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

Just before 2a.m. Tuesday, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop at on U.S. 75 in Osage County for a traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells. During the stop, illegal narcotics were located.

A passenger in the vehicle, Frederick L. Sanders, 51, of Topeka, was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. He has two previous drug convictions, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691506093723.png" alt="Sanders has two previous drug convictions, according to the Kansas Dept of Corrections" />
 <figcaption>Sanders has two previous drug convictions, according to the Kansas Dept of Corrections</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas felon on drug allegations.Just before 2a.m. Tuesday, a Sheriff’s Deputy conducted a traffic stop at on U.S. 75 in Osage County for a traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells. During the stop, illegal narcotics were located.A passenger in the vehicle, Frederick L. Sanders, 51, of Topeka, was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of Possession of methamphetamine with intent to distribute. He has two previous drug convictions, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

Sheriff: Kansas felon accused of selling meth

MCPHERSON COUNTY—Crews were on the scene of a fire Thursday afternoon at McPherson Metals, 1060 Woodside Street, on the west edge of McPherson.

The fire started when a welding torch cutting a metal tank set residual oil sludge on fire, according to Fire Chief T. J. Wyssmann.

Crews let the fire burn itself out and it created heavy smoke in the area. There were no injuries, or air quality issues as a result of the fire, according to&nbsp;Wyssmann.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691703114813.png" alt="Photo courtesy McPherson Fire Dept." />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy McPherson Fire Dept.</figcaption>
 </figure>MCPHERSON COUNTY—Crews were on the scene of a fire Thursday afternoon at McPherson Metals, 1060 Woodside Street, on the west edge of McPherson.The fire started when a welding torch cutting a metal tank set residual oil sludge on fire, according to Fire Chief T. J. Wyssmann.Crews let the fire burn itself out and it created heavy smoke in the area. There were no injuries, or air quality issues as a result of the fire, according to&nbsp;Wyssmann.

Crews extinguish fire at Kansas metal plant

By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/05/kansas-lawmakers-debate-definition-of-female-and-male-for-county-jails/">Kansas Reflector</a>

Republicans say change would help keep constituents informed

TOPEKA&nbsp;— Legislators are asking to more than double state funding for their newsletters, in an attempt to keep voters aware of their Statehouse actions without tapping into campaign funds.

During a Wednesday meeting, the Republican-controlled Legislative Coordinating Council advocated raising allotments for postage and printing costs, following increases in post office prices.&nbsp;

The&nbsp;U.S. Postal Service raised first-class stamp prices to 66 cents in July, the latest in a series of increases to make the service more profitable.

Committee lawmakers said the state budget should reflect the change. State representatives were allotted $1,439 for postage, with&nbsp; $4,317 in postage set aside for senators in the 2024 fiscal year. The 2024 printing allotment is $1,000 for representatives and $3,000 for senators.&nbsp;

House Speaker Dan Hawkins proposed combining the allotments and setting a newsletter allotment of $6,000 for representatives in the fiscal year 2025, with $18,000 set for senators.

Hawkins said many members of the Legislature had to use campaign funds to keep their constituents up to date on legislative actions. Hawkins said he had to pick and choose which families he sent updates to.&nbsp;

“Just me for an example, I usually send only to registered Republicans and some unaffiliated voters that I believe are active and certainly voting,” Hawkins said. “And so I probably do not hit half of the households in my district. Even with cutting it down to that point, I’m still having to write a check for 5, 6,700 bucks to pay for what I do.”

“I know a lot of us also do email, but we typically like to send out a newsletter after a session or sometime in the interim, letting our whole district know exactly what we did during session and some of the key points,” Hawkins added. “The current structure just does not allow that to happen.”

Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, said increasing the allotment would help lawmakers stay in touch with the communities they serve.&nbsp;

“We believe every elected representative should have at least one communication ability with every registered household,” Masterson said.&nbsp;

Final action on the proposal is likely to come next week.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691695901987.png" alt="Speaker of the House Dan Hawkins said he had to use campaign funds to keep his constituents up to date on legislative events. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Speaker of the House Dan Hawkins said he had to use campaign funds to keep his constituents up to date on legislative events. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/05/kansas-lawmakers-debate-definition-of-female-and-male-for-county-jails/">Kansas Reflector</a><h2>Republicans say change would help keep constituents informed</h2>TOPEKA&nbsp;— Legislators are asking to more than double state funding for their newsletters, in an attempt to keep voters aware of their Statehouse actions without tapping into campaign funds.During a Wednesday meeting, the Republican-controlled Legislative Coordinating Council advocated raising allotments for postage and printing costs, following increases in post office prices.&nbsp;The&nbsp;U.S. Postal Service raised first-class stamp prices to 66 cents in July, the latest in a series of increases to make the service more profitable.Committee lawmakers said the state budget should reflect the change. State representatives were allotted $1,439 for postage, with&nbsp; $4,317 in postage set aside for senators in the 2024 fiscal year. The 2024 printing allotment is $1,000 for representatives and $3,000 for senators.&nbsp;House Speaker Dan Hawkins proposed combining the allotments and setting a newsletter allotment of $6,000 for representatives in the fiscal year 2025, with $18,000 set for senators.Hawkins said many members of the Legislature had to use campaign funds to keep their constituents up to date on legislative actions. Hawkins said he had to pick and choose which families he sent updates to.&nbsp;“Just me for an example, I usually send only to registered Republicans and some unaffiliated voters that I believe are active and certainly voting,” Hawkins said. “And so I probably do not hit half of the households in my district. Even with cutting it down to that point, I’m still having to write a check for 5, 6,700 bucks to pay for what I do.”“I know a lot of us also do email, but we typically like to send out a newsletter after a session or sometime in the interim, letting our whole district know exactly what we did during session and some of the key points,” Hawkins added. “The current structure just does not allow that to happen.”Senate President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, said increasing the allotment would help lawmakers stay in touch with the communities they serve.&nbsp;“We believe every elected representative should have at least one communication ability with every registered household,” Masterson said.&nbsp;Final action on the proposal is likely to come next week.&nbsp;

Kansas lawmakers ask for increase in newsletter funding

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Thursday, VA announced that Veterans and survivors who apply (or submit their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/" target="_blank">intent to file</a>) for PACT Act benefits by 11:59 p.m. Eastern on Monday, August 14, 2023 will be eligible to have their benefits backdated to August 10, 2022 – the day that President Biden signed the PACT Act into law.&nbsp;&nbsp;

"The easiest way for folks to sign up for PACT Act benefits is to go to <a href="https://www.va.gov/disability/file-disability-claim-form-21-526ez/introduction">VA.gov</a>, and click on a button there to apply for a disability claim," said VA Press Secretary Terrence Hayes. "What that does is, even if you don't have all the necessary documents, you're filing an Intent to File and it holds your place in line and you, too, will be eligible for those backdated benefits."&nbsp;

VA has made this decision out of an abundance of caution after experiencing technical difficulties with <a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits/">VA.gov/PACT</a> in recent days. Specifically, due to extremely high demand, some Veterans who have sought to submit their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/" target="_blank">intent to file</a>&nbsp;for PACT Act benefits have received error messages while doing so.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Despite these messages, VA has successfully logged every one of these <a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/">intents to file</a> – meaning that every Veteran or survivor who has received an error message while applying for PACT Act benefits can consider their intent to file complete. VA is working on contacting these Veterans to clarify their status.

"It takes maybe five or ten minutes for you to actually do it," Hayes said. "We're routing folks to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.va.gov/disability/file-disability-claim-form-21-526ez/introduction">VA.gov</a>&nbsp;to apply today."

You do not have to have all of your paperwork in order to submit an <a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/">Intent to File</a>. It is important to do so in order to get access to the backdated benefits for the past year.

Jeff Herndon at the Dole VA Medical Center in Wichita also contributed to this story.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/4/1651018039114.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NICK GOSNELL Hutch PostHUTCHINSON, Kan. — Thursday, VA announced that Veterans and survivors who apply (or submit their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/" target="_blank">intent to file</a>) for PACT Act benefits by 11:59 p.m. Eastern on Monday, August 14, 2023 will be eligible to have their benefits backdated to August 10, 2022 – the day that President Biden signed the PACT Act into law.&nbsp;&nbsp;"The easiest way for folks to sign up for PACT Act benefits is to go to <a href="https://www.va.gov/disability/file-disability-claim-form-21-526ez/introduction">VA.gov</a>, and click on a button there to apply for a disability claim," said VA Press Secretary Terrence Hayes. "What that does is, even if you don't have all the necessary documents, you're filing an Intent to File and it holds your place in line and you, too, will be eligible for those backdated benefits."&nbsp; VA has made this decision out of an abundance of caution after experiencing technical difficulties with <a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits/">VA.gov/PACT</a> in recent days. Specifically, due to extremely high demand, some Veterans who have sought to submit their&nbsp;<a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/" target="_blank">intent to file</a>&nbsp;for PACT Act benefits have received error messages while doing so.&nbsp;&nbsp;Despite these messages, VA has successfully logged every one of these <a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/">intents to file</a> – meaning that every Veteran or survivor who has received an error message while applying for PACT Act benefits can consider their intent to file complete. VA is working on contacting these Veterans to clarify their status."It takes maybe five or ten minutes for you to actually do it," Hayes said. "We're routing folks to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.va.gov/disability/file-disability-claim-form-21-526ez/introduction">VA.gov</a>&nbsp;to apply today."You do not have to have all of your paperwork in order to submit an <a href="https://www.va.gov/resources/your-intent-to-file-a-va-claim/">Intent to File</a>. It is important to do so in order to get access to the backdated benefits for the past year.Jeff Herndon at the Dole VA Medical Center in Wichita also contributed to this story.

PACT Act backdated deadline extended to Monday

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Biden administration attorneys were set to ask appellate court judges in New Orleans on Thursday to block a Louisiana-based federal judge's broad order limiting executive branch officials and agencies' communications with social media companies about controversial online posts.

U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty of Monroe issued the order last month in a lawsuit brought by Republican attorneys general in Louisiana and Missouri, who will be asking the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of appeals to uphold the order. Plaintiffs also include a conservative website owner and four individual critics of government COVID-19 policies.

Critics of the ruling say it could hamper attempts to squelch misinformation on topics such as public health and elections. Supporters of the order say it keeps the government from illegally censoring points of view.

The 5th Circuit granted a temporary pause on enforcement of the order on July 14, giving both sides time to file briefs and prepare for Thursday's hearing. A panel of three judges was scheduled to hear arguments: Edith Brown Clement and Jennifer Walker Elrod, nominated to the court by former President George W. Bush; and Don Willett, nominated by former President Donald Trump.

Filed last year, the lawsuit claimed the administration, in effect, censored free speech by discussing possible regulatory action the government could take while pressuring companies to remove what it deemed misinformation. COVID-19 vaccines, legal issues involving President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, and election fraud allegations were among the topics spotlighted in the lawsuit.

Doughty, nominated to the federal bench by Trump, issued an Independence Day order and accompanying reasons that covered more than 160 pages. He said the plaintiffs were likely to win the lawsuit. His injunction blocked the Health and Human Services Department, the FBI and multiple other government agencies and administration officials from “encouraging, pressuring, or inducing in any manner the removal, deletion, suppression, or reduction of content containing protected free speech.”

Administration lawyers said the order was overly broad and vague, raising questions about what officials can say in conversations with social media companies or in public statements. They said Doughty’s order posed a threat of “grave” public harm by chilling executive branch efforts to combat online misinformation. And they said there has been no evidence of threats by the administration.

“The district court identified no evidence suggesting that a threat accompanied any request for the removal of content," the administration said. “Indeed, the order denying the stay — presumably highlighting the ostensibly strongest evidence — referred to ‘a series of public media statements.'"

In response, the attorneys general say in briefs that the order ended an “egregious campaign” by the administration that “fundamentally distorted online discourse in America on great social and political questions.”

The White House has said publicly it disagrees with the ruling but has said little about how and whether it has affected communication with social media companies so far.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1667963892129.png" alt="Republican U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt was the Missouri attorney general when the lawsuit was filed-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Republican U.S. Sen. Eric Schmitt was the Missouri attorney general when the lawsuit was filed-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Biden administration attorneys were set to ask appellate court judges in New Orleans on Thursday to block a Louisiana-based federal judge's broad order limiting executive branch officials and agencies' communications with social media companies about controversial online posts.U.S. District Judge Terry Doughty of Monroe issued the order last month in a lawsuit brought by Republican attorneys general in Louisiana and Missouri, who will be asking the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of appeals to uphold the order. Plaintiffs also include a conservative website owner and four individual critics of government COVID-19 policies.Critics of the ruling say it could hamper attempts to squelch misinformation on topics such as public health and elections. Supporters of the order say it keeps the government from illegally censoring points of view.The 5th Circuit granted a temporary pause on enforcement of the order on July 14, giving both sides time to file briefs and prepare for Thursday's hearing. A panel of three judges was scheduled to hear arguments: Edith Brown Clement and Jennifer Walker Elrod, nominated to the court by former President George W. Bush; and Don Willett, nominated by former President Donald Trump.Filed last year, the lawsuit claimed the administration, in effect, censored free speech by discussing possible regulatory action the government could take while pressuring companies to remove what it deemed misinformation. COVID-19 vaccines, legal issues involving President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter, and election fraud allegations were among the topics spotlighted in the lawsuit.Doughty, nominated to the federal bench by Trump, issued an Independence Day order and accompanying reasons that covered more than 160 pages. He said the plaintiffs were likely to win the lawsuit. His injunction blocked the Health and Human Services Department, the FBI and multiple other government agencies and administration officials from “encouraging, pressuring, or inducing in any manner the removal, deletion, suppression, or reduction of content containing protected free speech.”Administration lawyers said the order was overly broad and vague, raising questions about what officials can say in conversations with social media companies or in public statements. They said Doughty’s order posed a threat of “grave” public harm by chilling executive branch efforts to combat online misinformation. And they said there has been no evidence of threats by the administration.“The district court identified no evidence suggesting that a threat accompanied any request for the removal of content," the administration said. “Indeed, the order denying the stay — presumably highlighting the ostensibly strongest evidence — referred to ‘a series of public media statements.'"In response, the attorneys general say in briefs that the order ended an “egregious campaign” by the administration that “fundamentally distorted online discourse in America on great social and political questions.”The White House has said publicly it disagrees with the ruling but has said little about how and whether it has affected communication with social media companies so far.

Biden admin. continues court fight on interference in social media content

JOHNSON COUNTY— A Kansas police officer&nbsp; 29-year-old Jonah Oswald died Monday after he was wounded in an exchange of gunfire with a car theft suspect.&nbsp;Officer Oswald was a 4-year veteran of the Fairway Police Department.

"On behalf of Police Chief J.P.&nbsp; Thurlo and the Fairway Police Department, the City of Fairway would like to express its true appreciation of the outpouring of support and condolences regarding Officer Jonah Oswald’s death," the city wrote in a statement on Tuesday.&nbsp; Officer Oswald leaves behind a wife and two young children.

Many people and organizations have asked how they can help support Officer Oswald’s family.&nbsp;A fund has been established at the Public Safety Credit Union.&nbsp;His family will receive 100% of the money donated in his honor.

<a href="https://linktr.ee/fairwaypolice">Click here</a>&nbsp;to contribute.&nbsp;Donations may be made via Paypal, Venmo or in person. Price Chopper grocery stores is also collecting donations in all 52 Kansas City area stores from Aug. 9 to Aug. 22.

Just after 7:30 a.m. Sunday, police responded to a stolen vehicle call at the QuikTrip at 95th Street and Interstate 35, according to a media release from Lenexa Police.

Officers located that car and the suspect in the stolen vehicle struck one of Lenexa police department's patrol vehicles and drove away.

Police pursued the suspect northbound on Interstate 35 until the suspects left the vehicle and ran to a QuikTrip in the 4700 Block of Lamar Avenue in Mission.

Police from multiple agencies were trying to arrest the suspects when gunfire broke out. A suspect later identified as 40-year-old&nbsp;Shannon Wayne Marshall of Ashland City, Tennessee was shot and killed and&nbsp; Fairway Kansas police officer Jonah Oswald was shot and hospitalized. He died Monday.

The other suspect was arrested and later identified as 32-year-old Andrea Cothran of Portland Tennessee. She was charged in Johnson County court Tuesday with aggravated battery, fleeing law enforcement, felony theft and reckless driving.  She remains jailed on a $1 million bond, according to online jail records.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691612574385.png" alt="Officer Jonah Oswald -courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Officer Jonah Oswald -courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY— A Kansas police officer&nbsp; 29-year-old Jonah Oswald died Monday after he was wounded in an exchange of gunfire with a car theft suspect.&nbsp;Officer Oswald was a 4-year veteran of the Fairway Police Department."On behalf of Police Chief J.P.&nbsp; Thurlo and the Fairway Police Department, the City of Fairway would like to express its true appreciation of the outpouring of support and condolences regarding Officer Jonah Oswald’s death," the city wrote in a statement on Tuesday.&nbsp; Officer Oswald leaves behind a wife and two young children.Many people and organizations have asked how they can help support Officer Oswald’s family.&nbsp;A fund has been established at the Public Safety Credit Union.&nbsp;His family will receive 100% of the money donated in his honor.<a href="https://linktr.ee/fairwaypolice">Click here</a>&nbsp;to contribute.&nbsp;Donations may be made via Paypal, Venmo or in person. Price Chopper grocery stores is also collecting donations in all 52 Kansas City area stores from Aug. 9 to Aug. 22.Just after 7:30 a.m. Sunday, police responded to a stolen vehicle call at the QuikTrip at 95th Street and Interstate 35, according to a media release from Lenexa Police.Officers located that car and the suspect in the stolen vehicle struck one of Lenexa police department's patrol vehicles and drove away.Police pursued the suspect northbound on Interstate 35 until the suspects left the vehicle and ran to a QuikTrip in the 4700 Block of Lamar Avenue in Mission.Police from multiple agencies were trying to arrest the suspects when gunfire broke out. A suspect later identified as 40-year-old&nbsp;Shannon Wayne Marshall of Ashland City, Tennessee was shot and killed and&nbsp; Fairway Kansas police officer Jonah Oswald was shot and hospitalized. He died Monday.The other suspect was arrested and later identified as 32-year-old Andrea Cothran of Portland Tennessee. She was charged in Johnson County court Tuesday with aggravated battery, fleeing law enforcement, felony theft and reckless driving. She remains jailed on a $1 million bond, according to online jail records.

Fund established to help wife, children of fallen Kan. officer

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that left a juvenile dead.

Just before 11:30p.m. Wednesday, police responded to report of a shooting in the 2500 block of E. 9th Street, according to a media release.

First responders found an unresponsive boy lying in a business parking lot where he was pronounced deceased.

Detectives and crime scene Investigators are processing the scene for evidence.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691667324257.png" alt="2500 Block of East 9th -Photo Interim Sheriff Darryl Forte" />
 <figcaption>2500 Block of East 9th -Photo Interim Sheriff Darryl Forte</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting that left a juvenile dead.Just before 11:30p.m. Wednesday, police responded to report of a shooting in the 2500 block of E. 9th Street, according to a media release.First responders found an unresponsive boy lying in a business parking lot where he was pronounced deceased. Detectives and crime scene Investigators are processing the scene for evidence.&nbsp;

Police: Boy dead from gunshot wound in KC business parking lot

YUMA COUNTY —A supercell EF3 tornado generated winds at 150 mph near the Kansas, Nebraska border in Northeast Colorado just after 6p.m. CDT Tuesday,&nbsp; according to a preliminary storm survey from the National Weather Service in Goodland. 

The tornado with a maximum width of 161 yards moved east-southeast from Hyde, Colorado to Yuma, Colorado and remained just south of the city. 

It damaged two homes, trees, numerous power poles and irrigation pivots.&nbsp; Grain bins and a slanted metal building containing agriculture equipment were also damaged.

The tornado lasted approximately 25 minutes and traveled just over six miles. There were no injuries reported.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691680235608.png" alt="Storm damage photo courtesy KDVR TV" />
 <figcaption>Storm damage photo courtesy KDVR TV</figcaption>
 </figure>YUMA COUNTY —A supercell EF3 tornado generated winds at 150 mph near the Kansas, Nebraska border in Northeast Colorado just after 6p.m. CDT Tuesday,&nbsp; according to a preliminary storm survey from the National Weather Service in Goodland. The tornado with a maximum width of 161 yards moved east-southeast from Hyde, Colorado to Yuma, Colorado and remained just south of the city. It damaged two homes, trees, numerous power poles and irrigation pivots.&nbsp; Grain bins and a slanted metal building containing agriculture equipment were also damaged.The tornado lasted approximately 25 minutes and traveled just over six miles. There were no injuries reported.

NWS: Tornado in northeast Colorado had winds of 150mph

BY:&nbsp;TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

LAWRENCE — The Lawrence City Commission adopted an ordinance banning on March 1, 2024, use by most businesses of single-use plastic bags and to encourage consumers to rely on cloth or other reusable bags rather than one-and-done sacks polluting the environment or tossed by the millions into landfills.

The 3-2 decision Tuesday by the commission would apply the regulation to owners and operators of businesses providing customers with disposable plastic bags to carry merchandise, food and beverages and other goods. Ordinance No. 9996 included exemptions for plastic bags designed to prevent food contamination or to shield from the weather items such as clothing or newspapers.

The city’s definition of reusable bag, whether made of cloth, fiber, plastic or other materials, required it had to be designed for repeated application. If based on plastics, an acceptable reusable bag for commercial purposes must contain at least 40% recycled content and measure at least 4 mills in thickness.

Violators could face fines ranging from $100 to $500 per offense, but the current city budget didn’t include funding to hire an enforcement officer. Commissioners pushed back implementation originally set for Jan. 1, 2024, to allow a six-month introductory phase. Members of the commission declined to include a three-year sunset.

Nancy Muma, a professor of pharmacology and toxicology at the University of Kansas and a member of the city’s Sustainability Advisory Board, urged the commission to pass the prohibition on single-use plastic bags. She said plastics in the process of degrading into tiny particles routinely found their way into humans and contributed to higher risk of contracting cancer and lowering of fertility.

“Plastics are really durable, which is great. Except they don’t decompose,” she said. “They break down into smaller and smaller pieces. Those tiny microplastics and nanoplastics are really abundant in the air, our water and our food. We can measure it in our blood, in our bodies and the placentas of newborn babies. That’s pretty scary, because we know this stuff is toxic.”

Zachary Taylor, director of the American Recyclable Plastic Bag Alliance, said manufacturers of single-use bags were opposed to bans of the type embraced by the Lawrence City Commission.

“As families and small businesses struggle to keep up with staggering inflation and a shaky economy, now is the wrong time to saddle them with higher costs at the checkout counter,” Taylor said. “The city commission should reconsider their ban on American-made, reusable and recyclable plastic bags that would impose unworkable costs on retailers and shoppers while promoting products that are more expensive and carry worse environmental impacts.”

Mayor Lisa Larsen broke the commission’s 2-2 tie that stalled action on the ordinance in June during a meeting Larsen didn’t attend. Commissioners Bart Littlejohn and Courtney Shipley formed the majority with Larsen. Commissioners Brad Finkeldei and Amber Sellers opposed it.

“Could we possibly add a sunset to this ordinance?” Sellers said. “I would be apropos with maybe a three-year sunset.”

Larsen said she supported the ordinance, tweaked to delay implementation until March, but not a sunset that could kill the regulation after a few years unless the commission acted to renew it.

Shipley, who voted for the restriction on single-use plastic bags, compared the plastic-bag debate to consternation among individuals and businesses owners in Lawrence a decade ago when the commission passed a ban on indoor smoking in public spaces.

“A lot of people, including some commissioners, thought if we ban cigarettes in restaurants and bars the sky will fall. Small businesses would die,” Shipley said. “I’ve spoken to some of those commissioners and, indeed, they recognize the sky did not fall. We all enjoy restaurants and bars a lot better because we do not smoke inside them.”

In 2010, Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson, a Democrat, signed into law a statewide ban on smoking in public buildings and indoor places of employment.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed in 2022 a bill that would have prevented cities and counties from banning, limiting or taxing plastic bags, straws and food containers. The governor said she opposed the restraint because it undermined authority of local government.

A proposal to place in state statute a prohibition on adoption by cities or counties of limits on single-use plastics was endorsed by the Kansas Chamber in the 2023 legislative session, but a bill blocking local governments from regulating single-use plastic failed in the Kansas Senate.

Text of the Lawrence ordinance says residents of the city used and discarded an estimated 29 million to 36 million single-use disposable plastic bags annually. The ordinance said the operational, environmental and social cost to the city of single-use disposable plastic bags was estimated to be 11 cents to 20 cents per bag.

It says manufacturing of the bags had “significant global environmental consequences” and discarded plastic bags infected the landscape and waterways in such volume they were ingested by animals with potentially lethal results.

“We’re heartened this is coming to some fruition,” said Thad Holcombe, who is part of faith-based Lawrence Ecology Teams United in Sustainability. “The addiction of convenience is something I struggle with. Certainly, that is the issue with plastic bags.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691676064161.png" alt="The Lawrence City Commission voted 3-2 to implement a ban on distribution by most businesses of single-use plastic bags to their customers. Commissioners decided Tuesday to implement the ordinance March 1, 2024, and rejected a proposal to place a three-year sunset on the policy. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Lawrence City Commission’s livestream)" />
 <figcaption>The Lawrence City Commission voted 3-2 to implement a ban on distribution by most businesses of single-use plastic bags to their customers. Commissioners decided Tuesday to implement the ordinance March 1, 2024, and rejected a proposal to place a three-year sunset on the policy. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Lawrence City Commission’s livestream)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>LAWRENCE — The Lawrence City Commission adopted an ordinance banning on March 1, 2024, use by most businesses of single-use plastic bags and to encourage consumers to rely on cloth or other reusable bags rather than one-and-done sacks polluting the environment or tossed by the millions into landfills.The 3-2 decision Tuesday by the commission would apply the regulation to owners and operators of businesses providing customers with disposable plastic bags to carry merchandise, food and beverages and other goods. Ordinance No. 9996 included exemptions for plastic bags designed to prevent food contamination or to shield from the weather items such as clothing or newspapers.The city’s definition of reusable bag, whether made of cloth, fiber, plastic or other materials, required it had to be designed for repeated application. If based on plastics, an acceptable reusable bag for commercial purposes must contain at least 40% recycled content and measure at least 4 mills in thickness.Violators could face fines ranging from $100 to $500 per offense, but the current city budget didn’t include funding to hire an enforcement officer. Commissioners pushed back implementation originally set for Jan. 1, 2024, to allow a six-month introductory phase. Members of the commission declined to include a three-year sunset.Nancy Muma, a professor of pharmacology and toxicology at the University of Kansas and a member of the city’s Sustainability Advisory Board, urged the commission to pass the prohibition on single-use plastic bags. She said plastics in the process of degrading into tiny particles routinely found their way into humans and contributed to higher risk of contracting cancer and lowering of fertility.“Plastics are really durable, which is great. Except they don’t decompose,” she said. “They break down into smaller and smaller pieces. Those tiny microplastics and nanoplastics are really abundant in the air, our water and our food. We can measure it in our blood, in our bodies and the placentas of newborn babies. That’s pretty scary, because we know this stuff is toxic.”Zachary Taylor, director of the American Recyclable Plastic Bag Alliance, said manufacturers of single-use bags were opposed to bans of the type embraced by the Lawrence City Commission.“As families and small businesses struggle to keep up with staggering inflation and a shaky economy, now is the wrong time to saddle them with higher costs at the checkout counter,” Taylor said. “The city commission should reconsider their ban on American-made, reusable and recyclable plastic bags that would impose unworkable costs on retailers and shoppers while promoting products that are more expensive and carry worse environmental impacts.”Mayor Lisa Larsen broke the commission’s 2-2 tie that stalled action on the ordinance in June during a meeting Larsen didn’t attend. Commissioners Bart Littlejohn and Courtney Shipley formed the majority with Larsen. Commissioners Brad Finkeldei and Amber Sellers opposed it.“Could we possibly add a sunset to this ordinance?” Sellers said. “I would be apropos with maybe a three-year sunset.”Larsen said she supported the ordinance, tweaked to delay implementation until March, but not a sunset that could kill the regulation after a few years unless the commission acted to renew it.Shipley, who voted for the restriction on single-use plastic bags, compared the plastic-bag debate to consternation among individuals and businesses owners in Lawrence a decade ago when the commission passed a ban on indoor smoking in public spaces.“A lot of people, including some commissioners, thought if we ban cigarettes in restaurants and bars the sky will fall. Small businesses would die,” Shipley said. “I’ve spoken to some of those commissioners and, indeed, they recognize the sky did not fall. We all enjoy restaurants and bars a lot better because we do not smoke inside them.”In 2010, Kansas Gov. Mark Parkinson, a Democrat, signed into law a statewide ban on smoking in public buildings and indoor places of employment.Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly vetoed in 2022 a bill that would have prevented cities and counties from banning, limiting or taxing plastic bags, straws and food containers. The governor said she opposed the restraint because it undermined authority of local government.A proposal to place in state statute a prohibition on adoption by cities or counties of limits on single-use plastics was endorsed by the Kansas Chamber in the 2023 legislative session, but a bill blocking local governments from regulating single-use plastic failed in the Kansas Senate.Text of the Lawrence ordinance says residents of the city used and discarded an estimated 29 million to 36 million single-use disposable plastic bags annually. The ordinance said the operational, environmental and social cost to the city of single-use disposable plastic bags was estimated to be 11 cents to 20 cents per bag.It says manufacturing of the bags had “significant global environmental consequences” and discarded plastic bags infected the landscape and waterways in such volume they were ingested by animals with potentially lethal results.“We’re heartened this is coming to some fruition,” said Thad Holcombe, who is part of faith-based Lawrence Ecology Teams United in Sustainability. “The addiction of convenience is something I struggle with. Certainly, that is the issue with plastic bags.”

Lawrence City Commission adopts prohibition on single-use plastic bags

PLATTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an officer-involved shooting in rural Platte County, Missouri.

Just before 1 a.m. Thursday, the Leavenworth Police Department responded to assist EMS and the Fire Department with an incident that occurred at a home in the 900 block of Columbia Street in Leavenworth, according to Police Chief Pat Kitchens.

After the preliminary investigation responding Officers issued an alert to locate a 27-year-old male suspect.&nbsp; The event was related to Domestic Violence and he was wanted for Attempted 1st&nbsp;Degree Murder, Kidnapping, Rape, Aggravated Domestic Battery involving Strangulation and Violation of a Protection from Abuse Order.&nbsp; 

The suspect was spotted in his vehicle in Leavenworth and Officers Attempted to stop him but he fled.&nbsp; Officers chased the suspect into the State of Missouri where it ended on Spur 45.&nbsp; The suspect was shot as Officers tried to take him into custody.&nbsp;

The suspect was treated at the scene by Officers and Leavenworth County EMS and transported to a Kansas City area hospital where he is listed in critical condition.&nbsp;

The Platte County Sheriff’s Office will oversee the Officer Involved Shooting Investigation and has the support of the Missouri Highway Patrol and the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691671445584.png" alt="The Platte County Sheriff’s Office will oversee the Officer Involved Shooting Investigation and has the support of the Missouri Highway Patrol and the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department. -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>The Platte County Sheriff’s Office will oversee the Officer Involved Shooting Investigation and has the support of the Missouri Highway Patrol and the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department. -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>PLATTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating an officer-involved shooting in rural Platte County, Missouri.Just before 1 a.m. Thursday, the Leavenworth Police Department responded to assist EMS and the Fire Department with an incident that occurred at a home in the 900 block of Columbia Street in Leavenworth, according to Police Chief Pat Kitchens.After the preliminary investigation responding Officers issued an alert to locate a 27-year-old male suspect.&nbsp; The event was related to Domestic Violence and he was wanted for Attempted 1st&nbsp;Degree Murder, Kidnapping, Rape, Aggravated Domestic Battery involving Strangulation and Violation of a Protection from Abuse Order.&nbsp; The suspect was spotted in his vehicle in Leavenworth and Officers Attempted to stop him but he fled.&nbsp; Officers chased the suspect into the State of Missouri where it ended on Spur 45.&nbsp; The suspect was shot as Officers tried to take him into custody.&nbsp;The suspect was treated at the scene by Officers and Leavenworth County EMS and transported to a Kansas City area hospital where he is listed in critical condition.&nbsp;The Platte County Sheriff’s Office will oversee the Officer Involved Shooting Investigation and has the support of the Missouri Highway Patrol and the Kansas City, Missouri Police Department.&nbsp;

Suspect in Kan. domestic incident shot by officers in Missouri

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are asking for help in identifying two assault suspects.

According to a social media report from the Independence Police Department, the assault occurred&nbsp; just after 7pm. August 2 at Walgreens in the 3900 Block of S. Noland Road.&nbsp; 

An employee of the business was assaulted when she attempted to intervene in a shoplift. A video of the assault shows the teens striking the woman outside the store.

 Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Winborn at 816-325-7330 or through the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS(8477).  Case #23-25748

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691633160733.png" alt="Photo Independence Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Independence Police</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are asking for help in identifying two assault suspects.According to a social media report from the Independence Police Department, the assault occurred&nbsp; just after 7pm. August 2 at Walgreens in the 3900 Block of S. Noland Road.&nbsp; An employee of the business was assaulted when she attempted to intervene in a shoplift. A video of the assault shows the teens striking the woman outside the store. Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Winborn at 816-325-7330 or through the TIPS Hotline at 816-474-TIPS(8477). Case #23-25748

Police: Teens attacked employee at Walgreens near Kansas City

WAILUKU, Hawaii (AP) — Several thousand Hawaii residents raced to escape homes on Maui as the Lahaina fire swept across the island, killing at least 36 people and burning parts of a centuries-old town.

The fire took the island of Maui by surprise, leaving behind burned-out cars on once busy streets and smoking piles of rubble where historic buildings had stood. Flames roared throughout the night, forcing adults and children to dive into the ocean for safety.

<a href="https://www.mauicounty.gov/">Maui county announced</a> the updated death toll on its website late Wednesday, writing that no other details were currently available on the deaths. Officials said earlier that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-wildfire-maui-dora-winds-ec23c16abfbeb6ba689f1a98263720db">271 structures were damaged or destroyed</a>&nbsp;and dozens of people injured.

On Wednesday, Maui crews continued to battle blazes in several places on the island. Authorities urged visitors to stay away.

Lahaina residents Kamuela Kawaakoa and Iiulia Yasso described a harrowing escape under smoke-filled skies Tuesday afternoon. The couple and their 6-year-old son got back to their apartment after a quick dash to the supermarket for water, and only had time to grab a change of clothes and run as the bushes around them caught fire.

“We barely made it out,” Kawaakoa said at an evacuation shelter on Wednesday, still unsure if anything was left of their apartment.

As the family fled, a senior center across the road erupted in flames. They called 911, but didn't know if the people got out. Fire alarms blared. As they drove away, downed utility poles and fleeing cars slowed their progress.

Kawaakoa, 34, grew up in the apartment building, called Lahaina Surf, where his dad and grandmother also lived. Lahaina Town dates back to the 1700s and has long been a favorite destination for tourists.

“It was so hard to sit there and just watch my town burn to ashes and not be able to do anything," Kawaakoa said. “I was helpless.”

The Hawaiian fires were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-wildfires-climate-change-92c0930be7c28ec9ac71392a83c87582">whipped by strong winds</a>&nbsp;from Hurricane Dora passing far to the south. It's the latest in a series of disasters caused by extreme weather around the globe this summer. Experts say climate change is increasing the likelihood of such events.

As winds eased somewhat on Maui, some flights resumed Wednesday, allowing pilots to view the full scope of the devastation. Aerial video from Lahaina showed dozens of homes and businesses razed, including on Front Street, where tourists once gathered to shop and dine. Smoking heaps of rubble lay piled high next to the waterfront, boats in the harbor were scorched, and gray smoke hovered over the leafless skeletons of charred trees.

“It’s horrifying. I’ve flown here 52 years and I’ve never seen anything come close to that,” said Richard Olsten, a helicopter pilot for a tour company. “We had tears in our eyes."

About 14,500 customers in Maui were without power early Wednesday. With cell service and phone lines down in some areas, many people were struggling to check in with friends and family members living near the wildfires. Some were posting messages on social media.

Tiare Lawrence was frantically trying to reach her siblings who live near where a gas station exploded in Lahaina.

“There’s no service, so we can’t get ahold of anyone,” she said from the Maui community of Pukalani.

Maj. Gen. Kenneth Hara, from the Hawaii State Dept. of Defense, told reporters Wednesday night that officials were working to get communications restored, to distribute water, and possibly adding law enforcement personnel. He said National Guard helicopters had dropped 150,000 gallons of water on the Maui fires.

State Department of Education Superintendent Keith Hayashi said in a statement that a team was working on contingency plans and preparing for the possible loss of the King Kamehameha III elementary school that had been in Lahaina for more than a century.

“The department is striving to maintain regular school schedules to provide a sense of normalcy, but will keep most Maui schools closed for the remainder of this week,” he said.

The Coast Guard said it rescued 14 people who jumped into the water to escape flames and smoke, including two children.

Among those injured were three people with critical burns who were flown to Straub Medical Center’s burn unit on the island of Oahu, officials said. At least 20 patients were taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center, officials said, and a firefighter was hospitalized in stable condition after inhaling smoke.

Richard Bissen Jr., the mayor of Maui County, said at a Wednesday morning news conference that he didn't have details on how or where on the island the six deaths occurred. He said officials hadn't yet begun investigating the immediate cause of the fires, but officials did point to the combination of dry conditions, low humidity and high winds.

More than 2,100 people spent Tuesday night in evacuation centers. Another 2,000 travelers sheltered at Kahului Airport after many flights were canceled. Officials were preparing the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu to take in thousands of displaced tourists and locals.

Mauro Farinelli, of Lahaina, said the winds had started blowing hard on Tuesday, and then somehow a fire had started up on a hillside.

“It just ripped through everything with amazing speed,” he said, adding it was “like a blowtorch.”

The winds were so strong they blew his garage door off its hinges and trapped his car in the garage, Farinelli said. So a friend drove him, along with his wife Judit and dog Susi, to an evacuation shelter. He had no idea what had happened to their home.

“We’re hoping for the best,” he said, “but we’re pretty sure it’s gone.”

President Joe Biden said he'd ordered all available federal assets to help with the response. He said the Hawaii National Guard had mobilized Chinook helicopters to help with fire suppression as well as search and rescue efforts on Maui.

“Our prayers are with those who have seen their homes, businesses and communities destroyed," Biden said in a statement.

Former President Barack Obama, who was born in Hawaii, said on social media that it’s tough to see some of the images coming out of a place that is so special to many.

Alan Dickar, who owns a poster gallery and three houses in Lahaina, said most tourists who come to Maui visit Front Street.

“The central two blocks is the economic heart of this island, and I don’t know what’s left," he said.

Dickar took video of flames engulfing the main strip before escaping with three friends and two cats.

“Every significant thing I owned burned down today,” he said. “I’ll be OK. I got out safely.”

Wildfires were also burning on Hawaii’s Big Island, Mayor Mitch Roth said, although there had been no reports of injuries or destroyed homes there. Roth said firefighters had needed to extinguish some roof fires and there were continuing flareups of one fire near the Mauna Kea Resorts.

Acting Gov. Sylvia Luke said the flames had wiped out communities and urged travelers to stay away.

“This is not a safe place to be,” she said.

Luke issued an emergency proclamation on behalf of Gov. Josh Green, who was traveling. Green's office said he'd cut short his trip and was returning Wednesday evening.

Fires in Hawaii are unlike many of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bonny-fire-york-california-nevada-wildfires-mojave-3fe4fc9ea8bb500bb48e7589f16911ad">those burning in the U.S. West</a>. They tend to break out in large grasslands on the dry sides of the islands and are generally much smaller than mainland fires. A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fires-environment-and-nature-droughts-hawaii-wildfires-ca2f8cbf76abf6affbbee9fce3be69a8">major fire on the Big Island in 2021</a>&nbsp;burned homes and forced thousands to evacuate.

The 2018&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-business-environment-and-nature-gavin-newsom-paradise-dbae2ef725b32d91ff4c612de38f01e2">Camp Fire</a>&nbsp;in the Sierra Nevada foothills of California killed at least 85 people and destroyed nearly 19,000 homes.

Yasso, who fled her home with boyfriend Kawaakoa, said residents are going to need time to regroup and that people shouldn't plan to visit right now.

“It’s everybody losing their memories of growing up,” she said. “It’s the memories for everybody. We all lost our homes with this.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691662929011.png" alt="Image taken from a helicopter shows the vast destruction of Lahaina, a historic town in Hawaii. Courtesy: Vince Carter/Air Maui" />
 <figcaption>Image taken from a helicopter shows the vast destruction of Lahaina, a historic town in Hawaii. Courtesy: Vince Carter/Air Maui</figcaption>
 </figure>WAILUKU, Hawaii (AP) — Several thousand Hawaii residents raced to escape homes on Maui as the Lahaina fire swept across the island, killing at least 36 people and burning parts of a centuries-old town.The fire took the island of Maui by surprise, leaving behind burned-out cars on once busy streets and smoking piles of rubble where historic buildings had stood. Flames roared throughout the night, forcing adults and children to dive into the ocean for safety.<a href="https://www.mauicounty.gov/">Maui county announced</a> the updated death toll on its website late Wednesday, writing that no other details were currently available on the deaths. Officials said earlier that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-wildfire-maui-dora-winds-ec23c16abfbeb6ba689f1a98263720db">271 structures were damaged or destroyed</a>&nbsp;and dozens of people injured.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Leeward areas of the state will remain under a Red Flag Warning through tonight. Stay updated with our watches, warnings, and advisories at <a href="https://t.co/ZtuCL9tVrL">https://t.co/ZtuCL9tVrL</a>. The wildfires on Maui were captured on satellite imagery as shown here. <a href="https://t.co/ix1MR58DHS">pic.twitter.com/ix1MR58DHS</a>&mdash; NWSHonolulu (@NWSHonolulu) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSHonolulu/status/1689447349800800256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 10, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>On Wednesday, Maui crews continued to battle blazes in several places on the island. Authorities urged visitors to stay away.Lahaina residents Kamuela Kawaakoa and Iiulia Yasso described a harrowing escape under smoke-filled skies Tuesday afternoon. The couple and their 6-year-old son got back to their apartment after a quick dash to the supermarket for water, and only had time to grab a change of clothes and run as the bushes around them caught fire.“We barely made it out,” Kawaakoa said at an evacuation shelter on Wednesday, still unsure if anything was left of their apartment.As the family fled, a senior center across the road erupted in flames. They called 911, but didn't know if the people got out. Fire alarms blared. As they drove away, downed utility poles and fleeing cars slowed their progress.Kawaakoa, 34, grew up in the apartment building, called Lahaina Surf, where his dad and grandmother also lived. Lahaina Town dates back to the 1700s and has long been a favorite destination for tourists.“It was so hard to sit there and just watch my town burn to ashes and not be able to do anything," Kawaakoa said. “I was helpless.”The Hawaiian fires were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hawaii-wildfires-climate-change-92c0930be7c28ec9ac71392a83c87582">whipped by strong winds</a>&nbsp;from Hurricane Dora passing far to the south. It's the latest in a series of disasters caused by extreme weather around the globe this summer. Experts say climate change is increasing the likelihood of such events.As winds eased somewhat on Maui, some flights resumed Wednesday, allowing pilots to view the full scope of the devastation. Aerial video from Lahaina showed dozens of homes and businesses razed, including on Front Street, where tourists once gathered to shop and dine. Smoking heaps of rubble lay piled high next to the waterfront, boats in the harbor were scorched, and gray smoke hovered over the leafless skeletons of charred trees.“It’s horrifying. I’ve flown here 52 years and I’ve never seen anything come close to that,” said Richard Olsten, a helicopter pilot for a tour company. “We had tears in our eyes."About 14,500 customers in Maui were without power early Wednesday. With cell service and phone lines down in some areas, many people were struggling to check in with friends and family members living near the wildfires. Some were posting messages on social media.Tiare Lawrence was frantically trying to reach her siblings who live near where a gas station exploded in Lahaina.“There’s no service, so we can’t get ahold of anyone,” she said from the Maui community of Pukalani.Maj. Gen. Kenneth Hara, from the Hawaii State Dept. of Defense, told reporters Wednesday night that officials were working to get communications restored, to distribute water, and possibly adding law enforcement personnel. He said National Guard helicopters had dropped 150,000 gallons of water on the Maui fires.State Department of Education Superintendent Keith Hayashi said in a statement that a team was working on contingency plans and preparing for the possible loss of the King Kamehameha III elementary school that had been in Lahaina for more than a century.“The department is striving to maintain regular school schedules to provide a sense of normalcy, but will keep most Maui schools closed for the remainder of this week,” he said.The Coast Guard said it rescued 14 people who jumped into the water to escape flames and smoke, including two children.Among those injured were three people with critical burns who were flown to Straub Medical Center’s burn unit on the island of Oahu, officials said. At least 20 patients were taken to Maui Memorial Medical Center, officials said, and a firefighter was hospitalized in stable condition after inhaling smoke.Richard Bissen Jr., the mayor of Maui County, said at a Wednesday morning news conference that he didn't have details on how or where on the island the six deaths occurred. He said officials hadn't yet begun investigating the immediate cause of the fires, but officials did point to the combination of dry conditions, low humidity and high winds.More than 2,100 people spent Tuesday night in evacuation centers. Another 2,000 travelers sheltered at Kahului Airport after many flights were canceled. Officials were preparing the Hawaii Convention Center in Honolulu to take in thousands of displaced tourists and locals.Mauro Farinelli, of Lahaina, said the winds had started blowing hard on Tuesday, and then somehow a fire had started up on a hillside.“It just ripped through everything with amazing speed,” he said, adding it was “like a blowtorch.”The winds were so strong they blew his garage door off its hinges and trapped his car in the garage, Farinelli said. So a friend drove him, along with his wife Judit and dog Susi, to an evacuation shelter. He had no idea what had happened to their home.“We’re hoping for the best,” he said, “but we’re pretty sure it’s gone.”President Joe Biden said he'd ordered all available federal assets to help with the response. He said the Hawaii National Guard had mobilized Chinook helicopters to help with fire suppression as well as search and rescue efforts on Maui.“Our prayers are with those who have seen their homes, businesses and communities destroyed," Biden said in a statement.Former President Barack Obama, who was born in Hawaii, said on social media that it’s tough to see some of the images coming out of a place that is so special to many.Alan Dickar, who owns a poster gallery and three houses in Lahaina, said most tourists who come to Maui visit Front Street.“The central two blocks is the economic heart of this island, and I don’t know what’s left," he said.Dickar took video of flames engulfing the main strip before escaping with three friends and two cats.“Every significant thing I owned burned down today,” he said. “I’ll be OK. I got out safely.”Wildfires were also burning on Hawaii’s Big Island, Mayor Mitch Roth said, although there had been no reports of injuries or destroyed homes there. Roth said firefighters had needed to extinguish some roof fires and there were continuing flareups of one fire near the Mauna Kea Resorts.Acting Gov. Sylvia Luke said the flames had wiped out communities and urged travelers to stay away.“This is not a safe place to be,” she said.Luke issued an emergency proclamation on behalf of Gov. Josh Green, who was traveling. Green's office said he'd cut short his trip and was returning Wednesday evening.Fires in Hawaii are unlike many of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bonny-fire-york-california-nevada-wildfires-mojave-3fe4fc9ea8bb500bb48e7589f16911ad">those burning in the U.S. West</a>. They tend to break out in large grasslands on the dry sides of the islands and are generally much smaller than mainland fires. A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fires-environment-and-nature-droughts-hawaii-wildfires-ca2f8cbf76abf6affbbee9fce3be69a8">major fire on the Big Island in 2021</a>&nbsp;burned homes and forced thousands to evacuate.The 2018&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildfires-business-environment-and-nature-gavin-newsom-paradise-dbae2ef725b32d91ff4c612de38f01e2">Camp Fire</a>&nbsp;in the Sierra Nevada foothills of California killed at least 85 people and destroyed nearly 19,000 homes.Yasso, who fled her home with boyfriend Kawaakoa, said residents are going to need time to regroup and that people shouldn't plan to visit right now.“It’s everybody losing their memories of growing up,” she said. “It’s the memories for everybody. We all lost our homes with this.”

Dozens dead, injured on Maui as fires burn through Hawaii

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden signed an executive order Wednesday to block and regulate high-tech U.S.-based investments going toward&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-biden-xi-jinping-dictator-c1fe17f72e2d37fcc840575eea1b78d2">China</a>&nbsp;— a move the administration said was targeted but it also reflected an intensifying competition between the world's two biggest powers.

The order covers advanced computer chips, micro electronics, quantum information technologies and artificial intelligence. Senior administration officials said that the effort stemmed from national security goals rather than economic interests, and that the categories it covered were intentionally narrow in scope. The order seeks to blunt China's ability to use U.S. investments in its technology companies to upgrade its military while also preserving broader levels of trade that are vital for both nations' economies.

The Chinese Ministry of Commerce responded in a statement early Thursday that it has “serious concern” about the order and “reserves the right to take measures.”

The United States and China appear to be increasingly locked in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-united-states-government-china-18398dd629fa6b4d5d93a439e003cb11">geopolitical competition</a>&nbsp;with a conflicting set of values. Biden administration officials have insisted that they have no interest in “decoupling” from China, yet the U.S. also has limited the export of advanced computer chips and kept the expanded tariffs set up by President Donald Trump. And in its response, China accused the U.S. of “using the cover of ‘risk reduction’ to carry out ‘decoupling and chain-breaking.’” China has engaged in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-foreign-business-crackdown-349cf4e894fef93c9fd150ac1242bfb1">crackdowns</a>&nbsp;on foreign companies.

Biden has suggested that China's economy is struggling and its global ambitions have been tempered as the U.S. has reenergized its alliances with Japan, South Korea, Australia and the European Union. The administration consulted with allies and industry in shaping the executive order.

“Worry about China, but don’t worry about China,” Biden told donors at a June fundraising event in California.

The officials previewing the order said that China has exploited U.S. investments to support the development of weapons and modernize its military. The new limits were tailored not to disrupt China's economy, but they would complement the export controls on advanced computer chips from last year that led to pushback by Chinese officials. The Treasury Department, which would monitor the investments, will announce a proposed rulemaking with definitions that would conform to the presidential order and go through a public comment process.

The goals of the order would be to have investors notify the U.S. government about certain types of transactions with China as well as to place prohibitions on some investments. Officials said the order is focused on areas such as private equity, venture capital and joint partnerships in which the investments could possibly give countries of concern such as China additional knowledge and military capabilities.

J. Philip Ludvigson, a lawyer and former Treasury official, said the order was an initial framework that could be expanded over time.

“The executive order issued today really represents the start of a conversation between the U.S. government and industry regarding the details of the ultimate screening regime," Ludvigson said. “While the executive order is limited initially to semiconductors and microelectronics, quantum information technologies, and artificial intelligence, it explicitly provides for a future broadening to other sectors."

The issue is also a bipartisan priority. In July by a vote of 91-6, the Senate added as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act requirements to monitor and limit investments in countries of concern, including China.

Yet reaction to Biden's order on Wednesday showed a desire to push harder on China. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., said the order was an “essential step forward," but it “cannot be the final step.” Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said Biden should been more aggressive, saying, “we have to stop all U.S. investment in China’s critical technology and military companies — period.”

Biden has called Chinese President Xi Jinping a “dictator” in the aftermath of the U.S. shooting down a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-united-states-government-china-18398dd629fa6b4d5d93a439e003cb11">spy balloon</a>&nbsp;from China that floated over the United States. Taiwan's status has been a source of tension, with Biden saying that China had become coercive regarding its independence.

China has supported Russia after its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, though Biden has noted that the friendship has not extended to the shipment of weapons.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said it met a number of times with the White House and federal agencies as the order was being prepared and said its goal during the comment period will be “to ensure the measure is targeted and administrable.”

U.S. officials have long signaled the coming executive order on investing in China, but it's unclear whether financial markets will regard it as a tapered step or a continued escalation of tensions at a fragile moment.

“The message it sends to the market may be far more decisive,” said Elaine Dezenski, a senior director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. "U.S. and multinational companies are already reexamining the risks of investing in China. Beijing’s so-called ‘national security’ and ‘anti-espionage’ laws that curb routine and necessary corporate due diligence and compliance were already having a chilling effect on U.S. foreign direct investment. That chilling now risks turning into a deep freeze.”

In its statement, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said the executive order “seriously deviates from the market economy and fair competition principles the United States has always advocated. It affects the normal business decisions of enterprises, disrupts the international economic and trade order and seriously disrupts the security of global industrial and supply chains.”

China's strong economic growth has stumbled coming out of pandemic lockdowns. On Wednesday, its National Bureau of Statistics reported a 0.3% decline in consumer prices in July from a year ago. That level of deflation points to a lack of consumer demand in China that could hamper growth.

Separately, foreign direct investment into China fell 89% from a year earlier in the second quarter of this year to $4.9 billion, according to data released by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange.

Most foreign investment is believed to be brought in by Chinese companies and disguised as foreign money to get tax breaks and other benefits, according to Chinese researchers.

However, foreign business groups say global companies also are shifting investment plans to other economies.

Foreign companies have lost confidence in China following tighter security controls and a lack of action on reform promises. Calls by Xi and other leaders for more economic self-reliance have left investors uneasy about their future in the state-dominated economy.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691616065590.png" alt="Biden at the Grand Canyon on Wednesday-White House image" />
 <figcaption>Biden at the Grand Canyon on Wednesday-White House image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden signed an executive order Wednesday to block and regulate high-tech U.S.-based investments going toward&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-biden-xi-jinping-dictator-c1fe17f72e2d37fcc840575eea1b78d2">China</a>&nbsp;— a move the administration said was targeted but it also reflected an intensifying competition between the world's two biggest powers.The order covers advanced computer chips, micro electronics, quantum information technologies and artificial intelligence. Senior administration officials said that the effort stemmed from national security goals rather than economic interests, and that the categories it covered were intentionally narrow in scope. The order seeks to blunt China's ability to use U.S. investments in its technology companies to upgrade its military while also preserving broader levels of trade that are vital for both nations' economies.The Chinese Ministry of Commerce responded in a statement early Thursday that it has “serious concern” about the order and “reserves the right to take measures.”The United States and China appear to be increasingly locked in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-united-states-government-china-18398dd629fa6b4d5d93a439e003cb11">geopolitical competition</a>&nbsp;with a conflicting set of values. Biden administration officials have insisted that they have no interest in “decoupling” from China, yet the U.S. also has limited the export of advanced computer chips and kept the expanded tariffs set up by President Donald Trump. And in its response, China accused the U.S. of “using the cover of ‘risk reduction’ to carry out ‘decoupling and chain-breaking.’” China has engaged in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/china-foreign-business-crackdown-349cf4e894fef93c9fd150ac1242bfb1">crackdowns</a>&nbsp;on foreign companies.Biden has suggested that China's economy is struggling and its global ambitions have been tempered as the U.S. has reenergized its alliances with Japan, South Korea, Australia and the European Union. The administration consulted with allies and industry in shaping the executive order.“Worry about China, but don’t worry about China,” Biden told donors at a June fundraising event in California.The officials previewing the order said that China has exploited U.S. investments to support the development of weapons and modernize its military. The new limits were tailored not to disrupt China's economy, but they would complement the export controls on advanced computer chips from last year that led to pushback by Chinese officials. The Treasury Department, which would monitor the investments, will announce a proposed rulemaking with definitions that would conform to the presidential order and go through a public comment process.The goals of the order would be to have investors notify the U.S. government about certain types of transactions with China as well as to place prohibitions on some investments. Officials said the order is focused on areas such as private equity, venture capital and joint partnerships in which the investments could possibly give countries of concern such as China additional knowledge and military capabilities.J. Philip Ludvigson, a lawyer and former Treasury official, said the order was an initial framework that could be expanded over time.“The executive order issued today really represents the start of a conversation between the U.S. government and industry regarding the details of the ultimate screening regime," Ludvigson said. “While the executive order is limited initially to semiconductors and microelectronics, quantum information technologies, and artificial intelligence, it explicitly provides for a future broadening to other sectors."The issue is also a bipartisan priority. In July by a vote of 91-6, the Senate added as an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act requirements to monitor and limit investments in countries of concern, including China.Yet reaction to Biden's order on Wednesday showed a desire to push harder on China. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, D-Ill., said the order was an “essential step forward," but it “cannot be the final step.” Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, said Biden should been more aggressive, saying, “we have to stop all U.S. investment in China’s critical technology and military companies — period.”Biden has called Chinese President Xi Jinping a “dictator” in the aftermath of the U.S. shooting down a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-united-states-government-china-18398dd629fa6b4d5d93a439e003cb11">spy balloon</a>&nbsp;from China that floated over the United States. Taiwan's status has been a source of tension, with Biden saying that China had become coercive regarding its independence.China has supported Russia after its 2022 invasion of Ukraine, though Biden has noted that the friendship has not extended to the shipment of weapons.The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said it met a number of times with the White House and federal agencies as the order was being prepared and said its goal during the comment period will be “to ensure the measure is targeted and administrable.”U.S. officials have long signaled the coming executive order on investing in China, but it's unclear whether financial markets will regard it as a tapered step or a continued escalation of tensions at a fragile moment.“The message it sends to the market may be far more decisive,” said Elaine Dezenski, a senior director at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. "U.S. and multinational companies are already reexamining the risks of investing in China. Beijing’s so-called ‘national security’ and ‘anti-espionage’ laws that curb routine and necessary corporate due diligence and compliance were already having a chilling effect on U.S. foreign direct investment. That chilling now risks turning into a deep freeze.”In its statement, the Chinese Ministry of Commerce said the executive order “seriously deviates from the market economy and fair competition principles the United States has always advocated. It affects the normal business decisions of enterprises, disrupts the international economic and trade order and seriously disrupts the security of global industrial and supply chains.”China's strong economic growth has stumbled coming out of pandemic lockdowns. On Wednesday, its National Bureau of Statistics reported a 0.3% decline in consumer prices in July from a year ago. That level of deflation points to a lack of consumer demand in China that could hamper growth.Separately, foreign direct investment into China fell 89% from a year earlier in the second quarter of this year to $4.9 billion, according to data released by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange.Most foreign investment is believed to be brought in by Chinese companies and disguised as foreign money to get tax breaks and other benefits, according to Chinese researchers.However, foreign business groups say global companies also are shifting investment plans to other economies.Foreign companies have lost confidence in China following tighter security controls and a lack of action on reform promises. Calls by Xi and other leaders for more economic self-reliance have left investors uneasy about their future in the state-dominated economy.___

China slams Biden’s order limiting U.S. overseas tech investment

&nbsp;KANSAS CITY —A jury late recommended a prison sentence of 35 years after convicting a Kansas City man, of three felonies in connection with sexual assaults of a child, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

The jury found 56-year-old Rosendo Palma guilty of Attempted Statutory Rape in the 1st Degree With a Child Under 12, Statutory Sodomy in the 1st Degree, Child Under 12 and Attempted Statutory Sodomy in the First Degree, Child Under 12.

The jury recommended 10 years, 15 years and 10 years, respectively, on each conviction. The sentences would run consecutively.

A Jackson County judge will sentence the defendant on October 6.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691162323721.png" alt="Palma-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Palma-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;KANSAS CITY —A jury late recommended a prison sentence of 35 years after convicting a Kansas City man, of three felonies in connection with sexual assaults of a child, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.The jury found 56-year-old Rosendo Palma guilty of Attempted Statutory Rape in the 1st Degree With a Child Under 12, Statutory Sodomy in the 1st Degree, Child Under 12 and Attempted Statutory Sodomy in the First Degree, Child Under 12.The jury recommended 10 years, 15 years and 10 years, respectively, on each conviction. The sentences would run consecutively.A Jackson County judge will sentence the defendant on October 6.

Jury: Kansas City man guilty of sex crimes with child under age 12

ELLSWORTH COUNTY— Kansas 156 south of Interstate 70 reopened just after 8p.m. Wednesday in Ellsworth County as area farmhands&nbsp; helped remove cattle from the overturned trailer, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.&nbsp;

The trailer was loaded with 76 head of cattle.&nbsp; Thirteen cows died. Five of those thirteen had to be put down due to injury; sixty-three survived, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.

There&nbsp; were no other injuries reported.

Use <a href="https://t.co/hfsl1kxwFt" target="_blank">http://KanDrive.org</a> for traffic updates.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691615070868.png" alt="Photo Kansas Highway Patrol" />
 <figcaption>Photo Kansas Highway Patrol</figcaption>
 </figure>ELLSWORTH COUNTY— Kansas 156 south of Interstate 70 reopened just after 8p.m. Wednesday in Ellsworth County as area farmhands&nbsp; helped remove cattle from the overturned trailer, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.&nbsp;The trailer was loaded with 76 head of cattle.&nbsp; Thirteen cows died. Five of those thirteen had to be put down due to injury; sixty-three survived, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.There&nbsp; were no other injuries reported.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Cattle starting to get offloaded from overturned trailer. Around 10 area ranchers, have responded to assist with recovery. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/KansasTrue?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#KansasTrue</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/HelpingNeighbors?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#HelpingNeighbors</a> (Ellsworth county) <a href="https://t.co/uRwi1ycLEp">pic.twitter.com/uRwi1ycLEp</a>&mdash; Trooper Ben (@TrooperBenKHP) <a href="https://twitter.com/TrooperBenKHP/status/1689386264590692352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 9, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691615450288.png" alt="KHP image" />
 <figcaption>KHP image</figcaption>
 </figure>Use <a href="https://t.co/hfsl1kxwFt" target="_blank">http://KanDrive.org</a> for traffic updates.&nbsp;

13 cows dead: Kan. farmhands help remove cattle from overturned trailer

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for alleged theft.

Just after 3p.m. July 28th a 67-year-old victim reported the theft of a 1999 Harley Davidson motorcycle from the 100 block South 3rd Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson.

 At around 5:30p.m. that day a police officer spotted the stolen motorcycle in the area of 6th and Raven Hill Road. The motorcycle fled from the officer traveling northbound through the city. 

Due to heavy traffic and dangerous conditions the pursuit was terminated. 

The investigation identified 33-year-old Tyler Chalfant of Atchison as the person involved in the theft and the pursuit. 

He was located and taken into custody on Monday on a Municipal Court warrant and booked on Tuesday on the District Court charges. The motorcycle was recovered in Savannah Missouri on July 31, according to Wilson.

Chalfant remains jailed on requested charges of&nbsp;warrants for theft, fleeing and attempting to elude, reckless driving, and no driver’s license.

In November of 2021, Chalfant was jailed on requested charges of computer crimes, criminal use of a financial card and theft, according to online jail records. He has been jailed on a variety of requested charges over the past two years including aggravated failure to appear.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691501804599.png" alt="Chalfant-photo Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Chalfant-photo Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man for alleged theft.Just after 3p.m. July 28th a 67-year-old victim reported the theft of a 1999 Harley Davidson motorcycle from the 100 block South 3rd Street in Atchison, according to Police Chief Mike Wilson. At around 5:30p.m. that day a police officer spotted the stolen motorcycle in the area of 6th and Raven Hill Road. The motorcycle fled from the officer traveling northbound through the city. Due to heavy traffic and dangerous conditions the pursuit was terminated. The investigation identified 33-year-old Tyler Chalfant of Atchison as the person involved in the theft and the pursuit. He was located and taken into custody on Monday on a Municipal Court warrant and booked on Tuesday on the District Court charges. The motorcycle was recovered in Savannah Missouri on July 31, according to Wilson.Chalfant remains jailed on requested charges of&nbsp;warrants for theft, fleeing and attempting to elude, reckless driving, and no driver’s license.In November of 2021, Chalfant was jailed on requested charges of computer crimes, criminal use of a financial card and theft, according to online jail records. He has been jailed on a variety of requested charges over the past two years including aggravated failure to appear.

Kan. man with history of crime caught on stolen motorcycle

CHEROKEE COUNTY, Georgia —A former Hays Mayor will serve a 20-year prison sentence in Georgia.

Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit district attorney Susan K.
Treadaway said in a statement Aug. 8 on May 15, Troy Dean Hickman, 59, Canton, Ga., pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated sexual battery and two counts of
exploitation and intimidation of a disabled adult.

Hickman served as a Hays city commissioner from 1997 to 2013, serving as mayor for five of those years. He also was the executive director at Ellis County First Call for Help from 2010 to 2013, according to his LinkedIn profile.

At the time of his departure from the commission, Hays commissioners proclaimed April 11, 2013 as Troy Hickman Day in recognition of his 16 years of service on the city commission.

He was most
recently employed by the Cherokee County Georgia School District.

“The Cherokee Sheriff’s Office first became aware of these
allegations in November 2022 after the young woman disclosed the abuse to a
friend,” according to the release. “Hickman, who was a relation, frequently
spent time alone with the victim, committing the acts over the course of
several years, beginning when the victim was approximately 18 years old.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691608232456.png" alt="Hickman-photo Cherokee Co." />
 <figcaption>Hickman-photo Cherokee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>CHEROKEE COUNTY, Georgia —A former Hays Mayor will serve a 20-year prison sentence in Georgia.Blue Ridge Judicial Circuit district attorney Susan K.
Treadaway said in a statement Aug. 8 on May 15, Troy Dean Hickman, 59, Canton, Ga., pleaded guilty to two counts of aggravated sexual battery and two counts of
exploitation and intimidation of a disabled adult.Hickman served as a Hays city commissioner from 1997 to 2013, serving as mayor for five of those years. He also was the executive director at Ellis County First Call for Help from 2010 to 2013, according to his LinkedIn profile.At the time of his departure from the commission, Hays commissioners proclaimed April 11, 2013 as Troy Hickman Day in recognition of his 16 years of service on the city commission.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691597721895.jpeg" alt="Hickman (center) was honored by then-mayor Kent Steward&nbsp;for his 16 years of service in 2013.&nbsp; Photo by Becky Kiser/Hays Post" />
 <figcaption>Hickman (center) was honored by then-mayor Kent Steward&nbsp;for his 16 years of service in 2013.&nbsp; Photo by Becky Kiser/Hays Post</figcaption>
 </figure>He was most
recently employed by the Cherokee County Georgia School District.“The Cherokee Sheriff’s Office first became aware of these
allegations in November 2022 after the young woman disclosed the abuse to a
friend,” according to the release. “Hickman, who was a relation, frequently
spent time alone with the victim, committing the acts over the course of
several years, beginning when the victim was approximately 18 years old.”“Victims of sexual assault are often afraid to come forward,
and that was certainly the case here,” said Assistant District Attorney Elliot
Stone, who prosecuted the case. “The victim is
intellectually disabled and had been subjected to repeated threats of harm by
this defendant as he attempted to prevent her from revealing the abuse. She
bravely overcame that fear by seeking help.” “While Troy Hickman admitted to his crimes, he used alcohol
as an excuse for his despicable behavior and even suggested that the victim was
partly to blame.”During the investigation, the Anna Crawford Children’s
Center conducted a forensic interview in which the victim described the
specific acts by Hickman that resulted in the charges of aggravated sexual
battery.The victim’s mother addressed the court during the plea
hearing, describing the impact of Hickman’s crimes.Superior Court Judge Tony Baker sentenced Hickman to 20
years in prison, followed by probation for the remainder of his life.“Through the duration of his sentence, Hickman is forbidden
to have contact with the victim or her family,” according to the release. “He
must also obtain a psycho-sexual evaluation, receive treatment for substance
abuse and adhere to sex offender special conditions.”Hickman will not be eligible for parole during his 20-year
prison sentence.“The victim looked to this defendant as a father figure, and
it is despicable that he would manipulate her trust and vulnerability for his
own sexual desires,” said District Attorney Susan K. Treadaway. “Our hope is
the victim and her family will find peace and healing in knowing that this
defendant has received justice for his crimes and that he will never again be
able to hurt another individual in this way.”