WICHITA, Kan. (AP) — A retired firefighter who is charged with threatening to kidnap and kill the mayor of Wichita because he was upset about the city's mask ordinance had been texting an acquaintance on the city council for more than a month before his arrest, newly released court records show.

The document were released Tuesday in the case against 59-year-old Meredith Dowty, who was charged last week three counts of criminal threat. They say Wichita City Council member James Clendenin started receiving texts from Dowty on Sept. 9, when Dowty wrote that he wanted to know where the mayor eats,...