KANSAS CITY— Two people were injured in a small plane crash that occurred just after 8:30a.m. Monday in Lafayette County, Missouri, approximately 35 miles east of Kansas City.

According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, a two-seat, single-engine Zenith CH 601XLB airplane was eastbound after taking off from the Grain Valley airport.&nbsp;

Just before 9a.m., the aircraft made an emergency landing near Highway 131 and Oakwood Drive in Odessa, according to the patrol. The pilot and a passenger had minor injuries.

The FAA and NTSB are investigating. The name of the pilot has not been released.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725306244026.png" alt="Small plane crash on Labor Day-Photo courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>Small plane crash on Labor Day-Photo courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY— Two people were injured in a small plane crash that occurred just after 8:30a.m. Monday in Lafayette County, Missouri, approximately 35 miles east of Kansas City.According to the Missouri State Highway Patrol, a two-seat, single-engine Zenith CH 601XLB airplane was eastbound after taking off from the Grain Valley airport.&nbsp;Just before 9a.m., the aircraft made an emergency landing near Highway 131 and Oakwood Drive in Odessa, according to the patrol. The pilot and a passenger had minor injuries.The FAA and NTSB are investigating. The name of the pilot has not been released.

Small plane forced to makes emergency landing near Kansas City

POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY —Law enforcement had good news to report on Tuesday.&nbsp;

Two dinosaur statues, stolen overnight August 31 - September 1, have been recovered, according to Wamego Police. On Sunday police reported a citizen offered a reward for information leading to the recovery of the statues, according to a social media report.

Thanks to a tip received by Officer Albin and with assistance from SMPD Sergeant Wood the dinosaurs were recovered. Police have not reported an arrest or additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725372209389.png" alt="-Photo Wamego Police" />
 <figcaption>-Photo Wamego Police</figcaption>
 </figure>POTTAWATOMIE COUNTY —Law enforcement had good news to report on Tuesday.&nbsp;Two dinosaur statues, stolen overnight August 31 - September 1, have been recovered, according to Wamego Police. On Sunday police reported a citizen offered a reward for information leading to the recovery of the statues, according to a social media report.Thanks to a tip received by Officer Albin and with assistance from SMPD Sergeant Wood the dinosaurs were recovered. Police have not reported an arrest or additional details.

Tip helps Kansas officers recover stolen dinosaur statues

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating another homicide in Kansas City.

Just after 9:30a.m. September 1, police were dispatched to an assault in the 4100 block of North Brighton Avenue in Kansas City, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.&nbsp;

First responders found 78-year-old Harold Alderson lying on the concrete with apparent head trauma.

A witness at the scene told officers that an adult male suspect had been in a verbal argument with Alderson that turned physical. During the argument, the 78-year-old fell and hit his head.

EMS transported Alderson to a nearby hospital in critical condition.&nbsp; Just before 4 p.m., homicide detectives were notified that he had died from his injuries. Police are currently working to identify a person of interest identified by witnesses at the scene.&nbsp;&nbsp;

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating another homicide in Kansas City.Just after 9:30a.m. September 1, police were dispatched to an assault in the 4100 block of North Brighton Avenue in Kansas City, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.&nbsp;First responders found 78-year-old Harold Alderson lying on the concrete with apparent head trauma.A witness at the scene told officers that an adult male suspect had been in a verbal argument with Alderson that turned physical. During the argument, the 78-year-old fell and hit his head.EMS transported Alderson to a nearby hospital in critical condition.&nbsp; Just before 4 p.m., homicide detectives were notified that he had died from his injuries. Police are currently working to identify a person of interest identified by witnesses at the scene.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Homicide:  78-year-old KC man dies after argument led to fall

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish authorities on Monday detained 15 members of an anti-American youth organization who physically assaulted two U.S. military personnel in the city of Izmir, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.

The agency said members of the Turkish Youth Union, which is affiliated with the Patriotic Party — a small, nationalist political party without parliament seats — were detained on the orders of a prosecutor.

The U.S. Embassy confirmed the incident, saying service members on board the USS Wasp were “now safe.”

“We are troubled by this assault on U.S. service members and are appreciative that Turkish police are taking this matter seriously and holding those responsible accountable,” National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said.

The group posted a video of the incident on social media platform X and said they placed sacks over the heads of soldiers who had disembarked from the U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship USS Wasp.

The video shows a group of men yelling, “Yankee go home!” while restraining a man and attempting to put a sack over his head.

“The U.S. soldiers who carry the blood of our soldiers and thousands of Palestinians on their hands cannot pollute our country,” the group said on X.

The USS Wasp arrived in Izmir on Sunday after conducting joint training with Turkish assault ships in the Mediterranean.

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — Turkish authorities on Monday detained 15 members of an anti-American youth organization who physically assaulted two U.S. military personnel in the city of Izmir, the state-run Anadolu news agency reported.The agency said members of the Turkish Youth Union, which is affiliated with the Patriotic Party — a small, nationalist political party without parliament seats — were detained on the orders of a prosecutor.The U.S. Embassy confirmed the incident, saying service members on board the USS Wasp were “now safe.”<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fusdos.turkey%2Fposts%2Fpfbid0zpiVr1spf3bUChTKpjj8Qg7Za7WTD7AvX6mGfXbAwLs31wBVsoxDunNGps9UTcCVl&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="317" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>“We are troubled by this assault on U.S. service members and are appreciative that Turkish police are taking this matter seriously and holding those responsible accountable,” National Security Council spokesman Sean Savett said.The group posted a video of the incident on social media platform X and said they placed sacks over the heads of soldiers who had disembarked from the U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship USS Wasp.The video shows a group of men yelling, “Yankee go home!” while restraining a man and attempting to put a sack over his head.“The U.S. soldiers who carry the blood of our soldiers and thousands of Palestinians on their hands cannot pollute our country,” the group said on X.The USS Wasp arrived in Izmir on Sunday after conducting joint training with Turkish assault ships in the Mediterranean.

15 detained after 2 US Marines assaulted in Turkey

ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating an incident on the Missouri River in Atchison County and have made an arrest.

Shortly after 7p.m. September 1, officers responded to report of a boating accident in the 200 block River Road in Atchison County, according to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson 

The report indicated a boating accident had occurred involving a small fishing boat that had been traveling south on the river and a northbound barge. The Atchison Fire Department’s boat and the Atchison County Rescue boat also responded.

It was determined that on board on the small fishing boat were two individuals. Operating the boat was Marvin L. Reese, 50, Atchison. A passenger on the boat was identified as Chandler A. Reese, 21, Atchison. 

Witnesses reported seeing the fishing boat collide with the front of the&nbsp; barge. Both occupants on the boat and the vessel went underneath the barge. 

Both men were able to surface and were rescued.&nbsp; A private boater rescued one of the men and the barge rescued the other. They were not injured, according to Wilson.

Kansas Wildlife and Parks officers&nbsp; responded to the scene and investigated the incident.&nbsp; As a result of the investigation, officers f Marvin Reese on requested charges of operating a watercraft while intoxicated. Officials located the fishing boat a short distance down stream.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725327212373.png" alt="Reese from an earlier arrest in Atchison Co." />
 <figcaption>Reese from an earlier arrest in Atchison Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>ATCHISON COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating an incident on the Missouri River in Atchison County and have made an arrest.Shortly after 7p.m. September 1, officers responded to report of a boating accident in the 200 block River Road in Atchison County, according to Atchison Police Chief Mike Wilson The report indicated a boating accident had occurred involving a small fishing boat that had been traveling south on the river and a northbound barge. The Atchison Fire Department’s boat and the Atchison County Rescue boat also responded.It was determined that on board on the small fishing boat were two individuals. Operating the boat was Marvin L. Reese, 50, Atchison. A passenger on the boat was identified as Chandler A. Reese, 21, Atchison. Witnesses reported seeing the fishing boat collide with the front of the&nbsp; barge. Both occupants on the boat and the vessel went underneath the barge. Both men were able to surface and were rescued.&nbsp; A private boater rescued one of the men and the barge rescued the other. They were not injured, according to Wilson.Kansas Wildlife and Parks officers&nbsp; responded to the scene and investigated the incident.&nbsp; As a result of the investigation, officers f Marvin Reese on requested charges of operating a watercraft while intoxicated. Officials located the fishing boat a short distance down stream.

Kansas man arrested after fishing boat, barge collide 

DAMASCUS —U.S. forces, partnered with Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and captured an ISIS leader, who was assessed as helping ISIS fighters after escape from a Raqqah Detention Facility in Syria, according to statement from the U.S. Central Command.

During the early morning hours of Sept. 1, U.S. forces and SDF captured Khaled Ahmed al-Dandal, an ISIS facilitator assessed to be aiding efforts of detained ISIS fighters to include recently escaped fighters.

Previously, on Aug. 29, five ISIS Foreign Terrorist Fighter detainees (Two Russians, two Afghans, and one Libyan) escaped from the Raqqah Detention Facility. SDF recaptured two escapees: Imam Abdulwahed Akhwan (Russian) and Muhammad Noh Muhammad (Libyan). The search continues for the three who remain at large: Timor Talbrken Abdash (Russian) and Shuab Muhammad Al-Abdli and Atal Khaled Zar (both Afghans).

A primary objective of ISIS remains to free their fighters currently held in detention and subsequently fuel an ISIS revival. CENTCOM forces, in coordination with SDF, will continue to mitigate threats of future escapes and to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS.

“Over 9,000 ISIS detainees remain in over 20 SDF detention facilities in Syria, a literal and figurative ‘ISIS Army’ in detention. If a large number of these ISIS fighters escaped, it would pose an extreme danger to the region and beyond. We will continue to work with the international community to repatriate these ISIS fighters to their countries of origin for final adjudication,” said Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, Commander, U.S. Central Command.

CENTCOM remains committed to supporting our SDF partners to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS and to promote regional stability.

DAMASCUS —U.S. forces, partnered with Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and captured an ISIS leader, who was assessed as helping ISIS fighters after escape from a Raqqah Detention Facility in Syria, according to statement from the U.S. Central Command.During the early morning hours of Sept. 1, U.S. forces and SDF captured Khaled Ahmed al-Dandal, an ISIS facilitator assessed to be aiding efforts of detained ISIS fighters to include recently escaped fighters.Previously, on Aug. 29, five ISIS Foreign Terrorist Fighter detainees (Two Russians, two Afghans, and one Libyan) escaped from the Raqqah Detention Facility. SDF recaptured two escapees: Imam Abdulwahed Akhwan (Russian) and Muhammad Noh Muhammad (Libyan). The search continues for the three who remain at large: Timor Talbrken Abdash (Russian) and Shuab Muhammad Al-Abdli and Atal Khaled Zar (both Afghans).<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725315215033.png" alt="-On Monday, President Biden and VP Harris met in the Situation Room with the U.S. hostage deal negotiation team following the murder of American&nbsp; Hersh Goldberg-Polin and five other hostages by Hamas. -White House photo" />
 <figcaption>-On Monday, President Biden and VP Harris met in the Situation Room with the U.S. hostage deal negotiation team following the murder of American&nbsp; Hersh Goldberg-Polin and five other hostages by Hamas. -White House photo</figcaption>
 </figure>A primary objective of ISIS remains to free their fighters currently held in detention and subsequently fuel an ISIS revival. CENTCOM forces, in coordination with SDF, will continue to mitigate threats of future escapes and to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS.“Over 9,000 ISIS detainees remain in over 20 SDF detention facilities in Syria, a literal and figurative ‘ISIS Army’ in detention. If a large number of these ISIS fighters escaped, it would pose an extreme danger to the region and beyond. We will continue to work with the international community to repatriate these ISIS fighters to their countries of origin for final adjudication,” said Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, Commander, U.S. Central Command.CENTCOM remains committed to supporting our SDF partners to ensure the enduring defeat of ISIS and to promote regional stability.

US troops capture ISIS leader in Syria linked to prison break

LOS ANGELES (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/james-darren">James Darren,</a>&nbsp;a teen idol who helped ignite the 1960s surfing craze as a charismatic beach boy paired off with Sandra Dee in the hit film “Gidget,” died Monday at 88.

Darren died in his sleep at a Los Angeles hospital, his son Jim Moret told news outlets.

Moret told The Hollywood Reporter that Darren was supposed have had an aortic valve replacement but was too weak for the surgery. “I always thought he would pull through,” his son told the entertainment trade, “because he was so cool. He was always cool.”

In his long career, Darren acted, sang and built up a successful behind-the-scenes career as a television director, helming episodes of such well-known series as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shannen-doherty-dies-65b9678241e44d0497e7d24baee49cb5">“Beverly Hills 90210”</a>&nbsp;and “Melrose Place.” In the 1980s, he was Officer Jim Corrigan on the television cop show “T.J. Hooker.”

But to young movie fans of the late 1950s, he would be remembered best as Moondoggie, the dark-haired surfer boy in the smash 1959 release “Gidget.” Dee starred as the title character, a spunky Southern Californian who hits the beach and eventually falls in love with Moondoggie.

“I was in love with Sandra,” Darren later recalled. “I thought that she was absolutely perfect as Gidget. She had tremendous charm.”

The film was based on a novel that a California man, Frederick Kohner, had written&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/61b5d7ae9d854f27871df505947ff26e">about his own teenage daughter</a>&nbsp;and helped spur interest in surfing — one that influenced pop music, slang and even fashion.

For Darren, his success with teen fans led to a recording contract, as it did with many young actors at the time, among them&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/65df2888398f471ea7a08824d46d3264">Tab Hunter</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-movies-9b6a5876399f43b397e4c8fd2f40b474">Annette Funicello.</a>&nbsp;Two of Darren's singles, “Goodbye Cruel World” and “Her Royal Majesty,” reached the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. (“Goodbye Cruel World” also appeared in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-toronto-movies-film-festivals-steven-spielberg-7cb046cf458d033013f571f51905cea3">Steven Spielberg's 2022 semi-autobiographical film, “The Fabelmans.”</a>&nbsp;) Other singles included “Gidget” and “Angel Face.”

Darren was the only “Gidget” cast member who appeared in both its sequels, 1961's “Gidget Goes Hawaiian” and 1963's “Gidget Goes to Rome.” Dee was replaced by Deborah Walley in the second film and Cindy Carol in the third. (“Gidget” later became a television show,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/movies-93f107cc941d422995d84ecc08760828">launching the career of Sally Field.</a>&nbsp;)

“They had me under contract; I was a prisoner,” Darren told Entertainment Weekly in 2004. “But with those lovely young ladies, it was the best prison I think I'll ever be in.”

As a contract player at Columbia Studios, Darren appeared in grown-up films, too, including “The Brothers Rico,” “Operation Meatball” and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-greece-movies-athens-83b241011246cd841fc862e8b3959a73">“The Guns of Navarone.”</a>

By the mid-'60s, when Darren appeared in “For Those Who Think Young” and “The Lively Set,” his big-screen acting career was almost over. He appeared in just a handful of movies after the 1960s ended, last appearing in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/movies-general-news-f392cccf965443e3b0b88a2969be9bcf">2017's “Lucky,”</a>&nbsp;directed by John Carroll Lynch.

But he remained active on television, appearing as a lead on the sci-fi show&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/murfreesboro-bruce-lee-tn-state-wire-entertainment-tennessee-740c524a090174151403a1aa69b022b9">“The Time Tunnel”</a>&nbsp;in the late 1960s, and doing guest spots and small recurring roles in TV shows such as “The Love Boat,” “Hawaii Five-O” and “Fantasy Island.”

Darren was a series regular for four seasons of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-lifestyle-arts-and-entertainment-jeff-bezos-william-shatner-78800f892f5252e2c6d254a598753970">William Shatner-starrer</a>&nbsp;“T.J. Hooker” in the 1980s. While appearing on the show, he noticed that no director was listed for an upcoming sequence and asked if he could try out for it.

“When it was shown, I got several offers to direct,” he told the New York Daily News. “Soon I was getting so many offers to direct, I kind of gave up acting and singing.”

For almost two years, Darren directed episodes of “Walker, Texas Ranger,” “Hunter,” “Melrose Place,” “Beverly Hills 90210” and other series. He returned to acting in the 1990s with small roles in “Melrose Place” and “Star Trek, Deep Space Nine.”

Darren was born James Ercolani in 1936 and grew up in South Philadelphia, not far from such fellow teen idols of the 1950s and ’60s as Fabian and Frankie Avalon. Singing came easy to him, and at 14 he was appearing in local nightclubs.

“From the age of 5 or 6 I knew I wanted to be an entertainer, or famous maybe,” he said in a 2003 interview with the News-Press of Fort Myers, Florida. He noted that such luminaries as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/movies-general-news-fceb9316de814de5a3ef7eae7f2b2d6c">Eddie Fisher</a>&nbsp;and Al Martino had lived in the same area as he did, “a real neighborhood. It made you feel you could be successful, too.”

According to a 1958 Los Angeles Times profile, he got a break when he went to New York to get some pictures taken and the photographer's office put him in touch with a talent scout.

He was soon signed by Columbia Pictures, and the newspaper said that after a few appearances, his fan mail at the studio was running “second only to Kim Novak's. ... The studio now feels that the young man is ready to hit the jackpot.”

Darren married his first wife, Gloria, in 1955 and together had Moret, an “Inside Edition” correspondent and former CNN anchorman. After a divorce he married Evy Norlund, who came to the U.S. as the Danish entry in the Miss Universe contest. They had two sons, Christian and Anthony.

He was also the godfather of Nancy Sinatra's daughter A.J. Lambert. Sinatra, his “For Those Who Think Young” co-star, posted The Hollywood Reporter obituary on her X page, with a broken heart emoji.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725357314829.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/james-darren">James Darren,</a>&nbsp;a teen idol who helped ignite the 1960s surfing craze as a charismatic beach boy paired off with Sandra Dee in the hit film “Gidget,” died Monday at 88.Darren died in his sleep at a Los Angeles hospital, his son Jim Moret told news outlets.Moret told The Hollywood Reporter that Darren was supposed have had an aortic valve replacement but was too weak for the surgery. “I always thought he would pull through,” his son told the entertainment trade, “because he was so cool. He was always cool.”In his long career, Darren acted, sang and built up a successful behind-the-scenes career as a television director, helming episodes of such well-known series as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/shannen-doherty-dies-65b9678241e44d0497e7d24baee49cb5">“Beverly Hills 90210”</a>&nbsp;and “Melrose Place.” In the 1980s, he was Officer Jim Corrigan on the television cop show “T.J. Hooker.”But to young movie fans of the late 1950s, he would be remembered best as Moondoggie, the dark-haired surfer boy in the smash 1959 release “Gidget.” Dee starred as the title character, a spunky Southern Californian who hits the beach and eventually falls in love with Moondoggie.“I was in love with Sandra,” Darren later recalled. “I thought that she was absolutely perfect as Gidget. She had tremendous charm.”The film was based on a novel that a California man, Frederick Kohner, had written&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/61b5d7ae9d854f27871df505947ff26e">about his own teenage daughter</a>&nbsp;and helped spur interest in surfing — one that influenced pop music, slang and even fashion.For Darren, his success with teen fans led to a recording contract, as it did with many young actors at the time, among them&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/65df2888398f471ea7a08824d46d3264">Tab Hunter</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-movies-9b6a5876399f43b397e4c8fd2f40b474">Annette Funicello.</a>&nbsp;Two of Darren's singles, “Goodbye Cruel World” and “Her Royal Majesty,” reached the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 chart. (“Goodbye Cruel World” also appeared in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-toronto-movies-film-festivals-steven-spielberg-7cb046cf458d033013f571f51905cea3">Steven Spielberg's 2022 semi-autobiographical film, “The Fabelmans.”</a>&nbsp;) Other singles included “Gidget” and “Angel Face.”Darren was the only “Gidget” cast member who appeared in both its sequels, 1961's “Gidget Goes Hawaiian” and 1963's “Gidget Goes to Rome.” Dee was replaced by Deborah Walley in the second film and Cindy Carol in the third. (“Gidget” later became a television show,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/movies-93f107cc941d422995d84ecc08760828">launching the career of Sally Field.</a>&nbsp;)“They had me under contract; I was a prisoner,” Darren told Entertainment Weekly in 2004. “But with those lovely young ladies, it was the best prison I think I'll ever be in.”As a contract player at Columbia Studios, Darren appeared in grown-up films, too, including “The Brothers Rico,” “Operation Meatball” and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/entertainment-greece-movies-athens-83b241011246cd841fc862e8b3959a73">“The Guns of Navarone.”</a>By the mid-'60s, when Darren appeared in “For Those Who Think Young” and “The Lively Set,” his big-screen acting career was almost over. He appeared in just a handful of movies after the 1960s ended, last appearing in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/movies-general-news-f392cccf965443e3b0b88a2969be9bcf">2017's “Lucky,”</a>&nbsp;directed by John Carroll Lynch.But he remained active on television, appearing as a lead on the sci-fi show&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/murfreesboro-bruce-lee-tn-state-wire-entertainment-tennessee-740c524a090174151403a1aa69b022b9">“The Time Tunnel”</a>&nbsp;in the late 1960s, and doing guest spots and small recurring roles in TV shows such as “The Love Boat,” “Hawaii Five-O” and “Fantasy Island.”Darren was a series regular for four seasons of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-lifestyle-arts-and-entertainment-jeff-bezos-william-shatner-78800f892f5252e2c6d254a598753970">William Shatner-starrer</a>&nbsp;“T.J. Hooker” in the 1980s. While appearing on the show, he noticed that no director was listed for an upcoming sequence and asked if he could try out for it.“When it was shown, I got several offers to direct,” he told the New York Daily News. “Soon I was getting so many offers to direct, I kind of gave up acting and singing.”For almost two years, Darren directed episodes of “Walker, Texas Ranger,” “Hunter,” “Melrose Place,” “Beverly Hills 90210” and other series. He returned to acting in the 1990s with small roles in “Melrose Place” and “Star Trek, Deep Space Nine.”Darren was born James Ercolani in 1936 and grew up in South Philadelphia, not far from such fellow teen idols of the 1950s and ’60s as Fabian and Frankie Avalon. Singing came easy to him, and at 14 he was appearing in local nightclubs.“From the age of 5 or 6 I knew I wanted to be an entertainer, or famous maybe,” he said in a 2003 interview with the News-Press of Fort Myers, Florida. He noted that such luminaries as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/movies-general-news-fceb9316de814de5a3ef7eae7f2b2d6c">Eddie Fisher</a>&nbsp;and Al Martino had lived in the same area as he did, “a real neighborhood. It made you feel you could be successful, too.”According to a 1958 Los Angeles Times profile, he got a break when he went to New York to get some pictures taken and the photographer's office put him in touch with a talent scout.He was soon signed by Columbia Pictures, and the newspaper said that after a few appearances, his fan mail at the studio was running “second only to Kim Novak's. ... The studio now feels that the young man is ready to hit the jackpot.”Darren married his first wife, Gloria, in 1955 and together had Moret, an “Inside Edition” correspondent and former CNN anchorman. After a divorce he married Evy Norlund, who came to the U.S. as the Danish entry in the Miss Universe contest. They had two sons, Christian and Anthony.He was also the godfather of Nancy Sinatra's daughter A.J. Lambert. Sinatra, his “For Those Who Think Young” co-star, posted The Hollywood Reporter obituary on her X page, with a broken heart emoji.

James Darren, 'Gidget' teen idol, singer and director, dies at 88

KANSAS CITY —Officials are investigating the cause of a Labor Day house fire in Kansas City.

Just after 1p.m., crews responded to a fire at a home in the 500 block of Lawndale, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

First arriving crews reported heavy fire and smoke from a single-story residence. An offensive interior attack was initiated to included searches of the home.

The searches came back all clear. The fire was extremely advanced and was impeding on the house to the south. Crews had to stretch additional lines to extinguish and protect that home.&nbsp; 

The fire spread through the attic and broke through the roof leading to a temporary evacuation and defensive operation. Crews were able to get the fire under control after approximately 30 minutes. There were no injuries reported.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725310927576.png" alt="Photos Kansas City Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Photos Kansas City Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Officials are investigating the cause of a Labor Day house fire in Kansas City.Just after 1p.m., crews responded to a fire at a home in the 500 block of Lawndale, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.First arriving crews reported heavy fire and smoke from a single-story residence. An offensive interior attack was initiated to included searches of the home.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725310961834.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The searches came back all clear. The fire was extremely advanced and was impeding on the house to the south. Crews had to stretch additional lines to extinguish and protect that home.&nbsp; The fire spread through the attic and broke through the roof leading to a temporary evacuation and defensive operation. Crews were able to get the fire under control after approximately 30 minutes. There were no injuries reported.

Cause of Labor Day house fire in Kansas City under investigation

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating three suspect on multiple allegations after a drug bust at at Kansas home.

Just before 8p.m. August 29, police&nbsp;executed a narcotics search warrant at a home in the 400 block of SW Western Avenue in Topeka, according to a media release.&nbsp; While conducting the search warrant, officers located illegal firearms, narcotics and drug paraphernalia and illegal firearms.

As a result of the investigation, the following individuals were arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.

Johnny R. Riis, 58, of Topeka is being held on requested charges of Possession of opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant; Use/possess w/intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body and Criminal use of weapons; Poss of firearm by person addicted/use contr sub.

Staci A. Stahlheber, 43, of Topeka is jailed on requested charges of Possession of opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant; Use/possess w/intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body and Criminal use of weapons; Poss of firearm by person addicted/use contr sub.

Christine E. Wyatt, 44, of Topeka is in custody on requested charges of Interference with LEO; obstruct/resist/oppose felony warrant service or execution.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725207827642.png" alt="Wyatt photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Wyatt photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating three suspect on multiple allegations after a drug bust at at Kansas home.Just before 8p.m. August 29, police&nbsp;executed a narcotics search warrant at a home in the 400 block of SW Western Avenue in Topeka, according to a media release.&nbsp; While conducting the search warrant, officers located illegal firearms, narcotics and drug paraphernalia and illegal firearms.As a result of the investigation, the following individuals were arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725208181254.png" alt="Riis photo Shawnee County." />
 <figcaption>Riis photo Shawnee County.</figcaption>
 </figure>Johnny R. Riis, 58, of Topeka is being held on requested charges of Possession of opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant; Use/possess w/intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body and Criminal use of weapons; Poss of firearm by person addicted/use contr sub.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725207918632.png" alt="Stahlheber photo Shawnee County" />
 <figcaption>Stahlheber photo Shawnee County</figcaption>
 </figure>Staci A. Stahlheber, 43, of Topeka is jailed on requested charges of Possession of opiate, opium, narcotic or certain stimulant; Use/possess w/intent to use drug paraphernalia into human body and Criminal use of weapons; Poss of firearm by person addicted/use contr sub.Christine E. Wyatt, 44, of Topeka is in custody on requested charges of Interference with LEO; obstruct/resist/oppose felony warrant service or execution.

Police recover illegal firearms during drug bust at Kansas home

KANSAS CITY —Two people died in an accident just before 8:30p.m. Sunday in Kansas City.

According to Kansas City Police Captain Jake Becchina, a Mitsubishi Outlander was eastbound on Parvin Road. at a high rate of speed. For reasons unknown, the SUV crossed the double yellow lines and struck a westbound Ford Transit van head-on.

 The unrestrained driver of the Mitsubishi was declared deceased at the scene. EMS transported two juvenile passengers of the Mitsubishi, the driver of the Ford and an adult. and juvenile passengers of the Ford&nbsp; to a local hospital.&nbsp; The driver of the Ford was later pronounced deceased. The others had non-life-threatening injuries,

&nbsp;This is Fatalities #65 and #66 compared to #61 at this time last year, according to Becchina.

KANSAS CITY —Two people died in an accident just before 8:30p.m. Sunday in Kansas City.According to Kansas City Police Captain Jake Becchina, a Mitsubishi Outlander was eastbound on Parvin Road. at a high rate of speed. For reasons unknown, the SUV crossed the double yellow lines and struck a westbound Ford Transit van head-on. The unrestrained driver of the Mitsubishi was declared deceased at the scene. EMS transported two juvenile passengers of the Mitsubishi, the driver of the Ford and an adult. and juvenile passengers of the Ford&nbsp; to a local hospital.&nbsp; The driver of the Ford was later pronounced deceased. The others had non-life-threatening injuries,&nbsp;This is Fatalities #65 and #66 compared to #61 at this time last year, according to Becchina.

2 adults killed, multiple children hurt in head-on Kansas City crash

DICKINSON COUNTY —A Salina church group is safely home after the assistance of the Kansas Highway Patrol and a tire shop in Abilene.

According to a social media report, "KHP Trooper Mullins encountered a situation that reminds us all of the importance of being prepared. 

Just before 8:30a.m. Monday, Trooper Mullins pulled up to a bus stranded in the&nbsp; median just east of the Chapman exit on Interstate 70 in Dickinson county. The bus, carrying about 20 members of a church group from Salina, had blown both front tires while returning home from Kentucky.

Despite calls to several wreckers, no one had the equipment to tow the bus. Trooper Mullins advised the group to arrange rides for the passengers and reached out to <a href="https://www.donstire.net/">Don’s Tire in Abilene.</a> Even on his holiday off, a gentleman from<a href="https://www.donstire.net/"> Don’s Tire </a>stepped up to change the tires, ensuring everyone got home safely. After six hours of traffic control by Trooper Mullins, the bus was back on the road.

This incident is a reminder to always check your vehicles—whether big or small—before embarking on trips. 

"A special thank you to Trooper Mullins for his dedication and to <a href="https://www.donstire.net/">Don’s Tire</a> for going above and beyond."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725314134853.png" alt="--Photos KHP" />
 <figcaption>--Photos KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>DICKINSON COUNTY —A Salina church group is safely home after the assistance of the Kansas Highway Patrol and a tire shop in Abilene.According to a social media report, "KHP Trooper Mullins encountered a situation that reminds us all of the importance of being prepared. Just before 8:30a.m. Monday, Trooper Mullins pulled up to a bus stranded in the&nbsp; median just east of the Chapman exit on Interstate 70 in Dickinson county. The bus, carrying about 20 members of a church group from Salina, had blown both front tires while returning home from Kentucky.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725314365635.png" alt="--Don's Tire in Abilene stepped up to help on Labor Day-photo KHP" />
 <figcaption>--Don's Tire in Abilene stepped up to help on Labor Day-photo KHP</figcaption>
 </figure>Despite calls to several wreckers, no one had the equipment to tow the bus. Trooper Mullins advised the group to arrange rides for the passengers and reached out to <a href="https://www.donstire.net/">Don’s Tire in Abilene.</a> Even on his holiday off, a gentleman from<a href="https://www.donstire.net/"> Don’s Tire </a>stepped up to change the tires, ensuring everyone got home safely. After six hours of traffic control by Trooper Mullins, the bus was back on the road.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725314084496.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>This incident is a reminder to always check your vehicles—whether big or small—before embarking on trips. "A special thank you to Trooper Mullins for his dedication and to <a href="https://www.donstire.net/">Don’s Tire</a> for going above and beyond."

Kan. church group home safely thanks to KHP, Abilene tire shop

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating another homicide in Kansas City have identified the victim as 39-year-old&nbsp;Antonio Collins.

Just before 8p.m. Friday, police reported&nbsp;to report of a shooting a wooded near 22nd and 71 Highway, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.

First responders located Collins suffering from gunshot wounds. EMS pronounced him dead at the scene, according to&nbsp;KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

Police are investigating this incident as a homicide. Detectives canvassed the area for witnesses, evidence and surveillance footage to determine what led up to this shooting.

If anyone has any information, KCPD is asking that they contact homicide detectives at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS. The reward is up to $25,000 for any information submitted.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724776831597.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating another homicide in Kansas City have identified the victim as 39-year-old&nbsp;Antonio Collins.Just before 8p.m. Friday, police reported&nbsp;to report of a shooting a wooded near 22nd and 71 Highway, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.First responders located Collins suffering from gunshot wounds. EMS pronounced him dead at the scene, according to&nbsp;KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.Police are investigating this incident as a homicide. Detectives canvassed the area for witnesses, evidence and surveillance footage to determine what led up to this shooting.If anyone has any information, KCPD is asking that they contact homicide detectives at 816-234-5043 or the TIPS hotline at 816-474-TIPS. The reward is up to $25,000 for any information submitted.

Police ID homicide victim found in wooded area of Kansas City

TOPEKA — More than 100,000 Kansans have lost health care coverage through the state’s Medicaid program since April 2023 after the rocky “unwinding” of pandemic-era protections, but the agency in charge of the review has seen progress recently based on incremental changes.

The state’s review of eligibility for KanCare, as Medicaid is known in Kansas, was plagued by havoc in its early months. Before the review ended in May, the process smoothed, and officials have now determined an estimated 114,000 people lost their coverage, Christine Osterlund, the state’s Medicaid director, told the Legislature’s joint KanCare oversight committee Tuesday.

Recent efforts to rework the KanCare website, bolster text message and email communication systems and simplify the eligibility renewal process have made a difference, Osterlund said.

Average call center wait times peaked at 24 minutes in April 2023, and they were at their lowest in June at 13 seconds. The most recent data showed average wait times in July to be just less than one minute. The agency also reduced the number of unsigned eligibility renewal forms from 1.5% to 0.06% in about three months just by moving the order of the signature page up in the packet.

“These are some early results, but I think they’re indicative that we’re on the right track,” Osterlund said during Tuesday’s legislative hearing.

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Medicaid programs were required to keep people continuously enrolled until the end of the public health emergency unless the person moved away, died or requested to end coverage. During that time, enrollment in KanCare increased from 410,000 to 540,000 people.

When the protections ended March 31, 2023, the state began to review KanCare eligibility for the first time in three years. Early in the review, participants and providers experienced a communication breakdown, technology troubles and overall confusion with the renewal process, which resulted in&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/08/29/state-official-on-kansas-medicaid-unwinding-we-probably-couldve-done-a-better-job/">thousands unnecessarily losing their eligibility status</a>, critics said.

Osterlund predicted in February that between 110,000 and 120,000 Kansans would lose their eligibility, so the 114,000 was well within the agency’s margins, she said Tuesday. April data revealed that&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/06/12/24k-kansas-children-lose-health-insurance-in-medicaid-unwinding-review/">at least 24,000</a>&nbsp;people of the share that lost coverage were children.

That data was based on old numbers, and a spokesperson for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, under which KanCare is housed, told Kansas Reflector unwinding data will no longer be regularly updated.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724867565547.png" alt=" Kansas Medicaid director Christine Osterlund updates the Legislature’s Medicaid oversight committee on new initiatives to address a rocky rollback of pandemic-era protections. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Kansas Medicaid director Christine Osterlund updates the Legislature’s Medicaid oversight committee on new initiatives to address a rocky rollback of pandemic-era protections. (Anna Kaminski/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA — More than 100,000 Kansans have lost health care coverage through the state’s Medicaid program since April 2023 after the rocky “unwinding” of pandemic-era protections, but the agency in charge of the review has seen progress recently based on incremental changes.The state’s review of eligibility for KanCare, as Medicaid is known in Kansas, was plagued by havoc in its early months. Before the review ended in May, the process smoothed, and officials have now determined an estimated 114,000 people lost their coverage, Christine Osterlund, the state’s Medicaid director, told the Legislature’s joint KanCare oversight committee Tuesday.Recent efforts to rework the KanCare website, bolster text message and email communication systems and simplify the eligibility renewal process have made a difference, Osterlund said.Average call center wait times peaked at 24 minutes in April 2023, and they were at their lowest in June at 13 seconds. The most recent data showed average wait times in July to be just less than one minute. The agency also reduced the number of unsigned eligibility renewal forms from 1.5% to 0.06% in about three months just by moving the order of the signature page up in the packet.“These are some early results, but I think they’re indicative that we’re on the right track,” Osterlund said during Tuesday’s legislative hearing.At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Medicaid programs were required to keep people continuously enrolled until the end of the public health emergency unless the person moved away, died or requested to end coverage. During that time, enrollment in KanCare increased from 410,000 to 540,000 people.When the protections ended March 31, 2023, the state began to review KanCare eligibility for the first time in three years. Early in the review, participants and providers experienced a communication breakdown, technology troubles and overall confusion with the renewal process, which resulted in&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/08/29/state-official-on-kansas-medicaid-unwinding-we-probably-couldve-done-a-better-job/">thousands unnecessarily losing their eligibility status</a>, critics said.Osterlund predicted in February that between 110,000 and 120,000 Kansans would lose their eligibility, so the 114,000 was well within the agency’s margins, she said Tuesday. April data revealed that&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2024/06/12/24k-kansas-children-lose-health-insurance-in-medicaid-unwinding-review/">at least 24,000</a>&nbsp;people of the share that lost coverage were children.That data was based on old numbers, and a spokesperson for the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, under which KanCare is housed, told Kansas Reflector unwinding data will no longer be regularly updated.

114K Kansans lost Medicaid coverage in post-pandemic ‘unwinding’ review

KANSAS CITY (AP) —More than 10,000 workers at 25 U.S. hotels&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hotel-workers-union-contracts-housekeeping-2bc35ed24dd424bc66d1afc9b036f92d">were on strike</a>&nbsp;Monday after choosing Labor Day weekend to amplify their demands for higher pay, fairer workloads and the reversal of COVID-era cuts.

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-trump-union-tips-tax-endorsement-af3d6dc52ba4c407d04a7b9a47f0c46e">UNITE HERE union</a>, which represents the striking housekeepers and other hospitality workers, said 200 workers at the Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor were the latest to walk off the job.

Nearly half of the striking workers – or 5,000 – are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/honolulu">in Honolulu</a>. Thousands of workers are also on strike in Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, San Diego and San Jose, California. The strikes targeting Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt hotels were set to last one to three days.

UNITE HERE said a total of 15,000 workers have voted to authorize strikes, which could soon spread to other cities, including New Haven, Connecticut; Oakland, California; and Providence, Rhode Island.

Union President Gwen Mills says the strikes are part of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/southern-california-hotel-workers-strike-fd02cf167dc6a400a026bf4a72036b0c">long-standing battle</a>&nbsp;to secure family-sustaining compensation for service workers on par with more traditionally male-dominated industries.

“Hospitality work overall is undervalued, and it’s not a coincidence that it’s disproportionately women and people of color doing the work,” Mills said.

Unionized housekeepers want to reinstate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-travel-united-states-b629be28a45ed4243ea9ee73439ad827">automatic daily room cleaning</a>&nbsp;at major hotel chains, saying they have been saddled with unmanageable workloads, or in many cases, fewer hours and a decline in income. Many hotels cut services during the coronavirus pandemic and never restored them.

But hotels say guests are no longer asking for daily room cleaning and some other services.

Michael D’Angelo, the head of labor relations for Hyatt in the Americas, said in a statement Monday that the chain has contingency plans in place to minimize the impact of the strikes on hotel operations.

“We are disappointed that UNITE HERE has chosen to strike while Hyatt remains willing to negotiate,” D’Angelo said. “We look forward to continuing to negotiate fair contracts and recognize the contributions of Hyatt employees.”

Messages seeking comment were left with Marriott and Hilton on Monday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725293428484.png" alt="Photo Unite Here Local 7" />
 <figcaption>Photo Unite Here Local 7</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) —More than 10,000 workers at 25 U.S. hotels&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hotel-workers-union-contracts-housekeeping-2bc35ed24dd424bc66d1afc9b036f92d">were on strike</a>&nbsp;Monday after choosing Labor Day weekend to amplify their demands for higher pay, fairer workloads and the reversal of COVID-era cuts.The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-trump-union-tips-tax-endorsement-af3d6dc52ba4c407d04a7b9a47f0c46e">UNITE HERE union</a>, which represents the striking housekeepers and other hospitality workers, said 200 workers at the Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor were the latest to walk off the job.Nearly half of the striking workers – or 5,000 – are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/honolulu">in Honolulu</a>. Thousands of workers are also on strike in Boston, San Francisco, Seattle, San Diego and San Jose, California. The strikes targeting Marriott, Hilton and Hyatt hotels were set to last one to three days.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">BREAKING: Workers at the Hilton Baltimore Inner Harbor have walked off the job and onto the picket line. We refuse to accept wages that can’t support our families. It’s insulting. And it ends now. <a href="https://t.co/DyZTIaYWwR">pic.twitter.com/DyZTIaYWwR</a>&mdash; Unite Here Local 7 (@UHLocal7) <a href="https://twitter.com/UHLocal7/status/1830600004194468352?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 2, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>UNITE HERE said a total of 15,000 workers have voted to authorize strikes, which could soon spread to other cities, including New Haven, Connecticut; Oakland, California; and Providence, Rhode Island.Union President Gwen Mills says the strikes are part of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/southern-california-hotel-workers-strike-fd02cf167dc6a400a026bf4a72036b0c">long-standing battle</a>&nbsp;to secure family-sustaining compensation for service workers on par with more traditionally male-dominated industries.“Hospitality work overall is undervalued, and it’s not a coincidence that it’s disproportionately women and people of color doing the work,” Mills said.Unionized housekeepers want to reinstate&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/covid-health-travel-united-states-b629be28a45ed4243ea9ee73439ad827">automatic daily room cleaning</a>&nbsp;at major hotel chains, saying they have been saddled with unmanageable workloads, or in many cases, fewer hours and a decline in income. Many hotels cut services during the coronavirus pandemic and never restored them.But hotels say guests are no longer asking for daily room cleaning and some other services.Michael D’Angelo, the head of labor relations for Hyatt in the Americas, said in a statement Monday that the chain has contingency plans in place to minimize the impact of the strikes on hotel operations.“We are disappointed that UNITE HERE has chosen to strike while Hyatt remains willing to negotiate,” D’Angelo said. “We look forward to continuing to negotiate fair contracts and recognize the contributions of Hyatt employees.”Messages seeking comment were left with Marriott and Hilton on Monday.

Thousands of US hotel workers were on strike Labor Day

DOUGLAS COUNTY —The FBI is offering a reward of up to $2,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the individual responsible for a bank robbery, which occurred at the Bank of America located at 900 Ohio St., Lawrence, KS, on July 2, 2024, at approximately 9:21 a.m.

The suspect is described as African American, athletic build and approximately 6-foot to 6-foot-5 and 190pounds. He is described as wearing a black zip-up hooded jacket with a dark colored undershirt, black pant with a white emblem on the left upper leg, multicolored shoes, light blue “HyFlex” gloves, large black squared sunglasses, and multicolored (black, red, yellow) face mask.

The suspect entered the bank carrying a black bag and approached a teller making a&nbsp;verbal demand for cash. The suspect fled the bank on foot in a southward direction with an undisclosed amount of currency

Anyone with information about this robbery is asked to call the FBI Kansas City at 816-512-8200, Crime Stoppers of Lawrence and Douglas County at 785-843-TIPS or tips.fbi.gov. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725221959975.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>DOUGLAS COUNTY —The FBI is offering a reward of up to $2,000 for information leading to the identification, arrest, and conviction of the individual responsible for a bank robbery, which occurred at the Bank of America located at 900 Ohio St., Lawrence, KS, on July 2, 2024, at approximately 9:21 a.m.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1724954681155.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The suspect is described as African American, athletic build and approximately 6-foot to 6-foot-5 and 190pounds. He is described as wearing a black zip-up hooded jacket with a dark colored undershirt, black pant with a white emblem on the left upper leg, multicolored shoes, light blue “HyFlex” gloves, large black squared sunglasses, and multicolored (black, red, yellow) face mask.The suspect entered the bank carrying a black bag and approached a teller making a&nbsp;verbal demand for cash. The suspect fled the bank on foot in a southward direction with an undisclosed amount of currencyAnyone with information about this robbery is asked to call the FBI Kansas City at 816-512-8200, Crime Stoppers of Lawrence and Douglas County at 785-843-TIPS or tips.fbi.gov.

Reward offered: Search continues for Kan. bank robbery suspect

OSAGE COUNTY — Two people died and five others injured in a boating&nbsp; accident just after 7p.m. Sunday in Osage County, Missouri.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Gatorboat driven by Reven N. Newbound, 30, Owensville, was traveling upstream on the Gasconade River near Pointers Creek.

The boat struck a root wad which caused the vessel to collide with a rock bluff.&nbsp;After impact the boat partially submerged.

Newbound and a 7-year-old girl were pronounced dead at the scene.

EMS transported a baby, a 4-year-old girl and a 9-year-old girl all of Owensville to University Hospital.&nbsp; Samantha Newbound, 29, Owensville, was airlifted to University of Missouri Hospital for treatment of serious injuries.&nbsp; EMS treated Taylor M. McClure, 21, Bland, at the scene.

The adults were not wearing life jackets, according to the MSHP.&nbsp;&nbsp;

OSAGE COUNTY — Two people died and five others injured in a boating&nbsp; accident just after 7p.m. Sunday in Osage County, Missouri.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2002 Gatorboat driven by Reven N. Newbound, 30, Owensville, was traveling upstream on the Gasconade River near Pointers Creek.The boat struck a root wad which caused the vessel to collide with a rock bluff.&nbsp;After impact the boat partially submerged.Newbound and a 7-year-old girl were pronounced dead at the scene.EMS transported a baby, a 4-year-old girl and a 9-year-old girl all of Owensville to University Hospital.&nbsp; Samantha Newbound, 29, Owensville, was airlifted to University of Missouri Hospital for treatment of serious injuries.&nbsp; EMS treated Taylor M. McClure, 21, Bland, at the scene.The adults were not wearing life jackets, according to the MSHP.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Man and 7-year-old killed, 5 others injured in boat crash

CAMDEN COUNTY, Missouri— Authorities have identified the suspect involved in the high speed chase that left&nbsp; Missouri Police officer&nbsp; Phylicia Carson dead.

&nbsp;<a href="https://www.camdencountymosheriff.org/roster_view.php?booking_num=26541" target="_blank">Christopher Aaron Bishop Wehmeyer</a>, 23, is&nbsp;charged with aggravated fleeing a stop or detention of a motor vehicle, resulting in death,&nbsp;According to a media release from&nbsp;Camden County Prosecuting Attorney Richelle Grosvenor.

"These charges are based on the&nbsp;Valentine’s Law&nbsp;that went into effect last week. This new law creates the offense of “aggravated fleeing a stop or detention of a motor vehicle.”

"If someone knows a law enforcement officer is trying to pull them over and they drive away anyway creating risk of injury, it is at least a class D felony. It increases to a class B felony if someone is hurt and class A felony if someone dies because of the person fleeing."

Wehmeyer is being held in the Camden County Jail without bond.

Just after 1:30a.m. Saturday, sheriff's&nbsp;deputies responded near the Richland area to assist Osage Beach Police Department - City of Osage Beach, Missouri with a vehicle pursuit.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2024 Ford Explorer driven by Osage Beach&nbsp;Police Officer 33-year-old Phylicia Carson was southbound on Route A just east of Toronto Springs Park Road.

The SUV crossed the center of the road while in pursuit of a suspect later identified as&nbsp;Wehmeyer and began to skid.&nbsp; The vehicle traveled off the left side of the road, struck a tree and caught fire.&nbsp; Officer Carson was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Hedges Scott Funeral Home in Camdenton.

The vehicle driven by&nbsp;Wehmeyer also crashed and he was taken into custody, according police.

&nbsp;Officer Carson is survived by her husband and six children. She had been with the city since June 2023, according to Osage Beach Police.

“Grosvenor asked the community for thoughts and prayers as this loss has impacted so many."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/9/1725222612236.png" alt="Wehmeyer photo Camden County" />
 <figcaption>Wehmeyer photo Camden County</figcaption>
 </figure>CAMDEN COUNTY, Missouri— Authorities have identified the suspect involved in the high speed chase that left&nbsp; Missouri Police officer&nbsp; Phylicia Carson dead.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.camdencountymosheriff.org/roster_view.php?booking_num=26541" target="_blank">Christopher Aaron Bishop Wehmeyer</a>, 23, is&nbsp;charged with aggravated fleeing a stop or detention of a motor vehicle, resulting in death,&nbsp;According to a media release from&nbsp;Camden County Prosecuting Attorney Richelle Grosvenor."These charges are based on the&nbsp;Valentine’s Law&nbsp;that went into effect last week. This new law creates the offense of “aggravated fleeing a stop or detention of a motor vehicle.”"If someone knows a law enforcement officer is trying to pull them over and they drive away anyway creating risk of injury, it is at least a class D felony. It increases to a class B felony if someone is hurt and class A felony if someone dies because of the person fleeing."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1725156364558.png" alt="Officer&nbsp;Phylicia Carson" />
 <figcaption>Officer&nbsp;Phylicia Carson</figcaption>
 </figure>Wehmeyer is being held in the Camden County Jail without bond.Just after 1:30a.m. Saturday, sheriff's&nbsp;deputies responded near the Richland area to assist Osage Beach Police Department - City of Osage Beach, Missouri with a vehicle pursuit.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2024 Ford Explorer driven by Osage Beach&nbsp;Police Officer 33-year-old Phylicia Carson was southbound on Route A just east of Toronto Springs Park Road.The SUV crossed the center of the road while in pursuit of a suspect later identified as&nbsp;Wehmeyer and began to skid.&nbsp; The vehicle traveled off the left side of the road, struck a tree and caught fire.&nbsp; Officer Carson was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Hedges Scott Funeral Home in Camdenton.The vehicle driven by&nbsp;Wehmeyer also crashed and he was taken into custody, according police.&nbsp;Officer Carson is survived by her husband and six children. She had been with the city since June 2023, according to Osage Beach Police.“Grosvenor asked the community for thoughts and prayers as this loss has impacted so many."

Suspect charged in chase, crash and fire that killed officer

NEW YORK (AP) — As Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;begins her&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">fall campaign</a>&nbsp;for the White House, she can look to history and hope for better luck than others in her position who have tried the same.

Since 1836, only one sitting vice president,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-financial-markets-us-news-ap-top-news-ronald-reagan-d90885dbd04d41e9b3f7da8f34555291">George H.W. Bush in 1988</a>, has been elected to the White House. Among those who tried and failed were Richard Nixon in 1960, Hubert Humphrey in 1968 and Al Gore in 2000. All three lost in narrow elections shaped by issues ranging from war and scandal to crime and the subtleties of televised debates. But two other factors proved crucial for each vice president: whether the incumbent president was well-liked and whether the president and vice president enjoyed a productive relationship.

“You really do want those elements to come together,” says Julian Zelizer, a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University. “If the person the vice president is working for is popular, that means people like what he’s doing and you can gain from that. And you need to have the two principals working together.”

In 1988, Bush easily defeated Democrat Michael Dukakis, the Massachusetts governor whom Republicans labeled as ineffectual and out of touch. Bush was otherwise helped by a solid economy, the easing of Cold War tensions and some rare luck for a vice president. President Ronald Reagan's approval ratings rose through much of the year after falling sharply in the wake of the 1986-87 Iran-Contra scandal, and Reagan and Bush worked well together during the campaign. Reagan openly backed his vice president, who had run against him in the 1980 primaries. He praised Bush at the Republican convention as an engaged and invaluable partner, appeared with him at a California rally and spoke at gatherings in Michigan, New Jersey and Missouri.

“Reagan was not a man to hold grudges,” said historian-journalist Jonathan Darman. “And Bush did a good job of navigating the complexity of their relationship while he was vice president.”

When Gore ran in 2000, his advantages were similar to those enjoyed by George H.W. Bush. The economy was strong, the country was at peace and the president, Bill Clinton, had high approval ratings despite his recent impeachment over his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.

Gore had worked closely with Clinton over the previous eight years, but the scandal led to enduring tensions between them. He minimized the president’s presence during the campaign and pronounced himself “my own man” during his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention. Commentators would cite his distance from Clinton as a setback in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-al-gore-janet-reno-will-ferrell-florida-43a29f6a8c1dfa856592125278c92853">historically close race</a>, decided by a margin of fewer than 1,000 votes in Florida.

“Instead of finding a way to embrace the accomplishments of the Clinton administration, Gore ran away from Clinton as fast as his legs could carry him,” Slate's Jacob Weisberg wrote soon after the election.

Like Gore, Nixon could not — or would not — capitalize on the incumbent Dwight Eisenhower's popularity. In 1960, Eisenhower was still so admired as he neared the end of his second term that Nixon's opponent, Democrat John F. Kennedy, feared the president's active support would prove critical. But Eisenhower and Nixon had a complicated relationship dating back to when Eisenhower ran eight years earlier. He had chosen Nixon as his running mate, but nearly dropped him because of the so-called Checkers scandal, in which Nixon was accused of misusing funds donated by political backers.

Nixon was more than 20 years younger than Eisenhower, the victorious World War II commander who often looked upon his vice president as a junior officer, according to Nixon biographer John A. Farrell. At the end of a summer press conference in 1960, Eisenhower was asked if he could cite Nixon's influence on any important decision. He answered, “If you give me a week, I might think of one." Meanwhile, Nixon was reluctant to have Eisenhower campaign, out of a desire to forge his own path, and, allegedly, out of concern for the 70-year-old president.

“Nixon very much wanted to be his own man,” says Farrell, whose prize-winning “Richard Nixon" was published in 2017. “He always said he was worried about Eisenhower's health, but there are also anecdotes that Eisenhower was chafing at the bit. Both could be true.”

Nixon's luck changed when he ran eight years later against Lyndon B. Johnson's vice president. No vice president was more entrapped by his predecessor than Hubert Humphrey, whose candidacy was only possible because Johnson decided not to seek reelection.

Humphrey faced challenges within the party from the anti-war candidates Eugene McCarthy and Robert F. Kennedy (who was assassinated in June 1968 after winning the California primary) and was tied to Johnson's divisive, hawkish stance.

Humphrey privately advocated a less hardline approach to the war, but Johnson intimidated him into silence and he trailed Nixon badly in many polls. Only in the fall did Humphrey diverge and call for a bombing halt with North Vietnam. The vice president rallied, but ended up losing the popular vote by less than a percentage point while falling short more decisively in the Electoral College.

“Johnson did catastrophic damage to Humphrey, in my opinion,” says Boston Globe columnist Michael Cohen, author of a book on the 1968 election, “American Carnage.”

Like Johnson, President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;declared he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-drops-out-2024-election-ddffde72838370032bdcff946cfc2ce6">wouldn’t seek a new term</a>&nbsp;less than a year before Election Day, though he waited much longer in the cycle than Johnson did. Unlike Humphrey, Harris quickly consolidated Democratic support and accepted her party’s nomination at an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-donald-trump-election-2024-7846ddab4b7bd64d38e255285e6649d7">uplifting convention</a>&nbsp;that concluded&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/democrats-convention-activists-war-chicago-84740bc13c96fe005107a38bc9d640d7">without significant damage from protests</a>, unlike the violence-marred 1968 event in the same city, Chicago.

In an AP-NORC survey conducted in July, after Biden dropped out of the race, about 4 in 10 Americans approved of his performance as president, roughly where his approval numbers have stood since the summer of 2021 and comparable to those of the Republican nominee,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Donald Trump</a>. Eisenhower, Reagan and Clinton frequently held higher approval ratings than Biden, although all served in less polarized eras.

Harris wants to succeed a president who himself served as vice president and ran for president, four years later. President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/barack-obama">Barack Obama</a>&nbsp;discouraged Biden from seeking election in 2016 and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ap-top-news-elections-barack-obama-joe-biden-16690d8c2cb5fc8503b33a32dde28359">waited to endorse Biden</a>&nbsp;in 2020 until the crowded Democratic primary field was clear.

“Obama became an enthusiastic backer, which helped unify the party at a time when Biden’s record on race in the 1990s, including his support for the crime bill, was fueling doubts among young progressive voters,” Biden biographer Evan Osnos says. “Obama’s endorsement of Biden was about more than his candidacy; it was about his character, and that proved to be important.”

As president, Biden has worked to include Harris on his major policy calls and conversations with foreign leaders. He’s pledged to be Harris’ top campaign volunteer and to do whatever she asks of him for her election, though aides are still determining where the still-unpopular president would best be utilized. On Labor Day, Biden and Harris will appear together in Pittsburgh for a campaign event in a key swing state, Pennsylvania.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1723757725476.png" alt="Kamala Harris image from a video released by her campaign last month" />
 <figcaption>Kamala Harris image from a video released by her campaign last month</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — As Vice President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/kamala-harris">Kamala Harris</a>&nbsp;begins her&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/election-2024">fall campaign</a>&nbsp;for the White House, she can look to history and hope for better luck than others in her position who have tried the same.Since 1836, only one sitting vice president,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/north-america-financial-markets-us-news-ap-top-news-ronald-reagan-d90885dbd04d41e9b3f7da8f34555291">George H.W. Bush in 1988</a>, has been elected to the White House. Among those who tried and failed were Richard Nixon in 1960, Hubert Humphrey in 1968 and Al Gore in 2000. All three lost in narrow elections shaped by issues ranging from war and scandal to crime and the subtleties of televised debates. But two other factors proved crucial for each vice president: whether the incumbent president was well-liked and whether the president and vice president enjoyed a productive relationship.“You really do want those elements to come together,” says Julian Zelizer, a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University. “If the person the vice president is working for is popular, that means people like what he’s doing and you can gain from that. And you need to have the two principals working together.”In 1988, Bush easily defeated Democrat Michael Dukakis, the Massachusetts governor whom Republicans labeled as ineffectual and out of touch. Bush was otherwise helped by a solid economy, the easing of Cold War tensions and some rare luck for a vice president. President Ronald Reagan's approval ratings rose through much of the year after falling sharply in the wake of the 1986-87 Iran-Contra scandal, and Reagan and Bush worked well together during the campaign. Reagan openly backed his vice president, who had run against him in the 1980 primaries. He praised Bush at the Republican convention as an engaged and invaluable partner, appeared with him at a California rally and spoke at gatherings in Michigan, New Jersey and Missouri.“Reagan was not a man to hold grudges,” said historian-journalist Jonathan Darman. “And Bush did a good job of navigating the complexity of their relationship while he was vice president.”<h2>Past vice presidents who ran</h2>When Gore ran in 2000, his advantages were similar to those enjoyed by George H.W. Bush. The economy was strong, the country was at peace and the president, Bill Clinton, had high approval ratings despite his recent impeachment over his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky.Gore had worked closely with Clinton over the previous eight years, but the scandal led to enduring tensions between them. He minimized the president’s presence during the campaign and pronounced himself “my own man” during his acceptance speech at the Democratic National Convention. Commentators would cite his distance from Clinton as a setback in a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/virus-outbreak-al-gore-janet-reno-will-ferrell-florida-43a29f6a8c1dfa856592125278c92853">historically close race</a>, decided by a margin of fewer than 1,000 votes in Florida.“Instead of finding a way to embrace the accomplishments of the Clinton administration, Gore ran away from Clinton as fast as his legs could carry him,” Slate's Jacob Weisberg wrote soon after the election.Like Gore, Nixon could not — or would not — capitalize on the incumbent Dwight Eisenhower's popularity. In 1960, Eisenhower was still so admired as he neared the end of his second term that Nixon's opponent, Democrat John F. Kennedy, feared the president's active support would prove critical. But Eisenhower and Nixon had a complicated relationship dating back to when Eisenhower ran eight years earlier. He had chosen Nixon as his running mate, but nearly dropped him because of the so-called Checkers scandal, in which Nixon was accused of misusing funds donated by political backers.Nixon was more than 20 years younger than Eisenhower, the victorious World War II commander who often looked upon his vice president as a junior officer, according to Nixon biographer John A. Farrell. At the end of a summer press conference in 1960, Eisenhower was asked if he could cite Nixon's influence on any important decision. He answered, “If you give me a week, I might think of one." Meanwhile, Nixon was reluctant to have Eisenhower campaign, out of a desire to forge his own path, and, allegedly, out of concern for the 70-year-old president.“Nixon very much wanted to be his own man,” says Farrell, whose prize-winning “Richard Nixon" was published in 2017. “He always said he was worried about Eisenhower's health, but there are also anecdotes that Eisenhower was chafing at the bit. Both could be true.”Nixon's luck changed when he ran eight years later against Lyndon B. Johnson's vice president. No vice president was more entrapped by his predecessor than Hubert Humphrey, whose candidacy was only possible because Johnson decided not to seek reelection.Humphrey faced challenges within the party from the anti-war candidates Eugene McCarthy and Robert F. Kennedy (who was assassinated in June 1968 after winning the California primary) and was tied to Johnson's divisive, hawkish stance.Humphrey privately advocated a less hardline approach to the war, but Johnson intimidated him into silence and he trailed Nixon badly in many polls. Only in the fall did Humphrey diverge and call for a bombing halt with North Vietnam. The vice president rallied, but ended up losing the popular vote by less than a percentage point while falling short more decisively in the Electoral College.“Johnson did catastrophic damage to Humphrey, in my opinion,” says Boston Globe columnist Michael Cohen, author of a book on the 1968 election, “American Carnage.”<h2>How does Harris fare?</h2>Like Johnson, President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;declared he&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-drops-out-2024-election-ddffde72838370032bdcff946cfc2ce6">wouldn’t seek a new term</a>&nbsp;less than a year before Election Day, though he waited much longer in the cycle than Johnson did. Unlike Humphrey, Harris quickly consolidated Democratic support and accepted her party’s nomination at an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kamala-harris-donald-trump-election-2024-7846ddab4b7bd64d38e255285e6649d7">uplifting convention</a>&nbsp;that concluded&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/democrats-convention-activists-war-chicago-84740bc13c96fe005107a38bc9d640d7">without significant damage from protests</a>, unlike the violence-marred 1968 event in the same city, Chicago.In an AP-NORC survey conducted in July, after Biden dropped out of the race, about 4 in 10 Americans approved of his performance as president, roughly where his approval numbers have stood since the summer of 2021 and comparable to those of the Republican nominee,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">Donald Trump</a>. Eisenhower, Reagan and Clinton frequently held higher approval ratings than Biden, although all served in less polarized eras.Harris wants to succeed a president who himself served as vice president and ran for president, four years later. President&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/barack-obama">Barack Obama</a>&nbsp;discouraged Biden from seeking election in 2016 and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-ap-top-news-elections-barack-obama-joe-biden-16690d8c2cb5fc8503b33a32dde28359">waited to endorse Biden</a>&nbsp;in 2020 until the crowded Democratic primary field was clear.“Obama became an enthusiastic backer, which helped unify the party at a time when Biden’s record on race in the 1990s, including his support for the crime bill, was fueling doubts among young progressive voters,” Biden biographer Evan Osnos says. “Obama’s endorsement of Biden was about more than his candidacy; it was about his character, and that proved to be important.”As president, Biden has worked to include Harris on his major policy calls and conversations with foreign leaders. He’s pledged to be Harris’ top campaign volunteer and to do whatever she asks of him for her election, though aides are still determining where the still-unpopular president would best be utilized. On Labor Day, Biden and Harris will appear together in Pittsburgh for a campaign event in a key swing state, Pennsylvania.___

Just 1 sitting Vice President has been elected president since 1836

KANSAS CITY —One person died in a violent crash early Sunday in Kansas City.

Just after 1:30a.m. Sunday, Prairie Village Police attempted to conduct a traffic violation stop on a&nbsp; silver Chevrolet Malibu on 63rd Street. The driver failed to stop for the officers, and they did not initiate a pursuit, according to KCPD officer&nbsp;Alayna Gonzalez.

The Chevrolet&nbsp; continued traveling eastbound on 63rd Street at a high rate of speed. In the area of 63rd and State line, the Chevrolet crossed into Missouri while still being operated at a very high rate of speed with no police vehicles behind it. 

The Chevrolet traveled eastbound across the grassy median, striking a small tree on the west side of 62nd Street. The Chevrolet then vaulted/launched totally across 62nd Street, struck a large tree which caused the vehicle to disintegrate before coming to rest. The unrestrained driver and sole occupant of the Chevrolet was ejected from the vehicle and was pronounced deceased at the scene. 

This is fatality #64 compared to #61 at this time last year, according to Gonzalez. The name of the victim has not been released

KANSAS CITY —One person died in a violent crash early Sunday in Kansas City.Just after 1:30a.m. Sunday, Prairie Village Police attempted to conduct a traffic violation stop on a&nbsp; silver Chevrolet Malibu on 63rd Street. The driver failed to stop for the officers, and they did not initiate a pursuit, according to KCPD officer&nbsp;Alayna Gonzalez.The Chevrolet&nbsp; continued traveling eastbound on 63rd Street at a high rate of speed. In the area of 63rd and State line, the Chevrolet crossed into Missouri while still being operated at a very high rate of speed with no police vehicles behind it. The Chevrolet traveled eastbound across the grassy median, striking a small tree on the west side of 62nd Street. The Chevrolet then vaulted/launched totally across 62nd Street, struck a large tree which caused the vehicle to disintegrate before coming to rest. The unrestrained driver and sole occupant of the Chevrolet was ejected from the vehicle and was pronounced deceased at the scene. This is fatality #64 compared to #61 at this time last year, according to Gonzalez. The name of the victim has not been released

KCPD: Car disintegrated after crash into tree

KANSAS CITY —A Jackson County judge last week convicted a Kansas City man of a series of crimes against a young child who was found naked in the area of Brush Creek in 2019, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.

Gerald Smith was convicted by the judge of Statutory Sodomy in the 1st Degree, Assault in the 1st Degree and Endangering the Welfare of a Child.

According to court records, police were dispatched Sept. 13, 2019 to the area Blue Parkway and Lawn on a reported found juvenile. The caller told responding officers that he had seen a naked girl in the middle of the road. Officers found the child. The girl was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. KCPD detectives used video, cell phone records and other data to pinpoint the defendant. In April 2020, Detectives were notified that the defendant's DNA was found on the child victim.

The defendant will be sentenced on Oct. 31, 2024, at 10:30 a.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/8/1725033186313.png" alt="Smith photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Smith photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Jackson County judge last week convicted a Kansas City man of a series of crimes against a young child who was found naked in the area of Brush Creek in 2019, according to Jackson County Prosecutor Jean Peters Baker.Gerald Smith was convicted by the judge of Statutory Sodomy in the 1st Degree, Assault in the 1st Degree and Endangering the Welfare of a Child.According to court records, police were dispatched Sept. 13, 2019 to the area Blue Parkway and Lawn on a reported found juvenile. The caller told responding officers that he had seen a naked girl in the middle of the road. Officers found the child. The girl was transported to a nearby hospital for treatment. KCPD detectives used video, cell phone records and other data to pinpoint the defendant. In April 2020, Detectives were notified that the defendant's DNA was found on the child victim.The defendant will be sentenced on Oct. 31, 2024, at 10:30 a.m.

Judge convicts KC man after young child found naked on the road

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating a shooting during a home-invasion in Kansas City.

Just after 7:30a.m. Saturday,&nbsp; police were dispatched to a burglary at an address in the 2800 block of NW Chipman Road in Lee's Summit, according to a media release.

The homeowner stated a man had entered their residence and refused to leave. The homeowner shot the suspect once. The suspect fled the scene as a passenger in a vehicle. Police stopped the vehicle and took two individuals into custody. 

The suspect was taken to a local hospital and was being treated for minor injuries. Detectives do not believe the homeowner and the suspect know each other and are working to establish a motive. There are currently no suspects at large in the case. Once the investigation is complete, it will be submitted to the Jackson County Prosecutor’s office for review.&nbsp; Police have not released names of the suspects.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating a shooting during a home-invasion in Kansas City.Just after 7:30a.m. Saturday,&nbsp; police were dispatched to a burglary at an address in the 2800 block of NW Chipman Road in Lee's Summit, according to a media release.The homeowner stated a man had entered their residence and refused to leave. The homeowner shot the suspect once. The suspect fled the scene as a passenger in a vehicle. Police stopped the vehicle and took two individuals into custody. The suspect was taken to a local hospital and was being treated for minor injuries. Detectives do not believe the homeowner and the suspect know each other and are working to establish a motive. There are currently no suspects at large in the case. Once the investigation is complete, it will be submitted to the Jackson County Prosecutor’s office for review.&nbsp; Police have not released names of the suspects.

KC area man shot burglary suspect who refused to leave residence

GOVE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 11:30a.m. Sunday in Gove County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Ford Focus driven by Fabian G.&nbsp;Hernandez Rios, 34, Colby, was eastbound on Interstate 70 one half mile east of Gove County Road AA.

The car crossed the median and struck a 2018 Peterbilt semi driven by Adan G. Reyes, 43, Houston, Texas, on driver's side.&nbsp;

Rios was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Brocks North Hill Chapel. Reyes was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

GOVE COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 11:30a.m. Sunday in Gove County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2005 Ford Focus driven by Fabian G.&nbsp;Hernandez Rios, 34, Colby, was eastbound on Interstate 70 one half mile east of Gove County Road AA.The car crossed the median and struck a 2018 Peterbilt semi driven by Adan G. Reyes, 43, Houston, Texas, on driver's side.&nbsp;Rios was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Brocks North Hill Chapel. Reyes was not injured. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.