SALINE COUNTY — A small earthquake shook central Kansas on Saturday.

Just before 4:30p.m., a quake measuring a magnitude 3.4 rattled portions of rural Saline County approximately 4.3 miles east of Assaria, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754176253943.png" alt="Star marks the location of the quake- USGS image" />
 <figcaption>Star marks the location of the quake- USGS image</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY — A small earthquake shook central Kansas on Saturday.Just before 4:30p.m., a quake measuring a magnitude 3.4 rattled portions of rural Saline County approximately 4.3 miles east of Assaria, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.There are no reports of damage and no calls about the quake, according to the Saline County Sheriff's office.&nbsp;

Small earthquake reported in central Kansas

WICHITA, Kan.&nbsp;— The Wichita Police Department is investigating the death of a 49-year-old man as a homicide.

Around 8:45 a.m. Friday, officers and Wichita Fire Department crews responded to a report of a man down near the entrance to an alley in the 2400 block of North Jeanette. When fire personnel arrived, they found the man with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 8:53 a.m., according ot a media release from Wichita Police.

Officers secured the area, and homicide detectives were called in to investigate.

The investigation is still in its early stages, and details may change as it continues, but initial findings suggest the victim was shot somewhere else and collapsed after fleeing the scene on a bicycle.&nbsp;

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754085592544.png" alt="photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan.&nbsp;— The Wichita Police Department is investigating the death of a 49-year-old man as a homicide.Around 8:45 a.m. Friday, officers and Wichita Fire Department crews responded to a report of a man down near the entrance to an alley in the 2400 block of North Jeanette. When fire personnel arrived, they found the man with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 8:53 a.m., according ot a media release from Wichita Police.Officers secured the area, and homicide detectives were called in to investigate.The investigation is still in its early stages, and details may change as it continues, but initial findings suggest the victim was shot somewhere else and collapsed after fleeing the scene on a bicycle.&nbsp;Anyone with information is asked to call our homicide section at 316-268-4407. To remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111.

Homicide: 49-year-old man found in Kansas alley

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mike-stobbe">MIKE STOBBE</a>

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. health officials have told more than a half-dozen of the nation’s top medical organizations that they will no longer help establish vaccination recommendations.

The government told the organizations on Thursday via email that their experts are being disinvited from the workgroups that have been the backbone of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

The organizations include the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

“I’m concerned and distressed,” said Dr. William Schaffner, a Vanderbilt University vaccine expert who for decades has been involved with ACIP and its workgroups.

He said the move will likely propel a confusing fragmentation of vaccine guidance, as patients may hear the government say one thing and hear their doctors say another.

One email said the organizations are “special interest groups and therefore are expected to have a ‘bias’ based on their constituency and/or population that they represent.”

A federal health official on Friday confirmed the action, which was first reported by Bloomberg.

The decision was the latest development in what has become a saga involving the ACIP. The committee, created in 1964, makes recommendations to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on how vaccines that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration should be used.

CDC directors have traditionally almost always approved those recommendations, which are widely heeded by doctors and greenlight insurance coverage for shots.

U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was a leading voice in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-jr-vaccine-trump-science-autism-9b99621b01f11b7f0bdc81e5a0b82d2b">anti-vaccine movement</a>&nbsp;before becoming the U.S. government’s top health official, and in June&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kennedy-cdc-acip-vaccines-3790c89f45b6314c5c7b686db0e3a8f9">abruptly fired</a>&nbsp;the entire ACIP after accusing them of being too closely aligned with manufacturers. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cdc-acip-vaccine-committee-9f58e1f004075b081718ff078de88d76">handpicked replacements</a>&nbsp;that include several vaccine skeptics.

The workgroups typically include committee members and experts from medical and scientific organizations. At workgroup meetings, members evaluate data from vaccine manufacturers and the CDC, and formulate vaccination recommendation proposals to be presented to the full committee.

The structure was created for several reasons, Schaffner said. The professional groups provide input about what might and might not be possible for doctors to implement. And it helped build respect and trust in ACIP recommendations, having the buy-in of respected medical organizations, he said.

Workgroup members are vetted for conflicts of interest, to make sure than no one who had, say, made money from working on a hepatitis vaccine was placed on the hepatitis committee, Schaffner noted.

Also disinvited from the groups were the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Physicians, the American Geriatrics Society, the American Osteopathic Association, the National Medical Association and the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

In a joint statement Friday, the AMA and several of the other organizations said: “To remove our deep medical expertise from this vital and once transparent process is irresponsible, dangerous to our nation’s health, and will further undermine public and clinician trust in vaccines.”

They urged the administration to reconsider the move “so we can continue to feel confident in its vaccine recommendations for our patients.”

Some of the professional organizations have criticized Kennedy’s changes to the ACIP, and three of the disinvited groups last month joined&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lawsuit-vaccines-kennedy-95a1aa23c3f015f7a35a570f5ef8da36">a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;against the government over Kennedy’s decision to stop recommending COVID-19 vaccines for most children and pregnant women.

In a social media post Friday, one of the Kennedy-appointed ACIP members — Retsef Levi — wrote that the working groups “will engage experts from even broader set of disciplines!”

Levi, a business management professor, also wrote that working group membership “will be based on merit &amp; expertise — not membership in organizations proven to have (conflicts of interest) and radical &amp; narrow view of public health!”

HHS officials have not said which people are going to be added to the ACIP workgroups.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600861747887.png" alt="Photo Johnson &amp; Johnson" />
 <figcaption>Photo Johnson &amp; Johnson</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/mike-stobbe">MIKE STOBBE</a>NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. health officials have told more than a half-dozen of the nation’s top medical organizations that they will no longer help establish vaccination recommendations.The government told the organizations on Thursday via email that their experts are being disinvited from the workgroups that have been the backbone of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.The organizations include the American Medical Association, the American Academy of Pediatrics and the Infectious Diseases Society of America.“I’m concerned and distressed,” said Dr. William Schaffner, a Vanderbilt University vaccine expert who for decades has been involved with ACIP and its workgroups.He said the move will likely propel a confusing fragmentation of vaccine guidance, as patients may hear the government say one thing and hear their doctors say another.One email said the organizations are “special interest groups and therefore are expected to have a ‘bias’ based on their constituency and/or population that they represent.”A federal health official on Friday confirmed the action, which was first reported by Bloomberg.The decision was the latest development in what has become a saga involving the ACIP. The committee, created in 1964, makes recommendations to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on how vaccines that have been approved by the Food and Drug Administration should be used.CDC directors have traditionally almost always approved those recommendations, which are widely heeded by doctors and greenlight insurance coverage for shots.U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was a leading voice in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rfk-jr-vaccine-trump-science-autism-9b99621b01f11b7f0bdc81e5a0b82d2b">anti-vaccine movement</a>&nbsp;before becoming the U.S. government’s top health official, and in June&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kennedy-cdc-acip-vaccines-3790c89f45b6314c5c7b686db0e3a8f9">abruptly fired</a>&nbsp;the entire ACIP after accusing them of being too closely aligned with manufacturers. He&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cdc-acip-vaccine-committee-9f58e1f004075b081718ff078de88d76">handpicked replacements</a>&nbsp;that include several vaccine skeptics.The workgroups typically include committee members and experts from medical and scientific organizations. At workgroup meetings, members evaluate data from vaccine manufacturers and the CDC, and formulate vaccination recommendation proposals to be presented to the full committee.The structure was created for several reasons, Schaffner said. The professional groups provide input about what might and might not be possible for doctors to implement. And it helped build respect and trust in ACIP recommendations, having the buy-in of respected medical organizations, he said.Workgroup members are vetted for conflicts of interest, to make sure than no one who had, say, made money from working on a hepatitis vaccine was placed on the hepatitis committee, Schaffner noted.Also disinvited from the groups were the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Physicians, the American Geriatrics Society, the American Osteopathic Association, the National Medical Association and the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.In a joint statement Friday, the AMA and several of the other organizations said: “To remove our deep medical expertise from this vital and once transparent process is irresponsible, dangerous to our nation’s health, and will further undermine public and clinician trust in vaccines.”They urged the administration to reconsider the move “so we can continue to feel confident in its vaccine recommendations for our patients.”Some of the professional organizations have criticized Kennedy’s changes to the ACIP, and three of the disinvited groups last month joined&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lawsuit-vaccines-kennedy-95a1aa23c3f015f7a35a570f5ef8da36">a lawsuit</a>&nbsp;against the government over Kennedy’s decision to stop recommending COVID-19 vaccines for most children and pregnant women.In a social media post Friday, one of the Kennedy-appointed ACIP members — Retsef Levi — wrote that the working groups “will engage experts from even broader set of disciplines!”Levi, a business management professor, also wrote that working group membership “will be based on merit &amp; expertise — not membership in organizations proven to have (conflicts of interest) and radical &amp; narrow view of public health!”HHS officials have not said which people are going to be added to the ACIP workgroups.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

AMA and other medical associations are kicked out of CDC vaccine workgroups

BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — A Kansas woman owes more than $21,000 in late fees for failing to pay her rent in 2020, the Kansas Supreme Court ruled last week.

Sherri Foster rented a Prairie Village house in November 2018, paying $1,900 per month in rent to John Schutt. Schutt also employed Foster to work on renovations of rental properties, attorney Jadh Kerr told Supreme Court justices.&nbsp;

“The lease had a late-fee provision that $20 for each day was due for rents that remain unpaid after the due date, which is the first of the month,” Kerr said.&nbsp;

Foster did not pay rent for three months in early 2020, but she and Schutt agreed to bring her current as of June 2020, Kerr said. Foster again missed three months of rent, which ultimately brought the two before the Johnson County District Court.&nbsp;

“Normally, under a landlord-tenant action, you would go to trial within 14 days,” Kerr said. “That did not happen here. It took from September of 2020 to March 2 of 2023 for this case to get to trial.”

The district court ruled that Foster owed $5,700 in unpaid rent and $21,240 in late fees, which was calculated by assessing $20 per day for 1,062 days between the first missed rent payment and the judgment date.

However, Schutt also owed Foster $545 for failing to pay her for managing construction work on his rental properties, according to court documents.

Foster’s attorney Eric Kraft appealed the district court ruling to the Kansas Court of Appeals, claiming that $21,000 in late fees was “unconscionable,” a legal term meaning a contract is so unfair or oppressive for one party that it offends the conscience of the court. In Kansas, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/consumer-protection-kansas#:~:text=THE%20KANSAS%20CONSUMER%20PROTECTION%20ACT,CONSUMERS%20HOW%20TO%20OBTAIN%20REDRESS." target="_blank">Consumer Protection Law</a>&nbsp;focuses on “misleading, deceptive and unconscionable trade practices.”

The appeals court agreed with Foster and lowered the late fee assessment to $1,700, which covered the days between when Foster failed to pay her rent and when the case went before the district court. But Schutt then appealed that decision to the Kansas Supreme Court.

Kraft said the district court judge, John McEntee, was new, and Kraft believed the former judge in district court would have limited the late fees.

“As much as we try to protect the tenants in the landlord and tenant act, this smacks that completely upside down,” Kraft told the Supreme Court.&nbsp;

While Supreme Court justices peppered Schutt’s lawyer with questions about the fairness of late fees accruing through an unusually long court proceeding, they ultimately found in favor of Schutt.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://searchdro.kscourts.gov/documents/pdf/caseDecisions/e8a35794-dc62-47c6-9184-09c89c4b9bda_126555.pdf" target="_blank">unanimous decision</a>&nbsp;from the Supreme Court reversed the appeals court’s decision. It said that Foster did not appropriately raise the issue of unconscionability, and the Court of Appeals should not have taken that into account when reversing the district court’s initial decision.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754061564815.png" alt=" Attorney Jadh Kerr testifies before the Kansas Supreme Court about the validity of $21,000 in late fees in a landlord-tenant case. (Kansas Reflector screen capture of Kansas Supreme Court proceeding)" />
 <figcaption> Attorney Jadh Kerr testifies before the Kansas Supreme Court about the validity of $21,000 in late fees in a landlord-tenant case. (Kansas Reflector screen capture of Kansas Supreme Court proceeding)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — A Kansas woman owes more than $21,000 in late fees for failing to pay her rent in 2020, the Kansas Supreme Court ruled last week.Sherri Foster rented a Prairie Village house in November 2018, paying $1,900 per month in rent to John Schutt. Schutt also employed Foster to work on renovations of rental properties, attorney Jadh Kerr told Supreme Court justices.&nbsp;“The lease had a late-fee provision that $20 for each day was due for rents that remain unpaid after the due date, which is the first of the month,” Kerr said.&nbsp;Foster did not pay rent for three months in early 2020, but she and Schutt agreed to bring her current as of June 2020, Kerr said. Foster again missed three months of rent, which ultimately brought the two before the Johnson County District Court.&nbsp;“Normally, under a landlord-tenant action, you would go to trial within 14 days,” Kerr said. “That did not happen here. It took from September of 2020 to March 2 of 2023 for this case to get to trial.”The district court ruled that Foster owed $5,700 in unpaid rent and $21,240 in late fees, which was calculated by assessing $20 per day for 1,062 days between the first missed rent payment and the judgment date.However, Schutt also owed Foster $545 for failing to pay her for managing construction work on his rental properties, according to court documents.Foster’s attorney Eric Kraft appealed the district court ruling to the Kansas Court of Appeals, claiming that $21,000 in late fees was “unconscionable,” a legal term meaning a contract is so unfair or oppressive for one party that it offends the conscience of the court. In Kansas, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/consumer-protection-kansas#:~:text=THE%20KANSAS%20CONSUMER%20PROTECTION%20ACT,CONSUMERS%20HOW%20TO%20OBTAIN%20REDRESS." target="_blank">Consumer Protection Law</a>&nbsp;focuses on “misleading, deceptive and unconscionable trade practices.”The appeals court agreed with Foster and lowered the late fee assessment to $1,700, which covered the days between when Foster failed to pay her rent and when the case went before the district court. But Schutt then appealed that decision to the Kansas Supreme Court.Kraft said the district court judge, John McEntee, was new, and Kraft believed the former judge in district court would have limited the late fees.“As much as we try to protect the tenants in the landlord and tenant act, this smacks that completely upside down,” Kraft told the Supreme Court.&nbsp;While Supreme Court justices peppered Schutt’s lawyer with questions about the fairness of late fees accruing through an unusually long court proceeding, they ultimately found in favor of Schutt.The&nbsp;<a href="https://searchdro.kscourts.gov/documents/pdf/caseDecisions/e8a35794-dc62-47c6-9184-09c89c4b9bda_126555.pdf" target="_blank">unanimous decision</a>&nbsp;from the Supreme Court reversed the appeals court’s decision. It said that Foster did not appropriately raise the issue of unconscionability, and the Court of Appeals should not have taken that into account when reversing the district court’s initial decision.&nbsp;

Kansas woman owes landlord $21,000 in late fees, Supreme Court rules

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City.

Just after 4:30p.m. Friday, patrol officers were dispatched to the 800 block of Benton on a reported shooting, according to Officer Phil DiMartino.

As officers arrived they were directed to the intersection of 8th and Benton, just to the east. There they located an adult male victim suffering from gunshot wounds.&nbsp; KCFD personnel responded and medics pronounced the victim deceased on scene. This is being investigated as a homicide, and a subject of interest was taken into custody pending further investigation.&nbsp;

 Preliminary information revealed there was an altercation between multiple people that led to shots being fired and the victim being struck. Police have not released the name of the victim.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754100469410.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City.Just after 4:30p.m. Friday, patrol officers were dispatched to the 800 block of Benton on a reported shooting, according to Officer Phil DiMartino.As officers arrived they were directed to the intersection of 8th and Benton, just to the east. There they located an adult male victim suffering from gunshot wounds.&nbsp; KCFD personnel responded and medics pronounced the victim deceased on scene. This is being investigated as a homicide, and a subject of interest was taken into custody pending further investigation.&nbsp; Preliminary information revealed there was an altercation between multiple people that led to shots being fired and the victim being struck. Police have not released the name of the victim.

KCPD: Person of interest in custody after fatal shooting

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Friday removed the head of the agency that produces the monthly jobs figures after a report showed hiring&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-unemployment-economy-trump-federal-reserve-68a15f89d68793a6cf88a522ff33246c">slowed in July</a>&nbsp;and was much weaker in May and June than previously reported.

Trump, in a post on his social media platform, alleged that the figures were manipulated for political reasons and said that Erika McEntarfer, the director of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, who was appointed by former President Joe Biden, should be fired. He provided no evidence for the charge.

“I have directed my Team to fire this Biden Political Appointee, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump said on Truth Social. “She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified.”

Trump later posted: “In my opinion, today’s Jobs Numbers were RIGGED in order to make the Republicans, and ME, look bad.”

The charge that the data was faked is an explosive one that threatens to undercut the political legitimacy of the U.S. government's economic data, which has long been seen as the “gold standard” of economic measurement globally. Economists and Wall Street investors have for decades generally accepted the data as free from political bias.

Trump’s move to fire McEntarfer represented another extraordinary assertion of presidential power. He has wielded the authority of the White House to try to control the world’s international trade system, media companies, America’s top universities and Congress’ constitutional power of the purse, among other institutions.

McEntarfer's firing was roundly condemned by a group that included two former BLS commissioners, including William Beach, who was appointed by Trump to the position. They particularly objected to the charge that the data was altered for political reasons.

“This rationale for firing Dr. McEntarfer is without merit and undermines the credibility of federal economic statistics that are a cornerstone of intelligent economic decision-making by businesses, families, and policymakers,” the statement from the group, the Friends of BLS, said.

In addition to Beach, the statement was signed by Erica Groshen, BLS commissioner under former President Barack Obama.

“Firing the Commissioner ... when the BLS revises jobs numbers down (as it routinely does) threatens to destroy trust in core American institutions, and all government statistics,” Arin Dube, an economist at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, said on X. “I can’t stress how damaging this is.”

After Trump's initial post, Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer said on X that McEntarfer was no longer leading the bureau and that William Wiatrowski, the deputy commissioner, would serve as the acting director.

“I support the President’s decision to replace Biden’s Commissioner and ensure the American People can trust the important and influential data coming from BLS,” Chavez-DeRemer said.

Friday’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf">jobs report</a>&nbsp;showed that just 73,000 jobs were added last month and that 258,000 fewer jobs were created in May and June than previously estimated. The report suggested that the economy has sharply weakened during Trump's tenure, a pattern consistent with a slowdown in economic growth during the first half of the year and an increase in inflation during June that appeared to reflect the price pressures created by the president's tariffs.

“What does a bad leader do when they get bad news? Shoot the messenger,” Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said in a Friday speech.

McEntarfer was nominated by Biden in 2023 and became the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics in January 2024. Commissioners typically serve four-year terms but since they are political appointees can be fired. The commissioner is the only political appointee of the agency, which has hundreds of career civil servants.

The Senate confirmed McEntarfer to her post 86-8, with now Vice President JD Vance among the yea votes.

Trump focused much of his ire on the revisions the agency made to previous hiring data. Job gains in May were revised down to just 19,000 from a previously revised 125,000, and for June they were cut to 14,000 from 147,000. In July, only 73,000 positions were added. The unemployment rate ticked up to a still-low 4.2% from 4.1%.

“No one can be that wrong? We need accurate Jobs Numbers,” Trump wrote. “She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified. Important numbers like this must be fair and accurate, they can’t be manipulated for political purposes.”

Trump has not always been so suspicious of the monthly jobs report and responded enthusiastically after the initial May figures came out on June 6 when it was initially reported that the economy added 139,000 jobs.

“GREAT JOB NUMBERS, STOCK MARKET UP BIG!” Trump posted at the time.

That estimate was later revised down to 125,000 jobs, prior to the most-recent revision down to just 19,000.

During the 2016 campaign, Trump was more critical: He often attacked the jobs figures as they showed the unemployment rate steadily declining while Obama was still president, only to immediately switch to praising the data once he was in office as steady job gains continued.

The monthly employment report is one of the most closely-watched pieces of government economic data and can cause sharp swings in financial markets. The disappointing figure sent U.S. market indexes about 1.5% lower Friday.

The revisions to the May and June numbers were quite large and surprising to many economists. At the same time, every monthly jobs report includes revisions to the prior two months' figures. Those revisions occur as the government receives more responses from businesses to its survey, which help provide a more complete picture of employment trends each month.

In the past decade, companies have taken longer to respond, which may have contributed to larger monthly revisions.

The proportion of companies responding to the surveys has also fallen steadily over the past 10 years, but the survey still gets responses from roughly 200,000 business locations, which can be independent companies or franchises of larger chains.

The monthly jobs report has long been closely guarded within the BLS, with early copies held in safes under lock and key to prevent any leaks or early dissemination.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754090217869.png" alt="&nbsp;Erika McEntarfer from her official government portrait" />
 <figcaption>&nbsp;Erika McEntarfer from her official government portrait</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Friday removed the head of the agency that produces the monthly jobs figures after a report showed hiring&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jobs-unemployment-economy-trump-federal-reserve-68a15f89d68793a6cf88a522ff33246c">slowed in July</a>&nbsp;and was much weaker in May and June than previously reported.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Legacy media’s wrong on why the BLS chief was fired. It’s not ‘bad numbers’—it’s incompetence. She inflated job numbers by 800K pre-election, then missed by 250K last two months. How can the Fed make sound decisions with such flawed data? Trump was right to act.&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1951651037770887487?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on the former Biden-appointed Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics: &quot;You have to have HONEST reports.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/r15Vpiq7kr">pic.twitter.com/r15Vpiq7kr</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1951390584230613146?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I have been raising concerns for the past year about inaccurate job numbers put out by Dr. Erika McEntarfer. Her cooked-up numbers have misled the American people for too long. Glad President <a href="https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@realDonaldTrump</a> is going to clean this up. <a href="https://t.co/cmfcC1w5J3">https://t.co/cmfcC1w5J3</a>&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1951353610295709938?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump, in a post on his social media platform, alleged that the figures were manipulated for political reasons and said that Erika McEntarfer, the director of the Bureau of Labor Statistics, who was appointed by former President Joe Biden, should be fired. He provided no evidence for the charge.“I have directed my Team to fire this Biden Political Appointee, IMMEDIATELY,” Trump said on Truth Social. “She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified.”Trump later posted: “In my opinion, today’s Jobs Numbers were RIGGED in order to make the Republicans, and ME, look bad.”The charge that the data was faked is an explosive one that threatens to undercut the political legitimacy of the U.S. government's economic data, which has long been seen as the “gold standard” of economic measurement globally. Economists and Wall Street investors have for decades generally accepted the data as free from political bias.Trump’s move to fire McEntarfer represented another extraordinary assertion of presidential power. He has wielded the authority of the White House to try to control the world’s international trade system, media companies, America’s top universities and Congress’ constitutional power of the purse, among other institutions.McEntarfer's firing was roundly condemned by a group that included two former BLS commissioners, including William Beach, who was appointed by Trump to the position. They particularly objected to the charge that the data was altered for political reasons.“This rationale for firing Dr. McEntarfer is without merit and undermines the credibility of federal economic statistics that are a cornerstone of intelligent economic decision-making by businesses, families, and policymakers,” the statement from the group, the Friends of BLS, said.In addition to Beach, the statement was signed by Erica Groshen, BLS commissioner under former President Barack Obama.“Firing the Commissioner ... when the BLS revises jobs numbers down (as it routinely does) threatens to destroy trust in core American institutions, and all government statistics,” Arin Dube, an economist at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst, said on X. “I can’t stress how damaging this is.”After Trump's initial post, Labor Secretary Lori Chavez-DeRemer said on X that McEntarfer was no longer leading the bureau and that William Wiatrowski, the deputy commissioner, would serve as the acting director.“I support the President’s decision to replace Biden’s Commissioner and ensure the American People can trust the important and influential data coming from BLS,” Chavez-DeRemer said.Friday’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/empsit.pdf">jobs report</a>&nbsp;showed that just 73,000 jobs were added last month and that 258,000 fewer jobs were created in May and June than previously estimated. The report suggested that the economy has sharply weakened during Trump's tenure, a pattern consistent with a slowdown in economic growth during the first half of the year and an increase in inflation during June that appeared to reflect the price pressures created by the president's tariffs.“What does a bad leader do when they get bad news? Shoot the messenger,” Democratic Senate Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said in a Friday speech.McEntarfer was nominated by Biden in 2023 and became the Commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics in January 2024. Commissioners typically serve four-year terms but since they are political appointees can be fired. The commissioner is the only political appointee of the agency, which has hundreds of career civil servants.The Senate confirmed McEntarfer to her post 86-8, with now Vice President JD Vance among the yea votes.Trump focused much of his ire on the revisions the agency made to previous hiring data. Job gains in May were revised down to just 19,000 from a previously revised 125,000, and for June they were cut to 14,000 from 147,000. In July, only 73,000 positions were added. The unemployment rate ticked up to a still-low 4.2% from 4.1%.“No one can be that wrong? We need accurate Jobs Numbers,” Trump wrote. “She will be replaced with someone much more competent and qualified. Important numbers like this must be fair and accurate, they can’t be manipulated for political purposes.”Trump has not always been so suspicious of the monthly jobs report and responded enthusiastically after the initial May figures came out on June 6 when it was initially reported that the economy added 139,000 jobs.“GREAT JOB NUMBERS, STOCK MARKET UP BIG!” Trump posted at the time.That estimate was later revised down to 125,000 jobs, prior to the most-recent revision down to just 19,000.During the 2016 campaign, Trump was more critical: He often attacked the jobs figures as they showed the unemployment rate steadily declining while Obama was still president, only to immediately switch to praising the data once he was in office as steady job gains continued.The monthly employment report is one of the most closely-watched pieces of government economic data and can cause sharp swings in financial markets. The disappointing figure sent U.S. market indexes about 1.5% lower Friday.The revisions to the May and June numbers were quite large and surprising to many economists. At the same time, every monthly jobs report includes revisions to the prior two months' figures. Those revisions occur as the government receives more responses from businesses to its survey, which help provide a more complete picture of employment trends each month.In the past decade, companies have taken longer to respond, which may have contributed to larger monthly revisions.The proportion of companies responding to the surveys has also fallen steadily over the past 10 years, but the survey still gets responses from roughly 200,000 business locations, which can be independent companies or franchises of larger chains.The monthly jobs report has long been closely guarded within the BLS, with early copies held in safes under lock and key to prevent any leaks or early dissemination.

Kan. U.S. Senator glad Trump fired official overseeing jobs report

KANSAS CITY—A man is facing charges for a shooting that took place in south Kansas City neighborhood of Waldo the last week of July.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2698/Bridgewater-Complaint_Redacted">Ivory J. Bridgewater</a>&nbsp;faces 1st Degree Assault and Armed Criminal Action, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson. If convicted, he could face life in prison.&nbsp;

On July 28, a<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2699/Bridgewater-REDACT-PC">ccording to court records</a>, Kansas City police were dispatched to the 7400 block of Wornall Road on a shooting and found the victim with apparent gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital with life threatening injuries. As of Friday afternoon he was listed in critical but stable condition, with six gunshot wounds to his back.&nbsp;

Detectives reviewed surveillance footage from the incident, which showed the victim, identified in court records and the boyfriend of Bridgwater's former longtime girlfriend, standing outside a vehicle when a blue Tesla pulled into the parking lot and stopped in front of the vehicle the victim was standing next to. 

The Tesla stays parked there for a few minutes and then the victim turns to walk away from the vehicle. Bridgwater exited the Tesla and began firing shots at the victim and then fled the scene. &nbsp;

Bridgewater was arrested in Tukwila, Washington by the Tukwila Police Department Thursday night and is being transported back to Jackson County, where he will be held without bond.&nbsp;

KANSAS CITY—A man is facing charges for a shooting that took place in south Kansas City neighborhood of Waldo the last week of July.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2698/Bridgewater-Complaint_Redacted">Ivory J. Bridgewater</a>&nbsp;faces 1st Degree Assault and Armed Criminal Action, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson. If convicted, he could face life in prison.&nbsp;On July 28, a<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2699/Bridgewater-REDACT-PC">ccording to court records</a>, Kansas City police were dispatched to the 7400 block of Wornall Road on a shooting and found the victim with apparent gunshot wounds. He was transported to a local hospital with life threatening injuries. As of Friday afternoon he was listed in critical but stable condition, with six gunshot wounds to his back.&nbsp;Detectives reviewed surveillance footage from the incident, which showed the victim, identified in court records and the boyfriend of Bridgwater's former longtime girlfriend, standing outside a vehicle when a blue Tesla pulled into the parking lot and stopped in front of the vehicle the victim was standing next to. The Tesla stays parked there for a few minutes and then the victim turns to walk away from the vehicle. Bridgwater exited the Tesla and began firing shots at the victim and then fled the scene. &nbsp;Bridgewater was arrested in Tukwila, Washington by the Tukwila Police Department Thursday night and is being transported back to Jackson County, where he will be held without bond.&nbsp;

KC suspect who shot ex-girlfriend's boyfriend captured near Seattle

TOPEKA —The Kansas Department of Health reported no new cases of measles over the past week in the state. The state reported 90 cases in 11 counties and eight hospitalizations last week. All but three of the cases were connected, and most in Gray County.

Meanwhile, the Associated Press reported U.S. kindergarten vaccination rates inched down again last year and the share of children with exemptions rose to an all-time high, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/schoolvaxview/data/index.html">federal data</a>&nbsp;posted Thursday.

The fraction of kids exempted from vaccine requirements rose to 4.1%, up from 3.7% the year before. It's the third record-breaking year in a row for the exemption rate, and the vast majority are parents withholding shots for nonmedical reasons.

In addition, 92.5% of 2024-25 kindergartners got their required measles-mumps-rubella shots, down slightly from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccinations-kindergarten-exemptions-cdc-1c0f9a196a70491fccf48b9125090de0">the previous year</a>. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the vaccination rate was 95% — the level that makes it unlikely that a single infection will spark a disease cluster or outbreak.

The vaccination numbers were posted as the U.S. experiences its worst year for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreaks-us-mmr-vaccine-rfk-jr-518e1059923135d79a2127a02e31bac2">measles spread</a>&nbsp;in more than three decades, with more than 1,300 cases so far.

“The concern, of course, is that with a further dip in the (vaccination) coverage, we’re going to see even more measles in the coming months,” said Dr. Sean O’Leary, of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

It's possible that this year's outbreaks may spur more parents to get their children vaccinated before they go to school, said O'Leary, a University of Colorado pediatric infectious diseases specialist.

But Dr. Philip Huang isn't optimistic. Texas was particularly hard hits by measles this year, with more than half of the cases reported nationally. Despite that, the state&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-vaccines-measles-outbreak-exemptions-rfk-ab4aea44661153a789472f9d7fa8d17b">passed a law</a>&nbsp;making it easier for parents to get school vaccine exemptions for their kids.

“It's crazy,” said Huang, Dallas County's health director.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention traditionally releases the vaccination coverage data in its flagship publication, the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. CDC officials usually speak to the trends and possible explanations, and stress the importance of vaccinations. This year, the agency quietly posted the data online and — when asked about it — emailed a statement.

“The decision to vaccinate is a personal one. Parents should consult their health care providers on options for their families,” the statement said, adding; “Vaccination remains the most effective way to protect children from serious diseases like measles and whooping cough, which can lead to hospitalization and long-term health complications.”

The wording is more ambivalent about the importance of vaccinations than in the past. That is in keeping with communications from U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a leading voice in the anti-vaccine movement before President Donald Trump put him in charge of federal health agencies.

O'Leary noted the changes in the CDC messaging, which places personal choice before community protection.

“To sort of weaken the language or weaken the messaging that they're sending is very concerning, because what they say does matter,” he said.

Public health officials focus on vaccination rates for kindergartners because schools can be cauldrons for germs and launching pads for community outbreaks.

For years, those rates were high, thanks largely to school attendance mandates that required key vaccinations. All U.S. states and territories require that children attending child care centers and schools be vaccinated against&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/by-age/years-4-6.html">a number of diseases</a>, including, measles, mumps, polio, tetanus, whooping cough and chickenpox.

All states allow exemptions for children with medical conditions that prevent them from receiving certain vaccines. And most&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncsl.org/health/states-with-religious-and-philosophical-exemptions-from-school-immunization-requirements">also permit exemptions</a>&nbsp;for religious or other nonmedical reasons.

In the last decade, the percentage of kindergartners with medical exemptions has held steady, at about 0.2%. But the percentage with nonmedical exemptions has risen.

The rates can be influenced by policies that make it harder or easier to obtain exemptions, and by local attitudes among families and doctors about the need to get children vaccinated. Online misinformation and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arkansas-governor-hutchinson-covid-vaccine-hesitancy-09cadd2e75ddd5a4c0758b2cb1b6cbfd">the political divide</a>&nbsp;that emerged around COVID-19 vaccines have led more parents to question routine childhood vaccinations, experts say.

According to the CDC data, 15.4% of kindergartners had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccines-waivers-schools-measles-idaho-e7015d8fd38ec80802eeae350755a402">an exemption</a>&nbsp;to one or more vaccines in Idaho in the last school year. But fewer than 0.5% did in Connecticut.

It’s good news that the vast majority of parents continue to get their kids vaccinated, O’Leary said. And it’s noteworthy that there is a gap between the percentage vaccinated and the percentage who are exempted — meaning there likely are unmet access issues, he added.

TOPEKA —The Kansas Department of Health reported no new cases of measles over the past week in the state. The state reported 90 cases in 11 counties and eight hospitalizations last week. All but three of the cases were connected, and most in Gray County.Meanwhile, the Associated Press reported U.S. kindergarten vaccination rates inched down again last year and the share of children with exemptions rose to an all-time high, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/schoolvaxview/data/index.html">federal data</a>&nbsp;posted Thursday.The fraction of kids exempted from vaccine requirements rose to 4.1%, up from 3.7% the year before. It's the third record-breaking year in a row for the exemption rate, and the vast majority are parents withholding shots for nonmedical reasons.In addition, 92.5% of 2024-25 kindergartners got their required measles-mumps-rubella shots, down slightly from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccinations-kindergarten-exemptions-cdc-1c0f9a196a70491fccf48b9125090de0">the previous year</a>. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, the vaccination rate was 95% — the level that makes it unlikely that a single infection will spark a disease cluster or outbreak.The vaccination numbers were posted as the U.S. experiences its worst year for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/measles-outbreaks-us-mmr-vaccine-rfk-jr-518e1059923135d79a2127a02e31bac2">measles spread</a>&nbsp;in more than three decades, with more than 1,300 cases so far.“The concern, of course, is that with a further dip in the (vaccination) coverage, we’re going to see even more measles in the coming months,” said Dr. Sean O’Leary, of the American Academy of Pediatrics.It's possible that this year's outbreaks may spur more parents to get their children vaccinated before they go to school, said O'Leary, a University of Colorado pediatric infectious diseases specialist.But Dr. Philip Huang isn't optimistic. Texas was particularly hard hits by measles this year, with more than half of the cases reported nationally. Despite that, the state&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-vaccines-measles-outbreak-exemptions-rfk-ab4aea44661153a789472f9d7fa8d17b">passed a law</a>&nbsp;making it easier for parents to get school vaccine exemptions for their kids.“It's crazy,” said Huang, Dallas County's health director.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention traditionally releases the vaccination coverage data in its flagship publication, the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. CDC officials usually speak to the trends and possible explanations, and stress the importance of vaccinations. This year, the agency quietly posted the data online and — when asked about it — emailed a statement.“The decision to vaccinate is a personal one. Parents should consult their health care providers on options for their families,” the statement said, adding; “Vaccination remains the most effective way to protect children from serious diseases like measles and whooping cough, which can lead to hospitalization and long-term health complications.”The wording is more ambivalent about the importance of vaccinations than in the past. That is in keeping with communications from U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a leading voice in the anti-vaccine movement before President Donald Trump put him in charge of federal health agencies.O'Leary noted the changes in the CDC messaging, which places personal choice before community protection.“To sort of weaken the language or weaken the messaging that they're sending is very concerning, because what they say does matter,” he said.Public health officials focus on vaccination rates for kindergartners because schools can be cauldrons for germs and launching pads for community outbreaks.For years, those rates were high, thanks largely to school attendance mandates that required key vaccinations. All U.S. states and territories require that children attending child care centers and schools be vaccinated against&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/parents/by-age/years-4-6.html">a number of diseases</a>, including, measles, mumps, polio, tetanus, whooping cough and chickenpox.All states allow exemptions for children with medical conditions that prevent them from receiving certain vaccines. And most&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ncsl.org/health/states-with-religious-and-philosophical-exemptions-from-school-immunization-requirements">also permit exemptions</a>&nbsp;for religious or other nonmedical reasons.In the last decade, the percentage of kindergartners with medical exemptions has held steady, at about 0.2%. But the percentage with nonmedical exemptions has risen.The rates can be influenced by policies that make it harder or easier to obtain exemptions, and by local attitudes among families and doctors about the need to get children vaccinated. Online misinformation and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/arkansas-governor-hutchinson-covid-vaccine-hesitancy-09cadd2e75ddd5a4c0758b2cb1b6cbfd">the political divide</a>&nbsp;that emerged around COVID-19 vaccines have led more parents to question routine childhood vaccinations, experts say.According to the CDC data, 15.4% of kindergartners had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/vaccines-waivers-schools-measles-idaho-e7015d8fd38ec80802eeae350755a402">an exemption</a>&nbsp;to one or more vaccines in Idaho in the last school year. But fewer than 0.5% did in Connecticut.It’s good news that the vast majority of parents continue to get their kids vaccinated, O’Leary said. And it’s noteworthy that there is a gap between the percentage vaccinated and the percentage who are exempted — meaning there likely are unmet access issues, he added.

KDHE has good news on number of measles cases in Kansas

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/spacex">SpaceX</a>&nbsp;delivered a fresh crew to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-space-station-spacex-retire-plunge-3076b8f67488a699240b23bc7f27fc8d">International Space Station</a>&nbsp;on Saturday, making the trip in a quick 15 hours.

The four U.S., Russian and Japanese astronauts pulled up in their SpaceX capsule after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-nasa-astronauts-d90068c27fff2ed2438d1776e0632443">launching</a>&nbsp;from NASA's Kennedy Space Center. They will spend at least six months at the orbiting lab, swapping places with colleagues up there since March. SpaceX will bring those four back as early as Wednesday.

Moving in are NASA's Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japan's Kimiya Yui and Russia's Oleg Platonov — each of whom had been originally assigned to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-boeing-starliner-92dca67a1fbecf05f5f0e6e2e79afc3b">other missions</a>. “Hello, space station!” Fincke radioed as soon as the capsule docked high above the South Pacific.

Cardman and another astronaut were pulled from a SpaceX flight last year to make room for NASA's two stuck astronauts, Boeing Starliner test pilots Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, whose space station stay went from one week to more than nine months. Fincke and Yui had been training for the next Starliner mission. But with Starliner grounded by thruster and other problems until 2026, the two switched to SpaceX.

Platonov was bumped from the Soyuz launch lineup a couple of years ago because of an undisclosed illness.

Their arrival temporarily puts the space station population at 11.

“It was such an unbelievably beautiful sight to see the space station come into our view for the first time,” Cardman said once on board.

While their taxi flight was speedy by U.S. standards, the Russians hold the record for the fastest trip to the space station — a lightning-fast three hours.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/spacex">SpaceX</a>&nbsp;delivered a fresh crew to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-space-station-spacex-retire-plunge-3076b8f67488a699240b23bc7f27fc8d">International Space Station</a>&nbsp;on Saturday, making the trip in a quick 15 hours.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The hatches opened between the <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpaceX</a> Dragon and the space station at 3:46am ET today and the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Crew11?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Crew11</a> quartet joined the Exp 73 crew. <a href="https://t.co/YkICXIdLU0">https://t.co/YkICXIdLU0</a> <a href="https://t.co/NfAgJrnWfD">pic.twitter.com/NfAgJrnWfD</a>&mdash; International Space Station (@Space_Station) <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station/status/1951566896987316614?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">After the members of Crew-11 enter the <a href="https://twitter.com/Space_Station?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Space_Station</a>, the full station crew takes part in a welcome ceremony, marking the beginning of Crew-11’s mission aboard the orbital outpost. <a href="https://t.co/PL6AIpw32E">pic.twitter.com/PL6AIpw32E</a>&mdash; NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1951577761446821915?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 2, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The four U.S., Russian and Japanese astronauts pulled up in their SpaceX capsule after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/spacex-nasa-astronauts-d90068c27fff2ed2438d1776e0632443">launching</a>&nbsp;from NASA's Kennedy Space Center. They will spend at least six months at the orbiting lab, swapping places with colleagues up there since March. SpaceX will bring those four back as early as Wednesday.Moving in are NASA's Zena Cardman and Mike Fincke, Japan's Kimiya Yui and Russia's Oleg Platonov — each of whom had been originally assigned to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-boeing-starliner-92dca67a1fbecf05f5f0e6e2e79afc3b">other missions</a>. “Hello, space station!” Fincke radioed as soon as the capsule docked high above the South Pacific.Cardman and another astronaut were pulled from a SpaceX flight last year to make room for NASA's two stuck astronauts, Boeing Starliner test pilots Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, whose space station stay went from one week to more than nine months. Fincke and Yui had been training for the next Starliner mission. But with Starliner grounded by thruster and other problems until 2026, the two switched to SpaceX.Platonov was bumped from the Soyuz launch lineup a couple of years ago because of an undisclosed illness.Their arrival temporarily puts the space station population at 11.“It was such an unbelievably beautiful sight to see the space station come into our view for the first time,” Cardman said once on board.While their taxi flight was speedy by U.S. standards, the Russians hold the record for the fastest trip to the space station — a lightning-fast three hours.___The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

SpaceX: 4 astronauts arrive at the International Space Station 

SMITH COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 5p.m. Friday in Smith County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Yamaha motorcycle driven by&nbsp; &nbsp; Mark&nbsp; Hollenbeck, 70, Parker, Nebraska, was eastbound on U.S. 36 just east of U.S. 281. The motorcycle struck a trailer pulled by a 2014 Chevy Silverado driven by Dale Herrington, 73, Holdrege, Nebraska, who had slowed to turn north into a cemetery.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Hollenbeck was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Simmons Rentschler Mortuary.&nbsp; Herrington and three passengers in the pickup were not injured. Hollenbeck was wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.

SMITH COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 5p.m. Friday in Smith County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2006 Yamaha motorcycle driven by&nbsp; &nbsp; Mark&nbsp; Hollenbeck, 70, Parker, Nebraska, was eastbound on U.S. 36 just east of U.S. 281. The motorcycle struck a trailer pulled by a 2014 Chevy Silverado driven by Dale Herrington, 73, Holdrege, Nebraska, who had slowed to turn north into a cemetery.&nbsp;&nbsp;Hollenbeck was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Simmons Rentschler Mortuary.&nbsp; Herrington and three passengers in the pickup were not injured. Hollenbeck was wearing a helmet, according to the KHP.

Motorcyclist dies after crash into trailer on Kan. highway

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an arrest in Atchison.

Just before 6:30p.m. on Thursday officers responded to a residence in the 1100 block South 7th Street to investigate an unwanted person at the residence, according to Police Mike Wilson.

Once at the scene officers found the resident outside of the home who told police he arrived home to see a man identified as 36-year-old Joshua R. Morgan at the back of his residence.&nbsp; The resident knows Morgan.

It was determined that entry had been made into the residence and police searched the residence and found Morgan hiding in a closet. He was taken into custody on requested charges of burglary, attempted theft, and criminal damage to property

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754058456279.png" alt="Morgan-photo Atchison County" />
 <figcaption>Morgan-photo Atchison County</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after an arrest in Atchison.Just before 6:30p.m. on Thursday officers responded to a residence in the 1100 block South 7th Street to investigate an unwanted person at the residence, according to Police Mike Wilson.Once at the scene officers found the resident outside of the home who told police he arrived home to see a man identified as 36-year-old Joshua R. Morgan at the back of his residence.&nbsp; The resident knows Morgan.It was determined that entry had been made into the residence and police searched the residence and found Morgan hiding in a closet. He was taken into custody on requested charges of burglary, attempted theft, and criminal damage to property

Kansas burglary suspect found hiding in a closet

GEARY COUNTY—In July, Kansas Game Wardens partnered with Kansas State Park Rangers, Public Lands officers and the Geary County Sheriff’s Office to coordinate a special enforcement selective at Milford Reservoir during an annual, unpermitted, and very large pre-planned event on the water, according to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Game Wardens.

Officers stopped 74 vessels throughout the day. They issued 28 charges, 2 warnings and made or assisted with 7 arrests. 

10 Insufficient safety equipment (PFD, fire extinguisher, navigation lights)

6 Boating Under the Influence of Alcohol, Drugs, or both

2 Interference with Law Enforcement1 PBT refusal

1 Operate above no wake speed in a no wake zone

"To those who do everything correctly, every time they are on the water, we thank you."

"We want everyone to be safe while they enjoy their time on Kansas lakes and rivers. Let this be some encouragement to make sure you have all required safety equipment before you hit the water, to care for the safety of your occupants as well as those around you, and to never operate a vessel while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. All charges are currently pending."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754079345596.png" alt="Photo KDWP Game Wardens" />
 <figcaption>Photo KDWP Game Wardens</figcaption>
 </figure>GEARY COUNTY—In July, Kansas Game Wardens partnered with Kansas State Park Rangers, Public Lands officers and the Geary County Sheriff’s Office to coordinate a special enforcement selective at Milford Reservoir during an annual, unpermitted, and very large pre-planned event on the water, according to the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks Game Wardens.Officers stopped 74 vessels throughout the day. They issued 28 charges, 2 warnings and made or assisted with 7 arrests. The violations they addressed:10 Insufficient safety equipment (PFD, fire extinguisher, navigation lights)6 Boating Under the Influence of Alcohol, Drugs, or both3 Negligent operation3 Expired or missing vessel registration2 Over capacity2 Interference with Law Enforcement1 PBT refusal1 Operate above no wake speed in a no wake zone1 Minor in consumption1 Criminal restraint"To those who do everything correctly, every time they are on the water, we thank you.""We want everyone to be safe while they enjoy their time on Kansas lakes and rivers. Let this be some encouragement to make sure you have all required safety equipment before you hit the water, to care for the safety of your occupants as well as those around you, and to never operate a vessel while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. All charges are currently pending."

KDWP: Multiple arrests at a large, unpermitted event on Kansas lake

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a warning to Russia, President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Friday he's ordering the repositioning of two U.S. nuclear submarines “based on the highly provocative statements” of the country's former president,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/dmitry-medvedev">Dmitry Medvedev</a>, who has raised the prospect of war online.

Trump posted on his social media site that, based on the “highly provocative statements” from Medvedev, he had “ordered two Nuclear Submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that.”

The president added, “Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances.”

It wasn’t clear what impact Trump’s order would have on U.S. nuclear subs, which are routinely on patrol in the world’s hotspots, but it comes at a delicate moment in the Trump administration's relations with Moscow.

Trump said later Friday that he was alarmed by Medvedev's attitude.

“He's got a fresh mouth,” Trump said in an interview with Newsmax.

Trump has said that special envoy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-ceasefire-israel-hamas-war-trump-witkoff-cc6b33c243c5d9eb1605ead09e7de925">Steve Witkoff</a>&nbsp;is heading to Russia to push Moscow to agree to a ceasefire in its war with Ukraine and has threatened new economic sanctions if progress is not made. He cut his 50-day deadline for action to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-trump-putin-deadline-ultimatum-0e4cfb5969be5d02217be90f7521ce48">10 days</a>, with that window set to expire next week.

The post about the sub repositioning came after Trump, in the wee hours of Thursday morning, had posted that Medvedev was a “failed former President of Russia” and warned him to “watch his words.” Medvedev responded hours later by writing, “Russia is right on everything and will continue to go its own way.”

And that back-and-forth started earlier this week when Medvedev wrote, “Trump’s playing the ultimatum game with Russia: 50 days or 10” and added, “He should remember 2 things: 1. Russia isn’t Israel or even Iran. 2. Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country.”

Asked as he was leaving the White House on Friday evening for a weekend at his estate in New Jersey about where he was repositioning the subs, Trump didn’t offer any specifics.

“We had to do that. We just have to be careful,” he said. “A threat was made, and we didn’t think it was appropriate, so I have to be very careful.”

Trump also said, “I do that on the basis of safety for our people” and “we’re gonna protect our people.” He later added of Medvedev, “He was talking about nuclear.”

“When you talk about nuclear, we have to be prepared,” Trump said. “And we’re totally prepared.” He told Newsmax that the submarines were being moved “closer to Russia.”

Medvedev was Russia's president from 2008 to 2012, while Vladimir Putin was barred from seeking a third consecutive term, and then stepped aside to let him run again.

Now deputy chairman of Russia’s National Security Council, which Putin chairs, Medvedev has been known for his provocative and inflammatory statements since the start of the war in 2022. That's a U-turn from his presidency, when he was seen as liberal and progressive.

Medvedev has frequently wielded nuclear threats and lobbed insults at Western leaders on social media. Some observers have argued that with his extravagant rhetoric, Medvedev is seeking to score political points with Putin and Russian military hawks.

One such example before the latest spat with Trump came on July 15, after Trump announced plans to supply Ukraine with more weapons via its NATO allies and threatened additional tariffs against Moscow. Medvedev posted then, “Trump issued a theatrical ultimatum to the Kremlin. The world shuddered, expecting the consequences. Belligerent Europe was disappointed. Russia didn’t care.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/6/1750032268701.png" alt="File image White House" />
 <figcaption>File image White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — In a warning to Russia, President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;said Friday he's ordering the repositioning of two U.S. nuclear submarines “based on the highly provocative statements” of the country's former president,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/dmitry-medvedev">Dmitry Medvedev</a>, who has raised the prospect of war online.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on repositioning two U.S. nuclear subs: &quot;We had to do that... A threat was made and we didn&#39;t think it was appropriate, so I have to be very careful — I do that on the basis of safety for our people.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/UkMrEFHcph">https://t.co/UkMrEFHcph</a> <a href="https://t.co/IXluSTn294">pic.twitter.com/IXluSTn294</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1951391089174466687?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/eaTA9I4msW">pic.twitter.com/eaTA9I4msW</a>&mdash; Pete Hegseth (@PeteHegseth) <a href="https://twitter.com/PeteHegseth/status/1951327810884178375?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 1, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump posted on his social media site that, based on the “highly provocative statements” from Medvedev, he had “ordered two Nuclear Submarines to be positioned in the appropriate regions, just in case these foolish and inflammatory statements are more than just that.”The president added, “Words are very important, and can often lead to unintended consequences, I hope this will not be one of those instances.”It wasn’t clear what impact Trump’s order would have on U.S. nuclear subs, which are routinely on patrol in the world’s hotspots, but it comes at a delicate moment in the Trump administration's relations with Moscow.Trump said later Friday that he was alarmed by Medvedev's attitude.“He's got a fresh mouth,” Trump said in an interview with Newsmax.Trump has said that special envoy&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-ceasefire-israel-hamas-war-trump-witkoff-cc6b33c243c5d9eb1605ead09e7de925">Steve Witkoff</a>&nbsp;is heading to Russia to push Moscow to agree to a ceasefire in its war with Ukraine and has threatened new economic sanctions if progress is not made. He cut his 50-day deadline for action to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-trump-putin-deadline-ultimatum-0e4cfb5969be5d02217be90f7521ce48">10 days</a>, with that window set to expire next week.The post about the sub repositioning came after Trump, in the wee hours of Thursday morning, had posted that Medvedev was a “failed former President of Russia” and warned him to “watch his words.” Medvedev responded hours later by writing, “Russia is right on everything and will continue to go its own way.”And that back-and-forth started earlier this week when Medvedev wrote, “Trump’s playing the ultimatum game with Russia: 50 days or 10” and added, “He should remember 2 things: 1. Russia isn’t Israel or even Iran. 2. Each new ultimatum is a threat and a step towards war. Not between Russia and Ukraine, but with his own country.”Asked as he was leaving the White House on Friday evening for a weekend at his estate in New Jersey about where he was repositioning the subs, Trump didn’t offer any specifics.“We had to do that. We just have to be careful,” he said. “A threat was made, and we didn’t think it was appropriate, so I have to be very careful.”Trump also said, “I do that on the basis of safety for our people” and “we’re gonna protect our people.” He later added of Medvedev, “He was talking about nuclear.”“When you talk about nuclear, we have to be prepared,” Trump said. “And we’re totally prepared.” He told Newsmax that the submarines were being moved “closer to Russia.”Medvedev was Russia's president from 2008 to 2012, while Vladimir Putin was barred from seeking a third consecutive term, and then stepped aside to let him run again.Now deputy chairman of Russia’s National Security Council, which Putin chairs, Medvedev has been known for his provocative and inflammatory statements since the start of the war in 2022. That's a U-turn from his presidency, when he was seen as liberal and progressive.Medvedev has frequently wielded nuclear threats and lobbed insults at Western leaders on social media. Some observers have argued that with his extravagant rhetoric, Medvedev is seeking to score political points with Putin and Russian military hawks.One such example before the latest spat with Trump came on July 15, after Trump announced plans to supply Ukraine with more weapons via its NATO allies and threatened additional tariffs against Moscow. Medvedev posted then, “Trump issued a theatrical ultimatum to the Kremlin. The world shuddered, expecting the consequences. Belligerent Europe was disappointed. Russia didn’t care.”___

President Trump warns Russia, repositions nuclear submarines

NEW YORK (AP) — Jeannie Seely, the soulful&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/country-music">country music</a>&nbsp;singer behind such standards like “Don’t Touch Me,” has died. She was 85.

Her publicist, Don Murry Grubbs, said she died Friday after succumbing to complications from an intestinal infection.

Known as “Miss Country Soul” for her unique vocal style, Seely was a trailblazer for women in country music, celebrated for her spirited nonconformity and for a string of undeniable hits in the ‘60s and ’70s.

Her second husband, Gene Ward, died in December. In May, Seely revealed that she was in recovery after undergoing multiple back surgeries, two emergency procedures and spending 11 days in the ICU. She also suffered a bout of pneumonia.

“Rehab is pretty tough, but each day is looking brighter and last night, I saw a light at the end of the tunnel. And it was neon, so I knew it was mine!” she said in a statement at the time. “The unsinkable Seely is working her way back.”

<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/dolly-parton">Dolly Parton</a>&nbsp;was one of several country music luminaries paying her tribute on Friday, saying she met Seely when they were both young and starting out in Nashville.

“She was one of my dearest friends,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DM1SdH_MhRm/?hl=en">Parton said on her social media</a>&nbsp;accounts. “I think she was one of the greater singers in Nashville and she had a wonderful sense of humor. We had many wonderful laughs together, cried over certain things together and she will be missed."

Singer&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/CharlieDaniels/status/1951435028606423321">Charlie Daniels</a>&nbsp;said on X that Seely was “a national treasure, and one fine lady.”

Seely was born in July 1940, in Titusville, Pennsylvania, about two hours north of Pittsburgh and raised in nearby Townville. Her love of country music was instant; her mother sang, and her father played the banjo. When she was a child, she sang on local radio programs and performed on local television. In her early 20s, she moved to Los Angeles to kick-start a career, taking a job with Liberty and Imperial Records in Hollywood.

She kept writing and recording. Nashville was next: She sang on Porter Wagoner's show; she got a deal with Monument Records. Her greatest hit would arrive soon afterward: “Don’t Touch Me,” the crossover ballad written by Hank Cochran. The song earned Seely her first and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/grammy-awards">only Grammy Award,</a>&nbsp;for best country &amp; western vocal performance in the female category.

Cochran and Seely were married in 1969 and divorced in 1979.

Seely broke boundaries in her career — at a time when country music expected a kind of subservience from its women performers, Seely was a bit of a rebel, known for wearing a miniskirt on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-arts-and-entertainment-chris-young-vince-gill-music-936be52ddfb9e30bee3ab14f530607df">Grand Ole Opry</a>&nbsp;stage when it was still taboo.

And she had a number of country hits in the ‘60s and ’70s, including three Top 10 hits on what is now known as Billboard's hot country songs chart: “Don't Touch Me,” 1967's “I'll Love You More (Than You Need)” and 1973's “Can I Sleep In Your Arms?”, adapted from the folk song “Can I Sleep In Your Barn Tonight Mister?”

In the years since, Seely continued to release albums, perform, and host, regularly appearing on country music programming. Her songs are considered classics, and have been recorded by everyone from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-music-758afddd9bc54eeb9159933b0b52b122">Merle Haggard,</a>&nbsp;Ray Price and Connie Smith to Ernest Tubb, Grandpa Jones, and Little Jimmy Dickens.

And Seely never stopped working in country music. Since 2018, she's hosted the weekly “Sunday’s with Seely” on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/willie-nelson">Willie Nelson's</a>&nbsp;Willie’s Roadhouse SiriusXM channel. That same year, she was inducted into the Music City Walk of Fame.

She appeared nearly 5,400 times at the Grand Ole Opry, which she has been a member of since 1967. Grubbs said Saturday's Grand Ole Opry show would be dedicated to Seely.

She released her latest song in July 2024, a cover of Dottie West's “Suffertime,” recorded at the world-renowned RCA Studio B. She performed it at the Opry the year before.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754100037720.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Jeannie Seely, the soulful&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/country-music">country music</a>&nbsp;singer behind such standards like “Don’t Touch Me,” has died. She was 85.Her publicist, Don Murry Grubbs, said she died Friday after succumbing to complications from an intestinal infection.Known as “Miss Country Soul” for her unique vocal style, Seely was a trailblazer for women in country music, celebrated for her spirited nonconformity and for a string of undeniable hits in the ‘60s and ’70s.Her second husband, Gene Ward, died in December. In May, Seely revealed that she was in recovery after undergoing multiple back surgeries, two emergency procedures and spending 11 days in the ICU. She also suffered a bout of pneumonia.“Rehab is pretty tough, but each day is looking brighter and last night, I saw a light at the end of the tunnel. And it was neon, so I knew it was mine!” she said in a statement at the time. “The unsinkable Seely is working her way back.”<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/dolly-parton">Dolly Parton</a>&nbsp;was one of several country music luminaries paying her tribute on Friday, saying she met Seely when they were both young and starting out in Nashville.“She was one of my dearest friends,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/DM1SdH_MhRm/?hl=en">Parton said on her social media</a>&nbsp;accounts. “I think she was one of the greater singers in Nashville and she had a wonderful sense of humor. We had many wonderful laughs together, cried over certain things together and she will be missed."Singer&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/CharlieDaniels/status/1951435028606423321">Charlie Daniels</a>&nbsp;said on X that Seely was “a national treasure, and one fine lady.”Seely was born in July 1940, in Titusville, Pennsylvania, about two hours north of Pittsburgh and raised in nearby Townville. Her love of country music was instant; her mother sang, and her father played the banjo. When she was a child, she sang on local radio programs and performed on local television. In her early 20s, she moved to Los Angeles to kick-start a career, taking a job with Liberty and Imperial Records in Hollywood.She kept writing and recording. Nashville was next: She sang on Porter Wagoner's show; she got a deal with Monument Records. Her greatest hit would arrive soon afterward: “Don’t Touch Me,” the crossover ballad written by Hank Cochran. The song earned Seely her first and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/grammy-awards">only Grammy Award,</a>&nbsp;for best country &amp; western vocal performance in the female category.Cochran and Seely were married in 1969 and divorced in 1979.Seely broke boundaries in her career — at a time when country music expected a kind of subservience from its women performers, Seely was a bit of a rebel, known for wearing a miniskirt on the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-arts-and-entertainment-chris-young-vince-gill-music-936be52ddfb9e30bee3ab14f530607df">Grand Ole Opry</a>&nbsp;stage when it was still taboo.And she had a number of country hits in the ‘60s and ’70s, including three Top 10 hits on what is now known as Billboard's hot country songs chart: “Don't Touch Me,” 1967's “I'll Love You More (Than You Need)” and 1973's “Can I Sleep In Your Arms?”, adapted from the folk song “Can I Sleep In Your Barn Tonight Mister?”In the years since, Seely continued to release albums, perform, and host, regularly appearing on country music programming. Her songs are considered classics, and have been recorded by everyone from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-music-758afddd9bc54eeb9159933b0b52b122">Merle Haggard,</a>&nbsp;Ray Price and Connie Smith to Ernest Tubb, Grandpa Jones, and Little Jimmy Dickens.And Seely never stopped working in country music. Since 2018, she's hosted the weekly “Sunday’s with Seely” on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/willie-nelson">Willie Nelson's</a>&nbsp;Willie’s Roadhouse SiriusXM channel. That same year, she was inducted into the Music City Walk of Fame.She appeared nearly 5,400 times at the Grand Ole Opry, which she has been a member of since 1967. Grubbs said Saturday's Grand Ole Opry show would be dedicated to Seely.She released her latest song in July 2024, a cover of Dottie West's “Suffertime,” recorded at the world-renowned RCA Studio B. She performed it at the Opry the year before.

Jeannie Seely, soulful country singer behind hits like 'Don't Touch Me,' dies at 85

WICHITA, Kan.&nbsp;— Wichita Police have arrested 31-year-old Kyle Bearden on a requested charge of&nbsp; first-degree murder in the death of 30-year-old Mariana Christian.

Around 10:30 a.m. on July 21, a friend of Christian filed a missing person report. The friend said Ms. Christian had a history of mental health challenges and often relied on them for transportation to work. That morning, Christian was not at her home in the 1200 block of S. Paige when the friend arrived to pick her up.

At the residence, the friend encountered an unidentified man later identified as Kyle Bearden who said he didn’t know Ms. Christian’s whereabouts. 

He claimed Mariana Christian had left the apartment on Friday, July 18, in a truck with an unknown man and woman and hadn’t returned. He also expressed concern for her safety. Although not listed on the lease, the man appeared to be living in the apartment.

Although Ms. Christian was last seen on Friday, July 18, she wasn’t reported missing until Monday, July 21. After multiple failed attempts to reach her and finding her absence unusual, the friend contacted police. Officers issued an attempt-to-locate alert, and investigators took over the case.

WPD investigators identified Bearden as a person of interest. They followed leads to locate Ms. Christian, discovering evidence of her death and where her remains were left in Cottonwood Park near Armor and Bayley in Wichita.

Wichita Police officers responded to the area and located human remains. Investigators believe Bearden shot Ms. Christian.

Crime scene investigators processed Ms. Christian’s apartment and found evidence of foul play. 

On the morning of July 31, the Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center positively identified the remains as those of Mariana Christian.

Kyle Bearden was arrested on July 30 and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail. He made his first court appearance Friday afternoon and has been formally charged with premeditated first-degree murder.

“This is a tragic case, and I extend my deepest condolences to Mariana Christian's family and friends," said Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan. “From the patrol officer who initially responded, our investigators, recruits, and mounted unit, Kansas Bureau of Investigations, our department united to find answers. Their collective efforts resulted in the suspect's arrest and, ultimately, provided some closure regarding Mariana’s disappearance.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754062859608.png" alt="Police issued a missing person alert for Mariana Christian on July 27" />
 <figcaption>Police issued a missing person alert for Mariana Christian on July 27</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan.&nbsp;— Wichita Police have arrested 31-year-old Kyle Bearden on a requested charge of&nbsp; first-degree murder in the death of 30-year-old Mariana Christian.Around 10:30 a.m. on July 21, a friend of Christian filed a missing person report. The friend said Ms. Christian had a history of mental health challenges and often relied on them for transportation to work. That morning, Christian was not at her home in the 1200 block of S. Paige when the friend arrived to pick her up.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753958410010.png" alt="Bearden photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Bearden photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>At the residence, the friend encountered an unidentified man later identified as Kyle Bearden who said he didn’t know Ms. Christian’s whereabouts. He claimed Mariana Christian had left the apartment on Friday, July 18, in a truck with an unknown man and woman and hadn’t returned. He also expressed concern for her safety. Although not listed on the lease, the man appeared to be living in the apartment.Although Ms. Christian was last seen on Friday, July 18, she wasn’t reported missing until Monday, July 21. After multiple failed attempts to reach her and finding her absence unusual, the friend contacted police. Officers issued an attempt-to-locate alert, and investigators took over the case.WPD investigators identified Bearden as a person of interest. They followed leads to locate Ms. Christian, discovering evidence of her death and where her remains were left in Cottonwood Park near Armor and Bayley in Wichita.Wichita Police officers responded to the area and located human remains. Investigators believe Bearden shot Ms. Christian.Crime scene investigators processed Ms. Christian’s apartment and found evidence of foul play. On the morning of July 31, the Sedgwick County Regional Forensic Science Center positively identified the remains as those of Mariana Christian.Kyle Bearden was arrested on July 30 and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail. He made his first court appearance Friday afternoon and has been formally charged with premeditated first-degree murder.“This is a tragic case, and I extend my deepest condolences to Mariana Christian's family and friends," said Wichita Police Chief Joe Sullivan. “From the patrol officer who initially responded, our investigators, recruits, and mounted unit, Kansas Bureau of Investigations, our department united to find answers. Their collective efforts resulted in the suspect's arrest and, ultimately, provided some closure regarding Mariana’s disappearance.”