SHAWNEE COUNTY —The Topeka Zoo announced the passing of giraffe, Liz on Sunday. The Giraffe &amp; Friends building was temporarily closed to the public n Sunday. The giraffes still had access to their outdoor yards.

Liz (full name Elizabeth) was born August 21, 2018 at the Topeka Zoo &amp; Conservation Center to parents Hope and Sgt. Peppers. Her namesake was a very generous late supporter, Elizabeth Stratton. 

More than 1300 viewers tuned in to the live YouTube video of the birth, welcoming her into the world.&nbsp; The Zoo is currently gathering more information the cause of her death.

 Liz died Sunday night at approximately 10 pm. The zoo share more information once pending results are in from Liz’s recent exam. We are very appreciative of any mindful comments or letters of support and would love to read any special memories of Liz that supporters want to highlight. Cards for staff can be dropped off in the Zoo's gift shop. Giraffe feedings will resume Sunday, August 31.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756125173918.png" alt="Photo courtesy Topeka Zoo" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Topeka Zoo</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —The Topeka Zoo announced the passing of giraffe, Liz on Sunday. The Giraffe &amp; Friends building was temporarily closed to the public n Sunday. The giraffes still had access to their outdoor yards.Liz (full name Elizabeth) was born August 21, 2018 at the Topeka Zoo &amp; Conservation Center to parents Hope and Sgt. Peppers. Her namesake was a very generous late supporter, Elizabeth Stratton. More than 1300 viewers tuned in to the live YouTube video of the birth, welcoming her into the world.&nbsp; The Zoo is currently gathering more information the cause of her death. Liz died Sunday night at approximately 10 pm. The zoo share more information once pending results are in from Liz’s recent exam. We are very appreciative of any mindful comments or letters of support and would love to read any special memories of Liz that supporters want to highlight. Cards for staff can be dropped off in the Zoo's gift shop. Giraffe feedings will resume Sunday, August 31.

7-year-old giraffe dies at Kansas zoo

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a Saturday afaternoon homicide in Kansas City, Missouri have identified the victim as 39-year-old Victor Austin, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

&nbsp;Just after 4p.m. Saturday, patrol officers were dispatched to the 1700 block of East 12th Terrace in Kansas City on a shots fired call for service.

 While in route the call was upgraded to a shooting. Additional call notes indicated someone had possibly been stabbed, as well. When officers arrived they were directed to an apartment building within the complex. As they entered an apartment they located Austin suffering from unknown bodily trauma.

KCFD EMS responded and pronounced Austin deceased at the scene. Two additional victims were located on scene. A man suffering from a gun shot wound. A boy was suffering from head trauma by unknown means.&nbsp; 

Both transported to a local hospital with non life threatening injuries. While on scene officers learned a fourth victim was at a local hospital. A private vehicle transported a woman to the hospital for treatment of a stab wound. She was listed in serious condition, according to DiMartino.

This is being investigated as a homicide.&nbsp; Preliminary information revealed a possible altercation between several individuals. Police have not reported an arrest or suspect details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755994669825.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating a Saturday afaternoon homicide in Kansas City, Missouri have identified the victim as 39-year-old Victor Austin, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.&nbsp;Just after 4p.m. Saturday, patrol officers were dispatched to the 1700 block of East 12th Terrace in Kansas City on a shots fired call for service. While in route the call was upgraded to a shooting. Additional call notes indicated someone had possibly been stabbed, as well. When officers arrived they were directed to an apartment building within the complex. As they entered an apartment they located Austin suffering from unknown bodily trauma.KCFD EMS responded and pronounced Austin deceased at the scene. Two additional victims were located on scene. A man suffering from a gun shot wound. A boy was suffering from head trauma by unknown means.&nbsp; Both transported to a local hospital with non life threatening injuries. While on scene officers learned a fourth victim was at a local hospital. A private vehicle transported a woman to the hospital for treatment of a stab wound. She was listed in serious condition, according to DiMartino.This is being investigated as a homicide.&nbsp; Preliminary information revealed a possible altercation between several individuals. Police have not reported an arrest or suspect details.

Homicide: Police ID victim in fight at KC apartment

STONE COUNTY, Mo. — A Kansas girl was injured in an accident just before 4p.m Saturday at Table Rock Lake.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported an 11-year-old from Olathe jumped off a 2022 Crest Pontoon boat driven by a 28-year-old Overland&nbsp; Park woman near PT 5, South of Branson West. The girl was attempting&nbsp; to help another swimmer. The boat propeller struck the girl.&nbsp;

Air Care transported the girl to Mercy Springfield for treatment of serious injuries. She was wearing a life jacket, according to the MSHP.&nbsp; The Patrol released no additional information.

STONE COUNTY, Mo. — A Kansas girl was injured in an accident just before 4p.m Saturday at Table Rock Lake.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported an 11-year-old from Olathe jumped off a 2022 Crest Pontoon boat driven by a 28-year-old Overland&nbsp; Park woman near PT 5, South of Branson West. The girl was attempting&nbsp; to help another swimmer. The boat propeller struck the girl.&nbsp;Air Care transported the girl to Mercy Springfield for treatment of serious injuries. She was wearing a life jacket, according to the MSHP.&nbsp; The Patrol released no additional information.

11-year-old Kan. girl struck by boat propeller at lake

WASHINGTON (AP) — Some National Guard units patrolling the nation’s capital at the direction of President Donald Trump have started carrying firearms, an escalation of his military deployment that makes good on a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-federal-intervention-trump-national-guard-df942130ec117288cfc648ab4e37f031">directive issued late last week</a>&nbsp;by his defense secretary.

A Defense Department official who was not authorized to speak publicly said some units on certain missions would be armed — some with handguns and others with rifles. The spokesperson said that all units with firearms have been trained and are operating under strict rules for use of force.

An Associated Press photographer on Sunday saw members of the South Carolina National Guard outside Union Station with holstered handguns.

A statement from the joint task force that has taken over policing in the nation’s capital said units began carrying their service weapons on Sunday and that the military's rules say force should be used “only as a last resort and solely in response to an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm.” It said the force is committed to protecting “the safety and wellbeing” of Washington's residents.

The defense official who spoke to The Associated Press said only troops on certain missions would carry guns, and that would include those patrolling to establish a law enforcement presence throughout the capital. Those working in transportation or administration would likely remain unarmed.

Thousands of National Guard and federal law enforcement officers are now&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/search/text?all=false&amp;startDateObj=2024-05-14T15:06:55.237Z&amp;endDate=5%2F14%2F2025&amp;sourceType=ap&amp;dateRangeType=live&amp;mediaSortType=newest&amp;viewType=list&amp;pagesize=100&amp;endDateObj=2025-05-14T15:06:55.195Z&amp;keyword=Takeover&amp;storyType=all&amp;mediatype=text&amp;pagenumber=0&amp;recentRange=1y">patrolling the district’s streets</a>, drawing sporadic protests from local residents.

The development in Trump’s extraordinary effort to override the law enforcement authority of state and local governments comes as he is considering expanding the deployments to other Democratic-led cities, including Baltimore,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crime-crackdown-dc-chicago-new-york-d5c658a7350a954ae1ab4bc80c920ac9">Chicago</a>&nbsp;and New York.

Earlier Sunday, the president responded to an offer by Maryland’s governor to join him in a tour of Baltimore by saying he might instead “send in the ‘troops.’”

Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, has criticized Trump's unprecedented flex of federal power aimed at combatting crime and homelessness in Washington. Moore last week invited Trump to visit his state to discuss public safety and walk the streets.

In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump said Moore asked “in a rather nasty and provocative tone,” and then raised the specter of repeating the National Guard deployment he made&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-guard-los-angeles-immigration-raids-protests-8f668f3fbfd2a8b1f1408db840e9864d">in Los Angeles</a>&nbsp;over the objections of California's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom.

"Wes Moore’s record on Crime is a very bad one, unless he fudges his figures on crime like many of the other ‘Blue States’ are doing," Trump wrote, as he cited a pejorative nickname he uses frequently for the California governor. “But if Wes Moore needs help, like Gavin Newscum did in L.A., I will send in the ‘troops,’ which is being done in nearby DC, and quickly clean up the Crime.”

Moore said he invited Trump to Maryland “because he seems to enjoy living in this blissful ignorance" about improving crime rates in Baltimore. After a spike during the pandemic that matched nationwide trends, Baltimore's violent crime rate has fallen. The 200 homicides reported last year were down 24% from the prior year and 42% since 2021, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://app.powerbigov.us/view?r=eyJrIjoiZjcyZDY5NWYtNTBlZS00OTg0LTgyNDQtOWYwMDEyOGI5Y2M1IiwidCI6IjMxMmNiMTI2LWM2YWUtNGZjMi04MDBkLTMxOGU2NzljZTZjNyJ9&amp;pageName=ReportSectionb1fa0cb3c370416927ba">city data</a>. Between 2023 and 2024, overall violent crime was down nearly 8% and property crimes down 20%.

“The president is spending all of his time talking about me,” Moore said on CBS's “Face the Nation” on Sunday. “I'm spending my time talking about the people I serve.”

Trump is “spouting off a bunch of lies about public safety in Maryland,” Moore said in a fundraising email.

In Washington, where Trump has surged National Guard troops and federal law enforcement officers, a patchwork of protests popped up throughout the city over the weekend, while some normally bustling corners were noticeably quiet. In some of the most populated areas, residents walked by small groups of national guardsmen, often talking among themselves. Videos of arrests and detainments circulated on social media.

Trump has said Chicago and New York are most likely&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crime-crackdown-dc-chicago-new-york-d5c658a7350a954ae1ab4bc80c920ac9">his next targets</a>, eliciting strong pushback from Democratic leaders in both states. The Washington Post&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/08/23/trump-chicago-military-national-guard/">reported Saturday</a>&nbsp;that the Pentagon has spent weeks preparing for an operation in Chicago that would include National Guard troops and potentially active-duty forces.

Asked about the Post report, the White House pointed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crime-crackdown-dc-chicago-new-york-d5c658a7350a954ae1ab4bc80c920ac9">Trump's earlier comments</a>&nbsp;discussing his desire to expand his use of military forces to target local crime.

“I think Chicago will be our next,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday, adding, “And then we’ll help with New York.”

Trump has repeatedly described some of the nation’s largest cities — run by Democrats, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/black-mayors-national-guard-police-takeover-dc-aa9a9cd07f0704b13f3d2deb2e351e44">Black mayors</a>&nbsp;and majority-minority populations — as dangerous and filthy. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott is Black, as is Moore. The District of Columbia and New York also have Black mayors.

The Rev. Al Sharpton, speaking during a religious event Sunday at Howard University in Washington, said the Guard's presence in the nation's capital was not about crime: "This is about profiling us.”

“This is laced with bigotry and racism,” he later elaborated to reporters. "Not one white mayor has been designated. And I think this is a civil rights issue, a race issue, and an issue of D.C. statehood.”

Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a Democrat, said there is&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/GovPritzker/status/1959421956509548587">no emergency</a>&nbsp;warranting the deployment of National Guard troops in Chicago.

“Donald Trump is attempting to manufacture a crisis, politicize Americans who serve in uniform, and continue abusing his power to distract from the pain he’s causing families,” Pritzker&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/GovPritzker/status/1959421957725720665">wrote on X</a>. “We’ll continue to follow the law, stand up for the sovereignty of our state, and protect Illinoisans.”

Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said the city doesn't need “a military occupation" and would sue to block one. He said there has been no communication from the White House about a possible military deployment.

“We’re not going to surrender our humanity to this tyrant," Johnson said Sunday on MSNBC. “I can tell you this, the city of Chicago has a long history of standing up against tyranny, resisting those who wish to undermine the interests of working people.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755882333777.png" alt="Image from White House video" />
 <figcaption>Image from White House video</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Some National Guard units patrolling the nation’s capital at the direction of President Donald Trump have started carrying firearms, an escalation of his military deployment that makes good on a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/washington-federal-intervention-trump-national-guard-df942130ec117288cfc648ab4e37f031">directive issued late last week</a>&nbsp;by his defense secretary.A Defense Department official who was not authorized to speak publicly said some units on certain missions would be armed — some with handguns and others with rifles. The spokesperson said that all units with firearms have been trained and are operating under strict rules for use of force.An Associated Press photographer on Sunday saw members of the South Carolina National Guard outside Union Station with holstered handguns.A statement from the joint task force that has taken over policing in the nation’s capital said units began carrying their service weapons on Sunday and that the military's rules say force should be used “only as a last resort and solely in response to an imminent threat of death or serious bodily harm.” It said the force is committed to protecting “the safety and wellbeing” of Washington's residents.The defense official who spoke to The Associated Press said only troops on certain missions would carry guns, and that would include those patrolling to establish a law enforcement presence throughout the capital. Those working in transportation or administration would likely remain unarmed.Thousands of National Guard and federal law enforcement officers are now&nbsp;<a href="https://pronto.associatedpress.com/web/search/text?all=false&amp;startDateObj=2024-05-14T15:06:55.237Z&amp;endDate=5%2F14%2F2025&amp;sourceType=ap&amp;dateRangeType=live&amp;mediaSortType=newest&amp;viewType=list&amp;pagesize=100&amp;endDateObj=2025-05-14T15:06:55.195Z&amp;keyword=Takeover&amp;storyType=all&amp;mediatype=text&amp;pagenumber=0&amp;recentRange=1y">patrolling the district’s streets</a>, drawing sporadic protests from local residents.The development in Trump’s extraordinary effort to override the law enforcement authority of state and local governments comes as he is considering expanding the deployments to other Democratic-led cities, including Baltimore,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crime-crackdown-dc-chicago-new-york-d5c658a7350a954ae1ab4bc80c920ac9">Chicago</a>&nbsp;and New York.Earlier Sunday, the president responded to an offer by Maryland’s governor to join him in a tour of Baltimore by saying he might instead “send in the ‘troops.’”Gov. Wes Moore, a Democrat, has criticized Trump's unprecedented flex of federal power aimed at combatting crime and homelessness in Washington. Moore last week invited Trump to visit his state to discuss public safety and walk the streets.In a Truth Social post on Sunday, Trump said Moore asked “in a rather nasty and provocative tone,” and then raised the specter of repeating the National Guard deployment he made&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-guard-los-angeles-immigration-raids-protests-8f668f3fbfd2a8b1f1408db840e9864d">in Los Angeles</a>&nbsp;over the objections of California's Democratic governor, Gavin Newsom."Wes Moore’s record on Crime is a very bad one, unless he fudges his figures on crime like many of the other ‘Blue States’ are doing," Trump wrote, as he cited a pejorative nickname he uses frequently for the California governor. “But if Wes Moore needs help, like Gavin Newscum did in L.A., I will send in the ‘troops,’ which is being done in nearby DC, and quickly clean up the Crime.”Moore said he invited Trump to Maryland “because he seems to enjoy living in this blissful ignorance" about improving crime rates in Baltimore. After a spike during the pandemic that matched nationwide trends, Baltimore's violent crime rate has fallen. The 200 homicides reported last year were down 24% from the prior year and 42% since 2021, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://app.powerbigov.us/view?r=eyJrIjoiZjcyZDY5NWYtNTBlZS00OTg0LTgyNDQtOWYwMDEyOGI5Y2M1IiwidCI6IjMxMmNiMTI2LWM2YWUtNGZjMi04MDBkLTMxOGU2NzljZTZjNyJ9&amp;pageName=ReportSectionb1fa0cb3c370416927ba">city data</a>. Between 2023 and 2024, overall violent crime was down nearly 8% and property crimes down 20%.“The president is spending all of his time talking about me,” Moore said on CBS's “Face the Nation” on Sunday. “I'm spending my time talking about the people I serve.”Trump is “spouting off a bunch of lies about public safety in Maryland,” Moore said in a fundraising email.In Washington, where Trump has surged National Guard troops and federal law enforcement officers, a patchwork of protests popped up throughout the city over the weekend, while some normally bustling corners were noticeably quiet. In some of the most populated areas, residents walked by small groups of national guardsmen, often talking among themselves. Videos of arrests and detainments circulated on social media.Trump has said Chicago and New York are most likely&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crime-crackdown-dc-chicago-new-york-d5c658a7350a954ae1ab4bc80c920ac9">his next targets</a>, eliciting strong pushback from Democratic leaders in both states. The Washington Post&nbsp;<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/2025/08/23/trump-chicago-military-national-guard/">reported Saturday</a>&nbsp;that the Pentagon has spent weeks preparing for an operation in Chicago that would include National Guard troops and potentially active-duty forces.Asked about the Post report, the White House pointed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-crime-crackdown-dc-chicago-new-york-d5c658a7350a954ae1ab4bc80c920ac9">Trump's earlier comments</a>&nbsp;discussing his desire to expand his use of military forces to target local crime.“I think Chicago will be our next,” Trump told reporters at the White House on Friday, adding, “And then we’ll help with New York.”Trump has repeatedly described some of the nation’s largest cities — run by Democrats, with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/black-mayors-national-guard-police-takeover-dc-aa9a9cd07f0704b13f3d2deb2e351e44">Black mayors</a>&nbsp;and majority-minority populations — as dangerous and filthy. Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott is Black, as is Moore. The District of Columbia and New York also have Black mayors.The Rev. Al Sharpton, speaking during a religious event Sunday at Howard University in Washington, said the Guard's presence in the nation's capital was not about crime: "This is about profiling us.”“This is laced with bigotry and racism,” he later elaborated to reporters. "Not one white mayor has been designated. And I think this is a civil rights issue, a race issue, and an issue of D.C. statehood.”Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, a Democrat, said there is&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/GovPritzker/status/1959421956509548587">no emergency</a>&nbsp;warranting the deployment of National Guard troops in Chicago.“Donald Trump is attempting to manufacture a crisis, politicize Americans who serve in uniform, and continue abusing his power to distract from the pain he’s causing families,” Pritzker&nbsp;<a href="https://x.com/GovPritzker/status/1959421957725720665">wrote on X</a>. “We’ll continue to follow the law, stand up for the sovereignty of our state, and protect Illinoisans.”Chicago Mayor Brandon Johnson said the city doesn't need “a military occupation" and would sue to block one. He said there has been no communication from the White House about a possible military deployment.“We’re not going to surrender our humanity to this tyrant," Johnson said Sunday on MSNBC. “I can tell you this, the city of Chicago has a long history of standing up against tyranny, resisting those who wish to undermine the interests of working people.”___

Some guard units in DC now carrying firearms; more cities targeted for possible deployment 

CLOUD COUNTY—One person died in a small plane crash just before 7:30p.m. Sunday in Cloud County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a&nbsp;Rans S-21 Airaile Fixed Wing Single-Engine Aircraft piloted by David A.&nbsp;Kadel, 76, Concordia,&nbsp;took off from Concordia, Kansas airport when a possible mechanical issue occurred. The plane lost altitude and nose dived into the ground.

Kadel was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home. The FAA and NTSB will investigate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756116361952.png" alt="Google Map" />
 <figcaption>Google Map</figcaption>
 </figure>CLOUD COUNTY—One person died in a small plane crash just before 7:30p.m. Sunday in Cloud County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a&nbsp;Rans S-21 Airaile Fixed Wing Single-Engine Aircraft piloted by David A.&nbsp;Kadel, 76, Concordia,&nbsp;took off from Concordia, Kansas airport when a possible mechanical issue occurred. The plane lost altitude and nose dived into the ground.Kadel was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to&nbsp;Chaput-Buoy Funeral Home. The FAA and NTSB will investigate.

Kansas man dies after small plane crash

GEARY COUNTY—Rural fire crews from Geary County and crews from Grandview Plaza Fire worked a motor home and enclosed trailer fire on the Interstate Saturday, according to a social media report from the fire department.

There were no injuries. The trailer was a complete loss, while the motor home sustained damage to the rear of the unit.&nbsp; Authorities released no additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756084182202.jpeg" alt="Photo Geary County Rural Fire" />
 <figcaption>Photo Geary County Rural Fire</figcaption>
 </figure>GEARY COUNTY—Rural fire crews from Geary County and crews from Grandview Plaza Fire worked a motor home and enclosed trailer fire on the Interstate Saturday, according to a social media report from the fire department.There were no injuries. The trailer was a complete loss, while the motor home sustained damage to the rear of the unit.&nbsp; Authorities released no additional details.

Trailer lost in motorhome fire on Interstate 70

The FBI has established a Seeking Information page regarding Dennis Hernandez, who has been charged in the with multiple child pornography offenses, according to the United State's Attorney.

<a href="https://forms.fbi.gov/victims/dennishernandezvictims/">Click here to view the FBI information page</a>

 

Hernandez is a school teacher in the metropolitan Kansas City area and is charged via federal complaint with transportation of child pornography, production and attempted production of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.

<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmo/media/1411761/dl?inline">Click here to read&nbsp;</a>the charging documents

Hernandez was arrested at his home during the execution of a federal search warrant.  He remains in custody and is scheduled for his initial appearance today before a federal magistrate.

The complaint affidavit alleges that on Aug. 19, 2025, the Federal Bureau of Investigations received 19 CyberTipline Reports (“Cybertips”) from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”).&nbsp; NCMEC made the referral after it received disclosures from Google on August 18th&nbsp;indicating that multiple files of apparent child sexual abuse material had been uploaded to google photos by a particular account that had identifying information consistent with/to Hernandez.&nbsp;The affidavit further alleges that based upon the Cybertips, agents with the FBI sought and obtained a federal search warrant which was executed on the morning of August 20th.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Under federal statutes, transportation of child pornography carries a minimum sentence of 5 years and a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, production and attempted production of child pornography carries a minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years imprisonment, and possession of child pornography carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment.&nbsp; The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.

The FBI is seeking to identify potential victims of Hernandez.&nbsp; If you or your child believes they were a victim of Hernandez, please call 1-800-CALL-FBI. If you are under the age of 18, please have your parent/guardian call on your behalf. Your responses are voluntary. Based on your responses, you may be contacted by the FBI and asked to provide additional information.

The FBI is legally mandated to identify victims of federal crimes it investigates. Victims may be eligible for certain services, restitution, and rights under federal and/or state law.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755908167779.png" alt="Hernandez photo FBI" />
 <figcaption>Hernandez photo FBI</figcaption>
 </figure>The FBI has established a Seeking Information page regarding Dennis Hernandez, who has been charged in the with multiple child pornography offenses, according to the United State's Attorney.<a href="https://forms.fbi.gov/victims/dennishernandezvictims/">Click here to view the FBI information page</a> 

Hernandez is a school teacher in the metropolitan Kansas City area and is charged via federal complaint with transportation of child pornography, production and attempted production of child pornography, and possession of child pornography.<a href="https://www.justice.gov/usao-wdmo/media/1411761/dl?inline">Click here to read&nbsp;</a>the charging documentsHernandez was arrested at his home during the execution of a federal search warrant. He remains in custody and is scheduled for his initial appearance today before a federal magistrate.The complaint affidavit alleges that on Aug. 19, 2025, the Federal Bureau of Investigations received 19 CyberTipline Reports (“Cybertips”) from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (“NCMEC”).&nbsp; NCMEC made the referral after it received disclosures from Google on August 18th&nbsp;indicating that multiple files of apparent child sexual abuse material had been uploaded to google photos by a particular account that had identifying information consistent with/to Hernandez.&nbsp;The affidavit further alleges that based upon the Cybertips, agents with the FBI sought and obtained a federal search warrant which was executed on the morning of August 20th.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Under federal statutes, transportation of child pornography carries a minimum sentence of 5 years and a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment, production and attempted production of child pornography carries a minimum sentence of 15 years and a maximum sentence of 30 years imprisonment, and possession of child pornography carries a maximum sentence of 20 years imprisonment.&nbsp; The maximum statutory sentence is prescribed by Congress and is provided here for informational purposes, as the sentencing of the defendant will be determined by the court based on the advisory sentencing guidelines and other statutory factors. A sentencing hearing will be scheduled after the completion of a presentence investigation by the United States Probation Office.The FBI is seeking to identify potential victims of Hernandez.&nbsp; If you or your child believes they were a victim of Hernandez, please call 1-800-CALL-FBI. If you are under the age of 18, please have your parent/guardian call on your behalf. Your responses are voluntary. Based on your responses, you may be contacted by the FBI and asked to provide additional information.The FBI is legally mandated to identify victims of federal crimes it investigates. Victims may be eligible for certain services, restitution, and rights under federal and/or state law.-----------

FBI seeks victims: Teacher filmed child porn in KC area school

Following the Saturday football game in Ireland, Kansas State QB Avery Johnson's father and brother got into a fight after Wildcats lost to Iowa State.&nbsp; 

On Sunday morning they issued an online apology via On3’s Pete Nakos.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756085707531.png" alt="Avery Johnson-image from K-State video" />
 <figcaption>Avery Johnson-image from K-State video</figcaption>
 </figure>Following the Saturday football game in Ireland, Kansas State QB Avery Johnson's father and brother got into a fight after Wildcats lost to Iowa State.&nbsp; <div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">O pai (Mark) e irmão (Anthony) do QB Avery Johnson de Kansas State entraram numa briga após a derrota de KSU para Iowa State ontem, em Dublin. Em nota divulgada nas redes sociais, os dois pediram desculpas ao programa e afirmaram que já fizeram as pazes. <a href="https://t.co/idztJnAbjz">pic.twitter.com/idztJnAbjz</a>&mdash; collegefootball.com.br (@collegefootbr) <a href="https://twitter.com/collegefootbr/status/1959648110915072477?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>On Sunday morning they issued an online apology via On3’s Pete Nakos.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756085381988.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>

Father, brother of K-State QB Avery Johnson apologize for fight 

NEW YORK (AP) —Beatles fans will be feeling some “real love” for this: New content from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/the-beatles">the iconic band</a>&nbsp;is coming this fall on screen, in music and in print.

“The Beatles Anthology” will be returning “in its ultimate form,” according to a release issued Thursday.

The famed 1995 “Anthology” music documentary, recounting the band’s journey beginning with its Liverpool roots through to its explosive stardom, has been restored and remastered, and will feature a new, ninth episode. It will stream on Disney+ beginning November 26.

The ninth episode features behind-the-scenes footage of Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr coming together in 1994-1995 to work on the series and “reflecting on their shared life as the Beatles.” Giles Martin, son of the late Beatles producer George Martin who died in 2016, has created new audio mixes for the majority of the featured music.

New “Anthology” music will be released on Nov. 21. A fourth album, to be released alongside remastered versions of the first three, includes 13 previously unreleased demos, session recordings and other rare recordings.

“Anthology 4” also includes, according to the release, new mixes of the Beatles’ “Anthology”-related hit singles: “Free As A Bird” and “Real Love.” The original “Free As A Bird” music video has also been restored.

The two new mixes come alongside&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/last-new-beatles-song-e7b3a349b0e1e58b8668e98ba2d9cd0b">2023’s “Now And Then,” the last Beatles song.</a>&nbsp;(All three singles were created from home demos that John Lennon, who was killed in 1980 outside the Dakota apartment building, recorded not long before, with vocal and instrumental parts later recorded by Paul, George and Ringo.)

A 25th anniversary edition of the Beatles Anthology Book will arrive October 14. In the book, all four Beatles recall the band’s journey. They’re joined by colleagues including Neil Aspinall, George Martin, Derek Taylor and others.

"'The Anthology' was always about their past, but this new edition confirms its enduring place in the present and future,’” the release noted.

The “Anthology” updates come as Beatles fans ready for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/beatles-biopic-sam-mendes-3f3f74076d78f16ac420820638e05de3">not one, not two, but four feature films</a>&nbsp;about the band. All directed by Sam Mendes, the films each focus on one Beatle. The lead actors will be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/paul-mescal">Paul Mescal</a>&nbsp;as McCartney,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/summer-movies-2024-breakout-performances-6d78b9006e2738ccffde490d17b91baf">Joseph Quinn</a>&nbsp;as Harrison,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hasty-pudding-barry-keoghan-man-of-year-b1334bb493311e77f4ea275b7198bff1">Barry Keoghan</a>&nbsp;as Starr and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-dickinson-babygirl-1e85ec4a4aed8b15e696c42720471845">Harris Dickinson</a>&nbsp;as Lennon.

NEW YORK (AP) —Beatles fans will be feeling some “real love” for this: New content from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/the-beatles">the iconic band</a>&nbsp;is coming this fall on screen, in music and in print.“The Beatles Anthology” will be returning “in its ultimate form,” according to a release issued Thursday.The famed 1995 “Anthology” music documentary, recounting the band’s journey beginning with its Liverpool roots through to its explosive stardom, has been restored and remastered, and will feature a new, ninth episode. It will stream on Disney+ beginning November 26.The ninth episode features behind-the-scenes footage of Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr coming together in 1994-1995 to work on the series and “reflecting on their shared life as the Beatles.” Giles Martin, son of the late Beatles producer George Martin who died in 2016, has created new audio mixes for the majority of the featured music.New “Anthology” music will be released on Nov. 21. A fourth album, to be released alongside remastered versions of the first three, includes 13 previously unreleased demos, session recordings and other rare recordings.“Anthology 4” also includes, according to the release, new mixes of the Beatles’ “Anthology”-related hit singles: “Free As A Bird” and “Real Love.” The original “Free As A Bird” music video has also been restored.The two new mixes come alongside&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/last-new-beatles-song-e7b3a349b0e1e58b8668e98ba2d9cd0b">2023’s “Now And Then,” the last Beatles song.</a>&nbsp;(All three singles were created from home demos that John Lennon, who was killed in 1980 outside the Dakota apartment building, recorded not long before, with vocal and instrumental parts later recorded by Paul, George and Ringo.)A 25th anniversary edition of the Beatles Anthology Book will arrive October 14. In the book, all four Beatles recall the band’s journey. They’re joined by colleagues including Neil Aspinall, George Martin, Derek Taylor and others."'The Anthology' was always about their past, but this new edition confirms its enduring place in the present and future,’” the release noted.The “Anthology” updates come as Beatles fans ready for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/beatles-biopic-sam-mendes-3f3f74076d78f16ac420820638e05de3">not one, not two, but four feature films</a>&nbsp;about the band. All directed by Sam Mendes, the films each focus on one Beatle. The lead actors will be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/paul-mescal">Paul Mescal</a>&nbsp;as McCartney,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/summer-movies-2024-breakout-performances-6d78b9006e2738ccffde490d17b91baf">Joseph Quinn</a>&nbsp;as Harrison,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hasty-pudding-barry-keoghan-man-of-year-b1334bb493311e77f4ea275b7198bff1">Barry Keoghan</a>&nbsp;as Starr and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/harris-dickinson-babygirl-1e85ec4a4aed8b15e696c42720471845">Harris Dickinson</a>&nbsp;as Lennon.

New Beatles ‘Anthology’ projects will be released this fall

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating a mass shooting in Kansas City.

Just after 4a.m. Sunday, emergency crews responded to a report of multiple shootings in the area of 13th and Grand, according to KC Fire Department Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.

On arrival crews encountered 5 gunshot victims. One victim was pronounced dead on the scene. First responders located four additional victims all suffering from gunshot wounds. One adult male had critical injuries, a second adult male had serious injuries, a juvenile male had critical injuries, and an adult female had non life threatening injuries, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

 KCFD crews transported four to area hospital, according to Battalion Chief Hopkins.

Just after 6:40a.m. Sunday morning, hospital personnel pronounced an additional adult male victim deceased, according to DiMartino.

This is being investigated as a homicide, according to DiMartino.

Preliminary information revealed there was an altercation between multiple individuals that led to shots being fired and the victims being struck.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756039167492.png" alt="Photos Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photos Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating a mass shooting in Kansas City. Just after 4a.m. Sunday, emergency crews responded to a report of multiple shootings in the area of 13th and Grand, according to KC Fire Department Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.On arrival crews encountered 5 gunshot victims. One victim was pronounced dead on the scene. First responders located four additional victims all suffering from gunshot wounds. One adult male had critical injuries, a second adult male had serious injuries, a juvenile male had critical injuries, and an adult female had non life threatening injuries, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino. KCFD crews transported four to area hospital, according to Battalion Chief Hopkins.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756039118276.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 6:40a.m. Sunday morning, hospital personnel pronounced an additional adult male victim deceased, according to DiMartino.This is being investigated as a homicide, according to DiMartino.Preliminary information revealed there was an altercation between multiple individuals that led to shots being fired and the victims being struck.&nbsp; Police released no additional details.

Law enforcement investigating mass shooting in downtown Kansas City

By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/jeff-mcmurray">JEFF McMURRAY</a> Associated Press

Rose Hammond pushed authorities for years to lower the 55 mph speed limit on a two-lane road that passes her assisted living community, a church, two schools and a busy park that hosts numerous youth sports leagues.

“What are you waiting for, somebody to get&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-turnpike-crashes-5bd9bdca1835dac573f8461bf9166994">killed</a>?” the 85-year-old chided officials in northwest Ohio, complaining that nothing was being done about the motorcycles that race by almost daily.

Amid growing public pressure, Sylvania Township asked county engineers in March to analyze whether Mitchaw Road’s posted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/road-diets-traffic-safety-transportation-department-trump-2486cac519fdc56348532717e43dc81d">speed is too high.</a>&nbsp;The surprising answer: Technically, it’s 5 mph too low.

The reason dates back to studies on rural roads from the 1930s and 1940s that still play an outsized role in the way&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/speed-limiters-reckless-drivers-states-judges-washington-72165c45b7481b6b313248841006578b">speed limits</a>&nbsp;are set across the U.S. — even in urban areas.

Born from that research was a widely accepted concept known as the 85% rule, which suggests a road’s posted speed should be tied to the 15th-fastest vehicle out of every 100 traveling it in free-flowing traffic, rounded to the nearest 5 mph increment.

But after decades of closely following the rule, some states — with a nudge from the federal government — are seeking to modify if not replace it when setting guidelines for how local engineers should decide what speed limit to post.

The concept assumes that a road’s safest speed is the one most vehicles travel — neither too high nor too low. If drivers think the speed limit should be raised, they can simply step on the gas and “vote with their feet,” as an old brochure from the Institute of Transportation Engineers once put it.

“The problem with this approach is it creates this feedback loop,” said Jenny O’Connell, director of member programs for the National Association of City Transportation Officials. “People speed, and then the speed limits will be ratcheted up to match that speed.”

The association developed an alternative to the 85% rule known as “City Limits,” which aims to minimize the risk of injuries for all road users by setting the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/speeding-motorist-germany-autobahn-fine-record-e1fc8c77e62e7112d10e67c060512d80">speed limit</a>&nbsp;based on a formula that factors in a street’s activity level and the likelihood of conflicts, such as collisions.

The report points out the 85% rule is based on dated research and that “these historic roads are a far cry from the vibrant streets and arterials that typify city streets today.”

Amid a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/traffic-deaths-pedestrians-distracted-driving-fb7ec8a9ddbb862c9b29f6ac87d508f9">spike in road deaths</a>&nbsp;across the country, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/infrastructure-poor-bridges-highway-grants-f86c8a19145fc4584b0d978b0005e405">Federal Highway Administration</a>&nbsp;sent a subtle but important message to states that the 85% rule isn’t actually a rule at all and was carrying too much weight in determining local speed limits. In its first update since 2009 to a manual that establishes national guidelines for traffic signs, the agency clarified that communities should also consider such things as how the road is used, the risk to pedestrians, and the frequency of crashes.

Leah Shahum, who directs the Vision Zero Network, a nonprofit advocating for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hoboken-zero-traffic-deaths-daylighting-pedestrian-safety-007dec67706c1c09129da1436a3d9762">street safety,</a>&nbsp;said she wishes the manual had gone further in downplaying the 85% rule but acknowledges the change has already impacted the way some states set speed limits. Others, however, are still clinging to the simplicity and familiarity of the longstanding approach, she said.

“The 85th percentile should not be the Holy Grail or the Bible, and yet over and over again it is accepted as that,” Shahum said.

Under its “20 is Plenty” campaign, the Wisconsin capital of Madison has been changing signs across the city this summer, lowering the speed limit from 25 mph to 20 mph on local residential streets.

When Seattle took a similar step in a pilot program seven years ago, not only did it see a noticeable decline in serious injury crashes but also a 7% drop in the 85th percentile speed, according to the Vision Zero Network.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-speed-alert-cars-bill-veto-588605f3980c952c894756da6579bf3d">California</a>&nbsp;embraces the 85% rule even more than most states as its basis for setting speed limits. But legislators have loosened the restrictions on local governments a bit in recent years, allowing them to depart from the guidelines if they can cite a proven safety need.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-public-transit-9002a8b3e0270db28587835a85c2ccb0">Advocates</a>&nbsp;for pedestrians and bicyclists say the change helps, but is not enough.

“We still have a long way to go in California in terms of putting value on all road users,” said Kendra Ramsey, executive director of the California Bicycle Coalition. “There’s still a very heavy mindset that automobiles are the primary method of travel and they should be given priority and reverence.”

But Jay Beeber, executive director for policy at the National Motorists Association, an advocacy organization for drivers, said following the 85% rule is usually the safest way to minimize the variation in speed between drivers who abide by the posted limit and those who far exceed it.

“It doesn’t really matter what number you put on a sign,” Beeber said. “The average driver drives the nature of the roadway. It would be patently unfair for a government to build a road to encourage people to drive 45 mph, put a 30 mph speed limit on it, and then ticket everyone for doing what they built the road to do.”

Fears about oil prices prompted Congress in the 1970s to set a 55 mph national maximum speed limit, which it later relaxed to 65 mph before repealing the law in 1995 and handing the authority to states. Since then, speed limits have kept climbing, with North Dakota this summer becoming the ninth state to allow drivers to go 80 mph on some stretches of highway. There’s even a 40-mile segment in Texas between Austin and San Antonio where 85 mph is allowed.

Although high-speed freeways outside major population centers aren’t the focus of most efforts to ease the 85% rule, a 2019 study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety — a research arm funded by auto insurers — illustrates the risks. Every 5 mph increase to a state’s maximum speed limit increases the chance of fatalities by 8.5% on interstate highways and 2.8% on other roads, the study found.

“Maybe back when you were driving a Model T you had a real feel for how fast you were going, but in modern vehicles you don’t have a sense of what 80 mph is. You’re in a cocoon,” said Chuck Farmer, the institute’s vice president for research, who conducted the study.

If elected officials in Sylvania Township, Ohio, got their way, Mitchaw Road’s posted speed limit would be cut dramatically — from 55 mph to 40 mph or lower. The county’s finding that the 85% rule actually calls for raising it to 60 mph surprised the town’s leaders, but not the engineers who ran the study.

“If we don’t make decisions based on data, it’s very difficult to make good decisions,” Lucas County Engineer Mike Pniewski said.

For now, the speed limit will remain as it is. That’s because Ohio law sets maximum speeds for 15 different types of roadways, regardless of what the 85% rule suggests.

And Ohio’s guidelines are evolving. The state now gives more consideration to roadway context and allows cities to reduce speed limits based on the lower standard of the 50th percentile speed when there’s a large presence of pedestrians and bicyclists. Authorities there recently hired a consultant to consider additional modifications based on what other states are doing.

“States have very slowly started to move away from the 85th percentile as being kind of the gold standard for decision-making,” said Michelle May, who manages Ohio’s highway safety program. “People are traveling and living differently than they did 40 years ago, and we want to put safety more at the focus.”

It’s unclear whether any of these changes will ultimately impact the posted speed on Mitchaw Road. After years of futile calls and emails to state, county and township officials, Hammond says she isn’t holding her breath.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755965299405.png" alt="Google image" />
 <figcaption>Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/jeff-mcmurray">JEFF McMURRAY</a> Associated PressRose Hammond pushed authorities for years to lower the 55 mph speed limit on a two-lane road that passes her assisted living community, a church, two schools and a busy park that hosts numerous youth sports leagues.“What are you waiting for, somebody to get&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-turnpike-crashes-5bd9bdca1835dac573f8461bf9166994">killed</a>?” the 85-year-old chided officials in northwest Ohio, complaining that nothing was being done about the motorcycles that race by almost daily.Amid growing public pressure, Sylvania Township asked county engineers in March to analyze whether Mitchaw Road’s posted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/road-diets-traffic-safety-transportation-department-trump-2486cac519fdc56348532717e43dc81d">speed is too high.</a>&nbsp;The surprising answer: Technically, it’s 5 mph too low.The reason dates back to studies on rural roads from the 1930s and 1940s that still play an outsized role in the way&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/speed-limiters-reckless-drivers-states-judges-washington-72165c45b7481b6b313248841006578b">speed limits</a>&nbsp;are set across the U.S. — even in urban areas.Born from that research was a widely accepted concept known as the 85% rule, which suggests a road’s posted speed should be tied to the 15th-fastest vehicle out of every 100 traveling it in free-flowing traffic, rounded to the nearest 5 mph increment.But after decades of closely following the rule, some states — with a nudge from the federal government — are seeking to modify if not replace it when setting guidelines for how local engineers should decide what speed limit to post.<h2>Drivers set the speed</h2>The concept assumes that a road’s safest speed is the one most vehicles travel — neither too high nor too low. If drivers think the speed limit should be raised, they can simply step on the gas and “vote with their feet,” as an old brochure from the Institute of Transportation Engineers once put it.“The problem with this approach is it creates this feedback loop,” said Jenny O’Connell, director of member programs for the National Association of City Transportation Officials. “People speed, and then the speed limits will be ratcheted up to match that speed.”The association developed an alternative to the 85% rule known as “City Limits,” which aims to minimize the risk of injuries for all road users by setting the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/speeding-motorist-germany-autobahn-fine-record-e1fc8c77e62e7112d10e67c060512d80">speed limit</a>&nbsp;based on a formula that factors in a street’s activity level and the likelihood of conflicts, such as collisions.The report points out the 85% rule is based on dated research and that “these historic roads are a far cry from the vibrant streets and arterials that typify city streets today.”Amid a recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/traffic-deaths-pedestrians-distracted-driving-fb7ec8a9ddbb862c9b29f6ac87d508f9">spike in road deaths</a>&nbsp;across the country, the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/infrastructure-poor-bridges-highway-grants-f86c8a19145fc4584b0d978b0005e405">Federal Highway Administration</a>&nbsp;sent a subtle but important message to states that the 85% rule isn’t actually a rule at all and was carrying too much weight in determining local speed limits. In its first update since 2009 to a manual that establishes national guidelines for traffic signs, the agency clarified that communities should also consider such things as how the road is used, the risk to pedestrians, and the frequency of crashes.Leah Shahum, who directs the Vision Zero Network, a nonprofit advocating for&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hoboken-zero-traffic-deaths-daylighting-pedestrian-safety-007dec67706c1c09129da1436a3d9762">street safety,</a>&nbsp;said she wishes the manual had gone further in downplaying the 85% rule but acknowledges the change has already impacted the way some states set speed limits. Others, however, are still clinging to the simplicity and familiarity of the longstanding approach, she said.“The 85th percentile should not be the Holy Grail or the Bible, and yet over and over again it is accepted as that,” Shahum said.<h2>Rethinking the need for speed</h2>Under its “20 is Plenty” campaign, the Wisconsin capital of Madison has been changing signs across the city this summer, lowering the speed limit from 25 mph to 20 mph on local residential streets.When Seattle took a similar step in a pilot program seven years ago, not only did it see a noticeable decline in serious injury crashes but also a 7% drop in the 85th percentile speed, according to the Vision Zero Network.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-speed-alert-cars-bill-veto-588605f3980c952c894756da6579bf3d">California</a>&nbsp;embraces the 85% rule even more than most states as its basis for setting speed limits. But legislators have loosened the restrictions on local governments a bit in recent years, allowing them to depart from the guidelines if they can cite a proven safety need.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-public-transit-9002a8b3e0270db28587835a85c2ccb0">Advocates</a>&nbsp;for pedestrians and bicyclists say the change helps, but is not enough.“We still have a long way to go in California in terms of putting value on all road users,” said Kendra Ramsey, executive director of the California Bicycle Coalition. “There’s still a very heavy mindset that automobiles are the primary method of travel and they should be given priority and reverence.”But Jay Beeber, executive director for policy at the National Motorists Association, an advocacy organization for drivers, said following the 85% rule is usually the safest way to minimize the variation in speed between drivers who abide by the posted limit and those who far exceed it.“It doesn’t really matter what number you put on a sign,” Beeber said. “The average driver drives the nature of the roadway. It would be patently unfair for a government to build a road to encourage people to drive 45 mph, put a 30 mph speed limit on it, and then ticket everyone for doing what they built the road to do.”<h2>80 is the new 55</h2>Fears about oil prices prompted Congress in the 1970s to set a 55 mph national maximum speed limit, which it later relaxed to 65 mph before repealing the law in 1995 and handing the authority to states. Since then, speed limits have kept climbing, with North Dakota this summer becoming the ninth state to allow drivers to go 80 mph on some stretches of highway. There’s even a 40-mile segment in Texas between Austin and San Antonio where 85 mph is allowed.Although high-speed freeways outside major population centers aren’t the focus of most efforts to ease the 85% rule, a 2019 study from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety — a research arm funded by auto insurers — illustrates the risks. Every 5 mph increase to a state’s maximum speed limit increases the chance of fatalities by 8.5% on interstate highways and 2.8% on other roads, the study found.“Maybe back when you were driving a Model T you had a real feel for how fast you were going, but in modern vehicles you don’t have a sense of what 80 mph is. You’re in a cocoon,” said Chuck Farmer, the institute’s vice president for research, who conducted the study.<h2>A town’s attempt at change</h2>If elected officials in Sylvania Township, Ohio, got their way, Mitchaw Road’s posted speed limit would be cut dramatically — from 55 mph to 40 mph or lower. The county’s finding that the 85% rule actually calls for raising it to 60 mph surprised the town’s leaders, but not the engineers who ran the study.“If we don’t make decisions based on data, it’s very difficult to make good decisions,” Lucas County Engineer Mike Pniewski said.For now, the speed limit will remain as it is. That’s because Ohio law sets maximum speeds for 15 different types of roadways, regardless of what the 85% rule suggests.And Ohio’s guidelines are evolving. The state now gives more consideration to roadway context and allows cities to reduce speed limits based on the lower standard of the 50th percentile speed when there’s a large presence of pedestrians and bicyclists. Authorities there recently hired a consultant to consider additional modifications based on what other states are doing.“States have very slowly started to move away from the 85th percentile as being kind of the gold standard for decision-making,” said Michelle May, who manages Ohio’s highway safety program. “People are traveling and living differently than they did 40 years ago, and we want to put safety more at the focus.”It’s unclear whether any of these changes will ultimately impact the posted speed on Mitchaw Road. After years of futile calls and emails to state, county and township officials, Hammond says she isn’t holding her breath.

States rethink a long-held practice of setting speed limits based on how fast drivers travel

Nearly 40% of election officials administering the 2024 election weren’t around in 2020.

By:<a href="https://stateline.org/author/jshorman/">Jonathan Shorman</a>

Election officials turned over at the highest rate in at least a quarter century during the last presidential election, according to new research from the Bipartisan Policy Center.

An analysis of shifts in election officials published Tuesday found nearly 41% of election officials administering the 2024 election were different than those in 2020. Turnover has accelerated over the past two decades, rising from about 28% in 2004 to 40.9% last year.

The growing percentage of departing election officials comes after years of challenges. They navigated the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, as well as harassment and false conspiracy theories surrounding stolen elections that persist today.

The analysis&nbsp;<a href="https://bipartisanpolicy.org/issue-brief/election-official-turnover-rates-through-the-2024-election/" target="_blank">released by the Bipartisan Policy Center</a>, a Washington, D.C.-based group that seeks to foster policy cooperation across party lines, represents an updated version of a report that previously examined turnover from 2004 to 2022. The new research, which extends the data through 2024, shows the turnover rate continued to climb.

The change means that, over time, election officials have less experience. The research found that the share of chief local election officials with six or more years in their role has dropped from 60% in 2006 to 47% in 2024.

But last year, 60% of election officials had previously overseen the administration of a presidential election in their jurisdiction.

“Despite increasing turnover and loss of experience, the majority of chief election officials still have experience running at least one presidential election cycle,” the analysis said. “This is important because presidential elections typically see the highest turnout and are the most visible elections administered.”

The analysis found that over the long term, election official turnover rates have been rising gradually in small jurisdictions, defined as areas with fewer than 100,000 voting-age residents. But large jurisdictions have experienced a more sudden jump in turnover.

Small jurisdictions had a 27% turnover rate in 2004 that had risen to 40% in 2024. But large jurisdictions enjoyed a turnover rate as low as 31% in 2018 before climbing rapidly to nearly 46% last year.

Stateline reporter&nbsp;Jonathan Shorman can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:jshorman@stateline.org">jshorman@stateline.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1756041439060.png" alt=" Election workers process ballots at the Davis County Administrative Building in Farmington, Utah, during November’s election. Research from the Bipartisan Policy Center shows turnover among election workers reached a new high in 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps/Utah News Dispatch)" />
 <figcaption> Election workers process ballots at the Davis County Administrative Building in Farmington, Utah, during November’s election. Research from the Bipartisan Policy Center shows turnover among election workers reached a new high in 2024. (Photo by Spenser Heaps/Utah News Dispatch)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Nearly 40% of election officials administering the 2024 election weren’t around in 2020.</h2>By:<a href="https://stateline.org/author/jshorman/">Jonathan Shorman</a>Election officials turned over at the highest rate in at least a quarter century during the last presidential election, according to new research from the Bipartisan Policy Center.An analysis of shifts in election officials published Tuesday found nearly 41% of election officials administering the 2024 election were different than those in 2020. Turnover has accelerated over the past two decades, rising from about 28% in 2004 to 40.9% last year.The growing percentage of departing election officials comes after years of challenges. They navigated the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, as well as harassment and false conspiracy theories surrounding stolen elections that persist today.The analysis&nbsp;<a href="https://bipartisanpolicy.org/issue-brief/election-official-turnover-rates-through-the-2024-election/" target="_blank">released by the Bipartisan Policy Center</a>, a Washington, D.C.-based group that seeks to foster policy cooperation across party lines, represents an updated version of a report that previously examined turnover from 2004 to 2022. The new research, which extends the data through 2024, shows the turnover rate continued to climb.The change means that, over time, election officials have less experience. The research found that the share of chief local election officials with six or more years in their role has dropped from 60% in 2006 to 47% in 2024.But last year, 60% of election officials had previously overseen the administration of a presidential election in their jurisdiction.“Despite increasing turnover and loss of experience, the majority of chief election officials still have experience running at least one presidential election cycle,” the analysis said. “This is important because presidential elections typically see the highest turnout and are the most visible elections administered.”The analysis found that over the long term, election official turnover rates have been rising gradually in small jurisdictions, defined as areas with fewer than 100,000 voting-age residents. But large jurisdictions have experienced a more sudden jump in turnover.Small jurisdictions had a 27% turnover rate in 2004 that had risen to 40% in 2024. But large jurisdictions enjoyed a turnover rate as low as 31% in 2018 before climbing rapidly to nearly 46% last year.Stateline reporter&nbsp;Jonathan Shorman can be reached at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:jshorman@stateline.org">jshorman@stateline.org</a>.

Turnover among election officials reaches new high, report finds

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY—Three people were injured in an accident just after 9:30p.m. Saturday in Leavenworth County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported law enforcement were in pursuit of a 2008 Honda Accord driven by Johmelo M.&nbsp;Mapp-Jenkins, 22, Leavenworth near the&nbsp;intersection of N 147th Street and Parallel Road in Basehor.

The driver failed to yield at a stop sign at 147th Road and Parallel Road and struck a dirt embankment on the south edge of the roadway.

EMS transported Mapp-Jenkins and passengers Melissa K. Howard, 27,&nbsp; and Andrew M. Jones, 42, both of Leavenworth, to KU Medical Center for treatment of serious injuries. All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP. The Patrol did not report what prompted the chase or possible charges.

LEAVENWORTH COUNTY—Three people were injured in an accident just after 9:30p.m. Saturday in Leavenworth County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported law enforcement were in pursuit of a 2008 Honda Accord driven by Johmelo M.&nbsp;Mapp-Jenkins, 22, Leavenworth near the&nbsp;intersection of N 147th Street and Parallel Road in Basehor.The driver failed to yield at a stop sign at 147th Road and Parallel Road and struck a dirt embankment on the south edge of the roadway.EMS transported Mapp-Jenkins and passengers Melissa K. Howard, 27,&nbsp; and Andrew M. Jones, 42, both of Leavenworth, to KU Medical Center for treatment of serious injuries. All three were properly restrained, according to the KHP. The Patrol did not report what prompted the chase or possible charges.

2 Kansas men, woman hospitalized after crash during police chase

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ghills/">GRACE HILLS</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — An&nbsp;<a href="https://catholicdioceseofwichita.org/bishopletters/a-pastoral-letter-on-immigration/" target="_blank">open letter</a>&nbsp;from Kansas Catholic bishops urges people to approach immigration with compassion, and condemns portrayals of all immigrants as criminals — rhetoric President Donald Trump frequently uses.

“Treating all migrants and refugees as if they were violent criminals is simply unjust. They are human beings made in God’s image,” wrote Archbishop Shawn McKnight, Bishop Carl Kemme, and Bishop Gerald Vincke in the letter.

Both&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/pope-francis-criticizes-trumps-immigration-crackdown-letter-us-bishops-2025-02-11/" target="_blank">Pope Francis</a>, who died in April, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/09/pope-leo-shares-predecessors-concerns-over-us-immigration-policy-brother-says" target="_blank">Pope Leo XIV</a>, the first American pope, have been critical of Trump’s mass deportations and descriptions of immigrants as criminals.

The Kansas Legislature passed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/scr1602/" target="_blank">a resolution</a>&nbsp;in April to encourage Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly — who has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kctv5.com/2025/06/12/kansas-governor-joins-states-opposing-trumps-military-deployment-california/" target="_blank">condemned</a>&nbsp;Trump’s immigration enforcement efforts, like his deployment of the&nbsp;<a href="https://calmatters.org/newsletter/los-angeles-military-newsom-trump/" target="_blank">National Guard on U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement protests</a>&nbsp;in Los Angeles —&nbsp; to “fully cooperate with the policies of the Trump administration in enforcing federal immigration laws.”

The resolution encourages compassion for immigrants — who are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/03/08/1237103158/immigrants-are-less-likely-to-commit-crimes-than-us-born-americans-studies-find" target="_blank">less likely to commit crimes</a>&nbsp;than U.S.-born Americans — but includes a paragraph that asserts “illegal immigration leads to severe repercussions for our entire state, including threats to public safety and public health via human trafficking, the deadly fentanyl crisis and strains on public resources.”

Some of the legislators who voted yes on the resolution are Catholic, including Republican Rep. David Buehler from Lansing.

Buehler said he found the bishops’ letter, which acknowledges criminals are taking advantage of the country’s broken immigration system, to be incomplete.

“We don’t have anything in the way of policy in the state of Kansas that I think is not kind. I think we all stand for law and order and humane treatment of all people,” Buehler said. “But I think we have to consider all aspects of this issue, and we can’t turn a blind eye to the impact on our schools, to the impact on our health care. There are so many pieces and parts.”

Buehler said he is worried about what he sees as the unintended consequences of immigration, which he believes were exacerbated when President Joe Biden was in office.

“We should have humane treatment for immigration and those who may be here illegally, but we also at the same time should enforce the laws of this country,” Buehler said. “We can do both.”

Throughout their letter, the bishops encouraged Kansans to see immigrants as humans rather than criminals.&nbsp;

“Amid political division and fear, we remind our communities that at the center of every immigration debate are real people: families in our pews, children in our schools, workers in our neighborhoods, and volunteers in our parishes,” the bishops wrote.

Shabina Kavimandan immigrated to Kansas from India in 1998. She said she started volunteering with Overland Park Democratic Sen. Cindy Holscher’s campaign for governor in part because of Holscher’s kindness toward immigrants.

“There are certain members of a party that always say they align with so many religious views, especially when it comes to ‘pro-life’ issues,” Kavimandan said. “I see that they believe in life, and the value of life. And then on the other hand there is such a dismissal of the reasons why people choose to come to this country.”

Kavimandan said she stayed in the United States in part because of her determination and also because of Kansans’ interest in knowing and helping her as a person.

“There were people who sat across from me and asked about Shabina the individual. I see that missing now,” Kavimandan said. “That’s another piece that lawmakers tend to overlook sometimes. Behind all the policies there really are just people and their stories. There’s a Shabina who came to this land with $200 in her pocket, but then there were people who were like ‘We have to make sure that she becomes something in this country.’ ”

All Kansas bishops signed the letter but one — Bishop John Brungardt in Dodge City. Brungardt did not respond to a request for comment.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755984626510.png" alt=" Kansas Interfaith Action members prepare signs for a May 20, 2025, demonstration outside the federal courthouse in Topeka, where they protested CoreCivic and the for-profit detention of immigrants. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Kansas Interfaith Action members prepare signs for a May 20, 2025, demonstration outside the federal courthouse in Topeka, where they protested CoreCivic and the for-profit detention of immigrants. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/ghills/">GRACE HILLS</a> <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — An&nbsp;<a href="https://catholicdioceseofwichita.org/bishopletters/a-pastoral-letter-on-immigration/" target="_blank">open letter</a>&nbsp;from Kansas Catholic bishops urges people to approach immigration with compassion, and condemns portrayals of all immigrants as criminals — rhetoric President Donald Trump frequently uses.“Treating all migrants and refugees as if they were violent criminals is simply unjust. They are human beings made in God’s image,” wrote Archbishop Shawn McKnight, Bishop Carl Kemme, and Bishop Gerald Vincke in the letter.Both&nbsp;<a href="https://www.reuters.com/world/pope-francis-criticizes-trumps-immigration-crackdown-letter-us-bishops-2025-02-11/" target="_blank">Pope Francis</a>, who died in April, and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/may/09/pope-leo-shares-predecessors-concerns-over-us-immigration-policy-brother-says" target="_blank">Pope Leo XIV</a>, the first American pope, have been critical of Trump’s mass deportations and descriptions of immigrants as criminals.The Kansas Legislature passed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kslegislature.gov/li/b2025_26/measures/scr1602/" target="_blank">a resolution</a>&nbsp;in April to encourage Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly — who has&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kctv5.com/2025/06/12/kansas-governor-joins-states-opposing-trumps-military-deployment-california/" target="_blank">condemned</a>&nbsp;Trump’s immigration enforcement efforts, like his deployment of the&nbsp;<a href="https://calmatters.org/newsletter/los-angeles-military-newsom-trump/" target="_blank">National Guard on U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement protests</a>&nbsp;in Los Angeles —&nbsp; to “fully cooperate with the policies of the Trump administration in enforcing federal immigration laws.”The resolution encourages compassion for immigrants — who are&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2024/03/08/1237103158/immigrants-are-less-likely-to-commit-crimes-than-us-born-americans-studies-find" target="_blank">less likely to commit crimes</a>&nbsp;than U.S.-born Americans — but includes a paragraph that asserts “illegal immigration leads to severe repercussions for our entire state, including threats to public safety and public health via human trafficking, the deadly fentanyl crisis and strains on public resources.”Some of the legislators who voted yes on the resolution are Catholic, including Republican Rep. David Buehler from Lansing.Buehler said he found the bishops’ letter, which acknowledges criminals are taking advantage of the country’s broken immigration system, to be incomplete.“We don’t have anything in the way of policy in the state of Kansas that I think is not kind. I think we all stand for law and order and humane treatment of all people,” Buehler said. “But I think we have to consider all aspects of this issue, and we can’t turn a blind eye to the impact on our schools, to the impact on our health care. There are so many pieces and parts.”Buehler said he is worried about what he sees as the unintended consequences of immigration, which he believes were exacerbated when President Joe Biden was in office.“We should have humane treatment for immigration and those who may be here illegally, but we also at the same time should enforce the laws of this country,” Buehler said. “We can do both.”Throughout their letter, the bishops encouraged Kansans to see immigrants as humans rather than criminals.&nbsp;“Amid political division and fear, we remind our communities that at the center of every immigration debate are real people: families in our pews, children in our schools, workers in our neighborhoods, and volunteers in our parishes,” the bishops wrote.Shabina Kavimandan immigrated to Kansas from India in 1998. She said she started volunteering with Overland Park Democratic Sen. Cindy Holscher’s campaign for governor in part because of Holscher’s kindness toward immigrants.“There are certain members of a party that always say they align with so many religious views, especially when it comes to ‘pro-life’ issues,” Kavimandan said. “I see that they believe in life, and the value of life. And then on the other hand there is such a dismissal of the reasons why people choose to come to this country.”Kavimandan said she stayed in the United States in part because of her determination and also because of Kansans’ interest in knowing and helping her as a person.“There were people who sat across from me and asked about Shabina the individual. I see that missing now,” Kavimandan said. “That’s another piece that lawmakers tend to overlook sometimes. Behind all the policies there really are just people and their stories. There’s a Shabina who came to this land with $200 in her pocket, but then there were people who were like ‘We have to make sure that she becomes something in this country.’ ”All Kansas bishops signed the letter but one — Bishop John Brungardt in Dodge City. Brungardt did not respond to a request for comment.

Kansas bishops urge compassion for immigrants after legislators urge support for Trump policies

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

&nbsp;Just after 4p.m. Saturday, patrol officers were dispatched to the 1700 block of East 12th Terrace in Kansas City on a shots fired call for service, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

 While in route the call was upgraded to a shooting. Additional call notes indicated someone had possibly been stabbed, as well. When officers arrived they were directed to an apartment building within the complex. As they entered an apartment they located a man suffering from unknown bodily trauma.

KCFD EMS responded and pronounced the victim deceased at the scene. Two additional victims were located on scene. A man suffering from a gun shot wound. A boy was suffering from head trauma by unknown means.&nbsp; 

This is being investigated as a homicide and there is no one in custody.&nbsp; &nbsp;Preliminary information revealed a possible altercation between several individuals. Detectives and crime scene personnel were on scene canvassing for witnesses, evidence, and surveillance footage.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755994697624.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryl Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement are investigating another homicide in Kansas City, Missouri.&nbsp;Just after 4p.m. Saturday, patrol officers were dispatched to the 1700 block of East 12th Terrace in Kansas City on a shots fired call for service, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino. While in route the call was upgraded to a shooting. Additional call notes indicated someone had possibly been stabbed, as well. When officers arrived they were directed to an apartment building within the complex. As they entered an apartment they located a man suffering from unknown bodily trauma.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755994669825.png" alt=" " />
 <figcaption> </figcaption>
 </figure>KCFD EMS responded and pronounced the victim deceased at the scene. Two additional victims were located on scene. A man suffering from a gun shot wound. A boy was suffering from head trauma by unknown means.&nbsp; Both transported to a local hospital with non life threatening injuries. While on scene officers learned a fourth victim was at a local hospital. A private vehicle transported a woman to the hospital for treatment of a stab wound. She was listed in serious condition, according to DiMartino.This is being investigated as a homicide and there is no one in custody.&nbsp; &nbsp;Preliminary information revealed a possible altercation between several individuals. Detectives and crime scene personnel were on scene canvassing for witnesses, evidence, and surveillance footage.

1 dead, 3 injured including a juvenile in fight at KC apartment 

By&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/john-hanna">JOHN HANNA</a> Associated Press

As California and Texas scramble to redraw U.S. House maps before the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-big-bill-midterm-election-republican-23652b22f1d760f5e3254ad4c3b642e6">2026 midterm elections,</a>&nbsp;the race is underlining redistricting’s big role in determining political power.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-redistricting-congressional-map-882eae23a280a68dd6e0fc5a3bf11a0d">Texas took action</a>&nbsp;after President Donald Trump directed Republican-controlled states to change where the district lines are drawn based on where the population is likely to vote Republican — a practice known as partisan gerrymandering.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-texas-redistricting-congressional-map-4c22e21d5d4022d33a257045693b6fd4">California Democrats</a>&nbsp;on Thursday approved their redrawn congressional map in response.

Midterm elections often go against the president’s party. Trump is trying to avoid a repeat of the 2018 midterms, when the GOP yielded control during his first presidency to a Democratic majority that stymied his agenda and twice impeached him.

Early Saturday, the GOP-controlled state Senate approved the new maps over Democratic opposition, meaning they now go before Republican Gov. Greg Abbott for his signature. The governor has vowed to sign off on the newly drawn congressional districts soon. The maps were drawn so Republicans could potentially pick up five seats in Congress.

The maps OK'd by the California Legislature were drawn so Democrats could add five seats. California voters will decide in a November special election whether to approve the maps.

Kansas Republicans haven’t ruled out redistricting

Republican state Senate President Ty Masterson didn’t rule out trying to redraw the state’s four congressional districts, one of which is held by the state's sole Democrat House representative.

The Legislature's GOP-supermajority could do so early next year, which would put the new lines in place before the June 1 candidate filing deadline.

Each decade, the Census Bureau collects population data that is used to divvy up the 435 U.S. House seats proportionally among the 50 states. States that grew relative to others might gain a House seat at the expense of states in which populations stagnated or declined.

California and Texas, with the highest populations, have the highest number of representatives of all states.

Most states use their own rules and procedures to create the districts represented by each House member. The states with the lowest population numbers receive only one representative, which means the entire state is a single congressional district.

Americans can find their representative and see a map of their district on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative" target="_blank">U.S. House website</a>.

The word&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gerrymandering-texas-congress-redistricting-0c751f48a7757fc11214472944670413">“gerrymander” was coined in America over 200 years ago</a>&nbsp;as an unflattering means of describing political manipulation in legislative mapmaking.

In states where lawmakers make the maps: If a political party controls a state’s legislature and governor’s office — or has such a large legislative majority that it can override vetoes — it can effectively draw districts to its advantage.

One common method of gerrymandering is for a majority political party to draw maps that pack voters who support the opposing party into a few districts, thus allowing the majority party to win a greater number of surrounding districts.

Another method is for the majority party to dilute the power of an opposing party’s voters by spreading them among multiple districts.

By the first midterm elections after the most recent population count, each state is ready with its district maps, but those districts don’t always hold. Courts can find that the political lines are unconstitutional.

While some states have their own limitations, there is no national impediment to a state trying to redraw districts in the middle of the decade. The U.S. Supreme Court in 2019 ruled that the Constitution does not prohibit partisan gerrymandering to increase a party’s clout, only gerrymandering that’s explicitly done by race.

“The laws about redistricting just say you have to redistrict after every census,” Doug Spencer, Rothgerber Jr. Chair in Constitutional Law at the University of Colorado, has said. “And then some state legislatures got a little clever and said, ’Well it doesn’t say we can’t do it more.’”

What is happening in Texas, California and in other states

Trump urged Texas to redraw maps to help the GOP, and his team has signaled that efforts could expand to other states, with a similar push underway in Missouri and Indiana. Ohio Republicans were already revising their map before Texas took action.

The new California maps would need to be approved by voters in a special election in November because that state normally operates with a nonpartisan commission drawing the map to avoid the very sort of political battle that is playing out.

Democrats in Maryland and New York are mulling map revisions as well. New York, however, can’t draw new maps until 2028, and even then, only with voter approval.

Democratic-run states have commission systems like California’s or other redistricting limits more often than Republican ones do, leaving the GOP with a freer hand to swiftly redraw maps.

The new maps in Texas and California likely will be challenged in court.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1755376975176.png" alt="Kansas Congressional Districts -Image Kansas Secretary of State" />
 <figcaption>Kansas Congressional Districts -Image Kansas Secretary of State</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/author/john-hanna">JOHN HANNA</a> Associated PressAs California and Texas scramble to redraw U.S. House maps before the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-big-bill-midterm-election-republican-23652b22f1d760f5e3254ad4c3b642e6">2026 midterm elections,</a>&nbsp;the race is underlining redistricting’s big role in determining political power.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-redistricting-congressional-map-882eae23a280a68dd6e0fc5a3bf11a0d">Texas took action</a>&nbsp;after President Donald Trump directed Republican-controlled states to change where the district lines are drawn based on where the population is likely to vote Republican — a practice known as partisan gerrymandering.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/california-texas-redistricting-congressional-map-4c22e21d5d4022d33a257045693b6fd4">California Democrats</a>&nbsp;on Thursday approved their redrawn congressional map in response.Midterm elections often go against the president’s party. Trump is trying to avoid a repeat of the 2018 midterms, when the GOP yielded control during his first presidency to a Democratic majority that stymied his agenda and twice impeached him.Early Saturday, the GOP-controlled state Senate approved the new maps over Democratic opposition, meaning they now go before Republican Gov. Greg Abbott for his signature. The governor has vowed to sign off on the newly drawn congressional districts soon. The maps were drawn so Republicans could potentially pick up five seats in Congress.The maps OK'd by the California Legislature were drawn so Democrats could add five seats. California voters will decide in a November special election whether to approve the maps.Here’s what to know.<h2>Kansas Republicans haven’t ruled out redistricting</h2>Republican state Senate President Ty Masterson didn’t rule out trying to redraw the state’s four congressional districts, one of which is held by the state's sole Democrat House representative.The Legislature's GOP-supermajority could do so early next year, which would put the new lines in place before the June 1 candidate filing deadline.<h2>US House members</h2>Each decade, the Census Bureau collects population data that is used to divvy up the 435 U.S. House seats proportionally among the 50 states. States that grew relative to others might gain a House seat at the expense of states in which populations stagnated or declined.California and Texas, with the highest populations, have the highest number of representatives of all states.Most states use their own rules and procedures to create the districts represented by each House member. The states with the lowest population numbers receive only one representative, which means the entire state is a single congressional district.Americans can find their representative and see a map of their district on the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.house.gov/representatives/find-your-representative" target="_blank">U.S. House website</a>.<h2>What is gerrymandering?</h2>The word&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gerrymandering-texas-congress-redistricting-0c751f48a7757fc11214472944670413">“gerrymander” was coined in America over 200 years ago</a>&nbsp;as an unflattering means of describing political manipulation in legislative mapmaking.In states where lawmakers make the maps: If a political party controls a state’s legislature and governor’s office — or has such a large legislative majority that it can override vetoes — it can effectively draw districts to its advantage.One common method of gerrymandering is for a majority political party to draw maps that pack voters who support the opposing party into a few districts, thus allowing the majority party to win a greater number of surrounding districts.Another method is for the majority party to dilute the power of an opposing party’s voters by spreading them among multiple districts.<h2>Can district maps be changed anytime?</h2>By the first midterm elections after the most recent population count, each state is ready with its district maps, but those districts don’t always hold. Courts can find that the political lines are unconstitutional.While some states have their own limitations, there is no national impediment to a state trying to redraw districts in the middle of the decade. The U.S. Supreme Court in 2019 ruled that the Constitution does not prohibit partisan gerrymandering to increase a party’s clout, only gerrymandering that’s explicitly done by race.“The laws about redistricting just say you have to redistrict after every census,” Doug Spencer, Rothgerber Jr. Chair in Constitutional Law at the University of Colorado, has said. “And then some state legislatures got a little clever and said, ’Well it doesn’t say we can’t do it more.’”<h2>What is happening in Texas, California and in other states</h2>Trump urged Texas to redraw maps to help the GOP, and his team has signaled that efforts could expand to other states, with a similar push underway in Missouri and Indiana. Ohio Republicans were already revising their map before Texas took action.The new California maps would need to be approved by voters in a special election in November because that state normally operates with a nonpartisan commission drawing the map to avoid the very sort of political battle that is playing out.Democrats in Maryland and New York are mulling map revisions as well. New York, however, can’t draw new maps until 2028, and even then, only with voter approval.Democratic-run states have commission systems like California’s or other redistricting limits more often than Republican ones do, leaving the GOP with a freer hand to swiftly redraw maps.The new maps in Texas and California likely will be challenged in court.

How redistricting is done and why it could give parties an edge in 2026 elections

WILSON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 2:30p.m. Saturday in Wilson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Chevy Traverse driven by&nbsp; &nbsp;Shirley Kay Martin, 82, Buffalo, Kansas, was southbound on Harper Road at U.S. 400. The driver failed to yield at the stop sign and struck a westbound 2021 Jeep Wrangler driven by Brittany Charlyn&nbsp;Sweet, 36, Wichita. After impact both vehicles left the road.

Martin was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Country Side Funeral Home.&nbsp; EMS transported Sweet and a passenger in the Jeep&nbsp;Mariah Danielle Tucker, 28, Belle Plaine, to Wesley Medical Center. A second passenger in the Jeep was not injured.&nbsp; Martin was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.

WILSON COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 2:30p.m. Saturday in Wilson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Chevy Traverse driven by&nbsp; &nbsp;Shirley Kay Martin, 82, Buffalo, Kansas, was southbound on Harper Road at U.S. 400. The driver failed to yield at the stop sign and struck a westbound 2021 Jeep Wrangler driven by Brittany Charlyn&nbsp;Sweet, 36, Wichita. After impact both vehicles left the road.Martin was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Country Side Funeral Home.&nbsp; EMS transported Sweet and a passenger in the Jeep&nbsp;Mariah Danielle Tucker, 28, Belle Plaine, to Wesley Medical Center. A second passenger in the Jeep was not injured.&nbsp; Martin was not wearing a seat belt, according to the KHP.