By: NICOLAS FIERRO Salina Post

America's largest family-owned retail seed company and the third-largest seed brand celebrated the opening of their new $21 million, 90,000 square foot warehouse in Salina on Tuesday.

Beck's Hybrids, a family-owned company originating from Atlanta, Indiana looks to bring their experienced years of research and agricultural techniques to heart of Kansas. 

On Tuesday, August 5th, Beck's held an open house at their brand new facility located on 2201 N. Ohio. People in attendance got to experience first-hand the mission and passion the family-owned company with over a century of rich history, brings to local farmers. 

During the open house, President Scott Beck spoke to a large crowd about what Beck's is all about.

"Our purpose is helping farmers succeed," said Scott. "This location in Salina is meant to have close proximity for farmers to able to access products and be able to come in and look at our practical farm research."

Extensive research and successful practices &amp; resources for farmers

Beck's Hybrids uses products that ranges from corn, soybeans, wheat, corn silage, alfalfa, milo/grain sorghum, cover crops/forages, great harvest organics and Beck's better bedding. Working with farmers across 23 states, Beck's teaches and shows farming practices that farmers can utilize to improve their daily operations.

Beck's is loaded with a research and testing team that helps farmers get access to the wide diversity of Beck's products. Farmers can obtain this useful information by attending their "Becknology Days," as they can learn about all the resources and testimonies of successful farming. Plus, each year Beck's publishes 300 plus, page book comprising of more than 100 different research projects the company is doing. Every winter, Beck's holds 'insight meetings' where they share with farmers the major highlights of the year.&nbsp;

Scott emphasized the importance of agriculture from a national security standpoint.

"When people have food to eat, there are less riots and more stability among all of our communities," he said. "Supporting the farmers that are bringing that level of stability to our nation, state and local communities is really important. As much as we can do to support our farmers and research to do things better, the better all of our lives will be."

Words from Senator Moran and Mayor Lenkiewicz

Senator Jerry Moran and Salina Mayor Greg Lenkiewicz each made an appearance at the open house. Both expressed words of praise and admiration for the work Beck's Hybrids does.

"I came today (Tuesday) to get better acquainted with Beck's and welcome them to Salina," Moran said. "What a great family with values that are very helpful and meaningful to people across Kansas."

Moran plans on acknowledging Beck's Hybrids in Washington and wants to support them along the coming years.

"It would be great if the values that Beck's has, were values that were dominant in the United States," he said. "For the country to be well and better, we need people that have great values. We try to make sure the values that are necessary for the well-being of the country are those that are found in the nation's Capital as well."

Salina Mayor Greg Lenkiewicz commented on the economic prosperity&nbsp; Beck's would bring to Salina.

"We are elated to have them here in the community, they (Beck's) will bring more jobs and it's another big piece to puzzle for the economic development and expansion of our community," said Lenkiewicz.

With Beck's being apart of the Salina community, Lenkiewicz stated the importance in facilitating relationships and growth from the government to a family-owned business.

"I'm a big believer that if a business is in the confines of zoning in the various structure, that we will just stay out of the way and let them do their thing," he said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754497173613.jpeg" alt="Beck's Hybrids, largest family-owned retail seed company and the third-largest seed brand in the US establishes warehouse in Salina, KS on 2201 N. Ohio" />
 <figcaption>Beck's Hybrids, largest family-owned retail seed company and the third-largest seed brand in the US establishes warehouse in Salina, KS on 2201 N. Ohio</figcaption>
 </figure>By: NICOLAS FIERRO Salina PostAmerica's largest family-owned retail seed company and the third-largest seed brand celebrated the opening of their new $21 million, 90,000 square foot warehouse in Salina on Tuesday.Beck's Hybrids, a family-owned company originating from Atlanta, Indiana looks to bring their experienced years of research and agricultural techniques to heart of Kansas. On Tuesday, August 5th, Beck's held an open house at their brand new facility located on 2201 N. Ohio. People in attendance got to experience first-hand the mission and passion the family-owned company with over a century of rich history, brings to local farmers. During the open house, President Scott Beck spoke to a large crowd about what Beck's is all about."Our purpose is helping farmers succeed," said Scott. "This location in Salina is meant to have close proximity for farmers to able to access products and be able to come in and look at our practical farm research."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754502011853.jpeg" alt="Scott Beck during the "President's Speech" at Beck's Hybrids open house on Tuesday, August 5th" />
 <figcaption>Scott Beck during the "President's Speech" at Beck's Hybrids open house on Tuesday, August 5th</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Extensive research and successful practices &amp; resources for farmers</h2>Beck's Hybrids uses products that ranges from corn, soybeans, wheat, corn silage, alfalfa, milo/grain sorghum, cover crops/forages, great harvest organics and Beck's better bedding. Working with farmers across 23 states, Beck's teaches and shows farming practices that farmers can utilize to improve their daily operations.Beck's is loaded with a research and testing team that helps farmers get access to the wide diversity of Beck's products. Farmers can obtain this useful information by attending their "Becknology Days," as they can learn about all the resources and testimonies of successful farming. Plus, each year Beck's publishes 300 plus, page book comprising of more than 100 different research projects the company is doing. Every winter, Beck's holds 'insight meetings' where they share with farmers the major highlights of the year.&nbsp;Scott emphasized the importance of agriculture from a national security standpoint."When people have food to eat, there are less riots and more stability among all of our communities," he said. "Supporting the farmers that are bringing that level of stability to our nation, state and local communities is really important. As much as we can do to support our farmers and research to do things better, the better all of our lives will be."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754503411034.jpeg" alt="Welcome to Kansas Becknology Days sign at the open house on Tuesday, August 5th in Salina." />
 <figcaption>Welcome to Kansas Becknology Days sign at the open house on Tuesday, August 5th in Salina.</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Words from Senator Moran and Mayor Lenkiewicz</h2>Senator Jerry Moran and Salina Mayor Greg Lenkiewicz each made an appearance at the open house. Both expressed words of praise and admiration for the work Beck's Hybrids does."I came today (Tuesday) to get better acquainted with Beck's and welcome them to Salina," Moran said. "What a great family with values that are very helpful and meaningful to people across Kansas."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754505984607.jpeg" alt="Senator Jerry Moran and Salina Mayor Greg Lenkiewicz both speaking during the "President's Speech" at Beck's Hybrids on Tuesday, August 5th" />
 <figcaption>Senator Jerry Moran and Salina Mayor Greg Lenkiewicz both speaking during the "President's Speech" at Beck's Hybrids on Tuesday, August 5th</figcaption>
 </figure>Moran plans on acknowledging Beck's Hybrids in Washington and wants to support them along the coming years."It would be great if the values that Beck's has, were values that were dominant in the United States," he said. "For the country to be well and better, we need people that have great values. We try to make sure the values that are necessary for the well-being of the country are those that are found in the nation's Capital as well."Salina Mayor Greg Lenkiewicz commented on the economic prosperity&nbsp; Beck's would bring to Salina."We are elated to have them here in the community, they (Beck's) will bring more jobs and it's another big piece to puzzle for the economic development and expansion of our community," said Lenkiewicz.With Beck's being apart of the Salina community, Lenkiewicz stated the importance in facilitating relationships and growth from the government to a family-owned business."I'm a big believer that if a business is in the confines of zoning in the various structure, that we will just stay out of the way and let them do their thing," he said.

Beck's Hybrids opens $23 million facility in central Kansas

RENO COUNTY — The Hutchinson Police Department has confirmed that human remains discovered July 3, are those of 58-year-old Kimberly Dawn Barnes, a woman reported missing in July 2024, according to a media release from Hutchinson Police.

Since the remains were found, police have been in contact with the family of Ms. Kimberly Dawn Barnes. "After locating dental records for comparison, we have confirmed the deceased to be that of Ms. Barnes.”

“Based on the findings from the autopsy and the available evidence, there is currently no indication of criminal activity.”

The remains were first connected to a public plea for assistance last month. Police said they hope the identification brings peace to those who knew her.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754581604617.png" alt="Kimberly Dawn Barnes courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Kimberly Dawn Barnes courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY — The Hutchinson Police Department has confirmed that human remains discovered July 3, are those of 58-year-old Kimberly Dawn Barnes, a woman reported missing in July 2024, according to a media release from Hutchinson Police.Since the remains were found, police have been in contact with the family of Ms. Kimberly Dawn Barnes. "After locating dental records for comparison, we have confirmed the deceased to be that of Ms. Barnes.”“Based on the findings from the autopsy and the available evidence, there is currently no indication of criminal activity.”The remains were first connected to a public plea for assistance last month. Police said they hope the identification brings peace to those who knew her.

Police confirm remains are of missing Kansas woman

WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with robbing a bank, according to the United State's Attorney.

According to court documents, Darrel D. Gray, 65, of Benton was indicted on one count of bank robbery. Gray is accused of using force, violence, and intimidation in July 2025, to take money from Community National Bank &amp; Trust in El Dorado.&nbsp;Employees of the bank told police that a man came in with a bag, placed it on the counter and demanded money. After the bank staff complied, they called 911, according to a media release from police.

Police arrested him nine hours after the robbery.&nbsp;

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754493045523.png" alt="Gray photo Butler County" />
 <figcaption>Gray photo Butler County</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Wichita returned an indictment charging a Kansas man with robbing a bank, according to the United State's Attorney.According to court documents, Darrel D. Gray, 65, of Benton was indicted on one count of bank robbery. Gray is accused of using force, violence, and intimidation in July 2025, to take money from Community National Bank &amp; Trust in El Dorado.&nbsp;Employees of the bank told police that a man came in with a bag, placed it on the counter and demanded money. After the bank staff complied, they called 911, according to a media release from police.Police arrested him nine hours after the robbery.&nbsp;The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.

Police: Kansas man arrested 9 hours after he robbed a bank

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday that it is removing age limits for new hires at the agency responsible for immigration enforcement, as it aims to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-hiring-trump-border-mass-deportations-c89c6d51aa13a5cfce75705377afe2e5">expand hiring</a>&nbsp;after a massive infusion of cash from Congress.

The department said in a news release that it would waive age limits for new applicants so “even more patriots will qualify to join ICE,” the agency responsible for finding, arresting, detaining and removing people who are in the U.S. illegally.

The agency is at the center of the Trump administration’s efforts to carry out President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-india-russia-oil-tariffs-2db9dc22d7b56624bdceb2e15c134d60">Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;mass deportation agenda. Earlier this summer Congress passed a spending bill that gives ICE money to hire 10,000 more staff.

Currently, ICE applicants must be 21 years old and no older than 37 or 40, depending on what position they are applying for.

In an interview with Fox &amp; Friends, Homeland Security Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/noem-homeland-security-habeas-corpus-trump-338604206f40fed32c2790608d3e5da6">Kristi Noem</a>&nbsp;said applicants could be as young as 18.

“We no longer have a cap on how old you can be or you can continue at age 18, sign up for ICE and join us and be a part of it. We’ll get you trained and ready to be equipped to go out on the streets and help protect families,” Noem said.

The department said all recruits would have to go through medical and drug screening and complete a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-presidential-fitness-test-schoolchildren-1e0b667df467f767df1cd1388ea29f1c">physical fitness test</a>.

ICE earlier announced a recruiting campaign aimed at finding and hiring the deportation officers, investigators and lawyers it will need to meet its hiring goals.

As part of that campaign the agency is offering an eye-catching bonus of up&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-hiring-trump-border-mass-deportations-ed1580c3f5c0c2a2b5c1ebd621574365">to $50,000 for new recruits</a>&nbsp;as well as other benefits like student loan forgiveness and abundant overtime for deportation officers.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Department of Homeland Security said Wednesday that it is removing age limits for new hires at the agency responsible for immigration enforcement, as it aims to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-hiring-trump-border-mass-deportations-c89c6d51aa13a5cfce75705377afe2e5">expand hiring</a>&nbsp;after a massive infusion of cash from Congress.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">You spoke, we listened and we took action – the age cap for joining ICE has now been REMOVED. We must Defend the Homeland.<a href="https://t.co/3c7b0Ry86A">https://t.co/3c7b0Ry86A</a> <a href="https://t.co/xEeCXwnjTR">pic.twitter.com/xEeCXwnjTR</a>&mdash; U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (@ICEgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICEgov/status/1953080223827705972?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The department said in a news release that it would waive age limits for new applicants so “even more patriots will qualify to join ICE,” the agency responsible for finding, arresting, detaining and removing people who are in the U.S. illegally.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Protect. Serve. Deport. <a href="https://t.co/nZkBEj3GGi">https://t.co/nZkBEj3GGi</a> <a href="https://t.co/2nNr5nh3vx">pic.twitter.com/2nNr5nh3vx</a>&mdash; Homeland Security (@DHSgov) <a href="https://twitter.com/DHSgov/status/1952771243112862206?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The agency is at the center of the Trump administration’s efforts to carry out President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-india-russia-oil-tariffs-2db9dc22d7b56624bdceb2e15c134d60">Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;mass deportation agenda. Earlier this summer Congress passed a spending bill that gives ICE money to hire 10,000 more staff.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://t.co/smcq5ynxLB">https://t.co/smcq5ynxLB</a> <a href="https://t.co/bpElwEIiou">pic.twitter.com/bpElwEIiou</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1953263174087786644?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Currently, ICE applicants must be 21 years old and no older than 37 or 40, depending on what position they are applying for.In an interview with Fox &amp; Friends, Homeland Security Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/noem-homeland-security-habeas-corpus-trump-338604206f40fed32c2790608d3e5da6">Kristi Noem</a>&nbsp;said applicants could be as young as 18.“We no longer have a cap on how old you can be or you can continue at age 18, sign up for ICE and join us and be a part of it. We’ll get you trained and ready to be equipped to go out on the streets and help protect families,” Noem said.The department said all recruits would have to go through medical and drug screening and complete a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-presidential-fitness-test-schoolchildren-1e0b667df467f767df1cd1388ea29f1c">physical fitness test</a>.ICE earlier announced a recruiting campaign aimed at finding and hiring the deportation officers, investigators and lawyers it will need to meet its hiring goals.As part of that campaign the agency is offering an eye-catching bonus of up&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/immigration-hiring-trump-border-mass-deportations-ed1580c3f5c0c2a2b5c1ebd621574365">to $50,000 for new recruits</a>&nbsp;as well as other benefits like student loan forgiveness and abundant overtime for deportation officers.

Now teenagers and seniors can be ICE agents

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

Just after 7:30p.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to report of a shooting in the 4000 Block of Morrell in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

Police found a woman who had been shat and was unresponsive in front of a residence there. Officers called for EMS who responded and declared the victim deceased at the scene. Homicide detectives responded and are investigating this case as a homicide.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754563530575.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 7:30p.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to report of a shooting in the 4000 Block of Morrell in Kansas City, Missouri, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Police found a woman who had been shat and was unresponsive in front of a residence there. Officers called for EMS who responded and declared the victim deceased at the scene. Homicide detectives responded and are investigating this case as a homicide.

Homicide: Woman found dead in front of Kansas City home

WASHINGTON (AP) — The man accused of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-embassy-jewish-museum-shooting-9e77d16a88d634b0dde5b2455c96dddf">fatally shooting two staff members</a>&nbsp;of the Israeli Embassy in Washington outside a Jewish museum has been indicted on federal hate crime and murder charges, according to court documents unsealed Wednesday.

The indictment, filed in federal court in Washington, charges Elias Rodriguez with nine counts, including a hate crime resulting in death. The indictment also includes notice of special findings, which would allow the Justice Department to potentially pursue the death penalty.

Elias Rodriguez is accused of gunning down Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim as they left an event at the museum in May. He was heard shouting “Free Palestine” as he was led away after his arrest. He told police, “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza,” federal authorities have said.

Rodriguez had previously been charged with murder of foreign officials and other crimes, and the hate crimes charges were added after prosecutors brought the case to a grand jury. It means prosecutors will be tasked with proving Rodriguez was motivated by antisemitism when he opened fire on Lischinsky and Milgrim, a young couple who were about to become engaged.

Prosecutors have described the killing as calculated and planned, saying Rodriguez flew to the Washington region from Chicago ahead of the Capital Jewish Museum event with a handgun in his checked luggage. He purchased a ticket for the event about three hours before it started, authorities have said in court papers.

An attorney for Rodriguez didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment Wednesday.

Witnesses described him pacing outside before approaching a group of four people and opening fire. Surveillance video showed Rodriguez advancing closer to Lischinsky and Milgrim as they fell to the ground, leaning over them and firing additional shots. He appeared to reload before jogging off, officials have said.

After the shooting, authorities say Rodriguez went inside the museum and stated that he “did it.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747923211105.png" alt="Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Sarah Milgrim and Yaron Lischinsky-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The man accused of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-embassy-jewish-museum-shooting-9e77d16a88d634b0dde5b2455c96dddf">fatally shooting two staff members</a>&nbsp;of the Israeli Embassy in Washington outside a Jewish museum has been indicted on federal hate crime and murder charges, according to court documents unsealed Wednesday.The indictment, filed in federal court in Washington, charges Elias Rodriguez with nine counts, including a hate crime resulting in death. The indictment also includes notice of special findings, which would allow the Justice Department to potentially pursue the death penalty.Elias Rodriguez is accused of gunning down Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim as they left an event at the museum in May. He was heard shouting “Free Palestine” as he was led away after his arrest. He told police, “I did it for Palestine, I did it for Gaza,” federal authorities have said.Rodriguez had previously been charged with murder of foreign officials and other crimes, and the hate crimes charges were added after prosecutors brought the case to a grand jury. It means prosecutors will be tasked with proving Rodriguez was motivated by antisemitism when he opened fire on Lischinsky and Milgrim, a young couple who were about to become engaged.Prosecutors have described the killing as calculated and planned, saying Rodriguez flew to the Washington region from Chicago ahead of the Capital Jewish Museum event with a handgun in his checked luggage. He purchased a ticket for the event about three hours before it started, authorities have said in court papers.An attorney for Rodriguez didn’t immediately respond to an email seeking comment Wednesday.Witnesses described him pacing outside before approaching a group of four people and opening fire. Surveillance video showed Rodriguez advancing closer to Lischinsky and Milgrim as they fell to the ground, leaning over them and firing additional shots. He appeared to reload before jogging off, officials have said.After the shooting, authorities say Rodriguez went inside the museum and stated that he “did it.”

Suspect in shooting of Israel embassy couple faces hate crime charges

WICHITA, Kan.&nbsp;— On Wednesday,&nbsp; police served search warrants at multiple locations across the City of Wichita and Sedgwick County, according to a media release from police.

These warrants relate to a year-long narcotics investigation conducted in partnership with the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office and Federal Law Enforcement Partners and addresses a transnational drug cartel involved in the manufacture of illegal narcotics in the community.&nbsp;

Earlier in the week, Wichita Police reported they have seen a rise in overdose cases in 2025, and they will continue to use every tool available to identify, apprehend, and hold accountable people in the community involved in the manufacture, distribution, and sales of illegal narcotics.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754512658637.png" alt="Police on the scene of one drug bust early Wednesday-photo courtesy" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of one drug bust early Wednesday-photo courtesy</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, Kan.&nbsp;— On Wednesday,&nbsp; police served search warrants at multiple locations across the City of Wichita and Sedgwick County, according to a media release from police.These warrants relate to a year-long narcotics investigation conducted in partnership with the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office and Federal Law Enforcement Partners and addresses a transnational drug cartel involved in the manufacture of illegal narcotics in the community.&nbsp;Earlier in the week, Wichita Police reported they have seen a rise in overdose cases in 2025, and they will continue to use every tool available to identify, apprehend, and hold accountable people in the community involved in the manufacture, distribution, and sales of illegal narcotics.&nbsp;

Police: Transnational drug cartel involved in making drugs in Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) — Apple CEO Tim Cook joined President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;at the White House on Wednesday to announce a commitment by the tech company to increase its investment in U.S. manufacturing by an additional $100 billion over the next four years.

"This is a significant step toward the ultimate goal of ensuring that iPhones sold in the United States of America also are made in America," Trump said at the press conference. “Today’s announcement is one of the largest commitments in what has become among the greatest investment booms in our nation’s history."

As part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/08/apple-increases-us-commitment-to-600-billion-usd-announces-ambitious-program/">Apple announcement</a>, the investments will be about bringing more of its supply chain and advanced manufacturing to the United States as part of an initiative called the American Manufacturing Program, but it is not a full commitment to build its popular iPhone device domestically.

“This includes new and expanded work with 10 companies across America. They produce components — semiconductor chips included — that are used in Apple products sold all over the world, and we’re grateful to the President for his support,” Cook said in a statement announcing the investment.

The new manufacturing partners include Corning, Coherent, Applied Materials, Texas Instruments and Broadcom among others.

Apple had previously said it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apple-us-investment-texas-factory-78c761e50f3f3f8186db99899efefb7c">intended to invest $500 billion</a>&nbsp;domestically, a figure it will now increase to $600 billion. Trump in recent months has criticized the tech company and Cook for efforts to shift iPhone production to India to avoid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-xi-jinping-china-trade-taiwan-94f523cbb184be7819f8b78a3b951c9c">the tariffs</a>&nbsp;his Republican administration had planned for China.

While in Qatar earlier this year, Trump said there was “a little problem” with the Cupertino, California, company and recalled a conversation with Cook in which he said he told the CEO, “I don’t want you building in India.”

India has incurred Trump’s wrath, as the president signed an order Wednesday to put&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-india-russia-oil-tariffs-2db9dc22d7b56624bdceb2e15c134d60">an additional 25% tariff</a>&nbsp;on the world’s most populous country for its use of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-russia-oil-china-turkey-f377653aebf6d5a34a09a7466d85fd56">Russian oil</a>. The new import taxes to be imposed in 21 days could put the combined tariffs on Indian goods at 50%.

Apple’s new pledge comes just a few weeks after it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mp-materials-rare-earths-trump-china-7efe8b903b9668433d7c0a60be50b8c9">forged a $500 million deal with MP Materials</a>, which runs the only rare earths producer in the country. That agreement will enable MP Materials to expand a factory in Texas to use recycled materials to produce magnets that make iPhones vibrate.

Speaking on a recent investors call, Cook emphasized that “there’s a load of different things done in the United States.” As examples, he cited some of the iPhone components made in the U.S. such as the device’s glass display and module for identifying people’s faces and then indicated the company was gearing to expand its productions of other components in its home country.

“We’re doing more in this country, and that’s on top of having roughly 19 billion chips coming out of the US now, and we will do more,” Cook told analysts last week, without elaborating.

News of Apple’s latest investment in the U.S. caused the company’s stock price to surge by nearly 6% in Wednesday’s midday trading. That gains reflect investors’ relief that Cook “is extending an olive branch” to the Trump administration, said Nancy Tengler, CEO of money manager Laffer Tengler Investments, which owns Apple stock.

Despite Wednesday’s upturn, Apple’s shares are still down by 14% this year, a reversal of fortune that has also been driven by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apple-conference-iphone-artificial-intelligence-ba918c2091e0d49a8b3f164e4f980b6e">the company’s botched start</a>&nbsp;in the pivotal field of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence">artificial intelligence</a>.

AP Technology Writers Michael Liedtke and Shawn Chen contributed to this report.

By JOSH BOAKWASHINGTON (AP) — Apple CEO Tim Cook joined President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;at the White House on Wednesday to announce a commitment by the tech company to increase its investment in U.S. manufacturing by an additional $100 billion over the next four years.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨 <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>: &quot;Today, <a href="https://twitter.com/Apple?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Apple</a> is announcing that it will invest $600 billion in the United States over the next four years — that&#39;s $100 billion more than they were originally going to invest.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Xzjjek0Qwd">pic.twitter.com/Xzjjek0Qwd</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1953203962795962563?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">WATCH: <a href="https://twitter.com/Apple?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Apple</a> CEO <a href="https://twitter.com/tim_cook?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@tim_cook</a>&#39;s full remarks from the Oval Office: &quot;I&#39;m very proud to say that today, we&#39;re committing an additional $100 billion to the United States, bringing our total U.S. investment to $600 billion... We believe deeply in the promise of this great nation.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/XZgY250nJk">pic.twitter.com/XZgY250nJk</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1953210002359107907?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>"This is a significant step toward the ultimate goal of ensuring that iPhones sold in the United States of America also are made in America," Trump said at the press conference. “Today’s announcement is one of the largest commitments in what has become among the greatest investment booms in our nation’s history."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/Apple?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Apple</a> CEO <a href="https://twitter.com/tim_cook?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@tim_cook</a> presents <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> with a gift made with the glass that Apple will be manufacturing in Kentucky 🇺🇸 <a href="https://t.co/N2doBsPNEa">pic.twitter.com/N2doBsPNEa</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1953206264298954857?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>As part of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.apple.com/newsroom/2025/08/apple-increases-us-commitment-to-600-billion-usd-announces-ambitious-program/">Apple announcement</a>, the investments will be about bringing more of its supply chain and advanced manufacturing to the United States as part of an initiative called the American Manufacturing Program, but it is not a full commitment to build its popular iPhone device domestically.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Apple is expanding our US commitment to $600 billion over the next four years. And our new American Manufacturing Program will bring even more jobs and advanced manufacturing to the US. <a href="https://t.co/6KWkTGJN3O">pic.twitter.com/6KWkTGJN3O</a>&mdash; Tim Cook (@tim_cook) <a href="https://twitter.com/tim_cook/status/1953196912410345798?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“This includes new and expanded work with 10 companies across America. They produce components — semiconductor chips included — that are used in Apple products sold all over the world, and we’re grateful to the President for his support,” Cook said in a statement announcing the investment.The new manufacturing partners include Corning, Coherent, Applied Materials, Texas Instruments and Broadcom among others.Apple had previously said it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apple-us-investment-texas-factory-78c761e50f3f3f8186db99899efefb7c">intended to invest $500 billion</a>&nbsp;domestically, a figure it will now increase to $600 billion. Trump in recent months has criticized the tech company and Cook for efforts to shift iPhone production to India to avoid&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-xi-jinping-china-trade-taiwan-94f523cbb184be7819f8b78a3b951c9c">the tariffs</a>&nbsp;his Republican administration had planned for China.While in Qatar earlier this year, Trump said there was “a little problem” with the Cupertino, California, company and recalled a conversation with Cook in which he said he told the CEO, “I don’t want you building in India.”India has incurred Trump’s wrath, as the president signed an order Wednesday to put&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-india-russia-oil-tariffs-2db9dc22d7b56624bdceb2e15c134d60">an additional 25% tariff</a>&nbsp;on the world’s most populous country for its use of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-russia-oil-china-turkey-f377653aebf6d5a34a09a7466d85fd56">Russian oil</a>. The new import taxes to be imposed in 21 days could put the combined tariffs on Indian goods at 50%.Apple’s new pledge comes just a few weeks after it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/mp-materials-rare-earths-trump-china-7efe8b903b9668433d7c0a60be50b8c9">forged a $500 million deal with MP Materials</a>, which runs the only rare earths producer in the country. That agreement will enable MP Materials to expand a factory in Texas to use recycled materials to produce magnets that make iPhones vibrate.Speaking on a recent investors call, Cook emphasized that “there’s a load of different things done in the United States.” As examples, he cited some of the iPhone components made in the U.S. such as the device’s glass display and module for identifying people’s faces and then indicated the company was gearing to expand its productions of other components in its home country.“We’re doing more in this country, and that’s on top of having roughly 19 billion chips coming out of the US now, and we will do more,” Cook told analysts last week, without elaborating.News of Apple’s latest investment in the U.S. caused the company’s stock price to surge by nearly 6% in Wednesday’s midday trading. That gains reflect investors’ relief that Cook “is extending an olive branch” to the Trump administration, said Nancy Tengler, CEO of money manager Laffer Tengler Investments, which owns Apple stock.Despite Wednesday’s upturn, Apple’s shares are still down by 14% this year, a reversal of fortune that has also been driven by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/apple-conference-iphone-artificial-intelligence-ba918c2091e0d49a8b3f164e4f980b6e">the company’s botched start</a>&nbsp;in the pivotal field of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/artificial-intelligence">artificial intelligence</a>.—-AP Technology Writers Michael Liedtke and Shawn Chen contributed to this report.

🎥 $100 billion investment: Apple CEO brings gift to White House

CHEROKEE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 10p.m. Wednesday in Cherokee County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Toyota Tacoma driven by Dale L.&nbsp;Fillenwarth, 70, Carl Junction, Missouri, was northbound on SE 118th Street.&nbsp; The driver failed to yield at SE Old 96 Road. As eastbound 2020&nbsp; Peterbilt semi driven by Matthew A&nbsp;Mussati, 38, Jay, Oklahoma, struck the the Toyota.

Fillenwarth was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Forensic Medical.&nbsp;Mussati was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

CHEROKEE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just before 10p.m. Wednesday in Cherokee County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2018 Toyota Tacoma driven by Dale L.&nbsp;Fillenwarth, 70, Carl Junction, Missouri, was northbound on SE 118th Street.&nbsp; The driver failed to yield at SE Old 96 Road. As eastbound 2020&nbsp; Peterbilt semi driven by Matthew A&nbsp;Mussati, 38, Jay, Oklahoma, struck the the Toyota.Fillenwarth was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Forensic Medical.&nbsp;Mussati was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Driver dies after crash with a semi on Kansas highway

RENO COUNTY — A former USD 309 Nickerson school district employee is in custody for alleged child sex crimes.

Authorities arrested Ryan Stoecklein, 29, on Wednesday and just before 11a.m., booked him into the Reno County jail on requested charges of sexual exploitation of a child under 18 and attempted unlawful sexual relations, according to the county arrest report.

According to the complaint, "Between January 1 and March 24, 2025, in Reno County, Kansas, Ryan James Stoecklein did unlawfully and feloniously attempt to engage in consensual sexual intercourse and lewd fondling or touching with a person who was a student enrolled at the school where the offender was employed, to wit: Nickerson High School, who was 16 or more years of age, to-wit: JMFG (DOB: xx/xx/2007), and who was not married to the offender, while the offender was a teacher or other person in a position of authority, by completing an overt act towards the perpetration of the crime, done by a person who intended to commit such crime but failed in the perpetration thereof or was prevented or intercepted in executing such crime, a severity level 7 person felony."

<a href="https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/kake.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/4/b8/4b85d371-d587-4e69-ba84-ad3cc6e6dfa4/6893e1163ec77.pdf.pdf">Click here to read the full complaint.</a>

Stoecklein is being held on a $120,000 bond and will make a court appearance on Thursday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754530743944.png" alt="Stoecklein photo Reno Co." />
 <figcaption>Stoecklein photo Reno Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY — A former USD 309 Nickerson school district employee is in custody for alleged child sex crimes.Authorities arrested Ryan Stoecklein, 29, on Wednesday and just before 11a.m., booked him into the Reno County jail on requested charges of sexual exploitation of a child under 18 and attempted unlawful sexual relations, according to the county arrest report.According to the complaint, "Between January 1 and March 24, 2025, in Reno County, Kansas, Ryan James Stoecklein did unlawfully and feloniously attempt to engage in consensual sexual intercourse and lewd fondling or touching with a person who was a student enrolled at the school where the offender was employed, to wit: Nickerson High School, who was 16 or more years of age, to-wit: JMFG (DOB: xx/xx/2007), and who was not married to the offender, while the offender was a teacher or other person in a position of authority, by completing an overt act towards the perpetration of the crime, done by a person who intended to commit such crime but failed in the perpetration thereof or was prevented or intercepted in executing such crime, a severity level 7 person felony."<a href="https://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/kake.com/content/tncms/assets/v3/editorial/4/b8/4b85d371-d587-4e69-ba84-ad3cc6e6dfa4/6893e1163ec77.pdf.pdf">Click here to read the full complaint.</a>Stoecklein is being held on a $120,000 bond and will make a court appearance on Thursday.

Former Kan. school employee accused of sex crimes with student 

OKLAHOMA CITY – A woman is going to spend time in a federal prison for forgery. Amanda Christine Dailey, 37,&nbsp;of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve six months in federal prison for forging the signature of a federal judge, according to&nbsp; U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.

According to public records, in August 2022, Dailey filed a petition for Chapter 13 bankruptcy in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Oklahoma. A year later, in August 2023, Dailey purchased a vehicle from a car dealership, which she financed in part with a loan from a federal credit union. Public records reflect that, in order to be approved for financing, Dailey presented a false order which purported to show the discharge of her Chapter 13 bankruptcy proceedings. In reality, Dailey had not been granted a discharge, and the false order she presented included the forged signature of Judge Sarah A. Hall, Chief United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Western District of Oklahoma.

On October 1, 2024, a federal grand jury charged Dailey with forging a signature of a federal judge. Dailey pleaded guilty on January 16, 2025, and admitted she forged a court order with Judge Hall’s signature.

At the sentencing hearing on July 31, 2025, U.S. District Judge Charles Goodwin sentenced Dailey to serve six months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, Judge Goodwin noted the seriousness of the offense, and the need to deter Dailey and others from perpetrating similar offenses in the future.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1698688483875.jpeg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>OKLAHOMA CITY – A woman is going to spend time in a federal prison for forgery. Amanda Christine Dailey, 37,&nbsp;of Oklahoma City, has been sentenced to serve six months in federal prison for forging the signature of a federal judge, according to&nbsp; U.S. Attorney Robert J. Troester.According to public records, in August 2022, Dailey filed a petition for Chapter 13 bankruptcy in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Western District of Oklahoma. A year later, in August 2023, Dailey purchased a vehicle from a car dealership, which she financed in part with a loan from a federal credit union. Public records reflect that, in order to be approved for financing, Dailey presented a false order which purported to show the discharge of her Chapter 13 bankruptcy proceedings. In reality, Dailey had not been granted a discharge, and the false order she presented included the forged signature of Judge Sarah A. Hall, Chief United States Bankruptcy Judge for the Western District of Oklahoma.On October 1, 2024, a federal grand jury charged Dailey with forging a signature of a federal judge. Dailey pleaded guilty on January 16, 2025, and admitted she forged a court order with Judge Hall’s signature.At the sentencing hearing on July 31, 2025, U.S. District Judge Charles Goodwin sentenced Dailey to serve six months in federal prison, followed by two years of supervised release. In announcing his sentence, Judge Goodwin noted the seriousness of the offense, and the need to deter Dailey and others from perpetrating similar offenses in the future.

Forging judge's signature lands woman in federal prison

SEDGWICK COUNTY&nbsp;—Law enforcement investigating a man's murder have a suspect in custody.

On Wednesday, the Wichita Police Department the arrest of&nbsp; a 41-year-old Wichita man identified according to booking records as Ricardo S. Talavera, in connection with the shooting death of 49-year-old Ruben Parga-Quintanar.

Just before 9a.m. Friday, officers and Wichita Fire Department crews responded to a report of a man down near the entrance to an alley in the 2400 block of North Jeanette. When fire personnel arrived, they found Parga-Quintanar with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 8:53 a.m.

Early findings in the investigation suggested Parga-Quintanar was shot elsewhere and collapsed after fleeing on a bicycle. As the case progressed, detectives determined he was shot in the alley and then collapsed nearby.

Investigators identified Talavera as a suspect and served a search warrant at his home on Saturday. On Tuesday night, police arrested him and booked him into the Sedgwick County Jail on a requested charge of second-degree murder.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754486168417.png" alt="Talavera-photo Sedgwick County" />
 <figcaption>Talavera-photo Sedgwick County</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY&nbsp;—Law enforcement investigating a man's murder have a suspect in custody.On Wednesday, the Wichita Police Department the arrest of&nbsp; a 41-year-old Wichita man identified according to booking records as Ricardo S. Talavera, in connection with the shooting death of 49-year-old Ruben Parga-Quintanar.Just before 9a.m. Friday, officers and Wichita Fire Department crews responded to a report of a man down near the entrance to an alley in the 2400 block of North Jeanette. When fire personnel arrived, they found Parga-Quintanar with a gunshot wound. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 8:53 a.m.Early findings in the investigation suggested Parga-Quintanar was shot elsewhere and collapsed after fleeing on a bicycle. As the case progressed, detectives determined he was shot in the alley and then collapsed nearby.Investigators identified Talavera as a suspect and served a search warrant at his home on Saturday. On Tuesday night, police arrested him and booked him into the Sedgwick County Jail on a requested charge of second-degree murder.

Suspect accused of killing SW Kan. man who escaped on bicycle

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump could meet in person with Russian President Vladimir Putin as soon as next week as he seeks to broker an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, a White House official said Wednesday.

The official cautioned that a meeting has not been scheduled yet and no location has been determined. The official was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss internal plans.

The White House said Trump was also open to a meeting with both Putin and Ukrainian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-kellogg-zelenskyy-437f4c8fa4531059007dd3ab00c23458">Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>.

A meeting between Putin and Trump would be their first since Trump returned to office this year. It would be a significant milestone in the 3-year-old war, though there’s no promise such a meeting would lead to the end of the fighting since Russia and Ukraine remain far apart on their demands.

News of a potential meeting with Putin, which was first reported by The New York Times, came hours after Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Putin in Moscow. Trump had posted earlier on Truth Social that Witkoff “had a highly productive meeting” with Putin in which “great progress was made.”

It was not immediately clear if Putin or Zelenskyy had agreed to any meetings with Trump.

Zelenskyy has been willing to meet face-to-face with Putin to end the conflict, but Russia has repeatedly rejected the idea.

Trump has met with Zelenskyy several times this year, including a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-security-guarantees-trump-meeting-washington-eebdf97b663c2cdc9e51fa346b09591d">contentious February meeting</a>&nbsp;in Washington. Though he has not yet met with Putin this year, Trump met with him five times during his first term.

Trump said earlier Wednesday that he updated America’s allies in Europe and that they will work toward an end to the Russia-Ukraine war “in the days and weeks to come.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “The Russians expressed their desire to meet with President Trump, and the President is open to meeting with both President Putin and President Zelensky.” Her statement did not address the potential timing of any meeting.

Witkoff met with Putin days before the White House’s deadline for Russia to reach a peace deal with Ukraine or potentially face&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-russia-ukraine-war-b265ec364349a7e2065982064748e69a">severe economic penalties</a>&nbsp;that could also hit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-russia-oil-china-turkey-f377653aebf6d5a34a09a7466d85fd56">countries buying its oil</a>.

The meeting between Putin and Witkoff lasted about three hours, the Kremlin said.

Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said Putin and Witkoff had a “useful and constructive conversation” that focused on the Ukrainian crisis and, in a nod toward improving relations between Washington and Moscow, “prospects for possible development of strategic cooperation" between the United States and Russia.

Earlier on Wednesday, the same White House official said the U.S. was still expected to impose secondary sanctions against Russia on Friday, after a 10-day&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-trump-putin-deadline-ultimatum-0e4cfb5969be5d02217be90f7521ce48">deadline that Trump imposed is to expire</a>. The White House has not yet released details about the sanctions.

Washington has threatened&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-russia-ukraine-war-b265ec364349a7e2065982064748e69a">“severe tariffs” and other economic penalties</a>&nbsp;if the killing doesn’t stop.

Trump also has threatened to slap tariffs on nations that buy Russian oil, which could increase import taxes dramatically on China and India He said Tuesday he hadn't publicly committed to any particular tariff rate, and indicated that his decision could depend on an outcome of the meeting with Putin.

Trump has expressed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-russia-ukraine-war-kyiv-fb61625d2dee8b1917bb3522e73c2166">increasing frustration with Putin</a>&nbsp;over Russia’s escalating strikes on civilian areas of Ukraine, intended to erode morale and public appetite for the war. The intensified attacks have occurred even as Trump has urged the Russian leader in recent months to relent.

Zelenskyy said Wednesday evening that he and Trump spoke on the phone after Witkoff met with Putin. He said “European leaders also participated in the conversation,” and “we discussed what was said in Moscow.”

“It seems that Russia is now more inclined to agree to a ceasefire," Zelenskyy said, adding that the pressure on Moscow "is working," without elaborating.

Zelenskyy stressed it was important to make sure Russia does not "deceive us or the United States” when it comes to “the details” of a potential agreement. Kyiv proposes that Ukraine and its allies soon “talk to determine our position, our common position, and our common view.”

Overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday, Russian forces hit a recreational center in Ukraine’s southern Zaporizhzhia region, killing two people and injuring 12, including two children, regional Gov. Ivan Fedorov said Wednesday.

Russian forces launched at least four strikes on the area and initially attacked with powerful&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-bombs-airfields-scorched-earth-58380b8625df7ed52a3b5472326559b8">glide bombs</a>.

“There is zero military sense in this strike. Only cruelty to intimidate,” Zelenskyy said in a post on Telegram.

Russia also struck the Ukrainian power grid and facilities for heating and cooking gas, Zelenskyy said, as Ukraine makes preparations for winter.

Western analysts and Ukrainian officials say Putin is stalling for time and avoiding serious negotiations while Russian forces push to capture more Ukraine land. A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-offensives-ceasefire-c03921de21027d13117cb668c9a1a959">Russian offensive that started in the spring</a>&nbsp;and is expected to continue through the fall is advancing faster than last year's push but is making only slow and costly gains and has been unable to take any major cities.

The situation on the front line is critical for Ukrainian forces but defenses are not about to collapse, analysts say.

Stepping up diplomatic and economic pressure on the Kremlin risks stoking international tensions amid worsening Russia-U.S. relations.

Putin has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-putin-peace-talks-istanbul-7cafd1b233b30de0c9683aaa2b042212">given no hint that he might be ready</a>&nbsp;to make concessions. Instead, the Russian leader and senior Kremlin officials have talked up the country’s military strength.

Putin announced last week that Russia’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-belarus-putin-lukashenko-oreshnik-missile-ukraine-f8d30cb15b6b1022f2e63263480df3b2">new hypersonic missile</a>, which he says cannot be intercepted by current NATO air defense systems, has entered service.

Russia announced Tuesday that it no longer regards itself as bound by a self-imposed moratorium on the deployment of nuclear-capable&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-missile-intermediate-nuclear-putin-moratorium-5697b228999cf78b21784dba989c28c4">intermediate range missiles</a>, a warning that potentially sets the stage for a new arms race.

Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, meantime, warned that the Ukraine war could bring Russia and the U.S. into armed conflict. Trump responded to that by ordering the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-nuclear-submarines-repositioned-medvedev-f8e9b870fa107f6b6209e7a22f8ada43">repositioning of two U.S. nuclear submarines</a>.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday welcomed Witkoff's visit. “We consider (talks with Witkoff) important, substantive and very useful," he said.

Trump initially gave Moscow a 50-day deadline, but later&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-trump-putin-deadline-ultimatum-0e4cfb5969be5d02217be90f7521ce48">moved up his ultimatum</a>&nbsp;as the Kremlin continued to bomb Ukrainian cities.

However, Trump himself doubted their effectiveness, saying Sunday that Russia has proven to be “pretty good at avoiding sanctions.”

“They’re wily characters,” he said of the Russians.

The Kremlin has insisted that international sanctions imposed since its February 2022 invasion of its neighbor have had a limited impact.

Ukraine maintains the sanctions are taking their toll on Moscow’s war machine and wants Western allies to ramp them up.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754482846710.png" alt="Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff, right, shake hands during their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025. (Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)" />
 <figcaption>Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, and U.S. President Donald Trump's special envoy Steve Witkoff, right, shake hands during their meeting at the Kremlin in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Aug. 6, 2025. (Gavriil Grigorov, Sputnik, Kremlin Pool Photo via AP)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump could meet in person with Russian President Vladimir Putin as soon as next week as he seeks to broker an end to the Russia-Ukraine war, a White House official said Wednesday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> on the possibility of peace talks between Russia and Ukraine: &quot;We had some very good talks with President Putin today and there&#39;s a very good chance that we could be ending the round — the end of that road. There&#39;s a good chance that there will be a meeting very soon.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/37yFw7buKu">pic.twitter.com/37yFw7buKu</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1953209514305487086?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The official cautioned that a meeting has not been scheduled yet and no location has been determined. The official was not authorized to speak publicly and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity to discuss internal plans.The White House said Trump was also open to a meeting with both Putin and Ukrainian President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-kellogg-zelenskyy-437f4c8fa4531059007dd3ab00c23458">Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>.A meeting between Putin and Trump would be their first since Trump returned to office this year. It would be a significant milestone in the 3-year-old war, though there’s no promise such a meeting would lead to the end of the fighting since Russia and Ukraine remain far apart on their demands.News of a potential meeting with Putin, which was first reported by The New York Times, came hours after Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff met with Putin in Moscow. Trump had posted earlier on Truth Social that Witkoff “had a highly productive meeting” with Putin in which “great progress was made.”It was not immediately clear if Putin or Zelenskyy had agreed to any meetings with Trump.Zelenskyy has been willing to meet face-to-face with Putin to end the conflict, but Russia has repeatedly rejected the idea.Trump has met with Zelenskyy several times this year, including a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-security-guarantees-trump-meeting-washington-eebdf97b663c2cdc9e51fa346b09591d">contentious February meeting</a>&nbsp;in Washington. Though he has not yet met with Putin this year, Trump met with him five times during his first term.Trump said earlier Wednesday that he updated America’s allies in Europe and that they will work toward an end to the Russia-Ukraine war “in the days and weeks to come.”White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said, “The Russians expressed their desire to meet with President Trump, and the President is open to meeting with both President Putin and President Zelensky.” Her statement did not address the potential timing of any meeting.Witkoff met with Putin days before the White House’s deadline for Russia to reach a peace deal with Ukraine or potentially face&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-russia-ukraine-war-b265ec364349a7e2065982064748e69a">severe economic penalties</a>&nbsp;that could also hit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-russia-oil-china-turkey-f377653aebf6d5a34a09a7466d85fd56">countries buying its oil</a>.The meeting between Putin and Witkoff lasted about three hours, the Kremlin said.Putin’s foreign affairs adviser Yuri Ushakov said Putin and Witkoff had a “useful and constructive conversation” that focused on the Ukrainian crisis and, in a nod toward improving relations between Washington and Moscow, “prospects for possible development of strategic cooperation" between the United States and Russia.<h2>The threat of US sanctions</h2>Earlier on Wednesday, the same White House official said the U.S. was still expected to impose secondary sanctions against Russia on Friday, after a 10-day&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-trump-putin-deadline-ultimatum-0e4cfb5969be5d02217be90f7521ce48">deadline that Trump imposed is to expire</a>. The White House has not yet released details about the sanctions.Washington has threatened&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-russia-ukraine-war-b265ec364349a7e2065982064748e69a">“severe tariffs” and other economic penalties</a>&nbsp;if the killing doesn’t stop.Trump also has threatened to slap tariffs on nations that buy Russian oil, which could increase import taxes dramatically on China and India He said Tuesday he hadn't publicly committed to any particular tariff rate, and indicated that his decision could depend on an outcome of the meeting with Putin.Trump has expressed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-putin-russia-ukraine-war-kyiv-fb61625d2dee8b1917bb3522e73c2166">increasing frustration with Putin</a>&nbsp;over Russia’s escalating strikes on civilian areas of Ukraine, intended to erode morale and public appetite for the war. The intensified attacks have occurred even as Trump has urged the Russian leader in recent months to relent.Zelenskyy said Wednesday evening that he and Trump spoke on the phone after Witkoff met with Putin. He said “European leaders also participated in the conversation,” and “we discussed what was said in Moscow.”“It seems that Russia is now more inclined to agree to a ceasefire," Zelenskyy said, adding that the pressure on Moscow "is working," without elaborating.Zelenskyy stressed it was important to make sure Russia does not "deceive us or the United States” when it comes to “the details” of a potential agreement. Kyiv proposes that Ukraine and its allies soon “talk to determine our position, our common position, and our common view.”<h2>The fighting grinds on</h2>Overnight from Tuesday to Wednesday, Russian forces hit a recreational center in Ukraine’s southern Zaporizhzhia region, killing two people and injuring 12, including two children, regional Gov. Ivan Fedorov said Wednesday.Russian forces launched at least four strikes on the area and initially attacked with powerful&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-bombs-airfields-scorched-earth-58380b8625df7ed52a3b5472326559b8">glide bombs</a>.“There is zero military sense in this strike. Only cruelty to intimidate,” Zelenskyy said in a post on Telegram.Russia also struck the Ukrainian power grid and facilities for heating and cooking gas, Zelenskyy said, as Ukraine makes preparations for winter.Western analysts and Ukrainian officials say Putin is stalling for time and avoiding serious negotiations while Russian forces push to capture more Ukraine land. A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-offensives-ceasefire-c03921de21027d13117cb668c9a1a959">Russian offensive that started in the spring</a>&nbsp;and is expected to continue through the fall is advancing faster than last year's push but is making only slow and costly gains and has been unable to take any major cities.The situation on the front line is critical for Ukrainian forces but defenses are not about to collapse, analysts say.<h2>Risks of more pressure</h2>Stepping up diplomatic and economic pressure on the Kremlin risks stoking international tensions amid worsening Russia-U.S. relations.Putin has&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-putin-peace-talks-istanbul-7cafd1b233b30de0c9683aaa2b042212">given no hint that he might be ready</a>&nbsp;to make concessions. Instead, the Russian leader and senior Kremlin officials have talked up the country’s military strength.Putin announced last week that Russia’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-belarus-putin-lukashenko-oreshnik-missile-ukraine-f8d30cb15b6b1022f2e63263480df3b2">new hypersonic missile</a>, which he says cannot be intercepted by current NATO air defense systems, has entered service.Russia announced Tuesday that it no longer regards itself as bound by a self-imposed moratorium on the deployment of nuclear-capable&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-missile-intermediate-nuclear-putin-moratorium-5697b228999cf78b21784dba989c28c4">intermediate range missiles</a>, a warning that potentially sets the stage for a new arms race.Former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev, meantime, warned that the Ukraine war could bring Russia and the U.S. into armed conflict. Trump responded to that by ordering the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-nuclear-submarines-repositioned-medvedev-f8e9b870fa107f6b6209e7a22f8ada43">repositioning of two U.S. nuclear submarines</a>.Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov on Monday welcomed Witkoff's visit. “We consider (talks with Witkoff) important, substantive and very useful," he said.Trump initially gave Moscow a 50-day deadline, but later&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-trump-putin-deadline-ultimatum-0e4cfb5969be5d02217be90f7521ce48">moved up his ultimatum</a>&nbsp;as the Kremlin continued to bomb Ukrainian cities.However, Trump himself doubted their effectiveness, saying Sunday that Russia has proven to be “pretty good at avoiding sanctions.”“They’re wily characters,” he said of the Russians.The Kremlin has insisted that international sanctions imposed since its February 2022 invasion of its neighbor have had a limited impact.Ukraine maintains the sanctions are taking their toll on Moscow’s war machine and wants Western allies to ramp them up.___

White House: Trump could meet in person with Putin as soon as next week

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflecto</a>r

LENEXA — Melanie Arroyo lives in two worlds.

There’s the one where the Lenexa City Council member has to “assimilate and perform” like her white counterparts, she said. Then there’s the authentic world, where she is aware of how vulnerable she is in this country, “simply because I’m brown and because I have an accent.”

At Tuesday night’s city council meeting, which was packed with residents who were upset about last week’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2025-07-31/released-immigration-raids-el-toro-loco-restaurant-lenexa-kansas-city-homeland-security" target="_blank">raid by federal authorities</a>&nbsp;at El Toro Loco restaurants in Lenexa and Kansas City, Kansas, Arroyo revealed that city police had recently investigated her citizenship status and required her to prove her citizenship.

It started with someone complaining to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation about testimony Arroyo submitted in February to a state Senate committee in opposition to a bill that would eliminate in-state tuition for immigrants. The individual — whom the KBI declined to identify — questioned whether Arroyo was a U.S. citizen and eligible to hold public office.

The KBI referred the complaint to Lenexa police, who questioned Arroyo. She hired an attorney and presented documentation from her 2018 naturalization. Police closed the case last week, two days before the El Toro Loco raids.

For Arroyo, the police inquiry was a painful reminder that a single disgruntled resident can disrupt her life by making a false allegation.

Arroyo told Kansas Reflector she decided to talk about her experience after the unrelated federal raid in Lenexa, which raised questions about whether agents had violated the rights of workers who were detained without regard for whether they had committed a crime, had a lawful immigration status, or were U.S. citizens.

Arroyo said the two situations were connected only by the underlying motive, “which is xenophobia.”

“I felt like I had this obligation to come forward with my story, to let people know in Kansas City that everybody needs to wake the f*** up,” Arroyo said. “You guys are still living in 2024, thinking that our judicial processes are intact, and they’re not. I’m living in the summer of 2025, being directly impacted by this, and so we need to adapt to the circumstances that we’re in. And I don’t know what that looks like. I don’t know what the solutions are.”

Those who attended Tuesday night’s council meeting gasped when Arroyo revealed the police inquiry. They responded to her remarks with a standing ovation that lasted 20 seconds before Mayor Julie Sayers restored order with her gavel.

Councilwoman Courtney Eiterich expressed solidarity with Arroyo. Eiterich said her husband is an immigrant and that they have had conversations about whether he needs to keep naturalization papers with him.

In Lenexa and across the country, Eiterich said, authorities carrying out President Donald Trump’s campaign promise of mass deportations are violating constitutional rights with the support of federal courts.

“I teach high school government, and this is really difficult for me to wrap my head around and try to explain to my students how this is happening and what is our role in trying to fix it. And I don’t have any answers,” Eiterich said.

Lenexa city attorney Sean McLaughlin defended the police investigation of Arroyo.

He said Arroyo’s testimony before the Legislature indicated she had overstayed her visa and didn’t acknowledge her naturalization. He pointed to a city ordinance that requires office holders to be citizens.

“We felt we had no choice but to investigate the matter because it is the city’s obligation to ensure compliance with our own ordinances,” McLaughlin told the council.

“We stand behind our actions,” he added.

Arroyo submitted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/committees/ctte_s_fed_st_1/documents/testimony/20250227_25.pdf" target="_blank">written testimony</a>&nbsp;in opposition to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb254/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 254</a>, which was supported by Republican Attorney General Kris Kobach. A Senate committee held&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/03/kansas-republicans-punt-immigration-bill-after-kicking-opponents-out-of-hearing/">a contentious hearing on the proposal</a>&nbsp;in February and advanced the bill in March, but the full Senate never gave it consideration.

The testimony describes her experience growing up as “an undocumented immigrant girl” in the Kansas City area who didn’t speak fluent English. She said she was able to enroll in Kansas universities “with the condition that I resolved my immigration status.” She studied studio art and psychology at the University of Saint Mary and Johnson County Community College, then earned master’s degrees in clinical counseling and art therapy at Emporia State University.

Melissa Underwood, a spokeswoman for the KBI, said a Johnson County resident referenced Arroyo’s testimony in a voicemail left at the agency’s Lenexa office. The KBI referred the matter to city police, Underwood said, because the state agency typically doesn’t investigate immigration-related matters. Underwood said the complaint didn’t come from Kobach.

“The information was sent to the Lenexa Police Department for follow-up as they deemed appropriate,” Underwood said.

In a brief interview after the city council meeting, McLaughlin acknowledged there was no evidence to support a complaint about Arroyo’s citizenship status.

But, he said, “just because evidence doesn’t exist doesn’t mean we don’t investigate.”

Two dozen community members voiced concerns to the council about the investigation of Arroyo and the raid on a local restaurant.

They included Kansas Rep. Susan Ruiz, LGBTQ+ activist Jae Moyer, immigration attorney Anne Parelkar, two pastors, and Roeland Park City Council member Jen Hill, who was Arroyo’s 8th grade English teacher in 2005.

Even then, Hill said, Arroyo’s “voice carried strength, clarity and purpose.”

“It’s because I know her so well that I’m both saddened and outraged by the recent false allegations questioning her citizenship,” Hill said. “These claims are not only entirely unfounded, they are a blatant attempt to discredit her based on her ethnicity, rather than recognizing the immense value of her service and her character.”

Sara Rohleder told the council this was the first local government meeting she had ever attended, and “that’s saying a lot.” She referenced the approximately 150 people who attended the meeting and pointed out that many of them were in the 18-25 age range.

“I’m very concerned,” Rohleder&nbsp; said. “I don’t know what future I have. I don’t know what future my cousins have, who are younger than me. I think this sets a very dangerous precedent. I think this is very, very serious, and I really strongly feel — I honestly feel comfort in knowing that it’s not just me who’s feeling this, because it’s a very isolating time. Look at all these people. Everyone’s here because they care about what’s going on.”

Muñeca Nieves described herself as a proud Afro-Caribbean woman who works for the federal government. She said she had lost 40 pounds by walking to work every day, but&nbsp;“I don’t do it anymore, because I’m brown.”

“Every time a black SUV comes by, I get scared,” Nieves said.

She also said she was “extremely disappointed” in the Lenexa city attorney’s insistence that police were just “following the rules” when they investigated Arroyo.

“Those rules equate to racial profiling,” Nieves said, “which is against the law.”

Lenexa Police Chief Dawn Layman addressed the council at the end of the meeting and&nbsp;acknowledged the hurt expressed by Arroyo.

“I apologize if I made you feel that way,” Layman told her.

Layman said Homeland Security Investigations notified her a week in advance that they would execute a criminal search warrants, authorized by a federal judge, at the El Toro Loco in Lenexa. They mutually agreed that Lenexa police officers would not be on site, she said.

She said the federal raids were related to an ongoing investigation into labor exploitation.

Layman said her department is focused on public safety and serving all who live, work and visit Lenexa, regardless of immigration status.

“Our responsibility is to protect the public, uphold the law, maintain public order and serve our community with honor, integrity and professionalism, and that is in regardless of our personal beliefs or opinion,” Layman said.

In an interview, Arroyo said Layman was unaware of the political and historical weight of asking someone for their papers. But Arroyo also stressed that she doesn’t think Lenexa police are the problem.

“My concern is that we are not aware of the times that we’re living in,” Arroyo said, “and we’re failing to meet the moment.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754508240926.png" alt=" Lenexa City Council member Melanie Arroyo talks with supporters after the Aug. 5, 2025, council meeting. Arroyo revealed city police investigated her citizenship status and required her to prove her citizenship. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Lenexa City Council member Melanie Arroyo talks with supporters after the Aug. 5, 2025, council meeting. Arroyo revealed city police investigated her citizenship status and required her to prove her citizenship. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/sherman-smith/">SHERMAN SMITH</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/01/03/kansas-state-garden-city-cc-striving-to-shrink-bachelors-degree-educational-desert/?emci=8e6f56cf-3bca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;emdi=a9416bb1-82ca-ef11-88d0-0022482a9b45&amp;ceid=115039">Kansas Reflecto</a>rLENEXA — Melanie Arroyo lives in two worlds.There’s the one where the Lenexa City Council member has to “assimilate and perform” like her white counterparts, she said. Then there’s the authentic world, where she is aware of how vulnerable she is in this country, “simply because I’m brown and because I have an accent.”“It feels lonely,” she said.At Tuesday night’s city council meeting, which was packed with residents who were upset about last week’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2025-07-31/released-immigration-raids-el-toro-loco-restaurant-lenexa-kansas-city-homeland-security" target="_blank">raid by federal authorities</a>&nbsp;at El Toro Loco restaurants in Lenexa and Kansas City, Kansas, Arroyo revealed that city police had recently investigated her citizenship status and required her to prove her citizenship.It started with someone complaining to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation about testimony Arroyo submitted in February to a state Senate committee in opposition to a bill that would eliminate in-state tuition for immigrants. The individual — whom the KBI declined to identify — questioned whether Arroyo was a U.S. citizen and eligible to hold public office.The KBI referred the complaint to Lenexa police, who questioned Arroyo. She hired an attorney and presented documentation from her 2018 naturalization. Police closed the case last week, two days before the El Toro Loco raids.For Arroyo, the police inquiry was a painful reminder that a single disgruntled resident can disrupt her life by making a false allegation.Arroyo told Kansas Reflector she decided to talk about her experience after the unrelated federal raid in Lenexa, which raised questions about whether agents had violated the rights of workers who were detained without regard for whether they had committed a crime, had a lawful immigration status, or were U.S. citizens.Arroyo said the two situations were connected only by the underlying motive, “which is xenophobia.”“I felt like I had this obligation to come forward with my story, to let people know in Kansas City that everybody needs to wake the f*** up,” Arroyo said. “You guys are still living in 2024, thinking that our judicial processes are intact, and they’re not. I’m living in the summer of 2025, being directly impacted by this, and so we need to adapt to the circumstances that we’re in. And I don’t know what that looks like. I don’t know what the solutions are.”Those who attended Tuesday night’s council meeting gasped when Arroyo revealed the police inquiry. They responded to her remarks with a standing ovation that lasted 20 seconds before Mayor Julie Sayers restored order with her gavel.Councilwoman Courtney Eiterich expressed solidarity with Arroyo. Eiterich said her husband is an immigrant and that they have had conversations about whether he needs to keep naturalization papers with him.In Lenexa and across the country, Eiterich said, authorities carrying out President Donald Trump’s campaign promise of mass deportations are violating constitutional rights with the support of federal courts.“I teach high school government, and this is really difficult for me to wrap my head around and try to explain to my students how this is happening and what is our role in trying to fix it. And I don’t have any answers,” Eiterich said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754508202926.png" alt=" Lenexa city attorney Sean McLaughlin during the Aug. 5, 2025, council meeting defends the police investigation of a councilwoman. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Lenexa city attorney Sean McLaughlin during the Aug. 5, 2025, council meeting defends the police investigation of a councilwoman. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>No evidence for inquiry</h2>Lenexa city attorney Sean McLaughlin defended the police investigation of Arroyo.He said Arroyo’s testimony before the Legislature indicated she had overstayed her visa and didn’t acknowledge her naturalization. He pointed to a city ordinance that requires office holders to be citizens.“We felt we had no choice but to investigate the matter because it is the city’s obligation to ensure compliance with our own ordinances,” McLaughlin told the council.“We stand behind our actions,” he added.Arroyo submitted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/committees/ctte_s_fed_st_1/documents/testimony/20250227_25.pdf" target="_blank">written testimony</a>&nbsp;in opposition to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/sb254/" target="_blank">Senate Bill 254</a>, which was supported by Republican Attorney General Kris Kobach. A Senate committee held&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/03/03/kansas-republicans-punt-immigration-bill-after-kicking-opponents-out-of-hearing/">a contentious hearing on the proposal</a>&nbsp;in February and advanced the bill in March, but the full Senate never gave it consideration.The testimony describes her experience growing up as “an undocumented immigrant girl” in the Kansas City area who didn’t speak fluent English. She said she was able to enroll in Kansas universities “with the condition that I resolved my immigration status.” She studied studio art and psychology at the University of Saint Mary and Johnson County Community College, then earned master’s degrees in clinical counseling and art therapy at Emporia State University.Melissa Underwood, a spokeswoman for the KBI, said a Johnson County resident referenced Arroyo’s testimony in a voicemail left at the agency’s Lenexa office. The KBI referred the matter to city police, Underwood said, because the state agency typically doesn’t investigate immigration-related matters. Underwood said the complaint didn’t come from Kobach.“The information was sent to the Lenexa Police Department for follow-up as they deemed appropriate,” Underwood said.In a brief interview after the city council meeting, McLaughlin acknowledged there was no evidence to support a complaint about Arroyo’s citizenship status.But, he said, “just because evidence doesn’t exist doesn’t mean we don’t investigate.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754508157109.png" alt="Overland Park resident Sara Rohleder speaks at the Aug. 5, 2025, Lenexa City Council meeting. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Overland Park resident Sara Rohleder speaks at the Aug. 5, 2025, Lenexa City Council meeting. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Public outcry</h2>Two dozen community members voiced concerns to the council about the investigation of Arroyo and the raid on a local restaurant.They included Kansas Rep. Susan Ruiz, LGBTQ+ activist Jae Moyer, immigration attorney Anne Parelkar, two pastors, and Roeland Park City Council member Jen Hill, who was Arroyo’s 8th grade English teacher in 2005.Even then, Hill said, Arroyo’s “voice carried strength, clarity and purpose.”“It’s because I know her so well that I’m both saddened and outraged by the recent false allegations questioning her citizenship,” Hill said. “These claims are not only entirely unfounded, they are a blatant attempt to discredit her based on her ethnicity, rather than recognizing the immense value of her service and her character.”Sara Rohleder told the council this was the first local government meeting she had ever attended, and “that’s saying a lot.” She referenced the approximately 150 people who attended the meeting and pointed out that many of them were in the 18-25 age range.“I’m very concerned,” Rohleder&nbsp; said. “I don’t know what future I have. I don’t know what future my cousins have, who are younger than me. I think this sets a very dangerous precedent. I think this is very, very serious, and I really strongly feel — I honestly feel comfort in knowing that it’s not just me who’s feeling this, because it’s a very isolating time. Look at all these people. Everyone’s here because they care about what’s going on.”Muñeca Nieves described herself as a proud Afro-Caribbean woman who works for the federal government. She said she had lost 40 pounds by walking to work every day, but&nbsp;“I don’t do it anymore, because I’m brown.”“Every time a black SUV comes by, I get scared,” Nieves said.She also said she was “extremely disappointed” in the Lenexa city attorney’s insistence that police were just “following the rules” when they investigated Arroyo.“Those rules equate to racial profiling,” Nieves said, “which is against the law.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754508115025.png" alt=" Lenexa Police Chief Dawn Layman addressed the city council during an Aug. 5, 2025, meeting. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Lenexa Police Chief Dawn Layman addressed the city council during an Aug. 5, 2025, meeting. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Police chief responds</h2>Lenexa Police Chief Dawn Layman addressed the council at the end of the meeting and&nbsp;acknowledged the hurt expressed by Arroyo.“I apologize if I made you feel that way,” Layman told her.Layman said Homeland Security Investigations notified her a week in advance that they would execute a criminal search warrants, authorized by a federal judge, at the El Toro Loco in Lenexa. They mutually agreed that Lenexa police officers would not be on site, she said.She said the federal raids were related to an ongoing investigation into labor exploitation.Layman said her department is focused on public safety and serving all who live, work and visit Lenexa, regardless of immigration status.“Our responsibility is to protect the public, uphold the law, maintain public order and serve our community with honor, integrity and professionalism, and that is in regardless of our personal beliefs or opinion,” Layman said.In an interview, Arroyo said Layman was unaware of the political and historical weight of asking someone for their papers. But Arroyo also stressed that she doesn’t think Lenexa police are the problem.“My concern is that we are not aware of the times that we’re living in,” Arroyo said, “and we’re failing to meet the moment.”

Police investigate a Kansas city council member’s citizenship after a complaint left via voicemail

FORT STEWART, Ga. (AP) — An Army sergeant opened fire at Fort Stewart on Wednesday, shooting five soldiers and prompting a brief lockdown at one the country’s largest Army bases, officials said.

Few details were immediately available about what led to the gunfire, but the suspect is an Army sergeant, according to a U.S. official. The official was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.

The injured soldiers are stable and recovering, said Brig Gen. John Lubas. The Army won’t release names pending notification of family members and they won’t speculate on motive, Lt. Col. Angel Tomko said at a news conference.

Officials identified the shooter as logistics Sgt. Quornelius Radford. A telephone number listed for Radford in public records rang unanswered on Wednesday.

The shooter opened fire at his workplace, officials said. Soldiers in the area who witnessed the shooting “immediately and without hesitation” tackled the shooter, Lubas said.

This latest act of violence on a U.S. military installation — sites that are supposed to be among the most secure in the country — again raised concerns about safety and security within the armed forces’ own walls.

The Army said it's investigating the shooting. There were still many unanswered questions, including the condition of the soldiers, the scope of their injuries, the name of the shooter as well as any possible motive.

The injured were treated and then moved to Winn Army Community Hospital, base officials said in a Facebook post, adding there's no threat to the community.

Some of the wounded were also taken to Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, said spokesperson Bryna Gordon. The hospital is the top-level trauma center for coastal Georgia. Gordon said she didn’t know how many people were being taken to the hospital or what their conditions are.

Law enforcement was sent to the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team complex shortly before 11 a.m. Wednesday. The shooter was arrested at 11:35 a.m., officials said.

The lockdown lasted about an hour. After it was lifted, cars began to move through the normal security checkpoint at the fort’s main gate.

The Army’s 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team was created in 2016 when the service added more than 200 vehicles to an infantry unit of roughly 4,200 soldiers. Also known as the “Spartan Brigade,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.army.mil/article/259944/us_armys_most_modern_brigade_hosts_the_great_engagement">the Army has called the unit</a>&nbsp;its “most modern land fighting force.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754497102931.png" alt="Courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>FORT STEWART, Ga. (AP) — An Army sergeant opened fire at Fort Stewart on Wednesday, shooting five soldiers and prompting a brief lockdown at one the country’s largest Army bases, officials said.Few details were immediately available about what led to the gunfire, but the suspect is an Army sergeant, according to a U.S. official. The official was not authorized to publicly discuss details of the investigation and spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity.The injured soldiers are stable and recovering, said Brig Gen. John Lubas. The Army won’t release names pending notification of family members and they won’t speculate on motive, Lt. Col. Angel Tomko said at a news conference.Officials identified the shooter as logistics Sgt. Quornelius Radford. A telephone number listed for Radford in public records rang unanswered on Wednesday.The shooter opened fire at his workplace, officials said. Soldiers in the area who witnessed the shooting “immediately and without hesitation” tackled the shooter, Lubas said.This latest act of violence on a U.S. military installation — sites that are supposed to be among the most secure in the country — again raised concerns about safety and security within the armed forces’ own walls.The Army said it's investigating the shooting. There were still many unanswered questions, including the condition of the soldiers, the scope of their injuries, the name of the shooter as well as any possible motive.The injured were treated and then moved to Winn Army Community Hospital, base officials said in a Facebook post, adding there's no threat to the community.Some of the wounded were also taken to Memorial Health University Medical Center in Savannah, said spokesperson Bryna Gordon. The hospital is the top-level trauma center for coastal Georgia. Gordon said she didn’t know how many people were being taken to the hospital or what their conditions are.Law enforcement was sent to the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team complex shortly before 11 a.m. Wednesday. The shooter was arrested at 11:35 a.m., officials said.The lockdown lasted about an hour. After it was lifted, cars began to move through the normal security checkpoint at the fort’s main gate.The Army’s 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team was created in 2016 when the service added more than 200 vehicles to an infantry unit of roughly 4,200 soldiers. Also known as the “Spartan Brigade,”&nbsp;<a href="https://www.army.mil/article/259944/us_armys_most_modern_brigade_hosts_the_great_engagement">the Army has called the unit</a>&nbsp;its “most modern land fighting force.”Located about 40 miles (64 kilometers) southwest of Savannah, Fort Stewart is the largest Army post east of the Mississippi River. It’s home to thousands of soldiers assigned to the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division and family members.White House and Defense Department officials said President Donald Trump and Secretary Pete Hegseth had been briefed on the shooting.The FBI was at the fort to help investigate, said Deputy Director Dan Bongino.Among the deadliest acts of violence on U.S. military bases was a 2009 attack.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-2872311eb6694d219f7fa5aeb0c233fc">A U.S. Army psychiatrist killed 13 people</a>&nbsp;in a shooting that left more than 30 wounded at Fort Hood, a military installation in Texas.<a href="https://apnews.com/046ace2b312e41c4beb9fb2cf9fd0728">In 2013</a>, a defense contract worker and former Navy reservist killed 12 people at Washington Navy Yard. He was then killed in a gun battle with police.<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-b090b70067c84749abc9a3e26205bc49">In 2014</a>, a soldier opened fire on his fellow service members at Fort Hood, killing three people and wounding more than a dozen others before the gunman killed himself.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ron-desantis-shootings-terrorism-us-news-ap-top-news-3206b3f41ae2ccf4b1c6ad0ba9b3185e">In 2019</a>, an aviation student opened fire in a classroom at Naval Air Station Pensacola in Florida, killing three people and injuring another dozen people including two sheriff’s deputies. Just&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2dec5ee8ce885061fe25c699a43eb71b">days earlier, a U.S. Navy sailor shot</a>&nbsp;two people to death before killing himself at Pearl Harbor, the Naval station in Hawaii.-----------SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — Five soldiers were shot on Wednesday at the Army’s Fort Stewart in Georgia before a shooter was arrested.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The President has been briefed on the shooting at Fort Stewart in Georgia. The White House is monitoring the situation.&mdash; Karoline Leavitt (@PressSec) <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/1953135134665802048?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Our federal law enforcement agents in Georgia are coordinating to provide support as the situation at Fort Stewart develops. I am praying for all the victims and for our troops at the base.&mdash; Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/1953137964168405387?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Parts of Fort Stewart in southeast Georgia were locked down after a shooter was reported on the sprawling Army post, a spokesperson said. The army said the shooter has been arrested and there’s no threat to the community.A post on Fort Stewart’s Facebook page told all personnel in the locked down area to “stay inside, close and lock all windows and doors.”Located about 40 miles (64 kilometers) southwest of Savannah, Fort Stewart is the largest Army post east of the Mississippi River. It’s home to thousands of soldiers assigned to the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division and family members.The shooter was in the area of the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team, the fort said online.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FFortStewartHunterArmyAirfield%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0696cnEND7m9ujYRCsx5nonjp4fmurusZBqGcSzKdntmdhoWDX67gD57gysUrbLCLl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="679" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>The fort’s three elementary schools were also on lockdown, Community Superintendent Brian Perry told WTOC-TV. The schools have nearly 1,400 students, according to the Department of Defense.Three schools just outside the base took steps similar to a lockdown “out of an abundance of caution,” the Liberty County School System said online.Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp is in contact with responding law enforcement, he said in a statement. U.S. Rep. Buddy Carter, whose district includes Fort Stewart, said in an online post that he's monitoring the developments.-----------FORT STEWART, Georgia– Five Soldiers were shot Wednesday in an active shooter incident in the 2nd Armored Brigade Combat Team area, according to a media release from the base. All Soldiers were treated on-site and moved to Winn Army Community Hospital for further treatment. There was no active threat to the community. <div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FFortStewartHunterArmyAirfield%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0696cnEND7m9ujYRCsx5nonjp4fmurusZBqGcSzKdntmdhoWDX67gD57gysUrbLCLl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="679" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>Law enforcement was dispatched for a possible shooting in the 2nd ABCT complex at 10:56 a.m. The shooter was apprehended at 11:35 a.m.The installation was locked down at 11:04 a.m. and Fort Stewart lifted the lockdown of the main cantonment area at 12:10 p.m. 2nd ABCT complex is still locked down. Emergency medical personnel were dispatched to treat the wounded Soldiers at 11:09 a.m.Check the Post for additional details as they become available.