A condemned Arizona inmate gasped for more than an hour and a half during his execution Wednesday before he died in an episode sure to add to the scrutiny surrounding the death penalty in the U.S.

The Postal Service’s office of the inspector general suggests that post offices could fill a gap left by the dwindling number of bank branches in low-income rural areas and inner cities — while generating an estimated $8.9 billion in revenue.

At the mayor’s urging, the Kansas City Council’s public safety committee endorsed a measure that would ban people from openly carrying firearms in the city limits. The full council will consider the measure on July 31. But its long-term prospects are uncertain because of the Missouri General Assembly.

The order, issued March 23 by arbitrator Hollis Hanover, stems from a lawsuit filed three years ago alleging that the diocese and Bishop Robert Finn violated parts of a 2008 settlement. The issue that sparked the concerns was the diocese’s failure to immediately report the Rev. Shawn Ratigan after finding disturbing images of young girls on the priest’s laptop computer in late 2010.

Three historical legends have ties to the region, and area communities celebrate festivals in their honor. Enjoy a regional buffet of fun celebrating farming, food, art, music, history, ethnic cultures and so much more. These three are a mere sampling of the many events that will take place in the region this summer and fall as fair-and-festival season heats up.