OXON HILL, Md. (AP) — Fifteen months ago, Dev Shah spent a miserable five hours spelling outdoors in chilly, windy, damp conditions at a supersize regional competition in Orlando, Florida, only to fall short of his dream of returning to the Scripps National Spelling Bee.

“Despondent is the right word,” Dev said. “I just didn’t know if I wanted to keep continuing.”

Soft-spoken but brimming with confidence, Dev asked precise questions about obscure Greek roots, rushed through his second-to-last word and rolled to the National Spelling Bee title Thursday night.

Dev, a 14-year-old from Largo, Florida, in the Tampa Bay area, first competed at the national bee in 2019, then had his spelling career interrupted. The 2020 bee was canceled because of COVID-19, and in the mostly virtual 2021 bee, he didn't make it to the in-person finals, held in his home state on ESPN's campus at Walt Disney World.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-sports-education-florida-bba74646085b03374744d4b411751824">Then came the disaster of last year,</a>&nbsp;when he was forced to compete in the Orlando region because his previous regional sponsor didn't come back after the pandemic.

“It took me four months to get him back on track because he was quite a bit disturbed and he didn't want to do it,” said Dev's mother, Nilam Shah.

When he decided to try again, he added an exercise routine to help sharpen his focus and lost about 15 pounds, she said.

Dev got through his region.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-spelling-bee-semifinals-2023-d817523048011d6fde8c43cc9f75d6c0">He flexed his knowledge</a>&nbsp;in Wednesday's early rounds by asking questions that proved he knew every relevant detail the bee's pronouncers and judges had on their computer screens. And when it was all over, he held the trophy over his head as confetti fell.

“He appreciated that this is a journey, which sounds very trite but is really quite true,” said Dev's coach, Scott Remer, a former speller and study guide author. “I think the thing that distinguishes the very best spellers from the ones that end up not really leaving their mark is actually just grit.”

Dev's winning word was “psammophile,” a layup for a speller of his caliber.

“Psammo meaning sand, Greek?” he asked. “Phile, meaning love, Greek?”

Dev soaked up the moment by asking for the word to be used in a sentence, something he described a day earlier as a stalling tactic. Then he put his hands over his face as he was declared the winner.

“I would say I was confident on the outside but inside I was nervous, especially for my winning word — well, like, before. Not during,” he said.

Runner-up Charlotte Walsh gave Dev a congratulatory hug.

“I'm so happy for him,” said Charlotte, a 14-year-old from Arlington, Virginia. “I've known Dev for many years and I know how much work he's put into this and I'm so, so glad he won.”

The winner’s haul is more than $50,000 in cash and prizes. When Charlotte returned to the stage later to congratulate Dev again, he reminded her that the runner-up gets $25,000.

“Twenty-five thousand! What? I didn't know that,” Charlotte said.

Earlier, when the bee was down to Dev and Charlotte, Scripps brought out the buzzer used for its “spell-off” tiebreaker, and Dev was momentarily confused when he stepped to the microphone.

“This is not the spell-off, right?” Dev asked. Told it was not, he spelled "bathypitotmeter" so quickly that it might as well have been.

“I practiced for the spell-off every day, I guess. I knew it might happen and I prepared for everything, so I kind of went into spell-off mode,” he said. “But I also was scared for the spell-off.”

Dev is the 22nd champion in the past 24 years with South Asian heritage. His father, Deval, a software engineer, immigrated to the United States from India 29 years ago to get his master's degree in electrical engineering. Dev's older brother, Neil, is a rising junior at Yale.

Deval said his son showed an incredible recall with words starting at age 3, and Dev spent many years in participating in academic competitions staged by the North South Foundation, a nonprofit that provides scholarships to children in India.

The bee began in 1925 and is open to students through the eighth grade. There were 229 kids onstage as it began — and each was a champion many times over, considering that 11 million participated at the school level.

The finalists demonstrated an impressive depth of knowledge as they worked their way through&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-spelling-bee-word-list-6b67fd86e9008d3f61cc7f256dbad480">a sometimes diabolical word list</a>&nbsp;chosen by Scripps' 21-person word panel, which includes five past champions.

This year's bee proved that the competition can remain entertaining while delving more deeply into the dictionary — especially early in the finals, when Scripps peppered contestants with short but tough words like “traik” (to fall ill, used in Scotland), “carey” (a small to medium-size sea turtle) and “katuka” (a venomous snake of southeastern Asia).

“There are a lot of hard words in the dictionary,” Dev said. “There are realms of the dictionary that the word panelists need to dive into and I think they did a great job of that today.”

With the field down to four, Shradha Rachamreddy was eliminated on “orle,” a heraldry term that means a number of small charges arranged to form a border within the edge of a field (she went with “orel”). And “kelep” — a Central American stinging ant — ousted Surya Kapu (he said “quelep”).

While sometimes Scripps’ use of trademarks and geographical names can anger spelling traditionalists who want to see kids demonstrate their mastery of roots and language patterns — and even the exceptions to those patterns — Scripps has made clear that with the exception of words designated as archaic or obsolete, any entry in Merriam-Webster’s Unabridged dictionary is fair game.

Dev is happy to be closing that book for now.

“My main priority is sleep. I need to sleep. There have been a lot of sleepless nights these last six months,” he said. “I need to sleep well tonight, too. There's a lot more sleep debt.”

OXON HILL, Md. (AP) — Fifteen months ago, Dev Shah spent a miserable five hours spelling outdoors in chilly, windy, damp conditions at a supersize regional competition in Orlando, Florida, only to fall short of his dream of returning to the Scripps National Spelling Bee.“Despondent is the right word,” Dev said. “I just didn’t know if I wanted to keep continuing.”Look at him now.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">That trophy hoist by <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Speller36?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Speller36</a> Dev Shah though... <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/spellingbee?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#spellingbee</a> <a href="https://t.co/6SYrY9MC0a">pic.twitter.com/6SYrY9MC0a</a>&mdash; Scripps National Spelling Bee (@ScrippsBee) <a href="https://twitter.com/ScrippsBee/status/1664461787511640065?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 2, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">UnBEElievable! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Speller36?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Speller36</a> Dev Shah representing the SNSB Region One Bee in Largo, Florida is the Champion of the 95th Scripps National Spelling Bee. His winning word? Psammophile. 🐝 <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/spellingbee?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#spellingbee</a> <a href="https://t.co/ebM8jUU6xZ">pic.twitter.com/ebM8jUU6xZ</a>&mdash; Scripps National Spelling Bee (@ScrippsBee) <a href="https://twitter.com/ScrippsBee/status/1664454698256986113?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 2, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Soft-spoken but brimming with confidence, Dev asked precise questions about obscure Greek roots, rushed through his second-to-last word and rolled to the National Spelling Bee title Thursday night.Dev, a 14-year-old from Largo, Florida, in the Tampa Bay area, first competed at the national bee in 2019, then had his spelling career interrupted. The 2020 bee was canceled because of COVID-19, and in the mostly virtual 2021 bee, he didn't make it to the in-person finals, held in his home state on ESPN's campus at Walt Disney World.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/nfl-sports-education-florida-bba74646085b03374744d4b411751824">Then came the disaster of last year,</a>&nbsp;when he was forced to compete in the Orlando region because his previous regional sponsor didn't come back after the pandemic.“It took me four months to get him back on track because he was quite a bit disturbed and he didn't want to do it,” said Dev's mother, Nilam Shah.When he decided to try again, he added an exercise routine to help sharpen his focus and lost about 15 pounds, she said.Dev got through his region.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-spelling-bee-semifinals-2023-d817523048011d6fde8c43cc9f75d6c0">He flexed his knowledge</a>&nbsp;in Wednesday's early rounds by asking questions that proved he knew every relevant detail the bee's pronouncers and judges had on their computer screens. And when it was all over, he held the trophy over his head as confetti fell.“He appreciated that this is a journey, which sounds very trite but is really quite true,” said Dev's coach, Scott Remer, a former speller and study guide author. “I think the thing that distinguishes the very best spellers from the ones that end up not really leaving their mark is actually just grit.”Dev's winning word was “psammophile,” a layup for a speller of his caliber.“Psammo meaning sand, Greek?” he asked. “Phile, meaning love, Greek?”Dev soaked up the moment by asking for the word to be used in a sentence, something he described a day earlier as a stalling tactic. Then he put his hands over his face as he was declared the winner.“I would say I was confident on the outside but inside I was nervous, especially for my winning word — well, like, before. Not during,” he said.Runner-up Charlotte Walsh gave Dev a congratulatory hug.“I'm so happy for him,” said Charlotte, a 14-year-old from Arlington, Virginia. “I've known Dev for many years and I know how much work he's put into this and I'm so, so glad he won.”The winner’s haul is more than $50,000 in cash and prizes. When Charlotte returned to the stage later to congratulate Dev again, he reminded her that the runner-up gets $25,000.“Twenty-five thousand! What? I didn't know that,” Charlotte said.Earlier, when the bee was down to Dev and Charlotte, Scripps brought out the buzzer used for its “spell-off” tiebreaker, and Dev was momentarily confused when he stepped to the microphone.“This is not the spell-off, right?” Dev asked. Told it was not, he spelled "bathypitotmeter" so quickly that it might as well have been.“I practiced for the spell-off every day, I guess. I knew it might happen and I prepared for everything, so I kind of went into spell-off mode,” he said. “But I also was scared for the spell-off.”Dev is the 22nd champion in the past 24 years with South Asian heritage. His father, Deval, a software engineer, immigrated to the United States from India 29 years ago to get his master's degree in electrical engineering. Dev's older brother, Neil, is a rising junior at Yale.Deval said his son showed an incredible recall with words starting at age 3, and Dev spent many years in participating in academic competitions staged by the North South Foundation, a nonprofit that provides scholarships to children in India.The bee began in 1925 and is open to students through the eighth grade. There were 229 kids onstage as it began — and each was a champion many times over, considering that 11 million participated at the school level.The finalists demonstrated an impressive depth of knowledge as they worked their way through&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/national-spelling-bee-word-list-6b67fd86e9008d3f61cc7f256dbad480">a sometimes diabolical word list</a>&nbsp;chosen by Scripps' 21-person word panel, which includes five past champions.This year's bee proved that the competition can remain entertaining while delving more deeply into the dictionary — especially early in the finals, when Scripps peppered contestants with short but tough words like “traik” (to fall ill, used in Scotland), “carey” (a small to medium-size sea turtle) and “katuka” (a venomous snake of southeastern Asia).“There are a lot of hard words in the dictionary,” Dev said. “There are realms of the dictionary that the word panelists need to dive into and I think they did a great job of that today.”With the field down to four, Shradha Rachamreddy was eliminated on “orle,” a heraldry term that means a number of small charges arranged to form a border within the edge of a field (she went with “orel”). And “kelep” — a Central American stinging ant — ousted Surya Kapu (he said “quelep”).While sometimes Scripps’ use of trademarks and geographical names can anger spelling traditionalists who want to see kids demonstrate their mastery of roots and language patterns — and even the exceptions to those patterns — Scripps has made clear that with the exception of words designated as archaic or obsolete, any entry in Merriam-Webster’s Unabridged dictionary is fair game.Dev is happy to be closing that book for now.“My main priority is sleep. I need to sleep. There have been a lot of sleepless nights these last six months,” he said. “I need to sleep well tonight, too. There's a lot more sleep debt.”___

14-year-old wins the National Spelling Bee on the word 'psammophile'

HARVEY COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) with the help of federal, state, and local law enforcement, arrested a man following a lengthy multi-state investigation into ATM theft at colleges and universities, according to a media release from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.

Just after 11a.m. Thursday, Michael W. Friess, 38, of Wichita, was arrested after surrendering to KBI agents and KHP troopers. He was booked into the Harvey County Jail on multiple arrest warrants.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Between December 2022 and February 2023, the KBI investigated thefts involving a suspect who broke into Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) located on college campuses and stole the money they contained. The thefts occurred at campuses in several Kansas counties. The same suspect also broke into rural fire departments and stole lifesaving rescue equipment.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685657278691.png" alt="Friess from an earlier arrest in Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Friess from an earlier arrest in Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>HARVEY COUNTY&nbsp;–&nbsp;The Kansas Bureau of Investigation (KBI) with the help of federal, state, and local law enforcement, arrested a man following a lengthy multi-state investigation into ATM theft at colleges and universities, according to a media release from the Kansas Bureau of Investigation.Just after 11a.m. Thursday, Michael W. Friess, 38, of Wichita, was arrested after surrendering to KBI agents and KHP troopers. He was booked into the Harvey County Jail on multiple arrest warrants.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Between December 2022 and February 2023, the KBI investigated thefts involving a suspect who broke into Automated Teller Machines (ATMs) located on college campuses and stole the money they contained. The thefts occurred at campuses in several Kansas counties. The same suspect also broke into rural fire departments and stole lifesaving rescue equipment.&nbsp;

Man accused of ATM thefts on college campuses in Kansas

BROWN COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a 100mph chase.

Just after 3:30p.m. Wednesday, sheriff's deputies heard Nemaha County radio traffic of a possible stolen a red Dodge TRX pickup out of Seneca, eastbound on U.S. 36 HWY at a high rate of speed, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.

&nbsp; A Brown County deputy was on U.S. 75 at the time and located the suspect vehicle and started a pursuit&nbsp; east out of Fairview on U.S. 36.

It was reported that the male driver, later identified at 19-year-old Adrian Richardson was wearing a mask while the pursuit was taking place. &nbsp;As the vehicle was nearing Hiawatha, law enforcement vehicles downgraded their efforts for the safety of the public and temporarily lost sight of the vehicle.&nbsp; A short time later, a Hiawatha police officer located the vehicle and assisted in following&nbsp; the suspect vehicle as it headed south on U.S. 73

&nbsp;As the vehicle headed towards Horton, it was reported that it intentionally tried running&nbsp; motorists off of the roadway numerous times at speeds of over 100mph, according to Merchant.&nbsp; &nbsp; In Horton, the vehicle turned east and continued towards Atchison on U.S. 73 where the pursuit was terminated several miles west of the Atchison city limits.

Within a few minutes of entering Atchison, the suspect vehicle was located near Mound Street at Washington.&nbsp; Deputies arrested Richardson close to&nbsp; the Benedictine College ball field, without incident.

Richardson, who claims to be homeless, is being held in the Brown County jail on requested charges of Aggravated Assault, Reckless Driving, Flee or Attempt to Elude Law Enforcement, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Interference of Law Enforcement Officers, No Drug Tax Stamp and Felony Theft. He may face additional charges, according to Merchant as the investigation continues through the Brown County Sheriff's Office.

Richardson also had 2 active warrants, Johnson County including a&nbsp; $5000&nbsp; Felony Failure to Appear Theft, and Jackson County Missouri for Felony Damage to Property.

The vehicle was towed to the Brown County Sheriff's office as evidence.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685636926215.png" alt="Vehicle involved in the 100mph chase-photo Brown Co. Sheriff" />
 <figcaption>Vehicle involved in the 100mph chase-photo Brown Co. Sheriff</figcaption>
 </figure>BROWN COUNTY—Law enforcement authorities are investigating a suspect on multiple allegations after a 100mph chase.Just after 3:30p.m. Wednesday, sheriff's deputies heard Nemaha County radio traffic of a possible stolen a red Dodge TRX pickup out of Seneca, eastbound on U.S. 36 HWY at a high rate of speed, according to Brown County Sheriff John Merchant.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685636890483.png" alt="Richardson-photo Brown Co." />
 <figcaption>Richardson-photo Brown Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>&nbsp; A Brown County deputy was on U.S. 75 at the time and located the suspect vehicle and started a pursuit&nbsp; east out of Fairview on U.S. 36.It was reported that the male driver, later identified at 19-year-old Adrian Richardson was wearing a mask while the pursuit was taking place. &nbsp;As the vehicle was nearing Hiawatha, law enforcement vehicles downgraded their efforts for the safety of the public and temporarily lost sight of the vehicle.&nbsp; A short time later, a Hiawatha police officer located the vehicle and assisted in following&nbsp; the suspect vehicle as it headed south on U.S. 73 &nbsp;As the vehicle headed towards Horton, it was reported that it intentionally tried running&nbsp; motorists off of the roadway numerous times at speeds of over 100mph, according to Merchant.&nbsp; &nbsp; In Horton, the vehicle turned east and continued towards Atchison on U.S. 73 where the pursuit was terminated several miles west of the Atchison city limits. Within a few minutes of entering Atchison, the suspect vehicle was located near Mound Street at Washington.&nbsp; Deputies arrested Richardson close to&nbsp; the Benedictine College ball field, without incident. Richardson, who claims to be homeless, is being held in the Brown County jail on requested charges of Aggravated Assault, Reckless Driving, Flee or Attempt to Elude Law Enforcement, Possession of Marijuana, Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Interference of Law Enforcement Officers, No Drug Tax Stamp and Felony Theft. He may face additional charges, according to Merchant as the investigation continues through the Brown County Sheriff's Office. Richardson also had 2 active warrants, Johnson County including a&nbsp; $5000&nbsp; Felony Failure to Appear Theft, and Jackson County Missouri for Felony Damage to Property. The vehicle was towed to the Brown County Sheriff's office as evidence.

Suspect jailed in Kan. after 100mph chase in stolen pickup 

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — President Joe Biden fell on stage at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-air-force-academy-commencement-colorado-163c5b64e7f1b0a8d07dce96303aaddb">U.S. Air Force Academy graduation</a>&nbsp;Thursday and the White House said he was “fine” after tripping over a sandbag.

Biden had been greeting the graduates in Colorado Springs, Colorado, at the front of the stage with salutes and handshakes, and turned to jog back toward his seat when he fell. He was helped up by an Air Force officer as well as two members of his U.S. Secret Service detail.

Onlookers, including some members of the official delegation on stage, watched in concern before Biden, who at age 80 is the oldest president in U.S. history, returned to his seat to view the end of the ceremony.

“He’s fine,” tweeted White House communications director Ben LaBolt. “There was a sandbag on stage while he was shaking hands.” Two small black sandbags were on stage supporting the teleprompter used by Biden and other speakers.

Biden has been dogged by questions about his age and his fitness to serve, and his missteps have become fodder for political rivals as he campaigns for a second term in 2024. He has stumbled before going up the stairs and onto Air Force One and he once got&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-us-secret-service-jill-delaware-government-and-politics-d039291d372a38982b533d05d18d7a6f">caught up in his bike pedals</a>&nbsp;while stopping to talk to reporters near his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.

Biden’s personal doctor said after the president’s most recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-health-bdce6c15df6186e06710f2d903a3513e">physical exam</a>&nbsp;in February that Biden “remains a healthy, vigorous 80-year-old male, who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency.” Dr. Kevin O’Connor also documented the president's stiffened gait, which O'Connor said was the result of spinal arthritis, a previously broken foot and neuropathy in the Biden's feet.

Biden is far from the first national political figure to stumble in public.

President Gerald Ford fell down while&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Jsu_qgVuhg">walking off Air Force One</a>&nbsp;in 1975. GOP Sen. Bob Dole of Kansas, the GOP presidential nominee at the time,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/88b14c31c18971d5452a881cefb938e4">fell off the stage</a>&nbsp;at a campaign rally in 1996. President Barack Obama tripped walking up the stairs to a stage at a 2012 event. “I was so fired up, I missed a stair” he told the crowd.

President Donald Trump's gingerly walk down a ramp at the 2020 West Point commencement also sparked concerns about his health.

Trump, 76, was campaigning in Iowa when he heard about Biden's stumble and alluded to his own episode.

“He actually fell down? Well I hope he wasn’t hurt,” Trump said after an audience member told him about what had happened to Biden. “The whole thing is crazy. You gotta be careful about that ... 'cause you don’t want that, even if you have to tiptoe down a ramp.”

The audience laughed as Trump recounted slowly inching his way down what he said had been a slippery ramp at the U.S. Military Academy graduation.

“If he fell, it’s too bad,” the former president said. “We gotta just get this thing back on track. That’s a bad place to fall when you’re making, I think it was the Air Force Academy, right? That’s not inspiring.”

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;on Thursday thanked U.S. Air Force Academy graduates for choosing “service over self” but said they now have the “great privilege” of leading in a world that will only get more confusing in the years to come. His appearance was punctuated by a stumble onstage after handing out diplomas to graduates.

“Graduates, you made a noble choice to lead a life of service,” Biden told more than 900 cadets in remarks on the sun-splashed field at Falcon Stadium in Colorado. “Now you also shoulder a great privilege and a mighty responsibility. Leadership, yeah leadership.”

“In the years ahead, your airmen and guardians are going to look to you for guidance and inspiration because the world is going to get more confusing," he added. “They'll put their trust in you. You, in turn, must strive to always be worthy of their confidence.”

Near the end of the ceremony, the 80-year-old president turned to walk across the stage and tripped. He was helped up by an Air Force officer as well as two members of his U.S. Secret Service detail. Onlookers, including some members of the official delegation on stage, looked over in concern before Biden returned to his seat.

As he got back on his feet, Biden pointed to the place on stage where he lost his balance. “He’s fine,” tweeted Ben LaBolt, the White House communications director. “There was a sandbag on stage while he was shaking hands.”

During his speech, the president talked about how the U.S. had rallied Western nations to stand behind Ukraine against Russia and efforts to enhance deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region.

He also expressed confidence that Sweden will become a NATO member.

Sweden and Finland, both historically unaligned militarily, sought NATO membership after being rattled by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. But Turkey, a NATO member, blocked both countries from joining the military alliance before agreeing to membership for Finland while continuing to object to Sweden.

But Biden said Sweden's NATO membership “will happen. I promise you.”

The academy graduates will become second lieutenants in either the Air Force or Space Force. Biden said they made up the most diverse graduating class in the academy's history and he called on them to “root out the scourge of sexual assault and harassment in the military.”

Biden also said they will need the qualities of resilience, creativity, endurance and commitment that they learned during four years of training at the academy — learning that was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic — to deal with a range of global challenges. He said the challenges ranged from Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and America’s rivalry with China “to a whole hell of a lot in between.”

He also cited the threat of climate change and the growing use of artificial intelligence.

“Never forget the sacred oath you swear, and the mission you serve is something far, far greater than any person or president,” Biden said. “It’s our Constitution, it’s our country and it’s our enduring American values.”

After speaking, Biden participated in the presentation of diplomas, exchanging salutes and handshakes with each graduate as they were called to the stage and their loved ones cheered from the stands.

The ceremony was capped by an aerial salute to the graduates by the world-renowned U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, flying over Falcon Stadium. Biden met with some of the pilots Wednesday after he arrived at Peterson Space Force Base.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685653399077.png" alt="President Joe Biden falls on stage during the 2023 United States Air Force Academy Graduation Ceremony at Falcon Stadium, Thursday, June 1, 2023, at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)" />
 <figcaption>President Joe Biden falls on stage during the 2023 United States Air Force Academy Graduation Ceremony at Falcon Stadium, Thursday, June 1, 2023, at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)</figcaption>
 </figure>COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) — President Joe Biden fell on stage at the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-air-force-academy-commencement-colorado-163c5b64e7f1b0a8d07dce96303aaddb">U.S. Air Force Academy graduation</a>&nbsp;Thursday and the White House said he was “fine” after tripping over a sandbag.Biden had been greeting the graduates in Colorado Springs, Colorado, at the front of the stage with salutes and handshakes, and turned to jog back toward his seat when he fell. He was helped up by an Air Force officer as well as two members of his U.S. Secret Service detail.Onlookers, including some members of the official delegation on stage, watched in concern before Biden, who at age 80 is the oldest president in U.S. history, returned to his seat to view the end of the ceremony.“He’s fine,” tweeted White House communications director Ben LaBolt. “There was a sandbag on stage while he was shaking hands.” Two small black sandbags were on stage supporting the teleprompter used by Biden and other speakers.Biden has been dogged by questions about his age and his fitness to serve, and his missteps have become fodder for political rivals as he campaigns for a second term in 2024. He has stumbled before going up the stairs and onto Air Force One and he once got&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-us-secret-service-jill-delaware-government-and-politics-d039291d372a38982b533d05d18d7a6f">caught up in his bike pedals</a>&nbsp;while stopping to talk to reporters near his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.Biden’s personal doctor said after the president’s most recent&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/biden-politics-united-states-government-health-bdce6c15df6186e06710f2d903a3513e">physical exam</a>&nbsp;in February that Biden “remains a healthy, vigorous 80-year-old male, who is fit to successfully execute the duties of the Presidency.” Dr. Kevin O’Connor also documented the president's stiffened gait, which O'Connor said was the result of spinal arthritis, a previously broken foot and neuropathy in the Biden's feet.Biden is far from the first national political figure to stumble in public.President Gerald Ford fell down while&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Jsu_qgVuhg">walking off Air Force One</a>&nbsp;in 1975. GOP Sen. Bob Dole of Kansas, the GOP presidential nominee at the time,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/88b14c31c18971d5452a881cefb938e4">fell off the stage</a>&nbsp;at a campaign rally in 1996. President Barack Obama tripped walking up the stairs to a stage at a 2012 event. “I was so fired up, I missed a stair” he told the crowd.President Donald Trump's gingerly walk down a ramp at the 2020 West Point commencement also sparked concerns about his health.Trump, 76, was campaigning in Iowa when he heard about Biden's stumble and alluded to his own episode.“He actually fell down? Well I hope he wasn’t hurt,” Trump said after an audience member told him about what had happened to Biden. “The whole thing is crazy. You gotta be careful about that ... 'cause you don’t want that, even if you have to tiptoe down a ramp.”The audience laughed as Trump recounted slowly inching his way down what he said had been a slippery ramp at the U.S. Military Academy graduation.“If he fell, it’s too bad,” the former president said. “We gotta just get this thing back on track. That’s a bad place to fall when you’re making, I think it was the Air Force Academy, right? That’s not inspiring.”---------------COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (AP) —&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/hub/joe-biden">President Joe Biden</a>&nbsp;on Thursday thanked U.S. Air Force Academy graduates for choosing “service over self” but said they now have the “great privilege” of leading in a world that will only get more confusing in the years to come. His appearance was punctuated by a stumble onstage after handing out diplomas to graduates.“Graduates, you made a noble choice to lead a life of service,” Biden told more than 900 cadets in remarks on the sun-splashed field at Falcon Stadium in Colorado. “Now you also shoulder a great privilege and a mighty responsibility. Leadership, yeah leadership.”“In the years ahead, your airmen and guardians are going to look to you for guidance and inspiration because the world is going to get more confusing," he added. “They'll put their trust in you. You, in turn, must strive to always be worthy of their confidence.”Near the end of the ceremony, the 80-year-old president turned to walk across the stage and tripped. He was helped up by an Air Force officer as well as two members of his U.S. Secret Service detail. Onlookers, including some members of the official delegation on stage, looked over in concern before Biden returned to his seat.As he got back on his feet, Biden pointed to the place on stage where he lost his balance. “He’s fine,” tweeted Ben LaBolt, the White House communications director. “There was a sandbag on stage while he was shaking hands.”During his speech, the president talked about how the U.S. had rallied Western nations to stand behind Ukraine against Russia and efforts to enhance deterrence in the Indo-Pacific region.He also expressed confidence that Sweden will become a NATO member.Sweden and Finland, both historically unaligned militarily, sought NATO membership after being rattled by Russia's invasion of Ukraine. But Turkey, a NATO member, blocked both countries from joining the military alliance before agreeing to membership for Finland while continuing to object to Sweden.But Biden said Sweden's NATO membership “will happen. I promise you.”The academy graduates will become second lieutenants in either the Air Force or Space Force. Biden said they made up the most diverse graduating class in the academy's history and he called on them to “root out the scourge of sexual assault and harassment in the military.”Biden also said they will need the qualities of resilience, creativity, endurance and commitment that they learned during four years of training at the academy — learning that was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic — to deal with a range of global challenges. He said the challenges ranged from Russia’s aggression in Ukraine and America’s rivalry with China “to a whole hell of a lot in between.”He also cited the threat of climate change and the growing use of artificial intelligence.“Never forget the sacred oath you swear, and the mission you serve is something far, far greater than any person or president,” Biden said. “It’s our Constitution, it’s our country and it’s our enduring American values.”After speaking, Biden participated in the presentation of diplomas, exchanging salutes and handshakes with each graduate as they were called to the stage and their loved ones cheered from the stands.The ceremony was capped by an aerial salute to the graduates by the world-renowned U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, flying over Falcon Stadium. Biden met with some of the pilots Wednesday after he arrived at Peterson Space Force Base.

Biden falls on stage after speech to US Air Force Academy grads

LIBERTY, Mo. (AP) — A Kansas City man accused of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ralph-yarl-shooting-updates-c13170d6759f2963b01a68fc8a6332f7">shooting a Black teenager</a>&nbsp;will face a preliminary hearing in three months, attorneys agreed during a brief hearing Thursday, days after a judge ruled that court documents in the case will be sealed and kept from the public.

Attorneys agreed the preliminary hearing for Andrew Lester, 84, will be Aug. 31 to Sept. 1. Lester appeared in court, which was held in a small courtroom filled with supporters of Ralph Yarl.

Many of the supporters wore T-shirts saying, “Ringing the wrong doorbell is not a crime.” Others were from a group of Liberian residents living in the Kansas City area. Yarl's parents are Liberian immigrants.

The teen's father, Paul Yarl, said he was disappointed the preliminary hearing was delayed until late August. He said he hoped Lester eventually serves jail time.

“The shooter was going to kill Ralph,” Paul Yarl said. “It's obvious, right? He shot him twice. His intent was to finish him off. So yeah, we need justice for that.”

Lester has pleaded not guilty to first-degree assault and armed criminal action in the shooting of Ralph Yarl, who knocked on Lester's door on April 13 while trying to pick up his young brothers, who were at a home a block away.

Yarl, who has celebrated his 17th birthday since the shooting, suffered gunshot wounds to his head and wrist and continues to recover at home.

Lester remains free after posting $20,000 — 10% of his $200,000 bond.

The shooting drew international attention amid claims that Lester, who is white, received preferential treatment from investigators in the hours after he shot Yarl. President Joe Biden and several celebrities issued statements calling for justice for Yarl.

Lester admitted that he shot Yarl through the door without warning because he was “scared to death” he was about to be robbed by the Black person standing at his door.

On Tuesday, Clay County Judge Louis Angles granted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yarl-shooting-court-motion-seal-case-4198795a6a1e67d38f5cd49200ab8a15">a request from Lester's attorney</a>&nbsp;to seal the court documents, saying the publicity led to threats against Lester, who his attorney says has been forced to move three times. He also said the publicity has made it more difficult for the case to be heard before a fair and impartial jury.

“The overwhelming majority of the reporting continues to assert that the alleged actions of (Lester) were racially motivated, which if believed, virtually eliminates the defense available to (Lester) related to the reasonableness of his actions,” Angles wrote in the ruling.

The judge noted in his order that Lester's personal cell phone number was posted on a public platform after the shooting, leading to several text messages calling him a “murderer” who “should burn in hell.” Others threatened to shoot up Lester's home, which has been vandalized since the shooting.

Angles also expressed concern that if defense documents were made public, potential witnesses for Lester's defense could be subjected to threats and other intimidation, making them unwilling to come forward or testify in the case. He said redacting the documents would not be sufficient.

Prosecutors had argued that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yarl-motion-court-records-sealed-0bb0bab807449b383d243f450624b89a">legal precedents</a>&nbsp;largely favored keeping court documents open to the public.

Yarl made his first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ralph-yarl-brain-injury-shot-teenager-black-kansas-city-e31994020e808dd622cb04c73236fd4c">public appearance</a>&nbsp;since the shooting on Memorial Day, when he walked in a brain injury awareness event at a Kansas City park. He did not speak to the media, but his aunt, Faith Spoonmore, said he has intense headaches and balance issues. She said he is also struggling with his emotions and the trauma of the shooting.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1685411755177.png" alt="On Monday, Ralph Yarl (center) made his first public appearance since the shooting. He walked with family, friends and other brain injury survivors at Going the Distance for Brain Injury, a yearly Memorial Day race at Loose Park in Kansas City-photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>On Monday, Ralph Yarl (center) made his first public appearance since the shooting. He walked with family, friends and other brain injury survivors at Going the Distance for Brain Injury, a yearly Memorial Day race at Loose Park in Kansas City-photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>LIBERTY, Mo. (AP) — A Kansas City man accused of&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ralph-yarl-shooting-updates-c13170d6759f2963b01a68fc8a6332f7">shooting a Black teenager</a>&nbsp;will face a preliminary hearing in three months, attorneys agreed during a brief hearing Thursday, days after a judge ruled that court documents in the case will be sealed and kept from the public.Attorneys agreed the preliminary hearing for Andrew Lester, 84, will be Aug. 31 to Sept. 1. Lester appeared in court, which was held in a small courtroom filled with supporters of Ralph Yarl.Many of the supporters wore T-shirts saying, “Ringing the wrong doorbell is not a crime.” Others were from a group of Liberian residents living in the Kansas City area. Yarl's parents are Liberian immigrants.The teen's father, Paul Yarl, said he was disappointed the preliminary hearing was delayed until late August. He said he hoped Lester eventually serves jail time.“The shooter was going to kill Ralph,” Paul Yarl said. “It's obvious, right? He shot him twice. His intent was to finish him off. So yeah, we need justice for that.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1681844207619.png" alt="Lester-photo Clay County" />
 <figcaption>Lester-photo Clay County</figcaption>
 </figure>Lester has pleaded not guilty to first-degree assault and armed criminal action in the shooting of Ralph Yarl, who knocked on Lester's door on April 13 while trying to pick up his young brothers, who were at a home a block away.Yarl, who has celebrated his 17th birthday since the shooting, suffered gunshot wounds to his head and wrist and continues to recover at home.Lester remains free after posting $20,000 — 10% of his $200,000 bond.The shooting drew international attention amid claims that Lester, who is white, received preferential treatment from investigators in the hours after he shot Yarl. President Joe Biden and several celebrities issued statements calling for justice for Yarl.Lester admitted that he shot Yarl through the door without warning because he was “scared to death” he was about to be robbed by the Black person standing at his door.On Tuesday, Clay County Judge Louis Angles granted&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yarl-shooting-court-motion-seal-case-4198795a6a1e67d38f5cd49200ab8a15">a request from Lester's attorney</a>&nbsp;to seal the court documents, saying the publicity led to threats against Lester, who his attorney says has been forced to move three times. He also said the publicity has made it more difficult for the case to be heard before a fair and impartial jury.“The overwhelming majority of the reporting continues to assert that the alleged actions of (Lester) were racially motivated, which if believed, virtually eliminates the defense available to (Lester) related to the reasonableness of his actions,” Angles wrote in the ruling.The judge noted in his order that Lester's personal cell phone number was posted on a public platform after the shooting, leading to several text messages calling him a “murderer” who “should burn in hell.” Others threatened to shoot up Lester's home, which has been vandalized since the shooting.Angles also expressed concern that if defense documents were made public, potential witnesses for Lester's defense could be subjected to threats and other intimidation, making them unwilling to come forward or testify in the case. He said redacting the documents would not be sufficient.Prosecutors had argued that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/yarl-motion-court-records-sealed-0bb0bab807449b383d243f450624b89a">legal precedents</a>&nbsp;largely favored keeping court documents open to the public.Yarl made his first&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ralph-yarl-brain-injury-shot-teenager-black-kansas-city-e31994020e808dd622cb04c73236fd4c">public appearance</a>&nbsp;since the shooting on Memorial Day, when he walked in a brain injury awareness event at a Kansas City park. He did not speak to the media, but his aunt, Faith Spoonmore, said he has intense headaches and balance issues. She said he is also struggling with his emotions and the trauma of the shooting.

Preliminary hearing set for man accused of shooting KC teen

By ARIANA FIGUEROA&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate on Thursday voted to overturn the Biden administration’s one-time student debt relief plan that is on hold due to a pending Supreme Court decision.

President Joe Biden has vowed to veto the resolution, but the 52-46&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1181/vote_118_1_00135.htm">vote</a>&nbsp;forced vulnerable Senate Democrats up for reelection in 2024 to take a public stance on loan forgiveness that Republicans have&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/05/16/u-s-house-gop-questions-education-secretary-on-transgender-athletes-student-loans/">lambasted as a “bailout.”</a>&nbsp; Kansas Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall along with Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt of Missouri voted with the majority.

The resolution, brought under the Congressional Review Act that allows Congress to reverse certain administration actions, was one of several maneuvers Republicans have used to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/04/26/u-s-house-gop-pushes-through-debt-ceiling-increase-coupled-with-massive-spending-cuts/">block the one-time cancellation of up to $20,000 in federal student loan debt for borrowers who qualify</a>. The resolution&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marylandmatters.org/2023/05/24/biden-student-debt-relief-plan-revoked-in-u-s-house-vote/">passed</a>&nbsp;the U.S. House last week and now goes to the White House.

In a statement ahead of the House vote, the White House blasted the student loan measure.

“This resolution is an unprecedented attempt to undercut our historic economic recovery, and would deprive more than 40 million hard-working Americans of much-needed student debt relief,” the statement read. “Americans should be able to have a little more breathing room as they recover from the economic strains associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Senators up for reelection next year who voted with Republicans, include Democrats Jon Tester of Montana and Joe Manchin III of West Virginia and independent Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona.

Though some Democratic senators crossed party lines Thursday, several others have criticized the resolution for not only blocking student debt relief, but requiring borrowers to pay back interest from the pause on student loan repayments first implemented by the Trump administration in 2020 due to the coronavirus and extended several times.

“My Republican colleagues talk a big game about helping working families, but this legislation shows how callous and uncaring they are, by trying to block relief that would immediately improve the lives of millions of borrowers,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the floor Wednesday.

Sen. Bill Cassidy, the Louisiana Republican who introduced the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-joint-resolution/45?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22H.J.Res45%22%7D&amp;s=2&amp;r=1">resolution</a>, argued on the Senate floor Wednesday that the Biden administration did not have the authority to enact its debt relief program. Cassidy pointed to how Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. expressed skepticism during&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/02/28/biden-student-debt-relief-plan-met-with-skepticism-from-u-s-supreme-court-conservatives/">oral arguments in February</a>&nbsp;about the policy.

Several members of the court’s conservative majority questioned whether the president could enact a program that would approve $400 billion in relief without congressional approval.

Cassidy said the Biden administration’s plan will “transfer the burden from those who willingly took out loans for college in order to make more money when they graduated, to Americans who never attended college or already fulfilled their commitment to pay off their loans.”

“It is unfair to the hundreds of millions of Americans who will bear the burden of paying off hundreds of billions of dollars of someone else’s student debt,” he said.

Sen. John Thune, the Senate minority whip, called the student loan forgiveness policy a “government handout” in a Thursday floor speech.

“It’s something of a slap in the face to Americans who chose more affordable college options or worked their way through school to avoid taking loans, or whose parents scrimped and saved to put them through college,” the South Dakota Republican said.

Even though the plan was announced last year, Congress can take action following a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.gao.gov/assets/820/818220.pdf">March Governmental Accountability Office report</a>&nbsp;that classified the policy as a regulation under the Congressional Review Act, or CRA.

The CRA is a procedural tool that can be used to overturn agency actions and needs only 51 votes to pass the Senate, unlike the usual 60 votes required to defeat a filibuster.

The CRA is the latest attack from congressional Republicans on the Biden administration’s student loan policy. A provision in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/05/31/u-s-house-approves-debt-limit-package-sending-it-to-senate-days-before-default-deadline/">debt ceiling bill</a>&nbsp;the House passed would&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/05/30/debt-limit-deal-hits-turbulence-in-congress-as-leaders-prep-for-vote/">codify</a>&nbsp;the end of the pause on federal student loan repayments by the end of August and bar the administration from reinstating a pause on repayments unless approved by Congress.

The Senate is expected to clear that bill, which Biden and Republican U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy negotiated.

The White House&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/27/student-loan-repayment-pause-extended-by-white-house-amid-legal-battles-over-relief-plan/">last year</a>&nbsp;announced its plans to resume requiring repayments on student loans either 60 days after the Supreme Court’s decision on the administration’s student debt cancellation policy or 60 days after June 30.

Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, said on the Senate floor Thursday that the relief approved for 16 million student loan applicants could be “life-changing for so many borrowers.”

“This relief is targeted to reach those who need it the most,” Murray, who chairs the Senate Committee on Appropriations, said.

In order to qualify for relief, a single adult has to make under $125,000 a year, and married couples have to make less than $250,000. The policy would forgive up to $10,000 in federal student loan debt for borrowers, and those who received Pell Grants are eligible for an additional $10,000 in forgiveness of federal student loans.

Murray said about&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/08/24/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-student-loan-relief-for-borrowers-who-need-it-most/">90% of relief</a>&nbsp;would go toward borrowers making $75,000 or less.

The debt relief program was initially<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/judge-rejects-gop-challenge-to-student-loan-forgiveness-program/">&nbsp;halted in October by an appeals court&nbsp;</a>following an emergency request from Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds of Iowa, and Republican attorneys general in Nebraska, Arkansas, Missouri, South Carolina and Kansas.

By ARIANA FIGUEROA&nbsp;&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/03/30/u-s-judge-rules-insurers-dont-have-to-cover-many-free-preventive-health-services/">States Newsroom</a>WASHINGTON — The U.S. Senate on Thursday voted to overturn the Biden administration’s one-time student debt relief plan that is on hold due to a pending Supreme Court decision.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">I don’t know about you, but Americans who decided college wasn’t the best option for them shouldn&#39;t be forced to pay for a lawyer&#39;s college degree. 🤔&mdash; Dr. Roger Marshall (@RogerMarshallMD) <a href="https://twitter.com/RogerMarshallMD/status/1664365000243265537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 1, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>President Joe Biden has vowed to veto the resolution, but the 52-46&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_votes/vote1181/vote_118_1_00135.htm">vote</a>&nbsp;forced vulnerable Senate Democrats up for reelection in 2024 to take a public stance on loan forgiveness that Republicans have&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/05/16/u-s-house-gop-questions-education-secretary-on-transgender-athletes-student-loans/">lambasted as a “bailout.”</a>&nbsp; Kansas Senators Jerry Moran and Roger Marshall along with Josh Hawley and Eric Schmitt of Missouri voted with the majority.The resolution, brought under the Congressional Review Act that allows Congress to reverse certain administration actions, was one of several maneuvers Republicans have used to&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/04/26/u-s-house-gop-pushes-through-debt-ceiling-increase-coupled-with-massive-spending-cuts/">block the one-time cancellation of up to $20,000 in federal student loan debt for borrowers who qualify</a>. The resolution&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.marylandmatters.org/2023/05/24/biden-student-debt-relief-plan-revoked-in-u-s-house-vote/">passed</a>&nbsp;the U.S. House last week and now goes to the White House.In a statement ahead of the House vote, the White House blasted the student loan measure.“This resolution is an unprecedented attempt to undercut our historic economic recovery, and would deprive more than 40 million hard-working Americans of much-needed student debt relief,” the statement read. “Americans should be able to have a little more breathing room as they recover from the economic strains associated with the COVID-19 pandemic.”Senators up for reelection next year who voted with Republicans, include Democrats Jon Tester of Montana and Joe Manchin III of West Virginia and independent Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona.<h2>Partisan split</h2>Though some Democratic senators crossed party lines Thursday, several others have criticized the resolution for not only blocking student debt relief, but requiring borrowers to pay back interest from the pause on student loan repayments first implemented by the Trump administration in 2020 due to the coronavirus and extended several times.“My Republican colleagues talk a big game about helping working families, but this legislation shows how callous and uncaring they are, by trying to block relief that would immediately improve the lives of millions of borrowers,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the floor Wednesday.Sen. Bill Cassidy, the Louisiana Republican who introduced the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-joint-resolution/45?q=%7B%22search%22%3A%22H.J.Res45%22%7D&amp;s=2&amp;r=1">resolution</a>, argued on the Senate floor Wednesday that the Biden administration did not have the authority to enact its debt relief program. Cassidy pointed to how Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. expressed skepticism during&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://nebraskaexaminer.com/2023/02/28/biden-student-debt-relief-plan-met-with-skepticism-from-u-s-supreme-court-conservatives/">oral arguments in February</a>&nbsp;about the policy.Several members of the court’s conservative majority questioned whether the president could enact a program that would approve $400 billion in relief without congressional approval.Cassidy said the Biden administration’s plan will “transfer the burden from those who willingly took out loans for college in order to make more money when they graduated, to Americans who never attended college or already fulfilled their commitment to pay off their loans.”“It is unfair to the hundreds of millions of Americans who will bear the burden of paying off hundreds of billions of dollars of someone else’s student debt,” he said.Sen. John Thune, the Senate minority whip, called the student loan forgiveness policy a “government handout” in a Thursday floor speech.“It’s something of a slap in the face to Americans who chose more affordable college options or worked their way through school to avoid taking loans, or whose parents scrimped and saved to put them through college,” the South Dakota Republican said.<h2>Latest reversal attempt</h2>Even though the plan was announced last year, Congress can take action following a&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.gao.gov/assets/820/818220.pdf">March Governmental Accountability Office report</a>&nbsp;that classified the policy as a regulation under the Congressional Review Act, or CRA.The CRA is a procedural tool that can be used to overturn agency actions and needs only 51 votes to pass the Senate, unlike the usual 60 votes required to defeat a filibuster.The CRA is the latest attack from congressional Republicans on the Biden administration’s student loan policy. A provision in the&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/05/31/u-s-house-approves-debt-limit-package-sending-it-to-senate-days-before-default-deadline/">debt ceiling bill</a>&nbsp;the House passed would&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://iowacapitaldispatch.com/2023/05/30/debt-limit-deal-hits-turbulence-in-congress-as-leaders-prep-for-vote/">codify</a>&nbsp;the end of the pause on federal student loan repayments by the end of August and bar the administration from reinstating a pause on repayments unless approved by Congress.The Senate is expected to clear that bill, which Biden and Republican U.S. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy negotiated.The White House&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2022/11/27/student-loan-repayment-pause-extended-by-white-house-amid-legal-battles-over-relief-plan/">last year</a>&nbsp;announced its plans to resume requiring repayments on student loans either 60 days after the Supreme Court’s decision on the administration’s student debt cancellation policy or 60 days after June 30.Democratic Sen. Patty Murray of Washington, said on the Senate floor Thursday that the relief approved for 16 million student loan applicants could be “life-changing for so many borrowers.”“This relief is targeted to reach those who need it the most,” Murray, who chairs the Senate Committee on Appropriations, said.In order to qualify for relief, a single adult has to make under $125,000 a year, and married couples have to make less than $250,000. The policy would forgive up to $10,000 in federal student loan debt for borrowers, and those who received Pell Grants are eligible for an additional $10,000 in forgiveness of federal student loans.Murray said about&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/08/24/fact-sheet-president-biden-announces-student-loan-relief-for-borrowers-who-need-it-most/">90% of relief</a>&nbsp;would go toward borrowers making $75,000 or less.The debt relief program was initially<a target="_blank" href="https://missouriindependent.com/briefs/judge-rejects-gop-challenge-to-student-loan-forgiveness-program/">&nbsp;halted in October by an appeals court&nbsp;</a>following an emergency request from Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds of Iowa, and Republican attorneys general in Nebraska, Arkansas, Missouri, South Carolina and Kansas.

U.S. Senate takes final vote to block student loan relief

Wichita Democrat Ford Carr says letter of warning is ‘futile attempt’ to silence him

By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/05/kansas-lawmakers-debate-definition-of-female-and-male-for-county-jails/">Kansas Reflector</a>

TOPEKA — Republican legislative leaders warned a Black Democrat against indecorous behavior weeks after he made a speech that called out vote trading, while couching his argument in slavery terms.

In response, the Democrat said his job was to advocate for Black Kansans, not protect his colleagues’ feelings.

Rep. Ford Carr, a Wichita Democrat, delivered&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHG6d3Kass0&amp;list=PLGnUWv2THZAi2p9iHJ2REOOb2zfmHSxQe&amp;index=70">the fiery speech</a>&nbsp;in late April at the end of an increasingly tense legislative session, following the release of a last-minute funding proposal for the Quindaro Ruins Archaeological Park in Kansas City. The historical site was an important stop on the Underground Railroad, but some, including Carr, questioned the timing of the $250,000 Quindaro allocation.

“What happened different this time around that now allowed for funding to be available for that particular project? Then it was brought to my attention that it may have been in exchange for a number of votes,” Carr said in his April 28 House floor speech.

The funding for Quindaro came after one of the site’s top supporters, Kansas City Democrat Rep. Marvin Robinson, broke party lines to vote with Republicans on several key issues. Robinson’s vote was&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/10/kansas-city-democrat-risks-exile-from-party-after-vote-on-transgender-athletes/">the deciding factor</a>&nbsp;in overriding Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of a transgender athlete ban for K-12 schools and colleges, turning the legislation into law. Kelly later&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/05/15/political-punishment-kansas-governor-ditches-last-minute-funding-for-historic-site/">vetoed the Quindaro funding</a>, asking lawmakers to bring the proposal through proper channels next year.

“I would never trade my vote so that those people in my neighborhood, my constituents that I support, would never have the opportunity to look at me and think that I might be one of those house negroes,” Carr said, distinguishing between slaves who worked in the field and those who worked inside.

Carr was warned to watch his words several times by Republican leadership during his speech, but was allowed to continue talking.

Leadership decided further action was needed after the close of the session. In a May 26 letter to Carr from House Speaker Dan Hawkins and House Speaker Pro Tempore Blake Carpenter, the two warned Carr that his comments were “not in conformity with House rules on order and decorum.”

“Your conduct failed to maintain proper decorum. This letter shall serve as notice that if you use disorderly words during debate in the House in future proceedings, a complaint may be filed against you,” the letter read, citing a legislative procedure manual that stipulates lawmakers cannot attack the motives of their peers.

In a Tuesday response, Carr called the letter a “futile attempt” to silence his voice and said he would continue to speak for Black Kansans.

“This baseless letter is nothing more than the icing on the cake of a Republican led legislature that has failed to entertain any legislation this session that is beneficial to primarily black people,” Carr wrote.

“There are members of this Legislative Body who have difficulty accepting a black member of the legislature that will speak his/her mind,” Carr added in the letter. “This is not the first time that attempts were made to silence a Black Representative in the Kansas Legislature.”

In 2015,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/valdenia-winn-kansas-racist-sanction-hearing?">Republicans filed a complaint</a>&nbsp;against Rep. Valdenia Winn, a Kansas City Democrat, after she reffered to proposed legislation as racist and sexist. She also said the bill’s supporters were “racist bigots.” The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article25585564.html">complaint was dismissed</a>.

The House has had several clashes over racism in the past few months, with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/05/01/white-kansas-lawmaker-denies-racism-in-house-this-body-is-more-compassionate-and-loving/">one white lawmaker saying</a>&nbsp;the House was too “compassionate and loving” to be racist in debate over a bill that strengthened penalties for fleeing from police.

Carr said he wasn’t afraid to speak about subject matters that the majority-white body might find uncomfortable.

“It is not my job to protect your feelings,” Carr wrote. “It is my job to serve my people!”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1685563329297.png" alt=" Rep. Ford Carr says Republican legislative leaders issued a "baseless" warning to him in an attempt to silence his voice. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Rep. Ford Carr says Republican legislative leaders issued a "baseless" warning to him in an attempt to silence his voice. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure><h2>Wichita Democrat Ford Carr says letter of warning is ‘futile attempt’ to silence him</h2>By RACHEL MIPRO <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/05/kansas-lawmakers-debate-definition-of-female-and-male-for-county-jails/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA — Republican legislative leaders warned a Black Democrat against indecorous behavior weeks after he made a speech that called out vote trading, while couching his argument in slavery terms.In response, the Democrat said his job was to advocate for Black Kansans, not protect his colleagues’ feelings.Rep. Ford Carr, a Wichita Democrat, delivered&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHG6d3Kass0&amp;list=PLGnUWv2THZAi2p9iHJ2REOOb2zfmHSxQe&amp;index=70">the fiery speech</a>&nbsp;in late April at the end of an increasingly tense legislative session, following the release of a last-minute funding proposal for the Quindaro Ruins Archaeological Park in Kansas City. The historical site was an important stop on the Underground Railroad, but some, including Carr, questioned the timing of the $250,000 Quindaro allocation.“What happened different this time around that now allowed for funding to be available for that particular project? Then it was brought to my attention that it may have been in exchange for a number of votes,” Carr said in his April 28 House floor speech.The funding for Quindaro came after one of the site’s top supporters, Kansas City Democrat Rep. Marvin Robinson, broke party lines to vote with Republicans on several key issues. Robinson’s vote was&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/10/kansas-city-democrat-risks-exile-from-party-after-vote-on-transgender-athletes/">the deciding factor</a>&nbsp;in overriding Gov. Laura Kelly’s veto of a transgender athlete ban for K-12 schools and colleges, turning the legislation into law. Kelly later&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/05/15/political-punishment-kansas-governor-ditches-last-minute-funding-for-historic-site/">vetoed the Quindaro funding</a>, asking lawmakers to bring the proposal through proper channels next year.“I would never trade my vote so that those people in my neighborhood, my constituents that I support, would never have the opportunity to look at me and think that I might be one of those house negroes,” Carr said, distinguishing between slaves who worked in the field and those who worked inside.Carr was warned to watch his words several times by Republican leadership during his speech, but was allowed to continue talking.Leadership decided further action was needed after the close of the session. In a May 26 letter to Carr from House Speaker Dan Hawkins and House Speaker Pro Tempore Blake Carpenter, the two warned Carr that his comments were “not in conformity with House rules on order and decorum.”“Your conduct failed to maintain proper decorum. This letter shall serve as notice that if you use disorderly words during debate in the House in future proceedings, a complaint may be filed against you,” the letter read, citing a legislative procedure manual that stipulates lawmakers cannot attack the motives of their peers.In a Tuesday response, Carr called the letter a “futile attempt” to silence his voice and said he would continue to speak for Black Kansans.“This baseless letter is nothing more than the icing on the cake of a Republican led legislature that has failed to entertain any legislation this session that is beneficial to primarily black people,” Carr wrote.“There are members of this Legislative Body who have difficulty accepting a black member of the legislature that will speak his/her mind,” Carr added in the letter. “This is not the first time that attempts were made to silence a Black Representative in the Kansas Legislature.”In 2015,&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/valdenia-winn-kansas-racist-sanction-hearing?">Republicans filed a complaint</a>&nbsp;against Rep. Valdenia Winn, a Kansas City Democrat, after she reffered to proposed legislation as racist and sexist. She also said the bill’s supporters were “racist bigots.” The&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article25585564.html">complaint was dismissed</a>.The House has had several clashes over racism in the past few months, with&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/05/01/white-kansas-lawmaker-denies-racism-in-house-this-body-is-more-compassionate-and-loving/">one white lawmaker saying</a>&nbsp;the House was too “compassionate and loving” to be racist in debate over a bill that strengthened penalties for fleeing from police.Carr said he wasn’t afraid to speak about subject matters that the majority-white body might find uncomfortable.“It is not my job to protect your feelings,” Carr wrote. “It is my job to serve my people!”

Kansas Republicans admonish Black lawmaker

WICHITA —Nurses at Ascension Via Christi St. Francis hospital in Wichita have authorized a strike in a vote held this week, according to a statement from the National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU)&nbsp;

In a vote concluded May 31, nurses voted 93% yes to authorize the strike. Nurses at the hospital, which is owned by Ascension, say they’ve had enough of the company’s practices putting profits before patients.

“Nurses are patient advocates at the bedside and, when we need to be, on the strike line,” said Angela Cammarn, RN in the cardiac intensive care unit. “It’s very hard to get nurses to leave their patients, but what Ascension management is doing to our facilities is simply unacceptable. We were hopeful that bargaining a strong contract would remedy our concerns, but it’s clear management needs to see how serious we are about improving patient care.”

Nurses will provide standard notice of a plan to strike at least ten days in advance. They say top issues for their contract include workplace violence prevention, safe staffing, and nursing staff recruitment and retention, according to a statement from the Union.

Nurses say they believe a strong contract is the way to make progress on all these issues, as it would codify violence prevention plans, mandate safe staffing levels, and generally improve the poor conditions that management has created, which are driving nurses away from the hospital.&nbsp;

“This is about better health care for every single person in Wichita,” said Lisa Watson, RN in the medical intensive care unit. “As nurses, we see what’s going wrong in our hospital every day. As a union, we’re demanding management hear us out about our solutions to those problems and start taking action to make things go right.”

In November 2022, St. Francis became the largest hospital in Wichita and first private-sector hospital in the city to unionize when the nurses&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/nurses-at-ascension-via-christi-st-francis-hospital-in-wichita-kansas-vote-to-join-nnu">voted by a nearly two-to-one margin</a>&nbsp;to join NNOC/NNU.

Months later, in March 2023, nurses at nearby Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph hospital&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/nurses-at-ascension-via-christi-st-joseph-hospital-vote-overwhelmingly-to-join-nnoc-nnu">voted to join NNOC/NNU</a>, making them the second Ascension-owned facility in Wichita to join. Nurses at both facilities&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/ascension-christi-st-joseph-nurses-rally-for-wichita-nurse-unity">recently held a joint rally</a>&nbsp;calling on Ascension management to bargaining with both facilities on a joint contract, as the hospitals are mere miles apart and serve overlapping patient populations.

Between St. Joseph and St. Francis, NNOC/NNU represents a total of nearly 1,000 Wichita-area nurses, with more than 650 at St. Francis and 300 at St. Joseph.

Ascension is one of the largest not-for-profit and Catholic hospital chains in the nation and was the central focus of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/15/business/hospital-staffing-ascension.html">the 2022 New York Times exposé</a>, “How a Sprawling Hospital Chain Ignited Its Own Staffing Crisis.”&nbsp;

The Times article reported that Ascension has $18 billion in cash reserves and has a long history of boasting about cutting labor costs by refusing to hire medical workers or fill open positions. Additionally, according to a 2022 Securities and Exchange Commission filing, Ascension runs an investment company that manages more than $41 billion.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685637583700.png" alt="Photo National Nurses United" />
 <figcaption>Photo National Nurses United</figcaption>
 </figure>WICHITA —Nurses at Ascension Via Christi St. Francis hospital in Wichita have authorized a strike in a vote held this week, according to a statement from the National Nurses Organizing Committee/National Nurses United (NNOC/NNU)&nbsp;In a vote concluded May 31, nurses voted 93% yes to authorize the strike. Nurses at the hospital, which is owned by Ascension, say they’ve had enough of the company’s practices putting profits before patients.“Nurses are patient advocates at the bedside and, when we need to be, on the strike line,” said Angela Cammarn, RN in the cardiac intensive care unit. “It’s very hard to get nurses to leave their patients, but what Ascension management is doing to our facilities is simply unacceptable. We were hopeful that bargaining a strong contract would remedy our concerns, but it’s clear management needs to see how serious we are about improving patient care.”Nurses will provide standard notice of a plan to strike at least ten days in advance. They say top issues for their contract include workplace violence prevention, safe staffing, and nursing staff recruitment and retention, according to a statement from the Union.Nurses say they believe a strong contract is the way to make progress on all these issues, as it would codify violence prevention plans, mandate safe staffing levels, and generally improve the poor conditions that management has created, which are driving nurses away from the hospital.&nbsp;“This is about better health care for every single person in Wichita,” said Lisa Watson, RN in the medical intensive care unit. “As nurses, we see what’s going wrong in our hospital every day. As a union, we’re demanding management hear us out about our solutions to those problems and start taking action to make things go right.”In November 2022, St. Francis became the largest hospital in Wichita and first private-sector hospital in the city to unionize when the nurses&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/nurses-at-ascension-via-christi-st-francis-hospital-in-wichita-kansas-vote-to-join-nnu">voted by a nearly two-to-one margin</a>&nbsp;to join NNOC/NNU. Months later, in March 2023, nurses at nearby Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph hospital&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/nurses-at-ascension-via-christi-st-joseph-hospital-vote-overwhelmingly-to-join-nnoc-nnu">voted to join NNOC/NNU</a>, making them the second Ascension-owned facility in Wichita to join. Nurses at both facilities&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nationalnursesunited.org/press/ascension-christi-st-joseph-nurses-rally-for-wichita-nurse-unity">recently held a joint rally</a>&nbsp;calling on Ascension management to bargaining with both facilities on a joint contract, as the hospitals are mere miles apart and serve overlapping patient populations.Between St. Joseph and St. Francis, NNOC/NNU represents a total of nearly 1,000 Wichita-area nurses, with more than 650 at St. Francis and 300 at St. Joseph.Ascension is one of the largest not-for-profit and Catholic hospital chains in the nation and was the central focus of&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/12/15/business/hospital-staffing-ascension.html">the 2022 New York Times exposé</a>, “How a Sprawling Hospital Chain Ignited Its Own Staffing Crisis.”&nbsp; The Times article reported that Ascension has $18 billion in cash reserves and has a long history of boasting about cutting labor costs by refusing to hire medical workers or fill open positions. Additionally, according to a 2022 Securities and Exchange Commission filing, Ascension runs an investment company that manages more than $41 billion.

Nurses at Kansas hospital overwhelmingly vote to strike

COMANCHE COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just before 3a.m. Thursday in Comanche County.

The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Chevy Suburban driven by Ethan A. Shaw, 26, Lewis, was southbound on U.S. 183 approximately two miles north of Avenue C.

A&nbsp; pedestrian identified as 45-year-old Andrew J. Moore of Hutchinson, walking down middle of roadway stepped out in front of the Suburban. The SUV struck Moore.&nbsp; EMS transported More to the Comanche County Hospital in Coldwater where he was pronounced deceased.

Shaw and three passengers in the SUV were not injured.

COMANCHE COUNTY—A Kansas man died in an accident just before 3a.m. Thursday in Comanche County.The Kansas Highway Patrol reported a 2016 Chevy Suburban driven by Ethan A. Shaw, 26, Lewis, was southbound on U.S. 183 approximately two miles north of Avenue C.A&nbsp; pedestrian identified as 45-year-old Andrew J. Moore of Hutchinson, walking down middle of roadway stepped out in front of the Suburban. The SUV struck Moore.&nbsp; EMS transported More to the Comanche County Hospital in Coldwater where he was pronounced deceased.Shaw and three passengers in the SUV were not injured.

KHP: Kansas man dies after stepping in front of SUV

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a hotel fire in Topeka.

Just after 12a.m. Thursday, fire crews responded to a fire at the Relax Inn, 1224 SW Wanamaker Road in Topeka, according to fire department spokesperson Rosie Nichols.

Fire crews found smoke and flames coming from the second floor of&nbsp; the hotel. Firefighters began an offensive fire attack, keeping it confined to the structure where the fire originated. Firefighters performed a primary search and found no occupants.

A preliminary investigation determined the fire cause is classified as intentionally set. No injuries were reported.&nbsp; Authorities released no details early Thursday on a damage estimate.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685631731872.png" alt="Photo by Eric Ives courtesy WIBW TV" />
 <figcaption>Photo by Eric Ives courtesy WIBW TV</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Authorities are investigating the cause of a hotel fire in Topeka.Just after 12a.m. Thursday, fire crews responded to a fire at the Relax Inn, 1224 SW Wanamaker Road in Topeka, according to fire department spokesperson Rosie Nichols.Fire crews found smoke and flames coming from the second floor of&nbsp; the hotel. Firefighters began an offensive fire attack, keeping it confined to the structure where the fire originated. Firefighters performed a primary search and found no occupants.A preliminary investigation determined the fire cause is classified as intentionally set. No injuries were reported.&nbsp; Authorities released no details early Thursday on a damage estimate.

Investigators: Fire at Kansas hotel intentionally set

COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — A federal judge on Wednesday halted next week's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/execution-missouri-15298c399e436f00c42f5174594605dd">scheduled execution</a>&nbsp;of a man convicted of killing two Missouri jailers amid questions about the literacy of a juror in the case.

U.S. District Judge Stephen Bough ruled that Michael Andrew Tisius' execution at the state prison in Bonne Terre should be delayed to give the court time for a hearing on the juror.

The delay comes after Tisius' lawyers earlier this month claimed a juror in his 2010 resentencing could not read or write.

Missouri law requires jurors to be able to read and speak English.

In an affidavit signed by the juror May 3, the juror stated “someone at the courthouse” helped him fill out his juror questionnaire.

“I told the Courthouse employee that I could not read," according to an excerpt from the affidavit included in Bough’s ruling. "The Courthouse employee took me into a private room. The Courthouse employee read word for word the questionnaire and filled in the answers for me.”

The judge wants more information. Bough wrote that another affidavit by the juror, which was signed May 7, conflicts with his earlier statement.

“I sometimes say that I cannot read or write, but it is more accurate to say that I cannot read or write very well," the juror stated in the May 7 affidavit, adding that he approached Tisius' case with “an open mind.”

In 2000, Tisius and Tracie Bulington entered the lobby of the jail in Huntsville, aiming to break out Bulington’s boyfriend, Roy Vance, prosecutors said. Tisius — then 19 — fatally shot Randolph County jailers Jason Acton and Leon Egley during the attempted jail break. The plot failed because the intruders couldn’t find the cell keys.

Tisius and Bulington were arrested on the day of the shootings in Wathena, Kan., about 130 miles west of Huntsville.

Defense attorneys had argued that Tisius intended only to order the jailers into a holding cell and free Vance and other inmates.

Bulington, and Vance are serving life sentences.

Missourians to Abolish the Death Penalty and the Missouri NAACP on Tuesday asked Republican Gov. Mike Parson to spare Tisius' life, citing his age at the time of the killings, along with other factors.

A spokeswoman for Parson didn't immediately return an Associated Press request for comment on Tisius on Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1677790581061.png" alt="Tisius-photo MODOC" />
 <figcaption>Tisius-photo MODOC</figcaption>
 </figure>COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — A federal judge on Wednesday halted next week's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/execution-missouri-15298c399e436f00c42f5174594605dd">scheduled execution</a>&nbsp;of a man convicted of killing two Missouri jailers amid questions about the literacy of a juror in the case.U.S. District Judge Stephen Bough ruled that Michael Andrew Tisius' execution at the state prison in Bonne Terre should be delayed to give the court time for a hearing on the juror.The delay comes after Tisius' lawyers earlier this month claimed a juror in his 2010 resentencing could not read or write.Missouri law requires jurors to be able to read and speak English.In an affidavit signed by the juror May 3, the juror stated “someone at the courthouse” helped him fill out his juror questionnaire.“I told the Courthouse employee that I could not read," according to an excerpt from the affidavit included in Bough’s ruling. "The Courthouse employee took me into a private room. The Courthouse employee read word for word the questionnaire and filled in the answers for me.”The judge wants more information. Bough wrote that another affidavit by the juror, which was signed May 7, conflicts with his earlier statement.“I sometimes say that I cannot read or write, but it is more accurate to say that I cannot read or write very well," the juror stated in the May 7 affidavit, adding that he approached Tisius' case with “an open mind.”In 2000, Tisius and Tracie Bulington entered the lobby of the jail in Huntsville, aiming to break out Bulington’s boyfriend, Roy Vance, prosecutors said. Tisius — then 19 — fatally shot Randolph County jailers Jason Acton and Leon Egley during the attempted jail break. The plot failed because the intruders couldn’t find the cell keys.Tisius and Bulington were arrested on the day of the shootings in Wathena, Kan., about 130 miles west of Huntsville.Defense attorneys had argued that Tisius intended only to order the jailers into a holding cell and free Vance and other inmates.Bulington, and Vance are serving life sentences.Missourians to Abolish the Death Penalty and the Missouri NAACP on Tuesday asked Republican Gov. Mike Parson to spare Tisius' life, citing his age at the time of the killings, along with other factors.A spokeswoman for Parson didn't immediately return an Associated Press request for comment on Tisius on Wednesday.

Judge halts execution of man captured in Kan., convicted in jail break killing

WASHINGTON (AP) — Veering away from a default crisis, the House approved a debt ceiling and budget cuts package late Wednesday.&nbsp;

A bipartisan coalition of centrist Democrats and Republicans voted for the bill.&nbsp; With an overwhelming House vote, 314-117, the bill now heads to the Senate with passage expected by week's end. First District Congressman Tracy Mann was the only member of the Kansas delegation to vote against the measure. Ron Estes, Jake LaTurner and Democrat Sharice Davids voted with the majority.

In a statement from his office, Mann wrote, “For more than 100 days, President Biden stalled, refused to negotiate, and used a looming government default as a bargaining chip,” said Rep. Mann. “While I commend Republican Leadership for taking a much-needed step and putting forward a plan to rein in out-of-control government spending, I did not vote for the legislation that passed the House today. Kansans in the Big First sent me to Washington D.C. with a clear mandate – stop the government borrowing and spending spree. Today, America is at $31 trillion in debt, and in a matter of months, we will be at $34 trillion. This must end. Americans deserve a well-thought-out plan for addressing our skyrocketing national debt.”

The hard-fought deal pleased few, but lawmakers assessed it was better than the alternative — a devastating economic upheaval if Congress failed to act. Tensions ran high throughout the day as hard-right Republicans refused the deal, while Democrats said "extremist" GOP views were risking a debt default as soon as next week.

House Speaker Kevin McCarthy insisted his party was working to "give America hope" as he launched into a late evening speech extolling the bill's budget cuts, which he said were needed to curb Washington's "runaway spending."

Amid deep discontent from Republicans who said the spending restrictions did not go far enough, McCarthy said it is only a "first step."

The package makes some inroads in curbing the nation's debt as Republicans demanded, without rolling back Trump-era tax breaks as President Biden wanted. To pass it, Biden and McCarthy counted on support from the political center, a rarity in divided Washington.

In a statement released after the vote, Biden said: "I have been clear that the only path forward is a bipartisan compromise that can earn the support of both parties. This agreement meets that test."

He called the vote "good news for the American people and the American economy."

Biden had sent top White House officials to the Capitol and called lawmakers directly to shore up backing. McCarthy worked to sell skeptical fellow Republicans, even fending off challenges to his leadership, in the rush to avert a potentially disastrous U.S. default.

Swift passage later in the week by the Senate would ensure government checks will continue to go out to Social Security recipients, veterans and others and would prevent financial upheaval at home and abroad. Next Monday is when the Treasury has said the U.S. would run short of money to pay its debts.

Overall, the 99-page bill restricts spending for the next two years, suspends the debt ceiling into January 2025 and changes some policies, including imposing new work requirements for older Americans receiving food aid and greenlighting an Appalachian natural gas line that many Democrats oppose.

It bolsters funds for defense and veterans, and guts new money for Internal Revenue Service agents.

Raising the nation's debt limit, now $31 trillion, ensures Treasury can borrow to pay already incurred U.S. debts.

Top GOP deal negotiator Rep. Garret Graves of Louisiana said Republicans were fighting for budget cuts after the past years of extra spending, first during the COVID-19 crisis and later with Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, with its historic investment to fight climate change paid for with revenues elsewhere.

But Republican Rep. Chip Roy, a member of the Freedom Caucus helping to lead the opposition, said, "My beef is that you cut a deal that shouldn't have been cut."

For weeks negotiators labored late into the night to strike the deal with the White House, and for days McCarthy has worked to build support among skeptics. At one point, aides wheeled in pizza at the Capitol the night before the vote as he walked Republicans through the details, fielded questions and encouraged them not to lose sight of the bill's budget savings.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1685582853054.png" alt="A view of the House Floor immediately following the vote -image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>A view of the House Floor immediately following the vote -image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Veering away from a default crisis, the House approved a debt ceiling and budget cuts package late Wednesday.&nbsp;A bipartisan coalition of centrist Democrats and Republicans voted for the bill.&nbsp; With an overwhelming House vote, 314-117, the bill now heads to the Senate with passage expected by week's end. First District Congressman Tracy Mann was the only member of the Kansas delegation to vote against the measure. Ron Estes, Jake LaTurner and Democrat Sharice Davids voted with the majority.In a statement from his office, Mann wrote, “For more than 100 days, President Biden stalled, refused to negotiate, and used a looming government default as a bargaining chip,” said Rep. Mann. “While I commend Republican Leadership for taking a much-needed step and putting forward a plan to rein in out-of-control government spending, I did not vote for the legislation that passed the House today. Kansans in the Big First sent me to Washington D.C. with a clear mandate – stop the government borrowing and spending spree. Today, America is at $31 trillion in debt, and in a matter of months, we will be at $34 trillion. This must end. Americans deserve a well-thought-out plan for addressing our skyrocketing national debt.”The hard-fought deal pleased few, but lawmakers assessed it was better than the alternative — a devastating economic upheaval if Congress failed to act. Tensions ran high throughout the day as hard-right Republicans refused the deal, while Democrats said "extremist" GOP views were risking a debt default as soon as next week.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/6/1685621231360.png" alt="House Speaker Kevin McCarthy insisted his party was working to "give America hope"-photo courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>House Speaker Kevin McCarthy insisted his party was working to "give America hope"-photo courtesy CSPAN&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>House Speaker Kevin McCarthy insisted his party was working to "give America hope" as he launched into a late evening speech extolling the bill's budget cuts, which he said were needed to curb Washington's "runaway spending."Amid deep discontent from Republicans who said the spending restrictions did not go far enough, McCarthy said it is only a "first step."The package makes some inroads in curbing the nation's debt as Republicans demanded, without rolling back Trump-era tax breaks as President Biden wanted. To pass it, Biden and McCarthy counted on support from the political center, a rarity in divided Washington.In a statement released after the vote, Biden said: "I have been clear that the only path forward is a bipartisan compromise that can earn the support of both parties. This agreement meets that test."He called the vote "good news for the American people and the American economy."Biden had sent top White House officials to the Capitol and called lawmakers directly to shore up backing. McCarthy worked to sell skeptical fellow Republicans, even fending off challenges to his leadership, in the rush to avert a potentially disastrous U.S. default.Swift passage later in the week by the Senate would ensure government checks will continue to go out to Social Security recipients, veterans and others and would prevent financial upheaval at home and abroad. Next Monday is when the Treasury has said the U.S. would run short of money to pay its debts.Overall, the 99-page bill restricts spending for the next two years, suspends the debt ceiling into January 2025 and changes some policies, including imposing new work requirements for older Americans receiving food aid and greenlighting an Appalachian natural gas line that many Democrats oppose.It bolsters funds for defense and veterans, and guts new money for Internal Revenue Service agents.Raising the nation's debt limit, now $31 trillion, ensures Treasury can borrow to pay already incurred U.S. debts.Top GOP deal negotiator Rep. Garret Graves of Louisiana said Republicans were fighting for budget cuts after the past years of extra spending, first during the COVID-19 crisis and later with Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, with its historic investment to fight climate change paid for with revenues elsewhere.But Republican Rep. Chip Roy, a member of the Freedom Caucus helping to lead the opposition, said, "My beef is that you cut a deal that shouldn't have been cut."For weeks negotiators labored late into the night to strike the deal with the White House, and for days McCarthy has worked to build support among skeptics. At one point, aides wheeled in pizza at the Capitol the night before the vote as he walked Republicans through the details, fielded questions and encouraged them not to lose sight of the bill's budget savings.The speaker has faced a tough crowd. Cheered on by conservative senators and outside groups, the hard-right House Freedom Caucus lambasted the compromise as falling well short of the needed spending cuts, and they vowed to try to halt passage.A much larger conservative faction, the Republican Study Committee, declined to take a position. Even rank-and-file centrist conservatives were unsure, leaving McCarthy searching for votes from his slim Republican majority.Ominously, the conservatives warned of possibly trying to oust McCarthy over the compromise.One influential Republican, former President Donald Trump, held his fire: "It is what it is," he said of the deal in an interview with Iowa radio host Simon Conway.House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries said it was up to McCarthy to turn out Republican votes in the 435-member House, where 218 votes are needed for approval.As the tally faltered on an afternoon procedural vote, Jeffries stood silently and raised his green voting card, signaling that the Democrats would fill in the gap to ensure passage. They did, advancing the bill that hard-right Republicans, many from the Freedom Caucus, refused to back."Once again, House Democrats to the rescue to avoid a dangerous default," said Jeffries, D-N.Y."What does that say about this extreme MAGA Republican majority?" he said about the party aligned with Trump's "Make America Great Again" political movement.Then, on the final vote hours later, Democrats again ensured passage, leading the tally as 71 Republicans bucked their majority and voted against it.The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office said the spending restrictions in the package would reduce deficits by $1.5 trillion over the decade, a top goal for the Republicans trying to curb the debt load.In a surprise that complicated Republicans' support, however, the CBO said their drive to impose work requirements on older Americans receiving food stamps would end up boosting spending by $2.1 billion over the time period. That's because the final deal exempts veterans and homeless people, expanding the food stamp rolls by 78,000 people monthly, the CBO said.Liberal discontent, though, ran strong as nearly four dozen Democrats also broke away, decrying the new work requirements for older Americans, those 50-54, in the food aid program.Some Democrats were also incensed that the White House negotiated into the deal changes to the landmark National Environmental Policy Act and approval of the controversial Mountain Valley Pipeline natural gas project. The energy development is important to Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., but many others oppose it as unhelpful in fighting climate change.On Wall Street, stock prices were down.In the Senate, Democratic Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell are working for passage by week's end.Schumer warned there is "no room for error."Senators, who have remained largely on the sidelines during much of the negotiations, are insisting on amendments to reshape the package. But making any changes at this stage seemed unlikely with so little time to spare before Monday's deadline.___AP White House Correspondent Zeke Miller and AP writers Mary Clare Jalonick, Seung Min Kim and Jill Colvin and video journalist Nathan Ellgren contributed to this report.