KANSAS CITY—Due to flash floods from heavy rain, the Kansas City Fire Department responded to a total of 11 water rescues throughout the city late Wednesday and early Independence Day morning, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins. The most significant rescue occurred at&nbsp; Blue Parkway and Hardesty.

At 4:30 a.m. Thursday, crews responded to the area of Hardesty and MLK Boulevard.&nbsp; A homeless camp located next to a tributary to the Blue River was overcome by fast rising water. 

A total of three victims were swept into the water. KCFD Rescue Swimmers and the drone operator were able to locate and remove two of the three.

The third victim was reported to have exited the water with his dog on the opposite side of the water. Due to rising water and its speed KCFD suspended operations. 

While working the Hardesty call a second water rescue call came in at Cleaver and Oak in Brush Creek. A homeless camp there was also overcome by rising water and one individual was swept into the creek. Crews entered the water at that location and were able to rescue that individual from under the bridge.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720174906983.png" alt="Victim pulled from the water -image from video provided by Kansas City Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>Victim pulled from the water -image from video provided by Kansas City Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Due to flash floods from heavy rain, the Kansas City Fire Department responded to a total of 11 water rescues throughout the city late Wednesday and early Independence Day morning, according to Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins. The most significant rescue occurred at&nbsp; Blue Parkway and Hardesty.At 4:30 a.m. Thursday, crews responded to the area of Hardesty and MLK Boulevard.&nbsp; A homeless camp located next to a tributary to the Blue River was overcome by fast rising water. A total of three victims were swept into the water. KCFD Rescue Swimmers and the drone operator were able to locate and remove two of the three.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720174879634.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The third victim was reported to have exited the water with his dog on the opposite side of the water. Due to rising water and its speed KCFD suspended operations. While working the Hardesty call a second water rescue call came in at Cleaver and Oak in Brush Creek. A homeless camp there was also overcome by rising water and one individual was swept into the creek. Crews entered the water at that location and were able to rescue that individual from under the bridge.

KC fire crews made 11 water rescues during flash flooding 

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary and asking the public for help to solve the crime.

Just after 3a.m. June 17, police responded to Scooter’s Coffee, 1409 NW Topeka Boulevard in response to a reported burglary. It was reported that cash was also stolen from the business. 

TPD investigators are asking for the community’s help in solving this crime. 

If you have any information related to this incident, please contact investigators at telltpd@topeka.org or report anonymously to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ShawneeCountyCrimeStoppers?__cft__[0]=AZVyOCMglbyyqyTUlL_0T0jwWgRg0JsNlv9PJIg6eR50szgwhJWKt673AvsgWghPASgJVOSW-GNAfJsIqsfQL7rtB9TD3cvRivsxEBcMlEZA_FWoXS8js0Z34hMq47KuWzcRXV_DVS0U8Ji00v0SJl1h46hF8gzE9igtuNzHEUVgOJFw_nOrEKE8JkcAYH6Pzmui_fgyAy924SBPvYFFBeom&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Shawnee County Crime Stoppers</a> at 785-234-0007 or online at <a href="http://www.p3tips.com/128?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3QK9Sl0Iq0CIlzBGajCTthzy8Q2vjYwTP78RIGS-EEMCbG5dI7pNBF_kY_aem_TyKo8dtft8c5LM9guPXKqA" target="_blank">www.p3tips.com/128</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720176175234.png" alt="Photo courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a burglary and asking the public for help to solve the crime.Just after 3a.m. June 17, police responded to Scooter’s Coffee, 1409 NW Topeka Boulevard in response to a reported burglary. It was reported that cash was also stolen from the business. TPD investigators are asking for the community’s help in solving this crime. If you have any information related to this incident, please contact investigators at telltpd@topeka.org or report anonymously to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ShawneeCountyCrimeStoppers?__cft__[0]=AZVyOCMglbyyqyTUlL_0T0jwWgRg0JsNlv9PJIg6eR50szgwhJWKt673AvsgWghPASgJVOSW-GNAfJsIqsfQL7rtB9TD3cvRivsxEBcMlEZA_FWoXS8js0Z34hMq47KuWzcRXV_DVS0U8Ji00v0SJl1h46hF8gzE9igtuNzHEUVgOJFw_nOrEKE8JkcAYH6Pzmui_fgyAy924SBPvYFFBeom&amp;__tn__=-]K-R">Shawnee County Crime Stoppers</a> at 785-234-0007 or online at <a href="http://www.p3tips.com/128?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3QK9Sl0Iq0CIlzBGajCTthzy8Q2vjYwTP78RIGS-EEMCbG5dI7pNBF_kY_aem_TyKo8dtft8c5LM9guPXKqA" target="_blank">www.p3tips.com/128</a>.

Police ask for public's help to solve burglary at Scooter’s Coffee 

JERUSALEM—U.S. Forces continue to face terrorist obstacles in the Red Sea.&nbsp;

Since the end of June, U.S. forces have&nbsp;successfully destroyed five Iranian-backed Houthi drone boats in the Red Sea and three radar site in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen, according to statements from U.S. Central Command.

Meanwhile, the Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon launched over 200 rockets on Thursday at several military bases in Israel in retaliation for a strike that killed one of its senior commanders.&nbsp; The attack was among the largest by the terror group against Israel in weeks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703990687604.png" alt="File photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>File photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM—U.S. Forces continue to face terrorist obstacles in the Red Sea.&nbsp;Since the end of June, U.S. forces have&nbsp;successfully destroyed five Iranian-backed Houthi drone boats in the Red Sea and three radar site in a Houthi-controlled area of Yemen, according to statements from U.S. Central Command.Meanwhile, the Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon launched over 200 rockets on Thursday at several military bases in Israel in retaliation for a strike that killed one of its senior commanders.&nbsp; The attack was among the largest by the terror group against Israel in weeks.

U.S. forces continue to battle terrorist threats in the Red Sea

KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating a deadly Kansas City shooting have identified the victim as 23-year-old Tykeedra&nbsp;Henderson, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.

Just after 1a.m. Wednesday police were dispatched to a shooting at a gas station parking lot at 31st and Bell in Kansas City, according to Becchina.

First responders located Henderson unresponsive inside a vehicle in the parking lot.&nbsp; Officers summoned EMS to the scene who declared the her deceased. 

Preliminary investigation indicates that the victim was in a vehicle in the north side of the parking lot when shots were fired by unknown suspects, from outside her vehicle into it, striking her. Henderson's vehicle then rolled to a stop on the south side of the parking lot where officers found it.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720176895680.png" alt="Photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY—Law enforcement investigating a deadly Kansas City shooting have identified the victim as 23-year-old Tykeedra&nbsp;Henderson, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.Just after 1a.m. Wednesday police were dispatched to a shooting at a gas station parking lot at 31st and Bell in Kansas City, according to Becchina.First responders located Henderson unresponsive inside a vehicle in the parking lot.&nbsp; Officers summoned EMS to the scene who declared the her deceased. Preliminary investigation indicates that the victim was in a vehicle in the north side of the parking lot when shots were fired by unknown suspects, from outside her vehicle into it, striking her. Henderson's vehicle then rolled to a stop on the south side of the parking lot where officers found it.

Homicide: Woman shot in vehicle in KC gas station parking lot

District Judge Jeffrey Goering sentenced Thomas Gatewood, 52 of Wichita, to life with parole eligibility after 843 months.&nbsp;

SEDGWICK COUNTY—&nbsp;A man with a previous abuse conviction is going back to prison for the rest of his life.

On Wednesday,&nbsp;District Judge Jeffrey Goering sentenced Thomas Gatewood, 52,&nbsp; Wichita, to life with parole eligibility after over 70-years for the violent beating death of his 8-year-old daughter.

In March,&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=740792">Gatewood</a>&nbsp;plead no contest to first-degree murder, kidnapping, aggravated battery, abuse of a child, rape, criminal sodomy, aggravated endangering of a child aggravated indecent liberties with a child and aggravated intimidation of a witness, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

On May 8, of 2023 police&nbsp;were dispatched to a residence in the 600 block of N. Oliver in Wichita after report of an&nbsp;unresponsive 8-year-old girl, according to Officer&nbsp; Kris Gupilan. The child was pronounced deceased at the scene.

&nbsp;A warrant was issued for Gatewood's arrest for the murder of his 8-year-old daughter

Wichita Police Officers utilized FLOCK technology and Thomas was quickly located and taken into custody within hours of the warrant being issued.&nbsp;

The Exploited and Missing Children’s Unit and Homicide detectives investigated the incident and presented a case to the District Attorney’s office. Prosecutors say Gatewood had repeatedly beaten and even stomped on the 8-year-old and an autopsy revealed that her heart had ruptured. Another child in the house was also abused.

Court documents show he was previously charged with child abuse in Oklahoma in 2009.&nbsp;

Gatewood was scheduled to face a trial in the case March 11.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1687976261144.png" alt="Gatewood-photo KBI Offender Registry" />
 <figcaption>Gatewood-photo KBI Offender Registry</figcaption>
 </figure>District Judge Jeffrey Goering sentenced Thomas Gatewood, 52 of Wichita, to life with parole eligibility after 843 months.&nbsp;SEDGWICK COUNTY—&nbsp;A man with a previous abuse conviction is going back to prison for the rest of his life.On Wednesday,&nbsp;District Judge Jeffrey Goering sentenced Thomas Gatewood, 52,&nbsp; Wichita, to life with parole eligibility after over 70-years for the violent beating death of his 8-year-old daughter.In March,&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/InmateSearch/Details.aspx?Id=740792">Gatewood</a>&nbsp;plead no contest to first-degree murder, kidnapping, aggravated battery, abuse of a child, rape, criminal sodomy, aggravated endangering of a child aggravated indecent liberties with a child and aggravated intimidation of a witness, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.On May 8, of 2023 police&nbsp;were dispatched to a residence in the 600 block of N. Oliver in Wichita after report of an&nbsp;unresponsive 8-year-old girl, according to Officer&nbsp; Kris Gupilan. The child was pronounced deceased at the scene.&nbsp;A warrant was issued for Gatewood's arrest for the murder of his 8-year-old daughterWichita Police Officers utilized FLOCK technology and Thomas was quickly located and taken into custody within hours of the warrant being issued.&nbsp;The Exploited and Missing Children’s Unit and Homicide detectives investigated the incident and presented a case to the District Attorney’s office. Prosecutors say Gatewood had repeatedly beaten and even stomped on the 8-year-old and an autopsy revealed that her heart had ruptured. Another child in the house was also abused.Court documents show he was previously charged with child abuse in Oklahoma in 2009.&nbsp;Gatewood was scheduled to face a trial in the case March 11.&nbsp;-The AP contributed to this report.

Kan. man sentenced for beating death of 8-year-old daughter

BROWN COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.

Just after 11p.m. Monday, a&nbsp;Brown County Detective initiated a traffic stop in the vicinity of 210th&nbsp; on U.S. 73 Highway based on an expired registration, according to Sheriff John Merchant.&nbsp; 

The detective discovered that&nbsp; the driver of the vehicle identified as 50-year-old Daniel Jennings of Hiawatha had a suspended license.

The passenger in the vehicle 37-year-old Tara Hamilton of Huron had an&nbsp; outstanding&nbsp; FTA Warrant out of Atchison

The detective arrested Jennings on requested charges of Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Driving While License Cancelled, Suspended or Revoked, No Proof on Insurance and Illegal Vehicle Registration.&nbsp; Hamilton was arrested on requested charges of Possession of Meth, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Opiate and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia as well as the Warrant.&nbsp; &nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720035965300.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720036012385.png" alt="Jennings-photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Jennings-photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Just after 11p.m. Monday, a&nbsp;Brown County Detective initiated a traffic stop in the vicinity of 210th&nbsp; on U.S. 73 Highway based on an expired registration, according to Sheriff John Merchant.&nbsp; The detective discovered that&nbsp; the driver of the vehicle identified as 50-year-old Daniel Jennings of Hiawatha had a suspended license.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720035887180.png" alt="Hamilton photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Hamilton photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The passenger in the vehicle 37-year-old Tara Hamilton of Huron had an&nbsp; outstanding&nbsp; FTA Warrant out of AtchisonThe detective arrested Jennings on requested charges of Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Driving While License Cancelled, Suspended or Revoked, No Proof on Insurance and Illegal Vehicle Registration.&nbsp; Hamilton was arrested on requested charges of Possession of Meth, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Opiate and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia as well as the Warrant.&nbsp; &nbsp;

Wanted Kansas suspect caught transporting drugs

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating three suspect on multiple allegations after

On July 3, members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit served a search warrant in the 2100 Block SW 10th Avenue related to an ongoing investigation, according to Police Lt. Ronnie Connell.

While conducting the search warrant, officers located methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.

As a result, Amanda Bishop, 42; Justin Ray 19, and Earon Cooper, 51&nbsp;&nbsp;were transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.

Amanda Bishop is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;&nbsp;Distribution of Certain Stimulants, Distribution of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia with intent,&nbsp;&nbsp;Aggravate Child Endangerment, Possession of a Depressant, Drug Tax Stamp violation and Contributing to Child Misconduct

Justin Ray is in custody on requested charges of Possession of Certain Stimulants, Aggravated Child Endangerment, Contributing to Child Misconduct, Distribution of Certain Stimulants and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia with intent.

Earon Cooper was jailed on an Arrest Warrant

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720036602723.png" alt="Ray photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Ray photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement are investigating three suspect on multiple allegations afterOn July 3, members of the Topeka Police Department Narcotics Unit served a search warrant in the 2100 Block SW 10th Avenue related to an ongoing investigation, according to Police Lt. Ronnie Connell.While conducting the search warrant, officers located methamphetamine and drug paraphernalia.As a result, Amanda Bishop, 42; Justin Ray 19, and Earon Cooper, 51&nbsp;&nbsp;were transported to the Shawnee County Department of Corrections.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720036554752.png" alt="Bishop-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Bishop-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Amanda Bishop is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;&nbsp;Distribution of Certain Stimulants, Distribution of Drug Paraphernalia, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia with intent,&nbsp;&nbsp;Aggravate Child Endangerment, Possession of a Depressant, Drug Tax Stamp violation and Contributing to Child MisconductJustin Ray is in custody on requested charges of Possession of Certain Stimulants, Aggravated Child Endangerment, Contributing to Child Misconduct, Distribution of Certain Stimulants and Possession of Drug Paraphernalia with intent.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720036900027.png" alt="Cooper photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Cooper photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Earon Cooper was jailed on an Arrest Warrant

Police found drugs, children at Kansas woman's home

BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/nadahassanein/">NADA HASSANEIN</a>

Dairy workers are in rural areas, often with little access to transportation and no sick leave

Public health officials are concerned about bird flu, which so far has been detected in three dairy farmworkers — two in Michigan and one in Texas — as well as in cattle in a dozen states.

The farmworkers’ symptoms were mild, and researchers have not found that the H5N1 virus, also known as bird flu, can spread from person to person. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there is little risk to the general public. However, flu viruses evolve, and H5N1 could mutate and gain the ability to infect people more easily.

“The reason public health authorities are and should be on high alert is because this is a potential high-consequence pathogen,” said Meghan Davis, an epidemiologist and microbiologist at Johns Hopkins University.

That’s why state officials are so focused on testing and surveillance of dairy workers. But they are encountering significant challenges.

H5N1 is deadly to domestic poultry and can wipe out entire flocks in a matter of days, the U.S. Department of Agriculture&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/livestock" target="_blank">says</a>. As a result, the poultry industry has responded vigorously to the threat, culling entire flocks when they detect even one infected bird. But H5N1 is milder in cows, and the response on dairy farms has been less aggressive.

The CDC and USDA have advised dairy farms to monitor for the virus in cattle and humans, but testing remains voluntary, except for herds moving across state lines.

In addition, dairy farms are often in remote rural areas, and workers have little access to transportation and no sick leave. As a result, it’s difficult for them to travel to health care providers for testing and treatment. Many dairy workers, who are mostly immigrants, speak Indigenous languages like Nahuatl or K’iche, according to the National Center for Farmworker Health, a nonprofit that offers support and training for centers that focus on the health of farmworkers.

Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease physician and scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, emphasized that the current bird flu strain isn’t a pandemic threat to humans. That’s why, he said, this is the perfect time to get the right testing and surveillance measures in place.

“If you can’t get it right with something that’s as forgiving as this virus has been, in terms of its inefficiency in infecting humans, it really doesn’t bode well for when the stakes are higher,” Adalja said.

So far, cases of the virus have been documented among domestic livestock in Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/livestock" target="_blank">according to the USDA</a>. Last week, federal officials&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2024/06/27/usda-begin-accepting-applications-expanded-emergency-livestock" target="_blank">announced</a>&nbsp;grants to farms to offset the cost of milk loss from sick cows. Four states — Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico and Texas — are&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/25/four-states-to-begin-voluntary-testing-for-bird-flu-in-dairy-farm-milk-tanks/" target="_blank">launching</a>&nbsp;voluntary pilot programs to test for the virus in dairy farms’ bulk milk tanks.

In Michigan, where the virus has been detected in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/animal-health-and-welfare/animal-health/avian-influenza/avian-influenza-virus-type-h5n1-us-dairy-cattle#:~:text=Avian%20influenza%20virus%20type%20A%20(H5N1)%20has%20been%20confirmed%20in,Carolina%2C%20Ohio%2C%20and%20Wyoming." target="_blank">25 herds</a>, Tim Boring, director of the state Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said efforts are focused on trying to help farmers recoup losses and agree to testing. Last month, the agency announced it would use a combination of federal and state money to give as much as $28,000 to up to 20 affected farms.

The state also launched a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/spotlights/h5n1-response-06282024.html#:~:text=CDC%20Update,animals%20in%20the%20United%20States." target="_blank">study</a>&nbsp;to find out if there are antibodies in people exposed to sick cows, aiming to determine if there have been any asymptomatic infections.

Natasha Bagdasarian, Michigan’s chief medical executive, said the state is working with community health clinics and local health departments to reach farmworkers.

“They not only know the farms in their counties, but they also know many of the farmworker organizations,” she said.

Dairy farmworkers, who are often immigrants, can’t afford to miss a day of work, and can be reluctant to reach out to request testing or say they feel sick, advocates say.

“This is a population of people that is just vastly underserviced when it comes to both outreach and trust established with state and federal agencies,” said Elizabeth Strater, strategic campaigns director at United Farm Workers, a labor union. “This is a group of workers that are some of the poorest workers in the United States.”

Immigrants make up 51% of daily labor at dairy farms, and farms that employ immigrants produce 79% of the nation’s milk supply, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nmpf.org/issues/labor-rural-policy/labor-and-immigration-reform-efforts/#:~:text=Immigrant%20labor%20accounts%20for%2051,of%20the%20U.S.%20milk%20supply." target="_blank">National Milk Producers Federation.</a>

Amy Liebman of the Migrant Clinicians Network, an education and outreach group of experts in migrant health, said testing should be administered on the farms rather than in clinics.

“Dairies are in rural areas, very isolated geographically. You’re not going to get all these workers in one place to be able to do any kind of surveying or testing. It is a matter of really trying to go to where the workers are,” she said.

But it hasn’t been easy getting farm owners to agree to that. The Texas state health department told Stateline it has offered on-site testing to farmers, but as of mid-June, it had tested only about 20 symptomatic dairy workers who volunteered for testing. It also has given personal protective equipment to “interested dairies” and posted a notice online offering to deliver the equipment.

Coordination among state or local agricultural and health departments is key to tracking viral spread. A lack of coordination and monitoring can be contributing to underreporting cases.

“I think it is definitely more widespread than is currently reported,” said Shira Doron, chief infection control officer at Tufts Medicine. “The barriers between the agencies are really hampering our efforts right now.”

The CDC has offered a $75&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/bird-flu-cow-test-farmers-incentive-us-government-rcna151645" target="_blank">payment</a>&nbsp;to any farmworker who agrees to be tested and provide blood and nasal swab samples to the agency. But Doris Garcia-Ruiz, who directs farmworker outreach at Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid, said that won’t make up for days of lost income.

“If they take the time off to go to their doctor’s office, they don’t have sick leave, so they’re not going to get paid,” she said.

The CDC’s latest figures show that at least 53&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/h5-monitoring/index.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fflu%2Favianflu%2Fh5-monitoring.html" target="_blank">people</a>&nbsp;have been tested in the cattle outbreak, with a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2024/06/03/michigan-cow-herds-infected-bird-flu/73955332007/" target="_blank">majority</a>&nbsp;of those in Michigan. Strater says that’s not enough.

“That’s abysmal,” she said. “Our method of testing is so passive. They’re relying on workers reporting to medical clinics; these are workers that are not going to be taking themselves for medical treatment unless they’re experiencing something life-threatening.”

Getting workers to use personal protective equipment also is a challenge. The CDC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/prevention/worker-protection-ppe.html" target="_blank">recommends</a>&nbsp;that workers wear respirators, waterproof aprons and coveralls, unvented safety goggles or a face shield, and rubber boots with sealed seams that can be sanitized. It also advises that workers follow a specific sequence of steps to remove the PPE at the end of a shift to avoid contamination.

“Dairy work is very wet, very hands-on,” said Christine Sauvé, who leads community engagement at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. “While some industries are very familiar with PPE … the full recommendation from CDC is new and different. And so that really needs the full promotion from the employer, and then also from the state agencies.”

Sauvé worries that Michigan is prioritizing farmers’ losses, rather than farmworkers’ health, in its response. While the risk to the public is low, she and other experts say the population of farmworkers shouldn’t be forgotten.

Bethany Alcauter of the National Center for Farmworker Health described bird flu threat as “kind of a ticking time bomb.”

“Maybe it hasn’t fully gone off yet. But if we don’t manage it well, it could,” Alcauter said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720094399287.png" alt=" Farmworkers milk dairy cows at the Welcome Stock Farms in January 2022 in Schuylerville, N.Y. Public health officials are concerned about bird flu, which so far has been detected in three farmworkers as well as in cattle in a dozen states. (Hans Pennink/The Associated Press)" />
 <figcaption> Farmworkers milk dairy cows at the Welcome Stock Farms in January 2022 in Schuylerville, N.Y. Public health officials are concerned about bird flu, which so far has been detected in three farmworkers as well as in cattle in a dozen states. (Hans Pennink/The Associated Press)</figcaption>
 </figure>BY:&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/nadahassanein/">NADA HASSANEIN</a><h2>Dairy workers are in rural areas, often with little access to transportation and no sick leave</h2>Public health officials are concerned about bird flu, which so far has been detected in three dairy farmworkers — two in Michigan and one in Texas — as well as in cattle in a dozen states.The farmworkers’ symptoms were mild, and researchers have not found that the H5N1 virus, also known as bird flu, can spread from person to person. The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says there is little risk to the general public. However, flu viruses evolve, and H5N1 could mutate and gain the ability to infect people more easily.“The reason public health authorities are and should be on high alert is because this is a potential high-consequence pathogen,” said Meghan Davis, an epidemiologist and microbiologist at Johns Hopkins University.That’s why state officials are so focused on testing and surveillance of dairy workers. But they are encountering significant challenges.H5N1 is deadly to domestic poultry and can wipe out entire flocks in a matter of days, the U.S. Department of Agriculture&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/livestock" target="_blank">says</a>. As a result, the poultry industry has responded vigorously to the threat, culling entire flocks when they detect even one infected bird. But H5N1 is milder in cows, and the response on dairy farms has been less aggressive.The CDC and USDA have advised dairy farms to monitor for the virus in cattle and humans, but testing remains voluntary, except for herds moving across state lines.In addition, dairy farms are often in remote rural areas, and workers have little access to transportation and no sick leave. As a result, it’s difficult for them to travel to health care providers for testing and treatment. Many dairy workers, who are mostly immigrants, speak Indigenous languages like Nahuatl or K’iche, according to the National Center for Farmworker Health, a nonprofit that offers support and training for centers that focus on the health of farmworkers.Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease physician and scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, emphasized that the current bird flu strain isn’t a pandemic threat to humans. That’s why, he said, this is the perfect time to get the right testing and surveillance measures in place.“If you can’t get it right with something that’s as forgiving as this virus has been, in terms of its inefficiency in infecting humans, it really doesn’t bode well for when the stakes are higher,” Adalja said.So far, cases of the virus have been documented among domestic livestock in Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, North Carolina, Ohio, South Dakota, Texas and Wyoming,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.aphis.usda.gov/livestock-poultry-disease/avian/avian-influenza/hpai-detections/livestock" target="_blank">according to the USDA</a>. Last week, federal officials&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2024/06/27/usda-begin-accepting-applications-expanded-emergency-livestock" target="_blank">announced</a>&nbsp;grants to farms to offset the cost of milk loss from sick cows. Four states — Kansas, Nebraska, New Mexico and Texas — are&nbsp;<a href="https://missouriindependent.com/2024/06/25/four-states-to-begin-voluntary-testing-for-bird-flu-in-dairy-farm-milk-tanks/" target="_blank">launching</a>&nbsp;voluntary pilot programs to test for the virus in dairy farms’ bulk milk tanks.In Michigan, where the virus has been detected in&nbsp;<a href="https://www.avma.org/resources-tools/animal-health-and-welfare/animal-health/avian-influenza/avian-influenza-virus-type-h5n1-us-dairy-cattle#:~:text=Avian%20influenza%20virus%20type%20A%20(H5N1)%20has%20been%20confirmed%20in,Carolina%2C%20Ohio%2C%20and%20Wyoming." target="_blank">25 herds</a>, Tim Boring, director of the state Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, said efforts are focused on trying to help farmers recoup losses and agree to testing. Last month, the agency announced it would use a combination of federal and state money to give as much as $28,000 to up to 20 affected farms.The state also launched a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/spotlights/h5n1-response-06282024.html#:~:text=CDC%20Update,animals%20in%20the%20United%20States." target="_blank">study</a>&nbsp;to find out if there are antibodies in people exposed to sick cows, aiming to determine if there have been any asymptomatic infections.Natasha Bagdasarian, Michigan’s chief medical executive, said the state is working with community health clinics and local health departments to reach farmworkers.“They not only know the farms in their counties, but they also know many of the farmworker organizations,” she said.Dairy farmworkers, who are often immigrants, can’t afford to miss a day of work, and can be reluctant to reach out to request testing or say they feel sick, advocates say.“This is a population of people that is just vastly underserviced when it comes to both outreach and trust established with state and federal agencies,” said Elizabeth Strater, strategic campaigns director at United Farm Workers, a labor union. “This is a group of workers that are some of the poorest workers in the United States.”Immigrants make up 51% of daily labor at dairy farms, and farms that employ immigrants produce 79% of the nation’s milk supply, according to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nmpf.org/issues/labor-rural-policy/labor-and-immigration-reform-efforts/#:~:text=Immigrant%20labor%20accounts%20for%2051,of%20the%20U.S.%20milk%20supply." target="_blank">National Milk Producers Federation.</a>Amy Liebman of the Migrant Clinicians Network, an education and outreach group of experts in migrant health, said testing should be administered on the farms rather than in clinics.“Dairies are in rural areas, very isolated geographically. You’re not going to get all these workers in one place to be able to do any kind of surveying or testing. It is a matter of really trying to go to where the workers are,” she said.But it hasn’t been easy getting farm owners to agree to that. The Texas state health department told Stateline it has offered on-site testing to farmers, but as of mid-June, it had tested only about 20 symptomatic dairy workers who volunteered for testing. It also has given personal protective equipment to “interested dairies” and posted a notice online offering to deliver the equipment.Coordination among state or local agricultural and health departments is key to tracking viral spread. A lack of coordination and monitoring can be contributing to underreporting cases.“I think it is definitely more widespread than is currently reported,” said Shira Doron, chief infection control officer at Tufts Medicine. “The barriers between the agencies are really hampering our efforts right now.”The CDC has offered a $75&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/bird-flu-cow-test-farmers-incentive-us-government-rcna151645" target="_blank">payment</a>&nbsp;to any farmworker who agrees to be tested and provide blood and nasal swab samples to the agency. But Doris Garcia-Ruiz, who directs farmworker outreach at Texas Rio Grande Legal Aid, said that won’t make up for days of lost income.“If they take the time off to go to their doctor’s office, they don’t have sick leave, so they’re not going to get paid,” she said.The CDC’s latest figures show that at least 53&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/h5-monitoring/index.html?CDC_AA_refVal=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cdc.gov%2Fflu%2Favianflu%2Fh5-monitoring.html" target="_blank">people</a>&nbsp;have been tested in the cattle outbreak, with a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/health/2024/06/03/michigan-cow-herds-infected-bird-flu/73955332007/" target="_blank">majority</a>&nbsp;of those in Michigan. Strater says that’s not enough.“That’s abysmal,” she said. “Our method of testing is so passive. They’re relying on workers reporting to medical clinics; these are workers that are not going to be taking themselves for medical treatment unless they’re experiencing something life-threatening.”Getting workers to use personal protective equipment also is a challenge. The CDC&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/bird-flu/prevention/worker-protection-ppe.html" target="_blank">recommends</a>&nbsp;that workers wear respirators, waterproof aprons and coveralls, unvented safety goggles or a face shield, and rubber boots with sealed seams that can be sanitized. It also advises that workers follow a specific sequence of steps to remove the PPE at the end of a shift to avoid contamination.“Dairy work is very wet, very hands-on,” said Christine Sauvé, who leads community engagement at the Michigan Immigrant Rights Center. “While some industries are very familiar with PPE … the full recommendation from CDC is new and different. And so that really needs the full promotion from the employer, and then also from the state agencies.”Sauvé worries that Michigan is prioritizing farmers’ losses, rather than farmworkers’ health, in its response. While the risk to the public is low, she and other experts say the population of farmworkers shouldn’t be forgotten.Bethany Alcauter of the National Center for Farmworker Health described bird flu threat as “kind of a ticking time bomb.”“Maybe it hasn’t fully gone off yet. But if we don’t manage it well, it could,” Alcauter said.

As bird flu spreads on dairy farms, an ‘abysmal’ few workers are tested

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating another deadly shooting in Kansas City have identified the victim as 28-year-old Christopher Henderson.

just after 6am Wednesday, police were dispatched to a shooting at an apartment in the 1400 block of NW. 80th Terrace, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.

First responders were directed inside an apartment where they located Henderson unresponsive. Officers rendered aid EMS transported Henderson to the hospital where he was declared deceased.

Officers detained an adult male subject of interest a short distance away for further investigation.

The investigation indicates that an interaction took place inside the apartment between Henderson and the suspect that led to shots being fired and Henders being struck. 

Detectives are not searching for any additional subjects of interest at this time, and there there is not believed to be any ongoing threat to the residents in the area. 

Detectives are working along side the Clay County Prosecutors office to provide investigative findings for them to make a determination of any applicable charges.&nbsp;

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement investigating another deadly shooting in Kansas City have identified the victim as 28-year-old Christopher Henderson.just after 6am Wednesday, police were dispatched to a shooting at an apartment in the 1400 block of NW. 80th Terrace, according to KCPD Captain Jake Becchina.First responders were directed inside an apartment where they located Henderson unresponsive. Officers rendered aid EMS transported Henderson to the hospital where he was declared deceased.Officers detained an adult male subject of interest a short distance away for further investigation.The investigation indicates that an interaction took place inside the apartment between Henderson and the suspect that led to shots being fired and Henders being struck. Detectives are not searching for any additional subjects of interest at this time, and there there is not believed to be any ongoing threat to the residents in the area. Detectives are working along side the Clay County Prosecutors office to provide investigative findings for them to make a determination of any applicable charges.&nbsp;

Homicide: KCPD IDs man who died in apartment shooting

RUSSELL COUNTY—A Kansas man died in the storm that rolled through Russell County late Wednesday.

Just before midnight, Russell County dispatch received numerous 911 calls reporting multiple campers at Lake Wilson blown over, according to a statement from Russell County Sheriff Andrew L. VanDerWege.

Christopher Montoya, 64, Hollyrood, was found dead in the Hell Creek area of the park.&nbsp;Three others were hospitalized for treatment of injuries.

Montoya was transported to a local mortuary. An autopsy is scheduled later Thursday to determine the cause of death, according to the sheriff's office.

Cleanup at the park was under way on Thursday morning. The Russell County Sheriff’s Office urged caution for those traveling to the lake because debris might still be present on the roads and in the water. Power was temporarily interrupted in the area due to the storm.

Those who need help getting campers, boats or other property and equipment recovered should call 911. The Russell County Sheriff’s Office, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and the Army Corps of Engineers will assist.

The Kansas Highway Patrol, Kansas Wildlife and Parks, Russell County EMS, Lucas Fire Department, Dorrance Fire Department and the Army Corps of Engineers all assisted Wednesday night and early Thursday.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720130724760.png" alt="Storm damage at Wilson Lake photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Storm damage at Wilson Lake photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>RUSSELL COUNTY—A Kansas man died in the storm that rolled through Russell County late Wednesday.Just before midnight, Russell County dispatch received numerous 911 calls reporting multiple campers at Lake Wilson blown over, according to a statement from Russell County Sheriff Andrew L. VanDerWege.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">UPDATE: Those in and around WILSON LAKE, a storm is quickly approaching from the west and will likely produce 60 mph winds and penny sized hail! Seek shelter now! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/kswx?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#kswx</a>&mdash; NWS Wichita (@NWSWichita) <a href="https://twitter.com/NWSWichita/status/1808715703828230452?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Christopher Montoya, 64, Hollyrood, was found dead in the Hell Creek area of the park.&nbsp;Three others were hospitalized for treatment of injuries.Montoya was transported to a local mortuary. An autopsy is scheduled later Thursday to determine the cause of death, according to the sheriff's office.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720130786212.png" alt="Storm damage at Wilson Lake photo courtesy KWCH" />
 <figcaption>Storm damage at Wilson Lake photo courtesy KWCH</figcaption>
 </figure>Cleanup at the park was under way on Thursday morning. The Russell County Sheriff’s Office urged caution for those traveling to the lake because debris might still be present on the roads and in the water. Power was temporarily interrupted in the area due to the storm.Those who need help getting campers, boats or other property and equipment recovered should call 911. The Russell County Sheriff’s Office, Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks and the Army Corps of Engineers will assist.The Kansas Highway Patrol, Kansas Wildlife and Parks, Russell County EMS, Lucas Fire Department, Dorrance Fire Department and the Army Corps of Engineers all assisted Wednesday night and early Thursday.&nbsp;

Kansas man dead, 3 hospitalized after storm at Wilson Lake

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden's disastrous&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-debate-age-democrats-b93d7ffaad75fd423ea3953fe16287f0">debate performance</a>&nbsp;has reverberated across the Democratic Party, forcing lawmakers to grapple with a crisis that could upend the presidential election and change the course of American history.

The Democratic president has signaled he has no intention of dropping out of the race against Donald Trump despite the halting and uneven debate delivery that threw a spotlight on questions about Biden's age and capacity to be president. But as Democrats make the case that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-debate-capitol-riot-2024-election-1aff225eb804a22ea88a7ed2c691cf1c">stakes of the election are momentous</a>&nbsp;— challenging no less than the foundations of American democracy itself — they are wrestling with how to approach the 81-year-old who is supposed to be leading the charge for their party.

Here's how Democrats are handling the aftermath of the debate:

Rep. Lloyd Doggett, a Democrat from Texas, on Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-doggett-2024-election-98c3bd8c4138245e7ef8f79d621268e8">became the first sitting Democrat</a>&nbsp;in Congress to call for Biden to withdraw from the race. In a statement, he praised Biden but said he “has the opportunity to encourage a new generation of leaders from whom a nominee can be chosen to unite our country through an open, democratic process.”

“Recognizing that, unlike Trump, President Biden’s first commitment has always been to our country, not himself, I am hopeful that he will make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw. I respectfully call on him to do so,” Doggett said.

A number of other congressional Democrats have tip-toed in recent days toward outspoken concern not just over Biden’s performance during the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debate-trump-biden-presidential-campaign-44e71c900a1c4af2bed93041fdfe923d">90-minute debate on Thursday night</a>, but also the level of transparency that Biden’s team has offered about his mental fitness.

Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., told a local CBS-affiliated television station this week that he was “horrified” by both Biden’s performance and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-misinformation-election-debate-trump-biden-577507522762aa10f6ee5be3a0ced2bb">Trump’s falsehoods during the debate</a>.

“People want to make sure that this is a campaign that’s ready to go and win,” Whitehouse said. “That the president and his team are being candid with us about his condition — that this was a real anomaly.”

Rep. Jamie Raskin, a prominent Democrat from Maryland, said on MSNBC, “There are very honest and serious and rigorous conversations taking place at every level of our party."

Raskin said Democrats needed Biden at the “very center” of their campaign to make the argument that the Republican Party is slipping towards authoritarianism under Trump, but also raised the possibility that Biden would not continue as the presidential candidate.

Some are concerned that Biden’s weaknesses could tamp down potential voters’ enthusiasm, creating a ripple effect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-democrats-house-senate-f259564ef804410100c1a6b09587aec3">that hurts Democrats</a>&nbsp;as they try to hold on to a narrow Senate majority and take back control of the House. Down-ballot Democrats are already confident they can outperform Biden in swing races, but if large numbers of voters reject Biden, it could also impact them.

Rep. Mike Quigley, D-Ill., told CNN on Tuesday that he wanted Biden to recognize “how much this impacts not just his race but all the other races coming in November.”

With&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-debate-democrats-clyburn-warnock-2024-nominee-01bd3586a2f2da9217a04d031ddd7934">Biden’s family urging him to stay</a>&nbsp;in the race, attention has turned to senior Democratic lawmakers who could potentially convince the president to withdraw his nomination. So far, top Democratic leaders have mostly stood behind Biden in public statements.

“There have not been discussions among senior leadership about anything other than making sure we continue to articulate a compelling vision for the future to the American people related to the issues of importance around the economy,” House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters at a Monday event at the Pittsburgh International Airport.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, after the debate last week that it showed voters there was a choice between “four more years of progress, or four more years of attacks on our fundamental rights and our democracy.”

Biden planned to speak with congressional leaders this week, the White House said Tuesday. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday they respected the opinions and thoughts of concerned party members, adding, “that’s what makes this party different than the other side.”

Many of Biden's allies have chided the news media for being&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-times-debate-brzezinski-4702733ebaa1b9926ef8fb479f245008">fixated on Biden's mental capacities</a>, arguing that instead the focus should be put on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-debate-capitol-riot-2024-election-1aff225eb804a22ea88a7ed2c691cf1c">Trump's record of refusing to accept</a>&nbsp;the results of the 2020 election and repeatedly making false statements.

Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Texas Democrat who is part of Biden's campaign committee, conceded that the debate was not what she hoped for, but added, "I think there needs to be a real conversation about the things that Donald Trump said. It is beyond vile.“

Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., who was among Biden’s surrogates at the debate, dismissed concerns.

“We are 100% behind Joe Biden," he said Friday. "Crystal clear, end of story. He’s our nominee. So anything else outside of that is just political chatter.”

The debate infused a new dynamic into an election contest that had been marked by few surprises. Voters were familiar with both Biden and Trump and had previously decided between the two in 2020.

Still, many House Democrats were caught in a state of uncertainty as they faced a barrage of questions on the Friday morning after the debate. Some chalked it up as little more than a bad night for Biden, but others are watching closely to see how voters react and whether Biden can execute a quick political recovery.

Rep. James Clyburn, a South Carolina Democrat who helped Biden win the Democratic nomination in 2020, urged his party last week to “stay the course” and “chill out.”

By Tuesday, Clyburn was still supporting Biden for president, but also told MSNBC that “Biden may decide otherwise.” Clyburn added that he would support Vice President Kamala Harris if Biden withdrew.

Clyburn and others like former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., are recommending that Biden prove to the American people that he is ready for another four years in office by going out and taking tough interviews — something he has rarely done in recent years. Biden will sit for an interview with ABC, his first since the debate, later in the week.

Both Clyburn and Pelosi told MSNBC at midday Tuesday that they had not spoken directly with Biden since the debate. But Pelosi still emphasized that the president is on “top of his game, in terms of knowing the issues and what is at stake.”

She called on both Biden and Trump to face tests for their health and mental acuity.

“I think it is a legitimate question to say is this an episode or is this a condition. So when people ask that question, it’s legitimate — of both candidates,” Pelosi said.

Meanwhile, rank-and-file lawmakers are watching to see how voter polls register the impact and whether it spills into down-ballot races. For months, vulnerable House Democrats&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-swing-districts-biden-trump-661f2d694b0ce5c74daa6527e3c0ed8e">have been distancing themselves</a>&nbsp;from some of Biden’s policies. That phenomenon could become more pronounced after the debate.

Rep. Jared Golden, a moderate Democrat from Maine, was already looking for ways to convince potential Trump voters to support him.

“While I don’t plan to vote for him, Donald Trump is going to win,” Golden said in a Bangor Daily News op-ed. "And I’m OK with that.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720002104093.png" alt="President Joe Biden enters the Cross Hall of the White House on Monday before an address to the nation- image from White House video" />
 <figcaption>President Joe Biden enters the Cross Hall of the White House on Monday before an address to the nation- image from White House video</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden's disastrous&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-debate-age-democrats-b93d7ffaad75fd423ea3953fe16287f0">debate performance</a>&nbsp;has reverberated across the Democratic Party, forcing lawmakers to grapple with a crisis that could upend the presidential election and change the course of American history.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Q: “Does he have an afternoon nap every day?&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a> Karine Jean-Pierre:: &quot;Let me be very clear about this; this is a president that wakes up every morning and puts the American first...I am not going to speak to...unnamed sources out there.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/XS8Drjapbu">pic.twitter.com/XS8Drjapbu</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1808563968010592389?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Q: &quot;Is President Biden considering stepping down?&quot;<a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a> Karine Jean-Pierre: &quot;Absolutely not.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/KbpKWXhRSV">pic.twitter.com/KbpKWXhRSV</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1808562345515323577?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Q: &quot;Last night...the president blamed jetlag for his debate performance, but he was back stateside well over a week. So, does he really need more than a week-and-a-half to recover from traveling in Europe?&quot; Watch clip for <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a> Karine Jean-Pierre&#39;s answer. <a href="https://t.co/WzLmqZfkuO">pic.twitter.com/WzLmqZfkuO</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1808562554991526364?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Reporter asks about the President Biden saying in the debate that he&#39;s the only president this century that doesn&#39;t have a any troops dying anywhere in the world: &quot;How could the president get that so wrong?&quot; Watch clip for <a href="https://twitter.com/PressSec?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PressSec</a> answer. <a href="https://t.co/eajHkVaBdR">pic.twitter.com/eajHkVaBdR</a>&mdash; CSPAN (@cspan) <a href="https://twitter.com/cspan/status/1808575836800348661?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>The Democratic president has signaled he has no intention of dropping out of the race against Donald Trump despite the halting and uneven debate delivery that threw a spotlight on questions about Biden's age and capacity to be president. But as Democrats make the case that the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-debate-capitol-riot-2024-election-1aff225eb804a22ea88a7ed2c691cf1c">stakes of the election are momentous</a>&nbsp;— challenging no less than the foundations of American democracy itself — they are wrestling with how to approach the 81-year-old who is supposed to be leading the charge for their party.Here's how Democrats are handling the aftermath of the debate:<h2>Raising alarm</h2>Rep. Lloyd Doggett, a Democrat from Texas, on Tuesday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-doggett-2024-election-98c3bd8c4138245e7ef8f79d621268e8">became the first sitting Democrat</a>&nbsp;in Congress to call for Biden to withdraw from the race. In a statement, he praised Biden but said he “has the opportunity to encourage a new generation of leaders from whom a nominee can be chosen to unite our country through an open, democratic process.”“Recognizing that, unlike Trump, President Biden’s first commitment has always been to our country, not himself, I am hopeful that he will make the painful and difficult decision to withdraw. I respectfully call on him to do so,” Doggett said.A number of other congressional Democrats have tip-toed in recent days toward outspoken concern not just over Biden’s performance during the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/debate-trump-biden-presidential-campaign-44e71c900a1c4af2bed93041fdfe923d">90-minute debate on Thursday night</a>, but also the level of transparency that Biden’s team has offered about his mental fitness.Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., told a local CBS-affiliated television station this week that he was “horrified” by both Biden’s performance and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/fact-check-misinformation-election-debate-trump-biden-577507522762aa10f6ee5be3a0ced2bb">Trump’s falsehoods during the debate</a>.“People want to make sure that this is a campaign that’s ready to go and win,” Whitehouse said. “That the president and his team are being candid with us about his condition — that this was a real anomaly.”Rep. Jamie Raskin, a prominent Democrat from Maryland, said on MSNBC, “There are very honest and serious and rigorous conversations taking place at every level of our party."Raskin said Democrats needed Biden at the “very center” of their campaign to make the argument that the Republican Party is slipping towards authoritarianism under Trump, but also raised the possibility that Biden would not continue as the presidential candidate.Some are concerned that Biden’s weaknesses could tamp down potential voters’ enthusiasm, creating a ripple effect&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-democrats-house-senate-f259564ef804410100c1a6b09587aec3">that hurts Democrats</a>&nbsp;as they try to hold on to a narrow Senate majority and take back control of the House. Down-ballot Democrats are already confident they can outperform Biden in swing races, but if large numbers of voters reject Biden, it could also impact them.Rep. Mike Quigley, D-Ill., told CNN on Tuesday that he wanted Biden to recognize “how much this impacts not just his race but all the other races coming in November.”<h2>Backing Biden</h2>With&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-debate-democrats-clyburn-warnock-2024-nominee-01bd3586a2f2da9217a04d031ddd7934">Biden’s family urging him to stay</a>&nbsp;in the race, attention has turned to senior Democratic lawmakers who could potentially convince the president to withdraw his nomination. So far, top Democratic leaders have mostly stood behind Biden in public statements.“There have not been discussions among senior leadership about anything other than making sure we continue to articulate a compelling vision for the future to the American people related to the issues of importance around the economy,” House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries told reporters at a Monday event at the Pittsburgh International Airport.Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, posted on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, after the debate last week that it showed voters there was a choice between “four more years of progress, or four more years of attacks on our fundamental rights and our democracy.”Biden planned to speak with congressional leaders this week, the White House said Tuesday. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday they respected the opinions and thoughts of concerned party members, adding, “that’s what makes this party different than the other side.”Many of Biden's allies have chided the news media for being&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-times-debate-brzezinski-4702733ebaa1b9926ef8fb479f245008">fixated on Biden's mental capacities</a>, arguing that instead the focus should be put on&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-biden-debate-capitol-riot-2024-election-1aff225eb804a22ea88a7ed2c691cf1c">Trump's record of refusing to accept</a>&nbsp;the results of the 2020 election and repeatedly making false statements.Rep. Veronica Escobar, a Texas Democrat who is part of Biden's campaign committee, conceded that the debate was not what she hoped for, but added, "I think there needs to be a real conversation about the things that Donald Trump said. It is beyond vile.“Rep. Robert Garcia, D-Calif., who was among Biden’s surrogates at the debate, dismissed concerns.“We are 100% behind Joe Biden," he said Friday. "Crystal clear, end of story. He’s our nominee. So anything else outside of that is just political chatter.”<h2>Feeling it out</h2>The debate infused a new dynamic into an election contest that had been marked by few surprises. Voters were familiar with both Biden and Trump and had previously decided between the two in 2020.Still, many House Democrats were caught in a state of uncertainty as they faced a barrage of questions on the Friday morning after the debate. Some chalked it up as little more than a bad night for Biden, but others are watching closely to see how voters react and whether Biden can execute a quick political recovery.Rep. James Clyburn, a South Carolina Democrat who helped Biden win the Democratic nomination in 2020, urged his party last week to “stay the course” and “chill out.”By Tuesday, Clyburn was still supporting Biden for president, but also told MSNBC that “Biden may decide otherwise.” Clyburn added that he would support Vice President Kamala Harris if Biden withdrew.Clyburn and others like former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., are recommending that Biden prove to the American people that he is ready for another four years in office by going out and taking tough interviews — something he has rarely done in recent years. Biden will sit for an interview with ABC, his first since the debate, later in the week.Both Clyburn and Pelosi told MSNBC at midday Tuesday that they had not spoken directly with Biden since the debate. But Pelosi still emphasized that the president is on “top of his game, in terms of knowing the issues and what is at stake.”She called on both Biden and Trump to face tests for their health and mental acuity.“I think it is a legitimate question to say is this an episode or is this a condition. So when people ask that question, it’s legitimate — of both candidates,” Pelosi said.Meanwhile, rank-and-file lawmakers are watching to see how voter polls register the impact and whether it spills into down-ballot races. For months, vulnerable House Democrats&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/house-swing-districts-biden-trump-661f2d694b0ce5c74daa6527e3c0ed8e">have been distancing themselves</a>&nbsp;from some of Biden’s policies. That phenomenon could become more pronounced after the debate.Rep. Jared Golden, a moderate Democrat from Maine, was already looking for ways to convince potential Trump voters to support him.“While I don’t plan to vote for him, Donald Trump is going to win,” Golden said in a Bangor Daily News op-ed. "And I’m OK with that.”___

🎥From nap time to jet lag, White House answers questions about Biden

<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOHN%20HANNA%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest"></a>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Enforcement of a federal rule expanding anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ students has been blocked in four states and a patchwork of places elsewhere by a federal judge in Kansas.

U.S. District Judge John Broomes suggested in his ruling Tuesday that the Biden administration must now consider whether forcing compliance remains “worth the effort.”

Broomes' decision was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/title-ix-education-department-9f7b89ec50657436e0e8110799b576d4">the third against the rule</a>&nbsp;from a federal judge in less than three weeks but more sweeping than the others. It applies in&nbsp; Kansas, Alaska, Utah and Wyoming, which sued over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/title-ix-sexual-assault-transgender-sports-d0fc0ab7515de02b8e4403d0481dc1e7">the new rule</a>. It also applies to a Stillwater, Oklahoma, middle school that has a student suing over the rule and to members of three groups backing Republican efforts nationwide to roll back LGBTQ+ rights. All of them are involved in one lawsuit.

Broomes, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, directed the three groups — Moms for Liberty, Young America’s Foundation and Female Athletes United — to file a list of schools in which their members' children are students so that their schools also do not comply with the rule. Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, a Republican who argued the states' case before Broomes last month, said that could be thousands of schools.

The Biden administration rule is set to take effect in August under the Title IX civil rights law passed in 1972, barring sex discrimination in education. Broomes' order is to remain in effect through a trial of the lawsuit in Kansas, though the judge concluded that the states and three groups are likely to win.

Republicans have argued that the rule&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/title-ix-transgender-sports-athletes-7bf158a721fa40623ec18c3a4fef4525">represents a ruse</a>&nbsp;by the Biden administration to allow transgender females to play on girls' and women's sports teams,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-athletes-k12-schools-state-restrictions-ec0b1d2ea162855131264c88bb992e2e">something banned or restricted in Kansas</a>&nbsp;and at least 24 other states. The administration has said it does not apply to athletics. Opponents of the rule have also framed the issue as protecting women and girls' privacy and safety in bathrooms and locker rooms.

“Gender ideology does not belong in public schools and we are glad the courts made the correct call to support parental rights,” Moms for Liberty co-founders Tina Descovich and Tiffany Justice said in a statement.

LGBTQ+ youth, their parents, health care providers and others say restrictions on transgender youth harms their mental health and makes an often marginalized group even more vulnerable. The Department of Education has previously stood by its rule and President Joe Biden has promised to protect LGBTQ+ rights.

The Department of Education did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Tuesday.

Besides Broomes, two other federal judges issued rulings in mid-June blocking the new rule in 10 other states. The rule would protect LGBTQ+ students by expanding the definition of sexual harassment at schools and colleges and adding safeguards for victims.

Like the other judges, Broomes called the rule arbitrary and concluded that the Department of Education and its secretary, Miguel Cardona, exceeded the authority granted by Title IX. He also concluded that the rule violated the free speech and religious freedom rights of parents and students who reject transgender students' gender identities and want to espouse those views at school or elsewhere in public.

Broomes said his 47-page order leaves it to the Biden administration “to determine in the first instance whether continued enforcement in compliance with this decision is worth the effort.”

Broomes also said non-transgender students' privacy and safety could be harmed by the rule. He cited the statement of the Oklahoma middle school student that “on some occasions” cisgender boys used a girls' bathroom “because they knew they could get away with it.”

“It is not hard to imagine that, under the Final Rule, an industrious older teenage boy may simply claim to identify as female to gain access to the girls' showers, dressing rooms, or locker rooms, so that he can observe female peers disrobe and shower,” Broomes wrote, echoing a common but largely false narrative from anti-trans activists about gender identity and how schools accommodate transgender students.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/3/1710450474140.jpeg" alt="FILE - Kansas high school students, family members and advocates rally for transgender rights, Jan. 31, 2024, at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. On Tuesday, July 2, a federal judge in Kansas blocked a federal rule expanding anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ students from being enforced in four states, including Kansas and a patchwork of places elsewhere across the nation. (AP Photo/John Hanna, File)" />
 <figcaption>FILE - Kansas high school students, family members and advocates rally for transgender rights, Jan. 31, 2024, at the Statehouse in Topeka, Kan. On Tuesday, July 2, a federal judge in Kansas blocked a federal rule expanding anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ students from being enforced in four states, including Kansas and a patchwork of places elsewhere across the nation. (AP Photo/John Hanna, File)</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA<a href="https://newsroom.ap.org/home/search/?query=byline:%22JOHN%20HANNA%22&amp;mediaType=text&amp;st=keyword&amp;sortOrder=newest"></a>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Enforcement of a federal rule expanding anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ+ students has been blocked in four states and a patchwork of places elsewhere by a federal judge in Kansas.U.S. District Judge John Broomes suggested in his ruling Tuesday that the Biden administration must now consider whether forcing compliance remains “worth the effort.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">all Kansas school districts are now on notice that they must abide by the court&#39;s injunction and that they are prohibited from changing any of the schools&#39; policies to reflect Biden&#39;s Title IX transgender rule. <a href="https://t.co/2seeX7xAnA">pic.twitter.com/2seeX7xAnA</a>&mdash; Kansas AG&#39;s Office (@KSAGOffice) <a href="https://twitter.com/KSAGOffice/status/1808270283347800068?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 2, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Broomes' decision was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/title-ix-education-department-9f7b89ec50657436e0e8110799b576d4">the third against the rule</a>&nbsp;from a federal judge in less than three weeks but more sweeping than the others. It applies in&nbsp; Kansas, Alaska, Utah and Wyoming, which sued over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/title-ix-sexual-assault-transgender-sports-d0fc0ab7515de02b8e4403d0481dc1e7">the new rule</a>. It also applies to a Stillwater, Oklahoma, middle school that has a student suing over the rule and to members of three groups backing Republican efforts nationwide to roll back LGBTQ+ rights. All of them are involved in one lawsuit.Broomes, an appointee of former President Donald Trump, directed the three groups — Moms for Liberty, Young America’s Foundation and Female Athletes United — to file a list of schools in which their members' children are students so that their schools also do not comply with the rule. Kansas Attorney General Kris Kobach, a Republican who argued the states' case before Broomes last month, said that could be thousands of schools.The Biden administration rule is set to take effect in August under the Title IX civil rights law passed in 1972, barring sex discrimination in education. Broomes' order is to remain in effect through a trial of the lawsuit in Kansas, though the judge concluded that the states and three groups are likely to win.Republicans have argued that the rule&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/title-ix-transgender-sports-athletes-7bf158a721fa40623ec18c3a4fef4525">represents a ruse</a>&nbsp;by the Biden administration to allow transgender females to play on girls' and women's sports teams,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/transgender-athletes-k12-schools-state-restrictions-ec0b1d2ea162855131264c88bb992e2e">something banned or restricted in Kansas</a>&nbsp;and at least 24 other states. The administration has said it does not apply to athletics. Opponents of the rule have also framed the issue as protecting women and girls' privacy and safety in bathrooms and locker rooms.“Gender ideology does not belong in public schools and we are glad the courts made the correct call to support parental rights,” Moms for Liberty co-founders Tina Descovich and Tiffany Justice said in a statement.LGBTQ+ youth, their parents, health care providers and others say restrictions on transgender youth harms their mental health and makes an often marginalized group even more vulnerable. The Department of Education has previously stood by its rule and President Joe Biden has promised to protect LGBTQ+ rights.The Department of Education did not immediately respond to an email seeking comment Tuesday.Besides Broomes, two other federal judges issued rulings in mid-June blocking the new rule in 10 other states. The rule would protect LGBTQ+ students by expanding the definition of sexual harassment at schools and colleges and adding safeguards for victims.Like the other judges, Broomes called the rule arbitrary and concluded that the Department of Education and its secretary, Miguel Cardona, exceeded the authority granted by Title IX. He also concluded that the rule violated the free speech and religious freedom rights of parents and students who reject transgender students' gender identities and want to espouse those views at school or elsewhere in public.Broomes said his 47-page order leaves it to the Biden administration “to determine in the first instance whether continued enforcement in compliance with this decision is worth the effort.”Broomes also said non-transgender students' privacy and safety could be harmed by the rule. He cited the statement of the Oklahoma middle school student that “on some occasions” cisgender boys used a girls' bathroom “because they knew they could get away with it.”“It is not hard to imagine that, under the Final Rule, an industrious older teenage boy may simply claim to identify as female to gain access to the girls' showers, dressing rooms, or locker rooms, so that he can observe female peers disrobe and shower,” Broomes wrote, echoing a common but largely false narrative from anti-trans activists about gender identity and how schools accommodate transgender students.

Kan. judge's order blocks Biden's Title IX transgender rules

CLAY COUNTY, Mo. —Two people died in an accident just after 3p.m. Wednesday in Clay County, Missouri.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Toyota Scion driven by Delmy A. Vasquez, 26, Kansas City, Kansas, was westbound on MO 92 at County Road A.

The driver failed to yield and rear-ended a 2012 Ford Fusion driven by Alex M. Morse, 18, Kearney, Missouri.

After impact the Toyota crossed into oncoming traffic and struck the side of an eastbound 2015 Bluebird Gallatin R-V school district bus driven by Rolla C. Joyce, 45, Gallatin, Missouri.&nbsp; A passenger in the back seat of the Toyota was ejected.

After striking the bus, the Toyota spun around and struck a westbound 2023 Ford Explorer driven by Kenneth H. Holmberg, 42, Smithville, Missouri.

A passenger in the Toyota Iris Vallares Barahona, Kansas City, Missouri, was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; EMS transported a second passenger in the Toyota Griselda Rodriguez Apolinar, 32, Kansas City, Missouri, to Liberty Hospital where she died.

EMS also transported Vasquez Perez and two passengers in the school bus, a 15-year-old girl and 15-year-old boy, both from Gallatin, Missouri, to Liberty Hospital. There were no others transported for treatment.&nbsp;Vallares Barahona and was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720091491395.png" alt="First responders on the scene of the crash -photo courtesy KMBC TV" />
 <figcaption>First responders on the scene of the crash -photo courtesy KMBC TV</figcaption>
 </figure>CLAY COUNTY, Mo. —Two people died in an accident just after 3p.m. Wednesday in Clay County, Missouri.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported a 2014 Toyota Scion driven by Delmy A. Vasquez, 26, Kansas City, Kansas, was westbound on MO 92 at County Road A.The driver failed to yield and rear-ended a 2012 Ford Fusion driven by Alex M. Morse, 18, Kearney, Missouri.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720091459450.png" alt="Photo courtesy KMBC TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy KMBC TV</figcaption>
 </figure>After impact the Toyota crossed into oncoming traffic and struck the side of an eastbound 2015 Bluebird Gallatin R-V school district bus driven by Rolla C. Joyce, 45, Gallatin, Missouri.&nbsp; A passenger in the back seat of the Toyota was ejected.After striking the bus, the Toyota spun around and struck a westbound 2023 Ford Explorer driven by Kenneth H. Holmberg, 42, Smithville, Missouri.A passenger in the Toyota Iris Vallares Barahona, Kansas City, Missouri, was pronounced dead at the scene.&nbsp; EMS transported a second passenger in the Toyota Griselda Rodriguez Apolinar, 32, Kansas City, Missouri, to Liberty Hospital where she died.EMS also transported Vasquez Perez and two passengers in the school bus, a 15-year-old girl and 15-year-old boy, both from Gallatin, Missouri, to Liberty Hospital. There were no others transported for treatment.&nbsp;Vallares Barahona and was not wearing a seat belt, according to the MSHP.

2 dead after Kansas driver strikes 3-vehicles including school bus

WASHINGTON — The Department of Defense (DoD) announced Wednesday afternoon an additional security assistance to meet Ukraine's critical security and defense needs, according to a media release.

This includes the authorization of a Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) package valued at up to $150 million to provide Ukraine with key capabilities, including: additional air defense interceptors; artillery and other fires, and anti-tank weapons.&nbsp;

In addition, DoD is announcing a significant package of air defense interceptors using approximately $2.2 billion in Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) funds.

&nbsp;This funding will be used to purchase interceptors for PATRIOT and NASAMS air defense systems for Ukraine. As previously announced, the Biden Administration plans to accelerate delivery of these munitions by re-sequencing upcoming Foreign Military Sales deliveries for Ukraine.&nbsp;As a result, Ukraine will be provided with the interceptors it urgently needs to protect its people and critical infrastructure against Russia's aerial attacks.

The PDA package is the Biden Administration's sixtieth tranche of equipment to be provided from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021.

&nbsp;The capabilities in the PDA package include:

The United States will continue to work together with some 50 Allies and partners to ensure Ukraine's brave defenders receive the critical capabilities needed to fight Russian aggression.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/10/1697074393182.png" alt="Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III greets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Oct. 11, 2023.&nbsp;Photo By:Chad J. McNeeley,&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III greets Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group at NATO headquarters in Brussels, Oct. 11, 2023.&nbsp;Photo By:Chad J. McNeeley,&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON — The Department of Defense (DoD) announced Wednesday afternoon an additional security assistance to meet Ukraine's critical security and defense needs, according to a media release.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">The United States is announcing a new military aid package to strengthen Ukraine’s defenses. We will continue to stand with Ukraine in its fight against Russia’s aggression.&mdash; Secretary Antony Blinken (@SecBlinken) <a href="https://twitter.com/SecBlinken/status/1808633419456462889?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2024</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>This includes the authorization of a Presidential Drawdown Authority (PDA) package valued at up to $150 million to provide Ukraine with key capabilities, including: additional air defense interceptors; artillery and other fires, and anti-tank weapons.&nbsp;In addition, DoD is announcing a significant package of air defense interceptors using approximately $2.2 billion in Ukraine Security Assistance Initiative (USAI) funds.&nbsp;This funding will be used to purchase interceptors for PATRIOT and NASAMS air defense systems for Ukraine. As previously announced, the Biden Administration plans to accelerate delivery of these munitions by re-sequencing upcoming Foreign Military Sales deliveries for Ukraine.&nbsp;As a result, Ukraine will be provided with the interceptors it urgently needs to protect its people and critical infrastructure against Russia's aerial attacks.The PDA package is the Biden Administration's sixtieth tranche of equipment to be provided from DoD inventories for Ukraine since August 2021.&nbsp;The capabilities in the PDA package include:<ol>
 <li>Missiles for HAWK air defense systems;</li><li>Ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS);</li><li>155mm and 105mm artillery rounds;</li><li>81mm mortar rounds;</li><li>Tube-Launched, Optically-Tracked, Wire-Guided (TOW) missiles;</li><li>Javelin and AT-4 anti-armor systems;</li><li>Small arms ammunition and grenades;</li><li>Demolitions equipment and munitions;</li><li>Tactical vehicles to tow and haul equipment;</li><li>Tactical air navigation systems and aircraft support equipment; and,</li><li>Spare parts, maintenance, and other field and ancillary equipment.</li>
 </ol>The United States will continue to work together with some 50 Allies and partners to ensure Ukraine's brave defenders receive the critical capabilities needed to fight Russian aggression.

 US will give Ukraine another $2.3 billion in military aid 

NEMAHA COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas&nbsp; man for multiple child sex crimes. 

Just after 11 a.m.,Tuesday, KBI agents arrested&nbsp; 51-year-old Robert Motto Jr., 51, of Wetmore on a warrant for four counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, rape, and two counts of aggravated criminal sodomy, according to the KBI.

In early April, the Nemaha County Sheriff's Office began investigating the case after a child disclosed sexual abuse.

Soon after, the Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office requested KBI assistance investigating the incident.&nbsp; During the investigation additional allegations of sex crimes were discovered. 

 Following his arrest, Motto was booked into the Nemaha County Jail. Bond was set at $500,000.

 Anyone with information related to this investigation is asked to call the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME. Anonymous tips can also be submitted online 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720002700520.png" alt="Motto photo KBI" />
 <figcaption>Motto photo KBI</figcaption>
 </figure>NEMAHA COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas&nbsp; man for multiple child sex crimes. Just after 11 a.m.,Tuesday, KBI agents arrested&nbsp; 51-year-old Robert Motto Jr., 51, of Wetmore on a warrant for four counts of aggravated indecent liberties with a child, rape, and two counts of aggravated criminal sodomy, according to the KBI.In early April, the Nemaha County Sheriff's Office began investigating the case after a child disclosed sexual abuse.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/7/1720038363165.png" alt="Motto is being held in Nemaha County" />
 <figcaption>Motto is being held in Nemaha County</figcaption>
 </figure>Soon after, the Nemaha County Sheriff’s Office requested KBI assistance investigating the incident.&nbsp; During the investigation additional allegations of sex crimes were discovered. Following his arrest, Motto was booked into the Nemaha County Jail. Bond was set at $500,000. Anyone with information related to this investigation is asked to call the KBI at 1-800-KS-CRIME. Anonymous tips can also be submitted online

KBI: Child's report led to Kansas sex crime arrest

STONE COUNTY —A Kansas City Man drowned Tuesday at Table Rock Lake.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported 61-year-old Christopher D. Moore exited a 2022 Pontoon boat in Cow Creek Cove four miles south of Kimberling City. The boat drifted away where he was unable to grab it again.&nbsp; Moore began to struggle and went under water.

After a an unknown amount of time, his wife was able to pull him from the water and began life saving measures.

He was pronounced dead at the scene. Stone County Coroner transported&nbsp; him to Stumps Funeral Home. He was not wearing a life jacket, according to the MSHP.

STONE COUNTY —A Kansas City Man drowned Tuesday at Table Rock Lake.The Missouri State Highway Patrol reported 61-year-old Christopher D. Moore exited a 2022 Pontoon boat in Cow Creek Cove four miles south of Kimberling City. The boat drifted away where he was unable to grab it again.&nbsp; Moore began to struggle and went under water.After a an unknown amount of time, his wife was able to pull him from the water and began life saving measures.He was pronounced dead at the scene. Stone County Coroner transported&nbsp; him to Stumps Funeral Home. He was not wearing a life jacket, according to the MSHP.

Kansas City man drowns at Table Rock Lake

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas businessman has pleaded guilty to illegally exporting sensitive aviation technology to Russian companies in violation of U.S. sanctions.

Douglas Edward Robertson, who lives in the Kansas City suburb of Olathe, was the second Kansas business executive to plead guilty to charges after being accused of smuggling, money laundering, violating U.S. export regulations, submitting false or misleading information to export regulators and conspiring to commit crimes against the U.S., all for profit.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-technology-crime-kansas-fa4fa00c9178f57783ffcf32e373867e">Their arrests</a>&nbsp;and the arrest of a Latvian associate in March 2023 came as the U.S. ramped up&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-us-department-of-the-treasury-government-janet-yellen-business-f85483ad976990a056c9bfc6b504a07d">sanctions and financial penalties on Russia</a>&nbsp;over its February 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">invasion of Ukraine</a>.

Robertson, 56, entered his plea Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Daniel Crabtree in Kansas City. The judge set his sentencing for Oct. 3. Robertson pleaded guilty to four of the 26 counts against him and could face up to 20 years in prison for either the money laundering or export violations convictions.

According to prosecutors, starting in October 2020, the defendants sought to sell electronics that included threat detection systems and flight, navigation and communications controls, to two Russian aircraft parts distributors, a Russian aircraft repair firm and a Russian aircraft services company. They sought to hide their unlicensed activities by going through companies and using bank accounts elsewhere, including Armenia, Cyprus, Germany, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and the United Arab Emirates.

“Those who seek to profit by illegally selling sophisticated U.S. technology to our adversaries are putting the national security of our country at risk," Robert Wells, the executive assistant director of the FBI's National Security Branch, said in a statement.

One of Robertson's attorneys, Branden Bell, declined to comment when reached Wednesday.

U.S. export controls were meant to limit Russia’s access to computer chips and other products needed to equip a modern military. The indictment against Robertson said the electronics he and the other two men sought to export “could make a significant contribution” to another nation's military.

Robertson, a commercial pilot, and Cyril Gregory Buyanovsky, an aviation engineer from Lawrence, operated the KanRus Trading Co. together and worked with Oleg Chistyakov, a Latvian citizen who frequently traveled to the UAE, according to prosecutors.

Buyanovsky&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-technology-crime-kansas-cf1dfe01f8aad778f1629048d52c00ed">pleaded guilty</a>&nbsp;in December to one count of conspiring to launder money and one count of conspiring to commit crimes against the U.S., and his sentencing is set for Nov. 14.

In a court filing last month, prosecutors said Chistyakov was arrested in Latvia in March and that a court approved his extradition to the U.S., though he has appealed the decision to Latvia's Supreme Court.

Chistyakov also sent a letter to the court last month, and the English translation describes him as having been under “house arrest” for more than a year. The letter also said he suffers from diabetes, high blood pressure and other medical conditions that could lead to a stroke or heart attack during a long flight. Crabtree noted in a filing Tuesday that he had received a letter from someone saying he is Chistyakov's Latvian attorney, seeking medical accommodations for him.

The indictment charging the three men lists nine exports of aviation electronics to Russian companies from February 2021 through December 2022 and attempts to export electronics once in February 2022 and twice in March 2023.

Prosecutors have said the U.S. government seized $450,000 in electronics blocked from export the day before Buyanovsky and Robertson were arrested.

“Robertson’s guilty plea is reflective of the strong evidence gathered against him by federal investigators and the solid case presented by federal prosecutors,” Kate E. Brubacher, the chief federal prosecutor in Kansas, said in a statement.

By JOHN HANNA&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — A Kansas businessman has pleaded guilty to illegally exporting sensitive aviation technology to Russian companies in violation of U.S. sanctions.Douglas Edward Robertson, who lives in the Kansas City suburb of Olathe, was the second Kansas business executive to plead guilty to charges after being accused of smuggling, money laundering, violating U.S. export regulations, submitting false or misleading information to export regulators and conspiring to commit crimes against the U.S., all for profit.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-technology-crime-kansas-fa4fa00c9178f57783ffcf32e373867e">Their arrests</a>&nbsp;and the arrest of a Latvian associate in March 2023 came as the U.S. ramped up&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-us-department-of-the-treasury-government-janet-yellen-business-f85483ad976990a056c9bfc6b504a07d">sanctions and financial penalties on Russia</a>&nbsp;over its February 2022&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">invasion of Ukraine</a>.Robertson, 56, entered his plea Tuesday before U.S. District Judge Daniel Crabtree in Kansas City. The judge set his sentencing for Oct. 3. Robertson pleaded guilty to four of the 26 counts against him and could face up to 20 years in prison for either the money laundering or export violations convictions.According to prosecutors, starting in October 2020, the defendants sought to sell electronics that included threat detection systems and flight, navigation and communications controls, to two Russian aircraft parts distributors, a Russian aircraft repair firm and a Russian aircraft services company. They sought to hide their unlicensed activities by going through companies and using bank accounts elsewhere, including Armenia, Cyprus, Germany, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and the United Arab Emirates.“Those who seek to profit by illegally selling sophisticated U.S. technology to our adversaries are putting the national security of our country at risk," Robert Wells, the executive assistant director of the FBI's National Security Branch, said in a statement.One of Robertson's attorneys, Branden Bell, declined to comment when reached Wednesday.U.S. export controls were meant to limit Russia’s access to computer chips and other products needed to equip a modern military. The indictment against Robertson said the electronics he and the other two men sought to export “could make a significant contribution” to another nation's military.Robertson, a commercial pilot, and Cyril Gregory Buyanovsky, an aviation engineer from Lawrence, operated the KanRus Trading Co. together and worked with Oleg Chistyakov, a Latvian citizen who frequently traveled to the UAE, according to prosecutors.Buyanovsky&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-war-technology-crime-kansas-cf1dfe01f8aad778f1629048d52c00ed">pleaded guilty</a>&nbsp;in December to one count of conspiring to launder money and one count of conspiring to commit crimes against the U.S., and his sentencing is set for Nov. 14.In a court filing last month, prosecutors said Chistyakov was arrested in Latvia in March and that a court approved his extradition to the U.S., though he has appealed the decision to Latvia's Supreme Court.Chistyakov also sent a letter to the court last month, and the English translation describes him as having been under “house arrest” for more than a year. The letter also said he suffers from diabetes, high blood pressure and other medical conditions that could lead to a stroke or heart attack during a long flight. Crabtree noted in a filing Tuesday that he had received a letter from someone saying he is Chistyakov's Latvian attorney, seeking medical accommodations for him.The indictment charging the three men lists nine exports of aviation electronics to Russian companies from February 2021 through December 2022 and attempts to export electronics once in February 2022 and twice in March 2023.Prosecutors have said the U.S. government seized $450,000 in electronics blocked from export the day before Buyanovsky and Robertson were arrested.“Robertson’s guilty plea is reflective of the strong evidence gathered against him by federal investigators and the solid case presented by federal prosecutors,” Kate E. Brubacher, the chief federal prosecutor in Kansas, said in a statement.