SEWARD COUNTY—A Kansas woman died in an accident just after 6:30p.m. Friday in Seward County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2023 Chevy Silverado driven by Nicholas E.&nbsp;Biddle, 19, Wichita, was southbound on Road T at U.S. 160

The driver failed to yield and struck a westbound 2017 Nissan Rogue driven by Jamee E.&nbsp;Perez, 42, Hugoton. Afte impact both&nbsp;rolled an unknown number of times before coming and came to rest in the ditch.

EMS transported Biddle and Perez to Southwest Medical where Perez was pronounced deceased. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

SEWARD COUNTY—A Kansas woman died in an accident just after 6:30p.m. Friday in Seward County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2023 Chevy Silverado driven by Nicholas E.&nbsp;Biddle, 19, Wichita, was southbound on Road T at U.S. 160The driver failed to yield and struck a westbound 2017 Nissan Rogue driven by Jamee E.&nbsp;Perez, 42, Hugoton. Afte impact both&nbsp;rolled an unknown number of times before coming and came to rest in the ditch.EMS transported Biddle and Perez to Southwest Medical where Perez was pronounced deceased. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas woman dies after violent pickup, SUV crash

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating the death of a child in Shawnee County have identified the victim as 9-year-old Zerick I. Ozuna, 9, of Topeka, according to Sheriff's Deputy Abigail Christian.

Shortly after 11:30 a.m. Thursday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call regarding an incident on SW Worwick Town Road.

First responders found the boy located inside the residence, suffering from multiple wounds to the chest and neck. The child was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Detectives were in the process of executing a search warrant at the&nbsp; home. The mother of the deceased child, Shyla M. Goracke, 29, of Topeka, has been placed into custody in connection with the matter. She remains at a local hospital.&nbsp;

Authorities have not released results of an autopsy examination that was scheduled for Friday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718926370319.png" alt="Law enforcement on the scene of the death investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Law enforcement on the scene of the death investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement investigating the death of a child in Shawnee County have identified the victim as 9-year-old Zerick I. Ozuna, 9, of Topeka, according to Sheriff's Deputy Abigail Christian.Shortly after 11:30 a.m. Thursday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call regarding an incident on SW Worwick Town Road.First responders found the boy located inside the residence, suffering from multiple wounds to the chest and neck. The child was pronounced deceased at the scene.Detectives were in the process of executing a search warrant at the&nbsp; home. The mother of the deceased child, Shyla M. Goracke, 29, of Topeka, has been placed into custody in connection with the matter. She remains at a local hospital.&nbsp;Authorities have not released results of an autopsy examination that was scheduled for Friday.----------------

Police ID 9-year-old Kan. boy allegedly killed by his mother 

MIAMI COUNTY, Kan. —A Kansas woman died in an accident just before 11:30a.m. Friday in Miami County.

The Miami County Sheriff reported a 2003 Mazda 3 driven by Natalie Dawn Lober O'Learay, 36, Wichita, was northbound on U.S. 169 between Crescent Hill Road and Bethel Church Road in rural Miami County.

The driver attempted to pass a vehicle and a semi and struck a southbound 2016 Chevy Equinox driven by Patty S. Landess, 78, Rantoul, head-on

Lober O'Leary was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; EMS transported Landess and a passenger in the Chevy Richard C. Landess, 83, Rantoul, to an area hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

MIAMI COUNTY, Kan. —A Kansas woman died in an accident just before 11:30a.m. Friday in Miami County.The Miami County Sheriff reported a 2003 Mazda 3 driven by Natalie Dawn Lober O'Learay, 36, Wichita, was northbound on U.S. 169 between Crescent Hill Road and Bethel Church Road in rural Miami County.The driver attempted to pass a vehicle and a semi and struck a southbound 2016 Chevy Equinox driven by Patty S. Landess, 78, Rantoul, head-onLober O'Leary was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; EMS transported Landess and a passenger in the Chevy Richard C. Landess, 83, Rantoul, to an area hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

Kansas woman dies, 2 injured after head-on crash

LANSING, Kansas. –&nbsp;Lansing Correctional Facility (LCF) resident Brian Jones, 47, died Friday, June 21, according to a statement from the Kansas Department of Corrections.

He was admitted to a local hospital on Tuesday. He was pronounced deceased by hospital personnel late Friday afternoon.

Jones was serving a 34-month sentence for conviction of Sexual Exploitation of a Child in Johnson County.

The cause of death is pending the results of an independent autopsy.

Per protocol, when a resident dies in the custody of the KDOC, the death is under investigation by the KDOC and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. The investigation is ongoing.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719014853902.png" alt="Jones-photo Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Jones-photo Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>LANSING, Kansas. –&nbsp;Lansing Correctional Facility (LCF) resident Brian Jones, 47, died Friday, June 21, according to a statement from the Kansas Department of Corrections.He was admitted to a local hospital on Tuesday. He was pronounced deceased by hospital personnel late Friday afternoon.Jones was serving a 34-month sentence for conviction of Sexual Exploitation of a Child in Johnson County.The cause of death is pending the results of an independent autopsy.Per protocol, when a resident dies in the custody of the KDOC, the death is under investigation by the KDOC and the Kansas Bureau of Investigation. The investigation is ongoing.

Inmate serving time for child sex crimes in Kansas has died  

FORDYCE, Ark. (AP) — A shooter opened fire Friday at a grocery store in Arkansas, killing three people and wounding 10 others, including two law enforcement officers, police said.

The shooting occurred just after 11:30 a.m. at the Mad Butcher grocery store in Fordyce, a city of about 3,200 people located 65 miles south of Little Rock.

Responding officers shot the suspected shooter, whose injuries were not life-threatening, Arkansas Department of Public Safety Director Mike Hagar said at a news conference Friday. The two officers that were shot sustained injuries that were not life-threatening.

The remaining injuries ranged from “not life-threatening to extremely critical,” Hagar said.

“It’s tragic, our hearts are broken,” he said.

It’s the latest mass shooting where grocery store is its backdrop. A white supremacist in 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legal-proceedings-new-york-buffalo-crime-terrorism-a13cf95d1fbecfa64571de87d2ccfa8a">killed 10 Black people</a>&nbsp;at a Buffalo supermarket. That shooting came a little more than a year after one at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-colorado-74ad3bbbe6dea7e9122b946e22b1cef3">Boulder, Colorado, supermarket</a>, where 10 people were killed.

Police did not immediately say whether the shooting occurred inside or outside the store. Hagar said they expected to release more information later Friday evening.

Video posted on social media showed at least one person lying in the parking lot, while another captured multiple gunshots ringing out.

Images from reporters on the scene showed a slew of bullet holes in the grocery store’s window. In video footage, local and state agencies could be seen responding to the scene, with at least one medical helicopter landing nearby.

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said she had been briefed on the shooting.

“I am thankful to law enforcement and first responders for their quick and heroic action to save lives,” Sanders posted on the social media platform X. “My prayers are with the victims and all those impacted by this.”

David Rodriguez, 58, had stopped at his local gas station in Fordyce to fill up his car when he heard what he thought were fireworks from a nearby vendor’s stand.

“We heard a few little pops,” he said.

He then saw people running from the Mad Butcher grocery store into the parking lot, and one person lying on the ground. He began recording video with his phone before the gunfire escalated.

“The police started to show up, and then there was massive gunfire and ambulances pulling up,” he said. “The bullets were just flying.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719009353742.png" alt="Photo courtesy Arkansas AG's office" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Arkansas AG's office</figcaption>
 </figure>FORDYCE, Ark. (AP) — A shooter opened fire Friday at a grocery store in Arkansas, killing three people and wounding 10 others, including two law enforcement officers, police said.The shooting occurred just after 11:30 a.m. at the Mad Butcher grocery store in Fordyce, a city of about 3,200 people located 65 miles south of Little Rock.Responding officers shot the suspected shooter, whose injuries were not life-threatening, Arkansas Department of Public Safety Director Mike Hagar said at a news conference Friday. The two officers that were shot sustained injuries that were not life-threatening.The remaining injuries ranged from “not life-threatening to extremely critical,” Hagar said.“It’s tragic, our hearts are broken,” he said.It’s the latest mass shooting where grocery store is its backdrop. A white supremacist in 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legal-proceedings-new-york-buffalo-crime-terrorism-a13cf95d1fbecfa64571de87d2ccfa8a">killed 10 Black people</a>&nbsp;at a Buffalo supermarket. That shooting came a little more than a year after one at a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shootings-colorado-74ad3bbbe6dea7e9122b946e22b1cef3">Boulder, Colorado, supermarket</a>, where 10 people were killed.Police did not immediately say whether the shooting occurred inside or outside the store. Hagar said they expected to release more information later Friday evening.Video posted on social media showed at least one person lying in the parking lot, while another captured multiple gunshots ringing out.Images from reporters on the scene showed a slew of bullet holes in the grocery store’s window. In video footage, local and state agencies could be seen responding to the scene, with at least one medical helicopter landing nearby.Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders said she had been briefed on the shooting.“I am thankful to law enforcement and first responders for their quick and heroic action to save lives,” Sanders posted on the social media platform X. “My prayers are with the victims and all those impacted by this.”David Rodriguez, 58, had stopped at his local gas station in Fordyce to fill up his car when he heard what he thought were fireworks from a nearby vendor’s stand.“We heard a few little pops,” he said.He then saw people running from the Mad Butcher grocery store into the parking lot, and one person lying on the ground. He began recording video with his phone before the gunfire escalated.“The police started to show up, and then there was massive gunfire and ambulances pulling up,” he said. “The bullets were just flying.”

Multiple fatalities in mass shooting at Arkansas grocery store

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Police are asking the public for help to find a Kansas man accused in a deadly gunfight on Father's Day.

The Wichita Police Department are working to locate 33-year-old Eric Gonzalez-Gutierrez, who is wanted for violating his pre-trial restrictions.&nbsp;On Friday, he cut his ankle monitor, according to Wichita Police.

On Sunday, Police arrested Gonzalez-Gutierrez on requested charges including first-degree murder and felon in possession of a firearm in connection with the fatal shooting of 28-year-old Aron Lara.

Just after 8:30p.m. on Father's Day, police responded to a shooting incident in the 1900 block of N. Jackson Street in Wichita, according to Police spokesman Andrew Ford.

While working to gather further information, the 911 dispatcher could hear gunfire in the background, prompting an immediate upgraded dispatch of officers to the scene.

First responders discovered Lara suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Sedgwick County EMS provided initial critical care at the scene before transporting him to a nearby hospital where he died.

Another victim, a 22-year-old Hispanic man, sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot to the arm and was privately transported to St. Francis Hospital.

The incident occurred during a neighborhood barbecue in observance of Father's Day. According to preliminary reports, Lara, was involved in a verbal altercation with the Gonzales-Gutierrez earlier in the evening.&nbsp; Gonzales-Gutierrez allegedly returned home, retrieved a rifle, and fired upon the victim, who was unarmed at the time of the shooting.

It is believed that two men accompanying Lara returned fire, resulting in injuries to the second victim.

If you have any information on Gonzalez-Gutierrez whereabouts, please call 911 or WPD Detectives at 316-268-4407. To provide anonymous tips call 316-267-2111 or scan the code above.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718711572362.png" alt="GONZALES-GUTIERREZ-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>GONZALES-GUTIERREZ-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Police are asking the public for help to find a Kansas man accused in a deadly gunfight on Father's Day.The Wichita Police Department are working to locate 33-year-old Eric Gonzalez-Gutierrez, who is wanted for violating his pre-trial restrictions.&nbsp;On Friday, he cut his ankle monitor, according to Wichita Police.On Sunday, Police arrested Gonzalez-Gutierrez on requested charges including first-degree murder and felon in possession of a firearm in connection with the fatal shooting of 28-year-old Aron Lara.Just after 8:30p.m. on Father's Day, police responded to a shooting incident in the 1900 block of N. Jackson Street in Wichita, according to Police spokesman Andrew Ford.While working to gather further information, the 911 dispatcher could hear gunfire in the background, prompting an immediate upgraded dispatch of officers to the scene.First responders discovered Lara suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Sedgwick County EMS provided initial critical care at the scene before transporting him to a nearby hospital where he died.Another victim, a 22-year-old Hispanic man, sustained a non-life-threatening gunshot to the arm and was privately transported to St. Francis Hospital.The incident occurred during a neighborhood barbecue in observance of Father's Day. According to preliminary reports, Lara, was involved in a verbal altercation with the Gonzales-Gutierrez earlier in the evening.&nbsp; Gonzales-Gutierrez allegedly returned home, retrieved a rifle, and fired upon the victim, who was unarmed at the time of the shooting.It is believed that two men accompanying Lara returned fire, resulting in injuries to the second victim.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719004330105.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>If you have any information on Gonzalez-Gutierrez whereabouts, please call 911 or WPD Detectives at 316-268-4407. To provide anonymous tips call 316-267-2111 or scan the code above.

Kan. suspect in deadly BBQ gunfight cut ankle monitor while out on bond

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicide in Topeka.

Just before 2:30a.m. Friday, police&nbsp;responded to a call for service regarding gunshots in the area of 3100 SW Westover Road, according to Police Lt. Jerry Monasmith. First responders found a man&nbsp;

and a woman with life-threatening gunshot injuries. The victims were transported to a local hospital by ambulance, where the man was pronounced deceased.&nbsp;

Police have released not released any suspect information or additional details including the name of the man who died.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1719001082126.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation -photo by Eric Ives courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation -photo by Eric Ives courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a homicide in Topeka.Just before 2:30a.m. Friday, police&nbsp;responded to a call for service regarding gunshots in the area of 3100 SW Westover Road, according to Police Lt. Jerry Monasmith. First responders found a man&nbsp;and a woman with life-threatening gunshot injuries. The victims were transported to a local hospital by ambulance, where the man was pronounced deceased.&nbsp;Police have released not released any suspect information or additional details including the name of the man who died.

Homicide: Man dead, woman hospitalized after Kansas shooting

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/aaron-sanderford/">AARON SANDERFORD</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-ag-wins-case-against-ticket-scam-promising-access-to-former-huskers/">Nebraska Examine</a>r

LINCOLN — Third-party presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose bid has spurred the ire of the current president as well as the previous president, turned in enough signatures this week in Nebraska that his name will likely reach the November ballot.

The Kennedy campaign announced that it had turned in more than 5,000 signatures to the Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office. The state’s chief election office now must check the voter registration file to verify at least 2,500 valid ones.

Lane Koch, the Kennedy campaign’s regional director in the Midwest, thanked volunteers for “a historic day.” In addition to Nebraska, the Kennedy campaign said it has turned in signatures in 14 other states, including neighboring Iowa.&nbsp;

Kennedy is already on the ballot in at least nine states: California, Delaware, Hawaii, Michigan, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Utah. His campaign says it is still working to get him on the ballot in all 50.

Most political observers give Kennedy little chance to beat either President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, or former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, in Nebraska or nationally.

However, some consider Kennedy a potential spoiler in swing districts where a percentage point or three could alter a state’s Electoral College votes. Among those is Nebraska’s Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District.

Nebraska and Maine are the only two states that split off electoral votes for president for the winners in each congressional district. Nebraska’s 2nd District backed Biden in 2020 and former President Barack Obama in 2008, sending each a single electoral vote.

Dona-Gene Barton, a political scientist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, said third-party candidates in close races can “disrupt the election results.” It’s possible for Kennedy to siphon enough votes away from Biden to make a Trump win “more likely,” she said.&nbsp;

Trump won Nebraska statewide in 2016 and 2020.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1711483800371.png" alt="Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.&nbsp; courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.&nbsp; courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/aaron-sanderford/">AARON SANDERFORD</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/briefs/nebraska-ag-wins-case-against-ticket-scam-promising-access-to-former-huskers/">Nebraska Examine</a>rLINCOLN — Third-party presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., whose bid has spurred the ire of the current president as well as the previous president, turned in enough signatures this week in Nebraska that his name will likely reach the November ballot.The Kennedy campaign announced that it had turned in more than 5,000 signatures to the Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office. The state’s chief election office now must check the voter registration file to verify at least 2,500 valid ones.Lane Koch, the Kennedy campaign’s regional director in the Midwest, thanked volunteers for “a historic day.” In addition to Nebraska, the Kennedy campaign said it has turned in signatures in 14 other states, including neighboring Iowa.&nbsp;Kennedy is already on the ballot in at least nine states: California, Delaware, Hawaii, Michigan, Mississippi, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Utah. His campaign says it is still working to get him on the ballot in all 50.Most political observers give Kennedy little chance to beat either President Joe Biden, the presumptive Democratic nominee, or former President Donald Trump, the presumptive Republican nominee, in Nebraska or nationally.However, some consider Kennedy a potential spoiler in swing districts where a percentage point or three could alter a state’s Electoral College votes. Among those is Nebraska’s Omaha-based 2nd Congressional District.Nebraska and Maine are the only two states that split off electoral votes for president for the winners in each congressional district. Nebraska’s 2nd District backed Biden in 2020 and former President Barack Obama in 2008, sending each a single electoral vote.Dona-Gene Barton, a political scientist at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, said third-party candidates in close races can “disrupt the election results.” It’s possible for Kennedy to siphon enough votes away from Biden to make a Trump win “more likely,” she said.&nbsp;Trump won Nebraska statewide in 2016 and 2020.&nbsp;

RFK Jr. turns in more signatures to qualify for another state ballot

Bill slashes $1.2 billion over three years from income and property taxes

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly said Friday she signed a bill reducing state taxes by $1.2 billion over three years that was approved with broad bipartisan support of legislators during a one-day special session.

The Democratic governor put pen to paper to make law of Senate Bill 1, a tax-reduction plan negotiated by Kelly and Republican Senate President Ty Masterson and GOP House Speaker Dan Hawkins. It won approval during Tuesday’s special session on votes of 121-2 in the House and 34-4 in the Senate.

“I am proud to be delivering on my commitment to responsible, meaningful tax relief for all Kansans,” Kelly said.

Kelly said in a statement the legislation reduced tax obligations of Kansans without threatening the state’s financial health. Overall, the bill would cost the state treasury an estimated $1.2 billion over three years or about $2 billion over five years.

The new law emphasized income tax changes by establishing a two-bracket system starting in tax year 2024. For married individuals filing jointly, taxable income from $0 to $46,000 would be taxed at 5.2%, while taxable income above $46,001 would be taxed at 4.58%. The existing three-bracket system had income tax rates of 3.1%, 5.2% and 5.7% depending on income levels.

Under the bill, the personal exemption from state income taxes presently at $2,250 for individuals would be elevated to $9,160, and there would be an additional $2,320 tax break for each dependent listed on the tax return. The standard deduction would grow from $3,500 to $3,605 for single filers and from $8,000 to $8,240 for married filers. In the 2024 tax year, the head of household deduction would expand from $6,000 to $6,180.

It eliminated in tax year 2024 a state tax on Social Security benefits that netted the state more than $100 million annually. More than 30 states don’t tax Social Security.

In addition, the legislation included a $6 million per year child and dependent care tax credit that was incorporated in the bill at Kelly’s request during closed-door negotiations.

The package would increase in the 2024 tax year the amount of residential property exempted from the statewide school finance levy to $75,000 of appraised value. Currently, the exemption from the 20-mill state level for K-12 schools stands at $42,000.

The legislation signed by Kelly dropped a plan to repeal on July 1 the state’s 2% state sales tax on groceries. That state’s sales tax on food will come to an end Jan. 1 under existing law.

The package deleted property tax reductions contained in previous bills vetoed by the governor, which led to calls by Republicans and Democrats to return to the Capitol in 2025 and move quickly on property tax relief.

Hawkins and Masterson, who are heading into a campaign season in which Democrats hope to crack the GOP’s two-thirds majorities in the House and Senate, said in a joint statement tax relief was “now officially on its way to every Kansan.”

“While we firmly believe more relief could have and should have been included in this bill, it is an important first step toward putting Kansas in the best position for economic growth,” the GOP lawmakers said. “When we return in January, we plan to&nbsp; build on this momentum with a focus on providing property tax relief for every Kansan.”&nbsp;

The bill negotiated by Kelly, Masterson and Hawkins reduced by about $50 million tax relief contained in Senate Bill 37, which was the last major tax bill vetoed by Kelly prior to calling the special session.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1706447481513.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly signed a $1.2 billion, three-year tax reduction bill approved with large bipartisan majorities during a special session of the Legislature.&nbsp;The deal was negotiated by the Democratic governor and Senate President Ty Masterson, left, with House Speaker Dan Hawkins. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly signed a $1.2 billion, three-year tax reduction bill approved with large bipartisan majorities during a special session of the Legislature.&nbsp;The deal was negotiated by the Democratic governor and Senate President Ty Masterson, left, with House Speaker Dan Hawkins. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Bill slashes $1.2 billion over three years from income and property taxes</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly said Friday she signed a bill reducing state taxes by $1.2 billion over three years that was approved with broad bipartisan support of legislators during a one-day special session.The Democratic governor put pen to paper to make law of Senate Bill 1, a tax-reduction plan negotiated by Kelly and Republican Senate President Ty Masterson and GOP House Speaker Dan Hawkins. It won approval during Tuesday’s special session on votes of 121-2 in the House and 34-4 in the Senate.“I am proud to be delivering on my commitment to responsible, meaningful tax relief for all Kansans,” Kelly said.Kelly said in a statement the legislation reduced tax obligations of Kansans without threatening the state’s financial health. Overall, the bill would cost the state treasury an estimated $1.2 billion over three years or about $2 billion over five years.The new law emphasized income tax changes by establishing a two-bracket system starting in tax year 2024. For married individuals filing jointly, taxable income from $0 to $46,000 would be taxed at 5.2%, while taxable income above $46,001 would be taxed at 4.58%. The existing three-bracket system had income tax rates of 3.1%, 5.2% and 5.7% depending on income levels.Under the bill, the personal exemption from state income taxes presently at $2,250 for individuals would be elevated to $9,160, and there would be an additional $2,320 tax break for each dependent listed on the tax return. The standard deduction would grow from $3,500 to $3,605 for single filers and from $8,000 to $8,240 for married filers. In the 2024 tax year, the head of household deduction would expand from $6,000 to $6,180.It eliminated in tax year 2024 a state tax on Social Security benefits that netted the state more than $100 million annually. More than 30 states don’t tax Social Security.In addition, the legislation included a $6 million per year child and dependent care tax credit that was incorporated in the bill at Kelly’s request during closed-door negotiations.The package would increase in the 2024 tax year the amount of residential property exempted from the statewide school finance levy to $75,000 of appraised value. Currently, the exemption from the 20-mill state level for K-12 schools stands at $42,000.The legislation signed by Kelly dropped a plan to repeal on July 1 the state’s 2% state sales tax on groceries. That state’s sales tax on food will come to an end Jan. 1 under existing law.The package deleted property tax reductions contained in previous bills vetoed by the governor, which led to calls by Republicans and Democrats to return to the Capitol in 2025 and move quickly on property tax relief.Hawkins and Masterson, who are heading into a campaign season in which Democrats hope to crack the GOP’s two-thirds majorities in the House and Senate, said in a joint statement tax relief was “now officially on its way to every Kansan.”“While we firmly believe more relief could have and should have been included in this bill, it is an important first step toward putting Kansas in the best position for economic growth,” the GOP lawmakers said. “When we return in January, we plan to&nbsp; build on this momentum with a focus on providing property tax relief for every Kansan.”&nbsp;The bill negotiated by Kelly, Masterson and Hawkins reduced by about $50 million tax relief contained in Senate Bill 37, which was the last major tax bill vetoed by Kelly prior to calling the special session.

Gov. Kelly signs tax reduction bill passed with bipartisan majorities in special session

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas teen accused in a&nbsp;violent attack on a Kansas teen made her first court appearance Thursday.

Ye'Kira Acoya Hollins, 18, Wichita,&nbsp;is charged with aggravated battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;

Just after noon May 26, police responded to a disturbance in the 400 block of N Dodge in Wichita, according to Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses. The victim in this case, an 18-year-old girl later arrived at an area hospital with second degree burns to the face and neck believed to be caused by a suspect throwing an acidic liquid on her during a physical fight.&nbsp;

Immediately following the incident, investigators with the Wichita Police Felony Assault unit along with patrol officers began looking for three suspects. 

On June 5, officers with the Patrol North Community Response Team located and arrested two 18-year-old suspects. Ye'Kira Acoya Hollins and Tayronnia Jontashia West were jailed in connection with the crime.

On June 7, West was charged with Aggravated Battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp; After her court appearance Thursday, Hollins remains free after meeting the requirement for bond.&nbsp; Her next court hearing is July 1, according to the district attorney's office.

Investigators are still attempting to locate a third suspect, a 16-year-old black female of Topeka.

If you have information related to this case, please call investigators at 316-268-4407 or make an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717690911383.png" alt="Hollins-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Hollins-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas teen accused in a&nbsp;violent attack on a Kansas teen made her first court appearance Thursday.Ye'Kira Acoya Hollins, 18, Wichita,&nbsp;is charged with aggravated battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp;Just after noon May 26, police responded to a disturbance in the 400 block of N Dodge in Wichita, according to Wichita Police Captain Aaron Moses. The victim in this case, an 18-year-old girl later arrived at an area hospital with second degree burns to the face and neck believed to be caused by a suspect throwing an acidic liquid on her during a physical fight.&nbsp;Immediately following the incident, investigators with the Wichita Police Felony Assault unit along with patrol officers began looking for three suspects. On June 5, officers with the Patrol North Community Response Team located and arrested two 18-year-old suspects. Ye'Kira Acoya Hollins and Tayronnia Jontashia West were jailed in connection with the crime.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717690818288.png" alt="West photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>West photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>On June 7, West was charged with Aggravated Battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.&nbsp; After her court appearance Thursday, Hollins remains free after meeting the requirement for bond.&nbsp; Her next court hearing is July 1, according to the district attorney's office.Investigators are still attempting to locate a third suspect, a 16-year-old black female of Topeka.If you have information related to this case, please call investigators at 316-268-4407 or make an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

Suspect accused of acid attack on Kan. teen remains free on bond

The Sherman County Sheriff’s Office reported to the KBI that Briley Horgan was located in Goodland, and is now safe. 

The endangered persons advisory is now canceled.

The Sherman County Sheriff's Office requested the Kansas Bureau of Investigation issue an endangered persons advisory for a missing Goodland girl, according to a media release.

The whereabouts of 13-year-old Briley N. Horgan are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate her.

 Briley was last seen near the 3300 block of Sunset Drive, in Goodland, Kansas. 

She was driving a 2016 white Dodge Journey bearing Kansas tag 777RYK. The SUV has black rims. The vehicle was spotted around 2:20 a.m., Friday heading east on Highway 24, near the 1900 block. 

Briley was last known wearing a Jack Skellington onesie and a yellow t-shirt. Briley is 5-foot-4 inches tall and weighs around 80 pounds. She has light brown hair and brown eyes. Briley has depression, anxiety and may be suicidal.

 Investigators are concerned for her safety. If you see Briley or her vehicle, call 911 immediately. If you have any other information about this case, please call the Sherman County Sheriff’s Office at 785-890-4835.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718984213020.png" alt="Briley Horgan courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Briley Horgan courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>The Sherman County Sheriff’s Office reported to the KBI that Briley Horgan was located in Goodland, and is now safe. The endangered persons advisory is now canceled.---------The Sherman County Sheriff's Office requested the Kansas Bureau of Investigation issue an endangered persons advisory for a missing Goodland girl, according to a media release.The whereabouts of 13-year-old Briley N. Horgan are unknown, and the public’s assistance is requested to help locate her. Briley was last seen near the 3300 block of Sunset Drive, in Goodland, Kansas. She was driving a 2016 white Dodge Journey bearing Kansas tag 777RYK. The SUV has black rims. The vehicle was spotted around 2:20 a.m., Friday heading east on Highway 24, near the 1900 block. Briley was last known wearing a Jack Skellington onesie and a yellow t-shirt. Briley is 5-foot-4 inches tall and weighs around 80 pounds. She has light brown hair and brown eyes. Briley has depression, anxiety and may be suicidal. Investigators are concerned for her safety. If you see Briley or her vehicle, call 911 immediately. If you have any other information about this case, please call the Sherman County Sheriff’s Office at 785-890-4835.

KBI: Missing NW Kansas girl found safe

DOUGLAS COUNTY —A Kansas man died in an accident just before 2:30a.m. Friday in Douglas County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2024 Kia Optima driven by Nash McKnight, 26, Topeka, was westbound on Interstate 70 approximately&nbsp;2 miles east of the Topeka Turnpike Service Center.

The driver failed to maintain the driving lane and sideswiped a westbound 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis driven by Wyatt Vestal, 20, Olathe.

After impact the Mercury traveled to the left and struck the barrier wall. The Kia rolled, traveled off the road, the driver was ejected and the car struck a rock wall.

McKnight was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported Forensic Medical. Vestal was not injured.&nbsp; McKnight was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

DOUGLAS COUNTY —A Kansas man died in an accident just before 2:30a.m. Friday in Douglas County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2024 Kia Optima driven by Nash McKnight, 26, Topeka, was westbound on Interstate 70 approximately&nbsp;2 miles east of the Topeka Turnpike Service Center.The driver failed to maintain the driving lane and sideswiped a westbound 2003 Mercury Grand Marquis driven by Wyatt Vestal, 20, Olathe.After impact the Mercury traveled to the left and struck the barrier wall. The Kia rolled, traveled off the road, the driver was ejected and the car struck a rock wall.McKnight was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported Forensic Medical. Vestal was not injured.&nbsp; McKnight was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

Kansas man dies after ejected in 2-vehicle rollover crash 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24769167-united-states-v-rahimi">upheld a federal gun control law</a>&nbsp;that is intended to protect victims of domestic violence.

In their first Second Amendment case since they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-guns-decision-58d01ef8bd48e816d5f8761ffa84e3e8">expanded gun rights</a>&nbsp;in 2022, the justices ruled 8-1 in favor of a 1994 ban on firearms for&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/freedom_under_fire/safety-at-home.html">people under restraining orders</a>&nbsp;to stay away from their spouses or partners. The justices reversed a ruling from the federal appeals court in New Orleans that had struck down the law.

Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the court, said the law uses “common sense” and applies only "after a judge determines that an individual poses a credible threat” of physical violence.

Justice Clarence Thomas, the author of the 2022 Bruen ruling in a New York case, dissented.

Last week, the court overturned a Trump-era ban on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-guns-bump-stocks-b3bd1b4163d78514a6d5acc5b44c8b3d">bump stocks</a>, the rapid-fire gun accessories used in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/las-vegas-mass-shooting">deadliest mass shooting</a>&nbsp;in modern U.S. history. The court ruled that the Justice Department exceeded its authority in imposing that ban.

Friday's case stemmed directly from the Supreme Court’s Bruen decision in June 2022. A Texas man, Zackey Rahimi, was accused of hitting his girlfriend during an argument in a parking lot and later threatening to shoot her.

At arguments in November, some justices voiced concern that a ruling for Rahimi could also jeopardize the background check system that the Biden administration said has stopped more than 75,000 gun sales in the past 25 years based on domestic violence protective orders.

The case also had been closely watched for its potential to affect cases in which other gun ownership laws have been called into question, including in the high-profile&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-court-gun-charges-indictment-investigation-68b186294bb36071c02428834ec5f470">prosecution of Hunter Biden</a>. President Joe Biden’s son was convicted of lying on a form to buy a firearm while he was addicted to drugs. His lawyers have signaled they will appeal.

A decision to strike down the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-guns-domestic-violence-debeb3aeaabc6c81dcdb369963ea2bec">domestic violence</a>&nbsp;gun law might have signaled the court's skepticism of the other laws as well. But Friday's decision did not suggest that the court would necessarily uphold those law either.

The justices could weigh in soon in one or more of those other cases.

Many of the gun law cases grow out of the Bruen decision. That high court ruling not only expanded Americans’ gun rights under the Constitution but also changed the way courts are supposed to evaluate restrictions on firearms.

Roberts turned to history in his opinion. "Since the founding, our nation’s firearm laws have included provisions preventing individuals who threaten physical harm to others from misusing firearms,” he wrote.

Rahimi’s case reached the Supreme Court after prosecutors appealed a ruling that threw out his conviction for possessing guns while subject to a restraining order.

Rahimi was involved in five shootings over two months in and around Arlington, Texas, U.S. Circuit Judge Cory Wilson noted. When police identified Rahimi as a suspect in the shootings and showed up at his home with a search warrant, he admitted having guns in the house and being subject to a domestic violence restraining order that prohibited gun possession, Wilson wrote.

But even though Rahimi was hardly “a model citizen,” Wilson wrote, the law at issue could not be justified by looking to history. That’s the test Justice Thomas laid out in his opinion for the court in Bruen.

The appeals court initially upheld the conviction under a balancing test that included whether the restriction enhances public safety. But the panel reversed course after Bruen. At least one district court has upheld the law since the Bruen decision.

Advocates for domestic violence victims and gun control groups had called on the court to uphold the law.

Firearms are the most common weapon used in homicides of spouses, intimate partners, children or relatives in recent years, according to data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guns were used in more than half, 57%, of those killings in 2020, a year that saw an overall increase in domestic violence during the coronavirus pandemic.

Seventy women a month, on average, are shot and killed by intimate partners, according to the gun control group Everytown for Gun Safety.

Gun rights groups backed Rahimi, arguing that the appeals court got it right when it looked at American history and found no restriction close enough to justify the gun ban.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1702505915425.png" alt="Photo Aristide Economopoulos&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Photo Aristide Economopoulos&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;on Friday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/24769167-united-states-v-rahimi">upheld a federal gun control law</a>&nbsp;that is intended to protect victims of domestic violence.In their first Second Amendment case since they&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-guns-decision-58d01ef8bd48e816d5f8761ffa84e3e8">expanded gun rights</a>&nbsp;in 2022, the justices ruled 8-1 in favor of a 1994 ban on firearms for&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/freedom_under_fire/safety-at-home.html">people under restraining orders</a>&nbsp;to stay away from their spouses or partners. The justices reversed a ruling from the federal appeals court in New Orleans that had struck down the law.Chief Justice John Roberts, writing for the court, said the law uses “common sense” and applies only "after a judge determines that an individual poses a credible threat” of physical violence.Justice Clarence Thomas, the author of the 2022 Bruen ruling in a New York case, dissented.Last week, the court overturned a Trump-era ban on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-guns-bump-stocks-b3bd1b4163d78514a6d5acc5b44c8b3d">bump stocks</a>, the rapid-fire gun accessories used in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/las-vegas-mass-shooting">deadliest mass shooting</a>&nbsp;in modern U.S. history. The court ruled that the Justice Department exceeded its authority in imposing that ban.Friday's case stemmed directly from the Supreme Court’s Bruen decision in June 2022. A Texas man, Zackey Rahimi, was accused of hitting his girlfriend during an argument in a parking lot and later threatening to shoot her.At arguments in November, some justices voiced concern that a ruling for Rahimi could also jeopardize the background check system that the Biden administration said has stopped more than 75,000 gun sales in the past 25 years based on domestic violence protective orders.The case also had been closely watched for its potential to affect cases in which other gun ownership laws have been called into question, including in the high-profile&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-court-gun-charges-indictment-investigation-68b186294bb36071c02428834ec5f470">prosecution of Hunter Biden</a>. President Joe Biden’s son was convicted of lying on a form to buy a firearm while he was addicted to drugs. His lawyers have signaled they will appeal.A decision to strike down the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-guns-domestic-violence-debeb3aeaabc6c81dcdb369963ea2bec">domestic violence</a>&nbsp;gun law might have signaled the court's skepticism of the other laws as well. But Friday's decision did not suggest that the court would necessarily uphold those law either.The justices could weigh in soon in one or more of those other cases.Many of the gun law cases grow out of the Bruen decision. That high court ruling not only expanded Americans’ gun rights under the Constitution but also changed the way courts are supposed to evaluate restrictions on firearms.Roberts turned to history in his opinion. "Since the founding, our nation’s firearm laws have included provisions preventing individuals who threaten physical harm to others from misusing firearms,” he wrote.Rahimi’s case reached the Supreme Court after prosecutors appealed a ruling that threw out his conviction for possessing guns while subject to a restraining order.Rahimi was involved in five shootings over two months in and around Arlington, Texas, U.S. Circuit Judge Cory Wilson noted. When police identified Rahimi as a suspect in the shootings and showed up at his home with a search warrant, he admitted having guns in the house and being subject to a domestic violence restraining order that prohibited gun possession, Wilson wrote.But even though Rahimi was hardly “a model citizen,” Wilson wrote, the law at issue could not be justified by looking to history. That’s the test Justice Thomas laid out in his opinion for the court in Bruen.The appeals court initially upheld the conviction under a balancing test that included whether the restriction enhances public safety. But the panel reversed course after Bruen. At least one district court has upheld the law since the Bruen decision.Advocates for domestic violence victims and gun control groups had called on the court to uphold the law.Firearms are the most common weapon used in homicides of spouses, intimate partners, children or relatives in recent years, according to data from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Guns were used in more than half, 57%, of those killings in 2020, a year that saw an overall increase in domestic violence during the coronavirus pandemic.Seventy women a month, on average, are shot and killed by intimate partners, according to the gun control group Everytown for Gun Safety.Gun rights groups backed Rahimi, arguing that the appeals court got it right when it looked at American history and found no restriction close enough to justify the gun ban.___

Supreme Court upholds domestic violence gun restriction

GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Witnesses say they heard an Ohio man demand the keys to a Jeep that was being towed behind a Missouri couple's RV before he brutally stabbed them both and killed the man at an Interstate 80 rest area.

James Thompson Jr., 22, was formally charged with first-degree murder and 10 other felonies Thursday morning — a day after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/highway-rest-area-nebraska-knife-homicide-6c296ae495ef8255311c7bb7b67a8722">the attack at a rest area</a>&nbsp;just outside Grand Island in eastern Nebraska. Thompson — who is from Elyria, Ohio — is represented by a Hall County public defender who didn’t immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

Part of the attack was captured on a trucker's dash cam, but some of it happened out of sight inside Gary and Mary Weaver's RV around 7 a.m. Wednesday, according to the affidavit Hall County Sheriff’s Sgt. Joshua Moline filed in court.

Moline said the video showed a man enter the RV and make stabbing motions toward the woman before going out of view. Then when the woman came out, the man followed and stabbed her several times in the head before she fell to the ground — stopping briefly to yell at the trucker in the semi.

Deputies found Gary Weaver inside the RV with wounds in his chest and head. The 72-year-old died later at a Grand Island hospital. Mary Weaver, 71, was sitting on the ground bleeding beside the RV. She was initially in critical condition with what the sheriff described as life-threatening injuries, but she improved to stable condition Thursday.

The Jeep had been detached from the RV and had blood on it. The Weavers, who are from Eureka, Missouri, had been traveling across Nebraska before they were attacked.

Thompson fled the rest area in a Ford Focus before officers arrived, but a Nebraska State Trooper quickly spotted him exiting the highway at Wood River. Thompson sped away at 120 mph over I-80 and passed another driver before crashing into the Platte River. He was arrested nearby with blood on his shirt and several cuts on his hand.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718978922466.png" alt="Thompson-photo Hall Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Thompson-photo Hall Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>GRAND ISLAND, Neb. (AP) — Witnesses say they heard an Ohio man demand the keys to a Jeep that was being towed behind a Missouri couple's RV before he brutally stabbed them both and killed the man at an Interstate 80 rest area.James Thompson Jr., 22, was formally charged with first-degree murder and 10 other felonies Thursday morning — a day after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/highway-rest-area-nebraska-knife-homicide-6c296ae495ef8255311c7bb7b67a8722">the attack at a rest area</a>&nbsp;just outside Grand Island in eastern Nebraska. Thompson — who is from Elyria, Ohio — is represented by a Hall County public defender who didn’t immediately respond to a message seeking comment.Part of the attack was captured on a trucker's dash cam, but some of it happened out of sight inside Gary and Mary Weaver's RV around 7 a.m. Wednesday, according to the affidavit Hall County Sheriff’s Sgt. Joshua Moline filed in court.Moline said the video showed a man enter the RV and make stabbing motions toward the woman before going out of view. Then when the woman came out, the man followed and stabbed her several times in the head before she fell to the ground — stopping briefly to yell at the trucker in the semi.Deputies found Gary Weaver inside the RV with wounds in his chest and head. The 72-year-old died later at a Grand Island hospital. Mary Weaver, 71, was sitting on the ground bleeding beside the RV. She was initially in critical condition with what the sheriff described as life-threatening injuries, but she improved to stable condition Thursday.The Jeep had been detached from the RV and had blood on it. The Weavers, who are from Eureka, Missouri, had been traveling across Nebraska before they were attacked.Thompson fled the rest area in a Ford Focus before officers arrived, but a Nebraska State Trooper quickly spotted him exiting the highway at Wood River. Thompson sped away at 120 mph over I-80 and passed another driver before crashing into the Platte River. He was arrested nearby with blood on his shirt and several cuts on his hand.

Witness: Suspect demanded Jeep before stabbing couple at rest area

Missouri House majority leader calls Kansas legislation a ‘wakeup call,’ anticipates lawmakers will craft a response to keep teams

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

State and local officials from Missouri denounced&nbsp; Kansas legislators’ attempt to lure the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals across the state line, saying they would take steps to keep both teams.

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, in a statement on Tuesday, said the city and state would continue negotiations with the teams that Missouri and Kansas City have “welcomed, funded and supported … since the 1960s.”&nbsp;

“We remain in the first quarter of the Kansas City stadium discussion,” Lucas said.&nbsp;

<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/18/kansas-legislature-chiefs-royals/">Kansas lawmakers on Tuesday passed legislation</a>&nbsp;meant to help finance new stadiums for the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals in an attempt to relocate one or both teams from Missouri. The legislation, an expansion of the state’s existing&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansascommerce.gov/program/community-programs/star-bonds/">Sales Tax and Revenue (STAR) Bond</a>&nbsp;program, could yield hundreds of millions of dollars for each stadium.

It comes after Jackson County, Missouri, voters in April rejected the extension of a sales tax to help finance a new downtown Kansas City baseball stadium for the Royals and upgrades to the Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium.

Kansas lawmakers who supported the STAR Bond legislation said it was necessary to keep the teams in the Kansas City area.

“We’re in jeopardy of Kansas City losing those franchises,” Kansas Sen. Jeff Pittman, a Leavenworth Democrat, said during debate on the bill Tuesday. “Missouri has dropped the ball. We now have an opportunity to make an offer.”&nbsp;

After Kansas lawmakers’ vote, Missouri legislators said they hoped and expected to see the state put forward a plan.&nbsp;

“It’s a wakeup call to Missouri that there are other states that are willing to do whatever it takes to get the teams,” Missouri House Majority Leader Jonathan Patterson, a Lee’s Summit Republican, said in an interview Thursday.

Patterson, who is in line to become speaker of the House next year, said he expected to see Missouri put together a plan after this summer’s primary elections and before the Missouri General Assembly returns for its legislative session in January. He said it was possible legislators would be called back to Jefferson City for a special session but didn’t think it was necessary.

<a target="_blank" href="https://kslegislature.org/li_2024s/b2023_24/measures/hb2001/">The Kansas legislation</a>&nbsp;would help finance up to 70% of a stadium project — with a minimum $1 billion price tag and 30,000 seats — by issuing bonds to be repaid with the state sales tax collected in the STAR Bond district. Liquor taxes from the district and funds from the state’s legalization of sports betting also could be used to repay the bonds.

The offer remains in place for a year and is limited to National Football League or Major League Baseball teams in states adjacent to Kansas.&nbsp;

Kansas’ attempt to poach the teams was seen by several Missouri lawmakers as a violation of a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://governor.kansas.gov/laura-kelly-reaching-across-the-aisle-to-end-the-kansas-missouri-border-war/">truce the two states reached five years ago</a>&nbsp;to stop offering incentives to move businesses back and forth the state line in the Kansas City area.&nbsp;

But Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, didn’t see it that way.

“The border war was really focused on businesses like AMC Theatres, which went back and forth, back and forth,” Kelly said. “We never discussed teams.”

For years, the two states engaged in an economic development “border war,” offering incentives to companies that jumped the state line, spending taxpayer funds while largely not creating any new jobs.&nbsp;

“Today’s vote regrettably restarts the Missouri-Kansas incentive border war, creating leverage for the teams, but injecting even greater uncertainty into the regional stadium conversation,” Lucas said Tuesday.&nbsp;

In a statement Tuesday, Jackson County, Missouri, Executive Frank White Jr. urged state and local governments to abide by the border war truce “and refrain from engaging in a counterproductive stadium bidding war.”

“We must focus on common sense over politics,” White said. “Our resources should be used wisely to improve the lives of our residents, not wasted on bidding wars that only serve to drain public funds and divide our region.”

White said in order to agree to subsidies for a stadium he expects “a complete and transparent plan that offers tangible benefits to our taxpayers.”

“My office remains open to conversations with the Royals, Chiefs, lawmakers, and other stakeholders, but any proposal must meet this standard and make sense for our community,” he said.

Missouri Sen. Denny Hoskins, a Warrensburg Republican, said the border war “didn’t benefit anyone” and saw Kansas’ push to relocate the teams as a violation.&nbsp;

He said he wanted to see the Missouri Department of Economic Development make an offer to keep the teams, but he didn’t support the idea of lawmakers being called back to Jefferson City for a special session and didn’t want a package that could put taxpayers on the hook.&nbsp;

“We want to keep the Kansas City Chiefs and KC Royals in the state of Missouri, but we can’t saddle taxpayers with billions of dollars in debt to help finance stadiums,” he said.&nbsp;

Hoskins, who is running in the GOP primary for secretary of state, said he thought the Kansas plan was based on lofty revenue expectations and that the stadiums wouldn’t generate enough activity to pay off the bonds without additional assistance from Kansas taxpayers. He didn’t want to see Missouri put forward a similar plan.

“Missouri taxpayers shouldn’t be on the hook for financing stadiums for billion-dollar corporations and multimillion-dollar athletes,” he said. “It’s hard enough being a Missourian right now just trying to keep your own money in your pocket, let alone financing stadiums for a billion-dollar industry.”&nbsp;

Patterson called the border war talk “somewhat irrelevant.”&nbsp;

“It’s obvious that Kansas is going to act,” he said, “and I think we should focus on acting ourselves and not crying about some sort of truce that may or may not have been agreed to regarding the teams.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718763171046.png" alt="A red-clad crowd packs Arrowhead Stadium to watch the Kansas City Chiefs play (Eric Thomas/Kansas Reflector)." />
 <figcaption>A red-clad crowd packs Arrowhead Stadium to watch the Kansas City Chiefs play (Eric Thomas/Kansas Reflector).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Missouri House majority leader calls Kansas legislation a ‘wakeup call,’ anticipates lawmakers will craft a response to keep teams</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/allison-kite/">ALLISON KITE</a>&nbsp;-&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>State and local officials from Missouri denounced&nbsp; Kansas legislators’ attempt to lure the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals across the state line, saying they would take steps to keep both teams.Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, in a statement on Tuesday, said the city and state would continue negotiations with the teams that Missouri and Kansas City have “welcomed, funded and supported … since the 1960s.”&nbsp;“We remain in the first quarter of the Kansas City stadium discussion,” Lucas said.&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/18/kansas-legislature-chiefs-royals/">Kansas lawmakers on Tuesday passed legislation</a>&nbsp;meant to help finance new stadiums for the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals in an attempt to relocate one or both teams from Missouri. The legislation, an expansion of the state’s existing&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansascommerce.gov/program/community-programs/star-bonds/">Sales Tax and Revenue (STAR) Bond</a>&nbsp;program, could yield hundreds of millions of dollars for each stadium.It comes after Jackson County, Missouri, voters in April rejected the extension of a sales tax to help finance a new downtown Kansas City baseball stadium for the Royals and upgrades to the Chiefs’ Arrowhead Stadium.Kansas lawmakers who supported the STAR Bond legislation said it was necessary to keep the teams in the Kansas City area.“We’re in jeopardy of Kansas City losing those franchises,” Kansas Sen. Jeff Pittman, a Leavenworth Democrat, said during debate on the bill Tuesday. “Missouri has dropped the ball. We now have an opportunity to make an offer.”&nbsp;After Kansas lawmakers’ vote, Missouri legislators said they hoped and expected to see the state put forward a plan.&nbsp;“It’s a wakeup call to Missouri that there are other states that are willing to do whatever it takes to get the teams,” Missouri House Majority Leader Jonathan Patterson, a Lee’s Summit Republican, said in an interview Thursday.Patterson, who is in line to become speaker of the House next year, said he expected to see Missouri put together a plan after this summer’s primary elections and before the Missouri General Assembly returns for its legislative session in January. He said it was possible legislators would be called back to Jefferson City for a special session but didn’t think it was necessary.<a target="_blank" href="https://kslegislature.org/li_2024s/b2023_24/measures/hb2001/">The Kansas legislation</a>&nbsp;would help finance up to 70% of a stadium project — with a minimum $1 billion price tag and 30,000 seats — by issuing bonds to be repaid with the state sales tax collected in the STAR Bond district. Liquor taxes from the district and funds from the state’s legalization of sports betting also could be used to repay the bonds.The offer remains in place for a year and is limited to National Football League or Major League Baseball teams in states adjacent to Kansas.&nbsp;Kansas’ attempt to poach the teams was seen by several Missouri lawmakers as a violation of a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://governor.kansas.gov/laura-kelly-reaching-across-the-aisle-to-end-the-kansas-missouri-border-war/">truce the two states reached five years ago</a>&nbsp;to stop offering incentives to move businesses back and forth the state line in the Kansas City area.&nbsp;But Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, a Democrat, didn’t see it that way.“The border war was really focused on businesses like AMC Theatres, which went back and forth, back and forth,” Kelly said. “We never discussed teams.”For years, the two states engaged in an economic development “border war,” offering incentives to companies that jumped the state line, spending taxpayer funds while largely not creating any new jobs.&nbsp;“Today’s vote regrettably restarts the Missouri-Kansas incentive border war, creating leverage for the teams, but injecting even greater uncertainty into the regional stadium conversation,” Lucas said Tuesday.&nbsp;In a statement Tuesday, Jackson County, Missouri, Executive Frank White Jr. urged state and local governments to abide by the border war truce “and refrain from engaging in a counterproductive stadium bidding war.”“We must focus on common sense over politics,” White said. “Our resources should be used wisely to improve the lives of our residents, not wasted on bidding wars that only serve to drain public funds and divide our region.”White said in order to agree to subsidies for a stadium he expects “a complete and transparent plan that offers tangible benefits to our taxpayers.”“My office remains open to conversations with the Royals, Chiefs, lawmakers, and other stakeholders, but any proposal must meet this standard and make sense for our community,” he said.Missouri Sen. Denny Hoskins, a Warrensburg Republican, said the border war “didn’t benefit anyone” and saw Kansas’ push to relocate the teams as a violation.&nbsp;He said he wanted to see the Missouri Department of Economic Development make an offer to keep the teams, but he didn’t support the idea of lawmakers being called back to Jefferson City for a special session and didn’t want a package that could put taxpayers on the hook.&nbsp;“We want to keep the Kansas City Chiefs and KC Royals in the state of Missouri, but we can’t saddle taxpayers with billions of dollars in debt to help finance stadiums,” he said.&nbsp;Hoskins, who is running in the GOP primary for secretary of state, said he thought the Kansas plan was based on lofty revenue expectations and that the stadiums wouldn’t generate enough activity to pay off the bonds without additional assistance from Kansas taxpayers. He didn’t want to see Missouri put forward a similar plan.“Missouri taxpayers shouldn’t be on the hook for financing stadiums for billion-dollar corporations and multimillion-dollar athletes,” he said. “It’s hard enough being a Missourian right now just trying to keep your own money in your pocket, let alone financing stadiums for a billion-dollar industry.”&nbsp;Patterson called the border war talk “somewhat irrelevant.”&nbsp;“It’s obvious that Kansas is going to act,” he said, “and I think we should focus on acting ourselves and not crying about some sort of truce that may or may not have been agreed to regarding the teams.”

Missouri lawmakers criticize Kansas attempt to poach Royals, Chiefs

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating the death of a child in Shawnee County and have arrested the child's mother.

Shortly after 11:30 a.m. Thursday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call regarding an incident on SW Worwick Town Road, according to Sheriff's Deputy Abigail Christian.

First responders found a 9-year-old child located inside the residence, suffering from multiple wounds to the chest and neck. The child was pronounced deceased at the scene.

Detectives were in the process of executing a search warrant at the&nbsp; home. The mother of the deceased child, Shyla M. Goracke, 29, of Topeka, has been placed into custody in connection with the matter. She is currently at a local hospital. An autopsy examination is scheduled for Friday.

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating the death of a child in Shawnee County.

First responders found&nbsp;a deceased child and took an adult into custody.

SW Worwick Town Road was currently closed between SW Gamwell Road and SW 40th Street while the investigation continues.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718926405051.png" alt="Photo Courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo Courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating the death of a child in Shawnee County and have arrested the child's mother.Shortly after 11:30 a.m. Thursday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call regarding an incident on SW Worwick Town Road, according to Sheriff's Deputy Abigail Christian.First responders found a 9-year-old child located inside the residence, suffering from multiple wounds to the chest and neck. The child was pronounced deceased at the scene.Detectives were in the process of executing a search warrant at the&nbsp; home. The mother of the deceased child, Shyla M. Goracke, 29, of Topeka, has been placed into custody in connection with the matter. She is currently at a local hospital. An autopsy examination is scheduled for Friday.----------------SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating the death of a child in Shawnee County.Shortly after 11:30 a.m. Thursday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communications Center received a 911 call regarding an incident on SW Worwick Town Road, according to Sheriff's Deputy Abigail Christian.First responders found&nbsp;a deceased child and took an adult into custody.SW Worwick Town Road was currently closed between SW Gamwell Road and SW 40th Street while the investigation continues.

Kan. mother in custody after her 9-year-old child found dead

KANSAS CITY —A woman injured in a shooting in Kansas City has died.

Just before 1a.m. June 17, police&nbsp;responded to a shooting at 3200 E. Linwood, according to Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

Upon arrival officers located 29-year-old Taylor Thomas&nbsp;lying in the yard just to the east of a nearby building suffering from apparent gunshot injuries.&nbsp; EMS transported her to an area hospital for treatment of life threatening injuries.

On Thursday police learned Thomas had died.&nbsp;This is being investigated as a homicide and detectives are making progress identifying a person of interest, according to Gonzalez.

KANSAS CITY —A woman injured in a shooting in Kansas City has died.Just before 1a.m. June 17, police&nbsp;responded to a shooting at 3200 E. Linwood, according to Officer Alayna Gonzalez.Upon arrival officers located 29-year-old Taylor Thomas&nbsp;lying in the yard just to the east of a nearby building suffering from apparent gunshot injuries.&nbsp; EMS transported her to an area hospital for treatment of life threatening injuries.On Thursday police learned Thomas had died.&nbsp;This is being investigated as a homicide and detectives are making progress identifying a person of interest, according to Gonzalez.

Homicide: KC woman dies four days after injured in shooting

Kansas City International Airport (MCI) experienced the busiest May in its history last month, according to a statement from the airport.

The Kansas City Aviation Department reports that 1,107,092 passengers arrived and departed through Kansas City International Airport’s gates in May 2024, an 8.1-percent increase from May 2023 and an all-time high for the month of May.

"Passenger traffic at Kansas City International Airport has been steadily growing, and hitting an all-time high in May is an amazing milestone,” said Director of Aviation Melissa Cooper.

 “We feel this is driven by a strong local economy, competitive air fares, and new and enhanced air service by our airline partners. The new terminal, which opened last year, has created an environment for the airlines to add routes and use larger capacity aircraft, which translates to more passengers. Many thanks to the airlines and the Kansas City region for the continued growth.

”Passenger boardings were up 8.4 percent, with a total of 568,183 boarded. Year-to-date passenger boardings are 2,361,129, up 7.6 percent. For the year to date, total passengers in and out total 4,711,870, up 7.6 percent.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1718925599043.png" alt="Photo courtesy Kansas City International Airport" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Kansas City International Airport</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas City International Airport (MCI) experienced the busiest May in its history last month, according to a statement from the airport.The Kansas City Aviation Department reports that 1,107,092 passengers arrived and departed through Kansas City International Airport’s gates in May 2024, an 8.1-percent increase from May 2023 and an all-time high for the month of May."Passenger traffic at Kansas City International Airport has been steadily growing, and hitting an all-time high in May is an amazing milestone,” said Director of Aviation Melissa Cooper. “We feel this is driven by a strong local economy, competitive air fares, and new and enhanced air service by our airline partners. The new terminal, which opened last year, has created an environment for the airlines to add routes and use larger capacity aircraft, which translates to more passengers. Many thanks to the airlines and the Kansas City region for the continued growth.”Passenger boardings were up 8.4 percent, with a total of 568,183 boarded. Year-to-date passenger boardings are 2,361,129, up 7.6 percent. For the year to date, total passengers in and out total 4,711,870, up 7.6 percent.Air cargo tonnages, which consist of both freight and mail transported by air, for all carriers at Kansas City International were up 20.9 percent in May with a total of 23.8 million pounds handled. Year to date, 105.6 million pounds of air cargo has been handled, up 9.1 percent. Air freight handled at Kansas City International during May amounted to 23.3 million pounds, up 23.7 percent year-over-year. Year to date, air freight is up 11.7 percent with a total of 104.5 million pounds handled. Air mail for May was down 40.3 percent from May 2023 with 513,118 pounds handled. Air mail year to date for 2024 is down 65.6 percent from 2023 with 1.1 million pounds handled.The number of peak-day scheduled aircraft departures for May 2024 was 162. Service was offered to 49 nonstop markets. There was an average of 44,318 arriving and departing scheduled seats in the market each day. The all-cargo carriers reported 11 daily departures for May.