MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan.&nbsp;– The McConnell Air Force Base flightline is emptying out Friday and Saturday, with most of the base’s KC-135R Stratotanker and KC-46A Pegasus aircraft being launched and relocated away from the local area due to forecasted severe weather, according to a media release.

The aircraft, flown by aircrews from the 22nd and 931st Air Refueling Wings, began departing Friday and due to a forecasted of high winds, hail potential and the possibility of tornadoes for Saturday evening and Sunday morning. The remaining aircraft, undergoing various phases of maintenance, along with a range of flightline vehicles and equipment, are being stored in hangars.

The relocation protects the aircraft from potential damage, preserving mission capability for McConnell Air Force Base to provide worldwide air refueling, airlift and aeromedical evacuation support. While off-station, McConnell aircrews will coordinate training activities with other military units around the country, to perform that training while away from Kansas, and when enroute back to Kansas.

This is the second time this month the the base moved aircraft assigned to McConnell Air Force Base due to potential severe weather.&nbsp; The base relocated aircraft April 15.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714150582109.png" alt="File photo April 16, 2024 A KC-46 Pegasus takes off from McConnell Air Force Base -U.S. Air Force photo by Airman First Class William Lunn" />
 <figcaption>File photo April 16, 2024 A KC-46 Pegasus takes off from McConnell Air Force Base -U.S. Air Force photo by Airman First Class William Lunn</figcaption>
 </figure>MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan.&nbsp;– The McConnell Air Force Base flightline is emptying out Friday and Saturday, with most of the base’s KC-135R Stratotanker and KC-46A Pegasus aircraft being launched and relocated away from the local area due to forecasted severe weather, according to a media release.The aircraft, flown by aircrews from the 22nd and 931st Air Refueling Wings, began departing Friday and due to a forecasted of high winds, hail potential and the possibility of tornadoes for Saturday evening and Sunday morning. The remaining aircraft, undergoing various phases of maintenance, along with a range of flightline vehicles and equipment, are being stored in hangars.The relocation protects the aircraft from potential damage, preserving mission capability for McConnell Air Force Base to provide worldwide air refueling, airlift and aeromedical evacuation support. While off-station, McConnell aircrews will coordinate training activities with other military units around the country, to perform that training while away from Kansas, and when enroute back to Kansas.This is the second time this month the the base moved aircraft assigned to McConnell Air Force Base due to potential severe weather.&nbsp; The base relocated aircraft April 15.

Kansas Air Force Base relocates aircraft ahead of severe weather

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

EMPORIA — Kaila Mock says Medicaid expansion would help small business owners like her, the people she employs at Trox Gallery and the 104 artists whose work appears in the store.

And she isn’t fond of GOP legislative leaders who claim that Medicaid expansion would serve “able-bodied adults” who don’t want to work.

“I mean, it’s kind of bulls***,” Mock said. “There are a lot of people who work really hard but just aren’t making the ends meet, especially with everything being so expensive now. I know a ton of these artists work really hard at their craft and are hustling and going to different craft shows and selling stuff here and doing everything they can, but it’s just not enough.”

Mock met with Gov. Laura Kelly, who purchased a small crotched cat from the art gallery during a tour Thursday of main street businesses in Emporia.

Kelly made her final pitch for Medicaid expansion in a speech at the Granada Theatre, after months of touring the state and pressuring lawmakers to embrace her plan to provide health care coverage to 152,000 low-income Kansans at no additional cost to the state’s taxpayers. She urged the crowd of about 75 people to call legislators ahead of a procedural vote Friday in the Senate.

But she acknowledged the odds were against the Legislature approving Medicaid expansion this year.

“I’m not a bookie,” she said, before adding: “Honestly, I will be surprised.”

The governor said she has met with leaders in health care, child care, retail, hospitality, banking, real estate, aerospace, law enforcement and the medical community during her statewide campaign to support Medicaid expansion. House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, and Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, responded by calling her efforts a “welfare tour.”

Kelly said Hawkins and Masterson have “skewed the facts,” “spread myths” and peddled “false rhetoric” to the public while working behind the scenes to prevent a vote on legislation that would expand Medicaid.

Before lawmakers adjourned for a three-week break earlier this month, Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, made a motion to advance a Medicaid expansion bill. That procedural vote, which required approval from 24 out of 40 senators, failed on Friday when only 18 senators voted in favor of it. Even if it were successful, a second procedural vote would have required approval from 27 senators before they could consider the actual bill.

“I think that’s evidence quite honestly of the fact that if rank-and-file legislators were given an opportunity to debate and vote on Medicaid expansion, it would pass, and that’s why there’s been a reluctance to give them the opportunity,” Kelly said.

Kansas is one of 10 states that haven’t expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Currently, the federal government covers 60% of the state’s program costs. If expanded, the federal government would pay for 90% of the additional costs. That would bring about $700 million in federal money into the state every year. Instead, tax collections from Kansas are being distributed to other states.

The Kansas version of Medicaid is available to people who earn up to 38% of the federal poverty level. For a family of four, the annual income limit is $11,400. By expanding eligibility to 138% of the federal poverty rate, the annual income threshold for a family of four would be $41,400.

About 70% of the adults who would benefit from Medicaid expansion are already working. Others are college students, caretakers or suffering from chronic illness.

While in Emporia, the governor toured the Axe Shedd, where she declined to throw an axe, and the Sweet Granada, a candy store physically connected to the theater, where the governor snagged some chocolate-covered popcorn.

At the Trox Gallery, she was approached by Jean-Ellen Kegler, a former director of the city’s visitor’s bureau, who said she moved back to Kansas after being gone for 25 years because Kelly was governor.

Kegler, now retired, also expressed dismay about the messaging from GOP leaders that Medicaid expansion would benefit people who are too lazy to work.

“We’ve heard that ever since the New Deal: ‘People are lazy. People are trying to bilk the government.’ And I think if we’re honest with ourselves, we see who is bilking the government, and it’s not the poor,” Kegler said. “It’s those who have money. And I don’t like to use the word ‘greed,’ but in this case, we’re seeing the greedy side of capitalism.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714154338391.png" alt=" Gov. Laura Kelly visits Trox Gallery during an April 25, 2024, tour of Emporia main street businesses. Kelly made her final pitch for Medicaid expansion ahead of a procedural vote Friday in the Senate. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Gov. Laura Kelly visits Trox Gallery during an April 25, 2024, tour of Emporia main street businesses. Kelly made her final pitch for Medicaid expansion ahead of a procedural vote Friday in the Senate. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>EMPORIA — Kaila Mock says Medicaid expansion would help small business owners like her, the people she employs at Trox Gallery and the 104 artists whose work appears in the store.And she isn’t fond of GOP legislative leaders who claim that Medicaid expansion would serve “able-bodied adults” who don’t want to work.“I mean, it’s kind of bulls***,” Mock said. “There are a lot of people who work really hard but just aren’t making the ends meet, especially with everything being so expensive now. I know a ton of these artists work really hard at their craft and are hustling and going to different craft shows and selling stuff here and doing everything they can, but it’s just not enough.”Mock met with Gov. Laura Kelly, who purchased a small crotched cat from the art gallery during a tour Thursday of main street businesses in Emporia.Kelly made her final pitch for Medicaid expansion in a speech at the Granada Theatre, after months of touring the state and pressuring lawmakers to embrace her plan to provide health care coverage to 152,000 low-income Kansans at no additional cost to the state’s taxpayers. She urged the crowd of about 75 people to call legislators ahead of a procedural vote Friday in the Senate.But she acknowledged the odds were against the Legislature approving Medicaid expansion this year.“I’m not a bookie,” she said, before adding: “Honestly, I will be surprised.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714154386145.png" alt=" Kaila Mock, owner of Trox Gallery, shows Gov. Laura Kelly around the store during the governor’s April 25, 2024, visit to Emporia. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Kaila Mock, owner of Trox Gallery, shows Gov. Laura Kelly around the store during the governor’s April 25, 2024, visit to Emporia. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>The governor said she has met with leaders in health care, child care, retail, hospitality, banking, real estate, aerospace, law enforcement and the medical community during her statewide campaign to support Medicaid expansion. House Speaker Dan Hawkins, R-Wichita, and Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, responded by calling her efforts a “welfare tour.”Kelly said Hawkins and Masterson have “skewed the facts,” “spread myths” and peddled “false rhetoric” to the public while working behind the scenes to prevent a vote on legislation that would expand Medicaid.Before lawmakers adjourned for a three-week break earlier this month, Senate Minority Leader Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, made a motion to advance a Medicaid expansion bill. That procedural vote, which required approval from 24 out of 40 senators, failed on Friday when only 18 senators voted in favor of it. Even if it were successful, a second procedural vote would have required approval from 27 senators before they could consider the actual bill.“I think that’s evidence quite honestly of the fact that if rank-and-file legislators were given an opportunity to debate and vote on Medicaid expansion, it would pass, and that’s why there’s been a reluctance to give them the opportunity,” Kelly said.Kansas is one of 10 states that haven’t expanded Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. Currently, the federal government covers 60% of the state’s program costs. If expanded, the federal government would pay for 90% of the additional costs. That would bring about $700 million in federal money into the state every year. Instead, tax collections from Kansas are being distributed to other states.The Kansas version of Medicaid is available to people who earn up to 38% of the federal poverty level. For a family of four, the annual income limit is $11,400. By expanding eligibility to 138% of the federal poverty rate, the annual income threshold for a family of four would be $41,400.About 70% of the adults who would benefit from Medicaid expansion are already working. Others are college students, caretakers or suffering from chronic illness.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714154291847.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly talks with Calebh Shedd, owner of the Axe Shedd, during an April 25, 2024, visit to Emporia. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly talks with Calebh Shedd, owner of the Axe Shedd, during an April 25, 2024, visit to Emporia. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>While in Emporia, the governor toured the Axe Shedd, where she declined to throw an axe, and the Sweet Granada, a candy store physically connected to the theater, where the governor snagged some chocolate-covered popcorn.At the Trox Gallery, she was approached by Jean-Ellen Kegler, a former director of the city’s visitor’s bureau, who said she moved back to Kansas after being gone for 25 years because Kelly was governor.Kegler, now retired, also expressed dismay about the messaging from GOP leaders that Medicaid expansion would benefit people who are too lazy to work.“We’ve heard that ever since the New Deal: ‘People are lazy. People are trying to bilk the government.’ And I think if we’re honest with ourselves, we see who is bilking the government, and it’s not the poor,” Kegler said. “It’s those who have money. And I don’t like to use the word ‘greed,’ but in this case, we’re seeing the greedy side of capitalism.”

Gov. makes last pitch for Medicaid expansion in visit to Emporia main street businesses

SEDGWICK COUNTY —On this date in 1991, the infamous "Andover Tornado" tore through south central Kansas. The tornado was rated an F5 and  killed 17 people, 13 of which were in the Golden Spur mobile home park.

The storm also caused significant damage at the McConnell Air Force base The tornado had a path length of 46 miles.&nbsp; <a href="https://www.weather.gov/ict/Apr26Review">Click here to read more on t</a>he tornado from the National Weather Service.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714146309535.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —On this date in 1991, the infamous "Andover Tornado" tore through south central Kansas. The tornado was rated an F5 and killed 17 people, 13 of which were in the Golden Spur mobile home park.The storm also caused significant damage at the McConnell Air Force base The tornado had a path length of 46 miles.&nbsp; <a href="https://www.weather.gov/ict/Apr26Review">Click here to read more on t</a>he tornado from the National Weather Service.

Anniversary of the deadly 1991 Kansas tornado outbreak

HAYS —A woman who lived in Hays was found dying from a gunshot wound. Evidence at the scene did not add up. Prosecutors came up with a new way-they say-to find out what really happened.&nbsp; 

At 9p.m. CDT Saturday on KWCH, WIBW in Topeka or KCTV in Kansas City, Erin Moriarty reports in “48 Hours: Kristen Trickle: Autopsy of the Mind."&nbsp;

In the early morning hours of Halloween 2019 in Hays, Kansas, Colby Trickle called 911 and said he woke up to his ears ringing and saw his wife, Kristen Trickle, bleeding next to him in the bed. 

Responding officers found Kristen Trickle, 26, clinging to life. What happened was a mystery.

Hays&nbsp; Police Sergeant Brandon Hauptman says Kristen Trickle was barely alive. “I kind of focused in, on her jaw moving. I can see the movement of her jaw,” Hauptman tells 48 HOURS. Kristen Trickle would not survive. 

The coroner ruled her death was a suicide. But prosecutor Aaron Cunningham questioned if she could have fired the large caliber revolver that killed her.

“It’s awkward to maneuver, not something that you’d easily turn on yourself,” says Cunningham.&nbsp; Instead, he thinks Colby Trickle killed his wife. 

Colby Trickle’s attorney, Cassy Zeigler, points out that Colby didn’t hesitate to call 911. “I do not believe he did it ... He called and she was still showing signs of life,” Zeigler says.

<a href="https://eaglepost.netlify.app/dashboard/hays/posts/0379c4b5-8e93-4dcb-8d83-cfb4b8537b90">Click here to read</a> more about the case.

Since authorities were divided on the evidence they saw at the crime scene, they tried something new and ordered a very different type of autopsy, an autopsy of Kristen Trickle’s mind.

“So basically, this is a psychological autopsy ... trying to figure out the state of mind of a person who died. That’s difficult to do, isn’t it?” Moriarty asks Cunningham.“Yeah,” Cunningham responds.“And had this ever been done in the state of Kansas before?” Moriarty asks.“Never in a criminal case, No,” says Cunningham.

Investigators also began digging into Colby Trickle’s story. They pored over the data in his cellphone and discovered Trickle had been exchanging flirtatious Snapchat messages with another woman. 

According to detective JB Burkholder, there was also evidence on Trickle’s cellphone that contradicted what he had first told investigators when asked about life insurance on his wife. 

Trickle told authorities when questioned, “I have some on me from military, but that’s it.”Prosecutors say cellphone data revealed that not only was Colby Trickle aware his wife Kristen Trickle was covered by a life insurance policy called SGLI for spouses of military members, in the days before her death he also Googled the amount the policy would pay out.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714087456755.png" alt="Kristen Trickle courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Kristen Trickle courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>HAYS —A woman who lived in Hays was found dying from a gunshot wound. Evidence at the scene did not add up. Prosecutors came up with a new way-they say-to find out what really happened.&nbsp; At 9p.m. CDT Saturday on KWCH, WIBW in Topeka or KCTV in Kansas City, Erin Moriarty reports in “48 Hours: Kristen Trickle: Autopsy of the Mind."&nbsp;In the early morning hours of Halloween 2019 in Hays, Kansas, Colby Trickle called 911 and said he woke up to his ears ringing and saw his wife, Kristen Trickle, bleeding next to him in the bed. Responding officers found Kristen Trickle, 26, clinging to life. What happened was a mystery.Hays&nbsp; Police Sergeant Brandon Hauptman says Kristen Trickle was barely alive. “I kind of focused in, on her jaw moving. I can see the movement of her jaw,” Hauptman tells 48 HOURS. Kristen Trickle would not survive. The coroner ruled her death was a suicide. But prosecutor Aaron Cunningham questioned if she could have fired the large caliber revolver that killed her.“It’s awkward to maneuver, not something that you’d easily turn on yourself,” says Cunningham.&nbsp; Instead, he thinks Colby Trickle killed his wife. Colby Trickle’s attorney, Cassy Zeigler, points out that Colby didn’t hesitate to call 911. “I do not believe he did it ... He called and she was still showing signs of life,” Zeigler says.<a href="https://eaglepost.netlify.app/dashboard/hays/posts/0379c4b5-8e93-4dcb-8d83-cfb4b8537b90">Click here to read</a> more about the case.Since authorities were divided on the evidence they saw at the crime scene, they tried something new and ordered a very different type of autopsy, an autopsy of Kristen Trickle’s mind.“So basically, this is a psychological autopsy ... trying to figure out the state of mind of a person who died. That’s difficult to do, isn’t it?” Moriarty asks Cunningham.“Yeah,” Cunningham responds.“And had this ever been done in the state of Kansas before?” Moriarty asks.“Never in a criminal case, No,” says Cunningham.Investigators also began digging into Colby Trickle’s story. They pored over the data in his cellphone and discovered Trickle had been exchanging flirtatious Snapchat messages with another woman. According to detective JB Burkholder, there was also evidence on Trickle’s cellphone that contradicted what he had first told investigators when asked about life insurance on his wife. Trickle told authorities when questioned, “I have some on me from military, but that’s it.”Prosecutors say cellphone data revealed that not only was Colby Trickle aware his wife Kristen Trickle was covered by a life insurance policy called SGLI for spouses of military members, in the days before her death he also Googled the amount the policy would pay out.

CBS 48 Hours to feature Kan. murder: 'Kristen Trickle: Autopsy of the Mind'

The city is asking the court to overturn an arbitration decision that the firefighter could only be suspended for three days

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/allison-kite/">ALLISON KITE</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

Kansas City officials are hoping to overturn an arbitrator’s decision that a firefighter who crashed a fire truck and killed three people could only receive a three-day suspension.

On Tuesday, the city of Kansas City filed a motion in Jackson County Circuit Court to vacate an arbitration decision that determined Dominic Biscari could only be suspended for three days after he ran a red light in a fire department pumper truck and crashed into a car in the Westport neighborhood, killing both the driver and passenger.

Biscari then veered and hit three parked cars, killing a pedestrian and running into a building that ultimately collapsed. He was charged with three felonies, and according to the city, lawsuits by loved ones of the deceased and the building’s owner have cost Kansas City $3.2 million.

After the crash, the city sought to suspend Biscari pending an investigation, citing the three felony charges. The city told him, according to documents filed Tuesday in circuit court, that the suspension would remain in effect until his felony charges were adjudicated.

But the firefighters’ union, International Association of Firefighters Local 42, filed a grievance against the city, stating it was shocked at the suspension, which it said violated a previous arbitration decision, according to the city’s filing. The decision that Biscari could only be suspended for three days came as a result of that grievance.

According to the city’s petition, the arbitrator reached the decision, which it argues was an overreach, “without any explanation of how he arrived at a three-day suspension,”

“But it amounted to one day for each death and one day for each million dollars that (the) firefighter’s fatality accident cost the city,” the petition says.

Representatives from the union and attorneys for Biscari did not respond to requests for comment.

In February 2023, roughly 15 months after the crash, Bascari was charged with three felony counts of involuntary manslaughter in the second degree. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years of probation and 40 hours of community service.

The city notified him of his suspension that same week. Interim Fire Chief Ross Grundyson told the Kansas City Star at the time that&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article272564992.html">the department was suspending Biscari</a>&nbsp;without pay and seeking to terminate his employment.

A few weeks later in March 2023, the union filed its grievance concerning Biscari’s suspension, saying it violated a previous arbitration decision concerning whether suspending firefighters pending an investigation violated their just cause and due process rights.

The city’s petition emphasizes that the union’s grievance dealt with the suspension —&nbsp;not the investigation of the crash or any ultimate disciplinary action.

The issue went to an arbitrator to determine whether the city had cause to suspend Bascari and whether it gave him due process. The arbitrator decided last month in favor of the union. The decision, however, went beyond the question of whether the suspension was justified, the city argues in its petition.

“The arbitrator issued discipline on the underlying fatality accident: that (the) firefighter only be suspended for three days and that most references to the underlying fatality accident be removed from his personnel file,” the city’s motion says. The arbitrator also ordered that the city pay Local 42 for its costs in pursuing the grievance.

In its Tuesday filing, the city says Missouri’s Uniform Arbitration Act requires that a court overturn an arbitration decision if the arbitrator “exceeds their powers,” which the city argues occurred.

The city repeatedly emphasizes that the arbitrator should have only issued an order on the suspension. It also says its collective bargaining agreement with Local 42 states parties to an arbitration will bear their own costs and that the arbitrator overstepped in awarding the union fees.

“The city had not found him negligent with respect to the underlying fatality accident and had not fashioned discipline for such a finding were it to occur,” the motion says. “Despite this, the arbitrator took it upon himself to write a prospective cure for a future, hypothetical dispute that was not before him.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/12/1639665850854.png" alt="File photo- of the Dec. 15 2021 crash in the Westport entertainment district -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>File photo- of the Dec. 15 2021 crash in the Westport entertainment district -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The city is asking the court to overturn an arbitration decision that the firefighter could only be suspended for three days</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/allison-kite/">ALLISON KITE</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>Kansas City officials are hoping to overturn an arbitrator’s decision that a firefighter who crashed a fire truck and killed three people could only receive a three-day suspension.On Tuesday, the city of Kansas City filed a motion in Jackson County Circuit Court to vacate an arbitration decision that determined Dominic Biscari could only be suspended for three days after he ran a red light in a fire department pumper truck and crashed into a car in the Westport neighborhood, killing both the driver and passenger.Biscari then veered and hit three parked cars, killing a pedestrian and running into a building that ultimately collapsed. He was charged with three felonies, and according to the city, lawsuits by loved ones of the deceased and the building’s owner have cost Kansas City $3.2 million.After the crash, the city sought to suspend Biscari pending an investigation, citing the three felony charges. The city told him, according to documents filed Tuesday in circuit court, that the suspension would remain in effect until his felony charges were adjudicated.But the firefighters’ union, International Association of Firefighters Local 42, filed a grievance against the city, stating it was shocked at the suspension, which it said violated a previous arbitration decision, according to the city’s filing. The decision that Biscari could only be suspended for three days came as a result of that grievance.According to the city’s petition, the arbitrator reached the decision, which it argues was an overreach, “without any explanation of how he arrived at a three-day suspension,”“But it amounted to one day for each death and one day for each million dollars that (the) firefighter’s fatality accident cost the city,” the petition says.Representatives from the union and attorneys for Biscari did not respond to requests for comment.In February 2023, roughly 15 months after the crash, Bascari was charged with three felony counts of involuntary manslaughter in the second degree. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to three years of probation and 40 hours of community service.The city notified him of his suspension that same week. Interim Fire Chief Ross Grundyson told the Kansas City Star at the time that&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansascity.com/news/local/article272564992.html">the department was suspending Biscari</a>&nbsp;without pay and seeking to terminate his employment.A few weeks later in March 2023, the union filed its grievance concerning Biscari’s suspension, saying it violated a previous arbitration decision concerning whether suspending firefighters pending an investigation violated their just cause and due process rights.The city’s petition emphasizes that the union’s grievance dealt with the suspension —&nbsp;not the investigation of the crash or any ultimate disciplinary action.The issue went to an arbitrator to determine whether the city had cause to suspend Bascari and whether it gave him due process. The arbitrator decided last month in favor of the union. The decision, however, went beyond the question of whether the suspension was justified, the city argues in its petition.“The arbitrator issued discipline on the underlying fatality accident: that (the) firefighter only be suspended for three days and that most references to the underlying fatality accident be removed from his personnel file,” the city’s motion says. The arbitrator also ordered that the city pay Local 42 for its costs in pursuing the grievance.In its Tuesday filing, the city says Missouri’s Uniform Arbitration Act requires that a court overturn an arbitration decision if the arbitrator “exceeds their powers,” which the city argues occurred.The city repeatedly emphasizes that the arbitrator should have only issued an order on the suspension. It also says its collective bargaining agreement with Local 42 states parties to an arbitration will bear their own costs and that the arbitrator overstepped in awarding the union fees.“The city had not found him negligent with respect to the underlying fatality accident and had not fashioned discipline for such a finding were it to occur,” the motion says. “Despite this, the arbitrator took it upon himself to write a prospective cure for a future, hypothetical dispute that was not before him.”

Kansas City seeks stiffer punishment for firefighter who killed 3 in crash

TOPEKA —Former Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt on Friday announced his candidacy for the Republic nomination in Kansas second congressional district seat being&nbsp;vacated by U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner.

Schmidt served as attorney general for twelve years and served in the Kansas Senate from 2001 to 2011. He&nbsp;lost a bid for governor to Laura Kelly in 2022.

In a statement on the campaign web site, Schmidt wrote,&nbsp;“President Biden and the radicals he enables have unleashed a dangerous agenda on our country. Those of us who represent Kansas conservative values need to stand up and fight back. In Congress, I will work to secure our border, fight overreach from a federal government that doesn’t understand or respect our way of life, and stop the federal government from making daily life increasingly expensive and difficult."

“My steady guidepost will be what is best for the people of the Second District and for America. These past four years have made clear that America was stronger when President Trump served in the White House, and I look forward to working with him and others next year – yes, to truly make America great again."

“Kansans know me and my longstanding support for our freedoms that generations of Americans have sacrificed so much to defend, for law and order, for Veterans and those currently serving in our armed forces, for farmers and ranchers, for small businesses, for our great Kansas colleges and universities,&nbsp;for life, and for the Second Amendment. They know I am proud to be a Kansan. Always have been. It would be an honor to be your voice in Congress. I respectfully ask for your vote.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662124757926.png" alt="courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA —Former Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt on Friday announced his candidacy for the Republic nomination in Kansas second congressional district seat being&nbsp;vacated by U.S. Rep. Jake LaTurner.Schmidt served as attorney general for twelve years and served in the Kansas Senate from 2001 to 2011. He&nbsp;lost a bid for governor to Laura Kelly in 2022.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I&#39;m in. I am proud to be a Kansan. Always have been. It would be an honor to be your voice in Congress. I respectfully ask for your vote. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KS02?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KS02</a> Join us at <a href="https://t.co/FYSSFQMXMs">https://t.co/FYSSFQMXMs</a>. <a href="https://t.co/oH8wSg8sA7">pic.twitter.com/oH8wSg8sA7</a>&mdash; Derek Schmidt (@DerekSchmidtKS) <a href="https://twitter.com/DerekSchmidtKS/status/1783835923244867930?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 26, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>In a statement on the campaign web site, Schmidt wrote,&nbsp;“President Biden and the radicals he enables have unleashed a dangerous agenda on our country. Those of us who represent Kansas conservative values need to stand up and fight back. In Congress, I will work to secure our border, fight overreach from a federal government that doesn’t understand or respect our way of life, and stop the federal government from making daily life increasingly expensive and difficult."“My steady guidepost will be what is best for the people of the Second District and for America. These past four years have made clear that America was stronger when President Trump served in the White House, and I look forward to working with him and others next year – yes, to truly make America great again."“Kansans know me and my longstanding support for our freedoms that generations of Americans have sacrificed so much to defend, for law and order, for Veterans and those currently serving in our armed forces, for farmers and ranchers, for small businesses, for our great Kansas colleges and universities,&nbsp;for life, and for the Second Amendment. They know I am proud to be a Kansan. Always have been. It would be an honor to be your voice in Congress. I respectfully ask for your vote.”

Former Kansas AG announces Congressional run in 2nd District

KANSAS CITY (AP) —United Methodist delegates have overwhelmingly endorsed a constitutional amendment seen by advocates as a way of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congregations-leaving-united-methodist-church-lgbtq-bans-70b8c89ea49174597f4548c249bab24f">defusing debates</a>&nbsp;over the role of LGBTQ people in the church by giving rule-making autonomy to each region of the international church.

Delegates voted 586-164 on Thursday for the “regionalization” proposal on the third day of their 11-day&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-methodists-schism-lgbtq-samesex-marriage-8b428597c86901b2d5886afeca5069c8">General Conference</a>, the legislative body of the United Methodist Church, meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina.

The plan would create multiple regional conferences — one for the United States and others covering areas ranging from the Philippines to Europe to Africa.

Existing regions outside the United States — known as central conferences — already have the flexibility to adapt church rules to their local contexts, but the jurisdictions in the United States do not. This constitutional change would give the U.S. church that flexibility, while defining autonomy more closely for all of the regions.

The vote total easily passed the two-thirds majority required for an amendment to the United Methodist Church’s constitution. To become official, however, it will require approval by two-thirds of total votes cast in its annual conferences, or local governing bodies.

If ratified, one effect of the change is that it could allow for the American church — where support has been growing for the ordination of LGBTQ people and for same-sex marriage — to authorize such rites, even as international churches with more conservative positions on sexuality would not.

"The big change this petition brings is really for our brothers and sisters here in the United States, where you would finally be given the right to decide things which only concern you among yourselves, the same right that we have enjoyed for a long time," said Christine Schneider-Oesch of Switzerland, a member of the committee proposing the changes.

The measure comes during the first General Conference since one-quarter of U.S. congregations left the denomination over the past four years — most of them conservative churches reacting to the denomination's failure to enforce rules against same-sex marriage and LGBTQ ordination.

Advocates hailed the proposal as a way of decolonizing a church some say is too focused on U.S. issues, though one opponent, a Zimbabwean pastor, said the details of the plan are reminiscent of colonial-era divide-and-conquer strategies.

LGBTQ issues weren't central to the debate on Thursday, but they are expected to arise in the coming days at the General Conference. Some proposals would lift the current bans on ordaining LGBTQ people and on same-sex marriage.

“I believe that the values upon which worldwide regionalization is rooted will give renewed strength, life and vitality to the church,” said the Rev. Jonathan Ulanday of the Philippines. He said it gives autonomy while maintaining connection to the worldwide denomination, which he noted has been helpful in areas ranging from disaster relief to aiding Filipinos working abroad.

But the Rev. Forbes Matonga of Zimbabwe said the plan actually perpetuates colonial structures by creating multiple regional conferences in Africa along national lines, compared with a single one in the United States. He noted that many African national borders were created arbitrarily by European colonial mapmakers.

“It is this divide and rule,” Matonga said. “Create a region for Africans. Creates a platform for Africans so that we speak as a continent and not as small colonies.”

The Rev. Ande Emmanuel of Nigeria said he has been to multiple General Conferences and that many of the discussions are “U.S.-centric,” not relevant to African delegates. Regionalization would let each area of the church manage such issues, he said. “We are not here to control the Americans,” he said. “Neither are our brothers from America here to control us. We are trying to build a platform that is mutual. We’re trying to build an understanding that would move our church together.”

But in a small yet notable sign of fragmentation in the denomination, the General Conference also approved the departure of churches in several former Soviet countries which owed their growth in part to post-Cold War missionary work.

The conference approved the request of local conferences in parts of its Eurasia Episcopal Area — including Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan — to become independent. The departing conferences have 66 churches and 1,123 members, according to UM News.

While the reasons weren't spelled out explicitly at the General Conference, the Russian-area churches are more conservative on matters such as LGBTQ issues.

Bishop Eduard Khegay, who leads the Eurasia area, alluded to both theological controversies and “geopolitical struggles between superpowers" in an address Thursday to the General Conference. He also thanked United Methodists for their years of help to the churches in the region and for enabling them to become independent in an orderly way.

“Sisters and brothers, I stand in gratitude for your decision,” Khegay said.

By PETER SMITH&nbsp;KANSAS CITY (AP) —United Methodist delegates have overwhelmingly endorsed a constitutional amendment seen by advocates as a way of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congregations-leaving-united-methodist-church-lgbtq-bans-70b8c89ea49174597f4548c249bab24f">defusing debates</a>&nbsp;over the role of LGBTQ people in the church by giving rule-making autonomy to each region of the international church.Delegates voted 586-164 on Thursday for the “regionalization” proposal on the third day of their 11-day&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/united-methodists-schism-lgbtq-samesex-marriage-8b428597c86901b2d5886afeca5069c8">General Conference</a>, the legislative body of the United Methodist Church, meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina.The plan would create multiple regional conferences — one for the United States and others covering areas ranging from the Philippines to Europe to Africa.Existing regions outside the United States — known as central conferences — already have the flexibility to adapt church rules to their local contexts, but the jurisdictions in the United States do not. This constitutional change would give the U.S. church that flexibility, while defining autonomy more closely for all of the regions.The vote total easily passed the two-thirds majority required for an amendment to the United Methodist Church’s constitution. To become official, however, it will require approval by two-thirds of total votes cast in its annual conferences, or local governing bodies.If ratified, one effect of the change is that it could allow for the American church — where support has been growing for the ordination of LGBTQ people and for same-sex marriage — to authorize such rites, even as international churches with more conservative positions on sexuality would not."The big change this petition brings is really for our brothers and sisters here in the United States, where you would finally be given the right to decide things which only concern you among yourselves, the same right that we have enjoyed for a long time," said Christine Schneider-Oesch of Switzerland, a member of the committee proposing the changes.The measure comes during the first General Conference since one-quarter of U.S. congregations left the denomination over the past four years — most of them conservative churches reacting to the denomination's failure to enforce rules against same-sex marriage and LGBTQ ordination.Advocates hailed the proposal as a way of decolonizing a church some say is too focused on U.S. issues, though one opponent, a Zimbabwean pastor, said the details of the plan are reminiscent of colonial-era divide-and-conquer strategies.LGBTQ issues weren't central to the debate on Thursday, but they are expected to arise in the coming days at the General Conference. Some proposals would lift the current bans on ordaining LGBTQ people and on same-sex marriage.“I believe that the values upon which worldwide regionalization is rooted will give renewed strength, life and vitality to the church,” said the Rev. Jonathan Ulanday of the Philippines. He said it gives autonomy while maintaining connection to the worldwide denomination, which he noted has been helpful in areas ranging from disaster relief to aiding Filipinos working abroad.But the Rev. Forbes Matonga of Zimbabwe said the plan actually perpetuates colonial structures by creating multiple regional conferences in Africa along national lines, compared with a single one in the United States. He noted that many African national borders were created arbitrarily by European colonial mapmakers.“It is this divide and rule,” Matonga said. “Create a region for Africans. Creates a platform for Africans so that we speak as a continent and not as small colonies.”The Rev. Ande Emmanuel of Nigeria said he has been to multiple General Conferences and that many of the discussions are “U.S.-centric,” not relevant to African delegates. Regionalization would let each area of the church manage such issues, he said. “We are not here to control the Americans,” he said. “Neither are our brothers from America here to control us. We are trying to build a platform that is mutual. We’re trying to build an understanding that would move our church together.”But in a small yet notable sign of fragmentation in the denomination, the General Conference also approved the departure of churches in several former Soviet countries which owed their growth in part to post-Cold War missionary work.The conference approved the request of local conferences in parts of its Eurasia Episcopal Area — including Russia, Belarus, Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan — to become independent. The departing conferences have 66 churches and 1,123 members, according to UM News.While the reasons weren't spelled out explicitly at the General Conference, the Russian-area churches are more conservative on matters such as LGBTQ issues.Bishop Eduard Khegay, who leads the Eurasia area, alluded to both theological controversies and “geopolitical struggles between superpowers" in an address Thursday to the General Conference. He also thanked United Methodists for their years of help to the churches in the region and for enabling them to become independent in an orderly way.“Sisters and brothers, I stand in gratitude for your decision,” Khegay said.___

General Conference: United Methodists endorse change to diffuse  LGBTQ and other issues

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating after a bomb threat on the campus of Wichita University overnight.

At around 10 p.m. Thursday, a call was made to Wichita State University Police indicating the presence of a bomb on the campus at Wallace Hall,&nbsp;3704-3786 Perimeter Road and the Starbucks on 21st Street, according to a social media report from the university.

Just after 2a.m. Wichita State police gave the all-clear to the campus. They reported no devices were found. The university will now resume normal activities.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating after a bomb threat on the campus of Wichita University overnight.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714126788149.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>At around 10 p.m. Thursday, a call was made to Wichita State University Police indicating the presence of a bomb on the campus at Wallace Hall,&nbsp;3704-3786 Perimeter Road and the Starbucks on 21st Street, according to a social media report from the university.Just after 2a.m. Wichita State police gave the all-clear to the campus. They reported no devices were found. The university will now resume normal activities.

Police investigating after bomb threat at Wichita State University

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a Monday homicide in Kansas City have identified the victim as 13-year-old Trvion Stewart, according to KCPD.

Just after 4:00p.m. Monday, police responded to a shooting in the 2700 block of Quincy, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.

First responders located the boy in the street suffering from gunshot wounds. He was transported to a hospital and pronounced dead. Police have not reported suspect information or reported an arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713832553087.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a Monday homicide in Kansas City have identified the victim as 13-year-old Trvion Stewart, according to KCPD.Just after 4:00p.m. Monday, police responded to a shooting in the 2700 block of Quincy, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.First responders located the boy in the street suffering from gunshot wounds. He was transported to a hospital and pronounced dead. Police have not reported suspect information or reported an arrest.

Police ID 13-year-old who died in KC shooting

JERUSALEM (AP) — A ship traveling in the Gulf of Aden came under attack Thursday, officials said, the latest assault carried out by Yemen’s Houthi rebels over Israel’s ongoing war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

The attack comes after the U.S. military said early Thursday an allied warship shot down a Houthi missile targeting a vessel the day before near the same area. The Houthis claimed that Wednesday assault, which comes after a period of relatively few rebel attacks on shipping in the region over Israel’s ongoing war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

In Thursday’s attack, a ship was targeted just over 25 kilometers (15 miles) southwest of Aden, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said.

The captain “reports a loud bang heard and a splash and smoke seen coming from the sea,” the UKMTO said. “Vessel and all crew are safe.”

The attack was also reported by the private security firm Ambrey.

Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed the attack late Thursday, identifying the ship the rebels tried to target as the MSC Darwin.

European Union forces separately shot down a drone launched from Houthi territory on Thursday, Gen. Robert Brieger said. Separately on Wednesday, the British warship HMS Diamond began the first in the Royal Navy to shoot down a missile since 1991 when it destroyed a Houthi missile targeting merchant ships.

The Houthis have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebel-attack-israel-hamas-war-bf077f026a9f177ec87f4131d695cafc">launched more than 50 attacks</a>&nbsp;on shipping, seized one vessel and sank another since November, according to the U.S. Maritime Administration.

Houthi attacks have dropped in recent weeks as the rebels have been targeted by a U.S.-led airstrike campaign in Yemen and shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has declined because of the threat. American officials have speculated that the rebels may be running out of weapons as a result of the U.S.-led campaign against them and firing off drones and missiles steadily in the last months.

However, Wednesday’s attack was the first one by rebels in some time. An explosion struck some 130 kilometers (80 miles) southeast of Djibouti in the Gulf of Aden, the UKMTO said.

Early Thursday, the U.S. military’s Central Command said the explosion came from a coalition warship shooting down the missile likely targeting the MV Yorktown, a U.S.-flagged, owned and operated vessel with 18 U.S. and four Greek crew members.

“There were no injuries or damage reported by U.S., coalition or commercial ships,” Central Command said.

Saree claimed that attack but insisted without evidence that the missile hit the Yorktown. Saree also claimed the Houthis targeted another ship in the Indian Ocean, without providing proof. The Houthis have made repeated claims that turned out to not be true during their yearslong war in Yemen.

The Houthis have said they will continue their attacks until Israel ends its war in Gaza, which has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians there. The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking some 250 others hostage.

Most of the ships targeted by the Houthis have had little or no direct connection to Israel, the U.S. or other nations involved in the war. The rebels have also fired missiles toward Israel, though they have largely fallen short or been intercepted.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703990687604.png" alt="File Photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>File Photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM (AP) — A ship traveling in the Gulf of Aden came under attack Thursday, officials said, the latest assault carried out by Yemen’s Houthi rebels over Israel’s ongoing war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.The attack comes after the U.S. military said early Thursday an allied warship shot down a Houthi missile targeting a vessel the day before near the same area. The Houthis claimed that Wednesday assault, which comes after a period of relatively few rebel attacks on shipping in the region over Israel’s ongoing war on Hamas in the Gaza Strip.In Thursday’s attack, a ship was targeted just over 25 kilometers (15 miles) southwest of Aden, the British military’s United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center said.The captain “reports a loud bang heard and a splash and smoke seen coming from the sea,” the UKMTO said. “Vessel and all crew are safe.”The attack was also reported by the private security firm Ambrey.Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree claimed the attack late Thursday, identifying the ship the rebels tried to target as the MSC Darwin.European Union forces separately shot down a drone launched from Houthi territory on Thursday, Gen. Robert Brieger said. Separately on Wednesday, the British warship HMS Diamond began the first in the Royal Navy to shoot down a missile since 1991 when it destroyed a Houthi missile targeting merchant ships.The Houthis have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yemen-houthi-rebel-attack-israel-hamas-war-bf077f026a9f177ec87f4131d695cafc">launched more than 50 attacks</a>&nbsp;on shipping, seized one vessel and sank another since November, according to the U.S. Maritime Administration.Houthi attacks have dropped in recent weeks as the rebels have been targeted by a U.S.-led airstrike campaign in Yemen and shipping through the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden has declined because of the threat. American officials have speculated that the rebels may be running out of weapons as a result of the U.S.-led campaign against them and firing off drones and missiles steadily in the last months.However, Wednesday’s attack was the first one by rebels in some time. An explosion struck some 130 kilometers (80 miles) southeast of Djibouti in the Gulf of Aden, the UKMTO said.Early Thursday, the U.S. military’s Central Command said the explosion came from a coalition warship shooting down the missile likely targeting the MV Yorktown, a U.S.-flagged, owned and operated vessel with 18 U.S. and four Greek crew members.“There were no injuries or damage reported by U.S., coalition or commercial ships,” Central Command said.Saree claimed that attack but insisted without evidence that the missile hit the Yorktown. Saree also claimed the Houthis targeted another ship in the Indian Ocean, without providing proof. The Houthis have made repeated claims that turned out to not be true during their yearslong war in Yemen.The Houthis have said they will continue their attacks until Israel ends its war in Gaza, which has killed more than 34,000 Palestinians there. The war began after Hamas-led militants attacked Israel on Oct. 7, killing 1,200 people and taking some 250 others hostage.Most of the ships targeted by the Houthis have had little or no direct connection to Israel, the U.S. or other nations involved in the war. The rebels have also fired missiles toward Israel, though they have largely fallen short or been intercepted.

Another ship under attack as terrorist campaign gains new speed

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former Kansas City man who moved to Mexico and lived under another name, pleaded guilty in federal court last week to attempting to produce child pornography.

Wyatt Christopher Maxwell, also known as “Louis Whitaker,” 24, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to one count of attempting to produce child pornography.

Maxwell lived in Kansas City at the time of the offense, but afterward moved to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where he went by the name “Louis Whitaker” as a cabaret singer. He was arrested in Mexico following his indictment and has remained in federal custody since his arrest.

According to the plea agreement, the Overland Park, Kansas, Police Department received tips in February 2021, via the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers tipline, that Maxwell was producing child pornography with a 16-year-old resident of Overland Park. Maxwell reportedly uploaded the child pornography to various online accounts. The child victim told investigators that Maxwell had been recording sexually explicit videos of the two of them for several months. Some of the recordings were created at Maxwell’s residence and some were created in a nearby park.

Law enforcement agents interviewed Maxwell on Feb. 3, 2021. He confirmed he uploaded videos to his accounts on OnlyFans and JustForFans, for which he estimated he made from $3,000 to $10,000 per month from subscribers. Maxwell admitted he created approximately 20 videos where he was engaged in some type of sex act with the child victim. Those videos were uploaded to his OnlyFans and JustForFans accounts.

Investigators found 39 videos of child pornography that were downloaded on Maxwell’s cell phone, 96 videos of child pornography involving the child victim, and 24 images of child pornography involving the child victim.

Investigators confirmed payments from Maxwell’s OnlyFans account totaling $49,151, and from Maxwell’s JustForFans account totaling $2,954. There were 153 videos uploaded to the JustForFans account, 16 of which depicted sexual activity involving the child victim.

Under federal statutes, Maxwell is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine A. Connelly. It was investigated by the FBI and the Overland Park, Kan., Police Department.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1677451252783.png" alt="&nbsp;Maxwell lived in Kansas City at the time of the alleged offenses, but afterward moved to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where he went by the name “Louis Whitaker” as a cabaret singer. photo courtesy Out and About Puerto Vallarta" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Maxwell lived in Kansas City at the time of the alleged offenses, but afterward moved to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where he went by the name “Louis Whitaker” as a cabaret singer. photo courtesy Out and About Puerto Vallarta</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A former Kansas City man who moved to Mexico and lived under another name, pleaded guilty in federal court last week to attempting to produce child pornography.Wyatt Christopher Maxwell, also known as “Louis Whitaker,” 24, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Roseann A. Ketchmark to one count of attempting to produce child pornography.Maxwell lived in Kansas City at the time of the offense, but afterward moved to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, where he went by the name “Louis Whitaker” as a cabaret singer. He was arrested in Mexico following his indictment and has remained in federal custody since his arrest.According to the plea agreement, the Overland Park, Kansas, Police Department received tips in February 2021, via the Greater Kansas City Crime Stoppers tipline, that Maxwell was producing child pornography with a 16-year-old resident of Overland Park. Maxwell reportedly uploaded the child pornography to various online accounts. The child victim told investigators that Maxwell had been recording sexually explicit videos of the two of them for several months. Some of the recordings were created at Maxwell’s residence and some were created in a nearby park.Law enforcement agents interviewed Maxwell on Feb. 3, 2021. He confirmed he uploaded videos to his accounts on OnlyFans and JustForFans, for which he estimated he made from $3,000 to $10,000 per month from subscribers. Maxwell admitted he created approximately 20 videos where he was engaged in some type of sex act with the child victim. Those videos were uploaded to his OnlyFans and JustForFans accounts.Investigators found 39 videos of child pornography that were downloaded on Maxwell’s cell phone, 96 videos of child pornography involving the child victim, and 24 images of child pornography involving the child victim.Investigators confirmed payments from Maxwell’s OnlyFans account totaling $49,151, and from Maxwell’s JustForFans account totaling $2,954. There were 153 videos uploaded to the JustForFans account, 16 of which depicted sexual activity involving the child victim.Under federal statutes, Maxwell is subject to a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison without parole, up to a sentence of 30 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Catherine A. Connelly. It was investigated by the FBI and the Overland Park, Kan., Police Department.

KC suspect who moved to Mexico, enters plea in child porn case

SHAWNEE COUNTY– A suspect is in custody after fleeing from law enforcement in a stolen vehicle on Tuesday.

Just after&nbsp;7:30 a.m., police responded to a reported stolen vehicle in the 1800 block of SE Ohio Avenue in Topeka.

Officers located the vehicle and initiated a car stop. The driver fled. Officers remained in the area and a short while later located the vehicle unoccupied near SE 3rd and Lime Street. As a result of the investigation, a suspect was later located in a residence in the area and was taken into custody.

As a result of the investigation, Feliciano J. Anguiano IV, 22, of Topeka was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges Flee or attempt to elude; operate a stolen vehicle and Theft &gt;$1,500&lt;$25,000 From Motor Vehicle.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713955863240.png" alt="Anguiano photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Anguiano photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY– A suspect is in custody after fleeing from law enforcement in a stolen vehicle on Tuesday.Just after&nbsp;7:30 a.m., police responded to a reported stolen vehicle in the 1800 block of SE Ohio Avenue in Topeka.Officers located the vehicle and initiated a car stop. The driver fled. Officers remained in the area and a short while later located the vehicle unoccupied near SE 3rd and Lime Street. As a result of the investigation, a suspect was later located in a residence in the area and was taken into custody.As a result of the investigation, Feliciano J. Anguiano IV, 22, of Topeka was arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges Flee or attempt to elude; operate a stolen vehicle and Theft &gt;$1,500&lt;$25,000 From Motor Vehicle.

Suspect caught fleeing police was driving stolen car

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Thursday appeared likely to reject former President Donald Trump’s claim of absolute immunity from prosecution over election interference, but several justices signaled reservations about the charges that could cause a lengthy delay, possibly beyond November’s election.

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2023/23-939_l5gm.pdf">Click here to read a</a> transcript of the oral argument

<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2023/23-939">Click here to listen to a replay </a>of the oral argument&nbsp;

A majority of the justices did not appear to embrace the claim of absolute immunity that would stop special counsel Jack Smith's prosecution of Trump on charges he conspired to overturn his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden. But in arguments lasting more than 2 1/2 hours in the court’s first consideration of criminal charges against a former president, several conservative justices indicated they could limit when former presidents might be prosecuted, suggesting that the case might have to be sent back to lower courts before any trial could begin.

Justice Samuel Alito said that “whatever we decide is going to apply to all future presidents.”

The timing of the Supreme Court’s decision could be as important as the outcome. Trump, the presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee, has been pushing to delay the trial until after the election, and the later the justices issue their decision, the more likely he is to succeed. If Trump regains the presidency, he could order the Justice Department to dismiss the case, or possibly, as two justices suggested, pardon himself if convicted.

Since conservatives on the court gained a supermajority with the confirmation of three Trump appointees, they have cast aside decades-old long precedent on abortion and affirmation action. Now Trump is asking them to rule that one of the fundamental tenets of the American system of government — that no person is above the law -- should be rejected as well, at least as it applies to him.

The active questioning of all nine justices left the strong impression that the court was not headed for the sort of speedy, consensus decision that would allow a trial to begin quickly.

Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, two of Trump’s three high court appointees, and Alito said their concern was not the case against Trump, but rather the effect of their ruling on future presidencies.

Each time Justice Department lawyer Michael Dreeben sought to focus on Trump’s actions, these justices jumped in. “This case has huge implications for the presidency, for the future of the presidency, for the future of the country,” Kavanaugh said. The court is writing a decision “for the ages,” Gorsuch said.

Justice Amy Coney Barrett, the other Trump appointee, seemed less open to arguments advanced by Trump lawyer D. John Sauer, searching for a way a trial could take place.

Smith’s team is asking for a speedy resolution. The court typically issues its last opinions by the end of June, about four months before the election. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who would preside over the trial, said pre-trial issues could take up to three months.

The court has moved very quickly in prior cases involving presidential power, deciding the Watergate tapes case against President Richard Nixon just 16 days after arguments. Earlier this year, it took the justices less than a month to rule unanimously that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-insurrection-election-colorado-51e79c0f03013034c8a042cb278b6446">states couldn't kick Trump off the ballot</a>.

Trump, the first former president charged with crimes, had said he wanted to be at the Supreme Court on Thursday. Instead, he was in a courtroom in New York, where he is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-trial-national-enquirer-1dd3c3111febf219bdf1d8627504a3c5">standing trial</a>&nbsp;on charges that he falsified business records to keep damaging information from voters when he directed hush money payments to a former porn star to keep quiet her claims that they had a sexual encounter.

Sauer argued that former presidents are entitled to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-immunity-prosecution-capitol-riot-9fd5dc5947dab82bbd18d3efcb4267d8">absolute immunity</a>&nbsp;for their official acts. Otherwise, he said, politically motivated prosecutions of former occupants of the Oval Office would become routine and presidents couldn't function as the commander in chief if they had to worry about criminal charges.

Lower courts have rejected those arguments, including a unanimous three-judge panel on an appeals court in Washington, D.C.

Several justices drilled down on trying to come up with a definition of what constituted an official act, and whether charges based on one should be thrown out.

Justice Elena Kagan at one pointed wondered whether a former president could escape prosecution even if he ordered a coup or sold nuclear secrets. Sauer said prosecutions might not be allowed it those were determined to be official acts.

“That sure sounds bad, doesn't it?” Kagan asked.

Chief Justice John Roberts conjured up a president being indicted for receiving a bribe in exchange for an ambassadorial appointment. How could the indictment go forward if prosecutors had to remove the official act, the appointment. “That's like a one-legged stool, right?” Roberts asked.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictments-election-january-6-classified-documents-5cb04868bb1cdf91c19eafdb882af8c0">election interference conspiracy case</a>&nbsp;brought by Smith in Washington is just one of four criminal cases confronting Trump. Smith was in the courtroom Thursday, seated at the table for lawyers taking part in the case.

Smith’s team says the men who wrote Constitution never intended for presidents to be above the law and that, in any event, the acts Trump is charged with — including participating in a scheme to enlist&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-jan-6-investigation-fake-electors-608932d4771f6e2e3c5efb3fdcd8fcce">fake electors in battleground states</a>&nbsp;won by Biden — aren’t in any way part of a president’s official duties. Dreeben said that even if some of the acts are considered part of the president's powers, like talking to Justice Department officials, they still should be kept in the indictment.

Trump's conversations with then-Vice President Mike Pence, urging him to reject some electoral votes on Jan. 6, 2021, might also fall under official acts.

Barrett asked Dreeben whether Smith's team could “just proceed based on the private conduct and drop the official conduct.” Dreeben said that might be possible, especially if prosecutors could, for example, use the conversations with Justice Department officials and Pence to make their case.

Nearly four years ago, all nine justices rejected Trump’s claim of absolute immunity from a district attorney’s subpoena for his financial records. That case played out during Trump’s presidency and involved a criminal investigation, but no charges.

Justice Clarence Thomas, who would have prevented the enforcement of the subpoena because of Trump’s responsibilities as president, still rejected Trump’s claim of absolute immunity and pointed to the text of the Constitution and how it was understood by the people who ratified it.

“The text of the Constitution … does not afford the President absolute immunity,” Thomas wrote in 2020.

Commentators had speculated about why the court took up the case in the first place.

Phillip Bobbitt, a constitutional scholar at Columbia University’s law school, said he worries about the delay, but sees value in a decision that amounts to “a definitive expression by the Supreme Court that we are a government of laws and not of men.”

The court also may be more concerned with how its decision could affect future presidencies, Harvard law school professor Jack Goldsmith wrote on the Lawfare blog.

But Kermit Roosevelt, a law professor at the University of Pennsylvania, said the court never should have taken the case because an ideologically diverse panel of the federal appeals court in Washington adequately addressed the issues.

“If it was going to take the case, it should have proceeded faster, because now, it will most likely prevent the trial from being completed before the election,” Roosevelt said. “Even Richard Nixon said that the American people deserve to know whether their president is a crook. The Supreme Court seems to disagree.”

The court has several options for deciding the case, though something between a complete win for Trump or prosecutors seemed most likely.

The court might spell out when former presidents are shielded from prosecution. It could then either declare that Trump's alleged conduct easily crossed the line or return the case to Chutkan so she can decide whether Trump should have to stand trial.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714052563813.png" alt="Trump addressed the media on Thursday morning -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Trump addressed the media on Thursday morning -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court on Thursday appeared likely to reject former President Donald Trump’s claim of absolute immunity from prosecution over election interference, but several justices signaled reservations about the charges that could cause a lengthy delay, possibly beyond November’s election.<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/argument_transcripts/2023/23-939_l5gm.pdf">Click here to read a</a> transcript of the oral argument<a href="https://www.supremecourt.gov/oral_arguments/audio/2023/23-939">Click here to listen to a replay </a>of the oral argument&nbsp;A majority of the justices did not appear to embrace the claim of absolute immunity that would stop special counsel Jack Smith's prosecution of Trump on charges he conspired to overturn his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden. But in arguments lasting more than 2 1/2 hours in the court’s first consideration of criminal charges against a former president, several conservative justices indicated they could limit when former presidents might be prosecuted, suggesting that the case might have to be sent back to lower courts before any trial could begin.Justice Samuel Alito said that “whatever we decide is going to apply to all future presidents.”The timing of the Supreme Court’s decision could be as important as the outcome. Trump, the presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee, has been pushing to delay the trial until after the election, and the later the justices issue their decision, the more likely he is to succeed. If Trump regains the presidency, he could order the Justice Department to dismiss the case, or possibly, as two justices suggested, pardon himself if convicted.Since conservatives on the court gained a supermajority with the confirmation of three Trump appointees, they have cast aside decades-old long precedent on abortion and affirmation action. Now Trump is asking them to rule that one of the fundamental tenets of the American system of government — that no person is above the law -- should be rejected as well, at least as it applies to him.The active questioning of all nine justices left the strong impression that the court was not headed for the sort of speedy, consensus decision that would allow a trial to begin quickly.Justices Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh, two of Trump’s three high court appointees, and Alito said their concern was not the case against Trump, but rather the effect of their ruling on future presidencies.Each time Justice Department lawyer Michael Dreeben sought to focus on Trump’s actions, these justices jumped in. “This case has huge implications for the presidency, for the future of the presidency, for the future of the country,” Kavanaugh said. The court is writing a decision “for the ages,” Gorsuch said.Justice Amy Coney Barrett, the other Trump appointee, seemed less open to arguments advanced by Trump lawyer D. John Sauer, searching for a way a trial could take place.Smith’s team is asking for a speedy resolution. The court typically issues its last opinions by the end of June, about four months before the election. U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who would preside over the trial, said pre-trial issues could take up to three months.The court has moved very quickly in prior cases involving presidential power, deciding the Watergate tapes case against President Richard Nixon just 16 days after arguments. Earlier this year, it took the justices less than a month to rule unanimously that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-insurrection-election-colorado-51e79c0f03013034c8a042cb278b6446">states couldn't kick Trump off the ballot</a>.Trump, the first former president charged with crimes, had said he wanted to be at the Supreme Court on Thursday. Instead, he was in a courtroom in New York, where he is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hush-money-trial-national-enquirer-1dd3c3111febf219bdf1d8627504a3c5">standing trial</a>&nbsp;on charges that he falsified business records to keep damaging information from voters when he directed hush money payments to a former porn star to keep quiet her claims that they had a sexual encounter.Sauer argued that former presidents are entitled to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-immunity-prosecution-capitol-riot-9fd5dc5947dab82bbd18d3efcb4267d8">absolute immunity</a>&nbsp;for their official acts. Otherwise, he said, politically motivated prosecutions of former occupants of the Oval Office would become routine and presidents couldn't function as the commander in chief if they had to worry about criminal charges.Lower courts have rejected those arguments, including a unanimous three-judge panel on an appeals court in Washington, D.C.Several justices drilled down on trying to come up with a definition of what constituted an official act, and whether charges based on one should be thrown out.Justice Elena Kagan at one pointed wondered whether a former president could escape prosecution even if he ordered a coup or sold nuclear secrets. Sauer said prosecutions might not be allowed it those were determined to be official acts.“That sure sounds bad, doesn't it?” Kagan asked.Chief Justice John Roberts conjured up a president being indicted for receiving a bribe in exchange for an ambassadorial appointment. How could the indictment go forward if prosecutors had to remove the official act, the appointment. “That's like a one-legged stool, right?” Roberts asked.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indictments-election-january-6-classified-documents-5cb04868bb1cdf91c19eafdb882af8c0">election interference conspiracy case</a>&nbsp;brought by Smith in Washington is just one of four criminal cases confronting Trump. Smith was in the courtroom Thursday, seated at the table for lawyers taking part in the case.Smith’s team says the men who wrote Constitution never intended for presidents to be above the law and that, in any event, the acts Trump is charged with — including participating in a scheme to enlist&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-jan-6-investigation-fake-electors-608932d4771f6e2e3c5efb3fdcd8fcce">fake electors in battleground states</a>&nbsp;won by Biden — aren’t in any way part of a president’s official duties. Dreeben said that even if some of the acts are considered part of the president's powers, like talking to Justice Department officials, they still should be kept in the indictment.Trump's conversations with then-Vice President Mike Pence, urging him to reject some electoral votes on Jan. 6, 2021, might also fall under official acts.Barrett asked Dreeben whether Smith's team could “just proceed based on the private conduct and drop the official conduct.” Dreeben said that might be possible, especially if prosecutors could, for example, use the conversations with Justice Department officials and Pence to make their case.Nearly four years ago, all nine justices rejected Trump’s claim of absolute immunity from a district attorney’s subpoena for his financial records. That case played out during Trump’s presidency and involved a criminal investigation, but no charges.Justice Clarence Thomas, who would have prevented the enforcement of the subpoena because of Trump’s responsibilities as president, still rejected Trump’s claim of absolute immunity and pointed to the text of the Constitution and how it was understood by the people who ratified it.“The text of the Constitution … does not afford the President absolute immunity,” Thomas wrote in 2020.Commentators had speculated about why the court took up the case in the first place.Phillip Bobbitt, a constitutional scholar at Columbia University’s law school, said he worries about the delay, but sees value in a decision that amounts to “a definitive expression by the Supreme Court that we are a government of laws and not of men.”The court also may be more concerned with how its decision could affect future presidencies, Harvard law school professor Jack Goldsmith wrote on the Lawfare blog.But Kermit Roosevelt, a law professor at the University of Pennsylvania, said the court never should have taken the case because an ideologically diverse panel of the federal appeals court in Washington adequately addressed the issues.“If it was going to take the case, it should have proceeded faster, because now, it will most likely prevent the trial from being completed before the election,” Roosevelt said. “Even Richard Nixon said that the American people deserve to know whether their president is a crook. The Supreme Court seems to disagree.”The court has several options for deciding the case, though something between a complete win for Trump or prosecutors seemed most likely.The court might spell out when former presidents are shielded from prosecution. It could then either declare that Trump's alleged conduct easily crossed the line or return the case to Chutkan so she can decide whether Trump should have to stand trial.___

🎧Supreme Court history: Debate over Trump's claim of absolute immunity

The death of a Missouri doctor who was found 11 months ago in a northwest Arkansas lake has been ruled a suicide, Arkansas authorities said Thursday.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-doctor-dead-john-forsyth-mystery-db7149050aedc913a184bc43f579db08">Dr. John Forsyth</a>&nbsp;died of a gunshot wound to the head, the Benton County, Arkansas, sheriff's department said in a statement. An autopsy by the chief medical examiner at the Arkansas State Crime Lab concluded that it was a suicide.

The sheriff’s office said that its detectives located several surveillance videos of Forsyth riding a bicycle to the lake and the bicycle was located near where Forsyth’s body was found.

Forsyth, 49, didn't show up for his May 21, 2023, shift at Mercy Hospital in Cassville, Missouri, where he had parked his RV. That prompted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-doctor-missing-ozarks-f7f68205ec6db1f866e99ec4707443af">a search,</a>&nbsp;and there was no sign of him until a kayaker noticed his body in Arkansas on May 30, at a spot on Beaver Lake about 20 miles (32 kilometers) away from his last known location.

The mystery surrounding his death gave his case national attention. Social media have speculated that his death may have been connected to the cryptocurrency company that he co-founded with his brother.

“Detectives have not been able to find any information or evidence that would lead us to dispute the medical examiner's findings,” the sheriff's statement said. “If objective and relevant physical evidence becomes available, those leads will be investigated on a case-by-case basis.”

--- EDITOR’S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at&nbsp;<a href="http://988lifeline.org/">988lifeline.org</a>&nbsp;---

CASSVILLE, Mo. (AP) — John Forsyth was known as a hard-working doctor who cared deeply for his patients and often teased nurses in the emergency room to ease tension. He was a father of eight and newly engaged. He also co-founded a cryptocurrency business with his brother.

His sudden disappearance from a southwestern Missouri town last month — and the eventual&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-doctor-missing-ozarks-f7f68205ec6db1f866e99ec4707443af">discovery of his body</a>&nbsp;in an Arkansas lake — has led many to wonder what happened to the man who seemed happier than he’d been for some time. A lack of information from law enforcement has only deepened the mystery, prompting amateur sleuths to espouse theories on Facebook.

“It’s like the world dropped on us; we’re just in shock” said his sister Tiffany Forsyth. “There’s a part of me that’s not quite sure this is real yet. I guess it comes in steps.”

Forsyth disappeared on May 21 from a parking area at a public swimming pool. His body, which had suffered an apparent gunshot wound, was found nine days later. An autopsy was done, but a report isn't expected for at least two months. Law enforcement officers have released almost no details, except to say there is no danger to the public.

The doctor's family is adamant that his death wasn’t a suicide: He had just recently become engaged, and his fiancee was pregnant.

Some true-crime followers on social media have speculated that his death may have been connected to the cryptocurrency company that he co-founded with his brother, Richard Forsyth. Multiple other theories also have surfaced in a Facebook discussion group that has grown to more than 1,000 members. Posts in that group are now closed to public view.

Only 10 days before his disappearance, a judge had finalized Forsyth's divorce — his second from the same woman. The split was amicable, according to family members and the ex-wife's attorney, Ryan Ricketts, who said she was “devastated” by the doctor’s death.

Richard Forsyth said his brother was excited about his upcoming marriage and new child and had a plane ticket to go see one of his daughters.

“He said, ‘I can’t wait to introduce her to you. We’re going to have a wonderful life together. We’re all going to spend a lot of time together,’” Richard Forsyth said. " ... I hadn't seen him that happy for a long time.”

Forsyth even texted his fiancee on the day of his disappearance, saying he would see her soon, according to his brother. The fiancee did not answer a social media request for an interview.

Alongside hopeful comments about his future life, however, John Forsyth had recently made cryptic remarks about possibly being in danger, his brother said, adding, “I think he crossed paths with some bad folks and he didn’t tell me about them."

There has been some confusion about what happened near the public pool where John Forsyth was last seen in Cassville, 40 miles (64 kilometers) west of the Ozark Mountains tourist destination of Branson and about half a mile from a hospital where he worked. On May 21, the pool had yet to open for the summer season. Beaver Lake, a man-made reservoir used for recreation and where his body was found, is at least an hour’s drive away from Cassville, over twisty highways that snake through the Ozarks.

Initially, Richard Forsyth said security camera footage showed his brother getting into someone else’s vehicle. He now says the footage shows that a few minutes after the doctor parked his car, a white SUV arrived, then left shortly afterward. About 10 or 15 minutes after that, the doctor got out of his car and walked away, never to be seen alive again, Richard Forsyth said. Found inside his unlocked car were two cellphones, a laptop and important documents, he said.

So far, authorities — who have stressed a need to investigate thoroughly before releasing information — have not said whether the SUV was related to Forsyth's disappearance, or whether they've found the gun used to shoot him or identified any suspects.

Richard Forsyth said family members have been told it could be a long wait for answers, but they have confidence in the investigating officers.

Authorities have also not indicated how deeply they are looking into Forsyth’s connections to crypto.

Online publications covering the industry quickly took note of his death, which was confirmed just seven weeks after authorities in the San Francisco area charged a tech consultant with the stabbing death of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cash-app-bob-lee-founder-stabbed-13dab701a332328c531b3c6c444983fd">Cash App founder Bob Lee.</a>

John and Richard Forsyth founded Onfo LLC, what they called a “network mining” venture, in 2018. At that time, Onfo’s website said account holders could earn credits without putting up cash, by referring others to the company.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1685465277680.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;The death of a Missouri doctor who was found 11 months ago in a northwest Arkansas lake has been ruled a suicide, Arkansas authorities said Thursday.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-doctor-dead-john-forsyth-mystery-db7149050aedc913a184bc43f579db08">Dr. John Forsyth</a>&nbsp;died of a gunshot wound to the head, the Benton County, Arkansas, sheriff's department said in a statement. An autopsy by the chief medical examiner at the Arkansas State Crime Lab concluded that it was a suicide.The sheriff’s office said that its detectives located several surveillance videos of Forsyth riding a bicycle to the lake and the bicycle was located near where Forsyth’s body was found.Forsyth, 49, didn't show up for his May 21, 2023, shift at Mercy Hospital in Cassville, Missouri, where he had parked his RV. That prompted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-doctor-missing-ozarks-f7f68205ec6db1f866e99ec4707443af">a search,</a>&nbsp;and there was no sign of him until a kayaker noticed his body in Arkansas on May 30, at a spot on Beaver Lake about 20 miles (32 kilometers) away from his last known location.The mystery surrounding his death gave his case national attention. Social media have speculated that his death may have been connected to the cryptocurrency company that he co-founded with his brother.“Detectives have not been able to find any information or evidence that would lead us to dispute the medical examiner's findings,” the sheriff's statement said. “If objective and relevant physical evidence becomes available, those leads will be investigated on a case-by-case basis.”--- EDITOR’S NOTE — This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at&nbsp;<a href="http://988lifeline.org/">988lifeline.org</a>&nbsp;---------------CASSVILLE, Mo. (AP) — John Forsyth was known as a hard-working doctor who cared deeply for his patients and often teased nurses in the emergency room to ease tension. He was a father of eight and newly engaged. He also co-founded a cryptocurrency business with his brother.His sudden disappearance from a southwestern Missouri town last month — and the eventual&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-doctor-missing-ozarks-f7f68205ec6db1f866e99ec4707443af">discovery of his body</a>&nbsp;in an Arkansas lake — has led many to wonder what happened to the man who seemed happier than he’d been for some time. A lack of information from law enforcement has only deepened the mystery, prompting amateur sleuths to espouse theories on Facebook.“It’s like the world dropped on us; we’re just in shock” said his sister Tiffany Forsyth. “There’s a part of me that’s not quite sure this is real yet. I guess it comes in steps.”Forsyth disappeared on May 21 from a parking area at a public swimming pool. His body, which had suffered an apparent gunshot wound, was found nine days later. An autopsy was done, but a report isn't expected for at least two months. Law enforcement officers have released almost no details, except to say there is no danger to the public.The doctor's family is adamant that his death wasn’t a suicide: He had just recently become engaged, and his fiancee was pregnant.Some true-crime followers on social media have speculated that his death may have been connected to the cryptocurrency company that he co-founded with his brother, Richard Forsyth. Multiple other theories also have surfaced in a Facebook discussion group that has grown to more than 1,000 members. Posts in that group are now closed to public view.Only 10 days before his disappearance, a judge had finalized Forsyth's divorce — his second from the same woman. The split was amicable, according to family members and the ex-wife's attorney, Ryan Ricketts, who said she was “devastated” by the doctor’s death.Richard Forsyth said his brother was excited about his upcoming marriage and new child and had a plane ticket to go see one of his daughters.“He said, ‘I can’t wait to introduce her to you. We’re going to have a wonderful life together. We’re all going to spend a lot of time together,’” Richard Forsyth said. " ... I hadn't seen him that happy for a long time.”Forsyth even texted his fiancee on the day of his disappearance, saying he would see her soon, according to his brother. The fiancee did not answer a social media request for an interview.Alongside hopeful comments about his future life, however, John Forsyth had recently made cryptic remarks about possibly being in danger, his brother said, adding, “I think he crossed paths with some bad folks and he didn’t tell me about them."CONFLICTING INFORMATION There has been some confusion about what happened near the public pool where John Forsyth was last seen in Cassville, 40 miles (64 kilometers) west of the Ozark Mountains tourist destination of Branson and about half a mile from a hospital where he worked. On May 21, the pool had yet to open for the summer season. Beaver Lake, a man-made reservoir used for recreation and where his body was found, is at least an hour’s drive away from Cassville, over twisty highways that snake through the Ozarks.Initially, Richard Forsyth said security camera footage showed his brother getting into someone else’s vehicle. He now says the footage shows that a few minutes after the doctor parked his car, a white SUV arrived, then left shortly afterward. About 10 or 15 minutes after that, the doctor got out of his car and walked away, never to be seen alive again, Richard Forsyth said. Found inside his unlocked car were two cellphones, a laptop and important documents, he said.So far, authorities — who have stressed a need to investigate thoroughly before releasing information — have not said whether the SUV was related to Forsyth's disappearance, or whether they've found the gun used to shoot him or identified any suspects.Richard Forsyth said family members have been told it could be a long wait for answers, but they have confidence in the investigating officers.CRYPTO CONNECTIONS Authorities have also not indicated how deeply they are looking into Forsyth’s connections to crypto.Online publications covering the industry quickly took note of his death, which was confirmed just seven weeks after authorities in the San Francisco area charged a tech consultant with the stabbing death of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cash-app-bob-lee-founder-stabbed-13dab701a332328c531b3c6c444983fd">Cash App founder Bob Lee.</a>John and Richard Forsyth founded Onfo LLC, what they called a “network mining” venture, in 2018. At that time, Onfo’s website said account holders could earn credits without putting up cash, by referring others to the company.Onfo's website features a nearly eight-minute video titled, “The U.S. Dollar is Doomed,” which says all governments’ currencies could collapse. The video promoting the launch of Onfo portrayed bankers and political officials as pigs in suits, describing them as, “drunk on expensive liquor, resting in palaces.”<a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/lukefitzpatrick/2020/04/27/bitcoin-halving-a-new-class-of-bitcoin-millionaires-may-emerge/?sh=2453ff1e61fc">An online Forbes magazine story</a>&nbsp;in 2020 described John Forsyth as a bitcoin millionaire.But Richard Forsyth said he and his brother were looking to give large numbers of people, including poor people in developing nations, a chance to invest in decentralized, digital currency. He described Onfo as fighting what the brothers believed crypto had become: driven by greed, “about Lamborghinis” and “billionaires and tax evasion.”Paul Sibenik, lead case manager for CipherBlade, an agency that investigates cybercrimes involving crypto, said Onfo’s business model resembles pyramid schemes, which rely on an ever-growing number of referrals and cannot be sustained.“There is not a single legitimate cryptocurrency project that operates in this way,” Sibenik said in an email to The Associated Press.Richard Forsyth acknowledged that others might question whether Onfo was a “multi-level marketing” operation, but added, “The key difference is that we never sold anything.” And, he said, it's probably cost them millions of dollars, rather than turning a profit.“What we are just doing is saying to people, ‘Let’s build this together,’" he said.John Forsyth had substantial crypto currency holdings when his second divorce became final last month. The divorce decree evenly split his and his ex-wife's holdings in bitcoin and another digital currency, Ethereum, valuing them at more than $800,000. The decree also required him to pay an additional $15,000 a month to his ex-wife as well as $3,999 a month to support four of their children, ages 10 to 18. The decree estimated the value of John Forsyth’s business interests outside his cryptocurrency holdings at $1 million.A FRIENDS' AND FAMILY'S FAREWELL John and Richard Forsyth were among seven siblings in an extended family with more than 100 cousins. The brothers grew up both in southwest Missouri and Alberta, Canada, and had dual American and Canadian citizenship, Richard Forsyth said.The family had a private funeral Saturday, followed by a public vigil Sunday night in a park in Monett just north of Cassville. There, about 40 people, mostly family members, lit memorial candles and shared poignant and humorous stories about him.Colleagues remembered how Forsyth often tried to lighten the mood in the intense emergency room of a hospital in the town of Aurora where he worked. Nurse Leah Tate remarked that he liked to see “just how much he could annoy you,” drawing chuckles from those gathered for the memorial service. She said Forsyth once made it his mission to get a nurse to throw something at him at least once a day.Louise Hensley, a Monett resident and former neighbor of John Forsyth, said he treated her husband, who had Lou Gehrig's disease, for several years.“He was always so caring about his patients. He was so helpful to my husband and me during that time," said Hensley, who described Forsyth's death as “tragic.”"I was just shocked when I heard a doctor was missing and then saw it was him.”