SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal accident have identified the victim as 37-year-old Bridget Ann Musser of Topeka, according to Police Lt. Edward Stanley.

Just after 1:30p.m. Thursday, commercial truck and a bicycle ridden by Musser were involved in the accident at 4th Street and Kansas Avenue.

First responders found Musser the roadway. She&nbsp; was pronounced deceased at the scene. The investigation by the Topeka Police Department Accident Reconstruction Team continues, according to Stanley..

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662065354078.png" alt="The Topeka Police Department Accident Reconstruction Team is on scene investigating-photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>The Topeka Police Department Accident Reconstruction Team is on scene investigating-photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a fatal accident have identified the victim as 37-year-old Bridget Ann Musser of Topeka, according to Police Lt. Edward Stanley.Just after 1:30p.m. Thursday, commercial truck and a bicycle ridden by Musser were involved in the accident at 4th Street and Kansas Avenue.First responders found Musser the roadway. She&nbsp; was pronounced deceased at the scene. The investigation by the Topeka Police Department Accident Reconstruction Team continues, according to Stanley..

Police ID Kansas bicyclist struck, killed by commercial truck

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas jury announced Thursday that it could not reach a verdict in the trial of a woman accused of killing her ex-husband and his girlfriend 20 years ago.

Jurors deliberated for about 35 hours over six days in Dana Chandler's trial. Chandler, now 62, was&nbsp;<a href="http://apnews.com/533881f36a074a55a7699e52b77f0763">charged with two counts of first-degree murder</a>&nbsp;in the shooting deaths of 47-year-old Mike Sisco and 53-year-old Karen Harkness in July 2002, in Topeka.

The jury foreman told Shawnee County District Court Judge Cheryl Rios that jurors were not able to reach a unanimous verdict in the case, The Topeka Capital-Journal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/crime/2022/09/01/dana-chandler-2nd-murder-trial-double-homicide-charges-hung-jury-topeka/7937917001/">reported.</a>

Thursday's proceedings lasted only a few moments. A status hearing to determine the next step in the long-running case was set for Sept. 29.

Chandler's daughter Hailey Sisco, who testified that she believes her mother killed her father, cried while being hugged by prosecutor Charles Kitt.

Defense attorney Tom Bath hugged Chandler, who will remain in custody at least until the status hearing.

Juror Ben Alford told the Capital-Journal that the final vote was 7-5 to convict Chandler. He said votes taken throughout the lengthy deliberations were always close.

Prosecutors alleged Chandler killed the couple because she was jealous of their relationship after her acrimonious divorce from Sisco. Chandler always maintained her innocence, saying she was in Colorado when the victims were killed.

During closing arguments Aug. 25, prosecutor Kitt acknowledged there was little physical evidence linking Chandler to the crime. But he said obsessive behavior toward Sisco combined with circumstantial evidence should convince jurors that she killed the couple.

“This is not a case that science can solve,” he said. “This case is about jealousy of Mike Sisco. Jealousy that Mike Sisco was able to move on with his life. Jealousy about the new relationship that Mike Sisco had found.”

Investigators said Chandler spied on Sisco and Harkness, entered Sisco’s home without permission and tried to reconcile with him just weeks before the murders. Phone records shows Chandler called Sisco and Harkness nearly 700 times in the seven months before their deaths.

Bath argued that law enforcement missed the opportunity to investigate other suspects because they focused solely on her. He underlined the limited physical evidence found at the scene and questioned the way it was handled by investigators and forensic scientists.

“How many instances did we see where evidence was not followed up on, not collected or not tested?” Bath asked the jury.

He continued: “We see time and time again, the police ignored evidence. They didn’t follow evidence — they followed their bias.”

Prosecutors stunned court observers last week before closing arguments when they called a woman, Terri Anderson, who said she saw Chandler leaving Harkness’ home on the night the couple was killed — the first time in the two-decade-old case that anyone had placed Chandler at the scene.

Anderson, who lived across the street, testified that she called 911 after hearing gunshots that night, and that she talked to investigators the next day. However, she said she had not talked to police or investigators in the last two decades, and defense attorneys noted that no police records exist to confirm that she called police or that she talked to investigators.

On Thursday, defense attorneys called witnesses who undermined Anderson’s story. Topeka Police Det. Lance Green said Anderson’s testimony that Chandler was at the scene shortly before midnight on July 6, 2002, conflicts with other testimony that Sisco and Harkness were at a casino until at least 1:30 a.m. July 7.

Chandler was originally charged with the killings after a decade of investigation, and in 2012&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/1a7254e40a4041a2af6ee2b5dd84dc80">was found guilty of two counts of murder</a>. She was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences with no chance of parole for 50 years.

The Kansas Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a7bf444f550144da85887405174fb2da">overturned Chandler’s conviction i</a>n 2018, citing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-kansas-supreme-court-topeka-crime-1b16fa5d53c75ecb1d863c4f9dbbe497">misconduct by prosecutor Jacqie Spradling</a>, who was later disbarred.

The second trial was delayed as Chandler and her attorneys filed numerous motions seeking to exclude evidence, a change of venue and dismissal of the case. The trial began Aug. 5.

According to court records, investigators said nothing was taken from the victims’ home. The gun was never recovered and no fingerprints were found on empty shell casings at the scene. Hairs later taken from Chandler did not match hair and fiber samples at the scene, and no evidence of the crime was found in her car.

However, some family members suspected Chandler, who they said was upset and angry after Sisco initiated their divorce in 1997 and was given full custody of their children.

Chandler was living in Denver, Colorado, when the couple died. She told investigators she was driving and hiking in Colorado when the murders occurred, but stories about her specific routes were inconsistent, with gaps in her credit card receipts and cellphone use, according to court records.

Prosecutors alleged Chandler drove from Denver to Topeka, killed the couple and returned home.

The investigation went cold until 2009. After CBS’ “48 Hours” aired an episode about the unsolved killings, then-Shawnee County District Attorney Chad Taylor appointed a team to investigate cold cases, including Chandler’s.

Chandler, who had moved to Duncan, Oklahoma, to live with her sister, was arrested in 2011 and charged with two counts of premeditated first-degree murder.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1592599404405.png" alt="Chandler photo KDOC" />
 <figcaption>Chandler photo KDOC</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas jury announced Thursday that it could not reach a verdict in the trial of a woman accused of killing her ex-husband and his girlfriend 20 years ago.Jurors deliberated for about 35 hours over six days in Dana Chandler's trial. Chandler, now 62, was&nbsp;<a href="http://apnews.com/533881f36a074a55a7699e52b77f0763">charged with two counts of first-degree murder</a>&nbsp;in the shooting deaths of 47-year-old Mike Sisco and 53-year-old Karen Harkness in July 2002, in Topeka.The jury foreman told Shawnee County District Court Judge Cheryl Rios that jurors were not able to reach a unanimous verdict in the case, The Topeka Capital-Journal&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cjonline.com/story/news/crime/2022/09/01/dana-chandler-2nd-murder-trial-double-homicide-charges-hung-jury-topeka/7937917001/">reported.</a>Thursday's proceedings lasted only a few moments. A status hearing to determine the next step in the long-running case was set for Sept. 29.Chandler's daughter Hailey Sisco, who testified that she believes her mother killed her father, cried while being hugged by prosecutor Charles Kitt.Defense attorney Tom Bath hugged Chandler, who will remain in custody at least until the status hearing.Juror Ben Alford told the Capital-Journal that the final vote was 7-5 to convict Chandler. He said votes taken throughout the lengthy deliberations were always close.Prosecutors alleged Chandler killed the couple because she was jealous of their relationship after her acrimonious divorce from Sisco. Chandler always maintained her innocence, saying she was in Colorado when the victims were killed.During closing arguments Aug. 25, prosecutor Kitt acknowledged there was little physical evidence linking Chandler to the crime. But he said obsessive behavior toward Sisco combined with circumstantial evidence should convince jurors that she killed the couple.“This is not a case that science can solve,” he said. “This case is about jealousy of Mike Sisco. Jealousy that Mike Sisco was able to move on with his life. Jealousy about the new relationship that Mike Sisco had found.”Investigators said Chandler spied on Sisco and Harkness, entered Sisco’s home without permission and tried to reconcile with him just weeks before the murders. Phone records shows Chandler called Sisco and Harkness nearly 700 times in the seven months before their deaths.Bath argued that law enforcement missed the opportunity to investigate other suspects because they focused solely on her. He underlined the limited physical evidence found at the scene and questioned the way it was handled by investigators and forensic scientists.“How many instances did we see where evidence was not followed up on, not collected or not tested?” Bath asked the jury.He continued: “We see time and time again, the police ignored evidence. They didn’t follow evidence — they followed their bias.”Prosecutors stunned court observers last week before closing arguments when they called a woman, Terri Anderson, who said she saw Chandler leaving Harkness’ home on the night the couple was killed — the first time in the two-decade-old case that anyone had placed Chandler at the scene.Anderson, who lived across the street, testified that she called 911 after hearing gunshots that night, and that she talked to investigators the next day. However, she said she had not talked to police or investigators in the last two decades, and defense attorneys noted that no police records exist to confirm that she called police or that she talked to investigators.On Thursday, defense attorneys called witnesses who undermined Anderson’s story. Topeka Police Det. Lance Green said Anderson’s testimony that Chandler was at the scene shortly before midnight on July 6, 2002, conflicts with other testimony that Sisco and Harkness were at a casino until at least 1:30 a.m. July 7.Chandler was originally charged with the killings after a decade of investigation, and in 2012&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/1a7254e40a4041a2af6ee2b5dd84dc80">was found guilty of two counts of murder</a>. She was sentenced to two consecutive life sentences with no chance of parole for 50 years.The Kansas Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/a7bf444f550144da85887405174fb2da">overturned Chandler’s conviction i</a>n 2018, citing&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-kansas-supreme-court-topeka-crime-1b16fa5d53c75ecb1d863c4f9dbbe497">misconduct by prosecutor Jacqie Spradling</a>, who was later disbarred.The second trial was delayed as Chandler and her attorneys filed numerous motions seeking to exclude evidence, a change of venue and dismissal of the case. The trial began Aug. 5.According to court records, investigators said nothing was taken from the victims’ home. The gun was never recovered and no fingerprints were found on empty shell casings at the scene. Hairs later taken from Chandler did not match hair and fiber samples at the scene, and no evidence of the crime was found in her car.However, some family members suspected Chandler, who they said was upset and angry after Sisco initiated their divorce in 1997 and was given full custody of their children.Chandler was living in Denver, Colorado, when the couple died. She told investigators she was driving and hiking in Colorado when the murders occurred, but stories about her specific routes were inconsistent, with gaps in her credit card receipts and cellphone use, according to court records.Prosecutors alleged Chandler drove from Denver to Topeka, killed the couple and returned home.The investigation went cold until 2009. After CBS’ “48 Hours” aired an episode about the unsolved killings, then-Shawnee County District Attorney Chad Taylor appointed a team to investigate cold cases, including Chandler’s.Chandler, who had moved to Duncan, Oklahoma, to live with her sister, was arrested in 2011 and charged with two counts of premeditated first-degree murder.

Hung jury: Kan. woman's trial for killing ex-husband, his girlfriend 

JOHNSON COUNTY —Investigators say improper discard of smoking material is to blame for the fire at the Meadowlark Hills Apartments in the 9100 Block of Robinson in Overland Park.

Investigators believe a cigarette put out in a rusted through coffee can allowed fire to ignite a deck and eventually an exterior wall at the two story apartment building.

Just before 4:30a.m. crews from Overland Park and Lenexa responded to the apartment complex. First arriving units saw smoke coming from the building. Residents were able to safely escape. A second alarm was called for additional manpower. The fire was located primarily in an exterior wall and required significant work to dig out. It took crews almost 90 minutes to put the fire out. 

There were no injuries. Twelve people are displaced from the six apartment units. The cause is being ruled accidental. Fire officials reminded the public to completely extinguish smoking materials in sand or water before discarding.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662061264061.png" alt="Photo Overland Park Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photo Overland Park Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —Investigators say improper discard of smoking material is to blame for the fire at the Meadowlark Hills Apartments in the 9100 Block of Robinson in Overland Park.Investigators believe a cigarette put out in a rusted through coffee can allowed fire to ignite a deck and eventually an exterior wall at the two story apartment building.Just before 4:30a.m. crews from Overland Park and Lenexa responded to the apartment complex. First arriving units saw smoke coming from the building. Residents were able to safely escape. A second alarm was called for additional manpower. The fire was located primarily in an exterior wall and required significant work to dig out. It took crews almost 90 minutes to put the fire out. There were no injuries. Twelve people are displaced from the six apartment units. The cause is being ruled accidental. Fire officials reminded the public to completely extinguish smoking materials in sand or water before discarding.

Discarded cigarette blamed for 2-alarm Kan. apartment fire

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a homicide at a home in Topeka have identified the victim as 24-year-old KeShawn Ivy of Topeka, according to Police Lt. Jerry Monasmith.

Just after 7a.m. Thursday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to a residence in the 1100 Block of SW Lincoln Street in Topeka in reference to a shooting.

First responders found Ivy suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased at the scene. Detectives continue the investigation, according to Monasmith. Police have not reported an arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662049282439.png" alt="Photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a homicide at a home in Topeka have identified the victim as 24-year-old KeShawn Ivy of Topeka, according to Police Lt. Jerry Monasmith.Just after 7a.m. Thursday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to a residence in the 1100 Block of SW Lincoln Street in Topeka in reference to a shooting.First responders found Ivy suffering from a gunshot wound. He was pronounced deceased at the scene. Detectives continue the investigation, according to Monasmith. Police have not reported an arrest.

Police ID 24-year-old homicide victim at Kansas home

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Security staff at Wichita Southeast High School,&nbsp; 2641 S 127th Street E, were forced to use pepper spray during an incident in the cafeteria on Wednesday.

"There was an altercation at the school involving 7 or 8 students during lunch that caused a large crowd to gather," according to USD 259 media relations manager Susan Arensman.

"The school security officer used pepper spray in the area to disperse the crowd. No students were directly sprayed. No one was injured."

"When situations get where we cannot get students to comply and the learning environment is deemed unsafe we may have to resort to these measures, School principal Ben Mitchell wrote in a note sent to parents and guardians.

"If you have any questions please feel free to call, email, or schedule an appointment with me. My door is always open," Mitchell wrote.

The students involved are facing disciplinary action, according to Arensman.&nbsp;

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Security staff at Wichita Southeast High School,&nbsp; 2641 S 127th Street E, were forced to use pepper spray during an incident in the cafeteria on Wednesday."There was an altercation at the school involving 7 or 8 students during lunch that caused a large crowd to gather," according to USD 259 media relations manager Susan Arensman."The school security officer used pepper spray in the area to disperse the crowd. No students were directly sprayed. No one was injured.""When situations get where we cannot get students to comply and the learning environment is deemed unsafe we may have to resort to these measures, School principal Ben Mitchell wrote in a note sent to parents and guardians."If you have any questions please feel free to call, email, or schedule an appointment with me. My door is always open," Mitchell wrote.The students involved are facing disciplinary action, according to Arensman.&nbsp;

Students face discipline after Kan. school staff forced to use pepper spray 

By SARA WILSON <a href="https://coloradonewsline.com/briefs/lawsuit-filed-against-archdiocese-of-denver-in-child-sexual-abuse-case/">Colorado Newsline</a>

Leaders in the Archdiocese of Denver neglected to protect a young 
girl from sexual abuse in the 1980s, despite being warned of the 
priest’s predatory nature, a lawsuit filed last week in Denver District 
Court alleges.

Father Marshall Gourley sexually abused a girl when she was between 
the ages of 7 and 11 years old while she attended church programming, 
and it resulted in a lifetime of trauma and struggle, the lawsuit 
alleges.

“When Fr. Gourley was abusing Plaintiff, Defendants knew, or should 
have known, that Fr. Marshall Gourley was unfit for the priesthood, 
specifically unfit to engage minors with the authority, control, 
respect, and reverence of a priest and representative of Defendants 
because, in part, they had received notice Fr. Gourley had committed 
acts of sexual abuse on children,” the lawsuit reads.

A <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bishop-accountability.org/reports/2020_12_01_Colorado_Special_Masters_Supplemental_Report_Final.pdf#page=28">December 2020 report</a>
 led by the Colorado attorney general’s office documented systemic child
 sexual abuse by priests and named 52 priests who abused children in the
 state between 1951 and 1999. Gourley was not identified in that report.

Gourley was ordained in 1982 as a Theatine priest and was then assigned to Our Lady of Guadalupe.

He was first publicly accused of sexual abuse in 1997 when a man 
filed a lawsuit alleging that Gourley assaulted him repeatedly between 
1981 and 1984. That lawsuit ended up being dismissed because the 
survivor waited too long to file. The archdiocese removed Gourley from 
his position after the 1997 lawsuit.

The new lawsuit alleges, however, that a “concerned citizen” brought 
concerns to the archdiocese in the mid-1980s, well before that first 
lawsuit. The church did not take any actions to remove Gourley then.

“The Archdiocese accused the concerned citizen of a lack of faith and
 worked to prevent the public and parishioners, like Plaintiff’s 
grandmother, from learning of the allegations of abuse against Fr. 
Gourley,” the lawsuit reads.

It was around this time that the young girl’s alleged abuse began, 
described as “openly” caressing and fondling children on church property
 as he provided child care and Sunday school activities, the lawsuit 
alleges.

The church’s inaction to prevent the abuse even with knowledge of it 
shows “wanton and reckless disregard for the safety and welfare of 
parishioners and children in connection with members of the cloth,” the 
lawsuit reads.

This abuse set the survivor up for “a lifetime of struggle, severe 
mental health impairments, and future vulnerability,” including 
post-traumatic stress disorder, the inability to hold a job and 
difficulty participating in society, the lawsuit says.

She is “only now beginning to understand the psychological impact Fr.
 Gourley’s sexual abuse has had on her life, only now beginning to 
comprehend and to address the harm caused (her) by the actions of all 
Defendants in authorizing and permitting Fr. Gourley to be in a position
 of access to Plaintiff based on their authority, which resulted in the 
sexual abuse,” the lawsuit reads.

“Particularly within deeply devout communities like the Catholic 
Church, it’s really not that unusual for it to take decades (for 
survivors) to come forward,” Paul Linnenburger, a plaintiff’s attorney, 
told Colorado Newsline. “It’s the norm for all sorts of reasons. Part of
 it is holding priests in such high regard in the community and the fear
 that that instills. Part of it is the expected manifestations of 
childhood trauma in the psyche, like a heavy amount of self blame. It’s 
to be expected that it takes years and years, and decades even, to 
accept that this happened and this may have been wrong.”

Linnenburger said he expects the lawsuit to go differently than the dismissed 1997 one for a variety of reasons, including a <a target="_blank" href="https://coloradonewsline.com/2022/01/07/lawsuit-child-sexual-abuse-archdiocese-denver/">new law that took effect this year</a> that altered statutes of limitations for survivors of child sexual abuse.

“We’re fairly comfortable that this case will survive a motion to 
dismiss on statute of limitations grounds,” he said. “We’re comfortable 
that we’re on solid ground there.”

The Archdiocese of Denver did not respond to request for comment.

An attorney who has worked with church abuse victims <a target="_blank" href="https://adamhorowitzlaw.com/fr-marshall-gourley-archdiocese-of-denver/">says that Gourley’s whereabouts are unknown</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662129922345.png" alt="Christ the King Chapel, at the Archdiocese of Denver campus, is pictured April 1, 2021. (Faith Miller/Colorado Newsline)" />
 <figcaption>Christ the King Chapel, at the Archdiocese of Denver campus, is pictured April 1, 2021. (Faith Miller/Colorado Newsline)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SARA WILSON <a href="https://coloradonewsline.com/briefs/lawsuit-filed-against-archdiocese-of-denver-in-child-sexual-abuse-case/">Colorado Newsline</a>Leaders in the Archdiocese of Denver neglected to protect a young 
girl from sexual abuse in the 1980s, despite being warned of the 
priest’s predatory nature, a lawsuit filed last week in Denver District 
Court alleges.Father Marshall Gourley sexually abused a girl when she was between 
the ages of 7 and 11 years old while she attended church programming, 
and it resulted in a lifetime of trauma and struggle, the lawsuit 
alleges.“When Fr. Gourley was abusing Plaintiff, Defendants knew, or should 
have known, that Fr. Marshall Gourley was unfit for the priesthood, 
specifically unfit to engage minors with the authority, control, 
respect, and reverence of a priest and representative of Defendants 
because, in part, they had received notice Fr. Gourley had committed 
acts of sexual abuse on children,” the lawsuit reads.A <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bishop-accountability.org/reports/2020_12_01_Colorado_Special_Masters_Supplemental_Report_Final.pdf#page=28">December 2020 report</a>
 led by the Colorado attorney general’s office documented systemic child
 sexual abuse by priests and named 52 priests who abused children in the
 state between 1951 and 1999. Gourley was not identified in that report.Gourley was ordained in 1982 as a Theatine priest and was then assigned to Our Lady of Guadalupe.He was first publicly accused of sexual abuse in 1997 when a man 
filed a lawsuit alleging that Gourley assaulted him repeatedly between 
1981 and 1984. That lawsuit ended up being dismissed because the 
survivor waited too long to file. The archdiocese removed Gourley from 
his position after the 1997 lawsuit.The new lawsuit alleges, however, that a “concerned citizen” brought 
concerns to the archdiocese in the mid-1980s, well before that first 
lawsuit. The church did not take any actions to remove Gourley then.“The Archdiocese accused the concerned citizen of a lack of faith and
 worked to prevent the public and parishioners, like Plaintiff’s 
grandmother, from learning of the allegations of abuse against Fr. 
Gourley,” the lawsuit reads.It was around this time that the young girl’s alleged abuse began, 
described as “openly” caressing and fondling children on church property
 as he provided child care and Sunday school activities, the lawsuit 
alleges.The church’s inaction to prevent the abuse even with knowledge of it 
shows “wanton and reckless disregard for the safety and welfare of 
parishioners and children in connection with members of the cloth,” the 
lawsuit reads.This abuse set the survivor up for “a lifetime of struggle, severe 
mental health impairments, and future vulnerability,” including 
post-traumatic stress disorder, the inability to hold a job and 
difficulty participating in society, the lawsuit says.She is “only now beginning to understand the psychological impact Fr.
 Gourley’s sexual abuse has had on her life, only now beginning to 
comprehend and to address the harm caused (her) by the actions of all 
Defendants in authorizing and permitting Fr. Gourley to be in a position
 of access to Plaintiff based on their authority, which resulted in the 
sexual abuse,” the lawsuit reads.“Particularly within deeply devout communities like the Catholic 
Church, it’s really not that unusual for it to take decades (for 
survivors) to come forward,” Paul Linnenburger, a plaintiff’s attorney, 
told Colorado Newsline. “It’s the norm for all sorts of reasons. Part of
 it is holding priests in such high regard in the community and the fear
 that that instills. Part of it is the expected manifestations of 
childhood trauma in the psyche, like a heavy amount of self blame. It’s 
to be expected that it takes years and years, and decades even, to 
accept that this happened and this may have been wrong.”Linnenburger said he expects the lawsuit to go differently than the dismissed 1997 one for a variety of reasons, including a <a target="_blank" href="https://coloradonewsline.com/2022/01/07/lawsuit-child-sexual-abuse-archdiocese-denver/">new law that took effect this year</a> that altered statutes of limitations for survivors of child sexual abuse.“We’re fairly comfortable that this case will survive a motion to 
dismiss on statute of limitations grounds,” he said. “We’re comfortable 
that we’re on solid ground there.”The Archdiocese of Denver did not respond to request for comment.An attorney who has worked with church abuse victims <a target="_blank" href="https://adamhorowitzlaw.com/fr-marshall-gourley-archdiocese-of-denver/">says that Gourley’s whereabouts are unknown</a>.

Lawsuit filed against Archdiocese of Denver in child sex abuse case

WASHINGTON (AP) —New COVID-19 boosters that target today's most common omicron strains are set to begin soon after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention endorsed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-vaccine-omicron-booster-shot-227514678d25a99b65b7ee092735fb03">updated shots</a>&nbsp;Thursday.

The decision by CDC Director Rochelle Walensky came shortly after the agency's advisers said if enough people roll up their sleeves, the shots could blunt a winter surge.

“They can help restore protection that has waned since previous vaccination and were designed to provide broader protection,” she said in a statement.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-cd39872e31c490cb92c7678a8de83499">tweaked shots</a>&nbsp;made by Pfizer and rival Moderna offer Americans a chance to get the most up-to-date protection at yet another critical period in the pandemic. They’re combination or “bivalent” shots — half the original vaccine and half protection against the BA.4 and BA.5 omicron versions now causing nearly all COVID-19 infections.

The CDC's advisers struggled with who should get the new booster and when because only a similarly tweaked vaccine, not the exact recipe, has been studied in people so far.

But ultimately the panel deemed it the best option considering the U.S. still is experiencing tens of thousands of COVID-19 cases and about 500 deaths every day — even before an expected new winter wave.

“I think they’re going to be an effective tool for disease prevention this fall and into the winter,” said CDC adviser Dr. Matthew Daley of Kaiser Permanente Colorado.

Comparing the tweak that has been studied in people and the one the U.S. actually will use, "it is the same scaffolding, part of the same roof, we’re just putting in some dormers and windows,” said Dr. Sarah Long of Drexel University.

The CDC is expected to adopt that recommendation soon, the last step before shots can begin. Pfizer said it expected to deliver 3 million doses to vaccination sites around the country by Tuesday.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-england-54d29ae3af5c700f15d704c14ee224b5">The original COVID-19 vaccines</a>&nbsp;still offer strong protection against severe illness and death, especially among younger and healthier people who’ve gotten at least one booster.

But those vaccines were designed to target the virus strain that circulated in early 2020. Effectiveness drops as new mutants emerge and more time passes since someone’s last shot. Since April, hospitalization rates in people over age 65 have jumped, the CDC said.

The new updated shots are only for use as a booster, not for someone's first-ever vaccinations. The Food and Drug Administration cleared Pfizer's bivalent option for people 12 and older while Moderna's is for adults only.

A big unknown: exactly how much benefit people will get from one of those extra shots.

The CDC said more than 1,400 people have been included in several studies of a prior tweak to the vaccine recipe targeting an earlier omicron strain named BA.1. That omicron-targeting combo shot proved safe and able to rev up virus-fighting antibodies, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-moderna-inc-f7a22b7a7d50a45b294ee5af8b63c1d3">European</a>&nbsp;regulators on Thursday recommended using that type of booster.

In the U.S., the FDA wanted fall boosters to target the currently circulating omicron strains. Rather than waiting until possibly November for more human studies to be finished, the agency accepted mouse testing that showed the newer tweak sparked a similarly good immune response.

That’s how flu vaccines are updated every year, the CDC noted.

Dr. Pablo Sanchez of the Ohio State University was the only CDC adviser to vote against recommending the shots. He said he believes the bivalent vaccine is safe and that he likely will get it.

But “I just feel that this was a bit premature” given the absence of human data on how well it works, he said.

Several CDC advisers said that to get the maximum benefit, people will need to wait longer between their last vaccination and the new booster than the two-month minimum set by the FDA. Waiting at least three months would be better, they said.

One more change: The FDA no longer authorizes use of the original-recipe boosters for anyone 12 or older — a source of potential confusion for people who had planned on getting a regular booster this week and now may have to wait for the new kind to arrive at their local pharmacy or clinic.

It's not clear how many people will want an updated shot. Just half of vaccinated Americans got the first recommended booster dose, and only a third of those 50 and older who were urged to get a second booster did so.

The U.S. government has purchased 170 million doses from both companies —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-flu-government-and-politics-64173cef2985d9f8951e04812477248d">shots that will be free</a>&nbsp;— and the CDC said 200 million people could be eligible.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662076170437.png" alt="The U.S. government has purchased 170 million doses from both Moderna and Pfizer —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-flu-government-and-politics-64173cef2985d9f8951e04812477248d">shots that will be free</a>&nbsp;— and the CDC said 200 million people could be eligible." />
 <figcaption>The U.S. government has purchased 170 million doses from both Moderna and Pfizer —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-flu-government-and-politics-64173cef2985d9f8951e04812477248d">shots that will be free</a>&nbsp;— and the CDC said 200 million people could be eligible.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —New COVID-19 boosters that target today's most common omicron strains are set to begin soon after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention endorsed the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-vaccine-omicron-booster-shot-227514678d25a99b65b7ee092735fb03">updated shots</a>&nbsp;Thursday.The decision by CDC Director Rochelle Walensky came shortly after the agency's advisers said if enough people roll up their sleeves, the shots could blunt a winter surge.“They can help restore protection that has waned since previous vaccination and were designed to provide broader protection,” she said in a statement.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-cd39872e31c490cb92c7678a8de83499">tweaked shots</a>&nbsp;made by Pfizer and rival Moderna offer Americans a chance to get the most up-to-date protection at yet another critical period in the pandemic. They’re combination or “bivalent” shots — half the original vaccine and half protection against the BA.4 and BA.5 omicron versions now causing nearly all COVID-19 infections.The CDC's advisers struggled with who should get the new booster and when because only a similarly tweaked vaccine, not the exact recipe, has been studied in people so far.But ultimately the panel deemed it the best option considering the U.S. still is experiencing tens of thousands of COVID-19 cases and about 500 deaths every day — even before an expected new winter wave.“I think they’re going to be an effective tool for disease prevention this fall and into the winter,” said CDC adviser Dr. Matthew Daley of Kaiser Permanente Colorado.Comparing the tweak that has been studied in people and the one the U.S. actually will use, "it is the same scaffolding, part of the same roof, we’re just putting in some dormers and windows,” said Dr. Sarah Long of Drexel University.The CDC is expected to adopt that recommendation soon, the last step before shots can begin. Pfizer said it expected to deliver 3 million doses to vaccination sites around the country by Tuesday.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-science-health-england-54d29ae3af5c700f15d704c14ee224b5">The original COVID-19 vaccines</a>&nbsp;still offer strong protection against severe illness and death, especially among younger and healthier people who’ve gotten at least one booster.But those vaccines were designed to target the virus strain that circulated in early 2020. Effectiveness drops as new mutants emerge and more time passes since someone’s last shot. Since April, hospitalization rates in people over age 65 have jumped, the CDC said.The new updated shots are only for use as a booster, not for someone's first-ever vaccinations. The Food and Drug Administration cleared Pfizer's bivalent option for people 12 and older while Moderna's is for adults only.A big unknown: exactly how much benefit people will get from one of those extra shots.The CDC said more than 1,400 people have been included in several studies of a prior tweak to the vaccine recipe targeting an earlier omicron strain named BA.1. That omicron-targeting combo shot proved safe and able to rev up virus-fighting antibodies, and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-moderna-inc-f7a22b7a7d50a45b294ee5af8b63c1d3">European</a>&nbsp;regulators on Thursday recommended using that type of booster.In the U.S., the FDA wanted fall boosters to target the currently circulating omicron strains. Rather than waiting until possibly November for more human studies to be finished, the agency accepted mouse testing that showed the newer tweak sparked a similarly good immune response.That’s how flu vaccines are updated every year, the CDC noted.Dr. Pablo Sanchez of the Ohio State University was the only CDC adviser to vote against recommending the shots. He said he believes the bivalent vaccine is safe and that he likely will get it.But “I just feel that this was a bit premature” given the absence of human data on how well it works, he said.Several CDC advisers said that to get the maximum benefit, people will need to wait longer between their last vaccination and the new booster than the two-month minimum set by the FDA. Waiting at least three months would be better, they said.One more change: The FDA no longer authorizes use of the original-recipe boosters for anyone 12 or older — a source of potential confusion for people who had planned on getting a regular booster this week and now may have to wait for the new kind to arrive at their local pharmacy or clinic.It's not clear how many people will want an updated shot. Just half of vaccinated Americans got the first recommended booster dose, and only a third of those 50 and older who were urged to get a second booster did so.The U.S. government has purchased 170 million doses from both companies —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-flu-government-and-politics-64173cef2985d9f8951e04812477248d">shots that will be free</a>&nbsp;— and the CDC said 200 million people could be eligible.

CDC OKs updated COVID boosters: Free shots available soon

MANHATTAN—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a robbery in Manhattan.

Just after 1a.m. Thursday, officers filed a report for aggravated robbery in the 600 block of 3rd Place in Manhattan. 

A 30-year-old man reported a male suspect known to him robbed him at gunpoint of $450 cash after a withdrawal at the Navy Federal Credit Union ATM.&nbsp;

Anyone with information can contact RCPD or the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=353#">Manhattan Riley County Crime Stoppers</a>. Using the Crime Stoppers service can allow you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.

MANHATTAN—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a robbery in Manhattan.Just after 1a.m. Thursday, officers filed a report for aggravated robbery in the 600 block of 3rd Place in Manhattan. A 30-year-old man reported a male suspect known to him robbed him at gunpoint of $450 cash after a withdrawal at the Navy Federal Credit Union ATM.&nbsp;Anyone with information can contact RCPD or the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.p3tips.com/tipform.aspx?ID=353#">Manhattan Riley County Crime Stoppers</a>. Using the Crime Stoppers service can allow you to remain anonymous and could qualify you for a cash reward of up to $1,000.

Police: Kan. man robbed after $450 ATM withdrawal 

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas teen after a crash following a chase in Wichita.&nbsp;

Just before 3:30p.m. Wednesday, police responded to a collision involving a 2019 GMC pickup driven by 15-year-old Crispin W.&nbsp;Barajas of Wichita. The pickup fled the scene. 

Police found the pickup traveling eastbound on Kansas 42 at Tyler.&nbsp; The driver fled again, continued eastbound and rear ended a 2016 Infiniti Q50 driven by Tynice Rochell Johnson, 56, Wichita and a 2022 Toyota Highlander driven by Shannon Christine Peterson, 52, Hagerstown, Maryland.

EMS transported Johnson to&nbsp;Asension Via Christi St. Joseph, Peterson and two adult passenger in the Toyota to Wesley Medical Center. Police arrested Barajas.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas teen after a crash following a chase in Wichita.&nbsp;Just before 3:30p.m. Wednesday, police responded to a collision involving a 2019 GMC pickup driven by 15-year-old Crispin W.&nbsp;Barajas of Wichita. The pickup fled the scene. Police found the pickup traveling eastbound on Kansas 42 at Tyler.&nbsp; The driver fled again, continued eastbound and rear ended a 2016 Infiniti Q50 driven by Tynice Rochell Johnson, 56, Wichita and a 2022 Toyota Highlander driven by Shannon Christine Peterson, 52, Hagerstown, Maryland.EMS transported Johnson to&nbsp;Asension Via Christi St. Joseph, Peterson and two adult passenger in the Toyota to Wesley Medical Center. Police arrested Barajas.

15-year-old Kansas boy jailed after chase, 3-vehicle crash

BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a substitute teacher and coach in Great Bend on multiple charges involving students.

On Tuesday,&nbsp; the Great Bend Police Department received a Crime Stoppers tip regarding allegations of sexual misconduct and the sale of tobacco products involving a Great Bend sports coach and local teen students.

Detectives began investigating the tips and compiling more details of the report. After conducting interviews, executing search warrants and collecting digital evidence related to this report, investigators learned that multiple sex offenses occurred in addition to the sale of tobacco products to minors.

Further investigation lead to the arrest on Thursday of 27-year-old Bryce Hofmeister. He was booked on requested charges of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, indecent solicitation of a child, sexual exploitation of a child, electronic solicitation and contributing to a child's misconduct. The arrest did not happen on school grounds.

Hofmeister served as a substitute teacher at Great Bend Middle School and Great Bend High School. He also was an assistant coach for multiple sports.

In a statement released to USD 428 families, the school district said they will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement officials. The district also stated Hofmeister not return to work in the district.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662070173589.jpeg" alt="Hofmeister-photo Barton Co." />
 <figcaption>Hofmeister-photo Barton Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>BARTON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a substitute teacher and coach in Great Bend on multiple charges involving students.On Tuesday,&nbsp; the Great Bend Police Department received a Crime Stoppers tip regarding allegations of sexual misconduct and the sale of tobacco products involving a Great Bend sports coach and local teen students.Detectives began investigating the tips and compiling more details of the report. After conducting interviews, executing search warrants and collecting digital evidence related to this report, investigators learned that multiple sex offenses occurred in addition to the sale of tobacco products to minors.Further investigation lead to the arrest on Thursday of 27-year-old Bryce Hofmeister. He was booked on requested charges of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, indecent solicitation of a child, sexual exploitation of a child, electronic solicitation and contributing to a child's misconduct. The arrest did not happen on school grounds.Hofmeister served as a substitute teacher at Great Bend Middle School and Great Bend High School. He also was an assistant coach for multiple sports.In a statement released to USD 428 families, the school district said they will continue to cooperate fully with law enforcement officials. The district also stated Hofmeister not return to work in the district.

Kan. substitute teacher, coach accused of child sex crimes

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — President Joe Biden warned Thursday night that “equality and democracy are under assault” in the U.S. as he sounded an alarm about his predecessor, Donald Trump, and “MAGA Republican” adherents, labeling them an extremist threat to the nation and its future.

Click below to watch a replay of the President's speech

Aiming to reframe the November elections as part of a battle for the nation's soul — “the work of my presidency," Biden used his prime-time speech at Independence Hall in Philadelphia to argue that Trump and “Make America Great Again” allies are a challenge to nation’s system of government, its standing abroad and its citizens’ way of life.

“Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our Republic," Biden declared. He said they “are determined to take this country backward’ they “promote authoritarian leaders and they fan the flames of political violence.”

The explicit effort by Biden to marginalize Trump and his adherents marks a sharp turn for the president, who preached his desire to bring about national unity in his Inaugural address. White House officials said it reflects his mounting concern about Trump allies' ideological proposals and relentless denial of the nation's 2020 election results.

“MAGA forces are determined to take this country backwards,” Biden is saying, according to prepared remarks released by the White House. “Backwards to an America where there is no right to choose, no right to privacy, no right to contraception, no right to marry who you love.”

“For a long time, we’ve reassured ourselves that American democracy is guaranteed. But it is not,” Biden says. “We have to defend it. Protect it. Stand up for it. Each and every one of us.”

Biden, who largely avoided even referring to “the former guy” by name during his first year in office, has grown&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-social-media-donald-trump-fb978862035511b12bdf0b3cc5e5d644">increasingly vocal</a>&nbsp;in calling out Trump personally. Now, emboldened by his party's recent legislative wins and wary of Trump's return to the headlines, Biden is sharpening his attacks.

Trump plans a rally this weekend in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Biden’s birthplace.

At a Democratic fundraiser last week, Biden likened the “MAGA philosophy” to “semi-fascism.”

In Philadelphia, White House officials said, Biden intended to hark back to the 2017 white supremacist protest in Charlottesville, Virginia, which he says brought him out of political retirement to challenge Trump. Biden argues that the country faces a similar crossroads in the coming months.

Biden allies stress that he is not rejecting the entirety of the GOP and is calling on traditional Republicans to join him in condemning Trump and his followers. It's a balancing act, given that more than 74 million people voted for Trump in 2020.

“I respect conservative Republicans,” Biden said last week. “I don’t respect these MAGA Republicans.”

Delivering a preemptive rebuttal from Scranton Thursday evening, House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy accused Biden of trying to divide Americans, and blasted the Democrats' record in Washington, pointing to rising inflation, crime and government spending.

“In the past two years, Joe Biden has launched an assault on the soul of America, on its people, on its laws, on its most sacred values," he said. "He has launched an assault on our democracy. His policies have severely wounded America’s soul, diminished America’s spirit and betrayed America’s trust.”

Asked about McCarthy's criticism, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said “we understand we hit a nerve” with the GOP leader, and quoted the Republican's prior statements saying Trump bore responsibility for the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

Larry Diamond, an expert on democracy and senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, said calling Trump out for attacks on democracy "can be manipulated or framed as being partisan. And if you don’t call it out, you are shrinking from an important challenge in the defense of democracy.”

Even this week, Trump was posting on his beleaguered social media platform about overturning the 2020 election results and holding a new presidential election, which would violate the Constitution.

Timothy Naftali, a presidential historian at New York University, said it’s not unusual for there to be tension between a president and his successor, but it’s “unprecedented for a former president to be actively trying to undermine the U.S. Constitution.”

“The challenge that President Biden faces is to get on with his agenda while still doing what he needs to uphold the Constitution,” Naftali said. “That’s not easy.”

The White House has tried to keep Biden removed from the legal and political maelstrom surrounding the Department of Justice’s discovery of classified documents in Trump's Florida home. Still, Biden has taken advantage of some Republicans’ quick condemnation of federal law enforcement.

“You can’t be pro-law enforcement and pro-insurrection,” Biden said Tuesday in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania.

Biden's appearance Thursday night was promoted as an official, taxpayer-funded event, a mark of how the president views defeating the Trump agenda as much as a policy aim as a political one. The major broadcast television networks were not expected to carry the address live.

Biden's trip to Philadelphia is just one of his three to the state within a week, a sign of Pennsylvania's importance in the midterms, with competitive Senate and governor's races. However, neither Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, the Democrats' Senate nominee, nor Attorney General Josh Shapiro, their pick for governor, was expected to attend Thursday night.

The White House intended the speech to unite familiar themes: holding out bipartisan legislative wins on guns and infrastructure as evidence that democracies “can deliver,” pushing back on GOP policies on guns and abortion that Biden says are out of step with most people's views, and rejecting efforts to undermine confidence in the nation’s election or diminish its standing abroad.

The challenges have only increased since the tumult surrounding the 2020 election and the Capitol attack.

Lies surrounding that presidential race have triggered harassment and death threats against state and local election officials and new restrictions on mail voting in Republican-dominated states. County election officials have faced pressure to ban the use of voting equipment, efforts generated by conspiracy theories that voting machines were somehow manipulated to steal the election.

Candidates who dispute Trump’s loss have been inspired to run for state and local election posts, promising to restore integrity to a system that has been undermined by false claims.

There is no evidence of any widespread fraud or manipulation of voting machines. Judges, including ones appointed by Trump, dismissed dozens of lawsuits filed after the election, and Trump’s own attorney general called the claims bogus. Yet Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research polling has shown about two-thirds of Republicans say they do not think Biden was legitimately elected president.

This year, election officials face not only the continuing threat of foreign interference but also ransomware, politically motivated hackers and insider threats. Over the past year, security breaches have been reported at a small number of local election offices in which authorities are investigating whether office staff improperly accessed or provided improper access to sensitive voting technology.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will sound an alarm Thursday night about what he views as “extremist” threats to American democracy from the restive forces of Trumpism, aiming to reframe the November elections as part of an unceasing battle for the “soul of the nation.”

Nearly two years after he defeated Donald Trump, it's a reprise of Biden's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-pa-state-wire-joe-biden-ap-top-news-donald-trump-d5c415b99a6945dbbecf60d57bcf68cb">2020 campaign theme,</a>&nbsp;casting the midterm election stakes in as dire terms as those that sent him to the Oval Office. His prime-time speech at Independence Hall in Philadelphia will lay out what he sees as the risks from those he has dubbed “ultra-MAGA Republicans” to the nation's system of government, its standing abroad and its citizens' way of life.

The explicit effort by Biden to marginalize Trump and and his “Make America Great Again” adherents marks a sharp turn for the president, who preached his desire to bring about national unity in his Inaugural address. White House officials said it reflects his mounting concern about Trump conservatives' ideological proposals and 2020 election denialism.

Biden, who had largely avoided even referring to “the former guy” by name during his first year in office, has grown&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-social-media-donald-trump-fb978862035511b12bdf0b3cc5e5d644">increasingly vocal</a>&nbsp;in calling out Trump personally. Now, emboldened by his party's recent legislative wins and wary of Trump's return to the headlines, Biden is sharpening his attacks.

In Philadelphia, White House officials said, Biden intends to hark back to the 2017 white supremacist protest in Charlottesville, Virginia, which he says brought him out of political retirement to challenge Trump. Biden plans to argue that the country faces a similar crossroads in the coming months.

“The president thinks that there is an extremist threat to our democracy,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday. “It's not stopping. It's continuing.”

Biden allies stress that he is not rejecting the entirety of the GOP and would use his remarks to call on traditional Republicans to join him in condemning Trump and his followers. It's a balancing act, given that more than 74 million people voted for Trump in 2020.

House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy dismissed any such distinction, accusing the president of trying to "disparage hard-working Americans.” He planned to deliver a preemptive rebuttal to Biden from Scranton, Pennsylvania, where the president was born.

In remarks earlier Thursday on Fox News, McCarthy said Biden was “trying to distract from the disaster that he’s created in this country.”

A senior White House official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to preview Biden's remarks, said the president's speech wasn't aimed at one politician or the GOP as a whole, but rather the Trump supporters who have denied the 2020 election results and sow doubt about future contests. The official said that Biden would acknowledge the importance of political disagreements in a country as diverse as the U.S., but aim to draw a line at rhetoric and actions that call into question the health of the country's democracy.

The official said Biden aimed to speak “not as a Democratic president, but as a president of a democracy.”

Trump plans a rally this weekend in Scranton, Biden's birthplace.

The challenges have only increased since the tumult surrounding the 2020 election and the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — President Joe Biden warned Thursday night that “equality and democracy are under assault” in the U.S. as he sounded an alarm about his predecessor, Donald Trump, and “MAGA Republican” adherents, labeling them an extremist threat to the nation and its future.Click below to watch a replay of the President's speech<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/3qSmRoVo5AA?start=1004" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Aiming to reframe the November elections as part of a battle for the nation's soul — “the work of my presidency," Biden used his prime-time speech at Independence Hall in Philadelphia to argue that Trump and “Make America Great Again” allies are a challenge to nation’s system of government, its standing abroad and its citizens’ way of life.“Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very foundations of our Republic," Biden declared. He said they “are determined to take this country backward’ they “promote authoritarian leaders and they fan the flames of political violence.”The explicit effort by Biden to marginalize Trump and his adherents marks a sharp turn for the president, who preached his desire to bring about national unity in his Inaugural address. White House officials said it reflects his mounting concern about Trump allies' ideological proposals and relentless denial of the nation's 2020 election results.“MAGA forces are determined to take this country backwards,” Biden is saying, according to prepared remarks released by the White House. “Backwards to an America where there is no right to choose, no right to privacy, no right to contraception, no right to marry who you love.”“For a long time, we’ve reassured ourselves that American democracy is guaranteed. But it is not,” Biden says. “We have to defend it. Protect it. Stand up for it. Each and every one of us.”Biden, who largely avoided even referring to “the former guy” by name during his first year in office, has grown&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-social-media-donald-trump-fb978862035511b12bdf0b3cc5e5d644">increasingly vocal</a>&nbsp;in calling out Trump personally. Now, emboldened by his party's recent legislative wins and wary of Trump's return to the headlines, Biden is sharpening his attacks.Trump plans a rally this weekend in Scranton, Pennsylvania, Biden’s birthplace.At a Democratic fundraiser last week, Biden likened the “MAGA philosophy” to “semi-fascism.”In Philadelphia, White House officials said, Biden intended to hark back to the 2017 white supremacist protest in Charlottesville, Virginia, which he says brought him out of political retirement to challenge Trump. Biden argues that the country faces a similar crossroads in the coming months.Biden allies stress that he is not rejecting the entirety of the GOP and is calling on traditional Republicans to join him in condemning Trump and his followers. It's a balancing act, given that more than 74 million people voted for Trump in 2020.“I respect conservative Republicans,” Biden said last week. “I don’t respect these MAGA Republicans.”Delivering a preemptive rebuttal from Scranton Thursday evening, House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy accused Biden of trying to divide Americans, and blasted the Democrats' record in Washington, pointing to rising inflation, crime and government spending.“In the past two years, Joe Biden has launched an assault on the soul of America, on its people, on its laws, on its most sacred values," he said. "He has launched an assault on our democracy. His policies have severely wounded America’s soul, diminished America’s spirit and betrayed America’s trust.”Asked about McCarthy's criticism, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said “we understand we hit a nerve” with the GOP leader, and quoted the Republican's prior statements saying Trump bore responsibility for the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.Larry Diamond, an expert on democracy and senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, said calling Trump out for attacks on democracy "can be manipulated or framed as being partisan. And if you don’t call it out, you are shrinking from an important challenge in the defense of democracy.”Even this week, Trump was posting on his beleaguered social media platform about overturning the 2020 election results and holding a new presidential election, which would violate the Constitution.Timothy Naftali, a presidential historian at New York University, said it’s not unusual for there to be tension between a president and his successor, but it’s “unprecedented for a former president to be actively trying to undermine the U.S. Constitution.”“The challenge that President Biden faces is to get on with his agenda while still doing what he needs to uphold the Constitution,” Naftali said. “That’s not easy.”The White House has tried to keep Biden removed from the legal and political maelstrom surrounding the Department of Justice’s discovery of classified documents in Trump's Florida home. Still, Biden has taken advantage of some Republicans’ quick condemnation of federal law enforcement.“You can’t be pro-law enforcement and pro-insurrection,” Biden said Tuesday in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania.Biden's appearance Thursday night was promoted as an official, taxpayer-funded event, a mark of how the president views defeating the Trump agenda as much as a policy aim as a political one. The major broadcast television networks were not expected to carry the address live.Biden's trip to Philadelphia is just one of his three to the state within a week, a sign of Pennsylvania's importance in the midterms, with competitive Senate and governor's races. However, neither Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, the Democrats' Senate nominee, nor Attorney General Josh Shapiro, their pick for governor, was expected to attend Thursday night.The White House intended the speech to unite familiar themes: holding out bipartisan legislative wins on guns and infrastructure as evidence that democracies “can deliver,” pushing back on GOP policies on guns and abortion that Biden says are out of step with most people's views, and rejecting efforts to undermine confidence in the nation’s election or diminish its standing abroad.The challenges have only increased since the tumult surrounding the 2020 election and the Capitol attack.Lies surrounding that presidential race have triggered harassment and death threats against state and local election officials and new restrictions on mail voting in Republican-dominated states. County election officials have faced pressure to ban the use of voting equipment, efforts generated by conspiracy theories that voting machines were somehow manipulated to steal the election.Candidates who dispute Trump’s loss have been inspired to run for state and local election posts, promising to restore integrity to a system that has been undermined by false claims.There is no evidence of any widespread fraud or manipulation of voting machines. Judges, including ones appointed by Trump, dismissed dozens of lawsuits filed after the election, and Trump’s own attorney general called the claims bogus. Yet Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research polling has shown about two-thirds of Republicans say they do not think Biden was legitimately elected president.This year, election officials face not only the continuing threat of foreign interference but also ransomware, politically motivated hackers and insider threats. Over the past year, security breaches have been reported at a small number of local election offices in which authorities are investigating whether office staff improperly accessed or provided improper access to sensitive voting technology.-----WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will sound an alarm Thursday night about what he views as “extremist” threats to American democracy from the restive forces of Trumpism, aiming to reframe the November elections as part of an unceasing battle for the “soul of the nation.”Nearly two years after he defeated Donald Trump, it's a reprise of Biden's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-pa-state-wire-joe-biden-ap-top-news-donald-trump-d5c415b99a6945dbbecf60d57bcf68cb">2020 campaign theme,</a>&nbsp;casting the midterm election stakes in as dire terms as those that sent him to the Oval Office. His prime-time speech at Independence Hall in Philadelphia will lay out what he sees as the risks from those he has dubbed “ultra-MAGA Republicans” to the nation's system of government, its standing abroad and its citizens' way of life.The explicit effort by Biden to marginalize Trump and and his “Make America Great Again” adherents marks a sharp turn for the president, who preached his desire to bring about national unity in his Inaugural address. White House officials said it reflects his mounting concern about Trump conservatives' ideological proposals and 2020 election denialism.Biden, who had largely avoided even referring to “the former guy” by name during his first year in office, has grown&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-covid-health-social-media-donald-trump-fb978862035511b12bdf0b3cc5e5d644">increasingly vocal</a>&nbsp;in calling out Trump personally. Now, emboldened by his party's recent legislative wins and wary of Trump's return to the headlines, Biden is sharpening his attacks.At a Democratic fundraiser last week, Biden likened the “MAGA philosophy” to “semi-fascism.”In Philadelphia, White House officials said, Biden intends to hark back to the 2017 white supremacist protest in Charlottesville, Virginia, which he says brought him out of political retirement to challenge Trump. Biden plans to argue that the country faces a similar crossroads in the coming months.“The president thinks that there is an extremist threat to our democracy,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Wednesday. “It's not stopping. It's continuing.”Biden allies stress that he is not rejecting the entirety of the GOP and would use his remarks to call on traditional Republicans to join him in condemning Trump and his followers. It's a balancing act, given that more than 74 million people voted for Trump in 2020.“I respect conservative Republicans,” Biden said last week. “I don’t respect these MAGA Republicans.”House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy dismissed any such distinction, accusing the president of trying to "disparage hard-working Americans.” He planned to deliver a preemptive rebuttal to Biden from Scranton, Pennsylvania, where the president was born.In remarks earlier Thursday on Fox News, McCarthy said Biden was “trying to distract from the disaster that he’s created in this country.”A senior White House official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to preview Biden's remarks, said the president's speech wasn't aimed at one politician or the GOP as a whole, but rather the Trump supporters who have denied the 2020 election results and sow doubt about future contests. The official said that Biden would acknowledge the importance of political disagreements in a country as diverse as the U.S., but aim to draw a line at rhetoric and actions that call into question the health of the country's democracy.The official said Biden aimed to speak “not as a Democratic president, but as a president of a democracy.”Larry Diamond, an expert on democracy and senior fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, said calling Trump out for attacks on democracy "can be manipulated or framed as being partisan. And if you don’t call it out, you are shrinking from an important challenge in the defense of democracy.”Even this week, Trump was posting on his beleaguered social media platform about overturning the 2020 election results and holding a new presidential election, which would violate the Constitution.Timothy Naftali, a presidential historian at New York University, said it’s not unusual for there to be tension between a president and his successor, but it’s “unprecedented for a former president to be actively trying to undermine the U.S. Constitution.”“The challenge that President Biden faces is to get on with his agenda while still doing what he needs to uphold the Constitution,” Naftali said. “That’s not easy.”The White House has tried to keep Biden removed from the legal and political maelstrom surrounding the Department of Justice’s discovery of classified documents in Trump's Florida home. Still, Biden has taken advantage of some Republicans’ quick condemnation of federal law enforcement.“You can’t be pro-law enforcement and pro-insurrection,” Biden said Tuesday in Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania.Biden's appearance Thursday night was promoted as an official, taxpayer-funded event, a mark of how the president views defeating the Trump agenda as much as a policy aim as a political one. The major broadcast television networks were not expected to carry the address live.Biden's trip to Philadelphia is just one of his three to the state within a week, a sign of Pennsylvania's importance in the midterms, with competitive Senate and governor's races. However, neither Lt. Gov. John Fetterman, the Democrats' Senate nominee, nor Attorney General Josh Shapiro, their pick for governor, was expected to attend Thursday night.Trump plans a rally this weekend in Scranton, Biden's birthplace.The White House intended the speech to unite familiar themes: holding out bipartisan legislative wins on guns and infrastructure as evidence that democracies “can deliver,” pushing back on GOP policies on guns and abortion that Biden says are out of step with most people's views, and rejecting efforts to undermine confidence in the nation’s election or diminish its standing abroad.The challenges have only increased since the tumult surrounding the 2020 election and the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol.Lies surrounding that presidential race have triggered harassment and death threats against state and local election officials and new restrictions on mail voting in Republican-dominated states. County election officials have faced pressure to ban the use of voting equipment, efforts generated by conspiracy theories that voting machines were somehow manipulated to steal the election.Candidates who dispute Trump’s loss have been inspired to run for state and local election posts, promising to restore integrity to a system that has been undermined by false claims.There is no evidence of any widespread fraud or manipulation of voting machines. Judges, including ones appointed by Trump, dismissed dozens of lawsuits filed after the election, and Trump’s own attorney general called the claims bogus. Yet Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research polling has shown about two-thirds of Republicans say they do not think Biden was legitimately elected president.This year, election officials face not only the continuing threat of foreign interference but also ransomware, politically motivated hackers and insider threats. Over the past year, security breaches have been reported at a small number of local election offices in which authorities are investigating whether office staff improperly accessed or provided improper access to sensitive voting technology.

🎥 Biden at Independence Hall: Trump, allies threaten democracy

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects who were jailed after a chase on Interstate 135.

Just after 5:30p.m. Wednesday, detectives from McPherson County contacted Salina police and troopers from the Kansas Highway Patrol that they were in unmarked vehicles and following a vehicle into Saline County on Interstate 135, according Salina Police Captain Gary Hanus.

A person in the suspect vehicle had active warrants and was wanted in an active investigation in McPherson County concerning a possible missing person.

With the assistance of McPherson County deputies, and the KHP, Salina police stopped the suspect vehicle between the W. Magnolia Road and W. Crawford Street exits.

Officers arrested a passenger in the vehicle, identified as Eric A. Goldberg, 44, Salina, on an active Salina County District Court warrant for probation violation. 

He also was arrested on requested charges of possession of a stimulant, possession of drug paraphernalia, and no drug tax stamp.&nbsp;

Earlier in the day, the Kansas Highway Patrol arrested Goldberg on requested charges of possession of meth, use and possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body, driving while license suspended or revoked and no vehicle liability insurance. He was booked into the McPherson County Jail just before 12:30p.m. and released just before 3p.m., according to online jail records. He remains in custody in Saline County.

Officers also arrested the&nbsp;driver of the vehicle identified as Amanda L. Gawith, 45, of Salina, on requested charges of driving while suspended and driving while a habitual violator. She is no longer in custody.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662042870631.jpeg" alt="Gawith-photo Saline County" />
 <figcaption>Gawith-photo Saline County</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects who were jailed after a chase on Interstate 135.Just after 5:30p.m. Wednesday, detectives from McPherson County contacted Salina police and troopers from the Kansas Highway Patrol that they were in unmarked vehicles and following a vehicle into Saline County on Interstate 135, according Salina Police Captain Gary Hanus.A person in the suspect vehicle had active warrants and was wanted in an active investigation in McPherson County concerning a possible missing person. With the assistance of McPherson County deputies, and the KHP, Salina police stopped the suspect vehicle between the W. Magnolia Road and W. Crawford Street exits.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662050634206.png" alt="Goldberg-photo McPherson Co." />
 <figcaption>Goldberg-photo McPherson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Officers arrested a passenger in the vehicle, identified as Eric A. Goldberg, 44, Salina, on an active Salina County District Court warrant for probation violation. He also was arrested on requested charges of possession of a stimulant, possession of drug paraphernalia, and no drug tax stamp.&nbsp;Earlier in the day, the Kansas Highway Patrol arrested Goldberg on requested charges of possession of meth, use and possession with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body, driving while license suspended or revoked and no vehicle liability insurance. He was booked into the McPherson County Jail just before 12:30p.m. and released just before 3p.m., according to online jail records. He remains in custody in Saline County.Officers also arrested the&nbsp;driver of the vehicle identified as Amanda L. Gawith, 45, of Salina, on requested charges of driving while suspended and driving while a habitual violator. She is no longer in custody.

Kan. man just out of jail arrested after chase with unmarked police vehicle

KANSAS CITY —Sports wagering in Kansas is officially underway with a soft launch that started at noon on Thursday.

Governor Laura Kelly placed Kansas’ first legal sports wager at the Hollywood Casino in Kansas City, Kansas.

The Governor wrote on social media, "What did I bet on? Let’s just say that I’m really hoping the Chiefs win the Super Bowl this season — even more than usual."

&nbsp;Sports wagering in Kansas will have full opening on September 8th. The Kansas Lottery announced which sports wagering platforms are now available to the public.

Hollywood Casino&nbsp;in Kansas City, Kansas will have both&nbsp;in-person sportsbook&nbsp;and&nbsp;mobile sports betting&nbsp;available through&nbsp;Barstool Sports.&nbsp;

Kansas Star Casino&nbsp;in Mulvane will have both&nbsp;in-person sportsbook&nbsp;and&nbsp;mobile sports betting&nbsp;available through&nbsp;FanDuel.&nbsp;

Boot Hill Casino and Resort&nbsp;in Dodge City will offer&nbsp;mobile sports betting&nbsp;through&nbsp;DraftKings, with an in-person sports wagering date to be announced in the near future. In the interim, players are still welcome to visit Boot Hill Casino and Resort and place wagers via a mobile application while there.&nbsp;

Kansas Crossing Casino&nbsp;in Pittsburg will offer&nbsp;mobile sports betting&nbsp;through&nbsp;BetMGM,&nbsp;Caesars, and&nbsp;PointsBet, with an in-person sports wagering date to be announced in the near future.&nbsp;In the interim, players are still welcome to visit Kansas Crossing Casino and place wagers via a mobile application while there.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662056609748.png" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Sports wagering in Kansas is officially underway with a soft launch that started at noon on Thursday.Governor Laura Kelly placed Kansas’ first legal sports wager at the Hollywood Casino in Kansas City, Kansas.The Governor wrote on social media, "What did I bet on? Let’s just say that I’m really hoping the Chiefs win the Super Bowl this season — even more than usual."&nbsp;Sports wagering in Kansas will have full opening on September 8th. The Kansas Lottery announced which sports wagering platforms are now available to the public.Hollywood Casino&nbsp;in Kansas City, Kansas will have both&nbsp;in-person sportsbook&nbsp;and&nbsp;mobile sports betting&nbsp;available through&nbsp;Barstool Sports.&nbsp;Kansas Star Casino&nbsp;in Mulvane will have both&nbsp;in-person sportsbook&nbsp;and&nbsp;mobile sports betting&nbsp;available through&nbsp;FanDuel.&nbsp;Boot Hill Casino and Resort&nbsp;in Dodge City will offer&nbsp;mobile sports betting&nbsp;through&nbsp;DraftKings, with an in-person sports wagering date to be announced in the near future. In the interim, players are still welcome to visit Boot Hill Casino and Resort and place wagers via a mobile application while there.&nbsp;Kansas Crossing Casino&nbsp;in Pittsburg will offer&nbsp;mobile sports betting&nbsp;through&nbsp;BetMGM,&nbsp;Caesars, and&nbsp;PointsBet, with an in-person sports wagering date to be announced in the near future.&nbsp;In the interim, players are still welcome to visit Kansas Crossing Casino and place wagers via a mobile application while there.

Governor Kelly places first legal sports wager in Kansas

SHAWNEE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 1:30p.m. Thursday in Topeka.

According to Police Lt. Edward Stanley, a commercial truck and a bicyclist were involved in the accident at 4th Street and Kansas Avenue.

First responders found one victim in the roadway who&nbsp; was pronounced deceased at the scene. The Topeka Police Department Accident Reconstruction Team is on scene investigating.

Northbound Kansas Ave. at 5th street were closed as well as Monroe Street east and westbound at 4th street.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.&nbsp; Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662065354078.png" alt="The Topeka Police Department Accident Reconstruction Team is on scene investigating-photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>The Topeka Police Department Accident Reconstruction Team is on scene investigating-photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 1:30p.m. Thursday in Topeka.According to Police Lt. Edward Stanley, a commercial truck and a bicyclist were involved in the accident at 4th Street and Kansas Avenue.First responders found one victim in the roadway who&nbsp; was pronounced deceased at the scene. The Topeka Police Department Accident Reconstruction Team is on scene investigating.Northbound Kansas Ave. at 5th street were closed as well as Monroe Street east and westbound at 4th street.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.&nbsp; Check the Post for more information as it becomes available.

Police: Kansas bicyclist struck, killed by commercial truck

By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/09/01/kansas-foster-care-provider-criticizes-coverage-while-nebraska-lawmaker-asks-for-fraud-inquiry/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Kansas’ largest foster care contractor responded to Kansas 
Reflector reporting on the organization’s finances and litigation by 
pointing to a turnaround under current leadership and a willingness to 
cooperate with investigators.

Saint Francis Ministries said statements published in an <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/08/12/kansas-foster-care-provider-suing-former-leaders-for-alleged-financial-misconduct/">Aug. 12 story</a>
 are “inaccurate” and “false,” but wouldn’t identify specific statements
 in question. The nonprofit also wouldn’t answer questions for this 
story.

And Saint Francis provided an alternate description of its departure 
from Nebraska, where multiple investigations sounded alarms about the 
organization’s ability to comply with state law while providing foster 
care services for the Omaha area.

On Thursday, based in part on reporting by Kansas Reflector, a 
Nebraska state senator asked her attorney general to conduct an 
investigation into the possibility that Saint Francis defrauded the 
state.

The Aug. 12 story examined a lawsuit filed by Saint Francis to 
recover millions of dollars from its former CEO, chief counsel and IT 
director, who are accused of misusing company credit cards and excessive
 billing.

Alison Kossover, chief administration office for Saint Francis, said 
in a 300-word response that the story leads readers to “an inaccurate 
understanding of the situation.”

“Over the past twenty-two months, the Saint Francis Ministries team 
has cooperated with investigators, auditors, and state partners to 
ensure accurate accounting and complete transparency,” Kossover said. 
“In summary, there are no unaccounted dollars as we continue to openly 
assist and support government organizations with their inquiries.”

In the lawsuit, filed in January in Saline County District Court, 
Saint Francis accuses its former leaders of misleading board members to 
hide the misspending of millions of dollars. Kansas Reflector reported 
that Teresa Woody, litigation director for Kansas Appleseed, said it was
 appalling that millions of dollars meant to provide foster care were 
not accounted for.

Kansas Appleseed <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/08/20/judge-orders-kansas-to-pay-nearly-2-3-million-in-legal-fees-and-expenses-in-child-welfare-lawsuit/">settled a lawsuit last year</a> to require improvements in the foster care system.&nbsp;Woody clarified her remarks for this story.

“Millions of dollars were transferred — Saint Francis now alleges 
fraudulently — for IT services it did not receive instead of going 
toward Saint Francis’s obligation to protect children in foster care, 
money that St. Francis is now trying to recoup through a lawsuit,” Woody
 said. “The Kansas Legislature must demand financial transparency from 
Saint Francis and hold it accountable for any harm suffered by children 
in Kansas foster care due to financial or other improprieties. This 
situation continues to demonstrate the need for enhanced and continued 
oversight and reform of Kansas’ foster care system.”

Saint Francis enlisted the services of Parris Communications, based 
in Kansas City, Missouri, to distribute Kossover’s response to news 
outlets that published the Kansas Reflector story.

Kansas Reflector sent a list of seven questions seeking clarification about Kossover’s response.

“Saint Francis Ministries stands by their previous statement and has 
no further comment at this time,” said Laurie Roberts, president of 
Parris Communications.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/8/1660235188905.png" alt="Saint Francis Ministries, a Salina-based foster care provider, accused its former leaders of misspending millions of dollars and is suing to recover the money. But in response to reporting by Kansas Reflector, the organization says "there are no unaccounted dollars." (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Saint Francis Ministries, a Salina-based foster care provider, accused its former leaders of misspending millions of dollars and is suing to recover the money. But in response to reporting by Kansas Reflector, the organization says "there are no unaccounted dollars." (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By SHERMAN SMITH <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/09/01/kansas-foster-care-provider-criticizes-coverage-while-nebraska-lawmaker-asks-for-fraud-inquiry/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas’ largest foster care contractor responded to Kansas 
Reflector reporting on the organization’s finances and litigation by 
pointing to a turnaround under current leadership and a willingness to 
cooperate with investigators.Saint Francis Ministries said statements published in an <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/08/12/kansas-foster-care-provider-suing-former-leaders-for-alleged-financial-misconduct/">Aug. 12 story</a>
 are “inaccurate” and “false,” but wouldn’t identify specific statements
 in question. The nonprofit also wouldn’t answer questions for this 
story.And Saint Francis provided an alternate description of its departure 
from Nebraska, where multiple investigations sounded alarms about the 
organization’s ability to comply with state law while providing foster 
care services for the Omaha area.On Thursday, based in part on reporting by Kansas Reflector, a 
Nebraska state senator asked her attorney general to conduct an 
investigation into the possibility that Saint Francis defrauded the 
state.The Aug. 12 story examined a lawsuit filed by Saint Francis to 
recover millions of dollars from its former CEO, chief counsel and IT 
director, who are accused of misusing company credit cards and excessive
 billing.Alison Kossover, chief administration office for Saint Francis, said 
in a 300-word response that the story leads readers to “an inaccurate 
understanding of the situation.”“Over the past twenty-two months, the Saint Francis Ministries team 
has cooperated with investigators, auditors, and state partners to 
ensure accurate accounting and complete transparency,” Kossover said. 
“In summary, there are no unaccounted dollars as we continue to openly 
assist and support government organizations with their inquiries.”In the lawsuit, filed in January in Saline County District Court, 
Saint Francis accuses its former leaders of misleading board members to 
hide the misspending of millions of dollars. Kansas Reflector reported 
that Teresa Woody, litigation director for Kansas Appleseed, said it was
 appalling that millions of dollars meant to provide foster care were 
not accounted for.Kansas Appleseed <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/08/20/judge-orders-kansas-to-pay-nearly-2-3-million-in-legal-fees-and-expenses-in-child-welfare-lawsuit/">settled a lawsuit last year</a> to require improvements in the foster care system.&nbsp;Woody clarified her remarks for this story.“Millions of dollars were transferred — Saint Francis now alleges 
fraudulently — for IT services it did not receive instead of going 
toward Saint Francis’s obligation to protect children in foster care, 
money that St. Francis is now trying to recoup through a lawsuit,” Woody
 said. “The Kansas Legislature must demand financial transparency from 
Saint Francis and hold it accountable for any harm suffered by children 
in Kansas foster care due to financial or other improprieties. This 
situation continues to demonstrate the need for enhanced and continued 
oversight and reform of Kansas’ foster care system.”Saint Francis enlisted the services of Parris Communications, based 
in Kansas City, Missouri, to distribute Kossover’s response to news 
outlets that published the Kansas Reflector story.Kansas Reflector sent a list of seven questions seeking clarification about Kossover’s response.“Saint Francis Ministries stands by their previous statement and has 
no further comment at this time,” said Laurie Roberts, president of 
Parris Communications.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662042112970.png" alt="Nebraska Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh wants her attorney general to launch an investigation into whether Saint Francis Ministries defrauded the state. (Nebraska Unicameral Information Office)" />
 <figcaption>Nebraska Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh wants her attorney general to launch an investigation into whether Saint Francis Ministries defrauded the state. (Nebraska Unicameral Information Office)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Leaving Nebraska</h2>Nebraska Sen. Machaela Cavanaugh sent a letter Thursday to Nebraska Attorney General Doug Peterson in response to an <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/08/11/fbi-seizing-bank-deposits-in-alleged-10-million-fraud-of-kansas-foster-care-provider-saint-francis-ministries/">Aug. 11 story</a> by Kansas Reflector about federal authorizes moving to seize $10 million from the former Saint Francis IT director.The letter asks the attorney general to launch an investigation into 
Nebraska’s dealings with Saint Francis and its former leaders, and to 
compel the parties to preserve any evidence relating to the contract 
with Nebraska.The request is a reflection of ongoing concerns about the contract 
Nebraska awarded Saint Francis in 2019. The former CEO knowingly 
underbid the contract, and the state had to infuse an additional $110 
million into the deal in January 2021. But the organization continued to
 struggle with its obligations to care for foster children in Nebraska.The organization <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/12/14/kansas-foster-care-provider-agrees-to-leave-nebraska-after-months-of-scrutiny/">announced in December it would leave Nebraska</a>
 after investigations from the state’s inspector general and an 
oversight committee both concluded the state should end its relationship
 with Saint Francis.Kossover’s response to Reflector’s reporting said state regulators 
and Saint Francis “agreed to mutually terminate the contract.”“Nebraska ended privatization in the state, and did not replace Saint Francis with another contractor,” Kossover said.In an interview for this story, Cavanaugh said the poor performance 
by Saint Francis played an “enormous part” in the decision to terminate 
the contract. The investigations, <a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/12/23/audit-of-kansas-foster-care-provider-scrutinizes-financial-controls-it-costs-ceo-travel-ppp-loan/">a Kanas auditor’s report</a> and depositions from a lawsuit in Nebraska all raised concerns, Cavanaugh said.“There was this picture of systematic failure on the part of Saint 
Francis Ministries to do what was statutorily required in child welfare 
in Nebraska,” Cavanaugh said.Before Saint Francis announced the decision to terminate the 
contract, Cavanaugh had already filed legislation that would have forced
 the state to sever ties with the organization.Cavanaugh said the attempt to characterize the departure as a 
“mutual” agreement was an attempt to avoid responsibility “for this 
atrocious contract.”“Is ‘atrocious’ too mild of a word?” Cavanaugh said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/9/1662042158703.png" alt="Current leadership at Saint Francis Ministries says the organization’s finances are now stable as a result of “hard work, sacrifice, and dedication of the entire Saint Francis Ministries team.” (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Current leadership at Saint Francis Ministries says the organization’s finances are now stable as a result of “hard work, sacrifice, and dedication of the entire Saint Francis Ministries team.” (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Transforming lives</h2>In an interview for this story, Cavanaugh questioned the organization’s decision to complain about Kansas Reflector’s reporting.Any organization that deals in child welfare should welcome public scrutiny, Cavanaugh said.“Things happen within the child welfare system,” Cavanaugh said. 
“It’s never going to be perfect, but we need to know about them. We need
 to document them, and we need to be able to fix them. So reacting so 
viscerally to people wanting to make sure that high-quality child 
welfare exists in Kansas and Nebraska is very concerning and a big red 
flag. Especially after you have lost millions of dollars.”Kansas Rep. Jarrod Ousley, a Merriam Democrat who serves on the 
foster care oversight committee, said he has had concerns with every 
foster care provider in Kansas, and “Saint Francis stands out” because 
of the financial mismanagement “by a few bad players.”There are still “too many headlines,” Ousley said, about tragedies 
involving foster children, kids sleeping in offices, and delays in 
finding permanent placements.“The facts are the facts,” Ousley said. “I’d like to think that Saint
 Francis as an organization, once they discovered it, made changes. It 
is what it is, and I don’t see any reason to be sensitive.”Kossover’s response said Saint Francis is financially sound and proud of its work.“This outcome is due to hard work, sacrifice, and dedication of the 
entire Saint Francis Ministries team,” Kossover said. “What has 
transpired in the past will not define our legacy. Saint Francis 
Ministries has faithfully transformed lives for over 75 years and 
remains committed to our mission of providing healing and hope to 
children and families.”