SEDGWICK COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 12:30a.m. Friday in Sedgwick County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Suzuki SX4 driven by Kassandra A.&nbsp;&nbsp;Ramos, 22, Wichita, was northbound on Interstate 235 just south of Central Avenue.

The car crossed the median. A southbound 2016 Jeep Wrangler driven by April R. Fisher, 38, Newton, struck the Suzuki

Ramos was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to the county forensics center.&nbsp; Fisher had minor injuries. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

SEDGWICK COUNTY—One person died in an accident just after 12:30a.m. Friday in Sedgwick County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2013 Suzuki SX4 driven by Kassandra A.&nbsp;&nbsp;Ramos, 22, Wichita, was northbound on Interstate 235 just south of Central Avenue.The car crossed the median. A southbound 2016 Jeep Wrangler driven by April R. Fisher, 38, Newton, struck the SuzukiRamos was pronounced dead at the scene and was transported to the county forensics center.&nbsp; Fisher had minor injuries. Both drivers were properly restrained, according to the KHP.

Kansas woman dies after 2-vehicle crash

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Saudi Arabia said Thursday it will extend its unilateral production cut of 1 million barrels of oil a day through the end of September in its effort to boost flagging energy prices, a move that could push U.S. gas prices higher.

The Saudi reduction, which began in July, comes as the other OPEC+ producers have agreed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-oil-production-cut-6d34316ce6820c749d2a6cd66a9fffea">extend earlier production cuts</a>&nbsp;through next year.

The national average for U.S. gas prices stood at about $3.82 a gallon on Tuesday — about 30 cents higher than a month ago, according to motor club AAA. While today’s prices at the pump remain far lower than they were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-are-gas-prices-rising-541819ca1aa4d3dc0a0206271f9f8589">last year</a>, when energy costs soared worldwide in the months following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gas-prices-rising-heat-wave-production-cuts-4cecfbe2ee68eccab7224f163fc676db">experts say such a jump is unusual</a>.

This year's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/heat-wave-extremes-climate-change-f652668232cc2ec7400f7e65cfb75cb9">record-breaking summer heat</a>&nbsp;has also had an impact, driving up demand for air conditioning and forcing refineries to operate at reduced capacity.

The kingdom announced the extension in a statement on the state-run Saudi Press Agency, quoting an anonymous official in the Energy Ministry. The official added that the cut “can be extended or deepened” if the need arises.

“This additional voluntary cut comes to reinforce the precautionary efforts made by OPEC+ countries with the aim of supporting the stability and balance of oil markets,” the official said.

The move was widely expected by analysts.

Benchmark Brent crude traded Thursday at over $80 a barrel.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-oil-production-cut-6d34316ce6820c749d2a6cd66a9fffea">A series of production cuts over the past year</a>&nbsp;has failed to substantially boost prices amid weakened demand from China and tighter monetary policy aimed at combatting inflation. Brent has largely hovered between $75 and $85 a barrel since last October.

The Saudis are particularly keen to boost oil prices in order to fund Vision 2030, an ambitious plan to overhaul the kingdom's economy, reduce its dependence on oil and create jobs for a young population. The plans include several massive infrastructure projects, including the construction of a futuristic $500 billion city called Neom.

Higher prices would also help Russian President Vladimir Putin fund his war on Ukraine, as Western countries have used a price cap to try to cut into Moscow's revenues.

Western sanctions mean&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-health-covid-prices-european-union-65de1c4934227208bfa68bb7d4c47716">Moscow is forced to sell its oil at a discount</a>&nbsp;to countries like China and India. Its estimated export revenue fell by $1.4 billion to $13.3 billion in May, down 36% from a year ago, the International Energy Agency said in a report in June.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — Saudi Arabia said Thursday it will extend its unilateral production cut of 1 million barrels of oil a day through the end of September in its effort to boost flagging energy prices, a move that could push U.S. gas prices higher.The Saudi reduction, which began in July, comes as the other OPEC+ producers have agreed to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-oil-production-cut-6d34316ce6820c749d2a6cd66a9fffea">extend earlier production cuts</a>&nbsp;through next year.The national average for U.S. gas prices stood at about $3.82 a gallon on Tuesday — about 30 cents higher than a month ago, according to motor club AAA. While today’s prices at the pump remain far lower than they were&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-are-gas-prices-rising-541819ca1aa4d3dc0a0206271f9f8589">last year</a>, when energy costs soared worldwide in the months following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/gas-prices-rising-heat-wave-production-cuts-4cecfbe2ee68eccab7224f163fc676db">experts say such a jump is unusual</a>.This year's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/heat-wave-extremes-climate-change-f652668232cc2ec7400f7e65cfb75cb9">record-breaking summer heat</a>&nbsp;has also had an impact, driving up demand for air conditioning and forcing refineries to operate at reduced capacity.The kingdom announced the extension in a statement on the state-run Saudi Press Agency, quoting an anonymous official in the Energy Ministry. The official added that the cut “can be extended or deepened” if the need arises.“This additional voluntary cut comes to reinforce the precautionary efforts made by OPEC+ countries with the aim of supporting the stability and balance of oil markets,” the official said.The move was widely expected by analysts.Benchmark Brent crude traded Thursday at over $80 a barrel.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/saudi-oil-production-cut-6d34316ce6820c749d2a6cd66a9fffea">A series of production cuts over the past year</a>&nbsp;has failed to substantially boost prices amid weakened demand from China and tighter monetary policy aimed at combatting inflation. Brent has largely hovered between $75 and $85 a barrel since last October.The Saudis are particularly keen to boost oil prices in order to fund Vision 2030, an ambitious plan to overhaul the kingdom's economy, reduce its dependence on oil and create jobs for a young population. The plans include several massive infrastructure projects, including the construction of a futuristic $500 billion city called Neom.Higher prices would also help Russian President Vladimir Putin fund his war on Ukraine, as Western countries have used a price cap to try to cut into Moscow's revenues.Western sanctions mean&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/putin-health-covid-prices-european-union-65de1c4934227208bfa68bb7d4c47716">Moscow is forced to sell its oil at a discount</a>&nbsp;to countries like China and India. Its estimated export revenue fell by $1.4 billion to $13.3 billion in May, down 36% from a year ago, the International Energy Agency said in a report in June.

Expect jump in U.S. gas price as Saudis extends oil production cuts

SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Wichita Fire Department and Sedgwick County water rescue teams recovered the body of drowning victim just before 9p..m. Thursday.

Just after 3:30p.m., the fire department responded to&nbsp;a submersion call at the lake&nbsp;in the 2600 block of South West Street in Wichita, according to a social media report from Wichita Fire.

 First arriving fire companies met with the calling party and eye witnesses where the victim was last seen. Water rescue teams conducted a two hour search and rescue operation before transitioning to a recovery operation.

Authorities have not released the victim's name or additional details.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691111356650.png" alt="Photo Wichita Fire Dept." />
 <figcaption>Photo Wichita Fire Dept.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —The Wichita Fire Department and Sedgwick County water rescue teams recovered the body of drowning victim just before 9p..m. Thursday.Just after 3:30p.m., the fire department responded to&nbsp;a submersion call at the lake&nbsp;in the 2600 block of South West Street in Wichita, according to a social media report from Wichita Fire.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691145172740.png" alt="photo Wichita Fire Department" />
 <figcaption>photo Wichita Fire Department</figcaption>
 </figure> First arriving fire companies met with the calling party and eye witnesses where the victim was last seen. Water rescue teams conducted a two hour search and rescue operation before transitioning to a recovery operation.Authorities have not released the victim's name or additional details.

Drowning victim recovered from Kansas lake

CRAWFORD COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Joint Fentanyl Impact Team (JFIT), made up of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP), and Homeland Security Investigations, along with the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, Pittsburg Police Department, and the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office made a large seizure of fentanyl.

A JFIT investigation into suspicious activity led authorities to execute a search warrant on Wednesday, Aug. 3, around 10:30 a.m., in Pittsburg, Kansas, according to a media release.

During the search, law enforcement uncovered an estimated 5,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills, commonly referred to as “dirty 30s.” The pills are suspected to contain fentanyl, and weighed approximately six pounds. Also seized was a large amount of cash, and numerous firearms and ammunition.&nbsp;

&nbsp;Horace Wright, 39, of Pittsburg, was arrested on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of opiates, opium, or narcotic drugs, possession of marijuana, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug sale paraphernalia, criminal possession of firearm, and aggravated child endangerment.

Amanda Lee, 43, of Pittsburg, was arrested on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of opiates, opium, or narcotic drugs, possession of marijuana, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug sale paraphernalia, criminal possession of firearm, and aggravated child endangerment.

The suspects were booked into the Crawford County Jail.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691103676337.png" alt="Photo KBI" />
 <figcaption>Photo KBI</figcaption>
 </figure>CRAWFORD COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Joint Fentanyl Impact Team (JFIT), made up of the Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI), the Kansas Highway Patrol (KHP), and Homeland Security Investigations, along with the Crawford County Sheriff’s Office, Pittsburg Police Department, and the Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office made a large seizure of fentanyl.A JFIT investigation into suspicious activity led authorities to execute a search warrant on Wednesday, Aug. 3, around 10:30 a.m., in Pittsburg, Kansas, according to a media release.During the search, law enforcement uncovered an estimated 5,000 counterfeit oxycodone pills, commonly referred to as “dirty 30s.” The pills are suspected to contain fentanyl, and weighed approximately six pounds. Also seized was a large amount of cash, and numerous firearms and ammunition.&nbsp;&nbsp;Horace Wright, 39, of Pittsburg, was arrested on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of opiates, opium, or narcotic drugs, possession of marijuana, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug sale paraphernalia, criminal possession of firearm, and aggravated child endangerment.Amanda Lee, 43, of Pittsburg, was arrested on requested charges of&nbsp; possession of opiates, opium, or narcotic drugs, possession of marijuana, possession of methamphetamine, possession of drug sale paraphernalia, criminal possession of firearm, and aggravated child endangerment.The suspects were booked into the Crawford County Jail.&nbsp;

New KBI task force uncovers 5,000 fentanyl pills, cash and guns

FINNEY COUNTY —A man accused in a violent knife fight that critically injured a victim has made his first court appearance in the case.

Jemie Mehammed, 44, of Garden City, has been charged with attempted first-degree murder, according to the Finney County Attorney's office.

On July 1, police were&nbsp;dispatched to report of a fight in the 300 block of College Drive in Garden City, according to a media release.

When Officers arrived, they found a 36-year-old man had been stabbed and beaten. Through the investigation, 44-year-old Jemie Mehammed was identified as the suspect. Police took him into custody.

EMS transported the victim to St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City. He was later flown to Colorado for treatment due to the extent of his injuries.

Mehammed remains in the the Finney County Jail on a $200,000 bond. He is due back in court on August 28, according to the district attorney's office.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/7/1688398208268.png" alt="Mehammed-photo Finney Co." />
 <figcaption>Mehammed-photo Finney Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>FINNEY COUNTY —A man accused in a violent knife fight that critically injured a victim has made his first court appearance in the case.Jemie Mehammed, 44, of Garden City, has been charged with attempted first-degree murder, according to the Finney County Attorney's office.On July 1, police were&nbsp;dispatched to report of a fight in the 300 block of College Drive in Garden City, according to a media release.When Officers arrived, they found a 36-year-old man had been stabbed and beaten. Through the investigation, 44-year-old Jemie Mehammed was identified as the suspect. Police took him into custody.EMS transported the victim to St. Catherine Hospital in Garden City. He was later flown to Colorado for treatment due to the extent of his injuries.Mehammed remains in the the Finney County Jail on a $200,000 bond. He is due back in court on August 28, according to the district attorney's office.

Man charged with attempted murder for SW Kansas knife fight

BY NATE KING Salina Post

SALINE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a stabbing outside a church in Salina.

Just after 9p.m. Wednesday, officers were sent to the Immanuel Lutheran Church, located at the intersection of 7th and Mulberry Street in Salina after a report of a man who had been stabbed, according to&nbsp;Salina Police Sergeant Kyle Tonniges.

Police identified the victim as 40-year-old Jeffery Andrew. &nbsp;

“He had a serious stab wound to his abdomen, but it was not life-threatening. He was transported to the hospital,” Tonniges said. "Andrew had been sleeping near a bush located next to the church when the stabbing occurred." He gave police a description of the subject and detectives are investigating. Tonniges added that Andrew does not have a residential address in Salina and the victim said&nbsp;there was no altercation prior to the attack.

BY NATE KING Salina PostSALINE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a stabbing outside a church in Salina.Just after 9p.m. Wednesday, officers were sent to the Immanuel Lutheran Church, located at the intersection of 7th and Mulberry Street in Salina after a report of a man who had been stabbed, according to&nbsp;Salina Police Sergeant Kyle Tonniges.Police identified the victim as 40-year-old Jeffery Andrew. &nbsp;“He had a serious stab wound to his abdomen, but it was not life-threatening. He was transported to the hospital,” Tonniges said. "Andrew had been sleeping near a bush located next to the church when the stabbing occurred." He gave police a description of the subject and detectives are investigating. Tonniges added that Andrew does not have a residential address in Salina and the victim said&nbsp;there was no altercation prior to the attack.

Police: Homeless man stabbed outside Kansas church

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;pleaded not guilty Thursday to trying to overturn the results of his 2020 presidential election loss, answering for the first time to federal charges that accuse him of orchestrating a brazen and ultimately failed attempt to block the peaceful transfer of presidential power.

<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149.1.0_2.pdf">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;the latest indictment&nbsp;

Trump appeared before a magistrate judge in Washington’s federal courthouse two days after being indicted on four felony counts by Justice Department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b">special counsel Jack Smith</a>. The charges accuse him of trying to subvert the will of voters and undo his election loss in the days before Jan. 6, 2021, when supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in a violent and bloody clash with law enforcement.

Trump,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-presidential-candidates-who-is-running-e89fbfee94e7e7980594a9ce3994fec7">the 2024 Republican presidential primary</a>&nbsp;front-runner, is facing charges including conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruct Congress’ certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s victory. His appearance Thursday, and the rest of the court case, will unfold in a courthouse blocks in clear view of the Capitol and in a building where more than 1,000 of the Capitol rioters have been charged.

Trump has said he is innocent, and his legal team has characterized the latest case as an attack on his right to free speech. The case is part of an ongoing set of escalating legal troubles for the ex-president, coming nearly two months after Trump pleaded not guilty to dozens of federal felony counts accusing him of hoarding&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-justice-department-special-counsel-2025feb3f0f4e3820d14387c67ce4316">classified documents</a>&nbsp;and thwarting government efforts to retrieve them.

Smith himself was in the courtroom and sat in the front row behind the prosecutors handling the case. Three police officers who defended the Capitol that day were also seen entering the courthouse.

The indictment from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b">Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith</a>&nbsp;charges Trump with four felony counts related to his efforts to undo&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-wins-white-house-ap-fd58df73aa677acb74fce2a69adb71f9">his presidential election loss</a>, including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding. The charges could lead to a yearslong prison sentence in the event of a conviction.

The former president was the only person charged in the case, though prosecutors referenced six unnamed co-conspirators, mostly lawyers, they say he plotted with, including in a scheme to enlist fake electors in seven battleground states won by Biden to submit false certificates to the federal government.

The indictment chronicles how Trump and his Republican allies, in what Smith described as an attack on a “bedrock function of the U.S. government,” repeatedly lied about the results in the two months after he lost the election and pressured his vice president,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pence-jan-6-trump-indictment-ab36fd360a0850562a07d1b404f15d69">Mike Pence</a>, and state election officials to take action to help him cling to power.

This is the third criminal case brought against Trump in less than six months.

He was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">charged in New York</a>&nbsp;with falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment to a porn actor during the 2016 presidential campaign. Smith’s office also has charged him with 40 felony counts in Florida, accusing him of illegally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-justice-department-special-counsel-2025feb3f0f4e3820d14387c67ce4316">retaining classified documents</a>&nbsp;at his Palm Beach estate, Mar-a-Lago, and refusing government demands to give them back. He has pleaded not guilty in both those cases, which are set for trial next year.

And&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-election-investigation-fani-willis-046726b66d601cc9a5b8d5e1cbc3d8cb">prosecutors in Fulton County, Georgia,</a>&nbsp;are expected in coming weeks to announce charging decisions in an investigation into efforts to subvert election results in that state.

Trump’s lawyer John Lauro has asserted in television interviews that Trump’s actions were protected by the First Amendment right to free speech and that he relied on the advice of lawyers. Trump has claimed without evidence that Smith’s team is trying to interfere with the 2024 presidential election.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691091873212.png" alt="A view outside the United State's Courthouse in Washington during the Trump arraignment-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>A view outside the United State's Courthouse in Washington during the Trump arraignment-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;pleaded not guilty Thursday to trying to overturn the results of his 2020 presidential election loss, answering for the first time to federal charges that accuse him of orchestrating a brazen and ultimately failed attempt to block the peaceful transfer of presidential power.<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149.1.0_2.pdf">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;the latest indictment&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691091392217.png" alt="Former Presiden Donald Trump as he arrives Thursday in Washington for the arraignment-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Former Presiden Donald Trump as he arrives Thursday in Washington for the arraignment-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>Trump appeared before a magistrate judge in Washington’s federal courthouse two days after being indicted on four felony counts by Justice Department&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b">special counsel Jack Smith</a>. The charges accuse him of trying to subvert the will of voters and undo his election loss in the days before Jan. 6, 2021, when supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in a violent and bloody clash with law enforcement.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691091690627.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Trump,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/2024-presidential-candidates-who-is-running-e89fbfee94e7e7980594a9ce3994fec7">the 2024 Republican presidential primary</a>&nbsp;front-runner, is facing charges including conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruct Congress’ certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s victory. His appearance Thursday, and the rest of the court case, will unfold in a courthouse blocks in clear view of the Capitol and in a building where more than 1,000 of the Capitol rioters have been charged.Trump has said he is innocent, and his legal team has characterized the latest case as an attack on his right to free speech. The case is part of an ongoing set of escalating legal troubles for the ex-president, coming nearly two months after Trump pleaded not guilty to dozens of federal felony counts accusing him of hoarding&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-justice-department-special-counsel-2025feb3f0f4e3820d14387c67ce4316">classified documents</a>&nbsp;and thwarting government efforts to retrieve them.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691093099558.png" alt="Law enforcement across the street from the courthouse on Thursday afternoon -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Law enforcement across the street from the courthouse on Thursday afternoon -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>Smith himself was in the courtroom and sat in the front row behind the prosecutors handling the case. Three police officers who defended the Capitol that day were also seen entering the courthouse.The indictment from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b">Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith</a>&nbsp;charges Trump with four felony counts related to his efforts to undo&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-wins-white-house-ap-fd58df73aa677acb74fce2a69adb71f9">his presidential election loss</a>, including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding. The charges could lead to a yearslong prison sentence in the event of a conviction.The former president was the only person charged in the case, though prosecutors referenced six unnamed co-conspirators, mostly lawyers, they say he plotted with, including in a scheme to enlist fake electors in seven battleground states won by Biden to submit false certificates to the federal government.The indictment chronicles how Trump and his Republican allies, in what Smith described as an attack on a “bedrock function of the U.S. government,” repeatedly lied about the results in the two months after he lost the election and pressured his vice president,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pence-jan-6-trump-indictment-ab36fd360a0850562a07d1b404f15d69">Mike Pence</a>, and state election officials to take action to help him cling to power.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691094922366.png" alt="Trump statement on his social media platform" />
 <figcaption>Trump statement on his social media platform</figcaption>
 </figure>This is the third criminal case brought against Trump in less than six months.He was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">charged in New York</a>&nbsp;with falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment to a porn actor during the 2016 presidential campaign. Smith’s office also has charged him with 40 felony counts in Florida, accusing him of illegally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-justice-department-special-counsel-2025feb3f0f4e3820d14387c67ce4316">retaining classified documents</a>&nbsp;at his Palm Beach estate, Mar-a-Lago, and refusing government demands to give them back. He has pleaded not guilty in both those cases, which are set for trial next year.And&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-election-investigation-fani-willis-046726b66d601cc9a5b8d5e1cbc3d8cb">prosecutors in Fulton County, Georgia,</a>&nbsp;are expected in coming weeks to announce charging decisions in an investigation into efforts to subvert election results in that state.Trump’s lawyer John Lauro has asserted in television interviews that Trump’s actions were protected by the First Amendment right to free speech and that he relied on the advice of lawyers. Trump has claimed without evidence that Smith’s team is trying to interfere with the 2024 presidential election.

Former President Trump pleads not guilty to 2020 election charges

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson and state transportation officials on Thursday outlined options for spending the first chunk of $50 million budgeted for railroad crossing improvements in an effort to prevent tragedies like last year’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amtrak-accident-missouri-investigation-10b519f9c4bf04d4a3cd490fddae217c">fatal Amtrak derailment.</a>

The National Transportation Safety Board&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/RIR2309.pdf">said Wednesday</a>&nbsp;that poor design contributed to the derailment in the north-central Missouri town of Mendon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amtrak-accident-missouri-investigation-10b519f9c4bf04d4a3cd490fddae217c">, which</a>&nbsp;killed four people and injured 146 others.

Recommendations from a $750,000 study unveiled Thursday suggest changes at 47 public rail crossings on three tracks that carry passenger trains throughout Missouri for a total cost of about $18.5 million. Total closure is recommended at 17 crossings, including the Mendon site where the crash occurred.

The rest of the $50 million is planned for improvements at freight train crossings.

The 27 crossings slated for improvements do not have lights, barriers or other alerts to warn drivers when a train is approaching. There are more than 1,400 such crossings throughout Missouri, according to the state Transportation Department.

Spokeswoman Linda Horn said the cost for fixing all passive crossings is estimated at $700 million.

The Mendon crossing, which was shuttered immediately after last year's crash, also had no lights or signals to warn that a train was approaching.

Before the crash, area residents had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amtrak-accident-missouri-investigation-10b519f9c4bf04d4a3cd490fddae217c">expressed concerns</a>&nbsp;for nearly three years about the safety of the crossing because of the lack of visibility.

“Just setting eyes on it, you realize how dangerous it was,” NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said.

The state Transportation Department had put the $400,000 project to add lights and gates at the crossing on a priority list, but it hadn't received funding before the derailment.

“Mendon was a wake-up call,” Missouri Department of Transportation Director Patrick McKenna told reporters Thursday.

Roughly half of all rail crossings nationwide — some 130,000 of them — are considered passive without any lights or arms that automatically come down when a train is approaching.

For years, the NTSB has recommended closing passive crossings or adding gates, bells and other safety measures whenever possible. The U.S. Transportation Department recently announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/railroad-crossing-elimination-grants-transportation-department-dce25564812f3a550bde46b5b2976c1e">$570 million in grants</a>&nbsp;to help eliminate railroad crossings in 32 states but that funding will only eliminate a few dozen crossings.

Federal statistics show that roughly 2,000 collisions occur every year at rail crossings nationwide, and last year nearly 250 deaths were recorded in car-train crashes.

Those killed in the Amtrak derailment included the dump truck driver, 54-year-old Billy Barton II, of Brookfield, Missouri, and three passengers: Rochelle Cook, 58, and Kim Holsapple, 56, both of DeSoto, Kansas, and 82-year-old Binh Phan, of Kansas City, Missouri.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol said up to 150 people also were injured.

The Southwest Chief was traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago when it hit the rear right side of the truck near Mendon. Two locomotives and eight cars derailed. The train had 12 crewmembers and 271 aboard.

Following the derailment, several lawsuits were filed against BNSF, a Fort Worth, Texas-based freight railroad that owns and maintains the tracks involved.

Homendy on Thursday said there's shared responsibility between the county, which owns the road, and BNSF.

“But ultimately, it’s BNSF's railroad,” she said. “It’s their rail line, and they have to make sure everybody is safe on that line.”

She said the railroad repaired the track within hours of the accident.

“If you can make those improvements to get critical shipments of freight on your rail line, you can also make safety improvements in a quick amount of time," she said.

An email by The Associated Press seeking comment from BNSF was not immediately returned Thursday. But a BNSF spokesperson previously said the railroad will review the NTSB report closely for suggestions to improve rail crossing safety.

“We continue to invest in grade crossing safety by maintaining crossings, working to help develop public service campaigns and educational resources and investing in new technologies," the railroad said in a Wednesday statement.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/6/1656361752974.png" alt="An image courtesy a video posted by Robert Nightingale, who was a passenger aboard the Amtrak train that derailed on Monday, June 27, in Mendon, Missouri." />
 <figcaption>An image courtesy a video posted by Robert Nightingale, who was a passenger aboard the Amtrak train that derailed on Monday, June 27, in Mendon, Missouri.</figcaption>
 </figure>JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Missouri Gov. Mike Parson and state transportation officials on Thursday outlined options for spending the first chunk of $50 million budgeted for railroad crossing improvements in an effort to prevent tragedies like last year’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amtrak-accident-missouri-investigation-10b519f9c4bf04d4a3cd490fddae217c">fatal Amtrak derailment.</a>The National Transportation Safety Board&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/RIR2309.pdf">said Wednesday</a>&nbsp;that poor design contributed to the derailment in the north-central Missouri town of Mendon&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amtrak-accident-missouri-investigation-10b519f9c4bf04d4a3cd490fddae217c">, which</a>&nbsp;killed four people and injured 146 others.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">We are proud to announce $50 million in state funding today to make safety improvements on Missouri’s railroad system. We were joined by <a href="https://twitter.com/NTSB?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NTSB</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/USDOTFRA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@USDOTFRA</a> as <a href="https://twitter.com/MoDOT?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@MoDOT</a> announced Missouri’s next steps for improving railroad crossings. <a href="https://t.co/Kdihimr9GS">pic.twitter.com/Kdihimr9GS</a>&mdash; Governor Mike Parson (@GovParsonMO) <a href="https://twitter.com/GovParsonMO/status/1687165539372711947?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 3, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Recommendations from a $750,000 study unveiled Thursday suggest changes at 47 public rail crossings on three tracks that carry passenger trains throughout Missouri for a total cost of about $18.5 million. Total closure is recommended at 17 crossings, including the Mendon site where the crash occurred.The rest of the $50 million is planned for improvements at freight train crossings.The 27 crossings slated for improvements do not have lights, barriers or other alerts to warn drivers when a train is approaching. There are more than 1,400 such crossings throughout Missouri, according to the state Transportation Department.Spokeswoman Linda Horn said the cost for fixing all passive crossings is estimated at $700 million.The Mendon crossing, which was shuttered immediately after last year's crash, also had no lights or signals to warn that a train was approaching.Before the crash, area residents had&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/amtrak-accident-missouri-investigation-10b519f9c4bf04d4a3cd490fddae217c">expressed concerns</a>&nbsp;for nearly three years about the safety of the crossing because of the lack of visibility.“Just setting eyes on it, you realize how dangerous it was,” NTSB Chair Jennifer Homendy said.The state Transportation Department had put the $400,000 project to add lights and gates at the crossing on a priority list, but it hadn't received funding before the derailment.“Mendon was a wake-up call,” Missouri Department of Transportation Director Patrick McKenna told reporters Thursday.Roughly half of all rail crossings nationwide — some 130,000 of them — are considered passive without any lights or arms that automatically come down when a train is approaching.For years, the NTSB has recommended closing passive crossings or adding gates, bells and other safety measures whenever possible. The U.S. Transportation Department recently announced&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/railroad-crossing-elimination-grants-transportation-department-dce25564812f3a550bde46b5b2976c1e">$570 million in grants</a>&nbsp;to help eliminate railroad crossings in 32 states but that funding will only eliminate a few dozen crossings.Federal statistics show that roughly 2,000 collisions occur every year at rail crossings nationwide, and last year nearly 250 deaths were recorded in car-train crashes.Those killed in the Amtrak derailment included the dump truck driver, 54-year-old Billy Barton II, of Brookfield, Missouri, and three passengers: Rochelle Cook, 58, and Kim Holsapple, 56, both of DeSoto, Kansas, and 82-year-old Binh Phan, of Kansas City, Missouri.The Missouri State Highway Patrol said up to 150 people also were injured.The Southwest Chief was traveling from Los Angeles to Chicago when it hit the rear right side of the truck near Mendon. Two locomotives and eight cars derailed. The train had 12 crewmembers and 271 aboard.Following the derailment, several lawsuits were filed against BNSF, a Fort Worth, Texas-based freight railroad that owns and maintains the tracks involved.Homendy on Thursday said there's shared responsibility between the county, which owns the road, and BNSF.“But ultimately, it’s BNSF's railroad,” she said. “It’s their rail line, and they have to make sure everybody is safe on that line.”She said the railroad repaired the track within hours of the accident.“If you can make those improvements to get critical shipments of freight on your rail line, you can also make safety improvements in a quick amount of time," she said.An email by The Associated Press seeking comment from BNSF was not immediately returned Thursday. But a BNSF spokesperson previously said the railroad will review the NTSB report closely for suggestions to improve rail crossing safety.“We continue to invest in grade crossing safety by maintaining crossings, working to help develop public service campaigns and educational resources and investing in new technologies," the railroad said in a Wednesday statement.

Mo. budgets $50M for railroad crossings in response to fatal Amtrak derailment

By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>

Secretary Reed illustrates workforce gap by pointing to lack of land surveyors

TOPEKA — Kansas Department of Transportation secretary Calvin Reed pointed to workforce shortages as a significant challenge to the state’s multibillion-dollar, 10-year Eisenhower transportation program.

Reed, nominated by Gov. Laura Kelly and endorsed by the Republican-led Senate Confirmation Oversight Committee, said an aging workforce in core areas of the industry were fundamental problems that government and private-sector employers had to address.

Reed highlighted one of those worrisome gaps, especially prominent in western Kansas, between demand and supply of professional land surveyors. Among the state’s nearly 3 million residents, only 258 are licensed land surveyors. The average age of this cadre of people responsible for defining boundaries of real property was 59.8 years, he said.

“That’s something that we rely on very heavily in our agency,” Reed said. “There is a real structural issue here that I consider to be a threat to us being able to deliver, not just this program, but the next program.”

He said a collaborative effort among state government, industry, and colleges and universities was necessary to create a sustainable system to train more surveyors. The state’s lone educational program for licensed surveyors was at Kansas City, Kansas Community College, which sits more than 400 miles from the Colorado border.

“We have a real drought of surveyors west of Salina,” the secretary said. “I think there needs to be a discussion about how do we push the model that’s being done at Kansas City, Kansas, Community College further west. I want to be an active part of that conversation.”

Senate Majority Leader Larry Alley, a Winfield Republican supporting Reed’s nomination, said the Kansas Board of Regents as well as the state’s community colleges should be receptive to addressing the lack of surveyors.

He also expressed appreciation to Reed for personally taking part in the KDOT response to concern among residents in Comanche County about the safety of concrete bridge guardrails on Kansas Highway 1. Unlike modern barriers that collapsed upon impact, the older concrete structures provided little flexibility in crashes.

The issue was given fresh urgency in December 2021 when Britney Marie Turley, 20, of Coldwater died when the Dodge truck she was driving struck a concrete bridge barrier on Kansas 1.

“Several fatalities on that bridge,” said Alley, with a Senate district stretching into Comanche County. “When it was reported, we asked for somebody to do something about it and I understand you were the one they sent out. I want to say thank you for doing that.”

Reed said Turley’s death brought greater scrutiny at KDOT to the structure and engineering of bridge barriers. A statewide survey identified 68 bridges in the state highway system with similar characteristics to the barrier in Comanche County.

“It really hits home any time I see a fatality that involves any of our young folks in the state of Kansas,” Reed said. “It gave us an opportunity to programmatically look at our entire state and make sure that we’re addressing this issue statewide.”

Reed, raised on a farm near in Osage County, was named acting KDOT secretary in December. He earned degrees in civil engineering at Kansas State University. In 2002, he was hired by KDOT to work in the bridge design unit. He recently was director of the agency’s engineering and design division. He also spent four years at Professional Engineering Consultants in Wichita between stints at KDOT.

“Calvin Reed has long worked to ensure Kansas families and travelers can travel throughout the state safely and efficiently, making him an obvious choice to lead the agency,” Kelly said.

He still faces a confirmation vote by the full Kansas Senate during the 2024 legislative session, but bipartisan endorsement by the committee typically allowed nominees to move more easily through the process.

Reed would replace Julie Lorenz, who led KDOT from 2019 until December. Lorenz oversaw creation with the Legislature of the Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program. There are more than 1,000 transportation infrastructure projects in motion across the state.

In the 2023 fiscal year ending in June, KDOT issued $1.4 billion in preservation, modernization and expansion projects. That total was three times what was let in the 2019 fiscal year.

“What I am most passionate about is sustainable preservation — making sure we are taking care of what we have by making decisions now that minimize long term costs,” Reed said. “Kansas has long been regarded as having some of he best roads in the country and preservation of our existing highway system is a top priority.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691003805562.png" alt="Calvin Reed, the Kansas governor’s nominee for secretary of the Kansas Department of Transportation,&nbsp;said Kansas needed to address shortages in the transportation industry, starting with producing more land surveyors. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Kansas Legislature video)" />
 <figcaption>Calvin Reed, the Kansas governor’s nominee for secretary of the Kansas Department of Transportation,&nbsp;said Kansas needed to address shortages in the transportation industry, starting with producing more land surveyors. (Kansas Reflector screen capture from Kansas Legislature video)</figcaption>
 </figure>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a><h2>Secretary Reed illustrates workforce gap by pointing to lack of land surveyors</h2>TOPEKA — Kansas Department of Transportation secretary Calvin Reed pointed to workforce shortages as a significant challenge to the state’s multibillion-dollar, 10-year Eisenhower transportation program.Reed, nominated by Gov. Laura Kelly and endorsed by the Republican-led Senate Confirmation Oversight Committee, said an aging workforce in core areas of the industry were fundamental problems that government and private-sector employers had to address.Reed highlighted one of those worrisome gaps, especially prominent in western Kansas, between demand and supply of professional land surveyors. Among the state’s nearly 3 million residents, only 258 are licensed land surveyors. The average age of this cadre of people responsible for defining boundaries of real property was 59.8 years, he said.“That’s something that we rely on very heavily in our agency,” Reed said. “There is a real structural issue here that I consider to be a threat to us being able to deliver, not just this program, but the next program.”He said a collaborative effort among state government, industry, and colleges and universities was necessary to create a sustainable system to train more surveyors. The state’s lone educational program for licensed surveyors was at Kansas City, Kansas Community College, which sits more than 400 miles from the Colorado border.“We have a real drought of surveyors west of Salina,” the secretary said. “I think there needs to be a discussion about how do we push the model that’s being done at Kansas City, Kansas, Community College further west. I want to be an active part of that conversation.”<h2>Other poignant needs</h2>Senate Majority Leader Larry Alley, a Winfield Republican supporting Reed’s nomination, said the Kansas Board of Regents as well as the state’s community colleges should be receptive to addressing the lack of surveyors.He also expressed appreciation to Reed for personally taking part in the KDOT response to concern among residents in Comanche County about the safety of concrete bridge guardrails on Kansas Highway 1. Unlike modern barriers that collapsed upon impact, the older concrete structures provided little flexibility in crashes.The issue was given fresh urgency in December 2021 when Britney Marie Turley, 20, of Coldwater died when the Dodge truck she was driving struck a concrete bridge barrier on Kansas 1.“Several fatalities on that bridge,” said Alley, with a Senate district stretching into Comanche County. “When it was reported, we asked for somebody to do something about it and I understand you were the one they sent out. I want to say thank you for doing that.”Reed said Turley’s death brought greater scrutiny at KDOT to the structure and engineering of bridge barriers. A statewide survey identified 68 bridges in the state highway system with similar characteristics to the barrier in Comanche County.“It really hits home any time I see a fatality that involves any of our young folks in the state of Kansas,” Reed said. “It gave us an opportunity to programmatically look at our entire state and make sure that we’re addressing this issue statewide.”<h2>‘Obvious choice’</h2>Reed, raised on a farm near in Osage County, was named acting KDOT secretary in December. He earned degrees in civil engineering at Kansas State University. In 2002, he was hired by KDOT to work in the bridge design unit. He recently was director of the agency’s engineering and design division. He also spent four years at Professional Engineering Consultants in Wichita between stints at KDOT.“Calvin Reed has long worked to ensure Kansas families and travelers can travel throughout the state safely and efficiently, making him an obvious choice to lead the agency,” Kelly said.He still faces a confirmation vote by the full Kansas Senate during the 2024 legislative session, but bipartisan endorsement by the committee typically allowed nominees to move more easily through the process.Reed would replace Julie Lorenz, who led KDOT from 2019 until December. Lorenz oversaw creation with the Legislature of the Eisenhower Legacy Transportation Program. There are more than 1,000 transportation infrastructure projects in motion across the state.In the 2023 fiscal year ending in June, KDOT issued $1.4 billion in preservation, modernization and expansion projects. That total was three times what was let in the 2019 fiscal year.“What I am most passionate about is sustainable preservation — making sure we are taking care of what we have by making decisions now that minimize long term costs,” Reed said. “Kansas has long been regarded as having some of he best roads in the country and preservation of our existing highway system is a top priority.”

KDOT secretary looking for path out of transportation industry labor shortage

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two deadly shootings in the Kansas City area.

Just after 2a.m. Thursday, police responded to a report of shots fired at a business in the 9800 Block of E. US 40 Highway, according to a media release from. police in Independence.

Officers located a man in the parking lot, deceased from apparent gun shot wounds.  The involved suspect fled the scene prior to officers arrival.

Detectives are interviewing witnesses at the scene and trying to determine what lead to the shooting.&nbsp;

Just before 2:30p.m., Kansas City Police were called to 18th and Askew, where they found a man shot and killed outside of a car in a parking lot.

Police have not reported any suspect information on these homicides.

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two deadly shootings in the Kansas City area.Just after 2a.m. Thursday, police responded to a report of shots fired at a business in the 9800 Block of E. US 40 Highway, according to a media release from. police in Independence.Officers located a man in the parking lot, deceased from apparent gun shot wounds. The involved suspect fled the scene prior to officers arrival.Detectives are interviewing witnesses at the scene and trying to determine what lead to the shooting.&nbsp;Just before 2:30p.m., Kansas City Police were called to 18th and Askew, where they found a man shot and killed outside of a car in a parking lot.Police have not reported any suspect information on these homicides.

Police investigating 2 more Kansas City-area homicides 

By David Montgomery <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>

AUSTIN, Texas — A lawsuit in Texas asserting that the state’s abortion ban imperils women by dissuading doctors from ending dangerous pregnancies could provide a template for similar challenges across the country.

Texas is one of 14 states that banned abortion after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade. The Texas ban includes an exception that allows physicians to end a pregnancy if it could result in the death of the woman or a “substantial impairment of a major bodily function.”

The plaintiffs in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://reproductiverights.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2023.05.22-Zurawski-v.-Texas-1st-Am.-Pet.pdf">the case</a>, more than a dozen Texas women, argue that doctors and hospitals denied them necessary care because the providers were afraid to run afoul of the law. Those who violate the ban could face up to 99 years in prison, a $100,000 fine and loss of their medical license.

Even before the Texas case was filed in March, the same issues were surfacing in other abortion-ban states, generating national attention and intense interest among elected officials in Washington, D.C. Attorneys for the Texas plaintiffs predict that similar suits will be filed in other states.

Nicolas Kabat, an attorney with the Center for Reproductive Rights, the New York-based advocacy group that filed the Texas suit, said “the problem is widespread across states that ban abortion.”

“We’re being contacted by dozens of women telling us similar stories,” Kabat told Stateline, saying “we’re really only scratching the surface here.”

Citing press accounts, the plaintiffs’ petition points to about two dozen women in 11 states outside Texas who have had experiences like those of the Texas women: Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee.

“It’s an incredibly important lawsuit and it has implications not only in Texas but in other states that have denied people the right to safe abortion health care,” said former Texas Democratic State Sen. Wendy Davis,&nbsp;a senior adviser to Planned Parenthood Texas Votes&nbsp;who gained national attention a decade ago for her filibuster against a polarizing anti-abortion rights bill.

‘Bald attempt’ to usurp state authority

Attorneys for the Center for Reproductive Rights are asking Travis County District Judge Jessica Mangrum to grant a temporary injunction and craft a new exception to Texas’ abortion ban that gives physicians and hospitals more latitude to provide pregnancy care and perform abortions.

But lawyers for the Texas attorney general’s office, representing the state, depict the suit as a “bald attempt” to usurp state authority over abortion policy.

Mangrum, elected as a Democrat,&nbsp;presided over two days of arguments and testimony in mid-July.&nbsp;She told lawyers at the end of the hearing that it will likely be several weeks before she returns a ruling.

At last month’s hearing, the plaintiffs recounted their anguishing personal ordeals after they were refused abortions. Amanda Zurawski of Austin, the lead plaintiff, nearly died after she was refused an abortion after her water broke at 18 weeks of pregnancy.

Zurawski and her husband, Josh, had already picked the name for their unborn daughter — Willow — and were planning a baby shower when they received the devastating news that they would lose their first child before birth.&nbsp;Amanda, 36, was diagnosed with a weakening of cervical tissue and was told that Willow would not survive. But doctors initially refused to perform an abortion, she said, because they could detect fetal cardiac activity.

Several days later, she developed sepsis, a life-threatening reaction to an infection, and spent three days in intensive care, struggling to survive.

Zurawski told Stateline in a phone interview that “hundreds” of people have reached out to her via social media to share similar stories and offer support. After the hearing last month, Zurawski said, she heard from “tons and tons and tons of people … just an outpouring of support, people wanting to get involved, wanting to help.”

Other plaintiffs told similarly harrowing stories at the hearing. Taylor Edwards, also from Austin, said she learned when she was 17 weeks pregnant that her daughter had a fatal condition called encephalocele, a protrusion of the brain through an opening in the skull, and would die at or before birth. She had to leave Texas to get an abortion.

Lauren Hall, who lives near Dallas, discovered that her unborn child had anencephaly, a serious birth defect that prevents the fetus from developing parts of the brain and skull. Hall’s obstetrician refused to perform an abortion and was afraid to refer her to an abortion provider in another state. Hall eventually got an abortion at a clinic near Seattle.

Studies conducted by abortion rights university research groups suggest that abortion bans are dissuading doctors in many states from providing care they would otherwise provide.

A total of 50 anonymous surveys from health care providers in states with abortion restrictions detailed&nbsp;“cases of care that deviated from the usual standard due to new laws restricting abortion,” according to a study jointly conducted by the Texas Policy Evaluation Project at the University of Texas&nbsp;at Austin and Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health at the University of California, San Francisco.

“In several cases, patients experienced preventable complications … because clinicians reported their ‘hands were tied,’ making it impossible for them to provide treatment sooner,” according to the study.

Anti-abortion rights advocates, including some physicians, dispute the contention that Texas’ medical exception is too vague to give doctors the confidence to perform necessary procedures. The language of the exception, they say, clearly gives doctors the leeway to use their medical judgment and to intervene in an emergency.

They say they have sympathy for the plaintiffs but support the state’s contention that it would be inappropriate for Mangrum or any other judge to rewrite the abortion ban exception, since that would usurp a legislative function.

“They’re trying to have the judiciary write the law, which is not appropriate,” said Dr. Ingrid Skop, a San Antonio OB-GYN who testified for the state at last month’s hearing.&nbsp;“The current state law clearly allows a doctor to use his reasonable medical judgment to determine when to intervene in a medical emergency to protect a woman’s life.”

“There’s not a problem with the way the law is worded,” she said.&nbsp;“The problem is that the doctors have become confused, and they become frightened.&nbsp;In many cases, they have not been given guidance by medical&nbsp;societies&nbsp;or by their hospitals, and they often have been slow in offering interventions.”

Joe Pojman, founder and executive director of the Texas Alliance for Life, one of the state’s leading anti-abortion rights groups, also defended the medical exception. “The law is already clear,” he said.&nbsp;“Judges are supposed to interpret the law,&nbsp;not rewrite the law.”

The suit names the state of Texas, the Texas Medical Board and Board Executive Director Stephen Brint Carlton as defendants.&nbsp;Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, is also a defendant, though he is currently suspended pending a state Senate trial on impeachment charges alleging bribery and other wrongdoing.

Lawyers for the attorney general’s office, who could not be reached for comment,&nbsp;are asking the court to dismiss the suit. In a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://reproductiverights.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/20230712_Ds-PTJ_AMND-Apndx_Final.pdf">rebuttal petition</a>, they accuse the plaintiffs of staging “splashy news conferences and media tours” to get a favorable court ruling “after failing to convince the Legislature to adopt their preferred version of the medical exception.”

A proposed court order by the plaintiffs asks the court to give physicians discretion to use “good faith judgment” in providing abortion care to someone with&nbsp;unsafe pregnancy complications or instances in which a fetus is unlikely to survive the pregnancy or live after birth.

But attorneys for the state say the plaintiffs’ proposed exception “would, by design, swallow the rule,” permitting abortions “for pregnant females with medical conditions ranging from a headache to feelings of depression.”

Amanda Zurawski said she’s always supported abortion rights but that her personal experience molded her into an impassioned advocate of the right to an abortion.&nbsp;She and her husband, she said,&nbsp;“never wanted to be the poster family for this cause,” but now they’re in the fight wholeheartedly.

“I’d rather be at home with my newborn right now. That’s the life that I was envisioning. I would rather be on maternity leave with my daughter, not having to fight this fight,” she said.

“But, you know, I think it’s really been empowering for me.&nbsp;And it’s actually been quite healing to have a cause and a purpose to put behind our loss and our grief.”

This article first appeared in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://stateline.org/2023/08/01/lawsuit-over-texas-abortion-ban-could-be-a-model-in-other-states/">Stateline</a>,&nbsp;a sister&nbsp;site of the Nebraska Examiner in the States Newsroom network.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691079159075.png" alt="Amanda Zurawski, who developed sepsis and nearly died after being refused an abortion when her water broke at 18 weeks, center, listens to her attorney Molly Duane, right, outside the Travis County Courthouse, Wednesday, July 19, 2023, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)" />
 <figcaption>Amanda Zurawski, who developed sepsis and nearly died after being refused an abortion when her water broke at 18 weeks, center, listens to her attorney Molly Duane, right, outside the Travis County Courthouse, Wednesday, July 19, 2023, in Austin, Texas. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)</figcaption>
 </figure>By David Montgomery <a href="https://stateline.org/">Stateline</a>AUSTIN, Texas — A lawsuit in Texas asserting that the state’s abortion ban imperils women by dissuading doctors from ending dangerous pregnancies could provide a template for similar challenges across the country.Texas is one of 14 states that banned abortion after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade. The Texas ban includes an exception that allows physicians to end a pregnancy if it could result in the death of the woman or a “substantial impairment of a major bodily function.”The plaintiffs in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://reproductiverights.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/2023.05.22-Zurawski-v.-Texas-1st-Am.-Pet.pdf">the case</a>, more than a dozen Texas women, argue that doctors and hospitals denied them necessary care because the providers were afraid to run afoul of the law. Those who violate the ban could face up to 99 years in prison, a $100,000 fine and loss of their medical license.Even before the Texas case was filed in March, the same issues were surfacing in other abortion-ban states, generating national attention and intense interest among elected officials in Washington, D.C. Attorneys for the Texas plaintiffs predict that similar suits will be filed in other states.Nicolas Kabat, an attorney with the Center for Reproductive Rights, the New York-based advocacy group that filed the Texas suit, said “the problem is widespread across states that ban abortion.”“We’re being contacted by dozens of women telling us similar stories,” Kabat told Stateline, saying “we’re really only scratching the surface here.”Citing press accounts, the plaintiffs’ petition points to about two dozen women in 11 states outside Texas who have had experiences like those of the Texas women: Alabama, Arizona, Florida, Idaho, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina and Tennessee.“It’s an incredibly important lawsuit and it has implications not only in Texas but in other states that have denied people the right to safe abortion health care,” said former Texas Democratic State Sen. Wendy Davis,&nbsp;a senior adviser to Planned Parenthood Texas Votes&nbsp;who gained national attention a decade ago for her filibuster against a polarizing anti-abortion rights bill.<h2>‘Bald attempt’ to usurp state authority</h2>Attorneys for the Center for Reproductive Rights are asking Travis County District Judge Jessica Mangrum to grant a temporary injunction and craft a new exception to Texas’ abortion ban that gives physicians and hospitals more latitude to provide pregnancy care and perform abortions.But lawyers for the Texas attorney general’s office, representing the state, depict the suit as a “bald attempt” to usurp state authority over abortion policy.Mangrum, elected as a Democrat,&nbsp;presided over two days of arguments and testimony in mid-July.&nbsp;She told lawyers at the end of the hearing that it will likely be several weeks before she returns a ruling.At last month’s hearing, the plaintiffs recounted their anguishing personal ordeals after they were refused abortions. Amanda Zurawski of Austin, the lead plaintiff, nearly died after she was refused an abortion after her water broke at 18 weeks of pregnancy.Zurawski and her husband, Josh, had already picked the name for their unborn daughter — Willow — and were planning a baby shower when they received the devastating news that they would lose their first child before birth.&nbsp;Amanda, 36, was diagnosed with a weakening of cervical tissue and was told that Willow would not survive. But doctors initially refused to perform an abortion, she said, because they could detect fetal cardiac activity.Several days later, she developed sepsis, a life-threatening reaction to an infection, and spent three days in intensive care, struggling to survive.Zurawski told Stateline in a phone interview that “hundreds” of people have reached out to her via social media to share similar stories and offer support. After the hearing last month, Zurawski said, she heard from “tons and tons and tons of people … just an outpouring of support, people wanting to get involved, wanting to help.”<h2>Fatal condition</h2>Other plaintiffs told similarly harrowing stories at the hearing. Taylor Edwards, also from Austin, said she learned when she was 17 weeks pregnant that her daughter had a fatal condition called encephalocele, a protrusion of the brain through an opening in the skull, and would die at or before birth. She had to leave Texas to get an abortion.Lauren Hall, who lives near Dallas, discovered that her unborn child had anencephaly, a serious birth defect that prevents the fetus from developing parts of the brain and skull. Hall’s obstetrician refused to perform an abortion and was afraid to refer her to an abortion provider in another state. Hall eventually got an abortion at a clinic near Seattle.Studies conducted by abortion rights university research groups suggest that abortion bans are dissuading doctors in many states from providing care they would otherwise provide.A total of 50 anonymous surveys from health care providers in states with abortion restrictions detailed&nbsp;“cases of care that deviated from the usual standard due to new laws restricting abortion,” according to a study jointly conducted by the Texas Policy Evaluation Project at the University of Texas&nbsp;at Austin and Advancing New Standards in Reproductive Health at the University of California, San Francisco.“In several cases, patients experienced preventable complications … because clinicians reported their ‘hands were tied,’ making it impossible for them to provide treatment sooner,” according to the study.Anti-abortion rights advocates, including some physicians, dispute the contention that Texas’ medical exception is too vague to give doctors the confidence to perform necessary procedures. The language of the exception, they say, clearly gives doctors the leeway to use their medical judgment and to intervene in an emergency.They say they have sympathy for the plaintiffs but support the state’s contention that it would be inappropriate for Mangrum or any other judge to rewrite the abortion ban exception, since that would usurp a legislative function.“They’re trying to have the judiciary write the law, which is not appropriate,” said Dr. Ingrid Skop, a San Antonio OB-GYN who testified for the state at last month’s hearing.&nbsp;“The current state law clearly allows a doctor to use his reasonable medical judgment to determine when to intervene in a medical emergency to protect a woman’s life.”“There’s not a problem with the way the law is worded,” she said.&nbsp;“The problem is that the doctors have become confused, and they become frightened.&nbsp;In many cases, they have not been given guidance by medical&nbsp;societies&nbsp;or by their hospitals, and they often have been slow in offering interventions.”<h2>‘Law is already clear’</h2>Joe Pojman, founder and executive director of the Texas Alliance for Life, one of the state’s leading anti-abortion rights groups, also defended the medical exception. “The law is already clear,” he said.&nbsp;“Judges are supposed to interpret the law,&nbsp;not rewrite the law.”The suit names the state of Texas, the Texas Medical Board and Board Executive Director Stephen Brint Carlton as defendants.&nbsp;Attorney General Ken Paxton, a Republican, is also a defendant, though he is currently suspended pending a state Senate trial on impeachment charges alleging bribery and other wrongdoing.Lawyers for the attorney general’s office, who could not be reached for comment,&nbsp;are asking the court to dismiss the suit. In a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://reproductiverights.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/20230712_Ds-PTJ_AMND-Apndx_Final.pdf">rebuttal petition</a>, they accuse the plaintiffs of staging “splashy news conferences and media tours” to get a favorable court ruling “after failing to convince the Legislature to adopt their preferred version of the medical exception.”A proposed court order by the plaintiffs asks the court to give physicians discretion to use “good faith judgment” in providing abortion care to someone with&nbsp;unsafe pregnancy complications or instances in which a fetus is unlikely to survive the pregnancy or live after birth.But attorneys for the state say the plaintiffs’ proposed exception “would, by design, swallow the rule,” permitting abortions “for pregnant females with medical conditions ranging from a headache to feelings of depression.”Amanda Zurawski said she’s always supported abortion rights but that her personal experience molded her into an impassioned advocate of the right to an abortion.&nbsp;She and her husband, she said,&nbsp;“never wanted to be the poster family for this cause,” but now they’re in the fight wholeheartedly.“I’d rather be at home with my newborn right now. That’s the life that I was envisioning. I would rather be on maternity leave with my daughter, not having to fight this fight,” she said.“But, you know, I think it’s really been empowering for me.&nbsp;And it’s actually been quite healing to have a cause and a purpose to put behind our loss and our grief.”This article first appeared in&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://stateline.org/2023/08/01/lawsuit-over-texas-abortion-ban-could-be-a-model-in-other-states/">Stateline</a>,&nbsp;a sister&nbsp;site of the Nebraska Examiner in the States Newsroom network.

Lawsuit over abortion ban could be a model in other states

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a convenience store robbery have made an arrest.

Just after 10p.m. July 30, police responded to a robbery at the Kwik Shop, 2619 SW 21st Street in Topeka, according to Police Captain Aaron Jones.

 Officers received information from numerous citizens leading to a suspect vehicle. Just before 11:30 p.m., officers spotted the vehicle near 20th and SW Lincoln Street. Officers attempted a traffic stop and the driver fled. Citizens again helped officers by providing information that led them back to the 2000 block of SW Lincoln where the car was reportedly parked in a garage and the occupants had fled into a residence on the same property. 

All attempts to contact the occupants of the house failed. Investigators applied for and were granted a search warrant for the residence.

Just before 6a.m. Tuesday, two people exited the house and were taken into custody.&nbsp;&nbsp;

As a result of the information and evidence discovered to this point, Donald A. Henderson III, 26 of Topeka has been arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated Robbery, Aggravated Assault, Criminal Use of a Firearm by a Felon, and Felony Obstruction.

Police released the second person detained, according to Jones.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1690924437429.png" alt="Henderson-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Henderson-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating a convenience store robbery have made an arrest.Just after 10p.m. July 30, police responded to a robbery at the Kwik Shop, 2619 SW 21st Street in Topeka, according to Police Captain Aaron Jones. Officers received information from numerous citizens leading to a suspect vehicle. Just before 11:30 p.m., officers spotted the vehicle near 20th and SW Lincoln Street. Officers attempted a traffic stop and the driver fled. Citizens again helped officers by providing information that led them back to the 2000 block of SW Lincoln where the car was reportedly parked in a garage and the occupants had fled into a residence on the same property. All attempts to contact the occupants of the house failed. Investigators applied for and were granted a search warrant for the residence.Just before 6a.m. Tuesday, two people exited the house and were taken into custody.&nbsp;&nbsp;As a result of the information and evidence discovered to this point, Donald A. Henderson III, 26 of Topeka has been arrested and booked into the Shawnee County Department of Corrections on requested charges of Aggravated Robbery, Aggravated Assault, Criminal Use of a Firearm by a Felon, and Felony Obstruction.Police released the second person detained, according to Jones.

Citizen tips help police locate, capture Kansas robbery suspect

Incident coincides with anniversary of Kansas’ defeat of abortion amendment

TOPEKA — The Wichita Police Department found nothing explosive Wednesday in a “suspicious” container discovered outside the Trust Women clinic on the one-year anniversary of Kansas’ defeat of a constitutional amendment designed to strengthen limits on reproductive rights.

Police Chief Joe Sullivan said the incident had “safely been resolved” and expressed appreciation for frustration of Wichita residents who endured temporary closure of a major city boulevard or evacuation of nearby businesses. Authorities said a suitcase was found before 8 a.m. on Trust Women property by clinic security personnel, who called 911. The Wichita Eagle reported law enforcement said the contents weren’t explosive.

“Our priority is to ensure the safety of the public,” said Sullivan, who thanked a cadre of first responders and others for helping resolve the case.

In the August 2022 primary, the “Value Them Both” amendment to the Kansas Constitution was defeated by a margin of 59% to 41%. The Kansas Legislature placed the amendment on statewide ballots in rebuttal to a 2019 Kansas Supreme Court decision affirming the state constitution protected a woman’s right to bodily autonomy and the right to end a pregnancy.

The amendment vote in Kansas was closely watched nationally because the U.S. Supreme Court had reversed Roe v. Wade, which for 50 years guaranteed abortion rights across the nation.

Zach Gingrich-Gaylord, communications director for the Trust Women clinic founded in 2009 to provide reproductive care in underserved areas, said no staff had arrived before the container was found. He said no patients were scheduled “so fortunately minimal disruption to our services has been necessary.”

He said the clinic ought to be viewed as a place of “medicine, healing and love for our communities.” Clinic patients found compassion and solidarity “once they’ve made it past the vitriol and hatred of the extremists at our gates,” he said.

“On this anniversary of Kansas’ historic and resounding rejection of the anti-abortion amendment, ironically titled ‘Value Them Both,’ it cannot be overstated: All violence is external to the movement for reproductive rights and justice,” Gingrich-Gaylord said. “While we provide critical medical care for thousands of people displaced from their homes by the actions of their own legislatures, incidents of harassment, threats and attacks have increased.”

Gingrich-Gaylord said Trust Women stood in opposition to violence directed at reproductive health providers by “authoritarian extremists.”

“This violence does not come from nowhere,” he said. “It is a direct effect of the continued attacks on abortion rights by anti-abortion media, activists and legislators who irresponsibly use flagrant misinformation and hyperbolic and triggering imagery to advance their political goals.”

Danielle Underwood, spokeswoman for Kansans for Life, noted the Aug. 2 anniversary of the amendment vote by pointing in a statement to the surge in Kansas abortions. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment said abortions provided out-of-state patients more than doubled in 2022 compared to 2021 as women sought to work around restrictions adopted in their home state.

“We observe this sad day by rolling up our sleeves and encouraging our members to volunteer to help serve women facing unexpected pregnancies,” Underwood said. “Last August 2nd, we promised we would continue to expose the lies of the profit-driven abortion industry and that we will never abandon women and babies.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691026011229.png" alt="Zack Gingrich-Gaylord, spokesman for the Trust Women clinic, said discover of a "suspicious" container outside the Wichita facility on anniversary of the 2022 vote to defeat a proposed anti-abortion amendment to the Kansas Constitution was a reminder of the state's ongoing political conflict over reproductive rights. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption>Zack Gingrich-Gaylord, spokesman for the Trust Women clinic, said discover of a "suspicious" container outside the Wichita facility on anniversary of the 2022 vote to defeat a proposed anti-abortion amendment to the Kansas Constitution was a reminder of the state's ongoing political conflict over reproductive rights. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Incident coincides with anniversary of Kansas’ defeat of abortion amendment</h2>By TIM CARPENTER <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/06/grieving-moms-plea-to-kansas-lawmakers-do-something-this-epidemic-is-killing-our-kids/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — The Wichita Police Department found nothing explosive Wednesday in a “suspicious” container discovered outside the Trust Women clinic on the one-year anniversary of Kansas’ defeat of a constitutional amendment designed to strengthen limits on reproductive rights.Police Chief Joe Sullivan said the incident had “safely been resolved” and expressed appreciation for frustration of Wichita residents who endured temporary closure of a major city boulevard or evacuation of nearby businesses. Authorities said a suitcase was found before 8 a.m. on Trust Women property by clinic security personnel, who called 911. The Wichita Eagle reported law enforcement said the contents weren’t explosive.“Our priority is to ensure the safety of the public,” said Sullivan, who thanked a cadre of first responders and others for helping resolve the case.In the August 2022 primary, the “Value Them Both” amendment to the Kansas Constitution was defeated by a margin of 59% to 41%. The Kansas Legislature placed the amendment on statewide ballots in rebuttal to a 2019 Kansas Supreme Court decision affirming the state constitution protected a woman’s right to bodily autonomy and the right to end a pregnancy.The amendment vote in Kansas was closely watched nationally because the U.S. Supreme Court had reversed Roe v. Wade, which for 50 years guaranteed abortion rights across the nation.Zach Gingrich-Gaylord, communications director for the Trust Women clinic founded in 2009 to provide reproductive care in underserved areas, said no staff had arrived before the container was found. He said no patients were scheduled “so fortunately minimal disruption to our services has been necessary.”He said the clinic ought to be viewed as a place of “medicine, healing and love for our communities.” Clinic patients found compassion and solidarity “once they’ve made it past the vitriol and hatred of the extremists at our gates,” he said.“On this anniversary of Kansas’ historic and resounding rejection of the anti-abortion amendment, ironically titled ‘Value Them Both,’ it cannot be overstated: All violence is external to the movement for reproductive rights and justice,” Gingrich-Gaylord said. “While we provide critical medical care for thousands of people displaced from their homes by the actions of their own legislatures, incidents of harassment, threats and attacks have increased.”Gingrich-Gaylord said Trust Women stood in opposition to violence directed at reproductive health providers by “authoritarian extremists.”“This violence does not come from nowhere,” he said. “It is a direct effect of the continued attacks on abortion rights by anti-abortion media, activists and legislators who irresponsibly use flagrant misinformation and hyperbolic and triggering imagery to advance their political goals.”Danielle Underwood, spokeswoman for Kansans for Life, noted the Aug. 2 anniversary of the amendment vote by pointing in a statement to the surge in Kansas abortions. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment said abortions provided out-of-state patients more than doubled in 2022 compared to 2021 as women sought to work around restrictions adopted in their home state.“We observe this sad day by rolling up our sleeves and encouraging our members to volunteer to help serve women facing unexpected pregnancies,” Underwood said. “Last August 2nd, we promised we would continue to expose the lies of the profit-driven abortion industry and that we will never abandon women and babies.”

Police: Nothing explosive in container left at Kan. abortion clinic

DETROIT (AP) — Hyundai and Kia are telling the owners of nearly 92,000 vehicles in the U.S. to park them outside because an electronic controller in an oil pump can overheat and cause fires.

The affiliated Korean automakers are recalling the vehicles and also are telling owners to park them away from structures until repairs are made.

The recalls cover&nbsp;<a href="https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCAK-23V526-5528.pdf">certain 2023 and 2024 Hyundai Palisades</a>, as well some 2023 Tucson, Sonata, Elantra and Kona vehicles.&nbsp;<a href="https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCAK-23V531-9015.pdf">Affected Kias</a>&nbsp;include the 2023 Soul and Sportage as well as some 2023 and 2024 Seltos vehicles.

The companies say in documents posted Thursday by U.S. safety regulators that a capacitor on a circuit board in the oil pump assembly for the transmission may have been damaged by the supplier during manufacturing. That can cause a short-circuit and increase the risk of a fire.

Kia says it has six reports of melting components but no fires or injuries. Hyundai says it has confirmed four “thermal incidents” and no injuries.

Dealers will inspect and replace the oil pump controller if necessary. Hyundai owners will be notified by letter on Sept. 25. Kia will notify owners starting Sept. 28.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/8/1691066849047.png" alt="Hyundia dealer in Merriam, Kansas -Google image" />
 <figcaption>Hyundia dealer in Merriam, Kansas -Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>DETROIT (AP) — Hyundai and Kia are telling the owners of nearly 92,000 vehicles in the U.S. to park them outside because an electronic controller in an oil pump can overheat and cause fires.The affiliated Korean automakers are recalling the vehicles and also are telling owners to park them away from structures until repairs are made.The recalls cover&nbsp;<a href="https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCAK-23V526-5528.pdf">certain 2023 and 2024 Hyundai Palisades</a>, as well some 2023 Tucson, Sonata, Elantra and Kona vehicles.&nbsp;<a href="https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2023/RCAK-23V531-9015.pdf">Affected Kias</a>&nbsp;include the 2023 Soul and Sportage as well as some 2023 and 2024 Seltos vehicles.The companies say in documents posted Thursday by U.S. safety regulators that a capacitor on a circuit board in the oil pump assembly for the transmission may have been damaged by the supplier during manufacturing. That can cause a short-circuit and increase the risk of a fire.Kia says it has six reports of melting components but no fires or injuries. Hyundai says it has confirmed four “thermal incidents” and no injuries.Dealers will inspect and replace the oil pump controller if necessary. Hyundai owners will be notified by letter on Sept. 25. Kia will notify owners starting Sept. 28.

Hyundai, Kia recall: Park vehicles outside due to fire risk

WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is due in federal court Thursday to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">answer to charges</a>&nbsp;that he sought to overturn the results of the 2020 election, facing a judge just blocks from the U.S. Capitol that his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">supporters stormed</a>&nbsp;to block the peaceful transfer of presidential power.

In what's by now become a familiar but nonetheless stunning ritual, Trump is expected to be processed by law enforcement, be officially taken into custody and enter a not guilty plea in front of a judge before being released, so he can rejoin the campaign trail as he seeks to reclaim the White House in 2024.

An indictment Tuesday from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b">Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith</a>&nbsp;charges Trump with four felony counts related to his efforts to undo the presidential election in the run-up to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol, including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding. The charges could lead to a yearslong prison sentence in the event of a conviction.

Trump was the only person charged in the case, though prosecutors referenced six co-conspirators — mostly lawyers — they say he plotted with, including in a scheme to enlist fake electors in seven battleground states won by President Joe Biden to submit false certificates to the federal government.

The indictment chronicles how Trump and allies, in what Smith described as an attack on a "bedrock function of the U.S. government," repeatedly lied about the results in the two months since he lost the election and pressured his vice president,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pence-jan-6-trump-indictment-ab36fd360a0850562a07d1b404f15d69">Mike Pence,</a>&nbsp;and state election officials to take action to help him cling to power.

This is the third criminal case brought against Trump in the last six months. He was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">charged in New York</a>&nbsp;with falsifying business records in connection with an alleged hush money payment to a porn actor during the 2016 presidential campaign. Smith's office has also charged him with 40 felony counts in Florida, accusing him of illegally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-justice-department-special-counsel-2025feb3f0f4e3820d14387c67ce4316">retaining classified documents</a>&nbsp;at his Palm Beach estate, Mar-a-Lago, and refusing government demands to give them back. He has pleaded not guilty in both those cases, which are set for trial next year.

And&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-election-investigation-fani-willis-046726b66d601cc9a5b8d5e1cbc3d8cb">prosecutors in Fulton County, Georgia</a>&nbsp;are expected in coming weeks to announce charging decisions in an investigation into efforts to subvert election results in that state.

Trump's lawyer, John Lauro, has asserted in television interviews that Trump's actions were protected by the First Amendment right to free speech and that he relied on the advice of lawyers. Trump himself has claimed without evidence that Smith's team is trying to interfere with the 2024 presidential election, in which Trump is the dominant front-runner to claim the Republican nomination.

Smith said in a rare public statement that he was seeking a speedy trial, though Lauro has said he intends to slow the case down so that the defense team can conduct its own investigation.

The arraignment will be handled before U.S. Magistrate Judge Moxila Upadyaha, who joined the bench last year. But going forward, the case will be presided over by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, an appointee of President Barack Obama who has stood out as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-only-on-ap-donald-trump-government-and-politics-sentencing-de394dd56b3251aac5a50014f4d6afa7">one of the toughest punishers of rioters</a>.

She has also ruled against Trump before, refusing in November 2021 to block the release of documents to the U.S. House’s Jan. 6 committee by asserting executive privilege.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686700913232.png" alt="Trump was the only person charged in the case-photo AP" />
 <figcaption>Trump was the only person charged in the case-photo AP</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/donald-trump">Donald Trump</a>&nbsp;is due in federal court Thursday to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-indicted-jan-6-investigation-special-counsel-debb59bb7a4d9f93f7e2dace01feccdc">answer to charges</a>&nbsp;that he sought to overturn the results of the 2020 election, facing a judge just blocks from the U.S. Capitol that his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/capitol-siege">supporters stormed</a>&nbsp;to block the peaceful transfer of presidential power.<a href="https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149/gov.uscourts.dcd.258149.1.0_2.pdf">Click here to read</a>&nbsp;the latest indictment&nbsp;In what's by now become a familiar but nonetheless stunning ritual, Trump is expected to be processed by law enforcement, be officially taken into custody and enter a not guilty plea in front of a judge before being released, so he can rejoin the campaign trail as he seeks to reclaim the White House in 2024.An indictment Tuesday from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/jack-smith-special-counsel-prosecutor-donald-trump-garland-e1fdb71cfc258bc2be48a8b890a9269b">Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith</a>&nbsp;charges Trump with four felony counts related to his efforts to undo the presidential election in the run-up to the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol, including conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding. The charges could lead to a yearslong prison sentence in the event of a conviction.Trump was the only person charged in the case, though prosecutors referenced six co-conspirators — mostly lawyers — they say he plotted with, including in a scheme to enlist fake electors in seven battleground states won by President Joe Biden to submit false certificates to the federal government.The indictment chronicles how Trump and allies, in what Smith described as an attack on a "bedrock function of the U.S. government," repeatedly lied about the results in the two months since he lost the election and pressured his vice president,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/pence-jan-6-trump-indictment-ab36fd360a0850562a07d1b404f15d69">Mike Pence,</a>&nbsp;and state election officials to take action to help him cling to power.This is the third criminal case brought against Trump in the last six months. He was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-arraignment-hush-money-81225510ef7638494852816878f612f0">charged in New York</a>&nbsp;with falsifying business records in connection with an alleged hush money payment to a porn actor during the 2016 presidential campaign. Smith's office has also charged him with 40 felony counts in Florida, accusing him of illegally&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-classified-documents-justice-department-special-counsel-2025feb3f0f4e3820d14387c67ce4316">retaining classified documents</a>&nbsp;at his Palm Beach estate, Mar-a-Lago, and refusing government demands to give them back. He has pleaded not guilty in both those cases, which are set for trial next year.And&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/trump-georgia-election-investigation-fani-willis-046726b66d601cc9a5b8d5e1cbc3d8cb">prosecutors in Fulton County, Georgia</a>&nbsp;are expected in coming weeks to announce charging decisions in an investigation into efforts to subvert election results in that state.Trump's lawyer, John Lauro, has asserted in television interviews that Trump's actions were protected by the First Amendment right to free speech and that he relied on the advice of lawyers. Trump himself has claimed without evidence that Smith's team is trying to interfere with the 2024 presidential election, in which Trump is the dominant front-runner to claim the Republican nomination.Smith said in a rare public statement that he was seeking a speedy trial, though Lauro has said he intends to slow the case down so that the defense team can conduct its own investigation.The arraignment will be handled before U.S. Magistrate Judge Moxila Upadyaha, who joined the bench last year. But going forward, the case will be presided over by U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan, an appointee of President Barack Obama who has stood out as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/capitol-siege-only-on-ap-donald-trump-government-and-politics-sentencing-de394dd56b3251aac5a50014f4d6afa7">one of the toughest punishers of rioters</a>.She has also ruled against Trump before, refusing in November 2021 to block the release of documents to the U.S. House’s Jan. 6 committee by asserting executive privilege.