JOHNSON COUNTY —A Kansas woman died from injuries in an accident in the driveway of a home near the intersection of 96th Terrace and Foster in Overland Park just after 9:30a.m. Monday.

According to Police Captain Keith Hurska, a cehicle backing out of the garage struck a 92-year-old woman who was standing in the driveway.&nbsp; EMS transported the woman to a local hospital for treatment. Police learned later that she died of her injuries.&nbsp;

Overland Park Police continue to investigate the incident. Police have not released the name of the victim.

JOHNSON COUNTY —A Kansas woman died from injuries in an accident in the driveway of a home near the intersection of 96th Terrace and Foster in Overland Park just after 9:30a.m. Monday.According to Police Captain Keith Hurska, a cehicle backing out of the garage struck a 92-year-old woman who was standing in the driveway.&nbsp; EMS transported the woman to a local hospital for treatment. Police learned later that she died of her injuries.&nbsp;Overland Park Police continue to investigate the incident. Police have not released the name of the victim.

92-year-old dies after being struck by vehicle in Kansas driveway

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a violent chase in Douglas County.

Just after 2:30 p.m. Monday, a deputy observed a man, wanted for questioning in domestic incident, driving near Second and Locust streets and attempted to stop the vehicle, according to Douglas County Sheriff's department spokesman George&nbsp;Diepenbrock.

The deputy was also aware the driver did not have a valid drivers’ license.

The suspect accelerated from the stop near the entrance to the southbound lanes of the Kansas River bridge and then immediately slammed on the vehicle’s brakes, ramming into the deputy’s patrol vehicle. 

The suspect then accelerated and jumped the median and fled eastbound on the levee and eventually onto Elm Street in North Lawrence.

The deputy observed the suspect drive through a residential yard in the 900 block of Elm Street and damage a fire hydrant. The suspect vehicle became disabled in a nearby field, and deputies took him into custody. The suspect was examined by medics and taken to LMH Health before he was cleared and transported to the Douglas County Jail.

He is being held on requested charges that include aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, two counts of making a criminal threat against a law enforcement officer for making specific threats against deputies after he was taken into custody.

No other injuries were reported, including to the deputy in the damaged patrol vehicle.

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a violent chase in Douglas County.Just after 2:30 p.m. Monday, a deputy observed a man, wanted for questioning in domestic incident, driving near Second and Locust streets and attempted to stop the vehicle, according to Douglas County Sheriff's department spokesman George&nbsp;Diepenbrock.The deputy was also aware the driver did not have a valid drivers’ license.The suspect accelerated from the stop near the entrance to the southbound lanes of the Kansas River bridge and then immediately slammed on the vehicle’s brakes, ramming into the deputy’s patrol vehicle. The suspect then accelerated and jumped the median and fled eastbound on the levee and eventually onto Elm Street in North Lawrence.The deputy observed the suspect drive through a residential yard in the 900 block of Elm Street and damage a fire hydrant. The suspect vehicle became disabled in a nearby field, and deputies took him into custody. The suspect was examined by medics and taken to LMH Health before he was cleared and transported to the Douglas County Jail.He is being held on requested charges that include aggravated battery on a law enforcement officer, two counts of making a criminal threat against a law enforcement officer for making specific threats against deputies after he was taken into custody.No other injuries were reported, including to the deputy in the damaged patrol vehicle.

Driver rammed Kansas deputy's vehicle before chase, crash

McALLEN, Texas (AP) — A federal judge in Texas on Monday paused a Biden administration policy that would give spouses of U.S. citizens legal status without having to first leave the country, dealing at least a temporary setback to one of the biggest presidential actions to ease a path to citizenship in years.

The administrative stay issued by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker comes just days after Kansas, Missouri and 14 others states, led by Republican attorneys general, challenged the program that could benefit an estimated 500,000 immigrants in the country, plus about 50,000 of their children.

One of the states leading the challenge is Texas, which in the lawsuit claimed the state has had to pay tens of millions of dollars annually from health care to law enforcement because of immigrants living in the state without legal status.&nbsp;

President Joe Biden announced the program in June. The court order, which lasts for two weeks but could be extended, comes one week after the Department of Homeland Security began accepting applications.

"The claims are substantial and warrant closer consideration than the court has been able to afford to date," Barker wrote.

The judge laid out a timetable that could produce a decision shortly before the presidential election Nov. 5 or before a newly elected president takes office in January. Barker gave both sides until Oct. 10 to file briefs in the case.

The policy offers spouses of U.S. citizens without legal status, who meet certain criteria, a path to citizenship by applying for a green card and staying in the U.S. while undergoing the process. Traditionally, the process could include a years-long wait outside of the U.S., causing what advocates equate to "family separation."

The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately return an email seeking comment on the order.

Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton cheered the order.

“This is just the first step. We are going to keep fighting for Texas, our country, and the rule of law,” Paxton posted on the social media platform X.

Several families were notified of the receipt of their applications, according to attorneys advocating for eligible families who filed a motion to intervene earlier Monday.

“Texas should not be able to decide the fate of hundreds of thousands of U.S. citizens and their immigrant spouses without confronting their reality,” Karen Tumlin, the founder and director of Justice Action Center, said during the press conference before the order was issued.

The coalition of states accused the administration of bypassing Congress for “blatant political purposes.”

The program has been particularly contentious in an election year where immigration is one of the biggest issues, with many Republicans attacking the policy and contending it is essentially a form of amnesty for people who broke the law.

To be eligible for the program, immigrants must have lived continuously in the U.S. for at least 10 years, not pose a security threat or have a disqualifying criminal history, and have been married to a citizen by June 17 — the day before the program was announced.

They must pay a $580 fee to apply and fill out a lengthy application, including an explanation of why they deserve humanitarian parole and a long list of supporting documents proving how long they have been in the country.

If approved, applicants have three years to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/president-joe-biden-immigration-border-immigrants-11486c86ba620a04ae9dc66a3d44f346">seek permanent residency</a>. During that period, they can get work authorization.

Before this program, it was complicated for people who were in the U.S. illegally to get a green card after marrying an American citizen. They can be required to return to their home country — often for years — and they always face the risk they may not be allowed back in.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724510077030.png" alt="President Biden during the announcement in June-White House image" />
 <figcaption>President Biden during the announcement in June-White House image</figcaption>
 </figure>McALLEN, Texas (AP) — A federal judge in Texas on Monday paused a Biden administration policy that would give spouses of U.S. citizens legal status without having to first leave the country, dealing at least a temporary setback to one of the biggest presidential actions to ease a path to citizenship in years.The administrative stay issued by U.S. District Judge J. Campbell Barker comes just days after Kansas, Missouri and 14 others states, led by Republican attorneys general, challenged the program that could benefit an estimated 500,000 immigrants in the country, plus about 50,000 of their children.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/2/1707343988873.png" alt=" Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach photo by Rachel Mipro" />
 <figcaption> Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach photo by Rachel Mipro</figcaption>
 </figure>One of the states leading the challenge is Texas, which in the lawsuit claimed the state has had to pay tens of millions of dollars annually from health care to law enforcement because of immigrants living in the state without legal status.&nbsp;President Joe Biden announced the program in June. The court order, which lasts for two weeks but could be extended, comes one week after the Department of Homeland Security began accepting applications."The claims are substantial and warrant closer consideration than the court has been able to afford to date," Barker wrote.The judge laid out a timetable that could produce a decision shortly before the presidential election Nov. 5 or before a newly elected president takes office in January. Barker gave both sides until Oct. 10 to file briefs in the case.The policy offers spouses of U.S. citizens without legal status, who meet certain criteria, a path to citizenship by applying for a green card and staying in the U.S. while undergoing the process. Traditionally, the process could include a years-long wait outside of the U.S., causing what advocates equate to "family separation."The Department of Homeland Security did not immediately return an email seeking comment on the order.Republican Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton cheered the order.“This is just the first step. We are going to keep fighting for Texas, our country, and the rule of law,” Paxton posted on the social media platform X.Several families were notified of the receipt of their applications, according to attorneys advocating for eligible families who filed a motion to intervene earlier Monday.“Texas should not be able to decide the fate of hundreds of thousands of U.S. citizens and their immigrant spouses without confronting their reality,” Karen Tumlin, the founder and director of Justice Action Center, said during the press conference before the order was issued.The coalition of states accused the administration of bypassing Congress for “blatant political purposes.”The program has been particularly contentious in an election year where immigration is one of the biggest issues, with many Republicans attacking the policy and contending it is essentially a form of amnesty for people who broke the law.To be eligible for the program, immigrants must have lived continuously in the U.S. for at least 10 years, not pose a security threat or have a disqualifying criminal history, and have been married to a citizen by June 17 — the day before the program was announced.They must pay a $580 fee to apply and fill out a lengthy application, including an explanation of why they deserve humanitarian parole and a long list of supporting documents proving how long they have been in the country.If approved, applicants have three years to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/president-joe-biden-immigration-border-immigrants-11486c86ba620a04ae9dc66a3d44f346">seek permanent residency</a>. During that period, they can get work authorization.Before this program, it was complicated for people who were in the U.S. illegally to get a green card after marrying an American citizen. They can be required to return to their home country — often for years — and they always face the risk they may not be allowed back in.

Kan. lawsuit: Judge pauses Biden plan to offer ‘amnesty’ to 500K illegals married to US citizens

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Supermarket chain Albertsons told a federal judge Monday that it might have to lay off workers, close stores and even exit some markets if its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-merger-ftc-antitrust-3ba6eba066636626c4bdc6cd4f73fa29">planned merger</a>&nbsp;with Kroger isn't allowed to proceed.

The two companies proposed what would be the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-albertsons-companies-inc-0cfbd68f81ba8aab7c1d3012c69804d9">largest supermarket merger</a>&nbsp;in U.S. history in October 2022. But the Federal Trade Commission sued to prevent the $24.6 billion deal, alleging it would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-antitrust-grocery-merger-competition-71b47dc86ec7449f29b2b488c1d3f9de">eliminate competition</a>&nbsp;and raise grocery prices in a time of already high&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-price-gouging-ban-inflation-65dc8844bb41159d76886f752b6cab28">food price inflation</a>.

In the three-week hearing that opened Monday, the FTC is seeking a preliminary injunction that would block the merger while its complaint goes before an in-house administrative law judge.

“This lawsuit is part of an effort aimed at helping Americans feed their families," the FTC's chief trial counsel, Susan Musser, said in her opening arguments on Monday.

Musser said Kroger and Albertsons currently compete in 22 states, closely matching each other on price, quality, private label products and services like store pickup. Shoppers benefit from that competition, she said, and will lose those benefits if the merger is allowed to proceed.

Customers also are wary of the merger, the lawyer said. In Santa Fe, New Mexico, for example, 278 shoppers wrote to the FTC to express their concerns about a combined Kroger and Albertsons, which would own five of the city's eight supermarkets.

But Kroger and Albertsons insist the FTC's objections don't take into account the rising competition in the grocery sector.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/walmart-apple-juice-recall-e4c185fd48af2438023ea94b3f6b2b74">Walmart's</a>&nbsp;grocery sales totaled $247 billion last year compared to $63 billion in 2003, for example; Costco's sales have grown more than 400% in the same period.

“Consumers are blurring the line of where they buy groceries," Albertsons attorney Enu Mainigi said.

Mainigi said Albertsons' customers now spend 88 cents of every dollar at competitors that range from Aldi and Trader Joe's to Dollar General. Albertsons can't compete with larger rivals that have national scale, but joining forces with Kroger would help it do that, she said.

Kroger attorney Matthew Wolf also defended the proposed merger.

“The savings that come from the merger are obvious and intuitive. Kroger may have the best price on Pepsi. Albertsons may have the best price on Coke. Put them together, they have the best price on both," Wolf said.

The two sides also disagree on Kroger and Albertsons' plan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-merger-cs-grocery-9a1d40ba06f752d3c5c3d5db78fede4c">to sell 579 stores</a>&nbsp;in places where their stores overlap. The buyer would be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-merger-cs-wholesale-grocer-401520f2a25ea2ae5fd06be4973b7c48">C&amp;S Wholesale Grocers</a>, a New Hampshire-based supplier to independent supermarkets that also owns the Grand Union and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-b50f18e7e7dc4701823b2d4346a8bd28">Piggly Wiggly</a>&nbsp;store brands.

The FTC says C&amp;S is ill-prepared to take on those stores. Laura Hall, the FTC's senior trial counsel, cited internal documents that indicated C&amp;S executives were skeptical about the quality of the stores they would get and may want the option to sell or close them.

But Wolf said C&amp;S has the experience and infrastructure to run the divested stores and would be the eighth-largest supermarket company in the U.S., if the merger plan goes through.

The commission also alleges that workers' wages and benefits would decline if Kroger and Albertsons no longer compete with each other.

Before the hearing, several members of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-united-food-and-commercial-workers-0815f09c0ad7bc7826b350abe6a2543b">United Food and Commercial Workers International</a>&nbsp;union gathered outside the federal courthouse in downtown Portland to speak out against the proposed deal.

“Enough is enough,” said Carol McMillian, a bakery manager at a Kroger-owned grocery store in Colorado. “We can no longer stand by and allow corporate greed that puts profit before people. Our workers, our communities and our customers deserve better.”

The labor union also expressed concern that potential store closures could create so-called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-lifestyle-health-6b59475a8da2ef2587f31112555ac03b">food and pharmacy “deserts”</a>&nbsp;for consumers.

For people in many communities across the U.S., when a grocery store shutters, “their only source of food actually is walking to the nearest gas station,” said Kim Cordova, the president of UFCW Local 7, which represents over 23,000 members in Colorado and Wyoming.

Mainigi argued the deal could actually bolster union jobs, since many of Kroger's and Albertsons' competitors, like Walmart or Costco, have few unionized workers.

U.S. District Judge Adrienne Nelson is expected to hear from around 40 witnesses, including the CEOs of Kroger and Albertsons, before deciding whether to issue the preliminary injunction. If she does decide to temporarily block the merger, the FTC's in-house hearings are scheduled to begin Oct. 1.

But Nelson's decision will seal the merger's fate, according to Wolf. He said the FTC's in-house administrative process is so long and cumbersome that merger deals almost always fall apart before it's through. Earlier this month, Kroger sued the FTC, alleging the agency’s internal proceedings were unconstitutional and saying it wants the merger’s merits decided in federal court.

The attorneys general of Arizona, California, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and Wyoming all joined the case on the FTC’s side. Washington and Colorado filed separate cases in state courts seeking to block the merger.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/opioid-crisis-settlement-kroger-79356d42ded9c5099e1c2b88d3ffc061">Kroger</a>, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, operates 2,800 stores in 35 states, including brands like Dillons,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ralphs-supermarkets-california-job-applicants-46a287ac76515ffbbd196202c4ee3c38">Ralphs</a>, Smith’s and Harris Teeter.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-dividends-8c6e67bf9fb0cc3da523c672a6ca9141">Albertsons</a>, based in Boise, Idaho, operates 2,273 stores in 34 states, including brands like Safeway, Jewel Osco and Shaw’s. Together, the companies employ around 710,000 people.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724718577355.png" alt="Photo from a Monday press conference courtesy United Food and commercial workers union local 3000" />
 <figcaption>Photo from a Monday press conference courtesy United Food and commercial workers union local 3000</figcaption>
 </figure>PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Supermarket chain Albertsons told a federal judge Monday that it might have to lay off workers, close stores and even exit some markets if its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-merger-ftc-antitrust-3ba6eba066636626c4bdc6cd4f73fa29">planned merger</a>&nbsp;with Kroger isn't allowed to proceed.The two companies proposed what would be the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-albertsons-companies-inc-0cfbd68f81ba8aab7c1d3012c69804d9">largest supermarket merger</a>&nbsp;in U.S. history in October 2022. But the Federal Trade Commission sued to prevent the $24.6 billion deal, alleging it would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-antitrust-grocery-merger-competition-71b47dc86ec7449f29b2b488c1d3f9de">eliminate competition</a>&nbsp;and raise grocery prices in a time of already high&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-price-gouging-ban-inflation-65dc8844bb41159d76886f752b6cab28">food price inflation</a>.In the three-week hearing that opened Monday, the FTC is seeking a preliminary injunction that would block the merger while its complaint goes before an in-house administrative law judge.“This lawsuit is part of an effort aimed at helping Americans feed their families," the FTC's chief trial counsel, Susan Musser, said in her opening arguments on Monday.Musser said Kroger and Albertsons currently compete in 22 states, closely matching each other on price, quality, private label products and services like store pickup. Shoppers benefit from that competition, she said, and will lose those benefits if the merger is allowed to proceed.Customers also are wary of the merger, the lawyer said. In Santa Fe, New Mexico, for example, 278 shoppers wrote to the FTC to express their concerns about a combined Kroger and Albertsons, which would own five of the city's eight supermarkets.But Kroger and Albertsons insist the FTC's objections don't take into account the rising competition in the grocery sector.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/walmart-apple-juice-recall-e4c185fd48af2438023ea94b3f6b2b74">Walmart's</a>&nbsp;grocery sales totaled $247 billion last year compared to $63 billion in 2003, for example; Costco's sales have grown more than 400% in the same period.“Consumers are blurring the line of where they buy groceries," Albertsons attorney Enu Mainigi said.Mainigi said Albertsons' customers now spend 88 cents of every dollar at competitors that range from Aldi and Trader Joe's to Dollar General. Albertsons can't compete with larger rivals that have national scale, but joining forces with Kroger would help it do that, she said.Kroger attorney Matthew Wolf also defended the proposed merger.“The savings that come from the merger are obvious and intuitive. Kroger may have the best price on Pepsi. Albertsons may have the best price on Coke. Put them together, they have the best price on both," Wolf said.The two sides also disagree on Kroger and Albertsons' plan&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-merger-cs-grocery-9a1d40ba06f752d3c5c3d5db78fede4c">to sell 579 stores</a>&nbsp;in places where their stores overlap. The buyer would be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-merger-cs-wholesale-grocer-401520f2a25ea2ae5fd06be4973b7c48">C&amp;S Wholesale Grocers</a>, a New Hampshire-based supplier to independent supermarkets that also owns the Grand Union and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-b50f18e7e7dc4701823b2d4346a8bd28">Piggly Wiggly</a>&nbsp;store brands.The FTC says C&amp;S is ill-prepared to take on those stores. Laura Hall, the FTC's senior trial counsel, cited internal documents that indicated C&amp;S executives were skeptical about the quality of the stores they would get and may want the option to sell or close them.But Wolf said C&amp;S has the experience and infrastructure to run the divested stores and would be the eighth-largest supermarket company in the U.S., if the merger plan goes through.The commission also alleges that workers' wages and benefits would decline if Kroger and Albertsons no longer compete with each other.Before the hearing, several members of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-health-united-food-and-commercial-workers-0815f09c0ad7bc7826b350abe6a2543b">United Food and Commercial Workers International</a>&nbsp;union gathered outside the federal courthouse in downtown Portland to speak out against the proposed deal.“Enough is enough,” said Carol McMillian, a bakery manager at a Kroger-owned grocery store in Colorado. “We can no longer stand by and allow corporate greed that puts profit before people. Our workers, our communities and our customers deserve better.”The labor union also expressed concern that potential store closures could create so-called&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-lifestyle-health-6b59475a8da2ef2587f31112555ac03b">food and pharmacy “deserts”</a>&nbsp;for consumers.For people in many communities across the U.S., when a grocery store shutters, “their only source of food actually is walking to the nearest gas station,” said Kim Cordova, the president of UFCW Local 7, which represents over 23,000 members in Colorado and Wyoming.Mainigi argued the deal could actually bolster union jobs, since many of Kroger's and Albertsons' competitors, like Walmart or Costco, have few unionized workers.U.S. District Judge Adrienne Nelson is expected to hear from around 40 witnesses, including the CEOs of Kroger and Albertsons, before deciding whether to issue the preliminary injunction. If she does decide to temporarily block the merger, the FTC's in-house hearings are scheduled to begin Oct. 1.But Nelson's decision will seal the merger's fate, according to Wolf. He said the FTC's in-house administrative process is so long and cumbersome that merger deals almost always fall apart before it's through. Earlier this month, Kroger sued the FTC, alleging the agency’s internal proceedings were unconstitutional and saying it wants the merger’s merits decided in federal court.The attorneys general of Arizona, California, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and Wyoming all joined the case on the FTC’s side. Washington and Colorado filed separate cases in state courts seeking to block the merger.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/opioid-crisis-settlement-kroger-79356d42ded9c5099e1c2b88d3ffc061">Kroger</a>, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, operates 2,800 stores in 35 states, including brands like Dillons,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ralphs-supermarkets-california-job-applicants-46a287ac76515ffbbd196202c4ee3c38">Ralphs</a>, Smith’s and Harris Teeter.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-dividends-8c6e67bf9fb0cc3da523c672a6ca9141">Albertsons</a>, based in Boise, Idaho, operates 2,273 stores in 34 states, including brands like Safeway, Jewel Osco and Shaw’s. Together, the companies employ around 710,000 people.

Kroger and Albertsons defend merger plan in federal court

TPD is asking for the public’s help in identifying the vehicle and individual in this footage in relation to an ongoing investigation.

The vehicle was seen around 4:30 a.m. Monday in the 1400 block of SW Eden Court in Topeka, according to a media release. 

If you have any information about this vehicle or the individual, please contact investigators at telltpd@topeka.org or report anonymously to Shawnee County Crime Stoppers at 785-234-0007 or online at <a href="https://t.co/g6Ezl6yyVr" target="_blank">http://p3tips.com/128</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724719038233.png" alt="Photo Topeka Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Topeka Police</figcaption>
 </figure>TPD is asking for the public’s help in identifying the vehicle and individual in this footage in relation to an ongoing investigation.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724719129164.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The vehicle was seen around 4:30 a.m. Monday in the 1400 block of SW Eden Court in Topeka, according to a media release. If you have any information about this vehicle or the individual, please contact investigators at telltpd@topeka.org or report anonymously to Shawnee County Crime Stoppers at 785-234-0007 or online at <a href="https://t.co/g6Ezl6yyVr" target="_blank">http://p3tips.com/128</a>

Police ask for help to ID vehicle in Kansas investigation

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Missouri,man has pleaded guilty in federal court to attempting to rob a local bank but being foiled when the front door was locked, according to the United State's Attorney.

Jacob Lowell Hessing, 26, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr. on Aug. 22, to one count of attempted bank robbery. Hessing has been detained in federal custody since his arrest.

By pleading guilty, Hessing admitted that he attempted to rob Exchange Bank of Missouri in New Franklin on Sept. 9, 2023.

According to the plea agreement, the Howard County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department received calls from concerned citizens about a masked man dressed in black walking in downtown New Franklin, which has a population of about 1,000 residents. The man, later identified as Hessing, was reportedly carrying an AR-style rifle and attempted to enter Exchange Bank of Missouri. On Saturdays, however, the bank’s lobby is open by appointment only, and the outer door is locked.

Surveillance video showed Hessing walk to the bank and attempt to open the lobby door. He then got back into a red Chevy Equinox, which drove off at a high rate of speed. Investigators traced the vehicle to Hessing and executed a search warrant at his residence (about a block and a half from the bank) on Oct. 30, 2023. Federal agents found a Diamondback rifle, hidden in the basement, with a loaded magazine capable of holding more than 40 5.56mm cartridges, which was consistent with the weapon Hessing carried when he attempted to rob the bank. Ammunition also was found in the kitchen utensil drawer and several cartridges for the Diamondback rifle were found in the Equinox. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Hessing must forfeit the Diamondback rifle to the government.

Under federal statutes, Hessing is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa A. Pierce. It was investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Howard County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724450068571.png" alt="Hessing-photo Howard Co." />
 <figcaption>Hessing-photo Howard Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Mo. – A Missouri,man has pleaded guilty in federal court to attempting to rob a local bank but being foiled when the front door was locked, according to the United State's Attorney.Jacob Lowell Hessing, 26, pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Willie J. Epps, Jr. on Aug. 22, to one count of attempted bank robbery. Hessing has been detained in federal custody since his arrest.By pleading guilty, Hessing admitted that he attempted to rob Exchange Bank of Missouri in New Franklin on Sept. 9, 2023.According to the plea agreement, the Howard County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department received calls from concerned citizens about a masked man dressed in black walking in downtown New Franklin, which has a population of about 1,000 residents. The man, later identified as Hessing, was reportedly carrying an AR-style rifle and attempted to enter Exchange Bank of Missouri. On Saturdays, however, the bank’s lobby is open by appointment only, and the outer door is locked.Surveillance video showed Hessing walk to the bank and attempt to open the lobby door. He then got back into a red Chevy Equinox, which drove off at a high rate of speed. Investigators traced the vehicle to Hessing and executed a search warrant at his residence (about a block and a half from the bank) on Oct. 30, 2023. Federal agents found a Diamondback rifle, hidden in the basement, with a loaded magazine capable of holding more than 40 5.56mm cartridges, which was consistent with the weapon Hessing carried when he attempted to rob the bank. Ammunition also was found in the kitchen utensil drawer and several cartridges for the Diamondback rifle were found in the Equinox. Under the terms of today’s plea agreement, Hessing must forfeit the Diamondback rifle to the government.Under federal statutes, Hessing is subject to a sentence of up to 20 years in federal prison without parole. The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Melissa A. Pierce. It was investigated by the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, and the Howard County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.

Man admits trying trying to rob bank but door was locked

JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating three women on multiple allegations after a weekend traffic stop.

Just after 6p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;August 24, a Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Ford F-150 pickup for a traffic infraction on U.S. Highway 75 near 118th Road in southern Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

Ashley Pauline Whitetail, 39 and&nbsp;Annie Rose Potts, 41, both of Mayetta, were arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on a requested charge of interference with law enforcement and transporting an open container.

 Brenda Leigh Hinostroza, 39, of Berryton, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of a depressant, possession of drug paraphernalia, criminal use of weapons, transporting an open container and knowing allow uninsured vehicle on the roadway.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724705679946.png" alt="Whitetail photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Whitetail photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating three women on multiple allegations after a weekend traffic stop.Just after 6p.m.&nbsp;&nbsp;August 24, a Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop on a Ford F-150 pickup for a traffic infraction on U.S. Highway 75 near 118th Road in southern Jackson County, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724705656628.png" alt="Potts photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Potts photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Ashley Pauline Whitetail, 39 and&nbsp;Annie Rose Potts, 41, both of Mayetta, were arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on a requested charge of interference with law enforcement and transporting an open container.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724705745590.png" alt="Hinostroza photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Hinostroza photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure> Brenda Leigh Hinostroza, 39, of Berryton, was arrested and booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of a depressant, possession of drug paraphernalia, criminal use of weapons, transporting an open container and knowing allow uninsured vehicle on the roadway.

Traffic stop ruins weekend trip for 3 Kansas women

DETROIT (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-france-evacuations-kabul-9e457201e5bbe75a4eb1901fedeee7a1">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Monday tied Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;to the chaotic Afghanistan War withdrawal on the third anniversary of the suicide bombing that killed 13 U.S. service members, calling the attack a “humiliation.”

Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, laid wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery in honor of Sgt. Nicole Gee, Staff Sgt. Darin Hoover and Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss, who were killed in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-france-evacuations-kabul-9e457201e5bbe75a4eb1901fedeee7a1">Aug. 26, 2021, suicide bombing</a>&nbsp;at Hamid Karzai International Airport. He then traveled to Michigan for an address to the National Guard Association of the United States conference.

“Caused by Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, the humiliation in Afghanistan set off the collapse of American credibility and respect all around the world," Trump told an audience of about 4,000, including National Guard members and their families in Detroit.

President Joe Biden's administration was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-biden-government-and-politics-donald-trump-7cef514c6cc96848f61a9e8b7fcdf263">following a withdrawal commitment</a>&nbsp;and timeline that the Trump administration had negotiated with the Taliban in 2020. A 2022 review by a government-appointed special investigator concluded decisions made by both Trump and Biden were the key factors leading to the rapid collapse of Afghanistan’s military and the Taliban takeover.

In his speech to the National Guard in Detroit, Trump said that leaving Afghanistan was the right thing to do but that the execution was poor. “We were going to do it with dignity and strength," he said. He called the attack “the most embarrassing day in the history of our country.”

Since Biden ended his reelection bid, Trump has been zeroing in on Harris, now the Democratic presidential nominee, and her roles in foreign policy decisions. He has specifically highlighted the vice president’s statements that she was the last person in the room before Biden made the decision on Afghanistan.

“The voters are going to fire Kamala and Joe on Nov. 5, we hope, and when I take office we will ask for the resignations of every single official,” Trump said in Detroit. “We’ll get the resignations of every single senior official who touched the Afghanistan calamity, to be on my desk at noon on Inauguration Day. You know, you have to fire people. You have to fire people when they do a bad job.”

In her own statement marking the anniversary of the Kabul airport attack, Harris said she mourns the 13 U.S. service members who were killed. “My prayers are with their families and loved ones. My heart breaks for their pain and their loss,” she said.

Harris said she honors and remembers all Americans who served in Afghanistan.

“As I have said, President Biden made the courageous and right decision to end America’s longest war. Over the past three years, our Administration has demonstrated we can still eliminate terrorists, including the leaders of al-Qaeda and ISIS, without troops deployed into combat zones,” she said. “I will never hesitate to take whatever action necessary to counter terrorist threats and protect the American people.”

Biden said in a statement Monday that the 13 Americans who died were “patriots in the highest sense” who “embodied the very best of who we are as a nation: brave, committed, selfless.”

“Ever since I became Vice President, I carried a card with me every day that listed the exact number of American service members who were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan—including Taylor, Johanny, Nicole, Hunter, Daegan, Humberto, David, Jared, Rylee, Dylan, Kareem, Maxton, and Ryan,” Biden said.

The relatives of some of the American service members who were killed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gold-star-families-rnc-gop-convention-b8d043475a5cb8cb7735c366ba75502d">appeared on stage</a>&nbsp;at the Republican National Convention last month and spoke on Monday in a media call along with Trump's running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio. They said they are still trying to get answers on how their loved ones died.

“For them to think that is OK and treat it as another page in a book that they’re just flipping over for the next chapter it saddens me and frightens me all at the same time,” said Alicia Lopez, the mother of Marine Corps Cpl. Hunter Lopez, who added she has another son serving in the military. "I pray that I don’t get another knock on my door because of the lack of responsibilities this administration has for our military.”

Asked Monday why Biden and Harris weren’t marking the anniversary of the Abbey Gate attack as Trump did at Arlington National Cemetery, White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters that Trump had been personally invited by the family members and he called it one way to honor the fallen.

“Another way is to continue to work,” Kirby said. “Maybe not with a lot of fanfare, maybe not with a lot of public attention, maybe not with TV cameras, but to work with might and main every single day to make sure that the families of the fallen and of those who were injured and wounded, not just at Abbey Gate, but over the course of the 20-some odd years that we were in Afghanistan, have the support that they need.”

Also Monday, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., announced that Congress will posthumously honor the 13 service members by presenting their families with the Congressional Gold Medal next month. It's the highest civilian award that Congress can bestow.

Under Trump, the United States&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-491544713df4879f399d0ff5523d369e">signed a peace agreement</a>&nbsp;with the Taliban that was aimed at ending America’s longest war and bringing U.S. troops home. Biden later pointed to that agreement as he sought to deflect blame for the Taliban overrunning Afghanistan, saying it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-middle-east-taliban-doha-e6f48507848aef2ee849154604aa11be">bound him to withdraw troops</a>&nbsp;and set the stage for the chaos that engulfed the country.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-islamic-state-group-bombings-kabul-taliban-80dde38aa7c28451b2dc55b466e31228">Biden administration review of the withdrawal</a>&nbsp;acknowledged that the evacuation of Americans and allies from Afghanistan should have started sooner, but attributed the delays to the Afghan government and military, and to U.S. military and intelligence community assessments.

DETROIT (AP) — Former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-france-evacuations-kabul-9e457201e5bbe75a4eb1901fedeee7a1">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;on Monday tied Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;to the chaotic Afghanistan War withdrawal on the third anniversary of the suicide bombing that killed 13 U.S. service members, calling the attack a “humiliation.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I joined President Trump to lay wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery in remembrance of the 13 heroes we lost at Abbey Gate. We lost these heroes because of the ignorance and arrogance of politicians, like Kamala Harris &amp; Joe Biden, who treat America&#39;s warriors as disposable. <a href="https://t.co/PoLEEgPaa2">pic.twitter.com/PoLEEgPaa2</a>&mdash; Rep. Brian Mast (@RepBrianMast) <a href="https://twitter.com/RepBrianMast/status/1828102812267598022?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, laid wreaths at Arlington National Cemetery in honor of Sgt. Nicole Gee, Staff Sgt. Darin Hoover and Staff Sgt. Ryan Knauss, who were killed in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-france-evacuations-kabul-9e457201e5bbe75a4eb1901fedeee7a1">Aug. 26, 2021, suicide bombing</a>&nbsp;at Hamid Karzai International Airport. He then traveled to Michigan for an address to the National Guard Association of the United States conference.“Caused by Kamala Harris, Joe Biden, the humiliation in Afghanistan set off the collapse of American credibility and respect all around the world," Trump told an audience of about 4,000, including National Guard members and their families in Detroit.President Joe Biden's administration was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-biden-government-and-politics-donald-trump-7cef514c6cc96848f61a9e8b7fcdf263">following a withdrawal commitment</a>&nbsp;and timeline that the Trump administration had negotiated with the Taliban in 2020. A 2022 review by a government-appointed special investigator concluded decisions made by both Trump and Biden were the key factors leading to the rapid collapse of Afghanistan’s military and the Taliban takeover.In his speech to the National Guard in Detroit, Trump said that leaving Afghanistan was the right thing to do but that the execution was poor. “We were going to do it with dignity and strength," he said. He called the attack “the most embarrassing day in the history of our country.”Since Biden ended his reelection bid, Trump has been zeroing in on Harris, now the Democratic presidential nominee, and her roles in foreign policy decisions. He has specifically highlighted the vice president’s statements that she was the last person in the room before Biden made the decision on Afghanistan.“The voters are going to fire Kamala and Joe on Nov. 5, we hope, and when I take office we will ask for the resignations of every single official,” Trump said in Detroit. “We’ll get the resignations of every single senior official who touched the Afghanistan calamity, to be on my desk at noon on Inauguration Day. You know, you have to fire people. You have to fire people when they do a bad job.”In her own statement marking the anniversary of the Kabul airport attack, Harris said she mourns the 13 U.S. service members who were killed. “My prayers are with their families and loved ones. My heart breaks for their pain and their loss,” she said.Harris said she honors and remembers all Americans who served in Afghanistan.“As I have said, President Biden made the courageous and right decision to end America’s longest war. Over the past three years, our Administration has demonstrated we can still eliminate terrorists, including the leaders of al-Qaeda and ISIS, without troops deployed into combat zones,” she said. “I will never hesitate to take whatever action necessary to counter terrorist threats and protect the American people.”Biden said in a statement Monday that the 13 Americans who died were “patriots in the highest sense” who “embodied the very best of who we are as a nation: brave, committed, selfless.”“Ever since I became Vice President, I carried a card with me every day that listed the exact number of American service members who were killed in Iraq and Afghanistan—including Taylor, Johanny, Nicole, Hunter, Daegan, Humberto, David, Jared, Rylee, Dylan, Kareem, Maxton, and Ryan,” Biden said.The relatives of some of the American service members who were killed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gold-star-families-rnc-gop-convention-b8d043475a5cb8cb7735c366ba75502d">appeared on stage</a>&nbsp;at the Republican National Convention last month and spoke on Monday in a media call along with Trump's running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio. They said they are still trying to get answers on how their loved ones died.“For them to think that is OK and treat it as another page in a book that they’re just flipping over for the next chapter it saddens me and frightens me all at the same time,” said Alicia Lopez, the mother of Marine Corps Cpl. Hunter Lopez, who added she has another son serving in the military. "I pray that I don’t get another knock on my door because of the lack of responsibilities this administration has for our military.”Asked Monday why Biden and Harris weren’t marking the anniversary of the Abbey Gate attack as Trump did at Arlington National Cemetery, White House national security spokesman John Kirby told reporters that Trump had been personally invited by the family members and he called it one way to honor the fallen.“Another way is to continue to work,” Kirby said. “Maybe not with a lot of fanfare, maybe not with a lot of public attention, maybe not with TV cameras, but to work with might and main every single day to make sure that the families of the fallen and of those who were injured and wounded, not just at Abbey Gate, but over the course of the 20-some odd years that we were in Afghanistan, have the support that they need.”Also Monday, House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., announced that Congress will posthumously honor the 13 service members by presenting their families with the Congressional Gold Medal next month. It's the highest civilian award that Congress can bestow.Under Trump, the United States&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-491544713df4879f399d0ff5523d369e">signed a peace agreement</a>&nbsp;with the Taliban that was aimed at ending America’s longest war and bringing U.S. troops home. Biden later pointed to that agreement as he sought to deflect blame for the Taliban overrunning Afghanistan, saying it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-middle-east-taliban-doha-e6f48507848aef2ee849154604aa11be">bound him to withdraw troops</a>&nbsp;and set the stage for the chaos that engulfed the country.A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-islamic-state-group-bombings-kabul-taliban-80dde38aa7c28451b2dc55b466e31228">Biden administration review of the withdrawal</a>&nbsp;acknowledged that the evacuation of Americans and allies from Afghanistan should have started sooner, but attributed the delays to the Afghan government and military, and to U.S. military and intelligence community assessments.

Trump rebukes Harris, Biden on anniversary of Afghanistan bombing that killed 13 service members

On Monday, Aug. 19, Gerald Rahier, Arielle&nbsp;Lemos and their two young sons were driving when they were T-boned by a Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper who was responding to another accident.

According to Katie Lyons of Hoxie, who created the GoFundMe account, after being struck, their car rolled about five times. Everyone in the car was badly injured. Gerald was pronounced dead at the scene.

Arielle and Jett, one of the children, were transported to the hospital, where they are both stable, according to Lyons

LJ, the other child, was life-flighted to Wichita with a skull fracture and brain bleed. He has stabilized and is improving, she said.

"We are starting this GoFundMe to help Arielle with the medical bills, a car since theirs was totaled in the wreck and funeral expenses for Jerry [Gerald]. Anything is helpful," Lyons said on GoFundMe.

<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-arielle-and-her-boys">Click here to view the fundraiser for the family .</a>

SHERIDAN COUNTY —The Kansas Highway Patrol has identified the individuals involved in a second fatal accident that occurred Monday in Sheridan County.

According to the Highway Patrol, just after 11 a.m. Trooper Ethan Masterson, 27, Oakley, was responding to a&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/759ff407-0334-4dd7-8000-843c42f9d5e8">fatal accident</a>&nbsp;on KS-23 south of Hoxie when Masterson’s Dodge SUV collided with an SUV at the intersection of 100 S Road and 40 E Road, approximately four miles east of K-23.

The driver of the second SUV, Gerald D. Rahier, 42, Hoxie was killed in the accident.

A passenger, Arielle C. Lemos, 38, Hoxie and two children, ages 4 and 5, all suffered serious injuries and were transported to the&nbsp;Sheridan County Health Complex in Hoxie.

All four people in the SUV were properly restrained at the time of the accident.

The Highway Patrol reported Masterson did have his lights and sirens activated at the time of the accident He was not injured.

SHERIDAN COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a fatal crash involving a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper.

Just after 11 a.m. Monday, a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper was responding to a two-vehicle fatality collision involving a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) that occurred on K-23 between Hoxie and Interstate 70 in Sheridan County, according to a media release from the KHP.

The Trooper was westbound on 100 South Road with emergency lights and siren activated as he approached the intersection at 40 East Road.&nbsp;

The Trooper entered the intersection and struck the driver’s side of a southbound SUV.&nbsp; As a result of the collision, the male driver was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; A female passenger in the front passenger seat and a child passenger were transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Another child passenger was air-lifted from the collision scene. The trooper was treated and released from the scene.

The Kansas Highway Patrol Critical Highway Accident Response Team was called to the scene, and this crash remains under investigation at this time.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724702963257.png" alt="Photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>On Monday, Aug. 19, Gerald Rahier, Arielle&nbsp;Lemos and their two young sons were driving when they were T-boned by a Kansas Highway Patrol Trooper who was responding to another accident.According to Katie Lyons of Hoxie, who created the GoFundMe account, after being struck, their car rolled about five times. Everyone in the car was badly injured. Gerald was pronounced dead at the scene.Arielle and Jett, one of the children, were transported to the hospital, where they are both stable, according to LyonsLJ, the other child, was life-flighted to Wichita with a skull fracture and brain bleed. He has stabilized and is improving, she said."We are starting this GoFundMe to help Arielle with the medical bills, a car since theirs was totaled in the wreck and funeral expenses for Jerry [Gerald]. Anything is helpful," Lyons said on GoFundMe.<a href="https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-arielle-and-her-boys">Click here to view the fundraiser for the family .</a>————Wednesday, Aug 21SHERIDAN COUNTY —The Kansas Highway Patrol has identified the individuals involved in a second fatal accident that occurred Monday in Sheridan County.According to the Highway Patrol, just after 11 a.m. Trooper Ethan Masterson, 27, Oakley, was responding to a&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/759ff407-0334-4dd7-8000-843c42f9d5e8">fatal accident</a>&nbsp;on KS-23 south of Hoxie when Masterson’s Dodge SUV collided with an SUV at the intersection of 100 S Road and 40 E Road, approximately four miles east of K-23.The driver of the second SUV, Gerald D. Rahier, 42, Hoxie was killed in the accident.A passenger, Arielle C. Lemos, 38, Hoxie and two children, ages 4 and 5, all suffered serious injuries and were transported to the&nbsp;Sheridan County Health Complex in Hoxie.All four people in the SUV were properly restrained at the time of the accident.The Highway Patrol reported Masterson did have his lights and sirens activated at the time of the accident He was not injured.----SHERIDAN COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a fatal crash involving a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper.Just after 11 a.m. Monday, a Kansas Highway Patrol trooper was responding to a two-vehicle fatality collision involving a Commercial Motor Vehicle (CMV) that occurred on K-23 between Hoxie and Interstate 70 in Sheridan County, according to a media release from the KHP.The Trooper was westbound on 100 South Road with emergency lights and siren activated as he approached the intersection at 40 East Road.&nbsp;The Trooper entered the intersection and struck the driver’s side of a southbound SUV.&nbsp; As a result of the collision, the male driver was pronounced deceased.&nbsp; A female passenger in the front passenger seat and a child passenger were transported to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Another child passenger was air-lifted from the collision scene. The trooper was treated and released from the scene.The Kansas Highway Patrol Critical Highway Accident Response Team was called to the scene, and this crash remains under investigation at this time.

Fundraiser established for family in deadly crash with KHP trooper 

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal house explosion in rural Excelsior Springs, Missouri have identified the victims as 70-year-old Oliver W. Campbell and 65-year-old Katherine A. Campbell. Both lived at the house at 14406 Kimberly Drive according to the Clay County Sheriff's office.

The Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office also confirmed there was a gas leak in the home.&nbsp;“Because of the force of the explosion and extent of structural damage, no cause could be identified as to the source of the gas leak or the ignition source. The Missouri Division of Fire Safety classified the explosion as undetermined.”

It will take up to 30 days for their full incident report to be complete.

Just after 4:30 a.m. Friday, the Clay County Sheriff's office reported they were contacted about a house that exploded at 14406 Kimberly Drive.

Deputies found the house was completely destroyed, and a fire was burning. The blast could be felt and seen for many miles and blew open the doors of neighbors’ houses.

Oliver and Katherine Campbell&nbsp; lived at the home, and initially investigators did not know whether they were home at the time of the blast.

Just after noon Friday the sheriff's office reported deputies and firefighters located their bodies in the rubble of the home.

 Deputies also located a dog that appears to have been killed by the explosion. The Missouri Search and Rescue Canines and the Excelsior Springs Fire Department, assisted in the search for victims.

Investigators have found no evidence of foul play.&nbsp;Excelsior Springs is located approximately 25 miles northeast of Kansas City.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724702841895.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a fatal house explosion in rural Excelsior Springs, Missouri have identified the victims as 70-year-old Oliver W. Campbell and 65-year-old Katherine A. Campbell. Both lived at the house at 14406 Kimberly Drive according to the Clay County Sheriff's office.The Missouri State Fire Marshal’s Office also confirmed there was a gas leak in the home.&nbsp;“Because of the force of the explosion and extent of structural damage, no cause could be identified as to the source of the gas leak or the ignition source. The Missouri Division of Fire Safety classified the explosion as undetermined.”It will take up to 30 days for their full incident report to be complete.Just after 4:30 a.m. Friday, the Clay County Sheriff's office reported they were contacted about a house that exploded at 14406 Kimberly Drive.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FSheriffClayCo%2Fvideos%2F862240312124026%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=1" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Deputies found the house was completely destroyed, and a fire was burning. The blast could be felt and seen for many miles and blew open the doors of neighbors’ houses.Oliver and Katherine Campbell&nbsp; lived at the home, and initially investigators did not know whether they were home at the time of the blast.Just after noon Friday the sheriff's office reported deputies and firefighters located their bodies in the rubble of the home. Deputies also located a dog that appears to have been killed by the explosion. The Missouri Search and Rescue Canines and the Excelsior Springs Fire Department, assisted in the search for victims.Investigators have found no evidence of foul play.&nbsp;Excelsior Springs is located approximately 25 miles northeast of Kansas City.

Sheriff IDs husband, wife who died in KC area home explosion

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jason-hancock/">JASON HANCOCK</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>

A pair of Republican state legislators and an anti-abortion activist filed a lawsuit Thursday asking a judge to block an abortion-rights constitutional amendment from appearing on the Nov. 5 ballot.&nbsp;

State Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, state Rep. Hannah Kelly and Kathy Forck<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/08/07/gop-legislators-file-lawsuit-challenging-cost-estimate-of-missouri-abortion-rights-amendment/">&nbsp;sued last year challenging the cost estimate for a proposed constitutional amendment</a>&nbsp;rolling back Missouri’s ban on abortion.&nbsp;

The campaign behind the proposal ultimately&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/13/missouri-voters-will-decide-whether-to-legalize-abortion-in-november/">turned in enough signatures to earn a spot on the November ballot</a>, where it is set to appear as Amendment 3.&nbsp;

On Thursday, Coleman, Kelly, Forck and Marguerite Forrest, the operator of a shelter for homeless pregnant women in St. Louis County, filed a new lawsuit in Cole Circuit Court arguing that the decision to place the amendment on the ballot should be reversed.

The amendment violates the Missouri Constitution, the lawsuit argues, because it illegally includes more than one subject. It also fails to specify the laws and constitutional provisions that would be repealed if it were approved by voters, the lawsuit argues.&nbsp;

In a joint statement released to the media, the plaintiffs said Amendment 3&nbsp;is a “direct threat to the lives of Missouri women by erasing the will of voters who chose to protect the safety of women and the child by electing strong pro-life leaders.”

Rachel Sweet, campaign manager for Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, which is supporting Amendment 3, called Thursday’s lawsuit “yet another baseless and desperate attempt from politicians to silence Missouri voters and prevent them from being heard. We will not let that happen.”

Sweet said she is confident the courts will “see through this thinly veiled effort to block Missouri voters and dismiss it swiftly.”

Missouri was the first state to ban abortion after the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning the constitutional right to the procedure. Since then, abortion has been virtually illegal, with limited exceptions only in cases of medical emergencies. There are no exceptions for survivors of rape or incest.

If approved by voters, Amendment 3 would legalize abortion up until the point of fetal viability, an undefined period of time generally seen as the point in which the fetus could survive outside the womb on its own, generally around 24 weeks, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.&nbsp;

Such an amendment would return Missouri to the standard of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which also legalized abortion up to the point of fetal viability. Missouri’s amendment also includes exceptions after viability “to protect the life or physical or mental health of the pregnant person.”

Missouri’s amendment also states that women and those performing or assisting in abortions cannot be prosecuted. Under current Missouri law, doctors who perform abortions deemed unnecessary can be charged with a class B felony and face up to 15 years in prison. Their medical license can also be suspended or revoked.

The lawsuit filed Thursday argues that Amendment 3 illegally includes more than one subject, in part because of its use of the phrase “fundamental right to reproductive freedom.”&nbsp;

The lawsuit argues this phrase is “unlimited in scope” and is “systematically neutralizing all laws, existing or future, that attempt to limit this new, limitless ‘right to reproductive freedom.’” It lays out numerous restrictions on abortion and other laws that could be repealed by Amendment 3 if it were approved by voters, including restrictions on when abortions can be performed and bans on certain stem cell research.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724676157886.png" alt="Students hold up anti-abortion signs at the Midwest March for Life on May 1 at the Missouri State Capitol (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent)." />
 <figcaption>Students hold up anti-abortion signs at the Midwest March for Life on May 1 at the Missouri State Capitol (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent).</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/jason-hancock/">JASON HANCOCK</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/02/20/state-senator-throws-first-punches-of-2024-missouri-governors-campaign/">Missouri Independent</a>A pair of Republican state legislators and an anti-abortion activist filed a lawsuit Thursday asking a judge to block an abortion-rights constitutional amendment from appearing on the Nov. 5 ballot.&nbsp;State Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman, state Rep. Hannah Kelly and Kathy Forck<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2023/08/07/gop-legislators-file-lawsuit-challenging-cost-estimate-of-missouri-abortion-rights-amendment/">&nbsp;sued last year challenging the cost estimate for a proposed constitutional amendment</a>&nbsp;rolling back Missouri’s ban on abortion.&nbsp;The campaign behind the proposal ultimately&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/08/13/missouri-voters-will-decide-whether-to-legalize-abortion-in-november/">turned in enough signatures to earn a spot on the November ballot</a>, where it is set to appear as Amendment 3.&nbsp;On Thursday, Coleman, Kelly, Forck and Marguerite Forrest, the operator of a shelter for homeless pregnant women in St. Louis County, filed a new lawsuit in Cole Circuit Court arguing that the decision to place the amendment on the ballot should be reversed.The amendment violates the Missouri Constitution, the lawsuit argues, because it illegally includes more than one subject. It also fails to specify the laws and constitutional provisions that would be repealed if it were approved by voters, the lawsuit argues.&nbsp;In a joint statement released to the media, the plaintiffs said Amendment 3&nbsp;is a “direct threat to the lives of Missouri women by erasing the will of voters who chose to protect the safety of women and the child by electing strong pro-life leaders.”Rachel Sweet, campaign manager for Missourians for Constitutional Freedom, which is supporting Amendment 3, called Thursday’s lawsuit “yet another baseless and desperate attempt from politicians to silence Missouri voters and prevent them from being heard. We will not let that happen.”Sweet said she is confident the courts will “see through this thinly veiled effort to block Missouri voters and dismiss it swiftly.”Missouri was the first state to ban abortion after the 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling overturning the constitutional right to the procedure. Since then, abortion has been virtually illegal, with limited exceptions only in cases of medical emergencies. There are no exceptions for survivors of rape or incest.If approved by voters, Amendment 3 would legalize abortion up until the point of fetal viability, an undefined period of time generally seen as the point in which the fetus could survive outside the womb on its own, generally around 24 weeks, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.&nbsp;Such an amendment would return Missouri to the standard of the 1973 Roe v. Wade decision, which also legalized abortion up to the point of fetal viability. Missouri’s amendment also includes exceptions after viability “to protect the life or physical or mental health of the pregnant person.”Missouri’s amendment also states that women and those performing or assisting in abortions cannot be prosecuted. Under current Missouri law, doctors who perform abortions deemed unnecessary can be charged with a class B felony and face up to 15 years in prison. Their medical license can also be suspended or revoked.The lawsuit filed Thursday argues that Amendment 3 illegally includes more than one subject, in part because of its use of the phrase “fundamental right to reproductive freedom.”&nbsp;The lawsuit argues this phrase is “unlimited in scope” and is “systematically neutralizing all laws, existing or future, that attempt to limit this new, limitless ‘right to reproductive freedom.’” It lays out numerous restrictions on abortion and other laws that could be repealed by Amendment 3 if it were approved by voters, including restrictions on when abortions can be performed and bans on certain stem cell research.&nbsp;

Lawsuit seeks to knock Missouri abortion-rights amendment off Nov. ballot

NEW YORK (AP) —The campaigns of Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;and former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;are arguing in advance of their high-stakes Sept. 10 debate over whether microphones should be muted except for the candidate whose turn it is to speak.

While it's common for campaigns to quibble beforehand over debate mechanics, both Harris and Trump are under pressure to deliver a strong performance next month in Philadelphia. The first debate during this campaign led to President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden's</a>&nbsp;departure from the race.

Trump on Sunday night raised the possibility that he might not show up on ABC, posting on his Truth Social network that he had watched the network's Sunday show with a “so-called Panel of Trump Haters” and posited, “why would I do the Debate against Kamala Harris on that network?” and urging followers to “Stay tuned!!”

The current dispute centers on the muting of microphones when a candidate isn't speaking, a condition both Biden and Trump accepted for their June debate hosted by CNN. Both sides are accusing the other of gaming the system to protect their candidate.

Biden’s campaign team made microphone muting a condition of its decision to accept any debates this year, and some aides now regret the decision, saying voters were shielded from hearing Trump’s outbursts during the debate. That move likely would not have helped the incumbent Democrat’s disastrous performance.

The Harris campaign now wants microphones to be live all the time, according to Harris spokesman Brian Fallon, who issued a statement needling Trump.

“Trump’s handlers prefer the muted microphone because they don’t think their candidate can act presidential for 90 minutes on his own,” Fallon said. Harris “is ready to deal with Trump’s constant lies and interruptions in real time. Trump should stop hiding behind the mute button.”

Trump spokesman Jason Miller retorted that the Republican nominee had “accepted the ABC debate under the exact same terms as the CNN debate." He alleged Harris’ representatives sought “a seated debate, with notes, and opening statements.”

Miller then took a shot at Harris not sitting for an interview or holding a news conference since Biden ended his reelection and endorsed her, arguing her campaign now wants “to give her a cheat sheet for the debate.”

The Harris campaign denied Miller's claim that she wanted notes or to be seated during the debate.

“I’d rather have it probably on,” Trump said Monday during a stop in the Washington area, when asked if he wanted microphones muted. “I didn't like it the last time, but it worked out fine,” he added, in terms of the policy during his debate with Biden.

“We agreed to the same rules — same rules, same specifications,” Trump noted, for his Sept. 10 debate with Harris. "And I think that’s probably what it should be.”

Asked how he was preparing for the debate, Trump responded, “I’m not. ... I think my whole life I’ve been preparing for a debate.”

Complicating the negotiations this year is that debates are being orchestrated on an ad hoc basis by host networks, as opposed to the bipartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, through which debate rules were negotiated privately.

Microphones have been unmuted for both candidates for most of televised presidential debate history. The debate commission announced that its October 2020 debate would have microphones muted when candidates were not recognized to speak after the first Biden-Trump contest descended into a shouting match. The second 2020 debate with the microphone muting rules was widely celebrated for being more substantive than the earlier matchup.

Associated Press writers Zeke Miller and Colleen Long in Washington, and Jill Colvin in New York contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1721587521577.png" alt="Photo Associated Press" />
 <figcaption>Photo Associated Press</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) —The campaigns of Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;and former President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;are arguing in advance of their high-stakes Sept. 10 debate over whether microphones should be muted except for the candidate whose turn it is to speak.While it's common for campaigns to quibble beforehand over debate mechanics, both Harris and Trump are under pressure to deliver a strong performance next month in Philadelphia. The first debate during this campaign led to President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden's</a>&nbsp;departure from the race.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Former President Trump on Sept. 10 ABC News debate: &quot;We&#39;re thinking about it. They also want to change the rules. You know, the deal was we keep the same rules. Now, all of a sudden they want to make a change in the rules because she can&#39;t answer questions.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/YxaJE6kV3o">pic.twitter.com/YxaJE6kV3o</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1828168021283688868?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 26, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump on Sunday night raised the possibility that he might not show up on ABC, posting on his Truth Social network that he had watched the network's Sunday show with a “so-called Panel of Trump Haters” and posited, “why would I do the Debate against Kamala Harris on that network?” and urging followers to “Stay tuned!!”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724695187260.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The current dispute centers on the muting of microphones when a candidate isn't speaking, a condition both Biden and Trump accepted for their June debate hosted by CNN. Both sides are accusing the other of gaming the system to protect their candidate.Biden’s campaign team made microphone muting a condition of its decision to accept any debates this year, and some aides now regret the decision, saying voters were shielded from hearing Trump’s outbursts during the debate. That move likely would not have helped the incumbent Democrat’s disastrous performance.The Harris campaign now wants microphones to be live all the time, according to Harris spokesman Brian Fallon, who issued a statement needling Trump.“Trump’s handlers prefer the muted microphone because they don’t think their candidate can act presidential for 90 minutes on his own,” Fallon said. Harris “is ready to deal with Trump’s constant lies and interruptions in real time. Trump should stop hiding behind the mute button.”Trump spokesman Jason Miller retorted that the Republican nominee had “accepted the ABC debate under the exact same terms as the CNN debate." He alleged Harris’ representatives sought “a seated debate, with notes, and opening statements.”Miller then took a shot at Harris not sitting for an interview or holding a news conference since Biden ended his reelection and endorsed her, arguing her campaign now wants “to give her a cheat sheet for the debate.”The Harris campaign denied Miller's claim that she wanted notes or to be seated during the debate.“I’d rather have it probably on,” Trump said Monday during a stop in the Washington area, when asked if he wanted microphones muted. “I didn't like it the last time, but it worked out fine,” he added, in terms of the policy during his debate with Biden.“We agreed to the same rules — same rules, same specifications,” Trump noted, for his Sept. 10 debate with Harris. "And I think that’s probably what it should be.”Asked how he was preparing for the debate, Trump responded, “I’m not. ... I think my whole life I’ve been preparing for a debate.”Complicating the negotiations this year is that debates are being orchestrated on an ad hoc basis by host networks, as opposed to the bipartisan Commission on Presidential Debates, through which debate rules were negotiated privately.Microphones have been unmuted for both candidates for most of televised presidential debate history. The debate commission announced that its October 2020 debate would have microphones muted when candidates were not recognized to speak after the first Biden-Trump contest descended into a shouting match. The second 2020 debate with the microphone muting rules was widely celebrated for being more substantive than the earlier matchup.___Associated Press writers Zeke Miller and Colleen Long in Washington, and Jill Colvin in New York contributed to this report.___

🎥Harris and Trump squabble over rules for upcoming debate

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

Just before 2a.m. Sunday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to the area of 82nd and Holmes Road on reported sound of shots call, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte.'

First responders began searching for possible victims or a crime scene. While canvassing the area, police found a man later identified as 21-year-old Treshaun Wright, inside a vehicle suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. He was later pronounced dead at the scene.

Police have not reported an arrest or additional details.

If you or anyone you know has information regarding the homicide, police ask that you call detectives directly at (816) 234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline at (826) 474-8477.

&nbsp;KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City.Just before 2a.m. Sunday, police&nbsp;were dispatched to the area of 82nd and Holmes Road on reported sound of shots call, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte.'First responders began searching for possible victims or a crime scene. While canvassing the area, police found a man later identified as 21-year-old Treshaun Wright, inside a vehicle suffering from an apparent gunshot wound. He was later pronounced dead at the scene.Police have not reported an arrest or additional details.If you or anyone you know has information regarding the homicide, police ask that you call detectives directly at (816) 234-5043 or the TIPS Hotline at (826) 474-8477.

Police ID homicide victim found in car in Kansas City

COWLEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the discovery of a body on the railroad tracks in rural Cowley County.

Just after 2:30p.m. Sunday, Cowley County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to the railroad tracks west of the Kansas 15 and U.S. 77 Highway junction for the remains of a human body on the tracks, according to Sheriff Dave Faletti.

A Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad employee found the body. Deputies notified the coroner. An autopsy has been requested by the Coroner at the Kansas Forensic Science Center to identify the remains. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724684820865.png" alt="Rail line in Cowley County-Google image" />
 <figcaption>Rail line in Cowley County-Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>COWLEY COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating the discovery of a body on the railroad tracks in rural Cowley County.Just after 2:30p.m. Sunday, Cowley County Sheriff’s Office deputies were dispatched to the railroad tracks west of the Kansas 15 and U.S. 77 Highway junction for the remains of a human body on the tracks, according to Sheriff Dave Faletti.A Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railroad employee found the body. Deputies notified the coroner. An autopsy has been requested by the Coroner at the Kansas Forensic Science Center to identify the remains.

Sheriff working to ID body found on rural Kan. railroad tracks

OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.

Just before 1p.m.&nbsp; Friday, a Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit conducted a traffic stop on U.S. 75 Highway in Osage County for a traffic violation according to Sheriff Chris Wells.

The deputy found illegal narcotics were located during the stop and took Jacob B. Lester, 25, of Scranton into custody. Lester is being held on requested charges of Possession of cocaine and an illegal registration.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724589374868.png" alt="Lester-photo Osage County" />
 <figcaption>Lester-photo Osage County</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on drug allegations.Just before 1p.m.&nbsp; Friday, a Sheriff’s Office K-9 unit conducted a traffic stop on U.S. 75 Highway in Osage County for a traffic violation according to Sheriff Chris Wells.The deputy found illegal narcotics were located during the stop and took Jacob B. Lester, 25, of Scranton into custody. Lester is being held on requested charges of Possession of cocaine and an illegal registration.

Sheriff's K9 deputy caught Kan. man transporting cocaine

NEW YORK (AP) —The largest proposed grocery store merger in U.S. history is going to court.

On one side are supermarket chains Kroger and Albertsons, which say their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-albertsons-companies-inc-0cfbd68f81ba8aab7c1d3012c69804d9">planned merger</a>&nbsp;will help them compete against rivals like Costco. On the other side are antitrust regulators from the Federal Trade Commission, who say the merger would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-antitrust-grocery-merger-competition-71b47dc86ec7449f29b2b488c1d3f9de">eliminate competition</a>&nbsp;and raise grocery prices in a time of already high&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-price-gouging-ban-inflation-65dc8844bb41159d76886f752b6cab28">food price inflation</a>.

Starting Monday, a federal district court judge in Portland, Oregon, will consider both sides and decide whether to grant the FTC’s request for a preliminary injunction. An injunction would delay the merger while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/federal-trade-commission">the FTC</a>&nbsp;conducts an in-house case against the deal before an administrative law judge.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/opioid-crisis-settlement-kroger-79356d42ded9c5099e1c2b88d3ffc061">Kroger</a>, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, operates 2,800 stores in Kansas and 34 other states, including brands like Dillons,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ralphs-supermarkets-california-job-applicants-46a287ac76515ffbbd196202c4ee3c38">Ralphs</a>, Smith’s and Harris Teeter.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-dividends-8c6e67bf9fb0cc3da523c672a6ca9141">Albertsons</a>, based in Boise, Idaho, operates 2,273 stores in 34 states, including brands like Safeway, Jewel Osco and Shaw’s. Together, the companies employ around 710,000 people.

Here’s what to know ahead of the hearing, which is expected to last until Sept. 13.

Why do Kroger and Albertsons want to merge?

Kroger and Albertsons – two of the largest grocery chains in the U.S. – announced in October 2022 that they planned to merge. The companies say the $24.6 billion deal would hold down prices by giving them more leverage&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/grocery-store-supply-chain-issues-166cc40b0ff095af9d0bf4041fa1b5fc">with suppliers</a>&nbsp;and allowing them to combine their store brands. They say a merger also would help them compete with big rivals&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/walmart-settlement-weighted-grocery-class-action-62405b8c5fda5e63f0b0e4f1f64949e6">like Walmart</a>, which now controls around 22% of U.S. grocery sales. Combined, Kroger and Albertsons would control around 13%.

Why does the FTC want to block the merger?

Antitrust regulators say the proposed merger would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-merger-federal-trade-commission-2fda44d9d8b82ef20d6c7e7cffb2ccc3">eliminate competition</a>, leading to higher prices, poorer quality and lower wages and benefits&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-contract-west-virginia-471b61f4212e4a803e0777c9a6b0ab67">for workers</a>. In February, the FTC issued a complaint seeking to block the merger before an administrative judge at the FTC. At the same time, the FTC filed the lawsuit in federal court in Oregon seeking the preliminary injunction. The attorneys general of Arizona, California, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and Wyoming all joined the federal lawsuit.

Will Kroger and Albertsons close some stores if they merge?

They say no. If the merger is approved, Kroger and Albertsons have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-merger-cs-grocery-9a1d40ba06f752d3c5c3d5db78fede4c">agreed to sell 579 stores</a>&nbsp;in places where their stores overlap. The buyer would be C&amp;S Wholesale Grocers, a New Hampshire-based supplier to independent supermarkets that also owns the Grand Union and Piggly Wiggly store brands. Kroger and Albertsons&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-merger-cs-wholesale-grocer-401520f2a25ea2ae5fd06be4973b7c48">initially planned</a>&nbsp;to divest 413 stores, but the FTC said that plan would not have allowed C&amp;S to be a robust competitor. Kroger and Albertsons agreed to divest additional stores in April. Washington has the most stores that would be divested, with 124, followed by Colorado with 91 and California with 63.

What happens if the Oregon judge issues a preliminary injunction?

If the preliminary injunction is approved, Kroger and Albertsons would likely appeal to a higher court, said Mike Keeley, a partner and antitrust chair at Axinn, Veltrop &amp; Harkrider, a Washington law firm. The case could then move through the FTC’s own judicial system, but since that can take a year or more, companies often abandon a deal before going through the process, Keeley said. Kroger sued the FTC this month, alleging the agency's internal proceedings are unconstitutional and saying it wants the merger's merits decided in federal court. In that case, filed in Ohio, Kroger cited a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-regulatory-agencies-sec-36f16444b1d4fc52985fdb68896362bb">recent Supreme Court ruling</a>&nbsp;that limited the power of the Securities and Exchange Commission to try some civil fraud complaints within the agency instead of in court.

What happens if the Oregon judge agrees with Kroger and Albertsons?

The FTC would likely appeal the ruling, but Keeley said it's rare for an appeals court to reverse a lower court's ruling on a merger, so the FTC might decide to drop the challenge. The case could still proceed through the FTC's administrative process. It's unclear what impact the presidential election could have on the case. The Biden administration has been particularly aggressive in challenging mergers that it considered anti-competitive, but lawmakers from both parties&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-prices-alex-padilla-congress-rodney-mcmullen-54929ed8d702642fbc33269fb69b0373">expressed skepticism</a>&nbsp;about the merger in a 2022 hearing.

If the federal court lets the merger proceed, could state courts still prevent it?

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-merger-colorado-06a59a420139ef8f4400b128778d408d">Colorado</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-merger-washington-lawsuit-35681b212a416d19d24d1a3a8126f4ca">Washington</a>&nbsp;have separately sued to block&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-merger-colorado-06a59a420139ef8f4400b128778d408d">the merger</a>&nbsp;in state courts. That's an unusual situation; normally states are co-plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit. But both states believe they have a lot at stake. Colorado has more than 200 Kroger and Albertsons stores, while Washington has more than 300. Keeley said both states could seek their own injunctions from a different court if the FTC loses, but it would be surprising for another court to block the merger if Kroger and Albertsons are successful in the federal case.

NEW YORK (AP) —The largest proposed grocery store merger in U.S. history is going to court.On one side are supermarket chains Kroger and Albertsons, which say their&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-albertsons-companies-inc-0cfbd68f81ba8aab7c1d3012c69804d9">planned merger</a>&nbsp;will help them compete against rivals like Costco. On the other side are antitrust regulators from the Federal Trade Commission, who say the merger would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-antitrust-grocery-merger-competition-71b47dc86ec7449f29b2b488c1d3f9de">eliminate competition</a>&nbsp;and raise grocery prices in a time of already high&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-price-gouging-ban-inflation-65dc8844bb41159d76886f752b6cab28">food price inflation</a>.Starting Monday, a federal district court judge in Portland, Oregon, will consider both sides and decide whether to grant the FTC’s request for a preliminary injunction. An injunction would delay the merger while&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/federal-trade-commission">the FTC</a>&nbsp;conducts an in-house case against the deal before an administrative law judge.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/opioid-crisis-settlement-kroger-79356d42ded9c5099e1c2b88d3ffc061">Kroger</a>, based in Cincinnati, Ohio, operates 2,800 stores in Kansas and 34 other states, including brands like Dillons,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ralphs-supermarkets-california-job-applicants-46a287ac76515ffbbd196202c4ee3c38">Ralphs</a>, Smith’s and Harris Teeter.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-dividends-8c6e67bf9fb0cc3da523c672a6ca9141">Albertsons</a>, based in Boise, Idaho, operates 2,273 stores in 34 states, including brands like Safeway, Jewel Osco and Shaw’s. Together, the companies employ around 710,000 people.Here’s what to know ahead of the hearing, which is expected to last until Sept. 13.<h2>Why do Kroger and Albertsons want to merge?</h2>Kroger and Albertsons – two of the largest grocery chains in the U.S. – announced in October 2022 that they planned to merge. The companies say the $24.6 billion deal would hold down prices by giving them more leverage&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/grocery-store-supply-chain-issues-166cc40b0ff095af9d0bf4041fa1b5fc">with suppliers</a>&nbsp;and allowing them to combine their store brands. They say a merger also would help them compete with big rivals&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/walmart-settlement-weighted-grocery-class-action-62405b8c5fda5e63f0b0e4f1f64949e6">like Walmart</a>, which now controls around 22% of U.S. grocery sales. Combined, Kroger and Albertsons would control around 13%.<h2>Why does the FTC want to block the merger?</h2>Antitrust regulators say the proposed merger would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-merger-federal-trade-commission-2fda44d9d8b82ef20d6c7e7cffb2ccc3">eliminate competition</a>, leading to higher prices, poorer quality and lower wages and benefits&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-contract-west-virginia-471b61f4212e4a803e0777c9a6b0ab67">for workers</a>. In February, the FTC issued a complaint seeking to block the merger before an administrative judge at the FTC. At the same time, the FTC filed the lawsuit in federal court in Oregon seeking the preliminary injunction. The attorneys general of Arizona, California, the District of Columbia, Illinois, Maryland, Nevada, New Mexico, Oregon and Wyoming all joined the federal lawsuit.<h2>Will Kroger and Albertsons close some stores if they merge?</h2>They say no. If the merger is approved, Kroger and Albertsons have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-merger-cs-grocery-9a1d40ba06f752d3c5c3d5db78fede4c">agreed to sell 579 stores</a>&nbsp;in places where their stores overlap. The buyer would be C&amp;S Wholesale Grocers, a New Hampshire-based supplier to independent supermarkets that also owns the Grand Union and Piggly Wiggly store brands. Kroger and Albertsons&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-merger-cs-wholesale-grocer-401520f2a25ea2ae5fd06be4973b7c48">initially planned</a>&nbsp;to divest 413 stores, but the FTC said that plan would not have allowed C&amp;S to be a robust competitor. Kroger and Albertsons agreed to divest additional stores in April. Washington has the most stores that would be divested, with 124, followed by Colorado with 91 and California with 63.<h2>What happens if the Oregon judge issues a preliminary injunction?</h2>If the preliminary injunction is approved, Kroger and Albertsons would likely appeal to a higher court, said Mike Keeley, a partner and antitrust chair at Axinn, Veltrop &amp; Harkrider, a Washington law firm. The case could then move through the FTC’s own judicial system, but since that can take a year or more, companies often abandon a deal before going through the process, Keeley said. Kroger sued the FTC this month, alleging the agency's internal proceedings are unconstitutional and saying it wants the merger's merits decided in federal court. In that case, filed in Ohio, Kroger cited a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-regulatory-agencies-sec-36f16444b1d4fc52985fdb68896362bb">recent Supreme Court ruling</a>&nbsp;that limited the power of the Securities and Exchange Commission to try some civil fraud complaints within the agency instead of in court.<h2>What happens if the Oregon judge agrees with Kroger and Albertsons?</h2>The FTC would likely appeal the ruling, but Keeley said it's rare for an appeals court to reverse a lower court's ruling on a merger, so the FTC might decide to drop the challenge. The case could still proceed through the FTC's administrative process. It's unclear what impact the presidential election could have on the case. The Biden administration has been particularly aggressive in challenging mergers that it considered anti-competitive, but lawmakers from both parties&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-prices-alex-padilla-congress-rodney-mcmullen-54929ed8d702642fbc33269fb69b0373">expressed skepticism</a>&nbsp;about the merger in a 2022 hearing.<h2>If the federal court lets the merger proceed, could state courts still prevent it?</h2><a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-merger-colorado-06a59a420139ef8f4400b128778d408d">Colorado</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-merger-washington-lawsuit-35681b212a416d19d24d1a3a8126f4ca">Washington</a>&nbsp;have separately sued to block&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kroger-albertsons-merger-colorado-06a59a420139ef8f4400b128778d408d">the merger</a>&nbsp;in state courts. That's an unusual situation; normally states are co-plaintiffs in a federal lawsuit. But both states believe they have a lot at stake. Colorado has more than 200 Kroger and Albertsons stores, while Washington has more than 300. Keeley said both states could seek their own injunctions from a different court if the FTC loses, but it would be surprising for another court to block the merger if Kroger and Albertsons are successful in the federal case.