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

Just after 10a.m. Friday, police responded to the Meadowlark Apartments 1621 SW 37th Terrace in Topeka after receiving multiple reports of a shooting, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.

Upon arrival, officers located one man identified as&nbsp;Keith K. Gaylord Jr., 23 of Topeka. He was pronounced deceased at the scene. They located another individual with injuries believed to be non-life threatening. The injured individual was transported by American Medical Response to a local hospital, and was in stable condition late Friday.&nbsp;

This is the third homicide in Topeka in the past two days. This incident at the apartment complex is not believed to be related to the Friday's earlier homicide in connection with a body found under the Interstate 70 Bridge near the intersection of SE Quincy and SE 2nd Street or the shooting death at a home&nbsp;3500 Block of SW Kerry Avenue in Topeka on Thursday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664586524758.png" alt="Police on the scene of the investigation-photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the investigation-photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating another homicide in Topeka.Just after 10a.m. Friday, police responded to the Meadowlark Apartments 1621 SW 37th Terrace in Topeka after receiving multiple reports of a shooting, according to police spokesperson Gretchen Spiker.Upon arrival, officers located one man identified as&nbsp;Keith K. Gaylord Jr., 23 of Topeka. He was pronounced deceased at the scene. They located another individual with injuries believed to be non-life threatening. The injured individual was transported by American Medical Response to a local hospital, and was in stable condition late Friday.&nbsp;This is the third homicide in Topeka in the past two days. This incident at the apartment complex is not believed to be related to the Friday's earlier homicide in connection with a body found under the Interstate 70 Bridge near the intersection of SE Quincy and SE 2nd Street or the shooting death at a home&nbsp;3500 Block of SW Kerry Avenue in Topeka on Thursday.

Police investigate 3rd homicide in Topeka in 2 days

JOHNSON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 3p.m. Friday in Johnson County.

Shawnee Police reported a semi dump truck&nbsp; was southbound in the 7700 Block of Interstate 435. The truck left the road and struck an unoccupied vehicle that was abandoned on the side of the highway. The driver of the truck was ejected and pronounced dead at the scene.

Police have not released the name of the driver.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/10/1664626811199.png" alt="Friday fatal crash -photo Kansas City Scout" />
 <figcaption>Friday fatal crash -photo Kansas City Scout</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 3p.m. Friday in Johnson County.Shawnee Police reported a semi dump truck&nbsp; was southbound in the 7700 Block of Interstate 435. The truck left the road and struck an unoccupied vehicle that was abandoned on the side of the highway. The driver of the truck was ejected and pronounced dead at the scene.Police have not released the name of the driver.

Driver dies after ejected in dump truck crash on Kansas highway

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DAVID%20A.%20LIEB%20and%20KAVISH%20HARJAI%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DAVID A. LIEB and KAVISH HARJAI </a>TOPEKA (AP) —Standing 14 stories tall, the Docking State Office Building is one of Kansas' largest and oldest state workplaces. It's also largely vacant, despite a prime location across from the Capitol.

So Kansas officials are planning to spend $60 million of federal pandemic relief funds to help finance its demolition and replace it with a slimmed-down, three-story building designed to host meetings and events.

State officials categorized the project as a “public health service” in a report to the U.S. Treasury Department laying out their plans for the money. Though that may be a stretch, it's likely fine under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-personal-taxes-legislation-coronavirus-pandemic-unemployment-insurance-104c5477a7879abd4117abfea25c30d5">the American Rescue Plan act</a>&nbsp;— a sweeping law signed by President Joe Biden last year that provides&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-business-health-d159b73865f3346db8570008c6985112">broad flexibility for $350 billion of aid to states and local governments</a>.

The aid was promoted by Democrats in Congress as an unprecedented infusion for cash-strapped governments to respond to the virus, rebuild their economies and shore up their finances. But it came as state tax revenues already were rebounding,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-pandemics-personal-taxes-42637f997178a1de4911bf16dbc3f60b">leaving many states with record surpluses</a>&nbsp;and enviable decisions about what to do with all the money.

Relatively little of the federal aid has gone toward traditional public health purposes, according to an Associated Press review of reports filed by all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Significantly more has gone toward public infrastructure. States are pouring money into water, sewer and high-speed internet projects, as specifically envisioned by the law. But the AP found that they're also spending billions of dollars on roads, bridges, sidewalks, airports, rail lines and buildings at college campuses and government agencies — justifying all of it under the federal government's generous flexibility.

“We didn't need it, to be quite honest,” said Kansas House Appropriations Committee Chairman Troy Waymaster, referring to the $1.6 billion the state received.

But the Docking building does need to come down, he said, and the new space for events and meetings could allow better social distancing during a COVID-19 resurgence or future pandemic.

If “the building itself could be used during a pandemic, then it somewhat justifies the use of ARPA funds for the renovation or infrastructure projects,” said Waymaster, a Republican.

A Kansas preservationist group has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/22672175-ks_docking-state-office-building-court-filing">asked a court to block the demolition</a>, arguing that Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's administration hasn't followed proper procedures to tear down the 65-year-old structure that was added to the National Register of Historic Places earlier this year.

“There’s some wrongheaded action going on here to demolish what really is a perfectly suitable building,” said Paul Post, a retired Topeka attorney and member of the Plains Modern preservationist group.

All states recently were required to file annual reports with the Treasury Department detailing their progress under the American Rescue Plan. The documents show states have planned expenditures for about three-fourths of their funds. up significantly from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-states-cities-spend-federal-pandemic-funds-191dce8c75b0f5159691f0606d910d74">an initial slow pace</a>.

The Treasury asked states to classify projects in seven general categories, with 83 subcategories. It can recoup funds if it determines by the end of 2026 that spending fell outside the law's wide guidelines.

Governments reported more than $22 billion of planned expenditures for the Treasury's infrastructure category of water, sewer and broadband. But the AP identified a total of about $36 billion for infrastructure projects — nearly one-quarter of all planned expenditures — when including roads, bridges, buildings and public works projects reported in other categories.

By contrast, governments reported less than $12 billion of planned expenditures in the Treasury's public health category — even though it was broadly construed to also include such things as “community violence interventions,” substance use services and COVID-19 aid to small businesses.

Some state officials may have decided not to use the relief funds for public health because they had other federal funding streams for vaccines, testing and health initiatives. For example, a separate section of the American Rescue Plan provided nearly $8 billion for state and local health departments. But the large influx of funds may also have stirred concerns about sustainability.

Though&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-health-government-and-politics-coronavirus-c3d25e5687e5cb2bf2877c111364df44">public health has historically been underfunded</a>, “a lot of health officials have struggled to get their policymakers and their bosses to commit to hiring people for the long-term because it’s one-time money,” said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association.

Some states reported no public health expenditures with their discretionary American Rescue Plan funds. Those included Florida, which received the fourth largest allotment from the federal government. Florida instead devoted $1.8 billion for highway, $1.9 billion for water projects and more than $2.5 billion for construction and maintenance of public buildings, including the Capitol, university facilities and K-12 schools, according to the AP's analysis.

The state's water initiatives include up to $700 million for a grant program to fight flooding associated with climate change. The city of Miami was awarded about $50 million for a half-dozen projects, including one that will nearly double the height of a sea wall in an area devastated by a storm surge from Hurricane Irma in 2017.

The goal of the project is "to protect the residences and the businesses from future storm surge and sea level rise,” said Sonia Brubaker, Miami's chief resilience officer.

Louisiana also listed no planned expenditures in the Treasury's public health category. But the state plans to spend $863 million on roads and bridges, $750 million on water and sewer infrastructure and $27 million for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-nfl-sports-business-health-408dd6c70ee2b0d158675b23e8e1eaa7">improvements to the domed stadium</a>&nbsp;where the New Orleans Saints play football.

Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards said the stadium subsidy was critical “to keep that venue competitive."

North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, also defended $46 million of grants to upgrade grandstands, walkways, bathrooms and infrastructure at racetracks across his state. “Motorsports are part of the fabric of North Carolina,” he said earlier this year.

<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/22672190-al_prison-construction-lawsuit">Alabama prisoners have sued the Treasury Department</a>&nbsp;to try to stop the state from spending $400 million on prison construction. Though the state agues it's OK under the Treasury's flexible rules, the lawsuit contends it's a “a gross and illegal misuse” of pandemic relief funds.

A coalition of more than two dozen construction, business and local government groups is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apwa.net/Library/CR%20Padilla%20Cornyn%20Support%20Letter%200922.pdf">pressing Congress to grant even more leeway</a>&nbsp;to use pandemic aid on transportation projects.

“Having a good infrastructure that allows us all to live and thrive" ultimately “leads back into public health,” said Stan Brown, past president of the American Public Works Association.

Missouri, which has yet to categorize most of its projects, also is investing heavily in infrastructure by directing hundreds of millions of dollars to buildings at community colleges and public universities. The NextGen Precision Health initiative at the University of Missouri will get nearly $105 million for improvements that include finishing off the fourth floor of a new building named for retiring U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt.

"A lot of this was already going to happen," although no specific timeline had been set, said university spokesperson Christian Basi. "Then COVID hits, and then ARPA funds are available. It’s coincidental odd timing, but it turned out to be a very, very helpful thing for us.”

Like Missouri, Utah categorized $90 million for a new mental health research facility as a replacement of lost revenue for government services. Construction is to begin next year on the building, which will host research on suicide and the effect of social isolation on children's mental health, among other things.

The planned work aligns nicely with the intent of the federal aid, said Mark Rapaport, CEO of the Huntsman Mental Health Institute at the University of Utah.

“A lot of what we’re doing is directly related to tackling issues that have been exacerbated by the pandemic itself," he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664483772191.jpeg" alt="This photo from Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022, shows the Robert B. Docking State Office building in Topeka, Kansas, named for a Kansas governor. Despite its prime location near the Kansas Statehouse, it's largely vacant and in need of renovations, and the state now plans to spend $60 million in pandemic relief funds to tear it down and build a smaller events center on the site. (AP Photo/John Hanna)" />
 <figcaption>This photo from Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022, shows the Robert B. Docking State Office building in Topeka, Kansas, named for a Kansas governor. Despite its prime location near the Kansas Statehouse, it's largely vacant and in need of renovations, and the state now plans to spend $60 million in pandemic relief funds to tear it down and build a smaller events center on the site. (AP Photo/John Hanna)</figcaption>
 </figure><a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22DAVID%20A.%20LIEB%20and%20KAVISH%20HARJAI%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest">By DAVID A. LIEB and KAVISH HARJAI </a>TOPEKA (AP) —Standing 14 stories tall, the Docking State Office Building is one of Kansas' largest and oldest state workplaces. It's also largely vacant, despite a prime location across from the Capitol.So Kansas officials are planning to spend $60 million of federal pandemic relief funds to help finance its demolition and replace it with a slimmed-down, three-story building designed to host meetings and events.State officials categorized the project as a “public health service” in a report to the U.S. Treasury Department laying out their plans for the money. Though that may be a stretch, it's likely fine under&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-personal-taxes-legislation-coronavirus-pandemic-unemployment-insurance-104c5477a7879abd4117abfea25c30d5">the American Rescue Plan act</a>&nbsp;— a sweeping law signed by President Joe Biden last year that provides&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-joe-biden-business-health-d159b73865f3346db8570008c6985112">broad flexibility for $350 billion of aid to states and local governments</a>.The aid was promoted by Democrats in Congress as an unprecedented infusion for cash-strapped governments to respond to the virus, rebuild their economies and shore up their finances. But it came as state tax revenues already were rebounding,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-pandemics-personal-taxes-42637f997178a1de4911bf16dbc3f60b">leaving many states with record surpluses</a>&nbsp;and enviable decisions about what to do with all the money.Relatively little of the federal aid has gone toward traditional public health purposes, according to an Associated Press review of reports filed by all 50 states and the District of Columbia. Significantly more has gone toward public infrastructure. States are pouring money into water, sewer and high-speed internet projects, as specifically envisioned by the law. But the AP found that they're also spending billions of dollars on roads, bridges, sidewalks, airports, rail lines and buildings at college campuses and government agencies — justifying all of it under the federal government's generous flexibility.“We didn't need it, to be quite honest,” said Kansas House Appropriations Committee Chairman Troy Waymaster, referring to the $1.6 billion the state received.But the Docking building does need to come down, he said, and the new space for events and meetings could allow better social distancing during a COVID-19 resurgence or future pandemic.If “the building itself could be used during a pandemic, then it somewhat justifies the use of ARPA funds for the renovation or infrastructure projects,” said Waymaster, a Republican.A Kansas preservationist group has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/22672175-ks_docking-state-office-building-court-filing">asked a court to block the demolition</a>, arguing that Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly's administration hasn't followed proper procedures to tear down the 65-year-old structure that was added to the National Register of Historic Places earlier this year.“There’s some wrongheaded action going on here to demolish what really is a perfectly suitable building,” said Paul Post, a retired Topeka attorney and member of the Plains Modern preservationist group.All states recently were required to file annual reports with the Treasury Department detailing their progress under the American Rescue Plan. The documents show states have planned expenditures for about three-fourths of their funds. up significantly from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-states-cities-spend-federal-pandemic-funds-191dce8c75b0f5159691f0606d910d74">an initial slow pace</a>.The Treasury asked states to classify projects in seven general categories, with 83 subcategories. It can recoup funds if it determines by the end of 2026 that spending fell outside the law's wide guidelines.Governments reported more than $22 billion of planned expenditures for the Treasury's infrastructure category of water, sewer and broadband. But the AP identified a total of about $36 billion for infrastructure projects — nearly one-quarter of all planned expenditures — when including roads, bridges, buildings and public works projects reported in other categories.By contrast, governments reported less than $12 billion of planned expenditures in the Treasury's public health category — even though it was broadly construed to also include such things as “community violence interventions,” substance use services and COVID-19 aid to small businesses.Some state officials may have decided not to use the relief funds for public health because they had other federal funding streams for vaccines, testing and health initiatives. For example, a separate section of the American Rescue Plan provided nearly $8 billion for state and local health departments. But the large influx of funds may also have stirred concerns about sustainability.Though&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-health-government-and-politics-coronavirus-c3d25e5687e5cb2bf2877c111364df44">public health has historically been underfunded</a>, “a lot of health officials have struggled to get their policymakers and their bosses to commit to hiring people for the long-term because it’s one-time money,” said Dr. Georges Benjamin, executive director of the American Public Health Association.Some states reported no public health expenditures with their discretionary American Rescue Plan funds. Those included Florida, which received the fourth largest allotment from the federal government. Florida instead devoted $1.8 billion for highway, $1.9 billion for water projects and more than $2.5 billion for construction and maintenance of public buildings, including the Capitol, university facilities and K-12 schools, according to the AP's analysis.The state's water initiatives include up to $700 million for a grant program to fight flooding associated with climate change. The city of Miami was awarded about $50 million for a half-dozen projects, including one that will nearly double the height of a sea wall in an area devastated by a storm surge from Hurricane Irma in 2017.The goal of the project is "to protect the residences and the businesses from future storm surge and sea level rise,” said Sonia Brubaker, Miami's chief resilience officer.Louisiana also listed no planned expenditures in the Treasury's public health category. But the state plans to spend $863 million on roads and bridges, $750 million on water and sewer infrastructure and $27 million for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-nfl-sports-business-health-408dd6c70ee2b0d158675b23e8e1eaa7">improvements to the domed stadium</a>&nbsp;where the New Orleans Saints play football.Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards said the stadium subsidy was critical “to keep that venue competitive."North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, also defended $46 million of grants to upgrade grandstands, walkways, bathrooms and infrastructure at racetracks across his state. “Motorsports are part of the fabric of North Carolina,” he said earlier this year.<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/22672190-al_prison-construction-lawsuit">Alabama prisoners have sued the Treasury Department</a>&nbsp;to try to stop the state from spending $400 million on prison construction. Though the state agues it's OK under the Treasury's flexible rules, the lawsuit contends it's a “a gross and illegal misuse” of pandemic relief funds.A coalition of more than two dozen construction, business and local government groups is&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apwa.net/Library/CR%20Padilla%20Cornyn%20Support%20Letter%200922.pdf">pressing Congress to grant even more leeway</a>&nbsp;to use pandemic aid on transportation projects.“Having a good infrastructure that allows us all to live and thrive" ultimately “leads back into public health,” said Stan Brown, past president of the American Public Works Association.Missouri, which has yet to categorize most of its projects, also is investing heavily in infrastructure by directing hundreds of millions of dollars to buildings at community colleges and public universities. The NextGen Precision Health initiative at the University of Missouri will get nearly $105 million for improvements that include finishing off the fourth floor of a new building named for retiring U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt."A lot of this was already going to happen," although no specific timeline had been set, said university spokesperson Christian Basi. "Then COVID hits, and then ARPA funds are available. It’s coincidental odd timing, but it turned out to be a very, very helpful thing for us.”Like Missouri, Utah categorized $90 million for a new mental health research facility as a replacement of lost revenue for government services. Construction is to begin next year on the building, which will host research on suicide and the effect of social isolation on children's mental health, among other things.The planned work aligns nicely with the intent of the federal aid, said Mark Rapaport, CEO of the Huntsman Mental Health Institute at the University of Utah.“A lot of what we’re doing is directly related to tackling issues that have been exacerbated by the pandemic itself," he said.

Plans to replace iconic Kan. capital building using federal COVID funds

MONTGOMERY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a wanted Kansas man after a nearly 3-hour standoff.

Just after 9:30p.m. Sept. 28, sheriff's deputies arrived at the Garden Walk apartment complex 1701 N. 10th in Independence, Kansas, to assist police who had received calls that 32-year-old Steven Shanstra of Independence, Kansas had entered one of the apartments with a sword, according to Sheriff Ron Wade.

  Officers knew Shanstra had three felony warrants out of Montgomery County. Deputies and Officers entered the apartment with consent by the tenant and attempted to contact Shanstra but heard him barricading the bedroom door.&nbsp; He refused to come out.  Deputies determined Shanstra was the only occupant in the apartment and backed out to start the barricaded subject protocol.

&nbsp;The county SWAT Team and Members of the Montgomery County Crisis Negotiations Team (CNT) arrived and started establishing contact with Shanstra via phone. 

 At approximately 11:52pm, CNT was able to successfully establish contact with Shanstra via cell phone.  At midnight, CNT was able to talk Shanstra out of the apartment and took him into custody. 

Deputies booked him on all three felony warrants for aggravated failure to appear, according to Wade.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664392442472.png" alt="Shanstra-photo Atchison County" />
 <figcaption>Shanstra-photo Atchison County</figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a wanted Kansas man after a nearly 3-hour standoff.Just after 9:30p.m. Sept. 28, sheriff's deputies arrived at the Garden Walk apartment complex 1701 N. 10th in Independence, Kansas, to assist police who had received calls that 32-year-old Steven Shanstra of Independence, Kansas had entered one of the apartments with a sword, according to Sheriff Ron Wade. Officers knew Shanstra had three felony warrants out of Montgomery County. Deputies and Officers entered the apartment with consent by the tenant and attempted to contact Shanstra but heard him barricading the bedroom door.&nbsp; He refused to come out. Deputies determined Shanstra was the only occupant in the apartment and backed out to start the barricaded subject protocol.&nbsp;The county SWAT Team and Members of the Montgomery County Crisis Negotiations Team (CNT) arrived and started establishing contact with Shanstra via phone. At approximately 11:52pm, CNT was able to successfully establish contact with Shanstra via cell phone. At midnight, CNT was able to talk Shanstra out of the apartment and took him into custody. Deputies booked him on all three felony warrants for aggravated failure to appear, according to Wade.

Wanted Kansas man with sword arrested after standoff 

ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after an arrest.

Shortly after 8:30p.m. Wednesday an officer attempted to stop a vehicle in the area of the 800 block Kansas Avenue in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. The vehicle driven by 33-year-old Justen Houk fled from the officer and a pursuit followed until it was terminated on north River Road.&nbsp;

On Thursday police located and arrested&nbsp; Haukon on a District Court warrant for fleeing and attempting to elude police, driving while suspended, reckless driving, and other traffic offenses, according to Wilson.

Hauk has a previous conviction for&nbsp;Indecent Solicitation of a Child and two convictions for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.&nbsp; In May, the KDOC&nbsp; listed him as an absconder.

He is being held on a $2500 bond, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664495156559.png" alt="Hauk-photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Hauk-photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on new charges after an arrest.Shortly after 8:30p.m. Wednesday an officer attempted to stop a vehicle in the area of the 800 block Kansas Avenue in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. The vehicle driven by 33-year-old Justen Houk fled from the officer and a pursuit followed until it was terminated on north River Road.&nbsp;On Thursday police located and arrested&nbsp; Haukon on a District Court warrant for fleeing and attempting to elude police, driving while suspended, reckless driving, and other traffic offenses, according to Wilson.Hauk has a previous conviction for&nbsp;Indecent Solicitation of a Child and two convictions for drugs, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.&nbsp; In May, the KDOC&nbsp; listed him as an absconder.He is being held on a $2500 bond, according to online jail records.

Kan. man convicted of child sex crime jailed after police chase

LA CROSSE — A Great Bend woman has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 25 years for the January murder of a La Crosse man, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said today in a news release.

Jennifer Stipe, 49, of Great Bend, was sentenced in Rush County District Court by Chief Judge Bruce Gatterman. Stipe pleaded guilty on Aug. 10 to one count of first-degree murder. Gatterman also ordered Stipe to pay $5,000 in restitution.

The charges stem from the Jan. 11, murder of Leslie Marvin Randa, 61, in La Crosse. The case was investigated by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Rush County Sheriff’s Office.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Jessica Domme of Schmidt’s office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/3/1646497053839.png" alt="Stipe" />
 <figcaption>Stipe</figcaption>
 </figure>LA CROSSE — A Great Bend woman has been sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole for 25 years for the January murder of a La Crosse man, Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt said today in a news release.Jennifer Stipe, 49, of Great Bend, was sentenced in Rush County District Court by Chief Judge Bruce Gatterman. Stipe pleaded guilty on Aug. 10 to one count of first-degree murder. Gatterman also ordered Stipe to pay $5,000 in restitution.The charges stem from the Jan. 11, murder of Leslie Marvin Randa, 61, in La Crosse. The case was investigated by the Kansas Bureau of Investigation and the Rush County Sheriff’s Office.The case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Jessica Domme of Schmidt’s office.

Great Bend woman sentenced to life for murder of NW Kan. man

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

Just after 8 a.m. Friday, an individual walked into the Law Enforcement Center and reported finding items under the Interstate 70 Bridge near the intersection of SE Quincy and SE 2nd Street, according to Lt. Manuel Munoz. 

Officers responded and located a man that was determined to deceased. Detectives on the scene determined this is homicide.

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664552726789.png" alt="Police on the scene of the homicide investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the homicide investigation -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY — Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspicious death in Topeka.Just after 8 a.m. Friday, an individual walked into the Law Enforcement Center and reported finding items under the Interstate 70 Bridge near the intersection of SE Quincy and SE 2nd Street, according to Lt. Manuel Munoz. Officers responded and located a man that was determined to deceased. Detectives on the scene determined this is homicide.Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

Homicide: Man found body under I-70 bridge

NEW YORK (AP) —Wall Street closed out a miserable September on Friday with the S&amp;P 500's worst monthly skid since March 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic crashed global markets.

The benchmark index ended the month with a 9.3% loss and posted its third straight losing quarter. It’s now at its lowest level since November 2020 and is down by more than a quarter since the start of the year.

The main reason financial markets continue to struggle is fear about a possible recession, as interest rates soar in hopes of beating down the high inflation that's swept the world.

“Quite frankly, if it’s a deep recession you’re going to have to see more of a sell-off," said Quincy Krosby, chief equity strategist for LPL Financial. “This is what the market is trying to navigate now."

The Federal Reserve has been at the forefront of the global campaign to slow economic growth and hurt job markets just enough to undercut inflation but not so much that it causes a recession. More data arrived Friday to suggest the Fed will keep its foot firmly on the brakes on the economy, raising the risk of its going too far and causing a downturn.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-business-economy-prices-12062bc2f39d2929997475111654c7c6">Fed’s preferred measure of inflation</a>&nbsp;showed it was worse last month than economists expected. That should keep the Fed on track to keep raising rates and hold them at high levels a while, as it's loudly and repeatedly promised to do.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-business-china-united-states-economy-3b3818e8b3cfb972414e49114cc1ac9a">Vice Chair Lael Brainard</a>&nbsp;was the latest Fed official on Friday to insist it won't pull back on rates prematurely. That helped to keep snuffed out hopes on Wall Street for a “pivot” toward easier rates as the economy slows.

“At this point, it’s not a matter of if we’ll have a recession, but what type of recession it will be,” said Sean Sun, portfolio manager at Thornburg Investment Management.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 fell 54.85 points, or 1.5%, to close at 3,585.62 Friday, after flipping between small losses and gains in the early going. It has now posted a weekly loss in six out of the last seven weeks.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 500.10 points, or 1.7%, to 28,725.51. The Nasdaq composite slid 161.89 points, or 1.5%, to 10,575.62. The tech-heavy index sank 10.5% in September and is down 32.4% so far this year.

Smaller company stocks also had a rough September. The Russell 2000 ended the month down 9.7%. On Friday, it lost 10.21 points, or 0.6%, to 1,664.72.

Higher interest rates knock down one of the main levers that set prices for stocks. The other lever also looks to be under threat as the slowing economy, high interest rates and other factors weigh on corporate profits.

Cruise ship operator Carnival dropped 23.3% for the biggest decline among S&amp;P 500 stocks after it reported a bigger loss for its latest quarter than analysts expected and revenue that fell short of expectations. Rivals Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean Group slid 18% and 13.2%, respectively.

Nike slumped 12.8%, its worst day in more than 20 years, after it said its profitability weakened during the summer because of discounts needed to clear suddenly overstuffed warehouses. The amount of shoes and gear in Nike’s inventories swelled by 44% from a year earlier.

This year's powerful surge for the U.S. dollar against other currencies also hurt Nike. Its worldwide revenue rose only 4%, instead of the 10% it would have if currency values had remained the same.

Nike isn't the only company to see its inventories balloon. So have several big-name retailers, and such bad news for businesses could actually mean some relief for shoppers if it leads to more discounts. It echoed some glimmers of encouragement buried within Friday's report on the Fed's preferred gauge of inflation. That showed some slowing of inflation for goods, even as price gains kept accelerating for services.

Another report on Friday also offered a glimmer of hope. A measure of consumer sentiment showed U.S. expectations for future inflation came down in September. That's crucial for the Fed because tightly held expectations for higher inflation can create a debilitating, self-reinforcing cycle that worsens it.

Treasury yields initially eased a bit on Friday, letting off some of the pressure that's built on markets, but then turned higher by late afternoon.

The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 3.81% from 3.79% late Thursday. The two-year yield, which more closely tracks expectations for Fed action, rose to 4.23% from 4.19%.

Not all stocks took a beating in September. Biogen soared 35%, but it was an outlier. FedEx was among the market's biggest losers, ending the month 29.6% lower.

Looking at the third quarter, which included a market rally in July, Netflix was among the best performers, climbing 34.6%. It's still down 60.9% for the year.

A long list of other worries continues to hang over global markets, including increasing tensions between much of Europe and Russia following the invasion of Ukraine. A controversial plan to cut taxes by the U.K. government also sent bond markets spinning recently on fears it could make inflation even worse. Bond markets calmed a bit only after the Bank of England pledged mid-week to buy however many U.K. government bonds are needed to bring yields back down.

The stunning and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-japanese-yen-euro-8c3b111e940faace365c802bb957e2c1">swift rise of the U.S. dollar</a>&nbsp;against other currencies, meanwhile, raises the risk of creating so much stress that something cracks somewhere in global markets.

Stocks around the world were mixed after a report showed that inflation in the 19 countries that use Europe's euro currency&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-business-economy-prices-cb9941a0423df3116a90aefd388c1642">spiked to a record</a>&nbsp;and data from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-china-economy-economic-growth-news-magazines-bbfd3d096d3cbb8e3713bd6974ead4a0">China said that factory activity weakened</a>&nbsp;there.

NEW YORK (AP) —Wall Street closed out a miserable September on Friday with the S&amp;P 500's worst monthly skid since March 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic crashed global markets.The benchmark index ended the month with a 9.3% loss and posted its third straight losing quarter. It’s now at its lowest level since November 2020 and is down by more than a quarter since the start of the year.The main reason financial markets continue to struggle is fear about a possible recession, as interest rates soar in hopes of beating down the high inflation that's swept the world.“Quite frankly, if it’s a deep recession you’re going to have to see more of a sell-off," said Quincy Krosby, chief equity strategist for LPL Financial. “This is what the market is trying to navigate now."The Federal Reserve has been at the forefront of the global campaign to slow economic growth and hurt job markets just enough to undercut inflation but not so much that it causes a recession. More data arrived Friday to suggest the Fed will keep its foot firmly on the brakes on the economy, raising the risk of its going too far and causing a downturn.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-business-economy-prices-12062bc2f39d2929997475111654c7c6">Fed’s preferred measure of inflation</a>&nbsp;showed it was worse last month than economists expected. That should keep the Fed on track to keep raising rates and hold them at high levels a while, as it's loudly and repeatedly promised to do.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-business-china-united-states-economy-3b3818e8b3cfb972414e49114cc1ac9a">Vice Chair Lael Brainard</a>&nbsp;was the latest Fed official on Friday to insist it won't pull back on rates prematurely. That helped to keep snuffed out hopes on Wall Street for a “pivot” toward easier rates as the economy slows.“At this point, it’s not a matter of if we’ll have a recession, but what type of recession it will be,” said Sean Sun, portfolio manager at Thornburg Investment Management.All told, the S&amp;P 500 fell 54.85 points, or 1.5%, to close at 3,585.62 Friday, after flipping between small losses and gains in the early going. It has now posted a weekly loss in six out of the last seven weeks.The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped 500.10 points, or 1.7%, to 28,725.51. The Nasdaq composite slid 161.89 points, or 1.5%, to 10,575.62. The tech-heavy index sank 10.5% in September and is down 32.4% so far this year.Smaller company stocks also had a rough September. The Russell 2000 ended the month down 9.7%. On Friday, it lost 10.21 points, or 0.6%, to 1,664.72.Higher interest rates knock down one of the main levers that set prices for stocks. The other lever also looks to be under threat as the slowing economy, high interest rates and other factors weigh on corporate profits.Cruise ship operator Carnival dropped 23.3% for the biggest decline among S&amp;P 500 stocks after it reported a bigger loss for its latest quarter than analysts expected and revenue that fell short of expectations. Rivals Norwegian Cruise Line and Royal Caribbean Group slid 18% and 13.2%, respectively.Nike slumped 12.8%, its worst day in more than 20 years, after it said its profitability weakened during the summer because of discounts needed to clear suddenly overstuffed warehouses. The amount of shoes and gear in Nike’s inventories swelled by 44% from a year earlier.This year's powerful surge for the U.S. dollar against other currencies also hurt Nike. Its worldwide revenue rose only 4%, instead of the 10% it would have if currency values had remained the same.Nike isn't the only company to see its inventories balloon. So have several big-name retailers, and such bad news for businesses could actually mean some relief for shoppers if it leads to more discounts. It echoed some glimmers of encouragement buried within Friday's report on the Fed's preferred gauge of inflation. That showed some slowing of inflation for goods, even as price gains kept accelerating for services.Another report on Friday also offered a glimmer of hope. A measure of consumer sentiment showed U.S. expectations for future inflation came down in September. That's crucial for the Fed because tightly held expectations for higher inflation can create a debilitating, self-reinforcing cycle that worsens it.Treasury yields initially eased a bit on Friday, letting off some of the pressure that's built on markets, but then turned higher by late afternoon.The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 3.81% from 3.79% late Thursday. The two-year yield, which more closely tracks expectations for Fed action, rose to 4.23% from 4.19%.Not all stocks took a beating in September. Biogen soared 35%, but it was an outlier. FedEx was among the market's biggest losers, ending the month 29.6% lower.Looking at the third quarter, which included a market rally in July, Netflix was among the best performers, climbing 34.6%. It's still down 60.9% for the year.A long list of other worries continues to hang over global markets, including increasing tensions between much of Europe and Russia following the invasion of Ukraine. A controversial plan to cut taxes by the U.K. government also sent bond markets spinning recently on fears it could make inflation even worse. Bond markets calmed a bit only after the Bank of England pledged mid-week to buy however many U.K. government bonds are needed to bring yields back down.The stunning and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-japanese-yen-euro-8c3b111e940faace365c802bb957e2c1">swift rise of the U.S. dollar</a>&nbsp;against other currencies, meanwhile, raises the risk of creating so much stress that something cracks somewhere in global markets.Stocks around the world were mixed after a report showed that inflation in the 19 countries that use Europe's euro currency&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/inflation-business-economy-prices-cb9941a0423df3116a90aefd388c1642">spiked to a record</a>&nbsp;and data from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-china-economy-economic-growth-news-magazines-bbfd3d096d3cbb8e3713bd6974ead4a0">China said that factory activity weakened</a>&nbsp;there.——

Wall Street slumps to 2022 low as dismal week, month close

HARRISONVILLE, Mo. (AP) — A northwest Missouri man pleaded guilty Friday to killing two brothers from Wisconsin after they came to his farm in 2019 to collect a debt from a cattle contract.

Garland Nelson, of Braymer, pleaded guilty to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michael-brown-us-news-ap-top-news-kansas-city-wisconsin-d979d903133f475f941d1be6a8ce5fe3">two counts of first-degree murder</a>&nbsp;in the deaths of 24-year-old Justin Diemel and 35-year-old Nicholas Diemel, of Shawano County, Wisconsin.

He was given two life sentences without parole, which will run consecutively.

In exchange for his plea, charges of abandonment of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, armed criminal action and tampering with a motor vehicle were dropped. the St. Joseph News-Press&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newspressnow.com/news/local_news/courts/nelson-pleads-guilty-gets-two-life-sentences-in-brothers-murders/article_9a86aad6-40c4-11ed-8e46-7fb718cb3f68.html">reported.</a>

In 2020, one of Nelson’s defense attorneys said the state planned to seek&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/9ec813dce6b49739ce4cefe408145fd3">the death penalty</a>&nbsp;if Nelson was convicted in the killings.

The brothers’ father reported them missing July 21, 2019, after they didn’t return from a visit to Nelson’s farm, where they had gone to collect a $250,000 debt. Nelson was supposed to be caring for cattle for the brothers, according to court records.

The Diemel family sent livestock to Nelson's farm to be cared for and sold between 2018 and 2019. The animals were neglected and many died but Nelson charged the family full price, according to court documents.

When the Diemels asked for their money back, Nelson intentionally sent a damaged check to Nicholas Diemel, which prompted the brothers' visit to his farm.

Prosecutors said Nelson shot the brothers and drove their pickup truck off of his farm. He told authorities he put the men's bodies in 55-gallon barrels and burned them. Nelson told investigators he dumped the remains on a manure pile and hid the barrels on his property, about 70 miles (110 kilometers) northeast of Kansas City, Missouri.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ffa79ba7ccfc4763b1cdc53d93b8f92a">remains were later found</a>&nbsp;in Missouri and in a livestock trailer in Lincoln County, Nebraska, that had been purchased in Missouri.

In 2020, the families of the victims&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/90822d5fc306e2c5f44f0fe2986ebcae">reached a $2 million settlement</a>&nbsp;in a wrongful death lawsuit filed against Nelson, his mother, Tomme Feil, and the family's cattle business, J4S Enterprises.

At the time of the brothers’ deaths, Nelson was on parole after serving 17 months in federal prison for an October 2016 conviction for cattle and insurance fraud. Prosecutors said he sold more than 600 head of cattle that did not belong to him, causing more than $262,000 in losses.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664560665379.png" alt="Garland Nelson -photo Caldwell County" />
 <figcaption>Garland Nelson -photo Caldwell County</figcaption>
 </figure>HARRISONVILLE, Mo. (AP) — A northwest Missouri man pleaded guilty Friday to killing two brothers from Wisconsin after they came to his farm in 2019 to collect a debt from a cattle contract.Garland Nelson, of Braymer, pleaded guilty to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/michael-brown-us-news-ap-top-news-kansas-city-wisconsin-d979d903133f475f941d1be6a8ce5fe3">two counts of first-degree murder</a>&nbsp;in the deaths of 24-year-old Justin Diemel and 35-year-old Nicholas Diemel, of Shawano County, Wisconsin.He was given two life sentences without parole, which will run consecutively.In exchange for his plea, charges of abandonment of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, armed criminal action and tampering with a motor vehicle were dropped. the St. Joseph News-Press&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newspressnow.com/news/local_news/courts/nelson-pleads-guilty-gets-two-life-sentences-in-brothers-murders/article_9a86aad6-40c4-11ed-8e46-7fb718cb3f68.html">reported.</a>In 2020, one of Nelson’s defense attorneys said the state planned to seek&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/9ec813dce6b49739ce4cefe408145fd3">the death penalty</a>&nbsp;if Nelson was convicted in the killings.The brothers’ father reported them missing July 21, 2019, after they didn’t return from a visit to Nelson’s farm, where they had gone to collect a $250,000 debt. Nelson was supposed to be caring for cattle for the brothers, according to court records.The Diemel family sent livestock to Nelson's farm to be cared for and sold between 2018 and 2019. The animals were neglected and many died but Nelson charged the family full price, according to court documents.When the Diemels asked for their money back, Nelson intentionally sent a damaged check to Nicholas Diemel, which prompted the brothers' visit to his farm.Prosecutors said Nelson shot the brothers and drove their pickup truck off of his farm. He told authorities he put the men's bodies in 55-gallon barrels and burned them. Nelson told investigators he dumped the remains on a manure pile and hid the barrels on his property, about 70 miles (110 kilometers) northeast of Kansas City, Missouri.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ffa79ba7ccfc4763b1cdc53d93b8f92a">remains were later found</a>&nbsp;in Missouri and in a livestock trailer in Lincoln County, Nebraska, that had been purchased in Missouri.In 2020, the families of the victims&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/90822d5fc306e2c5f44f0fe2986ebcae">reached a $2 million settlement</a>&nbsp;in a wrongful death lawsuit filed against Nelson, his mother, Tomme Feil, and the family's cattle business, J4S Enterprises.At the time of the brothers’ deaths, Nelson was on parole after serving 17 months in federal prison for an October 2016 conviction for cattle and insurance fraud. Prosecutors said he sold more than 600 head of cattle that did not belong to him, causing more than $262,000 in losses.

Man pleads guilty in deaths of Wisconsin brothers near Kansas City

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/former-kansas-gop-governor-hayden-endorses-reelection-of-democrat-kelly/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Enrollment at state universities, community colleges and technical colleges in Kansas this fall semester dwindled 1% to accentuate a five-year decline in student headcount of more than 9%, officials said Thursday.

The Kansas Board of Regents, which has oversight roles among seven universities, 19 community colleges and seven technical colleges, reported 165,198 students enrolled at start of the 2022 academic year. Collectively, these higher education institutions lost 1,677 students from 2021.

The report indicated headcount at the six state universities fell by 1,333 students or 1.5%; Washburn University in Topeka slipped by 283 or 4.1%; community colleges declined by 630 or 1%; and technical colleges expanded by 569 or 6% over last year’s enrollment totals.

“The preliminary fall enrollment numbers show a continued trend of decreasing enrollment for many Kansas colleges and universities,” said Jon Rolph, chairman of the Kansas Board of Regents. “Our system is taking decisive action to reverse declining enrollments, better serve students and ensure that our state has the workforce needed to grow the Kansas economy.”

During the past five years, here are the enrollment trends by category: six universities, down 6%; Washburn, down 18.3%; community colleges, down 15.5%; and technical colleges, down 9.2%. The total stood at 182,010 in fall 2017, but has constricted to 165,198 to mirror national trends.

The University of Kansas recruited the largest freshman class in 14 years. Enrollment of 4,457 freshmen at KU constituted the second-largest such class in university history. In addition, the grade-point average of these freshmen was a record 3.66 and minority students represented 28.5% of those incoming students.

“While we are pleased with this year’s freshman class, we must continue our efforts to recruit and retain top students and create a university they want to attend,” said Doug Girod, KU’s chancellor. “The reality is, college enrollment continues to decline across the nation, and we continue to face flat population trends here in the Midwest.”

KU attributed the increase in first-time freshmen to the profile of KU athletics, including a national championship in basketball, as well as the university’s targeted recruiting, academic reputation and the influence of alumni.

Overall, KU enrollment on the Lawrence campus this fall went down 0.4%. The tally over five years has decreased 4.1%. Enrollment at the KU Medical Center was up 1% this fall and has risen 5.9% over five years.

“Getting students to KU is important, but equally important is ensuring they earn their degree in a timely fashion,” Girod said.

Enrollment of freshmen at Kansas State University climbed 2.9% and new student transfers went up by 1.3% on the main campus in Manhattan. Over the past five years, Kansas State enrollment has fallen 13.9%. That included an overall drop at Kansas State of 2.6% compared to 2021.

“The growth in our new student enrollment is significant,” said Karen Goos, KSU vice provost for enrollment management. “This is one of our highest priorities at the university and is a sign that our strategic enrollment management efforts have us headed in the right direction.”

Enrollment among Black students at Kansas State increased 14%, while the headcount among Hispanic students went up 6%.

Here are 2022 headcount figures for the four other state universities: Emporia State, down 5.2% compared to 2021 and 7.1% from 2017; Fort Hays State, down 8.2% from 2021 and 14.2% from 2017; Pittsburg State, down 2.6% from 2021 and 15.2% since 2017; and Wichita State, up 5.1% since 2021 and up 12.2% since 2017.

<figure>
 <img src="https://kansasreflector.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/KU-basketball-Senate-3-1024x768.jpg" alt="University of Kansas attracted the second-largest freshman class in the university’s history on heels of KU basketball coach Bill Self and the Jayhawks winning the NCAA Tournament championship. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>University of Kansas attracted the second-largest freshman class in the university’s history on heels of KU basketball coach Bill Self and the Jayhawks winning the NCAA Tournament championship. (Tim Carpenter/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/briefs/former-kansas-gop-governor-hayden-endorses-reelection-of-democrat-kelly/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Enrollment at state universities, community colleges and technical colleges in Kansas this fall semester dwindled 1% to accentuate a five-year decline in student headcount of more than 9%, officials said Thursday.The Kansas Board of Regents, which has oversight roles among seven universities, 19 community colleges and seven technical colleges, reported 165,198 students enrolled at start of the 2022 academic year. Collectively, these higher education institutions lost 1,677 students from 2021.The report indicated headcount at the six state universities fell by 1,333 students or 1.5%; Washburn University in Topeka slipped by 283 or 4.1%; community colleges declined by 630 or 1%; and technical colleges expanded by 569 or 6% over last year’s enrollment totals.“The preliminary fall enrollment numbers show a continued trend of decreasing enrollment for many Kansas colleges and universities,” said Jon Rolph, chairman of the Kansas Board of Regents. “Our system is taking decisive action to reverse declining enrollments, better serve students and ensure that our state has the workforce needed to grow the Kansas economy.”During the past five years, here are the enrollment trends by category: six universities, down 6%; Washburn, down 18.3%; community colleges, down 15.5%; and technical colleges, down 9.2%. The total stood at 182,010 in fall 2017, but has constricted to 165,198 to mirror national trends.The University of Kansas recruited the largest freshman class in 14 years. Enrollment of 4,457 freshmen at KU constituted the second-largest such class in university history. In addition, the grade-point average of these freshmen was a record 3.66 and minority students represented 28.5% of those incoming students.“While we are pleased with this year’s freshman class, we must continue our efforts to recruit and retain top students and create a university they want to attend,” said Doug Girod, KU’s chancellor. “The reality is, college enrollment continues to decline across the nation, and we continue to face flat population trends here in the Midwest.”KU attributed the increase in first-time freshmen to the profile of KU athletics, including a national championship in basketball, as well as the university’s targeted recruiting, academic reputation and the influence of alumni.Overall, KU enrollment on the Lawrence campus this fall went down 0.4%. The tally over five years has decreased 4.1%. Enrollment at the KU Medical Center was up 1% this fall and has risen 5.9% over five years.“Getting students to KU is important, but equally important is ensuring they earn their degree in a timely fashion,” Girod said.Enrollment of freshmen at Kansas State University climbed 2.9% and new student transfers went up by 1.3% on the main campus in Manhattan. Over the past five years, Kansas State enrollment has fallen 13.9%. That included an overall drop at Kansas State of 2.6% compared to 2021.“The growth in our new student enrollment is significant,” said Karen Goos, KSU vice provost for enrollment management. “This is one of our highest priorities at the university and is a sign that our strategic enrollment management efforts have us headed in the right direction.”Enrollment among Black students at Kansas State increased 14%, while the headcount among Hispanic students went up 6%.Here are 2022 headcount figures for the four other state universities: Emporia State, down 5.2% compared to 2021 and 7.1% from 2017; Fort Hays State, down 8.2% from 2021 and 14.2% from 2017; Pittsburg State, down 2.6% from 2021 and 15.2% since 2017; and Wichita State, up 5.1% since 2021 and up 12.2% since 2017.

Kansas public university, community and technical college headcount declines 1%

By SCOTT CARLSON North Platte Post

IMPERIAL, Neb. — The Chase County Schools bus driver involved in a crash earlier this week has been cited by law enforcement.

The Chase County Sheriff's Office said the preliminary investigation into the Sept. 27 crash has been completed.

Authorities
 said the crash happened when the driver of the bus, Keith Cranwell, 39,
 of Champion, attempted to make a turn off of State Highway 15A onto a 
county road, failing to yield to a semi-truck, driven by Chance 
Lotspeich, 20, of Venango, Neb.&nbsp;The semi struck the rear of the bus causing 
it to roll onto its driver's side.

The bus was in the process of dropping off children after school and 
was carrying 12 students. Authorities said all students and drivers were
 transported to Chase County Hospital, with three being flown to trauma 
centers by helicopter. All children are recovering from their injuries, 
according to the Sheriff's office. Eight students have been treated and 
released.

Following the preliminary investigation, Cranwell was 
cited for failure to yield the right of way and careless driving. He is 
due to appear in Chase County court on Oct. 26.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664559474214.jpeg" alt="Photo: Chase County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo: Chase County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>By SCOTT CARLSON North Platte PostIMPERIAL, Neb. — The Chase County Schools bus driver involved in a crash earlier this week has been cited by law enforcement.The Chase County Sheriff's Office said the preliminary investigation into the Sept. 27 crash has been completed.Authorities
 said the crash happened when the driver of the bus, Keith Cranwell, 39,
 of Champion, attempted to make a turn off of State Highway 15A onto a 
county road, failing to yield to a semi-truck, driven by Chance 
Lotspeich, 20, of Venango, Neb.&nbsp;The semi struck the rear of the bus causing 
it to roll onto its driver's side.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664559530596.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The bus was in the process of dropping off children after school and 
was carrying 12 students. Authorities said all students and drivers were
 transported to Chase County Hospital, with three being flown to trauma 
centers by helicopter. All children are recovering from their injuries, 
according to the Sheriff's office. Eight students have been treated and 
released.Following the preliminary investigation, Cranwell was 
cited for failure to yield the right of way and careless driving. He is 
due to appear in Chase County court on Oct. 26.The investigation is ongoing.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664559571024.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Neb. school bus driver cited in crash that injured students

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ketanji-brown-jackson">Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson</a>&nbsp;made her first appearance on the Supreme Court bench in a brief courtroom ceremony Friday, three days before the start of the high court's new term.

President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses attended the invitation-only ceremonial investiture for Jackson, the first Black woman on the Supreme Court.

Chief Justice John Roberts wished the 52-year-old Jackson a “long and happy career in our common calling,” the traditional welcome for a new justice.

She took her place at the far end of the bench to Roberts' left, just next to Justice Brett Kavanaugh. The justices are seated by seniority.

During the ceremony Jackson also followed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-donald-trump-amy-coney-barrett-courts-elections-7928bf10a8925811a923b5c7c9682102">the custom of every other new justice since 1972</a>&nbsp;and sat in a chair that once belonged to John Marshall, who served as chief justice for 34 years in the early 1800s.

Marshall also was a slaveholder, perhaps adding a special poignancy to Jackson taking her place in his onetime possession. She is only the third Black justice in the court's history, along with her new colleague Justice Clarence Thomas and the late Justice Thurgood Marshall.

Friday's ceremony included the reading of the commission appointing Jackson to the court. She also repeated the oath she took when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ketanji-brown-jackson-swearing-in-5a5115f58e163789dfda5a8af0b14221">she formally joined the court in June</a>, just after the retirement of Justice Stephen Breyer.

Breyer was among a courtroom filled with dignitaries, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former Speaker Paul Ryan, a Jackson relative through marriage.

Jackson's parents, daughters, brother and in-laws had a front-row seat.

Several wives of current and former justices also attended, including Virginia “Ginni” Thomas. Thomas was interviewed Thursday by the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ketanji-brown-jackson-supreme-court-confirmation-f39263cdbb0c59c8a20a48edf9b6786e">Jackson was confirmed in April on a 53-47 vote in the Senate</a>, with three Republican senators joining all Democrats to support her.

Biden had pledged during his presidential campaign that he would nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court.

Biden, Harris, first lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff spent a few minutes with the justices before the court convened, court spokeswoman Patricia McCabe said.

The president said nothing during the five-minute, tightly scripted courtroom ceremony.

Back at the White House, Biden tweeted in praise of Jackson's “brilliant legal mind” and touted his record on filling judgeships.

“In fact, we’ve appointed 84 federal judges so far. No group of that many judges has been appointed as quickly, or been that diverse,” Biden said.

Jackson and Roberts walked down the 36 front steps of the court for photos following the ceremony. They chatted briefly on the court plaza, and when Roberts departed, the justice's husband, Dr. Patrick Jackson, joined her.

“I'm so proud of you,” Dr. Jackson said, as they embraced in front of a gathering of reporters and well-wishers.

Jackson is the first justice appointed by a Democratic president since Justice Elena Kagan joined the court in 2010. Kagan was appointed by former President Barack Obama, who also appointed Justice Sonia Sotomayor in 2009.

It appeared Obama would get a third high court pick when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-elections-courts-presidential-elections-gun-politics-0a5453e54bb848fd8858124e7a80dfec">Justice Antonin Scalia died</a>&nbsp;in February 2016. But Senate Republicans refused to take up Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland, then serving as a federal appeals court judge. Garland, now Attorney General, also participated in Friday's ceremony.

Former President Donald Trump eventually chose Justice Neil Gorsuch, the first of his three Supreme Court appointees, to fill Scalia's seat.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664554125166.png" alt="President Biden and Vice President Harris spent a few minutes with the justice before the court convened, court spokeswoman Patricia McCabe said. Ketanji Brown Jackson -Photo Credit- Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States" />
 <figcaption>President Biden and Vice President Harris spent a few minutes with the justice before the court convened, court spokeswoman Patricia McCabe said. Ketanji Brown Jackson -Photo Credit- Collection of the Supreme Court of the United States</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/ketanji-brown-jackson">Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson</a>&nbsp;made her first appearance on the Supreme Court bench in a brief courtroom ceremony Friday, three days before the start of the high court's new term.President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and their spouses attended the invitation-only ceremonial investiture for Jackson, the first Black woman on the Supreme Court.Chief Justice John Roberts wished the 52-year-old Jackson a “long and happy career in our common calling,” the traditional welcome for a new justice.She took her place at the far end of the bench to Roberts' left, just next to Justice Brett Kavanaugh. The justices are seated by seniority.During the ceremony Jackson also followed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-donald-trump-amy-coney-barrett-courts-elections-7928bf10a8925811a923b5c7c9682102">the custom of every other new justice since 1972</a>&nbsp;and sat in a chair that once belonged to John Marshall, who served as chief justice for 34 years in the early 1800s.Marshall also was a slaveholder, perhaps adding a special poignancy to Jackson taking her place in his onetime possession. She is only the third Black justice in the court's history, along with her new colleague Justice Clarence Thomas and the late Justice Thurgood Marshall.Friday's ceremony included the reading of the commission appointing Jackson to the court. She also repeated the oath she took when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ketanji-brown-jackson-swearing-in-5a5115f58e163789dfda5a8af0b14221">she formally joined the court in June</a>, just after the retirement of Justice Stephen Breyer.Breyer was among a courtroom filled with dignitaries, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and former Speaker Paul Ryan, a Jackson relative through marriage.Jackson's parents, daughters, brother and in-laws had a front-row seat.Several wives of current and former justices also attended, including Virginia “Ginni” Thomas. Thomas was interviewed Thursday by the House committee investigating the Jan. 6 insurrection.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ketanji-brown-jackson-supreme-court-confirmation-f39263cdbb0c59c8a20a48edf9b6786e">Jackson was confirmed in April on a 53-47 vote in the Senate</a>, with three Republican senators joining all Democrats to support her.Biden had pledged during his presidential campaign that he would nominate a Black woman to the Supreme Court.Biden, Harris, first lady Jill Biden and second gentleman Doug Emhoff spent a few minutes with the justices before the court convened, court spokeswoman Patricia McCabe said.The president said nothing during the five-minute, tightly scripted courtroom ceremony.Back at the White House, Biden tweeted in praise of Jackson's “brilliant legal mind” and touted his record on filling judgeships.“In fact, we’ve appointed 84 federal judges so far. No group of that many judges has been appointed as quickly, or been that diverse,” Biden said.Jackson and Roberts walked down the 36 front steps of the court for photos following the ceremony. They chatted briefly on the court plaza, and when Roberts departed, the justice's husband, Dr. Patrick Jackson, joined her.“I'm so proud of you,” Dr. Jackson said, as they embraced in front of a gathering of reporters and well-wishers.Jackson is the first justice appointed by a Democratic president since Justice Elena Kagan joined the court in 2010. Kagan was appointed by former President Barack Obama, who also appointed Justice Sonia Sotomayor in 2009.It appeared Obama would get a third high court pick when&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/religion-elections-courts-presidential-elections-gun-politics-0a5453e54bb848fd8858124e7a80dfec">Justice Antonin Scalia died</a>&nbsp;in February 2016. But Senate Republicans refused to take up Obama’s nomination of Merrick Garland, then serving as a federal appeals court judge. Garland, now Attorney General, also participated in Friday's ceremony.Former President Donald Trump eventually chose Justice Neil Gorsuch, the first of his three Supreme Court appointees, to fill Scalia's seat.

Justice Jackson makes Supreme Court debut in brief ceremony

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating the fatal shooting at a Kansas home that led to Thursday's officer-involved shooting have identified the victim as Gregory Dean Butts of Topeka, according to Police Lt. Manuel Munoz.

Just after 9:30 a.m. Thursday, police were dispatched to the 3500 Block of SW Kerry Avenue in reference to a shooting. One victim later identified as Mr. Butts was suffering from a gunshot wound and pronounced deceased at the scene.&nbsp; EMS transported another victim to a local&nbsp; hospital with life threatening injures.&nbsp;

Topeka Police investigators quickly identified and worked to locate the suspect later identified as Eric D. Perkins, 33, of Excelsior Springs, Missouri. The relationship between the Perkins and the homicide victim was domestic in nature, according to Munoz.

A Topeka officer observed the suspect vehicle near Topeka’s Hi-Crest Neighborhood. The suspect initiated the pursuit, which ended in downtown Topeka near SW 6th Avenue and South Kansas Avenue.

Multiple agencies responded to the scene, including Shawnee Co. Sheriff's Deputies. The suspect shot several times at law enforcement officers on scene. Multiple law enforcement officers returned fire. At least one officer was struck by the suspect’s gunfire during this incident. The officer was treated at a local hospital and released, according to the KBI. Perkins remains hospitalized.&nbsp;Perkins has previous convictions for second degree assault and drug possession, according to the Missouri Dept. of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664543885482.png" alt="Police on the scene of the homicide investigation early Thursday -photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the homicide investigation early Thursday -photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating the fatal shooting at a Kansas home that led to Thursday's officer-involved shooting have identified the victim as Gregory Dean Butts of Topeka, according to Police Lt. Manuel Munoz.Just after 9:30 a.m. Thursday, police were dispatched to the 3500 Block of SW Kerry Avenue in reference to a shooting. One victim later identified as Mr. Butts was suffering from a gunshot wound and pronounced deceased at the scene.&nbsp; EMS transported another victim to a local&nbsp; hospital with life threatening injures.&nbsp;Topeka Police investigators quickly identified and worked to locate the suspect later identified as Eric D. Perkins, 33, of Excelsior Springs, Missouri. The relationship between the Perkins and the homicide victim was domestic in nature, according to Munoz.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664533481207.png" alt="Eric Perkins-photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>Eric Perkins-photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>A Topeka officer observed the suspect vehicle near Topeka’s Hi-Crest Neighborhood. The suspect initiated the pursuit, which ended in downtown Topeka near SW 6th Avenue and South Kansas Avenue.Multiple agencies responded to the scene, including Shawnee Co. Sheriff's Deputies. The suspect shot several times at law enforcement officers on scene. Multiple law enforcement officers returned fire. At least one officer was struck by the suspect’s gunfire during this incident. The officer was treated at a local hospital and released, according to the KBI. Perkins remains hospitalized.&nbsp;Perkins has previous convictions for second degree assault and drug possession, according to the Missouri Dept. of Corrections.

Police ID Kan. homicide victim that led to gunfight with suspect

COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday accused the West of sabotaging Russia-built gas pipelines under the Baltic Sea to Germany, a charge vehemently denied by the United States and its allies. Nordic nations said the undersea blasts that damaged the pipelines this week and led to huge methane leaks involved several hundred pounds of explosives.

The claim by Putin came ahead of an emergency meeting Friday at the U.N. Security Council in New York on the attacks on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines and as Norwegian researchers published a map projecting that a huge plume of methane released by damaged pipelines will travel over large swaths of the Nordic region.

Speaking Friday in Moscow at a ceremony to annex four regions of Ukraine into Russia, Putin claimed that the “Anglo-Saxons” in the West have turned from sanctions on Russia to “terror attacks,” sabotaging the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines in what he described as an attempt to “destroy the European energy infrastructure.”

He added that “those who profit from it have done it,” without naming a specific country.

Moscow says it wants a thorough international probe to assess the damage to the pipelines, which carry Russian natural gas to Europe. Putin's spokesman has said “it looks like a terror attack, probably conducted on a state level.”

European nations, which have been reeling under soaring energy prices caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, have noted that it is Russia, not Europe, that benefits from chaos in the energy markets and spiking prices for energy.

Even before Putin's comments, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price strongly rejected any claims that the U.S. might have sabotaged the Nord Stream pipelines.

“The idea that the United States was in any way involved in the apparent sabotage of these pipelines is preposterous. It is nothing more than a function of Russian disinformation and should be treated as such,” Price said Wednesday.

The U.S. has long been opposed to the two pipelines, saying they increase Europe's energy dependence on Russia and decrease its security.

Denmark and Sweden, meanwhile, said Friday the explosions that rocked the Baltic Sea ahead of huge methane leaks “probably corresponded to an explosive load of several hundred kilos (pounds)."

The leaks occurred in international waters and ”have caused plumes of gas ´rising to the surface,” said the letter by the two Scandinavian countries’ permanent missions to the United Nations.

NATO warned Thursday it would retaliate for any attacks on the critical infrastructure of its 30 member countries and joined other Western officials in citing sabotage as the likely cause of damage to the natural gas pipelines. Denmark is a NATO member and Sweden is in the process of joining the military alliance.

At the U.N., Russia is a permanent member of the Security Council while neither Sweden or Denmark will be represented at the meeting Friday as they are not members.

Norwegian researchers were charting the huge plume of methane.

“We assume the wind on the leak area blew the methane emissions north to the Finnish archipelago, then (the emissions) bend toward Sweden and Norway,” said Stephen Platt, a professor with the Norwegian Institute for Air Research.

The independent institution is part of the Integrated Carbon Observation System, a European research alliance, which said ICOS ground-based observations from stations in Sweden, Norway, and Finland have confirmed an “enormous amount of methane gas” emissions. These methane levels aren’t dangerous to public health but are a potent source of global warming.

The suspected sabotage this week on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines have produced two methane leaks off Sweden, including a large one above North Stream 1 and a smaller one above North Stream 2, and two leaks off Denmark.

The North Stream 2 leak “has diminished, but is still ongoing,” the Swedish coast guard said. However, navigational warnings for ships were slightly increased to 7 nautical miles (13 kilometers, 8 miles) from the blast areas, it said.

The Danish and Swedish governments have described the ruptures as the result of “deliberate actions.”

Nordic seismologists recorded explosions preceding the leaks. A first explosion was recorded early Monday southeast of the Danish island of Bornholm. A second, stronger blast northeast of the island that night was equivalent to a magnitude 2.3 earthquake.

The letter by Denmark and Sweden, which was also sent to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, added that the nations were also worried about the blasts' “possible impact on the maritime life in the Baltic Sea."

On Friday, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said she would travel to London to discuss the gas leaks with British Prime Minister Liz Truss. She then will travel to Brussels to raise the issue with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and European Council president Charles Michel.

The attacks on the pipelines has prompted energy companies and European governments to beef up energy infrastructure security.

The fear of further damage to Europe’s energy infrastructure has added pressure on natural gas prices, which had already been soaring. Russia, a major supplier to Europe, cut off deliveries earlier this year in retaliation for sanctions imposed after its invasion of Ukraine. That has caused widespread economic pain across the continent.

Authorities in Norway, a major oil and gas producer, have reported at least six incidents of drone sightings near offshore installations in the North Sea. It prompted the Petroleum Safety Authority Norway -- the Scandinavian country’s oil safety regulator -- on Monday to “urge increased vigilance by all operators and vessel owners.“ On Wednesday, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said there was no concrete threat against Norwegian oil and gas offshore installations.

Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet said a drone was spotted Wednesday near a Danish offshore oil and gas installation in the North Sea.

Sweden has also stepped up security around its three nuclear power plants.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1663760963726.jpeg" alt="Image from a video released by the Russian Presidential Press Service, Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses the nation in Moscow, Russia, Sept. 21, 2022. (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)" />
 <figcaption>Image from a video released by the Russian Presidential Press Service, Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses the nation in Moscow, Russia, Sept. 21, 2022. (Russian Presidential Press Service via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>COPENHAGEN, Denmark (AP) — Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday accused the West of sabotaging Russia-built gas pipelines under the Baltic Sea to Germany, a charge vehemently denied by the United States and its allies. Nordic nations said the undersea blasts that damaged the pipelines this week and led to huge methane leaks involved several hundred pounds of explosives.The claim by Putin came ahead of an emergency meeting Friday at the U.N. Security Council in New York on the attacks on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines and as Norwegian researchers published a map projecting that a huge plume of methane released by damaged pipelines will travel over large swaths of the Nordic region.Speaking Friday in Moscow at a ceremony to annex four regions of Ukraine into Russia, Putin claimed that the “Anglo-Saxons” in the West have turned from sanctions on Russia to “terror attacks,” sabotaging the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines in what he described as an attempt to “destroy the European energy infrastructure.”He added that “those who profit from it have done it,” without naming a specific country.Moscow says it wants a thorough international probe to assess the damage to the pipelines, which carry Russian natural gas to Europe. Putin's spokesman has said “it looks like a terror attack, probably conducted on a state level.”European nations, which have been reeling under soaring energy prices caused by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, have noted that it is Russia, not Europe, that benefits from chaos in the energy markets and spiking prices for energy.Even before Putin's comments, U.S. State Department spokesman Ned Price strongly rejected any claims that the U.S. might have sabotaged the Nord Stream pipelines.“The idea that the United States was in any way involved in the apparent sabotage of these pipelines is preposterous. It is nothing more than a function of Russian disinformation and should be treated as such,” Price said Wednesday.The U.S. has long been opposed to the two pipelines, saying they increase Europe's energy dependence on Russia and decrease its security.Denmark and Sweden, meanwhile, said Friday the explosions that rocked the Baltic Sea ahead of huge methane leaks “probably corresponded to an explosive load of several hundred kilos (pounds)."The leaks occurred in international waters and ”have caused plumes of gas ´rising to the surface,” said the letter by the two Scandinavian countries’ permanent missions to the United Nations.NATO warned Thursday it would retaliate for any attacks on the critical infrastructure of its 30 member countries and joined other Western officials in citing sabotage as the likely cause of damage to the natural gas pipelines. Denmark is a NATO member and Sweden is in the process of joining the military alliance.At the U.N., Russia is a permanent member of the Security Council while neither Sweden or Denmark will be represented at the meeting Friday as they are not members.Norwegian researchers were charting the huge plume of methane.“We assume the wind on the leak area blew the methane emissions north to the Finnish archipelago, then (the emissions) bend toward Sweden and Norway,” said Stephen Platt, a professor with the Norwegian Institute for Air Research.The independent institution is part of the Integrated Carbon Observation System, a European research alliance, which said ICOS ground-based observations from stations in Sweden, Norway, and Finland have confirmed an “enormous amount of methane gas” emissions. These methane levels aren’t dangerous to public health but are a potent source of global warming.The suspected sabotage this week on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines have produced two methane leaks off Sweden, including a large one above North Stream 1 and a smaller one above North Stream 2, and two leaks off Denmark.The North Stream 2 leak “has diminished, but is still ongoing,” the Swedish coast guard said. However, navigational warnings for ships were slightly increased to 7 nautical miles (13 kilometers, 8 miles) from the blast areas, it said.The Danish and Swedish governments have described the ruptures as the result of “deliberate actions.”Nordic seismologists recorded explosions preceding the leaks. A first explosion was recorded early Monday southeast of the Danish island of Bornholm. A second, stronger blast northeast of the island that night was equivalent to a magnitude 2.3 earthquake.The letter by Denmark and Sweden, which was also sent to United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, added that the nations were also worried about the blasts' “possible impact on the maritime life in the Baltic Sea."On Friday, Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said she would travel to London to discuss the gas leaks with British Prime Minister Liz Truss. She then will travel to Brussels to raise the issue with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and European Council president Charles Michel.The attacks on the pipelines has prompted energy companies and European governments to beef up energy infrastructure security.The fear of further damage to Europe’s energy infrastructure has added pressure on natural gas prices, which had already been soaring. Russia, a major supplier to Europe, cut off deliveries earlier this year in retaliation for sanctions imposed after its invasion of Ukraine. That has caused widespread economic pain across the continent.Authorities in Norway, a major oil and gas producer, have reported at least six incidents of drone sightings near offshore installations in the North Sea. It prompted the Petroleum Safety Authority Norway -- the Scandinavian country’s oil safety regulator -- on Monday to “urge increased vigilance by all operators and vessel owners.“ On Wednesday, Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre said there was no concrete threat against Norwegian oil and gas offshore installations.Danish newspaper Ekstra Bladet said a drone was spotted Wednesday near a Danish offshore oil and gas installation in the North Sea.Sweden has also stepped up security around its three nuclear power plants.

Putin accuses the West of sabotaging Baltic Sea gas pipelines

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on multiple charges after a disturbance at a home involving a gun. Just before 8:30p.m. Wednesday, sheriff's deputies were dispatched to a domestic disturbance with a possible shooting in the 600 block of SW 57th Street in Shawnee County, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

Upon arrival, deputies learned that a 31-year-old man was allegedly under the influence of alcohol and got into a physical altercation with his girlfriend. During the altercation, he brandished a firearm and shot into the ground. The 31-year-old female victim and a 13-year-old child were located safe. Deputies took Lance E. Fitzmaurice-Bridegroom, 31, of Topeka into custody and him booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, criminal threat, domestic battery, criminal threat against a law enforcement officer, criminal damage to property and possession of a firearm while under the influence of alcohol. Deputies and detectives executed a search warrant on the residence and a firearm was seized.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664501388845.png" alt="Fitzmaurice-Bridegroom" />
 <figcaption>Fitzmaurice-Bridegroom</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on multiple charges after a disturbance at a home involving a gun. Just before 8:30p.m. Wednesday, sheriff's deputies were dispatched to a domestic disturbance with a possible shooting in the 600 block of SW 57th Street in Shawnee County, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. Upon arrival, deputies learned that a 31-year-old man was allegedly under the influence of alcohol and got into a physical altercation with his girlfriend. During the altercation, he brandished a firearm and shot into the ground. The 31-year-old female victim and a 13-year-old child were located safe. Deputies took Lance E. Fitzmaurice-Bridegroom, 31, of Topeka into custody and him booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, criminal threat, domestic battery, criminal threat against a law enforcement officer, criminal damage to property and possession of a firearm while under the influence of alcohol. Deputies and detectives executed a search warrant on the residence and a firearm was seized.

Deputies seize firearm Kan. man used to threaten girlfriend, teen

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate passed a short-term spending bill on Thursday that would avert a partial government shutdown when the current fiscal year ends at midnight Friday and provide another infusion of military and economic aid to Ukraine as it seeks to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">repel Russia's brutal invasion.</a>

The bill finances the federal government through Dec. 16 and buys lawmakers more time to agree on legislation setting spending levels for the 2023 fiscal year. It passed by a vote of 72-25. Kansas Senator Jerry Moran voted with the majority. Senator Roger Marshall voted no.&nbsp;All of the no votes came from Republicans.

The bill now goes to the House for consideration.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1664502348903.png" alt="Counting votes Thursday in the U.S. Senate-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Counting votes Thursday in the U.S. Senate-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate passed a short-term spending bill on Thursday that would avert a partial government shutdown when the current fiscal year ends at midnight Friday and provide another infusion of military and economic aid to Ukraine as it seeks to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">repel Russia's brutal invasion.</a>The bill finances the federal government through Dec. 16 and buys lawmakers more time to agree on legislation setting spending levels for the 2023 fiscal year. It passed by a vote of 72-25. Kansas Senator Jerry Moran voted with the majority. Senator Roger Marshall voted no.&nbsp;All of the no votes came from Republicans.The bill now goes to the House for consideration.As has become routine, lawmakers waited until the final hours before the shutdown deadline to act. But passage of a bill to fund the government was hardly in doubt, particularly after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-manchin">Democrat Sen. Joe Manchin</a>&nbsp;agreed to drop provisions designed to streamline the permitting process for energy projects and greenlight the approval of a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mountains-virginia-roanoke-climate-and-environment-d7620fb1133254f39bc2162790177957">pipeline in his home state of West Virginia.</a>&nbsp;Those provisions had drawn opposition from both sides of the political aisle.Still, the bill merely puts off for a few months the maneuvering that will be required after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/2022-midterm-elections">midterm election</a>&nbsp;to pass a massive government funding package, as negotiators will have to bridge their differences over spending on hot-button issues such as abortion, border security and climate change.The bill approved Thursday, with some exceptions, keeps spending at federal agencies at current levels through mid-December. The most notable of those exceptions is the more than $12 billion that will be provided to aid Ukraine, on top of more than $50 billion provided in two previous bills. The money will go to provide training, equipment and logistics support for the Ukraine military, help Ukraine's government provide basic services to its citizens and replenish U.S. weapons systems and munitions.“Seven months since the conflict began, it's crystal clear that American assistance has gone a long way to helping the Ukrainian people resist (Russian President Vladimir) Putin's evil, vicious aggression," said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. “But the fight is far from over."Republican leader Mitch McConnell also voiced support for the Ukraine aid, while admonishing the Biden administration to get it out the door more quickly.“Assisting Ukraine is not some feel-good, symbolic gesture," McConnell said. “It's literally an investment in our own national security and that of our allies."Disaster assistance was attached to the stopgap bill, including $2.5 billion to help New Mexico communities recover from the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-fires-new-mexico-climate-and-environment-e7df5c861f5ce7d0ab308d4f31c3452c">Hermit’s Peak/Calf Canyon Fire,</a>&nbsp;the largest wildfire in the state’s history; $2 billion for a block grant program that aids the economic recovery of communities impacted by recent disasters and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/health-united-states-mississippi-jackson-climate-and-environment-8ece9ffd09635dfcec1a429bc354cc73">$20 million for water and wastewater infrastructure improvements previously authorized for Jackson, Mississippi.</a>An additional $18.8 billion was included for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to respond to current and future disasters, such as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hurricane-ian-impact-path-d4db93bcac5af1134e31a3b7f2f694f0">Hurricane Ian, which hit Florida on Wednesday.</a>The bill would provide an additional $1 billion for a program that helps low-income households heat their homes. And it would transfer $3 billion from a Pentagon aid program to the State Department for continued Afghan resettlement operations.Lawmakers also included a reauthorization of the Food and Drug Administration's user fee agreements for five years, which ensures the agency can continue critical product safety reviews and won't need to issue pink slips for thousands of employees working on drug and medical device applications.One thing missing from the bill is the billions of dollars in additional funding that President Joe Biden sought to aid the response to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic">COVID-19</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/monkeypox">monkeypox.</a>&nbsp;Republicans criticized the health spending as unnecessary. The White House said the money would have been used to accelerate the research and development of vaccines and therapeutics, prepare for future COVID variants and support the global response.The bill's passage is the last must-do item on lawmakers' list before returning to their home states and districts to campaign before the mid-term elections that will determine which party controls the House and Senate over the next two years. Lawmakers were anxious to get out of Washington and focus on campaigning without the specter of a shutdown.“The last thing the American people need right now is a pointless government shutdown," Schumer said.