The Marion County Health Department has identified a suspected rabies case in a feral (stray) cat at the Marion County Lake, according to a media release.

The cat was in a residential area exhibiting suspicious behavior including aggression, confusion, and stilted movement the evening of Wednesday, July 9. The animal was disposed of but was unable to be tested.

Rabies is a serious and fatal viral disease that affects mammals, including humans. Rabies is transmitted through a bite or scratch from an infected animal, or when saliva or brain tissue from a rabid animal comes into contact with broken skin, eyes, nose, or mouth.

While this specific animal is no longer a threat, the public is urged to be observant and to take the following precautions:

• Avoid contact with wild or feral animals.

• Keep pets up to date on rabies vaccinations.

• Report any suspicious or aggressive animal behavior to the County Sheriff’s Office&nbsp;

For questions regarding possible rabies exposure, contact the Marion County Health Department at 620-382-2550.

The Marion County Health Department has identified a suspected rabies case in a feral (stray) cat at the Marion County Lake, according to a media release.The cat was in a residential area exhibiting suspicious behavior including aggression, confusion, and stilted movement the evening of Wednesday, July 9. The animal was disposed of but was unable to be tested.Rabies is a serious and fatal viral disease that affects mammals, including humans. Rabies is transmitted through a bite or scratch from an infected animal, or when saliva or brain tissue from a rabid animal comes into contact with broken skin, eyes, nose, or mouth.While this specific animal is no longer a threat, the public is urged to be observant and to take the following precautions:• Avoid contact with wild or feral animals.• Keep pets up to date on rabies vaccinations.• Report any suspicious or aggressive animal behavior to the County Sheriff’s Office&nbsp;For questions regarding possible rabies exposure, contact the Marion County Health Department at 620-382-2550.

Kan. county health dept. reports rabies case in stray cat 

Father of 5-year-old victim says justice for daughter calls for death penalty

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — A perpetually homeless man abused by his parents and shuffled as a youth among more than 17 foster homes and two psychiatric hospitals received a life sentence in prison Tuesday without possibility of parole for half a century in the rape and murder of a Topeka preschool girl entrusted to his care.

Shawnee County District Judge Jessica Heinen ordered Mickel Cherry, who admitted to smothering 5-year-old Zoey Felix in 2023, to serve consecutive life sentences requiring incarceration for a minimum of 50 years before being evaluated for possible release. Defense counsel recommended their developmentally disabled client serve the pair of life sentences concurrently so parole could be an option after 25 years. The prosecution argued the extreme depravity of the crimes necessitated at least 50 years behind bars.

Cherry pleaded guilty to both offenses in exchange for the district attorney not pursuing the death penalty.

“The evidence shows you violently, forcibly and inhumanely raped Zoey,” Heinen told Cherry at close of a heart-wrenching two-day hearing. “You then murdered Zoey.”

Heinen, who had the authority to order concurrent or consecutive life sentences, said her decision reflected Cherry’s attempt to conceal his involvement by blaming an imaginary Mexican man and lying repeatedly to Topeka law enforcement officers. In a police station interrogation on the day of Zoey’s death, Cherry confessed and has remained at the Shawnee County Jail for the past 650 days.

The judge asked Cherry if he wanted to make a statement to the court, and his response — “No, Ma’am” — frustrated some family members looking for a glimmer of remorse. They had spent two days studying his mostly blank expression and tendency to bury his chin in his chest. He spoke periodically to his attorneys, but made few hand gestures given that his wrists were handcuffed to a chain linked to ankle shackles.

Zeke Felix, Zoey’s father, said in an interview that he wasn’t content with the decision of District Attorney Mike Kagay to set aside the capital punishment option. He understood there were potential legal complications with seeking the death penalty because of Cherry’s diminished mental capacity, but thought an attempt should have been made to achieve what he viewed as full justice for his daughter.

“I’m not content, but satisfied,” said Zeke Felix, who sat during the proceeding in the front row behind prosecutors. “The death penalty was off the table.”

Kagay, who handled the sentencing phase with two colleagues from the district attorney’s office, said there was no easy way to talk about what the defendant did to the victim. He said in most criminal cases there were thin slices of humanity or fractured pieces of a puzzle to provide context or explain the horror.

“Not here,” he said. “Not in this case.”

Kagay said it was outrageous that Cherry, while divulging how he squeezed the life from Zoey, informed a Topeka police detective that sometimes a “good person” such as himself committed senseless crimes.

“Mickel Cherry made the conscious decision to kill Zoey. Why? In a failed attempt to avoid responsibility,” Kagay said. “The most egregious crimes demand the heaviest penalties. Each of these crimes call out today for justice.”

The district attorney responded to defense witness testimony and court filings dedicated to outlining how Cherry emerged from a Texas childhood marked by abuse and mental instability to land in an isolated Kansas tent encampment where Zoey’s life ended. Kagay conceded state foster care systems allowed children to fall through the cracks, but he rejected that required mercy beyond setting aside the death penalty for Cherry.

“The law has already shown him clemency,” Kagay said. “There is no question who is to blame here. No failure of any system caused him to rape and murder Zoey Felix.”

Defense attorney Peter Conley, who is the state’s deputy capital defender, presented evidence Cherry endured persistent abuse while a minor. There were Texas reports showing his mother put a lit cigarette to his head, leaving a permanent scar. Domestic violence was a routine occurrence in his parents’ home, reports showed. He was beaten with sticks, fists and even a hammer by adults in his life.

The large but incomplete file on Cherry’s upbringing indicated he lived in places where adults required disobedient children to stand in a cold shower all night or remain crouched in stress positions for hours. Elsewhere, he was forced to spend long periods of time in a yard with a dangerous dog. He was adopted at age 14, but was subsequently left on his own at 18 without the skills to live independently.

“The system failed him utterly and completely,” said Beth Robinson, a professor at Colorado Christian University who was the first Texas counselor Cherry encountered when taken from his parents at age 5. “He needed a whole different type of therapy and intervention.”

She testified for the defense that one-third of children who spent extended time in foster care ended up homeless and about half eventually found their way into criminal entanglements.

Conley said it was important the sentencing judge in Kansas respond to the odious offenses committed by Cherry by imposing a life sentence. It was equally significant for the court to factor into the equation the role of a dysfunctional Texas foster care system as well as the Kansas Department for Children and Families’ failure to sufficiently respond to reports Zoey was being neglected, he said.

That history argued for a sentence that provided Cherry a thin but reasonable hope of walking out of a prison in something closer to 25 years instead of 50 years, Conley said.

“The heart of this issue is DCF had information about unsafe environments for Zoey Felix and didn’t do enough about it,” Conley said. “Actions have consequences. Mickel needs to be punished. Inaction also has consequences.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696342029742.png" alt="Cherry photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Cherry photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Father of 5-year-old victim says justice for daughter calls for death penalty</h2>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — A perpetually homeless man abused by his parents and shuffled as a youth among more than 17 foster homes and two psychiatric hospitals received a life sentence in prison Tuesday without possibility of parole for half a century in the rape and murder of a Topeka preschool girl entrusted to his care.Shawnee County District Judge Jessica Heinen ordered Mickel Cherry, who admitted to smothering 5-year-old Zoey Felix in 2023, to serve consecutive life sentences requiring incarceration for a minimum of 50 years before being evaluated for possible release. Defense counsel recommended their developmentally disabled client serve the pair of life sentences concurrently so parole could be an option after 25 years. The prosecution argued the extreme depravity of the crimes necessitated at least 50 years behind bars.Cherry pleaded guilty to both offenses in exchange for the district attorney not pursuing the death penalty.“The evidence shows you violently, forcibly and inhumanely raped Zoey,” Heinen told Cherry at close of a heart-wrenching two-day hearing. “You then murdered Zoey.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696600819324.png" alt="Zoey Felix photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Zoey Felix photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>Heinen, who had the authority to order concurrent or consecutive life sentences, said her decision reflected Cherry’s attempt to conceal his involvement by blaming an imaginary Mexican man and lying repeatedly to Topeka law enforcement officers. In a police station interrogation on the day of Zoey’s death, Cherry confessed and has remained at the Shawnee County Jail for the past 650 days.The judge asked Cherry if he wanted to make a statement to the court, and his response — “No, Ma’am” — frustrated some family members looking for a glimmer of remorse. They had spent two days studying his mostly blank expression and tendency to bury his chin in his chest. He spoke periodically to his attorneys, but made few hand gestures given that his wrists were handcuffed to a chain linked to ankle shackles.Zeke Felix, Zoey’s father, said in an interview that he wasn’t content with the decision of District Attorney Mike Kagay to set aside the capital punishment option. He understood there were potential legal complications with seeking the death penalty because of Cherry’s diminished mental capacity, but thought an attempt should have been made to achieve what he viewed as full justice for his daughter.“I’m not content, but satisfied,” said Zeke Felix, who sat during the proceeding in the front row behind prosecutors. “The death penalty was off the table.”<h2>‘Conscious decision’</h2>Kagay, who handled the sentencing phase with two colleagues from the district attorney’s office, said there was no easy way to talk about what the defendant did to the victim. He said in most criminal cases there were thin slices of humanity or fractured pieces of a puzzle to provide context or explain the horror.“Not here,” he said. “Not in this case.”Kagay said it was outrageous that Cherry, while divulging how he squeezed the life from Zoey, informed a Topeka police detective that sometimes a “good person” such as himself committed senseless crimes.“Mickel Cherry made the conscious decision to kill Zoey. Why? In a failed attempt to avoid responsibility,” Kagay said. “The most egregious crimes demand the heaviest penalties. Each of these crimes call out today for justice.”The district attorney responded to defense witness testimony and court filings dedicated to outlining how Cherry emerged from a Texas childhood marked by abuse and mental instability to land in an isolated Kansas tent encampment where Zoey’s life ended. Kagay conceded state foster care systems allowed children to fall through the cracks, but he rejected that required mercy beyond setting aside the death penalty for Cherry.“The law has already shown him clemency,” Kagay said. “There is no question who is to blame here. No failure of any system caused him to rape and murder Zoey Felix.”<h2>Heart of the issue’</h2>Defense attorney Peter Conley, who is the state’s deputy capital defender, presented evidence Cherry endured persistent abuse while a minor. There were Texas reports showing his mother put a lit cigarette to his head, leaving a permanent scar. Domestic violence was a routine occurrence in his parents’ home, reports showed. He was beaten with sticks, fists and even a hammer by adults in his life.The large but incomplete file on Cherry’s upbringing indicated he lived in places where adults required disobedient children to stand in a cold shower all night or remain crouched in stress positions for hours. Elsewhere, he was forced to spend long periods of time in a yard with a dangerous dog. He was adopted at age 14, but was subsequently left on his own at 18 without the skills to live independently.“The system failed him utterly and completely,” said Beth Robinson, a professor at Colorado Christian University who was the first Texas counselor Cherry encountered when taken from his parents at age 5. “He needed a whole different type of therapy and intervention.”She testified for the defense that one-third of children who spent extended time in foster care ended up homeless and about half eventually found their way into criminal entanglements.Conley said it was important the sentencing judge in Kansas respond to the odious offenses committed by Cherry by imposing a life sentence. It was equally significant for the court to factor into the equation the role of a dysfunctional Texas foster care system as well as the Kansas Department for Children and Families’ failure to sufficiently respond to reports Zoey was being neglected, he said.That history argued for a sentence that provided Cherry a thin but reasonable hope of walking out of a prison in something closer to 25 years instead of 50 years, Conley said.“The heart of this issue is DCF had information about unsafe environments for Zoey Felix and didn’t do enough about it,” Conley said. “Actions have consequences. Mickel needs to be punished. Inaction also has consequences.”

Kansas man given minimum 50-year sentence in case questioning state’s foster care system

SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement continue to find drivers traveling far above the posted speed limit. Sometimes officers find even more.

According to the Kansas Highway Patrol Troop H, Southeast Kansas Master Trooper Bales was on his way to a training class when he stopped a car on Interstate 135 south of Salina.&nbsp; The driver was traveling 104mph. He was also accused of transporting an open container, Driving under the influence and did not have a driver's license.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752625758451.png" alt="Photo KHP" />
 <figcaption>Photo KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —Law enforcement continue to find drivers traveling far above the posted speed limit. Sometimes officers find even more.According to the Kansas Highway Patrol Troop H, Southeast Kansas Master Trooper Bales was on his way to a training class when he stopped a car on Interstate 135 south of Salina.&nbsp; The driver was traveling 104mph. He was also accused of transporting an open container, Driving under the influence and did not have a driver's license.&nbsp;

KHP: Driver with no license stopped for 104 mph, accused of DUI

JACKSON COUNTY —A registered Kansas drug offender is back in custody after an encounter in the Jackson County, Kansas sheriff's office parking lot.

Just after 7p.m. July 12,&nbsp;&nbsp;a Sheriff’s Deputy arrested 48-year-old Rebecca Blackburn of Clay Center in the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office parking lot.

&nbsp; She was booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of aggravated violation of the offender registration act, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.&nbsp; Blackburn has been listed as a registered offender since 2009 after a drug distribution conviction in 2007 and a heroin distribution conviction in 2017, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752504844445.png" alt="Blackburn photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Blackburn photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY —A registered Kansas drug offender is back in custody after an encounter in the Jackson County, Kansas sheriff's office parking lot.Just after 7p.m. July 12,&nbsp;&nbsp;a Sheriff’s Deputy arrested 48-year-old Rebecca Blackburn of Clay Center in the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office parking lot.&nbsp; She was booked into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of aggravated violation of the offender registration act, possession of methamphetamine and possession of drug paraphernalia.&nbsp; Blackburn has been listed as a registered offender since 2009 after a drug distribution conviction in 2007 and a heroin distribution conviction in 2017, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Registered Kan. offender arrested in sheriff's office parking lot

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating another homicide in Kansas City, Missouri have identified the victim as 29-year-old Keilan Dobbs, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

Just after 4p.m. Thursday, patrol officers were dispatched to report of a shooting at 118th and Winchester.

.As officers arrived they located Dobbs and a woman in the street, suffering from gunshot wounds. Officers immediately began performing life saving measures and ordered EMS to the scene. Dobbs was pronounced deceased at the scene. EMS transported the woman to a local hospital with serious injuries.

This is being investigated as a homicide. Preliminary information indicated there was an altercation between several individuals. The argument escalated into a physical confrontation, which led to shots being fired, and the victims being struck. 

Police have not reported suspect information or reported an arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752194452854.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating another homicide in Kansas City, Missouri have identified the victim as 29-year-old Keilan Dobbs, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.Just after 4p.m. Thursday, patrol officers were dispatched to report of a shooting at 118th and Winchester..As officers arrived they located Dobbs and a woman in the street, suffering from gunshot wounds. Officers immediately began performing life saving measures and ordered EMS to the scene. Dobbs was pronounced deceased at the scene. EMS transported the woman to a local hospital with serious injuries.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752194481952.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>This is being investigated as a homicide. Preliminary information indicated there was an altercation between several individuals. The argument escalated into a physical confrontation, which led to shots being fired, and the victims being struck. Police have not reported suspect information or reported an arrest.

Homicide: Police ID man found with gunshot wound in KC street

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/adriana-morga">ADRIANA MORGA</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/cora-lewis">CORA LEWIS</a>

NEW YORK (AP) — A federal judge in Texas removed a Biden-era finalized ruled by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cfpb-trump-vought-overdraft-credit-cards-0aa4ec0d52429425650cf62f642aa245">Consumer Financial Protection Bureau</a>&nbsp;that would have removed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rule-banning-medical-debt-from-credit-reports-8a81e776bf4cb3aa3c1bc7187f5af96a">medical debt</a>&nbsp;from credit reports.

U.S. District Court Judge Sean Jordan of Texas’s Eastern District, who was appointed by Trump, found on Friday that the rule exceeded the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cfpb-trump-vought-consumer-protection-52e00309b2f1b55d4de6eadd0057bd50">CFPB</a>&nbsp;‘s authority. Jordan said that the CFPB is not permitted to remove medical debt from credit reports according to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, which protects information collected by consumer reporting agencies.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medical-debt-credit-report-biden-ff69ce483467062d94f083116e4de8cc">Removing medical debts from consumer credit reports</a>&nbsp;was expected to increase the credit scores of millions of families by an average of 20 points, the bureau said. The CFPB states that its research has shown outstanding healthcare claims to be a poor predictor of an individual’s ability to repay a loan,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medical-debt-forgiveness-majorities-favor-poll-cc46b73d93dbf883ce9f9f2e07bbfcaf">yet they are often used to deny mortgage applications</a>.

The three national credit reporting agencies — Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion — announced last year that they would remove medical collections under $500 from U.S. consumer credit reports. The CFPB’s rule was projected to ban all outstanding medical bills from appearing on credit reports and prohibit lenders from using the information.

The CFPB estimated the rule would have removed $49 million in medical debt from the credit reports of 15 million Americans. According to the agency, one in five Americans has at least one medical debt collection account on their credit reports, and over half of the collection entries on credit reports are for medical debts. The problem disproportionately affects people of color, the CFPB has found: 28% of Black people and 22% of Latino people in the U.S. carry medical debt versus 17% of white people.

The CFPB was established by Congress after the 2008 financial crisis to monitor credit card companies, mortgage providers, debt collectors and other segments of the consumer finance industry. Earlier this year, the Trump administration requested that the agency halt&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-consumer-protection-cease-1b93c60a773b6b5ee629e769ae6850e9">nearly all its operations</a>, effectively shutting it down.

“The Associated Press receives support from Charles Schwab Foundation for educational and explanatory reporting to improve financial literacy. The independent foundation is separate from Charles Schwab and Co. Inc. The AP is solely responsible for its journalism.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752371084421.jpg" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/adriana-morga">ADRIANA MORGA</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/cora-lewis">CORA LEWIS</a>NEW YORK (AP) — A federal judge in Texas removed a Biden-era finalized ruled by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cfpb-trump-vought-overdraft-credit-cards-0aa4ec0d52429425650cf62f642aa245">Consumer Financial Protection Bureau</a>&nbsp;that would have removed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rule-banning-medical-debt-from-credit-reports-8a81e776bf4cb3aa3c1bc7187f5af96a">medical debt</a>&nbsp;from credit reports.U.S. District Court Judge Sean Jordan of Texas’s Eastern District, who was appointed by Trump, found on Friday that the rule exceeded the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/cfpb-trump-vought-consumer-protection-52e00309b2f1b55d4de6eadd0057bd50">CFPB</a>&nbsp;‘s authority. Jordan said that the CFPB is not permitted to remove medical debt from credit reports according to the Fair Credit Reporting Act, which protects information collected by consumer reporting agencies.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medical-debt-credit-report-biden-ff69ce483467062d94f083116e4de8cc">Removing medical debts from consumer credit reports</a>&nbsp;was expected to increase the credit scores of millions of families by an average of 20 points, the bureau said. The CFPB states that its research has shown outstanding healthcare claims to be a poor predictor of an individual’s ability to repay a loan,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/medical-debt-forgiveness-majorities-favor-poll-cc46b73d93dbf883ce9f9f2e07bbfcaf">yet they are often used to deny mortgage applications</a>.The three national credit reporting agencies — Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion — announced last year that they would remove medical collections under $500 from U.S. consumer credit reports. The CFPB’s rule was projected to ban all outstanding medical bills from appearing on credit reports and prohibit lenders from using the information.The CFPB estimated the rule would have removed $49 million in medical debt from the credit reports of 15 million Americans. According to the agency, one in five Americans has at least one medical debt collection account on their credit reports, and over half of the collection entries on credit reports are for medical debts. The problem disproportionately affects people of color, the CFPB has found: 28% of Black people and 22% of Latino people in the U.S. carry medical debt versus 17% of white people.The CFPB was established by Congress after the 2008 financial crisis to monitor credit card companies, mortgage providers, debt collectors and other segments of the consumer finance industry. Earlier this year, the Trump administration requested that the agency halt&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-consumer-protection-cease-1b93c60a773b6b5ee629e769ae6850e9">nearly all its operations</a>, effectively shutting it down.—“The Associated Press receives support from Charles Schwab Foundation for educational and explanatory reporting to improve financial literacy. The independent foundation is separate from Charles Schwab and Co. Inc. The AP is solely responsible for its journalism.”

Federal judge reverses rule that would have removed medical debt from credit reports

SALINE COUNTY —One person was injured in a fire on Monday in rural Saline County.

Just after 5:30p.m., deputies received report about a house fire that occurred on 2625 N. Winchester Road northwest of Salina, according to Sheriff Roger Soldan.

 Sheriff deputies and Rural Fire District 3 immediately responded to the scene and extinguished the fire. The residents were outside of the mobile home when the fire occurred.&nbsp;

Before the fire, the residents of the home 'had placed food on a barbecue grill in their backyard.' The residents then left the grill unattended for about 2 minutes and smelled a burning scent coming from the grill. When they came to check on it, the grill was in flames.

The fire from the grill then went towards the home and completely consumed it.

The residents were identified as Brian Bell, 49, Lisa Bell, 47, and two teenage boys. Brian Bell received 1st degree burns to his forehead and was treated and released by Salina EMS, according to Soldan.

&nbsp;A cat that belonged to the residents went missing after the fire. No loss of value was determined at this time.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752592758214.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY —One person was injured in a fire on Monday in rural Saline County.Just after 5:30p.m., deputies received report about a house fire that occurred on 2625 N. Winchester Road northwest of Salina, according to Sheriff Roger Soldan.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752592775179.jpeg" alt="Photos Saline County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photos Saline County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure> Sheriff deputies and Rural Fire District 3 immediately responded to the scene and extinguished the fire. The residents were outside of the mobile home when the fire occurred.&nbsp;Before the fire, the residents of the home 'had placed food on a barbecue grill in their backyard.' The residents then left the grill unattended for about 2 minutes and smelled a burning scent coming from the grill. When they came to check on it, the grill was in flames.The fire from the grill then went towards the home and completely consumed it.The residents were identified as Brian Bell, 49, Lisa Bell, 47, and two teenage boys. Brian Bell received 1st degree burns to his forehead and was treated and released by Salina EMS, according to Soldan.&nbsp;A cat that belonged to the residents went missing after the fire. No loss of value was determined at this time.

Barbecue grill fire destroys rural Kansas home

The Rev. John MacArthur, an influential and exacting evangelical preacher, died Monday at the age of 86.

He led Grace Community Church in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Sun Valley for more than five decades. His ministry announced his death on social media. On Sunday, Tom Patton, one of the church's pastors, told the congregation MacArthur had been hospitalized with pneumonia.

MacArthur made news during the coronavirus pandemic for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-194e76be65f3c85c826a365b78d056fb">flouting Los Angeles County’s health orders</a>&nbsp;by holding indoor services for hundreds of congregants and refusing to enforce masking and physical-distancing requirements.

Well before then, his influence had spread far beyond Southern California, where he grew up and took the helm of his nondenominational congregation at age 29.

His Grace to You broadcast ministry circulated his theologically conservative teachings while his many books, including the popular MacArthur Study Bible, were translated into dozens of languages.

“His legacy as a pastor and teacher in the faith will continue to inspire many generations to come,” said Jonathan Falwell, chancellor of Liberty University, where MacArthur had given the convocation address.

Dressed in a suit and tie, he eschewed pop culture references and emotional appeals from the pulpit, even as they became mainstays of modern evangelicalism.

His followers lauded him for his expository preaching, in which he walked them through Scripture line by line. He wanted his sermons to be timeless explanations of the Bible as he interpreted it.

“He could get more out of a Bible verse than anyone I’ve ever known,” evangelical leader Franklin Graham wrote on social media. He called MacArthur one of “America’s great Bible teachers.”

He was “a lion of the pulpit,” wrote the Rev. Al Mohler, a Southern Baptist leader, for the evangelical World magazine. “He was a preacher God used to make other preachers better preachers.”

MacArthur was unafraid to stir controversy for the sake of his beliefs, even deriding fellow evangelicals for what he saw as incorrect teachings and theology, including the growing charismatic wing of Christianity.

He was an outspoken proponent of complementarianism – the belief that men and women have different roles and women should not be pastors. He publicly rebuked two influential evangelical women: the popular Bible teacher Beth Moore and the Rev. Paula White-Cain, a spiritual advisor to President Donald Trump.

During a packed, indoor Sunday morning service at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, MacArthur told applauding congregants that they were not meeting to be rebellious, but because “our Lord has commanded us to come together and worship him.”

The county and the church traded lawsuits, with the latter arguing the COVID-19 mandates violated their constitutional right to religious freedom. In August 2021, the county’s board of supervisors voted to pay $800,000 to Grace Community Church to settle the lawsuit — an outcome MacArthur hailed as a “monumental victory.”

The church has also weathered allegations related to its handling of abuse allegations and its treatment of women leaving abusive marriages.

MacArthur hailed from a long line of pastors, including his father. As part of his ministry, he helped train future church leaders through the Master’s University and the Master’s Seminary, both in Southern California.

He is survived by his wife, Patricia, and his four adult children, Matt, Marcy, Mark and Melinda, along with 15 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

MacArthur had suffered from health problems in recent years, including heart and lung procedures.

He spoke about his ill health in a video message to a church leadership conference earlier this year.

“I realize I’m on the last lap,” he said. “That takes on a new meaning when you know you’re on the short end of the candle. I am all thanks and praise to God for everything he’s allowed me to be a part of and everything he’s accomplished by his Word in these years of ministry.”

Associated Press writer Deepa Bharath in Los Angeles contributed.

Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

By TIFFANY STANLEY Associated PressThe Rev. John MacArthur, an influential and exacting evangelical preacher, died Monday at the age of 86.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">It is with both sadness and hope that the elders of Grace Community Church announce that Pastor John MacArthur has gone to be with the Lord after 56 years of faithful ministry: <a href="https://t.co/iGJnfPYI6i">https://t.co/iGJnfPYI6i</a> <a href="https://t.co/jWNi7dKUcY">pic.twitter.com/jWNi7dKUcY</a>&mdash; Grace Church (@GraceComChurch) <a href="https://twitter.com/GraceComChurch/status/1944969627735671090?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>He led Grace Community Church in the Los Angeles neighborhood of Sun Valley for more than five decades. His ministry announced his death on social media. On Sunday, Tom Patton, one of the church's pastors, told the congregation MacArthur had been hospitalized with pneumonia.MacArthur made news during the coronavirus pandemic for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-194e76be65f3c85c826a365b78d056fb">flouting Los Angeles County’s health orders</a>&nbsp;by holding indoor services for hundreds of congregants and refusing to enforce masking and physical-distancing requirements.Well before then, his influence had spread far beyond Southern California, where he grew up and took the helm of his nondenominational congregation at age 29.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Our hearts are heavy, yet rejoicing, as we share the news that our beloved pastor and teacher John MacArthur has entered into the presence of the Savior. This evening, his faith became sight. He faithfully endured until his race was run. 2 Timothy 4:1-8 <a href="https://t.co/5JplmC0Dvp">pic.twitter.com/5JplmC0Dvp</a>&mdash; Grace to You (@gracetoyou) <a href="https://twitter.com/gracetoyou/status/1944937107937464752?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>His Grace to You broadcast ministry circulated his theologically conservative teachings while his many books, including the popular MacArthur Study Bible, were translated into dozens of languages.“His legacy as a pastor and teacher in the faith will continue to inspire many generations to come,” said Jonathan Falwell, chancellor of Liberty University, where MacArthur had given the convocation address.Dressed in a suit and tie, he eschewed pop culture references and emotional appeals from the pulpit, even as they became mainstays of modern evangelicalism.His followers lauded him for his expository preaching, in which he walked them through Scripture line by line. He wanted his sermons to be timeless explanations of the Bible as he interpreted it.“He could get more out of a Bible verse than anyone I’ve ever known,” evangelical leader Franklin Graham wrote on social media. He called MacArthur one of “America’s great Bible teachers.”He was “a lion of the pulpit,” wrote the Rev. Al Mohler, a Southern Baptist leader, for the evangelical World magazine. “He was a preacher God used to make other preachers better preachers.”MacArthur was unafraid to stir controversy for the sake of his beliefs, even deriding fellow evangelicals for what he saw as incorrect teachings and theology, including the growing charismatic wing of Christianity.He was an outspoken proponent of complementarianism – the belief that men and women have different roles and women should not be pastors. He publicly rebuked two influential evangelical women: the popular Bible teacher Beth Moore and the Rev. Paula White-Cain, a spiritual advisor to President Donald Trump.During a packed, indoor Sunday morning service at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, MacArthur told applauding congregants that they were not meeting to be rebellious, but because “our Lord has commanded us to come together and worship him.”The county and the church traded lawsuits, with the latter arguing the COVID-19 mandates violated their constitutional right to religious freedom. In August 2021, the county’s board of supervisors voted to pay $800,000 to Grace Community Church to settle the lawsuit — an outcome MacArthur hailed as a “monumental victory.”The church has also weathered allegations related to its handling of abuse allegations and its treatment of women leaving abusive marriages.MacArthur hailed from a long line of pastors, including his father. As part of his ministry, he helped train future church leaders through the Master’s University and the Master’s Seminary, both in Southern California.He is survived by his wife, Patricia, and his four adult children, Matt, Marcy, Mark and Melinda, along with 15 grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.MacArthur had suffered from health problems in recent years, including heart and lung procedures.He spoke about his ill health in a video message to a church leadership conference earlier this year.“I realize I’m on the last lap,” he said. “That takes on a new meaning when you know you’re on the short end of the candle. I am all thanks and praise to God for everything he’s allowed me to be a part of and everything he’s accomplished by his Word in these years of ministry.”___Associated Press writer Deepa Bharath in Los Angeles contributed.___Associated Press religion coverage receives support through the AP’s&nbsp;<a href="https://bit.ly/ap-twir">collaboration</a>&nbsp;with The Conversation US, with funding from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP is solely responsible for this content.

Influential evangelical preacher John MacArthur dies at 86

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a wanted Kansas felon on multiple new allegations after a chase and arrest.

Just before 7:30p.m. July 13, deputies with the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office were driving in the area of NW Topeka Boulevard and NW Lyman Road when they observed a known individual with a warrant for his arrest, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

 The individual, identified as 35-year-old Anthony A. Bayless, attempted to run from the deputies. The deputies quickly caught up and took him into custody.

During the investigation, deputies found illegal narcotics. Bayless of Topeka was&nbsp; booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body,&nbsp;Interference with law enforcement and a Topeka bench warrants for his arrest.&nbsp; He has previous convictions for burglary and criminal damage to property, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752597899023.png" alt="Bayless has previous convictions for burglary and criminal damage to property, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Bayless has previous convictions for burglary and criminal damage to property, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a wanted Kansas felon on multiple new allegations after a chase and arrest.Just before 7:30p.m. July 13, deputies with the Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office were driving in the area of NW Topeka Boulevard and NW Lyman Road when they observed a known individual with a warrant for his arrest, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. The individual, identified as 35-year-old Anthony A. Bayless, attempted to run from the deputies. The deputies quickly caught up and took him into custody.During the investigation, deputies found illegal narcotics. Bayless of Topeka was&nbsp; booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Possession of an opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant, Use/possess with intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body,&nbsp;Interference with law enforcement and a Topeka bench warrants for his arrest.&nbsp; He has previous convictions for burglary and criminal damage to property, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections.

Wanted Kansas felon captured after running from arrest

WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans were exploring changes Tuesday to President Donald Trump's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-spending-cuts-rescissions-doge-699a224a72d025537df03629eb1a06df">request</a>&nbsp;to cancel $9.4 billion in previously approved spending targeted by his Department of Government Efficiency, signaling potential difficulties ahead of an important test vote.

The president is looking to claw back $1.1 billion of funding authority from&nbsp;<a href="https://cpb.org/aboutcpb">the Corporation for Public Broadcasting</a>&nbsp;and about $8.3 billion from foreign aid programs that aim to fight famine and disease and promote global stability. Congress has until Friday to get a bill to the president's desk for his signature or the spending stands.

Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said some GOP senators would like to see “modest changes” to the bill. He'll need nearly every Republican senator on board to get the package approved, but some are questioning the severity of the cuts to public media and to a global health program known as PEPFAR that has saved millions of lives since it was established under then-President George W. Bush.

“We’re trying to find out if there’s a path forward that gets us 51 (votes) and stays consistent with what the White House proposed in terms of a rescissions package,” Thune told reporters.

Republicans were expected to hear directly from Russ Vought, the director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, during their weekly conference luncheon on Tuesday as the White House worked to address their concerns.

The White House campaign to win over potential holdouts was already having some success. Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., tweeted that he would vote to support the measure after working with the administration to “find Green New Deal money that could be reallocated to continue grants to tribal radio stations without interruption.”

Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, the Republican chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said she still had questions about what the administration was seeking to cut from global health programs.

Other senators are worried that the cuts to public media could decimate many of the 1,500 local radio and television stations around the country that rely on some federal funding to operate. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting distributes more than 70% of its funding to those stations.

Democrats are expected to unanimously oppose the package. They see the president’s request as an effort to erode&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-filibusters-gun-politics-government-and-politics-93c53b3aa8d2b91d3c2d5884f3cdf139">the Senate filibuster</a>. They also warn it’s absurd to expect them to work with Republicans on bipartisan spending measures if Republicans turn around a few months later and use their majority to cut the parts they don’t like.

“It shreds the appropriations process,” said Sen. Angus King, an independent from Maine who caucuses with Democrats. “The Appropriations Committee, and indeed this body becomes a rubber stamp for whatever the administration wants.”

If senators vote to take up the bill, it sets up the potential for 10 hours of debate plus votes on scores of potentially thorny amendments in what is known as a vote-a-rama. The House has already shown its support for the president’s request with a mostly party line 214-212 vote, but if the Senate amends the bill, it will have to go back to the House for another vote.

“We're encouraging our Senate partners over there to get the job done and to pass it as it is,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said Tuesday. “That's what we did.”

Republicans who vote against the measure also face the prospect of incurring Trump's wrath. He has issued a warning on his social media site directly aimed at individual Senate Republicans who may be considering voting against the rescissions package. He said it was important that all Republicans adhere to the bill and in particular defund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.

“Any Republican that votes to allow this monstrosity to continue broadcasting will not have my support or Endorsement,” he said.

Congressional correspondent Lisa Mascaro and staff writer Stephen Groves contributed to this report.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752606245570.png" alt="Google imag" />
 <figcaption>Google imag</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Senate Republicans were exploring changes Tuesday to President Donald Trump's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-spending-cuts-rescissions-doge-699a224a72d025537df03629eb1a06df">request</a>&nbsp;to cancel $9.4 billion in previously approved spending targeted by his Department of Government Efficiency, signaling potential difficulties ahead of an important test vote.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SenSchumer?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SenSchumer</a> on cuts to public media: &quot;Gutting bipartisan investments and hurting America&#39;s standing throughout the world is not popular. Losing access to local news, radio and weather alerts, particularly in rural areas, is not popular.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/l329OIb0Yy">pic.twitter.com/l329OIb0Yy</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1945196674638327960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The president is looking to claw back $1.1 billion of funding authority from&nbsp;<a href="https://cpb.org/aboutcpb">the Corporation for Public Broadcasting</a>&nbsp;and about $8.3 billion from foreign aid programs that aim to fight famine and disease and promote global stability. Congress has until Friday to get a bill to the president's desk for his signature or the spending stands.Senate Majority Leader John Thune, R-S.D., said some GOP senators would like to see “modest changes” to the bill. He'll need nearly every Republican senator on board to get the package approved, but some are questioning the severity of the cuts to public media and to a global health program known as PEPFAR that has saved millions of lives since it was established under then-President George W. Bush.“We’re trying to find out if there’s a path forward that gets us 51 (votes) and stays consistent with what the White House proposed in terms of a rescissions package,” Thune told reporters.Republicans were expected to hear directly from Russ Vought, the director of the White House Office of Management and Budget, during their weekly conference luncheon on Tuesday as the White House worked to address their concerns.The White House campaign to win over potential holdouts was already having some success. Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., tweeted that he would vote to support the measure after working with the administration to “find Green New Deal money that could be reallocated to continue grants to tribal radio stations without interruption.”Sen. Susan Collins of Maine, the Republican chairman of the Senate Appropriations Committee, said she still had questions about what the administration was seeking to cut from global health programs.Other senators are worried that the cuts to public media could decimate many of the 1,500 local radio and television stations around the country that rely on some federal funding to operate. The Corporation for Public Broadcasting distributes more than 70% of its funding to those stations.Democrats are expected to unanimously oppose the package. They see the president’s request as an effort to erode&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-filibusters-gun-politics-government-and-politics-93c53b3aa8d2b91d3c2d5884f3cdf139">the Senate filibuster</a>. They also warn it’s absurd to expect them to work with Republicans on bipartisan spending measures if Republicans turn around a few months later and use their majority to cut the parts they don’t like.“It shreds the appropriations process,” said Sen. Angus King, an independent from Maine who caucuses with Democrats. “The Appropriations Committee, and indeed this body becomes a rubber stamp for whatever the administration wants.”If senators vote to take up the bill, it sets up the potential for 10 hours of debate plus votes on scores of potentially thorny amendments in what is known as a vote-a-rama. The House has already shown its support for the president’s request with a mostly party line 214-212 vote, but if the Senate amends the bill, it will have to go back to the House for another vote.“We're encouraging our Senate partners over there to get the job done and to pass it as it is,” House Speaker Mike Johnson said Tuesday. “That's what we did.”Republicans who vote against the measure also face the prospect of incurring Trump's wrath. He has issued a warning on his social media site directly aimed at individual Senate Republicans who may be considering voting against the rescissions package. He said it was important that all Republicans adhere to the bill and in particular defund the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.“Any Republican that votes to allow this monstrosity to continue broadcasting will not have my support or Endorsement,” he said.____Congressional correspondent Lisa Mascaro and staff writer Stephen Groves contributed to this report.

Battle over funding for Public Broadcasting begins in U.S. Senate

MONTGOMERY COUNTY —A Kansas game warden and K9 partner are being praised for their efforts to find a missing elderly woman in Montgomery County.

Just after 1p.m. Monday, the Montgomery County Sheriff requested Game Warden Austin and K-9 Kai to help locate a missing elderly woman who had wandered off in a remote section of property, according to a social media report from the Kansas Department of Parks and Wildlife Game Wardens.

With the heat index exceeding 90 degrees Kai was deployed in the area and within minutes a track was located. A few moments later Kai was able to locate the missing woman. Kai was rewarded with his favorite toy and a nap in the air conditioning.&nbsp; The woman was given water and released to EMS.&nbsp; The KDWP released no additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752587512498.png" alt="Photos KDWP Game Wardens" />
 <figcaption>Photos KDWP Game Wardens</figcaption>
 </figure>MONTGOMERY COUNTY —A Kansas game warden and K9 partner are being praised for their efforts to find a missing elderly woman in Montgomery County.Just after 1p.m. Monday, the Montgomery County Sheriff requested Game Warden Austin and K-9 Kai to help locate a missing elderly woman who had wandered off in a remote section of property, according to a social media report from the Kansas Department of Parks and Wildlife Game Wardens.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752587492405.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>With the heat index exceeding 90 degrees Kai was deployed in the area and within minutes a track was located. A few moments later Kai was able to locate the missing woman. Kai was rewarded with his favorite toy and a nap in the air conditioning.&nbsp; The woman was given water and released to EMS.&nbsp; The KDWP released no additional details.

Kan. game warden and K9 help locate missing, elderly woman

Defense lawyer seeks concurrent sentences, claims state failed to protect victim

TOPEKA — Mickel Cherry interrupted his confession to smothering and sexually assaulting a child to ask a Topeka police detective to execute him.

Video of that October 2023 interrogation, recordings of questioning by other law enforcement officers and a series of letters written by the defendant while in custody at the Shawnee County Jail were presented Monday by the district attorney to build the foundation for sentencing Cherry to consecutive 25-year-to-life terms for the murder of 5-year-old Zoey Felix.

“Shoot me in my head,” Cherry urged Detective Cory Deedrick, hours after law enforcement descended on the Topeka crime scene and began undermining Cherry’s false allegation that a Hispanic man in black clothing attacked the girl.

“I never wanted to hurt her,” said Cherry, who tapped his forehead on a desk. “I wasn’t myself when it happened. I just want to f***ing die.”

In the jailhouse letters placed into evidence, Cherry asserted his mind was slipping deeper into a dark void. He sought family forgiveness for his actions. In hard-to-read script, he said he was preparing for his own death. He wrote that he was haunted by the voice of a child who had started referring to her part-time babysitter as an “uncle.”

“I still hear her voice calling me, ‘Why uncle?’ ” one of Cherry’s letters said.

Cherry, 27, avoided capital punishment by entering guilty pleas in late 2024 to first-degree felony murder and rape of the 63-pound child with a bubbly personality.

The remaining legal battle in the prosecution of Cherry centers on what minimum length of time must elapse before he could be considered for parole from a Kansas prison. The answer could come Tuesday from District Judge Jessica Heinen on the hearing’s second day.

The judge must decide whether Cherry received concurrent or consecutive “hard 25” sentences.

District Attorney Mike Kagay’s sentencing brief said there was no rigid blueprint for determining when consecutive sentencing was appropriate, but case law suggested it was acceptable when “not arbitrary or based on an error.”

“Kansas courts defer heavily to the sentencing judge’s discretion, especially when the record reflects heinous crimes or distinct criminal conduct justifying a consecutive sentence,” he said.

Defense attorney Peter Conley said records from the Texas foster care system showed Cherry’s abusive upbringing before and while placed in the Texas foster care system should be taken into account and allow for the sentences on the murder and rape charges to run at the same time.

Conley said the Kansas Department for Children and Families&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/07/11/kansas-defense-attorney-says-states-child-protection-system-failed-murdered-5-year-old-girl/">investigated Zoey’s welfare seven times</a>&nbsp;but didn’t do what was necessary to place the girl in protective custody.

“The failures of these systems increased her vulnerability,” Conley said.

He said he attempted to subpoena a DCF records custodian to testify on Monday, but nobody from the state agency responded.

In a separate matter, the district attorney’s office denounced a presentencing brief filed by Conley that concluded Kagay’s office had directed DCF not to proceed with a child-in-need-of-care investigation into Zoey’s well-being.

Attorney Keith Henderson, on behalf of the district attorney, said Conley’s statement was “factually and legally inaccurate” and fell “far below the standard of candor and integrity expected of an officer of the court.”

“Defense counsels’ statements in that portion of their brief are dangerous and disingenuous,” wrote Henderson, who sought a correction. “They are unworthy of a member of the bar.”

In court, Conley said the statement in the defense brief needed to be clarified to say either the district attorney or law enforcement officers in Topeka were complicit in the decision not to proceed with a process that could have saved Zoey from harm.

Aimee Slusser, who described herself as a mentor to Zoey, said during a victim impact statement that she didn’t want squabbling about Cherry’s mental health challenges to be the focus of sentencing.

“I want everyone to remember who she was,” Slusser told the court. “This is about a little girl’s life.”

During the hearing, several people in the gallery wept while law enforcement officers and medical personnel presented evidence drawn from telephone records, interviews with witnesses and forensic examinations.

Cherry wore yellow jail coveralls and was shackled with chains that remained on despite the presence of six law enforcement officers in the courtroom. He periodically slumped forward to peer at the floor and tilted his head back to stare at ceiling lights. There were times when Cherry nodded his head as if agreeing with the prosecution.

Law enforcement narrated a triangulated set of surveillance videos taken from the perspective of a grocery store, fuel station and restaurant.

Witnesses filled in blanks of a five-hour period that began when Zoey’s father, Ezequiel Felix, entrusted her to Cherry’s care. One segment of the video captured Zoey and Cherry walking side-by-side. It ended with Cherry carrying the girl’s lifeless body, apparently from the two-tent homeless camp, to the gas station where the girl’s father worked.

Next to gasoline pumps, a good Samaritan and later a Topeka emergency crew responding to a 911 call attempted CPR. She was pronounced dead at Stormont Vail Health.

Cherry was questioned by Topeka officers at the scene, where a police body camera first recorded Cherry blaming a Hispanic man for harming the girl while she slept in a blue car. He claimed to have ran the man off. He asserted that he found Zoey not breathing inside the vehicle.

Cherry, who wasn’t wearing a shirt, was asked about a spot of blood that appeared on his stomach.

“I honestly don’t know,” he said. “I have a condition that sometimes I bleed from the belly button.”

He later admitted under questioning by police at the station that the story blaming an unknown assailant was a lie and his assault on Zoey occurred in a tent where homeless people had taken refuge. He said he suffocated the girl with a pillow.

“Something came over me and I did the unimaginable,” Cherry told Detective Deedrick. “Something I thought I’d never do.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696600819324.png" alt="Zoey Felix -photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Zoey Felix -photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Defense lawyer seeks concurrent sentences, claims state failed to protect victim</h2>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/tim-carpenter/">TIM CARPENTER</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/02/24/gov-laura-kelly-skeptical-kansas-houses-anti-tenure-legislation-will-reach-her-desk/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Mickel Cherry interrupted his confession to smothering and sexually assaulting a child to ask a Topeka police detective to execute him.Video of that October 2023 interrogation, recordings of questioning by other law enforcement officers and a series of letters written by the defendant while in custody at the Shawnee County Jail were presented Monday by the district attorney to build the foundation for sentencing Cherry to consecutive 25-year-to-life terms for the murder of 5-year-old Zoey Felix.“Shoot me in my head,” Cherry urged Detective Cory Deedrick, hours after law enforcement descended on the Topeka crime scene and began undermining Cherry’s false allegation that a Hispanic man in black clothing attacked the girl.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1696342029742.png" alt="Mickel Cherry as shown in his Shawnee County booking photo" />
 <figcaption>Mickel Cherry as shown in his Shawnee County booking photo</figcaption>
 </figure>“I never wanted to hurt her,” said Cherry, who tapped his forehead on a desk. “I wasn’t myself when it happened. I just want to f***ing die.”In the jailhouse letters placed into evidence, Cherry asserted his mind was slipping deeper into a dark void. He sought family forgiveness for his actions. In hard-to-read script, he said he was preparing for his own death. He wrote that he was haunted by the voice of a child who had started referring to her part-time babysitter as an “uncle.”“I still hear her voice calling me, ‘Why uncle?’ ” one of Cherry’s letters said.Cherry, 27, avoided capital punishment by entering guilty pleas in late 2024 to first-degree felony murder and rape of the 63-pound child with a bubbly personality.The remaining legal battle in the prosecution of Cherry centers on what minimum length of time must elapse before he could be considered for parole from a Kansas prison. The answer could come Tuesday from District Judge Jessica Heinen on the hearing’s second day.<h2>The legal battle</h2>The judge must decide whether Cherry received concurrent or consecutive “hard 25” sentences.District Attorney Mike Kagay’s sentencing brief said there was no rigid blueprint for determining when consecutive sentencing was appropriate, but case law suggested it was acceptable when “not arbitrary or based on an error.”“Kansas courts defer heavily to the sentencing judge’s discretion, especially when the record reflects heinous crimes or distinct criminal conduct justifying a consecutive sentence,” he said.Defense attorney Peter Conley said records from the Texas foster care system showed Cherry’s abusive upbringing before and while placed in the Texas foster care system should be taken into account and allow for the sentences on the murder and rape charges to run at the same time.Conley said the Kansas Department for Children and Families&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2025/07/11/kansas-defense-attorney-says-states-child-protection-system-failed-murdered-5-year-old-girl/">investigated Zoey’s welfare seven times</a>&nbsp;but didn’t do what was necessary to place the girl in protective custody.“The failures of these systems increased her vulnerability,” Conley said.He said he attempted to subpoena a DCF records custodian to testify on Monday, but nobody from the state agency responded.In a separate matter, the district attorney’s office denounced a presentencing brief filed by Conley that concluded Kagay’s office had directed DCF not to proceed with a child-in-need-of-care investigation into Zoey’s well-being.Attorney Keith Henderson, on behalf of the district attorney, said Conley’s statement was “factually and legally inaccurate” and fell “far below the standard of candor and integrity expected of an officer of the court.”“Defense counsels’ statements in that portion of their brief are dangerous and disingenuous,” wrote Henderson, who sought a correction. “They are unworthy of a member of the bar.”In court, Conley said the statement in the defense brief needed to be clarified to say either the district attorney or law enforcement officers in Topeka were complicit in the decision not to proceed with a process that could have saved Zoey from harm.<h2>Focusing on Zoey</h2>Aimee Slusser, who described herself as a mentor to Zoey, said during a victim impact statement that she didn’t want squabbling about Cherry’s mental health challenges to be the focus of sentencing.“I want everyone to remember who she was,” Slusser told the court. “This is about a little girl’s life.”During the hearing, several people in the gallery wept while law enforcement officers and medical personnel presented evidence drawn from telephone records, interviews with witnesses and forensic examinations.Cherry wore yellow jail coveralls and was shackled with chains that remained on despite the presence of six law enforcement officers in the courtroom. He periodically slumped forward to peer at the floor and tilted his head back to stare at ceiling lights. There were times when Cherry nodded his head as if agreeing with the prosecution.Law enforcement narrated a triangulated set of surveillance videos taken from the perspective of a grocery store, fuel station and restaurant.Witnesses filled in blanks of a five-hour period that began when Zoey’s father, Ezequiel Felix, entrusted her to Cherry’s care. One segment of the video captured Zoey and Cherry walking side-by-side. It ended with Cherry carrying the girl’s lifeless body, apparently from the two-tent homeless camp, to the gas station where the girl’s father worked.Next to gasoline pumps, a good Samaritan and later a Topeka emergency crew responding to a 911 call attempted CPR. She was pronounced dead at Stormont Vail Health.Cherry was questioned by Topeka officers at the scene, where a police body camera first recorded Cherry blaming a Hispanic man for harming the girl while she slept in a blue car. He claimed to have ran the man off. He asserted that he found Zoey not breathing inside the vehicle.Cherry, who wasn’t wearing a shirt, was asked about a spot of blood that appeared on his stomach.“I honestly don’t know,” he said. “I have a condition that sometimes I bleed from the belly button.”He later admitted under questioning by police at the station that the story blaming an unknown assailant was a lie and his assault on Zoey occurred in a tent where homeless people had taken refuge. He said he suffocated the girl with a pillow.“Something came over me and I did the unimaginable,” Cherry told Detective Deedrick. “Something I thought I’d never do.”

Prosecutors argue for consecutive 25-year sentences in murder of 5-year-old Kansas girl

WASHINGTON (AP) — Education Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/linda-mcmahon-education-confirmation-hearing-417b1d36f9347b8279798fd311d211dc">Linda McMahon</a>&nbsp;is expected to move quickly now that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-education-layoffs-9370415531185092341b16a6bfea9344">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;has cleared the way for the Trump administration to continue unwinding her department.

The justices on Monday paused a lower court order that had halted nearly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-department-layoffs-job-cuts-linda-mcmahon-ce9f6a8a63972aede0d8fbdf057ab788">1,400 layoffs</a>&nbsp;and had called into question the legality of President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-trump-patriot-missiles-kellogg-ca8cda9b417737188c471390bc312a5d">Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;plan to outsource the department’s operations to other agencies.

Now, Trump and McMahon are free to execute the layoffs and break up the department’s work among other federal agencies. Trump had campaigned on closing the department, and McMahon has said the department has one “final mission” to turn over its power to the states.

“The Federal Government has been running our Education System into the ground, but we are going to turn it all around by giving the Power back to the PEOPLE,” Trump said late Monday in a post on Truth Social. “Thank you to the United States Supreme Court!”

Department lawyers have already previewed McMahon’s next steps in court filings.

What happens with student loans, civil rights cases

Trump and McMahon have acknowledged only Congress has authority to close the Education Department fully, but both have suggested its core functions could be parceled out to different federal agencies.

Among the most important decisions is where to put management of federal student loans, a $1.6 trillion portfolio affecting nearly 43 million borrowers.

Trump in March suggested the Small Business Administration would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-department-shut-down-mcmahon-37e3eceb8f7ae93e488ea33f8d970786">take on federal student loans</a>, but a June court filing indicated the Treasury Department is expected to take over the work. The Education Department said it had been negotiating a contract with Treasury but paused discussions when the court intervened. That work is now expected to proceed in coming days.

Under a separate arrangement, nine Education Department workers already have been detailed to Treasury, according to a court filing.

The department had also recently struck a deal to outsource the management of several grant programs for workforce training and adult education to the Department of Labor. The Education Department agreed to send $2.6 billion to Labor to oversee grants, which are distributed to states to be passed down to schools and colleges.

Combining workforce training programs at Education and Labor would “provide a coordinated federal education and workforce system,” according to the agreement.

Additional agreements are expected to follow with other agencies. At her&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/linda-mcmahon-education-confirmation-hearing-417b1d36f9347b8279798fd311d211dc">Senate confirmation hearing</a>, McMahon suggested that enforcement of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act could be handled by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hhs-layoffs-restructuring-maha-rfk-7adbc357bf25b2c92b94e012ba3d8316">Department of Health and Human Services</a>. Civil rights work could be managed by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-trump-bondi-904822e788fa02fd6bd5c8181d0c9c08">Justice Department</a>, she said.

Democracy Forward, which represents plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said it will pursue “every legal option” to fight for children. The group’s federal court case is proceeding, but the Supreme Court’s emergency decision means the Education Department is allowed to downsize in the meantime.

“No court in the nation — not even the Supreme Court — has found that what the administration is doing is lawful,” said Skye Perryman, president and CEO of the group, in a statement.

Trump campaigned on a promise to close the agency, and in March ordered it to be wound down “to the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law.” McMahon had already started a dramatic downsizing, laying off about 1,400 workers.

Education Department employees targeted by the layoffs have been on paid leave since March, according to a union that represents some of the agency’s staff. The lower court order had prevented the department from fully terminating them, though none had been allowed to return to work, according to the American Federation of Government Employees Local 252. Without the lower court order, the workers would have been terminated in early June.

The absence of those staffers already had caused problems in the office that handles&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loans-default-repayment-plans-fff521f5f3a24afbe30739b96d2e6b67">student loans</a>, said Melanie Storey, president and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. College financial aid staffers reported delays and breakdowns in federal systems — such as an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loans-education-department-outage-layoffs-5afb5a0a1b51bbe50e5961a63b419041">hours-long outage</a>&nbsp;on StudentAid.gov the day after departmental layoffs. Communication with the Education Department eroded, Storey said.

“It is concerning that the Court is allowing the Trump administration to continue with its planned reduction in force, given what we know about the early impact of those cuts on delivering much-needed financial assistance to students seeking a postsecondary education,” Storey said.

Gutting the Education Department will hinder the government’s ability to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-education-department-layoffs-closure-c7cddd1dbf310dadcd70e003d62a6df0">enforce civil rights laws</a>, especially for girls, students with disabilities, LGBTQ+ students and students of color, said Gaylynn Burroughs, vice president at the National Women’s Law Center. Laid-off staff in the Office of Civil Rights were handling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-education-department-layoffs-civil-rights-8cbf463cce765f497c10d688ab4d51e1">thousands of cases</a>.

“Without enough staff and resources, students will face more barriers to educational opportunity and have fewer places to turn to when their rights are violated,” Burroughs said in a statement. “This is part of a coordinated plan by the Trump administration to dismantle the federal government and roll back hard-won civil rights protections.”

AP education writers Annie Ma and Cheyanne Mumphrey contributed reporting.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Education Secretary&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/linda-mcmahon-education-confirmation-hearing-417b1d36f9347b8279798fd311d211dc">Linda McMahon</a>&nbsp;is expected to move quickly now that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-education-layoffs-9370415531185092341b16a6bfea9344">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;has cleared the way for the Trump administration to continue unwinding her department.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We’re on it, Mr. President! <a href="https://t.co/URGYOsvHXN">https://t.co/URGYOsvHXN</a>&mdash; Secretary Linda McMahon (@EDSecMcMahon) <a href="https://twitter.com/EDSecMcMahon/status/1944912417718460436?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 15, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The justices on Monday paused a lower court order that had halted nearly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-department-layoffs-job-cuts-linda-mcmahon-ce9f6a8a63972aede0d8fbdf057ab788">1,400 layoffs</a>&nbsp;and had called into question the legality of President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-trump-patriot-missiles-kellogg-ca8cda9b417737188c471390bc312a5d">Donald Trump’s</a>&nbsp;plan to outsource the department’s operations to other agencies.Now, Trump and McMahon are free to execute the layoffs and break up the department’s work among other federal agencies. Trump had campaigned on closing the department, and McMahon has said the department has one “final mission” to turn over its power to the states.“The Federal Government has been running our Education System into the ground, but we are going to turn it all around by giving the Power back to the PEOPLE,” Trump said late Monday in a post on Truth Social. “Thank you to the United States Supreme Court!”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752532757011.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Department lawyers have already previewed McMahon’s next steps in court filings.<h2>What happens with student loans, civil rights cases</h2>Trump and McMahon have acknowledged only Congress has authority to close the Education Department fully, but both have suggested its core functions could be parceled out to different federal agencies.Among the most important decisions is where to put management of federal student loans, a $1.6 trillion portfolio affecting nearly 43 million borrowers.Trump in March suggested the Small Business Administration would&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-department-shut-down-mcmahon-37e3eceb8f7ae93e488ea33f8d970786">take on federal student loans</a>, but a June court filing indicated the Treasury Department is expected to take over the work. The Education Department said it had been negotiating a contract with Treasury but paused discussions when the court intervened. That work is now expected to proceed in coming days.Under a separate arrangement, nine Education Department workers already have been detailed to Treasury, according to a court filing.The department had also recently struck a deal to outsource the management of several grant programs for workforce training and adult education to the Department of Labor. The Education Department agreed to send $2.6 billion to Labor to oversee grants, which are distributed to states to be passed down to schools and colleges.Combining workforce training programs at Education and Labor would “provide a coordinated federal education and workforce system,” according to the agreement.Additional agreements are expected to follow with other agencies. At her&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/linda-mcmahon-education-confirmation-hearing-417b1d36f9347b8279798fd311d211dc">Senate confirmation hearing</a>, McMahon suggested that enforcement of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act could be handled by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-hhs-layoffs-restructuring-maha-rfk-7adbc357bf25b2c92b94e012ba3d8316">Department of Health and Human Services</a>. Civil rights work could be managed by the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/epstein-trump-bondi-904822e788fa02fd6bd5c8181d0c9c08">Justice Department</a>, she said.Democracy Forward, which represents plaintiffs in the lawsuit, said it will pursue “every legal option” to fight for children. The group’s federal court case is proceeding, but the Supreme Court’s emergency decision means the Education Department is allowed to downsize in the meantime.“No court in the nation — not even the Supreme Court — has found that what the administration is doing is lawful,” said Skye Perryman, president and CEO of the group, in a statement.<h2>Laying off staff</h2>Trump campaigned on a promise to close the agency, and in March ordered it to be wound down “to the maximum extent appropriate and permitted by law.” McMahon had already started a dramatic downsizing, laying off about 1,400 workers.Education Department employees targeted by the layoffs have been on paid leave since March, according to a union that represents some of the agency’s staff. The lower court order had prevented the department from fully terminating them, though none had been allowed to return to work, according to the American Federation of Government Employees Local 252. Without the lower court order, the workers would have been terminated in early June.The absence of those staffers already had caused problems in the office that handles&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loans-default-repayment-plans-fff521f5f3a24afbe30739b96d2e6b67">student loans</a>, said Melanie Storey, president and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. College financial aid staffers reported delays and breakdowns in federal systems — such as an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/student-loans-education-department-outage-layoffs-5afb5a0a1b51bbe50e5961a63b419041">hours-long outage</a>&nbsp;on StudentAid.gov the day after departmental layoffs. Communication with the Education Department eroded, Storey said.“It is concerning that the Court is allowing the Trump administration to continue with its planned reduction in force, given what we know about the early impact of those cuts on delivering much-needed financial assistance to students seeking a postsecondary education,” Storey said.Gutting the Education Department will hinder the government’s ability to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-education-department-layoffs-closure-c7cddd1dbf310dadcd70e003d62a6df0">enforce civil rights laws</a>, especially for girls, students with disabilities, LGBTQ+ students and students of color, said Gaylynn Burroughs, vice president at the National Women’s Law Center. Laid-off staff in the Office of Civil Rights were handling&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-education-department-layoffs-civil-rights-8cbf463cce765f497c10d688ab4d51e1">thousands of cases</a>.“Without enough staff and resources, students will face more barriers to educational opportunity and have fewer places to turn to when their rights are violated,” Burroughs said in a statement. “This is part of a coordinated plan by the Trump administration to dismantle the federal government and roll back hard-won civil rights protections.”___AP education writers Annie Ma and Cheyanne Mumphrey contributed reporting.___

Trump responds to Supreme Court victory on effort to close Education Dept.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a Kansas convenience store robbery are asking for help to identify a suspect.&nbsp;

The robbery occurred July 7 a convenience store in the 500 block of North Seneca in Wichita, according to a social media report from Wichita Police.

The suspect left in the silver vehicle. Police released security camera images on Monday.

&nbsp;If you know this suspect, please contact Detectives at 316-268-4407 or submit an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752541434145.png" alt="Image Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Image Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement investigating a Kansas convenience store robbery are asking for help to identify a suspect.&nbsp;The robbery occurred July 7 a convenience store in the 500 block of North Seneca in Wichita, according to a social media report from Wichita Police.

The suspect left in the silver vehicle. Police released security camera images on Monday.&nbsp;If you know this suspect, please contact Detectives at 316-268-4407 or submit an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers at 316-267-2111

Police ask for help to ID Kansas robbery suspect

FINNEY COUNTY—The Garden City Police Department issued an alert Monday to notify the public they are aware of recent social media posts raising concerns and suggesting child abductions or attempted abductions linked to human trafficking in Garden City and southwest Kansas. 

"While human trafficking remains a serious concern that warrants vigilance, we have not received any legitimate reports of these incidents occurring locally nor have any arrests been made in connection with these claims."

"Furthermore, these posts appear to be resurfaced or have circulated before. As always, if you have a concern about any suspicious activity occurring in Garden City, please call police at (620) 276-1300 or 911 if it is an emergency."

Please do not report suspected crimes through social media or share posts about crimes that may cause fear and panic without verifying the validity of the post first. Let’s continue to look out for one another, and stay safe and vigilant.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752524999386.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY—The Garden City Police Department issued an alert Monday to notify the public they are aware of recent social media posts raising concerns and suggesting child abductions or attempted abductions linked to human trafficking in Garden City and southwest Kansas. "While human trafficking remains a serious concern that warrants vigilance, we have not received any legitimate reports of these incidents occurring locally nor have any arrests been made in connection with these claims." "Furthermore, these posts appear to be resurfaced or have circulated before. As always, if you have a concern about any suspicious activity occurring in Garden City, please call police at (620) 276-1300 or 911 if it is an emergency."Please do not report suspected crimes through social media or share posts about crimes that may cause fear and panic without verifying the validity of the post first. Let’s continue to look out for one another, and stay safe and vigilant.&nbsp;

Police: Social media posts on human trafficking in SW Kan. are false

WASHINGTON — On Monday, the Department of Justice released Guidance to ensure compliance with President Trump’s Executive Order No. 14224, which establishes English as the official language of the United States of America. 

Consistent with the Executive Order, the Department of Justice will lead a coordinated effort across federal agencies to minimize non-essential multilingual services, redirect resources toward English-language education and assimilation, and ensure legal compliance with the Executive Order through targeted measures where necessary.

<a href="https://www.justice.gov/ag/media/1407776/dl?inline=&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery">Click here to read the</a> full guidance document.

"As President Trump has made clear, English is the official language of the United States," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. "The Department of Justice will lead the effort to codify the President’s Executive Order and eliminate wasteful virtue-signaling policies across government agencies to promote assimilation over division."

"President Trump’s Executive Order marks a pivotal step toward unifying our nation through a common language and enhancing efficiency in federal operations," said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. "The Department of Justice ensures that while we respect linguistic diversity, our federal resources will prioritize English proficiency to empower new Americans and strengthen civic unity.”

While leaving room for linguistic diversity that exists in private and community spheres, this Guidance will help streamline federal processes, reduce administrative burdens, and increase operational efficiency across agencies by removing extensive translation services and de-prioritizing multilingualism over English proficiency. Implementing the Executive Order will enhance social and economic integration, offer new Americans a vital pathway for civic engagement, and further bind Americans together with a shared language.

President Trump’s Executive Order rescinds Executive Order No. 13,166, signed by President Clinton on August 16, 2000. Executive Order No. 13,166 directed agencies to enhance access to federal programs for persons with limited English proficiency and required tailored guidance for recipients of federal funding—straining federal resources and impeding the assimilation of new Americans.

This is the latest Guidance issued by the Department of Justice to implement and administer President Trump’s agenda.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1752522208272.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — On Monday, the Department of Justice released Guidance to ensure compliance with President Trump’s Executive Order No. 14224, which establishes English as the official language of the United States of America. Consistent with the Executive Order, the Department of Justice will lead a coordinated effort across federal agencies to minimize non-essential multilingual services, redirect resources toward English-language education and assimilation, and ensure legal compliance with the Executive Order through targeted measures where necessary.<a href="https://www.justice.gov/ag/media/1407776/dl?inline=&amp;utm_medium=email&amp;utm_source=govdelivery">Click here to read the</a> full guidance document."As President Trump has made clear, English is the official language of the United States," said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. "The Department of Justice will lead the effort to codify the President’s Executive Order and eliminate wasteful virtue-signaling policies across government agencies to promote assimilation over division.""President Trump’s Executive Order marks a pivotal step toward unifying our nation through a common language and enhancing efficiency in federal operations," said Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon. "The Department of Justice ensures that while we respect linguistic diversity, our federal resources will prioritize English proficiency to empower new Americans and strengthen civic unity.”While leaving room for linguistic diversity that exists in private and community spheres, this Guidance will help streamline federal processes, reduce administrative burdens, and increase operational efficiency across agencies by removing extensive translation services and de-prioritizing multilingualism over English proficiency. Implementing the Executive Order will enhance social and economic integration, offer new Americans a vital pathway for civic engagement, and further bind Americans together with a shared language.President Trump’s Executive Order rescinds Executive Order No. 13,166, signed by President Clinton on August 16, 2000. Executive Order No. 13,166 directed agencies to enhance access to federal programs for persons with limited English proficiency and required tailored guidance for recipients of federal funding—straining federal resources and impeding the assimilation of new Americans.This is the latest Guidance issued by the Department of Justice to implement and administer President Trump’s agenda.