KANSAS CITY —Detectives in Kansas City&nbsp; are warning residents of a scam that has cost at least one person more than $1 million, according to an online statement from KCPD.

The scam begins with a pop-up on a computer screen with an error message stating the computer is not working properly. 

The pop-up provides a phone number to call for tech support. A scammer then tells the victim their computer and financial information has been compromised. Someone impersonating a government official then contacts the victim, urging him or her to liquidate their assets into gold bars or to wire transfer funds to a Bitcoin machine. The scammers will even send a courier to pick up the gold, claiming they’re safeguarding assets. 

So far, the victims police know of range from 65 to 80 years of age. KCPD detectives are working with other agencies across the country to solve this. In the meantime, police want you to be safe. If you see this scam and have not experienced a loss,<a href="https://www.ic3.gov/"> click here to</a> report it.

If you have suffered a loss, call your police department.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1717162861568.png" alt="Image KCPD" />
 <figcaption>Image KCPD</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Detectives in Kansas City&nbsp; are warning residents of a scam that has cost at least one person more than $1 million, according to an online statement from KCPD.The scam begins with a pop-up on a computer screen with an error message stating the computer is not working properly. The pop-up provides a phone number to call for tech support. A scammer then tells the victim their computer and financial information has been compromised. Someone impersonating a government official then contacts the victim, urging him or her to liquidate their assets into gold bars or to wire transfer funds to a Bitcoin machine. The scammers will even send a courier to pick up the gold, claiming they’re safeguarding assets. So far, the victims police know of range from 65 to 80 years of age. KCPD detectives are working with other agencies across the country to solve this. In the meantime, police want you to be safe. If you see this scam and have not experienced a loss,<a href="https://www.ic3.gov/"> click here to</a> report it.If you have suffered a loss, call your police department.

Police: Responding to pop up alert cost KC-area resident $1 million

By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — The state is set to bolster benefits for families of workers who have been killed and for workers who have been permanently disabled, marking change for the first time in more than a decade.&nbsp;

Kansas workers will see the effects of the change in little more than a month, following the passage of legislation overhauling what have been some of the lowest workers’ compensation rates in the country.&nbsp;

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb430/">Senate Bill 430</a>, a bipartisan law formed after vigorous negotiations with business and labor groups, will go into effect July 1. Lawmakers sent the bill to the governor in March, and she signed it April 11. Gov. Laura Kelly held a second ceremonial signing Wednesday to reiterate the law’s importance, surrounded by lawmakers, labor groups and members of the National Guard.

Kelly estimated the last meaningful updates to workers’ comp happened 13 years ago, and it took 24 years of work before that to achieve change.

“I remind you of this so we all truly appreciate how big a deal this really is,” Kelly said.&nbsp;

A family of a worker killed on the job will receive up to $500,000 in death compensation benefits, up from the previous cap of $300,000. For a worker with an injury resulting in a permanent and total disability, benefits will be capped at $400,000, up from $155,000.&nbsp;Compensation benefits for a temporary total disability will go from the previous cap of $130,000 to $225,000.&nbsp;The benefits will also undergo cost-of-living adjustments starting in 2027.

“The bill’s language is the result of countless hours of effort by representatives of injured workers, industry, and the state to craft much-needed and meaningful updates to the Kansas Workers Compensation Act,” said Anton Andersen, a defense attorney and director for the Kansas Self Insurer’s Association.

Other changes include extending workers’ compensation coverage to those in the Kansas National Guard and decreasing the Social Security retirement offset for certain disability benefits.

“This legislation is a significant step in achieving a balance between the needs of workers and the realities of the business world,” said Kansas Department of Labor Secretary Amber Shultz. “We are proud to play a part in the creation of a more fair and equitable system.”

SB 430 also allows for the settlement of workers’ compensation cases without a formal court hearing and limits use of independent medical examinations, among other provisions.&nbsp;

“It has been way too long since we have revised our worker compensation laws,” Kelly said in an interview after the signing. “This was absolutely necessary. We were one of the states with the lowest workers’ compensation of any state in the country.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717278082593.png" alt=" Gov. Laura Kelly participates in a ceremonial signing of a workers compensation reform law on May 29, 2024. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Gov. Laura Kelly participates in a ceremonial signing of a workers compensation reform law on May 29, 2024. (Rachel Mipro/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/author/rmipro/">RACHEL MIPRO</a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://kansasreflector.com/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The state is set to bolster benefits for families of workers who have been killed and for workers who have been permanently disabled, marking change for the first time in more than a decade.&nbsp;Kansas workers will see the effects of the change in little more than a month, following the passage of legislation overhauling what have been some of the lowest workers’ compensation rates in the country.&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb430/">Senate Bill 430</a>, a bipartisan law formed after vigorous negotiations with business and labor groups, will go into effect July 1. Lawmakers sent the bill to the governor in March, and she signed it April 11. Gov. Laura Kelly held a second ceremonial signing Wednesday to reiterate the law’s importance, surrounded by lawmakers, labor groups and members of the National Guard.Kelly estimated the last meaningful updates to workers’ comp happened 13 years ago, and it took 24 years of work before that to achieve change.“I remind you of this so we all truly appreciate how big a deal this really is,” Kelly said.&nbsp;A family of a worker killed on the job will receive up to $500,000 in death compensation benefits, up from the previous cap of $300,000. For a worker with an injury resulting in a permanent and total disability, benefits will be capped at $400,000, up from $155,000.&nbsp;Compensation benefits for a temporary total disability will go from the previous cap of $130,000 to $225,000.&nbsp;The benefits will also undergo cost-of-living adjustments starting in 2027.“The bill’s language is the result of countless hours of effort by representatives of injured workers, industry, and the state to craft much-needed and meaningful updates to the Kansas Workers Compensation Act,” said Anton Andersen, a defense attorney and director for the Kansas Self Insurer’s Association.Other changes include extending workers’ compensation coverage to those in the Kansas National Guard and decreasing the Social Security retirement offset for certain disability benefits.“This legislation is a significant step in achieving a balance between the needs of workers and the realities of the business world,” said Kansas Department of Labor Secretary Amber Shultz. “We are proud to play a part in the creation of a more fair and equitable system.”SB 430 also allows for the settlement of workers’ compensation cases without a formal court hearing and limits use of independent medical examinations, among other provisions.&nbsp;“It has been way too long since we have revised our worker compensation laws,” Kelly said in an interview after the signing. “This was absolutely necessary. We were one of the states with the lowest workers’ compensation of any state in the country.”

Kansas raising death benefits for families of killed workers in ‘truly necessary’ overhaul

KANSAS CITY —Police in Kansas City are investigating a Saturday morning homicide.

Just after 4a.m., police were dispatched to 50th and Prospect Avenue on a reported EMS call for a victim down in the street, according to&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

When officers arrived, they observed a man laying in the street unresponsive and suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Responding officers immediately began rendering medical aid until EMS responded and confirmed the man was deceased.

The circumstances surrounding this incident are currently unknown and no one is in custody, according to Gonzalez.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717241903381.png" alt="Photo courtesy Sheriff Dary Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Sheriff Dary Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Police in Kansas City are investigating a Saturday morning homicide.Just after 4a.m., police were dispatched to 50th and Prospect Avenue on a reported EMS call for a victim down in the street, according to&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.When officers arrived, they observed a man laying in the street unresponsive and suffering from apparent gunshot wounds. Responding officers immediately began rendering medical aid until EMS responded and confirmed the man was deceased.The circumstances surrounding this incident are currently unknown and no one is in custody, according to Gonzalez.

KCPD: Man found with fatal gunshot wound in street 

JERUSALEM —Terrorists continue to attempt attacks on U.S. forces in the Red Sea.

Between 9 a.m. and <a href="https://x.com/CENTCOM/status/1797080594985140483?t=450">7:30</a> p.m. (Sanaa time) June 1, U.S. forces destroyed one Iranian-backed Houthi drone (UAS)&nbsp; the southern Red Sea, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.

U.S. forces also observed two other drones crash into the Red Sea. No injuries or damage was reported by U.S., coalition, or commercial ships.


Additionally, between 7 and <a href="https://x.com/CENTCOM/status/1797080594985140483?t=690">11:30</a> p.m., US forces successfully engaged two Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles in the southern Red Sea. The missiles were fired in the direction of USS Gravely and were destroyed in self-defense, with no damage or injuries reported by U.S., coalition, or commercial ships.

Meanwhile, acknowledging only “an uptick” in Israeli military activity, the United States has gone to lengths to avoid any suggestion that Israeli forces have crossed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-weapons-shipment-us-eed365ebef0477ba74bf9848cacae4f4">red line set by President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;in the deepening offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.

In just the past week, Israeli&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-05-26-2024-eb25eb70d2c7b9e6bcd0497060eccbca">strikes that hit displaced families sheltering in tents</a>&nbsp;drew international condemnation and Israel confirmed that its forces were operating in the city's center. Still, Biden administration officials say Israel has avoided massive attacks on what had been thickly crowded neighborhoods of Rafah and kept strikes more limited and targeted than earlier in its nearly 8-month-old&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">war with Hamas</a>.

That refrain underscores an increasingly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-rafah-offensive-us-united-nations-403a7c44b248b828559253206140eae5">isolated U.S. position</a>.

Critics charge that Biden, who declared early last month that he would not supply offensive weapons if Israel launched an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-war-05-07-2024-113bf4ee5dad87dc5c003d76ed2785bf">all-out assault on Rafah</a>, has come up against a domestic red line of his own and decided not to cross it: challenging ally Israel, which has support from Republicans and many American voters, in an election year.

Administration officials “keep moving the goalposts when it comes to the Rafah operation, saying, ‘You know, we won’t let the Israelis do X, Y or Z,’” said Colin Clarke, an international security expert and research director at the Soufan Center, a research center. "And then somebody says, 'Well, aren’t they doing that?’”

“So they’ve been playing semantics around what the Rafah operation constitutes,” he said. “I think if it weren’t an election year, you would see the president being a lot more forceful.”

Administration officials insist Israel has changed its tactics in an effort to reduce civilian deaths as the military sweeps through the city and targets Hamas operatives — even as humanitarian conditions worsen. Some 1 million Palestinians have fled the Rafah offensive and are sheltering in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-war-hamas-muwasi-humanitarian-2de77ea9095d2c680f57f77ad395917c">squalid tent camps</a>, and aid is only trickling into the territory. The United Nations estimates as few as 200,000 to 300,000 people still remain.

“We have been clear about what this isn’t, which is not a major military operation,” State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said Thursday. He referred to Israeli strikes on the outskirts of the city and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-05-29-2024-7952f779552f41ef6fb44c3b662f5c48">seizure of an adjoining border region</a>&nbsp;with Egypt as an “uptick.”

Pressed on the question, national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters that there’s “no mathematical formula” to determining when and if the Rafah assault has gone beyond the conditions set by the Democratic president.

The U.S. would be looking at whether the operation was causing "a lot of death and destruction” or was “more precise and proportional,” Sullivan said.

Unlike earlier in the Israeli drive to cripple Hamas militants in Gaza, Israelis have conveyed their specific battlefield goals and plans for getting there in the Rafah offensive, a senior administration official said Friday. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to brief reporters under ground rules set by the White House, said if those plans change and Israel goes back to earlier tactics, “that might be a different story.”

Israel launched its war in Gaza after attacks by Hamas killed about 1,200 Israelis on Oct. 7. More than 36,000 Palestinians have been killed since then, many of them women and children. Fighting and Israeli restrictions on aid shipments through border crossings mean nearly all 2.3 million people in Gaza are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-crossings-aid-gaza-f654871ba67c42e6345b6f709427b664">facing severe hunger</a>. U.N. officials say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-famine-world-food-program-israel-hamas-war-476941bf2dc259f85a706408b2a665ff">famine has already started</a>&nbsp;in the north.

It was the Israeli operation against Hamas in Rafah that brought on the strongest warnings from Biden last month about how Israel was conducting the war and that the U.S. could cut its supply of offensive weapons. The population of Rafah had swelled to some 1.3 million as Israeli offensives to the north pushed Palestinian civilians south.

“If they go into Rafah, I'm not supplying the weapons,” Biden told CNN on May 9. He indicated the red line as being an attack on “population centers” in the city.

At about the same time, U.S. officials confirmed that the administration had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-weapons-shipment-us-eed365ebef0477ba74bf9848cacae4f4">suspended a shipment of heavy bombs</a>&nbsp;to Israel to ensure they were not dropped on Rafah.

Republicans' condemnation of Biden's move was fast and fierce. Soon after, the chief prosecutor for the world’s top war crimes court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/icc-khan-netanyahu-070941d21ccd1f2b9611032b88527575">sought an arrest warrant</a>&nbsp;for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the top U.N. court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-palestinians-court-ceasefire-01d093d21a1eadaa31af5708cf1cbf38">ordered Israel to cease its operations</a>&nbsp;in Rafah, increasing the political pressure on the U.S. and Israel.

Brian Finucane, a former State Department official who is now a senior adviser for the International Crisis Group, notes “changes in tone and tenor” in the administration’s public comments toward Israel from around that time. Biden said the effort for a Netanyahu arrest warrant was “outrageous.”

Administration warnings and threats to Israel over the Rafah campaign ebbed. Biden, un a White House address Friday to urge Hamas to accept an Israeli proposal for a cease-fire and hostage release, made only a passing mention of the operation there, noting widely circulated images of children killed in an Israeli strike last Sunday that burned some of 45 victims alive.

Far more important than whether the U.S. scolds or only echoes Israeli talking points, Finucane said, is “what the administration actually does in terms of policy ... to bring about a shift in what’s actually happening on the ground in Gaza.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/12/1703418619283.png" alt="Photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>JERUSALEM —Terrorists continue to attempt attacks on U.S. forces in the Red Sea.Between 9 a.m. and <a href="https://x.com/CENTCOM/status/1797080594985140483?t=450">7:30</a> p.m. (Sanaa time) June 1, U.S. forces destroyed one Iranian-backed Houthi drone (UAS)&nbsp; the southern Red Sea, according to a statement from the U.S. Central Command.U.S. forces also observed two other drones crash into the Red Sea. No injuries or damage was reported by U.S., coalition, or commercial ships.

Additionally, between 7 and <a href="https://x.com/CENTCOM/status/1797080594985140483?t=690">11:30</a> p.m., US forces successfully engaged two Houthi anti-ship ballistic missiles in the southern Red Sea. The missiles were fired in the direction of USS Gravely and were destroyed in self-defense, with no damage or injuries reported by U.S., coalition, or commercial ships.Meanwhile, acknowledging only “an uptick” in Israeli military activity, the United States has gone to lengths to avoid any suggestion that Israeli forces have crossed a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-weapons-shipment-us-eed365ebef0477ba74bf9848cacae4f4">red line set by President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;in the deepening offensive in the southern Gaza city of Rafah.In just the past week, Israeli&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-05-26-2024-eb25eb70d2c7b9e6bcd0497060eccbca">strikes that hit displaced families sheltering in tents</a>&nbsp;drew international condemnation and Israel confirmed that its forces were operating in the city's center. Still, Biden administration officials say Israel has avoided massive attacks on what had been thickly crowded neighborhoods of Rafah and kept strikes more limited and targeted than earlier in its nearly 8-month-old&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war">war with Hamas</a>.That refrain underscores an increasingly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-rafah-offensive-us-united-nations-403a7c44b248b828559253206140eae5">isolated U.S. position</a>.Critics charge that Biden, who declared early last month that he would not supply offensive weapons if Israel launched an&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-hamas-war-05-07-2024-113bf4ee5dad87dc5c003d76ed2785bf">all-out assault on Rafah</a>, has come up against a domestic red line of his own and decided not to cross it: challenging ally Israel, which has support from Republicans and many American voters, in an election year.Administration officials “keep moving the goalposts when it comes to the Rafah operation, saying, ‘You know, we won’t let the Israelis do X, Y or Z,’” said Colin Clarke, an international security expert and research director at the Soufan Center, a research center. "And then somebody says, 'Well, aren’t they doing that?’”“So they’ve been playing semantics around what the Rafah operation constitutes,” he said. “I think if it weren’t an election year, you would see the president being a lot more forceful.”Administration officials insist Israel has changed its tactics in an effort to reduce civilian deaths as the military sweeps through the city and targets Hamas operatives — even as humanitarian conditions worsen. Some 1 million Palestinians have fled the Rafah offensive and are sheltering in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-gaza-war-hamas-muwasi-humanitarian-2de77ea9095d2c680f57f77ad395917c">squalid tent camps</a>, and aid is only trickling into the territory. The United Nations estimates as few as 200,000 to 300,000 people still remain.“We have been clear about what this isn’t, which is not a major military operation,” State Department spokesman Vedant Patel said Thursday. He referred to Israeli strikes on the outskirts of the city and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-05-29-2024-7952f779552f41ef6fb44c3b662f5c48">seizure of an adjoining border region</a>&nbsp;with Egypt as an “uptick.”Pressed on the question, national security adviser Jake Sullivan told reporters that there’s “no mathematical formula” to determining when and if the Rafah assault has gone beyond the conditions set by the Democratic president.The U.S. would be looking at whether the operation was causing "a lot of death and destruction” or was “more precise and proportional,” Sullivan said.Unlike earlier in the Israeli drive to cripple Hamas militants in Gaza, Israelis have conveyed their specific battlefield goals and plans for getting there in the Rafah offensive, a senior administration official said Friday. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to brief reporters under ground rules set by the White House, said if those plans change and Israel goes back to earlier tactics, “that might be a different story.”Israel launched its war in Gaza after attacks by Hamas killed about 1,200 Israelis on Oct. 7. More than 36,000 Palestinians have been killed since then, many of them women and children. Fighting and Israeli restrictions on aid shipments through border crossings mean nearly all 2.3 million people in Gaza are&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-crossings-aid-gaza-f654871ba67c42e6345b6f709427b664">facing severe hunger</a>. U.N. officials say&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-famine-world-food-program-israel-hamas-war-476941bf2dc259f85a706408b2a665ff">famine has already started</a>&nbsp;in the north.It was the Israeli operation against Hamas in Rafah that brought on the strongest warnings from Biden last month about how Israel was conducting the war and that the U.S. could cut its supply of offensive weapons. The population of Rafah had swelled to some 1.3 million as Israeli offensives to the north pushed Palestinian civilians south.“If they go into Rafah, I'm not supplying the weapons,” Biden told CNN on May 9. He indicated the red line as being an attack on “population centers” in the city.At about the same time, U.S. officials confirmed that the administration had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-weapons-shipment-us-eed365ebef0477ba74bf9848cacae4f4">suspended a shipment of heavy bombs</a>&nbsp;to Israel to ensure they were not dropped on Rafah.Republicans' condemnation of Biden's move was fast and fierce. Soon after, the chief prosecutor for the world’s top war crimes court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/icc-khan-netanyahu-070941d21ccd1f2b9611032b88527575">sought an arrest warrant</a>&nbsp;for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the top U.N. court&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-gaza-palestinians-court-ceasefire-01d093d21a1eadaa31af5708cf1cbf38">ordered Israel to cease its operations</a>&nbsp;in Rafah, increasing the political pressure on the U.S. and Israel.Brian Finucane, a former State Department official who is now a senior adviser for the International Crisis Group, notes “changes in tone and tenor” in the administration’s public comments toward Israel from around that time. Biden said the effort for a Netanyahu arrest warrant was “outrageous.”Administration warnings and threats to Israel over the Rafah campaign ebbed. Biden, un a White House address Friday to urge Hamas to accept an Israeli proposal for a cease-fire and hostage release, made only a passing mention of the operation there, noting widely circulated images of children killed in an Israeli strike last Sunday that burned some of 45 victims alive.Far more important than whether the U.S. scolds or only echoes Israeli talking points, Finucane said, is “what the administration actually does in terms of policy ... to bring about a shift in what’s actually happening on the ground in Gaza.”___

U.S. forces down more ballistic missiles, drones in the Red Sea

DECATUR COUNTY —Law enforcement agencies along the border between northwest Kansas and southwest Nebraska are actively assisting Decatur County, Oberlin, Kansas, authorities with an ongoing investigation of an abduction and holding a hostage from Oberlin, according to Decatur County Sheriff&nbsp; David Wachendorfer.

On Saturday, Decatur County Dispatch in Oberlin received a report from a man that he had been kidnapped and had just escaped from his captors. 

 Law Enforcement Officers from the Decatur County Sheriff’s Office and Oberlin Police Department, as well as members of Decatur County EMS and Emergency Management responded to the location.

The victim was located and the incident appears to be valid, according to Wachendorfer. The kidnapping occurred in another jurisdiction and the victim was able to escape while passing through. The sheriff is asking for the public’s assistance in watching for a blue or green older model mini van with Oklahoma plates.

  The vehicle is occupied by a white male about 5-foot-6, bald, with a long brown beard and tattoos on his chest. 

 The second subject is a black male 5-foot-10, chubby, with a mustache, goatee and face tattoos. The suspects are to be considered armed and dangerous.&nbsp; Do not approach them.

&nbsp;If seen, immediately call law enforcement, and provide as much detail as possible while keeping a safe distance.

DECATUR COUNTY —Law enforcement agencies along the border between northwest Kansas and southwest Nebraska are actively assisting Decatur County, Oberlin, Kansas, authorities with an ongoing investigation of an abduction and holding a hostage from Oberlin, according to Decatur County Sheriff&nbsp; David Wachendorfer.On Saturday, Decatur County Dispatch in Oberlin received a report from a man that he had been kidnapped and had just escaped from his captors. Law Enforcement Officers from the Decatur County Sheriff’s Office and Oberlin Police Department, as well as members of Decatur County EMS and Emergency Management responded to the location.The victim was located and the incident appears to be valid, according to Wachendorfer. The kidnapping occurred in another jurisdiction and the victim was able to escape while passing through. The sheriff is asking for the public’s assistance in watching for a blue or green older model mini van with Oklahoma plates. The vehicle is occupied by a white male about 5-foot-6, bald, with a long brown beard and tattoos on his chest. The second subject is a black male 5-foot-10, chubby, with a mustache, goatee and face tattoos. The suspects are to be considered armed and dangerous.&nbsp; Do not approach them.&nbsp;If seen, immediately call law enforcement, and provide as much detail as possible while keeping a safe distance.

Armed, dangerous: Search continues for suspects in NW Kansas abduction

KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man made his initial appearance Friday after a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, indicted him on multiple charges related to sex trafficking multiple victims, including children, according to the United State's Attorney.

&nbsp;Elijah Z. Haley, 21, of Atchison was indicted on two counts of sex trafficking of a child, two counts of sex trafficking accomplished by force, fraud, or coercion, two counts of transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and two counts of transportation for illegal sexual activity, according to court documents.

Haley made his initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Angel D. Mitchell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Kansas Highway Patrol, Atchison, Kansas Police Department, and the Boone County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717245022442.png" alt="Haley from a 2023 arrest in Atchison County" />
 <figcaption>Haley from a 2023 arrest in Atchison County</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, KAN. – A Kansas man made his initial appearance Friday after a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Kansas, indicted him on multiple charges related to sex trafficking multiple victims, including children, according to the United State's Attorney.&nbsp;Elijah Z. Haley, 21, of Atchison was indicted on two counts of sex trafficking of a child, two counts of sex trafficking accomplished by force, fraud, or coercion, two counts of transportation with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity, and two counts of transportation for illegal sexual activity, according to court documents.Haley made his initial court appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Angel D. Mitchell of the U.S. District Court for the District of Kansas.The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Kansas Highway Patrol, Atchison, Kansas Police Department, and the Boone County, Missouri Sheriff’s Office investigated the case.

Kansas man accused of sex trafficking multiple child victims

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

Just before 10:30 p.m. May 29,, an Osage County Sheriff’s Deputy attempted to make a traffic stop near milepost 165 on Interstate 35 for a traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells. The driver refused to stop, and a pursuit was initiated.

The pursuit exited Interstate 35, traveled through Williamsburg and into rural Franklin County, where Franklin County deputies assisted. Tire deflating devices were utilized, and the vehicle came to a stop near Rock Creek Road and Delaware Road in Franklin County.

Two subjects were taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility. Carlos M. Gonzalez, 42, of Wichita is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;Flee or attempt to elude law enforcement by engaging in reckless driving, Aggravated endangering a child, Driving while suspended; 3rd or subsequent conviction and an Arrest warrant

Mary I. Walker, 43, of Wichita is jailed on requested charges of&nbsp; Interference with law enforcement and an&nbsp;Arrest warrant.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1717099981477.png" alt="Gonzalez-photo Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>Gonzalez-photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>OSAGE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple allegations after a traffic stop.Just before 10:30 p.m. May 29,, an Osage County Sheriff’s Deputy attempted to make a traffic stop near milepost 165 on Interstate 35 for a traffic violation, according to Sheriff Chris Wells. The driver refused to stop, and a pursuit was initiated.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1717099942385.png" alt="Walker photo Osage Co." />
 <figcaption>Walker photo Osage Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>The pursuit exited Interstate 35, traveled through Williamsburg and into rural Franklin County, where Franklin County deputies assisted. Tire deflating devices were utilized, and the vehicle came to a stop near Rock Creek Road and Delaware Road in Franklin County.Two subjects were taken into custody and transported to the Osage County Jail Facility. Carlos M. Gonzalez, 42, of Wichita is being held on requested charges of&nbsp;Flee or attempt to elude law enforcement by engaging in reckless driving, Aggravated endangering a child, Driving while suspended; 3rd or subsequent conviction and an Arrest warrantMary I. Walker, 43, of Wichita is jailed on requested charges of&nbsp; Interference with law enforcement and an&nbsp;Arrest warrant.

Kansas couple jailed after 2-county chase

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The bodies of a young U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/haiti-us-couple-missionaries-killed-gangs-a65a4515e0d8610d9acd006d24821efd">missionary couple</a>&nbsp;killed by gang members in Haiti’s capital were returned to their family in Missouri on Friday.

The parents of Natalie Lloyd, 21, announced on Facebook the arrival of the remains of their daughter and son-in-law, 23-year-old Davy Lloyd, at the Kansas City airport.

“Praise God!” Ben and Naomi Baker wrote in the post.

The couple and a Haitian man they worked with were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/haiti-young-missionaries-killed-gang-violence-ba69910971aaa0542233d6bd2a947d78">fatally shot</a>&nbsp;by gang members in Haiti’s capital of Port-au-Prince last week after they were attacked while leaving a youth group activity held at a local church.

The third victim was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/haiti-missionaries-killed-gangs-d275f22150dfd53a5ad99a96406f65fb">Judes Montis</a>, a director at the missionary where the Lloyds worked. The 47-year-old left behind a wife, two children, ages 2 and 6, and a brother who was present the night that the killings occurred.

Hundreds of people packed into a sweltering church in Port-au-Prince Tuesday to mourn Montis.

The slayings occurred as the capital crumbles under the relentless&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/haiti-new-prime-minister-transitional-council-c6f9e0785271f6ed96785e7ed7ffcfdc">assault of violent gangs</a>&nbsp;that control 80% of Port-au-Prince. Authorities are awaiting the arrival of a police force from Kenya as part of a U.N.-backed deployment aimed at quelling gang violence in the troubled Caribbean country.

Davy Lloyd spent most of his life in Haiti, where his parents founded the non-profit organization Missions in Haiti. He was kidnapped, along with two of his sisters, at the age of 5, according to his obituary. They were released the next day.

“Having grown up in Haiti, Davy witnessed the Haitian people’s daily struggle for survival," family wrote in his obituary. "He was able to relate to them which made him a great missionary to Haiti.”

After graduating college in Missouri and then marrying in 2022, the Lloyds moved to Haiti in 2023 to work at the mission.

Natalie Lloyd had a “nurturing spirit,” her obituary said. She cared for children in the mission's orphanage and bonded with a boy who called her “momma.”

"Natalie had a mother’s heart and loved the children in the orphanage in Haiti from the moment of her first trip there prior to her marriage to Davy," her obituary said.

A visitation for the Lloyds is scheduled for Monday, and their funeral is set for Tuesday.

The funeral will be livestreamed for those who cannot attend. A family friend has said reporters are not allowed inside the church during the funeral or at the graveside service but may take photographs from outside.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716690985915.png" alt="Photos courtesy Missions in Haiti, Inc" />
 <figcaption>Photos courtesy Missions in Haiti, Inc</figcaption>
 </figure>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — The bodies of a young U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/haiti-us-couple-missionaries-killed-gangs-a65a4515e0d8610d9acd006d24821efd">missionary couple</a>&nbsp;killed by gang members in Haiti’s capital were returned to their family in Missouri on Friday.The parents of Natalie Lloyd, 21, announced on Facebook the arrival of the remains of their daughter and son-in-law, 23-year-old Davy Lloyd, at the Kansas City airport.“Praise God!” Ben and Naomi Baker wrote in the post.The couple and a Haitian man they worked with were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/haiti-young-missionaries-killed-gang-violence-ba69910971aaa0542233d6bd2a947d78">fatally shot</a>&nbsp;by gang members in Haiti’s capital of Port-au-Prince last week after they were attacked while leaving a youth group activity held at a local church.The third victim was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/haiti-missionaries-killed-gangs-d275f22150dfd53a5ad99a96406f65fb">Judes Montis</a>, a director at the missionary where the Lloyds worked. The 47-year-old left behind a wife, two children, ages 2 and 6, and a brother who was present the night that the killings occurred.Hundreds of people packed into a sweltering church in Port-au-Prince Tuesday to mourn Montis.The slayings occurred as the capital crumbles under the relentless&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/haiti-new-prime-minister-transitional-council-c6f9e0785271f6ed96785e7ed7ffcfdc">assault of violent gangs</a>&nbsp;that control 80% of Port-au-Prince. Authorities are awaiting the arrival of a police force from Kenya as part of a U.N.-backed deployment aimed at quelling gang violence in the troubled Caribbean country.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1716572749882.png" alt="Photos courtesy Missions in Haiti, Inc" />
 <figcaption>Photos courtesy Missions in Haiti, Inc</figcaption>
 </figure>Davy Lloyd spent most of his life in Haiti, where his parents founded the non-profit organization Missions in Haiti. He was kidnapped, along with two of his sisters, at the age of 5, according to his obituary. They were released the next day.“Having grown up in Haiti, Davy witnessed the Haitian people’s daily struggle for survival," family wrote in his obituary. "He was able to relate to them which made him a great missionary to Haiti.”After graduating college in Missouri and then marrying in 2022, the Lloyds moved to Haiti in 2023 to work at the mission.Natalie Lloyd had a “nurturing spirit,” her obituary said. She cared for children in the mission's orphanage and bonded with a boy who called her “momma.”"Natalie had a mother’s heart and loved the children in the orphanage in Haiti from the moment of her first trip there prior to her marriage to Davy," her obituary said.A visitation for the Lloyds is scheduled for Monday, and their funeral is set for Tuesday.The funeral will be livestreamed for those who cannot attend. A family friend has said reporters are not allowed inside the church during the funeral or at the graveside service but may take photographs from outside.

Remains of missionary couple killed in Haiti returned to family

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/john-roberts">Chief Justice John Roberts</a>&nbsp;on Thursday declined an invitation to meet with Democratic senators to talk about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;ethics and the controversy over flags that flew outside homes owned by Justice Samuel Alito.

Roberts' response came in a letter to the senators a day after Alito separately wrote them and House members to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alito-flag-supreme-court-roberts-justice-senate-e53c1d1fef7b81f9dc87fa31b1622c4c">reject their demands that he recuse</a>&nbsp;himself from major Supreme Court cases involving former President Donald Trump and the Jan. 6 rioters because of the flags, which are like those carried by rioters at the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.

Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., a member of the Judiciary panel, had written Roberts a week ago to ask for the meeting and that Roberts take steps to ensure that Alito recuses himself from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-capitol-riot-obstruction-charge-trump-d4b01cb32cdbd2065e802902a90bd9f1#:~:text=Supreme%20Court%20questions%20obstruction%20charges%20brought%20against%20Jan.%206%20rioters%20and%20Trump&amp;text=The%20U.S.%20Supreme%20Court%20is,also%20faces%20the%20same%20charge.">any cases before the court</a>&nbsp;concerning the Jan. 6 attack or the Republican former president's attempts to overturn his 2020 election defeat.

“I must respectfully decline your request for a meeting,” Roberts wrote.

Justices decide for themselves when to step aside from cases, Roberts noted. Alito said he concluded nothing about the flags, both of which he said were flown by his wife outside their homes in Virginia and New Jersey, required his recusal.

Last year, Roberts&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-roberts-thomas-durbin-testify-senate-aafe418c680c7a0a7ebdbceef82baa75">declined to testify</a>&nbsp;at a Judiciary Committee hearing on Supreme Court ethics, and he made mention of that Thursday in saying that chief justices only rarely have met with lawmakers.

“Moreover, the format proposed — a meeting with leaders only of one party who have expressed an interest in matters currently pending before the court — simply underscores that participating in such a meeting would be inadvisable,” he wrote.

Both Alito and an another conservative justice, Clarence Thomas, have rejected calls to recuse themselves from cases related to the 2020 election, which Trump lost to Democrat Joe Biden. Thomas' wife, Ginni, supported efforts to overturn the election results.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-poll-abortion-confidence-declining-0ff738589bd7815bf0eab804baa5f3d1">Public trust in the Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;is at its lowest point in at least 50 years.

Durbin’s office issued a statement downplaying Roberts’ concerns. Durbin’s only interest “is restoring the credibility of the Court in the eyes of the American people,” the statement said, adding that he would press efforts to pass an enforceable ethics code for the Supreme Court.

The justices are considering two major cases related to the Capitol attack, including charges faced by the rioters and whether Trump has immunity from prosecution on election interference charges.

The New York Times reported that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-samuel-alito-upsidedown-flag-trump-jan6-f5809b9fd3be19b2359907f7b16651e5">an inverted American flag</a>&nbsp;was seen at Alito’s home in Alexandria, Virginia, less than two weeks after the attack on the Capitol. The paper also reported that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alito-supreme-court-flags-history-symbol-protest-a5415aeba90e21a86a50f8489fc54b7a">an “Appeal to Heaven” flag</a>&nbsp;was flown outside of the justice’s beach home in New Jersey last summer. Both flags were carried by rioters who violently stormed the Capitol in January 2021 echoing Trump’s false claims of election fraud.

Alito has said the inverted American flag was flown by his wife amid a dispute with neighbors and he had no part in it. He said she also flew the “Appeal to Heaven” flag but was unaware of its ties to the Capitol rioters.

Judicial ethics codes focus on the need for judges to be independent, avoiding political statements or opinions on matters they could be called on to decide. The Supreme Court had long gone without its own&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-ethics-code-conflicts-clarence-thomas-64d393ceb6f05402d762dca06f0f4187">code of ethics</a>, but it adopted one in November 2023 in the face of sustained criticism over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-ethics-documents-conflicts-9fa2847e60e11601c872c3ba3eea12a3">undisclosed trips and gifts from wealthy benefactors</a>&nbsp;to some justices.

The code lacks a means of enforcement, though, and the Judiciary panel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-ethics-senate-clarence-thomas-3e34958536ce4fa464b6ff8cc1d71260">approved legislation</a>&nbsp;last year that would set stricter standards. But Republicans have been staunchly opposed to any efforts to tell the court what to do.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/5/1651591949777.png" alt="Chief Justice John Roberts photo courtesy U.S. Supreme Court" />
 <figcaption>Chief Justice John Roberts photo courtesy U.S. Supreme Court</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/john-roberts">Chief Justice John Roberts</a>&nbsp;on Thursday declined an invitation to meet with Democratic senators to talk about&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/us-supreme-court">Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;ethics and the controversy over flags that flew outside homes owned by Justice Samuel Alito.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1717100883584.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Roberts' response came in a letter to the senators a day after Alito separately wrote them and House members to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alito-flag-supreme-court-roberts-justice-senate-e53c1d1fef7b81f9dc87fa31b1622c4c">reject their demands that he recuse</a>&nbsp;himself from major Supreme Court cases involving former President Donald Trump and the Jan. 6 rioters because of the flags, which are like those carried by rioters at the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.Senate Judiciary Chairman Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., a member of the Judiciary panel, had written Roberts a week ago to ask for the meeting and that Roberts take steps to ensure that Alito recuses himself from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-capitol-riot-obstruction-charge-trump-d4b01cb32cdbd2065e802902a90bd9f1#:~:text=Supreme%20Court%20questions%20obstruction%20charges%20brought%20against%20Jan.%206%20rioters%20and%20Trump&amp;text=The%20U.S.%20Supreme%20Court%20is,also%20faces%20the%20same%20charge.">any cases before the court</a>&nbsp;concerning the Jan. 6 attack or the Republican former president's attempts to overturn his 2020 election defeat.“I must respectfully decline your request for a meeting,” Roberts wrote.Justices decide for themselves when to step aside from cases, Roberts noted. Alito said he concluded nothing about the flags, both of which he said were flown by his wife outside their homes in Virginia and New Jersey, required his recusal.Last year, Roberts&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-roberts-thomas-durbin-testify-senate-aafe418c680c7a0a7ebdbceef82baa75">declined to testify</a>&nbsp;at a Judiciary Committee hearing on Supreme Court ethics, and he made mention of that Thursday in saying that chief justices only rarely have met with lawmakers.“Moreover, the format proposed — a meeting with leaders only of one party who have expressed an interest in matters currently pending before the court — simply underscores that participating in such a meeting would be inadvisable,” he wrote.Both Alito and an another conservative justice, Clarence Thomas, have rejected calls to recuse themselves from cases related to the 2020 election, which Trump lost to Democrat Joe Biden. Thomas' wife, Ginni, supported efforts to overturn the election results.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-poll-abortion-confidence-declining-0ff738589bd7815bf0eab804baa5f3d1">Public trust in the Supreme Court</a>&nbsp;is at its lowest point in at least 50 years.Durbin’s office issued a statement downplaying Roberts’ concerns. Durbin’s only interest “is restoring the credibility of the Court in the eyes of the American people,” the statement said, adding that he would press efforts to pass an enforceable ethics code for the Supreme Court.The justices are considering two major cases related to the Capitol attack, including charges faced by the rioters and whether Trump has immunity from prosecution on election interference charges.The New York Times reported that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-samuel-alito-upsidedown-flag-trump-jan6-f5809b9fd3be19b2359907f7b16651e5">an inverted American flag</a>&nbsp;was seen at Alito’s home in Alexandria, Virginia, less than two weeks after the attack on the Capitol. The paper also reported that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/alito-supreme-court-flags-history-symbol-protest-a5415aeba90e21a86a50f8489fc54b7a">an “Appeal to Heaven” flag</a>&nbsp;was flown outside of the justice’s beach home in New Jersey last summer. Both flags were carried by rioters who violently stormed the Capitol in January 2021 echoing Trump’s false claims of election fraud.Alito has said the inverted American flag was flown by his wife amid a dispute with neighbors and he had no part in it. He said she also flew the “Appeal to Heaven” flag but was unaware of its ties to the Capitol rioters.Judicial ethics codes focus on the need for judges to be independent, avoiding political statements or opinions on matters they could be called on to decide. The Supreme Court had long gone without its own&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-ethics-code-conflicts-clarence-thomas-64d393ceb6f05402d762dca06f0f4187">code of ethics</a>, but it adopted one in November 2023 in the face of sustained criticism over&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-ethics-documents-conflicts-9fa2847e60e11601c872c3ba3eea12a3">undisclosed trips and gifts from wealthy benefactors</a>&nbsp;to some justices.The code lacks a means of enforcement, though, and the Judiciary panel&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-ethics-senate-clarence-thomas-3e34958536ce4fa464b6ff8cc1d71260">approved legislation</a>&nbsp;last year that would set stricter standards. But Republicans have been staunchly opposed to any efforts to tell the court what to do.___

Read Chief Justice's letter rejecting Senate meeting on ethics

LOS ANGELES (AP) —Live Nation is investigating a data breach at its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-live-nation-ticketmaster-swift-cca2b9881881fb016d0862b945ccddee">Ticketmaster subsidiary,</a>&nbsp;which dominates ticketing for live events in the United States.

Live Nation, based in Beverly Hills, California, said in a regulatory filing Friday that on May 27 "a criminal threat actor'' offered to sell Ticketmaster data on the dark web.

Other media reports say a hacking group named ShinyHunters claimed responsibility for the breach in an online forum and was seeking $500,000 for the data, which reportedly includes names, addresses, phone numbers and some credit card details of millions of Ticketmaster customers.

Live Nation and Ticketmaster did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

In a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Live Nation said it was “working to mitigate risk to our users'' and was cooperating with law enforcement officials. It said the breach was unlikely to have "a material impact on our overall business operations.''

On May 23, the U.S. Justice Department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/concertgoers-celebrate-government-lawsuit-against-ticketmaster-to-break-up-monopoly-on-live-events-0000018facd5d070a7afafdf54de0000">sued Live Nation and Ticketmaster,</a>&nbsp;accusing them of running an illegal monopoly over live events in America. The department asked a court to break up the system that it said limits competition and drives up prices for fans.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/11/1668687399028.jpeg" alt="AP Photo." />
 <figcaption>AP Photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>LOS ANGELES (AP) —Live Nation is investigating a data breach at its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/justice-live-nation-ticketmaster-swift-cca2b9881881fb016d0862b945ccddee">Ticketmaster subsidiary,</a>&nbsp;which dominates ticketing for live events in the United States.Live Nation, based in Beverly Hills, California, said in a regulatory filing Friday that on May 27 "a criminal threat actor'' offered to sell Ticketmaster data on the dark web.Other media reports say a hacking group named ShinyHunters claimed responsibility for the breach in an online forum and was seeking $500,000 for the data, which reportedly includes names, addresses, phone numbers and some credit card details of millions of Ticketmaster customers.Live Nation and Ticketmaster did not immediately respond to requests for comment.In a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Live Nation said it was “working to mitigate risk to our users'' and was cooperating with law enforcement officials. It said the breach was unlikely to have "a material impact on our overall business operations.''On May 23, the U.S. Justice Department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/video/concertgoers-celebrate-government-lawsuit-against-ticketmaster-to-break-up-monopoly-on-live-events-0000018facd5d070a7afafdf54de0000">sued Live Nation and Ticketmaster,</a>&nbsp;accusing them of running an illegal monopoly over live events in America. The department asked a court to break up the system that it said limits competition and drives up prices for fans.

Live Nation reveals data breach at Ticketmaster subsidiary

KANSAS CITY – A Kansas City day care owner was sentenced in federal court this week for her role in a conspiracy that resulted in a $653,329 tax loss to the federal government, as well as fraudulently collecting almost $120,000 in government benefits she was not entitled to receive, according to the United State's Attorney.

Patricia L. Johnson-Rushing, 55, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to two years and three months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Johnson-Rushing to pay $772,861in restitution and to forfeit to the government $95,704.

On Sept. 7, 2023, Johnson-Rushing pleaded guilty to one count of theft of public money, one count of benefits fraud, and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States.

Johnson-Rushing admitted that she fraudulently received $83,394 in public funding for her childcare center, Granny’s Pray &amp; Play, located at 3714 E. 27th&nbsp;Street in Kansas City, Mo., and that she unlawfully received food stamps. Johnson-Rushing also admitted that she participated in a conspiracy to obstruct the collection of federal employment taxes by failing to pay over to the government $154,186 in federal income tax and FICA contributions collected from the paychecks of Granny’s Pray &amp; Play employees. This was part of a total tax loss to the government, including the employer’s share of payroll taxes, of $653,329.

KANSAS CITY – A Kansas City day care owner was sentenced in federal court this week for her role in a conspiracy that resulted in a $653,329 tax loss to the federal government, as well as fraudulently collecting almost $120,000 in government benefits she was not entitled to receive, according to the United State's Attorney.Patricia L. Johnson-Rushing, 55, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Greg Kays to two years and three months in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Johnson-Rushing to pay $772,861in restitution and to forfeit to the government $95,704.On Sept. 7, 2023, Johnson-Rushing pleaded guilty to one count of theft of public money, one count of benefits fraud, and one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States.Johnson-Rushing admitted that she fraudulently received $83,394 in public funding for her childcare center, Granny’s Pray &amp; Play, located at 3714 E. 27th&nbsp;Street in Kansas City, Mo., and that she unlawfully received food stamps. Johnson-Rushing also admitted that she participated in a conspiracy to obstruct the collection of federal employment taxes by failing to pay over to the government $154,186 in federal income tax and FICA contributions collected from the paychecks of Granny’s Pray &amp; Play employees. This was part of a total tax loss to the government, including the employer’s share of payroll taxes, of $653,329.

KC daycare owner sentenced for $700K fraud scheme

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities in Kansas City are investigating a man's murder.

Just before 11:30p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to a sound of gunshots the 600 block of E 110th Terrace in Kansas City, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.&nbsp;

When officers arrived, they were summoned to a nearby residence where a man was located in the front yard unresponsive and suffering from apparent gunshot wounds, according to&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.

EMS responded and transported the victim to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased. The preliminary investigation revealed the incident occurred over an argument. Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel responded to gather evidence and collect witness statements.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717241922116.png" alt="Photo Sheriff Daryle Forte'" />
 <figcaption>Photo Sheriff Daryle Forte'</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities in Kansas City are investigating a man's murder.Just before 11:30p.m. Friday, police were dispatched to a sound of gunshots the 600 block of E 110th Terrace in Kansas City, according to Sheriff Daryl Forte'.&nbsp;When officers arrived, they were summoned to a nearby residence where a man was located in the front yard unresponsive and suffering from apparent gunshot wounds, according to&nbsp;Officer Alayna Gonzalez.EMS responded and transported the victim to an area hospital where he was pronounced deceased. The preliminary investigation revealed the incident occurred over an argument. Homicide detectives and crime scene personnel responded to gather evidence and collect witness statements.&nbsp; Police have not reported an arrest.

Police: Argument led to man's murder in front yard of KC home

TOPEKA (AP) —The Kansas Supreme Court offered a mixed bag in a ruling Friday that combined several challenges to a 2021 election law, siding with state officials on one provision, reviving challenges to others and offering the possibility that at least one will be halted before this year's general election.

But it was the ballot signature verification measure's majority opinion — which stated there is no right to vote enshrined in the Kansas Constitution's Bill of Rights — that drew fiery dissent from three of the court's seven justices.

The measure requires election officials to match the signatures on advance mail ballots to a person’s voter registration record. The state Supreme Court reversed a lower court’s dismissal of that lawsuit, but the majority rejected arguments from voting rights groups that the measure violates state constitutional voting rights.

In fact, Justice Caleb Stegall, writing for the majority, said that the dissenting justices wrongly accused the majority of ignoring past precedent, holding that the court has not identified a “fundamental right to vote” within the state constitution.

“It simply is not there,” Stegall wrote.

Justice Eric Rosen, one of the three who dissented, shot back: “It staggers my imagination to conclude Kansas citizens have no fundamental right to vote under their state constitution.”

"I cannot and will not condone this betrayal of our constitutional duty to safeguard the foundational rights of Kansans,” Rosen added.

Conversely, the high court unanimously sided with the challengers of a different provision that makes it a crime for someone to give the appearance of being an election official. Voting rights groups, including Kansas League of Women Voters and the nonprofit Loud Light, argued the measure suppresses free speech and their ability to register voters as some might wrongly assume volunteers are election workers, putting them at risk of criminal prosecution.

A Shawnee County District Court judge had earlier rejected the groups' request for an emergency injunction, saying that impersonation of a public official is not protected speech.

But the high court faulted the new law, noting that it doesn't include any requirement that prosecutors show intent by a voter registration volunteer to misrepresent or deceive people into believing they're an election official, and it thus “criminalizes honest speech” where “occasional misunderstandings” are bound to occur, Stegall wrote in the majority opinion.

“As such, it sweeps up protected speech in its net,” Stegall said.

Because the lawsuit over the false impersonation law's constitutionality is likely to succeed, the state Supreme Court ordered the lower court to reconsider issuing an emergency injunction against it.

“For three years now, Kansas League of Women Voters volunteers have been forced to severely limit their assistance of voters due to this ambiguous and threatening law," said Martha Pint, president of the chapter. "The League’s critical voter assistance work is not a crime, and we are confident this provision will be quickly blocked when the case returns to the district court.”

Loud Light executive director Davis Hammet said he hopes the lower court “will stop the irreparable harm caused daily by the law and allow us to resume voter registration before the general election."

Neither Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab nor state Attorney General Kris Kobach responded to requests for comment on that portion of the high court's ruling.

Instead, in a joint statement, Schwab and Kobach focus on the high court's language bolstering the signature verification law and its upholding of a provision that says individuals may collect no more than 10 advance ballots to submit to election officials.

"This ruling allows us to preserve reasonable election security laws in Kansas,” Schwab said.

Supporters have argued the ballot collection restriction combats&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-topeka-kansas-voting-rights-elections-4b5b5a6334ce145c0421bf574d5c9479">“ballot harvesting”</a>&nbsp;and limits voter fraud. The GOP-led Legislature passed it over a veto by Kansas Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. Critics have said it's a Republican reaction to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">baseless claims</a>&nbsp;that the 2020 election was not valid, which prompted a wave of misinformation and voter suppression laws across the country.

Last year, the Kansas Court of Appeals reinstated a lawsuit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-voting-laws-lawsuit-appeal-2a5d1a74884c0b4a7f9062191ce03e79">challenging the ballot collection limitation</a>&nbsp;and the signature verification, saying both impair the right to vote. But the high court upheld the limit on ballot collections, saying “voters have numerous avenues available to deliver their ballots” and that ballot collecting doesn't fall within the parameters of free speech.

Kobach defended the majority's opinion as “well-reasoned” and confirms that the Legislature has the constitutional authority to establish proofs “to ensure voters are who they say they are.”

“And that is exactly what Kansas’s signature verification requirement is," Kobach said.

By MARGERY A. BECKTOPEKA (AP) —The Kansas Supreme Court offered a mixed bag in a ruling Friday that combined several challenges to a 2021 election law, siding with state officials on one provision, reviving challenges to others and offering the possibility that at least one will be halted before this year's general election.But it was the ballot signature verification measure's majority opinion — which stated there is no right to vote enshrined in the Kansas Constitution's Bill of Rights — that drew fiery dissent from three of the court's seven justices.The measure requires election officials to match the signatures on advance mail ballots to a person’s voter registration record. The state Supreme Court reversed a lower court’s dismissal of that lawsuit, but the majority rejected arguments from voting rights groups that the measure violates state constitutional voting rights.In fact, Justice Caleb Stegall, writing for the majority, said that the dissenting justices wrongly accused the majority of ignoring past precedent, holding that the court has not identified a “fundamental right to vote” within the state constitution.“It simply is not there,” Stegall wrote.Justice Eric Rosen, one of the three who dissented, shot back: “It staggers my imagination to conclude Kansas citizens have no fundamental right to vote under their state constitution.”"I cannot and will not condone this betrayal of our constitutional duty to safeguard the foundational rights of Kansans,” Rosen added.Conversely, the high court unanimously sided with the challengers of a different provision that makes it a crime for someone to give the appearance of being an election official. Voting rights groups, including Kansas League of Women Voters and the nonprofit Loud Light, argued the measure suppresses free speech and their ability to register voters as some might wrongly assume volunteers are election workers, putting them at risk of criminal prosecution.A Shawnee County District Court judge had earlier rejected the groups' request for an emergency injunction, saying that impersonation of a public official is not protected speech.But the high court faulted the new law, noting that it doesn't include any requirement that prosecutors show intent by a voter registration volunteer to misrepresent or deceive people into believing they're an election official, and it thus “criminalizes honest speech” where “occasional misunderstandings” are bound to occur, Stegall wrote in the majority opinion.“As such, it sweeps up protected speech in its net,” Stegall said.Because the lawsuit over the false impersonation law's constitutionality is likely to succeed, the state Supreme Court ordered the lower court to reconsider issuing an emergency injunction against it.“For three years now, Kansas League of Women Voters volunteers have been forced to severely limit their assistance of voters due to this ambiguous and threatening law," said Martha Pint, president of the chapter. "The League’s critical voter assistance work is not a crime, and we are confident this provision will be quickly blocked when the case returns to the district court.”Loud Light executive director Davis Hammet said he hopes the lower court “will stop the irreparable harm caused daily by the law and allow us to resume voter registration before the general election."Neither Kansas Secretary of State Scott Schwab nor state Attorney General Kris Kobach responded to requests for comment on that portion of the high court's ruling.Instead, in a joint statement, Schwab and Kobach focus on the high court's language bolstering the signature verification law and its upholding of a provision that says individuals may collect no more than 10 advance ballots to submit to election officials."This ruling allows us to preserve reasonable election security laws in Kansas,” Schwab said.Supporters have argued the ballot collection restriction combats&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/legislature-topeka-kansas-voting-rights-elections-4b5b5a6334ce145c0421bf574d5c9479">“ballot harvesting”</a>&nbsp;and limits voter fraud. The GOP-led Legislature passed it over a veto by Kansas Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly. Critics have said it's a Republican reaction to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-michael-pence-electoral-college-elections-health-2d9bd47a8bd3561682ac46c6b3873a10">baseless claims</a>&nbsp;that the 2020 election was not valid, which prompted a wave of misinformation and voter suppression laws across the country.Last year, the Kansas Court of Appeals reinstated a lawsuit&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kansas-voting-laws-lawsuit-appeal-2a5d1a74884c0b4a7f9062191ce03e79">challenging the ballot collection limitation</a>&nbsp;and the signature verification, saying both impair the right to vote. But the high court upheld the limit on ballot collections, saying “voters have numerous avenues available to deliver their ballots” and that ballot collecting doesn't fall within the parameters of free speech.Kobach defended the majority's opinion as “well-reasoned” and confirms that the Legislature has the constitutional authority to establish proofs “to ensure voters are who they say they are.”“And that is exactly what Kansas’s signature verification requirement is," Kobach said.

Court: Kansas Constitution does not include a right to vote

KANSAS CITY –Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a standoff at a Kansas home.

Just after 9a.m. Friday, the Overland Park Police Department, assisted by the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department, responded to the 500 block of Barnett Avenue in Kansas City, Kan. as part of a criminal investigation involving stolen property, according to a media release.

Upon arrival, a resident of the home granted officers consent to enter. Once inside, they observed a weapon and heard noises indicating that another individual remained inside the home. 

Police then exited and Kansas City Kansas Police Department’s Special Operation Unit responded to the scene to execute a search warrant. 

Traffic to the block was then temporarily closed to through traffic as a safety precaution. After approximately three hours, the suspect, wanted on federal charges, exited the home and was taken into custody without incident at approximately 12:45 p.m. 

No use of force was employed, and neither the suspect nor officers were injured during the operation.

KCK Police and KCK Animal Services were called to the same address on May 5, on the report of a vicious dog attack on a pedestrian. At the time the dog was taken into custody by Animal Services and the residents of the home were cited for various city code violations related to the attack. These incidents remains under investigation by the Overland Park and Kansas City, Kansas Police Departments.&nbsp; Police did not release the name of the suspect.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/6/1717240442282.png" alt="Photo KCK Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo KCK Police</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY –Law enforcement are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a standoff at a Kansas home.Just after 9a.m. Friday, the Overland Park Police Department, assisted by the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department, responded to the 500 block of Barnett Avenue in Kansas City, Kan. as part of a criminal investigation involving stolen property, according to a media release.Upon arrival, a resident of the home granted officers consent to enter. Once inside, they observed a weapon and heard noises indicating that another individual remained inside the home. Police then exited and Kansas City Kansas Police Department’s Special Operation Unit responded to the scene to execute a search warrant. Traffic to the block was then temporarily closed to through traffic as a safety precaution. After approximately three hours, the suspect, wanted on federal charges, exited the home and was taken into custody without incident at approximately 12:45 p.m. No use of force was employed, and neither the suspect nor officers were injured during the operation.KCK Police and KCK Animal Services were called to the same address on May 5, on the report of a vicious dog attack on a pedestrian. At the time the dog was taken into custody by Animal Services and the residents of the home were cited for various city code violations related to the attack. These incidents remains under investigation by the Overland Park and Kansas City, Kansas Police Departments.&nbsp; Police did not release the name of the suspect.

Suspect in Kan. stolen property investigation jailed after standoff

WASHINGTON (AP) — A string of security, logistical and weather problems has battered the plan to deliver desperately needed humanitarian aid to Gaza through&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-humanitarian-aid-pier-israel-us-7fd8cf63c60e4155479e761f3c79914d">a U.S. military-built pier</a>.

Broken apart by strong winds and heavy seas just over a week after it became operational, the project faces criticism that it hasn’t lived up to its initial billing or its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-aid-gaza-us-port-pier-d4d9ea94550aed2d24a258dfd98d866e">$320 million</a>&nbsp;price tag.

U.S. officials say, however, that the steel causeway connected to the beach in Gaza and the floating pier&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-pier-damage-weather-seas-boats-f45634fb85e2ac6aec9b814c36ea3526">are being repaired</a>&nbsp;and reassembled at a port in southern Israel, then will be reinstalled and working again next week.

While early Pentagon estimates suggested the pier could deliver up to 150 truckloads of aid a day when in full operation,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-pier-humanitarian-aid-gaza-israel-d993fc0cdc31365e4e4514153a590955">that has yet to happen</a>. Bad weather has hampered progress getting aid into Gaza from the pier, while the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-05-13-2024-6fae60f33d3664c282d5f535beb13c98">Israeli offensive in the southern city of Rafah</a>&nbsp;has made it difficult, if not impossible at times, to get aid into the region by land routes.

Aid groups have had mixed reactions — both welcoming any amount of aid for starving Palestinians besieged by the nearly eight-month-old Israel-Hamas war and decrying the pier as a distraction that took pressure off Israel to open more border crossings, which are far more productive.

It’s “a side-show,” said Bob Kitchen, a top official of the International Rescue Committee.

The Biden administration has said from the start that the pier wasn't meant to be a total solution and that any amount of aid helps.

“Nobody said at the outset that it was going to be a panacea for all the humanitarian assistance problems that still exist in Gaza,” national security spokesman John Kirby said Wednesday. “I think sometimes there’s an expectation of the U.S. military — because they’re so good — that everything that they touch is just going to turn to gold in an instant."

“We knew going in that this was going to be tough stuff,” he added. "And it has proven to be tough stuff.”

Before the war, Gaza was getting about 500 truckloads of aid on average every day. The United States Agency for International Development says it needs a steady flow of 600 trucks a day to ease the struggle for food and bring people back from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-famine-world-food-program-israel-hamas-war-476941bf2dc259f85a706408b2a665ff">the brink of famine</a>.

The aid brought through the pier was enough to feed thousands for a month, but U.N. data shows it barely made a dent in the overall need of Gaza’s 2.3 million people.

Here's a look at the timeline of the pier, the problems it faced and what may come next:

MARCH 7:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-03-07-24-5657eedc005040694a9ab935ce3e39e5">President Joe Biden announces</a>&nbsp;his plan for the U.S. military to build a pier during his State of the Union address.

“Tonight, I’m directing the U.S. military to lead an emergency mission to establish a temporary pier in the Mediterranean on the coast of Gaza that can receive large shipments carrying food, water, medicine and temporary shelters,” he said.

But even in those first few moments, he noted the pier would increase the amount of humanitarian aid getting into Gaza but that Israel “must do its part” and let more aid in.

MARCH 8: Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon spokesman, tells reporters it will take “up to 60 days” to deploy the forces and build the project.

MARCH 12: Four U.S. Army boats loaded with tons of equipment and steel pier segments leave Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia and head to the Atlantic Ocean for what is expected to be a monthlong voyage to Gaza.

The brigade's commander, Army Col. Sam Miller, warns that the transit and construction will be heavily dependent on the weather and any high seas they encounter.

LATE MARCH: U.S. Army vessels hit high seas and rough weather as they cross the Atlantic, slowing their pace.

APRIL 1: Seven&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-central-kitchen-jose-andres-gaza-israel-a21b62edbfa1150d0eb78ed5597a03c8">World Central Kitchen aid workers</a>&nbsp;are killed in an Israeli airstrike as they travel in clearly marked vehicles on a delivery mission authorized by Israel.

The strike fuels ongoing worries about security for relief workers and prompts aid agencies to pause delivery of humanitarian assistance in Gaza.

APRIL 19: U.S. officials confirm that the U.N. World Food Program has agreed to help deliver aid brought to Gaza via the maritime route once construction is done.

APRIL 25: Major construction of the port facility on the shore near Gaza City begins to take shape. The onshore site is where aid from the causeway will be delivered and given to aid agencies.

APRIL 30: Satellite photos show the U.S. Navy ship USNS Roy P. Benavidez and Army vessels working on assembling the pier and causeway about 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) from the port on shore.

MAY 9: The U.S. vessel Sagamore is the first ship loaded with aid to leave Cyprus and head toward Gaza and ultimately the pier. An elaborate security and inspection station has been built in Cyprus to screen the aid coming from a number of countries.

MAY 16: Well past the 60-day target time,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-aid-us-pier-9414c4148285917f1c858b9590117a84">the construction and assembly of the pier</a>&nbsp;off the Gaza coast and the causeway attached to the shoreline are finished after more than a week of weather and other delays.

MAY 17: The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-aid-us-pier-05-17-2024-336c810724d107a41bb6628c721aea7c">first trucks carrying aid</a>&nbsp;for the Gaza Strip roll down the newly built pier and into the secure area on shore, where they will be unloaded and the cargo distributed to aid agencies for delivery by truck into Gaza.

May 18: Crowds of desperate Palestinians overrun a convoy of aid trucks coming from the pier, stripping the cargo from 11 of the 16 vehicles before they reach a U.N. warehouse for distribution.

May 19-20: The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-aid-pier-gaza-israel-war-famine-6730e68854c1d6d57414e5f8017786d0">first food from the pier</a>&nbsp;— a limited number of high-nutrition biscuits — reaches people in need in central Gaza, according to the World Food Program.

Aid organizations suspend deliveries from the pier for two days while the U.S. works with Israel to open alternate land routes from the pier and improve security.

MAY 24: So far, a bit more than 1,000 metric tons of aid has been delivered to Gaza via the U.S.-built pier, and USAID later says all of it has been distributed within Gaza.

MAY 25: High winds and heavy seas damage the pier and cause four U.S. Army vessels operating there to become beached, injuring three service members, including one who is in critical condition.

Two vessels went aground in Gaza near the base of the pier and two went aground near Ashkelon in Israel.

MAY 28: Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh says large portions of the causeway are being pulled from the beach and moved to an Israeli port for repairs. The base of the causeway remains at the Gaza shore.

She also says that aid in Cyprus is being loaded onto vessels and will be ready to unload onto the pier once it is back in place.

MAY 29: Two of the Army vessels that ran aground in the bad weather are now back at sea and the other two near the pier are being freed, with the aid of the Israeli navy.

In the coming days, the sections of the causeway will be put back together, and by the middle of next week will be moved back to the Gaza shore, where the causeway will once again be attached to the beach, the Pentagon says.

“When we are able to re-anchor the pier back in, you’ll be able to see that aid flow off in a pretty steady stream," Singh said Tuesday. "We’re going to continue to operate this temporary pier for as long as we can.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/4/1714471004272.png" alt="Photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — A string of security, logistical and weather problems has battered the plan to deliver desperately needed humanitarian aid to Gaza through&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-humanitarian-aid-pier-israel-us-7fd8cf63c60e4155479e761f3c79914d">a U.S. military-built pier</a>.Broken apart by strong winds and heavy seas just over a week after it became operational, the project faces criticism that it hasn’t lived up to its initial billing or its&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-aid-gaza-us-port-pier-d4d9ea94550aed2d24a258dfd98d866e">$320 million</a>&nbsp;price tag.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1715970334608.png" alt="Photo U.S. Central Command" />
 <figcaption>Photo U.S. Central Command</figcaption>
 </figure>U.S. officials say, however, that the steel causeway connected to the beach in Gaza and the floating pier&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-pier-damage-weather-seas-boats-f45634fb85e2ac6aec9b814c36ea3526">are being repaired</a>&nbsp;and reassembled at a port in southern Israel, then will be reinstalled and working again next week.While early Pentagon estimates suggested the pier could deliver up to 150 truckloads of aid a day when in full operation,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-pier-humanitarian-aid-gaza-israel-d993fc0cdc31365e4e4514153a590955">that has yet to happen</a>. Bad weather has hampered progress getting aid into Gaza from the pier, while the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-palestinians-hamas-war-news-05-13-2024-6fae60f33d3664c282d5f535beb13c98">Israeli offensive in the southern city of Rafah</a>&nbsp;has made it difficult, if not impossible at times, to get aid into the region by land routes.Aid groups have had mixed reactions — both welcoming any amount of aid for starving Palestinians besieged by the nearly eight-month-old Israel-Hamas war and decrying the pier as a distraction that took pressure off Israel to open more border crossings, which are far more productive.It’s “a side-show,” said Bob Kitchen, a top official of the International Rescue Committee.The Biden administration has said from the start that the pier wasn't meant to be a total solution and that any amount of aid helps.“Nobody said at the outset that it was going to be a panacea for all the humanitarian assistance problems that still exist in Gaza,” national security spokesman John Kirby said Wednesday. “I think sometimes there’s an expectation of the U.S. military — because they’re so good — that everything that they touch is just going to turn to gold in an instant."“We knew going in that this was going to be tough stuff,” he added. "And it has proven to be tough stuff.”Before the war, Gaza was getting about 500 truckloads of aid on average every day. The United States Agency for International Development says it needs a steady flow of 600 trucks a day to ease the struggle for food and bring people back from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gaza-famine-world-food-program-israel-hamas-war-476941bf2dc259f85a706408b2a665ff">the brink of famine</a>.The aid brought through the pier was enough to feed thousands for a month, but U.N. data shows it barely made a dent in the overall need of Gaza’s 2.3 million people.Here's a look at the timeline of the pier, the problems it faced and what may come next:MARCH: ANNOUNCEMENT AND PREPMARCH 7:&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-news-03-07-24-5657eedc005040694a9ab935ce3e39e5">President Joe Biden announces</a>&nbsp;his plan for the U.S. military to build a pier during his State of the Union address.“Tonight, I’m directing the U.S. military to lead an emergency mission to establish a temporary pier in the Mediterranean on the coast of Gaza that can receive large shipments carrying food, water, medicine and temporary shelters,” he said.But even in those first few moments, he noted the pier would increase the amount of humanitarian aid getting into Gaza but that Israel “must do its part” and let more aid in.MARCH 8: Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder, Pentagon spokesman, tells reporters it will take “up to 60 days” to deploy the forces and build the project.MARCH 12: Four U.S. Army boats loaded with tons of equipment and steel pier segments leave Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Virginia and head to the Atlantic Ocean for what is expected to be a monthlong voyage to Gaza.The brigade's commander, Army Col. Sam Miller, warns that the transit and construction will be heavily dependent on the weather and any high seas they encounter.LATE MARCH: U.S. Army vessels hit high seas and rough weather as they cross the Atlantic, slowing their pace.APRIL: CONSTRUCTION AND HOPEAPRIL 1: Seven&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/world-central-kitchen-jose-andres-gaza-israel-a21b62edbfa1150d0eb78ed5597a03c8">World Central Kitchen aid workers</a>&nbsp;are killed in an Israeli airstrike as they travel in clearly marked vehicles on a delivery mission authorized by Israel.The strike fuels ongoing worries about security for relief workers and prompts aid agencies to pause delivery of humanitarian assistance in Gaza.APRIL 19: U.S. officials confirm that the U.N. World Food Program has agreed to help deliver aid brought to Gaza via the maritime route once construction is done.APRIL 25: Major construction of the port facility on the shore near Gaza City begins to take shape. The onshore site is where aid from the causeway will be delivered and given to aid agencies.APRIL 30: Satellite photos show the U.S. Navy ship USNS Roy P. Benavidez and Army vessels working on assembling the pier and causeway about 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) from the port on shore.MAY: THE PIER OPENS … THEN CLOSESMAY 9: The U.S. vessel Sagamore is the first ship loaded with aid to leave Cyprus and head toward Gaza and ultimately the pier. An elaborate security and inspection station has been built in Cyprus to screen the aid coming from a number of countries.MAY 16: Well past the 60-day target time,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-aid-us-pier-9414c4148285917f1c858b9590117a84">the construction and assembly of the pier</a>&nbsp;off the Gaza coast and the causeway attached to the shoreline are finished after more than a week of weather and other delays.MAY 17: The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/israel-hamas-war-gaza-aid-us-pier-05-17-2024-336c810724d107a41bb6628c721aea7c">first trucks carrying aid</a>&nbsp;for the Gaza Strip roll down the newly built pier and into the secure area on shore, where they will be unloaded and the cargo distributed to aid agencies for delivery by truck into Gaza.May 18: Crowds of desperate Palestinians overrun a convoy of aid trucks coming from the pier, stripping the cargo from 11 of the 16 vehicles before they reach a U.N. warehouse for distribution.May 19-20: The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-aid-pier-gaza-israel-war-famine-6730e68854c1d6d57414e5f8017786d0">first food from the pier</a>&nbsp;— a limited number of high-nutrition biscuits — reaches people in need in central Gaza, according to the World Food Program.Aid organizations suspend deliveries from the pier for two days while the U.S. works with Israel to open alternate land routes from the pier and improve security.MAY 24: So far, a bit more than 1,000 metric tons of aid has been delivered to Gaza via the U.S.-built pier, and USAID later says all of it has been distributed within Gaza.MAY 25: High winds and heavy seas damage the pier and cause four U.S. Army vessels operating there to become beached, injuring three service members, including one who is in critical condition.Two vessels went aground in Gaza near the base of the pier and two went aground near Ashkelon in Israel.MAY 28: Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh says large portions of the causeway are being pulled from the beach and moved to an Israeli port for repairs. The base of the causeway remains at the Gaza shore.She also says that aid in Cyprus is being loaded onto vessels and will be ready to unload onto the pier once it is back in place.MAY 29: Two of the Army vessels that ran aground in the bad weather are now back at sea and the other two near the pier are being freed, with the aid of the Israeli navy.WHAT'S NEXT?In the coming days, the sections of the causeway will be put back together, and by the middle of next week will be moved back to the Gaza shore, where the causeway will once again be attached to the beach, the Pentagon says.“When we are able to re-anchor the pier back in, you’ll be able to see that aid flow off in a pretty steady stream," Singh said Tuesday. "We’re going to continue to operate this temporary pier for as long as we can.”

$320 million U.S. plan to delver aid to Gaza is not working 

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a convicted felon on new allegations after an incident involving a gun.

Just before 9 a.m. May 29, police responded to a reported disturbance at Planet Smokes located at 101 SE 37th Street in Topeka, according Police Lt. Michael Hren. Upon arrival, it was alleged an individual entered the business and an employee, later identified as Angel L. Baatrup, 33, of Topeka, had pointed a firearm at them.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2024/5/1717118554722.png" alt="Baatrup photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Baatrup photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a convicted felon on new allegations after an incident involving a gun.Just before 9 a.m. May 29, police responded to a reported disturbance at Planet Smokes located at 101 SE 37th Street in Topeka, according Police Lt. Michael Hren. Upon arrival, it was alleged an individual entered the business and an employee, later identified as Angel L. Baatrup, 33, of Topeka, had pointed a firearm at them.Officers made contact with Baatrup and learned she was prohibited from possessing a firearm. As a result of the investigation, Baatrup was later arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated assault; use of a deadly weapon and Felon in possession of a firearm