WICHITA, KAN, – A Kansas businessman pleaded guilty to various charges related to defrauding clients of his accounting firm by falsely claiming money he had stolen was being used to pay business expenses, according to the United State's Attorney.

According to court documents, Quintin Flanagin, 45, of Colby pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, one count of bank fraud, one count of false statements, and one count of money laundering.

Flanagin, a certified public accountant (CPA), used his status as a signatory on the accounts of his clients’ business, Diamond M. Farms, to make unauthorized transactions between December 2021 and August 2022. He wrote multiple checks and initiated wire transfers totaling approximately $409,710 to Middle Finger Ranch under the guise of being payments for farm operations. 

Middle Finger Ranch is a fictitious business name that Flanagin connected to his personal bank account. Flanagin actually used the illegally obtained funds to pay for the construction on his new home.

Flanagin is scheduled to be sentenced on October 30, 2025. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714043354777.png" alt="Flanagin from his booking in Sedgwick County in April 2024" />
 <figcaption>Flanagin from his booking in Sedgwick County in April 2024</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA, KAN, – A Kansas businessman pleaded guilty to various charges related to defrauding clients of his accounting firm by falsely claiming money he had stolen was being used to pay business expenses, according to the United State's Attorney.According to court documents, Quintin Flanagin, 45, of Colby pleaded guilty to one count of wire fraud, one count of bank fraud, one count of false statements, and one count of money laundering.Flanagin, a certified public accountant (CPA), used his status as a signatory on the accounts of his clients’ business, Diamond M. Farms, to make unauthorized transactions between December 2021 and August 2022. He wrote multiple checks and initiated wire transfers totaling approximately $409,710 to Middle Finger Ranch under the guise of being payments for farm operations. Middle Finger Ranch is a fictitious business name that Flanagin connected to his personal bank account. Flanagin actually used the illegally obtained funds to pay for the construction on his new home.Flanagin is scheduled to be sentenced on October 30, 2025. A federal district court judge will determine any sentence after considering the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the case.

Kan. CPA, creator of ‘Middle Finger Ranch,’ admits fraud scheme

OSAGE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations. Just before 7a.m. August 5, a sheriff's deputy&nbsp;conducted a narcotic search warrant in the 1100 block of Laing Street in Osage City, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.

John C. Neu, 42, of Osage City was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of&nbsp;Possession of methamphetamine and Possession of drug paraphernalia

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754409688637.png" alt="Neu photo Osage County" />
 <figcaption>Neu photo Osage County</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on drug allegations. Just before 7a.m. August 5, a sheriff's deputy&nbsp;conducted a narcotic search warrant in the 1100 block of Laing Street in Osage City, according to Sheriff Chris Wells.John C. Neu, 42, of Osage City was taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility on requested charges of&nbsp;Possession of methamphetamine and Possession of drug paraphernalia

Kansas man accused of meth possession after drug bust

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin next Friday in Alaska&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-poll-trump-sanctions-deadline-7cefb2df66f494f58a16b684a2c76687">to discuss ending the war in Ukraine</a>, a potential breakthrough after weeks of expressing frustration that more was not being done to quell the fighting.

The Kremlin has not yet confirmed the details, which Trump announced on social media, but both nations had said they expected a meeting could happen as soon as next week.

Such a summit could be a pivotal moment in a war that began more than three years ago when Russia invaded its western neighbor and has led to tens of thousands of deaths, although there’s no guarantee it will stop the fighting since Moscow and Kyiv remain&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-memorandum-talks-instanbul-6014fb7e87c15aa60e30bf72bf6cd2fd">far apart on their conditions for peace</a>.

Trump earlier Friday suggested that any agreement would likely involve “some swapping of territories," but he gave no details. Analysts, including some close to the Kremlin, have suggested that Russia could offer to give up territory it controls outside of the four regions it claims to have annexed.

Earlier in the day, Trump indicated his meeting with Putin would come before any sit-down discussion involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump also previously agreed to meet with Putin even if the Russian leader would not meet with Zelenskyy. That stoked fears in Europe that Ukraine could be sidelined in efforts to stop the continent’s biggest conflict since World War II.

Trump's announcement that he planned to host one of America's adversaries on U.S. soil broke with expectations that he'd meet Putin in a third country. The gesture gives Putin validation after the U.S. and its allies had long sought to make him a pariah over his war against Ukraine.

Early in Putin's tenure, he regularly met with his U.S. counterparts. That dropped off and the tone became icier as tensions mounted between Russia and the West after Moscow illegally annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and faced allegations of meddling in the 2016 U.S. elections.

Putin's last visit to the U.S. was in 2015, when he attended the U.N. General Assembly Meeting in New York. The meeting in Alaska would be the first U.S.-Russia summit since 2021, when former President Joe Biden met Putin in Geneva.

Speaking to reporters earlier Friday at the White House after announcing a framework aimed at ending decades of conflict elsewhere in the world — between Armenia and Azerbaijan — Trump said he would meet with Putin “very shortly," but refused to say exactly when or where.

Later on social media, he announced what he called “the highly anticipated meeting” would happen Aug. 15 in Alaska. He said more details would follow.

Trump had told reporters that the summit would have been sooner, “but I guess there’s security arrangements that unfortunately people have to make.”

Trump said, “President Putin, I believe, wants to see peace, and Zelenskyy wants to see peace." He said that, “In all fairness to President Zelenskyy, he’s getting everything he needs to, assuming we get something done.”

Trump said a peace deal would likely mean Ukraine and Russia would swap some territory they each control.

“Nothing easy," the president said. “But we’re gonna get some back. We’re gonna get some switched. There’ll be some swapping of territories, to the betterment of both.”

Pressed on if this was the last chance to make a major peace deal, Trump said, “I don’t like using the term last chance,” and said that, “When those guns start going off, it’s awfully tough to get ’em to stop.”

Exasperated that Putin did not heed his calls to stop bombing Ukrainian cities, Trump almost two weeks ago&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-trump-putin-deadline-ultimatum-0e4cfb5969be5d02217be90f7521ce48">moved up his ultimatum</a>&nbsp;to impose additional sanctions on Russia and introduce secondary tariffs targeting countries that buy Russian oil if the Kremlin did not move toward a settlement. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-trump-sanctions-tariffs-witkoff-9444ab7b042944090d51a73ae871571a">deadline was Friday.</a>

Prior to his announcing the meeting with Putin, Trump’s efforts to pressure Russia into stopping the fighting have so far&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-peace-talks-drone-attacks-0c2e0a4aeccd86c3fe18edf5cc73b250">delivered no progress</a>. The Kremlin's bigger army is slowly advancing deeper into Ukraine at great cost in troops and armor while it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-kyiv-attack-trump-putin-42474bc80c492190ec88861322ff0f84">relentlessly bombards Ukrainian cities</a>. Russia and Ukraine are far apart on their terms for peace.

Ukrainian troops say they are ready to keep fighting

Ukrainian forces are locked in intense battles along the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line that snakes from northeast to southeast Ukraine. The Pokrovsk area of the eastern Donetsk region is taking the brunt of punishment as Russia seeks to break out into the neighboring Dnipropetrovsk region. Ukraine has significant manpower shortages.

Intense fighting is also taking place in Ukraine's northern Sumy border region, where Ukrainian forces are engaging Russian soldiers to prevent reinforcements being sent from there to Donetsk.

In the Pokrovsk area of Donetsk, a commander said he believes Moscow isn’t interested in peace.

“It is impossible to negotiate with them. The only option is to defeat them,” Buda, a commander of a drone unit in the Spartan Brigade, told The Associated Press. He used only his call sign, in keeping with the rules of the Ukrainian military.

“I would like them to agree and for all this to stop, but Russia will not agree to that. It does not want to negotiate. So the only option is to defeat them,” he said.

In the southern Zaporizhzhia region, a howitzer commander using the call sign Warsaw, said troops are determined to thwart Russia’s invasion.

“We are on our land, we have no way out,” he said. “So we stand our ground, we have no choice.”

The Kremlin said Friday that Putin had a phone call with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, during which he informed Xi about the results of his meeting earlier this week with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/steve-witkoff-special-envoy-russia-ukraine-mideast-d26c80c87a57fd3a811e4b0aa0eda58e">Trump envoy Steve Witkoff</a>. Kremlin officials said Xi “expressed support for the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis on a long-term basis.”

Putin is due to visit China next month. China, along with North Korea and Iran, have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pacific-russia-china-north-korea-weapons-ukraine-8ad7156898f1391557d5e53d5d09a02c">provided military support</a>&nbsp;for Russia’s war effort, the U.S. says.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on X that he also had a call with Putin to speak about the latest Ukraine developments. Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-india-russia-oil-tariffs-2db9dc22d7b56624bdceb2e15c134d60">signed an executive order</a>&nbsp;Wednesday to place an additional 25% tariff on India for its purchases of Russian oil, which the American president says is helping to finance Russia’s war.

Putin’s calls followed his phone conversations with the leaders of South Africa, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Belarus, the Kremlin said.

The calls suggested to at least one analyst that Putin perhaps wanted to brief Russia’s most important allies about a potential settlement that could be reached at a summit with Trump.

“It means that some sort of real peace agreement has been reached for the first time,” said Sergei Markov, a pro-Kremlin Moscow-based analyst.

Analysts say Putin is aiming to outlast the West

Putin said in a previous&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/vladimir-putin">statement</a>&nbsp;that he hoped to meet with Trump as early as next week, possibly in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/united-arab-emirates">United Arab Emirates</a>.

The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington think tank, said in an assessment Thursday that “Putin remains uninterested in ending his war and is attempting to extract bilateral concessions from the United States without meaningfully engaging in a peace process.”

“Putin continues to believe that time is on Russia’s side and that Russia can outlast Ukraine and the West,” it said.

Stepanenko reported from the Dnipropetrovsk region of Ukraine. Associated Press writers Samya Kullab in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Michelle L. Price in Washington contributed to this report.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump said he will meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin next Friday in Alaska&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-poll-trump-sanctions-deadline-7cefb2df66f494f58a16b684a2c76687">to discuss ending the war in Ukraine</a>, a potential breakthrough after weeks of expressing frustration that more was not being done to quell the fighting.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">🚨 <a href="https://t.co/ClTl6TjL0S">pic.twitter.com/ClTl6TjL0S</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1953940364290572777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Kremlin has not yet confirmed the details, which Trump announced on social media, but both nations had said they expected a meeting could happen as soon as next week.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;The highly anticipated meeting between myself, as President of the United States of America, and President Vladimir Putin, of Russia, will take place next Friday, August 15, 2025, in the Great State of Alaska. Further details to follow. Thank you for your attention to this… <a href="https://t.co/SI3twRJayp">pic.twitter.com/SI3twRJayp</a>&mdash; The White House (@WhiteHouse) <a href="https://twitter.com/WhiteHouse/status/1953945651857052106?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Such a summit could be a pivotal moment in a war that began more than three years ago when Russia invaded its western neighbor and has led to tens of thousands of deaths, although there’s no guarantee it will stop the fighting since Moscow and Kyiv remain&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-memorandum-talks-instanbul-6014fb7e87c15aa60e30bf72bf6cd2fd">far apart on their conditions for peace</a>.Trump earlier Friday suggested that any agreement would likely involve “some swapping of territories," but he gave no details. Analysts, including some close to the Kremlin, have suggested that Russia could offer to give up territory it controls outside of the four regions it claims to have annexed.Earlier in the day, Trump indicated his meeting with Putin would come before any sit-down discussion involving Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Trump also previously agreed to meet with Putin even if the Russian leader would not meet with Zelenskyy. That stoked fears in Europe that Ukraine could be sidelined in efforts to stop the continent’s biggest conflict since World War II.Trump's announcement that he planned to host one of America's adversaries on U.S. soil broke with expectations that he'd meet Putin in a third country. The gesture gives Putin validation after the U.S. and its allies had long sought to make him a pariah over his war against Ukraine.Early in Putin's tenure, he regularly met with his U.S. counterparts. That dropped off and the tone became icier as tensions mounted between Russia and the West after Moscow illegally annexed Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula in 2014 and faced allegations of meddling in the 2016 U.S. elections.Putin's last visit to the U.S. was in 2015, when he attended the U.N. General Assembly Meeting in New York. The meeting in Alaska would be the first U.S.-Russia summit since 2021, when former President Joe Biden met Putin in Geneva.Speaking to reporters earlier Friday at the White House after announcing a framework aimed at ending decades of conflict elsewhere in the world — between Armenia and Azerbaijan — Trump said he would meet with Putin “very shortly," but refused to say exactly when or where.Later on social media, he announced what he called “the highly anticipated meeting” would happen Aug. 15 in Alaska. He said more details would follow.Trump had told reporters that the summit would have been sooner, “but I guess there’s security arrangements that unfortunately people have to make.”Trump said, “President Putin, I believe, wants to see peace, and Zelenskyy wants to see peace." He said that, “In all fairness to President Zelenskyy, he’s getting everything he needs to, assuming we get something done.”Trump said a peace deal would likely mean Ukraine and Russia would swap some territory they each control.“Nothing easy," the president said. “But we’re gonna get some back. We’re gonna get some switched. There’ll be some swapping of territories, to the betterment of both.”Pressed on if this was the last chance to make a major peace deal, Trump said, “I don’t like using the term last chance,” and said that, “When those guns start going off, it’s awfully tough to get ’em to stop.”Exasperated that Putin did not heed his calls to stop bombing Ukrainian cities, Trump almost two weeks ago&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-trump-putin-deadline-ultimatum-0e4cfb5969be5d02217be90f7521ce48">moved up his ultimatum</a>&nbsp;to impose additional sanctions on Russia and introduce secondary tariffs targeting countries that buy Russian oil if the Kremlin did not move toward a settlement. The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-trump-sanctions-tariffs-witkoff-9444ab7b042944090d51a73ae871571a">deadline was Friday.</a>Prior to his announcing the meeting with Putin, Trump’s efforts to pressure Russia into stopping the fighting have so far&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-peace-talks-drone-attacks-0c2e0a4aeccd86c3fe18edf5cc73b250">delivered no progress</a>. The Kremlin's bigger army is slowly advancing deeper into Ukraine at great cost in troops and armor while it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-kyiv-attack-trump-putin-42474bc80c492190ec88861322ff0f84">relentlessly bombards Ukrainian cities</a>. Russia and Ukraine are far apart on their terms for peace.<h2>Ukrainian troops say they are ready to keep fighting</h2>Ukrainian forces are locked in intense battles along the 1,000-kilometer (620-mile) front line that snakes from northeast to southeast Ukraine. The Pokrovsk area of the eastern Donetsk region is taking the brunt of punishment as Russia seeks to break out into the neighboring Dnipropetrovsk region. Ukraine has significant manpower shortages.Intense fighting is also taking place in Ukraine's northern Sumy border region, where Ukrainian forces are engaging Russian soldiers to prevent reinforcements being sent from there to Donetsk.In the Pokrovsk area of Donetsk, a commander said he believes Moscow isn’t interested in peace.“It is impossible to negotiate with them. The only option is to defeat them,” Buda, a commander of a drone unit in the Spartan Brigade, told The Associated Press. He used only his call sign, in keeping with the rules of the Ukrainian military.“I would like them to agree and for all this to stop, but Russia will not agree to that. It does not want to negotiate. So the only option is to defeat them,” he said.In the southern Zaporizhzhia region, a howitzer commander using the call sign Warsaw, said troops are determined to thwart Russia’s invasion.“We are on our land, we have no way out,” he said. “So we stand our ground, we have no choice.”<h2>Putin makes a flurry of phone calls</h2>The Kremlin said Friday that Putin had a phone call with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, during which he informed Xi about the results of his meeting earlier this week with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/steve-witkoff-special-envoy-russia-ukraine-mideast-d26c80c87a57fd3a811e4b0aa0eda58e">Trump envoy Steve Witkoff</a>. Kremlin officials said Xi “expressed support for the settlement of the Ukrainian crisis on a long-term basis.”Putin is due to visit China next month. China, along with North Korea and Iran, have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pacific-russia-china-north-korea-weapons-ukraine-8ad7156898f1391557d5e53d5d09a02c">provided military support</a>&nbsp;for Russia’s war effort, the U.S. says.Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on X that he also had a call with Putin to speak about the latest Ukraine developments. Trump&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-india-russia-oil-tariffs-2db9dc22d7b56624bdceb2e15c134d60">signed an executive order</a>&nbsp;Wednesday to place an additional 25% tariff on India for its purchases of Russian oil, which the American president says is helping to finance Russia’s war.Putin’s calls followed his phone conversations with the leaders of South Africa, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Belarus, the Kremlin said.The calls suggested to at least one analyst that Putin perhaps wanted to brief Russia’s most important allies about a potential settlement that could be reached at a summit with Trump.“It means that some sort of real peace agreement has been reached for the first time,” said Sergei Markov, a pro-Kremlin Moscow-based analyst.<h2>Analysts say Putin is aiming to outlast the West</h2>Putin said in a previous&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/vladimir-putin">statement</a>&nbsp;that he hoped to meet with Trump as early as next week, possibly in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/united-arab-emirates">United Arab Emirates</a>.The Institute for the Study of War, a Washington think tank, said in an assessment Thursday that “Putin remains uninterested in ending his war and is attempting to extract bilateral concessions from the United States without meaningfully engaging in a peace process.”“Putin continues to believe that time is on Russia’s side and that Russia can outlast Ukraine and the West,” it said.___Stepanenko reported from the Dnipropetrovsk region of Ukraine. Associated Press writers Samya Kullab in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Michelle L. Price in Washington contributed to this report.

President Trump confirms when, where he will meet Putin

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754675842988.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Great to spend time <a href="https://twitter.com/USDA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USDA</a>&#39;s Great American Farmers Market on the National Mall with <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRollins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRollins</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/EDSecMcMahon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EDSecMcMahon</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/howardlutnick?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@howardlutnick</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/MonicaCrowley?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MonicaCrowley</a> to celebrate America 250. If you missed this year&#39;s market, don&#39;t worry because next year&#39;s will be even better! <a href="https://t.co/xw1SljgozN">pic.twitter.com/xw1SljgozN</a>&mdash; Lee Zeldin (@epaleezeldin) <a href="https://twitter.com/epaleezeldin/status/1953850346406588462?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;The farmers, ranchers, and producers at the Great American Farmers Market not only represent the legacy of American agriculture but also the future of an industry defined by faith, determination, and hospitality.&quot; Check out <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRollins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRollins</a>&#39; latest op-ed featured in <a href="https://twitter.com/dcexaminer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DCExaminer</a> ➡️… <a href="https://t.co/0lCWwE41Fo">pic.twitter.com/0lCWwE41Fo</a>&mdash; Dept. of Agriculture (@USDA) <a href="https://twitter.com/USDA/status/1953551226735669744?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Day 4 of the Great American Farmers Market was dedicated to our fantastic Foresters &amp; Firefighters! 🇺🇸 Honored to join <a href="https://twitter.com/EDSecMcMahon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@EDSecMcMahon</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/howardlutnick?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@howardlutnick</a>, <a href="https://twitter.com/epaleezeldin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@epaleezeldin</a>, and <a href="https://twitter.com/MonicaCrowley?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MonicaCrowley</a> in celebrating our amazing forest firefighters, raising wildfire awareness, and wishing… <a href="https://t.co/l6O1uRhSRT">pic.twitter.com/l6O1uRhSRT</a>&mdash; Secretary Brooke Rollins (@SecRollins) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRollins/status/1953438074496569663?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I had a great time at <a href="https://twitter.com/USDA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USDA</a>’s Great American Farmers Market! My fellow cabinet members <a href="https://twitter.com/SecRollins?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecRollins</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/howardlutnick?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@howardlutnick</a> , and <a href="https://twitter.com/epaleezeldin?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@epaleezeldin</a> and I celebrated firefighters, promoted wildfire awareness, and of course honored Smokey Bear’s 81st birthday. <a href="https://t.co/c2WNBeEGd1">pic.twitter.com/c2WNBeEGd1</a>&mdash; Secretary Linda McMahon (@EDSecMcMahon) <a href="https://twitter.com/EDSecMcMahon/status/1953251587784360190?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">America’s Golden Age under <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a>’ leadership is so strong even our tractors are turning gold. <a href="https://t.co/v6UzgjBBvv">pic.twitter.com/v6UzgjBBvv</a>&mdash; Scott Turner (@SecretaryTurner) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecretaryTurner/status/1952910028261741027?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 6, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

Kan. represented during Great American Farmer's Market on National Mall

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement in Saline County are investigating a fatal&nbsp; crash that occurred just after 5:30a.m. Friday and have made an arrest.

According to Saline County Sheriff's Captain Jim Hughes, a Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by&nbsp;32-year-old Kayla Errebo of Lorraine was westbound on Kansas 140 at South Reese Road in rural Saline County. The Jeep entered the eastbound lanes and struck a&nbsp;Chevrolet truck driven by&nbsp;61-year-old Mark Sommerfeld of Brookville head-on.

A passenger in the Chevy identified as 55-year-old Deanna Sommerfeld from Brookville was pronounced deceased on scene. 

EMS transported a Mark Sommerfield to Salina Regional Health Center Both were properly restrained, according to Hughes.

Errebo was not at the scene of the crash. Deputies located her just before 8:30a.m. at an address in Ellsworth.&nbsp; She had minor&nbsp;injuries that did not require medical treatment. Errebo was taken into custody and booked into the Saline County Jail on requested charges of Murder in&nbsp; the second degree, Failure to report an injury accident, Circumvention of ignition interlock device and Probation violation

The Saline County Sheriffs Office is actively investigating the incident and encourages anyone with information to contact out office at 785-826-6500.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754697774905.png" alt="Kayla Errebo had a previous arrest for alleged DUI in June of 2024. She was also accused of DUI in January of 2024, according to online jail records. photo Saline Co. Jail" />
 <figcaption>Kayla Errebo had a previous arrest for alleged DUI in June of 2024. She was also accused of DUI in January of 2024, according to online jail records. photo Saline Co. Jail</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement in Saline County are investigating a fatal&nbsp; crash that occurred just after 5:30a.m. Friday and have made an arrest.According to Saline County Sheriff's Captain Jim Hughes, a Jeep Grand Cherokee driven by&nbsp;32-year-old Kayla Errebo of Lorraine was westbound on Kansas 140 at South Reese Road in rural Saline County. The Jeep entered the eastbound lanes and struck a&nbsp;Chevrolet truck driven by&nbsp;61-year-old Mark Sommerfeld of Brookville head-on.A passenger in the Chevy identified as 55-year-old Deanna Sommerfeld from Brookville was pronounced deceased on scene. EMS transported a Mark Sommerfield to Salina Regional Health Center Both were properly restrained, according to Hughes.Errebo was not at the scene of the crash. Deputies located her just before 8:30a.m. at an address in Ellsworth.&nbsp; She had minor&nbsp;injuries that did not require medical treatment. Errebo was taken into custody and booked into the Saline County Jail on requested charges of Murder in&nbsp; the second degree, Failure to report an injury accident, Circumvention of ignition interlock device and Probation violationThe Saline County Sheriffs Office is actively investigating the incident and encourages anyone with information to contact out office at 785-826-6500.

Driver arrested after head-on crash that killed Kansas woman

NEW YORK (AP) —U.S. stocks closed higher Friday, capping a choppy week of trading with the market’s third winning week in the last four and another milestone.

The S&amp;P 500 rose 0.8%, finishing just shy of the record it set last week. The benchmark index also wiped out its losses from a slide last week.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite added 1% to the all-time high it set a day earlier.

Technology companies, with their hefty stock values, did much of the heavy lifting for the market. Nvidia rose 1.1% and Apple gained 4.2%.

Gilead Sciences jumped 8.3% for one of the market's biggest gains. It reported financial results that easily beat analysts' forecasts, while also raising its earnings forecast for the year. Expedia Group rose 4.1% after also reporting encouraging financial results.

They are among the final big batch of companies within the S&amp;P 500 to report mostly strong financial results for the second quarter. Still, many have warned that current tariffs could cut into their profits.

Financial sector stocks also helped drive the market higher. Bank of America gained 2.4% and Mastercard rose 2.3%.

Elsewhere in the market, entertainment giant Paramount Skydance slid 10.5% a day after the company was created by the closing of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paramount-skydance-merger-fcc-approval-74836c0da9dc0b33f580f714a3f2bfbb">an $8 billion merger</a>&nbsp;of Skydance and Paramount. Shares in rival Warner Bros. Discovery sank 8%.

The main focus throughout the week has been on President Donald Trump’s trade war and its potential impact on the U.S. economy, as well as the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy. Trump began&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-mexico-3b03b98296424e59c7dc19a865d21969">imposing higher import taxes</a>&nbsp;on dozens of countries Thursday.

Still, the market appeared to largely shrug off the latest tariff escalation.

“The S&amp;P 500’s rebound this week may highlight the extent to which the market is becoming numb to tariff headlines,” said Daniel Skelly, head of Morgan Stanley’s Wealth Management Market Research &amp; Strategy Team.

The unknown path of the economy amid an unpredictable tariff policy has been the key reason for the Fed to hold its benchmark interest rate steady.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell, though, has been under increasing pressure from Trump to cut interest rates. Policy decisions aren’t made solely by the Fed chair. All 12 members of the Federal Open Market Committee vote on interest rate changes.

Trump has an opportunity to exert more control over the Fed following his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-reserve-miran-794df2cd9d33b327bf3b836a553dd5ef">nomination of Stephen Miran</a>&nbsp;to a vacancy on the Fed’s board of governors. Miran is a top economic adviser to Trump and is a near-certain vote in support of lower interest rates.

The Fed’s last decision to hold interest rates steady included two votes to lower interest rates. Its next meeting is in September, and Wall Street is overwhelmingly betting that the central bank will cut interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point.

Treasury yields edged higher. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.28% from 4.25% late Thursday. The yield on the two-year Treasury which more closely tracks expectations for Fed actions, rose to 3.76% from 3.73% late Thursday.

The expectation for an interest rate cut follows a series of signals last week that the economy could be weakening. That included reports showing that inflation edged higher in June and employers in the U.S. hit the brakes on hiring in July.

Both are key concerns for the Fed, which has been trying to cool inflation down to its target rate of 2% while also fulfilling its “full employment” mandate.

Lower interest rates can give the economy and investment prices a boost, though the downside is that they can also push inflation higher. Concerns about inflation reheating could be overshadowed by worries about a weakening employment market.

Wall Street and the Fed will get more insight next week on inflation's temperature and the economy. The government will release updates on inflation at both the consumer and wholesale levels, along with a report on retail sales.

“We believe stocks will stay supported amid solid fundamentals, but fresh headlines in the coming week may challenge investor sentiment that remains vulnerable to tariff, economic, and geopolitical risks,” said Ulrike Hoffmann-Burchardi, chief investment officer for the Americas and global head of equities at UBS Global Wealth Management.

All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 49.45 points to 6,389.45. The Dow rose 206.97 points to 44,175.61, and the Nasdaq rose 207.32 points to finish at 21,450.02.

Asian markets closed mostly lower except in Tokyo, where the Nikkei rose 1.9% after Japan’s main trade envoy said the U.S. had agreed to correct a problem over tariffs that will apply to exports to the U.S.

NEW YORK (AP) —U.S. stocks closed higher Friday, capping a choppy week of trading with the market’s third winning week in the last four and another milestone.The S&amp;P 500 rose 0.8%, finishing just shy of the record it set last week. The benchmark index also wiped out its losses from a slide last week.The Dow Jones Industrial Average climbed 0.5%, and the Nasdaq composite added 1% to the all-time high it set a day earlier.Technology companies, with their hefty stock values, did much of the heavy lifting for the market. Nvidia rose 1.1% and Apple gained 4.2%.Gilead Sciences jumped 8.3% for one of the market's biggest gains. It reported financial results that easily beat analysts' forecasts, while also raising its earnings forecast for the year. Expedia Group rose 4.1% after also reporting encouraging financial results.They are among the final big batch of companies within the S&amp;P 500 to report mostly strong financial results for the second quarter. Still, many have warned that current tariffs could cut into their profits.Financial sector stocks also helped drive the market higher. Bank of America gained 2.4% and Mastercard rose 2.3%.Elsewhere in the market, entertainment giant Paramount Skydance slid 10.5% a day after the company was created by the closing of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/paramount-skydance-merger-fcc-approval-74836c0da9dc0b33f580f714a3f2bfbb">an $8 billion merger</a>&nbsp;of Skydance and Paramount. Shares in rival Warner Bros. Discovery sank 8%.The main focus throughout the week has been on President Donald Trump’s trade war and its potential impact on the U.S. economy, as well as the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy. Trump began&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-tariffs-mexico-3b03b98296424e59c7dc19a865d21969">imposing higher import taxes</a>&nbsp;on dozens of countries Thursday.Still, the market appeared to largely shrug off the latest tariff escalation.“The S&amp;P 500’s rebound this week may highlight the extent to which the market is becoming numb to tariff headlines,” said Daniel Skelly, head of Morgan Stanley’s Wealth Management Market Research &amp; Strategy Team.The unknown path of the economy amid an unpredictable tariff policy has been the key reason for the Fed to hold its benchmark interest rate steady.Fed Chair Jerome Powell, though, has been under increasing pressure from Trump to cut interest rates. Policy decisions aren’t made solely by the Fed chair. All 12 members of the Federal Open Market Committee vote on interest rate changes.Trump has an opportunity to exert more control over the Fed following his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-federal-reserve-miran-794df2cd9d33b327bf3b836a553dd5ef">nomination of Stephen Miran</a>&nbsp;to a vacancy on the Fed’s board of governors. Miran is a top economic adviser to Trump and is a near-certain vote in support of lower interest rates.The Fed’s last decision to hold interest rates steady included two votes to lower interest rates. Its next meeting is in September, and Wall Street is overwhelmingly betting that the central bank will cut interest rates by a quarter of a percentage point.Treasury yields edged higher. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.28% from 4.25% late Thursday. The yield on the two-year Treasury which more closely tracks expectations for Fed actions, rose to 3.76% from 3.73% late Thursday.The expectation for an interest rate cut follows a series of signals last week that the economy could be weakening. That included reports showing that inflation edged higher in June and employers in the U.S. hit the brakes on hiring in July.Both are key concerns for the Fed, which has been trying to cool inflation down to its target rate of 2% while also fulfilling its “full employment” mandate.Lower interest rates can give the economy and investment prices a boost, though the downside is that they can also push inflation higher. Concerns about inflation reheating could be overshadowed by worries about a weakening employment market.Wall Street and the Fed will get more insight next week on inflation's temperature and the economy. The government will release updates on inflation at both the consumer and wholesale levels, along with a report on retail sales.“We believe stocks will stay supported amid solid fundamentals, but fresh headlines in the coming week may challenge investor sentiment that remains vulnerable to tariff, economic, and geopolitical risks,” said Ulrike Hoffmann-Burchardi, chief investment officer for the Americas and global head of equities at UBS Global Wealth Management.All told, the S&amp;P 500 rose 49.45 points to 6,389.45. The Dow rose 206.97 points to 44,175.61, and the Nasdaq rose 207.32 points to finish at 21,450.02.Asian markets closed mostly lower except in Tokyo, where the Nikkei rose 1.9% after Japan’s main trade envoy said the U.S. had agreed to correct a problem over tariffs that will apply to exports to the U.S.European markets were mixed.

Wall Street clocks another winning week

CHICAGO (AP) — James Lovell, the commander of Apollo 13 who helped turn a failed moon mission into a triumph of on-the-fly can-do engineering, has died. He was 97.

Lovell died Thursday in Lake Forest, Illinois, NASA said in a statement on Friday.

“Jim’s character and steadfast courage helped our nation reach the Moon and turned a potential tragedy into a success from which we learned an enormous amount,” NASA said. “We mourn his passing even as we celebrate his achievements.”

One of NASA’s most traveled astronauts in the agency’s first decade, Lovell flew four times — Gemini 7, Gemini 12, Apollo 8 and Apollo 13 — with the two Apollo flights riveting the folks back on Earth.

In 1968, the Apollo 8 crew of Lovell, Frank Borman and William Anders was the first to leave Earth’s orbit and the first to fly to and circle the moon. They could not land, but they put the U.S. ahead of the Soviets in the space race. Letter writers told the crew that their stunning pale blue dot photo of Earth from the moon, a world first, and the crew’s Christmas Eve reading from Genesis saved America from a tumultuous 1968.

The Apollo 13 mission had a lifelong impact on Lovell

But the big rescue mission was still to come. That was during the harrowing Apollo 13 flight in April 1970. Lovell was supposed to be the fifth man to walk on the moon. But Apollo 13’s service module, carrying Lovell and two others, experienced a sudden oxygen tank explosion on its way to the moon. The astronauts barely survived, spending four cold and clammy days in the cramped lunar module as a lifeboat.

''The thing that I want most people to remember is (that) in some sense it was very much of a success,’' Lovell said during a 1994 interview. ''Not that we accomplished anything, but a success in that we demonstrated the capability of (NASA) personnel.’'

A retired Navy captain known for his calm demeanor, Lovell told a NASA historian that his brush with death did affect him.

“I don’t worry about crises any longer,” he said in 1999. Whenever he has a problem, “I say, ‘I could have been gone back in 1970. I’m still here. I’m still breathing.’ So, I don’t worry about crises.”

And the mission’s retelling in the popular 1995 movie “Apollo 13” brought Lovell, Fred Haise and Jack Swigert renewed fame — thanks in part to Lovell’s movie persona reporting “Houston, we have a problem,” a phrase he didn’t exactly utter.

Lovell had ice water in his veins like other astronauts, but he didn’t display the swagger some had, just quiet confidence, said Smithsonian Institution historian Roger Launius. He called Lovell “a very personable, very down-to-earth type of person, who says ‘This is what I do. Yes, there’s risk involved. I measure risk.’”

Lovell spent a total of nearly 30 days in space

In all, Lovell flew four space missions — and until the Skylab flights of the mid-1970s, he held the world record for the longest time in space with 715 hours, 4 minutes and 57 seconds.

Aboard Apollo 8, Lovell described the oceans and land masses of Earth. “What I keep imagining, is if I am some lonely traveler from another planet, what I would think about the Earth at this altitude, whether I think it would be inhabited or not,” he remarked.

That mission may be as important as the historic Apollo 11 moon landing, a flight made possible by Apollo 8, Launius said.

“I think in the history of space flight, I would say that Jim was one of the pillars of the early space flight program,” Gene Kranz, NASA’s legendary flight director, once said.

Lovell was immortalized by Tom Hanks’ portrayal

But if historians consider Apollo 8 and Apollo 11 the most significant of the Apollo missions, it was during Lovell’s last mission — immortalized by the popular film starring Tom Hanks as Lovell — that he came to embody for the public the image of the cool, decisive astronaut.

The Apollo 13 crew of Lovell, Haise and Swigert was on the way to the moon in April 1970, when an oxygen tank from the spaceship exploded 200,000 miles from Earth.

That, Lovell recalled, was “the most frightening moment in this whole thing.” Then oxygen began escaping and “we didn’t have solutions to get home.”

“We knew we were in deep, deep trouble,” he told NASA’s historian.

Four-fifths of the way to the moon, NASA scrapped the mission. Suddenly, their only goal was to survive.

Lovell’s “Houston, we’ve had a problem,” a variation of a comment Swigert had radioed moments before, became famous. In Hanks’ version, it became “Houston, we have a problem.”

What unfolded over the next four days captured the imagination of the nation and the world, which until then had largely been indifferent about what seemed a routine mission.

With Lovell commanding the spacecraft, Kranz led hundreds of flight controllers and engineers in a furious rescue plan.

The plan involved the astronauts moving from the service module, which was hemorrhaging oxygen, into the cramped, dark and frigid lunar lander while they rationed their dwindling oxygen, water and electricity. Using the lunar module as a lifeboat, they swung around the moon, aimed for Earth and raced home.

By coolly solving the problems under the most intense pressure imaginable, the astronauts and the crew on the ground became heroes. In the process of turning what seemed routine into a life-and-death struggle, the entire flight team had created one of NASA’s finest moments that ranks with Neil Armstrong’s and Buzz Aldrin’s walks on the moon nine months earlier.

“They demonstrated to the world they could handle truly horrific problems and bring them back alive,” said Launius.

The loss of the opportunity to walk on the moon “is my one regret,” Lovell said in a 1995 interview with The Associated Press for a story on the 25th anniversary of the mission.

President Bill Clinton agreed when he awarded Lovell the Congressional Space Medal of Honor in 1995. “While you may have lost the moon ... you gained something that is far more important perhaps: the abiding respect and gratitude of the American people,” he said.

Lovell once said that while he was disappointed he never walked on the moon, “The mission itself and the fact that we triumphed over certain catastrophe does give me a deep sense of satisfaction.”

And Lovell clearly understood why this failed mission afforded him far more fame than had Apollo 13 accomplished its goal.

“Going to the moon, if everything works right, it’s like following a cookbook. It’s not that big a deal,” he told the AP in 2004. “If something goes wrong, that’s what separates the men from the boys.”

James A. Lovell was born March 25, 1928, in Cleveland. He attended the University of Wisconsin before transferring to the U.S. Naval Academy, in Annapolis, Maryland. On the day he graduated in 1952, he and his wife, Marilyn, were married.

A test pilot at the Navy Test Center in Patuxent River, Maryland, Lovell was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 1962.

Lovell retired from the Navy and from the space program in 1973, and went into private business. In 1994, he and Jeff Kluger wrote “Lost Moon,” the story of the Apollo 13 mission and the basis for the film “Apollo 13.” In one of the final scenes, Lovell appeared as a Navy captain, the rank he actually had.

He and his family ran a now-closed restaurant in suburban Chicago, Lovell’s of Lake Forest.

His wife, Marilynn, died in 2023. Survivors include four children.

AP Science Writer Seth Borenstein contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754681672588.png" alt="James Lovell -image courtesy NASA" />
 <figcaption>James Lovell -image courtesy NASA</figcaption>
 </figure>CHICAGO (AP) — James Lovell, the commander of Apollo 13 who helped turn a failed moon mission into a triumph of on-the-fly can-do engineering, has died. He was 97.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We are saddened by the passing of Jim Lovell, commander of Apollo 13 and a four-time spaceflight veteran. Lovell&#39;s life and work inspired millions. His courage under pressure helped forge our path to the Moon and beyond—a journey that continues today. <a href="https://t.co/AjT8qmxsZI">https://t.co/AjT8qmxsZI</a> <a href="https://t.co/jBlxzgrmSk">pic.twitter.com/jBlxzgrmSk</a>&mdash; NASA (@NASA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NASA/status/1953893398995243332?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Lovell died Thursday in Lake Forest, Illinois, NASA said in a statement on Friday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591121929614.png" alt="The Cosmosphere in Hutchinson, Kansas, houses the Apollo 13 command module. Courtesy of the Cosmosphere" />
 <figcaption>The Cosmosphere in Hutchinson, Kansas, houses the Apollo 13 command module. Courtesy of the Cosmosphere</figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754689800377.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>“Jim’s character and steadfast courage helped our nation reach the Moon and turned a potential tragedy into a success from which we learned an enormous amount,” NASA said. “We mourn his passing even as we celebrate his achievements.”One of NASA’s most traveled astronauts in the agency’s first decade, Lovell flew four times — Gemini 7, Gemini 12, Apollo 8 and Apollo 13 — with the two Apollo flights riveting the folks back on Earth.In 1968, the Apollo 8 crew of Lovell, Frank Borman and William Anders was the first to leave Earth’s orbit and the first to fly to and circle the moon. They could not land, but they put the U.S. ahead of the Soviets in the space race. Letter writers told the crew that their stunning pale blue dot photo of Earth from the moon, a world first, and the crew’s Christmas Eve reading from Genesis saved America from a tumultuous 1968.<h2>The Apollo 13 mission had a lifelong impact on Lovell</h2>But the big rescue mission was still to come. That was during the harrowing Apollo 13 flight in April 1970. Lovell was supposed to be the fifth man to walk on the moon. But Apollo 13’s service module, carrying Lovell and two others, experienced a sudden oxygen tank explosion on its way to the moon. The astronauts barely survived, spending four cold and clammy days in the cramped lunar module as a lifeboat.''The thing that I want most people to remember is (that) in some sense it was very much of a success,’' Lovell said during a 1994 interview. ''Not that we accomplished anything, but a success in that we demonstrated the capability of (NASA) personnel.’'A retired Navy captain known for his calm demeanor, Lovell told a NASA historian that his brush with death did affect him.“I don’t worry about crises any longer,” he said in 1999. Whenever he has a problem, “I say, ‘I could have been gone back in 1970. I’m still here. I’m still breathing.’ So, I don’t worry about crises.”And the mission’s retelling in the popular 1995 movie “Apollo 13” brought Lovell, Fred Haise and Jack Swigert renewed fame — thanks in part to Lovell’s movie persona reporting “Houston, we have a problem,” a phrase he didn’t exactly utter.Lovell had ice water in his veins like other astronauts, but he didn’t display the swagger some had, just quiet confidence, said Smithsonian Institution historian Roger Launius. He called Lovell “a very personable, very down-to-earth type of person, who says ‘This is what I do. Yes, there’s risk involved. I measure risk.’”<h2>Lovell spent a total of nearly 30 days in space</h2>In all, Lovell flew four space missions — and until the Skylab flights of the mid-1970s, he held the world record for the longest time in space with 715 hours, 4 minutes and 57 seconds.Aboard Apollo 8, Lovell described the oceans and land masses of Earth. “What I keep imagining, is if I am some lonely traveler from another planet, what I would think about the Earth at this altitude, whether I think it would be inhabited or not,” he remarked.That mission may be as important as the historic Apollo 11 moon landing, a flight made possible by Apollo 8, Launius said.“I think in the history of space flight, I would say that Jim was one of the pillars of the early space flight program,” Gene Kranz, NASA’s legendary flight director, once said.<h2>Lovell was immortalized by Tom Hanks’ portrayal</h2>But if historians consider Apollo 8 and Apollo 11 the most significant of the Apollo missions, it was during Lovell’s last mission — immortalized by the popular film starring Tom Hanks as Lovell — that he came to embody for the public the image of the cool, decisive astronaut.The Apollo 13 crew of Lovell, Haise and Swigert was on the way to the moon in April 1970, when an oxygen tank from the spaceship exploded 200,000 miles from Earth.That, Lovell recalled, was “the most frightening moment in this whole thing.” Then oxygen began escaping and “we didn’t have solutions to get home.”“We knew we were in deep, deep trouble,” he told NASA’s historian.Four-fifths of the way to the moon, NASA scrapped the mission. Suddenly, their only goal was to survive.Lovell’s “Houston, we’ve had a problem,” a variation of a comment Swigert had radioed moments before, became famous. In Hanks’ version, it became “Houston, we have a problem.”What unfolded over the next four days captured the imagination of the nation and the world, which until then had largely been indifferent about what seemed a routine mission.With Lovell commanding the spacecraft, Kranz led hundreds of flight controllers and engineers in a furious rescue plan.The plan involved the astronauts moving from the service module, which was hemorrhaging oxygen, into the cramped, dark and frigid lunar lander while they rationed their dwindling oxygen, water and electricity. Using the lunar module as a lifeboat, they swung around the moon, aimed for Earth and raced home.By coolly solving the problems under the most intense pressure imaginable, the astronauts and the crew on the ground became heroes. In the process of turning what seemed routine into a life-and-death struggle, the entire flight team had created one of NASA’s finest moments that ranks with Neil Armstrong’s and Buzz Aldrin’s walks on the moon nine months earlier.“They demonstrated to the world they could handle truly horrific problems and bring them back alive,” said Launius.The loss of the opportunity to walk on the moon “is my one regret,” Lovell said in a 1995 interview with The Associated Press for a story on the 25th anniversary of the mission.President Bill Clinton agreed when he awarded Lovell the Congressional Space Medal of Honor in 1995. “While you may have lost the moon ... you gained something that is far more important perhaps: the abiding respect and gratitude of the American people,” he said.Lovell once said that while he was disappointed he never walked on the moon, “The mission itself and the fact that we triumphed over certain catastrophe does give me a deep sense of satisfaction.”And Lovell clearly understood why this failed mission afforded him far more fame than had Apollo 13 accomplished its goal.“Going to the moon, if everything works right, it’s like following a cookbook. It’s not that big a deal,” he told the AP in 2004. “If something goes wrong, that’s what separates the men from the boys.”James A. Lovell was born March 25, 1928, in Cleveland. He attended the University of Wisconsin before transferring to the U.S. Naval Academy, in Annapolis, Maryland. On the day he graduated in 1952, he and his wife, Marilyn, were married.A test pilot at the Navy Test Center in Patuxent River, Maryland, Lovell was selected as an astronaut by NASA in 1962.Lovell retired from the Navy and from the space program in 1973, and went into private business. In 1994, he and Jeff Kluger wrote “Lost Moon,” the story of the Apollo 13 mission and the basis for the film “Apollo 13.” In one of the final scenes, Lovell appeared as a Navy captain, the rank he actually had.He and his family ran a now-closed restaurant in suburban Chicago, Lovell’s of Lake Forest.His wife, Marilynn, died in 2023. Survivors include four children.___AP Science Writer Seth Borenstein contributed to this report.

Astronaut Jim Lovell, famed Apollo 13 commander, dies at 97

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has removed former U.S. Rep. Billy Long as IRS commissioner less than two months after his confirmation, a White House official said Friday.

The official, who was not authorized to speak publicly, spoke on condition of anonymity. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will serve as acting commissioner, the official said. Long will instead serve as ambassador to Iceland, Long said in a statement on the social media site X.

“It is a honor to serve my friend President Trump and I am excited to take on my new role as the ambassador to Iceland. I am thrilled to answer his call to service and deeply committed to advancing his bold agenda. Exciting times ahead!" Long said.

The Senate confirmed Long on a 53-44 vote despite Democrats’ concerns about the Republican’s past work for a firm that pitched a fraud-ridden coronavirus pandemic-era tax break and about campaign contributions he received after Trump nominated him.

Before Long's confirmation, the IRS shuffled through four&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-irs-tax-policy-biden-shapley-b60455836992c078f1177f6802755b91">acting leaders</a>, including one who resigned over a deal between the IRS and the Department of Homeland Security to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-ice-tax-data-deportations-federal-judge-fd696d215843bdc16260dfad471f500d">share immigrants’ tax data</a>&nbsp;with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and another whose appointment led to a fight between former Trump adviser Elon Musk and Bessent.

Long will be the the shortest-tenured IRS commissioner confirmed by the Senate since the position was created in 1862.

His departure also comes after the agency underwent a series of massive job cuts this year, ushered in by Musk's Department of Government Efficiency. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tigta.gov/sites/default/files/reports/2025-07/2025ier027fr.pdf">reports that the agency</a>&nbsp;has been cut down from 103,000 workers in January to 77,000 workers in May 2025. Most of the reductions came from DOGE's deferred resignation program. The workforce reductions were part of the Trump administration’s efforts to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-elon-musk-federal-workers-layoffs-d295d4bb2cdd5023c27d9cb03754e81b">shrink the size of the federal bureaucracy</a>

While in Congress, where he served from 2011 to 2023, Long sponsored&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/25">legislation to get rid of the IRS</a>. A former auctioneer, Long has no background in tax administration.

After leaving Congress to mount an unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate, Long worked with a firm that distributed the pandemic-era employee retention tax credit. That tax credit program was eventually shut down after then-IRS Commissioner&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-commissioner-werfel-362c3a82afccf40780eaf6357afcb637">Daniel Werfel</a>&nbsp;determined that it was fraudulent.

Democrats&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cortezmasto.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cortez-masto-wyden-call-for-criminal-investigation-into-evidence-of-fraud-by-promoters-affiliated-with-irs-nominee-billy-long/">called for a criminal investigation</a>&nbsp;into Long’s connections to other alleged tax credit loopholes. The lawmakers allege that firms connected to Long duped investors into spending millions of dollars to purchase fake tax credits.

An IRS spokesperson referred The Associated Press to the Treasury Department for comment.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754682615731.png" alt="Billy Long, former Missouri Congressman, photo IRS" />
 <figcaption>Billy Long, former Missouri Congressman, photo IRS</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump has removed former U.S. Rep. Billy Long as IRS commissioner less than two months after his confirmation, a White House official said Friday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">“It is a honor to serve my friend President Trump and I am excited to take on my new role as the ambassador to Iceland. I am thrilled to answer his call to service and deeply committed to advancing his bold agenda. Exciting times ahead!” - Billy Long&mdash; Billy Long (@auctnr1) <a href="https://twitter.com/auctnr1/status/1953917753854759307?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">NEW: Billy Long is being replaced as IRS Commissioner… FLASHBACK: 9-5-2018: Laura Loomer interrupts House hearing with then-Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey. Then-Rep. Billy Long (R-LA), a certified auctioneer, begins auctioneering to drown her out. <a href="https://t.co/40BFexIL80">pic.twitter.com/40BFexIL80</a>&mdash; Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) <a href="https://twitter.com/HowardMortman/status/1953907635406688424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 8, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The official, who was not authorized to speak publicly, spoke on condition of anonymity. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent will serve as acting commissioner, the official said. Long will instead serve as ambassador to Iceland, Long said in a statement on the social media site X.“It is a honor to serve my friend President Trump and I am excited to take on my new role as the ambassador to Iceland. I am thrilled to answer his call to service and deeply committed to advancing his bold agenda. Exciting times ahead!" Long said.The Senate confirmed Long on a 53-44 vote despite Democrats’ concerns about the Republican’s past work for a firm that pitched a fraud-ridden coronavirus pandemic-era tax break and about campaign contributions he received after Trump nominated him.Before Long's confirmation, the IRS shuffled through four&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-irs-tax-policy-biden-shapley-b60455836992c078f1177f6802755b91">acting leaders</a>, including one who resigned over a deal between the IRS and the Department of Homeland Security to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-ice-tax-data-deportations-federal-judge-fd696d215843bdc16260dfad471f500d">share immigrants’ tax data</a>&nbsp;with Immigration and Customs Enforcement and another whose appointment led to a fight between former Trump adviser Elon Musk and Bessent.Long will be the the shortest-tenured IRS commissioner confirmed by the Senate since the position was created in 1862.His departure also comes after the agency underwent a series of massive job cuts this year, ushered in by Musk's Department of Government Efficiency. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tigta.gov/sites/default/files/reports/2025-07/2025ier027fr.pdf">reports that the agency</a>&nbsp;has been cut down from 103,000 workers in January to 77,000 workers in May 2025. Most of the reductions came from DOGE's deferred resignation program. The workforce reductions were part of the Trump administration’s efforts to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-elon-musk-federal-workers-layoffs-d295d4bb2cdd5023c27d9cb03754e81b">shrink the size of the federal bureaucracy</a>While in Congress, where he served from 2011 to 2023, Long sponsored&nbsp;<a href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/113th-congress/house-bill/25">legislation to get rid of the IRS</a>. A former auctioneer, Long has no background in tax administration.After leaving Congress to mount an unsuccessful bid for the U.S. Senate, Long worked with a firm that distributed the pandemic-era employee retention tax credit. That tax credit program was eventually shut down after then-IRS Commissioner&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/irs-commissioner-werfel-362c3a82afccf40780eaf6357afcb637">Daniel Werfel</a>&nbsp;determined that it was fraudulent.Democrats&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cortezmasto.senate.gov/news/press-releases/cortez-masto-wyden-call-for-criminal-investigation-into-evidence-of-fraud-by-promoters-affiliated-with-irs-nominee-billy-long/">called for a criminal investigation</a>&nbsp;into Long’s connections to other alleged tax credit loopholes. The lawmakers allege that firms connected to Long duped investors into spending millions of dollars to purchase fake tax credits.An IRS spokesperson referred The Associated Press to the Treasury Department for comment.

 IRS commissioner is out; Trump is sending him where?

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

TOPEKA — Kansas reported no new measles cases for the third week in a row Wednesday, and health officials are encouraging parents to vaccinate their children as they return to school next week to keep that trend going.&nbsp;

The lack of new cases puts Kansas about halfway through the 42 days required for a measles outbreak to be considered over, which is two incubation periods of 21 days each, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.&nbsp;

Close proximity in classrooms creates the ideal environment for the spread of measles, considered the most contagious vaccine-preventable disease, said Karen Winkelman, public health director for the Barton County Health Department.&nbsp;

She said county health officials maintain a strong working relationship with schools, which helps speed communications if there is a measles case.

“With measles, it’s going to be quick action, quick notification,” she said, adding that they’re also encouraging schools to adopt and teach strong hygiene practices.

Handwashing, good practices when sneezing and coughing, and encouraging parents to keep their children home when they have symptoms are among the practices Winkelman highlighted.

“Also review immunization records, making sure they are properly and appropriately vaccinated, and also just being honest, up front,” she said. “We’re not going to force vaccination, but we want you to know what the consequences are if there would happen to be an exposure.”

With a 21-day incubation period, an unvaccinated child who has been exposed may not be able to attend school for that time period.

School vaccination data from 2025 isn’t available yet, but many Kansas school districts last year reported&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/04/02/vaccination-rates-down-in-most-kansas-counties-where-measles-cases-occurring/">decreased vaccination rates</a>, according to Kansas State Department of Education data. For instance, the Gray County kindergarten vaccination rate dropped from 76% in the 2022-23 school year to 66% in 2023-24. Stevens County dropped from 98% to 83% in the same time period.

Ninety cases of measles have been reported in 12 Kansas counties since January, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/2314/Measles-Outbreak-Data" target="_blank">Kansas Department of Health and Environment data</a>. Most of the cases, 87, are related to an outbreak, which occurs when three or more cases are linked to each other.&nbsp;

The last new Kansas measles cases were reported during the week of July 6.&nbsp;

“Certainly we can hope that the current outbreak situation is improved and nearly ending,” said Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control at the University of Kansas Health System.

But Hawkinson said measles cases continue to increase at the national level. The CDC reported 1,356 confirmed cases of measles as of Wednesday.

Communicating about the importance of vaccines continues to be important, he said. Many people still quote information that has been thoroughly researched and debunked, Hawkinson said.

“There have continued to be publications which continue to support the safety and benefits of vaccines, but especially the (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine,” he said. “There continue to be new, updated, well-done studies that show the safety of these vaccines.”

Hawkinson referenced&nbsp;<a href="https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-25-00997" target="_blank">a recent Denmark study</a>&nbsp;of 1.2 million children born between 1997 and 2018 that found no association between minute amounts of aluminum in vaccines and long-term health impacts.

“I think we have to continue to promote honest science and transparency, and it is a battle against disinformation, which has persisted and really grown in the past few decades,” he said.

Hawkinson said vaccine information has become intertwined with political and societal views.

“When we’re talking about our mechanic or our lawyer or our electrician, we will listen to them and take their advice,” he said. “But when it comes to the most important thing, we are finding it harder and harder, as a society, to take the advice of those people and those experts who are dedicating their lives and their training and their every day to giving accurate information and trying to keep individuals and communities healthy.”

Hawkinson said it’s important for parents to make informed decisions about their children’s health, and to also consider that an illness like measles can have an economic impact in terms of missed work and medical costs.

Before the measles vaccine was available in the 1960s, most people were infected with the measles virus, with about 400 to 500 people dying each year; 48,000 being hospitalized; and 1,000 suffering from encephalitis, or brain swelling, the CDC website said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/3/1743085628490.png" alt="Photo by Tatiana Lanzieri Centers for Disease Control and Prevention" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Tatiana Lanzieri Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</figcaption>
 </figure>BY&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/mchilson/">MORGAN CHILSON</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Kansas reported no new measles cases for the third week in a row Wednesday, and health officials are encouraging parents to vaccinate their children as they return to school next week to keep that trend going.&nbsp;The lack of new cases puts Kansas about halfway through the 42 days required for a measles outbreak to be considered over, which is two incubation periods of 21 days each, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.&nbsp;Close proximity in classrooms creates the ideal environment for the spread of measles, considered the most contagious vaccine-preventable disease, said Karen Winkelman, public health director for the Barton County Health Department.&nbsp;She said county health officials maintain a strong working relationship with schools, which helps speed communications if there is a measles case.“With measles, it’s going to be quick action, quick notification,” she said, adding that they’re also encouraging schools to adopt and teach strong hygiene practices.Handwashing, good practices when sneezing and coughing, and encouraging parents to keep their children home when they have symptoms are among the practices Winkelman highlighted.“Also review immunization records, making sure they are properly and appropriately vaccinated, and also just being honest, up front,” she said. “We’re not going to force vaccination, but we want you to know what the consequences are if there would happen to be an exposure.”With a 21-day incubation period, an unvaccinated child who has been exposed may not be able to attend school for that time period.School vaccination data from 2025 isn’t available yet, but many Kansas school districts last year reported&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/04/02/vaccination-rates-down-in-most-kansas-counties-where-measles-cases-occurring/">decreased vaccination rates</a>, according to Kansas State Department of Education data. For instance, the Gray County kindergarten vaccination rate dropped from 76% in the 2022-23 school year to 66% in 2023-24. Stevens County dropped from 98% to 83% in the same time period.Ninety cases of measles have been reported in 12 Kansas counties since January, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/2314/Measles-Outbreak-Data" target="_blank">Kansas Department of Health and Environment data</a>. Most of the cases, 87, are related to an outbreak, which occurs when three or more cases are linked to each other.&nbsp;The last new Kansas measles cases were reported during the week of July 6.&nbsp;“Certainly we can hope that the current outbreak situation is improved and nearly ending,” said Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control at the University of Kansas Health System.But Hawkinson said measles cases continue to increase at the national level. The CDC reported 1,356 confirmed cases of measles as of Wednesday.Communicating about the importance of vaccines continues to be important, he said. Many people still quote information that has been thoroughly researched and debunked, Hawkinson said.“There have continued to be publications which continue to support the safety and benefits of vaccines, but especially the (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine,” he said. “There continue to be new, updated, well-done studies that show the safety of these vaccines.”Hawkinson referenced&nbsp;<a href="https://www.acpjournals.org/doi/10.7326/ANNALS-25-00997" target="_blank">a recent Denmark study</a>&nbsp;of 1.2 million children born between 1997 and 2018 that found no association between minute amounts of aluminum in vaccines and long-term health impacts.“I think we have to continue to promote honest science and transparency, and it is a battle against disinformation, which has persisted and really grown in the past few decades,” he said.Hawkinson said vaccine information has become intertwined with political and societal views.“When we’re talking about our mechanic or our lawyer or our electrician, we will listen to them and take their advice,” he said. “But when it comes to the most important thing, we are finding it harder and harder, as a society, to take the advice of those people and those experts who are dedicating their lives and their training and their every day to giving accurate information and trying to keep individuals and communities healthy.”Hawkinson said it’s important for parents to make informed decisions about their children’s health, and to also consider that an illness like measles can have an economic impact in terms of missed work and medical costs.Before the measles vaccine was available in the 1960s, most people were infected with the measles virus, with about 400 to 500 people dying each year; 48,000 being hospitalized; and 1,000 suffering from encephalitis, or brain swelling, the CDC website said.

Kansas reports no new measles cases in three weeks as cases increase nationally

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement&nbsp; investigating a homicide in Topeka have identified the victim as 42-year-old Drew Davis, according to Topeka Police Lt. Ronnie Connell.

Just after 11:15 p.m., Wednesday, police responded to a shooting in the 100 block of NW Kendall Avenue in Topeka.&nbsp; As officers arrived in the area, they located Davis suffering from life-threatening injuries. While on the scene, medical personnel pronounced him deceased.&nbsp;

This is the city’s 14th homicide investigation of 2025.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754568656602.png" alt="Photo by Cole Hermesch courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Cole Hermesch courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement&nbsp; investigating a homicide in Topeka have identified the victim as 42-year-old Drew Davis, according to Topeka Police Lt. Ronnie Connell.Just after 11:15 p.m., Wednesday, police responded to a shooting in the 100 block of NW Kendall Avenue in Topeka.&nbsp; As officers arrived in the area, they located Davis suffering from life-threatening injuries. While on the scene, medical personnel pronounced him deceased.&nbsp;This is the city’s 14th homicide investigation of 2025.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Police ID 42-year-old Kansas homicide victim

GREENBELT, Md. (AP) — A federal judge in Maryland late Thursday ruled President Donald Trump’s administration cannot withhold citizenship from children born to people in the country illegally or temporarily, issuing the fourth court decision blocking the president’s birthright citizenship order nationwide since a key U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-birthright-citizenship-immigration-9da9e11d83f2fd3cbf95e6a733651daf">ruling</a>&nbsp;in June.

U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman’s preliminary injunction was expected after the judge said last month she would issue such an order if the case were returned to her by an appeals court. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sent the case back to her later in July.

Since June, two other district courts, as well as an appellate panel of judges, have also blocked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/birthright-citizenship-immigration-trump-20919d26029cf0f98ecb0dc7f90a066b">the birthright order</a>&nbsp;nationwide.

An email to the White House for comment was not immediately returned.

Trump’s January order would deny citizenship to children born to parents living in the U.S. illegally or temporarily.

Boardman in February issued a preliminary injunction blocking it nationwide. But the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-birthright-citizenship-immigration-9da9e11d83f2fd3cbf95e6a733651daf">June ruling</a>&nbsp;by the U.S. Supreme Court upended that decision and other court rulings blocking the order across the nation.

The justices ruled that lower courts generally can’t issue nationwide injunctions, but they didn’t rule out other court orders that could have nationwide effects, including in class-action lawsuits and those brought by states.

In her ruling Thursday, Boardman certified a class of all children who have been born or will be born in the United States after February 19, 2025, who would be affected by Trump’s order.

She said the plaintiffs in the lawsuit before her were “extremely likely” to win their argument that the birthright order violates the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which includes a citizenship clause that says all people born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to U.S. jurisdiction, are citizens. They were also likely to suffer irreparable harm if the order went into effect, she wrote.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/5/1747849916674.png" alt="File photo White House" />
 <figcaption>File photo White House</figcaption>
 </figure>GREENBELT, Md. (AP) — A federal judge in Maryland late Thursday ruled President Donald Trump’s administration cannot withhold citizenship from children born to people in the country illegally or temporarily, issuing the fourth court decision blocking the president’s birthright citizenship order nationwide since a key U.S. Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-birthright-citizenship-immigration-9da9e11d83f2fd3cbf95e6a733651daf">ruling</a>&nbsp;in June.U.S. District Judge Deborah Boardman’s preliminary injunction was expected after the judge said last month she would issue such an order if the case were returned to her by an appeals court. The 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals sent the case back to her later in July.Since June, two other district courts, as well as an appellate panel of judges, have also blocked&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/birthright-citizenship-immigration-trump-20919d26029cf0f98ecb0dc7f90a066b">the birthright order</a>&nbsp;nationwide.An email to the White House for comment was not immediately returned.Trump’s January order would deny citizenship to children born to parents living in the U.S. illegally or temporarily.Boardman in February issued a preliminary injunction blocking it nationwide. But the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-birthright-citizenship-immigration-9da9e11d83f2fd3cbf95e6a733651daf">June ruling</a>&nbsp;by the U.S. Supreme Court upended that decision and other court rulings blocking the order across the nation.The justices ruled that lower courts generally can’t issue nationwide injunctions, but they didn’t rule out other court orders that could have nationwide effects, including in class-action lawsuits and those brought by states.In her ruling Thursday, Boardman certified a class of all children who have been born or will be born in the United States after February 19, 2025, who would be affected by Trump’s order.She said the plaintiffs in the lawsuit before her were “extremely likely” to win their argument that the birthright order violates the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, which includes a citizenship clause that says all people born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to U.S. jurisdiction, are citizens. They were also likely to suffer irreparable harm if the order went into effect, she wrote.<figure>
 <img src="https://sync.intentiq.com/profiles_engine/ProfilesEngineServlet?at=20&amp;mi=10&amp;secure=1&amp;dpi=456059511&amp;iiqidtype=2&amp;iiqpcid=af53ea04-0e6c-4047-87a7-d92e9e195176&amp;iiqpciddate=1754666222737&amp;tsrnd=467_1754666222738&amp;vrref=&amp;jsver=5.082" alt="" />
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 </figure>

Another judge blocks Trump's birthright order nationwide 

Hutchinson Community College (HutchCC) and Barton Community College have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) establishing a new partnership aimed at expanding access to respiratory care education and addressing a growing workforce need in central Kansas.

Through this agreement, students from Barton will complete their general education requirements at Barton and then have the opportunity to transition into HutchCC’s Respiratory Care Program. The partnership was developed in response to an increased demand for respiratory care professionals in Barton’s service area, which includes nine regional hospitals."

This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to meeting the healthcare workforce needs of our communities," said Dr. Tricia Paramore, President of Hutchinson Community College. "By working together, we are creating clearer pathways for students and helping ensure that Kansas hospitals have access to the skilled respiratory therapists they urgently need."

Dr. Marcus Garstecki, President of Barton Community College, echoed the value of the partnership: “We’ve seen a significant increase in the demand for respiratory care professionals across our service area. Partnering with HutchCC allows us to provide our students with a high-quality, accessible path into this critical field, while also supporting the healthcare systems in our region.”

The collaboration aligns with both institutions’ missions to provide affordable, accessible, and relevant education while serving the needs of Kansas communities.

For more information about the Respiratory Care Program, visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.hutchcc.edu/rt">www.hutchcc.edu/rt</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754664885506.jpeg" alt="Hutch CC BartonCC Respiratory " />
 <figcaption>Hutch CC BartonCC Respiratory </figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON COMMUNITY COLLEGEHutchinson Community College (HutchCC) and Barton Community College have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) establishing a new partnership aimed at expanding access to respiratory care education and addressing a growing workforce need in central Kansas.Through this agreement, students from Barton will complete their general education requirements at Barton and then have the opportunity to transition into HutchCC’s Respiratory Care Program. The partnership was developed in response to an increased demand for respiratory care professionals in Barton’s service area, which includes nine regional hospitals."This collaboration reflects our shared commitment to meeting the healthcare workforce needs of our communities," said Dr. Tricia Paramore, President of Hutchinson Community College. "By working together, we are creating clearer pathways for students and helping ensure that Kansas hospitals have access to the skilled respiratory therapists they urgently need."Dr. Marcus Garstecki, President of Barton Community College, echoed the value of the partnership: “We’ve seen a significant increase in the demand for respiratory care professionals across our service area. Partnering with HutchCC allows us to provide our students with a high-quality, accessible path into this critical field, while also supporting the healthcare systems in our region.”The collaboration aligns with both institutions’ missions to provide affordable, accessible, and relevant education while serving the needs of Kansas communities.For more information about the Respiratory Care Program, visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.hutchcc.edu/rt">www.hutchcc.edu/rt</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

HutchCC and Barton CC announce new partnership

FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect following a road rage incident, his second arrest for similar behavior in three months, according to Garden City police.

Around 8 a.m. Wednesday, police responded to a report of a road rage altercation along W. Kansas Avenue in Garden City. The reporting party stated that they and another driver, identified as Andrew Ortiz, 31, were involved in an incident during which Ortiz allegedly pointed a handgun at them before fleeing the area. 

With the assistance of the Finney County Sheriff’s Office, police quickly located Ortiz in the 200 block of N. 11th Street. A high-risk traffic stop was conducted, and Ortiz was taken into custody. 

Officers later recovered a lower receiver of a firearm. Ortiz, who was arrested for a similar incident in May, is being held in the Finney County Jail on requested charges of Aggravated Assault. There were no injuries from the incident. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754575860844.png" alt="Ortiz photo Finney County" />
 <figcaption>Ortiz photo Finney County</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a suspect following a road rage incident, his second arrest for similar behavior in three months, according to Garden City police.Around 8 a.m. Wednesday, police responded to a report of a road rage altercation along W. Kansas Avenue in Garden City. The reporting party stated that they and another driver, identified as Andrew Ortiz, 31, were involved in an incident during which Ortiz allegedly pointed a handgun at them before fleeing the area. With the assistance of the Finney County Sheriff’s Office, police quickly located Ortiz in the 200 block of N. 11th Street. A high-risk traffic stop was conducted, and Ortiz was taken into custody. Officers later recovered a lower receiver of a firearm. Ortiz, who was arrested for a similar incident in May, is being held in the Finney County Jail on requested charges of Aggravated Assault. There were no injuries from the incident.

Road rage: SW Kan. man jailed again for pointing a gun at another driver 

The Department of State and the Department of Justice are announcing a reward offer increase of up to $50 million under the Narcotics Rewards Program (NRP) for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Nicolás Maduro for violating U.S. narcotics laws, according to a statement from agency.

For over a decade, Maduro has been a leader of Cartel de los Soles, which is responsible for trafficking drugs into the United States.&nbsp; On July 25, 2025, the U.S. Department of the Treasury designated Cartel de Los Soles as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).&nbsp;

Since 2020, Maduro has strangled democracy and grasped at power in Venezuela.&nbsp; Maduro claimed to have won Venezuela’s July 28, 2024, presidential election but failed to present any evidence that he had prevailed.&nbsp; The United States has refused to recognize Maduro as the winner of 2024 election and does not recognize him as the President of Venezuela.&nbsp;

Today’s reward offer is authorized by the Secretary under the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.state.gov/releases-bureau-of-international-narcotics-and-law-enforcement-affairs?results=30&amp;currpage=2&amp;totalpages=2&amp;coll_filter_year&amp;coll_filter_month&amp;coll_filter_speaker&amp;coll_filter_country&amp;coll_filter_release_type=1438&amp;coll_filter_bureau&amp;coll_filter_program&amp;coll_filter_profession" target="_blank">NRP</a>, which supports law enforcement efforts to disrupt transnational crime globally and bring fugitives to justice as a key pillar of President Trump’s “America First” priorities.&nbsp; If you have information, please contact the DEA by phone (voice, WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, or text) at +1-202-681-8187, or by&nbsp;<a href="mailto:CartelSolesTips@dea.gov">email</a>.&nbsp; If you are located outside the United States, you may also visit the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.&nbsp; If you are in the United States, you can also contact the local DEA field office.

ALL IDENTITIES ARE KEPT STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.&nbsp; Government officials and employees are not eligible for rewards.

The Department of State and the Department of Justice are announcing a reward offer increase of up to $50 million under the Narcotics Rewards Program (NRP) for information leading to the arrest and/or conviction of Nicolás Maduro for violating U.S. narcotics laws, according to a statement from agency.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Today, <a href="https://twitter.com/TheJusticeDept?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TheJusticeDept</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/StateDept?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@StateDept</a> are announcing a $50 MILLION REWARD for information leading to the arrest of Nicolás Maduro. <a href="https://t.co/D8LNqjS9yk">pic.twitter.com/D8LNqjS9yk</a>&mdash; Attorney General Pamela Bondi (@AGPamBondi) <a href="https://twitter.com/AGPamBondi/status/1953583017353466306?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 7, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>For over a decade, Maduro has been a leader of Cartel de los Soles, which is responsible for trafficking drugs into the United States.&nbsp; On July 25, 2025, the U.S. Department of the Treasury designated Cartel de Los Soles as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT).&nbsp;Since 2020, Maduro has strangled democracy and grasped at power in Venezuela.&nbsp; Maduro claimed to have won Venezuela’s July 28, 2024, presidential election but failed to present any evidence that he had prevailed.&nbsp; The United States has refused to recognize Maduro as the winner of 2024 election and does not recognize him as the President of Venezuela.&nbsp;Today’s reward offer is authorized by the Secretary under the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.state.gov/releases-bureau-of-international-narcotics-and-law-enforcement-affairs?results=30&amp;currpage=2&amp;totalpages=2&amp;coll_filter_year&amp;coll_filter_month&amp;coll_filter_speaker&amp;coll_filter_country&amp;coll_filter_release_type=1438&amp;coll_filter_bureau&amp;coll_filter_program&amp;coll_filter_profession" target="_blank">NRP</a>, which supports law enforcement efforts to disrupt transnational crime globally and bring fugitives to justice as a key pillar of President Trump’s “America First” priorities.&nbsp; If you have information, please contact the DEA by phone (voice, WhatsApp, Signal, Telegram, or text) at +1-202-681-8187, or by&nbsp;<a href="mailto:CartelSolesTips@dea.gov">email</a>.&nbsp; If you are located outside the United States, you may also visit the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate.&nbsp; If you are in the United States, you can also contact the local DEA field office.ALL IDENTITIES ARE KEPT STRICTLY CONFIDENTIAL.&nbsp; Government officials and employees are not eligible for rewards.