NEW YORK and BURBANK, Calif. —&nbsp;ESPN, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS), and the National Football League (NFL) on Tuesday announced a non-binding agreement under which ESPN will acquire NFL Network and certain other media assets owned and controlled by the NFL – including NFL’s linear RedZone Channel, and NFL Fantasy – &nbsp;in exchange for a 10% equity stake in ESPN. In addition to the sale of NFL Network, the NFL and ESPN are also entering into a second non-binding agreement, under which the NFL will license to ESPN certain NFL content and other intellectual property to be used by NFL Network and other assets, according to a media release from the league.

These transactions between America’s most popular sporting league and the world’s most innovative sports media leader are designed to set a new standard for how professional football is delivered, experienced and celebrated by fans.&nbsp;

“Today’s announcement paves the way for&nbsp;the world's leading sports media brand&nbsp;and America’s most popular sport to deliver an&nbsp;even more compelling experience for NFL fans, in a way that only ESPN and Disney can,” said Robert A. Iger, chief executive officer of The Walt Disney Company. “Commissioner Goodell and the NFL have built outstanding media assets,&nbsp;and these transactions will add to consumer choice, provide&nbsp;viewers with even greater convenience and quality, and expand the breadth&nbsp;and value&nbsp;proposition of Disney’s streaming ecosystem."

“Since its launch in 2003, NFL Network has provided millions of fans unprecedented access to the sport they love,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “Whether it was debuting Thursday Night Football, televising the Combine, or telling incredible football stories through original shows and breaking news, NFL Network has delivered. The Network’s sale to ESPN will build on this remarkable legacy, providing more NFL football for more fans in new and innovative ways.”

“This is an exciting day for sports fans,” said Jimmy Pitaro, chairman of ESPN. “By combining these NFL media assets with ESPN’s reach and innovation, we’re creating a premier destination for football fans. Together, ESPN and the NFL are redefining how fans engage with the game—anytime, anywhere. This deal helps fuel ESPN’s digital future, laying the foundation for an even more robust offering as we prepare to launch our new direct-to-consumer service.”

This new relationship brings together some of the NFL’s premier media brands and fan-engagement platforms with ESPN’s deep experience in producing and distributing high-quality and innovative sports programming. ESPN intends to deploy its resources and expertise in the development of NFL Network, distribution of the RedZone Channel and fantasy, to expand audience reach, increase accessibility and flexibility for consumers, drive innovation, and offer even more high-quality content to fans at highly competitive prices. As a result of this sale, NFL programming will be available on more platforms than ever before, including ESPN’s upcoming direct-to-consumer (“DTC”) service, while remaining on cable, satellite and leading streaming providers. ESPN’s DTC offering will deliver an array of NFL content to subscribers.

The transactions are subject to the parties’ negotiation of definitive agreements, various approvals including by the NFL team owners, and customary closing conditions.

ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The terms “Company,” “we,” and “our” below and “Disney” above are used to refer collectively to The Walt Disney Company and the subsidiaries through which our various businesses are actually conducted.

Certain statements in this press release may constitute “forward‐looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding our expectations, beliefs and business plans; transactions for which conditions to close have not been satisfied, including entering into definitive agreements, regulatory or other approvals or other conditions; content, benefits and timing of future product offerings; consumer sentiment; and other statements that are not historical in nature. Any information that is not historical in nature is subject to change. These statements are made on the basis of management’s views and assumptions regarding future events and business performance as of the time the statements are made. Management does not undertake any obligation to update these statements.&nbsp; Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied. Such differences may result from actions taken by the Company or the discovery of additional information, as well as from developments beyond the Company’s control, including: failure to enter into definitive agreements, obtain regulatory or other approvals or satisfy other conditions; other regulatory and legal developments; the availability of, and competition for, as applicable, programming, subscribers, talent and distribution channels; and consumer preferences and product acceptance. Additional factors are set forth in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

NEW YORK and BURBANK, Calif. —&nbsp;ESPN, a subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS), and the National Football League (NFL) on Tuesday announced a non-binding agreement under which ESPN will acquire NFL Network and certain other media assets owned and controlled by the NFL – including NFL’s linear RedZone Channel, and NFL Fantasy – &nbsp;in exchange for a 10% equity stake in ESPN. In addition to the sale of NFL Network, the NFL and ESPN are also entering into a second non-binding agreement, under which the NFL will license to ESPN certain NFL content and other intellectual property to be used by NFL Network and other assets, according to a media release from the league.These transactions between America’s most popular sporting league and the world’s most innovative sports media leader are designed to set a new standard for how professional football is delivered, experienced and celebrated by fans.&nbsp;“Today’s announcement paves the way for&nbsp;the world's leading sports media brand&nbsp;and America’s most popular sport to deliver an&nbsp;even more compelling experience for NFL fans, in a way that only ESPN and Disney can,” said Robert A. Iger, chief executive officer of The Walt Disney Company. “Commissioner Goodell and the NFL have built outstanding media assets,&nbsp;and these transactions will add to consumer choice, provide&nbsp;viewers with even greater convenience and quality, and expand the breadth&nbsp;and value&nbsp;proposition of Disney’s streaming ecosystem."“Since its launch in 2003, NFL Network has provided millions of fans unprecedented access to the sport they love,” said NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. “Whether it was debuting Thursday Night Football, televising the Combine, or telling incredible football stories through original shows and breaking news, NFL Network has delivered. The Network’s sale to ESPN will build on this remarkable legacy, providing more NFL football for more fans in new and innovative ways.”“This is an exciting day for sports fans,” said Jimmy Pitaro, chairman of ESPN. “By combining these NFL media assets with ESPN’s reach and innovation, we’re creating a premier destination for football fans. Together, ESPN and the NFL are redefining how fans engage with the game—anytime, anywhere. This deal helps fuel ESPN’s digital future, laying the foundation for an even more robust offering as we prepare to launch our new direct-to-consumer service.”Additional DetailsThis new relationship brings together some of the NFL’s premier media brands and fan-engagement platforms with ESPN’s deep experience in producing and distributing high-quality and innovative sports programming. ESPN intends to deploy its resources and expertise in the development of NFL Network, distribution of the RedZone Channel and fantasy, to expand audience reach, increase accessibility and flexibility for consumers, drive innovation, and offer even more high-quality content to fans at highly competitive prices. As a result of this sale, NFL programming will be available on more platforms than ever before, including ESPN’s upcoming direct-to-consumer (“DTC”) service, while remaining on cable, satellite and leading streaming providers. ESPN’s DTC offering will deliver an array of NFL content to subscribers.Under the terms of these agreements:<ul>
 <li>NFL Network, including both linear and digital rights, would be owned and operated by ESPN and fully integrated into ESPN DTC, alongside traditional pay television distribution, increasing accessibility and flexibility for consumers and promoting innovation in sports programming.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>ESPN would own broad rights to the RedZone brand and distribute the NFL RedZone Channel to pay TV operators for continued inclusion into their sports packages.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>NFL Fantasy Football&nbsp;would merge with&nbsp;ESPN Fantasy Football, creating the official Fantasy season-long game of the NFL and one best-in-class digital experience, driving innovation and enabling broader reach to meet global demand.</li>
 </ul><ul>
 <li>In total, ESPN’s platforms will license an additional three NFL games per season to air on NFL Network as a result of today’s news. In addition, ESPN will adjust its overall NFL game schedule, with four games (including some from overlapping windows) shifting to NFL Network, which will continue to present seven games per season.</li><li>The NFL will continue to own and operate its retained media businesses including properties such as NFL Films and key fan-facing platforms such as NFL+, NFL.com, the NFL Podcast Network, the NFL FAST Channel and the official sites for the league’s 32 clubs. It will also continue to own, operate, and produce NFL RedZone, and retain the rights to distribute NFL RedZone digitally.</li>
 </ul>The transactions are subject to the parties’ negotiation of definitive agreements, various approvals including by the NFL team owners, and customary closing conditions.ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.&nbsp;&nbsp;Forward-Looking StatementsThe terms “Company,” “we,” and “our” below and “Disney” above are used to refer collectively to The Walt Disney Company and the subsidiaries through which our various businesses are actually conducted.Certain statements in this press release may constitute “forward‐looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including statements regarding our expectations, beliefs and business plans; transactions for which conditions to close have not been satisfied, including entering into definitive agreements, regulatory or other approvals or other conditions; content, benefits and timing of future product offerings; consumer sentiment; and other statements that are not historical in nature. Any information that is not historical in nature is subject to change. These statements are made on the basis of management’s views and assumptions regarding future events and business performance as of the time the statements are made. Management does not undertake any obligation to update these statements.&nbsp; Actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied. Such differences may result from actions taken by the Company or the discovery of additional information, as well as from developments beyond the Company’s control, including: failure to enter into definitive agreements, obtain regulatory or other approvals or satisfy other conditions; other regulatory and legal developments; the availability of, and competition for, as applicable, programming, subscribers, talent and distribution channels; and consumer preferences and product acceptance. Additional factors are set forth in the Company’s most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

ESPN agrees to buy NFL Network, RedZone Channel

WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, the Justice Department published a list of states, cities, and counties identified as having policies, laws, or regulations that impede enforcement of federal immigration laws, according to a media release from the agency.

“Sanctuary policies impede law enforcement and put American citizens at risk by design,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The Department of Justice will continue bringing litigation against sanctuary jurisdictions and work closely with the Department of Homeland Security to eradicate these harmful policies around the country.”

On April 28, 2025, President Trump signed&nbsp;<a href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.federalregister.gov%2Fdocuments%2F2025%2F05%2F02%2F2025-07789%2Fprotecting-american-communities-from-criminal-aliens%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/010001987a7f581e-e7ba96f7-3157-46ed-b636-9a18a633f11b-000000/KqcWxCq5txkjLj4FN3wILy9JnLN0UPfYHgFEmGFB8jg=416" target="_blank">Executive Order 14287</a>: Protecting American Communities from Criminal Aliens. The Executive Order recognized that “some State and local officials .&nbsp;.&nbsp;. continue to use their authority to violate, obstruct, and defy the enforcement of Federal immigration laws” and “[i]t is imperative that the Federal Government restore the enforcement of United States law.” The Executive Order directed the Justice Department, in collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security, to publish a list of such jurisdictions. Accordingly, the following states, cities, and counties have been identified as sanctuary jurisdictions:

In recent months, the Justice Department has filed several lawsuits against sanctuary jurisdictions seeking to compel compliance with federal law, including one against&nbsp;<a href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fpolitics%2Ftrump-doj-sues-new-york-city-long-standing-sanctuary-immigration-policies%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/010001987a7f581e-e7ba96f7-3157-46ed-b636-9a18a633f11b-000000/J_vdm5wT7ACLngM1BP_E4yGI1aPj55iPtx9Xz4ZFeOc=416" target="_blank">New York City</a>&nbsp;on July 24th. Recently, the Mayor of Louisville agreed to&nbsp;<a href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fspectrumnews1.com%2Fky%2Flouisville%2Fnews%2F2025%2F07%2F22%2Flouisville-removed-sanctuary-city%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/010001987a7f581e-e7ba96f7-3157-46ed-b636-9a18a633f11b-000000/rdsDrqtgQU1MJpmKMMWuPdGGClU33IubYdGyRG92SLw=416" target="_blank">revoke their sanctuary policies</a>&nbsp;following a letter from the Justice Department threatening legal action.

Read more about the sanctuary jurisdiction list and the criteria for inclusion&nbsp;<a href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.justice.gov%2Fag%2Fus-sanctuary-jurisdiction-list-following-executive-order-14287-protecting-american-communities%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/010001987a7f581e-e7ba96f7-3157-46ed-b636-9a18a633f11b-000000/oBy4iz3avRksViU27GTgcrYPIC4Rivpct3fYWGaxmDU=416" target="_blank">here</a>. This list is not exhaustive and will be updated as federal authorities gather further information. The federal government will assist any jurisdiction that desires to be taken off this list to identify and eliminate their sanctuary policies, so they no longer stand in opposition to federal immigration enforcement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754485085876.png" alt="U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi-courtesy image" />
 <figcaption>U.S. Attorney General Pam Bondi-courtesy image</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON – On Tuesday, the Justice Department published a list of states, cities, and counties identified as having policies, laws, or regulations that impede enforcement of federal immigration laws, according to a media release from the agency.“Sanctuary policies impede law enforcement and put American citizens at risk by design,” said Attorney General Pamela Bondi. “The Department of Justice will continue bringing litigation against sanctuary jurisdictions and work closely with the Department of Homeland Security to eradicate these harmful policies around the country.”On April 28, 2025, President Trump signed&nbsp;<a href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.federalregister.gov%2Fdocuments%2F2025%2F05%2F02%2F2025-07789%2Fprotecting-american-communities-from-criminal-aliens%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/010001987a7f581e-e7ba96f7-3157-46ed-b636-9a18a633f11b-000000/KqcWxCq5txkjLj4FN3wILy9JnLN0UPfYHgFEmGFB8jg=416" target="_blank">Executive Order 14287</a>: Protecting American Communities from Criminal Aliens. The Executive Order recognized that “some State and local officials .&nbsp;.&nbsp;. continue to use their authority to violate, obstruct, and defy the enforcement of Federal immigration laws” and “[i]t is imperative that the Federal Government restore the enforcement of United States law.” The Executive Order directed the Justice Department, in collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security, to publish a list of such jurisdictions. Accordingly, the following states, cities, and counties have been identified as sanctuary jurisdictions:STATES:<ul>
 <li>California</li><li>Colorado</li><li>Connecticut</li><li>Delaware</li><li>District of Columbia</li><li>Illinois</li><li>Minnesota</li><li>Nevada</li><li>New York</li><li>Oregon</li><li>Rhode Island</li><li>Vermont</li><li>Washington</li>
 </ul>COUNTIES:<ul>
 <li>Baltimore County, MD</li><li>Cook County, IL</li><li>San Diego County, CA</li><li>San Francisco County, CA</li>
 </ul>CITIES:<ul>
 <li>Albuquerque, NM</li><li>Berkeley, CA</li><li>Boston, MA</li><li>Chicago, IL</li><li>Denver, CO</li><li>East Lansing, MI</li><li>Hoboken, NJ</li><li>Jersey City, NJ</li><li>Los Angeles, CA</li><li>New Orleans, LA</li><li>New York City, NY</li><li>Newark, NJ</li><li>Paterson, NJ</li><li>Philadelphia, PA</li><li>Portland, OR</li><li>Rochester, NY</li><li>Seattle, WA</li><li>San Francisco City, CA</li>
 </ul>In recent months, the Justice Department has filed several lawsuits against sanctuary jurisdictions seeking to compel compliance with federal law, including one against&nbsp;<a href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fpolitics%2Ftrump-doj-sues-new-york-city-long-standing-sanctuary-immigration-policies%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/010001987a7f581e-e7ba96f7-3157-46ed-b636-9a18a633f11b-000000/J_vdm5wT7ACLngM1BP_E4yGI1aPj55iPtx9Xz4ZFeOc=416" target="_blank">New York City</a>&nbsp;on July 24th. Recently, the Mayor of Louisville agreed to&nbsp;<a href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fspectrumnews1.com%2Fky%2Flouisville%2Fnews%2F2025%2F07%2F22%2Flouisville-removed-sanctuary-city%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/010001987a7f581e-e7ba96f7-3157-46ed-b636-9a18a633f11b-000000/rdsDrqtgQU1MJpmKMMWuPdGGClU33IubYdGyRG92SLw=416" target="_blank">revoke their sanctuary policies</a>&nbsp;following a letter from the Justice Department threatening legal action.Read more about the sanctuary jurisdiction list and the criteria for inclusion&nbsp;<a href="https://links-1.govdelivery.com/CL0/https:%2F%2Fwww.justice.gov%2Fag%2Fus-sanctuary-jurisdiction-list-following-executive-order-14287-protecting-american-communities%3Futm_medium=email%26utm_source=govdelivery/1/010001987a7f581e-e7ba96f7-3157-46ed-b636-9a18a633f11b-000000/oBy4iz3avRksViU27GTgcrYPIC4Rivpct3fYWGaxmDU=416" target="_blank">here</a>. This list is not exhaustive and will be updated as federal authorities gather further information. The federal government will assist any jurisdiction that desires to be taken off this list to identify and eliminate their sanctuary policies, so they no longer stand in opposition to federal immigration enforcement.

Justice Department publishes new list of "sanctuary" jurisdictions

COMANCHE COUNTY —A suspect wanted in North Dakota is in custody in Kansas after a traffic stop in Comanche County.

On Monday afternoon, Sheriff's Deputy Stetsen Underwood conducted a traffic stop for a speeding violation, according to a social media report from the&nbsp;Comanche County Sheriff’s Office.

 During the stop, Deputy Underwood identified the driver as a wanted fugitive with an active warrant out of North Dakota for Rape, Kidnapping, and Aggravated Assault. 

The suspect, identified from online jail records as 24-year-old Fredi Barrientos Garcia was taken into custody without incident

He is currently being held without bond pending extradition.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754420720068.png" alt="Garcia-photo Kiowa Co." />
 <figcaption>Garcia-photo Kiowa Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>COMANCHE COUNTY —A suspect wanted in North Dakota is in custody in Kansas after a traffic stop in Comanche County.On Monday afternoon, Sheriff's Deputy Stetsen Underwood conducted a traffic stop for a speeding violation, according to a social media report from the&nbsp;Comanche County Sheriff’s Office. During the stop, Deputy Underwood identified the driver as a wanted fugitive with an active warrant out of North Dakota for Rape, Kidnapping, and Aggravated Assault. The suspect, identified from online jail records as 24-year-old Fredi Barrientos Garcia was taken into custody without incidentHe is currently being held without bond pending extradition.&nbsp;

North Dakota man wanted for alleged rape, kidnapping captured in Kansas

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We reviewed the science, listened to the experts, and acted. BARDA is terminating 22 mRNA vaccine development investments because the data show these vaccines fail to protect effectively against upper respiratory infections like COVID and flu. We’re shifting that funding toward… <a href="https://t.co/GPKbuU7ywN">pic.twitter.com/GPKbuU7ywN</a>&mdash; Secretary Kennedy (@SecKennedy) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecKennedy/status/1952851097019633766?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 5, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥Why RFK Jr. pulled $500 million in funding for vaccine development

KANSAS CITY —A repeat offender in Kansas City is going back to prison for a long time.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2693/Brown-Otis-2416-CR04140-01-JT-Def-Sent-Judg-Rdctd">Otis W. Brown</a>, 49, was sentenced to 18.5 years in prison&nbsp; Unlawful Possession of a Firearm – Dangerous Felon, Property Damage, and Interference with the Legal Process, according to the Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

On September 25, 2024,&nbsp; police arrested Brown. He reached into his waistband as he ran from police and officers later found a gun where he had run.

“When officers later attempted to obtain a court-ordered DNA sample to determine whether the firearm was his, Brown refused to comply and flipped chairs and a table inside the interview room, causing damage to the walls,” according to Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

Brown was previously identified as a SAVE KC individual. SAVE KC is a focused deterrence program that focuses on those involved in or at-risk of becoming involved in violent crime and offers resources and support for them to prevent them living a life of crime, while making it clear that continued participation in crime will result in swift and certain consequences.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/2/1740759587497.png" alt="Brown photo Jackson County" />
 <figcaption>Brown photo Jackson County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A repeat offender in Kansas City is going back to prison for a long time.<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2693/Brown-Otis-2416-CR04140-01-JT-Def-Sent-Judg-Rdctd">Otis W. Brown</a>, 49, was sentenced to 18.5 years in prison&nbsp; Unlawful Possession of a Firearm – Dangerous Felon, Property Damage, and Interference with the Legal Process, according to the Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.On September 25, 2024,&nbsp; police arrested Brown. He reached into his waistband as he ran from police and officers later found a gun where he had run.“When officers later attempted to obtain a court-ordered DNA sample to determine whether the firearm was his, Brown refused to comply and flipped chairs and a table inside the interview room, causing damage to the walls,” according to Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.Brown was previously identified as a SAVE KC individual. SAVE KC is a focused deterrence program that focuses on those involved in or at-risk of becoming involved in violent crime and offers resources and support for them to prevent them living a life of crime, while making it clear that continued participation in crime will result in swift and certain consequences.&nbsp;

Kansas City repeat offender refused court ordered DNA sample

CLAY COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 10:30a.m. Tuesday in Clay County.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Freightliner drump truck driven by a 33-year-old Kansas City, Missouri man was southbound on U.S. 69 at Cameron Road. The driver failed to yield at the intersection and struck a 2013 Ford Transit van driven by a 74-year-old Liberty, Missouri, woman.&nbsp; After impact the van traveled off the road and overturned.

The van driver was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Forensic Medical. The dump truck driver was not injured. The van driver was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754438172374.png" alt="Image from the accident scene&nbsp; courtesy KMBC" />
 <figcaption>Image from the accident scene&nbsp; courtesy KMBC</figcaption>
 </figure>CLAY COUNTY—One person died in an accident just before 10:30a.m. Tuesday in Clay County.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2010 Freightliner drump truck driven by a 33-year-old Kansas City, Missouri man was southbound on U.S. 69 at Cameron Road. The driver failed to yield at the intersection and struck a 2013 Ford Transit van driven by a 74-year-old Liberty, Missouri, woman.&nbsp; After impact the van traveled off the road and overturned.The van driver was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to Forensic Medical. The dump truck driver was not injured. The van driver was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP. The Patrol no longer releases names of accident victims.

Missouri woman dies after crash with a dump truck

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/ashley-murray/">Ashley Murray</a>&nbsp;-

WASHINGTON — The House Committee on Oversight issued subpoenas Tuesday for testimony from former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, among other ex-government officials from both Democratic and Republican administrations, regarding knowledge of Florida sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

Committee Chair James Comer of Kentucky also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26040557-20250805-subpoena-and-schedule-to-doj/" target="_blank">subpoenaed</a>&nbsp;the U.S. Department of Justice for records of Epstein’s federal sex trafficking investigation. Comer gave the department until Aug. 19 to turn over the files.

Comer issued the subpoenas following bipartisan committee support in late July to compel the release of records after President Donald Trump backtracked on his promise to open the files.

Epstein, who pleaded guilty to sex crimes in Florida in 2008, died in a New York City jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting federal trial on sex trafficking charges. Epstein’s co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell, daughter of a wealthy media mogul, is serving a 20-year sentence in federal prison for her role in the sex trafficking scheme.

The former financier had surrounded himself with wealthy and powerful figures, including Trump and the Clintons, among many other influential people.

In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26040555-20250805-subpoena-cover-letters/" target="_blank">letters</a>&nbsp;to several former government officials, Comer wrote that congressional oversight of the government’s investigation of Epstein is “imperative.”

“The Committee may use the results of this investigation to inform legislative solutions to improve federal efforts to combat sex trafficking and reform the use of non-prosecution agreements and/or plea agreements in sex-crime investigations. Given your past relationships with Mr. Epstein and Ms. Maxwell, the Committee believes that you have information regarding their activities that is relevant to the Committee’s investigation,” according to the letters.

In addition to the Clintons, Comer also subpoenaed testimony from:

Comer outlined a span of deadlines for the depositions into early October.

Comer previously subpoenaed Maxwell for an Aug. 11 deposition. The Kentucky lawmaker denied Maxwell’s request for immunity but agreed to delay her testimony to the committee, according to multiple media&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/08/01/congress/maxwell-hearing-postponed-00489019" target="_blank">reports</a>.

Attention on the federal case against Epstein swelled after the Justice Department, under current Attorney General Pam Bondi, declined to publicly release case files, as Trump had promised on the campaign trail.

According to an unsigned July 7 Justice Department&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1407001/dl?inline" target="_blank">memo</a>, “a systemic review revealed no incriminating ‘client list,’” and department and FBI officials concluded that “no further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted.”

The declaration sparked an uproar among lawmakers and Trump’s voter base, including some in his own administration. The president’s supporters, and Trump himself, have long been fixated on what they describe as the “Epstein files,” with some perpetuating conspiracy theories.

House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana sent lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-gop-scatter-early-august-break-amid-pressure-epstein-files" target="_blank">home early</a>&nbsp;for August break to avoid votes compelling the release of material.&nbsp;

Details of the president’s past relationship with Epstein also surfaced, including a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/trump-jeffrey-epstein-birthday-letter-we-have-certain-things-in-common-f918d796?mod=Searchresults_pos1&amp;page=1" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;from the Wall Street Journal that Trump gave the financier a 50th birthday note featuring a cryptic message and the outline of a naked woman with Trump’s signature mimicking pubic hair. The president denied making the note and swiftly sued the Journal.

The outlet also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/justice-department-told-trump-name-in-epstein-files-727a8038?mod=hp_lead_pos1" target="_blank">reported</a>&nbsp;that Bondi briefed Trump in May that his name appeared in the Epstein materials. The context in which Trump appeared in the files is unknown.

Trump has since called for the release of grand jury testimony in the case, which a Florida judge&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/07/23/nx-s1-5477567/jeffrey-epstein-transcripts-florida" target="_blank">denied</a>.

Trump also dispatched Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, his former criminal defense lawyer, to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/tumult-over-epstein-files-dogs-trump-both-dc-and-florida" target="_blank">interview</a>&nbsp;Maxwell in Florida where she was being held.

The administration has since&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czd049y2qymo" target="_blank">moved</a>&nbsp;Maxwell to a Texas facility.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/1/1704330351229.png" alt="Jeffrey Epstein photo NY Sex Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Jeffrey Epstein photo NY Sex Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/author/ashley-murray/">Ashley Murray</a>&nbsp;-WASHINGTON — The House Committee on Oversight issued subpoenas Tuesday for testimony from former President Bill Clinton and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, among other ex-government officials from both Democratic and Republican administrations, regarding knowledge of Florida sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754412751686.png" alt="File image Hillary Clinton from the Aug. 2024 funeral for Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee-courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File image Hillary Clinton from the Aug. 2024 funeral for Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee-courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>Committee Chair James Comer of Kentucky also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26040557-20250805-subpoena-and-schedule-to-doj/" target="_blank">subpoenaed</a>&nbsp;the U.S. Department of Justice for records of Epstein’s federal sex trafficking investigation. Comer gave the department until Aug. 19 to turn over the files.Comer issued the subpoenas following bipartisan committee support in late July to compel the release of records after President Donald Trump backtracked on his promise to open the files.Epstein, who pleaded guilty to sex crimes in Florida in 2008, died in a New York City jail cell in August 2019 while awaiting federal trial on sex trafficking charges. Epstein’s co-conspirator, Ghislaine Maxwell, daughter of a wealthy media mogul, is serving a 20-year sentence in federal prison for her role in the sex trafficking scheme.The former financier had surrounded himself with wealthy and powerful figures, including Trump and the Clintons, among many other influential people.<h2>Subpoena list</h2>In&nbsp;<a href="https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/26040555-20250805-subpoena-cover-letters/" target="_blank">letters</a>&nbsp;to several former government officials, Comer wrote that congressional oversight of the government’s investigation of Epstein is “imperative.”“The Committee may use the results of this investigation to inform legislative solutions to improve federal efforts to combat sex trafficking and reform the use of non-prosecution agreements and/or plea agreements in sex-crime investigations. Given your past relationships with Mr. Epstein and Ms. Maxwell, the Committee believes that you have information regarding their activities that is relevant to the Committee’s investigation,” according to the letters.In addition to the Clintons, Comer also subpoenaed testimony from:<ul>
 <li>Former U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland</li><li>Former U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr</li><li>Former U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions</li><li>Former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch</li><li>Former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder</li><li>Former U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales</li><li>Former FBI Director James Comey</li><li>Former FBI Director Robert Mueller</li>
 </ul>Comer outlined a span of deadlines for the depositions into early October.Comer previously subpoenaed Maxwell for an Aug. 11 deposition. The Kentucky lawmaker denied Maxwell’s request for immunity but agreed to delay her testimony to the committee, according to multiple media&nbsp;<a href="https://www.politico.com/live-updates/2025/08/01/congress/maxwell-hearing-postponed-00489019" target="_blank">reports</a>.<h2>Bondi won’t release Epstein files</h2>Attention on the federal case against Epstein swelled after the Justice Department, under current Attorney General Pam Bondi, declined to publicly release case files, as Trump had promised on the campaign trail.According to an unsigned July 7 Justice Department&nbsp;<a href="https://www.justice.gov/opa/media/1407001/dl?inline" target="_blank">memo</a>, “a systemic review revealed no incriminating ‘client list,’” and department and FBI officials concluded that “no further disclosure would be appropriate or warranted.”The declaration sparked an uproar among lawmakers and Trump’s voter base, including some in his own administration. The president’s supporters, and Trump himself, have long been fixated on what they describe as the “Epstein files,” with some perpetuating conspiracy theories.House Speaker Mike Johnson of Louisiana sent lawmakers&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/us-house-gop-scatter-early-august-break-amid-pressure-epstein-files" target="_blank">home early</a>&nbsp;for August break to avoid votes compelling the release of material.&nbsp;Details of the president’s past relationship with Epstein also surfaced, including a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/trump-jeffrey-epstein-birthday-letter-we-have-certain-things-in-common-f918d796?mod=Searchresults_pos1&amp;page=1" target="_blank">report</a>&nbsp;from the Wall Street Journal that Trump gave the financier a 50th birthday note featuring a cryptic message and the outline of a naked woman with Trump’s signature mimicking pubic hair. The president denied making the note and swiftly sued the Journal.The outlet also&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wsj.com/politics/justice-department-told-trump-name-in-epstein-files-727a8038?mod=hp_lead_pos1" target="_blank">reported</a>&nbsp;that Bondi briefed Trump in May that his name appeared in the Epstein materials. The context in which Trump appeared in the files is unknown.Trump has since called for the release of grand jury testimony in the case, which a Florida judge&nbsp;<a href="https://www.npr.org/2025/07/23/nx-s1-5477567/jeffrey-epstein-transcripts-florida" target="_blank">denied</a>.Trump also dispatched Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche, his former criminal defense lawyer, to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.newsfromthestates.com/article/tumult-over-epstein-files-dogs-trump-both-dc-and-florida" target="_blank">interview</a>&nbsp;Maxwell in Florida where she was being held.The administration has since&nbsp;<a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/czd049y2qymo" target="_blank">moved</a>&nbsp;Maxwell to a Texas facility.

US House panel subpoenas DOJ’s Epstein files, Bill and Hillary Clinton

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a>

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is bringing back a physical fitness test to public schools after over a decade, but details of the new test, including timing and implementation, remain to be seen.

Trump signed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/07/presidents-council-on-sports-fitness-and-nutrition-and-the-reesetablishment-of-the-presidential-fitness-test/" target="_blank">an executive order</a>&nbsp;July 31 that reestablished the Presidential Fitness Test — a source of both fear and achievement among youth — and committed to revitalizing the “President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition,” which would develop the test.

“Rates of obesity, chronic disease, inactivity, and poor nutrition are at crisis levels, particularly among our children,” the executive order notes. “These trends weaken our economy, military readiness, academic performance, and national morale.”

The president designated Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to administer the test.

The council is tasked with creating “school-based programs that reward excellence in physical education and develop criteria for a Presidential Fitness Award,” according to a White House&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/07/fact-sheet-presidents-council-on-sports-fitness-and-nutrition-and-the-reestablishment-of-the-presidential-fitness-test/" target="_blank">fact sheet</a>.

The order did not provide any details on what the test will look like or how or when it will roll out.

Laura Richardson, a clinical associate professor of kinesiology at the University of Michigan, said she hoped to see an updated version of the test that focused more on level of activity than on a student’s performance.

“I’m hopeful that maybe it will be reevaluated and revised and really have some tools that don’t just look at how fast you are or how strong you are, but more holistic in the tools we need to get our children to be active in childhood that should then continue through the trajectory into adulthood,” Richardson told States Newsroom.

Richardson added that testing alone would not be sufficient to see improvement in kids’ physical fitness, and called for increasing resources to schools to help students be more active.

“Sedentary behavior is really widespread — we’re seeing increasing obesity among all ages,” Richardson told States Newsroom. “We can test … but if we’re not giving the tools to the teachers and the students and the parents, we may continue to see the same data.”

Rep. Jeff Van Drew&nbsp;<a href="https://vandrew.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1887" target="_blank">announced last week</a>&nbsp;that he will introduce a bill to codify Trump’s executive order.

In a statement, the New Jersey Republican said he coordinated with the administration, including Kennedy, when writing the bill.

“Every parent wants their kid to grow up strong and healthy,” he added. “This bill is about making sure they are given the tools to do just that.”

The Presidential Fitness Test dates back to President Dwight Eisenhower, who set up the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-10673-fitness-american-youth" target="_blank">President’s Council on Youth Fitness</a>&nbsp;in 1956 following&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vox.com/2015/4/24/8489501/presidential-fitness-test" target="_blank">alarming findings</a>&nbsp;on the state of youth fitness in the United States compared to youth in European nations.

The test initially included sit-ups, a mile run, a shuttle run, pull-ups or push-ups and a sit-and-reach, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/exercise-and-fitness/taking-the-presidential-physical-fitness-test" target="_blank">Harvard Health</a>.

Since then, the test has seen several versions. The most recent major revamp was in 2012, when President Barack Obama’s administration replaced the Presidential Fitness Test with the&nbsp;<a href="https://fitness.foundation/presidential-youth-fitness-program-2" target="_blank">Presidential Youth Fitness Program</a>, which aimed for a more individualized and health-focused approach.

The program, which came after criticism of the Presidential Fitness Test and concerns about its psychological effects on youth, aimed to minimize “comparisons between children and instead supports students as they pursue personal fitness goals for lifelong health,” according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://odphp.health.gov/pcsfn/programs-awards/presidential-youth-fitness-program" target="_blank">Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion</a>&nbsp;within the Department of Health and Human Services.&nbsp;

President John F. Kennedy, an uncle of the current HHS secretary, expanded on Eisenhower’s efforts. In a&nbsp;<a href="https://archive.org/stream/the-soft-american-kennedy/The%20Soft%20American%20-%20Kennedy_djvu.txt" target="_blank">1960 essay</a>, “The Soft American,” the president-elect at the time described physical fitness as a “vital prerequisite to America’s realization of its full potential as a nation.”

According to HHS’&nbsp;<a href="https://odphp.health.gov/pcsfn/history-council" target="_blank">Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion</a>, President Kennedy also promoted “taking the 50 mile hikes previously required of U.S. Marine officers” in a national public service advertising campaign.

President Lyndon B. Johnson established the Presidential Physical Fitness Award Program in 1966 for “exceptional achievement by 10- to 17-year-old boys and girls,” per HHS.&nbsp;

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/shauneen-miranda/">Shauneen Miranda</a>WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump is bringing back a physical fitness test to public schools after over a decade, but details of the new test, including timing and implementation, remain to be seen.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">.<a href="https://twitter.com/SecKennedy?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SecKennedy</a> on the Presidential Fitness Test: &quot;We need to re-instill that spirit of competition and that commitment to nutrition and physical fitness — and I&#39;m so grateful to <a href="https://twitter.com/POTUS?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@POTUS</a> for your leadership in bringing this back for our country.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/f0KOxlwsdJ">pic.twitter.com/f0KOxlwsdJ</a>&mdash; Rapid Response 47 (@RapidResponse47) <a href="https://twitter.com/RapidResponse47/status/1951020726292545607?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 31, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Trump signed&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/07/presidents-council-on-sports-fitness-and-nutrition-and-the-reesetablishment-of-the-presidential-fitness-test/" target="_blank">an executive order</a>&nbsp;July 31 that reestablished the Presidential Fitness Test — a source of both fear and achievement among youth — and committed to revitalizing the “President’s Council on Sports, Fitness, and Nutrition,” which would develop the test.“Rates of obesity, chronic disease, inactivity, and poor nutrition are at crisis levels, particularly among our children,” the executive order notes. “These trends weaken our economy, military readiness, academic performance, and national morale.”The president designated Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to administer the test.The council is tasked with creating “school-based programs that reward excellence in physical education and develop criteria for a Presidential Fitness Award,” according to a White House&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/fact-sheets/2025/07/fact-sheet-presidents-council-on-sports-fitness-and-nutrition-and-the-reestablishment-of-the-presidential-fitness-test/" target="_blank">fact sheet</a>.<h2>Expert hopes for ‘holistic’ revamp</h2>The order did not provide any details on what the test will look like or how or when it will roll out.Laura Richardson, a clinical associate professor of kinesiology at the University of Michigan, said she hoped to see an updated version of the test that focused more on level of activity than on a student’s performance.“I’m hopeful that maybe it will be reevaluated and revised and really have some tools that don’t just look at how fast you are or how strong you are, but more holistic in the tools we need to get our children to be active in childhood that should then continue through the trajectory into adulthood,” Richardson told States Newsroom.Richardson added that testing alone would not be sufficient to see improvement in kids’ physical fitness, and called for increasing resources to schools to help students be more active.“Sedentary behavior is really widespread — we’re seeing increasing obesity among all ages,” Richardson told States Newsroom. “We can test … but if we’re not giving the tools to the teachers and the students and the parents, we may continue to see the same data.”<h2>Bill would codify test</h2>Rep. Jeff Van Drew&nbsp;<a href="https://vandrew.house.gov/news/documentsingle.aspx?DocumentID=1887" target="_blank">announced last week</a>&nbsp;that he will introduce a bill to codify Trump’s executive order.In a statement, the New Jersey Republican said he coordinated with the administration, including Kennedy, when writing the bill.“Every parent wants their kid to grow up strong and healthy,” he added. “This bill is about making sure they are given the tools to do just that.”<h2>Latest version of test</h2>The Presidential Fitness Test dates back to President Dwight Eisenhower, who set up the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/documents/executive-order-10673-fitness-american-youth" target="_blank">President’s Council on Youth Fitness</a>&nbsp;in 1956 following&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vox.com/2015/4/24/8489501/presidential-fitness-test" target="_blank">alarming findings</a>&nbsp;on the state of youth fitness in the United States compared to youth in European nations.The test initially included sit-ups, a mile run, a shuttle run, pull-ups or push-ups and a sit-and-reach, according to&nbsp;<a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/exercise-and-fitness/taking-the-presidential-physical-fitness-test" target="_blank">Harvard Health</a>.Since then, the test has seen several versions. The most recent major revamp was in 2012, when President Barack Obama’s administration replaced the Presidential Fitness Test with the&nbsp;<a href="https://fitness.foundation/presidential-youth-fitness-program-2" target="_blank">Presidential Youth Fitness Program</a>, which aimed for a more individualized and health-focused approach.The program, which came after criticism of the Presidential Fitness Test and concerns about its psychological effects on youth, aimed to minimize “comparisons between children and instead supports students as they pursue personal fitness goals for lifelong health,” according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://odphp.health.gov/pcsfn/programs-awards/presidential-youth-fitness-program" target="_blank">Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion</a>&nbsp;within the Department of Health and Human Services.&nbsp;President John F. Kennedy, an uncle of the current HHS secretary, expanded on Eisenhower’s efforts. In a&nbsp;<a href="https://archive.org/stream/the-soft-american-kennedy/The%20Soft%20American%20-%20Kennedy_djvu.txt" target="_blank">1960 essay</a>, “The Soft American,” the president-elect at the time described physical fitness as a “vital prerequisite to America’s realization of its full potential as a nation.”According to HHS’&nbsp;<a href="https://odphp.health.gov/pcsfn/history-council" target="_blank">Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion</a>, President Kennedy also promoted “taking the 50 mile hikes previously required of U.S. Marine officers” in a national public service advertising campaign.President Lyndon B. Johnson established the Presidential Physical Fitness Award Program in 1966 for “exceptional achievement by 10- to 17-year-old boys and girls,” per HHS.&nbsp;

President Trump pledges overhaul of school fitness tests

HORRY COUNTY, So. Carolina—Law enforcement investigating a fatal hit-and-run incident have identified the victim as 26-year-old Dezhon Overton of Kansas City, Kansas, according to the Horry County South Carolina Coroner's office.

Just after 12:30 a.m. Sunday, police responded to a call for service related to a leaving the scene of a traffic collision with injuries at 21st Avenue South and Kings Highway, according to a statement from Myrtle Beach Police. 

First responders determined that two pedestrians were struck by the vehicle and the suspect vehicle had fled. The victims including Overton&nbsp; were immediately transported to Grand Strand Medical Center for treatment of their injuries. Overton was pronounced deceased a short time later. He was on vacation at the time of the incident, according to police.

The Myrtle Beach Police Real Time Crime Unit along with assisting units had already started investigating which led them to the location of the suspect vehicle. The driver of the vehicle has been arrested.&nbsp;

HORRY COUNTY, So. Carolina—Law enforcement investigating a fatal hit-and-run incident have identified the victim as 26-year-old Dezhon Overton of Kansas City, Kansas, according to the Horry County South Carolina Coroner's office.Just after 12:30 a.m. Sunday, police responded to a call for service related to a leaving the scene of a traffic collision with injuries at 21st Avenue South and Kings Highway, according to a statement from Myrtle Beach Police. First responders determined that two pedestrians were struck by the vehicle and the suspect vehicle had fled. The victims including Overton&nbsp; were immediately transported to Grand Strand Medical Center for treatment of their injuries. Overton was pronounced deceased a short time later. He was on vacation at the time of the incident, according to police.The Myrtle Beach Police Real Time Crime Unit along with assisting units had already started investigating which led them to the location of the suspect vehicle. The driver of the vehicle has been arrested.&nbsp;

Police: Kansas man on vacation dies after hit-and-run incident

Leader of UnidosUS decries the humanitarian and economic damage of Trump administration’s immigration raids. ‘This is about our civil rights being destroyed’

By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/marysanchez/">Mary Sanchez</a>&nbsp;

The economic power of the Latino population in the United States is as massive as it is misunderstood.

Latinos contribute more than&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/us-latino-gdp-skyrockets-to-record-37-trillion-dollars" target="_blank">$3.7 trillion</a>&nbsp;annually to the economy, more than the gross domestic product of all but four countries in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.worldometers.info/gdp/gdp-by-country/" target="_blank">the world</a>.

Latinos are the nation’s largest minority group with 64 million people.

The vast majority, eight out of 10, are U.S. citizens.

By 2030, one out of every three people entering the workforce will be Latino.

But acknowledgement of&nbsp;<a href="https://unidosus.org/" target="_blank">those facts</a>&nbsp;is lacking,&nbsp;<a href="https://unidosus.org/publications/analyzing-inclusion-of-latino-contributions-in-us-history-curricula-for-high-school/" target="_blank">studies show</a>, especially among policymakers and politicians.

The vacuum leaves space for false narratives to flourish.

One example for the leader of the nation’s largest Latino civil rights and advocacy organization is the Trump administration’s inaccurate labeling of Latinos as criminals and outsiders who don’t contribute to the nation.

“If we’re going to have an economy that really moves the country forward and sustains all of us, it has to include the Latino community from a demographics perspective,” said Janet Murguía.

Murguía, a native of Kansas City, Kansas, is president and CEO of&nbsp;<a href="https://unidosus.org/" target="_blank">UnidosUS,</a>&nbsp;which is holding its annual conference in Kansas City Aug. 4-7.

The conference opens days after nearly a dozen people were taken from their jobs at two Kansas El Toro Loco Mexican Bar and Grill locations in morning raids by Homeland Security Investigations, a unit of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.

The detentions of the employees were filmed and witnessed by community members and sparked a protest later in the day.

Videos show the employees as they were being taken from the restaurants in handcuffs and with chains around their waists. Food was left cooking at the Lenexa location and a handwritten note “Closed” was taped to the front door, which was left unlocked.

Murguía is critical of some tactics that Homeland Security is using in its efforts to meet the administration’s goal of removing 3,000 undocumented immigrants daily.

Increasingly, she said, what’s happening is unlawful and unconstitutional.

“This is not about immigration,” Murguía said. “It’s about civil rights.”

Negative narratives about Latinos that are unsubstantiated by data are being used to justify the actions, including some actions that shred due process, she said.

UnidosUS is the umbrella organization for more than 300 affiliates spread across virtually every state. Three are in the Greater Kansas City area:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.elcentroinc.com/" target="_blank">El Centro</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://guadalupecenters.org/" target="_blank">Guadalupe Centers</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://mattierhodes.org/" target="_blank">Mattie Rhodes Center</a>.

The nearly 60-year-old organization’s current strategy is three-pronged — to protect, defend and advance the Latino community.

Murguía served in former President Bill Clinton’s administration and also once served as an executive vice chancellor at the University of Kansas.

She said abuse of power and government overreach in immigration enforcement must be challenged.

“We intend to do everything we can to provide the advocacy to push back against this and demand accountability in the courts and through the administration and in Congress,” Murguia said.

Partnerships with&nbsp;<a href="https://unidosus.org/press-releases/national-latino-and-civil-rights-groups-denounce-federal-overreach-in-los-angeles-raids/" target="_blank">other civil rights organizations</a>&nbsp;will be key, she said, noting deep connections with the leadership of the National Urban League, the National Action Network and the Legal Defense Fund.

“This is about our civil rights being destroyed,” she said. “Partners and allies can be really critically important in communicating that to the broader public and understanding that we’re all threatened in this country when actions happen.”

‘There is no American agenda without a Latino agenda’&nbsp;

UnidosUS is linking with some of the leading researchers in the nation.

Documenting the social and economic impact of mass deportation will be crucial.

<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/04/03/kansas-man-deported-after-visiting-grandfathers-grave-in-mexico/" target="_blank">Some immigrant families are of mixed status</a>, with at least one family member who might be undocumented and others who are not.

Approximately&nbsp;<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/233150241700500101" target="_blank">6.6 million American citizens</a>, including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fwd.us/news/mixed-status-families-1/" target="_blank">5.5 million U.S. children</a>&nbsp;— over 8% of all children in the U.S. — live in a household with at least one undocumented family member.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/233150241700500101" target="_blank">2017 study</a>&nbsp;predicted that removing one family member from every mixed-status household through deportation would drop the median income of those households by nearly 50%.

The report was written with data compiled by the Center for Migration Studies of New York and published by the Journal on Migration and Human Security.

“Removing undocumented residents from mixed-status households would reduce median household income from $41,300 to $22,000, a drop of $19,300, or 47%, which would plunge millions of US families into poverty,” the report noted.

The ramifications on homeownership, businesses and taxes paid could be dramatic.

If the U.S. removed all of its undocumented residents, “gross domestic product (GDP) would be reduced by 1.4% in the first year, and cumulative GDP would be reduced by $4.7 trillion over 10 years,” the report said.

Updated data will be key to track not only the outcomes of current immigration policy but also the Trump administration’s recently approved budget bill. UnidosUS called it&nbsp;<a href="https://unidosus.org/press-releases/unidosus-statement-on-us-house-passage-of-harmful-federal-budget-bill/" target="_blank">“a stunning betrayal to working families, vulnerable communities and the American electorate who entrusted them with their votes”</a>&nbsp;due to its cuts to health programs and food assistance.

Studies can also inform&nbsp;<a href="https://unidosus.org/events/understanding-systemic-racism-and-resulting-inequity-in-latino-communities/" target="_blank">a wide range of initiatives</a>&nbsp;that have long been the focus of UnidosUS: homeownership, educational attainment, health, voting rights and political empowerment.

Data to support policy, based on understanding Latino history

UnidosUS has partnered with the&nbsp;<a href="https://latino.ucla.edu/about/" target="_blank">Latino Politics &amp; Policy Institute</a>) at the University of California Los Angeles.

The institute’s motto is “there is no American agenda without a Latino agenda,” a statement that underscores the relevance of Latinos historically, by population, economic output and future projections as a young demographic.

Latinos are contributing nearly $4 trillion annually to the economy, said Rodrigo Domínguez-Villegas, director of research at the UCLA institute.

Yet Latinos hold only 12% of the nation’s household wealth while comprising nearly 20% of the population, he said.

“There’s a disconnect that reveals a system where Latino labor and entrepreneurship are fueling economic growth in the country, but the wealth that’s generated through Latino labor and entrepreneurship is held elsewhere,” he said.

Domínguez-Villegas is leading a project to find out why.

In a partnership with UnidosUS, the institute is completing an analysis of how public policy has shaped Latino wealth.

The economic mobility study will be released in October.

“We are telling the story of Latino communities across the country and what Latinos contribute, and also how Latinos struggle because of systemic and historical disadvantages,” he said.

Mattie Rhodes, one of the Kansas City-based UnidosUS affiliates, will release the Hispanic/Latino Equity Index for the Kansas City area’s Latino population during the convention on Aug. 4.

The report was developed with the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Center for Economic Information and the Urban League of Greater Kansas City.

It will highlight disparities in economic opportunity, health, education, social justice and civic engagement.

Similar local reports can be aided by another initiative at the UCLA institute, the&nbsp;<a href="https://latinodatahub.org/" target="_blank">Latino Data Hub.</a>

It’s an interactive platform to analyze conditions affecting Latinos nationwide, drawing from the 2023 American Community Survey of the U.S. Census.

An updated hub was released in mid-July. And tutorials on how to use the hub are ongoing.

“We have tried to build it in a way that is as intuitive as possible,” said Domínguez-Villegas, who will be attending the UnidosUs conference. “Our target audiences are, of course, policymakers, but also community-based organizations and the media.”

Information can be broken down nationally, by state or county and soon, by congressional districts.

Built into the platform are 130 indicators, with filters for people to search for detailed information such as homeownership, health care access and educational attainment. The information can be searched in English or Spanish.

The Latino Data Hub grew out of the COVID pandemic, when Latino communities were disproportionately impacted in terms of hospitalizations and deaths.

Policymakers were surprised and slow to react, said Domínguez-Villegas, because they hadn’t understood Latino health disparities and access to health care that predated the pandemic.

“Policymakers were like, ‘Oh, we didn’t have this data, so we didn’t understand really, how to incorporate that into the response,’” said Domínguez-Villegas.

Researchers, he said, vowed “never again.”

Strong data can help tell the stories of Latinos and build understanding of past struggles that have led to current inequities, while also addressing the demographic’s contributions. The goal is a more nuanced telling of the nation’s extremely diverse Latino communities.

Previous work between UnidosUS and the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy found deep gaps in the inclusion of Latinos in U.S. history curriculum.

The lack of accurate information undercuts awareness.

The buying power of the Hispanic market can be shown in telling stories of entrepreneurship and those who find prosperity by catering to the demographic, in all of its vast diversity.

A prime local example is the success of the El Mercado Fresco supermarkets, which began catering primarily to the Latino immigrant communities in northeast Kansas City about a decade ago.

The company’s ninth store opened July 17 in a former Big Lots at 7533 State Ave. in Kansas City, Kansas.

Hundreds of people, many of them Latino, gathered in the parking lot for the ribbon cutting and then formed a long line, patiently waiting to file into the store to shop as a mariachi band serenaded.

Carlos Gomez, president/CEO of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas City, helped with the honors.

Gomez said the El Mercado groceries are successful, in part, because of the owner’s respectful relationship with the Latino community, giving back philanthropically and through hiring.

The owner, Eddie Musallet, said he sources products through a wide range of vendors to cater to the culinary preferences of many ethnicities, including Asian and African people.

Musallet said he’s conscientious of people’s budgets and tries to use local farmers for some products.

Packages of 30 eggs, locally sourced, were marked $6.99 at the State Avenue opening.

Soon, a group of leaders gathered outside the store, chatting as friends found one another&nbsp; in the crowd.

David Carranza, economic development director for the city of Grandview, Missouri, said that Latinos know how to “make something from nothing,” guided by entrepreneurial efforts and often working not only one, but two jobs.

Murguia echoed the sentiments of local leadership in her resolve to advocate and organize through current political and policy challenges.

Latinos, she said, are known for optimism and resilience, holding a deep belief in the promise of the nation and its ability to allow people to carve out their American Dream.

“If you fundamentally believe that about this country, you’re not going to give up, even in the most daunting times,” Murguia said. “We’re leaning into every bit of resilience and optimism in this moment.”

This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/08/04/mass-deportation-latino-civil-rights-kansas-city-unidosus/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Kansas City</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754330127440.png" alt="Kansas state Rep. Susan Ruiz, a Democrat, addressed a crowd that gathered outside the Lenexa El Toro Loco Mexican Bar and Grill on July 30 after some of the employees were arrested earlier in the day by agents with Homeland Security (Mary Sanchez/The Beacon)." />
 <figcaption>Kansas state Rep. Susan Ruiz, a Democrat, addressed a crowd that gathered outside the Lenexa El Toro Loco Mexican Bar and Grill on July 30 after some of the employees were arrested earlier in the day by agents with Homeland Security (Mary Sanchez/The Beacon).</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Leader of UnidosUS decries the humanitarian and economic damage of Trump administration’s immigration raids. ‘This is about our civil rights being destroyed’</h2>By:&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/author/marysanchez/">Mary Sanchez</a>&nbsp;The economic power of the Latino population in the United States is as massive as it is misunderstood.Latinos contribute more than&nbsp;<a href="https://newsroom.ucla.edu/releases/us-latino-gdp-skyrockets-to-record-37-trillion-dollars" target="_blank">$3.7 trillion</a>&nbsp;annually to the economy, more than the gross domestic product of all but four countries in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.worldometers.info/gdp/gdp-by-country/" target="_blank">the world</a>.Latinos are the nation’s largest minority group with 64 million people.The vast majority, eight out of 10, are U.S. citizens.By 2030, one out of every three people entering the workforce will be Latino.But acknowledgement of&nbsp;<a href="https://unidosus.org/" target="_blank">those facts</a>&nbsp;is lacking,&nbsp;<a href="https://unidosus.org/publications/analyzing-inclusion-of-latino-contributions-in-us-history-curricula-for-high-school/" target="_blank">studies show</a>, especially among policymakers and politicians.The vacuum leaves space for false narratives to flourish.One example for the leader of the nation’s largest Latino civil rights and advocacy organization is the Trump administration’s inaccurate labeling of Latinos as criminals and outsiders who don’t contribute to the nation.“If we’re going to have an economy that really moves the country forward and sustains all of us, it has to include the Latino community from a demographics perspective,” said Janet Murguía.Murguía, a native of Kansas City, Kansas, is president and CEO of&nbsp;<a href="https://unidosus.org/" target="_blank">UnidosUS,</a>&nbsp;which is holding its annual conference in Kansas City Aug. 4-7.The conference opens days after nearly a dozen people were taken from their jobs at two Kansas El Toro Loco Mexican Bar and Grill locations in morning raids by Homeland Security Investigations, a unit of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.The detentions of the employees were filmed and witnessed by community members and sparked a protest later in the day.Videos show the employees as they were being taken from the restaurants in handcuffs and with chains around their waists. Food was left cooking at the Lenexa location and a handwritten note “Closed” was taped to the front door, which was left unlocked.Murguía is critical of some tactics that Homeland Security is using in its efforts to meet the administration’s goal of removing 3,000 undocumented immigrants daily.Increasingly, she said, what’s happening is unlawful and unconstitutional.“This is not about immigration,” Murguía said. “It’s about civil rights.”Negative narratives about Latinos that are unsubstantiated by data are being used to justify the actions, including some actions that shred due process, she said.UnidosUS is the umbrella organization for more than 300 affiliates spread across virtually every state. Three are in the Greater Kansas City area:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.elcentroinc.com/" target="_blank">El Centro</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://guadalupecenters.org/" target="_blank">Guadalupe Centers</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://mattierhodes.org/" target="_blank">Mattie Rhodes Center</a>.The nearly 60-year-old organization’s current strategy is three-pronged — to protect, defend and advance the Latino community.Murguía served in former President Bill Clinton’s administration and also once served as an executive vice chancellor at the University of Kansas.She said abuse of power and government overreach in immigration enforcement must be challenged.“We intend to do everything we can to provide the advocacy to push back against this and demand accountability in the courts and through the administration and in Congress,” Murguia said.Partnerships with&nbsp;<a href="https://unidosus.org/press-releases/national-latino-and-civil-rights-groups-denounce-federal-overreach-in-los-angeles-raids/" target="_blank">other civil rights organizations</a>&nbsp;will be key, she said, noting deep connections with the leadership of the National Urban League, the National Action Network and the Legal Defense Fund.“This is about our civil rights being destroyed,” she said. “Partners and allies can be really critically important in communicating that to the broader public and understanding that we’re all threatened in this country when actions happen.”<h2>‘There is no American agenda without a Latino agenda’&nbsp;</h2>UnidosUS is linking with some of the leading researchers in the nation.Documenting the social and economic impact of mass deportation will be crucial.<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/04/03/kansas-man-deported-after-visiting-grandfathers-grave-in-mexico/" target="_blank">Some immigrant families are of mixed status</a>, with at least one family member who might be undocumented and others who are not.Approximately&nbsp;<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/233150241700500101" target="_blank">6.6 million American citizens</a>, including&nbsp;<a href="https://www.fwd.us/news/mixed-status-families-1/" target="_blank">5.5 million U.S. children</a>&nbsp;— over 8% of all children in the U.S. — live in a household with at least one undocumented family member.A&nbsp;<a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/233150241700500101" target="_blank">2017 study</a>&nbsp;predicted that removing one family member from every mixed-status household through deportation would drop the median income of those households by nearly 50%.The report was written with data compiled by the Center for Migration Studies of New York and published by the Journal on Migration and Human Security.“Removing undocumented residents from mixed-status households would reduce median household income from $41,300 to $22,000, a drop of $19,300, or 47%, which would plunge millions of US families into poverty,” the report noted.The ramifications on homeownership, businesses and taxes paid could be dramatic.If the U.S. removed all of its undocumented residents, “gross domestic product (GDP) would be reduced by 1.4% in the first year, and cumulative GDP would be reduced by $4.7 trillion over 10 years,” the report said.Updated data will be key to track not only the outcomes of current immigration policy but also the Trump administration’s recently approved budget bill. UnidosUS called it&nbsp;<a href="https://unidosus.org/press-releases/unidosus-statement-on-us-house-passage-of-harmful-federal-budget-bill/" target="_blank">“a stunning betrayal to working families, vulnerable communities and the American electorate who entrusted them with their votes”</a>&nbsp;due to its cuts to health programs and food assistance.Studies can also inform&nbsp;<a href="https://unidosus.org/events/understanding-systemic-racism-and-resulting-inequity-in-latino-communities/" target="_blank">a wide range of initiatives</a>&nbsp;that have long been the focus of UnidosUS: homeownership, educational attainment, health, voting rights and political empowerment.<h2>Data to support policy, based on understanding Latino history</h2>UnidosUS has partnered with the&nbsp;<a href="https://latino.ucla.edu/about/" target="_blank">Latino Politics &amp; Policy Institute</a>) at the University of California Los Angeles.The institute’s motto is “there is no American agenda without a Latino agenda,” a statement that underscores the relevance of Latinos historically, by population, economic output and future projections as a young demographic.Latinos are contributing nearly $4 trillion annually to the economy, said Rodrigo Domínguez-Villegas, director of research at the UCLA institute.Yet Latinos hold only 12% of the nation’s household wealth while comprising nearly 20% of the population, he said.“There’s a disconnect that reveals a system where Latino labor and entrepreneurship are fueling economic growth in the country, but the wealth that’s generated through Latino labor and entrepreneurship is held elsewhere,” he said.Domínguez-Villegas is leading a project to find out why.In a partnership with UnidosUS, the institute is completing an analysis of how public policy has shaped Latino wealth.The economic mobility study will be released in October.“We are telling the story of Latino communities across the country and what Latinos contribute, and also how Latinos struggle because of systemic and historical disadvantages,” he said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754330083724.png" alt="A map of 304 UnidosUS affiliates in the United States. (Courtesy/UnidosUS)" />
 <figcaption>A map of 304 UnidosUS affiliates in the United States. (Courtesy/UnidosUS)</figcaption>
 </figure>Mattie Rhodes, one of the Kansas City-based UnidosUS affiliates, will release the Hispanic/Latino Equity Index for the Kansas City area’s Latino population during the convention on Aug. 4.The report was developed with the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s Center for Economic Information and the Urban League of Greater Kansas City.It will highlight disparities in economic opportunity, health, education, social justice and civic engagement.Similar local reports can be aided by another initiative at the UCLA institute, the&nbsp;<a href="https://latinodatahub.org/" target="_blank">Latino Data Hub.</a>It’s an interactive platform to analyze conditions affecting Latinos nationwide, drawing from the 2023 American Community Survey of the U.S. Census.An updated hub was released in mid-July. And tutorials on how to use the hub are ongoing.“We have tried to build it in a way that is as intuitive as possible,” said Domínguez-Villegas, who will be attending the UnidosUs conference. “Our target audiences are, of course, policymakers, but also community-based organizations and the media.”Information can be broken down nationally, by state or county and soon, by congressional districts.Built into the platform are 130 indicators, with filters for people to search for detailed information such as homeownership, health care access and educational attainment. The information can be searched in English or Spanish.The Latino Data Hub grew out of the COVID pandemic, when Latino communities were disproportionately impacted in terms of hospitalizations and deaths.Policymakers were surprised and slow to react, said Domínguez-Villegas, because they hadn’t understood Latino health disparities and access to health care that predated the pandemic.“Policymakers were like, ‘Oh, we didn’t have this data, so we didn’t understand really, how to incorporate that into the response,’” said Domínguez-Villegas.Researchers, he said, vowed “never again.”Strong data can help tell the stories of Latinos and build understanding of past struggles that have led to current inequities, while also addressing the demographic’s contributions. The goal is a more nuanced telling of the nation’s extremely diverse Latino communities.<h2>Sharing the American Dream</h2>Previous work between UnidosUS and the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy found deep gaps in the inclusion of Latinos in U.S. history curriculum.The lack of accurate information undercuts awareness.The buying power of the Hispanic market can be shown in telling stories of entrepreneurship and those who find prosperity by catering to the demographic, in all of its vast diversity.A prime local example is the success of the El Mercado Fresco supermarkets, which began catering primarily to the Latino immigrant communities in northeast Kansas City about a decade ago.The company’s ninth store opened July 17 in a former Big Lots at 7533 State Ave. in Kansas City, Kansas.Hundreds of people, many of them Latino, gathered in the parking lot for the ribbon cutting and then formed a long line, patiently waiting to file into the store to shop as a mariachi band serenaded.Carlos Gomez, president/CEO of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas City, helped with the honors.Gomez said the El Mercado groceries are successful, in part, because of the owner’s respectful relationship with the Latino community, giving back philanthropically and through hiring.The owner, Eddie Musallet, said he sources products through a wide range of vendors to cater to the culinary preferences of many ethnicities, including Asian and African people.Musallet said he’s conscientious of people’s budgets and tries to use local farmers for some products.Packages of 30 eggs, locally sourced, were marked $6.99 at the State Avenue opening.Soon, a group of leaders gathered outside the store, chatting as friends found one another&nbsp; in the crowd.David Carranza, economic development director for the city of Grandview, Missouri, said that Latinos know how to “make something from nothing,” guided by entrepreneurial efforts and often working not only one, but two jobs.“We’re survivors,” Carranza said.Murguia echoed the sentiments of local leadership in her resolve to advocate and organize through current political and policy challenges.Latinos, she said, are known for optimism and resilience, holding a deep belief in the promise of the nation and its ability to allow people to carve out their American Dream.“If you fundamentally believe that about this country, you’re not going to give up, even in the most daunting times,” Murguia said. “We’re leaning into every bit of resilience and optimism in this moment.”This&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/stories/2025/08/04/mass-deportation-latino-civil-rights-kansas-city-unidosus/" target="_blank">article</a>&nbsp;first appeared on&nbsp;<a href="https://thebeaconnews.org/" target="_blank">Beacon: Kansas City</a>&nbsp;and is republished here under a&nbsp;<a href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/" target="_blank">Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License</a>.

Nation’s largest Latino civil rights organization meets in KC against backdrop of mass deportations

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —A funeral for Sheriff's Deputy Elijah Ming, who was killed in the line of duty on July 26 will be held Monday, August 11, at Children's Mercy Park, according to a statement from the Wyandotte County Sheriff's Office.

The service is open to the public and will begin at 11:00 a.m. 

Parking lots will open at 9:00 a.m., and the stadium gates will open at 10:00 a.m. There will be a Law Enforcement Processional immediately following the service; route details will be announced.

"We are so overwhelmed by the love of our community; we could not be more thankful for our lovely Wyandotte County," the sheriff's office wrote on their social media page.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/7/1753612145888.png" alt="Deputy Elijah Ming-courtesy photo" />
 <figcaption>Deputy Elijah Ming-courtesy photo</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY —A funeral for Sheriff's Deputy Elijah Ming, who was killed in the line of duty on July 26 will be held Monday, August 11, at Children's Mercy Park, according to a statement from the Wyandotte County Sheriff's Office.The service is open to the public and will begin at 11:00 a.m. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754356046097.jpeg" alt="Photo Wyandotte Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Wyandotte Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>Parking lots will open at 9:00 a.m., and the stadium gates will open at 10:00 a.m. There will be a Law Enforcement Processional immediately following the service; route details will be announced."We are so overwhelmed by the love of our community; we could not be more thankful for our lovely Wyandotte County," the sheriff's office wrote on their social media page.

Funeral services announced for fallen Kansas deputy

KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man facing charges for the fatal shooting of his mother's boyfriend that took place near East 18th Street and Benton Boulevard on August 26 in Kansas City, Missouri, is being held in Wyandotte County, Kansas, according to online jail records.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2692/Burks-REDACT-COMP">Lee Burks</a>, 30.&nbsp;faces 2nd Degree Murder, two counts of Armed Criminal Action, Discharge/Shoot Firearm at or from Motor Vehicle/Shoot at Person, Another Motor Vehicle, Or Building, and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2691/Burks-REDACT-PC">Click here to read the probable cause statement.</a>

<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2691/Burks-REDACT-PC">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police were dispatched to an area near East 18th Street and Benton Boulevard on July 27 and located the victim, identified in the probably cause statement as the boyfriend of Burk's mother, lying on the ground with severe trauma to the head and body. He was confirmed deceased at the scene.&nbsp;

Detectives reviewed surveillance footage from a nearby gas station, which showed a black vehicle arriving and parking at the gas station. A male, later identified as the defendant, exited the vehicle and entered the gas station. He walked around the store and left a short time later. Another camera angle showed the victim falling down the hill near the gas station. The defendant can then be seen walking up to him and firing multiple rounds at the victim, then fleeing. &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754341286353.png" alt="Burks -photo Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Burks -photo Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —A Kansas City man facing charges for the fatal shooting of his mother's boyfriend that took place near East 18th Street and Benton Boulevard on August 26 in Kansas City, Missouri, is being held in Wyandotte County, Kansas, according to online jail records.<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2692/Burks-REDACT-COMP">Lee Burks</a>, 30.&nbsp;faces 2nd Degree Murder, two counts of Armed Criminal Action, Discharge/Shoot Firearm at or from Motor Vehicle/Shoot at Person, Another Motor Vehicle, Or Building, and Unlawful Possession of a Firearm, according to&nbsp;Jackson County Prosecutor Melesa Johnson.<a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2691/Burks-REDACT-PC">Click here to read the probable cause statement.</a><a href="https://www.jacksoncountyprosecutor.com/DocumentCenter/View/2691/Burks-REDACT-PC">According to court records</a>, Kansas City police were dispatched to an area near East 18th Street and Benton Boulevard on July 27 and located the victim, identified in the probably cause statement as the boyfriend of Burk's mother, lying on the ground with severe trauma to the head and body. He was confirmed deceased at the scene.&nbsp;Detectives reviewed surveillance footage from a nearby gas station, which showed a black vehicle arriving and parking at the gas station. A male, later identified as the defendant, exited the vehicle and entered the gas station. He walked around the store and left a short time later. Another camera angle showed the victim falling down the hill near the gas station. The defendant can then be seen walking up to him and firing multiple rounds at the victim, then fleeing. &nbsp;

Man accused of killing mother's boyfriend is jailed in Kansas

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a shooting that sent a woman to the hospital over the. weekend in Lawrence.

Just before midnight on Saturday, a&nbsp;woman with a gunshot wound showed up at the hospital, according to a social media report from Lawrence Police.

 The person who drove her left the car and took off on foot. Responding officers got a description of the man and quickly spotted him in Clinton Park,  where he again took off.  After a short foot chase, he was safely taken into custody in a parking lot near 6th and Maine.

The female victim was shot in the arm.  Her injuries were not life-threatening. Detectives with LKPD’s Investigations Unit were called in to talk to the man and try to piece together events that led up to the shooting. Police released no additional details including possible charges in the case.

DOUGLAS COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a shooting that sent a woman to the hospital over the. weekend in Lawrence.Just before midnight on Saturday, a&nbsp;woman with a gunshot wound showed up at the hospital, according to a social media report from Lawrence Police. The person who drove her left the car and took off on foot. Responding officers got a description of the man and quickly spotted him in Clinton Park, where he again took off. After a short foot chase, he was safely taken into custody in a parking lot near 6th and Maine.The female victim was shot in the arm. Her injuries were not life-threatening. Detectives with LKPD’s Investigations Unit were called in to talk to the man and try to piece together events that led up to the shooting. Police released no additional details including possible charges in the case.

Police: Woman with gunshot wound dropped off at Kansas hospital

JOHNSON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 8:30a.m. Monday in Johnson County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Sterling Dump Truck driven by Leslie L.&nbsp;Kendig, 68,&nbsp; Osawatomie, was northbound on Kansas 7 just south of College Boulevard in lane #2.&nbsp; The dump truck drifted into lane #1 and struck a trailer pulled by a Ford F350.&nbsp; The dump truck driver overcorrected to the right, entered the ditch and rolled.

Kendig was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the KHP. The pickup driver identified as Patrick E. Clement, 52, Lane, Kansas, was not injured. Both drivers were&nbsp;properly restrained, according to the KHP.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754330967759.png" alt="View near the crash scene -image KC Scout camera" />
 <figcaption>View near the crash scene -image KC Scout camera</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —One person died in an accident just after 8:30a.m. Monday in Johnson County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2004 Sterling Dump Truck driven by Leslie L.&nbsp;Kendig, 68,&nbsp; Osawatomie, was northbound on Kansas 7 just south of College Boulevard in lane #2.&nbsp; The dump truck drifted into lane #1 and struck a trailer pulled by a Ford F350.&nbsp; The dump truck driver overcorrected to the right, entered the ditch and rolled.Kendig was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the KHP. The pickup driver identified as Patrick E. Clement, 52, Lane, Kansas, was not injured. Both drivers were&nbsp;properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas man killed after dump truck overturns

President Trump, misspelled Sweeney’s first name. He said it was “the HOTTEST ad out there.”

<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">&quot;She&#39;s a registered Republican? Oh, now I love her ad. Is that right? You&#39;d be surprised at how many people are Republicans. That&#39;s one I wouldn&#39;t have known, but I&#39;m glad you told me that. If Sydney Sweeney is a registered Republican, I think her ad is fantastic.&quot; - Pres. Trump <a href="https://t.co/l4BA1sRe70">pic.twitter.com/l4BA1sRe70</a>&mdash; Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) <a href="https://twitter.com/HowardMortman/status/1952345996584759451?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 4, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>President Trump, misspelled Sweeney’s first name. He said it was “the HOTTEST ad out there.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-media-max-width="560">Trump on Sidney Sweeney <a href="https://t.co/Or1m3DAR9q">pic.twitter.com/Or1m3DAR9q</a>&mdash; Diana Nerozzi (@diana_nerozzi) <a href="https://twitter.com/diana_nerozzi/status/1952368664575098985?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 4, 2025</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>

🎥President Trump comments on Sydney Sweeney's jeans ad 

RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a theft from the Farmer's Market in Manhattan.

Just before 10a.m. on Friday, officers filed a report for theft in the 200 block of Poyntz Avenue in Manhattan, according to the Riley Police Department activity report.. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2025/8/1754322068838.png" alt="Photo courtesy Farmer's Market of Manhattan" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Farmer's Market of Manhattan</figcaption>
 </figure>RILEY COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating a theft from the Farmer's Market in Manhattan.Just before 10a.m. on Friday, officers filed a report for theft in the 200 block of Poyntz Avenue in Manhattan, according to the Riley Police Department activity report.. The Downtown Farmer’s Market of Manhattan reported a 46-year-old woman took money. The estimated total loss with this case is approximately $6,000.&nbsp; The RCPD released no additional details.