SALINA —Willie Nelson is coming to Salina in August.

The Willie Nelson and Family performance is scheduled for 8 p.m. Aug. 17 in the Stiefel Theatre, 151 S. Santa Fe Avenue.

Tickets start at $96 and go on sale at noon Friday. The new Stiefel walk-up box office is open near the main entrance M-F, noon-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. You also can purchase tickets by calling the Stiefel at 785-827-1998. If you need to leave a message calls will be returned within several hours. Additionally, you can purchase tickets online at www.stiefeltheatre.org.

About the artist from the Stiefel Theatre

With a seven-decade career, Nelson has earned every conceivable award as a musician and amassed reputable credentials as an author, actor, and activist. He continues to thrive as a relevant and progressive musical and cultural force.

In recent years, he has delivered more than a dozen new albums, released a Top 10 New York Times' bestsellers book, again headlined Farm Aid, an event he co-founded in 1985, been honored by the Library of Congress with their Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, received his fifth degree black belt in Gong Kwon Yu Sul, headlined the annual Luck Reunion food and music festival during SXSW, launched his cannabis companies Willie's Reserve and Willie's Remedy, and graced the covers of Rolling Stone and AARP The Magazine.

In July 2020, Willie released his album First Rose of Spring - an atmospheric soulful showcase of beautifully-written songs and poignant performances. September 2020 brought a memoir with his sister and pianist Bobbie Nelson, titled, Me and Sister Bobbie: True Tales of The Family Band.

For 2021, he released a new studio album in February — That's Life, Willie's second album of standards and classics made famous by Frank Sinatra (his first, 2018's My Way, earned Willie the Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Solo Album). The two legends were friends, musical colleagues, and mutual admirers of each other's work.

This month, a collection of his thoughts on America, family, faith, and music is scheduled to hit shelves as a new book, titled Willie Nelson’s Letters to America.

These creative endeavors as well as new songs and performances that add to his classic catalog, find Willie Nelson rolling at an artistic peak, writing and singing and playing with the seasoned wit and wisdom that comes from the road.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624376072128.jpeg" alt="Willie Nelson is scheduled to perform in the Stiefel Theatre Aug. 17.Photo by&nbsp; Pamela Springsteen courtesy Stiefel Theatre" />
 <figcaption>Willie Nelson is scheduled to perform in the Stiefel Theatre Aug. 17.Photo by&nbsp; Pamela Springsteen courtesy Stiefel Theatre</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINA —Willie Nelson is coming to Salina in August.The Willie Nelson and Family performance is scheduled for 8 p.m. Aug. 17 in the Stiefel Theatre, 151 S. Santa Fe Avenue.Tickets start at $96 and go on sale at noon Friday. The new Stiefel walk-up box office is open near the main entrance M-F, noon-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. You also can purchase tickets by calling the Stiefel at 785-827-1998. If you need to leave a message calls will be returned within several hours. Additionally, you can purchase tickets online at www.stiefeltheatre.org.About the artist from the Stiefel TheatreWith a seven-decade career, Nelson has earned every conceivable award as a musician and amassed reputable credentials as an author, actor, and activist. He continues to thrive as a relevant and progressive musical and cultural force.In recent years, he has delivered more than a dozen new albums, released a Top 10 New York Times' bestsellers book, again headlined Farm Aid, an event he co-founded in 1985, been honored by the Library of Congress with their Gershwin Prize for Popular Song, received his fifth degree black belt in Gong Kwon Yu Sul, headlined the annual Luck Reunion food and music festival during SXSW, launched his cannabis companies Willie's Reserve and Willie's Remedy, and graced the covers of Rolling Stone and AARP The Magazine.In July 2020, Willie released his album First Rose of Spring - an atmospheric soulful showcase of beautifully-written songs and poignant performances. September 2020 brought a memoir with his sister and pianist Bobbie Nelson, titled, Me and Sister Bobbie: True Tales of The Family Band.For 2021, he released a new studio album in February — That's Life, Willie's second album of standards and classics made famous by Frank Sinatra (his first, 2018's My Way, earned Willie the Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Solo Album). The two legends were friends, musical colleagues, and mutual admirers of each other's work.This month, a collection of his thoughts on America, family, faith, and music is scheduled to hit shelves as a new book, titled Willie Nelson’s Letters to America.These creative endeavors as well as new songs and performances that add to his classic catalog, find Willie Nelson rolling at an artistic peak, writing and singing and playing with the seasoned wit and wisdom that comes from the road.

Willie Nelson scheduled to perform in Salina 

By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/06/21/goddard-splash-park-closed-as-health-officials-investigate-link-to-sick-children/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — A Goddard splash 
park is under investigation by state health authorities after several 
children and families who recently visited were taken to the hospital 
and suffered from fever, vomiting and diarrhea.

The Kansas Department of 
Health and Environment said Sunday it was looking into a possible link 
between Tanganyika Wildlife Park’s splash park and illnesses reported on
 Friday. Staff investigated and closed the splash zone on Saturday, 
citing difficulties with the filtration system in a Facebook post.

“The splash park is a new 
adventure for us animal people, and it was an issue we could not 
foresee. We plan to notify everyone as soon as we have a set date for 
opening,” the post said.

Those who have experienced
 fever, diarrhea and vomiting after visiting the splash park, which 
opened last summer, are advised by KDHE and local health officials to <a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA2MjAuNDIxNzE3NDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3Rpbnl1cmwuY29tL2tkaGVzcGxhc2g_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.kdvq3t3XT2EXzMLHYDA8EhdOIcOsD3HGal2gwUpZvbk/s/1305913588/br/108183106586-l">fill out a survey</a> to aid the investigation.

The Facebook post 
attracted more than 1,400 comments, with responses varying from concern 
to extreme displeasure. Some parents said they had to take children with
 severe symptoms to the hospital.

“Our entire household has 
been sick and we’ve gone to the immediate care a few times,” one person 
wrote. “Very concerned about what was found in the water system.”

Another person wrote: “My 
family flew in to visit family here and we had to miss our family 
reunion because we are so sick and we haven’t even seen that side of our
 family for 14 years. We deserve to know what is wrong”

Akeam Ashford, director of
 strategic communications for Sedgwick County, said the department was 
still investigating and did not have any significant findings to report 
as of Monday afternoon.

He offered general advice 
for attendees and those headed out the pool in the summer, including 
washing their hands, avoiding swallowing the water and staying home if 
they have symptoms of diarrhea.

“Sedgwick County continues
 to work with KDHE and Tanganyika through this process,” Ashford said. 
“The county will provide updates as they become available.”

Park director Matt Fouts 
also called on attendees to be proactive in working with the department 
if they experience any symptoms. He said it was not the park’s intent to
 cover anything up and that it would be vigilant in addressing the 
issue.

Fouts advised those who are feeling sick after visiting the park to notify the health department at diseasereport@sedgwick.gov or 316-660-5555 and seek treatment from their doctor. He promised further <a href="https://twpark.com/splash-park-closure/">updates on the park website</a>.

“As a father whose kids 
have been playing in the splash park regularly and an uncle whose nephew
 is working in the splash park daily, I understand and share your safety
 concerns,” Fouts said. “It is in no one’s best interest, including our 
family-owned businesses, to have people getting sick due to visiting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624228385006.png" alt="Cases of a diarrheal infection and several reports from parents of sick and hospitalized children led Tanganyika Wildlife Park to close its splash zone Saturday. KDHE and Sedgwick County are investigating the issue. Photo courtesy Tanganyika Wildlife Park" />
 <figcaption>Cases of a diarrheal infection and several reports from parents of sick and hospitalized children led Tanganyika Wildlife Park to close its splash zone Saturday. KDHE and Sedgwick County are investigating the issue. Photo courtesy Tanganyika Wildlife Park</figcaption>
 </figure>By NOAH TABORDA <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2021/06/21/goddard-splash-park-closed-as-health-officials-investigate-link-to-sick-children/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — A Goddard splash 
park is under investigation by state health authorities after several 
children and families who recently visited were taken to the hospital 
and suffered from fever, vomiting and diarrhea.The Kansas Department of 
Health and Environment said Sunday it was looking into a possible link 
between Tanganyika Wildlife Park’s splash park and illnesses reported on
 Friday. Staff investigated and closed the splash zone on Saturday, 
citing difficulties with the filtration system in a Facebook post.“The splash park is a new 
adventure for us animal people, and it was an issue we could not 
foresee. We plan to notify everyone as soon as we have a set date for 
opening,” the post said.Those who have experienced
 fever, diarrhea and vomiting after visiting the splash park, which 
opened last summer, are advised by KDHE and local health officials to <a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA2MjAuNDIxNzE3NDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3Rpbnl1cmwuY29tL2tkaGVzcGxhc2g_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.kdvq3t3XT2EXzMLHYDA8EhdOIcOsD3HGal2gwUpZvbk/s/1305913588/br/108183106586-l">fill out a survey</a> to aid the investigation.The Facebook post 
attracted more than 1,400 comments, with responses varying from concern 
to extreme displeasure. Some parents said they had to take children with
 severe symptoms to the hospital.“Our entire household has 
been sick and we’ve gone to the immediate care a few times,” one person 
wrote. “Very concerned about what was found in the water system.”Another person wrote: “My 
family flew in to visit family here and we had to miss our family 
reunion because we are so sick and we haven’t even seen that side of our
 family for 14 years. We deserve to know what is wrong”Akeam Ashford, director of
 strategic communications for Sedgwick County, said the department was 
still investigating and did not have any significant findings to report 
as of Monday afternoon.He offered general advice 
for attendees and those headed out the pool in the summer, including 
washing their hands, avoiding swallowing the water and staying home if 
they have symptoms of diarrhea.“Sedgwick County continues
 to work with KDHE and Tanganyika through this process,” Ashford said. 
“The county will provide updates as they become available.”Park director Matt Fouts 
also called on attendees to be proactive in working with the department 
if they experience any symptoms. He said it was not the park’s intent to
 cover anything up and that it would be vigilant in addressing the 
issue.Fouts advised those who are feeling sick after visiting the park to notify the health department at diseasereport@sedgwick.gov or 316-660-5555 and seek treatment from their doctor. He promised further <a href="https://twpark.com/splash-park-closure/">updates on the park website</a>.“As a father whose kids 
have been playing in the splash park regularly and an uncle whose nephew
 is working in the splash park daily, I understand and share your safety
 concerns,” Fouts said. “It is in no one’s best interest, including our 
family-owned businesses, to have people getting sick due to visiting.

Kan. splash park investigation, link to sick children continues

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with a stolen vehicle.

Just before 8:30a.m. Monday, police were dispatched to the area of NE Morse and Kansas Avenue in Topeka on reports of gunshots, according to Lt. Shane Hilton. After finding no vehicles there, officers were then sent to the 1900 block of N. Topeka on the report of a stolen vehicle. The two incidents were related and the vehicle’s owner reported being shot at by the suspect when he located his vehicle.

Officers checking the area for the stolen vehicle and located it abandoned in the 1200 block of NW Eugene in Topeka.

 Officers continued checking the area and discovered a residence that appeared to have had entry forced in the 1200 block of NW Jackson. Police located a ma in the home identified as Troy M. Baker, 29, of Topeka. They Bake arrested him on requested charges of Attempted Aggravated Battery, Theft – Motor Vehicle, Criminal Possession of a Firearm, Burglary, Possession of Stolen Property and Criminal Damage, according to Hilton.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624370446840.png" alt="Baker photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Baker photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect in connection with a stolen vehicle.Just before 8:30a.m. Monday, police were dispatched to the area of NE Morse and Kansas Avenue in Topeka on reports of gunshots, according to Lt. Shane Hilton. After finding no vehicles there, officers were then sent to the 1900 block of N. Topeka on the report of a stolen vehicle. The two incidents were related and the vehicle’s owner reported being shot at by the suspect when he located his vehicle.Officers checking the area for the stolen vehicle and located it abandoned in the 1200 block of NW Eugene in Topeka. Officers continued checking the area and discovered a residence that appeared to have had entry forced in the 1200 block of NW Jackson. Police located a ma in the home identified as Troy M. Baker, 29, of Topeka. They Bake arrested him on requested charges of Attempted Aggravated Battery, Theft – Motor Vehicle, Criminal Possession of a Firearm, Burglary, Possession of Stolen Property and Criminal Damage, according to Hilton.

Suspect shot at Kan. man trying to recover his stolen vehicle 

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating a fatal officer involved shooting said the&nbsp; police officer critically injured in the Saturday night gun battle remains in critical but stable condition.

His prognosis has improved, according to Wichita Police Chief Gordon Ramsay. The officer was wounded in the legs and head and has a long road to recovery.

Ramsay did not release additional details on the officer, a veteran of 5-years on the police force, including his name at the request of the family.

In addition to the injured officer, Ramsay said nine people were injured in seven shootings in Wichita over the weekend.

“I really feel, and chiefs around the country are all saying the same thing, that something has happened societally that is causing people to immediately resort to solving conflict through the use of guns,” Ramsay said. “It is impacting not only our city but the rest of the country and it is very concerning.”

Ramsay thanked the community and others for their show of support for the wounded officer. He said the police department has heard from "around the world" offering prayer and support.

With the family’s blessing and permission, The Honore Adversis Foundation will accept donations on behalf of the officer seriously injured in the line of duty Saturday night. Please go to <a href="http://www.honorduringadversity.org/?fbclid=IwAR0d2tVn-aDYqGfReREYJiVPbbaoVt6q734Z405jWU7sKIOJxEI-HU8vTsQ" target="_blank">www.honorduringadversity.org</a> and utilize the the yellow in color “donate” button on the front page.&nbsp;

The community held a candle light prayer vigil for the officer at the Law Enforcement Memorial at Wichita City Hall Monday evening.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal officer involved shooting that also sent a police officer to the hospital in critical condition.

Just after 10:15p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to check welfare of a 32-year-0ld woman at a home in the 500 Block of West Carlyle in Wichita, according to&nbsp;Deputy Police Chief Jose Salcido. Officers received information that the woman could be in danger. It was reported she was yelling for help and her 13-year-old daughter was scared.

Upon arrival, the woman told police of physical disturbance between her and her boyfriend identified as 28-year-old Tyler Hodge. She believed he had left.

Hodge's vehicle was at the home and police began checking the home and property to make sure the woman and her daughter were safe.

During their search, offices found Hodge hiding in a shed on the back of the property. He was armed with a rifle and ran toward the officers and fired the rifle multiple times, according to Salcido.

The officers took cover and called other officers to assist. As they arrived, Hodge continued shooting at those officers arriving to assist.&nbsp; One Wichita officers was hit multiple times. The injured officer returned fire and other officers were able to pull him to safety, began life-saving measures, placed him in a police vehicle and transported him to a hospital where he is listed in critical condition but was making improvement on Sunday afternoon, according to Salcido.

Hodge continued shooting at police and moved to the front of the home where an officer shot him.&nbsp; Officers moved the suspect to a safe location and began life-saving measures. Despite their efforts, Hodge was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Salcido.

Investigators have determined Hodge fired the rifle 18 times. In addition to the wounded officer, three homes and a patrol vehicle were damaged by the gunfire.&nbsp; Later, investigators found a loaded handgun in the detached shed where Hodge had been hiding, according to Salcido.

The officers involved in the shooting have been placed on paid leave, which is standard protocol for officer-involved shootings.&nbsp;

The injured officer is a 5-year-veteran of the Wichita police department.&nbsp; The two other officers have 1 and 4-years of experience. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation and FBI are assisting with the investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624218247273.png" alt="Tyler Hodge as seen from police body camera. He was hiding in the shed on the property with the AR-15 style assault rifle he used to attack police-Image Wichita Police&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Tyler Hodge as seen from police body camera. He was hiding in the shed on the property with the AR-15 style assault rifle he used to attack police-Image Wichita Police&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities&nbsp; investigating a fatal officer involved shooting said the&nbsp; police officer critically injured in the Saturday night gun battle remains in critical but stable condition.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWichitaPolice%2Fvideos%2F195116265865227%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=0" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>His prognosis has improved, according to Wichita Police Chief Gordon Ramsay. The officer was wounded in the legs and head and has a long road to recovery.Ramsay did not release additional details on the officer, a veteran of 5-years on the police force, including his name at the request of the family.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624198277511.png" alt="Near the scene of the Saturday night gun battle that left a Wichita Police officer critically wounded and a suspect dead-photo KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Near the scene of the Saturday night gun battle that left a Wichita Police officer critically wounded and a suspect dead-photo KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>In addition to the injured officer, Ramsay said nine people were injured in seven shootings in Wichita over the weekend.“I really feel, and chiefs around the country are all saying the same thing, that something has happened societally that is causing people to immediately resort to solving conflict through the use of guns,” Ramsay said. “It is impacting not only our city but the rest of the country and it is very concerning.”Ramsay thanked the community and others for their show of support for the wounded officer. He said the police department has heard from "around the world" offering prayer and support.With the family’s blessing and permission, The Honore Adversis Foundation will accept donations on behalf of the officer seriously injured in the line of duty Saturday night. Please go to <a href="http://www.honorduringadversity.org/?fbclid=IwAR0d2tVn-aDYqGfReREYJiVPbbaoVt6q734Z405jWU7sKIOJxEI-HU8vTsQ" target="_blank">www.honorduringadversity.org</a> and utilize the the yellow in color “donate” button on the front page.&nbsp;The community held a candle light prayer vigil for the officer at the Law Enforcement Memorial at Wichita City Hall Monday evening.-------------SEDGWICK COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a fatal officer involved shooting that also sent a police officer to the hospital in critical condition.Just after 10:15p.m. Saturday, police were dispatched to check welfare of a 32-year-0ld woman at a home in the 500 Block of West Carlyle in Wichita, according to&nbsp;Deputy Police Chief Jose Salcido. Officers received information that the woman could be in danger. It was reported she was yelling for help and her 13-year-old daughter was scared.Upon arrival, the woman told police of physical disturbance between her and her boyfriend identified as 28-year-old Tyler Hodge. She believed he had left.Hodge's vehicle was at the home and police began checking the home and property to make sure the woman and her daughter were safe.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624198277511.png" alt="Investigators have determined Hodge fired the rifle 18 times. In addition to the wounded officer, three homes and a patrol vehicle were damaged by the gunfire. Photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Investigators have determined Hodge fired the rifle 18 times. In addition to the wounded officer, three homes and a patrol vehicle were damaged by the gunfire. Photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>During their search, offices found Hodge hiding in a shed on the back of the property. He was armed with a rifle and ran toward the officers and fired the rifle multiple times, according to Salcido.The officers took cover and called other officers to assist. As they arrived, Hodge continued shooting at those officers arriving to assist.&nbsp; One Wichita officers was hit multiple times. The injured officer returned fire and other officers were able to pull him to safety, began life-saving measures, placed him in a police vehicle and transported him to a hospital where he is listed in critical condition but was making improvement on Sunday afternoon, according to Salcido.Hodge continued shooting at police and moved to the front of the home where an officer shot him.&nbsp; Officers moved the suspect to a safe location and began life-saving measures. Despite their efforts, Hodge was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Salcido.Investigators have determined Hodge fired the rifle 18 times. In addition to the wounded officer, three homes and a patrol vehicle were damaged by the gunfire.&nbsp; Later, investigators found a loaded handgun in the detached shed where Hodge had been hiding, according to Salcido.The officers involved in the shooting have been placed on paid leave, which is standard protocol for officer-involved shootings.&nbsp;The injured officer is a 5-year-veteran of the Wichita police department.&nbsp; The two other officers have 1 and 4-years of experience. The Kansas Bureau of Investigation and FBI are assisting with the investigation.

 🎥 Police Chief: Injured Kan. officer has long road to recovery

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an injury accident and have made an arrest.

Just after 8:30 p.m. Sunday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communication Center received a report of a rollover accident in the 5200 block of Southwest Burlingame Road, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. Upon arrival, deputies located a silver 2005 Volkswagen Jetta facing southbound in the east ditch. 

During the investigation, it was discovered that the Volkswagen was traveling northbound on SW Burlingame Road when it left the roadway to the east, struck a culvert and came to rest upside-down, facing southbound, in the ditch.

EMS transported the driver identified as Jimmy D. Landis, 36, of Topeka, and two juvenile passengers a 6-year-old and 5-year-old to the hospital with serious injuries.

Police later arrested Landis and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of aggravated battery, aggravated child endangerment, battery of a law enforcement officer, interference with medical personnel, interference with law enforcement, child restraint violations, driving under the influence and driving while suspended.

The Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office asks that anyone who may have stopped and assisted with this incident, prior to the arrival of first responders, or anyone with information please call.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624301761061.png" alt="Landis was moved from the hospital to jail following the Father's Day crash" />
 <figcaption>Landis was moved from the hospital to jail following the Father's Day crash</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an injury accident and have made an arrest.Just after 8:30 p.m. Sunday, the Shawnee County Emergency Communication Center received a report of a rollover accident in the 5200 block of Southwest Burlingame Road, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. Upon arrival, deputies located a silver 2005 Volkswagen Jetta facing southbound in the east ditch. During the investigation, it was discovered that the Volkswagen was traveling northbound on SW Burlingame Road when it left the roadway to the east, struck a culvert and came to rest upside-down, facing southbound, in the ditch.EMS transported the driver identified as Jimmy D. Landis, 36, of Topeka, and two juvenile passengers a 6-year-old and 5-year-old to the hospital with serious injuries.Police later arrested Landis and booked him into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of aggravated battery, aggravated child endangerment, battery of a law enforcement officer, interference with medical personnel, interference with law enforcement, child restraint violations, driving under the influence and driving while suspended.The Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office asks that anyone who may have stopped and assisted with this incident, prior to the arrival of first responders, or anyone with information please call.

Sheriff: Kan. man jailed after crash with 2 kids in car

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Democrats’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bills-campaign-finance-voting-rights-legislation-elections-a74d9d8cce567d751021ed66cee2b85f">expansive elections and voting bill&nbsp;</a>is all but certain to be rejected in a key test vote in the Senate, providing a dramatic example of Republicans’ use of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-filibusters-gun-politics-government-and-politics-93c53b3aa8d2b91d3c2d5884f3cdf139">the filibuster&nbsp;</a>to block legislation and forcing hard questions for Democrats over next steps.

The far-reaching proposal, at nearly 900 pages, is viewed by backers as the civil rights issue of the era, legislation that is suddenly of the highest priority after the 2020 election as states impose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-donald-trump-voting-rights-voting-dad9ccf2dc69e815af71ce5a4c7bb586">restrictive new laws</a>&nbsp;that could make it more difficult to vote. In the evenly split Senate, Republicans are united in opposition, seeing the bill as federal overreach and denying Democrats the 60 votes that would be needed to overcome the filibuster and begin debate.

“Are you afraid to debate?” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Monday ahead of the vote. “We’re about to find out.”

Months in the making, Tuesday’s showdown over the For the People Act, as it is called, is hardly the end of the road but the start of long campaign ahead. President Joe Biden has vowed what the White House calls the “fight of his presidency” over ensuring Americans’ access to the polls. At stake is not only election rules that make it easier to vote but also Democrats’ own ability to confront the limits of bipartisanship and decide whether or not the filibuster rules should change.

Republican leader Mitch McConnell blasted the legislation ahead of the debate as a “disastrous proposal” that will get “no quarter” in the Senate.

The party that controls Washington has been preparing for this moment for months, even as lawmakers faced their own internal divisions over the sprawling bill, which would remove hurdles to voting erected in the name of election security, curtail the influence of big money in politics and reduce partisan influence over the drawing of congressional districts.

As recently as last week, Sen. Joe Manchin, a moderate West Virginia Democrat, said he couldn’t support the bill without&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-wv-state-wire-bills-voting-voting-rights-bc24ba5e44e1c52516fead3ea498d63f">changes he wanted</a>&nbsp;as a way to draw Republican support.

Manchin remained a holdout late Monday following a meeting with Biden at the White House, where the two discussed voting rights. The senator would not say whether he would vote with his party in trying to advance the bill, explaining he was still reviewing the final version. “I have to see the rest of it tonight,” he said at the Capitol.

Manchin proposed his own changes last week as he tried to trim back some areas and expand others, adding provisions for a national voter ID requirement, which is anathema to many Democrats, and dropping a proposed public financing of campaigns.

The proposed Manchin changes were largely well received, welcomed by Biden’s administration as a “step forward,” while earning the nod of approval from one of the party’s key voting rights advocates, former Georgia governor’s race candidate Stacey Abrams.

It did little, however, to garner the bipartisan support Manchin was hoping for. Senate Republicans said they would likely reject any legislation that expands the federal government’s role in elections.

“I keep thinking there’s a few who want to,” Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., who authored the legislation in the Senate, said during a conference call Monday night with the group Our Revolution. “But when McConnell lowered the boom,” he continued, “we couldn’t get a single Republican to join us.”

The rock-solid opposition from the GOP senators brings to a head questions over the filibuster, the decades-old Senate rule that requires 60 votes for most bills to advance.

While some Democrats want to change the Senate’s rules to push the elections bill and other priorities past the filibuster, Manchin and others including Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., are opposed to taking that next move. Biden, too, has said in the past that he wants to leave the filibuster intact.

“The filibuster compels moderation and helps protect the country from wild swings,” Sinema wrote Monday in an opinion piece for The Washington Post. She welcomed a fulsome debate “so senators and our constituents can hear and fully consider the concerns and consequences.”

Pressure to change the rule is mounting, though. For now, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the administration’s hope is that the chamber’s 50 Democrats are aligned and that an unsuccessful vote will prompt the search for a new path.

The White House didn’t give its full support to the Manchin alternative. But Psaki said the president “is appreciative of the efforts by Sen. Manchin and others to continue to make progress on voting rights, which he feels is a huge priority.”

Ensuing the bill’s passage is taking on fresh urgency as former President Donald Trump continues to challenge the outcome of the 2020 election and is urging on the new laws in the Republican-led states.

State officials who certified the results of the 2020 election have dismissed Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-ap-fact-check-joe-biden-donald-trump-technology-49a24edd6d10888dbad61689c24b05a5">false claims of voter fraud</a>, and judges across the country have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-courts-election-results-e1297d874f45d2b14bc99c403abd0457">dismissed multiple lawsuits</a>&nbsp;filed by Trump and his allies. Trump’s own attorney general said at the time there was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/barr-no-widespread-election-fraud-b1f1488796c9a98c4b1a9061a6c7f49d">no evidence of widespread fraud</a>&nbsp;that would change the outcome.

The changes being enacted in many of the Republican states are decried by voting rights advocates who argue the restrictions will make it more difficult for people to cast ballots, particularly minority residents in cities who tend to support Democrats.

As the Senate action churns, more changes could be coming to the bill.

Democrats want to protect against intimidation at the polls in the aftermath of the 2020 election. They propose enhancing penalties for those who would threaten or intimidate election workers and creating a “buffer zone” between election workers and poll watchers, among other possible changes.

Rep. John Sarbanes, D-Md., a lead sponsor of the bill, said the effort underway is to “respond to the growing threat of election subversion in GOP-led states across the country.“

Democrats also want to limit the ability of state officials to remove a local election official without cause. Georgia Republicans passed a state law earlier this year that gives the GOP-dominated legislature greater influence over a state board that regulates elections and empowers it to remove local election officials deemed to be underperforming.

“The dangers of the voter suppression efforts we’re seeing in Georgia and across the nation are not theoretical, and we can’t allow power-hungry state actors to squeeze the people out of their own democracy by overruling the decisions of local election officials,” said Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., who is working to advance the proposal in the Senate.

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Brenda Martinez, a 19-year-old community college student, thinks the government should help immigrant students more. Donald Huffman is worried about turning 50 next week with no work available because the federal government is delaying the pipelines he usually helps build. Binod Neupane, who just moved to Texas to research alternative fuels, wants action on climate change.

The three Texas voters have little in common politically other than one thing — none considers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-donald-trump-voting-rights-voting-dad9ccf2dc69e815af71ce5a4c7bb586">voting and election reform</a>, the issue that has dominated partisan debate this year, a top priority.

As politicians from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tx-state-wire-texas-government-and-politics-92d26e25c9db88a32e0fda890773b908">Austin, Texas</a>, to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-voting-bills-a9c2f6facbda15c61ee7cc6709bf60a4">Washington, D.C.</a>, battle over the practical aspects of how to run elections — clashing over details such as polling booth hours and the number of ballot drop boxes per county — many voters are disconnected from the fight. A passionate base of voters and activists on both sides may be intensely dialed in on the issue, but a disengaged middle is baffled at the attention.

“Unemployment, climate change — this stuff should be on the top of the list, not the voting thing,” said Neupane, 34.

That disconnect is now the challenge before Democrats, who are trying to marshal public support for federal legislation that would thwart a series of new state laws tightening election procedures. With rallies, ads, White House events and a certain-to-fail vote in the Senate this coming week, Democrats are aiming to fire up their voters around the issue, hoping their passions hold through next year’s midterms.

Republicans face their own pressures.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">Donald Trump’s false claims of massive fraud in the 2020 election</a>&nbsp;have so eroded some GOP voters’ confidence that they say they won’t vote again. Meanwhile, the party’s push for additional restrictions runs the risk of driving away moderate voters.

That debate is still roiling in Texas, where the Legislature is due to return to a special session to consider voting legislation. That comes after Texas Republicans, following the lead of Republican-controlled legislatures in more than a dozen states, tried to muscle through a sweeping elections bill that increased the power of partisan poll watchers, limited the power of local election officials and prevented voting on Sunday mornings when Black churchgoers traditionally flock to the polls. Democrats in the Texas House walked out in the final hours of the legislative session, depriving the GOP of the quorum needed to pass the bill.

Since then, advocacy groups have stepped up organizing and outreach. Former congressman and presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke has seized on the issue, holding rallies and knocking on doors to discuss voting, as he considers launching a campaign for governor. On Wednesday, Vice President Kamala Harris, the Biden administration’s point person on the voting debate, hosted the Texas Democrats at the White House.

“We have a great challenge before us and a fight, which is to fight for every American’s right — meaningful right — to vote,” Harris said as she was flanked by the Texas lawmakers.

But Harris’ message has yet to reach many back in the politically mixed suburbs north of Dallas, a potential battleground in next year’s midterm elections. The swath of comfortable, diversifying neighborhoods was once dominated by the GOP but is now politically divided.

As a heat wave this week brought fresh warnings of blackouts reminiscent of the electrical grid’s collapse during a February snowstorm, several voters were confused about why legislators are spending so much time on election issues.

“Making it difficult for people to vote, it’s just ridiculous,” said Marcin Mazurek, a 50-year-old construction worker who only started following politics during the Trump era because he was so outraged by the former president.

Of more than a dozen voters interviewed, only one brought up the issue unprompted: Nathan Nowasky, a retired certified public accountant, Texas native and lifelong Republican whom Trump drove out of the party. He cited the state voting bill as one of the reasons he and his wife were “thinking about moving elsewhere, because Texas is a political backwater.”

A self-professed news junkie, Nowasky was familiar with the conspiracy theories and false allegations about the 2020 election. He believes the Texas voting bill is fueled by those ideas and illustrates the political extremism that pushed him out of the GOP. “There’s conservative, and then there’s this,” Nowasky said.

The major political parties for years have fought furiously in the courts over the mechanics of elections. But rarely does the fight become a central part of the parties’ pitch to voters. That changed when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, many states liberalized their voting laws to make it safer to vote and Trump seized on the changes as a source of fraud, triggering new state laws often billed as making it “hard to cheat.”

“It’s more of a live issue than it has been probably since the civil rights movement,” Anna Greenberg, a Democratic pollster, said of voting rights. Still, she noted, voting remains relatively simple for most citizens. The voters most animated by the issue are those who believe the system is rigged against them or those who see a pattern of racial discrimination in new laws.

“There are lots of people keeping it on the agenda even if, for your average swing voter, it’s not their No. 1 issue,” Greenberg said.

Kevin Bivens is one of those voters who’s paying attention to the issue. He followed the debate in the legislature carefully and was frustrated that Republicans brushed off Democrats’ attempts for a compromise. He sees the push as the latest in a long line of racial injustice.

“As African Americans, it’s nothing new to us,” said Bivens, who said he is in his 50s and has lived in Texas for decades, acutely aware that he is both a political and racial minority. “We know we have no power over what’s going on but our votes, and if you take that away from us ... ,” he said, trailing off.

In a December poll from The Associated Pres-NORC, only 7% of voters listed voting laws as a top issue, though it gained disproportionate interest from Republicans, 14% of whom cited it.

Martinez, who’s studying to teach English as a second language, is one of those people who hasn’t thought much about voting. She cast her first vote for Biden in November, and neither she nor anyone else in her family had any issues or concerns. “Everything was fine,” Martinez said. Martinez thinks it would be nice to vote by mail — something Texas makes difficult for most voters — but it’s not an issue that drives her.

Voting may be a side issue for many, but it could still play a role in helping Democrats solidify the coalition they assembled last year. Barbara Van Hollenbeck is a longtime Republican who voted for Biden last year — but still voted for Republicans for the legislature and Congress. She says she wanted a counterbalance to the Democratic president. Now, Van Hollenbeck says she’s most worried about climate change and the economy, but she’s also confused and concerned about what the GOP-led legislature is doing with voting.

“Instead of punishing them, help them find a way to vote,” she said of voters.

Andy Wojtovec came at the issue from the opposite end of the political spectrum. “The last election was like communism,” said the 66-year-old Polish immigrant, who owns an air conditioning company and has cheered the lawmakers’ voting changes. He claimed that Venezuela helped hack voting machines to hand the election to Biden — a common, discredited conspiracy theory in pro-Trump circles.

Huffman, the pipeline welder, also was suspicious about the election, “like everyone I know,” he said. A Trump supporter, he is convinced the only reason the former president didn’t win in a blowout was some kind of fraud.

But as he sat in a booth in a branch of the Texas fast food chain Whataburger, Huffman was despondent. Though he has real estate assets to help him, he hasn’t worked in months. He says he doesn’t know what he’ll do now that the Biden administration has put a moratorium on new energy projects on federal land.

And, in a worrying sign for the GOP, he not only had not heard of the party’s election push, but he also wasn’t convinced there was anything politicians could do to prevent massive fraud from happening again.

“I probably won’t ever vote again,” Huffman said. “It feels like a waste of time.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Democrats’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/bills-campaign-finance-voting-rights-legislation-elections-a74d9d8cce567d751021ed66cee2b85f">expansive elections and voting bill&nbsp;</a>is all but certain to be rejected in a key test vote in the Senate, providing a dramatic example of Republicans’ use of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-filibusters-gun-politics-government-and-politics-93c53b3aa8d2b91d3c2d5884f3cdf139">the filibuster&nbsp;</a>to block legislation and forcing hard questions for Democrats over next steps.The far-reaching proposal, at nearly 900 pages, is viewed by backers as the civil rights issue of the era, legislation that is suddenly of the highest priority after the 2020 election as states impose&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-donald-trump-voting-rights-voting-dad9ccf2dc69e815af71ce5a4c7bb586">restrictive new laws</a>&nbsp;that could make it more difficult to vote. In the evenly split Senate, Republicans are united in opposition, seeing the bill as federal overreach and denying Democrats the 60 votes that would be needed to overcome the filibuster and begin debate.“Are you afraid to debate?” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said Monday ahead of the vote. “We’re about to find out.”Months in the making, Tuesday’s showdown over the For the People Act, as it is called, is hardly the end of the road but the start of long campaign ahead. President Joe Biden has vowed what the White House calls the “fight of his presidency” over ensuring Americans’ access to the polls. At stake is not only election rules that make it easier to vote but also Democrats’ own ability to confront the limits of bipartisanship and decide whether or not the filibuster rules should change.Republican leader Mitch McConnell blasted the legislation ahead of the debate as a “disastrous proposal” that will get “no quarter” in the Senate.The party that controls Washington has been preparing for this moment for months, even as lawmakers faced their own internal divisions over the sprawling bill, which would remove hurdles to voting erected in the name of election security, curtail the influence of big money in politics and reduce partisan influence over the drawing of congressional districts.As recently as last week, Sen. Joe Manchin, a moderate West Virginia Democrat, said he couldn’t support the bill without&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-wv-state-wire-bills-voting-voting-rights-bc24ba5e44e1c52516fead3ea498d63f">changes he wanted</a>&nbsp;as a way to draw Republican support.Manchin remained a holdout late Monday following a meeting with Biden at the White House, where the two discussed voting rights. The senator would not say whether he would vote with his party in trying to advance the bill, explaining he was still reviewing the final version. “I have to see the rest of it tonight,” he said at the Capitol.Manchin proposed his own changes last week as he tried to trim back some areas and expand others, adding provisions for a national voter ID requirement, which is anathema to many Democrats, and dropping a proposed public financing of campaigns.The proposed Manchin changes were largely well received, welcomed by Biden’s administration as a “step forward,” while earning the nod of approval from one of the party’s key voting rights advocates, former Georgia governor’s race candidate Stacey Abrams.It did little, however, to garner the bipartisan support Manchin was hoping for. Senate Republicans said they would likely reject any legislation that expands the federal government’s role in elections.“I keep thinking there’s a few who want to,” Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., who authored the legislation in the Senate, said during a conference call Monday night with the group Our Revolution. “But when McConnell lowered the boom,” he continued, “we couldn’t get a single Republican to join us.”The rock-solid opposition from the GOP senators brings to a head questions over the filibuster, the decades-old Senate rule that requires 60 votes for most bills to advance.While some Democrats want to change the Senate’s rules to push the elections bill and other priorities past the filibuster, Manchin and others including Sen. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., are opposed to taking that next move. Biden, too, has said in the past that he wants to leave the filibuster intact.“The filibuster compels moderation and helps protect the country from wild swings,” Sinema wrote Monday in an opinion piece for The Washington Post. She welcomed a fulsome debate “so senators and our constituents can hear and fully consider the concerns and consequences.”Pressure to change the rule is mounting, though. For now, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said the administration’s hope is that the chamber’s 50 Democrats are aligned and that an unsuccessful vote will prompt the search for a new path.The White House didn’t give its full support to the Manchin alternative. But Psaki said the president “is appreciative of the efforts by Sen. Manchin and others to continue to make progress on voting rights, which he feels is a huge priority.”Ensuing the bill’s passage is taking on fresh urgency as former President Donald Trump continues to challenge the outcome of the 2020 election and is urging on the new laws in the Republican-led states.State officials who certified the results of the 2020 election have dismissed Trump’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/election-2020-ap-fact-check-joe-biden-donald-trump-technology-49a24edd6d10888dbad61689c24b05a5">false claims of voter fraud</a>, and judges across the country have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-courts-election-results-e1297d874f45d2b14bc99c403abd0457">dismissed multiple lawsuits</a>&nbsp;filed by Trump and his allies. Trump’s own attorney general said at the time there was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/barr-no-widespread-election-fraud-b1f1488796c9a98c4b1a9061a6c7f49d">no evidence of widespread fraud</a>&nbsp;that would change the outcome.The changes being enacted in many of the Republican states are decried by voting rights advocates who argue the restrictions will make it more difficult for people to cast ballots, particularly minority residents in cities who tend to support Democrats.As the Senate action churns, more changes could be coming to the bill.Democrats want to protect against intimidation at the polls in the aftermath of the 2020 election. They propose enhancing penalties for those who would threaten or intimidate election workers and creating a “buffer zone” between election workers and poll watchers, among other possible changes.Rep. John Sarbanes, D-Md., a lead sponsor of the bill, said the effort underway is to “respond to the growing threat of election subversion in GOP-led states across the country.“Democrats also want to limit the ability of state officials to remove a local election official without cause. Georgia Republicans passed a state law earlier this year that gives the GOP-dominated legislature greater influence over a state board that regulates elections and empowers it to remove local election officials deemed to be underperforming.“The dangers of the voter suppression efforts we’re seeing in Georgia and across the nation are not theoretical, and we can’t allow power-hungry state actors to squeeze the people out of their own democracy by overruling the decisions of local election officials,” said Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., who is working to advance the proposal in the Senate.-------KANSAS CITY (AP) — Brenda Martinez, a 19-year-old community college student, thinks the government should help immigrant students more. Donald Huffman is worried about turning 50 next week with no work available because the federal government is delaying the pipelines he usually helps build. Binod Neupane, who just moved to Texas to research alternative fuels, wants action on climate change.The three Texas voters have little in common politically other than one thing — none considers&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-donald-trump-voting-rights-voting-dad9ccf2dc69e815af71ce5a4c7bb586">voting and election reform</a>, the issue that has dominated partisan debate this year, a top priority.As politicians from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tx-state-wire-texas-government-and-politics-92d26e25c9db88a32e0fda890773b908">Austin, Texas</a>, to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/voting-rights-voting-bills-a9c2f6facbda15c61ee7cc6709bf60a4">Washington, D.C.</a>, battle over the practical aspects of how to run elections — clashing over details such as polling booth hours and the number of ballot drop boxes per county — many voters are disconnected from the fight. A passionate base of voters and activists on both sides may be intensely dialed in on the issue, but a disengaged middle is baffled at the attention.“Unemployment, climate change — this stuff should be on the top of the list, not the voting thing,” said Neupane, 34.That disconnect is now the challenge before Democrats, who are trying to marshal public support for federal legislation that would thwart a series of new state laws tightening election procedures. With rallies, ads, White House events and a certain-to-fail vote in the Senate this coming week, Democrats are aiming to fire up their voters around the issue, hoping their passions hold through next year’s midterms.Republicans face their own pressures.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">Donald Trump’s false claims of massive fraud in the 2020 election</a>&nbsp;have so eroded some GOP voters’ confidence that they say they won’t vote again. Meanwhile, the party’s push for additional restrictions runs the risk of driving away moderate voters.That debate is still roiling in Texas, where the Legislature is due to return to a special session to consider voting legislation. That comes after Texas Republicans, following the lead of Republican-controlled legislatures in more than a dozen states, tried to muscle through a sweeping elections bill that increased the power of partisan poll watchers, limited the power of local election officials and prevented voting on Sunday mornings when Black churchgoers traditionally flock to the polls. Democrats in the Texas House walked out in the final hours of the legislative session, depriving the GOP of the quorum needed to pass the bill.Since then, advocacy groups have stepped up organizing and outreach. Former congressman and presidential candidate Beto O’Rourke has seized on the issue, holding rallies and knocking on doors to discuss voting, as he considers launching a campaign for governor. On Wednesday, Vice President Kamala Harris, the Biden administration’s point person on the voting debate, hosted the Texas Democrats at the White House.“We have a great challenge before us and a fight, which is to fight for every American’s right — meaningful right — to vote,” Harris said as she was flanked by the Texas lawmakers.But Harris’ message has yet to reach many back in the politically mixed suburbs north of Dallas, a potential battleground in next year’s midterm elections. The swath of comfortable, diversifying neighborhoods was once dominated by the GOP but is now politically divided.As a heat wave this week brought fresh warnings of blackouts reminiscent of the electrical grid’s collapse during a February snowstorm, several voters were confused about why legislators are spending so much time on election issues.“Making it difficult for people to vote, it’s just ridiculous,” said Marcin Mazurek, a 50-year-old construction worker who only started following politics during the Trump era because he was so outraged by the former president.Of more than a dozen voters interviewed, only one brought up the issue unprompted: Nathan Nowasky, a retired certified public accountant, Texas native and lifelong Republican whom Trump drove out of the party. He cited the state voting bill as one of the reasons he and his wife were “thinking about moving elsewhere, because Texas is a political backwater.”A self-professed news junkie, Nowasky was familiar with the conspiracy theories and false allegations about the 2020 election. He believes the Texas voting bill is fueled by those ideas and illustrates the political extremism that pushed him out of the GOP. “There’s conservative, and then there’s this,” Nowasky said.The major political parties for years have fought furiously in the courts over the mechanics of elections. But rarely does the fight become a central part of the parties’ pitch to voters. That changed when the COVID-19 pandemic hit, many states liberalized their voting laws to make it safer to vote and Trump seized on the changes as a source of fraud, triggering new state laws often billed as making it “hard to cheat.”“It’s more of a live issue than it has been probably since the civil rights movement,” Anna Greenberg, a Democratic pollster, said of voting rights. Still, she noted, voting remains relatively simple for most citizens. The voters most animated by the issue are those who believe the system is rigged against them or those who see a pattern of racial discrimination in new laws.“There are lots of people keeping it on the agenda even if, for your average swing voter, it’s not their No. 1 issue,” Greenberg said.Kevin Bivens is one of those voters who’s paying attention to the issue. He followed the debate in the legislature carefully and was frustrated that Republicans brushed off Democrats’ attempts for a compromise. He sees the push as the latest in a long line of racial injustice.“As African Americans, it’s nothing new to us,” said Bivens, who said he is in his 50s and has lived in Texas for decades, acutely aware that he is both a political and racial minority. “We know we have no power over what’s going on but our votes, and if you take that away from us ... ,” he said, trailing off.In a December poll from The Associated Pres-NORC, only 7% of voters listed voting laws as a top issue, though it gained disproportionate interest from Republicans, 14% of whom cited it.Martinez, who’s studying to teach English as a second language, is one of those people who hasn’t thought much about voting. She cast her first vote for Biden in November, and neither she nor anyone else in her family had any issues or concerns. “Everything was fine,” Martinez said. Martinez thinks it would be nice to vote by mail — something Texas makes difficult for most voters — but it’s not an issue that drives her.Voting may be a side issue for many, but it could still play a role in helping Democrats solidify the coalition they assembled last year. Barbara Van Hollenbeck is a longtime Republican who voted for Biden last year — but still voted for Republicans for the legislature and Congress. She says she wanted a counterbalance to the Democratic president. Now, Van Hollenbeck says she’s most worried about climate change and the economy, but she’s also confused and concerned about what the GOP-led legislature is doing with voting.“Instead of punishing them, help them find a way to vote,” she said of voters.Andy Wojtovec came at the issue from the opposite end of the political spectrum. “The last election was like communism,” said the 66-year-old Polish immigrant, who owns an air conditioning company and has cheered the lawmakers’ voting changes. He claimed that Venezuela helped hack voting machines to hand the election to Biden — a common, discredited conspiracy theory in pro-Trump circles.Huffman, the pipeline welder, also was suspicious about the election, “like everyone I know,” he said. A Trump supporter, he is convinced the only reason the former president didn’t win in a blowout was some kind of fraud.But as he sat in a booth in a branch of the Texas fast food chain Whataburger, Huffman was despondent. Though he has real estate assets to help him, he hasn’t worked in months. He says he doesn’t know what he’ll do now that the Biden administration has put a moratorium on new energy projects on federal land.And, in a worrying sign for the GOP, he not only had not heard of the party’s election push, but he also wasn’t convinced there was anything politicians could do to prevent massive fraud from happening again.“I probably won’t ever vote again,” Huffman said. “It feels like a waste of time.”

Voting rights showdown set for the U.S. Senate

WASHINGTON — The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service recently unveiled an online <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-non-filer-sign-up-tool">Non-filer Sign-up tool</a>
 designed to help eligible families who don't normally file tax returns 
register for the monthly Advance Child Tax Credit payments, scheduled to
 begin July 15.

This tool, an update of last year's IRS Non-filers tool, is also 
designed to help eligible individuals who don't normally file income tax
 returns register for the $1,400 third round of Economic Impact Payments
 (also known as stimulus checks) and claim the Recovery Rebate Credit 
for any amount of the first two rounds of Economic Impact Payments they 
may have missed.

Developed in partnership with Intuit and delivered through the Free 
File Alliance, this tool provides a free and easy way for eligible 
people who don't make enough income to have an income tax return-filing 
obligation to provide the IRS the basic information needed—name, 
address, and Social Security numbers—to figure and issue their Advance 
Child Tax Credit payments. Often, these are individuals and families who
 receive little or no income, including those experiencing homelessness 
and other underserved groups. This new tool is available only on 
IRS.gov.

"We have been working hard to begin delivering the monthly Advance 
Child Tax Credit to millions of families with children in July," said 
IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "This new tool will help more people 
easily gain access to this important credit as well as help people who 
don't normally file a tax return obtain an Economic Impact Payment. We 
encourage people to review the details about this important new effort."

The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-non-filer-sign-up-tool">Non-filer Sign-up tool</a>
 is for people who did not file a tax return for 2019 or 2020 and who 
did not use the IRS Non-filers tool last year to register for Economic 
Impact Payments. The tool enables them to provide required information 
about themselves, their qualifying children age 17 and under, their 
other dependents, and their direct deposit bank information so the IRS 
can quickly and easily deposit the payments directly into their checking
 or savings account.

Eligible families who already filed or plan to file 2019 or 2020 
income tax returns should not use this tool. Once the IRS processes 
their 2019 or 2020 tax return, the information will be used to determine
 eligibility and issue advance payments. Families who want to claim 
other tax benefits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit for low- and 
moderate-income families, should not use this tool and instead file a 
regular tax return. For them, the fastest and easiest way to file a 
return is the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">Free File</a> system, available only on IRS.gov.

Public-private partnership plays vital role

Intuit developed the Non-filer Sign-up tool for the IRS and delivers 
this tool through its participation in the Free File Alliance. Intuit 
has a long history of working closely with the IRS on innovative 
solutions, including last year's Non-filers: Enter Payment Info
 Here tool. In addition, for many years, Intuit has offered Free File 
Fillable Forms, also delivered through the Free File Alliance. This is 
the electronic version of IRS paper forms, which provides all taxpayers 
with the option to electronically file for free. There are no income 
restrictions for using this option to file a 2020 tax return.

The IRS urges everyone to be on the lookout for scams related to both
 Advance Child Tax Credit payments and Economic Impact Payments. The IRS
 emphasized that the only way to get either of these benefits is by 
either filing a tax return with the IRS or registering online through 
the Non-filer Sign-up tool, exclusively on IRS.gov. Any other option is a
 scam.

Watch out for scams using email, phone calls or texts related to the 
payments. Be careful and cautious: The IRS never sends unsolicited 
electronic communications asking anyone to open attachments or visit a 
non-governmental web site.

The IRS has created a special Advance Child Tax Credit 2021 page at <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">IRS.gov/childtaxcredit2021</a>, designed to provide the most up-to-date information about the credit and the advance payments.

The page already features a link to the Non-filer Sign-up tool. In 
the next few weeks, it will also feature other useful new tools, 
including:

The IRS urges community groups, non-profits, associations, education 
organizations and anyone else with connections to people with children 
to share this critical information about the Advance Child Tax Credit as
 well as other important benefits. The IRS will provide additional 
materials and information in the near future that can be easily shared 
by social media, email and other methods.

The expanded and newly-advanceable Child Tax Credit was authorized by
 the American Rescue Plan Act, enacted in March. Normally, the IRS will 
calculate the payment based on a person's 2020 tax return, including 
those who use the Non-filer Sign-up tool. If that return is not 
available because it has not yet been filed or is still being processed,
 the IRS will instead determine the initial payment amounts using the 
2019 return or the information entered using the Non-filers tool that 
was available in 2020.

The payment will be up to $300 per month for each child under age 6 and up to $250 per month for each child age 6 through 17.

To make sure families have easy access to their money, the IRS will 
issue these payments by direct deposit, as long as correct banking 
information has previously been provided to the IRS. Otherwise, people 
should watch their mail around July 15 for their mailed payment. The 
dates for the Advance Child Tax Credit payments are July 15, Aug. 13, 
Sept. 15, Oct. 15, Nov. 15 and Dec. 15.

For more information, visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">IRS.gov/childtaxcredit2021</a>, or read <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-frequently-asked-questions">FAQs on the 2021 Child Tax Credit and Advance Child Tax Credit Payments</a>.

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599869632873.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>IRSWASHINGTON — The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service recently unveiled an online <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-non-filer-sign-up-tool">Non-filer Sign-up tool</a>
 designed to help eligible families who don't normally file tax returns 
register for the monthly Advance Child Tax Credit payments, scheduled to
 begin July 15.This tool, an update of last year's IRS Non-filers tool, is also 
designed to help eligible individuals who don't normally file income tax
 returns register for the $1,400 third round of Economic Impact Payments
 (also known as stimulus checks) and claim the Recovery Rebate Credit 
for any amount of the first two rounds of Economic Impact Payments they 
may have missed.Developed in partnership with Intuit and delivered through the Free 
File Alliance, this tool provides a free and easy way for eligible 
people who don't make enough income to have an income tax return-filing 
obligation to provide the IRS the basic information needed—name, 
address, and Social Security numbers—to figure and issue their Advance 
Child Tax Credit payments. Often, these are individuals and families who
 receive little or no income, including those experiencing homelessness 
and other underserved groups. This new tool is available only on 
IRS.gov."We have been working hard to begin delivering the monthly Advance 
Child Tax Credit to millions of families with children in July," said 
IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. "This new tool will help more people 
easily gain access to this important credit as well as help people who 
don't normally file a tax return obtain an Economic Impact Payment. We 
encourage people to review the details about this important new effort."The <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/child-tax-credit-non-filer-sign-up-tool">Non-filer Sign-up tool</a>
 is for people who did not file a tax return for 2019 or 2020 and who 
did not use the IRS Non-filers tool last year to register for Economic 
Impact Payments. The tool enables them to provide required information 
about themselves, their qualifying children age 17 and under, their 
other dependents, and their direct deposit bank information so the IRS 
can quickly and easily deposit the payments directly into their checking
 or savings account.<h2>No action needed by most families</h2>Eligible families who already filed or plan to file 2019 or 2020 
income tax returns should not use this tool. Once the IRS processes 
their 2019 or 2020 tax return, the information will be used to determine
 eligibility and issue advance payments. Families who want to claim 
other tax benefits, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit for low- and 
moderate-income families, should not use this tool and instead file a 
regular tax return. For them, the fastest and easiest way to file a 
return is the <a href="https://www.irs.gov/filing/free-file-do-your-federal-taxes-for-free">Free File</a> system, available only on IRS.gov.<h2>Public-private partnership plays vital role</h2>Intuit developed the Non-filer Sign-up tool for the IRS and delivers 
this tool through its participation in the Free File Alliance. Intuit 
has a long history of working closely with the IRS on innovative 
solutions, including last year's Non-filers: Enter Payment Info
 Here tool. In addition, for many years, Intuit has offered Free File 
Fillable Forms, also delivered through the Free File Alliance. This is 
the electronic version of IRS paper forms, which provides all taxpayers 
with the option to electronically file for free. There are no income 
restrictions for using this option to file a 2020 tax return.<h2>Watch out for scams</h2>The IRS urges everyone to be on the lookout for scams related to both
 Advance Child Tax Credit payments and Economic Impact Payments. The IRS
 emphasized that the only way to get either of these benefits is by 
either filing a tax return with the IRS or registering online through 
the Non-filer Sign-up tool, exclusively on IRS.gov. Any other option is a
 scam.Watch out for scams using email, phone calls or texts related to the 
payments. Be careful and cautious: The IRS never sends unsolicited 
electronic communications asking anyone to open attachments or visit a 
non-governmental web site.<h2>Other tools coming soon</h2>The IRS has created a special Advance Child Tax Credit 2021 page at <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">IRS.gov/childtaxcredit2021</a>, designed to provide the most up-to-date information about the credit and the advance payments.The page already features a link to the Non-filer Sign-up tool. In 
the next few weeks, it will also feature other useful new tools, 
including:<ul>
 <li>An interactive Child Tax Credit eligibility assistant to help 
families determine whether they qualify for the Advance Child Tax Credit
 payments.</li><li>Another tool, the Child Tax Credit Update Portal, will initially 
enable anyone who has been determined to be eligible for advance 
payments to see that they are eligible and unenroll/opt out of the 
advance payment program. Later, it will allow people to check on the 
status of their payments, make updates to their information and be 
available in Spanish.</li>
 </ul><h2>Community partners can help</h2>The IRS urges community groups, non-profits, associations, education 
organizations and anyone else with connections to people with children 
to share this critical information about the Advance Child Tax Credit as
 well as other important benefits. The IRS will provide additional 
materials and information in the near future that can be easily shared 
by social media, email and other methods.<h2>About the Advance Child Tax Credit</h2>The expanded and newly-advanceable Child Tax Credit was authorized by
 the American Rescue Plan Act, enacted in March. Normally, the IRS will 
calculate the payment based on a person's 2020 tax return, including 
those who use the Non-filer Sign-up tool. If that return is not 
available because it has not yet been filed or is still being processed,
 the IRS will instead determine the initial payment amounts using the 
2019 return or the information entered using the Non-filers tool that 
was available in 2020.The payment will be up to $300 per month for each child under age 6 and up to $250 per month for each child age 6 through 17.To make sure families have easy access to their money, the IRS will 
issue these payments by direct deposit, as long as correct banking 
information has previously been provided to the IRS. Otherwise, people 
should watch their mail around July 15 for their mailed payment. The 
dates for the Advance Child Tax Credit payments are July 15, Aug. 13, 
Sept. 15, Oct. 15, Nov. 15 and Dec. 15.For more information, visit <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/advance-child-tax-credit-payments-in-2021">IRS.gov/childtaxcredit2021</a>, or read <a href="https://www.irs.gov/credits-deductions/2021-child-tax-credit-and-advance-child-tax-credit-payments-frequently-asked-questions">FAQs on the 2021 Child Tax Credit and Advance Child Tax Credit Payments</a>.

IRS unveils tool to help families register for Child Tax Credit payments

LOS ANGELES —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a member of the Kansas City Chiefs on felony charges after an arrest Sunday&nbsp; in Los Angeles.

Just before 9:30p.m. Sunday, police stopped a vehicle driven by <a href="https://www.chiefs.com/team/players-roster/frank-clark/">28-year-old Frank Clark</a> for an alleged code violation, according to online LAPD records.

Officers observed an Uzi in a bag in the vehicle and arrested Clark&nbsp;on a requested charge of a concealed firearm in a vehicle violation. He spent the night in jail and bonded out Monday afternoon.&nbsp;His lawyer says the gun belonged to a bodyguard, according to the Associated Press.

The case will be presented to the LA County Prosecutor's Office.

Clark is in his seventh season as defensive end from the University of Michigan and 2021 is his third season in Kansas City, according to his bio on the team website.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624317438496.png" alt="Image LA County Sheriff's Department" />
 <figcaption>Image LA County Sheriff's Department</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a member of the Kansas City Chiefs on felony charges after an arrest Sunday&nbsp; in Los Angeles.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624317639857.png" alt="Frank Clark photo courtesy KC Chiefs" />
 <figcaption>Frank Clark photo courtesy KC Chiefs</figcaption>
 </figure>Just before 9:30p.m. Sunday, police stopped a vehicle driven by <a href="https://www.chiefs.com/team/players-roster/frank-clark/">28-year-old Frank Clark</a> for an alleged code violation, according to online LAPD records.Officers observed an Uzi in a bag in the vehicle and arrested Clark&nbsp;on a requested charge of a concealed firearm in a vehicle violation. He spent the night in jail and bonded out Monday afternoon.&nbsp;His lawyer says the gun belonged to a bodyguard, according to the Associated Press.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624317829693.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The case will be presented to the LA County Prosecutor's Office.Clark is in his seventh season as defensive end from the University of Michigan and 2021 is his third season in Kansas City, according to his bio on the team website.

Update: KC Chiefs DE jailed for alleged weapons violation

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A carjacking suspect is dead after an exchange of gunfire with police in Kansas City, Kansas. Police say 25-year-old Dario Dominguez died Sunday. He was a suspect in an armed carjacking that happened Thursday in Kansas City, Kansas. 

Officers in Kansas City, Missouri, on Sunday spotted a vehicle that matched the description and a pursuit began. The pursuit went into Kansas City, Kansas, and ended when Dominguez's vehicle crashed. Police say video footage from body and in-car cameras show Dominguez shooting at police, who returned fire. He man died at a hospital. An investigation continues.

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A carjacking suspect is dead after an exchange of gunfire with police in Kansas City, Kansas. Police did not identify the suspect who was killed on Sunday but say he was a 25-year-old man. 

Police said the armed carjacking happened Thursday in Kansas City, Kansas. Officers in Kansas City, Missouri, on Sunday spotted a vehicle that matched the description and a pursuit began. 

The pursuit went into Kansas City, Kansas, and ended when the suspect’s vehicle crashed. Police say video footage from body and in-car cameras show the suspect shot at police, who returned fire. The man died at a hospital. An investigation continues.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624283783870.png" alt="Police on the scene of the gun battle -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Police on the scene of the gun battle -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A carjacking suspect is dead after an exchange of gunfire with police in Kansas City, Kansas. Police say 25-year-old Dario Dominguez died Sunday. He was a suspect in an armed carjacking that happened Thursday in Kansas City, Kansas. Officers in Kansas City, Missouri, on Sunday spotted a vehicle that matched the description and a pursuit began. The pursuit went into Kansas City, Kansas, and ended when Dominguez's vehicle crashed. Police say video footage from body and in-car cameras show Dominguez shooting at police, who returned fire. He man died at a hospital. An investigation continues.KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — A carjacking suspect is dead after an exchange of gunfire with police in Kansas City, Kansas. Police did not identify the suspect who was killed on Sunday but say he was a 25-year-old man. Police said the armed carjacking happened Thursday in Kansas City, Kansas. Officers in Kansas City, Missouri, on Sunday spotted a vehicle that matched the description and a pursuit began. The pursuit went into Kansas City, Kansas, and ended when the suspect’s vehicle crashed. Police say video footage from body and in-car cameras show the suspect shot at police, who returned fire. The man died at a hospital. An investigation continues.

Authorities ID Kansas carjacking suspect killed by police 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20969582-ncaa-v-alston" target="_blank">ruled unanimously</a>&nbsp;Monday the NCAA can’t limit education-related benefits — like computers and paid internships — that colleges can offer their sports stars, a victory for athletes that could help open the door to further easing in the decades-old fight over paying student-athletes.

Schools recruiting top athletes could now offer tens of thousands of dollars in education-related benefits that also include study-abroad programs and graduate scholarships. However, the case doesn’t decide whether students can simply be paid salaries for the benefits their efforts bring — measured in tens of millions for many universities.

The high court agreed with a lower court’s determination that NCAA limits on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/basketball-football-us-supreme-court-mark-emmert-college-sports-ba1c2e5409ec6d8e970075e4f9ddf53b">the education-related benefits</a>&nbsp;that colleges can offer athletes who play Division I basketball and football violate antitrust laws.

The case is important in the short term for students who may see schools competing for talent by sweetening their offers with a variety of education-related benefits. It’s also important in the long term because it sets the stage for future challenges to NCAA rules limiting athletes’ compensation.

Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote for the court that the NCAA sought “immunity from the normal operation of the antitrust laws,” an argument the court rejected. Gorsuch said that allowing colleges and universities to offer “enhanced education-related benefits ... may encourage scholastic achievement and allow student-athletes a measure of compensation more consistent with the value they bring to their schools.”

Under current NCAA rules, students cannot be paid, and the scholarship money a college can offer is capped at the cost of attending the school.

The NCAA had defended its rules as necessary to preserve the amateur nature of college sports, preventing a blurring of the line between them and professional teams, with colleges trying to lure talented athletes by offering over-the-top benefits. A lower court had upheld the NCAA’s limits on scholarships and cash awards, and the high court wasn’t asked to weigh in on those.

Writing for only himself, Justice Brett Kavanaugh signaled where Monday’s decision may lead. He said there are “serious questions” about whether the NCAA’s other restrictions on compensating athletes can stand. Kavanaugh wrote that “traditions alone cannot justify the NCAA’s decision to build a massive money-raising enterprise on the backs of student athletes who are not fairly compensated.”

“Nowhere else in America can businesses get away with agreeing not to pay their workers a fair market rate on the theory that their product is defined by not paying their workers a fair market rate. ... The NCAA is not above the law,” wrote Kavanaugh, who as a college student played on Yale’s junior varsity basketball team.

The case&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/athlete-compensation-basketball-elena-kagan-football-us-supreme-court-4fa2fc30e1a3f21329f4ec22cc55bb28">was brought by former athletes</a>, including West Virginia football player Shawne Alston. It followed a separate, earlier lawsuit brought by athletes including former UCLA basketball player Ed O’Bannon and NBA legends Oscar Robertson and Bill Russell where an appeals court&nbsp;<a href="http://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2015/09/30/14-16601.pdf" target="_blank">concluded</a>&nbsp;NCAA rules aren’t exempt from antitrust law. That case ended with the Supreme Court declining to weigh in.

As a result of Monday’s ruling, the NCAA itself can’t bar schools from offering Division I basketball and football players additional education-related benefits. But individual athletic conferences can still set limits if they choose.

“It is our hope that this victory in the battle for college athletes’ rights will carry on a wave of justice uplifting further aspects of athlete compensation,” said Steve Berman, an attorney for the former college athletes, in a statement following the ruling. “This is the fair treatment college athletes deserve.”

WASHINGTON (AP) — In a ruling that could help push changes in college athletics, the Supreme Court on Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20969582-ncaa-v-alston" target="_blank">unanimously ruled</a>&nbsp;that the NCAA can’t enforce certain rules limiting the education-related benefits — things like computers and graduate scholarships — that colleges offer athletes.

The case doesn’t decide whether students can be paid salaries. Instead, the ruling will help determine whether schools decide to offer athletes tens of thousands of dollars in those benefits for things including tutoring, study abroad and internships.

The high court agreed with a group of former college athletes that NCAA limits on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/basketball-football-us-supreme-court-mark-emmert-college-sports-ba1c2e5409ec6d8e970075e4f9ddf53b">the education-related benefits</a>&nbsp;that colleges can offer athletes who play Division I basketball and football can’t be enforced.

Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote for the court that the NCAA sought “immunity from the normal operation of the antitrust laws,” which the court declined to grant.

Under current NCAA rules, students cannot be paid, and the scholarship money colleges can offer is capped at the cost of attending the school. The NCAA had defended its rules as necessary to preserve the amateur nature of college sports.

But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/athlete-compensation-basketball-elena-kagan-football-us-supreme-court-4fa2fc30e1a3f21329f4ec22cc55bb28">the former athletes who brought the case</a>, including former West Virginia football player Shawne Alston, argued that the NCAA’s rules on education-related compensation were unfair and violate federal antitrust law designed to promote competition. The Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling barring the NCAA from enforcing those rules.

As a result of the ruling, the NCAA itself can’t bar schools from sweetening their offers to Division I basketball and football players with additional education-related benefits. But individual athletic conferences can still set limits if they choose. A lawyer for the former athletes had said before the ruling that he believed that if his clients won, “very many schools” would ultimately offer additional benefits.

The NCAA had argued that a ruling for the athletes could lead to a blurring of the line between college and professional sports, with colleges trying to lure talented athletes by offering over-the-top education benefits worth thousands of dollars. Even without the court’s ruling, however, changes seem on the way for how college athletes are compensated. The NCAA is trying to amend its rules to allow athletes to profit from their names, images and likenesses. That would allow athletes to earn money for things like sponsorship deals, online endorsement and personal appearances. For some athletes, those amounts could dwarf any education-related benefits.

The players associations of the NFL, the NBA and the WNBA had all urged the justices to side with the ex-athletes, as did the Biden administration.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20969582-ncaa-v-alston" target="_blank">ruled unanimously</a>&nbsp;Monday the NCAA can’t limit education-related benefits — like computers and paid internships — that colleges can offer their sports stars, a victory for athletes that could help open the door to further easing in the decades-old fight over paying student-athletes.Schools recruiting top athletes could now offer tens of thousands of dollars in education-related benefits that also include study-abroad programs and graduate scholarships. However, the case doesn’t decide whether students can simply be paid salaries for the benefits their efforts bring — measured in tens of millions for many universities.The high court agreed with a lower court’s determination that NCAA limits on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/basketball-football-us-supreme-court-mark-emmert-college-sports-ba1c2e5409ec6d8e970075e4f9ddf53b">the education-related benefits</a>&nbsp;that colleges can offer athletes who play Division I basketball and football violate antitrust laws.The case is important in the short term for students who may see schools competing for talent by sweetening their offers with a variety of education-related benefits. It’s also important in the long term because it sets the stage for future challenges to NCAA rules limiting athletes’ compensation.Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote for the court that the NCAA sought “immunity from the normal operation of the antitrust laws,” an argument the court rejected. Gorsuch said that allowing colleges and universities to offer “enhanced education-related benefits ... may encourage scholastic achievement and allow student-athletes a measure of compensation more consistent with the value they bring to their schools.”Under current NCAA rules, students cannot be paid, and the scholarship money a college can offer is capped at the cost of attending the school.The NCAA had defended its rules as necessary to preserve the amateur nature of college sports, preventing a blurring of the line between them and professional teams, with colleges trying to lure talented athletes by offering over-the-top benefits. A lower court had upheld the NCAA’s limits on scholarships and cash awards, and the high court wasn’t asked to weigh in on those.Writing for only himself, Justice Brett Kavanaugh signaled where Monday’s decision may lead. He said there are “serious questions” about whether the NCAA’s other restrictions on compensating athletes can stand. Kavanaugh wrote that “traditions alone cannot justify the NCAA’s decision to build a massive money-raising enterprise on the backs of student athletes who are not fairly compensated.”“Nowhere else in America can businesses get away with agreeing not to pay their workers a fair market rate on the theory that their product is defined by not paying their workers a fair market rate. ... The NCAA is not above the law,” wrote Kavanaugh, who as a college student played on Yale’s junior varsity basketball team.The case&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/athlete-compensation-basketball-elena-kagan-football-us-supreme-court-4fa2fc30e1a3f21329f4ec22cc55bb28">was brought by former athletes</a>, including West Virginia football player Shawne Alston. It followed a separate, earlier lawsuit brought by athletes including former UCLA basketball player Ed O’Bannon and NBA legends Oscar Robertson and Bill Russell where an appeals court&nbsp;<a href="http://cdn.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2015/09/30/14-16601.pdf" target="_blank">concluded</a>&nbsp;NCAA rules aren’t exempt from antitrust law. That case ended with the Supreme Court declining to weigh in.As a result of Monday’s ruling, the NCAA itself can’t bar schools from offering Division I basketball and football players additional education-related benefits. But individual athletic conferences can still set limits if they choose.“It is our hope that this victory in the battle for college athletes’ rights will carry on a wave of justice uplifting further aspects of athlete compensation,” said Steve Berman, an attorney for the former college athletes, in a statement following the ruling. “This is the fair treatment college athletes deserve.”----------WASHINGTON (AP) — In a ruling that could help push changes in college athletics, the Supreme Court on Monday&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/20969582-ncaa-v-alston" target="_blank">unanimously ruled</a>&nbsp;that the NCAA can’t enforce certain rules limiting the education-related benefits — things like computers and graduate scholarships — that colleges offer athletes.The case doesn’t decide whether students can be paid salaries. Instead, the ruling will help determine whether schools decide to offer athletes tens of thousands of dollars in those benefits for things including tutoring, study abroad and internships.The high court agreed with a group of former college athletes that NCAA limits on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/basketball-football-us-supreme-court-mark-emmert-college-sports-ba1c2e5409ec6d8e970075e4f9ddf53b">the education-related benefits</a>&nbsp;that colleges can offer athletes who play Division I basketball and football can’t be enforced.Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote for the court that the NCAA sought “immunity from the normal operation of the antitrust laws,” which the court declined to grant.Under current NCAA rules, students cannot be paid, and the scholarship money colleges can offer is capped at the cost of attending the school. The NCAA had defended its rules as necessary to preserve the amateur nature of college sports.But&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/athlete-compensation-basketball-elena-kagan-football-us-supreme-court-4fa2fc30e1a3f21329f4ec22cc55bb28">the former athletes who brought the case</a>, including former West Virginia football player Shawne Alston, argued that the NCAA’s rules on education-related compensation were unfair and violate federal antitrust law designed to promote competition. The Supreme Court upheld a lower court ruling barring the NCAA from enforcing those rules.As a result of the ruling, the NCAA itself can’t bar schools from sweetening their offers to Division I basketball and football players with additional education-related benefits. But individual athletic conferences can still set limits if they choose. A lawyer for the former athletes had said before the ruling that he believed that if his clients won, “very many schools” would ultimately offer additional benefits.The NCAA had argued that a ruling for the athletes could lead to a blurring of the line between college and professional sports, with colleges trying to lure talented athletes by offering over-the-top education benefits worth thousands of dollars. Even without the court’s ruling, however, changes seem on the way for how college athletes are compensated. The NCAA is trying to amend its rules to allow athletes to profit from their names, images and likenesses. That would allow athletes to earn money for things like sponsorship deals, online endorsement and personal appearances. For some athletes, those amounts could dwarf any education-related benefits.The players associations of the NFL, the NBA and the WNBA had all urged the justices to side with the ex-athletes, as did the Biden administration.

Supreme Court win for college athletes in compensation case

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A suburban Kansas City man accused of killing his roommate during an argument over a locked door told investigators he shot the other man to protect himself from being attacked, police said.

Robert Matlock Jr., 43, is charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the June 16 killing of Ramiro Jaramillo.

Police said the shooting happened at the Raytown home the two men shared as they argued over Matlock’s decision to place a lock on a door leading to Matlock’s medical marijuana kept in the garage.

Police said Matlock told officers he acted in self-defense, saying his roommate was trying to attack him and that he thought Jaramillo may have been armed with a knife or gun at the time. Matlock said he warned Jaramillo he would shoot, then closed his eyes and fired three or four times, police recounted from the interview.

Jaramillo was taken to an area hospital, where he later died.

Matlock told investigators that he and Jaramillo argued frequently and that he shared with police cellphone videos of the two arguing, including on the day of the shooting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624037035121.png" alt="Matlock photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Matlock photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A suburban Kansas City man accused of killing his roommate during an argument over a locked door told investigators he shot the other man to protect himself from being attacked, police said.Robert Matlock Jr., 43, is charged with second-degree murder and armed criminal action in the June 16 killing of Ramiro Jaramillo.Police said the shooting happened at the Raytown home the two men shared as they argued over Matlock’s decision to place a lock on a door leading to Matlock’s medical marijuana kept in the garage.Police said Matlock told officers he acted in self-defense, saying his roommate was trying to attack him and that he thought Jaramillo may have been armed with a knife or gun at the time. Matlock said he warned Jaramillo he would shoot, then closed his eyes and fired three or four times, police recounted from the interview.Jaramillo was taken to an area hospital, where he later died.Matlock told investigators that he and Jaramillo argued frequently and that he shared with police cellphone videos of the two arguing, including on the day of the shooting.

Kan. City man killed roommate in dispute over locked door 

SALINE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on multiple charges after a violent incident at a residence in Saline County.

Just before 3 a.m. Sunday, sheriff's deputies were sent to the 2300 block of S. Midland Road in the rural unincorporated Saline County community of Bavaria for the report of a disturbance that included shots fired, according to Saline County Undersheriff Brent Melander said this morning.

Deputies interviewed several people who had been at a party at the residence. There were multiple victims in the case including&nbsp; a 29-year-old woman, a 28-year-old man, a 40-year-old woman, two juveniles and a 36-year-old woman who witnesses said had been pistol whipped. She suffered facial injuries, according to Melander.

Deputies arrested Ryan Will, 44, of Bavaria on requested charges of aggravated assault, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, endangering a child, Interference with law enforcement and domestic battery

During a search of Will's residence, deputies uncovered two large caliber handguns that had been involved in the incident. Multiple witnesses said that the guns had been fired into the ground, according to Melander and alcohol may have played a part in the incident.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624291400307.png" alt="Ryan Will -photo Saline Co." />
 <figcaption>Ryan Will -photo Saline Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SALINE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on multiple charges after a violent incident at a residence in Saline County.Just before 3 a.m. Sunday, sheriff's deputies were sent to the 2300 block of S. Midland Road in the rural unincorporated Saline County community of Bavaria for the report of a disturbance that included shots fired, according to Saline County Undersheriff Brent Melander said this morning.Deputies interviewed several people who had been at a party at the residence. There were multiple victims in the case including&nbsp; a 29-year-old woman, a 28-year-old man, a 40-year-old woman, two juveniles and a 36-year-old woman who witnesses said had been pistol whipped. She suffered facial injuries, according to Melander.Deputies arrested Ryan Will, 44, of Bavaria on requested charges of aggravated assault, aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, endangering a child, Interference with law enforcement and domestic batteryDuring a search of Will's residence, deputies uncovered two large caliber handguns that had been involved in the incident. Multiple witnesses said that the guns had been fired into the ground, according to Melander and alcohol may have played a part in the incident.

Sheriff: Kansas man accused of violent attack during party

SHAWNEE COUNTY —A jury found a Kansas man guilty&nbsp;Attempted Murder in the First Degree with Premeditation, Aggravated Battery and Criminal Discharge of a Firearm, according to Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay.

On March 8, 2020, law enforcement responded to the area of 11th&nbsp;and Locust in Topeka in response to a drive-by shooting. 

Officers arrived and located Khalil Austin suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Austin was transported to a local hospital where he received treatment. He later told law enforcement that he was walking home when Jackson pulled up in a car, drew a handgun, and began shooting at him as he ran away. Eleven shell casings were located at the scene and it was determined that Austin was ultimately struck by three projectiles. Jackson was located at his mother’s house a few hours later where he was taken into custody and law enforcement recovered the firearm used in the shooting. Law enforcement was also assisted by neighbors who captured the incident on surveillance video from a nearby residence.

The court will set a date for sentencing on&nbsp; June 24, according to the district attorney's office.

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting and have a suspect in custody.

Just before 5p.m. Sunday, police responded to the 1100 block of SE Locust in Topeka on a report of a shooting, according to police Lt. John Trimble.&nbsp;

Officers were able to find a victim identified as&nbsp;Khalil I. Austin, 22, Topeka.  at a nearby location suffering from what appeared to be a non-life threatening gunshot wound. EMS transported him to a local hospital for medical treatment.

On Monday morning, police reported the arrest of a suspect identified as 18-year-old Shardell S. Jackson of Topeka on requested charges of&nbsp; Aggravated Battery, Criminal Possession of a Firearm, Criminal Discharge of a Firearm and Criminal Damage to Property.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583780033518.png" alt="Shardell Jackson photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Shardell Jackson photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —A jury found a Kansas man guilty&nbsp;Attempted Murder in the First Degree with Premeditation, Aggravated Battery and Criminal Discharge of a Firearm, according to Shawnee County District Attorney Mike Kagay.On March 8, 2020, law enforcement responded to the area of 11th&nbsp;and Locust in Topeka in response to a drive-by shooting. Officers arrived and located Khalil Austin suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Austin was transported to a local hospital where he received treatment. He later told law enforcement that he was walking home when Jackson pulled up in a car, drew a handgun, and began shooting at him as he ran away. Eleven shell casings were located at the scene and it was determined that Austin was ultimately struck by three projectiles. Jackson was located at his mother’s house a few hours later where he was taken into custody and law enforcement recovered the firearm used in the shooting. Law enforcement was also assisted by neighbors who captured the incident on surveillance video from a nearby residence.The court will set a date for sentencing on&nbsp; June 24, according to the district attorney's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/3/1583780033518.png" alt="Shardell Jackson-photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Shardell Jackson-photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting and have a suspect in custody.Just before 5p.m. Sunday, police responded to the 1100 block of SE Locust in Topeka on a report of a shooting, according to police Lt. John Trimble.&nbsp;Officers were able to find a victim identified as&nbsp;Khalil I. Austin, 22, Topeka. at a nearby location suffering from what appeared to be a non-life threatening gunshot wound. EMS transported him to a local hospital for medical treatment.On Monday morning, police reported the arrest of a suspect identified as 18-year-old Shardell S. Jackson of Topeka on requested charges of&nbsp; Aggravated Battery, Criminal Possession of a Firearm, Criminal Discharge of a Firearm and Criminal Damage to Property.

Jury: Kan. man guilty in 2020 drive-by shooting

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting&nbsp;that fatally injured 47-year-old Deandre Freeman of Wichita.

Just before 8:30 a.m. Sunday, police responded to a check residence call at a home in the 1700 block of North Harding in Wichita, according to Office Charley Davidson.

 Upon arrival, officers entered the home and found Freeman had been shot multiple times.&nbsp; He was pronounced deceased on the scene.&nbsp; Officers also located a 53-year-old man who had been shot.&nbsp; He was taken to an area hospital in critical condition and remains hospitalized.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624291759233.png" alt="Police at the scene of the shooting early Sunday -photo courtesy KWCH TV" />
 <figcaption>Police at the scene of the shooting early Sunday -photo courtesy KWCH TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a shooting&nbsp;that fatally injured 47-year-old Deandre Freeman of Wichita.Just before 8:30 a.m. Sunday, police responded to a check residence call at a home in the 1700 block of North Harding in Wichita, according to Office Charley Davidson. Upon arrival, officers entered the home and found Freeman had been shot multiple times.&nbsp; He was pronounced deceased on the scene.&nbsp; Officers also located a 53-year-old man who had been shot.&nbsp; He was taken to an area hospital in critical condition and remains hospitalized.The investigation revealed the two victims, a suspect and two other men were all at the home and are known to each other.&nbsp; A disturbance occurred between the suspect and others when the suspect fired multiple shots striking the victims.&nbsp;Detectives are working to locate individuals involved in this case.&nbsp; This was not a random incident, according to Davidson.