.S. House from 2011 to 2023 and then worked many years as a talk radio host, was&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/billy-long-confirmed-internal-revenue-service-commissioner" target="_blank">confirmed</a>&nbsp;by the U.S. Senate in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1191/vote_119_1_00308.htm" target="_blank">53-44</a>&nbsp;vote on June 12.The former lawmaker and media personality faced&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/irs-nominee-billy-long-probed-democrats-over-nonexistent-tribal-tax-credits" target="_blank">scrutiny</a>&nbsp;during his confirmation process from Senate Democrats who demanded an investigation into Long’s work with two companies, Capital Edge Strategies and White River, where he allegedly peddled fake tax credits.Senate Democrats also scrutinized donations Long received to his defunct Senate campaign after Trump announced in December he intended to install the former congressman at the helm of the IRS.Long denied any wrongdoing, and received the support of all Senate Republicans, including Senate Committee on Finance Chair Mike Crapo, of Idaho, who praised Long’s promise to “implement a top-down culture change at the agency.”<h2>‘One corruption bombshell after another’</h2>Sen. Ron Wyden, the committee’s top Democrat, said in a statement Friday that&nbsp;“it was obvious this would end badly, but every Senate Republican voted to confirm his nomination anyway.”“He didn’t even last two months on the job. Let’s not forget that there wasn’t a vacancy at the time Trump announced Long’s nomination. Danny Werfel, a skilled leader with fans among Democrats and Republicans, had years left on his term,” the Oregon lawmaker said.Upon Long’s confirmation, Wyden said the vote should have been an “easy no” for Republicans.“It’s one corruption bombshell after another with former Congressman Billy Long,” he said in June.States Newsroom reached out to what appeared to be Long’s phone number for comment.

Missouri’s Billy Long ousted by Trump as IRS chief after less than 2 months in office

ALLEN COUNTY — A Kansas man was hospitalized after a grain bin accident in rural Allen County.

Just before 8p.m. Thursday emergency crews responded to the Bernsten Farms, 3061 Utah Road near La Harpe, according to a statement from The&nbsp;Allen County Sheriff’s Office.

The farmer was working inside the 10,000 bushel bin when the corn shifted and he was trapped. After four hours, emergency crews were able to extricate him through the roof. He was transported to the Allen County Hospital

Crews from La Harpe, Iola, Colony and Anderson County assisted in the rescue.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754702271561.png" alt="Photos Allen County Sheriff'f office" />
 <figcaption>Photos Allen County Sheriff'f office</figcaption>
 </figure>ALLEN COUNTY — A Kansas man was hospitalized after a grain bin accident in rural Allen County.Just before 8p.m. Thursday emergency crews responded to the Bernsten Farms, 3061 Utah Road near La Harpe, according to a statement from The&nbsp;Allen County Sheriff’s Office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754743823489.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The farmer was working inside the 10,000 bushel bin when the corn shifted and he was trapped. After four hours, emergency crews were able to extricate him through the roof. He was transported to the Allen County HospitalCrews from La Harpe, Iola, Colony and Anderson County assisted in the rescue.&nbsp;

Kansas man rescued after trapped for hours in grain bin

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Donald J. Trump, Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev, and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan sign peace and economic agreements at the White House <a href="https://t.co/yUvKZf0g0r">pic.twitter.com/yUvKZf0g0r</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1953914524081201264?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev <a href="https://twitter.com/presidentaz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@presidentaz</a>: We will turn the page of standoff, confrontation, and bloodshed ... I am very happy because today, we are writing a great new history. Mr. President, thank you for what you are doing for us, for our region, and for the whole world. <a href="https://t.co/5FPTM0afwf">pic.twitter.com/5FPTM0afwf</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1953913464629735696?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Armenian Prime Minister <a href="https://twitter.com/NikolPashinyan?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NikolPashinyan</a>: &quot;I think President Trump deserves to have the Nobel Peace Prize... we will promote for that... Today&#39;s event I think is a very bright expression of that.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/p7nzMswU8l">https://t.co/p7nzMswU8l</a> <a href="https://t.co/pk0AqmaMYd">pic.twitter.com/pk0AqmaMYd</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1953915878287851540?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/presidentaz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@presidentaz</a>: &quot;Maybe we agree with Prime Minister Pashinyan to send a joint appeal to the Nobel committee to award President Trump with the Nobel Peace Prize... This is a tangible result of President Trump&#39;s leadership and no one could&#39;ve achieved that.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/CVE1GkXL5X">pic.twitter.com/CVE1GkXL5X</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1953916600542757100?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Trump seals peace deal between Armenia and Azerbaijan

CLAY COUNTY, Mo. —Investigators have positively identified the individual whose body was located in the Missouri River on Wednesday evening as&nbsp;32-year-old Dusenge Y. Mukiza of Kansas City, Kansas, according to a statement from the Clay County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office.

&nbsp;An autopsy revealed no evidence of trauma or foul play.

Just after 8:30p.m. a couple who were fishing called 911 and reported seeing a body in the water near 210 Highway and Edwards Road. 

When deputies arrived, they found Mukiz'a body of the man on the north side of the river. The Missouri State Highway Patrol's Water Patrol Division assisted with recovering the body.

CLAY COUNTY, Mo. —Investigators have positively identified the individual whose body was located in the Missouri River on Wednesday evening as&nbsp;32-year-old Dusenge Y. Mukiza of Kansas City, Kansas, according to a statement from the Clay County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office.&nbsp;An autopsy revealed no evidence of trauma or foul play.Just after 8:30p.m. a couple who were fishing called 911 and reported seeing a body in the water near 210 Highway and Edwards Road. When deputies arrived, they found Mukiz'a body of the man on the north side of the river. The Missouri State Highway Patrol's Water Patrol Division assisted with recovering the body.

Body found by couple fishing in river identified as Kansas man

Merit-based selection adherents keen to keep status quo, reformists want direct elections

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

LAWRENCE — Campaigns for and against a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution allowing direct election of justices to the Kansas Supreme Court have begun the one-year charge to the August 2026 primary election where the issue will be decided.

While Attorney General Kris Kobach lauded the potential switch to statewide elections at an Americans for Prosperity-Kansas dinner in Wichita, a panel of skeptics brought together by Kansas Appleseed outlined Wednesday for an audience on the University of Kansas campus the reasons it would be a mistake to abandon the existing merit-based selection process.

Retired Kansas Supreme Court Justice Carol Beier, who served on the high court from 2003 to 2020, said opening the process up to expensive popular elections financed by special interests was contrary to the idea of an independent judiciary. Vague language of the amendment in terms of the process for electing justices to had yet to be clarified by the Legislature, she said.

“It is exceedingly vague,” she said. “It will be decided by the Legislature. Do you trust them?”

Mark Tallman, who lobbied for three decades at the Capitol and continues to work with the Kansas Association of School Boards, said the state Constitution mandated the Legislature make suitable provision for the financing of public education. Four major lawsuits over the past 60 years delved into constitutionality of school aid and the Supreme Court weighed into each of those disputes, he said.

He said the current school funding formula for K-12 public schools was due to expire in 2027 and substantive changes could trigger more lawsuits likely to work their way to the Supreme Court.

“Those who have been active in our association fundamentally believe that the system works and we shouldn’t risk change,” Tallman said.

Teresa Woody, litigation director of the advocacy organization Kansas Appleseed, said it would be impossible for elections of Supreme Court justices to be anything other than partisan brawls. She said the current system properly relied on candidates submitting applications, the selection of three finalists by an independent commission and appointment of new justices by a Kansas governor.

“It will work much better than the best iteration of a (proposed) constitutional amendment in really protecting Kansans’ rights,” Woody said. “Judges are there to interpret the law, not to make the law.”

Conventional wisdom says the amendment on next year’s ballot was the creation of conservative politicians frustrated with Supreme Court decisions leading to increases in state funding of K-12 public schools and declaring women had a constitutional right to abortion.

Steady reshuffling of the Supreme Court at the ballot box could influence judicial review of those poignant issues, but the Supreme Court also could assume a transformative role in voting rights and capital punishment cases.

“The Legislature appears to believe that partisan judges are likely to side with them on certain issues regardless of the rule of law,” Woody said. “They’re trying to change the rules of the game to be more favorable to those special interests and not to the general citizens of Kansas.”

Meanwhile, Kobach said he was pleased to be with AFP-Kansas to kick off of the campaign to gain voter approval for the judicial selection amendment. The amendment was endorsed by two-thirds majorities of the House and Senate. To be added to the state constitution, a simple majority of people casting votes on the August 2026 issue would resolve whether the amendment was added or discarded.

“People, not only lawyers in smoke-filled back rooms, should have a voice in selecting Kansas Supreme Court justices,” Kobach said.

In the past, Kobach said, adoption of the constitutional amendment would enable Kansans to reclaim the right to vote for justices.

“Polling shows that Kansans overwhelmingly prefer voting on Supreme Court justices to the status quo,” Kobach said. “Seventy-four percent support the direct election of Supreme Court justices, while only 20% like the current attorney-controlled system.”

In Kansas, the merit-based selection process used to fill the seven seats on the Supreme Court relied on work of a nominating commission. It has nine members, with five elected by attorneys who passed the state bar exam. The four nonlawyers are appointed by the governor.

Commission interviews with candidates and the voting by commission members are open to the public and livestreamed on the internet. On Thursday, Gov. Laura Kelly selected a new justice to the Supreme Court by choosing from among three finalists nominated by the commission. She could have rejected all three nominees, which would have returned it to the nominating commission for a redo.

“It’s an ultra-rigorous vetting process. I’ve been through it myself,” said Beier, who was appointed to the Kansas Court of Appeals by Republican Gov. Bill Graves and to the Supreme Court by Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.

Appellate judges and justices in Kansas must stand every six years for retention elections by Kansas voters.

In 2013, GOP Gov. Sam Brownback and the Legislature agreed to alter state law to replace the merit-based process for vacancies on the Court of Appeals with a system of appointment by the governor subject to confirmation by the Kansas Senate. Kelly has voluntarily made use of merit selection as she submitted Court of Appeals nominees to the Senate.

Brownback couldn’t use statute to amend the selection method for the Supreme Court because the structure was embedded in the Constitution.

Woody said rural voters ought to be wary of the proposed constitutional amendment because a majority vote would be applied to candidates for the Supreme Court. Kelly won reelection as governor in 2022 by winning fewer than 10 of the state’s 105 counties. That outcome suggested a cluster of urban centers — perhaps Johnson, Douglas, Wyandotte, Sedgwick and Riley counties — could dictate who sat on the Supreme Court.

Beier said legislative and executive branch politicians by their nature were expected to declare policy preferences and allow voters to hold accountable to their personal pledges and the platforms of political parties.

She said judges and justices should operate in a manner that concentrated on facts in evidence, weighed issues raised by participants and took into account laws enacted by government.

“Nowhere in that did you hear judges should worry about their popularity,” Beier said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754657223916.png" alt=" From left, Mark Tallman of the Kansas Association of School Boards, Teresa Woody, litigation director of Kansas Appleseed, and retired Kansas Supreme Court Justice Carol Beier participate in a panel discussion Wednesday at the University of Kansas on a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution to allow direct election of Supreme Court justices. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> From left, Mark Tallman of the Kansas Association of School Boards, Teresa Woody, litigation director of Kansas Appleseed, and retired Kansas Supreme Court Justice Carol Beier participate in a panel discussion Wednesday at the University of Kansas on a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution to allow direct election of Supreme Court justices. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Merit-based selection adherents keen to keep status quo, reformists want direct elections</h2>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>LAWRENCE — Campaigns for and against a proposed amendment to the Kansas Constitution allowing direct election of justices to the Kansas Supreme Court have begun the one-year charge to the August 2026 primary election where the issue will be decided.While Attorney General Kris Kobach lauded the potential switch to statewide elections at an Americans for Prosperity-Kansas dinner in Wichita, a panel of skeptics brought together by Kansas Appleseed outlined Wednesday for an audience on the University of Kansas campus the reasons it would be a mistake to abandon the existing merit-based selection process.Retired Kansas Supreme Court Justice Carol Beier, who served on the high court from 2003 to 2020, said opening the process up to expensive popular elections financed by special interests was contrary to the idea of an independent judiciary. Vague language of the amendment in terms of the process for electing justices to had yet to be clarified by the Legislature, she said.“It is exceedingly vague,” she said. “It will be decided by the Legislature. Do you trust them?”Mark Tallman, who lobbied for three decades at the Capitol and continues to work with the Kansas Association of School Boards, said the state Constitution mandated the Legislature make suitable provision for the financing of public education. Four major lawsuits over the past 60 years delved into constitutionality of school aid and the Supreme Court weighed into each of those disputes, he said.He said the current school funding formula for K-12 public schools was due to expire in 2027 and substantive changes could trigger more lawsuits likely to work their way to the Supreme Court.“Those who have been active in our association fundamentally believe that the system works and we shouldn’t risk change,” Tallman said.Teresa Woody, litigation director of the advocacy organization Kansas Appleseed, said it would be impossible for elections of Supreme Court justices to be anything other than partisan brawls. She said the current system properly relied on candidates submitting applications, the selection of three finalists by an independent commission and appointment of new justices by a Kansas governor.“It will work much better than the best iteration of a (proposed) constitutional amendment in really protecting Kansans’ rights,” Woody said. “Judges are there to interpret the law, not to make the law.”Conventional wisdom says the amendment on next year’s ballot was the creation of conservative politicians frustrated with Supreme Court decisions leading to increases in state funding of K-12 public schools and declaring women had a constitutional right to abortion.Steady reshuffling of the Supreme Court at the ballot box could influence judicial review of those poignant issues, but the Supreme Court also could assume a transformative role in voting rights and capital punishment cases.“The Legislature appears to believe that partisan judges are likely to side with them on certain issues regardless of the rule of law,” Woody said. “They’re trying to change the rules of the game to be more favorable to those special interests and not to the general citizens of Kansas.”Meanwhile, Kobach said he was pleased to be with AFP-Kansas to kick off of the campaign to gain voter approval for the judicial selection amendment. The amendment was endorsed by two-thirds majorities of the House and Senate. To be added to the state constitution, a simple majority of people casting votes on the August 2026 issue would resolve whether the amendment was added or discarded.“People, not only lawyers in smoke-filled back rooms, should have a voice in selecting Kansas Supreme Court justices,” Kobach said.In the past, Kobach said, adoption of the constitutional amendment would enable Kansans to reclaim the right to vote for justices.“Polling shows that Kansans overwhelmingly prefer voting on Supreme Court justices to the status quo,” Kobach said. “Seventy-four percent support the direct election of Supreme Court justices, while only 20% like the current attorney-controlled system.”In Kansas, the merit-based selection process used to fill the seven seats on the Supreme Court relied on work of a nominating commission. It has nine members, with five elected by attorneys who passed the state bar exam. The four nonlawyers are appointed by the governor.Commission interviews with candidates and the voting by commission members are open to the public and livestreamed on the internet. On Thursday, Gov. Laura Kelly selected a new justice to the Supreme Court by choosing from among three finalists nominated by the commission. She could have rejected all three nominees, which would have returned it to the nominating commission for a redo.“It’s an ultra-rigorous vetting process. I’ve been through it myself,” said Beier, who was appointed to the Kansas Court of Appeals by Republican Gov. Bill Graves and to the Supreme Court by Democratic Gov. Kathleen Sebelius.Appellate judges and justices in Kansas must stand every six years for retention elections by Kansas voters.In 2013, GOP Gov. Sam Brownback and the Legislature agreed to alter state law to replace the merit-based process for vacancies on the Court of Appeals with a system of appointment by the governor subject to confirmation by the Kansas Senate. Kelly has voluntarily made use of merit selection as she submitted Court of Appeals nominees to the Senate.Brownback couldn’t use statute to amend the selection method for the Supreme Court because the structure was embedded in the Constitution.Woody said rural voters ought to be wary of the proposed constitutional amendment because a majority vote would be applied to candidates for the Supreme Court. Kelly won reelection as governor in 2022 by winning fewer than 10 of the state’s 105 counties. That outcome suggested a cluster of urban centers — perhaps Johnson, Douglas, Wyandotte, Sedgwick and Riley counties — could dictate who sat on the Supreme Court.Beier said legislative and executive branch politicians by their nature were expected to declare policy preferences and allow voters to hold accountable to their personal pledges and the platforms of political parties.She said judges and justices should operate in a manner that concentrated on facts in evidence, weighed issues raised by participants and took into account laws enacted by government.“Nowhere in that did you hear judges should worry about their popularity,” Beier said.

Rivals launch fight over Kansas constitutional amendment to elect Supreme Court justices

DOUGLAS COUNTY–&nbsp;A motorcyclist died in an accident that occurred just after 4p.m. Friday in Lawrence.

According to Lawrence Police spokesperson Laura McCabe, a car was westbound on 21 Street.&nbsp; The motorcycle was northbound on Naismith Drive.&nbsp; The two collided.&nbsp;

Officers immediately blocked traffic heading north on Naismith while paramedics worked to assess the driver of the motorcycle.&nbsp; Medics from Lawrence Douglas County Fire Medical pronounced the motorcyclist dead at the scene.

 A helicopter, which was set to respond, was cancelled once it was obvious the motorcycle driver did not survive.  He was wearing a helmet. The driver of the car had minor physical injuries and cooperated fully with the investigation.

Responding officers interviewed several witnesses who saw the crash happen. LKPD’s Accident Investigations Unit responded and is working to determine the exact cause of the crash.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the man who died.

DOUGLAS COUNTY–&nbsp;A motorcyclist died in an accident that occurred just after 4p.m. Friday in Lawrence.According to Lawrence Police spokesperson Laura McCabe, a car was westbound on 21 Street.&nbsp; The motorcycle was northbound on Naismith Drive.&nbsp; The two collided.&nbsp;Officers immediately blocked traffic heading north on Naismith while paramedics worked to assess the driver of the motorcycle.&nbsp; Medics from Lawrence Douglas County Fire Medical pronounced the motorcyclist dead at the scene. A helicopter, which was set to respond, was cancelled once it was obvious the motorcycle driver did not survive. He was wearing a helmet. The driver of the car had minor physical injuries and cooperated fully with the investigation.Responding officers interviewed several witnesses who saw the crash happen. LKPD’s Accident Investigations Unit responded and is working to determine the exact cause of the crash.&nbsp; Police have not released the name of the man who died.

Motorcyclist dies in 2-vehicle Kansas crash

KANSAS CITY, Kan.&nbsp;– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred Friday afternoon in Kansas City, Kansas.

Preliminary information indicates that at 2:49 p.m., a male subject, later identified as Paul Beasley Jr., 24, of Kansas City, Kansas, entered a business at 8301 State Avene and pointed a firearm at the cashier, according to a media release from the KBI. Beasley demanded that the cashier call 911 and indicate the store was being robbed.

At approximately 2:50 p.m., a KCKPD officer entered the store and was confronted by Beasley. The officer observed the suspect was holding a firearm, and retreated outside. Beasley followed the officer out of the store, where police had gathered, and a shooting occurred. Five officers fired during the shooting, striking the suspect.

Officers rendered aid until EMS arrived and transported Beasley to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased. No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.

This independent investigation aims to discover all events leading up to the officer-involved shooting. In police use of force cases, the KBI releases details to the public as soon as possible. This information is preliminary in nature, and is based on evidence collected and early statements of the parties involved, witnesses, medical personnel and others. It does not represent final or thorough findings which take several weeks to complete.

When this investigation concludes case findings will be presented to the Wyandotte County District Attorney for determination of charges. The investigation is ongoing.

KANSAS CITY, Kan.&nbsp;– The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) is investigating an officer-involved shooting that occurred Friday afternoon in Kansas City, Kansas.Preliminary information indicates that at 2:49 p.m., a male subject, later identified as Paul Beasley Jr., 24, of Kansas City, Kansas, entered a business at 8301 State Avene and pointed a firearm at the cashier, according to a media release from the KBI. Beasley demanded that the cashier call 911 and indicate the store was being robbed.At approximately 2:50 p.m., a KCKPD officer entered the store and was confronted by Beasley. The officer observed the suspect was holding a firearm, and retreated outside. Beasley followed the officer out of the store, where police had gathered, and a shooting occurred. Five officers fired during the shooting, striking the suspect.Officers rendered aid until EMS arrived and transported Beasley to a local hospital where he was pronounced deceased. No law enforcement officers were injured during the incident.This independent investigation aims to discover all events leading up to the officer-involved shooting. In police use of force cases, the KBI releases details to the public as soon as possible. This information is preliminary in nature, and is based on evidence collected and early statements of the parties involved, witnesses, medical personnel and others. It does not represent final or thorough findings which take several weeks to complete.When this investigation concludes case findings will be presented to the Wyandotte County District Attorney for determination of charges. The investigation is ongoing.

KBI: Man dead after Kansas officer shooting

WICHITA, KAN, – A Kansas businessman pleaded guilty to various charges related to defrauding clients of his accounting firm by falsely claiming money he had stolen was being used to pay business expenses, according to the United State's Attorney.

According to court documents, Quintin Flanagin, 45, of Colby pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, one count of bank fraud, one count of false statements, and one count of money laundering.

Flanagin, a certified public accountant (CPA), used his status as a signatory on the accounts of his clients’ business, Diamond M. Farms, to make unauthorized transactions between December 2021 and August 2022. He wrote multiple checks and initiated wire transfers totaling approximately $409,710 to Middle Finger Ranch under the guise of being payments for farm operations. 

Middle Finger Ranch is a fictitious business name that Flanagin connected to his personal bank account. Flanagin actually used the illegally obtained funds to pay for the construction on his new home.

Flanagin is scheduled to be sentenced on October 30, 2025. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714043354777.png" alt="Flanagin from his booking in Sedgwick County in April 2024" />
 <figcaption>Flanagin from his booking in Sedgwick County in April 2024</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN, – A Kansas businessman pleaded guilty to various charges related to defrauding clients of his accounting firm by falsely claiming money he had stolen was being used to pay business expenses, according to the United State's Attorney.According to court documents, Quintin Flanagin, 45, of Colby pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, one count of bank fraud, one count of false statements, and one count of money laundering.Flanagin, a certified public accountant (CPA), used his status as a signatory on the accounts of his clients’ business, Diamond M. Farms, to make unauthorized transactions between December 2021 and August 2022. He wrote multiple checks and initiated wire transfers totaling approximately $409,710 to Middle Finger Ranch under the guise of being payments for farm operations. Middle Finger Ranch is a fictitious business name that Flanagin connected to his personal bank account. Flanagin actually used the illegally obtained funds to pay for the construction on his new home.Flanagin is scheduled to be sentenced on October 30, 2025. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.

Kan. CPA, creator of ‘Middle Finger Ranch,’ admits fraud scheme

OSAGE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations. Just before 7a.m. August 5, a sheriff's deputy&nbsp;conducted a narcotic search warrant in the 1100 block of Laing Street in Osage City, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.

John C. Neu, 42, of Osage City was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of&nbsp;Possession of methamphetamine and Possession of drug paraphernalia

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754409688637.png" alt="Neu photo Osage County" />
 <figcaption>Neu photo Osage County</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations. Just before 7a.m. August 5, a sheriff's deputy&nbsp;conducted a narcotic search warrant in the 1100 block of Laing Street in Osage City, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.John C. Neu, 42, of Osage City was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of&nbsp;Possession of methamphetamine and Possession of drug paraphernalia

Kansas man accused of meth possession after drug bust

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨 <a href="https://t.co/ClTl6TjL0S">pic.twitter.com/ClTl6TjL0S</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1953940364290572777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;The highly anticipated meeting between myself, as President of the United States of America, and President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, will take place next Friday, August 15, 2025, in the Great State of Alaska. Further details to follow. Thank you for your attention to this… <a href="https://t.co/SI3twRJayp">pic.twitter.com/SI3twRJayp</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1953945651857052106?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

President Trump confirms when, where he will meet Putin

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754675842988.png" alt=" " />
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 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Great to spend time <a href="https://twitter.com/USDA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USDA</a>&#39;s Great American Farmers Market on the National Mall with <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRollins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRollins</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/EDSecMcMahon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EDSecMcMahon</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/howardlutnick?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@howardlutnick</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MonicaCrowley?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MonicaCrowley</a> to celebrate America 250. If you missed this year&#39;s market, don&#39;t worry because next year&#39;s will be even better! <a href="https://t.co/xw1SljgozN">pic.twitter.com/xw1SljgozN</a>&mdash; Lee Zeldin (@epaleezeldin) <a href="https://twitter.com/epaleezeldin/status/1953850346406588462?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;The farmers, ranchers, and producers at the Great American Farmers Market not only represent the legacy of American agriculture but also the future of an industry defined by faith, determination, and hospitality.&quot; Check out <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRollins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRollins</a>&#39; latest op-ed featured in <a href="https://twitter.com/dcexaminer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DCExaminer</a> ➡️… <a href="https://t.co/0lCWwE41Fo">pic.twitter.com/0lCWwE41Fo</a>&mdash; Dept. of Agriculture (@USDA) <a href="https://twitter.com/USDA/status/1953551226735669744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Day 4 of the Great American Farmers Market was dedicated to our fantastic Foresters &amp; Firefighters! 🇺🇸 Honored to join <a href="https://twitter.com/EDSecMcMahon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EDSecMcMahon</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/howardlutnick?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@howardlutnick</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/epaleezeldin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@epaleezeldin</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/MonicaCrowley?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MonicaCrowley</a> in celebrating our amazing forest firefighters, raising wildfire awareness, and wishing… <a href="https://t.co/l6O1uRhSRT">pic.twitter.com/l6O1uRhSRT</a>&mdash; Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRollins/status/1953438074496569663?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I had a great time at <a href="https://twitter.com/USDA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USDA</a>’s Great American Farmers Market! My fellow cabinet members <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRollins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRollins</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/howardlutnick?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@howardlutnick</a> , and <a href="https://twitter.com/epaleezeldin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@epaleezeldin</a> and I celebrated firefighters, promoted wildfire awareness, and of course honored Smokey Bear’s 81st birthday. <a href="https://t.co/c2WNBeEGd1">pic.twitter.com/c2WNBeEGd1</a>&mdash; Secretary Linda McMahon (@EDSecMcMahon) <a href="https://twitter.com/EDSecMcMahon/status/1953251587784360190?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">America’s Golden Age under <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>’ leadership is so strong even our tractors are turning gold. <a href="https://t.co/v6UzgjBBvv">pic.twitter.com/v6UzgjBBvv</a>&mdash; Scott Turner (@SecretaryTurner) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecretaryTurner/status/1952910028261741027?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>