By TONY GUERRERO Hays Post

After 34 years of protecting highways and helping save lives, Kansas Highway Patrol Captain Travis Phillips turned in his badge Thursday.

"I don't know any other career in the world that gives a person the power to make a difference in somebody's life, no matter how significant or insignificant that might be," Phillips said.

Phillips was born in Nebraska but raised in Ellis, where he graduated from Ellis High School in 1986. He later earned a criminal justice degree from Fort Hays State University in 1994.

Phillips said he was inspired by a trooper who visited his school regularly as a child and later by KHP&nbsp;Trooper Kennith McGlasson, whom he often saw during his high school years.

"I would see him at Ellis once in a while at fuel stops. When I saw his blue and gray patrol car parked at the convenience store, I'd always stop and fuel my pickup just for a chance to talk to him," Phillips said. "He always gave me the time of day, and it planted a seed with me."

He began his law enforcement career in 1991 with the Hays Police Department&nbsp;before quickly making his way to the KHP in 1994. Phillips rose through the ranks of the KHP, serving as sergeant, master trooper, lieutenant and eventually captain six years ago.

"If you care and you show up, you're going to be successful in law enforcement," he said.&nbsp;

Throughout his career, Phillips faced several defining moments, including being pinned down by a gunman in Wallace County, stopping a wrong-way felon with a tactical vehicle maneuver and rescuing dozens of people during dust storms and blizzards.

Most recently, he was honored for his response to a <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/8ca4c0a7-0dc0-4dd3-8b6e-833e1efc6754">major multi-vehicle crash on March 13 on Interstate 70 in Sherman County</a>.

Phillips has saved lives in dangerous situations and supported former offenders he once had to remove from the streets.

"Sometimes you get a call from somebody that you arrested for DUI and they thank you for how you treated them, for helping them get sober," he said.

Phillips said one of the most significant challenges in his law enforcement career is maintaining morale in the face of national scrutiny. However, he recognizes the strong support he has received from the local community.

Phillips said support from organizations like the <a href="https://www.1033foundation.org/">10-33 Foundation</a>, a nonprofit offering mental health crisis intervention for first responders and their families, helped sustain him throughout his career up to his decision to retire.

"We all carry a [hypothetical] backpack out here, and every once in a while, your backpack gets full, and that's why we have peer support and mental health services available to help unpack our backpack," he said.

Phillips hopes to remain in law enforcement in a smaller and community-focused role. He is the father of two daughters and grandfather to three.

Phillips said he is grateful to his wife, who often left meals in the microwave when Phillips could not make it home for dinner, and to the fellow troopers he served alongside throughout his career.

"I got a blood family and I got a blue family," he said. "I want to thank my blue family for doing the job. Make me proud."

Phillips advises new troopers joining the force to prioritize faith, family and their work in that order.

Kansas Highway Patrol Captain retires after three decades on the road

On this episode of Forward Ever: Leading in Challenging Times, host Gary Shorman talks to Greg Bollella about the Kansas swiftwater rescue team's work in providing aid during the recent Texas floods.

🎤 Forward Ever: Greg Bollella: Kansan swfitwater rescue in Texas

PHILLIPS COUNTY—Two people were injured in an accident just before noon Thursday in Phillips County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2011 Honda passenger vehicle driven by Patricia A. Stear, 72, Lincoln, Nebraska, was westbound on U.S. 36 before making a left turn, south onto U.S. 183. 

While making the turn, the Honda struck the passenger side of an eastbound a 2023 Chevy SUV driven by Matthew W. Haack, 40, Smith Center, who was unable to clear the eastbound lane before the crash.

EMS transported Stear and a passenger Sarah&nbsp; Fuenning, 30, Lincoln, Nebraska, to the Phillips County Hospital. Haack and five passengers in the SUV were not injured. All were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

2 hospitalized after 2-vehicle NW Kansas crash

HaysMed is proud to announce the addition of Stephen S. Wanjala, MD, MSc, MBA, to its team of expert Hospitalist providers. Dr. Wanjala will begin his new role in late July, bringing with him a wealth of knowledge and a passion for patient-centered care.

Dr. Wanjala was recently featured by the Society of Hospital Medicine in celebration of completing his Internal Medicine residency at the University of Kansas School of Medicine–Wichita. Dr. Wanjala brings a rich and diverse background to our medical team, with experience that spans clinical care, public health, and health systems research.

“We are thrilled to welcome Dr. Wanjala to the HaysMed team,” said Bryan Brady, Vice President of Physician Practice Administration &amp; Ancillary Services at HaysMed. “His global perspective on healthcare will be a tremendous asset to our hospital and the patients we serve.”

Originally from Kenya, Dr. Wanjala earned his medical degree from Moi University College of Health Sciences in Eldoret. He also holds dual postgraduate degrees: a Master of Science in Health Economics from the University of Nairobi and an MBA from Edinburgh Business School.

Dr. Wanjala shared, “I'm excited about the transition into life as an attending at HaysMed, establishing new connections. As a hospitalist, I look forward to building strong connections with patients and colleagues and contributing to the health and well-being of the western Kansas region.”

HaysMed looks forward to Dr. Wanjala joining its skilled team of Hospitalists, who specialize in managing the care of hospitalized patients from admission through discharge. Hospitalists play a vital role in coordinating treatment, ensuring continuity of care, and supporting patient recovery.

HaysMed welcomes Dr. Stephen Wanjala as new hospitalist

Become an instant finalist in the Miller Lite UTV Giveaway from A&amp;A Coors-Miller and Briney Motorsports of Hays from 6 to 8 p.m. today at the Phillipsburg Rodeo.

Register for a 4-seat CF-Moto U-Force 1000 valued at $20,000.&nbsp;

Additional thanks to Advantage Glass Plus and Commercial Sign of Hays.

Keep listening and reading the Hays Post all summer long for your chance to become a finalist.

The UTV will be given away at a Fort Hays State University football game on Saturday, Sept. 13.

Become Miller Lite UTV giveaway finalist tonight at Phillipsburg Rodeo!

Click&nbsp;<a href="https://hayspost.com/category/obituaries">HERE</a>&nbsp;to view the most recent obituaries and service times from our funeral home partners.

<a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/corrections-about-us">Click HERE for the Hays Post obituary policy.&nbsp;</a>

<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/45c326ac-a856-480a-b491-0312e5d43c5c">Find our obituary posting policy by clicking here.</a>

Recent obituaries and service times

A&amp;W of Ellis is ready to sweeten your day!&nbsp; In honor of&nbsp; National
Root Beer Float Day on August 6th, they're doing a Float-Tastic Sweepstakes! Enter below for your chance at a $20 Gift Card to A&amp;W of Ellis!

Winner will be chosen on Thursday, August 7th.

So mark your calendar for August 6th and come over to A&amp;W of Ellis to enjoy a Free Small root beer float from 2 to 8 PM.&nbsp;

A&W Float-Tastic Sweepstakes!

 3rd-annual women's self-defense workshop set in Hays

The Kansas Wetlands Education Center (KWEC) invites the public to join its staff for a free, family-friendly meteor shower watch party on Tuesday, Aug. 12, from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m.

This annual event celebrates the end of summer as the Earth passes through the dust and debris of the Swift-Tuttle comet, creating a spectacular display of meteors or “shooting stars” in the night sky. This year, our event will coincide with peak viewing dates, and stargazers may be able to spot 60-100 meteors per hour.

Located northeast of Great Bend on K-156 Highway, the KWEC offers an ideal location for comfortable sky-watching. Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs or blankets to relax on the KWEC lawn while enjoying the celestial show.

In addition to meteor watching, the evening will feature s’mores making and eating, and several space-themed learning stations inside the KWEC. Activities include a magnetic meteor hunt, spectroscope building, a space lander challenge, an asteroid belt art project, and using a blender bike to make galaxy smoothies. Planetarium shows will be offered in the inflatable planetarium, and we will have real meteorites on loan from the Sternberg Museum of Natural History.

The event will proceed rain or shine, but clear skies are necessary for optimal meteor shower viewing.

The Kansas Wetlands Education Center, affiliated with FHSU’s Werth College of Science, Technology and Mathematics, is located 10 miles northeast of Great Bend along Kansas Highway 156 at Cheyenne Bottoms, 592 NE K-156 Hwy., Great Bend.

For more information, visit&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://link.mediaoutreach.meltwater.com/ls/click?upn=u001.7LNxDHQVpzCjONIZ4OYIqiohrCVEzT-2Bu22yVklcaqOvmZGt05-2BeOL3r-2Flc3NH2OV__SK_1ix3pnygukYWZfKiCJpm8BsHsayWXlw0ucteiDEo46fRc0p9DVWJmv2prlqkbHR6S2dsrJiXPEopagJAn55fgrGOya21Ubchf288oY8AFP4iYaBJwhylwdd5l9F7UOfO9ovZePPueXoOYjqeKnABTqUprH1DWoHlNK6oTYNLIL3frrCD5Zg5SitaprItwmilgdkg5kTH2cnJHgTyIuGyaV55gXhnyd-2FCFT3UrSdSD-2FcMxcM2kdsRqnH-2BkYbAmtZFiEJ6vonVmM14WEb2q9YBjTV4-2F7BYHmfKaFspyhE1VKi04Pm3qE62wIGxnR71QrpNrNgwI0flpx9OW6CuX7sLAbSEkWvVzUzZLE1VJ8uFAGyAGE-2FgTubSuTlgLxMGVnTr">wetlandscenter.fhsu.edu</a>&nbsp;or call 1-877-243-9268.

Kansas Wetlands Education Center hosts Perseid meteor shower watch party

Kansas Interscholastic Cycling League mountain bike racing team forming in Hays

<a href="https://hayspost.com/pages/state-farm-weather-window">For a full look at the weather forecast, click here.</a>

Three-day weather outlook

&nbsp;Submit events to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:admin@hayspost.com">admin@hayspost.com</a>. Cover photo courtesy Pixabay

Special thanks to <a href="https://www.visithays.com/183/Events">The Hays Convention and Visitors Bureau</a> and<a href="https://www.fhsu.edu/"> Fort Hays State University</a> for their contributions to the community calendar.

Community Calendar

Become an instant finalist in the Miller Lite UTV Giveaway from A&amp;A Coors-Miller and Briney Motorsports of Hays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. today at Discount Smokes,&nbsp;2504 Vine St., Hays.

Become Miller Lite UTV giveaway finalist today at Discount Smokes in Hays!

WILSON&nbsp;STATE PARK — Lovegrass Music Festival FAQ and festival information. Please read!

Every motorized vehicle that enters Wilson State Park needs a daily vehicle permit ($5 per day). That can be obtained at the Park office, at the entrance of the park. The office closes at 6:00 p.m. -&nbsp; if you arrive later, please purchase a day pass at the self-pay station. You can pick up the pass in advance at any state park, or online.&nbsp;

Parking is extremely limited near the festival grounds so please carpool, walk, or bike to the festival area!&nbsp; Parking areas will be marked and staff will assist you to Day Parking. It is essential you do not obstruct the flow of traffic and be COMPLETELY pulled off of the pavement if you do park.&nbsp; Parking is permitted on any areas of grass that have been mowed.&nbsp; Please plan to walk a distance, as there is no parking directly on the festival grounds, except handicapped parking.&nbsp; Please have your handicap placard displayed for parking attendants to recognize and direct you accordingly.

Day Parking will not be allowed in the Buffalograss or Big Bluestem areas, as these are reserved for those who are camping in these areas.&nbsp; You will not be allowed in these areas without a Campground Vehicle Permit.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Everyone must enter and exit through the designated gate.&nbsp; Please stay out of areas fenced off in orange.&nbsp; We will have an increased presence of staff and security placed throughout the festival grounds, in CREW shirts to assist if you have questions or concerns.&nbsp;&nbsp;

If you are planning on bringing a new canopy, grill, or other apparatus, please leave the box at home or pack it back in the box to return home. The park dumpsters fill quickly, so please try to keep litter to a minimum.&nbsp; Kans for Kids, a fundraiser for childhood cancer, will have aluminum can recycling containers around the festival grounds.&nbsp; Please no glass or breakable containers in the festival grounds or near the water.&nbsp; Let’s all do our part to keep the park beautiful.&nbsp;

You may bring food and beverages into the festival area.&nbsp; Please no large coolers, as space is limited. We ask that you refrain from single-use plastic water bottles to minimize trash and promote sustainability.&nbsp; A filtered water station will be available to refill water bottles near the activity tent.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Food vendors will be available on the festival grounds on Friday and Saturday.&nbsp; The nearby marina offers snacks, beverages, and grocery items as does Knothead’s Baitshop, located just outside the park.&nbsp; Dining and grocery options can also be found in the nearby towns of Lucas, Wilson, and Dorrance.

Limited Lovegrass Festival merchandise will be available on-site for sale each evening from 5-11 p.m. (We accept Cash, Venmo and PayPal.&nbsp; We can also accept GooglePay, ApplePay, and Credit Cards ONLY if you have a smartphone to scan a QR code for checkout). &nbsp; We will also be hosting a 50/50 raffle which is CASH ONLY, so please plan accordingly, and GOOD LUCK!

Pets are NOT allowed in the festival area.&nbsp; Unless your animal meets the ADA definition of a SERVICE ANIMAL, do not bring them onto the festival grounds.&nbsp; Under Title II and Title III of the ADA, a service animal means any dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of an individual with a disability, including a physical, sensory, psychiatric, intellectual, or other mental disability.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Pets are allowed in the other areas of Wilson State Park, but must be restrained by a camper, kennel, hand-held leash, or tether, no more than 10 feet in length.&nbsp;

Thank you in advance for reviewing all of the Wilson State Park and Lovegrass Music Festival Association rules and regulations on our website at <a target="_blank" href="https://lovegrassmusicfestival.com/so/4ePXDgVK7/c?w=PCAGl9XBnKQfWUr97REj0YeND1_GTkZ_uSq9LguzdvE.eyJ1IjoiaHR0cDovL3d3dy5sb3ZlZ3Jhc3NtdXNpY2Zlc3RpdmFsLmNvbSIsInIiOiIxMzM2N2I4NS0yNTQ2LTRkOTAtODM2NS05OWEyMzEzMWY5ODMiLCJtIjoibWFpbCIsImMiOiIwYjg3MTdiNC1kNWZlLTQzZjQtOWI4Ni1hODQzMDBiNDNlNGUifQ">www.lovegrassmusicfestival.com</a>/experience before attending. Be sure and follow us on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lovegrassmusicfestival">Facebook</a> for updates as the festival nears.

<a href="https://www.lovegrassmusicfestival.com/register?utm_campaign=ed61931f-08e9-4fd0-8ff4-79d4c445824e&amp;utm_source=so&amp;utm_medium=mail&amp;cid=0b8717b4-d5fe-43f4-9b86-a84300b43e4e">Register here for tickets</a>.&nbsp;

Information for Lovegrass Music Festival Aug. 7-9 at Wilson State Park

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ELLSWORTH – The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) will host a free four-hour public tour of a wild horse off-range pasture in Ellsworth, Saturday, August 9.

The purpose of the tour is to allow public access to the private facility and learn more about BLM’s wild horse and burro management responsibilities. 

Tour attendees will have the opportunity to view more than 220 horses roaming approximately 1,700 acres of grassland in central Kansas. These animals were gathered from overpopulated herds on western public rangelands as part of BLM’s mission to protect and manage America’s wild horse and burro herds. 

The off-range pasture, known as Svaty Ranch, is a private ranch under contract with the government to feed and care for federally protected wild horses in a natural free-roaming environment. 

No registration is needed, and parking is available on site. Minors must be accompanied by an adult. Cameras and video recorders are welcomed and encouraged. Other personal items may also be brought along, including non-alcoholic drinks in sealable containers. Attendees are advised to dress appropriately for the summer season. Restrooms will be available.

Event Details Tour time: 9 a.m.- 1 p.m. Address and directions: Svaty Ranch, 1016 Avenue J, Ellsworth, KS 67439. From I-70 proceed south on Highway 14 into and through the town of Ellsworth (main street), cross the river bridge and take an immediate right onto Avenue K. Take Avenue K and proceed west for 3 miles, at the "T" intersection stay right at the intersection and go 1/2-mile north, bear left for 3/4 of a mile. Then, the corrals are on the left at 1016 Avenue J.

The BLM manages and protects wild horses and burros across 175 herd management areas spanning 25.5 million acres in 10 western states, aiming to maintain healthy herds and rangelands. With few natural predators, herds can double in size every four to five years, leading to overpopulation that threatens the land, wildlife and other authorized uses. 

As of March 2025, the on-range population was estimated at 73,130, far exceeding the appropriate management level of 25,556. To achieve balance on the range, BLM gathers and removes excess animals, placing many into private care through adoption or sale, while unadopted animals are provided space on contracted pastures like the Svaty Ranch for long-term care. Approximately 62,853 animals are in off-range corrals and pastures as of June 2025. 

For more information, please contact the Wild Horse and Burro Program National Information Center at 866-468-7826 or email wildhorse@blm.gov.&nbsp;

Free tour of wild horse off-range pasture in Ellsworth offered by Bureau of Land Management

Fort Hays State University Sigma Chi's first annual Back to School Bash on Thursday, Aug. 21,&nbsp; features an outdoor concert with Logan Mize as the headliner. 

The concert starts at 6 p.m. in the FHSU quad, and will be open to students and the general public for a $5 admission charge per head. This concert will be a dry event.

For more information, contact Hunter at htaphorn24@gmail.com.

Logan Mize featured at FHSU Sigma Chi Back to School Bash on Aug. 21 

Kansas Department of Health and Environment

TOPEKA –The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has issued a boil water advisory for the Russell County Rural Water District 3 public water supply system located in Russell County.

Customers should observe the following precautions until further notice:

The advisory took effect on July 28 and will remain in effect until the conditions that placed the system at risk of bacterial contamination are resolved. 

KDHE officials issued the advisory because of a waterline break resulting in a loss of pressure in the distribution system.&nbsp; Failure to maintain adequate pressure may result in a loss of chlorine residuals and bacterial contamination.&nbsp;

For consumer questions, please contact the water system at 620-653-2649, or KDHE at 785-296-5514. For consumer information please visit KDHE’s PWS Consumer Information webpage:

<a target="_blank" href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.kdhe.ks.gov%2F468%2FDisruption-in-Water-Service%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/0100019852f13906-7103a035-e9e9-4412-a2b9-b37f6c5b5ce2-000000/B7Jukr0PIg60Xj1doyrzAzUe7uUS_PICua6dDa8wKXQ=415">https://www.kdhe.ks.gov/468/Disruption-in-Water-Service</a>

Restaurants and other food establishments that have questions about the impact of the boil water advisory on their business can contact the Kansas Department of Agriculture’s food safety &amp; lodging program at&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="mailto:kda.fsl@ks.gov">kda.fsl@ks.gov</a>&nbsp;or call 785-564-6767.

Boil Water Advisory issued for Russell County Rural Water District 3

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Astronauts sidelined for the past year by&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-boeing-starliner-92dca67a1fbecf05f5f0e6e2e79afc3b">Boeing’s Starliner trouble</a>&nbsp;blasted off to the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-space-station-spacex-retire-plunge-3076b8f67488a699240b23bc7f27fc8d">International Space Station</a>&nbsp;on Friday, getting a lift from SpaceX.

The U.S.-Japanese-Russian crew of four rocketed from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. They’ll replace colleagues who launched to the space station in March as fill-ins for NASA’s two&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-stuck-astronauts-spacex-boeing-419f98f239a25cfb54f970b8522dc1d2">stuck astronauts.</a>

Their SpaceX capsule should reach the orbiting lab this weekend and stay for at least six months.

Zena Cardman, a biologist and polar explorer who should have launched last year, was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nasa-boeing-starliner-stuck-astronauts-6c2db96fa6c6859a48a8c26438fab1d5">yanked</a>&nbsp;along with another NASA crewmate to make room for Starliner’s star-crossed test pilots.

“I have no emotion but joy right now. That was absolutely transcendent. Ride of a lifetime,” Cardman, the flight commander, said after reaching orbit.

The botched Starliner demo forced Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams to switch to SpaceX to get back from the space station more than nine months after departing on what should have been a weeklong trip.

“Every astronaut wants to be in space. None of us want to stay on the ground, but it’s not about me,” Cardman said before her flight.

NASA’s Mike Fincke — Cardman’s co-pilot — was the backup for Wilmore and Williams on Starliner, making those three still the only ones certified to fly it. Fincke and Japan’s Kimiya Yui, former military officers with previous spaceflight experience, were training for Starliner’s second astronaut mission. With Starliner grounded until 2026, NASA switched the two to the latest SpaceX flight.

“Boy, it's great to be back in orbit again,” Fincke radioed. He last soared on NASA's next-to-last space shuttle flight in 2011.

Rounding out the crew is Russia’s Oleg Platonov. The former fighter pilot was pulled a few years ago from the Russian Soyuz flight lineup because of an undisclosed health issue that he said has since been resolved.

On hand for the first launch attempt on Thursday, NASA's new acting administrator, Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy, met with Roscosmos director general Dmitry Bakanov, an invited guest. The two discussed future collaboration, then left town after thick clouds forced a last-minute delay.

“What we learn on these missions is what’s going to get us to the moon and then from the moon to Mars, which is I think the direction that NASA has to be,” Duffy said in a NASA interview. “There's critical real estate on the moon. We want to claim that real estate for ourselves and our partners.”

To save money in light of tight budgets, NASA is looking to increase its space station stays from six months to eight months, a move already adopted by Russia's space agency. SpaceX is close to certifying its Dragon capsules for longer flights, which means the newly launched crew could be up there until April.

NASA is also considering smaller crews — three astronauts launching on SpaceX instead of the typical four — to cut costs.

As for Starliner, NASA is leaning toward launching the next one with cargo before flying another crew.

Engineers are still investigating the thruster failures and helium leaks that bedeviled Starliner following liftoff. Time is running out as NASA looks to abandon the aging space station by 2030. An air leak on the Russian side of the station remains unresolved after years of patching.

“I am not in the least worried” about the leak, which is localized, Platonov said earlier this month.

🎥4 Astronauts launch to the space station for 6 month mission

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, returned an indictment charging a Missouri woman with illegally obtaining controlled narcotics, according to the United State's Attorney

According to court documents, Brooke Haller, 40, of Kansas City, Missouri, is charged with four counts of possession of a controlled substance by deception and subterfuge.

Haller, a nurse, allegedly obtained Percocet and Oxycodone through misrepresentation and fraud.

The defendant made her initial court appearance on July 25, 2025, before U.S. Magistrate Judge Angel D. Mitchell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas.

The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) is investigating the case.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Faiza Alhambra is prosecuting the case

Nurse indicted in Kansas for deceptively obtaining painkillers

JOHNSON COUNTY—Just before 3a.m. Friday,&nbsp; the Shawnee Police Department and Lenexa Police Department responded to a report of a suspicious person near 79th Street and Quivira Road, according to a media release.

Upon arrival, officers located a person who matched the description of the suspect in a stabbing that occurred on Thursday in the 10900 block of W. 75th Street.

After a brief foot pursuit, officers took the suspect into custody. Police have not released the name of the suspect.

JOHNSON COUNTY—Law enforcement are investigating a violent knife attack and looking for a suspect.

Just after 1:30p.m. Thursday the Shawnee Police Department responded to a physical disturbance in the 10900 block of W. 75th Street in the city of Shawnee, according to a media release. A male suspect stabbed a victim inside a local business.

The male victim was transported to a local hospital for treatment. The suspect then ran south from the scene. He is described as a white male with long black hair, wearing a black shirt, black shorts or pants, and black shoes.

Officers were searching for the suspect near 79th and Nieman. Call 911 if you see anyone matching the suspect’s description. Do not approach him. If you recognize the suspect, please contact the Shawnee Police Department at 913-631-2150 or call 911. 

Police capture Kansas knife attack suspect

BY:&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/rudi-keller/">RUDI KELLER</a> <a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-senate-committee-advances-bill-to-ban-texting-while-driving/">Missouri Independent</a>

The bill authorizing state&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/missouri-governor-signs-kansas-city-stadium-funding-st-louis-disaster-aid/">support for professional sports stadiums</a>&nbsp;is unconstitutional because it grants&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/13/rudi-splains-it-how-kansas-city-stadium-funding-clears-state-constitutional-hurdles/">public aid to private interests</a>&nbsp;and combines widely different and unrelated subjects, according to a lawsuit filed Thursday by two state lawmakers.

State Sen. Mile Moon, a Republican from Ash Grove, and state Rep. Bryant Wolfin, a Republican from Ste. Genevieve, filed the case in Cole County Circuit Court. They were joined as plaintiffs by Ron Calzone, a long-time activist who has successfully challenged past legislation on constitutional grounds.

During a&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2025/06/11/missouri-special-session-ends-with-passage-kc-stadium-funding-disaster-aid/">special session in June</a>, lawmakers passed the bill to provide up to $1.5 billion in state tax funds to back bonds that would finance new construction or stadium improvements for the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals. Gov. Mike Kehoe pushed for the bill to counter moves from Kansas intended to lure one or both teams across the state line.

Moon objected to the bill as unconstitutional when it was passed and said in an interview Thursday that getting court guidance over what can and cannot be in a single bill is an important goal of the lawsuit.

The Constitution “kind of gives us our marching orders for legislators and how we pass bills and what they should look like,” Moon said. “Can you amend the bill beyond a certain point? I’ve come to realize it seems like we have veered way off the road.”

Kehoe let his ambition to retain the Chiefs and Royals cloud his constitutional judgment, Moon said.

“This was a pretty big deal for the governor,” Moon said. “I’m not knocking the governor, but yet he was a legislator at one time, and he should know the bounds that we are governed by.”

In the bill, stadium construction would be financed by diverting tax money from economic activity surrounding the teams — sales tax on tickets, merchandise and food, income tax from player and team staff salaries — to repay bonds.

The lawsuit seeks to toss the bill in its entirety, alleging that it violates requirements that bills be limited to a&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=III++++23&amp;bid=31763&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">single subject</a>&nbsp;with a title that “clearly” states its purpose. The petition also alleges the bill was amended to go&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=III++++21&amp;bid=31761&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">beyond its original purpose</a>&nbsp;and that the property tax provisions are&nbsp;<a href="https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=III++++40&amp;bid=31796&amp;constit=y" target="_blank">“special laws”</a>&nbsp;forbidden by the constitution.&nbsp;

“The stadium provisions subsidize business enterprises; the tax credits for disaster relief and for property tax relief subsidize homeowners,” attorneys W. Bevis Schock and Erich Vieth wrote in the lawsuit for Moon and Wolfin. “The former showers beneficence on billionaires; the latter showers the beneficence on all homeowners. The former will likely produce political contributions in vast sums from those able to make such contributions; the latter will likely produce political benefit but likely no political contributions.”

The title of the bill, relating to taxation, is so vague as to be meaningless, the attorneys wrote.

“The bill’s procedural infirmities,” they wrote, “mean it is not severable and fails in its entirety.”

Legislators' lawsuit claims stadium funding for Chiefs, Royals unconstitutional

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man involved in a&nbsp;deadly shooting&nbsp; rampage in Wichita last fall will learn his fate Friday.

Jose A. Acosta, 33, will appear in the courtroom of Judge Tyler Roush, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office after he entered a guilty plea in May.

Acosta was charged with&nbsp;First-degree murder;&nbsp;Criminal discharge of a firearm; Occupied dwelling with bodily harm;&nbsp;riminal discharge of a firearm; Recklessly at an occupied vehicle;&nbsp;aggravated robbery; Armed with a dangerous weapon; aggravated assault of a law enforcement officer; Use of a deadly weapon; Criminal possession of a weapon by a felon and battery, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter&nbsp; listed the violent incidents involving Acosta on November 22, 2024.

At 8:52 PM, Wichita Police officers were dispatched to a reported robbery involving a firearm in the 1400 block of North Otis. The suspect, identified as 33-year-old Jose Antonio Acosta, pistol whipped one individual and pointed the gun at another, stealing their bicycle.

At 8:56 PM, as Acosta walked away from the robbery, he fired multiple shots into a residence in the 1400 block of North Otis. The homeowner narrowly avoided being shot, but the gunfire struck their dog.

At 9:16 PM, another victim reported an attempted carjacking that occurred near 16th&nbsp;and Broadway. Acosta allegedly struck the vehicle's window with a gun before firing several rounds at the car as the driver fled. Evidence of gunfire, including damage to the vehicle’s back window, was confirmed.

At 9:20 PM, officers investigating the area heard gunshots south of 13th and Broadway. It was determined that Acosta had engaged in a confrontation with an unidentified man at 11th and Broadway, firing multiple rounds. Detectives are actively seeking this individual.

Around the same time, Acosta confronted a woman across the street at a convenience store. Following a verbal altercation, he fired several shots at her. Fortunately, she was not injured.

At 9:26 PM, two WPD officers located Acosta near 11th and Broadway next to the stolen bicycle. After repeated commands to surrender, Acosta attempted to draw his firearm, hindered by an extended magazine. He eventually raised the weapon toward the officers, prompting them to fire. Acosta sustained multiple gunshot wounds and was transported to a local hospital with critical but non-life-threatening injuries.

During interviews with victims of the Otis robbery, officers searched Prospect Park near 13th and Main. There, they discovered the body of 40-year-old Myron Tucker of Wichita, who had sustained gunshot wounds. Investigators believe Tucker was shot around 8:49 PM, shortly before the robbery.

Acosta was released from the hospital and booked into the Sedgwick County Jail.&nbsp;

Sentencing Day for Kansas man wounded in deadly rampage

Former President Joe Biden said Thursday that “these are dark days” in the United States, as he decries Donald Trump and his administration during a speech at the National Bar Association Convention in Chicago.

<a href="https://www.c-span.org/program/public-affairs-event/former-president-biden-speaks-at-natl-bar-association-gala/663661">Click here to watch the full speech</a>

🎥Former President Biden critical of Trump admin. in new speech

JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple possible charges after an incident at a Kansas City area home.

Just after 5a.m. Thursday, the&nbsp;Lake Lotawana, Missouri Police Department was dispatched to the 9500 block of S. Main Entrance Drive regarding an armed disturbance, according to a statement from the Jackson County Sheriff's office.

Upon arrival, officers spoke to an Uber driver who indicated he was called to the residence to pick up a woman and a male inside the residence was armed and would not let her leave.

Officers attempted to contact the residents, but after being unsuccessful, they requested assistance from Jackson County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office. Jackson County Detectives obtained a search warrant for the residence, and after announcements from the Emergency Response Team, the suspect surrendered without incident and was taken into custody. The woman was treated by EMS at the scene.

"This serves as a strong reminder of the importance of the ‘see something, say something’ principle,” said Sheriff Forté. “In this instance, we are grateful that the Uber driver was alert and observant, recognizing that something was amiss and promptly contacting law enforcement.

Thanks to their vigilance and the swift response of our team, the suspect was safely taken into custody.”

The name of the suspect is currently being withheld pending possible charges. Lake Lotawana is a city in Jackson County located 35 miles southeast of downtown Kansas City.

Alert Uber driver's report helps save KC woman from violence

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">President Donald Trump on Thursday</a>&nbsp;reestablished the Presidential Fitness Test for American children, a fixture of public schools for decades that gauged young people's health and athleticism with 1-mile runs, sit-ups and stretching exercises.

Click below to watch President Trump comment on Chiefs' kicker Harrison Butker.

This is a wonderful tradition, and we're bringing it back,” Trump said of the fitness test that began in 1966 but was phased out during the Obama administration.

An executive order he signed Thursday also reinvigorates a national sports council that the president stocked with former and current athletes and other figures from the sports world. Several prominent athletes joined Trump and top administration officials, including allies such as friend and pro golfer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-turnberry-dechambeau-british-open-312c12266062ffe863566c10e9049dff">Bryson DeChambeau</a>; and others who've attracted controversy such as former New York Giants linebacker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/lawrence-taylor-nfl-charged-florida-152a808ded5b29e5ea71b6110bd5209d">Lawrence Taylor</a>, a registered sex offender.

It's the latest athletics-related push from Trump, an avid golfer who remains enthralled with the world of sports. He played baseball in high school and plays golf almost every weekend. Much of the domestic travel he has done this year that is not related to weekend golf games at his clubs in Florida, New Jersey and Virginia was built around attending sporting events, including the Super Bowl, Daytona 500 and UFC matches.

“I was always a person that loved playing sports. I was good at sports,” Trump said. “When you are really focused on sports, you’ve thought about nothing else. To an extent, this is one of the reasons I like golf. You get away for a couple of hours.”

The announcement also came as Trump readies the United States to host the 2025 Ryder Cup, 2026 FIFA World Cup games and the 2028 Summer Olympics. He also signed a different executive order earlier this month&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-name-image-likeness-order-standards-ncaa-fc81ce9ab3813e02b763494223930a93">mandating that federal authorities clarify</a>&nbsp;whether college athletes can be considered&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-lawsuit-settlement-c5e0cea45fd210cc935cff992ab16f25">employees of the schools</a>&nbsp;they play for.

Trump on Thursday said the council, known formally as the President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition, will also deal with various issues on college athletics, such as the transfer portal that has more easily allowed athletes to switch from school to school. The council, which will have up to 30 members, will also develop criteria for a Presidential Fitness Award. The fitness test will be administered by his health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

In the test, children had to run and perform situps, pullups or pushups and a sit-and-reach test, but the program changed in 2012. It evolved into the Youth Fitness Program, which the government said “moved away from recognizing athletic performance to providing a barometer on student’s health.” Then-first lady Michelle Obama also promoted her “Let's Move” initiative focused on reducing childhood obesity through diet and exercise.

The Youth Fitness Test, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://odphp.health.gov/pcsfn/programs-awards/presidential-youth-fitness-program">Health and Human Services Department website</a>&nbsp;last updated in 2023 but still online Thursday, “minimizes comparisons between children and instead supports students as they pursue personal fitness goals for lifelong health.”

Among those who joined Trump on Thursday, in addition to DeChambeau and Taylor, were Kansas City Chiefs kicker&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/super-bowl-butker-6b308c23c218a10201a3c3bafa2aaca1">Harrison Butker</a>; Swedish golfer&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-golf-gary-player-kayleigh-mcenany-8353c96f50a00ecf4c868c3c9e1a3992">Annika Sorenstam</a>; and WWE chief content officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque, the son-in-law of Trump's education secretary, Linda McMahon.

Taylor, who has appeared on stage with Trump at campaign rallies,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-sports-entertainment-lawrence-taylor-arrests-c132f6917890586f7eeb490430a08f49">pleaded guilty in New York in 2011</a>&nbsp;to misdemeanor criminal charges of sexual misconduct. He was sentenced to six years of probation and ordered to register as a sex offender. He was arrested in 2021 in Broward County, Florida, and charged with failing to report a change of residence as a sex offender. He later pleaded no contest to an amended charge, was ordered to pay $261 in court fees, and the case was closed, court records show.

“I’m just proud to be on this team,” Taylor said as he briefly took the microphone at the signing. “I don’t know why, I don’t know what we’re supposed to be doing, but I’m here to serve. And I’m here to serve you.”

The NFL distanced itself from comments Butker made last year during a commencement address at a Kansas college, when he said most of the women receiving degrees were probably more excited about getting married and having children than entering the workforce and that some Catholic leaders were “pushing dangerous gender ideologies onto the youth of America.” Butker also assailed&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pride-parade-protest-lgbtq-nyc-6afa739efa2f66d750175b3db77516fc">Pride Month</a>&nbsp;and railed against Democratic President Joe Biden’s stance on abortion.

Butker later formed a political action committee designed to encourage Christians to vote for what the PAC describes as “traditional values.”

Sorenstam faced backlash for accepting the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Trump on Jan. 7, 2021, the day after rioters spurred by Trump's false claims about his election loss to Biden stormed the Capitol in Washington.

Other well-known figures in athletics are on the council but did not attend the event Thursday. They include retired golfers Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player, former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, Philadelphia Eagles running back Saquon Barkley, hockey legend Wayne Gretzky and Roger Goodell, commissioner of the National Football League.

The return of the exam brought mixed reactions from some who study exercise.

Trump is putting a welcome focus on physical activity, but a test alone won’t make America’s children healthier, said Laura Richardson, a kinesiology professor at the University of Michigan. The exam is only a starting point that should be paired with lessons to help all students improve, she said.

“It’s not just, you get a score and you’re doomed,” said Richardson, whose teaching focuses on obesity. “But you get a score, and we can figure out a program that really helps the improvement.”

Associated Press writers Jeff Martin in Atlanta, Collin Binkley in Washington and John Wawrow in Buffalo, New York, contributed to this report.

🎥 President Trump compliments Chiefs' Butker during  White House event

KANSAS CITY—A driver injured in a crash that occurred July 10 in Kansas City has died.

A Subaru Forrester was northbound on Eastern Avenue and entered the intersection at Blue Ridge Boulevard from a stop sign and struck a southbound Dodge Dakota, according to KCPD Sergeant Phil DiMartino.

The impact caused the Dodge to rotate, striking the curb and a metal light pole before overturning.&nbsp;The front seat passenger of the Dodge was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the Dodge was transported to a local hospital with critical injuries and was pronounced deceased on Thursday afternoon, according to DiMartino.

The driver and rear seat juvenile passenger of the Subaru were uninjured in the collision.&nbsp; The occupants of the pickup were not wearing seat belts, according to DiMartino.&nbsp; &nbsp;Police have not released the names of the victims.

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