CRAWFORD COUNTY —A Kansas teen avoided injury in an accident that occurred just after 6p.m. Tuesday in Crawford County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Ford Escape driven by 17-year-old Onna&nbsp;Jorge-Thelisma of Pittsburg, Kansas was westbound on E 515th Avenue just east of S 240th Street. The driver attempted to drive through an activated railroad crossing arm.&nbsp; A southbound train struck the SUV.&nbsp;

 &nbsp;Jorge-Thelisma, who was properly restrained, was not injured, according to the KHP.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1726674440367.png" alt="Post photo" />
 <figcaption>Post photo</figcaption>
 </figure>CRAWFORD COUNTY —A Kansas teen avoided injury in an accident that occurred just after 6p.m. Tuesday in Crawford County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Ford Escape driven by 17-year-old Onna&nbsp;Jorge-Thelisma of Pittsburg, Kansas was westbound on E 515th Avenue just east of S 240th Street. The driver attempted to drive through an activated railroad crossing arm.&nbsp; A southbound train struck the SUV.&nbsp; &nbsp;Jorge-Thelisma, who was properly restrained, was not injured, according to the KHP.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Patrol: Kan. teen drove through activated railroad crossing arm

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/joshmerchant/">Josh Merchant</a>

Jackson County Executive Frank White Jr. has proposed a new path forward for the Chiefs to remain at Arrowhead Stadium.

In a letter sent to Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe on July 8, obtained through a Sunshine Law request by The Beacon, White suggested renewing the same three-eighths-cent sales tax that failed last year — but with a big asterisk.

Under this proposal the Chiefs would only receive one-third of that sales tax revenue — equivalent to one-eighth of a cent — rather than half of the revenue under the current tax. The remaining revenue generated by the tax would support health care and public safety.

White’s proposal follows the recent&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/06/11/missouri-special-session-what-did-lawmakers-pass/" target="_blank">special session called by Kehoe</a>&nbsp;to, among other things, approve a state funding plan to support potential stadium projects for the Chiefs and Royals. Under the&nbsp;<a href="https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills251/amendpdf/0755S04.06H.pdf" target="_blank">“Show-Me Sports Investment Act,”</a>&nbsp;the state would appropriate some tax revenue generated by new stadium projects to help pay off the bonds used to finance construction.

White, who played for the Royals for 18 years, was one of the most vocal critics of last year’s stadium sales tax proposal that was resoundingly rejected by Jackson County voters. Indeed, some have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article295554094.html" target="_blank">linked an ongoing recall effort against White to the construction lobby</a>, which was frustrated by his opposition to the Crossroads stadium proposal for the Royals.

“Governor, I’m aware that some have tried to suggest that I’m opposed to any level of public funding for these teams,” he wrote in the&nbsp;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_stLRE8xU7vyLZ2akTpJ6rhf7jLFZnmd/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">letter</a>. “That’s just not true … I believe we owe our residents something better: a balanced approach that protects their interests and secures a stronger future for everyone.”

Here’s what White’s plan would mean for Kansas City.

Under last year’s proposal, all of the three-eighths-cent sales tax’s revenue would have been evenly split by the Royals and the Chiefs. The Royals would have effectively gotten three-sixteenths of a cent to help finance a new downtown ballpark, and the Chiefs would have gotten the other three-sixteenths of a cent to upgrade Arrowhead.

The new plan is still a three-eighths-cent sales tax. But it’s divided into thirds, with each recipient getting one-eighth of a cent:

White’s plan would require the Missouri General Assembly to take action —&nbsp;again

There are some hiccups in White’s plan.

Under state law, a sales tax question can be put to voters in order to fund a “capital improvement&nbsp;purpose.”

So if Jackson County wanted to put this question to voters, it would need to be three separate ballot questions — one-eighth-cent for the Chiefs, one-eighth-cent for University Health and one-eighth-cent for courthouse and justice center improvements.

White’s letter called that an “impractical path for a unified community plan.”

So he asked Kehoe to support a statutory change that would allow counties to put sales tax questions that fund multiple projects to voters.

Moreover, any sales tax ballot measure likely wouldn’t happen until the next regularly scheduled election in Jackson County, in August 2026.

White’s proposal doesn’t outline any funding for the Royals. But that doesn’t mean he’s opposed to a future proposal focused on the baseball side of things.

Local officials around the metro area are waiting for the Royals to take the next step for a new ballpark.

That includes officials in Jackson County, as well as Clay County and Overland Park.

“I can’t imagine why we would want to take any action until (the Royals) have committed to a site and resources that they’re willing to contribute,”&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/06/27/new-royals-stadium-kansas-city/" target="_blank">Jackson County Legislator Sean Smith told The Beacon last month</a>. “Until they do something, we’re kind of just, you know, waiting in the wings.”

“I also want to be clear about the Royals: I fully support keeping them in Jackson County,” White wrote. “Since the April 2024 vote,&nbsp;the City of Kansas City has taken the lead on identifying a new site and working with the team, and I’ve respected their desire to do so. At the same time, I’ve made it clear to the Royals that Jackson County is ready to support the City’s efforts and is willing to step back in, should the team present a proposal for us to consider or express interest in reengaging. To date, the Royals have not done so.”

“We’ve been consistent that we’re exploring all options,” Royals spokesperson Sam Mellinger wrote in an email to The Beacon last month, “and when we have something that’s ready to share we will do it.”

This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/07/14/arrowhead-stadium-chiefs-sales-tax-letter/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Kansas City</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/2025/7/1752668107237.png" alt=" Arrowhead Stadium was built for the Chiefs about half a century ago. Now, the Chiefs are exploring a possible stadium across the state line, enticing Missouri politicians to offer the team a public subsidy. (Vaughn Wheat/The Beacon)" />
 <figcaption> Arrowhead Stadium was built for the Chiefs about half a century ago. Now, the Chiefs are exploring a possible stadium across the state line, enticing Missouri politicians to offer the team a public subsidy. (Vaughn Wheat/The Beacon)</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/joshmerchant/">Josh Merchant</a>Jackson County Executive Frank White Jr. has proposed a new path forward for the Chiefs to remain at Arrowhead Stadium.In a letter sent to Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe on July 8, obtained through a Sunshine Law request by The Beacon, White suggested renewing the same three-eighths-cent sales tax that failed last year — but with a big asterisk.Under this proposal the Chiefs would only receive one-third of that sales tax revenue — equivalent to one-eighth of a cent — rather than half of the revenue under the current tax. The remaining revenue generated by the tax would support health care and public safety.White’s proposal follows the recent&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/06/11/missouri-special-session-what-did-lawmakers-pass/" target="_blank">special session called by Kehoe</a>&nbsp;to, among other things, approve a state funding plan to support potential stadium projects for the Chiefs and Royals. Under the&nbsp;<a href="https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills251/amendpdf/0755S04.06H.pdf" target="_blank">“Show-Me Sports Investment Act,”</a>&nbsp;the state would appropriate some tax revenue generated by new stadium projects to help pay off the bonds used to finance construction.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752668060379.png" alt="Jackson County Executive Frank White Jr. (Courtesy of Jackson County)" />
 <figcaption>Jackson County Executive Frank White Jr. (Courtesy of Jackson County)</figcaption>
 </figure>White, who played for the Royals for 18 years, was one of the most vocal critics of last year’s stadium sales tax proposal that was resoundingly rejected by Jackson County voters. Indeed, some have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article295554094.html" target="_blank">linked an ongoing recall effort against White to the construction lobby</a>, which was frustrated by his opposition to the Crossroads stadium proposal for the Royals.“Governor, I’m aware that some have tried to suggest that I’m opposed to any level of public funding for these teams,” he wrote in the&nbsp;<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1_stLRE8xU7vyLZ2akTpJ6rhf7jLFZnmd/view?usp=sharing" target="_blank">letter</a>. “That’s just not true … I believe we owe our residents something better: a balanced approach that protects their interests and secures a stronger future for everyone.”Here’s what White’s plan would mean for Kansas City.<h2>A sales tax split three ways</h2>Under last year’s proposal, all of the three-eighths-cent sales tax’s revenue would have been evenly split by the Royals and the Chiefs. The Royals would have effectively gotten three-sixteenths of a cent to help finance a new downtown ballpark, and the Chiefs would have gotten the other three-sixteenths of a cent to upgrade Arrowhead.The new plan is still a three-eighths-cent sales tax. But it’s divided into thirds, with each recipient getting one-eighth of a cent:<ul>
 <li>The Chiefs would get one-third of the sales tax revenue to fund maintenance, repairs and improvements to Arrowhead Stadium.</li><li>Another third would go to University Health to fund capital improvements. That would help fill some of the&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/07/09/kansas-city-missouri-medicaid-trump-budget/" target="_blank">gaps left by Trump administration cuts</a>.</li><li>Another third would fund improvements and repairs at the historic downtown Jackson County courthouse, as well as the Family Justice Center at 26th and Holmes streets.</li>
 </ul><h2>White’s plan would require the Missouri General Assembly to take action —&nbsp;again</h2>There are some hiccups in White’s plan.Under state law, a sales tax question can be put to voters in order to fund a “capital improvement&nbsp;purpose.”That’s singular, not plural.So if Jackson County wanted to put this question to voters, it would need to be three separate ballot questions — one-eighth-cent for the Chiefs, one-eighth-cent for University Health and one-eighth-cent for courthouse and justice center improvements.White’s letter called that an “impractical path for a unified community plan.”So he asked Kehoe to support a statutory change that would allow counties to put sales tax questions that fund multiple projects to voters.Moreover, any sales tax ballot measure likely wouldn’t happen until the next regularly scheduled election in Jackson County, in August 2026.<h2>What about the Royals?</h2>White’s proposal doesn’t outline any funding for the Royals. But that doesn’t mean he’s opposed to a future proposal focused on the baseball side of things.Local officials around the metro area are waiting for the Royals to take the next step for a new ballpark.That includes officials in Jackson County, as well as Clay County and Overland Park.“I can’t imagine why we would want to take any action until (the Royals) have committed to a site and resources that they’re willing to contribute,”&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/06/27/new-royals-stadium-kansas-city/" target="_blank">Jackson County Legislator Sean Smith told The Beacon last month</a>. “Until they do something, we’re kind of just, you know, waiting in the wings.”And White stated as much in his letter.“I also want to be clear about the Royals: I fully support keeping them in Jackson County,” White wrote. “Since the April 2024 vote,&nbsp;the City of Kansas City has taken the lead on identifying a new site and working with the team, and I’ve respected their desire to do so. At the same time, I’ve made it clear to the Royals that Jackson County is ready to support the City’s efforts and is willing to step back in, should the team present a proposal for us to consider or express interest in reengaging. To date, the Royals have not done so.”The Royals remain mum.“We’ve been consistent that we’re exploring all options,” Royals spokesperson Sam Mellinger wrote in an email to The Beacon last month, “and when we have something that’s ready to share we will do it.”This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/07/14/arrowhead-stadium-chiefs-sales-tax-letter/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Kansas City</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>.

Jackson County Executive pitches new plan to keep the Chiefs at Arrowhead

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating two homicides that occurred on Tuesday in Kansas City.

Just before noon, patrol officers responded to the 8700 block of Countryshire Lane on a reported shooting, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

As officers arrived at an apartment building they were directed inside to an apartment. They located a woman suffering from a gunshot wound. Paramedics responded and declared the victim deceased on scene

This is being investigated as a homicide. Preliminary investigation revealed there was an argument between two individuals that led to shots being fired and the victim being struck. On scene, a subject of interest was taken into custody pending further investigation.

About the same time, police were called to a reported shooting at an apartment complex in the 5200 block of Oak Leaf Drive, according to DiMartino.&nbsp;

Officers were directed to an apartment building within the complex. Inside of an apartment officers located an adult male victim suffering from gunshot wounds. KCFD medics responded to the scene and pronounced the victim deceased.

Meanwhile, just before 11:30a.m. Tuesday officers responded to 38th and Baltimore on a medical nature unknown call for service. Callers reported a male rolling around on the ground and thought he may need medical help.

As officers arrived they located an individual without any clothes on.&nbsp; He was detained, in handcuffs, for his safety and the safety of those around him. While waiting for the ambulance to arrive, which had been dispatched along with the police, the man became unresponsive. KCFD medics arrived simultaneously and began performing life saving measures. He was transported to a local hospital in life threatening condition. He was declared deceased at the hospital. KCPD Detectives have responded for a death investigation and&nbsp; will work with the medical examiner to determine the cause and manner of death.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752627140858.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating two homicides that occurred on Tuesday in Kansas City.Just before noon, patrol officers responded to the 8700 block of Countryshire Lane on a reported shooting, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752627065091.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>As officers arrived at an apartment building they were directed inside to an apartment. They located a woman suffering from a gunshot wound. Paramedics responded and declared the victim deceased on sceneThis is being investigated as a homicide. Preliminary investigation revealed there was an argument between two individuals that led to shots being fired and the victim being struck. On scene, a subject of interest was taken into custody pending further investigation.About the same time, police were called to a reported shooting at an apartment complex in the 5200 block of Oak Leaf Drive, according to DiMartino.&nbsp;Officers were directed to an apartment building within the complex. Inside of an apartment officers located an adult male victim suffering from gunshot wounds. KCFD medics responded to the scene and pronounced the victim deceased.Meanwhile, just before 11:30a.m. Tuesday officers responded to 38th and Baltimore on a medical nature unknown call for service. Callers reported a male rolling around on the ground and thought he may need medical help.As officers arrived they located an individual without any clothes on.&nbsp; He was detained, in handcuffs, for his safety and the safety of those around him. While waiting for the ambulance to arrive, which had been dispatched along with the police, the man became unresponsive. KCFD medics arrived simultaneously and began performing life saving measures. He was transported to a local hospital in life threatening condition. He was declared deceased at the hospital. KCPD Detectives have responded for a death investigation and&nbsp; will work with the medical examiner to determine the cause and manner of death.

Deadly Tuesday in Kansas City: 2 more homicide investigations

U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt called for passage of President Trump’s rescissions package to claw back wasteful spending and restore trust for the American people. Schmitt is leading the package in the Senate.

Late Tuesday, the Senate voted to advance the $9 billion in previously approved spending. The cuts will gut funding for public radio and television stations.

The Senate vote was 50-50, with Vice President JD Vance breaking the tie. Missouri U.S. Senators Josh Hawley and Schmitt along with Kansas U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted with the majority.

“I rise today in strong support of President Trump’s rescissions package.

“In a time of extraordinary debt, this bill is the first step in a long but necessary fight to put our nation’s fiscal house in order.

“But it’s about much more than that, too.

“This package is not just about how much we spend, but about what we spend it on.

“It’s about whether we are still a sovereign nation — a people in command of their own destiny.

“It’s about whether elected representatives can still act on behalf of the people they serve, or whether they must yield to the vast bureaucratic apparatus of Permanent Washington.

“We cannot accept a system that forces us to fund our own decline.

“Let me begin with something simple: We are $37 trillion in debt. We’re borrowing money from our grandchildren to fund bloated bureaucracies and radical left-wing activists.

“While the actual American people are working long hours to afford groceries and gas, their government has been writing checks to left-wing propaganda outlets and sending billions overseas to countries that hate us.

“This rescissions package is our opportunity to start draining the swamp — not just in theory, but in practice.

“It claws back nearly $10 billion in spending — including billions for radical NGOs, hundreds of millions for foreign interests, and yes, the taxpayer funding that props up corrupt and ideologically captured institutions like NPR and PBS.

“Because no part of this debate has sparked more hysterical outrage from the Left than the effort to defund so-called “public broadcasting.”

“Why? Because they know exactly what’s at stake.

NPR and PBS are not neutral media outlets. They are the closest thing we’ve ever had to an American Pravda.

“They are arms of the left-wing activist class — taxpayer-funded platforms for political propaganda, masquerading as journalism.

“Don’t take my word for it. Take it from Uri Berliner, a veteran NPR editor who recently blew the whistle on what’s happening behind the scenes.

“In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thefp.com/p/npr-editor-how-npr-lost-americas-trust">stunning exposé</a>, Berliner described how — from COVID to Hunter Biden’s laptop to the Russia hoax — NPR simply refused to consider any facts or perspectives that didn’t align with the progressive party line.

“Even asking questions about the company’s editorial bias was, and I quote, “treated as evidence of disloyalty.”

“Berliner took a survey of the ideological makeup of NPR’s editorial staff in D.C. The final tally was 87 Democrats, and zero Republicans.

“Then there’s the new CEO of NPR: Katherine Maher.

Before she took the job, she spent years denouncing America, praising censorship, and advocating for the most extreme and grotesque forms of far-left politics.

“She&nbsp;<a href="https://www.city-journal.org/article/quotations-from-chairman-maher">described</a>&nbsp;the First Amendment as the “number one challenge” to combating “disinformation,” called President Trump a “deranged racist sociopath,” and celebrated when he was banned from Twitter,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/krmaher/status/1347714613920419840">saying</a>&nbsp;it was “satisfying to deplatform fascists.”

“Now she’s running America’s National Public Radio, funded in part by your hard-earned tax dollars.

“That, Mr. President, is nothing short of obscene.

“Why are Americans being forced to subsidize institutions that hate them?

“Why are truck drivers in Missouri paying for Ivy League graduates in D.C. to tell them they’re bigots?

“Why are we, as conservatives, sending billions of dollars to left-wing radicals that want to run us out of the public square?

“There is no good answer to these questions. The fact is, we shouldn’t be.

And President Trump’s rescissions package is a huge first step towards ensuring that we never do again.

“But NPR and PBS are just the beginning.

“This package also takes aim at one of the insanity of our foreign aid budget.

“We are sending billions — billions — to every interest under the sun except for that of our own country.

“Here’s just a taste of what this package defunds:

“And that’s not even to mention the $800 million that this package cuts from the Migration and Refugee Assistance account, which funds the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program — a program that has been at the center of a gigantic NGO-industrial complex that has been driving the mass migration crisis on the taxpayer dime.

“Americans never voted for any of this. They were never even asked.

“But the entire system is bankrolled by their money.

“Our own citizens are being pushed out of jobs, swamped by third-world immigration, and told they’re racist for complaining about it by people like Katherine Maher.

“We send billions overseas to promote transgenderism and DEI and spend billions here at home to import millions of illegal immigrants and pay the salaries of people who hate us — all while our own people are told there’s no money for safe streets, decent roads, or a secure border.

“The people who run these programs see the federal budget not as a means to serve the American people, but as a piggy bank for a global left-wing revolution.

“The administrative state in Washington, D.C. is the beating heart of this revolution.

“It redistributes hundreds of billions of dollars a year from Middle America to a radical ecosystem of NGOs and activists working to undermine our civilization.

“For too long, the federal government has been hijacked by people with no loyalty to the country they’re supposed to serve.

“Today, we have a chance to change that.

“This is not just about saving money. It’s about taking back control.

“Every dollar we claw back from the NGOs and the foreign aid swamp is a dollar we take away from the people who are waging war on our country.

“It’s a dollar we can use to secure our border, rebuild our nation, and restore the promise of America for the next generation.

“The Left is alarmed by this bill. They should be.

“Unlike generations of Republicans before us — who would talk a big game and then get to D.C. and do nothing — President Trump is serious about ending their tax-dollar gravy train.

“And this rescissions package is a major part of delivering on that promise.

“This is just a first step. But it’s a big one.

“For a long time, Washington has only ever moved in one direction: more spending, more control, and more power for the bureaucrats.

“And as Permanent Washington grows, the citizen shrinks.

This rescissions package reflects President Trump’s promise that the American government will once again serve the American people — not the other way around.

“It is time to remind the bureaucrats, the NGOs and the foreign lobbyists, and their friends in the media that the American taxpayer does not exist to subsidize their ideological pet projects.

“We are not a tax farm for global leftism.

“We are a sovereign nation — and it’s time we started acting like one again.

“The American people didn’t send us here to protect the status quo. They sent us here because they know the status quo is broken.

“They sent us here to fight and deliver for them. And that’s what this bill does.

“I urge my colleagues to join me in voting yes on this package.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752661534775.png" alt="Image from Senator Schmitt's video" />
 <figcaption>Image from Senator Schmitt's video</figcaption>
 </figure>U.S. Senator Eric Schmitt called for passage of President Trump’s rescissions package to claw back wasteful spending and restore trust for the American people. Schmitt is leading the package in the Senate.Late Tuesday, the Senate voted to advance the $9 billion in previously approved spending. The cuts will gut funding for public radio and television stations.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">.<a href="https://twitter.com/JDVance?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JDVance</a> breaks the tie! Recission package is PASSED! PBS and NPR are defunded!<a href="https://t.co/u9oGHbF5tx">pic.twitter.com/u9oGHbF5tx</a>&mdash; Spitfire (@DogRightGirl) <a href="https://twitter.com/DogRightGirl/status/1945294326373765510?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 16, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Senate vote was 50-50, with Vice President JD Vance breaking the tie. Missouri U.S. Senators Josh Hawley and Schmitt along with Kansas U.S. Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall voted with the majority.The text of Schmitt's remarks are below.“I rise today in strong support of President Trump’s rescissions package.“In a time of extraordinary debt, this bill is the first step in a long but necessary fight to put our nation’s fiscal house in order.“But it’s about much more than that, too.“This package is not just about how much we spend, but about what we spend it on.“It’s about whether we are still a sovereign nation — a people in command of their own destiny.“It’s about whether elected representatives can still act on behalf of the people they serve, or whether they must yield to the vast bureaucratic apparatus of Permanent Washington.“We cannot accept a system that forces us to fund our own decline.“Let me begin with something simple: We are $37 trillion in debt. We’re borrowing money from our grandchildren to fund bloated bureaucracies and radical left-wing activists.“While the actual American people are working long hours to afford groceries and gas, their government has been writing checks to left-wing propaganda outlets and sending billions overseas to countries that hate us.“Enough is enough.“This rescissions package is our opportunity to start draining the swamp — not just in theory, but in practice.“It claws back nearly $10 billion in spending — including billions for radical NGOs, hundreds of millions for foreign interests, and yes, the taxpayer funding that props up corrupt and ideologically captured institutions like NPR and PBS.“Let’s talk about that for a minute.“Because no part of this debate has sparked more hysterical outrage from the Left than the effort to defund so-called “public broadcasting.”“Why? Because they know exactly what’s at stake.NPR and PBS are not neutral media outlets. They are the closest thing we’ve ever had to an American Pravda.“They are arms of the left-wing activist class — taxpayer-funded platforms for political propaganda, masquerading as journalism.“Don’t take my word for it. Take it from Uri Berliner, a veteran NPR editor who recently blew the whistle on what’s happening behind the scenes.“In a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.thefp.com/p/npr-editor-how-npr-lost-americas-trust">stunning exposé</a>, Berliner described how — from COVID to Hunter Biden’s laptop to the Russia hoax — NPR simply refused to consider any facts or perspectives that didn’t align with the progressive party line.“Even asking questions about the company’s editorial bias was, and I quote, “treated as evidence of disloyalty.”“Berliner took a survey of the ideological makeup of NPR’s editorial staff in D.C. The final tally was 87 Democrats, and zero Republicans.“Zero Republicans. Not one.“Then there’s the new CEO of NPR: Katherine Maher.Before she took the job, she spent years denouncing America, praising censorship, and advocating for the most extreme and grotesque forms of far-left politics.“She&nbsp;<a href="https://www.city-journal.org/article/quotations-from-chairman-maher">described</a>&nbsp;the First Amendment as the “number one challenge” to combating “disinformation,” called President Trump a “deranged racist sociopath,” and celebrated when he was banned from Twitter,&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/krmaher/status/1347714613920419840">saying</a>&nbsp;it was “satisfying to deplatform fascists.”“Now she’s running America’s National Public Radio, funded in part by your hard-earned tax dollars.“That, Mr. President, is nothing short of obscene.“Why are Americans being forced to subsidize institutions that hate them?“Why are truck drivers in Missouri paying for Ivy League graduates in D.C. to tell them they’re bigots?“Why are we, as conservatives, sending billions of dollars to left-wing radicals that want to run us out of the public square?“There is no good answer to these questions. The fact is, we shouldn’t be.And President Trump’s rescissions package is a huge first step towards ensuring that we never do again.“But NPR and PBS are just the beginning.“This package also takes aim at one of the insanity of our foreign aid budget.“We are sending billions — billions — to every interest under the sun except for that of our own country.“Here’s just a taste of what this package defunds:<ul>
 <li>“$18 million for gender diversity in the Mexican street lighting industry</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>“$2.4 million to make international disaster aid more considerate of “sexual orientation and gender identity”</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>“$2.2 million to reduce “xenophobia” towards Venezuelan migrants</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>“$3 million for Iraqi Sesame Street</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>“$4 million for “sedentary migrants” in Colombia</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>“$6.2 million to address the needs of Venezuelan migrants in Colombia</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>“$33 million for the UN Population Fund (UNFPA), including funding for transgender tampons in Bangladesh, LGBTQ campaigns in Rio, and “third-gender” community centers in Southeast Asia</li>
 </ul>“And that’s not even to mention the $800 million that this package cuts from the Migration and Refugee Assistance account, which funds the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program — a program that has been at the center of a gigantic NGO-industrial complex that has been driving the mass migration crisis on the taxpayer dime.“Americans never voted for any of this. They were never even asked.“But the entire system is bankrolled by their money.“Our own citizens are being pushed out of jobs, swamped by third-world immigration, and told they’re racist for complaining about it by people like Katherine Maher.“We send billions overseas to promote transgenderism and DEI and spend billions here at home to import millions of illegal immigrants and pay the salaries of people who hate us — all while our own people are told there’s no money for safe streets, decent roads, or a secure border.“The people who run these programs see the federal budget not as a means to serve the American people, but as a piggy bank for a global left-wing revolution.“The administrative state in Washington, D.C. is the beating heart of this revolution.“It redistributes hundreds of billions of dollars a year from Middle America to a radical ecosystem of NGOs and activists working to undermine our civilization.“For too long, the federal government has been hijacked by people with no loyalty to the country they’re supposed to serve.“Today, we have a chance to change that.“This is not just about saving money. It’s about taking back control.“Every dollar we claw back from the NGOs and the foreign aid swamp is a dollar we take away from the people who are waging war on our country.“It’s a dollar we can use to secure our border, rebuild our nation, and restore the promise of America for the next generation.“The Left is alarmed by this bill. They should be.“Unlike generations of Republicans before us — who would talk a big game and then get to D.C. and do nothing — President Trump is serious about ending their tax-dollar gravy train.“And this rescissions package is a major part of delivering on that promise.“This is just a first step. But it’s a big one.“For a long time, Washington has only ever moved in one direction: more spending, more control, and more power for the bureaucrats.“And as Permanent Washington grows, the citizen shrinks.This rescissions package reflects President Trump’s promise that the American government will once again serve the American people — not the other way around.“It is time to remind the bureaucrats, the NGOs and the foreign lobbyists, and their friends in the media that the American taxpayer does not exist to subsidize their ideological pet projects.“We are not a tax farm for global leftism.“We are not the world’s piggy bank.“We are a sovereign nation — and it’s time we started acting like one again.“The American people didn’t send us here to protect the status quo. They sent us here because they know the status quo is broken.“They sent us here to fight and deliver for them. And that’s what this bill does.“I urge my colleagues to join me in voting yes on this package.“I yield the floor.

Mo. U.S. Senator leads vote to advance bill that guts funding for NPR, PBS

Kansas Task Force 1 completed a Hasty Search, a fast-paced, methodical search of the assigned area of operation to locate victims who are in immediate need of evacuation from harm, according to a social media report from the Office of the Kansas Fire Marshal.

Four HDR K9s have been added to the task forces and2 boat crews and are searching the water.

On Saturday, Governor Laura Kelly announce the state deployed Kansas Task Force 1, consisting of two Type 3 swift-water search and rescue teams, through the Office of the State Fire Marshal, to assist the State of Texas in areas impacted by flooding from recent heavy rains. KS-TF1 departed on July 12 from Olathe and were assigned to Kerrville in Kerr County.

A request from Texas was sent to the Kansas Division of Emergency Management, and this task force was sent as part of an Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), which is a multistate, mutual aid agreement that facilitates interstate assistance in response and recovery operations during a disaster.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752615640998.png" alt="Photo Kansas Fire Marshal's office" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas Fire Marshal's office</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas Task Force 1 completed a Hasty Search, a fast-paced, methodical search of the assigned area of operation to locate victims who are in immediate need of evacuation from harm, according to a social media report from the Office of the Kansas Fire Marshal.Four HDR K9s have been added to the task forces and2 boat crews and are searching the water.On Saturday, Governor Laura Kelly announce the state deployed Kansas Task Force 1, consisting of two Type 3 swift-water search and rescue teams, through the Office of the State Fire Marshal, to assist the State of Texas in areas impacted by flooding from recent heavy rains. KS-TF1 departed on July 12 from Olathe and were assigned to Kerrville in Kerr County.A request from Texas was sent to the Kansas Division of Emergency Management, and this task force was sent as part of an Emergency Management Assistance Compact (EMAC), which is a multistate, mutual aid agreement that facilitates interstate assistance in response and recovery operations during a disaster.

Kansas swift-water rescue teams continue work in Texas

Father of 5-year-old victim says justice for daughter calls for death penalty

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>

TOPEKA — A perpetually homeless man abused by his parents and shuffled as a youth among more than 17 foster homes and two psychiatric hospitals received a life sentence in prison Tuesday without possibility of parole for half a century in the rape and murder of a Topeka preschool girl entrusted to his care.

Shawnee County District Judge Jessica Heinen ordered Mickel Cherry, who admitted to smothering 5-year-old Zoey Felix in 2023, to serve consecutive life sentences requiring incarceration for a minimum of 50 years before being evaluated for possible release. Defense counsel recommended their developmentally disabled client serve the pair of life sentences concurrently so parole could be an option after 25 years. The prosecution argued the extreme depravity of the crimes necessitated at least 50 years behind bars.

Cherry pleaded guilty to both offenses in exchange for the district attorney not pursuing the death penalty.

“The evidence shows you violently, forcibly and inhumanely raped Zoey,” Heinen told Cherry at close of a heart-wrenching two-day hearing. “You then murdered Zoey.”

Heinen, who had the authority to order concurrent or consecutive life sentences, said her decision reflected Cherry’s attempt to conceal his involvement by blaming an imaginary Mexican man and lying repeatedly to Topeka law enforcement officers. In a police station interrogation on the day of Zoey’s death, Cherry confessed and has remained at the Shawnee County Jail for the past 650 days.

The judge asked Cherry if he wanted to make a statement to the court, and his response — “No, Ma’am” — frustrated some family members looking for a glimmer of remorse. They had spent two days studying his mostly blank expression and tendency to bury his chin in his chest. He spoke periodically to his attorneys, but made few hand gestures given that his wrists were handcuffed to a chain linked to ankle shackles.

Zeke Felix, Zoey’s father, said in an interview that he wasn’t content with the decision of District Attorney Mike Kagay to set aside the capital punishment option. He understood there were potential legal complications with seeking the death penalty because of Cherry’s diminished mental capacity, but thought an attempt should have been made to achieve what he viewed as full justice for his daughter.

“I’m not content, but satisfied,” said Zeke Felix, who sat during the proceeding in the front row behind prosecutors. “The death penalty was off the table.”

Kagay, who handled the sentencing phase with two colleagues from the district attorney’s office, said there was no easy way to talk about what the defendant did to the victim. He said in most criminal cases there were thin slices of humanity or fractured pieces of a puzzle to provide context or explain the horror.

“Not here,” he said. “Not in this case.”

Kagay said it was outrageous that Cherry, while divulging how he squeezed the life from Zoey, informed a Topeka police detective that sometimes a “good person” such as himself committed senseless crimes.

“Mickel Cherry made the conscious decision to kill Zoey. Why? In a failed attempt to avoid responsibility,” Kagay said. “The most egregious crimes demand the heaviest penalties. Each of these crimes call out today for justice.”

The district attorney responded to defense witness testimony and court filings dedicated to outlining how Cherry emerged from a Texas childhood marked by abuse and mental instability to land in an isolated Kansas tent encampment where Zoey’s life ended. Kagay conceded state foster care systems allowed children to fall through the cracks, but he rejected that required mercy beyond setting aside the death penalty for Cherry.

“The law has already shown him clemency,” Kagay said. “There is no question who is to blame here. No failure of any system caused him to rape and murder Zoey Felix.”

Defense attorney Peter Conley, who is the state’s deputy capital defender, presented evidence Cherry endured persistent abuse while a minor. There were Texas reports showing his mother put a lit cigarette to his head, leaving a permanent scar. Domestic violence was a routine occurrence in his parents’ home, reports showed. He was beaten with sticks, fists and even a hammer by adults in his life.

The large but incomplete file on Cherry’s upbringing indicated he lived in places where adults required disobedient children to stand in a cold shower all night or remain crouched in stress positions for hours. Elsewhere, he was forced to spend long periods of time in a yard with a dangerous dog. He was adopted at age 14, but was subsequently left on his own at 18 without the skills to live independently.

“The system failed him utterly and completely,” said Beth Robinson, a professor at Colorado Christian University who was the first Texas counselor Cherry encountered when taken from his parents at age 5. “He needed a whole different type of therapy and intervention.”

She testified for the defense that one-third of children who spent extended time in foster care ended up homeless and about half eventually found their way into criminal entanglements.

Conley said it was important the sentencing judge in Kansas respond to the odious offenses committed by Cherry by imposing a life sentence. It was equally significant for the court to factor into the equation the role of a dysfunctional Texas foster care system as well as the Kansas Department for Children and Families’ failure to sufficiently respond to reports Zoey was being neglected, he said.

That history argued for a sentence that provided Cherry a thin but reasonable hope of walking out of a prison in something closer to 25 years instead of 50 years, Conley said.

“The heart of this issue is DCF had information about unsafe environments for Zoey Felix and didn’t do enough about it,” Conley said. “Actions have consequences. Mickel needs to be punished. Inaction also has consequences.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696342029742.png" alt="Cherry photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Cherry photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Father of 5-year-old victim says justice for daughter calls for death penalty</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>TOPEKA — A perpetually homeless man abused by his parents and shuffled as a youth among more than 17 foster homes and two psychiatric hospitals received a life sentence in prison Tuesday without possibility of parole for half a century in the rape and murder of a Topeka preschool girl entrusted to his care.Shawnee County District Judge Jessica Heinen ordered Mickel Cherry, who admitted to smothering 5-year-old Zoey Felix in 2023, to serve consecutive life sentences requiring incarceration for a minimum of 50 years before being evaluated for possible release. Defense counsel recommended their developmentally disabled client serve the pair of life sentences concurrently so parole could be an option after 25 years. The prosecution argued the extreme depravity of the crimes necessitated at least 50 years behind bars.Cherry pleaded guilty to both offenses in exchange for the district attorney not pursuing the death penalty.“The evidence shows you violently, forcibly and inhumanely raped Zoey,” Heinen told Cherry at close of a heart-wrenching two-day hearing. “You then murdered Zoey.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696600819324.png" alt="Zoey Felix photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Zoey Felix photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>Heinen, who had the authority to order concurrent or consecutive life sentences, said her decision reflected Cherry’s attempt to conceal his involvement by blaming an imaginary Mexican man and lying repeatedly to Topeka law enforcement officers. In a police station interrogation on the day of Zoey’s death, Cherry confessed and has remained at the Shawnee County Jail for the past 650 days.The judge asked Cherry if he wanted to make a statement to the court, and his response — “No, Ma’am” — frustrated some family members looking for a glimmer of remorse. They had spent two days studying his mostly blank expression and tendency to bury his chin in his chest. He spoke periodically to his attorneys, but made few hand gestures given that his wrists were handcuffed to a chain linked to ankle shackles.Zeke Felix, Zoey’s father, said in an interview that he wasn’t content with the decision of District Attorney Mike Kagay to set aside the capital punishment option. He understood there were potential legal complications with seeking the death penalty because of Cherry’s diminished mental capacity, but thought an attempt should have been made to achieve what he viewed as full justice for his daughter.“I’m not content, but satisfied,” said Zeke Felix, who sat during the proceeding in the front row behind prosecutors. “The death penalty was off the table.”<h2>‘Conscious decision’</h2>Kagay, who handled the sentencing phase with two colleagues from the district attorney’s office, said there was no easy way to talk about what the defendant did to the victim. He said in most criminal cases there were thin slices of humanity or fractured pieces of a puzzle to provide context or explain the horror.“Not here,” he said. “Not in this case.”Kagay said it was outrageous that Cherry, while divulging how he squeezed the life from Zoey, informed a Topeka police detective that sometimes a “good person” such as himself committed senseless crimes.“Mickel Cherry made the conscious decision to kill Zoey. Why? In a failed attempt to avoid responsibility,” Kagay said. “The most egregious crimes demand the heaviest penalties. Each of these crimes call out today for justice.”The district attorney responded to defense witness testimony and court filings dedicated to outlining how Cherry emerged from a Texas childhood marked by abuse and mental instability to land in an isolated Kansas tent encampment where Zoey’s life ended. Kagay conceded state foster care systems allowed children to fall through the cracks, but he rejected that required mercy beyond setting aside the death penalty for Cherry.“The law has already shown him clemency,” Kagay said. “There is no question who is to blame here. No failure of any system caused him to rape and murder Zoey Felix.”<h2>Heart of the issue’</h2>Defense attorney Peter Conley, who is the state’s deputy capital defender, presented evidence Cherry endured persistent abuse while a minor. There were Texas reports showing his mother put a lit cigarette to his head, leaving a permanent scar. Domestic violence was a routine occurrence in his parents’ home, reports showed. He was beaten with sticks, fists and even a hammer by adults in his life.The large but incomplete file on Cherry’s upbringing indicated he lived in places where adults required disobedient children to stand in a cold shower all night or remain crouched in stress positions for hours. Elsewhere, he was forced to spend long periods of time in a yard with a dangerous dog. He was adopted at age 14, but was subsequently left on his own at 18 without the skills to live independently.“The system failed him utterly and completely,” said Beth Robinson, a professor at Colorado Christian University who was the first Texas counselor Cherry encountered when taken from his parents at age 5. “He needed a whole different type of therapy and intervention.”She testified for the defense that one-third of children who spent extended time in foster care ended up homeless and about half eventually found their way into criminal entanglements.Conley said it was important the sentencing judge in Kansas respond to the odious offenses committed by Cherry by imposing a life sentence. It was equally significant for the court to factor into the equation the role of a dysfunctional Texas foster care system as well as the Kansas Department for Children and Families’ failure to sufficiently respond to reports Zoey was being neglected, he said.That history argued for a sentence that provided Cherry a thin but reasonable hope of walking out of a prison in something closer to 25 years instead of 50 years, Conley said.“The heart of this issue is DCF had information about unsafe environments for Zoey Felix and didn’t do enough about it,” Conley said. “Actions have consequences. Mickel needs to be punished. Inaction also has consequences.”

Kansas man given minimum 50-year sentence in case questioning state’s foster care system

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement continue to find drivers traveling far above the posted speed limit. Sometimes officers find even more.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol Troop H, Southeast Kansas Master Trooper Bales was on his way to a training class when he stopped a car on Interstate 135 south of Salina.&nbsp; The driver was traveling 104mph. He was also accused of transporting an open container, Driving under the influence and did not have a driver's license.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752625758451.png" alt="Photo KHP" />
 <figcaption>Photo KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement continue to find drivers traveling far above the posted speed limit. Sometimes officers find even more.According to the Kansas Highway Patrol Troop H, Southeast Kansas Master Trooper Bales was on his way to a training class when he stopped a car on Interstate 135 south of Salina.&nbsp; The driver was traveling 104mph. He was also accused of transporting an open container, Driving under the influence and did not have a driver's license.&nbsp;

KHP: Driver with no license stopped for 104 mph, accused of DUI

JACKSON COUNTY —A registered Kansas drug offender is back in custody after an encounter in the Jackson County, Kansas sheriff's office parking lot.

Just after 7p.m. July 12,&nbsp;&nbsp;a Sheriff’s Deputy arrested 48-year-old Rebecca Blackburn of Clay Center in the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office parking lot.

&nbsp; She was booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of aggravated violation of the offender registration act, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.&nbsp; Blackburn has been listed as a registered offender since 2009 after a drug distribution conviction in 2007 and a heroin distribution conviction in 2017, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752504844445.png" alt="Blackburn photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Blackburn photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY —A registered Kansas drug offender is back in custody after an encounter in the Jackson County, Kansas sheriff's office parking lot.Just after 7p.m. July 12,&nbsp;&nbsp;a Sheriff’s Deputy arrested 48-year-old Rebecca Blackburn of Clay Center in the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office parking lot.&nbsp; She was booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of aggravated violation of the offender registration act, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.&nbsp; Blackburn has been listed as a registered offender since 2009 after a drug distribution conviction in 2007 and a heroin distribution conviction in 2017, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Registered Kan. offender arrested in sheriff's office parking lot

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating another homicide in Kansas City, Missouri have identified the victim as 29-year-old Keilan Dobbs, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

Just after 4p.m. Thursday, patrol officers were dispatched to report of a shooting at 118th and Winchester.

.As officers arrived they located Dobbs and a woman in the street, suffering from gunshot wounds. Officers immediately began performing life saving measures and ordered EMS to the scene. Dobbs was pronounced deceased at the scene. EMS transported the woman to a local hospital with serious injuries.

This is being investigated as a homicide. Preliminary information indicated there was an altercation between several individuals. The argument escalated into a physical confrontation, which led to shots being fired, and the victims being struck. 

Police have not reported suspect information or reported an arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752194452854.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating another homicide in Kansas City, Missouri have identified the victim as 29-year-old Keilan Dobbs, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.Just after 4p.m. Thursday, patrol officers were dispatched to report of a shooting at 118th and Winchester..As officers arrived they located Dobbs and a woman in the street, suffering from gunshot wounds. Officers immediately began performing life saving measures and ordered EMS to the scene. Dobbs was pronounced deceased at the scene. EMS transported the woman to a local hospital with serious injuries.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752194481952.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>This is being investigated as a homicide. Preliminary information indicated there was an altercation between several individuals. The argument escalated into a physical confrontation, which led to shots being fired, and the victims being struck. Police have not reported suspect information or reported an arrest.

Homicide: Police ID man found with gunshot wound in KC street

SALINE COUNTY —One person was injured in a fire on Monday in rural Saline County.

Just after 5:30p.m., deputies received report about a house fire that occurred on 2625 N. Winchester Road northwest of Salina, according to Sheriff Roger Soldan.

 Sheriff deputies and Rural Fire District 3 immediately responded to the scene and extinguished the fire. The residents were outside of the mobile home when the fire occurred.&nbsp;

Before the fire, the residents of the home 'had placed food on a barbecue grill in their backyard.' The residents then left the grill unattended for about 2 minutes and smelled a burning scent coming from the grill. When they came to check on it, the grill was in flames.

The fire from the grill then went towards the home and completely consumed it.

The residents were identified as Brian Bell, 49, Lisa Bell, 47, and two teenage boys. Brian Bell received 1st degree burns to his forehead and was treated and released by Salina EMS, according to Soldan.

&nbsp;A cat that belonged to the residents went missing after the fire. No loss of value was determined at this time.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752592758214.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —One person was injured in a fire on Monday in rural Saline County.Just after 5:30p.m., deputies received report about a house fire that occurred on 2625 N. Winchester Road northwest of Salina, according to Sheriff Roger Soldan.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752592775179.jpeg" alt="Photos Saline County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photos Saline County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure> Sheriff deputies and Rural Fire District 3 immediately responded to the scene and extinguished the fire. The residents were outside of the mobile home when the fire occurred.&nbsp;Before the fire, the residents of the home 'had placed food on a barbecue grill in their backyard.' The residents then left the grill unattended for about 2 minutes and smelled a burning scent coming from the grill. When they came to check on it, the grill was in flames.The fire from the grill then went towards the home and completely consumed it.The residents were identified as Brian Bell, 49, Lisa Bell, 47, and two teenage boys. Brian Bell received 1st degree burns to his forehead and was treated and released by Salina EMS, according to Soldan.&nbsp;A cat that belonged to the residents went missing after the fire. No loss of value was determined at this time.

Barbecue grill fire destroys rural Kansas home

It is with both sadness and hope that the elders of Grace Community Church announce that Pastor John MacArthur has gone to be with the Lord after 56 years of faithful ministry. Last week, Pastor John unexpectedly contracted pneumonia, and the Lord took him home on Monday, July 14. Dr. MacArthur was 86 years old, according to a statement on the church web site.

He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Patricia; four children; fifteen grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.

To millions through the media ministry of Grace to You, Pastor John was a preacher of the Word. To tens of thousands of students, he was the beloved president and chancellor of The Master's University. To thousands of graduates of The Master's Seminary, he was a champion of biblical exposition. To numerous churches and pastors abroad through The Master's Academy International, he was a stalwart for the truth. To his church, he was our dear pastor—a fearless leader in challenging times. To his family, he was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.

At the center of Dr. MacArthur's ministry was an unwavering commitment to declare God's truth, and Pastor John preached the Word in season and out of season. Even in recent years, though beset with health challenges, he persisted in teaching, leading, and investing in the ministries the Lord had entrusted to him. Pastor John modeled a true fortitude for His Lord Jesus, believing that to live is Christ and therefore to die is gain. Having fought the good fight, finished the course, and kept the faith, Pastor John was summoned home by his heavenly Master. His faith is now sight; he is at home with the Lord; and he has heard the words, "Well done good and faithful slave" (<a href="https://ref.ly/Matt%2025.21;nasb95?t=biblia" target="_blank">Matthew 25:21</a>).

Join with us in praying for Pastor John's wife, Patricia, and family in this season of sadness mixed with eternal joy. Though our hearts are heavy with this loss, we do "not grieve as do the rest who have no hope" (<a href="https://ref.ly/1%20Thess%204.13;nasb95?t=biblia" target="_blank">1 Thessalonians 4:13</a>). For those who die in Christ are His, and He loses not one. This is the hope Pastor John preached in his final sermon series on Revelation: "The worthy Lamb will come and conquer this sinful world and reign forever. And we will reign with Him. Glory upon glory upon glory. I don’t know about you, but I say with the apostle John, 'Even so, come, Lord Jesus.'”

It is with both sadness and hope that the elders of Grace Community Church announce that Pastor John MacArthur has gone to be with the Lord after 56 years of faithful ministry. Last week, Pastor John unexpectedly contracted pneumonia, and the Lord took him home on Monday, July 14. Dr. MacArthur was 86 years old, according to a statement on the church web site.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Our hearts are heavy, yet rejoicing, as we share the news that our beloved pastor and teacher John MacArthur has entered into the presence of the Savior. This evening, his faith became sight. He faithfully endured until his race was run. 2 Timothy 4:1-8 <a href="https://t.co/5JplmC0Dvp">pic.twitter.com/5JplmC0Dvp</a>&mdash; Grace to You (@gracetoyou) <a href="https://twitter.com/gracetoyou/status/1944937107937464752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Patricia; four children; fifteen grandchildren; and nine great-grandchildren.To millions through the media ministry of Grace to You, Pastor John was a preacher of the Word. To tens of thousands of students, he was the beloved president and chancellor of The Master's University. To thousands of graduates of The Master's Seminary, he was a champion of biblical exposition. To numerous churches and pastors abroad through The Master's Academy International, he was a stalwart for the truth. To his church, he was our dear pastor—a fearless leader in challenging times. To his family, he was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.At the center of Dr. MacArthur's ministry was an unwavering commitment to declare God's truth, and Pastor John preached the Word in season and out of season. Even in recent years, though beset with health challenges, he persisted in teaching, leading, and investing in the ministries the Lord had entrusted to him. Pastor John modeled a true fortitude for His Lord Jesus, believing that to live is Christ and therefore to die is gain. Having fought the good fight, finished the course, and kept the faith, Pastor John was summoned home by his heavenly Master. His faith is now sight; he is at home with the Lord; and he has heard the words, "Well done good and faithful slave" (<a href="https://ref.ly/Matt%2025.21;nasb95?t=biblia" target="_blank">Matthew 25:21</a>).Join with us in praying for Pastor John's wife, Patricia, and family in this season of sadness mixed with eternal joy. Though our hearts are heavy with this loss, we do "not grieve as do the rest who have no hope" (<a href="https://ref.ly/1%20Thess%204.13;nasb95?t=biblia" target="_blank">1 Thessalonians 4:13</a>). For those who die in Christ are His, and He loses not one. This is the hope Pastor John preached in his final sermon series on Revelation: "The worthy Lamb will come and conquer this sinful world and reign forever. And we will reign with Him. Glory upon glory upon glory. I don’t know about you, but I say with the apostle John, 'Even so, come, Lord Jesus.'”

John MacArthur, influential preacher, culture warrior dies at 86

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a wanted Kansas felon on multiple new allegations after a chase and arrest.

Just before 7:30p.m. July 13, deputies with the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office were driving in the area of NW Topeka Boulevard and NW Lyman Road when they observed a known individual with a warrant for his arrest, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

 The individual, identified as 35-year-old Anthony A. Bayless, attempted to run from the deputies. The deputies quickly caught up and took him into custody.

During the investigation, deputies found illegal narcotics. Bayless of Topeka was&nbsp; booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body,&nbsp;Interference with law enforcement and a Topeka bench warrants for his arrest.&nbsp; He has previous convictions for burglary and criminal damage to property, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752597899023.png" alt="Bayless has previous convictions for burglary and criminal damage to property, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Bayless has previous convictions for burglary and criminal damage to property, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a wanted Kansas felon on multiple new allegations after a chase and arrest.Just before 7:30p.m. July 13, deputies with the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office were driving in the area of NW Topeka Boulevard and NW Lyman Road when they observed a known individual with a warrant for his arrest, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. The individual, identified as 35-year-old Anthony A. Bayless, attempted to run from the deputies. The deputies quickly caught up and took him into custody.During the investigation, deputies found illegal narcotics. Bayless of Topeka was&nbsp; booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body,&nbsp;Interference with law enforcement and a Topeka bench warrants for his arrest.&nbsp; He has previous convictions for burglary and criminal damage to property, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Wanted Kansas felon captured after running from arrest

MONTGOMERY COUNTY —A Kansas game warden and K9 partner are being praised for their efforts to find a missing elderly woman in Montgomery County.

Just after 1p.m. Monday, the Montgomery County Sheriff requested Game Warden Austin and K-9 Kai to help locate a missing elderly woman who had wandered off in a remote section of property, according to a social media report from the Kansas Department of Parks and Wildlife Game Wardens.

With the heat index exceeding 90 degrees Kai was deployed in the area and within minutes a track was located. A few moments later Kai was able to locate the missing woman. Kai was rewarded with his favorite toy and a nap in the air conditioning.&nbsp; The woman was given water and released to EMS.&nbsp; The KDWP released no additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752587512498.png" alt="Photos KDWP Game Wardens" />
 <figcaption>Photos KDWP Game Wardens</figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY COUNTY —A Kansas game warden and K9 partner are being praised for their efforts to find a missing elderly woman in Montgomery County.Just after 1p.m. Monday, the Montgomery County Sheriff requested Game Warden Austin and K-9 Kai to help locate a missing elderly woman who had wandered off in a remote section of property, according to a social media report from the Kansas Department of Parks and Wildlife Game Wardens.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752587492405.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>With the heat index exceeding 90 degrees Kai was deployed in the area and within minutes a track was located. A few moments later Kai was able to locate the missing woman. Kai was rewarded with his favorite toy and a nap in the air conditioning.&nbsp; The woman was given water and released to EMS.&nbsp; The KDWP released no additional details.

Kan. game warden and K9 help locate missing, elderly woman

Defense lawyer seeks concurrent sentences, claims state failed to protect victim

TOPEKA — Mickel Cherry interrupted his confession to smothering and sexually assaulting a child to ask a Topeka police detective to execute him.

Video of that October 2023 interrogation, recordings of questioning by other law enforcement officers and a series of letters written by the defendant while in custody at the Shawnee County Jail were presented Monday by the district attorney to build the foundation for sentencing Cherry to consecutive 25-year-to-life terms for the murder of 5-year-old Zoey Felix.

“Shoot me in my head,” Cherry urged Detective Cory Deedrick, hours after law enforcement descended on the Topeka crime scene and began undermining Cherry’s false allegation that a Hispanic man in black clothing attacked the girl.

“I never wanted to hurt her,” said Cherry, who tapped his forehead on a desk. “I wasn’t myself when it happened. I just want to f***ing die.”

In the jailhouse letters placed into evidence, Cherry asserted his mind was slipping deeper into a dark void. He sought family forgiveness for his actions. In hard-to-read script, he said he was preparing for his own death. He wrote that he was haunted by the voice of a child who had started referring to her part-time babysitter as an “uncle.”

“I still hear her voice calling me, ‘Why uncle?’ ” one of Cherry’s letters said.

Cherry, 27, avoided capital punishment by entering guilty pleas in late 2024 to first-degree felony murder and rape of the 63-pound child with a bubbly personality.

The remaining legal battle in the prosecution of Cherry centers on what minimum length of time must elapse before he could be considered for parole from a Kansas prison. The answer could come Tuesday from District Judge Jessica Heinen on the hearing’s second day.

The judge must decide whether Cherry received concurrent or consecutive “hard 25” sentences.

District Attorney Mike Kagay’s sentencing brief said there was no rigid blueprint for determining when consecutive sentencing was appropriate, but case law suggested it was acceptable when “not arbitrary or based on an error.”

“Kansas courts defer heavily to the sentencing judge’s discretion, especially when the record reflects heinous crimes or distinct criminal conduct justifying a consecutive sentence,” he said.

Defense attorney Peter Conley said records from the Texas foster care system showed Cherry’s abusive upbringing before and while placed in the Texas foster care system should be taken into account and allow for the sentences on the murder and rape charges to run at the same time.

Conley said the Kansas Department for Children and Families&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/07/11/kansas-defense-attorney-says-states-child-protection-system-failed-murdered-5-year-old-girl/">investigated Zoey’s welfare seven times</a>&nbsp;but didn’t do what was necessary to place the girl in protective custody.

“The failures of these systems increased her vulnerability,” Conley said.

He said he attempted to subpoena a DCF records custodian to testify on Monday, but nobody from the state agency responded.

In a separate matter, the district attorney’s office denounced a presentencing brief filed by Conley that concluded Kagay’s office had directed DCF not to proceed with a child-in-need-of-care investigation into Zoey’s well-being.

Attorney Keith Henderson, on behalf of the district attorney, said Conley’s statement was “factually and legally inaccurate” and fell “far below the standard of candor and integrity expected of an officer of the court.”

“Defense counsels’ statements in that portion of their brief are dangerous and disingenuous,” wrote Henderson, who sought a correction. “They are unworthy of a member of the bar.”

In court, Conley said the statement in the defense brief needed to be clarified to say either the district attorney or law enforcement officers in Topeka were complicit in the decision not to proceed with a process that could have saved Zoey from harm.

Aimee Slusser, who described herself as a mentor to Zoey, said during a victim impact statement that she didn’t want squabbling about Cherry’s mental health challenges to be the focus of sentencing.

“I want everyone to remember who she was,” Slusser told the court. “This is about a little girl’s life.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696600819324.png" alt="Zoey Felix -photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Zoey Felix -photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Defense lawyer seeks concurrent sentences, claims state failed to protect victim</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>TOPEKA — Mickel Cherry interrupted his confession to smothering and sexually assaulting a child to ask a Topeka police detective to execute him.Video of that October 2023 interrogation, recordings of questioning by other law enforcement officers and a series of letters written by the defendant while in custody at the Shawnee County Jail were presented Monday by the district attorney to build the foundation for sentencing Cherry to consecutive 25-year-to-life terms for the murder of 5-year-old Zoey Felix.“Shoot me in my head,” Cherry urged Detective Cory Deedrick, hours after law enforcement descended on the Topeka crime scene and began undermining Cherry’s false allegation that a Hispanic man in black clothing attacked the girl.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696342029742.png" alt="Mickel Cherry as shown in his Shawnee County booking photo" />
 <figcaption>Mickel Cherry as shown in his Shawnee County booking photo</figcaption>
 </figure>“I never wanted to hurt her,” said Cherry, who tapped his forehead on a desk. “I wasn’t myself when it happened. I just want to f***ing die.”In the jailhouse letters placed into evidence, Cherry asserted his mind was slipping deeper into a dark void. He sought family forgiveness for his actions. In hard-to-read script, he said he was preparing for his own death. He wrote that he was haunted by the voice of a child who had started referring to her part-time babysitter as an “uncle.”“I still hear her voice calling me, ‘Why uncle?’ ” one of Cherry’s letters said.Cherry, 27, avoided capital punishment by entering guilty pleas in late 2024 to first-degree felony murder and rape of the 63-pound child with a bubbly personality.The remaining legal battle in the prosecution of Cherry centers on what minimum length of time must elapse before he could be considered for parole from a Kansas prison. The answer could come Tuesday from District Judge Jessica Heinen on the hearing’s second day.<h2>The legal battle</h2>The judge must decide whether Cherry received concurrent or consecutive “hard 25” sentences.District Attorney Mike Kagay’s sentencing brief said there was no rigid blueprint for determining when consecutive sentencing was appropriate, but case law suggested it was acceptable when “not arbitrary or based on an error.”“Kansas courts defer heavily to the sentencing judge’s discretion, especially when the record reflects heinous crimes or distinct criminal conduct justifying a consecutive sentence,” he said.Defense attorney Peter Conley said records from the Texas foster care system showed Cherry’s abusive upbringing before and while placed in the Texas foster care system should be taken into account and allow for the sentences on the murder and rape charges to run at the same time.Conley said the Kansas Department for Children and Families&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/07/11/kansas-defense-attorney-says-states-child-protection-system-failed-murdered-5-year-old-girl/">investigated Zoey’s welfare seven times</a>&nbsp;but didn’t do what was necessary to place the girl in protective custody.“The failures of these systems increased her vulnerability,” Conley said.He said he attempted to subpoena a DCF records custodian to testify on Monday, but nobody from the state agency responded.In a separate matter, the district attorney’s office denounced a presentencing brief filed by Conley that concluded Kagay’s office had directed DCF not to proceed with a child-in-need-of-care investigation into Zoey’s well-being.Attorney Keith Henderson, on behalf of the district attorney, said Conley’s statement was “factually and legally inaccurate” and fell “far below the standard of candor and integrity expected of an officer of the court.”“Defense counsels’ statements in that portion of their brief are dangerous and disingenuous,” wrote Henderson, who sought a correction. “They are unworthy of a member of the bar.”In court, Conley said the statement in the defense brief needed to be clarified to say either the district attorney or law enforcement officers in Topeka were complicit in the decision not to proceed with a process that could have saved Zoey from harm.<h2>Focusing on Zoey</h2>Aimee Slusser, who described herself as a mentor to Zoey, said during a victim impact statement that she didn’t want squabbling about Cherry’s mental health challenges to be the focus of sentencing.“I want everyone to remember who she was,” Slusser told the court. “This is about a little girl’s life.”During the hearing, several people in the gallery wept while law enforcement officers and medical personnel presented evidence drawn from telephone records, interviews with witnesses and forensic examinations.Cherry wore yellow jail coveralls and was shackled with chains that remained on despite the presence of six law enforcement officers in the courtroom. He periodically slumped forward to peer at the floor and tilted his head back to stare at ceiling lights. There were times when Cherry nodded his head as if agreeing with the prosecution.Law enforcement narrated a triangulated set of surveillance videos taken from the perspective of a grocery store, fuel station and restaurant.Witnesses filled in blanks of a five-hour period that began when Zoey’s father, Ezequiel Felix, entrusted her to Cherry’s care. One segment of the video captured Zoey and Cherry walking side-by-side. It ended with Cherry carrying the girl’s lifeless body, apparently from the two-tent homeless camp, to the gas station where the girl’s father worked.Next to gasoline pumps, a good Samaritan and later a Topeka emergency crew responding to a 911 call attempted CPR. She was pronounced dead at Stormont Vail Health.Cherry was questioned by Topeka officers at the scene, where a police body camera first recorded Cherry blaming a Hispanic man for harming the girl while she slept in a blue car. He claimed to have ran the man off. He asserted that he found Zoey not breathing inside the vehicle.Cherry, who wasn’t wearing a shirt, was asked about a spot of blood that appeared on his stomach.“I honestly don’t know,” he said. “I have a condition that sometimes I bleed from the belly button.”He later admitted under questioning by police at the station that the story blaming an unknown assailant was a lie and his assault on Zoey occurred in a tent where homeless people had taken refuge. He said he suffocated the girl with a pillow.“Something came over me and I did the unimaginable,” Cherry told Detective Deedrick. “Something I thought I’d never do.”