WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. will remove all its forces and equipment from a small base in Niger this weekend and fewer than 500 remaining troops will leave a critical drone base in the West African country in August, ahead of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-niger-military-base-withdrawal-sahel-russia-92af307c383c0d23e89d6e6f93ddd7da">a Sept. 15 deadline</a>&nbsp;set in an agreement with the new ruling junta, the American commander there said Friday.

Air Force Maj. Gen. Kenneth Ekman said in an interview that a number of small teams of 10-20 U.S. troops, including special operations forces, have moved to other countries in West Africa. But the bulk of the forces will go to Europe, at least initially.

Niger's ouster of American troops&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/niger-tensions-presidential-guard-96f8f63b838af5467d4c95ba7b998b32">following a coup last year</a>&nbsp;has broad ramifications for the U.S. because it is forcing troops to abandon the critical drone base that was used for counterterrorism missions in the Sahel, a vast region south of the Sahara desert where groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group operate.

Ekman and other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-africa-niger-chad-defense-brown-05cb62aff7faa0318f2e39290f708666">U.S. military leaders have said</a>&nbsp;other West African nations want to work with the U.S. and may be open to an expanded American presence. He did not detail the locations, but other U.S. officials have pointed to the Ivory Coast and Ghana as examples.

Ekman, who serves as the director for strategy at U.S. Africa Command, is leading&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-africa-niger-chad-defense-brown-05cb62aff7faa0318f2e39290f708666">the U.S. military withdrawal</a>&nbsp;from the small base at the airport in Niger's capital of Niamey and from the larger counterterrorism base in the city of Agadez. He said there will be a ceremony Sunday marking the completed pullout from the airport base, then the final 100 troops and the last C-17 transport aircraft will depart.

Under the junta agreement, two-thirds of U.S. troops and equipment must be out of the country by July 26, Ekman said. That deadline, which forced the Pentagon to move quickly, is a key reason why U.S. Africa Command will complete its withdrawal of all 1,000 troops from Niger early.

But it also leaves a counterterrorism gap that U.S. officials are struggling to fill as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/africa-niger-alqaida-islamic-state-26d23d581507515e96ff15bfdc96a60b">security threats from extremist groups in the Sahel grow</a>.

One of those groups, Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin, known as JNIM, is active in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger and is looking to expand into Benin and Togo. Those expansion locations could be used initially as hubs to rest, recuperate, get financing and gather weapons, according to U.S. officials, but the group also has increased attacks there.

“Niger was immensely helpful for us as a location because it was in the Sahel and it was adjacent to those areas where the threat is most concentrated,” Ekman said. Now, he said, the challenge is battling the insurgency while having to get access from outside Niger, which makes it more difficult.

He said other coastal West African nations are concerned about the Sahel-based threats and want to talk about how they can partner with American forces. Ekman added that the small teams of U.S. troops moving to other West African nations are not combat forces but advisers, as well as special operations, personnel recovery and intelligence and surveillance forces.

Talks with other nations continue, and Ekman said some may be interested but not ready to allow in more U.S. troops. One example, he said, is Togo, which is southwest of Niger on the coast.

“In Togo, what I find is a partner that is friendly to the U.S. but that right now is unresolved on the degree they want the presence of any additional U.S. military personnel there,” he said. “My assessment was, ‘Not yet.'”

Speaking to reporters from The Associated Press and Reuters from the U.S. embassy in Niamey, Ekman said that while portable buildings and vehicles that are no longer useful will be left behind when U.S. troops leave Niger, a lot of larger equipment will be pulled out. For example, he said 18 4,000-pound (1,800-kilograms) generators worth more than $1 million each will be taken out of Agadez.

Unlike the withdrawal from Afghanistan, he said the U.S. is not destroying equipment or facilities as it leaves.

“Our goal in the execution is, leave things in as good a state as possible,” he said. “If we went out and left it a wreck or we went out spitefully, or if we destroyed things as we went, we’d be foreclosing options” for future security relations.

Niger’s ruling junta ordered U.S. forces out of the country in the wake of last July’s ouster of the country’s democratically elected president by mutinous soldiers.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/france-niger-coup-military-withdrawal-bfa3afe3fdfa034dabe3dce265540411">French forces had also been asked to leave</a>&nbsp;as the junta turned to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wagner-russia-coup-niger-military-force-e0e1108b58a9e955af465a3efe6605c0">the Russian mercenary group Wagner</a>&nbsp;for security assistance.

Washington officially designated the military takeover as a coup in October, triggering U.S. laws restricting the military support and aid.

Ekman said he has been told that there are fewer than 100 Russian troops at the base near in Niamey and that once they are done training Niger troops, they will also leave the country.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720210727266.png" alt="Maj. Gen. Kenneth P. Ekman speaks in front of a "Welcome to Niamey" sign depicting U.S. military vehicles at Air Base 101 in Niger, May 30, 2024. As the Director of Strategy, Engagement and Programs for U.S. Africa Command, Ekman is coordinating the smooth transition of forces and gear out of Niger. This operation reflects the commitment to a safe, orderly, and responsible transition. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Christopher Dyer)" />
 <figcaption>Maj. Gen. Kenneth P. Ekman speaks in front of a "Welcome to Niamey" sign depicting U.S. military vehicles at Air Base 101 in Niger, May 30, 2024. As the Director of Strategy, Engagement and Programs for U.S. Africa Command, Ekman is coordinating the smooth transition of forces and gear out of Niger. This operation reflects the commitment to a safe, orderly, and responsible transition. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Christopher Dyer)</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. will remove all its forces and equipment from a small base in Niger this weekend and fewer than 500 remaining troops will leave a critical drone base in the West African country in August, ahead of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-niger-military-base-withdrawal-sahel-russia-92af307c383c0d23e89d6e6f93ddd7da">a Sept. 15 deadline</a>&nbsp;set in an agreement with the new ruling junta, the American commander there said Friday.Air Force Maj. Gen. Kenneth Ekman said in an interview that a number of small teams of 10-20 U.S. troops, including special operations forces, have moved to other countries in West Africa. But the bulk of the forces will go to Europe, at least initially.Niger's ouster of American troops&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/niger-tensions-presidential-guard-96f8f63b838af5467d4c95ba7b998b32">following a coup last year</a>&nbsp;has broad ramifications for the U.S. because it is forcing troops to abandon the critical drone base that was used for counterterrorism missions in the Sahel, a vast region south of the Sahara desert where groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group operate.Ekman and other&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-africa-niger-chad-defense-brown-05cb62aff7faa0318f2e39290f708666">U.S. military leaders have said</a>&nbsp;other West African nations want to work with the U.S. and may be open to an expanded American presence. He did not detail the locations, but other U.S. officials have pointed to the Ivory Coast and Ghana as examples.Ekman, who serves as the director for strategy at U.S. Africa Command, is leading&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-africa-niger-chad-defense-brown-05cb62aff7faa0318f2e39290f708666">the U.S. military withdrawal</a>&nbsp;from the small base at the airport in Niger's capital of Niamey and from the larger counterterrorism base in the city of Agadez. He said there will be a ceremony Sunday marking the completed pullout from the airport base, then the final 100 troops and the last C-17 transport aircraft will depart.Under the junta agreement, two-thirds of U.S. troops and equipment must be out of the country by July 26, Ekman said. That deadline, which forced the Pentagon to move quickly, is a key reason why U.S. Africa Command will complete its withdrawal of all 1,000 troops from Niger early.But it also leaves a counterterrorism gap that U.S. officials are struggling to fill as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/africa-niger-alqaida-islamic-state-26d23d581507515e96ff15bfdc96a60b">security threats from extremist groups in the Sahel grow</a>.One of those groups, Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin, known as JNIM, is active in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger and is looking to expand into Benin and Togo. Those expansion locations could be used initially as hubs to rest, recuperate, get financing and gather weapons, according to U.S. officials, but the group also has increased attacks there.“Niger was immensely helpful for us as a location because it was in the Sahel and it was adjacent to those areas where the threat is most concentrated,” Ekman said. Now, he said, the challenge is battling the insurgency while having to get access from outside Niger, which makes it more difficult.He said other coastal West African nations are concerned about the Sahel-based threats and want to talk about how they can partner with American forces. Ekman added that the small teams of U.S. troops moving to other West African nations are not combat forces but advisers, as well as special operations, personnel recovery and intelligence and surveillance forces.Talks with other nations continue, and Ekman said some may be interested but not ready to allow in more U.S. troops. One example, he said, is Togo, which is southwest of Niger on the coast.“In Togo, what I find is a partner that is friendly to the U.S. but that right now is unresolved on the degree they want the presence of any additional U.S. military personnel there,” he said. “My assessment was, ‘Not yet.'”Speaking to reporters from The Associated Press and Reuters from the U.S. embassy in Niamey, Ekman said that while portable buildings and vehicles that are no longer useful will be left behind when U.S. troops leave Niger, a lot of larger equipment will be pulled out. For example, he said 18 4,000-pound (1,800-kilograms) generators worth more than $1 million each will be taken out of Agadez.Unlike the withdrawal from Afghanistan, he said the U.S. is not destroying equipment or facilities as it leaves.“Our goal in the execution is, leave things in as good a state as possible,” he said. “If we went out and left it a wreck or we went out spitefully, or if we destroyed things as we went, we’d be foreclosing options” for future security relations.Niger’s ruling junta ordered U.S. forces out of the country in the wake of last July’s ouster of the country’s democratically elected president by mutinous soldiers.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/france-niger-coup-military-withdrawal-bfa3afe3fdfa034dabe3dce265540411">French forces had also been asked to leave</a>&nbsp;as the junta turned to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/wagner-russia-coup-niger-military-force-e0e1108b58a9e955af465a3efe6605c0">the Russian mercenary group Wagner</a>&nbsp;for security assistance.Washington officially designated the military takeover as a coup in October, triggering U.S. laws restricting the military support and aid.Ekman said he has been told that there are fewer than 100 Russian troops at the base near in Niamey and that once they are done training Niger troops, they will also leave the country.

US removing troops from bases in West African nation after coup

KANSAS CITY– Two women were indicted by a federal grand jury in June for sexually abusing two children to produce child pornography, according to the United State's Attorney.

Mallory Nicole Bunch, 40, and Jessica Nicole Pickett, 34, both of Strafford, Missouri were charged in a five-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield. The indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Pickett on June 11, 2024.

The indictment alleges that Mallory Bunch and Pickett participated in a conspiracy with Thomas Bunch (now deceased, formerly Mallory Bunch’s husband with whom they were involved in a polyamorous relationship) to sexually abuse two minor victims to produce child pornography from Sept. 2, 2016, to May 23, 2024.

According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, Mallory Bunch used her cell phone to record the sexual abuse of a child, identified as Minor Victim 1, at the request of Thomas Bunch. She allegedly sent videos of the sexual abuse to Thomas Bunch through text messages. In addition to the conspiracy, today’s indictment charges Mallory Bunch with one count of using Minor Victim 1 to produce child pornography and one count of distributing child pornography.

Pickett is also charged with one count of using a child victim, identified as Minor Victim 2, to produce child pornography and one count of transferring obscene matter to Minor Victim 1. According to the affidavit, Pickett shared with Minor Victim 1 an iCloud link that contained 376 images and two videos of the sexual activity of Mallory and Thomas Bunch and Pickett.

The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.

This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, and the Webster County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720300356065.png" alt="Pickett photo Greene Co." />
 <figcaption>Pickett photo Greene Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY– Two women were indicted by a federal grand jury in June for sexually abusing two children to produce child pornography, according to the United State's Attorney.Mallory Nicole Bunch, 40, and Jessica Nicole Pickett, 34, both of Strafford, Missouri were charged in a five-count indictment returned by a federal grand jury in Springfield. The indictment replaces a federal criminal complaint that was filed against Pickett on June 11, 2024.The indictment alleges that Mallory Bunch and Pickett participated in a conspiracy with Thomas Bunch (now deceased, formerly Mallory Bunch’s husband with whom they were involved in a polyamorous relationship) to sexually abuse two minor victims to produce child pornography from Sept. 2, 2016, to May 23, 2024.According to an affidavit filed in support of the original criminal complaint, Mallory Bunch used her cell phone to record the sexual abuse of a child, identified as Minor Victim 1, at the request of Thomas Bunch. She allegedly sent videos of the sexual abuse to Thomas Bunch through text messages. In addition to the conspiracy, today’s indictment charges Mallory Bunch with one count of using Minor Victim 1 to produce child pornography and one count of distributing child pornography.Pickett is also charged with one count of using a child victim, identified as Minor Victim 2, to produce child pornography and one count of transferring obscene matter to Minor Victim 1. According to the affidavit, Pickett shared with Minor Victim 1 an iCloud link that contained 376 images and two videos of the sexual activity of Mallory and Thomas Bunch and Pickett.The charges contained in this indictment are simply accusations, and not evidence of guilt. Evidence supporting the charges must be presented to a federal trial jury, whose duty is to determine guilt or innocence.This case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Stephanie L. Wan. It was investigated by the Greene County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department, Homeland Security Investigations, the Southwest Missouri Cyber Crimes Task Force, and the Webster County, Mo., Sheriff’s Department.

2 women accused of using children to produce child pornography

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man is going to prison for a deadly crash that killed a passenger in his vehicle in 2023.

On July 1, 24-year-old Harry Rediker was sentenced to&nbsp;22 years in prison for the death of&nbsp;38-year-old Lindsey Garmon of Wellington as he fled a traffic stop and crashed.

Just before 5:30 a.m. January 28, 2023, deputies attempted to stop a Hyundia Elantra for alleged traffic infractions on Kellogg Drive, according to Sheriff's Lt. Nathan Gibbs. The driver of the vehicle&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20054606">Harry Rediker 22,</a>&nbsp;Wichita,&nbsp; failed to stop and fled from deputies.

The Preliminary Investigation shows Rediker’s vehicle left the roadway at Hoover and Taft and struck a utility pole ending the pursuit.

EMS transported Rediker to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries. EMS also transported the passenger in the vehicle identified as 38-year-old Lindsey Garmon of Wellington to a local hospital with serious injuries and she later died.

<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20054606">Rediker was booked into the&nbsp;</a>Sedgwick County Jail on requested charges of 1st Degree Murder in commission of a felony, Interference with law enforcement officer: obstruct felony warrant service, flee and elude, and state parole violation.

Rediker has previous convictions for theft, criminal possession of a weapon and flee or attempt to elude law enforcement had had been reported as absconder on Jan. 9, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. The agency had issued a warrant for his arrest the day of the crash.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1675092662469.png" alt="Rediker-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Rediker-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man is going to prison for a deadly crash that killed a passenger in his vehicle in 2023.On July 1, 24-year-old Harry Rediker was sentenced to&nbsp;22 years in prison for the death of&nbsp;38-year-old Lindsey Garmon of Wellington as he fled a traffic stop and crashed.Just before 5:30 a.m. January 28, 2023, deputies attempted to stop a Hyundia Elantra for alleged traffic infractions on Kellogg Drive, according to Sheriff's Lt. Nathan Gibbs. The driver of the vehicle&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20054606">Harry Rediker 22,</a>&nbsp;Wichita,&nbsp; failed to stop and fled from deputies.The Preliminary Investigation shows Rediker’s vehicle left the roadway at Hoover and Taft and struck a utility pole ending the pursuit.EMS transported Rediker to a local hospital for treatment of minor injuries. EMS also transported the passenger in the vehicle identified as 38-year-old Lindsey Garmon of Wellington to a local hospital with serious injuries and she later died.<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20054606">Rediker was booked into the&nbsp;</a>Sedgwick County Jail on requested charges of 1st Degree Murder in commission of a felony, Interference with law enforcement officer: obstruct felony warrant service, flee and elude, and state parole violation.Rediker has previous convictions for theft, criminal possession of a weapon and flee or attempt to elude law enforcement had had been reported as absconder on Jan. 9, according to the Kansas Department of Corrections. The agency had issued a warrant for his arrest the day of the crash.

His passenger died when he fled Kan. traffic stop, crashed

KANSAS CITY (AP) — Residents of a small western Missouri town are saddened and angered after a police dog died in a hot car.

The dog named Horus died June 20 following an overnight shift, Police Chief David Vincent said. In a Facebook posting on Wednesday, Vincent said he couldn't discuss the circumstances of the dog's death while the Missouri State Highway Patrol conducts an investigation.

“Horus was a great asset to our department and the community,” Vincent wrote. “I trusted this K9 around my grandchildren and they adored him. I am upset and angry about what happened to Horus as everyone else is.”

Several residents of the town of 5,000 residents that sits about an hour's drive north of Kansas City posted that the person responsible for the dog's death should face criminal charges.

“The officer should be charged,” one man wrote. “Just as any member of the public would be if they had caused the dog’s death. No excuse at all.”

For now, Horus is buried in an unmarked gravesite. In another post, Vincent said an anonymous donor is buying a headstone. Vincent said city staff will maintain the site that will be “a place of honor.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720202220440.png" alt="Horus photo courtesy Savannah Police" />
 <figcaption>Horus photo courtesy Savannah Police</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — Residents of a small western Missouri town are saddened and angered after a police dog died in a hot car.The dog named Horus died June 20 following an overnight shift, Police Chief David Vincent said. In a Facebook posting on Wednesday, Vincent said he couldn't discuss the circumstances of the dog's death while the Missouri State Highway Patrol conducts an investigation.“Horus was a great asset to our department and the community,” Vincent wrote. “I trusted this K9 around my grandchildren and they adored him. I am upset and angry about what happened to Horus as everyone else is.”Several residents of the town of 5,000 residents that sits about an hour's drive north of Kansas City posted that the person responsible for the dog's death should face criminal charges.“The officer should be charged,” one man wrote. “Just as any member of the public would be if they had caused the dog’s death. No excuse at all.”For now, Horus is buried in an unmarked gravesite. In another post, Vincent said an anonymous donor is buying a headstone. Vincent said city staff will maintain the site that will be “a place of honor.”

Community angered over hot-car death of police dog

WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court's</a>&nbsp;ruling Monday in former President Donald Trump's 2020 election interference case makes it all but certain that the Republican will not face trial in Washington ahead of the November election.

The Supreme Court did not dismiss — as Trump had wanted —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">the indictment alleging</a>&nbsp;he illegally schemed to cling to power after he lost to President Joe Biden. But the ruling still amounts to a major victory for the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, whose legal strategy has focused on delaying the proceedings until after the election.

The timing of the trial matters because if Trump defeats Biden, he could appoint an attorney general who would seek the dismissal of this case and the other federal prosecutions he faces. Or Trump could potentially order a pardon for himself.

Trump posted in all capital letters on his social media network shortly after the decision was released: “BIG WIN FOR OUR CONSTITUTION AND DEMOCRACY. PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!”

In remarks Monday evening, Biden said the court had done a “terrible disservice” to the American people, who he says deserved to know the outcome of the case before they head to the polls.

“The American people will have to render a judgment about Donald Trump's behavior," Biden said. “The American people must decide whether Trump's assault on our democracy on Jan. 6 makes him unfit for public office.”

Here's a look at the ruling and what comes next:

The court’s conservative majority said former presidents have absolute immunity from prosecution for official acts that fall within their “exclusive sphere of constitutional authority" and are presumptively entitled to immunity for all official acts. They do not enjoy immunity for unofficial, or private, actions.

The ruling means that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b">special counsel Jack Smith</a>&nbsp;cannot proceed with significant allegations in the indictment — or must at least defend their use in future proceedings before the trial judge.

The justices, for instance, wiped out Smith’s use of allegations that Trump tried to use the investigative power of the Justice Department to undo the election results, holding that his communications with agency officials is plainly protected from prosecution.

The justices sent the case back to U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who must now “carefully analyze” whether other allegations involve official conduct for which the president would be immune from prosecution.

Among the issues for further analysis is Trump’s relentless&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pence-trump-january-6-capitol-riot-carlson-1e38cb44d55737031ca528b4f33aa1fb">badgering of then-Vice President Mike Pence</a>&nbsp;to not certify the electoral votes on Jan. 6, 2021. The justices said it was “ultimately the Government’s burden to rebut the presumption of immunity” in Trump’s interactions with Pence.

The order also directed additional analysis on the various posts on X, then known as Twitter, that Trump made — as well as a speech he delivered to supporters — in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">run-up to the riot at the U.S. Capitol.</a>&nbsp;Determining whether that communication represents official versus unofficial acts, the justices said, “may depend on the content and context of each" and thus needs more scrutiny.

The justices required fresh fact-finding on one of the more stunning allegations in the indictment — that Trump had participated in a scheme orchestrated by allies&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-jan-6-investigation-fake-electors-608932d4771f6e2e3c5efb3fdcd8fcce">to enlist slates of fraudulent electors in battleground states</a>&nbsp;won by Biden who would falsely attest that Trump had won in those states.

The Trump team had argued that the selection of alternate electors was in keeping with Trump’s presidential interest in the integrity and proper administration of the federal elections and cited as precedent an episode he said took place in the disputed election in 1876.

The Smith team, by contrast, portrayed the scheme as a purely private action that implicated no presidential responsibility.

The conservative justices in their majority opinion didn’t answer the question as to which side was right, instead saying that “determining whose characterization may be correct, and with respect to which conduct, requires a close analysis of the indictment’s extensive and interrelated allegations.”

Unlike Trump’s interactions with the Justice Department, the justices said, “this alleged conduct cannot be neatly categorized as falling within a particular Presidential function. The necessary analysis is instead fact specific, requiring assessment of numerous alleged interactions with a wide variety of state officials and private persons.”

The three liberal justices — Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson — sharply criticized the majority’s opinion in scathing dissents. Sotomayor gave a dramatic speech as she read her dissent from the bench, at times shaking her head and gritting her teeth as she said the conservative majority wrongly insulated the U.S. president as “a king above the law.”

“Ironic isn’t it? The man in charge of enforcing laws can now just break them," Sotomayor said.

The dissenting justices said the majority decision makes presidents immune from prosecution for acts such as ordering Navy seals to assassinate a political rival, organizing a military coup to hold onto power or accepting a bribe in exchange for a pardon.

“Even if these nightmare scenarios never play out, and I pray they never do, the damage has been done. The relationship between the President and the people he serves has shifted irrevocably. In every use of official power, the President is now a king above the law,” Sotomayor wrote.

In a separate dissenting opinion, Jackson said the majority’s ruling “breaks new and dangerous ground.”

“Stated simply: The Court has now declared for the first time in history that the most powerful official in the United States can (under circumstances yet to be fully determined) become a law unto himself,” Jackson wrote.

The majority opinion accused the liberal justices of “fear mongering” and striking a “tone of chilling doom that is wholly disproportionate to what the court actually does today.”

The case will now go back to Chutkan. The trial was supposed to have begun in March, but the case has been on hold since December to allow Trump to pursue his appeal. Chutkan had indicated at that time she would likely give the two sides at least three months to get ready for trial once the case returns to her court.

That had left the door open to the case potentially going to trial before the election if the Supreme Court — like the lower courts — had ruled that Trump was not immune from prosecution.

But the Supreme Court's ruling that Chutkan must conduct further analysis is expected tie the case up for months with legal wrangling over whether the actions in the indictment were official or unofficial.

Trump was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-deliberations-jury-testimony-verdict-85558c6d08efb434d05b694364470aa0">convicted in May of 34 felony counts</a>&nbsp;in his hush money trial in New York and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11. The falsifying business records charges are punishable by up to four years behind bars, but there's no guarantee Trump will get prison time. Other possibilities include fines or probation.

It seems almost certain that&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/index.html">Trump's two other criminal cases</a>&nbsp;will not go to trial before the election.

An appeals court recently halted Trump's Georgia 2020 election interference case while it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fani-willis-georgia-election-indictment-3c852370fe7888eaf331fb95dcf9f26f">reviews the lower court judge’s ruling</a>&nbsp;allowing Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to remain on the case. No trial date had been set in that case. Trump's lawyers have asserted presidential immunity in that case, though there's been no ruling.

Trump was supposed to stand trial starting in May in the other case brought by Smith, over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-indictment-classified-documents-miami-8315a5b23c18f27083ed64eef21efff3">classified documents found at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate after he left the White House</a>. But U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon canceled the trial date as the case got bogged down with legal issues. She has yet to schedule a new one. That case, too, involves a claim by the Trump team of immunity that prosecutors have disputed.

Last week,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-maralago-cannon-8f91da1d6983abdf304be657df3c5ec1">Cannon set the stage further delays</a>&nbsp;by agreeing to revisit a ruling by another judge that permitted crucial evidence related to allegations of obstruction of justice by Trump to be introduced into the case.

One of the arguments Cannon has entertained — that Smith was illegally appointed and that the case should be dismissed — got little traction with the Supreme Court.

A separate concurrence from Justice Clarence Thomas concluded that Smith's appointment was improper, but no other justice signed onto that.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1719877935206.png" alt="In remarks Monday evening, Biden said the court had done a “terrible disservice” to the American people. -image from the White House video" />
 <figcaption>In remarks Monday evening, Biden said the court had done a “terrible disservice” to the American people. -image from the White House video</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court's</a>&nbsp;ruling Monday in former President Donald Trump's 2020 election interference case makes it all but certain that the Republican will not face trial in Washington ahead of the November election.The Supreme Court did not dismiss — as Trump had wanted —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">the indictment alleging</a>&nbsp;he illegally schemed to cling to power after he lost to President Joe Biden. But the ruling still amounts to a major victory for the presumptive Republican presidential nominee, whose legal strategy has focused on delaying the proceedings until after the election.The timing of the trial matters because if Trump defeats Biden, he could appoint an attorney general who would seek the dismissal of this case and the other federal prosecutions he faces. Or Trump could potentially order a pardon for himself.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1719857571770.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Trump posted in all capital letters on his social media network shortly after the decision was released: “BIG WIN FOR OUR CONSTITUTION AND DEMOCRACY. PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN!”<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FWhiteHouse%2Fvideos%2F2453382978190567%2F&show_text=false&width=560&t=7" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>In remarks Monday evening, Biden said the court had done a “terrible disservice” to the American people, who he says deserved to know the outcome of the case before they head to the polls.“The American people will have to render a judgment about Donald Trump's behavior," Biden said. “The American people must decide whether Trump's assault on our democracy on Jan. 6 makes him unfit for public office.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1713814787472.png" alt="File photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>File photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>The timing of the trial matters because if Trump defeats Biden, he could appoint an attorney general who would seek the dismissal of this case and the other federal prosecutions he faces. Or Trump could potentially order a pardon for himself.Here's a look at the ruling and what comes next:_____<h2>THE OPINION</h2>The court’s conservative majority said former presidents have absolute immunity from prosecution for official acts that fall within their “exclusive sphere of constitutional authority" and are presumptively entitled to immunity for all official acts. They do not enjoy immunity for unofficial, or private, actions.The ruling means that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b">special counsel Jack Smith</a>&nbsp;cannot proceed with significant allegations in the indictment — or must at least defend their use in future proceedings before the trial judge.The justices, for instance, wiped out Smith’s use of allegations that Trump tried to use the investigative power of the Justice Department to undo the election results, holding that his communications with agency officials is plainly protected from prosecution.The justices sent the case back to U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who must now “carefully analyze” whether other allegations involve official conduct for which the president would be immune from prosecution.Among the issues for further analysis is Trump’s relentless&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pence-trump-january-6-capitol-riot-carlson-1e38cb44d55737031ca528b4f33aa1fb">badgering of then-Vice President Mike Pence</a>&nbsp;to not certify the electoral votes on Jan. 6, 2021. The justices said it was “ultimately the Government’s burden to rebut the presumption of immunity” in Trump’s interactions with Pence.The order also directed additional analysis on the various posts on X, then known as Twitter, that Trump made — as well as a speech he delivered to supporters — in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">run-up to the riot at the U.S. Capitol.</a>&nbsp;Determining whether that communication represents official versus unofficial acts, the justices said, “may depend on the content and context of each" and thus needs more scrutiny.<h2>THE FAKE ELECTORS SCHEME</h2>The justices required fresh fact-finding on one of the more stunning allegations in the indictment — that Trump had participated in a scheme orchestrated by allies&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-jan-6-investigation-fake-electors-608932d4771f6e2e3c5efb3fdcd8fcce">to enlist slates of fraudulent electors in battleground states</a>&nbsp;won by Biden who would falsely attest that Trump had won in those states.The Trump team had argued that the selection of alternate electors was in keeping with Trump’s presidential interest in the integrity and proper administration of the federal elections and cited as precedent an episode he said took place in the disputed election in 1876.The Smith team, by contrast, portrayed the scheme as a purely private action that implicated no presidential responsibility.The conservative justices in their majority opinion didn’t answer the question as to which side was right, instead saying that “determining whose characterization may be correct, and with respect to which conduct, requires a close analysis of the indictment’s extensive and interrelated allegations.”Unlike Trump’s interactions with the Justice Department, the justices said, “this alleged conduct cannot be neatly categorized as falling within a particular Presidential function. The necessary analysis is instead fact specific, requiring assessment of numerous alleged interactions with a wide variety of state officials and private persons.”<h2>THE DISSENTERS</h2>The three liberal justices — Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan and Ketanji Brown Jackson — sharply criticized the majority’s opinion in scathing dissents. Sotomayor gave a dramatic speech as she read her dissent from the bench, at times shaking her head and gritting her teeth as she said the conservative majority wrongly insulated the U.S. president as “a king above the law.”“Ironic isn’t it? The man in charge of enforcing laws can now just break them," Sotomayor said.The dissenting justices said the majority decision makes presidents immune from prosecution for acts such as ordering Navy seals to assassinate a political rival, organizing a military coup to hold onto power or accepting a bribe in exchange for a pardon.“Even if these nightmare scenarios never play out, and I pray they never do, the damage has been done. The relationship between the President and the people he serves has shifted irrevocably. In every use of official power, the President is now a king above the law,” Sotomayor wrote.In a separate dissenting opinion, Jackson said the majority’s ruling “breaks new and dangerous ground.”“Stated simply: The Court has now declared for the first time in history that the most powerful official in the United States can (under circumstances yet to be fully determined) become a law unto himself,” Jackson wrote.The majority opinion accused the liberal justices of “fear mongering” and striking a “tone of chilling doom that is wholly disproportionate to what the court actually does today.”<h2>WHAT COMES NEXT</h2>The case will now go back to Chutkan. The trial was supposed to have begun in March, but the case has been on hold since December to allow Trump to pursue his appeal. Chutkan had indicated at that time she would likely give the two sides at least three months to get ready for trial once the case returns to her court.That had left the door open to the case potentially going to trial before the election if the Supreme Court — like the lower courts — had ruled that Trump was not immune from prosecution.But the Supreme Court's ruling that Chutkan must conduct further analysis is expected tie the case up for months with legal wrangling over whether the actions in the indictment were official or unofficial.<h2>TRUMP'S OTHER CASES</h2>Trump was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-trial-deliberations-jury-testimony-verdict-85558c6d08efb434d05b694364470aa0">convicted in May of 34 felony counts</a>&nbsp;in his hush money trial in New York and is scheduled to be sentenced on July 11. The falsifying business records charges are punishable by up to four years behind bars, but there's no guarantee Trump will get prison time. Other possibilities include fines or probation.It seems almost certain that&nbsp;<a href="https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/trump-investigations-civil-criminal-tracker/index.html">Trump's two other criminal cases</a>&nbsp;will not go to trial before the election.An appeals court recently halted Trump's Georgia 2020 election interference case while it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-fani-willis-georgia-election-indictment-3c852370fe7888eaf331fb95dcf9f26f">reviews the lower court judge’s ruling</a>&nbsp;allowing Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis to remain on the case. No trial date had been set in that case. Trump's lawyers have asserted presidential immunity in that case, though there's been no ruling.Trump was supposed to stand trial starting in May in the other case brought by Smith, over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-justice-department-indictment-classified-documents-miami-8315a5b23c18f27083ed64eef21efff3">classified documents found at Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate after he left the White House</a>. But U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon canceled the trial date as the case got bogged down with legal issues. She has yet to schedule a new one. That case, too, involves a claim by the Trump team of immunity that prosecutors have disputed.Last week,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-maralago-cannon-8f91da1d6983abdf304be657df3c5ec1">Cannon set the stage further delays</a>&nbsp;by agreeing to revisit a ruling by another judge that permitted crucial evidence related to allegations of obstruction of justice by Trump to be introduced into the case.One of the arguments Cannon has entertained — that Smith was illegally appointed and that the case should be dismissed — got little traction with the Supreme Court.A separate concurrence from Justice Clarence Thomas concluded that Smith's appointment was improper, but no other justice signed onto that.

🎥 Closer look at Supreme Court's immunity ruling and what's next

FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an armed robbery and have a man with a history of crime in custody.

On May 4, police responded to an armed robbery at&nbsp;Joyeria America jewelry, 308 W. Fulton Street in Garden City where a man entered the business, held an employee at gunpoint, and stole property before fleeing the scene.

On July 1, police were dispatched to Tacos El Tapatio,&nbsp; 1203 E. Fulton Street for an armed robbery and learned that a suspect held employees and customers at gunpoint before leaving with an undisclosed amount of money. 

Through an investigation, 49-year-old Alberto Rincon was identified as the suspect responsible for both robberies.

On July 4, officers conducted a traffic stop on Rincon at the intersection of 8th and Campbell Streets in Garden City but Rincon refused to stop, and a police pursuit was initiated. 

The pursuit traveled east out of the city before ending at Hillcrest Road. Rincon then ran from the vehicle before being apprehended. Officers located a firearm and drugs on Rincon. 

There were no injuries reported from the pursuit, and the Finney County Sheriff’s Office and Kansas Highway Patrol assisted with the incident.

Rincon is being held on numerous requested charges including Aggravated Robbery, Flee and Elude, Interference LEO,&nbsp; Aggravated Assault LEO, Aggravated Battery, Possession of a Stimulant, Possession of a Hallucinogenic with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Paraphernalia, Criminal Possession of a Firearm by a Felon and Reckless Driving.

Rincon has previous convictions for aggravated battery, flee or attempt to elude police, criminal discharge of a firearm and&nbsp;Driving Suspended 3rd or subsequent conviction.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720206985607.png" alt="Rincon-photo Finney Co." />
 <figcaption>Rincon-photo Finney Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating an armed robbery and have a man with a history of crime in custody.On May 4, police responded to an armed robbery at&nbsp;Joyeria America jewelry, 308 W. Fulton Street in Garden City where a man entered the business, held an employee at gunpoint, and stole property before fleeing the scene.On July 1, police were dispatched to Tacos El Tapatio,&nbsp; 1203 E. Fulton Street for an armed robbery and learned that a suspect held employees and customers at gunpoint before leaving with an undisclosed amount of money. Through an investigation, 49-year-old Alberto Rincon was identified as the suspect responsible for both robberies.On July 4, officers conducted a traffic stop on Rincon at the intersection of 8th and Campbell Streets in Garden City but Rincon refused to stop, and a police pursuit was initiated. The pursuit traveled east out of the city before ending at Hillcrest Road. Rincon then ran from the vehicle before being apprehended. Officers located a firearm and drugs on Rincon. There were no injuries reported from the pursuit, and the Finney County Sheriff’s Office and Kansas Highway Patrol assisted with the incident.Rincon is being held on numerous requested charges including Aggravated Robbery, Flee and Elude, Interference LEO,&nbsp; Aggravated Assault LEO, Aggravated Battery, Possession of a Stimulant, Possession of a Hallucinogenic with Intent to Distribute, Possession of Paraphernalia, Criminal Possession of a Firearm by a Felon and Reckless Driving.Rincon has previous convictions for aggravated battery, flee or attempt to elude police, criminal discharge of a firearm and&nbsp;Driving Suspended 3rd or subsequent conviction.

Felon who held Kan. jewelry store staff at gunpoint captured

By MIKE COURSON Great Bend Post

A line of storms with high winds was predicted to move across Kansas in the final hours leading into the Fourth of July holiday Thursday. Even so, the images displayed on radar were not particularly threatening around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday night at Wilson Lake. Chase resident Mackenzie Oberle and family were staying in the Wheatgrass Campground in the Hell Creek area of the lake. Just as the storm arrived, she moved from her parents' camper to a truck just a few feet away.

"It felt like the wind had come up underneath the truck and picked it up," she said. "Something loud hit what I thought was the truck, but it hit the boat. I didn't think anything of it but I looked back and I could see my parents' camper flipped over sideways so I got out and called 911."

Oberle, who has ridden out other storms from inside a camper, said nothing seemed unusual about the storm as it came in. Winds estimated at 70 miles an hour hit the area just as the rain began. Several campers from the packed campgrounds were damaged. One camper near Oberle's truck was blown across the road and completely destroyed. Fortunately, its occupants were able to walk away.

"There wasn't a rhyme or reason why some blew over and some didn't," Oberle said. "There were tiny campers that didn't blow over, and there big, heavy campers that did blow over."

Oberle's parents were able to crawl out of their camper without injury. Three people were transported by Russell County EMS to Russell Regional Hospital with injuries. Christopher Montoya, 64, of Holyrood, was found deceased in the Hell Creek Area of the park.

The storm gained strength as it approached Russell late Wednesday, prompting the National Weather Service out of Wichita to issue a Severe Thunderstorm Warning shortly before 11:30 p.m. More warnings were later issued for Ellsworth and Rice counties. 

Torrential rain fell in a short period with more than an inch recorded in Great Bend, 2.06 inches reported in one location near Larned, and up to 1.90 inches reported near Little River. Most locations near Lawrence later reported more than two inches of rain. Most wind reports out of Ellsworth and Russell counties indicate gusts between 68 and 70 mph. Saline County reported the highest gust at 82 mph.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720195934565.jpeg" alt="Several campers at Lake Wilson were blown over by wind gusts shortly before midnight on July 3. Three people were transported to Russell Regional Hospital with injuries and a Holyrood man was found deceased. (photo courtesy of Mackenzie Oberle)" />
 <figcaption>Several campers at Lake Wilson were blown over by wind gusts shortly before midnight on July 3. Three people were transported to Russell Regional Hospital with injuries and a Holyrood man was found deceased. (photo courtesy of Mackenzie Oberle)</figcaption>
 </figure>By MIKE COURSON Great Bend PostA line of storms with high winds was predicted to move across Kansas in the final hours leading into the Fourth of July holiday Thursday. Even so, the images displayed on radar were not particularly threatening around 11:30 p.m. Wednesday night at Wilson Lake. Chase resident Mackenzie Oberle and family were staying in the Wheatgrass Campground in the Hell Creek area of the lake. Just as the storm arrived, she moved from her parents' camper to a truck just a few feet away."It felt like the wind had come up underneath the truck and picked it up," she said. "Something loud hit what I thought was the truck, but it hit the boat. I didn't think anything of it but I looked back and I could see my parents' camper flipped over sideways so I got out and called 911."<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720196040317.jpeg" alt="photo courtesy of Mackenzie Oberle" />
 <figcaption>photo courtesy of Mackenzie Oberle</figcaption>
 </figure>Oberle, who has ridden out other storms from inside a camper, said nothing seemed unusual about the storm as it came in. Winds estimated at 70 miles an hour hit the area just as the rain began. Several campers from the packed campgrounds were damaged. One camper near Oberle's truck was blown across the road and completely destroyed. Fortunately, its occupants were able to walk away."There wasn't a rhyme or reason why some blew over and some didn't," Oberle said. "There were tiny campers that didn't blow over, and there big, heavy campers that did blow over."Oberle's parents were able to crawl out of their camper without injury. Three people were transported by Russell County EMS to Russell Regional Hospital with injuries. Christopher Montoya, 64, of Holyrood, was found deceased in the Hell Creek Area of the park.The storm gained strength as it approached Russell late Wednesday, prompting the National Weather Service out of Wichita to issue a Severe Thunderstorm Warning shortly before 11:30 p.m. More warnings were later issued for Ellsworth and Rice counties. Torrential rain fell in a short period with more than an inch recorded in Great Bend, 2.06 inches reported in one location near Larned, and up to 1.90 inches reported near Little River. Most locations near Lawrence later reported more than two inches of rain. Most wind reports out of Ellsworth and Russell counties indicate gusts between 68 and 70 mph. Saline County reported the highest gust at 82 mph.

Family escapes injury despite camper overturned in storm at Wilson Lake 

KANSAS CITY —Emergency crews rescued four people who were stranded in flood waters south of Kansas City.

Just after 9 p.m. Thursday, the Cass County Sheriff's Office was dispatched to the area of Purvis Road. north of 203rd Street in Pleasant Hill, according to a media release.

Four people on a UTV were trapped in floodwater. The Cass County Sheriff's Office Disaster Emergency Response Team arrived to conduct a water rescue operation. The team used a rescue boat to recover the four people.

The group had been trapped in the water approximately a half mile from the nearest access point for almost two hours. 

By 10:45 p.m., the people were rescued and reunited with family members.The Pleasant Hill Police Department, Pleasant Hill Fire Department and Missouri State Highway Patrol assisted in this effort.

KANSAS CITY —Emergency crews rescued four people who were stranded in flood waters south of Kansas City.Just after 9 p.m. Thursday, the Cass County Sheriff's Office was dispatched to the area of Purvis Road. north of 203rd Street in Pleasant Hill, according to a media release.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=476&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fcassmosheriff%2Fvideos%2F493613200018910%2F&show_text=false&width=476&t=1" width="476" height="476" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Four people on a UTV were trapped in floodwater. The Cass County Sheriff's Office Disaster Emergency Response Team arrived to conduct a water rescue operation. The team used a rescue boat to recover the four people.The group had been trapped in the water approximately a half mile from the nearest access point for almost two hours. By 10:45 p.m., the people were rescued and reunited with family members.The Pleasant Hill Police Department, Pleasant Hill Fire Department and Missouri State Highway Patrol assisted in this effort.

🎥Crews rescue four stranded in floodwaters south of Kansas City

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — President Joe Biden,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-election-trump-debate-democrats-withdraw-campaign-8866379e91fdb1425bbd2eb5344655c5">fighting</a>&nbsp;to save his endangered reelection effort, used a highly anticipated TV interview Friday to repeatedly reject taking an independent medical evaluation that would show voters he is up for serving another term in office while blaming his disastrous debate performance on a “bad episode” and saying there were “no indications of any serious condition."

“Look, I have a cognitive test every single day,” Biden told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, referring to the tasks he faces daily in a rigorous job. “Every day, I have that test. Everything I do. You know, not only am I campaigning, but I’m running the world.”

The 81-year-old Biden made it through the 22-minute interview without any major blunders that would inflict further damage to his imperiled candidacy, but it appeared unlikely to fully tamp down concerns about his age and fitness for another four years and his ability to defeat Donald Trump in November.

It left Biden in a standoff against a not-insignificant faction of his party with four months to go until Election Day, and with just weeks until the Democratic National Convention. The drawn-out spectacle could benefit Biden’s efforts to remain in the race by limiting the party’s options to replace him. But it also could be a distraction from vital efforts to frame the 2024 race as a referendum on Trump.

During the interview, Biden insisted he was not more frail than earlier in his presidency. He said he undergoes “ongoing assessment” by his personal doctors and they “don't hesitate to tell me” if something is wrong.

“Can I run the 100 in 10 flat? No. But I’m still in good shape,” Biden said.

As for the debate, “I didn’t listen to my instincts in terms of preparing,” Biden said.

Biden suggested that Trump’s disruptions — from just a few feet away — had flustered him: “I realized that, even when I was answering a question and they turned his mic off, he was still shouting and I let it distract me. I’m not blaming it on that. But I realized that I just wasn’t in control.”

At times, Biden rambled during the interview, which ABC said aired in full and without edits. At one point, he started to explain his debate performance, then veered to a New York Times poll, then pivoted to the lies Trump told during the debate. Biden also referred to the midterm “red wave” as occurring in 2020, rather than 2022.

Asked how he might turn the race around, Biden argued that one key would be large and energetic rallies like the one he held Friday in Wisconsin. When reminded that Trump routinely draws larger crowds, the president laid into his opponent.

“Trump is a pathological liar,” Biden said, accusing Trump of bungling the federal response to the COVID pandemic and failing to create jobs. “You ever see something that Trump did that benefited someone else and not him?”

Biden also insisted he was the “most qualified” to lead Democrats against Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.

The interview, paired with a weekend campaign in battleground Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, was part of Biden's rigorous effort to course correct from his rocky debate performance. But internal party frustrations continue to fester, with one influential Democratic senator working on a nascent push to encourage the president to exit the race and Democrats quietly chatting about where they would go next if the president drops out — or what it would mean if he stays in.

“It’s President Biden’s decision whether or not he remains in the race. Voters select our nominee and they chose him," said California Rep. Ro Khanna, a member of the Biden campaign's national advisory board that works as a gathering of his top surrogates. "Now, he needs to prove to those voters that he is up to the job and that will require more than just this one interview.”

One Democrat who watched said they found Biden to be still shaky under controlled conditions and predicted more will call on him to leave the race.

Still, in Wisconsin, Biden was focused on proving his capacity to serve another term. When asked whether he would halt his campaign, he told reporters he was “completely ruling that out” and said he is “positive” he could serve another four years. At a rally in front of hundreds of supporters he acknowledged his subpar debate performance but insisted, “I am running, and I'm going to win again.”

“I beat Donald Trump,” a forceful Biden said, as the crowd gathered in a middle school cheered and waved campaign signs. “I will beat him again.”

While private angst among Democratic lawmakers, donors and strategists has been running deep since the debate, most in the party have held public fire as they wait to see if the president can restore confidence with his weekend travel and his handling of the interview.

To that end, Sen. Mark Warner reached out to fellow senators throughout this week to discuss whether to ask Biden to exit the race, according to three people familiar with the effort who requested anonymity to talk about private conversations. The Virginia Democrat’s moves are notable given his chairmanship of the Senate Intelligence Committee and his reputation as a lawmaker who is supportive of Biden and has working relationships with colleagues in both parties. Warner’s effort was first reported by The Washington Post.

The strategy remains fluid. One of the people with knowledge of Warner's effort said there are enough Senate Democrats concerned enough about Biden's capacity to run for reelection to take some sort of action, although there was yet no consensus on what that plan would be. Some of the Democratic senators could meet as soon as Monday on how to move forward.

The top Democrats on House committees are planning to meet virtually Sunday to discuss the situation, according to a person familiar with the gathering granted anonymity to talk about it.

At least four House Democrats have called for Biden to step down as the nominee. While not going that far, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said in a carefully worded statement Friday that Biden now has a decision to make on “the best way forward.”

“I urge him to listen to the American people and carefully evaluate whether he remains our best hope to defeat Donald Trump,” Healey said.

In the interview, Biden was asked how he might be persuaded to leave the race. He laughed and replied, “If the Lord Almighty comes down and tells me that, I might do that.”

There were also a few signs of discontent at Biden's campaign rally Friday, with one person onstage waving a sign that read “Pass the torch Joe” as the president came out. His motorcade was also greeted at the middle school by a few people urging him to move on.

But Rebecca Green, a 52-year-old environmental scientist from Madison, said she found Biden’s energy reassuring. “We were just waiting for him to come out strong and fighting again, the way we know he is."

Many Democratic lawmakers, who are hearing from constituents at home during the holiday week, are deeply frustrated and split on whether Biden should stay or go. Privately, discussions among the House Democrats flared this week as word spread that some of them were drafting public letters suggesting the president should quit the race.

Biden appears to have pulled his family closer while attempting to prove that he's still the Democrats' best option.

The ubiquitous presence of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hunter-biden">Hunter Biden</a>&nbsp;in the West Wing since the debate has become an uncomfortable dynamic for many staffers, according to two Democrats close to the White House who requested anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter.

For many staffers, the sight of Hunter Biden, just weeks after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-gun-trial-federal-charges-delaware-5dd8a9380235c6360a1ddb691ef24a06">his conviction on felony gun charges</a>, taking a larger role in advising his father has been unsettling and a questionable choice, they said.

In a hastily organized gathering with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/president-joe-biden-white-house-jeff-zients-7794155c12bc78c084e4b964545e2b7f">more than 20 Democratic governors</a>&nbsp;Wednesday evening, Biden acknowledged he needs to sleep more and limit evening events so he can be rested for the job. In trying to explain away those comments, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stressed that Biden “works around the clock” but that he “also recognizes the importance of striking a balance and taking care of himself.”

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who attended the meeting, said Biden “certainly engaged with us on complicated matters.”

“But then again, this is something that he needs to not just reassure Democratic governors on, but he needs to reassure the American people," Beshear said.

Kim reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Todd Richmond in Madison, Joey Cappelletti in Saugatuck, Michigan, Dylan Lovan in Louisville, Kentucky, and Will Weissert, Zeke Miller, Mary Clare Jalonick, Aamer Madhani, Lisa Mascaro and Josh Boak in Washington contributed to this report.

MADISON, Wis. (AP) — President Joe Biden,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-election-trump-debate-democrats-withdraw-campaign-8866379e91fdb1425bbd2eb5344655c5">fighting</a>&nbsp;to save his endangered reelection effort, used a highly anticipated TV interview Friday to repeatedly reject taking an independent medical evaluation that would show voters he is up for serving another term in office while blaming his disastrous debate performance on a “bad episode” and saying there were “no indications of any serious condition."<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">When I first ran for president, I wanted to do three things: restore some decency to the office, restore support for the middle class instead of trickle-down economics, and unite our country. We were told it couldn’t be done. But we got it done. <a href="https://t.co/nIUiwBVy8G">pic.twitter.com/nIUiwBVy8G</a>&mdash; Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1809382384007008585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“Look, I have a cognitive test every single day,” Biden told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos, referring to the tasks he faces daily in a rigorous job. “Every day, I have that test. Everything I do. You know, not only am I campaigning, but I’m running the world.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I’m optimistic about this country. I don’t think we’re a country of losers like Donald Trump says. We’ve made great progress. We can do this. <a href="https://t.co/AdtsK9omSU">pic.twitter.com/AdtsK9omSU</a>&mdash; Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1809382839957311797?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">President Biden in Madison, WI: &quot;They&#39;re trying to push me out of the race. Well, let me say this as clearly as I can; I&#39;m staying in the race! I&#39;ll beat Donald Trump. I will beat him again in 2020 and by the way we&#39;re&#39; going to do it again in 2024.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/T1xJ7NAThj">pic.twitter.com/T1xJ7NAThj</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1809367605334966587?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The 81-year-old Biden made it through the 22-minute interview without any major blunders that would inflict further damage to his imperiled candidacy, but it appeared unlikely to fully tamp down concerns about his age and fitness for another four years and his ability to defeat Donald Trump in November.It left Biden in a standoff against a not-insignificant faction of his party with four months to go until Election Day, and with just weeks until the Democratic National Convention. The drawn-out spectacle could benefit Biden’s efforts to remain in the race by limiting the party’s options to replace him. But it also could be a distraction from vital efforts to frame the 2024 race as a referendum on Trump.During the interview, Biden insisted he was not more frail than earlier in his presidency. He said he undergoes “ongoing assessment” by his personal doctors and they “don't hesitate to tell me” if something is wrong.“Can I run the 100 in 10 flat? No. But I’m still in good shape,” Biden said.As for the debate, “I didn’t listen to my instincts in terms of preparing,” Biden said.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Let me say this as clearly as I can: I’m the sitting President of the United States. I’m the nominee of the Democratic party. I’m staying in the race.&mdash; Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) <a href="https://twitter.com/JoeBiden/status/1809310761933525304?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 5, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Biden suggested that Trump’s disruptions — from just a few feet away — had flustered him: “I realized that, even when I was answering a question and they turned his mic off, he was still shouting and I let it distract me. I’m not blaming it on that. But I realized that I just wasn’t in control.”At times, Biden rambled during the interview, which ABC said aired in full and without edits. At one point, he started to explain his debate performance, then veered to a New York Times poll, then pivoted to the lies Trump told during the debate. Biden also referred to the midterm “red wave” as occurring in 2020, rather than 2022.Asked how he might turn the race around, Biden argued that one key would be large and energetic rallies like the one he held Friday in Wisconsin. When reminded that Trump routinely draws larger crowds, the president laid into his opponent.“Trump is a pathological liar,” Biden said, accusing Trump of bungling the federal response to the COVID pandemic and failing to create jobs. “You ever see something that Trump did that benefited someone else and not him?”Biden also insisted he was the “most qualified” to lead Democrats against Trump, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee.The interview, paired with a weekend campaign in battleground Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, was part of Biden's rigorous effort to course correct from his rocky debate performance. But internal party frustrations continue to fester, with one influential Democratic senator working on a nascent push to encourage the president to exit the race and Democrats quietly chatting about where they would go next if the president drops out — or what it would mean if he stays in.“It’s President Biden’s decision whether or not he remains in the race. Voters select our nominee and they chose him," said California Rep. Ro Khanna, a member of the Biden campaign's national advisory board that works as a gathering of his top surrogates. "Now, he needs to prove to those voters that he is up to the job and that will require more than just this one interview.”One Democrat who watched said they found Biden to be still shaky under controlled conditions and predicted more will call on him to leave the race.Still, in Wisconsin, Biden was focused on proving his capacity to serve another term. When asked whether he would halt his campaign, he told reporters he was “completely ruling that out” and said he is “positive” he could serve another four years. At a rally in front of hundreds of supporters he acknowledged his subpar debate performance but insisted, “I am running, and I'm going to win again.”“I beat Donald Trump,” a forceful Biden said, as the crowd gathered in a middle school cheered and waved campaign signs. “I will beat him again.”While private angst among Democratic lawmakers, donors and strategists has been running deep since the debate, most in the party have held public fire as they wait to see if the president can restore confidence with his weekend travel and his handling of the interview.To that end, Sen. Mark Warner reached out to fellow senators throughout this week to discuss whether to ask Biden to exit the race, according to three people familiar with the effort who requested anonymity to talk about private conversations. The Virginia Democrat’s moves are notable given his chairmanship of the Senate Intelligence Committee and his reputation as a lawmaker who is supportive of Biden and has working relationships with colleagues in both parties. Warner’s effort was first reported by The Washington Post.The strategy remains fluid. One of the people with knowledge of Warner's effort said there are enough Senate Democrats concerned enough about Biden's capacity to run for reelection to take some sort of action, although there was yet no consensus on what that plan would be. Some of the Democratic senators could meet as soon as Monday on how to move forward.The top Democrats on House committees are planning to meet virtually Sunday to discuss the situation, according to a person familiar with the gathering granted anonymity to talk about it.At least four House Democrats have called for Biden to step down as the nominee. While not going that far, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey said in a carefully worded statement Friday that Biden now has a decision to make on “the best way forward.”“I urge him to listen to the American people and carefully evaluate whether he remains our best hope to defeat Donald Trump,” Healey said.In the interview, Biden was asked how he might be persuaded to leave the race. He laughed and replied, “If the Lord Almighty comes down and tells me that, I might do that.”There were also a few signs of discontent at Biden's campaign rally Friday, with one person onstage waving a sign that read “Pass the torch Joe” as the president came out. His motorcade was also greeted at the middle school by a few people urging him to move on.But Rebecca Green, a 52-year-old environmental scientist from Madison, said she found Biden’s energy reassuring. “We were just waiting for him to come out strong and fighting again, the way we know he is."Many Democratic lawmakers, who are hearing from constituents at home during the holiday week, are deeply frustrated and split on whether Biden should stay or go. Privately, discussions among the House Democrats flared this week as word spread that some of them were drafting public letters suggesting the president should quit the race.Biden appears to have pulled his family closer while attempting to prove that he's still the Democrats' best option.The ubiquitous presence of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/hunter-biden">Hunter Biden</a>&nbsp;in the West Wing since the debate has become an uncomfortable dynamic for many staffers, according to two Democrats close to the White House who requested anonymity to discuss the sensitive matter.For many staffers, the sight of Hunter Biden, just weeks after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-gun-trial-federal-charges-delaware-5dd8a9380235c6360a1ddb691ef24a06">his conviction on felony gun charges</a>, taking a larger role in advising his father has been unsettling and a questionable choice, they said.In a hastily organized gathering with&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/president-joe-biden-white-house-jeff-zients-7794155c12bc78c084e4b964545e2b7f">more than 20 Democratic governors</a>&nbsp;Wednesday evening, Biden acknowledged he needs to sleep more and limit evening events so he can be rested for the job. In trying to explain away those comments, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stressed that Biden “works around the clock” but that he “also recognizes the importance of striking a balance and taking care of himself.”Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, who attended the meeting, said Biden “certainly engaged with us on complicated matters.”“But then again, this is something that he needs to not just reassure Democratic governors on, but he needs to reassure the American people," Beshear said.___Kim reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Todd Richmond in Madison, Joey Cappelletti in Saugatuck, Michigan, Dylan Lovan in Louisville, Kentucky, and Will Weissert, Zeke Miller, Mary Clare Jalonick, Aamer Madhani, Lisa Mascaro and Josh Boak in Washington contributed to this report.

🎥 Biden discusses age questions in TV interview as he fights to stay in race

JOHNSON COUNTY —A woman involved in a deadly crash during a police chase is going to prison.

Last week, Shyanne Canady, 23, was sentenced to 10-years in prison, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.

In May she pleaded guilty to aggravated battery and second-degree murder, according to the District Attorney office. The incident involved a deadly crash that began as a shoplifting incident in Overland Park.

In November 2023, police responded to a reported theft in progress in the 7900 block of W. 160th Street, according to Overland Park Police.

Officers identified the suspect vehicle and initiated a pursuit after the suspects refused to comply with commands to stop. The pursuit continued onto northbound Blue Valley Parkway from U.S. 69 Highway.

The driver of the suspect vehicle disregarded a red traffic signal and collided with a westbound car on Blue Valley Parkway at W. 119th Street. One of the women in the suspect's vehicle later died from injuries.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1714830968454.png" alt="Canady- photo Johnson Co." />
 <figcaption>Canady- photo Johnson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JOHNSON COUNTY —A woman involved in a deadly crash during a police chase is going to prison.Last week, Shyanne Canady, 23, was sentenced to 10-years in prison, according to the Johnson County District Attorney's office.In May she pleaded guilty to aggravated battery and second-degree murder, according to the District Attorney office. The incident involved a deadly crash that began as a shoplifting incident in Overland Park.In November 2023, police responded to a reported theft in progress in the 7900 block of W. 160th Street, according to Overland Park Police.Officers identified the suspect vehicle and initiated a pursuit after the suspects refused to comply with commands to stop. The pursuit continued onto northbound Blue Valley Parkway from U.S. 69 Highway.The driver of the suspect vehicle disregarded a red traffic signal and collided with a westbound car on Blue Valley Parkway at W. 119th Street. One of the women in the suspect's vehicle later died from injuries.

Kan. shoplifter involved in fatal crash is going to prison

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly 4th of July shooting in Kansas City. Just before 3:00pm police responded to a shooting in the 2200 block of E. 69th Terrace, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.

First responders located a victim unresponsive on the sidewalk in front of a home.  He was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;

An investigation determined the man who died had an interaction with one or more unknown suspects that resulted in gunfire.

Police have not reported an arrest or released suspect information.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720133624393.png" alt="Photos Sheriff Daryle Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photos Sheriff Daryle Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a deadly 4th of July shooting in Kansas City. Just before 3:00pm police responded to a shooting in the 2200 block of E. 69th Terrace, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720133597687.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>First responders located a victim unresponsive on the sidewalk in front of a home. He was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp;An investigation determined the man who died had an interaction with one or more unknown suspects that resulted in gunfire.Police have not reported an arrest or released suspect information.&nbsp;

Sheriff: Deadly 4th of July shooting in Kansas City

COWLEY COUNTY— A Kansas man was arrested after a crash into a home just before 10p.m. Wednesday in Cowley County.

According to Arkansas City Police, a&nbsp;vehicle driven by 22-year-old Anthony Perez-Hernandez had gone through the stop sign at the intersection of North 2nd Streed and Kansas Avenue in Arkansas City and collided with the home in the 200 Block of W. Kansas Avenue.

&nbsp;Perez-Hernandez exhibited signs of alcohol impairment. Standardized field sobriety tests were administered, revealing further clues of impairment.

Police transported Perez-Hernandez to the Arkansas City Police Department for additional testing. Following the tests, he was taken to the Cowley County Jail on requested charges of driving under the influence of alcohol, lack of proof of insurance, transporting an open container and reckless driving. 

His bond was set for $750. The passenger in the vehicle, Pedro Marcos Pascual, was found in possession of an open container and was cited and released for this violation.&nbsp; There were no injuries from the crash and Arkansas City Fire/EMS Department assessed the structural integrity of the home.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720187003635.png" alt="Photos Arkansas City Police" />
 <figcaption>Photos Arkansas City Police</figcaption>
 </figure>COWLEY COUNTY— A Kansas man was arrested after a crash into a home just before 10p.m. Wednesday in Cowley County.According to Arkansas City Police, a&nbsp;vehicle driven by 22-year-old Anthony Perez-Hernandez had gone through the stop sign at the intersection of North 2nd Streed and Kansas Avenue in Arkansas City and collided with the home in the 200 Block of W. Kansas Avenue.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720186982642.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp;Perez-Hernandez exhibited signs of alcohol impairment. Standardized field sobriety tests were administered, revealing further clues of impairment.Police transported Perez-Hernandez to the Arkansas City Police Department for additional testing. Following the tests, he was taken to the Cowley County Jail on requested charges of driving under the influence of alcohol, lack of proof of insurance, transporting an open container and reckless driving. His bond was set for $750. The passenger in the vehicle, Pedro Marcos Pascual, was found in possession of an open container and was cited and released for this violation.&nbsp; There were no injuries from the crash and Arkansas City Fire/EMS Department assessed the structural integrity of the home.

Police  DUI crash into house put Kansas man in jail

The merger between the Missouri community hospital and Kansas academic health center was met with resistance by some state lawmakers

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/allison-kite/">ALLISON KITE</a>&nbsp;-&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

Despite resistance from lawmakers in both Kansas and Missouri, Liberty Hospital has officially joined the University of Kansas Health System, executives announced Monday.

Leaders of the health system announced the completion of the merger Monday in a short video Monday alongside the CEO of Liberty Hospital, located in the Kansas City suburbs north of the Missouri River.

Liberty’s leadership began looking in May 2023 to partner with another health system to help the hospital meet growing demand. It announced in October that it had chosen the University of Kansas.&nbsp;

Raghu Adiga — who served as Liberty Hospital’s CEO and now is CEO of the Liberty market for KU —&nbsp;said the hospital’s board of trustees evaluated more than 30 potential partners. He said he’s “more than convinced” merging with the Kansas hospital system was the right decision.

“We share a commitment to putting patients first,” Adiga said. “We prioritize our people and believe in providing high quality care close to home. To have a strong community, we need to have strong healthcare. We believe this relationship not only strengthens Liberty Hospital, but the Liberty community and the entire Northland.”&nbsp;

Tammy Peterman, president of KU Health’s Kansas City Division, said about 35% of the health system’s patients currently come from Missouri, and KU already has clinics in the state.&nbsp;

“We knew eventually we would need a way to care for more patients in Missouri and the Northland to keep care close to home,” Peterman said. “…So today is a big milestone for us as well: our very first hospital in Missouri.”&nbsp;

Health system leaders did not take questions from journalists following the press conference. Asked about the terms of the deal, a spokeswoman for KU said in an email that the health system’s leaders are “celebrating the next couple of days” and were not available to comment.

KU and Liberty’s merger was met with disdain from some lawmakers in both Kansas and Missouri. Former-Missouri Sen. Greg Razer, a Kansas City Democrat, pushed&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/12/missouri-lawmakers-debate-blocking-university-of-kansas-deal-with-liberty-hospital/">legislation earlier this year to block the deal</a>, calling it “mind boggling” and saying the&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/12/11/university-of-kansas-deal-with-missouri-hospital-feels-terribly-wrong-to-lawmakers/" target="_blank">idea of a Kansas health system owning a Missouri hospital felt</a>&nbsp;“terribly wrong.”&nbsp;

But supporters of the deal argued Liberty needed a larger hospital partner to be able to grow and make investments in its facilities. A Liberty board member told lawmakers this spring that if the hospital didn’t merge with KU, it could be purchased by a for-profit chain and stop offering some of its services, becoming “little bit more than a triage center.”&nbsp;

Bob Page, president and CEO of the University of Kansas Health System, said it’s “incredibly difficult in health care today to remain a completely independent hospital” like Liberty.

“They found a new path forward to ensure they could continue to deliver high quality care in the Northland for generations to come,” Page said. “By becoming part of this health system, they will be able to offer some of the most advanced treatments and expertise anywhere in the country.”

Razer’s legislation made it out of a Senate committee but never received a floor vote.&nbsp;

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey also opposed the merger, writing in a letter to Senate leadership in January that the deal was illegal unless the Missouri General Assembly signed off on it. An attorney for Liberty said, however, that the deal was structured to comply with state laws.&nbsp;

Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson, a Republican from Andover, expressed frustration about the merger in a committee meeting in November, saying struggling hospitals in Kansas could have benefitted from a partnership with KU.

And Kansas Sen. J.R. Claeys, a Salina Republican, filed legislation that would have required KU get permission from the Kansas Legislature before entering a deal that involves acquiring, building, repairing or improving property outside of Kansas. The bill never got a hearing.

In the meantime, the systems were working toward a finalized deal that is expected to include investment in Liberty’s facilities.&nbsp;

Peterman said over the coming months, KU leadership will learn more about how Liberty operates and how it can be best integrated into the health system.&nbsp;

“This includes everything from inpatient and ambulatory care to supply chain and branding,” she said. “Ultimately, we want to ensure we are one health system offering a seamless and consistent patient experience.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1719948777383.png" alt="The University of Kansas Health System, which has its primary location in Kansas City, Kansas, has entered a partnership Liberty Hospital in Missouri. News of the deal last fall sparked discontent among some state lawmakers. (Allison Kite/Missouri Independent)" />
 <figcaption>The University of Kansas Health System, which has its primary location in Kansas City, Kansas, has entered a partnership Liberty Hospital in Missouri. News of the deal last fall sparked discontent among some state lawmakers. (Allison Kite/Missouri Independent)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>The merger between the Missouri community hospital and Kansas academic health center was met with resistance by some state lawmakers</h2>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/allison-kite/">ALLISON KITE</a>&nbsp;-&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>Despite resistance from lawmakers in both Kansas and Missouri, Liberty Hospital has officially joined the University of Kansas Health System, executives announced Monday.Leaders of the health system announced the completion of the merger Monday in a short video Monday alongside the CEO of Liberty Hospital, located in the Kansas City suburbs north of the Missouri River.Liberty’s leadership began looking in May 2023 to partner with another health system to help the hospital meet growing demand. It announced in October that it had chosen the University of Kansas.&nbsp;Raghu Adiga — who served as Liberty Hospital’s CEO and now is CEO of the Liberty market for KU —&nbsp;said the hospital’s board of trustees evaluated more than 30 potential partners. He said he’s “more than convinced” merging with the Kansas hospital system was the right decision.“We share a commitment to putting patients first,” Adiga said. “We prioritize our people and believe in providing high quality care close to home. To have a strong community, we need to have strong healthcare. We believe this relationship not only strengthens Liberty Hospital, but the Liberty community and the entire Northland.”&nbsp;Tammy Peterman, president of KU Health’s Kansas City Division, said about 35% of the health system’s patients currently come from Missouri, and KU already has clinics in the state.&nbsp;“We knew eventually we would need a way to care for more patients in Missouri and the Northland to keep care close to home,” Peterman said. “…So today is a big milestone for us as well: our very first hospital in Missouri.”&nbsp;Health system leaders did not take questions from journalists following the press conference. Asked about the terms of the deal, a spokeswoman for KU said in an email that the health system’s leaders are “celebrating the next couple of days” and were not available to comment.KU and Liberty’s merger was met with disdain from some lawmakers in both Kansas and Missouri. Former-Missouri Sen. Greg Razer, a Kansas City Democrat, pushed&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/02/12/missouri-lawmakers-debate-blocking-university-of-kansas-deal-with-liberty-hospital/">legislation earlier this year to block the deal</a>, calling it “mind boggling” and saying the&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/12/11/university-of-kansas-deal-with-missouri-hospital-feels-terribly-wrong-to-lawmakers/" target="_blank">idea of a Kansas health system owning a Missouri hospital felt</a>&nbsp;“terribly wrong.”&nbsp;But supporters of the deal argued Liberty needed a larger hospital partner to be able to grow and make investments in its facilities. A Liberty board member told lawmakers this spring that if the hospital didn’t merge with KU, it could be purchased by a for-profit chain and stop offering some of its services, becoming “little bit more than a triage center.”&nbsp;Bob Page, president and CEO of the University of Kansas Health System, said it’s “incredibly difficult in health care today to remain a completely independent hospital” like Liberty.“They found a new path forward to ensure they could continue to deliver high quality care in the Northland for generations to come,” Page said. “By becoming part of this health system, they will be able to offer some of the most advanced treatments and expertise anywhere in the country.”Razer’s legislation made it out of a Senate committee but never received a floor vote.&nbsp;Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey also opposed the merger, writing in a letter to Senate leadership in January that the deal was illegal unless the Missouri General Assembly signed off on it. An attorney for Liberty said, however, that the deal was structured to comply with state laws.&nbsp;Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson, a Republican from Andover, expressed frustration about the merger in a committee meeting in November, saying struggling hospitals in Kansas could have benefitted from a partnership with KU.And Kansas Sen. J.R. Claeys, a Salina Republican, filed legislation that would have required KU get permission from the Kansas Legislature before entering a deal that involves acquiring, building, repairing or improving property outside of Kansas. The bill never got a hearing.In the meantime, the systems were working toward a finalized deal that is expected to include investment in Liberty’s facilities.&nbsp;Peterman said over the coming months, KU leadership will learn more about how Liberty operates and how it can be best integrated into the health system.&nbsp;“This includes everything from inpatient and ambulatory care to supply chain and branding,” she said. “Ultimately, we want to ensure we are one health system offering a seamless and consistent patient experience.”

Liberty Hospital joins University of Kansas Health System

SEDGWICK COUNTY —One person is dead following a helicopter crash on Friday in a rural area of northwest Sedgwick County.

Just after 8 a.m. first responders were dispatched to the crash in the 5700 block of North 255th Street West, according to a supervisor with Sedgwick County Sheriff's office 911.&nbsp; EMS did not transport anyone else for treatment, according to the supervisor.

The FAA and NTSB will be in charge of the investigation.

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720198452791.png" alt="First responders on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KAKE" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene of the investigation -photo courtesy KAKE</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —One person is dead following a helicopter crash on Friday in a rural area of northwest Sedgwick County.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720189143245.png" alt="Location of the crash near the community of Andale- Google map" />
 <figcaption>Location of the crash near the community of Andale- Google map</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 8 a.m. first responders were dispatched to the crash in the 5700 block of North 255th Street West, according to a supervisor with Sedgwick County Sheriff's office 911.&nbsp; EMS did not transport anyone else for treatment, according to the supervisor.The FAA and NTSB will be in charge of the investigation.Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

One dead in rural Kansas helicopter crash

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ highest court on Friday struck down state laws regulating abortion providers more strictly than other health care providers and banning a common second-trimester procedure, reaffirming its stance that the state constitution protects abortion access.

The Kansas Supreme Court’s rulings in two separate cases signal that the state’s Republican-controlled Legislature faces stricter limits on regulating abortion than GOP lawmakers thought and suggests other restrictions could fall. Lawsuits in lower state courts already are challenging restrictions on medication abortions, a ban on doctors using teleconferences to meet with patients, rules for what doctors must tell patients before an abortion and a requirement that patients&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-abortion-restrictions-state-appeal-199a42d9f3631fa71013c49763c0182f">wait 24 hours</a>&nbsp;after receiving information about a procedure to terminate their pregnancies.

Kansas’ top court declared in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">a 2019 decision</a>&nbsp;that abortion access is a matter of bodily autonomy and a “fundamental” right under the state constitution. Voters in August 2022 also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">decisively rejected</a>&nbsp;a proposed amendment that would have explicitly declared abortion not a fundamental right and allowed state lawmakers to greatly restrict or ban it.

Lawyers for the state&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-restrictions-lawsuits-kansas-3eb09cbcdfb18e06aee024e557f9814c">had urged the justices</a>&nbsp;to walk back their 2019 ruling and uphold the two laws, which haven’t been enforced because of the legal battles over them. The state’s solicitor general, appointed by Republican Attorney General Kris Kobach, had argued the 2022 vote didn’t matter in determining whether the laws could stand.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720190561143.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ highest court on Friday struck down state laws regulating abortion providers more strictly than other health care providers and banning a common second-trimester procedure, reaffirming its stance that the state constitution protects abortion access.The Kansas Supreme Court’s rulings in two separate cases signal that the state’s Republican-controlled Legislature faces stricter limits on regulating abortion than GOP lawmakers thought and suggests other restrictions could fall. Lawsuits in lower state courts already are challenging restrictions on medication abortions, a ban on doctors using teleconferences to meet with patients, rules for what doctors must tell patients before an abortion and a requirement that patients&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-abortion-restrictions-state-appeal-199a42d9f3631fa71013c49763c0182f">wait 24 hours</a>&nbsp;after receiving information about a procedure to terminate their pregnancies.Kansas’ top court declared in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/general-news-3f479b218a6140719e1694fcfcdb8036">a 2019 decision</a>&nbsp;that abortion access is a matter of bodily autonomy and a “fundamental” right under the state constitution. Voters in August 2022 also&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2022-primary-elections-kansas-abortion-b6d62a852c2ce4617f2c03589fbb523e">decisively rejected</a>&nbsp;a proposed amendment that would have explicitly declared abortion not a fundamental right and allowed state lawmakers to greatly restrict or ban it.Lawyers for the state&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-restrictions-lawsuits-kansas-3eb09cbcdfb18e06aee024e557f9814c">had urged the justices</a>&nbsp;to walk back their 2019 ruling and uphold the two laws, which haven’t been enforced because of the legal battles over them. The state’s solicitor general, appointed by Republican Attorney General Kris Kobach, had argued the 2022 vote didn’t matter in determining whether the laws could stand.The court disagreed and handed abortion-rights supporters a big legal victory.Kansas has become an outlier among states with Republican-controlled Legislatures since the U.S. Supreme Court issued&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">its Dobbs decision</a>&nbsp;in June 2022, allowing states to ban abortion completely. That’s led to an influx of patients from states with more restrictive laws, particularly Oklahoma and Texas. The Guttmacher Institute, which supports abortion rights,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/report/abortion-clinics-united-states-2020-2024">projected last month</a>&nbsp;that about 20,000 abortions were performed in Kansas in 2023 or 152% more than in 2020.Kansas doesn’t ban most abortions until the 22nd week of pregnancy, but it requires minors obtain the written consent of their parents or a guardian.Other requirements, including the 24-hour waiting period and what a provider must tell patients, have been put on hold. A lower court is considering a challenge to them by providers.Abortion opponents argued ahead of the August 2022 vote that failing to change the state constitution would doom long-standing restrictions enacted under past GOP governors. Kansas saw a flurry of new restrictions under former Republican Gov. Sam Brownback from 2011 through 2018.The health and safety rules aimed specifically at abortion providers were enacted in 2011. Supporters said they would protect women’s health — though there was no evidence provided then documenting that such rules in other states led to better health outcomes. Providers said the real goal was to force them out of business.The other law was the first of its kind in the nation when enacted in 2015 and deals with a certain type of dilation and evacuation, or D&amp;E, procedure performed during the second trimester.According to state health department statistics, about 600 D&amp;E procedures were done in Kansas in 2022, accounting for 5% of the state’s total abortions. About 88% of the state’s abortions occurred in the first trimester. The state has yet to release statistics for 2023.The D&amp;E procedure ban would have forced providers to use alternative methods that the Center for Reproductive Rights, an abortion-rights advocacy group, has said are riskier for the patient and more expensive.The 2019 ruling came in the early stages of the lawsuit over the 2015 ban. The justices kept the law on hold but sent the case back to the trial court to examine the ban further. A trial judge said the law could not stand.Three of the court’s seven justices joined the court since the 2019 decision. All three were appointed by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, a strong abortion-rights supporter, but one of the three,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/9e2e1356356e148ec9cde66a6bca83b6">Justice K.J. Wall,</a>&nbsp;removed himself from the cases.