HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Five TikTok content creators have filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn Montana's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-montana-325a33578a2bbfbe53e9c251d528c5fb">first-in-the-nation ban</a>&nbsp;on the video sharing app, arguing the law is an unconstitutional violation of free speech rights.

The Montana residents also argued in the complaint, filed in federal court late Wednesday without public notice, that the state doesn't have any authority over matters of national security. Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed the bill into law Wednesday and said it would protect Montana residents’ private data and personal information from being harvested by the Chinese government.

The ban is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, 2024.

“The law takes the broadest possible approach to its objectives, restricting and banning the protected speech of all TikTok users in Montana to prevent the speculative and unsubstantiated possibility that the Chinese government might direct TikTok Inc., or its parent, to spy on some Montana users,” the complaint states.

“We expected a legal challenge and are fully prepared to defend the law,” said Emily Flower, spokeswoman for the Montana Department of Justice.

TikTok has argued the law infringes on people’s First Amendment rights.

However, spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter declined to comment on the lawsuit Thursday. She also declined to say whether the company helped coordinate the complaint.

The plaintiffs are Montana residents who use the video-sharing app for things like promoting a business, connecting with military veterans, sharing outdoor adventures or expressing their sense of humor. Two of them have more than 200,000 followers.

One content creator, Carly Ann Goddard, shares videos about living on a ranch, parenting, recipes and home decor. Her account has 97,000 followers and has allowed her to roughly triple her family's household income, the complaint states. TikTok creators can make money in several ways, including by being paid to advertise products to their followers.

The lawsuit — filed just hours after Gianforte signed the measure into law — states the ban would “immediately and permanently deprive Plaintiffs of their ability to express themselves and communicate with others.”

“Montana can no more ban its residents from viewing or posting to TikTok than it could ban the Wall Street Journal because of who owns it or the ideas it publishes,” the plaintiffs’ attorneys wrote.

The case could serve as a testing ground for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-ceo-congressional-hearing-bytedance-china-44d948c5b0ba18e2a714e0fa62d52779">TikTok-free America</a>&nbsp;many national lawmakers have envisioned. Cybersecurity experts say it could be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-montana-china-data-chinese-government-71143a3a87c9a0b692d927f72b6fec70">difficult to enforce.</a>

Some lawmakers, the FBI and officials at other agencies are concerned the video-sharing app, owned by ByteDance,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-ceo-congressional-hearing-bytedance-china-44d948c5b0ba18e2a714e0fa62d52779">could be used to allow the Chinese government to access information on U.S. citizens</a>&nbsp;or push pro-Beijing misinformation that could influence the public. TikTok says none of this has ever happened.

A former executive at ByteDance alleges the tech giant has served as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-china-government-data-bytedance-23233034319c2e1f84c384e5e8dc489c">a “propaganda tool"</a>&nbsp;for the Chinese government, a claim ByteDance says is baseless.

China passed laws in 2014 and 2017 that compel companies to cooperate with the country’s government for state intelligence work. TikTok says it has never been asked to hand over its data and it wouldn’t do so if asked.

“TikTok is spying on Americans. Period,” Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen told a legislative committee in March. “TikTok is a tool of the Chinese Communist Party. It is owned by a Chinese company, and under China law, if you are based in China, you will cooperate with the Chinese Communist Party. Period.”

More than half the U.S. states, including Montana, and the federal government have banned TikTok&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-is-tiktok-being-banned-7d2de01d3ac5ab2b8ec2239dc7f2b20d">from government-owned devices</a>.

Montana’s law would prohibit downloads of TikTok in the state and would fine any “entity” — an app store or TikTok — $10,000 per day for each time someone “is offered the ability” to access the social media platform or download the app. The penalties would not apply to users.

Opponents say Montana residents could easily circumvent the ban by using a virtual private network, a service that shields internet users by encrypting their data traffic, preventing others from observing their web browsing. Montana state officials say geofencing technology is used with online sports gambling apps, which are deactivated in states where online gambling is illegal.

The idea of a TikTok ban has been around since 2020, when then-President Donald Trump attempted to bar the company from operating in the U.S. through an executive order that was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-entertainment-pennsylvania-courts-3573972d3aa6bee78304e3195ffe4ade">halted in federal courts</a>. President Joe Biden’s administration initially shelved those plans, but more recently threatened to ban the app if the company’s Chinese owners don’t sell their stakes.

Montana's law would be nullified if the federal government placed a ban on TikTok or if it was sold to a company not based in a country that is federally designated as a foreign adversary, which currently includes China, Russia, North Korea, Iran and Cuba.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684459314177.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Five TikTok content creators have filed a lawsuit seeking to overturn Montana's&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-montana-325a33578a2bbfbe53e9c251d528c5fb">first-in-the-nation ban</a>&nbsp;on the video sharing app, arguing the law is an unconstitutional violation of free speech rights.The Montana residents also argued in the complaint, filed in federal court late Wednesday without public notice, that the state doesn't have any authority over matters of national security. Republican Gov. Greg Gianforte signed the bill into law Wednesday and said it would protect Montana residents’ private data and personal information from being harvested by the Chinese government.The ban is scheduled to take effect on Jan. 1, 2024.“The law takes the broadest possible approach to its objectives, restricting and banning the protected speech of all TikTok users in Montana to prevent the speculative and unsubstantiated possibility that the Chinese government might direct TikTok Inc., or its parent, to spy on some Montana users,” the complaint states.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680519366694.png" alt="-Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D NY) said during a March 22 rally, "Instead of banning TikTok we need comprehensive legislation to ensure social media users' data is safe and secure."-photo CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>-Rep. Jamaal Bowman (D NY) said during a March 22 rally, "Instead of banning TikTok we need comprehensive legislation to ensure social media users' data is safe and secure."-photo CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>“We expected a legal challenge and are fully prepared to defend the law,” said Emily Flower, spokeswoman for the Montana Department of Justice.TikTok has argued the law infringes on people’s First Amendment rights.However, spokesperson Brooke Oberwetter declined to comment on the lawsuit Thursday. She also declined to say whether the company helped coordinate the complaint.The plaintiffs are Montana residents who use the video-sharing app for things like promoting a business, connecting with military veterans, sharing outdoor adventures or expressing their sense of humor. Two of them have more than 200,000 followers.One content creator, Carly Ann Goddard, shares videos about living on a ranch, parenting, recipes and home decor. Her account has 97,000 followers and has allowed her to roughly triple her family's household income, the complaint states. TikTok creators can make money in several ways, including by being paid to advertise products to their followers.The lawsuit — filed just hours after Gianforte signed the measure into law — states the ban would “immediately and permanently deprive Plaintiffs of their ability to express themselves and communicate with others.”“Montana can no more ban its residents from viewing or posting to TikTok than it could ban the Wall Street Journal because of who owns it or the ideas it publishes,” the plaintiffs’ attorneys wrote.The case could serve as a testing ground for the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-ceo-congressional-hearing-bytedance-china-44d948c5b0ba18e2a714e0fa62d52779">TikTok-free America</a>&nbsp;many national lawmakers have envisioned. Cybersecurity experts say it could be&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-montana-china-data-chinese-government-71143a3a87c9a0b692d927f72b6fec70">difficult to enforce.</a>Some lawmakers, the FBI and officials at other agencies are concerned the video-sharing app, owned by ByteDance,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-ban-ceo-congressional-hearing-bytedance-china-44d948c5b0ba18e2a714e0fa62d52779">could be used to allow the Chinese government to access information on U.S. citizens</a>&nbsp;or push pro-Beijing misinformation that could influence the public. TikTok says none of this has ever happened.A former executive at ByteDance alleges the tech giant has served as&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/tiktok-china-government-data-bytedance-23233034319c2e1f84c384e5e8dc489c">a “propaganda tool"</a>&nbsp;for the Chinese government, a claim ByteDance says is baseless.China passed laws in 2014 and 2017 that compel companies to cooperate with the country’s government for state intelligence work. TikTok says it has never been asked to hand over its data and it wouldn’t do so if asked.“TikTok is spying on Americans. Period,” Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen told a legislative committee in March. “TikTok is a tool of the Chinese Communist Party. It is owned by a Chinese company, and under China law, if you are based in China, you will cooperate with the Chinese Communist Party. Period.”More than half the U.S. states, including Montana, and the federal government have banned TikTok&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/why-is-tiktok-being-banned-7d2de01d3ac5ab2b8ec2239dc7f2b20d">from government-owned devices</a>.Montana’s law would prohibit downloads of TikTok in the state and would fine any “entity” — an app store or TikTok — $10,000 per day for each time someone “is offered the ability” to access the social media platform or download the app. The penalties would not apply to users.Opponents say Montana residents could easily circumvent the ban by using a virtual private network, a service that shields internet users by encrypting their data traffic, preventing others from observing their web browsing. Montana state officials say geofencing technology is used with online sports gambling apps, which are deactivated in states where online gambling is illegal.The idea of a TikTok ban has been around since 2020, when then-President Donald Trump attempted to bar the company from operating in the U.S. through an executive order that was&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-entertainment-pennsylvania-courts-3573972d3aa6bee78304e3195ffe4ade">halted in federal courts</a>. President Joe Biden’s administration initially shelved those plans, but more recently threatened to ban the app if the company’s Chinese owners don’t sell their stakes.Montana's law would be nullified if the federal government placed a ban on TikTok or if it was sold to a company not based in a country that is federally designated as a foreign adversary, which currently includes China, Russia, North Korea, Iran and Cuba.

TikTok content creators file lawsuit against first-in-nation law banning app

KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities investigating an officer-involved shooting in Kansas City have identified the man who died as 40-year-old Tyrone L. Payne of Kansas City.

Just before 11:30p.m. Thursday, police responded to&nbsp;the 1800 block of West Pennway Street where a suspect later identified as Payne had fired a guns inside a residence, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.

While officers were at the scene, the suspect fired near the officers prompting police to return fire.

A KCPD&nbsp; SWAT unit and a negotiations team responded to encourage Payne to surrender.&nbsp; He fired a weapon again at the officers, who returned fire and struck him outside the house, according to the MSHP. He&nbsp;was pronounced dead at the scene.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684503230062.png" alt="Investigators on the scene early Friday -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Investigators on the scene early Friday -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY —Law enforcement authorities investigating an officer-involved shooting in Kansas City have identified the man who died as 40-year-old Tyrone L. Payne of Kansas City.Just before 11:30p.m. Thursday, police responded to&nbsp;the 1800 block of West Pennway Street where a suspect later identified as Payne had fired a guns inside a residence, according to the Missouri State Highway Patrol.While officers were at the scene, the suspect fired near the officers prompting police to return fire.A KCPD&nbsp; SWAT unit and a negotiations team responded to encourage Payne to surrender.&nbsp; He fired a weapon again at the officers, who returned fire and struck him outside the house, according to the MSHP. He&nbsp;was pronounced dead at the scene.

Patrol: Man dead in Kansas City officer-involved shooting

By JOHN HANNA and MARGARET STAFFORD&nbsp;

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' Democratic governor on Thursday vetoed parts of the Republican-backed $6 billion funding plan for the state's K-12 schools, setting up a likely legal battle that will test her office's powers.

Gov. Laura Kelly, who won reelection in the conservative state in November, issued a statement explaining her decision to take the unprecedented step of vetoing parts of the proposed education budget, saying she objected to one provision, in particular, that she says would cut funding for rural public schools, which have been dealing with declining enrollment.

“This provision pulls the rug out from rural school districts at the 11th hour,” Kelly said. “If the provision is enacted, it will bring dangerous and devastating consequences for our rural districts.”

Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, leaders of the GOP-controlled Legislature, quickly issued a joint statement criticizing Kelly, saying the state's constitution limits line-item vetoes to appropriations.

"We strongly encourage the Attorney General to immediately review this unconstitutional overreach,” they said.

The spending plan, which would provide the bulk of the money that the state's 286 school districts rely on, would also expand a program aimed at providing private school scholarships for low-income families. Although Kelly opposes that provision, she didn't veto it.

Kelly said that because the bill mixed policy with funding, the Kansas Constitution allows her to veto parts but not all of the bill, as it does with legislation setting the state's annual budgets. Top Republicans are likely to object and to challenge the assertion in court.

The issue has never been tested legally, creating uncertainty about how much money school districts might have and what policies they might face the next academic year.

In her statement, Kelly said the GOP-backed bill would change the way districts count their enrollment, which determines their funding. Currently, districts are allowed to use one of the two previous school years to determine how much money they will receive.

The new education bill requires districts to use the current or previous year's enrollment to determine appropriations. That provision would force districts with declining enrollments to immediately make changes to budgets they have already approved for the upcoming year, she said.

Kelly also noted that the Kansas Supreme Court has upheld the current method for determining enrollment, and she said changing the formula would raise questions over the state's compliance with that law.

Education groups had pushed Kelly to veto the bill even though it would increase the state’s total aid to districts by about 4% for the next school year. The increases would vary by district, with 29 — most with fewer than 700 students — receiving less aid than they did this school year.

Kelly has signed education bills with a similar marriage of funding and policy in the past. But she and top Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-ks-state-wire-kansas-coronavirus-pandemic-health-7302d46eef675734fe1343f2640236f9">clashed repeatedly</a>&nbsp;over her handling of the coronavirus pandemic. GOP lawmakers forced her to accept a whittling away of the powers of her office and of local officials to close schools and businesses and impose mask mandates.

If Kelly had vetoed the entire bill, she would have forced a special legislative session to ensure that schools are funded for the next school year because lawmakers have adjourned for the year. If she were to lose a court battle over her vetoing parts of the bill, it's unclear if the entire bill would become law or if it would die altogether.

Educators also were upset that GOP lawmakers rejected Kelly’s proposal to phase in a 70% increase in funding for programs for students with physical or intellectual disabilities, or behavioral problems. It would have required an extra $72 million in the next state budget, but legislators only approved $7.5 million.

Kelly said she was disappointed that lawmakers didn't increase special education funding and that they need to “correct their mistake” when they return for next year's session.

In a statement Thursday, the Kansas Association of School Boards praised Kelly's line-item veto and also expressed disappointment in lawmakers' “inadequate response” to special education funding at a time when the state has a record budget surplus.

And educators opposed provisions that would expand an income tax credit program for donors to funds that provide annual private school scholarships of up to $8,000 annually to students from low-income families. Although the total credits would remain capped at $10 million a year, more students would be eligible for the scholarships.

Kelly said most Kansans don't support such policies, and she chastised lawmakers for “logrolling” them into the education funding bill rather than proposing them as separate bills.

Conservative Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/school-vouchers-public-education-funding-kansas-88f7d2a5793c100e732d5ec38278da26">wanted to pass a far broader plan</a>&nbsp;to use state education dollars to help parents pay for private or home schooling for their children, something GOP lawmakers have enacted in other states, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-florida-nebraska-kim-reynolds-iowa-1fdab7c898730873b8c3b880223c5306">Iowa,</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-vouchers-south-carolina-bill-signing-cf089d5b3fc42bd74a54f93abb1bf131">South Carolina</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-state-government-arizona-iowa-south-carolina-kansas-091e6094fcea2852ec279fedf11759d8">Utah.</a>

Kelly is strongly opposed to the idea, saying public funds should go to public schools. Republican legislators were split.

The state constitution says that if any bill “contains several items of appropriation of money,” the governor can veto one or more “such items” while signing the rest.

While lawmakers often set policy in the budget with provisions directing how money must be spent or prohibiting some spending, those provisions are in effect only for a year. In the past, it's been uncommon for lawmakers to mix spending with measures rewriting state laws permanently, so governors haven't previously taken actions similar to Kelly's.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683654581347.png" alt="Kelly said that because the bill mixed policy with funding, the Kansas Constitution allows her to veto parts but not all of the bill, as it does with legislation setting the state's annual budgets. photo Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector" />
 <figcaption>Kelly said that because the bill mixed policy with funding, the Kansas Constitution allows her to veto parts but not all of the bill, as it does with legislation setting the state's annual budgets. photo Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector</figcaption>
 </figure> By JOHN HANNA and MARGARET STAFFORD&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas' Democratic governor on Thursday vetoed parts of the Republican-backed $6 billion funding plan for the state's K-12 schools, setting up a likely legal battle that will test her office's powers.Gov. Laura Kelly, who won reelection in the conservative state in November, issued a statement explaining her decision to take the unprecedented step of vetoing parts of the proposed education budget, saying she objected to one provision, in particular, that she says would cut funding for rural public schools, which have been dealing with declining enrollment.“This provision pulls the rug out from rural school districts at the 11th hour,” Kelly said. “If the provision is enacted, it will bring dangerous and devastating consequences for our rural districts.”Kansas Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins, leaders of the GOP-controlled Legislature, quickly issued a joint statement criticizing Kelly, saying the state's constitution limits line-item vetoes to appropriations."We strongly encourage the Attorney General to immediately review this unconstitutional overreach,” they said.The spending plan, which would provide the bulk of the money that the state's 286 school districts rely on, would also expand a program aimed at providing private school scholarships for low-income families. Although Kelly opposes that provision, she didn't veto it.Kelly said that because the bill mixed policy with funding, the Kansas Constitution allows her to veto parts but not all of the bill, as it does with legislation setting the state's annual budgets. Top Republicans are likely to object and to challenge the assertion in court.The issue has never been tested legally, creating uncertainty about how much money school districts might have and what policies they might face the next academic year.In her statement, Kelly said the GOP-backed bill would change the way districts count their enrollment, which determines their funding. Currently, districts are allowed to use one of the two previous school years to determine how much money they will receive.The new education bill requires districts to use the current or previous year's enrollment to determine appropriations. That provision would force districts with declining enrollments to immediately make changes to budgets they have already approved for the upcoming year, she said.Kelly also noted that the Kansas Supreme Court has upheld the current method for determining enrollment, and she said changing the formula would raise questions over the state's compliance with that law.Education groups had pushed Kelly to veto the bill even though it would increase the state’s total aid to districts by about 4% for the next school year. The increases would vary by district, with 29 — most with fewer than 700 students — receiving less aid than they did this school year.Kelly has signed education bills with a similar marriage of funding and policy in the past. But she and top Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/government-and-politics-ks-state-wire-kansas-coronavirus-pandemic-health-7302d46eef675734fe1343f2640236f9">clashed repeatedly</a>&nbsp;over her handling of the coronavirus pandemic. GOP lawmakers forced her to accept a whittling away of the powers of her office and of local officials to close schools and businesses and impose mask mandates.If Kelly had vetoed the entire bill, she would have forced a special legislative session to ensure that schools are funded for the next school year because lawmakers have adjourned for the year. If she were to lose a court battle over her vetoing parts of the bill, it's unclear if the entire bill would become law or if it would die altogether.Educators also were upset that GOP lawmakers rejected Kelly’s proposal to phase in a 70% increase in funding for programs for students with physical or intellectual disabilities, or behavioral problems. It would have required an extra $72 million in the next state budget, but legislators only approved $7.5 million.Kelly said she was disappointed that lawmakers didn't increase special education funding and that they need to “correct their mistake” when they return for next year's session.In a statement Thursday, the Kansas Association of School Boards praised Kelly's line-item veto and also expressed disappointment in lawmakers' “inadequate response” to special education funding at a time when the state has a record budget surplus.And educators opposed provisions that would expand an income tax credit program for donors to funds that provide annual private school scholarships of up to $8,000 annually to students from low-income families. Although the total credits would remain capped at $10 million a year, more students would be eligible for the scholarships.Kelly said most Kansans don't support such policies, and she chastised lawmakers for “logrolling” them into the education funding bill rather than proposing them as separate bills.Conservative Republicans&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/school-vouchers-public-education-funding-kansas-88f7d2a5793c100e732d5ec38278da26">wanted to pass a far broader plan</a>&nbsp;to use state education dollars to help parents pay for private or home schooling for their children, something GOP lawmakers have enacted in other states, including&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/politics-florida-nebraska-kim-reynolds-iowa-1fdab7c898730873b8c3b880223c5306">Iowa,</a><a href="https://apnews.com/article/education-vouchers-south-carolina-bill-signing-cf089d5b3fc42bd74a54f93abb1bf131">South Carolina</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/utah-state-government-arizona-iowa-south-carolina-kansas-091e6094fcea2852ec279fedf11759d8">Utah.</a>Kelly is strongly opposed to the idea, saying public funds should go to public schools. Republican legislators were split.The state constitution says that if any bill “contains several items of appropriation of money,” the governor can veto one or more “such items” while signing the rest.While lawmakers often set policy in the budget with provisions directing how money must be spent or prohibiting some spending, those provisions are in effect only for a year. In the past, it's been uncommon for lawmakers to mix spending with measures rewriting state laws permanently, so governors haven't previously taken actions similar to Kelly's.___

Kan. Gov. faces likely legal battle with GOP after veto on school funding bill

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a crime scene that sent three people to the hospital.&nbsp;

Just before 11p.m. Thursday, police responded to report of a shooting at a home in the 2700 block of North 123rd Street in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release.

First responders found three adult women outside with critical injuries. EMS transported them to a local hospital. One died, one was listed in critical condition and the other had non-life-threatening injuries. 

Inside the home, officers found the male suspect who was dead.

Police released no additional details early Friday.

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a crime scene that sent three people to the hospital.&nbsp;Just before 11p.m. Thursday, police responded to report of a shooting at a home in the 2700 block of North 123rd Street in Kansas City, Kansas, according to a media release.First responders found three adult women outside with critical injuries. EMS transported them to a local hospital. One died, one was listed in critical condition and the other had non-life-threatening injuries. Inside the home, officers found the male suspect who was dead.Police released no additional details early Friday.

Police: 2 dead, 2 injured in shooting at Kansas home

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon has overestimated the value of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-weapons-funding-security-war-russia-d27594b9b26beff6bcee4b7a2ec8424b">weapons it has sent to Ukraine</a>&nbsp;by at least $3 billion — an accounting error that could be a boon for the war effort because it will allow the Defense Department to send more weapons now without asking Congress for more money.

The acknowledgment Thursday comes at a time when Pentagon is under increased pressure by Congress to show accountability for the billions of dollars it has sent in weapons, ammunition and equipment to Ukraine and as some lawmakers question whether that level of support should continue.

It also could free up more money for critical weapons as Ukraine is on the verge of a much anticipated counteroffensive — which will require as much military aid as they can get.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-europe-tour-weapons-jets-1cf0afe5bf3a3f5a51c5603aab2ccf5e">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;has previously said the offensive was delayed because they did not yet have everything they needed.

The error was caused when officials overvalued some of the systems sent to Ukraine, using the value of money it would cost to replace an item completely rather than the current value of the weapon. In many of the military aid packages, the Pentagon has opted to draw from its stockpiles of older, existing gear because it can get those items to Ukraine faster.

“During our regular oversight process of presidential drawdown packages, the Department discovered inconsistencies in equipment valuation for Ukraine. In some cases, ‘replacement cost’ rather than ‘net book value’ was used, therefore overestimating the value of the equipment drawn down from U.S. stocks,” said Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh.

She added that the mistake hasn't constrained U.S. support to Ukraine or hampered the ability to send aid to the battlefield.

A defense official said the Pentagon is still trying to determine exactly how much the total surplus will be. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said the comptroller has asked the military services to review all previous Ukraine aid packages using the proper cost figures. The result, said the official, will be that the department will have more available funding authority to use as the Ukraine offensive nears.

The aid surplus was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.

To date the U.S. has provided Ukraine nearly $37 billion in military aid since Russia invaded in February 2022. The bulk of that has been in weapons systems, millions of munitions and ammunition rounds, and an array of trucks, sensors, radars and other equipment pulled from Pentagon stockpiles and sent quickly to Ukraine.

Members of Congress have repeatedly pressed Defense Department leaders on how closely the U.S. is tracking its aid to Ukraine to ensure that it is not subject to fraud or ending up in the wrong hands. The Pentagon has said it has a “robust program” to track the aid as it crosses the border into Ukraine and to keep tabs on it once it is there, depending on the sensitivity of each weapons system.

There also is a small team of Americans in Ukraine working with Ukrainians to do physical inspections when possible, but also virtual inspections when needed, since those teams are not going to the front lines.

In late February, the Pentagon’s inspector general said his office has found no evidence yet that any of the billions of dollars in weapons and aid to Ukraine has been lost to corruption or diverted into the wrong hands. He cautioned that those investigations are only in their early stages.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673396092973.png" alt="The Patriot missile defense system is among the items sent to Ukraine-Photo U.S. Defense Department" />
 <figcaption>The Patriot missile defense system is among the items sent to Ukraine-Photo U.S. Defense Department</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The Pentagon has overestimated the value of the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ukraine-weapons-funding-security-war-russia-d27594b9b26beff6bcee4b7a2ec8424b">weapons it has sent to Ukraine</a>&nbsp;by at least $3 billion — an accounting error that could be a boon for the war effort because it will allow the Defense Department to send more weapons now without asking Congress for more money.The acknowledgment Thursday comes at a time when Pentagon is under increased pressure by Congress to show accountability for the billions of dollars it has sent in weapons, ammunition and equipment to Ukraine and as some lawmakers question whether that level of support should continue.It also could free up more money for critical weapons as Ukraine is on the verge of a much anticipated counteroffensive — which will require as much military aid as they can get.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/zelenskyy-europe-tour-weapons-jets-1cf0afe5bf3a3f5a51c5603aab2ccf5e">Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy</a>&nbsp;has previously said the offensive was delayed because they did not yet have everything they needed.The error was caused when officials overvalued some of the systems sent to Ukraine, using the value of money it would cost to replace an item completely rather than the current value of the weapon. In many of the military aid packages, the Pentagon has opted to draw from its stockpiles of older, existing gear because it can get those items to Ukraine faster.“During our regular oversight process of presidential drawdown packages, the Department discovered inconsistencies in equipment valuation for Ukraine. In some cases, ‘replacement cost’ rather than ‘net book value’ was used, therefore overestimating the value of the equipment drawn down from U.S. stocks,” said Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh.She added that the mistake hasn't constrained U.S. support to Ukraine or hampered the ability to send aid to the battlefield.A defense official said the Pentagon is still trying to determine exactly how much the total surplus will be. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, said the comptroller has asked the military services to review all previous Ukraine aid packages using the proper cost figures. The result, said the official, will be that the department will have more available funding authority to use as the Ukraine offensive nears.The aid surplus was first reported by The Wall Street Journal.To date the U.S. has provided Ukraine nearly $37 billion in military aid since Russia invaded in February 2022. The bulk of that has been in weapons systems, millions of munitions and ammunition rounds, and an array of trucks, sensors, radars and other equipment pulled from Pentagon stockpiles and sent quickly to Ukraine.Members of Congress have repeatedly pressed Defense Department leaders on how closely the U.S. is tracking its aid to Ukraine to ensure that it is not subject to fraud or ending up in the wrong hands. The Pentagon has said it has a “robust program” to track the aid as it crosses the border into Ukraine and to keep tabs on it once it is there, depending on the sensitivity of each weapons system.There also is a small team of Americans in Ukraine working with Ukrainians to do physical inspections when possible, but also virtual inspections when needed, since those teams are not going to the front lines.In late February, the Pentagon’s inspector general said his office has found no evidence yet that any of the billions of dollars in weapons and aid to Ukraine has been lost to corruption or diverted into the wrong hands. He cautioned that those investigations are only in their early stages.

$3 billion accounting error; U.S. can send more weapons to Ukraine

SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple charges after an arrest after one called for a ride to escape police.

Just after 4a.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to an alarm call at Dollar General, 1475 W 31st Street S in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan.

 As officers arrived on the scene, they witnessed two suspects later identified as 21-year-old Alejandro Avalos and 18-year-old Hilario Moran run from the business. 

A short time later Avalos and Moran were taken into custody without incident.

The investigation revealed that Avalos and Moran were attempting to break into the Dollar General when they broke the glass, and the alarm went off. During the foot pursuit, Moran was quickly taken into custody at 30th and Martinson. 

Several Officers arrived on the scene and initiated a perimeter to contain Avalos. While Avalos was hiding in the perimeter, he contacted a ride-share app to pick him up. 

Officers noticed the vehicle in the 3100 block of South Fern they then witnessed Avalos enter the vehicle. Police stopped vehicle and took Avalos into custody without incident.

&nbsp;Both are being held on requested charges of Burglary, interference with law&nbsp; enforcement, and criminal damage to property. Police did not release the name of the ride sharing service due to the ongoing&nbsp; investigation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684339563515.png" alt="Avalos-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Avalos-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SEDGWICK COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating two suspects on multiple charges after an arrest after one called for a ride to escape police.Just after 4a.m. Wednesday, police were dispatched to an alarm call at Dollar General, 1475 W 31st Street S in Wichita, according to Officer Kris Gupilan. As officers arrived on the scene, they witnessed two suspects later identified as 21-year-old Alejandro Avalos and 18-year-old Hilario Moran run from the business. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684339535782.png" alt="Moran-photo Sedgwick Co." />
 <figcaption>Moran-photo Sedgwick Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>A short time later Avalos and Moran were taken into custody without incident.The investigation revealed that Avalos and Moran were attempting to break into the Dollar General when they broke the glass, and the alarm went off. During the foot pursuit, Moran was quickly taken into custody at 30th and Martinson. Several Officers arrived on the scene and initiated a perimeter to contain Avalos. While Avalos was hiding in the perimeter, he contacted a ride-share app to pick him up. Officers noticed the vehicle in the 3100 block of South Fern they then witnessed Avalos enter the vehicle. Police stopped vehicle and took Avalos into custody without incident.&nbsp;Both are being held on requested charges of Burglary, interference with law&nbsp; enforcement, and criminal damage to property. Police did not release the name of the ride sharing service due to the ongoing&nbsp; investigation.

Kan. burglary suspect called ride-share app to escape police

JACKSON COUNTY, Kan —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on drug allegations.

Just before 4:30p.m. May 14,&nbsp; a Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy was investigating a traffic stop near 158th&nbsp;Road on U.S. Highway 75, when a vehicle pulled up behind the traffic stop, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.

The deputy went to see what the occupants needed.&nbsp; The encounter led to the discovery of alleged illegal drug contraband in the possession of the passenger of the vehicle identified as 72-year-old Leandara Gutierrez, of Lawrence.

The deputy arrested and booked her into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug and drug paraphernalia, according to Morse.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684445085554.png" alt="Gutierrez-photo Jackson Co." />
 <figcaption>Gutierrez-photo Jackson Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>JACKSON COUNTY, Kan —Law enforcement authorities are investigating a Kansas woman on drug allegations.Just before 4:30p.m. May 14,&nbsp; a Jackson County Sheriff’s Deputy was investigating a traffic stop near 158th&nbsp;Road on U.S. Highway 75, when a vehicle pulled up behind the traffic stop, according to Sheriff Tim Morse.The deputy went to see what the occupants needed.&nbsp; The encounter led to the discovery of alleged illegal drug contraband in the possession of the passenger of the vehicle identified as 72-year-old Leandara Gutierrez, of Lawrence.The deputy arrested and booked her into the Jackson County Jail on requested charges of possession of methamphetamine, possession of a hallucinogenic drug and drug paraphernalia, according to Morse.

Kan. woman caught with drugs after pulling up behind traffic stop

WYANDOTTE COUNTY —&nbsp;Detectives with the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department announced Thursday that two suspects have been arrested and charged with second-degree murder in the May 3 shooting death of 6 year-old Sir’Antonio Brown, according to a media release from police.

Agents with the FBI assisted the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department in taking 21-year-old Lakevis Sloan and a 17-year-old boy into custody Tuesday evening as they exited a Greyhound bus in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

Both suspects are residents of Kansas City, Kan. They remain in custody in South Dakota as they await extradition back to Kansas where the Wyandotte County District Attorney has charged them each with second-degree murder.

A third, unidentified suspect remains at large.

“We want Sir’Antonio’s family and our community to know that we are not slowing down the pace of this investigation,” Detective Mark Bundy, KCKPD, said. 

“Somebody out there knows who this third suspect is, and where he is. Now is the time to make the call. Don’t wait any longer, because we will arrest anybody and everybody who is housing or covering for this child killer.

On May 4, police confirmed they had located the vehicle involved in the killing and on May 10, police arrested 18-year-old&nbsp;Cassandra Sledge a resident of Kansas City, Kansas for obstructing prosecution in the case. 

Charges are based on the fact that Sledge who owns the vehicle suspects used to commit the murder, knowingly provided false statements to law enforcement to obstruct prosecution of the suspects. 

Sledge remains in the Wyandotte County Jail on a $40,000 bond.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683336213432.png" alt="Sir’Antonio Brown -photo GoFundMe" />
 <figcaption>Sir’Antonio Brown -photo GoFundMe</figcaption>
 </figure>WYANDOTTE COUNTY —&nbsp;Detectives with the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department announced Thursday that two suspects have been arrested and charged with second-degree murder in the May 3 shooting death of 6 year-old Sir’Antonio Brown, according to a media release from police.Agents with the FBI assisted the Kansas City, Kansas Police Department in taking 21-year-old Lakevis Sloan and a 17-year-old boy into custody Tuesday evening as they exited a Greyhound bus in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684443186141.png" alt="Sloan is being held in&nbsp;Minnehaha County" />
 <figcaption>Sloan is being held in&nbsp;Minnehaha County</figcaption>
 </figure>Both suspects are residents of Kansas City, Kan. They remain in custody in South Dakota as they await extradition back to Kansas where the Wyandotte County District Attorney has charged them each with second-degree murder.A third, unidentified suspect remains at large.“We want Sir’Antonio’s family and our community to know that we are not slowing down the pace of this investigation,” Detective Mark Bundy, KCKPD, said. “Somebody out there knows who this third suspect is, and where he is. Now is the time to make the call. Don’t wait any longer, because we will arrest anybody and everybody who is housing or covering for this child killer.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683755832986.png" alt="Sledge-photo Wyandotte Co." />
 <figcaption>Sledge-photo Wyandotte Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>On May 4, police confirmed they had located the vehicle involved in the killing and on May 10, police arrested 18-year-old&nbsp;Cassandra Sledge a resident of Kansas City, Kansas for obstructing prosecution in the case. <figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1683195327042.png" alt="Photo KCK Police" />
 <figcaption>Photo KCK Police</figcaption>
 </figure>Charges are based on the fact that Sledge who owns the vehicle suspects used to commit the murder, knowingly provided false statements to law enforcement to obstruct prosecution of the suspects. Sledge remains in the Wyandotte County Jail on a $40,000 bond.----------------

Suspects in shooting of Kan. boy playing in front yard jailed in S. Dakota

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

TOPEKA —&nbsp; Gov. Laura Kelly struck down a K-12 budget bill provision that would have decreased funding to more than one-third of Kansas public schools, calling the provision potentially “devastating” for rural communities.&nbsp;

“This provision pulls the rug out from underneath rural school districts at the 11th hour. If this provision were enacted, it would bring dangerous and devastating consequences for our rural districts,” Kelly said. “I will not allow this to happen to our rural schools, which are essential to the fabric of Kansas.”&nbsp;

Kelly announced her signing of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb113/">Senate Bill 113</a>&nbsp;Thursday, vetoing several items in the K-12 education package, which overall will provide school funding for the next three years.&nbsp;

The budget passed the House with a 83-37 vote and the Senate by 23-16 after lengthy debate and criticism that several provisions, such as the school finance formula, were slipped into the budget with no oversight or public discussion at the very end of the 2023 legislative session.&nbsp;

The original form of Senate Bill 113 would have limited districts to using current or previous year enrollment numbers to determine state aid, a change from current policy which allows public school districts to use student enrollment numbers from the previous two years to calculate foundational state aid.

While the change would boost funding in districts with growing student populations, districts experiencing year after year of falling enrollment would have unexpected budget losses. The revision would&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/05/10/provision-of-kansas-k-12-funding-bill-slices-state-aid-to-about-100-public-school-districts/">reduce funding for an estimated 100 school districts</a>, affecting mainly rural communities.

Kelly said changing the formula could also put the state at risk of not meeting constitutionally mandated school funding standards, which were determined after years of legal battles. Lawmakers passed a plan five years ago to gradually increase funding, until finally reaching a constitutional amount in the current school year. This is the first time Kansas schools have been fully funded since 2008.

“The current school finance formula was approved by the Kansas Supreme Court in the&nbsp;Gannon&nbsp;case,” Kelly said in her veto explanation. “Changes to this formula run the risk of noncompliance and jeopardize our track record of constitutionally funding schools.”&nbsp;

Kelly also vetoed two provisions that changed education allocations because of the revised finance formula.&nbsp;

In a joint statement, Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins said they approved of the budget in general, but they believe Kelly’s vetoes were unconstitutional.&nbsp;

“The administration exceeded their authority under the Kansas Constitution, which limits line-item vetoes to items of appropriations,” the statement read. “We strongly encourage the Attorney General to immediately review this unconstitutional overreach.”

Kelly pushed back on this statement in an interview with the Reflector following the release of the budget.&nbsp;

“This is clearly an appropriation, and there are also times during the debate on this bill where the Legislature themselves declared this an appropriations bill. So we feel very comfortable that my authority to line item exists on appropriations issues,” Kelly said.

Kelly also spoke against the special education funding allocation provided in the bill. SB 113 doesn’t include new funding for special education, instead increasing state funding for special education by about $7.5 million, an inflation adjustment from current spending levels.&nbsp;

The state is currently about $160 million short of special education funding required by state law, according to estimates from the Kansas Association of School Boards. The state is supposed to provide 92% of the costs of special education, but the Legislature hasn’t fulfilled this requirement since 2011.

“I don’t really understand what the hangup was,” Kelly told the Reflector. “I mean, in every other way when we’re talking about programs for kids with disabilities or special needs, the Legislature throws money at it. Look what they do with the waiver programs for the IDD (Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities). Why when it comes to providing funding for the same kids in the school system, they balk? I don’t get it.”&nbsp;

The budget bill also expands a private school tax credit and allows private school students to participate in public school sports and activities.&nbsp;

The tax credit, originally billed as a way to serve low-income Kansas students, currently allows organizations and taxpayers to write off 70% of scholarships they provide to private schools, with a maximum allowable credit of $500,000 per year.

The bill increases student eligibility for the program to 250% of the federal poverty level, raises the tax credit write-off to 75% and also allows unaccredited private schools to be eligible for the program, as long as the school is “working toward accreditation.” Another provision allows the state first right of refusal over closed school buildings.&nbsp;

While Kelly criticized the lack of transparency for these provisions, she said her goal was to work toward the best overall outcome.&nbsp;

“I just felt this was in the best interests of everybody concerned that we veto that one item that would have been very detrimental to a lot of our school districts, but then to allow the rest of the budget to go through,” Kelly said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684436202687.png" alt=" Gov. Laura Kelly said she didn't understand resistance to increasing special education funding during an interview with the Reflector on education budget provisions. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)" />
 <figcaption> Gov. Laura Kelly said she didn't understand resistance to increasing special education funding during an interview with the Reflector on education budget provisions. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector)</figcaption>
 </figure>By RACHEL MIPRO&nbsp;AND&nbsp;ALLISON KITE&nbsp; <a href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/04/05/kansas-lawmakers-debate-definition-of-female-and-male-for-county-jails/">Kansas Reflector</a>TOPEKA —&nbsp; Gov. Laura Kelly struck down a K-12 budget bill provision that would have decreased funding to more than one-third of Kansas public schools, calling the provision potentially “devastating” for rural communities.&nbsp;“This provision pulls the rug out from underneath rural school districts at the 11th hour. If this provision were enacted, it would bring dangerous and devastating consequences for our rural districts,” Kelly said. “I will not allow this to happen to our rural schools, which are essential to the fabric of Kansas.”&nbsp;Kelly announced her signing of&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li/b2023_24/measures/sb113/">Senate Bill 113</a>&nbsp;Thursday, vetoing several items in the K-12 education package, which overall will provide school funding for the next three years.&nbsp;The budget passed the House with a 83-37 vote and the Senate by 23-16 after lengthy debate and criticism that several provisions, such as the school finance formula, were slipped into the budget with no oversight or public discussion at the very end of the 2023 legislative session.&nbsp;The original form of Senate Bill 113 would have limited districts to using current or previous year enrollment numbers to determine state aid, a change from current policy which allows public school districts to use student enrollment numbers from the previous two years to calculate foundational state aid.While the change would boost funding in districts with growing student populations, districts experiencing year after year of falling enrollment would have unexpected budget losses. The revision would&nbsp;<a target="_blank" href="https://kansasreflector.com/2023/05/10/provision-of-kansas-k-12-funding-bill-slices-state-aid-to-about-100-public-school-districts/">reduce funding for an estimated 100 school districts</a>, affecting mainly rural communities.Kelly said changing the formula could also put the state at risk of not meeting constitutionally mandated school funding standards, which were determined after years of legal battles. Lawmakers passed a plan five years ago to gradually increase funding, until finally reaching a constitutional amount in the current school year. This is the first time Kansas schools have been fully funded since 2008.“The current school finance formula was approved by the Kansas Supreme Court in the&nbsp;Gannon&nbsp;case,” Kelly said in her veto explanation. “Changes to this formula run the risk of noncompliance and jeopardize our track record of constitutionally funding schools.”&nbsp;Kelly also vetoed two provisions that changed education allocations because of the revised finance formula.&nbsp;In a joint statement, Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins said they approved of the budget in general, but they believe Kelly’s vetoes were unconstitutional.&nbsp;“The administration exceeded their authority under the Kansas Constitution, which limits line-item vetoes to items of appropriations,” the statement read. “We strongly encourage the Attorney General to immediately review this unconstitutional overreach.”Kelly pushed back on this statement in an interview with the Reflector following the release of the budget.&nbsp;“This is clearly an appropriation, and there are also times during the debate on this bill where the Legislature themselves declared this an appropriations bill. So we feel very comfortable that my authority to line item exists on appropriations issues,” Kelly said.<h2>Other budget provisions</h2>Kelly also spoke against the special education funding allocation provided in the bill. SB 113 doesn’t include new funding for special education, instead increasing state funding for special education by about $7.5 million, an inflation adjustment from current spending levels.&nbsp;The state is currently about $160 million short of special education funding required by state law, according to estimates from the Kansas Association of School Boards. The state is supposed to provide 92% of the costs of special education, but the Legislature hasn’t fulfilled this requirement since 2011.“I don’t really understand what the hangup was,” Kelly told the Reflector. “I mean, in every other way when we’re talking about programs for kids with disabilities or special needs, the Legislature throws money at it. Look what they do with the waiver programs for the IDD (Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities). Why when it comes to providing funding for the same kids in the school system, they balk? I don’t get it.”&nbsp;The budget bill also expands a private school tax credit and allows private school students to participate in public school sports and activities.&nbsp;The tax credit, originally billed as a way to serve low-income Kansas students, currently allows organizations and taxpayers to write off 70% of scholarships they provide to private schools, with a maximum allowable credit of $500,000 per year.The bill increases student eligibility for the program to 250% of the federal poverty level, raises the tax credit write-off to 75% and also allows unaccredited private schools to be eligible for the program, as long as the school is “working toward accreditation.” Another provision allows the state first right of refusal over closed school buildings.&nbsp;While Kelly criticized the lack of transparency for these provisions, she said her goal was to work toward the best overall outcome.&nbsp;“I just felt this was in the best interests of everybody concerned that we veto that one item that would have been very detrimental to a lot of our school districts, but then to allow the rest of the budget to go through,” Kelly said.

Kan. governor signs K-12 education bill, strikes portion slicing state aid to rural schools

NEW YORK (AP) — Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are pushing to keep AM radio in the nation's cars.

A bipartisan group in Congress has introduced the “AM for Every Vehicle Act." The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.markey.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/am_radio_for_every_vehicle_actpdf.pdf">bill</a>&nbsp;calls on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to require automakers to keep AM radio in new cars at no additional cost.

The legislation would also require automakers selling cars manufactured before the proposed regulation takes effect to let buyers know if the vehicles don't come with AM radios.

Supporters of preserving AM radio in cars cite public safety concerns. The sponsors of the bill put forth Wednesday note AM radio's historic role in transmitting vital information during emergencies, such as communication during natural disasters, especially to people in rural areas.

“Carmakers shouldn’t tune out AM radio in new vehicles or put it behind a costly digital paywall," Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., one of the bill’s sponsors, said in a statement. He added that the bill aims to "ensure that this resilient and popular communication tool does not become a relic of the past.”

The proposed legislation comes as more automakers are dropping broadcast AM radio from their newer models. According to Markey's office, eight out of 20 major car companies — including Tesla, BMW and Ford — have removed it from their electric vehicles.

Carmarkers cite interference from electric motors that can cause static and noise on AM transmissions. Some have suggested that internet radio or other communication tools could replace AM radio. But Markey and others have pushed back — pointing to situations where drivers might not have internet access.

“The truth is that broadcast AM radio is irreplaceable,” Markey said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-markey-criticizes-eight-automakers-for-removing-broadcast-am-radio-from-vehicles">in March</a>.

The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a U.S. group that represents major automakers, criticized the proposed legislation, calling the AM radio mandate unnecessary.

The trade group pointed to FEMA's Integrated Public Alerts and Warning System, which can distribute safety warnings across AM, FM, internet-based and satellite radios — as well as over cellular networks.

“This is simply a bill to prop up and give preference to a particular technology that’s now competing with other communications options and adapting to changing listenership,” the alliance said, while adding that automakers are committed to ensuring drivers have access to public alerts and safety warnings.

The Federal Communications Commission and National Association of Broadcasters, meanwhile, praised the legislation, which is also backed by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., Rep. Tom Kean, Jr., R-N.J., Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash., among others.

“Having AM radio available in our cars means we always have access to emergency alerts and key warnings while we are out on the road,” FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement. “Updating transportation should not mean sacrificing access to what can be life-saving information.”

Wednesday’s proposed legislation would also direct the Government Accountability Office to study whether “an alternative communication system” could replicate and have the same impact that AM radio has for transmitting emergency information.

According to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wearebroadcasters.com/dependonam/default.asp">National Association of Broadcasters</a>&nbsp;and Nielsen data, more than 80 million people in the U.S. listen to AM radio every month.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/3/1679583338814.jpg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>NEW YORK (AP) — Lawmakers on Capitol Hill are pushing to keep AM radio in the nation's cars.A bipartisan group in Congress has introduced the “AM for Every Vehicle Act." The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.markey.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/am_radio_for_every_vehicle_actpdf.pdf">bill</a>&nbsp;calls on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration to require automakers to keep AM radio in new cars at no additional cost.The legislation would also require automakers selling cars manufactured before the proposed regulation takes effect to let buyers know if the vehicles don't come with AM radios.Supporters of preserving AM radio in cars cite public safety concerns. The sponsors of the bill put forth Wednesday note AM radio's historic role in transmitting vital information during emergencies, such as communication during natural disasters, especially to people in rural areas.“Carmakers shouldn’t tune out AM radio in new vehicles or put it behind a costly digital paywall," Sen. Edward Markey, D-Mass., one of the bill’s sponsors, said in a statement. He added that the bill aims to "ensure that this resilient and popular communication tool does not become a relic of the past.”The proposed legislation comes as more automakers are dropping broadcast AM radio from their newer models. According to Markey's office, eight out of 20 major car companies — including Tesla, BMW and Ford — have removed it from their electric vehicles.Carmarkers cite interference from electric motors that can cause static and noise on AM transmissions. Some have suggested that internet radio or other communication tools could replace AM radio. But Markey and others have pushed back — pointing to situations where drivers might not have internet access.“The truth is that broadcast AM radio is irreplaceable,” Markey said&nbsp;<a href="https://www.markey.senate.gov/news/press-releases/senator-markey-criticizes-eight-automakers-for-removing-broadcast-am-radio-from-vehicles">in March</a>.The Alliance for Automotive Innovation, a U.S. group that represents major automakers, criticized the proposed legislation, calling the AM radio mandate unnecessary.The trade group pointed to FEMA's Integrated Public Alerts and Warning System, which can distribute safety warnings across AM, FM, internet-based and satellite radios — as well as over cellular networks.“This is simply a bill to prop up and give preference to a particular technology that’s now competing with other communications options and adapting to changing listenership,” the alliance said, while adding that automakers are committed to ensuring drivers have access to public alerts and safety warnings.The Federal Communications Commission and National Association of Broadcasters, meanwhile, praised the legislation, which is also backed by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, Rep. Josh Gottheimer, D-N.J., Rep. Tom Kean, Jr., R-N.J., Rep. Marie Gluesenkamp Perez, D-Wash., among others.“Having AM radio available in our cars means we always have access to emergency alerts and key warnings while we are out on the road,” FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel said in a statement. “Updating transportation should not mean sacrificing access to what can be life-saving information.”Wednesday’s proposed legislation would also direct the Government Accountability Office to study whether “an alternative communication system” could replicate and have the same impact that AM radio has for transmitting emergency information.According to the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wearebroadcasters.com/dependonam/default.asp">National Association of Broadcasters</a>&nbsp;and Nielsen data, more than 80 million people in the U.S. listen to AM radio every month.

Bipartisan bill would require automakers to keep AM radio in new cars

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Lawyers seeking to preserve pregnant women's access to a drug used in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-medication-abortion-works-f913375ec6f8ebcb1f1055e57a3aef63">most common method</a>&nbsp;of abortion got pushback Wednesday from appellate judges with a history of supporting abortion restrictions.

A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-mifepristone-federal-appeals-judges-e53224d29061fadbcd073e500499019c">three-judge panel</a>&nbsp;of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments over whether the Food and Drug Administration approval of mifepristone should be revoked more than two decades after it was granted. The case is likely to wind up at the Supreme Court, which already intervened to keep the drug available while the legal fight winds through the courts. The high court's decision came after a Texas-based judge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-lawsuit-mifepristone-misoprostol-kacsmaryk-74cb1c4cfab2c04f6cf2696151bc86ef">revoked the drug's approval.</a>

Biden administration attorney Sarah Harrington opened by calling U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk's April 7 ruling an “unprecedented and unjustified attack on the FDA's scientific expertise.”

“I hate to cut you off so early, but you said, `unprecendented'," Judge James Ho said, referring to an unrelated case that was argued Tuesday. “We had a challenge to the FDA just yesterday.”

“Yes, but I don't think there's ever been a court that has vacated the FDA's determination that a drug is safe to be on the market. ... It's not a court's role to come in and second-guess that expertise,” Harrington told Ho, who was appointed to the court by former President Donald Trump.

There is no precedent for a U.S. court overturning the approval of a drug that the FDA has deemed safe and effective. While new drug safety issues often emerge after FDA approval, the agency is required to monitor medicines on the market, evaluate emerging issues and take action to protect U.S. patients. Congress delegated that responsibility to the FDA — not the courts— more than a century ago.

Arguments Wednesday went on for two hours, with Harrington and Jessica Ellsworth, an attorney for Danco Laboratories, telling the panel that the doctors and groups who brought the lawsuit did not have a right to sue because they failed to prove they have been or would be harmed by the approval of mifepristone. Their claims that they would be forced to treat people who suffer complications from mifepristone — perhaps even completing abortions when the drug fails — are “speculative,” Harrington said.

All three judges seemed skeptical of that argument.

“It just strikes me that what the FDA has done in making this more available ... is you’ve made it much more likely that patients are going to go to emergency care or a medical clinic where one of these doctors is a member,” said Judge Cory Wilson, another Trump appointee.

Harrington disputed that, saying mifepristone is extremely safe, rarely results in complications, and that doctors could cite their conscience and refuse to participate in procedures.

But Erin Hawley, an attorney arguing for the anti-mifepristone plaintiffs, insisted that doctors opposed to abortion can be forced to violate their consciences if they are called upon to remove fetuses from the wombs of women who have had an incomplete medical abortion.

“They allege that they feel complicit in an elective abortion by being forced to complete that procedure,” she said in answer to questions from Judge Jennifer Walker Elrod, an appointee of President George W. Bush.

The case comes to the appeals court almost a year after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;ruling that had established abortion rights. Fourteen states have since banned abortion at all stages of pregnancy and other states have adopted, or are debating,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-veto-override-north-carolina-4282913637b499490494dd3e3cce3478">major restrictions</a>.

Ho twice referred an “FDA can do no wrong” theme in the pro-mifepristone arguments.

“We are allowed to look at the FDA just like we're allowed to look at any agency. That's the role of the courts,” Ho told Ellsworth, who went on to say that the FDA has approved drugs later found to have safety problems.

The third judge hearing the case was Jennifer Walker Elrod, a George W. Bush nominee.

Abortion opponents sued in November in federal court in Amarillo, Texas, where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-judge-matthew-kacsmaryk-abortion-pill-fda-75964b777ef09593a1ad948c6cfc0237">Kacsmaryk</a>, a Trump nominee, presides. An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-abortion-pill-appeal-fe13d36218f1fb43590aff29b5ba4e9c">appellate panel</a>&nbsp;voted 2-1 to narrow, but not completely block, Kacsmaryk's ruling.

The panel's April 13 decision said the abortion opponents appeared to be barred by time limits from challenging the initial 2000 approval. But the panel said adjustments made in later years — among them allowing the drug to be sent via mail and administered without a physician present — could still be revoked.

Wednesday's hearing also dealt with the time limit issue, and whether the FDA's later-year changes reset the clock and made full approval ripe for review.

“Is every time the FDA going to relax some prior restriction, requirement or safeguard based on a history of performance, does that mean we're here on a reopening issue? I mean, how do you draw that line?” Wilson asked Hawley.

“Absolutely not, your honor,” she replied.

Other mifepristone rules that have changed since the drug's initial approval include extending the time it can be used from seven to 10 weeks of pregnancy, and reducing the dosage needed to safely end a pregnancy.

Mifepristone is one of two pills used in medication abortions, along with misoprostol. Health care providers have said they could switch to misoprostol if mifepristone is no longer available or is too hard to obtain. Misoprostol is somewhat less effective in ending pregnancies.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/4/1680967457500.png" alt="The closely watched case is likely to wind up at the Supreme Court, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-pill-mifepristone-access-f781488016640bf571faf36096339ea4">already intervened</a>&nbsp;to keep the drug, mifepristone, available while the legal fight winds through the courts-photo AP" />
 <figcaption>The closely watched case is likely to wind up at the Supreme Court, which&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-abortion-pill-mifepristone-access-f781488016640bf571faf36096339ea4">already intervened</a>&nbsp;to keep the drug, mifepristone, available while the legal fight winds through the courts-photo AP</figcaption>
 </figure>NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Lawyers seeking to preserve pregnant women's access to a drug used in the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/how-medication-abortion-works-f913375ec6f8ebcb1f1055e57a3aef63">most common method</a>&nbsp;of abortion got pushback Wednesday from appellate judges with a history of supporting abortion restrictions.A&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-mifepristone-federal-appeals-judges-e53224d29061fadbcd073e500499019c">three-judge panel</a>&nbsp;of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments over whether the Food and Drug Administration approval of mifepristone should be revoked more than two decades after it was granted. The case is likely to wind up at the Supreme Court, which already intervened to keep the drug available while the legal fight winds through the courts. The high court's decision came after a Texas-based judge&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-pill-lawsuit-mifepristone-misoprostol-kacsmaryk-74cb1c4cfab2c04f6cf2696151bc86ef">revoked the drug's approval.</a>Biden administration attorney Sarah Harrington opened by calling U.S. District Judge Matthew Kacsmaryk's April 7 ruling an “unprecedented and unjustified attack on the FDA's scientific expertise.”“I hate to cut you off so early, but you said, `unprecendented'," Judge James Ho said, referring to an unrelated case that was argued Tuesday. “We had a challenge to the FDA just yesterday.”“Yes, but I don't think there's ever been a court that has vacated the FDA's determination that a drug is safe to be on the market. ... It's not a court's role to come in and second-guess that expertise,” Harrington told Ho, who was appointed to the court by former President Donald Trump.There is no precedent for a U.S. court overturning the approval of a drug that the FDA has deemed safe and effective. While new drug safety issues often emerge after FDA approval, the agency is required to monitor medicines on the market, evaluate emerging issues and take action to protect U.S. patients. Congress delegated that responsibility to the FDA — not the courts— more than a century ago.Arguments Wednesday went on for two hours, with Harrington and Jessica Ellsworth, an attorney for Danco Laboratories, telling the panel that the doctors and groups who brought the lawsuit did not have a right to sue because they failed to prove they have been or would be harmed by the approval of mifepristone. Their claims that they would be forced to treat people who suffer complications from mifepristone — perhaps even completing abortions when the drug fails — are “speculative,” Harrington said.All three judges seemed skeptical of that argument.“It just strikes me that what the FDA has done in making this more available ... is you’ve made it much more likely that patients are going to go to emergency care or a medical clinic where one of these doctors is a member,” said Judge Cory Wilson, another Trump appointee.Harrington disputed that, saying mifepristone is extremely safe, rarely results in complications, and that doctors could cite their conscience and refuse to participate in procedures.But Erin Hawley, an attorney arguing for the anti-mifepristone plaintiffs, insisted that doctors opposed to abortion can be forced to violate their consciences if they are called upon to remove fetuses from the wombs of women who have had an incomplete medical abortion.“They allege that they feel complicit in an elective abortion by being forced to complete that procedure,” she said in answer to questions from Judge Jennifer Walker Elrod, an appointee of President George W. Bush.The case comes to the appeals court almost a year after the&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-supreme-court-decision-854f60302f21c2c35129e58cf8d8a7b0">Supreme Court overturned the Roe v. Wade</a>&nbsp;ruling that had established abortion rights. Fourteen states have since banned abortion at all stages of pregnancy and other states have adopted, or are debating,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/abortion-veto-override-north-carolina-4282913637b499490494dd3e3cce3478">major restrictions</a>.Ho twice referred an “FDA can do no wrong” theme in the pro-mifepristone arguments.“We are allowed to look at the FDA just like we're allowed to look at any agency. That's the role of the courts,” Ho told Ellsworth, who went on to say that the FDA has approved drugs later found to have safety problems.The third judge hearing the case was Jennifer Walker Elrod, a George W. Bush nominee.Abortion opponents sued in November in federal court in Amarillo, Texas, where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-judge-matthew-kacsmaryk-abortion-pill-fda-75964b777ef09593a1ad948c6cfc0237">Kacsmaryk</a>, a Trump nominee, presides. An&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/texas-abortion-pill-appeal-fe13d36218f1fb43590aff29b5ba4e9c">appellate panel</a>&nbsp;voted 2-1 to narrow, but not completely block, Kacsmaryk's ruling.The panel's April 13 decision said the abortion opponents appeared to be barred by time limits from challenging the initial 2000 approval. But the panel said adjustments made in later years — among them allowing the drug to be sent via mail and administered without a physician present — could still be revoked.Wednesday's hearing also dealt with the time limit issue, and whether the FDA's later-year changes reset the clock and made full approval ripe for review.“Is every time the FDA going to relax some prior restriction, requirement or safeguard based on a history of performance, does that mean we're here on a reopening issue? I mean, how do you draw that line?” Wilson asked Hawley.“Absolutely not, your honor,” she replied.Other mifepristone rules that have changed since the drug's initial approval include extending the time it can be used from seven to 10 weeks of pregnancy, and reducing the dosage needed to safely end a pregnancy.Mifepristone is one of two pills used in medication abortions, along with misoprostol. Health care providers have said they could switch to misoprostol if mifepristone is no longer available or is too hard to obtain. Misoprostol is somewhat less effective in ending pregnancies.

Abortion pill battle on track for Supreme Court

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Pipeline design issues, lapses by its operators and problems caused during its construction led to a massive oil spill on the Keystone pipeline system in northeastern Kansas, according to a report for U.S. government regulators.

An engineering consulting firm said in the report that the bend in the Keystone system where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-spills-business-texas-canada-kansas-34d8391337583fc242407141d24d66c2">the December 2022 spill</a>&nbsp;occurred had been “overstressed” since its installation in December 2010 — likely because construction activity itself altered the land around the pipe. The U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration posted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/2023-05/MP14-Confidential-RCFA-FINAL-April-21-2023-Redacted.pdf">a redacted copy of the report</a>&nbsp;online Monday, about three weeks after it was completed by RSI Pipeline Solutions, based in the Columbus, Ohio, area.

The report raised questions about Canada-based TC Energy's oversight of the manufacturing of its pipeline, saying the report's authors could find no record of a pre-installation inspection of the welds on the pipeline bend in Washington County, Kansas. The report concluded that TC Energy underestimated the risks associated with the bend going from its round shape when installed to a more-restricted oval shape within two years and didn't replace the bend after excavating it in 2013.

<a href="https://apnews.com/article/keystone-pipeline-oil-spill-kansas-a4169205b37e6774e5f5206a95b730db">The company said in February</a>&nbsp;that a faulty weld in the bend caused a crack that grew over time under stress. The spill dumped nearly 13,000 barrels of crude oil — each one enough to fill a standard household bathtub — into a creek running through a rural pasture about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northwest of Kansas City. It was the largest onshore spill&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-spills-business-texas-kansas-us-environmental-protection-agency-eda391fc0924b34a08ff840615a7bc58">in nearly nine years.</a>

“When you have a pipeline that is spilling and having as many problems as Keystone One, it is clearly a red flag that there are bigger issues going on," said Jane Kleeb, who founded the Bold Nebraska environmental and landowner rights group that helped fight off TC Energy's plan to build a second pipeline, the Keystone XL.

The U.S. Department of Transportation has documented 22 leaks along the Keystone pipeline since it was built in 2010. The one in Washington County was by far the largest.

“At what point, does the federal government ... step in and say this has reached a point where we need to shut the full line down to do a full review of the pipeline?" Kleeb said.

The 2,700-mile (4,345-kilometer) Keystone system carries heavy crude oil extracted in western Canada to the Gulf Coast and to central Illinois. Concerns that spills could pollute waterways ultimately&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-joe-biden-keystone-pipeline-canada-environment-and-nature-141eabd7cca6449dfbd2dab8165812f2">scuttled TC Energy's plans</a>&nbsp;to build the Keystone XL across 1,200 miles (1,900 kilometers) of Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska.

In Kansas, no one was evacuated because of the December spill. State and U.S. government officials have said it didn't affect two rivers and a lake downstream from the creek.

In response to a request Tuesday for comment, TC Energy pointed to a statement it issued when the report was finished in April but not public. In it, Richard Prior, president of TC Energy's Liquids Pipeline operations, said the company was confident in the pipeline's reliability.

TC Energy has said the cleanup will cost the company $480 million, and it announced last week that it had finished recovering oil from the creek.

Prior said last month: “We are unwavering in our commitment to fully remediate the site.”

But Bill Caram, executive director of the Pipeline Safety Trust watchdog group, said that with the history of problems along the Keystone pipeline, the public has plenty of reasons to doubt its safety.

“I would certainly like to see PHMSA come up with a plan to work with TC Energy to develop a plan so that the public can be ensured that TC Energy will be able to operate this pipeline safely going forward. I don’t think the public has that kind of trust in this pipeline right now,” Caram said.

Richard Kuprewicz, who has five decades of experience in the pipeline industry and consults with governments about them, said problems like this flawed weld need to be found during construction but TC Energy clearly missed it amid the pressure to get the multibillion-dollar project built quickly.

“It looks like the quality control got out of hand at least in this segment. I can’t say for the whole line,” said Kuprewicz, who is president of Washington-based Accufacts Inc.

The consultants' report said the pipeline rupture and oil spill occurred only days after TC Energy began testing for increasing the pressure in the Keystone system, though the Kansas section was operating about 16% below the top pressure allowed by U.S. government regulators. At the same time, the company was running a device through the pipeline to look for potential leaks.

Pipeline valves were left open so that the leak-testing tool could pass through the pipeline, the report said, and that could have contributed to the size of the spill.

The report said a March 2021 engineering assessment of Keystone's pipeline from southern Nebraska to northern Oklahoma showed five bends, including Washington County's, had the same oval “deformation.”

The report noted that the industry generally does not see so-called “ovalities” as a threat, so the “obvious” focus in Washington County in 2012 and 2013 when that abnormality was found there was ensuring that a leak-detecting tool still could pass through the bend.

“Yet this focus may have caused the Pipe Integrity team and senior management to overlook a potential concern of added stress on the elbow and its possible impact on future integrity,” the report said.

The report added that 108 other pipe fittings manufactured for the Keystone system in 2010 could have “imperfections” similar to those in the Washington County bend. All of them were replacements for other fittings found to be deficient.

Because other bends made on the same day had weld flaws that were repaired, the report found it “plausible” that the Washington County bend also had flaws "repaired but not recorded.”

The lack of an inspection report means that, at a minimum, record-keeping procedures were not followed and, at worst, the report said, “The weld inspections were never performed.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/1/1673362197220.png" alt="The report raised questions about Canada-based TC Energy's oversight of the manufacturing of its pipeline -photo TC Energy" />
 <figcaption>The report raised questions about Canada-based TC Energy's oversight of the manufacturing of its pipeline -photo TC Energy</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNA and JOSH FUNK&nbsp;TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Pipeline design issues, lapses by its operators and problems caused during its construction led to a massive oil spill on the Keystone pipeline system in northeastern Kansas, according to a report for U.S. government regulators.An engineering consulting firm said in the report that the bend in the Keystone system where&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-spills-business-texas-canada-kansas-34d8391337583fc242407141d24d66c2">the December 2022 spill</a>&nbsp;occurred had been “overstressed” since its installation in December 2010 — likely because construction activity itself altered the land around the pipe. The U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipelines and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration posted&nbsp;<a href="https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/2023-05/MP14-Confidential-RCFA-FINAL-April-21-2023-Redacted.pdf">a redacted copy of the report</a>&nbsp;online Monday, about three weeks after it was completed by RSI Pipeline Solutions, based in the Columbus, Ohio, area.The report raised questions about Canada-based TC Energy's oversight of the manufacturing of its pipeline, saying the report's authors could find no record of a pre-installation inspection of the welds on the pipeline bend in Washington County, Kansas. The report concluded that TC Energy underestimated the risks associated with the bend going from its round shape when installed to a more-restricted oval shape within two years and didn't replace the bend after excavating it in 2013.<a href="https://apnews.com/article/keystone-pipeline-oil-spill-kansas-a4169205b37e6774e5f5206a95b730db">The company said in February</a>&nbsp;that a faulty weld in the bend caused a crack that grew over time under stress. The spill dumped nearly 13,000 barrels of crude oil — each one enough to fill a standard household bathtub — into a creek running through a rural pasture about 150 miles (240 kilometers) northwest of Kansas City. It was the largest onshore spill&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/oil-spills-business-texas-kansas-us-environmental-protection-agency-eda391fc0924b34a08ff840615a7bc58">in nearly nine years.</a>“When you have a pipeline that is spilling and having as many problems as Keystone One, it is clearly a red flag that there are bigger issues going on," said Jane Kleeb, who founded the Bold Nebraska environmental and landowner rights group that helped fight off TC Energy's plan to build a second pipeline, the Keystone XL.The U.S. Department of Transportation has documented 22 leaks along the Keystone pipeline since it was built in 2010. The one in Washington County was by far the largest.“At what point, does the federal government ... step in and say this has reached a point where we need to shut the full line down to do a full review of the pipeline?" Kleeb said.The 2,700-mile (4,345-kilometer) Keystone system carries heavy crude oil extracted in western Canada to the Gulf Coast and to central Illinois. Concerns that spills could pollute waterways ultimately&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-joe-biden-keystone-pipeline-canada-environment-and-nature-141eabd7cca6449dfbd2dab8165812f2">scuttled TC Energy's plans</a>&nbsp;to build the Keystone XL across 1,200 miles (1,900 kilometers) of Montana, South Dakota and Nebraska.In Kansas, no one was evacuated because of the December spill. State and U.S. government officials have said it didn't affect two rivers and a lake downstream from the creek.In response to a request Tuesday for comment, TC Energy pointed to a statement it issued when the report was finished in April but not public. In it, Richard Prior, president of TC Energy's Liquids Pipeline operations, said the company was confident in the pipeline's reliability.TC Energy has said the cleanup will cost the company $480 million, and it announced last week that it had finished recovering oil from the creek.Prior said last month: “We are unwavering in our commitment to fully remediate the site.”But Bill Caram, executive director of the Pipeline Safety Trust watchdog group, said that with the history of problems along the Keystone pipeline, the public has plenty of reasons to doubt its safety.“I would certainly like to see PHMSA come up with a plan to work with TC Energy to develop a plan so that the public can be ensured that TC Energy will be able to operate this pipeline safely going forward. I don’t think the public has that kind of trust in this pipeline right now,” Caram said.Richard Kuprewicz, who has five decades of experience in the pipeline industry and consults with governments about them, said problems like this flawed weld need to be found during construction but TC Energy clearly missed it amid the pressure to get the multibillion-dollar project built quickly.“It looks like the quality control got out of hand at least in this segment. I can’t say for the whole line,” said Kuprewicz, who is president of Washington-based Accufacts Inc.The consultants' report said the pipeline rupture and oil spill occurred only days after TC Energy began testing for increasing the pressure in the Keystone system, though the Kansas section was operating about 16% below the top pressure allowed by U.S. government regulators. At the same time, the company was running a device through the pipeline to look for potential leaks.Pipeline valves were left open so that the leak-testing tool could pass through the pipeline, the report said, and that could have contributed to the size of the spill.The report said a March 2021 engineering assessment of Keystone's pipeline from southern Nebraska to northern Oklahoma showed five bends, including Washington County's, had the same oval “deformation.”The report noted that the industry generally does not see so-called “ovalities” as a threat, so the “obvious” focus in Washington County in 2012 and 2013 when that abnormality was found there was ensuring that a leak-detecting tool still could pass through the bend.“Yet this focus may have caused the Pipe Integrity team and senior management to overlook a potential concern of added stress on the elbow and its possible impact on future integrity,” the report said.The report added that 108 other pipe fittings manufactured for the Keystone system in 2010 could have “imperfections” similar to those in the Washington County bend. All of them were replacements for other fittings found to be deficient.Because other bends made on the same day had weld flaws that were repaired, the report found it “plausible” that the Washington County bend also had flaws "repaired but not recorded.”The lack of an inspection report means that, at a minimum, record-keeping procedures were not followed and, at worst, the report said, “The weld inspections were never performed.”

Consultants: Design issues, operations lapses led to big Kansas oil spill

SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp; a shooting near a bar early on Mother's Day that sent a victim to the hospital.

Just after 2a.m. May 14,&nbsp; Shawnee County Dispatch received multiple calls of gunshots in the area of Victoria’s Bar, 5011 SW Topeka Boulevard, according to Deputy Abigail Christian.

 Shortly after those calls to law enforcement, a man arrived at a business in the 4500 Block of SW Topeka Boulevard suffering from gunshot wounds to the torso and head. The 35-year-old male victim was transported by AMR to Stormont Vail Hospital in critical condition.

A preliminary investigation at the scene indicated there were multiple shooting suspects with over 75 shell casings recovered in the parking lot of the business.&nbsp;The victim has been released from the hospital and is recovering, according to Christian.

On Wednesday, the sheriff's office reported four arrests. Leon D. Smith-Love I., 28, of Topeka, is being held for aggravated assault, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal discharge of a firearm.

Kathryn R. Hazelwood, 26, of Topeka is being held on requested charges of possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684358381569.png" alt="Blenden-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Blenden-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>SHAWNEE COUNTY —Law enforcement authorities are investigating&nbsp; a shooting near a bar early on Mother's Day that sent a victim to the hospital.Just after 2a.m. May 14,&nbsp; Shawnee County Dispatch received multiple calls of gunshots in the area of Victoria’s Bar, 5011 SW Topeka Boulevard, according to Deputy Abigail Christian. Shortly after those calls to law enforcement, a man arrived at a business in the 4500 Block of SW Topeka Boulevard suffering from gunshot wounds to the torso and head. The 35-year-old male victim was transported by AMR to Stormont Vail Hospital in critical condition.A preliminary investigation at the scene indicated there were multiple shooting suspects with over 75 shell casings recovered in the parking lot of the business.&nbsp;The victim has been released from the hospital and is recovering, according to Christian.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684358461475.png" alt="Smith-Love-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Smith-Love-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>On Wednesday, the sheriff's office reported four arrests. Leon D. Smith-Love I., 28, of Topeka, is being held for aggravated assault, criminal possession of a weapon and criminal discharge of a firearm.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684358501058.png" alt="Hazelwood-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Hazelwood-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Kathryn R. Hazelwood, 26, of Topeka is being held on requested charges of possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684358303852.png" alt="Wheat-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Wheat-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Charles D. Wheat, 42, of Topeka, is in custody on requested charges of&nbsp; aggravated assault and criminal discharge of a firearm.Jason M. Blenden Sr., 49, of Topeka, was booked in on an arrest warrant and could face additional charges.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684428008780.png" alt="Morgan-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Morgan-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>On Thursday the sheriff's office reported the arrest of Storm M. Morgan, 30, of Meriden, on requested charges of criminal discharge of a firearm.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2023/5/1684428093932.png" alt="Ray-photo Shawnee Co." />
 <figcaption>Ray-photo Shawnee Co.</figcaption>
 </figure>Shawn M. Ray, 39, of Topeka, is in custody on requested charges of criminal discharge of a firearm, aggravated assault and interference with law enforcement.