BONNE TERRE, Mo. (AP) — A man who shot and killed two jailers nearly 23 years ago during a failed bid to help an acquaintance escape from a rural jail was executed Tuesday evening.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tisius-execution-death-penalty-missouri-e801aa9774bf6f613eacbc80c784d8ea">Michael Tisius</a>, 42, received a lethal injection of pentobarbital at the state prison in Bonne Terre and was pronounced dead at 6:10 p.m., authorities said. He was convicted of the June 22, 2000,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-execution-michael-tisius-e4a26eebace4f63ac5da75b6e07a6a16">killings of Leon Egley and Jason Acton</a>&nbsp;at the small Randolph County Jail.

Tisius breathed hard a few times as the drug was administered, then fell silent. His spiritual adviser, Melissa Potts-Bowers, was in the room with him. Because the execution chamber is surrounded by soundproof glass, it's not known what they were saying to each other.

In a final written statement, Tisius said he tried hard “to become a better man,” and he expressed remorse for his crimes.

“I am sorry,” he wrote. “And not because I am at the end. But because I truly am sorry.”

Tisius’ lawyers had urged the U.S. Supreme Court to block the execution, alleging in appeals that a juror at a sentencing hearing was illiterate, in violation of Missouri law. The court rejected that motion Tuesday afternoon.

The Supreme Court previously turned aside another argument — that Tisius should be spared because he was just 19 at the time of the killings. A 2005 Supreme Court ruling bars executions of those under 18 when their crime occurred, but attorneys for Tisius had argued that even at 19, when the killings occurred, Tisius should have had his sentence commuted to life in prison without parole.

Advocates for Tisius had said he was largely neglected as a child and was homeless by his early teens. His path to the death chamber began in 1999 when, as an 18-year-old, he was jailed on a misdemeanor charge of pawning a rented stereo system.

In June 2000, Tisius was housed on that charge at the same county jail in Huntsville with inmate Roy Vance. Tisius was about to be released, and court records show the men discussed a plan in which Tisius, once he was out, would help Vance escape.

Just after midnight on June 22, 2000, Tisius went to the jail accompanied by Vance’s girlfriend, Tracie Bulington. They told Egley and Acton that they were there to deliver cigarettes to Vance. The jailers didn’t know that Tisius had a pistol.

At trial, Bulington testified that she looked up and saw Tisius with the gun drawn, then watched as he shot and killed Acton. When Egley approached, Tisius shot him, too. Both officers were unarmed.

Tisius found keys at the dispatch area and tried to open Vance’s cell, but couldn’t. When Egley grabbed Bulington’s leg, Tisius shot him several more times.

Tisius and Bulington fled but their car broke down later that day in Kansas. They were arrested in Wathena, Kansas, about 130 miles (210 kilometers) west of Huntsville. Tisius confessed to the crimes.

Sid Conklin, now presiding commissioner of Randolph County, was a Missouri State Highway Patrol officer who investigated the killings in 2000. Conklin said the deaths of the two young jailers — both in their 30s — still haunt the community.

“I hope this brings closure for all citizens of Randolph County,” said Conklin, who witnessed the execution.

Another now-retired highway patrol investigator, Randy King, described the jailers as “good, everyday people trying to make a living.”

“I pray for the guy's (Tisius') soul, but it's been 23 years and it's time for justice to be served,” King said. He also witnessed the execution.

Bulington and Vance are serving life sentences on murder convictions.

Defense attorneys have argued that the killings were not premeditated. Tisius, they said, intended to order the jailers into a holding cell and free Vance and other inmates. Tisius’ defense team issued a video last week in which Vance said he planned the escape attempt and manipulated Tisius into participating.

A statement from Tisius' legal team questioned the value of the death penalty.

“We teach our preschoolers that two wrongs don’t make a right. Today, we watch our adults casually dismiss such eternal guidance,” the statement read, in part.

The execution was the 12th in the U.S. this year, and the third in Missouri. Only Texas, with four, has executed more people than Missouri this year.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-legal-proceedings-missouri-st-louis-capital-punishment-b45a31029fa42d9eb67b5b4e1f6a6ffe">Amber McLaughlin</a>, 49, who killed a woman and dumped the body near the Mississippi River in St. Louis, was put to death in January. The execution was believed to be the first of a transgender woman in the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-state-government-california-homicide-94fe2fefa47faa618d3826c7f32e6f1d">Raheem Taylor</a>, 58, was executed in February for killing his live-in girlfriend and her three children in 2004 in St. Louis County.

Another Missouri execution is scheduled for Aug. 1.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-execution-august-06f474f368dfd5ff5c4145164b222a3b">Johnny Johnson</a>&nbsp;was convicted of sexually assaulting and killing a 6-year-old girl in St. Louis County in 2002.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1677790581061.png" alt="Tisius-photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>Tisius-photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>BONNE TERRE, Mo. (AP) — A man who shot and killed two jailers nearly 23 years ago during a failed bid to help an acquaintance escape from a rural jail was executed Tuesday evening.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tisius-execution-death-penalty-missouri-e801aa9774bf6f613eacbc80c784d8ea">Michael Tisius</a>, 42, received a lethal injection of pentobarbital at the state prison in Bonne Terre and was pronounced dead at 6:10 p.m., authorities said. He was convicted of the June 22, 2000,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-execution-michael-tisius-e4a26eebace4f63ac5da75b6e07a6a16">killings of Leon Egley and Jason Acton</a>&nbsp;at the small Randolph County Jail.Tisius breathed hard a few times as the drug was administered, then fell silent. His spiritual adviser, Melissa Potts-Bowers, was in the room with him. Because the execution chamber is surrounded by soundproof glass, it's not known what they were saying to each other.In a final written statement, Tisius said he tried hard “to become a better man,” and he expressed remorse for his crimes.“I am sorry,” he wrote. “And not because I am at the end. But because I truly am sorry.”Tisius’ lawyers had urged the U.S. Supreme Court to block the execution, alleging in appeals that a juror at a sentencing hearing was illiterate, in violation of Missouri law. The court rejected that motion Tuesday afternoon.The Supreme Court previously turned aside another argument — that Tisius should be spared because he was just 19 at the time of the killings. A 2005 Supreme Court ruling bars executions of those under 18 when their crime occurred, but attorneys for Tisius had argued that even at 19, when the killings occurred, Tisius should have had his sentence commuted to life in prison without parole.Advocates for Tisius had said he was largely neglected as a child and was homeless by his early teens. His path to the death chamber began in 1999 when, as an 18-year-old, he was jailed on a misdemeanor charge of pawning a rented stereo system.In June 2000, Tisius was housed on that charge at the same county jail in Huntsville with inmate Roy Vance. Tisius was about to be released, and court records show the men discussed a plan in which Tisius, once he was out, would help Vance escape.Just after midnight on June 22, 2000, Tisius went to the jail accompanied by Vance’s girlfriend, Tracie Bulington. They told Egley and Acton that they were there to deliver cigarettes to Vance. The jailers didn’t know that Tisius had a pistol.At trial, Bulington testified that she looked up and saw Tisius with the gun drawn, then watched as he shot and killed Acton. When Egley approached, Tisius shot him, too. Both officers were unarmed.Tisius found keys at the dispatch area and tried to open Vance’s cell, but couldn’t. When Egley grabbed Bulington’s leg, Tisius shot him several more times.Tisius and Bulington fled but their car broke down later that day in Kansas. They were arrested in Wathena, Kansas, about 130 miles (210 kilometers) west of Huntsville. Tisius confessed to the crimes.Sid Conklin, now presiding commissioner of Randolph County, was a Missouri State Highway Patrol officer who investigated the killings in 2000. Conklin said the deaths of the two young jailers — both in their 30s — still haunt the community.“I hope this brings closure for all citizens of Randolph County,” said Conklin, who witnessed the execution.Another now-retired highway patrol investigator, Randy King, described the jailers as “good, everyday people trying to make a living.”“I pray for the guy's (Tisius') soul, but it's been 23 years and it's time for justice to be served,” King said. He also witnessed the execution.Bulington and Vance are serving life sentences on murder convictions.Defense attorneys have argued that the killings were not premeditated. Tisius, they said, intended to order the jailers into a holding cell and free Vance and other inmates. Tisius’ defense team issued a video last week in which Vance said he planned the escape attempt and manipulated Tisius into participating.A statement from Tisius' legal team questioned the value of the death penalty.“We teach our preschoolers that two wrongs don’t make a right. Today, we watch our adults casually dismiss such eternal guidance,” the statement read, in part.The execution was the 12th in the U.S. this year, and the third in Missouri. Only Texas, with four, has executed more people than Missouri this year.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/crime-legal-proceedings-missouri-st-louis-capital-punishment-b45a31029fa42d9eb67b5b4e1f6a6ffe">Amber McLaughlin</a>, 49, who killed a woman and dumped the body near the Mississippi River in St. Louis, was put to death in January. The execution was believed to be the first of a transgender woman in the U.S.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-state-government-california-homicide-94fe2fefa47faa618d3826c7f32e6f1d">Raheem Taylor</a>, 58, was executed in February for killing his live-in girlfriend and her three children in 2004 in St. Louis County.Another Missouri execution is scheduled for Aug. 1.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-execution-august-06f474f368dfd5ff5c4145164b222a3b">Johnny Johnson</a>&nbsp;was convicted of sexually assaulting and killing a 6-year-old girl in St. Louis County in 2002.

Killer captured in Kansas offers apology before his execution

SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating continue their investigation of the Amber Alert issued on Monday and the suspect involved.

Just after 10:30 a.m., police responded to a domestic disturbance the area of the 2100 Block of SE Swygart Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Edward Stanley.

During the investigation, it was reported that four juveniles related to the incident were in imminent danger, and an Amber Alert was issued.

At approximately 3:19 p.m. the four juveniles were located, unharmed, in the 1300 block of NE Winfield Avenue in Topeka. Police also took the children's mother identified as 30-year-old Dontresha Shabree Thomas into custody. She remains jailed without bond on requested charges of Aggravated Assault, Criminal Threat, Endangering a child and Interference with a Law Enforcement Officer.

TOPEKA—According to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, at 3:22p.m Monday, authorities located&nbsp;the children in Topeka, according to a statement from the agency.

 The children are safe and the the suspect identified as their mother, Dontresha Thomas, is in custody.  The KBI and the Topeka Police Department thanked the public for their response and vigilance.

TOPEKA —The state of Kansas issued an Amber Alert Monday afternoon.

According to the KBI, at 10:34 a.m. Monday. Au'Vae Riley, Da"avien Riley JR, Ty'rell Riley, and Aunila Riley were taken by their mother Dontresha Shabree Thomas. 

The suspect's statements to the father indicate that all of the children are in imminent danger. 

The suspect left from 2105 SE Swygart in Topeka, KS traveling in a unknown direction in a silver 2009 GMC Acadia bearing KS temporary license plate number C953627. Call 911 immediately if you have seen a missing child, suspect, or suspects vehicle. If you have other information on a missing child, call 911 or the Topeka Police Department at 785-368-9200.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686059590919.png" alt="Thomas-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Thomas-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities investigating continue their investigation of the Amber Alert issued on Monday and the suspect involved.Just after 10:30 a.m., police responded to a domestic disturbance the area of the 2100 Block of SE Swygart Street in Topeka, according to Police Lt. Edward Stanley.During the investigation, it was reported that four juveniles related to the incident were in imminent danger, and an Amber Alert was issued.At approximately 3:19 p.m. the four juveniles were located, unharmed, in the 1300 block of NE Winfield Avenue in Topeka. Police also took the children's mother identified as 30-year-old Dontresha Shabree Thomas into custody. She remains jailed without bond on requested charges of Aggravated Assault, Criminal Threat, Endangering a child and Interference with a Law Enforcement Officer.-------------TOPEKA—According to the Kansas Bureau of Investigation, at 3:22p.m Monday, authorities located&nbsp;the children in Topeka, according to a statement from the agency. The children are safe and the the suspect identified as their mother, Dontresha Thomas, is in custody. The KBI and the Topeka Police Department thanked the public for their response and vigilance.---------------------TOPEKA —The state of Kansas issued an Amber Alert Monday afternoon.According to the KBI, at 10:34 a.m. Monday. Au'Vae Riley, Da"avien Riley JR, Ty'rell Riley, and Aunila Riley were taken by their mother Dontresha Shabree Thomas. The suspect's statements to the father indicate that all of the children are in imminent danger. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685991210086.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685991167022.png" alt="Actual suspect vehicle is a 2009 GMC Acadia with KS Temporary tag C953627. Tag in picture is not on the vehicle. Note dent in the rear gate below the handle." />
 <figcaption>Actual suspect vehicle is a 2009 GMC Acadia with KS Temporary tag C953627. Tag in picture is not on the vehicle. Note dent in the rear gate below the handle.</figcaption>
 </figure>The suspect left from 2105 SE Swygart in Topeka, KS traveling in a unknown direction in a silver 2009 GMC Acadia bearing KS temporary license plate number C953627. Call 911 immediately if you have seen a missing child, suspect, or suspects vehicle. If you have other information on a missing child, call 911 or the Topeka Police Department at 785-368-9200.

Kansas Amber Alert suspect remains jailed without bond

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a violent attack by an inmate on a detention deputy.

The attack occurred just after 1 p.m. Monday in the Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility. The deputy was transported by EMS to the hospital for treatment.

The inmate identified as 33-year-old Denzel Cooper is currently housed in Restrictive Housing and was out of his cell during his allotted time out. 

When the inmate's time was up, the deputy directed the inmate to return to his cell. Cooper struck the deputy, knocking the deputy to the ground and continued striking the deputy until he was unconscious.

 A second attack occurred when the deputy regained consciousness and tried to stand up. Another inmate came to the deputy's assistance and helped carry the deputy to a more secure area until assistance arrived. The attack was unprovoked.

The deputy involved received 7 stitches and sustained multiple facial fractures. After receiving treatment at the hospital, the deputy is expected to return home.

&nbsp;Cooper has been in custody since December 29, 2021, for Aggravated Criminal Sodomy, Rape, and several counts of Battery Against Law Enforcement Officers. He has been listed as a registered violent offender since 2012 for an aggravated battery conviction, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

After the investigation into this incident is completed, this case will be presented to the District Attorney for review.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686049545804.png" alt="Cooper-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Cooper-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a violent attack by an inmate on a detention deputy.The attack occurred just after 1 p.m. Monday in the Sedgwick County Adult Detention Facility. The deputy was transported by EMS to the hospital for treatment.The inmate identified as 33-year-old Denzel Cooper is currently housed in Restrictive Housing and was out of his cell during his allotted time out. When the inmate's time was up, the deputy directed the inmate to return to his cell. Cooper struck the deputy, knocking the deputy to the ground and continued striking the deputy until he was unconscious. A second attack occurred when the deputy regained consciousness and tried to stand up. Another inmate came to the deputy's assistance and helped carry the deputy to a more secure area until assistance arrived. The attack was unprovoked.The deputy involved received 7 stitches and sustained multiple facial fractures. After receiving treatment at the hospital, the deputy is expected to return home.&nbsp;Cooper has been in custody since December 29, 2021, for Aggravated Criminal Sodomy, Rape, and several counts of Battery Against Law Enforcement Officers. He has been listed as a registered violent offender since 2012 for an aggravated battery conviction, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.After the investigation into this incident is completed, this case will be presented to the District Attorney for review.

Kansas jail deputy injured after violent attack by inmate

RENO COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged juvenile sex crimes.

On Tuesday, the Hutchinson Police Department Special Operations Division and Investigations Division arrested 55-year-old William Eric Allen of Hutchinson on requested charges that include: Indecent solicitation of a child to commit or submit to an unlawful sex act, Indecent solicitation of a child to enter a vehicle, building, room or secluded place, Electronic solicitation of a child 14-15 years of age. and Sexual exploitation of a child, according to a media release from the Hutchinson Police Department.

Allen is being held in the Reno County Jail in lieu of $250,000 bond. He has previous convictions for drugs and&nbsp;Failure to remain at scene of accident resulting in Injury, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686084678678.jpeg" alt="William Eric Allen has previous convictions for drugs and Failure to remain at scene of accident resulting in Injury, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections." />
 <figcaption>William Eric Allen has previous convictions for drugs and Failure to remain at scene of accident resulting in Injury, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.</figcaption>
 </figure>RENO COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect for alleged juvenile sex crimes.On Tuesday, the Hutchinson Police Department Special Operations Division and Investigations Division arrested 55-year-old William Eric Allen of Hutchinson on requested charges that include: Indecent solicitation of a child to commit or submit to an unlawful sex act, Indecent solicitation of a child to enter a vehicle, building, room or secluded place, Electronic solicitation of a child 14-15 years of age. and Sexual exploitation of a child, according to a media release from the Hutchinson Police Department.Allen is being held in the Reno County Jail in lieu of $250,000 bond. He has previous convictions for drugs and&nbsp;Failure to remain at scene of accident resulting in Injury, according to the Kansas Dept. of Corrections.

Police: Kan. felon accused of multiple child sex crimes

KANSAS CITY (AP) — A doctor in the Missouri went missing for over a week until his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-arkansas-doctor-dead-john-forsyth-b83096df7165871cdc65e430ad88bd88">body was found</a>&nbsp;in an Arkansas lake. But the case remains shrouded in mystery as investigators have released few details to his family or the public.

Dr. John Forsyth, 49, was last seen alive on May 21, when security cameras in the parking lot of a public pool in Cassville show him getting into a vehicle, after leaving his own car unlocked with his wallet, two phones, a laptop and other items inside. That's according to his brother, Richard Forsyth, who said the doctor had texted his new fiancee that morning saying he would see her soon.

His car was found later that day. Investigators haven't said who was driving the other vehicle.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-doctor-missing-ozarks-f7f68205ec6db1f866e99ec4707443af">A search began</a>&nbsp;after the emergency room physician didn't show up for his May 21 shift at Mercy Hospital in Cassville. There was no sign of Forsyth until a kayaker noticed his body in Arkansas on May 30, at a spot on Beaver Lake some 20 miles (32 kilometers) away from his last known location.

His body had an apparent gunshot wound, authorities in Arkansas say. Although Benton County Coroner Daniel Oxford said an autopsy was completed Thursday, the results won't be released until the investigation is over.

His brother, Richard Forsyth, and other family members say John Forsyth was a devoted father to his eight kids and seemed happier than he'd been in a long time. They say he never missed a day of work, and would often sleep in an RV outside the hospital when he was on call.

His family rejects any suggestion he took his own life.

Newly engaged, Forsyth was also recently divorced.

On May 10 of this year, a judge ordered Forsyth to pay his ex-wife $3,999 in child support a month, plus another $15,000 a month.

Missouri court records show he was married and divorced twice to the same woman between 1995 and 2022. Both his brother and Ryan Ricketts, the ex-wife's divorce attorney, say the split was amicable.

The pair initially married in Clark County, Nevada. He filed for divorce in April 2019 but the couple remarried in July 2020 in Greene County, Missouri. Court records show that the woman filed a second divorce petition in April 2022, in Lawrence County, Missouri.

Authorities have not said whether they believe Forsyth was killed or took his own life. Initially, when Forsyth’s empty car was found, investigators said there were no signs of foul play. But that was before the body was found.

Shannon Jenkins, spokesperson for the Benton County Sheriff's Department, said Friday that “there is no immediate threat to the public,” but declined to provide more details. She said no further information would be released until the investigation is completed.

It's also unclear what Forsyth's connection might be to the second vehicle seen on pool surveillance video. Authorities have not confirmed any information about the video, including if it was taken before or after Forsyth may have texted his fiancee.

There's also no information on how Forsyth got from Cassville to Beaver Lake, when and where he died, or if investigators have found a weapon.

Forsyth was born in Idaho in 1974, according to online records. He was the third of seven children, his sister Gina Forsyth-Farlaino said. He was the father of eight children.

His former wife, who lives in Idaho, was given custody of the couple's minor children, but John Forsyth continued to have a strong relationship with them, his brother and the woman's divorce attorney said.

Forsyth's ex-wife did not wish to be interviewed, Ricketts said.

“She is just devastated and — I mean, just shocked,” Ricketts said. “She never saw any of this kind of thing coming.”

Online records for the state of Missouri show that Forsyth was licensed as a doctor and surgeon in the state since July 1, 2005 and that his license was active.

He'd been an emergency physician at Mercy Hospital in Cassville for nearly 15 years.

He received his medical degree from Ross University, which is headquartered in Barbados.

Online court records show Forsyth settled a wrongful death lawsuit against him Lawrence County, Missouri, in March 2022, but the settlement terms were confidential.

He was initially named as a defendant in a wrongful death case, also in Lawrence County, in 2006. But he and another doctor were dismissed from the case before a local hospital settled the case for $100,000.

Records show that in August 2015, he agreed to a public reprimand from the state Board of Registration for the Medical Arts for not adequately and completely maintaining records for two patients.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1685465277680.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY (AP) — A doctor in the Missouri went missing for over a week until his&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-arkansas-doctor-dead-john-forsyth-b83096df7165871cdc65e430ad88bd88">body was found</a>&nbsp;in an Arkansas lake. But the case remains shrouded in mystery as investigators have released few details to his family or the public.WHAT’S KNOWN SO FARDr. John Forsyth, 49, was last seen alive on May 21, when security cameras in the parking lot of a public pool in Cassville show him getting into a vehicle, after leaving his own car unlocked with his wallet, two phones, a laptop and other items inside. That's according to his brother, Richard Forsyth, who said the doctor had texted his new fiancee that morning saying he would see her soon.His car was found later that day. Investigators haven't said who was driving the other vehicle.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/missouri-doctor-missing-ozarks-f7f68205ec6db1f866e99ec4707443af">A search began</a>&nbsp;after the emergency room physician didn't show up for his May 21 shift at Mercy Hospital in Cassville. There was no sign of Forsyth until a kayaker noticed his body in Arkansas on May 30, at a spot on Beaver Lake some 20 miles (32 kilometers) away from his last known location.His body had an apparent gunshot wound, authorities in Arkansas say. Although Benton County Coroner Daniel Oxford said an autopsy was completed Thursday, the results won't be released until the investigation is over.WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN HIS LIFE?His brother, Richard Forsyth, and other family members say John Forsyth was a devoted father to his eight kids and seemed happier than he'd been in a long time. They say he never missed a day of work, and would often sleep in an RV outside the hospital when he was on call.His family rejects any suggestion he took his own life.Newly engaged, Forsyth was also recently divorced.On May 10 of this year, a judge ordered Forsyth to pay his ex-wife $3,999 in child support a month, plus another $15,000 a month.Missouri court records show he was married and divorced twice to the same woman between 1995 and 2022. Both his brother and Ryan Ricketts, the ex-wife's divorce attorney, say the split was amicable.The pair initially married in Clark County, Nevada. He filed for divorce in April 2019 but the couple remarried in July 2020 in Greene County, Missouri. Court records show that the woman filed a second divorce petition in April 2022, in Lawrence County, Missouri.QUESTIONS THAT REMAINAuthorities have not said whether they believe Forsyth was killed or took his own life. Initially, when Forsyth’s empty car was found, investigators said there were no signs of foul play. But that was before the body was found.Shannon Jenkins, spokesperson for the Benton County Sheriff's Department, said Friday that “there is no immediate threat to the public,” but declined to provide more details. She said no further information would be released until the investigation is completed.It's also unclear what Forsyth's connection might be to the second vehicle seen on pool surveillance video. Authorities have not confirmed any information about the video, including if it was taken before or after Forsyth may have texted his fiancee.There's also no information on how Forsyth got from Cassville to Beaver Lake, when and where he died, or if investigators have found a weapon.FORSYTH'S BACKGROUNDForsyth was born in Idaho in 1974, according to online records. He was the third of seven children, his sister Gina Forsyth-Farlaino said. He was the father of eight children.His former wife, who lives in Idaho, was given custody of the couple's minor children, but John Forsyth continued to have a strong relationship with them, his brother and the woman's divorce attorney said.Forsyth's ex-wife did not wish to be interviewed, Ricketts said.“She is just devastated and — I mean, just shocked,” Ricketts said. “She never saw any of this kind of thing coming.”FORSYTH'S MEDICAL BACKGROUNDOnline records for the state of Missouri show that Forsyth was licensed as a doctor and surgeon in the state since July 1, 2005 and that his license was active.He'd been an emergency physician at Mercy Hospital in Cassville for nearly 15 years.He received his medical degree from Ross University, which is headquartered in Barbados.Online court records show Forsyth settled a wrongful death lawsuit against him Lawrence County, Missouri, in March 2022, but the settlement terms were confidential.He was initially named as a defendant in a wrongful death case, also in Lawrence County, in 2006. But he and another doctor were dismissed from the case before a local hospital settled the case for $100,000.Records show that in August 2015, he agreed to a public reprimand from the state Board of Registration for the Medical Arts for not adequately and completely maintaining records for two patients.___

Case of missing Missouri doctor remains shrouded in mystery 

RUSSELL COUNTY —City of Russell Fire  Chief Dylan Riedel is on his way home from the burn unit, according to a statement Tuesday afternoon from the city of Russell.

Just after 9 p.m. Friday, the City of Russell Fire Department was paged to a structure fire at 1706 N. Main Street. Shortly after the first units arrived on the scene, a police officer reported an explosion and a firefighter injured.

Russell County EMS transported Riedel to Russell Regional Hospital and EagleMed then transported him to a burn unit at Via Christi in Wichita. 

The city encouraged the public to come to the Russell Sale Barn, 720, South Fossil Street, to&nbsp;welcome Dylan home.  Bring your flags, horns, or signs to support Dylan’s recovery.&nbsp;

"Please remember that Dylan won't be able to have many visitors for some time.  The risk of infection is high, and we don't want any setbacks in his recovery."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686080861829.png" alt="Dylan Riedel -photo courtesy city of Russell" />
 <figcaption>Dylan Riedel -photo courtesy city of Russell</figcaption>
 </figure>RUSSELL COUNTY —City of Russell Fire Chief Dylan Riedel is on his way home from the burn unit, according to a statement Tuesday afternoon from the city of Russell.Just after 9 p.m. Friday, the City of Russell Fire Department was paged to a structure fire at 1706 N. Main Street. Shortly after the first units arrived on the scene, a police officer reported an explosion and a firefighter injured.Russell County EMS transported Riedel to Russell Regional Hospital and EagleMed then transported him to a burn unit at Via Christi in Wichita. The city encouraged the public to come to the Russell Sale Barn, 720, South Fossil Street, to&nbsp;welcome Dylan home. Bring your flags, horns, or signs to support Dylan’s recovery.&nbsp;"Please remember that Dylan won't be able to have many visitors for some time. The risk of infection is high, and we don't want any setbacks in his recovery."

Kan. fire chief injured in explosion is on his way home

OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — With the rail industry relying on longer and longer trains to cut costs, the Biden administration is handing out $570 million in grants to help eliminate many railroad crossings in 32 states.&nbsp; The program awarded&nbsp; Kansas more than $27.5 million Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) Grant Program funding.

The grants announced Monday will contribute to building bridges or underpasses at the sites of more than three dozen crossings that delay traffic and sometimes keep first responders from where help is desperately needed.

In some places, trains routinely stretching more than 2 miles (3.2 km) long can block crossings for hours, cutting off access to parts of towns and forcing pedestrians to attempt the dangerous act of climbing through trains that could start moving without warning.

“We see countless stories of people unable to get to work on time, goods being blocked from getting where they need to be and first responders being delayed by these these trains that can be slowed or stopped — even seeing images of children having to crawl between or under freight trains in order to get to school,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said.

In one case Buttigieg mentioned, a Texas mom called 911 because her 3-month-old baby was in distress, but an idle train kept the ambulance from getting there quickly and the baby died at the hospital two days later.

In addition to problems associated with blocked crossings, roughly 2,000 collisions are reported at railroad crossings every year. Nearly 250 deaths were recorded last year in those car-train crashes. In one instance Buttigieg cited, a woman in California wound up stopped on the tracks after traffic backed up and she was killed when a train slammed into her vehicle.

In recent years, the major freight railroads have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-aab7d3084a8d17d8d721d2cb750be323">overhauled their operations</a>&nbsp;to rely on fewer, longer trains so they can use fewer crews and locomotives as part of efforts to cut costs.

The railroads insist those changes haven't made their trains riskier, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rail-accidents-transportation-pete-buttigieg-ohio-pennsylvania-f1cd9d79cdd66b1f45d1dcdf1e53ff58">regulators</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-congress-6288cdfb0b4381de4c9bfb05199b8ba6">Congress</a>&nbsp;are scrutinizing their operations closely after several recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/railroad-safety-derailments-tank-car-ohio-minnesota-c60f33b64e9c7dc05768a78ae20f3ce5">high-profile derailments</a>. And the problems at rail crossings are well documented.

These grants are part of $3 billion in funding approved in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-congress-infrastructure-bill-signing-b5b8cca843133de060778f049861b144">$1 trillion infrastructure law</a>&nbsp;for these rail crossing projects that will be doled out over the next five years.

A number of the 63 projects that will receive grants involve only planning and design work for eliminating crossings in the future, but most of the money will go toward physical improvements at crossings and eliminating longstanding problems.

Buttigieg said he plans to visit Grand Forks, North Dakota, Monday to highlight a $30 million grant helping to pay for a project near the University of North Dakota campus that will improve access to the local hospital.

A grant worth nearly $37 million will help eliminate four rail crossings in Houston, which has the second-highest number of rail crossing deaths in the nation. The four new underpasses to be built will reduce traffic delays and improve pedestrian safety.

One $7.2 million grant will help improve access to an area of Fostoria, Ohio, known as the Iron Triangle because it is bordered on three sides by train tracks. A CSX train passes through the community about once every 26 minutes, with warning sirens at the crossings sounding for at least two hours daily. A new bridge will be built over the tracks on one side of the neighborhood to provide a safe route into the area.

In each of these grants, states and cities — sometimes with the help of the railroads — must cover at least 20% of the project cost.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686018448112.png" alt="File photo" />
 <figcaption>File photo</figcaption>
 </figure>OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — With the rail industry relying on longer and longer trains to cut costs, the Biden administration is handing out $570 million in grants to help eliminate many railroad crossings in 32 states.&nbsp; The program awarded&nbsp; Kansas more than $27.5 million Railroad Crossing Elimination (RCE) Grant Program funding.The grants announced Monday will contribute to building bridges or underpasses at the sites of more than three dozen crossings that delay traffic and sometimes keep first responders from where help is desperately needed.In some places, trains routinely stretching more than 2 miles (3.2 km) long can block crossings for hours, cutting off access to parts of towns and forcing pedestrians to attempt the dangerous act of climbing through trains that could start moving without warning.“We see countless stories of people unable to get to work on time, goods being blocked from getting where they need to be and first responders being delayed by these these trains that can be slowed or stopped — even seeing images of children having to crawl between or under freight trains in order to get to school,” U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said.In one case Buttigieg mentioned, a Texas mom called 911 because her 3-month-old baby was in distress, but an idle train kept the ambulance from getting there quickly and the baby died at the hospital two days later.In addition to problems associated with blocked crossings, roughly 2,000 collisions are reported at railroad crossings every year. Nearly 250 deaths were recorded last year in those car-train crashes. In one instance Buttigieg cited, a woman in California wound up stopped on the tracks after traffic backed up and she was killed when a train slammed into her vehicle.In recent years, the major freight railroads have&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/business-aab7d3084a8d17d8d721d2cb750be323">overhauled their operations</a>&nbsp;to rely on fewer, longer trains so they can use fewer crews and locomotives as part of efforts to cut costs.The railroads insist those changes haven't made their trains riskier, but&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/rail-accidents-transportation-pete-buttigieg-ohio-pennsylvania-f1cd9d79cdd66b1f45d1dcdf1e53ff58">regulators</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ohio-train-derailment-congress-6288cdfb0b4381de4c9bfb05199b8ba6">Congress</a>&nbsp;are scrutinizing their operations closely after several recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/railroad-safety-derailments-tank-car-ohio-minnesota-c60f33b64e9c7dc05768a78ae20f3ce5">high-profile derailments</a>. And the problems at rail crossings are well documented.These grants are part of $3 billion in funding approved in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/joe-biden-congress-infrastructure-bill-signing-b5b8cca843133de060778f049861b144">$1 trillion infrastructure law</a>&nbsp;for these rail crossing projects that will be doled out over the next five years.A number of the 63 projects that will receive grants involve only planning and design work for eliminating crossings in the future, but most of the money will go toward physical improvements at crossings and eliminating longstanding problems.Buttigieg said he plans to visit Grand Forks, North Dakota, Monday to highlight a $30 million grant helping to pay for a project near the University of North Dakota campus that will improve access to the local hospital.A grant worth nearly $37 million will help eliminate four rail crossings in Houston, which has the second-highest number of rail crossing deaths in the nation. The four new underpasses to be built will reduce traffic delays and improve pedestrian safety.One $7.2 million grant will help improve access to an area of Fostoria, Ohio, known as the Iron Triangle because it is bordered on three sides by train tracks. A CSX train passes through the community about once every 26 minutes, with warning sirens at the crossings sounding for at least two hours daily. A new bridge will be built over the tracks on one side of the neighborhood to provide a safe route into the area.In each of these grants, states and cities — sometimes with the help of the railroads — must cover at least 20% of the project cost.

Dozens of dangerous rail crossings will be eliminated in Kansas

JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a series of burglaries have a suspect in custody.

On June 1, sheriff's deputies arrested 55-year-old Martyne Christopher Elmer of Topeka on requested charges of burglary, theft and criminal damage, according to Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Martyne is suspected of committing burglaries and thefts on multiple occasions at a property on 110th Road in Southern Jackson County.  Elmer remains in the Jackson County Jail.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685968957407.png" alt="Elmer-photo Jackson Co" />
 <figcaption>Elmer-photo Jackson Co</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities investigating a series of burglaries have a suspect in custody.On June 1, sheriff's deputies arrested 55-year-old Martyne Christopher Elmer of Topeka on requested charges of burglary, theft and criminal damage, according to Jackson County Sheriff Tim Morse.&nbsp;&nbsp;Martyne is suspected of committing burglaries and thefts on multiple occasions at a property on 110th Road in Southern Jackson County. Elmer remains in the Jackson County Jail.

Kansas man accused in series of rural burglaries

DOUGLAS COUNTY– Law enforcement authorities continue asking for the public's help identifying a victim in an overnight homicide in Lawrence.&nbsp; Police have no suspect in custody and are working to identity the victim.

Just after 1a.m. Saturday, several calls came into police dispatch reporting the sound of gunshots in the area of 24th&nbsp;and Cedarwood in Lawrence, according to Police Spokesperson Laurie McCabe. Officers arrived on scene and began speaking to witnesses but found no victim.&nbsp;

Officers also proactively dispatched to the hospital and witnessed a car speeding into the Emergency Department entrance.&nbsp;&nbsp;Officers pulled a male victim from the back seat, who was later pronounced deceased by hospital personnel.&nbsp; The man is a white male, probably in his 20’s, with light brown hair.&nbsp;

Investigators have been working to get more information from the three men who were in the car with the victim, who say they don’t know his identity.&nbsp; Police also canvassed the area where the crime occurred and have spoken to dozens of residents.&nbsp;

Anyone with information is asked please call police or the Crime Stoppers hotline at 785.843.TIPS.

DOUGLAS COUNTY– Law enforcement authorities continue asking for the public's help identifying a victim in an overnight homicide in Lawrence.&nbsp; Police have no suspect in custody and are working to identity the victim.Just after 1a.m. Saturday, several calls came into police dispatch reporting the sound of gunshots in the area of 24th&nbsp;and Cedarwood in Lawrence, according to Police Spokesperson Laurie McCabe. Officers arrived on scene and began speaking to witnesses but found no victim.&nbsp;Officers also proactively dispatched to the hospital and witnessed a car speeding into the Emergency Department entrance.&nbsp;&nbsp;Officers pulled a male victim from the back seat, who was later pronounced deceased by hospital personnel.&nbsp; The man is a white male, probably in his 20’s, with light brown hair.&nbsp;Investigators have been working to get more information from the three men who were in the car with the victim, who say they don’t know his identity.&nbsp; Police also canvassed the area where the crime occurred and have spoken to dozens of residents.&nbsp;Anyone with information is asked please call police or the Crime Stoppers hotline at 785.843.TIPS.

Police continue asking for help to ID Kan homicide victim

Astrud Gilberto, singer of 'The Girl from Ipanema,' dead at 83

NEW YORK (AP) — Astrud Gilberto, the Brazilian singer, songwriter and entertainer whose off-hand, English-language cameo on "The Girl from Ipanema" made her a worldwide voice of bossa nova, has died at age 83.

Musician Paul Ricci, a family friend, confirmed that she died Monday. He did not provide additional details.

Born in Salvador, Bahia and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Gilberto became an overnight, unexpected superstar in 1964, thanks to knowing just enough English to be recruited by the makers of "Getz/Gilberto," the classic bossa nova album featuring saxophonist Stan Getz and her then-husband, singer-songwriter-guitarist João Gilberto.

"The Girl from Ipanema," the wistful ballad written by Antônio Carlos Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes, was already a hit in South America. But "Getz/Gilberto" producer Creed Taylor and others thought they could expand the record's appeal by including both Portuguese and English language vocals. In a 2002 interview with friends posted on her web site www.astrudgilberto.com, Astrud Gilberto remembered her husband saying he had a surprise for her at the recording studio.

"I begged him to tell me what it was, but he adamantly refused, and would just say: 'Wait and see ...' Later on, while rehearsing with Stan, as they were in the midst of going over the song 'The Girl from Ipanema,' Joao casually asked me to join in, and sing a chorus in English, after he had just sung the first chorus in Portuguese. So, I did just that," she explained.

"When we were finished performing the song, Joao turned to Stan, and said something like: 'Tomorrow Astrud sing on record… What do you think?' Stan was very receptive, in fact very enthusiastic; he said it was a great idea. The rest, of course, as one would say, 'is history.'"

Astrud Gilberto sings "The Girl from Ipanema" in a light, affectless style that influenced Sade and Suzanne Vega among others, as if she had already moved on to other matters. But her words, translated from the Portuguese by Norman Gimbel, would be remembered like few others from the era.

"Getz/Gilberto" sold more than 2 million copies and "The Girl from Ipanema," released as a single with Astrud Gilberto the only vocalist, became an all-time standard, often ranked just behind "Yesterday" as the most covered song in modern times. "The Girl from Ipanema" won a Grammy in 1965 for record of the year and Gilberto received nominations for best new artist and best vocal performance. The poised, dark-haired singer was so closely associated with "The Girl from Ipanema" that some assumed she was the inspiration; de Moraes had written the lyrics about a Brazilian teenager, Heloísa Eneida Menezes Paes Pinto.

Over the next few years, Gilberto toured with Getz among others and released eight albums (with songs in English and Portuguese), among them "The Astrud Gilberto Album," "Beach Samba" and "The Shadow of Your Smile." But after 1969, she made just seven more albums and by 2002 had essentially retired from the business and stopped giving interviews, dedicating her latter years to animal rights activism and a career in the visual arts. She would allege that she received no money for "The Girl from Ipanema" and that Taylor and Getz (who would refer to her as "just a housewife") took undue credit for "discovering" her. She also felt estranged from her native country, alleging she was treated dismissively by the press, and rarely performed there after she became a star.

"Isn't there an ancient proverb to the effect that 'No one is a prophet in his own land?'" she said in 2002. "I have no qualms with Brazilians, and I enjoy myself very much when I go to Brazil. Of course, I go there as an incognito visitor, and not as a performer."

Astrud Weinert was the youngest of three sisters, born into a family both musical and at ease with foreign languages: Her mother was a singer and violinist, her father a linguistics professor. By her teens, she was among a circle of musical friends and had met João Gilberto, a rising star in Rio's emerging bossa nova scene.

After she met him, "The clan grew larger, to include 'older' folks" such as Tom Jobim, Vinícius de Moraes, Bené Nunes, Luis Bonfá and João Donato, and other respective "'other halves,'" she recalled. "(João Gilberto) and I used to sing duets, or he would accompany me on guitar. Friends would always request that I sing at these gatherings, as well as at our own home when they would come to visit us."

She was married twice and had two sons, João Marcelo Gilberto and Gregory Lasorsa, both of whom would work with her. Well after her commercial peak, she remained a popular live act, her singing becoming warmer and jazzier as she sang both covers and original material. She also had some notable moments as a recording artist, whether backed by trumpeter Chet Baker on "Fly Me to the Moon" or crooning with George Michael on the bossa nova standard "Desafinado." In 2008, she received a Latin Grammy for lifetime achievement.

"I have been labeled by an occasional frustrated journalist as 'a recluse.' The dictionary clearly defines recluse as 'a person who withdraws from the world to live in seclusion and often in solitude.' Why should anybody assume that just because an artist chooses not to give interviews, he/she is a recluse?" she said in 2002.

"I firmly believe that any artist who becomes famous through their work — be it music, motion pictures or any other — does not have any moral obligation to satisfy the curiosity of journalists, fans or any members of the public about their private lives, or anything else that does not have any direct reflection on their work. My work, whether perceived as good, bad, or indifferent, speaks for itself."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686069869767.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Astrud Gilberto, singer of 'The Girl from Ipanema,' dead at 83By HILLEL ITALIENEW YORK (AP) — Astrud Gilberto, the Brazilian singer, songwriter and entertainer whose off-hand, English-language cameo on "The Girl from Ipanema" made her a worldwide voice of bossa nova, has died at age 83.Musician Paul Ricci, a family friend, confirmed that she died Monday. He did not provide additional details.Born in Salvador, Bahia and raised in Rio de Janeiro, Gilberto became an overnight, unexpected superstar in 1964, thanks to knowing just enough English to be recruited by the makers of "Getz/Gilberto," the classic bossa nova album featuring saxophonist Stan Getz and her then-husband, singer-songwriter-guitarist João Gilberto."The Girl from Ipanema," the wistful ballad written by Antônio Carlos Jobim and Vinícius de Moraes, was already a hit in South America. But "Getz/Gilberto" producer Creed Taylor and others thought they could expand the record's appeal by including both Portuguese and English language vocals. In a 2002 interview with friends posted on her web site www.astrudgilberto.com, Astrud Gilberto remembered her husband saying he had a surprise for her at the recording studio."I begged him to tell me what it was, but he adamantly refused, and would just say: 'Wait and see ...' Later on, while rehearsing with Stan, as they were in the midst of going over the song 'The Girl from Ipanema,' Joao casually asked me to join in, and sing a chorus in English, after he had just sung the first chorus in Portuguese. So, I did just that," she explained."When we were finished performing the song, Joao turned to Stan, and said something like: 'Tomorrow Astrud sing on record… What do you think?' Stan was very receptive, in fact very enthusiastic; he said it was a great idea. The rest, of course, as one would say, 'is history.'"Astrud Gilberto sings "The Girl from Ipanema" in a light, affectless style that influenced Sade and Suzanne Vega among others, as if she had already moved on to other matters. But her words, translated from the Portuguese by Norman Gimbel, would be remembered like few others from the era.Tall and tan and young and lovelyThe girl from Ipanema goes walkingAnd when she passesEach one she passes goes, "Ah""Getz/Gilberto" sold more than 2 million copies and "The Girl from Ipanema," released as a single with Astrud Gilberto the only vocalist, became an all-time standard, often ranked just behind "Yesterday" as the most covered song in modern times. "The Girl from Ipanema" won a Grammy in 1965 for record of the year and Gilberto received nominations for best new artist and best vocal performance. The poised, dark-haired singer was so closely associated with "The Girl from Ipanema" that some assumed she was the inspiration; de Moraes had written the lyrics about a Brazilian teenager, Heloísa Eneida Menezes Paes Pinto.Over the next few years, Gilberto toured with Getz among others and released eight albums (with songs in English and Portuguese), among them "The Astrud Gilberto Album," "Beach Samba" and "The Shadow of Your Smile." But after 1969, she made just seven more albums and by 2002 had essentially retired from the business and stopped giving interviews, dedicating her latter years to animal rights activism and a career in the visual arts. She would allege that she received no money for "The Girl from Ipanema" and that Taylor and Getz (who would refer to her as "just a housewife") took undue credit for "discovering" her. She also felt estranged from her native country, alleging she was treated dismissively by the press, and rarely performed there after she became a star."Isn't there an ancient proverb to the effect that 'No one is a prophet in his own land?'" she said in 2002. "I have no qualms with Brazilians, and I enjoy myself very much when I go to Brazil. Of course, I go there as an incognito visitor, and not as a performer."Astrud Weinert was the youngest of three sisters, born into a family both musical and at ease with foreign languages: Her mother was a singer and violinist, her father a linguistics professor. By her teens, she was among a circle of musical friends and had met João Gilberto, a rising star in Rio's emerging bossa nova scene.After she met him, "The clan grew larger, to include 'older' folks" such as Tom Jobim, Vinícius de Moraes, Bené Nunes, Luis Bonfá and João Donato, and other respective "'other halves,'" she recalled. "(João Gilberto) and I used to sing duets, or he would accompany me on guitar. Friends would always request that I sing at these gatherings, as well as at our own home when they would come to visit us."She was married twice and had two sons, João Marcelo Gilberto and Gregory Lasorsa, both of whom would work with her. Well after her commercial peak, she remained a popular live act, her singing becoming warmer and jazzier as she sang both covers and original material. She also had some notable moments as a recording artist, whether backed by trumpeter Chet Baker on "Fly Me to the Moon" or crooning with George Michael on the bossa nova standard "Desafinado." In 2008, she received a Latin Grammy for lifetime achievement."I have been labeled by an occasional frustrated journalist as 'a recluse.' The dictionary clearly defines recluse as 'a person who withdraws from the world to live in seclusion and often in solitude.' Why should anybody assume that just because an artist chooses not to give interviews, he/she is a recluse?" she said in 2002."I firmly believe that any artist who becomes famous through their work — be it music, motion pictures or any other — does not have any moral obligation to satisfy the curiosity of journalists, fans or any members of the public about their private lives, or anything else that does not have any direct reflection on their work. My work, whether perceived as good, bad, or indifferent, speaks for itself."

FORD COUNTY —Officials are working to make repairs after a&nbsp;train derailment caused major damage to track and the highway east of Dodge City in Ford County, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.

One rail car was dragged across the road, according to Trooper Mike Racy.

The sheriff's office advises travelers to consider an alternate route if you plan on traveling east on Trail Street towards Ft. Dodge and west on Highway 400 from Ford to Dodge City. .

Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

FORD COUNTY—A train derailment caused major damage to track and the highway east of Dodge City in Ford County, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.

Traffic has been reduced to two lanes of travel. The two west bounds lanes are closed. Driver should expect delays and consider an alternate route if you plan on traveling east on Trail Street towards Ft. Dodge and west on Highway 400 from Ford to Dodge City. 

Railroads crews have been contacted and are on the way for repairs.&nbsp; There were no injuries reported.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686047831016.png" alt="Photo Ford County Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Photo Ford County Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>FORD COUNTY —Officials are working to make repairs after a&nbsp;train derailment caused major damage to track and the highway east of Dodge City in Ford County, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.One rail car was dragged across the road, according to Trooper Mike Racy.The sheriff's office advises travelers to consider an alternate route if you plan on traveling east on Trail Street towards Ft. Dodge and west on Highway 400 from Ford to Dodge City. .Check the Post for additional details as they become available.---------FORD COUNTY—A train derailment caused major damage to track and the highway east of Dodge City in Ford County, according to the Kansas Highway Patrol.Traffic has been reduced to two lanes of travel. The two west bounds lanes are closed. Driver should expect delays and consider an alternate route if you plan on traveling east on Trail Street towards Ft. Dodge and west on Highway 400 from Ford to Dodge City. Cargill is open for employees.&nbsp; Railroads crews have been contacted and are on the way for repairs.&nbsp; There were no injuries reported.Check the Post for additional details as they become available.

Update: Train derailment slows traffic near Dodge City

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on new allegations as part of a Stunt Rider Project investigation.

The Wichita Police Department (WPD) has arrested 21-year-old Chase Faimon of Valley Center on requested charges of felony racing on highways and racing and sideshow, stemming from a Stunt Rider Project investigation, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

On May 27, the Wichita Police Department Traffic Unit witnessed 21-year-old Chase Faimon of Valley Center riding his motorcycle west on Waterman in Wichita doing a wheelie. Officers cautiously followed Faimon to the parking garage of Gander Mountain, contacted him, and placed him under arrest.

During the investigation, officers learned that Faimon had previously been charged with murder in the 2nd degree after hitting a pedestrian with his motorcycle.

In that case, Faimon was doing a wheelie down Broadway when he struck the pedestrian identified as 48-year-old Kristine Sheffield and killed her. 

Officers impounded the motorcycle that Faimon was riding.

In the 7 days that the project has been conducted so far, 18 people have been arrested for stunt driving and other charges, 17 vehicles have been impounded, and 2 guns have been recovered.

SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man accused in a fatal hit-and-run accident was charged Wednesday in connection with the February 20, death of death of Kristine Sheffield.

Chase Faimon, 21 of Valley Center, was charged with felony 1st&nbsp;degree murder or in the alternative 2nd&nbsp;degree murder, leaving the scene of an accident. He was also charged with the misdemeanors that include three counts of operate a motor vehicle without proper license, two counts of fleeing or attempting to elude an officer, and two counts of expired tag or registration, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office.

"Cases can be charged alternatively if there are two or more theories of how the crime was committed. Each charge can be presented to a jury and a defendant may be convicted of more than one of the alternative charges.&nbsp; However, the defendant can only be sentenced for one of the alternative counts, that being the most severe offense," according to the district attorney.

Just after 7 p.m. Feb. 20, police responded to the intersection of 11th Street North and Broadway for an injury hit-and-run collision, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.

First responders located 48-year-old Sheffield in the street unresponsive. EMS transported her to a local hospital where she was pronounced deceased.

During the investigation, officers learned Sheffield was struck by a black dirt bike while crossing the street. After the collision, the driver of the motorcycle left the scene northbound on Broadway.&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20071435">Chase Faimon, 21, Valley Center</a>&nbsp;turned himself in after police released security camera images of him on a motorcycle, according to Rebolledo.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1680125106781.png" alt="Faimon-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Faimon-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas man on new allegations as part of a Stunt Rider Project investigation.The Wichita Police Department (WPD) has arrested 21-year-old Chase Faimon of Valley Center on requested charges of felony racing on highways and racing and sideshow, stemming from a Stunt Rider Project investigation, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.On May 27, the Wichita Police Department Traffic Unit witnessed 21-year-old Chase Faimon of Valley Center riding his motorcycle west on Waterman in Wichita doing a wheelie. Officers cautiously followed Faimon to the parking garage of Gander Mountain, contacted him, and placed him under arrest.During the investigation, officers learned that Faimon had previously been charged with murder in the 2nd degree after hitting a pedestrian with his motorcycle.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/2/1676999156108.png" alt="Photo Wichita Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo Wichita Police</figcaption>
 </figure>In that case, Faimon was doing a wheelie down Broadway when he struck the pedestrian identified as 48-year-old Kristine Sheffield and killed her. Officers impounded the motorcycle that Faimon was riding.In the 7 days that the project has been conducted so far, 18 people have been arrested for stunt driving and other charges, 17 vehicles have been impounded, and 2 guns have been recovered.-----------SEDGWICK COUNTY —A Kansas man accused in a fatal hit-and-run accident was charged Wednesday in connection with the February 20, death of death of Kristine Sheffield.Chase Faimon, 21 of Valley Center, was charged with felony 1st&nbsp;degree murder or in the alternative 2nd&nbsp;degree murder, leaving the scene of an accident. He was also charged with the misdemeanors that include three counts of operate a motor vehicle without proper license, two counts of fleeing or attempting to elude an officer, and two counts of expired tag or registration, according to the Sedgwick County District Attorney's office."Cases can be charged alternatively if there are two or more theories of how the crime was committed. Each charge can be presented to a jury and a defendant may be convicted of more than one of the alternative charges.&nbsp; However, the defendant can only be sentenced for one of the alternative counts, that being the most severe offense," according to the district attorney.Just after 7 p.m. Feb. 20, police responded to the intersection of 11th Street North and Broadway for an injury hit-and-run collision, according to Officer Juan Rebolledo.First responders located 48-year-old Sheffield in the street unresponsive. EMS transported her to a local hospital where she was pronounced deceased.During the investigation, officers learned Sheffield was struck by a black dirt bike while crossing the street. After the collision, the driver of the motorcycle left the scene northbound on Broadway.&nbsp;<a href="https://ssc.sedgwickcounty.org/sheriffinmates/SheriffInmateDetail.aspx?nameId=20071435">Chase Faimon, 21, Valley Center</a>&nbsp;turned himself in after police released security camera images of him on a motorcycle, according to Rebolledo.&nbsp;

Stunt rider accused in Kan. woman's death, jailed again for stunt riding

WASHINGTON (AP) — Living in New York City, working full time and without a car, Jessica Ray and her husband have come to rely on deliveries of food and just about everything else for their home. It has meant more free time on weekends with their young son, rather than standing in line for toilet paper or dragging heavy bags of dog food back to their apartment.

"I don't even know where to buy dog food," said Jessica Ray of the specialty food she buys for the family's aging dog.

There are millions of families like the Rays who have swapped store visits for doorstep deliveries in recent years, meaning that contentious labor negotiations now underway at UPS could become vastly more disruptive than the last time it happened in 1997, when a scrappy upstart called Amazon.com became a public company.

UPS delivers millions more packages every day than it did just five years ago and its 350,000 unionized workers, represented by the Teamsters, still seethe about a contract they feel was forced on them in 2018.

In an environment of energized labor movements and lingering resentment among UPS workers, the Teamsters are expected to dig in, with the potential to cow a major logistical force in the U.S.

The 24 million packages UPS ships on an average day amounts to about a quarter of all U.S. parcel volume, according to the global shipping and logistics firm Pitney Bowes, or as UPS puts it, the equivalent of about 6% of nation's gross domestic product.

Higher prices and long wait times are all but certain if there is an impasse.

"Something's got to give," said Thomas Goldsby, logistics chairman in the Supply Chain Management Department at the University of Tennessee. "The python can't swallow the alligator, and that's going to be felt by all of us."

In other words, brace yourself for Supply Chain Breakdown: The Sequel.

In the second half of 2021, the phrase "global supply chain" began to enter casual conversations as the world emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic. Businesses struggled to get what they needed, raising prices and wait times. Automakers held vehicles just off the assembly line because they didn't have all the parts.

Some of those problems still linger and a strike at UPS threatens to extend the suffering.

Those who have come to rely on doorstep deliveries for the basic may have to rethink weekly schedules.

"We finally reached a point where we finally feel pretty good about it," Ray said. "We can take a Saturday afternoon and do a fun family activity and not feel the burden of making everything work for the day-to-day functioning of our household."

UPS workers feel they have played a part in the transformation of how Americans shop since the last contract was ratified in 2018, while helping to make UPS a much more valuable company.

Annual profits at UPS in the past two years are close to three times what they were before the pandemic. The Atlanta company returned about $8.6 billion to shareholders in the form of dividends and stock buybacks in 2022, and forecasts another $8.4 billion for shareholders this year.

The Teamsters say frontline UPS workers deserve some of that windfall.

"Our members worked really hard over the pandemic," said Teamsters spokesperson Kara Deniz. "They need to see their fair share."

Union members rejected the contract they were offered in 2018, but it was pushed through by union leadership based on a technicality. The acrimony over the current contract was so fierce that last year workers rejected a candidate to lead the Teamsters favored by longtime union head James Hoffa, instead choosing the more combative Sean O'Brien.

O'Brien went on a nationwide tour of local Teamsters shops preparing frontline workers ahead of negotiations.

In addition to addressing part-time pay, and what workers say is excessive overtime, the union wants to eliminate a contract provision that created two separate hierarchies of workers with different pay scales, hours and benefits. Driver safety, particularly the lack of air conditioning in delivery trucks, is also in the mix.

A win at UPS could have implications for the organized labor outside the company.

Teamsters are attempting to organize Amazon workers and dozens of company delivery drivers and dispatchers in California joined the union last month. There are also prominent labor organization campaigns at Apple, Starbucks, Trader Joe's, Apple, even strippers at a dance club in Los Angeles.

"This has just huge implications for the entire labor movement in the United States," said John Logan, the director of labor and employment studies at San Francisco State University, referring to labor talks at UPS. "There's greater assertiveness and militancy on the part of a lot of young labor activists and some sectors of the labor establishment. Sean O'Brien is representative of that."

When dozens of UPS locals met with Teamsters leadership early this year, O'Brien delivered a message of urgency.

"We're going into these negotiations with a clear message to UPS that we're not going past August 1," O'Brien told the gathering.

It would be the first work stoppage since a walkout by 185,000 workers crippled the company a quarter century ago.

UPS CEO Carol Tomé has remained optimistic publicly, telling investors recently that the company and the Teamsters were not far apart on major issues.

"While we expect to hear a great deal of noise during the negotiation, I remain confident that a win-win-win contract is very achievable and that UPS and the Teamsters will reach agreement by the end of July," Tomé said.

If Tomé is wrong, Americans may need to put aside more time to shop like they used to do.

"It has the potential to be significantly impactful," Ray said. "My husband and I have invested a lot in figuring out how to remove the burden of just making sure we always have toilet paper."

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686015102842.png" alt="UPS delivers millions more packages every day than it did just five years ago-photo courtesy UPS" />
 <figcaption>UPS delivers millions more packages every day than it did just five years ago-photo courtesy UPS</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Living in New York City, working full time and without a car, Jessica Ray and her husband have come to rely on deliveries of food and just about everything else for their home. It has meant more free time on weekends with their young son, rather than standing in line for toilet paper or dragging heavy bags of dog food back to their apartment."I don't even know where to buy dog food," said Jessica Ray of the specialty food she buys for the family's aging dog.There are millions of families like the Rays who have swapped store visits for doorstep deliveries in recent years, meaning that contentious labor negotiations now underway at UPS could become vastly more disruptive than the last time it happened in 1997, when a scrappy upstart called Amazon.com became a public company.UPS delivers millions more packages every day than it did just five years ago and its 350,000 unionized workers, represented by the Teamsters, still seethe about a contract they feel was forced on them in 2018.In an environment of energized labor movements and lingering resentment among UPS workers, the Teamsters are expected to dig in, with the potential to cow a major logistical force in the U.S.The 24 million packages UPS ships on an average day amounts to about a quarter of all U.S. parcel volume, according to the global shipping and logistics firm Pitney Bowes, or as UPS puts it, the equivalent of about 6% of nation's gross domestic product.Higher prices and long wait times are all but certain if there is an impasse."Something's got to give," said Thomas Goldsby, logistics chairman in the Supply Chain Management Department at the University of Tennessee. "The python can't swallow the alligator, and that's going to be felt by all of us."In other words, brace yourself for Supply Chain Breakdown: The Sequel.In the second half of 2021, the phrase "global supply chain" began to enter casual conversations as the world emerged from the COVID-19 pandemic. Businesses struggled to get what they needed, raising prices and wait times. Automakers held vehicles just off the assembly line because they didn't have all the parts.Some of those problems still linger and a strike at UPS threatens to extend the suffering.Those who have come to rely on doorstep deliveries for the basic may have to rethink weekly schedules."We finally reached a point where we finally feel pretty good about it," Ray said. "We can take a Saturday afternoon and do a fun family activity and not feel the burden of making everything work for the day-to-day functioning of our household."UPS workers feel they have played a part in the transformation of how Americans shop since the last contract was ratified in 2018, while helping to make UPS a much more valuable company.Annual profits at UPS in the past two years are close to three times what they were before the pandemic. The Atlanta company returned about $8.6 billion to shareholders in the form of dividends and stock buybacks in 2022, and forecasts another $8.4 billion for shareholders this year.The Teamsters say frontline UPS workers deserve some of that windfall."Our members worked really hard over the pandemic," said Teamsters spokesperson Kara Deniz. "They need to see their fair share."Union members rejected the contract they were offered in 2018, but it was pushed through by union leadership based on a technicality. The acrimony over the current contract was so fierce that last year workers rejected a candidate to lead the Teamsters favored by longtime union head James Hoffa, instead choosing the more combative Sean O'Brien.O'Brien went on a nationwide tour of local Teamsters shops preparing frontline workers ahead of negotiations.In addition to addressing part-time pay, and what workers say is excessive overtime, the union wants to eliminate a contract provision that created two separate hierarchies of workers with different pay scales, hours and benefits. Driver safety, particularly the lack of air conditioning in delivery trucks, is also in the mix.A win at UPS could have implications for the organized labor outside the company.Teamsters are attempting to organize Amazon workers and dozens of company delivery drivers and dispatchers in California joined the union last month. There are also prominent labor organization campaigns at Apple, Starbucks, Trader Joe's, Apple, even strippers at a dance club in Los Angeles."This has just huge implications for the entire labor movement in the United States," said John Logan, the director of labor and employment studies at San Francisco State University, referring to labor talks at UPS. "There's greater assertiveness and militancy on the part of a lot of young labor activists and some sectors of the labor establishment. Sean O'Brien is representative of that."When dozens of UPS locals met with Teamsters leadership early this year, O'Brien delivered a message of urgency."We're going into these negotiations with a clear message to UPS that we're not going past August 1," O'Brien told the gathering.It would be the first work stoppage since a walkout by 185,000 workers crippled the company a quarter century ago.UPS CEO Carol Tomé has remained optimistic publicly, telling investors recently that the company and the Teamsters were not far apart on major issues."While we expect to hear a great deal of noise during the negotiation, I remain confident that a win-win-win contract is very achievable and that UPS and the Teamsters will reach agreement by the end of July," Tomé said.If Tomé is wrong, Americans may need to put aside more time to shop like they used to do."It has the potential to be significantly impactful," Ray said. "My husband and I have invested a lot in figuring out how to remove the burden of just making sure we always have toilet paper."

UPS strike looms in a world grown reliant on everything delivered all the time

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The wall of a major dam in southern Ukraine collapsed Tuesday, triggering floods, endangering Europe’s largest nuclear power plant and threatening drinking water supplies as both sides in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">the war</a>&nbsp;scrambled to evacuate residents and blamed each other for the destruction.

Ukraine accused Russian forces of blowing up&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kakhovka-dam-ukraine-russia-war-whats-at-stake-a417dafefa79462bef5e4e63c0a94c8c">the Kakhovka dam</a>&nbsp;and hydroelectric power station on the Dnieper River in an area that Moscow controls, while Russian officials blamed Ukrainian bombardment in the contested area. It was not possible to verify the claims.

The potentially far-reaching environmental and social consequences of the disaster quickly became clear as homes, streets and businesses flooded downstream and emergency crews began evacuations; officials raced to check cooling systems at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-climate-and-environment-government-politics-6147e518d263393eedefb90759651b3c">Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant</a>; and authorities expressed concern about supplies of drinking water to the south in Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014.

Both Russian and Ukrainian authorities brought in trains and buses for residents. About 22,000 people live in areas at risk of flooding in Russian-controlled areas, while 16,000 live in the most critical zone in Ukrainian-held territory, according to official tallies. Neither side reported any deaths or injuries.

The dam break added a stunning new dimension to Russia’s war in Ukraine, now in its 16th month. Ukrainian forces were widely seen to be moving forward with a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-counteroffensive-moscow-kyiv-tactics-337f12cfe0766376afcf32c5b9d75f23">long-anticipated counteroffensive</a>&nbsp;in patches along more than 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) of front line in the east and south.

It was not immediately clear whether either side benefits from the damage to the dam, since both Russian-controlled and Ukrainian-held lands are at risk. The damage could also hinder Ukraine’s counteroffensive in the south and distract its government, while Russia depends on the dam to supply water to Crimea.

Although Kyiv officials claimed Russia blew up the dam to hinder the counteroffensive, observers note that crossing the broad Dnieper would be extremely challenging for the Ukrainian military. Other sectors of the front line are more likely avenues of attack, analysts say.

Even so, Nigel Gould-Davies, a senior fellow for Russia and Eurasia at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said the alleged Russian destruction of the dam “betrays a lack of confidence, a lack of confidence, a profoundly defensive measure, the lack of confidence in Russia’s longer-term prospects” in the war.

Experts have previously said the dam was in disrepair, which could also have led to the breach. David Helms, a retired American scientist who has monitored the reservoir since the start of the war, said in an email that it wasn’t clear if the damage was deliberate or simple neglect from Russian forces occupying the facility.

But Helms also noted a Russian history of attacking dams.

Authorities, experts and residents have expressed concern for months about water flows through — and over — the Kakhovka dam. After heavy rains and snow melt last month, water levels rose beyond normal levels,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-nuclear-dnipro-river-flood-df2aaa99cab8b0e0d7a4b26bd77cad0f">flooding nearby villages</a>. Satellite images showed water washing over damaged sluice gates.

Amid official outrage, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he convened an urgent meeting of the National Security Council. He alleged Russian forces set off a blast inside the dam structure at 2:50 a.m. (2350 GMT Monday) and said about 80 settlements were in danger. Zelenskyy said in October his government had information that Russia had mined the dam and power plant.

But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called it “a deliberate act of sabotage by the Ukrainian side … aimed at cutting water supplies to Crimea.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1686057672800.png" alt="Image made from video provided by Ukraine's Presidential Office&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Image made from video provided by Ukraine's Presidential Office&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — The wall of a major dam in southern Ukraine collapsed Tuesday, triggering floods, endangering Europe’s largest nuclear power plant and threatening drinking water supplies as both sides in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine">the war</a>&nbsp;scrambled to evacuate residents and blamed each other for the destruction.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RussiaIsATerroristState?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RussiaIsATerroristState</a> and the only way to stop it, is to kick it out of Ukraine. Blowing up the Kakhovska HPP will have devastating consequences,incl drowning in the region, long term water shortage, irreparable damages to thousands of lives of innocent civilians and ecosystem <a href="https://t.co/Cj2lTaoVZd">pic.twitter.com/Cj2lTaoVZd</a>&mdash; MFA of Ukraine 🇺🇦 (@MFA_Ukraine) <a href="https://twitter.com/MFA_Ukraine/status/1665964127477481473?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Ukraine accused Russian forces of blowing up&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/kakhovka-dam-ukraine-russia-war-whats-at-stake-a417dafefa79462bef5e4e63c0a94c8c">the Kakhovka dam</a>&nbsp;and hydroelectric power station on the Dnieper River in an area that Moscow controls, while Russian officials blamed Ukrainian bombardment in the contested area. It was not possible to verify the claims.The potentially far-reaching environmental and social consequences of the disaster quickly became clear as homes, streets and businesses flooded downstream and emergency crews began evacuations; officials raced to check cooling systems at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-climate-and-environment-government-politics-6147e518d263393eedefb90759651b3c">Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant</a>; and authorities expressed concern about supplies of drinking water to the south in Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014.Both Russian and Ukrainian authorities brought in trains and buses for residents. About 22,000 people live in areas at risk of flooding in Russian-controlled areas, while 16,000 live in the most critical zone in Ukrainian-held territory, according to official tallies. Neither side reported any deaths or injuries.The dam break added a stunning new dimension to Russia’s war in Ukraine, now in its 16th month. Ukrainian forces were widely seen to be moving forward with a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-war-counteroffensive-moscow-kyiv-tactics-337f12cfe0766376afcf32c5b9d75f23">long-anticipated counteroffensive</a>&nbsp;in patches along more than 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) of front line in the east and south.It was not immediately clear whether either side benefits from the damage to the dam, since both Russian-controlled and Ukrainian-held lands are at risk. The damage could also hinder Ukraine’s counteroffensive in the south and distract its government, while Russia depends on the dam to supply water to Crimea.Although Kyiv officials claimed Russia blew up the dam to hinder the counteroffensive, observers note that crossing the broad Dnieper would be extremely challenging for the Ukrainian military. Other sectors of the front line are more likely avenues of attack, analysts say.Even so, Nigel Gould-Davies, a senior fellow for Russia and Eurasia at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said the alleged Russian destruction of the dam “betrays a lack of confidence, a lack of confidence, a profoundly defensive measure, the lack of confidence in Russia’s longer-term prospects” in the war.Experts have previously said the dam was in disrepair, which could also have led to the breach. David Helms, a retired American scientist who has monitored the reservoir since the start of the war, said in an email that it wasn’t clear if the damage was deliberate or simple neglect from Russian forces occupying the facility.But Helms also noted a Russian history of attacking dams.Authorities, experts and residents have expressed concern for months about water flows through — and over — the Kakhovka dam. After heavy rains and snow melt last month, water levels rose beyond normal levels,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-russia-nuclear-dnipro-river-flood-df2aaa99cab8b0e0d7a4b26bd77cad0f">flooding nearby villages</a>. Satellite images showed water washing over damaged sluice gates.Amid official outrage, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said he convened an urgent meeting of the National Security Council. He alleged Russian forces set off a blast inside the dam structure at 2:50 a.m. (2350 GMT Monday) and said about 80 settlements were in danger. Zelenskyy said in October his government had information that Russia had mined the dam and power plant.But Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov called it “a deliberate act of sabotage by the Ukrainian side … aimed at cutting water supplies to Crimea.”Both sides warned of a looming environmental disaster. Ukraine’s Presidential Office said some 150 metric tons of oil escaped from the dam machinery and that another 300 metric tons could still leak out.Andriy Yermak, the head of Ukraine’s President’s Office, posted a video showing swans swimming near an administrative building in the flooded streets of Russian-occupied Nova Kakhovka, a city in the Kherson region where some 45,000 people lived before the war. Other footage he posted showed flood waters reaching the second floor of the building.Ukraine's Interior Ministry urged residents of 10 villages on the Dnieper’s right bank and parts of the city of Kherson downriver to gather essential documents and pets, turn off appliances, and leave, while cautioning against possible disinformation.The Russian-installed mayor of occupied Nova Kakhovka, Vladimir Leontyev, said it was being evacuated as water poured into the city.Ukraine’s nuclear operator Energoatom said via Telegram that the damage to the dam “could have negative consequences” for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-climate-and-environment-government-politics-6147e518d263393eedefb90759651b3c">Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant</a>, which is Europe’s biggest, but wrote that for now the situation is “controllable.”The U.N.'s International Atomic Energy Agency said there was “no immediate risk to the safety of the plant,” which requires water for its cooling system. It said that IAEA staff on site have been told the dam level is falling by 5 centimeters (2 inches) an hour. At that rate, the supply from the reservoir should last a few days, it said.The plant also has alternative sources of water, including a large cooling pond than can provide water “for some months,” the statement said.Ukrainian authorities have previously warned that the dam’s failure could unleash 18 million cubic meters (4.8 billion gallons) of water and flood Kherson and dozens of other areas where thousands of people live.The World Data Center for Geoinformatics and Sustainable Development, a Ukrainian nongovernmental organization, estimated that nearly 100 villages and towns would be flooded. It also reckoned that the water level would start dropping only after five-seven days.A total collapse in the dam would wash away much of the broad river's left bank, according to the Ukraine War Environmental Consequences Working Group, an organization of environmental activists and experts documenting the war’s environmental effects.Mykhailo Podolyak, a senior adviser to President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said that “a global ecological disaster is playing out now, online, and thousands of animals and ecosystems will be destroyed in the next few hours.”Video posted online showed floodwaters inundating a long roadway; another showed a beaver scurrying for high ground from rising waters.The incident also drew international condemnation, including from German Chancellor Olaf Scholz and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg, who said the “outrageous act … demonstrates once again the brutality of Russia’s war in Ukraine.”Ukraine controls five of the six dams along the Dnieper, which runs from its northern border with Belarus down to the Black Sea and is crucial for the country’s drinking water and power supply.Ukraine’s state hydro power generating company wrote in a statement that “The station cannot be restored.” Ukrhydroenergo also claimed Russia blew up the station from inside the engine room.Leontyev, the Russian-appointed mayor, said numerous Ukrainian strikes on the Kakhovka hydroelectric plant destroyed its valves, and “water from the Kakhovka reservoir began to uncontrollably flow downstream.” Leontyev added that damage to the station was beyond repair, and it would have to be rebuilt.Ukraine and Russia have previously&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/russia-ukraine-putin-moscow-europe-donetsk-10b79dcbd6bf91e7ce258a0225a82a7f">accused each other</a>&nbsp;of targeting the dam with attacks.