SALINE COUNTY—Saline County authorities are investigating a possible theft of a vehicle, after discovering the car had been abandoned, damaged and burned, according to Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.

On Monday, the sheriff's office received a call about an abandoned 2016 Hyundai parked in the 4500 block of E. North Street with its doors open, damage to the windshield and a burnt interior.

The car's owner reported they left the car running in the street outside of the home they were visiting. When they came back outside, the car was gone and apparently was stolen, according to the sheriff's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754407185413.jpeg" alt="Abandoned 2016 Hyundai Sonata found in the 4500 block of E North Street; photo Saline County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Abandoned 2016 Hyundai Sonata found in the 4500 block of E North Street; photo Saline County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY—Saline County authorities are investigating a possible theft of a vehicle, after discovering the car had been abandoned, damaged and burned, according to Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754407731363.jpeg" alt="Burned interior of 2016 Hyundai Sonata; photo courtesy of Saline County Sheriff's Office.jpg" />
 <figcaption>Burned interior of 2016 Hyundai Sonata; photo courtesy of Saline County Sheriff's Office.jpg</figcaption>
 </figure>On Monday, the sheriff's office received a call about an abandoned 2016 Hyundai parked in the 4500 block of E. North Street with its doors open, damage to the windshield and a burnt interior.The car's owner reported they left the car running in the street outside of the home they were visiting. When they came back outside, the car was gone and apparently was stolen, according to the sheriff's office.

Sheriff: Stolen vehicle found burned, abandoned on Kan. road 

FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a multi-vehicle crash involving a police car in Garden City.

Just before 5p.m. Monday, emergency crews responded to&nbsp;a multi-vehicle accident involving a police car near the intersection of Mary Street and Campus Drive in Garden City, according to a media release from Garden City Police.&nbsp;

EMS evaluated one of the drivers for minor injuries at the scene, and the Officer involved was not seriously injured. Police did not report if the officer was transported for an evaluation.

The accident caused damage to the traffic signal at Campus Drive and Mary Street, and the intersection was a four-way stop with flashing red lights for several hours.&nbsp; Police released no additional details including possible citations as a result of the incident.

FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a multi-vehicle crash involving a police car in Garden City.Just before 5p.m. Monday, emergency crews responded to&nbsp;a multi-vehicle accident involving a police car near the intersection of Mary Street and Campus Drive in Garden City, according to a media release from Garden City Police.&nbsp;EMS evaluated one of the drivers for minor injuries at the scene, and the Officer involved was not seriously injured. Police did not report if the officer was transported for an evaluation.The accident caused damage to the traffic signal at Campus Drive and Mary Street, and the intersection was a four-way stop with flashing red lights for several hours.&nbsp; Police released no additional details including possible citations as a result of the incident.

Multi-vehicle crash involved police car in SW Kansas

LONDON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ozzy-osbourne">Ozzy Osbourne</a>&nbsp;died of a heart attack and had coronary artery disease in addition to suffering from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ozzy-osbourne-parkinsons-disease-black-sabbath-11e6d54599af7cf43b20bf5c29deb594">Parkinson's disease</a>&nbsp;for years, his death certificate said.

The singer had suffered from coronary artery disease as well as Parkinson's, according to the certificate filed at a register office in London and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/05/arts/music/ozzy-osbourne-cause-of-death.html">obtained by The New York Times</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday. Osbourne&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ozzy-osbourne-dies-adff88b55f1d3b0bace5705d58d3cdde">died on July 22 at 76</a>.

An email from The Associated Press requesting confirmation from the registry office in Hillingdon Council in northwest London, which covers the district where the Black Sabbath singer was reportedly officially pronounced dead, was not immediately returned. Osbourne's representatives didn't immediately return the AP's emailed requests for comment.

The document was submitted by Osbourne's daughter Aimée Osbourne the New York Times reported. Osbourne died of “(a) Out of hospital cardiac arrest (b) Acute myocardial infarction (c) Coronary artery disease and Parkinson’s disease with autonomic dysfunction (Joint Causes),” the certificate states.

Osbourne, also a somewhat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/osbournes-ozzy-legacy-television-8e40e317d051157b4893e40045fe3878">unexpected reality TV star,</a>&nbsp;announced in 2020 that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3225d3202dadb846cbae0a21fe62ba04">he had Parkinson’s disease</a>&nbsp;after suffering a fall. In announcing his death, his family asked for privacy and said that he was with relatives when he died.

Fans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/britain-ozzy-osbourne-fans-birmingham-59fb5b1de24b8dee9e3897113c42288c">came out in droves from across the country</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/photo-gallery/ozzy-osbourne-dies-dc60176c9f5c5510ba1aed207033e67c">mourn his death</a>&nbsp;in his hometown of Birmingham last week. Osbourne&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ozzy-osbourne-black-sabbath-farewell-concert-5ad32c2e2457e5862d8f3eef646f5711">had his final show</a>&nbsp;there just weeks before his death, as admirers watched the heavy metal icon perform while seated on a black throne.

“I don’t know what to say, man, I’ve been laid up for like six years. You have no idea how I feel — thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Osbourne said during his performance. “You’re all … special. Let’s go crazy, come on.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753208493937.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>LONDON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ozzy-osbourne">Ozzy Osbourne</a>&nbsp;died of a heart attack and had coronary artery disease in addition to suffering from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ozzy-osbourne-parkinsons-disease-black-sabbath-11e6d54599af7cf43b20bf5c29deb594">Parkinson's disease</a>&nbsp;for years, his death certificate said.The singer had suffered from coronary artery disease as well as Parkinson's, according to the certificate filed at a register office in London and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/05/arts/music/ozzy-osbourne-cause-of-death.html">obtained by The New York Times</a>&nbsp;on Tuesday. Osbourne&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ozzy-osbourne-dies-adff88b55f1d3b0bace5705d58d3cdde">died on July 22 at 76</a>.An email from The Associated Press requesting confirmation from the registry office in Hillingdon Council in northwest London, which covers the district where the Black Sabbath singer was reportedly officially pronounced dead, was not immediately returned. Osbourne's representatives didn't immediately return the AP's emailed requests for comment.The document was submitted by Osbourne's daughter Aimée Osbourne the New York Times reported. Osbourne died of “(a) Out of hospital cardiac arrest (b) Acute myocardial infarction (c) Coronary artery disease and Parkinson’s disease with autonomic dysfunction (Joint Causes),” the certificate states.Osbourne, also a somewhat&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/osbournes-ozzy-legacy-television-8e40e317d051157b4893e40045fe3878">unexpected reality TV star,</a>&nbsp;announced in 2020 that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/3225d3202dadb846cbae0a21fe62ba04">he had Parkinson’s disease</a>&nbsp;after suffering a fall. In announcing his death, his family asked for privacy and said that he was with relatives when he died.Fans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/britain-ozzy-osbourne-fans-birmingham-59fb5b1de24b8dee9e3897113c42288c">came out in droves from across the country</a>&nbsp;to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/photo-gallery/ozzy-osbourne-dies-dc60176c9f5c5510ba1aed207033e67c">mourn his death</a>&nbsp;in his hometown of Birmingham last week. Osbourne&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ozzy-osbourne-black-sabbath-farewell-concert-5ad32c2e2457e5862d8f3eef646f5711">had his final show</a>&nbsp;there just weeks before his death, as admirers watched the heavy metal icon perform while seated on a black throne.“I don’t know what to say, man, I’ve been laid up for like six years. You have no idea how I feel — thank you from the bottom of my heart,” Osbourne said during his performance. “You’re all … special. Let’s go crazy, come on.”

Death certificate reveals Ozzy Osbourne's cause of death

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Oversight Committee subpoenaed the Justice Department on Tuesday for files in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">Jeffrey Epstein</a>&nbsp;sex trafficking investigation and is seeking depositions with the Clintons and former law enforcement officials, part of a congressional probe that lawmakers believe may show links to President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and former top officials.

The Republican-controlled committee issued subpoenas for depositions with former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and eight former top law enforcement officials.

The committee’s actions showed how even with lawmakers away from Washington on a monthlong break, interest in the Epstein files is still running high. Trump has denied prior knowledge of Epstein’s crimes and claimed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-epstein-conspiracies-97200cfab77572a36bc9ab25841a8833">he cut off their relationship</a>&nbsp;long ago, and he has repeatedly tried to move past the Justice Department’s decision not to release&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-justice-department-pam-bondi-03fbcd024f631440f7ed62b3c6927db3">a full accounting</a>&nbsp;of the investigation. But lawmakers from both major political parties, as well as many in the Republican president’s political base, have refused to let it go.

Rep. James Comer, the Republican chairman of the oversight committee, noted in letters to Attorney General Pam Bondi and the former officials that the cases of Epstein and his former girlfriend&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ghislaine-maxwell">Ghislaine Maxwell</a>&nbsp;“have received immense public interest and scrutiny.”

“While the Department undertakes efforts to uncover and publicly disclose additional information related to Mr. Epstein and Ms. Maxwell’s cases, it is imperative that Congress conduct oversight of the federal government’s enforcement of sex trafficking laws generally and specifically its handling of the investigation and prosecution of Mr. Epstein and Ms. Maxwell,” Comer said.

Since Epstein’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-epstein-investigation-records-timeline-545c371ee3dd3142355a26d27829c188">2019 death in a New York jail cell</a>&nbsp;as he awaited trial for sex trafficking charges, conservative conspiracists have stoked theories about what information investigators gathered on Epstein — and who else knew about his sexual abuse of teenage girls. Republican lawmakers on the House Oversight Committee nodded to that line of questioning last month by initiating the subpoenas for the Clintons, both Democrats, as well as demanding all communications between President Joe Biden's Democratic administration and the Justice Department regarding Epstein.

Bill Clinton was among&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-prince-andrew-bill-clinton-donald-trump-385ccf8d49d337ae4866022877aa9a90">a number of luminaries acquainted with Epstein</a>, a wealthy financier, before the criminal investigation against him in Florida became public two decades ago. Clinton has never been accused of wrongdoing by any of the women who say Epstein abused them.

One of Epstein’s victims,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-trump-maxwell-giuffre-stole-family-40d4318c2ab7987e93a4fc8484464ec8">Virginia Giuffre</a>, once gave a newspaper interview in which she described riding in a helicopter with Clinton and flirting with Trump, but she later said in a deposition that those things hadn’t actually happened and were mistakes by the reporter. Clinton has previously said through a spokesperson that while he traveled on Epstein’s jet he never visited his homes and had no knowledge of his crimes.

The committee is also demanding interviews under oath from former attorneys general spanning the last four presidential administrations: Merrick Garland, William Barr, Jeff Sessions, Loretta Lynch, Eric Holder and Alberto Gonzales. Lawmakers also subpoenaed former FBI Directors James Comey and Robert Mueller.

However, it was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-files-congress-democrats-subpoena-republicans-trump-5d17ea83f7ffeff5784159848b97f38e">Democrats who sparked the move to subpoena</a>&nbsp;the Justice Department for its files on Epstein. They were joined by some Republicans last month to successfully initiate the subpoena through a subcommittee of the House Oversight Committee.

“Today was an important step forward in our fight for transparency regarding the Epstein files and our dedication to seeking justice for the victims," said Democratic Reps. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the committee, and Summer Lee, who initiated the subpoena, in a joint statement. “Now, we must continue putting pressure on the Department of Justice until we actually receive every document.”

The subpoenas give the Justice Department until Aug. 19 to hand over the requested records, though&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-investigation-congress-subpoena-trump-ghislaine-maxwell-c575f6565945cfd0505c8a8146b16465">such requests are typically open to negotiation</a>&nbsp;and can be resisted by the Trump administration.

The committee is also asking the former officials to appear for the depositions throughout August, September and October, concluding with Hillary Clinton on Oct. 9 and Bill Clinton on Oct. 14.

Multiple former presidents have voluntarily testified before Congress, but none has been compelled to do so. That history was invoked by Trump in 2022, between his first and second terms, when he faced a subpoena by the House committee investigating the deadly Jan. 6, 2021, riot by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">a mob of his supporters</a>&nbsp;at the U.S. Capitol.

Lawyers for Trump resisted the subpoena, citing decades of legal precedent they said shielded an ex-president from being ordered to appear before Congress. The committee ultimately withdrew its subpoena.

The committee had previously issued a subpoena for an interview with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-ghislaine-maxwell-justice-department-prison-27d53cd22f8c53d9f2b5012cea32eb5e">Maxwell</a>, who had been serving a prison sentence in Florida for luring teenage girls to be sexually abused by Epstein but was recently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-ghislaine-maxwell-justice-department-prison-27d53cd22f8c53d9f2b5012cea32eb5e">transferred to a Texas facility</a>.

However, Comer has indicated he is willing to delay that deposition until after the Supreme Court decides whether to hear an appeal to her conviction. She argues she was wrongfully prosecuted.

As the Justice Department has tried to appease demands for more disclosure, it has turned attention to Maxwell. Officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-maxwell-justice-department-interview-053ad2ae16f31b9d7300340d5f9349c5">interviewed her for 1 1/2 days</a>&nbsp;last month.

But Democrats stressed the importance of gaining direct access to the investigative files, rather than relying on Maxwell's words.

“We need these files now in order to corroborate any claims she makes,” Garcia and Lee said, adding, "This fight is not over.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704330351229.png" alt="Jeffrey Epstein photo NY Sex Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Jeffrey Epstein photo NY Sex Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The House Oversight Committee subpoenaed the Justice Department on Tuesday for files in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/jeffrey-epstein">Jeffrey Epstein</a>&nbsp;sex trafficking investigation and is seeking depositions with the Clintons and former law enforcement officials, part of a congressional probe that lawmakers believe may show links to President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;and former top officials.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754412426325.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754412751686.png" alt="File image Hillary Clinton from the Aug. 2024 funeral for Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee-courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File image Hillary Clinton from the Aug. 2024 funeral for Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee-courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>The Republican-controlled committee issued subpoenas for depositions with former President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and eight former top law enforcement officials.The committee’s actions showed how even with lawmakers away from Washington on a monthlong break, interest in the Epstein files is still running high. Trump has denied prior knowledge of Epstein’s crimes and claimed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-epstein-conspiracies-97200cfab77572a36bc9ab25841a8833">he cut off their relationship</a>&nbsp;long ago, and he has repeatedly tried to move past the Justice Department’s decision not to release&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-justice-department-pam-bondi-03fbcd024f631440f7ed62b3c6927db3">a full accounting</a>&nbsp;of the investigation. But lawmakers from both major political parties, as well as many in the Republican president’s political base, have refused to let it go.Rep. James Comer, the Republican chairman of the oversight committee, noted in letters to Attorney General Pam Bondi and the former officials that the cases of Epstein and his former girlfriend&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ghislaine-maxwell">Ghislaine Maxwell</a>&nbsp;“have received immense public interest and scrutiny.”“While the Department undertakes efforts to uncover and publicly disclose additional information related to Mr. Epstein and Ms. Maxwell’s cases, it is imperative that Congress conduct oversight of the federal government’s enforcement of sex trafficking laws generally and specifically its handling of the investigation and prosecution of Mr. Epstein and Ms. Maxwell,” Comer said.<h2>Epstein's circle</h2>Since Epstein’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-epstein-investigation-records-timeline-545c371ee3dd3142355a26d27829c188">2019 death in a New York jail cell</a>&nbsp;as he awaited trial for sex trafficking charges, conservative conspiracists have stoked theories about what information investigators gathered on Epstein — and who else knew about his sexual abuse of teenage girls. Republican lawmakers on the House Oversight Committee nodded to that line of questioning last month by initiating the subpoenas for the Clintons, both Democrats, as well as demanding all communications between President Joe Biden's Democratic administration and the Justice Department regarding Epstein.Bill Clinton was among&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-prince-andrew-bill-clinton-donald-trump-385ccf8d49d337ae4866022877aa9a90">a number of luminaries acquainted with Epstein</a>, a wealthy financier, before the criminal investigation against him in Florida became public two decades ago. Clinton has never been accused of wrongdoing by any of the women who say Epstein abused them.One of Epstein’s victims,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-trump-maxwell-giuffre-stole-family-40d4318c2ab7987e93a4fc8484464ec8">Virginia Giuffre</a>, once gave a newspaper interview in which she described riding in a helicopter with Clinton and flirting with Trump, but she later said in a deposition that those things hadn’t actually happened and were mistakes by the reporter. Clinton has previously said through a spokesperson that while he traveled on Epstein’s jet he never visited his homes and had no knowledge of his crimes.The committee is also demanding interviews under oath from former attorneys general spanning the last four presidential administrations: Merrick Garland, William Barr, Jeff Sessions, Loretta Lynch, Eric Holder and Alberto Gonzales. Lawmakers also subpoenaed former FBI Directors James Comey and Robert Mueller.However, it was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-files-congress-democrats-subpoena-republicans-trump-5d17ea83f7ffeff5784159848b97f38e">Democrats who sparked the move to subpoena</a>&nbsp;the Justice Department for its files on Epstein. They were joined by some Republicans last month to successfully initiate the subpoena through a subcommittee of the House Oversight Committee.“Today was an important step forward in our fight for transparency regarding the Epstein files and our dedication to seeking justice for the victims," said Democratic Reps. Robert Garcia, the top Democrat on the committee, and Summer Lee, who initiated the subpoena, in a joint statement. “Now, we must continue putting pressure on the Department of Justice until we actually receive every document.”<h2>Will the subpoenas be enforced?</h2>The subpoenas give the Justice Department until Aug. 19 to hand over the requested records, though&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-investigation-congress-subpoena-trump-ghislaine-maxwell-c575f6565945cfd0505c8a8146b16465">such requests are typically open to negotiation</a>&nbsp;and can be resisted by the Trump administration.The committee is also asking the former officials to appear for the depositions throughout August, September and October, concluding with Hillary Clinton on Oct. 9 and Bill Clinton on Oct. 14.Multiple former presidents have voluntarily testified before Congress, but none has been compelled to do so. That history was invoked by Trump in 2022, between his first and second terms, when he faced a subpoena by the House committee investigating the deadly Jan. 6, 2021, riot by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/congress-confirm-joe-biden-78104aea082995bbd7412a6e6cd13818">a mob of his supporters</a>&nbsp;at the U.S. Capitol.Lawyers for Trump resisted the subpoena, citing decades of legal precedent they said shielded an ex-president from being ordered to appear before Congress. The committee ultimately withdrew its subpoena.The committee had previously issued a subpoena for an interview with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-ghislaine-maxwell-justice-department-prison-27d53cd22f8c53d9f2b5012cea32eb5e">Maxwell</a>, who had been serving a prison sentence in Florida for luring teenage girls to be sexually abused by Epstein but was recently&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-ghislaine-maxwell-justice-department-prison-27d53cd22f8c53d9f2b5012cea32eb5e">transferred to a Texas facility</a>.However, Comer has indicated he is willing to delay that deposition until after the Supreme Court decides whether to hear an appeal to her conviction. She argues she was wrongfully prosecuted.As the Justice Department has tried to appease demands for more disclosure, it has turned attention to Maxwell. Officials&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-maxwell-justice-department-interview-053ad2ae16f31b9d7300340d5f9349c5">interviewed her for 1 1/2 days</a>&nbsp;last month.But Democrats stressed the importance of gaining direct access to the investigative files, rather than relying on Maxwell's words.“We need these files now in order to corroborate any claims she makes,” Garcia and Lee said, adding, "This fight is not over.”

House committee issues subpoenas for Epstein files, depositions with the Clintons

PAWNEE COUNTY —On Aug. 1, the Kansas Court of Appeals issued a 33 page memorandum opinion upholding the felony convictions and sentence of Justin W. Hammond, 41 of Larned, according to a statement from Pawnee County Attorney Doug McNett.

In March of 2023, a Pawnee County Jury found Hammond Guilty of four counts of Aggravated Indecent Liberty with a Child, to wit: sexual intercourse with a child 14 or 15 years of age, and one count of Indecent Liberties with a Child, to wit: lewd fondling of child 14 or 15 years of age, following a five-day trial.

The crimes were alleged to have occurred in Pawnee County between July 8, 2018, and December 15, 2018. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation handled the investigation following a referral by the Pawnee County Sheriff.

At the sentencing held June 30, 2023, Judge Bruce Gatterman denied a defense request for probation and sentenced Hammond on the primary offense to the standard sentence of 59 months with an additional 37 month consecutive sentence on the additional counts for a total sentence of 96 months in the department of corrections. Hammond is also subject to lifetime post-release supervision and lifetime offender registration as a sex offender.

Hammond is currently incarcerated at the Lansing Correctional Facility.

On May 20, 2025, a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals heard appellate oral arguments. On appeal, the defendant argued the District Court errored when it failed to grant a mistrial when an alternate juror was released on the fourth day of the jury trial due to a family emergency. The defendant also argued that the District Court errored when it failed to grant probation and by sentencing him to lifetime post-release supervision.

Pawnee County Attorney Douglas McNett presented the State’s case at trial. The Kansas Solicitor General’s Office represented the State on Appeal. Hammond was represented by Jonathon McConnell of Wichita, Kansas at trial and Jonathan Laurans of Kansas City on Appeal.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1688158843330.png" alt="Hammond from his arrest in Pawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Hammond from his arrest in Pawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>PAWNEE COUNTY —On Aug. 1, the Kansas Court of Appeals issued a 33 page memorandum opinion upholding the felony convictions and sentence of Justin W. Hammond, 41 of Larned, according to a statement from Pawnee County Attorney Doug McNett.In March of 2023, a Pawnee County Jury found Hammond Guilty of four counts of Aggravated Indecent Liberty with a Child, to wit: sexual intercourse with a child 14 or 15 years of age, and one count of Indecent Liberties with a Child, to wit: lewd fondling of child 14 or 15 years of age, following a five-day trial.The crimes were alleged to have occurred in Pawnee County between July 8, 2018, and December 15, 2018. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation handled the investigation following a referral by the Pawnee County Sheriff.At the sentencing held June 30, 2023, Judge Bruce Gatterman denied a defense request for probation and sentenced Hammond on the primary offense to the standard sentence of 59 months with an additional 37 month consecutive sentence on the additional counts for a total sentence of 96 months in the department of corrections. Hammond is also subject to lifetime post-release supervision and lifetime offender registration as a sex offender.Hammond is currently incarcerated at the Lansing Correctional Facility.On May 20, 2025, a three-judge panel of the Court of Appeals heard appellate oral arguments. On appeal, the defendant argued the District Court errored when it failed to grant a mistrial when an alternate juror was released on the fourth day of the jury trial due to a family emergency. The defendant also argued that the District Court errored when it failed to grant probation and by sentencing him to lifetime post-release supervision.Pawnee County Attorney Douglas McNett presented the State’s case at trial. The Kansas Solicitor General’s Office represented the State on Appeal. Hammond was represented by Jonathon McConnell of Wichita, Kansas at trial and Jonathan Laurans of Kansas City on Appeal.

Court upholds conviction and sentence of Kan. child sex offender

SALINE COUNTY—Authorities are working to determine the cause of a fire that destroyed a home and barn in rural Saline County.

On Monday, Rural Fire District 5 responded to report of the fire at 3008 N. Gypsum Valley, according to the Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan. A neighbor called to report the house and barn were on fire.

The barn was owned by 67-year old Billy Jeffrey. He was not present when the fire happened.&nbsp; There were no injuries reported. Authorities did not release a damage estimate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754406887419.jpeg" alt="Barn completely consumed after fire on 3008 N Gypsum Valley; photo&nbsp; Saline County Sheriff's Office." />
 <figcaption>Barn completely consumed after fire on 3008 N Gypsum Valley; photo&nbsp; Saline County Sheriff's Office.</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY—Authorities are working to determine the cause of a fire that destroyed a home and barn in rural Saline County.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754408117778.png" alt="Photo Saline Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Saline Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>On Monday, Rural Fire District 5 responded to report of the fire at 3008 N. Gypsum Valley, according to the Saline County Sheriff Roger Soldan. A neighbor called to report the house and barn were on fire.The barn was owned by 67-year old Billy Jeffrey. He was not present when the fire happened.&nbsp; There were no injuries reported. Authorities did not release a damage estimate.

Home, barn destroyed in rural Kansas fire

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pam-bondi">Attorney General Pam Bondi</a>&nbsp;has directed that the Justice Department move forward with a probe into the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gabbard-russia-2016-steele-dossier-0452e1079506daa86d75fa0a2f22fc60">following the recent release of documents aimed at undermining the legitimacy of the inquiry</a>&nbsp;that established that Moscow interfered on the Republican’s behalf in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Bondi has directed a prosecutor to present evidence to a grand jury after referrals from the Trump administration’s top intelligence official, a person familiar with the matter said Monday. That person was not authorized to discuss it by name and spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press. Fox News first reported the development.

It was not clear which former officials might be the target of any grand jury activity, where the grand jury that might ultimately hear evidence will be located or which prosecutors — whether career employees or political appointees — might be involved in pursuing the investigation. It was also not clear what precise claims of misconduct Trump administration officials believe could form the basis of criminal charges, which a grand jury would have to sign off on for an indictment to be issued.

The development is likely to heighten concerns that the Justice Department is being used to achieve political ends given longstanding grievances over the Russia investigation voiced by President Donald Trump, who has called for the jailing of perceived political adversaries, and because any criminal investigation would revisit one of the most dissected chapters of modern American political history. It is also surfacing at a time when the Trump administration is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-justice-department-pam-bondi-03fbcd024f631440f7ed62b3c6927db3">being buffeted by criticism over its handling of documents from the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking investigation.</a>

The initial, years-old investigation into Russian election interference&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-ap-top-news-politics-russia-48f9d5132d7a4e2d823edad8fc407979">resulted in the appointment of a special counsel,</a>&nbsp;Robert Mueller, who secured multiple convictions against Trump aides and allies but did not establish proof of a criminal conspiracy between Moscow and the Trump campaign.

The inquiry shadowed much of Trump’s first term in office and he has long focused his ire on senior officials from the intelligence and law enforcement community, including former FBI Director James Comey, whom he fired in May 2017, and former CIA Director John Brennan.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-russia-fbi-new-investigation-comey-brennan-33f52dec786e45b019d7d021e6d99c02">The Justice Department appeared to confirm an investigation into both men in an unusual statement</a>&nbsp;last month but offered no details.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/durham-report-fbi-trump-clinton-2016-campaign-f3039e651eeb35a09091c363419e6766">Multiple special counsels</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-international-news-elections-politics-campaigns-5e833a62e9492f6a66624b7920cc846a">congressional committees</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/fbi-was-justified-in-probing-trump-russia-fed-watchdog-says-a734c40d142c8950f57ad4c8f8af565c">the Justice Department’s own inspector general</a>&nbsp;have studied and documented a multi-pronged effort by Russia to interfere in the 2016 presidential election on Trump’s behalf, including through a hack-and-leak dump of Democratic emails and a covert social media operation aimed at sowing discord and swaying public opinion.

But that conclusion has been aggressively challenged in recent weeks as Trump’s director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, and other allies have released previously classified records that they hope will cast doubt on the extent of Russian interference and establish an Obama administration effort to falsely link Trump to Russia.

In one batch of documents released last month, Gabbard&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gabbard-trump-russia-investigation-2bba6373255a37f96fb7cbfa92156b2c">disclosed emails showing that senior Obama administration officials were aware</a>&nbsp;in 2016 that Russians had not hacked state election systems to manipulate the votes in Trump’s favor. But President Barack Obama’s administration never alleged that votes were tampered with and had instead detailed other forms of election interference and foreign influence.

A new outcry surfaced last week when Sen. Chuck Grassley, the Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released a set of emails that FBI Director Kash Patel claimed on social media proved that the “Clinton campaign plotted to frame President Trump and fabricate the Russia collusion hoax.”

The emails were part of a classified annex of a report issued in 2023 by John Durham,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/75e5c4efd5c74e6e9aa1ba0237a0e651">the special counsel who was appointed during the first Trump administration</a>&nbsp;to hunt for any government misconduct during the Russia investigation.

Durham did identify significant flaws in the investigation but uncovered no bombshells to disprove the existence of Russian election interference. His sprawling probe produced three criminal cases; two resulted in acquittals by a jury and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-b9b3c7ef398d00d5dfee9170d66cefec">third was a guilty plea from a little-known FBI lawyer to a charge of making a false statement.</a>

Republicans seized on a July 27, 2016, email in Durham’s newly declassified annex that claimed that Hillary Clinton, then the Democratic candidate for president, had approved a plan during the heat of the campaign to link Trump with Russia.

But the purported author of the email, a senior official at a philanthropic organization founded by billionaire investor George Soros, told Durham’s team he had never sent the email and the alleged recipient said she never recalled receiving it.

Durham’s own report took pain to note that investigators had not corroborated the communications as authentic and said the best assessment was that the message was “a composites of several emails” the Russians had obtained from hacking — raising the likelihood that it was a product of Russian disinformation.

The FBI’s Russia investigation was opened on July 31, 2016, following a tip that a Trump campaign adviser,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/270300c4ced8471a975303ffad27cad6">George Papadopoulos</a>, had told an Australian diplomat that he had learned that Russia was in possession of dirt on Clinton.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/1/1738022793205.png" alt="File -Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran during a meeting with Bondi in December-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>File -Kansas U.S. Senator Jerry Moran during a meeting with Bondi in December-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/pam-bondi">Attorney General Pam Bondi</a>&nbsp;has directed that the Justice Department move forward with a probe into the origins of the Trump-Russia investigation&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gabbard-russia-2016-steele-dossier-0452e1079506daa86d75fa0a2f22fc60">following the recent release of documents aimed at undermining the legitimacy of the inquiry</a>&nbsp;that established that Moscow interfered on the Republican’s behalf in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.Bondi has directed a prosecutor to present evidence to a grand jury after referrals from the Trump administration’s top intelligence official, a person familiar with the matter said Monday. That person was not authorized to discuss it by name and spoke on condition of anonymity to The Associated Press. Fox News first reported the development.It was not clear which former officials might be the target of any grand jury activity, where the grand jury that might ultimately hear evidence will be located or which prosecutors — whether career employees or political appointees — might be involved in pursuing the investigation. It was also not clear what precise claims of misconduct Trump administration officials believe could form the basis of criminal charges, which a grand jury would have to sign off on for an indictment to be issued.The development is likely to heighten concerns that the Justice Department is being used to achieve political ends given longstanding grievances over the Russia investigation voiced by President Donald Trump, who has called for the jailing of perceived political adversaries, and because any criminal investigation would revisit one of the most dissected chapters of modern American political history. It is also surfacing at a time when the Trump administration is&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jeffrey-epstein-justice-department-pam-bondi-03fbcd024f631440f7ed62b3c6927db3">being buffeted by criticism over its handling of documents from the Jeffrey Epstein sex trafficking investigation.</a>The initial, years-old investigation into Russian election interference&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-donald-trump-ap-top-news-politics-russia-48f9d5132d7a4e2d823edad8fc407979">resulted in the appointment of a special counsel,</a>&nbsp;Robert Mueller, who secured multiple convictions against Trump aides and allies but did not establish proof of a criminal conspiracy between Moscow and the Trump campaign.The inquiry shadowed much of Trump’s first term in office and he has long focused his ire on senior officials from the intelligence and law enforcement community, including former FBI Director James Comey, whom he fired in May 2017, and former CIA Director John Brennan.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-russia-fbi-new-investigation-comey-brennan-33f52dec786e45b019d7d021e6d99c02">The Justice Department appeared to confirm an investigation into both men in an unusual statement</a>&nbsp;last month but offered no details.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/durham-report-fbi-trump-clinton-2016-campaign-f3039e651eeb35a09091c363419e6766">Multiple special counsels</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-top-news-international-news-elections-politics-campaigns-5e833a62e9492f6a66624b7920cc846a">congressional committees</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/fbi-was-justified-in-probing-trump-russia-fed-watchdog-says-a734c40d142c8950f57ad4c8f8af565c">the Justice Department’s own inspector general</a>&nbsp;have studied and documented a multi-pronged effort by Russia to interfere in the 2016 presidential election on Trump’s behalf, including through a hack-and-leak dump of Democratic emails and a covert social media operation aimed at sowing discord and swaying public opinion.But that conclusion has been aggressively challenged in recent weeks as Trump’s director of national intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard, and other allies have released previously classified records that they hope will cast doubt on the extent of Russian interference and establish an Obama administration effort to falsely link Trump to Russia.In one batch of documents released last month, Gabbard&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gabbard-trump-russia-investigation-2bba6373255a37f96fb7cbfa92156b2c">disclosed emails showing that senior Obama administration officials were aware</a>&nbsp;in 2016 that Russians had not hacked state election systems to manipulate the votes in Trump’s favor. But President Barack Obama’s administration never alleged that votes were tampered with and had instead detailed other forms of election interference and foreign influence.A new outcry surfaced last week when Sen. Chuck Grassley, the Republican chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, released a set of emails that FBI Director Kash Patel claimed on social media proved that the “Clinton campaign plotted to frame President Trump and fabricate the Russia collusion hoax.”The emails were part of a classified annex of a report issued in 2023 by John Durham,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/75e5c4efd5c74e6e9aa1ba0237a0e651">the special counsel who was appointed during the first Trump administration</a>&nbsp;to hunt for any government misconduct during the Russia investigation.Durham did identify significant flaws in the investigation but uncovered no bombshells to disprove the existence of Russian election interference. His sprawling probe produced three criminal cases; two resulted in acquittals by a jury and the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-b9b3c7ef398d00d5dfee9170d66cefec">third was a guilty plea from a little-known FBI lawyer to a charge of making a false statement.</a>Republicans seized on a July 27, 2016, email in Durham’s newly declassified annex that claimed that Hillary Clinton, then the Democratic candidate for president, had approved a plan during the heat of the campaign to link Trump with Russia.But the purported author of the email, a senior official at a philanthropic organization founded by billionaire investor George Soros, told Durham’s team he had never sent the email and the alleged recipient said she never recalled receiving it.Durham’s own report took pain to note that investigators had not corroborated the communications as authentic and said the best assessment was that the message was “a composites of several emails” the Russians had obtained from hacking — raising the likelihood that it was a product of Russian disinformation.The FBI’s Russia investigation was opened on July 31, 2016, following a tip that a Trump campaign adviser,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/270300c4ced8471a975303ffad27cad6">George Papadopoulos</a>, had told an Australian diplomat that he had learned that Russia was in possession of dirt on Clinton.

AG orders grand jury review of Obama-era origins of Trump-Russia hoax

HORRY COUNTY, So. Carolina—Law enforcement investigating a fatal hit-and-run incident have identified the victim as 26-year-old Dezhon Overton of Kansas City, Kansas, according to the Horry County South Carolina Coroner's office.

Just after 12:30 a.m. Sunday, police responded to a call for service related to a leaving the scene of a traffic collision with injuries at 21st Avenue South and Kings Highway, according to a statement from Myrtle Beach Police. 

First responders determined that two pedestrians were struck by the vehicle and the suspect vehicle had fled. The victims including Overton&nbsp; were immediately transported to Grand Strand Medical Center for treatment of their injuries. Overton was pronounced deceased a short time later. He was on vacation at the time of the incident, according to police.

The Myrtle Beach Police Real Time Crime Unit along with assisting units had already started investigating which led them to the location of the suspect vehicle. The driver of the vehicle has been arrested.&nbsp;

HORRY COUNTY, So. Carolina—Law enforcement investigating a fatal hit-and-run incident have identified the victim as 26-year-old Dezhon Overton of Kansas City, Kansas, according to the Horry County South Carolina Coroner's office.Just after 12:30 a.m. Sunday, police responded to a call for service related to a leaving the scene of a traffic collision with injuries at 21st Avenue South and Kings Highway, according to a statement from Myrtle Beach Police. First responders determined that two pedestrians were struck by the vehicle and the suspect vehicle had fled. The victims including Overton&nbsp; were immediately transported to Grand Strand Medical Center for treatment of their injuries. Overton was pronounced deceased a short time later. He was on vacation at the time of the incident, according to police.The Myrtle Beach Police Real Time Crime Unit along with assisting units had already started investigating which led them to the location of the suspect vehicle. The driver of the vehicle has been arrested.&nbsp;

Police: Kansas man on vacation dies after hit-and-run incident

Leader of UnidosUS decries the humanitarian and economic damage of Trump administration’s immigration raids. ‘This is about our civil rights being destroyed’

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/marysanchez/">Mary Sanchez</a>&nbsp;

The economic power of the Latino population in the United States is as massive as it is misunderstood.

Latinos contribute more than&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/us-latino-gdp-skyrockets-to-record-37-trillion-dollars" target="_blank">$3.7 trillion</a>&nbsp;annually to the economy, more than the gross domestic product of all but four countries in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.worldometers.info/gdp/gdp-by-country/" target="_blank">the world</a>.

Latinos are the nation’s largest minority group with 64 million people.

The vast majority, eight out of 10, are U.S. citizens.

By 2030, one out of every three people entering the workforce will be Latino.

But acknowledgement of&nbsp;<a href="https://unidosus.org/" target="_blank">those facts</a>&nbsp;is lacking,&nbsp;<a href="https://unidosus.org/publications/analyzing-inclusion-of-latino-contributions-in-us-history-curricula-for-high-school/" target="_blank">studies show</a>, especially among policymakers and politicians.

The vacuum leaves space for false narratives to flourish.

One example for the leader of the nation’s largest Latino civil rights and advocacy organization is the Trump administration’s inaccurate labeling of Latinos as criminals and outsiders who don’t contribute to the nation.

“If we’re going to have an economy that really moves the country forward and sustains all of us, it has to include the Latino community from a demographics perspective,” said Janet Murguía.

Murguía, a native of Kansas City, Kansas, is president and CEO of&nbsp;<a href="https://unidosus.org/" target="_blank">UnidosUS,</a>&nbsp;which is holding its annual conference in Kansas City Aug. 4-7.

The conference opens days after nearly a dozen people were taken from their jobs at two Kansas El Toro Loco Mexican Bar and Grill locations in morning raids by Homeland Security Investigations, a unit of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The detentions of the employees were filmed and witnessed by community members and sparked a protest later in the day.

Videos show the employees as they were being taken from the restaurants in handcuffs and with chains around their waists. Food was left cooking at the Lenexa location and a handwritten note “Closed” was taped to the front door, which was left unlocked.

Murguía is critical of some tactics that Homeland Security is using in its efforts to meet the administration’s goal of removing 3,000 undocumented immigrants daily.

Increasingly, she said, what’s happening is unlawful and unconstitutional.

“This is not about immigration,” Murguía said. “It’s about civil rights.”

Negative narratives about Latinos that are unsubstantiated by data are being used to justify the actions, including some actions that shred due process, she said.

UnidosUS is the umbrella organization for more than 300 affiliates spread across virtually every state. Three are in the Greater Kansas City area:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.elcentroinc.com/" target="_blank">El Centro</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://guadalupecenters.org/" target="_blank">Guadalupe Centers</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://mattierhodes.org/" target="_blank">Mattie Rhodes Center</a>.

The nearly 60-year-old organization’s current strategy is three-pronged — to protect, defend and advance the Latino community.

Murguía served in former President Bill Clinton’s administration and also once served as an executive vice chancellor at the University of Kansas.

She said abuse of power and government overreach in immigration enforcement must be challenged.

“We intend to do everything we can to provide the advocacy to push back against this and demand accountability in the courts and through the administration and in Congress,” Murguia said.

Partnerships with&nbsp;<a href="https://unidosus.org/press-releases/national-latino-and-civil-rights-groups-denounce-federal-overreach-in-los-angeles-raids/" target="_blank">other civil rights organizations</a>&nbsp;will be key, she said, noting deep connections with the leadership of the National Urban League, the National Action Network and the Legal Defense Fund.

“This is about our civil rights being destroyed,” she said. “Partners and allies can be really critically important in communicating that to the broader public and understanding that we’re all threatened in this country when actions happen.”

‘There is no American agenda without a Latino agenda’&nbsp;

UnidosUS is linking with some of the leading researchers in the nation.

Documenting the social and economic impact of mass deportation will be crucial.

<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/04/03/kansas-man-deported-after-visiting-grandfathers-grave-in-mexico/" target="_blank">Some immigrant families are of mixed status</a>, with at least one family member who might be undocumented and others who are not.

Approximately&nbsp;<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/233150241700500101" target="_blank">6.6 million American citizens</a>, including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fwd.us/news/mixed-status-families-1/" target="_blank">5.5 million U.S. children</a>&nbsp;— over 8% of all children in the U.S. — live in a household with at least one undocumented family member.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/233150241700500101" target="_blank">2017 study</a>&nbsp;predicted that removing one family member from every mixed-status household through deportation would drop the median income of those households by nearly 50%.

The report was written with data compiled by the Center for Migration Studies of New York and published by the Journal on Migration and Human Security.

“Removing undocumented residents from mixed-status households would reduce median household income from $41,300 to $22,000, a drop of $19,300, or 47%, which would plunge millions of US families into poverty,” the report noted.

The ramifications on homeownership, businesses and taxes paid could be dramatic.

If the U.S. removed all of its undocumented residents, “gross domestic product (GDP) would be reduced by 1.4% in the first year, and cumulative GDP would be reduced by $4.7 trillion over 10 years,” the report said.

Updated data will be key to track not only the outcomes of current immigration policy but also the Trump administration’s recently approved budget bill. UnidosUS called it&nbsp;<a href="https://unidosus.org/press-releases/unidosus-statement-on-us-house-passage-of-harmful-federal-budget-bill/" target="_blank">“a stunning betrayal to working families, vulnerable communities and the American electorate who entrusted them with their votes”</a>&nbsp;due to its cuts to health programs and food assistance.

Studies can also inform&nbsp;<a href="https://unidosus.org/events/understanding-systemic-racism-and-resulting-inequity-in-latino-communities/" target="_blank">a wide range of initiatives</a>&nbsp;that have long been the focus of UnidosUS: homeownership, educational attainment, health, voting rights and political empowerment.

Data to support policy, based on understanding Latino history

UnidosUS has partnered with the&nbsp;<a href="https://latino.ucla.edu/about/" target="_blank">Latino Politics &amp; Policy Institute</a>) at the University of California Los Angeles.

The institute’s motto is “there is no American agenda without a Latino agenda,” a statement that underscores the relevance of Latinos historically, by population, economic output and future projections as a young demographic.

Latinos are contributing nearly $4 trillion annually to the economy, said Rodrigo Domínguez-Villegas, director of research at the UCLA institute.

Yet Latinos hold only 12% of the nation’s household wealth while comprising nearly 20% of the population, he said.

“There’s a disconnect that reveals a system where Latino labor and entrepreneurship are fueling economic growth in the country, but the wealth that’s generated through Latino labor and entrepreneurship is held elsewhere,” he said.

Domínguez-Villegas is leading a project to find out why.

In a partnership with UnidosUS, the institute is completing an analysis of how public policy has shaped Latino wealth.

The economic mobility study will be released in October.

“We are telling the story of Latino communities across the country and what Latinos contribute, and also how Latinos struggle because of systemic and historical disadvantages,” he said.

Mattie Rhodes, one of the Kansas City-based UnidosUS affiliates, will release the Hispanic/Latino Equity Index for the Kansas City area’s Latino population during the convention on Aug. 4.

The report was developed with the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Center for Economic Information and the Urban League of Greater Kansas City.

It will highlight disparities in economic opportunity, health, education, social justice and civic engagement.

Similar local reports can be aided by another initiative at the UCLA institute, the&nbsp;<a href="https://latinodatahub.org/" target="_blank">Latino Data Hub.</a>

It’s an interactive platform to analyze conditions affecting Latinos nationwide, drawing from the 2023 American Community Survey of the U.S. Census.

An updated hub was released in mid-July. And tutorials on how to use the hub are ongoing.

“We have tried to build it in a way that is as intuitive as possible,” said Domínguez-Villegas, who will be attending the UnidosUs conference. “Our target audiences are, of course, policymakers, but also community-based organizations and the media.”

Information can be broken down nationally, by state or county and soon, by congressional districts.

Built into the platform are 130 indicators, with filters for people to search for detailed information such as homeownership, health care access and educational attainment. The information can be searched in English or Spanish.

The Latino Data Hub grew out of the COVID pandemic, when Latino communities were disproportionately impacted in terms of hospitalizations and deaths.

Policymakers were surprised and slow to react, said Domínguez-Villegas, because they hadn’t understood Latino health disparities and access to health care that predated the pandemic.

“Policymakers were like, ‘Oh, we didn’t have this data, so we didn’t understand really, how to incorporate that into the response,’” said Domínguez-Villegas.

Researchers, he said, vowed “never again.”

Strong data can help tell the stories of Latinos and build understanding of past struggles that have led to current inequities, while also addressing the demographic’s contributions. The goal is a more nuanced telling of the nation’s extremely diverse Latino communities.

Previous work between UnidosUS and the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy found deep gaps in the inclusion of Latinos in U.S. history curriculum.

The lack of accurate information undercuts awareness.

The buying power of the Hispanic market can be shown in telling stories of entrepreneurship and those who find prosperity by catering to the demographic, in all of its vast diversity.

A prime local example is the success of the El Mercado Fresco supermarkets, which began catering primarily to the Latino immigrant communities in northeast Kansas City about a decade ago.

The company’s ninth store opened July 17 in a former Big Lots at 7533 State Ave. in Kansas City, Kansas.

Hundreds of people, many of them Latino, gathered in the parking lot for the ribbon cutting and then formed a long line, patiently waiting to file into the store to shop as a mariachi band serenaded.

Carlos Gomez, president/CEO of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas City, helped with the honors.

Gomez said the El Mercado groceries are successful, in part, because of the owner’s respectful relationship with the Latino community, giving back philanthropically and through hiring.

The owner, Eddie Musallet, said he sources products through a wide range of vendors to cater to the culinary preferences of many ethnicities, including Asian and African people.

Musallet said he’s conscientious of people’s budgets and tries to use local farmers for some products.

Packages of 30 eggs, locally sourced, were marked $6.99 at the State Avenue opening.

Soon, a group of leaders gathered outside the store, chatting as friends found one another&nbsp; in the crowd.

David Carranza, economic development director for the city of Grandview, Missouri, said that Latinos know how to “make something from nothing,” guided by entrepreneurial efforts and often working not only one, but two jobs.

Murguia echoed the sentiments of local leadership in her resolve to advocate and organize through current political and policy challenges.

Latinos, she said, are known for optimism and resilience, holding a deep belief in the promise of the nation and its ability to allow people to carve out their American Dream.

“If you fundamentally believe that about this country, you’re not going to give up, even in the most daunting times,” Murguia said. “We’re leaning into every bit of resilience and optimism in this moment.”

This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/08/04/mass-deportation-latino-civil-rights-kansas-city-unidosus/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Kansas City</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754330127440.png" alt="Kansas state Rep. Susan Ruiz, a Democrat, addressed a crowd that gathered outside the Lenexa El Toro Loco Mexican Bar and Grill on July 30 after some of the employees were arrested earlier in the day by agents with Homeland Security (Mary Sanchez/The Beacon)." />
 <figcaption>Kansas state Rep. Susan Ruiz, a Democrat, addressed a crowd that gathered outside the Lenexa El Toro Loco Mexican Bar and Grill on July 30 after some of the employees were arrested earlier in the day by agents with Homeland Security (Mary Sanchez/The Beacon).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Leader of UnidosUS decries the humanitarian and economic damage of Trump administration’s immigration raids. ‘This is about our civil rights being destroyed’</h2>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/marysanchez/">Mary Sanchez</a>&nbsp;The economic power of the Latino population in the United States is as massive as it is misunderstood.Latinos contribute more than&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/us-latino-gdp-skyrockets-to-record-37-trillion-dollars" target="_blank">$3.7 trillion</a>&nbsp;annually to the economy, more than the gross domestic product of all but four countries in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.worldometers.info/gdp/gdp-by-country/" target="_blank">the world</a>.Latinos are the nation’s largest minority group with 64 million people.The vast majority, eight out of 10, are U.S. citizens.By 2030, one out of every three people entering the workforce will be Latino.But acknowledgement of&nbsp;<a href="https://unidosus.org/" target="_blank">those facts</a>&nbsp;is lacking,&nbsp;<a href="https://unidosus.org/publications/analyzing-inclusion-of-latino-contributions-in-us-history-curricula-for-high-school/" target="_blank">studies show</a>, especially among policymakers and politicians.The vacuum leaves space for false narratives to flourish.One example for the leader of the nation’s largest Latino civil rights and advocacy organization is the Trump administration’s inaccurate labeling of Latinos as criminals and outsiders who don’t contribute to the nation.“If we’re going to have an economy that really moves the country forward and sustains all of us, it has to include the Latino community from a demographics perspective,” said Janet Murguía.Murguía, a native of Kansas City, Kansas, is president and CEO of&nbsp;<a href="https://unidosus.org/" target="_blank">UnidosUS,</a>&nbsp;which is holding its annual conference in Kansas City Aug. 4-7.The conference opens days after nearly a dozen people were taken from their jobs at two Kansas El Toro Loco Mexican Bar and Grill locations in morning raids by Homeland Security Investigations, a unit of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.The detentions of the employees were filmed and witnessed by community members and sparked a protest later in the day.Videos show the employees as they were being taken from the restaurants in handcuffs and with chains around their waists. Food was left cooking at the Lenexa location and a handwritten note “Closed” was taped to the front door, which was left unlocked.Murguía is critical of some tactics that Homeland Security is using in its efforts to meet the administration’s goal of removing 3,000 undocumented immigrants daily.Increasingly, she said, what’s happening is unlawful and unconstitutional.“This is not about immigration,” Murguía said. “It’s about civil rights.”Negative narratives about Latinos that are unsubstantiated by data are being used to justify the actions, including some actions that shred due process, she said.UnidosUS is the umbrella organization for more than 300 affiliates spread across virtually every state. Three are in the Greater Kansas City area:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.elcentroinc.com/" target="_blank">El Centro</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://guadalupecenters.org/" target="_blank">Guadalupe Centers</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://mattierhodes.org/" target="_blank">Mattie Rhodes Center</a>.The nearly 60-year-old organization’s current strategy is three-pronged — to protect, defend and advance the Latino community.Murguía served in former President Bill Clinton’s administration and also once served as an executive vice chancellor at the University of Kansas.She said abuse of power and government overreach in immigration enforcement must be challenged.“We intend to do everything we can to provide the advocacy to push back against this and demand accountability in the courts and through the administration and in Congress,” Murguia said.Partnerships with&nbsp;<a href="https://unidosus.org/press-releases/national-latino-and-civil-rights-groups-denounce-federal-overreach-in-los-angeles-raids/" target="_blank">other civil rights organizations</a>&nbsp;will be key, she said, noting deep connections with the leadership of the National Urban League, the National Action Network and the Legal Defense Fund.“This is about our civil rights being destroyed,” she said. “Partners and allies can be really critically important in communicating that to the broader public and understanding that we’re all threatened in this country when actions happen.”<h2>‘There is no American agenda without a Latino agenda’&nbsp;</h2>UnidosUS is linking with some of the leading researchers in the nation.Documenting the social and economic impact of mass deportation will be crucial.<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/04/03/kansas-man-deported-after-visiting-grandfathers-grave-in-mexico/" target="_blank">Some immigrant families are of mixed status</a>, with at least one family member who might be undocumented and others who are not.Approximately&nbsp;<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/233150241700500101" target="_blank">6.6 million American citizens</a>, including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fwd.us/news/mixed-status-families-1/" target="_blank">5.5 million U.S. children</a>&nbsp;— over 8% of all children in the U.S. — live in a household with at least one undocumented family member.A&nbsp;<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/233150241700500101" target="_blank">2017 study</a>&nbsp;predicted that removing one family member from every mixed-status household through deportation would drop the median income of those households by nearly 50%.The report was written with data compiled by the Center for Migration Studies of New York and published by the Journal on Migration and Human Security.“Removing undocumented residents from mixed-status households would reduce median household income from $41,300 to $22,000, a drop of $19,300, or 47%, which would plunge millions of US families into poverty,” the report noted.The ramifications on homeownership, businesses and taxes paid could be dramatic.If the U.S. removed all of its undocumented residents, “gross domestic product (GDP) would be reduced by 1.4% in the first year, and cumulative GDP would be reduced by $4.7 trillion over 10 years,” the report said.Updated data will be key to track not only the outcomes of current immigration policy but also the Trump administration’s recently approved budget bill. UnidosUS called it&nbsp;<a href="https://unidosus.org/press-releases/unidosus-statement-on-us-house-passage-of-harmful-federal-budget-bill/" target="_blank">“a stunning betrayal to working families, vulnerable communities and the American electorate who entrusted them with their votes”</a>&nbsp;due to its cuts to health programs and food assistance.Studies can also inform&nbsp;<a href="https://unidosus.org/events/understanding-systemic-racism-and-resulting-inequity-in-latino-communities/" target="_blank">a wide range of initiatives</a>&nbsp;that have long been the focus of UnidosUS: homeownership, educational attainment, health, voting rights and political empowerment.<h2>Data to support policy, based on understanding Latino history</h2>UnidosUS has partnered with the&nbsp;<a href="https://latino.ucla.edu/about/" target="_blank">Latino Politics &amp; Policy Institute</a>) at the University of California Los Angeles.The institute’s motto is “there is no American agenda without a Latino agenda,” a statement that underscores the relevance of Latinos historically, by population, economic output and future projections as a young demographic.Latinos are contributing nearly $4 trillion annually to the economy, said Rodrigo Domínguez-Villegas, director of research at the UCLA institute.Yet Latinos hold only 12% of the nation’s household wealth while comprising nearly 20% of the population, he said.“There’s a disconnect that reveals a system where Latino labor and entrepreneurship are fueling economic growth in the country, but the wealth that’s generated through Latino labor and entrepreneurship is held elsewhere,” he said.Domínguez-Villegas is leading a project to find out why.In a partnership with UnidosUS, the institute is completing an analysis of how public policy has shaped Latino wealth.The economic mobility study will be released in October.“We are telling the story of Latino communities across the country and what Latinos contribute, and also how Latinos struggle because of systemic and historical disadvantages,” he said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754330083724.png" alt="A map of 304 UnidosUS affiliates in the United States. (Courtesy/UnidosUS)" />
 <figcaption>A map of 304 UnidosUS affiliates in the United States. (Courtesy/UnidosUS)</figcaption>
 </figure>Mattie Rhodes, one of the Kansas City-based UnidosUS affiliates, will release the Hispanic/Latino Equity Index for the Kansas City area’s Latino population during the convention on Aug. 4.The report was developed with the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Center for Economic Information and the Urban League of Greater Kansas City.It will highlight disparities in economic opportunity, health, education, social justice and civic engagement.Similar local reports can be aided by another initiative at the UCLA institute, the&nbsp;<a href="https://latinodatahub.org/" target="_blank">Latino Data Hub.</a>It’s an interactive platform to analyze conditions affecting Latinos nationwide, drawing from the 2023 American Community Survey of the U.S. Census.An updated hub was released in mid-July. And tutorials on how to use the hub are ongoing.“We have tried to build it in a way that is as intuitive as possible,” said Domínguez-Villegas, who will be attending the UnidosUs conference. “Our target audiences are, of course, policymakers, but also community-based organizations and the media.”Information can be broken down nationally, by state or county and soon, by congressional districts.Built into the platform are 130 indicators, with filters for people to search for detailed information such as homeownership, health care access and educational attainment. The information can be searched in English or Spanish.The Latino Data Hub grew out of the COVID pandemic, when Latino communities were disproportionately impacted in terms of hospitalizations and deaths.Policymakers were surprised and slow to react, said Domínguez-Villegas, because they hadn’t understood Latino health disparities and access to health care that predated the pandemic.“Policymakers were like, ‘Oh, we didn’t have this data, so we didn’t understand really, how to incorporate that into the response,’” said Domínguez-Villegas.Researchers, he said, vowed “never again.”Strong data can help tell the stories of Latinos and build understanding of past struggles that have led to current inequities, while also addressing the demographic’s contributions. The goal is a more nuanced telling of the nation’s extremely diverse Latino communities.<h2>Sharing the American Dream</h2>Previous work between UnidosUS and the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy found deep gaps in the inclusion of Latinos in U.S. history curriculum.The lack of accurate information undercuts awareness.The buying power of the Hispanic market can be shown in telling stories of entrepreneurship and those who find prosperity by catering to the demographic, in all of its vast diversity.A prime local example is the success of the El Mercado Fresco supermarkets, which began catering primarily to the Latino immigrant communities in northeast Kansas City about a decade ago.The company’s ninth store opened July 17 in a former Big Lots at 7533 State Ave. in Kansas City, Kansas.Hundreds of people, many of them Latino, gathered in the parking lot for the ribbon cutting and then formed a long line, patiently waiting to file into the store to shop as a mariachi band serenaded.Carlos Gomez, president/CEO of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas City, helped with the honors.Gomez said the El Mercado groceries are successful, in part, because of the owner’s respectful relationship with the Latino community, giving back philanthropically and through hiring.The owner, Eddie Musallet, said he sources products through a wide range of vendors to cater to the culinary preferences of many ethnicities, including Asian and African people.Musallet said he’s conscientious of people’s budgets and tries to use local farmers for some products.Packages of 30 eggs, locally sourced, were marked $6.99 at the State Avenue opening.Soon, a group of leaders gathered outside the store, chatting as friends found one another&nbsp; in the crowd.David Carranza, economic development director for the city of Grandview, Missouri, said that Latinos know how to “make something from nothing,” guided by entrepreneurial efforts and often working not only one, but two jobs.“We’re survivors,” Carranza said.Murguia echoed the sentiments of local leadership in her resolve to advocate and organize through current political and policy challenges.Latinos, she said, are known for optimism and resilience, holding a deep belief in the promise of the nation and its ability to allow people to carve out their American Dream.“If you fundamentally believe that about this country, you’re not going to give up, even in the most daunting times,” Murguia said. “We’re leaning into every bit of resilience and optimism in this moment.”This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/08/04/mass-deportation-latino-civil-rights-kansas-city-unidosus/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Kansas City</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.

Nation’s largest Latino civil rights organization meets in KC against backdrop of mass deportations

DENVER (AP) — A Colorado funeral home owner accused of stashing nearly 200 decomposing bodies in a room-temperature building admitted in federal court Monday that she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/colorado-funeral-home-fake-ashes-29d6bc5531097b2c2e2c6d29077b4278">cheated customers</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/funeral-home-decomposing-rotting-bodies-fraud-colorado-58a45f6abb2d7b4d1514a473ca3c8e49">defrauded the federal government</a>&nbsp;out of nearly $900,000.

Carie Hallford, who ran Return to Nature Funeral Home with her husband Jon Hallford, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Carie Hallford faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, though federal prosecutors agreed to ask for 15 years at a December sentencing hearing.

Hallford already pleaded guilty once in federal court, but a judge last year rejected the agreement with prosecutors and still has to approve this one.

Crystina Page’s son David died in 2019, and his body was left in an inoperable refrigerator for four years. Standing outside the federal courthouse Monday, Page said she's disappointed about the possibility that neither Hallford goes on trial, something she hoped would have brought answers about what happened to her son and others entrusted to their care.

“We still don’t know the truth of what they’ve done to us,” she said.

The federal case brought against both Hallfords focused on two schemes: falsifying documents to siphon nearly $900,000 in COVID-19 pandemic-era financial aid from the U.S. Small Business Administration and deceiving customers by taking payments for cremations the Hallfords never did.

Instead of cremating the nearly 200 bodies between 2019 and 2023, the Hallfords allegedly stored the bodies in a decrepit building and sent some customers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/colorado-funeral-home-fake-ashes-29d6bc5531097b2c2e2c6d29077b4278">dry concrete</a>&nbsp;instead of ashes.

The Hallfords pocketed around $130,000 of their customers' payments meant for cremations or burial services and spent it, along with the federal funds, on luxury products — a GMC Yukon, laser body sculpting, vacations, jewelry and cryptocurrency.

In a separate case in state court, both Hallfords have been charged with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/decomposing-bodies-funeral-home-colorado-decaying-d25b600c3e69c34e709c167491c0c845">191 counts of corpse abuse</a>, including for twice burying the wrong body and leaving others to decompose. Jon Hallford has already pleaded guilty to those 191 counts, as well as a fraud charge in the federal case for which he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/funeral-home-bodies-decomposing-colorado-13c264644be34afeee9fe420f5d5ae88">sentenced to 20 years</a>&nbsp;in prison.

The building packed with bodies was discovered in 2023 in Penrose, Colorado, about a two-hour drive south of Denver. It shook already grieving families. Many learned that their loved ones' remains weren't in the ashes they spread or held tight but were instead decaying in a building.

Investigators found bodies stacked atop each other, swarms of bugs and maggots, and so much liquid on the ground it had to be pumped out.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754352736964.png" alt="Hallford photo Muskogee County, Oklahoma Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Hallford photo Muskogee County, Oklahoma Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>DENVER (AP) — A Colorado funeral home owner accused of stashing nearly 200 decomposing bodies in a room-temperature building admitted in federal court Monday that she&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/colorado-funeral-home-fake-ashes-29d6bc5531097b2c2e2c6d29077b4278">cheated customers</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/funeral-home-decomposing-rotting-bodies-fraud-colorado-58a45f6abb2d7b4d1514a473ca3c8e49">defrauded the federal government</a>&nbsp;out of nearly $900,000.Carie Hallford, who ran Return to Nature Funeral Home with her husband Jon Hallford, pleaded guilty in federal court to conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Carie Hallford faces a maximum of 20 years in prison, though federal prosecutors agreed to ask for 15 years at a December sentencing hearing.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754352664716.png" alt="Hallford photo Muskogee County, Oklahoma Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Hallford photo Muskogee County, Oklahoma Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>Hallford already pleaded guilty once in federal court, but a judge last year rejected the agreement with prosecutors and still has to approve this one.Crystina Page’s son David died in 2019, and his body was left in an inoperable refrigerator for four years. Standing outside the federal courthouse Monday, Page said she's disappointed about the possibility that neither Hallford goes on trial, something she hoped would have brought answers about what happened to her son and others entrusted to their care.“We still don’t know the truth of what they’ve done to us,” she said.The federal case brought against both Hallfords focused on two schemes: falsifying documents to siphon nearly $900,000 in COVID-19 pandemic-era financial aid from the U.S. Small Business Administration and deceiving customers by taking payments for cremations the Hallfords never did.Instead of cremating the nearly 200 bodies between 2019 and 2023, the Hallfords allegedly stored the bodies in a decrepit building and sent some customers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/colorado-funeral-home-fake-ashes-29d6bc5531097b2c2e2c6d29077b4278">dry concrete</a>&nbsp;instead of ashes.The Hallfords pocketed around $130,000 of their customers' payments meant for cremations or burial services and spent it, along with the federal funds, on luxury products — a GMC Yukon, laser body sculpting, vacations, jewelry and cryptocurrency.In a separate case in state court, both Hallfords have been charged with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/decomposing-bodies-funeral-home-colorado-decaying-d25b600c3e69c34e709c167491c0c845">191 counts of corpse abuse</a>, including for twice burying the wrong body and leaving others to decompose. Jon Hallford has already pleaded guilty to those 191 counts, as well as a fraud charge in the federal case for which he was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/funeral-home-bodies-decomposing-colorado-13c264644be34afeee9fe420f5d5ae88">sentenced to 20 years</a>&nbsp;in prison.The building packed with bodies was discovered in 2023 in Penrose, Colorado, about a two-hour drive south of Denver. It shook already grieving families. Many learned that their loved ones' remains weren't in the ashes they spread or held tight but were instead decaying in a building.Investigators found bodies stacked atop each other, swarms of bugs and maggots, and so much liquid on the ground it had to be pumped out.

Funeral home owner who sent families fake ashes enters plea

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —A funeral for Sheriff's Deputy Elijah Ming, who was killed in the line of duty on July 26 will be held Monday, August 11, at Children's Mercy Park, according to a statement from the Wyandotte County Sheriff's Office.

The service is open to the public and will begin at 11:00 a.m. 

Parking lots will open at 9:00 a.m., and the stadium gates will open at 10:00 a.m. There will be a Law Enforcement Processional immediately following the service; route details will be announced.

"We are so overwhelmed by the love of our community; we could not be more thankful for our lovely Wyandotte County," the sheriff's office wrote on their social media page.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753612145888.png" alt="Deputy Elijah Ming-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Deputy Elijah Ming-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY —A funeral for Sheriff's Deputy Elijah Ming, who was killed in the line of duty on July 26 will be held Monday, August 11, at Children's Mercy Park, according to a statement from the Wyandotte County Sheriff's Office.The service is open to the public and will begin at 11:00 a.m. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754356046097.jpeg" alt="Photo Wyandotte Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Wyandotte Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>Parking lots will open at 9:00 a.m., and the stadium gates will open at 10:00 a.m. There will be a Law Enforcement Processional immediately following the service; route details will be announced."We are so overwhelmed by the love of our community; we could not be more thankful for our lovely Wyandotte County," the sheriff's office wrote on their social media page.

Funeral services announced for fallen Kansas deputy

SEDGWICK COUNTY.&nbsp;— Police are investigating another homicide in Wichita and have identified the victim as&nbsp;49-year-old&nbsp;Ruben Parga-Quintanar of Dodge City.

Just before 9a.m. Friday, officers and Wichita Fire Department crews responded to a report of a man down near the entrance to an alley in the 2400 block of North Jeanette, according to a media release.

When fire personnel arrived, they found Parga-Quintanar with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 8:53 a.m., according to police.

Officers secured the area, and homicide detectives were called in to investigate. Initial findings suggest the victim was shot somewhere else and collapsed after fleeing the scene on a bicycle.&nbsp;

Anyone with information is asked to call our homicide section at 316-268-4407. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754085592544.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY.&nbsp;— Police are investigating another homicide in Wichita and have identified the victim as&nbsp;49-year-old&nbsp;Ruben Parga-Quintanar of Dodge City.Just before 9a.m. Friday, officers and Wichita Fire Department crews responded to a report of a man down near the entrance to an alley in the 2400 block of North Jeanette, according to a media release.When fire personnel arrived, they found Parga-Quintanar with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 8:53 a.m., according to police.Officers secured the area, and homicide detectives were called in to investigate. Initial findings suggest the victim was shot somewhere else and collapsed after fleeing the scene on a bicycle.&nbsp;Anyone with information is asked to call our homicide section at 316-268-4407. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

SW Kansas man was shot, died attempting to escape on bicycle

SALINE COUNTY — The ground continues to shake in central Kansas. The U.S. Geological Survey reported a 3.3 magnitude earthquake just before 6:30p.m. Monday was centered approximately 3 miles east of Assaria. The Kansas Geological Survey reported the quake with a preliminary magnitude of 3.7. Moments later the KGS reported a 3.1 magnitude quake in the same area.

This is the fifth quake in the area since Saturday.

Just before 4:30p.m. Saturday, a quake measuring a magnitude 3.4 was reported 4.3 miles east of Assaria, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.&nbsp; A 2.7 magnitude quake shook the same area a short time later.

Just after 5:35p.m. Sunday the USGS reported a 3.3 magnitude quake approximately 4 miles southeast of Assaria.

There are no reports of damage and no calls about the quakes, according to the Saline County Sheriff's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754388617954.png" alt="Star marks the location of the Monday evening earthquake" />
 <figcaption>Star marks the location of the Monday evening earthquake</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY — The ground continues to shake in central Kansas. The U.S. Geological Survey reported a 3.3 magnitude earthquake just before 6:30p.m. Monday was centered approximately 3 miles east of Assaria. The Kansas Geological Survey reported the quake with a preliminary magnitude of 3.7. Moments later the KGS reported a 3.1 magnitude quake in the same area.This is the fifth quake in the area since Saturday.Just before 4:30p.m. Saturday, a quake measuring a magnitude 3.4 was reported 4.3 miles east of Assaria, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.&nbsp; A 2.7 magnitude quake shook the same area a short time later.Just after 5:35p.m. Sunday the USGS reported a 3.3 magnitude quake approximately 4 miles southeast of Assaria.There are no reports of damage and no calls about the quakes, according to the Saline County Sheriff's office.

USGS reports more earthquake activity in central Kansas

TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp;The State of Kansas ends July 2025 with total tax collections at $670.2 million. That is $21.2 million, or 3.3%, above the estimate. Total tax collections were up 1.5% from July 2024.&nbsp;

Click&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fcontent.govdelivery.com%2Fattachments%2FKSOG%2F2025%2F08%2F01%2Ffile_attachments%2F3341713%2F01_July_Revenue_FY2026_08-01-2025_Final.pdf/1/01010198767554f7-81e38fb2-77c7-4e61-a53e-524e123f100d-000000/J2e-Y6KHxzx-FvCaPNw9hRIC0G4Ct2T6l84XgBTV6hc=416">here</a>&nbsp;to view the July 2025 revenue numbers.&nbsp;

“While this month’s tax collections highlight the strength of Kansas’ workforce and economy&nbsp;in the short-term, I remain concerned about the long-term fiscal health of the state,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“We&nbsp;must stay vigilant and&nbsp;recommit&nbsp;to fiscally responsible budgeting&nbsp;in order to stay out of the red in the&nbsp;coming years.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Individual income tax collections were $347.5 million. That is $32.5 million, or 10.3% above the estimate. Individual income tax collections were up 12.7% from July 2024. Corporate income tax collections were $18.5 million. That is $16.5 million, or 47.1% below the estimate, and down 46.0% from July 2024.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Combined retail sales and compensating use tax receipts were $291.8 million, which is $2.2 million, or 0.8% below the estimate, and down 4.4% from July 2024.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/8/1564697584639.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA&nbsp;–&nbsp;The State of Kansas ends July 2025 with total tax collections at $670.2 million. That is $21.2 million, or 3.3%, above the estimate. Total tax collections were up 1.5% from July 2024.&nbsp;Click&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://links-2.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fcontent.govdelivery.com%2Fattachments%2FKSOG%2F2025%2F08%2F01%2Ffile_attachments%2F3341713%2F01_July_Revenue_FY2026_08-01-2025_Final.pdf/1/01010198767554f7-81e38fb2-77c7-4e61-a53e-524e123f100d-000000/J2e-Y6KHxzx-FvCaPNw9hRIC0G4Ct2T6l84XgBTV6hc=416">here</a>&nbsp;to view the July 2025 revenue numbers.&nbsp;“While this month’s tax collections highlight the strength of Kansas’ workforce and economy&nbsp;in the short-term, I remain concerned about the long-term fiscal health of the state,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“We&nbsp;must stay vigilant and&nbsp;recommit&nbsp;to fiscally responsible budgeting&nbsp;in order to stay out of the red in the&nbsp;coming years.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Individual income tax collections were $347.5 million. That is $32.5 million, or 10.3% above the estimate. Individual income tax collections were up 12.7% from July 2024. Corporate income tax collections were $18.5 million. That is $16.5 million, or 47.1% below the estimate, and down 46.0% from July 2024.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Combined retail sales and compensating use tax receipts were $291.8 million, which is $2.2 million, or 0.8% below the estimate, and down 4.4% from July 2024.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;